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:

Casee‘s review of Touch of Surrender (Primal Instincts, Book 5) by Rhyannon Byrd.

With his auburn hair and lean build, Kierland Scott looks more manly than lycan. But his wolf instincts are aroused by the gray-eyed Morgan Cantrell. Not because of her beauty, but because of her long-ago betrayal, a fateful choice that made their love impossible.

Now, however, the two Watchmen must team up, leaving the placid Lake Country for the forests of Scandinavia. To rescue Kierland’s brother, they must track a vampire—and use their combined shape-shifting sensitivities in a battle that will take them beyond death. As the two learn to seek together, they begin to understand the history that has driven them apart. But they will have to overcome death itself, if their shared passion is to have a chance.

This is my first book by Rhyannon Byrd and I have no idea why. I have see her name here and there and some of her blurbs have sounded interesting. Still, I never picked her up. After reading Touch of Surrender, I’m sorry I didn’t pick her up sooner. Considering the reading dump (I can’t call it a slump) that I’ve been in, the fact that I read this book in one day speaks volumes. To me anyway.

This was the 5th book in Byrd’s Primal Instincts series. Since it was my first book by her, I obviously missed the four previous installments. I thought that Byrd did a fantastic job of catching up a reader who hasn’t read the series (me) without bogging it down with too much detail. And this world was very detailed indeed. There’s a lot of backstory you have to know.

Morgan has always loved Kierland Scott. Ten years before, Morgan started an affair with a vampire something that Kierland can’t seem to get over. She has no idea why Kier hates her so much and there is a part of her that is broken by his hatred. She does her best to hide it and be the best Watchman she can be. When Kier and Morgan have to team up, they are forced to confront their past and their past misunderstandings.

If these two had communicated, a book wouldn’t have been necessary. That is all it comes down to. Miscommunication that is fueled by years of bitterness. Kier has never forgiven Morgan for going to Ashe (the vampire) for the Consortorium. In fact, he thinks she’s nothing more than a whore. He doesn’t hide his feelings from Morgan and she doesn’t know why he would think such a thing.

The storyline of this series is obviously (even to me) furthered and is pretty riveting. Kier and Morgan have gone after Kier’s brother with the help of Ashe. Talk about a fearsome threesome. When Kier finally gets his head out of his ass long enough to realize that Morgan is nothing like what he thought her to be, he decides he has to have her.

The ending of the book is pretty powerful. It make all Kier’s jackassery forgivable. Almost.

4 out of 5.

This book is available from HQN. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

The series: