I have written other ARC reviews before, but this one takes the cake on hard to do before the release date. And you know why-you wrote it lol! So not in a bad way at all. This book was so good and I just wanted to talk and talk and yack away!

I do love how you explain it the way it might have been. I did wonder about an epilogue though that I’m glad to be getting Phillip’s story too, very much so and can understand things coming out the way they did.

The quote you use for Sully is without a doubt the perfect one to tell at a glance who he is, or how he views himself.

I will let you in on this much and perhaps once Shades is out for a while, we can revisit and I can say more with s-p-o-i-l-e-r-s being an issue. But SHADES had a different ending initially. The final chapter was an epilogue 20 or so years hence. The few ending chapters were basically the same but the epilogue was a lot more uplifting.

Then my agent came to me with a two book contract, including one for Philip’s story, HOPE’S FOLLY.

That epilogue had to be deleted or FOLLY wouldn’t work.

Does that make sense?

So know that yes, Chaz and Sully do eventually have a VERY happy resolution But it had to be removed from SHADES in order for me to do the rest of the books.

SHADES is heavily based on karma. GG is based on growth–emotional, spiritual, ethical. As I said in my previous note, I always envisioned them in a much larger story arc. GG was the arising of the problem, the first admission of the “other” and the acceptance of Chaz and Sully of that. The next book was to tear that acceptance apart by strengthening the “other”—come to the dark side, Luke! ;-) It is absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is nature vs nuture.

Had there been a third C&S book, Del would have appeared in that.

Yeah, I really liked Del, for all his smarminess.

Have you all been seeing on the news about Middle Eastern honor killings? We have very divergent “ethical” concepts here on our own planet. It was fun to explore that with Del.

Who’s an historical romance expert here? What is the term that gives the noble or duke or whatever the right to deflower any virgin in his “domain?”

Sometimes right and wrong depend on what side of the border you’re standing on.

That’s why I really enjoyed Del.

But anyway, SHADES is all about karma. It’s all about the basic law of physics, that every action has an equal and opposite reaction–Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion. What you sow, you reap.

I think Sully could be a poster child for The Road To Hell is Paved with Good Intentions.

Q - have you seen the book video? It’s on my site. I’m interested in your reaction.

Philip is…so much fun in HOPE’S FOLLY.

Again, thanks, and I’m open to any questions and I’ll try not to get into spoiler territory. ;-)

~Linnea
SHADES OF DARK, the sequel to Gabriel’s Ghost, coming July 2008 from RITA award-winning author, Linnea Sinclair, and Bantam Books: http://www.linneasinclair.com

‘I love you beyond all measure, Chasidah.’ Sully’s voice in my mind was a husky whisper. The tightness in my chest began to abate. ‘But I am concerned when I no longer know who or what I’m asking you to love in return.’

Ana-thank you! I’m relieved because I was wondering if the review was making any sense. Because it did instill such enormous emotional responses from me I worried I wouldn’t be able to write a coherent review.

YES Kmont. Exactly how I felt, still feel. It’s been more than a month and still, when I think about it, I feel the angst all over again. That is a powerful love story and the darker tone just speaks of how courageous Linnea Sinclair is for taking her characters that far.

Wonderful review, as always.