The Dragon’s Heart
Dragon Lore Series
Book One
Eden Ashe
Genre:
urban fantasy romance
Publisher:
Lyrical Press, Inc
Date of
Publication: January 6, 2014
Cover
Artist: Renee Rocco
Book Description:
“We’re
dragons. We don’t do the mushy friend thing.” - Daniel
The dragon-shifter
king will do anything to keep his mate alive…even if it means war.
After
millennia as king of the dragon-shifters, Daniel Ashborne wants a little peace
and quiet, especially from the beautiful Hollywood starlet who haunts his
memories. His escape tactics end abruptly when he is called to the ER to save
the one woman he wants to forget, but who now bears his mark.
Shelby
Kincade’s life and movie career were nearly destroyed when Daniel vanished a
year ago. Now he’s back, claiming they have been accidentally mated. Getting
over him once was hard enough, but she must choose either the life of her
dreams or the man she can’t live without. With peace finally on the horizon
between the dragon-shifters and the Hunters, an assassination attempt on the
dragon king and his mate shatters everything. Tensions rebuild as Daniel and
his loyal team of shifters try to discover who put out the hit. Enemy and ally
lines are crossed, but in the end--after the battle ash has settled--no one
could have foreseen who has plotted for their own gain.
CONTENT
WARNING: Graphic fight scenes, lots of great sex, and hot, hot, hot dragon men.
A Lyrical Press Urban Fantasy Romance
Excerpt:
A furious Daniel towered over her.
Realizing she was in an ambulance, she scooted back on the stretcher,
pulling the sheet tighter around herself. Something was very, very off. There
was no pain or range of motion issue with her shoulder. There was just a
blackness where the last hour should have been. Whatever was wrong with her, it
ran core deep, and had everything to do with the man treating her as if she’d
caused all the wrongs in his world.
She let out a pathetic snort. He had vanished on her, leaving her to
face the last year alone. The media wasn’t forgiving at the best of times, and
they’d had a field day--field year--with America’s Good Girl falling from
grace. A dead body, and the disappearance of the man accused of the crime, was
too good of a story for the media not to run around the clock for a month
straight.
It didn’t make any sense why he hated her. For as much hell as he’d
caused her in the last eleven months, professionally and personally, nothing
had prepared her for the blast of emotions that rocked her at seeing him
standing close to her again. She had no idea what to do with the realization
she’d missed him. As soon as she figured out what the hell was going on, she
needed deep psychological help.
“So.” She was careful to keep her left arm tucked against her stomach
as she tried in vain to put more distance between them. It still didn’t hurt,
but the thought of ripping the rapidly healing wound open made her queasy.
She’d never been a big fan of blood. Her teeth tugged at her bottom lip as she
tried not to worry about how much space he took up, even while sitting on the bench.
He was huge. “You’re alive.” When he leaned forward, bringing them closer
together, she tried to keep her face impassive. Her gaze dropped to the huge
forearms he braced against tree trunk-sized thighs, before she snapped her
attention back to his face. He was a lunatic who looked to be on the verge of
major violence. She wasn’t so confused she didn’t understand the combination
was a powder keg with a lit fuse. “I wasn’t sure. The police said you were gone
before the ambulance ever got to the hospital.”
“Disappointed, princess?”
She almost snorted at him. She’d spent the last year hoping he was
still alive, and trying not to let the uncertainty drive her out of her mind.
“I didn’t get myself shot on purpose, you know. So whatever you’re mad at me
about, it’s not my fault. I didn’t ask them to call you.”
“Right.” He dragged his gaze from the mark over her heart back to her
face. Though she was sure she was imagining it, she could have sworn his eyes
lingered on her mouth. “Just like the Hunter showing up in your bedroom was
just a weird twist of fate?”
“A hunter?” She asked, certain she was missing a huge part of the
conversation. “Daniel, my house was in the most exclusive part of Los Angeles.
There isn’t anywhere to hunt.”
“Ryuu.”
She remembered that word from their first date. He’d told her it was an
ancient dragon curse because his sister didn’t like him using cuss words.
Funny. She’d thought it was sweet at the time. Now she was sure it just made
him bat-shit crazy.
My Review: 4 stars
Very interesting take on dragons. I liked the whole lore that Eden set up as background for the entire story. That's creativity, and I like it. I would like to say that I enjoyed the whole war thing, but I really didn't. The dragons fighting amongst themselves and fighting the hunters isn't something that I like, but it was well written. I enjoyed Shelby immensely. She was a no-nonsense kind of girl who just wanted the real deal. Well, she got more than she bargained for when she met Daniel. Then to find out she was his mate, threw them both for a loop. Daniel is the Dragon King. He's used to getting his way and doing the whole Alpha Male thing. Once Shelby comes back into his life, he gets challenged by what he's feeling and what he should do about it. The rest, well, the rest you're gonna have to read, cause I'm not giving it away. It is a very good story and it leaves lots of openings for many more books, which I'm totally looking forward to. Fantastic job Eden!
About the Author:
Convinced
dragons have gotten a bad rep throughout time, and more than a little addicted
to fairy tales and romance novels, Eden Ashe has decided to re-write history.
In her version, the dragons are ancient warriors in tarnished armor, who not
only deserve the girl in the end, but will fight forever for her.
