Shadow Woman

When Lizette wakes up and looks in the mirror, she panics at the sight of a face that is not her own.  Upon closer examination, it’s similar but has clearly been changed.  What’s more disturbing is that she remembers neither the process of changing her face nor why she would want to do so.  But when she learns that she’s being followed, and then someone tries to kill her, she’s determined to find out who wants her dead and, more importantly, why.

Shadow Woman is a romantic suspense novel with a touch of the kind of science that is starting to feel less like fiction and more like future.  While the science is a significant element of the plot, it isn’t explained in any detail, making it seem a little too far-fetched to be believed.  Readers should be prepared is to suspend disbelief hard as Lizette deals with the ramifications of that shady science, which is no longer performing as planned, in this dramatic, action-packed novel.  Howard is trying for a menacing, suspenseful story, but the prologue and chapters from the villains’ viewpoint provide insights that keep us from truly feeling the same sense of impending doom that Lizette must feel.  The romantic aspects rely heavily on a backstory that we never really see, which is a ploy where success really depends on the reader and his/her mood.  If you’re looking for a romance that grows naturally with an emotional connection, keep looking.  But for those who just want an intense drama and a dangerously sexy man who may be either enemy or ally, Shadow Woman is sure to appeal.