Steel's Edge by Ilona Andrews Narrator: Renée Raudman
Series: Edge #4
Published by Ace, Recorded Books on May 3, 2013
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 15 hours, 25 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
Charlotte de Ney is as noble as they come, a blueblood straight out of the Weird. But even though she possesses rare magical healing abilities, her life has brought her nothing but pain. After her marriage crumbles, she flees to the Edge to build a new home for herself. Until Richard Mar is brought to her for treatment, and Charlotte’s life is turned upside down once again.
Richard is a swordsman without peer, future head of his large and rambunctious Edger clan—and he’s on a clandestine quest to wipe out slavers trafficking humans in the Weird. So when his presence leads his very dangerous enemies to Charlotte, she vows to help Richard destroy them. The slavers’ operation, however, goes deeper than Richard knows, and even working together, Charlotte and Richard may not survive...
A worthy, gritty task- thwarting human traffickers- and an equally challenging opportunity at romance awaits stern, disciplined Richard Mar. I settled in to enjoy this last of the series. Though The Edge series are standalone paranormal romances, there are enough ties of characters and plot connecting the books for it to read best in order.
The Books of My Heart Read-along has been a sensational opportunity to revisit this series after many years knowing how it ties in with The Innkeeper World that sees juvenile Edge characters all grown up. And, for a treat, I enjoyed my reread by tuning into the audio editions for the first time with the talented Renee Raudman as narrator.
Steel’s Edge opens with new personality Charlotte de Ney getting devastating news that the longed for baby she and her husband want is not ever going to happen at least for her as a birth mother. Her aristocratic husband makes it clear he was only sticking around for the baby. This sends her running into the Edge and finding solace with a generous Edge witch who lets her stay in her Drayton grandchildren’s old house. Her quiet life is shattered when a mysterious man she is healing, Richard Mar, is pursued by a ruthless band and sets the gentle healer on a dark journey of revenge at Richard’s side.
Richard reluctantly takes Charlotte with him on his quest to wipe out the slavers and, most importantly, those who are behind the despicable organization as a revenge for what was done to his beautiful cousin, Sophie, and many other hapless men, women, and children taken, abused, and forced from freedom. Charlotte proves to be way more than he thought and for the first time since his ex-wife left him, his heart tentatively opens to another.
Steel’s Edge introduced another pair of fabulous lead characters. Charlotte was amazing as she reinvented herself and not for the first time. She thought she was a monster because of the powerful dark gift that came with her healer talent and as pitifully useless as a woman because she was barren, but Richard never saw her that way and she powered through her fear of the danger they were in to do hard work and get justice for those who couldn’t do it for themselves. Richard had to overcome his low status beginnings, take care of his remaining family, and live with the ruthless killer he had become, but most of all, he had to believe a woman of Charlotte’s status could truly love him as he is. They were great together as an action team and a couple, and were great for each other. I do love the way the writing team builds their characters and romance.
But, beyond this pair coming together there was plenty of excitement- despicable slavers and the people behind them- one was a total surprise for the Drayton family, piratical bands, and further adventures with George, Jack, and now Sophie. The stakes were high and I loved every suspenseful and action-packed moment. Richard is a swordfighter so there was plenty of blade action and there was some trickery that brought out the best talent in the extended family group.
This last book went out on a sizzling bang. I enjoyed it more this second time around than I did the first time. There is one big villain left at large and it seems that with the Edge series ended it will stay that way, but never fear, one gets that last thread tied off in a connected series. Now, our Read-along heads into the sci-fi/urban fantasy world of The Innkeeper Chronicles for George, Jack, and Sophie all grown up.
Narrator Rating:
Share your review/ thoughts for Steel’s Edge:
I thought it might be fun to link up reviews so we can find them all easily. It can be a link to Goodreads or a blog, or wherever you have a review (short or long).
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COYER Challenge is adopting our Read-along. You can read about COYER and join that challenge HERE. On the Sunday after the review posts, they will host a Google meeting (like we do for COYER book club) at 12 PT, 2 CT, 3 ET and 9pm Europe, for a one hour chat. The chat is April 25. COYER is moving from Facebook to Discord. The Google meeting chat is HERE.
Here’s your to-do list:
- Find your copies of these books, borrow them from a friend, get them at the library or buy them.
- Sign up to join the Read-along
- Join the chat on Sunday!
- Read book 1 Clean Sweep by May 16
- Look to the COYER event or the blog Facebook page or Discord for pacing schedules.
