On the Edge

Written by Allison van Diepen

Narrated by Marisol Ramirez

From Allison van Diepen, author of Light of Day, Snitch, and Street Pharm, comes a sexy, dangerous novel—perfect for fans of Simone Elkeles and Paul Griffin—about a teen who witnesses a murder and gets caught up in the seedy world of Miami's gangs.

Maddie Diaz never should have taken that shortcut through the park. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have seen two members of the Reyes gang attacking a homeless man. Now, as the only witness, she knows there's a target on her back.

But when the Reyes jump her on the street, Maddie is protected by a second gang and their secretive leader, Lobo, who is determined to take down the Reyes himself. Lobo is mysterious and passionate, and Maddie begins to fall for him. But when they live this close to the edge, can their love survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9780062332394

Allison van Diepen

Allison van Diepen is the author of Street Pharm, Snitch, Takedown, On the Edge, and other novels for teens. Her books have been named ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and NYPL Books for the Teen Age. She lives with her family in Ottawa, Canada, where she also teaches high school.

Reviews for On the Edge

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Maddie Diaz is a high school senior attending a magnet school but living in a bad part of town. She has been accepted to the University of Florida with a full tuition scholarship and is eager to get out of Miami. One night walking home from work she sees a couple of gang members attack a homeless man and set him on fire. She identifies them to the police and then becomes a target of gang retaliation.Luckily, she has also attracted the attention of Lobo who is the leader of a rival group who wants to stop that gang from trafficking in young women and who decide to protect Maddie. When she is attacked and beaten by gang members, the other group saves her.Meanwhile, she is hanging out with her friends including her overly dramatic best friend Iz who is constantly trying to hook her up with guys. One guy who has caught Maddie's attention is Ortiz who works at a nearby convenience store. I did really like the romance between Ortiz and Maddie. I was very worried for their future at many points in the story.This story is for the older young adult. These teens do a lot of drinking. The violence could also be disturbing for younger readers. There is a lot of violence.

[readerscandyb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

On The Edge by Allison Van Diepen is a fast paced, heart racing romance that will suck you in from page one!

It's about a girl who witnesses a homeless man being murdered by the town's most notorious gang. She know if she gives them away they will be after her, but she does so anyway. From that moment on crime surrounds her. She is safe no where... or that is what she believes.
What she doesn't know is she has a protector, who may be closer than she thinks.


When she is rescued one night and dropped off at the hospital by a masked Lobo her world is turned upside down. She finds herself day dreaming about her mysterious hero and craving another visit. When he finally reveals himself he also exposes her to his world of danger. Together they build a romance like no other. It's secretive, romantic, and dangerous.


The storyline was intriguing and the suspense had me on the edge of my seat. There were so many twists and turns that I felt as though I was consumed by the story. I couldn't put it down and when it ended... I wanted more!


