What do you think?
Rate this book
Be With Me
So much closer than just friends.
Hutch Bishop, Cam Douglas, and Sawyer Pritchard were juvenile delinquents with a reckless and wildly sexy side. But they had more in common than that. They had Regina Fallon, a wealthy but lonely girl from the right side of the tracks who formed an unusual friendship with the boys. She felt protected. She felt needed. She felt loved…for the first time in her life. By all three.
Today, she’s a police officer, dedicated to her badge, and wary of reigniting her relationship with the hot trio after one night of passion left her confused—and stunned—by what they wanted from her. But when a mysterious attempt is made on her life, Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer jump in to protect her again. Now, the four are forming an all-new bond. It’s more exciting, more intense, and—as a killer looms in the shadows—more dangerous than ever before.
Hutch Bishop, Cam Douglas, and Sawyer Pritchard were juvenile delinquents with a reckless and wildly sexy side. But they had more in common than that. They had Regina Fallon, a wealthy but lonely girl from the right side of the tracks who formed an unusual friendship with the boys. She felt protected. She felt needed. She felt loved…for the first time in her life. By all three.
Today, she’s a police officer, dedicated to her badge, and wary of reigniting her relationship with the hot trio after one night of passion left her confused—and stunned—by what they wanted from her. But when a mysterious attempt is made on her life, Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer jump in to protect her again. Now, the four are forming an all-new bond. It’s more exciting, more intense, and—as a killer looms in the shadows—more dangerous than ever before.
327 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 4, 2008
263 people are currently reading
6461 people want to read
About the author
Maya Banks
245 books21.5k followersMaya 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews
November 7, 2008
Reviewed for queuemyreview.com book release Nov '08
How do I begin this review? Wow. This book was well written, very sexy, and had so many elements of truth to it. Be With Me by Maya Banks was only my second novel by this author, with my first being Sweet Surrender. I liked Be With Me so much more than the first book of hers I read. Maybe it was the three hot men, yes I said three! Maybe it was the spunky yet sensitive female protagonist that kept me engrossed. I think it was a combination of everything, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my journey.
Hutch Bishop, Cam Douglas, and Sawyer Pritchard were young boys when they met and became like brothers in the foster care system under the watchful eye of their foster mother Birdie. She cared for them, taught them to be respectful young men, as well as teaching them to protect what is theirs. When their childhood crush Regina Fallon grows up to be a police officer, the three of them support her, even though they worry that she might get hurt.
Regina loves all three men, and yet she ran away as fast as she could after one night when everything changed. One night of unbelievable passion, the best night of her life, and Regina leaves in a hurry. Worried that she may have ruined everything with the men she loves the most.
Hutch, Cam and Sawyer have let Reggie run, deciding to give her space, letting her feel in control until one night they get a frantic call from Birdie saying Reggie has been attacked. All three of them rush to Reggie’s side, vowing to take care of her and never let her go. Now all they have to do is convince Reggie that they can protect her, share her and all love her equally. Reggie is so worried about losing them that she’s too scared to give this relationship a chance. She has to deal with an overbearing father, a deranged attacker and an obligation to her career… how can she possibly handle loving three men?
I loved this story. I know that a m/m/m/f ménage sounds unbelievable, and it probably is, but Maya Banks did a great job making this story seem realistic. She dealt with jealousies and possessiveness that most authors sweep under the rug. This book wasn’t always harmony and happiness. There were times of anger and hurt feelings, but there was also communication and compromise, much like any true relationship needs to survive. Be With Me was touching and sweet, but it was also a really good mystery with a great plot, as well as a very steamy romance. To be honest, I was surprised that the sex didn’t start much earlier in the book. I was probably more than halfway through before the really hot stuff started. This is an attention grabbing Romantica book, and a great introduction to ménage books if you haven’t read one before. I highly recommend it.
How do I begin this review? Wow. This book was well written, very sexy, and had so many elements of truth to it. Be With Me by Maya Banks was only my second novel by this author, with my first being Sweet Surrender. I liked Be With Me so much more than the first book of hers I read. Maybe it was the three hot men, yes I said three! Maybe it was the spunky yet sensitive female protagonist that kept me engrossed. I think it was a combination of everything, and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my journey.
Hutch Bishop, Cam Douglas, and Sawyer Pritchard were young boys when they met and became like brothers in the foster care system under the watchful eye of their foster mother Birdie. She cared for them, taught them to be respectful young men, as well as teaching them to protect what is theirs. When their childhood crush Regina Fallon grows up to be a police officer, the three of them support her, even though they worry that she might get hurt.
Regina loves all three men, and yet she ran away as fast as she could after one night when everything changed. One night of unbelievable passion, the best night of her life, and Regina leaves in a hurry. Worried that she may have ruined everything with the men she loves the most.
Hutch, Cam and Sawyer have let Reggie run, deciding to give her space, letting her feel in control until one night they get a frantic call from Birdie saying Reggie has been attacked. All three of them rush to Reggie’s side, vowing to take care of her and never let her go. Now all they have to do is convince Reggie that they can protect her, share her and all love her equally. Reggie is so worried about losing them that she’s too scared to give this relationship a chance. She has to deal with an overbearing father, a deranged attacker and an obligation to her career… how can she possibly handle loving three men?
I loved this story. I know that a m/m/m/f ménage sounds unbelievable, and it probably is, but Maya Banks did a great job making this story seem realistic. She dealt with jealousies and possessiveness that most authors sweep under the rug. This book wasn’t always harmony and happiness. There were times of anger and hurt feelings, but there was also communication and compromise, much like any true relationship needs to survive. Be With Me was touching and sweet, but it was also a really good mystery with a great plot, as well as a very steamy romance. To be honest, I was surprised that the sex didn’t start much earlier in the book. I was probably more than halfway through before the really hot stuff started. This is an attention grabbing Romantica book, and a great introduction to ménage books if you haven’t read one before. I highly recommend it.
November 11, 2008
This was quite a different menage book for me. Usually the ones I've read have the heroes/heroine just establish the menage relationship almost by accident and you get the feeling that they really haven't thought it all out or how it would work, as far a dealing with potential problems of sharing or jealousies. They just get right down to it and maybe afterward start to think about problems they may encounter. Not so with this book. There was lots and lots of angst and talking about if they (the heroes) thought a permanent menage relationship could work for them and the heroine. Almost too much talking about it at times. Although I appreciated the author's perspective of having all parties involved deciding if they indivually could live with this kind of relationship, it did keep the story from taking off quicker. But once the heroes and heroine were finally on the same page and decided to give it a shot--yikes, did this book get hot!
Regina (Reggie, as only the heroes called her) is a cop. She's small but feisty, and very prickly. She's definitely the alpha in her lifelong friendship with the three heroes of this story, Cam, Sawyer, and Hutch. She comes from money; her dad is the town mayor, and she never felt loved by her cold and distant parents. Her parents always disapproved of her relationship with the three boys she met as a young child. All were childhood troublemakers, largely brought up in foster care by Birdie, a woman they grew to love like a mother, as did Reggie. As they grew into adults, they remained friends, and Cam became an architect and owned a construction company with Sawyer and Hutch, while Reggie went on to become a police officer. One night they spent an incredible night of passion together, which blew their collective minds, but freaked out Reggie. She immediately ran the morning after, refusing to discuss that night with her lifelong friends. Although it was the best night of her life, she doesn't believe that she can give what her three friends want from her, so she avoids them. One night while on the job, she stumbles onto a murder scene, and is nearly beaten to death and ends up hospitalized. Birdie calls Cam, Sawyer and Hutch, and they come running to her side. After convincing Reggie to come home with them, they decide to lay it on the line, and ask Reggie to consider a personal relationship with all three of them. It's been a year without the three of them in her life, and while she loves and misses them, does she love them enough to possibly risk her career and face what society will think of her relationship? And can she be everything each guy needs her to be?
As I said, things start out slowly in this book, with each party involved getting plenty of time to weigh the pros and cons of a relationship they all are considering. The characters each have different personalities, and you get a clear picture of everyone involved. I found it sometimes amusing that Reggie was the alpha of the group (well, I guess Sawyer was too) and the guys seemed only too happy to do her bidding. She had Hutch to cook for her, Cam was the guy she could talk to the most, and Sawyer was, well the big hulking tough guy with a heart of gold. What more could a girl ask for? I also found it interesting that two of the guys were very inexperienced when it came to sex, but they definitely knew what to do with Reggie! There is also a suspense plot about someone trying to harm Reggie that the story is built around, and it did keep me guessing for a while about who the bad guy was. But mainly this was about Reggie deciding if she wanted to live the rest of her life with her three best friends, and how they would make it work. It takes a good while for the sex scenes to start, but once they do, hold on, because it gets mighty, mighty hot!
