Dragon Blood Curse was an exciting, immersive experience all around, as Butlerās penultimate story brings more mythical characters and magical regions into play with this fantasy action adventure.
Prince AirĆ³n and King Tallu have multiple schemes at work and not all are going according to their intended intentions. With their enemies bringing larger powers and armies against them, AirĆ³n and Tallu race to find a cure for the deadly curse that affects both brothers. And their own council falls into chaos and loyalties are divided as the enemy attacks.
Itās high politics, subterfuge, magical terrorists, and wars between enemies being waged across their borders and territories, and everything and everyone suffering.
Of course, thereās a prophecy or two, sacrifices that figures mightily in the coming novel, angst and some really great layering of information and people (look to the North) that just ups the stakes here.
No spoilers but this just grabs the reader from start to finish. For me, the relationship between AirĆ³n and Tallu is the least compelling element here. So many other great aspects of the series and story to focus on.
Great job. And I love the Spider. Awesome.
Cover by Hannah Latham at oexasart Lettering by Laura at Covers by Aura
The generals that once served Emperor Tallu now pursue us across the continent. General Bemishu and Kacha have made their move and we find ourselves trapped by the role Tallu has been playing his entire life. As we search for allies, the rules of imperial politics force Tallu to act more and more like his deranged father.
Still, we have a hint of hope: somewhere in the dangerous Tavornai swamps, another animalia spins her webs and rearranges fate to her own desires. Can she change ours?
We have one chance to save our lives, one hope at a future that we both so desperately want. With new allies and old nemeses, we have to risk our lives to create a world for our love.
Micah is such a great story. Masters pulls together so many important pieces of her foundation elements in bringing the romance of fascinating puzzle creator incubus Camden Torrence and demon architect Micah Bailey.
Just the idea of that particular humongous, thousands of years old door of a puzzle, buried in a cave beneath a mountain and needing, no, wanting to be solved, is a fabulous idea. And that itās Cam whoās got the superior knowledge, and bubbling excitement as well to solve it? Amazing. Heās a grand character who gets better, funnier, deeper as we and Micah, get to understand him.
Micah himself, with his family connections to Gideon, Asher , and the family (grandmother) who basically runs things , is another gem of a character. Through Micah, the demons are explored as a species, their dense physique due to teleportation. Even learning the subtle facial expressions are readdressed through the relationship between Micah and Cam, and even Camās interactions with Micahās family.
Camās not without his own personal issues to deal with, and they are dealt with by being able to communicate and by understanding each otherās personalities and needs. I love it when an author does this, instead of letting the main characters flounder about, they communicate and share what theyāre thinking and feeling, like mature beings.
Not to say there isnāt some absolutely spew worthy sentences and moments here. Because there totally are. Made my day! And this book so giggle snort gold āļø! And no will not quote them. Read them and enjoy them in context.
There be dragons here! Appearances by Brandt, Wil, Steffen and others were wonderful. And will send me back to their series , Here Be Dragons, which is one of the linked series to the original Hidden Species.
We get Hortplatz, now becoming as real a town as any character, with its high mountains, townspeople, and places we can recognize. Cold, and with itās own charm.
If I have a small quibble, itās that after all the buildup and intricate details of that puzzle door, it ended too abruptly. Perhaps it will be continued in book three, but it feels incomplete here as far as Cam goes and his ānew lifeā which we donāt get. We need a chapter or at least several pages to bridge the gap between the ending and the new future town scenes to feel grounded imo.
But thatās a quibble in a book I very much adore. From the plot to the characters, this story had me from the beginning, perfect Louisa Masters.
Now onto book three.
And yes, Iām highly recommending this and all the connected series:
Wanted: Demon assistant for incubus genius. Personal services requiredā¦
Nobody ever expected to find a secret cave protected by a giant puzzle door in the mountains near our village. Even more surprising was the knowledge that itās been there for thousands of years and was created by a dragon. Iām not the only one whoās dying to find out whatās inside.
Itās no hardship to assist the puzzle expert whoās coming to solve the door. That thing is an incredible feat of engineering, and the man whoāll solve it is bound to be intelligent and interesting. But from the moment I meet Camden Torrence, Iām forced to reassessā¦ everything.
Heās intelligent and interesting, sure. But heās also scattered. Clumsy. And I want to bury my face in his mop of curls and stay there forever.
A relationship wasnāt on my agenda, no matter what my matchmaking family wants. But as the weeks go by and we get closer to discovering what the secret treasure is, Cam becomes an integral, undeniable part of my life. How can I not fall for a man who, despite past hurts, is the living embodiment of sunshine in our snow-laden village?
I never thought the love of my life would turn out to be an adorable, absent-minded incubus, but now I canāt imagine existing without him. The challenge? Convincing him to stay even after the puzzle is solved.
A Priest, A Plague, and A Prophecy is a new sweet, fantasy romance from M D Grimm. I admit I was overdue in revisiting this author and this short tale of two enemies, a inter species, happy ending of a Romeo and Jules sort of situation, was a perfect intro back into her writing.
Grimm has built a world of humans and orcs, living close enough that their encounters with each other havenāt gone for the better. Over the years their clashes have grown worse,their basic fears about each otherās races fed by completely different appearances, as well as an inability to communicate due to separate languages and cultures. Their skirmishes grew larger each time, offensively more bloody , due to the size , physicality and style of their fighting , until all each knows is hatred.
Itās not until a fumbling young priest called Eli meets a young orc called Gurrkk in trouble that everything starts to change.
Itās in the rich details as well as the emotional landscape that this story does so well. The authorās ability to convey two people of separate races, determined to understand each other, under enormous stress, then through friendship and finally love. We get all the different cultural elements, language, mating, bonding, children, religion,and leadership.
Grimm has deeply settled her characters within their respective communities and families, and that allows her readers to explore them on a really personal level.
This is a romance between two characters that look at sexuality in a different way. How they handle that difference is another plus for me in the narrative. While it may have an initial aspect of hesitation to discuss the subject, that doesnāt stop the characters from being adults and talking about their sexual preferences and orientation. Especially important where two species are involved.
The ending ( and the bit with the villain) came about a tad too fast. I wished for more action and explanation to compete with all the grand exposition that went before. And time with the two groups together.
Ah well!
A Priest, A Plague, and A Prophecy by MD Grimm is a richly told, happily ended , well written fantasy story! One Iām absolutely recommending.
Elias is a priest at the Temple of the Divine Sibyl. When he becomes lost in the woods after his brotherās hunting party abandons him, itās just his luck that heād stumble upon an angry orc caught in a trap. Unable to stomach the suffering of others, Elias throws self-preservation to the wind and frees the orc. Then Gurrkkāthatās a name?āends up leading him to safety.
Gurrkk finds himself rather smitten by the sweet, awkward human. Heās always been fascinated with his peopleās sworn enemy, and now he has a life debt to fulfill to maintain his honor.
Hiding an orc among the templeās crypts wouldnāt have been Eliasās first choice but Gurrkk is stubborn about leaving. As they learn each otherās languages and spend more time together, Elias realizes theyāve become friendsā¦ and maybe more. And when the dying sibyl gives her last prophecy, Elias knows it wasnāt chance that brought them together, it was the gods.
With Endurance, Cari Zās Trilogy, The Triad, just overcame the second book hurdle and became stronger and more moving a story.
Changing her format here, the author divides the book into three sections, one for each of her main characters and members of the polyamorous relationship. This arrangement where each man receives an equal amount of narrative time with the reader allows her to explore each personality so much more in depth than previously seen.
The story has moved forward, the men now in a loving polygamous relationship but only two of them , Princes Symon and Petur, legally married, the third , Deyvid, the ex Harrior warrior bodyguard being seen by others outside the triad as a hidden lover.
The stakes facing them are high as the Harriors, Deyvidās former Head of Clan , are coming for all the other Kingdoms, using assassins, betrayal, and political attacks. Including one killer very close to Deyvid.
Peturās nephew Prince Arvenās wedding, an alliance necessity, into a Kingdom whose culture doesnāt welcome or respect shifters or same sex relationships is adding unbelievable stress . Especially as attacks happen that seem to try to prevent them from getting there for the marriage.
And Symon is getting sick , and thinks itās his motherās debilitating curse attacking him.
