Harmony's Way by Lora Leigh

Title: Harmony’s Way
Author: Lora Leigh
Series: Breeds (book #8)
Previous in series: Megan’s Mark
Next in series: Tanner’s Scheme

My rating: 3.5 Stars

Synopsis: Prior to her escape from the labs, Harmony Lancaster was breed as an assassin and trained to kill. Now on the outside, she seeks justice for the weak and innocent, which puts her in danger not only from racial purists but from Breed Law as well. To save her life, Harmony is placed in the care of Sheriff Lance Jacobs who can see the gentle and caring woman beneath the façade of a killer. Their new relationship is soon threatened on all fronts and Harmony and Lance will have to stand and fight in order for their love to survive.

Review: The story has potential and the characters are likeable but the sex scenes tend to overshadow the plot.  

Leigh seems to have reverted to the style of writing that characterizes the first books in the series in that the romance is hot but the mating is immediate and the relationship does not have enough time to build.  

Lance was a great character in Megan’s Mark and definitely deserved his own book. That said, his characterization in Harmony’s Way is disappointing. Even though he is gorgeous and likeable, the overt dominance he displays is excessive. It is almost as if Leigh needs to prove that a purely human male can be as aggressive and protective of his mate as a breed male, and this is completely unnecessary. It is obvious that Lance is quite capable of standing his ground against whatever threat comes along without dominating Harmony in the process.  

Harmony’s characterization is also problematic. At the beginning of the book, she is a completely independent woman and a ruthless killer but as the story progresses she seems to lose herself in the relationship with Lance and becomes weak and virtually helpless. While I appreciate a strong willed character learning to love and trust others, it was overdone here and I found it difficult to identify with her.  

In terms of the plot, more information is provided about the possibility that the first lion breed, or Leo, has survived. However, this aspect of the storyline is not sufficiently developed. Moreover, there are too many potential threats to Harmony and once a villain is narrowed down, he turns out to be lackluster and does not constitute a real danger. There is no real build up of tension and suspense. 

Despite my reservations about this book, I really enjoy the world that Leigh has constructed and I am interested in seeing what happens when Jonas meets his match down the road. Hopefully, the next book will be an improvement.