Elaine Levine

Definitely want to read the first book in the series as this one picks up right where the first left off. Felt a little clumsy in the beginning and to be honest I don't know if I really felt the chemistry between the two main characters Ty and Eden. Part of the story line involving Ty and past abuse is very dark, never felt sensationalized however, so be prepared for that.

Towards the end, the story really picked up. I was more invested in the overall arc of the continuing storyline of the show more team against the enemy Amir and the baddies of WKB than the relationship storyline of Ty and Eden. Looking forward to reading the next book as I'm a bit of a fangirl of Kit (Mandy from book one brother)and the continuing storyline of these bad ass men against Amir/WKB.

I have to mention to that at times I got the weird feeling/vibe of the author trying to make this group of men too much like the human equivalent of the vamp-men from the Black Dagger Brotherhood (a lot of "you feel me", must protect the small vulnerable women, and other little things).
Also not a fan of the incredible amount of times the author has her male leads refer to the Grown Adult women as "girls". Just seemed like to much to me and honestly at times demeaning and disrespectful to them. I get what she is going for- uber alphas wanting to protect their "claimed" mates but I personally didn't like the vibe.

Still would recommend as the overall suspense story arc is interesting and there seem to be many male leads in the wings waiting to get their story. show less

Light romance novels abound where the hero is an ex-military man and has a wounded past and the heroine seeks to cure him and to overcome some problem of her own. I like these books well enough, whilst being aware of their shortcomings and formulaic nature - see Cindy Gerard, Maya Banks, etc. all of which are favourites of mine.

I was impressed by this novel because it addressed some of the issues that are often overlooked in this sort of book in order to get on with the romance. Rocco is show more destroyed by his experiences in Afghanistan and has severe mental health problems as a result. The author doesn't dismiss these issues easily or assume that the love of a good woman makes someone "normal" instantly. The book examines Rocco's issues and the effect that they have on his life in some detail as part of the story. This added a depth of writing to this romance which is not always present in this type of novel.

The plot is standard enough, threats to Mandy's livelihood cause her brother to ask Rocco to protect her whilst he tries to recover his memory and heal from his experiences. Eventually a number of Rocco's ex-colleagues in the services arrive to assist and a conspiracy is discovered. The book introduces a number of characters and leaves each of them in an interesting situation at the end of the novel.

This is a good read if you like this sort of novel (which I do). It is satisfying to read about more realistic people than usual in the genre. There is one cheesy bit near the end about Rocco's past life which I thought was tying up loose ends just a little too far and, as a British reader, I found the adoration of the American military a little too much to take but they were not major issues. Having immersed myself in this story I was looking forward to the obvious sequels as each main character has an issue to be resolved (one is a literal cliffhanger) but i was disappointed to discover that there were no more novels in this series available yet. I would certainly pay full price for a sequel. show less

Holy cow! I love a good romantic suspense and Not My Shadow is an engaging original mystery with a heartbreaking and terrifying theme.

Nash and Annie couldn’t be more different, but they have one thing in common. Revenge. I admire Annie’s bravery to come back to the scene of the crime and face her demons and Nash’s steady presence, confidence, and maturity is refreshing.

Ms. Levine’s writing is powerful and her characters are complex and resilient. The suspense is intense and the pain show more and suffering shown throughout the book is tragic and unforgettable.

I highly recommend this action-packed romantic suspense. Pick up this book, it won’t disappoint. show less

https://heavenhandmades.wordpress.com/2023/01/04/bookreview-shattered-valor-red-...

When these guys fall – they fall!

At first, watching this book progress, I wasn’t sure how I felt. Like, they just know. It’s such an odd thing. I wish we loved like that in real life (and maybe some people do – good on them).

The beginning of the book we see Ty rescuing himself from the unfortunate events of the last book.

And just running into Eden 🙂

Ty overcomes some serious things. And it’s great show more the way the author shows how his team supports him through these events. True friends are rare and Ms. Levine does a great job of showing the friendships and bonds each one of her characters have.

Again, loved the story development.

Steam Level:

3 out of 5

One thing I loved:

Quote: “…love isn’t a mood that comes and goes. It’s a truth. It’s something that exists or it doesn’t.

One thing I disliked:

As with the previous book – there’s nothing not to love about this series.

Rating:

5 out of 5 show less