Primal Heat

The Shadow Shifters #6

by A.C. Arthur

In the savage world of the Shadow Shifters, desire can be as dangerous as nature itself….

As guard to the most powerful shifter in the human world, Eli Preston is sworn to protect his leader, defend their alliance, and keep his darker instincts in check. But when a beautiful female trainee arouses his jaguar senses, there is no stopping the beast within. He must have her. Even if it jeopardizes the deadliest mission of his life…

When the heat is on—and the claws come out—the heart is the fiercest hunter…

For six years, Nivea has been waiting for Eli to take her in his arms, unleash his animal urges, and claim her as his mate. But once their passion is unleashed—in a reckless moment of pure unbridled lust—nothing can ever be the same. The battlelines are drawn: man versus animal, shifter versus shifter. And Eli must be prepared to fight for his life—and his love—or he will lose Nivea forever...

Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Shapeshifters, Erotica, Ebooks

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

AC Arthur has worked as a paralegal in every field of law since high school, but her first love is and will always be writing romance. She’s written and won awards for her acclaimed Donovans and Shadow Shifters contemporary and paranormal romance series. Under her pen name, Lacey Baker, she created the quaint small town of Sweetland and wrote the novelization for the Original Hallmark Channel Movie, A Gingerbread Romance.

After years of hosting reader appreciation events, AC created the One Love Reunion, an event designed to bring readers and authors together to celebrate their love of books.

AC resides in Maryland with her family, where she’s currently working on her next book…or watching Criminal Minds.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primal Heat is book six in The Shadow Shifters series by A.C. Arthur. This book was generously provided to me for an honest review by NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and A.C. Arthur. This was the first book I have read in this series. I did enjoy it but would have understood more about this world of Shadow Shifters the author has created if I had read the previous books. So if this series interests you, I recommend starting at the beginning which I now hope to do.



Shadow Shifters are a community of cat shifters that live among the humans undetected. They want only peace, to live amongst their own kind with their families. When Shadow Shifters mate, they mate for life. But finding a mate is not something Eli Preston wants for himself. He has had two love interests in his past, and they are now both dead. Eli is a personal guard to the stateside leader of the Shifters, Roman. He has also been assigned to train the enticing Nivea. Something about Nivea calls to him. Whenever she is near it’s all he can do to control his inner cat.

“All he knew for certain was that there was a war going on inside him where this particular shifter was concerned. A feeling he’d never felt with any other female in his life.”

Nivea has worked and trained alongside Eli for six long years. And for every one of those minutes, days, weeks, months, years, she has yearned for him. She knows he is meant to be her mate. If only Eli would figure it out.

Eli has been experiencing some very disturbing symptoms lately which has him concerned. All shifters have heightened senses but he had been experiencing a bad sense of direction, faulty senses, heightened sex drive, and strange dreams. He has no idea what is going on or what it could mean.

Eli can’t continue to deny himself where Nivea is concerned but he convinces himself that it is sex only. He has no interest in anything else. So why does he feel this intense need to protect her?



The Shifters want peace but there are those that want war. There is someone that holds deep resentments against the Shadow Shifters and will go to any lengths to gain his revenge and expose them to the humans. Eli, Nivea, and the other shifters are forced to not only defend themselves while trying to keep their kind a secret, but to also protect the humans from this lurking evil danger.



First off, I want to say that this book was hot, hot, hot! These Shifters are a very sexual bunch. And I am not complaining. I loved Nivea. She was a strong woman/shifter. The things she endured in her childhood were horrible but she still grew into an independent, self assured adult. As for Eli, I wanted to smack him at times at the way he denied his feelings for Nivea. But I enjoyed watching his walls crumble.



The book builds slowly to the epic showdown of good vs. evil as the shifters are forced to battle against the dark forces of greed and revenge. I was surprised at the ending. There isn’t a cliff hanger but it is obvious there is more of this story to be told. Will the shifters be able to continue to live amongst the humans? As I said before, I did struggle a bit to catch my brain up to where this book began but I did enjoy it.

“We make our own future. From this moment on, we decide how this will end. We are the Shadow Shifters and we will prevail.”

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

When love and lust are in the air, the primal beast surfaces, just ask Eli, guard to the most powerful shifter in the world, whose jaguar senses are now on high alert, ready to go feral for the new trainee who is strictly off limits. No matter the cost he must have her. Nivea wants Eli, their passions and inner beasts are alive and bristling, but duty comes first. Will Eli ever give in and take who he wants? How long must Nivea wait? If they give in to their sexual needs, will there be consequences?

Primal Heat by A.C. Arthur is part of a larger series, but may also be read as a standalone, so says the media kits! Me, I’m not so sure. You know that fresh-baked apple pie you are craving? What if the pie were missing a big chunk or maybe just one key ingredient that brings it all together for you? Not having read previous books in this series left that thread of a great connection frayed. BUT, let me tell you, A.C. Arthur can write action, turmoil and lava-hot scenes that can blister your eyeballs and leave your mind overheating! Just from this one book, I can tell, this is a series I need to read, possibly in winter, when the raw shifter heat will be a fierce deterrent to the cold winds!

I received this ARC edition from St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review.

