Welcome to my Den of Delights! Please make yourselves comfortable.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

REVIEW: Naked Edge (#4, I-Team) by Pamela Clare

5+ Stars!

THE NAKED TRUTH ON NAKED EDGE

This is the confession of an I-Team-oholic…

AFFIDAVIT

I, Lady Jayne, of Adelaide, in the State of South Australia, Australia, MAKE OATH AND SAY that I am an I-Team-oholic. I devoured this series one book after the other in October 2010, until I had to wait for the next one - Breaking Point (I-Team, #5), release date 3rd May 2011. With each book I read in Pamela Clare’s sizzling, romantic and suspenseful I-Team series, I thought, “This one is my favourite!”, as I loved each and every book so much. And NAKED EDGE was no different! WONDERFUL read!!!

The heroine of Naked Edge is Katherine James, an environmental journalist and valued member of the Denver Independent Investigative Team (I-Team). I've read that some readers had trouble relating to Kat. I, personally, related very strongly to Kat, being half Native (though a Native of Borneo, not the Americas (Kat is Navajo)) and half Caucasian, myself. Also, having been a modern day 26 year old virgin myself, like Kat, staying strong to my beliefs, awaiting my true “half-side”, believing in love and “happily-ever-afters”, trying to find the balance between traditional and modern beliefs. I also had a beloved grandmother whose cultural beliefs and teachings remained with me, after I left home. What I admired most about Kat was her gentle spirit, quiet strength and love and dedication to her people and the land. She wanted to be a journalist to be a "voice" for the Native people.

The hero, Gabriel Rossiter (a.k.a. “Ranger Easy-on-the-Eyes”/ “Rock God”), is the extreme outdoorsman, a Boulder Mountain Parks Ranger, paramedic, agile climber, scaling heights in nothing more than a pair of shorts and special climbing shoes (Mmmm… those taut, glistening muscles!) and skilled skier extraordinaire. I wasn’t sure about Gabe, in the beginning, because of “seeing” him getting it on with a woman who was not the heroine. But as the story unfolded, with Gabe’s back-story and seeing him as he came to know and love Kat, I came to love him more and more. Gabe had been burnt in love in the past and no longer believed in "fairy tales", seeing “love” as nothing more than physical chemistry. But Gabe is honourable, strong, intelligent, rugged, protective, brave, and OH, SO SEXY! And what he did for Kat? True love!

Gabe's internal dialogue was so funny and brought many smiles and laughs, as I was reading:
"She was a virgin who believed in happily-ever-afters. A virgin! When was the last time he used that word to describe anything other than olive oil?"

"Her gaze dropped to his chest. She reached out and ran her fingertips through the sweat-damp hair on his chest, the contact making the muscles of his abdomen jerk.
His mouth went dry. "Yeah. Fine. Hungry?"

One touch, and you're reduced to monosyllables. Yeah, you're screwed."
The sexual tension between Kat and Gabe, and the intimate moments of the "I did not have sexual relations" kind … SIZZLED. And when Gabe finally got NAKED??? Oh, me. Oh, my. WOW! That’s all I can say.

I place my hand on my heart and swear that I LOVED this book and ADORED Kat and Gabe, individually, and together.

I also adored the scenes with Julian and Hunt (the heroes from Hard Evidence and Unlawful Contact) and their smile-inducing and laugh-out-loud adorable bickering - What a “Bromance”! I just LOVE them! ^_^ Pamela Clare writes to-die-for heroes.

The climax of this book had me on the edge of my seat, my heart beating rapidly and ready to leap out of my chest, and tears streaming down my face. Now THAT was a mighty climax!!!

What did I think when I finished this book? Well, here’s a direct quote from my last status update:

“*siiiigghhss* *sniff, sniff* *grins* *more sighing* That was AWESOMENESS!!!!”

The Native American elements in this book were not only grounded in research, but in Pamela Clare’s own personal experiences with the Native people. Her respect for the Native American people shines through in this story.

An “Author’s Note” (link below) is available on Pamela Clare’s blog site and demonstrates how much of Ms. Clare’s own experiences were drawn from in the writing of this story. Reading this Note, I came to not only admire Ms. Clare’s writing abilities and skill in creating characters that have burrowed their way into my heart, but it is clear that the qualities possessed by her characters are a reflection of her own admirable strength of human spirit and concern and respect for others. Bravo, Pamela!

Mitakuye Oyasin. We are all one.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
http://www.pamelaclare.com/notes_nakededge.php

EXHIBITS TO THE AFFIDAVIT:

My Kat, with her hazel green eyes, caramel skin and dark brown hair, is Kristin Kreuk … at least the way she looks in these images.













Wearing her dangling turquoise earrings, that she wore the first time she and Gabe met:













My Gabe Rossiter (a.k.a. “Ranger Easy-on-the-Eyes”/ “Rock God”) is the delicious, ruggedly sexy, Alex O’Loughlin. Although, I realise that I need not have said that since his deliciousness speaks for itself. Right? ^_^

And, of course, this “confession” would not be complete without some…ahem...“Naked Edge”. ^_~ Rest assured, it's not of me! LOL

**WARNING: NOT SAFE FOR WORK!**
http://letitiabrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/rock_climbing_by_torsal.jpg

(Please excuse me while I go and study his...climbing technique...very intently. ^_~)

SWORN at Adelaide
By Lady Jayne
On this 14th day of February 2011
Before me:
Reece Sheridan
Visiting Justice of the Peace from Colorado

Disclaimer: This “Affidavit” is very loosely based on the form of affidavits in South Australia.

Notes:
1st read: 18-23 October 2010
2nd Read: February 2011 (Re-read slowly over a few weeks) 
*****~~~~*****~~~~~*****~~~~*****~~~~~*****

21/2/11:***NAKED EDGE WINS THE ALL ABOUT ROMANCE BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE FOR 2010!!!***

Big BRAVO AND CONGRATS to Pamela Clare for Naked Edge winning the All About Romance Best Romantic Suspense for 2010, as voted by the readers!!! And to think she thought it was the worst thing she had ever written. Oh, Pamela, it is AMAZING and I'm glad I took the time to vote. I'm happy you took the risks you did, and with your authentic Navajo heroine! Ahe'hee! Thank you for this book!

Here's the link to Pamela Clare's response on ARR:
http://www.likesbooks.com/AnnualReaderPoll10.htm

1 comment:

  1. I want to read this!! Great one, Jayney & great pics too, as usual : )

    ReplyDelete