Shadowland

By: Radclyffe

Narrated by: Keira Grace

In a world on the far edge of desire, two women are drawn together by power, passion, and dark pleasures. When Kyle Kirk embarks on a daring exploration of her most secret fantasies, she finds that Dane, the stranger who guides her on the journey of self-discovery, awakens something far more dangerous than her senses. In the dark hours of the night, when passions rule and the barriers of convention are stripped away, both Dane and Kyle are forced to confront the true nature of what has long lain buried within their hearts. An erotic romance.

©2004 Radclyffe (P)2019 Bold Strokes Books Inc

Not one of my favs

I have read my fair share of Radclyffe and this one just fell short for some reason. Keira Grace is not a bad narrator but I think this book needed a different narrator. The voices were too monotone sometimes for some of the scenes being portrayed. Also, if you are at all squeamish about BDSM, you should pass this one up. This certainly would not be a starter for your curiosity.

Not Radclyffe’s best writing, but....

I’m still glad I listened.

Her better work is when the thing is incorporated into a story or character. This felt forced.

Good things to say about it.... delicate handling of a topic that can be difficult and can turn dark and dangerous. Characters that felt real in their scars, human shortcomings, and growth over time. True to form, Radclyffe has written several wonderful scenes. She’s not only good at penning the steamy scenes, she finds beautiful language to invoke imagery of gliding over the pavement of a twisting highway, of the sky at dusk, of waves crashing along a cliff base.

I bought the kindle edition with audible add-on. I think I will enjoy reading those parts of imagery and narration better than the listening. Keira Grace did an excellent job with character voices and (ironically) the difficult scenes.

A mixed bag all around. Still glad I listened. Also, ironically, this will probably be one I repeat listen. The parts that were good were very good.

I saw one review complaining it was unrealistic that a top would decide to bottom or vice versa, but power play isn’t always about strict sub/dom roles, or pain, or humiliation. People are complex and changing, and the experiences and roles adopted in play are complex and changeable too. I thought this story did a fine job highlighting some of that nuance.

Where to begin

It amazes me how versatile Radclyffe can be when it comes to erotic scenes. This book artfully captures and exhibits the debths of power, self awaresnes and the needs to give and receive...and what theses can truly mean. Could not stop listening until done! Would love an encore. A favorite. The characters demonstrate power fluidity, trust, submission and needs

Surrendering to someone you love and trust

This one of the grittier books I have read from this very popular author. It was written in 2004 when bdsm still needed to be explained to the general public.
There is a lot of sex,both romantic and graphic. The dynamic of power exchange may require it. I do not feel that any of it was gratuitous.
Many community issues are involved...friendship, love, the definition of D/S relationships and sex in general.
The love story here is wrapped around the subject of trust and the role it plays in ALL relationships.

Finally I finished it

I love Radclyfe’s books but this one was boring, slow, too violent for my taste, maybe that is the reason it took me so long to actually finish it. And narration didn’t help at all.