Series: The Shadow Shifters - Book 6
Pulication Date: August 4, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN 9781250042934
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Print Length: 336 pages
3.5 Stars
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble (unavailable at posting)
For Reviews and More Check out: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Leiah Cooper · Rating 1 out of 5]

Feminism is hated because women are hated. Anti-feminism is a direct expression of misogyny; it is the political defense of women hating. —Andrea Dworkin

DNF. I rarely ever give up on books, but this one simply irritated me to the point that I couldn’t finish it. The concept was ‘been-there-done-that’, which is to be expected with shifter books – hiding from the humans and being chased, humans trying to create supersoldiers. But what really turned me off was the fact that I really, Really wanted to bang Nivea and Eli’s heads together. Eli is an unmitigated jerk:

“Don’t sound so excited about someone getting their head ripped off. You’re a female, remember.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He sighed, wanting this conversation to be over, wanting this stupid assignment to be over, once and for all. “It means that you might want to start acting more like a female than a G.I. Jane. From the time you wake up in the morning until you close yourself off in your room after dinner, you’re either in the field looking for a fight, or in the cafeteria picking a fight, or just always looking for some way to be physical. That’s not what females do.”

Uh – Excuse Me?? She is a GUARD, Dude! That is what she is being trained for, and she is darn good at it – one of the best. And yet, you demean her this way? Of course, Nivea is no brain trust herself. Her actions are immature at best, stupid at worst.

Then there was the rape scene. . . That did it for me. Ugh. Though I appreciate the opportunity to read the book for review, I won’t be reading any more of Arthur’s works. I wish I could say different, but I simply found the characters unbearable.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primal Heat was steamy, fast paced and action intense.

Eli is the sworn protector for the leader of the shifters. Nivea is a trainee that has been on Eli's radar for quite some time. When things all go to hell, Eli and Nivea finally have to admit the animal magnetism that they have avoided for 6 years is real and highly explosive.

This was a good story, creative and imaginative but the characters lacked depth. Overall, I enjoyed this read but didn't connect to the characters like I have in previous installments.

I received an ARC copy of Primal Heat from St. Martin's Press in exchange of an honest review. This book is set for publication August 4, 2015.

[Dark Faerie Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: A race against time, rogues working to expose the Shadow Shifters, will Eli be able to save Rome and Nivea or will he lose everything he loves?

Opening Sentence: “The time has come.” Baxter Utiera spoke solemnly.”

The Review:

Eli is the one of the bodyguards for the First family of Shadow shifter’s and Nivea is a trainee under him. He has been fighting his attraction for a long time but he can’t hold out any longer. However, there is a deadly game afoot, with humans and rogues involved. Humans working with rogues are trying to bring the shadow shifter’s out of the shadows and into the light. Agent wilson is one of many trying to obtain proof to show the world. Eli is trying to stop that and build a relationship with Nivea, the beautiful daughter of traitors.

Together they try to fix and save their people from exposure. Will they be able to save their people and each other?

I really want to say more about these books, but honestly I am not sure what would be a spoiler or what would build interest. I enjoyed the book but yes (hangs head), I haven’t read any others’ in the series and seeing how this was a final book, I think it was important. So I am not going to be overly negative because I didn’t love it, I think if I had read the other five books that things that seemed confusing to me would have made more sense and I would have liked it more. That being said, Portuguese speaking cat shifters, hot right? I really liked that aspect of the book. Although, I wish some of the translations were there because I just don’t speak or read Portuguese.

I had a bit of like/dislike with Eli, I mean a smoking hot jaguar, what’s not to love, especially a tortured duty bound bodyguard. I didn’t understand some of the flashbacks and feelings he had (wish I would have read the other books), so I think that hindered me outright from loving him. Nivea seemed like a wonderfully strong woman who was carrying a torch on him for a long time. That threw me a little, because there seemed like a lot of attraction there so why would he ignore her for so long. Hence my dislike for him, and my small issue with her. Oh, and warning, there is mention of sexual abuse (not in detail), but I know that triggers some people.

If you are a fan of this series, I think you are going to find this is the kind of conclusion you will love, I mean I knew everything was wrapped up despite my lack of knowledge. Plus, I loved the way A.C. Arthur wrapped it up, and no spoilers from me. The way the series was finished and the cultural aspects of the books really amped up how I felt about this book. I like seeing things about cultures I don’t know and I love when an author makes the mythology great. The world building is so essential to a story, and if done badly can really ruin a book, and when done well like this series, it really enhances the story. So to sum it up, if you love this series be prepared to be happy. If you are interested in this series, my suggestion is start with Book 1, Temptation Rising.

Notable Scene:

“He wanted to yell with the rage of helplessness, a feeling he despised more than fear, but admitted to feeling more of in the last weeks.”

“In his mind’s eye he could see it clearly, could piece together Nivea’s reluctance to go home to her family in New York, to even talk about them.”

“They were killing and pillaging like some prehistoric scene come horribly to life.”

FTC Advisory: St.Martin’s Press/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Primal Heat. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I started writing my review, I quickly scanned the other Goodreads reviews to see why some of the reviewers were giving this book low marks. I quickly realized that a lot of the reviewers hadn’t read the previous books in the series. I’ll admit, I didn’t either. But I really enjoyed this dark, ominous, game changer book in the Shadow Shifters series. And having only read the one book, I could tell that this series was not for the faint of heart when it came to the romance and action. Roses and candlelight are not a part of these kitties’ repertoires.

Eli and his brother Ezra are extremely powerful shadow shifters and twin brothers…. and they have both been through hell. Ezra found a mate in the previous book (no spoiler there). Eli has a few issues to still work out, though. Eli’s past relationships with women have left him with some pretty deep scars. So Eli is a love ’em and leave ’em kind of guy. Unfortunately, there has been one woman he can’t seem to get out of his mind, let alone physically away from, and it’s driving Eli mad.

For the last six years, Eli has been around Nivea in the compound where they train the guards but recently he has been tasked with completing her final training. Nivea knows they belong together but Eli is fighting it tooth and nail. In this world, when two “cats” meet their mates, there is very little that can keep them apart. Literally… timing be damned.

