Review: Dagger's Edge by Lora Leigh

Title: Dagger's Edge
Author: Lora Leigh
Release Date: 8/28/18
Source: ARC from Netgalley
Links:
Goodreads ~Amazon ~ Dagger's Edge
Synopsis:

#1 bestselling author Lora Leigh is back--with a vengeance--in her latest novel of passion and intrigue, Dagger's Edge, featuring the men of Brute Force. 

Ivan Resnova wants nothing more than to escape his hard, brutal past. Starting over is not so easy once you've been a powerful crime boss but now, instead of being punished for his alleged crimes, Ivan fears that the one woman he can't forget is in danger of paying the price.

Crimsyn "Syn" Delaney thought the danger she'd faced was over, and that she could resume her life. She never imagined it would return with a vengeance and throw her back into Ivan's world. But when an attempt is made on her life, she needs Ivan more than ever to keep her safe--even if she is in danger of falling deeply and dangerously in love. . .

Review

Dagger's Edge delivers a story full of equal parts steam and dangerous suspense.  

Crimsyn has done what she could to leave her past behind her, to attempt to start over new for herself and find some measure of a life worth living. But as the saying goes - you can't run away from your past and secrets always have a way of coming out. With danger surrounding her and the ever looming questions of who and why, Crimsyn has to turn to the one person she should be avoiding, and doing so just might change her life in more ways than one. 

Ivan knows all about wanting to escape your past - he's been trying to do it himself for years. Suffering many losses in that time, Ivan knows a lot of pain and where to place the blame.  But there's something about Syn that calls to him on every level, something that ignites in him the need to protect her, to care for her, to show her love.  Ivan knows who she is and what she is to him - he knows her secrets even as she hasn't shared them and he knows the danger she faces.  

The chemistry between these two burns bright even as they fight against each other.  With looming issues, there's every reason these two should NOT be able to stand each other and  yet - there's so much more between them.  As danger swirls and the suspense grows daily about who wants Crimsyn and why, the connection between them grows into something more.  Though neither wants to admit to their real feelings at first, they are plain to see with each new chapter.  

I was intrigued from the first page, curious to know all the answers to my questions and also wondering how things would work out between these two. Leigh ramps up the suspense throughout the story, making me question even more what I think I know and what I believe is coming.  With characters I can't help but wonder what to make of; are they good, bad, or somewhere in between?  And as I read the last pages, I was left with a burning desire for more.