Seduce Mе In Shadow
Whеn a villainous wizard escapes frοm exile, thе devastatingly sexy Doomsday Brethren mυѕt defend аll magickind іn thе spellbinding second book іn bestselling author Shayla Black’s seductive nеw clairvoyant series.
Ex-marine Caden MacTavish hаѕ shunned hіѕ magical heritage аll hіѕ life, bυt hе wіll dο anything tο heal hіѕ desperately ill brother, a Doomsday Brethren warrior іn mourning fοr hіѕ gone mate. Posing аѕ a photographer, Caden mυѕt convince firecracker tabloid reporter Sydney Blair tο expose thе source οf hеr recent exposé οn a supernatural power clash. Unfortunately, keeping hіѕ hands οff thе sizzling redhead proves аѕ hard аѕ getting thеm onto thе potent аnd mystical Doomsday Diary hе discovers аt hеr bedside. A bloody rebellion led bу аn evil, power-hungry wizard іѕ imminent. If Sydney divulges thе book’s existence, ѕhе wіll jeopardize magickind’s mοѕt deeply guarded secrets аnd become thе ruthless wizard’s number one target. Caden hаѕ never trusted magic’s cruel аnd реrіlουѕ powers, bυt hе wіll protect Sydney wіth hіѕ life аnd magic — even іf іt means risking hіѕ heart.
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(out οf 17 reviews)
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Assess by Bookaholics Reviewer for Seduce Me In Shadow
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Seduce Me In Shadow (The Doomsday Brethren, Book 2) by Shayla Black
Clairvoyant Romance- Sept. 29th, 2009
4 ½ stars
Seduce Me In Shadow is the 2nd book in the bold new series of the Doomsday Brethren, but it can be easily read by itself. Let me start by saying this is a fantastic series that you DO NOT want to MISS!! I reckon the best part of this series is that it also includes several side tales that include an incredible cast that are captivating to read. I can only hope this author plans to continue her series past 3 books!! But although this is a complicated series, Seduce Me in Shadow can really be read easily by itself. (Although I would highly urge reading Tempt Me with Darkness first to make the experience more satisfying.)
In Seduce Me In Shadows we meet Caden and Sydney.
Caden has despised magic ever since he was young and in rebellion left to America. But now he’s back in England on a mission to save his brother Lucan. Lucan is part of a powerful and elite group of magical men called the Doomsday Brethren with a mission to save the world. Lucan’s mate is a witch who was kidnapped violently. Without her to stabilize him, Lucan is at a snail’s pace going insane. Despondent and desperate Caden finally catches a break when he discovers a tabloid that is printing tales exposing the Doomsday Brethren and their magical world to humans. He wonders if the informant is a lead to Lucan’s mate, Anka. Either way Caden knows he must investigate if only to conquer the perilous leak from diffusion. To infiltrate the tabloid he poses as a photographer. But he doesn’t regard on being attracted to Sydney Blair, the reporter and main lead to Anka. Even as Caden tries to sell something to someone Sydney to tell him her source she befuddles his mind and shatters his already shaky control. Something he doesn’t need as he realizes he is undergoing the traumatic change into a wizard. (The same transformation where all wizards also undergo a frenzied sexual marathon!)
Sydney Blair knows she is onto a powerful tale. And the tempting and sexy Caden doesn’t fool her. She knows he is after her source but she isn’t about to jeopardize her informant and negotiate her budding career. But magical and mysterious things occur when she is around Caden and soon she finds her fantastic tale might be not only be right but that knowing the truth may lead to her death.
Who are the real allies? The plot twists and turns as new and unexpected revelations unfold. Shayla Black is not worried to go against habitual stereotypes in her tale line which makes it: grittier, real and very compelling. We see the darker side of our heroes and what their vulnerabilities can make them do. I also loved the clever interplay between all the font. I especially loved the section where Caden is trying to seduce Sydney without really seducing her to find her informant. In this scene, Sydney tries to drive Caden crazy and lose his cool control. Go, Sydney!
