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kathydavie's review
4.0
First in the Edge romantic suspense series based on the employees working at The Edge, a mercenary group. The couple focus here is on Sloane Gideon and Lucas Ramsey.
My Take
A simple but compelling tale of a young woman driven to prove herself to her father, the General, and a military man of honor and compassion who fall in love. Just why they fall in love, I'm not really sure except that that's how Butcher writes it. I'm not really sure why Sloane accepts Lucas' rebukes about her dad unless the heat of battle and Lucas' skills have opened her up to the possibilities.
Butcher does provide a very real feel to her action sequences and certainly creates some compelling characters you can't help but love or hate. In addition, Butcher has set up a number of teases to compel our return to find out just what this "List" is all about, why Brink is hunting for his brother, who is Dr. Stynger, and what is the hold she has over Mr. Brink.
If you enjoy action and conspiracies, you'll like the action in Butcher's Edge.
The Story
Lucas has but one goal: prevent Sloane Gideon from getting on that private charter to Colombia. Unfortunately for Lucas, he doesn't know Sloane very well. Yet.
It's a case of find and elude until Lucas helps Sloane out in that first firefight in Colombia and they begin to yield to their desire for each other just as they appreciate the skills and courage each brings to the table.
As the story unfolds, we slowly learn that there was something really nasty, the Threshold Project, in which the General, Payton, and Senator Gregory Kerrington III were involved. A project that resulted in the List and that twisted Soma badly. Now Soma is determined to live up to his father's legacy to be the meanest badass in Colombia kidnapping and selling women and babies, trafficking with Mr. Brink. A legacy that requires a small army that Sloane and her Edge team and Lucas and the general's men must shoot through to rescue Gina.
The Characters
Sloane Gideon is the unacknowledged daughter of General Robert Norwood, a man who has ignored her existence her whole life. Gina Delaney has been Sloane's best friend since school with a history of always choosing the wrong man; her name is on the List. Sophie Devane is a prisoner just as Gina is except that she's pregnant; once the baby arrives, Sophie is history.
Lucas Ramsey is washed-up. His knee injury prevents his ability to function as a soldier so he's retiring to take over his parents' restaurant in Arkansas. Right after he does this little job for the Old Man. Justin and Lucas are the men the general has lent to Sloane's Colombian operation.
Bella Bayne started The Edge with the help of Payton Bainbridge; she's also on the List. She also has a hard time paying attention to the bottom line due to too much heart and a need to avenge the weak. Employees include Riley Conlan; Lila, Bella's secretary; Tanner O'Connell; Mira Sage is the computer guru (and on the List); Clayton Marshall; and, Gage.
Lorenzo Soma is a drug lord and had been on the List. It seems that drugs are not his only income when we learn of his connection to Adam Brink and the people he supplies to him. Jeremy Block is Soma's right hand man, a man with no scruples, no heart, and totally clueless when it comes to women.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a metallic green background with a black-haired couple dressed for action: Sloan Gideon in a black tank top holding a vest-clad Lucas Ramsey back as he points his gun to the sky.
The title is oh so true as Sloan and Lucas both crave that adrenaline rush from Living on the Edge.
My Take
A simple but compelling tale of a young woman driven to prove herself to her father, the General, and a military man of honor and compassion who fall in love. Just why they fall in love, I'm not really sure except that that's how Butcher writes it. I'm not really sure why Sloane accepts Lucas' rebukes about her dad unless the heat of battle and Lucas' skills have opened her up to the possibilities.
Butcher does provide a very real feel to her action sequences and certainly creates some compelling characters you can't help but love or hate. In addition, Butcher has set up a number of teases to compel our return to find out just what this "List" is all about, why Brink is hunting for his brother, who is Dr. Stynger, and what is the hold she has over Mr. Brink.
If you enjoy action and conspiracies, you'll like the action in Butcher's Edge.
The Story
Lucas has but one goal: prevent Sloane Gideon from getting on that private charter to Colombia. Unfortunately for Lucas, he doesn't know Sloane very well. Yet.
It's a case of find and elude until Lucas helps Sloane out in that first firefight in Colombia and they begin to yield to their desire for each other just as they appreciate the skills and courage each brings to the table.
As the story unfolds, we slowly learn that there was something really nasty, the Threshold Project, in which the General, Payton, and Senator Gregory Kerrington III were involved. A project that resulted in the List and that twisted Soma badly. Now Soma is determined to live up to his father's legacy to be the meanest badass in Colombia kidnapping and selling women and babies, trafficking with Mr. Brink. A legacy that requires a small army that Sloane and her Edge team and Lucas and the general's men must shoot through to rescue Gina.
The Characters
Sloane Gideon is the unacknowledged daughter of General Robert Norwood, a man who has ignored her existence her whole life. Gina Delaney has been Sloane's best friend since school with a history of always choosing the wrong man; her name is on the List. Sophie Devane is a prisoner just as Gina is except that she's pregnant; once the baby arrives, Sophie is history.
Lucas Ramsey is washed-up. His knee injury prevents his ability to function as a soldier so he's retiring to take over his parents' restaurant in Arkansas. Right after he does this little job for the Old Man. Justin and Lucas are the men the general has lent to Sloane's Colombian operation.
