Kidnapped on her way home from work, Maggie is thrown into a terrifying world of shadow. Narrowly escaping death, she flees her kidnappers only to come face to face with her greatest fear.
Helping a dying stranger, Maggie unleashes a terrible curse when she saves Robert. Now with only a week to break the curse, time is running out as they are locked in a deadly fight with forces that will stop at nothing to destroy them.
Intensely romantic and thrilling, Desired by Shadow portrays the struggle between redemption, retribution and the desire to find a love that transcends time.
If you enjoy persnickety gods, supernatural creatures and ghosts with the ability to manifest physical bodies, then try Desired by Shadow.
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“Would you like an adventure now, or should we have our tea first?� -Alice in Wonderland
Cynthia Luhrs spends her time out on the deck, looking out over the mountains, imagining what if. She writes women’s fiction, time travel romance, contemporary romance, family sagas, paranormal romance, and thrillers. Readers say her books (well not the thrillers, those are gritty) are light-hearted reads to escape reality. She lives in the mountains of North Carolina, has always been a reader, and is overly fond of sparkly flip flops and pretty pens. Though now that she lives in the mountains she’s going to have to find fabulous boots, mittens, and hats!
Favorite Lines “You’re the one who changed Robert’s fate.�
“The sounds of their voices filling Ravensmore with laughter and love. What a difference a year made.�
“Choices that carry great power. Power to heal or destroy. There must always be balance. Without sun there can be no rain just as without pain there can be no joy. As you must live your life, Dayne must live his. The choices we make define us and have the power to change humanity’s fate.�
“Living in the past, you never learn to see the present.�
“When we’re in this realm, we’d be honored to make our home here at Gwrych. Though Draken needs to get his own stash of sauce. All my wasabi sauce is gone and we have seven or eight bites left.�
“You showed me how to live again.�
“I love you Mrs. Bartholomew.� Maggie laughed. “And I you, my pirate husband.�
OMG I want a pirate of my very own! PLZ PLZ PLZ! After reading book 1 I knew Roberts story was going to be amazing! I was right! This author couldn't have done any better! Robert gave up on ever having what Colin has. Boy was he wrong! Maggie has had such a hard life. She's been betrayed by everyone! Taken hostage by the day walkers and used to find the shadow walkers. She's been warned about the viscous Robert the pirate so when she stumbles across a man hanging and rescues him. She's floored to see that it's Robert the one all the day walkers fear! She runs and guess who's ship she hides out on? Ha ha Roberts! I loved this book so much! Excellent writing, fabulous characters! Loved it loved it!
I was given this book by author in exchange for an honest review
I got this book from the author, free of cost, in exchange of an honest review from my side.
Firstly I would like to thank the author and Carrie, the moderator of LoP Group of Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ for giving me this opportunity of reading and reviewing this fabulous book.
Well, I liked the first book more than this one. Just like the first book this story revolves around another couple who will find true love in each other and will go to extreme heights to be with each other. We met Robert in book 1 and this book is centered around him and his love interest Maggie.
I didn't like either Robert or Maggie, I just couldn't connect with any of them. What I liked? Well the passion and the intensity between them is what made me read this story even though I din't liked their attitude or nature. The plot is great and the mystery and adventure kept me hooked in.
Another point is the awesome writing style of the author that tugged at my heart and made me continue. In short this is a good read but compared to book 1 this one disappointed me a little specially because of its main characters.
Actually 3.5 rating. This book was very difficult for me to rate because I have mixed feelings about it.
The cover & premise totally hooked me -- pirates,ghosts, unpredictable gods, adventure,etc.
The first chapter also hooked me.
Then things got confusing. I wish the world was explained earlier, because I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out things and that distracted me from the story.
There's also quite a bit of telling and parts are repetitive...which slowed down the pace.
Characters: I adored the hero, Robert. He was alpha, but funny...and just a great character. Also, enjoyed Fury.
Unfortunately, I didn't quite warm up to heroine, Maggie. I wish she'd been more active and self-motivated throughout the story.
Also, there were too many characters and their stories, which I found confusing and distracting. Of course, this is a second book and maybe I would have cared more about the entire cast if I'd read the first book. However, the author stated this could be read as a standalone. My advice: definitely read the first book before you read this one.
Overall impression: I still liked the bones of the story. Very intriguing world and premise, likeable hero and quirky creatures made for a fun read.
*book provided by the Author through PNR NaUBA group Author/Reader Exchange* Thanks to both!
Id have liked to rate it at 3.5 but 4 will do **I received this book in exchange for an honest review. (Lovers of Paranormal, LoP)**
I liked the story though it took me a bit to get into it. More so than the first one, I can say I actually liked the first book better (maybe I'll re-read this one at a later date). I was excited when I met Robert in the first book, knowing that he'd have his own book. As stories go if you havent read the first one, read before this one it will make more since. I still like Robert.. didnt like maggie much. But theres a character or two im sure we will be hearning more from. (smiles) I love paranormal magical things, this fits the bill for that. A lot of detail a bit rehashed, but if you've read the first one you will want to continue the story. Robert is just a doll of a hero and leading man. A Pirate through and through, Robert never thought to find a woman of his own to love. He finds that in Maggie... still for me something about her I just didnt like much. Its a love story that will tug at your heart strings. Passion enough to have you fanning your face, maybe even wishing you were there in Roberts... capable hands. Smiles.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal).
Kidnapped on her way home from work, Maggie is thrown into a terrifying world of shadow. Narrowly escaping death, she flees her kidnappers only to come face to face with her greatest fear. Helping a dying stranger, Maggie unleashes a terrible curse when she saves Robert. Now with only a week to break the curse, time is running out as they are locked in a deadly fight with forces that will stop at nothing to destroy them.
I enjoyed this book more than the first as I felt more connected to Maggie and Robert. Their story developed more naturally and I really wanted these two orphans who had experienced such pain in the past to have a happy ever after.
This book was also more exciting and action packed with a 3 headed dog and a dragon on the side of good. I like seeing the character development of the ex-cop, Monroe, as well and hope there's something good for him in the future.
*I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. (Lovers of Paranormal, LoP)*
Cynthia Luhrs paranormal romance Desired by Shadow is book two in her Shadow Walkers series. From the start I was drawn to Robert's character having been introduced to him in book one. He needed to have his own story. And Maggie and Robert needed to find each other. Their connection was strong. Monroe the ex police officer is an interesting character too. It truly is a paranormal romance with fantasy creatures and pirates too!!! At times the pace was slow in my opinion but I continued on as I liked the characters.
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review. (Lovers of Paranormal, LoP)**
Desired By Shadow was a pretty good read. I was unsure a few times while reading it. The story was good and held the story line from the first book in this series, Lost in Shadow. I loved the setting. The authors description of the scenery was very good. I liked the characters and how they interacted. But at times, the premise eluded me. So, over-all I'd say this book is a standalone. A good add to your tbr list.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the “Lovers of Paranormalâ€� Group on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ.com and the Author.
I loved the story of Maggie and Robert. The romance, the action, adventure, mystery. There were several stories woven into this book and I enjoyed each of them. I loved the fantasy creatures and their personalities, they were almost believable. I recommend this book. I really enjoyed it.
[Full disclosure: I received a free ebook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]
What I found interesting about Desired by Shadow is that it continues on where Lost in Shadow left off by telling the story of someone else. That someone else is Maggie, a woman who can see Shadow Walkers and is kidnapped by the Day Walkers to spot them so they can be hunted down and killed. She already knows a little about this mysterious world when she accidentally saves Robert, the charming pirate from the last book, on the anniversary of his death while trying to escape from the Day Walkers. As for Robert, he is a typical playboy and doesn’t want anything to do with the whole soulmates thing his friend Colin and Emily went through.
Maggie is a very different woman from Emily in the first book. She’s spent most of her life out on the streets and things are finally starting to look up when she’s kidnapped by the Day Walkers. Maggie is a very capable woman and successfully escapes from the clutches of the Day Walkers all on her own, which was quite impressive. However, what I like the most about her character is that she learns to trust again. She learns to trust people in general, but more importantly she learns to love and trust Robert when circumstances bring them together.
The romance between Robert and Maggie develops similar to Colin and Emily’s but there are some nice, notable differences so it doesn’t feel like a complete repeat episode. The only thing I can really criticize is that the proofreading doesn’t seem to be as good as it was in the last novel. I caught way more typos than before and I’m not sure if it’s because I just noticed more or that there were actually more. None of them really take away from the story, but it’s certainly worth mentioning. They may have been corrected in the actual ebook now that it’s been out a few weeks and I was reading an ARC through NetGalley.
If you liked Lost in Shadow, you’ll probably like Desired by Shadow even more. It expands on the world-building from the first book, the characters are believable and the plot is fast-paced if a little predictable.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars, rounded up to 5 stars for Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ rating purposes.
Maggie grew up on the streets. Now she has a steady job as a waitress and a small apartment she shares with her friend Josh. It isn’t much but it’s hers and better than she has ever had. She is happy to have it until she is betrayed by someone close to her. She is kidnapped off the streets and thrown into a world of fear and violence. There is no escape so she does what she is told and survives. She is a shadow walker finder. She is one of few who can see them. When the ones that hold her captive believe she is no longer useful and decide to kill her, she is forced to put her plan of escape into action. What she doesn’t know is her escape leads her right to the Pirate Robert, the man her captives fear. She is terrified of him and ends up tied to him by her altruistic actions. She is in danger as her captives pursue her and the legendary pirate also proves dangerous. She doesn’t know what to do or who to trust. This is the second book in the Shadow Walker Series. I did not read the first book yet, however this book stands alone. I understood the plot and found the characters quite likable. The paranormal beings included in the story were many, including gods, demons, ghosts just to name a few. The storyline reminded me a little of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series, which I also love. Night Shadows are protecting humans while the day walkers thrive to rule the world. There are two brothers who happen to be gods fighting each other. One is the leader of the night shadows and the other the leader of the day shadows. Every night shadow is cursed with reliving their death every year. Only their soul mate can break the curse. The story was full of action and sinister intrigue, good against evil. It was a good read. I give it a 4 out of 5.
First of all, I really like the cover for this book. It matches the title and the overall feel of the novel quite well and was eye-catching enough to make me notice it amongst many other books. So, great cover for a really impressive book.
I really wasn't sure what to think of this book in the beginning. I had issues trying to connect the very beginning to the initial events in the first couple of chapters. After that, things began to tie together and I saw where the story was going. It became very enjoyable.
This story has some language in it, so if that bothers you, be aware of it before reading. I didn't find it to be too overabundant and thought it fit well with the story. The main character is pretty tough and makes reading this book exciting. She is a bit unpredictable and you are never sure what she is going to do next. I loved that she was a smart and independent character before major events even happened.
Robert was also a great character and the author did a really good job of giving the reader a sense of his presence before introducing him fully.
The dialogue was well written and the conversations flowed smoothly. I liked the plot and the way the action scenes gave way to interesting background on the characters and the plans they were making to deal with the current situations were also exciting.
This was a good book for an afternoon of reading when the weather was too bad to go outside. I found myself involved with the story and hoping the best for the characters. I would recommend this to other readers who like some romance, action and originality in their books.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher and Netgalley.
This is the book that has something for everyone in it and manages to pull it all into a well written romance novel! Literally, there are demons, pirates, highlanders, and dragons to name just a few! Let me begin by saying that reading a series out of order is something I simply do not do, however, when I received this book from Netgalley I was intrigued enough by the premise and the cover to set aside my aversion to reading out of sequence. Thankfully, I made the right choice because this is a book I would not have wanted to miss. It reads easily enough without having read the first book in the series. There are characters in this novel that I can sense must have been in the first book where we learned their story, but it does not interfere with the story going on around our main characters, who happen to be the fiery yet semi-broken Maggie and the fearsome pirate Black Bart!
This book is a complete fantastical romance novel. It is over the top at times, but isn't that what us women love so much about escapism romance? Yes, we all want pirates as lovers, dragons for pets, and a castle to live in. By the end of the book I was smiling and delighted with the story I had just read. It is quite graphic in it's romantic details and therefore should be read by adults only. If you enjoy romance novels this is certainly one of the better ones I've read this year and I would encourage you to check it out. I will be going back to read book one in the series as I can never resist a highlander.
This is the book that has something for everyone in it and manages to pull it all into a well written romance novel! Literally, there are demons, pirates, highlanders, and dragons to name just a few! Let me begin by saying that reading a series out of order is something I simply do not do, however, when I received this book from Netgalley I was intrigued enough by the premise and the cover to set aside my aversion to reading out of sequence. Thankfully, I made the right choice because this is a book I would not have wanted to miss. It reads easily enough without having read the first book in the series. There are characters in this novel that I can sense must have been in the first book where we learned their story, but it does not interfere with the story going on around our main characters, who happen to be the fiery yet semi-broken Maggie and the fearsome pirate Black Bart!
