Sometimes you have to go through the darkness to find the light.
Azarias Caine is the Shadow Dragon, utilizing his shadow-shifting power to travel instantly between patches of darkness. Secretive by necessity, he works alone, always has, and his personal life is a mess. Until a last-minute escape sends him somewhere truly into a lonely shut-in's bedroom closet.
Gilly hasn't left her house in years after a devastating accident left her with a paralyzing fear of the world outside ... until a mysterious man stumbles out of nowhere and collapses on her floor.
There's danger right behind him, but he makes Gilly feel more alive than she has in years. And she can sense him coming alive, too, the ice-cold loner thawing just for her.
A man who can go anywhere and a woman who can go nowhere just might be made for each other, if his past and hers don't catch up to them first ...
**This book is the latest in the Shifter Agents series, but can be read independently as a standalone. Contains a complete romance with an HEA.**
Lauren Esker writes romantic suspense and paranormal romance that’s just a little off the beaten path. Which isn’t surprising since she’s a lifelong Alaskan who is a little off the beaten path herself! (Literally and figuratively.) She also writes graphic novels and scifi/fantasy as Layla Lawlor, and m/m romance as Layla M. Wier.
I don't know how this author packs so much goodness in her books!
This was so fun. It has some mystery and a satisfying romance with two broken and healing people. How does she include so many heavy things and still keep it so light and fun without being shallow?
The heroine is dealing with agoraphobia and the hero is dealing with grief from his partner's death. There's a sad teenager, emerging friendships, discussion of mental health, mystery, crime fighting, love, etc.
Love it so much.
Safety deets - neither have had another partner in YEARS and nothing is mentioned about past partners (at least not that I can remember) - Consent was lovely, as always with this author! - we see them living their best lives together at the end; however, we don't get a view into the future which is too bad - condom used... but the sex scene is like the rest of the book; very satisfying, but stays light on the detail
Part of the Shifter Agents series each can be read as a standalone with a sexy shifter with special abilities and the one who captures his attention in the best way. Caine sexy as all get out shadow dragon agent with the SCB with special abilities he travels through the shadows in every sense of the word basically he is the shadow forced to get back to work while still fighting a depression after losing his partner/best friend was killed while on duty and his people are forcing him to travel without a target to one get him back there, two-to take his mind off his loss on top of that they need all the abled bodes to help fight criminal shifter ring to help protect the humans but when he is shot down he uses his abilities to get away. Gilly is a sweetheart writes romance, crime novels with server anxiety issues (agoraphobic) due to an accident that left her crippled with PTSD so she allowed her issues to control her by giving up on the outside world staying inside what started as an idea of staying away from everything/everyone to help manage her anxiety never imaging it would turn into her becoming a shut in completely isolating herself and not having left her home in years. But when a sexy as all get out stranger just shows up in her closet hurt, in need of help she doesn’t hesitate to assist him in doing so she opens herself up to friendship. The more time they spend with/around each other the more they heal once another without realizing it and they closer they grow the harder it is for him to walk away leaving her behind so where are they headed, will she be able to accept all of him, will he help her to get her life back to some sort of normalcy, can he help her see the world is semi okay well with him around, and can the two that shouldn’t have ever met have something more than just a chance meeting?
Gilly had been attacked just in front of her front gate and didn’t leave her home as she didn’t feel safe anywhere else. Caine was a shadow dragon and worked for the Arizona SCB and because of his ability he worked nights light bothered his eyes. Was going home and saw a girl in an apartment that was on fire he walked into her closet through shadows went back in got the grandmother but heard someone else but got shot he had used too much was drained tried to get home but ended in Gilly’s closet. Caine passed out when Gilly trying to somewhat help him found out he was in Indiana not Tuscan he got better went home but forgot his phone. Went back to get it in the meantime she had talked to his boss who called Caine’s phone looking for him. He explained to her what he was because she didn’t feel save there after he was able to get in with the house was locked up, Gilly was a paranormal romance writer. He shadow walked her to his home after taking his boss to see her and Gilly was ok. Caine got taken because he could ‘teleport’ after he freed his dead partner’s daughter that had been taken by Falcone wanted to use him for his gang. His boss called Gilly if she could meditate to see if she could find him but she ended in the warehouse too. Gilly helped him get away and Falcone and men captured. Good book!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received "Shadow Dragon" by Lauren Esker as an ARC. "Shadow Dragon" is a mix between cop case and shifter romance. While trying to avoid spoilers, Caine and Gilly both have their reasons for being socially awkward, but they are pushed out of their comfort zones when Caine accidentally shadow walks into Gilly's home injured. Their new friendship and Caine's recent job experiences and abilities lead them on an adventure neither were expected as their adorable romance unfolds, new friendships are made, and family is recognized. Though this is the 6th book in Esker's Shifter Agents series, it is easily read as a standalone. I will definitely be going back to read the other books in the series when I get the chance.
