Bengal's Quest

Breeds #21

by Lora Leigh

New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh tells a story of two Breeds who are united by animal desires, only to find it’s vengeance that stirs the mating heat…

He was a shadow, ever shifting and insinuating, able to blend in everywhere and anywhere. The elusive ideal conceived and created by the Genetics Council, he went by just as many names as he had identities—the last one being Gideon. 
 
Now calling himself Graeme, he hides in plain sight, terrifyingly close to his goal. A rogue Bengal Breed, he has loyalties to no one but himself. And he has a need for vengeance that surges hot and swift through his veins.
 
Graeme plans to exact an extreme and ruthless vendetta against those who wronged him—Breed and human alike. All will suffer his wrath: those who created him, those who pretended to love him, and those who betrayed him.
 
That includes the one at the center of it all: a seductive, enigmatic woman helpless against the man whose desire is just as desperate as his need to destroy.
 
And he’s on her scent…

Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Paranormal Romance, Erotica, Shapeshifters, Fantasy, Adult

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 23, 2015

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Lora Leigh is a New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance novels. Leigh started publishing with electronic publisher Ellora's Cave in 2003. Leigh's longest-running series is The Breeds. She won the 2009 RT Award for erotica. Leigh was born in Ohio and raised in Martin County, Kentucky, US.


https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so fantastically bad, that I actually feel bad for myself and the $7.99 I gave up in order to have this piece of shit whispernetted to me.



And yet, I can only blame myself.

If you read my review for Leigh's upcoming release Cross Breed, you will know that I have been reading this series since before it was appropriate for me to do so...AKA 11-12 years old.

But my corrupted pre-teen self is completely irrelevant here and a story for another day.



Moving on.

As I was saying...if you read my CB review...you will also know that I waved the white flag on this series several books back because it had become repetitive, the story was going nowhere, and because one can only read permutations of "I will destroy you" and "[His sexiness] will destroy me," so many times before eyes literally roll out of their sockets.

However, Cross Breed - which I read because 1) I got it free via NetGalley; and 2) because we have all waited so LONG for Cassie's story - was so solid and so reminiscent of the older books in this series I used to love that I thought to myself, "Self, maybe you were premature in your abandonment of this series? Maybe you should go back and try to read the few later ones you missed? Maybe they were A-fucking-Mazing and you are missing out?"

Yeah...



I should have listened to Self.
Self is good and wise.
Self rarely leads me astray.

Because this book was bad.
This book was convoluted AF and went around in circles like a horny dog chasing its own tail.

Man.
Dashed hopes are crushing, no?

But at least I will always have the first 15 or so solid books of the series to hold to my chest in comfort.
And, of course, Cross Breed.
Which I will choose to consider the last book in the series.

Because self/wallet-preservation.

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Breeds 30
Feline Breeds 17
Featured Couple: Graeme Parker or Gideon Cross or The Executioner or G (Bengal) &
Catarina Graymore-Parker or Fawn Corrigan or Claire Martinez or Cat (definitely NOT human)

This book was a total mess. I didn’t know who was what and what the real name of everyone was until the end of the book. Still I am not sure that I got it right LOL

Gideon Cross (not the guy from the Crossfire series – funny coincidence by the way) knows Catarina since he was 11 and she was just a baby. The scientists at the Brandemore Labs gave the baby to him to look after her, while they were using her for experimentation. Cat apparently would be his potential mate when they would grow up. Gideon imprinted her when she was young without realizing what he was doing. When she was 12, Gideon escaped the labs (I guess he was 20 something then). The scientists decide that Cat and Judd (the twin brother of Gideon Cross) are no longer important and they have to die. Gideon comes back and he saves them both but he got injured and Cat gave him her blood without realizing that the mating heat effects were intensified.

Are you still with me?

Cat, Honor and Judd will escape from the labs. Cat will become Claire and Honor (from Stygian's Honor) will become Liza. I am sure how I can explain this. It involves a tragic accident, the death of two girls, repressing souls, some plastic surgeries, fate and the willing Navajo elders.

Gideon will stay away, until he considers Cat old enough to start officially and seriously the mating process.

I have a headache just explaining the background story…

Gideon is a bengal breed. He is a tortured soul and a little bit psycho. He has endured a great deal of torturing, agony and pain at the labs. A lot of the tortures are described in the book by the way and they will make you your heart bleed.

Lora Leigh has definitely some of the most original concepts in the world of paranormal books. Surely they are a nice break from vampires, shifters etc. Most readers complain that there are inconsistencies in the Breeds books, but I can assure you that they are not that important.

The Breeds books are running for 14 years and they have changed publishers. Moreover in total there are 30 stories so far (most of them long length) and three families of Breeds are described who although they are distinctive they also interact i.e. the felines, the wolves and the coyotes. The author has created a whole new world which is changing through the years and it is evolving continuously.

The story of Judd Cross/Cullen Maverick will be presented in next book:
Wake A Sleeping Tiger

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all the books in this series and have liked and even loved some of them…..and yes, some of them were a bit of a miss for me…but despite those misses I just can’t get enough of the Breeds World!!!

I am amazed that this is the 30th book in the series and still holds an interest for readers of paranormal romance. You have to respect and admire a writer that can keep that interest going for so long!!!

Okay, so Bengal’s Quest was, for me, one of those that I liked…but….in fact, in just escaped being one of those I missed…..
I struggled getting into the story and the characters. There was something, which I find difficult to pinpoint, missing for me in Gideon/Graeham & Cat/Claire’s story.
Their interaction was stilted and repetitive and boring at times and I couldn’t feel a connection between them.
The plot ……I just couldn’t get it!!!! So much going on that I became confused a few times about what was all that about!!!!
And all the secondary characters…talk about overload!! I needed to concentrate who was who and who was doing what!!! And then there’s this paranormal element that I could not grasp at all!!!!

Whilst some questions were answered about the Breed experiments, I was left with …..what? who? Right!!! Yes, I definitely felt confused most of the time!!!
Oh, there’s a new kind of breed introduced her…Winged Breed!!!! Now I have to see what the author is going with that one!!!!

As a whole, I didn’t exactly hate this book…let’s just say I didn’t love it.

I suggest that this book not be read as a standalone as there’s a lot of information one needs to have from previous books to understand the plot and the characters.

Reading order and some of my reviews can be seen here…
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Now, please Ms Leigh…can we have Cassie’s book???? That’s one of my favorite characters in this series and would love to read her story next!!!

[Aisling Zena · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This rant/review is mostly for the Breed series readers. Spoilers ahead if you haven't read book 20 Rule Breaker.

I'm just going to say it. Would you just give us Cassies book already!!! For the love of God, new characters keep getting tagged on, new couples subtly suggested and we still don't have Cassies story. I'm complaining as I have the distinct impression we're getting Lobos and Khis story next(whom I still haven't quite remembered from the previous books) and Cullen/Judds before we get to Cassie.



I kinda hated Jonas more than I did during the other books.Be warned his behaviour is grating during this one. He really annoyed me. Which isn't surprising he annoyed me in all the books even his own.

I don't get the whole Unknown shindig even after finishing the book. This whole story was pretty much pointless but for the twist as the end. It was a good twist and the information about the Breeds and Graeme/Gideon was great but I found the whole romance between Gideon and Cat really flat.

The whole Claire/Fawn/Cat thing was quite confusing as was the whole issue between her and Graeme/Gideon that could have been solved with a few honest discussions, in my opinion anyway. In terms of chemistry,sex,attraction it was all a let down. The issues between them, the mistrust and anger was so eye-roll inducing my eyeballs still hurt.



Will I read the next one? Yes, because I want to know what happens next and I'm a

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graeme was better in other books!



The main storyline was about Graeme (a.k.a. Gideon) and the series has been building up to it for many books. He is a great character, he suffered horrifically in the Labs, having been a favorite of one of the scientists and given the ability to work with the scientist until he was determined to be too smart and a threat.

“Your level of disrespect astounds me,” Lobo pointed out with lazy humor. “Your level of supposed superiority often amuses me,” Graeme assured him. “But I rarely hold it against you. So what does our esteemed director want?”

After he helped the rest of his family escape and was recaptured he was tortured in every conceivable way, including vivisection. Meaning he was basically cut into and operated on while awake until he was dead and they revived him over and over, including holding his heart in front of his face.

So after escaping again, he turned into a raging monster who did nothing bit search out and killing all Genetics Council members that had anything to do with the Labs he was held in. He had also sworn to kill his brother Judd and the two girls that he broke out of the Labs before his recapture. One of which was Fawn/Cat who gave him a transfusion to save his life after the breakout which unknowingly started mating heat within him and added to him going crazy.



This book is Graeme and Cat finally getting together. It was good, but I thought there would be more blood and craziness. It is nice to see that he is sane but there has been more possessiveness, blood, mayhem and craziness in some of the earlier books than in this one. I was hoping for a bit more action considering it was Graeme.

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[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

currently extremely frustrated with reading this book... I have read all 5 million of these books and I swear I do not recognize half of these characters and I think that the main female has had a complete personality restructure, which is super frustrating cuz this is not the first time but that is happened with L.L.


SO EXCITED FOR THIS BOOK!!

[Dee · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a confusing book! I have read every single one in this series and I still am not sure what on earth I've just read.....It's totally confusing and found I had to skip through pages!

[Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: this book is not a standalone nor a good starting point in the series, as there is a convoluted, confusing overall story arc that has spanned several books. The opening prologue flashback helped me recall key parts of the ongoing story, but it’s not enough for a newcomer to the series. Jumping into the mix…

Cat was born a human, but was genetically altered into a Breed in an effort to save her from a childhood illness. For years she posed as Claire Martinez, hiding from the Genetic Council and the Breed who swore to kill her. Claire’s Native American spirit and family kept Cat safe until Claire’s father attacked her, revealing he is part of the Council. Now she has exposed herself as Cat, a Bengal Breed.

Many years ago, Gideon aka Graeme Parker, saved a little girl he called his own. Even though he swore to kill Cat for saving him when she transfused some of her blood into him all those years ago, Graeme did it to protect her from the mating heat. Now that Cat is a grown woman, Graeme knows it is time to claim what is his.

CONFUSED? Yes… this story has been confusing from the start. The multiple personas and vague descriptions of transferring spirits and souls into other bodies has always bothered me a bit. However, as crazy as the storyline has been, I feel that the author did a better than usual job detailing what happened to Cat and others all those years ago over the course of Bengal’s Quest. I finally feel like all of the puzzle pieces have been locked into place and the bigger picture makes some sense.

Although the story was a bit more streamlined, I found I just didn’t care about the romance between Graeme/Gideon and Cat. I kept waiting for that moment when I’d feel something and cheer for the couple, but it never really came. I liked that Cat was strong-willed and appreciated her efforts to reach both Gideon the “monster” and Graeme the alpha. However, I was disappointed with Gideon. After watching his character and actions from the periphery for multiple books, I expected more than what was delivered. And as a mated pair, their romance was mediocre, while the infamous Breed sex scenes were missing their typical edginess.

Additionally, I found myself annoyed with the side characters and potential future storylines, especially one involving Cat’s friend, Khi. This side plot, as well as the introduction of additional Breeds, and what I believe happened to Claire’s spirit are each stories I honestly don’t want to read. I feel let down that Ms. Leigh continues to expand her world rather than write stories around long-standing characters. Finally, the story was riddled with repetitive dialogue and inner-monologing, and could have benefitted from additional editing.

In the end, while I appreciated that Bengal’s Quest was less convoluted and easier to follow that many of the preceding novels, I found that I really didn’t care about the characters any more. I compare the Breeds series to creating a pizza crust from dough: each toss in the air (another book) stretches the overall story further and further away from its center, until it stretches too far and just falls apart. The series, and this story in particular, seems to have lost its shiny goodness and that little something that kept me coming back for more in spite of any flaws or issues. It’s sad to say, but I may have finally OD'd on the Breeds “crack” and can move on. *sniffle*

My Rating: C-
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher

[Vashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my Hurricane Irma books that I read while the hurricane was cutting her swath across my state.I needed books to take my mind off of this historic hurricane as it encompassed our entire state and especially the southwestern coast of Florida where I live.
This was a good entry,though confusing at times.Was the confusion mine based on the storm warping my mind or was it the book? who knows,all I know is that I was able to take my mind away from my fear and stress and escape for a while.

[Zeek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow so much better than some of the latest in the series and wow-miracles of miracles- better quality editing! And the author's finally stopped trying to be so damned cryptic, although it takes a lot of backpeddling to make sense of her writing herself out of the corners she had painted herself into. Still, I think I actually followed it... think anway. Everything was more than a little ridiculous as far that went- spirits buried in souls making random appearances and all. ::shrug:: It was good enough to read in one sitting. :) The spark is there and I hope it remains. I really liked these two and loved the bengal tiger bits about them. (Honestly? This should have been Cabal's story. He got shafted with his book Bengal's Heart, being as it was right when LL's downfall started with her doing too many series. But I digress...)

Graeme...Gideon...G- all the same uber alpha, secretive breed and... a monster.

Many years ago he left his soul with the one being who was created for him, and by him. The machinations to keep her safe this breed pulls rivals another breed we've come to know, loathe and love.

But it's time to come out from the cold because she's tired of waiting- and he'll do anything to keep from losing her permanently. Including suffer her wrath for separating from her in the first place.

(Its not quite as smutty as the series started out to be, but it's still got plenty of heat. rawwrrr)

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirstin's Review:

Bengal's Quest by Lora Leigh 4 out of 5 stars

First a warning....If you have not read the first 27 books in this series, do not read this book. I HAVE read all 27 of the other Breed books and I was still a tad lost because it had been so long since I had read the others. (This book continued and referenced several previous storylines and brought back many previous characters.)

In this book, the Bengal breed Gideon, otherwise known as Graeme, has finally come out of hiding to claim his mate, Cat, otherwise known as Claire.

(See what I mean? This is complicated stuff!)

Add in the usual lust filled, explicit sex scenes and you have book 28 of the Breed series. Of course, if you have invested in reading the other 27 books, you owe it to yourself to read the newest book in the series, right?

So, if you are a Lora Leigh fan, enjoy her newest release!

[Iris Hunter (InstagramREADS) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gideon/Graeme, Cat/Catherine/Clair. The book of the split personality?

It was disappointing in the middle. Not really happening much. Had to skip some pages to keep it interesting and not getting lost in all the fillers. Then there is the romance. I was looking forward to read about some romance between Graeme and Cat... But nog what I expected! I just expected MORE! Not the best book from the Breeds series :( And that is really bad because I love this series.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just when you thought that the Breeds series was winding up and Cassie Sinclair would finally get her HEA is seems a whole lot of new storylines are in the pipeline. And this isn't a bad thing. The extended wait on the publication of Bengal's Quest seemed to improve the quality of the story and the editing which has been somewhat lacking in other instalments. Definitely less smut and repetition of the mating heat. And some interesting directions with the Reaver Brothers, The Unknown and a welcome return of the Winged Breeds.

It seems there may be some life in one of my original "Guilty Pleasure" series yet.

3.5 stars.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow and Alyn's Two-fer review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

SHADOW'S REVIEW 4.5 STARS
Bengal's quest wraps up one segment of Lora Leigh's Breed series and explains a lot about the mysterious breed Gideon.

The story is full of angst, and covers betrayal, misdirection, and intricate planning. It is almost confusing as the reader tries to sort out who is really a good guy and who isn't.

The story revolves around Cat, who grew up with Gideon and his brother, Judd, as her only family. Born with a dangerous disease, the only way to save her was to replace some of her DNA with Breed DNA; a project undertaken by Gideon When Gideon escapes and leaves her behind, Cat is devastated-but not enough to hate him completely. Now that Cat is grown up, can she forgive Gideon for his betrayal?

