Shadowed Lights

Dancers & Lighthouses

by Ella M. Kaye

When her sister loses her house to Hurricane Sandy, Delaney Griffin welcomes the family into her home. Months later, with five noisy kids and an overbearing brother-in-law threatening her sanity, Delaney spends much of her free time at the wildlife refuge, which also works as her refuge. Still, the lack of privacy, along with space to dance, her only passionate release, causes her debilitating social anxiety to escalate.

Eli Forrester has come from small town Indiana to Barnegat, New Jersey with his company to help restore the coast. A high rise worker who loves new people and new places, he fears nothing, except water. When he accidentally kicks one of the sea critters Delaney is trying to help rescue, he is drawn to the quiet New Jersey girl. Unwilling to take her cues to leave her alone, Eli is alternately put off and turned on by her odd behavior.

Under shadow of devastation, fear, and forced separation, Delaney and Eli search for their own rescue light.

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2014

About the author

Ella M. Kaye uses her art and psychology background to create contemporary love stories with mental health issues set around the creative arts. Each of her novels and novellas fall under one of three series: Dancers & Lighthouses, Artists & Cottages, and Songwriters & Cities. Kaye has been writing romantically inclined literary fiction that branches into straight mainstream in both novel and short story form under the name LK Hunsaker for more than two decades. After many moves as a military spouse, she is settled in western Pennsylvania where she enjoys the abundant foliage and recreational lakes along with the hilly vistas.

Reviews

[Kathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story of Delaney and Eli is beautiful. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down because I had to know what happened to them. There are a lot of details that draw you into their story without bogging it down. Being a person with some social anxiety myself, I could really appreciate what Delaney was going through while still being a strong, independent person and not a weak victim. Great read for a cold, snowy day that I highly recommend.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delaney and Eli’s story is a case of opposites attracting. She’s painfully quiet, he’s a gabster. She’s content to stay within the bounds of her world, he wants to see it all. Stormy weather brings them together, that, and Eli’s love of a good puzzle. Delaney is a beautiful puzzle he wants to solve.

Delaney’s world has steadily shrunk since her teen years as she tries to battle an extreme case of social anxiety on her own. She needs quiet and lots of personal space, neither of which she’s getting at home since her sister’s family, seven people in all, moved into her one-bathroom home.

Eli’s construction company left Indiana to help restore the Jersey Shore area after Hurricane Sandy. He loves being around people and staying busy. When Delaney fusses at him about stepping on a starfish, he becomes intrigued by the quiet beauty of this nature loving gal. He falls for her in a big way, and little by little, draws her out of her comfort zone, calming her with his touch and his voice.

Then he’s called away on work and doubts creep into Delaney’s mind. Was what they had real? Had she been played by another man who is just passing through?

I loved this book. The characters were realistic and intricately drawn. I’ve never known anyone with a social anxiety disorder, but I feel like I would be able to recognize it now and offer assistance if needed.

While Delaney had the most character growth, I was particularly drawn to Eli and the ease with which he accomplished every task he set his mind to undertake. His tenderness, caring, and curiosity had me rooting for him from the start. I’m so glad he got his happily ever after.

Warning! This is not a book for skimmers. You’ll want to read and savor every word of this sensual romance.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delaney is a passionate spirit who loves being in nature and spends a lot of her time helping to better life around her on the shores of New Jersey, and there is a lot to help with in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. However, people cannot always see the fiery side of her; they believe her to be snobby or just plain weird. Delaney lives and struggles with a life debilitating disorder, severe social anxiety. Refusing to give in, she spends her time attempting to fight against her disorder. When Elijah comes in from Indiana to help with the disaster, he comes across Delaney as he is accidently committing a crime against nature. From then, he devotes the rest of his time trying to gain Delaney’s trust, or at least her companionship. He slowly chips away at her walls with his persistence and patience. But when work moves Elijah down to South Carolina, she figures their temporary romance is over, but an unexpected turn of events brings them even closer and throws her into a whole new world.

The author creates characters the reader cannot help but love. Their playful banter thrown in with the in depth look into social anxiety is amusing and intriguing at the same time. The story is fun, sensual, and you won’t want to put it down.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so intrigued by the characters. I loved the intensity between Eli and Delaney. I felt part of the book. I couldn't put it down. I love Barnegat, NJ. I love how they fell in love while working with the animals. I got this book free from Goodreads First Reads.