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The Edge of Night: A Novel
To support her small daughter, April Ortiz does what she has to do—which means waiting tables in a skimpy outfit at a popular nightclub in Chula Vista. When one of her co-workers is murdered, April does what she knows she shouldn’t—she defies the neighborhood code by talking to the police about a dangerous suspect. Clean-cut cop Noah Young wants a shot at breaking this case more than anything in the world—that is, until he meets April. A spark ignites between them, threatening his job and her peace of mind. As the heat intensifies, the two are dragged down further into the dark mysteries of the graffiti-lined streets, taunted by a crazed killer who could strike again at any time.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
About the author
Jill Sorenson
42 books457 followersJill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen novels, including the Aftershock series with HQN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 25, 2018
I liked it! The whole gang aspect of it kinda bored me and took away from the story between Noah and April.
I would read this author again but, overall, a tad disappointed.
I would read this author again but, overall, a tad disappointed.
April 10, 2011
3 ½ stars. I enjoyed the book. Good story telling, but a bittersweet ending.
STORY BRIEF:
April grew up poor, got pregnant at 18, and supports herself and her daughter Jenny as a cocktail waitress. She never married Jenny’s father Raul who was abusive to April. Raul is currently in jail for gang related crimes. Raul’s brother Eric is also a gang member, sells drugs, and works in a grocery store. Eric loves April like a brother and gives her money to help out. Noah is a young cop working in the gangs unit. He discovers a dead body – a woman raped and suffocated with a plastic bag. The lead homicide detective is short on manpower and asks Noah to help investigate. Noah talks to the victim’s coworkers which is how he meets April. Noah is immediately drawn to April physically as well as being impressed with her ability to remember faces and details. He begins seeing April. Because of Raul’s abuse, April is reluctant to be with any man, but finds herself drawn to Noah.
Noah’s younger sister Meghan leaves the restrictive religious college her mother sent her to. She wants to work part time and attend a college near Noah. Noah allows her to move in with him. Meghan gets a job in a grocery store where she meets Eric. They begin a relationship. Noah is against it because he knows of Eric’s gang activities.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
For most of the book, I was engaged and wanted to keep reading. I cared about the four main characters. I was eager to learn what would happen to them. I enjoyed both stories a lot. There were a few sex scenes for each couple, as expected for books of this genre. They were ok.
I wanted more intrigue and depth to the part about solving the killer. Noah was investigating with no success. Eric also was asking some questions to help Noah with no success. There wasn’t an interesting discovery process. Solving the mystery was more about luck than skill or interesting events. It was discovered and resolved quickly and conveniently toward the end. That was ok, but it was a cookie cutter solution – not creative or different.
The blurb on the back cover was misleading: “April does what she knows she shouldn’t – she defies the neighborhood code by giving the police a hardcore gang member’s name.” This implied that breaking the “code” put her in danger, but it didn’t. No one knew she gave Noah one name. And no gang member was angry or threatening to her because of it. The story was about other people in danger, not April – except for the ending which was a different issue.
Unanswered question: One part didn’t make sense to me. X knew the killer’s name. Y goes to X to ask the name. X refuses to say. The killer than arranges for X to die. The author never told me “how the killer knew about this conversation” as a motive for killing X. It’s been many years. The killer could have killed X anytime. Why now? And if someone else reported this conversation to the killer, then this someone else would be a loose end for the killer to worry about.
Although the main relationship was Noah and April, Eric was the one who captivated me. His story was the stronger story and stayed with me after the book. See Spoiler below.
CAUTION SPOILER REGARDING SAD ENDING (I don’t give away the bad guy’s name):
There is a happy ending for Noah and April, but not for Eric and Meghan. The ending was sad for Eric. It was depressing realism about gang life and never being able to get out. Eric was such a good guy, helped others, and had a wonderful artistic talent, but he doesn’t get his happy ending. After reading the book, the primary feeling that stayed with me was sadness for Eric - not happiness for the main couple. Because this is a romance book, I would have preferred a happier ending for my favorite character Eric.
DATA:
Story length: 399 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 7. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 25. Setting: current day Chula Vista, California. Copyright: 2011. Genre: romantic suspense.
STORY BRIEF:
April grew up poor, got pregnant at 18, and supports herself and her daughter Jenny as a cocktail waitress. She never married Jenny’s father Raul who was abusive to April. Raul is currently in jail for gang related crimes. Raul’s brother Eric is also a gang member, sells drugs, and works in a grocery store. Eric loves April like a brother and gives her money to help out. Noah is a young cop working in the gangs unit. He discovers a dead body – a woman raped and suffocated with a plastic bag. The lead homicide detective is short on manpower and asks Noah to help investigate. Noah talks to the victim’s coworkers which is how he meets April. Noah is immediately drawn to April physically as well as being impressed with her ability to remember faces and details. He begins seeing April. Because of Raul’s abuse, April is reluctant to be with any man, but finds herself drawn to Noah.
Noah’s younger sister Meghan leaves the restrictive religious college her mother sent her to. She wants to work part time and attend a college near Noah. Noah allows her to move in with him. Meghan gets a job in a grocery store where she meets Eric. They begin a relationship. Noah is against it because he knows of Eric’s gang activities.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
For most of the book, I was engaged and wanted to keep reading. I cared about the four main characters. I was eager to learn what would happen to them. I enjoyed both stories a lot. There were a few sex scenes for each couple, as expected for books of this genre. They were ok.
I wanted more intrigue and depth to the part about solving the killer. Noah was investigating with no success. Eric also was asking some questions to help Noah with no success. There wasn’t an interesting discovery process. Solving the mystery was more about luck than skill or interesting events. It was discovered and resolved quickly and conveniently toward the end. That was ok, but it was a cookie cutter solution – not creative or different.
The blurb on the back cover was misleading: “April does what she knows she shouldn’t – she defies the neighborhood code by giving the police a hardcore gang member’s name.” This implied that breaking the “code” put her in danger, but it didn’t. No one knew she gave Noah one name. And no gang member was angry or threatening to her because of it. The story was about other people in danger, not April – except for the ending which was a different issue.
Unanswered question: One part didn’t make sense to me. X knew the killer’s name. Y goes to X to ask the name. X refuses to say. The killer than arranges for X to die. The author never told me “how the killer knew about this conversation” as a motive for killing X. It’s been many years. The killer could have killed X anytime. Why now? And if someone else reported this conversation to the killer, then this someone else would be a loose end for the killer to worry about.
Although the main relationship was Noah and April, Eric was the one who captivated me. His story was the stronger story and stayed with me after the book. See Spoiler below.
CAUTION SPOILER REGARDING SAD ENDING (I don’t give away the bad guy’s name):
There is a happy ending for Noah and April, but not for Eric and Meghan. The ending was sad for Eric. It was depressing realism about gang life and never being able to get out. Eric was such a good guy, helped others, and had a wonderful artistic talent, but he doesn’t get his happy ending. After reading the book, the primary feeling that stayed with me was sadness for Eric - not happiness for the main couple. Because this is a romance book, I would have preferred a happier ending for my favorite character Eric.
DATA:
Story length: 399 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 7. Estimated number of sex scene pages: 25. Setting: current day Chula Vista, California. Copyright: 2011. Genre: romantic suspense.
June 1, 2015
Loved this! Loved the diverse, working class, sometimes troubled LA-city setting and characters, especially April and Eric. (Eric!) Noah Young's a cop, April Ortiz's a waitress who may have information on a murder. You know the rest. Jill Sorenson is good at just enough exposition -without insulting our intelligence- and justifying characters' actions, so even disagreeing with the characters, you understand them. I liked the exploration of motivations for Eric's gang involvement and the briefer exploration of gang dynamics, rarely seen in romance. April's troubled history, her reactions. It felt true to life. No need for the fantastical or manufactured edginess. Loved the suspense and mystery. Hot scenes in here, given that it's not that explicit. Noah's, uh, "favors." For a good cop, he has a mouth on him, LOL. Very convenient that April's daughter sleeps in another house, LOL.
Also, Eric! *___* So excited he's getting a book, yay! So dreamy, LOL. His book will be New Adult instead of romantic suspense, or New Adult romantic suspense? I'm not even into the New Adult genre, but I'll give it a go. Caught in the Act, about border officer Adam Cortez, is getting a sequel too! Yay! That is the other one I liked and wanted to see a sequel to! (I liked Edge of Night better, but Ian from CiA is star of the CiA sequel; he was cool!) Five stars!
