Review: Cross Breed by Lora Leigh

Reviewer: Casee
Cross Breed (Breeds, #23) by Lora Leigh
Series: Breeds #23
Also in this series: Megan's Mark (Breeds, #6), Dawn's Awakening (Breeds, #11), The Magical Christmas Cat , Mercury's War (Breeds, #12), Coyote's Mate (Breeds, #13), Bengal's Heart (Breeds, #14), Lion's Heat (Breeds, #15), Lion's Heat (Breeds, #15), Navarro's Promise (Breeds, #17), Stygian's Honor

Publication Date: September 25, 2018
Point-of-View: Third
Genres: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
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Series Rating:

#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Breeds series delivers the novel fans have been waiting for–mixed Coyote/Wolf Breed Cassie Sinclair finally gets her story!

It’s been over a decade since she was introduced as an unforgettable eight-year-old in Elizabeth’s Wolf. Now all grown up, Cassie is unique among the Breeds as a Coyote/Wolf mix. She has long known that her mate was somewhere out there, but he’s stayed frustratingly out of sight and beyond her senses. Cassie has decided to make her move and her mate is ready to make his. The Breed world will be rocked to its foundation as dangerous secrets are revealed.

I was on the fence about this book until about 40% through it. There were things happening that I was not into. I often make fun wonder why Holly takes notes while she’s reading a book, but I was all about it while I was reading this book. All about it. I was furiously highlighting and writing notes, something I have never, ever done. Therefore I was pretty surprised that when I finished reading the book that I actually ended up liking it.

Cassie Sinclair was first introduced in Elizabeth’s Wolf. She was a precocious 8? 10? year old girl. A psychic that was often visited by ghosts. It was a ghost that helped save her and her mother’s lives all those years ago. That was what eventually brought Dash Sinclair to them as well.

The book begins when Cassie is eighteen. She can feel herself in the cross hairs of a rifle and knows she is going to die. She’s had the vision, she knows there is nothing that will change it. That is where Cassie is wrong. What she doesn’t realize at the time is that the man behind the gun discovers that Cassie is his mate. He obviously can’t kill her then. Which was reassuring.

Now we are flashed forward six years. The only Breed Cassie can ask for help from when her sister is kidnapped is the mysterious stranger that was supposed to kill her and didn’t. Over the past six years, he has helped her more times than she can count. She doesn’t know why she is drawn to him, but drawn to him she is. This time there is a catch to receiving his help. One night in his arms. As a virgin, Cassie is hesitant, but at a woman she is far more curious than she should be. Promising him one night, she gives in. Then the unthinkable happens. While in his arms, she discovers that she is his mate. This horrifies Cassie, especially when she realizes that he has known the past six years.

Dog has stayed away from Cassie for his own reasons. Known as a Council dog that does their bidding, Dog isn’t liked among Breeds. What few people know is that he is, in fact, undercover trying to find the twelve people that head the Genetics Council. Dog has an agenda and a mate wasn’t on it. Still, he can’t stay away from her although he gives her six years before he claims her. Six years of freedom for her and six years for him to do his work with the Council.

Dog knows that Cassie is different. As a “halfling”, Cassie is half Wolf, half Coyote. This is something the wolves won’t forgive and the coyotes won’t forget. She’s stuck between two worlds, so she does the only thing she knows how to do. She makes herself invaluable to the Breed Council and Jonas, the leader of the Breeds. She doesn’t realize until it’s too late how fast everything can change. Suddenly she’s cast out, as everyone knows she is the mate of a Council Breed. She herself isn’t sure who Dog is. There’s the man she came to know over the last six years, who came each time she called. Then there is the Breed in front of her. The Breed that is far more intense and passionate than she had ever guessed.

So what was my problem with this book? This stupid as shit law the Breeds have where another person can challenge the mating of a couple. Not only that, but the Breed Tribunal can force mates from each other based on someone coming in from the outside and saying “you might be my mate, not that persons”. It was g.d. ridiculous.

While talking to Dog regarding the Tribunal listening to her argue against the separation:

“But they can force me away from you until that time.”

My note here stated “WTAF”.

Then there were contradictions like this. After Cassie and Dog already talked about how they could be separated (see above).

But it was firmly established the fact that mates couldn’t be separated by order or decree.

Huh???

“Brannigan just received confirmation of the receipt of the peition and was given the go-ahead to have your mate taken to the doctors until the Breed Ruling Cabinet could convene.”

Note: “For fuck sake” Honestly, how can anybody force anyone to do something they don’t want to do?

I really didn’t have high hopes for this book after that, but everything changed. Omgosh, you guys. There’s a scene toward the end where Dog leaves Cassie. When Cassie realizes it, she is broken. It was actually really powerful. Then everything changed and it was awesome. So although I had a few problems with the book (see above), I still really enjoyed it and think that LL did right by Cassie.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Breeds

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