Walking the Edge

Danger in the Big Easy #1

by Sue Ward Drake, Allyson Ryan (Narrator)

Ex-army ranger Mitch Guidry never should have let his brothers talk him into joining them in the Big Easy. Particularly when they have him going head-to-head with the very last thing he a feisty redhead who has more opinions than even his hard-headed brothers. Loyal and overprotective to a fault, Catherine Hurley will do everything she can to stop Mitch from finding her fugitive brother...and yet, he can't get enough of her.

Cath should be furious with the overbearing ex-ranger who shows up on her doorstep looking for her brother. Sure, Mitch Guidry is hotter than a Louisiana summer and pushes every one of her buttons, but he's also an immediate threat to her family, and family is everything to Cath. Unfortunately, the only way to save her brother is to stick to Mitch like glue. But sharing close quarters with him while they search for her missing brother together proves to be more than a little challenging...particularly when it comes to protecting her heart.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Romance

Audible Audio

First published December 29, 2020

About the author

Award-winning author, Sue Ward Drake, loves using her experiences living in a farmhouse in Greece and her years in the French Quarter as fuel for her stories as often as possible.

For news of the next thrilling Big Easy Brothers romantic suspense and other romances, visit www.SueWardDrake.com

or sign up for her newsletter and get a free story: https://suewarddrake.com/sign-up-for-...

Follow me!
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@SueWardDrake

Facebook: www.facebook.com/SueWardDrake

Instagram: www.instagram.com/suedrakeauthor/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sue-w...

Reviews

[Sandy S · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars--WALKING THE EDGE is the first instalment in Sue Ward Drake’s contemporary, adult DANGER IN THE BIG EASY romantic, suspense series. This is former army ranger turned bounty hunter Mitch Guidry, and tour operator Catherine Hurley’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Mitch and Catherine) WALKING THE EDGE follows Mitch Guidry as he is tasked with his first assignment working for his brothers at Big Easy Bounty Hunters. His target, Les Hurley, a young man who didn’t show up for court but a young man who is believed to be hiding at his sister’s house. Enter tour operator Catherine Hurley. Catherine knows her brother’s case is upcoming but she had no idea that her brother was wanted for skipping his hearing thus the arrival of the bounty hunters at her front door. An injured man, her brother on the run, and several attempts on our heroine’s life including kidnapping, gun shots and setting her house on fire, force Mitch Guidry to become protector as well as hunter when he witnesses first hand the numerous attacks against the woman with whom he will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Mitch and Catherine, and the potential fall-out as the barrage of violence increases catching Mitch in the crossfire.

Mitch Guidry needs to prove he is worthy of working for Big Easy Bounty Hunters, and his first assignment is about to spiral out of control. Considered the family screw up for sins of the past, Mitch is forced to prove his he more than capable of working for the family own business. Catherine Hurley owns a company that give ghost tours in the Big Easy but our heroine worries about her younger brother, a deaf man who seems to have gotten himself into a bit of trouble with drugs and hanging out with the wrong crowd. Meeting Mitch Guidry, the man who has been charged with taking her brother into custody, finds Catherine torn between head and heart as the couple work together to stay one step ahead of the people trying to destroy them both.

The relationship between Catherine and Mitch begins acrimoniously when Mitch and his brothers arrive to arrest Catherine’s brother Les. A struggle ensues wherein Mitch’s brother is injured, and Les Is on the run. In an effort to find their missing charge, Mitch is told to stay close to our heroine, a proximity that brings our couple up close and personal. The $ex scenes are passionate and spirited without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.


We are introduced to Mitch’s older brothers and co-owners of Big Easy Bounty Hunters-Jack, Kurt, and Hal Guidry, and their aunt Edi; Catherine’s brother Les; her PA Bea Harvey; neighbour Rhonda Owens; former colleague and tour operator Paul DiMartino, and his uncle Lloyd Benedetto.

WALKING THE EDGE is a story of family, betrayal, and vengeance; secrets and lies; retaliation, deception, power and control. The premise is edgy; the romance is tender; the characters are colorful and energetic. There are a few rough spots where the story feels jumpy and uneven, but overall a good start to a new series.

www.thereadingcafe.com

[Vicky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ghost hunter and a bounty hunter come together to track down a fugitive! Catherine Hurley is brought together with ex-Army Ranger Mitch Guidry because her brother jumped his bail.
Her brother is afraid and he is deaf and so the two of them decide to combine forces , but not always in tune with each other! The messes and havoc the two create not only because they don’t communicate, but the sexual tension between the two is red hot!