And that’s main crux of the book, there is sooooo much going on in this book, it really is a game changer. I think every couple from the previous books makes an appearance. Even the boys from Ms. Arthur’s new adult series show up to help contain the trouble brewing in the shadow shifter world. And this is all going on while Eli’s character is evolving, growing, and dare I say, maturing.

Ms. Arthur is a talented writer. She moved the plot along quickly and her transitions between scenes were flawless. She kept me on the edge of my seat waiting for the veritable crap to hit the fan. And when it did, boy was I shocked. I like an author who doesn’t do what’s expected.

Fair warning, though… if you don’t like your sex a little on rough side, you might get a little squeamish while reading this. It’s definitely on the heated and intense side. You’ve been warned ;)

Review appears on

[Shauni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed For: Tea and Book

Primal Heat is Book 6 in A.C. Arthur's, The Shadow Shifters Series. I enjoyed it but felt like I was missing way too much. I am going to say right off the top, this book is really not a stand alone. Yes, you can read it as such, I did. Yes, it was good but it could have been great and I think, had I read books 1-5 first, I would have called this great.

The Shadow Shifters have been in hiding for centuries but have recently come out of the shadows. They have lived by their rules but now have to live by a world that still isn't quite sure what to make of them. They have been targeted, there are those who would refuse to accept them as human but the Shifters want to survive in today's world.

It's not bad enough that they have issues with the world at large, they have inner species politics as well. Rome is the leader of the Shadow Shifters in the US, a powerful shifter who is committed to saving his people.. Under him is a large contingency of officers and soldiers..

Eli Preston is one of those soldiers. High ranking and loyal to the bone his past has lead him to believe that he will die young and without a mate. So when sexy Nivea becomes his trainee and partner he does everything he can to put her off.

Nivea comes from a family that refuses to accept that they are shifters. Powerful people who have pushed her out on questionable circumstances. All she wants to do is serve her people at any cost. At any cost that is until she discovers her feeling for the aloof but gorgeous Eli.

Eli was a bit of a jerk, so involved in what was best for him (and of course he was wrong) he pushed Nivea away on a regular basis. I would have smacked him upside the head and looked elsewhere. Oh wait she couldn't because he was her destined mate. Yeah why do characters have to put up with that crap?

The overall arc of saving the Shadow Shifters was compelling, brutal and was what really sold this story. Which would have been great had I read the other books because as I said earlier, without that information I often felt lost and confused.

All in all it was a good book, not a great romance, and really too much work. I might keep reading this series, maybe catch up on previous books, to see if that makes a difference. It's worth not shutting it down over one book.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of Take Me, provided by netgalley

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

The hero has been hurt twice in the past by two women whom he wanted to claim as his mate. The first betrayed him and his people to be with another man, the second died because he couldn't protect her. So as such he's vowed to never again take a mate.

The heroine comes from a wealthy influential family who spurn their shifter roots. Childhood abuse and rape by her father and verbal abuse from her mother has made her cut ties with them. The safety of her sisters makes her keep the families secrets even though it puts her into suspicion with the people she works with. She's known since she first met him that the hero was her mate. And worse, deep down, he's known it too. But he's steadfast in his vow to keep all those walls between them. But steadily and brick by brick she's wearing him down.

It starts with a kiss. Then a touch, and then they find themselves sleeping together. But no matter how intimate they become the hero makes it absolutely clear he had no intention of mating her. However, as is typically the case, the hero is catching feelings. Though he's not the type to be a mushy romantic, he makes it clear that she's come to mean a lot to him. But stress with her family and frustration with the hurt he's caused her make her demand more and now it's up to the hero to gain the courage to take what's his before she slips away.

I can safely say that this is by far the best book in the series. It was passionate and real and I freaking loved the heroine more than I can say. She was sooo strong yet vulnerable. She's not willing to give up on him no matter how gruff and closed off emotionally he is, she's able to make him realized that if he doesn't get his shit together he'll lose the best thing in his life. I loved the hero. Finally, the male lead wasn't a complete horn dog. Sure, there were sex scenes and explicit ones at that but it was tastefully done and the river of repressed feelings leapt off the page during each of them. It was a struggle for these characters to find peace with each other mostly to do with the hero and his stubborn reluctance to see what he's missing in front of him. This was finally the ace of a story in a series that I've felt was missing something up until now.

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently to get his point across about no one seeing his woman naked he needs to be forceful, "no. But you are if you think I’m going to let anybody come in here and see your naked a**!” he yelled before moving past her. “I’m calling this in." Even though he can be harsh and forceful he could be tender and caring at times, "his hands went to her hips, his fingers kneading the soft skin there as he looked up at her. “I think you’ve got it twisted,” he told her. “I’m your mate so I’ll be protecting you." I liked this book, many good characters.

[Monica **can't read fast enough** · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come

[Margaret Fisk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

Let me first say up front that this book contains both explicit and detailed erotic scenes that skirt the edge of fetishes. I say this because the description did not prepare me, mainly because the genre is listed simply as romance while the level of sexual content is closer to erotica in my opinion. It isn’t the only warning this book needs, either, as it addresses trigger issues of surviving rape and child abuse on top of violent murder.

I start with this because the way the book begins led me to expect something a little closer to urban fantasy as it teases with hints at a complex social culture and history. Besides the sex level, though, that’s exactly what it delivers. While the prologue is a weakness to my mind since it acts as a data dump that requires the reader to consult the extensive glossary in the very front to comprehend, it also introduces a fascinating story with group dynamics that include conflicting parties within the whole and long-term revenge plots.

