Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Recent Read

Naked Edge by Pamela Clare


Why this one: I read everything she writes – ASAP!!


Steam Level: Hawt! She writes some of the best love scenes going!

Blurb: What do you do when desire drives you to the very brink?

The day Navajo journalist Katherine James met Gabriel Rossiter, the earth literally moved beneath her feet. Nearly killed in a rockslide while hiking, she found her life in the tall park ranger's hands. Although she can't forget him she thinks she'll never see him again. She is crushed when she recognizes her rescuer among the law enforcement officers raiding a sweat lodge ceremony one night, throwing her and her friends off Mesa Butte, land they consider sacred.

Gabe long ago swore he would never again lose himself to a woman not even one with long dark hair and big eyes that seem to see right through him. But from the moment he first sees Kat, the attraction he feels is undeniable. Appalled by what he has been ordered to do, he's determined to get to the bottom of recent events at Mesa Butte and to keep Kat safe.

But asking questions can be dangerous almost as dangerous as risking one's heart. And soon Kat and Gabe's passion for the truth and each other makes them targets for those who would do anything, even kill, to keep Native Americans off their sacred land.

My Thoughts: In full disclosure mode, I have to let you know that while, on the whole, I don’t know a lot of authors, Pamela Clare is one that I do. Although I’ve only met her in person once, we correspond through email and I consider her a good friend. I’d read and loved her books since the very first book, but it wasn’t until Ride the Fire and I couldn’t help but write her to let her know how much this book rocked and we’ve been in contact ever since. And every book that I read since, I try and take off my friend hat and put on my impartial hat. I don’t know how successful I am but here goes.


Once more I can add a Pamela Clare books to my list of favourites. If you ever read her blog, you know that Ms. Clare knows whereof she writes when it comes to RS. She’s a journalist in her day job so when she writes about the ins and outs of the I Team, she writes from experience. What always strikes me, especially in her RS is the authenticity of her stories. Unlike some other authors who may not know as much about their storyline as the reader, Ms. Clare does know.


The hero, Gabe Rossiter, a park ranger and heroine, Kat James, a reporter for a local newspaper first meet when he comes to her rescue when an overzealous cop tries breaking up a sacred Native ceremony. They meet again when Gabe rescues Kat from a dangerous fall.


Now some may have a problem with Gabe at the beginning of the story. He’s become jaded and somewhat bitter towards the fairer sex due to a devastating betrayal and as a result has become very much a ‘love em and leave em’ type kind of guy. Kat, on the other hand is the complete opposite. Due to her upbringing as the unwanted child of a Native mother and ‘white’ father, she holds her traditions very dear and casual sex just is not something she does. Gabe is very attracted to her, but does realize how important her values are to her. This is what redeems him in my book. He respects her beliefs and doesn’t try and push – well not much anyway. Instead he decides it’s best to stay away from her, but that becomes difficult when they work together to try and find who is stealing artefacts from an ancient Native burial ground. He’s a fascinating guy and its great to see him face who he has become and become a better person.


Kat is an equally well drawn heroine. She is a fascinating mixture of two worlds, having grown up very poor on a reservation, yet determined to overcome her humble beginnings and now living a much more relaxed kind of life. She’s also an integral part of the local Native community. She’s very attracted to Gabe but resolute in holding onto her values. Ms. Clare does a great job of weaving native history and beliefs into the story and the reader can tell that Ms. Clare knows whereof she speaks.


I know many a reader rolls their eyes with modern day virgin heroines, but Ms. Clare does a very good job with making such a heroine work. And of course, as a writer who writes great love scenes, just so you know, this isn’t a kisses only book *g*. While not my favourite in this series – that still goes to Unlawful Contact, this one is very, very good and even while writing this up, I’m now tempted to do a reread.


Grade: 4.75 out of 5.


16 comments:

Cecile Smutty Hussy said...

Kristie, thanks for reviewing this book! And thank you for coming over to my place the other day and letting us know how you felt about this book and Ms. Clare!!! She is a great woman and I have just recently found her and her books and can not wait till I can just jump in and start reading. Especially after reading the interview JennJ did with the guys!
Hope all is well (and son has moved in and all is well with that) for you my friend!

Scorpio M. said...

Hi Kristie,

I unabashedly give NAKED EDGE an A+ for all the reasons your excellent review highlights.

In every comment I've made across bloglandia regarding NE I make sure to state that I never once found Gabe unlikable. It is this feat that Clare impressed me most.

Betrayal to the scale dealt Gabe doesn't end with anger alone. It forces you to question yourself, your worth, your judgement. The hurt & anger, inevitably, turns inwards. Clare translated this feeling of tumult in Gabe extremely well. That is why the genesis of Gabe's daredevil/emotionally detached lifestyle was not only understandable to me, but expected.

Kat. She is a most worthwhile heroine. Her decision to keep true to her beliefs never rang false to me. Again, Clare impressed me. The difficulty of straddling two disparate cultures, one old, one modern is something I can relate to. To navigate that divide is difficult, to make it not seem foreign and unfamiliar moreso but Clare managed it with ease.

