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Breeds #6
Megan's Mark
Lora Leigh invites you to an intriguing world where genetically altered Breeds and the humans who created them commingle—and sometimes cross the boundaries of desire…
Cursed with the extraordinary power to feel other peoples’ emotions, Megan Fields has tucked herself away in a remote corner of New Mexico, working as a small-town sheriff’s deputy. She finds solace in the silence and heat of the desert. But when Breeds begin dying on her watch, Megan realizes that the secrets from her past can’t stay buried forever. Someone is out for blood—her blood.
An arrogant Feline Breed, Braden Arness broods with feral intensity. His mission to solve the mysterious murders brings him to Megan, a woman who accosts his senses like no other. Only with him can she let down her guard—and surrender to the insatiable hunger that wracks her body. But as they team up to hunt the elusive killers, Braden and Megan find themselves becoming the prey…
Cursed with the extraordinary power to feel other peoples’ emotions, Megan Fields has tucked herself away in a remote corner of New Mexico, working as a small-town sheriff’s deputy. She finds solace in the silence and heat of the desert. But when Breeds begin dying on her watch, Megan realizes that the secrets from her past can’t stay buried forever. Someone is out for blood—her blood.
An arrogant Feline Breed, Braden Arness broods with feral intensity. His mission to solve the mysterious murders brings him to Megan, a woman who accosts his senses like no other. Only with him can she let down her guard—and surrender to the insatiable hunger that wracks her body. But as they team up to hunt the elusive killers, Braden and Megan find themselves becoming the prey…
295 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 2, 2006
203 people are currently reading
3331 people want to read
About the author
Lora Leigh
190 books10.1k followersLibrarian 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...
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...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 420 reviews
April 20, 2010
I say I like erotic romance, but now I wonder. I don't like Lauren Dane, Maya Banks or, apparently, Lora Leigh. My claim is looking kinda baseless. More research is in order.
Anyways, the book. Oh, the book.
Megan's Mark starts off well. Megan Fields is an empath working as a sheriff's deputy in the nice empty New Mexico desert. The blessed lack of people and action leaves her at peace, leaving her free from the overload of feeling other people's emotions.
When she checks on a SUV left in a washed out canyon, however, that quiet is gonzo.
Embroiled in a shoot-out after discovering the bullet-riddled vehicle contained two dead Breeds, Megan has to make a run for it with Braden Arness, a law enforcement agent of some sort, and a lion Breed. Someone's out to kill Megan, and Braden is the man assigned to keep her alive.
The world building relied on a bit more info dumping than I like. A few instances of POV from a lion Breed namedRothgar Bewcastle Jonas Wyatt provide long bursts of backstory on how the Breeds were forged of animal and human DNA in labs and treated inhumanely, long-winded descriptions of the Mating Heat, and so on. After each of these, I expected to see stardust, a rainbow and "The More You Know" emblazoned across my reader.
The first half of the book sets up the action plot. It's not quite suspense, as we know who the bad guy is. We know it's her father's friend, Senator Mac Cooley, and that he's got her surrounded. We're just waiting for Megan to learn how to control her empath abilities and figure out that Cooley's the bad guy.
All of a sudden, it's time for the sex plot. Have you seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail? You know that part of the climactic battle scene when it suddenly changes to the colorful screen that says INTERMISSION? The sex is like that. I kept humming that organ loop to myself while reading it.
The action just stops, and Tab A, Slot B sex commences for the bulk of the rest of the book. And, speaking of tabs:
Another common claim of mine, that I don't read for prose, might also be false. This took me days to read because the mechanical sex prose, coupled with some very purple metaphors, kept yanking me out of the book. One egregious example:
Then, as quckly as the Sex Phase began, it ended, and the action plot is wrapped up in a 10-15 page fury of action, leaving just enough dangling to seed a sequel. Um, WTF? WTB smooth transitions, PST.
I'm sad to say that I did not enjoy the book. I did enjoy the action sequences immensely in a Michael Bay things go A-SPLODE sort of way, but they weren't woven together well enough with the sexxoring to hold my interest. I have the next few books in the series, as I grabbed them all when they were free, so I may try the next one. As it stands, however, I did not like how she wrote the sex scenes, and they took up much of the book.
Note to Author: Vaginal lubrication is not opaque and white. Repeatedy calling it "cream" turned my stomach. Opaque and white means the girl's got an infection. Those do not make for sexy cunnilingus. Jus' sayin' is all.
Anyways, the book. Oh, the book.
Megan's Mark starts off well. Megan Fields is an empath working as a sheriff's deputy in the nice empty New Mexico desert. The blessed lack of people and action leaves her at peace, leaving her free from the overload of feeling other people's emotions.
When she checks on a SUV left in a washed out canyon, however, that quiet is gonzo.
Embroiled in a shoot-out after discovering the bullet-riddled vehicle contained two dead Breeds, Megan has to make a run for it with Braden Arness, a law enforcement agent of some sort, and a lion Breed. Someone's out to kill Megan, and Braden is the man assigned to keep her alive.
The world building relied on a bit more info dumping than I like. A few instances of POV from a lion Breed named
The first half of the book sets up the action plot. It's not quite suspense, as we know who the bad guy is. We know it's her father's friend, Senator Mac Cooley, and that he's got her surrounded. We're just waiting for Megan to learn how to control her empath abilities and figure out that Cooley's the bad guy.
All of a sudden, it's time for the sex plot. Have you seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail? You know that part of the climactic battle scene when it suddenly changes to the colorful screen that says INTERMISSION? The sex is like that. I kept humming that organ loop to myself while reading it.
The action just stops, and Tab A, Slot B sex commences for the bulk of the rest of the book. And, speaking of tabs:
Horror swept across his face as she felt the change. The swelling of the already thick crest, the extension reaching out, locking onto the back of the pulsing muscles that gripped him, feathering inside her, pressing firmly into a spot that sent sensation crashing through her mind.Penile barb, ladies and gentlemen, penile barb.
Another common claim of mine, that I don't read for prose, might also be false. This took me days to read because the mechanical sex prose, coupled with some very purple metaphors, kept yanking me out of the book. One egregious example:
His hand landed on her ass once again as she felt the fiery head of his cock breach the virgin portalThis lead me to create a new game for roadtrips: "Sex metaphor, or World of Warcraft quest?" Certainly "breach the virgin portal" sounds like something I did in the Caverns of Time.
Then, as quckly as the Sex Phase began, it ended, and the action plot is wrapped up in a 10-15 page fury of action, leaving just enough dangling to seed a sequel. Um, WTF? WTB smooth transitions, PST.
I'm sad to say that I did not enjoy the book. I did enjoy the action sequences immensely in a Michael Bay things go A-SPLODE sort of way, but they weren't woven together well enough with the sexxoring to hold my interest. I have the next few books in the series, as I grabbed them all when they were free, so I may try the next one. As it stands, however, I did not like how she wrote the sex scenes, and they took up much of the book.
Note to Author: Vaginal lubrication is not opaque and white. Repeatedy calling it "cream" turned my stomach. Opaque and white means the girl's got an infection. Those do not make for sexy cunnilingus. Jus' sayin' is all.
November 4, 2020
Breeds 7
Feline Breeds 5
Featured Couple: Braden (Lion) & Megan (Human)
The story of this book starts 7 years after the Breeds become known.
Empathic Megan Fields has decided to isolate and keep herself as far away as possible hiding her supernatural “gift”. New Mexico dessert is her hiding place but she will not be out of sight for long. Coyote Breeds for reasons she does not understand are chasing her and they have just located her.
Braden Arness is coming to her rescue. A lion Breed who has been sent to this mission by Jonas. Jonas, a feline breed himself, is the ultimate game maker, he loves playing with other people’s lives and orchestrating end results.
This book is a lot action-driven. Braden and Megan are both adrenaline junkies. They are definitely made for each other. But I have to admit Megan is a bit scary (she has an arsenal of weapons at home!). Anyhow the Mating Heat comes somehow natural for these two.
The book was the first published by Berkley (besides the short story at the Hot Spell anthology). The previous ones were published by Ellora’s cave. Maybe that’s why this one could be read as a standalone and has lots of explanations about the history of the Breeds.
Feline Breeds 5
Featured Couple: Braden (Lion) & Megan (Human)
The story of this book starts 7 years after the Breeds become known.
Empathic Megan Fields has decided to isolate and keep herself as far away as possible hiding her supernatural “gift”. New Mexico dessert is her hiding place but she will not be out of sight for long. Coyote Breeds for reasons she does not understand are chasing her and they have just located her.
Braden Arness is coming to her rescue. A lion Breed who has been sent to this mission by Jonas. Jonas, a feline breed himself, is the ultimate game maker, he loves playing with other people’s lives and orchestrating end results.
