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
Wake a Sleeping Tiger
by
Lora Leigh
It is part of the Breeds #31 series and is a paranormal romance, science fiction in a Kindle edition that was published by Berkley on March 21, 2017 and has 384 pages.
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Other books in this series include [books_series]
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Styx's Storm, Moving Violations, Cops and Cowboys, B.O.B.'s Fall, Manaconda, A Wish a Kiss a Dream, "Dragon Prime", Primal, Live Wire, Navarro's Promise, Forbidden Pleasure, Beyond the Dark, Black Jack, Tempting the Beast, Dangerous Pleasure, Maverick, Man Within, Midnight Sins, Wild Card, Tied with a Bow, Lawe's Justice, Legally Hot, Deadly Sins, Stygian's Honor, Surrender to Fire, Nauti Temptress, Submission & Seduction, Wicked Sacrifice, Secret Sins, Nautier and Wilder, Shameless Embraces, Wicked Pleasure, Only Pleasure, Guilty Pleasure, Wicked Lies, Twin Passions, Nauti Enchantress, Shattered Legacy, Intense Pleasure, Knight Stalker, Enthralled, Secret Pleasure, Rule Breaker, "The One", Nauti Angel, Nauti Seductress, Collision Point, Cross Breed, One Tough Cowboy, Hot for the Holidays, Dawn's Awakening, "Night Hawk"
Twenty-second (if you don’t use Leigh’s habit of marking every single story — short and otherwise — as a full number, otherwise, it’s 31) in the Breeds sci-fi paranormal romance series and revolving around men and women genetically engineered in the labs, experimented on, tortured, fighting to be free. The couple focus is on Chelsea Martinez and Cullen “Judd” Maverick, a Recessive Primal Breed tiger.
My Take
It is a soap opera, albeit one that makes you rage at the inhumanity that can rise up amongst humanity. It’s also a thinly veiled rant against bigotry emphasizing the humanity of these “animals” as opposed to the cruelty of humans.
The focus in Wake a Sleeping Tiger is on the attraction between Chelsea and Cullen using their perspectives in third person dual protagonist point-of-view to keep us informed of their thoughts and emotions with plenty of minor conflicts over the bait the Cerves family is dangling, the threats against Chelsea as well as her actions in the Louisa rescue, Cassie Sinclair’s deep-laid plans, the truth about Lauren, Kenzi’s introduction…and more!
I do like Chelsea. She’s willing to do what’s necessary, and she insists on doing what she loves — it was her dad after all who got her started on self-defense and weapons training (after he lost a sister to the Genetics Council). And she ain’t lettin’ Cullen hold her back any more.
Graeme’s entries into his journal keep us informed with these heads-up…too bad Cullen doesn’t have access or he might better understand what’s happening to him. Especially since Graeme does get repetitive.
Leigh does a nice job on the teases…about the truth behind Cullen’s marriage to Lauren, that implied threat in Dr. Ambrose’s journal (it could keep the series going into the 100s!), Cassie’s anger over Rule overruling her (!), the unexpected target on Chelsea’s back, my interest in what Kenzi is bringing to the table, and if Leigh will ever tell us Dane’s story!
What is with people who think it’s okay to scam other people, and then get angry because it didn’t work?
I love the loyalty and protectiveness of the Breeds. As for Lauren’s greed and selfishness, I don’t approve of it (look at me, all prim and stuck-up), but I do understand it. What pisses me off is everyone blaming Cullen for it!
I know, I know, I whined about too much sex in Christina Feehan’s Covert Game, now I’m whining about Cullen’s and Chelsea’s denial over their attraction while they can’t stop having sex. Sex, sex, sex, that’s all that’s on my mind, I guess *grin* It does get annoying though and a-d-ds to all the melodrama in Leigh’s Breeds series.
What it all comes down to is people need to give each other the freedom to be, to follow their chosen path.
The Story
No. Chelsea will not be cheated nor held back, and she rejoins the Breed Underground, doing what she does best. An action that will pull the Bengal within Cullen to the fore, awakened by the woman destined to be his.
The Characters
Chelsea Martinez is a full human determined to follow her own path, even if it goes against her desires. Her protective father, Terran Martinez, is a lawyer; Isabelle is her sister (and mated to Malachi, a Coyote Breed; Tied with a Bow: “An Inconvenient Mate”, 25.1 and also in Lawe’s Justice, 26); and, Orrin Martinez is Grandfather, a Wind Listener (Grandmother could dream-walk). Morningstar had been her father’s sister, kidnapped and bred by the Genetics Council. Their brother Raymond Martinez had engineered her kidnapping. Megan Arness is another cousin and mated to Braden Arness, a Lion Breed (Megan’s Mark, 7).