Shayla Black is an extremely strong writer, while writing secondary font most authors often loose the intensity and focus of the tale. But in this case the secondary font drove the tale enriching it to even privileged levels of tension. I really felt the font had known each other for a long time and had an intricate history that I sought after to unravel. In fact, I found I loved the complex cast of secondary font even more fascinating than the main ones! I am above all interested in Bram and his mysterious mate who disappeared and is at a snail’s pace driving him insane. The incredible like triangle between: Shock , Lucan and Anka. And the unrelieved sexual tension between Sabelle and Ice. I felt deeply attached to her font even the villains. Shalya Black leaves tantalizing glimpses that kept me in tasty suspense as I keenly await her next installment!
Shayla Black’s combination of intricate storytelling adds to the drama and tension of this dazzling series. And will make you long for the next book as soon as you end the prior one. I cannot stress how incredible this book is, so do not miss it!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Assess by Patricia Rouse for Seduce Me In Shadow
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Devastatingly sexy magic is back huge time in Book #2, SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW, of Shayla Black’s Doomsday Brethren series for Sack (Oct. 2009) In the second gripping installment,
ex-Marine, Caden MacTavish has renounced his English family’s magic and is living far away in Dallas, Texas. But, Caden is forced to return to England because his older brother, Lucan is crazed with mate mourning from losing his beloved, Anka to the evil wizard, Mathias, the immortal Brethren’s sworn enemy. Caden just can’t lose another brother and agrees to go undercover as a photographer for clairvoyant tabloid, Out Of This Realm, whose latest scoop on the battle brewing between magickind could ruin the Doomsday Brethren. When Caden arrives at the newspaper’s headquarters, he is instantly taken with the go-getting, red-haired reporter, Sydney Blair, who has just received an unusual ancient book for a birthday present from a co-worker. A book Caden recognizes as the powerful Doomsday Diary that head wizard, Bram Rion has reported gone from his home and holds the key to all of magickind! At first, Caden is all affair, selection Sydney with her analytical reporting even though he also desperately wants her in his bed. Sydney has never had much luck with men and doesn’t reckon the super sexy Caden is interested in her. But, one night she decides to make a wish on the Doomsday Diary for Caden to desire her. Be precise what you wish for because after these two make passionate like, Sydney discovers Caden’s real motives for selection her with her latest tale and believes he is just using her. It will take some mighty powerful convincing by Caden to sell something to someone Sydney he might have started their relationship to help his brother and the Doomsday Brethren but now he has fallen in like with her. Caden is also fighting his upcoming magical powers but when Sydney finds out, she wants him to stay in England and use them to help the Doomsday Brethren win the war against Mathias’ minions, the Anarki. Shayla Black has another winner on her hands with SEDUCE ME IN SHADOWS as she seduces readers with her sexy Doomsday Brethren and the women that are destined to be their mates. Readers will be breathlessly waiting for the magic to continue in Book #3, POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT (Nov. 2009) featuring hardened wizard, Ice Rykard and witch princess, Sabelle Rion.
Assess by Harriet Klausner for Seduce Me In Shadow
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Caden MacTavish fled his English home and his magic heritage to live in Texas. But, the only reason he would return home is for his brother Lucan, who is in deep distress. Rumor has it that his sibling mourns the loss of his beloved Anka taken by the Brethen’s enemy Mathias the wizard.
Wizard chief Bram Rion directs Caden to learn anyway he can what nosy tabloid reporter Sydney Blair of Out of This World knows about the magical species. He assumes very small, but Caden is stunned when he observes Sydney receive as a “gift” the stolen Doomsday Diary that used by the incorrect people like Mathias will ruin the Brethren. Caden knows he must retrieve the diary, but also believes the current owner is his probable soul mate.
The latest Doomsday Brethren romantic urban fantasy (see TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS) is a fantastic access due to Caden’s quandary; handled deftly by Shayla Black. He understands the mission, but also wonders what will happen to any potential relationship with his mate when he steals the tome because he will do his job as the alternative is worse. Either way he feels personally doomed. With a strong female lead, a despondent brother, a bossy head wizard and a diabolical villain to around out Caden’s feeling of hopelessness, fans will relish this strong thriller as the prodigal wizard returns home to face danger from without, from within and mostly from his soulmate.