In the end, for me, this love story
was about a man "who was not himself" being found by a woman who knew what worth meant. So when Gabe said what he said and did what he did...I believed it.

Mollie said...

I've still only read Ride the Fire (which I loved) but I own all her historicals. Will have to check out her I Team series!

Cheryl St.John said...

This sounds rea-a-ally good. I'm going to have to order it.

Kristie (J) said...

Cheryl: Can you email (in profile) me? Thanks *g*
And Naked Edge is very good!

Mollie: I love her RS as much as her historicals and whenever I think I prefer one genre over the other, then I think of a favourite in the one I didn't think was best - so she is equally good in both. I really encourage you to give more of her books a read. While Ride the Fire is my fave in that genre, the others are also very good.

Scorpio M: You gave a most excellent summation!! I was never bothered by Gabe's 'dogging around' as he never misled the women. He laid things out up front. And despite his less than admirable ways with women in the last couple of years of his life to the time he met Kat, he was good inside. And I also thought she did a wonderful job of having Kat 'walk' between two such divergent cultures.

Cecile: If you haven't read all her books yet, you have such a treat in store ahead of you!!
And son (or as I prefer to think of him - a much younger male room mate since in order for this to work I have to take off my mother hat since he IS fully grown) doesn't move in until June. He plans on remodeling, including dismantling the library before he does.

Cecile Smutty Hussy said...

Oh yes, Kristie I remember that.. I had a moment of silence when I read that post.. LOL.. Really I did!

Yes, it might do good to remember to take off your Mommy hat this time around. But I am sure you have raised a fine young gentleman....

Kristie (J) said...

Cecile: ROTFL!! I had a moment's silence to when he first proposed moving into that room. When I offered to have him move back before, it was in one of the upstairs bedrooms I was thinking of. But upon thinking it over, I figure as well as no being his 'mother', it would be better if we were on different floors *g*. He is a good son but at the same time, he's well, exhausting comes to mind.

orannia said...

Thank you Kristie. I really like the sound of this book - the heroine's heritage, the connection between the hero and heroine, the fact that the relationship seems to be a slowly developing one. I'll have to check to see ifmy library has it :)

I know many a reader rolls their eyes with modern day virgin heroines...

I don't. If the reasons are realistic then I think it works. And from where I sit it is nice to meet a modern women who hasn't had sex, because sometimes it feels like I'm the only one :)

Mary G said...

Hi Kristie
Awesome review & Scorpio's recap was excellent. I too, am a "Team Marc - Unlawful Contact" fan but I had to put NE & Gabe in their own category. I have a huge "thing" for stories with Native customs & lore & I thought NE was so magical that it was hard for me to compare.
I know it's going to be one of my fave reads of 2010.

Kaetrin said...

I downloaded this one today from BoB (- getting in early before all the prices go up because of Apple - grrr). I've read the other books in the I-team series and have enjoyed them and I'm looking forward to this one.

I haven't tried any of her historicals. Are they easy to get (read, still in print?) Would there be one you recommend I try first?

ReneeW said...

Oh Yay! I bought this one a couple weeks ago and haven't got around to starting it yet. I love PC just as much as you and I'm so glad you like this one. Unlawful Contact is probably my favorite in the series too. I have liked all of her RS books and most of her historicals (especially Ride the Fire). I can hardly wait to get started.

Anonymous said...

Marcella said...

Romantic Suspense is one of my favorite genres, but I haven't read anything by Pamela Clare yet. She was on my Authors-to-try-out-some time List, but now I've moved her up to the Next-time-I-order-books List.

Taja said...

I've just finished reading this novel. I was worried at first because I had not read the other novels in the series, but NAKED EDGE sounded so interesting I went and bought it anyway.

Good thing I did! NAKED EDGE is one of my favorite reads this year so far. I loved Kat and actually, the thought that some might find Gabe unlikeable never crossed my mind. I thought he was a very interesting character. The mystery was good and I especially liked the way native customs were part of the story. That was done very well, IMO. In general, I thought NE a very well-paced and well-structured story with great and well-drawn characters. Everything fit together beautifully.

I really liked RIDE THE FIRE so I'm actually not sure why I've read only that novel by Pamela Clare so far. But I'm going to remedy that with my next book shopping!

Great review, Kristie.

Michelle said...

Where can you order this book? I am so into it and based on others feedback this is a great book about casual sex encounters. If anyone can share and tell me where to buy the cheap copy of this. Thanks

Marcella said...

Thanks again for the recommendation, Kristie(J)! I bought this one - it was my first Pamela Clare book and next time I'm ordering books, I'll get the rest. This was absolutely wonderful! Exactly my cuppa.

Kristie (J) said...

Marcella: I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I adore all her books. And her historicals are equally well written as well and I recommend them too if you read historicals!!