I liked Cat-she is brave, strong, and willing to fight the whole world for what she believes in. She is a totally sympathetic character. The came cannot be said of Gideon, who claims Cat, but won't admit he loves her. I found him cold, manipulative, and insensitive. Yes, he made sacrifices for Cat, but he couldn't be bothered to tell her the truth, either about himself, or her.
As with many of Lora's stories, a bit of judicious editing would be welcome. There are places where the word “can is used when the word should be “can't”. A slightly less complex story would have improved the book as well. Having said that, this is still an enjoyable book that keeps the reader involved and captivated... and gives the author's followers some hints about what may be in store in the future.

ALYN'S REVIEW 5 STARS
******Possible SPOILERS******
I truly believe that everyone has the ability to let their animalistic side take over once in a while. atruegemawardWhile some may disagree, we all must admit that the ability to go primal lies within us all. In some cases, those primal instincts can be sexy as hell! Perhaps that is why I enjoy shifter books so much, especially The Breeds. Lora Leigh has a way with bringing out the sexy side of the beast within. In this case Gideon: a Bengal breed masquerading as a Lion to protect the woman he claims as his.

If you have not read this series, stop right now and read them. While some of them can be read as standalone novels, this one cannot. It picks up after Stygian’s Honor and without reading that story, there will be confusion.
This story follows Cat and Gideon who were both held in the labs as youths.

Cat was given to Gideon as a newborn and he was tasked with looking after her. Gideon worked with the researchers to create a serum that would help Cat to overcome a deadly defect. His efforts were a success but they also resulted in Cat’s transformation as a Bengal Breed. Not just any Bengal Breed, but one that was connected to Gideon on a level so primal that losing her would cause him to lose himself.

The story begins with Cat’s escape from the labs and she searched for Gideon. When she and his twin finally reach him, he is injured and Cat makes a decision that changes Gideon forever. Forced to push her away or act on his deadliest instincts, Gideon leaves Cat feeling unwanted and confused and she is forced to go into hiding under the disguise of a young Breed named Claire.
Years later the Cat is out of the bag “so to speak” and the truth is about to come out regarding Cat, her friend Honor (who is also in disguise) and a stubborn Lion breed named Graeme. Cat and Honor hold the secrets to what happened in the labs and their blood is worth millions to the Brandenmore scientists that have been hunting for them. Then there is Graeme, to say he is cunning is putting it mildly, there is something about him that just does not seem quite right. Yet, Cat cannot seem to stay away from the stubborn breed and their attraction only seems to increase the more she realizes the truth. Rumors about Gideon have surfaced and the Breed Council is searching for him. Should Cat get her hopes up that he will return for her, or could it be that he never left.

It has been a while since I read this series but I fell in love all over again. While some of the books seem a bit repetitive (male alpha in denial about a female who sets off his mating heat) I have seen a change in the last few books involving more intricate plot twists and story lines. Regardless of the repetitive nature of some of the earlier books in the series, I still love the characters and how well developed they are. Lora Leigh knows her Alpha males well and she knows how to find the perfect females to compliment them. In this instance, we have Graeme, Gideon, and Cat. Gideon was locked away as a test subject in the labs as a youth. Brought up to both understand and enhance genetics, he became smarter than anticipated and developed such a nature that he was the deadliest Breed in existence. When Cat was given to him to protect, something changed. She calmed him but also ignited a fire inside Gideon that created the most protective instinct one could imagine. Cat was his! His to protect, his to love, his to teach, and he did. He protected her in ways she can never learn.

Graeme was not all that he seemed to be. Metaphorically speaking he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. One of the most cunning, there was nothing that escaped his notice and everyone owed him favors. He had more information about every Breed in the compound including Jonas Wyatt, the director himself. Jonas knew there was more than meets the eye but he was determined to stand back and let the truth reveal itself in time. There was one thing that was clear and did not go unnoticed, Graeme could not stay away from Cat. Yes, he had been warned by others that she was most likely Gideon’s mate, but he didn’t care what others said. She ignited a spark within him, and sooner or later that spark would turn to flame.

Cat was stubborn to say the least. She was a well-trained fighter and new how to take care of herself. After all, she had been abandoned more than once. First her parents when she was just hours old, then Gideon, her protector had left her alone and confused. She missed him more than anyone but hated him just as much too. He stole her heart, her trust, and maybe even a piece of her soul. Because of the serum that flowed within her blood, she was a target for the labs. Suspected of being the mate of one of the most feared Breeds in existence, she was forced to go into hiding. Protected by the spirit of a young Breed named Claire, Cat lived among a family that never accepted her and at times some of them even hated her. Now, older and aware of what truly happened, Cat is ready to fight for her life, and her heart.

There are so many intricacies with this story that keep you on your toes. Throughout the entire series we have seen characters develop and grow and a number of new types of Breeds that are discovered. It has made the series one of my favorites because the varying Breeds freshen up the storylines and add more depth to their world. Would I change anything? Hmm, if I could have my way, I want a little more Gideon. There is just something about him that melts my heart. Don’t get me wrong, he is not a tame pussy cat, he is all Alpha and shows it in the fiercest way, but what drives him to be that way is something worth swooning for!

