Publication Date: 03/07/2016
Publisher: Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books
Imprint: Pocket Star
Genre: Romantic Suspense
File Size: 2426 KB
ASIN: B010MH19K0
(Received for an honest review from Pocket Star)
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, itunes, Kobo
Laura Griffin on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads
Excerpt from At the Edge, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.
Synopsis:
Dive into Part One of this heart-pounding romantic suspense story, which continues in Edge of Surrender: Alpha Crew Part Two!
When Emma Wright’s government plane goes down over the Philippine jungle, she’s forced to survive alone until an ultra-elite SEAL team goes in after her. As the leader of Alpha Crew, Ryan Owen is no stranger to challenges, but he’s never tackled anything quite like this sexy, smart, and resourceful woman. The mission is to get Emma home safely, but danger is everywhere, and Ryan’s unexpected desire for Emma could be a deadly distraction.
Back home in California, Ryan’s mission is over—but Emma’s has just begun. She knows her plane crash was no accident, and she’s determined to uncover the truth about what happened—even if her quest for answers puts her at risk. Torn between duty and desire, Ryan searches for a way win Emma’s heart while protecting her from an invisible enemy who wants her dead.
The thrilling conclusion to this Alpha Crew romance is just weeks away!
Thoughts:
Laura Griffin brings her readers a new series and a new format. The first part of the Alpha Crew series, At the Edge is a heart pounding, suspenseful story with plenty of romance. Don't be surprised with the cliff hanger at the end, since this is just the first part of the book. Readers looking for a challenging story in a new format will find this one right up their alley. Griffin is a master at romantic suspense and readers will love this new offering.
What I liked:
I have become a big fan of romantic suspense of late. But, I still have a few qualms about it. When I read romantic suspense, I want the balance to be good and I want the suspense and the romance to be believable. Laura Griffin is one of those writers who can give readers what they want in a novel like this. Her suspense is generally well thought out and has some action packed moments. Her romance is most often strong and passionate, but still has those tender moments readers love. When it comes to balance, Griffin has it down to a science. Not too much action, not too much romance. Weighed in the balance, At the Edge comes out with equal parts of both.
In a romantic suspense novel, I think one of the key elements is having a strong, commanding hero. In At the Edge readers get that in Ryan Owen. I don't think you can go wrong with a character who may be a bit of an alpha male, but still has a heart. Ryan was very focused on his mission, but he couldn't help falling under Emma's spell. Romance can be a distraction in his line of work and I wasn't sure I could believe he would just dive into it so quickly. But I misjudged the format of this one and didn't realize he had more time than I thought. I liked him a lot. He was a little over the top but I think that's believable in a Navy SEAL.
Emma was strong and sassy. She never let Ryan get in the last word and she made some smart decisions. I liked her character a lot. I wanted to find out what happened to her. It meant something to me. Her plane crashes, she ends up surviving in the jungle until she can be rescued and she still has time to fall in love. Not every writer could pull that off, but Griffin made me believe it was not only possible, but realistic. If a writer can pull the wool over the readers eye in that way, she knows what she's doing.
What I didn't Like:
There was plenty of action, with the jungle rescue and the story heating up when Emma becomes convinced it was no accident that her plane went down. The romance was good, intense and passionate, but the format for this one didn't work for me. I think I was expecting something different. I figured Part 1 would still be a book unto itself, but it wasn't. It was basically, just half of the book, which made me feel a little like I'd been cheated. I wasn't expecting a cliff hanger and I thought there would be a plausible ending. It might be perfect for some readers and maybe I just need to get used to the idea that's more serialized. But I didn't find it as enjoyable as I would have, had it been the whole thing.
Bottom Line:
Great writing. Griffin's style always appeals to me. She has great balance, plenty of action, plenty of romance. I thought the main characters were not only believable but enjoyable to read about. I wanted to give this one a 5 apple review, but the format threw me off a bit. I didn't like it. I guess I'm greedy, wanted it all at the same time. Serial stories are good sometimes I just wasn't expecting that with this one. Regardless of that, this good romantic suspense. If you haven't tried Laura Griffin, you should!
At the Edge is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.
I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!
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