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