Primal Instincts

Primes #9

by Susan Sizemore

New York Times bestselling author Susan Sizemore draws you into a dazzling world of seductive vampires and unquenchable cravings . . .

Tobias Strahan leads the elite vampire squad known as the Dark Angels, protecting the city’s paranormal denizens. It’s the perfect job for an übermacho Prime . . . until clan heiress Flare Reynard stirs an obsession in him that refuses to fade. Flare’s mother—desperate for a grandchild—has made Tobias an intriguing proposition, and it’s soon clear to Tobias that Flare is nothing like the spoiled princess he’d assumed her to be. She’s smart as hell, wickedly funny, and loyal, and Tobias knows deep within that she is his bondmate—the bondmate every Prime searches for.

Flare has every intention of providing her clan with children—but on her own terms. That means a donor and a clinic, not a wild tumble with the most potent Prime of them all. Flare knows it’s a mistake to get close to a warrior like Tobias, since their searing connection puts her heart, his loved ones, their entire world at risk. But logic is no match for fierce, instinctive desire. . . .

 

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Fiction

387 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Susan Sizemore's life and interests include such varied activities as medieval costuming and embroidery, being a chef, and working in the defense industry.She is owned by her spoiled rotten, beloved mutt dog, rather than the other way around, and this is just fine with her.Current hobbies include hiking and studying t'ai chi. She travels whenever she can, loves history, loud music, movies, good coffee, and writes constantly.She hopes readers enjoy her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.She has won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award and has been nominated for two Romantic Times awards.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the Primes books so far. I really liked the futuristic one, which is unusual for me, but this is by far the best-humorous and sexy. I don't think I've gone in depth on many of this series' reviews. I'll change that now:

I really have enjoyed this series. I would say with the exception of one book, they have all been four and five star reads for me. I love LOVE the world Susan Sizemore created. Her vampire males, once they mature are called Primes (prime of their life..get it?)

Primes are notoriously arrogant and over-sexed and sensual. They fight over a female as a compliment to her *grin* who wouldn't want that?

Females are more rare, and theirs is a matriarchal society, so females have the power, so to speak. But our boys are Primes, so very powerful and incredibly sexy, so it's not like the females do any more than just keep them from killing each other. It's pretty sweet with the old fashioned honor and rules.

But in the past few books we've seen the younger generation of females wanting to break away from being cosseted and protected in their citadels. They want to be out in the world. Women may have the vote amongst humans, but in vampire-kind? They are breeding machines who, while they may rule the vampires, still have to stay at home. There are less females born, less vampires in general, so the females need to save the species, so to speak. Enter Francesca "Flare" Reynard.

Francesca is next in line to be Matri of her clan. Her mother wants a grandbaby. So Flare takes after her bff and they get artificially inseminated-go women's rights! lol

Flare's blood isn't quite a match with the few male vamp sperm donors they have, so her matri (and mother) sets her up with Dark Angel Tobias strahan. Both to get her with child, and piss her off :)

Flare wants to be more than the spoiled princess she lets everyone believe she is. She is more than she lets on. She is stuck up and self-centered...and it's an act. With Tobias, she is able to let on who she really is.

I loved the humor in this book. It cracked me up constantly. At one point the bad guy Gregor holds up his iphone and tells his human minion "It's okay, I've got an app for that." I was dying.

I also have seen the human Purists trying to "out" the vampires in the past few books. In this one, the plot gets further, and the Dark Angels find both one of the Masters of the Tribes, and a double agent..
That was a huge shocker for me!! And I liked him! That also was a shocker.

When Saffron (Tobias' human daughter) was captured, I think I liked her spunk and attitude-she reminded me of my daughter. And I can't wait to see what happens to her DNA results...

***SPOILER***

I soo knew Flare was the author of all the vampire romance novels, and I was proved right!!!

***END SPOILER***

A great fun vampire series without being cheesey or campy. Not paranormal lite, or chick lit, but still humorous and fun, with great sex and a great plot that has spanned 8 books and several short stories.
Read them in order, though!!

[Desiree (Anxious Opossum) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous plot with ridiculous premise. It was another "author's fantasy" where things don't have to make sense because the author gets it. I couldn't suspend my disbelief on a lot of the elements included, where the only explanation given repeatedly was 'magic' without much other supporting detail; a convenient, if old, deus ex machina.

This was a mish-mash of teenaged writing chock full of corny, modern slang, and a pretty weak plot that seems only created to support the sex rather than the other way around.

If you're looking for hot sex and a story you don't have to use too much intelligence to soak up (on a vacation or at the beach), here's your book.

Not my style.

The number of people that gave this trash a five star rating seriously makes me question my faith in Humanity.

[♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the best I've read in this entire series. I like the daughter/dad relationship.

