The Edge of Courage

Red Team #1

by Elaine Levine

"This book is romantic suspense and had me on the edge of my seat from the get go. If you like shows like LA, then I think you will love this book and the members of Red Team!" -GennieG, Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
 
Step into Elaine Levine's exciting new series of alpha warriors--products of the government's secret corps of assassins called the Red

Haunted by memories he cannot reach, stalked by an enemy bent on revenge . . .

Rocco Silas has come home to Wyoming after long years as a Red Team operative in Afghanistan. It isn't easy returning to civilian life, especially burdened as he is with a staggering case of PTSD or hunted as he is by an enemy determined to seek an eye-for-eye--neither of which can he battle until he confronts the truth of what happened one fateful day in the high mountain ranges of the Hindu Kush.

. . . She alone holds the key to his sanity.

Mandy Fielding's dream of opening a therapeutic riding center on her family's ranch is almost within her grasp--until she hires Rocco Silas, a dangerous ex-Spec Ops friend of her brother's. His haunted eyes and passionate touch promise a love she never dared believe possible. Can they confront the truth of his past and build a future together or will the enemy stalking him destroy them both? 
 
Romantic Suspense > Books > Romance > Romantic Suspense> Books > Romance > Action & Adventure
> Books > Literature & Fiction > Action & Adventure > War & Military

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Military Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Suspense, Military Romance

370 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2012

About the author

"Elaine Levine is a wonderfully fresh and original voice in western romance.
RACHEL AND THE HIRED GUN is full of fast-paced action and powerful emotions. I loved it!"
-- Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of A STRANGER'S GAME

"A pair of appealing, well-matched protagonists (with a bit of a history), a slimy villain, well-drawn secondary characters, and plenty of action make this rough-and-ready Western one that fans are sure to enjoy."
--Library Journal on AUDREY AND THE MAVERICK

"A beautiful romance…keeps the reader hooked from the first page to the last.” -New York Times Bestselling Author Catherine Anderson about LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER

Though this is the third book of a romance trilogy, the story stands quite well on its own. Elaine Levine gives us a multi-level story about trust and being able to overcome personal fears to achieve a goal. Set in the post-Civil War era, Leah and the Bounty Hunter gives us a window into the rough-and-tumble lives of our settler-forefathers and what they did to succeed against lawlessness and the incredible challenges to settle the old West. An enjoyable read, recommended. --Monica E. Spence, Historical Novels Review on LEAH AND THE BOUNTY HUNTER

* * *

ABOUT ELAINE:

Elaine Levine is an agoraphobic who lives in her son’s basement and runs doggie daycare for his pack of hounds. Her mind, however, is irrepressible, and she fills the endless moments of endless days crafting romance fiction from dystopian headlines she reads online. Be warned—her stories are addictive and dangerously appealing to those with similarly twisted minds and hopeful hearts.

Reviews

[Buggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opening Line:"He couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, couldn't stand, but his godammed eyes could still see. Everything."

Ladies if you’re looking for a new tortured hero to fall for then I’ve found him. Rocco Silas would have to be one of the most heartbreaking, damaged, seriously shut-off romantic leads I’ve come across since JR Ward’s Zsadist, and that’s not a bad thing. This is the first book from Elaine Levine’s new romantic suspense series Red Team and its a great read; filled with hunky, wisecracking ex-counter terror operatives, smoking hot love scenes, a western vibe and a new addition to my top tortured heroes of all time list.

Rocco is broken; struggling to function as a civilian after spending the past 7 years deep undercover on special assignment in Afghanistan. He’s just been released from a military hospital but his PTSD is far from under control. Suffering from nightmares, hallucinations and a paralyzing fear of being touched (because of what he sees on his skin) he’s also keeping himself just on the edge of starvation so he can feel… something. At this point suicide is becoming a fairly reasonable option.

Enter Mandy Fielding, the half sister of one of his fellow Red Team operatives. Mandy is in the process of opening a therapeutic riding center but due to a string of weird accidents she can’t get any of her ranch hands to stick around long enough to actually get it open. She promised her brother that she’d take Rocco on but honestly she’s not thrilled with the idea of having a dangerous ex soldier on her payroll. One look into Rocco’s haunted eyes though and her compassionate side takes over, she always did have a soft spot for the wounded strays.

The first half of this story focuses almost exclusively on Rocco and Mandy’s blossoming romance, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch unfold. Because Rocco is such a mess (at times he’s almost more animal then man) witnessing him learn to trust, to touch, to feel again is just amazing.

“I’m not afraid of you.” His head lifted, his hard gaze levelling her. “You should be. I’m afraid of me.”

A couple of sigh worthy moments come to mind; There’s a very BDB reminiscent scene in the shower where Rocco is trying to scrub his skin clean and later a flashback that has Mandy finding him in town just staring down main street where he’s been for hours (the reason why is gut wrenching) My favourite scene though would have to be when Mandy finally gets him to eat, feeding him bite after bite from her fork. It is so raw, so sensual and heartbreakingly sexy. Yeah, The Edge of Courage gave me several re-readable moments. Oh the sexy time ain’t too shabby either!

Around the half way mark the rest of the boys from Red Team show up to help take out terrorist Ebsan Asir -He’s set up a faction in the US, seeking retribution for events in Afghanistan. And while I loved the first part of this book its here that the story begins to suffer from first-book-in series-syndrome. With our H/h getting lost between a massive influx of very witty, very sexy secondary characters, fading into the background while we get to know the heroes of future books. Its also when all the action takes place and while its exciting and non stop it also heads into OTT territory, and I had to just shut my brain off and enjoy the ride. We’re left with a couple of loose ends but even without those I would be excited about the next instalment from what promises to be a great series.

I received an e copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I should tell you though that I’ll be buying it in PB as well because this is one for the keeper shelf.

294jb4.5

[Elizabeth (Liz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!

Let me just say, for a .99 ebook, this story packed one heck of an intensely emotional wallop!

