Wild Rain

Leopard People #1

by Christine Feehan

With a new identity, a staged death, and a chance to flee the treachery that stalks her, Rachel has escaped from a faceless assassin. Now, thousands of miles from home, under the lush canopy of the rainforest, she’s found sanctuary.

But in this world teeming with unusual creatures walks the most exotic of them all. His name is Rio. A native of the forest imbued with a fierce prowess, he is something to be desired. Possessed of secrets of his own, he is something to be feared.

As Rachel’s past looms as oppressively as the heat of the forest and Rio unleashes the secret animal instincts that course through his blood, Rachel fears that her isolated haven has become an inescapable hell...

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Fiction

358 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 27, 2004

About the author

Christine Feehan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author multiple times over with her portfolio including over 100 published novels, including five series; Dark Series, GhostWalker Series, Leopard Series, Drake Sisters Series, the Sisters of the Heart Series, Shadow Riders, Torpedo Ink and her Romantic Suspense novels. All of her series have hit the #1 spot on the New York Times bestselling list as well. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature (PEARL) in 1999. Since then she has been published by various publishing houses including Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove. She also has earned 7 more PEARL awards since Dark Prince.
Her series include:
The Dark Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/darkb...
The GhostWalker series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/ghost...
The Leopard Series - https://www.christinefeehan.com/leopa...
The Shadow Series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/shado...
Torpedo Ink series- https://www.christinefeehan.com/torpe...




IN HER WORDS:
I've been a writer all of my life -- it is who I am. I write for myself and always have. The ability to create pictures and emotions with words is such a miracle to me. I read everything; I mean everything! All kinds of books, even encyclopedias. I am fascinated by the written word and I love storytellers. It is a great privilege to be counted one myself. (www.christinefeehan.com)

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachael Lospostos is leaving her old life behind by traveling to the rain forest (with a new name and a new identity) on a medical relief boat full of medical supplies for regions in need. When the boat she is on stops the passengers get ambushed by bandits with guns and Rachael flees into the rain forest. While hiding out in a tree house she falls asleep and gets woken by a leopard that attacks her by biting her leg. There is also a man there, with the leopards, who ends up tending to her injured leg. His name is Rio Santana and he seems quite at home in the forest. He gets on well with the leopards, walks around naked a lot, and is very mysterious. While recovering from her wounds Rachael finds herself trusting Rio. She feels like she knew him before---but that seems impossible. She would surely remember if she ever met a man like Rio. She ends up telling him her story of why she's on the run---she's trying to disappear because someone wants her dead. Rachael spent nearly a year preparing for this moment of escape. Now she has a price on her head because there is a huge reward for anyone who knows where she is. Rio then tells her his story---he murdered a man who killed his mother and afterwards Rio was banished from his people. Rachael and Rio also find they have many things in common.

Rachael and Rio were the perfect couple. They both seem to have memories of each other but this is the first time they met. Could it be they were lovers in a past life? When Rachael arrives at the rain forest she feels so comfortable there, alive, and at home. Then there's the story of the "leopard people" Rachael's mother used to tell her when she was young. Was it for real? Are there "leopard people"? Is Rio one of them?

I loved the descriptions of the rain forest. I felt like I was there with the soft, gentle rain always pouring down, the sounds of the animals and insects, the colors and smells of the forest, the humidity, etc...

This was an entertaining paranormal romance though it was very slow at times. The pace picked up a bit in the second half of the book. I liked the main couple. There were some references that Rachael and Rio could be a reincarnated couple---the flashbacks and memories they have of their life together in which they never experienced in this life... It was never fully explained.

They also were both shape-shifters...leopard people. This is the first book I've read in which the main couple shifted into leopards. Rachael wasn't aware that she was a shape-shifter until she arrived at the forest. Rio knew he was. I liked the part when Rachael first "shifted" and how happy she was when she was free to run wild in the forest.

An enjoyable read by Christine Feehan with steamy love scenes, great atmosphere, and some suspense.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Someone was trying to kill her.”



This was an adult paranormal romance featuring leopard shifters.
(This is the second book in the Leopard people series.)

Rio and Rachael were both strong characters in this story. Both had been hunted before, and both knew how to take care of themselves, even when that led to further problems! I felt quite sorry for Rachael, as it seemed like her problems weren’t of her own making, and for her to then be injured and unable to take care of herself really bothered her.

