Edge is a romance between an experienced Dom and a woman who is as vanilla as they come. It is the very definition of a slow-burn romance, and one that progresses quite naturally from social media, to text messages, to phone calls, to dinner dates, to . . . well, so much more. Normally, I am not a fan of stories that are so heavy on conversation transcripts, but here that narrative style really works, largely because Lennox intersperses those exchanges with the characters' thoughts, revealing hidden subtexts and teasing the next stage of their relationship.
As for the BDSM aspect, this may very well be one of the best novice explorations I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Xander carefully chooses how and when to reveal his lifestyle to Charlie, and is understanding when she is initially shocked and resistant. There is no pressure there, and her hesitation does not derail their relationship. Instead, it leads to a discussion about the lifestyle, and a slow process of vetting, which is marked by tasks, questions, and long-distance punishments. Through it all Lennox does a wonderful job of capturing Charlie's excitement, her fears, her desires, and her concerns, allowing us to believe in her transformation into a woman who craves the collar.
Largely non-sexual, Edge is still exceptionally erotic, and it makes for a fantastic exploration of submissive sexuality. While I suspect there are whips and chains in their future, this period of vetting is all about verbal commands, simple tasks, the denial of coffee as punishment, and the use of masturbatory edging to increase the need for Xander's touch. This is a story about a lifestyle, about a deeper relationship that involves being owned and care for, not about one-off games or dungeon fantasies. I have never walked away from a book that I so genuinely felt I could live, right now, right here, without altering anything about my life, and that is the best kind of romantic fantasy . . . the one we can dream of attaining.
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