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sunshineandhoney's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
chelseaj91's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was decent.
I will admit that I'd hoped for more behind all the things. It just felt kind of...unfinished(?) with Rachel. And the reasons for things also felt a little weird. Like, yeah I get the overall idea but things just don't quite add up for me.I do get Castle's thing on killing her because he was a slimebag and it definitely would have put a damper on things if she'd spilled the beans. And even to an extent, I can see the cartel's plan (I hate to admit it, but it was a good one) but why kill everyone on the plane? Why not just say Rachel didn't come back or was a victim of cartel violence? Even if they were trying to push so that Ethan/KGI wouldn't investigate, there had to be better ways to do that? But also, there was an undercover with the cartel but a)who was he? and b)why the hell did it take him a whole freaking year to let Ethan know? I mean, where's the logic in that? Not sure if this is the author trying to drop breadcrumbs for future books or what, but this didn't really make a whole lot of sense for me.
Overall, while I felt bad for Ethan and you could definitely feel his regret and his grief, I feel like it took him far too long to tell Rachel things. Even if he was scared, (and granted she wasn't helping things by brushing things off, but we can talk about that in a minute) he still should have at least started saying something. Rachel mentioned a couple times that she was worried Ethan didn't love her because of those nightmares and while she didn't always tell him, she'd mentioned it enough that he should have realized something was going on. While I understood his desire for a restart/do-over, he still needed to come clean.
Rachel was decent. I did wish we'd gotten more of her than "character recovering from addiction and captivity". While we got insights into who she was and some of that did start coming through as she regained her memories, it just felt like even she was treating herself like a china doll. Like all the Kellys were tiptoeing around her because they were afraid the slightest thing would send her to pieces. And it felt like even she started to believe that. Not even counting the times when her desire for drugs started to overwhelm her, because she actually did fight through those. I am interested to see how things go for her throughout the rest of the series though.
The Rusty storyline seemed useless to me. Aside from giving a character who would talk to the press (knowingly or not), she just felt like a random add-on. I mean, yeah it shows that Marlene and Frank are caring people but it just seemed random to me. Especially with how pissed off everyone was over what she said (rightly so) but then it's suddenly at least forgiven, if not forgotten and everyone is talking about how they have a younger sister. Maybe it's just me but I just couldn't get behind her. Maybe she'll grow on me over the rest of the series.
I will admit that I'd hoped for more behind all the things. It just felt kind of...unfinished(?) with Rachel. And the reasons for things also felt a little weird. Like, yeah I get the overall idea but things just don't quite add up for me.
Overall, while I felt bad for Ethan and you could definitely feel his regret and his grief, I feel like it took him far too long to tell Rachel things. Even if he was scared, (and granted she wasn't helping things by brushing things off, but we can talk about that in a minute) he still should have at least started saying something. Rachel mentioned a couple times that she was worried Ethan didn't love her because of those nightmares and while she didn't always tell him, she'd mentioned it enough that he should have realized something was going on. While I understood his desire for a restart/do-over, he still needed to come clean.
Rachel was decent. I did wish we'd gotten more of her than "character recovering from addiction and captivity". While we got insights into who she was and some of that did start coming through as she regained her memories, it just felt like even she was treating herself like a china doll. Like all the Kellys were tiptoeing around her because they were afraid the slightest thing would send her to pieces. And it felt like even she started to believe that. Not even counting the times when her desire for drugs started to overwhelm her, because she actually did fight through those. I am interested to see how things go for her throughout the rest of the series though.
The Rusty storyline seemed useless to me. Aside from giving a character who would talk to the press (knowingly or not), she just felt like a random add-on. I mean, yeah it shows that Marlene and Frank are caring people but it just seemed random to me. Especially with how pissed off everyone was over what she said (rightly so) but then it's suddenly at least forgiven, if not forgotten and everyone is talking about how they have a younger sister. Maybe it's just me but I just couldn't get behind her. Maybe she'll grow on me over the rest of the series.
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
First in the KGI action-romance series revolving around a group of brothers who have formed a private special-ops group, Kelly Group International, rescuing hostages, blowing shit up, rescuing people from impossible situations based near Kentucky Lake, Stewart County in Tennessee.
The couple focus is on Ethan and Rachel Kelly.
The Story
When Darkest Hour opens, Rachel has been dead precisely one year now. Burned to death in a plane crash coming home from Columbia with a group of humanitarians. A year filled with grief for all the Kellys and intense guilt for her husband, Ethan. He had been cruel to Rachel before she left. He rejected her out of his own guilt and all the plans he had laid to make it up to her are just that, plans. Guilt-ridden pain that she never knew how much he truly loved her.
Until a package arrives on his doorstep. Maps, charts, satellite imagery, photos of Rachel being held in a jungle camp. A Rachel who has lost her memory and been forced into a cocaine addiction. Somehow, the Kellys must rescue Rachel. Bring her home. Heal her. Love her. Find out who and why did this to their girl.
