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The Edge #2
Edge of Temptation
USA Today bestselling author Megan Crane returns with the next book in her dark, forbiddenly sexy Edge series about a brotherhood of men--alpha, dominant, unforgiving warriors who keep what they take...
Gunnar is a ruined man in a desolate world. He might not believe in black magic, but if there’s the chance it might bring back his lost mate from her early death, he’ll try it. All he needs is to capture a virgin - a rare thing in his torn world - to make the doomed spell work. He does not expect the passion he feels for his beautiful captive to wreck him every time he looks at her. But sometimes temptation is just too much...
Maud was promised to the church a long time ago. Yet when she encounters brooding, ruthless Gunnar, the desire that flares between them obliterates any sense of duty. She’s managed to avoid surrender all these holy years—her very soul has depended on it. But Gunnar’s iron control makes her want nothing more than to bare her heart, and submit to him completely...
Gunnar is a ruined man in a desolate world. He might not believe in black magic, but if there’s the chance it might bring back his lost mate from her early death, he’ll try it. All he needs is to capture a virgin - a rare thing in his torn world - to make the doomed spell work. He does not expect the passion he feels for his beautiful captive to wreck him every time he looks at her. But sometimes temptation is just too much...
Maud was promised to the church a long time ago. Yet when she encounters brooding, ruthless Gunnar, the desire that flares between them obliterates any sense of duty. She’s managed to avoid surrender all these holy years—her very soul has depended on it. But Gunnar’s iron control makes her want nothing more than to bare her heart, and submit to him completely...
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First published April 5, 2016
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268 people want to read
About the author
Megan Crane
67 books699 followersUSA Today bestselling, multi-award-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Megan Crane has written more than 150 books and shows no sign of slowing down. She publishes contemporary romance and paranormal romance as Megan Crane (and briefly M.M. Crane) with an extensive backlist of women’s fiction, rom-coms, chick lit, and young adult novels—among other things. She’s also won a large and loyal fanbase as Caitlin Crews with Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Dare, Harlequin Historical, and contemporary cowboy books. And for Midwestern small town coziness, found families, romance, and some paranormal scariness thrown in, Megan partners with Nicole Helm to publish as Hazel Beck.
Megan has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.
You can find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.megancrane.com
Megan has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.
You can find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.megancrane.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
March 26, 2016
This story was as sexy as it was frustrating. Gunnar is so focused on reclaiming his lost mate that he doesn't see what's in front of him in Maud. Maud is running from an uncertain and unbearable future and sees Gunnar as her savior. Until he proves himself otherwise. There are many absolutely scorching scenes so if you need a erotic fix this is where you want to be ;) The general plot was challenging to accept but the relationship and development made it worth it. I really wanted an epilogue :-/ Safety: There is a OM at the command of the H. This world doesn't know condoms. The h is a virgin but not innocent. There is no rape but sexual abuse.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
June 13, 2016
"There are no heroes, little nun. Only men and battle and the prices we all pay for the things we do."
Edge of Temptation is the second book in The Edge Series. Although it can be read as a stand-alone, I do feel this read is best read after you read the first book in the series Edge of Obsession. With a spicy blend of sex and action and set in a dystopian world, Edge of Temptation is a definite crowd pleaser!
"You're a good, brave girl, little nun."Maud is a nun. She was sold to the church at a young age and has been brutalized by the priests and been left to "slave" for the church. Although she is naive, she doesn't lack in the strength department. When she finds her opportunity, she escapes into the woods and runs into a rogue warrior named Gunner.
"Fire roared inside of her, lighting her up and making her feel heavy."
"Compliance is bullshit."Gunner has drifted far away from his clan. He is a true loner and has secretly been seeking a virgin to help fulfill a ritual that he needs to fulfill. When he meets Maude, he is angry that she makes him feel something. Maude instantly puts her trust in Gunnar, and although he is unwilling to consummate the relationship, he has no problems connecting with her emotionally and physically. The physical connection between them is off the charts HOT! When Gunnar returns to the clan, with Maude in tow, he has to decide if he is going to keep Maude or let her go.
"There are no heroes, little nun. Only men and battle and the prices we all pay for the things we do."
"Her pussy was a blazing pulse. The plug in her ass was lighting her up and making her feel something like feverish. She thought she might love it. If she survived it, that was."Told in dual POV, Edge of Temptation was full of passion, action, and hot wild sex! The world that Ms. Crane has created is quite interesting, and the detailed writing makes you feel like you are sitting with the characters as every moment unfolds. Gunnar was quite a complex character. He was rough around the edges and very angry. Maude was the perfect counterpart for him. Although she was kind and timid, she was fierce. The characters in this world are very liberal sexually, and anything, and everything goes. In addition to the conflict with the romance, the clan is trying to better their world and battle their adversaries. I love when I am swept away to another world, and I never want to leave! I am completely committed to finding out what happens next in this world!
"As if she'd somehow shifted a giant boulder off of his chest with her soft, sweet little hands."
Overall, Edge of Temptation is a must read for romance readers who like a dystopian world, wild sex, action, and complex characters! I thoroughly enjoyed this read and with each book, I get more invested in this world!!!! I cannot wait for the installment in the series!
***The Edge Series***
*ARC graciously provided via publisher in exchange for an honest review!*
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January 18, 2019
ARC received for review
This book was easier to read and didn't drag like the first one did. It starts where Gunnar meets Maud and their journey back to the Lodge. It takes 70% of the book to get to where we meet then in the first book. Man, this society sure has one messed up church and clergy.
Gunnar was wee bit of a jerk with Master tendencies, but he did eventually grow on me. Maud was stronger than she appeared in the first book (thank goodness) and a pain slut. Did I mention the stone butt plug (better than wood..no splinters)?
I think the next book will be Eiryn, at least I hope it is and I hope its with....No spoilers here. :)
This book was easier to read and didn't drag like the first one did. It starts where Gunnar meets Maud and their journey back to the Lodge. It takes 70% of the book to get to where we meet then in the first book. Man, this society sure has one messed up church and clergy.
Gunnar was wee bit of a jerk with Master tendencies, but he did eventually grow on me. Maud was stronger than she appeared in the first book (thank goodness) and a pain slut. Did I mention the stone butt plug (better than wood..no splinters)?
I think the next book will be Eiryn, at least I hope it is and I hope its with....No spoilers here. :)
July 24, 2016
This book so didn't work for me.
I have major problems with both the leads. I couldn't quite get why Gunnar loved his dead mate - not one reason at all. He whines away for the length of the book , and remains an asshole till the bitter end. He's gratified by the total control over every part of her life, but I couldn't quite buy him loving her
And Maud - couldn't understand her life choices. She's been trampled on and isolated all her life , and now that Raider society offers her some modicum of freedom - she literally puts a leash on herself again. Her sexual and social identity revolve around her being Gunnar's toy.
I feel this book is a step back from the themes of the prequel - women finding freedom in a misogynist, violent society.
I have major problems with both the leads. I couldn't quite get why Gunnar loved his dead mate - not one reason at all. He whines away for the length of the book , and remains an asshole till the bitter end. He's gratified by the total control over every part of her life, but I couldn't quite buy him loving her
And Maud - couldn't understand her life choices. She's been trampled on and isolated all her life , and now that Raider society offers her some modicum of freedom - she literally puts a leash on herself again. Her sexual and social identity revolve around her being Gunnar's toy.
I feel this book is a step back from the themes of the prequel - women finding freedom in a misogynist, violent society.
July 2, 2016
Originally I planned on only reading things that have been stuck on my Kindle for ages for this challenge but I read the first book of the series I just couldn't stop myself. And since I added this before July it counts.
Not terribly imaginative but light and sexy read. Gunnar annoyed me with his total blindness and obsession with his dead mate that apparently was a crazy drama queen. Maud weirded me out more often than not with her total lack of a sense of self-preservation. The one truly interesting character in this book is Wulf and I hope he gets a book of his own.
Not terribly imaginative but light and sexy read. Gunnar annoyed me with his total blindness and obsession with his dead mate that apparently was a crazy drama queen. Maud weirded me out more often than not with her total lack of a sense of self-preservation. The one truly interesting character in this book is Wulf and I hope he gets a book of his own.
August 13, 2017
3.5 stars !
October 5, 2018
Loved it. One thing I need as a reader is a believable backstory. This is Viking dystopian romance, so "believable" isn't "I think it could really happen" but, rather, "the character's history gives depth and strong motivations for his or her actions." Megan Crane does this beautifully here. Gunnar and Maud's thing isn't my thing, but I was captivated by their relationship.
Like all the books in this series, it's a given that the story is dirty and hot.
Like all the books in this series, it's a given that the story is dirty and hot.
Read
April 14, 2016DNF
To much internal dialogue, not enough one on one conversation to get me into this book. I skimmed more than what I read. It just wasn't for me.
To much internal dialogue, not enough one on one conversation to get me into this book. I skimmed more than what I read. It just wasn't for me.
May 3, 2016
" Edge of Temptation" , is a dystopian romance, now I will admit that I am not a huge dystopian fan, however the blurb caught my attention! I have not read the first story. I was however able to pick up on societal changes and the overwhelming cause of them. In the end however this is Gunner and Mauds story.
Gunner is alarge strong raider from a raider clan on the eastern Islands, he has been searching for a virgin to perform a black magic ritual in an attempt to bring back his mate Audra. Gunners search draws him to the red desert and the home of the church's convents with the intentions of abducting a nun.
Maud is a novice, purchased by the church from her mother and uncle for the price of some coats and goods when she was ten , she has spent ten years at the hands of the nuns and the bishop being punished for her non compliance and isnowfacing he final trials before becoming a nun, withhthe possibility of failure. And being banished to the desert to die, she finds herself walking off and away from the convent ; at least if she dies it will because she chose to walk off not because she was sent away. Maid walks directly Ito the path of this stron warrior Gunner but finds herself feeling safe for the first time in years in his presence. Maud may be a virgin novice but she cages this big bad raider off guard by introducing herself in an interesting manner, she drops to her knees and has Gunner in her mouth in no time. Makes you wonder what else the church has been teaching her.
These two fit together well, maud brings out Gunner's dominance and after a year of being without his mate and focused on one thing only she unwittingly has Gunner questioning his determination to sacrifice her to get back his mate, Maud is turning out to be wonderful fit for him. Maud 's natural submissiveness and like for pain is a perfect fit for his Dominance.
To spite their easy and perfect fit Gunner still pushes toward her inevitable sacrifice, but will his raider brother stop him? Will his king of his clan , his own blood brother Wulf stop him?
Will maud continue to follow and submit to Gunner till the very end?
I had to admit, the author has painted an interesting picture of a future earth, flooded by never ending rain storms, broken into separate factions , each one trying to survive .
Arc graciously provided via Netgalley for an honest review .
Gunner is alarge strong raider from a raider clan on the eastern Islands, he has been searching for a virgin to perform a black magic ritual in an attempt to bring back his mate Audra. Gunners search draws him to the red desert and the home of the church's convents with the intentions of abducting a nun.
Maud is a novice, purchased by the church from her mother and uncle for the price of some coats and goods when she was ten , she has spent ten years at the hands of the nuns and the bishop being punished for her non compliance and isnowfacing he final trials before becoming a nun, withhthe possibility of failure. And being banished to the desert to die, she finds herself walking off and away from the convent ; at least if she dies it will because she chose to walk off not because she was sent away. Maid walks directly Ito the path of this stron warrior Gunner but finds herself feeling safe for the first time in years in his presence. Maud may be a virgin novice but she cages this big bad raider off guard by introducing herself in an interesting manner, she drops to her knees and has Gunner in her mouth in no time. Makes you wonder what else the church has been teaching her.
These two fit together well, maud brings out Gunner's dominance and after a year of being without his mate and focused on one thing only she unwittingly has Gunner questioning his determination to sacrifice her to get back his mate, Maud is turning out to be wonderful fit for him. Maud 's natural submissiveness and like for pain is a perfect fit for his Dominance.
To spite their easy and perfect fit Gunner still pushes toward her inevitable sacrifice, but will his raider brother stop him? Will his king of his clan , his own blood brother Wulf stop him?
Will maud continue to follow and submit to Gunner till the very end?
I had to admit, the author has painted an interesting picture of a future earth, flooded by never ending rain storms, broken into separate factions , each one trying to survive .
Arc graciously provided via Netgalley for an honest review .
February 10, 2017
I really liked the beginning of this book. In fact I thought it was better than the first one. The world building is clearer and the role of women is brutal and unflinching. Gunnar meets Maud as she is running from the convent where she was raised since the age of 11 to be submissive and obedient. She was also sexually abused and trained to like pain although she was technically still a virgin. Gunnar needs a virgin to sacrifice to bring his dead mate Audra back in a black magic spell.
The problem for me in this book was that Gunnar was such a cruel jerk. Not only that but he was kind of whiny. He let Audra turn him against his family and his clan because he wanted to believe in her lies. He wasn't just a jerk to Maud but also to his brother and his sister. I think I would have respected him more if he was truly in love with Audra and not just upset that "the only person that truly wanted/loved him for him" was her. Especially since that isn't the case.
Even though everyone has pointed out that Audra was cheating on him and was a traitor he sticks with his plan to sacrifice Maud. In the meantime he has BDSM anal sex with her but is careful to make sure she's still technically a virgin so he can kill her for his spell. Maud somehow falls in love with him anyway. I understood that Maud was a submissive and thinks that Gunnar saved her from a terrible life with the church but she also knows he plans to sacrifice her. These two characters were horribly twisted and maybe perfect for each other but it was a bit uncomfortable for me.
Still, I plan to read the next book in this series and just hope that I like the characters a little bit more. If you are looking for a smoking hot, full of sex dystopian book then look no further. The barbaric world is truly fascinating.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
The problem for me in this book was that Gunnar was such a cruel jerk. Not only that but he was kind of whiny. He let Audra turn him against his family and his clan because he wanted to believe in her lies. He wasn't just a jerk to Maud but also to his brother and his sister. I think I would have respected him more if he was truly in love with Audra and not just upset that "the only person that truly wanted/loved him for him" was her. Especially since that isn't the case.
Even though everyone has pointed out that Audra was cheating on him and was a traitor he sticks with his plan to sacrifice Maud. In the meantime he has BDSM anal sex with her but is careful to make sure she's still technically a virgin so he can kill her for his spell. Maud somehow falls in love with him anyway. I understood that Maud was a submissive and thinks that Gunnar saved her from a terrible life with the church but she also knows he plans to sacrifice her. These two characters were horribly twisted and maybe perfect for each other but it was a bit uncomfortable for me.
Still, I plan to read the next book in this series and just hope that I like the characters a little bit more. If you are looking for a smoking hot, full of sex dystopian book then look no further. The barbaric world is truly fascinating.
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for gifting me this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2016
I LOVED MAUD!!!!
Whew! I feel so much better after saying that. Maud was sold to the church in the post-storm America for some food and furs when she was 11. The church in here is NOTHING like any church I know and I'll just leave that at that LOL Anyway, Maud has a defiant streak and questions everything and when you belong to the church, they want complete submission. Maud has trouble with that until she wanders off into the desert and sees a strong, broody, glaring raider (Vikings of this future world) named Gunnar standing there. When she sees him, she finally realizes that she wants to submit, but only to him. Gunnar gladly (if you could ever say Gunnar is glad LOL) takes her with him since he needs a virgin sacrifice to perform a ritual to bring back his deceased mate. Maud wants nothing more than to do everything Gunnar wants of her. Gunnar constantly fights with his feelings for Maud. He fought those feelings right up until the end and she continually submitted to him, knowing he intended to kill her. Her complete trust in him floored me. It was beautiful!
I loved seeing Tyr and Helena. I'm curious to see what happens with Eiryn. And Wulf, our Raider King, *sigh* He has so much potential ;0) I can't wait for the next book!
*thank you to the publisher for a copy of this for an honest review*
Whew! I feel so much better after saying that. Maud was sold to the church in the post-storm America for some food and furs when she was 11. The church in here is NOTHING like any church I know and I'll just leave that at that LOL Anyway, Maud has a defiant streak and questions everything and when you belong to the church, they want complete submission. Maud has trouble with that until she wanders off into the desert and sees a strong, broody, glaring raider (Vikings of this future world) named Gunnar standing there. When she sees him, she finally realizes that she wants to submit, but only to him. Gunnar gladly (if you could ever say Gunnar is glad LOL) takes her with him since he needs a virgin sacrifice to perform a ritual to bring back his deceased mate. Maud wants nothing more than to do everything Gunnar wants of her. Gunnar constantly fights with his feelings for Maud. He fought those feelings right up until the end and she continually submitted to him, knowing he intended to kill her. Her complete trust in him floored me. It was beautiful!
I loved seeing Tyr and Helena. I'm curious to see what happens with Eiryn. And Wulf, our Raider King, *sigh* He has so much potential ;0) I can't wait for the next book!
*thank you to the publisher for a copy of this for an honest review*
March 24, 2016
This book is a stand alone. I received this arc from netgalley for an honest review.
EROTIC...........DOMINANT...........SUBMISSIVE..............
EXTREMELY HOT
Maud was sold to the church at the age of 11 to be trained as a submissive sex slave, breeder for the church. Constant spankings from the priests and taught that prayer is to involve oral sex since her sixteenth birthday Maud does not want to spend the rest of her life doing this, so while she supposed to spend the next few weeks getting her free will under control before relinquishing her virginity to the priests on the June Solstice when she turns 21 she escapes.
Gunnar is in denial about his dead mate Audra. Audra was the only person to ever love him for him not his blood brother the King or for his genius with building and fixing everything. Killed for being branded a traitor and attempting the assassination of the King, Gunnar promises to bring her back from the dead using the black magic from the books Audra kept. The last ingredient needed for the spell just so happens to be walking straight towards him, a virgin nun.
Maud can't seem to get control of herself from second she sees the raider. Gunnar seems to trigger all of her submissive instincts. She can't stop herself from doing anything to please him, even agreeing to be the human vessel for Audra.
Maud tests his control and pushes his his every button. She pushes past all his limits and makes him feel things he has no right feeling for anyone except his mate. The struggle to stay the course was getting harder and harder everyday.
I loved the first book in this new series set in the near future with modern day vikings. In book 1 we got to know Tyr and Helena. In this book , which was so different from book 1, we got to know Gunnar and Maud. Throughout the both books we are learning more about the new world after the storms ravaged it and the other characters, whom I'm sure will have their own story to tell soon and I can't wait. I loved all the viking books I read and always wanted and craved something like this.
I would definitely recommend reading this series.
EROTIC...........DOMINANT...........SUBMISSIVE..............
EXTREMELY HOT
Maud was sold to the church at the age of 11 to be trained as a submissive sex slave, breeder for the church. Constant spankings from the priests and taught that prayer is to involve oral sex since her sixteenth birthday Maud does not want to spend the rest of her life doing this, so while she supposed to spend the next few weeks getting her free will under control before relinquishing her virginity to the priests on the June Solstice when she turns 21 she escapes.
Gunnar is in denial about his dead mate Audra. Audra was the only person to ever love him for him not his blood brother the King or for his genius with building and fixing everything. Killed for being branded a traitor and attempting the assassination of the King, Gunnar promises to bring her back from the dead using the black magic from the books Audra kept. The last ingredient needed for the spell just so happens to be walking straight towards him, a virgin nun.
Maud can't seem to get control of herself from second she sees the raider. Gunnar seems to trigger all of her submissive instincts. She can't stop herself from doing anything to please him, even agreeing to be the human vessel for Audra.
Maud tests his control and pushes his his every button. She pushes past all his limits and makes him feel things he has no right feeling for anyone except his mate. The struggle to stay the course was getting harder and harder everyday.
I loved the first book in this new series set in the near future with modern day vikings. In book 1 we got to know Tyr and Helena. In this book , which was so different from book 1, we got to know Gunnar and Maud. Throughout the both books we are learning more about the new world after the storms ravaged it and the other characters, whom I'm sure will have their own story to tell soon and I can't wait. I loved all the viking books I read and always wanted and craved something like this.
I would definitely recommend reading this series.
April 19, 2016
I have so much NOPE NOPE NOPE about this book which is a bummer because I love the one before it.
Gunnar is an asshat who whines his way through the entire book. The sex is oddly icky--that could certainly just be my taste but there you have it. Maud is bits and pieces of a character rather than a woman whose choices make sense. He's an idiot and an emotional clod until the 97% mark of the book when suddenly he isn't. Like I said, NOPE NOPE NOPE.
Gunnar is an asshat who whines his way through the entire book. The sex is oddly icky--that could certainly just be my taste but there you have it. Maud is bits and pieces of a character rather than a woman whose choices make sense. He's an idiot and an emotional clod until the 97% mark of the book when suddenly he isn't. Like I said, NOPE NOPE NOPE.
April 6, 2016
Gunnar sure could be animalistic, and damn if that wasn't sexy, “Gunnar…,” she whispered. He growled . It was a sound of rage, of need, and something far darker still. But to Maud, it was a song. He palmed her *** and he dragged her closer still, and then he took her mouth all over again." I liked this book Gunnar could be a handful at times but overall he was a good guy.
on-hold-slow-ass-plot-to-try-again
November 6, 2021I loved the first book in this series; it was a nice surprise, but I can't get into this one at the moment. So I'm stopping at 25%.
Will try again at some point. Maybe
Will try again at some point. Maybe
May 7, 2016
Edge of Temptation is the second book in the gritty, erotic, dystopian world of The Edge series, first introduced earlier in 2016 with Edge of Obsession. In that book, Gunnar and Maud are introduced as secondary characters late in the second half, where it is clear that Maud is Gunnar's captive. This novel is the backstory to that relationship, taking place simultaneously with book 1 (until a joining of plot-lines late in the second half), and focuses on Gunnar, blood brother of the raider king Wulf. Gunnar has gone far across the sea from his raider clan home in search of a virgin to sacrifice as part of his plan to bring back his dead mate Audra with a black magic ritual. Virgins are hard to come by in this world where sex and winter marriages are the norm, but the one place sure to have them is a church compound. As luck or fate would have it, Maud, a novice in training, has wandered off from the convent where she's lived for several years since being sold into religious slavery as a young girl and meets Gunnar in the desert. Going with him seems better than the alternative of returning to the convent where she expects that any day now she will be put out for disobedience. Gunnar makes it clear to Maud that she is his captive and even knowing that his plans for her include death, it still sounds like a better life, if for a short time, than the one she's had to date. Bringing Maud back to his raider settlement, Gunnar's growing attraction to her wracks him with guilt, threatening to interfere with his plans to revive the woman he lost. His position in the clan is tenuous, with his constant defiance of his brother the king, and the fact that he's brought yet another stranger into the fold (especially when the first woman he brought home, his mate Audra, had clearly been inciting a revolt). When the dust settles, who will be left standing?
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, which featured the raider war chief Tyr and Helena, a woman holding a potential key to information that could tip the balance of power for those living in this dystopian world. That story featured a complete couple romance but left several plot points unanswered, to be part of a continuing story arc for the whole series. Because this story takes place simultaneously, it can be read as a standalone as the important parts of book 1 are explained succinctly when the plot lines meet up, but I do recommend reading book 1 as it was a great introduction to the overall world building of the series. Though this story also features some short explanations of the general power structures to be found, it expands on the religious aspect. In this religion, young women who become nuns are basically sexual slaves to the priests in charge, serving them in any capacity until they reach a certain age after which they become breeders to produce offspring that will be raised in the church as well. Sold into the church at age 11, it's the world Maud has grown up in , and one where her natural spirit has been beaten down but not demolished. Being a captive to Gunnar is similar to her previous circumstances except that where her own sexual responses were discouraged in the church, with Gunnar they are encouraged. The result is some highly erotic scenes between them, following a BDSM theme where Gunnar is clearly dominant and Maud fervently submissive. She is used to pain, though here with Gunnar she also gets to experience accompanying pleasure. It makes for some very intense scenes between them.
Some readers may find Gunnar overly harsh, but I felt he was true to his upbringing, having had no caring and affectionate female in his life to give him a positive relationship example. His mother was a camp slave. His mate Audra was a manipulative, power hungry jezebel. Why he'd want to bring her back is somewhat puzzling, as she's portrayed in a mostly unpleasant way (she cheated on him and ultimately betrayed their raider clan which in part caused her death). But what made her important to Gunnar was that she chose him over his brother, something that never happened with anyone else, such that he feels he owes it to her to do whatever he can to bring her back from the dead. It's his one mission - and a mission that Maud can bring to fruition or to ruin. His feelings for her become very complex as she willingly submits to all his demands, wearing his collar and clearly comfortable in her role as his slave. He finds himself alternately treating her as a possession and then as a woman to be cared for, and it's the latter that creates a guilt complex in him as the time for her sacrifice draws near. Maud defends him to his brother, even knowing she is going to die, an unselfish person who has come to the realization that she will do anything for Gunnar if it will make him happy. She's the opposite of Audra who only did things for her own gain, and worthy of Gunnar's love if he can only bring himself to give it freely.
I was quite fascinated with the power play between Gunnar, his half brother Wulf and his half sister Eiryn who is one of Wulf's bodyguards. They were all brought up in the same raider clan and Wulf got his current position as King by forcibly removing his father - no easy succession here. It's a violent world where danger and rumors and betrayal constantly swirl. Gunnar struggles with loyalty for the man whom he grew up with but whom he blames for Audra's death. He knows he walks a fine line by disrespecting his king in public, a line that is held tight only because of their blood relationship. One of the reasons why Gunnar's disrespect is tolerated by his brother (besides the blood link between them) is that Gunnar is the resident mechanical genius of the clan. He's the one who has wired up the electricity, designed and built generators, and pretty much anything that requires design and implementation is his forte. The tablet that Helena and Tyr brought back to the clan, and the rumours of the fabled internet being real and accessible via the tablet are too much for Gunnar to resist and while he may have alienated himself from the clan with Audra, it's different with Maud supporting him. As well, Eiryn is becoming quite an interesting secondary character, holding a position of power as a warrior woman in a world where most women are powerless. I'm really looking forward to her book as she's definitely not a subservient female and I expect the sexual dynamics will be quite different than what we've seen to date. (Though I could be wrong - it could be that because of her need to be in control in public as a bodyguard to the king, she might be submissive in private - I'm dying to find out!) For me, this story was less action oriented than the first one, and more dramatic with the relationship between Gunnar and Maud evolving into a mutually satisfying one, in which the power they have over each other equalizes, despite what it appears like on the outside. It doesn't advance the plot much farther than where the first story in the series left off, so I'm hoping to see more development on that in the next one, which comes out later this summer. 4-4.5 stars for this erotic,intense story.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
This review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
I really enjoyed the first book in this series, which featured the raider war chief Tyr and Helena, a woman holding a potential key to information that could tip the balance of power for those living in this dystopian world. That story featured a complete couple romance but left several plot points unanswered, to be part of a continuing story arc for the whole series. Because this story takes place simultaneously, it can be read as a standalone as the important parts of book 1 are explained succinctly when the plot lines meet up, but I do recommend reading book 1 as it was a great introduction to the overall world building of the series. Though this story also features some short explanations of the general power structures to be found, it expands on the religious aspect. In this religion, young women who become nuns are basically sexual slaves to the priests in charge, serving them in any capacity until they reach a certain age after which they become breeders to produce offspring that will be raised in the church as well. Sold into the church at age 11, it's the world Maud has grown up in , and one where her natural spirit has been beaten down but not demolished. Being a captive to Gunnar is similar to her previous circumstances except that where her own sexual responses were discouraged in the church, with Gunnar they are encouraged. The result is some highly erotic scenes between them, following a BDSM theme where Gunnar is clearly dominant and Maud fervently submissive. She is used to pain, though here with Gunnar she also gets to experience accompanying pleasure. It makes for some very intense scenes between them.
Some readers may find Gunnar overly harsh, but I felt he was true to his upbringing, having had no caring and affectionate female in his life to give him a positive relationship example. His mother was a camp slave. His mate Audra was a manipulative, power hungry jezebel. Why he'd want to bring her back is somewhat puzzling, as she's portrayed in a mostly unpleasant way (she cheated on him and ultimately betrayed their raider clan which in part caused her death). But what made her important to Gunnar was that she chose him over his brother, something that never happened with anyone else, such that he feels he owes it to her to do whatever he can to bring her back from the dead. It's his one mission - and a mission that Maud can bring to fruition or to ruin. His feelings for her become very complex as she willingly submits to all his demands, wearing his collar and clearly comfortable in her role as his slave. He finds himself alternately treating her as a possession and then as a woman to be cared for, and it's the latter that creates a guilt complex in him as the time for her sacrifice draws near. Maud defends him to his brother, even knowing she is going to die, an unselfish person who has come to the realization that she will do anything for Gunnar if it will make him happy. She's the opposite of Audra who only did things for her own gain, and worthy of Gunnar's love if he can only bring himself to give it freely.
I was quite fascinated with the power play between Gunnar, his half brother Wulf and his half sister Eiryn who is one of Wulf's bodyguards. They were all brought up in the same raider clan and Wulf got his current position as King by forcibly removing his father - no easy succession here. It's a violent world where danger and rumors and betrayal constantly swirl. Gunnar struggles with loyalty for the man whom he grew up with but whom he blames for Audra's death. He knows he walks a fine line by disrespecting his king in public, a line that is held tight only because of their blood relationship. One of the reasons why Gunnar's disrespect is tolerated by his brother (besides the blood link between them) is that Gunnar is the resident mechanical genius of the clan. He's the one who has wired up the electricity, designed and built generators, and pretty much anything that requires design and implementation is his forte. The tablet that Helena and Tyr brought back to the clan, and the rumours of the fabled internet being real and accessible via the tablet are too much for Gunnar to resist and while he may have alienated himself from the clan with Audra, it's different with Maud supporting him. As well, Eiryn is becoming quite an interesting secondary character, holding a position of power as a warrior woman in a world where most women are powerless. I'm really looking forward to her book as she's definitely not a subservient female and I expect the sexual dynamics will be quite different than what we've seen to date. (Though I could be wrong - it could be that because of her need to be in control in public as a bodyguard to the king, she might be submissive in private - I'm dying to find out!) For me, this story was less action oriented than the first one, and more dramatic with the relationship between Gunnar and Maud evolving into a mutually satisfying one, in which the power they have over each other equalizes, despite what it appears like on the outside. It doesn't advance the plot much farther than where the first story in the series left off, so I'm hoping to see more development on that in the next one, which comes out later this summer. 4-4.5 stars for this erotic,intense story.
He kissed her as if this wasn’t new, this hungry taking. As if she had never been anything in all her life but his. His to toy with and taste, deep and rough and wet and hot. His to hold between his hands in an unspoken show of complete and utter command that made her tremble all over … then melt into the sweet, bright safety of another total surrender.
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
This review appears as a blog post at: http://straightshootinbookreviews.com...
August 4, 2018
This is a hard story, about hard lives after the world has been decimated by storms and leaves behind fiefdoms, little kings, raiders, and priests. Priests who use religion to harvest young girls to groom for their personal intimate services and call them acts of god. Gunner's wife died and is accused of betraying the raider clan and he's bent on resurrecting her and proving her innocence. He just needs a virgin as part of his black magic ritual. Maud was always considered disobedient, which led to lots of punishment and prayer (prayer being blowing her confessor). This is a gritty, dark romance, with bondage, objectification, dominance and other BDSM scenarios. Gunner doesn't want to want her but as each day passes it's harder and harder. She's been trained since she was eleven to serve, and is convinced he is her one and only master, although she refuses to give him the words. Editing issues, including conflicting age when she was purchased by the priest. Fast paced, action, romance. I like this series, even though it's harsh world, with over the top rough men and non PC situations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2017
I reviewed the whole series on Romances Ever After.
[Possible triggers: sexual abuse mentions, kidnapping]
This book made me sit up and go, “Now wait a diddly darn second—” because it was darker than the first book and a whole lot more interesting.
Gunnar, the tech genius of the clan and also half-brother to Wulf, the raider king, has broken away from his clan after the loss of his mate, Audra. He is driven to the point of obsession about bringing back his mate from the dead using ancient magic, and the only thing left to make the supposed spell work is a virgin. He meets Maud, who escapes from the church she’s been sold to when she was a young girl, by chance and thinks he has everything he needs…except that he doesn’t count the growing attraction he feels for her.
Gosh, I don't even know what to say about this book other than I love it a lot, mainly because it is so intense and angsty. Gunnar was so deep in his anger and plans for revenge he saw nothing else, and most of the time I wanted to throttle him for being an ass. I found Maud to be both fragile yet strong at the same time. Being enslaved to the church of power-hungry, pervert priests for years did not weaken her, and she got under Gunnar’s skin so easily it was so much fun to watch.
Edge of Temptation is a bit on the kinkier side because Gunnar is a dominant (and a sadist son of witch, I love him) and Maud is a submissive. We also got to see Helena’s agenda more elaborately in this one.
[Possible triggers: sexual abuse mentions, kidnapping]
This book made me sit up and go, “Now wait a diddly darn second—” because it was darker than the first book and a whole lot more interesting.
Gunnar, the tech genius of the clan and also half-brother to Wulf, the raider king, has broken away from his clan after the loss of his mate, Audra. He is driven to the point of obsession about bringing back his mate from the dead using ancient magic, and the only thing left to make the supposed spell work is a virgin. He meets Maud, who escapes from the church she’s been sold to when she was a young girl, by chance and thinks he has everything he needs…except that he doesn’t count the growing attraction he feels for her.
Gosh, I don't even know what to say about this book other than I love it a lot, mainly because it is so intense and angsty. Gunnar was so deep in his anger and plans for revenge he saw nothing else, and most of the time I wanted to throttle him for being an ass. I found Maud to be both fragile yet strong at the same time. Being enslaved to the church of power-hungry, pervert priests for years did not weaken her, and she got under Gunnar’s skin so easily it was so much fun to watch.
Edge of Temptation is a bit on the kinkier side because Gunnar is a dominant (and a sadist son of witch, I love him) and Maud is a submissive. We also got to see Helena’s agenda more elaborately in this one.
April 18, 2016
Me while reading the story
I loved the first story, so when I got the chance to read the second one I was super happy about it. And let me tell you, I don't regret reading it one bit. This story's plot is definitely something else. You got this dystopian setting where men (again) rule the world and take what they want, that of course includes women. A lot of them... Some see them as a sign of power, some for breeding, some for pleasure and some might even find love in this harsh world they live in. Edge of Temptation is quite an intriguing story that will push your limits (as a woman for sure) of comfort and morals.
Cities fell. Seas rose. People died.
Harsh times bred hard men.
And they took women. Women to make the sharp, cruel edges of their hard world that little bit more bearable. Some, it turned out, more than others.
If you've read the first story in this series then you already know that Gunnar lost his mate a year ago and completely lost himself in his grief. And when he returned to his clan, not quite willingly might I add, he then brough with him a young woman. But what we didn't get from the first story is that the things he did had always a greater purpose, an obsession to bring back his long lost mate no matter the cost or sacrifice.
This man was mayhem and madness packed into that hard, lethal body like a promise.
This man was what nightmares looked like and he was looking straight at her. Maud should have run.
And what better sacrifice than a willing virgin, a novice in training to become a nun. A woman who was trained to be submissive and good in obeying orders. Only Maud wasn't just a submissive young woman, she was a submissive with her own mind and will, a woman who wanted the full experience right down to the dirty sex that Gunnar just oozed of him.
Maybe the problem was she’d spent far too much time pretending she could be something else when she couldn’t.
Surrender, a voice inside her whispered. It will set you free.
And for the first time in her life Maud went down on her knees of her own volition, out of desire and longing instead of fear of consequences or a sense of duty, then knelt before her dark, commanding raider right there on the red desert floor.
I'm not gonna give away much of the story but I will say this, Gunnar and Maud sure make an interesting and unique couple. Not that kind of a couple you would expect, so their developing relationship kept my attention and I really wanted to know how their journey would end. The most fun I had was reading about Gunnar's inner conflict, honor his vows to his dead mate or be selfish and give in to what completes him in every way. I admit, he was a real jerk when he wanted to be but his POV saved him many times from getting on my bad side. The same with Maud. On the outside she was this timid, shy, obedient woman but her real character was far more complex. She understands human desires and behaviour like no other and can therefore read those around her realy good.
“Show me your obedience,”“and I might show you some mercy. Then again, I might not.” My punishments will leave marks. And I don’t care how much you scream about it. As far as I’m concerned, that is gratitude.
“Don’t worry,” “I’m really, really good at grateful.”
“I’ll remind you that you said that, little nun,” he promised her.
Also, we get to see some characters from the first book and that was enjoyable, too. I wished we got to see more of Tyr and Helena but I'm sure we'll get more of them in the following books. I can't wait to read the next couple's story and their journey.
Edge of Temptation is maybe not everyones pick but it sure as heck is mine. It has action, betrayal, lots of filthy sex scenes and above all, an intriguing plot that kept my attention from start to end.
Defnitely a book I'd recommend.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the first story, so when I got the chance to read the second one I was super happy about it. And let me tell you, I don't regret reading it one bit. This story's plot is definitely something else. You got this dystopian setting where men (again) rule the world and take what they want, that of course includes women. A lot of them... Some see them as a sign of power, some for breeding, some for pleasure and some might even find love in this harsh world they live in. Edge of Temptation is quite an intriguing story that will push your limits (as a woman for sure) of comfort and morals.
Cities fell. Seas rose. People died.
Harsh times bred hard men.
And they took women. Women to make the sharp, cruel edges of their hard world that little bit more bearable. Some, it turned out, more than others.
If you've read the first story in this series then you already know that Gunnar lost his mate a year ago and completely lost himself in his grief. And when he returned to his clan, not quite willingly might I add, he then brough with him a young woman. But what we didn't get from the first story is that the things he did had always a greater purpose, an obsession to bring back his long lost mate no matter the cost or sacrifice.
This man was mayhem and madness packed into that hard, lethal body like a promise.
This man was what nightmares looked like and he was looking straight at her. Maud should have run.
And what better sacrifice than a willing virgin, a novice in training to become a nun. A woman who was trained to be submissive and good in obeying orders. Only Maud wasn't just a submissive young woman, she was a submissive with her own mind and will, a woman who wanted the full experience right down to the dirty sex that Gunnar just oozed of him.
Maybe the problem was she’d spent far too much time pretending she could be something else when she couldn’t.
Surrender, a voice inside her whispered. It will set you free.
And for the first time in her life Maud went down on her knees of her own volition, out of desire and longing instead of fear of consequences or a sense of duty, then knelt before her dark, commanding raider right there on the red desert floor.
I'm not gonna give away much of the story but I will say this, Gunnar and Maud sure make an interesting and unique couple. Not that kind of a couple you would expect, so their developing relationship kept my attention and I really wanted to know how their journey would end. The most fun I had was reading about Gunnar's inner conflict, honor his vows to his dead mate or be selfish and give in to what completes him in every way. I admit, he was a real jerk when he wanted to be but his POV saved him many times from getting on my bad side. The same with Maud. On the outside she was this timid, shy, obedient woman but her real character was far more complex. She understands human desires and behaviour like no other and can therefore read those around her realy good.
“Show me your obedience,”“and I might show you some mercy. Then again, I might not.” My punishments will leave marks. And I don’t care how much you scream about it. As far as I’m concerned, that is gratitude.
“Don’t worry,” “I’m really, really good at grateful.”
“I’ll remind you that you said that, little nun,” he promised her.
Also, we get to see some characters from the first book and that was enjoyable, too. I wished we got to see more of Tyr and Helena but I'm sure we'll get more of them in the following books. I can't wait to read the next couple's story and their journey.
Edge of Temptation is maybe not everyones pick but it sure as heck is mine. It has action, betrayal, lots of filthy sex scenes and above all, an intriguing plot that kept my attention from start to end.
Defnitely a book I'd recommend.
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 24, 2017
2.8 I didn't like this book. Gunner was a d*** all the way though. There was no way he even had a slight idea black magic worked to bring his dead girlfriend back. He doesn't treat anyone as a mate. He was cruel to Maud always telling her he was going to kill her and even then he still raped her declaring since it was an rear entry it wasn't the same.. Because she was scared and didn't want him taking her from behind she felt it was wrong and he ignored her concerns, Punishing her when she was forced to talk to the king. Gunner is just like his father a cruel selfish pr***He just liked causing pain. The fact he shared her with Riordan just made me hate him. Camp girls don't mind the open sex but when they claim someone as their mate there shouldn't be anymore sharing or letting the other brothers share. I prefer the biker stories over these as they have respect for their old ladies as they call them instead of mates. :\ Maud would do anything just to be free of the Church. And since she sees Gunner as her salvation she thinks she owes him.She thought since he "saved" her from the church that she owed him, totally not getting Gunner was going to be just as bad as they were, maybe the beatings wouldn't be as severe but who knows as he likes to inflict pain. Now if you like selfish jerks who don't care about anything or anyone but themselves even after finding the one the claim to love you may like this book.
April 5, 2016
I'm not quite sure what I think about this book. It's odd and uncomfortable and not exactly emotional but I did feel anger and hurt for the characters. This is not a happy go lucky love story so if that is what you are looking for you won't find it here. What you will find is a world you cannot imagine and one where the church trains submissive women and they call them nuns. You will find alpha men who raid (raiders) kings and others to take what they need and that includes women. You will find an angry mourning raider who has found himself a virgin nun (or novice) and instead of killing her he is falling for her while at the same time conflicted because he does plan to kill her to bring back his dead wife. The nun, Maud, is all graceful and caring and protective of her raider. He, Gunner, is all pissed and brooding and powerful. They both are very much the equal part for one another for their serial desires.
What will he do? Will he sacrifice her to bring back his lost mate in a block magic ritual or will he fall for this little innocent nun? That is providing that now that his King knows and wants to keep her safe will let him have her,
So, like the male character in the story, I am conflicted.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What will he do? Will he sacrifice her to bring back his lost mate in a block magic ritual or will he fall for this little innocent nun? That is providing that now that his King knows and wants to keep her safe will let him have her,
So, like the male character in the story, I am conflicted.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 12, 2016
In a dystopian future, Maud knows this coming summer will either be her first as a nun, or the last of her life since the priests can decide to banish her to the desert and certain death. Faced with this future, she makes her own choice for the first time in eleven years - she walks away.
Gunnar is still reeling over the death of his mate and what the King claims to be, her betrayal. He´s got one chance to make everything ok again but its dark magic and includes a virgin and her death.
Sure in his decision he finds himself on the outskirts of the convents grounds, just when Maud appears. Now that he´s got his virgin sacrifice, will the return of his mate make everything better again? What will Maud do when she learns of his plans?
Dystopian romance, feelings and smutty fluff in an awesome combo, and a new world I can´t wait to return to! Love the Raiders!
Disclaimer; I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review, but I´d gladly pay for it =)
Gunnar is still reeling over the death of his mate and what the King claims to be, her betrayal. He´s got one chance to make everything ok again but its dark magic and includes a virgin and her death.
Sure in his decision he finds himself on the outskirts of the convents grounds, just when Maud appears. Now that he´s got his virgin sacrifice, will the return of his mate make everything better again? What will Maud do when she learns of his plans?
Dystopian romance, feelings and smutty fluff in an awesome combo, and a new world I can´t wait to return to! Love the Raiders!
Disclaimer; I was given a free copy in exchange for an honest review, but I´d gladly pay for it =)
May 17, 2016
3.5 Stars for me
I enjoyed Gunnar and Maud's story. This is the second book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone, the story will be much richer if you read book 1 in the series. It is a long book with lots of description and world building but the relationship jumps out to you. Gunnar is a tortured, dark hero seeking to bring back his first mate. Maud succeeds in chipping back all of the layers he has built around himself. She's strong but in a quiet way. The relationship involves some lite bdsm and I often wanted to shake Gunnar for denying the building love but was overall very satisfied with the story and the characters.
I enjoyed Gunnar and Maud's story. This is the second book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone, the story will be much richer if you read book 1 in the series. It is a long book with lots of description and world building but the relationship jumps out to you. Gunnar is a tortured, dark hero seeking to bring back his first mate. Maud succeeds in chipping back all of the layers he has built around himself. She's strong but in a quiet way. The relationship involves some lite bdsm and I often wanted to shake Gunnar for denying the building love but was overall very satisfied with the story and the characters.
April 6, 2016
Whoa! Welcome to the Twilight zone that is Gunnar's mind. This book is dark, dirty and raw. Dystopian bondage, yup that's what the chemistry between Maud and Gunnar is. Her submissiveness is basically what will save him from total madness But oh man! what a trip this book is. I needed a day to recover.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2016
3.5 stars
April 12, 2016
I could just say that Megan Crane’s new post-apocalyptic Edge series is a mash-up of Sons of Anarchy meets Vikings meets Mad Max meets Waterworld.
Which, actually, is very true.
And I mean that in a good way.
The Edge series takes place hundreds of years after the polar ice caps have melted, redefining the geography of Earth. California is gone. Mississippi is now a sea. Atlanta is a coastal city. The Appalachian Mountains are now the separate eastern islands. The stacks of skyscrapers that used to be New York City are now a treacherous ocean impediment. There’s virtually no electricity and very little sunlight. Gunpowder is unreliable, given all known materials have been soaked by “the rains,” which means swords and blades are once again the weapons of the land. There are some places with light, but they’ve been claimed by western kings or the bishops of the new religion. Those with the electricity wield the power.
Winter lasts for six months of complete darkness. Everywhere. There is no national government, but religion rules the day and charge what’s left of the populace that it is their duty to produce children to repopulate the world. This means that every winter, winter marriages are made and if a pregnancy results from these business transactions, the marriage continues through to the birth of the child.
When I’m digging into a new series, world building is key. I have to believe this world could exist. It needs to have depth and breath and structure and the occasional recognizable trait on which I can hang my understanding. I need to see shades of the real world in the lines of the fictional world’s make up. The world of the Edge series is tactile in description, the shape of the new world hewn from the one we recognize, which makes it recognizable at the same time as being something completely new and quite fascinating in its creation.
Edge of Obsession introduces us to the raiders who carved out a kingdom free of religious control in the eastern islands that used to be the Appalachian Mountain range. They live free and wild, raiding the other settlements of the former United States like their Viking counterparts as they need. They are ruled by a Raider King named Wulf and a council made up of the elite warriors who form The Brotherhood.
When not raiding, they have sex. Lots and lots and lots of sex. Often publicly in the clubhouse main lodge. There are biker groupies camp girls whose sole purpose is to be available to the brothers for sex–in a good way, I mean. They’re up for it, believe me, and never ever shamed for it. They’re simply a needed, valued aspect of this society. People in this world know how quickly that world may end and, raiders especially, free from the yoke of the religious rules that govern nearly everyone else in the known world, take that to heart.
In Edge of Obsession, Tyr, the war chief of The Brotherhood, stumbles across a small “kingdom” in Atlanta who occupants laughably attack the raiders, drawing their ire. Helena has been wintering in the fortress with her sister, but when Tyr and his brothers arrive, she leaps at the chance to escape the mercenary who killed her parents and who has been chasing Helena and her sister for two years. Despite believing they are the monsters of nightmares, Helena knows that Tyr and his raiders are her only hope of living through the night. She asks Tyr to take her as his captive and, shocked but intrigued, Tyr does so. He’s immediately impressed by her pride and mouthy rejoinders, and recognizes that Helena is a woman like none other he’s yet met. What he doesn’t know is that Helena is on a mission, one that’s been passed down in her family of which she and her sister are the last living remnants, and to which she has sworn her life in service. To Helena, this is a holy mission and it will transform the world as they now know it, if she can learn to trust Tyr enough to share it.
The events of Edge of Temptation happen in tandem with those of Edge of Obsession, a tricky thing for a writer to manage, but Crane weaves the stories together well. Gunnar, the tech wunderkind of The Brotherhood and blood brother to Wulf, the Raider King, has been off on a year of living crazy after losing his mate on the battlefield…a mate who, it turns out, was likely a traitor. He’s on a quest to perform a ritual for which he needs a live, pure sacrifice–a virgin. With winter marriages the law of the land as soon as a girl reaches puberty (or near enough), a virgin is as rare as a working electrical grid–unless you look to the novitiates kept behind the high walls of the temples solely for the use of the bishops who rule there.
Maud is one of these novitiates and has been since her uncle and mother sold her to a bishop at the age of ten. But Maud has never quite been able to fold herself inside the obedient frames of a proper nun, despite the relentless confession and punishment sessions with her bishop…but I’ll let you discover the mystery of those on your own. Not surprisingly, ten years of such…instruction…means that Maud equates pain with pleasure, and has been conditioned to obey a master–the right master, not some puffed up, pervy bishop with delusions of grandeur. Plus there’s the fact that she just likes it that way. But Maud also knows she’ll never been promoted to be a full nun, because she’s never let the bishop break her. She also knows that the alternative is to tossed out of the convent and set loose in the desert for the wolves to get her. Unwilling to let her fate be decided for her, Maud leaves the convent and goes out into the desert on her own…where she stumbles upon a grumpy, grieving raider in the market for a virgin nun.
I’ll admit, the relationship in Edge of Temptation surprised me with its D/s content, because it’s not advertised like a neon sign flashing SHE GETS OFF ON BEING SPANKED. HE LIKES TO TIE CHICKS UP. Rather, it’s built slowly and with care. Maud and Gunnar’s use of pain and obedience in their sex is rooted in what’s been previously inflicted upon them, particularly for Maud, and as such, is a deep part of their matrix. Their relationship is emotional and sensual and helluva sexy, and it takes some surprising turns along the way.
The heroines and heroes of the Edge series are people at major turning points in their lives when those lives suddenly intersect. Helena is at her wit’s end to fulfill her family’s work, and is counting her life in minutes, so she impulsively throws herself at the scariest man she’s ever seen, knowing he’s her last chance for (likely temporary) survival. Tyr has reached a point where he has things set well enough in his (albeit barbaric) life that, for the first time, the faint feeling of being unfulfilled has crept into his mind…until he meets Helena who challenges him every moment. Maud walks away from the convent and out into the desert because she absolutely cannot continue to live her life the way it is for one more second. Death is preferable, but a death she chooses, not one to which she’s sentenced. She winds up throwing herself on the dubious–and by dubious, I mean nonexistent–mercy of Gunnar who just happens to be standing right there in her way. Gunner has been mad with grief for over a year, which had led him to embark on this equally crazy plan, but when the exact virgin nun he needs to complete his whacked out ritual walks out of the desert like a mirage, his life is irrevocably changed. Meeting Maud makes Gunnar take the first halting steps back to his humanity, with Maud as his catalyst and touchstone…and probably, his sacrifice.
Be tempted. Get obsessed. And throw yourself onto the edge of this exciting, sexy new series.
Which, actually, is very true.
And I mean that in a good way.
The Edge series takes place hundreds of years after the polar ice caps have melted, redefining the geography of Earth. California is gone. Mississippi is now a sea. Atlanta is a coastal city. The Appalachian Mountains are now the separate eastern islands. The stacks of skyscrapers that used to be New York City are now a treacherous ocean impediment. There’s virtually no electricity and very little sunlight. Gunpowder is unreliable, given all known materials have been soaked by “the rains,” which means swords and blades are once again the weapons of the land. There are some places with light, but they’ve been claimed by western kings or the bishops of the new religion. Those with the electricity wield the power.
Winter lasts for six months of complete darkness. Everywhere. There is no national government, but religion rules the day and charge what’s left of the populace that it is their duty to produce children to repopulate the world. This means that every winter, winter marriages are made and if a pregnancy results from these business transactions, the marriage continues through to the birth of the child.
When I’m digging into a new series, world building is key. I have to believe this world could exist. It needs to have depth and breath and structure and the occasional recognizable trait on which I can hang my understanding. I need to see shades of the real world in the lines of the fictional world’s make up. The world of the Edge series is tactile in description, the shape of the new world hewn from the one we recognize, which makes it recognizable at the same time as being something completely new and quite fascinating in its creation.
Edge of Obsession introduces us to the raiders who carved out a kingdom free of religious control in the eastern islands that used to be the Appalachian Mountain range. They live free and wild, raiding the other settlements of the former United States like their Viking counterparts as they need. They are ruled by a Raider King named Wulf and a council made up of the elite warriors who form The Brotherhood.
When not raiding, they have sex. Lots and lots and lots of sex. Often publicly in the clubhouse main lodge. There are biker groupies camp girls whose sole purpose is to be available to the brothers for sex–in a good way, I mean. They’re up for it, believe me, and never ever shamed for it. They’re simply a needed, valued aspect of this society. People in this world know how quickly that world may end and, raiders especially, free from the yoke of the religious rules that govern nearly everyone else in the known world, take that to heart.
In Edge of Obsession, Tyr, the war chief of The Brotherhood, stumbles across a small “kingdom” in Atlanta who occupants laughably attack the raiders, drawing their ire. Helena has been wintering in the fortress with her sister, but when Tyr and his brothers arrive, she leaps at the chance to escape the mercenary who killed her parents and who has been chasing Helena and her sister for two years. Despite believing they are the monsters of nightmares, Helena knows that Tyr and his raiders are her only hope of living through the night. She asks Tyr to take her as his captive and, shocked but intrigued, Tyr does so. He’s immediately impressed by her pride and mouthy rejoinders, and recognizes that Helena is a woman like none other he’s yet met. What he doesn’t know is that Helena is on a mission, one that’s been passed down in her family of which she and her sister are the last living remnants, and to which she has sworn her life in service. To Helena, this is a holy mission and it will transform the world as they now know it, if she can learn to trust Tyr enough to share it.
The events of Edge of Temptation happen in tandem with those of Edge of Obsession, a tricky thing for a writer to manage, but Crane weaves the stories together well. Gunnar, the tech wunderkind of The Brotherhood and blood brother to Wulf, the Raider King, has been off on a year of living crazy after losing his mate on the battlefield…a mate who, it turns out, was likely a traitor. He’s on a quest to perform a ritual for which he needs a live, pure sacrifice–a virgin. With winter marriages the law of the land as soon as a girl reaches puberty (or near enough), a virgin is as rare as a working electrical grid–unless you look to the novitiates kept behind the high walls of the temples solely for the use of the bishops who rule there.
Maud is one of these novitiates and has been since her uncle and mother sold her to a bishop at the age of ten. But Maud has never quite been able to fold herself inside the obedient frames of a proper nun, despite the relentless confession and punishment sessions with her bishop…but I’ll let you discover the mystery of those on your own. Not surprisingly, ten years of such…instruction…means that Maud equates pain with pleasure, and has been conditioned to obey a master–the right master, not some puffed up, pervy bishop with delusions of grandeur. Plus there’s the fact that she just likes it that way. But Maud also knows she’ll never been promoted to be a full nun, because she’s never let the bishop break her. She also knows that the alternative is to tossed out of the convent and set loose in the desert for the wolves to get her. Unwilling to let her fate be decided for her, Maud leaves the convent and goes out into the desert on her own…where she stumbles upon a grumpy, grieving raider in the market for a virgin nun.
I’ll admit, the relationship in Edge of Temptation surprised me with its D/s content, because it’s not advertised like a neon sign flashing SHE GETS OFF ON BEING SPANKED. HE LIKES TO TIE CHICKS UP. Rather, it’s built slowly and with care. Maud and Gunnar’s use of pain and obedience in their sex is rooted in what’s been previously inflicted upon them, particularly for Maud, and as such, is a deep part of their matrix. Their relationship is emotional and sensual and helluva sexy, and it takes some surprising turns along the way.
The heroines and heroes of the Edge series are people at major turning points in their lives when those lives suddenly intersect. Helena is at her wit’s end to fulfill her family’s work, and is counting her life in minutes, so she impulsively throws herself at the scariest man she’s ever seen, knowing he’s her last chance for (likely temporary) survival. Tyr has reached a point where he has things set well enough in his (albeit barbaric) life that, for the first time, the faint feeling of being unfulfilled has crept into his mind…until he meets Helena who challenges him every moment. Maud walks away from the convent and out into the desert because she absolutely cannot continue to live her life the way it is for one more second. Death is preferable, but a death she chooses, not one to which she’s sentenced. She winds up throwing herself on the dubious–and by dubious, I mean nonexistent–mercy of Gunnar who just happens to be standing right there in her way. Gunner has been mad with grief for over a year, which had led him to embark on this equally crazy plan, but when the exact virgin nun he needs to complete his whacked out ritual walks out of the desert like a mirage, his life is irrevocably changed. Meeting Maud makes Gunnar take the first halting steps back to his humanity, with Maud as his catalyst and touchstone…and probably, his sacrifice.
Be tempted. Get obsessed. And throw yourself onto the edge of this exciting, sexy new series.
July 9, 2023
Dear Lord This Thing Is Spicy
Quote: 📖
There are no heroes, little nun. Only men and battle and the prices we all pay for the things we do.
Thoughts: 💡
Holy Fiery Balls Of Hell She Did It Again! I’ve decided to take a trip down memory lane with this series and I forgot how truly sizzling each book in the series really is. Gunnar and Maud are twisted and strange with crazy hot chemistry. If you love dystopian novels and dark romance, you’ll love this one.
We get an even deeper look into this crazy world with this story. The intricately crafted dystopian society with its whacky belief system, corrupt church, plethora of out laws, and violent characters is incredibly compelling. The writing is engaging and easy to read and the world building is fantastic. The smut is unbelievably hot and the characters are emotionally broken, twisted and hot. I don’t recall any issues with grammar or mechanics and I didn’t see any after I reviewed it.
Fun Bits:
⚜️Steaming Hot Smut
⚜️Interesting Plot
⚜️Great World Building
⚜️Brilliant Characters
⚜️Strong Willed MCs
⚜️BDSm
⚜️Vikings
Important Notes✨:
This is a standalone series that has a deeply connected story arc but can be read independently. Each book follows a different couple.
Stats:📊
Spice Scale: 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Character Dev: 5 💙💙💙💙💙/5
Genre: Dystopian Romance 📕
Tropes: Post-Apocalyptic, Dark Romance, Dystopian, Vikings, Kidnapped Heroine, Good Girl/ Bad Boy, BDSM, Revenge 📘
Released: April 5, 2016 🗓️
POV: Dual 👩❤️👨
CW: Violence, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual Coercion, Rough Graphic Smut ⚠️🚨⚠️
Quote: 📖
There are no heroes, little nun. Only men and battle and the prices we all pay for the things we do.
Thoughts: 💡
Holy Fiery Balls Of Hell She Did It Again! I’ve decided to take a trip down memory lane with this series and I forgot how truly sizzling each book in the series really is. Gunnar and Maud are twisted and strange with crazy hot chemistry. If you love dystopian novels and dark romance, you’ll love this one.
We get an even deeper look into this crazy world with this story. The intricately crafted dystopian society with its whacky belief system, corrupt church, plethora of out laws, and violent characters is incredibly compelling. The writing is engaging and easy to read and the world building is fantastic. The smut is unbelievably hot and the characters are emotionally broken, twisted and hot. I don’t recall any issues with grammar or mechanics and I didn’t see any after I reviewed it.
Fun Bits:
⚜️Steaming Hot Smut
⚜️Interesting Plot
⚜️Great World Building
⚜️Brilliant Characters
⚜️Strong Willed MCs
⚜️BDSm
⚜️Vikings
Important Notes✨:
This is a standalone series that has a deeply connected story arc but can be read independently. Each book follows a different couple.
Stats:📊
Spice Scale: 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Character Dev: 5 💙💙💙💙💙/5
Genre: Dystopian Romance 📕
Tropes: Post-Apocalyptic, Dark Romance, Dystopian, Vikings, Kidnapped Heroine, Good Girl/ Bad Boy, BDSM, Revenge 📘
Released: April 5, 2016 🗓️
POV: Dual 👩❤️👨
CW: Violence, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Sexual Coercion, Rough Graphic Smut ⚠️🚨⚠️
December 11, 2019
I WASN'T TOO MUCH OF A FAN FOR GUNNAR & MAUD'S STORY BUT I WAS STILL TEMPTED TO READ IT, SINCE IT CONTINUES THE MAIN PLOT OF THIS SERIES.
GUNNAR has lost his mate in battle, and for most of the part we were introduced to him as a bit of whacked in the head. Gunnar was anything but. In this story, he meets or rather finds a virgin nun who was extraordinary. Not afraid of him, the most peculiar thing happened. She got to her knees in the forest and sucked his cock. Nothing bizarre there. Gunnar believes that a virgin can help resurrect his dead mate, using Maud's body as a vessel but as he journeys home with his prize, he starts to fall for her warmth and understanding ways. The complete opposite of his dead mate, Gunnar is thrown off his game by her love.
MAUD was traded by her parents to the church and the bunch of priests were nothing but perverts who taught the females to pray by sucking on their cocks. That's no religion. It's a cult. It's just a bunch of perverted priests debasing females in the name of God. Anyway, Maud has always been more of a rebel and when Gunnar kidnaps her (she was a voluntary participant), she never hesitated to leave. Maud's a rather odd one. She doesn't react the way any normal woman would which I guess makes her a good partner to Gunnar.
OVERALL it lacked the intensity that I found in Tyr's story but it was still enjoyable in an average way.
GUNNAR has lost his mate in battle, and for most of the part we were introduced to him as a bit of whacked in the head. Gunnar was anything but. In this story, he meets or rather finds a virgin nun who was extraordinary. Not afraid of him, the most peculiar thing happened. She got to her knees in the forest and sucked his cock. Nothing bizarre there. Gunnar believes that a virgin can help resurrect his dead mate, using Maud's body as a vessel but as he journeys home with his prize, he starts to fall for her warmth and understanding ways. The complete opposite of his dead mate, Gunnar is thrown off his game by her love.
MAUD was traded by her parents to the church and the bunch of priests were nothing but perverts who taught the females to pray by sucking on their cocks. That's no religion. It's a cult. It's just a bunch of perverted priests debasing females in the name of God. Anyway, Maud has always been more of a rebel and when Gunnar kidnaps her (she was a voluntary participant), she never hesitated to leave. Maud's a rather odd one. She doesn't react the way any normal woman would which I guess makes her a good partner to Gunnar.
OVERALL it lacked the intensity that I found in Tyr's story but it was still enjoyable in an average way.
May 17, 2017
There are serious character flaws in the male leads, this one more than most. He's just an azz, plain and simple. This one was heavy on the bdsm, but there was a HEA and true love. The world it's set in is what keeps drawing me back and why it's a favorite series and after all, who wouldn't be a schmuck and/or half crazy living in that crazy place?
December 17, 2017
Megan has yet again delivered a beautiful glimpse into this violent and depraved world she has built. So many morally questionable scenes, yet written so beautifully you want to be taken to this terrifying place where the clan is all that matters and everyone within this brotherhood would die to protect it. Swords, blood, sweat, sex, tears, laughter, sorrow...it has it all.
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