Shadow Man

by Eliza Spark

He sold his soul to the devil.
Now he collects them.

Henri is death's weapon--
balancing the world one life at a time.

Until obsession makes him break the rules.

One curse.
One mistake.
One woman caught in the fallout.

Now there are only two
Kill... or sacrifice himself.

And love?
It might be the deadliest magic of all.

Genres: Paranormal Romance

104 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2026

Reviews

[Char_Reads3]

I love that Charlotte’s best friend is called Tiana and wants to open a restaurant like in princess and the frog. And there is a Dr. Facilier… (AKA Henri) Such a cute little glimpse into potentially the authors interests.

I do think that if this was presented as a princess and the frog inspired book people would flock to it. It’s a bit jarring when you’re reading it and the names and places all come together as something you already know. That being said if the names were changed I still would have absolutely devoured this book like i did.

I really enjoyed henri and charlottes relationship and me being my greedy self I wanted more between the two before they fell in love just to beef it up a bit more. But it was a quick read and very satisfying. I would be very interested to see is the author does more twisty and spicy princesses.

I devoured this and hope that the author follows this pathway for other books.

Thank you for choosing me to be an Arc reader. I was so happy during this book.

[Michelle]

First I want to say thank you to Eliza Spark for the ARC copy.

I will say there is some creativity to the book and the plot. Does have a princess and a frog type vibe…

But unfortunately I could not do this book. I had to DNF it at 53%

There is a massive lack of world building and the the point it seems like things are just randomly being thought up and added without any clear plan or reason. For me, the multiple POVs EACH chapter is too much. It’s only 2 POVs but having MMC to FMC to MMC again all in the same chapter especially when there is zero substance to the FMCs POV.

The books starts in the past with the MMCs family being killed and then making a deal with Lilith to balance good and evil with shadow powers instead of killing himself.

Then it opens up to 10 years later

And you get the FMC charlotte talking to her friend Tiana about Tiana’s father’s death.

Then you go to our MMC Henri and him having a store (magic shop type store? Author doesn’t technically say and the most that is brought up about it are spells, potions and tarot cards) where he meets Tiana for the first time thinking she is the most beau woman ever, welcoming her to his store and asking her if he can help. She asks for spell. He later goes to a local diner in which Tiana works and is surprised to see Tiana working there and talking to her friend Charlotte and Charlotte mentions that “Piere” is coming to meet her father. suddenly they all know each others names and Tiana goes to serve him

Then we go to the next day and Henri in his store and suddenly leaving in the middle of doing a tarot cards reading to go kill an evil guy. Then to Charlotte who tells Tiana that she is desperate for love and going to the store to get her tarot cards read to see if she will ever get a man to love. Then back to Henri who rebooks buddy he ran out on and lo and behold charlotte is his next appointment. Then Lilith tells him his next task is to fall in love.

The next chapter opens to him showing up at Tiana’s house, getting inside, watching her sleep then having his shadows caress her skin, take off her underwear and inserting themselves into her while he stands at the end of the bed jerking off. And once he finishes himself freaks out about “seducing her” ummmm you don’t “seduce” an unconscious woman. You grape an unconscious woman. 🤬

It flashes to the next day and as he is wandering the streets and as he goes by city hall he notices a crowed and news reporters so he goes to see what’s happening. Finds out that Piere is there and he’s an “oil mogul”. Sees the girls and the then Charlotte notices him invited him tot all to them and instantly invites him to a party her father is suddenly throwing for Piere that night at the “plantation”.

Flips to Charlotte dressing up Tiana and herself in dressed for the party.
Then back to Henri arriving at the “plantation” and the mansion and strikes up a conversation with Tiana until Charlotte, her father and Piere are at the grand staircase where her father introduces Piere and has a speech about how they will be working together. During the speech Piere and Tiana lock gazes and can’t take their eyes off each other after that. He sneaks to the balcony and has a conversation with Charlotte and her disappointment how Piere isn’t “the one” as he’s off dancing with Tiana

He then ducks out to the bayou and has his shadows lure Piere out there to turn him into a frog so he can have Tiana with a very pitiful “but she likes me” scene and after he berates himself on his decisions.