The first half is particularly 5-star material, and an emotional and psychological exploration of PTSD that left me sad, angry, scared, and, ultimately, joyful. You could literally feel the hero's torment, anguish and confusion. This part of the story was utterly superb! The second half is much more action-oriented, and a bit over-the-top only in the enemy the team will be facing.

The writing, other than a few odd spots where contractions weren't used, and thereby made the dialog stilted, is actually very good. The story is well thought out, and the emotional impact is one that will linger, as it should.

Highly recommended! Don't miss this little gem!!

[Anne OK · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED

Holy Moly – I was flat-out gobsmacked by the intensity and emotional impact this one had on me by the end of the first chapter! The tears flowed. Elaine Levine has written an explosive military romantic suspense. This is a powerhouse completely overflowing with such courage, need and unbridled desire that it sometimes feels much too-close-to-the-real-thing.

After serving deeply undercover in Afghanistan for seven years, our hero Rocco Silas returns home a tortured, broken, and destroyed human being suffering from PTSD. He can’t eat – he can’t sleep – he can’t remember – he can’t escape the nightmares. His fear of being touched is on a whole other level of sadness brought about by events unimaginable to me. At times suicide creeps into his thoughts and seems to be his only answer.

Thank goodness, it is at this point that two lives intersect and Rocco meets Mandy Fielding, the step-sister of one of his team mates. Hope and salvation come packaged in a strong young woman, a trained physical therapist, who is filled to the brim with compassion and a giving spirit that runs towards fostering strays in need of help. When she looks into the empty and hollow eyes of Rocco Silas, she resolves to do whatever she can to help in his healing process and give him another chance at life.

As for the developing relationship between Rocco and Mandy, I can’t possibly do it justice in my review. Suffice it to say that it is a thing of beauty. There are plenty of sparks, undeniable chemistry, tenderness, as well as differences of opinion. There are also some of the most unforgettable moments between these two characters that I’ve had the pleasure of reading in all my memories of visits to romanceland.

Midway into the story, Red Team operatives arrive on scene packaged in a variety of sexy, handsome, and rugged men, bringing along with them their own brand of humor. With their arrival, whether it’s a bar room fight or against terrorist threats, the non-stop action is fueled and the battles begin. At this point several potential candidates step forward as possibilities for the starring role in the next installment of this amazing series.

In the end, there’s unfinished business. One Red Team member has been shot, dumped and left for dead, while a rattlesnake slowly crawls up the leg of his pants. No! Hey Lady Author – you can’t leave Ty like this. I was really-really starting to fall for the guy. Will he survive? Is there hope for a relationship? Sending up fervent prayers that the next book is scheduled for release sooner rather than later!

BRAVO! CHEERS!

[♡Karlyn P♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told primarily through the point of view of a hero who suffers with severe PTSD, The Edge of Courage is gripping and sexy romance suspense. If you like a damaged and tortured hero, and enjoy the fast pace of a military romance suspense, this is a must read. And for .99 cents, it’s a great bargain, too!

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Rocco Silas returned to the US after spending seven years in deep cover in Afghanistan as an operative for the Army’s elite Red Team program of trained assassins. A cover so deep, he began to believe it himself. The village he lived in was destroyed by explosives, and his memory of the events are not clear. Nightmares haunt him of dead loved ones, and now he is struggling to find ‘normal’ once again in hopes of being healthy enough to return to Afghanistan and find what his soul is calling out for: his son.

Wow, Rocco’s story was truly the best part of this book. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the romance and the action too, but his story took me by the throat. And I loved that the story was told through his POV! I don’t know much about PTSD, but his story felt so real and heart breaking. The author doesn’t sugar coat his disorder either, we see him break down on several occasions. In the early part of the book, his PTSD consumes him. But it is also what made Mandy such a great heroine for him, as she had the patience, understanding and fortitude to deal with his ghosts.

The suspense part of this story centers around Mandy and a string of odd accidents plaguing her construction project on her ranch. Her brother Kit, also a military member of the elite and secret Red Team, recommends she hire Rocco to help around the ranch and keep his eye out for any threats. We soon learn they were not mere accidents, but a terrorist revenge plot on her brother Kit. What unfolds brings all five members of the newly formed Tremaine Industries, a security firm that employees many ex-military guys with special skills. If Rocco joins them, there will be six.

The threats continue to escalate all the way til the end, even after you believe some threats have been neutralized. There are unsolved areas as well, so you know we will see more of some bad guys in future books. The author really puts her characters through the ringer, too! What happens to Mandy near the end was something I did NOT see coming.

The romance aspect of this story wasn’t as convincing for me, at least in the beginning, but by the end I totally bought it. Mandy is instantly attracted to Rocco, but at first I had a hard time understanding why. I don’t doubt she felt something for him, but initially he wasn’t nice and he clearly came with a boat load of baggage. I also had a hard time picturing this man as ‘tall, dark and handsome’ (as Mandy describes him) when we know he spent the last many months in a hospital on some strong meds, plus he still doesn’t eat or sleep, so I pictured him more of a sickly gaunt person based on his past. (Oh well, this is fiction so just roll with it, right?!)

The sex scenes were hot and plentiful too, although I felt they came surprisingly early as they barely knew anything about each other. Some of the sex scenes came at odd times too, but I have learned to expect that when reading sexy romance suspense books. As their relationship developed and intertwined with the suspense, I started to believe in these two and could see their attraction. By the end, I was convinced these two had what it takes for an HEA.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! As sexy military romance suspense books go, this was a good one. Maybe not as good as many by Suzanne Brockmann, but a still a fun and exciting read.

Lastly, I can tell this is going to be one of those series where you HAVE TO READ IT IN ORDER. The start of several other stories are already forming, including Kit and Ivy. And then there is Ty’s story, who is still dealing with the demons of his dead and abusive father. His story arc is left as a cliff hanger too! We meet many of the town folks as well, and I imagine many will figure more prominently in future books.

(((Thanks for the recommendation Anne and Buggy!!)))

[Michelle [Helen Geek] · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 Stars

I first want to say, I know others have really enjoyed this book. It is not my intent to “author bash”. I only want to explain my rating through my review.

