"Erotica at its best"

This is another in Lora Leigh's Breed series. Genetically created men and women, genes altered so they carry traits of big cats, wolves and other animals. The series has endless possibilities, and look for Leigh to carry it to NYC mainstream print soon. This is a super-charge erotica tale, yet Leigh has a craft that transcends erotica.

Roni is a poignant character. Found hiding in a wood by Taber when she was eleven, he has kept watch over her, tried to protect her. Now, she is a grown woman and he is still getting her out of scrapes. Roni is used to, at best, an indifferent father, abusive when he wants money from her. Worse, he's always getting into trouble and it comes down on Roni. She has grown up basically alone, no one there for her. Roni has wanted Taber, been in love with him since she was sixteen, but Taber ignores this and tries to be a big brother.

Taber keeps his distance because he is Feline Breed. In Wolf Breed the genes are recessive, but not in the cats. Many of the feline traits are evident, so he feels he has no right to love Roni. As Roni pushes for more from Taber, he marks her. Something about the Felines, that physical mark their mate, similar to a passion mark, but the mark never vanishes. Due to Roni thinking Taber didn't want her and Taber getting a message Roni wanted nothing to do with him, they keep their distance for over a year.

However, when the news of the Breeds exploded on the television, her father becomes aware Roni carries Taber's mark. Instead of keeping his mouth shut daddy dearest sees it as a way to make big bucks. The covert operatives that ran the Breed Program are hunting them down and killing them. They also want more information on the mates, the women whom they are claiming. Roni would bring a big chunk of change for her father. When she refuses to cooperate, he reveals her bond with Taber, forcing Taber to come claim her to save her from those hunting him. He knows she is a target now, that he must come and claim his mate.

Only Roni is unprepared for what that means, and really doesn't want to be his mate now that he turned his back on her for so long.

It's erotica, not the more mainstream of the brilliant ELIZABETH'S WOLF, so know that going in. Leigh is a talent to be reckoned with. Where she really excels is her characters. She makes you know these people, makes you care. I eagerly await her jump to NYC publishers and see what she does with a bigger showcase.

Reviewed by DeborahAnne MacGillivray
Posted August 20, 2005