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Bestiary #1
Fire of the Dragon
Being sent back in time to the Middle Ages wouldn't be so bad if the knight in shining armor who comes to your rescue didn't swoop down in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately for Jill Donahue, that's just the way things have been going in her life lately.
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn't bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn't the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving...
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill's help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin's dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn't bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn't the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving...
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill's help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin's dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
343 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2013
17 people are currently reading
621 people want to read
About the author
Lori Dillon
3 books35 followersIn a previous life, Lori worked as a graphic designer for fourteen years for the power company, occasionally venturing into nuclear power plants for her job (yes, nuclear plants need graphic designers, too). In her current existence, she weaves tales of the past, the present, and some places only magic can take you.
Lori lives in Virginia with her engineering geek/hero husband, two kids who test her sanity on a daily basis, a dog named Hokie (named after the Virginia Tech Hokies, of course), and various other critters of the furred and finned variety.
Lori lives in Virginia with her engineering geek/hero husband, two kids who test her sanity on a daily basis, a dog named Hokie (named after the Virginia Tech Hokies, of course), and various other critters of the furred and finned variety.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 11, 2015
He gazed at her beautiful face. Without inflicting a single blow, this tiny maiden had defeated the mighty dragon, body and soul.
3.5 fiery stars!
I enjoyed this book. It was a time travel romance with a dragon/man thrown into the mix. This author definitely had a great imagination. I didn't think I would like it as well as I did. I didn't think I would like a dragon as a hero. Just so you know, he does turn back into his human form shortly after he meets the heroine.
Lots of action, adventure, and romance in this story. The secondary characters rock as well. They are all believable, lots of depth, and I even liked the witch in this book. Yep, there's a witch. She's gorgeous, mean, and evil, all rolled up in one.
I will be looking out for this author in the future. Hopefully she will have some more time travel stories up her sleeve.
**ARC graciously provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
3.5 fiery stars!
I enjoyed this book. It was a time travel romance with a dragon/man thrown into the mix. This author definitely had a great imagination. I didn't think I would like it as well as I did. I didn't think I would like a dragon as a hero. Just so you know, he does turn back into his human form shortly after he meets the heroine.
Lots of action, adventure, and romance in this story. The secondary characters rock as well. They are all believable, lots of depth, and I even liked the witch in this book. Yep, there's a witch. She's gorgeous, mean, and evil, all rolled up in one.
I will be looking out for this author in the future. Hopefully she will have some more time travel stories up her sleeve.
**ARC graciously provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
March 26, 2014
I got this book as an ARC from Netgalley and this my honest review of it.
Jill is running around frantically searching for a present for her nieces birthday when she is lured into an old antique shop by a little old lady.*
She is shown an old worn tapestry depicting a knight and a maiden and suddenly she finds herself in the past surrounded by peasants just as they are about to send off a virgin sacrifice to appease a dragon
But they are perfectly happy to have a complete stranger to switch the original village girl with-so they tie Jill up to a stake and leave
her for the dragon.
add gif here
Fully expected to be eaten Jill is suprised when the dragon carries her back to his lair and turns into a man. He introduces himself as Baelin.
As it turns out ,Baelin has been a dragon for over 216 years ever since a witch cursed him to spend all year but one month in this dragon form.During that month he and the chosen maiden has to find a way to break the curse by perform tasks based on the knightly virtues.
Jill not the sort of girl to sit around and tells Baelin she believes its much more likely that opportunities to do this will present themselves if they leave the cave and so they set off on their quest to but they will not have an easy time of it being hunted by the henchmen of the witch and running into dragonslayers.
I was pleasantly suprised by this book
This book is like Dragonheart and not just because it features dragons but in that it has the same feel to it. Sure some might call that movie cheesy and they have a point in this.
But secretly inside you really enjoyed watching it very much. In that way this book Oh and both has cool dragons of course
If you expect something serious this book might disappoint you but if you dont mind reading about the road trip of a modern day damsel and a knight with tarnished armor who is actually a dragon you will have a riot.
The dark witch who cast the spell on Baelin at first I considered pretty one dimensional as villains go.Shes an evil nymphomaniac who never got over being rejected by him But then the author reveals another layer to her wich makes you feel a smidgeon of symphaty for her. Just a smidgeon,she is still the antagonist you know.
But something tells me this will be explored more in upcoming books as I dont think we have seen the last of her.
The medieval era in "Fire of the dragon" is not neat and clean. Its dirty and brutal and the setting feels real.
Of course this is admittedly an England where things like dragons and witches exists but it feels authentic in other aspects and not just as window hangings so you can tell the author has done her research into the period.
There are some instances in this wich had what I would like to describe as "questionable author choices" At first I thought "ok what was the idea of even having this in there" only to have it make sense as I read along.
But in the end hero and heroine and their relationship with each other is what really make this book work.
Jill is less the damsel in distress and more of a damsel errant as a character even if have to admit I found Jill very obnoxious at first. but then...we get to see her in a weak moment.. After that I started to appreciate her spunky attitude more and even start to like her.
When she tries to "help" Baelin avoid detection from a dragonslayer by claiming he was allergic and had a hump on his back was hilarious.
She also the one who make the first move in their relationship by kissing him and it just seemed very natural for her to take that. Not because she is a pushy and sexually aggresive modern woman but because she just have a strong attraction and love for Baelin and want to express it.
I find it a bit hard to explain but it was a touching moment.
"Without inflicting a single blow,this tiny maiden had defeated the mighty dragon,body and soul"
And Baelin...Baelin is just wonderful in that he manages to be both strong and gentle but have his own doubts and weaknesses without me thinking "quit moping and get over it already" His resolute following the knightly code of chivalry is such a big part of his character it never came across as phony or silly but admirable.
He wants Jill but know what she wants the most is to return to her own time and as he has his curse do he even deserve to have her even if she wanted to stay? He just a really honorable guy.
"She looked at him sitting there on his knees in front of her,so big and brave and yet
suddenly so vulnerable"
If there is one thing I had an issue with it was I would have wished the ending was a bit longer and a bit different. There is a happy ever after so dont worry
But this is just a personal preference for me when it comes to time travel romances. I like them to stay in the past because I cant never help but wonder how the hero from the past will adapt to our modern world when they are trained to be warriors.
(hide spoiler)
But its not an ending I can really complain about. The antagonist is not defeated as such but her curse is broken wich kind of equal situation.As I mentioned Before I have a guess we will see more of her.
The next book in the series will be Rodericks and though I dont know for sure I have an inkling about where it might be headed.
The series is called the "Bestiary" after all....
*old strange ladies in connection with antique stores seem to be involved in a lot of time traveling incidents in romance
Jill is running around frantically searching for a present for her nieces birthday when she is lured into an old antique shop by a little old lady.*
She is shown an old worn tapestry depicting a knight and a maiden and suddenly she finds herself in the past surrounded by peasants just as they are about to send off a virgin sacrifice to appease a dragon
But they are perfectly happy to have a complete stranger to switch the original village girl with-so they tie Jill up to a stake and leave
her for the dragon.
add gif here
Fully expected to be eaten Jill is suprised when the dragon carries her back to his lair and turns into a man. He introduces himself as Baelin.
As it turns out ,Baelin has been a dragon for over 216 years ever since a witch cursed him to spend all year but one month in this dragon form.During that month he and the chosen maiden has to find a way to break the curse by perform tasks based on the knightly virtues.
Jill not the sort of girl to sit around and tells Baelin she believes its much more likely that opportunities to do this will present themselves if they leave the cave and so they set off on their quest to but they will not have an easy time of it being hunted by the henchmen of the witch and running into dragonslayers.
I was pleasantly suprised by this book
This book is like Dragonheart and not just because it features dragons but in that it has the same feel to it. Sure some might call that movie cheesy and they have a point in this.
But secretly inside you really enjoyed watching it very much. In that way this book Oh and both has cool dragons of course
If you expect something serious this book might disappoint you but if you dont mind reading about the road trip of a modern day damsel and a knight with tarnished armor who is actually a dragon you will have a riot.
The dark witch who cast the spell on Baelin at first I considered pretty one dimensional as villains go.Shes an evil nymphomaniac who never got over being rejected by him But then the author reveals another layer to her wich makes you feel a smidgeon of symphaty for her. Just a smidgeon,she is still the antagonist you know.
But something tells me this will be explored more in upcoming books as I dont think we have seen the last of her.
The medieval era in "Fire of the dragon" is not neat and clean. Its dirty and brutal and the setting feels real.
Of course this is admittedly an England where things like dragons and witches exists but it feels authentic in other aspects and not just as window hangings so you can tell the author has done her research into the period.
There are some instances in this wich had what I would like to describe as "questionable author choices" At first I thought "ok what was the idea of even having this in there" only to have it make sense as I read along.
But in the end hero and heroine and their relationship with each other is what really make this book work.
Jill is less the damsel in distress and more of a damsel errant as a character even if have to admit I found Jill very obnoxious at first. but then...we get to see her in a weak moment.. After that I started to appreciate her spunky attitude more and even start to like her.
When she tries to "help" Baelin avoid detection from a dragonslayer by claiming he was allergic and had a hump on his back was hilarious.
She also the one who make the first move in their relationship by kissing him and it just seemed very natural for her to take that. Not because she is a pushy and sexually aggresive modern woman but because she just have a strong attraction and love for Baelin and want to express it.
I find it a bit hard to explain but it was a touching moment.
"Without inflicting a single blow,this tiny maiden had defeated the mighty dragon,body and soul"
And Baelin...Baelin is just wonderful in that he manages to be both strong and gentle but have his own doubts and weaknesses without me thinking "quit moping and get over it already" His resolute following the knightly code of chivalry is such a big part of his character it never came across as phony or silly but admirable.
He wants Jill but know what she wants the most is to return to her own time and as he has his curse do he even deserve to have her even if she wanted to stay? He just a really honorable guy.
"She looked at him sitting there on his knees in front of her,so big and brave and yet
suddenly so vulnerable"
If there is one thing I had an issue with it was I would have wished the ending was a bit longer and a bit different. There is a happy ever after so dont worry
But this is just a personal preference for me when it comes to time travel romances. I like them to stay in the past because I cant never help but wonder how the hero from the past will adapt to our modern world when they are trained to be warriors.
(hide spoiler)
But its not an ending I can really complain about. The antagonist is not defeated as such but her curse is broken wich kind of equal situation.As I mentioned Before I have a guess we will see more of her.
The next book in the series will be Rodericks and though I dont know for sure I have an inkling about where it might be headed.
The series is called the "Bestiary" after all....
*old strange ladies in connection with antique stores seem to be involved in a lot of time traveling incidents in romance
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2020
More a 3.6
There are good elements, a lot of cliché ones but it was nice to follow this story.
I wouldn't say it was something amazing, there are no original twists if one has read both PNR and time travel but it was entertaining.
There are good elements, a lot of cliché ones but it was nice to follow this story.
I wouldn't say it was something amazing, there are no original twists if one has read both PNR and time travel but it was entertaining.
October 19, 2013
4.5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
Being sent back in time to the Middle Ages wouldn’t be so bad if the knight in shining armor who comes to your rescue didn’t swoop down in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately for Jill Donahue, that’s just the way things have been going in her life lately.
