Primals

Reverse Harem #1

by Lexy Timms

Torn between two worlds. And four men. Sebastian. Toshi. Theo. Kyle. I thought that plane crash would be the end of my life. Instead, it turned out to be just the beginning. Now, I'm on a race to find out who-and what-I really am, with four men to help me. Sexy Sebastian who can be a jerk sometimes but actually means well. Kind Theo whose heart is as big as that chest I want to cozy up against. Slick Toshi who is as fierce as he is fun. And Kyle, my best friend for so long, maybe too long. They will help me find the answers I seek, though only I can take control of my destiny. And my heart. Reverse Harem Series PRIMALS ARCHAIC UNITARY

Genres: Reverse Harem, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Paranormal Romance, Why Choose

264 pages, Paperback

First published February 21, 2018

About the author

Lexy Timms is a mom, business woman, dreamer and writer. She finally decided to write her first romance novel and Saving Forever is her debut story.

Reviews

[Anne]

A thread, an outcry. Be warned.

First non-strike observation. Let's say the heroine's actually wary of Sebastian, the stranger, the filthy homeless-looking stranger.....then why would she instantly accept a mug from him? At first it wasn't really a big deal to me. But for the following observations, I'm making a case out of this heroine.

I turn to face him, angry at his bossy tone, placing my hands on my hips. “Are you threatening me?” I’m usually the one who gives the orders. And this...filthy creature thinks he can tell me what to do?

Uh, judge-mental much? How about thank him for saving your life?

I snort. “Of course, you’d know since you’ve been reading my mind this whole time, which I must say I find a bit rude...”

Pot, kettle. It's so easy to judge him for reading her thoughts. But if it's the heroine hearing his thoughts in return, it was because it was her first time. As if not thinking that it might be sebastian's first time, too. spoiler alert: it really was his first time, too.

First *official* strike. Because in that case with sebastian, i could justify the heroine by the fact that she had just woken up from that plane crash and because the man was indeed, technically, a stranger. However, I was again disappointed (spoiler alert: this is a running theme in this review) with the heroine's behavior towards Theo.

I pull out the folded piece of thin cardboard.
No, not cardboard. A photo.

So let's stop right here. If the heroine got even just a little respect to the man who saved her from a group of bikers-group of men who couldn't understand the concept of a woman saying no-a little respect for the man who took her to the authorities to report her unfortunate situation and a little respect for the man who brought her to his home and gave up his comfort...shouldn't she put it back? or at least if she had seen the pic, mind her own fucking business? Worst of all, she used it against the poor guy later on.

Second strike, insensitive friend to Kyle. This man immediately went to Alaska just to check on the heroine, i don't know whether to be amazed that this dude is taking the friend-zone to another level or be disgusted given it's this heroine he's supposedly in love with. Only to be snapped at by the ever not so lovely heroine. *pukes* Again, did she ever say a simple 'thank you' to these guys? *shrugs*

Third strike-when she ran away from Sebastian, Theo & Kyle, she decided to double fuck with them and went around Tokyo with Toshi. This heroine's mind must have defied reason BECAUSE WTF IS SHE DOING WITH A STRANGER IN AN UNFAMILIAR COUNTRY FOR FUCK'S SAKE. SHE EVEN GOT DRUNK WITH HIM. All the previous "complaints" (and I'm using the word complaints in an understated way) she had, she's done herself this time. *banging my head on a brick wall at this point.* Spoiler alert: she had the nerve to look like she's going to throw up when she learned that Toshi works as a hired ninja or something.

Side note: I freaking wanted to dnf already...but I have a responsibility.

Fourth strike...please bear with me. Misery loves company and all that jazz. There's this scene wherein the heroine had a 360-degree change; the scene with Theo communicating with the heroine's parents. And I meant 360-degree because what. the. fuck. what a total clusterfuck by this point onwards. AM I DRUNK????? BECAUSE WHY AM I STILL SEEING THE REASON-OR IS IT THE UNREASON?-THAT IS THIS HEROINE.

