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astrokath's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this! Aaron Drake is several thousand years old and a dragon. He’s also a scorching hot man and can put his slippers under my bed anytime. But I digress.
Candace Blevins has shown she can write paranormal romance and make it sexy as hell, as well as convincing me with her world building that I am sharing my life with more creatures than I ever knew existed. She manages a seamless blend of ‘that’ world with ‘this’, with a good knowledge of Fae mythology, the imagination to mix things up and using characters from her other series to ground the human side of the story. I haven’t read a lot of paranormal fiction, but if I can lose myself in the book easily and accept the non-humans without being taken out of the story, the author is doing a great job.
Sophia, the Swan Princess, is a strong-minded woman who won’t accept her father’s narrow choices for her life. Aaron, the Dragon King, is the one who can help her stay free once she has fled her former life. The two of them have loved each other for years, and this is the chance for it to become the romantic love they both want.
Aaron is a favourite character of mine who has appeared in a couple of previous books from Ms. Blevins. This one is a chance for us to really get to know him, what has made him the person he is, and his history - and there’s plenty of that, some of it in the Fae world quite unexpected. Sophia is an engaging, feisty, intelligent woman who is an interesting mix of maturity, when it comes to politics and strategy, and naïvity, with regard to personal relationships, since she really hasn’t been allowed to have any. Her sexual blossoming under Aaron’s tutelage is a great part of the story, and is sometimes quite funny.
The story comes to a satisfactory conclusion, although I hope to see a bit more of these two in further books. I especially enjoy the crossover of characters from one series to another.
Recommended for paranormal and/or romance readers, as I think there is something here for everyone who enjoys an HEA.
Candace Blevins has shown she can write paranormal romance and make it sexy as hell, as well as convincing me with her world building that I am sharing my life with more creatures than I ever knew existed. She manages a seamless blend of ‘that’ world with ‘this’, with a good knowledge of Fae mythology, the imagination to mix things up and using characters from her other series to ground the human side of the story. I haven’t read a lot of paranormal fiction, but if I can lose myself in the book easily and accept the non-humans without being taken out of the story, the author is doing a great job.
Sophia, the Swan Princess, is a strong-minded woman who won’t accept her father’s narrow choices for her life. Aaron, the Dragon King, is the one who can help her stay free once she has fled her former life. The two of them have loved each other for years, and this is the chance for it to become the romantic love they both want.
Aaron is a favourite character of mine who has appeared in a couple of previous books from Ms. Blevins. This one is a chance for us to really get to know him, what has made him the person he is, and his history - and there’s plenty of that, some of it in the Fae world quite unexpected. Sophia is an engaging, feisty, intelligent woman who is an interesting mix of maturity, when it comes to politics and strategy, and naïvity, with regard to personal relationships, since she really hasn’t been allowed to have any. Her sexual blossoming under Aaron’s tutelage is a great part of the story, and is sometimes quite funny.
The story comes to a satisfactory conclusion, although I hope to see a bit more of these two in further books. I especially enjoy the crossover of characters from one series to another.
Recommended for paranormal and/or romance readers, as I think there is something here for everyone who enjoys an HEA.
tiggers_hate_acorns's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic! Loved the world building and the intertwining of characters from other series. Aaron I loved from the first paragraph. I also enjoyed how lesser characters helped build the framework of a great series, ie the unicorns,Madeline,the MC werewolves and others.
Highly recommended to all that enjoy fantasy and shifter stories.
Highly recommended to all that enjoy fantasy and shifter stories.
belladonna_loves_to_read's review
4.0
Driven by grief after the slaughter of his wife and determined to protect his only remaining child and heir, the current Swan King, Raul, sequesters her within the protective walls of the castle. A virtual hostage in her own home, Sophia grows to resent both her confinement and her father’s decisions regarding her future.
Aaron Drake, the Dragon King, has been tutor and friend to the past seven generations of Swan Royalty. Tutoring Sophia from the time she was six years old, he has been her only true friend and link to the outside world. At their last lesson, when Sophia is twelve, he offers her his protection, should she ever need it.
Not wanting to marry the man of her father’s choosing and desperate for the ability to choose her own destiny, she meticulously plans her escape. Hoping all the while that Aaron will honor his promise and protect her.
I’m familiar with Candace Blevins’ Safeword series and really enjoy her style of writing. She has a voice that is distinct and enjoyable. Her characters are intelligent, mature, and make rational choices. There are no TSTL characters here. I loved both Sophia and Aaron individually, though I did have trouble at times with feeling the romantic love they had for each other.
The world building is amazing. She has flawlessly woven kink into the lives of shapeshifters in a very unique and integral way. There is a little bit of everything here, even a pair of deliciously kinky fairy godmothers. I will definitely be reading the next in the series!
Warning *This book is not even remotely “vanilla”. Please read the author’s warning.*
Complimentary copy was given by the Author through the BDSM group on Goodreads.
