Steel's Edge

Written by Ilona Andrews

Narrated by Renee Raudman

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is a fairy tale—and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny …

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 clan-destine 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 …

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781470360948

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.) They have co-authored four New York Times and USA Today bestselling series: the urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles. They live in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

Reviews for Steel's Edge

[starknits_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So that was good to see Richard's story and more of Sophie/Lark and The boys.

You can see how much of a control freak George is.

[juliesandala · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

it was a great ending to the 4 book series.

[thegenreminx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Richard Mar has been in several (if not all) of the books in this series and I always enjoy his character. He will do whatever it takes to get the job done without apologies. He is an edger and his loyalty is to his family. He takes on what was almost an impossible task of wiping out the slavers so that his niece Sophie does not try to take on the same quest in order to slake her thirst for vengeance. Charlotte is a talented healer but she has been hurt very badly and seeks to live in the edge away from all that she had ever known. It was by unfortunate circumstances that these two characters were brought together. Those circumstances were heart breaking and forged a precarious relationship between Richard and Charlotte. He thought she was a liability but she soon became a pivotal force that threatened to crumble more than just the defenses he had around his heart.The team work with Richard and Charlotte was nicely written. You can really "see" how affected they were by the slavers and how the quest to stop slavery was truly the focus. There is also some of that Edger madness from Richard but plenty of great humor as well. I loved Charlotte's internal battle between good and evil. I of course think that anything that kills bad guys is on the "good" side but it does come with some nasty consequences. Ya know, potential plague bringer and all.... There was a relationship build between Richard and Charlotte and there was a sprinkle of sexy times but really the story was about revenge.The book starts out with action and the story really keeps its focus there. In addition to having Richard return, there were also the characters of George, Jack and Sophie aka "Lark" in this story. I had enjoyed the characters of George and Jack since book one and now to see them coming into their strengths and really taking part in the overall plot is just great. I like reading about George's powers with necromancy because it is so creepy and creative. Sophie has had my heart since book 2. She went through so much and to see how things are moving along for her was very nice. I am hoping that since these characters were deeply woven into this book that we will be able to read their stories in the next installments.This was a great read and I enjoyed every minute of it! I highly recommend!

[Tamye Whitener · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great Urban Fantasy by Iloba Andrews.

The worldbuilding is outstanding, the characters full of life and well-rounded, and the story intriguing. I was entranced from beginning to end. The ending was different than expected, but more than worth it.

I highly recommend this book, series, and author.Another great Urban Fantasy by Ilona Andrews.

The world-building is outstanding, the characters are full of life and well-rounded, and the story is intriguing. I was entranced from beginning to end. The ending was different than expected, but more than worth it.

This is Richard (cousin to Cerise Mar from "Bayou Moon, Bk #2) and Charlotte de Nay's story. The Healer and the Hunter. The story gets very intense at times. There are slave traders and they are as far from nice as possible, They can be vicious, which can be a bit hard to read at times. But they get what's coming to them. The dog however is saved. Yay!

I truly hope they have more books in this series coming.

[roses7184_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Where do I begin with my love for this book? No matter how many of Ilona Andrews' books I read, I'm always impressed. Their ability to write compelling characters, vast new worlds, and the combination of drama and romance, always knocks me to my knees. This is the fourth, and sadly last, book in The Edge series. I've devoured every single one, but this one is absolutely my favorite. I'm still reeling, friends! So please pardon me if I gush.

Let me start with Charlotte. Andrews is known for her amazing female characters, but Charlotte wins all the prizes in that category. She's just so damn likable! A healer by trade, she has the type of patience that we all only dream of having. However, if you hurt someone she loves or tell her she isn't good enough? Watch out. This woman has a fire that makes her a force to be reckoned with, and the ability to match. No spoilers from me, but I so very much loved her. Charlotte was the perfect mixture of refined and downright bad-ass.

Then there was Richard. Adorably gruff, overly serious, yet devastatingly charming, there could be no person more perfectly suited for Charlotte. Andrews isn't the type to write chauvinistic heroes. The men in these books always walk that line between chivalry and possessiveness. Richard is no exception. His back story, his love for Charlotte, all of it turned him into a character that you just couldn't help but adore. When these two were together, it was something of beauty. I won't lie, I absolutely cried more than once.

As for the story, it was stunning! If there was ever a way to end a series, this is it. All of these books have stolen my heart, but this one in particular was completely amazing. Full of intrigue, backstabbing, romance, and battles. Every single one of my favorite characters made a cameo, and I was in bookish heaven. I loved every single minute of this book. Every single one. I'm sad this series is over, but I truly can't wait to read it all over again.

[tldegray-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Much though I liked Charlotte, the main character, I couldn't get into her story. I think it suffered in comparison to the other books--and characters--in this series which I enjoyed more. It wasn't bad, but it just wasn't as good as the others.

[pnrlist · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I adore this serious. This arc is finished, how long am I going to have to wait for George and Jack and Sophie's stories??

[narilka · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Steel's Edge is the fourth and final book of The Edge by Ilona Andrews. This has a darker undertone as the story tackles the topic of slavery and the darker side of magic.Charlotte de Nay is a healer from the Weird, perhaps the best in her generation. Unfortunately life after providing 10 years of service to the realm did not go as planned. After her marriage fails, Charlotte flees to the Edge to build a new life for herself. Richard Mar is on a mission to wipe out the slaver organization that shattered his young neice's. When one of his plans go wrong, Richard accidentally draws the slavers into the Edge and turn's Charlotte's life upside down once again. Charlotte vows to help Richard wipe out the slavers once and for all. What neither of them realize is just how deep the slavers' operation goes.This book has a slightly different structure and the previous books as this is the first time where the story has a focus on blueblood society. It's about what you'd imagine for a high society of magic users, very snobbish. As expected, Charlotte and Richard are solid characters. Charlotte's magical healing has a dark side and she's been taught her whole life to fight against the harming aspect of her magic. Naturally this plays a big role in the outcome of the story. Richard is a typical Ilona Andrews male lead in that he's incredibly handsome and an amazing swordsman. He's also had plenty of blueblood training so is noble and proper and fits in well with Charlotte. What happened to Sophie was heartbreaking so it's great to see someone trying to right that wrong. Speaking of Sophie, she's pretty great! She's had some growth since book two and tends to steal the scenes she's in. George and Jack are also back with roles to play, though to a lesser extent.The ending is satisfying if unsurprising due to all the foreshadowing. Needless to say, both main characters make sacrifices that are quite touching and still get their happily ever after. About the only truly disappointing thing is that this story is set almost entirely in the Weird. Turns out the Weird is not nearly as interesting of a place as the Edge.I am sad to be leaving the Edge behind. Perhaps the writers will decided to write in this world again some day.

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Steel's Edge
4 Stars

Hurt and betrayed by the man she has chosen to spend her life with, Charlotte de Nay, Adrianglia’s most renowned healer, flees to the Edge where she makes a new home for herself until her life is shattered once again by vicious slavers. Joining forces with Richard Mar, who has his own reasons for hunting those who prey on the innocent, Charlotte vows to defeat those behind the scourge of slavery at any cost.

An action packed story, a charming romance, but numerous questions are unanswered, and as this is the final installment, it would seem that they will remain that way.

The slavery plot, which was hinted at in book #1, comes full circle in a story that is divided into to parts. In the first section, Charlotte and Richard join forces to unmask the villains responsible for the slave trade, and in the second, they work toward destroying the enterprise once and for all. While both parts are action packed and exciting, there is a certain lack of closure due to the open issues such as what happens to Jason Parris, will Erian return, does Elvei get his heir, and has the Spider survived Charlotte’s magic?.

Charlotte and Richard’s romance has the chemistry and emotional intensity that has been lacking in the last couple of books. Both Charlotte and Richard have been hurt in the past and each of them fills a void in the other’s heart that makes them complete. Thus, even though their connection is initially based on the dangers of their situation, the relationship develops realistically as the attraction turns into a deep affection and love.