I'm not going to do a synopsis, because they are already out there... This one was cute. It had a lot of romance. I'd say pretty clean (in the written by your mother or older sense of not wanting people you know to read your dirty book side) Just saying.

This one was written more on a level of a current writer with acception of above romance details. I have another book to read & I can take the set to a used book store!! It's an anthology... I now feel like I have accomplished something & I'm caught up.

I wasn't real happy with this series. I think the tone was set for someone born in 50's or 60's. The terminology was dated in some of the books. Things weren't explained. It just seemed that some background info was dropped randomly with no flow or explanation. I was looking at other books trying to figure out if it was in another book, and no it wasn't. Some things didn't get sorted, so I was looking to see if I missed pages.

This particular book flowed much better. HOWEVER... I think she over did it with conversations & details?? There was no middle ground in this series. If you start a series thinking you are in for a fast read and end up with them getting more detailed to the point of head spinning, it changes the series. Start a new one. End this one & move on.

[T.J. Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been waiting for Flare Reynard's story FO-EVAH! I mean, literally years and years. I'm glad to say I was not disappointed. The introduction of new vamp/were/purist political intrigue while tying up some loose ends from the previous books was done quite nicely. Susan Sizemore's books aren't typically explicit, but this time she 'WENT THERE' and it was very well done. Totally LOVED it!

Well done, Mizz Sizemore ;D

[Brandy *Ahviel* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had problems with the beginning of the book, usually it starts off good but for some reason there was a slowness to this beginning to where I had to actually force myself through the pages just to make it.
Overall I loved the chemistry that these two characters had. There was a fierceness to it that elevated the story and the love to more

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

The romance was weak but the story was pretty good although I thought a little too long.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book just didn't do it for me. This isn't the start of the this series going downhill for me.

[Maura · Rating 2 out of 5]

So Francesca (Flare) Reynard is a vampire with some serious attitude - like Sidonie was, she is rebellious against the status quo and hates how their culture curtails the freedom of its women. She just wants to be free. Francesca is in L.A. to get artificially knocked up, since it's her duty as a Clan Female and future Matri to churn out the bebes, but she doesn't want to have sex with a Prime. She's singing a different tune when she meets Tobias Strahan. Tobias is in the middle of a mission to bring down the Tribe Primes and Purists who are trying to sabotage the vampire world. Both recognize that they're very likely bondmates, but they resist it strongly as it would get in the way of their goals and beliefs and what have you. So, despite giving into the attraction, they're determined to avoid the actual bonding, which is of course impossible.

So my problem here was two fold. First - I was not a fan of the characters. Tobias is your typical alpha Prime in this series...he's smug, he's arrogant, he's domineering and controlling. But he's not all that charming. Francesca comes across as she's written - a spoiled princess who is tired of all the guys fawning all over her. And while the author attempts to give her some depth and make her sympathetic by giving her the struggle against Matri and Prime oppression, it fails miserably. This is mostly because, as soon as she starts having sex with Tobias and they start bonding, she begins accepting that he can tell her what to do. In the beginning she despises being protected and coddled, but when Tobias does it, she thinks to herself that she should hate it, but she absolutely loves it. Well this strips her of her purpose and uniqueness. It makes her just the spoiled princess without depth. And maybe in the end she does get her wish and she's bucked the system with her Matri and is allowed to go on missions with Tobias, but there's the rub - Tobias always knows that he controls Francesca, because he's established it by this point in the book...so she never really gets her freedom, only the illusion of it. She has learned to submit to him, which irritated me to no end. Yeah - it took me a while to figure out why I didn't like Francesca's storyline, and this is ultimately what it comes down to. She realizes never really wanted her freedom, she wanted to be dominated by a Prime the whole time. Also, I didn't really appreciate how violent their sex scenes seemed to be. In other stories it's always been a mortal and a vampire, so the passion had to be restrained...but not with two vampires. Biting, bruising, scratching (with claws) and lots of blood...it's like a war zone in the bedroom. And even with all that, this book might have still managed 3 stars if I felt like there'd been closure at the end, regarding Francesca and her mother, Francesca getting pregnant, Dimoni's prediction, Saffron and how she's dealing with her past and having a new mother, whatever happened to Chiana, etc. Too many little pieces just dropped, presumably to be picked up in the next story?

I did enjoy the sub-plot with Saffron and learning about Gregor. Those were probably the saving grace of this story, since the rest of it didn't thrill me.

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com.

I was sick this weekend, which turned out to be a good thing because it meant I got to catch up on my reading. It also allowed me to burn through Primal Instincts in a day and half. It kept me reading while lying on the couch amidst a pile of tissues. When I bought this book it was because of two things: I had read somewhere (I no longer remember. It could have been the AAR boards.) that Susan Sizemore was a good bet for Kresley Cole Fans. The other reason was that, while shopping for new, current books to review the weekend before last, this title caught my eye. I can't say it's because of the cover. I'm one of those people who is embarrassed by Romance covers, with all their half naked men and women--and Primal Instincts is no exception. But it was clearly the newest Sizemore title. I flipped through all her other books, but I confess that I chose this one in the end because its description seemed to suit me. Yes, I love alpha heroes. I admit it. I should probably join a support group (though I don't think it would help).

I knew going in that there would be backstory that I wasn't privy to. I knew there would be characters and world-building that I'd have missed. But I also thought, based on experiences with other series, that maybe this would be the book that drew me in. Plus, I don't mind reading a series out of order when the stories are just linked--and the romances are all stand-alone. It's when the series contains the same characters that I get persnickety.

This turned out to be an occasion when I was sorry to realize that I wish I'd started with the first book in the series. I think it would have made Primal Instincts a better read for me. I thought at first that it would be--as I mentioned--like reading Hawke's book first. But I realized, as I read it, that all that would have done was detract from the delicious build-up of tension you get when you know that a character you love will be getting his/her own book. I didn't have that with Tobias and Flare and that's just too bad.

Long story short, I felt like I had missed the first half of this novel. Tobias and Flare begin their relationship almost immediately. They both have issues and baggage--Flare more than Tobias--but from the get go, there's an established connection between the two. Now, I'm just assuming that there was buildup in the earlier books. I could be wrong--please feel free to contradict me. But I was frustrated by the disproportion between the time that Tobias and Flare spent having sexual thoughts about each other and the time when they were supposedly getting to know each other. The description on the back cover tells us that Tobias learns that Flare isn't "the spoiled princess he'd assumed her to be" but the amount of time that Sizemore spent on expanding this side of the relationship was teeny-tiny compared to the "She's beautiful!"/"He's hot!" stuff. I think I also felt that Sizemore spent too much time developing the plot--there's a shocker--doesn't happen that often in a Romance novel--and too little time on Tobias and Flare's relationship. I liked them. I liked that Flare--sorry, Francesca--had depth. And Tobias did too. And I was rooting for them to be together. But they spend sooo much time fighting off the enemy, solving the mystery, saving the world, that there really wasn't much left over for the relationship. I mean, yes, they have time for sex. And they do talk and secrets are revealed, but it just wasn't enough for me.

I would also like to add that, though Tobias has a daughter, never once do they talk about the impact their bonding will have on her. Francesca never so much as reflects on the idea of becoming a stepmother, which I thought was odd. True, Saffron is in another part of the country for most of the novel, but Tobias talks to her and about her often. The subject of Francesca and Saffron even meeting never comes up, and then, when they do, it's brushed off in a matter of a few lines.

My final gripe with this novel was that I didn't know enough about Sizemore's vampires. Each author creates his or her own mythology and you learn about it as you go. I liked the idea of daylight drugs, but I was often confused--does that mean they live normal lives? I.e., sleep at the night and work during the day? And do they need to drink blood to survive or not? How much and how often? I was also confused by all the Clan/Tribe/Matri/Family stuff. Most of the time I wasn't sure what anyone was talking about and this made it kind of hard to follow the plot. But this--all of this--is stuff that I'm assuming I would have been better prepared to handle if I'd read the first eight books in the series first.

Now that I am done with my personal griping, I would like to add that this book engrossed me. I read it while I was brushing my teeth. I read it while waiting for the water to boil for my tea. I always wanted to pick it up again. This is saying something, given everything I've said above. I liked Sizemore's writing and I liked her characters (although I was vastly disappointed that Chiana's story was never completely resolved, but maybe in the next book). I was intrigued by the world that Sizemore had built and now I want to try it all over from the beginning. Oh, and I also want to say that I think Tobias and Flare deserve a sequel. Their relationship would still be worth reading about. But the joy of serieses (is that a word?) is that they allow you to check back in with beloved characters.

I decided, in the end, to give this book Four Points. Sizemore deserves as much from a reader whose criticisms mainly derive from ignorance. However, I reserve the right to alter my opinion, should it change after having read the rest of the series. Joking. (No I'm not.)

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flare is an Alpha female vampire. She is the daughter of one of the Matris. Tobias is an Alpha Male. Leader of the Dark Angels, a group of elite vampires and werefolks who are charged with keeping the various members of the "Families" and "Clans" safe from those who wish to do them harm...when Flare is forced under Tobias protection, sizzling sparks fly between the two as they discover they are destined to be 'bondmates'.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason I just could not get in to this book so it took me forever to actually get through. Perhaps it was because there was large gaps in my reading times but I found it a little confusing, difficult to keep up with who was who or what exactly was going on.