“Rachael was comfortable in a world of deceit and treachery. She knew no other way of life.”



The storyline in this followed Rio and Rachael as they met and discovered that they were in fact a mated pair. We also found out the details of Rio’s life, and the reason that Rachael had a price on her head. I found the pace in this quite slow, and the book did feel quite long.

“Something whizzed past her ear so fast it hummed, thudding into the wall, sending splinteres in all directions.”



Quite a lot of this story was focused on the romance, and there were some fairly explicit sex scenes, nothing too kinky though.

“A tidal wave swept through Rachael, carried her up and up until there was no where to go and she was free-falling, imploding, fragmenting. Until there was no part of her that wasn’t consumed by fiery pleasure.”



The ending to this was very much a happily-ever-after, but I do wonder if we will learn more about some of the other characters in this book in the future books in this series.
6.5 out of 10

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it had a little bit of a slow start, Wild Rain turned out to be another winner for me. I can see how Christine Feehan's writing style doesn't work for everyone. She is very wordy. But I like that she really puts a lot of detail into descriptions of the setting and the feelings of the characters. It adds to the atmosphere and the emotional intensity of her stories, which is why she's a favorite of mine.

Ah, the jungle descriptions. Simply gorgeous. I wanted to be there, so bad, except for the humidity and the nasty bugs (which she doesn't describe other than mosquitos). But all the plant life, the birds, the small mammals, the primates, and the big and small cats. It sounded like heaven to this animal and nature lover. And it was crucial to bring you into Rio's world: savage, yet beautiful.

At first, I wasn't sure what to make of Rachael. She was very guarded, very closed-off. Soon, I came to realize that this was a very important part of her self-defense. As the story unfolds, you realize just why Rachael has made a lifetime out of isolating and withdrawing herself, not allowing herself to feel deeply and to become involved with anyone or anything.

Rio, in contrast, is described as a man who feels his emotions deeply and honestly. He's not a crybaby or anything like that. No, he feels what he feels. He's not about denying things to himself to be tough. He deals with the lousy, and puts it into perspective. He was exiled from his people for an action he willingly committed. He is a loner, with few friends (only the men in his unit), and no one to love him. I loved that he was a tough, strong, deadly man, but he could be emotionally honest and available to his woman.

Surprise, surprise when he comes home to find a girl in his house. This part amused me, reminding me of Goldilocks. But there is a violent interaction that leads to Rachael's leg being badly injured by one of Rio's companion clouded leopards (who are as cute as the Dickens). He ends up nursing her, and falling in love with her in the process. I really liked the nursing scenes (probably the medically-trained streak in me).

There is a feeling of deja vu between the couple, as if they loved each other before. This left me a little confused. It wasn't attributed to reincarnation, but it was never explained why they felt that way. Were they merely soulmates who 'foreknew' each other, even to the point in which they knew what it felt like to make love to each other, and what pleased each other intimately? I never got clarification on that. But, it was a small thing, and I just went with it.

I was really pleasantly surprised with the reveal about who Rachael truly was, and her complicated relationship with her brother, Elijah. Pretty dark stuff. Fascinating, really. I don't see too many heroines coming from that background. That's a thing I love about Christine Feehan. She is not afraid of the dark subject matter. And, I think she handles it very well. Can I just say that Elijah was a hot one? He definitely has an antihero vibe along the lines of Rehv from the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Very sexy and dangerous. He was a good counterpoint to Rio, who was also a very dangerous man, but very nurturing and gentle with Rachael, despite or because of his alpha-male tendencies. I'd love to see more of Elijah. He's so tortured. He deserves a happy ending.

Oh, the shapeshifting and cat parts! One of my favored aspects of this book. I am a huge aficionado of big cats. They have the beauty, the elegance, and so much grace, coupled with a lethality that makes them utterly fascinating. I think that Ms. Feehan clearly did a lot of research into the rain forest ecology, and into the species of leopards that she used in this book. It felt very real, and it was interesting, but never came off as disruptive natural history lectures. Being the nerd that I am, I had to look up the various species on Wikipedia, to see pictures of them and learn even more facts. But, yes, I truly enjoyed the cat/shapeshifting parts of the story. It was very well done. This book is on my list of favorites in this genre.

Although I read Burning Wild first, and I still like that one better, because Jake was so darn intense, and it was such a dark journey coupled with a strong, fascinating, beautiful romance; I really did enjoy this book. I can be honest and say that those who don't like certain aspects of Ms. Feehan's writing, will find things to quibble about. She does tend to overuse some words, but not the ones you're probably thinking of right now. And, as I stated earlier on, she is very verbose. I shrug it off. I am used to her writing style, and I go with the flow. I was very entertained with her vivid descriptions of the rain forest, animals, plants, and the beautiful, emotional romance between Rio and Rachael. I think this is an excellent series, and I cannot wait to read more.

Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.

[Sophia Triad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rio Santana & Rachael Lospostos
Settings: Borneo

Rachel has run away from danger. She disappeared from her home in the States with a new identity in order not to be murdered by her drug-lord uncle. Her parents were murdered when Rachel and her brother Elijah were children. Her uncle let them live and her brother has been heavily involved in the drug empire.
What Elijah never told her is that he can shift into a leopard and that possibly she can shift too but this has not happened yet.

Rio is an outcast. He lives far away from his people’s village because he killed the human who killed his mother in her leopard form in order to get her pelt. The law of his people states that no leopard shifter should kill humans for such crimes.

When Rio’s “kittens” injure Rachel, she ends up in his bed at the jungle trying to recover. Rio realizes that there is something strange about Rachel – especially when he starts having memories about her from a different lifetime. Could they have been related somehow? Could they be soulmates?

"Does she remember you?"
"I think she does sometimes. I see it in her eyes. And she admits to being just as confused as I am."

There is the mystery of who wants to kill Rachel and who Rachel really is. There is also deep sexual tension between Rio and Rachel. A big adventure that involves traitors, assassins and family members who have kept well hidden secrets will bond the couple.

"I know what sestrilla means, Rio. You are calling me beloved one.”

However, beyond doubt jungle and its fauna are the protagonists of this book.

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread – 1st read in Sep 2013
The 2nd book in this series and what a fabulous world Christine Feehan has created.
From vampires to leopard shifters – from the Carpathian Mountains to the rainforests of Borneo, the wilds of America….and just as captivating.

Rio Santana lives a life of solitude with two snow leopard cubs for company in his home hidden away in the rainforest.

He discovers Rachael Lospostos in his home. After faking her death, she flees far away from her home to escape assassins who want to kill her and finds refuge in an abandoned jungle tree house.

I loved the chemistry between the two. Both feel a past connection between each other and between trying to find who the villains are they give in to their attraction and feelings. Sensual, steamy, intense and emotional.

I adored their interaction ……

The author continues giving us a vivid picture of the rainforest, which grabs me and gets me wanting to know more.

This is actually turning into a fabulous series!!!!

[Izzah ꒰Duchess of Cabria ಇ ⭑✧ ᴏɴ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴇᴏɴ ✧ ⋆꒱ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mmmmm, kinda neutral about this one

I've been in the mood for a shifter romance but
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🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
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[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Rain is the second in the Leopard series, and one that once I had finished felt deeply satisfied. I It is my favorite among the series so far, it was a intense but tender love story between two people that find themselves drawn into a suspenseful plot that will send them both fighting for their lives.

Rachel Lospostos, is a young woman where life has been unjustly cruel to her, and those that she has come to care for. Rachael's parents were killed when she was young, and she and her brother were left with their cold-blooded uncle. Her uncle forced her brother to do horrific actions at the threat of her life. Elijah (Rachael's Brother) then kills a friend of hers, in front of her, although Rachael hadn't realized it at the moment, that friend was planning on killing her, for he worked for her uncle. Elijah, however never told her the truth, and after the incident, Rachael stages her death, and created a new identity, hoping to flee from a assassin that hunts her. Thousands of miles from home, away from all that she knows, she heads into a rain forest, with threats out there unknown to her. She assumed Elijah is the one that has sent men after her to kill her. She aches for her brother, knowing all that he had done in the past, was for her. She loves him all the same, knowing what he has turned into. On a journey with a group of people being guided through the forest by Kim Pang, who has great knowledge of the area. They are then ambushed by a group of bandits, Rachael barely escapes with her life in the river. She then finds herself sanctuary. Rio is of the Leopard species, where he can turn from being human to leopard in a moment. He has been shunned from his people from a previous error in his past. He lives alone, apart from two leopards whom he found abandoned and as babies. He cares for them, and even though Leopards are solitary creatures, they continually stay with him. Rio is part of a group of Leopard shifters, who undergo missions where they rescue humans and bring them to safety among the rain forest, since there are many dangers to be found there. As he drifts toward his home, he senses a stranger within its realms, and goes on high alert fully intending to destroy whoever has laid a trap for him. Rachael finds herself being attacked within the old hut that she has found sanctuary, by none other than the mysterious and captivating Rio. After Rio realizes his mistake, and at first he never trust Rachael, but there is something about her that captures his attention. Rachael now badly injured, finds herself in the care of the one who attacked her. His name is Rio, and at first glance he seems dangerous and wild as the forest around them. But as time goes one, and he tends to her gently, she see's a side of him she would have never suspected. Rachael is drawn toward this mysterious creature, whom she seems to share a deep connection with. Rachael comes to the knowledge that Rio is a lot more than just a man, but there is a animal hidden beneath the human exterior. As Rachael past comes to haunt her, they are both faced with a bleak future of being on the run, although they have each other. Rachael is discovering something about herself, something that she has never felt before and is learning to adjust to a new life among the 'Wild Rain'.

I definitely enjoyed reading Rachael and Rio's captivating story, it seems to enthrall me to the point that I could hardly put this book down. The characters were portrayed so well, it was as if I was drawn into the rain forest myself among the trees, humidity, and the wild nature. I was taken on a wild adventure through the rain forest, where passion, instinct and a deep love abides. As Rachael starts to heal from her wounds, their passionate feelings for one another grow until they are both thrown into a climatic sensual ride. Even though there are many that hunt them both, they manage to stay alive and ahead of the hunters. A deep tender lover grows between both Rachael and Rio, that they are unable to resist. I found myself falling in love with Rachael and Rio, but for me both characters have had pasts that were Hell on Earth, and despite all the dangers that surround them, they end up finding a sensual heaven amidst it all. This is definitely one of my favorites from Christine Feehan's writings. Its filled with the perfect mixture of sensual passion, witty conversation, and a thrilling adventure that will knock your socks off!!

[SheLove2Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, well, well. My first wallbanger of the year and its from one of my favorite authors.

In a nutshell, this book sucked.

- no character development. if there's a prequel to this book it would have been nice to have read it. apparently it explains a whole heck of a lot of things.

-heroine is stupid. she is VIOLENTLY attacked by the hero's "pet leopards", nearly has her leg torn off, suffers days and weeks of fever and infection and then one day she magically "gets over it" because the hero explains to her his pets thought she was an intruder. Yeah, that makes it all better somehow.

-hero is borderline whiny. he's been banished from his tribe. wah. get over it man! but no, instead he stays in the jungle with them and gives them money. he's stupid too.

- dumb plot. half the book consisted of hero taking care of heroine after his pet leopards nearly rip her leg off at the beginning of the book. then we have a small section where she realizes she's a shapeshifter too. my how convenient. she just magically came to the amazon and now she's a leopard too. right. the final part of the book is the usual "you will not leave me, I won't let you go" silliness you see in some books.

A total waste of my reading time.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope, not for me. Paranormal romance, read while staying at my mother's, recuperating from surgery. I had forgotten to pack any books and was desperate for something to read. This did not do the trick. Shapeshifters-and-assassins plot that made little sense, and "romance" that was just creepy. Ugh.

DNF around 50%.

[Melluvsbooks]

DNF @ 25% 🥱😴😴😴

[Tilly Slaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling ride through the survival of a leopard attack, torturous pain, fever and past life confusion.

Wild Rain is the second book in Christine Feehan’s leopard series. This book is the story of Rio and Rachael.

Rio is a male shape-shifting leopard who has been banished from the village of his people. He works with a team that rescues or assassinates psycho bad dudes.

Rachael (I’ll be vague because I refuse to write a spoiler heh) is running from her past. She flees to the rainforest in attempt to stage her on death. It’s as simple as that.

I love this series. There is something about a shape-shifting female going into heat, trying to claw her mate’s face off and then sticking her behind into the air to tempt him to take her.

I suppose that just flat-out does it for me.