The next chapter Charlotte shows up at his store asking if he has seen Piere because he’s kissing and practically begs him to help her find him (because suddenly he’s known for getting things done even though they only met a couple days previously)
Then in Charlottes portion she tells Tiana Henri will help find him (legit no substance to having her POV)

Back to Henri’s POV and when he gets home Tiana is calling him suddenly asking him to come to her house because she thinks she found him. He goes over and she shows him a frog and he explains a voodoo curse was out on him and only true loves kiss can break it! And she says she only met him last night she can’t say it’s true love but she will do it because she knows she’s the only one who can! And when she kisses the frog she then turns into a frog. He freaks out tells the frogs to stay and goes home.

Then when he gets to his house he finds charlotte there waiting for him (cause suddenly it’s also know where he lives?) saying she was “drawn” there and when she sees he’s stressed out she goes into his kitchen and starts making him tea…

That’s as much as I can handle of that…it could have potential but it’s too scattered and feels too mish-mashed and nothing really tying anything together to be cohesive in any way.

[Grace Reddish]

I got this book as a gift from the author. It was a surprise and honor to be trusted with this task.
❤️

If you like the princess and the frog you are going to love this book.
This is a short book. Therefore things happen very fast which at some point it's... It feels odd but it delivers everything and it is entertaining to read.

---------- Some spoilers might be ahead --------------

- I love that most of the book it's from Henri's POV. Most books have the MMC POV as spice, but in this case it feels that the story it is actually made for him, and it goes perfect with the name of the book.

- At some point I lost hope for Henri to have an "I saw the light" moment and wouldn't have a character development and get out of the victim mentality. But he did and it was perfect.

- Lilith was a surprise.

- Charlotte was a very good friend and never was resentful towards Tiana being so beautiful and snatching all the men Charlotte liked. There was no beef between them.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸


- Lilith warns Henri about the journey back wouldn't be easy. But we never saw it.

- Charlotte had had two conversations before she declared that she was in love with Henri. It felt sooo fast.

- Henri kinda saw Charlotte after she declared her love, but until then he was head over heals for Tiana. So, it feels like Charlotte was the consolation prize.

- Charlotte was love starved and didn't have a character development. She was good from the start I guess. She was a good friend and a good daughter. I don't know what she did for a living besides going to visit Tiana to the diner. She deserved some independence bc it felt like she was man centered.
Well, we don't know in what period this story develops nor the age of any of the characters, so perhaps she didn't need to work.

- At times it was hard for me to know where the characters were. I thought Charlotte had always been at Henri's shop. But then he says they were in his cottage, but they had only met once or twice before.
➡️ Some examples:
⚜️ When Henru reads her cards and one at Charlotte dad's party. So how did she know where he lived? It would have been a super clue for Henri that she was into him, or that she was stalking him.
⚜️ The other time was when Henri goes to off the male frog. Before, he had left them at his shop. When did the frogs travel to Tiana's house and how did he know they were there. I want to believe that it was his shadows that let him know and that was an off page conversation between them.

- I would have liked more information about the appearance of the characters, their age, work. Etc. It makes it better to visualize while reading.

[Tracey Cotton]

A fresh, folklore-infused romance with heart

This was such a unique and refreshing read. I went in unsure how folklore would blend with a modern small-town romance, but it works beautifully. The story carries a subtle Princess and the Frog inspiration while still feeling original, grounded, and emotionally driven.

One of the strongest elements is Henri’s journey. From the beginning, he doesn’t feel like a villain—he feels like a survivor shaped by his past. Watching his path toward redemption unfold was compelling, especially as the story explores the idea that we’re not defined by our mistakes, but by how we choose to move forward.

Lilith was an unexpected standout. Early on, I found myself disliking her intensely because of how she manipulates Henri and pulls him into darkness. But as the story unfolds, there’s a surprising depth to her character that completely shifts perspective. That reveal was genuinely well done.

The writing also delivers some powerful lines that linger:
“We have skeletons in our closets. It’s how we choose to face them that defines us.”
“We all have our demons. But it’s never too late to choose a different path.”
These moments add emotional weight and really reinforce the book’s themes of growth and redemption.

That said, the pacing—especially in the romance—felt rushed at times. Charlotte declares her love for Henri very early on, and his shift in feelings from Tiana to Charlotte happens quite quickly. Because of that, their relationship can feel a bit like a fallback rather than a fully developed connection.

Charlotte herself had a lot of potential, but I wanted more depth and independence from her character. She comes across as kind, loyal, and supportive, but also very centered around Henri, and I would have loved to see more of her personal growth or life outside of him.

