If you’re looking for some of the best suspenseful, steamy, and exciting novels by Maya Banks, look no further. We’ve gathered 30 of her best novels so that you can get up to date on your reading.
Maya Banks is mainly the author of romantic suspense, Scottish historical romance, and erotic romance novels. She is the author of over 50 books and is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
Fans love Maya’s novels for their intense yet playful nature, and despite almost all of them being parts of different series, you can read any Maya Banks novel as a standalone. This list features 30 of her most loved novels ranked, and hopefully they will interest you and make you want to read more.
The Darkest Hour
Ethan is an ex-Navy SEAL whose wife, Rachel, has been dead for over a year, and he’s been grieving her ever since. When Ethan gets an anonymous phone call and is told that Rachel is still alive, he clings to hope.
Ethan starts on a dangerous journey through the jungle, avoiding enemies as he tries to save Rachel and help her recover painful memories before it’s too late.
Ewan is a warrior who is determined to get revenge on his greatest enemy, but when Mairin comes to save his clan, Ewan can’t help but get distracted.
Mairin is the daughter of the King, and because of this, she’s always been wary of love. When she is forced to marry Ewan, Mairin knows she’s been right to be cautious. But she soon learns to love Ewan, while Ewan is learning that there may be more to life than war and revenge.
You can read In Bed With A Highlander by Maya Banks here.
Sweet Surrender
Gray is a cop who is desperately seeking the person who killed his partner. The only lead he has so far is a link between the killing and a woman named Faith, who Gray sees as his perfect match. He is happy to work with her and hopefully get closer, but he doesn’t think that she would be interested in him.
Faith sees that Gray is the type of man she’s looking for, but he doesn’t seem very interested in her. Faith sets out on a path to prove to him that they can be together, and when she’s put in danger, Gray knows he has to act fast.
You can purchase Sweet Surrender by Maya Banks here.
Never Seduce a Scot
Eveline has a clan that loves her deeply, but nobody knows that she can’t hear. Eveline doesn’t talk, but she’s taught herself to read lips and is fine with her life of solitude. Then everything changes when Eveline is arranged to marry Graeme, a warrior from a rival clan.
Graeme is interested in Evelyn and her mysteriousness, and as they spend more time with one another, he eventually learns her secret. When Evelyn becomes the target of danger, Graeme will do anything to protect her.
You can read Never Seduce a Scot by Maya Banks here.
Rush
Gabe knows that going after his best friend’s sister is a cruel thing to do, but he’s been waiting for a long time to finally be with her.
Mia has had a crush on Gabe for years, and it’s only gotten stronger with time. She knows that now is the time to act, even if it has to stay secret between them.
Adam, Ethan, and Ryan are looking for one woman that they can all share their lives with together. They are having trouble finding the right one, but when they find Holly in the snow near their cabin, they immediately know she’s perfect for them.
It proves to be challenging to convince Holly to be with them, and it doesn’t help that they also have to protect her from someone who wants her dead.
Elle is found hiding in a cabinet in a gun store, and she has no memory of who she is or why she’s there. Cade and Merrick are the men who found her, and they know they can’t just leave her alone.
Elle enjoys spending time with Cade and Merrick, and as time passes, she realizes that she might not want to remember her past if it could compromise what they have.
You can purchase Theirs To Keep by Maya Banks here.
Duchess of My Heart
When Jillian’s husband dies, she is relieved. Her marriage was horrible, and she refuses to mourn him in the way society expects. Her best friend, Case, is there through it all as they defy the norms.
Justin is the eighth Duke of Whittington and his brother, Case, is causing quite the scandal. When Justin meets Jillian he immediately falls for her, but he realizes she has to come to terms with her past before they can move forward.
You can find Duchess of My Heart by Maya Banks here.
Mastered
When Drake spots Evangeline at his club, he is immediately attracted to her. He calls her into his private quarters and sees the desire in her eyes.
When Drake tells Evangeline what he wants, she knows she should run. But she also knows that she wants to try because she can’t seem to resist this man.
Isabella and Theron have known each other for years because their fathers were best friends. But when both fathers pass away, Theron is meant to take care of Isabella and her well-being.
