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A review by livelaughtech
In the Shadow of Love by J.E. Leak
5.0
This second shot in the series has a palpable tension like an impending storm. Decrypting the characters’ motives becomes as important to the story as decoding the messages between the OSS assignments and their interested parties.
The author has a finesse for creating both physical and emotional tension between the main characters as well as maintaining their storyline with secondary characters. This balance develops the reader’s investment in all the characters, but especially with Jenny and Kathryn. One with a temper paired with impulsiveness, the other with an internal struggle with the ghosts in her machine.
The intimate scenes are believable and easily visualized, slowly taking the reader along the ebb and flow of their stolen time together. The author employs a bit of trickery to make you wait for those scenes. Jenny and Kathryn have their turn and it’s worth the wait– very satisfying. Both characters are written as attractive (obviously beautiful) so there’s no body shaming which is refreshing. There’s enough underlying self-doubt that it’s a believable relationship with both internal and external angst. There are many compelling layers with this romantic connection. Gripping scenes that arouse interest and suspicion are interlaced with curiosity and longing.
The overall storyline is appropriate throughout with secret operations and spy-like intrigue teetering on the edge of espionage. The details on the1940’s guns, cars, clothing and ‘ladies room rendezvous’ all show the author has done her homework. The action scenes are well executed with the right amount of buildup, suspense and inferred deception. The kind that has Hollywood-style movie music playing in the background while reading. The tension rising and falling causes the reader to read faster then tiptoe through the next chapter in suspense.
The POV is steady, yet the perspective seems to change. Undoubtedly orchestrated by the author to create a depth of field in the storyline. In true historical style the ‘trust no one’ feel of the World War II era is underlying. Giving the reader a sense of mistrust in primary and secondary characters. No wonder the duty-versus-love is a constant struggle. Each looking for her own redemption- both just might find it in one other.
Book number two can stand alone without having read number one (In the Shadow of the Past), but why miss out? Especially with number three (In the Shadow of Truth) on the horizon! It’s not ‘what if…’ it’s ‘what’s next?!’
The author has a finesse for creating both physical and emotional tension between the main characters as well as maintaining their storyline with secondary characters. This balance develops the reader’s investment in all the characters, but especially with Jenny and Kathryn. One with a temper paired with impulsiveness, the other with an internal struggle with the ghosts in her machine.
The intimate scenes are believable and easily visualized, slowly taking the reader along the ebb and flow of their stolen time together. The author employs a bit of trickery to make you wait for those scenes. Jenny and Kathryn have their turn and it’s worth the wait– very satisfying. Both characters are written as attractive (obviously beautiful) so there’s no body shaming which is refreshing. There’s enough underlying self-doubt that it’s a believable relationship with both internal and external angst. There are many compelling layers with this romantic connection. Gripping scenes that arouse interest and suspicion are interlaced with curiosity and longing.
The overall storyline is appropriate throughout with secret operations and spy-like intrigue teetering on the edge of espionage. The details on the1940’s guns, cars, clothing and ‘ladies room rendezvous’ all show the author has done her homework. The action scenes are well executed with the right amount of buildup, suspense and inferred deception. The kind that has Hollywood-style movie music playing in the background while reading. The tension rising and falling causes the reader to read faster then tiptoe through the next chapter in suspense.
The POV is steady, yet the perspective seems to change. Undoubtedly orchestrated by the author to create a depth of field in the storyline. In true historical style the ‘trust no one’ feel of the World War II era is underlying. Giving the reader a sense of mistrust in primary and secondary characters. No wonder the duty-versus-love is a constant struggle. Each looking for her own redemption- both just might find it in one other.
Book number two can stand alone without having read number one (In the Shadow of the Past), but why miss out? Especially with number three (In the Shadow of Truth) on the horizon! It’s not ‘what if…’ it’s ‘what’s next?!’