[Bookaholics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primal Instincts by Susan Sizemore
Paranormal Romance - August 31st, 2010
4 stars

Primal Instincts is the 9th book in Susan Sizemore's Prime vampire series. And although the author introduces new and intriguing subplots, this book can easily be read by itself. In this story we discover the secrets behind Francesca Reynard. The spoiled and seductive elite vampiress all the Prime vampires’ desire.

Francesca is young and impetuous. She values her independence and does not appreciate the arrogant if sinfully sexy male Primes (AKA alpha) vampires from interfering in her life. Francesca is tired of being seen as a sex object and hides a deep pain from her past that rebels against submitting to any Prime vampire. In this book the reader discovers the reasons why she will not settle down with any Prime even though she is constantly pressured to bear a child since vampire children are so rare. So far Francesca has been successful in avoiding any entanglements. However, she has not counted on her annoying attraction the devastatingly handsome Prime Tobias Stranhan.

Tobias is the leader of the elite Dark Angels. The secret dark ops of the vampire community. He desires Francesca and this attraction soon takes a more serious turn when Tobias is ruthlessly blackmailed by Francesca's mother, Marti Angelica. Marti Angelica sees Francesca‘s unwilling attraction for Tobias and plans to exploit this knowledge. Marti Angelica proposes an ultimatum to Tobias, either impregnate her daughter or she will work to destroy the Dark Angels. Tobias knows he needs Marti Angelica's backing because their enemy the Tribe has become more dangerous and bold.

But what Tobias and Francesca don't plan on is the sizzling passion that flares between them. Both of them are against bonding which is the deep commitment among vampires but nonetheless feel the deep pull toward each other that bond mates often feel. Soon they find themselves getting in too deep. They find themselves able to 'read' each others’ thoughts. (An early sign of bonding.) And then they begin to crave each other's blood.

This was an easy and solid read. There were many subplots which added new and surprising dimension to this story. The one frustration I had was that Francesca was never proactive and many times seemed to lack maturity. This is because I never felt her character really developed until near the end of the book. It also took a while before the author revealed the reasons behind Francesca's actions but even when this was revealed. Because of this, I was not able to completely warm up to her. I felt Francesca banked too much on her looks and rank and kept waiting for her to do something worthy of her status.

I did love Susan Sizemore alpha Prime Tobias. He was extra sexy and fascinating. He had hidden depths I did not expect. His ruthlessness and vulnerability were an irresistible combination! But unfortunately, his strong character highlighted the contrast to Francesca’s weaker personality. Because of this I felt they were not quite on equal footing and was not able to enjoy the couple's romance as much as I usually do.

This book gives tantalizing hints of the Tribe enemy which aren't entirely. As such the book felt more like the 2nd book in a trilogy. Since there was no big 'payoff' even though the characters ended up together the story itself still seemed unresolved. However, this was a must have book for fans of the series, the only reason I didn't grade it a little higher was because I have enjoyed the author’s prior books more.

Susan Sizemore is a master story teller. Her latest, Primal Instincts is no exception. Fans of the series will not be disappointed but I enjoyed the romance in her earlier Prime books more. This story has enticing glimpses of what is in store for the Primes but it also felt more like a bridging book rather than a complete story since it brings up more questions than it answers.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[May Mostly Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

หนังสือเล่มนี้เรียงลำดับที่ออกขายแล้วเป็นเล่มที่เก้าในชุดค่ะ แต่ถ้าเรียงตามเหตุการณ์ในเรื่องแล้วถือเป็นเล่มที่แปด นั่นเพราะเรื่อง Dark Stranger คนแต่งฉีกแนวไปเขียนเป็นแนวฟิวเจอริสติก ซึ่งเหตุการณ์เกิดขึ้นในอนาคต โดยที่อธิบายว่า เป็นนิยายที่ตัวละครในเรื่ื่องชุดนี้อ่านกันอยู่

เล่มนี้เป็นเรื่องราวของแวมไพร์สาวผู้เป็นที่ปรารถนาของเหล่าไพร์ม (หรือแวมไพร์หนุ่ม) ทั้งปฐพี นามว่า ฟรานเซสกา เรย์นาร์ด ทั้งในฐานะที่เธอเป็นทายาทของเผ่าเรย์นาร์ดผู้ทรงอำนาจ และความงดงาม ยั่วยวน รวมทั้งอารมณ์ร้อน ๆ จนได้ฉายาว่า แฟลร์ ของเธอ

เพื่อเป็นอิสระจากข้อเรียกร้องของผู้เป็นมารดา แฟลร์ตัดสินใจมีลูกโดยวิธีการผสมเทียม เพื่อทำหน้าที่ให้กับเผ่าในการสร้างทายาทสืบทอดสายพันธุ์ ความเจ็บปวดในอดีตจากการที่มีคนรักเป็นมนุษย์ แต่ครองรักกันไม่ได้ เพราะม่านประเพณีของสายพันธุ์ทำให้แฟลร์ไม่ต้องการผูกพันกับใครอีกต่อไป

ในสังคมแวมไพร์ซึ่งมีไพร์มมากกว่าแวมไพร์สตรี ทำให้ผู้หญิงในเผ่าพันธุ์นี้ได้รับการปกป้องเหนือสิ่งอื่นใด แต่ในโครงสร้างของสังคมแล้ว อย่างน้อยในแคลน และแฟมิลี แวมไพร์หญิงคือ หัวหน้าครอบครัว และมีอำนาจในการกำหนดชะตากรรมของไพร์มในเผ่าของเธอ แฟลร์ผู้ซึ่งเป็นทายาทผู้สืบทอดตำแหน่งหัวหน้าเผ่าเรย์นาร์ดคนต่อไป เธอจึงรู้ถึงอำนาจที่ตัวเองกุมอยู่ในมือได้เป้นอย่างดี

ดังนั้นเมื่อแฟลร์ต้องเผชิญหน้า กับโทเบียส สแตนแฮน ผู้ซึ่งเป็นหัวหน้าหน่วยดาร์คแองเจิ้ล ซึ่งเป็นหน่วยรบพิเศษของสิ่งมีชีวิตเหนือธรรมชาติหลายชนิด ชายผู้เป็นไพร์ม และเคยชินกับการออกคำสั่งทุกคนในหน่วย แต่คราวนี้เขาถูกแบล็กเมลล์โดยมารดาของแฟลร์ให้ทำหน้าที่ผลิตหลานให้ โดยแลกกับการที่จะให้การสนับสนุนหน่วยดาร์คแองเจิ้ลในสภาแวมไพร์ แต่ถ้าโทเบียสปฏิเสธก็จะทำทุกอย่างเพื่อทำลายหน่วยที่เขารัก

แม้จะถูกบังคับ แต่ภาระก็ไม่ได้ยากเย็น ปฏิกิริยาทางร่างกายระหว่างโทเบียสและแฟลร์มองเห็นได้ชัดตั้งแต่ต้น เขาปรารถนาในตัวแวมไพร์สาวคนนี้อย่างยิ่ง เลือดในร่างไพร์มของเรารุ่มร้อนจนแทบจะควบคุมตัวเองไม่อยู่ และนั่นช่างไม่เหมือนโทเบียสที่ใครหลายคนรู้จัก

ยิ่งแฟลร์และโทเบียสใช้เวลาอยู่ด้วยกัน ก็ยิ่งเห็นได้ชัดถึงความเป็นคู่แท้ของกันและกัน (อาการผูกพันกันระหว่างแวมไพร์และคู่ของพวกเขา ความผูกพันที่ทำให้ไม่อาจแยกทั้งสองออกจากกันได้) แต่มันช่างเป็นช่วงเวลาที่ผิดที่ผิดทางยิ่งนัก เพราะการสืบสวนของโทเบียสต่อองค์กรที่จ้องทำลายล้างพวกเขากำลังสาวใกล้เข้าตัวหัวหน้าใหญ่ทุกที

ในแง่ของพล็อต หนังสือเล่มนี้พล็อตไม่แน่นเท่าไหรนะคะ มีช่องโหว่เห็นได้ชัดหลายจุดด้วยกัน แต่ก็ถูกทดแทนได้ด้วยตัวละครที่น่าจดจำ

เราชอบทั้งโทเบียสและแฟลร์ เริ่มตั้งแต่พระเอก ที่คนแต่งเขียนให้มีลักษณะของความยิ่งใหญ่ เข้มแข็ง แต่ในขณะเดียวกันก็แสดงด้านที่อ่อนโยนของเขาออกมาให้เห็น ยิ่งเราชอบเรื่องที่พระเอกดีแตกเพราะนางเอก เล่มนี้ก็เข้าทางค่ะ เพราะการจับคู่โทเบียสและแฟลร์เป็นการเอาด้านตรงข้ามมาคู่กัน และนั่นทำให้เรื่องน่าสนใจ

ในขณะที่แฟลร์ที่มีชื่อเสียงในการเป็นเจ้าหญิงแวมไพร์ผู้นำแฟชั่น แต่ในเล่มนี้เราก็ได้เห็นด้านลึกของเธอ และที่ดีไปกว่านั้น เธอเป็นนางเอกที่เข้าใจพระเอกอย่างยิ่ง ในขณะเ���ียวกันเธอก็เหี้ยมพอที่จะเข้าใจการตัดสินใจของพระเอกอีกด้วย (สปอยล์) นั่นคือ เธอไม่โกรธโทเบียสเลยที่เขายอมโอนอ่อนตามคำเรียกร้องของมารดาของเธอในการทำให้เธอท้อง นั่นแสดงให้เห็นว่า แฟลร์ไม่ได้ติดอยู่ในโลกความฝัน

