Katy’s heart was broken eight years ago when she overhears Dane Vanderale, the man she thought she had a connection with, say that Katy could never be part of his world. Katy had already had feelings of abandonment and not feeling good enough after being left by her mother and with the remaining family begrudgingly taking her in. Working in the local diner, she thought she struck up a friendship that felt like it could turn into more with Dane, but after hearing those words she’s crushed. Soon after Graeme Parker, a Bengal Breed, extends an offer of training and employment for Tech-Corp, and she leaves with him immediately.

Eight years later, Katy’s back in Broken Butte, New Mexico to oversee the Tech-Corp’s new facility there. She’s risen in the ranks and has grown in confidence. She now has friends and support, and Graeme is like the father she’s never had. But being back in Broken Butte brings back some of those bad memories and of course she’ll be running into Dane.

Much of the book is centered around the romance between Katy and Dane, why they have such a strong attraction if Katy doesn’t trigger the mating bond in Dane. This is a back and forth and Graeme knows the answer to this and for reasons I couldn’t understand doesn’t share it with Katy or Dane. I also didn’t understand why Katy didn’t question her origins when she’d have these episodes of adrenaline flooding her system and Graeme, a Breed, was the one to help her learn to control them. Also, I was irritated that Dane pulls a stunt that hurts Katy all over again and the thing is just swept under the rug without much of an apology. I get that a lot happened in the end, but come on.

There were characters gunning for Katy, an attempt on her life but that was just kind of swept away, too. I feel like it would’ve been a more interesting thread to pursue and include than just having the story on this whole mating business.

I haven’t read the previous books and I do feel like I would’ve enjoyed the story more if I had some prior experience with the world and characters, but it can also be read as a standalone. I will say that even with these niggles the story was entertaining, and I did want to find out how it all turned out.

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
Dane's Mark is the most recent installment in the "Breeds" series. This is my most anticipated release of the year and really lets be honest, the whole decade. I absolutely adored everything about this book. There was so much wild fun that was packed into this story. Now was it the best of the series? No and I think I enjoyed "Cross Breed" a bit more. However, there were so many positive elements to this book and it had some amazing reveals that made it well worth the wait.

First Line
If you're new to the Breed world, you don't have to begin at the beginning, starting here is fine.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Dane Vanderale
The Heroine: Katy Chavos

Summary
Katy Chavos had to practically raise herself, she lost her mother at a young age and never knew her father and was passed around different families in the town that she grew up in. Now she is just fighting to survive so she can leave the town as soon as she can and make something of herself. But there is someone else holding her to this town....Dane Vanderale. Dane is a man that she loves deeply but when he spurns that love, she leaves the town for good. Dane had his reasons for turning away from Katy, believing her to be too young and Dane trying to do what is right for his people. But never imagined the pain he would deal to Katy or the depth of her heart for him or how it would impact him. Now its been years, and Katy has made a woman of herself. She is confident and strong and empowered and has come back to oversee a building project she is in charge of. What she doesn't plan on is the connection between herself and Dane to be more powerful than ever. But Dane isn't going to let Katy go this time, and will fight for her no matter what it takes.

What I Loved
Dane's Mark was such a powerful story. From the beginning, you are swept immediately into this story with such deep impactful emotion. I was literally feeling the pain from this heroine and your heart will immediately want to fight for her. And man their beginning scene together just had me melting for them and what this would do to their relationship and that there would need to be some good groveling for him to redeem himself.

What I really enjoyed though was the fact that even though the heroine turns into a woman that isn't my favorite type of heroine, we still see plenty of vulnerable sweet moments with her so she ended up working for me. And you can see how much of the toughness stems from her protecting her heart due to how much Dane hurt her. But we do see such strength and resilience that comes from her character. You see the friendship that she has developed with others. Now do I think who she was before made her weak? Nope ...there is strength in being vulnerable with someone and having a softer personality. And we still see glimpses of that softer personality at times within in.

The plot was so fascinating though, there is a plot of danger that is after Katy. But there is also a dynamic of Dane and Katy working through their issues. The spice is on point and I really enjoyed that element of seeing them learning to trust each other and even though at times they hurt one another, it feels real in many ways. Then we have the reveals that come into this story. These reveals happen in the third act so it was really fascinating to see what Lora Leigh reveals in the story. I was so BLOWN AWAY by what is revealed. Like Lora Leigh throwing out any knowledge you may have of the Breeds and thrown it into the mixer and now you have something different and deep that you never expected would happen. Lora Leigh definitely doesn't pull any punches with this story at all. I am not sure where the author plans on taking the series moving forward, but its going to be wild and I am ready for it!