Whether I knew this when I chose the book or not, by the time I had the chance to read Primal Heat, I’d forgotten it was the last in a series. I could tell other books had come before, however, from the information woven into the text both skillfully and not so. The level of data dumping was never as strong as in the prologue, however, in part because the other areas informed rather than trying to intrigue with incomplete information. Those moments of backstory provided everything I needed to understand this narrative while piquing my interest in the previous books.

You might have thought from some of the above that I didn’t enjoy this novel. You’d be wrong. It starts in the middle of a convoluted story, takes a break for the first sex scene, then switches back to the shifter storyline and eventually shows them to be intimately (all puns intended) connected. I’m okay with explicit sex, as you should know if you’ve followed my reviews, but it’s the story that captures me, and this book delivered on the story without question.

I thought I’d selected a light urban fantasy/paranormal romance for a quick, fun read. Instead, I got a complex, layered history with villains, yes, but also with that villainy as a consequence at least in part of a barbaric tradition that should have been abandoned long ago. It’s the old guard changing over to the new, the struggle between traditions that fail to adapt to circumstance and creating a social structure from whole cloth. The story is about passion, absolutely, but it’s also about loyalty, commitment, and betrayal. It’s about accepting yourself and your past, and learning to trust even when that trust has been trampled more times than you can count. The story goes into the psychology of manipulation, and both physical and mental abuse, while focusing on what it takes to survive.

It’s a solid, complex world with a love story, revenge, changes of a dramatic nature, and powerful characters, some of whom I felt didn’t get the story they deserved even as the role they played proved critical to the main tale. Primal Heat has a huge cast with a wide number of point-of-view characters (I didn’t keep count), but I didn’t have trouble keeping track of who and where I was. The main story follows Eli and Nivea as the primary couple, but I appreciated the glimpse into all the various lives connected to this story. My only regret is that the level of sex might limit the audience when the storytelling and world building was strong enough to excuse the weaknesses I found at times in the writing.

I’m thinking to search out the early books in The Shadow Shifters just to enjoy more time in that world. Though this is listed as the last in the series, and I understand why, I wouldn’t be surprised at a companion series coming into being. It would be a pity to leave such a multi-layered, conflict-filled world altogether.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars--

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 4, 2015

In the savage world of the Shadow Shifters, desire can be as dangerous as nature itself…

As guard to the most powerful shifter in the human world, Eli Preston is sworn to protect his leader, defend their alliance, and keep his darker instincts in check. But when a beautiful female trainee arouses his jaguar senses, there is no stopping the beast within. He must have her. Even if it jeopardizes the deadliest mission of his life…

When the heat is on—and the claws come out—the heart is the fiercest hunter…

For six years, Nivea has been waiting for Eli to take her in his arms, unleash his animal urges, and claim her as his mate. But once their passion is unleashed—in a reckless moment of pure unbridled lust—nothing can ever be the same. The battle lines are drawn: man versus animal, shifter versus shifter. And Eli must be prepared to fight for his life—and his love—or he will lose Nivea forever…

••••••••••

REVIEW: PRIMAL HEAT is the sixth full length installment in A.C. Arthur’s adult, contemporary SHADOW SHIFTERS paranormal romance series focusing on a breed of feline shifters known as The Shadow Shifters. This is Guardians Eli Preston and Nivea Cannon’s storyline. Because of the developing storyline throughout the series I would suggest new readers to the series start at the beginning for cohesion, history and back story.

Told from several third person perspectives PRIMAL HEAT continues to focus on hunt for the person(s) responsible for threatening to ‘out’ the shifters to the human race. The Shadow Shifters have long hid their supernatural existence; blending into the communities and societies of man but a new species of hybrid is threatening to destroy the peaceful co-existence between man and beast. What ensues is an act of retaliation and revenge against the Shifters by several of their own kind.

Meanwhile, Nivea has known that Eli Preston is her mate but Eli’s history in the jungles of Sierra Leone have left Eli distant, cold and withdrawn. He is a Shadow Shifter Guardian who has come into a secondary power but with it comes memories and the guilt of a time not so long ago. Taking a mate is the last thing Eli wants or needs but it is the touch of a mate that will calm the beast within.

Nivea is a strong, alpha female who isn’t afraid to let Eli know what it is she wants from her mate but Eli continues to refuse to claim the woman that calms his soul. When Nivea’s life is threatened time and again, Eli can’t stop the need to protect and claim the woman with whom he is falling in love. The $ex scenes are intimate, sometimes aggressive, and provocative.

PRIMAL HEAT and thusly the SHADOW SHIFTERS series is an ensemble story with all of the previous storyline couples and characters in secondary and supporting roles. In fact, PRIMAL HEAL follows several developing and existing premises that intersect throughout the story and series.

The world building continues to focus on the Shadow Shifters: their history; their mating; and their struggles to survive. Now that their existence has been revealed their future battles will find them facing off against a different enemy-one that has already started to pass judgment in the face of the unknown.

PRIMAL HEAT is an engaging and character driven storyline with action, suspense, and some disturbing scenarios. The Shadow Shifters face an uncertain future-one filled with the potential for specieism, discrimination, prejudice and the possibility of a disaster on par with ethnic cleansing. Shifters are no longer safe in the world of man; everyone has been targeted now that their secret has been revealed. A.C. Arthur has written a passionate storyline with an all-too familiar historical formula.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

www.thereadingcafe.com

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primal Heat is unapologetically raw, astoundingly smart, and breathlessly captivating. It will appeal to your logical mind while quietly taking hold of your heart. You won’t feel the shift when it happens, but you will know without a doubt when this amazing story has made you a die-hard fan. There is so much intensity and substance through this extraordinary journey that it pulled in every facet of my heart and mind. To be completely engaged in a story is a rare and wonderful feat that every reader should experience! This book completely blew me away with its depth, its heart, and its soul.

