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Shadow Riders #1
Shadow Rider
The #1 New York Times bestselling “queen of paranormal romance”* is back with a sexy new series starring a Chicago crime family that hides a dark, mystical secret...
Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.
While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…
With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...
Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.
While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…
With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...
685 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2016
1649 people are currently reading
7065 people want to read
About the author
Christine Feehan
157 books53.1k followersChristine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 100 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders, Torpedo Ink and her Romantic Suspense novels. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...
IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...
IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,401 reviews
July 4, 2016
GTFU @90%
Oh. My. God.
I am a huge fan of Christine Feehan's work especially her Leopard People series, which is filled with smutty goodness but this? Like every Feehan fan out there, I jumped for joy when I heard she was bringing out a new series. PNR. Yes. Mafia. Yes. Just yes, yes and yes! But this book was a huge disappointment, and I don't say that lightly. It was bad. I still have a very little idea as to what these Shadow Riders are capable off or even what they are, this book was just sex scene, after sex scene, after sex scene. Maybe everything got cleared up in that last 10% but I doubt it!
The violence of my disappointment right now is immeasurable. Where was the world building, yes this is an urban fantasy but where is the back story? I want to know these people, their connections to one another!!! The plot! Where is it? The first scene starts off with Stefano seeing the woman of his dreams walking down the street. Cue alpha male behavior. Our heroine, who was probably the most insipid, weak and I don't know what else little thing, gave a weak attempt and resistance but she gave in surprisingly easily when everything was said and done. Stupid decision after stupid decision. What am I going on about? Not much else happened here. The heroine would make a stupid decision, Stefano would activate his alpha male mojo "turbo". Cue weak resistance from heroine and then they fall into bed. Then the best sex scenes ever.
Repeat.
But seriously the sex scenes were scorching hot, but that's not why I'm here.
Let's not forget about the fact that wherever these two show up, everyone around them would stop whatever it is they were doing, whatever the scene. Everyone was watching. Seeing as for the majority of their scene making would be done in public places like restaurants and eateries, it's a wonder how these establishments kept afloat.
Look I know she's gorgeous and everything but how many times do you have to tell me how thick and shiny her hair is? And every single guy that meets her is just enamored? And the age old, I think I'm ugly but everyone else thinks I'm pretty is tired. Just stop. And her annoying friend who thought everything was either supercool or the Ferraros were superrich, or just plain super anything, was another factor that just ruined this entire book for me. On another note I will most definitely be reading book 2 because I'm hoping its Francesca's book, she and Saldi seemed to have something pretty decent going on.
Once again please don't take my word for it, there are enough 5 star reviews out there to prove that this book was fantastic and that I'm just full of it. So please read those for motivation.
March 27, 2017
I keep telling myself that I am not going to get any more books by this author after the last disasters that I have read. But no, I continue to "martyr" myself.......just hoping that maybe, perhaps, this one will be a total winner and get me back into her fan club!!!!
Sadly, Shadow Rider the 1st novel in Christine Feehan's Shadow Riders new paranormal romance series, Shadow Riders did not turn out to be that winner ....so, it's true to say that I have not rejoined the fan club again!!!
Seriously, if I didn't know better, I would think that this book was written by someone else..........it just did not feel like a Christine Feehan story to me.
Shadow Riders, the series opener is set in Chicago and the story centers around Francesca Capello,has a lot of dark secrets and is fleeing from something from her past and Stefano Ferraro, the head of the very wealthy and mysterious and much feared Ferraro family with a secret as well....they can travel through shadows......
He's dangerous and scary and within seconds of meeting Francesca realizes that she's also a shadow traveller...(of course, she doesn't' know this yet!!!!).
The plot of shadow travellers is an interesting and unique one but that's the only thing about this book......it seemed interesting but it just turned out to be a total bore!!
How many times must we hear from Francesca how beautiful Stefano is...once???
twice????
three times???????????????
No, more than three times...more than 4, 5, 6 times...I lost count after a while....when it came to how many times the other Ferraro men were so beautiful..........I never gave up!!!
Then the whole Francesca/Stefano debacle!!! Within a second, he knows she's the one for him..........insta............insta....insta-love moment....And guess what? This is a total alpha...yes, he is!!
He's so controlling...domineering....he just takes over her whole damn life...and he does this..why????
I so wanted to give up.............but I pushed myself to finally getting to the last page..........what a damn waste of my very precious reading time!!!!
I noticed that there are a lot of readers that loved this book.....but for me........I was disappointed and unless you are a diehard CF fan, I cannot recommend this book to anyone
Sadly, Shadow Rider the 1st novel in Christine Feehan's Shadow Riders new paranormal romance series, Shadow Riders did not turn out to be that winner ....so, it's true to say that I have not rejoined the fan club again!!!
Seriously, if I didn't know better, I would think that this book was written by someone else..........it just did not feel like a Christine Feehan story to me.
Shadow Riders, the series opener is set in Chicago and the story centers around Francesca Capello,has a lot of dark secrets and is fleeing from something from her past and Stefano Ferraro, the head of the very wealthy and mysterious and much feared Ferraro family with a secret as well....they can travel through shadows......
He's dangerous and scary and within seconds of meeting Francesca realizes that she's also a shadow traveller...(of course, she doesn't' know this yet!!!!).
The plot of shadow travellers is an interesting and unique one but that's the only thing about this book......it seemed interesting but it just turned out to be a total bore!!
How many times must we hear from Francesca how beautiful Stefano is...once???
twice????
three times???????????????
No, more than three times...more than 4, 5, 6 times...I lost count after a while....when it came to how many times the other Ferraro men were so beautiful..........I never gave up!!!
Then the whole Francesca/Stefano debacle!!! Within a second, he knows she's the one for him..........insta............insta....insta-love moment....And guess what? This is a total alpha...yes, he is!!
He's so controlling...domineering....he just takes over her whole damn life...and he does this..why????
Stefano Quote: I’m not easy. I’ll never be easy. I’ll own you. You won’t have one moment when I’m not aware of where you are and what you’re doing. That’s who I am.
Francesca was the most boring and total wishy washy heroine!!! She's suppose to be this brave and heroic woman but what does she do when Stefano tramples all over her and takes over her life...including the clothes she wears!!!! Nothing!!! Just gives in...because she's attracted to him and because he's so beauti........ful!!!!! Please!!!
There is so much repetitive sentences...and the dialogue! OMG!!! I was between laughing my head off, tears in my eyes or rolling on the floor!!!
I so wanted to give up.............but I pushed myself to finally getting to the last page..........what a damn waste of my very precious reading time!!!!
I noticed that there are a lot of readers that loved this book.....but for me........I was disappointed and unless you are a diehard CF fan, I cannot recommend this book to anyone
July 8, 2016
I should have listened to Mara about this: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The story basically went like this:
Stefano: Our shadows merge. You will be mine.
Francesca: But I'm nobody and you're rich and gorgeous and have had so many beautiful women.
S: Don't argue with me. You are the one for me.
F: But there are bad guys after me. And I need to be independent.
S: Fuck independence. I will protect you and you will obey me.
F: Ooh, you're so hot when you boss me around.
S: Fuck, yeah. I know you love it.
F: Stop saying fuck and just fuck me.
Around 95% of the nearly 500 page book consisted of variations on these interactions. The details and background about shadow riders--which actually could have been interesting--were only lightly sprinkled into the story.
Two stars because I didn't hate the book, merely found it tedious.
The story basically went like this:
Stefano: Our shadows merge. You will be mine.
Francesca: But I'm nobody and you're rich and gorgeous and have had so many beautiful women.
S: Don't argue with me. You are the one for me.
F: But there are bad guys after me. And I need to be independent.
S: Fuck independence. I will protect you and you will obey me.
F: Ooh, you're so hot when you boss me around.
S: Fuck, yeah. I know you love it.
F: Stop saying fuck and just fuck me.
Around 95% of the nearly 500 page book consisted of variations on these interactions. The details and background about shadow riders--which actually could have been interesting--were only lightly sprinkled into the story.
Two stars because I didn't hate the book, merely found it tedious.
May 31, 2016
Ok I'm writing an early review so will be careful what I say here. First of all I love this authors imagination as it just enthral's me every time. What's even more fabulous is that she stays close to her literary roots here as yet again it's a series with more than a touch of the paranormal. Many authors seem to stray and leave their original fans behind but not Ms Feehan! So settle back and be prepared to get sucked into yet another world with more characters to delight and excite you!
I liked the contemporary setting used here as it made the characters seem real. It is an intense dynamic between the family members and at first I was a little confused as to why Stefano was the head of the family but I should have trusted the author a little more as explanations are forthcoming. Stefano is a dominant alpha male but he stands out from her previous characters as he is quite foul mouthed, even vulgar at times and yet this device works well to help the reader discover more about his character.
Francesca is on the run when we meet her but does fortunately have a good friend that she trusts. For me something a little extreme happens to that friend but it's quickly glossed over and rather peculiarly I thought its just accepted. Hmm this bossy controlling mafia type family are perhaps revered just a little too much for this readers taste. Yet I can't deny that their protective ways do seem to be coming from a good place but there's a level of violence here that at times is shocking. I guess that's where I struggled with Francesca, as whilst initially she balks that all changes as she finds Stefano taking over her life.
Well it's a very different concept and there are several characters to tickle the readers interest. Brothers, cousins and even a solitary sister who clearly has ideas of her own. The shadow idea and abilities mentioned are not something I've seen before so kudos to what's an original idea to me. Yes it's a passionate romance but there's a build up to it and the sex scenes don't take over, yippee ! There's nothing worse to my mind than scenes of a carnal nature that go on and on and seem to last for three chapters or more! Sensuous is good but sometimes they just need reigning in at times so getting the balance right here was a cause for relief.
Bottom line is it's an interesting idea that's well written and easy to fall into. Captivating characters are introduced with secrets that this reader would love to explore. This vigilante type family are extremely violent and yet there is a side to them that's very appealing. Plus as this book ends another female with shadow abilities has arrived on scene but I'm not sure she or even we are ready for her story yet.
I was gifted a copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I liked the contemporary setting used here as it made the characters seem real. It is an intense dynamic between the family members and at first I was a little confused as to why Stefano was the head of the family but I should have trusted the author a little more as explanations are forthcoming. Stefano is a dominant alpha male but he stands out from her previous characters as he is quite foul mouthed, even vulgar at times and yet this device works well to help the reader discover more about his character.
