Sara's Review: Chasing Eva (In Light of Shadows #1) by Camellia Hart
Author Provided Copy
Publisher: Self-Published
Released: April 5, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Length: 227 pages
Format: eBook
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Synopsis
An addictive, suspenseful & sensual story about a man and a woman whose lives are about to get sizzling hot...
After living through her share of disloyal relationships, Evangeline Avery will be damned if she lets another man cheat her. A beautiful and confident woman, Eva is the owner of an interior design firm at the brink of collapse. She swears to bring her company back to its past glory, even if it involves sweet talking the one man who caused this turmoil in the first place - Clive Stanton.
Notorious playboy Clive Stanton is a powerful businessman and a formidable enemy of many. He doesn’t do love, or at least not until he meets her again, fifteen years after he saw her last. Eva, his crush from teenage years, the one that got away, is back in his world and he is determined to do anything to make her his.
Will passion and lust bring them together or conflict and the unforgettable scars from their pasts forever tear them apart?
Three (2.5) Boundless Stars
Chasing Eva I was provided a copy of in exchange for an honest review. The book was offered to with a tag “since you like the Crossfire Series.” Anytime I am approached like that I am almost leery of the novel, because two things happen. First, I go in looking for comparisons to the mentioned novel; second, it is hard for me to approach the new novel with a fresh prospective. I go into it with preconceived notions. I’ve seen this more and more when a book series is very popular, and I understand authors wanting to get their work out to a wider audience. However, if I see a book now that compares itself to 50 Shades, there is no way in HELL I will read it. I will almost always avoid the whole billionaire genre entirely, because it has been beat to death after the success of novels like 50 and Crossfire, to which I have read both (Crossfire is the better of the two.)
With Chasing Eva there are some good points and some bad; I like that Clive was given more depth than just a business man. He is ex FBI and Special Forces, so he can back up his alpha tendencies, and isn’t a pansy ass (cough 50). I also liked Eva; she is a strong woman being put in a situation where she is scrambling to get her ducks in a row, and is doing it admirably. I like a strong female, and so far so good. I also like that this is building suspense and I really have no idea who the “bad guy” is.
Now for the bad; the story is overly wordy, and Hart continually explains situations where it isn’t needed. The dialog and the progression of the story explain where and what the characters are thinking and feeling; yet we are constantly being reminded, with inner monologs, why they are reacting the way they are, it isn’t necessary. I can deduce for myself what is going on; I don’t need it broken down. I really started to notice this about ½ through, and it started bothering me.
Also, one thing that I noticed from the start of the story is the plot felt a bit forced; the characters weren’t driving the story, the author was pushing them where she wanted them to go. There are some things that just seemed contradictory to the basic characters; especially the mock Quid Pro Quo. Clive agrees to re-instate Eva’s company’s contract and wants a kiss in return; this seemed slimy for Clive, and out of character for Eva. The Eva that was described would have nut punched him right then, regardless of the attraction. Or is that just me?
Chasing Eva isn’t bad; the overall suspenseful plot is interesting, yet the wordiness and the author forcing the story, threw off my enjoyment. I am giving it 2.5 Boundless stars. It was good, but it could have been better.