A big “did not finish”. I write this and am a bit pissed. PTSD is not a simple matter. Many people suffer in silence, until they just can no longer do so. Others, the trigger for them, is too huge, they fight it daily. And others lose the battle. This is epic right now .. a very terrible thing. I’ve had personal experience with this and was very hopeful this book could shed the light on this particular disorder for many. I really wanted to like this book. And, it started out well enough to keep me reading until I just couldn’t anymore. I got a bit more than halfway through the book; about 60%.

I find as I read a book and compare my likes and dislikes with others, a huge reason I may not like a book others enjoy is my deep need to create a human character. Many times, my dis-satisfaction with a book, isn’t necessarily due to poor writing, it is because the author gives me a character, they paint a person a certain way, then they deviate from this in a way I can’t connect. A way, given the character I’ve drawn for myself, through their telling, that is either out of character completely and disappointingly, or just stupid and/or unbelievable. This is exactly what happened for me with this book with Mandy’s character. Her behavior became a big disconnect for me and I couldn’t get past it. And, in the end, if I have to struggle to enjoy something, I just don’t.

The scene that clinched it for me was when Mandy and Rocco visited the local honky-tonk. Either the author forgot that Mandy was painted as an empathetic person, deeply in touch with Rocco’s issues, or she was hit head on with the STUPID club! WTF!! Let me paint the scene a bit… Mandy is putting together a ranch to house horses to help people with disabilities. She has a deep desire to help others who have special needs and wants to use her animal sense and skills to do it. To further draw this picture for us, the author uses a severely abused horse. Mandy works with him daily to try and get him reacquainted with people – hoping he will one day be one of the horses she can use. Her brother asks her to use Rocco, an Afghan vet suffering severe PTSD. Rocco needs a safe place, and Mandy can use Rocco’s skills. Enters Rocco… I must say, I like Rocco, I like Rocco quite a bit actually and he kept me trying with this one long after I should have called it quits. I hated leaving him...

Rocco doesn’t like to be touched, nor does he like to touch people. Remember this, it will be important later… Early one morning, Rocco was standing in the middle of main street staring at the sun as it floated overhead. This was disconcerting to the populace because he was just standing and staring, and would ignore, to the point of rudeness, any passersby. The deputy rode out to Mandy’s house to tell her, the “hired hand” could potentially be tasered, if he continued this behavior – could she come see what she could do. So, Mandy went to Rocco. She learned the reason he was doing this was a deep promise he made to himself while he was held as a hostage in an isolated, dark place. Now, let’s skip ahead a very bit and Mandy decides she and Rocco will meet friends in the local watering hole. Rocco has an aversion to crowds, and he doesn’t like to be touched, and just a short bit ago, he was doing something very disturbing to many of the townspeople, but now, because your friend wanted to meet this hunky cowboy, you decide to take this poor guy to a bar. You can just imagine he following scenes and won’t be off too far I’m bettin’.

Now, others may be able to overlook this, but I have real issues with it. I just couldn’t proceed with the book much beyond this point. I had a serious dislike for Mandy at this point. And, through the remaining bit I read, I just kept thinking – doesn’t jive or make sense and then I lost all respect for the characters.

I really wanted to like this book. Maybe you will. Rocco is worth your time to give this a shot. I hope this works for you.

Happy Reading … MAYBE?

[Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow beginning, but speeds up

Writing: The writing has a slight old time western feel to it. 3rd person. Several POVs.

Characters: Rocco is retired Red Team warrior suffering from PTSD. He is also a linguistic savant. Mandy is a ranch owner who desires to heal people. There are a bunch of other characters that show up later in the book. It almost became too many. As the other characters began to show up, Elaine Levine began to drop previous characters without warning.

Storyline: The story opens with Rocco being kicked out of a shelter because his nightmares are disturbing others. Kit, one of his best friends asks Rocco to head over to Mandy’s ranch to help because someone is trying to sabotage the equestrian center. Rocco grudgingly heads to the ranch and begins his investigation. This job offers work, room, board and money. Mandy hates that she has to have a warrior on the ranch, but her brother, Kit, has never asked for anything and he needs her to help Rocco. This is where Rocco’s healing begins.

Sooo….WHOA! I felt like I was walking around inside the mind of a soldier and it felt like a minefield. There was no clue what was going to set him off.

Elaine did a great job of introducing the mental processes of soldiers suffering with PTSD. Of course the real stories rarely end with a pretty bow.

The story became a little too much when all of the characters began to show up. I believe Elaine was trying to set up the other stories for future books. However, as I was reading I would begin to wonder about other characters. Like ‘what happened to Fee? Wasn’t she in the house when that went down?”

They mystery and suspense of the book was fantastic. It kept me on the edge of my seat, I remember yelling “NO DON’T GO, IT’S A SET UP!” Don’t you hate it when the characters don’t listen to you.

Intimacy Scenes: In the beginning these scenes were very sad to me. Rocco was really broken. As the story progressed, they became sweet. My favorite was the van scene…VERY BOLD ROCCO!

Overall, I had fun using my detective skills to figure out what was going on. There are a few things that could have been a little tighter, but the romance and suspense were on point.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed feelings. Some aspects of this book are sooo frustrating, other aspects are better. I liked Rocco, and sympathized deeply with him. His PTSD was portrayed vividly. I liked the team of nine special ops and the war room in the basement. Also, I liked the bromance, the bond between Rocco and his fellow ops (all male). The linguistics aspect was cool, too.

But I didn't like Mandy!! The idiot sees that Rocco, who suffered badly in an Afghanistan explosion, has a really bad case of PTSD. One day, he's been flaking out in the street for hours. Poor man can barely stand to be around people or noise. What does she do? Talks him into going into a crowded cafe across the street, where he flakes out again!! A few days later, she coaxes him to go to a bar, to dance, exposing him to crowds, noise, and the deputy he's already crossed swords with. One would expect a therapist to be far more sensitive!

