Nikki’s review Edge of Midnight (The McCloud Brothers, Book 4) by Shannon McKenna
Erotic romantic suspense released by Brava 1 Aug 07
Sean McCloud has a little trouble playing well with others. He hasn’t really had much in the way of an example, though. His father was not the most social guy, he lost his mother early on, and his brothers are as messed up as he is. The brothers who are left, that is. His twin was killed 15 years ago. So, Sean doesn’t do relationships anymore. He doesn’t even do coffee the morning after. Though, at one time he thought he would…
Olivia Endicott braved the bad boy, once. Their love was intense and, she thought, forever. But he sent her away 15 years ago, disillusioned and brokenhearted. Even with professional therapy she never got over him. Now he’s back in her life and she has to decide if it’s some kind of sick joke to him or what.
A word to those who haven’t read Shannon McKenna: her heroes are of the extreme alpha-male variety. Sean and Liv have a history and he knows how she likes to play it, so I could allow his behavior. I believed he would stop if she ever seemed to really want him to. She knew it, too, and thinks exactly this to herself at one point. Still, if the hard, rough type of male appreciation turns you off, skip these books. Think, ‘cave man.’ I loved it.
This book can be summed up with the word “intense”. Sean’s personality is intense. Liv’s situation quickly demands intense decisions. The bad guy’s plot is intense. The secondary characters even have an intensity about them. And the sex is, without a doubt, very intense.
These books are erotic romantic suspense but if you usually love romantic suspense and don’t read erotica, you still might enjoy these. There is more sex than most 17 year olds could manage but there aren’t any of the “kinky” scenes that are associated with erotica. The plot, characters, and dialogue are good.
Actually, the dialogue is better than good. McKenna brings an edginess to her dialogue that keeps me enthralled. Here’s an example:
He didn’t answer. She felt the heat of his face, pressing hard against her shoulder. “I remember it,” he said. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” She shoved his knees apart to free herself, and kept her back to him while she adjusted her robe, and her face. “You must have a split personality. There’s the sweet, cuddly Sean, and there’s the cruel, horrible Sean. Is it fun to wind women up and then watch them flap around when you dump them? Do you secretly hate women?”
I love that! I got a picture in my mind of one of those cheap wind-up toys rattling in pitiful, helpless circles on the floor. The choice of wording brought extra imagery and emotion to the thought.
Okay, for realism look elsewhere. Read this book with a healthy dose of suspension-of-disbelief. The kind we needed to accept that CTU would ever hire Kim Bauer (TV series 24). Yes, all these big, tough, hot guys with such a troubled past have done really well for themselves. If reality were so much fun we wouldn’t be reading the books, would we?
Grade: B+
From the back cover:
Shannon McKenna creates characters readers never forget–and in her latest novel, Sean McCloud must protect the woman he has never stopped loving: Liv Endicott. Years ago, Sean had to send Liv Endicott away to save her life. Now he has to keep her closer, very close–for the same reason . . .
THE BREAKING POINT
On the very day an arsonist burns down Liv’s bookstore in a small town in the Washington mountains, she finds fate has another shock in store for her. Amid the smoke, rubble and tears, Sean McCloud appears, calling her name. He’s every inch the man he always was–the man she kept on wanting. But wanting is not the same as trusting, and she doesn’t dare let him get too close. Yet a ruthless killer is gunning for Liv, and she’ll die unless they join forces to unearth a chilling truth–and come together in a blaze of searing passion . . .
Read an excerpt.
Read Gwen’s review here.
Other books in this series:
