Helpful Score: 5
Wow! Hot sex, good story line, believable characters, mystery, suspense - very highly recommended
Helpful Score: 4
Awesome book! Waiting to read about the other McCloud Brothers!
Helpful Score: 4
Great characters especially Connor and his brothers. Lots of steamy scenes too if you like that but the plot is good enough without them too. Story follows an ExFBI agent and the daughter of a guy he put in prison (makes it hard for them to get together for awhile even though both are interested). A very rich psychopath is after both of them and doesn't worry about destroying their families either.
Helpful Score: 4
Ex-FBI agent Connor McCloud can never forget the day he was set up to die at the hands of trusted friend and fellow agent Ed Riggs. Hard justice and loyalty to his badge have cost Connor what he wants most--Ed's shy, studious daughter, Erin. He can never have her now, but her beauty still haunts and torments his every waking hour and his most fevered erotic dreeams. But now that his old enemy, Kurt Novak has returned, Connor is prepared to do anything to protect the vulnerable young woman from a killer who has vowed a brutal payback . . . a killer with a predator's lethal patience.
Erin has been harboring secret fantasies about Connor McCloud since she first laid eyes on him--but that was before his testimony sent her father to jail. Her world is falling apart and it's all she can do to hold her family together. But now Connor is knocking on her door, telling her she needs his protection, whether she wants it or not. He won't give up and he won't stay away. He's sworn to guard her life with his own and his fierce protectiveness awakens long-buried feelings--and a fiery sexuality deep within her soul
good story
Erin has been harboring secret fantasies about Connor McCloud since she first laid eyes on him--but that was before his testimony sent her father to jail. Her world is falling apart and it's all she can do to hold her family together. But now Connor is knocking on her door, telling her she needs his protection, whether she wants it or not. He won't give up and he won't stay away. He's sworn to guard her life with his own and his fierce protectiveness awakens long-buried feelings--and a fiery sexuality deep within her soul
good story
Helpful Score: 4
Another great read by Shannon McKenna! Very Hot!
Helpful Score: 3
McKenna sure know how to combine a great story and alot of great sex.
Helpful Score: 3
Love everything Shannon McKenna has written. Her stories are full of action; emotional, sexual, and every other kind.
Helpful Score: 2
This was great!!! Couldn't put it down!!
Helpful Score: 2
WOW...great book, quick read..lots of hot sex.
Helpful Score: 2
good suspense/mystery and very sexy! i cant wait to read the next in the series
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent romantic thriller.
Helpful Score: 1
great romantic mystery. i love her books.
Amanda B. (chefbeyerlein) -
Helpful Score: 1
The second McCloud Brother book focuses on middle brother Connor McCloud. When Connor receives word that Kurt Novak and two of his henchmen have broken out of prison, his immediate fear is for the woman he has loved for ten years. However, everyone around him thinks he is insane to think that Erin is in any danger.
When he shows up on her doorstep, Erin tells him that she neither can afford nor desires a bodyguard, and tries to send him packing. She is barely holding on to her life after discovering her father's dangerous double life in the first book - her mother has spiraled into severe depression, her little sister is acting wild and blowing off college, and Erin was fired when her father's scandal came out. Now facing the man she always dreamed of, Erin cannot handle any more pressure.
But when Connor refuses to take no for an answer and follows Erin out-of-town on a consulting job, the passion between them explodes. As the plot develops, masks must be removed and forces from the outside dealt with.
This romantic suspense book is quite HOT - the storyline is very intense, but some scenes (especially the ones involving Novak) are not for the faint-of-heart.
When he shows up on her doorstep, Erin tells him that she neither can afford nor desires a bodyguard, and tries to send him packing. She is barely holding on to her life after discovering her father's dangerous double life in the first book - her mother has spiraled into severe depression, her little sister is acting wild and blowing off college, and Erin was fired when her father's scandal came out. Now facing the man she always dreamed of, Erin cannot handle any more pressure.
But when Connor refuses to take no for an answer and follows Erin out-of-town on a consulting job, the passion between them explodes. As the plot develops, masks must be removed and forces from the outside dealt with.
This romantic suspense book is quite HOT - the storyline is very intense, but some scenes (especially the ones involving Novak) are not for the faint-of-heart.
Helpful Score: 1
HOT is the best word when it comes to any of the McCloud brothers...and intense. I love the way McKenna gives all the brothers and their friends a story...it's also an excellent amount of hot sex to make this an excellent page-turner.
Helpful Score: 1
Standing in the Shadows is a fast, contemporary read - it has a stand alone plot (for those that like their sex with a story line) and (almost) as much time spent in the bedroom as on the plot line. Connor likes it a bit cave-man-like (a bit D/s in there), and his attitude is a bit alpha male. Still, the scenes are hot if you can get past the occasional lame comments. I'll definitely read more in the McCloud series (this is #2)! Shannon McKenna is more Lori Foster than Nora Roberts, so read with caution if you aren't into raunchy content.