PS. It was hilarious how jealous grown Noah was of teenaged Eric. Real quotes: "What was so special about Eric?" Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
Also, Eric! *___* So excited he's getting a book, yay! So dreamy, LOL. His book will be New Adult instead of romantic suspense, or New Adult romantic suspense? I'm not even into the New Adult genre, but I'll give it a go. Caught in the Act, about border officer Adam Cortez, is getting a sequel too! Yay! That is the other one I liked and wanted to see a sequel to! (I liked Edge of Night better, but Ian from CiA is star of the CiA sequel; he was cool!) Five stars!
PS. It was hilarious how jealous grown Noah was of teenaged Eric. Real quotes: "What was so special about Eric?" Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!
June 25, 2016
What is so fucking special about Eric Hernandez? muses the protagonist of Jill Sorenson's romance-thriller hybrid novel, The Edge of Night.
The answer is: EVERYTHING!
Despite being only a secondary character in this story (before going on to "star" in his own book, the subsequently published Against the Wall), the fictional character of Eric Hernandez, a young, Mexican-American who was born in the gang life but desperately wants to escape it, once again steals the show.
Second to him is the setting of Chula Vista, a town on the border of San Diego and TJ where every inhabitant is more or less connected to the Mexican Mafia or its local henchmen, the CVL gang. The town is a vibrant, living, breathing character that is just as prominent a life force in the plot as the other fictional characters of this story.
To be honest, neither the wishy-washy romance between the two main characters nor the tepid, full of red herring, highly predictable "serial killer" subplot wowed me. But I was very happy to read more about Eric Hernandez and find out more of his background story, including his tragic relationship with his gang leader brother who symbolizes everything he does not want to end up as, and his chillingly dysfunctional relationship with his "best" friend Junior and the rest of his homies, a world when wondering if your friend is taking you for a ride because he wants to kill you is as nonchalant a thought as wondering if you need to buy more eggs at the market.
I really think Jill Sorenson's account of life in the Castle Park barrio of San Diego, CA, is extremely inspired, authentic, and compelling.
The answer is: EVERYTHING!
Despite being only a secondary character in this story (before going on to "star" in his own book, the subsequently published Against the Wall), the fictional character of Eric Hernandez, a young, Mexican-American who was born in the gang life but desperately wants to escape it, once again steals the show.
Second to him is the setting of Chula Vista, a town on the border of San Diego and TJ where every inhabitant is more or less connected to the Mexican Mafia or its local henchmen, the CVL gang. The town is a vibrant, living, breathing character that is just as prominent a life force in the plot as the other fictional characters of this story.
To be honest, neither the wishy-washy romance between the two main characters nor the tepid, full of red herring, highly predictable "serial killer" subplot wowed me. But I was very happy to read more about Eric Hernandez and find out more of his background story, including his tragic relationship with his gang leader brother who symbolizes everything he does not want to end up as, and his chillingly dysfunctional relationship with his "best" friend Junior and the rest of his homies, a world when wondering if your friend is taking you for a ride because he wants to kill you is as nonchalant a thought as wondering if you need to buy more eggs at the market.
I really think Jill Sorenson's account of life in the Castle Park barrio of San Diego, CA, is extremely inspired, authentic, and compelling.
April 29, 2011
Reading The Edge of Night for me was like getting two great stories in one. In my opinion there was very little to differentiate between the impact of the main and secondary characters. Both were strong couples whose storylines were interwoven and equally compelling.
April Ortiz is a hard working single mother trying to make the best of the cards she’s been dealt. She’s working as a waitress, taking college courses, lives in a rough neighborhood over run with gang violence and is forced to resort to drastic measures to cut ties with her mom when she lets April down big time. I’m not gonna lie - April’s actions towards her mom shocked me but after thinking about it, I guess she really had no choice and couldn‘t allow her five year old daughter‘s life to be endangered. Add in April’s close ties to the gang life - little Jenny’s father Raul is himself a gang-banger, albeit incarcerated and I had to give April full marks for trying to lead as normal a life as possible and give her daughter the very best she could given her circumstances.
Noah Young is a regular, normal guy...and when I say that - it’s as a compliment. It was refreshing that Sorenson wrote his character as a hard working, dedicated beat cop, not the boss, not a know-it-all experienced investigator - just a great guy. He was relatively new to the Chula Vista police force but had a real passion and interest in working for the gang division and he wanted to make a difference. To him being a police officer meant something - it wasn‘t just a job. He didn’t met April under the best of circumstances when he and his partner were send to Club Sauve where she worked to investigate the death of a fellow waitress who was murdered.
April and Noah are drawn to one another instantly, but if two people should stay away from each other - it’s these two. Cops and women with deep connections to the local gang are a disaster waiting to happen.
Now we get to my favorite character in The Edge of Night...Eric Hernandez - Uncle Eric. He was the glue that held all the players together. For me, he was the most interesting and emotion evoking character in this story. Eric was a great “brother-in-law” to April, a terrific Uncle to Jenny, a caring grandson to an invalid grandmother he was caring for and his story took an unexpected turn when we discovered he was a sweet and caring boyfriend to Meghan who ironically enough was Noah Young’s sister.
Oye!
Eric was someone you couldn’t help but root for. Sure he ran with the wrong crowd, walked on the wrong side of the law, but we got to see that he was forced into a life he simply didn’t know how to escape. People relied on him to provide for them and so he found himself doing distasteful things because he couldn’t see another way out and he didn’t want to let the people in his life down. Ms. Sorenson did show us just a glimpse of how the future could have been different for Eric - if he hadn’t been born into a long time gang family. Eric’s hidden talents could have changed his life if he’d been allowed to develop them.
In addition to all the human drama unfolding, there’s still a killer on the loose targeting young Latina women. It’s up to Officer Young to discover the truth, juggle his responsibilities as a police officer and try not to blur the lines between right and wrong too often for the women in his life who mean the most to him.
I really enjoy Ms. Sorenson’s writing and I hope she revisits Eric’s story - because he truly does deserve his own HEA.
April Ortiz is a hard working single mother trying to make the best of the cards she’s been dealt. She’s working as a waitress, taking college courses, lives in a rough neighborhood over run with gang violence and is forced to resort to drastic measures to cut ties with her mom when she lets April down big time. I’m not gonna lie - April’s actions towards her mom shocked me but after thinking about it, I guess she really had no choice and couldn‘t allow her five year old daughter‘s life to be endangered. Add in April’s close ties to the gang life - little Jenny’s father Raul is himself a gang-banger, albeit incarcerated and I had to give April full marks for trying to lead as normal a life as possible and give her daughter the very best she could given her circumstances.
Noah Young is a regular, normal guy...and when I say that - it’s as a compliment. It was refreshing that Sorenson wrote his character as a hard working, dedicated beat cop, not the boss, not a know-it-all experienced investigator - just a great guy. He was relatively new to the Chula Vista police force but had a real passion and interest in working for the gang division and he wanted to make a difference. To him being a police officer meant something - it wasn‘t just a job. He didn’t met April under the best of circumstances when he and his partner were send to Club Sauve where she worked to investigate the death of a fellow waitress who was murdered.
April and Noah are drawn to one another instantly, but if two people should stay away from each other - it’s these two. Cops and women with deep connections to the local gang are a disaster waiting to happen.
Now we get to my favorite character in The Edge of Night...Eric Hernandez - Uncle Eric. He was the glue that held all the players together. For me, he was the most interesting and emotion evoking character in this story. Eric was a great “brother-in-law” to April, a terrific Uncle to Jenny, a caring grandson to an invalid grandmother he was caring for and his story took an unexpected turn when we discovered he was a sweet and caring boyfriend to Meghan who ironically enough was Noah Young’s sister.
Oye!
Eric was someone you couldn’t help but root for. Sure he ran with the wrong crowd, walked on the wrong side of the law, but we got to see that he was forced into a life he simply didn’t know how to escape. People relied on him to provide for them and so he found himself doing distasteful things because he couldn’t see another way out and he didn’t want to let the people in his life down. Ms. Sorenson did show us just a glimpse of how the future could have been different for Eric - if he hadn’t been born into a long time gang family. Eric’s hidden talents could have changed his life if he’d been allowed to develop them.
In addition to all the human drama unfolding, there’s still a killer on the loose targeting young Latina women. It’s up to Officer Young to discover the truth, juggle his responsibilities as a police officer and try not to blur the lines between right and wrong too often for the women in his life who mean the most to him.
I really enjoy Ms. Sorenson’s writing and I hope she revisits Eric’s story - because he truly does deserve his own HEA.
