Leopard’s Blood (Leopard People #10) by Christine Feehan-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway
LEOPARD’S BLOOD
Leopard #10
by Christine Feehan
Release Date: October 24, 2017
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, paranormal, romance
Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo /
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 24, 2017
Though born into a leopard’s lair in the bayou, Joshua Tregre’s fighting skills were honed in the rainforests of Borneo. Sleek and deadly, he’s the perfect man to take over a crime syndicate back home in Louisiana’s lush swamplands. His razor sharp instincts give him an edge in the violent underworld he knows so well, but even the watchful leopard inside him isn’t prepared for the danger that comes from the girl next door…
She is a woman who can create beauty out of thin air—and out of the ruins of her own life. The games that dangerous men play have taken their toll on her, but she is bent, not broken. And it’s her fierce spirit that’s like a lure to Joshua, a temptation he can’t resist—even if it means bringing his true nature into the light…
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REVIEW: LEOPARD’S BLOOD is the tenth installment in Christine Feehan’s contemporary, adult LEOPARD erotic, paranormal romance series focusing on the supernatural world of the Leopard shifter. This is businessman Joshua Tregre and artist/carpenter Sonia Lopez’s story line. LEOPARD’S BLOOD can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary although LEOPARD’S BLOOD continues to follow the author’s latest series arc focusing on the Russian and Italian mafia.
Told from dual third person points of view (Joshua and Sonia) LEOPARD’S BLOOD follows the building relationship between leopard shifters Joshue Tregre, and Sonia Lopez. Following the murder of her father and the death of her mother Sonia found herself indebted to the Russian mob. Escaping to the swamplands of Louisiana, our heroine works as a home rebuilder until the fated day her internal beast goes maddeningly into heat. Enter Joshua Tregre, Sonia’s neighbor and her would be mate who claims our heroine as his own. What ensues is the insta-lust/love between two people more animal than human, and the potential fall-out when Sonia’s past comes seeking revenge.
Like all Leopard males Joshua Tregre is an over –possessive, over-protective alpha who claims his mate before anyone else. His need to protect is controlling but our heroine needs to be protected from a past seeking revenge. Sonia is willing to place herself in danger to protect the people she loves but she is not as capable of defending herself against men and leopards twice her size. The back and forth, yin and yang of their relationship is somewhat volatile but unlike many of the author’s previous story line heroes Joshua Tregre is a little tamer, and not willing to break the will of his leopard mate. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense; Joshua needs to mark his mate to warn others of their mating. There are some scenes of light spanking (discipline) and toy play.
We are reintroduced to Alonzo Massi (Leopard’s Fury #9) and his brothers and cousins -Gorya, Timur and Mitya; Joshua’s right hand man Evan; Sonia’s friend Molly Sheffield, and police detective Bastien Foret; and Russian mobsters Nikita and Sasha Bogomolov. There are many mentions of, but no appearances by previous story line leopards including Jake Bannaconni, Eli Perez, Elijah Lospostos, and Drake Donovan.
The world building continues to look at the world of the leopard shifter with mentions of Borneo, and the abusive earlier lives of many of the leopard males; there are some threats of rape, murder ands sexual assault but the author does not go into livid detail as in previous series and stories. LEOPARD’ S BLOOD, although bloody and violent does not go into graphic detail.
LEOPARD’S BLOOD is a story of fated mates; of a shifter breed capable of violence and murderous rage but a shifter that is also capable of romance and love. The premise is exciting and action packed; the characters are colorful and lively; the romance is provocative and seductive.
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
Posted by arrangement with Berkley, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © Christine Feehan, 2017.
Sonia Lopez followed the narrow game trail, the one she’d widened over the last few weeks that led deeper into the swamp. Insects droned all around her, a loud cacophony of sound. None stopped when she stepped lightly along the ground, a tribute to the fact that she’d spent every night for the last two months learning every inch of the piece of swamp that belonged to her. She owned forty acres and wanted to become acquainted with all of it. For this. She’d known it was coming, and she was very, very glad she’d prepared.
“We’re almost there,” she whispered softly. “Hold on. I know it’s hard.”
Something moved beneath her skin, a wave that pushed outward and then slid away, leaving behind a horrible itch that made her want to scratch until she bled. Her joints ached. She burned in her most feminine core, a savage, brutal need driving her deeper and deeper into the swamp. She was on fire. Every part of her, her body so sensitive, clothing hurt. Every movement brushed streaks of fire from her breasts to her sex. She ached. She needed. The only safe place she had was the swamp.
The grunt of a wild boar had her quickening her step. She had to get to the very heart of the swamp where she’d constructed a small blind, just big enough so she could have a thin mattress, strip, leave her clothing in relative safety and shift. Hurry. Hurry. Hurry. The words thundered in her ears accompanied by the drumming of her heart.
Sonia had allowed her leopard to run free when there was opportunity, ever since that first, shocking, terrifying appearance when the cat had saved her life. It had never been like this. This . . . this . . . necessity. She breathed deep as her joints began to pop. Her knuckles were on fire, the ache becoming a terrible pain that wouldn’t let up. “Wait. Just try for me, Gatita. Just try to hang on. We’re close.”
She didn’t dare let her cat loose anywhere near civilization. Not now. Not ever, but now was the most important. Gatita was definitely in heat. That meant Sonia was in heat and couldn’t be any place a man might be. She didn’t trust herself. She had had no idea the heat would be so intense, such a terrible force driving her beyond all endurance.
Her leopard was in need, and if the way her body was burning was any indication, her cat was going up in flames. She tried running, but stumbled when her toes began to curl down. The blind was just ahead and she threw herself forward those last few feet, tugging her shirt over her head and pulling off her shoes. Her jeans were next. She was usually good about folding clothes and being neat, but there was no time. Her female was in trouble, and Sonia was driven to help her.
Nothing had prepared her for the brutal hunger, the need filling her mind and body until she wanted to scream. Nothing helped. She’d tried. Toys. Fingers. She’d given up, sobbing, standing under the cold of the shower until she realized that wouldn’t help. Nothing would help. And it was far worse for Gatita.
Christine’s Feehan’s publisher is graciously offering a paper copy of LEOPARD’S BLOOD to ONE lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.
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