Nivea has waited her entire life to feel and experience an unconditional, all-consuming love that she knows is hers if only she can convince Eli that he needs to open his heart to her. The impossibly insurmountable task that lies before her only fuels her determination to make him see what he refuses to acknowledge. However, their world is on the brink of their most dangerous and deadly challenge to date, and the consequences of not paying attention could come at a price that no one is willing to pay. Eli is determined not to lose his focus on what it most important, but his heart will not give him a moment’s peace when it comes to Nivea. His heart knows who she is to him, but his mind is fighting a desperately losing battle to keep her as far away as possible. He knows he isn’t what she needs because of his tainted past, but his friends and his heart will not allow him to abandon his future out of stubbornness and self-pity. Can Nivea show Eli that even broken, hurting souls deserve to find a safe and healing shelter from the storms of life, or will his sheer will leave him to face a future of being alone forever?

I loved Nivea’s unyielding spirit. Life had beaten her down at a tender age, but she like the beautiful phoenix chose to rise from the ashes of her old life in order to forge a new and spectacular one. She loves her job and the people she works for and protects. The only thing missing in her life is love, and that drives her to find the one who can complete her. Eli took the opposite approach to his harrowing past and lives immersed in regret and anger. He can’t see past the darkness that envelopes his heart until he see Nivea. She is different, and he refuses to admit that she is an important part of him. Instead he keeps her at arm’s length until that plan fails miserably. When these two open their hearts to the other, their pain slips from their shoulders, their soul finally finds rest and comfort in the other, and their life is transformed into one of great promise and boundless hope.

I am thoroughly impressed and completely blown away by the heart-stopping spectacular love story that wraps around a truly impressive backstory. The more I read of this world, the more I fall in love with it, and the more impatient I am to return to it. There is nothing as beautiful or brilliant as these amazing characters, and I can’t wait to read about them! A. C. Author is an incredibly talented author who has won me over a fan for life. There is nothing short and sweet about her stories which is what I adore about her books. There are groups of people who live, protect, and respect each other. You get more drama and passion that you ever thought you signed up for which is why I have fallen in love with Author’s writing. We don’t live a solitary life, we share our lives with others, and so each story encompasses many couples, groups of people, and individuals in order to give you a well-rounded and fleshed out story that you will not soon forget.

[Joyfully Reviewed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eli Preston is a lead guard for the First Family of the U.S. Assembly of the Shadow Shifters. He is also in charge of training some of the other warriors, and among those is one female with whom he has to fight his instincts on every time he is around her. Eli knows that every day is a challenge for the Shadow Shifters who have been hiding in plain sight for many, many years. However, now the U.S. government, or at least some of it, not only knows about them, but captured one and used his DNA to try and create a supersoldier. That creature has been destroyed, yet reports are telling them all that the danger is not over.

Nivea Cannon left her wealthy and influential family many years ago when she discovered something that sickened her. Instead of going public with her knowledge, Nivea agreed to just leave everything behind to keep those she loved safe. Nivea joined the Assembly as a guard and has been working hard to cement her position ever since. She has also been attracted to her trainer ever since she met Eli. Nivea has almost given up hope that he will ever see her as more than a new and efficient solider.

Eli and Nivea’s attraction has come to the breaking point and now their passion has exploded between them. Their timing isn’t great, because the worst threat against the Shadow Shifters is about to not only expose them to the humans, but could also turn the world into a blood bath, because somehow those supersoldiers are still being created. It is Eli and Nivea’s mission to try and figure out where the DNA is coming from and just who is behind it. As the clues are being uncovered, Nivea learns that the harm is much closer than she would have ever guessed. It is going to take all of Eli and Nivea’s training and love to face the truth and the ensuring battle. This time it’s not only shifters against humans, but shifters against shifters, and when the dust clears, just who will still be standing, and which side will come out the winner?

Two warriors discover their love just as the States are turned upside down. In their battle to keep their race and humans safe, can they also find a way to gain their happy ever after? Eli and Nivea are going to learn the answer to this and so much more in Primal Heat. I truly wasn’t surprised when the passion exploded between Eli and Nivea, as I could tell it had been simmering for a long time. What did surprise me was Nivea’s past and how it came to affect the present and her mission with Eli. I was drawn into the mystery of who and how the supersoldiers were being made, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what would be exposed next, both in Eli and Nivea’s romance and the mystery they were investigating. I felt that the final battle was well done as all sides experienced losses, because in a battle, it just isn’t realistic to assume one side won’t lose somehow. I’m not sure what will happen in this new reality that the States have in this world, but I certainly hope there is another book in the series so I can see the aftermath. Primal Heat is full of suspense, deadly danger mixed in, with fast friendships, and most importantly, hot passions. Even if you have not read any other books in this series, I feel you could pick up this book and not feel as if you were missing anything. Although, you might end up picking up the earlier books anyway.

Reviewed by Jo for Joyfully Reviewed
Link: bit.ly/1kj7w6Z

[Angela Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of these days I’m going to set down and read this series from the beginning, back-to-back, so I know which of the good guys I’m grieving for. Yes, that’s a tiny bit of a spoiler, but with the ongoing war between the Shadow Shifters and the rogues, there are bound to be losses and Arthur keeps the series feeling real by breaking our hearts when it happens. Add to that Boden’s personal vendetta against the Shadow Shifters and Crowe’s machinations to create a hybrid super soldier, well that insured tons of action in this installment. But all of that was mild in comparison to what is simmering between Eli and Nivea because the secrets they each harbor may end their pairing before it can even begin.

