Edge of Control

The Edge #3

by Megan Crane

It's the End of the World and We Feel Fine Because
Hot Sex + Hard Vikings = Mind. Blown.

Book 3 in the Edge series!

This brotherhood of raider warriors is alpha, dominant, unforgiving...and they keep what they take.

Riordan is a ruthless warrior whose foes tremble before him in his drowned and ruined world. The last thing he wants to do is go undercover as a weakling to spy on his clan’s enemies. Much less with Eiryn— a fierce warrior in her own right and the only woman Riordan’s never been able to forget. He knows that a single touch will throw them straight back into that same old uncontrollable fire. But this time, he might just let them burn.

Eiryn has been betrayed too many times. An escape into a dangerous mission where she can pretend to be the soft, biddable female she’s not seems like the perfect solution. She’s sure she can control the fiery passion that simmers between her and Riordan, the man she’s spent years pretending to hate. After all, the unquenchable lust that flares between them now is all for show… isn’t it?

Wulf's book, Edge of Power, is coming soon!

Genres: Dystopia, Romance, Erotica, Futuristic, Ebooks, Action, Enemies To Lovers

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 5, 2016

About the author

USA Today bestselling, multi-award-nominated, and critically-acclaimed author Megan Crane has written more than 150 books and shows no sign of slowing down. She publishes contemporary romance and paranormal romance as Megan Crane (and briefly M.M. Crane) with an extensive backlist of women’s fiction, rom-coms, chick lit, and young adult novels—among other things. She’s also won a large and loyal fanbase as Caitlin Crews with Harlequin Presents, Harlequin Dare, Harlequin Historical, and contemporary cowboy books. And for Midwestern small town coziness, found families, romance, and some paranormal scariness thrown in, Megan partners with Nicole Helm to publish as Hazel Beck.

Megan has a Masters and Ph.D. in English Literature, has taught creative writing classes in places like UCLA Extension’s prestigious Writers’ Program, and is always available to give workshops (or her opinion). She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her comic book artist husband, though, at any given time, she is likely to either be huddled in a coffee shop somewhere or off traveling the world. Preferably both.

You can find out more than you ever wanted to know about her at www.megancrane.com

Reviews

[XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eiryn and Riordan are "brothers" in arms but also lovers 10 years past. Eiryn is sister to the King and part of his personal guard but a revelation about their past has her questioning her present and future with her clan. Her brother, the King, has sent her on a mission with Riordan to infiltrate the enemy. While on this mission, she and Riordan will have to become lovers again. Holy moly their love is flipping OFF THE CHARTS HOT. This brings about many feelings that they needed to work through while they face danger both outside and within themselves. Great plot. Great storytelling. Well written. Unique world. Love this latest installment and can't wait to read of the others finding their mates. Safety: There are OW/OM while these two are separated. They pretty much parade them front of each other as if to say "I'm imagining it's you". They share their lovers but not each other. There are no others once they get back together. Neither are Vs. No rape/abuse.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

That gif sums up Eiryn and Riordan's relationship perfectly. I felt like they constantly fought each other and of course also their enemies but they also felt that insane pull to each other that they could never escape. And God knows they tried. Ten years ago their break up left scars, ones that Riordan carries on his back as a reminder that you never screw over a brother, much less a woman who knows how to use her knives! That being said, for the past ten years they both try to get back at each other for what happened and both have their own ways of doing that. Eiryn is filled with anger and distrust and Riordan uses other women that always pale in comparison to Eiryn. It's safe to say that when they are both thrust into a mission that involves them get intimate their past catches up to them real fast.



I loved how they bickered, like an old married couple. Also there was much action going on, so that was definitely a bonus. For the readers that like their stories more 'clean', this book is filthy and not for the safety-gang readers. Besides that it was refreshing to see the characters in the previous books and I think I know whos story is going to be next, no spoilers tho.
All in all, this was an interesting continuation of the series and I can't wait for the next book to come out. :)

[Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "love to hate you but i hate that i love you" stars

Dystopian viking thing...tsk, tsk, tsk sounds derangely wild and sexy...

A hundred years ago, or so the stories went, the great Storms came over the course of a few tumultuous decades and kicked the world's ass. Cities fell. Seas rose. People died.

Some grew. Others took.

Harsh times bred hard men. And the hardest of these by far were the bands of raiders…

They prized their brotherhoods above all else.

Clan first, clan always. Clan forever.

A man had only what he could take with his hands and kept only what he could protect with the steel of his blade…

And they took women. Women to fuck, women to breed. Women to make sharp, cruel edges of their hard world that little bit more bearable.

Some of these women had mind and plans of their own.

Eiryn

She was one of the very few women who had ever fought her way into the raider clan's elite warrior brotherhood.

Eiryn had long beed the king's personal bodygurad and widely hailed as the fastest blade in the clan.

