Review: Still a Terrific Series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 5, 2013
- SPOILER ALERT! -I'm truly enjoying the "Sweet Seduction" series. "Sweet Seduction Shadow" is the third novel in the series and this one centers on Ben and Abi. Like the previous two installments, the author delivers a well-developed story that's fully of intrigue, mystery, romance, action and hot, hot sex. Holy crap! The first time Ben and Abi have sex is off-the-charts HOT! Boy can Nicole Claire write. I found myself panting just reading their sexual escapade.As much as I enjoyed reading this novel, I was also a little disappointed with it.Unlike the first two installments, the presence of all the supporting characters was missing which is too bad since having them all there enriches the story even more. Instead we're only given a glimpse of just a few.Even though Ben and Abi had chemistry, I couldn't understand how they loved each other when they just meet for the first time. Sure, he followed her for three weeks but come on! To say he felt a connection to her even though he never spoke to her doesn't make any sense. And right from their first meeting, Ben is already declaring to his fellow mates that he's claimed her. Seriously?In chapter 23, Detective Andrews follows Kasey into the house. Can someone tell me what happened to him after Ben beat him up? The cops rescued Kasey but there's no mention of Andrews after that which is surprising as it's only at the house did they come to realize that Andrews was a corrupt officer and that he sold out both Ben and Abi to McLaren. There's no mention of Andrews being dead, handcuffed, taken out of the house and down to the station, or any dialogue between him and Ben or anyone else for that matter. We're not even told if he was working McLaren the whole time.With respect to Abi, we're told that she left the compound when she turned eighteen and that she was on the run for 5 years. That would make her twenty-three years old. However, in chapter 21 we're told that she's twenty-eight years old.  I can only assume it's a typo because Abi definitely came across as twenty-three as I found her to be quite immature and nave. I honestly couldn't feel the connection between Ben and Abi, except when it came to sex. I guess this is why I didn't understand how Ben could love Abi like I mentioned above. As much as I love Ben, I wasn't a huge fan of Abi's.In the end, this is still a great series and this novel is worthy of the four stars I give it. Being a huge fan of novels that take place in Australia and New Zealand only makes me enjoy it even more. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I'm just wondering if Kelly will ever get her own story as I believe she's a terrific and integral female character who deserves one.