Customer Reviews

Shadows At Sunset

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Picture a crumbling mansion that was once the home of a movie star who killed herself then her lover whose spirits now roam the mansion. Take three people: one strong sister who protects the home and family, one brother who is dealing with sexual issues while craving his father's approval, and the sister that fights alcohol, drug, and sex addition who is too weak to protect herself. Into this mixture, add one rich and powerful father who doesn't give a damn about anything except money and his right hand man who oozes evil and sex appeal if you can believe that combination. When you put all this together, you have Shadows at Sunset by Anne Stuart.

This book fascinated me. Ms. Stuart did a wonderful job creating characters that you either hate or love. Jilly is the strong sister who will do anything to protect her brother and sister; yet enables them to stay weak without realizing what she is doing. Coltrane is the right hand man who protects the father. He is one sexy dude. Coltrane is the essential bad boy who oozes sex appeal and evil. He is determined to destroy Jilly's father no matter who he hurts in the process. After all, a man without a soul can do anything. What Coltrane doesn't plan on is the sexual attraction he develops for Jilly after he connives a way to move into the mansion. The big question is whether revenge is all he needs to make his life complete.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I bought Shadows at Sunset. What I got was a fascinating book with wonderful complex characters. Coltrane is that one bad boy that every woman wants to change but knows she'll get burnt if she tries. This book definitely goes on my keeper shelf and will be read over and over!

Enthralling is one of the adjectives Publishers' Weekly (Fall 2000) uses to describe this romantic suspense. And yes, it is that, and more....

LaCasa de Sombras (House of Shadows) in Los Angelos, is the only real home Jilly Meyer has ever known. She lives there with her adopted sister Rachel-Ann, and her younger brother, Dean. She is compelled to protect both the house and her siblings from their villianous father, Jackson Meyer.

Coltrane is Jackson's lawyer, the keeper of Jackson's secrets, and a man with an agenda. As he contrives to move into the House of Shadows, he contrives to seduce Jilly. Enigmatic and handsome, a man with a revenge-laden plan, he will be suprised himself, by secrets within the old mansion.

Besides the Meyer siblings and Coltrane, the house is inhabited by a pair of ghosts, Brenda and Ted, actress and director, victims of a murder-suicide pact, years ago.

But, the focus of the novel is Jilly and Coltrane. Jilly is strong but needy, Coltrane is harsh but giving. Their love scenes graduate from warm, to sexy, to hot. Add to their story, a secondary romance for Rachel-Ann, that may bring tears to your eyes. And, the otherworldly romance between Ted and Brenda, adds a touch of laughter (and maybe a few tears, too).

Secrets and truths, love and hate, revenge and redemption, collide in this fast-paced novel. As I finished it, I couldn't forget about Coltrane and Jilly and Rachel-Ann...So, I picked the book up, and read it again. Something I've never done before.

Anne Stuart never fails to deliver anything less than pure satisfaction in her books. She's been one of my favorite authors for years and I always wait eagerly for her next book to be released. SHADOWS AND SUNSET was fabulous! I read it on the beach in nearly one sitting. I love her moody-broody heroes who never turn out to be quite as wicked as they think they are. The underlying theme of her books is always redemption and nobody does it better. At the end of this book, you truly believed that Jilly and Coltrane could create a happy and passionate life together. SHADOWS drips with delicious atmosphere and the secondary love story is just as compelling as the primary one.

Anne Stuart is one of my favorite authors. She is known for writing romance that is dark and dangerous. Shadows at Sunset certainly does not disappoint! The story centers on Jilly Meyer who at thirty, is desperately trying to keep her family from falling apart. Her adoptive sister, Rachel-Ann, has always been on a self destructive path. For most of her life, she has been in and out of rehab unable to live with her pain. Her brother, Dean, is so desperate for his father's love and approval, he willingly allows himself to be victimized. Clearly, Jilly thinks she is the stronger one and will battle any injustice to keep them all safe. All of them reside in a house on Sunset Boulevard called Casa de Sombras, the house of shadows. A huge mansion that is infamous for a murder-suicide of a 1950's movie star and her lover. Despite its tragic, chilling past, Jilly loves the house even though it is falling down in disrepair. Her father, Jackson Dean Meyer, owner of a multi-million dollar company, Meyer Enterprises, wants the house razed but Jilly constantly opposses him. He is utterly ruthless, ready to use any means necessary to get what he wants. He has a kindred spirit in his right hand man, Z.R. Coltrane. Or does he? Everyone is not as they seem . . . Coltrane has his own deadly purpose in seeking out Jilly. He is fully prepared to use her in his quest for revenge. He plans to seduce and then callously, coldly leave her but Jilly is not what he was expecting. She senses his ruthlessness, his willingness to use her but against her common sense and her fear, she is attracted to him. As he is to her. She tries to resist his blatant seduction until one fateful night when she gives in to the longings of her heart. Throw in the famous ghosts from the 1950's who still inhabit the mansion along with deadly secrets from the past and you have an awesome read. Shadows at Sunset is another exceptional read from Anne Stuart. One you should not miss!!

