Stoking the Flames: 13 Tales of Dragons, Destiny and Desire Paranormal Romance Dragons
March 28, 2017
1309
Reviewed by: Linda Tonis
Member of the Paranormal Romance Review Team
This is a boxed set of thirteen stories by thirteen different authors. These stories were not published prior to the release date for all thirteen books. We follow the lives and loves of dragons in their pursuit of their soulmate.
Soul Fire: Kelly Abell – 4.5****’Stars
Grace has fallen into the hands of a dark witch, Medea, a witch who is protected by Satan himself. With the use of a Soul Fire Stone Medea was able to turn Grace into a dragon with no will of her own when Medea calls on her. Thousands of people have lost their lives to Grace’s dragon and she has no choice but to follow Medea’s orders. She cannot reveal Medea’s location or cause her harm without suffering unbearable pain. Guarding Medea is Dartanian a vampire with incredible strength.
Grace’s husband Gabriel with the help of Archangel Michael have been trying to find and destroy Medea for two years with no success. In the meantime Grace is losing all hope of her nightmare ever ending. Something changes everything for Grace and Gabriel and killing Medea is more urgent than ever.
There is violence and evil and there were times when I could feel the pain of those dying. The reason for the 4.5 stars is that there were some unresolved issues and I have no idea if there will be a follow up to this book but I hope there will be.
Desired Revenge: The Reigning Sisters #1 Solease M. Barner – 4****Stars
Carmen is a dragon reaching her one hundreth birthday which is not a happy occasion for her. Every five hundred years her family has to give their first born female to the King of Hati. Carmen is the first born and finds herself having to marry King Noal a man she doesn’t love, a man she has to bear at least five children for and a man who is a tyrant.
Behind the scenes at the castle Prince Jumon the heir to the throne discovers that his father plans to have him killed insuring that the king will reign for as long as he wants with no immediate heir. Jumon manages to kill his father before his father gets him. The news of the kings death is reason for rejoicing as far as Carmen and her family is concerned because she is now free of her commitment to marry Noal. Happiness is not long lived when Jumon shows up as the new king ready to take his bride.
Carmen and her sisters are determined to take back the throne that originally belonged to their family before Noal took over. By being in the castle with Jumon there is hope she will find something that will ensure her family gets back their kingdom. Carmen never expected Jumon to be the exact opposite of his father and feelings begin to rise up, but that doesn’t stop her determination for revenge.
Jumon falls in love with Carmen and has no idea that she plans on betraying him. Loved the story and if this is book one than I anxiously look forward to book two. The only reason for the rating of four stars and not five was due to the editing which was bad.
Devon: House of Wilshire #1 Kathi S. Barton 4****Stars
At the age of ten Devon lost his father but it was not a sad time for him it was a time to rejoice. Devon hated his father as did everyone else and now Devon is the lord of the castle and inspite of his maternal grandmother wanting him to return to the States with her he refused. Instead grandma moved in with Devon. For twenty five years they lived happily with each other the only problem was that grandma was always trying to set him up. Devon is a dragon and he is sure that no woman will want him or want to have little dragons, so he has come to terms with it inspite of his loneliness.
In the States Kelly Dalton is planning a month long vacation around the United Kingdom with her sister and mother. Kelly and her sister Rachel, had a joint account which they would put money in for their dream vacation only when Kelly went to the bank she discovered her sister had not put a penny of her own in and had taken out all the money. Rachel insisted that the money was as much hers as Kelly’s since it was a joint account. Kelly finally takes matters into her own hands when she goes on the vacation alone.I don’t want to go into too much detail but boy meets girl and sparks fly.
Kelly had fallen and gotten hurt and Devon took her to his home to heal. He was aware of the fact that she had a disagreement with her family and took upon himself to invite them to come to his home to be with Kelly. Big, I mean big mistake because Rachel and her mother are two of the most dislikeable people you would ever meet. They both convinced themselves that Kelly owes them and it is her job to support them in the manner they want.