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn’t bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn’t the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving…
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill’s help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin’s dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
REVIEW:
The book started off as you might expect, implementing the much used trope of touching an antique and being sent back in time. Then something happened, the magic of the writing sucked me right into the story. Jill only wanted to wake up from the horrible dream. She doesn’t believe she’d been sent back in time until they tied her to a stake and sacrificed her. Fine, she could deal with a little drawback. But when that little problem turned into a full-fledged dragon attack, she believed. Now, she just needed to survive. When said dragon turned into hunky and very much naked man, Jill discovered her problems were just beginning. In order to return home, she must help this knight break the curse binding him…and not loose her heart to his chivalrous, scaly hide. He’s just too scrumptious to keep her hands off him.
Hundreds of years have gone by for Baelin in the form of a dragon. Each year that passed, he lost hope of finding the one maiden said to set him free. From the moment he rescued her, he knew Jill was unlike anyone he’d every known. For one, she doesn’t run screaming in fear when she discovered his true nature. She stood up to him, even dared flirt with him. He vowed to do whatever it took to protect this brave, foolhardy woman, even if it cost him the freedom he’d craved for centuries.
Jill was very much a modern woman and a misfit in this new century, every move only made their impossible mission more difficult. I enjoyed her attitude…most of the time. Baelin was a true knight in tarnished armor. I adore him in all his scaly glory. Jill drove Bailin bonkers. Instead of focusing on his curse, he must use all his stealth and charm to protect this maiden from harm. She befuddled him at every turn, stealing his heart without him even knowing there was a danger. And he’d give it gladly if she would just kiss him again. His yearning for companionship just melted me into a gooey puddle. Add a side-kick, who just happened to be an honest-to-goodness dragon slayer and his loyal servant, a quest, curses, an evil queen, torch-wielding villagers…what else can you ask for in an epic adventure!
Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com
DESCRIPTION:
Being sent back in time to the Middle Ages wouldn’t be so bad if the knight in shining armor who comes to your rescue didn’t swoop down in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately for Jill Donahue, that’s just the way things have been going in her life lately.
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn’t bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn’t the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving…
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill’s help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin’s dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
REVIEW:
The book started off as you might expect, implementing the much used trope of touching an antique and being sent back in time. Then something happened, the magic of the writing sucked me right into the story. Jill only wanted to wake up from the horrible dream. She doesn’t believe she’d been sent back in time until they tied her to a stake and sacrificed her. Fine, she could deal with a little drawback. But when that little problem turned into a full-fledged dragon attack, she believed. Now, she just needed to survive. When said dragon turned into hunky and very much naked man, Jill discovered her problems were just beginning. In order to return home, she must help this knight break the curse binding him…and not loose her heart to his chivalrous, scaly hide. He’s just too scrumptious to keep her hands off him.
Hundreds of years have gone by for Baelin in the form of a dragon. Each year that passed, he lost hope of finding the one maiden said to set him free. From the moment he rescued her, he knew Jill was unlike anyone he’d every known. For one, she doesn’t run screaming in fear when she discovered his true nature. She stood up to him, even dared flirt with him. He vowed to do whatever it took to protect this brave, foolhardy woman, even if it cost him the freedom he’d craved for centuries.
Jill was very much a modern woman and a misfit in this new century, every move only made their impossible mission more difficult. I enjoyed her attitude…most of the time. Baelin was a true knight in tarnished armor. I adore him in all his scaly glory. Jill drove Bailin bonkers. Instead of focusing on his curse, he must use all his stealth and charm to protect this maiden from harm. She befuddled him at every turn, stealing his heart without him even knowing there was a danger. And he’d give it gladly if she would just kiss him again. His yearning for companionship just melted me into a gooey puddle. Add a side-kick, who just happened to be an honest-to-goodness dragon slayer and his loyal servant, a quest, curses, an evil queen, torch-wielding villagers…what else can you ask for in an epic adventure!
Posted from my site: www.StaceyBrutger.com
May 22, 2013
While out looking for a last minute gift for her niece, Jill stumbles into a lady who owns a small shop. While in the shop Jill comes across an old tapestry and before she knows it, she's waking up in the year 1214. Every year the villagers sacrifice a maiden from their village to the dragon so that he will continue to guard the village and keep them safe. So when Jill falls from the sky, they decide to use her instead of one of their own. Which is how Jill finds herself in a cave with a dragon in a strange world trying to break a curse to return the dragon sifter into a man again.
I liked the idea of this story. It was a fun read and there was always something happening to keep the readers interest. Baelin was captured by a dark witch and when he refused to serve her, she turned him into the one thing he despised and hunted, a dragon. In order to break the curse, a woman from his village is required to break the curse. He has no idea what's required of the maiden other than it involves the knightly virtues honor, courage and bravery. He has spent 216 years trying to break the curse and had had no luck getting anywhere close. Normally the maidens cower in fear of him the entire month that he has as a man to break the curse, thus leaving him to become a dragon once more.
At first Jill is terrified of the dragon... I mean, who wouldn't be? But the dragon never once attacks her and even seems to be looking out for her. For instance it warms up the cold pool of water in it's cave when she's shivering and wet. Regardless of how calm the dragon is acting, she still doesn't allow it to come too close to her and makes sure that the thing knows she will defend herself if need be. So imagine her surprise when the dragon turns into a man with wings. Once Baelin explains the his predicament, she agrees to help him but she still doesn't trust him and has no intention of letting her guard down around him.
I thought the two characters were interesting. I really like Baelin's character though. He has been through so much and every year he's hopeful that he will finally break the curse. Jill is like no one he's ever met. Not only is her speech odd but the way she carries herself is more dominant that the other maidens. He's convinced that she has to be the one to break the curse.
I did have on problem with Jill though. Even after she realizes that she's time traveled to the past she still talks about 21 century things. Like planes, cars and television shows, knowing that Baelin has no idea what she's talking about. I found that a little annoying. Like the author was trying to show over and over again the difference between times. I think it bothered me so much because I deal with language barriers a lot at my job. I come across a ton of international visitors at the national park and once I realize that the visitor speaks little English, I try to use basic words instead of the every day slang we use. So for Jill to continually talk about technology and things of that sort and then go "Oh yeah. I forgot" got a bit tiresome after a while.
Regardless of the whole Jill thing, I still really enjoyed the story. I liked that the two of them were on a mission throughout the entire book trying to break the curse. Meanwhile coming across other dragons, dragon hunters and the dark witches goons. It was a fun time travel/paranormal romance and I cannot wait until the next story comes out in the Bestiary series.
Favorite quote...
"A knight's word is his honor. Trust, once broken, is hard to regain." -Baelin
I liked the idea of this story. It was a fun read and there was always something happening to keep the readers interest. Baelin was captured by a dark witch and when he refused to serve her, she turned him into the one thing he despised and hunted, a dragon. In order to break the curse, a woman from his village is required to break the curse. He has no idea what's required of the maiden other than it involves the knightly virtues honor, courage and bravery. He has spent 216 years trying to break the curse and had had no luck getting anywhere close. Normally the maidens cower in fear of him the entire month that he has as a man to break the curse, thus leaving him to become a dragon once more.
At first Jill is terrified of the dragon... I mean, who wouldn't be? But the dragon never once attacks her and even seems to be looking out for her. For instance it warms up the cold pool of water in it's cave when she's shivering and wet. Regardless of how calm the dragon is acting, she still doesn't allow it to come too close to her and makes sure that the thing knows she will defend herself if need be. So imagine her surprise when the dragon turns into a man with wings. Once Baelin explains the his predicament, she agrees to help him but she still doesn't trust him and has no intention of letting her guard down around him.
I thought the two characters were interesting. I really like Baelin's character though. He has been through so much and every year he's hopeful that he will finally break the curse. Jill is like no one he's ever met. Not only is her speech odd but the way she carries herself is more dominant that the other maidens. He's convinced that she has to be the one to break the curse.
I did have on problem with Jill though. Even after she realizes that she's time traveled to the past she still talks about 21 century things. Like planes, cars and television shows, knowing that Baelin has no idea what she's talking about. I found that a little annoying. Like the author was trying to show over and over again the difference between times. I think it bothered me so much because I deal with language barriers a lot at my job. I come across a ton of international visitors at the national park and once I realize that the visitor speaks little English, I try to use basic words instead of the every day slang we use. So for Jill to continually talk about technology and things of that sort and then go "Oh yeah. I forgot" got a bit tiresome after a while.
Regardless of the whole Jill thing, I still really enjoyed the story. I liked that the two of them were on a mission throughout the entire book trying to break the curse. Meanwhile coming across other dragons, dragon hunters and the dark witches goons. It was a fun time travel/paranormal romance and I cannot wait until the next story comes out in the Bestiary series.
Favorite quote...
"A knight's word is his honor. Trust, once broken, is hard to regain." -Baelin
August 7, 2014
I need to thank the Author, Lori Dillon and the publishers, Amari Press, for allowing me access to this book, via netgalley, in exchange for a review.
Fire of the Dragon was one of the first books I requested on Netgalley, when I joined back in March. And because the release date had already been and gone, I let it sit on the shelf for a little bit- I wish I had read it much sooner because this is without a doubt one of the best requests I’ve ever read from Netgalley. Oh man. I mean, I sat down with it this morning, intending to read it with “well I’ll just try to get my Netgalley shelf cleared off a little bit”…and the next thing I know, it’s four hours later and I’m literally ignoring my mother’s attempts at conversation with me because I’m so sucked into the book!! I am literally typing this review minutes after I finished the novel because I need to discuss my feelings on this book- it was that good! I love when books take you by surprise, it so rarely happens.
I can’t deny, there is cheese. Be warned those who do not like mushy romance stuff, there is that in here. In fact, I should really put in a “trigger warning” and say there is some sexually explicit content in this book (oh ho ho!)- but I can take that in little bits when it’s balanced out nicely with action and adventure- and this book has it all. Dillon has a wonderful way of balancing these elements, along with mixing in plenty of humour throughout the story, I laughed out loud multiple times. There was a great moment where one knight got cut in battle and I swear to God, I honestly thought he was going to say “Tis but a flesh wound!!”, I had to stop myself for a minute while I laughed really hard at that image. He actually didn’t say that but something quite similar, which made it even funnier.
I found Jill to be a likeable character. She was realistic considering the circumstances she wound up in, she wasn’t super human or invulnerable and was, I admit, at times whiney, but to be honest if I were in the situations she had been in, I’d be whiney too! I did hold back from giving it 5 stars, as there were times when the descriptions of the two main characters got a bit hilariously clichéd (I could almost hear the bad 70s style p0rn music), and also some of the situations did get a little repetitive. But the characters themselves were very well written and balanced. They felt solid (if that makes any sense.)
Just …Yes. Good. Fantastic. More please. I demand more! I really want there to be a sequel because of that ending. I know there is a book 2 coming out but it is of another character’s backstory- I’d rather just continue on with Jill and Baelin!
I really recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, action, adventure and romance because I really, really enjoyed it!
