Mercury's War: A Novel of the Breeds

This installment of Breeds was SOOO good! I was so emotionally involved with both Mercury and Ria. I felt their pain and confusion and frustrations as if they were my own! The introduction to Alaiya was such a shock to my system I had to put my Nook down for a few minutes to recover. I was so nervous that Ely had something to do with the bad things going down at sanctuary and felt as betrayed as I would have been if it was my own friend betraying me. I was sucked into their world and held captive there until the very last page.

This book was just awesome! I know that "Breeds" is a formula book, but I manage to find something new and refreshing that just sucks me in to the story every single time. This time around I was so freaking happy with this book, that I promoted it into my top Breeds book. i loved how Mercury started out so sweet and calm, and then all hell broke loose and wasn't that fun all around?! Ria was sometimes pretty bitchy, but then she more than made up for what she goes through throughout the book. Amazing!

I love this book!! Mercury is a favorite!! Super hot steamy scenes!! I have read it several times and love it more with each read!!

Again again. Porn. This one was a bit more interesting with the mystery and the doctor, etc., but the resolution of that plot line was a bit of a throwaway next to the porn theme.

Definitely one of the best of the Breeds books. I just loved it! Mercury and Ria were both characters, and all the other characters were good, too! I recommend it!

Mecury's War- the 16th book in Lora Leigh's popular Breed Series, was a total hit for me. I actually got choked up while reading it, and it's been a long time since a romance novel (albeit PARANORMAL!) has moved me that much.In Mercury's War we get Mercury's story- a lion breed closest to the lion side than many of his breed brothers & sisters. In Leigh's Breed world, the genetically enhanced hybrids mate for life- if a partner dies then the one left behind suffers- they become "feral"- and never will find another perfect match.When the feline breed who Mercury believed to be his mate dies years ago while they were still in captivity, he went berserk, tearing humans limb from limb. After that, the scientists who created and enslaved the breeds developed a drug to tame the beast inside him and since then he's lived a half existence- with limited enhanced abilities, so unlike his brethren.Mercury has given up on ever finding a partner in life. But then he meets Ria, that paper pusher of one Dane Vanderale- a son of the great Leo- the first breed. Unbeknownst to both Mercury and Ria, Ria has touched the caged beast inside of Merc and when the beast begins to awaken, people start running scared. Especially Ely, the trusted doctor who knows all the feline's secrets. When Ely discovers Merc's feral side awakening, she demands he be imprisoned- for the safety of the pride.But things are not what they seem, and Ria finds herself defending the strange breed who both attracts and frightens her. She knows that he will never be truly hers and that if she lets him- he will break her world apart- but another game's afoot at Sanctuary, the feline breed compound, and it will take Ria to suss it out and save not only Merc, but the entire clan.Like I said earlier, I LOVED this one. Mercury is an awesome alpha hero, both possessive and tender, and Ria is heart-wrenching in her vulnerability. But she is no shrinking wallflower and when what she truly is comes to the front everything else- including Mercury- takes a backseat to her innate strength!Many of leigh's other series I can't get into, but the breed series just gets better and better, imo. In MW not only do we get a touching love story, we also get to see the other characters we know and love (JONAS!) and a kickbutt suspense plot.I'm giving this one a 5 out of 5! How could I not?

When there is a suspicion at the "Sanctuary" that someone is a spy in their own camp they decide to bring in Ria Rodriquez, a talented woman at finding leaks. Ria has grown up in foster homes and never having a "home" until she turns eighteen Dane Vanderale offers her a job, for both him and his father Leo. She finds a family and home with them, feeling like she has found she has a place where she belongs, even though Dane has been quite frustrating as most breed males only can be. When she goes to the "Sanctuary" she meets up with Mercury Warrant who is her bodyguard, and a sensual desire flames up between them, blazing hot. Ria knows that she has a job to do, but at the same time she is drawn to Mercury whose mate died years ago. She is looking for more than a one night stand, she wants a loving relationship and knows her heart will only be broken in the end. Obstacles get thrown in their way that will prove how strong their love really is.I have realized I should have started reading Lora Leigh many months ago, this having been the first book that I have read of hers, I have found out that she is one of my favorite fantasy romance authors. I had heard such great things about her books, and they were all right. Lora Leigh delivers THE BEST in my book!!!!I found this book to be so sinful it should be awful it was so wonderful to read. I truly loved Ria, she is one of those heroines that stands up to the alpha type male, and stands her ground until of course his kisses melt her senses away, (which I have to say was thoroughly enticing) I also loved the conflict of when his supposed mate comes back to life, and doesn't know which one is really his mate. My heart ached for the position that they both were put in, and how its a classic story of how true love does conquer all obstacles, no matter what they may be. It was a thrilling ride of adventure and passion!!!

