Out of the Shadows (Broken Gears) by Dana Fraedrich is a gripping story with a great plot and interesting characters. We meet Lenore, a woman on the run from her past, risking everything because the consequences could be unbearable if she is caught. When she is rescued by the Allens, she thinks she can live a new life and even abide by the code of conduct imposed by her new friends. But then can she really outrun her past, can she outrun herself? At a time when she is almost convinced that her past is history, someone appears who seems to know everything about her underworld activities and who is just watching, like a hunter, waiting for the least mistake on her part to expose her. Can Lenore embrace the second chance she has been given and beat the threats that loom over her life?

Dana Fraedrich has a great imagination and she has created a story that will enthrall readers. The plot is beautiful and it has many surprises for the reader. Evenly paced, it will keep the reader’s eyes riveted to the pages. I enjoyed the fact that the story begins with action. The reader meets Lenore who is running away from an enemy that could make her life miserable, and the reader sees her taking a serious risk. My curiosity was piqued by this action and I longed to know what she was running away from. I loved the complex, multilayered characters and the fact that the protagonist’s personality is unveiled little by little. Out of the Shadows (Broken Gears) features great prose, a gripping plot, and characters that will remain with readers long after they are done reading the story.