Audio Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

Posted January 17, 2025 by Lillian in Reviews / 4 Comments

Books of My Heart is hosting a year long read-along of Edge and the Innkeeper Chronicles by Ilona Andrews. COYER has adopted the read-along this year and is hosting chats for each book. You can see the schedule by clicking here. This is my first time reading Ilona Andrews, and I’ve heard great things. I’m excited to dive in. I’ll be posting reviews for each book the Friday before the chats. If you’d like to join us, find our group on Facebook here.

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Audio Review: On the Edge by Ilona AndrewsOn the Edge by Ilona Andrews
Narrator: Renée Raudman
Series: Edge #1
Published by Ace, Tantor Audio on 2009-08-28
Length: 338 pages
Length: 12 hours and 8 minutes
Listening Speed: 2.5x
Reviewing Audiobook, Kindle from Library
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2025 Audiobook Challenge, 2025 Beat the Backlist, 2025 Library Love

Step into a whole new world in the first Novel of the Edge from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Kate Daniels series.

The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is a fairy tale—and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny...

Rose Drayton thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn’t turn out the way she’d planned, and now she works an off-the-books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have Rose (and her power).

But when a flood of creatures hungry for magic invade the Edge, Declan and Rose must overcome their differences and work together to destroy them—or the beasts will devour the Edge and everyone in it...

On the Edge by Ilona Andrews is the first in a contemporary paranormal romance series called Edge. This book introduces us to Rose, Declan, and the worlds of the Broken, the Weird and the Edge which lies between them. Rose is living her day-to-day life, trying to eek out an existence for herself and her younger brothers when they encounter a man dressed as a warrior in the woods. Declan has traveled to win her hand, or so he says, and track down an evil that crossed the border of the Weird into the Broken. They have to work together to stop these creatures before all the magic of the Edge is leeched.

Rose Drayton is an interesting character. Her life isn’t easy. She works in the Broken barely making enough money to keep her brothers fed and the lights on. She keeps people at a distance after learning the hard way that trusting someone leads to hurt. Everything Rose does, she does with her family in mind. When Declan, a blueblood from the Weird, shows up, she’s at a loss of what to do, but she knows what she won’t be doing and that’s going with him.

I loved the side characters as much as I did Rose. Grandma, Georgie, and Jack are all fantastic. I loved seeing some of the story unfold from the boys’ perspectives. Declan was an enigma. Like Rose, I didn’t trust him, nor did I really like him until his interactions with her brothers. That softened me.

The world-building is what really made this story for me. I loved how the authors (husband and wife team under one pseudonym) created two parallel worlds, one with magic (the Weird) and one without (the Broken), and the Edge that lies between them. The Broken is actually the real world, what we live in, so it was neat to see that depicted through a character with magic. The plot was fast-moving and kept me engaged right to the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed On the Edge. It’s been a while since I read an urban fantasy/paranormal that I’ve enjoyed. This one was well written with interesting characters. I’m excited to dive into book two next. I highly recommend this one for fans of paranormal fantasy with just a touch of romance.

Audiobook Note: This is the first time I’ve listened to this narrator, and it will not be the last. She was great! I easily kept the characters straight and was engaged throughout the book. Highly recommend!

About Ilona Andrews

Author team Ilona Andrews

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

They have co-authored several bestselling series, including the #1 NYT bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels, rustic fantasy of the Edge, paranormal romance of Hidden Legacy, and Innkeeper Chronicles, which they post as a free weekly serial. For complete list of their books, fun extras, and Innkeeper installments, please visit their website at Ilona-andrews.com.

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Book Cover for "Bayou Moon" by Ilona Andrews

Join us for book two, Bayou Moon, on Feb. 21st.

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4 responses to “Audio Review: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews

  1. Excellent review! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I love everything Ilona Andrews. I think probably you will enjoy Innkeeper even more. George and Jack are my heart. I love them. I also didn’t trust Declan. I felt so much for Rose. She’s so smart and capable and so many difficulties. The world can be harsh as she learned. Thanks for joining us. Don’t forget to link up your review and enter the giveaways this week! I hope you’ll be able to do the chat sometimes.
    Anne- Books of My Heart recently posted…Read-along & #Giveaway: On the Edge by Ilona Andrews @ilonaandrews @ilonaandrews.bsky.social @reneeraudman @AceBooksPub @acebookspub.bsky.social @TantorAudio @tantoraudio.bsky.social #Read-along #GIVEAWAY @victoria7401.bsky.social

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