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary

Graeme is one of the most elusive and secretive breeds to exist. He can blend in anywhere and find anyone he desires. He has many identities and now he goes by Gideon. There is a woman that he has know since her birth, she came to him as a babe sick with disease and he cured her using breed genetics, and her name is Cat. Cat can only remember intense pain as a child. Unlike other breeds, she started out as a human and then was turned into a animal. But there are two men she has only ever trusted, twin brothers Graeme and Judd. Graeme she knew would always be there for her, but then he abadoned her and Judd, and at thirteen years old she and Judd managed to escape with Graeme’s help, but it almost cost him his life, and when she healed him with her blood Graeme went insane with primal instincts and vowed to exact revenge. He is on the hunt for Cat, the only woman he has ever loved, his true mate, and he will find her and possess her. But Cat knows what is coming for her, she is resigned to it, she knows there is no escape from his wrath, but she would do anything to protect him and keep him alive, despite the cost to herself. What Cat isn’t ready for is his claiming of her as his mate and she is walking into an unknown territory that she didn’t expect…

For My Full Review--Addicted To Romance

[Debra Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to disagree with some of the reviews I saw about this not being as good as her others in this series. I think it is one of her BEST. I am giving this one 5 stars. There is actually a damn good story here & one worth reading. I have read ALL her books in this series. Some of them definitely 5 star worthy, some not. She took out the repetitiveness in this one, thank goodness, & gave it a new fresh face. The sex scenes are new & different. The whole book is so much better than her last few that it definitely deserves 5 stars. Well done Lora Leigh.

[Helyce · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed here first: http://smexybooks.com/2015/06/review-...

This is Gideon’s story. A shadow of a character introduced around book 7 or so, though we really had no idea of him except very softly in the periphery until more recently where he became an important character in the story arc that involved the fight to save Jonas’s daughter, Amber. Gideon, raised in a lab, was given special treatment when a council scientist became aware that Gideon was a scientific genius and likely held the answers to several of the theories the Breed scientists were trying to discern with their torture type testing. But Gideon was smart enough to know, even as young as he was, that at some point he’d outlive his usefulness and he’d find himself on the wrong end of the lab. So when the opportunity arose, he escaped, leaving behind his brother and a young female breed named Cat.

Cat could not believe that her beloved G would leave her alone. She held on to the hope that he would come back and rescue her. He never did. So, when she and G’s brother were taken from the labs and it became clear that they were being sent off to be eliminated, she let out the beast within, the beast that G had taught her how to hide, and quickly eliminated the guards.

Now, years later, Gideon is ready to claim the woman who is his mate. Cat could never have known that giving Gideon her blood would set off the mating heat in him, causing Gideon to suffer for years until Cat was old enough to understand and accept him as her mate as well. He has his work cut out for him though. Cat doesn’t trust him. He left her and forgiveness is not going to come easy.

If you have not read this series, it is likely that this book will not make much sense to you. It is definitely not a stand alone in my opinion. The story of Cat/Claire, Fawn, Judd and Gideon/Graeme started in book 7 (I think) when the remains of three young teens are found in the desert. There is an intricate back story involving a cover up and of course there is much deception and intrigue surrounding it all. But we don’t see or hear much about these characters for several books until the story arc about saving Amber, Jonas’s daughter, comes into play and our beloved breeds trek back to Window Rock, New Mexico to reveal a mystery and hopefully get their hands on a cure for Amber.

All that aside this was supposed to be the story of Cat reuniting with her beloved G after years of being apart. She never really gave up on him, the bonds of their mating starting years before she was mature enough to understand why she always knew on some deep level within her heart that Gideon was hers. As she grew up, she wished for him, called out to him under the stars, begging him to come for her. He never did. When Graeme shows up, there is something familiar about him and as Cat is around him more and more, and he slowly lets her see his true self, she realizes that this is her Gideon, only she’s not ready to let him in.

I was so excited for Gideon/Graeme’s story. We’d met him a few books back and his secretive persona promised so much more. Gideon is special, a breed like no other. Breeds are not shifters, they do not turn in their animal. Their animal is simply a part of them; but Gideon has Breed traits I’d not seen before. I would have loved it if this could have been explored more. It is clear that Gideon was a scientific genius as he was instrumental in creating the serum that saved Amber’s life. My love of this series has always been rooted to the scientific side of it, but other than being told how special Gideon is, we are not exposed in any great detail to exactly what he can do. Then there is the mating heat; one of the defining characteristics of the Breeds. When that attraction starts, and that first kiss is given and the hormones are passed from one to the other, they are supposed to be inseparable. While previous books have berated us with this phenomenon, in this story Gideon and Cat hardly experience it at all, ever after we are told Gideon is supposed to have been in heat since the blood transfusion from Cat 13 years before. Perhaps his advanced physiology allowed him to function but clearly this should have been explained. Even after they become lovers there is none of the longing that has always been expressed in previous books. This love that started in the labs when Cat was too young to know it, should have been an epic explosion by Breed standards and it so was not!

I have followed this series from the beginning. Through all the good, the bad, the missing chapters in print books, the horrible editing (or complete lack thereof), the fact that at times there was no correlation between a release and anything that had happened before. I have stuck it out, and dealt with the disappointment I might feel after finishing a book for the simple reason that I am waiting, rather patiently since we are at the 30th book, for Cassie’s book. I am holding out because dammit, Leigh has teased us relentlessly with the character named Cassie who is supposed to be so special that I would venture to guess that any diehard Breed reader is only continuing on for exactly the same reason; Cassie’s story.