Harriet Klausner
Assess by J. D. Witt for Seduce Me In Shadow
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Caden MacTavish despises magic and all things magical because his two year ancient brother was killed by magic gone awry. He left England at eighteen, went to Texas to become a photographer and forget that one day he will transition into a wizard. He is brought home abruptly when his other brother collapses in mate mourning and is about to die. Plus there is an evil wizard, Mathias, who is raping and killing and generally inducing mayhem among magickind in a bid for ultimate power. His latest battle left corpses behind that Sydney Blair has photographic evidence of and is ready to publish a tale in the tabloid she works for. A tale that will prove that magic truly exists and hopefully win her a Pulitzer and the approval of her parents. Sounds fascinating? It should be. It must to be. But it isn’t. It was just… dull.
Worst of all, the font are flat, one-dimensional, and irritating. The tale never comes alive because the font aren’t plain and real. Or even agreeable. Caden knows that Sydney is his mate but he not only doesn’t want a mate, he doesn’t want to be drug into any part of the magic kingdom. And who can blame him? In Black’s world a wizard and witch mate and if they lose their mate they can’t function at all. They must have sex with each other to get energy. Without it they die. So Caden runs around dithering all the time because he is transitioning so needs to have lots of sex with Sydney but he can’t kiss her or agony mate with her but he wants to kiss her but he can’t, but he really really wants to…..Yes, it’s just that irritating. And so is he. He comes off as weak, fearful, and pathetic.
Sydney is even worse. She is the sovereign of Too Stupid To Live. Everyone keeps telling her that she is in danger but all she cares about is getting the tale so she can be a huge success. Even after she finds out that magic is real and is told that nothing she has seen can be revealed to the human world or she puts all magickind in jeopardy she doesn’t care. She just wants the tale and that Pulitzer no matter what. She bulls her way into one danger after another because she refuses to listen to anyone. About anything. I found myself wishing someone would kill her because she really deserved it.
There was a lot of wand waving and teleporting and battles that no one really won. There was a magic book that you could write your sexual fantasy in and it would come right in a couple of days. Unfortunately the terrible guy wants to write the end of the world in it but that’s another tale. This should have been a excellent book. It wasn’t. Included was a chapter of the next book in the series. I won’t be reading it.
Assess by Ashlyn for Seduce Me In Shadow
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I bought the book based on the reviews and the blurb on the back, and boy was it a mistake. The tale is way too hard to follow with how the author changes the POV often and how dreadful the writing really is. You cant stay involved in the book, the world the author made is too unbelievable and dull.
Assess by Mary K. Baxley for To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars, Book 3)
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I’m not really sure how I feel about this book. I’ve read the other two and liked them well enough, although the 2nd book was my favorite of the two. My problem is that I like the heros, but don’t care much for the heroines, and Lily is the worse of them all. I’m sorry, but I don’t like her at all. In fact, I don’t reckon I can end the book. She is so out of reputation for the Regency period that it isn’t even amusing. No woman in her right mind would agree to become the mistress of a nobleman when he is beseeching her to be his wife. I’m sorry, but the life of a mistress in the 19th century was very bleak…it still is in the 21st century. Men always have and still do use women and throw them away like Christmas gibberish.
Also, I felt this book was a revise of the last two books. It’s the same plot re-written for the third time. I suppose that’s what I am having the most problem with. All three noblemen speak the same, calling their ladies the same endearments such as sweeting. Now I like the term, but it’s excellent only one time. Each of the three male font should have been developed to be distinct.
Also, when reading this trilogy I had the feeling I was reading a mix of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. Even some of Jane’s well-known phrases were used, and that’s ok. They were ordinary terms for that time period, but the rest of the book seems more like a present cut set in the early 19th century.
All in all, the trilogy is a instant read, has excellent like scenes, except they resemble each other from book to book, especially the taking of the heroine’s virginity, and you will like the hero very much. It is because of the hero that this book gets 3 stars. I really liked them. If my assess were based on the heroine, it would have been only one.
