Lair of the Lion

By: Christine Feehan

Narrated by: Abby Craden

Length: 15 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

The Beast....
Rumor said the powerful Nicolai DeMarco could command the heavens, that the beasts below did his bidding... and that he was doomed to destroy the woman he took as wife. It was whispered he was not wholly human - as untamed as his tawny mane and slashing amber eyes.

The Beauty....
Impoverished aristocrat Isabella Vernaducci would defy death itself to rescue her imprisoned brother. She’d even brave the haunted, accursed lair of the lion - the menacing palace of legendary, lethal Don Nicolai DeMarco.

The Bargain....
Then Isabella met a man whose growl was velvet, purring heat, whose eyes held dark, all-consuming desire. And when the don commanded her to become his bride, she went willingly into his muscled arms, praying she’d save his tortured soul... not sacrifice her life.

©2001 Christine Feehan (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Fabulous !!!

I love every book that Christine has written ❤ . There is always a lot of sex in some of her books or most. I can do without all that. It was a beautiful love story. I liked the narrator too. Would recommend this book to anyone who likes dark series. The Carpathian novels are my favorite

A great story, but a little overdone with not enough detail.

The story itself is great for those who love a beauty and the beast story. The sex is good, but WAY overdone. The don't trust each other, but can't keep their eyes off each other? I love CH's dark series and even loved the Scarletti Curse, but there were some things missing from this book. I would have liked a little more detail on the entity and it's origination. The narrator does do different voices very well at all, but she at least has a nice soothing voice without lulling one to sleep. If you like Christine Feehan, you'll enjoy this book. But it will leave you feeling a little bereft at the end of it.

I LOVE feehan's books, but this is my favorite!

Amazing characters, fantastic story line and perfect ending! It's not often that a novel leaves you completely satisfied, but this one did! a re-read for sure.

Good Story, Lousy Narration

This might be a really good story, but Abby Ctaden kept putting me to sleep. She needs to read for a collection of children's bedtime stories. That would be her true calling.

Fantastic book

This is one of my most favorite books. Christine Feehan has created a fantastic story with thrilling adventure, suspenseful intrigue and mystery wrapped with passion and love. Abby Craven transported us into the story by her spectacular narration, giving each character their own unique voice and personality. I very highly recommend this book.

The reader was so bad that I could not keep track

What did you like best about Lair of the Lion? What did you like least?

I can't say what I liked best or least about this book. The reader was so bad that I could not keep track of what was going on. The sex was good, but the reader read everything like a moment of tension witch made it hard to understand and keep up with the story.

Would you be willing to try another one of Abby Craden’s performances?

NO defiantly not, she tries to hard. Everything... is... said.... with... breathless... anticipation.

Great Book, Ridiculous Narration

What did you like best about Lair of the Lion? What did you like least?

I LOVED the story. I've read this book several times on my own. I DISLIKED the narration.

What did you like best about this story?

The story itself was fabulous.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I just cannot get into the story because whenever the female narrator tries to sound like a large, alpha male, it totally took me out of the story. It sounded so silly that I couldnt get into the scenes. The story would read, "His low voice spoke in a sensual whisper..." Well, it wasn't low and it sounded ridiculous NOT sensual. It lost me and I couldn't finish listening. I finished it by reading it on my own.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Only if the part of Nikolai isn't played by a woman trying to be a man.

Very good PNR :)

4 stars

This was a very good story. I liked both Nicolai and Isabella and their story was pretty good, keeping things suspenseful in a way that had me forging on in to the story to see how things work out.

Isabella is the daughter of a Don (an aristocrat and ruler over a certain amount of territory) but her family has fallen on hard times. A neighboring Don has been after her hand in marriage and their family's lands and wealth. He managed to get Isabella's brother in jail and the rest of her famil is dead so Isabella had no one to turn to. In desperation she travels a very dangerous journey to see Don Nicolai DeMarco to beg for his help for her brother. There are fearful legends about the Don but he's the one man with the power to help her.

Nicolai is a Don and the leader of his people. Unfortunately, he suffers from a curse that has been part of his family for centuries. One of the aspects of the curse is that he's destined to kill his future wife out of jealousy...something that's happened over and over to his ancestors. He wishes for a way to end the curse but doesn't hold out any real hope.

When Isabella arrives at Nicolai's home she is welcomed inside but there are strange things going on that make her worry from the beginning. When she gets an audience with Nicolai she implores him to help her brother, offering to do anything required to gain his aid. Isabella is thinking she'll have to live a life of servitude as a maid for the Don (or something like that) so she's understandably surprised when Nicolai agrees to save her brother if she agrees to marry him. Isabella is disturbed by the Don, she's attracted to him but there's also some strangeness about him that brings her more questions. Regardless of her qualms, Isabella agrees to become Nicolai's wife. She ends up with a bit of whiplash when the Don suddenly tries to send her away. Issues tied to the curse end up keeping her from leaving and Nicolai admits he was trying to send her away for her own safety and now he doesn't have the strength to send her away again. They tentatively start their relationship but Isabella is a bit high spirited and makes it quite clear to Nicolai that she didn't appreciate his attempt to send her away and wont accept that type of behavior from him in the future. Nicolai growls a bit over this but doesn't seem to mind that Isabella isn't a biddable woman.

Isabella's arrival does set some things in to motion. Nicolai has dealings with the bad Don to get Isabella's brother freed but that brings some danger along with it. Also, the curse is being driven by a malevolent being that seems intent on causing as much trouble as possible which puts Isabella in danger numerous times. And on top of it all...there is apparently a traitor in their midst that is sending info to the Don that wants to invade. Things aren't going well for Nicolai and Isabella does her best to make sure he knows she believes in him and to try to work through the issues that keep popping up. As Isabella and Nicolai spend more time together they fall further in love with each other and even when Isabella finds out about the curse she is willing to do what's needed to save Nicolai, even at risk to herself. Nicolai is conflicted about all that's going on and doesn't want anything to happen to her, the problem is that because of the curse he might be the biggest danger to her. Things are tough and I have to admit that I liked Nicolai but Isabella is the one who stayed strong throughout and brought them all through the difficulties. I liked the way things culminated and was happy (and relieved) to see Nicolai and Isabella get their HEA.

This was a very enjoyable story. Isabella was a really good heroine and was very strong and usually pretty smart about everything (she got in a few binds she might have been able to avoid but she wasn't TSTL). I liked Nicolai as well...he was more the damaged hero and I thought well of him but ultimately I wish he had been more of a driving factor in the end solution. Still, the complaints I have were relatively minor and overall this was a very good story. I'd recommend it. Thumbs up. :)

it's like my favorite fairy tale

this story really reminds me of Beauty and the Beast I'm so happy I listen to it

Narration is annoying.

This book is a bodice ripper. I have every book Christine Feehan has written and forgive her her purple prose because she writes such a terrific story. Lair of the Lion is a perfect example, I loved it the first time I read it, which is why I bought it on Audible. But the narrator is so annoying it destroys the fun. Abby Cradens diction is impeccable but she has this very irritating habit of putting the emphasis on the last word in each SENTENCE. Does not matter if the final word is critical or NOT. She always raises her voice each time she hits the final word in every SENTENCE. After awhile this is grates like finger nails on a BLACKBOARD. It begins to drive you CRAZY. Chinese water torture has nothing on her Bloomsbury Valley Girl STYLE. Fortunately Abby Craden is not used for the Dark SERIES. I will avoid her in the FUTURE.