This book is one of my favorites in the Breed series. I have had a fondness for Mercury since the first book that he showed up in. He always seemed so alone and incomplete. He is very good at his job and has done well within Sanctuary but he always seemed to deserve more. The supposed death of his mate was always the explanation for that loneliness. I have waited for his story for what seemed like forever and in many ways maybe it was. The only other book I seemed to wait so long for was Dawn's. This is probably one of the best books written in this series. They are all very good and once you start reading them you can't stop. They are worse that potato chips in that regard.Ms. Leigh holds off the mate heating for almost two thirds of the book. She build the tension between the characters as Ria looks for a traitor that is sending secrets from Sanctuary to two pharmaceutical companies. As Ely is getting closer to a meltdown as well as threatening Mercury within confinement for the feral displacement Mercury begins to suspect that something is very wrong. Jonas, Callan and Kane are all drawn into the search for the person or person betraying the Breeds. Dane Vanderale also gets involved with what is going one. I am not sure the world is ready for another scheming and manipulating conman but that is what we get with Dane Vanderale. I am sure he and Jonas were taught in the the same school or maybe it is as the books explain genetics.I was very pleased with Mercury's lion finally made itself known and forced the woman that everyone assumed, everyone but Jonas apparently, was mate to submit to his dominance and acknowledge that she wasn't Mercury's mate. This book also introduces Mordaci, Coyote Breed. I was thrilled to see Ria kick Alaiya ass and prove that she was an acceptable mate for Mercury. We see more of Leo and Elizabeth and their new children. We also get a good glimpse of the ruthlessness of Dane. Just like Jonas I wouldn't want to be on his bad side. But it would be great to be one of those that he loves. I am looking forward to Dane finding a feisty woman that will keep him guessing. I am off to read the next story in the series.

This was considerably better than the other two Breed books I'd read at the time. I really like Mercury - his struggles make sense. Ria is less interesting - commitment-shy for its own sake, or by author fiat, rather than for good reason (though knowing even as much as she does about the Breeds and the sex-related aspects of their genetic alterations would be a good reason - she just doesn't say so, as far as I recall). However, like the others - once the Mating Heat hits, a lot of the good parts of the story go out the window. Mercury _can't_ stay away from Ria, much as he wants to and as little as he believes she's his true mate. The tangle at the end when the other woman (the Breed) shows up again - really distracts from the point of the story, for me. I suppose it triggers Ria to give in, finally, and lets Mercury learn the truth...but both could have been done a better way. So this one was only poor, not bad. Again, writing long after I read the book - but it seems to me that the sex scenes are toned down a lot here. There's long passages of explicitly described wanting, but few consummations - which I actually find more exciting than scene after scene of clinically-described sex. After this, I was more interested in going on - there are some decent stories in the Breed series.

My first Lora Leigh and I loved it! O.K., maybe I didn't completely love it. For me the story built and built only to fall at the end. I felt like there was supposed to be more but then there wasn't. I loved the characters and the story was a good idea-BUT, the end should have exploded into mass confusion and fighting and didn't. Still, I will read more from this author in hopes that the others will end will a little more umph!

This is one of my favorites in the breed series. I like the follows up on other story lines. Lora Leigh has created elaborate story lines that this books includes and continues. Mercury and Ria are both mysterious; however Ria ended up being more surprising than Mercury in the end. You go, girl!

