"The Wind Dancer" by Iris Johansen

I started reading with great hope. The idea that Lion needed a thief for a very complicated, delicate, and essential theft got my mind moving. However, once Sanchia completed the heist, things got a little strange for me. Lion decided he would keep her as a slave, even though he didn't believe in slavery, and he intended to keep her in his bed. The intimate scenes between the two of them made me uncomfortable. At points, the story would stop, so Lion could drag her to a corner and have very rough sex, because he's admittedly animalistic when it comes to his sexual appetites, and then the plot would pick up again. The book contained so much death; so many people close to the main characters died that it depressed me. I had to put the book down and go back later. I did go back, so I wanted to know how it ended. That's a plus. I also highly enjoyed the supporting character of Lorenzo. I found him much more interesting than the main character of Lion. His wit and sarcasm, and his loyalty to Caterina and Lion endeared him to me.