July 7, 2011
This is the first I've read of Jill Sorenson and I really enjoyed it. This is a romantic suspense, although the villain is held as a total surprise until the very end so it doesn't have that creepy vibe to it. A string of murders occur, each a younger woman, tied up and raped. One happens to be a former coworker of the heroine April. She meets Officer Noah Young when he comes into the nightclub she works in to interview her and the staff.
Noah works in the gang unit, although he really wants a chance to work in homicide. Since he discovered the body, he gets a shot at the murder investigation. During his time spent questioning April, there is definitely an attraction between them.
There are so many things I liked about this story. First, Noah and April start a relationship but there is guilt on both sides. Noah is worried it is a conflict of interest since he is investigating a murder, possible gang related, and is dating a woman who has a child with a gang member, Raul (although he is in prison). April is done with dating gang members and cares only for her young daughter. Letting another man into her life is a huge step for her.
We not only get this romance but Noah's sister, Meghan and Raul's brother, Eric (who cares a lot for April and her daughter) both move into the story and have a side romance together. Meghan is in college, and moves in with Noah for a little more independence. Eric is involved in gang activity, although you root for him through the book. He does it for money to support his grandmother and April.
As you read, you know the four of them - Noah, April, Meghan, and Eric are all going to end up entwined in this murder mystery - you just don't know exactly how and I really enjoyed that.
This book isn't heavy on the suspense but there is plenty of action, and romance and well rounded characters. It took me a little while to warm up to April. I felt like she was just too goody goody to begin with, but as I got to know her, she definitely has more depth and learning her history with Raul put her more into perspective for me.
I have to say my favorite in this book is Eric. He kind of steals the show. With how it ends, I wonder if he will ever have his own book? I guess we will find out.
Rating: B
Noah works in the gang unit, although he really wants a chance to work in homicide. Since he discovered the body, he gets a shot at the murder investigation. During his time spent questioning April, there is definitely an attraction between them.
There are so many things I liked about this story. First, Noah and April start a relationship but there is guilt on both sides. Noah is worried it is a conflict of interest since he is investigating a murder, possible gang related, and is dating a woman who has a child with a gang member, Raul (although he is in prison). April is done with dating gang members and cares only for her young daughter. Letting another man into her life is a huge step for her.
We not only get this romance but Noah's sister, Meghan and Raul's brother, Eric (who cares a lot for April and her daughter) both move into the story and have a side romance together. Meghan is in college, and moves in with Noah for a little more independence. Eric is involved in gang activity, although you root for him through the book. He does it for money to support his grandmother and April.
As you read, you know the four of them - Noah, April, Meghan, and Eric are all going to end up entwined in this murder mystery - you just don't know exactly how and I really enjoyed that.
This book isn't heavy on the suspense but there is plenty of action, and romance and well rounded characters. It took me a little while to warm up to April. I felt like she was just too goody goody to begin with, but as I got to know her, she definitely has more depth and learning her history with Raul put her more into perspective for me.
I have to say my favorite in this book is Eric. He kind of steals the show. With how it ends, I wonder if he will ever have his own book? I guess we will find out.
Rating: B
April 12, 2011
I really enjoyed this book. The biggest plus is that the characters were very different. The hero, Noah, was a beat cop who hoped to eventually make homicide detective. The heroine, April, was latina and an unwed mother who had lived wild as a teenager but who had straightened her life out. She is going to college and working as a cocktail waitress and raising her daughter. She had ties to the local latino gang. One of the gang members, her daughter's uncle Eric, was also a main character. He was a very sympathetic character even though he was in a gang and you really rooted for him. Noah's sister Meghan was also a major character. There was a lot of very well researched info on gangs. It was all pertinent to the story and there wasn't just an info dump. I really liked the way that this was written. It was fast paced and kept my interest. The plot made sense and moved right along. The ending while not unexpected had a little bit of a surprise.
The relationship between Noah and April could have been better developed. They didn't actually spend much time together. It wasn't that the relationship wasn't believable but I felt it was short changed a bit. The love scenes were smoking hot though. I really liked the relationship between Eric and Meghan and hope that maybe they will eventually have their own book. So far this author hasn't written her books in a series though but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
The relationship between Noah and April could have been better developed. They didn't actually spend much time together. It wasn't that the relationship wasn't believable but I felt it was short changed a bit. The love scenes were smoking hot though. I really liked the relationship between Eric and Meghan and hope that maybe they will eventually have their own book. So far this author hasn't written her books in a series though but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
January 8, 2013
3.5/5; 4 stars; B+
This is the first book I've read by Jill Sorenson and it won't be the last. I enjoyed the story, the pacing and the mystery. Some elements of the romance were a bit cliche. However, the setting and 'culture' she described more than made up for it. I think the author did a first rate job of showing how people get trapped in the world of crime. The despair of the character Eric really came across and I found it kind of heartbreaking to see how many people born into that circumstance have virtually no chance of getting free.
This is the first book I've read by Jill Sorenson and it won't be the last. I enjoyed the story, the pacing and the mystery. Some elements of the romance were a bit cliche. However, the setting and 'culture' she described more than made up for it. I think the author did a first rate job of showing how people get trapped in the world of crime. The despair of the character Eric really came across and I found it kind of heartbreaking to see how many people born into that circumstance have virtually no chance of getting free.
September 26, 2011
This is the first book I've read from Jill Sorenson, and definitely not the last!
AMAZING, fast paced, non-stop action right till the end!
The characters are flawed, broken, strong, loyal, and incredibly passionate. The story is so well written, that I had a hard time putting the book down until I finished the story.
Absolutely recommend this book to contemporary romance/ thriller-suspense/ crime-drama lovers!
AMAZING, fast paced, non-stop action right till the end!
The characters are flawed, broken, strong, loyal, and incredibly passionate. The story is so well written, that I had a hard time putting the book down until I finished the story.
Absolutely recommend this book to contemporary romance/ thriller-suspense/ crime-drama lovers!
July 15, 2011
Noah Young is a green cop working on the Chula Vista anti-gang unit. He loves his job, and is still optimistic that he can make a difference to the turf warfare that runs rampant between the various Mexican/Hispanic gangs. But one day Noah stumbles across a make-or-break case – he finds the dead body of a young Hispanic woman; she has been brutally raped and strangled - and all signs point to her death being a gang-related warning.
Noah’s investigation leads him to a popular nightclub where the girl worked. It is here that he meets April Ortiz, a beautiful young mother who is slinging drinks to keep her head above water. Her co-workers death has April scared, enough to incur the wrath of local gangs and give Noah a name, and a lead … but April is playing a risky game. Her daughter’s father is an infamous gang member, Raul, who is behind bars now, but could still make trouble for April and her daughter Jenny.
Meanwhile, Noah’s young sister Meghan has fled her strict catholic college and is desperate to get some life experience – begging Noah to let her stay with him for a little while. She gets a job at a local minimart, where she meets and befriends a clean-cut gang member called Eric Hernandez. Eric sells drugs on the side of his minimum wage job; partly to help his ailing grandmother, but also to assist his brother’s ex girlfriend and daughter – April and Jenny.
As the Chula Vista killer gets more and more brazen, the four lives of Noah, April, Eric and Meghan intersect and become tangled in webs of deceit, love and chaos.
‘The Edge of Night’ is the new romantic suspense novel from Jill Sorenson.
I read this one upon recommendation of the brilliant book blogger, Mandi from Smexy. And, I have to admit; if it hadn’t been for Mandi’s golden recommendation I probably would have passed this one by. The cover doesn’t do a whole lot for me; it’s a little bit 80’s romantic trash, and there’s nothing on the cover to hint at the sex-appeal within (unless you’re into the Blue Man Group?). But I am really glad that I listened to a fellow blogger’s recommendation and gave this one a chance – because it was brilliant.
Sorenson’s blue-man cover doesn’t hint at the heavy-hitting violence and gang explorations within. Yes, ‘Edge’ is primarily a romance – but Sorenson’s violent undertones and gang-focus makes for an intense storyline that really packs a punch.
The book is told from the four perspectives of Noah, April, Eric and Meghan. From Noah we get the lawman’s eyes – how he sees the tagging and gangbanging prevalent in the Vista. Noah is still a green cop, and eager to make a difference. He’s actually taking the time to learn Spanish and wants to see these people as individuals, rather than a collective of thieves. But from Noah we read the weariness of his fellow cops – those who have been on the force for a long time and believe that the gangs will never be wiped out, and anyone associated with them is scum.
