Edge of Ruin

by Lennan Daniels

The slow-burn of Edge of Hope is a full-blown inferno in Edge of Ruin, the second installment of The Edge Series.

With a new, fulfilling career opportunity and a loving boyfriend capable of unleashing unexplored parts of her being, Hope is in a place she didn’t think possible a few months prior. She’s satisfied, happy…until her possessive ex’s intrusion screws it up. Left with a fear of parking lots, shadows, and unexpected sounds, she struggles to regain her sense of security, while her boyfriend unravels at an alarming rate. In the midst of chaos, Hope can’t tell if he’s overwhelmed by the responsibility of their relationship, the ongoing trouble with her ex, or something deeper; and, even her professional credentials aren’t helping her put the pieces together. The one thing she does know is that Devon is suppressing core parts of himself, and that never ends well.

Devon never imagined he could have this kind of connection with another person. He was broken—a damaged foundation from the start. But now, there’s Hope, and his eyes and heart are open to a world of possibility. Devon will do anything to keep her, and more to keep her safe. With his oldest wounds reopening at the worst time, and his inner dominant getting antsy, he struggles to convince himself and everyone around him that he’s fine. Hope comes first. He’ll fall apart after the dust settles. Unfortunately, his therapist girlfriend is good at her job, and she can tell when he leaves things out. If Devon isn’t careful, she’s going to see the worst of the parts that no one could love.

The past is coming for both of them, and it doesn’t use safewords.

445 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2025

Reviews

[Lennan Daniels]

Watching these characters evolve has been a fulfilling (and sometimes heart-wrenching) journey; but watching readers connect with Edge's story, hearing how deeply you felt something real and authentic... That is a gift for which I am eternally grateful. Thank you for taking a chance on the Cleary's Crew. I hope you all love Edge of Ruin half as much as I love sharing it with you.

All my love,
Lennan

[Carolynne aka Saucy Chicken]

The second book picks up right where we left off, and Hope and Devon are still awesome. There is a shift in this second book, though. We get a deeper look into Devon's emotional state and how that plays out with Hope.

Coming up on the 20th anniversary of his sister's death, Devon has to navigate through his suppressed trauma while also helping Hope through the disappointment that is the justice system and the deep betrayal of her own mother.

Devon attempts to gloss over this anniversary with the help of his favorite liquor. Yeah, that goes about as well as you would expect...but it opens a door for Hope to get him to open up more. This leads to an interesting night at Edge. Our favorite couple learns to explore the local dungeon with renewed fervor *wink wink*

And just when you think the ex-boyfriend situation is settling down, freaking Aaron rears his stupid head again...

I seriously cannot wait for the third book to come out. So so soooo good!!!

[Jackie Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy hell, where do I even start?

I think we have all had “Aarons” in our lives. Not necessarily exes or physically abusive, but abusers who had an uncanny ability to flip the script and become the victim. Lennan did such an eerily, brilliant job bringing the fear associated with someone like an Aaron to life, and I found it hauntingly relatable. The realism the author portrayed showing how Hope and Devon navigated through it was outstanding. It wasn’t all puppies and rainbows, and I wanted to shake both of them at times. But that’s life! We don’t always get it right. I loved seeing their journeys, the focus on mental health, and the importance of recognizing and leaning on the community/family you’ve built.

Also, the spice was SPICIN’!! 🥵🥵🥵

Chef’s kiss, Lennan! Can’t wait to learn more about Alex…

[Carrie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! The amount of emotion this book took out of me. Having a partner with alcohol issues, made me seriously connect to Hope the night Devon drank too much and emotions were out in full display. I’ve had one to many nights of that in the past few years and I could feel every bit of helplessness and fight that was rolling off of Hope. It was so visceral and validating because in that chapter I felt seen, even if Devon’s drunken rambling was a one off situation.

The rest of the book continued just as strong, if not stronger than is predecessor and I can’t wait to be able to read more about the auxiliary characters because they all seem like family.

I love the way this author conveys emotion and depth of character without hitting you in the face with it, but builds it in their words and thoughts.

[R. Volt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than ‘Edge of Hope’ (which I loved!) Daniels’ pacing in this book is perfect. It winds you up then packs a (literal!) punch. A mix of sweet and heat, tender and terror, two wounded people find ‘home’ in one another through play, because this is a BDSM love story, no doubt about it. With honesty and integrity these MCs open themselves to vulnerability in ways this reader wishes happened more often in real life. Is it messy? yes. Do they hurt each other? yes. Is there intent to do harm? NO. That intent lies elsewhere in the story. Bonus: this book is HOT, with scenes written in delicious, melt-your-panties prose. You get the whole steamy package in ‘Ruin’ with deeply endearing, flawed characters who stay with you long after you’ve read the last page. More please. More.

[Kendra Breckenridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun yet terrifying romp in bed with Devon/Demon and our girl Hope. No slow burn this time around, just right to the good stuff (and some new stuff for some of us 🤤). We get to enter the dungeon in great detail, continue to be nervous in regard to ex-boyfriends, and cheer on our favorite kinky couple as they navigate some emotional and intense situations. Loved. It. More detail on supporting characters as well who Lennan Daniels teases will have their own stories in future books. I will “stalk” every book this author writes.

[A.T. Abbott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another emotional roller-coaster, of the best kind

I love Hope and Devon. They are by far my favorite couple in contemporary romance. And getting to see Demon in action? Priceless! As always, Daniels's writing is superb and hits home, especially in the emotional scenes. But the spice is excellent too! I don't know if there will be a sequal, but I do know I'll reread this story again - soon.

[Tiffany Maple · Rating 5 out of 5]

After that surprise announcement, my mom tried to get me to drop my baseless accusations against Aaron.” The old woman swore. “Your bartender should throw that stone at her.”

“But then, he put the gun to your head. I wasn’t going to make it. I was too far away, and I had nothing. He had a gun, and I had a goddamn rock. I threw it, because it was all I had.” He rolled the stone again. “I guess Margo’s right. It’s protective as fuck if you throw it hard enough.”

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed being part of Devon & Hope's romance. The Cleary's crew is now ingrained in my life and I will be following for updates as time goes on. The author's realistic look at a BDSM relationship was refreshing, as well as erotic.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

🍑👋〰️

[Linda LaRue · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good!!! I loved seeing Devon’s darker side and I expected Hope to bolt! She surprised me!📿

[Morgan Hagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

sooooo good. couldn't put it down. can't wait for more!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

BDSM at its finest

I’m so glad I found this series. I’ve read some terribly written stuff. This is the opposite of that. It’s thoughtful and well-done. I learned a few things too 😉