What I Struggled With
The heroine at times was a bit too hard but it didn't really take away from the enjoyment of the story.

Overall View
I found Dane's Mark to be a brilliant story that captivated my heart from the beginning! Dane's Mark is a story that will enthrall you, guaranteed to pierce you deeply with impactful emotion and the plot growth will drive you wild! GET READY FOR A CRAZY ADVENTURE THAT BECOMES A TRUE GEM OF THE SERIES!

Favorite Quote(s)
“Can you walk away from this now, Katelyn?” he asked, brushing his lips against her ear. “I watched for you, searched for you for years. Because I couldn’t forget you. It wasn’t finished, and we both knew it.”

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Science Fiction/PNR
Character Types: Alpha Hero, Alpha Heroine, Royalty, Shape Shifter
Themes: Tear Jerker, Pining Hero and Pining Heroine, Danger, Kick Ass
Tropes: Unrequited Love, Fated Love

Book Perspective
3rd POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
A Mix of Both

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Laurann Dohner
Christine Feehan
Jennifer Ashley

Song This Book Inspires
Die Another Day by Madonna

Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standlone if needed, but the little details will make sense if you read it in order

Steam/Spice Explanations

Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.

Dane’s Mark is the latest addition to the Breeds Series by Lora Leigh. It did not disappoint. There was drams, mystery, and of course, love. The interactions between the main characters was spot on. Dane and Katy had many issues to work through. Of course, Graeme has to be involved. He too is an interesting character. This is a great addition to the series. I highly recommend this book as well as the series.

I liked this book but felt confused on how everything with Breeds meant. I think this is a great book if you want a nice sexual tension and heartbreakingly obsessive romance that will have you shifting in your seat from the smut in this book! Definitely recommend as a series that continues between different relationships.

I may have started this read a little behind the 8 ball. With 32 books already in this series it may have made sense for me to read the first installment but I can see why Lora Leigh has become a hit with this series!

It took me a minute to acclimate to the world of “Breeds” but the story did keep me interested even while I gained my footing. The romantic buildup was immediately intriguing even as I told myself there must be a little history I was not privy to.

Leigh did an excellent job of building my interest and playing on my emotions and curiosity even during the times I was getting frustrated by the pull and push between the characters. Loved Katy’s character, frustrated with Dane’s thought patterns and developed heart strings for supporting characters.

I enjoyed this as a stand alone read but now my discovery of Leigh’s writing and her world of “Breeds” have me wanting to pick up book one of the series! If you are already a fan…don’t miss this one.

DANE’S MARK is the thirty-third instalment in Lora Leigh’s adult BREEDS paranormal, sci-fi romance series. This is managerial analyst Katelyn ‘Katy’ Chavos, and Breed Dane Vanderale’s story line. DANE’S MARK should not be read as a stand alone as Dane’s story and the story of the Breeds has been building throughout the series, and as this is the first new book of the series in several years, a reread of the last few instalments may be required as a reminder as to what is happening and why. Dane’s Mark skips approximately eight years from start to finish, wherein many other stories and matings have occurred during that particular timeline.


SOME BACKGROUND: Decades earlier, trying to create the ultimate warrior, genetic scientists combined animal DNA ( sometimes several different animals) with human embryos resulting in a species that has been feared and tortured since their inception. With the increase in natural conception of cross-breed species, not only have the Breeds, but humans have become wary of the powerful results.

Told from several omniscient third person perspectives including Dane and Katelyn DANE’S MARK follows the reluctant and acrimonious relationship between our story line couple. For years, cafe waitress Katy Chavos thought Dane Vanderale had been flirting but Dane’s outright rejection sent Katy into a tailspin, and with the help of someone else, Katy left her home town of Broken Butte, New Mexico, only returning a different woman eight years later. Now twenty-nine years old, Katelyn is a managerial analyst for the Breeds Tech-Corp, and Dane has continued to struggle with his attraction to a woman he did not believe to be his mate but his rejection was slowly killing the woman he loved, a rejection that would ultimately reveal the existence of a number of original Breeds, all with a deeper connection to our story line couple.