From Eric, we get first-hand accounts of a local gang – the Chula Vista Locos (CVL). Eric is a quiet and intense young man – his father was violent, as was his brother – and as an antithesis to them, he respects women and is disgusted by violence against them. Eric is the breadwinner and carer for his grandmother, and eager to make life easier for his niece and her mother. Eric is in the CVL more out of familial loyalty than a genuine love of mayhem. Eric’s perspective is chillingly honest – like when he recounts witnessing his first gang-bang (when a young woman is, literally, jumped into the group by offering herself up to all gang members).
April was a gangbanger’s girlfriend for years. Raul hit her and raped her but she loved him – so much that she took drugs with him and stayed with him, even after he abused her. It wasn’t until she fell pregnant with Jenny that she left that lifestyle behind – adamant that she would give her daughter a better life than she had. From April, we get the viewpoint of someone who was once ingrained in the CVL – but is now on the outskirts, walking on eggshells and wanting to avoid detection.
Meghan is new to the Chula Vista area – so she is looking at this world with naked eyes. She knows that Eric is a gang member, but she has no concept of what that means as she finds herself falling in love with him.
When these four lives interact and criss-cross, it makes for explosive couplings and mismatched love pairs. April and Noah have the most to lose from their courtship – but April can’t resist Noah’s steadfast kindness, and Noah is blinded by April’s strength and determination. Though it could endanger April’s life and end Noah’s career, they embark on a relationship.
Patrick gave him a weighted stare. His gray-blue eyes looked like dirty ice, and sweat dotted his ruddy forehead. “How was your date?”
The question was so accusatory, Noah flinched. “None of your business.”
Patrick snorted his derision. “That’s what I thought,” he said, unlocking his truck. “You’re fucking some crew member’s baby mama, but I’m the one who gets sent home for inappropriate conduct.”
Likewise, Eric and Meghan’s unlikely love intensifies after he plays white knight to her at a bonfire. Eric doesn’t think he’s good enough for Meghan; while she is adamant that he’s not like his fellow CVL members, and should get out of the gang before it’s too late.
Both relationships in ‘Edge’ are intense and erotic. Jill Sorenson writes some sizzling scenes that are especially heated for the high-risks each character is taking with their heart.
My only complaint about ‘Edge’ was the ending for one character, which left the book off on a somewhat sombre note that didn't entirely sit well with me... but I have since contacted Sorenson and confirmed that Eric and Meghan's book will be written next year (YAY!!!).
‘The Edge of Night’ was a powerful and tellingly violent romantic suspense. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book; heart-racing and blood burning for the murder mystery whodunit, as well as the high-stakes romances throughout. This may have been my first Sorenson read, but it won’t be my last!
4.5/5
Noah’s investigation leads him to a popular nightclub where the girl worked. It is here that he meets April Ortiz, a beautiful young mother who is slinging drinks to keep her head above water. Her co-workers death has April scared, enough to incur the wrath of local gangs and give Noah a name, and a lead … but April is playing a risky game. Her daughter’s father is an infamous gang member, Raul, who is behind bars now, but could still make trouble for April and her daughter Jenny.
Meanwhile, Noah’s young sister Meghan has fled her strict catholic college and is desperate to get some life experience – begging Noah to let her stay with him for a little while. She gets a job at a local minimart, where she meets and befriends a clean-cut gang member called Eric Hernandez. Eric sells drugs on the side of his minimum wage job; partly to help his ailing grandmother, but also to assist his brother’s ex girlfriend and daughter – April and Jenny.
As the Chula Vista killer gets more and more brazen, the four lives of Noah, April, Eric and Meghan intersect and become tangled in webs of deceit, love and chaos.
‘The Edge of Night’ is the new romantic suspense novel from Jill Sorenson.
I read this one upon recommendation of the brilliant book blogger, Mandi from Smexy. And, I have to admit; if it hadn’t been for Mandi’s golden recommendation I probably would have passed this one by. The cover doesn’t do a whole lot for me; it’s a little bit 80’s romantic trash, and there’s nothing on the cover to hint at the sex-appeal within (unless you’re into the Blue Man Group?). But I am really glad that I listened to a fellow blogger’s recommendation and gave this one a chance – because it was brilliant.
Sorenson’s blue-man cover doesn’t hint at the heavy-hitting violence and gang explorations within. Yes, ‘Edge’ is primarily a romance – but Sorenson’s violent undertones and gang-focus makes for an intense storyline that really packs a punch.
The book is told from the four perspectives of Noah, April, Eric and Meghan. From Noah we get the lawman’s eyes – how he sees the tagging and gangbanging prevalent in the Vista. Noah is still a green cop, and eager to make a difference. He’s actually taking the time to learn Spanish and wants to see these people as individuals, rather than a collective of thieves. But from Noah we read the weariness of his fellow cops – those who have been on the force for a long time and believe that the gangs will never be wiped out, and anyone associated with them is scum.
From Eric, we get first-hand accounts of a local gang – the Chula Vista Locos (CVL). Eric is a quiet and intense young man – his father was violent, as was his brother – and as an antithesis to them, he respects women and is disgusted by violence against them. Eric is the breadwinner and carer for his grandmother, and eager to make life easier for his niece and her mother. Eric is in the CVL more out of familial loyalty than a genuine love of mayhem. Eric’s perspective is chillingly honest – like when he recounts witnessing his first gang-bang (when a young woman is, literally, jumped into the group by offering herself up to all gang members).
April was a gangbanger’s girlfriend for years. Raul hit her and raped her but she loved him – so much that she took drugs with him and stayed with him, even after he abused her. It wasn’t until she fell pregnant with Jenny that she left that lifestyle behind – adamant that she would give her daughter a better life than she had. From April, we get the viewpoint of someone who was once ingrained in the CVL – but is now on the outskirts, walking on eggshells and wanting to avoid detection.
Meghan is new to the Chula Vista area – so she is looking at this world with naked eyes. She knows that Eric is a gang member, but she has no concept of what that means as she finds herself falling in love with him.
When these four lives interact and criss-cross, it makes for explosive couplings and mismatched love pairs. April and Noah have the most to lose from their courtship – but April can’t resist Noah’s steadfast kindness, and Noah is blinded by April’s strength and determination. Though it could endanger April’s life and end Noah’s career, they embark on a relationship.
Patrick gave him a weighted stare. His gray-blue eyes looked like dirty ice, and sweat dotted his ruddy forehead. “How was your date?”
The question was so accusatory, Noah flinched. “None of your business.”
Patrick snorted his derision. “That’s what I thought,” he said, unlocking his truck. “You’re fucking some crew member’s baby mama, but I’m the one who gets sent home for inappropriate conduct.”
Likewise, Eric and Meghan’s unlikely love intensifies after he plays white knight to her at a bonfire. Eric doesn’t think he’s good enough for Meghan; while she is adamant that he’s not like his fellow CVL members, and should get out of the gang before it’s too late.
Both relationships in ‘Edge’ are intense and erotic. Jill Sorenson writes some sizzling scenes that are especially heated for the high-risks each character is taking with their heart.
My only complaint about ‘Edge’ was the ending for one character, which left the book off on a somewhat sombre note that didn't entirely sit well with me... but I have since contacted Sorenson and confirmed that Eric and Meghan's book will be written next year (YAY!!!).
‘The Edge of Night’ was a powerful and tellingly violent romantic suspense. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book; heart-racing and blood burning for the murder mystery whodunit, as well as the high-stakes romances throughout. This may have been my first Sorenson read, but it won’t be my last!
4.5/5
May 7, 2011
When it comes to Jill Sorenson, I hold her work in high esteem. Every book I’ve read by her has been great. Jill really knows how to pen atmospheric suspense thrillers that reminds me Hollywood American film noir, better known as the crime drama. Her books are also flavorful and spicy, where you’re kept guessing as to whom the villain is until the very last moment.
The Edge of Night is Jill’s best work to date. There are many subjects brought up and dealt with. We have a serial killer targeting young woman, gang violence, dirty cops, as well as an idealistic cop who falls for a single mother who wants a better life for herself and her daughter. This is one book that would be a great movie because of everything that occurs, as well as a steamy hot romance that will have you glued to the pages.
Officer Noah Young patrols the streets of Chula Vista, a town “sandwiched between San Diego and Tijuana”, near the Mexican border. Noah has dreams of becoming a homicide detective, but he first has to put in his time. His partner Patrick, who has thirty years on the force, thinks Noah is too blue and cares too much. During a routine patrol, Noah and Patrick find the body of a woman who has been raped and suffocated from the plastic bag around her head. Patrick pretty much assumes the woman is a victim of gang violence because of where she was found and perhaps her possible ties to the gangs. Noah thinks differently. They go to the deceased woman’s place of work, and that’s were Noah meets April Ortiz.
