Review: SOUL DEEP

 

SOUL DEEP

By Lora Leigh

(Coyote Breeds, Book One)

The Breeds are a group of genetically altered individuals, created by a secret council to have both human and animal DNA.  After suffering at the hands of council scientists for many years, some of the Breeds are able to escape and the labs are exposed.  The surviving Breeds are stepping forward and demanding protection under the law.  Not everyone is happy with their emancipation; some consider them soulless animals undeserving of rights.  A major Breed Law is just days away from being signed by the president, and Kiowa, a Coyote Breed, is assigned to secretly watch the president's daughter, Amanda Marion.  The Breeds are certain their enemies will attempt to kidnap Amanda and use her as blackmail to keep the president from signing the new law, and on Halloween night, that is exactly what happens.  Kiowa rescues her from her would-be kidnappers, but unknown to Kiowa, Amanda is his mate.  A kiss between them ignites a passion that goes beyond mating heat.  She is a woman who can fill his empty soul as no one has done before.  Kiowa is willing to kill anyone who tries to take his mate from him.  The difficult part will be convincing the president's daughter that she belongs with a loner Coyote Breed.

Soul Deep is a gripping continuation of the Breeds saga.  Kiowa is my favorite Breed so far.  He has a depth not seen before in other Breeds.  Coyote Breeds were created to be the worst of the worst, viscous, soulless killers with no sense of honor.  Kiowa is able to overcome that despite his cruel, lonely childhood.  The vivid descriptions of his life as an unwanted, motherless child were heart wrenching.  He's the perfect example of a dominant alpha male who needs the perfect woman's love to make him whole.  Amanda is a good character; she fits the mold of previous Lora Leigh heroines - strong-willed, yet innocent and turned on by a controlling alpha male.  The plot is fast-paced, though we're not given much new information other than details of the new Breed Law.  Lora Leigh gives us her classic scorching sex scenes (M/F, light BDSM), the first one being the hottest I have read in awhile!  Soul Deep can be read as a stand-alone book, but it may be more enjoyable to read the first five books of the series in order: Tempting the Beast, The Man Within, Elizabeth's Wolf, Kiss of Heat, and Soul Deep.