Francesca is on the run when we meet her but does fortunately have a good friend that she trusts. For me something a little extreme happens to that friend but it's quickly glossed over and rather peculiarly I thought its just accepted. Hmm this bossy controlling mafia type family are perhaps revered just a little too much for this readers taste. Yet I can't deny that their protective ways do seem to be coming from a good place but there's a level of violence here that at times is shocking. I guess that's where I struggled with Francesca, as whilst initially she balks that all changes as she finds Stefano taking over her life.
Well it's a very different concept and there are several characters to tickle the readers interest. Brothers, cousins and even a solitary sister who clearly has ideas of her own. The shadow idea and abilities mentioned are not something I've seen before so kudos to what's an original idea to me. Yes it's a passionate romance but there's a build up to it and the sex scenes don't take over, yippee ! There's nothing worse to my mind than scenes of a carnal nature that go on and on and seem to last for three chapters or more! Sensuous is good but sometimes they just need reigning in at times so getting the balance right here was a cause for relief.
Bottom line is it's an interesting idea that's well written and easy to fall into. Captivating characters are introduced with secrets that this reader would love to explore. This vigilante type family are extremely violent and yet there is a side to them that's very appealing. Plus as this book ends another female with shadow abilities has arrived on scene but I'm not sure she or even we are ready for her story yet.
I was gifted a copy of this via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
August 1, 2016
3.5 Stars.
Francesca is on the run from a very powerful man. She lost everything thanks to him, her home, and reputation. Thankfully, her best friend, Joanna, was able to help, because otherwise she’d be living on the streets. The minute she gets to Joanna’s town, though, she captures the attention of Stefano Ferraro, a powerful, gorgeous man with a dangerous edge.
Stefano Ferraro is a shadow rider, a person able to ride shadows, traveling undetected, and endowed with other psychic gifts. He’s from a long family line of shadow riders trained from infancy to perfect their abilities and use their gifts for justice when the law fails to serve it. When Francesca gets to his town, penniless and frightened, he immediately senses her presence and intense pull. Every cell in his body is drawn to her, and there’s no way he can let her go even if that means involving her in his dangerous world.
This is my first Christine Feehan book and I’m impressed by how HOT it was! Stefano and Francesca’s romance intense! It was almost like the absolute pull mates have in shifter stories, which kind of applies here, too; that powerful bond resulting partly from the paranormal aspect of their relationship. I will say the first 35% or so sort of dragged for me and it took me a while to get past that point. Shadow Rider is a 480 page book, so it was a hefty amount, but once I did the story was quite steamy and addictive. This is a case of a dark, possessive, Alpha-guy who in real life would be considered stalker-ish and scary, but somehow in fiction he’s super hot and delicious, lol! Although, I must admit, Stefano kept dibs on Francesca for protection, and she definitely needed it! She was in danger at every turn.
This was a great introduction into the world of Shadow Riders! I’m wondering what will come next, a story with Nicoletta and Stefano’s brother, Taviano? My heart aches for what that poor girl went through!
A copy was kindly provided by Jove in exchange for an honest review.
Francesca is on the run from a very powerful man. She lost everything thanks to him, her home, and reputation. Thankfully, her best friend, Joanna, was able to help, because otherwise she’d be living on the streets. The minute she gets to Joanna’s town, though, she captures the attention of Stefano Ferraro, a powerful, gorgeous man with a dangerous edge.
Stefano Ferraro is a shadow rider, a person able to ride shadows, traveling undetected, and endowed with other psychic gifts. He’s from a long family line of shadow riders trained from infancy to perfect their abilities and use their gifts for justice when the law fails to serve it. When Francesca gets to his town, penniless and frightened, he immediately senses her presence and intense pull. Every cell in his body is drawn to her, and there’s no way he can let her go even if that means involving her in his dangerous world.
This is my first Christine Feehan book and I’m impressed by how HOT it was! Stefano and Francesca’s romance intense! It was almost like the absolute pull mates have in shifter stories, which kind of applies here, too; that powerful bond resulting partly from the paranormal aspect of their relationship. I will say the first 35% or so sort of dragged for me and it took me a while to get past that point. Shadow Rider is a 480 page book, so it was a hefty amount, but once I did the story was quite steamy and addictive. This is a case of a dark, possessive, Alpha-guy who in real life would be considered stalker-ish and scary, but somehow in fiction he’s super hot and delicious, lol! Although, I must admit, Stefano kept dibs on Francesca for protection, and she definitely needed it! She was in danger at every turn.
This was a great introduction into the world of Shadow Riders! I’m wondering what will come next, a story with Nicoletta and Stefano’s brother, Taviano? My heart aches for what that poor girl went through!
A copy was kindly provided by Jove in exchange for an honest review.
September 1, 2024
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Summary
Stefano Ferraro has always been able to get access to fast cars, women with zero commitment, and keeping his family secret from everyone apart from those closest to the family. Stefano has always known duty and honor, he lives up to what is expected from him. But he is keeping a secret, a secret that allows him to seek justice for those that the law is unable to protect. Stefano has everything he could want (or atleast in the view of the public) except one thing, a woman to love and a family. He dreams of finding the one woman for him, that will match him and be his in every way. Until one day he catches a woman's laugh, a stranger who has just come to town. Shaking from the cold, weak from hunger and hiding from her past, Francesca Cappello isn't ready for this stranger who intimidates her in every way possible, but makes her feel safe. Francesca has had it pretty rough, and doesn't trust anyone except her close friend who brought her to Chicago. She doesn't trust especially men with money, especially those that have it easy like the Ferraro family. But soon Francesca has gained the attention of dark and dangerous Stefano and doesn't know if she has what it takes to handle him...and she soon realizes that their love is worth fighting for!
The Hero
Stefano Ferraro is one of the few shadow riders left in the world. He is the oldest brother, and will do anything for his siblings. Each of them are shadow riders, and went through rigorous and for some horrible training. Their family has a great legacy, one that isn't easy to live up to. Stefano is the toughest of them all, he is the leader and he has made it his life's mission to protect his family. He has dedicated his whole life since he could walk to being a shadow rider, protecting the innocent, and seeing to his family's needs. He does what is necessary and doesn't apologize for actions he has had to commit. Stefano isn't a easy hero, but he is a hero you want by your side. He is tough, intimidating and pretty scary at times. He is alpha male, but is patient when he needs to be.He can be intense but is loyal and devoted once he commits!! I really liked this hero quite a bit, much more than the more recent ones that Feehan has created.
The Heroine
Francessa Capello has had a rough time of it lately. Her parents were killed when they were younger, and she only had her sister. They took care of each other. But then her sister was murdered and the man to blame, has power, police and the law behind him. He has destroyed everything she worked for, and has to be living on the streets to stay one step ahead of him. But now she has a fresh start, somewhere new and hoping to have time to gather what she needs to fight him to get justice for her sister. What she doesn't expect is to be bull dozed over by the most compelling man she has ever met, Stefano. She fears what he is a part of, but can't deny the magnetism, or the sizzling chemistry she feels for him or how safe he makes her feel when he is close. What a heroine this one turned out to be. Probably one of my favorites that Feehan has created. She has some issues to work through, especially when it comes to self confidence, however she has her own strength and I like how sassy she becomes with Stefano and stands on her own feet. She doesn't let the fear control how she handles him. We see her become stronger throughout the story and I liked seeing her inner strength come shining through.
Plot and Story Line
WHAT a book!! Christine Feehan has done it with this one and I fell in love with so many aspects of this story. Before reading it, I had browsed a few ratings and reviews just to get an idea of what to expect but all I heard were positive things about this new series!! I will admit I was a bit nervous to read this one. Mostly because the past two books from this author I have read, the heroes I had a hard time with, they were jerks and I couldn't stand how they treated their women. However this book completely blew me away!!! First off, the world-building is pretty wonderful. It is still full of mystery and intrigue but I loved what Feehan has shown us so far. This book pulled me in with the first page and I couldn't put it down!! So compelling and I loved the chemistry between these two. I did like that they didn't have sex until half way, it really built it up just right!! Now the heat is pretty high, and some scenes weren't my favorite. Not a big fan of the BDSM style and it was lighter than typical BDSM but it did have some elements that might not be for everyone. Frankly, I skimmed over those parts, since I didn't feel the need to read them but many will enjoy how Feehan did these scenes. The family that Feehan introduces to us is freakin' AWESOME!! I loved each and every sibling. They each are a bit different, have unique personalities. The sister was my favorite though, she is kick ass but I have a feeling she has quite a few vulnerabilities we haven't seen yet. What is so wonderful about this family is the way they protect each other, watch over one another and support each other in ways that is mind boggling. Seriously, this family almost brought me to tears. All of them have been through hell of training, and each suffer the scars from the past, but they are strong and hilarious at times. What was most admirable is the way they look out for Francesca. The moment that Stefano finds her, they treat her as their own. It really creates the perfect setting because Francesca has no family left and they fill that gap she craves. The actual romance between Stefano and Francesca is beautifully written. I loved the depth and rich tones you feel with these two.
They have some hurdles to cross, but their story is quite tender yet intense at the same time!! And the bad villain gets his just deserts which I felt was just perfect seeing that. I am curious to see which sibling will be next!! :)
The Cover
Interesting, it definitely gives the feels that the book conveys so I do like the shadow effect here!!
Overall View
Shadow Rider is a thrilling tale that will have you on edge, a romance that is tender and a story you don't want to miss out on!! A TRUE JEWEL!!
Summary
Stefano Ferraro has always been able to get access to fast cars, women with zero commitment, and keeping his family secret from everyone apart from those closest to the family. Stefano has always known duty and honor, he lives up to what is expected from him. But he is keeping a secret, a secret that allows him to seek justice for those that the law is unable to protect. Stefano has everything he could want (or atleast in the view of the public) except one thing, a woman to love and a family. He dreams of finding the one woman for him, that will match him and be his in every way. Until one day he catches a woman's laugh, a stranger who has just come to town. Shaking from the cold, weak from hunger and hiding from her past, Francesca Cappello isn't ready for this stranger who intimidates her in every way possible, but makes her feel safe. Francesca has had it pretty rough, and doesn't trust anyone except her close friend who brought her to Chicago. She doesn't trust especially men with money, especially those that have it easy like the Ferraro family. But soon Francesca has gained the attention of dark and dangerous Stefano and doesn't know if she has what it takes to handle him...and she soon realizes that their love is worth fighting for!
The Hero
Stefano Ferraro is one of the few shadow riders left in the world. He is the oldest brother, and will do anything for his siblings. Each of them are shadow riders, and went through rigorous and for some horrible training. Their family has a great legacy, one that isn't easy to live up to. Stefano is the toughest of them all, he is the leader and he has made it his life's mission to protect his family. He has dedicated his whole life since he could walk to being a shadow rider, protecting the innocent, and seeing to his family's needs. He does what is necessary and doesn't apologize for actions he has had to commit. Stefano isn't a easy hero, but he is a hero you want by your side. He is tough, intimidating and pretty scary at times. He is alpha male, but is patient when he needs to be.He can be intense but is loyal and devoted once he commits!! I really liked this hero quite a bit, much more than the more recent ones that Feehan has created.
The Heroine
Francessa Capello has had a rough time of it lately. Her parents were killed when they were younger, and she only had her sister. They took care of each other. But then her sister was murdered and the man to blame, has power, police and the law behind him. He has destroyed everything she worked for, and has to be living on the streets to stay one step ahead of him. But now she has a fresh start, somewhere new and hoping to have time to gather what she needs to fight him to get justice for her sister. What she doesn't expect is to be bull dozed over by the most compelling man she has ever met, Stefano. She fears what he is a part of, but can't deny the magnetism, or the sizzling chemistry she feels for him or how safe he makes her feel when he is close. What a heroine this one turned out to be. Probably one of my favorites that Feehan has created. She has some issues to work through, especially when it comes to self confidence, however she has her own strength and I like how sassy she becomes with Stefano and stands on her own feet. She doesn't let the fear control how she handles him. We see her become stronger throughout the story and I liked seeing her inner strength come shining through.
Plot and Story Line
WHAT a book!! Christine Feehan has done it with this one and I fell in love with so many aspects of this story. Before reading it, I had browsed a few ratings and reviews just to get an idea of what to expect but all I heard were positive things about this new series!! I will admit I was a bit nervous to read this one. Mostly because the past two books from this author I have read, the heroes I had a hard time with, they were jerks and I couldn't stand how they treated their women. However this book completely blew me away!!! First off, the world-building is pretty wonderful. It is still full of mystery and intrigue but I loved what Feehan has shown us so far. This book pulled me in with the first page and I couldn't put it down!! So compelling and I loved the chemistry between these two. I did like that they didn't have sex until half way, it really built it up just right!! Now the heat is pretty high, and some scenes weren't my favorite. Not a big fan of the BDSM style and it was lighter than typical BDSM but it did have some elements that might not be for everyone. Frankly, I skimmed over those parts, since I didn't feel the need to read them but many will enjoy how Feehan did these scenes. The family that Feehan introduces to us is freakin' AWESOME!! I loved each and every sibling. They each are a bit different, have unique personalities. The sister was my favorite though, she is kick ass but I have a feeling she has quite a few vulnerabilities we haven't seen yet. What is so wonderful about this family is the way they protect each other, watch over one another and support each other in ways that is mind boggling. Seriously, this family almost brought me to tears. All of them have been through hell of training, and each suffer the scars from the past, but they are strong and hilarious at times. What was most admirable is the way they look out for Francesca. The moment that Stefano finds her, they treat her as their own. It really creates the perfect setting because Francesca has no family left and they fill that gap she craves. The actual romance between Stefano and Francesca is beautifully written. I loved the depth and rich tones you feel with these two.
Trust that always, always, before any other, I will have your back. I'll keep you safe. I'll make you happy and give you the world.
They have some hurdles to cross, but their story is quite tender yet intense at the same time!! And the bad villain gets his just deserts which I felt was just perfect seeing that. I am curious to see which sibling will be next!! :)
The Cover
Interesting, it definitely gives the feels that the book conveys so I do like the shadow effect here!!
Overall View
Shadow Rider is a thrilling tale that will have you on edge, a romance that is tender and a story you don't want to miss out on!! A TRUE JEWEL!!
July 4, 2016
Review in few pics...
Bad guy
Our hero
...way to win a girl...
...she dared refuse your help???!!!
...mine only mine!!!
Who will enjoy this book?
Those who:
- like their heroines totally submissive (where the said heroine likes and enjoys being submissive!)
- like their hero aboslutely domineering (in every aspect of his and those who are near him lives!)
- like the very interesting new abilities (shadow riders - WOW - excellent idea!)
- like a borderline DS sex (well done, but I didn't like it...)
So, I liked the idea of the mafia-like new society with awesome ability of shadow riders and their helpers. It was very well done and I enjoyed finding out how that works.
What I didn't enjoyed very much is the relationship between H and h. For me it was too much unbalanced where H had an absolute power over the h, even in what she wears and who she talks to and how she behaves!!!! It would be OK if we were reading about medieval times, but we're in the present! Too much is too much!!!
Then we have their sexual relationship that, as I already said, were bordering on DS that is not a favorit of mine, and, obviously I didn't enjoyed it (even if the heroine enjoyed it very much! *wink, wink*) - but that's a question of preference. :)
So, I'll rate this as a 3 stars, but since I'm curious to find out what happens next with all his brothers and sister, I'll be reading the next book! :)
Bad guy
Our hero
...way to win a girl...
...she dared refuse your help???!!!
...mine only mine!!!
Who will enjoy this book?
Those who:
- like their heroines totally submissive (where the said heroine likes and enjoys being submissive!)
- like their hero aboslutely domineering (in every aspect of his and those who are near him lives!)
- like the very interesting new abilities (shadow riders - WOW - excellent idea!)
- like a borderline DS sex (well done, but I didn't like it...)
So, I liked the idea of the mafia-like new society with awesome ability of shadow riders and their helpers. It was very well done and I enjoyed finding out how that works.
What I didn't enjoyed very much is the relationship between H and h. For me it was too much unbalanced where H had an absolute power over the h, even in what she wears and who she talks to and how she behaves!!!! It would be OK if we were reading about medieval times, but we're in the present! Too much is too much!!!
Then we have their sexual relationship that, as I already said, were bordering on DS that is not a favorit of mine, and, obviously I didn't enjoyed it (even if the heroine enjoyed it very much! *wink, wink*) - but that's a question of preference. :)
So, I'll rate this as a 3 stars, but since I'm curious to find out what happens next with all his brothers and sister, I'll be reading the next book! :)
July 31, 2016
After my issues with how Feehan has taken her Dark series off a cliff the past few years, I was reluctant to try this new series of hers but with my Apple refund burning a hole in my Amazon pocket, I figured why not. I was mostly pleasantly surprised. The story kept me entertained and I enjoyed it overall. There were some small issues, I felt the heroine's friend came off very immature and made me feel like Feehan is pretty out of touch with young people of today. But overall, I enjoyed the story and will be trying the next book. At least in this book I don't have to deal with the God awful made up Carpathian language that she is ruining the Dark books with.
August 30, 2016
I have taken a long time to think of what to say about this new series. It has potential to be better than it actually was. It has all the necessary tropes to make a great story, rich overbearing alpha male, part of a "powerful" family, damsel in distress, instant attraction, and a sociopath.
It added a new element of shadow riding, so instead of your typical mafia family, this family dispenses justice against the bad guys.
Stefano Ferraro and Francesca Cappello are the lead in this first book. They fall into the cliche relationship roles, the rich man and the poor as a church mouse girl. She needs his protection and he gives it because she is HIS! He is so sexy and confident, but she is virgin with almost no self-confidence/esteem. BUT she is the only one who can tame in the raging beast in him.
What I liked:
* The idea of Shadow Riding and the mechanism was new and interesting.
* Though the Ferraro family were "good", they were still Mob. La Familia!
* Bad guys get the ending they deserve as the Shadow Riders dispense justice with no mercy.
* Hot and sexy scenes. Very steamy!
What I disliked:
* Too many hot and sexy scenes. Seriously, too much sex. Even with rapey villains.
* Francesca is just so weak until the end. She isn't stupid, just constantly afraid. She was kind though.
* Despite, continual assertion by Stefano that he will "protect what is mine", the bad guy still gets Francesca.
* Cool Supernatural Powers.
If you love Christine Feehan work, the characters are in the same vein as the Carpathians and Ghostwalkers. I will still read book 2 because now that the foundation has been set, there won't be as much world building in book 2. This story felt really long because the author was establishing the characters so the sequels should move at a faster pace.
It added a new element of shadow riding, so instead of your typical mafia family, this family dispenses justice against the bad guys.
Stefano Ferraro and Francesca Cappello are the lead in this first book. They fall into the cliche relationship roles, the rich man and the poor as a church mouse girl. She needs his protection and he gives it because she is HIS! He is so sexy and confident, but she is virgin with almost no self-confidence/esteem. BUT she is the only one who can tame in the raging beast in him.
What I liked:
* The idea of Shadow Riding and the mechanism was new and interesting.
* Though the Ferraro family were "good", they were still Mob. La Familia!
* Bad guys get the ending they deserve as the Shadow Riders dispense justice with no mercy.
* Hot and sexy scenes. Very steamy!
What I disliked:
* Too many hot and sexy scenes. Seriously, too much sex. Even with rapey villains.
* Francesca is just so weak until the end. She isn't stupid, just constantly afraid. She was kind though.
* Despite, continual assertion by Stefano that he will "protect what is mine", the bad guy still gets Francesca.
* Cool Supernatural Powers.
If you love Christine Feehan work, the characters are in the same vein as the Carpathians and Ghostwalkers. I will still read book 2 because now that the foundation has been set, there won't be as much world building in book 2. This story felt really long because the author was establishing the characters so the sequels should move at a faster pace.
October 12, 2016
DiDi's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
I've always enjoyed Ms. Feehan's Ghostwalkers, that being said I've fallen in love with the Shadow Riders. This series promises to be a refreshing new world full of sexy alpha anti-heroes, strong women and an amazing cast of secondary characters.
Stefano Ferraro is a ruthless alpha who is in charge of his family business, some legal and some not so much. Stefano is the utimate alpha who claims his mate as soon as he finds her and will do anything to protect her. Francesca Cappello is my favorite type of heroine, she is caring, giving, fiesty and doesn't let the hero run over her. Their attraction and chemistry jumps off the pages, their emotions beautifully written, I fell in love with both of them.
I have a strong feeling that the mystery, intrigue, emotions and off the charts chemistry along with the incredible world-building the Shadow series will catapult this series to my favorite of Ms. Feehan's series.
Give Shadow Rider a chance, even if you don't care for paranormal, it's a book not to miss!
P.S. I could easily see The Shadows series as a movie or TV series.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
I've always enjoyed Ms. Feehan's Ghostwalkers, that being said I've fallen in love with the Shadow Riders. This series promises to be a refreshing new world full of sexy alpha anti-heroes, strong women and an amazing cast of secondary characters.
Stefano Ferraro is a ruthless alpha who is in charge of his family business, some legal and some not so much. Stefano is the utimate alpha who claims his mate as soon as he finds her and will do anything to protect her. Francesca Cappello is my favorite type of heroine, she is caring, giving, fiesty and doesn't let the hero run over her. Their attraction and chemistry jumps off the pages, their emotions beautifully written, I fell in love with both of them.
I have a strong feeling that the mystery, intrigue, emotions and off the charts chemistry along with the incredible world-building the Shadow series will catapult this series to my favorite of Ms. Feehan's series.
Give Shadow Rider a chance, even if you don't care for paranormal, it's a book not to miss!
P.S. I could easily see The Shadows series as a movie or TV series.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
August 1, 2017
Take this review with a pinch of salt. If you love the authors work then don’t bother reading on. This. Is. Painful. It is my first book from this author and well maybe at some point in the future I will get round to reading something else of hers. But not now.
I spent ten quid on this lovely paperback and after 232 pages I give up which is roughly 50 % as this is a pile of nonsense riddled with more nonsense on top of more nonsense.
I’m being mean but I can’t believe I spent so much money on this book and I bought it back from England doesn’t make it much better I could have bought back a better book.
The beginning was good where we first meet the Hero, Stefano Ferraro. He is rich, wealthy has a certain entitlement about him. He is also bossy, intimidating and overall in the grand scheme of things, an arsehole through and through. He bullies the heroine into 99 % of the things that he wants and he doesn’t care how he gets it. Through pure persistence, stubbornness or blackmail. He is an arse. That in my eyes doesn’t redeem himself one bit at all.
Don’t even get me started on the heroine. Yes she is in a tough situation where she has been mentally tormented as well as physically tormented for the past eighteen months. She has no idea and she isn’t equipped in being able to deal with Stefano. Let alone she constantly gets distracted by his jaw, his voice, his eyes, his stubble, his eyebrows. I could go on but BORING!!
You see there is being stubborn and then there is being TSTL and Francesca is in that category. She is steamrolled by Stefano any chance she gets and well in the end she should have said yes sir, no sir, may I wipe me arse sir? The constant Stefano naming all the time. IRRITATING. Really.
And her best friend seems to be a complete airhead. Only interested in how rich and how exciting it is to have the attention of such an uberwealthy man and his family. Besides all the celebrities that she gets to meet.
Another point I would like to mention is how rich and insanely good looking all the family is, even the cousins. Yes they Italian American and I felt as if I was in a really bad remake of The Godfather. Really bad remake, I was missing the hand kissing and the Don and it would have been perfect. I need my characters to have some flaws although personality wise they are all shite.
Where is the plot in the story admittedly from what I read not a lot happened apart from things being repeated by the author in an attempt to grab us with her fantastic storytelling in hopes that we forget that there is very little paranormal plot to the book. More depth would have been nice. A back story maybe? Anything to be honest.
Or Stefano (God how I hate that name) is angry at everything the heroine included or hard at really the most importune moments or that the heroine is constantly steamrolled in this situation and every situation.
Please do not let me forget the otherworldly presence that are the Ferraro family. They enter a building and everyone stops talking, everyone all at the same time and then they whisper about them and how intimidating they are. Blah. Blah. Blah.
And ladies and Gentlemen please wait for the grand finale
“It was sex, Francesca. I fucked them because I needed release and I like to fuck.” He ignored her wince and continued. “I didn’t bring them home. They weren’t ever going to live with me. Or know me. Or know anything about me. I didn’t claim them in front of my entire family or my neighbourhood. None of those women belonged to me. I didn’t want them for more than a few hours. We used each other – that was it.”
Isn’t he a winner but his brother Rizzo is worse apparently they have that one woman they can’t leave without but up until that point everything is fair game. Threesomes, Foursomes, you name it they do it. I think it is a primitive take on the whole mate thing and it is terrible.
Well that is it I’m done. If I can think of anything else then I’ll post it.
I spent ten quid on this lovely paperback and after 232 pages I give up which is roughly 50 % as this is a pile of nonsense riddled with more nonsense on top of more nonsense.
I’m being mean but I can’t believe I spent so much money on this book and I bought it back from England doesn’t make it much better I could have bought back a better book.
The beginning was good where we first meet the Hero, Stefano Ferraro. He is rich, wealthy has a certain entitlement about him. He is also bossy, intimidating and overall in the grand scheme of things, an arsehole through and through. He bullies the heroine into 99 % of the things that he wants and he doesn’t care how he gets it. Through pure persistence, stubbornness or blackmail. He is an arse. That in my eyes doesn’t redeem himself one bit at all.
Don’t even get me started on the heroine. Yes she is in a tough situation where she has been mentally tormented as well as physically tormented for the past eighteen months. She has no idea and she isn’t equipped in being able to deal with Stefano. Let alone she constantly gets distracted by his jaw, his voice, his eyes, his stubble, his eyebrows. I could go on but BORING!!
You see there is being stubborn and then there is being TSTL and Francesca is in that category. She is steamrolled by Stefano any chance she gets and well in the end she should have said yes sir, no sir, may I wipe me arse sir? The constant Stefano naming all the time. IRRITATING. Really.
And her best friend seems to be a complete airhead. Only interested in how rich and how exciting it is to have the attention of such an uberwealthy man and his family. Besides all the celebrities that she gets to meet.
Another point I would like to mention is how rich and insanely good looking all the family is, even the cousins. Yes they Italian American and I felt as if I was in a really bad remake of The Godfather. Really bad remake, I was missing the hand kissing and the Don and it would have been perfect. I need my characters to have some flaws although personality wise they are all shite.
Where is the plot in the story admittedly from what I read not a lot happened apart from things being repeated by the author in an attempt to grab us with her fantastic storytelling in hopes that we forget that there is very little paranormal plot to the book. More depth would have been nice. A back story maybe? Anything to be honest.
Or Stefano (God how I hate that name) is angry at everything the heroine included or hard at really the most importune moments or that the heroine is constantly steamrolled in this situation and every situation.
Please do not let me forget the otherworldly presence that are the Ferraro family. They enter a building and everyone stops talking, everyone all at the same time and then they whisper about them and how intimidating they are. Blah. Blah. Blah.
And ladies and Gentlemen please wait for the grand finale
“It was sex, Francesca. I fucked them because I needed release and I like to fuck.” He ignored her wince and continued. “I didn’t bring them home. They weren’t ever going to live with me. Or know me. Or know anything about me. I didn’t claim them in front of my entire family or my neighbourhood. None of those women belonged to me. I didn’t want them for more than a few hours. We used each other – that was it.”
Isn’t he a winner but his brother Rizzo is worse apparently they have that one woman they can’t leave without but up until that point everything is fair game. Threesomes, Foursomes, you name it they do it. I think it is a primitive take on the whole mate thing and it is terrible.
Well that is it I’m done. If I can think of anything else then I’ll post it.
September 27, 2016
I liked it. I'll probably check out the next book in the series, but not sure if this will end up being something I really get into. Will have to see. It's often hard to judge by the first book in a series.
The premise was interesting - a mortal human who could "ride shadows" and used that power to take out the bad guys. The members of the family must marry another shadow rider to continue the line and they are few and far between. The h is a shadow rider, but doesn't realize it. When she comes to Chicago (severely downtrodden in a way Diana Palmer would be proud of), the hero sees her and claims her as his.
This book answers the question of how you take a Carpathian man and make him an Italian crime boss type. Have him say 'fuck' a lot and wear a custom made suit.
The heroine was a Mary Sue martyr to the extreme. She's one step away from homelessness and gives her ONLY coat to a homeless person during a Chicago winter. Maybe I'm hard hearted, but that seems a bit TOO generous to me. Then the hero forces his expensive coat on her and we get an entire storyline about her worrying about that stupid coat. At one point a mugger puts a knife to her throat and she can only think that she doesn't want to get blood on the hero's cashmere coat. Not the coat!!! LOL!
For those interested in that sort of thing. The heroine had one previous, unsatisfying sexual encounter as a teen.
Trigger warning - there are some mentions of rape/abuse of an underage girl by villains. Feehan does love her sexual sadists :-/
All in all it was entertaining and -bonus- it wasn't one long sex scene relative to some other Feehan books.. I saw others who disagreed, so YMMV. I felt like there was quite a bit of plot and it took a while before they consummated their relationship.
The premise was interesting - a mortal human who could "ride shadows" and used that power to take out the bad guys. The members of the family must marry another shadow rider to continue the line and they are few and far between. The h is a shadow rider, but doesn't realize it. When she comes to Chicago (severely downtrodden in a way Diana Palmer would be proud of), the hero sees her and claims her as his.
This book answers the question of how you take a Carpathian man and make him an Italian crime boss type. Have him say 'fuck' a lot and wear a custom made suit.
The heroine was a Mary Sue martyr to the extreme. She's one step away from homelessness and gives her ONLY coat to a homeless person during a Chicago winter. Maybe I'm hard hearted, but that seems a bit TOO generous to me. Then the hero forces his expensive coat on her and we get an entire storyline about her worrying about that stupid coat. At one point a mugger puts a knife to her throat and she can only think that she doesn't want to get blood on the hero's cashmere coat. Not the coat!!! LOL!
For those interested in that sort of thing. The heroine had one previous, unsatisfying sexual encounter as a teen.
Trigger warning - there are some mentions of rape/abuse of an underage girl by villains. Feehan does love her sexual sadists :-/
All in all it was entertaining and -bonus- it wasn't one long sex scene relative to some other Feehan books.. I saw others who disagreed, so YMMV. I felt like there was quite a bit of plot and it took a while before they consummated their relationship.
March 31, 2017
Hmm.
Ok so I quite enjoyed this but only in a very popcorn let's read something with not an awful lot of depth, I can't be bothered to think too much sort of way. With it's hot males and submissively cute females and an urban fantasy vibe (shadow walkers) it was perfectly readable stuff and there are some hot scenes in it, lots of flapping around being dramatic and it was great escapism.
The male lead stomps around being domineering, the woman he falls instantly in love with for no good reason whatsoever flaps around a bit pretending resistance but very shortly thereafter falls into his arms, mystery abounds, I kind of fell into this book then fell out of it again a bit bemused.
The writing is cool and immersive, if a little repetitive (yes I know her hair is lovely and lush and whatever but perhaps she should be more concerned with being told how to dress) and it was fun to pootle my way through it, this is a book that you read with chocolate and cupcakes.