Isabella has had a crush on Theron for a long time, and she knows now is the time to act on it. But then she learns that Theron is supposed to find her a bachelor and it’s clear that he isn’t interested, so Isabella makes it her mission to change that.
You can purchase the graphic novel The Tycoon’s Rebel Bride by Maya Banks here.
Into The Lair
Ian and Braden are on a mission to find Katie, the sister of a teammate who lost their trust. She could be the one thing that helps Ian and Braden get to the man who turned them into unstable cat shifters.
As they go after Katie, the two warriors realize that she is something they desire. But Katie has learned not to trust men because it always goes wrong, and by the time she realizes that Ian and Braden are trustworthy, it may be too late.
Jasmine loved Seth and Zane and couldn’t bear it, so she left the ranch. But now she’s returned, and Jasmine is determined to make them fall in love with her.
Seth and Zane have both loved Jasmine for years, but Seth is not interested in sharing his woman with another man. This means that Jasmine will have to convince him to make her dream become reality.
A Sheriff named Duncan finds an injured cheetah in the mountains and knows that poachers are going after her, so he takes her to safety. But when Duncan checks on his patient later, he is surprised to find a woman.
Aliyah has spent the last 6 months as a cheetah, and now that she’s finally escaped her predators, she is faced with the new issue of a very handsome sheriff who knows her secret.
Joe is part of the Kelly Group International, and he is not interested in love whatsoever. When he meets Zoe, Joe knows he has to do everything to save her, even when secrets from her past threaten to change things between them.
Zoe is starting over with a new identity, and when she meets Joe, she is compelled to forget everything she’s learned about keeping her heart safely locked away.
Brighter Than The Sun by Maya Banks can be readhere.
Wanted By Her Lost Love
Kelly dropped out of college to marry Ryan, a millionaire who she fell in love with despite Ryan’s family’s disapproval. Even when Kelly is pregnant, Ryan’s brother tries to attack her and she barely escapes.
Kelly runs to Ryan for safety, but Ryan breaks up with her, thinking that she tried to seduce his brother. Now Kelly has nothing but a goodbye check from Ryan and a baby that could be born any day.
You can find the graphic novel Wanted By Her Lost Love by Maya Banks here.
In His Keeping
Arial has been hiding her powers since she was little, but when someone attacks her, she has to use her abilities. Now that they are known, Arial is suddenly learning new things about her family and the way she was raised.
Beau is the head of the Deveraux Society and he takes on Arial as a new client, not expecting to be so attracted to her. Soon things get personal, and Beau knows that he needs to protect Arial with everything he has.
When Wes was a teenager, he had a disaster of a sexual experience with Payton, and he was fine with never seeing her again. After all, it had done some damage to his ego.
When Payton shows up in his bar, Wes is mortified. But Payton doesn’t seem to have an issue with it; in fact, she wants to catch up with him. Wes just needs to get over his mental block to make it happen.
Regina used to be friends with Hutch, Cam, and Sawyer, but now she is a police officer who doesn’t have a relationship with the men anymore.
When danger finds Regina and almost kills her, the trio from her past wants to protect her. Soon, their relationship is even more complicated than before, and it’s riskier now that there is a killer in their midst.
Kylie has survived a childhood of abuse and neglect, and because of this, she knows she could never give up control to a man. But she sees the way that Jensen is interested in her, and she wonders if she can overcome her past to be with him.
Talia is on the Island where the prince has been exiled, and she’s introduced to a world where all of her fantasies can come true. But when the prince is brought back home to continue his duties, Talia goes back home too, heartbroken.
Talia doesn’t think she’ll ever see the prince again, but one day his men come knocking at her door, trying to take her back to him.
Steele is a KGI team leader who keeps his emotions locked away, and not even his teammates understand why he has such an icy demeanor. When a doctor named Maren arrives, she starts to make her way through Steele’s carefully built walls, but he’s determined to keep her at a distance.
You can purchase Forged in Steele by Maya Banks here.
Colters’ Gift
Lauren has not had good luck falling for men, and when she gets hurt, she ends up back in the mountains with two men from her past.
