Edge of Light By Cynthia Justlin

Characters Edge of Light

Review originally posted at The Bookpushers.

Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: ARC from the publisher via Netgalley

Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.

CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…

Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

As you saw earlier in our Debut Author Feature, today we are focusing on Ms Justlin and her recent release Edge of Light. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway there! I am not a huge romantic suspense reader like one of my fellow pushers, MinnChica, but this had a premise that I usually enjoy. So after reading the blurb I decided to go ahead and request this to review. Edge of Light had some parts I really enjoyed, like the suspense, but it had some other parts that fell a little flat for me and stretched beyond the suspension of my disbelief.

I really felt for poor Oliver Shaw. The anarchists were extremely smart and diabolical in their systemic destruction of his spirit. Initially when Oliver first appeared he had been extremely beaten down but still had some resistance left. Then I had my doubts as to how heroic a character he would become because that seemed to be his last gasp. However, as I kept reading and learned just like Jocelyn some of what had been done to him and with no hope of rescue, I could understand why he wasn’t resisting anymore. I could also understand why he tried to avoid feeling anything or even talking to Jocelyn. Watching his journey back towards a semblance of the man he used to be was interesting. It certainly didn’t happen overnight which added to his character and the overall tension. When Oliver did step up and start his journey to heroism that also didn’t just happen. He required a lot of inspiration and motivation from Jocelyn’s faith in him to not backslide.

Jocelyn on the other hand struck me as a rather inconsistent character. On one hand she was strong enough to finagle a way onto this particular mission knowing that it could have some serious personal impact. Then she was captured and completely fell apart. She seemed to expect Oliver to do what she couldn’t despite or maybe because of his years of captivity. Jocelyn did regain her sense of gumption once they escaped which was good to see.

The anarchists were seriously evil. It wasn’t just their actions towards Oliver and his dead teammates or even how they treated Jocelyn but the combination of that and their treatment of the rural Cambodians. The leader was a serious whack job and had done a relatively good job of both brainwashing and scaring his two associates into doing what he wanted. In some ways they struck me as being over the top; evil without any redeeming features. I am glad they didn’t escape to start over again.

Despite the intensity and tension in Edge of Light in some places it went beyond my willing suspension of disbelief. I didn’t buy their Happily Ever After. I could accept a Happy For Now based on celebrating life, their escape, and the closure they were able to obtain but I didn’t see enough for HEA. I also had an issue with Oliver and Jocelyn able to walk on the beach and make mad passionate love three days after their rescue with some pretty nasty wounds without a single grimace, limp or accommodation for their injuries.

All in all I found that Ms Justlin gave me a mostly satisfying read. I give Edge of Light a B-/C+ Paperback Jocelyn Hewitt, an anthropologist, joined a team in Cambodia to try and find the remains of her father and the cause of his death. Jocelyn and her team are attacked by a ruthless group of anarchists, in the Cambodian jungle, and she is taken hostage and placed in a dark prison cell.
CIA agent Oliver Shaw is in the next cell and has witnessed the torture and murders of his fellow agents and other prisoners for the past 2 years. A broken man, with no hope, he hears Jocelyn's pain and lets her know she is not alone. He gives her the courage she needs to risk escape and their adventure and romance begins.

The chemistry between Oliver and Josie is divine.

This novel was fast-paced, violent, exciting, full of adventure, suspense and romance.

A Must Read !
Paperback ABOUT THE BOOK: Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.

CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…

Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible.

REVIEW: One word. WOW. That one piece sums up this book in its entirety. I really don’t think I have adequate words to even begin to explain just how awesome this book is. Ms. Justlin has a way about her writing that paints a vivid picture in your head, draws you into her gripping story, and enthralls you to never put the book down. Her words flow with accuracy and as smooth as churned butter. She doesn’t go overboard in the explanation of scenes or the feelings in her character’s heads and leaves you with JUST the right amount of insight, enough for the reader to be able to picture it, feel it, and use their own creative minds to finish the picture.

The suspense she drew up not only in the plot of the story but also in the chemistry between the characters was simply divine. Oliver breaks your heart with his self-loathing ways but still manages to work his way deep inside the same organ to hold tight. Josie is the extreme picture of a strong woman, one who has just the right amount of strength and gusto to save our dear hero from losing himself and letting go. I thoroughly enjoyed the spark between these two and the way they both saved each other from themselves, each in their own different, yet unique, ways.

The plot itself is one that is extreme yet a real part of today’s world. It’s also one that leaves you on the edge of your seat until the very end. I couldn’t put the book down with the combination of the chemistry, along with the plot unfolding.

If you’re looking for a very sweet romance, then this isn’t the book for you. While it holds a romance element, this isn’t a book for the weak of heart. It is one though, that will leave you gripping at the seams to continue, one that will have you staying up till 3am – just because you can’t let go, and one that will leave a smile on your face on down to the last word.