There were also moments that felt slightly underdeveloped—like the hinted “test” during Henri’s time in the void. Expanding on scenes like that would have added more depth and tension to the story.

Still, what this book does well, it does really well. The blend of realism and folklore is seamless, the emotional core is strong, and the reimagining of familiar fairytale elements—like the frog transformation—feels natural rather than forced.

Overall, this is a beautifully written, quick read that offers a thoughtful take on redemption, love, and second chances. I’d love to see future stories from this author dive even deeper into folklore with a bit more development and pacing.

[Dhawy Febrianti]

Review of advance copy received from author

So this is a quick, small-town romance story, combined with a paranormal experience, blended into a folklore retelling. As I was reading, I could feel the merging vibe between realistic life and a semi-surreal folklore layer, which I believe is inspired by The Princess and the Frog.

What I find most amazing is how this combination doesn’t feel out of place. Everything blends so naturally. No awkward overlaps, no plot holes that break the pacing. Even when Pierre, a guy who likes Tiana, the main character, is cursed into a frog, the two styles remain clean and consistent. I love how the original folklore element, the moment where the princess kisses the frog, is kept, while also being adjusted into a realistic character building, like making Tiana a waitress in a small town instead of a princess in a kingdom.

Lilith the devil is such a surprise. From the start, the author had me projecting so much hatred toward her, mainly because of how she pulls Henri into dark shadows in a way you’ll fully understand as you read. But then… there’s something unthinkable about her existence that completely turns me around. Bravo! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now, let’s talk a little bit about Henri’s relationship with Charlotte, Tiana’s friend. I don’t want to spill how it unfolds. I don’t feel like showing you their romantic moments, because the book will do that better on its own. What I am eager to share is Charlotte’s words. They don’t just sound deep, they feel powerful and reassuring. The set of words that will leave you quiet in thinking about your change, about your decision.

“We have skeletons in our closets. It’s how we choose to face them that defines us.”
“We all have our demons. But it’s never too late to choose a different path.”

Honestly, I’ve never found a story quite like this one. I used to be skeptical, thinking people weren’t interested in folklore anymore. I had blocked my mind, assuming authors wouldn’t go out of their way to bring old tales into modern storytelling… until I found this creative work. Now I’m genuinely excited to see more folklore brought into her upcoming work. Yay!!!

[Kate Smith]

This quick morsel of a villain redemption story was just what my kindle needed.

The story starts off with a backstory of Henri and how he became who he is today which is a great introduction into the why of what he does. Immediately, I don't think of him as a villain but a survivor.

We are then placed into the story of who he is now and what he does for his town. This is loosely based on the fairytale of The Princess & the Frog, and you see the story told from Henri's eyes. He's enraptured by her even though she is in love with another.

"I don't know if I can be what you need me to be."

The story expands when he confides in another woman, Charlotte, who likes Henri and always has. She teaches him that it's not about what you've done in the past, it's how you treat others now. It really is a story of redemption, because he does eventually redeem himself even after he acts in a jealous rage.

This is a short story so things happen fast but it's a great reimagining for a childhood story that we all loved.

Rating: 4 / 5
Spice: 1 / 5
Darkness: 1 / 5

[Nikki B.]

Shadow Man is a unique story that starts off absolutely heartbreaking. I was almost in tears within the first 5 minutes.
Henri has to witness something no child should ever have to experience. But at the end of the tragedy, he encounters Lilith. Lilith offers him a chance to help balance good and evil in the world by becoming the grim reaper. Henri accepts and does his duty. But years after, he meets Charlotte. She comes seeking his help with the death of her father, but they end up feeling things for each other. Henri's position makes him conflicted as to what he should do but then Lilith approaches him and tells him to find love. And the only person he can think about is Charlotte.
I thought the story was pretty interesting and unique. But I didn't feel like the characters connected with each other. Their relationship felt rushed and not genuine. I did think the story was entertaining and interesting though. It's a quick easy romance that you will fly through.

[Aliza Wagner]

This was honestly one of the most soul-stirring and invigorating reads I’ve ever come across. I stepped in doubtfully, uncertain how folklore could possibly intertwine with a small-town romance set in the modern day, but I was completely blown away. The way it all melds together is nothing short of magical. There’s a tender, faint echo of Princess and the Frog woven through the story, yet it remains utterly fresh, authentic, and deeply emotional — a genuine, heartfelt journey that grips your soul.