The majority of Wild Rain takes place in Rio’s home. He returns from a mission to find Rachael sleeping in his bed. He believes she is an assassin waiting to kill him. She believes he is a man from her past coming to kill her. What a great way to start a relationship!

I do adore Rachael’s personality. Her character is sarcastic, hilarious and more importantly to the alpha male banging on his chest paranormal romance story, defiant and rebellious to her mate.

“That awful leech is going to just stay there, getting high on your blood. Maybe it’s a girl leech and she’s going to have babies and they’ll all live on your back, sucking your blood. A little leech community. How perfectly lovely.”

The majority of this book takes place in Rio’s home. Rachael is extremely injured and is bedridden with an oozing leg and a raging fever. As I read, I found myself waiting for something exciting to happen. Although this book does have some adventurous flings, it is mostly about the character and relationship progression between to people whom do not trust one another or understand what is happening between them.

The first time I read this book I found myself thoroughly confused during certain scenes. This time, I knew what to expect and it made a hell of a lot more sense.

This is most definitely not my favorite book in the leopard series. Although some of you thrive on character progression (Which I do! .. But not this one …) others need the constant doubt or mystery or action. To each his own.

As for my opinion, this book is brilliantly played. I would have hoped for better scenery but that which is provided is repetitious yet beautiful.

The world was a lush riot of colors, every shade of green vying with vivid brilliant colors erupting up and down the trunks of trees. High overhead and on the forest floor, flowers, fauna and fungi vied for space in the secret, hidden world. Even in the rain, she could see evidence of wildlife, shadows flitting from branch to branch, lizards scrambling into foliage.

I recommend this book to mature adults only due to extremely yummy and descriptive violent and sexual content. Do not let your children or teenagers read these books. Think McFly, think!

~Happy reading!

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rachael Lospostos comes to the rainforest under the pretense of being part of a group delivering medical supplies to the villages. When the group and their guide are ambushed by a tribal gang, Rachael slips over the side of the boat into the fast moving river. She eventually reaches shore and disappears into the rainforest.

Rio Santana lives in the rainforest with two clouded leopards, Franz and Fritz. He was banished from his village because he killed the hunter who shot his mother. Now-a-days he works with an unit rescuing kidnapped victims from tribal gangs.

Rio is returning home from a mission when he is alerted that someone is in his home. Thinking it is an assassin, he and the leopards quietly enter his house to find a woman sleeping in his bed. Rachael wakes up to see an unknown man and stabs him in the temple with a stick. She attempts to reach the fireplace poker, but is stopped by a leopard biting behind her ankle. Stretching, she grabs hold of the poker but releases it when Rio applies increasing pressure to her wrist. He tells Fritz to release the woman and he carries her back to the bed, where he treats her ankle injury.

Rio is sure she is one of his people. Rachael is not sure she is what her mother termed the leopard people. These people were stories her mother told her as a child. Myths and legends. With prices on both their heads, there are assassins out to kill them. Can Rio save the woman who is becoming the very soul of his existence? Can Rachael leave the man who has become the very air that she breathes.

The chemistry between Rachael and Rio is sizzling hot. They both have secrets and a violent past. They will work towards trusting each other as they explore their hidden depths and face the assassins together. The description and setting is rich, lush and wet. The rainforest and its birds, monkeys, gibbons, lizards, leeches and insects come alive within the pages of this novel. I adored the clouded leopards, Franz and Fritz. Their moody temperaments and playful wrestling brings a sense of realism to the story. Rachael and Rio find their happily-ever-after. I look forward to more books in this series.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Thoughts - 5 out of 5 Unicorns - I loved it!!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!!

I own this book in paperback, and it is the 2nd book in the series and a full novel. This is for adults only due to the steamy content.

I loved Rio and Rachael’s story. It was full of action and twists and turns. I especially loved Fritz and Franz. Rachael is full of spirit and stands for what she believes in. They both have a past that they aren’t really interested in sharing. Rio has more heart and character than he sees in himself. They are both an awesome pair of leads. I couldn’t put the book down.

Christine Feehan weaves a great tale. I have loved most of the books I’ve read of hers. This is probably my second time reading the book. I haven’t read it in a while and never reviewed it before. I’m going to read them all!

I highly recommend this book to all the shifter lovers especially if you already love Christine Feehan and big cats!

[Umaiya ❄️Ramblings of a Scattered Mind❄️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems like Feehan just isn't for me.
While everybody else just loves her stuff, it just comes off really choppy for me.

I was sort of lost the entire time reading this as if I'd jumped into the fifth book of a connecting series with no background. Things didn't make sense and everything was so matter of fact, like you should already know all this.
Maybe I should have read the prequel first but in my experience prequels are usually written during or after the series so they are pretty much optional, hence my jumping straight into the first book.

The other thing, I thought it was unnecessarily long, lack of proper transitions. In the end, I pretty much just finished it for the sake of finishing it.

*shrugs* That's it.

[Delta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ~ On to the next one. ;D

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Progression of Reading a Good Christine Feehan Book:

25%: What the hell is going on? Why is the heroine so capable but then immediately put into a position where the hero has to take care of her? WE KNOW HE'S A LEOPARD SHIFTER ALREADY, JESUS. THAT'S THE POINT OF THE BOOK. Oh, look, random research about leopards. This is going to be a long book...

50%: This is getting a lot better, but I still can't believe that they're totally doing it even though his pet leopard NEARLY BIT HER LEG OFF in the first thirty pages and she is just like NO BIG DEAL I LIKE YOUR PENIS. The sex is hot and stuff is happening now, although I can deal without the whole 'village of leopard people with a tribe of elders' thing being hinted at. At least none of them speak in bad 'non-American-people' dialect.

75%: I'm really invested in this. WTF. How did I get here? What does this mean? They're talking about how they've been mated in past lives and want a shit ton of babies and I don't even care despite how wrong and horribly limiting that is on a strong female character because of course she MUST be married and she MUST pop out a ton of babies to live in their amazeballs treehouse in the jungle. The leopards are really cute, though, and they've had really hot sex. I don't even mind the excess description in everything. Oh, and I guess the suspense plot is kind of amping up. I always forget she has these..

100%: What the heck. I really liked that. Her hero didn't go total alphahole in this book. It was actually one of the good ones. I liked it. I can't fathom that information.

... I want to read the next one, and that's so wrong, but so right.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christine Feehan has once again launched her readers into a world where anything can, and usually does, happen---with a nice, big dose of the sexy paranormal thrown in. Feehan fans and newcomers alike won't be able to help being enthralled by the lush setting of this book, the hunky hero, the sleek jaguars of the jungle, and a heroine who is too damn spunky to let a little matter of being hunted get her down. Definitely a winner!

[Ansu · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG what an amazing book!!!!!. I have not been reading this series in order but not to worry as you do not miss out on anything in the history of this amazing race, CF makes sure that you are aware of the history and background. If you love shifters together with a hot alpha male then read this one as Rio and Rachael will not disappoint. I cannot wait to see if Elijah will get his own story.

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note to self: Do not buy this book. You've already read it in Fever.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read May 2015 rating 4 Stars

Originally read 2011 rated 4 Stars

[Elly · Rating 4 out of 5]

“May all the magic of the forest be with you and may fortune be your companion as you travel.”


I started this book with no expectations: I knew neither the author nor this book series... I was only aware it was set in the middle of the rainforest, and that was enough for me.
It turned out to be a wonderful discovery, and I'm grateful to have embarked on this journey with Rachel and Rio.
* I've read this book while listening to THIS PLAYLIST (dark forest ambience and music, highly recommended): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgq21... *
* Also, I'd like to mention the BOOK TRAILER produced years ago... I honestly love it, very 2000s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v0I5...*

The plot (no spoiler):
The female protagonist is running away from her life and finds herself lost in the midst of an Asian rainforest. Taking refuge in what seems to be an abandoned house, she encounters Rio and some leopards who will accompany us until the end of the book.

It's an adventurous tale of companions destined to find each other in all possible lives I would have loved to read more glimpses of their past lives, as the ones mentioned are too few for my romantic heart, of profound connections and passion. It's the story of a girl in search of freedom in a remote land, unaware that freedom comes from knowing oneself deeply. It's also a story about revenge and family and betrayal, in a sense.

But mostly, I think, this book is about Mother Nature.

