I started this multiple times but I just couldn’t follow. There was too much “insider” verbiage. I was getting too distracted with trying to follow the language that I wasn’t able to enjoy the book.

Jagged Edge
Cara Carnes
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a super suspenseful action packed read. Mary who is a female operative is kidnapped and tortured. After she is rescued she pulls out all the stops to figure out who was behind her kidnapping and who wants her dead. Her rescuer is another operative who has built a paramilitary company with his brothers. As expected Mary falls for her rescuer. And he is super protective and will do anything within his means to keep her safe.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading this book. It definitely wasn’t what I expected it to be but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Loved it! One of the best books ever! Love the kick ass women and men. Love the action and the alpha male protection. Love the women who make the men stay on their toes and LOVE that this is a series I simply cannot wait for book two! WOW what a way to start a series.

Paramilitary and special ops, a group of brothers who own their own company after leaving the military. A group of women and operatives that run missions. And the crazy sister who is awesome!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Jagged Edge

Series: The Arsenal Book #1
Stand Alone Title: yes
Author: Cara Carnes

Genre: Romance, Suspense

Blurb: Mary “The Edge” Reynolds is the most sought-after back office operative around-the creative genius pulling the ultimate bad-asses out of impossible situations. She’s never failed on a mission, and she’s not about to fail on the most important mission ever-keeping her newly designed security system safe. Relying on others isn’t in her nature, but the newly formed Arsenal is her only hope for escape when she’s kidnapped.

She is the Edge.

The Edge never breaks.

Never quits.

Dylan Mason and his brothers have put everything on the line to form The Arsenal. When the paramilitary arena is rocked by Edge’s capture, he’ll do whatever it takes to get the fearless operative back, but his wary heart isn’t ready to handle the vulnerable woman buried beneath the hardened shell. Getting her back was simple. Keeping her and her “security system” HERA out of enemy hands is another story.

Together they must hunt down the faction behind her capture and subsequent torture to keep HERA from becoming an unstoppable terroristic threat. What they uncover could destroy them both.

Favorite quotes: “We need to overhaul our security if four GI Jane wannabes kicked our asses.”

“All penetrations should make you sweat.”

“Yeah, I’ll just saddle up my unicorn, shimmy over the rainbow, and get right on that.”

Thoughts: I was completely new to Cara Carnes, but wow! What a way to open a series! As a reader you are dived right in to the action and slammed into the torture and rape of Mary A.K.A The Edge. Nothing is to graphic, but the author manages to make things emphatically clear at the same time. You respect Mary and her strength, and I loved her inventiveness when it comes to getting agents out of danger. I also loved the fact that she never gives up. Period. Dylan catches your attention immediately as well, and I loved how he had Mary’s back from the start.

While it was pretty obvious from the beginning that it’s meant to be a series and throws rather a lot of characters our way - not to mention a few clues to future storyline arcs – it was still easy to read as a stand alone title. I also struggled a little bit with the two extremes in Mary’s character – strong, capable agent and weak, vulnerable, victim. I get them both, particularly in light of what she’s been through, but for me the extremes were a little too much and didn’t seem viable or believable. The author never really came to a good balance there for me. Mary is the biggest, baddest spy – one that even the great spies of the world long to work with, yet she becomes a somewhat timid, breakable girl who is always hard on herself and doesn’t believe any guy would look her way. She immediately needs and becomes dependent on Dylan. You still couldn't help falling in love with the book though - and this is one of the authors that you finish a book and start hunting down more of her titles to read!

This was a title I couldn’t put down and kept me grabbing it up and devouring as much as I could of it. Wonderful romantic suspense!

Rating: A

A fantastic start to a new series this book pulled me in right from the start I just loved it and could not put it down.It was well written with plenty of action and a super storyline I would recommend this book and I can't wait for the next book

Talk about what I call an Indiana Jones beginning, Jagged Edge by Cara Carnes, sure has one. The first page you jump right into the action and it is not pretty. The Agent, Edge is being tortured as a reader you are hurting for her and down-right angry that it is happening to her at all.

Her rescue is not the end of the story but the beginning. Mary, “Edge” comes across in the first few chapters like a Lara Croft, then come to find out she is more of an Eric Beal. Even her PTSD is on again and off again. It is the disjointedness of her character that kept this story from being a strong 5. The male characters were solid so should have the women, given that steel nerves would be needed in their line of work.

Still that is my only criticism, because the plot is action packed with nail biting suspense and a romance that has a balance of being both sweet and steamy. The big bad villain was one I had on my list of suspects but nothing gave him away until the end. Also the background on the Mason men, the neighboring town and Mary’s childhood served to make the story even more intriguing. All answers did not come by the conclusion but that is not to say it has a cliffhanger ending, it does not. The unanswered questions instead make me want to say to Ms. Carnes, hurry up with the next book.