April works as a waitress at Club Suave; a former strip joint turned singles bar. April knows all too well about the gangs since Raul, the father of her daughter, Jenny, is a member of the Mexican Mafia and now in prison. April is also going to school to become a social worker, while trying to keep Jenny safe from the ugly streets. She also gets help from Eric, the younger brother of Raul. Eric is trying to leave the gang he’s in, although he does sell drugs, mainly marijuana on the side while working at a supermarket. April is shocked to hear of her co-workers’ death, and although it’s against her better judgment, she gives Noah some information that could help him find the killer.
Noah can’t get April off his mind, but is wary of asking her out because of his job and what’s expected of him. Also, his younger sister Meghan has dropped out of college. She moves in with him and finds a job, coincidentally at the same supermarket Eric works at. Soon Meghan and Eric become friends to Noah disdain. And then another body is found brutalized on the beach of a woman both Meghan and Eric worked with.
As Noah hunts this elusive killer, he also takes the time to court April. Since April has had bad luck with men in the past and feels she doesn’t have time for romance, she tries to keep Noah at a distance. But Noah refuses to allow April to walk out of his life. Not only does Noah treat Jenny wonderful, but he also respects April’s decision to go very slowly, that is until their attraction for one another can’t be ignored. This leads to some very hot and fast, almost animalistic sex between the two in April’s kitchen. Now the ball is in April’s court. Is she willing to trust Noah not to hurt her? How will Noah react when he finds out about Raul and his possible knowledge about the killer terrorizing the women of the city?
The Edge of Night is very “edgy”. I love how Jill was able to bring out so many twists and turns. I felt like I was watching an episode of CSI: Las Vegas unfold. Jill really knows how to grab a reader by their throat and keep them interested. I had absolutely no clue who the killer was and it came as a complete surprise.
Noah is a perfect gentleman. He’s a protector in every sense of the word from the way he’s with his sister Meghan to April. Noah is more of a beta than an alpha, that is until he and April become intimate. Can we say hot banging against the refrigerator sex for the win? Noah is truly a hero in every sense of the word. I also liked how Meghan and Eric’s relationship played out. These two connect on a deep level and watching them try to work things out, mainly from Eric’s end is heartbreaking because of the life Eric has been forced into.
The Edge of Night exceeded all my expectations and then some. The only issue I have is that I’m dying to go to the beach since many scenes were on the beach, near the beach or had mentions of the beach.
I guess you could say that The Edge of Night is a perfect read for the beach. The Edge of Night is a perfect book for great summer reading. Another winner from Jill Sorenson!
The Edge of Night is Jill’s best work to date. There are many subjects brought up and dealt with. We have a serial killer targeting young woman, gang violence, dirty cops, as well as an idealistic cop who falls for a single mother who wants a better life for herself and her daughter. This is one book that would be a great movie because of everything that occurs, as well as a steamy hot romance that will have you glued to the pages.
Officer Noah Young patrols the streets of Chula Vista, a town “sandwiched between San Diego and Tijuana”, near the Mexican border. Noah has dreams of becoming a homicide detective, but he first has to put in his time. His partner Patrick, who has thirty years on the force, thinks Noah is too blue and cares too much. During a routine patrol, Noah and Patrick find the body of a woman who has been raped and suffocated from the plastic bag around her head. Patrick pretty much assumes the woman is a victim of gang violence because of where she was found and perhaps her possible ties to the gangs. Noah thinks differently. They go to the deceased woman’s place of work, and that’s were Noah meets April Ortiz.
April works as a waitress at Club Suave; a former strip joint turned singles bar. April knows all too well about the gangs since Raul, the father of her daughter, Jenny, is a member of the Mexican Mafia and now in prison. April is also going to school to become a social worker, while trying to keep Jenny safe from the ugly streets. She also gets help from Eric, the younger brother of Raul. Eric is trying to leave the gang he’s in, although he does sell drugs, mainly marijuana on the side while working at a supermarket. April is shocked to hear of her co-workers’ death, and although it’s against her better judgment, she gives Noah some information that could help him find the killer.
Noah can’t get April off his mind, but is wary of asking her out because of his job and what’s expected of him. Also, his younger sister Meghan has dropped out of college. She moves in with him and finds a job, coincidentally at the same supermarket Eric works at. Soon Meghan and Eric become friends to Noah disdain. And then another body is found brutalized on the beach of a woman both Meghan and Eric worked with.
As Noah hunts this elusive killer, he also takes the time to court April. Since April has had bad luck with men in the past and feels she doesn’t have time for romance, she tries to keep Noah at a distance. But Noah refuses to allow April to walk out of his life. Not only does Noah treat Jenny wonderful, but he also respects April’s decision to go very slowly, that is until their attraction for one another can’t be ignored. This leads to some very hot and fast, almost animalistic sex between the two in April’s kitchen. Now the ball is in April’s court. Is she willing to trust Noah not to hurt her? How will Noah react when he finds out about Raul and his possible knowledge about the killer terrorizing the women of the city?
The Edge of Night is very “edgy”. I love how Jill was able to bring out so many twists and turns. I felt like I was watching an episode of CSI: Las Vegas unfold. Jill really knows how to grab a reader by their throat and keep them interested. I had absolutely no clue who the killer was and it came as a complete surprise.
Noah is a perfect gentleman. He’s a protector in every sense of the word from the way he’s with his sister Meghan to April. Noah is more of a beta than an alpha, that is until he and April become intimate. Can we say hot banging against the refrigerator sex for the win? Noah is truly a hero in every sense of the word. I also liked how Meghan and Eric’s relationship played out. These two connect on a deep level and watching them try to work things out, mainly from Eric’s end is heartbreaking because of the life Eric has been forced into.
The Edge of Night exceeded all my expectations and then some. The only issue I have is that I’m dying to go to the beach since many scenes were on the beach, near the beach or had mentions of the beach.
I guess you could say that The Edge of Night is a perfect read for the beach. The Edge of Night is a perfect book for great summer reading. Another winner from Jill Sorenson!
April 10, 2011
Let me warn you this book is not all honky-dory it's nice but is shows the dark side of life. Drugs, gangs, innocence lost and what not. Noah Young is a patrol officer, who wants to move forward maybe to homicide, he and his partner come across a body, of a young woman, raped, murdered and suffocated. The woman leads them to a club where she worked, all the employees are interviewed and our heroine April is one of them. April is different than the other girls there, she works because she needs to, she has a 5 year old daughter to support, she stays away from the men. April is only 23 and she has been through a lot, her boyfriend was abusive and is now in jail, her mother who looks after her daughter(she was a lousy mother to April) maybe spiraling into drugs, and her boyfriend's brother Eric(he's only 20), helps her out with drug money sometimes. See, complicated. April is trying to turn her life around, she is studying on the side as well. The neighborhood they live in is rough. April, breaking all the rules gives a tip to Noah about the murder, that leads him to a drug-dealer.
There is also a sub-plot involving Noah's sister Meghan. Meghan leaves her parents and her Christian college as she finds all of that stifling. She moves in with Noah and in her drive for independence is almost attacked. She is saved by Eric.
Eric, he was such a messed up person. He tried so hard to be good, he was over-burdened by life and responsibilities. His dad abused his mother and when he died, his mother left him at the age of 10 to his brother Raul, who introduced him to the gang life. Eric hero-worshiped his brother. He saw his brother abuse April and tried to save her as well, being attacked for that. He supported his grandmother as well. His life was sad, he never had a way out at all. He feels for Meghan but knows that he is not good enough for her and the choice he makes in the end was heart-breaking, I hope the author writes a story for him and Meghan few years down the line.
So, there are women being murdered, women similar in attributes to April. April is very wary, she kicks out her mother as she cares for her daughter too much. Noah takes April and Jenny on their first date. There are too many things in their way, April has gang ties, a daughter, Noah is a cop. I felt the relationships were something on which not a lot of time was spent on. The story was good, but dark and depressing at times. Worth a try though. I still love Crash into Me by her the best.
Rating 3.5
There is also a sub-plot involving Noah's sister Meghan. Meghan leaves her parents and her Christian college as she finds all of that stifling. She moves in with Noah and in her drive for independence is almost attacked. She is saved by Eric.
