Nikolai is a dragon shapeshifter who knows well the meaning of loss. Orphaned and raised to be a Dragon King, he never accepts defeat. Now, Nikolai prefers his solitude . . .until a beautiful, irresistible woman calls upon him for help—and Nikola’s whole word goes up in flames.
Ever since MI5 agent Esther woke to discover her mind taken over with magic, she feels like stranger to herself. She looks to a notorious dragon, one who has the power to help her find her memory. But as she and Nikolai come closer to discovering what really happened to her, a dangerous passion ignites between them. Can this lone Dragon King help the woman he’s grown to love to uncover the truth about her past—or will a deep and fiery danger tear them both apart?
I really like Nikolai. His story is the perfect one for right before Ulrik's book. Nikolai and Ulrik are/were friends. Nikolai hasn't forgotten that. He wants that back.
One of the things I LOVE about this series is how the world lends itself to so many stories. The author has created such a dynamic world. It holds Dragon Kings, Fae, Droids, and more. It also has humans, most of which are clueless about what's really going on around them. I love how a couple of characters can go from be mentioned in one book to center stage in the next. The over arcing story continues as a couple figures out a small thing while deciding if they can't live without the other. Such is the case for Nikolai and Esther.
Nikolai's power is in his drawings. It's amazing that he can use that gift to discover truths. It's what draws Esther to him. She's lost a part of her life and it's driving her nuts. She must know what happened. They travel to London and go searching for that truth one drawing at a time. What a different and interesting premise.
I love all the characters in this world. Nikolai appeals to me a lot because he has some history with Ulrik. Left as an orphan at a very young age, Nikolai was raised by Ulrik. The pain and guilt he feels for what happened to Ulrik plagues him greatly. I felt his pain...his guilt. It was part of who he is and the author does a great job of bringing this Dragon King to life.
One aspect of this story was to show a different side to Ulrik. I admit to not being a fan of the series "bad guy". It's funny, though, how seeing a different side of a character can start to change your mind about him. That's what happens here. It made me dive right into Ulrik's book as soon as I finished Heat.
Esther is a strong and determined women. She wants her memories back. She wants to protect herself and she grows protective of Nikolai as well. I love that she just finds a way. I can't help but fall for Nikolai right along with her. They are perfect for each other and I was certainly cheering for them.
As with all of the books in this series, there are some hot moments between this couple. Donna Grant never disappoints to craft passion and heat between her characters. Romance and passion make this one hard to resist.
I was not disappointed by this book at all. At book twelve in the series, I can see myself just continuing to enjoy these books for a long time yet. I find it amazing when a series can hold my attention this long. I love the Dragon Kings and I just want things to work out for them. In the mean time, I'm completely smitten by these books.
Of course I will continue to the next book and hopefully a lot more beyond that.
I so need to add these to my TBR --- you make them sound so good. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome book 12 and still going strong and you still interested in them.
ReplyDeleteJoLee
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