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At the Brink #3
Beyond the Rules
When Nina Leon crash-lands in the rugged mountains of Montana, she’s fleeing from a deadly enemy and a painful past, desperately searching for the legendary hacker who can help her defeat the ruthless terrorist stalking her. Instead, she’s rescued by three brave ex-SEALs who will do anything in their power to protect her. Tanner Vazquez, Aiden Black, and Balthazar Flint live by a pact forged in battle and signed with blood. It’s a bond that has saved their lives more than once. They’re committed to watching each other’s back and sharing everything. Everything. As different as they are, Nina hits all their buttons. They agree. She’s the one they’ve been waiting for. But Nina’s not looking to commit to anyone. She doesn’t believe in love. Her life has made her the ultimate skeptic. Lust? Yes. Sex? Absolutely. Love? What a crock. Protecting Nina is gonna be hard enough. But convincing Nina to stay, fulfilling her sexual fantasies and getting this brilliant hacker to trust and love them—all three of them—for good? That’s gonna be a hell of a mission.
Unknown Binding
Published August 15, 2017
40 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Anna del Mar
65 books234 followersAnna del Mar writes hot, smart romances that soothe the soul, challenge the mind, and satisfy the heart. Her stories focus on strong heroines struggling to find their place in the world and the brave, sexy, kickass, military heroes who defy the limits of their broken bodies to protect the women they love. She is the author of The Asset (Carina Press), the first novel of her Wounded Warrior series and three other novels scheduled for release during 2016.
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.
A Georgetown University graduate, Anna enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, and the sea. Writing is her addiction, her drug of choice, and what she wants to do all the time. The extraordinary men and women she met during her years as a Navy wife inspire the fabulous heroes and heroines at the center of her stories. When she stays put—which doesn’t happen very often—she lives in Florida with her indulgent husband and two very opinionated cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
August 6, 2017
This book was so much more than I expected.
Nina is a brilliant hacker but she's rattled the wrong cage and the Silicon Valley billionaire app developer Artur Dimayev is after her but he's after her with a small army of heavily armed men.
Nina has stumbled onto something huge, national security huge and she's looking for Ulysses the legendary hacker to help her out but only a few miles out her plane goes down.
So close yet so far.
She's badly injured but three men come to her rescue Tanner, Aiden and Zar. Three men who've been through hell together yet come out the other side united, one solid unit, a unit that shares everything.
Nina is a strong beautiful intelligent woman who's suffered, survived and grown stronger as a result. She's the perfect match for the three men that saved her, Tanner, Aiden and Zar are interesting and complex characters and it makes for compulsive reading.
I said at the beginning that this book was more an I expected and it was. I expected a short hot read where the main focus was sex with just enough story to hold it together. What I actually got was complex intriguing characters, interesting story, real characters faults and all to fall in love with plus of course lots of hot sex.
I enjoyed this book and once I'd started reading I found I just didn't want to put it down.
I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and Mermaid Publishing LLC
August 14, 2017
3.5 Stars!
I love a good "nerd" book and when I found out the heroine was a hacker, I had to read this. Usually hackers are nerds but I didn't really get that feel from Nina. Overall, it was a very good read. I did feel like I started out in the middle of story so I'm not sure if Nina had a roll in the first two books or not. I did not feel lost, so you can read this as a standalone.
The story took off pretty quickly with Nina running from some very dangerous men wanting to kill her. As I read, I learned that she had some vital information these men were trying to stop from being exposed. As Nina was trying to escape from them in a plane, they shot it down and she crashed. This is where our three Hero's of the story come in.
Tanner, Aiden and Zar are out hunting when Tanner comes across Nina close to the crash site. Nina is afraid for these men. She knows they can become collateral damage if she doesn't move on quickly but she is injured too much. What she doesn't know is that the men are highly trained Seals and they aren't letting her go.
This was a well thought out suspense plot and I truly enjoyed it. The only complaint I really have, and it's not much of a complaint, is the author worked in Polyamory relationship in the story that felt a bit rushed. I wish she had taken her time bringing these three together to make it feel more organic. I enjoyed the three different personalities between Tanner, Aiden and Zar and Nina is a very lucky girl.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
I love a good "nerd" book and when I found out the heroine was a hacker, I had to read this. Usually hackers are nerds but I didn't really get that feel from Nina. Overall, it was a very good read. I did feel like I started out in the middle of story so I'm not sure if Nina had a roll in the first two books or not. I did not feel lost, so you can read this as a standalone.
The story took off pretty quickly with Nina running from some very dangerous men wanting to kill her. As I read, I learned that she had some vital information these men were trying to stop from being exposed. As Nina was trying to escape from them in a plane, they shot it down and she crashed. This is where our three Hero's of the story come in.
Tanner, Aiden and Zar are out hunting when Tanner comes across Nina close to the crash site. Nina is afraid for these men. She knows they can become collateral damage if she doesn't move on quickly but she is injured too much. What she doesn't know is that the men are highly trained Seals and they aren't letting her go.
This was a well thought out suspense plot and I truly enjoyed it. The only complaint I really have, and it's not much of a complaint, is the author worked in Polyamory relationship in the story that felt a bit rushed. I wish she had taken her time bringing these three together to make it feel more organic. I enjoyed the three different personalities between Tanner, Aiden and Zar and Nina is a very lucky girl.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
July 31, 2017
Anna del Mar tells a heart felt story about tragic loss and the will to face another day. A fiery opening with Nina Leon attempting to land a wounded plane in the mountains of Montana. Barely rolling out of the cockpit before it explodes she is terrified she will be overtaken by the ruthless men out to kill her. The best thing a girl could hope for in her moment of need is to be rescued by a hunky guy. Well dreams are sometimes answered three fold when Nina is whisked to safety by three ex-Seals. Tanner, Aidan, and Zar are heroes with shadowed pasts that have left them reclusive and isolated with a pact between them to share everything. Wonderful story and characters that grow and build as they battle an evil that Nina has uncovered with her hacker talent. Beyond the Rules explores the erotic romance between this group while they strive to overcome not only their own demons but the terrorist out to eliminate them all. Even though this is part of series I had no trouble enjoying this as a stand-alone. Count on a HEA. "A copy of this book was provided to me by Mermaid Publishing, LLC via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read and my comments here are my honest opinion."
August 13, 2017
'Beyond the Rules' by Anna del Mar is Book Three in the "At The Brink" series. This is the story of Nina Leon, Aidan Black, Balthazar 'Zar' Flint and Tanner Vazques. I have read the first book in this series but somehow missed the second book (which I plan on correcting soon!), but I feel this is easily a standalone book.
Aidan, Zar, Tanner are all ex-Seals who have a close bond due to all that they have been through. But there has always been something missing with them and their bond. When Tanner comes to Nina's rescue when she is in a plane wreck, Tanner starts to wonder if she isn't the missing piece to their bond.
Nina is a computer hacker running for her life after getting the attention of some bad guys when her plane is shot down. Nina is hurt but not badly and she tries to talk the guys into taking her to her 'safe place'. Nina's giving out orders and trying to protect these guys from the bad guys that are after her isn't' working. Instead they want to help and protect her.
I not to big of a fan of a Pollyanna Relationships but this one worked for me and I couldn't stop reading it. It had the strong women with the alpha male guys, along with the excitement of the story and with some humor outline in the story.
Loved it!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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Aidan, Zar, Tanner are all ex-Seals who have a close bond due to all that they have been through. But there has always been something missing with them and their bond. When Tanner comes to Nina's rescue when she is in a plane wreck, Tanner starts to wonder if she isn't the missing piece to their bond.
Nina is a computer hacker running for her life after getting the attention of some bad guys when her plane is shot down. Nina is hurt but not badly and she tries to talk the guys into taking her to her 'safe place'. Nina's giving out orders and trying to protect these guys from the bad guys that are after her isn't' working. Instead they want to help and protect her.
I not to big of a fan of a Pollyanna Relationships but this one worked for me and I couldn't stop reading it. It had the strong women with the alpha male guys, along with the excitement of the story and with some humor outline in the story.