This may not be my favorite Maya Banks story, but it definitely developed into a very hot and interesting read, with a unique take on the menage relationship. A very solid 4 star read!
Regina (Reggie, as only the heroes called her) is a cop. She's small but feisty, and very prickly. She's definitely the alpha in her lifelong friendship with the three heroes of this story, Cam, Sawyer, and Hutch. She comes from money; her dad is the town mayor, and she never felt loved by her cold and distant parents. Her parents always disapproved of her relationship with the three boys she met as a young child. All were childhood troublemakers, largely brought up in foster care by Birdie, a woman they grew to love like a mother, as did Reggie. As they grew into adults, they remained friends, and Cam became an architect and owned a construction company with Sawyer and Hutch, while Reggie went on to become a police officer. One night they spent an incredible night of passion together, which blew their collective minds, but freaked out Reggie. She immediately ran the morning after, refusing to discuss that night with her lifelong friends. Although it was the best night of her life, she doesn't believe that she can give what her three friends want from her, so she avoids them. One night while on the job, she stumbles onto a murder scene, and is nearly beaten to death and ends up hospitalized. Birdie calls Cam, Sawyer and Hutch, and they come running to her side. After convincing Reggie to come home with them, they decide to lay it on the line, and ask Reggie to consider a personal relationship with all three of them. It's been a year without the three of them in her life, and while she loves and misses them, does she love them enough to possibly risk her career and face what society will think of her relationship? And can she be everything each guy needs her to be?
As I said, things start out slowly in this book, with each party involved getting plenty of time to weigh the pros and cons of a relationship they all are considering. The characters each have different personalities, and you get a clear picture of everyone involved. I found it sometimes amusing that Reggie was the alpha of the group (well, I guess Sawyer was too) and the guys seemed only too happy to do her bidding. She had Hutch to cook for her, Cam was the guy she could talk to the most, and Sawyer was, well the big hulking tough guy with a heart of gold. What more could a girl ask for? I also found it interesting that two of the guys were very inexperienced when it came to sex, but they definitely knew what to do with Reggie! There is also a suspense plot about someone trying to harm Reggie that the story is built around, and it did keep me guessing for a while about who the bad guy was. But mainly this was about Reggie deciding if she wanted to live the rest of her life with her three best friends, and how they would make it work. It takes a good while for the sex scenes to start, but once they do, hold on, because it gets mighty, mighty hot!
This may not be my favorite Maya Banks story, but it definitely developed into a very hot and interesting read, with a unique take on the menage relationship. A very solid 4 star read!
June 15, 2011
I wasn't sure how this book would finally land on me, but I have to say--I really liked it!
Picture the lonely rich girl who befriends the town juvenile delinquents--one is sensitive, smart and self motivated with an alpha side she didn't know existed--another is a "meat head" who is all testosterone and rough around the edges--the other is tender and caring and treats her like a fragile glass doll-- but they are all smokin' hot and totally in love with Reggie. Ten years later, as adults, they realize after a night of passion (when they all have sex with her at the same time) that they would rather share her than make her choose or give her up. Will she go for it? It's going to take some convincing, but they are a pretty persuasive trio...
I enjoyed the entire book. There was no part that lulled--the characters were well developed. In the beginning, I was thinking: I can hardly keep up with the demands of one man, much less 3--good lord, she is a goddess. By the time I finished the book, I was kinda jealous of her ;-)
Warning: If you didn't catch on from the review, there is F-M-M-M sexual situations...guess that would be called a menage a quatro??
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
Picture the lonely rich girl who befriends the town juvenile delinquents--one is sensitive, smart and self motivated with an alpha side she didn't know existed--another is a "meat head" who is all testosterone and rough around the edges--the other is tender and caring and treats her like a fragile glass doll-- but they are all smokin' hot and totally in love with Reggie. Ten years later, as adults, they realize after a night of passion (when they all have sex with her at the same time) that they would rather share her than make her choose or give her up. Will she go for it? It's going to take some convincing, but they are a pretty persuasive trio...
I enjoyed the entire book. There was no part that lulled--the characters were well developed. In the beginning, I was thinking: I can hardly keep up with the demands of one man, much less 3--good lord, she is a goddess. By the time I finished the book, I was kinda jealous of her ;-)
Warning: If you didn't catch on from the review, there is F-M-M-M sexual situations...guess that would be called a menage a quatro??
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews
___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!
Menage Readers
Erotic Enchants
Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group
December 19, 2008
Total 5-star keeper here. From the first page, Maya Banks had me completely hooked. I pretty much didn't put it down until I finished. It was a very interesting, very well-written (and pretty hot) story.
Though in general this book is considered an erotic romance, I'd probably call it a contemporary alternative romance with erotic scenes because the super hot, explicit sex isn't really the dominant part of the story. It's more about the polyamorous relationship the develops between four long-time friends and the problems that arise than about hot and kinky sex.
Reggie, a rich-girl, politician's daughter, and Hutch, Sawyer and Cam, three juvenile delinquent foster, boys became friends around junior high and remained close ever since. Over the years, their feelings grew and changed until one fateful night things turned passionate between the four. For Cam, Sawyer and Hutch, it was exactly what they wanted. Each loved Reggie and each realized they could never make her choose between them. So they decided the solution was for all of them to love her in a menage relationship. The only problem? That one night of love scared Reggie so much she cut herself off from her best friends. A year later, when she's injured in the line of duty by some psycho who seems to want her dead, Cam, Sawyer and Hutch come riding to the rescue and decide it's time to make Reggie face what's between them.
What I loved most about this book was how real it was. With most (all) of the menage books I've read, they've generally been very sex-based and not dealing with much else. Which, hey, is fun to read, but not altogether realistic. But in Be With Me Maya Banks explores the nuances involved in a group of individuals deciding to enter into a multi-partner relationship. Reggie fights herself for a year over the potential relationship, thinking about how it would appear to others and affect her life, and how it would ever be possible to have equality when she would be involved with three men - i.e. how to avoid the appearance of favorites, and who and how she chose to be with at any given time. And the men, despite being the ones to come up with the idea, still have worries about the plausibility. They wonder if they'd feel jealousy or left out. Each freely admits that in a perfect world, they'd have Reggie to themselves. And there was that one scene where one of the guys is hesitant to do something sexually because it meant he might touch another male. Those things all made this book so much more realistic because they are genuine issues related to a menage relationship. And I enjoyed reading that angle. It gave the book a lot of depth.
True, it did mean that the book wasn't as erotic as many expected. But that didn't bother me. I knew before hand (having read others' reviews) what it was going to be like, so I didn't expect a sex-fest. And it ended up not mattering to me because the rest of the book was so engaging. It was very interesting to read.
I also liked how Banks utilized issues from the guys' pasts and how they affected the budding relationship with Maggie - Sawyer's worries about his darker nature, Hutch's protectiveness because of what he went through as a kid, and the incident that resulted in a fight because of those issues. Very nicely done.
Plus there was the added bonus of a mildly suspenseful side story; the part about someone trying to off Reggie. It actually might have been a little superfluous. I could see the book working without it. But it added a nice dimension to the story and was well-written.
Oh, and hey, there was some really yummy sex ;) Can't discount that!
So yeah...I loved this book. There wasn't really anything about it that I didn't like. As for recommending it? I definitely would!...but with a sidenote or two. This is a great book to read for those of you who like to read romance in general, are open-minded, and don't mind very explicit sex. But if you're just looking for erotica with romantic overtones or pure erotica, then you might want to skip this one. Because like I said earlier, this book is more like a contemporary alternative romance with erotic scenes than a straight up erotica novel.
Though in general this book is considered an erotic romance, I'd probably call it a contemporary alternative romance with erotic scenes because the super hot, explicit sex isn't really the dominant part of the story. It's more about the polyamorous relationship the develops between four long-time friends and the problems that arise than about hot and kinky sex.
Reggie, a rich-girl, politician's daughter, and Hutch, Sawyer and Cam, three juvenile delinquent foster, boys became friends around junior high and remained close ever since. Over the years, their feelings grew and changed until one fateful night things turned passionate between the four. For Cam, Sawyer and Hutch, it was exactly what they wanted. Each loved Reggie and each realized they could never make her choose between them. So they decided the solution was for all of them to love her in a menage relationship. The only problem? That one night of love scared Reggie so much she cut herself off from her best friends. A year later, when she's injured in the line of duty by some psycho who seems to want her dead, Cam, Sawyer and Hutch come riding to the rescue and decide it's time to make Reggie face what's between them.
What I loved most about this book was how real it was. With most (all) of the menage books I've read, they've generally been very sex-based and not dealing with much else. Which, hey, is fun to read, but not altogether realistic. But in Be With Me Maya Banks explores the nuances involved in a group of individuals deciding to enter into a multi-partner relationship. Reggie fights herself for a year over the potential relationship, thinking about how it would appear to others and affect her life, and how it would ever be possible to have equality when she would be involved with three men - i.e. how to avoid the appearance of favorites, and who and how she chose to be with at any given time. And the men, despite being the ones to come up with the idea, still have worries about the plausibility. They wonder if they'd feel jealousy or left out. Each freely admits that in a perfect world, they'd have Reggie to themselves. And there was that one scene where one of the guys is hesitant to do something sexually because it meant he might touch another male. Those things all made this book so much more realistic because they are genuine issues related to a menage relationship. And I enjoyed reading that angle. It gave the book a lot of depth.
True, it did mean that the book wasn't as erotic as many expected. But that didn't bother me. I knew before hand (having read others' reviews) what it was going to be like, so I didn't expect a sex-fest. And it ended up not mattering to me because the rest of the book was so engaging. It was very interesting to read.
I also liked how Banks utilized issues from the guys' pasts and how they affected the budding relationship with Maggie - Sawyer's worries about his darker nature, Hutch's protectiveness because of what he went through as a kid, and the incident that resulted in a fight because of those issues. Very nicely done.
Plus there was the added bonus of a mildly suspenseful side story; the part about someone trying to off Reggie. It actually might have been a little superfluous. I could see the book working without it. But it added a nice dimension to the story and was well-written.
Oh, and hey, there was some really yummy sex ;) Can't discount that!
So yeah...I loved this book. There wasn't really anything about it that I didn't like. As for recommending it? I definitely would!...but with a sidenote or two. This is a great book to read for those of you who like to read romance in general, are open-minded, and don't mind very explicit sex. But if you're just looking for erotica with romantic overtones or pure erotica, then you might want to skip this one. Because like I said earlier, this book is more like a contemporary alternative romance with erotic scenes than a straight up erotica novel.
October 25, 2008
Why are Maya Banks books so hot? It's not just her skillful handling of menage situations, it's the emotion that underscores the relationships of her characters that draws me to her stories. "Be With Me" is another excellent offering from the queen of menage HEAs.
Regina, or Reggie, has been running from her three best friends for the past year. Ever since a night of scorching sex, she's been unable to come to terms with what she wants, what she's afraid they want, and what society can handle. But her running time has just come to an end. When she's attacked and beaten on her job as a cop and it looks like it might have been a set-up just for her, nothing can keep her three men away. Now Reggie will have to make a decision...to keep her loves or let them go.
Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer are all so different. All three were children in the social services system until, one by one, they were taken in by Birdie. Under her care they became brothers and now run a construction company together. The bonds they have with each other are just as strong as the love all three hold for Reggie. When she's attacked, they all agree that it's time to face the future. And these three will do what's necessary to make sure Reggie is a part of it.
Although I really can't see how the situation would work in real life, it's hard not to long to be loved so fiercely. Maybe that's what Banks readers enjoy so much...well that and the scorching sex! The mystery was not as good as some of her past books, but the three heroes make up for it...in spades. You'll fall in love with all three and then start tapping your toes waiting for Banks next book.
Regina, or Reggie, has been running from her three best friends for the past year. Ever since a night of scorching sex, she's been unable to come to terms with what she wants, what she's afraid they want, and what society can handle. But her running time has just come to an end. When she's attacked and beaten on her job as a cop and it looks like it might have been a set-up just for her, nothing can keep her three men away. Now Reggie will have to make a decision...to keep her loves or let them go.
Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer are all so different. All three were children in the social services system until, one by one, they were taken in by Birdie. Under her care they became brothers and now run a construction company together. The bonds they have with each other are just as strong as the love all three hold for Reggie. When she's attacked, they all agree that it's time to face the future. And these three will do what's necessary to make sure Reggie is a part of it.
Although I really can't see how the situation would work in real life, it's hard not to long to be loved so fiercely. Maybe that's what Banks readers enjoy so much...well that and the scorching sex! The mystery was not as good as some of her past books, but the three heroes make up for it...in spades. You'll fall in love with all three and then start tapping your toes waiting for Banks next book.
January 29, 2012
By all accounts this should have been a good book. It had all of the elements of an excellent menage: bestselling author - check; 3 sexy diverse Heroes - check; a tough yet vulnerable heroine - check; and a history shared by the heroine and Heroes that solidified her relationships with them as individuals and a trio - check, check, check!!! Yet with all of this going for it, it just never came together for me. In fact I found it to be just plain boring!! I struggled to get through it and only finished it because I was reading it for a challenge.
Reggie was tough one minute and annoyingly weak the next. The guys were refreshingly open and honest about their feelings. However, it felt like they talked incessantly about those feelings and everything else. At times I didn't know if I was reading erotica or a psych 101 textbook. The playful, witty banter between Reggie and the guys throughout the book was clearly filler and cutesy overkill.
My favorite part of the book was figuring out who the bad guy was, but even that was marred by stupidity. When the police chief contacts Reggie to say that they've made an arrest, neither she, the trained law enforcement officer, nor the guys ask who it is - erhh??. Someone tried to kill the woman they love and her overprotective lovers never ask who it is? This was the final nail for me.
Ms. Banks tried to write a menage with heart and failed miserably. The plot was weak, the characters one dimensional, and the sex scenes were bland and uninspiring (and believe me I desperately wanted to be inspired). It may have worked as a sexy novella, but at 384 pages? It was 334 pages too long.
Reggie was tough one minute and annoyingly weak the next. The guys were refreshingly open and honest about their feelings. However, it felt like they talked incessantly about those feelings and everything else. At times I didn't know if I was reading erotica or a psych 101 textbook. The playful, witty banter between Reggie and the guys throughout the book was clearly filler and cutesy overkill.
My favorite part of the book was figuring out who the bad guy was, but even that was marred by stupidity. When the police chief contacts Reggie to say that they've made an arrest, neither she, the trained law enforcement officer, nor the guys ask who it is - erhh??. Someone tried to kill the woman they love and her overprotective lovers never ask who it is? This was the final nail for me.
Ms. Banks tried to write a menage with heart and failed miserably. The plot was weak, the characters one dimensional, and the sex scenes were bland and uninspiring (and believe me I desperately wanted to be inspired). It may have worked as a sexy novella, but at 384 pages? It was 334 pages too long.
July 7, 2009
This was either a very corny romance novel or a boring erotica. You couldn't go 5 pages without someone saying "I Love You". Most of the characters were flat, the three heroes were like androids walking around repeating the same things over and over . And this great love they feel for the heroine....why do they love her? Who knows. All we know is that these zombie like heroes (3) all love this wimpy girl. Mean while, this wimpy girl runs around whining about how wrong it is to be with 3 zombies (heroes).
The sappiness of this story just killed the sexual chemistry you seek from a erotica. And if you wanted the emotional connection you usually find in romance novels, this book couldn't deliver that due to the lack of character development.
All in all, this was a waste of my time. I kid you not when I tell you, the first real intercourse scene took place 170+ pages into the book *snort* and I almost fell asleep. Yep, it was that riveting. There are lots of C, P words and anal sex. I guess this equals erotica, which lots of people seem to find great even when its almost unreadable.
Colters' Woman by the same author was half way decent. Try that, skip this.
The sappiness of this story just killed the sexual chemistry you seek from a erotica. And if you wanted the emotional connection you usually find in romance novels, this book couldn't deliver that due to the lack of character development.