Fire of the Dragon was one of the first books I requested on Netgalley, when I joined back in March. And because the release date had already been and gone, I let it sit on the shelf for a little bit- I wish I had read it much sooner because this is without a doubt one of the best requests I’ve ever read from Netgalley. Oh man. I mean, I sat down with it this morning, intending to read it with “well I’ll just try to get my Netgalley shelf cleared off a little bit”…and the next thing I know, it’s four hours later and I’m literally ignoring my mother’s attempts at conversation with me because I’m so sucked into the book!! I am literally typing this review minutes after I finished the novel because I need to discuss my feelings on this book- it was that good! I love when books take you by surprise, it so rarely happens.
I can’t deny, there is cheese. Be warned those who do not like mushy romance stuff, there is that in here. In fact, I should really put in a “trigger warning” and say there is some sexually explicit content in this book (oh ho ho!)- but I can take that in little bits when it’s balanced out nicely with action and adventure- and this book has it all. Dillon has a wonderful way of balancing these elements, along with mixing in plenty of humour throughout the story, I laughed out loud multiple times. There was a great moment where one knight got cut in battle and I swear to God, I honestly thought he was going to say “Tis but a flesh wound!!”, I had to stop myself for a minute while I laughed really hard at that image. He actually didn’t say that but something quite similar, which made it even funnier.
I found Jill to be a likeable character. She was realistic considering the circumstances she wound up in, she wasn’t super human or invulnerable and was, I admit, at times whiney, but to be honest if I were in the situations she had been in, I’d be whiney too! I did hold back from giving it 5 stars, as there were times when the descriptions of the two main characters got a bit hilariously clichéd (I could almost hear the bad 70s style p0rn music), and also some of the situations did get a little repetitive. But the characters themselves were very well written and balanced. They felt solid (if that makes any sense.)
Just …Yes. Good. Fantastic. More please. I demand more! I really want there to be a sequel because of that ending. I know there is a book 2 coming out but it is of another character’s backstory- I’d rather just continue on with Jill and Baelin!
I really recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy, action, adventure and romance because I really, really enjoyed it!
May 14, 2015
Stars: 4.5
Overall: Jill is in town looking for the toy store because she forgot to get her niece a present for her birthday. She doesn't find it, but ends up at this shop with an eclectic old lady. The lady has her take a look at an old woven tapestry and the next thing Jill knows she has landed herself in the past. The villages decide to put her up for the sacrifice to the dragon and she finds out the the dragon is just a knighted that has been cursed. So she sets out on a mission with him to help him complete the 3 tasks he needs done to become human again. The adventure is long, with a lot of danger and the fear on the unknown. Eventually they become friends and than lovers and along the way they fall in love with each other. The end was fantastic with the Evil Witch getting what she deserved and Jill & Baelin getting their Happily Ever After.
Pros: I loved Jill's personality and how vocal she was about everything that was happening to her. I also loved when Baelin was trying to figure out what the hell she was talking about in the beginning, but eventually realized that he just needed to go with it. I just liked the story all around because for me it was believable and it was a fun read. There was laughter, romance, danger and magic. The perfect combination for me.
Cons: There was a few times that I skipped ahead in this book because I felt like they kept repeating the same feelings over and over again. Other than that I really enjoyed this story.
Characters: Jill & Baelin
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont: Yes
Recommend: Yes
Overall: Jill is in town looking for the toy store because she forgot to get her niece a present for her birthday. She doesn't find it, but ends up at this shop with an eclectic old lady. The lady has her take a look at an old woven tapestry and the next thing Jill knows she has landed herself in the past. The villages decide to put her up for the sacrifice to the dragon and she finds out the the dragon is just a knighted that has been cursed. So she sets out on a mission with him to help him complete the 3 tasks he needs done to become human again. The adventure is long, with a lot of danger and the fear on the unknown. Eventually they become friends and than lovers and along the way they fall in love with each other. The end was fantastic with the Evil Witch getting what she deserved and Jill & Baelin getting their Happily Ever After.
Pros: I loved Jill's personality and how vocal she was about everything that was happening to her. I also loved when Baelin was trying to figure out what the hell she was talking about in the beginning, but eventually realized that he just needed to go with it. I just liked the story all around because for me it was believable and it was a fun read. There was laughter, romance, danger and magic. The perfect combination for me.
Cons: There was a few times that I skipped ahead in this book because I felt like they kept repeating the same feelings over and over again. Other than that I really enjoyed this story.
Characters: Jill & Baelin
Page Turner: Yes
Series Cont: Yes
Recommend: Yes
May 7, 2014
Warning be prepared to read it all in one sitting!
Beautiful story. A page turner, couldn't put it down!
What a great story, I laughed till I cried! you go through many emotions as you cheer them on! This has left me with a sense of.. What do I do know while I wait for the next book?
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author. Definitely a must read
Beautiful story. A page turner, couldn't put it down!
What a great story, I laughed till I cried! you go through many emotions as you cheer them on! This has left me with a sense of.. What do I do know while I wait for the next book?
I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author. Definitely a must read
December 31, 2015
Now that's what I'm talking about!! Loved this book and the story of Jill and Baelin. What a crazy but funny ride. Won't give away any spoilers but if you like time travel and dragons........this is the perfect read for you. :)
April 29, 2016
One of the first romance books I ever bought for myself was a time-travel romance and slowly I expanded out into other genres, with fantasy romance being the next step in my evolution. It was such fun for me to return to both of those well-loved tropes within the pages of Lori Dillon’s independent release Fire of the Dragon. Her world of knights, magic, and even a hint of mythology was the kind of story that grabbed my attention from the start and kept me reading into the wee hours to see how everything would conclude.
Jill Donohue didn’t realize that she was looking for adventure or danger in her life when she went into town; she just thought she was looking for a gift for her niece. But the fates had a different plan for Jill’s life and one of them made sure to put Jill back on the correct path to meet her destiny. Entering an antiques shop in Richmond, Jill finds herself drawn to an old piece of tapestry with exquisite embroidery of a dragon on it. The shopkeeper, with the unusual name of Clotho, is certain the piece is exactly what Jill is looking for and invites Jill to sit and relax for a moment to admire it. Jill keeps starting at the dragon, getting the eerie sensation that the cloth is somehow moving beneath her fingers, and she slowly feels as if she is falling and losing consciousness.
Jill wakes up in an open field surrounded by men and woman who speak in a strange dialect of English and swear that she fell from the sky. In their fear of the unknown, these strangers are certain Jill has been sent by God to serve as sacrifice instead of a maiden from their own population. Put on a stake and dressed as a bride, Jill is amazed when she comes face to face with a real dragon that is an exact copy of the one shown on the tapestry. The dragon takes her from the stake and flies her to his lair. Jill’s confinement in the dragon’s lair is unusual as the dragon seems to show some intelligence and responds to her when she speaks. The truth of the dragon is revealed the following morning when the sunrise brings a major change to it. The dragon is transformed into a man, with a strange scar on his chest and wings still on his back.
Baelin of Gosforth has been cursed to live as a dragon for 216 years, with only one month of the year spent in his true form. His curse is such that he alone cannot break the bonds that hold him, but a maiden must willingly tie herself to him and endure unknown trials for his freedom. In all the years of his curse no woman has had the fortitude to even make it through one of the trials and each time he returns to dragon form a little more of the man is lost. Baelin is confused by Jill’s calmer reaction to his transformation from beast to man and he is also thrown by her claim she is not of his time. However, when his own version of the tapestry changes to show a maiden with Jill’s face alongside the dragon he is, Baelin is sure that she will be the one to finally succeed in helping him break his curse.
The fantasy of the perfect knight is alive and well within Baelin’s character, with bravery, honor and chivalry being at the forefront of all his actions within the story. For all the years of his curse he fought to maintain the core of who he is even though the heart of the dragon is slowly trying to possess him. My heart immediately was lost to Baelin as he endures all of Jill’s disbelief, slurs and disregard in the earliest days of their journey but he clings to even the smallest hope that she may come to see him as the man and not the monster all the other maidens saw. Baelin’s character reminded me of some of my favorite heroes and has probably added his name to that list.
I loved his steadfast support for Jill throughout their quest. During her Trial by Iron, even while internally he was fuming at her betrayal he was there to help her and share his strength when her own waivered. Afterwards it took some time for Baelin to find a place in his heart again to trust Jill, but he never completely lost hope that she would succeed in breaking the curse even when Jill herself had doubts. It was unique that while in human form Baelin retained his wings and other dragon senses and I liked that over time he had found ways to use those traits during his one month as a man. I admit the intimate scene between Jill and Baelin, where a little more of the dragon comes out in him, was both very hot and a little weird. But I give a lot of points to the author for making that scene something we haven’t seen in other fantasy books (or at least I haven’t).
I had slightly more mixed feelings about Jill’s character, liking her for the most of the story yet every so often wanting to slap her for her insensitivity and sometimes her stupidity. I understand that it’s part of her character’s make-up to speak/act before thinking and she works throughout their quest to learn from those mistakes. However she is also a stranger in a strange land and her thoroughly modern mentality starts to get irritating when she can’t look at things from Baelin’s side of the equation or fails to appreciate how different life was to people of that era. During the earliest days of their journey the insults and backhanded complements Jill spews out toward Baelin show she has no compassion for the hell the man had been living for years. She also seems to treat the beliefs and behaviors of the people she encounters like it’s all a joke. When Baelin saves her life from a group of thieves she runs from him out of fear of his savagery, but she has no concept that in that era it sometimes did come down to kill or be killed (or worse for a woman). Thankfully, after facing the reality of life in the middle ages during the first trial, the more respect she paid to Baelin and anyone she encountered.
I appreciated that the author took the time set the stage of a truer medieval England than the wall-papery variety by giving us the truths about what Jill would have encountered. The sights of crude towns cobbled together, vast undeveloped forests, or castles that were more mundane structures built with the materials available to the craftsmen. The smell of people who didn’t quite believe that cleanliness was next to godliness and the superstitions of a populace not quite as enlightened as they would believe. I’ve read some time-travel books that like to paint the past in such broad strokes that the contemporary character could be anywhere in time, even their own, by how little effort is made to immerse the reader in the same world.
I think my only complaint about the story was its abrupt ending and a lack of comeuppance for the villain. Baelin and Jill’s quest was fulfilled in a satisfying way and true love conquered the evil plans of the Dark Witch, but it seemed like the author sort of ran out of steam once she gave us that climactic scene. Everything is wrapped up within one chapter; with nothing drawing out the suspense of the question would breaking the curse doom Jill and Baelin to separate lives? Considering that Jill was missing from modern times for a month, the author could have shown just a little bit of her trying to put her life back in order before giving us the happy again. Or, we could have gotten an epilogue of how both characters will adjust to living together without the quest driving them and Baelin now living as a mortal man. I guess being so wrapped up in their story, I just needed that little bit more.
The book indicates that there are still stories to be told for two of the secondary characters and I can only hope that Ms. Dillon is already hard at work bringing those stories to life. Whether they take the form of a time-travel romance again or stay within the realm of fantasy romance, either way I will be anxious to see this series continue.
Jill Donohue didn’t realize that she was looking for adventure or danger in her life when she went into town; she just thought she was looking for a gift for her niece. But the fates had a different plan for Jill’s life and one of them made sure to put Jill back on the correct path to meet her destiny. Entering an antiques shop in Richmond, Jill finds herself drawn to an old piece of tapestry with exquisite embroidery of a dragon on it. The shopkeeper, with the unusual name of Clotho, is certain the piece is exactly what Jill is looking for and invites Jill to sit and relax for a moment to admire it. Jill keeps starting at the dragon, getting the eerie sensation that the cloth is somehow moving beneath her fingers, and she slowly feels as if she is falling and losing consciousness.