Also, Rocco is really suffering from his hallucinations and headaches, and then all of a sudden he is better, much too fast. Within a month at the horse ranch -- even before his tormented memories of his son are finally made straight -- he's seemingly back to normal, and able to chase down tangos. PTSD does not "heal" so quickly.

As for the suspense, it was fine, except these Red Team ops know better than to go off alone -- no partner -- with a terrorist on the loose. Also, they know better than to just get into a car with tinted windows without first checking to see who is behind the wheel, especially when terrorists are chasing them!! Stupid. But these guys cannot be so dense, so the author forces the plot in the direction she wants by sacrificing the good sense of her characters. Out the window with characterization.

The sex was HOT and there was a LOT of it. They were burning up the sheets, the walls, the counter tops, the shower, but it didn't do too much for me, because I just didn't feel an authentic emotional connection between the two. I cringed at sex in the back seat of the car while her brother and the others are standing outside, knowing what's going on and commenting on the rocking vehicle. Who does that?? Plus, they were making love while a team member was missing, maybe dying?

Misleading synopsis: Given the setting, the book synopsis, and the cover art, I expected -- and wanted -- horses to play a larger role in this book. Animal therapy, for PTSD.

But still, some parts were decent. I might read the sequel, to find out what happens. After all, Levine left one of the good guys -- all alone!! -- in a very precarious position.

Content: M-F sex, too much profanity(!), some violence, typos (but not enough to hinder the flow)

[Sheryl C. Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

First up, let me say that i bought this book on a whim from Amazon, after which i read up about Ms. Levine and realised this was her first foray into contemporary romantic suspense having previously written in the historical western genre.

Now, onto the review! A 5 star debut for sure!!! This book had ALL the elements i love; a kick-ass detailed story, a tortured hero and strong heroine and my favourite; lots of hot, sweaty smexing going on!

The Edge of Courage is the first book in Ms. Levine's Red Team series and by the looks of it, this is going to be an AWESOME series! Rocco Silas; an ex-Red Team operative, has come home from Afghanistan a broken man; haunted by extreme PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) brought about by being badly injured and losing his wife, child and unborn child in Afghanistan. He is sent to Mandy Fielding's ranch to help her out and keep an eye on her by his best friend Kit Bolanger (another ex-Red Team op), who also happens to be Mandy's half brother. He doesn't want to get involved with Mandy, knowing that he has too many demons to wrestle with, but Mandy see's beyond this and turns out to be his saving grace. Their relationship was beautiful to watch; how it developed, how Mandy helped Rocco overcome his demons and eventually how he opened up his heart and let Mandy in and in the process helped heal himself.

Mind you, while all this is going on there is still an extremely evil, bad guy/terrorist running around who is out to get Rocco (and by association, the other ex-Red Team ops) for something that happened back in Afghanistan and he won't stop. I'm guessing because this the start of a new series, it is for that reason that we will see more of him in the coming books.

We also get the meet the 2 other ex-Red Team operatives; Kit Bolanger and Ty Bladen whom i'm guessing the next 2 books will probably be based on...mmmmm...yummy... all that HOT, ALPHA-MALE deliciousness to come... CAN'T WAIT!!!

I'm sorry, i don't think i'm doing this book enough justice with my review, but suffice to say if you enjoy HOT, SEXY, romantic suspense, then you definitely need to check this book out!! You will NOT BE DISSAPOINTED!! And Ms. Levine, i CANNOT WAIT for the next book in you Red Team series!!!

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I found the writing a little hard to get into at first and the pace a little slow. But the reading groove finally kicked in at 40%, then it just flowed.

This is a little action packed read both with romance and nice amount of heat. There's nothing like a Special Ops man to get the hormones going! ;)

[~ Becs ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, at only 77p from Amazon and following a stellar review by Buggy, how could I resist?

I love me a tortured hero and that is exactly what you get with Rocco Silas. He's home from serving with the US Forces in Afghanistan after being deep undercover with the 'Red Team'. He's suffered a harrowing experience and is now totally screwed up with PTSD. He's barely functioning, struggling to differentiate between reality and his brutal flashbacks and hallucinations. The only thing that seems real to him is hunger and he is practically starving himself.

Fellow Red Team mate Kit asks him to go stay with his half-sister, Mandy, who is trying to set up an equestrian therapy centre which is being hampered by sabotage and the first half of the novel is dedicated to Rocco staying with Mandy and them slowly getting to know one another and, of course, fall in love.

Mandy helps Rocco bring himself back to life through her love and caring and it's beautifully done. Rocco has some very dark moments - in particular I remember him staring down the main street of the nearby town for hours and him scrubbing himself so hard he bled in the shower. I enjoyed the parallels between Mandy's progress with her skittish horse, Kitano, and her progress with Rocco.

The second half of the novel is given over to the rest of the Red Team descending on Mandy's farm to deal with the threat which turns out to be more of a Homeland Security style danger and this is where it starts to feel fairly reminiscent of Cindy Gerard's BOI's with a whole host of alpha heroes all waiting for their forever girls!

Mandy's brother reconnects with the girl he got pregnant when they were teenagers, Ty meets Eddie/Eden in a biker bar and Kelan gets fiercely protective over a very young Fee whom they abducted when investigating her step-father. All future Red Team stories, I suspect.

The suspense plot gathers pace and does get rather far-fetched but it's all good and certainly nowhere near resolved - we leave Ty in quite the predicament at the end of this one.

Anyway, a great start to a new suspense series with a collection of mouth-watering alphas to keep us entertained for a fair few books yet.

4 stars contemporary romantic suspense.