องค์ประกอบส่วนหนึ่งในหนังสือของซูซาน ไซซ์มอร์ที่เราคิดว่าเหนือกว่าหนังสือแนวแวมไพร์ชุดอื่นก็คือ ความตรงไปตรงมาต่อสัญชาตญาณดิบของตัวเองของตัวเอกที่เป็นแวมไพร์ และในเล่มนี้ทั้งนางเอกและพระเอกต่างเป็นแวมไพร์ทั้งคู่ สัญชาตญาณดิบจึงแสดงออกมาชัดแจ้งมาก นั่นคือเมื่อทั้งคู่พบว่าตัวเองรอดจากความตายอย่างหวุดหวิด ทุกอย่างก็กลับไปที่พื้นฐานความต้องการ นั่นคือ เซ็กส์่ ซึ่งเรารู้สึกว่า สัมผัสได้ถึงความต้องการ และโหยหาที่แฟลร์และโทเบียสมีให้กัน

เรื่องนี้คาแร็คเตอร์ได้ใจมากค่ะ แม้ว่าพล็อตจะอ่อนอยู่พอสมควร นั่นคือ ปริศนาเกี่ยวกับผู้ร้ายใหญ่ก็ไม่ได้รับการไขออกมา รวมทั้งเหตุการณ์หลายอย่างในเรื่องไม่ชัดเจนนัก และดูไม่ค่อยมีเป้าหมายเทาไหร

แต่ทั้งหมดนั่นไม่สำคัญสำหรับเราเลยล่ะ เพราะชอบพระเอก และนางเอก รวมทั้งความสัมพันธ์ที่ทั้งคู่มีต่อกันอย่างมาก

คะแนนที่ 73

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was wondering when Susan Sizemore was going to finally write this novel. It certainly took her long enough and I think that it should have been written sooner. A lot of people were ready to read this novel and she just kept on waiting to write it. It's a very enjoyable novel and one of the best in this series so far. However, it could have used a little bit of work too. Now I’m just waiting to see if the next novel is going to be as good as this one was. Because this series is one to behold that's for sure.

In this novel Flare has been set up. And who'd be ballsy enough to do it, well her own mother of course. Flare intends to do her duty to her clan, but not in the way that her mother wants her to. So in an effort to make a potential good match, Flare's mother sets up and basically serve her on a silver platter. Serving her straight to the man that she's trying to avoid, Tobias. Tobias is the leader of the Dark Angels and he will do anything in his power to help them. Even if it means trying to court the uncourtable Flare. Flare's temper is legendary to many, while to Tobias it's nothing more than the woman herself. So when Flare's mother makes him an offer for that he can't refuse he takes it. Not that he wouldn't anyways, because he's got to have Flare all to himself. No matter what he has to do to get her, he will do it just for her. Which includes making sure that she's the father of his child. However, there is a darker plan set in motion and Flare seems to be a part of it. One of Flare's bags was set up to explode while in another clan's home. This would have caused a major problem for Flare. As it is it's already causing her a few problems. Like the fact that she's not allowed to go anywhere without Tobias. Not that she's trying very hard to get away from him. Because even though they're both denying their attraction, the fact remains that it's still there. And they may want to act on it before it's too late.

This was a very well-thought-out urban fantasy novel. It has action, romance, fighting, and mystery all in one. This makes for a wonderful story plot, because you never know exactly what you're going to read next. That's what makes it such a beautiful creation. It's got a lot of ups and downs all throughout it, which makes it an interesting read for the reader. The plot of this story is that of a romance novel, so it does read more in that aspect. Which is what I actually expected when I read an urban fantasy novel like this one. This series is quite persistent in this aspect and it makes my recommendation easier for me. Susan Sizemore writes fantastic novels and this one is no different. It's one that I'm proud to own and I believe the others would be too. This novel is a must-read that I believe other urban fantasy readers would enjoy as well as I did.

*Read on April 20th, 2016

[Melindeeloo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Resistance is Futile" as Flare and Tobias succumb to their Primal Instincts

Pampered `princess' Francesca (Flare) Reynard, as a rare female of her Prime (vampire) species, is used to having male Primes falling at her feet. But just as Flare's finally come up with a scheme to produce an heir for her clan without having to tie herself to a Prime, danger looms for her race and Flare's devious mother - who is also the Matri leader of her clan - pulls yet another string and Flare finds herself being protected by the most uber Prime male of them all, Tobias Strahan the leader of the supernatural special ops-ish Dark Angels.

