Into the Shadow (Darkness Chosen, #3) in Dangerous Hero Addict Support Group

Oct 24, 2008 Danielle The Book Huntress rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hero-in-pursuit, flawed-hero, russian-hero-or-heroine, owned-copy, bad-boy-rake-or-rogue, scary-sexy-cool-dangerous-hero, stalkerific-hero, mercenary, paranormal-romance, shapeshifter

If you like romance novel heroes that are...well...evil, you'll love Adrik aka Warlord Varinski. He is Karen's demon lover who comes into her tent in the in the middle of the night and makes passionate love to her. She doesn't see his face during the day until all hades breaks loose. At this point, he's decided that kidnapping her fits into his very flawed moral compass.

Okay, it sounds really wicked and depraved to like Warlord. But I did. That was the interesting thing about this story. You ha If you like romance novel heroes that are...well...evil, you'll love Adrik aka Warlord Varinski. He is Karen's demon lover who comes into her tent in the in the middle of the night and makes passionate love to her. She doesn't see his face during the day until all hades breaks loose. At this point, he's decided that kidnapping her fits into his very flawed moral compass.

Okay, it sounds really wicked and depraved to like Warlord. But I did. That was the interesting thing about this story. You have to go back and read the first book in the Darkness Chosen series to understand what makes Warlord tick. He is being true to his heritage. In his family, it is normal for a man to be evil. His father is actually a Black Sheep because he decided to stop being evil when he fell in love with a gypsy girl who was gifted with the sight.

Sick of the rigid rules that he and his brothers constantly live under and for reasons he didn't really understand, Adrik ran away from home. He has committed an act that he believes dooms him to Hell, so he figures he might as well be free to do whatever he wants, including shapeshifting. In his family, it is a no-no to use this gift. Adrik was gifted with the ability to change into the panther form. However that gift comes with a price. It was part of a deal his ancestor made with that very famous being who shall not be named, and each time the descendants shift, they lose a part of their soul and get closer to Hell. Knowing he is damned regardless, Adrik lives as a mercenary, fighting wars for a price, killing men who don't deserve to live, seducing women as he pleases, and sometimes accidentally doing the right thing, pretty much breaking rules as he encounters them.

When he sees strong, capable Karen, something clicks. He's got to have her. Right or wrong.

Karen has no idea who or what Warlord is. Part of her thinks it's just a dream when he comes to her at night. One day, Warlord saves her life during a natural disaster. And Karen sees that something is not quite right with him, trying to break it off. No problem. Warlord decides to just keep her as his captive. This is where some readers were pretty offended. Okay, not very pc. But in this book it worked. Those scenes were pretty hot (I should be ashamed of myself). One reason this works for this book is because Karen is a very strong, capable woman. She's not an annoying uber-alpha woman who thinks she needs no one and is better than everyone. In contrast, Karen is the real deal. She has been raised to do most things a man can do and then some. Her father sent her on building projects that most people wouldn't send their worst enemies, and she has the reputation for getting it done. In my mind, she was a perfect match for Warlord, and probably the only woman who could save his soul. Warlord is forced to let Karen go when his camp comes under attack, although he's not particularly happy about it.

The story takes a 180 turn and we see these lovers meet again under totally different circumstances. Adrik gets another chance at love and to save his soul.

This was a great book. Full of action, steamy, interesting plot, and some underlying themes that give you something to think about. Dodd is one of my favorites, but if this was the first book I read by her, I would have fallen in love with her writing just for this book alone. She took a chance with Adrik aka Warlord, and with this storyline and this series. But in my opinion it pays off.

This was a great addition to the Darkness Chosen quarter, and definitely my favorite. ...more

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Aug 07, 2008 MelissaB rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, shapeshifters

I wasn't a great fan of the first two books in this series. The characters are interesting but the writing is just not very good. The paranormal aspects were not well-written either.

I really enjoyed this book. The hero was very interesting and quite harsh for the first part of the book. There was a lot that didn't make sense about their relationship especially after they meet again after two years, but the story was still very interesting and action filled. I would have liked to see more of thei ...more

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May 17, 2010 Ally rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2010, ebook

This is the third in a four part series.
Adrik Wilder is the third brother of the Wilder family. He left the family when he was a teen and they haven’t heard or seen from him since. He embraced the darkness in his panther form and has been living with his dark soul since. Karen Sonnet is used to roughing it while building her father’s hotels, what she’s not used to is the dark stranger who slips into her tent at night to make love to her. Then something unusual happens and Adrik is forced to kidn This is the third in a four part series.
Adrik Wilder is the third brother of the Wilder family. He left the family when he was a teen and they haven’t heard or seen from him since. He embraced the darkness in his panther form and has been living with his dark soul since. Karen Sonnet is used to roughing it while building her father’s hotels, what she’s not used to is the dark stranger who slips into her tent at night to make love to her. Then something unusual happens and Adrik is forced to kidnap her or watch the woman he loves die. But Karen doesn’t want to be kidnapped and tied to Adrik’s bed for however long he pleases. But Karen’s spirit and passion make him question the force of his family’s curse. And when a new evil emerges, Adrik must choose whether to enact revenge on his enemies and redeem his soul, or save Karen from a fate worse than death.
Into The Shadows was a great read and really brought back the series for me. It was well thought and planned out and I really enjoyed reading it.
Adrik is a great tough dark hero at the start of this story and is even a better hero after his torture and enlightenment. Karen is a great heroine, she’s tough and knows her own mind. She won’t let Adrik walk all over her, she gives him what for quite often.
I loved Karen’s growth through the story, from trying to please her Father to leaving his business to travel round the world. But the whole time she’s still thinking about Adrik and looking over her shoulder for him again. Then when he does come for her, she’s not sure if it’s him or not because of the changes he’s been through. And when the Varinski’s attack Adrik and Karen, she doesn’t leave him to die like she thinks she should, she helps him fight and live. I loved that Karen was a fighter no matter what happened in her life whether it was a real fight or just standing up for herself and her beliefs.
I think this is a wonderful story, extremely well written and I would really recommend this series! ...more

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Jul 02, 2008 Jen rated it really liked it

Shelves: hotness, dodd

Wowee. Loved this book. Dodd did not disappoint in the latest installment of this series. Adrik is the lost brother of the "4". We first meet him as Warlord when he kidnaps Karen and keeps her for himself. Some people have said he is hard to like at this part of the story, however I think he is pretty darn yummy. He is a dominant, alpha man and that is just what I like to read about! :)

Karen ends up leaving Warlord and moves on with her life. 2 years later she meets a man name Rick Wilder. Well ...more

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