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trudyd's review
5.0
The shocks just keep coming on Zora. A land created as a peaceful place for the dragons is far from peaceful. The King and Queen constructed a magical barrier to keep others out, to keep the dragons safe. Somehow, evil has come to the dragon lands.
There is an invisible enemy attacking dragons. It can't be sensed. How can they fight a magical being that they can't see? Things seem hopeless, but that doesn't mean the Dragon Kings will give up. All are taking turns on patrol searching for anything that will help them.
Kendrick is patrolling a section of land when he sees it. For just a moment the enemy is not quite invisible. Nothing will stop him from catching the entity or at least gaining knowledge. No magical barrier will stop him from reaching his goal. Kendrick enters a strange land. A battle ensues. Kendrick is gaining knowledge about their enemy but will he live to share it?
Esha and her fellow warriors are searching for an invisible enemy that has been killing those living on her side of the barrier. When they come upon Kendrick battling the unseen, Esha can't just sit back and watch. A bond is created by Esha and Kendrick. A bond is made between an elf and a Dragon King, an elf that the dragon did not know existed and a dragon believed to be no longer living by the elves.
Esha and Kendrick share information regarding the entity. Esha and Kendrick share information about their people. All of this means the reader learns more. SQUEE!!!! Esha and Kendrick are stuck in the middle of a power struggle they didn't know existed. Tensions rise within the elves. Desperate times mean desperate measures need to be taken.
Get ready for plot twists. Beware, dangerous creatures are coming. Get ready to be shocked by who they can trust and who they can't. Best of all get ready for a wonderful, unexpected ending. The Dragons are simply brilliant. Now I pace while I wait for more of the Dragon Kings.
There is an invisible enemy attacking dragons. It can't be sensed. How can they fight a magical being that they can't see? Things seem hopeless, but that doesn't mean the Dragon Kings will give up. All are taking turns on patrol searching for anything that will help them.
Kendrick is patrolling a section of land when he sees it. For just a moment the enemy is not quite invisible. Nothing will stop him from catching the entity or at least gaining knowledge. No magical barrier will stop him from reaching his goal. Kendrick enters a strange land. A battle ensues. Kendrick is gaining knowledge about their enemy but will he live to share it?
Esha and her fellow warriors are searching for an invisible enemy that has been killing those living on her side of the barrier. When they come upon Kendrick battling the unseen, Esha can't just sit back and watch. A bond is created by Esha and Kendrick. A bond is made between an elf and a Dragon King, an elf that the dragon did not know existed and a dragon believed to be no longer living by the elves.
Esha and Kendrick share information regarding the entity. Esha and Kendrick share information about their people. All of this means the reader learns more. SQUEE!!!! Esha and Kendrick are stuck in the middle of a power struggle they didn't know existed. Tensions rise within the elves. Desperate times mean desperate measures need to be taken.
Get ready for plot twists. Beware, dangerous creatures are coming. Get ready to be shocked by who they can trust and who they can't. Best of all get ready for a wonderful, unexpected ending. The Dragons are simply brilliant. Now I pace while I wait for more of the Dragon Kings.
deanapotter's review
4.0
Donna Grant continues to make her readers fall in love with Dragons.
Dragon Lover is an emotionally thrilling new tail in the Dragon Kings series. Kendrick is a dragon king who wants nothing more than peace that has eluded them for so many years. Zora may have been made an earth image, but to this dragon king, finds it a far cry from home, but nevertheless it is home to dragons, and he will do what he can to protect it. Now with an enemy, who is very hard to track Kendrick as his guard on full alert. The moment he spots that he attacks, but yet this entity is nothing like they have met before. Coming to the rescue is an amazing swordswoman who definitely made a very good first impression.
Asavori Ranger Esha has valved and dedicated her life to protecting the lives of her people. She is a warrior and protector. As she is on the trail of a new enemy that is hard to track, she comes across something as she’s only heard of and has never seen. Unsure whether to believe or not Esha realizes they are both on the same mission and sense is the truth in his words. With the talks of a possible alliance to take down the unseen, enemy more than trust starts to form that day for two people.
I am completely falling in love with this spinoff series. I will never tire of Donna Grants Dragons.
