Driven to the Edge

Tales from the Edge #7

by L.M. Somerton

Not all limits can be negotiated.

The Edge is reaching a major milestone. After ten years in business together, Doms Joe Dexter and Heath Anders are planning a celebration and new beginnings. But even the best-laid plans can be thrown off course.

When Olly, Joe’s beloved sub, gets caught up in a hostage situation involving Special Forces soldiers, PTSD and blood diamonds, a party is the last thing on Joe’s mind. He hates the lack of control, and the thought of losing Olly takes him close to the edge.

Joe is not the only one reassessing his priorities. Olly needs Joe’s strength more than ever. He feels safe only in Joe’s arms or in his bondage.

Can Joe and Olly find sanctuary in each other or will their latest adventure drive them apart?

Reader Advisory: This book contains a hostage situation and scenes of violence.

Pre-order Date: 26th July 2016
Available exclusively to Pride Publishing: 9th August 2016
General Release Date: 6th September 2016

Genres: BDSM, M M Romance, Romance, Suspense

124 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2016

About the author

Lucinda lives in a small village in the English countryside, surrounded by rolling hills, cows and sheep. She started writing to fill time between jobs and is now firmly and unashamedly addicted.

She loves the English weather, especially the rain, and adores a thunderstorm. She loves good food, warm company and a crackling fire. She's fascinated by the psychology of relationships, especially between men, and her stories contain some subtle (and some not so subtle) leanings towards BDSM.

Reviews

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poor sweet sweet Olly, whom I love so much, just can not catch a break. Stabbed with scissors, held hostage and a secret he doesn't know of yet. But he's a brave one and gets through. And figures out why the bad guys were bad. Love me some Olly!!!

[Ruthie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~

This is book 7 of the series, and whilst haven't read them all, they definitely follow on from each other, so it is to be advised. Long standing issues are revisited, and dynamics are better understood that way.

Having read the blurb, I was on tenterhooks whenever Olly was in a scene ... and then there is a twist ... great plotting! I love the carefully chosen level of detail in these books (for example Fifi) which gives the reader a good sense of the man, without needing more. The relationship that both the main couples have is interestingly different, yet reassuringly constant. There is a good mix of intense, funny and loving running throughout the story. If you like to read D/s then you will recognise the emotions and enjoy the scenes. This felt like a book which cemented what we had seen start in Reaching the Edge.

Thank you Ms Somerton, I am now looking forward to the next installment!

[The Novel Approach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe and Olly have been together for two years now; their love story is the first book in this series, Reaching the Edge. Since book one, we have experienced these two men in each and every book in some capacity. The series focuses on The Edge; what started as a corporate team building compound (and secret BDSM school), has evolved into a training camp for top secret military personnel as well. Located on an isolated island, The Edge is perfectly situated for the kind of business it conducts. Joe and Heath have been running The Edge for almost ten years, and are planning a huge celebration to mark the anniversary of their successful business. It seems almost right that book seven of the series swings around and focuses mainly on Joe and Olly, with some Heath and Aiden liberally thrown in so that we, as readers, can remind ourselves why we fell in love with the series in the first place, and before the final novel is released. This is book seven of the planned eight book series, and I would HIGHLY recommend reading book one, at least, before this one. There are plot points which are set in motion, primarily in book one, that are coming full circle and will be resolved in the last book. You will not fully understand the ramifications of the ending of this book without book one. Oh, and while you are at it, read all the ones in between as well. You will totally enjoy them!

Oh, Olly. I love Olly. There really is no one like him. He has a curious dichotomy of character. Too much caffeine or sugar and he is hyper, like a ten-year-old boy, but just as you slot him into that paradigm, he reminds you that he is a highly skilled nurse and an observant man, very much in control of his reactions. Olly lives to be Joe’s submissive. Taking care of the patients at the military hospital he works at will always come second to taking care of Joe. Olly is out and proud of not just being with his partner but of their relationship. Everyone who knows Olly, knows he belongs only to Joe.

