REVIEW Shadow Dance (Shadow Riders #8) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Dance (Shadow Riders #8) by Christine Feehan
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Format: eBook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Berkley 

Shadow Dance by Christine Feehan was another entertaining addition to the Shadow Riders series. Focusing on a different branch of the Ferraro’s in New York, Geno Ferraro is now center stage as he finds his other half in an unlikely place and an even unlikelier person. 

Geno and Amaranthe have a unique relationship. They first meet after Amaranthe is caught in a trap Geno sets, and realizes she is a shadow rider and his shadow wants to connect to hers. As an accomplished shadow rider herself, Amaranthe is used to doing things on her own. However, as a typical Ferraro and alpha male type character who is used to taking care of those in his family, Geno has to balance his need to protect with respecting her independence and her training. The romance is a bit repetitive, mirroring some of what’s present in previous books, but the unraveling mystery was enough to draw me back in when the romance faltered. 

While the story is a bit slower paced than other books in the series, and at times does seem like a bit of a transition phase in the larger storyline of the series, it maintains the same level of suspense and action that are present in her other books. I also enjoyed how the family aspect remains a large part of the story. The previous generation of shadow riders were awful humans and even worse parents (which becomes more evident in this book), but this generation of shadow riders is doing their best to keep family at the heart of all that they do. Francesca is still the unquestioned heart of the group, and they are slowly expanding their family one person at a time. 

Now that we have moved the action to New York instead of Chicago, I’m curious to see which Ferraro sibling will be the focus next (assuming she doesn’t jump to another branch of the family). I would recommend this series to those who might enjoy a darker set of paranormal romance books that feature family at the center of everything.