The author handles all these important issues so well, letting us see how the untold stress , the unrelenting pressure is impacting each man and their relationship. From the attacks on each other and their bonds, to the expectations that they think they must live up to, their own responsibilities, their obligations, and the new revelations each event seems to throw at them, we get to see how, well or or how badly each man tries to deal with the fluctuating reality of their situations.
In Alliance, Symon and Deyvid were clear favorites. Petur had less narrative page time, so we really didnāt see him clearly as a man, ruler, or true member of this polyamorous group.
But in Endurance, Petur becomes seen, an equal partner, a man whoās capable of showing both his strengths and admitting his weaknesses and fears. And thereās plenty to be fearful of in this book. All his beloveds are being threatened. His very marriage and family are at risk. We see his foundation being shaken. And not just his.
As we go from man to man, threat to threat, deep fears and the anguish of loss permeates the entire storyline.
Symon and Deyvid have strong compelling stories of their own here that intertwine with all the complex plotting of their other mate, Peturās.
The end is both a cliffhanger and a heartbreaker. It makes us quickly yearn for the finale to come, Dominion.
I highly recommend this story, but itās one that must be read in order for the characters, their relationships, the the complicated plot developments to make sense.
This is just beautifully done all the way, in every aspect. I hope she keeps the new format as it has really captured her characters fully and made the authorās imagination and plot soar!
Three royal lovers, one goal: to make an alliance with their neighboring kingdom before war takes away their chance for peace.
Now that Symon is happily married to his husband Petur and in love with Peturās longtime lover Deyvid, things should be easierā¦right? Not with the Harrier clans of the north stirring up trouble. Tasked with escorting Peturās nephew Arven to his wedding in neighboring Mersaighe, Symon hopes that things will go smoothly.
He ought to know better.
Not only are they heading into a nation where shifters like Petur are distrusted, Petur and his nephew fight constantly, an assassin is still trying to kill Deyvid, and Symon is hiding a secret of his ownā¦one that could mean his days of happiness are numbered before a family curse drives him insane.
With enemies to lovers, graphic violence, snarky humor, and explicit sexual content, Endurance is a polyamorous M/M/M fantasy that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Off The Wall by Edie Montreux is a fantasy novel by a writer i just discovered. I always want to be positive about books by a as new to me author.
But I found myself struggling to find some good aspects of this fantasy book to highlight.
Itās not the storylines originality. The author doesnāt help herself by telling us exactly what her inspiration was when plotting her story (the movie āOverboardā – ā”It’s Overboard, but she’s a princess, her rescuer is gay, and she mistakes him for her brother, also gay.” Then mixed with , also in the authorās words , āThrow in a royal marriage proposal (The Princess Bride) and a royal decree on marriage ā(” You must be married to a prince,” a.k.a. Aladdin), and it practically wrote itself.ā
Le sigh, as they say.
The characters hold appeal. They are the strength of the book. But for every strength the author layers in, like Ryeās relationships with his family and especially his brother Trevor, a challenging dynamic that gets a believable amount of growth, thereās a equally weak and unsettling element.
Here itās the manner in which Prince Cyril is portrayed. A āhimbo prince ā, a scatter brain, ālazyā, who canāt do his own work or school book training. A dreamer who canāt even remember math numbers correctly.
Are things adding up for you here?
Was Montreux truly unaware that Cyril is written as someone whoās learning disabled or challenged? That every word the other characters, including the man whoās supposedly been in love with him, who calls him lazy, are intolerant, and often ugly ?
Yes, Cyril may have had a privileged, tightly controlled upbringing but heās , as written a sweet, open hearted person. Yet heās being mocked for his lack of ability to understand mathematics, ability to concentrate, and other things seemingly out of his control.
Not a nice element.
The moat dragon comes and goes at will. Itās not a well developed part of this book and storyline, especially at the end where it obeys surprise commands. Really?
But aside from the characters within Ryeās family, the reader has to live with the feel and flow of a narrative overflowing with a density of details.
Need a chair? We get the type of wood, how it was made, type of lathe, two backs,spindles. The story becomes burdensome with knowledge that slows down the movement of the narrative until the pace is downright glacial.
And itās not just slow.
Thereās no energy or enormous mountains to overcome, itās all monotonous in the feel of the narrative. There are those stories where the main characters journey is literally laid out before you. Days, weeks, months of them living together, doing chores, rehashing their history, and it works on a deeply believable, emotional level. The reader is so invested in this life with them that the slowness doesnāt bother them.
Then thereās the books where the same journey goes on as it is written above but the reader instead feels āOmg,will they just get on with it ā.
Off The Wall becomes the later, a draining narrative of endless chatter about farm chores , animals, clothing, and choices. Itās all on a one low energy level sort of basis.
As said, Montreux loves to describe things . Everything is very detailed. In a book where thereās a deficit of energy to begin with, hardly any suspense or action in a plot where a Prince and a princess, a moat dragon and even a Kingdom are at risk, well , more details arenāt quite the thing thatās missing here.
Thereās no battles, nary a sword fight, the villain is rarely seen and his death is swiftly done and forgotten.
This is an example of the type of narrative and detail here:
āBuilding their cabin proved to be enough of a challenge in the early days. It took Rye all spring to find the right wood to make the beams. Once the frame was built, Cyril helped him with the walls and the thatched roof until the cool mornings gave way to hot afternoons. They spent those in the cool stone of the outpost until it was too hot. Then, they would cool off in the nearby stream. Finally, on the first day of autumn, Rye considered their little house a home worthy of a prince. It had three rooms, like his parents’ original cottage. The sitting room, kitchen, and dining roomā
The next paragraph is about how and what type of rooms the house had. What they were lined with, how many chairs, the type of chairs. Etc.
Next paragraph is all about building their bed, their dresser, etc.
On, and on. Details upon details.
Imagine pages and pages of this.
The entire book is like this.
Even their sexual activity is a manual. Just read as so non sexy.
It took everything I had to finish this.
Read the above passage. Decide if that sort of writing is your thing.
If so, this might be your book.
Buy Link:
Description:
When unrequited love sours to hate, it takes something off the wall to turn it around.
After the royal moat dragon is accused of murder, Prince Cyril immediately heads to his childhood friend-turned-nemesis’s farm to exonerate the beast. Too bad Rye still hates him and assassins want him dead.
Rye has avoided Prince Cyril since he learned his crush was futile. Now, he’s responsible for his siblings and the majority of the kingdom’s food supply. He doesn’t have time for his princely annoyance, especially when they’re trapped together with only one bed.
Instead of finding a way to return the prince to the castle, Cyril and Rye succeed only in irritating each other until another feeling rears its ugly head. Love or no, a prince can’t marry a farmer, even if their relationship is key to restoring peace in their kingdom.
Off The Wall is a male/male fantasy friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with comedic and cottage core elements. It has a farmer turned rescuer, a himbo prince who complicates everything, a princess with amnesia, and a playful moat dragon. There’s snark, spice, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Content Warning: Off the Wall contains fantasy violence with swords, assassins, dungeons, and the aforementioned hungry moat dragon. It also contains farm animal battery for butchering. There is mention of a fatal plague-like disease.
Soul Bound is a moving fantasy tale, a short story that just begs for a sequel because of the intriguing universe and fascinating characters.
Two desperate men, each in need of a magical solution to a horrible fate. They meet on the road to enter The Marvel, where the person chooses to undergo a series of trials to earn the right to a prize of their asking. However, the chances of being awarded the right to enter are limited and even less are those who survive The Marvel and exit to win the prize.
Cari Zās story drew me in for many reasons. She did a wonderful job creating a world where magic had gone, or was disappearing. What was left was a world of the mundane, the suffering, poor people, the powerful and the rich. We understood the characters, especially that of the warrior Caz. A scarred mercenary hiring himself out to help where needed, how he became cursed immediately puts us on his side. As does his actions every day. Heās a good hearted man, weary of being a warrior.
The other one wishing to enter The Marvel is a courtesan, Lias. Lias is traveling with a tiny bird companion on the way to the Marvel when they meet. His history is revealed slowly through out the story and conversations with Cas.
Of the two characters, for me , even when important details are revealed about their lives and reasons for the need Marvel trails, Cas remains the more sympathetic personality. I can see clearly how Cari Zās story will play out, although not the minutiae.
But sheās such an empathetic writer, that, even knowing how it will most likely proceed, Iām still invested in the characters, their emotional state, and their relationships.