There is no doubt about it, five out of five stars for Ms. Justlin’s wonderful romantic suspense.
Paperback 3.5
Favorite Lines: He braced himself for her touch, and when her fingers met his skin he clenched his eyes shut. He couldn't get used to it. Didn't remember what to do. Would he eventually remember how to react, or was he forever doomed to straddle the line between pleasure and agony? (p. 135-136, e-galley)

Edge of Light is a romantic suspense and my first introduction to Cynthia Justlin's writing. The story started with a bang. The reader is introduced to one man's psychological battle with the mad man holding him captive. Oliver has been in captivity for over two years and he has given up. Until a new inhabitant in the cell next to his slowly begins to change things.

Jocelyn's friends and co-workers were murdered and she was taken captive. The reason behind the horrific even was unbelievable. As she sits in a cell day after day she begins to reach out to the man in the cell next to hers, determined to understand why he refuses to speak to her or fight the people holding them.

Edge of Light is heavy on the suspense and light on the romance.I say this because the romance takes the back burner to the characters surviving. Basically it's a book about a man rebuilding himself with the support of a good woman. Their coming together as a couple never becomes a priority. Both are trying to come to terms with the past and their present situation. It's an in the moment type of relationship that never made me believe they could find happily ever after together. If I take this book as a thriller or suspense, I'm satisfied. Tag it with romance, and my satisfaction begins to dwindle.

Justlin does an excellent job portraying evil. She types a story that unfolds at a steady (but quick) pace. She also managed to build the unfurl two major story aspects by simply putting the hero and the heroine in cells bordering each other. One, it forces the characters to get to know each other without privilege of appearance being involved. It also stretches the suspense because neither knows exactly what is happening in the other's cell. They can hear, but that increases the psychological terror as neither can see the damage imparted on the other.

I was immediately sucked into the story, but there were a few things that bothered me in addition to the light romance. I felt like the Justlin disposed of two major players a bit too easily. You'll have to read the book to know who I'm talking about. I expected more of a battle or a more violent end to come and it was a disappointment. But the absolute crappiest thing was the heroine's comments to the hero after they are out of danger. I couldn't believe Jocelyn and felt like she was insensitive and unworthy of Oliver.

I'd like to know what you think of the book if you've read it. What did you like or dislike about the story? Would you recommend it to others?
Scooper Speaks Paperback Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com

DNF (which is very rare for me)... This is a very intense book with a lot of violence and I found it hard to read. This was not my kind of book. There were too many characters that they began to run together. If you enjoy intense books wrapped around violence and escape then this may be a book you would love to read. However I just could not do it. Paperback

Taken prisoner by a ruthless group of anarchists deep in the Cambodian jungle, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is isolated in a dark prison cell. Without chance of rescue. Or hope. Until the man in the next cell reaches out to let her know she’s not as alone as she thinks.

CIA agent Oliver Shaw has been held prisoner for over two years. Forced to witness the brutal torture and slow murder of his entire team, his spirit is not just broken, it’s crushed. He no longer believes in hope. Until he hears Jocelyn through the wall, and suddenly feels like a glimpse of light is trying to reach in…

Jocelyn’s heart aches for the tortured man whose presence and voice give her the courage to risk their escape. But first she’ll have to remind Oliver who he once was, what he once loved, and bring him back to life. Only then will they have a chance for freedom—and the kind of love neither ever thought possible. Edge of Light

This is a Quickie Review. For the full review, please visit The Romanceaholic.

Expected Release Date: May 14, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Carina Press
Author’s Website: http://www.cynthiajustlin.com/
My Source for This Book: Netgalley
Part of a Series: No
Series Best Read In Order: N/A
Steam Level: Warm

With plenty of action, horror, and even a mystery of a lost treasure, I ended up staying up WAY too late reading because I didn’t want to put it down. While the “steam” wasn’t all that “steamy”, I did enjoy the wide gamut of emotions between Oliver and Josie experienced during their captivity, and was really rooting for them as a couple even as I was terrified by their actions.

While definitely not for sensitive readers, as there is a lot of violence and horror, the pacing was perfect, and the villain was terrifyingly insane.

Overall, a very fast-paced, exciting read, recommended for fans of abused protagonists, high-octane escapes, and finding love in the most unexpected of places.

A very solid 4/5 Stars. Paperback Jocelyn is in Cambodia, trying to find out the real story behind what happened to her father, and to hopefully bring her father's remains back with her. While in Cambodia, she and her team are unexpectedly attacked, and Jocelyn is taken hostage. She finds herself in a stark prison cell, frightened and confused, but realizes that she isn't alone, as someone resides in the cell next to her.

