Book Review: Phantom Shadows by Dianne Duvall

Title: Phantom Shadows
Series: Immortal Guardians, #3
Author: Dianne Duvall
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from author
Published: October 2, 2012 by Zebra

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural.

She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it’s not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . .

Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can’t remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different – and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question – he can’t put her in danger. But she isn’t asking him . . .

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Another delicious read in the series with a good romance and an OMG ending.

The Set Up: Bastien thought he was a vampire for two centuries and even knowing he’s an Immortal Guardian doesn’t change his outcast role in the group. He’s attracted to Dr. Melanie Lipton the moment she began treating his vampire brethren trying to save them from the virus. Melanie’s inner passion is ignited by the Immortal Guardian bad boy and she’s not letting Bastien or anyone else separate them.

Why I Read this Book: To say I adore this series is putting it mildly. Books one and two in the series are books I re-read at least twice a year for their great romances and out-effin-standing world building. I have been awaiting Phantom Shadows’ release like a Jersey bride planning her wedding on her daddy’s dime.

What I Liked: One of the strengths of this series is the amazing cast of characters. The leads have a romance but it’s set in a context of a war between vampires and Immortal Guardians. This means there is a group of characters with funny, sad, mysterious and powerful personalities. I feel like I know these characters from books one and two so to revisit them here and see their further development is beyond awesome. There isn’t one character I don’t love: the uber-powerful leader Seth, his mysterious right-hand, David, the three French siblings (one who teleports and is involved in a doomed love affair with a human), the anti-social Roland from book one and many others. I love these characters and their attempts at forming a family, however dysfunctional that is!

What I Also Liked: The romance between Bastien and Melanie is mature and sexy. I love this author’s romances because she doesn’t make the couple play silly games to keep the sexual tension. Instead Bastien and Melanie acknowledge their feelings and spend the book figure out how to make it all work. I like this kind of romance as it’s drama-free but still full of the sexual and emotional intimacy I look for in romance.

I love the series plot arc as it progresses quickly but believably. A lot of paranormal series drag out the series plot to keep readers’ attention but that isn’t the case here. Instead the author introduces plot twists and a new mysterious character to progress the story and I *adored* that. I have to also say that this book has an OMG ending. I think series fans will best enjoy it since it involves the cast of characters but it floored me. I can’t say more but OMG!

What I Didn’t Like: I don’t want the author to rush writing because it may compromise the quality of this series BUT I can’t possibly wait as long as I’m going to have to for the next installment. I am seriously miffed at how long I’m going to have to wait.

IMO: Any paranormal romance fan should read this series and this book for its imaginative world building, compelling characters and mature but sexy romance. This is now one of my favorite paranormal romance series—EVER!

J9’s Rating: