Tanner’s Scheme – Lora Leigh

Lora Leigh. Tanner’s Scheme. (New York: Berkley, 2007). ISBN – 9780425216613.

Main Characters: Tanner Reynolds and Scheme Tallant

 

Related Works: This is one of Lora Leigh’s the Breeds Series. See Lora Leigh’s Breed Chronology. This series includes the following:

• Tempting the Beast (Feline Breeds #1)
• The Man Within (Feline Breeds #2),
• Elizabeth’s Wolf
• Kiss of Heat (Feline Breeds #3)
• Soul Deep (Coyote Breeds)
• The Breed Next Door (part of Hotspell anthology with Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker, and Meljean Brook)
• Megan’s Mark
• Harmony’s Way
• Wolf’s Hope (part of Primal Heat anthology with Sherri L. King, Lori O’Clare, and Jaci Burton),
• Jacob’s Faith
• Aiden’s Charity
• Tanner’s Scheme
• In a Wolf’s Embrace (part of Beyond the Dark anthology)
• Dawn’s Awakening
• Jaguar’s Kiss (part of Shifter anthology)
• Mercury’s War (Feline Breeds)
• Christmas Heat (part of The Magical Christmas Cat anthology with Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones)
• Coyote’s Mate (tbr – February 2009)

 

Description from book:

The author of Megan’s Mark and Harmony’s Way delivers a new novel set in an alternate world where genetically altered Breeds and the humans who created them sometimes come together in the fiercest of passions . . .

A one-time high-ranking member of the Genetics Council, Scheme Tallant’s father will stop at nothing to see the Feline Breeds eradicated. Even if it means killing his own daughter . . .

After the Breed’s main base in attacked, Tanner Reynolds desires revenge – and knows just how to get it. In a bold move, he kidnaps Scheme Tallant and takes her deep into the Kentucky mountains. Yet when Tanner discovers that Scheme herself is a target of her father’s ruthless mission, his vengeance must take a backseat to saving the life of the woman he hopes to claim as his mate. But can Scheme trust Tanner – or is she just a pawn of his passion and ploys?

My Thoughts:

This is only the second of Lora Leigh’s Breed’s series that I have read, so I am still getting familiar with the storyline. I do think it would have been better to read the series in order, but it is too late for that. Despite this, I am getting obsessed with this series. I have purchased most of the other books and am anxiously awaiting their arrival in the mail.

Anyway, Leigh has created quite the world with genetically altered beings. In this story, Tanner Reynolds – a Bengal Breed – sees an opportunity to kidnap Scheme Tallant – the daughter of General Cyrus Tallent. The general is one of the leaders of the effort to eradicate the Breeds. Scheme has worked for her father for years, but has actually been a double agent working to help undermine her father’s efforts. Tanner does not know this and believes that Scheme has helped her father execute countless numbers of Breeds.  While Jonas is away (seemingly on purpose), Tanner decides to take matters into his own hands. He is surprised by an attempt on Scheme’s life – by an ex-lover and employee of General Tallent. Tanner realizes that there is more going on with Scheme, but is frustrated because he doesn’t know what it is.

As they are sequestered alone in a mountain hideaway, Tanner and Scheme can’t fight their attraction for each other. Tanner becomes emotionally involved with Scheme and doesn’t quite know how to keep her safe. In order to catch a spy within the Breed community, the Breed’s need to use Scheme.

As I mentioned, I am currently very caught up in Leigh’s Breed world. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. However, it does have several dark elements. I still can’t get over the fact that General Tallant repeatedly beat his daughter, deliberately caused her to abort her baby (with the man who comes to kill her in the beginning of the book), sterilized his daughter and buried her alive several times. I can’t believe anyone could survive all that Scheme went through in order to try and prove to her father that she was not a spy for the Breeds. Yikes!!!! Despite this, I can’t wait for the books in the series that I have in order to arrive!!!

Read first on October 12, 2007