Well, this next comment is pretty much a first for me because I'm not a cliffhanger fan. I believe the Steel saga is better if the reader buts a little time between books or at a minimum, between the brothers' sections. I began this series with book 7,
Shattered
the beginning of Ryan Steel's quest. I love it. I love it so much that I immediately purchased the first six books in the series and jumped right in to get Talon and Jonah's backstory. From what I learn in Shattered it is apparent that their stories are dark and emotional too; I needed more. The problem is by the time I got back to
Twisted
and finally
Unraveled
it feels like too much repetition.
The Steel Saga shows how one horrific event not only damages the victim (Talon) but the entire family. Jonah and Ryan are as emotionally damaged as Talon with a type of survivor’s guilt. Ryan because he got away from the kidnappers and Jonah because he didn't want to join Talon searching for a friend. They all need justice to deal with the emotional repercussions that play with their minds in equally destructive but distinctive ways.
The three brothers need to find out the whys and wherefores to answer “Why me?” “Why us?” "Is my family who I think they are?" “Who is behind all the pain?” The journey they travel is heartbreaking at times, loving at times, and emotionally healing. It reveals family secrets that none of them want to believe. They face the knowledge that people who love them have a hand in their pain and heartache. How do they move past the secrets they uncover? Can life ever be normal or safe again?
Unraveled
is the wrap-up book for the saga and Ryan and Ruby. The anxiety, twists, and the need for the brothers to find closure gives the reader many nail-biting moments. I love the Steels. They are some of my favorite dark and damaged heroes. The heroines are wonderfully strong and hold on to get them through some heart-wrenching trauma. While there is a lot of push-pull as the relationships mature, it isn't too much.
Ryan is my favorite Steel probably because I met him first. For most of his life, he is the happiest of the Steels. He hero-worships his brother Talon. Guilt is heavy on his heart because Talon fought for him to get away from the kidnappers. He is loyal even though hurt by revelations kept from him. The family secrets put him into a tailspin and make him question everything about his life.
Ruby Lee is a great character. She is strong and grows tremendously through these last three books. She is a good cop looking for justice. I love that she jumps into the fray with both feet not only for her man but for herself too. She is on a quest and won't give up until she has all the answers even if the answers hurt. It put me off a little that the women who are so strong at the beginning of the saga become bystanders in the end. I understand Melanie’s dilemma, but it feels like she should push Jonah a little more. She knows he needs answers.
Unraveled
is a tense read. There are a lot of heart-stopping twists and constant action from beginning to end. Mysteries are cleared up, and questions answered. There are a few times that I give a hand wave or an eye-roll but not often enough to take me out of the story. I’m left wondering if there is another story to come with Bryce Simpson and Marjorie Steel.
The series:
Craving
, the first book in the Steel Brothers saga was published in 2016. It is full of suspense, romance, and drama. Craving along with
Shattered
had me deeply involved with the Steel brothers. I like their significant others, I wanted to console them, find the answers they need and help them move on to a "normal" life. For the most part that anxiety stayed with me through
Melt
, book 4 Jonah’s story.
Now that I zoomed through the series; a lot of the story feels redundant. Realizing that readers who came to the tale from the beginning it is almost two years since
Craving
. For me, it is less than a month. I don’t need the recaps and reminders. I found myself saying more than once; I get it, tell me what happens next. It is frustrating.
Like I said earlier, I love the Steels. They are my favorite type of alpha heroes with dark souls who need the right woman at their side. The heroines are paired perfectly with each brother. The chemistry between the couples burns up the pages in their sections. A suggestion: If you are starting with the last trilogy and decide to go back to the beginning, read in groups of three with a month or two in between. Reading the saga slowly will whet your appetite with the suspense minimize the redundancies a little. All in all, this is a nicely crafted romantic suspense series. I think I need the audio to go with my books.