Double Book Review: Shadow Flight (A Shadow Riders Novel #5) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Flight (A Shadow Riders Novel #5)
by Christine Feehan

May 5, 2020

432 pages

Chicago’s Ferraro crime family will do anything to protect one of their own in this thrilling entry in the Shadow Riders series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Christine Feehan.

Nicoletta Gomez was a terrified teenager when Taviano Ferraro and his brother saved her life. Ever since, she’s been trying to rise above what was done to her, molding herself into a survivor under the protective eyes of the Ferraro family. All the while, she’s been falling hopelessly in love with the man who knows her darkest secrets.…

With one look, Taviano knew that Nicoletta was his, just as he felt their shadows connect. But no matter how much he wanted to claim her, he knew she needed time to become her own woman. When Nicoletta once again finds herself in the sights of dangerous men, a split-second decision has Taviano breaking all of the Ferraro family’s rules to keep her safe. And as far as he’s concerned, the reward is more than worth the risk.

Mary Kirkland-Dark Thoughts Blog

I give this book 5 out of 5 sheep.

Taviano and his siblings are shadow riders, meaning they can disappear into the shadows and ride the tubes of the shadows to get from one place to another very fast. The family are essentially assassins and use their gift to meet out justice for people who have been hurt in very bad ways. They kill the worst of the worst so even though they are a very dangerous family and a lot like mobsters, they do it for a good cause. He and his family saved Nicoletta from her vile uncles who abused her and now he and his family keep her safe. 

Nicoletta asks the Ferraro family if they can get tickets to a concert for her friend's birthday. Taviano goes with the girls to keep them safe but someone from Nicoletta's past spots her there and tries to kidnap her and her friends. Taviano has always had feelings for Nicoletta so when she asks to go with him to rescue her friends, it doesn't take much to convince him even though bringing her along might put him in deep water with his older brother.

The guys chasing Nicoletta are the same ones who abused her when she was with her evil uncles after her parents died so she wants to make sure her friend is alright or at least be there for her if she needs a woman to help her through what's happened to her. Taviano agrees to her request but puts her in danger by letting her come along.

Once the friend is rescued they have to make some hard choices about their relationship because she's now nearly twenty-one years old and Taviano has decided to pursue her in a romantic way. At first Nicoletta thinks that he's doing that because he has to until he finally lets her know how he's always felt about her. So their relationship starts out a little bumpy and she's not sure she can ever be with him in a sexual way because of what happened to her in the past but she feels safe around him and is head over heels in love with him so she agrees to give it a try.

He's a really nice guy under the hard exterior but I already knew that from seeing him in the other books in this series. The whole family goes after the gang that is after Nicoletta, they work well together. The family wants to make sure she is safe from this gang.

Their romance is slow and sweet because Taviano has to go slow with her but once Nicoletta feels more comfortable around him the romance gets hot and spicy. It was nice to watch these two get closer.

The most shocking thing in this book though was what was happening to Taviano's mother, Eloisa. In all the books in this series so far, she's been a hateful, vile woman that seems to hate her own daughter and wants to make everyone's life hell. She seems to hate all of her daughters-in-laws and there's never a real reason for her to act this way...until now. If you've been a fan of this series, you'll want to read this book to get caught up on this and the other things going on in Taviano's siblings' lives.

This series is one of my favorites right now because of the characters and all of the secondary characters that always pop up that are so interesting. They have a lot of cousins, some of them are also shadow riders so there's always talk about who they're going to go after next and why.

This series has a little bit of everything, intrigue, danger, romance, mobster-like families, alpha men who love with all their hearts and supernatural gifts that let them do things regular people cannot.

Bianca Greenwood

3 Sheep

Shadow Flight is the fifth installment in romance phenom Christine Feehan’s Ferraro crime family series. The series follows the enigmatic Chicago-based Ferraro family. Perceived mobsters, the tight-knit members are actual righteous vigilantes, protecting the vulnerable and exacting justice. Select members of the family have the supernatural ability to “ride the shadows”, essentially dissolving in darkness to travel swiftly and furtively. 

Book five is Taviano and Nicoletta’s story. Followers of the series will recall Nicoletta was rescued from her deranged step-uncles as a teenager and brought into the Ferraro family fold. Throughout the series Taviano has watched over Nicoletta as she worked to heal her scarred psyche. In Shadow Flight Nicoletta has grown into an accomplished, brave fighter ready to stake her claim on Taviano, the youngest Ferraro brother.

This installment has all the tried and true hallmarks of the series; high drama, loads of action, abundant steamy sex, and a happily ever after. Taviano and Nicoletta are likable enough and the story sufficiently entertaining. I like this series but worry it’s run its course. The books all follow a similar arc, and Shadow Flight didn’t have the same level of suspense present in some of the other books. The Ferraros can’t fail and justice is always served.