Assess by K. Hinton for To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars, Book 3)
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Lily Loring is the youngest of the three Loring sisters, a trio whose family was on the brink of ruin before the girls saved themselves by opening a school to teach young women etiquette. Lily is the most decidedly tomboyish of the three sisters. She prefers riding horses and dreaming of world travel to tea parties and balls. She is also the sister who is the most against marriage. Lily remembers her parents’ union as an despondent one, and has vowed that she will not be shackled to any man. So when she is pursued by the best friend of her former guardian, Lily determinedly puts him off–even going so far as to take up residence with her excellent friend Fanny Irwin, a notorious Cyprian.
Heath Griffin, Marquess of Claybourne, is known as a rake and a seducer among the ladies of the ton. Heath’s reputation as a lover of women precedes him, and he never thought that he would voluntarily sit down before he met Lily. He finds himself captivated by her independent nature, sharp tongue, and instant wit. Heath quickly decides he’d like to court Lily, only to learn that she’s gone into hiding to avoid his attention. When he finds her, Heath decides to court the lady–willing or no–and make her his bride.
To Seduce a Bride is the third book in Nicole Jordan’s Courtship Wars series, subsequent To Pleasure a Lady (Courtship Wars, Book 1) and To Bed a Beauty (Courtship Wars, Book 2). It is also by far the worst book in the series. Lily is an exasperating heroine, and while I wouldn’t go as far as labeling her too stupid to live, she was most beyond doubt too exasperating to delight in. From the very beginning she was against marriage. I can know that. In the Regency era, marriage was the equivalent to signing your life away for a woman, and I can know her lacking the choice to be her own. But after Heath proved himself countless times, risked his neck for her, helped her friends, and did anything she questioned of him, and she still refused to believe that he could be in like with her I nearly wished that she were real so that I could slap some sense into her. From the beginning of this series Lily has been set up as the most independent Loring sister, the one who lamented the loss of her sisters and vowed never to marry herself. So I can respect the fact that she remained consistent. But I can’t respect the fact that she sought after to have her cake and eat it too while leaving this gallant, chivalrous suitor with what amounted to a few crumbs of her leftovers. I didn’t like her and because of that it was like pulling teeth to make myself end this book.
The Courtship Wars series was, until this point, okay. The other two books were excellent, not fantastic, but they were satisfying enough as a whole. This book place me in a terrible mood with its infuriating heroine and I reckon I might have to read some ancient school Julie Garwood or Johanna Lindsey to pull myself out of the funk that I’m in. Take my information and steer clear of this last book in the series, which does more to hurt the trilogy than to help it.
Assess by Misuzmama for To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars, Book 3)
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Well after an exhaustive pursuit, Heath, Marquess of Clayborne, did capture his bride in the end, but I reckon he should have thrown her back!
The third book in the courtship war series pairs up the youngest Loring sister Lily (an anti-marriage minded & free spirited independent) with the charming & lovable Heath.
Although well written, I had several problems with this book. First the unbelievable; I can ALMOST accept the fact that Lily is so dead set against marriage due to her parents disastrous union. Obviously she has some deep seeded scars. So what would it take to convince her (or any woman skeptical for that matter) to wed? Seeing her two sisters find right like and happiness? CHECK. Have a handsome & rich man pursue you with honorable intentions? CHECK. Being extremely attracted to said man? CHECK. Have said man declare he likes you and finds you extremely attractive? CHECK. Be in like with or as close as you have been to said man? CHECK. Have said man declare that he would be faithful? CHECK. And, AND have said man declare that you wants you just the way you are? CHECK. Oh, and he has a title to boot! CHECK. Well, thats just not excellent enough for Lily! Because the crazy woman still says no.
I really loved Heath and admired him for his unrelenting pursuit and putting up with Lily. And its only because of him that I gave the book three stars. Lily, on the other hand, rather quickly becomes annoying and childish. Frankly, if I were Heath, I would have thrown in the towel long ago. If for anything, then for pride’s sake. The man had to practically grovel. And while its nice to see an hard/aggressive hero grovel after some heinous treatment of the heroine, its depressing to see a NICE hero do the same for no apparent reason.