As a teacher, I like this book because it showcases two flawed, but still good individuals struggle and overcome their obstacles. Are they fully perfect by the end of the book, no, and that is realistic. It's a great example for students on how growing is not easy and it won't be solved in a day, but progress is still progress.
As a cosplayer, most of the outfits are day to day where or officer uniforms, but a cosplayer or make up artist could have a lot of fun using making up and costumes to come up with an effect that looks like shifting. There is a scene in the story where it describes the dragons arm which could be really cool if brought to life.
4.25 stars. Azarias, the male dragon shifter lead, has learned to be alone and to keep his shifted form a secret. With his best friend and work partner recently deceased, he’s become a lone wolf workaholic. But when a non-work emergency leaves him stuck, he ends up in a random wardrobe rather than his personal safe room.
Gilly, the female human lead and owner of the wardrobe, is shocked to find a random male in her “safe” space. Traumatised and agoraphobic because of it, she doesn’t know how to cope with this invasion. When Azarias realises, he shares his secret with her to provide her peace of mind.
But he finds himself drawn back to her, repeatedly, even as he pursues a shifter criminal, who is getting a bit close...
This story is dual POV, well written, and a sweet, funny, contemporary shifter romance. I enjoyed Azarias’ shifting perspective on his relationships with others, including Gilly. I enjoyed Gilly’s changing perspective on herself and her limitations. I enjoyed the non-romance plot, and the cleverness of the author’s writing. I appreciated the secondary character interactions, especially Azarias’ partner’s daughter. I laughed at Azarias’ boss and am looking forward to more stories in this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved this fated mates, shifter-human, healing romance. It had the perfect balance of danger, humor, love, real life issues, mystery, evil, and spice. Caine is a shadow dragon shifter. He is an agent with the Special Crimes Bureau and has been struggling since the death of his fellow agent and friend. Gilly is a human writer of romance and crime novels. She is also an agoraphobic after an incident caused PTSD. Caine and Gilly meet when Caine accidentally travels by shadow and ends up in her house. The more time they spend together despite their individual physical restrictions, the closer they become. Their deeper relationship develops organically and naturally as they spend time together. I just loved the way together they gently, lovingly, and beautifully helped each other come out of their restricted lives and connect with each other along with the rest of the world. The story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, good world building, and a captivating storyline. I love this series. 4.5 stars.
Sweet, easy read, but I found it a little bland. Azarias is a dragon shifter with the rare ability to teleport from one patch of shadow to another. He is a federal agent in a division focusing exclusively on shifter crime.
After being shot, he accidentally teleports himself to the shadowy bedroom closet of Gilly, a lady he's never met.
After an attack three years ago left her with severe anxiety, Gilly hasn't left her home. When Azarias appears in her house, injured she cares for him and they form an almost immediate connection. Azarias is an introvert who is a bit of a loner, despite having a group of workmates who care for him.
The two MCs are both lonely even though they convince themselves they are content with their lives. Azarias gives Gilly support with her anxiety and helps her to overcome her fears. There's some action when Azarias' team take down a criminal.
This book contains a mildly descriptive love scene.
Caine is using his powers to rescue humans from a fire when he gets shot by some bad guys. He uses his abilities to get away, but ends up in a strange woman's house. Gilly has no idea how Caine ended up at her locked house, but here he is. Caine needs some time to heal and then get himself home, but something about Gilly keeps calling to him. Can this grumpy loner find a way to connect with Gilly? What happens when the bad guys try to track him down?
The pace is fast and the tone is uncertain yet hopeful with a character centered storyline that has some action. The steam is suggested but not detailed. The characters are vivid and engaging. You don't have to read this series in order, but you will get more out of this story if you do. Enjoy this shifter adventure with lots of great character development!
This was a very sweet, slow-paced (at least in comparison to the last book in the series) story featuring an agoraphobic FMC and an MMC learning to deal with his grief, and it was *lovely*
There were some gorgeous interactions between the two leads, but even more so between Caine and his workmates as he slowly starts to realise they care for him (and, towards the end, between Gilly and her friend Kady). And while there *was* a shifter agents plot that involved bad guys, it was nice to have that adjacent to the romance thread, rather than the FMC being the target yet again.
I really hope Ms Esker keeps writing this series. I know there's at least one more coming out mid-2025, but it feels like there are so many more stories still to tell with all the various characters we've met along the way in the series, and I find myself wanting to read ALL of them!
This was another fun read for the series and brings together two people that are struggling and gives them a wonderful HEA. Caine is a shadow dragon shifter that is suffering loss. Gilly is a writer of romance and crime fiction that has PTSD and suffers agoraphobia. She steps up to help him when he mysteriously shows up in her wardrobe, wounded, and a friendship blooms from there. Caine finds he can't stay away and soon enough, more than friendship is blooming ;P This well written and engaging story is filled with danger, humour, mystery, healing, fated mates, evil, and steam. It's told in dual POVs, which I love, and had me glued to my reader to see how things would unfold. I can't wait for the next book ;D
Lauren Esker has written about shifter agents before, but this story is set in a new office with none of the characters from previous stories. That was probably a good call, since the Seattle stories were written a while back, but I'm a little disappointed there was no romance for the alligator shifter.
