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Shadow Woman
Lizette Henry wakes up one morning and makes a terrifying discovery: She doesn’t recognize the face she sees in the mirror. She remembers what she looks like, but her reflection is someone else’s. To add to the shock, two years seem to have disappeared from her life. Someone has gone to great and inexplicable lengths to keep those missing years hidden forever. But the past always finds a way to return.
Strange memories soon begin to surface and, along with them, some unusual skills and talents that Lizette hasn’t a clue about acquiring. Sensing that she’s being monitored, Lizette suddenly knows how to search for bugs in her house and tracking devices in her car. What’s more, she can elude surveillance—like a trained agent.
Enter a mysterious and seductive stranger named Xavier, who claims he wants to help—but who triggers disturbing images of an unspeakable crime of which Lizette may or may not be the perpetrator. With memories returning, she suddenly becomes a target of anonymous assassins. On the run with nowhere to hide, Lizette has no choice but to rely on Xavier, a strong and magnetic man she doesn’t trust, with a powerful attraction she cannot resist. As murky waters become clear, Lizette confronts a conspiracy that is treacherous and far-reaching and a truth that, once revealed, may silence her and Xavier once and for all.
Strange memories soon begin to surface and, along with them, some unusual skills and talents that Lizette hasn’t a clue about acquiring. Sensing that she’s being monitored, Lizette suddenly knows how to search for bugs in her house and tracking devices in her car. What’s more, she can elude surveillance—like a trained agent.
Enter a mysterious and seductive stranger named Xavier, who claims he wants to help—but who triggers disturbing images of an unspeakable crime of which Lizette may or may not be the perpetrator. With memories returning, she suddenly becomes a target of anonymous assassins. On the run with nowhere to hide, Lizette has no choice but to rely on Xavier, a strong and magnetic man she doesn’t trust, with a powerful attraction she cannot resist. As murky waters become clear, Lizette confronts a conspiracy that is treacherous and far-reaching and a truth that, once revealed, may silence her and Xavier once and for all.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2012
840 people are currently reading
4292 people want to read
About the author
Linda Howard
223 books7,171 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Linda S. Howington is an American best-selling romance author writing under the pseudonym Linda Howard. After 21 years of penning stories for her own enjoyment, she submitted a novel for publication which was very successful. Her first work was published by Silhouette in 1982. She is a charter member of Romance Writers of America and in 2005 Howard was awarded their Career Achievement Award.
Linda Howard lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband, Gary F. Howington, and two golden retrievers. She has three grown stepchildren and three grandchildren.
Linda S. Howington is an American best-selling romance author writing under the pseudonym Linda Howard. After 21 years of penning stories for her own enjoyment, she submitted a novel for publication which was very successful. Her first work was published by Silhouette in 1982. She is a charter member of Romance Writers of America and in 2005 Howard was awarded their Career Achievement Award.
Linda Howard lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband, Gary F. Howington, and two golden retrievers. She has three grown stepchildren and three grandchildren.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 859 reviews
September 4, 2013
Ok, I really really hate having to leave negative reviews. Especially for an author I adore. One of my favorite books by her is Mr. Perfect, and sits on my 5 star shelf, so please don't let this review stop you from checking out Mrs. Howard's writing. She is a wonderful writer.
Unfortunately, this book was just not one of them. I had to force myself to finish. It started out very confusing, and took awhile for the story to start making a bit of sense. In addition, the first 80% was very descriptive with very little character interaction. There was maybe 15 lines (give or take a few) of actual dialogue between characters. The first half was about the heroine trying to figure out why she was having a memory block, along with having a new "face," and the second was spent running from people while she was slowly recovering her memories.
There wasn't any character build up in regards to the chemistry and intensity that Mrs. Howard wanted us to believe between our two MC's. With very few lines of dialogue and next to nothing for interaction between them, how are we suppose to believe in the love and attraction they instantly felt after not seeing each other for three years. I didn't feel any of it, nor was it believable to me. I could not connect with either character, and I didn't find myself too interested in the danger they were facing. The ending and epilogue fell flat. When the dialogue and interaction did finally come it was rushed, and still I was unable to connect.
I however will still read her books, even though this one didn't work for me, as I said earlier I love her writing style. In the past, I have really enjoyed her previous books. Also, I am only one person so please don't let my opinion stop you from reading this book. Everyone has different reading taste, and this book may work perfectly for you.
I was provided with this book from the publisher for free via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Unfortunately, this book was just not one of them. I had to force myself to finish. It started out very confusing, and took awhile for the story to start making a bit of sense. In addition, the first 80% was very descriptive with very little character interaction. There was maybe 15 lines (give or take a few) of actual dialogue between characters. The first half was about the heroine trying to figure out why she was having a memory block, along with having a new "face," and the second was spent running from people while she was slowly recovering her memories.
There wasn't any character build up in regards to the chemistry and intensity that Mrs. Howard wanted us to believe between our two MC's. With very few lines of dialogue and next to nothing for interaction between them, how are we suppose to believe in the love and attraction they instantly felt after not seeing each other for three years. I didn't feel any of it, nor was it believable to me. I could not connect with either character, and I didn't find myself too interested in the danger they were facing. The ending and epilogue fell flat. When the dialogue and interaction did finally come it was rushed, and still I was unable to connect.
I however will still read her books, even though this one didn't work for me, as I said earlier I love her writing style. In the past, I have really enjoyed her previous books. Also, I am only one person so please don't let my opinion stop you from reading this book. Everyone has different reading taste, and this book may work perfectly for you.
I was provided with this book from the publisher for free via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
January 13, 2013
**Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
You never forget your first...
That's what they say, right? And you never do! Linda Howard was my first romance ever. I was 17, a bookworm teenager and I've read all the classics. And then a friend gave me this book and said: "Hey, stop with all this heavy stuff, here take some break". It was Now You See Her and my initiation began. I never looked back!!!!!!!!! As I've already said: THANK YOU LINDA!!
So to our story:
4 STARS
Four years ago...
The First Lady murders her husband, the President, after getting evidence that he was cheating on her with her own (and married with a Senator) sister. A Secret Service Agent takes her out but not before she manages to kill one and seriously injure another.
Today...
Something had happened to her, something catastrophic and maybe even sinister, though she had no evidence of the latter. Instead she seemed to have been set adrift in a new life, and left to her own devices.
• Lizette wakes up (in more ways than one) and while she is fixing her hair in front of a mirror, she realizes that she looks different.
Not pale, or red-eyed, but different, as in that-is-not-my-face different. She knows things she shouldn't (burner phones, bugs, etc...), she misses two years of her life and whenever she tries to remember anything she gets violently ill. One thing she is certain? THEY must not find out. But what and who are they? And who is the mysterious Mr. X who she can't get out of her head?
She needed him the way she needed air, inside her, over her, under her …
• Xavier is certain that Lizzie knows. After watching her for more than 3 years he is sure that she remembers. A black op guy, he trusts only his gut. But he will be there for here, he always is.
He was looking for her and she was looking for him, but walls and doors got in the way. She didn’t feel worried about it, though, just annoyed at the delay. She’d find him, or he’d find her. He always did.
• A secret organization keeps a vigilant eye on Subject C. Every day they are listening and they are ready. They will do anything to keep the secret.
Linda Howard has an amazing talent of creating a palpable attraction between her heroes. I like her style of presenting us with these "grey" characters, it makes reading about them interesting and so deliciously frustrating. It's realistic and it reminds me that in life there isn't just GOOD and EVIL, but a million shades in between!
This book delivers the usual trifecta.
Nail biting action, mystery, conspiracies and the expected sensuality of a Linda Howard novel. Way better than her latest books, but I was looking for a more spectacular ending which seemed a little too easy and anti-climatic after all the information thrown at us.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed reading it and I highly recommend it to all romantic suspense fans.
You never forget your first...
That's what they say, right? And you never do! Linda Howard was my first romance ever. I was 17, a bookworm teenager and I've read all the classics. And then a friend gave me this book and said: "Hey, stop with all this heavy stuff, here take some break". It was Now You See Her and my initiation began. I never looked back!!!!!!!!! As I've already said: THANK YOU LINDA!!
So to our story:
4 STARS
Four years ago...
The First Lady murders her husband, the President, after getting evidence that he was cheating on her with her own (and married with a Senator) sister. A Secret Service Agent takes her out but not before she manages to kill one and seriously injure another.
Today...
Something had happened to her, something catastrophic and maybe even sinister, though she had no evidence of the latter. Instead she seemed to have been set adrift in a new life, and left to her own devices.
• Lizette wakes up (in more ways than one) and while she is fixing her hair in front of a mirror, she realizes that she looks different.
Not pale, or red-eyed, but different, as in that-is-not-my-face different. She knows things she shouldn't (burner phones, bugs, etc...), she misses two years of her life and whenever she tries to remember anything she gets violently ill. One thing she is certain? THEY must not find out. But what and who are they? And who is the mysterious Mr. X who she can't get out of her head?
She needed him the way she needed air, inside her, over her, under her …
• Xavier is certain that Lizzie knows. After watching her for more than 3 years he is sure that she remembers. A black op guy, he trusts only his gut. But he will be there for here, he always is.
He was looking for her and she was looking for him, but walls and doors got in the way. She didn’t feel worried about it, though, just annoyed at the delay. She’d find him, or he’d find her. He always did.
• A secret organization keeps a vigilant eye on Subject C. Every day they are listening and they are ready. They will do anything to keep the secret.
Linda Howard has an amazing talent of creating a palpable attraction between her heroes. I like her style of presenting us with these "grey" characters, it makes reading about them interesting and so deliciously frustrating. It's realistic and it reminds me that in life there isn't just GOOD and EVIL, but a million shades in between!
This book delivers the usual trifecta.
Nail biting action, mystery, conspiracies and the expected sensuality of a Linda Howard novel. Way better than her latest books, but I was looking for a more spectacular ending which seemed a little too easy and anti-climatic after all the information thrown at us.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed reading it and I highly recommend it to all romantic suspense fans.
November 26, 2015
SHADOW WOMAN by Linda Howard opens up with a spectacular prologue. US president shot by his wife! Cut to Chapter 1 – Lizette Henry wakes up one morning and doesn’t recognize her face in the mirror. She remembers what she looked like and it’s certainly not the face looking at her from the mirror. She also remembers the last two years of her life…before that she has no recollection.
As she begins to remember more, she realizes that something was done to her and that she’s in danger from unknown people, who have been keeping tabs on her for the last two years.
Forced to go on the run, trying to avoid being killed and determined to find out what happened to her.
Dangerous people involved in a conspiracy that are determined to do anything to kill anyone who poses a danger to them.
I liked the first couple of chapters. The tension and suspense as Lizette tries to finding the answers to what had been done to her.
Being chased by the bad buys and followed by the shadowy Xavier, who is part of the conspiracy but happens to be the good guy here.
I would have liked Lizzie and Xavier to have more interaction with each other. They only get together almost at the end and most of the story is the thoughts in their heads. The lack of romance was lacking….again nothing happens until the end ….except for Lizzie’s erotic dreams about a dark man that she’s named X.
I found the plot interesting and intriguing and the ending where all is revealed, quite clever even if a bit implausible.
As she begins to remember more, she realizes that something was done to her and that she’s in danger from unknown people, who have been keeping tabs on her for the last two years.
Forced to go on the run, trying to avoid being killed and determined to find out what happened to her.
Dangerous people involved in a conspiracy that are determined to do anything to kill anyone who poses a danger to them.
I liked the first couple of chapters. The tension and suspense as Lizette tries to finding the answers to what had been done to her.
Being chased by the bad buys and followed by the shadowy Xavier, who is part of the conspiracy but happens to be the good guy here.
I would have liked Lizzie and Xavier to have more interaction with each other. They only get together almost at the end and most of the story is the thoughts in their heads. The lack of romance was lacking….again nothing happens until the end ….except for Lizzie’s erotic dreams about a dark man that she’s named X.
I found the plot interesting and intriguing and the ending where all is revealed, quite clever even if a bit implausible.
January 4, 2013
Key spoilers are hidden.
Shadow Woman fell a bit flat for me, but there are some excellent bits, and Xavier and Lizzy brought to mind some of my favorite characters from Howard's stock. I will start with what I see as weak points, then move to the good stuff, and finally to the cross-book character comparisons.
Xavier and Lizzy don't spend any time together until 76% into the story -- not counting several sexy dreams and a fun, but brief, encounter in Walgreens. If it weren't for that single scene, and Xavier's POV occasionally, I might have bailed, because I like dialogue -- and I EXPECT dialogue from Linda Howard. So, when the two finally hook up, 3/4ths into the story after only one conversation, Howard expects me to just "believe" in their everlasting love. And I kinda did. Sorta. ツ
The mind-wiping plot is improbable and Lizzy's past is cloaked in obscurity -- Howard remains utterly cryptic for too long. At first, I was interested and absorbed, trying to figure out what happened to Lizzy, but Howard wrote the most opaque prologue imaginable, making it nearly impossible to decipher the back-story. However, I enjoyed trying, and I got some parts right!
It's fairly slow at first. Solid action begins at about 40% into the story. Jolly good! I loved Lizzy's intelligent assessment of each new situation. However, all too soon, the pace slowed down to a crawl again, with too much time devoted to Lizzy's desperate flight into Virginia on dusty roads under a summer sun. The details of eating and peeing and shopping went on too long, even though I enjoyed the various means of transportation Lizzy used to escape. ツ
★ The good stuff ★ There were some nice twists in the plot of Shadow Woman. One character surprised me. And there were some fun scenes, like when Lizzy vandalizes Xavier's motorcycle, thinking he's out to kill her. He is proud of her, cuz she's fighting back (echoes of Death Angel). Loved the dialogue with his crew, when he called in for a tow truck:
One thing that baffled me: WHY would Lizzy feel so guilty about what happened four years ago?? Here comes the BIG STORY SPOILER!! So, why should she feel guilty? Plot device, me thinks.
★ Cross-Book Character Comparison ★
Shadow Woman brings to mind some of Howard's best books and characters. For example, Lizzy reminded me of Grace St. John, in Son of the Morning. Like Grace, Lizzy had to piece together a bunch of clues to figure out what was going on. Like Grace, Lizzy spent a good portion of the book on the run, living a hand to mouth existence, going from pit stop to pit stop.
Shadow Woman has very little dialogue -- and only a portion of it involved Xavier and Lizzy. However, there were a few glimpses of the bold, sexy banter I loved in Mr. Perfect, with Sam and Jaime. I especially enjoyed the scene when Xavier "accidentally" bumps into Lizzy in Walgreens and gets a lesson in Shampoo 101. ツ
Lizzy is exhausted, hungry, confused, and hurting. Killers are after her, and she has no idea WHY. Resting in her sleazy motel, she's ready to break down and sob. BUT, like Angie in Prey: A Novel, she refuses to yield to helplessness. The only difference is that Angie had to outwit two types of psychos -- one with four feet. Also, in Prey, Dare adores Angie's ♥-shaped derrière. Xavier has the same fetish:
Shadow Woman involves two special op agents (Xavier and Lizzy) who train together, enjoying a competitive but exciting battle of the sexes over the combat mat and the shooting range. These scenes reminded me of All the Queen's Men, but alas, the training scenes were only "remembered" in Shadow Woman -- and then only in fragments -- which compares unfavorably with the vivid co-training scenes I so much enjoyed in AtQM.
Long story short, Shadow Woman isn't so great in and of itself, but I've seen FAR worse, and it brings back memories of lots of treasured stories. I also appreciate the careful editing, the lack of typos, and the non-gratuitous and comparatively sparing inclusion of cuss words and profanity.
*
Shadow Woman fell a bit flat for me, but there are some excellent bits, and Xavier and Lizzy brought to mind some of my favorite characters from Howard's stock. I will start with what I see as weak points, then move to the good stuff, and finally to the cross-book character comparisons.
Xavier and Lizzy don't spend any time together until 76% into the story -- not counting several sexy dreams and a fun, but brief, encounter in Walgreens. If it weren't for that single scene, and Xavier's POV occasionally, I might have bailed, because I like dialogue -- and I EXPECT dialogue from Linda Howard. So, when the two finally hook up, 3/4ths into the story after only one conversation, Howard expects me to just "believe" in their everlasting love. And I kinda did. Sorta. ツ
The mind-wiping plot is improbable and Lizzy's past is cloaked in obscurity -- Howard remains utterly cryptic for too long. At first, I was interested and absorbed, trying to figure out what happened to Lizzy, but Howard wrote the most opaque prologue imaginable, making it nearly impossible to decipher the back-story. However, I enjoyed trying, and I got some parts right!
It's fairly slow at first. Solid action begins at about 40% into the story. Jolly good! I loved Lizzy's intelligent assessment of each new situation. However, all too soon, the pace slowed down to a crawl again, with too much time devoted to Lizzy's desperate flight into Virginia on dusty roads under a summer sun. The details of eating and peeing and shopping went on too long, even though I enjoyed the various means of transportation Lizzy used to escape. ツ
★ The good stuff ★ There were some nice twists in the plot of Shadow Woman. One character surprised me. And there were some fun scenes, like when Lizzy vandalizes Xavier's motorcycle, thinking he's out to kill her. He is proud of her, cuz she's fighting back (echoes of Death Angel). Loved the dialogue with his crew, when he called in for a tow truck:
"I need a tow for the Harley."Throughout the book, Xavier was in Lizzy's court, even though he couldn't be with her. He was protective, passionate, and tender. At one point Luzzy was feeling sad:.
There was a pause. "You have an accident?"
"She cut the spark plug wires."
He heard a muffled snort of laughter. "No shit? Fuck, I'm in love."
"Dont get any ideas, dickhead. She's mine." (Haha!)
"I like your face," he said softly. "It doesn't matter. I liked your face before, and I like it now. You're still you." ♥ ♥ ♥
One thing that baffled me: WHY would Lizzy feel so guilty about what happened four years ago?? Here comes the BIG STORY SPOILER!! So, why should she feel guilty? Plot device, me thinks.
★ Cross-Book Character Comparison ★
Shadow Woman brings to mind some of Howard's best books and characters. For example, Lizzy reminded me of Grace St. John, in Son of the Morning. Like Grace, Lizzy had to piece together a bunch of clues to figure out what was going on. Like Grace, Lizzy spent a good portion of the book on the run, living a hand to mouth existence, going from pit stop to pit stop.
Shadow Woman has very little dialogue -- and only a portion of it involved Xavier and Lizzy. However, there were a few glimpses of the bold, sexy banter I loved in Mr. Perfect, with Sam and Jaime. I especially enjoyed the scene when Xavier "accidentally" bumps into Lizzy in Walgreens and gets a lesson in Shampoo 101. ツ
Lizzy is exhausted, hungry, confused, and hurting. Killers are after her, and she has no idea WHY. Resting in her sleazy motel, she's ready to break down and sob. BUT, like Angie in Prey: A Novel, she refuses to yield to helplessness. The only difference is that Angie had to outwit two types of psychos -- one with four feet. Also, in Prey, Dare adores Angie's ♥-shaped derrière. Xavier has the same fetish:
There. There...Her back was to him...No doubt it was her, though; he knew that mane of dark hair, the erect set of her shoulders, the way she carried her head, and holy shit, the inverted-heart curve of her ass. Lizzy--in person, after years of only hearing her voice or seeing photos. ♥ ♥ ♥Shadow Woman reminded me a lot of Death Angel. Here, we had Xavier chasing Lizzy on a motorcycle, while in DA, Simon pursued Drea in a truck. In this book, we had Xavier willing to watch over poor brain-wiped Lizzy for the rest of his life, if necessary. In DA, we had Simon willing to take care of potentially brain-damaged Drea for ever. (I ♥ a Howard hero.)
Shadow Woman involves two special op agents (Xavier and Lizzy) who train together, enjoying a competitive but exciting battle of the sexes over the combat mat and the shooting range. These scenes reminded me of All the Queen's Men, but alas, the training scenes were only "remembered" in Shadow Woman -- and then only in fragments -- which compares unfavorably with the vivid co-training scenes I so much enjoyed in AtQM.
Long story short, Shadow Woman isn't so great in and of itself, but I've seen FAR worse, and it brings back memories of lots of treasured stories. I also appreciate the careful editing, the lack of typos, and the non-gratuitous and comparatively sparing inclusion of cuss words and profanity.
*
December 4, 2012
4 Stars
What do you do when you wake up one random morning, feeling like yourself, no amnesia, remembering the day before, your family, where you grew up...but, when you look in the mirror, you simply do not recognize the woman staring back at you? This is Lizette Henry's new reality. It's possible she's lost her mind, but instinct tells her that's not the case. There's another answer. In the end, she may very well wish she hadn't sought the truth.
It is almost impossibly hard to talk about this story without giving some part of the plot away. And, trust me when I tell you, the way to truly enjoy Shadow Woman is to go into it knowing no more than you absolutely have to. The impact is all the greater for it!
What I can share with you is my surprise at just how much I enjoyed reading this story. Linda Howard has been a favorite author of mine for so many years that I've literally lost count. So, it was very disappointing to me when, in recent years, I realized I wasn't enjoying her the way I used to. There was some trepidation on my part, considering if I wanted to read Shadow Woman. But, I am SO glad that I did! This is a complex, intriguing, compelling suspense tale that I honestly couldn't put down. Linda Howard has a great imagination, and she puts it to full use here! Trying to determine what happened, when, where, by whom? It all kept me turning the pages, quickly, to the very end. Honestly, this was a lot of fun to read!
So, why not five stars? Well, much as I feel like Linda Howard is beginning to win me back, and as good as the story was, the one aspect of Shadow Woman that was lacking, for me, was the relationship between the two main characters, Xavier and Lizzy. This is where I miss the Linda Howard of the very early years, and that Linda Howard, I'm pretty sure, isn't coming back. I miss the romance and the passion with which she could light up a book. I miss the incredible connections she built between characters. I still see glimpses of it. But, they are merely that, glimpses.
In the end, for so much of the less than stellar romantic suspense that is being written now, Shadow Woman has to be considered a stand-out. It's a real improvement over Linda Howard's last few books, and it renews my hope for her future writing projects. If you're a Linda Howard fan, or even if you're not, I think you might want to give this one a try!
**My thanks to Random House via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
What do you do when you wake up one random morning, feeling like yourself, no amnesia, remembering the day before, your family, where you grew up...but, when you look in the mirror, you simply do not recognize the woman staring back at you? This is Lizette Henry's new reality. It's possible she's lost her mind, but instinct tells her that's not the case. There's another answer. In the end, she may very well wish she hadn't sought the truth.
It is almost impossibly hard to talk about this story without giving some part of the plot away. And, trust me when I tell you, the way to truly enjoy Shadow Woman is to go into it knowing no more than you absolutely have to. The impact is all the greater for it!