She was one of the toughest, meanest, most dangeorus and badass raiders on the whole of the waterlogged planet

Riordan

Riordan was a tracker.
He could find anyone, anywhere, and no matter if they didn't want to be found…

And he was…

…the bane of her existence..

When the raiders' last mission ends up in incomplete information gathering, the new strategic plan is formed – Eiryn and Riordan will go undercover into the mainland as the compliant couple to gather the rest of the information that would lead them into knowing their true enemy…
Compliant couples are set to choose a partner for a winter time, performing complaint duties, of chores, and sex.

Neither of them is compliant, far from it…and they have a history together that didn't end up well, and has led them into this hateful bearable relations they stand inside of brotherhood. Will the close time they have to spend together change the nature of their relationship into compliance or will it serve as the additional spark for them to resolve the pent up hate/lust for each other..until they realize that what they have was the right thing the whole time…

„You're under my skin. You have been for years. I always know where you are. I always know what you're doing. I find you firat, it doesn't matter how badly you want to kill me, or how much you blame me, or what you pretend when you look at me. I told you on the beach. It's you and it's always been you.“

“I spent all this time hating you. I cut you open, and I'm not even sorry. But all this time I was calling it the wrong thing…I love you.“

„Yeah babe, I know. You have for a long, long time…I like you babe, All of you.

„I hate it when you call me babe.“

„No, you don't.“

Compliance or not, someting's gotta give…*wink*


Oh boy...this was a challenge...sexy as fuck, but challenging in patience and pacing due to long descriptions of scenery...and there were some little shitty things that lingered around poking me but ultimately I chose to ignore the itchy feel this time, cause it's fantasy genre, it's dystopian era and sometimes you just gotta let go and relax...

Interesting, challenging and sexy book!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received for review

Another great book in this series.

Riordan is very yummy and hard and sexy and very much a warrior who's been Eiryn's for ten years even if neither of them ever acknowledged it in all those years. Eiryn, the king's bodyguard and sister, is seriously kick-as$ as we already know from previous books. They "get" to travel from the clan to the Cathedral to find the bishop and try to reveal where the source of the lights are. Lots and lots of complaint sex along the way...did I say lots. There's a princess thrown in I really wish they had taken her with them . The beginning was great and the ending was amazing, but the middle was just a little slow at times.

My favorite line is right before they leave the bishop...'Maud says hi.' Lol and I'd love to know what he was thinking.

I can't wait until Wulf meets the princess cause you know it's going to happen.

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile]

DNF spoilers ahead



Riordan and Eiryn had spent a summer together, up until the part I stopped their reason for ending wasn't explained.During the 10 years since they've both been with other people and in the case of Riordan we heard about it in previous books. In this case he'd had a discussion with Eiryn about raider business nothing personal but the pull between them is still there and I had to read through Eiryn's feelings on that pull, as such when we get an extremely discriptive scene of him with a camp girl I just couldn't continue. I always make allowances for these types of books so even knowing about his past didn't bother me but there is no way I want to have that scene in his own book when he's going to end up with the h shortly after,that's a big no no. So as much as this book was interesting and I wanted to finish it I can't get past that one scene.So on to the next.

[Jacque · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bear with me as I put this all together and try to figure out what The Edge series was about. So, the world has been destroyed by Storms that have flooded most of the world. Not quite Waterworld but close enough. The survivors seem to be either Viking-ish clansmen (The Brotherhood), mini kingdoms ruled by self-made kings, the Church who it appears to have the ultimate power, and then everybody else. Those last ones have the lovely name of Compliants, and their job is to repopulate the world by having lust-less, pleasure-less sex. OoooKay… I began to wonder what I got into with that last part but I went for it.

What a great story Edge of Control turned out to be! I really got a kick out of the whole meshing of post-apocalypse/Viking/new world order. The two main characters, Eiryn and Riordan, were a top-notch couple. She’s all kick-ass tough being a warrior, but she has a few internal struggles going on that she is not having luck working through. Riordan is wicked hawtness as a ruthless warrior who charms everyone but in reality, it’s just a cover for his self-hate and pain. These two have unresolved history that adds a measure of friction as they are their dangerous mission - One that I found quite entertaining. They are going to be spying on their enemy posing as… Compliants! Two tough warriors having to be meek, weak and biddable locked in a Winter Marriage. Did I also mention they were going to have to have Compliant sex?!

As you probably expect, that Compliant sex doesn’t go over so well being all tame and boring but it certainly opens the door for some seriously hot moments as they fight their feeling for each other. Let’s not forget they had past history and a few personal demons brewing in their heads. On top of all that is the mission, spying on the enemy and getting some answers. All of that made for great story telling that was easy to lose myself in. Great characters, an intriguing world, and steamy hotness all combined together make Edge of Control a stellar read. Now if only King Wulf and Princess Kathlyn would meet and hook up….

I’m jumping into this series three books in and for the most part it has worked out well. The author has done a good job of giving a good background recap to this apocalyptic-ish world so while I may not totally understand the whole story, I’m not completely lost. I did have a few moments where I felt reading the previous titles would have helped, particularly when it can to understanding some of the other characters…namely Tyr, Gunnar and their woman. I peeked at the blurbs for their books and it help put some of the puzzle pieces together not to mention they have caught my attention enough to want to start back from the beginning. If they are half as entertaining as Edge of Control, then I have a new series addiction. WooHoo!


I received this book from the JeepDiva for the express purposes of an honest review. The opinions and rating of this review are solely mine.
Stars - 4, Flames - 4

[Jonel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how Crane sets the stage for what’s to come with the powerful prologue that includes the history of the peoples and what came out of it. She sets the stage and develops the world in such a manner that you can really picture the state of the world and the ensuing hardness of the characters. I got a sense of post-apocalyptic Vikings from the Raiders. It was almost like what MCs would be like if they lost their bikes. It was intense at times. She also definitely presents the Church in an interesting light. The way that it all ties together was fascinating.

I did find that it took a while to really get into the heart of the story. For me, the plot lagged a bit. It was definitely a very character baste story as they learned more about the mainland culture.

Crane created what had the possibility of being an intensely exciting plot and populated it with characters who quite frankly annoyed me at times. Eiryn and the choices that she made were quite interesting. She really packed a punch in all aspects of life. Riordan’s ‘this is me on the inside, this is me on the outside’ routine also got old after a while.

I love the dystopian world that Crane has created for this novel (and series) but had a hard time fully getting into the plot. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it, but it was missing that “can’t but it down, need to know what happens next” factor for me.

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.

[Maria Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edge of Control by Megan Crane is the third story in her erotic dystopian romance series, featuring a band of hard living Raiders. The two main characters in this story, Riordan and Eiryn were introduced as secondary characters in the earlier stories (each of which is standalone, but the series has a continuing story arc that progresses through each book). Eiryn is half sister to the Raider King Wulf and is his personal bodyguard, though she’s been having difficulty fulfilling her clan duties in this regard. Finding out that her brother gave the order to cripple their father in order to take over as leader is a blow to her psyche and her long standing hate filled war of words against his right-hand man Tyr (hero of book 1) whom she had always blamed for the attack. She had refused to admit to herself that her brother must have been responsible for the order. As a result, she’s been less and less satisfied with her role, and when the opportunity to get away from the Raider home for a winter presents itself she jumps at the chance – even though it means she’ll be traveling with the man who introduced her to a summer of sexual delights before breaking her heart several years earlier.

Riordan is the man the clan turns to who takes on the tough tasks. He ran away as a child, an event that precipitated the deaths of his gentle farming family, an event for which he carries the burden of guilt. Though he is part of the clan brotherhood, he still feels that he must atone for their deaths, and he does so by taking on the most dangerous tasks. In this case, it’s Wulf’s plan to send someone to the mainland to find out what the head of the church, a man involved with a mercenary who was tracking Tyr’s woman Helena, wants with her. Riordan is to infiltrate the church’s headquarters, and there is no better way to do this then to approach with a woman at his side, playing the part of a compliant couple wanting the Bishop’s blessing. It’s laughable to think of Eiryn as anything like a compliant woman, she who is one of three women considered a full member of the brotherhood. She’s a fierce warrior, in body and spirit. But in her desperation to find the right path for her future she’ll do anything, including becoming a compliant female partner for Riordan. Being in close quarters with him again will either result in a reckoning of their past relationship, or a fight to the death, unless they can keep their hands to themselves. But away from the eyes of the clan, where Eiryn and Riordan must rely on each other to complete their mission and survive to return to their home, their bodies remember what their hearts have tried to forget. Will it be enough to save them or lead to their ruin?

There is no doubt that the author has spent a lot of time developing the world building of this exciting and page turning series. To date all the stories have been action packed, erotic adventures and this one is no different. Though the start of this particular story was a little slow for me (mostly due to Eiryn’s determination to keep her anger at her brother Wulf, his war chief Tyr, and Riordan front and center), once Riordan and Eiryn leave their home the tension mounts. In close quarters Eiryn can’t deny that she remembers what it felt like to be in Riordan’s arms. She still carries the pain of his betrayal but having to play a compliant woman, one who engages in daily sex with her partner in order to conceive a child, means that she is free to let her body rule – and it wants Riordan. In private, she concedes to his mastery and there are several intense steamy scenes between them. But Riordan can admit to himself that sex with Eiryn only means something when she’s able to let loose and be as passionate with him as she used to be. As they travel on their mission, their interactions change, and Eiryn begins to open up to Riordan. He regrets what happened between them – a decision to cruelly break things off, believing that he wasn’t good enough for her (not to mention threats from her brother). They both made mistakes – and now they have the chance to make up for lost time. I loved seeing Eiryn come to terms with being both a warrior and a woman. For so long she hid any sign of emotion believing it was a sign of weakness. Her time away from the Raiders makes her realize that she can be a woman and a warrior. Riordan promises her that she can always be herself with him – whether that means as a fighter or as a passionate lover.