I'm totally drained, just rolling my eyes every time i see/read the heroine. i'm dizzy and had headache by the end of this read. I just skimmed the remaining 53% or so. It was awful. A taste that no matter how strong and minty or citrus-y your mouthwash was, can't be washed away. It was so heavy emotionally, dragging me down to my funk. And I'm self-proclaiming my funk because there are reads out there in my tbr pile that deserved more than this state i'm in right now.

Istg, the first time I have read the blurb, I knew I was interested. Sadly, chapter one wasn't even finished, yet I already found the heroine too whiny, too judge-mental, too ungrateful, too mean. i have a theory that she's a psychopath.

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon today (5/5/2018)!

[Darcey]

DNF @ 55%

really just wasn't for me. the characters annoyed me (the main character was SO DUMB) and Kyle was irritating.
thanks to amazon kindle and the author for the free book anyway!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

PLOT: 3.5 out of 5
CHARACTERS: 4 out of 5
WORLD BUILDING: 4 out of 5
FLOW: 3.5 out of 5
Overall I decided on 4 stars and here is why...

I think I will get what I didn't like about this book out of the way first. This book is written in first person point of view and in the present tense and as a personal preference, I don't normally pick a book to read that is this way. I find the present tense very jarring and this type of POV for me fails for most authors who try it. But like I said this is entirely personal preference and many others will not mind this at all (hence the 3.5 out of 5 for FLOW). I rated the plot as 3.5 out of 5 also as although Clarissa had multiple love interest I did not feel that this met the specifics of a RH novel and the ending reinforced this for me (can't elaborate, I don't do spoilers lol sorry). Overall the guys are written quite well and I will admit to loving Sebastian a little but her reaction to the guys and situations seemed a little childish at times.

NOW...the bits I DID enjoy!

One of the things I loved about this book was the alternating points of view. I really felt that it added depth to the novel and gave a greater understanding of the world of Primals and their varying gene pools. The guys each had their own unique character quirks and this was great to see. The bones of the story was what captured me and convinced me to buy this book and take a chance on a new author (well new to me at least lol) and I have to say that although there were some issues for me I think...no, I know if the author was to change the POV to at least 1st person past tense or present I will follow this series to its conclusion. My favorite part of the book was the start as it is action-packed and well described. I could picture it as if I was sitting next to Clarrisa (which when you read it you will see why I am glad I actually wasn't lol).

If you pick this book because it is labeled RH you might be a little disappointed, BUT if you want a thrilling read that is action from start to finish and love PNR then this is the book for you.

[Jennifer G · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Clarissa's plane went down in the wilderness of Alaska, she was the sole survivor. Rescued by a man who barely looks civilized Clarissa soon finds herself the center of a mystery. She can hear the man, Sebastian's thoughts and he can hear her's. She also discovers that the wounds she suffered in the plane crash all healed impossibly fast. Sebastian is confused. He is not human. He is a primal in the form of a wolf and although Clarissa seems human he senses primal traits within her. Seeking answers Sebastian locks Clarissa in his cabin and goes in search of someone he thinks may know what is going on with Clarissa. Furious Clarissa uses a new-found strength to break out of the cabin and trek across the Alaskan wilderness until she finds others. There she finds a way to Anchorage with a huge, warm-hearted man, Theo. Clarissa ends up staying with Theo once she reports the accident until Sebastian hunts her down and exposes Theo as a bear primal. Running from them both Clarissa runs into her co-worker/best-friend Kyle who is there looking for her after the plane crash. When Sebastian and Theo locate Clarissa again they explain that the answers she is looking for about her true self may be found in Japan. Once in Japan the four pick up a cat primal, Toshi and are sent to Africa to investigate a lab facility where an experiment was being conducted on women to produce female offspring capable of breeding with primals. Primals are going extinct and these "experiments" could be the answer they have been looking for to keep their lines alive. Clarissa may be the answer. She may also be the prophecy known to the primals of a human female.She may be one or both of these, either way, she is not quite human and she's in danger. A Human. A Wolf. A Bear. A Cat. A common cause. Clarissa.


