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Reviews & Accolades

WHAT LIES BETWEEN LOVERS

Romantic Times Magazine

Publishers Weekly

Shaw (A Rare Groove) sets this contemporary romance in upper-middle-class San Diego, where software sales director Monique Evans, fresh out of a three-year relationship with a married man, fills time by playing basketball on a team captained by Tao Samuels, ex-navy SEAL turned security consultant. Tao's usual equilibrium is disturbed by Monique's beauty and grit. When they hook up, Monique specifies three rules: keep it casual, no romantic notions, sexual exclusivity. Tao adds a fourth rule-honesty-that they both find hard to hold to. Shaw's ability to sketch a community is a real strength, and though her richly interwoven characters are too prone to impersonal talk-show truisms like "Women have a false image of relationships and love," her fans will enjoy watching Monique and Tao navigate the tricky waters of rumor and trust. (July)

A RARE GROOVE

Urban-Reviews.com

Simone St. Clair literally falls head-over-heels for Maxwell Harper.

Simone St. Clair is an on-air personality in Atlanta who is dating one of Atlanta's most eligible bachelors, ex-boxer Kevin Johnson. According to her friends, she should feel like the luckiest lady in Atlanta, but she doesn't. When she goes to Jamaica for a friend's wedding, her friend gets delayed. While alone on this beautiful tropical island, sparks do fly when she meets Maxwell Harper.

Maxwell is a native Jamaican but has not lived on the island since he was a child. He is now a very sexy engineer who resides in Canada. Even though he seems like the perfect man, Maxwell is dealing with nine year old family drama that Simone somehow finds herself caught in the middle of. She now has to decide if he is really what he seems or is all too good to be true.

A Rare Groove was the first book by Sophia Shaw that I have read, and I thought it was a very easy read. Her style of writing just flows, and the story holds your attention until the end. The only reason I did not give this book a 5 was because things start to happen really quickly towards the end of the story that I think are very vital to the plot, and they didn't get developed as much as I think they could have. But overall, I still think A Rare Groove was a very good read.

Reviewed by Tenecia
for Urban Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Atlanta voice-over specialist Simone St. Claire, 28, goes to Jamaica for her best friend's wedding without her boyfriend, boxer Kevin Johnson. There, she meets devastatingly attractive Maxwell Harper, brother of the bride's new husband, who's from Jamaica but lives in Toronto, and whose connection to his family is tenuous. The two keep in touch, and Simone quickly breaks things off with Kevin to take a trip to Toronto. As she does, her best friend Natasha is murdered. The murder investigation (did Kevin do it?) and the obstacles surrounding the lovers aren't half as interesting as the drama surrounding the conflict in Maxwell's own family, making the plot a split decision. But Shaw's settings are unusually rich, lingering over homes and their families with a warmth that carries one through. (July)

MOMENT OF TRUTH

The Romantic Times Book Club, July 2007 issue, has given Moment of Truth a "Compelling" rating of 4 stars!

Shaw presents a believable and refreshing story filled with delightful characters. This author’s writing style is easy and methodical as she weaves together this heartwarming tale of love. This would be a great start to your summer reads.

Summary: Cadence Carter is a young artist who’s just purchased a home.  At a neighborhood party, she meets Adam Jackson, a construction worker who agrees to rescue her from her new home woes.

The day Adam arrives at her home, he misreads and exchange between Cadence and her model and assumes that she is a call girl.  That assumption squelches his desire for her and has him reacting in mindboggling ways, but not before he sets off an array of fireworks within them both.

Eleanor S. Shields

Publishers Weekly, July 2007

An engaging story line buoys Shaw’s latest, a contemporary romance centering on two Orlando, Fla., professionals: beautiful artist Cadence Carter and successful builder Adam Jackson. Cadence, whose mom and sister have always catered to demanding, unappreciative men, has decided that the only way she’ll find happiness is through fierce independence. Adam, meanwhile, is single for the first time in over a decade and not anxious to get back into the dating scene. So when Adam offers to help Cadence finish renovating her new house, they’re both surprised to find unabashed, uncontrollable passion igniting between them. Steamy love scenes keep the pages hot, and a second-act discovery keeps the lovebirds on their toes—and edging toward danger. Despite choppy writing and detail overkill, Shaw invests her plot with enough twists and tumbles to keep readers hooked.

DEPTHS OF DESIRE

Depths of Desire nominated for Reviewers' Choice Award!

The editorial staff at Romance in Color have chosen Depths of Desire as a nominee for the 2006 Reviewers' Choice Award.  The winners will be announce on April 15, 2007. 

Read the Romance in Color review!

Visit www.romanceincolor.com for additional information about the award and a full list of nominees.

Word Magazine, March 2006 issue:

"Romance novels tend to take a beating in the publishing industry because some critics consider the books to not have much depth.  After the critical acclaim of her first book Shades and Shadows, Sophia Shaw overcomes the sophomore jinx with her refreshing second novel Depths of Desire.  Shaw's writing now is light, breezy, and easy to follow and to get into.  Although the plot follows the typical romance genre formula Shaw executes the narrative well.  The novel chronicles the intense relationship between Naomi Chambers and Joshua Black two people that obviously have a sexual and emotional connection to each other.  The novel features black characters that are successful and young, which is important.  It is intriguing to read books about blacks that don't follow the stereotypical patterns." W

 

Review written by: Xania aka Gentle Aura - Toronto Sun/24 Hours columnist:

Passion, romance, deceit and friendships, intertwined, create an outstanding theme in Sophia Shaw's latest book, "Depths of Desire". Through an intense web of events, Shaw, very successfully, involves you into the 'realisim' of the lives of each character. Although passion is at the forefront, teasing the mind as each page is turned, there's a level of familiarity and the idea of possibility that holds true with every word.

It's obvious that Shaw holds romance close to her own heart as she depicts the essence of true love as opposed to raw sexual encounters. Characters are carefully introduced and with purpose. As the plot thickens and love intensifies, spine-tingling twists and turns evolve not only in between sheets but amongst past and present flames of desire and hatred. With passions exploding on many different levels, expect the unexpected - "Depths of Desire" will leave you panting for a sequel.

 

The Romantic Times Book Club, March 2006 issue, has chosen Depths on Desire as a TOP PICK! with a "Fantastic" rating of 4.5 stars!

SHADES AND SHADOWS

The Romantic Times Book Club, January 2005 issue, gives Shades and Shadows a "Fantastic" rating on 4.5 stars! Read the full review on-line.

Amazon.com reader reviews 5/5 stars!

Barnes and Noble reader reviews.

Romance in Color review.

APOOO Bookclub review.