The infiltration of the cathedral and the politics between the Bishop and the Kings makes for an exciting second half of the story, full of intense action and drama. We meet some other secondary characters that I suspect will show up in the next book in the series (perhaps a match for King Wulf? Only time will tell). Riordan and Eiryn race to complete their mission and return safely in a page turning ending that will keep you up late into the night. This is another exciting and super sexy romantic installment in this series, and I can’t wait for the next one!

This review appears as a blog post at: https://straightshootinbookreviews.co...

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anger and revenge have fueled Eiryn’s life for years. She is the Clan King’s bodyguard but has reached a point in her life where her life is not working as well for her as it once did. When the opportunity to go undercover with another Raider comes along she snaps it up…even though Riordan and she have a problematic relationship. Both are warriors, raiders and “brothers” who put clan first. Their mission is paramount and will require them to put their past issues aside in order to achieve their goal.

At first I thought Eiryn was a spoiled brat and overly curt and acerbic. I liked Riordan more than Eiryn. As the story unfolds both of their pasts are slowly revealed in a way that gives them depth and explains why they have become who they are as well as why they relate to one another the way they do. If I had not continued to read and become stuck in the acerbity of Eiryn then I would have missed the great treat this book is and what a loss that would have been.

I enjoyed the emotional grown and personal insights Eiryn experienced as she and Riordan made their trek to their destination. They definitely struck sparks off one another in more ways than one. Sometimes hate is used to fuel anger and hide what one really feels and that is just what Eiryn had been doing for years. Her awakening was enjoyable to experience. She was a force to be reckoned with but definitely more insightful and well-rounded by the end of the book than when the book began.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saint Martin’s Press for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 Stars

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eiryn is unhappy with her current assignment of watching of King Wulf. Eiryn is wanting to do more, she is a warrior at heart and feels she is not being used to the best of her ability. Women though have a place and defying Wulf could lead to her death. When a new threat is detected, Eiryn offers up herself as a way to find out what is going on. She wont be able to do it alone though, and the one man who she tries to stay far away from is going to be her partner.

Riordan is a tracker, he has had feelings for Eiryn for years but because of her brother though. Being the other half to Eiryn as her winter husband has Riordan wanting a chance with her, at least for six months. Tension builds between the two and their mission takes an unexpected turn that puts their lives in jeopardy.

The Edge series continues to be a roller coaster ride. The chemistry between Riordana and Eiryn is sizzling. This book is completely different, the raiders and the life that these men and women live are fascinating. If you want a new and different fantasy story to pick up this is one you want to get.

[Nay Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an ARC through NetGalley.

Having never read the other books in The Edge series, I was surprised to see how much I enjoyed the story and the characters.

Eiryn is a brother in the clan. Her older brother is the new king. She had set her mind to killing the man that crippled their father, but finding out that it was Wulf tore her to pieces. She also had to battle her feelings for Riordan. Eiryn was a very bold, brave and blunt woman, but she was also timid and a coward. I enjoyed seeing her try to block out all her emotions, but then fail. She had to learn to forgive and move on with her life, especially when it came to her brothers and father. She seemed to have been trying to keep everyone happy even when she wasn't. I loved that she was also the king's bodyguard. That just made her kickass awesome! She was fierce for sure.

Riordan is just hottie. He is the tracker, the best one, in his clan. He harbors feelings for Eiryn after 10 years, but he stays away because Wulf told him to. It wasn't until he and Eiryn had to infiltrate the mainland during the winter marriage that he realized he wanted no one else but her. Riordan is strong in every sense. He speaks his mind, like to play games when it comes to Eiryn and he always makes a fight good. I love him!

Wulf was the clan's king, but also Eiryn's older brother. He had his father crippled and at first I didn't care for him. After hearing how the other brother talked about how evil their father was and then Wulf explaining how he didn't kill Amos because Eiryn begged him not to when she was 10 I looked at him differently. Amos may have been his father, but Wulf knew his father had to be stopped and he did what he had to for his sister and his clan.

The whole idea of the winter husband was insane. Only engaging in sex to reproduce but not being allowed to feel emotions was insane. These mainland folk were insane. What pissed me off further was the bishop -- I mean seriously, he was damn near engaging in BDSM in the cathedral in nuns and other women. He is just downright disgusting in every way. I hope he dies! This king as well in the mainland -- he sounds like a coldblooded, ruthless person. Especially the way he treats his daughter. I hope the princess doesn't die because she seems sweet, but I also hope she didn't set up the raiders by telling Eiryn and Riordan everything about her father.

