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Tempting the Beast (Feline Breeds, Book 1)
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| Part No: | 1843607247 |
| Manufacturer: | Ellora's Cave Publishing |
| MFG Part: | |
| Customer Rating: | 4.0 / 5.0 |
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Book 1 in the Feline Breeds seriesCallan 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 they cannot escape.The evil Genetics Council is hot on their trail. Leaving a trail of their own of deception and blood. Callan will use his strength to try to save them both...and do all in his power to keep his woman in the process.
| More like 3.5 | 2010-08-09 | 3 / 5 |
| Tempting The Beast is the first in the Breed series. The first three quarters of the book I was very disappointed by the story. The plot seemed thin. I personally don't mind a far-fetched plot line (this is the fantasy genre) when it's well and strongly done. That was missing at the beginning of the book. It seemed that this book was over-edited. There were times when passages seemed to be missing that would have added to the flow and continuity of the story and conversations between the characters. There were times I turned back a page because the conversation seemed to jump ahead with out real warning. A little more detail could have made this smoother.
Merinus was also one of the most annoying leading ladies I have ever had to suffer through. It seemed both she and the author were confused as to who she really was. I honestly get tired of authors creating great alpha males and then trying to come up with an equally strong counterpart for them who comes off as a strubborn, irrational, screaming shrew an is no where near the males equal in anyway. Stubbornnes is not a writing shortcut for strength and a woman's smart-aleck response does not necessrily put them on equal footing or put the man in his place.
There is the attempt to portray Merinua as a hard-as-nails chick. A strong woman more than equal to Callan (an alpha male), but the only sign of that inner strength was her foul mouth. When she attempted to stand up for herself it was not on her own two feet but her brother's brawn. I lost count of how much time she spent crying. She did not seem smart enough or mature enough to handle the assignment of reaching out to Callan on behalf of the family news business. For the first three quarters of the book she was more like a spoiled princess threatening to have her brothers beat Callan up. She was almost enough to put the book down...
Except there was Callan, strong alpha male that he was. He made the first three quarters of the book readable for me. He on the other hand was smart and it was easy to understand where he was coming from.
The book really starts to pick up in the last 60 pages with the action and Merinus suddenly joins adulthood in her maturity level (although when that finally happened I wondered what was the point of all the complaining in the first half of the book?) The plot pulls together for a strong ending that makes you want to pick up the other books. This book could probably have stood for another 50 or more pages to firm up the plot through the beginning of the book.
Overall becuase of a great alpha male and a strong ending I would rate this book as a 3.5 and I'll acutally put the next book on my to read list.
Warning: This book is more than steamy, it's graphic if you are prone to blush at all, you may want to skip it as there are a lot of sex scene's.
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| The first cookie in the cookie cutter world | 2010-08-09 | 2 / 5 |
| I read this book a long time ago, and recently reread it because I really loved Anya and Del Rey in COYOTE'S MATE and thought I'd read the whole breed series in order. I remember my first impressions of this book was that it was scorching hot. That still holds true, HOWEVER upon reading it a second time, I found a lot to be lacking. For one, Leigh needs a stronger editor. There are so many little errors and incomplete scenes in the book that it started irking me. I didn't understand the intent or action of the character sometimes because it seemed like some of the descriptors were missing. Additionally, this story is formulaic to all the other stories. It becomes supremely repetitive. Here's the gist of it:
Girl meets Breed. Hormone/mating heat triggered. Girl denies Breed. Breed forces the issue and seduces girl. Girl blames breed for taking advantage and not wanting the mating. Blah blah blah, big misunderstanding, blah blah blah, she feels sorry for his suffering and this is supposed to make the reader sympathize and make everything a-okay, blah blah blah, sex sex sex, a few mind-blowing orgasms later, kick a couple of bad-guy butt, and look! Happily ever after.
