My take on: Keep Me Safe

I have to start off by Maya Banks put a unique spin on romantic suspense in her last book Keep Me Safe.

Ramie St. Claire is consumed by pain -- her own and the pain of others. Why? She has worked for years with the police to locate crime victims. What's the catch? Is she a psychic? Ramie is more than that. She can literally feel the pain of these victims. Everything they experience Ramie can feel as it's happening. Every single act of torture Ramie can feel. Every time she helps families find their relatives, it takes a little piece of Ramie's soul. She is physically and emotionally drained. Now, a brutal killer is after Ramie. She can no longer help locate people without risking her safety. But that doesn't matter to Caleb Devereaux, a wealthy man searching for his kidnapped sister Tori. Caleb won't take no for an answer. He has to find his sister no matter the risks. After Tori is found, Caleb dedicates himself to helping others by forming a security firm. Ramie runs far away and refuses Caleb's help ... until she is desperate and has no where else to turn.

I like to think I'm somewhat well-read when it comes to romance books. That's why I think this was an interesting way to form a romantic relationship. Not many heroines find their dream man this way. Having said all that .... this book wasn't quite for me. As a character, Ramie was too weak for my tastes. Everyone treats her like a fragile piece of glass. She'll break if you press her too hard. I like my heroines to have some toughness within them. Caleb was a true alpha male. Caleb is definitely sorry for causing Ramie more pain. However, he makes sure everyone knows he has power, and knows just what to do with it. The sexual connection between them felt a bit quick, and I'm not a fan of insta-love.

The ending was happy and haunting at the same time. Without giving too much away, Caleb is forced to betray Ramie in the worst way. She's more damaged by the end than she was in the beginning. The resolution to everything comes rather quickly. It seems like some therapy would be needed. There's no stop-your-heart cliffhanger to the ending, so I'm curious to see how the next two books shape up. Although this one wasn't quite for me, I'm willing to give Maya Banks another try.

Rating: Give it a try

Note: I received a copy of the book from Sullivan and Partners in exchange for an honest review.