This book is a lot action-driven. Braden and Megan are both adrenaline junkies. They are definitely made for each other. But I have to admit Megan is a bit scary (she has an arsenal of weapons at home!). Anyhow the Mating Heat comes somehow natural for these two.
The book was the first published by Berkley (besides the short story at the Hot Spell anthology). The previous ones were published by Ellora’s cave. Maybe that’s why this one could be read as a standalone and has lots of explanations about the history of the Breeds.
May 12, 2020
Great story with a badass female heroine!
This was another awesome Breeds book. This story was about Megan who is a human who also happens to be an empath, which means she can feel the emotions of everyone around her. Also if something truly traumatic happened in a place, she can pick up emotions that happened there for a long time afterwards.
She didn’t get this ability until she was in her late teens unlike many other empaths who get it at a young age and learn to develop shields so they don’t get bombarded with emotions from too many people at once or when she is trying to concentrate on something of her own. So she lives in a small town in the desert where she spends most of her days alone, despite the fact that her dream was once law enforcement in a big city.
Megan meets Braden, a Lion Breed who was a top assassin when he escaped from the Labs. He is now one of the main enforcers for Sanctuary. He is sent to protect Megan when two of the people from Sanctuary who came to find Megan turn up murdered. Braden and Megan are perfect matches for each other. They both have a stash of illegal weapons and know how to use them and they both love the adrenaline rush of danger. This story is non-stop action and steamy romance and everything I love.
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This was another awesome Breeds book. This story was about Megan who is a human who also happens to be an empath, which means she can feel the emotions of everyone around her. Also if something truly traumatic happened in a place, she can pick up emotions that happened there for a long time afterwards.
She didn’t get this ability until she was in her late teens unlike many other empaths who get it at a young age and learn to develop shields so they don’t get bombarded with emotions from too many people at once or when she is trying to concentrate on something of her own. So she lives in a small town in the desert where she spends most of her days alone, despite the fact that her dream was once law enforcement in a big city.
Megan meets Braden, a Lion Breed who was a top assassin when he escaped from the Labs. He is now one of the main enforcers for Sanctuary. He is sent to protect Megan when two of the people from Sanctuary who came to find Megan turn up murdered. Braden and Megan are perfect matches for each other. They both have a stash of illegal weapons and know how to use them and they both love the adrenaline rush of danger. This story is non-stop action and steamy romance and everything I love.
Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Instagram|Twitter|BookBub
February 21, 2014
Opening Line: “They were created not born. They were trained not raised.”
I haven’t read any Lora Leigh for ages, I gave up on her after editing issues, recycled storylines and just plain lack of any cohesive plot became too much to ignore. I started to feel a bit used as a reader and figured if she didn’t care about putting out a finished product why should I care about reading her stuff? Anyways.
After seeing several 5 star reviews (and because it had been sitting on my TBR shelf for years) I decided to give Megan’s Mark a try, if I remembered correctly some of LL’s older stuff was pretty good.
And initially it was, in fact it was a big surprise. There was a real story, with real writing and actual editing. Plus several chapters without any sex or the hero going all uber-alpha and doing the heroine up the bum to prove his dominance (that came later). It was sci-fi with an intricate back story and cool futuristic gadgets. Did I mention there was editing? LOL. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Damn I might just have to revisit some of these older breed books.
So I don’t really know where it went wrong for me qualifying a 3 star review, except that after my initial excitement and all the great world building and cool action scenes the story just kind of fizzled out. Yup, as soon as our couple started humping the plot stopped so that the last half of the book is just a bunch of sex scenes with an over easily resolved story. Too bad.
Megan’s Mark is book 7 in the Breeds series or book 1 according to Berkley (I can never keep track of a correct reading order with LL) It doesn’t really matter though because this one works fine as a standalone and has lots of back story explaining the history of the genetically altered “breeds”
The story is set in the future, 2023 Southern New Mexico. Megan Fields is a sheriff’s deputy and an empathic, meaning she can feel the emotions of those around her. It’s been a bitch to live with too, all those feelings invading her every thought and it’s why Megan now lives and works in the isolation of the desert. When Megan discovers a murdered breed pair during a patrol and then gets targeted herself the big bad lion Braden shows up to figure out the whys of it. Braden is a half man/half lion. He’s pretty yummy, not as alpha as most of LL’s men although he has his moments …
“What he needed he had never needed from a woman before. The ultimate submission, a primal acceptance of his dominance. And by God, he would have it.”
Just a little warning if you’ve never read LL before she likes to use, how shall I say it? Some legitimately dirty words. You might feel like you need a shower afterwards and you definitely won’t be putting any ‘cream’ in your coffee for a while. LOL
393jb3
I haven’t read any Lora Leigh for ages, I gave up on her after editing issues, recycled storylines and just plain lack of any cohesive plot became too much to ignore. I started to feel a bit used as a reader and figured if she didn’t care about putting out a finished product why should I care about reading her stuff? Anyways.
After seeing several 5 star reviews (and because it had been sitting on my TBR shelf for years) I decided to give Megan’s Mark a try, if I remembered correctly some of LL’s older stuff was pretty good.
And initially it was, in fact it was a big surprise. There was a real story, with real writing and actual editing. Plus several chapters without any sex or the hero going all uber-alpha and doing the heroine up the bum to prove his dominance (that came later). It was sci-fi with an intricate back story and cool futuristic gadgets. Did I mention there was editing? LOL. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Damn I might just have to revisit some of these older breed books.
So I don’t really know where it went wrong for me qualifying a 3 star review, except that after my initial excitement and all the great world building and cool action scenes the story just kind of fizzled out. Yup, as soon as our couple started humping the plot stopped so that the last half of the book is just a bunch of sex scenes with an over easily resolved story. Too bad.
Megan’s Mark is book 7 in the Breeds series or book 1 according to Berkley (I can never keep track of a correct reading order with LL) It doesn’t really matter though because this one works fine as a standalone and has lots of back story explaining the history of the genetically altered “breeds”
The story is set in the future, 2023 Southern New Mexico. Megan Fields is a sheriff’s deputy and an empathic, meaning she can feel the emotions of those around her. It’s been a bitch to live with too, all those feelings invading her every thought and it’s why Megan now lives and works in the isolation of the desert. When Megan discovers a murdered breed pair during a patrol and then gets targeted herself the big bad lion Braden shows up to figure out the whys of it. Braden is a half man/half lion. He’s pretty yummy, not as alpha as most of LL’s men although he has his moments …
“What he needed he had never needed from a woman before. The ultimate submission, a primal acceptance of his dominance. And by God, he would have it.”
Just a little warning if you’ve never read LL before she likes to use, how shall I say it? Some legitimately dirty words. You might feel like you need a shower afterwards and you definitely won’t be putting any ‘cream’ in your coffee for a while. LOL
393jb3
March 17, 2009
Braden was a wonderful hero: alpha to the core but a bit less domineering than the other Breeds I´ve read so far, and I got the feeling he knew Megan was the woman for him before the mating heat took over, which was nice to see.
Megan was a kick-ass heroine, as alpha as a woman can be, but sometimes she came on too strong for my taste. When she showed Braden the arsenal of weapons she kept tucked at home, the word "psycho" came to my mind. Why did she have all those weapons? She´d been living a pretty tame and safe life before the event that introduced Braden and the whole "Breeds war" into her life, so there wasn´t really any reason to "collect" all those guns and ammo - hence the word "psycho", LOL.
Braden and Megan were two adrenaline junkies who were definitely made for each other, as no one else would be able to stand the kind of life they loved to live. And that´s something that bugs me a little bit: I can´t really see them living happily ever after - "ever after" being the operative words - because one, if not both, of them will likely "die in the line of fire" sooner or later. I know that never happens in Romancelandia, but that thought crossed my mind and it was annoying. *sigh*
This book was more action-driven than the previous ones in the series, which was a good change of pace for me since I´ve been reading all of them in a row. And it was nice to see the mating heat toned down too, because I was almost hyperventilating from all the "panting and sweating" I´ve read lately. ;)
As for the Epilogue... WHOSE file was Jonas studying??? I said it before and I´ll say it again: LL knows how to write a teaser! She´s hooked me to the Breeds and she´s not letting go...
Megan was a kick-ass heroine, as alpha as a woman can be, but sometimes she came on too strong for my taste. When she showed Braden the arsenal of weapons she kept tucked at home, the word "psycho" came to my mind. Why did she have all those weapons? She´d been living a pretty tame and safe life before the event that introduced Braden and the whole "Breeds war" into her life, so there wasn´t really any reason to "collect" all those guns and ammo - hence the word "psycho", LOL.
Braden and Megan were two adrenaline junkies who were definitely made for each other, as no one else would be able to stand the kind of life they loved to live. And that´s something that bugs me a little bit: I can´t really see them living happily ever after - "ever after" being the operative words - because one, if not both, of them will likely "die in the line of fire" sooner or later. I know that never happens in Romancelandia, but that thought crossed my mind and it was annoying. *sigh*
This book was more action-driven than the previous ones in the series, which was a good change of pace for me since I´ve been reading all of them in a row. And it was nice to see the mating heat toned down too, because I was almost hyperventilating from all the "panting and sweating" I´ve read lately. ;)
As for the Epilogue... WHOSE file was Jonas studying??? I said it before and I´ll say it again: LL knows how to write a teaser! She´s hooked me to the Breeds and she´s not letting go...
September 23, 2014
Every now and then, something happens to you that reaffirms your faith in the essential goodness of humanity. A few weeks ago, Choupette said she would like to get acquainted with the Brigade Mondaine series which I have been so diligently promoting in my reviews. I sent her a package of assorted Michel Brice. She asked if I wanted any contribution towards postage, but I told her that I believed that my karmic investment was clear, and I would surely get my reward in due course. I was just curious to know what form it would take.
The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)
The rest of this review is available elsewhere (the location cannot be given for Goodreads policy reasons)
August 7, 2008
This is actually the 7th (I think) book in the "Breed" series by Lora Leigh, although, aside from a novella I read in "Hot Spell" I had never read a "Breed" book before... and Im not sure why? I adore Lora Leigh... so here goes...
This is the story of Megan. She is a law enforcement officer in a really small town in the desert. She likes to be as far away from people as she possibly can, because she is an empath. She doesn't have a lot of control over her abilities however, which makes being around people and all of their emotions very uncomfortable. So, one day while she is out patrolling the desert, she comes across two dead bodies. She gets out to investigate and she starts getting shot at!! She didnt even FEEL the bad guys coming! She's trapped and not sure where to go, when Braden swoops in to rescue her. He makes her feel so calm for the first time in her life. She realizes he is a breed.
The breed are genetically enhanced humans that have animal DNA. They have superb instincts and extra abilities... and they're hot!! Megan is instantly attracted to Bradon. Someone is trying to kill them however, and she isnt sure why. She just has to stay focused long enough to stay alive and figure it out...
The only reason I gave this story 4 stars instead of 5, is that towards the end, the romance kinda slipped a little and it was mostly suspense and action. I still really enjoyed it however and I would highly recommend it! Plus... the sex scenes are hot hot hot! ;D
This is the story of Megan. She is a law enforcement officer in a really small town in the desert. She likes to be as far away from people as she possibly can, because she is an empath. She doesn't have a lot of control over her abilities however, which makes being around people and all of their emotions very uncomfortable. So, one day while she is out patrolling the desert, she comes across two dead bodies. She gets out to investigate and she starts getting shot at!! She didnt even FEEL the bad guys coming! She's trapped and not sure where to go, when Braden swoops in to rescue her. He makes her feel so calm for the first time in her life. She realizes he is a breed.
The breed are genetically enhanced humans that have animal DNA. They have superb instincts and extra abilities... and they're hot!! Megan is instantly attracted to Bradon. Someone is trying to kill them however, and she isnt sure why. She just has to stay focused long enough to stay alive and figure it out...
The only reason I gave this story 4 stars instead of 5, is that towards the end, the romance kinda slipped a little and it was mostly suspense and action. I still really enjoyed it however and I would highly recommend it! Plus... the sex scenes are hot hot hot! ;D
October 21, 2024
Hot damn, now this is what I've been waiting for Megan's Mark is streets ahead of the books that have come before it. It's fast-paced and gripping managing to combine the heat, emotion and story into one addictive read. This is Megan's and Braden's story he's an enforcer for sanctuary under Jonas's command. She's an empath trained in law enforcement but due to the debilitating relentless blowback from her special gifts, she's currently residing in her home town far away from people.
When Megan is targeted by someone from her past she's stumped as she has no idea of the whys. The arrival of Braden Arness who also has the privilege of being her unwanted babysitter is also unexpected. A lion breed who she feels instantly drawn towards with the bonus of being a warrior like herself.
I adored the dynamic that these two shared there was a serious but also playful Vibe between them. Braden is also seriously dominant and has a habit of biting Megan at every opportunity. The heat emotion and action were well balanced and the chemistry between them was off the charts.
There also had a lot of added background information that enhances the series as a whole and I loved the parts where we get an insight into Jonas and how his manipulative mind works. A great addition to the series and I enjoyed this one a lot.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
March 1, 2010
In Megan's Mark, I noticed a marked growth in Leigh's writing style and skills from the first of her Breed series. Fortunately, all the plot backgrounds that are missing from the earlier editions to the series are found here.
Meghan's Mark follows in the series timeline- 7 yrs later. It is definitely a stand alone novel, if you haven't ever read any of the Breed series yet, though I would recommend reading Tempting the Beast first for reference.
Set in the not too distant future, MM steps it up with a stronger definition to the world of genetically altered Breeds and the humans who created them, and with a deeper plot, while still holding onto the no-holds-barred sex that LL has come to be known for.
MM revolves around Meghan, a strongly empathic human, her family and Braden, a lion/human half breed sent in to discover why two breeds were brutally murdered by The Council, the shady government group who created the Breeds to be disposable assassins ... And why they seem to be after Meghan as well.
I have to warn you if you've never read LL before:
She ain't shy about not using euphemisms for sex words, she goes right for the gutter.
Yet somehow it works.
Oh and the males are uber-alpha. If you don't like strong, lusty, dominant men stay away from this series!
If you're familiar with The Island of Doctor Moreau and The X-Men, you've got the gist of LL's world, though no way near as creepy as H.G. Wells's novel!
Meghan's Mark follows in the series timeline- 7 yrs later. It is definitely a stand alone novel, if you haven't ever read any of the Breed series yet, though I would recommend reading Tempting the Beast first for reference.
Set in the not too distant future, MM steps it up with a stronger definition to the world of genetically altered Breeds and the humans who created them, and with a deeper plot, while still holding onto the no-holds-barred sex that LL has come to be known for.
MM revolves around Meghan, a strongly empathic human, her family and Braden, a lion/human half breed sent in to discover why two breeds were brutally murdered by The Council, the shady government group who created the Breeds to be disposable assassins ... And why they seem to be after Meghan as well.
I have to warn you if you've never read LL before:
She ain't shy about not using euphemisms for sex words, she goes right for the gutter.
Yet somehow it works.
Oh and the males are uber-alpha. If you don't like strong, lusty, dominant men stay away from this series!
If you're familiar with The Island of Doctor Moreau and The X-Men, you've got the gist of LL's world, though no way near as creepy as H.G. Wells's novel!
February 17, 2009
Megan Fields has been struggling with her empathic abilities for the better part of her life. It was her inability to block other people's emotions that forced her to abandon her life-long dream to work in "serious" law enforcement, so now she makes her living as a sheriff's deputy in a small town in New Mexico.
While patrolling the desert, relishing its quietness and lack of thought and emotion, she discovers two corpses in a shot through SUV. Two Breed corpses. Examining the crime scene she quickly comes under fire herself, surviving only because of the timely intervention of Braden Arness, another Breed.
Braden knows there's more behind the shooting in the gully than serendipity. Someone wants Megan dead and there's no better was to learn why is that than to stick to her like super glue...And when the Mating Heat suddenly kicks in, playing her shadow is even more pleasurable. But unless they uncover the truth of what Megan has seen to warrant her death, the relationship is bound to be a short one.
Okay, so this book is like one of those old movies on a Saturday night, curled on your couch with a bowl of popcorn, perfect to send your brain on vacation. You can just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
I couldn't find anything that I didn't like in this book, except maybe the whole denial/guilt trip Megan had going for her at the beginning. Okay, you feel bad, you think you're a complete loser, we get it, let's move on...But there was nothing extremely great about this book either, hence the average rating.
I loved Braden, I love most all of them Breeds, but Braden was the first in this series that really made me laugh. They all have that tortured soul down to a T, but this guy didn't let it govern him too much and decided just to merely enjoy the life he's been given. Some of his one-liners were to die for and I found myself looking forward to his snappy repartees. No matter what, he always landed on his feet, maybe it was the DNA.
As mentioned before, Megan was a bit iffy. It looked like Ms. Leigh couldn't quite decide what to do with her. Was she an empath whose ability was more of a curse than a gift, forcing her to live in isolation, avoid confrontations? Or was she someone who liked to be in the thick of it, fighting with all she was worth, loving a good argument as the next girl? The jumping from one to the next was a bit confusing and tiresome after a while.
And why do (almost) all heroines have at least one family member in the Special Forces who helped with the Breed rescues? Does that make for a better bonding or something?
I'm looking forward to read more about Megan's cousin, the sheriff...And Jonas. What to say about that guy but "When's his book coming out?". Gotta love the guy, although the silver eye thing is becoming a bit of a cliché. It's time for the authors to find some other turn-on attribute.
Unlike the previous books where the characters had more or less center stage, this one was a little more action oriented and I must confess I've been itching for a fight (figuratively speaking). The whole Mating issues were put a little aside, not completely forgotten, because the phenomenon is still the driving force of the entire series, but the acceptance came a little easier, letting other particulars of the story emerge and lend a helping hand to the plot.
So this time the combination was just right. There was drama, angst, sex, romance and action...If everything were blended together a little better, maybe it would've earned a higher rating.
Still, this was a good book not to be missed by the fans of this hot little series. For those first-timers out there, I'd suggest (as always) to start at the beginning and work your way onward.
While patrolling the desert, relishing its quietness and lack of thought and emotion, she discovers two corpses in a shot through SUV. Two Breed corpses. Examining the crime scene she quickly comes under fire herself, surviving only because of the timely intervention of Braden Arness, another Breed.
Braden knows there's more behind the shooting in the gully than serendipity. Someone wants Megan dead and there's no better was to learn why is that than to stick to her like super glue...And when the Mating Heat suddenly kicks in, playing her shadow is even more pleasurable. But unless they uncover the truth of what Megan has seen to warrant her death, the relationship is bound to be a short one.
Okay, so this book is like one of those old movies on a Saturday night, curled on your couch with a bowl of popcorn, perfect to send your brain on vacation. You can just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.
I couldn't find anything that I didn't like in this book, except maybe the whole denial/guilt trip Megan had going for her at the beginning. Okay, you feel bad, you think you're a complete loser, we get it, let's move on...But there was nothing extremely great about this book either, hence the average rating.
I loved Braden, I love most all of them Breeds, but Braden was the first in this series that really made me laugh. They all have that tortured soul down to a T, but this guy didn't let it govern him too much and decided just to merely enjoy the life he's been given. Some of his one-liners were to die for and I found myself looking forward to his snappy repartees. No matter what, he always landed on his feet, maybe it was the DNA.
As mentioned before, Megan was a bit iffy. It looked like Ms. Leigh couldn't quite decide what to do with her. Was she an empath whose ability was more of a curse than a gift, forcing her to live in isolation, avoid confrontations? Or was she someone who liked to be in the thick of it, fighting with all she was worth, loving a good argument as the next girl? The jumping from one to the next was a bit confusing and tiresome after a while.
And why do (almost) all heroines have at least one family member in the Special Forces who helped with the Breed rescues? Does that make for a better bonding or something?
I'm looking forward to read more about Megan's cousin, the sheriff...And Jonas. What to say about that guy but "When's his book coming out?". Gotta love the guy, although the silver eye thing is becoming a bit of a cliché. It's time for the authors to find some other turn-on attribute.
Unlike the previous books where the characters had more or less center stage, this one was a little more action oriented and I must confess I've been itching for a fight (figuratively speaking). The whole Mating issues were put a little aside, not completely forgotten, because the phenomenon is still the driving force of the entire series, but the acceptance came a little easier, letting other particulars of the story emerge and lend a helping hand to the plot.
So this time the combination was just right. There was drama, angst, sex, romance and action...If everything were blended together a little better, maybe it would've earned a higher rating.
Still, this was a good book not to be missed by the fans of this hot little series. For those first-timers out there, I'd suggest (as always) to start at the beginning and work your way onward.
July 26, 2023
Megan Fields, has the ability to feel the emotions of those around her. So she isolates herself in a small remote area of New Mexico, where she can be near those that she has grown up near to. So when danger finds her, and some coyote breeds after her life, she is saved by Braden Arness, who is a lion breed. From the first moment that Braden sees Megan, he feels the most strongest feelings of desire he has ever experienced, and knows that she feels the same, and its only a matter of time before he claims her as his mate, if only he can convince her to surrender to the insatiable passion that they both strongly feel for one another....
Megan's Mark is the seventh in the Breeds series by Lora Leigh. Megan's Mark is a powerful story of a woman who hates the gift that she has been given, and has never been able to learn to control it, and a danger that could threaten her and everyone in her life that she cares about, unless both Braden and Megan uncover the truth before its too late. I found Megan's Mark an insatiable read, full of steamy romance and thrilling excitement and so intriguing it will delight every one of your senses. Another winner from Lora Leigh!!
Megan's Mark is the seventh in the Breeds series by Lora Leigh. Megan's Mark is a powerful story of a woman who hates the gift that she has been given, and has never been able to learn to control it, and a danger that could threaten her and everyone in her life that she cares about, unless both Braden and Megan uncover the truth before its too late. I found Megan's Mark an insatiable read, full of steamy romance and thrilling excitement and so intriguing it will delight every one of your senses. Another winner from Lora Leigh!!
March 14, 2021
**3.5 stars**
I've hated every single book I've read by Lora Leigh and that was the reason I hadn't picked up this series before. And it wasn't bad!! Yes, there was a lot of sex but this is supposed to be erotic PNR and was exactly the reason why I picked it up.
I started the series with this book (#6) and was able to follow along pretty well -the earlier books are not available at my library in audio. Megan got on my nerves at the beginning - if she's supposed to be a deputy, why doesn't she follow her boss' orders? (It doesn't matter that he's her cousin.) But then I realized how frustrated she must be, not be able to fulfill her dreams of adventure and I got her a little more (although she was still super annoying.) Braden was sort of indistinguishable from other romance heroes - I can't say there's anything about him that made him special. The most interesting thing about the story was the worldbuilding.
The character I hated the most was Jonas, the manipulative head of breed affairs or whatever. He's a horrible person! I wonder though if LL redeemed him in future books.
I'll totally continue listening, as long as they're from the library.
I've hated every single book I've read by Lora Leigh and that was the reason I hadn't picked up this series before. And it wasn't bad!! Yes, there was a lot of sex but this is supposed to be erotic PNR and was exactly the reason why I picked it up.
I started the series with this book (#6) and was able to follow along pretty well -the earlier books are not available at my library in audio. Megan got on my nerves at the beginning - if she's supposed to be a deputy, why doesn't she follow her boss' orders? (It doesn't matter that he's her cousin.) But then I realized how frustrated she must be, not be able to fulfill her dreams of adventure and I got her a little more (although she was still super annoying.) Braden was sort of indistinguishable from other romance heroes - I can't say there's anything about him that made him special. The most interesting thing about the story was the worldbuilding.
The character I hated the most was Jonas, the manipulative head of breed affairs or whatever. He's a horrible person! I wonder though if LL redeemed him in future books.
I'll totally continue listening, as long as they're from the library.
November 9, 2024
Котешки породи #5 - Мегън Фийлдс (Човек/Емпат) и Брейдън Арнес (Порода - Лъв)
"Белегът на Мегън" в Читанка
Мегън Фийлдс има психическата дарба да усеща емоциите които хората изпитват или оставят след себе си. Тъй като тази дарба се появява в тийнейджърските й години, тя така и не успява да се научи да контролира потока от емоции и болката, които й причиняват щом я залеят със силата и интензитета си. По тази причина след завършване на полицейската академия, тя избира да се прибере в дома си в Ню Мексико, където започва да работи в шерифството с братовчед си Ланс. Главно нейно задължение е да патрулира из каньоните на Ню Мексико, където често пъти не среща жива душа и така успява да се предпази от емоциите, които съпътстват всеки човек. По време на един от патрулите си обаче, тя попада на кърваво местъпрестъпление, мъртвите и обезобразени тела на 2 породи. Убийците се спотайват в каньона с намерението да я убият, и единственото й спасение е мистериозен мъж, чийто емоции не може да усети, и който й действа като щит, заглушавайки всички други емоции и потапяйки я в блажена тишина.
Брейдън Арнес е порода клас А. Един от най-силните Породи създадени в лабораториите на Съвета по генетика. Сега, той работи за Джонас Уайът, директора на отдела за правата на Породите и е изпратен в Броукън Бът, за да открие млада двойка породи, наскоро напуснала Убежището. За нещастие Брейдън престига прекалено късно, за да спаси Марк и Ейми, но е точно на време, за да помогне на прелестната Мегън Фийлдс да се измъкне от групата Койоти решени да я убият. Разследването показва, че Ейми и Марк са били чифтосани, и че по някаква причина са дошли в Ню Мексико да търсят Мегън. По тази причина Бредън е решен да се настани в дома й и да я защитава, без да се интересува, че тя не го иска около себе си, и без да подозира, че Мегън е половинката мъж, жената създадена изцяло за него, която е мишена на голям играч от Съвета по генетика и която е в огромна опасност.
