Sandy M’s review of Sweeter Than Sin (Secrets & Shadows, Book 5) by Shiloh Walker
Contemporary Romance published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 30 Sep 14
When I read the first book in this part of the Secrets & Shadows series, I was quite surprised it didn’t work as well for me as most of Shiloh Walker’s books do. That isn’t to say I didn’t like Deeper Than Need, it just didn’t hit the spot at the time. This book, however, steps up to the plate and hits the ball well into the outfield.
We meet Adam in the previous book, another man who has had it rough in life and needs his vices to get through a day. His vice currently is women, since he gave up alcohol when his parents died. We don’t meet Lana in that book, but we do get to know her as much as possible, since we’re not sure the body found in the basement of a house during renovation is hers. Obviously it’s not. Lana had to run twenty years ago when helping an abused friend escape his tormentors. Now all hell has broken loose in Madison and it’s time for Lana to face the consequences of her actions all those years ago.
It’s Adam who is first to recognize her, the first to be dumbfounded at her reappearance. He’s always been in love with her, even way back when, but she was never his. She belonged to his best friend, Noah. But Noah has finally moved on and is engaged. Does that leave the way open for Adam to finally find some happiness? We sure hope so, because the man deserves some. But with the awful, horrible, terrible long-reaching abuse that is only now being uncovered in town, and with Lana being in the middle of it, happiness for everyone even remotely touched by this scandal will have to wait.
One by one those molesters who have avoided detection for so long are being killed off. I like the mystery of this part of the story. Doesn’t matter who it is at this point picking them off, it’s just satisfying they’re forced to look their judge and jury in the face as they gasp a dying breath. I’m sure when that person is revealed, it will be that much sweeter. Though I am a bit perplexed at the death of Lana’s friend, the one in town who could have helped her with everything she’s going to face. That’s another mystery that keeps the reader turning the pages. Another is the simple fact this nearly town-wide abuse has gone on for decades and no one knew a thing about it, except those involved. The sympathy for the young men of Madison is foremost in your heart as you feel their pain as the story unfolds. And that’s what makes this book that much more poignant – Ms. Walker doesn’t go into minute detail about the abuse, but it’s the emotion that is bubbling to the surface that tells the reader how deep the scars go, how long it’s going to take to recover, if ever.
The friend Lana tried to help twenty years ago is who she needs to see now, and I have to say the old adage hide in plain sight takes on a new meaning as far as David is concerned. I can’t wait until his book is released. We also get to catch up with Noah and Trinity, as well as other folks we met in the first book. They’re all involved with this ugly situation in one or another, so their presence is pretty much guaranteed as we go along.
The connection between Adam and Lana is heartfelt and needy. They’re both just as broken as others in town, but you can feel the healing the more they come together. It’s rough and raw between them, but it helps them feel something other than pain and helplessness. As with the first book, we can only hope the love that’s being found by these characters is what will help them live a more rewarding life, one free of demons and nightmares, the closer we get to the end of the series.
Grade: B+
Summary:
CAN’T FORGET THE PAIN
It took years for Adam to stop drowning his regrets in alcohol, and running the local bar doesn’t make it any easier—especially not when everyone he knows gathers there to discuss the shocking allegations that have shattered his hometown. When another murder rocks sleepy Madison to its core, it becomes chillingly clear that even more vicious wounds are waiting to be exposed.
WON’T RESIST THE PLEASURE
Nothing is sacred anymore, and no one is safe, least of all the mystery woman who shows up in town out of the blue, looking like every fantasy Adam’s ever had. She may have her own dangerous secrets, but she can’t ignore the urgent heat between them any more than he can. As a killer’s quest for vengeance explodes into violence, Adam is tempted to lose himself in the delicious promise of her body—until he realizes he’ll risk anything if she’ll give him her heart…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
