On the Edge of Love

Mama's Brood #1

by Shay Rucker

Zeus, the newest and most unstable member of a group of mercenaries known as Mama’s Brood, is given the order to protect Sabrina Samora. Sabrina knows beyond a doubt, the only person she can truly trust is herself; letting anyone else in will inevitably lead to disaster.

Problem? Zeus has no respect for her boundaries. Habitually indifferent to the desires and motivations of others, Zeus wants Sabrina. She has the power to muzzle his worst impulses and unbalance his world, and he means to have her.

Will Zeus be able to protect Sabrina from the sociopathic killer obsessed with making her his own, will he lose her to her own impulse to run, or will they both discover that the world is a better place when you don’t have to exist in it alone?

Genres: Interracial Romance, Romance, Action, Abuse, Contemporary, Dark, Erotica

317 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 20, 2015

About the author

Romance, fantasy, and horror may seem to be a strange combination for some, but I love reading these genres as much as I love writing in them.

I can't imagine my writing existing without elements of darkness and light.

My perfect life: The Sacred Trio, good health, loved ones, reading, writing, travel, adventure, and simply sitting down with someone and sharing who we are.

Reviews

[Baba]

DNF @50%, no rating. Ranty review posted May 20, 2016



“I really want to fuck you,”...





“Now can we have sex?”
“You’re out of your mind,” she said, plopping down on the side of the bed. “For real. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as single-minded as you.”
“You probably never will. That’s just how it is. You have sex with me, the compulsion goes away, and we won’t need to do it ever again, won’t even have to talk to each other ever again. That’s the best part.”
“You know, I’m sure this is your best attempt at seduction, but even with all this suave finesse, I am not going to have sex with you.”
He grunted. “You will.”



“Two, he hasn’t fucked me yet. That’s what you were going to say, isn’t it, Zeus?”
“Absolutely.”
“You’re an idiot.”

For once we're on the same page.

He watched her through the thin shower curtain, perched on the edge of the bed with a hard-on powerful enough to puncture six inches of steel plating.

My mental response to this un-fucking-belivably annoying dick asshole psycho:



He promised his dick here and now, once he got her to her apartment, it would only be worshipped by the wetness of her core, her mouth. That was the only thing it deserved after displaying such extreme patience and restraint.

“You were imagining having sex with me, weren’t you?”
“No.”
“Yes, you were. You don’t have to be ashamed. I think about fucking you every time I look at you. Every time I smell you.”

And I was thinking...



He’d been prepared to answer her questions only because he wanted her to feel more comfortable around him. When a woman felt comfortable, she was more likely to lie back and spread her legs with a smile.



SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX I WANT TO FUCK YOU I WANT TO FUCK YOU I WANT TO FUCK YOU I WANT TO FUCK YOU NOW CAN WE HAVE SEX NOW CAN WE HAVE SEX NOW CAN WE HAVE SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON
SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX I WANT TO FUCK YOU I WANT TO FUCK YOU I WANT TO FUCK YOU I WANT TO FUCK YOU NOW CAN WE HAVE SEX NOW CAN WE HAVE SEX NOW CAN WE HAVE SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX SEX DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK DICK HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON HARD-ON


QUESTION
IS HE MENTAL OR WHAT? DOES THIS IDIOT'S MIND CONTAIN MORE THAN HARD-ONS AND FUCKING?

On the very first page

The more he watched her, the more a strange, hot need, almost as strong as his need for his blades, compelled him to do things, but just with her.

And then still at 1%

I am going to penetrate her in so many ways. Her body would feel good, strong but soft, yielding and resisting. Perfect for penetration.

Right then and there I knew this wouldn't end well for me.


Let me say that I'm not sorry at all before I'm going to bombard you with some mind-boggling quotes reading excerpts. #SorryNotSorryAtAll

Quotes and excerpts

Women were impressed with men who had property. If she was impressed, she’d be more enthusiastic about having sex with him.

Hubba-hubba. Me fucky fucky you?? Sorry for the bad English but I just couldn't help it.

He would buy a place in Oakland, she would live in it, and whenever he came through town he would stop there and he would fuck her for as long as he liked; then he would move on. It was perfect… unless the sex was bad. Then the whole deal was scrapped.

Hello, Captain Obvious! I'm being sarcastic. Blah.



The tip of his tongue burrowed deep into her belly button, as if this were a way to reach the cradle of liquid pooling in her womb, catching it before it trickled down the swollen passage of her vagina.

I've had some seriously fucked-up headdesk moments whilst reading this book.


She lost what little sense she had as she came in waves of wetness that rushed from her body, bathing her ass and thighs. His mouth and fingers played in her essence until all she could do was buck and shake as her vaginal walls convulsed with the longest and most intense orgasm she had ever experienced. Just as the spasms dissipated, Zeus pumped another finger into her tightness, stretching her almost beyond reason, and just that quickly the sensations grew more, not less intense, and again her body was flung against the hard truth of another orgasm.

Unmoving except for the throb of his penis inside her, the weight of his silver gaze bearing down on her, the contraction of her inner walls trying to ease around the thickness and length of him expanding her so extremely she was riding the edge of pain. It was too much. He was too much. If he moved, she was terrified he would break something essential inside of her and she’d never be able to have sex with another man again.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she pushed farther back, fighting not to groan as her pussy released one ridge of him after another. Just keep going, her mind whispered. He’d be out and she’d roll away before he could slip back in, and she could calmly explain why this would never work with him being as big as he was and her being as tight and out of practice as she was.

