Rating: 2. 5 stars out of 5
As a Seminus demon, Raze’s life literally depends on having sex with females. The problem is that he doesn’t desire females, and it’s physically impossible for him to be with males. Thankfully, he and his best friend, Fayle, have an arrangement that keeps him alive . . . if lonely. He finds some solace in his work as a medic at Thirst, a vampire club known for its rough clientele. But his carefully structured world turns upside down when he meets a mysterious male who makes him want what he can never have.
Slake is an assassin used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Raze. But he also wants to earn back the soul he sold when he was a much different demon. All he has to do is capture a runaway succubus named Fayle and hand her over to her family. What he doesn’t count on is being caught himself by a web of lies—and his attraction to Raze.
Raze and Slake must navigate a dangerous world to be together. But as Fayle’s jealousy of their relationship turns deadly, they find themselves embroiled in a battle not only for their love, but their lives and souls.
I have no idea how many times I started Base Instincts by Larissa Ione. Probably three or four. It simply was a disappointment to me. Maybe it was my fault cause I haven’t read the Demonica series first, but I heard so many good things about the author that I was super curious about this new m/m installment. I could appreciate the world building, the plot or the characters but my problem was that all of these fell short and was so freaking boring it was unbearable.
I forced myself to go on the reading hoping it will become better, engaging or at least likeable but nothing. I’m really sorry cause I had a lot of expectations for this story. Moreover I could feel no chemistry between MCs, apart from the sex scenes there was nothing else between them. The relationship wasn’t well developed, on the contrary, the way the author decided to solve Slake’s problem (his need to have sex only with females) was too simple and a little ridiculous to me, the easier way instead on working on something else, something stronger. No I didn’t like it at all.
At the end it was your average paranormal story, but I’ve read better books I rated three stars, so I couldn’t give Base Instincts more than 2,5. To me, a strictly m/m reader, this book was a failed attempt made by the author to gain a different market from her usual and at the same time she made a couple of choices in the plot just so she could please her m/f fans. I honestly don’t feel like to recommend it but if you’re a fan of the Demonica series maybe you should try it.
The cover art by Jay Aheer is the only well done thing of the book, no suprise cause I’m seeing a lot of Jay’s works later and I’m liking them more and more.
Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | 
BOOK DETAILS
ebook, 150 pages
Published September 12th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
IBSN 1626493081
Edition Language English
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 