Elizabeth's Wolf by Lora Leigh

Title: Elizabeth’s Wolf
Author: Lora Leigh
Series: Breeds (book #3)
Previous in series: The Man Within
Next in series: Kiss of Heat

My rating: 4 Stars



Synopsis: Dash Sinclair is a lone wolf with no one to call his own until one single, innocent letter brings him literally back to life. Elizabeth Colder is a mother on the run who will do anything to protect her child. Now, Dash and Elizabeth must overcome their worst fears and learn to love and trust or they will never survive the deadly threat they face.

Review: A compelling and entertaining addition to the imaginative Breeds series. There is a significant improvement in the balance between the story and the scorching love scenes, which mesh well with the plot rather than overshadowing it as they do in previous installments.

The characterization is well-developed and consistent. Dash and Elizabeth have an intense chemistry from the outset. Dash exhibits some of the characteristics of a tortured hero but these are tempered by his emotional connection to his brothers-in-arms, and to Elizabeth and her daughter. Elizabeth is an intriguing amalgamation of the pure mothering figure and the smart and sexy spitfire. Although she is immediately drawn to Dash’s strength and sensuality this does not override her doubts and trust issues. I liked that fact that their relationship builds over time and is not an instantaneous combustion as in the first two books. One problem I did have is with the sudden materialization of secondary characters toward the end with little to no development, and the fact that the villain always remains in the background, which minimizes the threat of his menace.

The writing is smooth and the book includes one of the most engrossing prologues I’ve ever read. The use of letters to establish the initial connection between the characters enhances the romance and is an excellent plot device. There are number of plot holes such as the inconsistency between Dash’s desire to protect Elizabeth and his deliberate decision to place her in harm’s way. Nevertheless, these do not detract from the overall story.

This is a sexy and entertaining read and I can’t wait for the next one. I finally get to read about Kane and Sherra.