Dark Peril by Christine Feehan

Christine Feehan’s Carpathians and Leopard People series are 2 of my favorites, and this book combines the best of both. No matter how hard I’ve tried, I can’t find the words to express my love for Dominic, who I never imagined could touch me this deeply, and Solange, a Jaguar shifter, who I never thought I’d be able to like, let alone, adore.

I found this story to be very refreshing, in that Dominic was so patient, and not borderline insane with the need to turn Solange fully Carpathian… I mean, he was and yet, he also loved her for who she was and worried about how much of herself she might lose during the transition. He understood her needs to remain connected to her cat and truly, truly wanted her to keep that part of herself and not just because it was the “enlightened male” right thing to do, but because he loved her for everything she was. That really had an impact on me because very often in this series, and series’ of this nature, the males are so over the top alpha it’s almost annoying. That is not the case with this book.

I had completely forgotten about Solange from the previous books, but the references to her past were just enough to help me remember the sad, angry, mistrusting soul that was this beautiful female had become. Like Ivory, in Dark Slayer, Solange was a strong, honorable, determined female and despite her worries about Dominic’s desire for her, and her fear of allowing herself to become vulnerable and controlled by a male, she learned to trust him fairly early in the book which made room for a great story, without too much relationship drama.

I’ve noticed a trend in the last few Carpathian novels, one that, as a reader, I really appreciate. The life-matings aren’t one sided anymore. Both the hero and heroine are truly just that – heroes and heroines. They complement one another with their strengths and weaknesses, making them great couples, with truly believable and wonderful happily ever afters.

I’m going to share a couple of my favorite quotes from the book, and yes, they are very Feehan-esque in their prose.

This quote was a thought running through Dominic’s mind when he realized that Solange was embarrassed by her body. She wasn’t fashionably thin, and she had many scars, and was constantly trying to cover herself:

“She had no idea of her beauty of her appeal to him. Carpathians saw what was inside. The body was simply a shell. Perhaps because they could shift into any form they chose, the outside mattered little to them. But he could see into her heart and mind, and he’d fallen deeply in love. Solange was exactly the woman for him, with her fierce loyalty, her unfailing courage and her natural sensuality.”

And then this one, when Dominic answered Solange’s question about where his home was:

“I have traveled all over the world and gone to the highest peaks, and the densest jungles. The Carpathian Mountains will always be my homeland, but my home is a woman. Solange Sangria. You are home to me. You’re body is my home. Your mind. Your heart and soul. It matters little to me where we are.”

I repeat, they are very Feehan-esque, and whether you love or hate her books, you know what I mean by that. As I said before, I love the way she writes. The dialog, which I hear so many people complain about, is truly in keeping with these ancient males who were born and raised in the Old Country. I wouldn’t expect them to talk as though they’d just walked off the streets of Caldwell, NY – and some of you will know exactly what I’m talking about – but their language, their mannerisms, their hearts and their souls are exactly what I would expect from these amazing Carpathian males.

I’m very much looking forward to the next book, and hoping with all my heart that it’s Zacarias’ story. 

5/5 stars