Dear Ms. Leigh, please do not disappoint us. Please give us the story that Cassie deserves.

[Angela (Angel's Book Nook) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bengal’s Quest is book thirty in the Breeds series by Lora Leigh.

I will point out that this is not a standalone nor a good place to start. Their are key elements, storylines, and continuing things in play in a Bengal's Quest. You might be able to get away with starting at Stygian's Honor for this storyline. The opening prologue helped me recall some events, but it’s not enough for a newcomer to the series.

Cat has been in hiding and now that she is exposed, she is finally living her life. She was born human, but due to an illness she was genetically altered into a Breed to save her life. She suffered just like other Breeds and once she escaped she found herself in a position where she had to pose as Claire Martinez to hid from the Genetic Council and the Breed who swore to kill her.

Years ago, Gideon saved a little girl more then once that he called his own. During his last heroic rescue of her, he found himself hurt and she saved him with a blood transfusion, due to that he he swore to kill her. He hurt her emotionally to protect her from the Mating Heat that was starting to consuming him. Now that Cat is a women, he knows it’s time to claim her as his mate.

Confusing? Bengal’s Quest was a bit confusing and well this storyline has been a bit confusing from the start. The storyline spans at least three books maybe more. We get a vague description of transferring spirits and souls into other bodies. Which this concept has been odd and unusual from the moment it was introduced. I never fully understood what was going on with this spirit/soul storyline, until the end of Bengal’s Quest. Even at the end I was still feeling a little like I was missing something in this area. It’s not complete and I don’t know what’s going to happen or if we will get answers. This isn't the first time the author has gone down one path and then changed her mind and never finished.

The romance between Cat and Gideon was mediocre. I never really connected to either, though I did like that Cat was strong-willed and that she put effort into reaching both Gideon the “monster” and Graeme the alpha. It just felt like the same romance was happening again.

Bengal’s Quest also offered too much and didn’t focus enough on long-standing characters. Ms. Leigh continues to expand her world, rather than focus on the characters she has. We are introduced to several potential future storylines that just got in the way and mad things more confusing. For example we have Cat’s friend, Khi (what is up their?), adding more new Breeds, and what possibly happened or will happen to Claire’s spirit. Finally, the story was riddled with repetitive dialogue and inner-monologue.

I will say it was nice to return to the Breed series after stepping away from it for a time, but I felt like it was the same, rinse wash repeat, and doesn’t have that spark that attracted me to the series to begin with. I’m sure I’ll continue on, but it’s not at the top of my list.

Rated: 3 Stars

[Arlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely NOT a stand-alone book. Nor is it a book you can dive into without reading the DOZENS of books that precede Bengal's Quest. Trust me, I made that mistake and was confused from beginning to end.

I've been eager to try a Lora Leigh book for quite some time and Bengal's Quest kept coming to my attention at the bookstore, on Goodreads and more recently on Overdrive. My intent was going into this book with no preconceived notion of what to expect. BIG MISTAKE! If I would have bothered to do a bit a research, I would have discovered that even longtime fans for the Breeds series were disappointed and confused with this installment that I had no clue was an installment. So imagine where that left me who had no prior background??? I was completely lost.

I had the hardest time figuring out the whole Graeme/Gideon and Cat/Claire/Catherine dynamic that I even surprised myself in completing the story... and these are the main characters! I could not figure that out...

Overall, I don't feel bad rating this story so low because I'm a firm believer that installments for every series should have an element that stands on its own... at minimum (1) explain how the Genetics Council and Breeds fit into the human world... (2) who the main characters are and (3) who/what your characters are up against. It was all so vaguely eluded to that I never really felt I had a good grasp of what was happening.

Lastly, if you can't impress me with substance, at minimum charm me with chemistry between the characters. I couldn't even give it points for that.

Not quite what I expected, but not entirely my own fault. One of my bigger misses for this year.

[Carolyn F. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Audiobook

I am definitely done with this series. So much angst, it drives me crazy. He's keeping secrets and she's not letting go. Then she kind of let's go and then she's back to crying. Constant recriminations, constant crying. I just cannot do this anymore.

[~V~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3 1/2 stars**


This millionth installment in the Breeds series was alright...nothing even remotely close to my few favs in this series but most definitely not as bad as the few that were awful!

This time around we get Gideon and Cat's story. If you've been following this series, which you need to do in order to read this one, it is def. not a book you can read as a stand alone...then you know who both Gideon and Cat are...although they both have gone by multiple names...Gideon has gone by G and everyone now knows him as Graeme and Cat was known as Claire. That in itself is kind of confusing...not to mention the entire convoluted storyline that LL has surrounded all these characters with!