All in all, this was a waste of my time. I kid you not when I tell you, the first real intercourse scene took place 170+ pages into the book *snort* and I almost fell asleep. Yep, it was that riveting. There are lots of C, P words and anal sex. I guess this equals erotica, which lots of people seem to find great even when its almost unreadable.
Colters' Woman by the same author was half way decent. Try that, skip this.
January 7, 2015
5 stars – Romantic Suspense/Erotica/Ménage
Wow, this is definitely a 5 star read. Be With Me is the first book I have read by Maya Banks, but it won’t be the last. It’s exceptionally well-written, creative, funny, and sexy and has great dialogue and strong characters. Although the story is about a m/m/m/f ménage relationship, the romance is surprisingly sweet and tame albeit erotic, with a few mildly explicit and hot sex scenes that don’t inhibit the story’s pace or development. All three male characters, Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer, are completely yummy and have very distinctive looks (just check out the three hot guys on the book’s cover) and personalities. It’s easy to see why the female lead Reggie can’t choose between them and wants to have a relationship with all three men! The premise might be far-fetched, but the story is so well-crafted that it comes across as completely realistic. Be With Me is a very engaging, gripping, touching, sweet, and steamy read. I loved it!
Wow, this is definitely a 5 star read. Be With Me is the first book I have read by Maya Banks, but it won’t be the last. It’s exceptionally well-written, creative, funny, and sexy and has great dialogue and strong characters. Although the story is about a m/m/m/f ménage relationship, the romance is surprisingly sweet and tame albeit erotic, with a few mildly explicit and hot sex scenes that don’t inhibit the story’s pace or development. All three male characters, Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer, are completely yummy and have very distinctive looks (just check out the three hot guys on the book’s cover) and personalities. It’s easy to see why the female lead Reggie can’t choose between them and wants to have a relationship with all three men! The premise might be far-fetched, but the story is so well-crafted that it comes across as completely realistic. Be With Me is a very engaging, gripping, touching, sweet, and steamy read. I loved it!
April 9, 2023
Don’t care for any of these characters. Who knew a story about a police officer, a murderer at large and a reverse harem could be this boring?
April 25, 2016
I can say without a doubt that Be with Me is now one of my top three favorite erotic romances I've read to date. So often, I find that erotic romances are basically a sex-fest with little actual story or character development to speak of, which might account for why I don't read the genre more frequently. Be with Me most definitely does not fall into that trap. In fact, despite having three scrumptious, virile men as its heroes, there's no sex until nearly halfway into the book. After that the author certainly makes up for it, but not at the expense of the plot. I learned a few years back when taking a class on writing love scenes, taught by the incomparable Elizabeth Hoyt, that each love scene should reveal something about one or more of the characters and/or propel the plot forward. Maya Banks is a masterful author who definitely knows how to do this. Each love scene is perfectly placed for maximum story development, therefore making all of them integral to the plot. They also don't completely overwhelm the story. There's actually still a suspense sub-plot too in which it appears someone is trying to kill the heroine and which is deftly woven into the rest of the story. It was also equally well-written, because I was surprised by who the killer turned out to be and how that part of the story played out. Even with all of its super-steamy love scenes, Be with Me was a book with more depth and substance than many mainstream romances I've read, which was a very pleasant surprise.
Our heroine, Regina (nicknamed Reggie by her men), is a kick-ass police officer in a small Texas town about an hour away from Houston. She finished at the top of her class and is really good at her job. Many romance heroines I've read who are in similar positions seem to feel like they have a lot to prove and therefore can be really tough nuts to crack. This makes it difficult for me to relate to them, because they lack any feminine softness. Not so with Reggie. I really loved her as a heroine, because she seems to be secure and respected at her job, as well as confident in her abilities without being cocky. She's every bit as protective of her men as they are of her, but she knows how to dial it down a notch and simply accept their loving overtures. She can still be stubborn at times, much to their chagrin, but overall, I felt like she had a good balance between her softer feminine side and her kick-butt and take names career. This made her so much easier for me to relate to than many similar heroines.
Reggie has known and loved Cam, Hutch, and Sawyer for most of her life. They met and played together as kids, but things didn't become intimate between all of them until a year before the story begins. At that point, one of Reggie's typical nights with the guys became anything but typical when it took an unforgettably sexy turn. Ever since making love to all three of them at once, she's struggled with what she wants. She still loves all of them and misses them terribly, but she's scared of the kind of relationship they want from her. I felt like her fears were very realistic and understandable. She worries about making the other two guys jealous if she gives her attention to one. She worries about how she can possibly be all things to three very different men. And she worries about what others might think of her, knowing that with small-town gossip, word will surely get around that she's “shacking up” with three guys, and what that might mean for her career. Reggie also struggles to some extent with feeling worthy of the love and attentions of the three men, because she's never really experienced the kind of love and devotion they're offering her in her life. Her parents were extremely wealthy and hands-off while she was growing up, and even now that she's an adult, they seem more worried about their own reputation than about her safety. I really enjoyed seeing how Reggie overcame all her fears and doubts and how much she grew as a person as the story progressed.
And now on to her three scrumptious men.:-) Cam, Hutch, and Sawyer all had rough childhoods. If I remember correctly, it was when they were around ten years old that they all came to live with their foster mother, Birdie, who is the sweetest lady and an absolute saint. It wasn't until then that they finally understood what it meant to be unconditionally loved by someone. They had all been headed down a rocky path, but Birdie's love turned them around. Although unrelated by blood, they consider each other and Birdie to be their only family now. The three boys met Reggie while playing outside on the border of Birdie's property and Reggie's parents' property. In spite of being from opposite sides of the track, they became inseparable best friends until the day they made love with her and she went running scared. The three men have all built a life together as the owners of a construction company and now they've built a house, Reggie's dream house, in hopes of one day convincing her to be their one and only love.
I'll start with Cam who was my favorite of the three guys, because he embodies many of my favorite qualities in a man. He has long hair, wears glasses, and is highly intelligent. He's an architect who designs all the buildings for their construction company. He's pretty much the peacemaker of the three, always trying to be the calm voice of reason and smooth things over when circumstances get heated. He's also very gentle and tender and knows how to sweet-talk a lady and treat her right. I love that he's not vastly experienced in the bedroom and that he's been celibate since the night they had their foursome, knowing that there's no other woman for him besides Reggie. Cam, IMHO, leans more beta, but he has a couple of sexy moments where he gets his alpha on. Overall, Cam is basically my dream man. Yum!;-)
Hutch is a very, very close second. He's had a thing for Reggie since they were just kids and she decked both of his brothers for making fun of him. He's always kind of thought of Reggie as his, so he has to make a few adjustments in his thinking in order to accept sharing her with his brothers. Hutch is simply too sweet for words. He's even less experienced than Cam, not quite virginal, but certainly close. He's also been celibate, which I think shows how much he loves Reggie. Hutch is also the best cook of the three, and one way to a woman's heart (or at least mine anyway:-)) is through her stomach. Like with Cam, I thought Hutch was beta-leaning, but he has a couple of alpha moments when he goes to bat to protect Reggie. One of those times was admittedly misguided and stirred up some trouble amongst the foursome, but his reasons are deeply sympathetic. Hutch is a really wonderful guy, and in the end, I fell nearly as much in love with him as I did with Cam.
I'm sure a majority of readers probably preferred Sawyer, but I'm usually less inclined to fall hard for alphas. Sawyer is most definitely a pretty intense alpha male. He's kind of a he-man at times, and to emphasize that fact, he's a really big guy with a shaved head and goatee. Out of the three, he's the one with the overactive libido and kinky tendencies. What made Sawyer likable to me, though, is his vulnerabilities. He knows he isn't as sweet and gentle as his brothers, so he holds back from Reggie at first, not wanting to hurt her. She finally has to goad him into having sex with her, but she discovers a liking for his intense brand of love-making too. When things get heated with Hutch, Sawyer shows another kind of vulnerability that touched my heart. He can also dial down the intensity sometimes, and even though he doesn't think he's good with words, he could occasionally surprise both me and Reggie by saying nice things. Ultimately, I did like Sawyer too, just not quite as much as I like Cam and Hutch.
Where I think Maya Banks showed incredible mastery is in her characterizations. I loved how she explored all the emotions of a committed polyamorous relationship like what she was presenting. She doesn't shy away from jealousies or conflict between all the parties, but at the same time, she doesn't go overboard with it either. Things can get heated at times, but they all trust each other and take the time to work things out without silly misunderstandings. I loved the communication amongst all of them, and how they know that it's going to take hard work to maintain what they have just like any relationship would. I felt like there was a level of stark honesty between them, which I found refreshing. I also liked that they've all thought ahead to what might face them with regards to backlash from the community.
Be with Me was a pure pleasure to read, because of how much more depth it has than many other erotic romances I've read. There's a lot of meat to the story. I also loved the characters and thought they made the perfect foursome. Reggie is tough while also knowing how and when to give in to her men's TLC. And the guys… well all I can say is the only thing better than one hot, sexy romance hero is three.;-) I love how they take care of Reggie and look out for her safety, while not expecting her to change. It may bother them that she works in a dangerous profession, but they'd never ask her to quit. They also would never ask her to choose between them, which is why they chose this unconventional path. It also makes them all pretty close to perfection in my book. I loved every minute I spent reading Be with Me. It was my first book by Maya Banks, but most definitely won't be my last. I can't wait to delve into more of her work and hope that it's equally sinful, sexy, and filled with substance as this story was.
Note: This book contains explicit language and sexual situations which may offend some readers, including ménage a quatre, some bondage, a little spanking, and anal sex within M/F, M/F/M and M/F/M/M combinations.
Our heroine, Regina (nicknamed Reggie by her men), is a kick-ass police officer in a small Texas town about an hour away from Houston. She finished at the top of her class and is really good at her job. Many romance heroines I've read who are in similar positions seem to feel like they have a lot to prove and therefore can be really tough nuts to crack. This makes it difficult for me to relate to them, because they lack any feminine softness. Not so with Reggie. I really loved her as a heroine, because she seems to be secure and respected at her job, as well as confident in her abilities without being cocky. She's every bit as protective of her men as they are of her, but she knows how to dial it down a notch and simply accept their loving overtures. She can still be stubborn at times, much to their chagrin, but overall, I felt like she had a good balance between her softer feminine side and her kick-butt and take names career. This made her so much easier for me to relate to than many similar heroines.
Reggie has known and loved Cam, Hutch, and Sawyer for most of her life. They met and played together as kids, but things didn't become intimate between all of them until a year before the story begins. At that point, one of Reggie's typical nights with the guys became anything but typical when it took an unforgettably sexy turn. Ever since making love to all three of them at once, she's struggled with what she wants. She still loves all of them and misses them terribly, but she's scared of the kind of relationship they want from her. I felt like her fears were very realistic and understandable. She worries about making the other two guys jealous if she gives her attention to one. She worries about how she can possibly be all things to three very different men. And she worries about what others might think of her, knowing that with small-town gossip, word will surely get around that she's “shacking up” with three guys, and what that might mean for her career. Reggie also struggles to some extent with feeling worthy of the love and attentions of the three men, because she's never really experienced the kind of love and devotion they're offering her in her life. Her parents were extremely wealthy and hands-off while she was growing up, and even now that she's an adult, they seem more worried about their own reputation than about her safety. I really enjoyed seeing how Reggie overcame all her fears and doubts and how much she grew as a person as the story progressed.
And now on to her three scrumptious men.:-) Cam, Hutch, and Sawyer all had rough childhoods. If I remember correctly, it was when they were around ten years old that they all came to live with their foster mother, Birdie, who is the sweetest lady and an absolute saint. It wasn't until then that they finally understood what it meant to be unconditionally loved by someone. They had all been headed down a rocky path, but Birdie's love turned them around. Although unrelated by blood, they consider each other and Birdie to be their only family now. The three boys met Reggie while playing outside on the border of Birdie's property and Reggie's parents' property. In spite of being from opposite sides of the track, they became inseparable best friends until the day they made love with her and she went running scared. The three men have all built a life together as the owners of a construction company and now they've built a house, Reggie's dream house, in hopes of one day convincing her to be their one and only love.
I'll start with Cam who was my favorite of the three guys, because he embodies many of my favorite qualities in a man. He has long hair, wears glasses, and is highly intelligent. He's an architect who designs all the buildings for their construction company. He's pretty much the peacemaker of the three, always trying to be the calm voice of reason and smooth things over when circumstances get heated. He's also very gentle and tender and knows how to sweet-talk a lady and treat her right. I love that he's not vastly experienced in the bedroom and that he's been celibate since the night they had their foursome, knowing that there's no other woman for him besides Reggie. Cam, IMHO, leans more beta, but he has a couple of sexy moments where he gets his alpha on. Overall, Cam is basically my dream man. Yum!;-)
Hutch is a very, very close second. He's had a thing for Reggie since they were just kids and she decked both of his brothers for making fun of him. He's always kind of thought of Reggie as his, so he has to make a few adjustments in his thinking in order to accept sharing her with his brothers. Hutch is simply too sweet for words. He's even less experienced than Cam, not quite virginal, but certainly close. He's also been celibate, which I think shows how much he loves Reggie. Hutch is also the best cook of the three, and one way to a woman's heart (or at least mine anyway:-)) is through her stomach. Like with Cam, I thought Hutch was beta-leaning, but he has a couple of alpha moments when he goes to bat to protect Reggie. One of those times was admittedly misguided and stirred up some trouble amongst the foursome, but his reasons are deeply sympathetic. Hutch is a really wonderful guy, and in the end, I fell nearly as much in love with him as I did with Cam.
I'm sure a majority of readers probably preferred Sawyer, but I'm usually less inclined to fall hard for alphas. Sawyer is most definitely a pretty intense alpha male. He's kind of a he-man at times, and to emphasize that fact, he's a really big guy with a shaved head and goatee. Out of the three, he's the one with the overactive libido and kinky tendencies. What made Sawyer likable to me, though, is his vulnerabilities. He knows he isn't as sweet and gentle as his brothers, so he holds back from Reggie at first, not wanting to hurt her. She finally has to goad him into having sex with her, but she discovers a liking for his intense brand of love-making too. When things get heated with Hutch, Sawyer shows another kind of vulnerability that touched my heart. He can also dial down the intensity sometimes, and even though he doesn't think he's good with words, he could occasionally surprise both me and Reggie by saying nice things. Ultimately, I did like Sawyer too, just not quite as much as I like Cam and Hutch.
Where I think Maya Banks showed incredible mastery is in her characterizations. I loved how she explored all the emotions of a committed polyamorous relationship like what she was presenting. She doesn't shy away from jealousies or conflict between all the parties, but at the same time, she doesn't go overboard with it either. Things can get heated at times, but they all trust each other and take the time to work things out without silly misunderstandings. I loved the communication amongst all of them, and how they know that it's going to take hard work to maintain what they have just like any relationship would. I felt like there was a level of stark honesty between them, which I found refreshing. I also liked that they've all thought ahead to what might face them with regards to backlash from the community.
Be with Me was a pure pleasure to read, because of how much more depth it has than many other erotic romances I've read. There's a lot of meat to the story. I also loved the characters and thought they made the perfect foursome. Reggie is tough while also knowing how and when to give in to her men's TLC. And the guys… well all I can say is the only thing better than one hot, sexy romance hero is three.;-) I love how they take care of Reggie and look out for her safety, while not expecting her to change. It may bother them that she works in a dangerous profession, but they'd never ask her to quit. They also would never ask her to choose between them, which is why they chose this unconventional path. It also makes them all pretty close to perfection in my book. I loved every minute I spent reading Be with Me. It was my first book by Maya Banks, but most definitely won't be my last. I can't wait to delve into more of her work and hope that it's equally sinful, sexy, and filled with substance as this story was.
Note: This book contains explicit language and sexual situations which may offend some readers, including ménage a quatre, some bondage, a little spanking, and anal sex within M/F, M/F/M and M/F/M/M combinations.
August 30, 2016
30/8 - I was thinking "Fantastic! Five stars!!" at page 103. For the first 103 pages the plot revolves around two stories: Cam, Hutch, and Sawyer trying to convince Reggie, their adopted foster sister and childhood friend to give their unique relationship another chance. You see, a year ago they had a spontaneous one-night stand that left Reggie feeling confused and scared of her feelings and doubting the guys' ability to have a relationship with her without becoming jealous of another or forcing her to choose one guy over the other two. She loves them all equally (they grew up together) and refuses to be put in that position. The other part of the story is the mystery of Reggie's stalker, who ambushed her at a murder scene, mysteriously knew her name and gave her the message that it was "time to make him pay" while nearly choking her to death.
