Romance Book Review: Bring on the Heat by G.A. Aiken

Title: Bring on the Heat

Series Connect: Dragon Kin

Author G.A. Aiken

ISBN-13: 978-1420131635

Genre: Dragon Shifter Romance, Paranormal Romance, Action/Fantasy Romance

Publisher: Zebra

Purchase Link: Amazon

This is book 9 of the Dragon Kin series and as with all books by this author, I just loved it. I think over the past few years G.A. Aiken (aka Shelly Laurenston) has really developed as a writer and while some might think by book 9 the series would get boring or the storyline will lose it's spark, I think she has enough different characters, both villains and good guys in the stories she's developed that she can keep going and not run out of room to grow. 

While many series stick with the same male/female lead throughout the story in a series introducing previous characters liberally, Aiken splits between storylines and keeps the action flowing. The only problem I see is that in this instance she didn't have enough time to develop the love story between Branwen and Aiden. I would of liked to have seen a little more time with those characters to see their love grow. 

As always I was excited to see the rest of the gang. Bringing back Annwyl the Bloody as her usual crazy self with her mad fighting skills, the Daughters of the Steppes who really add the comic relief through most of the story and seeing Branwen's cousin Rhona the Fearless and her trunk load of handy weapons (especially funny since Brannie decided to check out the lot completely naked while thinking nothing of it).The names of the characters are entertaining.

If you like a lot of action, fighting and loving this story is for you. It isn't necessary to read the previous books, but they are that good you won't want to miss out. The author doesn't write them in any particular order so you can start with this one and work your way backward if you like. 

(I received a free copy of this book in order to write a review that was based on my own true opinion.)

Description: 

I, Aidan the Divine, am, well divine. My name was given to me by the Dragon Queen herself! I’m a delight! Cheerful. Charming. And a mighty warrior who is extremely handsome with a very large and well-hidden hoard of gold. I am also royal born, despite the fact that most in my family are horrendous beings that don’t deserve to live. And yet, Branwen the Awful—a low-born, no less—either tells me to shut up or, worse, ignores me completely.

I’ll admit, I ignore Aidan the Divine because it annoys him. A lot. But, we have so much to do right now, I can’t worry about why he keeps staring at me, or why he always sits so close, or why he keeps looking at me like he’s thinking about kissing me. We have our nations to save and no time for such bloody foolishness…no matter how good Aidan looks or how long his spiked tail is. Because if we’re going to win this war before it destroys everything we love, we’ll have to face our enemies together, side by side and without distractions. But if we make it out alive, who knows what the future will hold…

Romance Book Review: G. A. Aiken's Dragon Actually

Author: G.A. Aiken

Series Connection: Dragon Kin

ISBN-13: 978-1420103731

Genre: Paranormal, Shifter, Dragon, Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Zebra

Purchase Link: Amazon

One of my favorite authors is re-releasing the first in her Dragon Kin series Dragon Actually. Included in the new print edition is a new novella called A Tale of Two Dragon. The novella is also available for purchase as an ebook.

In Dragon Actually Annwyl the Bloody lives in a time when monarchies rise and fall at the end of a sword. Of all the Queens in this world the one to be feared the most is Annwyl the Bloody. Most think that Annwyl is insane. While in battle Annwyl happens upon a dragon that she can talk to. Living within Fearghus the Destroyer's cave she doesn't realize that he is actually a shifter and can shift into a man. 

Fearghus the Destroyer realizes that Annwyl is his mate, which is a bad thing because Fearghus doesn't really like humans, except  maybe to eat but Annwyl is totally different from any human Fearghus has ever met. 

Love, love, love this series, but this book isn't for the faint of heart. Incredible amusing and quite bloody it will certainly keep you laughing through the whole story.

Description:

With a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody, men tend to either cower in fear at the sight of me, or salute. So it would be nice to find a man I can actually talk to, just the way I can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer. Then again, Fearghus is a dragon...

Find out for yourself why All Things Urban Fantasy calls the Dragon Kin series, "As bawdy, crass, and hilarious as anything I could have hoped for!" and read the prequel novella, "A Tale of Two Dragons," to see where the insanity began!

Romance Book Review: Last Dragon Standing

Author: G.A. Aiken
Series Connection: Dragon Kin
ISBN-13: 978-1420108880
Genre: Paranormal/ Shapeshifter/ Fantasy
Publisher: Kensington Zebra

Click here to purchase this book through Amazon

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

The story of the Dragon Kin continues with the Keita the youngest daughter of the Queen and Ragnar the Northerland warrior. Two years ago Ragnar rescued Keita from his father, but she doesn't quite see it that way when Ragnar tries to barter Keita's freedom with the Queen.

Now Ragnar is saying the Princess again and once again the Princess fails to appreciate his help.

The Queen enlists both Keita and Ragnar's help which runs along in conjunction with a whole series of events in hopes to stop an upcoming war.

This book isn't quite as humorous as most of the author's previous books, but aside from being a little slow in the beginning this book is extremely well written and filled with some great action scenes. The story brings back all the old familiar characters including Annwyl the Bloody, human queen, Fearghus the first son of the Dragon Queen and even Gwenvael the Handsome.

Description:
I know what they see when they look at me. The charming, soft-spoken dragoness bred from the most powerful of royal bloodlines. A disguise stronger than any battle shield that allows me to keep all suitors at tail's length. A technique that's worked until him. Until Ragnar the Cunning, handsome barbarian warlord and warrior mage from the desolate Northlands. Unlike those who've come before him, he does not simply submit to my astounding charm and devastating smile. Instead, he dismisses me as vapid, useless and, to my great annoyance, rather stupid!

