Review: Edge of Betrayal (Edge # 4) by Shannon K. Butcher
Romantic Suspense
Released November 4, 2014
Signet Books
Reviewed by Sheena
Favorite Quote: “You will be here when I come back, won’t you?”
“Will you kiss me like that again?” she asked.
“Twice.”
“Then hell yeah. I’ll be here”
The “Edge” is a good name for this series. Throughout this romantic suspense novel, I kept feeling as if I were on the edge of something. The edge of confusion…the edge of comprehension…the edge of investment…the edge of- meh you follow. While this was not exactly a hit for me, I find myself still attracted to the author’s voice and surprisingly impressed that I remained on such a varying precipice while reading the novel.
It all started when I popped into a series at book 4 with no prior knowledge of the story arc. While I do not like over done and wrought to death recapping- you gotta throw me a bone here. By the time I got a grasp of the Threshold Project (a database of victims, who barely survived heinous human experimentation by nefarious physician, Dr. Norma Stynger) I practically gave up on the intrigue portion of the story and lived for the moments the characters did something (anything romantic). More of a set up in the beginning, would have easily boosted my experience with Edge of Betrayal. Urrrmm. Sorry. Having a Pot-Meet-Kettle moment. I bet you are like, so-WHAT is this book about anyway!? Sorry, here are the basics:
The covert organization known as the Edge is in full rescue mode, having been ordered to find the victims of the dreaded Threshold Project—and also to bring Adam Brink into the fold. Brink previously worked for Threshold, and may know how to stop the terror.
Mira Sage knows Adam’s dark past. She’s created a database of Threshold survivors whose lives were destroyed by the experiments of the twisted Dr. Stynger—and is driven to save them. If working with the duplicitous Adam will help her, she’ll play along.
Even as Mira secretly seeks to prove Adam is still a traitor, Adam has his own agenda that no one must discover. But when the two find their goals pointing in the same direction, Mira will be tested to believe in the one man she can’t trust. The one man she can’t resist…
Adam. He felt very Jason Bourne-ish. In control but fallible-and that is a good thing. He is a definite “means to an end” kind of hero. There is no danger of insta love with Mira and Adam as their somewhat sketchy history hampers the initial romance. I mean, if you nearly get a girl killed by her psychotic father, it is going to take a little while to get back into her good graces. And imagine feeling warm tha-thumps in your lady parts for a man you begrudgingly respect as a talented covert operative, but still….he nearly facilitated your near death miss. And then regularly pops around to save your life. More than once. Complicated huh? Yes! And I live for these kind of push-pull (but not too much pulling mind you) romantic journeys but I didn’t really buy into Mira and Adam’s resolution. Their sex was off the charts and it was very easy to just wait for Adam to grab a condom and go balls deep, but given a little more development, they could have been a couple I really root for.
It brings me back to the pervasive feeling of all this frenetic energy. The plot moved at the speed of light. Something action packed went down every few pages. There was so much…activity going on from page one until literally the last page that there was a clear and present danger of getting lost in the action and not connecting to the characters. What makes Mira unique? (shrugs) What moments happened between she and Adam as they raced to complete their mission, what propelled their affinity and bond? (shrugs). These important aspects are unfortunately lost in all of the action cast about. As I read, I actually envisioned the book as a screen play. I believe it would make a great movie, but I needed more meat to go with my potatoes in Edge. I looked for it to be fleshed out a bit more. More context to go with all of the amazing action. I expected a little more of a balance between the romance elements (which really translated to hawt- hawt sex- because Shannon K. Butcher is nobodies slouch in the action and sex scene department).
“She moaned and gripped his shoulders. He wrapped his arm around her, cradling her close and pinning her in place. he mouth covered hers, and his tongue thrust inside her soft body. It was too much for him. The clenching heat of her release, the sweet smell of her body joined with his, the sexy sounds of completion she made into his mouth. he gave in to the needs of his flesh and let his orgasm have him. The throbbing pressure exploded until he was blinded by it…little sparkling dots danced in his vision. There wasn’t enough oxygen in the room to keep his body fed, but he didn’t care.”
Despite lacking in the romance department (affection and true affinity not just the sexy times), as operatives and partners, Adam and Mira were a dynamic duo. They played off one another and in the climax each most literally saved the other’s lives. I believe this mutual salvation, restored some balance and equal footing for Mira and it sure as shit makes Adam appreciate her strength and will to face down her evil father- no matter the cost. I am led to believe that there is an HEA because they both say “I love you” in the end, but there was no substantial warm and fuzzies. They came together out of a dangerous mission, were horny while on the mission, experienced bouts of trust, mistrust and dependency, blew up some shit and kicked major evil-bitch- Dr. Stynger scientist and abusive father ass- and then they verbally acknowledge their love.
I can definitely see how this could work for some. If you want a hold on to your hats- action packed story with some of the hottest intermittent sex EVA- and you like your plot to move in and out of one intrigue after another, then Edge of Betrayal may very well work for you and I would encourage you to give it a shot. Personally, I just needed things to STOP, for a moment, catch me up a tad bit and interject some substantial relationship building and I would ultimately be singing a different tune. It bears mentioning that I have several smex scene book marks in my e-reader because he may be a cold as ice operative but Adam sure knows how to appeal to my…senses. Heh heh!
Grade: C
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