Close to the Edge by Dawn Ryder is a good fit for readers looking for a fast-paced romance between a strong, protective hero and a cautious yet irresistible heroine, with the added excitement of a dangerous mission and the threat of enemies.

Perfect read. Well written with the perfect amount of character development.

Rereviewed as reviews aren't showing

This was an on the edge of your seat romantic suspense book. The author had me hooked beginning to end.

DNF. The arc format was so screwed up for me. Chapter 1 was at the end, and I was confused for a good chunk of the beginning that I lost all interest. Because of that I had to give it 1 star.

When I read the synopsis for this book I was quite intrigued by it. I love romantic suspense and books that have military ops type themes so this seemed like it would be right up my alley. I should also say this is the fifth book in this series and I was a little concerned I might be missing something by having not read the other books. I was right to be concerned.

This story is full of the action I was looking for, but it felt a little disjointed to me. I loved Dare and the fellow Special Ops guys and the chemistry between Dare and Jenna was sizzling. There's so much action in this story too. I'd loved how that story arch moved throughout the book too.

While I felt like I would've had a slightly better reading experience if I'd read the previous books in the series, it's a book that I enjoyed reading nonetheless.

Really great thiller/mystery. Loved this, and could not put it down. Well written, easy to read, great characters. Couldn't want anything more.

*3.5 stars*

Romantic suspense…

This is the second in the series that I’ve read and I was looking forward to reading Dare’s story. He and Jenna had sparks as he stood between her and the enemies that were gunning for him. And now her. The plot was everything I love about a bodyguard romance with lots of action and suspense with steaminess thrown in for good measure.

I struggled a bit with the delivery of the story even though all the elements were there. I found myself wanting a deeper connection with the characters. They were likable and the suspense that surrounded them was good, yet for some reason they didn't click with me the way I'd hoped. I'm still invested in the series though and look forward to the next, the last, read...

Like the bit of action in this story and the whole shadow ops thing is interesting. The story does have some entertaining moments, and I like that characters from the past books show up in this book. I didn't quite feel the romantic connection, but they do have some hot times. Dare and Jenna go back and forth; there was too much time focused on that and not enough time focused on them actually knowing each other. The story doesn't quite flow and the dialogue is weird at times. The bad guys are completely over the top horrible. Sex trafficking, murder, rape, etc. I don't get how the shadow ops team hasn't arrested these people already; I mean, they have plenty of evidence. I didn't care for the whole Agent Thais being the femme fatale that is required to use sexuality to get in with the bad guys, but I suppose that's just how it is. There's a lot of eww factors in this story. It's to be expected when dealing with the low life bad guys the ops team is dealing with. Overall, the story does have entertaining moments, but the writing doesn't flow; feels a bit choppy. I'd still like to see where the story ends up, and hopefully, these ops guys stop trying to make deals with some people that just need to be taken down.

Jenna Henson always plays it safe. It’s what has gotten her through all these years . So she never expected to end up in arm-to-arm combat with a gorgeous, muscle bound mercenary named Dare…Agent Dare Servant lives for the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline high. He’s fully committed to his job, fully armed, and full-on dangerous. But when innocent, irresistible Jenna Henson walks in on his latest mission, the need to keep her safe becomes all-consuming.
So I’m not sure how I missed this one when I read all the others in the series, but I did. Since it’s been a while since I read them I was a little confused. I still enjoyed the book though. I do like this author and she’s yet to disappoint. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Ms.Ryder tells a tale with heart-pounding suspense, a swoon-worthy romance, An engaging and enthralling tale...captivating and compelling. It is a heart-stopping roller-coaster ride, it'll keep you at the edge of your seat.

This is my first read of Ms.Ryder and it wouldn't be the last.

I struggled to read this book and in the end couldn't make myself finish it. It had promise but felt flat.

I have been following Dawn Ryder’s Unbroken Heroes series from the very beginning and I must say that with its constant excitement and sexy heroes, it is one of the best military romance series today. However, if I had to be completely honest, I have to admit that out of all the books in the series, this one was probably the one I liked the least. I don’t know if it was the chemistry between Jenna and Dare or that I couldn’t quite connect with Jenna but there was just something missing. Having said that, I still enjoyed the constant chase that is one of the trademarks of this series and of course, the larger than life super sexy heroes that are enough to make any red blooded woman’s blood heat ;)

Jenna Henson’s only sin was to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Her reason? To help out a dear friend whom she just couldn’t say no to. And so the story begins and Jenna soon finds herself taken by an elite group of shadow op operatives and in the middle of a cat and mouse chase which involves a hip hop star who also happens to be the boss of an international human trafficking ring. Good thing she happens to have a guardian angel in the form of a super hot alpha hero who has made it his mission to protect her.

Dare Servant lost his family in a horrific murder and has vowed to never let himself fall in love and be vulnerable. He knows that he should see Jenna as strictly business and off limits but the heart wants what the heart wants and Dare soon finds himself willing to fight anything and anyone who is willing to harm her.

It seems that we are still far from seeing Carl Davis get what he deserves and Kagan securing the future of his shadow ops team. But that’s completely fine by me as I truly can’t get enough of this exhilarating series!!!

This is the fifth book in this series and while it can be read as a standalone it is best if they are read in order. This was an enjoyable read it was action-packed with plenty of suspense and while it was not my favorite in the series because it was a little difficult to keep track off at times it is still well worth reading Jenna and Dare were really good together with lots of chemistry.

