Shrouded in Blackness by Norma Jeanne Karlsson
Shrouded in Blackness by Norma Jeanne Karlsson
If you like Young Adult Action Romance, have I got the perfect book for you. Shrouded in Blackness is the gritty, yet surprisingly tender love story between Quinn — a former homeless woman, but tough and shrewd as any street fighter — and Kieran — tall, cut like diamonds, and a stone-cold killer to boot.
They meet at a Chicago gym where Quinn is temporarily taking shelter against a bitter citywide snowfall. The encounter is anything but cordial. Quinn stabs him, misinterpreting his initial intentions toward her. And she’s got newly found problems of her own, in the form of six-year-old Jack and three-day-old Ashling, who have been thrust into her care by chance and, perhaps, providence.
It’s hardly an auspicious beginning for a long-term relationship. But, fighting their way through domestic friction, mob hit men and neighborhood toughs, they manage to make their love thrive, often in graphic and steamy sex scenes.
Kieran, though clearly a heavily tattooed, broken-nosed tough guy, nevertheless shows a softer side when Quinn and the kids are around. In one chapter, after being separated for a month, the unlikely “family” comes together once again and Kieran melts:
“They’re here, that’s all that matters,” he thinks to himself as they all snuggle on the same bed. “The three of them fall asleep in minutes and my cold, dead heart beats to life once again.”
The dialogue and writing in this book make it move ahead at the speed of a runaway freight train. And, in moments that could easily become cliche, the author applies a deft hand and either fetches you up against an unexpected plot twist or slides you into the shower with Kieran and Quinn — throwing off enough torrid lovemaking that you’ll find yourself gasping for breath.
The story winds and turns through one harrowing experience after another — sadistic uncles and ill-bred mob minions — before finally resolving in a satisfying conclusion that should please even the most jaded reader.
If this is your first exposure to this particular genre, portions of it will be hard to read at times. Some of the more violent scenes may make you uncomfortable. But through it all you can sense that the author clearly knows her audience — this is Book Three of a series — and she never holds back, delivering an authentic portrayal of a young couple often in conflict, but ever in love.
I give Shrouded in Blackness five stars, based on sheer intensity, dramatic tension and a knock-em-dead writing style.
