WITH EVERY BREATH – Maya Banks
A Slow Burn Novel , Book 4
Avon Books
ISBN-13:  978-0-06-241016-0
August 2016
Romantic Suspense

Texas and Oregon - Present Day

When Eliza gets a call from the District Attorney in Oregon, she turns utterly numb.  Thomas Harrington, the man who raped, killed and tortured women ten years ago, is getting out of jail after a police officer confessed to tampering with evidence.  At sixteen, Thomas pretended to be a friend to her, but it was all an act; he had strong psychic abilities telling her he was her savior and loved her.  If she hadn't seen him murder a woman all those years ago and testified against him, who knew where she would be?  He said he was keeping her pure, and it was the only way for him to deal with his demons.  Once he was in jail, Eliza's mind cleared, and she has spent the past ten years with her new family, Devereaux Security Services, where each employee is actually a friend to her.  But despite Thomas being in prison, her internal demon blames her for the deaths of each of those women.  In fact, when the wives of the company where she works were kidnapped, a friend, Wade Sterling, took a bullet meant for her.  Too bad he continues to rub her the wrong way every time they meet, and she isn't afraid to tell him so.

Wade Sterling doesn't know why Eliza ridicules and insults him all the time, and yet he still itches to get her in her arms.  It's only when Dane, Eliza's partner in the company, calls him and tells him something bad is going on with her and she is leaving for a vacation that he is willing to follow her and find out what is happening to her that makes her so sad.  For some reason, Wade can almost read Eliza's thoughts in her eyes.  Little could he guess what Eliza has planned.

Tracking Eliza and trying to find out what she is doing drives Wade beyond what his nerves can stand.  He only knows that he will place his life before hers in protecting her.  Eliza hates to tell Wade what happened to her at sixteen and how stupid and just plain dumb she was, and how she has lived with the memories ever since.   Now she has said goodbye to every friend in her life and is determined to take care of the man permanently who changed her forever and accept whatever happens to her gladly.

Continuing the Slow Burn Series , Maya Banks certainly gives WITH EVERY BREATH plenty of excitement and turmoil to enthrall anyone.  Told from Eliza's and Wade's points of view, Eliza is bound and determined to take out the man who destroyed her life, and is fully prepared to go to prison for her actions.  Although the prison in her mind she has lived in for the past ten years has been just as terrible.  Wade knew he had an attraction to Eliza, but when he is asked to find her and protect her, he is the first to realize there never is or will be anyone for him to love like her.  Slower to investigate the chemistry between them, Eliza constantly tries to figure out why a man as strong as Wade could even be remotely interested in her with all the filth she has lived through and the stains on her soul.

Secondary characters are Eliza's co-workers at Devereaux Security Services, especially Dane, her partner and beloved friend.  Other co-workers who would gladly do anything for Eliza are Zack, Cable, Beau, and their wives.  Behind Eliza's revenge is Thomas, just getting out of prison and sure to have an agenda that includes her.

WITH EVERY BREATH is the conclusion of the Slow Burn Series .  The other stories are KEEP ME SAFE, (October 2014), IN HIS KEEPING (January 2015), and SAFE AT LAST (June 2015).  While it is a series and each book is sure to be memorable, other than knowing the stories of every other man in the security company, WITH EVERY BREATH was a standalone story.  Grief, a loss of innocence, and a steadfast and loving man make this an exceptional story.  Don't be surprised if you are wiping your eyes by the end of the book.  Wade wants to protect Eliza any way he can; will her stubborn spirit allow him to?  Enjoy WITH EVERY BREATH and read it over the weekend for the most enjoyment.

Carolyn Crisher