Pam Reviews: Dragon Bound

It's a family affair on the blog of late! I always share books I love with my mom and mother-in-law, but my mom especially is a romance lover like me, so I always send my smutty favorites her way. She fell madly in love with one of my very favorite series, and is here today to share her thoughts on book one, Dragon Bound! *high five Mom*

DRAGON BOUND
Elder Races #1
Thea Harrison
Paranormal Romance
312 pages
Berkley Sensation
Available Now
Source: Bought!

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Half-human and half-Wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the Wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful—and passionate—of the Elder Races.

As the most feared and respected of the Wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they've ignited in each other.

Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave—although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul.

PAM'S THOUGHTS
As most are aware, Dragon Bound is the first book of the Elder Races series written by the talented author, Thea Harrison. I know, I know it was written years ago, but it remains my all-time favorite go-to book when I reach for a reread that I truly loved. It let’s me escape for awhile to enjoy an amazing world with unforgettable characters that evoke a myriad of wonderful feelings. So when asked to write a review of a personal favorite in the paranormal genre, this was instantly chosen. 

The extreme popularity of Dragon Bound bespeaks of Harrison’s exceptional “gift of the written word” and is readily apparent in every component of the book: humorous and witty dialogue, non-stop action that is riveting at times, a plot with twists and turns that keeps the reader turning the pages, and world building that is creative, unique and uncomplicated. But she excels at character development and relationship building, and that sooo does it for me in any book.

Pia and Dragos. Did I mention unforgettable characters? They’re, simply put, magical, literally and figuratively. Dragos is the arrogant, controlling, incredibly powerful, strong-willed hero who demands total obedience and loyalty from all in his Wyr realm. And then there’s Pia, a no mess heroine, who is equally strong-willed, but with a soft, warm heart that melts the Great Beast with understanding, patience and eventually love. This constant push and pull in their relationship and the growth and change in both characters is fascinating and keeps me emotionally engaged. And culminates into a romance that’s as intense as it is entertaining.

The secondary characters are equally addictive. Who can forget the dynamic and petite faerie, Tricks, the skeptical Rune and the tender-hearted Graydon to name but a few. Their development was well constructed throughout, never overshadowing the main characters or detracting from the story. Not surprisingly, these characters now sport their own books.

And yep, with the l-o-n-g Michigan winters I experience, be assured I’ll grab this off my shelf to reread again. I repeat, I truly loved this book – it’s a fun and very good read.

Rating: 5/5 (of course!)

Find Thea:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

Review: Shadow's End

SHADOW'S END
A Novel of the Elder Races #9
Thea Harrison
Paranormal Romance
320 pages
Berkley
Available December 1st
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
For Beluviel, consort to the Elven High Lord, and Graydon, gryphon and First Sentinel of the Wyr, even the slightest desire for each other is forbidden. But two hundred years ago, after a desperate play to save Beluviel’s stepson left them indebted to the cruel Djinn Malphas, they found their fates inexorably linked together—and the hunger between them growing too strong to ignore…

Two centuries later, with their debt to Malphas coming due, Beluviel and Graydon realize that, if they are to stand any chance of saving their souls, they must once again work together—this time more closely than ever before. But every moment they spend with each other brings them nearer to losing something even more vital—their hearts…

MY THOUGHTS
For lovers of the Elder Races series like myself, the wait for Graydon's story has tested the boundaries of our patience as we've watched everyone around him pair off book after book. He won many a reader’s heart in the first book even when pitted against the sheer immensity of Dragos’s personality and his role as hero, and we’ve since waited and wondered when Ms. Harrison would gift us with his turn at leading man. One of the main concerns when cracking the spine of a romance like this that features a beloved secondary character finally granted their time in the spotlight is that their story won’t quite meet the absurdly high expectations a long wait creates, something that was sadly the case in this ninth installment.

The first third of Graydon and Bel’s story is told in one long flashback, sending us two hundred years into the past so that we may bear witness to the beginning of their courtship and the steps that led to their bargain with pariah Djinn, Malphas. Part of the problem with flashbacks (for me personally) is the feeling of missing out on something in the present, and while the events leading up to Gray and Bel’s deal with the devil are intrinsic to the story as a whole, their romance during that time feels rushed and lacking in the spark we’ve come to expect from Ms. Harrison’s couples. We then fast forward to the present and begin gearing up for the big showdown, but between one chapter and the next we've missed out on two hundred years of emotional fallout.

Because of their deal with Malphas, Gray and Bel have a forbidden relationship, one that was poised to give us all the feels as they struggled against Malphas’s invisible shackles, but the split timeline gives us the formation of a relationship at novella-length speed before breaking for two centuries and then resuming that love as though no time had passed. All the tension, need, and thwarted desire is left somewhere in the 200 years we missed out on, and their interactions in the present, while enjoyable, are missing the banter, antagonism, and–most of all–the heat that characterized the previous romances.

Ms. Harrison does pack an emotional wallop outside the romance at the end of this story, and it’s sure to be nothing short of ugly-cry inducing for Elder Races fans. That said however, Gray and Bel do get their happily ever after and we also get a sneak peek at some interesting things to come for Dragos, Pia and Liam. Though this was perhaps not the strongest installment despite Gray being an Elder Races favorite, this series is still one not to be missed.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Thea:

Website • Blog • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.