Format read:  paperback
Genre: Contemporary erotic Romance
Release Date: August 7th 2012
Number of pages: 368 pages (for the 2 stories)
Publisher: Berkley
Formats available: ebook, paperback
Review of Sway (the other story in this duology): Book Lovers Inc.
Purchasing Info: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Book Depository US | Book Depository (UK) | Goodreads

Book Blurb:
Enticed to the island paradise where an enigmatic prince is living in exile, beautiful, virginal Talia is introduced to a world of forbidden pleasure where the prince’s every whim is fulfilled and her fantasies are rendered in exquisite detail. But when the prince is summoned back to fulfill his duty to his struggling country, reality is thrust upon Talia all too soon. She returns home, heartbroken, convinced she was a passing fancy for an idle ruler and his most trusted men. Until the day they arrive on her doorstep, determined to have her back where she belongs.

My Thoughts:

This is only the review of Exiled by Maya Banks. It’s one of the 2 stories of the Cherished Duology, the second story being Sway by Lauren Dane You can read Caro’s review of Sway here at Book Lovers Inc, too.

I knew what I was getting into before starting to read this novella. I knew Exiled would be over the top and completely fictional. I went into the story knowing that I shouldn’t expect anything that was likely to ever happen in real life. And that is what I got. A sexy erotic novella with a plot that makes you roll your eyes but still grabs you enough to keep reading. I’m usually not a fan of those but with Exiled I realized that if I actually expect a story like this I seem to not judge it too harshly.

In Exiled we meet some very dominant alpha males who plan to share a woman for 3 months. Sounds a bit tacky but there is a story behind that. Alexander, Xander for his friends, is an exiled king in hiding from the usurpers that killed his father and made the whole royal family run for their lives. Back in the days when he was still in his home-country he fell head over heels in love with a girl he met only once. Instead of staking his claim on her and leading her into a life full of erotic games she was way too young for, he did the honorable thing and offered help. He got her ill mother the medical help she couldn’t afford and gave the girl the opportunity to see the world outside of their small country including  an education she would have never been able to achieve without his doing. So after the years went by and her mom is finally feeling better Xander sees his chance to finally get what he craved for so many years. There probably would have been a better way to get her to him than drawing a contract for total sexual submission including a bunch of medical exams and such but well men will always be men.

So now we find our virginal heroine Talia on her way into a life of sexual submission to 4 very dominant and sexual uninhibited dudes on an island where no one can help her. Way to scare the love of your life. Talia is inexperienced and has no idea what she has gotten herself into. She does have ideas and imagined what those guys will do to her but nothing prepared her what she will see and do on this island. Talia is not a week woman at all. What made her look that way at times is her sense of honor in fulfilling a debt. She loves her mother above all else and would do anything to repay the gift of her mother’s life. She is scared and unsure, and highly confused by what that gorgeous and wealthy man could want with a simple girl like her. I did like her a lot. She is very shy at first but when she realizes what all this is actually about she embraces her own sexuality and just goes with the flow of things. She isn’t scared of what the guys will do to her- she’s more afraid of what might happen after their island time is up.

What I liked most about Exiled besides the wickedly hot sex scenes was they way Banks depicted each of our characters. Yes the 4 guys are all manly and dominant but each one of them is different. I actually preferred the bodyguards to Xander though- they showed way more concern for Talia and her feelings than he did.

The sex scenes are pretty steamy and explicit but I expected that. Banks knows how to turn up the heat in her books without making it too corny porny. I know that many woman actually disagree here (I saw some reviews on Goodreads) but what do they expect of a story where one woman and four guys get it on. Vanilla sex? Well that would make it rather time consuming if they would just all take turns and wait outside until they get their chance.

I really enjoyed Exiled– it made me chuckle a bit about the absurd setting and the treasured romance tropes we find in this one but it also made me smile a lot. This novella made me enjoy the time I used to read it. It intrigued me to see what devious thing Xander planned next and how Talia would take it. Exiled is a highly erotic story and probably not for the faint of heart but it delivered what I expected- a totally over the top sex fest.

 I give Exiled 3 1/2 Stars

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

About Susi

Susi is a geeky vegetarian from Gemany. She just finished university and now works as a civil engineer in steel construction. Besides her reading addiction she also knits like a maniac while listening to audiobooks. Susi also blogs at the Secret HEA Society.

• View all posts by Susi →
• Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook