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Secondhand Shadow
It's supposed to be a symbiotic the Shadow serves and protects the human Lumi, the Lumi feeds and cares for the Shadow. But when Damon’s Lumi died young and severed the bond between them, he declined to go with her like a good little Shadow. Yes, it hurts. Yes, he's cold and hungry all the time. And yes, his own people call him an abomination. But for the first time, Damon's life is his own, and he’s never going back.
Or so he thinks, until he meets Naomi, a pregnant college student… and bonds to her as his new Lumi. Which has never happened to a Shadow before.
Naomi has enough problems on her plate, juggling college and a crappy survival job, preparing for a baby, and getting over her cheating ex-husband. The last thing she needs is a dark, brooding fellow like Damon depending on her physically and emotionally, and hating her for it. But a vigilante among Damon's people has his sights set on Naomi – and they both know Damon is her only chance for survival.
Or so he thinks, until he meets Naomi, a pregnant college student… and bonds to her as his new Lumi. Which has never happened to a Shadow before.
Naomi has enough problems on her plate, juggling college and a crappy survival job, preparing for a baby, and getting over her cheating ex-husband. The last thing she needs is a dark, brooding fellow like Damon depending on her physically and emotionally, and hating her for it. But a vigilante among Damon's people has his sights set on Naomi – and they both know Damon is her only chance for survival.
- GenresFantasy
452 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2014
2 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Belyeu
4 books17 followersI read, I write, I work in a library; books (and my daughter) are my life. I'm a forty-something lover of dragons, aliens, Marvel movies and colorful socks. I've been writing since second grade and will probably still be writing from my future nursing home!
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 16, 2014
Naomi's life is falling apart. Her whirlwind romance with the man of her dreams just ended in divorce. She is broke, disowned by her family, flunking out of college, and seven months pregnant. She can't see how life could get any worse. Until she bumps into Damon, and instantly bonds to him.
Damon is a shadow-a symbiote who lost his companion years ago. Since then he has lived half a life-starving and cold, but that half a life had been his with no one to make a claim on it. He fiercely values his independence and finds the idea of bonding to a new companion violently distasteful. His solution is to ignore Naomi until the bond dissipates and fades. When a serial killer from Damon's past targets Naomi, Damon has no choice but to acknowledge Naomi and the place she is creating for herself in his life.
Ms. Belyeu creates a story with an ingenuous blend of humor and suspense. The reality she shows us feels realistic and plausible, and the characters she created are flawed, sympathetic, and irresistible. I look forward to reading more books from this brand new author.
Damon is a shadow-a symbiote who lost his companion years ago. Since then he has lived half a life-starving and cold, but that half a life had been his with no one to make a claim on it. He fiercely values his independence and finds the idea of bonding to a new companion violently distasteful. His solution is to ignore Naomi until the bond dissipates and fades. When a serial killer from Damon's past targets Naomi, Damon has no choice but to acknowledge Naomi and the place she is creating for herself in his life.
Ms. Belyeu creates a story with an ingenuous blend of humor and suspense. The reality she shows us feels realistic and plausible, and the characters she created are flawed, sympathetic, and irresistible. I look forward to reading more books from this brand new author.
July 25, 2014
A really engaging and adorable Romance. Astraea publishes really clean romances, which, honestly is not usually my thing. However, Belyeu does a great job of focusing on the intimacy that comes between partners and exploring what that really means.
Naomi is pregnant, unwed, broke and trying not to flunk college. Damon is an angry creature of the supernatural trying to break social expectations that creates slavery for his kind. When they meet, they are exactly what the other one wants to avoid, but fate won't let them pass on without linking them forever.
It's a really good conflict that asks the question of 'what happens when you meet your soulmate and he hates you?' I loved how it played with expectations and the real affection and trust that develops between the protagonists as they also are trying to find an awful killer. Definitely recommend you give it a try.
Naomi is pregnant, unwed, broke and trying not to flunk college. Damon is an angry creature of the supernatural trying to break social expectations that creates slavery for his kind. When they meet, they are exactly what the other one wants to avoid, but fate won't let them pass on without linking them forever.
It's a really good conflict that asks the question of 'what happens when you meet your soulmate and he hates you?' I loved how it played with expectations and the real affection and trust that develops between the protagonists as they also are trying to find an awful killer. Definitely recommend you give it a try.
April 16, 2015
Written by a coworker. A nice change from vampire paranormal with small different take and added element. Fairly quick read that raises interesting concepts of need versus desire and being what your partner needs at the expense of your own safety and health.
July 31, 2021
Daughter of Eve and Shadow's Son
Boy,the shadows sure got the dirty end of the evolution stick in this book. The characters here are
comp!ex and believable, the plot makes me want a sequel. Westley twisted my heart strings. This I'll reread many times.
Boy,the shadows sure got the dirty end of the evolution stick in this book. The characters here are
comp!ex and believable, the plot makes me want a sequel. Westley twisted my heart strings. This I'll reread many times.
February 1, 2022
Quirky with very serious undertones. I loved it. The FL is not your usual protagonist and it was very refreshing. The ML, I liked him. He is an all-around decent individual. I highly recommend this story.
March 16, 2023
Very good book, not sure what I was expecting but it exceeded my expectations by miles. Instead of coming from a world view, the author chose to come from a different point of view which makes it unique in a good way. We need more of these kinds of books on teen shelves instead of the gibberish we get. This is authentic.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews