When readers of dark romance and unbridled desire want to be satisfied, they turn to #1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh and her “powerful and highly erotic” (Fresh Fiction) Breed novels. Now a Breed hides in the world of man—until a woman arouses the amused and wildly carnal animal within… Once, he was Judd—Bengal Breed and brother to the notorious fugitive Gideon. After Gideon … fugitive Gideon.
After Gideon disappeared, Judd was experimented on until his tortured body knew nothing but agony.
Now he is Cullen Maverick, serving as the commander of the Navajo Covert Law Enforcement Agency in the small community of Window Rock, Arizona. Despite his genetics, Cullen is able to pass as human because his Bengal traits are recessed. He lacks the ability to smell the emotions, bonds and fears that other Breeds take for granted. And he remains tormented that he wasn’t able to mate the woman he loved—at the cost of her life.
He’s no longer a Breed, merely a man. . . or so he thinks. But his tiger is about to be awakened by the one woman destined to be his—Chelsea Martinez. And their world will never be the same…
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“Man may believe he created them, but a much higher power breathed life into them, and that power is refining them and redefining them, daily.” – Quote from the book.
Wake A Sleeping Tiger is book twenty two in the Breeds series by Lora Leigh. Now you can read the books as stand alone, but their is also a main plot-line that continues in each book even though we focus on one breed and his/her mate.
I had some trouble when I started this novel. It had been sometime since I read a book in the Breeds series and so, I was a bit lost, until I got farther along and things started to come back to me.
Theirs tension, suspense, action and a whole lot of sexy Breeds. I really loved the journal entries of Dr. Ambrose, Geneticist, Genetic Theorist and the journal entries by Graem, Cullen’s brother, on the Recessive Breeds. They added a fun element. The story stays focused on the romance between Cullen and Chelsea, as well as her work and the related story of the Cerves.
Cullen and Chelsea made a wonderful pair. Their romance is hot and full of sexual tension. Cullen wants Chelsea around, but won’t move on his feelings and keeps holder her back in the Law Enforcement Agency. Well, Chelsea has had enough and leaves. A Breed even if Recessive will not let the women that is his go. I liked that Chelsea was open from the beginning. She shared her fears over the mating and didn’t fight him about it. Cullen on the other hand didn’t share and that is a bit frustrating, thou we do get his inner thoughts, so the reader understands his fears and concerns.
This series and the novels are full of sexy times. The author does a great job working them into the story, so they flow with everything else and aren’t just sex scene after sex scene. As for the Breeds, when they find their mate nothing will stop them from showering her in Breed Heat.
Last, I was blown away at the twist at the end. OMG. I’ve been in love with Cassie from the moment she hit the pages in Elizabeth’s Wolf as a child then, but now she’s an adult and to have that twist, just blew me. I didn’t see it coming. Great job on the author hiding it until the very last moment.
Overall, Wake A Sleeping Tiger was a delightful read.
Rated: 4 Stars
This book was Cullen’s story. Cullen was formerly known as Judd when he was in the Labs and was Gideon’s identical twin but after escaping with Honor and Fawn and arriving at the Navajo Nation, he became Cullen and soon became the Commander of the Navajo Covert Law Enforcement Agency.
Chelsea has worked for him at the Agency for years as well as working for the “Unknown” and has been training to be a field operative since she was a teenager. However, Cullen wants her to stay protected so he refuses to let her do anything other than office work and filing. So she quits to go on secret assignment for Rule Breaker and Cassie.
When Cullen figures out Chelsea is not coming back and is working a dangerous Job where she is nearly killed, his recessed Genetics start coming forward and mating heat starts between the two of them. Cullen was previously married to a distant cousin of Chelsea’s and everyone thinks he has been pining for her since she died 10 years ago. So this causes issues for Chelsea.
The romance has ups and downs but is quite hot and the storyline is very good. Every scene with Graeme (formerly known as Gideon) is awesome. I had been looking forward to his book but was a bit disappointed by it, he seems to be so much more enjoyable as a secondary character, I guess. The book ends in a pretty monumental cliffhanger so I can’t wait to start the next book.
The Breed series is one of the best!
I love Lora Leigh’s Breed series. I highly recommend them .
I am in love with this series…..I think these are made richer if you have read the previous ones… the characters are interlocked in their history….I think I have read them all……
I have followed the Breeds series and am fascinated by the twists and turns each story presents. This is no exception, bringing characters from long previous stories together in a unique plot. Excellent writing.
One of my Favorite author’s.
3.5 stars
Cullen is a Breed but his animal is recessed so he is more human than animal. He wife died years ago and he has no plans to get involved with anyone else. He is the commander of the Navajo Covert Law Enforcement Agency. Chelsea works with Cullen as his assistant but she has been training and is more than capable of working in the field. She is a cousin to his late wife. Chelsea is fed up and quits. She starts working for the West Coast director and almost gets hurt twice. Since then, Cullen’s animal has been coming to surface. Someone is after Chelsea and they will stop at nothing to get to her.
This might not make a whole lot of sense but I tried my best .( ) I’ll be honest I didn’t understand what was going on. I didn’t really get what Chelsea was doing. There is a huge cliffhanger. Action. Sex. And a part where you may need Kleenex’s because it will make you cry.
This book was a great addition to the series. Loved Cullen and Chelsea’s story. Lora Leigh has given us lots of answers to the Breed origins but also add new questions. Can’t wait for more. I highly recommend this book.
So, the Breed series has some excellent books and some… duds. This one is one of the latter for me. First, Cullen is supposed to be some sort of super powerful recessed primal. When he awakens, it’s pretty… blahnik. Secondly, Chelsea is reckless and stubborn to the point of stupidity. She’s so out to prove she can take care of herself that she just sounds like a rebellious teenager determined to get her way, no matter who it hurts. As if having a family who loves and wants to protect her is a BAD thing. Sigh. That said, the romance and the sexual situations were off the charts. Just wish there was… more depth and likability.
The last of the missing breeds gets his story.
Cullen/Judd is the twin brother of Graeme, he is someone we have known for quite a few books and the last of the hidden breeds from way back.
When his real mate Chelsea, who is a distant cousin of his dead wife, has had enough of his behaviour and leaves for another job his primal instincts kick into gear.
Chelsea was not the heroine I wanted in that she facilitated between a strong capable fighter to this submissive doormat of a woman who let Cullen walk all over her and give her less than she deserved.
Unfortunately, Chelsea believes he can never love her, as he loved his ex-wife (her cousin) very much.
The truth shall set you free, but Cullen is very slow in telling Chelsea what really happened in his marriage thus hurting Chelsea and ensuring a rocky road to their HEA. It is nearly the end before the truth is told.
A lot more relationship in this between our two H’s which I liked, even if they were butting heads.
A good book that had quite a good amount of Graeme in it which I loved and gives us more insight into Gideon/Graeme and his mated life.
We also learn so much more on various subjects and once again have to deal with hate from the council but also a false friendship and deceitful family dynamics.
Arthur was totally unbalanced and Ranger deserved a more painful death.
There were also two very sad scenes involving young girls, that once again shows the depravity of the council scientists and their soldiers.
We are left with many questions once again, so have to eagerly await the next book. I am just really getting aggravated awaiting either Cassie or Dane’s story or even poor Dog, if anyone needs some softness and love in his life it is that poor tormented coyote.
This series is as good now as when it started even with a few not so enjoyable books along the way but I believe you need to have read the rest of the series to appreciate the relationships of who and what everyone is. If you read this as a standalone it would be enjoyable but you will want to go back to read the other books.
So much anger. Yes steamy sex, but I was left unsatisfied. This novel reminds me of why I avoid shifter novels as a general rule.
Lora Leigh’s Breeds never disappoint. However this one took awhile to get action started in my opinion. Found myself having to put it down for awhile cause I lost interest. But overall I enjoy reading all her breed stories.
I have been reading Breed novels for several years now and this one was the first that I remember focusing on a hero with recessed genes. Cullen, rescued as a teen by an underground organization, now leads the Navaho Covert Law Enforcement Agency. He has been widowed for a number of year from a woman who was not his mate and who married him thinking that his Breed genetics would cure her of cancer. For the last few years, Chelsea Martinez has worked in his office maintaining order in the office and for Cullen. He is the twin brother of Gideon, a Bengal tiger Breed. When Chelsea quits working for Cullen, he begins to experience the emergence of his own Bengal tiger and when Chelsea is threatened, it roars into being.
My Thoughts – 5 out of 5 Unicorns – I loved it!!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! Yes, I got a review copy of this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book!
The cover is beautiful as Lora’s covers always are!
This is the 31st book in the Breed series. This series is for adults only due to the steamy content. I have long loved and read this series. I will eventually need to go back and re-read them to write reviews because I read them before I realize I should write reviews. I have had several busy years, so I have missed a few books though I know my mom and I own them because we pretty much buy everything by Lora Leigh.
This story is Judd’s story who is now known as Cullen and his mate Chelsea. As with all of Lora’s book, there is plenty of action, treachery, madness, and mayhem mixed in with the steamy romance. The Breed series is how I fell in love with paranormal and shifter stories. Lora is one of my favorite authors and her books always pull me into the story where putting it down is just not an option until I’m done. I can’t wait to see what comes next!
I highly recommend this book to all the Breed fans, Lora’s fans, and to any shifter lover who hasn’t had the pleasure of reading her books yet!
I’ve been a huge fan of Lora Leigh’s books, especially the Breed Books. When it comes to these books you get great characters, heart-wrenching plots, lots of eroticism and action-packed suspense. Leigh delivers on all check lists and this IMO is a refreshing change of pace.
Cullen Maverick was once only called Judd, Bengal Breed and twin brother to Graeme, former fugitive known as Gideon. Cullen’s genetics are recessed and he is the Commander of the Navajo Covert Law Enforcement Agency in the small town of Window Rock, AZ. He lacks the traits that other Mated Breeds have and that torments him because he lacked the abilities to save his dying wife. He has always had a special friendship with Chelsea Martinez, his wife’s cousin. For the last 4 years he has had to hide his attraction to her but when Chelsea submits her resignation and turns her back on Cullen, his Tiger is awakened and he will not take NO for an answer. He must fight the danger to the both of them, prove that she is his destiny and that life will never be the same…