I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Savage Nature
by
Christine Feehan
paranormal romance in Paperback edition that was published by Jove on April 26, 2011 and has 367 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Dark Predator, Spirit Bound, Darkest at Dawn, Samurai Game, Dark Storm, Leopard's Prey, Air Bound, Hot Blooded, Viper Game, Power Game, Earth Bound, Spider Game, "Dark Crime", Covert Game, Judgment Road, Toxic Game, Vengeance Road, Fire Bound, Bound Together, Shadow Warrior, Leopard's Wrath, Wild Cat, Cat's Lair, Vendetta Road, Lethal Game, Desolation Road, Leopard's Rage, Reckless Road, Dark Whisper
Fifth in the Leopard People paranormal-romance series about a race of leopard shapeshifters. The couple focus in this story is on Drake Donovan and Saria Boudreaux in a Louisiana bayou.
My Take
I liked this. While not as dramatic as the earlier Leopard People stories, Savage Nature has a very strong feminine lead in Saria who is not afraid to speak true or enjoy Drake’s attentions. Nor does Drake come up short in his alpha dominance while having enough give to match his chosen mate. Even if it does result in some pretty major lifestyle changes!
Feehan has provided some interesting twists in this story, and I find myself looking forward to Leopard’s Prey and hoping we continue to follow at least bits and pieces of Drake and Saria’s story.
The Story
Something is wrong in the bayou. Saria keeps coming across dead bodies. Men who are obvious leopard shifter kills. The only leopards Saria knows that shift are her brothers, and they don’t know she knows. Danger threatens her everywhere from the letter intercepted and pinned to her pirogue to the shifter attack on her. Worse, her brother, Remy, is a cop. She can’t possibly take this to the police, for the killer must be one of her brothers.
The response is Drake Donovan. Himself a leopard shifter. A very dominant alpha. The more Drake learns how badly broken the lair is, the angrier he becomes and the more protective he is of Saria. His mate. A mate who knows nothing of her heritage and the Han Vol Dan is almost upon her. The lair’s reaction is attack. And their breaking the rules every leopard shifting group lives by just stiffens Donovan’s resolve. A resolve that is intensified by something wrong with the land.
But it’s not just their objection to a foreign shifter messin’ with their women. Especially such a dominant shifter. One who is a threat to their way of life. There’s also other complications. Joshua. One of the shifter families in the swamp are the Tregres. A family from whom Joshua’s mother fled. Donovan doesn’t know where Joshua’s allegiances will fall. It also seems that Remy has something to add. Then there’s the scent that is intensifying a leopard’s need to attack.
The Characters
Saria Boudreaux has done just fine for herself no matter what her brothers may think. Raising herself, her father, while her brothers did their own thing. Pauline encouraged her to attend college where Saria found a love for nature photography. A perfect match for a girl so at home in the bayou.
Saria’s brothers include (the youngest brother is eight years older than her) Mahieu, Dash, and Gage who ran off to join the army, Lojos who runs the family bar and grocery store, and Remy, the cop, leaving Saria to care for their father. Paying no attention to her childhood, its lack, or how she survived. Until she became old enough to be of interest to males anyway.
Drake Donovan works for Jake Bannaconni ensuring shifter security, and he’s in Fenton’s Marsh in response to Saria’s terrified letter. After an injury, Drake hasn’t been able to shift. At least, not until this bone graft has possibly returned that ability. His men include Rio, Jeremiah, Elijah, Joshua Tregre, Jerico Masters, and Evan Mitchelson.
Some of the shifters include Dion and Robert Lanoux, Amos Jeanmard with his children Danae and Elie, and Iris Mercier and her children, Armande and Charisse, the perfumier, and a human, Pauline Lafont, who runs the B&B where Drake and his men stay.
The Cover and Title
It’s a very busy and electric cover of a bayou background, a leopard clutching the bark of a tree steeply angled, tense as he appears ready to pounce on a short-haired , purple tank top-clad blonde standing waist-deep in foliage, herself tense as she looks out at someone.
I must say I think the glittery, holographic gold title is completely inappropriate, although it does sum up all the Savage Nature of various characters within the story.
