Edge Jump

LGBT Murder Mystery - Sports Romance - BDSM ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ approximate length: 268 pgs / 73k words > > Judging a Book by it's Cover < < The cover composition feels at odds with the story. It is supposed to be about a male figure skater / ice dancer and a male retired hockey player but the model (or models) on the cover is/are barefoot. I would expect him/them to wear skates, at the very least. The title really makes no sense to me regardless that somewhere, much further into the story, it's said that EDGE JUMP was a skate move. I probably would not have picked up this book on my own based on the cover but after reading the synopsis, I was interested in the story. > > Looking Deeper < < POV ~> Third-person When competitive skating star, Celia Rocha, is killed while touring in Canada, her brother, Brett heads north to tie up loose ends and bring her body home. There, he finds Celia's skate partner, Rylan, barely holding it together. A snafu in hotel reservations brings the men together a little sooner than either anticipated, but they've known each other for most of their lives so it's not awkward sharing a room. Things begin heating up... the competition, the times in private, and the threats that lead them to believe that maybe Celia was not killed at random but was, rather, targeted and one of the men could be next. Brett was a strong character, before and after. Rylan was cool before but became a bit annoying for a while after. The secondary cast was varied and interesting. Chemistry was totally a non-issue and their interactions were good. The dialogue was mostly good but, again, the pre-incident was more pleasant than the post-incident facet. The plot was interesting and usually entertaining but some parts felt slower and less dynamic, making it more difficult to read through without a break. The conflicts were all self-imposed and needed to be gone. Predictability was low/moderate. The conclusion was a little transparent here and there and I felt somewhat cheated by the abrupt ending. . Rating: [R] ~ Score: 3.9 ~ Stars: 4 ========================== ⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐

This story had me hooked from the first page until the last. The writing is captivating and had me turning the pages in record time. It was fun, sad, sexy, heartbreaking, thrilling, and uplifting. It all started very sadly with the death of Brett’s sister, Celia, and her fiancé, Clive. He has known Rylan, Celia’s ice dance partner, from a young age, but now he sees more than the little boy who has always been by Celia’s side. What follows is a beautiful journey of two men grieving in their own way and finding solace and love in each other’s arms. The author did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. I could feel their connection and love shining through. Brett introduces Rylan to his BDSM lifestyle, and that as well felt natural. They were made for each other. Rylan has always been in control on the ice, but now he is adrift. Submitting to Brett and letting go is what he needs to heal and feel himself again. Brett loves nothing more than keeping Rylan on the edge and taking care of him. The scenes were steamy, but very tastefully and knowledgeably done. With mutual consent and trust. How it should be in good BDSM relationships. A big plus for me is that there are quite some on-ice scenes, and especially the show Rylan performs in sounds magical, with all the heartbreaking beauty. Although I felt that the mystery around Celia’s death was not the heart of the story, it emerged more than enough to not let me forget it and keep me on my toes. The outcome is not that surprising, but the author tied up all loose ends very nicely. Well, nicely in the way of telling who done it. Not in other ways because it has serious effects on Rylan and Brett. They are already so far in their relationship that they can handle this as well with love and understanding. For me, this was one of the best parts of the book as I have gone through the same thing as Rylan, albeit it on a different level. I can, however, relate to him, and how he feels broken and useless. I loved how Brett didn’t give in and showed some tough love.