This gripping tale of faraway lands sears with passion, magic, and allure.
Greed and prejudice put the love between a human and a shape-shifting dragon to the test in this erotic fantasy.
Princess Ophelia keeps her regular rendezvouses with Arik a secret. As a drac, Arik can easily shift between human and dragon forms. He’s also the dragon chieftain’s son. But the real problem with their union is that dracs have long hidden themselves from humans, who once hunted dragons. So every new moon—when a flying dragon is less likely to be spotted—Arik and Ophelia meet for unbridled sex. Then one day, the kingdom of Penyasegat, which neighbors Ophelia’s Devantdemar, mercilessly kills and dismembers a dragon. Penyasegat’s king, Niklau, sanctions the slaughter of other winged creatures so his people can reap the dragons’ magic. This secretly horrifies Ophelia (“I want to know how they’re harvesting magic from dragons and how they could kill these majestic beings”). But a spying Arik mistakes her smiling public persona as consent and, therefore, betrayal. As he essentially severs the couple’s relationship, Ophelia has no way of communicating with him. So how will she warn him when Niklau, rather than merely capturing dragons, aggressively seeks more of their magic to harvest? Landon’s novella, which bounces back and forth between Ophelia’s and Arik’s first-person narrations, sizzles with erotica. The couple’s brazen scenes subvert innuendo, with Arik taking a rough, dominant role, and their saucy, dirty talk will make most readers blush. While there’s little in the way of a conventional romance, the two unquestionably have a bond that seems unbreakable. The author proves a commendable fantasy writer as well, particularly in describing eye-catching sights like the dragons’ polychromatic scales and the humans’ lavish attire. The engaging cast includes Ophelia’s royal father, who’s apparently keen on harvesting magic in the same way as his neighbors, diminishing the chances that he’ll approve of the princess’ choice of a mate. This series opener further hints at an intriguing backstory that the sequel can explore.
This gripping tale of faraway lands sears with passion, magic, and allure.Pub Date: Nov. 13, 2023
ISBN: 979-8987228968
Page Count: 117
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Oct. 4, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.
The sequel to It Ends With Us (2016) shows the aftermath of domestic violence through the eyes of a single mother.
Lily Bloom is still running a flower shop; her abusive ex-husband, Ryle Kincaid, is still a surgeon. But now they’re co-parenting a daughter, Emerson, who's almost a year old. Lily won’t send Emerson to her father’s house overnight until she’s old enough to talk—“So she can tell me if something happens”—but she doesn’t want to fight for full custody lest it become an expensive legal drama or, worse, a physical fight. When Lily runs into Atlas Corrigan, a childhood friend who also came from an abusive family, she hopes their friendship can blossom into love. (For new readers, their history unfolds in heartfelt diary entries that Lily addresses to Finding Nemo star Ellen DeGeneres as she considers how Atlas was a calming presence during her turbulent childhood.) Atlas, who is single and running a restaurant, feels the same way. But even though she’s divorced, Lily isn’t exactly free. Behind Ryle’s veneer of civility are his jealousy and resentment. Lily has to plan her dates carefully to avoid a confrontation. Meanwhile, Atlas’ mother returns with shocking news. In between, Lily and Atlas steal away for romantic moments that are even sweeter for their authenticity as Lily struggles with child care, breastfeeding, and running a business while trying to find time for herself.
Through palpable tension balanced with glimmers of hope, Hoover beautifully captures the heartbreak and joy of starting over.Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-668-00122-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Atria
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.
A recently dumped librarian finds herself fake dating her polar opposite.
When Daphne Vincent’s fiance, Peter, dumps her, she’s shocked—but the worst part is that he’s leaving her for his gorgeous best friend, Petra, the woman he’d always told Daphne not to worry about. Now Daphne has to move out of Peter’s home and restart her life in the small Michigan town where she’d moved to be with him. Salvation comes in the form of Miles Nowak, Petra’s ex—he has a tiny spare room in his apartment, and he understands what it’s like to wallow in heartbreak. Daphne feels lucky to have her dream job as a children’s librarian, but other than that, she feels adrift and friendless in Waning Bay—and then she and Miles get invitations to Peter and Petra’s wedding. In a momentary lapse of judgment, Daphne not only says she’ll attend the wedding, but tells Peter she’s dating Miles. It would be the perfect way to show Peter and Petra that they’ve moved on…if only it were true. In the grand tradition of fake-dating romances, Daphne and Miles pretend to be in love, getting to know each other while having various adventures and misadventures. Daphne quickly learns that although she’d dismissed Miles as a pothead with a lack of direction, he’s actually a good time—and a loyal friend. But Daphne knows she needs to get out of Waning Bay, so this fake relationship can’t lead anywhere…can it? Reliable bestseller Henry has written another surefire hit that manages to be dramatic, sexy, and fun. Miles and Daphne have chemistry that leaps off the page, and their will-they-or-won’t-they energy propels the story to its satisfying conclusion. Daphne is an immensely likable character, one whose past realistically informs her current relationships. The world of Waning Bay is charmingly quirky, and Daphne’s co-workers at the library are endearing. As always, Henry’s biggest strength is the sharp, often hilarious dialogue that makes the story a joy to read.
Henry fans, rejoice: This is her best yet.Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593441282
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Berkley
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
PERSPECTIVES
BOOK TO SCREEN
SEEN & HEARD
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