As bawdy, crass, and hilarious as anything I could have hoped for, THE DRAGON WHO LOVED ME is a chest thumping, mead-hall rocking, enemy slaying brawl of a good book. I had a hard time catching up with the politics and world, but that was my own fault for starting with book number five of the Dragon Kin series. Once Rhona and Vigholf were off alone on their mission, however, I was able to just relax and enjoy the wit, the slap-stick, and the romance.

The number of different battles and factions involved in this book reminded me of nothing so much as the movie The Return of the King. Battle looming, enemies on all sides, and various bands of heroes who come together for the final battle. This would be a uber-violent, female-dominated version of the movie, however, with enough mayhem, insanity, and profanity to do Kresley Cole's Valkyries proud. Rhona's place amidst it all, the surrogate mother and dutiful soldier, didn't make too much sense to me initially, and I shared her annoyance with the overbearing Vigholf. Luckily, Vigholf's behavior slowly evolves from clueless and obnoxious to an endearing brand of pigheaded chivalry. After taking care of so many, and doing her best to meet others expectations, it was so sweet for Rhona to come into her own with Vigholf's enthusiastic support. I melted every time Vigholf stood up for her, and his hapless antics (including a Tangled-esque fist-fight with a horse) were the highlight of the book.

While this series features a specific couple for each book, it's apparent that Aiken not only maintains a complex interconnecting plot, she also provides continuing contact with the heroes and heroines of past books. I know I would have appreciated more of THE DRAGON WHO LOVED ME if I had started at the beginning of the Dragon Kin series, and I'm looking forward to going back and correcting my mistake.

Sexual Content: Several sex scenes.