Loved it!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR...
http://sissymaereads.blogspot.com/
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August 18, 2017
I really liked this at first. It had such a interesting story line. It was suspenseful too. Then it just got awkward and just so blah.
She just seemed to have chemistry with Tanner. Aiden and Zar to me felt fake and just written for shock value. Aiden never delt with his PTSD he just had sex whenever he wanted. Zar and his "I am a Dom" just felt fake and used just to have the buzz of a hot topic since Fifty Shades. Then he tells her he will give it up for her after his hard line talk. The guys had all this jealousy too. If you agreed to share everything then you wouldn't have these feelings.
Then to cover more buzz topics we had the autistic child. Oh how the guys fell more in love with her because she knew how to handle him.it was thrown in for no real value to me.
The end was rushed and we really never found out what happened to Zar.
I gave it three because I really liked it at first.
Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
She just seemed to have chemistry with Tanner. Aiden and Zar to me felt fake and just written for shock value. Aiden never delt with his PTSD he just had sex whenever he wanted. Zar and his "I am a Dom" just felt fake and used just to have the buzz of a hot topic since Fifty Shades. Then he tells her he will give it up for her after his hard line talk. The guys had all this jealousy too. If you agreed to share everything then you wouldn't have these feelings.
Then to cover more buzz topics we had the autistic child. Oh how the guys fell more in love with her because she knew how to handle him.it was thrown in for no real value to me.
The end was rushed and we really never found out what happened to Zar.
I gave it three because I really liked it at first.
Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 6, 2017
When Anna del Mar decides to write a novel of romantic suspense that includes a ménage à quatre, polyamory, and BDSM, she pulls out all the stops, and this third novel in her At the Brink series starts off with a bang and doesn't let go until the very end. I give it 5++++ stars!
Nina Leon is a hacker, and she's beyond good at what she does--so good, in fact, that she hacked an elusive international terrorist, someone the government has been trying to do for years, and, as the novel opens, she's on the run for her life, flying a small Cessna to Montana so that she can try to deliver her findings to the hacker's hacker, known only as Ulysses. She was almost caught and killed when she first picked up her rented plane, which took a couple of bullets, causing her to crash land in a small mountain meadow, approximately 15 miles short of her goal. She manages to drag herself outside before her plane blows up--rescuing herself, her phone and her laptop, all essentials, as you'll son learn.
When she's greeted by a tall, gorgeous hunk on an ATV, she thinks they've already found her, but no, he's most definitely not the enemy, he's Tanner Vazquez, and he's soon joined by two more alpha males, Tanner's friends, Aidan Black and Balthazar "Zar" Flint . She soon discovers that Tanner is no enemy, he's her rescuer, and he, Zar and Aidan are a trio of ex-SEALs, who formed a pact while in battle overseas--they've agreed to share everything, their lives, their home, their talents, their skills, and now that she's impressed them by flying a plane without ever having taken a lesson (she learned to fly via a computer flight simulator), and put herself in harm's way by trying to protect Tanner from his rapidly approaching friends, who she believes are the enemy, sharing "everything" will soon come to include her.
This is not a novel for the faint of heart, nor are all of these ex-SEALs going to be easy to understand or deal with, but as Nina heals from the wounds she incurred when she crashed, she gets to know and admire Tanner and Aidan--Zar is the more elusive and dominant of the trio. The men are certainly attracted to her looks, her intelligence, her hacking skills, her bravery, and once they learn that she's also sexual adventurous, they set out to make her theirs in every way.
Written in alternating points of view, we slowly get to know and understand these men and the situation that brought them all together. We learn Nina's backstory too, and she's most definitely a worthy foil and a challenge to these three alpha SEALs, but her hacking skills set her apart from any other woman these men have ever known.
While Beyond the Rules is as hot and incendiary an erotic novel as I've ever encountered, it's also a well-written, emotional, deeply moving, alternative lifestyle love story and an exciting action thriller as well, so prepare yourselves for a sexually explicit read, containing secrets and lies and both graphic sex and violence, that also addresses issues like self-sacrifice, loss, wounded warriors with PTSD and even suicide. It's a novel I found utterly impossible to put down, and although, as I stated earlier, it's not for the fain of heart, it's one heck of an exciting and gripping read, and I highly recommend it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel and received no compensation for doing so. The opinions expressed are my own.
Nina Leon is a hacker, and she's beyond good at what she does--so good, in fact, that she hacked an elusive international terrorist, someone the government has been trying to do for years, and, as the novel opens, she's on the run for her life, flying a small Cessna to Montana so that she can try to deliver her findings to the hacker's hacker, known only as Ulysses. She was almost caught and killed when she first picked up her rented plane, which took a couple of bullets, causing her to crash land in a small mountain meadow, approximately 15 miles short of her goal. She manages to drag herself outside before her plane blows up--rescuing herself, her phone and her laptop, all essentials, as you'll son learn.
When she's greeted by a tall, gorgeous hunk on an ATV, she thinks they've already found her, but no, he's most definitely not the enemy, he's Tanner Vazquez, and he's soon joined by two more alpha males, Tanner's friends, Aidan Black and Balthazar "Zar" Flint . She soon discovers that Tanner is no enemy, he's her rescuer, and he, Zar and Aidan are a trio of ex-SEALs, who formed a pact while in battle overseas--they've agreed to share everything, their lives, their home, their talents, their skills, and now that she's impressed them by flying a plane without ever having taken a lesson (she learned to fly via a computer flight simulator), and put herself in harm's way by trying to protect Tanner from his rapidly approaching friends, who she believes are the enemy, sharing "everything" will soon come to include her.
This is not a novel for the faint of heart, nor are all of these ex-SEALs going to be easy to understand or deal with, but as Nina heals from the wounds she incurred when she crashed, she gets to know and admire Tanner and Aidan--Zar is the more elusive and dominant of the trio. The men are certainly attracted to her looks, her intelligence, her hacking skills, her bravery, and once they learn that she's also sexual adventurous, they set out to make her theirs in every way.
Written in alternating points of view, we slowly get to know and understand these men and the situation that brought them all together. We learn Nina's backstory too, and she's most definitely a worthy foil and a challenge to these three alpha SEALs, but her hacking skills set her apart from any other woman these men have ever known.
While Beyond the Rules is as hot and incendiary an erotic novel as I've ever encountered, it's also a well-written, emotional, deeply moving, alternative lifestyle love story and an exciting action thriller as well, so prepare yourselves for a sexually explicit read, containing secrets and lies and both graphic sex and violence, that also addresses issues like self-sacrifice, loss, wounded warriors with PTSD and even suicide. It's a novel I found utterly impossible to put down, and although, as I stated earlier, it's not for the fain of heart, it's one heck of an exciting and gripping read, and I highly recommend it.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel and received no compensation for doing so. The opinions expressed are my own.
September 6, 2017
LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! This is the 5th book I've read by this author and she definitely does not disappoint with this one!
The book grabs you from the first chapter where we learn that Nina is on the run and literally has to crash land the plane she learned to fly on a flight simulator video game. She ends up wounded in the crash but still determined to go on. I love how strong and determined she is! She is more worried about putting the men who find her at risk then she is about her own safety.
Tanner, Aiden and Zar find her and are determined to help her...no matter what the cost. However all too quickly the situation becomes about far more than what they originally thought. Tanner, Aiden and Zar made a pact a long time ago to share everything...including a woman who Aiden and Tanner believe is Nina. Zar though isn't convinced and fights the attraction that is obviously there.
I loved the incredible friendship between Tanner, Aiden and Zar. It takes awhile, but you eventually learn why they made the pact that they did and how important their friendship is to each of them.
The book grabs you from the first chapter where we learn that Nina is on the run and literally has to crash land the plane she learned to fly on a flight simulator video game. She ends up wounded in the crash but still determined to go on. I love how strong and determined she is! She is more worried about putting the men who find her at risk then she is about her own safety.
Tanner, Aiden and Zar find her and are determined to help her...no matter what the cost. However all too quickly the situation becomes about far more than what they originally thought. Tanner, Aiden and Zar made a pact a long time ago to share everything...including a woman who Aiden and Tanner believe is Nina. Zar though isn't convinced and fights the attraction that is obviously there.
I loved the incredible friendship between Tanner, Aiden and Zar. It takes awhile, but you eventually learn why they made the pact that they did and how important their friendship is to each of them.
September 6, 2017
I really wish I did my homework before I started this book. It's book three in a series but can be read as a standalone. As much as I loved the book I think I'd have gotten more out of it if I had have read the series in order. It also helps that these former seals are hot and I'd love to read more of them.
Tanner Vazquez, Aiden Black and Balthazar Flint are former SEALS who have been through so much together that they've formed a really strong bond. Tanner finds Nina near a crash site. She's badly hurt and her life's in danger. Can they protect her? Is she what the men feel is missing in their life?
I've not read anything from this author before. I'll certainly be reading the previous books in this series and looking to see what else she's written.
Tanner Vazquez, Aiden Black and Balthazar Flint are former SEALS who have been through so much together that they've formed a really strong bond. Tanner finds Nina near a crash site. She's badly hurt and her life's in danger. Can they protect her? Is she what the men feel is missing in their life?
I've not read anything from this author before. I'll certainly be reading the previous books in this series and looking to see what else she's written.
October 1, 2019
A romantic suspense with a woman hacker and three former Navy SEALs prepared to help protect her from dangerous, pursuing enemies sounded just the thing. New to me author, a hot prospect with three men and a woman, and a tension-wrought suspense had me eager to pick up a menage for the first time in a while.
Beyond the Rules is the third of the At the Brink books. I started with this one and did all right so I guess its safe to say they can standalone. Though, that said, I got the impression that I had missed something when this one started out with Nina and her situation just like there were plot points that weren't tied up at the end of this one in regard to the suspense element.
Beyond the Rules starts with a harrowing plane crash when Nina had to bring her bullet-riddled plane down in Montana where she is found and brought into the fold of three partners who were once SEALs together. Nina learns swiftly that as different as the men, Aiden, Tanner, and Zar are, they share several things in common- a loyal friendship, businesses, skills, and a desire for her and not just to protect. Nina is frustrated when she thinks she is being shunted aside when she sees the others have their issues from combat and from the complicated feelings of desiring to share her. But, there is a desperate mission which brought her out looking for a hacker and they try to focus on that and sort their feelings and needs out as they go.
I confess that polyamory or menage romance is a ticklish one for me. I need it to be more than a chain of erotic encounters, I need to see development in each character and among the people in the shared relationship, and I really don't want a bunch of unnecessary angst caused by excessive jealousy or posturing. It's always a crap shoot going into a new to me author/series as a result.
However, Beyond the Rules was a surprise in a good way. I loved that this one had a dual focus of romance and suspense. I liked that there was a lot going on around the romance. It was a fully-fleshed out story which is how I like to get my erotic romances. There were strong conflicts, introspection, action, and a great climax- on both counts.
This was especially good because these guys might say they wanted to share a woman, but they were as insecure and jealous as all get out when the rubber met the road. And, that dom thing with Zar was more a distraction to me than anything. I like some BDSM romances, but I felt there was already plenty going on in this group that they had to sort out. I guess it was interesting to explore what would happen if one member of a polyamory group was into kink and was a dominant when the others were not which is what it felt like- exploration. All this was being stirred up even while in Nina's head there was a sell by date on her time there so she kept thinking that she'd fix the group dynamics and get her time with the guys and go when they were reshuffling and trying to come together to be with her in a permanent relationship.
Now, while the issue about sharing was there, the author did take the time to develop the individual characters even the guys so it wasn't just Nina and three hot bods in a series of erotic encounters. And, while the individual sexy times were early in the book, the group sex waited until stuff was getting resolved which worked good for me. I thought they were thinking long-term pretty quick, but they knew what they liked, I guess and then there was the fact that Nina had her I'm broken and this can't work moment to put a hiccup in their plans for a bit.
What ultimately was the trouble even beyond the fact that the guys spent a lot of time being possessive and jealous, was the fact that, developed or not, I only was moderately connected with the characters. Not sure why, but I found that I could take them or leave them in the romance side. I engaged better when they were working on the mission and I loved that Nina's hacking skills were as important as their military ops skills. I'm curious about the mole and am considering the next book as a result.
So, in summary, it turned out much better than I was anticipating and the suspense line was great with the erotic romance, but I would have liked to be more into the characters and their romance. Those who enjoy polyamory romances should definitely consider this book/series particularly if they have a thing for hot military guys.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book.
Beyond the Rules is the third of the At the Brink books. I started with this one and did all right so I guess its safe to say they can standalone. Though, that said, I got the impression that I had missed something when this one started out with Nina and her situation just like there were plot points that weren't tied up at the end of this one in regard to the suspense element.
Beyond the Rules starts with a harrowing plane crash when Nina had to bring her bullet-riddled plane down in Montana where she is found and brought into the fold of three partners who were once SEALs together. Nina learns swiftly that as different as the men, Aiden, Tanner, and Zar are, they share several things in common- a loyal friendship, businesses, skills, and a desire for her and not just to protect. Nina is frustrated when she thinks she is being shunted aside when she sees the others have their issues from combat and from the complicated feelings of desiring to share her. But, there is a desperate mission which brought her out looking for a hacker and they try to focus on that and sort their feelings and needs out as they go.
I confess that polyamory or menage romance is a ticklish one for me. I need it to be more than a chain of erotic encounters, I need to see development in each character and among the people in the shared relationship, and I really don't want a bunch of unnecessary angst caused by excessive jealousy or posturing. It's always a crap shoot going into a new to me author/series as a result.
However, Beyond the Rules was a surprise in a good way. I loved that this one had a dual focus of romance and suspense. I liked that there was a lot going on around the romance. It was a fully-fleshed out story which is how I like to get my erotic romances. There were strong conflicts, introspection, action, and a great climax- on both counts.
This was especially good because these guys might say they wanted to share a woman, but they were as insecure and jealous as all get out when the rubber met the road. And, that dom thing with Zar was more a distraction to me than anything. I like some BDSM romances, but I felt there was already plenty going on in this group that they had to sort out. I guess it was interesting to explore what would happen if one member of a polyamory group was into kink and was a dominant when the others were not which is what it felt like- exploration. All this was being stirred up even while in Nina's head there was a sell by date on her time there so she kept thinking that she'd fix the group dynamics and get her time with the guys and go when they were reshuffling and trying to come together to be with her in a permanent relationship.
Now, while the issue about sharing was there, the author did take the time to develop the individual characters even the guys so it wasn't just Nina and three hot bods in a series of erotic encounters. And, while the individual sexy times were early in the book, the group sex waited until stuff was getting resolved which worked good for me. I thought they were thinking long-term pretty quick, but they knew what they liked, I guess and then there was the fact that Nina had her I'm broken and this can't work moment to put a hiccup in their plans for a bit.
What ultimately was the trouble even beyond the fact that the guys spent a lot of time being possessive and jealous, was the fact that, developed or not, I only was moderately connected with the characters. Not sure why, but I found that I could take them or leave them in the romance side. I engaged better when they were working on the mission and I loved that Nina's hacking skills were as important as their military ops skills. I'm curious about the mole and am considering the next book as a result.
So, in summary, it turned out much better than I was anticipating and the suspense line was great with the erotic romance, but I would have liked to be more into the characters and their romance. Those who enjoy polyamory romances should definitely consider this book/series particularly if they have a thing for hot military guys.
My thanks to the author for the opportunity to read this book.
August 15, 2017
Beyond the Rules by Anna del Mar
At the Brink #3
Wow! This was so much more than a steamy story!
Nina Leon is on the run when her airplane crashes and she is found by three hunky men who forged their friendship working together as Navy SEALS. They live off the grid in Montana and have vowed to share everything. When Nina comes into their lives they wonder if she will be THE ONE for them. Now, a story with one hunky alpha is great but throw in three of them that are equally desirable but oh so different and you have…well…you have this wonderful story that I could not put down.
Nina, a hacker, has had it rough for some time. She has had to take care of herself and others. She is brilliant and so much more than a pretty face! When Tanner Vazquez, Aiden Black, and Balthazar Flint come into her life she has no idea that they will end up being more than a group of men that save her physical life – they will be the men she loves for the rest of her life.
This is a book written for adults. If you are one who plays by the rules and like everything vanilla then this may not be for you. If you like variety, spice and steamy scenes then this book could very well be one you will like. If you like well-developed characters and a well-crafter plot then don’t miss reading this book!
I loved Nina, Tanner, Aiden and Zar and this story and would like to thank NetGalley, Mermaid Publishing, LLC,Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the ARC – This is my honest review
5 Stars
At the Brink #3
Wow! This was so much more than a steamy story!
Nina Leon is on the run when her airplane crashes and she is found by three hunky men who forged their friendship working together as Navy SEALS. They live off the grid in Montana and have vowed to share everything. When Nina comes into their lives they wonder if she will be THE ONE for them. Now, a story with one hunky alpha is great but throw in three of them that are equally desirable but oh so different and you have…well…you have this wonderful story that I could not put down.
Nina, a hacker, has had it rough for some time. She has had to take care of herself and others. She is brilliant and so much more than a pretty face! When Tanner Vazquez, Aiden Black, and Balthazar Flint come into her life she has no idea that they will end up being more than a group of men that save her physical life – they will be the men she loves for the rest of her life.
This is a book written for adults. If you are one who plays by the rules and like everything vanilla then this may not be for you. If you like variety, spice and steamy scenes then this book could very well be one you will like. If you like well-developed characters and a well-crafter plot then don’t miss reading this book!
I loved Nina, Tanner, Aiden and Zar and this story and would like to thank NetGalley, Mermaid Publishing, LLC,Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) for the ARC – This is my honest review
5 Stars
September 14, 2017
I received this in exchange for my honest review:
HOLY HOTNESS, Batman!!! I was hooked on this one from the start. I didn't realize it was a part of a series at first but I had no problems at all reading it. I'm guessing that the other stories are about some of the minor characters in passing in this book. So I do plan on going back and reading them just for the fact that I absolutely loved this one!
The storyline just captivated me. I wasn't sure how it was going to work with three guys and one woman? Usually when I read ménage books there good but all the sex can get boring after awhile. With this one I was just intrigued and wanted more. I adored the guys! I had a real soft spot for Aiden especially. But they all three had their own quirks and things that made me fall for them. All the characters were so well developed.
Nina was also pretty kick ass on her own. She's "technically" a bad guy but her actions were never meant to be bad. She just had an unlucky road. But I loved how she put herself on the line and her own life at risk to do the right thing.
I really cant say enough good things about this. It was a very fast, and extremely sexy read with a great storyline that kept me reading until this end.
HOLY HOTNESS, Batman!!! I was hooked on this one from the start. I didn't realize it was a part of a series at first but I had no problems at all reading it. I'm guessing that the other stories are about some of the minor characters in passing in this book. So I do plan on going back and reading them just for the fact that I absolutely loved this one!
The storyline just captivated me. I wasn't sure how it was going to work with three guys and one woman? Usually when I read ménage books there good but all the sex can get boring after awhile. With this one I was just intrigued and wanted more. I adored the guys! I had a real soft spot for Aiden especially. But they all three had their own quirks and things that made me fall for them. All the characters were so well developed.
Nina was also pretty kick ass on her own. She's "technically" a bad guy but her actions were never meant to be bad. She just had an unlucky road. But I loved how she put herself on the line and her own life at risk to do the right thing.
I really cant say enough good things about this. It was a very fast, and extremely sexy read with a great storyline that kept me reading until this end.
August 12, 2017
I received a digital advance reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
HOT. So hot. Three guys, one girl, ridiculous amounts of sex. Dumb bad guy interlude/problem to overcome. More sex.
I enjoyed the guys and the girl's characters. The setting of Montana and their gorgeous mansion. The whole military/hacker/global terrorism/chants of U-S-A, U-S-A angle.
I was also traveling and in DC while reading this (read on the plane and kept angling it away from seat mates out of embarrassment) and when I went and visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery and watched the changing of the Old Guard, I'll admit I eyeballed some of them as potential foursomes. There was this one....
My brain is also still serving up images of a 'dick bouquet'. This book was so dirty and hot.
HOT. So hot. Three guys, one girl, ridiculous amounts of sex. Dumb bad guy interlude/problem to overcome. More sex.
I enjoyed the guys and the girl's characters. The setting of Montana and their gorgeous mansion. The whole military/hacker/global terrorism/chants of U-S-A, U-S-A angle.
I was also traveling and in DC while reading this (read on the plane and kept angling it away from seat mates out of embarrassment) and when I went and visited the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery and watched the changing of the Old Guard, I'll admit I eyeballed some of them as potential foursomes. There was this one....
My brain is also still serving up images of a 'dick bouquet'. This book was so dirty and hot.
May 20, 2023
This one was only ok for me and it was also my first read by Anna del Mar. I did like some of the suspenseful elements, but I wanted more in depth storyline. It was cool that Nina was a hacker and Tanner, Aiden, and "Zar" are ex navy seals who rescue Nina, after her plane crashed. I just didn't see the full chemistry between them instead its just hormones.
There really needed to be multiple narrators for this one as it was hard for me to keep track for the different main characters that are essential to the trope of this story. I think it might have been better for me if I physically read it.
Narrated by: Guillaume Dubois I think he has a pleasant voice but no voice difference really for each POV character.
I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
There really needed to be multiple narrators for this one as it was hard for me to keep track for the different main characters that are essential to the trope of this story. I think it might have been better for me if I physically read it.
Narrated by: Guillaume Dubois I think he has a pleasant voice but no voice difference really for each POV character.
I received this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 10, 2023
3.5-3.75⭐️’s - note: i read via Audible. As much as the voice actor was nice to listen to, his character differentiation was legitimately zero. And it stinks because he also voiced the FMC.
Thankfully the book was clear on who was speaking based on the chapter “title” being the character’s name, but it was hard to get over the deep male voice for FMC’s chapters.
I rounded up my star rating via GR because this book would have been rated a bit higher if there was either a separate voice actress to narrate the female chapters, or if there was one voice actor that had more range in terms of inflection & accents.
My only qualm with the content of the book was that there was almost too much of a focus on the sex instead of character & relationship background/development…. And I rarely say that. Don’t get me wrong: it was good, but I really enjoyed the non-sex plot too and I felt a little jipped in that regard. But I’m being a tad nit-picky at this point.
Thankfully the book was clear on who was speaking based on the chapter “title” being the character’s name, but it was hard to get over the deep male voice for FMC’s chapters.
I rounded up my star rating via GR because this book would have been rated a bit higher if there was either a separate voice actress to narrate the female chapters, or if there was one voice actor that had more range in terms of inflection & accents.
My only qualm with the content of the book was that there was almost too much of a focus on the sex instead of character & relationship background/development…. And I rarely say that. Don’t get me wrong: it was good, but I really enjoyed the non-sex plot too and I felt a little jipped in that regard. But I’m being a tad nit-picky at this point.
July 26, 2017
3.5
A poly-amorous relationship. House full of three men and one woman. 60% in before any BDSM started happening. At 70% there was the introduction to menage. Huge action starts at around 85%. AKA slow start that gets good.
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
A poly-amorous relationship. House full of three men and one woman. 60% in before any BDSM started happening. At 70% there was the introduction to menage. Huge action starts at around 85%. AKA slow start that gets good.
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 1, 2017
A copy was provided by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I recommend that disabled readers approach this story with caution. There are characters who are physically disabled, autistic, and mentally ill in this story, and all of that representation has problems.
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I went into it interested in the polyamory aspect particularly, and that remains the most interesting and unique piece of the story for me. But some aspects of the story were intensely ableist and misogynist, some were deeply unrealistic, and some just didn't work for me.
I found the polyamory dynamics deeply compelling, especially because they felt so individualized to the characters and not about reproducing common tropes (which is often what I find disappointing in polyamory representation in romance). The characters resolve into a quad of sorts, which is on the table as a possibility and the desire of three of them from the start. It's more unique in that it's essentially a closed V except since it's four people so it's kind of a W (meaning that the heroine has individual relationships with three different men, and the men are a family with each other but not in sexual or romantic relationships with each other). There is one instance of group sex that's framed as an event that cements their quad/polycule, but this is presented as a rare occurrence. (Though the authors note calls this a menage a quatre, which doesn't feel accurate for me.) I was fascinated at the idea of the group sex being rare and about cementing the quad relationship, which feels to me, as a polyamorous reader, like something that people might totally try but would be unlikely to actually work. In general I am not a fan of using sex to solve relationship problems, as a plot point or a real life practice. It didn't really bug me that much here, just mostly felt like a fantasy.
For the most part the heroine's relationships with each man are separate ones, and supported by the other men. They "share" (their language) only with each other, and do not have outside relationships with anyone else. (The author calls this "monogomous polyamory" in the authors note, which is a misleading term.) I've never read a polyamorous romance with a relationship structure like this before, and I found it really compelling. It was like reading three intertwined romances at the same time; each relationship had it's own arc, and obstacles, and resolution, and so did the quad as a whole. It was very intricate and the characterization was complex enough to make it very engaging. I especially liked that each hero was different, and the sex life of each relationship was different. I was fascinated by the way the heroine was framed as the leader that the heroes were following with regard to potential relationship with each of them.
I found the hacking, intrigue and thriller aspects of the story mostly entertaining, though in the end it felt like it added too much plot, and the story topped over a bit from trying to carry so much alongside three romance arcs (and a fourth if you see the quad arc as a separate one). I have no idea how accurate the depiction of hacking was.
I was troubled by the misogyny in the book. There was this way that the heroine barely got any professional trust or respect because she was a woman, but slowly earned that because she was "special". There was the inclusion of a villainous evil ex wife who was a caricature of awfulness. There were literally no other women in the book. There were references to two of the heroines friends being brutally murdered, and no other women were even referenced, other than a woman at a kink club that was used as a prop for the heroine's jealousy.
I was deeply troubled by the representation of disability in the book. The mentally ill hero (he has combat related PTSD) was framed as in need of rescue and pity, and full of internalized ableism. At one point he gets triggered by fireworks and she magically stops ures his flashbacks & panic from happening by distracting him with sex. This is a deeply problematic plot point that's also wildly inaccurate about how PTSD actually works. The heroine also has PTSD and is expected by her partners to work through a related phobia. The physically disabled hero was framed as broken and in need of her supporting his masculinity and full of internalized ableism. Also he is somehow dramatically better with increased mobility for the happy ending.
The hero's son who is autistic is inserted as a plot device, and a way to show how evil his ex is. He is being parented incredibly badly by the ex, who refers to him as a burden in front of him. This kind of ableism is not attended to in the story, the child's well being is clearly at risk and it's not framed as a problem that needs attention, and the resolution to this storyline was appalling to me as an autistic reader and as a reader who has parented autistic children. This moment in the story had me putting it down for a month, and almost DNFing the book altogether.
The ableism in the book is deeply embedded in the story's framework. Disability is primarily present as a plot device, and a way for the heroine to heal and care for and rescue the heroes. There are also intensely ableist statements and thoughts scattered throughout the story, the majority of which go unchallenged and are simply framed as reality.
The story represents kink in ways that I found challenging to read. The hero who is kinky makes a gesture to give it up and this is supposed to be a sign of love. He is also accused of harming the heroine by one of the other heroes, and there is an endeavor to prove otherwise that I found deeply troubling. The kink itself is pretty hot, if you are into D/s, sexual service, orgasm control and bondage. It does have a bit too much of a One True Way aspect to it for my taste. There is no "one true way" to be a good submissive, and it hammers that myth home pretty hard. There is a lengthy negotiation scene, that I really appreciated.
The ending felt like it went too fast to adequately resolve all the arcs that needed resolution, which seemed like maybe it was a thing where there was just too much plot to fit.
As expected for a story like this, there are quite a few potentially triggering aspects of the content, so this is one where I do recommend reading the trigger warnings.
Trigger Warnings:
I recommend that disabled readers approach this story with caution. There are characters who are physically disabled, autistic, and mentally ill in this story, and all of that representation has problems.
I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I went into it interested in the polyamory aspect particularly, and that remains the most interesting and unique piece of the story for me. But some aspects of the story were intensely ableist and misogynist, some were deeply unrealistic, and some just didn't work for me.
I found the polyamory dynamics deeply compelling, especially because they felt so individualized to the characters and not about reproducing common tropes (which is often what I find disappointing in polyamory representation in romance). The characters resolve into a quad of sorts, which is on the table as a possibility and the desire of three of them from the start. It's more unique in that it's essentially a closed V except since it's four people so it's kind of a W (meaning that the heroine has individual relationships with three different men, and the men are a family with each other but not in sexual or romantic relationships with each other). There is one instance of group sex that's framed as an event that cements their quad/polycule, but this is presented as a rare occurrence. (Though the authors note calls this a menage a quatre, which doesn't feel accurate for me.) I was fascinated at the idea of the group sex being rare and about cementing the quad relationship, which feels to me, as a polyamorous reader, like something that people might totally try but would be unlikely to actually work. In general I am not a fan of using sex to solve relationship problems, as a plot point or a real life practice. It didn't really bug me that much here, just mostly felt like a fantasy.
For the most part the heroine's relationships with each man are separate ones, and supported by the other men. They "share" (their language) only with each other, and do not have outside relationships with anyone else. (The author calls this "monogomous polyamory" in the authors note, which is a misleading term.) I've never read a polyamorous romance with a relationship structure like this before, and I found it really compelling. It was like reading three intertwined romances at the same time; each relationship had it's own arc, and obstacles, and resolution, and so did the quad as a whole. It was very intricate and the characterization was complex enough to make it very engaging. I especially liked that each hero was different, and the sex life of each relationship was different. I was fascinated by the way the heroine was framed as the leader that the heroes were following with regard to potential relationship with each of them.
I found the hacking, intrigue and thriller aspects of the story mostly entertaining, though in the end it felt like it added too much plot, and the story topped over a bit from trying to carry so much alongside three romance arcs (and a fourth if you see the quad arc as a separate one). I have no idea how accurate the depiction of hacking was.
I was troubled by the misogyny in the book. There was this way that the heroine barely got any professional trust or respect because she was a woman, but slowly earned that because she was "special". There was the inclusion of a villainous evil ex wife who was a caricature of awfulness. There were literally no other women in the book. There were references to two of the heroines friends being brutally murdered, and no other women were even referenced, other than a woman at a kink club that was used as a prop for the heroine's jealousy.
I was deeply troubled by the representation of disability in the book. The mentally ill hero (he has combat related PTSD) was framed as in need of rescue and pity, and full of internalized ableism. At one point he gets triggered by fireworks and she magically stops ures his flashbacks & panic from happening by distracting him with sex. This is a deeply problematic plot point that's also wildly inaccurate about how PTSD actually works. The heroine also has PTSD and is expected by her partners to work through a related phobia. The physically disabled hero was framed as broken and in need of her supporting his masculinity and full of internalized ableism. Also he is somehow dramatically better with increased mobility for the happy ending.
The hero's son who is autistic is inserted as a plot device, and a way to show how evil his ex is. He is being parented incredibly badly by the ex, who refers to him as a burden in front of him. This kind of ableism is not attended to in the story, the child's well being is clearly at risk and it's not framed as a problem that needs attention, and the resolution to this storyline was appalling to me as an autistic reader and as a reader who has parented autistic children. This moment in the story had me putting it down for a month, and almost DNFing the book altogether.
The ableism in the book is deeply embedded in the story's framework. Disability is primarily present as a plot device, and a way for the heroine to heal and care for and rescue the heroes. There are also intensely ableist statements and thoughts scattered throughout the story, the majority of which go unchallenged and are simply framed as reality.
The story represents kink in ways that I found challenging to read. The hero who is kinky makes a gesture to give it up and this is supposed to be a sign of love. He is also accused of harming the heroine by one of the other heroes, and there is an endeavor to prove otherwise that I found deeply troubling. The kink itself is pretty hot, if you are into D/s, sexual service, orgasm control and bondage. It does have a bit too much of a One True Way aspect to it for my taste. There is no "one true way" to be a good submissive, and it hammers that myth home pretty hard. There is a lengthy negotiation scene, that I really appreciated.
The ending felt like it went too fast to adequately resolve all the arcs that needed resolution, which seemed like maybe it was a thing where there was just too much plot to fit.
As expected for a story like this, there are quite a few potentially triggering aspects of the content, so this is one where I do recommend reading the trigger warnings.
Trigger Warnings:
October 15, 2017
I really liked this book. Interesting story line, strong characters and suspense too. This book definitely willl not disappoint.
October 5, 2017
This book was an enjoyable deviation from my regular preference of urban fantasy or paranormal romance. I would recommend Beyond the Rules to readers who like modern erotic romance. The following is my summary and honest opinion of the book.
Nina is discovered when trying to expose Dimayev is working with a cyber-terrorist. She is desperate to get to the hacker Ulysses who can help her uncover Dimayev's crimes. Nina's escape is almost thwarted when her small passenger plane is shot down by Dimayev's men.
Ex-SEAL members Tanner, Aiden and Zar rescue Nina from the plane wreckage. The men take her to their secure home in the secluded mountains of Montana to recuperate. Nina soon realizes these men are the key to her survival in more ways than one.
Tanner, Aiden and Zar have strongly bonded through past experiences. The men have decided that to be romantically successful they need one woman to share. Tanner is educated in personality profiling. He quickly comes to the conclusion Nina is the girl who could fulfill all of their desires.
The good: Where this story succeeds for me is in the execution. Nina is not just an intimidated, naïve virgin. She is intelligent and could feasibly make a go at protecting herself from Dimayev. Nina makes sound decisions and is comfortable and open about her sexuality. She comes to conclusions about her relationships with the men from a place based in reality. Their actions are not driven only by the fantasy of the ménage a quatre scenario.
There is a plot present beyond the romantic couplings. The characters may struggle but they seem stronger together mentally as well as physically. Throughout the story Tanner, Aiden, and Zar hunt to bring Dimayev down. When Nina is cleared to help them gather evidence she effectively contributes to the case. These things were important for me to relate to the characters in the story.
Random tidbits: I appreciated that the first couple that got together did not profess to love each other the day after they met. They recognized the chemistry between them and just let things happen. I appreciated although the men claimed jealousy would not be an issue, it eventually was. Realistically it would come up. They dealt with it as a group in a way I believed would suit them. The sexual encounters lived up to the genre of erotic romance. The explicit scenes were steamy and most of them felt organic.
The bad: The surface plot is pretty basic. There is the girl who needs to be rescued from the bad guy. Said girl happens upon her saviors that take her in and immediately try to make her theirs. She quickly falls for the level-headed alpha male, followed by the sweet but troubled alpha male and then slowly connects with the abrasive alpha male to round out the trio. And of course one of the men is a sexual dominant. I have read this story before. I did not like this story very much.
This author has caught my attention. I will look to Anna Del Mar for my next modern erotic romance.
I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley.
Nina is discovered when trying to expose Dimayev is working with a cyber-terrorist. She is desperate to get to the hacker Ulysses who can help her uncover Dimayev's crimes. Nina's escape is almost thwarted when her small passenger plane is shot down by Dimayev's men.
Ex-SEAL members Tanner, Aiden and Zar rescue Nina from the plane wreckage. The men take her to their secure home in the secluded mountains of Montana to recuperate. Nina soon realizes these men are the key to her survival in more ways than one.
Tanner, Aiden and Zar have strongly bonded through past experiences. The men have decided that to be romantically successful they need one woman to share. Tanner is educated in personality profiling. He quickly comes to the conclusion Nina is the girl who could fulfill all of their desires.
The good: Where this story succeeds for me is in the execution. Nina is not just an intimidated, naïve virgin. She is intelligent and could feasibly make a go at protecting herself from Dimayev. Nina makes sound decisions and is comfortable and open about her sexuality. She comes to conclusions about her relationships with the men from a place based in reality. Their actions are not driven only by the fantasy of the ménage a quatre scenario.
There is a plot present beyond the romantic couplings. The characters may struggle but they seem stronger together mentally as well as physically. Throughout the story Tanner, Aiden, and Zar hunt to bring Dimayev down. When Nina is cleared to help them gather evidence she effectively contributes to the case. These things were important for me to relate to the characters in the story.
Random tidbits: I appreciated that the first couple that got together did not profess to love each other the day after they met. They recognized the chemistry between them and just let things happen. I appreciated although the men claimed jealousy would not be an issue, it eventually was. Realistically it would come up. They dealt with it as a group in a way I believed would suit them. The sexual encounters lived up to the genre of erotic romance. The explicit scenes were steamy and most of them felt organic.
The bad: The surface plot is pretty basic. There is the girl who needs to be rescued from the bad guy. Said girl happens upon her saviors that take her in and immediately try to make her theirs. She quickly falls for the level-headed alpha male, followed by the sweet but troubled alpha male and then slowly connects with the abrasive alpha male to round out the trio. And of course one of the men is a sexual dominant. I have read this story before. I did not like this story very much.
This author has caught my attention. I will look to Anna Del Mar for my next modern erotic romance.
I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley.
November 29, 2018
I bought this book because it sounded intriguing and I'm a sucker for menage/reverse harem romances, although this book is much deeper than many other reverse harem romances I've read. Nina Leon is a masterful hacker, one of the best out there. She hacks into government websites and databases, because she's trying to do good for people who are thwarted by the system.
When she stumbles upon something involving a famous billionaire app developer and she finds herself in danger, she runs to find Ulysses, a hacker known for being one of the best in the business - and one of the most well connected. If anyone can help her expose this guy, it's Ulysses. But when her plane crashes in rural Montana, she's rescued by three ex-Navy SEALs, each battling their own demons. They live off the grid, in a house they designed with a furniture shop attached, where they hand make their own pieces.
For her own safety, and because she was injured in the crash, she is forced to stay with them until her foe is captured. She learns they know Ulysses, so she eventually turns over her information to them and they act on it. Nina finds herself instantly attracted to one of them, Tanner, but soon comes to understand that they share everything their lives - their home, their jobs, their shop... and their beds.
Tanner, Aiden and Balthazar are all drawn to Nina's feisty spirit, her incredibly smart brain, and her beautiful body. But it's all or none with them, and so Nina must decide if she can accept being in a sexual relationship with all three of them.
All four characters have burdens to bear, and the weeks and months they spend together means they must adapt and adjust. Yes, there are plenty of sex scenes: Nina with each guy separately and Nina with all three. But there's more to this complicated and unusual relationship than just the sex; it's whether they can overcome all the obstacles thrown in their path, including their enemies, PTSD, and a vengeful ex and decide if what they have together is something they want for good.
This is definitely one of the better multiple partner romances I've read, and I look forward to enjoying more books from this author.
When she stumbles upon something involving a famous billionaire app developer and she finds herself in danger, she runs to find Ulysses, a hacker known for being one of the best in the business - and one of the most well connected. If anyone can help her expose this guy, it's Ulysses. But when her plane crashes in rural Montana, she's rescued by three ex-Navy SEALs, each battling their own demons. They live off the grid, in a house they designed with a furniture shop attached, where they hand make their own pieces.
For her own safety, and because she was injured in the crash, she is forced to stay with them until her foe is captured. She learns they know Ulysses, so she eventually turns over her information to them and they act on it. Nina finds herself instantly attracted to one of them, Tanner, but soon comes to understand that they share everything their lives - their home, their jobs, their shop... and their beds.
Tanner, Aiden and Balthazar are all drawn to Nina's feisty spirit, her incredibly smart brain, and her beautiful body. But it's all or none with them, and so Nina must decide if she can accept being in a sexual relationship with all three of them.
All four characters have burdens to bear, and the weeks and months they spend together means they must adapt and adjust. Yes, there are plenty of sex scenes: Nina with each guy separately and Nina with all three. But there's more to this complicated and unusual relationship than just the sex; it's whether they can overcome all the obstacles thrown in their path, including their enemies, PTSD, and a vengeful ex and decide if what they have together is something they want for good.
This is definitely one of the better multiple partner romances I've read, and I look forward to enjoying more books from this author.
August 17, 2017
**I received a copy of Beyond the Rules from Net Galley and Mermaid Publishing in exchange for a voluntary and honest review**
Beyond the Rules is the third book in Anna del Mar's At the Brink series. This is the first one I've read and was able to read it as a stand alone without problems. I also read her Wounded Warrior series and loved them. There is mild BDSM and menage with Aiden, Tanner and Zar but the main story is that she is running from a Russian hacker.
Nina Leon is running from a Russian hacker/mob and when she crash lands on land owned by Aiden, Tanner and Balthazar land they rescue her. When she tells Tanner that she looking for Ulysses who supposed lives near by. Because she's injured they guys take her in and help her heal from her injuries. She never expect 3 former Navy SEALs to take her in and that each of them have their issues from being a special forces operative. But they share equally EVERYTHING can she learn to love all three men or will she leave after she heals? Nine will in turn heal each man and bond with Zar's son when no one else could.
Aiden has PTSD so bad that he'll disappear into the woods in order to deal with his flashbacks, Tanner was injured in his spine during their last mission together and never thought he'd walk again. He's healing slowly but fears that his wealthy father will never accept him or his "brothers", Zar is still working with ops that no one else will do. But he has a money hungry ex-wife and a 5 year-old autistic son, so his heart may not be ready for anything permanent again.
Yes, the book has a menage but the story focuses on healing, sharing one woman perhaps forever, hacking, a kidnap but it's the three former Navy SEALS and their love for each other than will have you falling in love with them. I'd give it a solid 4.2 stars.
Beyond the Rules is the third book in Anna del Mar's At the Brink series. This is the first one I've read and was able to read it as a stand alone without problems. I also read her Wounded Warrior series and loved them. There is mild BDSM and menage with Aiden, Tanner and Zar but the main story is that she is running from a Russian hacker.
Nina Leon is running from a Russian hacker/mob and when she crash lands on land owned by Aiden, Tanner and Balthazar land they rescue her. When she tells Tanner that she looking for Ulysses who supposed lives near by. Because she's injured they guys take her in and help her heal from her injuries. She never expect 3 former Navy SEALs to take her in and that each of them have their issues from being a special forces operative. But they share equally EVERYTHING can she learn to love all three men or will she leave after she heals? Nine will in turn heal each man and bond with Zar's son when no one else could.
Aiden has PTSD so bad that he'll disappear into the woods in order to deal with his flashbacks, Tanner was injured in his spine during their last mission together and never thought he'd walk again. He's healing slowly but fears that his wealthy father will never accept him or his "brothers", Zar is still working with ops that no one else will do. But he has a money hungry ex-wife and a 5 year-old autistic son, so his heart may not be ready for anything permanent again.
Yes, the book has a menage but the story focuses on healing, sharing one woman perhaps forever, hacking, a kidnap but it's the three former Navy SEALS and their love for each other than will have you falling in love with them. I'd give it a solid 4.2 stars.
January 19, 2018
4 - 4 1/2 stars!
Beyond the Rules is the third book in the exciting At the Brink series by Anna del Mar. An action packed, riveting, romantic suspense that's a must read. With an interesting storyline, complex characters, secrets, lies, danger, intense situations, and intriguing twists and turns, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It was an incredible story that I really enjoyed.
I wasn't able to read the previous books prior to reading this one, but since it can be read as a stand alone, it was no problem. I loved Nina, Tanner, Aiden, and Balthazar aka Zar. The men had forged an unbreakable bond during their time in the military together, in which they're basically inseparable, and they share everything. Nina is a highly intelligent, independent, jaded woman who doesn't believe in love, especially the kind that the guys are looking for, but can they change her mind?
While they vow to help and protect her, they're also hoping that she'll change the way she feels about love, and especially them, at least enough to stay to see if they can build a future together. However, Nina has different plans than to set around and let the men do all of the work. Can they keep her safe until they get the answers that they need to take down those who are trying to kill her? Will she be able to let down the sky high walls that she's built to protect her heart? If they can defeat the enemy, can they convince her to stay, and give them the one thing that they want the most, all of her? Will they get the HEA that all of them want and deserve? You'll have to read this to find out, but you won't be disappointed!
I strongly recommend this book, series, and fantastic author.
I have voluntarily reviewed this complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Beyond the Rules is the third book in the exciting At the Brink series by Anna del Mar. An action packed, riveting, romantic suspense that's a must read. With an interesting storyline, complex characters, secrets, lies, danger, intense situations, and intriguing twists and turns, this story will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. It was an incredible story that I really enjoyed.
I wasn't able to read the previous books prior to reading this one, but since it can be read as a stand alone, it was no problem. I loved Nina, Tanner, Aiden, and Balthazar aka Zar. The men had forged an unbreakable bond during their time in the military together, in which they're basically inseparable, and they share everything. Nina is a highly intelligent, independent, jaded woman who doesn't believe in love, especially the kind that the guys are looking for, but can they change her mind?
While they vow to help and protect her, they're also hoping that she'll change the way she feels about love, and especially them, at least enough to stay to see if they can build a future together. However, Nina has different plans than to set around and let the men do all of the work. Can they keep her safe until they get the answers that they need to take down those who are trying to kill her? Will she be able to let down the sky high walls that she's built to protect her heart? If they can defeat the enemy, can they convince her to stay, and give them the one thing that they want the most, all of her? Will they get the HEA that all of them want and deserve? You'll have to read this to find out, but you won't be disappointed!
I strongly recommend this book, series, and fantastic author.
I have voluntarily reviewed this complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
August 7, 2017
A super sexy ménage romance involving an on-the-run cyber hacker and the three hot alpha SEALs who come to her rescue! This story hit all the right notes for me: intelligent characters, a just cause, great character development, heart-thumping action sequences, believable empathy, and panty-melting encounters!
I was hooked from the first few paragraphs. When we first meet Nina Leon, she is about to crash land her shot-up rental plane using self-taught flying skills learned on flight simulators. She just watched a poor hangar attendant get murdered by the thugs who are chasing her, she's guarding something vital on her laptop, and she needs to find someone named Ulysses. Too much to handle? No way, this girl is grace and courage under Fire! By the time the first of three off duty SEALs, ostensibly on a hunting outing, come across her plane wreck I'm irredeemably intrigued and soon, so are her rescuers.
What girl wouldn't find her heart aflutter when faced with Tanner, Aidan and Zar, three gorgeous hunky warriors. But don't mistake insta-lust with insta-love. The former is inevitable but the latter would have made the romance feel ordinary. This romance felt far from ordinary! Anna Del Mar gets it just right by making Nina cautious and doubtful, putting her mission first and pleasure second. Rotating through four points of view, the reader gets to follow Nina and her guys as they battle their own issues and grow closer to each other. The result is a believable love and characters that we will love. Very satisfying! I would definitely like to read more from this author.
This is a voluntary review of an ARC received on NetGalley.
I was hooked from the first few paragraphs. When we first meet Nina Leon, she is about to crash land her shot-up rental plane using self-taught flying skills learned on flight simulators. She just watched a poor hangar attendant get murdered by the thugs who are chasing her, she's guarding something vital on her laptop, and she needs to find someone named Ulysses. Too much to handle? No way, this girl is grace and courage under Fire! By the time the first of three off duty SEALs, ostensibly on a hunting outing, come across her plane wreck I'm irredeemably intrigued and soon, so are her rescuers.
What girl wouldn't find her heart aflutter when faced with Tanner, Aidan and Zar, three gorgeous hunky warriors. But don't mistake insta-lust with insta-love. The former is inevitable but the latter would have made the romance feel ordinary. This romance felt far from ordinary! Anna Del Mar gets it just right by making Nina cautious and doubtful, putting her mission first and pleasure second. Rotating through four points of view, the reader gets to follow Nina and her guys as they battle their own issues and grow closer to each other. The result is a believable love and characters that we will love. Very satisfying! I would definitely like to read more from this author.
This is a voluntary review of an ARC received on NetGalley.
