As a fan of the paranormal I'm excited to bring Eden Ashe here today with her dragon shifter series starter, The Dragon's Heart. Keep reading to get a taste of this book along with my impressions of it. Make sure to fill out the form below for some wonderfully unique items like dragon earrings, postcard-sized magnets, calendar magnets, t-shirts, and books too!
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.
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.
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.
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 IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
The Dragon Lore series gets off to an intriguing start in this unique dragon-shifter story where a small band of sexy heroes fights to keep humans safe from other renegade dragon-shifters. Into this war comes comes two lonely souls who think they're unworthy of happiness but who have been connected by fate. For dragon-shifter king, Daniel, life has been harsh after being trapped for hundreds of years by a duplicitous human woman trained in magic. It's left him feeling unsure of women's motivations, and because of the nightmares and other residual symptoms of his previous entrapment, he doesn't want someone he cares about having to deal with the emotional fall-out. Daniel is a gruff but sexy hero who's thought of Shelby constantly since they parted but doesn't want to bring her into his world though fate has something else planned. He doesn't handle emotions well but will do whatever's necessary to keep her safe from a villain who's closer to her than they think in a bloody and intense conclusion with big ramifications. Daniel may not always live up to what a romantic hero is but he's always entertaining even as he's constantly pushing Shelby away.
Shelby was on the cusp of stardom when her steamy one-night stand with Daniel changed her life completely. Her reputation is now tarnished and fate has tied her to Daniel for all eternity when her being shot brings them back together where she'll learn the unwelcome truth about him and his friends. Shelby doesn't take no easily as Daniel continually tries to push her away, but she struggles with the truth about him. She goes from shrieking to being turned-on by what he is. With all his negative feelings about himself it's going to be a battle to get him to admit his feelings for her, but the intense feelings she harbors for him will help her win him over.
This story has an interesting premise just hinted at early on, but the middle section drags on a bit too long in the back and forth battle for Daniel and Shelby's future. Along with steamy sexual interludes, that are reached after a drawn-out bout of sexual tension, comes a mystery surrounding who tried to hurt Shelby and its far-reaching ramifications creates a suspenseful and fast-paced ending that leaves the door open for more intrigue in the future. On a whole this was an entertaining book with a few small quibbles. With so many sexy and appealing dragon-shifters yet to find their HEAs there's plenty of stories yet to tell in this series and I look forward to reading them.
My rating for this is a C+
*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
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.
WEBSITE: www.edenashe.com
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/EdenAshe
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/eden.ashe.
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/eden.ashe.
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/
**********GIVEAWAY**********
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I found that from page 1 of Dragon's Heart that I was swept away and couldn't put the book down. The jousting between Daniel and Shelby verbally accompanied by the steamy eroticism will make one hot and bothered quite quickly. While the dragon clan was flying I felt like I was riding one of them. Really who wouldn't want to ride a dragon who can morph into an incredibly sexy man? There are enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. When I finished the book I was almost depressed by the fact that book 2 isn't on the shelves yet! All I know is I was left wanting more more more! I give this book 2 thumbs up and an A- Canm't wait for book 2! Hurry up Ms Ashe!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments! There were some very good moments in the story. It's a unique premise that was utilized very well at times. My issues with the story were purely with the characters. I'm definitely intrigued by the other dragon-shifters and look forward to their stories!
DeleteThe Scarf Princess
Thanks for the awesome review, and spotlight! <3
ReplyDelete~Eden
Thank YOU for stopping by Eden! Love the premise of this story and looking forward to more! So do tell, whose story is next?
DeleteThe Scarf Princess
this book sounds good. the earings are really cute too.
ReplyDeleteWhat an exciting book! Love dragon shifters. Thanks for sharing the great excerpt and review.
ReplyDelete