If there's one thing I like, it's to be surprised at how good a novel is. This was my second Anne Stuart book and I was not disappointed. Besides being intrigued by the story, I was amazed at the sex scenes. Good gosh! I haven't read sex scenes that good since Donna Boyd. And even better, the characters weren't shacking up at every possible opportunity. In reading this book, you find yourself really getting to know the characters. Rachel-Ann's story, in particular, has a very ethereal, haunting quality. This was a great book!

This latest Stuart suspense is less dark than some of her others, but fans will not be disappointed since she creates Jackson Meyer, a character who manages to make Mommie Dearest look wholesome. You won't get predictable characters or a tired plot from this author.

Jilly Meyer, self-proclaimed co-dependent, is the mother hen who fusses over her two dysfunctional siblings, Dean and Rachel-Ann. But where was the chance for normalcy in a family whose father Jackson Meyer, corporate king-pin, is an evil, conniving, amoral snake? Paternal devotion means something very twisted to Jackson. The three siblings live together in the decrepit Hollywood mansion that has become their emotional refuge. Called La Casa de Sombras, the House of Shadows, the rotting mansion hides not only the family's secrets but also the identity of at least one murderer. Jackson lays siege to the mansion with the help of his henchman Coltrane. But why? Does he mean to possess the house or its inhabitants? Inevitably, Coltrane and Jilly meet to do battle for the house and for so much more. Can she save herself and her sister from Coltrane who pursues them both? Jilly becomes more vulnerable to the handsome Coltrane even as she watches his growing interest in her sister. Will Jilly eventually fall prey to Coltrane or will she save him from the destructive path he has chosen? You'll enjoy the twists and turns, as well as the revelations that occur. And watching all these events enfold are the mansion's ghosts. Whose destruction do they plan?

After you finish this book, try Stuart's other romantic suspense novels: NIGHTFALL, MOONRISE, RITUAL SINS, and SHADOW LOVER.

I didn't know what to expect when I bought this book several weeks ago. I kept putting it off. The back cover just didn't excite me enough to read it. Then I went on Amazon.com and read the reviews and I said why not? After reading this book, I can only agree with the other reviewers that this is a book not to miss. Jilly has always taken care of her brother and sister. Never taking time to find out what's right for her. Suddenly she meets her evil father's assistant. and believes him as evil as his father. Even though the sparks fly between the two of them, Jilly knows that Coltrane has a something to hide. Coltrane has come to get revenge. You soon find out what the revenge is and hope that he gets it. Even though he really is a snake. The other characters in this story are very convincing and you will enjoy getting to know the people living in the House of Shadows.

I bought this book based on the glowing reviews I read here at Amazon. I'm afraid I have to disagree with the 4 and 5 star reviews.

"Shadows at Sunset" is the first Anne Stuart book I've read. While this book was entertaining, had some interesting characters, and a bit of suspense - it was a little too "light" to be considered a 5 star read.

The whole story takes place over the matter of a week and I'm supposed to believe that Jilly and Coltrane fell in love? Aside from a night of great sex, they barely knew each other! I also found the "ghost" angle to be pretty cheesy.

This book could have been better had the author taken more time (and pages) to developing her characters and the story more thoroughly. There's the basis for a really good book here, but the light, "speed through the writing" approach doesn't work for me.

Not since Moonrise and her earlier works has her narrative been that compelling, and in SHADOWS AT SUNSET, she gains mastery over complexed characters and a family saga beleaguered with deceit and treachery. Anne Stuart's writing manifest genuine suspense and tension between the leads, Coltrane and Jilly Meyer as well as a secondary romance between her sister Rachel and Rico. The family rivalry, the tragic love story as a legacy from the two ghost Ted and Brenna and the mystery enshrouding Coltrane's betrayal strings up a story of substance and it is rare that a writer can keep you engaged right till the end of the book.

Coltrane and Jilly are also multi-faceted characters with their over-protectiveness and tortured souls and both linger between the heat of the passion and their feuds. SHADOWS AT SUNSET is laudable for its consistency through out the book and the irresistible characters that jump right out the page. Ms. Stuart wastes no time in dragging the plot with emotional quandary, and instead expresses the rage and turmoil in each character with clipped words that resonate powerfully the feelings and let readers revel in her short prose. With this effort, it is not difficult to see this book has managed beautifully to overshadow many other romance novels in the market now.

The type of stories Anne Stuart writes not what I usually seek out. The characters have troubled pasts which have led to trouble presents and problems it feels would often take a team of psycholanalysts years to handle. They are often dark, brooding portraits.

So, why do I recommend this book? Because Anne Stuart's writing is, as always, compelling and difficult to put down. There's humor along the way (the whole tussle over the ordering of a simple pizza is great), and the characters are well-drawn and believeable.

Set in one of those great mansions that line Sunset Boulevard, this is a story of love and redemption, and how sometimes one must let go in order to find what you were truly seeking. Two stories entertwine here -- the mystery of the two sisters and brother who currently live in the house, one sister keeping their father at bay from destroying both the house and her siblings, and the 1950's film star who once lived within the walls, but seems to have shot her director/lover then killed herself. Their ghosts haunt the mansion, trapped by their fate as much as those they watch over are trapped by theirs.

Clear your calendar for the evening, take the phone off the hook, and have the take-out close at hand, because when you start reading, you are not going to want to put this one down.