Lobo was intense, caring, & HOT! He is a book boyfriend that every girl needs in her life.
I highly recommend this book to all ages! Yeah it is YA, but the elegance of the writing and story matter is very much adult like.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: An intriguing story that felt very realistic and had interesting characters, cute romance, and lots of action. I had a few issues with it, but overall I really enjoyed it!Opening Sentence: “HOW ARE WE CELEBRATING TONIGHT?”The Review:Things are finally going right for senior Maddie Diaz. She just got a full ride scholarship to the school of her choice, which means she will get to leave Miami behind. She loves her mom and friends but she has always wanted to get away and now she will finally be able to. In celebration of her good news her group of friends put together a little party. Maddie has a great time but on the short walk home her life changes forever. She witnesses a brutal crime being permitted by members The Reyes, one of the most dangerous gangs in the area. She is the only person to see the two gang members attack a helpless homeless man. Most people in her shoes would keep their mouth shut, but Maddie decides to do the right thing and tell the cops what really happened. This causes her to have a huge target on her back because the Reyes’ are not to be messed with.Soon Maddie finds herself in another bad situation but this time she is the one being attacked. Luckily another local gang comes to her rescue, and ends up saving her life. The leader of this mysterious new gang goes by the name of Lobo, and Maddie finds herself very attracted to her savior! He seems determined to bring down the Reyes, and the more Maddie gets to know him the more she finds she can’t stay away. But Lobo is living a very dangerous life and if Maddie’s not careful she will be dragged into the middle of a gang war that could cost her life!Maddie was a great character, but there were some things about her that I struggled with. First let’s talk about what I liked about her. She is a sweet, smart girl that tries to live a good honest life. She has always been poor, and the neighborhood she grew up in isn’t the safest. But she is a resourceful girl, and for the most part she has been able to avoid getting into any serious trouble. I would like to think that most people in her situation would be honest and tell the truth, but in reality most people would probably just keep walking to protect themselves. I truly admired how brave Maddie was and I loved that she stood up for those less fortunate then herself. I also respected how hard she worked. Not only did she do well in school, but she also worked part-time a McDonald’s to help her mother out. She didn’t ever complain about being poor. Maddie was just grateful for what she had. Now for the things that bothered me. The first thing I didn’t like about her was how cliché her character felt at times. I get that she is in high school and does stupid things sometimes, but I thought that this aspect of her character was a little overdone. The other thing I didn’t really love was how fast she became obsessed with Lobo. It just felt weird and unnatural to me. But to be honest her flaws were pretty minor and overall I ended up really liking her character.Ortiz was a really great bad boy that I easily fell for. He is brave, loyal, kind, and totally gorgeous! He has that dark mysterious vibe going for him, but he also is a really nice guy. The life he lives is a dangerous one, and the risks he takes to try to make the world a better place made me respect him. While I really liked his character I had a hard time with his romance with Maddie. It was complete instalove, which was so frustrating because it started out with so much potential. Their first interactions are full of flirty moments and great tension, which was really fun to read. But as soon as they start dating things just develop way too fast. It made me feel a huge disconnect with their relationship. I did still end of enjoying their romance. I just wish it would have been written better.On the Edge is a bold story about gang violence, and what can happen to those that get caught up in it. To be perfectly honest this was not at all what I was expecting going into the story. I thought that it would be more of a fluffy love story that glazed over most of the more brutal parts of gang violence, but it actually felt very realistic. Personally, I was lucky to grow up in a small town in Idaho, so gang violence was pretty much non-existent, but reading this story really opened my eyes to what it is like for those that are less fortunate then myself. I found the entire atmosphere of the book to be not only intriguing but also educational. The romance did feel rushed, so I had a few issues with that and there were also a few things that felt slightly cliché. But overall I thought that this book was very well written and I really enjoyed reading it. This is a story that left an impression and it is one I will not soon forget. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thought provoking contemporary read with sweet romance.Notable Scene:And I could tell that he was. Whatever was between us, he must’ve felt it too. He wouldn’t be here if hedidn’t.We were quiet then. Crickets came alive in the silence. I saw him get up, adjust the cap over his eyes and move toward me. I sat as still as a statue, afraid to move.I closed my eyes and felt warm lips touch my temple. But it wasn’t enough for me. It wasn’t close to enough. I turned in my chair and reached up, guiding his head down to mine.He groaned. We caught our breaths, kissing hungrily, starved for each other. My hand curled in the silky hair below his cap, and he moved back sharply, turning away and pulling up the bandanna in one quick motion.I supposed I should be embarrassed that I’d grabbed him like that. But I wasn’t. That kiss was all I’d have to remember him by. And I knew he’d wanted it just as much.“Good-bye, Madeleina.” He moved away.I was alone again. And I’d never felt so lonely in my entire life.“Goodbye, Lobo,” I whispered into the darkness.FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of On the Edge. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[bookswithbite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book really took me away. I was expecting a romance story (based on the cover) and instead got this deep story of love and war.Plot: This is a really good story. So it starts off as this hard working girl, is walking home then witnessing a crime. That crime that she witnessed has gotten her into trouble with local gangs. I think the whole mix up with gangs gives the story a much more realistic feel. It was such a simple story that with the turn of events brings it life.Street Gangs: If you ever lived in a rural/downtown area then you might be familiar with how powerful those gangs can be. When Maddie gets beat up by a rival gang, she get rescued by another. I think the whole mystery of who saved her and why, gives the reader a better story. For me, the mystery had me reader faster and wanting to know who exactly is her mystery hero.Love: OMG! I have to admit that I totally let myself get caught up in this book and the mystery man. I fell for the sneaky kisses, looking over the shoulder, finding any clues as to who this guy is. And once I knew, boy did I swoon!Ending: It wasn’t a totally happily ever after but it did carry some of it. There was rush of action and adrenaline throwing the reader into a whirlwind of street violence. It showcase how dangerous it can be for people who get mixed up with the wring crowd.On The Edge is a great story that if you let it, can be swept away in. I adored the action mixed with love.