Born into a family desirous of a leopard shape shifter, Jake Bannaconni suffered through a horrible childhood.  Understanding early on that he could never depend on anyone but himself, Jake spent his formative years learning to be as strong and independent as he could.  And it worked. He depends on no one, he trusts no one, and he likes it that way.  He controls his inner leopard and doesn’t allow it to control him.  Jake’s view of life changes when he finds out a vital piece of information – he was deliberately set up – and he travels and follows the ex-lover only to see her die in a horrendous and fiery car crash.  With her death, Jake now has something of his very own that snaps him out of his shell.  Something so innocent that Jake knows he has no business even touching.  He turns to Emma Reynolds for help never realizing that Emma is the one woman on this Earth who will touch his soul. 

Looking on Ms. Feehan’s website, I read a statement from her about Burning Wild and how it might cause some controversy.  I also read how dark she thought the book would be to some of her readers but that she had to write the story the way she saw it unfold.  Thank goodness nothing was sugarcoated in Burning Wild.  Had it been, Burning Wild would not be the brilliant and addicting read that I just finished. 

Ms. Feehan deserves much praise for sticking close to her heart – the intense and often traumatic experiences are what made Jake the man he was.  He said he doesn’t trust – but he trusts Emma.  He says he doesn’t love – but he loved Emma.  Something in Emma’s nature drew her to the leopard inside of Jake and shaped the way Jake loved.  He was intense, he was often times stubborn, he was hard and ruthless, but with his Emma he was sometimes playful, often times alpha, and most of the time sexy.  I wanted to grab him and keep him safe as I read the first scene and wanted to continue holding him throughout Burning Wild.  With tears in my eyes more than once, I mourned the loss of his childhood innocence but gloried in his overcoming such animosity to become the noteworthy and protective man and mate he needed to be. 

Burning Wild will take you on a roller coaster of emotions.  You will laugh, you will cry.  You might even get angry – I surely did.  But when you read the final words of this exemplary book, you will sit in awe at the humanity and the never ending human spirit of Jake Bannaconni.  I loudly and joyfully recommend Burning Wild by Christine Feehan – it is the most gripping and satisfying book I have ever read from this talented and remarkable author.  It was simply stunning.