REVIEW: Keep Me Safe by Maya Banks

In Keep Me Safe (Slow Burn #1) by Maya Banks, When Caleb Devereaux has no other option to find and save his sister Tori, he turns to Ramie St. Claire, the young woman whose psychic gift has helped rescue many kidnapped victims in the past. Yet, Caleb has no idea what it does to Ramie each time she assists in these cases. She not only feels the physical effects of the torture and abuse as the victims are feeling it, but she can never leave behind the gruesome visions she endures. Ramie doesn’t begrudge Caleb for going to any length to find his sister. She only wishes someone would care that deeply about her well being some day.

‘Would death be so bad? It felt to her as if she’d died each and every time she’d slid into the mind of a helpless victim. Most people only faced death once. She’d faced it repeatedly.’

Caleb owes Ramie more than he can possibly ever express when he’s able to locate Tori and get her back into the safety of his family home in Texas. But he can’t help but feel badly at having to let Ramie recuperate on her own, with no one to look out after her. When Ramie finds herself being stalked by a serial killer, she turns to Caleb for help. She doesn’t want to risk the safety of his family, but she has no other option. With a new found attraction growing between them, can Ramie and Caleb keep themselves alive long enough to take down a madman and begin a future together?

“I realize you’ve never had anyone fight for you, Ramie. But you do now. You have me.”
“No one has ever wanted me,” she whispered. “They’ve wanted what I can do, what my abilities can do, but never me. Do you know what that feels like?”

Keep Me Safe is the first novel in a new romantic suspense series by Maya Banks, one of my go-to authors when I want to read about couples with the hottest chemistry and the most intense relationships.

Both were certainly true here: Caleb and Ramie had an instant attraction that flared hotter than the sun, plus the situation they found themselves in created tremendous drama while they were in constant danger. Now be forewarned, this story has a seriously dark tone to it and it can get pretty grisly at times given the atrocities Ramie had to see and experience along with the victims she connected with psychically. Not to say that it was all dark and heavy. There were a few very funny, tender, poignant moments between Caleb and Ramie, as well as with some of the other secondary characters.

I thought the plot was an intriguing one and it worked wonderfully well for a suspense novel. My only concern was that it moved a bit slowly at times with the characters being stuck in their heads with their inner monologues. I understand the need for this, being more of a psychological story than straight up action, but some of the scenes felt like they could have been pared down and have had the same effect. That being said, I was still riveted to the plot, trying to figure out who the serial killer was and if he would attack Ramie. One thing I have noticed reading many of Ms. Banks’ novels, is that she makes her characters go through the worst hell imaginable to get to their HEA. And Ramie and Caleb definitely go through A LOT before everything works out for them. They certainly earned all the good things yet to come in their lives.

Overall, I did think Keep Me Safe was a solid start to this new series and a good introduction to the Devereaux family. It may be a little heavy for some, but if you like romances with a psychological edge, check this one out.

Book Info:

Publication: October 7th 2014 by William Morrow Paperbacks | (Slow Burn #1)

A sizzling story of a woman who risks her life and her heart to find a wealthy man’s missing sister—the first novel in a sexy new romantic suspense series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Maya Banks

When Caleb Devereaux’s younger sister is kidnapped, this scion of a powerful and wealthy family turns to an unlikely source for help: a beautiful and sensitive woman with a gift for finding answers others cannot.

While Ramie can connect to victims and locate them by feeling their pain, her ability comes with a price. Every time she uses it, it costs her a piece of herself. Helping the infuriatingly attractive and impatient Caleb successfully find his sister nearly destroys her. Even though his sexual intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him as she can.

Deeply remorseful for the pain he’s caused, Caleb is determined to make things right. But just when he thinks Ramie’s vanished forever, she reappears. She’s in trouble and she needs his help. Now, Caleb will risk everything to protect her—including his heart. . . .