One of the things I like most about the Dragon King series is that we are discovering a New World. That in many ways, it’s similar to what the kings have always known but yet it’s so different. Kendrick and Esha are not only discovering the unknown things on Zora, but the unknown things that are happening to themselves. From the moment, Esha saw kendrick shift, that was the point in the story where everything changed. I love how it there is so much to be discovered, and learn on both of their parts for the story. Them each being new types of creatures to each other, and then to fall in love, while having danger faced them head-on. Dragon Lover is a fantastic read.
Dragon Lover is an emotionally thrilling new tail in the Dragon Kings series. Kendrick is a dragon king who wants nothing more than peace that has eluded them for so many years. Zora may have been made an earth image, but to this dragon king, finds it a far cry from home, but nevertheless it is home to dragons, and he will do what he can to protect it. Now with an enemy, who is very hard to track Kendrick as his guard on full alert. The moment he spots that he attacks, but yet this entity is nothing like they have met before. Coming to the rescue is an amazing swordswoman who definitely made a very good first impression.
Asavori Ranger Esha has valved and dedicated her life to protecting the lives of her people. She is a warrior and protector. As she is on the trail of a new enemy that is hard to track, she comes across something as she’s only heard of and has never seen. Unsure whether to believe or not Esha realizes they are both on the same mission and sense is the truth in his words. With the talks of a possible alliance to take down the unseen, enemy more than trust starts to form that day for two people.
I am completely falling in love with this spinoff series. I will never tire of Donna Grants Dragons.
One of the things I like most about the Dragon King series is that we are discovering a New World. That in many ways, it’s similar to what the kings have always known but yet it’s so different. Kendrick and Esha are not only discovering the unknown things on Zora, but the unknown things that are happening to themselves. From the moment, Esha saw kendrick shift, that was the point in the story where everything changed. I love how it there is so much to be discovered, and learn on both of their parts for the story. Them each being new types of creatures to each other, and then to fall in love, while having danger faced them head-on. Dragon Lover is a fantastic read.
romancejunkie1025's review
4.0
The drama on Zora continues as more Dragon Kings continue to battle against and unknown and unseen enemy for the fate to the new home of their dragons. Donna Grant continues to take her Dark King series into new and amazing directions and the more we learn about the amazing alternate world of Zora and the fascinating creatures that populate it, the more questions we have. For those of us that are long time readers, we enjoy meeting new Kings and watching them fall in love with amazing females of all kinds and for new readers each story is a new adventure that allows for a look into the imagination and skill of one of my favorite authors. Kendrick is getting restless, patrolling the edges of the dragon territory and not seeing any of the action is fellows are seeing as they are attacked by the unseen enemy in their midst, but that all changes in an instant. When he finds himself in a battle that is suddenly more complicated than he anticipated he is forced to cross the border and shift to his human form barely surviving the attack. But a group of deadly warriors arrives just in time to distract his enemy and Kendrick is instantly drawn to their leader. Esha is an Asavori Ranger, a warrior female that had devoted her life to protecting her people and this new enemy has evaded them for far too long so when Kendrick offers to hunt with them she knows she can’t turn down his help. But the tension between her people and the dragons escalates quickly and their budding relationship, despite the speed with which their bonds are developing, might not be enough to keep a war from breaking out. I truly loved this story, though it was different than a lot of the others in the series, with the ending truly leaving me in suspense until the last moment. Kendrick was a bit of a hothead, though he was a great guy, and when he set his mind to something his determination was unbeatable. I enjoyed watching him come to terms with his feeling for Esha, even though he knew that he might end up heartbroken in the end. He truly offered her his whole heart and soul, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to return it and in the end it paid off in spades. Esha was a bit of an enigma for me, obviously a woman that had worked hard for her place in the word, but she has also never come to understand that sometimes giving you heart and soul to someone can lead to an even bigger and more important life mission. She is a strong and steadfast fighter for her people, but she is not made for the intrigues she finds herself wrapped up in for sure. The love between these two truly crosses all borders and brings people together, offering a bridge and preventing a war, but the passion they share is palpable from the first moment they clap eyes on one another and the sizzle is almost unbearable. I loved some of the side characters in this book as well and would love to see more of them in the future as this story arc unfolds and Donna gets closer to unveiling the big bad so that the Kings can finally kick some serious ass. Dragon Lover truly is a magical ride through two cultures, crossing borders, and brining worlds together as love blossoms between two former enemies as they come together to defeat the ultimate threat to their world.
booksplantsandtea's review
4.0
I should probably preface this by admitting this is my first ever Donna Grant, so I went into this book with zero backstory knowledge.