As always, the secondary characters are one of the best aspects of the book. George and Jack, Grandma Eleonore and Sophie, all contribute to fleshing out the complex world building and storyline. There are hints at further character development and I can only hope that we will be seeing more of them in a spin-off series.

In sum, Steel’s Edge is an enjoyable end to the Edge story arc, but it is a little disappointing that there are so many unresolved plot threads.

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Liked this book as I liked all of the Edge series. My only reason for giving it less than 5 stars was because sometimes the main characters didn't ring quite right to me. There was a action or trait that didn't seem to fit with the rest. Otherwise, great worldlbuilding, excellent suspense, interesting characters. Also some of the characters from the earlier books were in this one, which I also liked. I'm really sorry that there will be no more Edge books. One thing I didn't like was that it wasn't clear at the end that Spider was dead.

[theyodamom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Charlotte and Richard tow very different people are thrown together in dire circumstances. He is known as The Hunter, and comes from common relations and he hunts/kills slave runners. He is excellent with flashing and using his sword. She is the most talented healer and a member of a very blue, blue blood family.her life has been sheltered and focused on healing till Richard derails things. He shows up one day at her place of rest, near death and being chased by viscous salvers who will stop at nothing to get him. Saving his life comes at a very high cost. They travel through towns looking for revenge and encounter death, torture and love.
I enjoyed this last book in this wonderful series. I loved seeing George and Jack again. *They are two of my favorite characters. I did not really connect with Charlotte and Richard. I don't know why. I love the world, the story just not them so much. I really hope the authors bring George and Jack into their own books some day.

[cc123-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So sad to see The Edge books end; I have really enjoyed this series! There were some wonderful characters.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the story of Charlotte de Ney and Richard Mar. Charlotte is a blueblood from the Weird who has a remarkable gift for healing. Richard is from the Edge and is a remarkable swordsman. Charlotte flees to the Edge after she learns that she is barren and her husband annuls their marriage. The gift of healing has an opposite counterpart. As strong as her healing is, she is equally able to kill with her gift. It was her strong desire to kill her fair-weather husband that sent her running.With the help of Éléanore Drayton, who is the grandmother of Rose, George and Jack, she manages to make a new life for herself in the Edge. Things change drastically when Richard is brought to her in immediate need of healing after his encounter with slavers. The slavers are hot on his heels and recapture him, killing Éléanore and another young girl who happens to be there. Charlotte sets off to rescue Richard but has to resort to her dark side to do it.Together, she and Richard are determined to bring down the slave trade and are even more determined when they discover who is behind it. Along the way, and despite each one feeling that they are unworthy of being loved, the two fall deeply in love. This was a fast-paced, engaging story. I also liked getting to catch up with a couple of my favorite characters from earlier Edge books - George and Jack. I feel that this book could stand alone but it gains richness and depth if you read the rest of the Edge series first.

[glennis.leblanc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was a bit wistful when I saw that this was the last of the books in the series and yet I also think that is a good thing. Not every series needs to go on and on and yet I really liked how the viewpoint characters rotated around and sometimes were used to introduce someone new to that universe. This one is entirely Edger and Weird, there is no crossover into the Broken at all. It tackles slavery in this setting and trying to get rid of it by spy methods since technically it is illegal but still happens. As with all the books in the series it is also a love story. Of course this one has leads that think they will never love again. Good fun read and I hope at the very least this writing duo will dip back in this setting at some point even if it is only for short stories.

[camibrite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another satisfying entry in a very entertaining series! I love the world, and the characters never disappoint. It was great to see Jack and George nearing adulthood, and I hope that at some point in the future, they will get their chance to completely take over the spotlight...which they nearly do as supporting characters.

