The Reluctant Lord

Dragon Lords #7

by Michelle M. Pillow

Paranormal Dragonshifter Romance

Polished, dignified and reserved in all things. That is a true nobleman.

Lady Clara of the Redding, a living statue of perfection, has been raised a true Redde noblewoman. She has been taught to never show emotion, to never raise her voice, to touch as little as possible, and to never act wildly or rashly. According to her people’s custom, the new generation cannot begin until the current one is settled. She is the last of her siblings without a husband and her pregnant sisters will remain in stasis until she’s married.

After Clara denies all suitable males on her home world, her parents are left with one choice—send her to a primitive planet where several noblemen await marriage. The men hardly appear picky about their choices, a perfect arrangement for a reluctant bride.


An uninhibited woman to match his untamed soul. That would be his ideal wife.

Lord Vladan, Ealdorman Honorary of the Draig is not like his noble brothers. Adopted into their family after a mining accident killed his parents, he is every bit as titled as his new brothers, and every bit as welcome into the fold. Yet he can’t help but feel the pull of his commoner past. He loves his family, and will always do as duty demands, but a part of him still yearns to shift into dragon form and run free in the wild. It is a side he indulges every chance he gets. This is how he knows his bride will be the most wild of creatures, for he wants passion, not perfection. Surely the gods are mistaken when they bind him to the most refined, reserved, frustratingly perfect creature in the universe.

Genres: Dragons, Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Science Fiction, Aliens, Science Fiction Romance

202 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author of All Things Romance
MichellePillow.com

Michelle M. Pillow is a bestselling author with millions of books sold worldwide. She is known for her romantasy, paranormal and sci-fi romance and paranormal women’s fiction.

Her bestselling series includes Dragon Lords, Lords of the Var, Warlocks MacGregor, Tribes of the Vampire, Realm Immortal, Order of Magic, and Merely Mortal.

Recent News:
Pan Macmillan Tor Bramble acquired world rights to her Realm Immortal (romantasy, high fantasy enemies-to-lovers) and Tribes of the Vampire (urban romantasy, gothic vampire seduction) series for new print, audio, and translation editions starting 2026.

A hybrid author (traditional + indie), Michelle is a #1 Amazon bestseller, 2006 RT Reviewers' Choice Award winner, Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award nominee, and HOLT Medallion recipient.

Printable Booklist: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/42pg25jekx

Michelle loves to travel and try new things, whether it’s a paranormal investigation of an old Vaudeville Theatre or climbing Mayan temples in Belize. She’s addicted to movies and used to drive her mother crazy while quoting random scenes with her brother. She is the very proud mom to the most talented artist. Though it has yet to happen, her dream is to be a zombie in a horror movie. (She came close as a refugee extra on SyFy’s Z Nation, Fall 2016!) She is involved with various film and historical documentary projects with her filmmaker husband.

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Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lightweight fantasy romance. This empath understands animals.

"She waited for the beast to stop yanking against the rope. Reptilian eyes blinked...Quietly and with much concentration, she said, “He doesn’t like the blanket.” She stepped closer. “The rope is unnecessary.”

“Clara, what are you doing?” Vlad asked, his voice soft. He didn’t want to spook the ceffyl..."

4.5 stars. I totally enjoyed this "dragon-shifter meets empath" erotic romance. Smiled and even laughed out loud a few times. This book's got danger, passion, poignancy, humor, and friendship. Family, too. Even better, it's got a solid story, fairly light but with substance. Some mild mystery surrounds the aliens, and the ceffyls, so desperate for solarflowers. Children, you ask? No, but local boys play minor roles in a few scenes.

As for Vlad and Clara, it's opposites attract when a playful, sexy lord falls for a perfectly proper lady. He's a good-hearted commoner adopted into a noble family. She's an off-world lady, raised to be reserved and to monitor all her emotions and expressions. They hook up via a type of arranged marriage. It's heartwarming, seeing the straight-laced Lady Clara -- terrified in the beginning -- learn to enjoy life on a primitive planet (poor child -- decked out in that horrendously heavy get-up). Sweet to see her learn to love "commoners" in the mining village.

Pillow penned a coherent and engaging plot, complete with an environmental pitch against fracking that fit neatly into the narrative (I could imagine her soapbox). Vivid scenes down in the mine. Suitably nasty aliens, the Tyoe. Adorable scenes with herds of horned ceffyls. Hysterical scene, when a certain painting was revealed. And the differences in culture made for some entertaining scenes (for example, giving birth to 20 or 30 children is the custom on her home planet).

The only other book in this series I've read is #2, The Perfect Prince, but the plot was easy to follow.

Secondary characters added to the fun, especially in the mining village. Moving scene in the castle, with Clara's esteemed mother, Great Lady of the Redding.

Contents: About six sex scenes, starting in the first third of the book (most are quickies). A little bloody violence. Minimal or no swearing or profanity (appreciated). Wish the author would drop "pussy" from her vocabulary. Only a few typos.

I mostly read the ebook, but sometimes I switched to audiobook. Rebecca Cook is a good narrator.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well deserved 4 stars
(I leave 5 full stars for books I devoured and would re-read)but this book was very good compared to the crap I have been reading last few weeks.

This was the best one of the series so far! It was Funny, Romantic, intriguing, has a little bit of angst, some exasperating concepts, good character progression of the Heroine and a good old HAE!

The heroine of the book 'Lady Clara' is from a noble background from a planet who teach women to be an ornament- not to touch things (including leaning against a chair when sitting down) and not to show emotion. She is supposed to do what ever a man tells her to do- especially her father the 'Great Lord' who is demanding her to get married and give birth to a herd of children like her dozen or so sisters...



At first I could not picture a pretty girl because her attire was snobby and her makeup... well what a ridiculous look- White paint all over her face, purple eyebrows and lips...



It is her duty to get married like her other sisters (My thoughts when reading this were (see the following GIF's)







And when she reaches the Dragon Lord's home planet to get married she finds how different people there are- Loving, caring and 'touchy feely' and at first struggles with these new ways

But Vlad doesn't let this deter him from what he knows is a perfect match for him deep down and helps her adapt.

This book is slightly different from the previous books because Vlad is very sweet and understanding of their differences and there was no second guessing each other.

Of course Clara annoyed me on occasion but it really wasn't her fault- she was only acting the way that she had been raised (Indoctrinated into her more like)
However, you see her start to become the lady she has always wanted to be...and love the way she has always wanted to love
She is quite the little warrior deep down and I really liked her development

[Jane Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok, but it didn’t delight me. Light on plot.

I think I would have liked more interesting relationship development. Clara is sent to a place where she will be matched with a husband. Vlad likes her from the start. He treats her nicely and she likes him back. The main conflict is that they are from two different cultures. His culture is warm and touching. She has been raised in a cold and untouching family.

Clara has some empathic talents. A mining collapse adds danger.

Vlad is a dragon shifter. Almost nothing was done with that. But that might be because it is done in other books. This is book 7 in the Dragon Lord series.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Rebecca Cook was excellent as a narrator. Good emotional interpretation. Ok voices for men. No breathing noises.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 6 hrs and 45 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 5 plus one referred to. Setting: unknown time similar to middle ages on other planets. Book copyright: 2013. Genre: paranormal romance.

[Laura Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up for an escape, and the author delivered. Apart from the deus-ex-machina-style ending, the story had a lot more going for it than similar novels. I recommend for anyone looking for a light read that subverts genre tropes.

Comparing this book to other shifter romances, I would say the heat level is lower, but the plot progression is much better. The sci-fi romances I've read are much, much hotter than this book. This isn't erotica with a thinly veiled plot, and the world-building is superior to most romances.

The story follows the romance trope of the female MC having to move to a new culture as part of an arranged marriage. The narrative then departs from the classic tale, focusing more on the heroine's acceptance/appreciation for the new culture (as well as her husband's respect for her own abilities), than on developing a budding romance between the male/female leads. The author leans on the "chosen mates" concept to create an instant bond between the two, and for me, there were no sparks between them. That lack honestly didn't impact my enjoyment of the story, because the world was so interesting, the female MC so unusual for the genre, and her character growth quite enjoyable to discover.

Caveats: Lovers of dragon shifter romances should know that the MC's ability to transform barely factors into the story. Lovers of romances should know that the romance angle takes second-place to the heroine's journey.

Pick up this book if you like romance, but are looking for more of a soft sci-fi read.

