Life on the Edge Blog Tour - Review
Welcome to the Life on the Edge Blog Tour, hosted by Vanessa of New Adult Tours!
Life on the Edge is a sweet and sporty New Adult Romance by Jennifer Comeaux.
Synopsis: Nineteen-year-old Emily is new to pairs skating, but she and her partner Chris have a big dream–to be the first American team to win Olympic gold. Their young coach Sergei, who left Russia after a mysterious end to his skating career, believes they can break through and make history.
Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily's dreams of gold.
Emily and Chris are on track to be top contenders at the 2002 Winter Games. But when forbidden feelings spark between Emily and Sergei, broken trust and an unexpected enemy threaten to derail Emily's dreams of gold.
As someone who waited for marriage, it’s nice to find a character who makes that kind of decision and is determined to hold to it, but it did strip sexual tension from the work because the main character wasn’t shown to struggle with sexual desire. Having even a teensy bit of lust, without the aid of alcohol, could’ve infused another layer into the conflict, but after Em mentioned it to Sergie, every kiss thereafter lacked sizzle.
It’s evident Ms. Comeaux is passionate and knowledgeable about figure skating. Details that could have been vapid in the hands of another writer, ring true and vivid and provide one of the best aspects of the book. I liked the hills and valleys in the love story. As I said, I like forbidden romance stories, but the characters felt undeveloped and bland to me. I suspect, in reality, a figure skater would think methodically, but it doesn’t make for a compelling MC who also lacks a sense of humor and a voicy voice. She’s very milktoast and just doesn’t have much personality or tangible reactions or emotions that you can cling to and feel. We should be on pins and needles with her as she waits for performance scores and be tingly with each forbidden kiss, and that just doesn’t happen. Sergei, even more so, is almost a ghost beneath his coach jacket, but he does show a lot of sweetness towards the end. Where’s the man? The real man? Chris, Em’s partner, also, no pizazz or major conflict there. This novel could have benefited from some cutesy, funny moments between Em and Sergei that showed more of their personalities and their connection beyond a passion for skating.
I did like that this was a different type of New Adult novel than what's hot right now. It had sweetness and tension from the basic conflict and past mistakes that come to the surface. So many New Adult romances out there are wrapped in anguish with explicit content at the center, so if you’re looking for a cleaner, lighter read or something different with a sport attached, definitely check this out. This book is content-appropriate for Young Adult readers as well.
I received this book free for the tour, but that did not factor into my review.
My Rating: 4 Stilettos
Author Bio: Jennifer Comeaux earned a Master of Accounting from Tulane University and is a Certified Public Accountant in south Louisiana. While working in the corporate world, she sought a creative outlet and decided to put on paper a story that had played in her head for years. That story became Life on the Edge, her first published novel.
When not working or writing, she is an avid follower of the sport of figure skating, travelling to competitions around the country. Those experiences allow her to see another side of the sport and serve as an inspiration for her writing.
Find Jennifer on Facebook and Goodreads
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