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Jena' Galifany Reviews For SHADOWSFORGE 3: RETAKING AMERICA by Jena' Galifany "It was interesting to read backstage
life of the group and what it took to keep them going - roadies, wardrobe
people and minders. It's not hard to believe that friendships can get
easily strained with the ongoing pressure to perform and be something
that the public wants. Although ShadowsForge 3: Retaking America is
about a British rock group, it's also about real, fallible people whose
lives are messy and complicated. To me, that makes the book believable
and readable. I read the first ShadowsForge book and I liked it. Reading
number three was like catching up with old friends. I wanted to see
how Ty and Alexis were going and what had happened to the British bad
boy band" 5 Angels and a Recommended Read! – Teresa, Fallen Angel Reviews “ShadowsForge 3: Retaking America by Jena' Galifany is the third book in the ShadowForge series. Geoff Richards, the Vocalist from the ShadowForge band, is having a difficult time missing his girl. When the group left England for the American tour, they left Valerie behind after she was injured. Geoff isn’t sure how he feels about this, but he knows that this is a test to see if he can be faithful. Geoff is well known as one of the bands bad boys. Other members are also having their day-to-day struggles. Ty has recently married. and he and his wife Alexis are still getting the hang of family life on the road. Geoff goes out one night and gets himself compromised with a member of the ShadowForge's crew members causing potential havoc for the group. In Geoff’s defense, he doesn’t remember anything happening, but he is known to be a ladies man and everyone thinks the worst of him. Things continue to spiral out of control as other members enter into the mix causing chaos and mayhem. Will Geoff find a way to mend the injuries that he may have caused? Will ShadowForge find a way to complete their tour in spite of all the curves that life places in their way? Life on the road is a never ending cycle of traveling while working with high strung men who live life with a no-holds-barred belief that life is for living in the fullest. Join ShadowForge on their newest tour and one that will keep you on the edge of your seats with laughter, tears and suspense as the band members clash and support each other through the difficult road trip. Ms. Galifany has created a wonderful book full of men that have bright and full personalities that come alive for the readers. Geoff is the ultimate bad boy who in this instance may not be the perpetrator that everyone gives him credit for. Add to this the smart and colorful female followers of ShadowForge who are more than up to the task of dealing with these high strung men to add humor and suspense with a female touch. This is one series that you shouldn’t miss! I will be looking forward to the next edition to the ShadowForge series!” "Ms Galifany continues to captivate us with her realistically rendered lives in a wild 80s band. The mix of disappointments and drama, are balanced with laughter, all of which, make for quite a show both on and off stage. The situations aren’t cleaned for public consumption, there are the indulgences that some expect with the pressures that come with fame. A well paced tale containing quite a surprise that will keep fans of the series from becoming complacent. Enough explanation is given for this to be read as a stand alone book, but it is so much more fun to have read the first two and be in the know of all of the details. Now, this is a band to follow." - Lil - Reviewer - LoveRomancesandMore.com "Retaking
America is the third book concerning the latest tour of ShadowsForge,
a British rock band. While there is not just one hero and heroine in
this book, it describes and follows not only the guys’ relationship
with each other, but also those of the individual band members and what
is happening in their lives as the tour goes on. I have to say that
I was a bit worried about a few of the band members, but Ms. Galifany
was able to give each of them what they wanted and/or needed by the
end. I was pleasantly Sample Chapter For SHADOWSFORGE
3: RETAKING AMERICA by Jena' Galifany
Chicago, IL Geoff Richards pushed back from the remains of the dinner he shared with Ty and Alexis Synclair in their suite. He missed the company of Valerie Leonard. She was barely out of his thoughts for more than a few minutes at a time since she decided to return to London a week ago to rest and heal. The U.S. leg, early in the Ethereal Edge tour, was such a success that Nigel Patton, their ever-busy manager, was able to tack an additional two months worth of shows onto the end of the tour. So, off to America ShadowsForge flew, depositing Valerie in London on the way. Although she still wouldn’t allow him liberty beyond a kiss or friendly hug, Geoff was eager to have her near him again. He had been a “good boy” since she agreed to date him, having given him a challenge to redeem himself from his reputation before she would. No overnight relationships, no bump and grind. It was only a few weeks but it had been a long “dry spell” that Geoff was not used to or happy about. “Lady Alexis.” Geoff smiled. “Would you mind so very much if I borrowed Ty for a while? I’d like his opinion on—some band business. Would you mind?” Alexis, her dark brown eyes sparkling, gave Ty a knowing look as she stood. “Sure. No problem. Who am I to come between old mates? I’ll go read, or knit some booties or something.” She turned toward the bedroom. Ty was on his feet in an instant, catching her before she reached the door. “What do you mean booties?” His voice held a mixture of excitement and fear. He leaned down, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. He brushed her blue-black waist-length hair over her shoulder, while glancing from abdomen to face of his wife of eight months. “Nothing. I wondered if you were paying attention.” She grinned. She pushed his thick mane back from his face, caressing the softness of his curls. Ty hovered eight inches above her as he stood, looking down into her dark eyes. “You like to scare me, don’t you?” “Were you scared?” She placed her hand on his chest. He took her hand, kissing her palm. “You’re damn right.” “Good.” Alexis grinned, continuing toward the bedroom door. As she walked away, Ty swatted her. “Ooh”, she cooed. “Promises, promises.” Ty reached out to swat her again. She dashed through the door, laughing as she slammed it behind her. Ty returned to the table, glancing once more at the closed door with a serene smile on his face. “Can you imagine me a father?” He lifted his wine glass to his lips. “Can you imagine me a husband?” Geoff countered, receiving the reaction he fully expected. Ty froze, the glass held an inch from his mouth. He stared at Geoff as if he had grown a third eye. When Ty didn’t respond, Geoff continued. “How long did you live without Elsbeth after you met her, when you thought you knew she was the one for you?” Ty raised his eyebrows as he lowered his glass to the table. “Why bring her up? Kind of a bad example, don’t you think?” Ty’s first marriage ended painfully in less than a year and he didn’t want to think about it, much less discuss it, ever again. “Because I know you didn’t live without Alexis once you two met. Lightening bolts, fireworks, gunfire and all that. With Elsbeth, you at least thought about what you were doing—not that it hasn’t worked out a lot better this time round.” He picked up his glass and toasted the lady beyond the closed door before draining the dark red liquid. He refilled the glass, taking another long swallow. “Let me think.” Ty pushed back from the table, lifting his glass to his lips. He sipped thoughtfully before he continued. “I first saw Elsbeth at a meet and greet in—oh, hell, I can’t remember where we were. It was one of those small dives we played in the early days. I remember it was a warm evening. She was wearing a white dress, very summery and sexy. She was absolutely beautiful.” Ty closed his eyes for a moment before frowning. “I’d rather think about Alexis, you know.” “Could you have left Elly behind, say—if we had to tour another country or another continent? Could you have walked away from her and been happy about it? Or even Alexis. Could you have left her in California when we went home?” Geoff sat his glass down and leaned forward, lacing his fingers. “I had a hard enough time leaving her in the hospital for those five days while we went on. I know what you’re thinking. And, believe me, I agonized over the decision that I had to make about leaving either Alexis or ShadowsForge. I wanted what was best for me at the time.” Ty sipped from his glass. “You’ll probably think I’ve gone over the edge. I know it doesn’t sound like me but I think I want a wife, kids—the family thing. I want to perform and then go home with the same woman every night. Like you do.” Geoff slouched in the chair. “I want to be one man—the man that I really am. Not what Nigel and the ‘Managers Elite’ want us to be. You know what I’m saying. You said it, too, about eight or nine months ago. I’m proud of who I am and want to be myself for a change. I guess I’m getting tired of this ‘bad boy’ routine.” Geoff rose to pace about the room. Ty watched as his friend retrieved a pack of cigarettes from the table by the sofa. Geoff dropped back into his chair, filling his empty glass before lighting a