The Lure of the Wolf [Mass Market Paperback]

One thing I really like about the Shadowman paranormals is that the author, Jennifer St. Giles, not only fleshes out her main characters but also allows them to grow through their experiences. She also makes excellent use of her supporting cast, carrying them forward from her previous book The Shadowmen: The Lure of the Wolf (Book 2). While there is plenty of steamy stuff to keep the romance fans sated, the characters both good and bad are developed so well that they have life beyond the pages and the plot framework gives them a reason for that life.

Annette and Aragon move to center stage in this book. Each has a quest that they are totally committed too. Wolf-shifter Aragon's is ridding the world of his evil former mentor Pathos. Aragon betrays his oath as leader of the Shadowmen and accepts the death sentence he knows that will bring to right a wrong his honor can no longer tolerate. Annette will risk everything, even her very soul, to find her missing sister Stephanie, the sister she feels she's failed. As Annette and Aragon come together and find a true connection with each other mind, body and spirit, the shadow of their inevitable parting hangs over them. Knowing that neither can forsake their search no matter the cost they themselves must bear.

Although not the stars of the show, the sparks continue to fly between Sam and Emerald, and they play important roles here. Sam, the skeptic, in the last book becomes a grudging believer here. Now that he is fully on the team his covert ops skills and contacts are key to the struggle. We learn of Sam's hidden vulnerabilities, scars that he carries from his tortured past. This knowledge gives us insight into Sam's protective nature and his fight to hold himself apart from Emerald. Emerald is as fascinating and fey as ever but we find out that she is also way more than she seems and are given a glimpse of her true power here. Emerald struggles against Sam's pigheadedness and though he doesn't realise it yet he has already lost the war, she just hasn't told him yet.

St. Giles does an excellent job of moving her series along and setting up the characters and situations for her next book. Is Sam at risk from his encounter with the vampires? Has he been handed clues to a missing piece of his past? Will he stop fighting his attraction to Emerald and allow her to help him heal? And what about Stephanie and Sirius the dragon-shifter shadowman, is there a connection there? I can hardly wait for the next installment to find out.

Aragon, the former leader of a band of Blood Hunters, has deserted his duty and has condemned himself to one of the worst punishments possible for a member of the Guardian Forces. He is doomed to become a faded warrior, a formless spirit trapped between life and death, for eternity. He has knowingly chosen this fate to atone for his failure as a leader, pledging to kill Pathos, the leader of the Vladarian Order. Ages ago, Pathos succumbed to a poisoned bite and turned against his fellow Guardians to become one of the strongest and most evil of Heldon's minions. Aragon intends to hunt down and destroy Pathos before he completely fades away. But he hadn't counted on Dr. Annette Batista finding his Blood Hunter medallion and using it to call him to her. Annette intends to find her sister, who has been missing for 6 months, and she needs all of the help she can get. It has become increasingly obvious that Stefanie's disappearance is in some way connected to her job at Sno-Med, a medical corporation with ties to the forces of Heldon. Jared (a former Blood Hunter), Erin Morgan, Sherriff Sam Sheridan and the mystical Em have all pledged their help. And Aragon has sworn to find Stefanie before he destroys Pathos. He is slowly losing his warrior powers, but his growing love and passion for Annette provides his weakened spirit with the strength he needs to fulfill his oath. The search for Stefanie leads them from the burnt shell of Sno-Med's research facility in Twilight to the jungles of Central America, following the trail of Pathos. Can Aragon keep his promises before completely succumbing to his fate? Can he submit to the Guardian Council's punishment now that his spirit is irrevocably melded with Annette's?

"The Lure of the Wolf" is the second offering in St. Giles' Shadowmen series. This one is better than the first. St Giles has a talent for weaving complicated plotlines and characters together to create an exciting whole. Characters from previous volumes in the series return as the plot shifts its emphasis to the viewpoints of others and her heroes get sexier with each book!! And even though there is a continuing story arch, each novel stands on its own merit, a quality I have seen in St. Giles' other books. If you are a fan of romantic fiction with a twist, this one is a must read. Fans of St. Giles' other work will not be disappointed. My only problem is that I have to wait until spring of 2009 for the next 2 books in this series!

Aragon made some horrendous mistakes when he led the Shadowmen; errors caused because he trusted his mentor Pathos. Aragon knows he will suffer deservedly for eternity for his transgressions regardless of the cause, but he feels he must do one last deed; he must kill the malevolent Pathos.

Dr. Annette Batista suffers two traumatic shockers. First her sister vanishes without a trace and then she learns that Dr. Cinatas is providing sustenance to vampires. She plans to stop Cinatas and find her sibling. She finds and touches Aragon's tossed away amulet only to connects with the anguished shapeshifting former Shadowmen. They quickly realize that they share the same quest, but neither expected love to enter their shaky relationship nor that duty might tear them apart.

The second Shadowmen romantic fantasy suspense thriller (see TOUCH A DARK WOLF) is an entertaining tale mostly because of Aragon's obsessive quest. His debt of honor means more to him than his eternal soul; yet the love of Annette makes him reconsider what he perceives is his damning responsibility as he holds himself accountable. Although Annette is out the female heroic handbook and likewise Dr. C is from the supervillain guide, sub-genre readers will appreciate the lure of Jennifer St. Giles exciting tale.

Harriet Klausner

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