A Book Obsession..: Shadowplay

Shadowplay

, by Kt Clapsadl

Shadowplay by Elisa Paige

Texas Fae #1

The world’s first Fae trouble-shooter, Mia has survived the centuries--and her royal father’s assassins--by trusting no one and by pounding the bleeding hell out of her enemies. Then she meets Roddie, an Irish immortal with the skill to dodge even her most lethal attacks. Intrigued by the spirit beneath Mia’s warrior exterior, Roddie resolves to recruit her for a new, cross-supernatural alliance--the Vampires' last, desperate bid to avoid extinction. Trained solely to fight, Mia is defenseless against the Irishman’s flashing blue eyes and killer dimples. And despite herself, she begins to consider a life that includes love. Trouble is, softening her hair-trigger reflexes could get her killed. But this time, Mia can't do her usual disappearing act. This time, she has to make a stand, and face her father's brutality and her own tortured past. Because now it’s not just Mia who’s targeted for assassination. It’s Roddie.

Mia, the only surviving half-breed between the light and dark Fae. She has had assassins on her tail for centuries and has never trusted anyone. When she meets a group of vampires in a resistance against ones who would see their way of life destroyed, she is intrigued by their group dynamic as it something she's never experienced. Then one of the group members, Roddie, takes a interest in her and she is almost helpless to resist. It becomes a battle between her heart and her head, with neither having a clear lead. Her instincts have kept her alive all this time, but what is life really worth without love?

Mia is one heck of a damaged character. Considering her past, this comes at no surprise. What amazes me is her strength and ability to survive against all odds. Her instincts are incredible, but it is because of those instincts that she has no friends nor understanding of companionship and love. What I loved most about this book was getting to see Mia grow and learn to accept others being close to her. I think she will have a greater appreciation for those relationships as she went so long without them, and she knows just how miserable and lonely that is. At one point in the book she seems to be almost amazed at her feelings, as she never really understood what she was missing before Roddie and the others came into her life.

I absolutely loved the dynamic between Roddie and Mia. Despite her being so "flighty" and skittish, Roddie falls almost instantly head over heels for Mia. Mia on the other hand, kept him at arms length for a very long time. I'll admit the slow progression on her side was a little frustrating as I was reading it because I knew the two would have great potential, and I couldn't wait for them to finally make some progress. However, despite that frustration, the slow progression made the romance more realistic as someone with her past would have a very hard time accepting feelings for another person, let alone even beginning to trust.

I really enjoyed this book. The setting is parallel to the world in her other novel, Stealing Time (Review). The same style and happy progression of romance found in Stealing Time, follows this book as well. There were plenty of tender moments as well as some pretty steamy ones, and she did an excellent job in balancing those two aspects. This author is definitely one to watch for as her books are very rich and leave you with a sense of happiness, yet still manage to leave things open ended enough to make you more than ready for the next book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys flawed, but strong heroines, sexy heroes, and romantic happiness with plenty of danger in between. This book was a perfect blend of those aspects and I cannot wait to dive into the next book.

(Received from the Author for review)

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