I believe this is going to be a great series and I loved it. The plot at this point is too involved to try to describe but I loved Mary and Dylan, and even more, I loved all the secondary characters and can’t wait for them to get their own stories. This was definitely a romantic suspense book along the lines of Katie Reus and Christin Harber. If this is your kind of book, pick this one up. It is a fun ride and an easy story to get into. Thanks as always to Netgalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this for an honest review.

Dylan Mason and his brothers have formed The Arsenal, a top-notch paramilitary group. What seems like a routine mission is anything but for Mary, the target they’re rescuing. Mary, the best back room operative in the business, was kidnapped and tortured because someone was to get their hands on HERA, an ultimate weapon she and her counterpart have created. Together, Mary and Vivian, or Quillery and Edge are unstoppable, and together with the Mason brothers and The Arsenal, they’ll do everything in their power to keep HERA from falling into the wrong hands.

The advance copy I read of this book started off with an intense, adrenaline-filled rescue, and then things really got interesting! This one grabbed me from the very first page and didn’t let go until the last! It has it all - hot, riveting action, intense drama, nail-biting suspense, sweet, steamy passion, and a shocking twist that had me rereading a couple of times until my mind could finally absorb it! Jagged Edge is an absolute must read! If you like Maya Banks or Cindy Gerard, you’ll love this first book in The Arsenal series!

Superb!

Intense, emotional, heart wrenching, action packed and absolutely beautiful!

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

This book goes into some dark places and may have triggers for some readers. That said, Jagged Edge is a powerful story of survival and love and is the first in what looks to be a terrific new series. Mary “The Edge” Reynolds is my newest hero. She is smart and strong. She isn’t perfect but she seems to be perfect for Dylan Mason. Mary is like a lot of us who live for our work and forget about the woman we are and her needs. Everything is shunted aside for the job.
I was sucked into this book and didn’t leave until long after the last page.

4.5 Stars Jagged Edge is the first book I've read by Cara Carnes and I really enjoyed it. This is a superb suspense filled read with great character chemistry and an intriguing storyline. I was hooked and just enjoyed the ride. I look forward to reading more and will be recommending this to readers.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I am so glad I requested this based on the description.
What a fantastic read! This is my first Cara Carnes book and it won’t be my last. I am definitely hooked on this new series after this awesome first book!
Such amazing and interesting characters in this book! All of them! But Mary (Edge) and Dylan, they are a power couple! They are so perfect for each other. Edge is such a strong, badass yet Mary is vulnerable and a bit awkward all at the same time. Her two personas obviously blend because she is only one person but it definitely makes her very unique and very appealing to Dylan. Dylan is ex special forces now working with his brothers in their own business, The Arsenal. He is so strong and badass too, yet so sweet and gentle with Mary. They rescue Mary/Edge and take in the rest of her team to work together to find out who took Edge and brutally tortured her.
Such an awesome story line so full of suspense intrigue, and surprises you don’t see coming!
Of course there is also the sweet and sexy love story between Dylan and Mary. Such sizzling chemistry!!
I can’t wait for more in this series. I am 100% invested!! I look forward to more of the sexy, badass Mason brothers and Vi, Addy and the others.

Edge is half of a duo who works behind the scenes to bring operatives out of life-threatening situations. With a 100% success rate, lots of people owe her their lives. When she is kidnapped and brutalized by those who want the program she is working on, she is rescued by a group called The Arsenal. Dylan is the man who headed her rescue and she finds herself in a relationship with him.

This is an outstanding book filled with thrills, betrayal, and romance. Edge is a character to be admired.

While I've been typing this review, I've changed from 4 stars to 5 stars, and back to four. On one hand, this book kept me in my chair, reading as fast as I could, staying up far to late to see what would happen next while ignoring anything else I should have been doing. On the other hand, there is a lot of confusion in this book. I feel like it needed one more pass through the editor's hands. I went back to re-read portions to figure out who was who (Logan, Dylan, Mason...lots of "on" sounding names) and that was the least of the confusion. There were many instances that I went back to re-read to clarify for myself what was happening. And yet, despite that, this was an amazing story that I couldn't put down.

I just changed this to five stars again. Any book that has the ability to completely claim the reader's attention and time deserves it. I'm looking forward an "Arsenal 2".

Wow...this book was...intense, hot, suspenseful and about everything else you could look for in a great book.

First off, you're grabbed from the first chapter of the book. Mary, "The Edge," is kidnapped and tortured in ways that no one should ever be tortured. They want information that she refuses to give up. She knows someone will save her, but the question is how long can she hold out for.

You think when she's finally rescued that the story is over but in fact it's just beginning. Coming to terms with what happened when she was held captive versus what she thinks happened when she was held captive is a tough journey. Being held captive, tortured and then having to recover from her injuries goes against everything that The Edge is. She's not weak, she doesn't get caught, she doesn't need help, she doesn't need protecting.