Jill wakes up in an open field surrounded by men and woman who speak in a strange dialect of English and swear that she fell from the sky. In their fear of the unknown, these strangers are certain Jill has been sent by God to serve as sacrifice instead of a maiden from their own population. Put on a stake and dressed as a bride, Jill is amazed when she comes face to face with a real dragon that is an exact copy of the one shown on the tapestry. The dragon takes her from the stake and flies her to his lair. Jill’s confinement in the dragon’s lair is unusual as the dragon seems to show some intelligence and responds to her when she speaks. The truth of the dragon is revealed the following morning when the sunrise brings a major change to it. The dragon is transformed into a man, with a strange scar on his chest and wings still on his back.
Baelin of Gosforth has been cursed to live as a dragon for 216 years, with only one month of the year spent in his true form. His curse is such that he alone cannot break the bonds that hold him, but a maiden must willingly tie herself to him and endure unknown trials for his freedom. In all the years of his curse no woman has had the fortitude to even make it through one of the trials and each time he returns to dragon form a little more of the man is lost. Baelin is confused by Jill’s calmer reaction to his transformation from beast to man and he is also thrown by her claim she is not of his time. However, when his own version of the tapestry changes to show a maiden with Jill’s face alongside the dragon he is, Baelin is sure that she will be the one to finally succeed in helping him break his curse.
The fantasy of the perfect knight is alive and well within Baelin’s character, with bravery, honor and chivalry being at the forefront of all his actions within the story. For all the years of his curse he fought to maintain the core of who he is even though the heart of the dragon is slowly trying to possess him. My heart immediately was lost to Baelin as he endures all of Jill’s disbelief, slurs and disregard in the earliest days of their journey but he clings to even the smallest hope that she may come to see him as the man and not the monster all the other maidens saw. Baelin’s character reminded me of some of my favorite heroes and has probably added his name to that list.
I loved his steadfast support for Jill throughout their quest. During her Trial by Iron, even while internally he was fuming at her betrayal he was there to help her and share his strength when her own waivered. Afterwards it took some time for Baelin to find a place in his heart again to trust Jill, but he never completely lost hope that she would succeed in breaking the curse even when Jill herself had doubts. It was unique that while in human form Baelin retained his wings and other dragon senses and I liked that over time he had found ways to use those traits during his one month as a man. I admit the intimate scene between Jill and Baelin, where a little more of the dragon comes out in him, was both very hot and a little weird. But I give a lot of points to the author for making that scene something we haven’t seen in other fantasy books (or at least I haven’t).
I had slightly more mixed feelings about Jill’s character, liking her for the most of the story yet every so often wanting to slap her for her insensitivity and sometimes her stupidity. I understand that it’s part of her character’s make-up to speak/act before thinking and she works throughout their quest to learn from those mistakes. However she is also a stranger in a strange land and her thoroughly modern mentality starts to get irritating when she can’t look at things from Baelin’s side of the equation or fails to appreciate how different life was to people of that era. During the earliest days of their journey the insults and backhanded complements Jill spews out toward Baelin show she has no compassion for the hell the man had been living for years. She also seems to treat the beliefs and behaviors of the people she encounters like it’s all a joke. When Baelin saves her life from a group of thieves she runs from him out of fear of his savagery, but she has no concept that in that era it sometimes did come down to kill or be killed (or worse for a woman). Thankfully, after facing the reality of life in the middle ages during the first trial, the more respect she paid to Baelin and anyone she encountered.
I appreciated that the author took the time set the stage of a truer medieval England than the wall-papery variety by giving us the truths about what Jill would have encountered. The sights of crude towns cobbled together, vast undeveloped forests, or castles that were more mundane structures built with the materials available to the craftsmen. The smell of people who didn’t quite believe that cleanliness was next to godliness and the superstitions of a populace not quite as enlightened as they would believe. I’ve read some time-travel books that like to paint the past in such broad strokes that the contemporary character could be anywhere in time, even their own, by how little effort is made to immerse the reader in the same world.
I think my only complaint about the story was its abrupt ending and a lack of comeuppance for the villain. Baelin and Jill’s quest was fulfilled in a satisfying way and true love conquered the evil plans of the Dark Witch, but it seemed like the author sort of ran out of steam once she gave us that climactic scene. Everything is wrapped up within one chapter; with nothing drawing out the suspense of the question would breaking the curse doom Jill and Baelin to separate lives? Considering that Jill was missing from modern times for a month, the author could have shown just a little bit of her trying to put her life back in order before giving us the happy again. Or, we could have gotten an epilogue of how both characters will adjust to living together without the quest driving them and Baelin now living as a mortal man. I guess being so wrapped up in their story, I just needed that little bit more.
The book indicates that there are still stories to be told for two of the secondary characters and I can only hope that Ms. Dillon is already hard at work bringing those stories to life. Whether they take the form of a time-travel romance again or stay within the realm of fantasy romance, either way I will be anxious to see this series continue.
September 14, 2021
Currently Thinking
I thought I wasn't going to like this book when I first started reading it. The main character was a little grating and the whole 'future person in the past making dated references that are not understood' thing gets on my nerves pretty quickly. Thankfully that didn't last too long and the story actually kicked into gear.
A problem that I had with the writing was that there was no cursing. I don't need copious amounts of profanity in my books nor even a little. I don't mind books with no profanity. But don't draw attention to it. Don't make a point of avoiding it. Because when your characters say things like "no sirree Bob" and "By golly" It makes me not want to follow them. It doesn't build a character I want to be around. Again as the book goes on this gets better so it's not a huge issue, you just have to get over the initially hump of slang terms not in use anymore.
{On the second Read through I realized this wasn't that big a deal and hardly noticed it despite remembering that I had disliked it the first time I read it}
There was a few issues I kept running into in the typo's department. It was semi distracting but not horrible. But it could have used another read through by the editor. One major thing is a character named Roderick of Kendal. Throughout the book they call him Roderick except for, like, and two entire chapters where they seem to forget his name and just call him Kendal. It could be that they're going for a more formal 'last name' thing based on the plot but it doesn't make sense and it's jarring and never explained. Little things like that I felt would have been fixed with more proofreading.
Good Points
What I liked about this book was basically everything else! The characters had great chemistry and were written very well! I loved Baelin of Gosforth! He had honor and valor but wasn't two dimensional so you could feel for the guy. He wasn't a stick in the mud and he was super protective (which is always endearing). The dialogue between the characters is very well done and adds to them growing attached to each other (not just the main characters but supporting characters as well). I really liked how Jill started to act a little more in the era (and not so many 21st century jokes thank God) but she still had her spit fire in her. She still made rude comments and pointed things out bluntly. Her character didn't change completely and get lost in the story.
The story line is very good too. I didn't feel like we were walking in circles forever (even though the characters kind of did). The plot did a good job of developing plot and characters pretty evenly.
Character-Of-Interest!
Jill Donahue - Maiden of sacrifice sent back in time from current day America to old timey England. She's tough and bold and gets herself in lots of trouble often. But she's also kind and caring, which also gets her into trouble.
Baelin of Gosforth - Valiant knight turned dragon. He's a strong man with demons who constantly fights for control of his own will with the dragon inside of him. He's a macabre character who has had more than a life time of struggles and pain.
Roderick of Kendal - Sarcastic, bullheaded, silver tongued devil that loves the women and loves to hunt dragons. He's a knight as well vying for the affections of the sweet and strange Jill Donahue.
Owen - the young page for Roderick of Kendal. He's wise beyond his years but still young and innocent. He harbors a great affection for Jill and wishes to see her happy and safe.
The Dark Witch - A major player in the game for Baelin's life. She wants her some of that sweet dragon tail and is losing patience with the curse she's placed on him. she twisted and sinister and has a cruel sense of humor.
Departing Thoughts
This book is worth reading. I may reread it again one day because the characters were really endearing (and I love good characters!).
To be honest I have questions about the ending though despite how happy it made me--
Despite that (which I can ignore) This is a book worth reading.
Closing Quotes
Jill's addled mind tried to wrap itself around what she'd seen happen. She couldn't do it. it was all too unreal. So her frazzled brain grabbed onto the nearest thought it could, inappropriate and irrational though it was.
"You perverted flying lizard. You saw me naked!"
Roderick and Baelin having a strained conversation in the beginning of their friendship
"Is aught amiss?" Roderick asked, his keen gaze searching the trees for danger.
"Nay, I thought I heard something, but it is naught."
"Ah, good." Roderick untied his breeches and a yellow stream arched out to douse the dry leaves on the ground. "I do so hate to face battle with a full bladder."
Baelin eyed the puddle of urine as it wound its way slowly past root and grass toward his boot. "Aye, 'tis an uncomfortable feeling." He stepped out of its way.
I thought I wasn't going to like this book when I first started reading it. The main character was a little grating and the whole 'future person in the past making dated references that are not understood' thing gets on my nerves pretty quickly. Thankfully that didn't last too long and the story actually kicked into gear.
{On the second Read through I realized this wasn't that big a deal and hardly noticed it despite remembering that I had disliked it the first time I read it}
There was a few issues I kept running into in the typo's department. It was semi distracting but not horrible. But it could have used another read through by the editor. One major thing is a character named Roderick of Kendal. Throughout the book they call him Roderick except for, like, and two entire chapters where they seem to forget his name and just call him Kendal. It could be that they're going for a more formal 'last name' thing based on the plot but it doesn't make sense and it's jarring and never explained. Little things like that I felt would have been fixed with more proofreading.
Good Points
What I liked about this book was basically everything else! The characters had great chemistry and were written very well! I loved Baelin of Gosforth! He had honor and valor but wasn't two dimensional so you could feel for the guy. He wasn't a stick in the mud and he was super protective (which is always endearing). The dialogue between the characters is very well done and adds to them growing attached to each other (not just the main characters but supporting characters as well). I really liked how Jill started to act a little more in the era (and not so many 21st century jokes thank God) but she still had her spit fire in her. She still made rude comments and pointed things out bluntly. Her character didn't change completely and get lost in the story.
The story line is very good too. I didn't feel like we were walking in circles forever (even though the characters kind of did). The plot did a good job of developing plot and characters pretty evenly.
Character-Of-Interest!
Jill Donahue - Maiden of sacrifice sent back in time from current day America to old timey England. She's tough and bold and gets herself in lots of trouble often. But she's also kind and caring, which also gets her into trouble.
Baelin of Gosforth - Valiant knight turned dragon. He's a strong man with demons who constantly fights for control of his own will with the dragon inside of him. He's a macabre character who has had more than a life time of struggles and pain.
Roderick of Kendal - Sarcastic, bullheaded, silver tongued devil that loves the women and loves to hunt dragons. He's a knight as well vying for the affections of the sweet and strange Jill Donahue.
Owen - the young page for Roderick of Kendal. He's wise beyond his years but still young and innocent. He harbors a great affection for Jill and wishes to see her happy and safe.
The Dark Witch - A major player in the game for Baelin's life. She wants her some of that sweet dragon tail and is losing patience with the curse she's placed on him. she twisted and sinister and has a cruel sense of humor.