[Saly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books that has been rated highly by most of my GR friends and despite having it in my tbr for so long I never got around to it. But when I finally did read it, it fell flat for me. First off I didn't see why the heroine Mandy was so hung up on the hero when I didn't feel he had much to offer plus I didn't like his back-story, a pro with languages who was undercover in Afghanistan and for his cover got married and had a kid? I mean I love such a plot in the Americans but not in this one. He is suffering from PTSD and doesn't know what happened to his kid and somehow the heroine can make him better when no-one else can and their enemy makes his way to America to terrorize the heroine. The plot was full of holes for me.
The other characters also didn't pull me in much and from what I have heard of the heroine's of the next two books especially Kit's book doesn't make me inclined to continue with this series.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5

The first thing that came to mind as I was getting to know Rocco, was that this is one tortured guy. He's dealing with a case of PTSD takes over his life. He can't touch people, can't sleep, won't eat, all of the things he's doing make sense in his head, but even he recognizes that he's not acting like a normal person. The book opens with Rocco basically homeless, back in America after years of being deep under cover in Afghanistan where he infiltrated the inner circle of a warlord with ties to the Taliban. He gathered intel, relayed it to his handlers, Kit and Ty, and his cover included him marrying the warlord's daughter and they had a son. She found out about his double life and in the end, a bomb went off in the town, killing the wife he never loved and the son that he did, who everyone says died in the blast, but Rocco feels it in his gut that he's still alive. The only thing keeping Rocco going at this point is to get well enough mentally and physically so he can go back and find his son.

Rocco's friend Kit, asks him to head to his sister Mandy's ranch and help her out. She's been having problems come up and Kit, being concerned for her safety, sends Rocco her way. He's also hoping that Mandy can work her magic on Rocco and snap him out of the downward spiral he's on. Mandy's working toward opening up a therapeutic riding center, but with all the delays and setbacks, she needs Rocco's help, and he desperately needs hers. Rocco's past has found him on Mandy's ranch as his best friends Kit, Ty and a newly put together team make Mandy's ranch their home base while they try to get a lead on the man from Rocco's undercover past who wants him to suffer.

Quite a few things stood out to me in this one - it's probably the worst case of PTSD I've read about a character having to go through. I don’t know anyone personally who has suffered with this, so I can’t tell you if the depiction of Rocco and his PTSD is an accurate portrayal, but I sure felt for him. Rocco is so tortured, he checks out at the smallest trigger and has not only nightmares but daytime terrors. He sees things that aren't there, relives portions of the day the bomb went off, but never remembers the whole day. I immediately wanted this man to just find some peace. Mandy's used to dealing with skittish horses, animals that have been abused and mistreated she rehabs back, giving them a second chance. She starts working her same magic on Rocco, but it's not an easy path - that's what made their relationship have nice depth. She'd go two steps forward and one step back with him for much of the story, but eventually she became his rock. Rocco would use her to help center himself and from there, they started falling in love.

"I don't share my toys. And I don't play nice with others."

Mandy lifted her chin. "I'm not a toy."

Something changed in his expression. Hardened. His eyes went glacial. The planes of his face grew rigid. He bent down close to her and spoke through clenched teeth.

"No, you're not. You know what you are?" he asked in a quiet voice. She braced herself for all the cutting things he would say, shocked by how much his opinion would affect her.

"You are sunshine and moonlight, laughter and joy, a life lived entirely without fear. You heard the call of a dream and made it a reality. You are everything I believed I was fighting for all those years."

Mandy and Rocco have some steamy sex scenes, and even thought their romance takes some time to build, I enjoyed them as a couple and loved seeing the effect Mandy has on Rocco and his recovery. As Rocco gets better, his alpha side comes out more and more and it was a nice progression for him.

I liked how the supporting characters were brought into the story just enough to get to know them and set up their stories, especially in the case of Ty and Kit, Rocco's best friends. Both men have angsty pasts, Kit being driven out of town after being accused of rape from the father of the girl he loved. Now he's back in town, Ivy, the woman he still loves is back, add to the mix their daughter and that is one story I can't wait to see unfold. Ty has what feels like the most painful past, growing up with an abusive father and Ty's story ends in a cliffhanger at the end of THE EDGE OF COURAGE. He's in tough spot when the book ends and I can't wait to see how he gets out of his current situation and how he starts to deal with the demons in his past.

A couple of things that didn't really work for me and the reason for my rating, the dialogue at times felt a little stiff and there were moments at the end, during the final fight that felt a little disjointed. A couple scenes had me thinking that the good guys were getting out situations a little too easily and the ending for Mandy and Rocco wraps up in a very happy ending...it's almost too much so. Which, yes I know, coming from a reviewer at a blog called Happily Ever After probably doesn't make sense, but it just felt too perfect and laid on a little thick. However, after everything Rocco went through, all the years of his life that he gave up being undercover and the people he loved and lost, it's hard to be all that critical about the happiness he's finally finding in life.

Overall, I found myself quickly drawn into this story, and Rocco's struggles and it was hard to put down. Rocco is a character that will have you aching for him and wanting him to start to find a reason to live again. This was a nice start to this series and I'm anxious to get the other men's stories.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a steal from Amazon at just .99. You never know what you're going to get when you decide to try the cheap or freebie reads from Amazon and in this case a new-to-me author Elaine Levine, but The Edge of Courage was a great, surprise find.

Rocco Silas was a tortured hero. Suffering from a bad case of PTSD and on the verge of ending it all to escape his guilt and nightmares, Rocco decides to take his buddy Kit up on his offer to help his sister Mandy around her property where she’s in the process of constructing a rehabilitation centre with horses.

Rocco had suffered a great loss and experienced an extremely difficult uncover assignment for many years embedded in the Afghan culture. When he returned to the States a broken, traumatized man, he didn’t like to be touched, didn’t sleep, had episodes where he zoned out...he was a man walking a fine line between life and death. Mandy was able to reel him in, talk him down and at times it was like she was trying to train and sooth a wild, skittish horse. Mandy seemed to be the only one who could crack Rocco’s shield.

I love watching Mandy get through to Rocco through her believe in him and her growing attraction and love for this guilt-ridden man.

Add in some suspicious events that force her brother Kit home along with another friend Blade and a whole host of testosterone fuelled black op team members out to foil a plot bent on revenge and it all amounts to a whole lot action of goodness.

I will admit to enjoying the first part of the book more where the focus was solely on Rocco and Mandy. Once the Calvary arrived and the action heated up, lots more characters were introduced and Levine has a whole cast of interesting characters to chose from for future books in the series.

Since she left Blade in a pretty bad way, I’m guessing his story is up next. I’m interested to see how she digs him out of his current predicament.

[D.G.]

DNFed at 50%

I'm a fan of Eric Dove so I got this audiobook because he was the narrator. Sadly, the story didn't do it for me. I couldn't understand the romance - the hero suffered from such a serious case of PTSD that he was barely functioning so I couldn't understand how the heroine was falling for him.

Then the story switched to him (still with PTSD), joining some sort of off the books black ops outfit to fight the Taliban in Wyoming. Nothing against Wyoming (I'm sure there are terrorists anywhere) but to base a whole series in such a premise seemed too eye-rolling for words.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 5 out of 5]

4-1/2 stars. Very well done story of a man with extreme PTSD. He had some MAJOR problems and he didn't get over them in a hurry. He was very well written. The heroine was not as well developed and that is really where the story lost the half star. We knew almost nothing about her other that she was a nice woman. They fell in love sort of fast but I'll buy it since she helped him get his head back on straight. I would like to see them somewhere down the road to make sure that they will stay together. There were some really realistic touches like the fact that after seven years under cover in Afganistan, the hero had problems with how much skin the heroine showed. Small touches like that really upped the intense feel of the book.


In the second half of the book we are introduced to a bunch of men who are ex military who work with a private merc type group now. A familiar set up but one I enjoy. So there should be lots of stories to come. The author started the set up of several of the characters stories here and I'll be interested to see if she can keep several story lines running throughout the next books.

Can't wait for the next one.

[Shelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's probably nothing wrong with this book, let's blame this one on me. I'm am stuck in the mother of all ruts, and nothing is holding my interest. I'm reading sentences three and four times and still not retaining anything. Nothing is is sticking. This book has several things I usually am very excited to get my hands on, and even though it's been a few weeks since I picked up this book, (usually the details aren't this fleeting for me) but I can't even remember the hero and heroine's names.

This rut will be the death of me, I swear it. If this book looks interesting to you, check out Buggy's review or Elizabeth's. Both had me excited to start this book will give you a better idea of what this book has to offer. Neither are to blame for my dislike, lol - I sincerely hope this rut ends soon!

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since seeing all the buzz about this book from my GRs friends, I thought I would give it a try. I am so glad I did. The price was awesome, but the book was even better. I liked Roco and Mandy. Roco was a very damaged hero after being undercover for the last 7 years. Now he is through and trying to love with PSTD and not doing very well. Then Kit his friend asked him to go help Kit's sister out, where someone seems to be trying to sabotage her riding school. The suspense part of the story isn't as strong and is kind of cloudy, but the romance made up for it. It is going to cover the story arc, so I am sure it will get better. We have met our other sexy men of coming books and I can't wait for their stories. Dibs on the tatt'ed up pirate. :-)

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG Talk about a tortured hero. Your heart breaks for Rocco to the point that all you want to do is crawl into bed and cry because you know that PTSD is real and many of our service men are living with this.

Beyond the nightmare was a really good story that I really enjoyed. I look forward to reading the series. There is a cliff hanger at the end and I can't wait to find out what happened to Ty.

[Lady Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I REALLY wanted to like this story, but it fell short of my expectations. The characters were great, but the story was so busy (way too much going on for my taste).

[Tracy T. · Rating 1 out of 5]

UGH! This hero was annoying! I did not like this. (audible whispersync review)

Wow, I had such a hard time getting through this story. It truly was a struggle to like this hero he was so messed up. Major PTSD, repetitive thoughts, and then lets throw some Survivors Guilt right on top! UGH!.......

This hero, Rocco is so messed up in the head from Afghanistan the only reason I believe the heroine, Mandy likes him is because he is hot, it sure is not because of his personality. The chemistry between these two is just not genuine at all. The character development was very poor as far as Maddy. And Rocco character was just not good. Bleh...

There are some hot and steamy sex scene. However the last one stands out as pretty ridiculous at about 92%.

Here is the scene. They are both in a car with the bad guy, the car is loaded with a bomb, Rocco gets Mandy to jump out and run before it explodes, she does. About 2 minutes later the SUV blows up, of course Mandy thinks he is still in the SUV (who wouldn't) but no a few minutes later Rocco comes walking out of the smoke all dirty and smutty from the smoke. Mandy runs into his arms and this is what he says "Mandy I need you now, I want to be in you". So he takes her to an empty SUV parked a little ways away from the explosion and they hop in and have descriptive sex. Meanwhile, this whole area is surrounded by cops, the bomb squad, his buddies and her brother and they go bang in an empty vehicle. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! REALLY?! That has to be one of stupidest scenes ever!

The story line and plot seemed to be all over the place, not cohesive at all. Needless to say I didn't care for this book very much. I liked it from 65%-79% That was the best part of the book. Yeah! A whole 14% over half way through.

As for the narration, that is the only reason I kept listening (and hoping the story would get better) I love Eric Dove, he is a fantastic narrator, he gives everyone a their own voice, the women sound like women and his reading voice is fantastic. He reads with emotion, yelling, coughing, whispering etc.. Just fantastic.

I cannot recommend this story but I do recommend the narrator!
So glad I got this book free on amazon and 1.99 for the audible whispersync. But I did lose 9 hours of my life. UGH...

[Hbeebti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow I am so glad that I got this for my Birthday! Rocco and Mandy were magic. But this not an easy relationship at all. Poor Rocco was tearing me apart with his PTSD. I mean his was the worst I have read about in one my stories. I loved the way that Mandy never gave up and the way that she worked with him to slowly heal. I cannot wait for the next book. Wonder who it will be about. Ty or Kit? I'm rooting for Ty after what happened at the end. The wait is killing me.

[AerinLuvs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure if it will be 3.5 or 4 stars. At this point I am leaning towards 3.5 because I almost DNF.