cigarette. He swallowed the wine and poured out again, sitting back, thoughtfully staring into the glass. “That does surprise me. I thought you liked your bad boy image. You do it so well.” Geoff smirked. “Yeah, thanks.” “I know what it’s like. I was as restless as you are and I can understand. I also know how I felt when I found Elsbeth wrapped up in my bed sheets with Jake. I was pretty damned empty inside. Empty and, at the same time, full—of pain. It took four years to be able to trust a woman again. And it took a special woman, at that.” “I get such a rush from what we’ve done with ShadowsForge.” Geoff placed his cigarette in the ashtray. “The thrill, the excitement, not to mention the physical work-out that gets my blood boiling. The money. But none of this,” he held up a clenched left fist as if he had gathered all that ShadowsForge was into his hand, “can compare to the rush when I’m with Valerie, when I hear her say my name. Geoff Richards, not ShadowsForge. When she puts her hands on me or when I kiss her hand, which is about the only thing she’s let me kiss.” He rolled his eyes. Geoff took a deep breath before he continued. “Attention from her is more than equal to the thrill of being on stage. I’m sure that nothing we can ever accomplish can be as meaningful as having a wife or someday to have a kid.” Geoff retrieved his cigarette, taking a draw. He blew it out slowly before he swept his hand through the gray cloud. “It’s a dream as tangible as smoke. I don’t even know if she’d have me. It’s taken most of a month and near death to get this far.” Ty gave Geoff a reassuring smile. “In time, you’ll get your dream. Look how far we’ve made it, when the band was only a dream six years ago. What we’re doing now will make a better future to live our dreams in. ShadowsForge is popular right now. We give people escape from their everyday lives, if only for a couple of hours. Some of those girls spend a lot of time dreaming about you. It makes them happy. So, okay, we make them happy, they make us happy. For now. And then, we move on with our lives. Then we find the one, like I told you. Do you remember?” Geoff nodded, a silent brooding in his topaz eyes. Ty continued. “I’m all for you and Valerie getting together. But I think that one of us getting married on this tour was enough. It might damage popularity if two of us did. Why don’t you wait until after it’s finished? When we’re out of the public eye every night for a while. The fans will think there’s no one left worth having if you do this now. What? And leave all those skirts to Jordan, Jon and B.J.? I’m afraid our fan base would drop like a gold brick.” They both laughed. “Yeah, ShadowsForge is hot right now. Real hot. But how long will I have to put my life on hold to make them happy?” “About two more months. Listen to me.” Ty leaned his arms on the table. “In time—if you’re sure this isn’t a hero thing because you saved her life—if you really love her, it won’t seem long. Can you imagine what Nigel will say? He keeps trying to get me to take off my ring. Bad for publicity, he says. I told him to get used to it. Now you go telling him you’re getting married, he’ll be a raving loony. Clock tower sniper. Probably lock J.C., Jon, and Brian in a monastery between shows.” Geoff stood. “Each night, without Valerie here, I’m afraid of going out on the prowl and losing her because of it. I’ve been sleeping alone for weeks. Bloody hell. I’m not used to that, y’know? I’m only human.” Geoff grimaced in pain—the kind of pain Ty understood. “So you want to marry her so you don’t have to sleep alone?” A note of sarcasm crept into Ty’s voice. “I want to marry her because I love her.” Geoff’s countenance softened as he admitted something to Ty that he had hardly admitted to himself. Geoff smiled. “Can you imagine that? Geoff Richards in love? Freaking hell.” He laughed at himself. “Hey, thanks for listening. I think I’ve had too much wine. I need some air. I’m going down to the lounge for a while.” “Get some entertainment. You’ll feel better for it. I’ll call Gary for you and...” “I want to be on my own tonight. I’ve had enough muscle around lately.” Geoff crushed out the cigarette. “Who knows? Maybe I can get lucky and find someone warm and feminine to spend some time with—just for the evening. To take the edge off.” Geoff pocketed his cigarettes and left the suite. Ty heard his friend’s shuffling footsteps wandering down the hallway toward the elevator. Alexis came out, laying her hand softly on Ty’s shoulder as he sipped his wine. “The fate of ShadowsForge rests on the shoulders of Geoff Richards.” He spoke to the closed door, raising his glass toward his departed friend. “May his burden be lightened by the events of this evening.” |