nicisblitzed's review
4.0
Considering when it was written, this was one of the better romance books that I've read. The writing was a lot better than usual, and I quite enjoyed the story it's self.
sewcialist_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
Imagine you meet a man that is beyond belief. Could he possibly be as interesting and compelling as you think? Remember if it looks too good to be true, it is. Tessa meets Brett, who is searching for an embezzler, and fur starts to fly.
cranberrytarts's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book after finishing Double Standards by Judith McNaught, a book with a similar theme. I feel like Howard does a better job of redeeming the hero than McNaught does, plus the shorter page count makes for a less bogged-down feeling.
Brett is investigating an embezzling scheme at the company Tess works for. He decides he's interested in her and pursues her..until he realizes she's the one doing the embezzling. Then he has her arrested and intends to press charges. The only problem? Tessa hasn't been embezzling and she'd fallen so in love with Brett his betrayal devastates her.
This is definitely an angsty novel. It grabbed me by the throat right from the beginning. I hated Brett right along with Tessa. Though his high-handedness grated, I was able to move past his betrayal because he suffered greatly for what he'd done.
The end did leave me somewhat unsatisfied, however. I think another chapter would have helped resolve things completely in my mind.
Brett is investigating an embezzling scheme at the company Tess works for. He decides he's interested in her and pursues her..until he realizes she's the one doing the embezzling. Then he has her arrested and intends to press charges. The only problem? Tessa hasn't been embezzling and she'd fallen so in love with Brett his betrayal devastates her.
This is definitely an angsty novel. It grabbed me by the throat right from the beginning. I hated Brett right along with Tessa. Though his high-handedness grated, I was able to move past his betrayal because he suffered greatly for what he'd done.
The end did leave me somewhat unsatisfied, however. I think another chapter would have helped resolve things completely in my mind.
melluuvsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
It was entertaining, but not my favorite LH.
The H assumes the h is slutty based on her flirtatious nature, and ends up taking her v-card, then promptly betraying her (not cheating).
The h wastes away in despair, perfectly.
The H grovels.
The end.
It was entertaining but not super memorable.
FOR THE SAFETY SQUAD
- no cheating/sharing
- no OW drama
- some misunderstood OM drama
- no dubcon
The H assumes the h is slutty based on her flirtatious nature, and ends up taking her v-card, then promptly betraying her (not cheating).
The h wastes away in despair, perfectly.
The H grovels.
The end.
It was entertaining but not super memorable.
FOR THE SAFETY SQUAD
- no cheating/sharing
- no OW drama
- some misunderstood OM drama
- no dubcon
thenia's review against another edition
3.0
The story of Brett, a troubleshooter investigating a department of a big company for which Tessa works, that is immediately taken with her.
The two start dating, becoming more attracted to one another the more time they spend together, and feelings start developing on both sides.
Unfortunately,
Tessa, who is heartbroken both by his mistrust and his betrayal, wants nothing to do with him, thinking that all they shared was a lie.
Brett realizes his mistake and tries to win her back, and before he can even start doing the serious grovelling that she deserves, still very much in love with him, she forgives him, too easily in my opinion.
Not one of the author's best but enjoyable nonetheless.
The two start dating, becoming more attracted to one another the more time they spend together, and feelings start developing on both sides.
Unfortunately,
Spoiler
Brett's investigation on who is embezzling money from the company point directly to Tessa and he files charges against her, believing that she is a thief, but still determined to do all he can to help her out.Tessa, who is heartbroken both by his mistrust and his betrayal, wants nothing to do with him, thinking that all they shared was a lie.
Brett realizes his mistake and tries to win her back, and before he can even start doing the serious grovelling that she deserves, still very much in love with him, she forgives him, too easily in my opinion
Not one of the author's best but enjoyable nonetheless.
hollie313's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.0
booksuperpower's review against another edition
3.0
The Cutting Edge by Linda Howard is a 1985 Mira publication.
When Brett and Evan are hired to looking into a possible embezzlement coming from someone on the inside of Carter Engineering he decides to take out the lovely Tessa Conway, one of the firm's accountants and sort fish around for information. That first date turns into an intense affair with Tessa falling hopelessly in love, almost against her will. But, when Brett uncovers evidence that Tessa is the person behind the embezzlement, he slams on the brakes and has her arrested. He is cruel and taunting, completely breaking Tessa's heart into. Now Tessa is in for the fight of her life as she attempts to prove her innocence and avoid a prison sentence.
I came across this book at a library sale. I just saw the name Linda Howard and the title didn't sound familiar so I tossed it in my shopping bag. After giving the book a closer look I found it was published WAY back in 1985 and OMG you should see the author photo in the back of the book. Linda looks about 18 or 19 years old!!
I noticed as I was about to begin my review that many recent ratings and reviews on Goodreads were lukewarm at best, while the older reviews were more kind. The book I have is a first edition and many folks are reading re-issues which I can't vouch for. The important thing to remember here is: 1) This has to be one of Linda Howard's first books and 2) The book was written in 1985. It's very hard for young women to relate to the time period this novel was published in. Read any contemporary romance novel from the 1980's and you will see the exact same alpha type as Brett in nearly every single one. The men in these older contemporary romances are often the very definition of an asshole. Yes, it is hard to imagine someone putting up with a man like Brett no matter what decade, but I challenge you to find more that ten novels written in that era that had a beta male as the love interest. I recently read a book by Janet Daley as part of a retro romance group on Goodreads and if you thought Brett was jerk, you should have this book!! So, while it's hard to get past that type of behavior in the Brett, Tessa will also make you mad because she is so stupid. How on earth can you be in love with such a brute???
