Title: Leopard’s Run
Series: Leopard People Book #11
Stand Alone Title: yes, but recommended in order
Author: Christine Feehan
Genre: Romance
Blurb: He keeps his emotions on a tight leash, but she can see the desire burning in his eyes…
Timur Amurov has one purpose in life: protect his family at all costs. With lethal skills honed from a violent upbringing, Timur is a leopard shifter who sees any newcomers as possible threats–and the petite blond barista who his sister-in-law, Evangeline, has hired to work in her bakery is definitely hiding something. While Timur still needs to determine if Ashe is an enemy, he does know that she is the only woman whose presence has ever truly calmed the beast roaring inside of him.
Ashe Bronte is well aware she has a type: sexy, gorgeous and dangerous as hell. Despite the fact that Timur is all those things and more, Ashe is in San Antonio for reasons that do not involve getting wild with a ruthless leopard–and she cannot afford to make any mistakes. But Timur has ignited something deep within her, and even though she knows she should keep her distance, every move he makes has her craving a taste…
Favorite quote(s): “I want you forever. Not for fifteen minutes. Not for an hour. Not for a day. It has to be forever.”
“I have a woman, stubborn as hell, and I would prefer her to tell me straight up she was staying, but she can’t do that right now. So until she can, I’m going to be a little out of whack.”
“My leopard claimed yours, Ashe. He isn’t going to let her go. We both know that. I don’t want to let you go. Me. Not my leopard. You’re the first thing I’ve ever wanted for myself. You’re the first time I’ve ever thought maybe I could have some kind of life. I don’t want you to go, not for my leopard or yours, but for me.”
Thoughts: “Her name is a joke. Ashe Bronte? That’s ridiculous. No one is named that. Maybe a f@#$%*g porn star.” -Oh, how quickly they fall….LOL Timur wanted nothing to do with Ashe in the beginning, and rather matter-of-factly was ready to get rid of her. Then again, Timur is an interesting character….I honestly didn’t like him very much in the beginning, but I pushed through and – while I’m still a bit conflicted with him – he had just enough sweet words that just got me that kept me from writing him off completely.
The leopard series by Feehan actually was my favorite by the author, however I was never very happy with the whole ‘mafia’ direction turn that this series wound up taking – “They weren’t good men and never had been, yet they refused to give up the women they loved.” While they are ‘bad boys’, they do have a code of honor – which makes it great for romance novel, not so great for mafia connections. I’ve read everything from mafia stories to motorcycle gangs, but the mafia thing just doesn’t mesh in these books in my opinion.
I haven’t really enjoyed the series as much since the mafia angle, but it’s still a good series. The saving grace is usually the female characters, and I really enjoyed Ashe, who was a heroine who kicked butt and took names – and with a creative ingenuity that made me love her even more. – “You’re so lucky, man. She’s a total babe. She’s a mankiller and that’s hot as hell.”
There was a small bit of repetitiveness that started to annoy me – for example, if I read that they mated ‘over, and over, every fifteen minutes or so’ I was going to scream. Yes, I got it the first time….I don’t need to read that every single time they mate in animal form. I usually don’t get irritated with little things like that, but it happened enough that it started aggravating even me!
Nevertheless, if you are a fan of the series, this will be a great one to read. If your new to the series, the earlier books are amazing and I definitely recommend reading them in order.
Rating: B+