From the very start, I've been hooked, addicted to the dark, sweet Breeds books. Mercury's War is no different. Full of energy, interesting and strong characters, sizzling love scenes and very emotional moments, suspense and even a bit of mystery, Mercury's War, along with all of her other Breeds books, if a perfect read for any romance lover.Some women who have read Leigh's Breeds books say that they quit the series because they felt that the books kept repeating themselves, the sex scenes were to graphic and occurred too often, and they felt that the mating heat and alpha male heroes sometimes went too close to that fine-line between passion and rape. I understand that each person has their own opinions, and I respect that. But for those of you who see reviews that include any of the above reasons for why NOT to read the book, please, don't listen to them. Or at least give at least one of her books a chance before you say 'I agree with...' Here is what I have to say about this subject:Yes, Lora Leigh's books, not just her Breeds Series but all of her books, are very heavy in the explicit erotic sex scenes. It says so in many of the reviews, and that is what she is well known for writing-- amazing, but very steamy, romances. If you can't stand reading books that are this explicit, that's fine *Once again, everyone has their own opinions!*, but make sure that you are not just passing up her books because you are under the impression that by 'explicit and sex-filled' it really means 'Straight-out Erotica/Porno', because I can promise you, it's not. I've read erotica before, from different authors and different genres. In general, erotica is usually 80 percent sex scenes, 10 percent action and 10 percent romance. Of course, this varies depending on the book, the author, and how well written the book is. Now, I'm not trying to diss these books, but I am trying to prove a point, so please, stick with me. The difference between full out erotica and the unique blend that Lora Leigh does is very important, and if you read one of her books, you should be able to identify the difference. During the love scenes, which may be a bit more numerous than in most regular romances I'll admit, Leigh combines more than just hot sex, more than just demanding desires and wants. She adds in a heavy dose of true, honest-to-goodness love. The hero and heroine are not just humping each other constantly like bunnies, their love making, while very erotic, has emotion to it, beyond simple desire. I can't explain all of the feelings that run through them during these scenes, but if you read it, maybe you'll see what I'm trying to explain. They love each other, the kind of love that fairy tales and happily-ever-afters are made of, and their love is shown through not only words and glances, but also physically. It's not just sex, it's something more, something that I'm sure a lot of us wish that we had, or maybe you already do and you understand. And as far as the alpha males and mating heat...Well, this is another thing that unless you read the books and experience first hand what it's like for the characters, you may, incorrectly, assume that this somehow forces the couple to need each other's bodies. Not true. In fact, Elizabeth, the mate to the very first breed, said such to Ria in Mercury's War. Though I can't remember the exact quote, it went something like this: "In every mated couple, you see the same thing: love. It's not just a chemical, hormonal, or phenomenal bond between them. No, there is always something deeper there, and you can see it in their eyes. The public can believe what they want, but it's not just something that was artificial forced upon any of us."Can their protectiveness, their devotion and love for one another sometimes get a little bit hard, (to some it may even seem exaggerated) and almost, but not quiet, out of control? Yes, BUT if you read the whole story, not just these parts where they *usually the male* is about to lose control of his emotions and self-control, you see that he can't harm her because their bond, their mating, goes so deep, involving not only the human part and emotions but also the animalistic needs and nature. Unless we're talking about some of the evil guys in it, the men never rape the women, nor vise-versa. Even if it may seem like they are 'fighting' each other, it's not the same thing. For the Breeds, who are very much in touch with the animal inside of them, mating requires two strong and independent people coming together. The beast doesn't want a weak mate, someone who will let him walk all over her. No, they want someone who will fight back, will challenge them on occasion and spice up their life. Maybe it's just me, but I do not see this as rape of any kind. And the only thing that all of her books in the Breed Series have in common is the fact that each pairing goes through the intense mating heat, falling in love and producing such spectacular emotions along the way that even the reader feels like they are experiencing it. In Mercury's War, there were many places in the story where I felt so connected to the characters that I felt like I was the character. I wanted to curl up and cry with Ria, mourning my 'lost' mate. I could feel the dark desire surging just beneath the surface, fighting to get free. Lora writes the stories with such emotion and depth that sometimes you can't help but 'feel' them. When she cried for Mercury, I felt like doing the same. When she realized just how deep their love and bond went, I felt it too. Now, I'm not stupid or crazy-- I realize that a book is just that-- a book. But I also know that when an author is able to weave together a world that is so believable, so real and dynamic that you are pulled right into the story and experience it from your eyes, or so it seems, she *or he!* must be a damn good writer! And I enjoy reading books like this, ones that not only pull me into the story but almost make me believe, even if only for a moment before rational thoughts remind me that it's all 'fantasy', that everything is real. With that said, I'll move on to specifics about why I loved Mercury's War so much. MW is an AMAZING book, a perfect example of romance writing at it's absolute best. The characters are great, strong and interesting. The paranormal theme is done wonderfully, the Breed world she's created captivating and addicting. As I've said before, the love scenes are powerful, emotionally and physically, and the romance is so touching, so gut-wrenching, heart-breaking, tear-jerkingly intense that you can't help but believe it with all your heart. (Yes, I realize that some of those words are not real and/or they are not grammatically correct in that sentence, but so what.) And as if that wasn't enough, the plot line is always changing, some of the minor characters always switching sides and playing mind games so that you can't see the outcome until it's right there, written in front of you. The story literally takes you on a roller coaster, both emotionally and otherwise, and you'll find yourself enjoying the ride, desperate for more, always wanting more. 5/5 STARS! I do not know what more I can say about this book. It's amazing, beautiful, stunning, incredible, fantastic... The list goes on and on. But don't just take my word-- find out for yourself. I promise, you will be glad you did!

The latest in Lora Leigh's 'Breed' series is "Mercury's War". This story delves deeper into the troubles at Sancturary and the mystery of who is leaking what information to the enemies of the Breeds. When the lioness Mercury believed was his mate was taken from the labs, he went feral and on a rampage. When he was eventally restrained, he was given drugs to 'cage' his beast. Since that time he has learned control and never allowed his 'other' nature to control him. Now he's faced with a human woman that he burns for like no other. Can he keep control when she denies him?Ria has a few secrets. One of which is that she's a half breed. Another is that she's at Sanctuary on a secret mission. The last is that she's in love with Mercury. But she will NEVER accept second best and since Breeds mate only once and Mercury lost his, she refuses to give in to her hunger. Hot sex, hot breeds, and more details regarding the latest plot against all breeds in general and Sanctuary specifically. If you haven't read this series, don't start here. Start at the beginning, and enjoy fanning your way through the backlist of books!!