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changenotcoins 's review for:
Shadowed Obsession
by Evelyn Leigh
đ Shadowed Obsession by Evelyn Leigh
Okay, Shadowed Obsession had so much promise for me going in. I mean, a morally grey PI falling for his target? Yes, please. CĂ©sar is sent to dig up dirt on Deirdre, a badass mafia princess trying to go legit, and instead⊠he falls hard. Like, cooking in her kitchen while she sleeps hard. Itâs definitely giving golden retriever simp energy, wrapped in a shiesty wearing alpha package, and I was ready to be obsessed right along with him.
Iâll start with what I loved:
The vibes. Evelyn Leigh brings BIPOC rep to dark romance in a way that feels fresh, fun, and needed. The nods to culture, like Spanish phrases, food references, and the abuelita love are literal perfection.
The characters. Deirdre is a strong, independent FMC with some real emotional baggage, and CĂ©sar? Talented, loyal, lowkey unhinged in the best way. I loved their banter, their chemistry, and honestly, their whole cat and mouse dynamic.
The spice. Letâs just say the âšdick-tionaryâš had me cackling and ready. It was sexy and playful. Win win.
That said, I wanted to love the book more than I actually did. The setup was incredible, but the plot? Kind of fizzled and the pacing was really off. The romance went from âmystery man breaking into my houseâ to âweâre in loveâ a little too fast for me. I wanted more buildup after CĂ©sar finally took off the mask, like some tension, a reckoning, something. But instead, it felt like the story skipped ahead to domestic bliss without the emotional payoff.
Also, the family dynamics (which were a central plot point) lacked depth. The Klarke family had so much potential for drama and intrigue, but it wasnât fleshed out in a way that made it feel meaningful. And that ending was way too abrupt. I actually went back a few pages thinking I missed something.
Technical stuff like random POV shifts, repeated text, and typos in the ARC also pulled me out of the story a bit. Not the end of the world, especially for an early copy, but it definitely impacted my reading flow.
While Shadowed Obsession didnât completely stick the landing for me, I do think Evelyn Leigh is one to watch. Her debut was stellar, and this one, while a bit messy, still had charm, heat, and a unique voice. If youâre looking for an entry level dark romance with culture, spice, and a PI who simps hard, this could be your vibe.
Rating: 3.5â rounded up to 4 for potential + representation.
And yes, I will absolutely be picking up whatever Evelyn writes next. đ
Thank you to Evelyn Leigh and Good Girls PR for the eARC of this book.
Okay, Shadowed Obsession had so much promise for me going in. I mean, a morally grey PI falling for his target? Yes, please. CĂ©sar is sent to dig up dirt on Deirdre, a badass mafia princess trying to go legit, and instead⊠he falls hard. Like, cooking in her kitchen while she sleeps hard. Itâs definitely giving golden retriever simp energy, wrapped in a shiesty wearing alpha package, and I was ready to be obsessed right along with him.
Iâll start with what I loved:
The vibes. Evelyn Leigh brings BIPOC rep to dark romance in a way that feels fresh, fun, and needed. The nods to culture, like Spanish phrases, food references, and the abuelita love are literal perfection.
The characters. Deirdre is a strong, independent FMC with some real emotional baggage, and CĂ©sar? Talented, loyal, lowkey unhinged in the best way. I loved their banter, their chemistry, and honestly, their whole cat and mouse dynamic.
The spice. Letâs just say the âšdick-tionaryâš had me cackling and ready. It was sexy and playful. Win win.
That said, I wanted to love the book more than I actually did. The setup was incredible, but the plot? Kind of fizzled and the pacing was really off. The romance went from âmystery man breaking into my houseâ to âweâre in loveâ a little too fast for me. I wanted more buildup after CĂ©sar finally took off the mask, like some tension, a reckoning, something. But instead, it felt like the story skipped ahead to domestic bliss without the emotional payoff.
Also, the family dynamics (which were a central plot point) lacked depth. The Klarke family had so much potential for drama and intrigue, but it wasnât fleshed out in a way that made it feel meaningful. And that ending was way too abrupt. I actually went back a few pages thinking I missed something.
Technical stuff like random POV shifts, repeated text, and typos in the ARC also pulled me out of the story a bit. Not the end of the world, especially for an early copy, but it definitely impacted my reading flow.
While Shadowed Obsession didnât completely stick the landing for me, I do think Evelyn Leigh is one to watch. Her debut was stellar, and this one, while a bit messy, still had charm, heat, and a unique voice. If youâre looking for an entry level dark romance with culture, spice, and a PI who simps hard, this could be your vibe.
Rating: 3.5â rounded up to 4 for potential + representation.
And yes, I will absolutely be picking up whatever Evelyn writes next. đ
Thank you to Evelyn Leigh and Good Girls PR for the eARC of this book.