What I can share with you is my surprise at just how much I enjoyed reading this story. Linda Howard has been a favorite author of mine for so many years that I've literally lost count. So, it was very disappointing to me when, in recent years, I realized I wasn't enjoying her the way I used to. There was some trepidation on my part, considering if I wanted to read Shadow Woman. But, I am SO glad that I did! This is a complex, intriguing, compelling suspense tale that I honestly couldn't put down. Linda Howard has a great imagination, and she puts it to full use here! Trying to determine what happened, when, where, by whom? It all kept me turning the pages, quickly, to the very end. Honestly, this was a lot of fun to read!
So, why not five stars? Well, much as I feel like Linda Howard is beginning to win me back, and as good as the story was, the one aspect of Shadow Woman that was lacking, for me, was the relationship between the two main characters, Xavier and Lizzy. This is where I miss the Linda Howard of the very early years, and that Linda Howard, I'm pretty sure, isn't coming back. I miss the romance and the passion with which she could light up a book. I miss the incredible connections she built between characters. I still see glimpses of it. But, they are merely that, glimpses.
In the end, for so much of the less than stellar romantic suspense that is being written now, Shadow Woman has to be considered a stand-out. It's a real improvement over Linda Howard's last few books, and it renews my hope for her future writing projects. If you're a Linda Howard fan, or even if you're not, I think you might want to give this one a try!
**My thanks to Random House via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
September 11, 2020
Lizette wakes up one morning without realizing that her amnesia was beginning to recede. She didn’t even know she had amnesia or that something much bigger was working behind the scenes to ensure her memory never returned. Once Xavier, a friend she doesn’t remember, realizes Lizette’s mind is waking up, he puts his plan into motion to protect her.
Such an interesting story. The mystery played out so well and had me on the edge of my seat. There were bits of action, but it was more suspense and mystery.
My favorite parts were all the scenes where Lizette was trying to figure out what was going on. She knew something wasn’t right. Her body and mind were trained, and she was able to act on instinct, but those instincts were foreign to her. Xavier ‘accidentally’ bumping into her at the store, Lizette’s instincts not allowing her to take the same routes home, etc. all of those scenes were so yummy.
Linda Howard is a great story teller.
Such an interesting story. The mystery played out so well and had me on the edge of my seat. There were bits of action, but it was more suspense and mystery.
My favorite parts were all the scenes where Lizette was trying to figure out what was going on. She knew something wasn’t right. Her body and mind were trained, and she was able to act on instinct, but those instincts were foreign to her. Xavier ‘accidentally’ bumping into her at the store, Lizette’s instincts not allowing her to take the same routes home, etc. all of those scenes were so yummy.
Linda Howard is a great story teller.
May 13, 2014
All right, folks...something's going on here...
This is the second of Linda Howard's new-ish books that I have avoided due to lackluster ratings and some very very meh reviews. And this is the second one that I've enjoyed MUCH more than I expected to. Perhaps it's due to my lowered expectations, but I found this to be pretty damn good. Not quite five stars, definitely not my favorite by her but it felt like a Linda Howard story. And I really dug it.
The story is pretty original and kept me guessing, to a certain extent. Lizette is an interesting heroine in that she changes constantly, slowly morphing from a shy, boring, monotonous robot woman into a really dynamic, multifacted, kick ass person. The Shadow Woman heebie-jeebie comes from the fact that she is being pursued by a few different organizations...and she's not sure why. Not to mention the fact that she doesn't recognize her own face.
I felt that the whole face thing was explained....well, not at all really. Yeah, we figure out what happened but it's very glossed over and really left up to a near science fiction tale. Another thing that kept me from loving this as much as I used to love her books was that the hero, Mr. X, or Xavier, and Lizette don't even come into contact until nearly 75% of the story is over. That's way too much alone time for my taste, even under the circumstances that come to light within this story. I can totally understand some readers frustration with this. I actually tend to really love a slow burning romance, and this was even too little too late for me.
But this has that classic LH suspense and mystery, along with (eventual) smoking hot sexual chemistry. The end was climactic and intense, satisfying my need for a solid romantic suspense.
I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. Definitely added to my enjoyment, rather than detracting.
This is the second of Linda Howard's new-ish books that I have avoided due to lackluster ratings and some very very meh reviews. And this is the second one that I've enjoyed MUCH more than I expected to. Perhaps it's due to my lowered expectations, but I found this to be pretty damn good. Not quite five stars, definitely not my favorite by her but it felt like a Linda Howard story. And I really dug it.
The story is pretty original and kept me guessing, to a certain extent. Lizette is an interesting heroine in that she changes constantly, slowly morphing from a shy, boring, monotonous robot woman into a really dynamic, multifacted, kick ass person. The Shadow Woman heebie-jeebie comes from the fact that she is being pursued by a few different organizations...and she's not sure why. Not to mention the fact that she doesn't recognize her own face.
I felt that the whole face thing was explained....well, not at all really. Yeah, we figure out what happened but it's very glossed over and really left up to a near science fiction tale. Another thing that kept me from loving this as much as I used to love her books was that the hero, Mr. X, or Xavier, and Lizette don't even come into contact until nearly 75% of the story is over. That's way too much alone time for my taste, even under the circumstances that come to light within this story. I can totally understand some readers frustration with this. I actually tend to really love a slow burning romance, and this was even too little too late for me.
But this has that classic LH suspense and mystery, along with (eventual) smoking hot sexual chemistry. The end was climactic and intense, satisfying my need for a solid romantic suspense.
I listened to the audio and thought the narrator did a fantastic job. Definitely added to my enjoyment, rather than detracting.
September 8, 2015
The prologue opens up in San Francisco four years prior. Laurel Rose is secret service and coming off duty. She hears gunfire and rushes to the rooms of the President and First Lady... Fast forward to four years later and we meet Lizette Henry. Lizette wakes up one morning and doesn't recognize herself in the mirror.
Linda Howard has written some of my most favorite books and while this won't be one of them, it definitely was worth reading for me. The suspense and intrigue were edge of your seat good. However, the romance element was a disappointment for me. The focus was more on the suspense and mystery which was fine for the most part. I just love romance and would have liked for Xavier and Lizette to have more page time. Still I would recommend it to Romantic Suspense lovers.
Linda Howard has written some of my most favorite books and while this won't be one of them, it definitely was worth reading for me. The suspense and intrigue were edge of your seat good. However, the romance element was a disappointment for me. The focus was more on the suspense and mystery which was fine for the most part. I just love romance and would have liked for Xavier and Lizette to have more page time. Still I would recommend it to Romantic Suspense lovers.
March 20, 2018
Audio book....listening...
I guess the inner dialogue/monologue from the point of view of the heroine and the hero was necessary, but definitely takes away from the story.
Amnesiac heroine's recovering memory triggers a Hunger Games style chain of events.
I guess the inner dialogue/monologue from the point of view of the heroine and the hero was necessary, but definitely takes away from the story.
Amnesiac heroine's recovering memory triggers a Hunger Games style chain of events.
July 5, 2018
Shadow Woman
3 Stars
Lizette Henry awakens one morning to discover that she has lost two years of her life. She soon finds herself on the run from anonymous assassins sent to ensure that the secrets she holds remain forgotten forever.
Along with Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts, Linda Howard is one of the queens of the romantic suspense genre. Unfortunately, Shadow Woman is not one of the better examples of her work.
To begin with, the conspiracy plot fails to live up to the tremendous potential established in the incredible prologue. This is mainly due to the repetitious and overly detailed descriptions related to the return of Lizzie's memories and her attempts to outrun her pursuers.
On the romance front, Lizzie and Xavier's relationship is woefully underdeveloped. In fact, the entire book is more of a thriller than RS as the couple barely share any scenes together until the end of the book.
Despite these issues, the tension and suspense of the story are exciting and one cannot help rooting for Lizzie.
All in all, Shadow Woman will appeal to readers who enjoy a good conspiracy theory but may disappoint those more interested in a good mix of romance and suspense.