She arched, hips moving to his relentless pace. His mouth found her nipple again, and the world fell into darkness, sparkles of light, like embers raining down and detonating in a barrage of orgasms so powerful they nearly separated her consciousness from her body. She was trying to stay sane when she felt Zeus’s rhythm increase, felt him stiffen and shout, felt his hot seed sear into her inner flesh.

Looks like she was having multiple orgasms at the same time. Astounding. The writing and these characters seared themselves into my inner flesh, all right.

“Say it,” Zeus found himself ordering her again, jarring her from sleep. He wasn’t sure why he wanted to hear the words, but it was important.
“Please let me sleep,” she mumbled.
“Say it, or there’s no telling what I’ll be forced to do.”
Her arms came around his shoulders as she stroked the back of his head. “Best fuck I ever had.”
“Will ever have,” he said, reminding her of the rest.
“Best I will ever have.”

I never drink, but I might need one.Right.The.Fuck.Now.



He’d probably have to take her two or three more times before the need went away. Four at the most. He rarely had the same woman more than once. Never more than twice. They tended to think they mattered after the second time, but they never did.

I quote word for word:

An image of her riding some dark-skinned man flashed through Zeus’s mind. The blade faltered, broke rhythm, then became a metallic blur as rage consumed him like hellfire. In the blink of an eye he gripped the blade’s hilt and used another unnamed, consuming emotion to propel it across the room, where it lodged into the wall. He grabbed the used condom from the mattress, tried to breathe some control back into his mind and body, but the room was too small, like a fucking coffin. His heart beat in his chest like a beast slamming into the bars of its cage, fighting to be get free. What was this? Was he dying? Should she die for making him feel this way?



He turned around, watched her sleep soundly, unaware of the destructive energy gathering inside him. He couldn’t allow her to disrupt his blades’ rhythm. Walking to the foot of the bed, he pulled down the thin sheet until it was pooled below her feet. If she disrupted his rhythm, she weakened his bond with the spirits of the blade. If his bond was weakened, he would be vulnerable. The day he’d devoted himself to the blade, he’d pledged to never again be vulnerable. He liked being inside of her, liked the heat of her pussy as it gripped him and drew him deeper, but he wouldn’t die for her. Wouldn’t die for anyone. He had to cut out the vulnerability, get her out of his system.
Using his blade-free hand, he grabbed another condom packet, bit into it, and sheathed the thin protection over his thickness. Reaching down, he grabbed Sabrina’s ankles, turning her until she lay on her stomach. The roundness of her ass caused blood to pound through his shaft as it pointed in the direction it needed to go.
Sabrina stirred. “Zeus?” she called, her voice still thick with sleep as she rose up on her elbows and turned to look behind her. He saw her eyes widen as she took in his erection, the blade in his hand, and the wild destruction he knew was reflected in his eyes.
“Oh shit,” she said as she tried to roll off the side of the bed.
Quicker than thought, he surged onto the futon and pressed his palm against her back, pinning her to the mattress from behind. Zeus tossed his blade to the table and used his free hand to spread her legs on the outside of his. He smiled, feeling no humor, only lust and this damn need to work her out of his system.



He surged hard and fast once. He liked that all she could do was take it. That was the only option he would give her. “Zeus,” she said with each thrust. It became a chant. “Zeus, Zeus, Zeus, damn, baby, uhn, Zeus.”



Fuck me. Eh, I don't mean that literally. My eyes were threatening to pop out of their sockets after the asshole of a hero mentioned for the umpteenth time that he wanted to fuck the heroine, or that he had a hard-on, or that he needed it or what-the-fuck-ever that always included his brainless dick. Argh. It's not even PNR. Regardless, I honestly don't give a shit about all the dicks (or one particular dick for that matter) hurting, or moving, or craving any female bits. Blech.

It's possible that Zeus killed his last few brain cells with one of his stupid blades. His hobbies are playing with his knives, killing people and fucking women, preferably the same one only once. I never saw any redeeming qualities in his pathetic "character"

The sex was terrible, extremely uninspiring and caveman-esque. Also, the second sex scene smelled kinda rape-y, IMO. I was right. The idiot of a hero acted like a mindless animal (I feel bad for offending our fauna). The unerotic smexy bits were the final nail in the coffin, and I decided to leave the sinking ship.

I wished to hell this 24/7 horny dick of a dick…erm…mental douchebag would go on a long-distance run and smash his head into a wall. As a lovely bonus, I wouldn't mind if his cock had shriveled to the size of a pea, withered and fell off. I'd have assisted with spreading the ashes into the sea. Though I'm sure every sea dweller would have gone on the run. Sorry, guys!

Someone said it perfectly: the "hero" (I use that term unwillingly), is a...

Mr. Sociopath McIdiot-Douchebag, all hopped up on Viagra

Movin' on...

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yup, those were my feelings throughout the entire book. It seemed like something new happened on almost every page. So, it's safe to say I didn't get bored, just the opposite, really. Lately, I find that the more books I read, the more I seem to be drawn towards the crazy dangerous heroes. And let me tell you, Zeus fits perfectly into that category.

What he knew was the satisfaction that followed the hunt, the kill.

Seriously, the man is a killing machine without conscience. There were times where I thought 'OK, that was too weird even for my taste'. But all that being said, I loved him. I truly did. He was amazing with Sabrina and although he did had to work on his word finesse, deep down he still proved to be a good guy - if only his good extended solely towards Sabrina but who cares about the boring details, right?!



Besides Zeus, Sabrina is one of my favourite characters in this book. She's one badass chick that will not go down quietly. Hell no, she will try to choke you with your own blood and then smile as she watches you die. Now, what more is there to say other than she's the perfect match for Zeus. And she is, she is indeed! Those two are amazing together and good help the poor soul who dares to cross them.

He would be the genie and she the bottle he always returned to, or the demon ever bound to the one it possessed.

Besides the constant action and hot sexual tension, I'm quite surprised by how many funny moments this story had.

“You know we’ve known each other less than a month.”
“You really think anyone else would put up with you?”
“Yep.”
“Do you want to see more men die?”

I liked every single one of Mama's brood and can't wait to see their stories. There were times where I even liked the villain and despite how insane and delusional he was, he still got some sweet moments (in a non sweet situation). What can I say, sometimes you just can't help but love the broken ones, right?
All I can say is, if you want crazy then read this book. It will not disappoint. :)



Safety-gang: Safe. It's safe but there is one attempted rape scene, so that might bother some. Also, there is zero OW drama and cheating but there is OM drama, since the villain is delusioned the h is his long lost love. Also, condoms were used in the beginning but not latter on.

[TinaNoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Observing him, under the guise of sleep, she wondered what it would be like if he wasn't a brutal killer who danced on the edge of madness"

This book surprised me is a very good way.

At its most basic level the plot of this book is very familiar. A young woman, the heroine Sabrina, is the object of one man's sexual obsession. So much so that he sends people to kidnap her to bring her to him. Enter a shady private somewhat loosely organized paramilitary group known as Mama's Brood. They rescue Sabrina, kill her kidnappers and seek to stop her pursuer, a very rich and powerful man. The leader of the group, a woman they all call Mama, wants him stopped because in his zeal to capture Sabrina he captures and tortures women who look a lot like her. And Mama wants that stopped.

So this isn't an unfamiliar plot. It or something similar we have seen in other romantic suspense or erotica or just plain ol' contemporary romances. Each member of the group has a specialty, they wise-crack they have quirky personalities, they are dangerous killers with obscure backgrounds and descriptive nicknames like Big Country and Bride.

No, what surprised me in a good way was the hero. Zeus.

I need to talk about Zeus for a long minute.

When we first meet Zeus he is efficiently killing Sabrina's kidnappers and thinking a lot about his compulsions -- compulsions to kill and in looking at the lush, unconscious Sabrina -- the compulsion to fuck. In the midst of his bloodlust he needs to consciously remind himself that he isn't supposed to kill his own team.

Zeus is not just your run of the mill tortured hero. He isn't just a wounded man or someone who is hardened by a lack of love. Zeus is the real deal. He's a fucking sociopath.

As I was reading the book, and even well after, the one thing that I was consistently struck by was that I felt the author had a real clear vision about this character. In more clumsy hands he could have come off at just completely awful or supremely problematic. Instead the author leads us through his characterization so that you get Zeus. Zeus is a killer and he thinks and does some uncomfortable things in the course of the book. And yet that invisible line between what I, as a reader, could accept from a hero and have him still be a viable romance novel hero, never gets crossed.

It is clear Zeus' socialization as a child was far from normal. He doesn't use or get regular social cues. He has no filters and says what he wants (or not) and does what he wants (or not). In some ways he is probably one of the most uncomplicated characters I can remember reading in a long time. And yet, he is also, oddly, rather complex.

Zeus peeked through the heavy brown and gold curtains that looked out on the side of the building and could just see the end of Big Country's van parked on the street.

"Where's the tail?"

"Let's just say us good ol' boys got a little restless last night and decided to have some fun."


"Dead?"
"Fun and killing ain't synonyms to regular folks, Zeus."

"I would have killed them."

"Sorry to break it to you, cousin, but you ain't real regular."

Zeus has an affinity for knives. This is where I think the author really soars in her characterization of Zeus. Knives are an extension of him. He likes them, he forges them, he uses them to express himself. If somebody is doing something he doesn't like he'll stab them. Just because. In the scenes where he is using them, the writing makes me feel like I am watching a pretty cool martial arts movie. There is a kind of hypnotism in the descriptions of the knives twirling, the glint of the steel and Zeus' thoughts as he communes with his knives.

I don't want too get to wrapped up in Zeus, as fascinating as he is. Sabrina is also very well done. She is a great foil for Zeus. She's smart and resourceful and reacts to him the way a person meeting him for the first time should react to a guy like Zeus. She's justifiably wary and thinks he's bat-shit. But she has a very developed survival instinct for very valid reasons. She understands that Zeus is an apex predator. She can't act scared or hesitant around him so she doesn't. She is firm and meets his eyes... that sort of thing. I also liked that she was a bit manipulative as well. Again, this girl is a survivor so she just doesn't do stupid shit... well except once.

The two of them fall into their relationship. They both struggle because it isn't a natural fit. Sabrina's misgivings are more familiar.

"Take away the crazy, three-quarters of the possessiveness, enhance his communication skills, and decrease his love for sticking people with sharp objects and she wouldn't hesitate to have sex with him. She was barely hesitating as it was."

Zeus' otoh are much different. He needs to completely re-wire his brain when it comes to Sabrina. He normally relegates women he wants to one-time sexual compulsions. Once he's had them they are done. He wants to have sex with Sabrina and get rid of that compulsion. But when he does he keeps wanting her. He needs to reconcile this because it doesn't match what he's always known. So that is his struggle.

In the end there is an unabashed romance between these two. The sex is hot, there are moments of great comedy in their interactions as they experience relationship growing pains. And because of Sabrina Zeus creates a few more connections that move him a little closer to socialization.

The resolution with the bad guy and the climactic scene in the end is exciting and brutal and you totally cheer for Zeus.

I really enjoyed this. The writing was pretty damned good, the supporting characters were fun and well crafted. I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked this more on second read. Also Zeus and his story has stuck with me. I really love his crazy ass! I really wish this author would write more but she seems to have dropped off the radar.


Prior comments

So I was cruising along and loving this book...so many funny thoughts and dialogues involving Zeus (a genuine sociopath). At a bit over 50%, I got bogged down. I think it might have been because I was too busy to really sit and read so I kept having to go back to it (not my normal style). Anyway, after a period of being only partially engaged I managed to sit and finish the book. And it finished on a high note, hence my rounding up on the score. I also believe that if I ever re read, I will probably not have the same issue in the middle.

ok about the book. Zeus is certifiable. His blades sing to him. He constantly has blades twirling through his fingers. They speak to him and they usually want blood. Hence, he is a killer. Now whether he kills for sport or not I am going to pretend to be Pollyanna and only think he kills because someone deserves it. I HIGHLY doubt that is the case. Or it might be more precise to say he has a reason, but his reasons are completely wacked. And...yes...I may be in love with a rugby obsessed sociopath! Cannot tell you why, but I loved all things Zeus!

So he hooks up with this mercenary group of crazies called Mama's Brood. They don't want him because he is CRAZY and liable to kill any or all of them for no reason. Believe me, he wants to. They save Sabrina from kidnapping and he is fascinated. That is to say he wants to fuck her. Even covered head to toe in blood he is lowering his pants to screw because that is what he wants. He is hilariously dogged in his pursuit of fucking her. He has his zipper and pants down too many times to count. Does not care where or when. Luckily Sabrina stands up to him (cautiously of course). He scares the crap out of her and the other members of the Brood.

Zeus has less than zero people skills.

Some examples:

He has just killed all her kidnappers (with knives - so it is BLOODY). Sabrina is being spoken to by other Brood members who are trying to comfort her. She is asking what is going on and avoiding looking at all the dead bodies and mumbling that this shit cannot be real. Zeus' jealous response:

"They're dead. That's real. Touch 'em if you don't believe it," Zeus suggested. Hell, he could comfort too.

His inner dialogue was funny because he was so single minded and confused about how he was reacting to her....

He was sweating. It was a big deal making a blade for a woman, wasn't it? Yes, because he didn't do shit for women if he didn't have to, unless it involved sex. But even then that was mostly for him. She'd better appreciate this shit. He was thinking of giving her gifts and she hadn't even had the grace to fuck him first. Trifling woman.

He was in denial of any long term feelings for her for a long time because he has no idea what those are. He says things that hurt her (like he is only with her until he does not want her anymore) but has no clue why or even what he said that upsets her. Good thing she gets him.

Sabrina is a smart, kick ass heroine. I really enjoyed her. She was smart, tough, patient but not a doormat, and really same through for Zeus when he needed it.

The ending was violent and bloody. REALLY, REALLY bloody. Not for the squeamish. There is also a very near rape scene.

One thing I did not like was all the time spent with the bad guy. I did not need all the context and scenes with him from his POV (not including the H/h).

I loved the end, but really wish we had a real epilogue. I want to see them together in the future without the danger over their heads.

[B*tchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap, this book was epic! I have not enjoyed a heroine on this level since being introduced to Carter in the "Dangerous Beauty" series, yet I would say that Zeus is way more like Carter. Anyone who follows my reviews know that I have no time for wimpy, whiny, dumb women or alpha asshole "heroes". Thing is, he is not a hero and she's no heroine. YAY FOR THE ANTIHEROES! It turns out that I just love a good psycho. LOL! If this author does not put out another book, we are going to have issues. You are so friggin' talented. Zeus is easily the best concept character I've read all 2015.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Threaten Sabrina and the beast will be unleashed! You've been warned.

I'm always amazed when characters leap off the page and come to life. It's a testament to a great author and this story had me engaged from beginning to end.

The Brood (a rag tag group of special forces anti-hero types) who try to give balance in an imbalanced world to those in need) rescues a kidnap victim (Sabrina) from a warehouse in the middle of nowhere. In the warehouse, we're introduced to Zeus in the most unusual of ways.

Zeus is a complex anti-social (unlovable to many and lovable to one) knife wielding maniac with no sense of boundaries, but a definite sense of right. He doesn't just kill for the sake of killing, he kills out necessity because someone needs to D-I-E -- and oh yeah, he takes more than a little bit of pleasure in it. He is driven by compulsion and when he meets Sabrina, the rescued heroine, he instantly claims her as his own and dares anyone to touch a hair on her head. His intentions are not honorable as he just wants to have sex with her to get her out of his system. Zeus' standard MO is to have sex with a woman he desires one time -- two at the most, but never more than that -- least the woman thinks they'll be sticking around on a more permanent (boo-ed up) basis.

Though Sabrina is initially afraid, she overcomes that fear and realizes Zeus is very handy to have around. There is a madman after her and she is offered protection by The Brood and Zeus who is a temporary addition riding shotgun in place of member who is on another assignment.

As much as Zeus had me laughing (and there are many laugh out loud moments), he also had me cursing him out for his lack of impulse control. Zeus had caveman neanderthal leanings that really (at times) grated on my nerves. Some things that he did to Sabrina, I simply wouldn't tolerate.

The author walked a very fine line with Zeus between normal and perverted behavior. Zeus' toe does cross the line into perversion. The warehouse scene and the scene where Sabrina takes a shower and the cutting of her clothing pissed me the hell off.

Despite being external opposites in terms of behavior, they have a lot in common. They don't know love, but they do know loss. They are damaged people who've had to fight to survive. No, Zeus is definitely not normal, but Sabrina is able to soothe (most times) the savage beast that resides inside of him.

Zeus is certifiably crazy, he has no boundaries -- but he expects other to respect his boundaries. He's mad crazy (sometimes) in a good way -- there when you need him. Though he made me spit fire on many occasions -- he absolutely redeemed himself and made me forget everything else and I decided I loved him after all, after Sabrina says: “He would have raped me.” And Zeus says: “We would have handled it. I’d have helped you get back right.”

Zeus' response made me think of that famous scene from "The Last of the Mohicans" when Hawkeye says to his lady love: "No, you submit, do you hear? You be strong, you survive ... you stay alive, no matter what occurs! I will find you. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you."

Love Zeus and Hawkeye, too!

Now go read this book and rent TLOTM already!

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4* this was so good I am totally in love with no filter Zeus! I liked Sabrina she was sweet funny and such a strong character but I will admit Zeus is what made this story for me. The only reason I didn't give this a higher star is because the ending felt too abrupt I wanted to see a longer scene with just them as a couple and to know if she was pregnant or not still really enjoyed the.

[★Codie Abibliophobic ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally reviewed on: Reader's Anonymous
4.5 starts out of 5

★ ★ ★ ★ ★/★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Pros:

Zeus – Oh. My. God. When I first read the summary for this novel, I was more than a bit skeptical. To be more specific my reaction was, “Great! Another jackass, wannabe badass, ‘hero’ that’s shitty to the heroine who just takes it.” However, despite my doubts I continued and I’m extremely happy I did. Don’t get me wrong he’s arrogant, possessive, antisocial, and deadly but somehow that’s what makes him so damn appealing. Zeus has to be on my top 3 for ‘Badass Boyfriend” list, and this is for good reason. He’s humorous without trying to be and makes you hate and love him all the same. That being said, there were some WTF moments where I questioned his sanity beyond his average crazy.
Sabrina – Yeah, she’s the perfect heroine. She’s a serious badass (that I wish could’ve showcased her skills) with a no-nonsense attitude and isn’t the helpless mistress with insecurities or the need to be comforted by our hero. No, Sabrina was her own hero in many ways and as the novel progressed you’ll just love her feisty character, I know she one of my favorite female characters.
Plot – This was an awesome plot – especially for the IR genre, which tends to follow the same formula – that will keep you intrigued the entire time. Although not a real mystery novel it is filled with action (I mean how often does a novel begin with a guy disemboweling people?), humor, and an alluring romance. With the kidnapping of Sabrina we get into the head of a sociopath and meet Mama’s Brood
Safety – I hate when authors don’t allow their characters to use condoms, although this is an issue that some might not care about, it’s bothersome for me. So, the fact that this author took the time to mention it was awesome for me.
Mama’s Brood – The characters in Mama’s Brood were excellent and not overpowering as some groups or organization themed series are. They’re all funny and fun and I can’t wait to explore their brood further.

Cons:

Information – The only negative to this novel is that I wanted more! An increase in information would have been amazing. Like more detail into Zeus’ childhood as well as Sabrina’s. It was good without it, however a couple of flashbacks would have been amazballs. I would say there’s a chance for that in the second novel in the series, however the next book will probably be about some of the other characters in Mama’s Brood.

♥♥♥

Overall, this novel surpassed my expectations and ended up being amazing. If you want an intriguing story with badass characters that aren’t self-absorbed or have a large amount of insecurities and stupid conflicts that amount to nothing, then On the Edge of Love is the novel for you. So, feel free to purchase it below:

[ZARIA (Sheldon Cooper lover) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is het perfect? No!!!!! Ok, I read a ton of romances and I will say one of the biggest challenges that authors face is how to move your plot line along without resorting to tropes, cliches or heroines that are, yes, TSTL. And I'm sorry, but... Sabrina did turn into one of those ladies. Sometimes she made bizarre, frustrating decisions that will have you scratching your head. Anyway, also, there were some random dropped plot devices that, again, just sort of seemed "there" as a way to get the characters from A to B, so I'm very surprised that I loved it as much as I did..... 'Mental illness' is such a broad umbrella term that it's difficult to work out what Zeus actually is suffering from. I think that he seems to be Autistic. Unpredictable and lethal, Zeus should come with a warning sign: Beware. The romance between the leads is atypical because Zeus is not a typical hero. Moreover, the author offers the reader a great cast of secondary characters.

Zeus


Sabrina

[Fashionista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really extreme. I mean, Zues is SEXY as hell, built like an Adonis, HILARIOUS, unstable, and crazy! But, this works for him. He is anything if not Honest! Any girl, including me,would love to have a Bad Ass Book Boyfriend like him. Sabrina was a really cool heroine. She had a very harsh childhood; but she didn't use that as an excuse to be a shrinking violet or a bitch. She was relatable to most women. I like the Mercenary for Good theme. I can't wait to read the rest of Mama's Brood's stories!

My favorite quotes:

"She hated the feeling of powerlessness, hated feeling trapped, hated admitting that on more than one level, this thing that called himself a man affected her."

“What business did you have on that stretch of road at that time?” “My own.”

“You sound like some boy being told he has to walk his baby sister to ballet class and carry her tutu. It’s sad."

“Zeus… What’s your last name?" “Just Zeus. Like the god.”

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG Zeus, dude, you mentally disturbed fuck: I just love you! And Sabrina: I adore you!
I dig just about everything in this book. The plot and story telling was tight and believable, the secondary characters were perfectly complimentary to the MCs, the heroine kicked ass and refused to be a whimpering fool waiting for the alpha albeit bat shit crazy hero to finally come save her, the banter between the characters was funny (I kept highlighting scenes and dialogues because they were so hilarious. I just couldn't stop laughing at the scene when Zeus was trying to teach Sabrina how not to suck at the videogame she was trying to master) and it included some awesome referrals. Any author that can successfully incorporate a celebration to the best scene of the movie
in her story gets kudos from me.


So this was a debut, could have fooled me. Good job, Shay Rucker!

[Starapple · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the best books I have read so far this year and we are now in November 2015.

I could hardly find any grammar mistakes. The flow was good. Good writing, and plot.

The characters were well enough built and enjoyed the twists and turns.

Also there are sex scenes which are written well and don't go on as page fillers where I tend to skip past as they get boring after a while.

Looking forward to the next books in the series and hope to read how this couple get on.

Truly can only recommend!

[Musings of A Romance Junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love a man who is lewd, rude, and crude with a healthy dose of bat-shit crazy, then yeah, you'll be intrigued enough to finish and maybe even love this book. Other than that, I got nothing...

[DeeReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Team Zeus Yahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A must read! 5 worthy stars

[The FountainPenDiva, Old school geek chick and lover of teddy bears · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a really well-crafted fucked up in the head type anti-hero since Zarek of Moesia from Dance with the Devil. Frankly, not every author has the skills to pull this type of character off, but Shay Tucker nails it damn near perfectly. Better yet, Rucker does not commit the epic sin of pairing such an over the top, no rules alpha with some idiotic shrinking violet.

Zeus is all kinds of messed up. He has no filters. He is a killer. He likes his blades. That's really all you need to know. He's anti-social and has a bit of a time telling friend from foe. Is he swoonworthy? Not really, but as a cypher and a man on a mission, I really enjoyed the strange trip into his psyche. Even his "me Tarzan, you Jane" behavior throughout the novel didn't annoy me the way it normally would.

Though Sabrina needed rescuing from a wealthy psychopath, it became quite clear from the first that she's Zeus' match, even though he's the kind of man that screams "run far the other way". She's been a fighter and a survivor all her life, and just because some sexy muscle-bound guy who made it clear from day one that he is going to jump her bones (and whom she finds herself both attracted and repelled by), doesn't mean she's willing to give up her autonomy.

These two characters fit together perfectly. They have scars. They accept each other's scars. It's been quite some time since I've read a great IR novel that didn't commit colorist fail or heroine hijacking. I just wish it had been longer.

[Nelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are so many things that I struggle with.

There is no choice but to throw in the towel.

There is no chance of me getting through this.

[Booker132 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I just read?? I've been on a bit of a book slump for the past few weeks and have been sorely dissappointed by the last few (highly anticipated) books that I've read. The reason I'm saying this is because the synopsis, name and cover of THIS book did nothing for me. Yes, I'm regrettably shallow when it comes to covers and titles, and I thought it would be one of those run-of-the-mill alpha male/broken man/covert operative saves damsel in distress story. So this review is especially for jaded readers like myself.

THIS STORY WAS AMAZING!!

The author gives us a gripping romantic suspense story with absolutely steller characters! OMG every single character in this book was so well thought out and superbly written! The hero is a sociopath. Not to be confused with an asshole, the hero is a genuine sociopath, and the author has done the proper research to write this character. And what a fine character he is! It was so interesting to be inside his head, read his thoughts and see the way he sees the world. He was dark, dangerous and cute! I know cute isn't an adjective normally used to describe cold hearted, bordering on mentally unstable killers, but I found his struggles to understand and convey his feeling for the heroine freaking adorable! Our hero, Zeus, is a mercenery who is a member of a covert operative vigilante group called Mama's Brood. Even though every member is a highly trained assassin, each with their own specialty in the killing field, they are all slightly wary of Zeus because of his lack of empathy, social skills and tendency to stab literally anyone just because he feels like it. Zeus's character equally terrified me and pulled at my heartstrings, not to mention did stuff to my lady bits too! Perfectly executed and we see the gradual changes he goes through as the story progresses, but nothing is unrealistic.

Now with the Romantic Suspense genre, I don't have that much of an expectation from the heroines as they are almost always portrayed to be saintly, broken, scared women who may or may not have a potty mouth BUT NOT SABRINA! This book's heroine has to be one of the best heroine I've ever read! I loved how smart she was, how she didn't fall into bed/insta love with the Hero, seemed to understand that she would have to give H a wide berth when he's in one of his murder trances even after proclaiming their love for each other. She saw the hero exactly for who he was and stood her ground, and she was also not above manipulation and lying to save her life. She was such a refreshing and pragmatic character! And even though the story had dark and gritty moments, it also had superb moments of humour whenever the H and h interacted. I actually literally LOL'd! I won't go into details about the story as it would spoil the mystery which slowly reveals in twists and turns. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes smartly written Romantic Suspense. Kudos to the author!

[SaturNalia · Rating 1 out of 5]

Zeus is a knife expert, part of Mama's Brood, a band of vigilantes that fight criminals the officials can't. Sabrina is the kidnap victim they had to rescue. This is the first book and so much of the back story is missing that I'm still not sure who these people are and why Sabrina was kidnapped in the first place. Too many unanswered questions left me frustrated. How did Mama's Brood come together? Who was Sabrina? Why the kidnapper was so obsessed with her? I wanted this information early in the book no in the end. Zeus is described as a pchyo, he definitely has something wrong with him, maybe Aspergers. He is obsessed with knifes, says whatever inappropriate things he is thinking, acts on impulse. I don't know much about Sabrina. It's lust at first sight for Zeus but Sabrina is scared of him. He becomes her bodyguard as they try to ferret out the bad guy. I didn't feel any chemistry between them, all Zeus wanted to do was have sex with Sabrina. Couple acted juvenile and they didn't grow as a couple, the sex sounded painful and mechanical. Couldn't wait for this to be over.

[L. Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story starts out with Zeus standing over the unconscious body of Sabrina, his compulsion to kill is at a high and the unspirited blades are thrumming in is hands as he wonders what the hell he's supposed to be doing there- Enter her kidnappers and their quick deaths at the hands of our hero (anti-hero?) Lol! This is where it started to become extremely entertaining to me, Zeus is attracted to Sabrina and has another compulsion he wants relieved. He doesn't have any kind of social skills whatsoever but he knows he doesn't like anyone else comforting her so he tries to do it himself.

“They’re dead. That’s real. Touch ’em if you don’t believe it,” Zeus suggested. Hell, he could comfort too."

I don't want too give to much away but I loved it, between the strong personality of the heroine and the heros inability to socialize like a normal human being it was hilarious and sexy at the same time.

Triggers There's no cheating but the villain in the story is a rapist and even tries to rape the heroine but she's saved

[Andrea Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book rocked. When I came to the end, I immediately wanted to start over. I want Ms. Rucker to bring us a sequel soon!

Anyway Zeus is so crazy and unbearably alpha. I shouldn't like him but he such wonderful qualities beneath the surface: protective, tender, vulnerable. Sabrina is kick-ass but feminine and not a chick waiting for a hero. The secondary characters, I'd love to see more of...SOON! Several that I want to have their own book.

I didn't give it a 5 only because of some loose ends. The organizations--both good guys and bad guys -- were a little confusing and unrealistic. That may become clearer in later books in the series. But I thought some of Zeus's problems should have been resolved more strongly or made clearer.

But I highly recommend this to anyone. I haven't been this excited by a new author in a long time.

[Veronica-Lynn Pit Bull · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I was expecting too much going in. I was anticipating a unique story and a really edgy hero and basically it was just…meh.

Zeus meets Sabrina when his team of mercenaries shows up at the warehouse where she has been kidnapped and taken, and he gets assigned to stand guard over her unconscious body splayed out on the floor. This leads to the initial misunderstanding when Sabrina comes too and sees Zeus looming over her drenched in blood, waving his blade and presumably unzipping his pants. Zeus is very affronted by the idea of Sabrina thinking he’s a rapist because he’s already decided that he really wants to fuck her; and clearly what are the chances she’ll let him if she thinks he’s a rapist? So he explains “I wasn’t about to rape you. Was adjusting myself. I got hard looking at you and the way I was positioned in my jeans was getting uncomfortable. So I reached in and…” that about sums up Zeus – a bit on the spectrum.

And since Zeus decided it is his responsibility to protect Sabrina (and he really wants to fuck her) he feels it is perfectly OK back at Mama’s Brood’s safe house – to pick the lock on her assigned bedroom door and climb into bed with her:
Sabrina: Why are you lying beneath me, Zeus?
Zeus: I wanted to be in you. I’m in your bed because it’s where I need to be to get what I want. Plus you’re the one that crawled on top of me in the middle of the night.
Sabrina (in her efforts to educate) Sometimes other people have needs too. You can’t just disregard that.
Zeus (in his infinite wisdom) Yes, I really can. Not responsible for what other people need or don’t need. That’s their job. I take care of me. That’s my job

So yeah, there’s something quirk-ily charming about him…in an “ I just may be a tad on the spectrum” sort of way. But one thing about Zeus – despite that he doesn’t get social conventions and the concept of personal boundaries – once Sabrina sets them – he respects them. He may grunt and grumble and go on and on (and on) about how he wants to fuck her and she just needs to see the light sooner rather than later - but he does respect the boundaries she sets and he doesn’t do anything she doesn’t encourage or want.

I actually have no complaints about Sabrina or Zeus. They’re an inter-racial couple - which doesn’t factor into the story at all other than we’re told Sabrina is black and Zeus is of French, Algerian and Greek descent. (And he was raised by nuns in France in an orphanage until he was 9 and then shipped to the states.) But surprisingly he seems completely Americanized – without so much as an accent or the inclination to speak a lick of French. I don’t really feel the chemistry rolling off of them; but I like them both and they’re cute together. And I did find Zeus and his Zeus “ism”s entertaining.

My problem with On The Edge of Love was the story dragged in places; and was a strange mix of almost too much (irrelevant) detail and information and not enough (relevant) detail and information. For example, how does Zeus come to rescue Sabrina? Well he’s free lancing with Mama’s Brood. Mama is a gal name of Almaya and her brood is “my later-in-life adopted children. Each has special skills, special sensibilities. None of them are good in the standard meaning of the word, but they have been committed to helping me in my endeavors which are stopping soulless men and women from destroying the lives, innocence and souls of others. Sometimes we act independently choosing to go after people and organizations others either turn a blind eye to or truly don’t know about, sometimes we contract out to others for our various services.”. I’m sorry, What? Because that cleared nothing up. Who the hell are these people?

The Brood comes across Sabrina because they are scoping out the Consortium and that brings Maxim William Kragen III – Sabrina’s kidnapper – onto their radar. The Consortium are "a group of men and women bound by money, power and this shared desire to prey on anyone considered a lesser being". And again, I’m sorry; What?? Who the hell are these people?

But there’s lots of convoluted backstory on who Kragen is and why he’s kidnapping Sabrina when she has no idea who he is (again the theme – Who the hell are these people??) when she is fully aware that Ernesto is the dude she is actually hiding from…

There’s some cutesy Mama’s Brood bonding (over flying body parts), fighting the bad guys, Zeus teaching Sabrina some self-defense and trying to help her connect with the spirits of the blade – which naturally is impeded by her “big woman’s head with stupid brain chatter” and there's a much earned HEA and the hoping for a baby Godzuki.

[EbonyMonae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really interesting to say the least. It had all the things to make this a great book. This was the first book published by this author and it was so good. I could not put it down. I loved it. This book had suspense, sexy/erotic love scenes, blood/gore,wit,laughter,and love. Its a series where you get to learn more about the other Brood Members but I honestly want more of Sabrina and Zeus. I don't want to give anything away but I am still waiting to know about certain things from Zeus past.
This book follows Sabrina and Zeus love story. They are so both damaged that they turn an eye to love and all of life's entanglements especially Zeus but we have seen him grow in the book open to love and other things because of Sabrina. Sabrina she is held back because of the things life has thrown at her. She is strong even when the odds are against her.
Final thoughts: This book was a great read. Watch out for this new author because she will blow you away. I was in awe the way she captured her readers and held them until the end of the book. I could not put the book down. Keep writing because you have a true gift Shay.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zeus is not sure why his fellow mercenaries left an unconscious women in his care, he knows they don't trust him and frankly the beauty in front of him is too much to resist. Sabrina Samora awakens to find a brute of a man protecting her, heal so has no filter and makes his desire for her known. Sabrina quickly turns him down and focuses on what she needs to do to get out of the Mama's Broods protection, but understanding who the man is that kidnapped her makes no sense to her.

Zeus steps up to be Sabrina's bodyguard but he has a one track mind and he wants to get Sabrina out of his system by having sex until he has had his fill and then move on. However Zeus didn't plan on the that feeling only to grow when he and Sabrina spend time together, he is not sure he can get Sabrina out of his system and can he protect her like she deserves?

I thought this was quite a treat. Zeus is a heathen initially but he grows on you. There were a couple things that didn't make sense to me initially but overall great read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 RATING- After thinking about my rating for a couple days, I'm still not sure how I really feel. I'm thinking 3.0 RATING but then you throw in a growling, alpha, unstable, crazy-ass hero...and it gets bumped up a bit =)

Seriously, the story was good in parts but dragged in a couple. The writing was okay, no editing issues,etc. I'm still torn but as a reader that can appreciate a guilty pleasure maybe a bit more than other readers, I'll stick with my rating. I'm curious to know what a few of my close GR friends would think of this book. As of yet, I'm not sure any of them have read it. I'm guessing for a couple it could be a DNF but I think a couple more might be lured in by the psycho hero like I was...

One note, I thought the price tag of close to $7 was very high for a debut author. I think this publishing house does usually price higher but it was a definite stretch and I wouldn't have bought this if a)I wasn't in a weird mood and b)it wasn't lendable.

[Deloris · Rating 5 out of 5]

APB Prespective Review:

I loved this book Zeus was funny , sexy , a weird as heck but this book is really about him finding love , even when he thinks it's not possible. I loved the way Sabrina handled him , she really thought she was minuplating him to do what she needed , but Zeus had just as much control over her. The two stumbled into the relationship , but it was so entertaing to read and watch happen . I can not wait for the next book in the sereis Shay Rucker is on to a good start to a wonderful writing library.

[Mspraise50 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Zeus and Sabrina's story.

This was a good read. Zeus was a total head case but I really enjoyed his particular brand of crazy. I will look forward to reading the other stories when the come out.

[Camy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woah.

Woah...the ride on this one.

The characters (wow) and this story, the banter and humour - everything, in fact - so very good.

[AKA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. Interesting characters and a whirlwind of a plot. I liked both leads,the supporting cast was a lot of fun (Bride was almost comatose she was so chill), and really want to see what Ms. Rucker has up her sleeve for the rest of the Brood.

I liked this but.... This one should come with a MAJOR trigger warning. Zeus pulls a creeper move when they first meet by exposing himself when he finds her beaten and lying unconscious, later feels Sabrina up while she is unconscious (she was given a sedative without her knowledge), both of them are graphically, nearly sodomized. This set off alarm bells in my head and I would hate for someone to run into this unawares.

[100sweet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story with a total psycho H who was insanely possessive and obsessed with the h. Very steamy and super HOT sex scenes. Was disappointed that there 3 men who were obsessed with the h. That was too OTT. Plus, the h was kind of annoying. She had a serious attitude problem.

[Julia971 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a nice surprise !

Zeus is a sociopath and a killer, he is part of a violent organisation fighting crime; Sabrina is a woman hunted by another psychopath. Zeus will come to Sabrina's rescue, and more...

At first I didn't like Zeus, he was a bit too crazy for me, too socially off: "Jesus Zeus, can you be sane for five minutes !"
But I warmed up to him because he is funny and he brings out the best out of Sabrina, who is also funny. In the end, their "getting to know each other " was really enjoyable.

I just wish I had a better view and understanding of the Brood, cause they seem awesome too.