The Shadow: A Dark Interracial/Multicultrual Contemporary Romance (Angels and Assassins Book 5) by K. Alex Walker

The Shadow: A Dark Interracial/Multicultrual Contemporary Romance (Angels and Assassins Book 5) Reviews

• 
  Pearline

  I've really enjoyed the Angels and Assassins series and this is one of the best books out of the series. This story centers around a lesser known member of the elite group Michael Huang.
  
  Michael is an orphan on the run from a ruthless killer in China who killed his parents. His uncle decides to hide him in a small town in Kentucky where he meets Xara. Michael and Xara fall in love, get married and attempt to live happily ever after. This happiness is put on hold when Michael's past and his current job catches up to him. This is just a simplified break down of their love story but the author does a great job of building the two characters and their romance. Out of all the couples there's no doubt that these two are deeply in love. I honestly did't want to see their story end, hopefully they get a web series like the other couples so we can finally see Xara and Michael post epilogue.
• 
  Rosie

  Q: Who is Mike Huang?
  Mike Haung was not on my radar!
  
  I now know it's a story I never knew that I wanted. I don't remember him in any other story, except the vacation scene in Book 3. He is both silent and deadly!
  
  Mike Huang/Lui Wei has been on the run most of his life, living a solitary lifestyle and forming no attachments. He puts down roots in Henry, KY and he meets the only woman to get under his skin, Xara Merritt. Being new in town, Mike is challenged by Xara's friend Anthony (Ant) and Xara steps in to knock some more sense into Ant and call him out on his behavior. Xara decides she wants to know him better and Mike decides to walk her home everyday. They're in high school so we get to see the young and older version of these two people. They skirt around feelings, though they both know there is something more between them than just friendship. Mike won't go there because of his situation and Xara is silently frustrated.
  
  Mike has secrets that he can't share otherwise, the people that he cares about will be put in danger. Xara sees him, and knows that he keeps a lot of things bottled up inside and she waits for the day when he will share himself fully with her. Xara's mother doesn't champion the friendship and she is quite rude and condescending toward Mike and her daughter. When Mike sacrifices his very safety for Xara, what her mother said to him should have earned her a trip to the Psyche Ward. Obviously, this woman clearly needs to be on meds, stat!
  
  It's a beautiful thing when Mike and Xara are on the same page and you feel the love between these two people. I loved how they and a few other people defied the odds. When a call comes in from his family Mike knows that his time is up. Xara refuses to leave his side. When the situation is handled, Xara tells him just how observant she's been. She sees him!
  
  We understand Mike's plight and motivation. He did what was required to keep those he loved safe. I loved Xara's support of Mike, even though she knew he was holding back from her and keeping secrets. She knew the person she fell in love with was still here. Even someone on the run can't hide in the face of love. I'm going to end the review here. Of course, there is more, much more to this beautiful love story.
  
  Highly, Highly Recommended: Read It!
  
  I feel like this series wouldn't be complete without a follow-up in a novella or serial form for this couple. They still have more to tell us.
  
  Lastly, this series also won't be complete until we get a story centered around Curtis' widow, Ayesha who was also on that vacation where we met Mike in Book 3.
  
  Do yourself a favor and read this series! Read all her books!
  
• 
  Nine

  « He’d escaped from his house at night. He’d been on the run for most of his life, most of those times traveling at night. He’d been born at night. The darkness was his element. »
  
  Honestly I could read this series and about these characters for the rest of my life. Give me prequels, compagnon books, Curtis’s book, I WANT IT ALL.
  
  The author manages to give us ALL THE EMOTIONS once again, after four books.
  
  Perfect serie is perfect.
• 
  Nock Leighton

  Michael haung definitely lived up to his name of The shadow cause where did he come from! He was mentioned briefly in book 3 but I was not expecting this book and him to be so hot.
  I liked both Michael and Xara. Perhaps cause the story starts when they’re teenagers that you really feel you get to know them and can feel how much they love each other. Even though he spends his time keeping secrets from xara you don’t resent him for it and understand the choices he makes. I’m glad there is a follow up
• 
  Krystle

  The Confrontation that wasn't...
  