[kr15tina · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What I LovedSeriesThis is book 4 in the series. Each book contains its own new couple and story, but with an arcing storyline that connects them all. We still get to hear about past couples and I love this type of series.StoryI love every book in this series and this book didn't disappointment nor fall short of the rest of the series. Steel's Edge has a perfect amount of ass kicking action, great story line that continues with the rest of the books and a dose of romance that fits perfectly with the books fast pace action. CharactersCharlotte: I have always loved every single one of their female characters. They are always very strong female characters and that is my favorite type, no weak and whiny females for their books. While Charlotte may not be able to kick ass in a physical fight, she has some wicked power that no one should mess with.Richard: Another awesome male character that kicks some major ass with the right amount of interior softness. RomancePerfect amount of romance, not a lot, but these two are perfect for each other. The connection and chemistry they have together is fantastic. Didn't LikeNothing!Recommendation An awesome series that needs to be read if you like urban fantasy, adventure and romance.

[aoibhealfae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Steel's Edge is a continuation of the Edge series by the husband and wife Andrews Urban Fantasy team. Unlike the Kate Daniels' series which are heavily focused on paranormal fantasy mystery element, Edge series have slightly more romance elements into it to keep the plot and characterization going. It started with Charlotte de Ney, a skilled healer who found out that she couldn't bear a children to her husband who immediately wanted to annul their marriage which broke her heart and nearly cause her to use her healing power to kill instead of healing. Fearing that she would be considered as an abomination, she flees to the Edge of the Weird where magical folk and parts of human world converged in a small border between the alternate worlds.

I don't know how its possible, some parts in this book actually is very similar to the NaNoWriMo novel I was writing in early November and the book was out late in November. My main character have the power to kill with her touch who eventually have the power of healing since there's this power balance thing. While reading this book, I was weirded out since I was halfway in writing and then near the end of NaNoWriMo, and I recognize something when the book was explaining magical stuff. Was I a psychic to nearly have written a book that was just published later? Kinda scary. Thankfully, my story is really different than Steel's Edge despite some familiarity with the main female character. My character is full sarcastic and dark assassin, Charlotte on the other hand is elegant lady with a dark side and who become a killer after being severely traumatized. I don't depend on trying to explain disease into magical term like this book this. So.. no fear of plagiarism here. Move on.

And talking about disease and magical world-building in this book, since I do learn medical stuff at university, I do get some of the stuff explained in this book especially with how Charlotte have latent viruses or bacteria inside of her and that she could infect people whichever she choose and here I was like.. "Why couldn't just say she have the ability because the genes was inside of her and that she could easily produce the disease because of the genetic codes. Like HIV virus... and that the fact that Charlotte can infect everyone with some magical wave when most disease aren't airborne unless she sneeze a lot..... but well.. thats the world-building weakness in this book which conflicted my own medical knowledge.

I like that Charlotte and Richard are both lost soul who identify with each other and eventually their attraction and friendship made them a formidable couple behind destroying the slavery ring thing. It was a straightforward story which are easy to follow. We get our usual old character backs from the previous books, with an encounter with George and Jack where we see a part of their story unfolds. The content of the book heavily focus on revenge and redemption which draws to an interesting conclusion after multiple minor plots which are a bit similar to the previous book in the series.

Reading this book is a leisure although sometimes it contradicted my medical study background. It would have work as a stand-alone but the series is still a continuation from the first book. Although the story is less about the romance (if its possible o_O) but the plot work around it well. As an action adventure, I enjoyed the book, it might have not won for the best UF (Kate Daniels on the other hand...) magical politics is always intriguing.

[sharrow_3 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

More George, Jack and Sophie!

[mlsimmons-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a great series. The boys were great. I'm glad to hear that there is a plan to write their stories. Lark/Sophie was good too.

[emcnicho-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I commented elsewhere that I thought this was the worst of Ilona Andrews' books. It took me awhile to figure out why that was. I liked the pirates and the interaction between the characters, I liked that the book started out with a personal struggle, namely being barren and the various implications that has on relationships and personally. I find that within the genre of UF and PR the imagination of Ilona Andrews is second to none.

However, why I thought this book was weak was because it all of a sudden ended and many threads were tied in an unsatisfactory manner. It felt rushed and unfinished. Spider was such a brilliant assassin, for him to die in such a easy manner undermined the other books and the struggle that the Marr's have had with him. It was deeply unsatisfying.