At times it hardly seemed like a romance at all and more like some sort of dangerous obsessive relationship that could hardly be healthy.
However, these books were very popular and women read through them faster than they could release more. Taking a critical look at the book, the story really was pretty good. Being set up for a crime you didn't commit and having the person you love have you arrested was the scenario and well, I felt sorry for Tessa. Even if she had been a ball buster in our current day business world, this story could work effectively and our enlightened readers would feel empathy for Tessa under those conditions. So, if you were to tone down Brett's alpha tendencies and give Tessa more backbone, turn the volume down on the angst just a little you could give this book a re-make that contemporary romance readers would love.
It think that Linda Howard has certainly come a long way from the time she wrote this book and she has established herself as a leading romantic suspense authors with a very loyal following.
This one gets 3 stars.
When Brett and Evan are hired to looking into a possible embezzlement coming from someone on the inside of Carter Engineering he decides to take out the lovely Tessa Conway, one of the firm's accountants and sort fish around for information. That first date turns into an intense affair with Tessa falling hopelessly in love, almost against her will. But, when Brett uncovers evidence that Tessa is the person behind the embezzlement, he slams on the brakes and has her arrested. He is cruel and taunting, completely breaking Tessa's heart into. Now Tessa is in for the fight of her life as she attempts to prove her innocence and avoid a prison sentence.
I came across this book at a library sale. I just saw the name Linda Howard and the title didn't sound familiar so I tossed it in my shopping bag. After giving the book a closer look I found it was published WAY back in 1985 and OMG you should see the author photo in the back of the book. Linda looks about 18 or 19 years old!!
I noticed as I was about to begin my review that many recent ratings and reviews on Goodreads were lukewarm at best, while the older reviews were more kind. The book I have is a first edition and many folks are reading re-issues which I can't vouch for. The important thing to remember here is: 1) This has to be one of Linda Howard's first books and 2) The book was written in 1985. It's very hard for young women to relate to the time period this novel was published in. Read any contemporary romance novel from the 1980's and you will see the exact same alpha type as Brett in nearly every single one. The men in these older contemporary romances are often the very definition of an asshole. Yes, it is hard to imagine someone putting up with a man like Brett no matter what decade, but I challenge you to find more that ten novels written in that era that had a beta male as the love interest. I recently read a book by Janet Daley as part of a retro romance group on Goodreads and if you thought Brett was jerk, you should have this book!! So, while it's hard to get past that type of behavior in the Brett, Tessa will also make you mad because she is so stupid. How on earth can you be in love with such a brute???
At times it hardly seemed like a romance at all and more like some sort of dangerous obsessive relationship that could hardly be healthy.
However, these books were very popular and women read through them faster than they could release more. Taking a critical look at the book, the story really was pretty good. Being set up for a crime you didn't commit and having the person you love have you arrested was the scenario and well, I felt sorry for Tessa. Even if she had been a ball buster in our current day business world, this story could work effectively and our enlightened readers would feel empathy for Tessa under those conditions. So, if you were to tone down Brett's alpha tendencies and give Tessa more backbone, turn the volume down on the angst just a little you could give this book a re-make that contemporary romance readers would love.
It think that Linda Howard has certainly come a long way from the time she wrote this book and she has established herself as a leading romantic suspense authors with a very loyal following.
This one gets 3 stars.
lestatmalfoy's review against another edition
3.0
Eh. I don't care as much for her earlier work. This was okay.
katiev's review
4.0
3.5 stars.
I did like it. I loved the heroine, she was identifiable. I'm a girl from East Tn and I so identify with the casual flirtiness. It doesn't mean anything. We're just friendly to everybody from the geeky awkward guy to the CEO and treat everyone basically the same regardless of who they are.
I also loved the cruel betrayal of the H. BUT, so far, this seems to be the pattern with LH.
1) H/h get together and all is well
2) H betrays heroine because he thinks she betrayed him or for some other cause (i.e. using her as bait to catch a killer)
3) h swears she's done. done. done. DONE.
4) Hero gets angry and flat out orders that she's not done and they have sex. He does apologize, but it's all over fairly quickly. No extended wooing. She never gets to leave him and make him suffer. Which makes me suffer. :(
I did like it. I loved the heroine, she was identifiable. I'm a girl from East Tn and I so identify with the casual flirtiness. It doesn't mean anything. We're just friendly to everybody from the geeky awkward guy to the CEO and treat everyone basically the same regardless of who they are.
I also loved the cruel betrayal of the H. BUT, so far, this seems to be the pattern with LH.
1) H/h get together and all is well
2) H betrays heroine because he thinks she betrayed him or for some other cause (i.e. using her as bait to catch a killer)
3) h swears she's done. done. done. DONE.
4) Hero gets angry and flat out orders that she's not done and they have sex. He does apologize, but it's all over fairly quickly. No extended wooing. She never gets to leave him and make him suffer. Which makes me suffer. :(
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