Joe Dexter never knew what hit him when he met Olly. Known as an incredibly hardass Dom, Joe met his match in the cheeky sub. Joe loves to take the bubbly man and wipe the excess noise from their world, and connect with Olly at his most vulnerable. If Joe had his way, he would stay in that bubble forever, but he has a highly successful business to run, and Olly has his job on the mainland. Not having Olly in his control 24/7 drives Joe up a veritable wall, though. Olly seems to be a magnet for trouble, and not being able to protect him drives him crazy.

This was a great addition to the series. The story is well paced, is not overly long, and is entertaining to read. Olly and Aiden are helping to plan the ten year celebration of The Edge for their dominants. Everyone is going to be invited, and making it perfect is crucial to the two subs. Then Olly goes to work and gets trapped in a room with three special forces soldiers, one of whom has PTSD and thinks someone is out to kill them. Poor Olly. This is just his luck and he knows that if he gets out of this alive, Joe will probably put him in bondage and throw away the key to try to keep him safe. Make no mistake, while it is a great story and totally believable in the context of the series, be mindful that this book is about the romance between Joe and Olly and, to a lesser extent, Heath and Aiden. The author is bringing us full circle and re-establishing the foundation of her main characters to lead us into the final book.

I have really enjoyed this series so far and look forward to the final book and the arc’s conclusion. I highly recommend Driven to the Edge, and the whole series. It has been a fun and interesting erotic BDSM journey, following these men and their story.

Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews

[Molly Lolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review on Molly Lolly
Four and a half stars!
I adored how we got to see another story focused on Olly and Joe. They are so deeply in love in this story and so settled, it’s nice to see that level of contentment. Plus we get to see more Aiden and Heath which is always a good thing. I enjoyed seeing how Joe and Olly reacted to the situations and events in this story.

Olly is his same mischievous self and can’t get enough of Joe’s dominancy. When he’s in nurse mode, he’s a force to be reckoned with and dang good at what he does. He needs Joe’s guidance though. You can feel him relax and settle when Joe takes command and tells Olly what to do. He’s far more observant than he lets on. I adored how Olly was an integral part in figuring out what was going on.

Joe is so dang possessive. But he’s also not a jerk about it. He’s more concerned for Olly’s safety and wants to be able to spend more time with Olly than having Olly away at work or himself at work. Joe was cooler under pressure than I expected. he didn’t go in, metaphorical guns blazing, like I expected. I truly enjoyed the scene where he was showing some of his weaknesses to Heath. Showed how hard Joe works to stay grounded for Olly and how much he fears for Olly’s safety.

The end of this story leaves room for the next book in the series. I’m eager to see what happens in regards to those last few scenes of this book. Olly and Joe are still deeply in love and so perfect for each other. It’s wonderful getting to see their love for each other continue to flourish as they live their lives.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've read the previous novellas in the series, this is another enjoyable visit to The Edge. In this story, Ollie, a delightful and quirky sub we've met in the series, experiences a hostage situation in the hospital where he works. This book has all of the passion and kink expected with his Dom, Joe. It also has danger, mystery, and action.

[andrea moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Driven to the edge

Absolutely love this series, never fails to make me smile from the situations Ollie gets himself into but it also has the right mix of sweet friendship and even sweeter levels of submission. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys this genre

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable Entertaining. BDSM elements. Recommend.

[Natosha Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As of late, I have been finding myself reading a book that is part of a series that I had not previously read. In most instances I find that I have to go back to the beginning of the series and read the first book to know exactly what is going on but this book turned out to not be one of them. I am glad for that because after reading the description of the book to get the jest of what I would be reading about, I was really I intrigued and wanted to read it right away. Turns out even though I did not have to go back to the first book, I will anyway because this book made such an impact on me, and if I am beginning honest I cannot wait to read the other books now in this series, both past and future books that is.

When taking in the characters of this book I found myself analyzing who I think their characters truly are on the inside, or at least the main characters. My take on Olly is though he is submissive, he his truly a very strong individual. He is able to think fast in a dangerous situation and keep a level head. He does not cower in the corner and let others do the dirty work. Even if he is putting himself on danger, he cares about others and will do what he can to save or help others even if he does not know them. He is compassionate (which is good considering he is a nurse). Even when someone does wrong he has a soft heart for them and hopes for the best and prays that even when evidence points towards them being a bad person that they truly aren't. Last but not least, he wants to please and make his Dom Joe proud. Even if he does like to purposely get in trouble with Joe for his hyper, bubbly, bratty ways.

Make take on Joe is even though he is Olly's Dom, that is not the most important role to him. The most important role is that he loves Olly more than he loves anything else. I believe that Joe would try to move heaven or hell to keep Olly safe. I think that if something bad was to happen to Olly that Joe would be completely lost, Dom or no Dom.

In this book Joe and Olly both captured my heart and I even kind of have a soft spot for another character that was in this book, Nick. The relationship that Olly and Hoe have is truly magical. When they are together you can feel the love they have for one another and when they are apart you can tell there is no where else they would rather be then with the other. They have a relationship built off of not only love but trust also. When Olly found himself as a hostage in a volitale situation Olly proved that he is a strong individual with an amazing head on his shoulders. When the situation was under control Joe could not have been prouder of him.

I cannot wait to go back and read the other books in this series and of course I look forward to the next book in this series that LM hinted around about in the ending of this book because I have a feeling it is going to be a good one. I also hope that LM may have more appearances of Nick in future books also cause he was such an amazing supporting character in this book.

I would definitely recommend that others read this book even if they read it as a standalone because it was an amazing action pact read.

Was given this galley copy for free from pride publishing for a completely honest and open review.

[Helena Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

““You make everything better, Sir,” Olly murmured, his voice heavy with fatigue.
“No, we do love. Together (…)””

You have to feel sorry for Olly. Here we have the nicest of men with the softest heart imaginable and somehow trouble and danger seem to stalk him. At first glance this young sub seems so ill equipped to deal with everything life throws his way but then you think and look again and realise that first impressions can be deceptive.

We get to see a different side to Olly in this book. Or rather, we get to see the full scale of the man we’ve only seen glimpses of so far. I had never any doubt that underneath Olly’s flighty silliness lived a strong and smart man; he had to have been just to survive what happened to him in Reaching the Edge. And every now and again this ‘other’ Olly would shine through in the other books too. In Driven to the Edge, however, Olly’s strength and intelligence spring to the forefront as he deals with stress, confronts danger, and solves mysteries that have others bewildered.

And just as we get to see another side to Olly, we also get a glimpse at another aspect of his relationship with Joe. While Joe may be the Dom and very much in charge and it may be Joe’s job to keep Olly balanced and centred, that doesn’t mean Joe doesn’t need Olly’s love and support just as much as Olly needs him. In fact, if this book shows something in all its glorious beauty it is that (BDSM) relationships are successful only when the two partners complement each other, when they can lift each other’s burdens and feel safe being either strong or in need of strength, depending on the situation.

““I’m supposed to look after you. That’s how this dynamic works.”
“It works how we want it to work.” Olly planted a big wet kiss on Joe’s lips. “Just for tonight, I’ll take care of you.””

I challenge anybody to read these books and not fall hard for Olly (and almost as hard for Joe, Aiden, Heath…. Need I go on?). As much as I enjoy reading about (well-written) BDSM dynamics in general, I can’t deny that the diverse relationships in these books have captured a special place in my heart. And slap bang in the middle of that special place are Olly and Joe, shining their love for all to see, enjoy, and maybe envy just a little.

Once again the balance between suspense, love, and mouth-watering kink was just about perfect. Once again I found myself captivated by the story and reading as fast as I possibly could while making sure not to miss a single well chosen word. It is a delightful form of addiction, only overshadowed by the realisation that I’m getting perilously close to the end of this favourite among series.