Departing Thoughts
This book is worth reading. I may reread it again one day because the characters were really endearing (and I love good characters!).
To be honest I have questions about the ending though despite how happy it made me--
Despite that (which I can ignore) This is a book worth reading.
Closing Quotes
Jill's addled mind tried to wrap itself around what she'd seen happen. She couldn't do it. it was all too unreal. So her frazzled brain grabbed onto the nearest thought it could, inappropriate and irrational though it was.
"You perverted flying lizard. You saw me naked!"
Roderick and Baelin having a strained conversation in the beginning of their friendship
"Is aught amiss?" Roderick asked, his keen gaze searching the trees for danger.
"Nay, I thought I heard something, but it is naught."
"Ah, good." Roderick untied his breeches and a yellow stream arched out to douse the dry leaves on the ground. "I do so hate to face battle with a full bladder."
Baelin eyed the puddle of urine as it wound its way slowly past root and grass toward his boot. "Aye, 'tis an uncomfortable feeling." He stepped out of its way.
July 23, 2013
A few years back I used to have this day dream where I would fall down Alice’s rabbit hole and find myself submerged in a magical kingdom where valiant knights battled each other for my fair hand, preferably on horseback and most definitely spinning a sonnet or two on my behalf. They also got very hot and sweaty doing this and I would offer to give them a run down and… you get the picture.
So when I saw this sitting on the Netgalley website, I knew I had to read it. Knew it.
Unfortunately, this book is not the reenactment of my long lost dream.
For those of you who never grew out of watching old Disney Princess films, and squee with joy even now when a rerun of Sleeping Beauty or The Little Mermaid is on – this book won’t fufil those flights of fancy either.
Why?
Because this is so much better. This is for adults – hoo-frickin-ya!!!
It’s full of the old cliches, dashing knights who blush at the sight of a bare ankle and backwater English parishes complete with village idiot and obligatory village strumpet. Plus true to form in any time travel romance, we also have the unlucky (but secretly lucky), female protagonist with a barrel full of snark and lashings of contemporary wit up her sleeves – all too ready to share the odd joke or two about how backwards people in the past are. Not so original I admit, but after the first couple of chapters (don’t stop reading!) everything starts to change. The more we see of Jill, the more her snarkiness diminishes and the more I grew to like her.
Jill
Jill – you rock girlfriend.
She’s a Philly girl, modern, fun loving and out shopping for a last minute birthday present for her young niece. Providence arrives in the form of a quaint antiques shop where she is talked into purchasing a tapestry of a dragon from a crazy old lady.
Time travel romance 101 – never buy anything from crazy ladies… tutt-tutt.
Then before she can click her heels together and shout Jiminy Cricket, Jill lands feet first back in ye olde England. Not only that, but this version of history is a wee bit different – here there be dragons. Evil, bad-ass dragons. Unfortunately, a stunned Jill is seen falling out of the sky by pitchfork wielding villagers who quickly intervene and offer her up as a (born again) virgin sacrifice to their local dragon.
Oh the humanity…
“You… you were a dragon. And now, you… you’re a man.”
Jill’s addled mind tried to wrap itself around what she’d seen happen. She couldn’t do it. It was all too unreal. So her frazzled brain grabbed onto the nearest thought it could, inappropriate and irrational though it was.
“You perverted flying lizard. You saw me naked!”
Sir Baelin
Say hello to Sir Baelin who is partial to naked ladies and shiny silver treasure. He’s a knight extraordinaire and way macho to boot. We quickly find out that he’s under a spell to live as a dragon for eleven months of the year. This spell can only be undone by a virgin maiden from the local village during the one month he gets to spend as a human. Sadly, the ladies of medieval England are not interested. They haven’t been interested for 200 years! Poor Baelin, fast forward a century and the women would go cray-cray over you.
Alas – maidens are completely put off helping him when they find out they have to undergo three tests. No one knows what the tests involve, other than that they will be a testament to all of the knightly values of valor, integrity etcetera, etcetera.
Luckily for Baelin, Jill is up to the challenge. But are her motivations pure? Is she playing him so that she can return to the future or does she actually care for him? Halfway through the book they reluctantly join forces with Sir Roderick the dragon slayer and his squire, which added some romantic tension to the pot. But who wants some boring old knight when there’s a fire breathing dragon to be had?!?
These tests are frickin brutal – and this is exactly why I was surprised with this book. I just didn’t see this level of intensity coming into play. It sucked me right into the book, hook, line and sinker. It was a super quick read for me. Easy, wholesome fun with a squeaky clean ending. Superb.
Read more with The Urban Book Thief here
So when I saw this sitting on the Netgalley website, I knew I had to read it. Knew it.
Unfortunately, this book is not the reenactment of my long lost dream.
For those of you who never grew out of watching old Disney Princess films, and squee with joy even now when a rerun of Sleeping Beauty or The Little Mermaid is on – this book won’t fufil those flights of fancy either.
Why?
Because this is so much better. This is for adults – hoo-frickin-ya!!!
It’s full of the old cliches, dashing knights who blush at the sight of a bare ankle and backwater English parishes complete with village idiot and obligatory village strumpet. Plus true to form in any time travel romance, we also have the unlucky (but secretly lucky), female protagonist with a barrel full of snark and lashings of contemporary wit up her sleeves – all too ready to share the odd joke or two about how backwards people in the past are. Not so original I admit, but after the first couple of chapters (don’t stop reading!) everything starts to change. The more we see of Jill, the more her snarkiness diminishes and the more I grew to like her.
Jill
Jill – you rock girlfriend.
She’s a Philly girl, modern, fun loving and out shopping for a last minute birthday present for her young niece. Providence arrives in the form of a quaint antiques shop where she is talked into purchasing a tapestry of a dragon from a crazy old lady.
Time travel romance 101 – never buy anything from crazy ladies… tutt-tutt.
Then before she can click her heels together and shout Jiminy Cricket, Jill lands feet first back in ye olde England. Not only that, but this version of history is a wee bit different – here there be dragons. Evil, bad-ass dragons. Unfortunately, a stunned Jill is seen falling out of the sky by pitchfork wielding villagers who quickly intervene and offer her up as a (born again) virgin sacrifice to their local dragon.
Oh the humanity…
“You… you were a dragon. And now, you… you’re a man.”
Jill’s addled mind tried to wrap itself around what she’d seen happen. She couldn’t do it. It was all too unreal. So her frazzled brain grabbed onto the nearest thought it could, inappropriate and irrational though it was.
“You perverted flying lizard. You saw me naked!”
Sir Baelin
Say hello to Sir Baelin who is partial to naked ladies and shiny silver treasure. He’s a knight extraordinaire and way macho to boot. We quickly find out that he’s under a spell to live as a dragon for eleven months of the year. This spell can only be undone by a virgin maiden from the local village during the one month he gets to spend as a human. Sadly, the ladies of medieval England are not interested. They haven’t been interested for 200 years! Poor Baelin, fast forward a century and the women would go cray-cray over you.
Alas – maidens are completely put off helping him when they find out they have to undergo three tests. No one knows what the tests involve, other than that they will be a testament to all of the knightly values of valor, integrity etcetera, etcetera.
Luckily for Baelin, Jill is up to the challenge. But are her motivations pure? Is she playing him so that she can return to the future or does she actually care for him? Halfway through the book they reluctantly join forces with Sir Roderick the dragon slayer and his squire, which added some romantic tension to the pot. But who wants some boring old knight when there’s a fire breathing dragon to be had?!?
These tests are frickin brutal – and this is exactly why I was surprised with this book. I just didn’t see this level of intensity coming into play. It sucked me right into the book, hook, line and sinker. It was a super quick read for me. Easy, wholesome fun with a squeaky clean ending. Superb.
Read more with The Urban Book Thief here
April 10, 2014
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Fire of the Dragon starts with an intriguing first line and dives right into the engaging mind of the main character, Jill. Within the first chapter, she is transported to a medieval England complete with conniving villagers bent on sacrificing her to a dragon.
The beginning of this book had me turning pages when I should have tended to various chores. It hooked me with the opening and dragged me all through witty banter and sizzling chemistry. Jill's spunky attitude carried the book through parts which might normally have dragged on.
Jill is a go-getter. For all she complains about being a procrastinator in the beginning, when life as she knew it is on the line, she steps up and searches for a solution. Her brash twenty-first century attitude worked well as a contrast to Baelin's reserved speech and nature. She was determined to lead, and he reluctantly followed. He was too busy reigning in his inner dragon to be much of the traditional alpha male at first, but I enjoyed the forays into his point of view as well. As the story unfolded, more and more of Baelin's tortured past is revealed. He is the perfect broken hero, and his path to redemption is riddled with trials.
However, upon reaching the meat of the story, a few flaws slowed my progress.
As soon as the knight left their side, their relationship -- and the character progression I found stalled while he was in the picture -- picked up where it left off. The pages flew by. I didn't want to put the book down. The sizzling excitement here more than made up for the sagging middle.
For all the faults, the climax is appropriate, gut-wrenching, and page turning, like most of the book. Readers who love time travel, dragons, and a meaty maiden-saves-dragon fairytale should definitely consider buying this book.
This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Fire of the Dragon starts with an intriguing first line and dives right into the engaging mind of the main character, Jill. Within the first chapter, she is transported to a medieval England complete with conniving villagers bent on sacrificing her to a dragon.
The beginning of this book had me turning pages when I should have tended to various chores. It hooked me with the opening and dragged me all through witty banter and sizzling chemistry. Jill's spunky attitude carried the book through parts which might normally have dragged on.
Jill is a go-getter. For all she complains about being a procrastinator in the beginning, when life as she knew it is on the line, she steps up and searches for a solution. Her brash twenty-first century attitude worked well as a contrast to Baelin's reserved speech and nature. She was determined to lead, and he reluctantly followed. He was too busy reigning in his inner dragon to be much of the traditional alpha male at first, but I enjoyed the forays into his point of view as well. As the story unfolded, more and more of Baelin's tortured past is revealed. He is the perfect broken hero, and his path to redemption is riddled with trials.
However, upon reaching the meat of the story, a few flaws slowed my progress.
As soon as the knight left their side, their relationship -- and the character progression I found stalled while he was in the picture -- picked up where it left off. The pages flew by. I didn't want to put the book down. The sizzling excitement here more than made up for the sagging middle.
For all the faults, the climax is appropriate, gut-wrenching, and page turning, like most of the book. Readers who love time travel, dragons, and a meaty maiden-saves-dragon fairytale should definitely consider buying this book.
August 20, 2013
Fire of the Dragon is a story of a modern woman thrust back in time to help a dragon/man break a curse. While shopping for her niece's birthday, Jill comes upon a weird tapestry that takes her back to 13th century England. Here, the villagers sacrifice her to a dragon – a yearly tradition in that village. When the dragon takes her back to its lair, Jill learns that the dragon is not all what he seems. Cursed to live as a dragon for 11 months out of the year, Baelin (the dragon) becomes human for one month – whereupon he tried to break the curse. To break the evil curse, a maiden must complete three challenges. With normal dangers of medieval life, adding some dragons and evil witches does not make it any safer. Jill must help Baelin if she is ever to get home again.