This book was so good that I really want to read the entire series now. The action and romance is seriously awesome!

One of my favorite scenes has to be end when Wulf questioned Riordan about his relationship with Eiryn:
"So, brother," his king said quietly, which was...not good. "Explain to me what you think the word complicated means."
"Are you asking as my king or her brother?"
Wulf didn't smile. "I believe I'm both."
Riordan took that in. Considered it some more. And decided that even here, when it could mean his head, he wasn't about to be a little bitch. Not when it mattered. Not even if it was Wulf he was talking to.
"I love my king," he said, and he meant it. He would always mean it. "And I'm loyal to him always." He held Wulf's gaze. "But my woman's interfering older brother can kiss my ass."
Wulf looked at him for a long taut moment. But when the king shifted his gaze back to the fog and the bay, Riordan had the strangest notion that he'd passed some kind of test.

LOVED IT!

[lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread: May 2020

First read: December 2017

I reviewed the whole series on Romances Ever After.

Ok I'm going to sound like a broken record but I really love this book too. I started this book instead of going to sleep and finished it at 4 am because I refused to put it down; it was just that good.

Riordan and Eiryn are both ‘brothers’, elite warriors of the clan. Riordan’s a master tracker while Eiryn’s the raider king’s bodyguard (who is also her half-brother). They had history, and you know how much I love my second chance romance, the more angsty the better. They hooked up ten years ago—I still don't know how old these characters are; I reckon Eiryn is in her late 20s and since Riordan's best friends with Wulf and Wulf is 8 years older than Eiryn that makes him mid-to-late 30s—and their breakup wasn't amicable. Even though they work together, they never directly interact with each other unless truly necessary (which is almost never), but all that changes when they are assigned to an undercover mission together.

Riordan is depicted as a laidback guy with the easy grin, even as he takes down his enemies. Seeing the serious side of him is a nice change, but I was mostly enthralled with Eiryn in this book. She’s one of only three female warriors in the clan, and she’s had to work extra hard all her life to prove herself capable of defending their king and people. Then suddenly for the mission, she had to pretend to be meek, helpless mainlander woman who is entirely dependent on her male partner. It was a 180-degree change from everything she's ever known, and watching her slowly learn how to be herself outside her warrior persona and be a woman was very entertaining. I also love seeing her and Riordan bicker like an old married couple. They have a lot of chemistry and I love seeing them coming to terms with their feelings for each other.

Riordan's awesome as expected, but really Eiryn is the star of the show for me. I also love that we finally get to see Eiryn and Wulf make up in this; they have a underlying tension between them due to something that happened in the past, and we get to see them being little sister and big brother instead of the fearsome bodyguard and her equally fearsome King.

[Hart's Reader Group · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad Eiryn finally got her HEA, although all the public sex, free sex, flippant, careless, emotionless sex really bothers me. I'm not a prude but I don't like the running theme (through all the books) of the disparate hippy (free love, sex with whomever, sex whenever) and compliant (sex for procreation only) sexual experience. The sexy parts are titillating (I'll admit) but the fact that so many people are disregarding the emotions involved in sex rubs me the wrong way.

Hell, Riordan got a blow job from the heroine of the previous book, WHILE that book's hero watched. Um...not really my thing. Also, Riordan had sex, out in the open, with everyone watching (including the heroine) while THINKING ABOUT THE HEROINE! Come on! That sucked the romance out of the book for me.

I am a one on one, in private, keep things private kind of gal. Despite my pet peeve being poked in this book, I still liked the continuation of the dystopian tale. I hope the church burns to the ground and the people wake up from their long winter sexual (and emotional and spiritual) slumbers.

[Jenn Farren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was provided by netgalley for an honest review.
This is one of my favorite series.
They are a clan of brothers, warriors, family. Eiryn has had her hatred of Tyr to guide her for a long time. Redirecting that hatred is becoming a losing battle because she wants to direct it towards Wulf, her brother, her King, but doing so may lead to her death in more ways than one. Feeling betrayed and alone, needing an escape, she asks for an assignment, a covert mission, to pretend to be a compliant, a woman with no choices or opinions, and to do it with Riordan.
Riordan, whom she once gave her heart and soul to so he could crush it in the worst way.
Riordan whom she must have compliant sex with for the next 6 months.
The Bishop is up to no good again. This time he is burning churches a little to close to home. To find out what he is up to Riordan must pretend to be a compliant traveling with his winter wife. They will travel to find the Bishop and get some answers.
Eiryn was one summer, 10 years ago. Letting her go was his only option, but now he might not be able to let her go again.
I love this new age viking series.
Riordan and Eiryn are such strong willed characters. They are both equals, brothers.
I can't wait for the next. I so hope it's Wulf and Kathlyn, I liked her.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eiryn has been the most enigmatic and intriguing character in this incredible world created by Megan Crane, and I'm happy to say her story did not disappoint. I was really turned off by Maud and Gunnar's psychologically brutal relationship in Edge of Temptation but I couldn't forget Eiryn's heartbreak at Gunnar and Wulf's revelation about her father.

