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23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It doesn't get any better than Alison Kent!!, November 28, 2006
When Ezra Moore shows up in the quiet little harbor town of Comfort Bay, it is under the guise of a Caribbean school teacher on hiatus, and he quickly takes on the temporary job of handyman at the local B&B. The job couldn't have turned up at a more convenient time. While Ezra appears to have stopped there for rest and relaxation, he is on a deadly mission, one that could be his last, and he soon regrets that it will be played out in the friendly and peaceful Comfort Bay. Ezra is immediately drawn to Alexa Counsel, local school teacher and close friend of the family who owns the B&B, and keeping her safe quickly becomes one of his biggest concerns.
Alexa Counsel is suspicious of Ezra Moore and his dark, dangerous looks, from the moment she first sets eyes on him. She questions his school teacher alibi, and can't quite picture him in front of a classroom full of children, most likely because he dresses and carries himself like a mercenary, always aware of everyone and everything around him. Alexa tries to ignore the attraction to Ezra that tugs at her very core, warming her with feelings and desires that she hasn't felt since before her divorce a few years prior. Soon the two of them are lovers; each finding soothing comfort in the arms of the other. But neither Alexa nor the townspeople could begin to imagine or predict the danger that was headed their way.
I think that I have used every descriptive possible in reviewing and talking about Alison Kent's books. Intelligent, witty, deep, edgy, gritty, savvy and intriguing are just a few, and all remain applicable when talking about BEYOND A SHADOW. When Ezra first appeared several SG-5 books back, he appeared very dangerous, deadly even, definitely unsalvageable. Alison has been softening her readers up to Ezra so that now, when he finally has her telling his story, they are guaranteed to love him and will continue to think about him after the book has been closed. The secondary characters and their loves, families and relationships can only be considered a wonderful bonus to the story of Ezra and Alexa, as is the appearance of previous SG-5 heroes.
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alison Kent Does It Again, December 10, 2006
Beyond A Shadow by Alison Kent tells the intriguing story of Ezra Moore. Ezra has made appearances in previous SG-5 stories, now we find out who this man really is.
Ezra Moore, Spectra Agent takes an undercover job at a small town B & B. His job as a handyman helps him blend in with the locals until he makes contact with his partners. Ezra's first contact with schoolteacher Alexa Counsel sends sparks flying. He has never deviated from his plans but Alexa taps into emotions he didn't know he had.
Alexa Counsel at moved to Comfort Bay Oregon to get away from city life. Her marriage didn't survive the more but she made a life for herself and decided to stay. The first time she sees Ezra she thinks he is more then just a handyman. But there is something about this man that sends her heart racing with desires like no other man has in her life.
Ezra and Alexa start an affair that they both think will end when Ezra has to leave town. Their passion for each other burns up every page. When Ezra's cover is blown and Alexa is in danger, he will use all his skills to safe her.
Beyond A Shadow is heart pounding, fascinating and sizzling story. You will not be able to put this book down once you start it. I can't wait to see who the next hero and heroine we get to enjoy from Alison Kent.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping plot, substantive romance and chemistry, March 16, 2008
Thirty-five year-old school teacher Alexa Counsel knows trouble when she sees it. As the dark and mysterious Ezra Moore walks up to her with little Emmy Rose Maples, Alexa purposefully inserts herself as a barrier between the little girl Emmy Rose and the local inn's new handyman, the dark, dangerous and perceptive Ezra Moore. Divorced two years ago, Alexa discerns danger in Ezra Moore and her intuition screams at her to run and protect herself and friends from Ezra Moore. This constitutes my first book by Alison Kent, and I found BEYOND A SHADOW very refreshing in the romance/erotica genre. I thought the writing was above average, the settings in small-town Comfort Bay, Oregon, strong, the plotting and pacing grips while the romance steadily evolved and could appeal to both guys and gals, something very rare in the romance/erotica genre. The characterizations of our lead pair Alexa Counsel and Ezra Moore reminded me of Madeline Hunter's characters: mature, compelling, and the two together exhibit an electrically-charged chemistry. Alexa and Ezra's exchanges aren't childishly antagonistic, but rather exude wit and inflammatory passion. I understand Alison Kent writes a series of books on SG-5 (Smithson Group), or Hank Smithson's team of rogue undercover operatives. Ezra Moore has appeared in prior SG-5 novels and the group's involvement and role sometimes obfuscate the plotting for completely new readers to the series. I found the finale very anticlimactic and for an accomplished operative, Ezra seems to blunder and fails to anticipate problematic scenarios which arise at the end. Ezra's overwhelming feelings for Alexa could excuse his oversights though.
This book's romantic crux describes a spiritual cleansing of the battered and damaged goods that are Ezra Moore. Certainly not the first romance novel to depict a bad boy finding redemption in a strong woman's arms, I found BEYOND A SHADOW nonetheless gritty, engaging and substantive. Approaching Anne Stuart's bad boys, Ezra Moore surpassed the well-muscled, well-endowed and rakish heroes common to most romance and erotica. In fact this book simply doesn't dwell on appearances as so many other romance books and we don't find detailed accounts of a hero's "aquiline" nose, handsome face, chiseled frame nor the heroine's ample beauty. The passion wasn't nearly as one-sided (all the pleasure and giving from the hero to the heroine), and I can't tell you how much I appreciate heroines actually enjoying giving their heroes pleasure. It's so rare because most of erotica/romance is all about the rake igniting the heroine's passions (the hero's touch, lick, suckle, blow, steady and slow deliberations) that the reverse rarely happens or when it does, she does it out of rote, not necessarily out of her desire for him. Alexa Counsel is so uninhibited in her response, so giving in kind, I found Ezra's overwhelming love for her justified. Enthusiasm and genuine desire trumps skill in every guy's book. In fact he's very lucky to have found someone so understanding and giving like Alexa Counsel.
The Story. Ezra Moore accepts a handyman job for the Maples Inn in small town Comfort Boy, Oregon, as a cover in order to eliminate the virulent organization SpectraIT headed by Warren Aceveda and Cameron Gates. He's expected to rendezvous with a couple of SpectraIT representatives who will arrive at the Maples Inn in a week's time. Ezra arrives early to reconnoiter the small town and embed himself within the community to avoid any suspicion later when SpectraIT's representatives arrive. Respected schoolteacher Alexa Counsel provides the perfect excuse to insert himself within the community... or so he tells himself. The two explore their mutual attraction the very first night. While Ezra intends to use Alexa as his connection to the local community, Alexa has a police officer friend investigate Ezra's background because she still doesn't completely trust him. Some of the chapters from little Emmy Rose Maples' perspective (Alexa's close friend's daughter) are some of the most funny and interesting.
Overall I found BEYOND A SHADOW a very satisfying read and a slight detour from juvenile romance stories so common to this genre.
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