Това беше една наистина вълнуваща книга. Изпълнена с преследвания и опасности. Имахме доста сцени в които героите ни управляваха високо технологични автомобили, Райдъри, пълни с какви ли не джаджи, защити и оръжия. Беше едновременно вълнуващо и фантастично. Преследваният през каньоните, нападенията и отбраната бяха заредени с толкова адреналин, че читателя може да почувства преследването с всяка фибра на тялото си. Мегън и Брейдън се дъвчеха като куче и котка, но в крайна сметка успяха да се разберат. Обожавам факта, че колкото и закрилнически настроен да бе Брейдън, той оставяше Мегън да бъде такава каквато е, знаеше, че тя се нуждае също като него от адреналина, от това да се бори с несправедливостта и факта, че дори заяви на Джонас, че Мегън ще е страхотно допълнение в борбата им със Съвета беше доста изненадващо, но и чудесно. Той не бе готов да изостави така важната си работа, но съща така виждаше, че с Мегън са две части на едно цяло и, че се допълват до съвършенство, затова беше готов да работят заедно, за едно по-добро бъдеще за Породите.
Тук отново се срещнахме с Джонас Уайът, и макар всички да виждат в него, пресметливост и студенина, той е наистина загрижен за своя вид. Да не говорим, че през книгите, той ще се превърне в истинска сватовница за породите, събирайки мъже и жени, които показват генетичен маркер за това, че са съвместими половинки. Действията му обикновено изнервят главните герои в книгите, но читателя може да види, че Джоанс е великолепен стратег, че е един от добрите в тази история, и ни кара с нетърпение да чакаме неговата история <3
В тази книга се запознахме и с шериф Ланс, братовчедът на Мегън. Силен, умен, съобразителен и секси, за него ще е следващата книга от тази поредица <3
"Белегът на Мегън" в Читанка
Мегън Фийлдс има психическата дарба да усеща емоциите които хората изпитват или оставят след себе си. Тъй като тази дарба се появява в тийнейджърските й години, тя така и не успява да се научи да контролира потока от емоции и болката, които й причиняват щом я залеят със силата и интензитета си. По тази причина след завършване на полицейската академия, тя избира да се прибере в дома си в Ню Мексико, където започва да работи в шерифството с братовчед си Ланс. Главно нейно задължение е да патрулира из каньоните на Ню Мексико, където често пъти не среща жива душа и така успява да се предпази от емоциите, които съпътстват всеки човек. По време на един от патрулите си обаче, тя попада на кърваво местъпрестъпление, мъртвите и обезобразени тела на 2 породи. Убийците се спотайват в каньона с намерението да я убият, и единственото й спасение е мистериозен мъж, чийто емоции не може да усети, и който й действа като щит, заглушавайки всички други емоции и потапяйки я в блажена тишина.
Брейдън Арнес е порода клас А. Един от най-силните Породи създадени в лабораториите на Съвета по генетика. Сега, той работи за Джонас Уайът, директора на отдела за правата на Породите и е изпратен в Броукън Бът, за да открие млада двойка породи, наскоро напуснала Убежището. За нещастие Брейдън престига прекалено късно, за да спаси Марк и Ейми, но е точно на време, за да помогне на прелестната Мегън Фийлдс да се измъкне от групата Койоти решени да я убият. Разследването показва, че Ейми и Марк са били чифтосани, и че по някаква причина са дошли в Ню Мексико да търсят Мегън. По тази причина Бредън е решен да се настани в дома й и да я защитава, без да се интересува, че тя не го иска около себе си, и без да подозира, че Мегън е половинката мъж, жената създадена изцяло за него, която е мишена на голям играч от Съвета по генетика и която е в огромна опасност.
Това беше една наистина вълнуваща книга. Изпълнена с преследвания и опасности. Имахме доста сцени в които героите ни управляваха високо технологични автомобили, Райдъри, пълни с какви ли не джаджи, защити и оръжия. Беше едновременно вълнуващо и фантастично. Преследваният през каньоните, нападенията и отбраната бяха заредени с толкова адреналин, че читателя може да почувства преследването с всяка фибра на тялото си. Мегън и Брейдън се дъвчеха като куче и котка, но в крайна сметка успяха да се разберат. Обожавам факта, че колкото и закрилнически настроен да бе Брейдън, той оставяше Мегън да бъде такава каквато е, знаеше, че тя се нуждае също като него от адреналина, от това да се бори с несправедливостта и факта, че дори заяви на Джонас, че Мегън ще е страхотно допълнение в борбата им със Съвета беше доста изненадващо, но и чудесно. Той не бе готов да изостави така важната си работа, но съща така виждаше, че с Мегън са две части на едно цяло и, че се допълват до съвършенство, затова беше готов да работят заедно, за едно по-добро бъдеще за Породите.
Тук отново се срещнахме с Джонас Уайът, и макар всички да виждат в него, пресметливост и студенина, той е наистина загрижен за своя вид. Да не говорим, че през книгите, той ще се превърне в истинска сватовница за породите, събирайки мъже и жени, които показват генетичен маркер за това, че са съвместими половинки. Действията му обикновено изнервят главните герои в книгите, но читателя може да види, че Джоанс е великолепен стратег, че е един от добрите в тази история, и ни кара с нетърпение да чакаме неговата история <3
В тази книга се запознахме и с шериф Ланс, братовчедът на Мегън. Силен, умен, съобразителен и секси, за него ще е следващата книга от тази поредица <3
March 5, 2016
Me costó decidir la puntuación para este libro. Siendo ya una lectora incondicional de esta serie y habiendo puntuado todas las entregas anteriores con al menos 4 estrellas, quería establecer una diferencia con ésta. Personalmente, no me gustó tanto la relación de la pareja principal; a pesar de ser muy buenos personajes, originales y carismáticos, me faltó esa chispa de romance que siempre estuvo presente en las primeras entregas y, por otro lado, creo que la autora le dio demasiadas vueltas a una trama que no daba para tanto, haciendo que la lectura, en algunas partes, se volviera demasiado repetitiva.
Sin embargo, mantuve las 4 estrellas porque, a pesar de lo anterior, la novela ganó mucho en acción, en escenas muy bien descritas y porque en ellas, debido a la naturaleza empática de Megan, la autora lograba una sensación tal de desasosiego, que hacía que se te pusiera la piel de gallina, lo que no es tan común en libros de este género.
De todas maneras sigo con la serie, porque la verdad, me tiene total e incondicionalmente enganchada.
Sin embargo, mantuve las 4 estrellas porque, a pesar de lo anterior, la novela ganó mucho en acción, en escenas muy bien descritas y porque en ellas, debido a la naturaleza empática de Megan, la autora lograba una sensación tal de desasosiego, que hacía que se te pusiera la piel de gallina, lo que no es tan común en libros de este género.
De todas maneras sigo con la serie, porque la verdad, me tiene total e incondicionalmente enganchada.
November 24, 2015
So not good. I mean, I knew that going into the book--just look at that cover--but I was not prepared for how awful the writing truly was. It went beyond what I thought I knew about awful writing and it set the new bar for what I consider to be the absolute worst. A bar, might I add, that's still not broken. It's been nine years and nothing I've read since then comes close to this book.
October 30, 2015
Lora Leigh has this whole Breed series that is fabulous ! Love the amazing characters, action packed tales, and awesome hot sexiness ! You will love this paranormal, futuristic concept and be hooked like I am. I've read them all, and loved each one.
Highly recommend ! ENJOY !!!
Highly recommend ! ENJOY !!!
January 26, 2014
This is the first of the series the really caught my interest.
There are certain things that I should pat Lora Leigh on the back for. Most importantly, Leigh created an excellent plot idea for this genre with amazing potential for action, intrigue and character and plot development. She has finally incorporated strong females in her novels instead of virginal damsels in distress, as well as women of various, yet ambiguous ethnicities. I have skimmed a bit further ahead than this release and I have a long list of things that are so annoyingly predictable in this series thus far, they are just “begging” to be put into a list.
1. "Being so hot etcetera will burn." Hope they have insurance and/or some fever reducers. Oh wait, just put the fire out with a ejaculate! Puts a whole new meaning to the fire department...
2. Nipples being equated to berries, especially ripe ones. Berry nipples are the only ones that taste good, but never like berries. Like flowers or candy or something irresistible to men. We all know they love those things.
3. Male protagonists drowning in vaginal secretions. Someone get them a snorkel.
4. The same, tired sex scenes. Over and over and over again. You know, you’ve got to cram those sex scenes in every five pages. But, didn't I read this exact same scene, oh, a few pages ago minus the shower? And didn't I read this same shower scene in the last book? The only things changed are whether it’s a barb, a knot, or normal human penis, and the names of those in said scene.
5. You forget what the characters even look like, because it is so rarely mentioned. Most of the character's inner selves are deeply wounded and unable to accept intimacy. They're fighting the whole process but are unable to resist, because they are DRUGGED.
6. The men must always be dominant. It is the way of nature! And for a woman to truly give herself to a man, Breed or "human" alike, she's got to have anal sex. It's the only way. Didn't you know?
7. The women must always fight it. "Oh please, isn't there a cure Mr. Toothy?" But they inevitably relent and realize, "OH! He is the love of my life! Turns out nature and fate prevail over mad science!" All of this goes down in pretty much the same manner, in each book, just as the sex scenes.
8. None of the Breeds accept themselves as they are. Despite traumatic upbringings wrought with abuse, neglect, and brainwashing, historically people have risen above that to create "normal" lives, and accept themselves despite what and whom they came from. But every Breed is a brooding, self-loathing stereotype of the genre.
9. Leigh inexplicably uses the same tone and form for the dialogue for her characters, despite their backgrounds, regional dialect, and uniquely acquired vernacular.
10. Orgasm = love.
She had a good idea. Instead, she has written each novel with a weak plot and character development which is further watered down by far too many yawn-worthy, repetitive sex scenes, written the same as the scenes in the books preceding and following them. (I refused to use succeeding there.)
I truly did give it a chance. I really wanted to love it. I normally don’t review. I just couldn’t shut up after reading this far and getting more of the same. If more of the same is sashimi, at least I get different fish, with their own complex tastes. (Crappy metaphor and now I’m hungry.)
We get it. The mating heat. It’s intense. Not so much nine books in.
Whatever sells, I guess.
There are certain things that I should pat Lora Leigh on the back for. Most importantly, Leigh created an excellent plot idea for this genre with amazing potential for action, intrigue and character and plot development. She has finally incorporated strong females in her novels instead of virginal damsels in distress, as well as women of various, yet ambiguous ethnicities. I have skimmed a bit further ahead than this release and I have a long list of things that are so annoyingly predictable in this series thus far, they are just “begging” to be put into a list.
1. "Being so hot etcetera will burn." Hope they have insurance and/or some fever reducers. Oh wait, just put the fire out with a ejaculate! Puts a whole new meaning to the fire department...
2. Nipples being equated to berries, especially ripe ones. Berry nipples are the only ones that taste good, but never like berries. Like flowers or candy or something irresistible to men. We all know they love those things.
3. Male protagonists drowning in vaginal secretions. Someone get them a snorkel.
4. The same, tired sex scenes. Over and over and over again. You know, you’ve got to cram those sex scenes in every five pages. But, didn't I read this exact same scene, oh, a few pages ago minus the shower? And didn't I read this same shower scene in the last book? The only things changed are whether it’s a barb, a knot, or normal human penis, and the names of those in said scene.
5. You forget what the characters even look like, because it is so rarely mentioned. Most of the character's inner selves are deeply wounded and unable to accept intimacy. They're fighting the whole process but are unable to resist, because they are DRUGGED.
6. The men must always be dominant. It is the way of nature! And for a woman to truly give herself to a man, Breed or "human" alike, she's got to have anal sex. It's the only way. Didn't you know?
7. The women must always fight it. "Oh please, isn't there a cure Mr. Toothy?" But they inevitably relent and realize, "OH! He is the love of my life! Turns out nature and fate prevail over mad science!" All of this goes down in pretty much the same manner, in each book, just as the sex scenes.
8. None of the Breeds accept themselves as they are. Despite traumatic upbringings wrought with abuse, neglect, and brainwashing, historically people have risen above that to create "normal" lives, and accept themselves despite what and whom they came from. But every Breed is a brooding, self-loathing stereotype of the genre.
9. Leigh inexplicably uses the same tone and form for the dialogue for her characters, despite their backgrounds, regional dialect, and uniquely acquired vernacular.
10. Orgasm = love.
She had a good idea. Instead, she has written each novel with a weak plot and character development which is further watered down by far too many yawn-worthy, repetitive sex scenes, written the same as the scenes in the books preceding and following them. (I refused to use succeeding there.)
I truly did give it a chance. I really wanted to love it. I normally don’t review. I just couldn’t shut up after reading this far and getting more of the same. If more of the same is sashimi, at least I get different fish, with their own complex tastes. (Crappy metaphor and now I’m hungry.)
We get it. The mating heat. It’s intense. Not so much nine books in.
Whatever sells, I guess.
August 29, 2015
Megan's Mark is billed as the start of a new series, but the only thing that differentiates this one from the Breeds books that have come before, is that this one is set around seven years later than the first six. Otherwise, this is very clearly just a continuation. In fact, I really think you would benefit from reading the first couple of the original books to get a better understanding of the background to the Breeds (even though the basics are covered off in this one).
I'm not sure how I felt about Megan in this one. She was an alpha female and pretty different from the other human mates that have come before, but she was a little too much for me and came across a bit overdone. I did like that Braeden didn't go all OTT alpha - he was prepared to 'allow' Megan to take risks and be exposed to danger, and that was a pleasant change.
I think Megan's Mark is stronger on the action element than some of the others, but what it gains in plot, it loses in the erotic element. There was nothing new to add - seen it all before and then some. The whole 'mating heat' thing was toned down somewhat - a good thing - but it was all still very repetitive. If I keep reading this series, it will definitely be for the plot, not the sex.
Oh, who am I kidding? It's a pretty safe bet that I'll be reading the next one.
3.5 stars
I'm not sure how I felt about Megan in this one. She was an alpha female and pretty different from the other human mates that have come before, but she was a little too much for me and came across a bit overdone. I did like that Braeden didn't go all OTT alpha - he was prepared to 'allow' Megan to take risks and be exposed to danger, and that was a pleasant change.
I think Megan's Mark is stronger on the action element than some of the others, but what it gains in plot, it loses in the erotic element. There was nothing new to add - seen it all before and then some. The whole 'mating heat' thing was toned down somewhat - a good thing - but it was all still very repetitive. If I keep reading this series, it will definitely be for the plot, not the sex.
Oh, who am I kidding? It's a pretty safe bet that I'll be reading the next one.
3.5 stars
May 29, 2010
This is the second time I've read Megan's Mark and I loved it as much as I did the first time. The plot is fast paced and exciting with not one, but two chase scenes and lots of action as Megan and Braden fight the seriously bad guys together. I really have been rating LL's current books too generously. Megan's Mark is so much better written, with tigher plots, and characters that jump off the page compared to what has come out over the past couple of years. The chemistry between Megan and Braden is classic off the charts LL as are the love scenes.
Megan's struggle to not be overwhelmed by her empathic talents is a big part of the book. Braden helps her to gain control over her gifts, offering her a freedom she thought she'd never have. Megan and Braden complement each other in ther strengths and abilities. Their love is a sweet, profound, raunchy romance, providing them with strength and hope in a harsh world filled with past horrors and present dangers.
Megan's struggle to not be overwhelmed by her empathic talents is a big part of the book. Braden helps her to gain control over her gifts, offering her a freedom she thought she'd never have. Megan and Braden complement each other in ther strengths and abilities. Their love is a sweet, profound, raunchy romance, providing them with strength and hope in a harsh world filled with past horrors and present dangers.
December 8, 2010
3.5 stars.
I can definitely see why people say the series get much better with this book. Megan and Braden didn't even have sex till 33%.....that's amazing!! The story was interesting although I do have to admit that my eyes glazed over a bit when they were talking about all the weapons, GPS, and whatnot!
I was a little disappointed that Braden and Megan weren't as affectionate with each other as some of the prior couples. I don't think they even "just kissed" till around the halfway point of the book. I think they made a good couple but I would've liked more romance. Also, I just don't like the whole teaching them to be submissive = anal sex at.all.
And what in the heck is up with Jonas??? Wow....he was much more "mean"? in this book ~ and scary!! I can see why everyone was so interested in his book! I guess I'll have to "keep reading" to find out!
I can definitely see why people say the series get much better with this book. Megan and Braden didn't even have sex till 33%.....that's amazing!! The story was interesting although I do have to admit that my eyes glazed over a bit when they were talking about all the weapons, GPS, and whatnot!
I was a little disappointed that Braden and Megan weren't as affectionate with each other as some of the prior couples. I don't think they even "just kissed" till around the halfway point of the book. I think they made a good couple but I would've liked more romance. Also, I just don't like the whole teaching them to be submissive = anal sex at.all.
And what in the heck is up with Jonas??? Wow....he was much more "mean"? in this book ~ and scary!! I can see why everyone was so interested in his book! I guess I'll have to "keep reading" to find out!
February 22, 2018
I love how the character work through their differences as they move to become mates. Braden is a strong, arrogant breed and exactly the man for Megan. She is no shrinking violet either and couldn't have been paired with anyone who was a better match. A GREAT read!
July 15, 2025
The h lives in isolation due to her special skills. She's exhausted by hearing others' thoughts. H is also a loner and recognises her as his mate. He's able to hleo her control her talent. Together they solve a sad mystery. Great couple.
January 21, 2013
Braden is so hot how can he be resisted!! And Megan is one kick a$$ chick!! Loved this book. Great story and plenty of steamy scenes!! A new direction for the breeds series!
September 10, 2017
3.5 stars
December 24, 2013
Ahhhh. These books drive me crazy. I can almost --ALMOST-- like them, and then the hero descends into utter douchbaggery that makes me want to kick him in the nads. In this case, said hero is Braden, an uber-alpha lion breed who has been dispatched to the isolated New Mexico town where Megan lives. She is a sheriff's deputy: smart, tough and capable. Unfortunately, her gifts as an empath can cripple her. The thoughts and feelings of others weigh on her... which is why she lives apart from most people.
Anyway, she's been marked for death and coyote breeds are part of the kill squad. Braden senses Megan's ability right away --and he is very attracted to her. She wants him too, but she doesn't want to want him because he is bossy and domineering. She gets enough of men telling her what to do from the men in her family. Here's the thing, though: Braden can see this. He even warns her father and cousin that they are going to lose her if they keep smothering her. And yet he does the same thing. Sure he "lets" her fight. Is that supposed to make him more evolved?
Obviously, he's not. He tells her what to do. He forces her into things "for her own good." And when she takes a stand for herself, he teaches her submission with a good ass-fucking. You know what? Screw that.
This bullshit pains me, because without it, I could have let myself enjoy this book. Even with all the clenching and creaming and (my personal favorite) the suckling mouth of her vagina. The sex is crazy hot. And all the breeds have the tortured hero vibe that presses all my happy buttons. There's action and angst... and while it's all over the top, it's fun. Except for the fact that the women are always forced to bend. Every time, the hero has to have his way. She has to submit and give up control of her life and her ability to make decisions. It just sparks something in me that I can't ignore. Grrr. I would ask if every book in the series is this way, but you would think that seven installments would allow me to answer that question for myself. Part of me wants to keep reading, on the hope that somehow it will change, but for now, wisdom prevails and I am reshelving the series... until I forget again why it makes me insane.
Anyway, she's been marked for death and coyote breeds are part of the kill squad. Braden senses Megan's ability right away --and he is very attracted to her. She wants him too, but she doesn't want to want him because he is bossy and domineering. She gets enough of men telling her what to do from the men in her family. Here's the thing, though: Braden can see this. He even warns her father and cousin that they are going to lose her if they keep smothering her. And yet he does the same thing. Sure he "lets" her fight. Is that supposed to make him more evolved?
Obviously, he's not. He tells her what to do. He forces her into things "for her own good." And when she takes a stand for herself, he teaches her submission with a good ass-fucking. You know what? Screw that.
This bullshit pains me, because without it, I could have let myself enjoy this book. Even with all the clenching and creaming and (my personal favorite) the suckling mouth of her vagina. The sex is crazy hot. And all the breeds have the tortured hero vibe that presses all my happy buttons. There's action and angst... and while it's all over the top, it's fun. Except for the fact that the women are always forced to bend. Every time, the hero has to have his way. She has to submit and give up control of her life and her ability to make decisions. It just sparks something in me that I can't ignore. Grrr. I would ask if every book in the series is this way, but you would think that seven installments would allow me to answer that question for myself. Part of me wants to keep reading, on the hope that somehow it will change, but for now, wisdom prevails and I am reshelving the series... until I forget again why it makes me insane.
September 28, 2010
The heroine and plot just did not work for me. On balance, I did not enjoy it.
This is Book 1 of The Breed series which is an offshoot of the Feline Breeds series. The Genetics Council used genetic experimentation to create humans with animal DNA, called Breeds. The Breeds were tortured, experimented upon and kept in captivity, but eventually escaped. The Council and other groups are trying to capture and/or kill them.
I liked the alpha male hero Braden who was a Breed with lion DNA. The heroine is Megan, a human with empathic abilities. She trained to be a police officer, but was too affected by the emotions of other police officers, victims and criminals to do her job. She would feel too much pain, fear, hatred, etc, which caused her to make mistakes on the job. Someone wants to kill her and Braden is sent to find out who. He is there to help her, but she won’t help him help her. At first she doesn’t even tell him she is an empath which is part of the mystery. Later, he wants her to practice blocking emotions with his help, but she refuses for awhile. She is hostile and angry toward him and others. I had trouble finding something to admire about her or feeling sympathy for her. The plot didn’t interest me, described below. If a reader is looking for lengthy Breed sex scenes, I suggest the other Breed books. The ones in this book were similar, nothing new.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
A bad guy hires other bad guys to kill two breeds and Megan. Megan escaped the ambush. She and Braden return to the scene of the crime a couple of times trying to psychically figure out what happened. The bad guys chase them and there is a shoot out at the end. Most of the story seemed to be Megan stomping around being mad and not trying to do a good job in solving the mystery.
DATA:
Sexual language: strong/erotic. Number of sex scenes: six, most were several pages long. Setting: 2023 small town in southern New Mexico and Virginia. Copyright: 2006. Genre: erotic paranormal romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
For a listing of my reviews of other Lora Leigh books, see my 4 star review of “Tempting the Beast” posted on 6/30/08.
This is Book 1 of The Breed series which is an offshoot of the Feline Breeds series. The Genetics Council used genetic experimentation to create humans with animal DNA, called Breeds. The Breeds were tortured, experimented upon and kept in captivity, but eventually escaped. The Council and other groups are trying to capture and/or kill them.
I liked the alpha male hero Braden who was a Breed with lion DNA. The heroine is Megan, a human with empathic abilities. She trained to be a police officer, but was too affected by the emotions of other police officers, victims and criminals to do her job. She would feel too much pain, fear, hatred, etc, which caused her to make mistakes on the job. Someone wants to kill her and Braden is sent to find out who. He is there to help her, but she won’t help him help her. At first she doesn’t even tell him she is an empath which is part of the mystery. Later, he wants her to practice blocking emotions with his help, but she refuses for awhile. She is hostile and angry toward him and others. I had trouble finding something to admire about her or feeling sympathy for her. The plot didn’t interest me, described below. If a reader is looking for lengthy Breed sex scenes, I suggest the other Breed books. The ones in this book were similar, nothing new.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
A bad guy hires other bad guys to kill two breeds and Megan. Megan escaped the ambush. She and Braden return to the scene of the crime a couple of times trying to psychically figure out what happened. The bad guys chase them and there is a shoot out at the end. Most of the story seemed to be Megan stomping around being mad and not trying to do a good job in solving the mystery.
DATA:
Sexual language: strong/erotic. Number of sex scenes: six, most were several pages long. Setting: 2023 small town in southern New Mexico and Virginia. Copyright: 2006. Genre: erotic paranormal romance.
OTHER BOOKS:
For a listing of my reviews of other Lora Leigh books, see my 4 star review of “Tempting the Beast” posted on 6/30/08.
July 17, 2011
Megan's Mark
4 Stars
Synopsis:
Megan Fields, an empath who has a hard time shielding herself from the emotions of others, finds solace in the peace and quiet of the New Mexico desert until the day she finds the bodies of two breeds. As a sheriff’s deputy, Megan is partnered with Braden Arness, an arrogant feline assassin, in the search for the killers. Megan and Braden clash in every way but must learn to trust each other because someone is out for Megan’s blood.
Review:
Definite improvement in terms of plot and writing over previous books in the series. The sex scenes are still steamy with a capital S but are not as overwhelming as before, more information is provided concerning the Breeds’ life in the labs and the story is more action than character driven.
Nevertheless, the characters are very appealing even if they could be more developed. Megan is a kick butt heroine and is a match to Braden in every way. They are both adrenaline junkies and their extrasensory powers are complimentary. One aspect of Megan’s character that bothered me was her constant rejection of her abilities and Braden’s attempts to help her in this area. While Braden is not my favorite Breed, he is still a super-hot alpha male and he truly cares about Megan. It did annoy me that he was constantly trying to dominate her but she could definitely hold her own against him.