While none of the female mates in this series have had it easy, Arthur outdid herself with Nivea’s backstory. The hints given regarding Nivea’s past did not prepare me for the truth of why she left the seemingly lavish lifestyle she was raised in and why she remains estranged from her parents. When the details began to be revealed I actually reread the scene because the what wasn’t even on my radar. Shocked doesn’t even begin to describe my reaction. And yet Nivea refused to let her past define her and embraced her Shadow Shifter heritage fully, much to the dismay of her sisters. It is her determination in overcoming her past that made Nivea the perfect match for Eli because like her, his past left him scarred, but unlike her, Eli has not overcome it, allowing his past to define him as he refuses to believe that a mate will help him overcome his “curse” or that he is deserving of happiness. Eli’s refusal to acknowledge they’re meant to be mates forces Nivea to call upon her determination because she’s not just fighting Eli, she’s also fighting the ghosts of his past.

I loved watching this relationship play out. Eli gives new meaning to the phrase hard-headed man with his refusal to acknowledge Nivea as his mate. My heart broke for Nivea each time he rebuffed her or snuck out the morning after, but man were those nights between them hot! But even as my heart ached for her, I loved that she was sure in her belief that she deserved happiness and that Eli’s rejections were on him and not a reflection of her. And even as he denied her as his mate, Eli had her back when her loyalty to the Shadow Shifters was in question. While I haven’t read all of the books in the series, I like that Arthur develops the relationship within the ongoing conflicts – the war doesn’t stop for love. This serves to strengthen their bond as they face their enemies head on. Primal Heat was a great addition to The Shadow Shifters series and I love the possibilities that about with the open ending of the book – not a cliffhanger per se, but it certainly leaves many, many avenues open for the author to take.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

[Shayay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love shifter series, so I was hoping this would be a great one, and it was! I really enjoyed it! I haven't read the other books in the series, and I wish I would have because it would've been nice to have a connection to the characters from the previous books that are in this book, and in this book a pre-existing story is in part, part of this book, but even without reading the previous books I still really enjoyed this book, and reading a bit about the other characters from previous books, made me really interested in reading the books about the characters. In this book, Eli and Nivea are part of a group of shifters; they are soldier types, who are trying to stop a mad man shifter from outing the shifters to the world by brutal means, and also Nivea is dealing with an extremely difficult past with her family, and Eli is dealing with opening himself up to good things in his life. I love that Nivea is a kick-ass female, and I like that she stands up for herself. Eli is a great Alpha male without being too overbearing. I loved the chemistry between the two, and I would have liked more scenes with them growing together; it felt a bit rushed, but I still really enjoyed the scenes they did have together. I also would have liked more from them in the ending, I felt I didn't really get closure on their relationship; it felt rushed. I'm thinking there will be glimpses of them in the next books, so I'll look forward to that. The sex scenes were pretty good between the two, and I like the whole I can't love you because I'm scared scenario, and they also had sweet moments together. I could've done without the sex scenes with the enemy side though, and even the point of view scenes with them, and I have a bit of an iffy opinion on the after the fact scenes. The author would have the characters reflect on something that happened in their relationship, rather than having an actual scene, and I would have really liked to have the actual scene because some of them were about the growing development of Eli and Nivea's relationship, and to have more in depth scenes between them would of been nice. All in all, I really liked this book, and I'm really looking forward to reading the previous books in the series, and any future books in the series!

[Dafort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primal Heat is the final installment in Ac Arthur’s Shadow Shifters series and I must say this story ended with a boom! Eli Preston’s duty has been to protect the Stateside Assembly leader while keeping his dark past suppressed. He doesn’t feel he is worthy to find a mate and he has been successful until female guard Nivea Cannon joins the battle and Eli’s jaguar recognizes his mate but continues to fight the inevitable. As these two embark on a sensual and intense journey, the Shadows secret is about to be exposed and the battle has begun. Eli has to prepare for the fight of his life and love. Will Nivea succeed in breaking down Eli’s barriers or will these two shifters forever travel separate paths? Download Primal Heat to find out.
Again, Mrs. Arthur has done a great job weaving this story and bringing closure to a wonderful series. Readers will see although Eli and Ezra were twins they both encountered different experiences from their past. Readers will also see Eli’s growth and development in this book as well as his loyalty to the shifters. He loves hard and is a hard man to love. Nivea knows what she wants, and that is Eli. She knows he is her mate and works to make Eli see their destiny. She knows it an upload hill battle but she feels she has waited six years and now it is time for her to shake things up. All while these two explore their relationship, the threat to expose the Shadows to the world is still prevalent and the enemy is determined to succeed. Readers will be in for a few surprises in this final installment that they will not see coming. Overall, I enjoyed this installment as well as the series. Sorry to see this end but it was a great ending.

[April Hollingworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review Courtesy of April Hollingworth

This is the sixth book in the Shadow Shifter series and the first one I have read. Though each book can be read as a standalone, I found it hard to connect with the characters. Maybe this is because I’m jumping in so far into the series, as though this book is about Eli and Nivea, it is also a continuation of the others in the series.
Personally I didn’t connect with characters or story, so this book isn’t for me. That isn’t to say though that someone else won’t love it. I would advise reading the books in this series in order, and to let the connection for the characters and story develop in the order it was written.