Helpful Score: 1
Loved "Behind Closed Doors" while I had to force myself to read through this book. The only reason I did it was because I've read most of the books in this series. Such a disappointment since I really like Connor in the other books.
Erin was too similar in sexual experience to Raine from "Behind Closed Doors." They probably lost their virginity to the same guy. Erin comes off as an inconsistent character - really dumb and unprofessional. Really, if I'm hard up for money, I would never bring a friend or a boyfriend to a job (Actually even if I wasn't hard up for money I wouldn't do that). I would volunteer to wear a bug or a wire if I was really that scared. At the same time, she knew she was in danger yet she doubted Connor every time.
Connor was just too narcissistic. There is a fine line between being an alpha and being an ass and Connor crosses that line in this book. It's all about his need to keep her safe and who cares that she can't pay her bills. And everything seems to be able to be cured with sex. I love steamy, sex scenes but theirs were excessive and really quite boring. Got tired of Erin being such a sex slave and Connor's power games. There were times were Erin showed a backbone for like a second than she would back off. Too pathetic.
The end was somewhat redeeming and I love Erin's mother, the McCloud brothers, Tamara, and Miles. They kept me going. Even reading about Novak's twisted mind was more interesting than what was going on between Erin and Connor.
I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't do it. Don't waste your time unless you are really into the series.
Erin was too similar in sexual experience to Raine from "Behind Closed Doors." They probably lost their virginity to the same guy. Erin comes off as an inconsistent character - really dumb and unprofessional. Really, if I'm hard up for money, I would never bring a friend or a boyfriend to a job (Actually even if I wasn't hard up for money I wouldn't do that). I would volunteer to wear a bug or a wire if I was really that scared. At the same time, she knew she was in danger yet she doubted Connor every time.
Connor was just too narcissistic. There is a fine line between being an alpha and being an ass and Connor crosses that line in this book. It's all about his need to keep her safe and who cares that she can't pay her bills. And everything seems to be able to be cured with sex. I love steamy, sex scenes but theirs were excessive and really quite boring. Got tired of Erin being such a sex slave and Connor's power games. There were times were Erin showed a backbone for like a second than she would back off. Too pathetic.
The end was somewhat redeeming and I love Erin's mother, the McCloud brothers, Tamara, and Miles. They kept me going. Even reading about Novak's twisted mind was more interesting than what was going on between Erin and Connor.
I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't do it. Don't waste your time unless you are really into the series.
Helpful Score: 1
Ex-FBI agent Conner McCloud can never forget the day he was set up to die at the hands of trusted friend and fellow agent Ed Riggs. Hard justice and loyalty to his badge have cost Conner what he wants most-- Ed's shy, studious daughter Erin. He can never have her now, but her beauty still haunts and torments his every waking hour ad his most fevered erotic dreams. But now that his old enemy Kurt Novak has returned, Connor is prepared to do anything to protect the vulnerable young woman from a killer who has vowed a brutal payback...a killer with a predator's lethal patience.
Erin has been harboring secret fantasies about Connor McCloud since she first laid eyes on him-- but that was before his testimony sent her father to jail. Her world is falling apart and it's all she can do to hold her family together. But now Connor is knocking on her door, telling her she needs his protection, whether she wants it or not. He won't give up and he won't stay away. He's sworn to guard her life with his own and his fierce protectiveness awakens long-buried feelings-- and a fiery sexuality deep within her soul...
Erin has been harboring secret fantasies about Connor McCloud since she first laid eyes on him-- but that was before his testimony sent her father to jail. Her world is falling apart and it's all she can do to hold her family together. But now Connor is knocking on her door, telling her she needs his protection, whether she wants it or not. He won't give up and he won't stay away. He's sworn to guard her life with his own and his fierce protectiveness awakens long-buried feelings-- and a fiery sexuality deep within her soul...
Helpful Score: 1
Hot and sensual. Connor is the ultimate alpha male. The story is a little "out there" but it was a good book.
Diana C. (princessdiana34691) reviewed Standing in the Shadows (McCloud, Bk 2) on + 361 more book reviews
sweet read. love the love from afar coming together.
I love her books when I'm in the mood for heavy romance & erotica. This one hit the spot.
Christie P. (mykidsmom1960) reviewed Standing in the Shadows (McCloud, Bk 2) on + 43 more book reviews
Love this entire series. Highly recommended!
So after reading all the YAY Shannon McKenna reviews I couldn't seem to escape I was all prepared to be let down by this read' And I was.
At First.
First thing you have to know: There's quite a bit of sex in this. More than most romantic suspense's I've come across have. Not that that's bad mind you, but I was afraid the plot would suffer.
