The KGI Series by Maya Banks

The Kelly Group International (KGI) is a group founded by brothers of the Kelly family.  They all have military backgrounds and deal in hostage rescue, intelligence gathering and black ops for the U.S. Government.  There are several teams, introduced throughout the books that you will fall in love with.  The Kelly family is a huge one, with six brothers.  And, once you’ve been taken in by Marlene Kelly, mother extraordinaire, you’re part of the family.

The Darkest Hour – Book 1

Ethan Kelly has shut himself off from everyone and everything.  He lost his wife Rachel a year ago in a plane crash in South America where she was on a mission of mercy.  He can’t forgive himself for things he had done and said before she left on the trip.  He was convinced that she was having an affair with one of his brothers and served her with divorce papers.  So, he is wallowing in self pity and staying drunk.  Until, one day, he receives a letter with pictures of a wild looking woman being held captive by a drub cartel in Columbia, South America.  And the letter that came with the pictures turns his world inside out.  Your wife is alive.  He immediately doesn’t believe it, but after looking at the pictures, he thinks that it could be Rachel.  Is this real?  Only one way to find out.

He enlists the help of his brothers at KGI.  They aren’t convinced this is real either, but have no choice but to act.  If it is her, they’ll get her out.  Once they locate where Rachel is being held, they spring into action.  After a fierce battle, Rachel is rescued.  Everyone is so relieved, but then they soon discover that Rachel is a shell of her former self.  They had been injecting her with heroine and she is now an addict and suffers from PTSD.  And, she has trouble remembering things.  Ethan tries his best to start over with Rachel, still reeling over what had transpired between them before she left on her mission trip.  She has no memory of the divorce papers, so he isn’t quite honest with her about their life together.  He is trying to help her, so he feels justified.

Once Rachel is settled for a while, he takes them to the Kelly home.  Marlene Kelly, the Kelly boys’ mom, and a force to be reckoned with, is determined that they’ll love Rachel back to her old self and so are the other Kelly brothers.  But, they aren’t aware of what transpired between the two before her trip either.  Ethan has been to ashamed to tell them. And, there’s the matter of the drug cartel wanting Rachel dead.  Once an attempt is made on Rachel’s life, KGI goes into full protection mode.  After all, no one messes with a Kelly!

The Darkest Hour is about rebuilding love and a fractured relationship.  Once Rachel’s memories start coming back, she and Ethan truly start to rebuild their relationship.  Despite what Rachel has been through, she is surprisingly strong.  And, despite Ethan’s major screw ups in the past, he proves himself worthy.

No Place to Run – Book 2

Sam Kelly is the oldest brother in the Kelly clan.  He is sent on a mission in Mexico and has a brief, hot affair with a waitress he meets there, Sophie Lundgren.  However, he doesn’t know that she is the daughter of the arms dealer he is there to gather information on.  While in a hotel room, Sam receives a mysterious message and he has to leave abruptly.  There is something else he doesn’t know.  Sophie sent the message in order to get him out of the way so that she can keep him safe and do what she has to do.  Sophie’s dad is a horrible human being and has done unimaginable things, robbing Sophie of her childhood.  She confronts her father and shoots him.  She makes her escape, only to be chased by her uncle, who is trying to take over her father’s empire.  But, in order to do that, he needs something that she stole on her way out.

Five months later, the Kelly boys are at the lake, grilling and hanging out when a body floats up.  They dive in and Sam discovers that it is Sophie, who has been shot and is pregnant.  It’s now up to them to protect her and figure out what’s going on.  Sam learns that he is the father, but his brothers don’t trust her.

It doesn’t take long for her uncle’s men to find out where she is and they lay siege on the Kelly family.  Frank Kelly, the patriarch of the family, has a heart attack and while at the hospital, Marlene is taken hostage.  Needless to say, all hell breaks loose.

Sophie knows that she is the key to getting Marlene back, so they all travel to where Marlene is being held and Sophie pulls a fast one.  She trades herself for Marlene.  Sam is reeling, thinking that Sophie betrayed him, but when Sophie slips him the item that her uncle so desperately needs, he realizes that she didn’t dupe him and the she does love him.  And, they find out that her dad is not dead.  Once she trades herself, the Kelly boys spring into action.