  I read this book twice before I decided to write this review. I am disappointed in the way the show down between Mike(Wei) and Fang Jinhai went.(SPOILER SECTION) So, you built up the tension between Mike and Fang for years-YEARS. I thought we would get more action, I thought there would be a story arch which would have included the rest of his team(like the other books), the reality was that much more of a let down. Mike has hidden from Fang Jinhai for the majority of his life, I would have thought that his team would have stepped in to help him. I was reading for when Julien got everyone involved, especially since Zara was yet again targeted after- 3 YEARS, of Mike being "dead". Mike was built up from the other books as being lethal and resourceful from the other books but in his own story he barely used his resources. I understood the angle you took with him going against the childhood boogeyman in Fang Jinhei, but to me- once Mike went through all that he has, I would have thought he would have been ready for war. Especially being how Fang Jinhei kept coming for him using Zara. I just had such high hopes for the action in this book and it was just blah. Especially when Jinhei and Mike came face to face the monologue Fang went on was eye roll worthy and unbelievable. Even Mike didn't believe it. If Mike's family was losing their power due to everyone turning on them how come Fang was the main one looking for Mike? I would have thought more people would have come for him besides just one Triad group(who came when he was 18). Besides that let down the story flowed nicely and I like Zara even though I wished she used some of her skills on the men who tried to abduct her the 2nd time like she did the 1st time. I did not understand that. If she knew how to shoot a gun and it was hinted that over the 3 years she had gotten even more "self defense training", I expected her to have tried to fight them off. But she just ran and gave in once they caught up. Over all the book had potential to be more of an action packed thriller/romance even though it wasn't. Again like I said it was a let down.
  
• 
  reneeNaDaCherry

  The Shadow: A Dark International Romance (Angels and Assassins Book 5)
  
  Mike Huang aka Wei born into a Chinese dynasty who's family members were executed one by one. Now he is being hunted as well by those seeking power. Falling for his friend Xara, in their senior year of HS, was not in his future. But, maybe his future has just begun. There is a second part of their story as well as a final update on all the guys and their significant others. I will be reading it after The Darkest Knight.
  
  
  11/18/2022.
• 
  ILoveToRead

  Good Read, BUT
  
  Here's my Succinct Review
  
  
• 
  Myisha Braddock

  True Love Prevails!!!
  
  I loved this story!! I thought it was a genius idea to chronicle Mike and Xara’s love as teenagers. It showed how throughout everything they endured they truly loved each other. Sometimes you just might find your hearts desire in high school. I loved how Xara told Mike, it’s not okay for him to sleep with other women and still try to control her life as well. I thought as a youth she showed strength in a moment of hurt and pain, great job K. Alex Walker!! Now I’m reading the series backwards and I’ve just recently finished reading the Dark Knight with Mo and Gio and that book was amazing!! I loved how Gio was not afraid of anything except losing Mo. Even with an astronomical bounty on his head he said that I will find them and kill them. He was truly a great and fearless assassin. I wanted Mike to act in the same manner. He was a strong fighter as a teen and then he’d built his body and skills to which they called him the Shadow. I wanted the shadow to hunt his nemesis down and kill him versus running and hiding and stalking his wife whom he drove crazy!! Anyway I still thought this story was great, I loved how they loved each other and the memories of their love is what really kept them going during their separation. So many things to review but I will leave you with this, great story, great sexy fun times, great friendships, awful family dynamics, and plenty of spy action. Great story, well worth the read!!
• 
  Chin

  What was that?? Considering book 1 and 2 being epic book 3 being so/so but still readable and book 4 being the cutest book 5 was just felt like a building orgasm that just fizzles out in the end. Part 1 was juvenile af and felt rushed, I didn’t feel the emotions even when he got kidnapped on his way to the bus stop to meet xara and when she noticed he wasn’t on time it just felt flat. Part 2 I got a bit excited but there were so many plot holes like after the 1 year “ apprenticeship” where was the accommodation that was given to the other men after the training ?? It was mentioned in book 3&4. But anyways back to part 2 where was the on page grief when she found out he died?? We only got a one liner that she had a mental break down and I wanted to see the emotional turmoil Mike faced when it came to watching xara in the shadows & part 3 felt like I was watching a made for tv show. The best part of this boom was the little twist that get this… Davis was actually Fang all along and the epilogue did nothing to save this book. After reading book 1-4 and Huang o it being a one sentence mention I didn’t care about him honestly like all that running and all that drama for what?? Fang’s death wasn’t even done in a grand scheme like how the bad guys died in the other books. Stupez and after coming all this way I thought we would’ve gotten a glimpse of the “ ghost” that was mentioned in book 2&3 but I guess not . 1.5⭐️
• 
  Mo 'S

  A little bit of spice, Please
  
  I felt this book out of the assassin’s series was more about Mike and Xara (love her name) love. From the moment they met it’s a building anticipation. Trust me with them two, you want them to win with no battles needed to be fought, because the genuine feels between those two have you wanting all the love and rainbows.
  
  I marked off a star only because the end felt a little bit rushed. No lie, as I was reading and approaching the mid 90s percent, I was getting a little anxious. Waiting for the unanticipated move from the villain. The twist caught me by surprised, but also left questions...did so so survived, if so where is the character? What happened to the kid toward the end of the book? Why become a pursuer with deadly intent and have a battle of words instead of physical combat? I noticed I had so many questions and one question in particular is why didn’t this end with a...well, I can’t spoil the story for ya. Jump the bandwagon and read at your own pleasure 😉
• 
  Yvonne Daniels

  WOW WOWZZ WOW
  
  WOW WOW this is such a emotional uniquely suspenseful and awesome story! But each one story in this series tells a great story which makes each one a compelling, drama filled with excitement story. It's full of romantic chemistry and sizzling hot passion with characters that are so enjoyable and captivating oh my the passion just burns up the pages with chemistry thats sizzling hot. The ladies are independent but lovable and men makes you want to melt. This story as well as the others in the series will always gives you such a pleasurable experience that you will definitely enjoy them all. They are so fantastic that you will want to read them more than once. It's a great love affair that makes you smile at the happy couple you are reading about. I really enjoyed reading this story it's written with such extraordinary imagination that makes them a pleasurable and beautiful experience to read. If I could I would give them ten stars because they are for sure worth five stars.
  
• 
  Cici

  I like this series
  
  I liked this but Xara was kind of pathetic & weak through most of it. A running theme through this series was these women chasing & pursing the men but xara was the most cringe of them all. I wish the women had lives & other suitors but they all had tunnel vision over men they just met. It more interesting when the women are dating around & then meet the one instead of meeting a man who is showing no romantic interest yet the women are determined to have them. Taylor & larke did the same thing. Don't even get me started on ari. Mo was the only one with a little fire. Xara wasn't even angry about the secrets or when he reappeared years later. Its ok to give some of them a backbone.
• 
  Laverne Brewster

  3.50 Stars. (BW/AM). Kindle Unlimited Edition e-book. Friends to lovers. We meet the protagonists as high schoolers, the hero, Mike Huang, is an 18-year-old living on his own, hiding from the man who murdered his parents due to his father's standing with the Chinese Mafia. The heroine, Xara Merritt, is the same age as Mike and attends the same school. Soon after meeting and becoming friends, Xara and Mike, realize that they love each other; but each has a reason for not disclosing it Mike fears endangering Xara, Xara doesn't think Mike finds her attractive. The eventually , marry and Mike overcomes the guy hunting him. The story was long and dragged.
• 
  TACORA MCCLUNEY

  Mike and Xara
  
  This was an excellent book. Mike/ Lui Wei has been on the run his whole life. Fang was determined to wipe out Mike's entire bloodline. I love Xara. I hated how her mother treated her and Mike, even after they was grown and married. I hate that Mike had to leave her or fake his death but he was trying to keep her safe. I would have never guessed that Davis was really Fang. I'm glad he's been dealt with now Mike and Xara can finally have their happily ever after.💜💜
• 
  Michelle

  Took me forever to read
  
  I just couldn't get into it. Didn't find their teen years interesting enough even though it may have been an intricate part of their story. All the books in this series were filled with action and mystery from the start, this one not so much. However, I stuck with it, as I've said in numerous reviews I don't quit in a story. So I trudged on and got to what I always love the HEA.
• 
  Lee Jones

  The Shadow
  
  Fleeing brutality, living in isolation, attending high school, finding your kindred soulmate, marrying the girl of your dreams, being drafted into an unknown organization, gaining brothers, saving love of your life by vanishing, saving the world, and returning back to the arms that will keep you sane……
  
  Whirlwind life of action, clandestine operations, emerging from shadows and marrying the love of your life twice because lies infiltrated the union….