SHADES AND SHADOWS - Sophia Shaw
Dafina/Romance
January 2005
SYNOPSIS: Since leaving her abusive husband, Jade Winters has focused on her career as the owner of a small dance school. She's also vowed to avoid men--until handsome ad exec Noel Merson walks into her life. But when her husband reappears, love and danger go hand in hand.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE: (3+) Sophia Shaw
REVIEW: In SHADES AND SHADOWS the relationship between the hero and heroine – Noel and Jade – turns upon the trust, or lace thereof, between them.
Jade and Noel meet when he sees her on one occasion when he is dropping his niece off at her ballet class. The two are physically drawn to each other and after a few bumps in the road they try to have – at Jade’s insistence - a casual relationship. As things progress however their emotions become deeper as does the nature of their relationship. Unfortunately old demons, past hurts and meddlesome family members creep into their relationship and cause fear, mistrust and fresh hurt. One of the book’s other storylines surrounds Jade and a mystery in her apartment, that as it unravels, intertwines with the main plotline.
The characters in SHADES AND SHADOWS are all well written and entertaining but their roles in the book are not very original and therefore a bit obvious. That being said, the book’s hero Noel on the other hand is given many facets – humour, insecurity, passion – all of which make him quite interesting.
The pace of the novel is satisfactory with relationships and events unfolding in such a way that the reader is always engaged and nothing seems tedious or drawn out. The setting is not a large component of the text but when employed it works well within the story, an example of which is all the different drama that takes place at Jade’s apartment building as well as the charming quality of her dance studio.
The dialogue is well done. The conversations between the characters, such as with Jade and her best friend Trish or with Noel and his best friend Kyle are excellent. All discussions are written in the honest, frank and concise yet warm tone of true friends.
All in all Ms. Shaw has written a good book. The story begins quickly, gets the reader invested and is continuously engaging with a strong ending that is fitting of the rest of the novel. The love scenes in the book are also quite steamy and heat up the pages! A well written novel that is a sound purchase.
jennifer@romanceincolor.com (5th December 2004)