48 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lovin' Me Some Mercy!, July 7, 2009
Riley and Mercy have made annoying one another an additional job requirement to their many responsibilities as pack liaisons. Since the wolves of SnowDancer and the leopards of DarkRiver made a blood pact and became allies, Riley and Mercy were put in charge of interpack communications and to soothe any pack related fur. The problem is that Riley and Mercy don't necessarily play nice with one another. Both are extremely dominant and hold identical positions within the highest ranks of their packs. While Mercy is flamboyant, opinionated, outspoken and daring, Riley is calm, steadfast, quiet and cunning.
As a dominant female and sentinel of the DarkRiver pack, Mercy grudgingly accepts the fact that she may never mate. While the human in her may love with all her heart, her leopard won't be able to stand being tied so strongly to another. This happens occasionally with very dominant and independent females of the pack. But at this moment, Mercy doesn't care if the man's her mate, she just needs release on such a primal level that all other Changelings are picking up on her heat and when "stick-in-the-mud" Riley Kincaid steps out of the trees, Mercy is more than willing to take him on. She could use a bit of violence to cool her need. But when Riley begins tempting Mercy on a highly sexual level during their sparring, it takes her but a moment to dispel any leopard instincts to turn away the enemy wolf.
Not only are Mercy's sensual curves and feline nature a physical draw for Riley, it's also the fact that she's the one person who can break him out of his shell. Not very long ago Riley's sister, Brenna, was kidnapped and horribly abused by a Psy killer. Although Brenna was rescued and now happily mated, he still feels the guilt of her abduction and mind rape. Dreams plague him where Brenna is found dead rather than alive and ever since that horrific time of his life, Riley has closed himself off from others. While his cool demeanor may keep others at bay, it only serves to instigate Mercy's need to crack through his brooding moments of guilt and shame.
It's not long before Riley proves that he's just a tad more dominant than Mercy. And while this knowledge raises Mercy's hackles it also ignites her sexual desperation for the wolf and besides, he makes her cat purr. But when the mating dance blooms, the two must face some serious ramifications to their potential mating. For one, they shift into different animals. How will that affect their offspring if they can even have offspring? And more importantly, how will this affect their packs? Both Riley and Mercy are blood bound to their alphas and neither has the desire to leave their respective packs but if the mating bond is complete, one will undergo the heartbreak of their blood bond snapping apart from their alpha. Because Riley is the more dominant of the two, most likely it will be Mercy that will be forced away from her pack by the mating bond.
In the end, it's the female's decision whether or not to complete the mating bond and this causes the males to be a bit more feral than usual. Given the fact that Mercy holds the same rank within DarkRiver as Riley does in SnowDancer, there will be many times where both must face death. This poses a huge trust issue on Mercy's end for Riley. If his overbearing protective urges come into play, he could very well suffocate Mercy's leopard. Mercy will not drop her position in Pack and it's a real testament of Riley's promises to her when he walks into battle beside his mate.
Throughout all this emotional turmoil, added to the mix is the rise of the Human Alliance. No longer content with being known world round as the weakest link, the humans will not tolerate be looked down upon any longer. When launching a massive strike against the Psy Council members, the Alliance steps on the toes of the DarkRiver and SnowDancer packs thus rising their hackles and their claws. When juveniles from both packs are kidnapped, Riley and Mercy must put aside their mating dance and locate their packmates before its death that they find.
'Branded by Fire' lived up to every impossibly high expectation I set for it. In fact, it obliterated those expectations and rose above them into an entirely new realm of greatness. It's hard to imagine the Psy/Changeling series reaching an ever greater height of amazement but truly, this author continues to pleasantly shock me time and again.
I loved Mercy. It's not often that I fall in love with a heroine, but Mercy embodied traits that sang to my reader heart. She's strong, protective and intelligent and she never hurts anyone who is weaker than her, which is a lot of people. I love that she had courage and although mating to Riley was frightening for her, she trusted her heart. Mercy is a proud leopard but she didn't let that stop her from going to Riley when she's made a mistake and apologizing. Needless to say, Mercy earned my respect as well as my heart.
Riley. What a hero! He had so many shadows in his soul and its Mercy who shines some much needed light into his heart. Sometimes I've felt that in other novels, the heroine was more than the hero deserved, but not in this case. Riley deserved every inch of Mercy's soul. I also loved that although he was more dominant and frightfully protective, he gave Mercy freedom. He may have faltered a few times but in the end, he'd rather revel in the freedom of Mercy's soul than contain it. It showed depth in his love for Mercy that he could fight every dominant instinct and not smother Mercy's leopard. Riley has no wish to break her, he just wants to love her. Definitely a true hero.
The only draw back to this book is that it may not be a suitable start for new readers of the Psy/Changeling series. I even found myself confused at times since it has been a while since I read the book prior to 'Branded by Fire'. This wasn't enough incentive for me to drop the rating but I highly recommend new readers to start at the beginning of the series with 'Slave to Sensation'.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wolf meets Cat, August 18, 2010
The story:
Mercy is the last of the DarkRiver leopards that is single. This weighs heavily on her. There are no more alpha males in her pack that entice her. There is one alpha she is into, only problem is he is a wolf. Riley is a lieutenant for the SnowDancer wolf pack. Mercy is part of the joint partnership in the alliance between the packs. Riley can't get enough of Mercy, all he has to do is convince her now. The wolf will have to think like a cat to get Mercy into the mating dance with him. Someone kidnapped a brilliant college changeling from their territory. Mercy and Riley must follow the trail to the scandalous kidnappers and prey no one gets killed in the war that is initiated.
My thoughts
This book is now my new favorite in this series! The only thing that was missing was Dorian's new ability to shift, it wasn't mentioned at all. Other than that, I have no complaints. As per usual this is a very fast paced, action packed and a fierce/tender mating dance between Riley and Mercy. Their relationship is enchanting, they are perfect for each other! The other relationships hinting for future stories already are adorable ( hint hint Wolf alpha and psy defector). Nalini never disappoints, she is a fantastic writer!
Highly recommended novel and series!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Branded by Fire-A Joyfully Reviewed Title!!, November 29, 2009
Nalini Singh cranks up the heat in what is perhaps one of the best stories so far in her phenomenal Psy-Changeling series. Branded by Fire is an erotic and exciting read that captivates from the very first page and continues to enchant long after the story ends.
Mercy has always been one of my favorite characters, but in Branded by Fire she sealed her position as my personal favorite heroine of Ms. Singh's. She's strong, both physically and mentally, cunning, kind, warm, and generous - everything a heroine should be without being impossibly perfect. Despite her reticence at falling in love with a wolf, Riley is exactly the right male for her. He's more than Mercy's equal in terms of strength, dominance, and pack position. He's also incredibly giving, which is utterly endearing. His heart is scarred by the kidnapping and torture of his sister, Brenna (of Caressed by Ice). Her imprisonment left its mark on Riley, making him overprotective of those he cares about, which causes problems at times in his relationship with Mercy. I loved watching the two of them find their way in their relationship, each complimenting the other's strengths and willing to call one another on their flaws. It should also be mentioned that, in being a perfectly-matched couple, Mercy and Riley burn up the page like no one's business. Since they are Changelings, both Mercy and Riley are tactile beings, and Ms. Singh definitely makes the most of this in ways sure to make the reader shiver.
Branded by Fire is the eighth story (sixth full-length book) in the Psy-Changeling series. While Mercy and Riley's romance stands on its own, when it comes to the complex world Ms. Singh has created and the impact events in this book have on the characters and storylines which run throughout the series, new readers might want to start with the first five full-length books (Slave to Sensation, Visions of Heat, Caressed by Ice, Mine to Possess, and Hostage to Pleasure) before enjoying Branded by Fire. I can promise they won't regret it, as Ms. Singh never fails to pen a fascinating tale. For those who are already fans of the series, I am sure they will be delighted to see the characters from the previous books once again. One of the things I love best about this series is how close the packs are, and it was wonderful to revisit beloved characters. But be warned, Ms. Singh will also leave you wanting more characters' book. For me personally, I finished Branded by Fire desperate for Sienna Lauren's story.
One of my favorite books in an exquisite series, Branded by Fire should absolutely not be missed. Joyfully Recommended!
Shayna
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
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