Review: Coyote's Mate by Lora Leigh

Published: February 2009 by Berkeley Sensation

Number of Pages: 341

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: Breed #17
See here for complete list and order.

Why This Book: I have series OCD and I like Lora Leigh and her steamy sex scenes.

From the Author Site: For six years Anya Korbin worked with Del-Rey Delgado—the genetically altered rebel known as the Coyote Ghost—to free a group of coyote women kept in her father’s lab. As Anya matured into a woman, she and Del-Rey grew close…but then he broke his promise and killed her father. Now she must deal with her animalistic desire for the one who betrayed her.

Read excerpt here.

Hero: Del-Rey Delgado, aka Ghost, is leader of the Coyote Pack, Coyote Prime. For years he watched and waited for Anya to grow old enough for him to take as a lover. When she was old enough he freed her friends and took her captive not knowing she was his Mate. After on fateful sexual encounter they are locked together by fate and now he must regain the trust he callously threw away.

Heroine: Anya Kobrin was a young 16-year-old security guard when she first contacted Ghost in hopes of freeing her friends from the Genetic Council. For six years she helped him plot their escape only to be betrayed then taken captive. When she finds out that she is bound to him by a cruel fate she has to make a new life. One that will include Del-Ray. As mate to the Coyote Prime she holds the title of Coya.

Review: Another wonderfully crafted story by Lora Leigh. Lots and lots of steamy sex and angst along with a nice devilish plot in which everyones life is in jeopardy.

Del-Rey knew that he was going to betray and kidnap Anya he just never told her his complete plan. He knew that he would have to would her family so that the Genetic Council would not kill them for failing to stop to rescue. Anya was very innocent to believe everything he promised. This set up had the tension going right from the start. He had done her wrong and now he had to win her favor once more. Added to sexual tension of being Mated, this made for a great beginning.

Again there is nothing deep or dark about this story. Lots of fun and tension with a happy ending. But when I pick up a Lora Leigh book that is what I am expecting so I was a happy little reader.

What I liked best: Lots and lots of steamy sex! But then that's what I've come to expect from Lora Leigh. And Anya's bodyguards are so cute. Deadly but cute.

What I least liked: Del-Ray was a complete jerk. But it didn't keep me from enjoying the book. Anya does get him back and he does reform so its not all bad.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: I like Lora Leigh. I usually pick up one of her books when I'm in the mood for steamy. Although they are a series, I think you could probably read these in any order you like.

Grade: B+
Series Grade to Date: B

Review: Mecury's War

Title: Mercury's War

Author: Lora Leigh

Published: October 2008

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Stand Alone/Series: Breed Book 16. For the complete list see Lora Leigh's site.

From the Author Site: Someone has been slipping the Sanctuary’s secure information to a pharmaceutical company. Now it’s up to Ria Rodriguez to pose as a clerk and uncover the leak. Yet she has no idea of the danger she’s about to encounter—or the passion she’s about to ignite in one of the greatest Breeds ever created.

Hero: Mercury Warrant: Although he is physically most like his animal, lion in this case, he would have been voted "the breed most likely not to kill". Seemingly mild mannered and controlled, he is the best Enforcer the Breeds have. But under all he mildness, there is an animal fighting to be free, and oh boy oh boy do we want him to be free. Once he is free he becomes a Breed of unequaled power, a true Breed, where man and beast are equal.

Ever since he was introduced, in Man Within, I've been eager for his story. To say the least, Lora did not disappoint. Mercury has suffered for years with the knowledge that his mate, or at least the Breed who was to be his mate, was dead, killed while on a mission. But then in walks Gloria "Please call me Ria" Rodriquez and he is mesmerized and his whole world turns upside down and the beast awakens.

Review: Gloria 'Ria' Rodriquez: All her life she has been looking for a place to fit in, a place that she can be herself. She has trained herself to blend, hiding her true self with a boring and bland exterior, to do what she believes she has to in order to make her way in the world. An orphan, whom the Vanderale's took in, raised, trained and employeed.

At first glance she's a boring bland, straight-forward character, spy in sheep's clothing. But as the story unravels, we find that she is more that she appears. She's not the boring, mild mannered little paper pusher sent to audit Sanctuary's finances to determine whether Vanderale's money is being well spent, but a brilliant mind sent (in secret even from the almighty Leo) to find a spy. Once out of her safe "paper pusher" clothes and skin, she is a power to be reckoned with.