[Patricia Hoffstaetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly, intriguing dragon shifter romance has a very interesting “opposite attractions” theme that really caught my attention & it is a splendid addition to the series. It can easily stand on its own even though there are some character crossovers, it does basically run concurrently with the other books in this series but each of these books cover a different couple in them. The plot has quite good world building and is filled with some intriguing /suspenseful situations that are well-described. The characters are portrayed as individually unique with well-defined personalities & I found the female character was realistically emotionally flawed to a certain extent due to her upbringing but the two main characters (Clara & Vlad) ultimately entwine quite well & complement each other.
It is about: a young noblewoman (Lady Clara, with empathic abilities) is from a planet (Redde) where emotions are suppress & she is sent by her father to a planet (Qurilixian) in order to find a husband & she is later chosen by a dragon shifter (Lord Vladan aka Vlad)
There is: Draigs (dragon shifters), Vars (cat shifters), villainous aliens (Tyoe), Redding Royalty, fated mates, twists & turns, intrigue, suspense, drama, humour, adventure, action, threats, danger, , violence, explosions, confusion, fear, desperation, a rescue, acceptance, confrontations manipulations, compromises, contentment, some steamy scenes & a satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed reading this book & would recommend it.

[Whitewolfaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author knows how to write and I get sucked in every single time. I know not to start one of these books before bed because I will not sleep, yet I make this mistake every time. I absolutely love these books! This is a must read!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the couple in this book. The FMC, Lady Clara, goes through a big amount of growth in this book. I loved her as a character. She is such a wonderful soul, and her husband is a very loving soul.

[Amanda Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this addition to the Dragon Lords series. I honestly cannot get enough of these dragon men! I think Clara is one of my favorite heroines that I have read lately.
Clara's planet has a tradition that the next generation cannot be born until everyone, and they mean everyone, in the current generation is married. Clara has many pregnant sisters who are in stasis and will remain there until she is married. Her father is furious that she has not yet chosen a husband, he insists that she go to planet Qurilixen and choose one of the royals to marry. She doesn't understand that the crystal the men wear glows when the men meet their perfect match. Finally, Vlad's crystal glows when she meets him and Vlad is so happy to find a wife. Clara was raised to be a perfect lady, no laughing, no touching, the list goes on and on, she never even smiles. Vlad knows that the gods will give him a wife who will love the outdoors as much as he does. At first, these two couldn't be more different.
Vlad is a great hero, he is sweet and kind and does not judge Clara for her coldness. I liked that he absolutely trusted the will of the gods in giving him his perfect wife. He never questioned that Clara is right for him.
The sex scenes were pretty hot in this book!
Overall, I loved it, I have loved every one of these books. Keep them coming! I cannot get enough of them.

[Kimberly Walter · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems the Dukes, cousins to princes, have as much trouble with their brides as they did. But with each book, it is a fun adventure but sweet and sexy. I loved reading each book of Duke's books.

The Reluctant Lord
Lady Clara is from a planet that is all about perfection. Like a statue. Never to show an ounce of emotion or raise her voice, and never act wild.
But Clara has denied all her would-be suitors on her home world. Leaving her parents with only one choice left. They decide to send her the primitive planet Qurilixian. Where there several noblemen waiting to find their brides.

Lord Vladan, Ealdorman Honorary of the Draig is not like his noble brothers. He adopted into the family after his parents were killed in a mining accident. He loves his brothers, but he still feels the pull of his commoners past. He'll do his duties and do as duty demands. But a part of him yearns to shift into his dragon and run free and wild. And that is what he wants as a bride; wild, free, passion not perfection.
When he meets Clara he sees in her the passion that is dying to be let out.
As Clara and Vladan get to know each other of the next few weeks they each learn a few things from the other.

I enjoyed reading The Reluctant Lord. I am very glad I have read this series.