It started off okay, but the MC-hero is suffering from pretty terrible PTSD and there was too much unpleasantness to read associated with it; he gets set off by random things and he thinks he has dead and burnt flesh on his body... In one scene he had just been making out with MC-heroine but he goes to the restroom and starts taking a shower, and starts hallucinating and when the heroine walks in 45 minutes later, he is crouched in the shower all bloody because he has scrubbed his skin raw and is bleeding in the now cold shower...talk about a mood kill.

So there was a lot of PTSD hallucinations and memories, and he is blocking something and he can't remember that his son was killed in a bomb explosion that his afghani wife set off by getting explosives taped to her torso???he recalls images of him holding the bloody torso of his little boy for hours in shock and grief in Afghanistan! that seems to be a terrible memory that he has repressed that he recalls at about the 50% mark. However, this grief point was ruined or made better at the end it turns out his son is alive and he is brought to the ranch! which I thought was a cop out. Why go through the trouble of creating a heartbreaking background if it's not even going to be consistent?

There was a lot of erotic tension and quite a few (around 4) love scenes. It was sizzling! That was about the best part of this book, although it was not enough to qualify as erotica. The heroine is like able, and would have liked to read more about her ranch being set up to be a therapeutic riding center.

I read this book because it qualified for a challenge where the setting had to be on a ranch that raises horses. I wish more horse stuff had been in the storyline and not so much PTSD. I thought some of the dialogue was a bit awkward in a couple spots. This is a good writer however, she just needs to make her pleasure reading parts outnumber the unpleasant reading parts. Since it was free on Amazon, I can't complain too much, but I'm not going to be reading more books in this series at this point.

It was a solid Romantic Suspense story however with a good mystery and action-suspense!

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Not what I was expecting. The suspense was good. The hero is really messed up. The heroine is basically a saint. Not sure I loved the romance so much but am definitely interested in continuing the series. the world building was great. HFN ending.

[Daisy Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh My Goodness! Oh My Goodness! This book has so many things that make a book wonderful! We have romance, soldiers (in and out of uniform), mystery, suspense, danger…….This book has it all!

Synopsis:

Rocco is a soldier back from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD. He shows up at Mandy’s ranch, at the request of his friend and her half-brother, to figure out why she’s having so many problems on her ranch. Along the way they get drawn into intrigue and danger, all while dealing with his PTSD.

Review:

I love books with soldiers, whether they’re broken from war or all in one piece. There’s just something about a man in or out of uniform. Elaine Levine does a fantastic job of building a soldier who’s suffering from his time in Afghanistan. Others have given up on him but Mandy sticks by his side. She has a healing and gentle touch that works wonders with Rocco. She’s gentle and understanding while not letting him back down and hide from the horrors he needs to face. I fell in love with Rocco and I’m happily married! Elaine created a character so real and brought to life the many problems and horrors so many of our soldiers face when they come home. She also gave a glimpse into what happens to them when others don’t understand what it’s like for them. She also shows how a little understanding and patience can go a long way to helping them.

The story was fast paced and Elaine Levine painted a very real world. I could easily picture the area and everything going on around the ranch. The characters she created were realistic and enjoyable. I especially like how the team mates of Rocco were not all dreamy and gorgeous. She described them as real people with individual and distinct personalities.

Elaine Levine did an excellent job of taking current events and bringing them to life in the story. I held back on giving this one a five star rating as I had a hard time understanding Mandy. I completely understood Rocco and the problems he was facing. Mandy fell a little flat for me. She was patient and understanding but I didn’t get much of a sense of her past or why she was building the hippotherapy center. It was a long ways into the book before we learned she was a trained physical therapist.

Last but not least, Elaine Levine put my favorite thing in a book that is part of a series……a CLIFFHANGER! I can’t wait to read the next story in the series and find out what happens next. But sadly, the next book is not out yet and so I must wait……

Read more reviews at http://www.mysecretromancebookreviews...

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rocco Silas has returned home from Afghanistan. He has a severed case of PTSD. Rocco has been in deep under cover pretending to be a Afghan for 7 years H,e is a language savant so he passes easily as an Afghan because. He can read and write most middle eastern languages. He even goes as far over the 7 years to marry the daughter of a tribal leader. His wife Kadisha Halim and he have a son name Zavijar. Rocco is pulled out of Afghan after the whole village he and his wife lives in is bombed. Rocco's wife and son and unborn child are killed in the explosion. Rocco believes his son Zavijar is alive in Afghanistan. He is preparing to return to find him, even though he has been told the boy was killed along with his mother. To keep him from returning he is asked by his best friend Kit Bolanger to go to Wolf Creek Bend and find out want is happening at his sister's Wolf Valley Therapeutic Riding Center. Mandy is experiencing some strange destructive happenings at her center. Once there Rocco quickly concludes that someone is causing these frequent accidents. Mandy witness Rocco's PTSD attacks and his unstable mental ability, but they immediately start a relationship and having some pretty erotic sex. This happen to fast the man was very unstable, but he turns around pretty quickly after they become involved. This just didn't ring true!!

Mandy's brother Kit returns with the entire Red Team and they start investing what is happening in Wolf Creek Bend. There are Afghan terrorist trying to kill Kit and his entire Red Team. There are White Supremacy Skin Head groups, Drug Lords. All converging on Wolf Creek it was just to much going on. I felt the author should have edited back a little and introduced all the Terror groups over a few more books in the series to get the maximum effect. I Thought The Edge of Courage would have had more of an paranormal element and maybe it will as the stories go on. But it wasn't enough for me. The story was written well. Lots of characters are introduced. I just don't think this is the type of Suspense Paranormal Romance series I am looking for. With that said it wasn't a bad story. It just didn't fit my personal likes.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Edge of Courage is about men returning from war and joining a special organization, in this case a team of men who will help with Homeland Security. Parts of the story are very well done. Rocco is one of the most tortured heroes I've read, and Levine does what I consider an amazing job with his PTSD symptoms. Mandy is a consistent heroine who doesn't do stupid things. She's a little too perfect at times, but she's sweet and likeable. The book drags some as the rest of the "team" is introduced, setting up for future books. I do like that Levine sets up several of the love stories in this book, hooking the reader into wanting to find out what happens. Along with the possible romances, the book ends with parts of the suspense plot unresolved.

The main suspense plot is not the strongest part of the story. I might feel that way because I'm getting tired of the type of villain. Since the reader doesn't know what's really going on until a good way into the book, I won't reveal anything about the villain that might be a spoiler.

Overall The Edge of Courage is a decent romantic suspense book. However, it doesn't break any new ground. Other than a better than average handling of severe PTSD, it's standard ex-military hotties saving the world. ;-)

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book in the Red Team series by Elaine Levine. Rocco Silas has a bad case of PTSD and has returned to Wyoming. He is having a rough time of it when his buddy calls to ask him to go to his sister, Mandy's ranch and work as a handyman. Strange incidents have Rocco suspicious. Something is going on and Mandy could be in danger. Mandy isn't sure that this strange tormented man could be any use to her while she gets her therapeutic riding center up and running.

First of all - cliffhanger! While the romance element was dealt with, there is a story line that continues through to the next book and you will want to read these in order. I liked the story. The PTSD portion took up a lot of the story and it was heartbreaking to read. I know PTSD is a serious condition and many of our brave soldiers suffer from it. But I read to escape and it was hard for me to escape. So anyone wanting a light fluffy read, forget it! I would recommend with reservation.

[Christi Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL review coming soon, but OMG, this book was so good. I cannot wait for the rest of this series!

My Review:

OMG, what an amazing, wonderful book and start to this series. I am a HUGE romantic suspense fan and this book is right up there with the best of the best. Such a good book and you all are going to LOVE Red Team...


This book is Rocco's book. He's been deep undercover in Afghanistan for years. Unfortunately, that ended and everything went to hell. There was a massive explosion in the village where he was living, costing him everything...even seemingly his sanity. He's back in the US and managed to fake his way out of the military's health care, but he was covering up a ton to do it. He is nowhere close to being healed. PTSD seems too mild of a description for the hell that he's going through (I know, right?!?) OMG, my heart simply ached for this guy.


Then there's Mandy. She's building a therapeutic equestrian center in Wyoming. She's Kit's (part of Red Team) sister and he's sent Rocco to her to help...help Mandy because someone is sabotaging the work on the Center and help Rocco because Kit knows that Rocco is in a really bad place and Mandy can help him recover.


I loved both of the main characters, but I absolutely fell in love with every other character in this book...and there are a bunch of them. You get glimpses into several of their stories and I am so excited. This was an amazing first book, but already the basis is there for many more books to come. There are a total of 9 guys on this team and each and every one of them has a great story to tell. Closest to Rocco are Kit and Blade. Kit's story is already so intriguing, but Blade's had a bit of a cliffhanger in this one so I am dying as to whose story is coming next.


The setting for this series is Wyoming ranch country...so gorgeous and it provides such amazing ambiance for the series. As a Texas gal, I love the ranch settings here.


Everything about this book was well-done. The suspense was fabulous. The romance was breathtaking...Really, really gorgeous, emotional, and beautiful. The story provided so many gorgeous moments full of emotion. I laughed and I definitely cried. Such a great book. Elaine Levine, you have a new fan!!!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of Courage.........by Elaine Levine
This novel had an emotionally broken hero that tore at your heart. Rocco Silas is a former military Red Team operative, and lived deeply undercover in Afghanistan for several years.
He has seen the worst of humanity and carries the mental and physical scars with him no matter where he goes. After returning to the U.S. he is treated at Walter Reed for his PTSD. Drugs that left him numb, and unable to function were their answers for him. He pretended he was fine, secretively stopped taking the drugs, and hit the road. One of his teammates, Kit Bolanger, pleads with Rocco to help his half-sister Mandy Fielding. She is trying to get a therapeutic riding school off the ground and is running into some disturbing issues. Vandalism, theft and exiting employees are threatening her plans. 
Mandy , our heroine, is a beautiful, strong and caring woman. She is a trained massage therapist, and has an amazing way of calming children, adults and animals. At their first meeting Mandy can see the pain and conflict in Rocco's life, and soon learns the gravity of his PTSD. He feels he is a broken man, not deserving of comfort or peace. Mandy feels very differently .
It was such a relief when Rocco finally realized how lucky he was to have Mandy in his life, and he vowed to protect her with his own. Very dangerous men from Rocco, Kits, and their other teammate Ty's past threaten their future, and Mandy's .
This novel was action-packed, and contained a beautiful love story. I very much enjoyed meeting the Red Team, and immediately bought the next book in the series. I downloaded this book because I saw it mentioned on a couple blogs, and it looked very interesting. It was way more than that. I highly recommend this novel to readers who enjoy military romances with a bit of cowboy.

[Paula Legate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have ever read that described what it’s like in detail what someone goes through when they have PTSD. My husband served 23 years in the Army and I am so thankful, and blessed that my husband never dealt with PTSD.
Rocco had served deep undercover in Afghainistan. He returns home broken with PTSD. He can’t eat, because the hunger pains are the only thing that seems real. If he sleeps he has night mares, so he tried never to sleep. He can’t be touched by anyone.

When he comes home he starts working for Mandy. She is his angel. She gets him to trust her. She also starts slowly getting him to eat. By the end of the book, he is almost completely healed.

This book is very intense, and emotional. The author is a very talented writer!

Sample from chapter 16
When he opened the door to the hallway, he stood unmoving as he looked at his future. He was hollow inside, a shell of a man. He had a choice to make. Live or die.
Fight or quit. Be or stop. He heard Mandy laugh in the kitchen. In the middle of the hell that had become her life, she could still laugh. The guys were gathering in the living room, hungry for breakfast. They’d been up all night. Like him, they were anxious to find Blade. It seemed, whether he was done with life or not, it wasn’t done with him. It beckoned at the end of the hall. He knew if he accepted what it offered, he would be starting over. He would have to put the past behind him. Become a man reborn, a man who looked forward rather than backward.