Gideon first made an appearance in a novella a few books back...he's a bit of a vigilante...lives in the shadows, making an appearance here and there to help different Breeds out in dangerous situations, he was even secretly showing up in Jonas' human infant daughter's room to inject her with a serum that was secretly saving her life, after Bradenmore (one of the head council baddies) had injected her with something that is secretly turning her into a lion Breed...i know, it's crazy and confusing so i won't even go into that part in this review...but the guy has def. gotten around! Oh, and he's also been hunting Cat...to kill her (or so everybody things)...she's been in hiding all these years, in a city of Navajo Indians. The indians merged her spirit with one of "their" daughters who was on the verge of death, which is why she was known as Claire for some 11+ years! *shakes head* I guess the whole concept is kind of cool, in theory, but it's dang confusing and with how long it's taking LL to put out the books in this series, it's really hard to keep up and remember all the craziness..I found myself having to go back and skim through the last two books to refresh my memory! Thank goodness for kindles and the "search" feature!!


Gideon is a character that was supposedly the most savagely tortured of all Breeds...put that together with the sneaky way he was always showing up and his apparent genius in out maneuvering everyone..especially someone like Jonas...and it all made for an extremely intriguing character! He was for sure someone i was looking forward to getting his HEA!

There were moments that were sweet and sexy...LL has def. toned down the crude factor in her sex scenes in this book...which i won't complain about! Her sex scenes have always been hot but sometimes the sexual verbiage was a bit much. The cheese factor lines that are often so prominent in her books were also absent this time around...no "warm me, i'm so cold" phrases coming from either and shockingly there was no "soul touching" butt sex!!

I'm not sure what Lora Leigh has planned for this series...personally, i feel like she's pulling a Sherilyn Kenyon by adding too many new characters and stories/world building that she's losing the die hard fans who are waiting for HEAs for characters who've been around forever and still haven't gotten their own books!!! How about a book for Cassie or Dane Vanderale!? How about cute Ashley...the high maintenance little coyote!?...or Brim Stone...Del Rey's second in command!? Even Thor...Diane's "second in command" from Lawe's Justice...he was a quite yummy bad ass human who could SO be a Breed's mate! I don't understand why these authors can't just stick with what WORKED....what made the fans love these series in the first place...sweet emotional romance, with a little added smut to go along with it...it's really quite simple! UGH!

Either Lora Leigh doesn't read fan reviews or doesn't care what her fans want because i know i'm not the only one who's expressed these views/opinions...it's been a long running complaint! Sadly, i doubt this one review will change anything but as a die hard fan of this series, one can hope. :(

Now, to all the fans of this series who want to know whether to read this or not? I say...if you have read the other books and were waiting for Gideon's? Sure, read it...their story was good. But other than Gideon and Cat's romance, don't expect much else. If you're hoping for a sneak peek/glimpse or set up of a potential book for a fan fave character...it's not there. In fact, it appears that she's setting things up for Judd/Cullen (Gideon's twin) to have his book next...and not to sound like a snotty brat but...why are we getting a book for him!? He's barely made appearances! Quite frankly, i couldn't give a sh*t LESS about Judd!! :/

To Miss Lora Leigh i say... We're 30 books into this series woman! Enough is enough already. I think fans should get books for characters they've been hungering for and the series should be finished. If you want to write a spin-off series for the Navajo Indians and their soul swapping (which was done again in this book) then do it...die-hard fans would probably follow and people who are interested but haven't yet read this series can join in because as it stands, no new fans will be jumping on this band wagon because they would have to read THIRTY BOOKS and i don't think that is something anyone is interested in taking on!

[Lani ⚔⚔ the Destroyer ⚔⚔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished Bengal's Quest a few hours ago and I held off writing anything because I am still trying to figure out WTF I just read. I should point out that it has been a while since I read a Breeds book so I had to remember how everyone fit together, and the last few books completely sucked IMO. I was excited to see this one was about Gideon because he has been around in the periphery for many books over the series so I was willing to overlook the dismal few books lately and jump into Bengal's Quest expecting great things.

I like to think I am fairly intelligent (usually anyway) but I was confused by the vague descriptions of the Native American spirit swapping/body snatching/soul possession going on. But whatever, I pressed on and although the plot was a lot more straightforward than previous books (which were pretty convoluted), if the couple were actually honest with each other the pacing would have been a lot better and there would have been more action. I found myself getting a little bored in parts, even though there was less inner monologue (thank goodness) than the last few books, but there was still a lot of repetition. So on one hand it was better than the most recent Breeds books, but still nowhere near as good as the early stories. I wonder if I am done with the series now, but at book 30 I still feel married to it so I need to keep reading to get the characters I want to read about (Dane and Cassie). I am pleased to hear that Cassie is coming up soon.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

The whole book felt like it had 30 pages of plot - max. The conflict was not major and fairly unbelievable. It's resolution wasn't even a deus ex machina, just the characters going "Huh. I guess I'm not really that upset due to reasons I already knew." The characters were undeveloped, and the dialogue was circular. Definitely not Lora Leigh's best work. I felt like she felt that she had to put a book out, so she threw some stuff together and released it. Even the sex scenes were kinda blah and oddly non-descriptive for an author known for explicitly describing the workings of characters genitalia. They were practically old school regency in their "hearts and flowers but no specifics" style. I'm glad I got this at the library because it was a .99c read, at most.

Here's hoping the last two books in the series are better than this, and this is the exception not the rule for this final countdown. I'm really hoping Cassie's book will be good, and I'd rather wait years to get it than have it be the confusing, shallow mess this book is.