"Rachael was comfortable in a world of deceit and treachery. She knew no other way of life. She knew better than to depend on anyone else. Her existence would have to be solitary if she managed to survive. She kept her face averted from the others, loving the feel of the wind. The humidity should have been oppressive, but she felt it as a shroud, a blanket of protection. The forest called to her with the fragrance of orchids, with the cry of the birds and the hum of insects. Where others cringed at every sound and looked around fearfully, she embraced the heat and the moisture. She knew she had come home."

It could have been an OK book if it hadn't been so strongly characterized by the natural setting. The descriptions of nature, so lush and sensual and poignant, create a vivid backdrop for the narration of events/characters development.
The wind, the constant rain, the chill of the night, the evergreen vegetation... it's all so beautiful; it truly makes you want to hop on a plane and travel far away to get lost in this forest.

At some points, I found the pace of the narrative a bit slow towards the end (for obvious reasons I won't spoil). But aside from that, it was an excellent read.

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read, just not a great read for me. Rachael’s back-story played a HUGE role in the overall plot but was only teased at throughout most of the book. This left me frustrated and annoyed the entire time I was reading. It wasn’t until the 75% mark or so that understanding finally took place enough for me to actually buy in and get involved.

I also didn’t realize there was a novella that explained all about the Leopard people which came before this first book. That didn’t play as big a part but it did further my reading frustration since I hadn’t read it. Oh, and what"s with the thing about Rio's blood? AND, the whole reincarnation stuff? Too many threads left obviously dangling.

[Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am an avid fan of Ms. Feehan's Dark series featuring the Carpathians and decided to give this series a try. It was a great book and I was not disappointed. This is Rachel and Rio's story. Rachel is running away from someone who is out to murder her. She plans her death and steals away in the jungles of South America. Rio is a leopard shapeshifter who he meets his mate when she stows away in his home, in the middle of the forest. Filled with action, murder, betrayals and intense, scorching, burning up the sheets lovemaking, phew, makes for a great story. Lots of imagery and descriptive scenes put you in a trance as you read about Rachel and Rio. After finally thwarting the real enemy in the end, they get their HEA. Love Fritz and Franz, Lol. 4 stars

[Giorgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7

[Melann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5

J'ai bien accroché dès le début, puis j'ai décroché peu à peu car il ne s'y passe pas grand chose. C'est assez convenu, mais ça peut être efficace quand une envie de métamorphe se fait sentir.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wild Rain is book 2 of Christine Feehan’s series Leopard People. The Awakening, book 1, I was immediately attracted to Christine’s eloquent and detailed descriptions of rain forests and the significant role the climatic conditions play in the background. This landscape provide a huge amount of natural medicines even used today, and some are even exposed in this entertaining book as brown pastes and other salves.

Christine’s world building allows readers to experience all of the nuances of the landscape amidst travel, battle, loving, and living. Caves under waterfalls are awesome shelters as well as hideaways for steamy explorations.


Another fun element in this distinctive drama is the presence of a super-alpha female Rachael tagged by a super-alpha male. I roared with laughter at many occasions of their insulting, demeaning, and maddening shouting matches. In my opinion, Rachael ruled, and Rio drooled.


Rachael and Rio both had uniquely disturbing histories which were partially revealed from the beginning to the end of the story. Both of them, having prices on their heads, were guarded in exposing any information that could be misinterpreted. This style of disclosure may irritate some readers, but for me it meant that I could not put the book down from start to finish.

The fact that Rachael was running from her past and a million dollar payoff for either her death or capture as she invaded Rio’s residence was the launch point for a very vacillating story between shouting, fighting, and sex. The initial fight seriously injured Rachel by both Rio and his house cats, aka clouded leopards. Rio didn’t emerge without a knock to the head. What a way to start a romance!!

Without giving away the story, Rachael didn’t know about shape shifters and the fact that she also was to experience Han Vol Dan, or shifting to a cat. After overcoming the initial meeting and introduction to Rio’s world, besides the steamy romps, she began to care for him and was concerned that the assassins sent after her might endanger him. Rio took on the role, in an alpha fashion, of being her guardian as well as lover. Rachael was of the opinion that her brother Elijah and uncle were sending the assassins.

I couldn’t put this book down, and like the first book, I felt like I could smell the flowers, hear the birds and other critters as well as having to shower from the humidity and steam. This is an adult read especially good for Feehan fans, and those who like engaging landscapes and sexy romances.