The Review:

Eli Preston has sworn to protect his leader, the most powerful shifter in the human world, defend their alliance and keep his darker instincts in check. Something he manages to do until a beautiful trainee arouses his jaguar senses, and the beast within demands he has her; even though it could jeopardize the deadliest mission of his life.
For six long years, Nivea has been waiting for Eli to take her in his arms, unleash his animal urges and claim her as his mate. Once their passion is released in a reckless moment of pure unbridled lust, nothing can ever be the same. Battlelines are drawn, man versus animal, shifter versus shifter. Eli must be prepared to fight for his life and his love, or he will lose Nivea forever.

FTC Advisory: Annie Hulkower through Net Galley provided me with a copy of Primal Heat by A.C. Arthur. Published through St. Martin’s Press. Kindle Edition. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[Paranormal Kiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primal Heat is the 6th book in the Shadow Shifters series by A.C. Arthur. I recommend reading this series in order. It contains previously developed storylines that won’t have much impact if you haven’t read the previous books, like me. I’ve only read one other book in this series so I wasn’t as invested in the overall plot. Though, it does culminate into a rather dramatic ending that fans of the series won’t want to miss.

Primal Heat was good but I felt it was lacking emotion. I didn’t really care about the plot or the characters. Eli and Nivea’s relationship seemed to be solely based on sex. In my opinion, sex does not equate to emotion in a story. It needs to be shown and developed separately from the sex or the emotion will be lacking. Eli and Nivea had a strong physical connection and a working relationship but nothing beyond that. It’s not enough to state emotion, it needs to be developed and felt.

Nivea was an interesting, strong and tragic character in many ways. I liked her and felt she deserved more from Eli initially. Eli’s character felt under developed. We get some of his past memories but I still didn’t feel like I got to know him as a character. He frustrated me more than anything with his focus on the negative events in his past. I would have liked to have seen Nivea and Eli bond together in ways that didn’t involve work and sex.

Overall Primal Heat is a good read. It’s a fast paced, sexy story that held my attention. The potential is there. I just hope to see more emotion invested in future stories.

*ARC (Advanced Review Copy) received from St. Martin's Press, via NetGalley.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sixth book in AC Arthur’s Shadow Shifter series and the first book I’ve read. I would recommend new readers start at the beginning because, although the author covered the basics, I feel as if I missed out on some of the richness of the story and the history behind the events that occurred in this book.

Eli Preston is a guard responsible for keeping the leader safe. He’s also in charge of training Nivea, the female shifter who he suspects might be his mate. I liked Nivea. She was strong and determined and had overcome adversity before she joined the Shadow Shifters as a trainee guard. She stuck by Eli even when he was a bit of an idiot. Men can be slow sometimes :)

I found Eli a little harder to like—I suspect because I missed some of the previous history, which was covered in prior books. He came in to his own once he started to accept his fate. The love scenes between Eli and Nivea were hot, spicy and plentiful and I could easily see them together in the future.

This shifter world is not for the faint of heart. There is death and abuse as part of this storyline, but there is also a sense of family within the Shadow Shifters. They want peace but they are hurtling toward a war. Excellent world building, and I enjoyed learning how the shifter world fit within the human one.

Events are tied up at the end, and there are no cliffhangers, but it is obvious that there is more to come. Readers who enjoy adventure and hot romance will enjoy this tale of love and war within the feline shifter world. A very good, fast-paced read.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly think I would have liked this book more if I had read ANY of the previous books. As it was, the cast of characters was so large it was hard to follow along with who was who and why they were important to the main plot. On top of that, the bad guy was one that I'm guessing was introduced in an earlier book because he seemed to have a lot of baggage and backstory where the rest of the characters were concerned.

As it was, I was pretty lost as far as the secondary characters went for most of this book. I knew they were important, but I honestly lost track of how they fit into the overall shifter hierarchy. I'm kind of waffling how I feel about both the hero and heroine, too. Eli didn't seem to value Nivea's skills as a guard although she'd been described as being one of the best.

It's hard to like a man who says things that indicate the woman who is nearly as skilled as he is would be better off making time in the kitchen instead of doing the job she was trained for. (For the record, he didn't say THAT, but that was the feeling I got every time he spouted another pithy comment about how she should stay behind.)

Bottom line, I recommend having at least a passing acquaintance with the couples from previous books in this series for maximum enjoyment. I not even sure if this book could be considered a standalone based on that and the politics that drove the plot.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eli & Nivea have been fighting their feelings for each other for the last 6 years but they have now acted on them. Eli keeps on pushing her away as he has had two bad woman experiences. His one lover was mated to another man but she tried to kill him & his twin and he had to kill her. His next lover killed herself but there were many different reasons for that. He blames himself and he can't give Nivea what she wants.
Nivea is tried everything to get Eli to see that they could have a great relationship as she knows that he is her mate. She has tried so hard to move on from her past but it is all about to come out and it will leaves her so angry and she just wants to be with her mate and to forget about her mad parents.
There is so much at play there are people that want Cats exposed and they have been hiding in plain sight. There is someone out for revenge and he will stop at nothing to get back at Eli & his twin.
Can Eli keep his leader & family safe or will it be too late to stop the hybrids from destroying the peace that there is between the cats.
Will Eli accept that he is Nivea mate and can he accept his destiny?
Can Nivea & Eli prevent the bloodshed that is about to come?
This is a great paced story and I love that we get to see the different big cats. Will good win over such evil?
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primal Heat is an enlightening book to the shifter series by A. C. Arthur. I had read Eli’s brother’s (Ezra) story so I knew that Eli had struggles he was trying to conquer on his own. I also knew going in that he didn’t believe that he would ever find the right mate. I wanted to read this book just to see him proven wrong. He does fight the whole love for life but Nivea is good for him. They will need each other for the showdown coming.