[εllε · Rating 4 out of 5]

God! Such a long ride! Book 30! This one was ok. I can't wait for Cassie's book. I've been anticipating it like for...forever! Is gonna be Dog her mate?! ...hope so! :)

[Adoore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book but Cat really angered me at times. How could she not see that everything Graeme did he did it for her safety because he loved her. It was an okay read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

juices count #2 (very low for this series!!)
moist/ure count #10 (different word choices for juices, still very low)

G and Cat's book has more story and less mating heat aka sex scenes which is rare for the series but it was a welcomed change.

The overall plotline with the Genetic Council and the Breeds are very complex and a few questions are answered but we are left with more unanswered.

I really enjoy Brianna Bronte narration! I read most of the series but now that I've become a fan of Bronte I'll continue to listen.

[Janina´s weird self and her weird reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wheeew...3,5 Stars....
I was really looking forward to get to the sexy Bengal and his Story..And i did this for a good long while...!!
It could´ve definately been worse (anyone remember Bengals Heart?!Ugh and where is Azrael anyway???)But i really liked the main Characters, i loved some of those small Plot twists and realisations, i adored meeting again some characters that we havent read about since i dont know how many Books ago and i like (even though its Book 30)that she started the works for yet even more new storylines...There is lots of potential there...
What i didnt like? prolonged bloviation... ^^

To make it short: If you´ve read the ones before, you´ll want to read this because it its actually quite good, youll get further with the plot and GIDEON!!!!!!!!!!!

Now i want to read about Dane, Dog, Cassie, Rhizon, Keenan, Mordecai, Eli, Judd and and and yeaaaah you see now where i was going with the aforementioned potential?

~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~~oOo~



Yeah!!Its finally Gideon Time!!!:)

[Nonieღserenity2bliss · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just like I've said my goodbye to Christine Feehan's Carpathian series, I believe now it's time for me to do the same with this.

My heart and certainly my brain were not in it from start to finish. I just couldn't get into it anymore. I stopped reading this series for quite some time because the series stopped progressing, and it's the same old recipe time and time again. I thought after leaving the series temporarily, it would ignite my interest the same way as it did during the early days of this series.

But it didn't. If anything, I got more confused and annoyed. Reading Bengal's Request reminded everything that I dislike about this series; the stupid heroine, the asshole hero, the horrible dialogues. So to not prolong this torturous experience, it's time for me to move on to other adventures.

[Ashley Daviau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite having only read three books scattered randomly throughout this massive series, I did manage to get a firm grasp on the story and everything that was happening. I find the concept of these books very intriguing and I would definitely read other books in the series. The only thing that affected my enjoyment of this story was that the main female character would go from hating the male main character to having wild sex with to hating him again and back to wild sex. That aspect frustrated me quite a bit but other than that I quite enjoyed this book.

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is hard to make huge series commitments these days with the amount of books we are bombarded with on a weekly basis. Back a few years, the market wasn’t as saturated and I binged on the Breeds series until I was caught up (at the time that was up to Lion’s Heat). I have continued reading this series religiously ever since. But also since then, I have come to feel disappointment with every book I read. Why do I continue, do you ask? I’ve come this far…I need resolutions on some old characters that are left open. But what’s been happening in the middle is the dragging of the series without that closure. We are given books about characters we could care less about and then we get thrown a bone about one we are anticipating. BENGAL’S QUEST was that bone for me.

I’ve been interested in Gideon for a while and have wanted to read his story. See what makes him tick. He’s a conniving breed through and through, yes, but he’s also a genius scientist. He played an important role in saving Jonas’s daughter. We know he’s a survivor. He must be so intense and complex! So here we are, his story. And I can guarantee you one thing… it is complex.

BENGAL’S QUEST can be over complicated and confusing at times. Do yourself a favor and if you’re not following this series and have read the previous books, don’t read this one. It’s just not going to be easy for you to follow what’s going on. Ms. Leigh threw so much story into this book that it became too much to follow. And then when it was too much to follow, I lost interest in it instead of trying to figure it out.

Gideon, who is now Graeme, has come back for his mate Cat/Claire. When they were younger back in the labs, the breed scientists had brought a human child with a disease to Gideon to cure by changing her DNA to breed. When she was 13, she saved Gideon’s life with a transfusion and that activated the mating heat for him. When the chance to escape came for him, he left her and his twin brother behind. It wasn’t until now he’s come back to claim his mate.

So a few pointers here. The fact that Lora Leigh was able to come up with a completely different storyline as far as the genetics for this couple after so many books is a big achievement. Cat starting out human and being turned into a breed was cool. The mating heat being activated so many years ago, was cool. But I had issues with the fact that in other books, mating heat is such a consuming need that without getting drugs to suppress it they can’t function without their mate. How did Gideon survive all those years? And after finally coming back together and then being together, I was expecting major earth shattering things to happen. But it wasn’t quite like that. I wanted that to be explored more. I wanted to know more. I wanted to feel more.

I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this story. It was an ok read for me. But it wasn’t amazing. It’s been such a long time since I’ve felt a book in this series is. While I was reading I felt both angered at myself for letting my book OCD continue reading the series, because, as I mentioned above, I want Cassie’s story. Heck, I even want Eli’s book. What ever happened to that? But if it wasn’t for that book OCD I have, I would have dropped this series already.

The one thing I really did enjoy, other than the bad boy hero that is Gideon, was the fact that this book wraps up some old stories and in a way opens up new ones. Hint hint, the Winged Breeds are back! There she goes dangling that bone again.