I like the world, the people and want them to succeed.
Was I ever fully on board with Lias? Probably not. Was I still satisfied with the ending? Yes. Sometimes thatās the way it happens.
Iām recommending Soul Bound by Cari Z for its sympathetic characters, moving scenes, emotional depth , and fascinating themes.
Magic has faded out of everyday life. Only in the darkest corners of the world, or the richest coffers, does the power of magic endure.
Everyone says itās for the best.
When rogue magic lashes out, though, thereās only one place the afflicted can go to solve their problemsāthe Marvel.
Whoever is chosen to enter the Marvel has to endure a trial unlike any otherāa trial that most people fail, leaving their hopes and their bones behind to feed the wild magic of the place.
When two people are chosen, soul bound, to endure the trial simultaneouslyā¦well, either the gods have a sense of humor or the magic is angling for a feast. Can warrior Caz and courtesan Lias, men with wildly different magical problems, survive the trials if they work together?
Or will the magic feed on two souls instead of one?
The Magic That Binds is the first in a new series by A.J. Sherwood and itās an excellent story. By the authorās own admission, itās been a long time coming. A fact made clear by the detailed nature of the bookās world building and the way in which Sherwood slowly creates this incredible, intimate bond between three unusual, and extremely distinct individuals.
This bond, a threefold relationship that forms from wary friendships and tenuous business/political connections then strengthens through mutual attraction, deepening connections, mysterious events, and ultimately love.
Sherwoodās beautifully plotted tale of a poly romantic journey is founded upon a backdrop of intricate magical intrigue and political power struggles. We are given a prologue as a base for our world knowledge before we jump into the high drama and mysteries that will bring the three men together in a fascinating, satisfying romantic tale.
Itās starts with Dag Gates, rogue healer, on the run in Nova Scotia, a country only recently having found peace and stability under new rule. Dag, an orphaned boy, a powerful healer, and a bit of an enigma, might start off as a favorite character. Heās all damaged soul, PTSD, and yet so bright and caring. A great character. Yet the two men coming into his life shortly after are different, in looks, backgrounds, and power. And will slide into the readerās heart as well. Maegan Stefan Bjorne, powerful mage, of a large loving theatrical family and possessing a heart wary of affection and commitment. Dark, strong and instantly drawn to Dag.
I felt their chemistry immediately.
Then came the bad boy or man. Businessman Mikkel Vinters, with two families, of which one is his chosen found family of a less lustrous reputation. Vinters so layered , his found family so fascinating , his mind so open to the possibilities both men represent to him and the future, that you are all in where heās concerned.
With each perspective, we get to know intimately the way each man thinks and feels, about the others and the increasingly precarious situations they find themselves in .
I just couldnāt put this book down.
They grow together, Dag ās new stable life lets him start to settle down emotionally, and that impacts the others. I really donāt see how Sherwood missed out on the natural progression here with the men and their poly relationship. Even the sexual scenes, which have the added element of one man being a virgin, feel believable , sexy, and loving.
Iām thrilled that Sherwood isnāt done with these men and this universe. I honestly need more . The author teases us with fabulous glimpses of family life, personal history, and castle home life. But we know that thereās so much more happening.
And we want to be a part of it. And them. Whenever we may get it.
The Magic That Binds (Haelan Book 1) by A.J. Sherwood is a fabulous book and one Iām highly recommending!
All Dag Gates wants is a place to call home. (And to practice magic freely.)
All Stefan Bjorne wants is peace in his adoptive country. (And less paperwork.)
All Mikkel Vinters wants is both of them. (No, really, he could do wedding bells.)
So why, pray tell, is half the magical community set on denying them all their wishes?
Tags:
Urban fantasy anyone?, slow burn, Mikkel is dying its so slow, pray for him, age gap, millionaire CEO is loose with no limits, cinnamon roll protection squad assemble!, polyamory at its best, Dag wants to eat all the things, all, magic, healing, childhood trauma, whoās chasing who is the question, Dagās shy, Stefanās a little insecure, thankfully Mikkel is neither, there is far too much food in this book, short but mighty, rules are established, Mikkelās type in men is sexy and dangerous, it hasnāt killed him yet, accidental husband acquisition, magical bindings, shenanigans shall now commence
Perfectly Imperfect Pixie (Perfect Pixie Series Book 1) by M.J. May is a fantastically imaginative story, filled with characters so vivid and beautifully written that you embrace them immediately.