August 31, 2017
I love it when I can start a new to me author and not be disappointed. Even though this is the third book in this series I felt like this could be read as a standalone. The author did a great job from the first chapter to keep my interest in her story. I expected a story with more sexy scenes than a storyline, but I got more than I bargained for. The heroine in this story is Nina she is a brilliant hacker and an ex-convict. I felt Nina’s character to be smart, sexy, a survivor against some crazy scary situations, and lucky as all get out to have found not only one, but three sexy loving alpha men in her life. Tanner, Aiden, and Zar have been through hell and back themselves, after serving in the military they have all suffered an injury in some way, they have come together in a deeper unity then just brothers in arms. Will Nina be the final piece that keeps them whole? This book has intriguing characters with a great story line, action from the first chapter, and of course some really HOT sexy scenes. This was defiantly a page turner and was hard to put down, “just one more chapter” moment for me. If you like Military men and hot sexy times with a story, this is a story for you.
***I voluntarily reviewed this ARC for an honest review via NetGalley and Mermaid Publishing LLC, this is my honest opinion and has not been influenced by the author, Publishers or NetGalley in anyway.***
***I voluntarily reviewed this ARC for an honest review via NetGalley and Mermaid Publishing LLC, this is my honest opinion and has not been influenced by the author, Publishers or NetGalley in anyway.***
November 2, 2017
Beyond the Rules really takes you beyond the rules. A young, highly intelligent , resourceful and sexual woman named Nina lands herself in trouble due to some snooping around in the online world. To save herself and all she loves, she went in search of another hacker but her plane crashed enroute. She finds herself in the hands of three handsome but troubled marine seal officers. From here on begins her journey of exploring new sexual experiences. She finds herself attracted to all of them, each one having a different trait to love. The story revolves around their sexual exploits together and with each one of the. The story of saving Nina from her nemesis also moves forward but sex becomes the main theme. I like reading the book but was little disappointed with the fact that every emotion and every circumstance has only one solution through out the book that is a sexual scene. Also I found the book to be a little jumbled because of so many people involved in a single relationship. The book lacked a certain oomph factor which is very essential in erotica which I found missing here. However, its good for a one time read for people who like romantic erotica with a lot of unusual sexual exploits.
August 4, 2017
Nina Leon is a super hacker in serious trouble. She's hacked the wrong man and started to make connections even the government can't put together. As she runs from her killers and searches for help, she crash lands a stolen plane (she's learned to fly from playing a simulator game) in the middle of nowhere Montana. As she struggles to survive she's saved by Tanner Vasquez. Tanner quickly calls in his brothers-in-arms, Aiden Black and Balthazar Flint to help Nina out. As Nina learns more about the former Navy SEALs, she has to come to terms with they share everything from work, to living together, to relationships, and that means they'll share her, if she'll let them.
Del Mar weaves in a compelling story of cyber terrorism which keeps you reading between the romance. The changing POV keeps the reader engaged and in every character's head. The males are each different and each struggling with their own demons, Nina seems to be the balm for each one of them. Things get hot and heavy between each character and then when all of them get together, it catches fire.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Del Mar weaves in a compelling story of cyber terrorism which keeps you reading between the romance. The changing POV keeps the reader engaged and in every character's head. The males are each different and each struggling with their own demons, Nina seems to be the balm for each one of them. Things get hot and heavy between each character and then when all of them get together, it catches fire.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2017
Since the first two books in this series were single couples, I was a bit surprised this one wasn't. While I don't mind a little out of the box fantasy, I'm not interested in a story written just for the erotic aspects with no real plotline. Thankfully, this story had great characters of which I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite. It had enough suspense to keep me interested in the story and enough emotion to keep me connected to the characters. It was actually quite sweet and romantic, and the more racy aspects were not pervasive enough to overtake the story. I really liked it, and I especially enjoyed the ending. It was pretty spectacular. On a final note, the cover was so sexy and is actually what made me decide to read the book. Once I was finished, I felt like I could see the guys' personalities in the design m of the cover. I think Tanner is on the right, Aiden is on the left, and Zar is in the middle. If you read the book, you'll understand why.
Net Galley provided an ARC for honest review.
Net Galley provided an ARC for honest review.
December 3, 2017
I have to say, I was a bit surprised by this book. I was honestly expecting to read a typical, polyamorous romance with a predicable ending, but that was so not the case. True, this is my first Anna Del Mar novel, so I didn't know what to expect, but this read was still a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting the suspense and the moments of vulnerability. These men come across as if they have it all under control because they're/were service men but underneath their tough exterior, they each need something only Nina can fulfill. At first, I thought Aiden was my favorite (because I wanted to take care of him myself) but Zar blew me away. OMG, he was so raw, dominating and passionate!! Nina is a strong woman who only wants to be seen as such, so the struggle between her and Zar made the book even more entertaining for me. In my deepest darkest fantasy world, I'd love to trade places with Nina any day! Three extremely hot and sexy men who only want to please, love and protect you with their livee; yes please!! A good read I have to say and I'm looking forward to reading more!
March 9, 2022
I loved these four unique characters and the story that surrounds them. It's suspenseful, has some fast paced action, intrigue, heartbreak, deeply felt emotions and of course white hot passion. Each player bring their strengths to the table and in doing so they expse their weaknesses as well as their vulnerabilities. Because of these elements this ménage works for all of them on all levels. That being said it's not all smooth sailing. The rough patches do make them stronger in the end
Nina literally crashes into Tanner's, Aiden's and Zar's lives. These three former SEALs formed an unbreakable bond while on the run for their lives. They pledged to share everything with one another even a woman but finding that special someone hasn't happened yet. Perhaps Nina is the one to fill that void. Nina is slow to trust but finding out that she's right where she wanted to be gives the trio a start to forming the relationship they all need. Working to identify and take down two people with malicious intentions becomes the common goal for this foursome.
Nina literally crashes into Tanner's, Aiden's and Zar's lives. These three former SEALs formed an unbreakable bond while on the run for their lives. They pledged to share everything with one another even a woman but finding that special someone hasn't happened yet. Perhaps Nina is the one to fill that void. Nina is slow to trust but finding out that she's right where she wanted to be gives the trio a start to forming the relationship they all need. Working to identify and take down two people with malicious intentions becomes the common goal for this foursome.
August 9, 2017
This is the third book in the At the Brink series but it can completely stand on it's own. I have read another book in the series but those characters while mentioned have no bearing on this story. However, as hot and steamy as this book is, you will want to read the others in the series. I know I want to go back and read the one I missed!
While this book had an element of suspense to it, it was kept in the background a bit as the men - Tanner, Aiden and Zar all worked together to protect Nina. And in the course of "protecting" her they made her a part of their makeshift family. A very intimate part of their family. This was a ménage romance but most of the scenes were not with multiple partners. In fact, I think there were only two actual ménage scenes. However, that does not diminish the steaminess factor of the rest of the book. I will definitely be on the look out for more from this author!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
While this book had an element of suspense to it, it was kept in the background a bit as the men - Tanner, Aiden and Zar all worked together to protect Nina. And in the course of "protecting" her they made her a part of their makeshift family. A very intimate part of their family. This was a ménage romance but most of the scenes were not with multiple partners. In fact, I think there were only two actual ménage scenes. However, that does not diminish the steaminess factor of the rest of the book. I will definitely be on the look out for more from this author!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this novel.
August 13, 2017
If I could rate this 15 stars I would. This is one of the hottest sexiest books I have read in a very long time. Anna del Mar is an amazing author and truly has a way with putting words on paper. The chemistry between Nina, Tanner, Zar, and Aiden is combustible; but what made this book so riveting was the individual connections that Nina had with each man. Each man had an unique personality and Nina knew exactly what needed to be done to connect with each one. The suspense in this book was also an added benefit to increase the amazement factor in this book. I read this book twice back to back and each time was better than the first in between , possibly needing a cold shower. Hot. I actually went on Amazon to see if it was available on kindles unlimited but alas it is not so I am waiting for a few more days then I am buying it, to read again and again.
Thank you NetGalley and Anna del Mar for letting me read and review this amazing book.
Thank you NetGalley and Anna del Mar for letting me read and review this amazing book.
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