I didn't think anyone could match Eiryn in strength, intensity, or emotion, but Riordan was one hell of a partner for her. What sets their story apart from Tyr and Helena/Maud and Gunnar is that it is more than just sexual politics in this crazy dystopian world; Eiryn has to figure out her place in the world not just as a woman warrior but as herself. And that Riordan wants her to find that place without changing a thing about herself is pure love for his woman and loyalty for a fellow warrior.

I really had believed I was done with The Edge series after book 2, but now I am anxiously waiting to see how the raiders fend off the anticipated attack by the king. I'd love to see Princess Kathlyn take on Raider King Wulf...

Note: I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Prone to Crushes on Boys in Books · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am really having difficulties with this series. It seems I'm having a love-hate relationship with it.

This one I just could not finish. OMFG, I REALLY did try. I wanted to get to the good stuff that everyone was talking about, so I kept going.

The couple was just so angry and kind of unlikable, mainly the female. I like a strong female lead........but Eiryn, I would almost swear she had a cock. I'm sorry for being so crass. Riordan, was okay. Yeah, he made some mistakes and didn't know how to fix things, but I could deal with him. But Riordan and Eiryn together…no, just no. Also, the storyline was dragging and I just lost interest in it all.

So, I'm thinking it's a done deal for me and this series. We will always have book 1, Edge of Obsession. I guess there will never be another Tyr.

* ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Aoi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eiryn packs a punch, Riordan is a whiny crybaby. I truly couldn't get his reasons for keeping away for ten years - as a character, he was unconvincing, and the delicious angst was underdone.

But holy mother of god, that sex scene !! *sweats*

[Tabs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book in the series so far. Awesome female alphahole. Full review closer to pub date.

[CiCi | bookameme · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spice, The Pining, The Anger!

Quote: 📖
I always know where you are. I always know what you’re doing. I find you first. It doesn’t matter how badly you want to kill me, or how much you blame me, or what you pretend when you look at me. I told you on the beach. It’s you and it’s always been you.


Thoughts: 💡
The angst and smut are wild! I’ve decided to take a trip down memory lane with this series and I forgot how truly sizzling each book in the series really is. Eiryn and Riorsan are angry and pining with an explosive chemistry that they’re forced to underplay. If you love dystopian novels and dark romance, you’ll love this one.
We get an even deeper look into this crazy world with this story. The intricately crafted dystopian society with its whacky belief system, corrupt church, plethora of out laws, and violent characters is incredibly compelling. We see more of the compliant a-holes and the disparities between the sexes. The writing is engaging and easy to read and the world building is fantastic. The smut is unbelievably hot and the characters are hard edged, violent, filled with longing, and crazy hot. I don’t recall any issues with grammar or mechanics and I didn’t see any after I reviewed it.

Fun Bits:
⚜️Steaming Hot Smut
⚜️Interesting Plot
⚜️Great World Building
⚜️Brilliant Characters
⚜️Bad🤬 warrior FMC
⚜️POC Playboy MC
⚜️Secretes & Pinning
⚜️Vikings

Important Notes✨:
This is a standalone series that has a deeply connected story arc but can be read independently. Each book follows a different couple.


Stats:📊
Spice Scale: 5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Character Dev: 5 💙💙💙💙💙/5
Genre: Dystopian Romance 📕
Tropes: Post-Apocalyptic, Dark Romance, Dystopian, Vikings, Fake Relationship, Second Chance Romance, Close Proximity, Warrior Woman, Playboy Hero 📘
POV: Dual 👩‍❤️‍👨
Pages: 314 📄
CW: Violence, Blood, Gore, Sexual Coercion, Rough Graphic Smut ⚠️🚨⚠️

[Simplistic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 I liked learning about Riodian and Eiryn though I hated that Riodian let Eiryn's brother make her the way he did. He should of at least told her why he had to stay away from her instead of hurting her like he did. I didn't care for the way that Eiryn didn't take the time to get to know at least Helena, that she thought so lowly of her without knowing her. I love Helena and Tyr's story and it just seemed like this one took away from that story. I didn't like how Riodian slept with all the camp girls out in the open knowing he was hurting Eiryn each time he did it. I didn't understand why her brother the king wanted to keep them apart but it was ok for the other "brothers" in the camp to have sex with Eiryn. And I was really disappointed that their story ended without finding out for sure where they would end up. Would they stand up to her brother the King and claim their love? Just so disappointed.