And the love between Charlotte and Henri? It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, what we’ve been searching for is right there in front of us all along, quietly waiting for the perfect moment to be seen. It’s a story about hope, patience, and the beautiful magic of timing — a true treasure that stays with you long after you turn the last page.

[Jules unmuted]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Short, fast read
Retelling of the Disney version of The Princess and the Frog.

The premise was so good, and it was executed ok.

What I liked: the fact that I could picture The Princess and Frog from Disney, except no alligator or lightening bug.
It dark components that I liked, shadow man vibes.

What I didn’t love: unanswered questions; like how the journey back was difficult. Henri started out obsessed with Tiana and then did a quick 360 and loved Charolette (it just felt slightly rushed). It seemed like Charlotte had been crushing on Henri for a long time, but I thought he had just met them when Tiana had a request for him.
Just needed a little more resolved questions as well as a little more character relationship development.

Overall good for a quick fast read.

[Tina]

I don't know if this is intentionally written as a villain redemption for the antagonist in The Princess and the Frog, but it definitely reads that way. There are too many coincidences for it not to be.
Which is fine. If it's a re-imagining, then promote it as such. Readers love a retelling/re-imagining of their favourite movies and fairy tales.
Either way, I liked this. I don't know if a decade is long enough for Henri to fine-tune the shadows and magic and everything else that comes with the deal he made with Lilith. I would have liked some humour thrown in here and there.
It moves very quickly and as much as I am a novella girlie, this would work better if it had been longer and we got to delve into the years Henri spent working for Lilith to bring him to the point he is now. A little more showing of Charlotte loving him from afar and her friendship with Tiana.

[Susan Murphy]

This was an okay read overall. I enjoyed the romance for what it was, but I couldn’t help feeling like it missed an opportunity to go deeper—especially when it came to Henri’s journey back to Lotti. That challenge felt like it should have carried more emotional weight and development.

Henri himself was a well-developed character with some real depth, but I struggled to see that same level of connection with the rest of the cast. Because of that, some of the relationships didn’t land as strongly as I hoped.

The ending, unfortunately, felt rushed, wrapping things up a bit too quickly after what could have been a more layered buildup.

That said, if you’re looking for a quick, easy romance to pass the time, this will definitely do the job.

[caitys.booknook]

2026:

"Undying love could conquer even the most dire circumstances."

WOW. What a ride this book was.
Firstly, throat punched 3 times in the first 4 pages. Ta for that.
Secondly, I was not expecting to become as attached to these characters as I did.
This book is a great 'Princess and the Frog' reimagining. While not typically my favourite of stories, I absolutely LOVED this take on it.
For a novella, there was so much happening in this story, it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the experience and would love to read more reimagined stories from Eliza's POV.

"Sometimes life doesn't give us what we wish for; it gives us what we need. And perhaps, in time, you will see that your path is leading you exactly where you are meant to be."

[Sarah]

This was a beautiful and quick read taking its inspo from The Princess & The Frog we get a new appreciation and understanding that the villain doesn't ever start out bad, holding onto the past can shape your future and that true love really can conquer all!

I really enjoyed seeing things from Dr Faciliers side, how the man became the monster!

The love between Charlotte & Henri just goes to show that sometimes exactly what you need is right under your nose all along waiting for the right time to reveal itself.

This is another excellent Eliza Spark book!

[Charlie-Ann Dickens]

I was a arc reviewer for this book and unfortunately I felt it was all a bit rushed. Henri has great character development and I enjoyed how it was mainly from mmc pov but I felt his feelings switching from tiana to lottie was far too quick and seemed a bit random almost. And when he was in the void Lilith said there was another test for him and I would have really loved to have read about it. I did enjoy the princess and the frog vibes though so I do hope the author sticks with those kinds of themes but bulk the story out some more.

[Lucy]

I tore through this in an afternoon, it was an easy read.
I will say that I felt it was paced too fast and we didn't really get much time to embrace the characters so they felt more two-dimensional than in the other books I've read by this author
I expected a bit more of a fight to get Tiana and I found that it seemed more like Charlotte was only considered as a love interest once he realised Tiana was unavailable.

The whole thing felt rushed and I would have preferred more back story and a bit more detail.