Review: There is a leak at Sanctuary and Dane Vanderale is determined to find it and deal with it before the Leo starts making it one is favorite vacation spots. Now that Breeds are common knowledge, the Leo and his mate want to spend time with their other children and Dane, as heir apparent, is determined to protect his parents. Enter Ria, Dane's spy, for the right price.

Lora Leigh once again delivers an erotic tale, a story that just steams right off the pages. As soon as Ria steps foot out of her plane, the tension starts. Mercury has been assigned to Ria, as her protector/bodyguard for the duration of her stay and all he can think of is how to get under her "ugly" skirts. As threats to Sanctuary increases, Mercury's protective detail moves from the porch into the cabin and the temperatures rise.

Not only does Mercury's beast awaken, but so do his feral instincts causing problems within the Breed community itself. While some want to protect the Breed by hiding the more animalistic natures of the Breed, others feel the need to let the animal free.

Keeper?: Yes.

Recommendation: Yes. I have to say this is one of my favorites in the series. Mercury is quite irresistible and Ria is very funny and likable.

Rating: 4.5

Review: Lora Leigh's Breed Series

Finally finished all the Breed books, Lora Leigh. Here's a review of all ones I haven't reviewed yet:

Title: Elizabeth's Wolf

Author: Lora Leigh

Genre: Romantica (Romance/Erotica)

Stand Alone/Series: Series (but can be read as a stand alone) - Feline Breed (even though Dash is Wolf Breed) or Breed

From the Author Site: Elizabeth is running for her young daughters life, and losing the race. But when her daughter takes up correspondence with a Special Forces soldier overseas and he learns the danger they’re in, all the fury of a Wolf Breed fighting for his mate is unleashed. And secrets are revealed that could destroy a child’s life.

Review: I enjoyed the story. But it was the basic knight in shining armor who sweeps in the save the day and he only has to convince his damsel in distress that he is a good guy. Dash is dashing (*grin*). Elizabeth was a strong female character but she falls quite easily into Dash's arms. Bit unbelievable, she's been betrayed numerous time but ends up trusting a total stranger with very little struggle, inner and outer. Cassie's cute but unbelievable powerful, but there is no explanation for her physic gifts. Overall the story was interesting but a bit formulaic.

Keeper?: yes

Recommendation: Only for people who enjoy erotic. Lora Liegh is very steamy.

Rating: 4 of 5


Title: Kiss of Heat

Author: Lora Leigh

Genre: Romantica

Stand Alone/Series: Series Feline Breed or Breed

From the Author Site: Sherra has kept the natural mating heat breeds and their mates experience under control for far too many years. Its been ten years since the lover she was torn from in the labs returned. Ten years that’s she’s been forced to confront him nearly on a daily basis. And the heat is growing out of control. The woman’s emotions and fears are tearing through her. Now, she won’t be able to run from her mate much longer as old fears and deceptions begin to fade away beneath the love and aching need she never forgot for one man.

Review: There really wasn't much of a storyline other than the struggle between the hero and heroine. I found myself most annoyed at the heroine. Sherra continues to hold a grudge against Kane even though she finds out that he didn't betray her and that he thought she was dead. Kane was good hero. He pressured but didn't wasn't overpowering. Loved his little quips at the Felines Breeds.

Keeper?: Yes, but only because it's a part of a series.

Recommendation: Only if they were going to read the series.

Rating: 3 of 5


Title: Wolfe's Hope

Author: Lora Leigh

Genre: Romantica

Stand Alone/Series: Series - Wolf Breed or Breed

From the Author Site: Hope believed Wolfe was dead, but he was only waiting for the right time to claim her. The scientist who created him, Hope’s mother, has forced his hand. She wants her creation back, and she wants any children he may breed on her daughter. He is a man whose DNA was altered, infused with the genetic code of the wolf. His unique genetic makeup has created a male unlike any other and will make itself known in the most surprising ways. Now Hope must convince her mate she hasn’t betrayed him, and they must defeat the plans of a scientist gone mad.

Review: This was a very short story and as such everything very condensed. I didn't get a feel for the characters and the story wasn't gripping. Not being able to connect with either the story or character made this just a time filler. Really the most interesting part was the teaser at the end leading into the next story.

Keeper?: No

Recommendation: Only read if you want to read the complete series.

