*I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Summary
The Wolves are out for blood, but Scarlett doesn’t intend to let them catch their prey.
When Scarlett’s friend Georgette starts receiving death threats from the Wolves, a powerful street gang, she sets out uncover why they want a prominent socialite dead. As a Talented gangster herself, Scarlett goes undercover. Instead of a hardened murderer, she discovers the charming younger son of a Duke, Benedict Pearce, is the would-be assassin. Clearly not a killer at heart, Scarlett decides to trust the handsome rogue, and they join forces to put a stop to the Wolves mysterious machinations and save her friend.
As the pair begin their investigations, as well as a fictitious courtship to throw the Wolves off their trail, Scarlett must reckon with a past she prefers to keep hidden. Benedict, constantly jovial and flirtatious, slowly chips away at the shadows Scarlett has built around her heart.
Still, as the search uncovers deeper levels of deception, their ruse becomes increasingly dangerous. When facing down the Wolves, Scarlett is forced to confront how far into the shadows she is willing to go to protect the ones who have her heart.
Thoughts
I didn’t realize Little Red Shadow was the second book of a series when I requested to read this book. Thankfully, you can read this without needing to read the first book. The focus of this book is on new characters, and it is a very light retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. You will see the characters from the first book, you just have to be a little patient. Having not realized this was the second book, I also get a change of pace and say, I will be going backwards to read the first book of this series.
Our main character is Scarlet, who takes the place of Little Red; and the Big Bad Wolf is a gang called the Wolves, and their leader. We also see a red hood briefly in the story. These are the only ties to Little Red Riding Hood. Overall though, I enjoyed this story giving the book 4 of 5 stars.
Upon first opening the book and seeing the dedication I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. The book is dedicated “For all my stabby ladies and gentlemen.” While I wish there was more stabby stabby in the book, it does deliver the fights. There is also a joke that gets going between Scarlett and Benedict with windows. To prevent any spoilers, I won’t get more specific.
I enjoyed reading about Scarlett and her background, and the blooming romance with Benedict. They didn’t exactly love each other at first, but it did bloom. The romance follows what felt like a natural progression, and feels complete by the end. I loved how things came together at the end, especially when we get one last window event.
I also enjoyed seeing the growth Scarlett went through. In the beginning she was a lone girl, going all the way alone. She was even protecting her closest friend by pretending to be her and enticing an unknown assassin to come for her. She never asked for help, and only took help when she was basically pushed into it. By the end, this is no longer the case.
If you’ve tried the first book, Beauty and the Blade, I’m willing to bet you will love this book too. Watch for a review of the first book, Beauty and the Blade because I’m going to be reading it as soon as I can get my hands on it. I loved the writing style of S. C. Grayson. You should give Little Red Shadow a chance.