Will I read the next in the series? Yes. Is it the best of this genre I've read? No.
But I liked it. Which may sound like damning with faint praise but is just exactly the truth.
Ok so I quite enjoyed this but only in a very popcorn let's read something with not an awful lot of depth, I can't be bothered to think too much sort of way. With it's hot males and submissively cute females and an urban fantasy vibe (shadow walkers) it was perfectly readable stuff and there are some hot scenes in it, lots of flapping around being dramatic and it was great escapism.
The male lead stomps around being domineering, the woman he falls instantly in love with for no good reason whatsoever flaps around a bit pretending resistance but very shortly thereafter falls into his arms, mystery abounds, I kind of fell into this book then fell out of it again a bit bemused.
The writing is cool and immersive, if a little repetitive (yes I know her hair is lovely and lush and whatever but perhaps she should be more concerned with being told how to dress) and it was fun to pootle my way through it, this is a book that you read with chocolate and cupcakes.
Will I read the next in the series? Yes. Is it the best of this genre I've read? No.
But I liked it. Which may sound like damning with faint praise but is just exactly the truth.
June 29, 2016
Francesca was getting annoying with how many times she kept going on about Stefano being gorgeous!
May 18, 2017
An interesting new series for Christine Feehan readers. With everything going on, it took me a long time to finish it. I read most of it on the way home from Illinois when we got back from my grandmother's funeral. I was really sucked in at that point. This one is about a family of people whose shadows are alive and they can manipulate and move the through the shadows/ dark spots around them. Cool idea. I'd give the idea definitely over a four star. The story overall is more like a three and a half. I think it's me. I am not into the mafia vibe. There was a pervasive mafia feel to this book I didn't enjoy. The lead character, Stefano seems like a mafia don, a man of infinite power and who is infinitely adored. But he's in a violent world and capable of extreme violence. I think if there was no paranormal elements, this simply would have been a crime romance about made men in Chicago. It was creepy who everyone bowed down to Stefano and his family and was constantly telling Francesca how lucky she was to be the apple of his eye. I think I would want to get the heck out of there. It could be what's going on right now in the country that has me sensitive to a lot of Kool-aid drinking, but that was a turnoff for me.
The other thing that bothered me was so controlling and rough Stefano was with Francesca. Now I can't say he was abusive. But he was very clearly always the one in control and expected Francesca to go along with this. I'm not into that whole aspect in which the hero is uber dominant and the heroine is submissive to him in every aspect of their relationship. Francesca did have a backbone and she was her own person, but I found her too compliant for my tastes.
I was kind of meh about Stefano. He was hot looking, with the black hair and dark blue eyes (which I really like). I dug how the Ferraros always wore three piece suits and looks damned good in them. But being rich and hot isn't everything. I mean, he's a good guy and takes care of the family and the folks in his neighborhood. And he doesn't take crap. He puts his enemies down hard. He really lost me when he kept going on about how he needed sex and lots of it, but the women didn't mean anything to him. I can't stand when the hero's sexual past in rubbed in the heroine's face. Francesca kept running into Stefano's vindictive hookups and many excuses were made about how it was a nature of the Shadow Riders, but she was special to him and he adored her. Then the dude has the nerve to think about hunting down Francesca's first and only lover other than him and killing him. What. The. Frell? Nope. Yes, I like a possessive hero, but not when he's been there done that and gets irritated because the he isn't the first for the heroine. Double Standard Alarm going off.
Another thing is how raunchy and rough the love scenes have gotten to be in Feehan's books. Very much over the line into erotic. I am not against sex scenes, I just get to the point where it's too much for me. Especially when it's about the hero making all the demands the heroine submitting to him sexually. It doesn't do a thing for me.
I guess there was a good love story. I didn't really connect to that aspect of the book. I was more intrigued with the shadow rider concept and the suspense storyline. Feehan knows how to write a good action and suspense story. I loved the climax. It was on point. When I was about to check out because of all the sex scenes that went on too long, the storyline twisted back to focus on the action and suspense, and I was hooked as before.
This was almost a four star, but the things I complained about above kept it in the 3.5 star range. I really wish Feehan would chill down some of the raunchy love scenes and the must have control in the bedroom aspect. That's getting old. I love a tender lover personally in my romances. If he gets a little wild every now and then, that's cool. But rough 24/7, no thanks. I love the family element and I grew fond of the Ferraro siblings. I'm looking forward to the sister's story with the guy who's in the rival family. My luck, it will probably be the last book in the series. Since it's Feehan and she's like my personal brand of crack, I will read them all.
The other thing that bothered me was so controlling and rough Stefano was with Francesca. Now I can't say he was abusive. But he was very clearly always the one in control and expected Francesca to go along with this. I'm not into that whole aspect in which the hero is uber dominant and the heroine is submissive to him in every aspect of their relationship. Francesca did have a backbone and she was her own person, but I found her too compliant for my tastes.
I was kind of meh about Stefano. He was hot looking, with the black hair and dark blue eyes (which I really like). I dug how the Ferraros always wore three piece suits and looks damned good in them. But being rich and hot isn't everything. I mean, he's a good guy and takes care of the family and the folks in his neighborhood. And he doesn't take crap. He puts his enemies down hard. He really lost me when he kept going on about how he needed sex and lots of it, but the women didn't mean anything to him. I can't stand when the hero's sexual past in rubbed in the heroine's face. Francesca kept running into Stefano's vindictive hookups and many excuses were made about how it was a nature of the Shadow Riders, but she was special to him and he adored her. Then the dude has the nerve to think about hunting down Francesca's first and only lover other than him and killing him. What. The. Frell? Nope. Yes, I like a possessive hero, but not when he's been there done that and gets irritated because the he isn't the first for the heroine. Double Standard Alarm going off.
Another thing is how raunchy and rough the love scenes have gotten to be in Feehan's books. Very much over the line into erotic. I am not against sex scenes, I just get to the point where it's too much for me. Especially when it's about the hero making all the demands the heroine submitting to him sexually. It doesn't do a thing for me.
I guess there was a good love story. I didn't really connect to that aspect of the book. I was more intrigued with the shadow rider concept and the suspense storyline. Feehan knows how to write a good action and suspense story. I loved the climax. It was on point. When I was about to check out because of all the sex scenes that went on too long, the storyline twisted back to focus on the action and suspense, and I was hooked as before.
This was almost a four star, but the things I complained about above kept it in the 3.5 star range. I really wish Feehan would chill down some of the raunchy love scenes and the must have control in the bedroom aspect. That's getting old. I love a tender lover personally in my romances. If he gets a little wild every now and then, that's cool. But rough 24/7, no thanks. I love the family element and I grew fond of the Ferraro siblings. I'm looking forward to the sister's story with the guy who's in the rival family. My luck, it will probably be the last book in the series. Since it's Feehan and she's like my personal brand of crack, I will read them all.
September 30, 2016
2.5 stars
June 18, 2016
There are several reasons why tropes exist, and all of them are good. Mostly they exist because people find comfort in the familiar. I find this to be especially true for romance readers, including myself. I want new stories, yes, but I also want to know what to expect. I don’t want my romance novel to make me anxious or sad. The very best romance authors understand this and use it well. They give us all the formulas we know well and love, but they also weave in their own signature, something that separates them from everyone else.
When it comes to paranormal romance, Christine Feehan is a superpower. Her Dark Carpathians novels are all international bestsellers, and there are too many to count. Feehan doesn’t fear tropes at all. In fact, she embraces them and uses them to their full potential. In Shadow Rider, the heroine calls herself a damsel in distress and Stefano a white knight on several occasions. I detected a healthy dose of Feehan's self-irony in her words and it amused me to no end.
Feehan keeps writing growly alphas because it’s what she does best. Stefano Ferraro is one of those – he always knows what everyone needs to do, he doesn’t take no for an answer and when he finds a woman worthy of his love, he takes over her life until there’s nothing left. Francesca Capello doesn’t mind at all. She wants to feel safe, and the best way to achieve that is to turn herself into a doll piloted by a rich, mysterious man. The second they meet he starts ordering her around, and he orders her right to the altar. While I myself am uncomfortable with that type of relationship, there’s a reason why the trope is very much alive, and I don’t doubt for a second that Stefano will become one of those romance heroes with legions of fans.
I have to give credit to Feehan for creating a unique, thrilling world. I don’t read that much PNR, but I do read urban fantasy all the time and I’ve never stumbled upon anything like she shadow hunters. They depend on the shadows and move undetected through them to bring justice to those who were abandoned by the system. The families can best be described as super hot, filthy rich, avenging members of the mafia, albeit with the very best of intentions. There is a sea of potential in this world and I look forward to seeing it fully developed.
Of course, Feehan set the foundation for the rest of this series. After all, Stefano has many brothers and even more cousins, all desperate to find that one woman fate has chosen for them. Although I’m not that interested in their future romances, I do want to see how the paranormal aspects might develop.
In short, Shadow Rider is the perfect read for romance fans who enjoy smoking hot, overbearing men and heroines that just want to be swept away.
When it comes to paranormal romance, Christine Feehan is a superpower. Her Dark Carpathians novels are all international bestsellers, and there are too many to count. Feehan doesn’t fear tropes at all. In fact, she embraces them and uses them to their full potential. In Shadow Rider, the heroine calls herself a damsel in distress and Stefano a white knight on several occasions. I detected a healthy dose of Feehan's self-irony in her words and it amused me to no end.
Feehan keeps writing growly alphas because it’s what she does best. Stefano Ferraro is one of those – he always knows what everyone needs to do, he doesn’t take no for an answer and when he finds a woman worthy of his love, he takes over her life until there’s nothing left. Francesca Capello doesn’t mind at all. She wants to feel safe, and the best way to achieve that is to turn herself into a doll piloted by a rich, mysterious man. The second they meet he starts ordering her around, and he orders her right to the altar. While I myself am uncomfortable with that type of relationship, there’s a reason why the trope is very much alive, and I don’t doubt for a second that Stefano will become one of those romance heroes with legions of fans.
I have to give credit to Feehan for creating a unique, thrilling world. I don’t read that much PNR, but I do read urban fantasy all the time and I’ve never stumbled upon anything like she shadow hunters. They depend on the shadows and move undetected through them to bring justice to those who were abandoned by the system. The families can best be described as super hot, filthy rich, avenging members of the mafia, albeit with the very best of intentions. There is a sea of potential in this world and I look forward to seeing it fully developed.