Bella Bayne started The Edge with the help of Payton Bainbridge; she's also on the List. She also has a hard time paying attention to the bottom line due to too much heart and a need to avenge the weak. Employees include Riley Conlan; Lila, Bella's secretary; Tanner O'Connell; Mira Sage is the computer guru (and on the List); Clayton Marshall; and, Gage.
Lorenzo Soma is a drug lord and had been on the List. It seems that drugs are not his only income when we learn of his connection to Adam Brink and the people he supplies to him. Jeremy Block is Soma's right hand man, a man with no scruples, no heart, and totally clueless when it comes to women.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a metallic green background with a black-haired couple dressed for action: Sloan Gideon in a black tank top holding a vest-clad Lucas Ramsey back as he points his gun to the sky.
The title is oh so true as Sloan and Lucas both crave that adrenaline rush from Living on the Edge.
bibliofiendlm's review
2.0
As a fan of Butcher's paranormal romance series, The Sentinals, I was disappointed with the fist in her new series. Not supernatural but typical romance. Two mercenaries don't like each other but develop an attraction and act on it whine trying to save people. All he'll breaks loose. They don't want to commit to each other but finally so. All live happily ever after in a little row boat. The end.
beth_dawkins's review
3.0
Sloane Gideon is a mercenary who works for a company that handles everything from private guards to government work. After a message from her old high school friend Gina, says she is in trouble, Sloane heads to Colombia to rescue her friend. She is helped by Lucas Ramsay, ex-army, who is doing one last favor for Sloane’s father, General Norwood. The General has charged Lucas with finding Sloane and bringing her home, even if that means knocking her out and dragging her back.
The book starts off at a party. Sloane is protecting a rich client, and Lucas is determined to stop her from getting on a plane. The problem is that Sloane believes he is out to kill the client, but he is only protecting her from the real shooter. Our heroes are at once attracted to one another, yet Sloane wants to hate Lucas, who she sees as just like her father. There is a great deal of banter between the two that off set me. The romance between the two characters is not what kept me reading, but the shoot outs and explosions set in the jungle. The story shifts from Lucas and Sloane, to Sloane’s co-workers and boss, until the co-workers come to Colombia. During the shifts between Colombia and the side characters there are hints of a dark past that connects them altogether. It also ties into the real reason a drug lord kidnapped Gina. Not all of the dark secrets of the past are revealed, leading to set up more stories in the series.
Sloane is an easy to like character. She is kick ass with some serious daddy issues. Lucas on the other hand I found too likeable. He is hot with a moral code that drives him to help Sloane, or anyone in trouble. The only thing wrong with him is an old knee injury that hurts on occasion. He was too much of a ‘good’ guy for me, but did seem to be the perfect man.
Though a little predictable at times the story was engrossing. Butcher did a nice job of writing exciting gun fights, and close calls that had me flipping a page back. There was a lot of information that came too easy to the characters. The romance was not all that impressive, and the moments between Sloane and Lucas have been done before. The action was well paced throughout the story. When a bad guy is shot, I felt satisfied that justice was done. Living on the Edge was a quick paced action-romance that was enjoyable, but a little light, with a story that held together well.
The book starts off at a party. Sloane is protecting a rich client, and Lucas is determined to stop her from getting on a plane. The problem is that Sloane believes he is out to kill the client, but he is only protecting her from the real shooter. Our heroes are at once attracted to one another, yet Sloane wants to hate Lucas, who she sees as just like her father. There is a great deal of banter between the two that off set me. The romance between the two characters is not what kept me reading, but the shoot outs and explosions set in the jungle. The story shifts from Lucas and Sloane, to Sloane’s co-workers and boss, until the co-workers come to Colombia. During the shifts between Colombia and the side characters there are hints of a dark past that connects them altogether. It also ties into the real reason a drug lord kidnapped Gina. Not all of the dark secrets of the past are revealed, leading to set up more stories in the series.
Sloane is an easy to like character. She is kick ass with some serious daddy issues. Lucas on the other hand I found too likeable. He is hot with a moral code that drives him to help Sloane, or anyone in trouble. The only thing wrong with him is an old knee injury that hurts on occasion. He was too much of a ‘good’ guy for me, but did seem to be the perfect man.
Though a little predictable at times the story was engrossing. Butcher did a nice job of writing exciting gun fights, and close calls that had me flipping a page back. There was a lot of information that came too easy to the characters. The romance was not all that impressive, and the moments between Sloane and Lucas have been done before. The action was well paced throughout the story. When a bad guy is shot, I felt satisfied that justice was done. Living on the Edge was a quick paced action-romance that was enjoyable, but a little light, with a story that held together well.
slc333's review
2.0
This was only a 2 star for me as I didn't like the heroine. Although Sloane was supposed to be a strong independant woman I didn't get that from her as a really strong woman accepts help when she needs it and is not constantly trying to prove herself, she is secure in who she is which Sloane with her Daddy issues wasn't. Then even though she is supposedly this kick ass mecernary she has to rescued by the big strong hero. It was annoying. Also annoying were all the mysterious references to the Project and the List for which no real explanation was given along with too many characters being introduced but not actually having any real attention gven to them.(for what I assume will be more books in the series but still it wasn't necessary to try and intro them all in the first book, paricularly as they had no real role in the story). Best thing about the book -hands down - was Bella. Hopefully she wont be written as annoying and needy as Sloane when it is her story.
carpelibrumbookstore's review
4.0
Sloane and Lucas, I didn't really care about one way or the other. Bella, on the other hand, was hilarious.
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