26117893Angel in the Shadows is a sexy and intriguing mix filled to the brim with mystery, deception, and suspense that will appeal to mainstream readers, hopeless romantics, and anyone that enjoys reading a good story.

I think because I wouldn’t categorize myself as a mainstream reader nor a hopeless romantic (not since 2005, haha, old and bitter now, so I am), this book wasn’t for me. I do appreciate the thought and work Amy Deason has put into this book and there is a huge fan-base for her writing out there.

My thanks to Amy for providing me a review copy of the book.

Madison Sinclair is a smart-mouthed photographer that enjoys the simple things in life. Recently landing a job at one of Manhattan’s top imaging companies, she works hard to prove herself but often falls short of the mark. Taking pictures of the New York scenery, relaxing at home with a glass of wine, and caring for her stray cat is usually the highlight of her day. Nice, quiet, simple. It’s the perfect life. But when her best friend cons her into covering a charity event for a multi-millionaire, Madison’s life suddenly becomes anything but simple as she finds herself in a constant race for survival. There is nowhere she can turn, no one she can trust.

Sounds great, eh? Suspenseful much already!

Seth Reynolds has been in the game a long time. He knows how to get in, get a job done, and get out with no complications and no witnesses. The constant stress of the job is beginning to take its toll but he is not a man that gives up easily. Trained to be cold and heartless, he is committed to follow through with this mission no matter what. Racing against an impossible time table, everything is in place to take out the madman intent on destroying New York City. But when the naïve Madison Sinclair stumbles into his world, all of his carefully laid plans go to hell.

The book started off great. I buckled myself in for a helluva ride only to be left flung around aimlessly like a balloon emptying itself of air. Why, you ask? It just slowed down into the romance bit… me and romance, we don’t always match.

Madison is to cover for her colleague/best friend at a charity event where the rich and famous mingle. She meets Seth, PA to Vance, who seems like he has a stick shoved up his hole- emotionless, dry, but cute. Ha-haaay! I have to admit though I always have a problem with characters’ eyes being described in unnatural terms… flaming- really, flaming?, from blue to black due to anger. I don’t get it, I never do.Maybe I’m harsh when it comes to those details but whatever. Old and bitter, as I said.

During the event Madison ends up witnessing something bad and Seth warns her that ‘people are not what they always seem’ and then on the boat back across the river she witnesses another crime! Blimey, talk about bad luck. She’s in danger and has a couple of guys trying to catch her. Not only that but Seth also is meant to kill her. Which is a great twist because Seth also protects her.

Determined to do what is right at all costs, Seth must choose between the rules he’s lived by his entire life or saving Madison from a fate worse than death. If he follows orders, he will be an unsung hero, saving millions of innocent people. But if he risks his own life for Madison’s, the entire city will be in jeopardy. The choice should be easy. Risk one to save many. That’s the
unbreakable code of The Perfect Order. But now, without even trying, Madison has gotten under his skin and inside his heart. With the fate of the city resting in his hands, how he can do the right thing when he no longer knows what that is?

Wow!

So, even though Madison isn’t Seth’s usual type of ‘shag and leave’ because ‘no emotions’ and he prefers to focus on only what needs to be done and move to the next mission, it’s no miracle that the two end up falling for each other. If you were stuck in a cabin with snow outside, then, well… who needs further invitation, right?

Where was I? Oh yes, so even though she’s not Seth’s type, he likes her… or something. And because Madison is an innocent bystander he can’t go against his morals and just sentence her to be ‘collateral damage’. He whisks her away to the said cabin and it started to seem to me that most of the book was the romance-y, ‘will they-won’t they’ kind of stuff. Nothing too racy but you know, brooding here, escaping there- until he kind of opens up about his past and then she shuts down because she’s confused and wants to get the hell out of the cabin. Which all comes to a conclusion when she “spits” in his face that he ‘won’t kill her but he won’t fuck her either’.

Oh- Kay!

Without giving away any more of the book (and believe me, there’s a bit more happening than I’ve just given you) I thought the story could have focused more on the suspense bit and less on the romance bit? Because millions of people are in jeopardy and the villain has a well-thought out plan on how to pull off a rather controversial move, the conclusion to this was a bit anticlimactic which ultimately left me feeling the balance was a bit off. And having said that- the balance was off for my personal taste because the threat doesn’t get as much attention or focus. If this book was a test to see whether I was a hopeless romantic then I failed miserably! 🙂

Here are some snippets of what other reviewers thought of the book (taken from Goodreads):

  • “This book was amazing!“
  • “WOW! Talk about intriguing and intense! Ms. Deason has an amazing grasp on the genre “suspense/thriller”.“

My rating: 3*** While I liked the impending doom by the villain, the tortured  hero and the bit of suspense, I didn’t root for that romance much which in the end started to drag for me a bit. A HEA book for readers who walk the Mainstream Street and want their romances to be a bit more than an office affair.

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