The fact that we didn't get straight into the sex from the first chapter really impressed me, and then for nothing more serious than a few kisses to happen till page 103 really gave me hope that this would actually have some semblance of a plot to go along with what we're all expecting - the kinky sex. Then the sex started and while that was expected (like I said, I wasn't there for the murder mystery) what I wasn't expecting was for the whole murder/stalker mystery to be forgotten and then when it was finally remembered for it to have the lamest explanation ever. After that dreadful excuse for a sideplot I couldn't give it five stars anymore. It's really only a 3.5 but the fact that I couldn't put this down till I finished it at 3:30 this morning has left me feeling generous enough to round it up, instead of down.
The best example of a properly thought out, polyamorous I guess it would be called, relationship with the worst 'who's the killer' reveal meshed into one very hot (I'm still fanning myself and finding my mind drifting back to some 'specific' scenes 15 hours later) four or five hour read. Personally, if you like menage a anything romances and can overlook dreadfully imagined mystery sideplots, I recommend you give this one a go.
The fact that we didn't get straight into the sex from the first chapter really impressed me, and then for nothing more serious than a few kisses to happen till page 103 really gave me hope that this would actually have some semblance of a plot to go along with what we're all expecting - the kinky sex. Then the sex started and while that was expected (like I said, I wasn't there for the murder mystery) what I wasn't expecting was for the whole murder/stalker mystery to be forgotten and then when it was finally remembered for it to have the lamest explanation ever. After that dreadful excuse for a sideplot I couldn't give it five stars anymore. It's really only a 3.5 but the fact that I couldn't put this down till I finished it at 3:30 this morning has left me feeling generous enough to round it up, instead of down.
The best example of a properly thought out, polyamorous I guess it would be called, relationship with the worst 'who's the killer' reveal meshed into one very hot (I'm still fanning myself and finding my mind drifting back to some 'specific' scenes 15 hours later) four or five hour read. Personally, if you like menage a anything romances and can overlook dreadfully imagined mystery sideplots, I recommend you give this one a go.
avoid
December 10, 2017
August 2, 2010
I liked this book,but I just need something cleared up for me. What galaxy are these men from?! They are so sweet,I felt like I should get an insulin shot. And all 3 of them being soooo in love with Reggie,they're all willing to share her in a real relationship? Three buddies wanting to be with the same woman at the same time once or twice doesn't tax my imagination,but forever and ever amen,I don't think so. Two of them,Cam and Hutch even confess to her they've only been with one other woman besides her and they've been celibate for YEARS because they knew no other woman would do. These are young,hot,healthy,virile men!!! Finally Sawyer tells her he has been with lots of women,so maybe one of his parents was human. You know,like Mr Spock. I'm sorry,books like these usually bring out the mushy,hopeless romantic in me,but this had the cynic in me raging at front and center! Maybe I just read it when I was in the wrong mood,but I have trouble believing there are 3 men that perfect here on planet earth,are in love with one woman,are willing to share her,and will do anything to make that happen! Oh yeah,did I mention she spends a whole year after their first time together running from them and ignoring them?! I'm gonna shut up now,because I'm probably not even making sense anymore.
September 16, 2023
Quickie Review:
Be With Me is a story that I really jumped into blind. At first, I assumed that this one was menage, but it was actually reverse harem. Now anyone who knows me well at all will know that this trope hardly ever works for me and the majority of the time I am not a fan of how most authors handle it. However, when it comes to this author, I know she will do it well. And this book blew me away. So whether you are a fan of RH or not, I highly recommend this one. What I found my favorite aspect was how the relationships between each of the men were well focused on. Not one of them gets neglected in this story. And it's NOT about the sex in this book. There is some fabulous steam in this one here, but it's not the primary focus, and I really had a blast seeing that. I also really loved the way in which this was a second-chance romance. And so much pining between all the characters involved in this relationship. I also found it intriguing how they were able to really connect on other levels than just the sexual ones. There is also a plot to this book, unlike the majority of RH. There is plenty of suspense and danger and the villain...yeah, I didn't see that coming at all. I was utterly captivated by this story and is a reminder of why Maya Banks is such a great author to dig deep with.
So if you are looking for a well focused poly romance....I highly recommend this one to you!
Be With Me is a story that I really jumped into blind. At first, I assumed that this one was menage, but it was actually reverse harem. Now anyone who knows me well at all will know that this trope hardly ever works for me and the majority of the time I am not a fan of how most authors handle it. However, when it comes to this author, I know she will do it well. And this book blew me away. So whether you are a fan of RH or not, I highly recommend this one. What I found my favorite aspect was how the relationships between each of the men were well focused on. Not one of them gets neglected in this story. And it's NOT about the sex in this book. There is some fabulous steam in this one here, but it's not the primary focus, and I really had a blast seeing that. I also really loved the way in which this was a second-chance romance. And so much pining between all the characters involved in this relationship. I also found it intriguing how they were able to really connect on other levels than just the sexual ones. There is also a plot to this book, unlike the majority of RH. There is plenty of suspense and danger and the villain...yeah, I didn't see that coming at all. I was utterly captivated by this story and is a reminder of why Maya Banks is such a great author to dig deep with.
So if you are looking for a well focused poly romance....I highly recommend this one to you!
August 13, 2021
Be With Me - Maya Banks - (Pennsylvania)
1 Star
I almost didn't bother reading past the third page but this was in my box of books from my “book bringing buddies”. I guess, most of you have guessed by now that they are married...to each other...so to say I was a little surprised...not at the three guys but that the three guys all wanted the one woman and not each other. Not the way this box of books usually goes. I felt rather sorry for Reggie to start with. That soon changed. The boys seemed to have never grown up and were not in the least shy about how all three of them was hot to trot after this girl/woman they all claim to have loved all their lives. Reggie was not in any way helpless...she was a cop for Heaven sakes. I don’t know when she had time to do any of her police duties. She was in bed most of the book with all three of these “good friends”. I found it kind of funny after reading so many of the m/m romances that are usually what’s in the box...that these guys thought all three of them in the same bed was okay. Watching was more than okay. But no sir...NO TOUCHING. Wouldn’t one guy at a time have worked just as well??? I guess if that was the case, Reggie would have had a lot more time to do her police duties. I frankly just lost patience with all of them early on.
1 Star
I almost didn't bother reading past the third page but this was in my box of books from my “book bringing buddies”. I guess, most of you have guessed by now that they are married...to each other...so to say I was a little surprised...not at the three guys but that the three guys all wanted the one woman and not each other. Not the way this box of books usually goes. I felt rather sorry for Reggie to start with. That soon changed. The boys seemed to have never grown up and were not in the least shy about how all three of them was hot to trot after this girl/woman they all claim to have loved all their lives. Reggie was not in any way helpless...she was a cop for Heaven sakes. I don’t know when she had time to do any of her police duties. She was in bed most of the book with all three of these “good friends”. I found it kind of funny after reading so many of the m/m romances that are usually what’s in the box...that these guys thought all three of them in the same bed was okay. Watching was more than okay. But no sir...NO TOUCHING. Wouldn’t one guy at a time have worked just as well??? I guess if that was the case, Reggie would have had a lot more time to do her police duties. I frankly just lost patience with all of them early on.
May 6, 2016
4.1 "Tryin 4 Togetherness" Stars
Loved this suspense filled MMMF stand alone story with only a couple qualms. No, the men weren't into each other except as lifelong best buds. Actually, they all grew up together and were BFF's. The guys stayed in the same place they were all from but she moved away and became a cop.
They got back together years later. When one wild & crazy night of partying led to a menage, she high tailed it the next morning, without even a goodbye). She was sure it had ruined their wonderful friendship, with her being to blame.
It took a psycho attacking her for them to get her back with them on their turf. She still didn't want their relationship crossing the line again though. The guys wanted her, loved her and continued to try to win her love. She most certainly did love all of them secretly but refused to risk it. The psycho continued trying to kill her and then started up on the guys. The weirdo had some unique methods that's for sure.
It was pretty good all and all except for the fact that she was getting on my nerves trying to prevent what was meant to be. It was also predictable but Maya Banks wove a sweet but very spicy hot story doing it.
I would recommend it to any and all that are into second chance romances, scorching multi lovin menages and/or relationships with a fair amount of decent suspense going on.