Anyway, no background reading is necessary to enjoy this book. There's a loner shadow dragon agent who is lonely after losing his best friend, and an agoraphobic writer who is also pretty lonely. They are not fated mates, and they have things in common beyond chemistry. The conflict is primarily related to Azarias' job, and there's plenty of action.
You don't have to live in the shadows or leave your comfort zone to enjoy this story. Gilly and Cain won't meddle with your safe keeping. And Bear is just too lazy to cause problems.
I am here to report (A little late for the the SCB-boss's taste) that Shadow Dragon is an eerily great Shifter Agent story. It checks all the boxes, solves all the problems, and introduces a whole new, lovable, fictional family to my reader-heart. Sweet and swoony and sensational.
No rush or anything, but please don't wait three years, four months and six days to start a Lauren Esker book.
This was my first introduction to Lauren Esker. The book was a quick read and kept you entertained. It had one open door scene and it wasn’t as racy as some I’ve come across so that was nice.
The heroine suffered from agoraphobia and I do feel that the heroine’s recovery from her agoraphobia was taken a bit lightly. The recovery made sense for the plot of the story but because agoraphobia is a true and real condition for some members of the population I believe that a different condition could have been used so that the recovery of her condition wasn’t so abrupt and trivialized.
Caine, an agent of the SCB, is travelling through shadows, literally and figuratively, as he fights mistrust and a deep depression after his partner and best friend was killed in action. One day he is forced to travel without a fixrd target and finds Gilly. Gilly, too, lives in the shadows of her own making, fighting severe anxiety. This unlikely couple teams up and help each other as well as others to fight a ring of shifter criminals. A thrilling story, suspenseful, with insightful descriptions of the figurative shadows people are fighting invisibly to others
Shadow Dragon (Shifter Agents) by Lauren Esker. Caine is an agent of SCB and a dragon who could walk through shadows. After being shot he turns up in Gilly’s wardrobe hundreds of miles away from where he started. After Gilly got over her surprise of a stranger walking out of her wardrobe Caine and Gilly become close. The SCB were after a gang of bird shifters that were burglars who take the jewellery by flying away with it. When Caine disappears Gilly is instrumental is saving him and the gang being caught.
I read a Lot - and I mean A LOT - and there are authors who never disappoint. Lauren is one of them. Each of her books is different as are the people in it.
I especially loved that in Shadow Dragon there's a heroine and a hero who are not perfect and have their problems coping with things. And also the flow of the book is so good I would read on and on if there wasn't an end.
Noone else can do what he does. As an agent of the Shifters Crime Bureau, Azarias Caine's special abilities can take him thousands of miles away in a matter of seconds. After being injured, he ends up in Gilly Barnes' home by mistake. It's a wonderful mistake because the chemistry between Gilly and Caine is off the chart. Join them on their adventures as they try to outwit the members of a crime organization. Enjoy!
This Book 5 in The Shifter Agents Book Series has a intriguing story with amazing characters who are interesting, strong, and intense. These characters are well constructed with a story that entrances you from beginning to end. This story has believable scenes and unique characters. This story has characters with dangerous pasts, action, adventure, twists, turns, chemistry and love.
This book was really good in the beginning but it started to eventually feel like it wasn’t ending. I wanted to give more status but for how long it took me to get back to the book. I was liking it for average in the end. Just my opinion. Read at your own will.
Another great addition to the Shifter Agents series. Caine and Gilly's story had me hooked start to finish. He's a loner grieving the loss of his partner and she is suffering from a trauma that won't let her leave the house. I love how they help to heal each other. There is silence and romance. I highly recommend this book
Our hero(ine)s in this book overcome real life issues of physical and emotional isolation to become a team in the unique ways that shifter stories flow. That’s the serious part of a delightful story with bad birds bordering on angry birds being thwarted by clever people and dragons, with now actual exploding of rocks.
1st time reading of this type of Shifter! I loved the creativity involved. Dragon fan and have read many rifts on them but found this story interesting, fun, different and the heroine equally so. Would like to see another book for them. Gilly & Caine are just different. Will read the next as hope to catch a glimpse or two them as more on the SCB.
Wow! This shifter romance is UNBELIEVABLY good! Excellent story.. Mysterious, romantic and exciting.. Two lonely people.. with a heartwarming connection.. Love these characters! Caine, Gilly, and the team.. Bear the cat is adorable.
This is book 5 of this series called Shifter Agents. This is a new author for me, and I am looking forward to reading more from them. The story flows well, easy to follow. The characters are likeable and have great chemistry. A good read.