Shadows Strike took me on another intense and fantastic journey into the world of the Immortal Guardians.  This installment is by far the most intense installment when compared to the previous books. At the end of his friends with benefits arrangement with Lisette, I wondered if he would have his chance at love. Well, Shadows Strike delivered Ethan’s love story and so much more.

This installment started with a bang and had me on the edge of my seat from the first page. Action, suspense and romance are the ingredients which drove this installment. In the midst of the action, Duvall infused humour and witty banter which had this reader grinning from ear to ear.

Now, while each book in the series features a different couple, it’s best to read the books in order of release because of the overarching plot driving the series. The situation arising from the previous installment intensified with the revelation of the enemy’s identity and motive. A motive steeped in jealousy. 

Ethan is fairly new to the series, and I was keen to learn more about his character. Ethan possessed an uncanny ability to remember everything down to the smallest detail. Although his gift was not as powerful as the other immortals, he possessed top notch fighting skills. Skills which came in handy the night he first met Heather, his love interest. Heather is a US enforcement agent and the daughter of an army General, who possesses the ability to read minds, making her a gifted one. An added layer of excitement came with her introduction to the series. I loved how she adapted to the world of the Immortal Guardians after overcoming her initial shock about their existence and that of vampires. One would have never guessed she was new to the world. 

Now, unlike the Night Unbound, the romance in Shadows Strike was not front and centre. With the level of action and suspense permeating the story, this came as no surprise. The romance which developed was not of the slow burn variety, which is the norm for the genre. However, despite the instant connection, their chemistry was undeniable. Their sexy banter and the way they were open with each other made it easy to get on board with their romance. 

The secondary characters added another exciting layer to the story. We get caught up with those from the previous books meet new ones in this installment. The introduction of a particular character and the role played left me wishing for his story.

Now while I enjoyed the story, I wished that Heather and Ethan’s gift played a major role. With that said, I enjoyed my revisit to world of the Immortal Guardians. I am eager for my next visit as the threat sill looms.

I missed the voice of Kirsten Potter in Phantom Embrace, so it made me happy knowing she narrated Ethan and Heather's story. She’s the voice of the series and I cannot imagine anyone topping her performance. Her performance breathed life into the story and the characters. One could feel the excitement and the tension.

Shadows Strike delivered an action packed read, featuring a kick ass heroine and a cocky but likeable Immortal.

Shadows Strike is the sixth entry (Give or take) in the Immortal Guardians series by Dianne Duvall. I was going to say Ms. Duvall was a new to me author but looking back, I have read one other book of hers. It was in a collection authors and their stories, of several I liked. It’s why I picked up this book to read. The blurb of ‘war between predators and protectors of humanity with an innocent woman dreaming of a battle with a mysterious man’ just sounds like something right up my alley. Of course, I just had to read it and find out more. It’s a good thing I did because I really enjoyed the book.

I got this thing about jumping into series when they are well-established. The cover catches my eye, I read the blurb, and then I just go for it without paying attention. Yup, I did it again. I found it to be no big deal when it came to the romance between Heather and Ethan. Which, by the way, was hot if not a bit quick. Even the main story, vampires versus immortals, I was able to sort out and absorb without feeling I missed out on anything. It’s with the rest of the characters that I felt the impact. Quite a few couples to sort out and I’m assuming had I been reading the series from the beginning, I would know who they are. However, I don’t, and they have piqued my interest so if you are like me, and haven’t read the series, just understand this book works well as a stand-alone at the same time, you are going to want to know more.

Stars: 4
I received this book from Netgalley. I was not compensated for the book other than the entertainment it provided. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of my all-time favorite authors - I didn't realize I forgot to review this back in the day. Always a 5 star, always recommend