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A review by vrstal
Primal by K.A. Merikan
5.0
4.5/5. My highlights have spoilers. Read those at your own risk.
Primal by K.A. Merikan is the second in their Wrong Side of the Tracks series, about the found family of the local junkyard and the people they come to love. Of course, this is a dark romance, so it's not that simple.
Jag and Dane's story is a loose Tarzan retelling (minus the colonialism and racism), that starts with a subversion right out the go with Dane being kidnapped and captured by Jag. As I don't want to spoil too much, I will say this: this story is about Jag, who learns to get over his fear of finding his place in the world of the junkyard and the modern world, and finding what love can really look like for him when he has had little role models of it in his life. Dane, a man who repeats patterns of abusive relationships yet struggles in the closet, is captured by him - and somehow, they find their way to be what they both need. I liked that yes, compromises were had for them both, but whether it was sex or the care they needed for each other, it just worked.
Jag was so, so sweet. Sweeter than you'd expect, and he had some vulnerabilities too. I loved him in Scum and I loved reading his book. I didn't know where Merikan was gonna take him, but it worked out. His POV was well done, and despite this being a captor-captive romance, it didn't feel hopeless and bleak because Jag was never purposefully cruel. Dane was someone who actually really flourished under the love and care of Jag, and had his own insecurities because of the patterns he felt himself falling into. I do think that there is just less to say about Dane because he was not as focused on as much Jag was throughout the book. I wish he was given more exploration into his personality, which is why this was not a five star for me.
I like the glimpses we got of Ros and Shane together, Dex, and Frank. Dex does some more stupid shit in this book, but with his book coming next, I'm sure we will see someone put him in his place. I just wonder who it will end up being!
I definitely recommend this to those who like dark-lite romances. While there is death and some angst, this is not harrowing.
"Jag managed to smile as happiness bloomed in his chest. He’d never felt so accepted in his life, not even by Frank. Dane knew all his weaknesses yet still recognized his value. This was the kind of man who’d put his hand into muddy water and fish out the sole gold nugget. In the sunshine of his attention, Jag felt like the most precious stone, ready to be shown off to the world by the only man whose opinion mattered."
Primal by K.A. Merikan is the second in their Wrong Side of the Tracks series, about the found family of the local junkyard and the people they come to love. Of course, this is a dark romance, so it's not that simple.
Jag and Dane's story is a loose Tarzan retelling (minus the colonialism and racism), that starts with a subversion right out the go with Dane being kidnapped and captured by Jag. As I don't want to spoil too much, I will say this: this story is about Jag, who learns to get over his fear of finding his place in the world of the junkyard and the modern world, and finding what love can really look like for him when he has had little role models of it in his life. Dane, a man who repeats patterns of abusive relationships yet struggles in the closet, is captured by him - and somehow, they find their way to be what they both need. I liked that yes, compromises were had for them both, but whether it was sex or the care they needed for each other, it just worked.
Jag was so, so sweet. Sweeter than you'd expect, and he had some vulnerabilities too. I loved him in Scum and I loved reading his book. I didn't know where Merikan was gonna take him, but it worked out. His POV was well done, and despite this being a captor-captive romance, it didn't feel hopeless and bleak because Jag was never purposefully cruel. Dane was someone who actually really flourished under the love and care of Jag, and had his own insecurities because of the patterns he felt himself falling into. I do think that there is just less to say about Dane because he was not as focused on as much Jag was throughout the book. I wish he was given more exploration into his personality, which is why this was not a five star for me.
I like the glimpses we got of Ros and Shane together, Dex, and Frank. Dex does some more stupid shit in this book, but with his book coming next, I'm sure we will see someone put him in his place. I just wonder who it will end up being!
I definitely recommend this to those who like dark-lite romances. While there is death and some angst, this is not harrowing.