Primal Instincts series review

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books; 1 Original edition (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373773676
• ISBN-13: 978-0373773671
• Purchase Information:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Book Depository

Hi there back again after a bit of an absence, sorry Jo-Anne.

I’m reviewing the Primal Instinct series by Rhyannon Byrd which I have now finished. These are the first three.

The first book is called Edge of Hunger which begins with the eldest of the Buchannan siblings who come from a long line of mythical creatures know as the Merricks. Their blood line remains dormant in the siblings until the sudden release of an ancient enemy bring on the awakenings of the Merrick inside each of the them.

As only one Merrick is awakened per release the first is the eldest brother Ian, who ran away from home as soon as he was able.

Ian never believed in his mother’s obsession with their ancestry and never looked back when he left, leaving his younger brother and sister to deal with their mothers increasing delusions about what they are.

When a beautiful and mysterious women tracks Ian down claiming to have had a message from his now deceased mother Ian is very suspicious and more that a little irate at being dragged into his past, something he’s worked damn hard to forget.

But along with the Merrick bloodline comes certain gifts and Ian’s is precognitive dreams. Ian sees himself as his Merrick form, but in order to release the beast he must take the blood of a women as they are in the throes of passion. The beautiful and mysterious Molly has centre stage in his dreams.

Frightened by what he is to become and not willing to put Molly in any danger Ian does everything he can to keep his beast contained and his growing desire for Molly bottled inside as well. But when the enemy who is hunting him kills an ex lover to taunt him Ian has no choice but to give in to the passion burning between them to enable the beast to be free.

Going in search of an ancient cross believed to be a talisman against the enemy know as the Casus, as well as a weapon to kill them, Ian and Molly meet up with a group known as the Watchmen. They are a group of shape shifters from ancient clans who have all but died out and who monitor the awakenings of the Merrick around the world but do not interfere with them. So with time running out for Ian, as the Casus whose coming for him increases his attacks, Ian must do what he never thought he could and become the beast inside.

I was hooked on this story from the beginning as it is quite dark and gritty at times, something you can really sink your teeth in to. The main characters are great together Molly is a real softness to Ian’s hard exterior and as she gradually breaks through until you see Ian’s vulnerabilities and strengths.

The others characters in the book are fantastic with a heavy dose of sarcasm and great one liners you just get caught up in the lives of all of them. There are also some pretty hot and heavy scenes as well, but that’s what I also love about these books, and you know you do too!

Product details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin Books; Original edition (May 2009)
• Language English
• ISBN-10: 0373773994
• ISBN-13: 978-0373773992

Purchase Information:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Book Depository

The next book in the series is called Edge of Danger and centers on the next sibling to awaken which is Saige Buchanan. Saige has always believed in her mothers stories and has been diligently searching for the crosses know as dark markers aided by a set of maps she found with the first marker and also aided by her special gift in which objects she touches speak to her. Saige is unaware that her brother Ian has already gone through his awakening first. She is also unaware that Ian has sent a Watchman to find her and bring her back to the protective walls of the Watchman compound, kicking and screaming if necessary. Saige can feel her Merrick getting closer to the surface everyday and when Michael Quinn shows up she starts to feel it even more. There’s something about the rugged Watchman that she doesn’t trust but can't seen to get enough of either. So together they make the trek back to the Watchman compound in Colorado. While hot on their heels is the Casus determined to get his hands on her. Killing an wakened Merrick will give it the Casus the strength it needs to release others of its kind from the holding ground where they have been imprisoned by the Merrick. The Casus does whatever he can to stop them from reaching the compound as well as finding anymore markers. But as Saige is determined to keep the impossibly gorgeous Quinn out of danger she inadvertently gets captured. In doing so, she managed to learn a few things about the impending release of more of the Casus and a group that is now helping the Casus with their plan for their own twisted agenda. Quinn manages to rescue her, although much to his frustration she seems to get herself into trouble whenever he turns around. Not to mention the fact that he can’t quite keep his hands off her. Due to his own animal instincts and tendencies he’s determined to keep her at arm’s length, but is finding that a lot harder than he thought it would be. So as they fight their attraction for one another and evade a deadly enemy Saige must give into to her darker side before she loses not only her heart but also her life and those she loves.

I absolutely love this series as I said, it has a great story line that draws you into a different world of old gypsy beliefs and shifters and of creatures trying to exist in a world where they are hunted and persecuted for what they are. The characters are wonderful. Quinn is this alpha male who has a witty sense of humor is as sexy as hell but is scared of his feelings for Saige as the possessive nature of his shifter breed can be extremely overwhelming. And Saige just takes it all in stride not realizing the effect she has on him.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books; Original edition (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373774230
• ISBN-13: 978-0373774234
• Purchase Information:
• Amazon
• Amazon UK 
• Book Depository

The third book is called Edge of Desire which focuses on Riley Buchanan. Riley has been helping his brother Ian and his sister Saige since their awakenings and their arrival at the Watchman compound. With Riley’s own impending awakening he is more than a little on edge and with a rouge Casus on the loose, hell-bent on destroying the Buchanan family, it’s even more pressing that they find as many Dark Markers as they can. No pressure!

Riley sets off with Watchman associate Kellan Scott to the small town of Purity Washington, where Saige believes the next marker is buried. But things go from bad to worse for our boy Riley when he comes face to face with the only woman who has ever meant anything to him, but who he left broken hearted some 13 years ago, with good intentions of course. Riley, knowing what was to come, had no intentions of ever getting Hope Summers involved in his frightening world, not if he had anything to do with it.

Hope wasn’t happy to see Riley either, some pie throwing might have been involved, but the feelings she had for Riley, which she learned to bury a long time ago come flooding back. Although there’s something different about him that she can’t quite place. He tells her that an old family heirloom is buried somewhere on her property and he desperately needs to find it, she is a little sceptical, but she goes on a little faith and agrees to let Riley and Kellan stay.

But Riley’s Merrick is hungry, and Riley has to struggle to keep himself together because he knows that if he lets go and gives in to the one woman he has ever wanted, it’s all over for him. But Hope's not making it easy for him and you can’t really blame her either.

As he spends more time with Hope he learns of her tragic past and can’t help but blame himself for not being the man she needed. The Casus are catching up to them and the bodies start mounting. Riley knows it’s only a matter of time before the inevitable happens and his Merrick gets out. Will the darkness overtake him or will Hope be his light at the end of the tunnel?

Riley never sees his Merrick as the good being that it is and thinks that he’s this dark monster that once released, will go on a killing spree. So there’s always a hard tone to his character, which I loved but for some reason I couldn’t get into this one as much as the others and I’m not sure why. But anyway, Hopes character I found a little needy and you just wanted her to grab Riley and give him a good slap and say I’m right here what are you waiting for! but that’s maybe what I would have done.

Hope you enjoy this series, I give it 4/5.

I highly recommend this series for anyone who enjoys a great juicy paranormal romance.