“Not the best book in the Breeds series. I've enjoyed several earlier books, but Tanner's Scheme isn't at the same level.
The writing is not up to Leigh's usual standard--mixed metaphors all over the place. The melodrama is overkill. The heroine is put through such ridiculous tortures to ramp up the intensity that she ends up looking like a victim, not the strong heroic type we're told she is. The villains are predictably stereotyped: her father and lover collude to force an abortion. (Naturally she would *never* do such a thing herself, and naturally Tanner's hormones are able to fix the damage done to her.) Note: I'm not making a moral judgment; the issue is that this characterization of villains is SO overused in romance.
Tanner isn't very well drawn either: he roars, paces, snarls, and is stricken by sorrow--but I get no sense of who he is outside this relationship. Finally, the sex scene with his brother watching? Should have been hot, noteworthy, or at least memorable... but it's strangely bland. (Leigh does pull off this type of scene in the Men of August series.)
I recommend the earlier books in the series. This and other recent books haven't been as good--see my review of Harmony's Way here:
http://www.readforpleasure.com/2007/06/lora-leigh-harmonys-way-novel-of.html”