[Becky Condit · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are nearing the end of this 8 book series. Driven to the Edge is #7, and the heat (sexual and angsty tension) are ramped way up. Olly and Joe, from book #1, are back as the featured couple, although they have played roles in every book so far.
Olly is a nurse at a military hospital and as the book begins we see him preparing a room for three special forces soldiers who have been evacuated to heal wounds suffered in some kind of top secret mission. One of them, nicknamed Rocky, begins to show symptoms of PTSD, which quickly worsen until he is a danger to everyone around him, including Olly. When the crisis is over, Joe takes Olly home, intending to protect him but events escalate throwing Olly into a situation that he shouldn’t have been present for.
The Edge is set to celebrate an anniversary, which has Joe and Heath working overtime to get everything ready. Add to that, a new facility owned by Carey, who also owns the London BDSM club The Underground, is getting ready to open as a luxury resort catering to men in the BDSM lifestyle. It is fully booked up for many months in advance but Dom Joe, his sub Olly, Joe’s business partner Heath, and Heath’s sub Aiden may need some down time there before the fast-paced events in this book are over.
One more bit of excitement (not the good kind), is the fact that everyone is keeping a very scary secret from Olly. This is a bit of a minor cliffhanger that may become a Really Bad Thing in the finale. I must warn you that this series needs to be read in order. It’s not a hardship because the books are thrilling, not terribly long, and you can even marathon read all of them over a weekend or faster. So, fans of the Tales from The Edge series, buckle up. Here is the next story that you’ve been waiting for. And those new to the series, it’s never too late to start. You won’t be sorry. This is one of my favorite m/m, BDSM series. Enjoy!

[Caroline Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEWED FOR PRISM BOOK ALLIANCE

This was a great catch up with some favourite characters.

The Edge has almost been open for a decade and there are plenty of celebrations planned but as is usual for these men things don’t always go as planned.

Olly loves his nursing job in a nearby military hospital even if it takes him away from his beloved master Joe. The often scattered and hyper sub is the ultimate professional at his job and when three new secret service men with various injuries are brought in he cares for them to the best of his ability even if one of them with PTSD injures him and leaves him badly shaken.

Olly’s home life couldn’t be better and it was great to see once again the dynamic that works between him and Joe. It was also good to catch up with Aiden and Heath who have a very different dynamic but one that definitely works. It’s the little quirks to their personalities that I fell in love with throughout this series and the author has done an amazing job once again with these men – I had forgotten how much I enjoyed spending time with them.

Olly is often in the wrong place at the wrong time so when he is caught up in a hostage situation whilst doing something as mundane as collecting his phone from work we shouldn’t really be surprised. Joe might not have been taken hostage but he is living through every traumatic minute of the ordeal with his terrified sub. These men will have to pull on all their reserves to get through this in one piece and Olly will need his master’s strength more than ever before.

I really enjoyed catching up with these guys once again and for any fans of the series this will undoubtedly be a hit.

[Tbird London · Rating 5 out of 5]

Driven to the Edge is the seventh book in the Edge Series, but you don’t need to read the whole set to enjoy this story of Joe and Olly. This is an M/M book with the BDSM dynamics but trust me the story is a whole lot more than that.

I absolutely love Olly and Joe, they had me melting into a puddle of goo by how they love each other so much. Many times I was laughing out loud watching Olly be his bratty self and Joe trying to be the stern Dom, but would soon relent to Olly because, let’s face it, he is so dang cute.

As Olly and his friend plan the party celebrating ten years of business for Joe and Heath, things start to take a turn for the dangerous. First Olly, who is a nurse, was injured while on the job and the next day, he was taken hostage by a soldier who they believed was suffering from PTSD.

Watching Joe as he has to deal with his lover being in danger and while he was not in control, broke my heart. Olly was his true self, in any situation, his mouth tends to run before his brain can tell it to shut up, but this time it paid off.

The author gave me enough in this book to want to go over the whole series, I believe that each character has something special going on due to the way they were in this story. I found this to be a fast read due to how smoothly it was written and the suspense and action that was involved. I seriously didn’t want to put the book down. I was drawn to the situation Olly found himself in, but I was even more drawn to the love between him and Joe. Their chemistry was like magic on the pages.

received in exchange for an honest review for Crystal's Many Reviewers

[Sinclair · Rating 1 out of 5]

Barely got through the first few chapters.

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting much more hostage, trauma, dire straights than actually happened.
Olly is as bouncy as ever - those Duracell batteries never run out! He still manages to tread the fine line between cheeky brat, sub and annoying. I did wonder about his phone in the locker but it's role becomes apparent later. And I did enjoy that Aiden, in the car with the music blaring, was totally unaware of what was going on!
The hostage situation was bad timing for Olly and over relatively quickly and not personal to Olly per se.
As the party planning and mini holiday haven't happened by the end of the book, I must be off to read the next story.

[Michael Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my web site for a full review of “Driven to The Edge.”