A bartender with a hose filled with water trying to break up a fight between two large men? What a way to start a story!

Kennedy has had the hots for her boss, Tristan, for months but nothing has ever come of it. One night that begins to change when Kennedy’s car breaks down and Tristan offers to help. Tranquilizer darts, a car chase and then being holed up in a mansion seems to melt away the sexual tension between the two. Finding out who is really at risk, why there is risk and who will mate with whom is the rest of the story. A great beginning to a series with all the elements people who like steamy paranormal romances will enjoy. ( )

Important: There’s a wee spoiler that doesn’t give anything major away towards the end. The book is old enough that I think it’s okay to hint at what happens towards the end but I’ve put up a spoiler alert so you can skip it if you’re so inclined.

I discovered Sydney Somers while reading the Promise Harbor series from Samhain. I really enjoyed her contribution to the quadrology so I figured I’d give her paranormal stuff a shot. The first series I tried: her Pendragon Gargoyles books. I picked this one because I loved the idea of gargoyles as central characters, since we don’t see that all that often.

In PRIMAL HUNGER, we are thrown into a world in which all things supernatural are hidden from human eyes. Kennedy works in a bar for supernaturals but doesn’t know it until she gets drawn into things after her car breaks down and Tristan reluctantly rescues her. We learn about the world as Kennedy does. This means that we get some answers and these answers are quite interesting since they tie into the King Arthur story (hence Pendragons). The gargoyles (and other supernaturals) can go back and forth between our world and Avalon. Avalon’s not the happiest place since Morgana took over Camelot after Arthur fell. There is a way to get him back, if six enchanted daggers are united to point the way to Excalibur. Both Team Arthur and the Team Morgana are trying to get the daggers. Tristan falls on Team Arthur but he’s really motivated to find one particular dagger to release his brother Cian from a curse so there’s a nice blend of loyalty to family and loyalty to leader in there. There’s also a cool take on the gargoyle myth: Rhiannon cursed the gargoyles to turn to stone in the daytime because they failed to protect Arthur and gargoyles can only fight the change when they have found their one and only mate. And because this is paranormal romance, Kennedy is Tristan’s mate.

I really enjoyed the worldbuilding — definitely the most interesting aspect of the novel for me — but I also liked the relationship between Kennedy and Tristan. They have a very sparky connection and the love scenes are pretty intense. Kennedy is your typical tough-but-vulnerable heroine and Tristan is very alpha male but I didn’t mind the tropes in the novel since I truly liked both characters and was rooting for their romance to succeed.

The one part of PRIMAL HUNGER I didn’t really like was the ending. **SMALL SPOILER** The resolution to Kennedy being marked for death by the wraith seemed very convenient since it also solved the whole mortal/immortal issue but it was a development that I didn’t expect. **END SPOILER**

On the whole, I enjoyed PRIMAL HUNGER. It’s a good start the the series. It’s not the best first book I’ve read but I liked it enough to want to keep going with the series. I hope the next book is just as sexy but with some more worldbuilding (because it’s so interesting) and a less pat ending.

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Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

Primal Hunger, the first installment in The Pendragon Gargoyles series by Sydney Somers, packs a great punch despite its size! Filled with action, romance, and a wonderful lore, the premise of this novella will have you addicted and hungry for more!

First off, let me say that I loved the originality of this story. Gargoyle shifters are definitely something I hadn't seen before and I was engrossed by their mythical origins dating back to the days of King Arthur. Also, the other little additions that tie back into the Arthurian lore were excellent. From the Wraiths who are former Knights of the Round Table to dragons who battle to keep Morgana from entering their territory and the Pendragon Gargoyles themselves who eagerly await Arthur's return and the reclamation of Excalibur. All of this is nicely tied in and enacted within a modern day setting, making this tale even more enjoyable.

The characters themselves are quite interesting and wonderfully entertaining as they come to grips with the situation fate has dropped them in. From the first sentence of the novel I was endeared to Kennedy, from her strong will to her snarky demeanor. She's tough, independent and a wonderful heroine to follow as she is thrust, by no fault of her own, into a centuries old battle. Tristan is also quite the interesting alpha male. He quickly comes to grips with the idea of Kennedy being his intended mate, though he has tried desperately to keep his distance from her. The simmering attraction he feels soon becomes a dominate need to protect her and fight the assassin sent to kill her. His gruff alluring nature is then split between warrior and lover as he tries not only to keep Kennedy safe, but to convince her to accept that she is connected to him for better or for worse. Briana, Tristan's sister is also rather interesting. I would have liked to have gotten to know more about her, but the fierce loyalty she displays in trying to protect her family made her quite likable. Her desire to use any tools at her disposal, in this case Kennedy in her ignorance of the bond she shares with Tristan, while harsh was done repentantly showing the softer side of her nature. So, while she can be construed as being bitchy, an assumption I made when she first appeared, I came to like her forth right nature and that need to keep her brother safe. It just had the ring of truth to it that came with all the characters, an aspect that marvelously showcased both Somers's writing ability and her wonderful character development.

The world created was truly intense despite the small time frame in which is was developed. There is still quite a visceral touch of reality to it, as if the reader, like Kennedy is coming to find the world is so much more fantastical then we could imagine. I think a lot of that is due to the fact that it is built upon lore in which our culture has been immersed in for centuries. Who didn't grow up knowing the stories about King Arthur and Avalon? That familiar basis built atop a somewhat familiar atmosphere, the Pendragon bar, douses it in the here and now.

The downside of this novel? It's a novella. But, despite that, this snippet at only just over a hundred pages shows that size doesn't necessarily matter. In fact, it's got all you would expect from a full length novel-action, romance, suspense and drama. Not to mention that it doesn't leave you feeling like the world was lacking like a lot of novellas, but to the contrary was wonderfully developed and brought to life. In fact, it left me quite satisfied, but I can't deny that I want more! Would a longer novel make me happy? Hell yes. Am I disappointed it wasn't? Not even a little.

In the end, the action is fast paced and the romance is scorching making The Pendragon Gargoyles an utterly addictive series for any fan of Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance. I definitely can't wait to get my hands on book 2, Primal Attraction. ( )