But the story is so much more than just about Mary, The Edge and even Dylan. It goes beyond these three characters, to an array of many other characters. I can't wait for some of these to characters to get their own stories, because there is so much left to tell. I'm dying for the story of the one brother (I'm drawing a blank on his name) who was severely injured in the most horrific way. The way he related to Mary and the other warriors, my heart just broke for him.

Can't wait to see who's story is next in this amazing series.

I loved it what more can i say,these are my favorite types of books the only problem is i read them to fast and then I am lost at the end

I just couldn't get into this book from the start. I am sure it is a good read for some and I am sure the author is great. I just didn't connect with the characters right from the start. Maybe if I tried to read it again at a later date I may have a different opinion.

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!!

I had a long weekend and was interrupted reading this a few times and at first I thought because of it Id have an issue getting back into the story. However Dylan and his panty melting smiles and brothers are hard to forget. I loved him as an MC and an alpha...whoop yum. Who doesn't like a man who will do what's best for a whip smart slightly damaged h.

This tugged at several heart strings for me. I loved both MC and their backstories. I especially loved that Mary protected not only Dylan but Dallas as well. I reread that scene several times. Seeing siblings reconnect is a big star for me. Add in military men and a program for vets to transition from service to civilian life and you are hitting some specials here for me. PTSD is something people in my family have dealt with and as have I. watching this bloom the way it did was captivating and amazing.

Then there is the girls...the "geek squad" who can take out an entire military compound with only one field agent...yes please sign me up and talk techie eve though I don't understand all of it. Mary was a brilliant mind and even bigger heart. I'm hoping we see more people involved in what happened to her put away. I also see many future books in this and cant wait to read.

If you haven't yet jump on the Arsenal Bandwagon.

I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jagged Edge was a good suspenseful romance. solid romance.

A strong three and a half stars.

Mary Reynolds is 50% of the operational powerhouse known as the Quillery Edge, Mary is The Edge. Together she and her friend Vi have masterminded more SpecOps missions than anyone else. They are the brains behind the business known as The Hive. Some months ago the owner and founder of The Hive, Peter Rugers, had an 'accident' and died in mysterious circumstances. Since then Mary and Vi have been worked flat out by Peter's business partner Martin Driggs who is taking on questionable jobs and making reckless decisions.

The book opens with Mary having been captured, She is mentally and physcially tortured, raped and drugged in an attempt to extract her secrets, especially the cutting edge HERA security program they developed, but not even the knowledge that the kidnappers are doing the same to Vi in the cell next door is enough to make her talk.

Dylan Mason and his six brothers run a rival organisation, The Arsenal, based in their small home town. Each of the brothers has special forces experience one way and another and they are in awe of the skills of The Edge. When they get a tip off that The Edge has been kidnapped they are 'all in' - but what do the kidnappers really want and who made the tip off?

I enjoy spec ops/romances but they can be a little formulaic and the male characters can be a bit like cardboard cut-outs, similarly many authors write these kick-ass female characters who nonetheless somehow need rescuing by a bigger, badder man. Not kidding, she could be the deadliest assassin in the world at the start of the book but halfway through she becomes a crying shaking wreck clinging to the arm of the alpha male.

Cara Carnes managed to avoid that pitfall. Mary Reynolds is focused on her job with a singular dedication, she has no hobbies and no life outside The Hive. She eats, breathes and sleeps missions and she's crazy good at what she does. She has trouble socialising, except with her three friends from MIT and she has body-image issues.

Dylan is the middle Mason brother, he has had a bad experience in the past and has sworn off relationships, but there's something about The Edge which gets under his skin. Except he realises that The Edge and Mary Reynolds are two very different people: the confident woman in the control room who orders around field operatives with calm authority, who flirts and deliberately pushes to get results and the timid woman behind the persona who feels she is worthless and expendable.

There's a whole load of backstory for Mary (and Dylan) that only gets alluded to, as a reader you are running to try to keep up with the pace of events and just trying to work out who is who and what is going on. I don't know whether there was a previous series or maybe a prequel novella but there's a lot of other stuff swirling around - I like that, I like that things from the past are referred to but don't actually have any impact on current events, that not every secret is revealed, that the reader is forced to guess and speculate and wonder.

I guessed who was behind the kidnapping - but then I probably had a guess list of four or five people so it's not as though it was that obvious.

My only fear is that each of Mary's friends will hook up with another Mason brother and that Dylan's sister Riley will hook up with one of the male operatives in an increasingly incestuous circle of romance.

There's no cliffhanger, although the Mason brothers discover that something wrong appears to be going on in the next town, people are getting hurt and the townspeople are running scared - presumably that's the subject of the next book.

I liked this, it reminded me somewhat of Elle Kennedy's excellent Killer Instincts series or Julie Ann Walker's Black Knights Inc series. I would definitely read the next in the series.