Similar to Elizabeth’s Wolf, the villain is seriously sick and disturbed but once again there is not enough detail regarding his actions and his obsession with Megan as well as his spies at Sanctuary. The final confrontation with him is, however, quite satisfactory.
The character who interests me the most is Jonas and I really want to know more about him, especially following the cliffhanger at the end, which I hope will be developed in the next book.
This is a decent read and from all reports it is all uphill from here.
4 Stars
Synopsis:
Megan Fields, an empath who has a hard time shielding herself from the emotions of others, finds solace in the peace and quiet of the New Mexico desert until the day she finds the bodies of two breeds. As a sheriff’s deputy, Megan is partnered with Braden Arness, an arrogant feline assassin, in the search for the killers. Megan and Braden clash in every way but must learn to trust each other because someone is out for Megan’s blood.
Review:
Definite improvement in terms of plot and writing over previous books in the series. The sex scenes are still steamy with a capital S but are not as overwhelming as before, more information is provided concerning the Breeds’ life in the labs and the story is more action than character driven.
Nevertheless, the characters are very appealing even if they could be more developed. Megan is a kick butt heroine and is a match to Braden in every way. They are both adrenaline junkies and their extrasensory powers are complimentary. One aspect of Megan’s character that bothered me was her constant rejection of her abilities and Braden’s attempts to help her in this area. While Braden is not my favorite Breed, he is still a super-hot alpha male and he truly cares about Megan. It did annoy me that he was constantly trying to dominate her but she could definitely hold her own against him.
Similar to Elizabeth’s Wolf, the villain is seriously sick and disturbed but once again there is not enough detail regarding his actions and his obsession with Megan as well as his spies at Sanctuary. The final confrontation with him is, however, quite satisfactory.
The character who interests me the most is Jonas and I really want to know more about him, especially following the cliffhanger at the end, which I hope will be developed in the next book.
This is a decent read and from all reports it is all uphill from here.
May 20, 2024
Ok so this is the first Breed story published by Berkley. We see more of Jonas and his game playing attitude, Tarek and of course Braden. This is also the first story that Elyiana show up in. She is mentioned in The Breed next Door, but she shows up to take blood work and other samples from Megan and Braden. There is also a discussion between her and Jonas. There are any new Breeds introduced in this book but one of the Council members is killed which is always a good thing. Ms Leigh has a gift for writing villains that are so vile and evil that you are cheering by the time that they get what is coming to them. This villain is probably one of the worst so far. It is people like this that make the rest of us ashamed to be in the same species with them. This story is set in the desert so it is well away from Sanctuary. There is only a passing mention of the other Breeds living in Virginia.
I am curious what mission Jonas sent Braden and Megan out on. I am not sure I have read anymore about these characters in the future books. I also am suspicious that Braden maybe a Prime. He displays a lot of the characteristics. Megan is a warrior for all intents and purposes as well as an empath. The first mention of telepathic abilities in the Breeds or the humans. It would be interesting to know if there were any others out there.
There are some really sad places throughout the story. So I would suggest keeping tissues handy. There is also humor and some of the hottest sex written in the mass market today. I was very pleased with this story and look forward to reading the next in the series.
I am curious what mission Jonas sent Braden and Megan out on. I am not sure I have read anymore about these characters in the future books. I also am suspicious that Braden maybe a Prime. He displays a lot of the characteristics. Megan is a warrior for all intents and purposes as well as an empath. The first mention of telepathic abilities in the Breeds or the humans. It would be interesting to know if there were any others out there.
There are some really sad places throughout the story. So I would suggest keeping tissues handy. There is also humor and some of the hottest sex written in the mass market today. I was very pleased with this story and look forward to reading the next in the series.
August 6, 2015
It started off in a pretty interesting place, but then it quickly turned in to just way too much formulaic sex. "It's breakfast time!" sex, "I'm in the shower!" sex, "I'm having a nap after hours of sex!" sex. Or so it seemed to me anyway, with the pre-requiste levels of endless vaginal gushing and the fire hose ejaculate to boot. Also I really hate when one participant decides to use sex as a weapon or tool against the other, in this case Braden decides he has to show Megan that he's the Alpha of their relationship and she must follow where he leads. So he coerces a promise out of her during sex and wont satisfy her needs until she agrees. So very, very not sexy and immediately drops this to a 1 star for me.
Also I didn't really get what they were doing with her empathic powers most of the time. I know they needed her to pin point specifics that the Breeds couldn't, but then there was stuff about shields and how she had some but they sucked and were virtually useless, except when they weren't, and Braden was going to teach her to make better ones or something, but then he didn't and it all got left behind in sex and crazy dream revelations... Was just confusing and a bit disappointing since they made a big deal out of it and we never saw her really get a handle on them.
So yeah... Possibly I missed some information that would have made this story much clearer if I hadn't started skipping over Yet Another Sex Scene early on, but if the characters are doing that much talking whilst getting it on then we should probably be more concerned at why our action-thriller plot is mostly porn, or our porn keeps breaking out in action-thriller.
Also I didn't really get what they were doing with her empathic powers most of the time. I know they needed her to pin point specifics that the Breeds couldn't, but then there was stuff about shields and how she had some but they sucked and were virtually useless, except when they weren't, and Braden was going to teach her to make better ones or something, but then he didn't and it all got left behind in sex and crazy dream revelations... Was just confusing and a bit disappointing since they made a big deal out of it and we never saw her really get a handle on them.
So yeah... Possibly I missed some information that would have made this story much clearer if I hadn't started skipping over Yet Another Sex Scene early on, but if the characters are doing that much talking whilst getting it on then we should probably be more concerned at why our action-thriller plot is mostly porn, or our porn keeps breaking out in action-thriller.
January 2, 2017
3,5 Sterne: Die Geschichte um Braden und Megan ist etwas weniger Erotik-lastig, als es zum Beispiel der Vorgänger um Kiowa und Amanda war. Das war der Glaubwürdigkeit der Geschichte meiner Meinung nach zuträglich, da zwischen den beiden trotz der gegenseitigen Anziehung erst einmal ein Minimum an Vertrauen entstehen konnte.
Während ich Bradens Charakter insgesamt zwar nicht übermäßig ausgefeilt aber gelungen fand, ging mir Megan irgendwann ein bisschen auf die Nerven. Ich habe bis zum Schluss nicht verstanden, warum sie sich bei jeder Gelegenheit mit Händen und Füßen dagegen wehren musste, ihre Gabe zu trainieren - während sie zur gleichen Zeit mehrfach gestand, gerne mehr Kontrolle darüber haben zu wollen. Dementsprechend hat sich hier bis zum Ende wenig getan, was ich sehr schade fand.
Neben der Geschichte um die Beziehungsentwicklung bekommt man in Bradens Vergeltung auch mal wieder eine echte äußere Bedrohung in Verbindung mit Informationen und Entwicklungen in der Gesellschaft und den Mensch-Breed-public-relations zu sehen, was ich begrüßt habe. Es gibt nichts gegen erotische Romane einzuwenden - zumal wenn die erotischen Szenen so gekonnt und gut geschrieben sind wie hier -, aber ein Mindestmaß an Handlung außerhalb des Bettes habe ich trotzdem ganz gerne.
Insgesamt gefielen mir Braden und Megan besser als Kiowa und Amanda, trotzdem ist es bei weitem nicht der stärkste Band der Reihe.
Während ich Bradens Charakter insgesamt zwar nicht übermäßig ausgefeilt aber gelungen fand, ging mir Megan irgendwann ein bisschen auf die Nerven. Ich habe bis zum Schluss nicht verstanden, warum sie sich bei jeder Gelegenheit mit Händen und Füßen dagegen wehren musste, ihre Gabe zu trainieren - während sie zur gleichen Zeit mehrfach gestand, gerne mehr Kontrolle darüber haben zu wollen. Dementsprechend hat sich hier bis zum Ende wenig getan, was ich sehr schade fand.
Neben der Geschichte um die Beziehungsentwicklung bekommt man in Bradens Vergeltung auch mal wieder eine echte äußere Bedrohung in Verbindung mit Informationen und Entwicklungen in der Gesellschaft und den Mensch-Breed-public-relations zu sehen, was ich begrüßt habe. Es gibt nichts gegen erotische Romane einzuwenden - zumal wenn die erotischen Szenen so gekonnt und gut geschrieben sind wie hier -, aber ein Mindestmaß an Handlung außerhalb des Bettes habe ich trotzdem ganz gerne.
Insgesamt gefielen mir Braden und Megan besser als Kiowa und Amanda, trotzdem ist es bei weitem nicht der stärkste Band der Reihe.
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