As always in this series the plot pacing is brisk but not choppy. The characters are complex but often hide their true feelings while standing strong and loyal. Because of the connection between all of the shifters in this series, I count on catching up with the other couples from previous books. This time the conflict has grown so huge I was holding my breath to see that all made it out alive.

Throughout the series a bigger conflict has been brewing with a lot of the opposing side coming to light in Eli’s and Ezra’s stories. If asked if it is a stand-alone book, I could say yes to the two main characters’ love story. However, to have the full effect and enjoyment of the overall conflict, I would think reading the entire series would be best.

4.5 Stars
Copy provided by the publisher through Net Galley for an honest review.

[Kim]

DNF at 25%- I am not connecting with or invested in any of the characters and I don't foresee it improving.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

They had great chemistry. I liked how we still was getting information on past characters as well

[Jacqueline Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love those shadows

If you like the paranormal type books then you are really going to enjoy this. It has a great story line, it's a page turner from beginning to end. The characters are so believable and engaging. I love this book but you just can't read this one. You have the read the rest of them but not necessarily in order but they're all connected in they're all awesome books.

[Gigi staub · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the savage world of the Shadow Shifters, desire can be as dangerous as nature itself…

As guard to the most powerful shifter in the human world, Eli Preston is sworn to protect his leader, defend their alliance, and keep his darker instincts in check. But when a beautiful female trainee arouses his jaguar senses, there is no stopping the beast within. He must have her. Even if it jeopardizes the deadliest mission of his life…

When the heat is on—and the claws come out—the heart is the fiercest hunter…

For six years, Nivea has been waiting for Eli to take her in his arms, unleash his animal urges, and claim her as his mate. But once their passion is unleashed—in a reckless moment of pure unbridled lust—nothing can ever be the same. The battlelines are drawn: man versus animal, shifter versus shifter. And Eli must be prepared to fight for his life—and his love—or he will lose Nivea forever…

Review:

Now, that I have read this I have to go back and read the other books in the series. I had not read the others before though I have wanted to, so when I saw this on Netgalley I grabbed it. This is book #6 in the series and though it is not necessary to read them in order I think it would have more cohesive for me if I had read the others before. I did enjoy the story and liked the Author's writing style. A few things that I liked about the book- These shifters are super sexy, and the intimate scenes are hot, hot, hot. I liked that the characters are not all blond hair and blue eyes, they are cats from different places around the world and it makes sense that they are ethnically diverse. Nivea and most of the women are strong, tough and smart, makes them more interesting when going up against alpha male shifters. Eli and Nivea are flawed, they are not perfect and have been changed by things that have happened to them, who wants to read about perfect people? no one. The story is full of action/violence and some of it is pretty gritty and raw, but it made sense in the story and was well-done. Now, there are some instances of abuse and previous rape is mentioned and the impact of that is felt throughout the book, so for those who would be bothered by that, I wanted put that out there. That being said I think the Author did a wonderful job of incorporating this into the storyline and how it is handle.

Exciting Shifter Romance! I am picking up the other books for my vacation coming up!

4Stars

*Received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

***I received this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in return for my honest opinions. All opinions are my own.***

Okay, to be honest, I have never read any of the books in this series before. It sounded really good though from the description of the book, so I requested it to be able to read it and review it. It appears that each book can be read as a standalone book, however, if you want to connect more with the characters I would say you have to read the books in order.

Now on to my review lol, I love Eli...Yummy!!! Gosh he is such an alpha male. He is convinced there is no perfect mate out there for him and even though he feels a major attraction to Nivea he fights like hell to keep those feelings at bay. After a mission goes wrong things really heat up between them, seeing as they both cannot fight the heat. They have to go with their primal urges.

There is so much going on in this book that made me a bit confused, but as we read on, things really become more clear. I really did like the book, but I'm not sure I would read number seven before reading number one lol. So this is me saying...Although this book was excellent and a great read, I am going to refrain from any other judgments until I read from the very, very beginning.

[Helen (Blissfully Bookish Besties) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primal Heat is the sixth book in the Shadow Shifters series.

The shadow shifters are a community of cat shifters that live in secret amongst humans. Eli is a guard to the most powerful shifter in the human world and Nivea is a trainee guard assigned to him. Nivea has been waiting for six years for Eli to claim her as his mate, but Eli is determined to deny his feelings for her and ignore the attraction burning between them. When Eli and Nivea finally give in to their primal desires, they have to face the consequences of their reckless, explosive, moment of passion.

Eli and Nivea had great chemistry and a strong physical connection. They were both strong, likable characters but, for some reason, I did not feel as invested in the characters as I could have been. Primal Heat was a good paranormal romance with plenty of suspense, action and steam. Although it was stated that it could be read as a standalone novel, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the previous books in the series.

**An arc of Primal Heat was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Ionia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to be honest, in the first couple chapters of this book, I nearly gave up. I couldn't imagine any woman acting the way these characters did and I was a little frustrated with the setup.

After that, things got interesting and I began to feel like this might be a book worth sticking around for--and in the end, I'm glad I made that decision. It definitely was more than I expected in the beginning.

The story is quickly paced and the characters are unique. I enjoyed the descriptions of the character's abilities and thought these were some of the steamiest romantic scenes that I've seen in any recent book.

The back stories for the characters weren't overdone to the point where they interfered with the current events and yet I felt I knew enough about them to make for a well rounded reading experience.

Overall, I thought this was a very creative, different novel from others out there in the same category. If you like shifter novels, this is one of the best. Also, great title--very appropriate.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.