Close to the Edge is a fast paced, action packed story with a healthy dose of secondary characters. Dare and Jenna don't start off on the best of terms. Yet circumstances soon drive their relationship into new territory. Dare will have to come to terms with the emotional turmoil Jenna brings to his life as he keeps her safe. Dare is a strong character, true to his line of work. I wasn't a fan of Jenna in the beginning. She was too much of a pushover at times and never quite held Dare accountable for his actions when merited. Overall Close to the Edge is a enjoyable read. This was my first foray into the Unbroken Heroes series by Dawn Ryder and I hope to read more.

3.5 Stars

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review. I struggled with the beginning of this book and looked for the first chapter thinking they were out of order but did not realize until the end of the book that it was at the end. I started a little confused but picked up the storyline which was complex and engaging. I had some issues with the names of the men in the Shadow Ops group, Who is named Dare or Vitus? Dare and Jenna are the main characters in the story and he seems to flip back and forth between an assh*ole and a good guy. It is very entertaining when Jenna calls him out on it. Jenna is a girl in the wrong place at the wrong time but is no shrinking violet.
A good romantic suspense story.

This is part of the Unbroken Heroes series and a new author for me. Figured out where the first of the book was and settled in for suspenseful read. Interesting characters and fast-paced storyline make this a book to enjoy.

E-book from net galley and publishers with thanks.Opinions are entirely my own.

I have read a couple of books in this series. This one started out confusing for me because for some reason the story started near the end rather than in the beginning. I think my copy was perhaps a bit messed up. Nevertheless, I was able to get the story from the beginning which makes more sense.

Jenna is a friend who tries to help a friend out. As a person who can sub in for catering, she shows up a little too early to a job only to catch people wiring her client's house. This is how she stumbles across Dare Servant. Dare is not expecting this spunky female to argue with him or even excite him. The characters were okay. Jenna is spunky. But Dare is a bit overly domineering and annoying at times. Still, they partner up to try and bring down a criminal.

The plot of this story seems to be left a bit behind with the focus on the romance between the two. The chemistry between the two is okay if a bit forgettable. I am a bit disappointed as the last couple of books I liked the characters better. Some of the previous characters do show up as supporting cast and it is fun to see them again. Overall this story is okay. Recommended to romance suspense readers who like alpha males and spunky females.

Rating: 3.5/5

This is a treat for anyone who enjoys romantic suspense involving Shadow Ops and involving betrayal, double crossing, danger, intrigue and, of course, a hot romance. It is the fifth book in the series and it does work as a stand alone but I suspect would be enjoyed even more if other books in the series had been read first as there is an ongoing investigation through the stories.

The hero for this story is Agent Dare Servant and he is determined to keep Jenna Henson safe after she inadvertently walks into his perilous mission, placing her is danger from his enemies. Jenna certainly didn’t anticipate suddenly being thrust into situations necessitating secret identities and protective custody but witnessing a murder does just that. Initially Dare is her bodyguard and the chemistry between them is scorching! However, he’s also very career orientated and has no plans to settle down - or that was true before he met Jenna! Now he has to fight his own feelings, not take advantage of the situation and keep her safe. As this fast paced, action packed intrigue unfolds Dare proves to be somewhat inept at relationships and his behaviour towards Jenna means he often has to apologise for what he says and does! I’m pleased to say she doesn’t immediately forgive him and his boss is actually instrumental in bringing them together again.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense - especially if they’ve read and enjoyed the earlier books in the series!

I requested and was given a copy of this novel, via NetGalley, with no obligation. This is my honest review of the book after choosing to read it.

LOVE this type of story, so much adventure mixed with characters that you just wish you were! A winner!

While I usually end my book reviews by stating that I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book, in the case of Close to the Edge, I'll have to start with that piece of information, for a number of reasons, which is why, although I try to avoid giving them, this book gets a 1-star rating.

To begin with, when I requested an advance reader copy of this book, it was because I'd not read anything by this popular author before and wanted to give her books a try. The Netgalley blurb did not mention that it was the fifth book in a series. Had I known that, I wouldn't have requested it, but from the moment I passed the title page, I felt as if I'd fallen down the rabbit hole--the book opens with Chapter Two, and no, I couldn't find Chapter One or even a prologue, although I did make the attempt. So, here I am in Chapter Two saying to myself, "Is this a joke?" It wasn't, and as I started reading what was also billed as a standalone novel (which it isn't) I was utterly and completely lost. It didn't help that I didn't know who these characters were, what kind of work they did (the blurb did mention something about Shadow Ops), what their relationships were or had been, or even who Jenna was, since she was the first character I encountered. It didn't really matter because in several instances the names of the characters change--Jenna becomes Jane, Mack becomes Marc, and this reader was getting dizzy from shaking her head, wondering what on earth was going on.

I've been reading and reviewing advance reader copies for a number of years, and I hate giving 1-star reviews, but at least I generally get the feeling that if I do get an uncorrected proof, at some point the author at least did a final read-through of his/her own manuscript before turning it in to the publisher. I fail to see how that was possible in this case. Many of my favorite authors are published by St. Martin's Press, and their advance reader copies are generally well done by the time I get my hands on them, but that wasn't true in the case of this book--it was hot mess. Even as I continued reading, struggling to figure out who was who, I still couldn't get a handle on what was going on or why, and, at 2:00 a.m., after trying my best to get into this novel and make some sense of it, I just gave up, and did not finish reading it, and from the few chapters I read, I cannot recommend it.

I do hope that all the issues I had with my copy of Close to the Edge were found and corrected before final publication, and should this author begin a new series at some future date, I'd welcome the opportunity to get in at the beginning. I will reiterate, this novel is in no way a standalone.