Tobias already has his hands full as conflict looms on the horizon threatening to expose the existence of paranormals to regular humans, when Flare's Matri makes him an offer he can't refuse. Fulfilling his bargain means keeping Flare close and soon the luscious Flare is playing havoc with his concentration just when he needs to be on top of his game. But even though both have an agenda involving the other and neither intends to bond ever, the pair soon discover that, as much as they think they are fighting the bonding, their instincts make it impossible to resist and soon they are both well and truly hooked.

What a great pairing, it obviously was going to take more than just any old Prime to bond with Flare - she's had all those gorgeous vamps throwing themselves at her forever - but Tobias is just so alpha and intense and, since he spent his formative years spent in the tribes, dominating. Surprisingly, since Flare is used to having her own way and wrapping Prime males around her little finger, Tobias' possession makes it impossible for her to resist.

I have to say that Primal Instinct is now my favorite of Sizemore's vampire tales, I really liked the way that Sizemore handled the relationship between this seemingly mismatched pair - warrior and socialite - she kicks things off with a strong physical connection and a good amount of steam and then uses their emerging telepathic bond to deepen the emotional intimacy between them and allow them to trust enough to share their secrets and then to make a true connection. I also loved the Dark Angels and hope to see more of a few characters who seem positioned for future books.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with this series back on book 1. This installment continues the Dark Angels storyline [supernaturals vs. those trying to out/destroy them] introduced several books ago with the story of their leader, Tobias Strahan, and the ultimate vampire princess, Francesca [known as Flare] Reynard.

Flare is being forced to produce a child for the clan but is determined to strike a blow for female vampire independence by using artificial means. Her clan Matri blackmails Tobias into agreeing to make sure that any baby is conceived in the 'old fashioned' way by threatening to destroy the Dark Angels politically and financially.

Neither Flare nor Tobias want entanglements but Fate has other plans - throwing them into the mating dance of bonding. Their complimentary skills - she the politician and he the warrior - will serve their causes well.

We don't get to see Matri Anjelica's reaction to the bonding. Too bad, I've wanted to see her get her 'comeuppance' since the first book...

After the first couple of books, the series has become very sequential and will be better read in order.

FYI Sizemore writes two vampire series - this one [Primes] and one called Laws of the Blood. The second series is a bit rougher [among other things the vamps literally eat their prey] and less romantic.

Primes
1. I Burn for You (2003)
2. I Thirst for You (2004)
3. I Hunger for You (2005)
4. A Touch of Harry (2004) (in The Shadows of Christmas Past)
5. Master of Darkness (2006)
6. Primal Heat (2006)
7. Primal Desires (2007)
8. Tempting Fate (2007) (in Moon Fever)
9. Primal Needs (2008)
10. Primal Instincts (2010)

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 1 out of 5]

Frare has always kept far away from Primes and they’re annoying and arrogant personalities. Even when her mother pressers her fulfill her duties to her species and have a baby, Flare would rather go through the procedures of artificial insemination then ever bond with a Prime.

Tobias comes from the Tribes, an old clan with even older traditions. In fact, it took her father falling in love with his mother, whom was his slave, to spark a revolution with his people. And the stigma of coming from the Tribes has made him a bit of an outsider with Flares clan. However, the one thing in his favour if his status as a Prime. So, he strikes a bargain with Flares mother. He’ll impregnate her daughter, if the Dark Angels, Tobias’s organization aiming to help the Tribes into a new future, receives financial help.

I at no point was ever interested in this story. I’ve struggled with this series because of the repetitiveness of everything PRIME as well as the rapey vibe of the whole thing. And I don’t say Rape easy. I read a lot of books with blurred lines but the thing about the Primes is the arrogance of the females having absolutely no choice. No matter what, the heroines always cream in their pants for the hero regardless of his behaviour. It’s really gross.

And what makes it worse is that I know this author is capable of writing a very good book. I don’t understand the lack of imagination and creativity with this series.

[Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tobias and Flair are exciting and start with a bang in this book. I really liked this couple and this story had some funny parts, exciting parts and some intense parts. I do have to point out though, that I was disappointed how the book came to a close because the build up was so much throughout the book for this couple. They both fought the idea of a permenant future together each thinking throughout the book they would parent this child then just go back to their lives, but then it just seem to all be decided in the end and no one really discussed it or had that intense realization. It just seem to be just decided with no intense interaction with that admission to each other. It was like this huge build up that broke for commercial and then came back with them all together. It was kind of a let down because the book is so very good and you just want that intense moment when they admit to each other out lound they want to stay together and be more. Instead you get this resigned understanding that they are more without the moment.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

So the first thing I have to say is that I have not read this series in order. My review and rating is based off reading this as a standalone.