"Are you suggesting I walk around shirtless?"
"I'm saying I wouldn't mind."
My heart is so full of fuzzy feels! I am in love with the way the romance was developed in this one. Donna Grants focuses on the small interactions between Kendrick (MMC) and Esha (FMC) to build intimacy, showing how one would make a bid of connection, the other would respond to that, to which the first would often joyfully smile. It was so beautiful to read and it filled my heart with so much warmth. You could feel the intimacy between these two rise with each of these positively answered bids of connection, which made the entire relationship build up feel so natural, even though it was very fast paced (within 2-3 days). I think this is what made me fall in love with them, as they were falling in love with each other. This just goes to show you how strongly human beings react to bids of connection, as it even has its effect through written word!
"Can I come in?" she asked.
As if he would deny her. As if he could.
Anyway, moving on to my love of Kendrick's character, because I am absolutely smitten. I admired the way he carried himself with such grace and respect towards a people he thought was only a myth. He entered each interaction with the Elves in such a de-escalating way through showing respect and being truthful about his intent, all the while still being genuinely curious and wanting to learn more about these people. Also, the fact that he considers himself as equal to the elves even though he's way more powerful, and that he respects every choice and decision Esha makes, I loved that about him so much!
"He had known with their first kiss, but he hadn't admitted it until that moment. Esha was his mate."
This moment made my heart burst with love. It was the perfect moment to introduce the fated mates trope,. I can't elaborate without spoiling it, but let me re-iterate that the fact that he is so respectful of her, her wants and feelings, the boundaries she implicitly set... It made me love Kendrick even more.
Now concerning how standalone this book is - since that's what it claims - I must admit chapter one was a heavy one to take in. We get bombarded with information and I wasn't completely sure I had a good grip of the world and its characters. Thankfully, as Kendrick and Esha build intimacy by sharing about themselves and their people, we get spoonfed the necessary information in a way that makes it easy to grasp. So, yes, this is a very good standalone novel and I would even say a good introduction to the series as a whole. I can say I am a fan and will be reading more from this author.
The side characters were great (Dain was amazing), the intrigue was good, the world-building was decent, and the romance was swoonworthy AND fan-yourself-Kendrick-is-coming-out-of-the-lake-naked. An all around enjoyable read!
So, why only 4 stars? As much as I enjoyed reading this book, I think it might've benefitted from being a full length novel to fully wrap up the 'entity' storyline, which was left unfinished and not mentioned at the end of the book. I also would've loved to learn more about how the shift happens, since that is a major part of the shifter world building. And I felt cheated out of seeing their mating ceremony, which made me just a tiny bit sad...
**I read and reviewed an advanced reading copy, granted to me by the publisher through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
"Are you suggesting I walk around shirtless?"
"I'm saying I wouldn't mind."
My heart is so full of fuzzy feels! I am in love with the way the romance was developed in this one. Donna Grants focuses on the small interactions between Kendrick (MMC) and Esha (FMC) to build intimacy, showing how one would make a bid of connection, the other would respond to that, to which the first would often joyfully smile. It was so beautiful to read and it filled my heart with so much warmth. You could feel the intimacy between these two rise with each of these positively answered bids of connection, which made the entire relationship build up feel so natural, even though it was very fast paced (within 2-3 days). I think this is what made me fall in love with them, as they were falling in love with each other. This just goes to show you how strongly human beings react to bids of connection, as it even has its effect through written word!
"Can I come in?" she asked.
As if he would deny her. As if he could.
Anyway, moving on to my love of Kendrick's character, because I am absolutely smitten. I admired the way he carried himself with such grace and respect towards a people he thought was only a myth. He entered each interaction with the Elves in such a de-escalating way through showing respect and being truthful about his intent, all the while still being genuinely curious and wanting to learn more about these people. Also, the fact that he considers himself as equal to the elves even though he's way more powerful, and that he respects every choice and decision Esha makes, I loved that about him so much!
"He had known with their first kiss, but he hadn't admitted it until that moment. Esha was his mate."
This moment made my heart burst with love. It was the perfect moment to introduce the fated mates trope,. I can't elaborate without spoiling it, but let me re-iterate that the fact that he is so respectful of her, her wants and feelings, the boundaries she implicitly set... It made me love Kendrick even more.
Now concerning how standalone this book is - since that's what it claims - I must admit chapter one was a heavy one to take in. We get bombarded with information and I wasn't completely sure I had a good grip of the world and its characters. Thankfully, as Kendrick and Esha build intimacy by sharing about themselves and their people, we get spoonfed the necessary information in a way that makes it easy to grasp. So, yes, this is a very good standalone novel and I would even say a good introduction to the series as a whole. I can say I am a fan and will be reading more from this author.
The side characters were great (Dain was amazing), the intrigue was good, the world-building was decent, and the romance was swoonworthy AND fan-yourself-Kendrick-is-coming-out-of-the-lake-naked. An all around enjoyable read!
So, why only 4 stars? As much as I enjoyed reading this book, I think it might've benefitted from being a full length novel to fully wrap up the 'entity' storyline, which was left unfinished and not mentioned at the end of the book. I also would've loved to learn more about how the shift happens, since that is a major part of the shifter world building. And I felt cheated out of seeing their mating ceremony, which made me just a tiny bit sad...
**I read and reviewed an advanced reading copy, granted to me by the publisher through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
erinremen's review
4.0
Kendrick has his first encounter with the invisible enemy. An enemy way more dangerous than he ever could have imagined. As he battles it he finds himself helped by a group of Elves led by Esha. Elves. A brand new species full of their own casts and stories. I world of possibilities to explore! Esha wants to work with Kendrick to take down the invisible enemy that has been killing Elves all over their land but someone does not want them working with dragons and a deadly foe is after her. Together they will have to battle and decide if love is worth going against her own people, her sister. Exciting and full of potential with these new characters being introduced!
hookedbythatbook's review
4.0
Elves join this ongoing saga of mystery and suspense, expanding our knowledge of Zora, along with its secrets.
The dragons and the Dragon Kings are still under threat from an invisible enemy. Kendrick crosses the border during one such a confrontation where he is helped by a group of elves calling themselves the Asavori Rangers. Their leader, Esha, opts to help him look for the entity and they encounter more than they bargained for.
Similar to the other books in this series, Dragon Lover starts out slow, properly setting up the newly introduced elves and their corner of the Zora realm. Kendrick’s presence engenders mixed feelings amongst the elves. And there is a lot of mistrust within the different groups of elves themselves.
I just love the Dragon Kings and their powerful magic and Donna Grant does an excellent job of utilizing that effectively. Kendrick is gentle, but fiercely protective, and Esha has had only herself to rely on for the longest time. Like all the other Dragon Kings and their mates, the attraction was swift and intense. But Esha was pulled in two different directions and she had to make some tough choices. I did wonder how they were going to find a way to be together.
Again, the ending leaves so many existing questions unanswered and creates a few more. This series definitely has to be read in order as each book forms an integral part of the whole story. It’s like putting a puzzle together. You will have to be patient, that’s for sure. I can definitely recommend this series if you like fantasy/paranormal with dragons, elves, fae, and steamy romance.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
nikkisbooknook's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
Kendrick is loving learning more about where the Dragons went after they left Earth's realm. While carrying out a border patrol (and whilst trying to make friends with a Pink Dragon) he is attacked by the enemy that has dogged he and his fellow Dragon Kings.
During his skirmish he gets some unsolicited help from a band of warriors. Warriors of the Elven kind. Both sides thought the other was a myth - can they learn to work together to take down this very well camouflaged enemy?
Kendrick and Esha are a great match. They are both warriors, used to looking out for others before themselves. The respect they have for each other morphs into love, even when neither really believes that they are cut out for it.
I loved learning about the make up and complexities of the Elven world and that much like humans, elves family dynamics can be just as messy. You are left wondering if Esha's sister will put politics before family on several occasions.
Well written and great characters. My only grips is always the accent but that's because as a Scot myself no-one ever really gets the accents right. Although in Kendrick's defence he is ancient so we'll let artistic licence flourish.
During his skirmish he gets some unsolicited help from a band of warriors. Warriors of the Elven kind. Both sides thought the other was a myth - can they learn to work together to take down this very well camouflaged enemy?
Kendrick and Esha are a great match. They are both warriors, used to looking out for others before themselves. The respect they have for each other morphs into love, even when neither really believes that they are cut out for it.
I loved learning about the make up and complexities of the Elven world and that much like humans, elves family dynamics can be just as messy. You are left wondering if Esha's sister will put politics before family on several occasions.
Well written and great characters. My only grips is always the accent but that's because as a Scot myself no-one ever really gets the accents right. Although in Kendrick's defence he is ancient so we'll let artistic licence flourish.
madisonwfairbanks's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
4.0
Dragon Lover by Donna Grant
Dragon Kings series #5. Spin off of the Dark King series. Paranormal Dagon shifter romance novella. Technically can be read as a stand-alone but many names and situations are mentioned though not really relevant to this specific story.
Kendrick is a Dragon King. As a dragon shifter, he is patrolling and protecting a mountain range when an unseen enemy attacks. Kendrick fights to protect and follows the attacking enemy across the forbidden threshold. He finds himself in the land of elves which the dragons didn’t know existed. He finds they are fighting the same unseen enemy so he decides to stay to find out if the elves have more information that will help them both.
Esha is a Ranger of the elves. A warrior and protector. She has never seen a dragon before and realizes that if they collaborate, they may get further in defeating the enemy.
Kendrick and Esha establish a truce and go to the local leader with a plan. As they work together and get to know each other an attraction grows. Can a relationship exist between an elf and a dragon shifter?
A quick and “fated” romance with the odds against the couple. Of course, barriers and opposition must be considered.
I found Kendrick’s accent to be distracting since I read this story in the printed form. If I had listened to an audiobook, it would have been just his voice.
“I’d really like to know why we can no’.”
“I donna intend to.” “It doesna…”
I enjoyed the romance and the couple working together to beat the enemy both known and hidden.
Gripping and adventurous.
The 1001 Dark Nights stories are from the author’s world and only one piece of a whole.
My rating is for this short story alone and ignores the tendrils not fully explained or missing.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
redhairedashreads's review
4.0
4 stars - It was really good
In the continuing story of the Dragon Kings, Grant continues to expand her Dark World with new enemies, friends, and now a whole new group who live on Zora: the elves. The elves have different factions that all have their own types of magic, but they all fear the dragons and that leads to new problems for the Dragon Kings.
Kendrick came to Zora to experience dragons again and to help protect the border. He is also determined to find the invisible threat and take it down. Unfortunately, that arrogance gets him in trouble and he finds himself being rescued by Esha, an Asavori Ranger and his mate. I actually really enjoyed Kendrick and Esha’s story. Kendrick has been a very minor character so far so it was great to get to know him and his feelings. I really loved how sweet and protective he was, especially since he didn’t let that protectiveness get in the way of Esha doing her job. Kendrick really was a great guy. He respected Esha’s wishes and never pushed her for more, even when his heart was breaking.
“With one look, one kiss, he was hers. Completely.”
Esha was a protector who took her job as an Asavori Ranger seriously. She put her people first and was determined to destroy the creature that was attacking elves, or die trying. I really liked her. Kendrick and Esha’ romance was very enjoyable and believable. Even though they were fated mates it wasn’t an instant love type, so their love felt believable.
The elves also were a very interesting group. They were split into different types like Sun, Moon, Wood, and Dark. I really enjoyed learning about some of the things they could do but I do hope we see more of them in future books. There were still a lot of unanswered questions about the elves and who is pulling the strings to cause chaos.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable addition to this series. Grant has created a very rich universe with dragons, fae, reapers, and now elves. I am very interested in reading the next book and seeing what is going on with Merrill.
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
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