I realise that this was the end of the series and I felt this book did not do justice to the imagination and vibrant world that was created in this Edge world.

[tivonut · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this one but not as much as the 3 preceding it. For me it just started slower and not as involving. After it picked up, I pretty much stuck to it and thought it had a great ending without any really glaring mistakes.

[capnrandm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Andrews really knows how to tell a story. Though the hero and heroine in STEEL'S EDGE weren't my favorites, they're well written and well developed. Their world is interesting and realistic, and I'm so sad that we won't get a chance to see Jack, George, and Lark turning the Weird on its ear. As always, I finish one Andrews book ready for the next! I think this calls for a re-read of prior Edge books.

[pacey1927 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love the Kate Daniel's series; I do...but I have always enjoyed The Edge a little more. I don't know if it was the different main characters each book or just the supremely awesome world Ilona Andrews has created within these pages. I would have to say that I did feel like "Steel's Edge" felt more rushed than previous novels. The romance between Richard and Charlotte felt a little more sudden than the previous couple's relationships. I liked both Richard and Charlotte though. I loved how different a personality Richard had from his brother Kalder. I felt attached to Charlotte right away due to her back story. Her first husband was cruel beyond belief and I hated that she had fertility struggles. But again the relationship felt to suddent and the climax of the story felt very rushed. I agree with others who said that the author was obviously trying to tie up too many loose ends by the conclusion of this installment. I haven't read why this series is over. I can't imagine the publisher wouldn't want to buy more books in this series. And I am happy to read anything new that this authors put out as they have proven themselves to be a must-read. The stars of this series have always been in my eyes, George and Jack....the brother's abandoned by their father and left to live under the guidance and love of their older sister Rose (the heroine of the first novel). I mean, these boys just won my hearts instantaneously and each book they have grown more and more. Now they are teenagers and it just seems fitting that they would eventually grow up and have their own books. I hope this can still be a possibilty. I mean these little men are stars! They steal every single scene they are in and readers want them to have their own happily ever afters. I will continue to wish for more adventures for these boys."Steel's Edgee" is a strong novel on its own but it really should be read with the rest of the series. While this book was more rushed than the other's it still is miles above other books in its genre.

[allthesedarnbooks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the latest book in husband and wife team Andrews's Edge series of paranormal romance/contemporary fantasies. I've enjoyed the whole series, and Steel's Edge is no exception. Although the book could probably be read as a stand-alone, I would recommend reading the series in order, as there are recurring characters whose appearances in this book are absolutely delightful. The Edge books have some of my favorite world-building of recent years. I remember reading somewhere that this is supposed to be the last book in this series. If so, I will definitely miss the world and its characters, especially the children we've been watching grow up, Jack, George, and Sopie. Four and a half stars.

[rivkat_2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Magical healers who use their powers to harm lose their minds and can become deadly plaguebringers, so when Charlotte—the most powerful healer of her generation—feels herself about to give in to temptation, she heads to the Edge, where her magic will be blunted and she can live in peace. Then she saves a hot guy, wounded near to death, who turns out to be hunting slavers—and those slavers quickly give her a reason to seek revenge as well. Passion, violence, sex, and palace intrigue follow. I didn’t like this one quite as much as Andrews’ other books. Though people weren’t making head-bangingly stupid decisions, everything just fell out a little too neatly. The bad guys made just the right/wrong moves, and the heroes’ powers were just exactly at the right level. Usually that doesn’t bother me, and I’m probably making it sound like I disliked it, which I didn’t.

[krau0098 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the fourth, and final planned, book in The Edge series by Andrews. It was an excellent conclusion to the series and I really really enjoyed it.Charlotte is the Healer, the top healer in the Weird. When her husband divorces her because she is barren she decides to leave the Weird and start a new life in the Edge. After years of living there peacefully, the wounded Richard is brought to her doorstep to be healed. Slavers are after Richard and destroy Charlotte’s home in pursuit of him. Now Charlotte has decided to dedicate herself to Richard’s cause and hunt down the slavers that have destroyed her home. Charlotte will have to find a balance between healing and killing with her magic.I enjoyed this book. Charlotte is a very likable, if older (in her 30’s) heroine. She’s dealing with some emotional baggage involving the jerkiness of her former husband. At times she comes off as a bit naive as well because of her secluded upbringing at the Healer’s school. Still she does what needs to be done.At the center of the story is Charlotte’s struggle to balance healing and harming with her magic. Harming people with her magic is highly addictive and can turn her into a Plague Bearer. Richard comes with his own set of baggage. We have seen him off and on throughout the other novels. He is an excellent character; a tough fighter who doesn’t take any crap from Charlotte...yet he is always respectful and supportive of her.The two characters have excellent chemistry and the scenes between the two of them really sizzle.We also see all the other characters we have come to love; George and Jack are along for most of the story and I absolutely love them. Sophie is also in the story a lot more and it was wonderful to see the tough young woman she is growing into. I really do hope we see future books featuring this younger set of characters....maybe a YA spinoff of this series??There is a ton of action in this story. Also some medical terminology since Charlotte fights with disease. The plot revolving around the slavers is neatly resolved, with some interesting twists and turns. Overall an excellent conclusion to this series. This book has well done characters who have excellent chemistry and are easy to engage with combined with a well done storyline and excellent action scenes which make this a joy to read. This is a bit more paranormal romance than urban fantasy. I don’t like these book quite as much as the Kate Daniels books, but they are still very well done and highly recommended to paranormal fans.

[sunnysd_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Swordsman Richard Mar has a single goal - rid the Weird of slavers. And he's willing to do pretty much anything to see that happen. But in the world he lives a single mistake can cost lives, and it's his death that's closing in.Healer Charlotte de Ney may have common roots, but the depth of her talent earned her a place at one of the Weird's premier colleges, a title, and an unquestioned place among the bluest of blueblood Weird society. Personal tragedy sent her fleeing to hide among Edge dwellers, but when a bleeding stranger brings trouble to her doorstep she finds a new cause. According to the foreword, this will be the final book in the Edge series. I'm not sure this is the strongest of them, but it's an enjoyable read - and given the subject matter, that's saying something. Hopefully we'll see at least a few more short stories from the Edge!

[pollywannabook · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyIlona Andrews is one of the most consistently satisfying paranormal authors writing today. Whether it’s the grittier Kate Daniels urban fantasy series or the more rural The Edge paranormal romances. Picking up an Ilona Andrews book is always a good idea, but it’s especially true when a series ends as strongly as this one does in STEEL’S EDGE.From the debut, The Edge series has been a wonderful blend of genres: part paranormal romance, part fantasy, part mystery, part action adventure, part regency. In STEEL’S EDGE, all of those parts are accounted for, but the regency feel is much more prominent since this book takes place mostly in The Weird, a first for the series. In way, STEEL’S EDGE feels like two separate but complementary books or parts. The first half is set mostly in The Edge (the sliver of land caught between the magical ‘Weird’ and the mundane ‘Broken’). We learn crucial backstories about both Charlotte and Richard. I so appreciate the equal focus given to both the heroines and heroes in this series. By the time they get together, I’m always so invested in the characters separately that the union feels so much richer.The second part takes on a new setting and a much different tone in terms of storytelling. The book shifts away from the swashbuckling adventure that the series is know for and moved into a regency espionage with undercover spying, elaborate cons and artifice. It did feel very different for the series, but not in a bad way–though I imagine some readers may not agree. The romance remains a dominate theme throughout both parts of the book, and longtime fans of the series will be thrilled at the expanded role both George and Jack have in this second part as well.Very said to hear from the authors that they have no plans to write a fifth book in The Edge series. From the beginning of the series the characters of George and Jack (now teenagers) stole my heart and I was hoping to eventually get a book or two entirely about them. And with the expanded storyline involving Sophie in STEEL’S EDGE, I can so totally see where one of the boy’s romantic future might lie. Hopefully the sales for this book will be significant enough to warrant more books.Sexual Content:A couple moderately graphic sex scenes, vague references to sexual slavery and molestation.