And once *AGAIN* another author seems to take historical conventions and throw them out the window! I’m sorry but if your family is trying to REBUILD their reputation then you DO NOT go to stay at courtesan’s house. You DO NOT give etiquette lessons to prostitutes. You DO NOT attend a masked ball designed for these women to find protectors. And if you were found out? You would be ruined and your family tainted. The end!
So, though I really loved Heath and the writing is pretty excellent, I can’t urge this book. The heroine is too irritating and the believability is beyond what I can accept for this time period. I would urge the second book in the series instead. Both the H/H are lovable and plot is more plausible.
Assess by L for To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars, Book 3)
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This is the third book in the Courtship Wars trilogy and tells the tale of the youngest Loring sister, Lilian Loring. You don’t have to read the first two books, To Pleasure A Lady and To Bed A Beauty, to read this book but I urge reading those as well as they are excellent regency romance books to read.
Lily Loring is the more impetuous, daring, and tomboyish sister in direct contrast to her tall, elegant sisters Arabella and Roslyn and decides that marriage isn’t for her. She wants to be an independent woman, and now that her former guardian Marcus has relinquished control over her and given her an income she wants to live life the way she wants.
While at Arabella’s wedding ball she meets Heath Griffin, the Marquess of Claybourne, and instantly they feel a mutual attraction for each other. Lily is wary of her feelings as she doesn’t trust men in all-purpose, witnessing her father’s infidelities against her mother and seeing how much pain it place her, and the family, through. She doesn’t know how Heath could be attracted to her as she is adamant in her refusal of him despite her own attraction for him. This doesn’t deter Heath as he finds she is a challenge and is different than any other woman he’s met and he is intrigued by her bold and candid ways, very different from the rest of the aristocratic ladies of the ton. In desperation, Lily flees her former guardian’s country estate for London and takes refuge in a inn for courtesans, but the Marquess of Claybourne follows her.
I found this book refreshing and a light romance. I liked how the hero sought after and pursued the heroine from the very start. He doesn’t have a dread of stanchness, and although he was something of a rake before he met Lily, his realization that she’s different and he may want more from her doesn’t scare or frustrate him. He’s not too much of an alpha hero, although he is strong and doesn’t back down. Not to mention he is determined in his pursuit of Lily, yet he is always honorable to her. He makes it unadorned from the start he is not trying to ruin her reputation, but he wants to do it the “right” way and court her to get to know her surpass to see if they could be compatible for marriage.
It was a relief to read a hero that wasn’t feeling forced and prodded to accept the heroine. In this book, the hero has to try to woo the heroine and make her want him. The heroine is the one that doesn’t want a stanchness with the hero. There were a few times where I grew frustrated with Lily and thought to myself, “Girl, just give in!”, but it was amusing to read the banter between Lily and Heath and to see how futile her attempts at resisting her attraction to him were. I especially loved the small “game” they chose to play, a small competition that Lily allowed in which Heath was given opportunity to use his charm to win her over to him.
A very entertaining regency romance book!
Assess by Nola K. Johnsen for To Seduce a Bride (Courtship Wars, Book 3)
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I looked forward to this book because I liked Heath from the first two books in the series. HOWEVER, Lilian was so irrational and harsh, it really ruined the tale. While she may have had some legitimate concerns about not lacking to spend her life trapped in a marriage like her parents had, she came across as hateful, spiteful and downright surly, not bothering to ever really observe other relationships around her and how not all were abusive. She tended to push her ideals and beliefs into the faces of anyone who did not agree with her or let her have her way. Being mad with her sisters for finding happiness in their relationships was just unadorned childish. I just could not find anything about her to like and by the end of the book, really hoped the engagement announcement between Heath and Lady Eleanor was really right. I don’t know why he would continue to pursue Lilian when all she did was spew so much bitterness. Even when she agreed to marry him, I just didn’t feel it was real and felt she only agreed because she was once again lacking things to go her way. Unfortunately, the end of this trilogy was very disappointing and I only finished the book hoping, for the first time in my reading career, that the heroine would really lose out to someone else via a surprise ending.
Well done. How do you find time to construct this website??