Left to die by her werewolf mates after they are convinced she betrayed them and killed their father, Heather survives against the odds, though without the men she loves more than life itself, her soul feels dead inside.Now Cael and Riyu have learned the truth, and realize their own terrible betrayal of their beautiful mate. They will do anything to make it up to Heather and earn her forgiveness, but is it too late? Has her trust in them been irrevocably broken?Leave it to Maya Banks to have me bawling my eyes out over the Christmas holiday. With her holiday release, Love Me, Still, Ms. Banks tore my heart to shreds. Between my past experience with this author's stories and the publisher's synopsis, I really should have expected as much, in hindsight.Never has Maya Banks' ability to instill empathy for her characters in the reader been more evident than in this story. I felt everything that Heather felt. I ached when she ached for the loss of her mates. I sobbed when she cried over the hurt she saw in her mates' eyes when they believed she had betrayed them. And when they returned to her, I felt the same joy Heather did at her return to the mates and the pack she so cherished.In the midst of all that raw emotion, it never occurred to me what the story didn't have. It wasn't until later as I reminisced over the story that it struck me - this is the first Maya Banks title I have ever read that has no sex scene. You read that right - none whatsoever. And you know what? As much as I have enjoyed this author's undeniable talent at crafting love scenes that would melt the paint off a car, I didn't even notice it wasn't there while I read the story. It worked very well without it. In fact, I would venture so far to say that if adding a sex scene to this story meant cutting any other part of the tale, I would absolutely not want it. Love Me, Still was that perfect. If anyone should doubt Maya Banks' writing talent, this story can be held up as a prime example of her ability to stir emotions without needing sex to do so.When I am in the mood for a good tearjerker with a beautiful love story featuring the reuniting of lovers, Love Me, Still will be the book I reach for time and again.**This story can also be found in the print anthologyThe Perfect Gift**
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