[Ana Curto · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a terribly written book!
The plot and the mystery are really interesting, which is what kept me going, but the execution… just not worth it!
First: the book is too long. And 90% of it is used to describe leaves. Yeah, we get it, it’s a forest! Move on!!
Second: there are many little inconsistences. Things like: the clouded leopard is inside, then he’s outside all of a sudden. Careless things. But there’s also big things, like, Rachael offers to tell Rio about her past, then he answers that he doesn’t need to know. Five paragraphs later, he wants to know, asks her, but now she’s not ready to share. She's affraid of her brother, then she's not. And it’s not like the author took the trouble to explain, something like “they thought better, changed their minds because of this and that”. No one even mentions these abrupt changes of heart. Nope, the author just kept going.
Third: the dialogue is just thrown together, without much needed narration to add context. People will talk about something, then, all of a sudden, they’re talking about something else. Was there a long pause, long enough to end the previous topic? Was someone uncomfortable with the topic and decided to change it to more safe ground? Then they’ll circle back to the original topic, for no apparent reason. It felt like the author simply couldn’t be bothered to set up conversations, she just patched everything she wanted to be said together and considered the job done. And the reactions are never explained. You don’t read about expressions, body language… when there’s dialogue, that’s it. The “narrator” just died, then is ressurected to describe the precious leaves.
Fourth: its an “erotic” novel – note many quotation marks here – that doesn’t use the word ASS. “Damn it” counts as cursing. She actually describes sex using the words “penis” and “buttocks”, like a fucking science book. Oh yeah, very sexy… That aside, the sex scenes are OK, but the prudishness bothered me A LOT.
All in all, just not worth it.

[Lolita de libros · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Christine Feehan book. I was under the impression she was cheezy, because of the common complaint in several reviews, make fun of her always using 'velvet sheath' as her romantic, hot sexy vagina word. They were right, it is overly used. Velvet is dry and somewhat fuzzy, so it bugged me too!! SOooo sorry!! Other authors use better words, descriptions, and don't over use the description. I got to where I skipped those parts entirely.

Overall, though, it was a pretty good story. Don't get me wrong, I will read more of her. I was pleasantly surprised it was not the cheezy book I expected.

Typical... Girl has secret. Fakes death. She's hunted. Hides in an assumed abandoned house up in trees. Owner comes home. They attack each other. Fall in love. Solve both their problems etc. Over a course of 350 or so pages.

MY PROBLEM:

Velvet sheath OBVIOUSLY!!

By the time the girls familial secret was revealed, it no longer mattered. The other characters did not care either, so what was the point holding out.

Last, The girl was wounded badly. The whole book, she is hurt, can't walk etc., and way later on in the book, it is just dropped and she's better??? HUH??? That must have happened during a velvet sheath description, because I skipped those later... Apparently sex is a cure all! COOOOL!!

I gave a 4 because, she really is a good writer, so NOT cheezy, but lost points with her hold outs. Her sheath word is my problem. It does not ruin her writing.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an intriguing premise. I love the shape-shifting leopard people and the wild jungle setting.

There were two huge problems with this book that kept me from loving the story. First, this author made the common error of thinking that she could create drama by withholding information. This seems to happen in romance more than other genres, the information coming out when one confesses to the other, but in this case, by the time it came out, I was past the point of caring. It was just too tedious.

The other big issue I had with this book is that the sex was way over the top, both in frequency and style. I wanted to like the idea that they had been lovers in past lives and remembered one another intimately, but somehow it just made their coupling too inevitable and by the time they'd dreamed about having sex half a dozen times, I was bored when they actually did...again and again.

I think this book may be better classified as erotica rather than romance and I definitely prefer the latter.

[Giulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read of this series the more I love it! Rio and Rachael were the perfect couple and I loved both of their characters. Both strong, both selfless they seemed to be a perfect match, suited perfectly to each other so it made total sense to me that they were soul mates.

I also really loved the descriptions of the rainforest. Feehan really brought that setting alive and as I was reading, I remembered how delicate and important such environments are.

A really great romantic read; not every novel dealing with soul mates could it so right. They didn't come across at all as contrived as a couple or desperate for love or each other. Rather it was like they found each other (entirely by chance and in no way searching for any missing part of themselves, or for someone to complete them) and just knew they belonged together. It was definitely very sweet and romantic.