Shadow Haven [Mass Market Paperback]

Emily LaForge (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 2005

"All the mysteries of her heart were kept alive at Shadow Haven...." Newly widowed Gabriella Deveaux left Boston with her young daughter for an open-ended stay at Shadow Haven, her family's Louisiana bayou home. But the comfort she sought by returning to her Creole roots is absent from the start. The estate is in ruins. Her late husband's wealthy family is aggressively pursuing custody of her child. Her gift for contacting the spirit world, the Deveaux women's trait that has always guided her, seems to have vanished. And uncovering the true motivations of handsome lawyer Jarrod Landry has set her heart on a crash course of desire and fear. A cryptic message from beyond soon warns that a dark evil is closing in...someone near her is leading her to grave danger...and only Gabriella can turn the ominous shadows of fear into the light of trusting love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In LaForge's captivating second romantic suspense novel (after Beneath the Raven's Moon), psychically gifted Gabriella Deveaux and her six-year-old daughter, Michaela, leave New York for Shadow Haven, Gabriella's ancestral Louisiana plantation, after her controlling husband, Charles, dies in a plane crash. To Gabriella's dismay, Shadow Haven has fallen victim to vagrants and is barely habitable. Even more dismaying, Charles knew for years how bad the situation was, but never told her. The arrival of attorney Jarrod Landry, Charles's law school friend, heralds more bad news—Gabriella's in-laws wish to retain him in a custody battle over Michaela, though he has purportedly denied their request. In his role as Gabriella's ever-present white knight, Jarrod ignites steamy romance between them, though she remains distrustful of his motives. Deep in the bayou, as Gabriella discovers the magnitude of her psychic abilities and the danger grows, the suspense builds to a powerfully chilling supernatural encounter that will stay with readers long after they've forgotten the somewhat predictable conclusion. Agent, Mel Berger at the William Morris Agency. (Apr.)
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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket (March 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743456149
• ISBN-13: 978-0743456142
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,988,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars absorbing tale, March 30, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shadow Haven (Mass Market Paperback)

The spirits told sculptor Gabriella Deveaux not to marry Charles Colquitt, but she did anyway. She left her beloved Louisiana Shadow Haven plantation to live in New York. However, though her eight years of marriage was horrible she stayed with Charles because of her love for their daughter six years old Michaela. Now that Charles has died in a plane crash in Montana, Gabriella accompanied by her reluctant daughter returns to Shadow Haven though his parents plan to contest custody as they feel she is unhinged. Charles' friend lawyer Jarrod Landry tells her that her wealthy in-laws will sue for custody based on her claiming she talks with the dead.

Gabriella and Michaela visit the estate's enchanted garden where the angel statue created by Gabriella of her beloved grandnana lives, but no communication from the beyond occurs. A spirit warns a sleeping Gabriella that evil that is not t what it seems is coming. Meanwhile Gabriella realizes that her daughter sees and speaks with her late grandnana who wants her to visit psychic Mary Francis hiding in the swamps. Jarrod keeps visiting and soon loves the Deveaux females; he vows to keep them safe, but the danger to the older one comes from beyond the grave.

Gabriella is an absorbing strong lead female protagonist supported by a bewitching secondary mystical cast to include her daughter, her spouse, two witches, and grandnana's spirit. The paranormal story line feels somewhat gothic, but the key to the suspense thriller is that the mystical elements seem real while adding depth and interest. Though a final twist is never fully explained only a theory conjectured, the romance enhances a delightful tale.

Harriet Klausner

4.0 out of 5 stars A fast read, June 23, 2011

By 

Diana M. Hockley "lacock2" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shadow Haven (Mass Market Paperback)

I read this book overnight and quite enjoyed it. The female protagonist is a strong woman, although she follows the traditional route and distrusts the love interest to the point where I wanted to slap her. However, in spite of this, the mystery and fantasy element of the story was good, but the one thing I wanted to know was - and perhaps I missed it somewhere - what was in the codicil to Charles' will? This is mentioned several times during the plot, but nothing was explained. The twist about the "other woman" had an unexpected outcome, but the denouement of the predator was fairly predictable and a little drawn out for me. Overall, a good read.

Diana Hockley

[...]

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed it, January 2, 2008

By 

Zuzanna - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow Haven (Mass Market Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down. A good one to read when you're snuggled in on a cold night.