Eli Preston doesn't believe in mating. He believes in doing his duty to protect his leader as a jaguar shifter. Nivea has been waiting for Eli to finally admit they are perfect together for years, especially the more they fight alongside each other. As events in the shapeshifting world heat up, so do they, and they will have to fight with everything in them to protect each other and their kind.

Though PRIMAL HEAT is part of a companion series, A.C. Arthur provides plenty of background to the shifter world as the latest protagonists, Eli and Nivea, are introduced. Eli is the always attractive alpha hero with a tragic past, and Nivea, with her own dark past, has an equally dominant and kick-butt attitude. Their dynamic is sizzling and powerful, and romance readers who can't get enough kissing will love them.

While I like the premise and generally like the characters, I struggled to connect with the story. Nivea and Eli are both interesting, but they remind me of too many other characters that are almost exactly the same. Though the plot has several exciting and twisty movements, it was hard to see any kind of big picture direction for a while. However, I do love how Eli and Nivea both reach a point when they have to confront their pasts individually to grow stronger.

Though this isn't a book I'm likely to read again, I can easily see the intriguing shifter world, sexy characters, and edgy battle scenes making PRIMAL HEAT a top pick for some. I did enjoy this enough to give another A.C. Arthur book a try.