Aaron Drake, the Dragon King, has been tutor and friend to the past seven generations of Swan Royalty. Tutoring Sophia from the time she was six years old, he has been her only true friend and link to the outside world. At their last lesson, when Sophia is twelve, he offers her his protection, should she ever need it.
Not wanting to marry the man of her father’s choosing and desperate for the ability to choose her own destiny, she meticulously plans her escape. Hoping all the while that Aaron will honor his promise and protect her.
I’m familiar with Candace Blevins’ Safeword series and really enjoy her style of writing. She has a voice that is distinct and enjoyable. Her characters are intelligent, mature, and make rational choices. There are no TSTL characters here. I loved both Sophia and Aaron individually, though I did have trouble at times with feeling the romantic love they had for each other.
The world building is amazing. She has flawlessly woven kink into the lives of shapeshifters in a very unique and integral way. There is a little bit of everything here, even a pair of deliciously kinky fairy godmothers. I will definitely be reading the next in the series!
Warning *This book is not even remotely “vanilla”. Please read the author’s warning.*
Complimentary copy was given by the Author through the BDSM group on Goodreads.
fantasyliving's review
5.0
I received a free complementary copy from the author, through the BDSM Group, in exchange for an honest review
I've read a few of Candace Blevins Safeword series, and I have liked some, and loved others. This is completely different to those books. Even if you didn't enjoy the heavy scenes and extreme S&M and TPE of Safeword: You can start this fantasy/paranormal series with a clean slate.
Sophia's mother was killed before she was hatched, and as a result, her father, The Swan King, has locked her in a gilded cage to protect her. Sophia has had enough and decides to flee to the only person she knows may help her gain her independence; a man who helped train her, in her courtly duties when she was very young.
Drake is the Dragon King, but the Dragon's are nearly extinct. His only hope is a myth his grandmother shared with him as she died thousands of years ago. The Swan Princess may hold the key to the Dragons survival.
This story was complex, with fantastic world building. Nothing was overlooked while Blevins created the fantasy world full of Shifters, Fae, and vampires. I was completely immersed in every aspect of this world, and there were no gaps in knowledge. It worked in the readers favour, that Sophia needs to be educated on the outside world, as it was the perfect way to educate the reader along side Sophia.
Sophia and Drake start off their relationship slowly, and Drake is patient in assimilating Sophia into her new environment. He doesn't boss her around, just gives her the space to learn and process.
Sophia learns to hold her own, and becomes a formidable and strong woman. It is fascinating to watch her growth in this story, from pampered princess, to regal and strong.
Their romance doesn't feel rushed because they have the background of a friendship, but it does occur over a few weeks (a great deal longer than a lot of the insta-love paranormal romances out there).
Some of the aspects of this fantasy world are a bit kinky. I loved it, because I love kink, and I thought the way that Blevins threw it into everyday life for these beings was brilliant. This book is not straight vanilla, but it is not hardcore BDSM either. No scening, or TPE, just a fair bit of kinky sex.
I really can't sing enough praise for this story, and have every intention of reading any and all of this series. If you're into light to medium kink, exhibitionism, and all types of Animal-Shifters, you will enjoy this story.
I've read a few of Candace Blevins Safeword series, and I have liked some, and loved others. This is completely different to those books. Even if you didn't enjoy the heavy scenes and extreme S&M and TPE of Safeword: You can start this fantasy/paranormal series with a clean slate.
Sophia's mother was killed before she was hatched, and as a result, her father, The Swan King, has locked her in a gilded cage to protect her. Sophia has had enough and decides to flee to the only person she knows may help her gain her independence; a man who helped train her, in her courtly duties when she was very young.
Drake is the Dragon King, but the Dragon's are nearly extinct. His only hope is a myth his grandmother shared with him as she died thousands of years ago. The Swan Princess may hold the key to the Dragons survival.
This story was complex, with fantastic world building. Nothing was overlooked while Blevins created the fantasy world full of Shifters, Fae, and vampires. I was completely immersed in every aspect of this world, and there were no gaps in knowledge. It worked in the readers favour, that Sophia needs to be educated on the outside world, as it was the perfect way to educate the reader along side Sophia.
Sophia and Drake start off their relationship slowly, and Drake is patient in assimilating Sophia into her new environment. He doesn't boss her around, just gives her the space to learn and process.
Sophia learns to hold her own, and becomes a formidable and strong woman. It is fascinating to watch her growth in this story, from pampered princess, to regal and strong.
Their romance doesn't feel rushed because they have the background of a friendship, but it does occur over a few weeks (a great deal longer than a lot of the insta-love paranormal romances out there).
Some of the aspects of this fantasy world are a bit kinky. I loved it, because I love kink, and I thought the way that Blevins threw it into everyday life for these beings was brilliant. This book is not straight vanilla, but it is not hardcore BDSM either. No scening, or TPE, just a fair bit of kinky sex.
I really can't sing enough praise for this story, and have every intention of reading any and all of this series. If you're into light to medium kink, exhibitionism, and all types of Animal-Shifters, you will enjoy this story.
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