The world building is detailed, and complex revealing a more intricate and exhaustive history of the Breeds. Dane and Katelyn’s mating or mate rejection will expose decades of secrets and lies, power and control, betrayal and vengeance, and the history of family and relationships including those long thought gone. As the heir and descendant of the first Leo, Dane has been forced to keep the secrets from the human public but it is the secrets that are about to be exposed in an effort to protect the Breeds, themselves.

The relationship between Katelyn and Dane is tempestuous and heart breaking. Dane refuses to accept Katy as his mate thus ensuring Katy will continue to suffer with his rejection and perceived betrayal. As a Vanderale, Dane has been taught never to reveal the existence of his Breed connections, and in this, his mate quite possibly will pay with her life. The $ex scenes are intimate and provocative with references to the many Breed anomalies, and mating habits.

There is a large ensemble cast of powerful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including the return of the original Leo and his mate Elizabeth, Graeme Parker, Jonas Sinclair as well as the introduction of Katelyn and Dane’s large extended familes they knew nothing about.

DANE’S MARK is an emotional and heart breaking story of rejection, and the fall-out of decades of secrets and lies. The premise is comprehensive , captivating and compelling and sets the tone for several new series arcs with the introduction of many family members; the characters are desperate, charismatic, dynamic but broken; the romance struggles in the face of constant rejection and pain.



THE READING CAFE: https://www.thereadingcafe.com/danes-mark-breeds-33-by-lora-leigh-review-giveaway/


GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5838912138


AMAZON COM: https://www.amazon.com/review/R1LBKYCMH37HZ4/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8


BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/354547028


B&N (Sandy_threadingcafe) https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/danes-mark-lora-leigh/1144040274?ean=9780593098776&bvnotificationId=e9afc6e2-c623-11ee-9ae2-1277fb0d7aff&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=hotmail.com#review/271090693

iBooks (Sandy Sch) posted

GOOGLE PLAY (Sandy Sch) posted

BINGEBOOKS: (Sandy Sch)posted

It seems like forever that I have been waiting for Dane's story, and it is finally here. YAY!!!! I have to admit having been several years without a Breeds story I was a little nervous going into reading this one. This story did not disappoint. The Breeds world is still as crazy as ever and new elements were introduced with this story. We now have the 3 mad Kings and 13 other original alphas??? What??? I like that new backstory was added, as I hope there will be many more stories in this series, as it is still going strong.

The story starts in the past when Katy was a young 18 and Dane much older. While Dane had a hard time staying away from Katy he felt she was way too young for him and ended up hurting her. This action pivots her life in a positive direction and then sets up what is to come.

In current time, Dane is still being Dane, which is meaning a bit of an idiot. He does not know if Katy is his mate, but he really does not want to find out as it would turn his world upside down. Katy has evolved into a very strong woman and wants to kick Dane to the curb.

It is always fun to revisit with previous characters and you definitely do that in this story. I literally could not put this book down. Thank you Lora for coming back to this world.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley for this ARC

I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for what seems like years for another book in the series. Like five years of waiting. That's a lot of pressure on a readers and author. I'm happy to say that it was well worth the wait. I totally loved it.

We've been waiting for Dane's story, and it totally delivered. My only complaint was that it didn't have enough of Jonas in it. What can I say he's my all-time favorite. I will admit that the story starts off slightly slowly for me. I understood that we had to set the story, so it didn't bother me the slow movement on the beginning. Once the story took off it took off with a bang.

We've known Dan for a while now. He's been in prior books and has a connection to my man Jonas. I'd tell you more but if you haven't yet read the series, I don't want to ruin anything for you. His Mate Katy is new to this world.

I loved Katy right away and I also love how she's like a daughter to Graeme. The way he cares about her is so sweet. Right away we learn that Katy has no one at all in her life that loves her for just her. Her life is full of many ups and downs. Until she meets Graeme it's more down than up. He changes her entire life.

I have to say that Dane at times comes off as a jerk. I spent a good part of this book wanting to smack him. He keeps hurting Katy and I'm not sure I agree with his reasons. Now I know he has or had feelings for someone else and when he's first around Katy is like a child compared to him and I don't blame him from not doing anything about that.

In fact, it would have been wrong to mate with her so young, she needed to live a bit first but that doesn't mean he should have been so cruel to her. He breaks her heart many times within the story, and she's lets it all slide. He's a very lucky man.

Now I know that it might seem like how I could like story when I'm being so mean to poor Dane. Even with me being mad at Dane at times I still loved them together. I'm happy Katy found her happy ever after.

So much happened within the story and I can honestly see where the story is moving from here. The author adding a few new twists to the story. Plus, I'd love a story with Katy's bodyguard. I'm hoping we will get something new next year.