Loved this suspense filled MMMF stand alone story with only a couple qualms. No, the men weren't into each other except as lifelong best buds. Actually, they all grew up together and were BFF's. The guys stayed in the same place they were all from but she moved away and became a cop.
They got back together years later. When one wild & crazy night of partying led to a menage, she high tailed it the next morning, without even a goodbye). She was sure it had ruined their wonderful friendship, with her being to blame.
It took a psycho attacking her for them to get her back with them on their turf. She still didn't want their relationship crossing the line again though. The guys wanted her, loved her and continued to try to win her love. She most certainly did love all of them secretly but refused to risk it. The psycho continued trying to kill her and then started up on the guys. The weirdo had some unique methods that's for sure.
It was pretty good all and all except for the fact that she was getting on my nerves trying to prevent what was meant to be. It was also predictable but Maya Banks wove a sweet but very spicy hot story doing it.
I would recommend it to any and all that are into second chance romances, scorching multi lovin menages and/or relationships with a fair amount of decent suspense going on.
June 29, 2013
Very nice ménage book. Or maybe I should call it a poly lifestyle book because this book was about much more than sex. It is one of the very few books that approached the myriad of issues that would arise with such a life style choice. Each of these men wanted her for themselves and only agreed to share because they knew if they asked her to choose between them she wouldn't and they would all loose her. There were issues of jealousy and how each man thought the others should be treating her sexually or how they felt they might be inferior to the lovemaking provided by the other guys. Real life issues stuff. Loved it. The sex scenes were there though and they were nicely done and all the guys felt distinctive, both in general and in bed. There was a bit of a suspense element which was okay but could have been developed a bit more. Also FYI the book was long enough to justify its hefty price tag IMO. Not a novella.
April 26, 2009
I am not normally an erotica reader but found this at my bookstore and was caught. Though the relationships between the heroine and the 3 heros was filled with angst most of the time the actually caring they all had for each other was nice. I defintely had my favorite hero in this one. Not sure if I would seek out other erotica novels but this was a good "first" :).
July 27, 2021
Ok, I get that all these book are supposed to be fantasy but this is beyond unbelievable. "I'd never wanna make you, push you, suggest, or even think of something that you don't want."
Please! These 3 linebacker men need to grow a backbone! Terrible!
Please! These 3 linebacker men need to grow a backbone! Terrible!
June 20, 2018
It's quite clear for me that only Nicole Edwards can write menage romance stories. Nothing else came close to that so far.
This is about a woman and three men, all best friends since their childhood. They all love each other deeply and since the first chapter we learn that they acted on those feelings together, about a year previous to where the story begins for us.
This was a little strange for me, being transported directly into the relationship between the MCs, without getting to know them first and experience the build of that relationship.
Again, if you touch a menage type of romance, I expect it to be pure smut, with total alpha males and not much drama. I didn't enjoy the hesitation in neither of the characters. After their first time together, she ran away from the men for a year, scared of everything. Once they all get back together, they don't know how to act and to deal with things. Should they be jealous of each other? Should they keep score? It's crazy.
You should definitely expect more of a "m-f relationship" times 3.
This is about a woman and three men, all best friends since their childhood. They all love each other deeply and since the first chapter we learn that they acted on those feelings together, about a year previous to where the story begins for us.
This was a little strange for me, being transported directly into the relationship between the MCs, without getting to know them first and experience the build of that relationship.
Again, if you touch a menage type of romance, I expect it to be pure smut, with total alpha males and not much drama. I didn't enjoy the hesitation in neither of the characters. After their first time together, she ran away from the men for a year, scared of everything. Once they all get back together, they don't know how to act and to deal with things. Should they be jealous of each other? Should they keep score? It's crazy.
You should definitely expect more of a "m-f relationship" times 3.
May 11, 2023
Be with me
Maya Banks
Rating: 5 ⭐️
Spice: 5 🌶
I have to say I LOVED "Be With Me" it can easily be in my top 10 favorite books. I READ a lot, so that's the compliment to any author. This story is captivating, gripping, sexy and just hot! This book will keep you wanting more. I ended this book and wished there for more, and for me, that doesn't happen all the time.
I enjoyed reading about Regina "Reggie" and her three besties, Cam, Hutch, and Sawye. The three guys came from a bad family life and got taken in by a wonderful, thoughtful woman, then they meet Regina, who came from a good life raised in money.. But her parents weren't loving at all. They bonded through all their similarities and differences. Something changed, and they all slept together..
Regina ran scared of all her feelings for all three guys.
There's also a thriller/killer in this story that attacked Reggie & told her he's gonna make him pay, and a lot going on with that on top of what's going on between Reggie and the men!!
Read & see what happens between Regina and her besties! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
Maya Banks
Rating: 5 ⭐️
Spice: 5 🌶
I have to say I LOVED "Be With Me" it can easily be in my top 10 favorite books. I READ a lot, so that's the compliment to any author. This story is captivating, gripping, sexy and just hot! This book will keep you wanting more. I ended this book and wished there for more, and for me, that doesn't happen all the time.
I enjoyed reading about Regina "Reggie" and her three besties, Cam, Hutch, and Sawye. The three guys came from a bad family life and got taken in by a wonderful, thoughtful woman, then they meet Regina, who came from a good life raised in money.. But her parents weren't loving at all. They bonded through all their similarities and differences. Something changed, and they all slept together..
Regina ran scared of all her feelings for all three guys.
There's also a thriller/killer in this story that attacked Reggie & told her he's gonna make him pay, and a lot going on with that on top of what's going on between Reggie and the men!!
Read & see what happens between Regina and her besties! Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
June 3, 2020
Hutch, Cam and Sawyer were all bad boys from the wrong side of the tracks. Reggie was rich and beautiful and had everything a girl could want growing up. Everything except the love and attention of her parents. She found what she was missing in her three best friends who just happened to be boys. They all loved her. And she loved them back. Eventually they all grew up and those feelings manifested themselves in one night of passion. As in she has sex with all of them at the same time.
So yes, this is not your usual romance novel. The guys all knew that Reggie would never choose between them, but they never thought that she would run from them. When Reggie’s life is threatened the guys decide that she has run long enough. They rush to be by her side. To save her and to force her to face her feelings for all of them. What they are proposing seems impossible, but can Reggie really deny her feelings any longer? Who is threatening her life? Can she save herself and her heart before it’s too late?
Yes, the premise of this story is pretty unbelievable. Three men who are so in love with one woman that they are willing to share her is not exactly realistic. However, that is the point of reading, to escape reality. This book allows you to do just that. The plot behind the steamy love scenes is good enough to make you care about the characters. I barely realized that I was almost halfway through the book before any action went down. Maya Banks always delivers on the heat factor. The tension between all these characters reaches the boiling point before anything actually happens. And the payoff was absolutely worth the wait.
Ms. Banks is certainly one of the best contemporary romance authors and never disappoints with the bedroom scenes. The rest of the story was great also and keeps you guessing till the very end. Proven point that plot does matter. This story keeps the reader invested and interested in the characters.
4 very hot stars
So yes, this is not your usual romance novel. The guys all knew that Reggie would never choose between them, but they never thought that she would run from them. When Reggie’s life is threatened the guys decide that she has run long enough. They rush to be by her side. To save her and to force her to face her feelings for all of them. What they are proposing seems impossible, but can Reggie really deny her feelings any longer? Who is threatening her life? Can she save herself and her heart before it’s too late?
Yes, the premise of this story is pretty unbelievable. Three men who are so in love with one woman that they are willing to share her is not exactly realistic. However, that is the point of reading, to escape reality. This book allows you to do just that. The plot behind the steamy love scenes is good enough to make you care about the characters. I barely realized that I was almost halfway through the book before any action went down. Maya Banks always delivers on the heat factor. The tension between all these characters reaches the boiling point before anything actually happens. And the payoff was absolutely worth the wait.
Ms. Banks is certainly one of the best contemporary romance authors and never disappoints with the bedroom scenes. The rest of the story was great also and keeps you guessing till the very end. Proven point that plot does matter. This story keeps the reader invested and interested in the characters.