The story is written in third person mostly following Jill and Baelin. Jill, a modern girl, is never short on speaking her mind. Doing so in the 13th century is not the wisest thing. Jill is a strong character. She has her flaws but she has bravery and good heart. At times I did get tired of her 21st century sayings. I mean, she knows she's in medieval England; wouldn't you try to tone down your 21st slang/sayings a little bit to be understandable? Baelin is a knight that was cursed by the Dark Witch. He has been trying for over 200 years to break the curse, but no maiden has gotten close until now. Bound by his knightly honor and virtues, he tries to help Jill break the curse but doing so is not easy for the medieval knight. Baelin, in all sense, is a good man. One thing I don't get is how – being able to hide his weird dragon features while human – did no one notice the fork tongue?
The plot follows the couple as they embark to break the curse. The first challenge was interesting and one that I did not hear of before. There was a long break between the first and the second challenge. During that break, interesting things happen – such as meeting a dragon slayer along the way. As I was getting closer to the end and still had not reached the second challenge, I was a little worried that this would be broken up into another book. Do not fear readers! Jill and Baelin's story is all wrapped up in this book. The next book seems to be about another character from this story. I do wish there was an epilogue in this book just to tie up some loose ends (Ha! A tapestry pun!) – such as, how the other characters handled the ending results of this story.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you like medieval England, dragons, and time travel, then you should give this book a try.
The story is written in third person mostly following Jill and Baelin. Jill, a modern girl, is never short on speaking her mind. Doing so in the 13th century is not the wisest thing. Jill is a strong character. She has her flaws but she has bravery and good heart. At times I did get tired of her 21st century sayings. I mean, she knows she's in medieval England; wouldn't you try to tone down your 21st slang/sayings a little bit to be understandable? Baelin is a knight that was cursed by the Dark Witch. He has been trying for over 200 years to break the curse, but no maiden has gotten close until now. Bound by his knightly honor and virtues, he tries to help Jill break the curse but doing so is not easy for the medieval knight. Baelin, in all sense, is a good man. One thing I don't get is how – being able to hide his weird dragon features while human – did no one notice the fork tongue?
The plot follows the couple as they embark to break the curse. The first challenge was interesting and one that I did not hear of before. There was a long break between the first and the second challenge. During that break, interesting things happen – such as meeting a dragon slayer along the way. As I was getting closer to the end and still had not reached the second challenge, I was a little worried that this would be broken up into another book. Do not fear readers! Jill and Baelin's story is all wrapped up in this book. The next book seems to be about another character from this story. I do wish there was an epilogue in this book just to tie up some loose ends (Ha! A tapestry pun!) – such as, how the other characters handled the ending results of this story.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. If you like medieval England, dragons, and time travel, then you should give this book a try.
November 21, 2015
In a rush to find a birthday gift for her niece, Jill Donahue stumbles upon an antique shop where the owner offers her an old tapestry. Somehow, she gets transported back into medieval times. Taken by villagers, she is offered up in sacrifice to a dragon. At first, she does not believe what is happening. Then the dragon turns into a gorgeous man and reveals the tale of his curse. So Jill decides to help him. After all, the tapestry seems to be the key to both their problems.
Sir Baelin of Gosforth has a curse. One that makes him a dragon eleven months out of a year, leaving him one month as a man to break it. Only a maid triumphing over three trials can defeat it. Each trial concerns one of the knightly virtues. Initially, Baelin thinks Jill is like every other woman. That she will despise him. That her tale of being from the future is suspect. Still, he desires her and her odd ways, even if he is sure she only wants to go home.
More danger is waiting for them. On top of completing the needed trials, bandits, medieval village justice, fellow dragon slayers and ignorant villagers are a few of the hazards along the way. But the biggest threat is the Dark Witch, who has begun it all. While navigating the perilous waters, there is a growing attraction between Jill and Baelin, one that neither wants to admit, even to themselves. Finishing their quests may have a price they are not expecting. Will they complete it anyway? Most importantly, will it be worth it?
I really love this story! It has action, humor and strong well-developed characters that I have adored immediately. The love growing between Jill and Baelin is believable. The miscommunications cropping up between the two adds the right amount of humor. Point of view switches between Jill and Baelin are smooth and lend an air of authentication and wit to those misunderstandings. While things are wrapped up at the end, there are a few threads that make me hungry to read the next story, to see what happens next. This is a great start to a new series.
Official review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
Sir Baelin of Gosforth has a curse. One that makes him a dragon eleven months out of a year, leaving him one month as a man to break it. Only a maid triumphing over three trials can defeat it. Each trial concerns one of the knightly virtues. Initially, Baelin thinks Jill is like every other woman. That she will despise him. That her tale of being from the future is suspect. Still, he desires her and her odd ways, even if he is sure she only wants to go home.
More danger is waiting for them. On top of completing the needed trials, bandits, medieval village justice, fellow dragon slayers and ignorant villagers are a few of the hazards along the way. But the biggest threat is the Dark Witch, who has begun it all. While navigating the perilous waters, there is a growing attraction between Jill and Baelin, one that neither wants to admit, even to themselves. Finishing their quests may have a price they are not expecting. Will they complete it anyway? Most importantly, will it be worth it?
I really love this story! It has action, humor and strong well-developed characters that I have adored immediately. The love growing between Jill and Baelin is believable. The miscommunications cropping up between the two adds the right amount of humor. Point of view switches between Jill and Baelin are smooth and lend an air of authentication and wit to those misunderstandings. While things are wrapped up at the end, there are a few threads that make me hungry to read the next story, to see what happens next. This is a great start to a new series.
Official review @ Coffee Time Romance & More
November 25, 2013
In a rush to find a birthday gift for her niece, Jill Donahue stumbles upon an antique shop where the owner offers her an old tapestry. Somehow, she gets transported back into medieval times. Taken by villagers, she is offered up in sacrifice to a dragon. At first, she does not believe what is happening. Then the dragon turns into a gorgeous man and reveals the tale of his curse. So Jill decides to help him. After all, the tapestry seems to be the key to both their problems.
Sir Baelin of Gosforth has a curse. One that makes him a dragon eleven months out of a year, leaving him one month as a man to break it. Only maid triumphing over three trials can defeat it. Each trial concerns one of the knightly virtues. Initially, Baelin thinks Jill is like every other woman. That she will despise him. That her tale of being from the future is suspect. Still, he desires her and her odd ways, even if he is sure she only wants to go home.
More danger is waiting for them. On top of completing the needed trials, bandits, medieval village justice, fellow dragon slayers and ignorant villagers are a few of the hazards along the way. But the biggest threat is the Dark Witch, who has begun it all. While navigating the perilous waters, there is a growing attraction between Jill and Baelin, one that neither wants to admit, even to themselves. Finishing their quests may have a price they are not expecting. Will they complete it anyway? Most importantly, will it be worth it?
I really love this story! It has action, humor and strong well-developed characters that I adored immediately. The love growing between Jill and Baelin is believable. The miscommunications cropping up between the two adds the right amount of humor. Point of view switches between Jill and Baelin are smooth and lend an air of authentication and wit to those misunderstandings. While things are wrapped up at the end, there are a few threads that make me hungry to read the next story, to see what happens next. This is a great start to a new series.
Llaph
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
- See more at: http://coffeetimeromance.com/BookRevi...
Sir Baelin of Gosforth has a curse. One that makes him a dragon eleven months out of a year, leaving him one month as a man to break it. Only maid triumphing over three trials can defeat it. Each trial concerns one of the knightly virtues. Initially, Baelin thinks Jill is like every other woman. That she will despise him. That her tale of being from the future is suspect. Still, he desires her and her odd ways, even if he is sure she only wants to go home.
More danger is waiting for them. On top of completing the needed trials, bandits, medieval village justice, fellow dragon slayers and ignorant villagers are a few of the hazards along the way. But the biggest threat is the Dark Witch, who has begun it all. While navigating the perilous waters, there is a growing attraction between Jill and Baelin, one that neither wants to admit, even to themselves. Finishing their quests may have a price they are not expecting. Will they complete it anyway? Most importantly, will it be worth it?
I really love this story! It has action, humor and strong well-developed characters that I adored immediately. The love growing between Jill and Baelin is believable. The miscommunications cropping up between the two adds the right amount of humor. Point of view switches between Jill and Baelin are smooth and lend an air of authentication and wit to those misunderstandings. While things are wrapped up at the end, there are a few threads that make me hungry to read the next story, to see what happens next. This is a great start to a new series.
Llaph
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
- See more at: http://coffeetimeromance.com/BookRevi...
March 5, 2014
Book Review- Fire of the Dragon by Lori Dillon
In book one of the Bestiary Series, Jill Donahue finds herself rushing around doing last minute shopping for her niece’s birthday. She is a horrible aunt and she could just hear what her mother was going to say to her. While she is berating herself someone bumps her and sends her into the glass of a store window. The owner brings her into the shop to make sure she is alright.
Jill has entered a mystery vintage shop and is offered tea by a tiny woman wearing coke bottle glasses. The woman introduces herself as Clo and is determined to find exactly what Jill needs. She goes in search of a gift that her niece might like. Clo comes back with a tapestry that portrays a scene with a dragon. Jill touches it admiring its beauty but knows it won’t work for her niece. She starts to explain to Clo that she will have to find something else when she feels dizzy.
Jill wakes up amongst stares from strange looking people. They inform her she fell from the sky. They also decide that she is the one they will sacrifice to the dragon. Jill can’t believe what is happening or what she is seeing. She comes face to face with a real live dragon. She is taken by the dragon to its lair and realizes she is there to try and break a curse. There are three tasks she must complete. She only has one month to do so. If she doesn’t succeed she may be stuck there.
This story is a time travel adventure, which is one of my favorites. A modern day woman finds herself back in time eight hundred years helping a knight break a curse. The storyline was fun for me to read. The characters were a great match for each other containing a lot of chemistry. Jill’s character was feisty and refused to give up.
The author created an interesting scenario for Jill and the dragon curse was fascinating. The twists and turns of the story kept me engrossed as it developed around the characters. The ending was exactly as it should have been. It was a fun read and I give it a 4 out of 5.
In book one of the Bestiary Series, Jill Donahue finds herself rushing around doing last minute shopping for her niece’s birthday. She is a horrible aunt and she could just hear what her mother was going to say to her. While she is berating herself someone bumps her and sends her into the glass of a store window. The owner brings her into the shop to make sure she is alright.
Jill has entered a mystery vintage shop and is offered tea by a tiny woman wearing coke bottle glasses. The woman introduces herself as Clo and is determined to find exactly what Jill needs. She goes in search of a gift that her niece might like. Clo comes back with a tapestry that portrays a scene with a dragon. Jill touches it admiring its beauty but knows it won’t work for her niece. She starts to explain to Clo that she will have to find something else when she feels dizzy.
Jill wakes up amongst stares from strange looking people. They inform her she fell from the sky. They also decide that she is the one they will sacrifice to the dragon. Jill can’t believe what is happening or what she is seeing. She comes face to face with a real live dragon. She is taken by the dragon to its lair and realizes she is there to try and break a curse. There are three tasks she must complete. She only has one month to do so. If she doesn’t succeed she may be stuck there.
This story is a time travel adventure, which is one of my favorites. A modern day woman finds herself back in time eight hundred years helping a knight break a curse. The storyline was fun for me to read. The characters were a great match for each other containing a lot of chemistry. Jill’s character was feisty and refused to give up.