I had a bit of a problem with this book; the characters. I never felt truly connected to Clarissa. She's pretty, intelligent, and had moments of strength. She also came across as prickly, threw tantrums, and shut down when the pressure got to be too much. Sebastian spent way too much time being a jerk. I understand that wolves are loners but why was he so nasty to everyone all of the time? His few moments of decency were much appreciated. I would like more time spent with him being social. I loved Theo. He seems warm and caring, although unwilling to take a chance on love again. I could have focused entirely on him. His mysterious voices, his protective qualities, his gentle spirit all drew me in. Kyle was fine but needed to have more backbone. Toshi was fierce but came across as completely untrustworthy. Definitely not a fan of his. For me, the book worked best the few times when the guys all worked as a team. Cunning, strength, speed, and intelligence. Preferable to the constant bickering and physical fighting. My biggest issue was the lack of commitment from the guys. Only Kyle's feelings were clear and he was too scared to act on them for far too long. The others, for their own reasons, never developed deep enough feelings for Clarissa to act on them or were too scared to commit or couldn't be trusted. I prefer a more clear-cut path to love and the HEA. With how this book played out I'm not sure how we ever get there. I am interested to see, however. Aside from the relationships, the premise of this book was a good one. The concept of primals, the female problem, and the experiments are all good story-lines. The epilogue peaked my attention so that I look forward to seeing where the primals go from here. I have a feeling the story is only beginning.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, this is billed as a RH. And it sort of is in that there are multiple men that are attracted to her that she feels some chemistry. But if this is RH it is a slow burn RH on her side

Now, this book had some interesting concepts. Different shifters + a human as interests which is what made me want to give this a try in the first place. Each shifter race has something unique to them as both a strength and a weakness. Main character is unsure what she is as she seems to be neither one thing nor another.

However, Clarissa is written extremely dense at time. Comes across as judgemental. Is rude to some of the people going out of their way for her and also makes stupid stupid choices at times. I found myself more interested in the world and the other characters then her. Honestly, I don't see why the males are so taken with her.

The males are pretty decent even if some of them are predictable tropes. The plot was pretty straightforward with one twist in that I think should have been better foreshadowed then it was.

[Nikki Landis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primals is a fantastic paranormal shifter romance with some twists and turns and fun plot choices that kept me riveted. I loved Clarissa's strong and independent character but I think I loved her male leads more. Each of the hunky guys had their own distinct personality which I loved and there was careful backstory woven in from beginning to end, enabling the reader to connect with each one without becoming overwhelmed.

This story wasn't at all what I was expecting and I love that! It's unique and fun but also with some sweet moments and full of action. Well-written and engaging, it keeps your attention and never drags. The romance was one of the best parts and I was rooting for a certain best friend the whole time! I thought this was a refreshing take on both PNR and RH that was a pleasure to read.

Grab your copy, you won't be disappointed!

Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Word Building: 5/5
Story Flow: 5/5

Picky Bitches OVERALL SCORE: 5/5

[Esmeralda Felan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of this book had my heart pounding and my breath catching in throat. As the story progresses and you get to know Clarissa you feel like something bigger is going on. As the men are introduced, her interactions with them seem selfish in instances but I'm debating with myself if its justified. Sebastian, Theo, Kyle & Toshi are great characters and I was very happy to have their POVs. I was hoping that the RH concept were more established but it was not at the end of this book. I will eagerly wait for the next installment of this series. I'm hoping the next book will have the RH relationship in full swing. The writing is really good although there are a few editing errors. This was still a very good read!

[❀ Crystal ✿ - PEACE ☮ LOVE ♥ BOOKS · Rating 4 out of 5]