This book is a complete fantastical romance novel. It is over the top at times, but isn't that what us women love so much about escapism romance? Yes, we all want pirates as lovers, dragons for pets, and a castle to live in. By the end of the book I was smiling and delighted with the story I had just read. It is quite graphic in it's romantic details and therefore should be read by adults only. If you enjoy romance novels this is certainly one of the better ones I've read this year and I would encourage you to check it out. I will be going back to read book one in the series as I can never resist a highlander.
Ok, so the writing in this was so much better, and yes I very much enjoyed! I must have a bad boy addiction problem or something, but while I love pirates...hard headed highlanders still take the cake for me I'm afraid.
I enjoyed Robert and Maggie's story. Kind of a Pretty Woman vibe to it, so if that movie is on your guilty pleasures list, you will love this story.
I must say though, as soon as 'Draken and Fury were arguing over whether or not to put the wasabi sauce on before Draken roasted the bodies or after...' I think I was instantly in love with the pair of them. I hope they're in the following books more, they're a hoot.
Some of my favourite lines...
'You steal the very breath from my body.'
'Living in the past, you never learn to see the present.'
Favourite back and forth between Draken and Fury...
He leaned over to Fury. 'Maggie is my friend. If anyone annoys her, I'll eat them.' Fury's three heads smiled. 'Not if we eat them first. She's our friend too.'
And my favourite guffaw line...
'We can talk like little old ladies over a pot of tea when this is over.'
I'm sorry Richard, but you're my Robert ;P
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review. (Lovers of Paranormal, r2r)**
The continuing war between Shadow Walkers and Day Walkers is reaching new heights. While gods Thorne and Dayne search for ways to kill each other. Maggie Wallace knows what it's like to be homeless and without family. She knows betrayal in the deepest places in her soul. It's better to keep your head down than to be noticed. Captain Robert "Black Bart" Bartholomew, a Shadow Walker, doesn't trust women period yet will tumble a different woman daily. He doesn't want to be like his fellow Shadow Walker Colin for anything in the world. Maggie and Robert paths cross while Maggie is trying to escape minions and reliving the day Robert died. Monroe MacDonald, a cop, trying to cope with understanding his world isn't so full of black and white instead full of shades of gray and shadows. Will Thorne and Dayne succeed? Will Maggie and Robert learn acceptance and love? Can Monroe learn to cope? Your answers await you in Desired by Shadow.
I'm really enjoying this series. Shadow Walkers are the ultimate good guys. Day Walkers and minions are just pure evil. I love the characters, castles, and story! The author has crafted an intriguing and compelling story that can become a re~read. I'm looking forward to my next adventure in this series soon.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review, Lovers of Paranormal.
I was glad to see Colin and Emily return in this book after reading their story in the first book, Lost in Shadow. Their huge orphanage is a bit far fetched though but this is fiction and so I let that aspect go, as with Maggie and her plans for a school.
I was drawn to Robert in the first book and he didn't disappoint. His and Maggie's story was more straight forward than Colin and Emily's but it was a little frustrating that the curse still doesn't get explained.
The main characters and their supporting cast are all well written and the story line moves along nicely keeping the interest going. Descriptions are always good and I love Draken and Fury!
There are some niggling mistakes and contradictions that could easily have been avoided with a little better editing.
I enjoyed the mixture of love story, intrigue, demons, dragons, pirates and our Shadow Walker heroes.
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review (Lovers of Paranormal).
Second book in the series, another entertaining read. Who doesn't love ghost pirate with a kick-ass sense of humor? Unfortunately for me, Maggie was just...meh. I can understand that growing up the way she did would make her want to form connections with people, but at the same time she was too naive when it came to her so-called best friend who sold her out as soon as he could. Glad we also got to see more of Emily and Colin, even Fury.
While this storyline moved along, it wasn't as enjoyable as the first; maybe because Maggie kind of annoyed me? Probably. But that won't stop me from reading the next two books in the series when they're released.
It took a while for me to get going but once all the pieces came together, it took off like a bullet. Maggie really is a remarkable character and tho there were times she seemed like she was being ridiculous, she wasn't nearly as annoying as many leading ladies in any fiction. One strong point was in keeping 99% of Robert's speech more period like. There really are a lot of strong characters in this; Luhrs understands character and writes them well. My favourites, without doubt, are Fury and Draken. I do hope that Draken isn't the only one, the last, because it would add a bit of tragedy to what he told Maggie. But he and Fury together, their interactions together and with Maggie, lend a humor to the book and I laughed and snickered. They're just too much fun, those two.
I received this book in exchange for honest review. (LOP or Lovers of Paranormal) This book was an unusual story. Ghosts and hot pirates? I love the chemistry and humor between the two major characters. I was truly intrigued in how the story played out. My heart went out for Maggie and the life she lived. It was nice to see a bad boy hero turned into such a softie and spoil Maggie. My favorite part of the story are the secondary characters. (Draken and Fury) The story can be a stand-alone book but who wouldn't like to read onto the other characters. I can't wait for the next book.
I received this book for free thru lovers of paranormal. I loved the first book and this book rocked too! If your into paranormal/romance with a twist a great plot with awesome characters your going to love this book. I would suggest you read book 1 first but at the same time this book could be read e without the first one and still be awesome and you wouldn't be lost. (if you know what I mean) Thank you again for letting me read & review looking forward to reading Iced in shadow book 2.5!
I must admit, i enjoyed the read, but i was hoping that the story of the first couple would be continual instead of Robert finding is soul mate. I do realise that there is a thread of the first couple through the story of Robert, but i guess i was hoping for more. But as i said Robert's story did hold some attention.
I liked this story a lot. I'm not sure if I like it more than book one but I'm definitely going to keep reading the series because it's good! I mean who doesn't love pirates that died and came back with a vengeance but also have a soft side.
Pirates, a beautiful maiden, a dragon and a three headed dog? What could be better? This was unexpected but I can never say no to pirates ships or dragons. I gotta see where this goes.
Book Title: Desired by Shadow Book Authors: Cynthia Luhrs Source: Kindle Unlimited Rating: 5 stars
It's not kilts this time, but sexy pirates who love redheads. The story continues on, involving Colin and Emily, Monroe, and Robert. We see more of the gods, their war. And see a new romance between pirate Robert and a redhead named Maggie.
Robert and Maggie have a lot in common. Both grew up tough and went through hell while being young, which what makes this a match made in heaven (though I'm not sure heaven was ever mentioned in this book universe).
More curse breaking and this time we got more of Fury and Draken. Guys, you will love Draken. We don't see much of him because he comes in very late in book 2, but hopefully there will be a lot more of him in the rest of the novels.
Not for younger than eighteen. Highly recommended. I will continue reading onto book 3. Can't wait to read what happens next!
I received this book for free from Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ First Reads in exchange for an honest review.
This story seemed to flow well and the pacing of the book was steady. The type was very very tiny though but that might just be a First Reads edition.
I absolutely adored Robert's character he was interesting, charming, and kind of a womanizer. His chemistry with Maggie was great but still not rushing the relationship between them.
However I really didn't care for Maggie at all. Didn't like her character. I found her uninteresting and I couldn't relate to her by herself and only liked her in scenes with Robert.
I read this book without reading the first but because the author did such a fantastic job with Robert's character I would be willing to go back and read the first.
This one was much better than the first with less inconsistencies. I liked the characters and loved the dragon and three headed demon. I think the author indulges in her personal wish fulfillment a little too much- the acres of hothouses conveniently located within the castle for example. Also it seemed that every male character dressed the same in a V neck sweater, jeans and doc martins. I thought she was going to have this heroine help save the kidnapped victims who can see the walkers and give them a safe haven especially since Robert wasn't a huge fan of kids and Collin has that niche filled, but it seems we need another orphanage. Some aspects of the plot arc seemed to parallel Her first book.
The story of Robert and Maggie starts off slow and steady. I really liked the beginning getting introduced to Robert who I took a liking to right away. Maggie on the other hand was okay if the story would have progressed differently I might have grown to like her. However midway this book went downhill and the story starts to jump all over the place. Characters are thrown in that are not needed. They just add to your confusion. By the end I had a What??? kind of feeling. I might give the first book a try in this series before I completely write it off
Review copy courtesy of Cynthia Luhrs via Netgalley