Oliver has been held captive for two years, regularly beaten and tortured, and he is half the man he once was. But the voice of the woman in the cell next to him stirs something in him, and the man he used to be lies just beneath the surface, waiting for the opportunity to rise again.

This is one of those strange books that is hard to classify. It was an easy read-- after all, it is a modern-day romance novel. However it is intermingled with brutality and violence in a way that can be a little unsettling.

Additionally while I know that there is a certain degree of suspension of disbelief needed for most fictional stories, I had to really extend myself with the romantic plot line in this book. I think I am too rational and realistic to be able to lose myself in romance anymore. My mind is always thinking, Oh, come on! In real life, this could never work out! Keep your heads on straight! You can't build a relationship on such a traumatic experience! Don't make any foolish commitments without years of therapy!

My final word: If you can handle the brutality, and the uncomfortable mixing of violence and romance, go ahead and give this one a go. It's a fast read, and an interesting take on everyday romance. I'd give it 3 1/2 stars. Paperback A- rating

My Review:
Look at that cover up there. This is NOT a light-hearted, floofy romance. This book is gritty and it's harsh, but I thought it was so incredibly good. Half this book is spent with the Hero and heroine in captivity. They never even see each other face to face until right before their escape, so this is not a book about romance and flowers. Their surroundings are minimal. The beatings are harsh. The torture is truly inhumane. This book doesn't spare anything, so be prepared.

Oliver is a CIA agent who has been a captive for two years. Not only has he been tortured and beaten, but he's had to watch all of his teammates slowly die. The only reason he's been kept alive is that he's also an artist. One of the Trinity (the lead baddie in this group of three baddies) uses his paintings as his catharsis. That doesn't mean that Oliver is spared anything besides the very basis of his life. Right now, he's doing nothing but surviving. This is a broken man with no hope left...until Jocelyn arrives.

Jocelyn is part of a government team who comes in and excavates human remains so that they can be returned to their loved ones. This trip to Cambodia is especially important (to the point where she lied her way onto the team) because they are there to excavate her father's remains. This quickly goes astray and we learn the team was brought there on false pretenses so that the Trinity could get hold of Jocelyn. She's the key to translating her father's treasure maps even though she was 8 yo when he disappeared/died.

Like I said this book is really pretty harsh, but it was an interesting read about the human spirit. Jocelyn is a strong, positive person and she refuses to let Oliver give up, although he is already way past that point. In his eyes, every person during his captivity has died because he wasn't strong enough to save them. He's terrified of getting attached to Josie because he knows that will seal her death penalty. It's heartbreaking to see how torn down he truly is, but I loved Jocelyn's spirit and belief in him. She knows he's a good person and refuses to allow him to blame himself for all those deaths. Through her, he starts to find redemption and the man he used to be. It was a slow transformation and almost painful to read, but it was so worth it in the end. This is just really a good book.
Paperback Wow! Sometimes you pick up a book from a new author and you don’t know what to expect and you a pleasantly surprised how intriguing the story truly is.

This book was pretty dark since the beatings were to the point of brutal and the deaths sustained by Oliver’s co-workers were pretty gruesome, and even the antagonist’s stealing of children and using them to death in his sapphire mines was awful.

My pet peeve of breaking up the story with too many points of view was challenged in this story. We did spend time jumping from hero and heroine, and also the antagonist, his two cohorts, and one of his servants, but in this case it was important so that we understood from the beginning that there was dissention among the ranks which leads to certain members turning on the boss and helping our hero and heroine escape their imprisonment.

This was a really good story and a fast read with well written characters that you truly felt for their suffering.

Read more at EBookObsessed.com. Paperback I really liked Edge of Light. It had characters that I cared about and a very original storyline. I very quickly became caught up in the plight of Oliver Shaw and Jocelyn Hewitt. I thought that the story was interesting, and it kept my attention. I look forward to more by this author.

Trying to find the remains of her father, anthropologist Jocelyn Hewitt is imprisoned in Cambodia by a group of anarchists. She soon learns that she is not the only prisoner being held by her capturers. Oliver Shaw is a CIA operative who was imprisoned two years previously and has been held ever since. He was forced to watch the torture and executions of his teammates, and he feels overwhelming guilt over their suffering and deaths. As they begin to communicate between their cells, Jocelyn tries to persuade Oliver to try to help her escape. After what happened to his team, Oliver refuses to become involved in Jocelyn's escape plan. The time comes when he is unable to let her risk escape without at least providing a distraction, and the two are soon running together for their lives, becoming more important to one another every second.

I thought that this book was very different from most of the contemporary romances I have read as the hero and heroine were imprisoned during a large amount of the story. To me, that gave the story an overall dark feel and much intensity, but it worked for this book. I am glad that I read it. I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley.

Paperback