Love's Shadow, book review

Love's Shadow by Nichole Van
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I think Branwell is a more believable character than Dante (the main brother character in the first book) and therefore I'm head-over-heels for him. Swoon.

Rather than soul/reincarnation time traveling, as in the first novel in the series, this book centers around a family mystery and a bit of heartbreaking family drama. The characters felt real and as if they were based on people the author knows, a major draw for me whenever I read and judge a book.

(view spoiler)[Lucy found her love (soulmate? That's less the term used in this book as in the first. They're more like puzzle pieces for each other) a few months too late. She was dating Tennyson when she happened upon Branwell and eventually realized that she was with the wrong brother. Amazingly and chastely, both Branwell and Lucy sacrificed their own happiness and heart for the good of the other and for Tennyson. I appreciate that morality rather than just YOLO as the life philosophy in the book.

The story line containing Lucy's missing niece was compelling and, at times, had me sick to my stomach. It seemed to pale and fall to the back burner a few times in lieu of the developing and painful feelings suppressed by both Lucy and Branwell, which was hard to take. However, it's a romance, and their ability to work together and read each other eventually led to the supernatural rescuing of the niece and another family member... (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I don't want this series to end. The author writes in a compelling way and has built a world well. I also love the richness of the characters, even if they are built in order to fall in love on the page.

Additionally, I have a growing hunger to visit Italy again. Ay.

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