Clarissa Rue Hawthorne knew her dangerous exploits would attract the attention of the drákon. But she didn't expect Christoff himself to come to London, dangling the tribe's most valuable jewel—the Langford Diamond—as bait. For as long as she could remember, Rue had lived the life of a halfling—half drákon, half mortal—and an outcast in both worlds. She'd always loved the handsome and willful Kit from the only place it was safe: from afar. But now she was no longer the shy, timid girl she'd once been. She was the first woman capable of making the Turn in four generations. So why did she still feel the same dizzying sense of vulnerability whenever he was near?
From the moment he saw her, Kit knew that the alluring and powerful beauty was every bit his Alpha equal and destined to be his bride. And by the harsh laws of the drákon, Rue knew that she was the property of the marquess. But they will risk banishment and worse for a chance at something greater. For now Rue is his prisoner, the diamond has disappeared, and she's made the kind of dangerous proposition a man like Kit cannot resist.
Comment: This is another book I added to my TBR years ago, during my phase of devouring PNR. It's been in the pile for ten years or so. Since I had finished all the books I had planned for the month of April, I managed to add this one as my last read of that month.
In this historical fantasy, we meet the Drakon, a species of dragon shape shifters who must protect their own very seriously if they want to prevent humans from finding them and discovering their secrets. The problems escalate when the alpha of the group decides to travel to London after a series of jewel thieving for he believes the thief is a running member of the drakon.
What he didn't count on was finding Rue, a woman of the race, considering they are being fewer and fewer, as the responsible one for all the hassle. After catching her, he makes a deal, with the secret intent of bringing her back to Darkfrith, the area where the group lives.
On her side, Rue knows she can't hide anymore but she still wants to try anyway. Love, though, gets in the way of both of their plans...
I liked this book. Again, I feel if I had read it a few years back, I might have been perfectly dazzled by it, especially because it's an historical combined with PNR and I find those a lot more difficult to accept than when the stories have contemporary settings.
The author has a great imagination and the world created is fascinating, how the drakon can turn into dragons (only a few can really change shape) and even smoke, which turns out to be quite handy. This story is mostly a romance but I think the bodybuilding and the thought went into create so many details was well accomplished. If I could complain about anything regarding the world created in this series is that is does feel a little isolating. I didn't get the feel the group of drakons was very united, as solid as I'd preferred. I can see why an historical setting sort of explains this: it's easier to explain why everyone lives close to one another in a certain area of England, why the estate is large and owned by the main families and so on.
The glimpses we get from some character interaction among the drakons, though, does reflect a quite fractured society where those with influence/prestige and money obviously get more attention than the ones at the bottom of the hierarchy. I can see why this can work in terms of how most societies back in the 18th and 19th centuries would work but I do miss the sense of camaraderie and union a more contemporary setting could have in terms of just accepting uniqueness in their individual members.
The drakon abilities and "powers" are interesting and I think the sort of whimsical writing provides an almost dreamlike appearance to what happens in the novel. Many thinks are alluded, are read between the lines among the characters so the reader gets the impression everything can be magical or ethereal and this can be a smart tactic to explain the lack of development on the character's actions and explanations for this and that. The action taking place is obvious but I still found myself conveniently detached from things, the emotion I had came solely from seeing the characters reactions even though sometimes that felt a little too easy, as if a piece of the puzzle had to fit precisely like that.
The main couple has some history and that explains their quick connection, I get it why they were suitable to fall in love but the motivations of each weren't always clearly romantic and I wish I could have seen more "domestic" or casual interactions between them and also more situations where they had to deal with other drakons (not those in charge of going after the thief). In the end I felt the couple had to suit but there is a lot between them that was only hinted at or left there for the reader to fill in the gaps and expectations.
Despite the details I wish could have been done better, this story has enough detail and world building to be fascinating and I must say it was a very good surprise I had waiting. If only all books languishing in out TBR lists were as easy to read and enjoy. It wasn't perfect for me, but all elements combined, it was an imaginative and clever enough story. I might read more by the author one day!
Grade: 7/10
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