Author: Rhyannon Byrd
Series: Primal Instinct (book #1)
Next in series: Edge of Danger
My rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis: Constantly on edge with the darkness that lives within him, Ian Buchanan only wants to lead a normal life, but then Molly Stratton arrives on his doorstep with a message from Ian's deceased mother and nothing will ever be normal again. Now, Ian and Molly find themselves sharing the same intense and sensual nightmares, and soon discover that they are the prey to an unspeakably evil creature bent on their destruction.
Review: Intense and exciting from the first pages. The plot is intriguing and the characters compelling.
The world building is comprehensive and absorbing with a unique mythology involving original creatures uncommon in existing paranormal romance. The precise details regarding Ian’s true nature and that of the creature stalking him are revealed as the story progresses and there are enticing hints of an all-encompassing battle to come between the forces of good and evil.
The writing is descriptive and well-paced. However, there is some repetitious word usage, such as variations of “rasp” and “rasping” but this does not distract from the storytelling.
Ian is a perfectly flawed and tortured hero who has a difficult time coming to terms with his identity and abilities. Some readers may find him terse and uncaring, however, in my opinion, this only adds to his appeal and to the strength of his feelings for the heroine. Molly is strong and determined, and never allows Ian’s surliness to deter her in any way. Their chemistry is sizzling in its intensity, and their banter is one of the highlights of the book.
The secondary characters, most of whom form a secret society known as “The Watchmen”, are also appealing and will appear in the own books down the line. The villain is suitably despicable and the scenes told from his perspective serve well to ratchet up the tension and suspense. The final encounter between the hero and villain is one of the most exciting that I’ve read recently.
Overall, this is a thoroughly entertaining read that I found hard to put down and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I have the first 3 of this series on my TBR pile. They have been shifted for well over a year now. Great review, I may have to move them further up on the pile.
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