I hope Emmanuelle, the sole Ferraro sister, has a book on the horizon. Her story has been woven through those of her brothers, but I think it is time her whole story is told. The drama surrounding her romantic life is intriguing and perfect for the series. I sense Feehan has been laying the foundation of what could be one of the best Shadow Rider installments.

Review: Shadow Rider (Shadow Riders #1)

Review: Shadow Reaper (Shadow Riders, #2)

Review: Shadow Keeper (Shadow Riders #3)

Review: Shadow Warrior (Shadow Riders #4)

About the Author:

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I write every day and have done so since I was old enough to pick up a pen. (I spent a lot of time getting in trouble at school for writing instead of doing the things I was supposed to do.) Once I create my characters, I try very hard to have them react to situations as they really would. Sometimes I have preconceived ideas of what I would like them to do, but they don't mind me, because it would be out of character for them. They take on a life of their own. Sometimes when I throw difficult situations at them in the hopes I'll get a certain reaction and they don't do what I want, I complain bitterly to my husband and he laughs at me. Still, it is important to me to have them be real, not perfect people, so they make mistakes we lesser mortals might make.

Double Sheep Book Review: Shadow Warrior (A Shadow Riders Novel Book 4) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Warrior (A Shadow Riders Novel Book 4)

by Christine Feehan
June 4, 2019
432 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Danger inspires fierce passion when a serial killer threatens Chicago’s Ferraro crime family in this novel in Christine Feehan’s New York Times bestselling series.

Vittorio Ferraro is a man whose family loyalty knows no bounds. He would die for his siblings and the people they love, but what he really wants is to start a family of his own. Deep down, Vittorio has always known finding a woman who could ride shadows would be nearly impossible—let alone one who could accept his particular needs—and he never expected to find her in the middle of a kidnapping.…

Grace Murphy has always been drawn to Vittorio Ferraro—or at least to the billionaire’s public bad-boy persona. Now that she’s under his protection and the sole focus of his intense caring, she can’t help wanting to get as close to him as possible. But Grace knows her presence is putting the entire Ferraro family in danger. Her monster of a brother will never let her go, but Vittorio has no intention of losing the woman whose shadow matches his own.

Reviewer: Mary Kirkland

I give this book 5 sheep.

The Ferraro family ride the shadows, making sure justice comes to those who deserve it. Vittorio was home from one such mission when his entire being becomes on full alert. He knows without a doubt that trouble is somewhere close and he needs to get there. Once he reaches his family's club, he follows the shadows to where his senses tell him the trouble is coming from. He finds several people from the Saldi crime family in the club and follows them outside where a woman is being held in the trunk of a car. Something inside him breaks wide open when he sees her and when she gets hurt, he comes to her rescue. Vittorio's family show up within seconds, also having rode the shadows to get to him. None of them are happy when they find out that the Saldi's were doing business in their club. 

Grace spends a couple of weeks in the hospital after she's kidnapped and hurt. Vittorio spends as much time with her as he can and takes over her welfare and care. Grace has had a really hard life and doesn't trust people easily but she trusts Vittorio. When she is released from the hospital, he takes her back to his home because it's the safest place for her since there's a psychopath stalker after her and anyone she's close to. The stalker seems to be able to get incredibly close to her. The stalker aspect of the story was also kinda mysterious because he's killed people and never gets caught doing anything. It's was great to see where this storyline was going.

I really liked watching Vittorio and Grace get to know one another and get closer. She's such a sweet person and so right for Vittorio who thinks of himself as not such a nice person. He never thought he would find a woman who would be willing to put up with him but he's actually a lot nicer than he gives himself credit for.

The rest of the Ferraro family make appearances in this book and as always their mother causes more problems. That woman really gets on my nerves. I can only hope that something soon will change the way this woman treats her kids.

This series has quickly become one of my all-time favorites. The Ferraro family are so interesting and the fact that they can ride the shadows in order to travel from one place to another is a really unique twist that I hadn't read before. I like that they take it upon themselves to bring down the bad guys and get justice to those who deserve it. They might seem like the bad guys because they do kill people but they do it for the right reasons.

It's hard to pick a favorite book from this series but this was definitely one of my favorites. The characters are so engaging and interesting. The storyline is so unique as well as action-filled and it's so easy to get completely swept away in the story.

If I could give this book more sheep than 5, I would because it was just that good!

Reviewer: Bianca Greenwood

4 Sheep

Shadow Warrior is the fourth installment in Christine Feehan’s Shadow series. The series chronicles the Ferraro family, perceived crime organization, but actual supernatural assassins for hire. The family is a tight-knit, fiercely furtive, protective group. Despite their image, the family is benevolent and just, dispatching only the worst of offenders. The supernatural aspects of this series are quite subtle. The so-called “shadow riders” dissolve into and ride shadows as tiny expressways to their desired location completely unseen. Their reputation is a smokescreen for their vigilante work. Anyone brought into the family is brought in for life. 

Each book in the series has unpacked the romantic story of one Ferraro brother and his burgeoning relationship with a woman. The Shadow Warrior is Vittorio. Not much differentiates the brothers, really. They’re all tall dark and handsome with a dangerous edge. They’re all domineering, wishing to absolutely consume their women. They all whisper sexy Italian phrases in their lovers’ ears. For the most part, I’ve been okay with this. Variety is created with the female characters well enough.

Grace Murphy, the object of Vittorio’s affection, is a woman running scared. When Vittorio Ferraro intercepts her kidnapping, the connection is immediate and over-the-top dramatic. Feehan, while not exactly original, expertly crafts a love story. The mounting tension and ultimate release are always abundantly entertaining.

What sets Shadow Warrior apart is its plot. I found it to have a menacing, more tension-filled, thriller vibe. The big bad in the story, Grace’s foster brother, is beyond dark. His psychopathic actions lend a darkness to the book I found both disturbing and intriguing. Feehan is a safe bet, every time, for paranormal romance fans and the Shadow series is no exception.

Review: Shadow Rider (Shadow Riders #1)

Review: Shadow Reaper (Shadow Riders, #2)

Review: Shadow Keeper (Shadow Riders #3)

EXCERPT:
It was just her luck to be in the worst possible circumstances when she met the hottest man in the entire world. Grace Murphy wished the earth would just open up and swallow her, hospital bed and all. The Ferraro family certainly had a strong sense of responsibility when it came to someone getting shot in their parking lot. Even that was embarrassing, having her own foster brother try to sell her into prostitution to pay his gambling debts.

She was like everyone else, following the life of the Ferraros in magazines bought at the grocery store or flipped through at the beauty parlor. She’d always been drawn to Vittorio, finding herself reading every single thing about him. Now, here he was in person, sprawled out in a chair, more beautiful than the photographs could capture, as big as life. Bigger even, the reality of him taking up an enormous amount of space, his wide shoulders and long legs keeping her attention riveted on him.

She groaned aloud and covered her red face with one hand. He’d been there every single day. Right there. In that chair. Pacing around the room. Talking on his cell. It didn’t matter what he was doing, he saw to her every need. He noticed before she did that her pain level was rising, and he took care of it. He didn’t like the food they were serving her, and she was given catered, very nutritious meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She hadn’t been able to feed herself those first few days and he had been the one to sit on the edge of her bed and feed her.

The first week after she’d been shot and operated on, there’d been so much pain she could barely breathe, and she hadn’t been able to fully comprehend who he was. Mostly, she’d slept and thought she was dreaming. One of the nurses had referred to him as her fiancée and she had been confused. She’d started to correct her, but then looked beyond her to see Vittorio Ferraro hovering behind the woman.

Their eyes had locked. Had she known that eyes like his existed in real life? She’d been captivated. Spellbound. Unable to think. Those eyes had turned her brain to mush. Her heart had leapt to her throat. Grace had felt as if he was willing her not to speak, not to contradict what the nurse was saying—and she hadn’t. Then the morphine had kicked in and the pain had gone enough for her to drift off.

“Grace?”

His voice. It was beautiful. Low. Soothing, yet at the same time, there was absolute command, as if he ruled the world and knew it. She’d heard that voice in the parking lot, stopping everyone, giving him the chance to act, to save her from the two men Haydon was selling her to for his debts.

Vittorio remained silent after just saying her name. She couldn’t help but look at him, that tone compelled her to raise her gaze to his no matter how reluctant she was. It took her a few moments to gather the courage to meet those eyes. Deep blue, like the deepest, clearest sea. She felt as if she were drowning when she looked into his eyes.

She touched her tongue to her lips—the lips he’d personally applied lip balm to—and lifted her lashes. At once she had the strange sensation of falling, of tumbling into those dark depths, and there was no saving herself. Her heart beat wildly and, in her veins, there was a rush of heat that spread through her body like a wildfire.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

She had no idea how he could make her want to tell him the truth, no matter that she wanted to hide it from him. She didn’t want to admit that he was the problem, that he was that fantasy she went to bed with every night, and now he was there, larger than life, and way more than she could ever handle. She’d watched him at every charity event, sometimes nearly forgetting her job, which was to stay behind the scenes and make certain everything ran smoothly.

“Grace.”

Again with the name. It sounded so different when he said it. She’d always thought her name plain. Old-fashioned. When Vittorio said it in that enthralling tone, she liked the way it sounded.

About the Author:

website-FB-twitter

I write every day and have done so since I was old enough to pick up a pen. (I spent a lot of time getting in trouble at school for writing instead of doing the things I was supposed to do.) Once I create my characters, I try very hard to have them react to situations as they really would. Sometimes I have preconceived ideas of what I would like them to do, but they don't mind me, because it would be out of character for them. They take on a life of their own. Sometimes when I throw difficult situations at them in the hopes I'll get a certain reaction and they don't do what I want, I complain bitterly to my husband and he laughs at me. Still, it is important to me to have them be real, not perfect people, so they make mistakes we lesser mortals might make.