Review: On the Edge by Annabeth Albert (Mount Hope #3)

Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

On the Edge is the third book in Annabeth Albert's Mount Hope series, and in this hurt/comfort, age gap romance, we have Jonas (whose last name escapes me, but I'm also not sure if it was ever actually mentioned in any of the books), a forty-something nurse practitioner who's life's work is all about take care of others, and Declan Murphy, a twenty-something motocross superstar who suffers major injuries after an accident during a championship race. Oh, and Declan just happens to be the son of one of Jonas's closest friends, firefighter Sean Murphy (Up All Night, book one in the Mount Hope series). Jonas is there for both Sean and Declan, and when the decision is made for the latter to stay in Mount Hope during his recovery and rehabilitation, he ends up staying in the same house as Jonas, Jonas's dog, Oz, and the family of another of Jonas and Sean's best friends. Falling for each other is complicated, but Declan is tired of pretending a part of who he is doesn't exist. But being part of a sport that isn't necessarily welcoming of queer people has always had Declan on edge, and Jonas's own decades-long friendship with Declan's father could be at risk. Can they afford the consequences if they cross the line?

I wasn't necessarily wary about Annabeth Albert taking on a story that involved a twenty-year age gap and one of the main characters being the son of the other main character's best friend. I've read enough of this author's books to know that she knows what she's doing. She repaid that trust by offering up a strong romance that was a teeny bit more sweet than it was steamy. In short, it had a great deal of heart and just enough heat, and you won't hear me complaining because it simply worked well when it came to Jonas and Declan. Jonas simply wants a partner to love and care for, while Declan has spent too many years with his internalized homophobia, no thanks to something that happened early on in his motocross career. These two deserved a win, and you know what they say, love always--ALWAYS--wins. I loved seeing them build a relationship based on communication, trust, affection, and attraction. I also appreciated that the perceived complications, i.e. Declan's career and Jonas and Sean's friendship, weren't over-dramatized. All in all, On the Edge was a heartwarming and very satisfying read. 4.5 stars!

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Read my reviews for the Mount Hope series:

Up All Night (book one) - four stars - My Review

Off the Clock (book two) - four stars - My Review

On the Edge (book three) - 4.5 stars - My Review (posted above)

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Release Date: 17 October 2024

Date Read: 16 October 2024

Learn more about Annabeth Albert.

Purchase On the Edge on Amazon.