Dane's story was a long time coming and Lora Leigh did not disappoint. Dane's Mark is the latest on Lora Leigh's Breed series.
Katy has known nothing but struggle and pain. She does not see her worth but she loves fiercely. And Dane is the focus of the well of love until his words cut deep and nearly break the Katy is. Time and a chance give Katelyn the confidence to return to her home town but does she have the strength to face Dane?
Lord the emotional roller coaster Ms. Leigh too us on. I found myself exacerbated with Dane and even frustrated by his willful blindness. I found myself impressed with Katelyn's confidence even as she silently struggled to remember how far she has come when she is with Dane. I loved seeing the love and support she had even as she couldn't quite believe. I cried as Dane fought for Katelyn. I loved the journey Dane, Katelyn and the breeds took us on and cannot wait to see where Ms. Leigh will take us next.

Review: DANE’S MARK (A Novel of the Breeds Book 33) by Lora Leigh https://bit.ly/42sFBZm
Publication Date: February 6, 2024
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 4 Stars

I’ve been waiting for Dane’s story! I’ve loved him since he was first introduced in the series. I was a little disappointed in how he treated his mate in the beginning but he got there in the end. His story had all the heat Lora Leigh always packs in her books and had a lot of emotions and some danger. I fell harder for Dane in the end and he redeemed himself. I really enjoy the Breed Series and it’s a been a few years since I was able to revisit the Breed world Lora Leigh created. I hope there is a new release soon because the ending had some new charges and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I recommend this series for paranormal romance readers that enjoy spicy love stories with some danger. The series doesn’t have to be read in order but it’s more enjoyable that way.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Kindle https://amzn.to/48fpQX6

There's been a long gap in the series so when a new book showed up it definitely piqued my interest. The first Leo and his son Dane are Breed royalty so any mate of Dane's will be smarter, faster and an alpha in her own right? or will she?
Katy Chavos is a misfit in the community where she grew up, labeled as a whore's daughter. Working in a coffee shop at night and putting herself through university she is determined to better herself. The only chink in her armor is her feelings for Dane who makes her feel as though she is so far beneath him to notice and yet notice he does. One wonders what her life would have been like if not for the nearly mad man who haunted the coffee shop who rescues her and 3 other girls and gives them purpose and a future.
Confident and successful her next meeting with Dane is on a more equal footing and yet he has the uncanny ability to recall the lovestruck girl. Even after they become lovers, they both resist the idea that they might be mates and her father definitely is not enamored of her as his eldest son's mate.
The plot thickens and the secrets that emerge are unbelievable. The series was becoming a bit predictable, but this book definitely creates a new excitement and an injection of a new cast of characters with explosive world events. What's next?

If you have followed the breeds I am sure you have been waiting for this book! Not a stand alone but part of a series. This is book 33. With a kick ass heroine to put Dane in his place. It’s a slow burn with some steamy scenes. Not as many as Ms. Leigh usually has but I think she made up for it with the opening of a whole new world and an arc into a new generation of breeds. Some cameos from some favorites but a little disappointed Ria and Mercury didn’t show or even Harmony. Still filled with personal struggles and anguish but filled with need and love. Still one of the best series. I hope she doesn’t too long for the next one!

Lora Leigh brings the spice once again with another Breeds series book, this time focusing on the children of the characters fans grew to love from earlier in the series. I loved the chemistry between main characters Dane and Katy, and as a fan of the series from early on, it was adorable to see Graeme's father-like tendencies come out to play. I did feel, though, that this book was heavy on the sci-fi and less on the romance, and these two MCs play push-and-pull through almost the entire book, which left the romance reader part of me wanting more. Many of the other books in the series have more romantic scenes with the MCs, so it felt like this story was missing some of that for the sake of explaining more about the breeds and what was physically going on with some of the characters. The ending is sweet and a nice tie-together of everything going on while keeping it open for more stories to come, but I would have liked to see Dane and Katy together a bit more instead of just orbiting each other as they clearly cared so much for the other person. Dane pushing Katy aside and ignoring his feelings for years for the sake of his family and the Breeds just felt a bit trite to me, especially considering other characters in the series risked a hell of a lot more for their mate regardless of how it affected the Breeds. But all in all, still an enjoyable book in the series and I look forward to the next one.

**Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.**

Dane’s story has been a long (LONG) time coming for us OG Lora Leigh fans, and it didn’t disappoint. I loved that they had a backstory and they come together in the present as successful, strong characters who have fought their bond. Then add in some fave characters from previous stories, plus a big reveal of some (likely) future HEA’s and a twist in the primalverse- ooph! Looking forward to where she takes us next.

I’ve been a fan of the Breeds since book 1 and I wasn’t disappointed at all. Stubbornness was Dane for trying to deny Katy, but when he almost loses who chance and choice maybe taken away from him he will face some hard truths. Absolutely fun of action, reveals that was shocking, and new Breeds…love this series so much!

I am freaking so in Love with this book so much. I have been waiting since the first time Lora introduced Dane in the series to learn his story and for him to find his mate. It finally happened and Lora portraited it so breathtakingly. Dane's Mark is full of drama that gets in flamed with the fact that hybrid's recessive breed genes delaying the heat. The added twist of the backstory of Katy's father and his origin story is new. I now order if Lora is going to have books about these new characters and this new information. Dane's Mark is well-written. As usually Lora Leigh is amazing, and I can't wait to see where she goes with this series next. I highly recommend this book and series to anyone who hasn't read it.

I've read short stories from this author in the past but this is my first novel. I have to say right after I went to order more of her books. This was an excellent novel with a fun plot and hot and steamy romance. The main character goes from a mousey waitress to a CEO style superpower. She rocks the worldview of the man who broke her heart and left her crying in his wake and proves him unworthy of the new her. I enjoy books like this with a good storyline, fun times and nothing too sappy or too tropey. I definitely found a new author here for my paranormal romance needs.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi

Katy fell in love with the charismatic stranger when he first started coming to the café where she worked. He always sat at the same table, the one that looked onto the sheriff’s office. Everyone said that he was watching the sheriff’s wife that he was in love with her. How could that be when he was always flirting with her?

Dane came in for three years, always flirting, and having his friend leave large tips for Katy. That is, until he broke her heart. He said she didn’t fit into his world. He is just one more person who doesn’t think she is good enough. The whole town was full of people with that opinion, what’s one more at this point? She had fooled herself into believing things were different with Dane, and he completely broke her.

Then the silent stranger came in, the one that never talks and he spoke for the first time. He offered her a job that got her out of that town and changed her life forever. Now, that very job is what has brought her back to the town of Broken Butte. However, running into Dane was the last thing she expected to happen. And, to find out they’re sharing a suite at the hotel is the worst possible scenario she could imagine.

Graeme didn’t want to bring Katelyn back into Dane’s orbit. He was perfectly happy keeping her hidden from him. He considers her his daughter and didn’t want to give the Vanderale hybrid a chance to shred her heart all over again. However, Katelyn’s running out of time. Her body is destroying itself and her only chance at survival is for her to mate the man who abandoned her eight years ago. Can Graeme really trust someone that could abandon their own mate to save her now though?

I was beyond excited to finally get Dane’s story. He has been one of my favorites in the series for a long time. And, I flew through this book. Although honestly, I expected so much more out of it. This is Dane. Funny, troublemaking, Dane. I just anticipated more of his charisma to shine through and less of this uncertainty we got instead. Don’t get me wrong, the book was still good, and gave me all the emotions that I loved so much, at the end. So, much emotion. It’s just the first half of the story was … rather boring. We didn’t get any courting, not even the mind-blowing mating heat sex I’ve come to expect. I think Katy got the short end of the stick on that front. I was disappointed that a book that had both Dane and Graeme wasn’t more epic.

With all that said, this book has a lot of information any avid Breed reader will not want to miss. It brings so much more to the story and also introduces us to more dangerous characters to fall in love with. I’m really curious how things will play out with these new players. And, I’m really hoping we’ll get to see more of Dane and Katy as I do still feel a bit cheated on their ‘romance’.

As a long time fan of Leigh's Breed series, I was very excited to get back into it. Dane's Mark didn't disappoint. Katy is such a sympathetic character that she has the reader in her corner right from the first pages. I enjoyed the angst of the back and forth she had with Dane. I think this would be a good start for a new reader to the series, but I loved being back in Leigh's world. As always I am looking forward to more from this series.

I will admit that I was a bit disappointed about this book. I have waited so long for Dane's story that I was expecting an epic love story but this wasn't it. Now don't get me wrong it was a good story and Lora Leigh always delivers but I was expecting a bit more of a bickering relationship at first. The one thing though about this book is the surprise twist that has me slathering at the mouth waiting for the next book in this series.