If there’s one thing I can say about this book it was fairly original and very captivating to me. I read it in two long sessions and am certainly eager to continue the series. The book offer five POVs one of our heroine Clarissa and the rest of her men. Kyle who is Clarissas human bestfriend, Toshi the Japanese cat shifter, Theo the gruff bear and Sebastian the alpha wolf. This is not an immediate reverse harem romance, while all the men announce their attraction to the heroine as of this book it appears she settles for one. Alas it was made very clear that would change throughout the series, 3 book trilogy, the tension sexual and otherwise between them all was high. This book ends on a happy for now note and while the threat in this book was handled its clear Clarissas secrets will not go away nor will she be able to go off and live a normal life. I look forward to seeing Clarissa learn more about herself and become the woman she’s supposed to be. When she picked up and carried Kyle at one point it who was injured,I couldn’t help but laugh at her ability to take care of him now, taking on the normal societal and stereotypical role of hero. I can see why this book is not for everyone but I certainly enjoyed it. I found it engaging and the writing style was easy to follow. Normally I’m not one for so many POVs but with all these characters it was necessary and added to the story, even if some of the characters hid secrets which feels a little deceiving since we as readers were in their head. I would argue this is a slow burn romance but with only 2 left I imagine things (romantically) will pick up in the next book. My only regret is having seen the blurb for the next book which gives away a huge spoiler a few sentences in. So warning if you don’t want any spoilers after this book, just jump right into the next and keep yourself in the moment. I’d recommend this for shifter fans and reverse harem fans who don’t mind a slow burn, flirty situation with a group of hot devoted Primals.

[Lena Muo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a mix of sci fi and paranormal fantasy/paranormal romance and there were quite a few action in it as well. It is written from many different perspectives and it is nice to know what the others are thinking besides from the MC.

Clarissa Wagner nearly dies from a plane crash but survives and is rescued by a stranger, a Wolf primal (shapeshifter). She finds out that she can read minds and have other superpowers such as super strength. In her journey, she meets Theo, a Bear Primal and Toshi, a Cat Primal whom she acquaints with as well as her best friend and work colleague, Kyle who leaves his home to find her. They visit a lab in Africa and discover that Clarissa was the result of artificial insemination, as a part of Project Eden, designed to procreate females to become potential mates to Primals, since Primal are a dying population, hence giving her such powers. However, she is abducted by a mad scientist Cat Primal, Syllas, who intends to experiment on her. She fights back with her powers and is rescued by her three Primal friends. But this is not the end for her and her friends; someone is plotting against them, someone important.

Since this is a RH, Clarissa is attracted to all three Primals but during the end, she chooses to be with Kyle. The only downside of the book is Clarissa's mood swings; she becomes snappy and angry at her friends for no reason and it is a little annoying.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lacking RH factor-would have been a 5 star. I loved the male characters! Sebastian is sexy gruff, Theo is thoughtful and kind, Toshi is pushing the envelope and Kyle maybe human but he comes on strong. Clarissa seems sort of conflicted to me which I like because then I get to see more character development in the next book. I can get really bored when reading and skim over the page fillers to get to the parts that carry the story. I didn't get bored with this book at all. To give it a 5 star would have been to see more in the reverse harem aspect. There doesn't seem to be any chemistry between the guys or some near misses with Clarissa and the guys building up to the RH relationship. I am betting on the next book to answer some of these issues. The first one is just too good!

[Shelly T · Rating 1 out of 5]

Basic writing style: It was not descriptive, so it is harder to feel a part of the story or as involved with the characters. The relationship development was distant, seeming more factual and not emotive. If you want sex then this book is definitely not for you. Sex only happens at the end of the book, even though there is said to be attraction between characters. And even though there are many male characters attracted to one female, there is no real reverse harem to this particular book. I'm sure it develops in further books, but this indescriptive narrative means I won't waste my time on any more of these books.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a Advance copy read from the author. As I read the book I though wow. It was. I’ve that unlike most RH books the men did not already know each other and they where introduced separately in their own time. This is also wonderful because it’s also allowed for Clarissa not only to develop as a person but into who she can potentially become. It was not the ending I expected nor did this book develop as I would have loved it to however at the end it leaves me wanting more and to know where it goes from here. I went from love to hate with several of the male characters and then at the end they all had my heart. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crashed in Alaska and saved by a man she don´t trust leads to a journey to different continents for self discovery.

It was a new take on shifters, I liked how the community was divided and also the different characteristics of the different shifter forms.
The men did not have any knowledge beforehand, there´s jealousy and fights within the group and there are no insta love etc. Which is unusual in Reverse Harem but makes it feel more realistic. It ends in a cliffhanger, can´t wait to read the next one.

