Casee‘s review of Touch of Seduction (Primal Instincts Series, Book 4) by Rhyannon Byrd.
Sold into slavery as a child to a cruel taskmaster, tiger-shifter Aiden Shrader trusts no one. Not even his own kind. Yet as a member of the Watchmen—the organization of shape-shifters who keep watch over the ancient nonhuman races—Aiden is fiercely protective of the helpless. Never more so than when he’s asked to guard a little girl with witches’ blood—and her beautiful human aunt. A woman who arouses all of Aiden’s primal urges…urges he must resist.
To small-town schoolteacher Olivia Harcourt, the massive tiger-shifter with the glowing amber eyes is as much a dark mystery as the enemy stalking her. Yet Aiden is her only hope of surviving. Until their intense passion unleashes her own inner tigress with a ferocity that will make the evil Casus rue the day they messed with her family…and will take Aiden by seductive surprise.
I seem to be reading this series backward. After finishing this book, I intended to rectify that. I went to the used bookstore expecting to find books 1-3. Imagine my disappointment when they had not one Rhyannon Byrd book.
Aiden is a tiger shifter that hates humans. He doesn’t have disdain for humans, he really hates them. His mother was a human, who when she realized what he was, took full advantage by selling him. He was sold into sexual slavery that lasted years until he was old enough to plan an escape. The man that was responsible for his imprisonment was also human. So imagine his surprise when both he and his tiger react fiercely to human Olivia Harcourt.
After one of her sisters is murdered and the other one kidnapped (I don’t know much about this since I’m reading the series backward), Olivia decides to take her niece (who is the daughter of the murdered sister) and run. She doesn’t know where. What she does know is that she will do anything to protect her niece. I think that was what I admired most about Olivia. Growing up as a human in a house of witches, Olivia knows her limitations. That doesn’t stop her from doing whatever is necessary for Jaime.
Olivia and Aiden’s attraction is fierce and fast. Olivia isn’t used to being wanted. In fact, she’s not even used to wanting. She’s dulled her emotions for so long that it comes as second nature to her now. That is a challenge to Aiden’s beast, one he can’t resist.
I really liked the relationship aspect of the book. I liked the family unit that Aiden, Olivia, and Jamie formed. It was sweet reading about how someone as big and powerful as Aiden could interact with a child. The problem in the end was Aiden’s major issue with trust. It’s true that trust has to be earned, but there is only so much you can do before it’s just a leap of faith.
I’ve read that the bad guys are over the top, but they aren’t to me. Perhaps it’s because this is only the second book I’ve read. All I know is that I liked it!
4.25 out of 5.
This book is available from HQN. You can buy it here or here in e-format.
The series:
Oh, this series sounds delicious! And the cover look so good. I’ve never heard of this author or this series, so I am very glad that you reviewed this book. Thanks!