Monday, November 11, 2013

Shadows Series by Marni Mann

Title:  Seductive Shadows
Author:  Marni Man
Series:  Shadows #1
Published:  July 17th 2013 by Booktrope
Page Count:  258
Genre:  Erotic Romance
Shelf:  Review Copy
Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:


Charlie is a passionate, sensually-inspired art student, desperately seeking an escape from the abusive past that haunts her and a tragic accident that emptied her heart. Scarred and unable to love, her yearning for physical pleasure leads her into a tantalizing, dangerous world of power and seduction. The anonymity of the deal offers security; the money brings financial freedom and the madam is the mother figure she longs for.

But the thrill of the mansion and its arousing dominance quickly fades when she meets renowned-yet-mysterious Cameron Hardy, whose intense baby blue eyes send a nervous flutter through her core. Cameron is sexy, and not in a subtle way. He stimulates Charlie’s art, her intellect and her desires. Just as he begins to break through her emotional boundaries, she discovers a devastating connection between her past and her scandalous work at the mansion, shattering everything she thought to be true.

Provocative, intoxicating and erotic, Seductive Shadows is the unforgettable tale of a young woman’s self-discovery as she learns to forgive, to love and be loved, and to find redemption amidst a remarkable journey that will captivate your mind and stimulate your soul.

This book is for mature audiences. It contains explicit language and sexual content.

My Review:

This is one of those novels that is extremely intense from the get-go, stays that way throughout, but where the intensity in subtle. Mann draws you in and keeps your emotions and thoughts embroiled in this novel throughout. Your emotions get so tangled up in this story that it feels like you’re living it yourself. The storyline is somewhat off the wall yet the premise is extremely captivating. It’s also extremely scary in its possibilities. The knowledge that this type of thing really can and does happen adds to the intensity of the story.

Everything in this novel is presented very naturally but in minute detail. The dark undertones that let light and hope shine through really allow you to understand the characters, their plights, and their emotional states. Mann very subtlety tackles some very tough subjects. Through her play on light and dark she really sets a specific tone that you can’t escape.

The main characters in this novel are quite well developed. You get to know where they came from, why they are who they are today, and what they think and feel about that. They are a perfectly matched pair who contrast each other just enough to remain separate entities while becoming a strong couple. The supporting characters fill out the story nicely. Some are very well developed as friends and family. Others remain mysterious to the reader and to the characters themselves.

Overall, this is an extremely vivid and exciting story that I couldn’t put down.

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Title:  Seductive Secrecy
Author:  Marni Mann
Series:  Shadows #2
Published:  October 24th 2013 by Entice by Booktrope
Page Count:  248
Genre:  Erotic Romance
Shelf:  Review Copy
Rating:  ★★★★

Synopsis from Goodreads:

“We were two broken souls who had found each other in a world of shadows. We were held together by a connection of secrets, dark and fearful and reluctant to leave. Their depth was seductive and overwhelming, an endless ocean of black that threatened to cover the brilliance we kept reaching for with each other.”

With her art career flourishing and the mansion predators no longer a threat, Charlie is creating a new life. Her desires have changed, and she has a chance at a healthy, loving relationship with Cameron—if they can bury the memories and doubts that plague them.

Can they overcome the destruction of their clouded pasts, or will the revelation of more painful, shocking secrets pull them back into the shadows?

Adult-content rating: This book contains content considered unsuitable for young readers 17 and under, and which may be offensive to some readers of all ages.

My Review:

Although I thoroughly enjoyed the first novel in this series, I absolutely loved this one.

Mann continues the play of light and dark in this novel. That said, in this second instalment you can now see the dawn starting to chase away the shadows that haunt these characters. The allusions and colours used really set the mood and the tone for the novel as a whole, as well as for specific scenes. Self-discovery and acceptance come through in this artistic and visual depiction of these lives. Mann’s descriptions are breathtakingly beautiful and you cannot help but walk alongside the characters throughout their journeys.

Since the bulk of the initial character development for this series is done in the first novel the only real changes that are seen are through character growth and acceptance of who they are. The first person narrative, however, really connects you to the main character. It makes the story feel very personal. The new characters introduced, as well as those who now play a larger role, are quite well introduced and developed.

Overall, I not only fell in love with the characters that Mann has developed, I fell in love with this series as a whole. Not only was it captivating, but it was also extremely artfully written.

Add to your Goodreads or Shelfari shelves.
Buy online via Amazon or B&N.

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