[De Smith]

This book was really intriguing take on the Princess and the Frog/Dr. Facilier story. It’s full of tension and moments that are jarring and ones that pay homage to the Princess and the Frog. Seeing the way Henri and Charlotte interact and the chemistry between them was endearing. It made me cheer for them even harder. I found it refreshing that we got the story from mostly Henri’s perspective. It’s not something we see very often. It did feel a little rushed at times but overall it was still a good read.

[Jess]

Arc review : This story follows Henri a man who sold his soul and now collects others for death. His character completely carried the story for me : morally gray, obsessive, and emotional. After losing his family Henri now collects souls and uses his shadows.
The romance with Charlotte I felt was rushed but this is a novella so it was a 91 page story, I would like to see more of the story I did get fairytale like vibes (very The Princess and the Frog energy).
* Morally gray MMC
* Paranormal/dark fantasy
* Quick, addictive read

[Chantel Ackerman]

I found this book to be a meh read, it just didn't do anything for ME.
Is this a good book? Yes
Will it be a good read for someone else? Also yes.

Henri has sold his soul and now spends his time collecting them. He has shadow magic and uses it in some yummy ways. He's obsessed with Tiana, but Charlotte keeps sneaking into his thoughts, which results in him making a stupid ass decision more than once, but all's good in the end.

[anidayneow]

A PATF reimagining where Dr. Facilier finds love where he least expects it.

It was in interesting take on a loved fairytale. Who doesn't love when the villain gets the girl? Not in a Disney movie but a regular work of fiction, yeah. Henri has his own reasons for doing the things he does. I wish the characters would have been a little more fleshed out. I feel like we only got pieces of a story. It could've been a little longer but I enjoyed it anyway.

[Shabella Gutierrez-McLean]

This is a dark retelling. Check your trigger warnings first. I really liked this book and the fact that it was short and to the point. The plot twists did get me, i actually didn’t see a couple of them coming. The spice is definitely spicing. The premise behind the book is what hooked me. If you like, spicy, short, to the point, great stories. Then you need to read this. I received this as an arc from the author. This review is 100% my own thoughts.

[CozyDevourer]

If you like the story of the Princess and the Frog, then you may enjoy reading Shadow Man by Eliza Spark. This is a story about sacrifice and choices. This was an enjoyable short read. I felt that the first epilogue was unnecessary and did not add to the conclusion of the story. Epilogue 2 neatly wraps up the story and provides the reader with insight as to what happens to the four main characters in the future.

[NZ Sunshine]

This book, which I received as an ARC, is a light and entertaining short story that’s easy to get through in one sitting. The narrative moves fairly quickly. I found the epilogue to be somewhat gratuitous and felt it didn’t add much to the story. While it’s not a standout, it’s an enjoyable read for those looking for something brief and fun.

[Reneesquietspace]

A quick dark paranormal retelling of The Princess & The Frog where a shadow daddy has to make a choice to either kill or to sacrifice himself and find love along the way.
I thought this was really good. An interesting take on the PATF. It was fun, dark and spicy. I liked that we seen more from Henri’s pov and could see his trauma and struggles through the book.

[Kayla]

Fun Dark quick Read of a retelling of princess and the frog.

I thought it was a unique take on the story. Loving the villain getting to look for love for himself. I love how we still get the characters from the original telling overall very fun read

Thank you to the author for the ARC

[Shazz]

In this spicy Dr Facilier retelling, you get a morally grey MMC, paranormal romance and a FMC that you can't help but like.

She falls first and he doesn't even realise what's right in front of him. There's a tragic past and a story that will keep you turning the pages.

[Eljesa Ahm]

A fun and fast-paced read with clear inspiration from a familiar fairy tale. The recognizable elements added charm, though at times they felt a bit obvious. The romance was sweet, but I would have loved a slower buildup. Overall, an engaging story that I’d happily read more of from this author.

[beautiful A Reads]

This is essentially a very cool retake on the princess and the frog retelling with dark romance and broody romance wrapped in shadows. It’s a great Quick read

[Jessica]

I thought this was a interesting little story. The fact that he turned into this and tried to find love only to find it with someone else was interesting

[CeeJay Reads.27]

A great one-sitting read...

Some become villains because of extreme emotional trauma... but do they have to stay that way?

Short, snappy and engaging reimagining of Dr. Facilier's Story

[Naiomi Cox]

I loved this retelling and the way Eliza bought it to life.