Review – Shadow Touch by Erin Kellison

Publisher: Zebra
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: eARC form author

MAGIC
It is bleeding into our world, bringing with it banshees, wraiths, fae from the twisting forests of Twilight. But Elllie’s problem is a very different kind of phenomenon…
SHADOW
It ought to be attached to her; instead it has a life of its own. And her dark mirror image is a wild thing, willfully seducing the very man Ellie hoped could help.
SCIENCE
Cam has devoted his career to exploring the boundaries between this world and the Hereafter. But nothing could prepare him for the mischief and mayhem of a soul split in two.
SURRENDER
Who will give in first: the man struggling to unite two halves of one fascinating female; the shadow fighting for freedom to experience the thrill of every emotion; or the woman who is about to discover her own deepest desires?
*Blurb from Goodreads*

Kellison is back with a short novella from her Shadow series. This story was jam packed with both action and romance, and a horribly embarrassing predicament for the heroine.

Ellie has lived her whole life in seclusion. She never got out and about, never left her home, never had the chance to interact with others. Why? Because her shadow was completely detached from her and embodied the dark impulses that Ellie had no chance of controlling. Unfortunately for Ellie, her shadow was always buck naked, always acting on whims and usually a little crazy. When she can’t take it anymore, Ellie does her research and finds someone who she thinks will be able to help her: a doctor at Segue.

Cam has been working his whole life for the chance to study the Shadow. When he gets a call from a woman who has read all his previous research he agrees to meet with her. Little does he know that she is actually split in two, her shadow occupying half of her soul and spirit. Cam isn’t sure that he can help her, but the more time they spend together, the more he realizes that he desperately WANTS to be able to help fix her problems, and keep her around for the long haul.

I have to say I was totally surprised by the premise of this story. I felt so sorry and embarrassed on Ellie’s behalf. At the same time, I was also somewhat blown away by the idea. I really liked Ellie’s character. She was so strong to have lived her entire life different from everyone, secluded away because of her shadow, and yet sadly resigned to live a life alone and depressed. It’s rare that a short novella can have a huge impact on me, but there were times when Ellie was talking about her struggles that brought tears to my eyes.

Cam was definitely not the typical kind of romance hero that I enjoy reading about. He’s a super nerd. He didn’t have many of the Alpha Hero qualities that usually make me swoon. That being said, I was impressed that Cam was so willing to go to bat for Ellie; especially after knowing her for just one short day, and especially since he was going to bat for her against a powerful force. Cam was genuine and caring and that really endeared him to me.

The novella takes place just over two short days, so the romance was pretty rushed. I was glad that there were no declarations of love between Cam and Ellie. Instead the two hinted at wanting to try and make it work. For me, that made their relationship more believable.

All in all, Kellison knocked this one out of the ballpark with a short, action packed, sexy novella that will have her Shadow fans begging for more. I give Shadow Touch a B+