Review: Primal Force by D.D. Ayres (K-9 Rescue #3)
Note: This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lauray Batisse lost more than his leg that fateful day in Afghanistan; he lost his K-9 partner Scud and his death continues to haunt him. When he receives a service dog named Samantha through Warrior Wolf Pack, Law refuses to have any sort of connection with Sam nor does he want to get any closer to WWP trainer and ex-convict Jordan Garrison, the woman who sparks more than a passing interest in the wounded veteran. They both have a past neither is quick to open up about, but there's no denying that the attraction they feel is mutual and soon, they can't help but give in to their needs. However, there's something else that connects the two of them, and this particular connection could cost far more than either one anticipated and Law and Jori will have to work together to unearth the truth before it's too late.
Primal Force is the third full-length novel and the fourth overall installment in the K-9 Rescue romantic suspense series from author D.D. Ayres. Law Batisse injured his left leg to the point it had to be amputated and Scud, his K-9 partner, while they were part of the military police in Afghanistan. On the other hand, Jori Garrison lost more than three years of her life after being accused of a crime she didn't commit. Now, Jori's a trainer at the Warrior Wolf Pack, the same group that's partnered Samantha, a labradoodle service dog, with Law. He tries to resist the affections of his four-legged companion while trying to tamp down on his attraction for his dog's trainer. Jori's just as attracted to Law but he makes it quite clear that he can never be the man that Jori should deserve even as their non-relationship becomes something more.
From the beginning, it's clear who the villain is in the story but there's also a twist that I suspected was going to be revealed but when all the details came to the forefront, I was surprised at just how far it went. The connection between Law and Jori is more than just physical, what with their respective pasts being tied, in one form or another, to a particular man. Law may come off as cold and unfeeling, able to keep his emotions in check, but his need to clear Jori's name in the case she was prosecuted for makes it obvious that his feelings run deeper than he lets on. The same goes for how he is with Sam, who may not be the kind of dog Scud was but whose loyalty toward Law was endearing, to the point that I got teary-eyed when she went above and beyond for her alpha, showing an unwavering devotion that puts her at par with Scud.
The K-9 Rescue series is one of my favorite finds this year and I love how each book is able to stand on its own, focusing on not just the love between the two main characters but the love that humans have for the canines they have in their lives. The suspense thriller angle never overshadows the romance aspect but neither does it feel underwhelming. The stories are always well-paced and it's difficult to find a main character that isn't, at the very least, likable. I'm interested to see if the next book will be about Yardley Summers, Law's half-sister, and the man she's fallen in love with but who's gone missing. That phone call she received at the last chapter more than piqued my curiosity, so I shall be excited to see if my answers await in the fourth novel. For now, I recommend you check out Primal Force and I'm giving it 4.5 stars. ♥
Release Date: 01 September 2015
Date Read: 01 September 2015
Learn more about D.D. Ayres here.
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