3 Stars
Lizette Henry awakens one morning to discover that she has lost two years of her life. She soon finds herself on the run from anonymous assassins sent to ensure that the secrets she holds remain forgotten forever.
Along with Sandra Brown and Nora Roberts, Linda Howard is one of the queens of the romantic suspense genre. Unfortunately, Shadow Woman is not one of the better examples of her work.
To begin with, the conspiracy plot fails to live up to the tremendous potential established in the incredible prologue. This is mainly due to the repetitious and overly detailed descriptions related to the return of Lizzie's memories and her attempts to outrun her pursuers.
On the romance front, Lizzie and Xavier's relationship is woefully underdeveloped. In fact, the entire book is more of a thriller than RS as the couple barely share any scenes together until the end of the book.
Despite these issues, the tension and suspense of the story are exciting and one cannot help rooting for Lizzie.
All in all, Shadow Woman will appeal to readers who enjoy a good conspiracy theory but may disappoint those more interested in a good mix of romance and suspense.
January 2, 2013
Check out this review and others at badassbookreviews.com
In an industry dominated by series, it’s so refreshing to read a stand-alone knowing that you won’t have to wait years until all to get the story arc. That’s why when I’m in a rut and don’t know what to read, I always turn to Linda Howard because I know she’ll have an exciting story with lots of twists and a sexy romance.
Shadow Woman is a high octane thriller that starts with a BIG BANG. The prologue is unbelievable and my eyes were almost out my sockets when it was done. As I continued reading, my mind was racing trying to connect the dots and figure out the way our characters were involved in the developments of the prologue. There were hints and clues to whet my curiosity but not enough to know exactly what happened. This is the kind of book that keeps you reading straight to the end because you HAVE to know the truth.
Now, the plot is a bit outlandish – it’s mind boggling to believe some of these things could happen. But Ms. Howard is counting with us to know enough conspiracy theories that it’s easy to throw our misgivings out the door and just go with the facts as they are presented in the book. It’s the kind of thing you don’t want to believe but deep down, you’re afraid it’s closer to the truth than you can ever imagine.
I really liked that Lizzy had mad skillz. It takes a while for her to get them back but she’s not the usual wilting flower that needs to be protected by a big, bad dude. She can take care of herself even if she doesn’t know where she learned those things. It would have been really easy for her to lose her cool but once she realizes something’s wrong, she learns to trust her instincts. However, she still questions herself and doesn’t dismiss the possibility that she’s paranoid and everything is in her head.
Although I enjoyed this book a lot, I’m not sure it will appeal to a broader audience. If you are a romantic suspense fan, then you will be disappointed in the romance because the leads are apart for the first 3/4 of the book. It still worked for me – what Xavier did for Lizzy was the epitome of romance – but the relationship is not the main point. And if you like thrillers, then you may get distracted with the explicit dreams Lizzy has about Xavier, which is the way the Ms. Howard brings the character together when they are apart.
Overall, a good thriller with a strong romantic elements. If you are looking for an action packed book and don’t mind an already developed romance, then this book might be for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing a review copy of this book.
In an industry dominated by series, it’s so refreshing to read a stand-alone knowing that you won’t have to wait years until all to get the story arc. That’s why when I’m in a rut and don’t know what to read, I always turn to Linda Howard because I know she’ll have an exciting story with lots of twists and a sexy romance.
Shadow Woman is a high octane thriller that starts with a BIG BANG. The prologue is unbelievable and my eyes were almost out my sockets when it was done. As I continued reading, my mind was racing trying to connect the dots and figure out the way our characters were involved in the developments of the prologue. There were hints and clues to whet my curiosity but not enough to know exactly what happened. This is the kind of book that keeps you reading straight to the end because you HAVE to know the truth.
Now, the plot is a bit outlandish – it’s mind boggling to believe some of these things could happen. But Ms. Howard is counting with us to know enough conspiracy theories that it’s easy to throw our misgivings out the door and just go with the facts as they are presented in the book. It’s the kind of thing you don’t want to believe but deep down, you’re afraid it’s closer to the truth than you can ever imagine.
I really liked that Lizzy had mad skillz. It takes a while for her to get them back but she’s not the usual wilting flower that needs to be protected by a big, bad dude. She can take care of herself even if she doesn’t know where she learned those things. It would have been really easy for her to lose her cool but once she realizes something’s wrong, she learns to trust her instincts. However, she still questions herself and doesn’t dismiss the possibility that she’s paranoid and everything is in her head.
Although I enjoyed this book a lot, I’m not sure it will appeal to a broader audience. If you are a romantic suspense fan, then you will be disappointed in the romance because the leads are apart for the first 3/4 of the book. It still worked for me – what Xavier did for Lizzy was the epitome of romance – but the relationship is not the main point. And if you like thrillers, then you may get distracted with the explicit dreams Lizzy has about Xavier, which is the way the Ms. Howard brings the character together when they are apart.
Overall, a good thriller with a strong romantic elements. If you are looking for an action packed book and don’t mind an already developed romance, then this book might be for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing a review copy of this book.
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February 25, 2016
3.5 stars
As a suspense novel, this was really good and it was even somehow unique with its plot and story structure. Nothing out of the world, but it's hard to find suspense novels that don't stick tot the same old formula, so this was a nice change. The blurb is intentionally vague and I will leave it at that, because any further information could be classified as a spoiler.
Lizzy, the heroine, is a complex character who goes through a big development from the first chapter on, and it was fascinating to see her come to grips with her true identity and her true self.
I liked the writing style, I can easily see myself become attached to the narrative voice because it has a laid-back, neutral undertone that fits perfectly into a suspense novel, and where the romance comes into play it doesn't become clinical or detached, but subtle and still quite strong.
And although there is not much on-page romance going, Mrs. Howard succeeds in creating a strong couple with Lizzy and Xavier, both of whom are well developed and share a deep sexual and emotional bond. Xavier's reputation was sometimes a bit over the top, but in the end it worked out well enough.
The reason why I can only round it up to 4 stars is the pace of the story and the length. Not only did I feel as if 100 or even 200 pages more could have made it more developed and flowing, sometimes I also felt as if everything developed too fast and without the necessary page-time.
An enjoyable romantic suspense that got me hooked, but I have yet to find a Linda Howard book that I actually really, really like.
As a suspense novel, this was really good and it was even somehow unique with its plot and story structure. Nothing out of the world, but it's hard to find suspense novels that don't stick tot the same old formula, so this was a nice change. The blurb is intentionally vague and I will leave it at that, because any further information could be classified as a spoiler.
Lizzy, the heroine, is a complex character who goes through a big development from the first chapter on, and it was fascinating to see her come to grips with her true identity and her true self.
I liked the writing style, I can easily see myself become attached to the narrative voice because it has a laid-back, neutral undertone that fits perfectly into a suspense novel, and where the romance comes into play it doesn't become clinical or detached, but subtle and still quite strong.
And although there is not much on-page romance going, Mrs. Howard succeeds in creating a strong couple with Lizzy and Xavier, both of whom are well developed and share a deep sexual and emotional bond. Xavier's reputation was sometimes a bit over the top, but in the end it worked out well enough.
The reason why I can only round it up to 4 stars is the pace of the story and the length. Not only did I feel as if 100 or even 200 pages more could have made it more developed and flowing, sometimes I also felt as if everything developed too fast and without the necessary page-time.
An enjoyable romantic suspense that got me hooked, but I have yet to find a Linda Howard book that I actually really, really like.
February 3, 2013
3 1/2 stars. Shadow Woman is definitely romantic suspense rather than suspenseful romance. It reminded me a lot of Howard's Son of the Morning -- not in terms of the plot, but of the action. Like in that book, the heroine Lizzy spends much of the book on the run, learning -- or in this case relearning -- survival skills; until the last quarter of the book, she interacts with the hero Xavier primarily through her dreams.