Of course, Feehan set the foundation for the rest of this series. After all, Stefano has many brothers and even more cousins, all desperate to find that one woman fate has chosen for them. Although I’m not that interested in their future romances, I do want to see how the paranormal aspects might develop.
In short, Shadow Rider is the perfect read for romance fans who enjoy smoking hot, overbearing men and heroines that just want to be swept away.
December 23, 2018
Never ever again..
Dear people I am going to start ranting;
First of all , what was my problem with the book?
Ans. Our hero stefano's sexual drive !!!🙄🙄he isn't alpha in any sense. He is a manwhore. There is a scene in the book where it is revealed that he slept with a full girl band (3 members) can you even☹️and what did our heroine do when she heared that? Nothing 😕 that was my second problem heroine was a doormat. She didn't have any personal opinion. I didn't like her at all.
I can understand heroes having past relationships, hookups and all but this was too much.
I gave one star because the concept was new and different but everything else just meh..!
I wont be reading the second book no matter what because all the brothers were introduced as players. Except the girl's story who was introduced in this book.
I love love christine feehan's dark series, and I almost have all her dark series books so I thought why shouldn't I give other series a chance, big mistake.
Dear people I am going to start ranting;
First of all , what was my problem with the book?
Ans. Our hero stefano's sexual drive !!!🙄🙄he isn't alpha in any sense. He is a manwhore. There is a scene in the book where it is revealed that he slept with a full girl band (3 members) can you even☹️and what did our heroine do when she heared that? Nothing 😕 that was my second problem heroine was a doormat. She didn't have any personal opinion. I didn't like her at all.
I can understand heroes having past relationships, hookups and all but this was too much.
I gave one star because the concept was new and different but everything else just meh..!
I wont be reading the second book no matter what because all the brothers were introduced as players. Except the girl's story who was introduced in this book.
I love love christine feehan's dark series, and I almost have all her dark series books so I thought why shouldn't I give other series a chance, big mistake.
December 27, 2021
Kitapta her şey vardı. Benim beklentim dışında 😱😂 Ben bu seriye fantastik diye başladım ama resmen yok gibiydi. Birde gelen giden, nefes alan her karakter italyan gibi... O isimler 🤭 Söyleyeceğim çok, unuttuğum daha da çok şey var🙈Neyse...
Stefano'nun başında olduğu, Ferraro ailesi Chicago'nun Küçük İtalya diye bilinen bölgesinde hüküm sürüyor. Dükkanlar, evler, işletmeler neredeyse onların. Mahalle de herkes onları bilir, korkar, saygı duyar... Bir dedikleri iki edilmez. Ama sakın yanlış anlaşılmasın. Sadece mahalle değil... Dünya avuçlarının içinde. Yarış arabaları, lüks otel zincirleri, yatlar, katlar, arabalar, villalar...
Bu aile pardon *famiglia* 🤭birbirine aşırı bağlı. Büyük şehirlerde konumlanmış kuzenler, amcalar, teyzeler... Hepsi birbirini koruyup kollar. Aileye girdiğinizde artık herkes sizden sorumludur. Bu bazen öyle bayutlara gelir ki okurken ben nereye düştüm dersiniz 😂Bir an hareme bağlayacaklar sandım.🤣
Ah bu arada ne mafya, ne organize suç örgütü olan Ferraro ailesi kendi raconlarını kendileri kesiyor. Polisin ulaşamadığı, adaletin tecelli etmediği durumları çözüyorlar. Endişeniz olmasın canım. Her iki tarafı ve suçu araştırıp öyle cezayı kesiyorlar 😅 Hele hele son kitap... İki düşman ailenin çocukları arasında olacak. Ama hâlâ tekrar ediyorum mafya kitabı değil 😅
Ferraro ailesi Shadow Rider diye tanımladıkları yeteneklere sahip. Gölgede saklanabilir, seyahat edebilirler. Bu görünmezlik kalkanı sayesinde bir çok suçluyu alt ettiler. Olayın tüm mistik yönü bu 🤭
Tüm kardeşler birbiri ile uyum içinde hareket ediyor. Bir görev aldıklarında bir kısmı magazinsel olaylarla dikkat dağıtırken diğerleri aldıkları davayı çözüyor.
Hikayenin girişinde esas kızımız Francesca, yakın arkadaşı Johanna'nın desteği ile iş başvurusu için mahalleye gelir.Başı derttedir, beş parasız, ıslanmış, üşümüş, aç bir haldedir. En son isteği kendine patronluk taslayan, cebine para koyduğu montu zorla giydiren Stefano'dur.
Çiftin ilk karşılaşması ve neredeyse ilk yarı boyunca nalet mont musallat oldu bize. Aman Stefano'nun montuna zeval gelmesin diye kırk takla attı 🤦🏻♀️Kızın boğazına bıçak dayanmış, tek derdi ceket kan olmaz inşallah 😅
Kitap beni biraz sinir etti. Tamam alfasın, patron sensin...Ama yani kıza da bir söz hakkı ver. Önce benimsin dedi, sonra nişanlımsın ayağına parmağına yüzüğü geçirdi. İki gün sonra karım olacaksın benim diyerek düğün hazırlıkları yapmalara başlandı. Ve Francesca'ya sormadı bile 🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Birde Allah'ım sanırsınız dünya yanıyor. Kızın saçının teline zarar gelse, yer gök delindi sanırsınız. Böyle bunu yansıtma şekli çok yavandı. Göz devirdiğim sahneler gırla... Hele hele birbirlerine duygularını açma sahneleri. Ay ben sıkıldım ya....Sinir etti beni.
Açıkçası ilk yarı hemen aktı gitti. Belki benle de alakalıdır ama ikinci yarıyı daha aralıklı zamanda okuduğum için de olabilir biraz göz devirerek okudum. Mantıklı bulamadığım çok şey vardı.
Mesela ne olduğunu açıkladıkları zaman kız da hiç mi tepki olmaz. Durumu son sahnelerde açıkladılar o ayrı sinir bir durum ama insan der ki hayır bu mümkün değil.Tamam kendisi de bir Shadow Rider ve bazı şeylere aşina ama az biraz sorgulasana bacım. 😱
Kitap bilmem kaç sayfa ama çok fazla olay yoktu. Francesca ve başına gelen bir iki talihsiz olay, kaçtığı kötü adamlar, Stefano ve mıç mıç ailesi ve son sahnelerde kötü adamın üstesinden gelmek. Çok olumsuzladım ama merak ettiğim karakterler var o yüzden seriyi bitiririm ben 🤣 Sadece kurgu olarak beklemediğim ve beni şaşırttığı için biraz olumsuzdum galiba.
.
Stefano'nun başında olduğu, Ferraro ailesi Chicago'nun Küçük İtalya diye bilinen bölgesinde hüküm sürüyor. Dükkanlar, evler, işletmeler neredeyse onların. Mahalle de herkes onları bilir, korkar, saygı duyar... Bir dedikleri iki edilmez. Ama sakın yanlış anlaşılmasın. Sadece mahalle değil... Dünya avuçlarının içinde. Yarış arabaları, lüks otel zincirleri, yatlar, katlar, arabalar, villalar...
Bu aile pardon *famiglia* 🤭birbirine aşırı bağlı. Büyük şehirlerde konumlanmış kuzenler, amcalar, teyzeler... Hepsi birbirini koruyup kollar. Aileye girdiğinizde artık herkes sizden sorumludur. Bu bazen öyle bayutlara gelir ki okurken ben nereye düştüm dersiniz 😂Bir an hareme bağlayacaklar sandım.🤣
Ah bu arada ne mafya, ne organize suç örgütü olan Ferraro ailesi kendi raconlarını kendileri kesiyor. Polisin ulaşamadığı, adaletin tecelli etmediği durumları çözüyorlar. Endişeniz olmasın canım. Her iki tarafı ve suçu araştırıp öyle cezayı kesiyorlar 😅 Hele hele son kitap... İki düşman ailenin çocukları arasında olacak. Ama hâlâ tekrar ediyorum mafya kitabı değil 😅
Ferraro ailesi Shadow Rider diye tanımladıkları yeteneklere sahip. Gölgede saklanabilir, seyahat edebilirler. Bu görünmezlik kalkanı sayesinde bir çok suçluyu alt ettiler. Olayın tüm mistik yönü bu 🤭
Tüm kardeşler birbiri ile uyum içinde hareket ediyor. Bir görev aldıklarında bir kısmı magazinsel olaylarla dikkat dağıtırken diğerleri aldıkları davayı çözüyor.
Hikayenin girişinde esas kızımız Francesca, yakın arkadaşı Johanna'nın desteği ile iş başvurusu için mahalleye gelir.Başı derttedir, beş parasız, ıslanmış, üşümüş, aç bir haldedir. En son isteği kendine patronluk taslayan, cebine para koyduğu montu zorla giydiren Stefano'dur.
Çiftin ilk karşılaşması ve neredeyse ilk yarı boyunca nalet mont musallat oldu bize. Aman Stefano'nun montuna zeval gelmesin diye kırk takla attı 🤦🏻♀️Kızın boğazına bıçak dayanmış, tek derdi ceket kan olmaz inşallah 😅
Kitap beni biraz sinir etti. Tamam alfasın, patron sensin...Ama yani kıza da bir söz hakkı ver. Önce benimsin dedi, sonra nişanlımsın ayağına parmağına yüzüğü geçirdi. İki gün sonra karım olacaksın benim diyerek düğün hazırlıkları yapmalara başlandı. Ve Francesca'ya sormadı bile 🤷🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
Birde Allah'ım sanırsınız dünya yanıyor. Kızın saçının teline zarar gelse, yer gök delindi sanırsınız. Böyle bunu yansıtma şekli çok yavandı. Göz devirdiğim sahneler gırla... Hele hele birbirlerine duygularını açma sahneleri. Ay ben sıkıldım ya....Sinir etti beni.
Açıkçası ilk yarı hemen aktı gitti. Belki benle de alakalıdır ama ikinci yarıyı daha aralıklı zamanda okuduğum için de olabilir biraz göz devirerek okudum. Mantıklı bulamadığım çok şey vardı.