Liam and Noah know that Lauren is hurting, and they want to protect her and help her become the woman that she once was.
Zack always knew that Gracie was the one for him and he was incredibly lucky to be with her, but one night changes everything and Gracie disappears from his life.
Now, Zack discovers a painting of a secret place that was very special to him and Gracie. He takes this as a sign that she’s still around, and ends up being right. When Zack finds her, Gracie is different: She’s lost her psychic powers, and she believes that Zack hurt her all those years ago.
It’s the fifth anniversary between Catherine and her two husbands, and she plans on telling them that she’s pregnant with their child. But when Logan and Rhys tell her again that they can’t go on the trip they’ve been planning, Catherine changes her mind.
She decides to go on the trip alone, wanting to think things over and figure out her life. But when Rhys and Logan find an empty house, they realize how much they took Catherine for granted and know that they don’t want to give her up.
Micah has created a new life and moved on from his past secrets, but then Angelina shows up. She is the sister of his old friend David, and she knows all about their past. When David and Micah fell for the same woman they ended up sharing her, but then a terrible accident occurred and left Micah alone.
Now that Angelina is with Micah, she’s ready to confess her love for him. She has lost the only people she cares about, and if she doesn’t seize the moment, she might be alone forever.
Caelen almost destroyed his clan, so he’s now putting the clan above everything else. That’s why he agrees to marry Rionna, salvaging an unsteady alliance between two clans. Caelen doesn’t trust any woman, but he finds that it’s hard to stay away from his newfound wife.
Rionna didn’t want to get married, and she plans to do everything in her power not to be humiliated. When a battle breaks out, Rionna decides to risk it all to show Caelen how important her love is.
Donovan has worked in the KGI group for years, and watching his brothers and their loved ones, he’s seen how damaging the work can be on people. When his next mission ends up being very personal to Donovan, he knows he must tread carefully.
A beautiful woman is running from something dangerous, and it’s up to Donovan to do the right thing to save her and the children who might save him in the end.
Genevieve has been held captive by a man who wants to ruin her, but finally she is free when Bowen storms in to fight. Genevieve can’t return to her family because she thinks they are dead, so she stays with Bowen.
Soon, they are falling for each other. But getting together won’t be that easy, because Genevieve is not convinced that it’s right for her. Bowen realizes that the only way to help Genevieve is to give back her freedom, which could mean losing her for good.
Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks can be found here.
Just One Touch
Jenna has been in a strict cult ever since she was a little girl, but she still has some memories from the outside world that give her hope. When her leaders punish her for having the ability to heal, Jenna knows it’s time to escape.
Jenna tries stealing an SUV belonging to Isaac, a member of Deveraux Security, and he gets caught in the crossfire. Jenna heals his wounds, and Isaac becomes determined to keep her safe and gain her trust.
Caleb Deveraux’s sister has been kidnapped, and his family turns to Ramie for help. Ramie can locate victims by feeling their pain, but every time she uses her power it makes her lose a piece of herself.
Caleb feels horrible about the pain he’s caused Ramie and he wants to make it up to her. Then she disappears and he thinks she’s gone for good. But when Ramie shows up again saying she’s in trouble, Caleb knows it’s his turn to protect her.
Although Maya Banks’ novels have been grouped into series and trilogies, they can be read as standalones as well. The books are organized into series because they have the same characters or types of plots, but they can be read in any order you wish.
Is Maya Banks still writing?
Maya Banks’ most recent book, Crush, was published in 2021. It’s hard to find exact information on whether Banks is planning to write more, but she has been hospitalized a lot through the years due to illness and has voiced before that it doesn’t leave her with a lot of time to write.
What authors are similar to Maya Banks?
Some authors with similar writing styles to Maya Banks include Sylvia Day, Lisa Kleypas, and Jennifer Ashley. These were found on a list on Goodreads, and if you want more author inspirations you can find the list here.
Freya grew up in Portland Oregon and still resides there now. She has been reading for as long as she can remember, and loves that books allow you to escape into someone else’s reality for a little while. When she is not writing or reading she enjoys playing piano, baking, and going outside.
