Branded by Fire by Nalini Singh

Back Cover

Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.

But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire…

REVIEW: Of all the books that I have been looking forward to coming out this summer Branded by Fire is at the top of that list. So when I saw it at Borders a full week earlier than it was suppose to be out I could hardly contain myself. My husband laughed at me when I put it at the top of the grocery list and underlined it 4 times. When we got home from doing all the shopping I disappeared upstairs and read the entire book in 3 hours. Later that same night I ran a bath and read the book again.

Riley has been a character that I have loved ever since Slave to Sensation, his fury and helplessness at his sisters kidnapping was so wrenching. When we met up with him again in Caressed by Ice, we got a lot more of Riley, but more big brother Riley, don’t you put your stinking psy hands on my baby sister. He still had a lot of held over emotion from Breena’s kidnapping.

When Riley walked out of the forest to asked Mercy if she had an itch I knew that we were finally going to get to see the real Riley, and I have to say that he didn’t disappoint. He is strong enough to be Alpha if he wanted to be, completely loyal to Pack, always has the Pack’s best interest at heart, and can tell Hawke that he needs to deal with Sienna. He is also one hot male.

One of the things that I loved about him was his ability to own up to his mistakes and to correct them. When he screws up with Mercy, he mans up and apologizes.

Mercy is one tough woman. She is a strong dominate woman, and wants a man that is strong enough to take her on, and not try and change her. She isn’t exaclty happy about her attraction to Riley considering that he is a damn wolf, and she is a cat. The two don’t exactly mix. But Riley gets her juices flowing.

Being a sentinel is a part of who Mercy is, and she makes absolutely no bones about that fact, and that no man is going to make her quit being a sentinel. Because of this it takes her long time to admit to more than sexual feelings for Riley, especially as they hunt for those that dare hurt those under her protection.

The mating dance between these two is one of the best ones that she has written, I think that is because it isn’t about breaking Silence, it is about choosing who is more dominate, and also who will have to give up their pack. I will say this though that when the mating dance is finally acted upon it is one of the best scenes I have ever read. Riley’s wolf cry when Mercy is hurt is gut wrenching, I had tears in my eyes as he tried to wake her up.

I loved the scenes with Hawke where Sienna was topic of conversation. I can hardly wait for these two to finally have a story. I have a feeling that when it comes it will be explosive. I really hope that the Kit Sienna thing is just a teenage relationship, because there is no way that Kit could handle Sienna. He would have to be Alpha for him to be able to take her on and we all know that Lucas is going to be Alpha for a while.

Ms. Singh likes to throw little twists at us I know, but was so not expecting the twist to come from Nikita, nor the one from Tatiana even though she is something of a dark horse.

I do have to say that the heat in this book was AMAZING!!! Becuase both Riley and Mercy are changlings they are completely comfortable with their sexuality, making the sex HOT!!

I really try hard not to have favorites in a series, but I have to say that after Caressed by Ice and Hostage to Pleasure, Branded by Fire is one of my all time favorites. There is just something about those damn wolves. I can hardly wait for the next book to come out Blaze of Memory which is Dev and Ekaterina’s story. Ms. Singh also jsut announced that she is working on the next book in this series and it is Max’s (the cop from Mine to Possess) story.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.