The Shadow and the Star [Mass Market Paperback]

Samuel leads a very quiet, solitary, and friendless existence. One day Dojun, a mysterious Japanese immigrant working for the family, reveals himself to Samuel as a martial arts master and begins teaching Samuel his craft. Samuel, so very anxious to please, and also finding satisfaction in the rigid control of the ancient discipline, a contrast to his inner turmoil, takes the lessons to heart and becomes a model student. As Samuel grows to manhood, he abhors his increasing sexual awareness of women, jumbling and twisting these natural feelings with his degrading past, and is fiercely shamed, horrified, and haunted by his sexuality. Dojun, who has become an increasingly powerful force in Samuel's life, encourages chastity in order that Samuel's every fiber is focused on the martial arts, and Samuel readily embraces such a lifestyle.

By chance, Samuel meets Leda, an impoverished-but-genteel dressmaker who, to Samuel's chagrin, sparks and sets flame to the embers of sexuality that Samuel has fought so hard to keep banked. The two are drawn to one another, but to Samuel, Leda exposes the thing he hates most about himself. He struggles deeply with his feelings for Leda and the celibacy he clings to like a lifeline. Eventually, unable to deny the attraction any longer, Samuel and Leda (both virgins) give in to their feelings, but they are exposed the morning after, and, in keeping with the times, Samuel is urged by his family to marry Leda, since he's "ruined" her. Thrown together in such a way, Samuel must live with temptation every day, and as love blossoms, he grows more certain that, should Leda learn of his past, she would shun him and despise him. His well-ordered life begins to unravel as past and present collide. Leda is bewildered by Samuel's enigmatic mixture of supreme self-control and wounded vulnerability, his potent, explosive sexuality and his self-loathing. Slowly Samuel's heart is healed by Leda's unwavering love, in spite of his efforts to push her away.

Amidst this beautifully touching and sexy love story is an underlying current of danger, and we come to learn what a powerful hold the mysterious Dojun has on Samuel's life.

A unique, engrossing, and immensely satisfying read. Extremely intelligent and well-written and quite refreshingly true to the times.

I've been a romance reader for years now, and I must say that I tire easily with books which have no strength. To keep turning the pages, I need a good plot, strong characters and something more than the classic love story to keep me interested.

For all these reasons, Laura Kinsale is my favorite author and The shadow and the star my very favorite book. The story is wonderful, with a quiet woman finding the way to heal the terribly abused hero. The plot may seem very simple, but it is anything but : the tortured hero is a virgin and a Ninja-like warrior, with an old Japanese butler for master, a quest for justice and a very dangerous ancient spade on his hands. The heroine a very, very proper but impoverished lady who, quite by accident, falls the mighty warrior by the way of a sewing machine.

Laura Kinsale knows how to make her characters so lovable, so living with all their strengths and weaknesses, that they stay with you long after you closed the book. Another book I loved by the same author is Flowers in the storm. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Samuel is the handsome, golden haired hero trained in the martial arts and raised in Hawaii by a loving couple, the Ashlands, alongside their two younger children. Samuel is more than your normal, wonderful romance hero. He is even more self-assured and captivating even though he embraces chastity. His quiet forceful manner hides the secrets and shame of a particularly abusive childhood from which the Ashlands had rescued him.

Leda is a properly raised English woman on the fringes of London society. Although she doesn't see herself as such, she is a beautiful woman. She finds herself dismissed from her job unreasonably one day and is desperate to find another position - hopefully as a typist. Leda is one of the most proper behaving young ladies I have ever read. She doesn't even get near anything that could be remotely related to improper situations or behavior. As she repeatedly fails in her search for employment, she finds herself in one compromising position after another.

After a series of great encounters between Samuel and Leda, which I will not even begin to allude to, Samuel hires her as a typist. As she begins working for Samuel, she becomes acquainted with his family, the Ashlands, and is easily accepted into their midst. Samuel is a very self-controlled individual and cannot understand his strong physical attraction to Leda. He has already decided that he will marry another and his commitment to that is strong. Both Samuel and Leda fight their mutual attraction although Leda is so proper - not even meeting with her employer unless the door is open - that I found it amazing that they actually found the opportunity to become physically involved. There are some sensual scenes and they rate a 4.0 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).

To tell more about this story, other than it is a tremendous love story, would probably provide a spoiler of some sort. It is a very compelling read as Samuel and Leda discover through many trials and tribulations that they truly love each other. Samuel had a lot of issues with his duties as one highly trained in the martial arts and had to decide where his duty to Leda ranked. It is a wonderful "hide and seek" as the two grow together, then seemingly apart, then together again.

I highly recommend The Shadow and the Star! I can remember so many of the details of this book even weeks later and I have read many other books in the meantime that I can barely - if at all - remember the primary plot. This is a book that requires time in the beginning. Kinsale is building a very solid base during this first portion of the book and I promise you that you will eventually feel very grateful for those long introductory pages. All of that background just ties you tighter and tighter to the book. Please note: I usually want romance without many peripheral characters. However, this is the exception to the rule. Take the time - get into The Shadow and the Star. I put off reading it for months only to discover it is one of the best books I have read!