Review: Lethal Nights

Lethal Nights by Lora Leigh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love a stoic and alpha man? Look no further than Ilya Dragonovich. The bastard son of the infamous Dragon, Ilya should have been treasured as the only son of the Dragon. Instead, he's been treated in the worst of ways as a child. The horrific acts perpetrated on a child ten and under are pure evil. Each of these acts were encouraged by his birth mother. This is unfathomable to me. How can a mother treat their child so horribly? Or encourage such body scarification? She should be drawn and quartered over a period of days. Young Ilya's traumatic childhood sets the foundation for his strength and determination in his adulthood. No one will ever take advantage of him or place him in a vulnerable position. Nor will he have anyone attached to him who could be used against him. This leads for a very lonely life. When he meets Emma Jane, this all changes.

Emma Jane is a breath of fresh air. She is a woman with a steel spine. She may have been hoodwinked by her ex-husband, but that isn't going to happen again. What I liked about Emma Jane aka EJ is that she knows how to protect herself. She may not be trained to defend against assassins, but she definitely can handle a gun and scurry herself to safety. She's no one's victim. Her compassion and empathy for Ilya is one of her more endearing traits. Her ability to connect with him and love him even when he is afraid to open up is sweet. This kind of romance with an obstinate male and stubborn female is one of Ms. Leigh's trademarks. She does it so well and this slow seduction is just at the right pace and heat. This story is probably one of the less erotic filled by Ms. Leigh. She does keep a good sexual tension between EJ and Ilya. Their chemistry is more a slow burn than an intense explosion.

For those who have read other series by Ms. Leigh, they may be able to catch the cameo of other characters hiding in the background from other series. I love how she entwines her series. It makes it a richer world building for me. The different layers and how different military groups and organized crime can work together is a rosy picture I enjoy. The similarities between the two groups is higher than most people think. I hope Ms. Leigh features more of the Dragon gypsy clan. One which also involves a bit of mystical paranormal senses that intrigues me. This romantic suspense is recommended for readers who love a bad boy black knight coming to the rescue of a damsel who can slay the dragon for herself.

*provided by Netgalley