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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Romance Lovers Dream, February 8, 2009
You know the kind of book that so good it wraps you in a thick blanket of warm fuzzies so that even when you put the book down your so consumed with the story it's difficult to focus? Coyote's Mate is one such book.
If you've read Leigh's Wolf Breed book, Aiden's Charity, you've already been introduced to the hero/heroine in this book.
At that time, Del Rey, Alpha of the Coyotes, needed the wolf breeds' Doctor to check on his woman exhibiting strange symptoms. Since the coyotes have isolated themselves from the other breeds, they have no idea that Del Rey's woman is in fact in heat, until Aiden informs him of the phenomenon known only to a select few of the genetically enhanced creatures known as Breeds. Once Del Rey realizes that Anya is his mate- the one woman to complete him- the pieces start coming together for the stubborn coyote.
Coyote's Mate occurs before and a little after these events and continues Anya & Del Rey's story, following them through some intense personal struggles.
Anya's been intrigued by the silent, deadly coyote breed Del Rey, nicknamed the Coyote Ghost, since the age of sixteen when she approached him for help in rescuing the coyote breeds being held captive in a Russian compound. Though Anya's the daughter of the scientists who work for the big bads who keep the breed imprisoned, she knows what is happening to the coyote's is wrong and she means to do something about it- with or without the enigmatic breed's help.
When Anya makes contact with Del Rey in a seedy bar, he thinks she's a fool and dismisses her immediately. But something about her draws him and he eventually agrees to help her, if her story doesn't prove false.
Years later, Anya is still waiting for their ultimate rescue. Although the Coyote Ghost has pulled some of the breeds from the fire of captivity, he hasn't finished the job. When she questions him for the final time, little does she know that he's planning the mission for that very day- and that he means to take her captive in the process. (Much loved by the people of the compound in Russia, especially by those of her family, Del Rey knows they will not fight if Anya is with him.)
Afterward, she of course cannot believe the man she trusted all those years, betrayed her in such a way. After all, he promised to pull her family out too. When he leaves them behind, wounded but alive, she vows in her heart to never forgive him, even though some mighty strange things are happening in her body that she knows is somehow tied to the hard-nosed breed.
When the Coyotes arrive in America, and Haven, the wolf breed compound, discovers their existence, Anya formerly requests a separation from her mate. A consul is convened to decide what to do and after some deliberation they agree to the separation, even though it is unprecedented. Del Rey, upset and unsure what to do about his mate's reticence, agrees to stay away for one year, but he knows full well after that time he's coming for her- reticence be damned.
He lasts eight months and in that time Anya has grown into the leader she's meant to become. She has learned to administer the bunch of breeds who live at Base, the coyote compound, even though the lot of them tend toward laziness while in down time.
When Del Rey arrives back at Base it doesn't take long for Anya's mating heat to make a reappearance, despite the fact she's been on hormone supplements to keep a lid on the worst of the mating heat symptoms.
Anya loves Del Rey with all her heart and she's working to get over her mate's previous betrayals but when he- the man who shares such intimacy and claims she is the soul of one who everyone thought had no soul- refuses to give her the official ceremony that will make her his Coya, the mated second of his pack, Anya has had enough.
Oh, she sticks around for much longer than she should have, imo, and even goes back to his bed- because she cannot deny the other part of her heart. But when the coyotes start dividing and a breed close to Del Rey makes it painfully evident they don't trust her, she decides its time to leave.
Still, Anya has one last thing to take care of despite her mate's refusal to grant her demands for the breeds at Base. She has to get to the people who know the coyote's best, the scientists left behind in Russia, because more than anything the Coyote's need their own doctor- those who knows their physiology which is so different from the other breeds- and little does she know that she will need them most of all.
In the meantime, a group of men are doing their best to break the back of the Breed alliance the three groups of breeds are working toward. (Feline, Wolf & Coyote.) And they mean to do so, by breaking the most vulnerable- the Coyote Alpha.
Will her sacrifice make the difference or will Del Rey's stubbornness be the end of both of them as well as the breed alliance?
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this story. Both characters are wonderfully defined and it's very easy to get a grasp on them. At different times I wanted to wring Del Rey's neck, even though he thought he was doing what was best for his mate, and at other times he just melted my heart. Long told that the coyote's had no soul, it made for some uber romantic reading when he finally realized he did- and it was Anya who held it.
He does some stupid things under the guise of protecting her from his enemies and it made me cry and then rail at her as well for giving in to him so often. But, in the end, she does make a stand. Anya's growth throughout the story is seamless and a joy to watch.
Heart wrenching and sensual, this book is a romance lovers dream. 5 out of 5 from me! If your following Leigh's Breeds, you won't be disappointed with this one.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing love story! 5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies!, January 18, 2009
New York Times best selling author Lora Leigh continues her Breeds' saga with the story of Del-Rey Delgado, the Alpha of the Coyote breeds and Anya Kobrin, the woman nature made his very own.
Called the Coyote Ghost, Del-Rey Delgado is Alpha to a pack of rescued Coyote breeds who call themselves Team Zero. Fighting in covert operations the world over, the Coyote Ghost and his band of liberated genetically altered breeds have made a name for themselves as one of the top rescue teams available. When Del-Rey gets word that someone from a lab in Russia wants to speak with him, he suspects a trap but allows himself to meet his contact. When Anya Kobrin levels her blue-eyed gaze on him and requests that he rescue five Coyote breed females from a Genetics Council lab, Del-Rey agrees, knowing without a doubt that he will end up betraying her. Throughout the next six years Del-Rey and his men, along with Anya, plot and plan the perilous rescue of the only known female coyotes. At the culmination of the rescue, what Del-Rey believed would happen comes to pass - with two minor twists. Not only did he deceive Anya, but he also kidnapped and kissed her, with disastrous results.
Anya will never trust Del-Rey again. While his name means, "of the King", he is anything but royal. Trusting him with the lives of her friends, Anya never once thought she would be taken against her will. Nor did she ever begin to imagine that a forceful kiss would cause such a disruption of her body as well as her heart. Wanting no part of mating heat or the mating, Anya fights Del-Ray's claim every step of the way. When Del-Rey leaves Anya to become an Enforcer, she finds out exactly how hard it is to run the Coyote base as Del-Rey's Coya. Months later, Del-Rey is back and ready to assume his status as Alpha of the Coyote base. Del-Rey knows Anya is his mate, but he refuses to go through with the formal ceremony claiming her as such. In his mind, he is keeping her safe -- in the minds of his men, she is no longer his mate and therefore no longer the Coya. They could not be more wrong.
Forgiveness and acceptance is the theme in this enigmatic and highly anticipated Breeds' installment. Readers first met Anya and Del-Rey very briefly in Lora Leigh's Ellora's Cave release, Aiden's Charity. At the time, Del-Rey was not sure what was wrong with Anya and readers didn't get to see what happened to her prior to their arrival in the caves that eventually become the Coyote base. COYOTE'S MATE gives the back story of Del-Rey and Anya which I found perfect. I needed to know that Anya and Del-Rey had not been strangers.
Speaking of Del-Rey - this was one stubborn coyote. Black eyes and blond hair. Strong build. Loyal. All of these traits describe Del-Rey. But, enamored and enthralled by his mate are also traits that we see of this Coyote Alpha. Unable to tolerate his Coya being in danger, Del-Rey does the only thing he can to keep her safe - he denies her place as his Coya. He never anticipates the repercussions of such a decision. Coming to his senses quickly, Del-Rey vows to never put her in danger again.
Breathing a happy and totally sappy sigh at the magical ending to COYOTE'S MATE, I didn't want the book to be over. Every time I read a Lora Leigh release I hate for the story to end. COYOTE'S MATE was no different. With passionate love scenes packing enough heat to keep me warm until summer, COYOTE'S MATE is compelling and addictive. I highly recommend this fantastic installment - the Queen of Breeds has done it again!
COYOTE'S MATE releases on February 3, 2009 from Berkley Sensation. Don't miss it!
Natalie S.
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lora Leigh fans won't be disappointed, February 5, 2009
This story is a fantastic addition to a paranormal romance series which is quickly becoming my favorite. I quickly devoured this book in one day and can't wait for the next one.
Each of her books in this series not only highlights a new couple and their romance, but also gives the reader more information about the special abilities of each different kind of breed (i.e., feline, coyote, tiger, lion, etc.). As a reader, I was delighted by the genesis of the new coyote breed capabilities and by the newly, developing coyote breed community.
I eagerly anticipate future coyote breed stories.
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