- Make note of a favorite quote or two as you read the book. I REALLY hope you all will contribute your quotes to the rafflecopters and participate in the chats, as we have great prizes.
- If you haven’t read the books before, make a list of questions you have for the discussion. If you have read them, please don’t spoil new readers.
- Enter the giveaways!
Games:
Who said (enter the answer in the Rafflecopter, don’t put in the comments)
Who said “A pretty woman who doesn’t talk. My God, we can charge double.”
There are other options in the rafflecopter for you to enter discussion questions and quotes to share.
Who said “Will you two nincompoops stop screwing around.” in Fate’s Edge is Audrey.
The villain was The Hand
Observations and questions you shared from Fate’s Edge:
(Thank you so much for sharing!) If you can answer any of these questions, you can do so in a comment.
- I loved all the banter between Kalder and Audrey
- While it made the book longer and more complex, I love the entire George and Jack storyline
Quotes you readers shared from Fate’s Edge:
“Before this was all over, either they would be lovers or they’d kill each other. Right now, he had no idea which it would be ”
“”The blond boy called out. “I’m terribly sorry, but is there any way we could grab that cage off the porch? We won’t disturb your dalliance.” Dalliance? Another boy emerged carrying a fuzzy gray creature by the scruff of its neck. “You can keep making out,” he called out. “We just want the cage. This raccoon is really hard to hold, and she doesn’t like me.””
““At the door, Audrey called, “Are you coming?” “No, just breathing hard, love.” He glanced at her and was rewarded by an outraged glare, followed by, “Oh, my God!””
““Kaldar, if you kill her, please don’t shoot her in the head,” George said, his face cold, as if carved from a glacier. “Raising a body with a shattered brain requires more magic, and I think we can use her corpse to make sure her relatives will get run out of town”
“Just stay close to us. If we get in trouble, we’ll kill everything.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I might grow on you.” She furrowed her pretty eyebrows. “Like a cancer?” “Like a favorite vice.”
“” He hit her with his best smile. Her eyes widened. She took a deep breath. ‘Oh no, not that seductive face. I’m overcome with the need to take off these awful clothes. What is happening? I do not understand. Oooh. Ahhh.’ She touched her wrist to her forehead. ‘Somebody help me. I’m being drenched with my own fluids.’
Evil woman. ‘See now, you shouldn’t have done that,’ Kaldar said. She gave him an innocent look. ‘You’ve made yourself into a challenge. Now I’ll have to seduce you out of principle.’
‘You can try. Not that you’ll get anywhere. If you were in love, that would be one thing, but we both know this is pride talking.’ Audrey patted his forearm. ‘It’s all right. I won’t tell anybody about your shameful failure. I’ll keep it completely confidential.’ She pretended to lock her lips and throw away the key.”
Interviews with Ilona Andrews:
2021: Reddit interview
Books series in Order: info
Speculative Fiction Wiki info
2013-Jul 9: RT Book Review video
2023-Nov 10: Noveltea Corner, Online discussion video
Be sure to enter the giveaways!!!
Giveaway:
For each Edge book, Ace Books will give away a paperback copy (US only) or $9 Amazon GC (Intl).
Grand-Prize Giveaway:
There will be 2 winners chosen. For a US winner, there will be a complete set of the Innkeeper Graphic Audio audiobooks (6) offered by Nancy Yost Literary Agency.
For an Intl winner, it will be the four Edge series audiobooks from Tantor and Recorded Books. The codes work in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Join in the 2025 Read-along starting the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews! Time to read Clean Sweep. #giveaways #giveaway @BooksofMyHeart Share on X
Schedule:
We are doing one book every 4-5 weeks, posting on Fridays. We will have a review for most of the books with the team here at Books of My Heart plus some of our friends.