This is the sort of story Howard writes very well, and the action and suspense are excellent. But that's what it's all about. The characterizations are basic -- imagine the biggest badass guy ever, imagine a smart, sassy woman in trouble. It's more like a movie than a book, really -- and there isn't anything wrong with that. For me, the main problem was that I felt as if I were expected to be far more invested in the secondary characters than I actually was, and for that reason, the ending came off as anticlimactic.
It was a fun ride, but not the kind that has me saying, "I wanna go again!" at the end of it.
This is the sort of story Howard writes very well, and the action and suspense are excellent. But that's what it's all about. The characterizations are basic -- imagine the biggest badass guy ever, imagine a smart, sassy woman in trouble. It's more like a movie than a book, really -- and there isn't anything wrong with that. For me, the main problem was that I felt as if I were expected to be far more invested in the secondary characters than I actually was, and for that reason, the ending came off as anticlimactic.
It was a fun ride, but not the kind that has me saying, "I wanna go again!" at the end of it.
February 4, 2013
3.5 stars
Shadow Woman has a very intriguing plot. A woman wakes up, looks in the mirror, and has a panic attack. She has no memory of at least 2 years of her life and doesn't remember how she got her current job (or her current face for that matter.)
To say I was intrigued by this plot would be a huge understatement. I wanted to understand the "whys" and "hows" of this woman's life. As Lizette slowly begins to piece her life back together and seeks to understand what has happened to her, it is very apparent that there are people watching that do not want her to remember...anything. What ensues is a very entertaining and suspenseful read.
In some ways, this is classic Linda Howard. It had smart, witty, and engaging dialogue and internal monologues. I enjoyed the characters...Lizzy especially. For those that like heroines tough, Lizzy will be a breath of fresh air. She doesn't stay on the defensive and hide, instead she attacks and actively seeks out answers to all the discrepancies in her life. I respected her character greatly and was cheering for her as she uncovers the truth about her life.
Xavier is, for lack of a better word, incredible. He is dangerous, mysterious, sexy, and the type of hero that really works for me. He is definitely in the same vein as Diaz from Cry No More and SImon from Death Angel...and that is a GREAT thing in my opinion. The problem with this book is that Xavier and Lizzy aren't reunited till the very last part of the book. This is too bad, because their relationship was a story that should've been told in more detail.
The page time this relationship does receive was pure gold and makes this book absolutely worth the read. Unfortunately, the suspense plot really lost steam for me and turned out to be rather unsatisfying hence the 3.5 star rating. Still, a better representation of Howard's talent than her past few books have been.
Shadow Woman has a very intriguing plot. A woman wakes up, looks in the mirror, and has a panic attack. She has no memory of at least 2 years of her life and doesn't remember how she got her current job (or her current face for that matter.)
To say I was intrigued by this plot would be a huge understatement. I wanted to understand the "whys" and "hows" of this woman's life. As Lizette slowly begins to piece her life back together and seeks to understand what has happened to her, it is very apparent that there are people watching that do not want her to remember...anything. What ensues is a very entertaining and suspenseful read.
In some ways, this is classic Linda Howard. It had smart, witty, and engaging dialogue and internal monologues. I enjoyed the characters...Lizzy especially. For those that like heroines tough, Lizzy will be a breath of fresh air. She doesn't stay on the defensive and hide, instead she attacks and actively seeks out answers to all the discrepancies in her life. I respected her character greatly and was cheering for her as she uncovers the truth about her life.
Xavier is, for lack of a better word, incredible. He is dangerous, mysterious, sexy, and the type of hero that really works for me. He is definitely in the same vein as Diaz from Cry No More and SImon from Death Angel...and that is a GREAT thing in my opinion. The problem with this book is that Xavier and Lizzy aren't reunited till the very last part of the book. This is too bad, because their relationship was a story that should've been told in more detail.
The page time this relationship does receive was pure gold and makes this book absolutely worth the read. Unfortunately, the suspense plot really lost steam for me and turned out to be rather unsatisfying hence the 3.5 star rating. Still, a better representation of Howard's talent than her past few books have been.
July 29, 2016
I personally like books which use a good balance of narrative and dialogue. For the most part, Shadow Woman contains heavy narrative and few interactions between characters. It began with an impressive prologue, and an intriguing mystery about a woman who couldn’t recognize her own face in the mirror. The storyline has great potential, but the execution falls flat. Still, it is a decent RS read.
August 4, 2017
Perfection. Heavy focus on the bad-ass chick. Dude was great, but he wasn't the focus. Low on romance - it did give me some grins and swoons. High on action. A story where a woman saves herself. High on the list of LH favorites.
September 15, 2015
I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. If however you are expecting romance, look elsewhere. There are two people in a relationship but even though they knew each other previously, they don't meet in this book until past the 2/3rds mark.
I was riveted though by the suspense element of it all, why she didn't recognize herself and why she had 2 blank years etc.
So this is nothing like Linda Howard of old where the relationship was the main thing but more like Cry No More and Death Angel but even a step beyond those in the lack of relationship development. I loved both of those books because even though those heroes were assassins and such, you got to spend a lot of time with them and feel their love for the heroine grow. Here not so much.
I guess we readers are just going to have to accept that LH is moving solidly into the mystery/suspense section of the bookstore.
I was riveted though by the suspense element of it all, why she didn't recognize herself and why she had 2 blank years etc.
So this is nothing like Linda Howard of old where the relationship was the main thing but more like Cry No More and Death Angel but even a step beyond those in the lack of relationship development. I loved both of those books because even though those heroes were assassins and such, you got to spend a lot of time with them and feel their love for the heroine grow. Here not so much.
I guess we readers are just going to have to accept that LH is moving solidly into the mystery/suspense section of the bookstore.
October 23, 2020
More “spies like us” intrigue/romance from LH that’s very heavy on the suspense, with the romance taking a decidedly second place. For all that, it’s well done, with an intriguing premise: . The “black ops” setup is revealed slowly, with the heroine becoming increasingly aware of the danger that she’s in as she begins to recover her memory and skills—mainly, the ability to adapt, react, and be smart and strategic. Lizzy’s a terrific heroine—no superwoman, just someone who uses her brain to stay one step ahead of her pursuers.
The hero and heroine (former lovers) don’t come together until about ¾ the way through the book—ballsy!—but LH uses the heroine’s erotic dreams about hero Xavier to bring some heat much earlier in the book. (As usual, LH writes some hot scenes but the sexcapades take a back seat to the spy drama.) The action is pretty fast paced (taking place over the course of a week, with a further-out epilogue), but LH devotes enough time for the heroine’s initial confusion and fear to turn to greater certainty as suspicions and events begin to emerge. The resolution is good, and the epilogue is satisfying, with dangers eliminated and an assured HEA.
More suspense than romance but LH is one helluva writer and it’s a fun, high-octane read.
The hero and heroine (former lovers) don’t come together until about ¾ the way through the book—ballsy!—but LH uses the heroine’s erotic dreams about hero Xavier to bring some heat much earlier in the book. (As usual, LH writes some hot scenes but the sexcapades take a back seat to the spy drama.) The action is pretty fast paced (taking place over the course of a week, with a further-out epilogue), but LH devotes enough time for the heroine’s initial confusion and fear to turn to greater certainty as suspicions and events begin to emerge. The resolution is good, and the epilogue is satisfying, with dangers eliminated and an assured HEA.
More suspense than romance but LH is one helluva writer and it’s a fun, high-octane read.
June 29, 2019
It's been a while that I wanted to read a good book in romantic suspense genre and Linda Howard is one author whose books have always been recommended when the subject is searched.I haven't read much by Howard and Shadow Woman was tantalizing. The BANG opening of the US president being killed by his wife set the story for a real action thriller with conspiracies, cover-ups and murder mayhem. Lizzy and Xavier had a flaming chemistry and i just wanted them to meet and release the tension. The ending could have had more action which was what I expected but it sort of felt less adrenaline fizz.