Grade: 2.5


Title: Jacob's Faith

Author: Lora Leigh

Genre: Romantica

Stand Alone/Series: Series - Wolf Breed or Breed

From the Author Site: Jacob left Faith six years before, unaware that the mark he left on her also left her in an agony of sexual heat that never dimmed. Now Jacob and Faith are together again, but surprises lurk around every corner and dangers as dark and deadly as their very creation surround them in more ways than one.

Review: Most the story was the struggle been Jacob, who can't figure out where the sweet girl he knew went, and Faith, who is pissed at Jacob for leaving her. Nice tension and Faith puts up a great struggle and gets her way, mostly. I'm not much for the hero who leaves to give the heroine time to 'grow up' when they've already been intimate and without telling the heroine why he's leaving. I wished that had been more about the search for the Genetic Council Lab. The book again ends with a teaser about the next book.

Keeper?: Yes

Recommendation: Only if they enjoy erotica.

Rating: 3.5 of 5


Title: Aiden's Charity

Author: Lora Leigh

Genre: Romantica

Stand Alone/Series: Series - Wolf Breed or Breeds

From the Author Site: But can the human heart accept and adapt as easily? Can Charity bestow the love and the acceptance that has always been a part of her, to the man whose very survival depended on the hardening of his heart, of his soul? And can Aiden maintain that cruelty now, in the face of the sacrifices she made? Only time and nature can tell…

Review: The first half the book was spent on the hero and heroine staying away from each other and not accepting of their fate. Annoying, he blames her for 'betraying' him and there is no satisfying reason as to why she is staying away from him. Once Aiden decides that he doesn't want to fight fate, which in my opinion took too long, everything just dominoes along predictably. Wing Breeds, introduced at the end of the previous books, disappear after the rescue and some cryptic remarks so perhaps we will see more of them later in the series.

Keeper?: Yes if you are reading the series.

Recommendation: Yes if you are reading the series.

Rating: 3 of 5

Overall: It's not the best or worst series I've ever read. But there are many discrepancies. Ms. Leigh acknowledges this on her site. I found the Feline Breed books were more interesting.

Reading My Life Away

Hello all. Well after not sleeping for 2-1/2 days, I am happy to say the sleep pattern has return to normal (but the dreams are pretty strange). So other than reading and not retaining anything (good thing there are always the old standbys - Psy-Changling series by Nalini Singh this time around) everything is just peachy.

Back in the so-called sane world, life moves on.

Lately I have been reading a lot of Lora Leigh lately. So I am reviewing the first two books in the Feline Breed series.

Feline Breed Book #1: Tempting the Beast

This book is published by Ellora's Cave Romantica Publishing and is definitely romance/erotic. The love scenes are intense and describe in detail.

Author Blurb: Callan Lyons is a genetic experiment. One of six fighting for freedom and the survival of their Pride. Merinus Tyler is the reporter who will tempt him, draw him, until the fury of the “mating frenzy” locks them into a battle of sexual heat there is no escape from.

Deception, blood, and the evil Genetics Council are hot on their trail. Callan will use his strength to try and save them both…and do all in his power to keep his woman in the process.

The story was very well incorporated with the love scenes, it did not feel awkward as in some erotic were the sex seems quite gratuitous. The storyline was interesting and kept me interested in were the story was heading. Tension, love, action, betrayal... what more could you ask for in a book?!

Rating: 4 out of 5


Feline Breed Book #2: The Man Within

This book is published by Ellora's Cave Romantica Publishing and is definitely romance/erotic. The love scenes are intense and describe in detail.

Author Blurb: He had protected her as a child, filled all her teenaged fantasies and stole her womanly heart, only to break it.

Now, fifteen months later, the news has released. The man she loves is one of the genetically altered Feline Breeds who have shocked the world with their presence. He’s also her mate. The mark on her neck attests to that. The fire that rages in her heart and in her body further proves it. But he hadn’t wanted her then; does he really want her now?

Deceit and treachery, born in the past, now haunt the present as Taber and Roni fight to make sense of a sudden bonding. The mating of heart, body and soul as the man and the beast within merge; both battling the forces raging against the union and dominance over the woman he claimed.

This story was not as riveting as the first and was also less romantic. For the first half of the story, both hero and heroine spend much time thinking about how the other left them just when things where heating up. The story was a bit weak and the love scene were less smoothly incorporated into the overall storyline. Felt like there should have been more of something. The love scenes seemed more "wham bam thank ma'am" rather then romantica.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5