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A review by books_and_cha
Dragon Slayer by Isabella Carter
3.0
Dragon Slayer was a fun, warm, indulgent read, like a cup of hot chocolate. Isabella Carter's story follows Prince Ingram, a soft-hearted, sharp-minded strategist, whose little to no skill on the battlefield blots him as a disappointment in his father's eyes. Soon after he returns from his time with the military, King Roderick is confronted by Lord Mallory, who slays a dragon for the kingdom and comes to collect Roderick's promise of a marriage with one of his children. No one is more surprised than Ingram when Roderick chooses him as Mallory's prize. The catch? Ingram is secretly ordered by the king to find evidence of a growing rebellion at Lord Mallory's domain, Winterveil. Surprises await Ingram on the journey and at Winterveil, and his heart's newfound feelings barely scratch the surface of all that he has to face.
I liked the attention that Carter spends on Ingram's internal struggle between loyalty to his father and following his own path. Ingram has a strong character development arc that I appreciated. Mallory's character was also a pleasant surprise. Instead of falling into the trope of a fierce, forbidding love interest - as suggested by initial appearances - Mallory is refreshingly open and vulnerable. Lys and Aiden were entertaining and added to the story as well.
The plot was intriguing - not very twisty, but exciting nonetheless. I was confused about the amount of magic in this world. It sounded as though it was a historical setting with dragons as the only fantastical element, but soon new species and elements were introduced. These were inconsistently scattered throughout the novel. There wasn't a cohesive structure to the world-building.
The romance was well done. I liked how Ingram and Mallory move from tentative conversations, an affectionate friendship, and finally, to love. There were a lot of soft moments and small signs of attraction before they become an established couple. It was a sweet, fluffy romance with little to no steam. It didn't bother me - I thought it fit in well with the overall atmosphere of the novel.
The writing was decent but could have benefitted from a sharper editor. There were words missing in places, while some sentences could have been trimmed for clarity.
Despite all of its flaws, it was a good, absorbing story. I was sad to learn that the series has been discontinued (the book came out in 2013, 8 years ago, and there haven't been any updates since). That being said, the book has a proper ending, at least as far as the romance is concerned, so I wouldn't be worried about giving this one a go.
I liked the attention that Carter spends on Ingram's internal struggle between loyalty to his father and following his own path. Ingram has a strong character development arc that I appreciated. Mallory's character was also a pleasant surprise. Instead of falling into the trope of a fierce, forbidding love interest - as suggested by initial appearances - Mallory is refreshingly open and vulnerable. Lys and Aiden were entertaining and added to the story as well.
The plot was intriguing - not very twisty, but exciting nonetheless. I was confused about the amount of magic in this world. It sounded as though it was a historical setting with dragons as the only fantastical element, but soon new species and elements were introduced. These were inconsistently scattered throughout the novel. There wasn't a cohesive structure to the world-building.
The romance was well done. I liked how Ingram and Mallory move from tentative conversations, an affectionate friendship, and finally, to love. There were a lot of soft moments and small signs of attraction before they become an established couple. It was a sweet, fluffy romance with little to no steam. It didn't bother me - I thought it fit in well with the overall atmosphere of the novel.
The writing was decent but could have benefitted from a sharper editor. There were words missing in places, while some sentences could have been trimmed for clarity.
Despite all of its flaws, it was a good, absorbing story. I was sad to learn that the series has been discontinued (the book came out in 2013, 8 years ago, and there haven't been any updates since). That being said, the book has a proper ending, at least as far as the romance is concerned, so I wouldn't be worried about giving this one a go.