I loved the storyline and the bounty hunter brother characters, but the writing style was all over the place and I actually had to walk away from the book several times and reread sections in order to clarify what was happening and who was who and what was connected.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions.

[Monae Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story there is a guy named Mitch Guidry who is an ex-army ranger. His brothers talk him into joining their Big Easy Bounty Hunter firm in New Orleans. He has to end up helping a woman named Catherine Hurley find her brother who goes on the run.

She doesn’t want Mitch to find her brother because she feels that he will arrest her brother. He pushes all of her buttons. She and Mitch don’t seem to like each other in this book but they are attracted to one another. I think that after all of their back and forth it was a little too rushed at the end for me. After their constant back and forth he proposes marriage to her when they didn’t even go on any dates together.

I felt that the ending was a little too rushed and I felt like they weren’t into each other for him to propose to her.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) Suspense - check, romance - check. Wounded Alpha Warrior - check, snarky tough women - check. The checked the boxes I look for and had the added element of the deaf. The PTSD and for our alpha and the deaf for two of the characters were extremely well done, sharing something we can all use and remember. Thanks for that Sue Ward Drake. I wanted to rate the book higher, after all it checks the boxes, but the beginning had me waffling on finishing the book and it took a little longer to read as I rose and sank with the learning curve. I am glad I stuck with it, as I read I could feel the author become more comfortable in sharing her story and I will be looking for book 2. Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the arc. I freely share my unsolicited opinions.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

I am on the fence on this one. I think the story was good. I LOVED that there were characters who were deaf but while a hurtile it was not a disability. It gave the characters some different definition than other suspense.

The problem was the writing. I had a hard time with it and had to figure out a lot of things than normal. I spent a good amount of time looking back on something or other because it was not what was originally said/described.

I think this book had a lot of potential but just needed a little more time.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up Walking the Edge because I enjoyed Katie Ruggle’s Rocky Mountarin Bounty Hunter books earlier this year and was excited to see another series about bounty hunters. While I enjoyed all the action and the details in the New Orleans setting, I felt like there were too many under-developed elements. The wrap up, in particular, was less than satisfying. Once the identities of the people pursuing Cath and her brother were revealed, I needed more explanation of their motives and more details about their operation.

[Resting Book Face · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited about the opportunity to read this book because I love romantic suspense. What I liked: the characters of Cath and Mitch (both very likeable), and the New Orleans setting, What I didn't personally care for: the writing style. In fact, I had a tough time following the story sometimes because the writing style seemed very choppy and disconnected. Overall, I struggled to get through this one. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC for review.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking the edge by Sue Ward Drake.
This is book 1 of danger in the big easy.
Mitch is a bounty officer who is after Les. Cath Les's sister is protecting her brother. Can Mitch and Cath work together to bring her brother in?
Wow I loved this book. I loved the sizzle between Cath and Mitch. Wow it wasn't who I thought it was. I didn't want this book to end so I read it slow. I loved the cover. Hoping to read more in this series. 5* highly recommended.

[Leah Hines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters. I liked the plot. The brother bounty hunters was interesting and unique. That being said I did not enjoy the writing style at all. It was very disjointed and at times felt very amateurish. There was a lot that was undeveloped, and there was a lack of suspense. I never felt that tension while reading. I also didn't feel invested enough. This one was a miss for me.

[Sandra Berryman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book was promising but I had a hard time finishing it. The story line was good but the elements of the book just didn't work together. There was not enough suspense and, at times, seemed disjointed. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never quite warmed up to the characters in this book so it took longer to get through than normal. The author did a good job of incorporating the invisible battle wounds of war and the hard of hearing characters into the story without preaching.

[K-BRC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking The Edge by Sue Ward Drake is a must read! You’ve got me with a New Orleans setting, then you steal my heart with a deaf character. These 4 brothers and their stories may be my newest faves for book boyfriends. I can wait to read this entire series.

[Tripip · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I loved the synopsis, I had a difficult time getting into this book. The writing was so choppy, I couldn't enjoy the story. I gave up at about half way.

[Hannah]

DNF maybe I'll try again later

[William · Rating 3 out of 5]

At some point I had added this to my must read list, I don’t recall why. It was an okay mystery/thriller. I didn’t care much for the characters. Not sure I will read anymore in the series.