December 22, 2012
From the moment Lizette Henry looks in the mirror one morning and doesn't recognize her face, this story begins a rather odd and bizarre journey to distinguish between her current existence and an alternate reality. Every time Lizette has thoughts of another point in time that is inconsistent with her present lifestyle, she gets intense, debilitating pains in her head that level her. She can remember beyond three years ago, can remember her childhood up to five years ago, but cannot account for that two-year gap.
There's an interesting prologue that provides a clue as to what she may have been involved in but it's still murky. As Lizette starts to remember more things about what was obviously a former self, things start getting dicey and she realizes her life is now at risk. Meanwhile, a black ops agent named Xavier is monitoring the people monitoring Lizette and clearly has her back.
I was really engaged in this story, intrigued by this strange puzzle and followed Lizette's thought process as she struggled to figure out what was going on and what happened to those two missing years and why she now has a new face. She was clearly a project being overseen by those in the covert world but typical of those agencies, it wasn't always clear who the good and bad guys were.
What detracted from the story was part of what made it interesting in the beginning. It just continued for too long without interaction between the characters. Almost 80% of the story plays out in the heads of Lizette and Xavier, separately, and it took too long for the central scheme to be revealed in the story. I found myself just wishing someone would tell me, even considered jumping to the end to put me out of my misery. By the time Xavier and Lizette connect, the story's almost over, not leaving a whole lot of time for any credible romance between the two.
The story is interesting, the intrigue compelling, but the lack of character interplay and a weak romance bog it down somewhat. I would still recommend the book because it kept me engaged and the ending was a bit clever, if not terribly exciting.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
There's an interesting prologue that provides a clue as to what she may have been involved in but it's still murky. As Lizette starts to remember more things about what was obviously a former self, things start getting dicey and she realizes her life is now at risk. Meanwhile, a black ops agent named Xavier is monitoring the people monitoring Lizette and clearly has her back.
I was really engaged in this story, intrigued by this strange puzzle and followed Lizette's thought process as she struggled to figure out what was going on and what happened to those two missing years and why she now has a new face. She was clearly a project being overseen by those in the covert world but typical of those agencies, it wasn't always clear who the good and bad guys were.
What detracted from the story was part of what made it interesting in the beginning. It just continued for too long without interaction between the characters. Almost 80% of the story plays out in the heads of Lizette and Xavier, separately, and it took too long for the central scheme to be revealed in the story. I found myself just wishing someone would tell me, even considered jumping to the end to put me out of my misery. By the time Xavier and Lizette connect, the story's almost over, not leaving a whole lot of time for any credible romance between the two.
The story is interesting, the intrigue compelling, but the lack of character interplay and a weak romance bog it down somewhat. I would still recommend the book because it kept me engaged and the ending was a bit clever, if not terribly exciting.
(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
November 17, 2012
I got this book to review from NetGalley. Linda Howard has always been one of my go-to authors when it comes to Romantic Suspense.
The heroine Lizzy woke up one day, and looked at herself in the mirror only to find out that the face that she was seeing wasn't hers. She comes to realize that there were some gaps in her memory and suddenly she feels watched all the time. Bit by bit her memories come back to her, along with that of a man she must have loved once.
The majority of the book was about Lizzy trying to evade the people who were after her. Buying necessities in a grocery store, stealing a car, leaving the car, getting cash, crazy driving and shootouts etc. And while she was on the run, Xavier, a man form her past was also trying to get to her.
This isn't one of Linda Howard's best novels. The suspense was good enough to have kept me reading but in the end, there were still a few holes to story. The romance wasn't really there, I didn't feel like it had time to build up. The story just kept on building up to the point when the hero and heroine would meet against all their pursuers. And at the moment they get to meet, they're in love again and that's it. The pacing is okay, I liked the part when the heroine was running from the bad guys and looking for smart ways to evade her pursuers. I would have also wanted more character development. Still, it's a Linda Howard and fans of her work might find this enjoyable enough to pass time.
The heroine Lizzy woke up one day, and looked at herself in the mirror only to find out that the face that she was seeing wasn't hers. She comes to realize that there were some gaps in her memory and suddenly she feels watched all the time. Bit by bit her memories come back to her, along with that of a man she must have loved once.
The majority of the book was about Lizzy trying to evade the people who were after her. Buying necessities in a grocery store, stealing a car, leaving the car, getting cash, crazy driving and shootouts etc. And while she was on the run, Xavier, a man form her past was also trying to get to her.
This isn't one of Linda Howard's best novels. The suspense was good enough to have kept me reading but in the end, there were still a few holes to story. The romance wasn't really there, I didn't feel like it had time to build up. The story just kept on building up to the point when the hero and heroine would meet against all their pursuers. And at the moment they get to meet, they're in love again and that's it. The pacing is okay, I liked the part when the heroine was running from the bad guys and looking for smart ways to evade her pursuers. I would have also wanted more character development. Still, it's a Linda Howard and fans of her work might find this enjoyable enough to pass time.
May 1, 2014
★★★★½
November 2, 2015
Loved it! Not big on romance but what it had was great.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
June 2, 2017
Lizette wakes up one morning and doesn't recognise the face in the mirror as her own. She hasn't lost her memory or anything like that - so what is going on? When she calls in sick and her boss mentions it's her first sick day in three years, it causes confusion. She thought she had been at her job for five years! She slowly realises that she can't remember actually starting her job, buying her house or buying her car! We the reader know it must be related to the events in the opening prologue, in which the First Lady shoots her husband, the President, dead, and opens fire on Secret Service agents before being killed herself. But how?
It's a great opening premise - but it falls completely flat after that! This is one of the worst books I've read in some time. It's just completely incompetent, and I'm shocked such rubbish could come from a reputable author and publishing company. If a debut author crapped this one out, they'd be ripped to shreds! It's clear here that Howard was simply throwing words at a page in order to meet a deadline and earn back that all-important advance! There's very little dialogue, as most of the narrative is the internal thought processes of Lizzy and the secondary characters.
So this makes it difficult to believe that Lizzy and Xavier are lovers destined to be together. There's a brief interaction between them early on, but it's not until more than 80% into the novel that they actually speak to each other with any depth! And then they have sex! It made me laugh. We're simply told that they're in love. Howard tries to convince us of this with some gratuitous sex dreams, which made it even worse! Dreams in books are bad enough, in my opinion, but using them to simply throw in sex (and I'm far from a prude) to show a bond between characters is just lazy and embarrassing.
Much in the same tell-and-not-show way, we're just told Lizzy had a memory wipe. No detail whatsoever into how this was achieved. Barely a thing! Just a brief reference to chemicals. This is unbelievably lazy and shoddy considering that IT'S THE MAJOR ELEMENT THAT IS CARRYING THE BLOODY PLOT!
On top of that, the whole thing is just tedious and boring. Howard came up with a great concept, but clearly had little interest - or idea - in how to carry it forward. It's basically just chapter after chapter of characters ruminating about things. Lizzy going about her routine and wondering different things about her past. Lizzy going to shops and buying things. Xavier watching Lizzy. Xavier breaking into Lizzy's house to put trackers on her. Often, we'll get a chapter in which a character does certain things, followed by another chapter telling us virtually the same information, just from a different character's perspective! The word-padding here is unbelievable!
To add insult to injury, THE WHOLE THING IS RESOLVED WITH LIZZY OFF THE PAGE!!!! Al shoots Felice - which he could have done right at the beginning if that's how fucking easy it was to resolve everything - and that's it. Despite Lizzy being the main character and the bloody booked being called SHADOW WOMAN, Lizzy plays no part in extracting herself from her situation. Xavier literally rides in to save the day, and then some ancillary characters clear up the rest! Not to mention said resolution was so ridiculously simple.