[Ola Adamska · Rating 4 out of 5]

This read was pretty Good and premise for book 2 is really intriguing.
Clarissa is not exacly Human, but what she is? Shecrets from past need to be unrevealed. Się was a Good character, but suddenly she started behaveing strangly. And she was irritating me.
Male MCs were Good and I enjoyed getting to know Them.
I hope book 2 will be more Like RH!

[Rute Teixeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book but hated the cliffhanger.... This is a very clever storie and grabs your attention (at least i couldn't stop reading it). The 4 guys complement each other and add depth to Clarissa. A twist i didn't see coming with Toshi. All and all a great way to spend a few hours even if you're like me and hate cliffhangers and aren't a fan of slow burn.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting first book in this series. I appreciate that we are not thrown into a lust-driven frenzy in this book, but introduced to the characters and given backstory. Each has strengths and they must work together to become a team and earn trust. We have a strong heroine who has made realizations about herself, her potential, and her purpose. I look forward to the next installment.

[Jennifer, Just beyond normal ♑ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really it is about 2.5 stars. Not real sure what her problem was with Sebastian...but I just was not impressed with her or how this reverse harem is supposed to work, because thus far it doesn’t work. I wanted more.

[Julie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

This book was an awesome read. Each character brought so much to this book. You don’t want to miss reading this one. 😀😀

[Brianna Masson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great kept me interested through out the whole book. About halfway through i figured out she was the key to something bigger. I cant wait for book 2 to see where this goes.

[Searcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oy.

And though that kind of says it all, I will try to clarify what brought me to that single, simple word to describe this book.

If I can.

Clarissa is a whiny, self-absorbed, immature brat. I don't see how one man would be attracted to her, much less several, and all without spending more than a few hours with her. And Kyle is a submissive wimp with zero self-confidence.

The writing is utterly abysmal. It is choppy and reads like a barely fleshed out outline, no connective tissue between scenes at all. And the author jumps straight to resolutions without the work needed to get there. Not to mention some of the worst metaphors:

"her soft curves filling my crevices of hard muscle" (LMAO)
"hair basking in the firelight" (yep, sentient hair!)
"his pinecone-colored eyes widen" (Uh, no. Just, no.)
"the gap of her robe widens and the hanging from her neck necklace falls out."
"her hair messier than a dropped plate of noodles" (this one STILL has me cracking up!)

I mean, in what world are pinecones something we would naturally consider an attractive eye color? Even just saying "brown" would have been preferable.

And we are graced with such romantic gems as:

"Between my legs, I’ve become as swollen as I never have before. Pulsating. Leaking."

"Just looking at her head thrown back, eyes half-lidded and heavy with passion, lips parted just so... and my chest threatens to burst, but something else does first."

*giggle* So bad it's actually made me laugh more than making me rage. Maybe it's a satire?

Oh, I should also mention that, though this series is listed as RH, and there are clearly multiple love interests, none of that develops in this first book. So I think the RH is slow burn.

Regardless, I certainly won't be recommending this. And, unfortunately, I own it.

Oy.

UPDATE PROGRESS NOTES:
75.0% "Oh god, and it is now getting even worse. Now not only is she a whiny twit, but she is making stupid decisions. And this ridiculous excerpt kinda says it all. *groan*

Goodbye, Kyle. I know you’d rather die than be parted from me. But I would rather be parted from you than have you die. Sorry.

68.0% "Wow...not sure I have ever seen as immature a "love interest" as Kyle in any series to date. It is seriously unattractive. Can't say it upsets me to know he is killed off sometime soon, according to the Book 2 blurb."

67.0% "Hard to feel empathy for the MC when you don't feel it. All narrative exposition, telling us what she's going through. Example: "Even Sebastian looked better than her. The worst part, though, was that her shoulders wouldn’t stop shaking, and when I grabbed her to look into her eyes, all I saw past the tears that wouldn’t stop spilling over, was fear and devastation. Empty holes with barely a soul staring out."

66.0% "Such amazing prose! "...the gap of her robe widens and the hanging from her neck necklace falls out" and "her hair messier than a dropped plate of noodles". *groan*"

59.0% "Yep, 'cause we can totally control who we love. Riiiight.

