The Bane Affair (Paperback)

by Alison Kent (Author)
Key Phrases: overlook point, ops center, Alison Kent, Peter Deacon, Christian Bane (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
In a radical departure from her usual style, Kent launches a new series of fast-moving, earthy, and graphic encounters between the hand-picked members of Hank Smithson's elite paramilitary counterespionage network and their nemesis, Spectra. Christian Bane was Hank's first recruit, and his task is to impersonate a sleazy archcriminal named Peter Deacon with a penchant for kinky sex who has arranged to acquire the backdoor entry to the CIA's data-encryption program from Dr. Wickham Bow, an eccentric genius whose health is failing. Bow's goddaughter, Natasha Gaudet, is also his personal assistant, and Bow instructs her to keep Deacon happy--with predictable consequences. This contemporary romance relies on a host of stereotypical, almost cartoonlike supporting characters (the evil scientific genius, the boy wonder with a crush on the sexy assistant) who alternately shock and amuse with their escapades in a Mission Impossible-type scenario, but the premise is well executed and clearly meant to appeal to a wide readership. Lynne Welch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Fast-paced from beginning to end, packed with pulse-pounding intrigue. Readers won't want to put this one down. 4 1/2 Stars -- Romantic Times Bookclub, October 2004

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Product Details

• Paperback: 354 pages
• Publisher: Kensington (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758206682
• ISBN-13: 978-0758206688
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #117,206 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Beginning To A New Series!!!, October 23, 2004

By	Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

So seldom do I start a series from the very fist story so when I found out Ms. Kent had a new book out, and it was the first of several stories to come, needless to say I raced out and ordered it. You can always be guaranteed a good read when you pick up Ms. Kent and this story was no exception.

Without going into a long drawn out synopsis (this could give some things away the reader would probably rather I didn't) suffice to say that this is a very fast-paced, emotional read that will have you glued to the pages until the final chapter.

Well, what's so great you ask? This book offers it all, a great storyline, a hero that is not only damaged, but willing to have his heart healed by a truly remarkable heroine (in this case Natasha) and it offers enough teasers of upcoming characters that you will be hooked and out pre-ordering the rest in the series. Chemistry between Christian and Natasha is great, and there is enough push and pull between the two to keep the reader satisfied that yes, they will get their happy ending, but it won't come easy.

I greatly look forward to the next in the series which will be "The Shaughnessey Accord" and hope that Christian and Natasha will be around for that one. It was hard to see this story come to an end, and I plan on finding room on my keeper shelf.

Official Reviewer for www.romancedesigns.com

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ALIAS this book is not, however...., April 4, 2005

By	DevJohn01 (Somerset, NJ) - See all my reviews

I bought this book because the premise reminded me of something I would see on an episode of Alias, one of my favorite television shows. What I did not realize, being that I am not familiar with any of Kent's previous works, was that while Alison Kent is trying to do something different here by writing a novel about spies, she is first and foremost a romance writer. I am not a huge fan of such graphic romances (it is just not my taste) however, despite that I did enjoy the story of sexy spy Christian Bane and the strong willed Natasha Gaudet. The beginning of the book was pure romance so it took me a while to get into it but once it got going I found it hard to put down. This is definitely the beginning of a very interesting series, 3 ½ Stars!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something Different, October 26, 2004

By	Brian (USA) - See all my reviews

Alison Kent has always penned a good story. She has a gift for deep characters who feel "real," and who speak like men and women should. But with her new series from Kensington Brava, Ms. Kent has outdone herself.

As usual, the characters are wonderful, but now she's added gritty action and suspense to the mix, creating an explosive combination that's hard to find in the romance genre, where often an action and suspense plot comes at the cost of shallow characters. Or worse, an action/suspense plot is "sanitized." Not so here. The plot, which has been described as "Mission Impossible," or "Alias," in tone, pulls no punches. It's gritty spy stuff at its best.

Expect engaging writing, lots of steamy sex, interesting characters, and adrenaline-pumping action. If you like Alison Kent's Blazes, you love her Bravas. And if you've never read Alison Kent, start now, with what many consider to be her best book yet!