This was unbelievably bad! It actually insulted my intelligence. There should be negative scores for books this terrible.
It's a great opening premise - but it falls completely flat after that! This is one of the worst books I've read in some time. It's just completely incompetent, and I'm shocked such rubbish could come from a reputable author and publishing company. If a debut author crapped this one out, they'd be ripped to shreds! It's clear here that Howard was simply throwing words at a page in order to meet a deadline and earn back that all-important advance! There's very little dialogue, as most of the narrative is the internal thought processes of Lizzy and the secondary characters.
So this makes it difficult to believe that Lizzy and Xavier are lovers destined to be together. There's a brief interaction between them early on, but it's not until more than 80% into the novel that they actually speak to each other with any depth! And then they have sex! It made me laugh. We're simply told that they're in love. Howard tries to convince us of this with some gratuitous sex dreams, which made it even worse! Dreams in books are bad enough, in my opinion, but using them to simply throw in sex (and I'm far from a prude) to show a bond between characters is just lazy and embarrassing.
Much in the same tell-and-not-show way, we're just told Lizzy had a memory wipe. No detail whatsoever into how this was achieved. Barely a thing! Just a brief reference to chemicals. This is unbelievably lazy and shoddy considering that IT'S THE MAJOR ELEMENT THAT IS CARRYING THE BLOODY PLOT!
On top of that, the whole thing is just tedious and boring. Howard came up with a great concept, but clearly had little interest - or idea - in how to carry it forward. It's basically just chapter after chapter of characters ruminating about things. Lizzy going about her routine and wondering different things about her past. Lizzy going to shops and buying things. Xavier watching Lizzy. Xavier breaking into Lizzy's house to put trackers on her. Often, we'll get a chapter in which a character does certain things, followed by another chapter telling us virtually the same information, just from a different character's perspective! The word-padding here is unbelievable!
To add insult to injury, THE WHOLE THING IS RESOLVED WITH LIZZY OFF THE PAGE!!!! Al shoots Felice - which he could have done right at the beginning if that's how fucking easy it was to resolve everything - and that's it. Despite Lizzy being the main character and the bloody booked being called SHADOW WOMAN, Lizzy plays no part in extracting herself from her situation. Xavier literally rides in to save the day, and then some ancillary characters clear up the rest! Not to mention said resolution was so ridiculously simple.
This was unbelievably bad! It actually insulted my intelligence. There should be negative scores for books this terrible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2012
I won a copy of this book on Librarything. So, first of all thank you Random House and Librarything.
Linda Howard is one of my favorite authors. I was eagerly anticipating this one.
Lizzette Henry wakes up one morning and goes through her normal routine. After her shower she looks into the mirror and gets the shock of her life. She doesn't recognize her own reflection. She also appears to have lost two years worth of memories.
The past three years, Lizzette had lived a boring, robotic life. Now, suddenly she is rembering things and also seems to have certain skills. It also seems someone is keeping tabs on her.
Enter the mysterious Mr. X. Lizzette can't stop dreaming about the man. But, is he one of "them "?
The story started off with a lot of promise. But, then the pacing slowed down to a crawl.
Finally, midway through, the pieces start to fall into place and the pacing picks up.
The mystery was intriguing. The plot was like something Robert Ludlum would have dreamed up. The romance part was downplayed in this one. But, I liked the love story.
This wasn't one of Howard's all time best, but it was still an enjoyable read. Overall a B - / C+
Linda Howard is one of my favorite authors. I was eagerly anticipating this one.
Lizzette Henry wakes up one morning and goes through her normal routine. After her shower she looks into the mirror and gets the shock of her life. She doesn't recognize her own reflection. She also appears to have lost two years worth of memories.
The past three years, Lizzette had lived a boring, robotic life. Now, suddenly she is rembering things and also seems to have certain skills. It also seems someone is keeping tabs on her.
Enter the mysterious Mr. X. Lizzette can't stop dreaming about the man. But, is he one of "them "?
The story started off with a lot of promise. But, then the pacing slowed down to a crawl.
Finally, midway through, the pieces start to fall into place and the pacing picks up.
The mystery was intriguing. The plot was like something Robert Ludlum would have dreamed up. The romance part was downplayed in this one. But, I liked the love story.
This wasn't one of Howard's all time best, but it was still an enjoyable read. Overall a B - / C+
July 3, 2015
To me books by Linda Howard differ a lot in quality. There are some that I like a lot and some that I'm not so fond of. Shadow Woman was one of the better ones. The story, although completely unbelievable, was really grabbing.
This was like a good action movie. There was a lot of suspense and action, plus some really grabbing well-developed plot. Even though, all the events were completely unbelievable I didn't mind it because reading it was such a pleasure.
I also liked the characters. They were complicated and interesting. Watching Lizzy collects her memories one by one and discovering her past with her was engaging. And I liked that Xavier has been waiting for her for three years and he was caring about her even though he has no guarantee she will ever came back to him. They make an outstanding couple.
I had a great time reading this book and I hope the other books by Linda Howard I am going to read will be as great as this one.
This was like a good action movie. There was a lot of suspense and action, plus some really grabbing well-developed plot. Even though, all the events were completely unbelievable I didn't mind it because reading it was such a pleasure.
I also liked the characters. They were complicated and interesting. Watching Lizzy collects her memories one by one and discovering her past with her was engaging. And I liked that Xavier has been waiting for her for three years and he was caring about her even though he has no guarantee she will ever came back to him. They make an outstanding couple.
I had a great time reading this book and I hope the other books by Linda Howard I am going to read will be as great as this one.
December 26, 2012
Lizette has a boring life. She works a boring job, drives a boring car, even the food she eats is boring. Then one morning she wakes up, looks in the mirror and doesn't recognize herself and two years of her life have disappeared.
Xavier has been watching and protecting Lizzie for the past five years. When Lizzie's memories start returning he needs to act and act quickly. Her memories could destroy some very dangerous people and Xavier needs to find her and get her to safety before she is taken out.
Shadow Woman is great romantic suspense. It's a well written page turner and one of the better Linda Howard books I've read.
(Many thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC)
Xavier has been watching and protecting Lizzie for the past five years. When Lizzie's memories start returning he needs to act and act quickly. Her memories could destroy some very dangerous people and Xavier needs to find her and get her to safety before she is taken out.
Shadow Woman is great romantic suspense. It's a well written page turner and one of the better Linda Howard books I've read.
(Many thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing me with this ARC)
January 19, 2013
Oh,noooo, not again!
This book is somehow cold, remote, I couldn't relate with the characters. I didn't CARE what happened to Lizzy or X, and that shouldn't happen in one of Linda's book. As it progressed, it kept going worse. I forced myself to finish it, and, man, I kept falling asleep.
This book is somehow cold, remote, I couldn't relate with the characters. I didn't CARE what happened to Lizzy or X, and that shouldn't happen in one of Linda's book. As it progressed, it kept going worse. I forced myself to finish it, and, man, I kept falling asleep.
October 26, 2013
3/5; 3 stars; B-
I listened to parts of this book and read the rest. It was enjoyable in a very non-exciting way. The pacing was kind of slow and dreamy for the first half of the book. Not as good as some books I've read by this author but still pretty solid.
I listened to parts of this book and read the rest. It was enjoyable in a very non-exciting way. The pacing was kind of slow and dreamy for the first half of the book. Not as good as some books I've read by this author but still pretty solid.
January 13, 2020
Okay, so I think I kinda build up this story too much in my head from the first time I read it. Huh, second time around, I just don't like how the female character acted wimpish like and couldn't handle it when things went FUBAR. Otherwise, Xavier was my favorite.
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