Jagged Edge

By: Jo Raven

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Iggy Toma

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

I don’t want Jason Vega. Not at all. It’s the worst idea ever. Ah, hell...

Jason is handsome. Smart. Dangerous. Hot. He’s goddamn gorgeous - but he’s also sleeping on the street, hanging out with the local biker gang, and selling his body for a living.

Our lives, our paths, couldn’t be further apart. I’m crawling toward the light while he’s falling into the dark.

But it doesn’t matter how different we are or what logic dictates.

I really shouldn’t want Jason Vega - but I just can’t stop.

He’s under my skin and sinking deeper....

Trigger warning: violence and sexual abuse. This is a M/M (gay) romance that tells the story of Jason and Raine, who appeared in the Damage Control series. It is super hot and angsty and violent but with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

©2017 Jo Raven; 2018 Podium Publishing (P)2018 Podium Publishing

Emotionally charged

Great story, leaves you feeling every emotion available. Makes you hope that everyone has someone to love them unconditionally.

Loved it

Loved it. Great story left me wanting more. Also one of the best, favorite narators

Dessert for my ears...

I loved this book as the writing was interesting and not a canned repeat like romance novels can tend to be. I actually bought this because I absolutely adore Iggy Toma's voice and I'm a total sucker for it. I previously listened to Teddy Hamilton in another series and enjoyed his voice as well. But together? I enjoyed it so much that it kept me awake. I just wanted to hear their voices and discover how they chose to portray the characters. Absolutely worth the time to listen to and I'll certainly listen to it again soon. ♥️

Overly wordy, incredibly slow

Transparency statement - I only bought this book because of the narrators. During the last big Audible sale, I focused on narrators I enjoy, and for that alone, the book was worth it. Both Toma and Hamilton deliver as expected. Too bad the author didn't. I haven't read any other titles by this author, and TBH, if this title is any indication, I won't seek out another. I've told people that I could probably listen to these two read the phone book and be ok with it. At times during this book, I would have likely preferred the phone book.

The author uses the alternating voices format which, when done very well is enjoyable. When you have an author who writes like she is paid by word, you might be in trouble. I am all for a slow burn, I am all for dark plot. However, plodding is not acceptable. Raven starts with all the tropes - abandoned children, and also foster children, internalized anger, misplaced rage, tattoos, Mexican gangs and prostitutes with hearts of gold. In the world of fast fiction, like fast fashion, there aren't many original ideas - it all rests on the execution. This book might be part of a series - I don't know and I don't care. there are so many side characters. Rather than focusing on a smaller world for Rain and Jason to inhabit, Raven throws as many people in as she can. Rather than build on a specific plot, all kinds of nonsense is going on. This story could have focused solely on Jason "pimp" or Rain's father, or developed how they were connected. Instead the author waives a magic wand and generic terms like mob or cartel are expected to suffice. There is a very undeveloped "club" where bad things happen, but we don't know much about it. What is even worse is the painfully slow and unnecessarily drawn out love story. Every chapter is one of the guys second guessing and lashing out at the other tothe point that it was laughable.

Let's be clear, it didn't have to be this way. There are some clever elements that show that Raven is more than capable of delivering the goods. The fact that Jason has all but given up on his own sexual fulfillment was a smart twist. I realized when the exact same games were still going on after 6 hours(!) of listening that I was in trouble. The areas where the story didn't come together overshadowed much of the plot. We never fully understand Rain's parents motivations or what they are up to when they return - they could have been a much more insidious presence rather than a just a couple of small scenes. Same for Jason's pimp. I won't reveal the big reveal - but it still didn't answer the questions of why he was able to control Jason as he did. Then there are things like Jason sleeping in alleys and never eating, the beating and abuse - yet still commanding pretty high prices for his services. I suspect that if he was really caked in blood and vomit, he wasn't getting any work, let alone $40-$100 range for his services.

As often is the case, I do not believe for minute there was an editor, and anyone who says they were the editor was only looking for typos, not contest. A good editor would have slashed a 200 pages and a dozen characters. As this was a title I purchased for under $4, I am only feeling about $3 overcharged. I would not recommend.

Great story.

I loved the story. It kept me interested and wanting to know what happened next. But the narration was hard to follow the voices at times. Also. The voice of Jason seemed older than it should have. But that could just be my idea.

4.5 stars

This was every bit of MM goodness that I wanted and expected it to be. Jo Raven is a new to me author, and I loved her writing! There were a ton of side-characters with their own books, but it didn't bug be anything as it usually does. Jason and Rain were brought brought life with both their back stories, and by the narration of the audiobook. I was rooting for them from the get-go, and live to see how it all came together for them. I'm excited to read more by this author.

Jagged Edge

This is a stand-alone spin off book from the Damage Control series. Rain and Jason both have had rough lives growing up. Rain luckily had his brother Ocean to help him out. Jason was not so lucky. Jason was living on the streets as a prostitute. When Simon came into town and started controlling the streets things got worse. Jason worked himself into the ground just to pay for all of his friends to get off the streets and start new lives. Rain and Ocean were finally able to put a stop to Simon’s rule and get Jason and his friends off the streets for good. This is a dark MM romance. It may contain triggers for some. I am now going to go and check out the Damage Control series. Teddy Hamilton and Iggy Toma did a fantastic job narrating this book.

loved it!

I love me some Teddy, so that is the initial reason I started this book. Overall I loved it. My biggest criticism was that the story got a little repetitive in the middle, but the ending (although a little rushed) is worth it!

🧡💛💚💙🤎🤍🖤❤

The first time i listened to this story I fell asleep a couple times. not because it's a bad story, but because I was tired the second time I listen to it. I raved with love for the characters their story their growth, it's amazing!

Awesome story.

I love this book. It is one that I have listened to many, many times. It's a love story, with a happily ever after. Rain works really hard to get Jason and to convince him that they can be together. The narration is wonderful and they are definitely 2 of my favorite.