Eric, he was such a messed up person. He tried so hard to be good, he was over-burdened by life and responsibilities. His dad abused his mother and when he died, his mother left him at the age of 10 to his brother Raul, who introduced him to the gang life. Eric hero-worshiped his brother. He saw his brother abuse April and tried to save her as well, being attacked for that. He supported his grandmother as well. His life was sad, he never had a way out at all. He feels for Meghan but knows that he is not good enough for her and the choice he makes in the end was heart-breaking, I hope the author writes a story for him and Meghan few years down the line.
So, there are women being murdered, women similar in attributes to April. April is very wary, she kicks out her mother as she cares for her daughter too much. Noah takes April and Jenny on their first date. There are too many things in their way, April has gang ties, a daughter, Noah is a cop. I felt the relationships were something on which not a lot of time was spent on. The story was good, but dark and depressing at times. Worth a try though. I still love Crash into Me by her the best.
Rating 3.5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2011
THE EDGE OF THE NIGHT was a spectacular read. Jill Sorenson has created one of the sweetest, sexiest police officer hero's I've ever read. The non-stop action and the budding romance between April and Noah, made for a fast-paced tale which I was unable to put down until the very end. I highly suggest blocking off a good amount of time when you pick this book up, because you're not going to want to put it down. I also enjoyed the suspense, it had an edge-of-your seat thrill that kept you wondering what was going to happen next, and it was especially great because I had difficulty pegging the villain. This is a book that as soon as it was released, I ran out to pick up a couple copies to give to friends.
Noah doesn't hold the cynicism that most police/military heroes seem to have, there isn't the dark-grittiness of someone whose been hurt by tragedy or the been-there-done-that-nothing-surprises-him attitude. He's so fresh and energetic still, and I absolutely loved it! It was a unique twist, keeping the romantic suspense genre from going stale.
April was no angel, yet for all her experiences and life lessons, she retained a sweetness that resounded throughout the pages. She knows that she made bad choices in her youth, but has matured to regret her actions which helped shape her into the person she is now. Jenny is her life, and she would do anything for her.
I loved the emotions that Ms Sorenson brought out in this book. There was the desire that sprung between Noah and April, which I couldn't wait to see fulfilled, the action of Noah's job and the gang life going on throughout the book, April's fears about where a relationship with Noah could possibly go, and the hunt for the killer who kept getting closer. Everything together kept me wrapped tightly into this tale.
I also enjoyed the side story of Meghan and Eric...though I really wish Eric had made a different choice. I found that their side story kept the rest of the plot moving along, and helped shape certain outcomes of the book.
I'm looking forward to whatever Ms. Sorenson has coming up next, as she is easily an auto-buy author for me.
Noah doesn't hold the cynicism that most police/military heroes seem to have, there isn't the dark-grittiness of someone whose been hurt by tragedy or the been-there-done-that-nothing-surprises-him attitude. He's so fresh and energetic still, and I absolutely loved it! It was a unique twist, keeping the romantic suspense genre from going stale.
April was no angel, yet for all her experiences and life lessons, she retained a sweetness that resounded throughout the pages. She knows that she made bad choices in her youth, but has matured to regret her actions which helped shape her into the person she is now. Jenny is her life, and she would do anything for her.
I loved the emotions that Ms Sorenson brought out in this book. There was the desire that sprung between Noah and April, which I couldn't wait to see fulfilled, the action of Noah's job and the gang life going on throughout the book, April's fears about where a relationship with Noah could possibly go, and the hunt for the killer who kept getting closer. Everything together kept me wrapped tightly into this tale.
I also enjoyed the side story of Meghan and Eric...though I really wish Eric had made a different choice. I found that their side story kept the rest of the plot moving along, and helped shape certain outcomes of the book.
I'm looking forward to whatever Ms. Sorenson has coming up next, as she is easily an auto-buy author for me.
August 19, 2012
Loved so much about this. Great blend of gritty suspense and romance. Often one or the other gets short-changed, but in this one, possibly because the conflict was so closely related to the suspense plot, both aspects were strong.
The sexytimes were very *ahem* satisfying. There is a car scene I suspect I'll be re-reading... But just overall well-balanced, intriguing plot, sympathetic anti-heroine. Super fab secondary romance except that .
I struggled with the voice, which felt somehow flat and I ended up (mentally) reading all of the dialogue in a monotone. I'm sure I'll read this author again, but I'll probably restrict myself to things published after this one and hope the voice works better for me.
edit: Upping the rating one because I can't stop thinking about this book. Y'all all go read this. But no one can have Eric - he's mine!!!
The sexytimes were very *ahem* satisfying. There is a car scene I suspect I'll be re-reading... But just overall well-balanced, intriguing plot, sympathetic anti-heroine. Super fab secondary romance except that .
I struggled with the voice, which felt somehow flat and I ended up (mentally) reading all of the dialogue in a monotone. I'm sure I'll read this author again, but I'll probably restrict myself to things published after this one and hope the voice works better for me.
edit: Upping the rating one because I can't stop thinking about this book. Y'all all go read this. But no one can have Eric - he's mine!!!
March 20, 2013
This book was super and part of what made it super were all the super things missing. There were no super-villains, super-spies, super-thieves, or supermen. There were just two people trying to get on with their lives in the mess of human emotion and motivation. Good people do bad things and bad people do good things and some people are just people. It was the romantic suspense version of The Wire, and I'm not sure there could be a higher compliment. (I'm relying on Noah no to turn into McNulty).
April 15, 2011
Mix of emotions at the end of this one. I enjoyed the book, April and Noah have a sweet story together. Loved little Jenny. But Eric...instead of ending the book with a nice sigh of happiness at the epilogue, Eric's story overshadows it all. I wanted him to find a way out, to make a life for himself, to find a little happiness.
Instead, I'm left feeling depressed, even getting a happy ending for the main players.
Instead, I'm left feeling depressed, even getting a happy ending for the main players.
August 31, 2011
Like the other reviewers, I enjoyed this romantic suspense even though I'd still label it run-o-the-mill; even though Noah lacked that 'hotness' I've come to expect from my romance heroes; even though the sex was lacklustre because, despite my being engaged with the story as a whole, the chemistry between Noah and April was lacking.
Both are serious, level-headed, mature adults so no complaints there. Both are working hard at improving their lot - Noah, aiming for the homicide division and April working as a waitress while getting her degree, and raising her daughter, Jenny. Perhaps the reason why I couldn't see the sparkle in the romance is because April is too weighed down by the burden of looking after Jenny. This is the reason why I stay away from romances where the MCs have kids and I would not have picked this book up if not for the high ratings.
The murder mystery, while a real and serious threat, isn't given much weight, though, unlike a Karen Rose book. tEoN focuses on the relationship between the MCs and April's struggle to bring up her daughter as well as the secondary romance between Eric and, Meghan, Noah's kid sister. I felt this secondary romance was a huge scene stealer and I was more interested in their HEA than I was with the MC's!
Sadly, Eric and Meghan don't get their HEA and while Noah and April get theirs - natch - we are left hanging on the dire prospect of Eric heading for prison where a pretty boy like him will, no doubt, provide lots of entertainment. Surely, there's some hotshot, hawt lawyer who can get him off...umm, no not that way cos this is an MF, after all.
Ms Sorenson, I am badly in need of a sequel here that brings a happy closure for Eric and Meghan!
Both are serious, level-headed, mature adults so no complaints there. Both are working hard at improving their lot - Noah, aiming for the homicide division and April working as a waitress while getting her degree, and raising her daughter, Jenny. Perhaps the reason why I couldn't see the sparkle in the romance is because April is too weighed down by the burden of looking after Jenny. This is the reason why I stay away from romances where the MCs have kids and I would not have picked this book up if not for the high ratings.
The murder mystery, while a real and serious threat, isn't given much weight, though, unlike a Karen Rose book. tEoN focuses on the relationship between the MCs and April's struggle to bring up her daughter as well as the secondary romance between Eric and, Meghan, Noah's kid sister. I felt this secondary romance was a huge scene stealer and I was more interested in their HEA than I was with the MC's!
Sadly, Eric and Meghan don't get their HEA and while Noah and April get theirs - natch - we are left hanging on the dire prospect of Eric heading for prison where a pretty boy like him will, no doubt, provide lots of entertainment. Surely, there's some hotshot, hawt lawyer who can get him off...umm, no not that way cos this is an MF, after all.
Ms Sorenson, I am badly in need of a sequel here that brings a happy closure for Eric and Meghan!
July 16, 2011
A fast suspense-filled read with plenty of romance! I couldn't believe how easily I was drawn in by the characters, the plot, the setting,... I totally enjoyed reading the Edge of Night!
