17 July 2014

Temptation in Shadows by Gena Showalter

Every day he puts his life on the line, what will happen when it's his heart in jeopardy?
Tall, lean, muscular—and definitely rough around the edges—Sean Walker is not your typical nightclub bodyguard. He's a controller of shadows, able to wield darkness at will. But when a mysterious woman at the club turns out to have powers greater than his own, he has no choice but seduction...
Originally released as part of THE BODYGUARD anthology, fall under the spell of Gena Showalter's paranormal romantic suspense novella "Temptation in Shadows," now an exclusive standalone e-novella!

I have yet to read a Gena Showalter book that I am disappointed with.  She is simply one of the best authors of the paranormal romance genre, and her stories are always sexy, smart and completely engrossing.
This is a short story that was part of a larger anthology.  Sean is a bouncer, but not just any kind of bouncer.  He has special abilities that allow him to control shadows, and works undercover for an agency that is not officially sanctioned by any government.  Gabby has escaped a terrible fate as a lab rat.  She had been abducted by a scientist that tested her abilities, abilities that I will mention are very fascinating.  But now she is on the run.  She doesn’t know who to trust, and when Sean enters the picture, she obviously wary.  But together, they attempt to not only free Gabby from the danger pursuing her, but also find that their attraction is undeniable.  Can Sean keep Gabby safe, both her body and her mind?
For a short story this one packs a punch.  It immediately begins with action and doesn’t really let up the whole time.  It’s an exciting read.  I think part of what makes Gena Showalter such a good PNR author is that her books seem like they could take place in the real world.  Even with special abilities, her protagonists do not seem manufactured or too far out there to be unbelievable.  They may be different from normal people, but still operate on the same emotional wavelength as any other romance.  I really like that about her.
Also, it can’t be denied that her alphas are some of the best.  Sean, for example, has some awesome alpha tendencies.  It also doesn’t hurt that he’s hot as hell. All I’m saying is, I wouldn’t kick him out of bed for eating crackers unless he was better on the floor.
Overall, I thought this was an excellent story.  It is not very long but covers all the bases I need in order to walk away satisfied.  4.5 stars!  

That was a quick and thoroughly entertaining read. As a child, Gabby was abducted and experimented on by a scientist convinced he could turn the human brain into a computer. In Gabby's case he was extremely successful and she is able to download files from computers, tablets, smartphones, etc. without touching them. Because of her abduction and her ability, she trusts no one and is constantly on the move to avoid detection and capture. To say hers is a lonely existence would be putting it mildly. While she longs to be able to trust and form connections, she knows she can't and has never been tempted until Sean.

As cool as Gabby's ability is, I found Sean's completely fascinating and I don't know that I have ever encountered it in my reading. Sean can harness and control shadows; not blend into the shadows, but actually call them to him and have them surround him and whatever else he chooses (including the vehicle he is driving). But with his ability comes darkness that slowly suffocates those around him, so he doesn't form many attachments, especially romantic ones. And just like Gabby, he has learned to deal with his lonely existence and avoid making connections with women, until Gabby. The draw between the two is intense and when they finally give in, it makes for a spectacular sex scene - in the shower (my favorite).

Temptation in Shadows is an action-packed thrill ride that is part romantic suspense and part paranormal romance that has just the right amount of sexual tension. It kept me engaged from beginning to end and I can only hope that there are more books planned for this series; seriously, Rowan deserves to have his story told and can only imagine how entertaining it would be. I will definitely be checking out Ms. Showalter's other books.

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