In the end, the Kellys save Sophie and take care of her dad and uncle.  She is now a part of the Kelly family, which is just fine by her.

Hidden Away – Book 3

Garrett Kelly accepts an assignment to keep tabs on Sarah Daniels, who has witnessed a murder committed by her half brother, which was done in retaliation of what had been done to Sarah, and an enemy of the KGI team, namely Garrett.  The CIA wants to use her to find her half-brother.  And she is trying to protect the only family she has left.  Sarah has no idea what a truly bad man her brother is, but, she will find out.  She finds herself on the run to hide from the brother of the man her brother killed.

Sarah goes to a tropical paradise to hide out.  She notices the hot guy next door, but doesn’t think too much about it, at first.  They eventually meet up and start spending time together. And, Garrett finds himself starting to have feelings for her.  He’s falling hopelessly in love with her.  He slowly wins her trust.  But, when Sarah thinks those looking for her have found her, she runs.  Leaving Garrett to chase her down to ensure her safety.  Sarah finally finds out that Garrett has lied to her about why he is there and that he was sent there to watch her and keep her safe.  She has a hard time believing that a bad man her brother is.

Sarah eventually realizes that she loves Garrett and will do anything to protect him, once she gets over her initial feelings of betrayal, and is welcomed into the Kelly fold.

Whispers in the Dark – Book 4

Nathan Kelly, twin to Joe, and the youngest in the Kelly clan, is on his last tour of duty when he and others are taken prisoner.  He is tortured beyond belief and forced to watch unimaginable things done to fellow soldiers.  He and Swanson (Swanny) are the only two left.  The only thing that has kept Nathan sane was “voice” in his head.  Shea.  But is she real, or has he really lost his mind.  She comforts him in his mind during the endless time he has spend imprisoned.  She also has the ability to take away the person’s pain that she is linked with.

Nathan and Swanny are taken out once again for another round of torture.  Just when Nathan is losing all hope, they manage to make an attempt at escape.  They are running when their captors start falling to the ground.  They look up and see American soldiers swarming in.  Lead by whom else??  KGI!!!  Nathan and Swanny are both injured, but KGI manages to get them out.  Nathan is mumbling about Shea, much to his brothers’ surprise.  When asked who is Shea, he simply replies “Mine”.  She severs the link and Nathan and his buddy are taken back home.

Nathan is conflicted about whether Shea was real or not, until one day, she telepathically calls out to him.  She is in trouble and needs his help.  He knew she was real!!  He takes off without letting his brothers know and dashes to save Shea.  Of course, his brothers follow.  Come to find out, Shea, and her sister Grace, have been living on the run for quite some time.  They have found out that their entire life had been a lie.  They were part of a group that was trying to use her and her sister’s abilities for nefarious purposes. Shea, with the ability to take away pain and Grace, who could actually take away diseases and injuries and make people well.  But, not without great personal pain.  In order to save Shea and Grace from whomever was chasing them, they had to figure out what exactly had happened to them.

Nathan and Shea are in the process of healing, thanks in large part to the Kelly clan, but Shea’s healing will only be complete when her sister Grace is found and rescued.  The next book, Echoes at Dawn (07/03/12), is Grace’s story.  The hero is Rio, a leader of one of the KGI teams, and I for one, can’t wait!!!

I love this series for so many reasons.  I loved the fact that she added a paranormal twist to this series. The large, loyal, and extended family, make it so believable for me.  It makes me wish I was a Kelly.  J  Love the fact that it’s set in the south. And, the fact that it takes place around Kentucky Lake.  Myself, living just outside of Memphis, makes this real for me.  My family and I have camped at Kentucky Lake many many times.  So, in my mind’s eye, I can see their place on the lake and feel the air.  And, when they talk about the Kellys’ drawl, I hear it perfectly in my mind. I also love the action, the suspense and the romance.  The Kelly boys are hot and I love how Maya shows their vulnerability, despite being tough as nails.  This is truly a series that I am always eager for the next installment to be released.  The possibilities with this series are endless.  There are team members to be written about.  There are two brothers that still have their story to be told and I look forward to each and every one of them!!!  Oh yeah!!  Have I mentioned that Maya is one of my all-time favorites??  😀

Reviewed by Vickie M.