Smitten by Books

Touch of Surrender
Author: Rhyannon Byrd
Publisher: HQN
Pub. Date: April 27, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-0373774647
Retail: $7.99
368 pages

THEIR LOVE IS THEIR DESTINY. . .

With his auburn hair and lean build, Kierland Scott looks more man than Lycan. But his wolf instincts are aroused by the gray-eyed Morgan Cantrell. Not because of her beauty, but because of her long-ago betrayal, a fateful choice that made their love impossible.

Now, however, the two Watchmen must team up, leaving the placid Lake Country for the forests of Scandinavia. To rescue Kierland’s brother, they must track a vampire—and use their combined shape-shifting sensitivities in a battle that will take them beyond death. As the two learn to seek together, they begin to understand the history that has driven them apart. But they will have to overcome death itself, if their shared passion is to have a chance.

~*~*~

Romantic misunderstandings and life and death situations are just a few things keeping readers on the edge of their seats rooting for the good guys in this fast paced paranormal read.

In the fifth installment of the Primal Instinct series, readers are thrust into the middle of the ongoing battle-of-the sexes between Lycan Keirland Scott and shifter Morgan Cantrell who have been working together as Watchman for the last ten years. As Watchman, their job is to battle the evil Casus who wants to return to this world to destroy humans by finding Markers that protect their wearers and can also be used to destroy the Casus.

Morgan has been in love with Keir since she first started training with him, but when she finally decided to make her move, she discovered he’s dating someone else. After a brutal attack, she moves on and started seeing vampire Ashe Granger. She never stopped loving Keir and she’s now forced into close quarters with him as they travel across the Wasteland to rescue Keir’s brother Kellan, who is off to save the woman he cares about. She has secrets though, ones that will affect her job and her relationship with Keirland.

Even though Keirland’s always acted ambivalent to Morgan, he’s actually madly in love with her and has been since he first laid eyes on her. No matter which woman he’s with, Morgan is the only one he thinks about. He’s afraid of letting her get too close for fear he might hurt her like his father did to his mother. But to save his brother he has to team up with Morgan, who has the ability to track Kellan over long distances. To make matters worse he also has to rely on help from Ashe Granger, the man he’s never forgiven for being with Morgan. As danger gets closer, and as truths are revealed, Morgan and Keirland realize what they truly mean to each other. But will that discovery come too late or will it be just in time to keep them alive?

Morgan is a strong heroine who puts her life on the line to protect humanity. She stands her ground and fights to save those she loves. She’s smart and extremely likable and when she and Keirland fight together they’re the perfect team. When she verbally spars with Keirland sparks fly and you can’t help but admire her.

Keirland oozes sex appeal and he truly loves Morgan, but fears he will hurt her. It takes time to work through that fear, but once he realizes certain truths, he quickly makes up for lost time. The romantic scenes between these two are hot and get progressively more intense as the danger escalates.

There are many great secondary characters that I look forward to seeing more of. Some sort of mystery surrounds the sexy vampire Ashe and his brother Gideon. Kellan, who’s the carefree brother, becomes very intense in this story and the book’s cliffhanger leaves him trapped and the reader wondering what will happen to him in the next book. This is a great book for fans of the paranormal genre and is easy to follow for those new to this series. This is one reader who’s counting down the days until the next installment.

Rating: 8.5 (Very, Very Good )

Heat-Level: 5 (Scorching)