Yet I'll allow no male to dismiss me. Soon he'll learn my worth, my many skills, and the strength of my will. For this one challenges me enough to make me want to ruthlessly taunt him, tease him and, finally, when the trap is set, bring him to his knees.

Romance Byte: Last Dragon Standing

Author: G. A. Aiken
ISBN-13: 978-1420108880
Genre: Paranormal
Publisher: Kensington Zebra

Click here to purchase
Kindle Version
 
Description:
I know what they see when they look at me. The charming, soft-spoken dragoness bred from the most powerful of royal bloodlines. A disguise stronger than any battle shield that allows me to keep all suitors at tail's length. A technique that's worked until him. Until Ragnar the Cunning, handsome barbarian warlord and warrior mage from the desolate Northlands. Unlike those who've come before him, he does not simply submit to my astounding charm and devastating smile. Instead, he dismisses me as vapid, useless and, to my great annoyance, rather stupid!

Yet I'll allow no male to dismiss me. Soon he'll learn my worth, my many skills, and the strength of my will. For this one challenges me enough to make me want to ruthlessly taunt him, tease him and, finally, when the trap is set, bring him to his knees.

Romance Book Review: Dragon Actually

Author: G.A. Aiken
Series Connection: Book 1 in the Dragon Kin series
ISBN: 978-1420103731
Genre: Paranormal/ shifter
Publisher: Zebra

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Hearing that Annwyl the Bloody and Fearghus the Destroyer are the names of the hero and heroine in this story should be your first clue that Dragon Actually isn't a silly little romance, but actually a no holds bar story line. G.A. Aiken's normal brash and hysterical style runs through this book as it does when she writes under her Shelly Laurenston name.

Dragon Actually tells the story of Annwyl, a warrior who is working to up seat her brother as king. She almost meets her end when Fearghus finds her in his dragon form. Taking her in and caring for her Fearghus learns that there is more the Annwrl than just an insane warrior.

Fearghus has his own reputation to live down. He doesn't mind as it keeps everyone far away from him. When he meets Annwyl his is completely bedazzled by her and doesn't have any idea why he would set out to help a human of all things. By day in his human form and by night as a dragon, Fearghus gets to see all side of the very complicated Annwyl.

Annwly has no idea that the knight she trains with and the dragon she is coming adore are one and the same. She desires the knight, but really isn't sure she likes him at all. He pushes her while helping to train her to control her anger so she can defeat her brother. The dragon soothes her, but can she actually love a dragon.

Fearghus fears what will happen when Annwyl learns the truth. He should, because he has seen what Annwyl is like in a rage and how she earned her name. There is lots of blood and gore and a lot of laughs through this brash, but action filled novel. This novel was previously written as a short for Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication in November 2008 under the name of To Challenge a Dragon.

The end of this book also has a short story about how Fearghus's mother and father met in Flames and Chains.

Description:
It's not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear-a lot-or else salute. It's true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother's soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer.

Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe-a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus has arranged to help train her for battle. With her days spent fighting a man who fills her with fierce, heady desire, and her nights spent in the company of a magical creature who could smite a village just by exhaling, Annwyl is sure life couldn't get any stranger.

She's wrong...

[And just wait until you meet the rest of the family...]

Romance Book Review: What A Dragon Should Know

Author: G.A. Aiken
Series Connection: Dragon Kin 3
ISBN: 978-1420103755
Genre: Paranormal/ Shifter/ Dragon

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What A Dragon Should Know is the third installment in G.A. Aiken (a.k.a. Shelly Laurenston) Dragon Kin series. The story picks up where the story lines with Briec and Fearghus leave off. Gwenvael the Handsome is a vein golden dragon, who shifts into a beautifully handsome man. All of the women love him and pay him vast amounts of attention.

Asked to be a emissary for Queen Annwyl the Bloody, Gwenvael travels to the Northlands to meet with "the Beast". When he arrives he immediately insults the leaders of the Northlands by laughing hysterical when he realizes that "the Beast" is not a big burly man but a small woman.

Knowing he can't let his Queen down, Gwenvael has to devise a plan to get back into the good graces of the Northlanders. He knows he cannot seduce "the Beast" for she is the one woman who doesn't seem the least bit enamored by Gwenvael's good looks or his charm.

When Dagmar (a.k.a. "the Beast") hears that there is a dragon on her father's land she can't help but worry that her father and brothers think she would make a good human sacrifice. Instead she finds out that the dragon has been sent to speak for the Queen and to find out the information Dagmar has that will save the twins that the Queen is carrying. Too soon Dagmar is insulted and showing the dragon why she is called "the Beast".

Once Gwenvael is back in Dagmar's good graces, the two travel across the country land in order to save the life of the Queen of the Southland and her unborn children as well as barter a deal with the Southland to help save Dagmar's father's fortress. The story has a lot of humor and a lot of heartache through the pages. The supporting characters are fun and spirited. I loved the way the author interjected humor with Gwenvael reminding everyone who will listen of his handsomeness and perfect body attributes.

While there could be no two different characters than Gwenvael and Dagmar the two make a fabulous pair. Both are misunderstood by their families for very different reasons and yet they easily understand each other and their positions in life.

While I didn't find this book to be as hillarious as some of the novels that the author has written under the Shelly Laurenston name, I did see many similarities in style and context. Fans of the Shelly Laurenston books will find this series compatible and entertaining.

Description:
Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, "Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us-the most loved of all dragons?" No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer.

So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying…woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman-one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor?

And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?