Maureen Gianinio's Reviews > Leopard's Run

Once again, Christine Feehan has created a great read with this addition to the Leopard Series. Leopard 's Run is the story of Timur Amurov and Ashe Bronte. "If you have been brutally broken but still have the courage to be gentle to others then you deserve a love deeper than the ocean itself." (Nikita Gill) is a quote that brings this story to light for me.

Timur feels he is terribly broken, abused his whole life to become the monster his father wanted him to be. He believes that there is no happiness to be found for him so he will use the monster within to protect those he calls family, so they can be happy. No matter how much it weighs on him and his conscience.

Ashe comes into his life looking for some way to get revenge on those who killed her parents. Ironically, she brings those he and his family left behind, family who wants to see them destroyed. The Uncles Timur has sworn to sacrifice everything to protect those he loves from. She is a woman raised to be independent and trained to defend herself in order to survive as well as, she finds out, to defend herself from her parents' past.

This couple is a perfect balance of opposites and similarities. As their relationship grows, they learn to trust each other, to reveal the secrets they keep. Both learn they can be honest and open with each other, that no thought need to be censored or words carefully chosen. Ashe finds she feels safe with him...that he will be himself with her, the mask he wears can be dropped, that with her and any children he can be loving.

He gives her ways to keep her independence and Timur finds he can have happiness with someone strong enough not only to hear the strain his role in the family places on him but is strong enough to help him, fight with and for him, to make his world lighter, a place with laughter and warmth. She accepts the choice he's made to walk the fine line of criminal and defender of the innocent. To end the terror The Bratya cause with drugs, guns and human trafficking. A calling he can't walk away from. She helps him see he is not what happened to him, not who his father wanted him to be but who he chooses to be.

As their bond strengthens so does their bond with family. It's wonderful to see how as love enters their lives they realize, acknowledge, a camaraderie, love, with family. They find that allies are friends and those to look to as examples of life after their abusive past. They work together and with allies to stay ahead of the trouble that followed her and found them. Doing so they discover other enemies around them. Christine does an amazing job keeping you wondering, making a long list of suspects with familiar names, some pulling at your heart hoping they are wrong. Your heart going out to Timur as he works to weed out who must be stopped. Happy to see Ashe will stay by his side and understands what he goes through, not to mention she is a badass when it comes to defending herself and those she has come to care about.

With some enemies defeated, some being hunted in other territories, and the wheels in motion to draw out The Uncles, preparing to face them instead of looking over their shoulder, Timur, Ashe, and their family are able to breathe for the moment. And the reader gets to absorb another happily ever after by Christine Feehan with her masterful balance of emotion, action, humor, passion, and the anticipation of what's next.