...To be braver than I was. And tell her that she can’t help who she is, but she can help who she loves, so she should choose wisely. And that she can’t change her past, but she can determine her own future... And tell her I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect her.

49.0% "She is so self-absorbed!

I’m concerned that Kyle and Theo might be worried about me and it’s been long enough. Though by now they’ve probably gone long past that and into the territory of being mad. But then if they’re already mad... I’m thinking this space between us is actually doing me some good, giving me room to mull over things. Surely, another day apart won’t hurt. Just one more day.

46.0% "Ugh...everything about Clarissa is unattractive - personality, hygiene, attitude, manners. She is both rude and crude."

41.0% "Whoa...Clarissa is an unbelievably whiny, immature BRAT."

39.0% "This book is ridiculously choppy. Like an outline that has only the basic scenes written, but with no connective tissue between them."

36.0% "Wow...this is so bad it's actually kind of funny. I mean, there is ZERO connection to these characters. Everything is told, not shown. And some of the descriptions, as I already mentioned, are utterly hilarious."

20.0% "Oy. Not sure about this one. So far, it has served up such gems as "his pinecone-colored eyes widen" and "hair basking in the firelight" and "her soft curves filling my crevices of hard muscle". I say again... Oy."

[Yasmin]

"Filthy creature thinks he can tell me what to do?"

That's how you speak to the person who saved your life?

[Tiera McMillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 female main character is weak and wishy washy throughout the book. The fact that every primal she comes in contact with her falls in love is also kind of irritating. When she makes her choice at the end I was dumbfounded. The whole book she hadn’t even had a thought about this person unless he was in the room with her. Seems shallow and rushed.

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one’s ok, definitely spicy, why choose romance with a different vibe to it.

Definitely different to what I normally read, Spice but not too much 🌶
Interested in what the other books in the series is like.

[OneDayI'll · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to think here...

This isn't your typical RH, folks.

When the plane Clarissa is on goes down in the Alaskan wilderness she doesn't expect to live, let alone come out unscathed. Exactly how did that happen? She remembers pain and there's certainly blood on her. Waking up in a cabin with a stranger who can read her mind is crazy. Heats even more crazy is that she can read his, too. Did something jar loose inside her head in that crash? Something that maybe healed really fast but wrong? Sebastian isn't sure what to make of the odd girl that he rescued form the wreckage. She can hear his thoughts, something she shouldn't be able to do as a human. And maybe trapping her in his cabin as he sought answers wasn't his best move. Especially after she told him that she is mildly claustrophobic. So he shouldn't have been surprised when he came back and found her gone. Clarissa's run from the cabin leads her to Theo, an unusual man who isn't too sure what he stumbled on in that bar but knew he couldn't leave her there. She is strong, and can hear Sebastian's thoughts as he approaches so she runs again. But she's discovered a new trick, hiding. But when Kyle shows up to help her get back home she pokes her head out and holds onto her friend with both hands. One stilted conversation a few years ago, where he confessed his feelings has left them as friends rather than the relationship he still secretly hopes for. Sebastian did find something, a trail to follow in Japan that leads on to Africa. What they discover in Japan wasn't what they thought, though. Toshi was an unexpected find, an intriguing man with many secrets. Africa reveals something very important but endangers all she knows about herself.