It helps that May, a new author to me, has created a richly detailed and creative universe into which to place these characters. I wanted to know as much about the world and itās unique history as I did about the found family of beings coming together on the pages before me.
A world now run by fairy law, and these are very different fairies than the ones you might have in mind, our tale starts with a highly unusual pixie.
Philodendron, Phil for short, isnāt your normal pixie. While heās beautiful, has pixie dust and glorious wings, heās far from delicate or tiny. Quite the opposite. Heās big, tall in fact. Which makes it hard for him as a home and hearth pixie to get hired. Who wants a ginormous pixie around when it should be someone small, delicately flitting about bonding and cleaning?
The authorās two person POV invites the reader into the heartbreak of Philās current situation and his insecurities, his despair at ever finding a home .
Concurrently, we meet equally desperate werewolf Alpha Sedrick. Uncle to recently orphaned kids, Dillon and Kelsie, heās got the terrifying family of his deceased brotherās wife to contend with. These are children are so well written, hurting and complicated while just being children and werewolves.
Sedrick, has an formidable fairy lawyer, Ray, and wonderful staff of miners, dwarves, and a need for someone, hearth and home pixie to get his house in order and help the grieving children.
Itās a great theme and May uses it as a framework to build a heartfelt bond between children, and Phil, and Sedrick, and all the others in this community. Like Peaches, the garden pixie, Philās best friend, and a bar owning vampire.
Itās simply a marvelous place to spend time in and grand beings to get to know. Plus thereās a evil grandfather to deal with too!
Iām thrilled this is the first one in a series. I was so impressed with how this story ended and wanted to linger on.
Now I can look forward to seeing this world and characters once more.
Iām highly recommending Perfectly Imperfect Pixie (Perfect Pixie Series Book 1) by M.J. May! Check it out now!
Size matters. Pixies are supposed to be petite, beautifully lithe creatures with gossamer wings. Sporting luscious, ombre pink hair and fluttering pink wings, Phil meets two out of three of those criteria. At over six feet tall, no one would dare call Phil petite. As a home-and-hearth pixie, Phil yearns to find a home and family he can bond to. When no oneās willing to hire a pixie of his stature, Phil is forced to find work elsewhere. Turns out, pixies make terrible bouncers.
The sudden death of Sedrickās brother and sister-in-law left Sedrick Voss a pack of oneāplus two young, traumatized were children. Sedrick needs help. He needs a home-and-hearth pixie. But pixies are small, delicate creatures nowhere near sturdy enough to stand up to a couple of growing werewolves. Phil seems like the perfect answerāa pixie that might be able to physically withstand small werewolf teeth and claws.
Phil is overjoyed, finally able to do a job that speaks to his heart and soul. But peace is a hard-won commodity. Sedrick is in the middle of a nasty custody battle with his niece and nephewās maternal grandfatherāone of the most arrogantly deceitful werewolf alphas to ever lead a pack. If their grandfather gets custody, Sedrickās niece and nephew are in for a lifetime of manipulation.
Between the custody battle, noxiously invasive garden gnomes, and fairy lawyers, Phil and Sedrick struggle to keep their home and family safe. Werewolves and pixies donāt mate. Phil and Sedrick are about to challenge that misconception.
Perfectly Imperfect Pixie is a m/m standalone title with a HEA, a rough but kind werewolf, fairy lawyers, vampire bar owners, dwarf miners, questionably intelligent humans, pesky garden gnomes, and charming pixies.
My one issue this sentence.
āDeep, purple bags rested below his tender brown orbsā
ā Perfectly Imperfect Pixie by MJ May
Pls no orbs ever. Otherwise perfectly imperfectly lovely.
How To Date A Dragon is a short cute prequel to Louisa Masters Here Be Dragons series. This quick romance between Hagen, a dragon, and real estate agent, the vampire Jaiden is about 88 pages long. That doesnāt allow much time for character or relationship development. It comes with the expectation that the reader is already familiar with the characters and the world building behind it.