The beginning is slow. But Ms McKenna slowly brings things to a boil, and by the end, I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happened. And while some of the heroine's actions (as well as those of a few side characters) annoyed me they were also understandable, and made the super evil bad guy even more bad. I don't think I've come across many bad guys that I truly love to hate, but Novak (and all his evil, smarmy cohorts) has definitely earned his place on that particular list (despite the somewhat excessive and unrealistic aspect of his Evil bad guy plans)
Reading romance novels I automatically assume the H and h will end up together so I don't give that particular bit of the story a lot of thought. But Standing in the Shadows made me want to root for Erin and Connor, and kick each and every ass that got in their way, friend and foe alike.
And I loved Connor. He was an excellent alpha (the good kind) hero. So I loved him, and his brothers and his friends, as well as their relationships. One of his friends, Nick, has his own story, and while in Shadows, he pissed me off, The ending really makes me want to skip the books in-between and jump straight to his story.
On the negative side, I'd have liked to know how the h's family, and minor characters reacted to the resolution to the bad guys' evil plans. And epilogue would have been really nice too.
So through this rather convoluted review, what I'm trying to say that while this was a great read, it wasn't quite up to all the hype. You're better off going into this forgetting (or at least ignoring) all the glowing recommendations!
At First.
First thing you have to know: There's quite a bit of sex in this. More than most romantic suspense's I've come across have. Not that that's bad mind you, but I was afraid the plot would suffer.
The beginning is slow. But Ms McKenna slowly brings things to a boil, and by the end, I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happened. And while some of the heroine's actions (as well as those of a few side characters) annoyed me they were also understandable, and made the super evil bad guy even more bad. I don't think I've come across many bad guys that I truly love to hate, but Novak (and all his evil, smarmy cohorts) has definitely earned his place on that particular list (despite the somewhat excessive and unrealistic aspect of his Evil bad guy plans)
Reading romance novels I automatically assume the H and h will end up together so I don't give that particular bit of the story a lot of thought. But Standing in the Shadows made me want to root for Erin and Connor, and kick each and every ass that got in their way, friend and foe alike.
And I loved Connor. He was an excellent alpha (the good kind) hero. So I loved him, and his brothers and his friends, as well as their relationships. One of his friends, Nick, has his own story, and while in Shadows, he pissed me off, The ending really makes me want to skip the books in-between and jump straight to his story.
On the negative side, I'd have liked to know how the h's family, and minor characters reacted to the resolution to the bad guys' evil plans. And epilogue would have been really nice too.
So through this rather convoluted review, what I'm trying to say that while this was a great read, it wasn't quite up to all the hype. You're better off going into this forgetting (or at least ignoring) all the glowing recommendations!
Cheryl C. (moondance120) reviewed Standing in the Shadows (McCloud, Bk 2) on + 422 more book reviews
McCloud Brothers Book 2-Connor McCloud was introduced in BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. He is an ex-FBI agent that put his corrupt boss behind bars. Erin Riggs is the daughter of that boss. Connor has had a secrett fantasy about Erin since she was 17. Erin and her family are reeling from the blow to their lives. Enter the psychopath that created the whole mess. Novack has escaped from prison and is determined to destroy Connor and Erin. Their relationship is gritty, raw and very sexy. Graphic emotions and some harsh sex. Not for the faint of heart. 3.75 stars
Conner and Erin were amazing together. No normal Prince Charming in here...just raw, real emotions. The chemistry between those two...I thought my fingers were gonna catch on fire just holding the book.
This ( Connor's story) and Behind Closed Doors( Seth's story) are the best in this series, imho. Both are keeper status to me.
Joan W. (justreadingabook) reviewed Standing in the Shadows (McCloud, Bk 2) on + 1728 more book reviews
Great exciting read. Lots of twists and turns. She is great at weaving a story in a story so there are different levels of tension. Lots of steamy stuff too. Sometimes it did get abit redundant.
The story line in this book was better than Behind Close Doors. Connor McCloud and his brothers were in Behind Close Doors and participated in taking down Ed Riggs in that book. Connor is an ex-FBI agent who has had a long crush on Ed Riggs daughter, Erin. Connor believe Erin is in danger and goes to find her to protect her. She doesn't believe any one is out to hurt her and neither does Connor's brothers & his friend. Yet, Connor continues to believe he needs to protect Erin. Erin has also had a secret crush on Connor and that makes this story interesting.
If you like them HOT, HOT, HOT. this one is for you. I absolutely LOVE everything she has written...she doesn;t write fast enough for me. I have all of her books and they are all so good, i will NOT post them on PBS. I have read each on at leaset twice. happy reading!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawsome....READ! Thanks Ms. MCkenna U Rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This was a fairly good read. I enjoy Shannon Mckenna's McCloud brothers series. This one didn't quite have as much interest as the prior books in the series, not quite as much story to the book as earlier ones in the series.
Joan W. (justreadingabook) reviewed Standing in the Shadows (McCloud, Bk 2) on + 1728 more book reviews
Excellent ride, fast, exciting, intense, love the characters!