The author created an interesting scenario for Jill and the dragon curse was fascinating. The twists and turns of the story kept me engrossed as it developed around the characters. The ending was exactly as it should have been. It was a fun read and I give it a 4 out of 5.
June 13, 2013
Fire of the Dragon
Bestiary Series #1
by
Lori Dillon
Being sent back in time to the Middle Ages wouldn't be so bad if the knight in shining armor who comes to your rescue didn't swoop down in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately for Jill Donahue, that's just the way things have been going in her life lately.
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn't bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn't the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving...
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill's help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin's dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
This is a good quick read. It's not the type of book I usually read, but I enjoyed it. It was a little slow for me to get into, but if you hang in there the story just gets better & better. Then ending was amazing. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'd love to try more.
I rate this book 4 stars
Jennifer Wadkins
complimentary book given for a free review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
January 21, 2014
This is a lovely little fairy tale, complete with a time-traveling maiden – and a not-so-willing dragon who is (of course) really a knight under a curse…
Well, okay, the heroine doesn’t think it’s lovely to get dropped in the middle of a bunch of medieval reenactors – or are they really crazy cultists? – who plan to sacrifice a maiden to a an obviously non-existent dragon. Except he’s not non-existent. And he’s not really a dragon, at least not entirely and not all the time. And the townsfolk aren’t reenactors, either. It really is the 13th century. Welcome to Camelot Gone Wild…
It seems that Baelin, knight of the realm and SLAYER of dragons crossed a witch one day. When he refused to serve her she turned him into one of the dragons he stalked. Once a year he had a chance to break the curse, that’s why he required a village maiden. They must pass 3 tests – what tests he doesn’t know except they will require the knightly virtues – and they must be completed by the next full moon or he’s back to being a dragon. This has been going on for 216 years…
Being a take-charge kind of girl Jill starts packing to go quest hunting. Baelin, who has internalized a few too many dragonly attitudes doesn’t want to leave his lair undefended and he really worries about his treasure.
Baelin and Jill encounter many challenges, both from the quests and from simply living in a medieval society. The problems are further compounded by the fact that one of the travelers has bat wings and can turn into a dragon and the other has no real clue… Lots of action and lots of interaction as the hero and heroine learn to like and then love each other.
The plot was exciting, and the characters were well-drawn people that we come to care for. This is listed as Bestiary #1 so I’m assuming the author intends for there to be more. The threads are definitely laid for more stories. I look forward to reading them.
Copy received from Netgalley and publisher for an honest review.
Well, okay, the heroine doesn’t think it’s lovely to get dropped in the middle of a bunch of medieval reenactors – or are they really crazy cultists? – who plan to sacrifice a maiden to a an obviously non-existent dragon. Except he’s not non-existent. And he’s not really a dragon, at least not entirely and not all the time. And the townsfolk aren’t reenactors, either. It really is the 13th century. Welcome to Camelot Gone Wild…
It seems that Baelin, knight of the realm and SLAYER of dragons crossed a witch one day. When he refused to serve her she turned him into one of the dragons he stalked. Once a year he had a chance to break the curse, that’s why he required a village maiden. They must pass 3 tests – what tests he doesn’t know except they will require the knightly virtues – and they must be completed by the next full moon or he’s back to being a dragon. This has been going on for 216 years…
Being a take-charge kind of girl Jill starts packing to go quest hunting. Baelin, who has internalized a few too many dragonly attitudes doesn’t want to leave his lair undefended and he really worries about his treasure.
Baelin and Jill encounter many challenges, both from the quests and from simply living in a medieval society. The problems are further compounded by the fact that one of the travelers has bat wings and can turn into a dragon and the other has no real clue… Lots of action and lots of interaction as the hero and heroine learn to like and then love each other.
The plot was exciting, and the characters were well-drawn people that we come to care for. This is listed as Bestiary #1 so I’m assuming the author intends for there to be more. The threads are definitely laid for more stories. I look forward to reading them.
Copy received from Netgalley and publisher for an honest review.
June 10, 2013
Being sent back in time to the Middle Ages wouldn't be so bad if the knight in shining armor who comes to your rescue didn't swoop down in the form of a fire-breathing dragon. Unfortunately for Jill Donahue, that's just the way things have been going in her life lately.
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn't bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn't the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving...
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill's help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin's dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
This is a good quick read. It's not the type of book I usually read, but I enjoyed it. It was a little slow for me to get into, but if you hang in there the story just gets better & better. Then ending was amazing. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'd love to try more.
I rate this book 4 stars
A Maiden
Wrenched back in time through the magical power of an old dragon tapestry found in a vintage clothing store, Jill Donahue lands in an ancient medieval town where the villagers decide to sacrifice her to the local dragon. As if the threat of being eaten alive by a giant flying lizard isn't bad enough, she learns there’s a curse surrounding the tapestry and she has to break it in order to get back to her time. But she isn't the only one whose fate is tied to the ancient weaving...
A Dragon
Baelin of Gosforth is a valiant knight who has been cursed by a vindictive witch to live as a dragon for eleven months out of each year. Now he has thirty days to break the curse or he turns back into a fire-breathing beast and, as much as he hates to admit it, he needs Jill's help to do it.
And A Curse
Forced to face many challenges along the way—from the harsh world they travel through to the fiery passion they both try to deny—each is determined to break the curse so the other can get their happily-ever-after. And it just might work, if Jill can manage to overlook the fire-breathing, bat-winged remnants of Baelin's dragon half long enough to see the man beneath the beast and get the job done.
This is a good quick read. It's not the type of book I usually read, but I enjoyed it. It was a little slow for me to get into, but if you hang in there the story just gets better & better. Then ending was amazing. This is the first book I've read by this author, but I'd love to try more.
I rate this book 4 stars
March 16, 2014
Present day Richmond, Virginia and 12th Century England
Jill Donahue, out shopping for her niece, finds herself in an old shop, with an old woman named Clo, looking at an ancient tapestry and finds herself thrown into 12th century England. The villagers give her to the dragon as a sacrifice. The dragon takes her to his lair and slowly she starts trying to figure out what's happened to her and the reasons. The next morning she awakes to the awful sounds of someone in pain. She watches as the dragon turns into a man...a man with dragon wings and a star-burst scar on his chest above his heart.
For 216 years Baelin has been a dragon. He was cursed by a dark witch for not serving her. He lives as a dragon for 11 months out of a year and during one month he is human. He has that one month to get a maiden from the village to help him break the curse and to this day each one has feared him and refused to help. The maiden has to pass three tests.... Honor, courage, and bravery are needed to be accomplished before the month is out in order to break the spell. He begins telling Jill how he was cursed and she tells him of her visit in the shop, the old woman, the tapestry....THE tapestry he pulls out right in front of her. The one he has been guarding for the last 216 years. The both know then that the tapestry holds the key. They decide to leave the cave and see what they find. Along the way they meet Sir Roderick of Kendale, who is a dragon slayer, and his squire Owen who decide to journey with them for awhile.
Thus begins the tale of fate, friendship, betrayal, trust, and love with a good dose of danger and mystery along the way. This is the first I've read by Lori and I look forward to continuing the series.
Jill Donahue, out shopping for her niece, finds herself in an old shop, with an old woman named Clo, looking at an ancient tapestry and finds herself thrown into 12th century England. The villagers give her to the dragon as a sacrifice. The dragon takes her to his lair and slowly she starts trying to figure out what's happened to her and the reasons. The next morning she awakes to the awful sounds of someone in pain. She watches as the dragon turns into a man...a man with dragon wings and a star-burst scar on his chest above his heart.
For 216 years Baelin has been a dragon. He was cursed by a dark witch for not serving her. He lives as a dragon for 11 months out of a year and during one month he is human. He has that one month to get a maiden from the village to help him break the curse and to this day each one has feared him and refused to help. The maiden has to pass three tests.... Honor, courage, and bravery are needed to be accomplished before the month is out in order to break the spell. He begins telling Jill how he was cursed and she tells him of her visit in the shop, the old woman, the tapestry....THE tapestry he pulls out right in front of her. The one he has been guarding for the last 216 years. The both know then that the tapestry holds the key. They decide to leave the cave and see what they find. Along the way they meet Sir Roderick of Kendale, who is a dragon slayer, and his squire Owen who decide to journey with them for awhile.
Thus begins the tale of fate, friendship, betrayal, trust, and love with a good dose of danger and mystery along the way. This is the first I've read by Lori and I look forward to continuing the series.
January 11, 2015
This is the funniest book I have read so far this year! While looking for a birthday present for her niece, Jill hits her head, holds a dragon tapestry, and ends up in the 1200's medieval England. Unfortunately for her, she drops into a village that is just about to send its yearly sacrifice, a maiden, to the dragon that lives on the mountain overlooking the village. The village decides to send her instead of one of their own inhabitants, good for the village, bad for Jill!
At least Jill is lucky that the dragon is actually a cursed man Baelin, who gets to be his human self for one month each year. Baelin hates it that the maidens are afraid of them and he doesn't harm them, but he needs a maiden to help break the curse he was put under by the dark witch. Lucky Baelin, Jill wants to help him break the curse, she believes breaking his curse will get her back to her own time.
The trials and tribulations Jill and Baelin must face on their quest to break the curse are a lot of fun to read! Jill trying to find her away around medieval society and in the company of a hot man/half dragon results in some really funny situations, especially when she realizes he saw her naked when he was a dragon!
Will Jill and Baelin succeed in breaking his curse? Will Jill get back to her own time? Will she want to leave Baelin? Read on to find the answers, you won't be disappointed!
Love scenes were good, could have been steamier for my taste, but the story the author created was so good and fun to read that I was completely satisfied with this book. There was some violence because this is medieval England. I can't wait to read more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
At least Jill is lucky that the dragon is actually a cursed man Baelin, who gets to be his human self for one month each year. Baelin hates it that the maidens are afraid of them and he doesn't harm them, but he needs a maiden to help break the curse he was put under by the dark witch. Lucky Baelin, Jill wants to help him break the curse, she believes breaking his curse will get her back to her own time.
The trials and tribulations Jill and Baelin must face on their quest to break the curse are a lot of fun to read! Jill trying to find her away around medieval society and in the company of a hot man/half dragon results in some really funny situations, especially when she realizes he saw her naked when he was a dragon!
Will Jill and Baelin succeed in breaking his curse? Will Jill get back to her own time? Will she want to leave Baelin? Read on to find the answers, you won't be disappointed!
Love scenes were good, could have been steamier for my taste, but the story the author created was so good and fun to read that I was completely satisfied with this book. There was some violence because this is medieval England. I can't wait to read more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
What I like: The characters were believable, and they had personalities to fit who they were and where they were from in regards to time periods. Baelin, though human for almost the entirety of the book, have several pieces of his personality reflect what we associate with dragons, greed and possessiveness. It was a wonderful thing to see. Kendale and Owen, though a bit iffy as character when they originally appear, I came to love them as well! The fear that people in the 1200’s and the way they talked was done very well, it was believable, and that’s what sold me to it.
What I didn’t like: There wasn’t much that I didn’t, and what I didn’t I can’t exactly pin down. There were very few flaws, but one of them was large enough to be that I was bothered by it for several pages. Sometimes the imagery felt lacking, but it was never overdone.
Overall review: I really enjoyed reading Fire of the Dragon and everything that was involved. The characters were rounded and individuals, the setting was well thought out and the people responded as people of the time would be expected to, with plenty of fear of the unknown. Although initially I thought the ending would be a bitter disappointment, the ending was actually very satisfactory and I loved it. I eagerly await the next book, Treasure of the Gryphon to see what Lori Dillon can do next.
Recommend?: Yes, though I’m not sure who exactly to! Certainly lovers of medieval tales, and perhaps romance since that’s there as well?
What I like: The characters were believable, and they had personalities to fit who they were and where they were from in regards to time periods. Baelin, though human for almost the entirety of the book, have several pieces of his personality reflect what we associate with dragons, greed and possessiveness. It was a wonderful thing to see. Kendale and Owen, though a bit iffy as character when they originally appear, I came to love them as well! The fear that people in the 1200’s and the way they talked was done very well, it was believable, and that’s what sold me to it.
What I didn’t like: There wasn’t much that I didn’t, and what I didn’t I can’t exactly pin down. There were very few flaws, but one of them was large enough to be that I was bothered by it for several pages. Sometimes the imagery felt lacking, but it was never overdone.
Overall review: I really enjoyed reading Fire of the Dragon and everything that was involved. The characters were rounded and individuals, the setting was well thought out and the people responded as people of the time would be expected to, with plenty of fear of the unknown. Although initially I thought the ending would be a bitter disappointment, the ending was actually very satisfactory and I loved it. I eagerly await the next book, Treasure of the Gryphon to see what Lori Dillon can do next.
Recommend?: Yes, though I’m not sure who exactly to! Certainly lovers of medieval tales, and perhaps romance since that’s there as well?
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May 11, 2013One of the first romance books I ever bought for myself was a time-travel romance and slowly I expanded out into other genres, with fantasy romance being the next step in my evolution. It was such fun for me to return to both of those well-loved tropes within the pages of Lori Dillon’s independent release Fire of the Dragon. Her world of knights, magic, and even a hint of mythology was the kind of story that grabbed my attention from the start and kept me reading into the wee hours to see how everything would conclude.
Jill Donohue didn’t realize that she was looking for adventure or danger in her life when she went into town; she just thought she was looking for a gift for her niece. But the fates had a different plan for Jill’s life and one of them made sure to put Jill back on the correct path to meet her destiny. Entering an antiques shop in Richmond, Jill finds herself drawn to an old piece of tapestry with exquisite embroidery of a dragon on it. The shopkeeper, with the unusual name of Clotho, is certain the piece is exactly what Jill is looking for and invites Jill to sit and relax for a moment to admire it. Jill keeps starting at the dragon, getting the eerie sensation that the cloth is somehow moving beneath her fingers, and she slowly feels as if she is falling and losing consciousness.
For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/0...
Jill Donohue didn’t realize that she was looking for adventure or danger in her life when she went into town; she just thought she was looking for a gift for her niece. But the fates had a different plan for Jill’s life and one of them made sure to put Jill back on the correct path to meet her destiny. Entering an antiques shop in Richmond, Jill finds herself drawn to an old piece of tapestry with exquisite embroidery of a dragon on it. The shopkeeper, with the unusual name of Clotho, is certain the piece is exactly what Jill is looking for and invites Jill to sit and relax for a moment to admire it. Jill keeps starting at the dragon, getting the eerie sensation that the cloth is somehow moving beneath her fingers, and she slowly feels as if she is falling and losing consciousness.
For the full review, please go to http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/0...
August 13, 2013
I loved this book from the very beginning. I loved the heroine. She was someone I could relate to from the very beginning. I'm definitely someone who would be running around at the last minute looking for a present and end up in a weird little store that I wouldn't expect to be in. I loved the concept behind this novel. Time travel has always been something that I've been fascinated with. Baelin was a hero that I could find attractive and that's not something that happens very often. He had enough of his own doubts and insecurities to make him seem deep, but he was also very strong and willing to face any challenges that came his way. I really liked the writing style. I never found myself zoning out or getting bored while I was reading. And there's DRAGONS. :) I may be a little bit biased because fantasy is one of my favorite genres to read, but I definitely think this book is awesome. Anyone looking for something new to read should pick it up. I really hope I get to read the second one. I loved all the of the characters, so I can't wait to read something in another character's POV. Pick up this novel, you won't be disappointed. Especially if you love dragons and time travel as much as I do. This book is just that good. I have nothing but praise. I've already recommended it to some people. :) Read this review here: Paperbacks and Frosting
April 25, 2014
Want a good Beauty & The Beast retelling? for adults? with a slow build romance? with... dragons?
Then this is for you.
Jill accidently travels back to the middle ages where villagers offer her to the dragon. Dragon? yeah. But turns out, the dragon is man, Baelin, who is cursed to be a dragon during eleven months and only the help of a maid can help him break the curse. They only have a month to pass three trials; that can make Baelin a full man again.. and return Jill back to her century.
My favorite part was Jill, definitely. She is a 21st century woman who takes no shit, uses her brain and when things go down she leaves, she escapes, she doesn't stay just because he has pretty eyes or whatever.
And Baelin. I liked him. Poor guy spent two hundred years being a dragon and completely alone. His family, friends and everyone he has ever met is dead. Couldn't help but being sorry for him, too.
An action packed book with many twists and turns and a final chapter that almost gave me a heart attack (no joke). I think it's a series, but this book could easily end the story there.
Although, I would like some more Baelin and Jill having sex.. in the air.
Then this is for you.
Jill accidently travels back to the middle ages where villagers offer her to the dragon. Dragon? yeah. But turns out, the dragon is man, Baelin, who is cursed to be a dragon during eleven months and only the help of a maid can help him break the curse. They only have a month to pass three trials; that can make Baelin a full man again.. and return Jill back to her century.
My favorite part was Jill, definitely. She is a 21st century woman who takes no shit, uses her brain and when things go down she leaves, she escapes, she doesn't stay just because he has pretty eyes or whatever.
And Baelin. I liked him. Poor guy spent two hundred years being a dragon and completely alone. His family, friends and everyone he has ever met is dead. Couldn't help but being sorry for him, too.
An action packed book with many twists and turns and a final chapter that almost gave me a heart attack (no joke). I think it's a series, but this book could easily end the story there.
Although, I would like some more Baelin and Jill having sex.. in the air.
August 13, 2013
When I read the description of the book I really liked the premise and so downloaded the kindle sample to take a look - I was drawn in as soon as I started reading it and had to download the full book to read straight away!
I don't know what I was expecting but it was a nice surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters - time travel and dragons in a story aren't normally a success for me with the previous books I have read! The main characters were nicely fleshed out and developed, the relationship between them seemed real - there were some funny, light parts to the story but also some darker and more emotional elements which were done well, although all in all this was not really a "dark" read at all. The actions of the heroine were slightly annoying in a couple of places, but overall she grew on me, Baelin was definitely the star of the show though! This is definitely all about the characters, as although the world is developed to an extent, most of the book revolves around them going on their quest and spending a lot of time together, which works well for me.
Its a shame we don't get to hear a little more about what happens at the end, but then I guess that's left to the imagination. I'm looking forward to reading Roderick's story when its released and more from Lori Dillon in general. This is definitely a great start to a series.
I don't know what I was expecting but it was a nice surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters - time travel and dragons in a story aren't normally a success for me with the previous books I have read! The main characters were nicely fleshed out and developed, the relationship between them seemed real - there were some funny, light parts to the story but also some darker and more emotional elements which were done well, although all in all this was not really a "dark" read at all. The actions of the heroine were slightly annoying in a couple of places, but overall she grew on me, Baelin was definitely the star of the show though! This is definitely all about the characters, as although the world is developed to an extent, most of the book revolves around them going on their quest and spending a lot of time together, which works well for me.
Its a shame we don't get to hear a little more about what happens at the end, but then I guess that's left to the imagination. I'm looking forward to reading Roderick's story when its released and more from Lori Dillon in general. This is definitely a great start to a series.
August 8, 2013
Great time travel fantasy!
I was surprised at how good this book was. The writing was good, the characters were interesting, and I liked the spunk of the heroine. The different 'trials' they had to undergo were imaginative. The biggest sore spot for me was the heroine's TSTL moment when she flees the hero after their encounter with the band of ruffians who want to rape her. So the hero smokes those villains, and it's harrowing. But I would think almost being raped and murdered by those guys trumps what she witnessed. I mean, the hero has never raised a hand against the heroine, and he is saving the heroine's life when he kills those guys. Why does she think for a moment she'll be safer on her own in a world where bands of ruffians roam the countryside looking for rape victims and villagers practically rape her before sacrificing her or torture her for entering a church? If I were her, I would use my brain and stay with the one person/dragon who can protect her. I just couldn't buy that move, even though it pushes the plot forward.
I was surprised at how good this book was. The writing was good, the characters were interesting, and I liked the spunk of the heroine. The different 'trials' they had to undergo were imaginative. The biggest sore spot for me was the heroine's TSTL moment when she flees the hero after their encounter with the band of ruffians who want to rape her. So the hero smokes those villains, and it's harrowing. But I would think almost being raped and murdered by those guys trumps what she witnessed. I mean, the hero has never raised a hand against the heroine, and he is saving the heroine's life when he kills those guys. Why does she think for a moment she'll be safer on her own in a world where bands of ruffians roam the countryside looking for rape victims and villagers practically rape her before sacrificing her or torture her for entering a church? If I were her, I would use my brain and stay with the one person/dragon who can protect her. I just couldn't buy that move, even though it pushes the plot forward.
July 8, 2013
This is the first book in the Bestiary Series and I am hooked. Jill is funny, brave, and even though her smart mouth get’s her in trouble more than once she never censor’s herself. Baelin is struggling to hold onto his humanity and beat the curse. Two people who literally should never have met, but it’s a good thing they did because they are perfect for each other.
The story is usually fast, totally fun, and full of action. While I was annoyed at times because of the spacing of the trials, the story didn’t lag to much and it did allow for character development. I loved that the author did not romanticize the times. Jill had to deal with misogyny, superstition, and a severe lack of cleanliness. There was no cliffhanger here, and the next story will follow the womanizing Knight Roderick. I can’t wait to read it. This is definitely going to be one of my favorite series.
The story is usually fast, totally fun, and full of action. While I was annoyed at times because of the spacing of the trials, the story didn’t lag to much and it did allow for character development. I loved that the author did not romanticize the times. Jill had to deal with misogyny, superstition, and a severe lack of cleanliness. There was no cliffhanger here, and the next story will follow the womanizing Knight Roderick. I can’t wait to read it. This is definitely going to be one of my favorite series.
April 29, 2013
I was fortunate to get an advanced reader copy and I have to say that I'm very glad. This was a bit of a deviation from what I've been reading lately, so I found it immensely enjoyable to read a fantasy fiction romance. The book has everything: dragons, magical tapestries, good knights, bad knights, feats of honor, a quest, love, curses, and an evil witch.
Jill, the heroine, is magically transported back from present time to the Middle Ages where her fate, and that of the hero, Baelin, are tied (pun intended) together through a quest to break a curse that has made Baelin a fearsome dragon for over two hundred years.
While there were a couple of loose ends for me, I don't think it detracted from the overall main story. It was well-written and a good book to read.
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