4 very hot stars
August 2, 2010
Oh my bring me the fan and the spritising water. This book was so chocked full of male testosterone I wanted to lick it! There I said it I am a bad Minxy. Reggie was a strong female lead, she fought this attraction for most of the book, confused by it even as the men in her life accepted it and came to terms with it. Again three very different men, brothers in life, if not in blood, the organised dominant, the edgy and rough, and the laid back and just downright sexy. She had a man for every mood! And a man who for no discernible reason was trying to kill her.
Another mysterious tale from Maya Banks who skillfully intertwines the thriller with the trills of sexual exploration. If you want a book to get you hot under your frilly bikini as you sun on the beach, go for this. Trust me!
There were five in the bed and the little one said 'roll over, roll over,' so they all rolled over and one fell out, they hit the floor and gave a shout, 'please remember to tie a knot in your pyjamas, single beds are only made for 1, 2, , 4...' There were four in the bed and the little one said.... ME!!! ME!!! ME!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I just had the urge to do that! My first exploration into menage a quatre, and I found it fun and sexy. The characters were distinct, articulate and alive, caring for their community as well as each other, supported by a wealth of fleshed out side characters which gave the story a soul. I Particularly loved a conversation in the police station with Birdie's friend, a little sweet old lady in pearls and gloves who was talking about how good she was with a shot gun!
A great summer erotic read I give Be with Me four frilly knickers out of 5. A definite damp bikini read!
Another mysterious tale from Maya Banks who skillfully intertwines the thriller with the trills of sexual exploration. If you want a book to get you hot under your frilly bikini as you sun on the beach, go for this. Trust me!
There were five in the bed and the little one said 'roll over, roll over,' so they all rolled over and one fell out, they hit the floor and gave a shout, 'please remember to tie a knot in your pyjamas, single beds are only made for 1, 2, , 4...' There were four in the bed and the little one said.... ME!!! ME!!! ME!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, I just had the urge to do that! My first exploration into menage a quatre, and I found it fun and sexy. The characters were distinct, articulate and alive, caring for their community as well as each other, supported by a wealth of fleshed out side characters which gave the story a soul. I Particularly loved a conversation in the police station with Birdie's friend, a little sweet old lady in pearls and gloves who was talking about how good she was with a shot gun!
A great summer erotic read I give Be with Me four frilly knickers out of 5. A definite damp bikini read!
November 7, 2013
I mean, this was certainly a book that I read.
I'm a big fan of the happy threesome, so it's not that I have an issue with the whole notion of the Happy Foursome, but there was just a lot of language things throughout the novel that irked me. I did appreciate that Maya Banks tried to go beyond just, "SEXSEXSEXXXXXXXXXX" for a M/M/M/F novel. But unfortunately, the stuff that went beyond just sex got occasionally way too possessive/controlling/weird for me.
I was also irked by the whole scene where Regina almost gets killed and what the guy decides to scream about is YOU COULD'VE BEEN RAPED. It is true. That would've been worse. Cue major league eye-rolling.
But. It could've been worse? The guys just all blended together. The "tough fucker" was of course bald with a goatee and earrings, the sensitive one had glasses and longish hair, and then the boy next door was just kind of the most vanilla human being of all time.
Not to mention the whole sequence of When Anal Sex Goes Wrong (Emotionally) was one of the most. Just. I sat there the whole time just slowly shaking my head at the mess.
I think if I had approached it as porn in word form, I would've enjoyed it enough for 3 stars, but somehow the length of the novel had me convinced that it was going to be at least a little more fleshed out than that. But I think the combination of the long sex scenes, with trying to have a mystery/crime plot, on top of trying to characterize and create three 3D male leads just ended up making it a pretty flat read for me.
I'm a big fan of the happy threesome, so it's not that I have an issue with the whole notion of the Happy Foursome, but there was just a lot of language things throughout the novel that irked me. I did appreciate that Maya Banks tried to go beyond just, "SEXSEXSEXXXXXXXXXX" for a M/M/M/F novel. But unfortunately, the stuff that went beyond just sex got occasionally way too possessive/controlling/weird for me.
I was also irked by the whole scene where Regina almost gets killed and what the guy decides to scream about is YOU COULD'VE BEEN RAPED. It is true. That would've been worse. Cue major league eye-rolling.
But. It could've been worse? The guys just all blended together. The "tough fucker" was of course bald with a goatee and earrings, the sensitive one had glasses and longish hair, and then the boy next door was just kind of the most vanilla human being of all time.
Not to mention the whole sequence of When Anal Sex Goes Wrong (Emotionally) was one of the most. Just. I sat there the whole time just slowly shaking my head at the mess.
I think if I had approached it as porn in word form, I would've enjoyed it enough for 3 stars, but somehow the length of the novel had me convinced that it was going to be at least a little more fleshed out than that. But I think the combination of the long sex scenes, with trying to have a mystery/crime plot, on top of trying to characterize and create three 3D male leads just ended up making it a pretty flat read for me.
February 11, 2013
Im not sure WHAT I think of this book. I knew it was erotica and have no problem with that but still..... Ok. One woman , with 3 best friends who are all male. Known them since childhood. Now all 3 have decided they are in love with her and want to be her lover. All 3. At the same time. They want her to live with all three of them together in one house which they have built for her. Then they all ambush (to my way of thinking anyway)her and its a menage de quad?) She freaks out afterward and avoids them for a year. Now someone is trying to kill her and here they all come and here we go again. So they go all out to protect her from the crazy killer and convince her they are serious about their "love" for her and that she should agree to forever after with them all because they don't mind sharing...
Someone please read this book and tell me if this story line makes sense to them.
Someone please read this book and tell me if this story line makes sense to them.
September 25, 2014
Um...nah...not for me.
It's an F/M/M/M book and if it was maybe just trying to be sexy and kinky I might have been more ok with it but it's all wrapped up in love and I just couldn't understand how that's going to work on an everyday basis...set in a small town no less....and her being a police officer so in the community's face. What about having family and kids and jealousies??? It addresses some jealousy issues but not enough.
I couldn't get over past the fact that 3 awesome guys could share...not on a permanent basis anyways.
There were some hot scenes for sure but a lot of the content was repetitive.
Well I thought I'd try listening to this but I'll just stick to her awesome historical romance novels.
It's an F/M/M/M book and if it was maybe just trying to be sexy and kinky I might have been more ok with it but it's all wrapped up in love and I just couldn't understand how that's going to work on an everyday basis...set in a small town no less....and her being a police officer so in the community's face. What about having family and kids and jealousies??? It addresses some jealousy issues but not enough.
I couldn't get over past the fact that 3 awesome guys could share...not on a permanent basis anyways.
There were some hot scenes for sure but a lot of the content was repetitive.
Well I thought I'd try listening to this but I'll just stick to her awesome historical romance novels.
October 13, 2015
Whenever I'm in a mood for a menage romance, I always go for Maya Banks. This book is an interesting take on a menage relationship. There's of course, jealousy, uncertainty and insecurities involved. I mean we're only human, right? I feel like Maya nailed everything perfectly.
While I enjoyed all the smut scenes -- believe me they're hot! -- I didn't love it either. I feel like the plot is over-used these days. Recycled over and over again. Most of menage books I've come across these days always have the generic, cliche 'stalker' plot. It's gotten old already.
This book came out in 2008 though when I was only twelve. LOL. So I guess Maya has free pass for that. If anyone reading this review has any good menage romance books with better plot, please comment!
While I enjoyed all the smut scenes -- believe me they're hot! -- I didn't love it either. I feel like the plot is over-used these days. Recycled over and over again. Most of menage books I've come across these days always have the generic, cliche 'stalker' plot. It's gotten old already.
This book came out in 2008 though when I was only twelve. LOL. So I guess Maya has free pass for that. If anyone reading this review has any good menage romance books with better plot, please comment!
May 16, 2010
Maybe even 4.5 stars. This book is one of the best done 'multiple partner relationship' books I've ever read. In other books it can be confusing, no one has their own identity, or it's just bizarre. This differentiates between male characters (because it is three men and one woman) and their realistic struggle with sharing a woman. It's also hottttttt when it comes to sex. I liked all the characters, and the background 'killer' story is good. It started a little slow, but I really enjoyed it!
January 31, 2011
Maya Banks writes very good menages. I'm not sure if she has personal experience on how to have multiple males to one female. I read her stories and think, wow, if only real life can be like this! I enjoy how she spends time building the complexity of a multi-partner relationship. I enjoy Ms. Banks books because there is a more sensual feel to it. It is erotic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 413 reviews