Mesela ne olduğunu açıkladıkları zaman kız da hiç mi tepki olmaz. Durumu son sahnelerde açıkladılar o ayrı sinir bir durum ama insan der ki hayır bu mümkün değil.Tamam kendisi de bir Shadow Rider ve bazı şeylere aşina ama az biraz sorgulasana bacım. 😱
Kitap bilmem kaç sayfa ama çok fazla olay yoktu. Francesca ve başına gelen bir iki talihsiz olay, kaçtığı kötü adamlar, Stefano ve mıç mıç ailesi ve son sahnelerde kötü adamın üstesinden gelmek. Çok olumsuzladım ama merak ettiğim karakterler var o yüzden seriyi bitiririm ben 🤣 Sadece kurgu olarak beklemediğim ve beni şaşırttığı için biraz olumsuzdum galiba.
.
June 1, 2017
05/31/2017
Re-read this because the second book FINALLY came out after a year, so I didn't remember this one well enough to head into Book 2. My rating doesn't change. If Ms Feehan would have tightened down on the repetition and angst, this would have been a better book. I don't need to be told the same thing ten different times (and it's insulting to the reader, imho).
07/15/2016
I liked this story overall. The shadow riding is a unique twist for a pnr romance. Lots of characters are introduced that can be the subjects of future books. Overall, the length of the book makes sense considering it's probably the first in a series and there is a lot of character introduction and explanation. Even so, a good quarter of this book could have been left out and the story could have been tightened. There is a *lot* of time where nothing much really happens. There is also a lot of sex - basically just too much - and it quickly became boring and I found myself skimming. Some (few) writers can write sex scenes that I find sensual, but I don't get that thrill in most of Ms. Feehan's books, so less is better (like 2-3), imho. Actually there isn't any until about halfway through the book, then it's too much sex and all crammed in (lol). At any rate, I doubt most readers will need a session with their B.O.B. Although I really liked the book, I reduced my rating to 3 stars for those reasons.
Added: I never could figure out the ages of any of the characters. Obviously, Stephano is older, but there was no sense of how much. And I assume Francesca is in her early twenties, but that was vague too since her friend Joanna might have graduated from college... and she vaguely seemed to have a job somewhere. There are a lot of particulars that most books have that are left out in this one.
I will probably read the next one.
3/3/2016 - I guess the Kindle price is fair for a book this long, but who would think an ebook would cost a buck more than a paperback? Something seems wrong about that, unless they are really pushing the print editions to get them moving. Oh well, it's worth a dollar more to not have more clutter and there's no way I can keep all of my books in paper form (yes, I am a book keeper!)
Re-read this because the second book FINALLY came out after a year, so I didn't remember this one well enough to head into Book 2. My rating doesn't change. If Ms Feehan would have tightened down on the repetition and angst, this would have been a better book. I don't need to be told the same thing ten different times (and it's insulting to the reader, imho).
07/15/2016
I liked this story overall. The shadow riding is a unique twist for a pnr romance. Lots of characters are introduced that can be the subjects of future books. Overall, the length of the book makes sense considering it's probably the first in a series and there is a lot of character introduction and explanation. Even so, a good quarter of this book could have been left out and the story could have been tightened. There is a *lot* of time where nothing much really happens. There is also a lot of sex - basically just too much - and it quickly became boring and I found myself skimming. Some (few) writers can write sex scenes that I find sensual, but I don't get that thrill in most of Ms. Feehan's books, so less is better (like 2-3), imho. Actually there isn't any until about halfway through the book, then it's too much sex and all crammed in (lol). At any rate, I doubt most readers will need a session with their B.O.B. Although I really liked the book, I reduced my rating to 3 stars for those reasons.
Added: I never could figure out the ages of any of the characters. Obviously, Stephano is older, but there was no sense of how much. And I assume Francesca is in her early twenties, but that was vague too since her friend Joanna might have graduated from college... and she vaguely seemed to have a job somewhere. There are a lot of particulars that most books have that are left out in this one.
I will probably read the next one.
3/3/2016 - I guess the Kindle price is fair for a book this long, but who would think an ebook would cost a buck more than a paperback? Something seems wrong about that, unless they are really pushing the print editions to get them moving. Oh well, it's worth a dollar more to not have more clutter and there's no way I can keep all of my books in paper form (yes, I am a book keeper!)
July 2, 2016
Shame on me!! for buying yet another CF book. I said I was going to stop reading her books. I should have followed by own advice. There are elements of Shadow Rider that I enjoyed the Ferraro family is just wonderful. But there is not enough story to fill up a book. Again we have a book with about 70% sex. I hate rape written into my stories and avoid buying stories with that content, but it was no indication that SR had a rape victim a young teen until I read it. The poor girl has been sexually raped everyway possible to rape a person and cruelly beaten by all 3 uncles for 2 years. It reminds me of when we were introduced to Skylar in Dark Legend. I don't think there is anything interesting in reading about rape. I really don't understand a female author and her readers liking too read this sort of depraved acts like rape of a child. What's Up with that?? But it really does tell a lot about ourselves. The other problem I had was the story is very repetitive. Every other line it repeats what it just said. Just fillers to get to the word count.
I did enjoy how the Ferraro Family dispensed there justice on the bad guys. The end of the book was quite good and I did see glimpse of the Old Christine Feehan. Maybe she is on her way back!! One can only hope. Sorry I can't Recommend this book!! If you are addicted like me get it from the library or share a copy with a group of friends.
I did enjoy how the Ferraro Family dispensed there justice on the bad guys. The end of the book was quite good and I did see glimpse of the Old Christine Feehan. Maybe she is on her way back!! One can only hope. Sorry I can't Recommend this book!! If you are addicted like me get it from the library or share a copy with a group of friends.
August 22, 2017
***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***
2.5 stars
This is a blend of the old Cinderella tale and a Billionaire romance.
First, we have our sweet little Cinderella, Francesca, who is barely scraping by. She has escaped from the dangers of her previous city with only the clothes on her back and next to no money. Her friend in Chicago sent her bus fare to get there & has assured her that there’s a job for her.
Enter the billionaire, Stefano, complete with dark rumours about how he has amassed his wealth. He is the Shadow Rider of the title, with a talent for manipulating light & darkness, and he recognizes the same potential talent in Francesca.
I’m all about the fantasy & paranormal aspects of stories like these, and frankly those features pretty much took a back seat to the romance/erotic interludes of this novel. Not that there’s anything wrong with those, but I would have been much more interested in the fantasy underpinnings of this world.
As for the romance itself, I am not a fan of instant love, and that’s exactly what Stefano experiences. I don’t find it realistic for him to instantly switch from being an international playboy to a one-woman man during a 15 minute meeting in a deli. I’m also not a fan of Stefano’s over-the-top possessiveness and his absolute control over Francesca once he decides that he must protect her for her own good.
For me, this book had too much sex, too much controlling, possessive behaviour and not nearly enough plot. This is my second try with this author, and I think I am safe in deciding that her work is just not going to appeal to me.
2.5 stars
This is a blend of the old Cinderella tale and a Billionaire romance.
First, we have our sweet little Cinderella, Francesca, who is barely scraping by. She has escaped from the dangers of her previous city with only the clothes on her back and next to no money. Her friend in Chicago sent her bus fare to get there & has assured her that there’s a job for her.
Enter the billionaire, Stefano, complete with dark rumours about how he has amassed his wealth. He is the Shadow Rider of the title, with a talent for manipulating light & darkness, and he recognizes the same potential talent in Francesca.
I’m all about the fantasy & paranormal aspects of stories like these, and frankly those features pretty much took a back seat to the romance/erotic interludes of this novel. Not that there’s anything wrong with those, but I would have been much more interested in the fantasy underpinnings of this world.
As for the romance itself, I am not a fan of instant love, and that’s exactly what Stefano experiences. I don’t find it realistic for him to instantly switch from being an international playboy to a one-woman man during a 15 minute meeting in a deli. I’m also not a fan of Stefano’s over-the-top possessiveness and his absolute control over Francesca once he decides that he must protect her for her own good.
For me, this book had too much sex, too much controlling, possessive behaviour and not nearly enough plot. This is my second try with this author, and I think I am safe in deciding that her work is just not going to appeal to me.
February 24, 2018
https://romanticcynicblog.wordpress.c...
Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Francesca): 5/5
Hero (Stefano): 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Grovel: none needed
Cheating: none
HEA: yes (but no babies yet)
Triggers: some OW drama
Average score: 5/5
Best Line: “I want a large family, and I want my wife staying home and taking care of them. I want her to get up with me in the middle of the night and change their diapers and feed them. I want her to shower our children with love every minute of the day. I want her to be strong enough to stand up to me and balance my need to keep them all safe.”
Worst Line: “It was sex, Francesca. I fucked them because I needed release and I like to fuck.”
Personal Review:
This was a great love story between a protective, alpha male and a woman on the run. I loved this book so much, not only because of the relationship between the h and H but because of the secondary characters.
Random Ramblings:
•Yes, I get it, the Ferraro siblings are good-looking. I don’t need to be reminded over and over (and over) again.
•It’s been awhile since I have read Feehan’s books and this story reminds me how much I enjoy her writing style
•So many names!
•I loved the family bond
•Emmanuelle is badass!
•The ending was amazing
Overall Feeling:
Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Francesca): 5/5
Hero (Stefano): 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Grovel: none needed
Cheating: none
HEA: yes (but no babies yet)
Triggers: some OW drama
Average score: 5/5
Best Line: “I want a large family, and I want my wife staying home and taking care of them. I want her to get up with me in the middle of the night and change their diapers and feed them. I want her to shower our children with love every minute of the day. I want her to be strong enough to stand up to me and balance my need to keep them all safe.”
Worst Line: “It was sex, Francesca. I fucked them because I needed release and I like to fuck.”
Personal Review:
This was a great love story between a protective, alpha male and a woman on the run. I loved this book so much, not only because of the relationship between the h and H but because of the secondary characters.
Random Ramblings:
•Yes, I get it, the Ferraro siblings are good-looking. I don’t need to be reminded over and over (and over) again.
•It’s been awhile since I have read Feehan’s books and this story reminds me how much I enjoy her writing style
•So many names!
•I loved the family bond
•Emmanuelle is badass!
•The ending was amazing
Overall Feeling:
October 23, 2016
I don't get the 5 star reviews for this one. The world building needed a LOT of work. Stefano was just an ass. Nothing attractive about him whatsoever. Francesca acted like a child for most of the 60% that I did read. Very disappointed in an author I used to love.
DNF
DNF
Read
August 7, 2016DNF
July 4, 2016
She keeps writing the same book, with the same characters, down to with the physical description. And they never improve, on the contrary they get worse everytime she shows a woman completely lacking any brain, any pride, any value outside her vagina (you can call her mate, but if she's nothing, why bother giving her a different name?)