Jan 17: On the Edge – Victoria @First of All
Feb 21: Bayou Moon – Brandee @Unconventional Bookworms
Mar 21: Fate’s Edge – Angela @ Angel’s Book Nook
Apr 25: Steel’s Edge – Sophia
May 16: Clean Sweep – Barb @ Booker T’s Farm
Jun 20: Sweep in Peace – Lillian @ Mom with a Reading Problem
Jul 18: One Fell Sweep – Carole @ Carole’s Random Life
Aug 15: Sweep of the Blade – Rachel @ Waves of Fiction
Sep 19: Sweep with Me – Robin
Oct 17: Sweep of the Heart – Elizabeth @ Elizabeth’s Romance Reviews
Nov 21: Sweep (unlikely but if there is a new book next year we will add it here)
About Renée Raudman
Renée Raudman is a multi-award-winning audiobook narrator. A multiple Audie Award nominee, she has earned a number of AudioFile Earphones Awards, including for The Last Secret by Mary McGarry Morris and Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien, as well as a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award for Joe Schreiber’s Chasing the Dead. She has also performed on film, TV, radio, and stage, including the recurring roles of Jordon on ABC’s One Life To Live, Phyllis on NBC’s Passions, and guest-starring roles on prime-time TV. She has been heard in cartoons (The Simpsons, Billy & Mandy), videogames, and on the E! channel. Her narration of Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper was selected by Library Journal as one of the best audiobooks of 2009, and her reading of Marthe Jocelyn’s Would You was selected by the ALA as one of the best young adult audiobooks of 2009.
About Ilona Andrews
“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.
They have co-authored several bestselling series, including the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial.
About Sophia
Reviewer at Books of My Heart
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, piano-playing, and gardening. Road trips and campouts, museums and monuments, restaurants and theaters are her jam. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
As a lifelong reader, it was inevitable that Sophia would discover book blogs and the joy of blog reviewing. Sophia is a prolific reader and audiobook listener which allows her to experience so many wonderful books, authors, and narrators. Few genres are outside her reading tastes, but her true love is fiction particularly history, mystery, sci-fi, and romance. Though, sorry, no horror or she will run like Shaggy and Scooby.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- 25-Audio
- 25-COYER
Sophia thank you for writing such a great review! It’s a great series which is a fantastic lead to the Innkeeper Chronicles.
Thanks for saying so. This series finished strong. 🙂
This is my favorite Edge book! I like that Richard and Charlotte are mature, complex characters and their goal is so huge it’s almost unimaginable, but they persevere. Despite the heartbreak of losing [redacted] it’s good to catch up with the Draytons and see some resolution there. Also, Sophie’s development is wonderful.
Plus, there’s a dog! Who doesn’t like a bit with a dog?
All excellent points! They really did have some goals which would be unrealistic for most and they weren’t able to achieve them without personal hardship. Thanks so much for staying with the Read-along and commenting.
I’ve only recently got hooked into this series, having just finished listening to Bayou Moon – and I hadn’t realised that the Innkeeper series features some of the characters, now grown up! I’ll have to revisit that series, which I absolutely love, anyway. Thank you for a lovely review, Anne:)).
Obviously you are more than welcome to join us. I put these 2 together in one Read-along because of the connections. We are only starting Innkeeper after Sunday. I’d love to have you join us in any way or partially if you can with comments or linking up reviews or entering for prizes or joining the online or Discord chats. It’s my favorite author.
Brilliant review, Sophia! This was my favorite of the series and the only one I hadn’t read previously. It’s been wonderful getting to revisit these characters as well as meet Charlotte and see she and Richard get their HEA. I’m so looking forward to The InnKeeper series!
It really is a brilliant review. Thank you so much for joining us. I love these connected series and characters and I’m pleased to have more people enjoying them with me. Innkeeper is newer and I think with more humor.
I absolutely LOVED this book and the whole series! Oh, the secrets revealed! OMG! I was verklempt!
I highly recommend the whole series!
Thanks Elizabeth. I love it too. Now it’s on to the amazing Innkeeper Chronicles.
This was one of my favorites probably because both Richard and Charlotte had been let down in their first marriages so hugely. When they find each other later in life they both are clear on what they want in a partner. Plus seeing Sophie a little older and well on her way the the terror she is going to be was great.
yes, you’re exactly right!
Sorry I missed the discussion. This one was really good!
We missed you! A lot of people felt this was their favorite in the series. I have a different favorite every time I read the series but this one was it this time.
This was my favorite book in the series when I originally read it, and it still is. I love the characters, and I am particularly reminded why I enjoy the younger characters so much. I hope we’ll see much more of them in the future, beyond what we have seen in the Innkeeper series.
yes many of us felt that way. I love seeing them a bit in Innkeeper and really Innkeeper is not complete, just on hiatus for awhile. I’m glad to be reading the 2 series back to back to get all those connections though.
I enjoyed this even more the second time, too, Sophia! Charlotte and Richard were wonderful and George, Jack and Sophie are characters I’ve loved from the beginning! I’m happy we get to see them in the Innkeeper series next!
So glad you enjoyed it and will going on to Innkeeper with us. I’m so glad to be reading the series together.