[Danielle Gypsy Soul · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars! This is the 3rd book in Megan Crane's post-apocalyptic viking like world. The world she built is brutal and harsh. Although the Raiders are harsh, violent and edgy the church/rich mini governments are actually worse (although they hide their violence/depravity) where as the raiders do not. This world is dark and very sexually so be prepared. You could read this as a stand alone but I'd recommend at least reading the first book first.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I did the second and as much or maybe a little more than the second. This book centers around Eiryn the Raider King's bodyguard and younger sister. She has worked her whole life to be one of the "brothers" and fueled herself through her anger. When a revelation in the last book her brother ordered her father/the past king to be crippled instead of killing him not the war chief as Eiryn had always believedshe is suddenly unsure of her life/place and struggles with her loyalty to Wolf her king/brother. She volunteers to go on an assignment to go undercover in the "outside" world and discover what the church is up to. Eiryn will be working with Riordan who she has hated/lusted after for ten years. They were lovers ten years ago until Riordan harshly broke her heart.

In order to go under cover Eiryn must pretend to be compliant (like the "outside" females are). This causes Eiryn to pretend to be everything she has fought so hard to be.

She couldn't get past the notion that she was sitting on this beach erasing herself, one seemingly small choice after the next. First no weapons on her body. Then free-range breasts of all things. Then braid after braid after braid, all won in battle and earned in blood, gone as if they had never been.

Riordan also has his struggles with his past. He is full of guilt and has dedicated himself to his king and the brotherhood. He had his reasons for what he did to Eiryn but he still wants her. (There are OW and OM before they go off on their mission). Riordan and Eiryn are faced to put their past issues and their issues with each other aside in order to achieve their goal.

Eiryn was difficult to like in the beginning of this book but once her past is revealed you understand her anger and the mask she wears. In fact, the reveal of both their pasts gives their actions and motivations depth and help explain both the characters and why they are the way they are with each other.

I very much enjoyed seeing both Riordan and Eiryn struggle not to act like the warriors they are as they travel across the apocalyptic world.

They were so...soft. The men were egregiously puny. Some had weak, skinny arms and rounded bellies, which made no sense to Riordan on any level. The women were soft in different ways. Much quieter than raider women, as if they were actively trying to avoid calling attention to themselves.

And Riordan couldn't exactly will himself to be as chubby and cringing as all the pathetic males around could he? Though he did his best. Eiryn inched closer to him, as if she was intimidated, then kicked it up a notch by resting her hand on the side of his chest as if she though she might actually fling herself behind him in the next breath. It was a nice touch.

Due to the fact, that they are trying to fit in their isn't as much action in this book and it is more character and relationship driven then the previous two books. I loved the emotional growth and the personal insights Eiryn experienced as she traveled with Riordan. While she remained a warrior she was able to let herself just be a woman and realize that she had been using her anger to hide.

"It's been years and years since I've let my guard down at all", she told him, her head tipped back and her gaze still much too liquid, much too bright. It should have sent him into a panic. Instead, he moved closer. "Much less for days at a time. I can't do it back home, not ever."

Riordan was also able to accept his past and let Eiryn in and admit to her how he felt. He was a truly Alpha male in a world that forces you to be one or other. I wasn't in the previous books about his character but by the end of this one I loved Riordan although I was glad to see him open up to Eiryn.

"You're under my skin," he told her, his voice that dark sugar that rolled all over her. "You have been for years. I always know where you are. I always know what you're doing. I find you first. It doesn't matter how badly you want to kill me, or how much you blame me, or what you pretend when you look at me. I told you on the beach. It's you and it's always been you."

Not only did Eiryn's relationship with Riordan grow and change but so did her relationship with Wolf. I look forward to seeing more of that in future books.

"Can you please be my blood brother for one fucking night instead of the goddamned king? Would it kill you?"

Although the overall plot was a bit slower this book definitely set us up for the next book which looks to be action packed. This series is a dark, gritty favorite of mine full of violence, sex and interesting characters. If you're looking for a dynamic, edgy apocalyptic series then I highly recommend The Edge.

I enjoyed the emotional grown and personal insights Eiryn experienced as she and Riordan made their trek to their destination. They definitely struck sparks off one another in more ways than one. Sometimes hate is used to fuel anger and hide what one really feels and that is just what Eiryn had been doing for years. Her awakening was enjoyable to experience. She was a force to be reckoned with but definitely more insightful and well-rounded by the end of the book than when the book began.

[TinaMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eiryn is riddled with anger, Riordan with guilt. They got together ten years ago and it was explosive but Riordan ended it viciously and neither have recovered. This was a hard read, the first half of the book is so full of angst from both their parts, alternating that with scenes of explosive over the top sex, while they go under cover as compliant winter married couple. I am normally not put off by raw, edgy stories but this one was a struggle. The best part of the book was the last 20%. Mixed feelings about this read, I walked away from it several times before finishing.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Next in series

Continuation of series of dystopian "vikings" set in a future where the US is half underwater, best read in order. This is the story of the only female Raider warrior, Eiryn, and fellow warrior Riordan. They have history, and need to go "undercover" to the mainland. Sex & violence woven into a plot self-discovery while they try to blend in as "compliants" on a long and arduous mission complicated by the extreme weather of this dystopian future. Good character development, fairly graphic sex.

[Byron Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection!!l

I've never read this type of book, but I was most definitely pleasantly surprised. The characters and the story were top notch. You know the book is good when you're disappointed that it ended too soon.

Buy it, read it and enjoy!!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all the books in this series, the male lead is a bit of an jerk; okay, more than a bit. But that's kind of due to the apocalyptical world this is set in, and I really love this world. Strong female lead this time, albeit she also has issues (and who wouldn't?).

[Tracy Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best of the series. Great heroine struggling at the intersection of warrior and woman.

[Pixie Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy hot damn and sweet Baby cheeses, this was so scorching hot in places I thought I’d combust. I’d like that half a star rating again about now, it wasn’t quite a five, but better then a four. This is my favourite in the series so far, by a tiny smidge. The chemistry between the two leads was awesome. I loved just about everything about this book, the only reason it doesn’t get five stars is I’m not a huge fan of journey plots, but the red hot chemistry between the leads mostly made up for that.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having skipped the second in the series (I have no desire to read about the crazy man and the nun) I didn't feel too lost after the first chapter or two. I liked this one better than the first, Edge of Obsession, but still not 100% enthralled. I think I figured out what it is though, that keeps me hesitating.

I don't know if it's all dystopian novels, or just the handful that I've read, but they come across as so emo, imho. This reminds me a bit of Beyond series, by Kit Rocha. The worlds are different, and the characters as well, but the overall feel of the book kept reminding me of those. Perhaps it's also that the characters seem to have no pride in themselves, no love for themselves, aside from their involvement in the Brotherhood. There were several points in the book that a character would have an internal hissy fit because someone disrespected them, and 'didn't they know? YOU DON'T DISRESPECT A BROTHER'. It felt over the top. Like a bully who has to keep shouting about how strong they are, because if they don't, people won't know.

[Angela Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Edge of Control was an exhilarating continuation of The Edge series. Before you read any farther, if you haven’t read the previous books in the series, then don’t read my review. This is a series the must be read in order to understand the ongoing story arc and my review will contain references that are spoilers for the earlier books. If you’re a fan of sci-fi erotica with a D/s bent, then I suspect you’ll enjoy this series and won’t want to ruin the experience.

About a month has passed since the end of Edge of Temptation, and Eiryn is still reeling from Gunnar’s revelation that Tyr crippled the former Raider King, her father, at her brother Wulf’s command when he defeated their father and assumed control of the Raiders. She feels betrayed and is unable to let go of her anger towards Tyr and has heaped on anger towards her brother for the order, as well as herself for not admitting the truth to herself. Not surprisingly, this has interfered with her ability to perform her duties as the king’s bodyguard, which is why we find her fleeing an explosion alone rather than protecting her brother. When the info they obtain from the failed raid points them in Bishop Seph’s direction, Eiryn sees it as her chance to get some space from brother, from her king, from the Raiders, and from everything that is suffocating her – except for Riordan. But going “undercover” as a compliant couple on their way to the Great Lake Cathedral City for the September equinox celebrations may be more than Eiryn bargained for because as a brother, she has not a single compliant bone in her body – especially when she has murder in her eyes (lol). Yet as Eiryn both bristles under the restrictions of being a compliant female and finds freedom in it, she and Riordan uncover a plot against Wulf that stuns them and threatens their way of life, sending them on what amounts to a suicide mission as they are forced to return to the Raider island in the middle of winter – the deadliest time to be on the water.

There were so many things about Edge of Control that I loved. I loved that Eiryn developed a healthier respect for Helena, Maud, and the camp girls who hailed from the mainland, as she saw what they endured, how they had to hold themselves in check, and just cunning they had to be to survive the male dominated world they lived in. I loved that Eiryn underwent a major shift in her perception of the world and her place in it, yet comes out of the ordeal stronger for it. We finally find out what was behind the animosity Eiryn held for Riordan and what went down between them. Yet Eiryn wasn’t the only one who came to terms with inner demons while on the mission, and we learn quite a bit about Riordan as he reconciled events from his past with the possible future he saw in front of him. I loved that Crane was able to keep the elevated levels of action and intrigue that I’ve come to expect and enjoy in this series, and it made for one heck of an ending. And I absolutely love that there is more to come from this series and the next book’s title, Edge of Power, makes me believe that my wish for the next book to be about Wulf, will probably be granted.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Read this book on a snowy, rainy Monday and couldn't put it down.