Ben in the Shadows by Ellen Ginsberg

Title: Ben in the Shadows

Series: Dreamcatcher 02

Author: Ellen Ginsberg

Genre: Shifter/Paranormal, Fantasy

Length: Novel (160pgs)

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing (24th September 2011)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Ben, a werewolf, has spent a decade being experimented on by a mad scientist. Retreating into a fantasy world to cope with his pain, he eagerly awaits a hero to save him. Jasper, a lifelong screw up, proves heroic in rescuing him, but is convinced of his own ill-worth and terrified he won’t be able to live up to the romantic fantasies Ben has of him.

Once mated, the two broken men gain access to each other’s dreams, where neither man can hide from the shadows of his troubled past, and the skeletons in both their closets threaten to overcome the love they both need so badly. Jasper and Ben are bound together for eternity, but will they find in each other their destruction…or their salvation?

Review: Ben is trapped in the basement of a scientist and dreams of a hero to come and save him.   He has it all worked out in his head about how everything would progress… after all he’d seen enough films to know. Jasper stumbles across Ben when he visits Dr. Pierson ex-PHD and Bio-revolutionary about a Miracle drug of epic proportions and discovers the Dr’s test subject is a werewolf and rescues him.

Another fantastic story where we are given more world-building for the other plane, Morgana.   We get a closer look at Ben and Jasper this time round. With Ben, you wonder how he isn’t a quivering wreck curled up in a corner rocking back and forth after being held for ten years having experiments done on him.   And you really have to admire his determination to have a hero even if that hero is flawed because that was the only thing that kept him going for so long; your heart breaks for him. Jasper is an emotional mess and you really feel for him.  What with how he pushed his feelings away after what happened to his parents, it’s not surprising; he tries his best not to give into any of his feelings.   and it makes you want to weep at how much shame and disgust that he holds for himself after he went off the rails and how it affects him now with his mate.

A truly wonderful story where you can empathize with the characters and know that it isn’t all a bunch of roses for them but that they actually have to work at it and let go of their own fears and worries.   Some fantastic hot sex scenes and angst, and some danger that is pretty freaky.

This has a strong storyline with a good plot that leaves us open for the next book which I guess with be Alex and Jacob’s story.  Hopefully, we will find out what happened to their parents for the last 10 years (pretty pleaseJ).

So I recommend this for those who love shifters, hot sex, angst, danger, hot men, a brilliant storyline and a promise of more to come.