As I read this book in early summer, I could feel the heat off the pavement from the streets of the small border town of Chula Vista. I could also imagine the characters and what they've seen and done and what Club Suave probably smells like. I hope we get another from JS soon in this setting. Crime and drugs and killers really do make for good romantic suspense or screenplays for that matter.
As for the story, Noah is a smart cop and a sweet but tough hero for April, the struggling ex-wife of a gang member, and their attraction sizzles. As a crime solver, he's the best and when there's a serial killer on the loose you need someone like that on your side.
The secondary romance with Eric and Meghan leaves you with hope although there is a lot to work through there. Maybe in future books we'll find out what happens... one can only hope they get their story. Eric is an awesome character, too.
I don't know if anyone else noticed but the cover of The Edge of Night looks like a modern version of the opening to that 60s or 70s TV soap opera of the same name. A city scape at twilight, southern California, and that's about all I can remember. Pretty sure there weren't gangs in Monticello because it was a pretty white bread soap but I digress. I enjoyed the EON and I hope there is a series forthcoming because I really liked this story immensely.
As I read this book in early summer, I could feel the heat off the pavement from the streets of the small border town of Chula Vista. I could also imagine the characters and what they've seen and done and what Club Suave probably smells like. I hope we get another from JS soon in this setting. Crime and drugs and killers really do make for good romantic suspense or screenplays for that matter.
As for the story, Noah is a smart cop and a sweet but tough hero for April, the struggling ex-wife of a gang member, and their attraction sizzles. As a crime solver, he's the best and when there's a serial killer on the loose you need someone like that on your side.
The secondary romance with Eric and Meghan leaves you with hope although there is a lot to work through there. Maybe in future books we'll find out what happens... one can only hope they get their story. Eric is an awesome character, too.
I don't know if anyone else noticed but the cover of The Edge of Night looks like a modern version of the opening to that 60s or 70s TV soap opera of the same name. A city scape at twilight, southern California, and that's about all I can remember. Pretty sure there weren't gangs in Monticello because it was a pretty white bread soap but I digress. I enjoyed the EON and I hope there is a series forthcoming because I really liked this story immensely.
July 9, 2013
The Edge of Nigh by Jill Sorenson has an interesting story line. It starts out with the murder of Lola, a cocktail waitress at the same club April Ortiz works. The homicide detective asks patrolmen Noah Young and Patrick Shaney to help investigate as it might be gang related since a gangs color bandanna is on the body. In the mean time Meghan, Noah's sister asks if she can move in. She wants to work part time and go to college. She felt stifled at the christian college her parents would pay for. She applies at a supermarket where she meets Erik, who is a gang member. Erik's brother Raul is April's daughter Jenn's father. Another woman is murdered with the same physical description as April. Noah is falling in love with April but after Raul's physical abuse, she's afraid to trust a man. Erik gets caught by Noah and tells him about a murder from years earlier for a reduced sentence if he can't go free. Noah finds the 8 year old cold case file. The action really heats up between Noah and April and Erik and Meghan. It's action packed straight thru to the end.
July 23, 2011
The Edge of Night is a very good book. The suspense is strong, the characters well-drawn, and the romance moving. Once I started it I didn't want to put it down, even though it wasn't a comfortable book. Dealing with the street gangs active in a CA town called Chula Vista, the story is gritty and sad. Sorenson isn't pulling any punches about gang life, or how trapped the gang members are once involved. At the end of the book the reader has closure about the main characters and the murder mystery, but is also left feeling almost hopeless about the economic and cultural situations that allow gangs to be so prevalent and powerful. This isn't a light-hearted read, although it is extremely well written and compelling.
This is a romantic suspense, so the main characters get a satisfying ending. However, not everyone in the book does, and the reader is left to hope for a good outcome for a few characters.
This is a romantic suspense, so the main characters get a satisfying ending. However, not everyone in the book does, and the reader is left to hope for a good outcome for a few characters.
April 14, 2011
LOVED this.
Both hero and heroine were really well drawn. I always worry when a book hits really close to home on a personal level. But the depiction of Noah as a 3-dimensional cop --not always the tough guy, he feels things deeply and thinks about what he's doing, felt realistic to me. (I come from a cop family, and Noah really rang true to my family members that were in law enforcement.) Also, the latino community that April lives in was familiar to where some of my family was from and where I worked with kids like (secondary character) Eric.
I've always loved Jill Sorenson's writing, and enjoy how she usually has a main couple and a secondary younger couple. Both relationships were really well done. I think The Edge of Night is her best work, yet.
Both hero and heroine were really well drawn. I always worry when a book hits really close to home on a personal level. But the depiction of Noah as a 3-dimensional cop --not always the tough guy, he feels things deeply and thinks about what he's doing, felt realistic to me. (I come from a cop family, and Noah really rang true to my family members that were in law enforcement.) Also, the latino community that April lives in was familiar to where some of my family was from and where I worked with kids like (secondary character) Eric.
I've always loved Jill Sorenson's writing, and enjoy how she usually has a main couple and a secondary younger couple. Both relationships were really well done. I think The Edge of Night is her best work, yet.
April 18, 2011
As alsways, a fulfilling story, though I really wanted a happy ending for Eric. Sorenson writes a love story set against the forbidden topic of gangs, and manages to make it riveting and wonderful.
I loved that Noah wasn't perfect - he tried to do his best, and that's all we can ask of him. I liked that he respected April for trying to do her best, too. And that he reacted just like a big brother, but was willing to try to give Eric some leeway.
As in past books, her secondary story revolves around teenage love, only how on earth do you make a gangbanger be a sympathetic love interest? And she does.
I loved that Noah wasn't perfect - he tried to do his best, and that's all we can ask of him. I liked that he respected April for trying to do her best, too. And that he reacted just like a big brother, but was willing to try to give Eric some leeway.
As in past books, her secondary story revolves around teenage love, only how on earth do you make a gangbanger be a sympathetic love interest? And she does.
December 21, 2015
Good reading.
This is a good book and it describes real life. I have been to TJ and I have driven through Chula Vista. The author made it all very real to me. I recommend this book. I appreciate how the author deals with these difficult subjects but does not make them "pretty-pretty" for our reading pleasure.
This is a good book and it describes real life. I have been to TJ and I have driven through Chula Vista. The author made it all very real to me. I recommend this book. I appreciate how the author deals with these difficult subjects but does not make them "pretty-pretty" for our reading pleasure.
June 24, 2011
3.5 stars. Jane Stewart has a great review. I'd recommend reading hers. I agreed with her completely!
July 29, 2018
I loved this book.
The characters are complex and intriguing. There are many storylines culminating into one dangerous climax.
This book gives a glimpse to the hard struggle of growing up on a block ruled by gangs. When the gang is literally part of your blood, and life hasn’t given you much of choice in your path.
The book also provides the other side, the privileged officer trying to turn the city around. The innocent, and naive, college girl who falls prey to those more jaded-but still finds a way to love.
The sexy times are varied and hot. The entire book lives in suspense.
Definitely plan to read again, along with the sequel ‘Against The Wall’.
The characters are complex and intriguing. There are many storylines culminating into one dangerous climax.
This book gives a glimpse to the hard struggle of growing up on a block ruled by gangs. When the gang is literally part of your blood, and life hasn’t given you much of choice in your path.
The book also provides the other side, the privileged officer trying to turn the city around. The innocent, and naive, college girl who falls prey to those more jaded-but still finds a way to love.
The sexy times are varied and hot. The entire book lives in suspense.
Definitely plan to read again, along with the sequel ‘Against The Wall’.
April 29, 2018
4.5 ⭐️
September 2, 2018
I really like all the books I've read by her. They way she twines all the characters together makes for a fast paced, really good book.
February 13, 2016
Wow... so that just happened... I haven't been this engrossed in a romantic suspense book in a while. I may have a tiny bit of a book hangover on this one. There were so many characters in this book and yet it didn't feel overwhelming. I felt an emotional connection to every single main character in this book... oh the feels!!
Let's start off with April and Noah. April has a young daughter (5yrs) who's father was a bad man... gang member, drug dealer, wife abuser. You get the picture right? April is busting her ass to make a good life for her daughter Jenny. She doesn't trust anyone except maybe Eric (we will get to Eric in a minute). So a girl at the bar/club she works at is murdered and Noah is one of the lead detectives on the case. Noah thinks it was drug related... of course there are some sparks between him and April but he's doing his job so he brushes it off. However when he is about to leave April slips him a little something. Get your mind out of the gutter it's information about the case!! Noah has had a semi easy life he grew up in a super religious household. Now he is trying to make a difference in Chula Vista while tempering down his attraction April. They keep running into each other around Chula Vista and the harder they try to stay apart the more emotionally connected they become.
Eric and Meghan... sigh... young love... Eric is a gang member doing the only thing he knows how to do. Protect his sister in law and niece while trying not to get killed. Ok so Eric's character does have a super bad side. He is honestly trying to figure a way out of this bad situation before he meets Meghan. However after Meghan he starts to believe in more.. more than gangs.. and drugs. Meghan while not sheltered seems to see the rainbow in all things. Meghan quit school to move in with her brother not that Noah knew she was coming. She runs into Eric and he helps her get a job at the local store. Oh the timid love... Eric is beyond sweet to Meghan in every way. Then one night something bad happens that changes the course of everything.
The intertwining of the stories in this book were amazing. Not that I couldn't figure out the bad guy kind of book. It had so many characters and their POV's and I wasn't confused in the least. I couldn't put the book down I kept telling myself one more chapter... that never happened I just didn't stop.The connection that Jill Sorenson made with this characters ugh.. the angst.. the triumph.. the love... I can't even!!! I will be purchasing more books by this author immediately.
While this book was not an ARC it was still sent to me by the lovely team at Random House for my honest review through NetGalley.
Let's start off with April and Noah. April has a young daughter (5yrs) who's father was a bad man... gang member, drug dealer, wife abuser. You get the picture right? April is busting her ass to make a good life for her daughter Jenny. She doesn't trust anyone except maybe Eric (we will get to Eric in a minute). So a girl at the bar/club she works at is murdered and Noah is one of the lead detectives on the case. Noah thinks it was drug related... of course there are some sparks between him and April but he's doing his job so he brushes it off. However when he is about to leave April slips him a little something. Get your mind out of the gutter it's information about the case!! Noah has had a semi easy life he grew up in a super religious household. Now he is trying to make a difference in Chula Vista while tempering down his attraction April. They keep running into each other around Chula Vista and the harder they try to stay apart the more emotionally connected they become.
Eric and Meghan... sigh... young love... Eric is a gang member doing the only thing he knows how to do. Protect his sister in law and niece while trying not to get killed. Ok so Eric's character does have a super bad side. He is honestly trying to figure a way out of this bad situation before he meets Meghan. However after Meghan he starts to believe in more.. more than gangs.. and drugs. Meghan while not sheltered seems to see the rainbow in all things. Meghan quit school to move in with her brother not that Noah knew she was coming. She runs into Eric and he helps her get a job at the local store. Oh the timid love... Eric is beyond sweet to Meghan in every way. Then one night something bad happens that changes the course of everything.
The intertwining of the stories in this book were amazing. Not that I couldn't figure out the bad guy kind of book. It had so many characters and their POV's and I wasn't confused in the least. I couldn't put the book down I kept telling myself one more chapter... that never happened I just didn't stop.The connection that Jill Sorenson made with this characters ugh.. the angst.. the triumph.. the love... I can't even!!! I will be purchasing more books by this author immediately.
While this book was not an ARC it was still sent to me by the lovely team at Random House for my honest review through NetGalley.
July 29, 2011
Jill Sorenson can write the heck out of a story.
This book follows April Ortiz and Noah Young. She's a bar waitress and he's a cop. They live in the Chula Vista area which is ripe with gang violence and all other sorts of stuff that can be pretty scary. Noah is investigating a case and April Ortiz was a co worker of the dead girl in his case. After interviewing April, Noah can tell that she knows a lot more than she's saying and is pleasantly surprised when she slipped him a little somethin' somethin' because he really liked the look of her.
April and Noah's romance was a big part of the book but not the only part. There's the mystery surrounding who's killing all of these women, there's a secondary romance between Eric Hernandez and Noah's sister, Meghan. All of these storylines wove into one book made for one fantastic read. I loved it all.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The mystery behind the killer thing was easy for me to crack but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I enjoyed both of the relationships that blossomed in this book. I enjoyed getting to know both Noah and April. Noah's goals and plans and the way that he falls for April was sexy and seeing April thaw out from her last relationship with Eric's brother made their story just that much more interesting.
Eric and Meghan's relationship was my favorite part of the book. Eric's character really grabbed me and held on tight. I couldn't get enough of him and I've got my fingers crossed that we haven't seen the last of him. Meghan had some issues that she was dealing with herself and she showed up on Noah's doorstep, hoping to find herself away from the school she was at and from the parents that were furious with her for dropping out of school. Meghan was really lucky to have Eric. The way that he fought his feelings for Meghan was too adorable for words.
Overall, this was a solid read. I re-read this book again right before I wrote up this review so that I could see if my love for this book would stand and I think I loved it more. Jill Sorenson wrote another winner of a book for me and her descriptions of Chula Vista were on point as I could see everything in my mind. She writes romantic suspense wonderfully well and I'm a total fan of her work. If you're a fan of Jill's, you'll love this book and if you're a fan of romantic suspense, you'll love this book. So go forth and read it. =)
Grade: 4.75 out of 5
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Rowena.
This book follows April Ortiz and Noah Young. She's a bar waitress and he's a cop. They live in the Chula Vista area which is ripe with gang violence and all other sorts of stuff that can be pretty scary. Noah is investigating a case and April Ortiz was a co worker of the dead girl in his case. After interviewing April, Noah can tell that she knows a lot more than she's saying and is pleasantly surprised when she slipped him a little somethin' somethin' because he really liked the look of her.
April and Noah's romance was a big part of the book but not the only part. There's the mystery surrounding who's killing all of these women, there's a secondary romance between Eric Hernandez and Noah's sister, Meghan. All of these storylines wove into one book made for one fantastic read. I loved it all.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The mystery behind the killer thing was easy for me to crack but that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I enjoyed both of the relationships that blossomed in this book. I enjoyed getting to know both Noah and April. Noah's goals and plans and the way that he falls for April was sexy and seeing April thaw out from her last relationship with Eric's brother made their story just that much more interesting.
Eric and Meghan's relationship was my favorite part of the book. Eric's character really grabbed me and held on tight. I couldn't get enough of him and I've got my fingers crossed that we haven't seen the last of him. Meghan had some issues that she was dealing with herself and she showed up on Noah's doorstep, hoping to find herself away from the school she was at and from the parents that were furious with her for dropping out of school. Meghan was really lucky to have Eric. The way that he fought his feelings for Meghan was too adorable for words.
Overall, this was a solid read. I re-read this book again right before I wrote up this review so that I could see if my love for this book would stand and I think I loved it more. Jill Sorenson wrote another winner of a book for me and her descriptions of Chula Vista were on point as I could see everything in my mind. She writes romantic suspense wonderfully well and I'm a total fan of her work. If you're a fan of Jill's, you'll love this book and if you're a fan of romantic suspense, you'll love this book. So go forth and read it. =)
Grade: 4.75 out of 5
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Rowena.
March 1, 2018
This book was definitely exciting and packed a lot of punch. It did start out just a tiny bit slow setting everything up but I never lost interest and it did speed up. this author managed to squeeze four main characters and two love stories into this book and did so pretty successfully which is impressive. I loved all of them. One thing I didn't like was the way the author moved the first relationship into the romance. The lead female, April tells the love interest that she won't go on a date with him before he even asks or really knows her. Granted he does want to ask her out but I just don't like when the female expects that the guy is going to want to get romantic with her. I feel like the love story makes more of an impact when it isn't forced and when the couple don't expect to fall for each other but it happens anyways. The author had a perfect set up for this type of scenario too. The couple are complete opposites so I expected that they would interact without the intent of getting involved romantically but then after spending time together slowly realize that they had developed feelings for each other. And them being opposites does end up interfering and being a problem in their relationship but just not from the beginning. they wanted each other right away and he pursued her actively right when he first met her. It wasn't a deal breaker for me or anything but I didn't feel quite as pulled into the relationship because of it. The other couples relationship also lacked a little passion and intensity. I loved Eric and I liked Meghan but again I felt like the author missed many opportunities for this couple to have an intense and passionate relationship. It started out painfully slow, but not in a good way. Almost a bit dull. He saves her from something bad so that was a plus but then everything after that was just a little lackluster in the emotional department. They had some hot scenes but with his gang lifestyle I just think I longed for him and Meghan to have a more engaging relationship. But honestly it was pretty good it lacked just enough to keep me from 5 stars and again I really applaud the author for giving us not one, but 2 swoon worthy lead males. They each have different personalities and have unique characteristics that make me love them both. I think that's a pretty difficult feat to accomplish!
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