Spoilers ahead!
This was an unusual RH. All our characters were revealed, basic bonds we're formed and some secrets were revealed. But traditional, in so much as RHs go, it isn't. We don't get to see our HEA. This book ends before the full story is over. We find out who and what everyone is but we don't see them come together as a whole. Some of the reveals aren't really surprising, like the guys second natures and Clarissa's origins. The council meeting, though, that was odd. And the epilogue. Other questionable moments are her constantly running away. Really? Alaskan wilderness, snow, wolves and bears and bars of seedy men? Those were some serious TSTL moments. And wandering off with strange men, too. Sebastian, ok. He got her from the plane, so it wasn't really wandering off, but running from him into the wild and weather when all she knows for sure is she can heal wounds? Hypothermia was not something she knew she could deal with. Another issue is she had no ID after the wreck. She couldn't get in a plane home in the US, even though she was in an US state but she could jump a plane to Japan? And then Africa? With bot a single problem? Doesn't compute. And bears do tolerate heat. I know this because I live near the foothills of the Appalachian mountains and we have bears. We also have 100° summers. So the one not traveling to Africa didn't gel for me. Or why he didn't keep Kyle with him instead of the lone human tripping along into trouble? Bears are described as protective. And then the wolf mating instinct, the wound healing triggered that and he honorably walked away because she was hurt and didn't understand it. Got it. Makes sense. But she somehow figured it out in her own, treated the human, without understanding what it would mean. Um? I have to admit, everything leads you to want to know more. And hopefully there are more explanations in the next books. I just wish they were KU since this was short and a new author to me. At least book 2. One was free, give us 2 as a KU option and then charge for the rest lol. If we've made it through 2, then we'll happily pay for them. 😁

[Kayla Pipkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primals are shape-shifters.

Having her plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness was not the way Clarissa planned her business trip to go.
What's even weirder is the fact that she survived with no more than a few scrapes.
When she wakes up in an unknown cabin, with a strange man, Clarissa is unsure what to do.
Being able to hear his thoughts is even crazier.

I liked the concept of this story.
Clarissa learns she is not what she has always thought to have been.
Being a little more than human.
However, I felt there was some major plot holes in the story.
Clarissa is genetically modified but doesn't know about it.
She meets the creatures she is meant to be saving; why she was created.
I think it is interesting, but maybe not executed in the best way.

I also felt this was too insta-lovey for me.
Not enough character development, among themselves and with their relationships.
Clarissa seemed to be too trusting of the men showing up in her life when previously she seemed like the type who was basically anti-social and didn't make friends easily.

One issue I had with the formatting was the mind speak.
I think formatting it in a different way to distinguish it from the other text would help the readers a great deal.
As it is right now, you can't exactly tell when they are speaking to each other in their minds.

My biggest let down of this story though was the reverse harem aspect of it.
How the book ended made me feel as if this story wasn't leading to a true RH ending.
Hopefully in the next book, we will see it lead to the how a reverse harem is supposed to work.

I did like seeing it told from different points of view.
I liked seeing inside each of the characters heads.
You get a full idea of what everyone is thinking and what is going on.

There is a big twist in this book that I didn't see coming.
I think it added a level of intrigue to the story that seemed to be missing a little.
This story seemed to run pretty smoothly, maybe too easy.
I would have seen a little more struggle for the characters.

If it's confirmed that this will be a true reverse harem, I'll continue the story.
As of right now I'm on the fence about it.
Give it a shot and see what you think.

[Indira Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

**No spoilers were harmed in the making of this review**

""I have to find out who I am, I have to find out the truth about my past and my present in order to decide my future"

Hey guys, so I breezed through Primals (Reverse Harem #1) by Lexy Timms. To be frank with you, I thought this was gonna bea book with mainly smut in it....I was sadly mistaken. There was hardly any smut, even though there was plenty of eye candy to be used if there happened to be some. But alas, that just was not in the cards. To make matters worse, in my opinion she chose the wrong eye candy, but whatever, that always happens. I always root for the person who isnt chosen, jesus. But helllllo, I thought this was supposed to be a reverse harem?? Isnt that when a woman is supposed to take turns with all her pretty men?? No?? Did this book not get the memo?? She collected a fine few, but then doesnt really do anything with them? Shameful, just shameful. So the romance was a complete bust, I really just wanted there to be lots of smut with all these hot men. BUT, instead I got a pretty decent storyline with lovable male leads who I couldnt get enough of. I loved their banter and all their differences, what made them unique, and their common thread. I really enjoyed that part, and the legends within this book. The writing also made it really easy to breeze through but still know what was going on. I liked the main female lead, she had her strengths and weaknesses, she was likable and relatable enough. The storyline was good, I think the actions and reactions were fair enough. I just really..really wanted more sexy time, but hey, thats just me. I got to say, I dont know whether the wolf or the cat is my favorite. I like them both equally. Hell, I would of taken both, cause you know, harem. The action sequences were easy enough to follow along with and not get confused. Everything was decent, not a bad read, just different than what I thought. Alright...I think that is all i am going to say about this novel, since I did not think too deeply about this novel, I just enjoyed it for what it turned out to be. Remember, this is all my opinion, if you want your own, read the book. Till next time.

[Elissa Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primals

This was an interesting read. Their are things that intrigued me enough to finish the book. I also wanted to pick the second one up right away. Which has more to do with the cliffhanger at the end with Igo.

On the other hand a lot was left to be desired. For instance, I want to like Clarissa I REALLY do, but she's comes across annoying. She runs from all her problems and doesn't think things through. We met her in a plane. Then it crashes. We aren't given a lot of backstory into her in the beginning. She ends up with Sebastian who heard her calling for help. The interaction between them seems uncomfortable and intimate at the same time. Then all the things that are happening to her just out of the blue. Why was she not experiencing them prior to the crash? That was never explained. She leaves Sebastian to wonder through the Alaskan wilderness. Who does that. Her character wasn't realistic or relatable. She trust the first person she meets Everytime. First Sebastian and then Theo and lastly Toshio. The little information giving about her parents leave so many open ended questions. I still don't know why she ended up with Kyle when she cared for all four men. She was literally created to mate with primals but you end up with a human. What was the purpose of the entire book? I thought this was going to be a reverse harem type of book...
Despite these facts I loved Theo and Kyle. They were great guys and really had her best interest at heart. Toshio was mad to be the fall guy. He was very one dimensional. But he is where a lot of the action and story telling came from. He moved the plot forward. Their is something interesting about Sebastian, but we never remove any of his layers to figure out what it is. He's all aggression and muscle. Yet he cares for Clarissa by submitting to her despite his alpha status. We never get to know why he is alone and with a pack. Maybe these questions will be answered in book 2.

[Urban Fantasy Fanatic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eugh this is a tricky review to write because I hate writing anything negative. By the end of Primals I was a little bit undecided if I enjoyed this book or not. I think I did, but I found it a struggle to read. Not because of the story though, I will go over why in a little bit.

Primals is a shifter Romance; classed as a reverse harem, however I personally wouldn't bill it as that. The main character Clarissa's love interests are very separate; not what I would class as a RH.

The story itself is very catchy and engaging. Starting with Clarissa's plane crash and subsequent strange meeting with Sebastian.
During this time she discovers that she has some supernatural powers. Clarissa is a strong and independent woman on a mission to find out who and what she is, she's a very likeable character.

The 4 men she encounters are all very different with their own personalities and traits. I disliked Sebastian from the beginning, he's very alpha male which rubs me the wrong way! I love Kyle and am secretly rooting for him.

I liked the point of views from the main character Clarissa; however I did not enjoy the guys POV, I felt there were too many alternating POV, which I found interrupted the flow of the story and distracting. I also struggled with it being in the
present tense, in not sure why but it really impacted how I immersed
Myself into the story, I felt like correcting it.

I'm curious as to what happens in book 2 so will probably keep reading; however I found the above POV changes and present tense quite distracting. So I give this book a 3.5/5

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Primals is an action-packed RH shifter romance. Readers are tossed straight into the action as the main character Clarissa miraculously survives a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. Clarissa is intelligent, brave, and doesn't let anyone push her around. There are four romantic interests: Sebastian, Toshi, Theo, and Kyle, three of whom are shifters, including a wolf, bear, and cat. While the guys help Clarissa, she rescues herself more often than not. The story is fast-paced but readers still get a clear understanding of the shifter world and some of the politics and relationships between various shifter groups. Clarissa is more special than she realizes and the guys help her to find out how she fits into this once secret world of men who transform animals.

While I enjoyed the book and found myself flipping quickly through the pages, I was disappointed in the lack of character development and the relationships felt too insta-lovey. Clarissa puts her trust very quickly in the hands of men she barely knows and is fearful of even. Besides attraction/lust, there's not much holding the relationships together, which makes it hard to believe that the guys would risk so much for Clarissa. I also felt that the clues that the group follow to learn about Clarissa's past are almost too easy or convenient for them to find and follow.