Additionally, I'm supposed to suspend belief and believe that all of these women are in their early 20's and "mature" but, in many instances, also innocent and virginal. It's an oxymoron. An experienced innocent. You can't be independent and self-aware and tough with the wide-eyed wonder of a deer caught in headlights. It's just not believable. Trying to convince me that they are accomplished and mature at 24 and showing me are two very different things, and no WONDER Merinus and Rachel (from Jonas' story) are best friends. They're both whiney, too-stupid-to-live women. Seriously, there is a scene where Merinus is lost, and gets out of her car to start wandering around WITHOUT her cell phone. REALLY? What sane woman would get out of her car on a road with no lights, in the middle of a forest, in the dead of night, without her cell phone or back-up or letting someone (like her tough ex-Special Forces older brother) know where she's headed, fully KNOWING that there are mercenaries around? Why do the logical, common sense thing, right? To practice common sense would prove that you're not a moron?!? Too Stupid to live.
And the men aren't much better. I found their relationship patronizing - as well as many of the other breed relationships. It's as though the male humors the females temper tantrums and "independence". I can't believe I have twelve more books to read in this series. With the exception of COYOTE'S MATE, I think I'm returning them all.
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| No hairballs in this fascinating erotic sci-fi story about people with big cat DNA | 2010-08-03 | 4 / 5 |
| The hero Callan is the leader of escaped inmates from a secret genetics program wherein human DNA is mixed with big cat DNA. The heroine Merinus is a reporter researching the story of the genetically altered escapees and trying to expose the program's unethical treatment.
Pros: The concept is terrific. It's a fascinating world and situational set-up. Using "mating heat" is an interesting short-cut to getting the hero and heroine together. I much prefer this chemical explanation, to the seeming divine knowledge often used in romance where the hero just knows the heroine is "the one."
Cons: The balance was off for me. The focus was sex. I know it's erotica, and I liked the sex scenes a lot as they added to the relationship, but I was dying for more world building. That's the strength of this book and I wish there were about 100 more pages explaining this world, the cat people, the Council, the program, the complex relationships etc.
I liked the characterizations of Callan and Merinus, but didn't buy that Merinus was a virgin as she didn't think like a virgin and knew way too much about the act. Also why make her a virgin in her 20s? I don't think it was necessary to the story or her character.
This is my first Leigh book and I like her writing style. But I think she may have written this too fast. It showed in the reuse of phrases like "the whole nine yards" twice on the same page. This book needed a good copy editor. There were a few grammar problems, but overall this was a really good creative story and I'll read the next in the series.
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| Not what I expected | 2010-08-02 | 4 / 5 |
| | This first book of the Breed romances was not quite what I thought it would be. It was better! I've read the later books and have wondered about the leaders' stories. I am going to find them all now and add to my collection of romances. Loved the friction between the male and female leads and the views each has of the others' life and situations. Lora Leigh writes a great story line that leaves you wanting more. I am looking forward to the secondary characters stories especially Shera's. |
| If it's what you're looking for... | 2010-07-20 | 3 / 5 |
| | Porn, let's not beat around the bush here, that's what this book is, mostly. Readable porn however, but you should know up front what you're getting. Every other page is this couple screwing BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO. They're in heat, him being part lion and all as a result of evil scientists messing with his DNA (and what's with the name--Callan "Lyons," oh please.) The heroine Merinus, well she's not part lion but I guess his sexy liony pheromones get to her and she goes from virgin to uber slut-girl. Anyway, they're both horndogs, or horncats, whatever, and that's what this book is about--two people humping their brains out, but not because they've built up a relationship over time or have any real feelings for each other. Or even know each other. Just when the plot starts to move forward, you turn the page and oops, they're at it again. The writing is really not that bad, but it's not the greatest either, in my opinion. In one paragraph I think the author used the word "damn" at least four times and her use of naughty smutty words seemed kind of silly. Don't get me wrong, a book with no sex can be pretty boring, but sometimes too much of a good thing is overkill. Anyway, if you're into Me Tarzan-You Jane bodice-ripper porn, you'll love this book. If you're looking for many many vivid descriptions of a couple getting off, as opposed to great engaging storytelling, you'll love this book. Oh, and just one word for the "barb." ICK. |
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