There are surprises, sex and the fun in watching while two grown women get what is coming to them.
On Wings of Time: Lochlainne Guardians #1 Linda Boulanger 3***Stars
Amileigh McCollum took her friend Kiernan Tavish’s advise and ran from the dark shadows chasing her. Unfortunately curiosity got the best of her and she turned to look back when she fell into a pit. By the time she got out and returned to her home everything had changed. Her home was in ruins and there was noone left. When she heard a woman calling out to someone named Luke Tavish she showed herself feeling sure that he would know Kiernan. Suddenly she and Luke found themselves back in her time because Amileigh had no idea that she had travelled six hundred years into the future.
Amileigh is a Prihom the key to unlocking the dragon within Luke. They must get married and consummate the marriage for the dragon to be released. Dark dragons also want the key so their marriage must take place as soon as possible or their kind could die out. Luke is more than happy to do the consummating part without marriage and Amileigh refuses to marry someone who doesn’t like her.
The majority of the story revolves around Luke and Amileigh and whether they will or they won’t. The story goes back and forth from the future to the past and at times I found it hard to follow the story. I know that the first book in a series is when the author is setting the stage for what is to come and I look forward to it.
Dragon Slayer Dragon Heart: Isobelle Cate – 4****Stars
Saxton Lance a.k.a. Apollo is a dragonslayer who has to kill his Omega, the dragon assigned to him. It has been four hundred years that he has searched for his Omega and came very close when he injured it only once again his dragon escaped him. Saxton will never die and find peace until he kills his Omega and gets his soul back.
Orelle Molyneux is a dragon and Saxton’s Omega but one night in her human form they meet and find themselves drawn to each other. In their human form a dragonslayer can not sense them and of course, Orelle has no way of knowing that Saxton is a dragonslayer. The two of them find it hard to stay away from each and he feels that she is the one that can give him a reason to want to go on living. She becomes his everything and he becomes hers but neither of them have any idea what secrets they are hiding.
Other dragonslayers have been known to fall in love with their dragons and became mortal dying when their dragon did. One of Saxton’s friends did that and Saxton has never been able to forgive him and now blind to who Orelle really is he is risking doing exactly the same thing.
There are secrets, surprises and sex in addition to a very hot relationship between two people, enemies meant to kill each other not love each other.
Heart of a Dragon: L.J. Garland – 4****Stars
Lyra sits on the balcony in her home watching the city dragons fly. Lyra has a disease that is attacking her vital organs and there is nothing that can be done for her. She now sits in a wheelchair and watching her beloved dragons is what gives her the greatest pleasure. It is her brother Ralion that looks after since the death of their mother but everything in her life changes when aliens attack the city and kill the dragons that have been guarding it forever. The weapons in the city are no match for the creatures attacking them and for the men dressed in armor.
Ralion manages to hide her in the pantry behind some sacks of grain and then runs out to distract them. He is caught but his attempt at distraction doesn’t work when one of the soldiers enters the pantry with his gun raised and looks Lyra right in the eye. Something amazing happens because the soldier feels a bond with Lyra and senses that she is dying. He leaves her behind to die at her own pace.
From the moment Rusch saw Lyra he couldn’t get her out of his mind. His feelings for her were something he never experienced before but he was part of the Legion and had a job to do. Rusch was just one of hundreds taken from their planet and brought into the Legion. Lyra knows that she will die soon but wants to save her brother. She had been working on a secret project for a year and now it was time to finish it. She was building a dragon and if she could finish it before she died maybe, just maybe she could do some good against the aliens.
This is just a small taste of what happens in this book but I don’t want to reveal too much. Needless to say alot happens, some good and some bad.
Promised to the Dragon: Darlene Kuncytes – 5*****Stars
Evangeline Meadows is shocked to find out that her father the King of the Fey has given her hand to a dragon shifter, the son of the dragon shifter King. Evangeline’s mom was killed by a dragon shifter and her father’s need for revenge sent him to the dragon territory where he killed many innocent dragons.
Marrying Trevon the Prince and heir to the dragon kingdom will hopefully bring peace between the two groups or there is the fear of war. Many dragon shifters still hate the Fey for killing their family. Julius Manchester the king of the dragons is so happy to be getting rid of his lazy drunk son. His hope is that Trevon will remain in the Fey territory so he no longer has to deal with him.
On meeting Trevon, Evangeline immediately knows he is someone she could never love. His mere touch makes her ill. She has always hated the dragon shifters and now she is to marry the worst of the lot. It was Trevon who came up with the idea of joining the two groups but with the help of his friend they have plans that noone could have forseen. There is one bright spot in everything that is going on and that was the arrival of Trevon’s half-brother Ryland. He is everything that Trevon isn’t.
So far this book was my favorite. It is filled with betrayals, violence and love.
The Dragon’s Sacrifice: Andi Lawrencovna – 3***Stars
Ciandra is an elf who decided to go pick persimmons for the children before winter set in. What she never expected to find was a dragon, a beast of legend, and a beast noone believed existed anymore. Ciandra found herself falling into the lake and slowly sinking due to the heavy clothes she was wearing. It was the dragon who saved her.
Trinigon is a dragon who has left his native land to explore this new place. He was shocked when Ciandra fell into the water and immediately went after her. Unable to converse with her he found a way to speak to her in her mind. Ciandra realized that Trinigon was not going to harm her but her family who had gone looking for her thought otherwise. Trinigon took off for his cave leaving his little human behind.
Ciandra’s father put all the blame on her because she was always disobeying orders and taking off on her own. His disappointment in her and his anger did not stop her from wanting to find the dragon again. This time when she returned to the lake her people were all right behind her. A spear landed in Trinigon’s belly and he responded by using his fire to stop them. He managed to fly away to his cave. He left behind burned elves some of whom looked near death. Ciandra didn’t blame the dragon because her people struck the first blow.
This time she didn’t get off easy because her father would not forgive what happened to his people. She was shamed and used as bait to bring the dragon back to be killed. What happens between Ciandra and Trinigon I will not reveal but it was a beautiful story of two very different species learning to trust each other.
Sadie’s Shadow: Ladies of the Sky #1: Julia Mills – 5*****Stars
Sadie Ashford is a dragoness and the leader of a group of seven female shifters who lost their family, their clan and their homes. The call themselves The Ladies of the Sky.
Orion McKendrick is a dragon also known as Shadow. He has been held captive by a radical group of monks who for a century have done everything in their power to get Orion to reveal the whereabouts of the Cave of the Ancients. There was nothing they didn’t do to him and there was nothing that weakened his resolve. After an explosion in the cave he was being held in he managed to escape. He went to seek the other Guardians of the Realm but had no idea how many of them survived.
On his way he found himself shot and locked up. This was his first meeting with Sadie even though she never let him see her. He was fed and healed and shot full of tranquilzers to keep him quiet. When Sadie decided that he was well enough she and the others dropped him off by his fellow Guardians. When he awoke and was reunited with his friends he took the blanket that he was wrapped in to find the dragoness he knew was his mate. In spite of a spell to keep anyone from sensing her smell Orion knew immediately where she was.
Sadie knew that she belonged with Orion but she was determined not to change anything in her life in spite of what the fates and destiny decreed. Orion has to prove to her that he belongs in her life but before he can do anything he is captured once again by an enemy from the past. Sadie needs to save him. Will this be the turning point for her in accepting Orion as her mate.