Overall, PRIMAL INSTINCTS was okay. I can certainly tell that this series is much better if read in order. Not so much because of the characters, but because of the world this series takes place in.

I get slightly upset when a series that is above book 3 continuously explains every little thing like it’s the first book. To me, PRIMAL INSTINCTS did not do that and that was more than okay for me.

That said, I enjoyed the moments between Tobias and Francesca much better when the plot line was not so dense. They had a few moments alone and those were my favorite. Had I been a little more acknowledgeable of the world, I would have enjoyed it all.

Although Francesca’s mother forces them together, their bonding really overshadows the reason why they are put together. I enjoyed their reaction to the bonding and how they foolishly tried to slow it.

[Kathleen Burket · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of uber prime Tobias Strahan and quick-tempered clan princess Francesca "Flare" Reynard is delightful. Along with Laurent Wolf, Tobias Strahan has become one of my favorite prime heroes. Francesca and Tobias are perfect for each other and readers will be cheering as their relationship develops. In this book we also meet Strahan's daughter Saffie and learn more about why he founded the Dark Angels supernatural militia. Many of our old favorites such as Sidonie Wolf, Joe Bleythin, Tony Crowe, Rose Cameron, Shaggy Harker, Alec Reynard, Domini Lancer, Ben Lancer, and Dr. Ed Casmerek make apprearances. Evil doers abound and we learn more about who is behind the recent thread to clan and family vampires and other supernaturals. Very well-done paranormal romance.

[Dawn Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. This series was the first paranormal romance books I ever read. I fell in love with Susan Sizemore's vampires right away. As the series grew so didnt my love for it. Each book brings something new to the series. I couldnt wait to read Flare's story. Flare is a very strong female vamp. I was so glad she ended up with a strong alpha prime that could handle her. Tobias was everything you could want in a alpha vamp. Strong, smart and oh so very sexy. His story and his love for his daughter made him even more irresistable. Susan writes unforgetable secondary characters. This book was action packed and sizzling hot. I recommend you read the other books in the series before reading this book. I believe you will get more pleasure out of it. This is a must read!!

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Primal Instincts was another wonderful enstallment of Susan Sizemore's Prime Series. I had been waiting so long for this book to come out that I bought it as soon as it was available. Flare and Tobias are two alpha characters and what happens when you have two alphas??? One always submits and I can honestly say that their relationship almost seemed like a dom/sub realtionship to me... mind you.. Flare is not submissive.. but sort of seemed that way to me next to Tobias's dominate character. He is funny and sexy as hell.. just the way I like my Primes...lol.. Cant wait for the next one!!

[Jennifer Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm guessing that the reason I wasn't that thrilled with this book is that it's been a long time since I've read the proceeding books in the series. I could vaguely remember the back stories for several of the characters mentioned. The names were familiar and I could remember they had their own story, but that was about it. Looks like I'll need to go back and reread the beginning of the series to fully get into this one. Of course, that doesn't mean it cannot be read on it's own.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINALLY...Flare's story...and it's a good one! I understand the animosity she has for her Matri and the sparks of rage that set her off. She needs a strong, dominant, LOVING, understanding male...something most Primes are NOT. Then there's Tobias! Can he, will he be what she needs? Can he understand why she is the TEMPER tantrum princess? Well you'll just have to read to find out if there is a winner ino this war of wills!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, this is either book 8 or 9 in the Prime series. I think it's technically 9 but it takes place immediately after the end of 7 so... Great story line, great romance line, lots of non-graphic vampire sex, great side characters, lots of action and adventure. I thought I was getting tired of this genre but these 2 books (Primal Needs & Instincts) let me know that there are still great books out there for me to explore.

[Ann Lorz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Susan Sizemore for a long time and will continue to be one. I just love her stories. Her writing leads you on a wonderful chase though the story to the end. Each book brings you more and more into her vampire world. Because it's a series I think you should read them in order, to really fully enjoy each one.

[Barbara ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was confused at first since I read book 7 back in 2009 (which Primal Instincts apparently follows) and book 8 in February 2014 (which was a futuristic story seemingly unconnected to the series). I just couldn't remember these characters at all. Well either way, I totally loved Tobias and Flare. Their "courtship" was romantic, sexy and fierce. Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Lynn Calvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. More vampires and fated mates.

Some good sidebar stuff on how fated mates stuff can be a pain.

Sizemore's characters keep me reading but the plots and the politics and the soap opera melodrama make me feel like I need notes. Clan/Family/Tribe vampires...

Hot sex scenes though.

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tabias and Flare made a great couple. I have been waiting for Tabias' story since fist reading of him in the series. These two made such a great couple since they both are far more complicated than anyone else around them knows.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. Guess I should have started at the first book in the series instead of the end but hey....it just gives me lots of stories to catch up on!