SHADOW RIDER

Paranormal romance writer Feehan (Fire Bound, 2016, etc.) returns with a Chicago-set series about a family of "shadow riders."

Stefano Ferraro is the head of a wealthy and powerful family whose members protect innocents and execute criminals using their secret powers. As shadow riders, the Ferraros can connect with shadows and ride them like an expressway, invisibly infiltrating enemy territory. When Francesca arrives in Chicago after a violent encounter, Stefano takes one look at the new employee in the neighborhood deli and decides she’s his. The novel moves predictably through Francesca’s speedy transition from reluctant recipient of Stefano’s aggressive attentions to humble supplicant of his family’s protection. With little in the way of relationship development or plot, the novel is filled with repetitive descriptions of Stefano’s alpha-male personality. Francesca’s character serves mainly to reflect uncritical appreciation of Stefano’s protectiveness and power.

An intriguing twist on paranormal powers dimmed by thin characters and a predictable plot.