The Characters
Frank and Marlene Kelly have raised a fine family of boys with respect and caring. Each son has served in the military with the youngest twins, Nathan and Joe currently serving in Afghanistan. Sam, Garrett, and Donovan "Van" have formed Kelly Group International (KGI) while Ethan recently retired from the SEALS after his wife, Rachel, miscarried. Sean is a sheriff's deputy and, although technically a family friend, Marlene treats him as one of her sons.
KGI has two teams so far: one led by Steele and the other by Rio. Rusty is a young, homeless teen who breaks into the elder Kellys' home stirring Marlene's heart and dragging Rusty willy-nilly into the family.
My Take
Wow! This was good. Banks is an amazing writer. So far, every series has been different from the other. And this first installment of the KGI is a pip with Ethan's struggle with his guilt and his hope that he can make things right with Rachel. Banks sets up the series' characters with a decent background on their various strengths and weaknesses. We understand the solid underpinning of love and caring provided by the parents and gain an introduction to close friends and the men (and woman) on the two KGI teams. I loved hearing Sam's plans for KGI's future just as we hear the hope in Marlene's heart for Rusty's future.
It's a group of people you want to cheer on and look forward to further adventures setting things to rights in peoples' lives.
The Cover
The cover is generic with a hot guy dressed only in khaki cargo pants, a holster and gun dangling from his shoulder and a pair of dogtags set against a stormy-looking sky. The title sums up Ethan's worries about how much and when Rachel will remember their Darkest Hour.
The couple focus is on Ethan and Rachel Kelly.
The Story
When Darkest Hour opens, Rachel has been dead precisely one year now. Burned to death in a plane crash coming home from Columbia with a group of humanitarians. A year filled with grief for all the Kellys and intense guilt for her husband, Ethan. He had been cruel to Rachel before she left. He rejected her out of his own guilt and all the plans he had laid to make it up to her are just that, plans. Guilt-ridden pain that she never knew how much he truly loved her.
Until a package arrives on his doorstep. Maps, charts, satellite imagery, photos of Rachel being held in a jungle camp. A Rachel who has lost her memory and been forced into a cocaine addiction. Somehow, the Kellys must rescue Rachel. Bring her home. Heal her. Love her. Find out who and why did this to their girl.
The Characters
Frank and Marlene Kelly have raised a fine family of boys with respect and caring. Each son has served in the military with the youngest twins, Nathan and Joe currently serving in Afghanistan. Sam, Garrett, and Donovan "Van" have formed Kelly Group International (KGI) while Ethan recently retired from the SEALS after his wife, Rachel, miscarried. Sean is a sheriff's deputy and, although technically a family friend, Marlene treats him as one of her sons.
KGI has two teams so far: one led by Steele and the other by Rio. Rusty is a young, homeless teen who breaks into the elder Kellys' home stirring Marlene's heart and dragging Rusty willy-nilly into the family.
My Take
Wow! This was good. Banks is an amazing writer. So far, every series has been different from the other. And this first installment of the KGI is a pip with Ethan's struggle with his guilt and his hope that he can make things right with Rachel. Banks sets up the series' characters with a decent background on their various strengths and weaknesses. We understand the solid underpinning of love and caring provided by the parents and gain an introduction to close friends and the men (and woman) on the two KGI teams. I loved hearing Sam's plans for KGI's future just as we hear the hope in Marlene's heart for Rusty's future.
It's a group of people you want to cheer on and look forward to further adventures setting things to rights in peoples' lives.
The Cover
The cover is generic with a hot guy dressed only in khaki cargo pants, a holster and gun dangling from his shoulder and a pair of dogtags set against a stormy-looking sky. The title sums up Ethan's worries about how much and when Rachel will remember their Darkest Hour.
khigz19's review against another edition
2.0
Terrible book. Omg. The number of typos? How did this get published? The FMC was basically a shell of a character with no personality whatsoever. The MMC was just a man. Boring. Sloppy. Lazy.
wellactjoally's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
High drama factor: a not-so-dead wife, runaway teen, drug cartel blackmailing a crooked senator, midnight chases thru a lake, multiple car crashes. Also a giant evolving loving chaotic family, second chances.
khaleesimod93's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
It wasn't awful. There were some issues I had with the story, mostly pertaining to Ethan himself, but I have to say I love Rachel. She went through incredible trauma and was so strong throughout it. She fought through every bit. I'm also rating this higher than I normally would just because of the other guys! I want to read their stories. Ethan was lackluster in the way he treated Rachel, and in the way, he kept secrets from her. I feel he only "loved" her because he felt guilty. Doesn't make for a very believable love story and redemption arc.
icecoffeebookqueen's review against another edition
4.0
The book wasn't bad. It was filled with action and the characters each had their own personalities. I just really had trouble reading some parts. Felt like it was dragged on. And it usually doesn't happen when I'm so far into a book but this one did. But I will still continue to read the series.
suzysuzy34's review against another edition
5.0
I haven’t been able to read in quite some time so I thought I would re-read this one as I haven’t read the rest in the series I thought I would start at the beginning again. Loved it the second time around, going to download book two.
xxicicles5xx's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
This was nice! I really didn't expect to live this but I do. The first book really drew me in and my first ever military romance that I enjoy a lot. Th characters are fun and so much more to explore that I can't wait to read the others