The purpose of Hagen and Jaiden meeting is to find the location for what will become in the series Here Be Dragons, the seat and home of the dragons on Earth. They meet hot and heavy, go on a couple of romantic dates, and then the epilogue flashes forward to find them into an established relationship.
Itās sexy, the couple engaging, and the entire thing short. Definitely a story that could benefit from more exposition and length. But itās a cute addition to Louisa Masters series and dragons.
Tip #1 for dealing with dragons: be prepared for anything
My whole life, I thought dragons were majestic, wise, and fearsome creatures. Not to mention fictional. Itās been less than a year since that last belief was debunked. Dragons are real, theyāre now living among us, and Iām the lucky realtor who gets to sell a house to their leader. I just have to impress his representative first. No problemāIām a professional.
Except the dragon rep turns out to be the guy I hooked up with last night, and heās fast disproving everything I believed about dragons. Unless āwiseā actually means āaddicted to glitterā and āmajesticā is a euphemism for āovergrown frat boy.ā
Hagen might actually be the most annoying person Iāve ever met, yet I canāt resist going on a date with him. One thingās for sure, someone needs to write me a how-to guide for dating a dragonā¦ glitter not included.
Prince and Pawn charts the course of romance for the third and oldest Sandrelle Prince and the current heir to the Kingdom, Audric.
This book differs from the others in that the younger brothers , widely considered vying for the throne themselves outside of inner circles, each traveled to find their own mates. Audricās story takes place primarily at home.
This plot feels less complicated or perhaps less well explained with its backstories, while being more kinky within their personal relationship than the others.
This is a BDSM D/s relationship with pain play, even involving some interesting use of Audricās plant magic , think tendrils , during sex. That aspect of their relationship comes into play quickly and with little discussion at first meeting. Only the timing and details surrounding that event keep me from bringing up more questions here.
Lark makes each manās resigned, reckless emotional state a factor in their actions that night, both sides dismissing talk for sex. So the reader gets it.
What is more noticeable during the narrative is the lack of depth given to the details of Corinās magic. Thereās no information or hints as to the background for this type of magic. So it lessens in many ways the impact of Corin himself, at the end and throughout the storyline.
Whether it was Whisper the assassin in Prince and Assassin #1 (my favorite) with his believable tortured adolescent or the betrayed enemy dragonrider, Rakos, of Prince in Disguise #2, (a tight second), those strong personalities with their complicated pasts elevated their romances, built barriers to their relationships, and ultimately created a superior narrative for their storylines.
I wish I could say the same about Audric and Corinās romance but something just feels lacking. Less depth, less focus on details about history and magic, more about their sex life.
Maybe thatās intentional and will be addressed in future books. I donāt know.
But as of now, Corinās a bit of a weakness and not because heās a submissive but because heās existing in a bit of a narrative vacuum. And by hooking Audric to him, it pulls him into that as well.
The next book takes us away from the royal family of Sandrelle and to another Kingdom entirely. One we visited in Rakosā story, and a Prince and bodyguard we met there. I canāt wait.
Iām highly recommending this series. This story moves the series arc forward and I believe that we will get more of the missing parts later on as the entire series is a complex one whose unique world is being explored book by book.
I didnāt love this like I did with the others but it was entertaining.
Read them in order for event, character, and relationship development. Just marvelous!
Be obedient. Be grateful. As the neglected illegitimate son of a powerful family, Corin is expected to follow his magic-gifted brother to the palace as a servant. Heās unwilling but resignedāand allows himself one night of distraction in a strangerās arms.
Corin never knew pleasure and pain could be so exhilarating. So comforting. Corin only regrets heāll never again see the anonymous man who ruined him for anyone else.
Prince Audric doesnāt want a loveless political betrothal, but heāll do anything for his kingdom. His last night of freedom is a rare indulgenceāand a terrible mistake. Corin is sweet, beautiful, and sees Audric like nobody else does.
Constant proximity hurts when they canāt be together. But avoidance is impossible when Corin might be the key to unraveling the conspiracy behind Audricās betrothalā
And when Corin keeps fainting into Audricās arms.
Prince and Pawn is a high fantasy gay romance with hurt/comfort, forbidden pining, inappropriate use of vines, and more magic tigers. The Perilous Courts series is best read in order, but each book follows a different prince and his Happily Ever After.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 