This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

 Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
 Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
 Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨

 

First Impressions
Naked Edge is the fourth book in the I-Team series and this has been a series I have been working through as this is an author I have really been enjoying and this book was also part of the TBR I had for the Romanceopoly Reading Challenge as well. I am actually speechless with this book, this one just HIT so different than I expected it to. I honestly wasn't sure how this one would turn out, because yeah journalist heroines don't always work for me, but the way that this author wrote this one was right in every single way. I couldn't get enough of what was delivered in this one. With the blend of suspense, the native american heritage introduced, the tortured hero turned into a playboy for his emotional survival, and a heroine determined to hold out for marriage and true love just combined into a story of swoons and perfection.

First Line
The coyote came out of nowhere.

The Main Protagonists
 The Hero: Gabriel Rossiter
 The Heroine: Katherine James

 

Summary
Katherine James is a Navajo journalist and while hiking, she is almost killed and Gabe, a park ranger, saves her life. But what Kate didn't know was that Gabe would be her savior when law enforcement would disturb a sacred Navajo ritual and rescue her from an abusive cop who was dragging her by her hair with a broken leg. Gabe saved her twice and she found a friend in someone who respected her beliefs and wants something more with him. But there is something more to Gabe than meets the eye. Gabe is burdened with the loss of his wife and has lost faith in love and is determined to bury the pain with hot sex and little else. Kate is the first woman he has come across, that stands firm on what she wants and fight for it. He is drawn to her in a way that he can't explain, but there is a danger on the horizon, that only with their love will it be strong enough to survive the coming storm. 

What I Loved
Naked Edge was poignant heartfelt and introspective and truly inspiring in every single way that mattered and this author had me feeling so many emotions on such a deep level. I wanted so much for these two to find their HEA and their journey was worth every moment of hardship that they both suffered. I just ached for both of them and what they were struggling with here. And what complete opposites they were but in some ways it was the opposites that had them connecting in the way that we see happen. 

Our heroine is strong and firm in her values and is literally looking for that one time love and won't let go of that dream. She is a virgin and not ashamed of it, in fact she is proud of her life decisions and holding it special for the right one. Then we have our hero who is tortured by his past, and while he liked it rough and hard, it leaves him empty every single time. And with one kiss or touch with Kate, she centers him and has him feeling every single touch as if it touches his soul. And while they search for what happened to her grandfather being killed, we also see the danger is escalating for both Kate and Gabe as they search for artifact hunters and seeking the truth to what happened to Kate's grandfather. And their connection only deepens as time passes. And what a beautiful connection we see grow between Kate and Gabe and I was on board from the very beginning. 

 

I also enjoyed how this author implemented the Native American aspects to the story. It was so rich and had the right touch to it. I love that I could go into this story, trusting that it wouldn't get political and it most definitely didn't. It had such genuine writing in it to just recognize the heritage aspects without it being preachy or shoved down the throat. Just authentic with every sentence written. You could tell that the author did her research well for this story but also wasn't trying to prove anything, just write a well written story and she succeeded. And I gobbled it up like you do turkey on Thanksgiving Day. 

 

What I Struggled With
Nothing lol It could have been a bit more engaging in the beginning, but other than the slight slow start, it was perfect!

Narration
So WELL DONE!! And while I wasn't grabbed right away, I didn't become hooked and I have to say its all thanks to how this book was narrated. I just didn't want to put this audiobook down at all. Just would have been content to listen to their book all day.

Overall View
Naked Edge is a story to thrill you from head to toe with tantalizing sensuality, with deep to the heart character growth and such inspiring emotion that will tug at your heart strings! EPIC IN EVERY WAY!

 

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Character Types: Journalist Heroine, Alpha Male, Dare Devil, Law Enforcement, Protector
Themes: Heart/Touching, Found Family, Tear Jerker, All The Feels, One True Pairing
Tropes: Opposites Attract, Forced Proximity

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A mix of both

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Maya Banks
Suzanne Brockmann
Rebecca Zanetti

Song This Book Inspires
Dark Side by Kelly Clarkson

Recommendation For Reading Order
Either. You can read as a standlone or in order for the friendship connections.

Steam/Spice Explanations

Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
 Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.

Narrators:
Kaleo Griffith