I Dream of Dragons:Moonlight Dragon Novella: Tricia Owens- 5*****Stars
Anne Moody owns a pawnshop is a dragon sorceress and is in love with a gargoyle. Vale is all hers at night and a stone statue in the day. When Anne receives a lamp in the mail she wonders if it is magical but rubbing it does nothing. The next day she places it on her shelf in the store and decides to raise the price she originally was asking. This time she rubbed the lamp in the exact right spot and she found herself facing her genie. Aashiq is a djinn and is immortal and now he has a beautiful mistress.
No matter how many times Anne tells him she wants nothing from him but to disappear she finds herself unable to get rid of him. He wants to show her what real love is and as a djinn he has all kinds of weapons at his disposal. Anne wants Vale but she has to find a way to free herself from a genie obsessed with her.
This book brought a smile to my face, Anne is a woman determined to have the man she wants and she is not without some smart ideas of her own. I laughed when she decided that the only way to discourage Aashiq from wanting her was to tell him how she farts when she eats Mexican food, or how hairy her legs are or but Aashiq has been around for thousands of years and can see right through her feeble attempts.
Fire and Ice: Kate Richards: 5*****Stars
Claire Nilson lived with her Aunt Frieda on a farm in Vermont, she graduated college with honors and was ready to take her CPA License. The only thing that she didn’t count on was that after graduation her aunt handed her an airline ticket, a duffle bag and enough money for lunch. She was headed to New Orleans where there was a job waiting for her and a place to live.
Ling Lee is a dragon who has to mate in less than forty-eight hours with the ice dragon or she risks being wed to a rival clan against her will and used as a sex slave. Claire is working at a nightclub called Crossroads and she is about to enter into a life she never could have expected. Ling is her mate, she is an ice dragon and is surrounded by all manner of shifters and even vampires. When Ling finds Claire laying in his bed he believes that she has come to him to complete the mating bond. Claire has never been attracted or turned on by any man or woman yet Ling has her moaning and groaning. Unfortunately he manages to set the bed on fire and for the first time she shifts and freezes everything in the room including Ling.
Claire is such a wonderful character and made me laugh everytime she yelled out to everyone that she is from Vermont, Vermont doesn’t have vampires or dragons. She also begins to believe that she has fallen down the rabbit hole. There are many surprises and secrets.
Curse of the Dragon Eye: Kali Willows: 5*****Stars
Uraeus is a dragoness that has become the ruler of her dragons since the death of her parents. She has been approached continuously by Heka a very powerful Alchemist. Uraeus wants nothing to do with him and with an amulet from her priestess Kesi she is sure she will be safe from him. Unfortunately her desire for a three way with two of her royal guards stopped her from putting on the amulet.
The story takes us to the present where an archeologist named Ureena is working on the catacombs of Amon-Ra. Amon-Ra where Uraeus’ sarcophagus rests. Her boss is Hector a man who she doesn’t trust. How the story of Ureena and Uraeus comes together is something you will have to read for yourself. This is a story filled with betrayals and magic.
Scorched Hearts: An Ember Brooke Tale: Victoria Zak – 4****Stars
Bex St. James is a dragoness who was adopted at a young age. She was raised by human parents and had no idea until her first shift that she was a dragon. She managed to keep that secret from her parents all her life. She works at the Supernatural Research Institute with other paranormals trying to find out more about dragons since there was noone to teach her what she should have known.
Bex managed to create a serum that blocks her dragon from shifting but she knows that it is beginning to lose potency. She suffers from sleepless nights and at the insistence of her friend she decides to take a week vacation. That vacation takes her to Ember Brooke a dragon’s paradise.
Thane Monroe runs a hang gliding company and he suddenly feels his mate. Bex is staying at a local B&B and Thane knows she is his mate only he is shocked when she shows no signs of feeling the connection. He has no idea that the serum she takes is blocking her feelings.
This is a story of a woman who is blocking who she really is and blocking the dragon who is her mate. Thane has a week to convince Bex to stay with him.
This is a must for anyone who loves dragon shifter books. You have 13 books by 13 different authors and each story is unique.