I don't really like reviews made of pics, but this really describe my feeling reading this book.
DNF @30%
I don't really like reviews made of pics, but this really describe my feeling reading this book.
DNF @30%
Did not finish
May 3, 2020Such of waste of 1.99$.
I should have read the reviews before purchasing this, i can’t blame anyone but myself.
I’ll pick it up when I’m in the mood for a whore of a hero with a barely sexual experienced, doormat and pathetic heroine. Which will be NEVER.
I should have read the reviews before purchasing this, i can’t blame anyone but myself.
I’ll pick it up when I’m in the mood for a whore of a hero with a barely sexual experienced, doormat and pathetic heroine. Which will be NEVER.
Read
June 27, 2016DNF. No rating
July 25, 2016
This was my first foray back into the world of Christine Feehan after about 3 or so years away from reading her books. While I didn't absolutely adore this book I did enjoy it. It did take me about a week to read which isn't normal. I wasn't bored with the story but I wasn't super into it either. The characters weren't boring and the story wasn't boring, I just wasn't drawn to it like other Feehan's I've read and loved in the past.
Everything happened rather fast in regards to the relationship between the main characters. Stefano (and I could not get Stefano DiMeria from Days of our Lives out of my head while reading this so the name really bothered me - LOL) was way super alpha and possessive of Francesca. Francesca was at times lacking in self-esteem. It was starting to bother me a bit but luckily it didn't last too long.
Although it was a long book, it all took place in a matter of days (or what seemed like days) that it felt short to me.
The sex scenes were different than what I've read previously of Feehan's. There was a bit of bondage and some ideas that went through Stefano's head that were a bit squicky. However, on the plus side they didn't go on for 10 pages as I recall from previous books.
I really did like the storyline in this book, I love the idea of the Shadow Riders and the ending scene where they dealt with the man after Francesca was brilliant. I very much enjoyed that. I do plan to read the rest of this series. I'm intrigued by Emme's adversarial relationship to Valentino Saldi, a man who is a member of the Ferraro's greatest enemies. Pretty sure they will end up together and I have a pretty good guess of Tavanio's heroine, as well.
Everything happened rather fast in regards to the relationship between the main characters. Stefano (and I could not get Stefano DiMeria from Days of our Lives out of my head while reading this so the name really bothered me - LOL) was way super alpha and possessive of Francesca. Francesca was at times lacking in self-esteem. It was starting to bother me a bit but luckily it didn't last too long.
Although it was a long book, it all took place in a matter of days (or what seemed like days) that it felt short to me.
The sex scenes were different than what I've read previously of Feehan's. There was a bit of bondage and some ideas that went through Stefano's head that were a bit squicky. However, on the plus side they didn't go on for 10 pages as I recall from previous books.
I really did like the storyline in this book, I love the idea of the Shadow Riders and the ending scene where they dealt with the man after Francesca was brilliant. I very much enjoyed that. I do plan to read the rest of this series. I'm intrigued by Emme's adversarial relationship to Valentino Saldi, a man who is a member of the Ferraro's greatest enemies. Pretty sure they will end up together and I have a pretty good guess of Tavanio's heroine, as well.
December 15, 2017
Warning! ranting ahead
To say this book annoyed me would be the understatement of the century.
I picked it up in a bookstore and it seemed so great especially with what people were saying and all so I thought "Oh I'll definitely love this book"
Spoiler alert: I didn't.
This was your typical [Rich handsome man with dark secrets] x [poor girl with a dark past] story, I've read thousands of those on Wattpad and if I'm being honest some were much better than this one.
It was so predictable down to every last thing in the plot.
As I was reading, I kept hoping it wouldn't go with the typical ending in which the girl gets kidnapped and the boy saves her, but guess what? It happened!
I hated that whole "love at first sight" thing that went on between Stefano and Francesca (Actually I downright hated their relationship in general). At first I thought there was something like a mating bond of a sort that snapped in place when their shadows touched and that's why he got so obsessed with her but nope,that whole shadows thingy only meant she was able to produce shadow riders as children.
I hated how he walked up to her and claimed her as his as if she were some sort of a toy or something that he can own AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN PROTEST!!
Like wth? That's just wrong on so many levels.
Don't ever do this kids, if a stranger walks up to you and says you're his outta nowhere you knee him in the groin and run away because he's a creep, no matter how hot, no matter how rich he can be, you just run for your dear life and hope he never catches up to you!
The reason I picked up this book in the first place was the whole shadow riding aspect, I found it so interesting and wanted to learn more about it and how it works, but nooooo! All I get instead is the fucked up relationship of Stefano and his charity case that he decided to claim as his own property!
I hated how spineless Francesca was, she just batted her eyelashes and nodded at every single command he gave her without protesting even if she didn't agree with it. And he just went on and on ordering her around like a hound dog!
Bloody hell that was frustrating!
And their engagement
Oh dear lord their engagement!
He basically takes her to party with his family, she doesn't know why then all of a sudden his sister says they're celebrating their engagement
WHAT?
Dude! You're doing it wrong, you skipped the whole getting on one knee with a ring in your hand and asking her to marry you
SHE DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING KNOW
The worst part? She was actually fine with it
Also, I'm not sure the author is aware of it but there are in fact English words other than "sexy" to describe someone's appearance.
I threw the book across the room several times because everything Stefano did or had was sexy
His eyes
His face
His mouth
His hands
His hair
NO! Just No!!!
One more thing that turned me off was how graphic and details the sex scenes were in this book
It was just too much that I actually had to skip a lot of them hoping to get more of the plot but getting nothing instead.
I can actually sum up the whole thing in a few lines:
- Poor almost homeless girl goes with her friend looking for a job
- Handsome rich man sees her and she catches his eyes
- He forces her to take his coat and money, basically bullies the restaurant owner to hire her and claims her as his then leaves
- She is attacked and his cousins save her
- He takes her out for dinner n they talk a bit
- She goes home n his cousins hate where she lives
- Him n his family attack her landlord who happens to be a creepy asshole and he forcefully takes her to his home with him
- She stays with him in his home and she's suddenly fine with it
- They discover she's running from a rich psycho who murdered her sister
- Freaky sex
- Some more freaky sex
- He takes her to party with his family and then he be like "yeah it's our engagement party, no biggie"
- SHE IS FINE WITH THAT
- More freaky sex because there's no plot so let's write smut!
- She is attacked again n they save her
- His mom is a bitch
- She quits her job bc why not
- More freaky sex
- Psycho rich dude is in town n he visits them
- He goes on a mission n saves a girl (I bet my ass his bro is gonna marry that one)
- Psycho rich dude kidnaps her n the sister
- The bros come n kill everyone to save them
- Wedding scene
-_-
I've only seen that in like every single Rich boy x poor girl story I've ever read, and I found all of those on Wattpad
I'm seriously so pissed off at this book because it had so much potential but it went and ended up being. . . crappy
To say this book annoyed me would be the understatement of the century.
I picked it up in a bookstore and it seemed so great especially with what people were saying and all so I thought "Oh I'll definitely love this book"
Spoiler alert: I didn't.
This was your typical [Rich handsome man with dark secrets] x [poor girl with a dark past] story, I've read thousands of those on Wattpad and if I'm being honest some were much better than this one.
It was so predictable down to every last thing in the plot.
As I was reading, I kept hoping it wouldn't go with the typical ending in which the girl gets kidnapped and the boy saves her, but guess what? It happened!
I hated that whole "love at first sight" thing that went on between Stefano and Francesca (Actually I downright hated their relationship in general). At first I thought there was something like a mating bond of a sort that snapped in place when their shadows touched and that's why he got so obsessed with her but nope,that whole shadows thingy only meant she was able to produce shadow riders as children.
I hated how he walked up to her and claimed her as his as if she were some sort of a toy or something that he can own AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN PROTEST!!
Like wth? That's just wrong on so many levels.
Don't ever do this kids, if a stranger walks up to you and says you're his outta nowhere you knee him in the groin and run away because he's a creep, no matter how hot, no matter how rich he can be, you just run for your dear life and hope he never catches up to you!
The reason I picked up this book in the first place was the whole shadow riding aspect, I found it so interesting and wanted to learn more about it and how it works, but nooooo! All I get instead is the fucked up relationship of Stefano and his charity case that he decided to claim as his own property!
I hated how spineless Francesca was, she just batted her eyelashes and nodded at every single command he gave her without protesting even if she didn't agree with it. And he just went on and on ordering her around like a hound dog!
Bloody hell that was frustrating!
And their engagement
Oh dear lord their engagement!
He basically takes her to party with his family, she doesn't know why then all of a sudden his sister says they're celebrating their engagement
WHAT?
Dude! You're doing it wrong, you skipped the whole getting on one knee with a ring in your hand and asking her to marry you
SHE DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING KNOW
The worst part? She was actually fine with it
Also, I'm not sure the author is aware of it but there are in fact English words other than "sexy" to describe someone's appearance.
I threw the book across the room several times because everything Stefano did or had was sexy
His eyes
His face
His mouth
His hands
His hair
NO! Just No!!!
One more thing that turned me off was how graphic and details the sex scenes were in this book
It was just too much that I actually had to skip a lot of them hoping to get more of the plot but getting nothing instead.
I can actually sum up the whole thing in a few lines:
- Poor almost homeless girl goes with her friend looking for a job
- Handsome rich man sees her and she catches his eyes
- He forces her to take his coat and money, basically bullies the restaurant owner to hire her and claims her as his then leaves
- She is attacked and his cousins save her
- He takes her out for dinner n they talk a bit
- She goes home n his cousins hate where she lives
- Him n his family attack her landlord who happens to be a creepy asshole and he forcefully takes her to his home with him
- She stays with him in his home and she's suddenly fine with it
- They discover she's running from a rich psycho who murdered her sister
- Freaky sex
- Some more freaky sex
- He takes her to party with his family and then he be like "yeah it's our engagement party, no biggie"
- SHE IS FINE WITH THAT
- More freaky sex because there's no plot so let's write smut!
- She is attacked again n they save her
- His mom is a bitch
- She quits her job bc why not
- More freaky sex
- Psycho rich dude is in town n he visits them
- He goes on a mission n saves a girl (I bet my ass his bro is gonna marry that one)
- Psycho rich dude kidnaps her n the sister
- The bros come n kill everyone to save them
- Wedding scene
-_-
I've only seen that in like every single Rich boy x poor girl story I've ever read, and I found all of those on Wattpad
I'm seriously so pissed off at this book because it had so much potential but it went and ended up being. . . crappy
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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