Kiss of Heat (Breeds, #4; Feline Breeds, #3) by Lora Leigh

Kiss of Heat (Lora Leigh)

SUMMARY

They've waited a decade to come together. Long years filled with unbearable pain, and soul-wrenching torment that have changed them both and left wounds that have laid their souls bare. Wounds that stand one chance of healing -- if only they could stop fighting each other long enough for the truth to work its healing balm.

Kane, a relentless warrior, lost more than his heart to Sherra in a night of mating passion that marked them both for life. But news of her death ripped his soul apart. For years he has fought to avenge the death of the woman he loved more than his own life, by revealing the deceit and cruelty of the Council that created the Breeds.

But Sherra didn't die. In a cruel and evil twist she was convinced by her sadistic handlers that the man she had given her body, heart and soul to had betrayed not only her, but the child she carried -- and lost.

Amid the rapidly escalating violence against the Feline Breeds, Kane and Sherra learn that there's more to mating than just the "heat", just as there's more to love than just the sex...

MY REVIEW

Breeds 4
Feline Breeds 3
Location: Virginia Mountains – Feline Breeds’ base
Featured Couple: Kane (Human) & Sherra (Snow Leopard)

This is the first Breeds’ book that features the story of a female Breed and a human male.
We also find out that there have been breeds that have been suffering from mating heat before the term was acknowledged and before the length of its effects was known (i.e. lasts for forever!).

Kane and Sherra have a history together. Kane was a soldier, when Sherra was nothing more than a laboratory animal in a lab. One night of passion between them several years ago, and a misunderstanding (about Sherra’s supposedly death) have created unbearable pain to both of them. Kane thought that he had lost the only female he ever truly wanted. Sherra thought that Kane took advantage of her and then abandoned her.

And then they meet again. And Sherra is not an experiment anymore, but now she is free and important.

Well, Sherra is one of the least favorite female Breeds for the series fans. In the book she is constantly pushing away Kane and arguing with him. She is bitter, hostile and hurt.

The thing is that I completely understand her behavior. Female Breeds have suffered much more than male breeds in the labs. They have been raped, experienced miscarriages etc. It is a normal thing, that they don’t trust males, especially humans.

Sherra has also -on top of this- experienced betrayal and she is in constant pain for more than 10 years because her mate was not with her.

Besides the story of Kane and Sherra, several other characters are introduced:

- Jonas (Lion's Heat) is also brought in this book.
- Dawn and Seth (Dawn's Awakening) have also their first scenes together. Dawn is another female breed who is not friendly with her potential mate.

“Kiss of Heat” and previous book “Elizabeth's Wolf” books’ time frames have a collision somewhat. Cassie has a fondness for Kane and shows up as a naughty child.