Out Now! Safe At Last by Maya Banks

Title: Safe At Last

Author: Maya Banks

Reviewer: Theresa Martin

Stars: 4.5 ★★★★.5

Synopsis:

The third book in the beloved #1 bestselling author’s sexy, romantic suspense Slow Burn series…

They say young love doesn’t last, but a girl from the wrong side of the tracks with unique abilities and the hometown golden boy were determined to defy the odds. For Zack Covington, Anna-Grace—his “Gracie”—was the one. Until one night forever alters the course of their future, when a devastated Gracie disappears without a trace, leaving Zack to agonize over what happened to the girl he loved. As the years pass, his desperate efforts to find her uncovered nothing.

Now working for Devereaux Security, he stumbles across a painting featuring a special place only he and Gracie would know. The image is too perfectly rendered for it to be coincidence. His Gracie must be alive. When he finally tracks her down, he is shocked—and heart-broken—to discover the wounded shell of the girl he once knew and still loves. Her psychic gifts are gone, and worse, she believes he betrayed her all those years ago.

Zack has enemies, and once his weakness is discovered, Gracie becomes a target for revenge. He’ll have to save her before he can earn her trust and her love. And he vows they’ll never be torn apart again.

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Review by Theresa Martin: 4.5 ★★★★.5

Safe at Last is the third book in the Slow Burn series, and is the story of the Devereaux family, and the members of the team that form Devereaux Security, or DSS. This series continues with the story of Zack and Anna-Grace, or Gracie as Zack calls her.

Zack and Gracie were high school sweethearts. Zack was the football star destined for the pros, and part of the popular crowd. Gracie was from “the wrong side of the tracks,” but that didn’t bother Zack. They were in love, and planned for their future, which included marriage and lots of kids. However, those plans did upset his father. He felt that Zack’s girlfriend was beneath him and was holding him back from going to college and continuing on to the pros.

One day when Zack comes home from college for a visit, Gracie is gone. With no explanation, or indication that something was wrong, she seemingly disappeared, and took his heart with her. Heartbroken, Zack continued to college and went on the play professional football. He was having a great career, then an unexpected injury sidelined him.

Instead of working to get back on the field, Zack decided to leave football, and embarked on a career in law enforcement. Zack was recruited by the government, but instead took a job with DSS. There, he feels he can continue his search for his Gracie. Zack never stopped looking for Gracie. He never stopped loving her, either. For twelve years, he tried to figure out what happened to her. Why she didn’t tell him she was leaving. She just dumped him, and didn’t look back.

Anna-Grace seemingly has moved on, but looks can be deceiving. She’s an up and coming artist, and she’s on the cusp of becoming a jewel of the art world. Through a chance circumstance, DSS’ services are requested by an art dealer. While in the gallery, Zack sees a painting of a place known only to him and Gracie. When Zack grills the dealer for the identity of the artist, the dealer gets suspicious, and suddenly decides to cancel the assignment with DSS. On his way out of the gallery, Zack runs into Gracie, and time seems to stop. To his shock, for some reason, Gracie is terrified of him. She accuses him of doing something horrific, and wants to have nothing to do with him.

When Gracie’s life is put in danger, Zack goes in protective mode, and puts her under DSS’ protection. Gracie isn’t happy about being in such close proximity to Zack, but he’d rather have her safe and mad at him, than risk any harm coming to her.

Like Caleb and Beaux Devereaux’s wives Ramie and Ari, Gracie has an unusual gift. She can read minds. Growing up, only Zack knew about Gracie’s abilities. She didn’t want anyone else to know because she was afraid people would treat her differently. Her gift may be one of the things that keeps her safe. If you’ve read the previous two books, you know there is a sinister organization out to use the women for their own treacherous plans.

You’ve got plenty of alpha men in this series, but the ladies are running the show. They aren’t afraid to take care of things, and aren’t letting these badass security experts tell them what they can and can’t do. I’m used to Maya Banks’ more steamy, erotic books, but I really did enjoy this series. There is a lot of action, and a great storyline that carries through the entire series, yet each book has their own separate feel.

I received this ARC for an honest review, and I give it 4.5 stars.

About the Author:

Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today and international bestselling author of over 50 novels. A wife and mother of three, she lives in Texas.