The Navajo Covert Law Enforcement Agency
Its commander, Cullen Maverick, once known as Judd, believes his Breed genetics are suppressed and is he ever in major denial! His wife, Lauren, had been a distant cousin of Chelsea’s and possessed a slight psychic ability. Lauren’s parents are Arthur, a lawyer, and Marsha Holden.
Theodore Ranger is his second-in-command and one of his best friends. Marcy is Ranger’s girlfriend. Rylan is a junior agent. The Peterson op is intended to take down a drug dealer.
Graeme Parker/Gideon Cross, Cullen’s twin, is a very dangerous Primal Breed Bengal tiger with a Jekyll and Hyde personality, notorious throughout for his brilliance. Claire “Cat” Martinez is Chelsea’s cousin, Graeme’s fiancée, and his assistant in the lab (Bengal’s Quest, 30). She and Honor had been the two women Cullen had brought to safety.
The Breed Underground…
…encompasses all the Breed law enforcement agencies??? Tanner (a Bengal Breed who is part of the feline Breed Pride) and head of Breed public relations; he’s mated to Scheme (Tanner’s Scheme, 9). Cabal is another Bengal Breed (Bengal’s Heart, 19). The South African Dane Vanderdale is the heir to a huge fortune and is a Breed supporter. Rhys is his bodyguard. Ashley, a Russian Coyote Breed; Emma; and, Sharone are Breeds and friends of Chelsea’s. Steven Fields. Katya, a Coyote Breed, is a specialist envious of Graeme’s knowledge. Jonas Wyatt is a Lion Breed and director of the Bureau of Breed Affairs based in Virginia. Rachel is his wife (Lion’s Heat, 21).
The Western Division of the Bureau of Breed Affairs
Rule Breaker is the director and Chelsea’s cousin (Gypsy is his mate; Rule Breaker, 29); Lawe Justice is the assistant director with Diane as his mate (Lawe’s Justice). Agents include Code, a Lion Breed; Cavalier, a Coyote Breed; and, Rhyzan Brannigan, a Coyote Breed, will be Kenzi’s interrogator.
Covert Breed Management is…
…a division with the bureau and headed up by Cassie Sinclair (she’s had psychic help from ghosts, but it’s a talent that seems to be leaving her) who has employed Chelsea after Chelsea left the agency. (Her introduction into the series arc is in Elizabeth’s Wolf, 3.) Draeger and Tobias are Wolf Breeds assigned to Chelsea as bodyguards.
Breed Packs include…
Lobo Reever’s Wolf Pack is in Arizona/New Mexico? (Enthralled: “The Devil’s Due”, 28). Khileen is his stepdaughter and Ashley’s friend. Devril Black is his head of security. Del Rey is the alpha of the Coyote Breeds with Citadel as the Coyote stronghold; Anya is Coya and his mate (Coyote’s Mate, 18). The feline Breed Pride is in Virginia where Callan Lyons is the alpha (Merinus is his mate; Tempting the Beast (Feline Breeds, 1), 1).
The Window Rock PD
Dylan Rowe is an experienced investigator whom Chelsea has always trusted. His sister, Tara, is a tech in the forensics lab. Commissioner Jenkins.
Mackenzie “Kenzi” Elizabeth Deacon is Cassie’s unexpected twin, strictly a Coyote, suspected of being a Genetics Council scientist. Her parents had been Dane and Elizabeth Colder. Kenton Sinclair is her other sibling.
The Cerves are…
…a criminal cartel family. Louisa Cerves is eight years old, kidnapped, tortured, losing blood with every step. Her mother, Samara, is known as the Blood Queen. Juan Cerves is Samara’s husband. Esteban, his brother, is the more cool-headed cartel leader. Fidel Sanchez is in charge of the compound when the Cerveses are not there. Hector Morales was one of their people, in the wrong place at the wrong time. “Lily” is the young child who will replace Louisa in Samara’s mind.
The Genetics Council is…
…responsible for the creation and torture of the Breeds. Coyote Breeds function as soldiers for them, as well as for the good guys. Dog, one of the Coyote Breeds, is undercover for the Navajo law enforcement agency.
A Primal Breed is one in which neither half is willing to compromise until finally the animal side forces control. Bengal Breeds have more wild genetics than most other Breeds. Mating Heat is when the animal side recognizes the one person s/he is destined to be with. It’s unstoppable and irresistible. Dr. Ambrose is a geneticist and genetic theorist having some qualms.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a black background with a Bengal tiger pacing forward, Cullen’s repressed animal side, a situation expressed as metaphor with the thick silver chains the half-naked (and well-muscled!) Cullen grips so strongly. The color of his skin is reflected in the brighter orange used in the gothic serif font with its white outline for the author’s name at the top. A style that’s repeated in a script font at the bottom for the title. The series information is below that in white.
The title is what happens when an unsuspected mate leaves and Wake[s] a Sleeping Tiger within the poor hapless man.