[Bridget Blackwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of both Michelle M. Pillow and the Draig/Var books since the beginning. Vlad and Clara were great characters. Vlad's patience as he learned his wife's customs and helped her come into her own was amazing. Clara's journey of self discovery was inspiring. I know she was raised to be so calm but still, I liked being in her head and "listening" to her reason out the new world she lived in.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marie Antoinette meets Lord Greystoke

This is my favorite of a very fine series. This is the clash of two very opposing cultures as a sensitive noblewoman under tight societal restrictions marries a emotional, carefree dragonshifter who prefers to avoid his aristocratic status. Lovely.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! I loved Lady Clara's powers and her home world- I hope Michelle delves into this world a little more.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series! I recommend it as a light stand-alone for everyone :)

[Marie Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing series

I am in love with this series. The world, the people, the animals and the romance!! This series has it all, love, action, humour, chemistry and hot barbarians!!!!!!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

He loves the outdoors! She has never been outside. What were the gods thinking??

Lord Vladan is excited to finally be able to take part in the Bride Ceremony on Qurilixen. It will be his first time and all of his brothers and cousins have taken part for many years and were never blessed by the gods with a bride. He is sure that he will get a bride his first try, even though his brothers try and get him to accept the reality that he probably won’t.

Lady Clara of the Redding has refused all of the male suitors that have come to woo her. Her father is at his wits end. It is tradition in their culture that all females in the family are put in stasis once they get pregnant until all of the sisters have wed. Clara is the last holdout. He father is sending her to Qurilixen and told her to choose a husband and if she doesn’t she will have to remain there the rest of her life with no support from her family. He wants to see his grandchildren born. She is devastated, but agrees to go. When the eight princes and lords are presented to her one by one, each rejects her. She doesn’t understand that if their crystal doesn’t glow, she is not their intended. By the time the last lord comes in she has resigned herself to a life of isolation.

Vlad is thrilled when his crystal glows and he gets a bride, even if she does look totally weird. The next day after the final marriage ceremony he takes her to his old village where he grew up before his parents died. He has to get her to change her clothes and she is horrified that she has to ride a ceffyl. When she meets the animal it starts to act weird toward Clara. Turns out Clara can communicate with animals and it is trying to tell her something about solarflowers. Vlad is totally confused, but they head for his village. She is totally shocked by everything she sees. In her culture royalty don’t talk to the commoners! Boy does she have a lot to learn. She slowly starts to thaw toward her husband and his friends. The next day a whole herd of ceffyl comes to the village to “talk” to Clara. She understands them but doesn’t know who the strange man they are referring to is. Vlad thinks it is probably his brother Alek, who is in charge of the ceffyl herd. Eventually she will meet him and can relay the messages they are giving her. In the mean time Vlad has to go and investigate a collapse in the ore mines. Clara goes with him and while they are investigating a space ship lands and a Tyoe comes out and attacks them. Fortunately, Clara knows how to fight them. Turns out the Tyoe have been stealing their ore and have damaged the mine in the process. Vlad and one of his friends are seriously injured during the fight. The cavern they are trapped in is toxic thanks to the Tyoe, but they finally find a way out to fresh air but are trapped by the waterfall. Clara realizes how much her husband has come to mean to her and is devastated that she might lose him now. Will they ever get out of the mine? And what is with the solarflowers??

This is book seven of the Qurilixen World Series and just as good as all the previous ones. I absolutely love this series!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vladan and Clara's Story . . .

Dragon-shifter Lord Vladan had been adopted into a noble family when his commoner parents had died in an accident. He loves his family but he is different in that he enjoys shifting into his dragon and being wild and free every chance he gets. He wants a passionate and adventurous bride to match his own exuberant nature.

Lady Clara of the Redding was raised to be the embodiment of poise, dignity, and perfection. She never shows emotion, never raises her voice, is reserved and never acts wildly. She is a noble in every way. Cold and aloof. And totally opposite of Vladan with his zest for living a joyous life.

Lady Clara is required to be married before her sisters can deliver their children, fulfilling her people’s strange custom of the current generation being married and established before a new one is brought forth. Her pregnant sisters are put into stasis, waiting for Clara’s marriage before their children can be born. But Clara is a hold-out, rejecting every male who proposes to her. Her parents finally decide to send her off-world to the Quilixen Breeding Festival where the alien noblemen want mates. But would a marriage between emotionless, cold Clara and the hot, life-loving dragon shifter work out?

It is rather difficult to like Lady Clara at first meeting her. But if she is chosen by a Quilixen, she will find her life drastically changed. Will she take the opportunity to become who she was meant to be, to shed the repressed veneer she currently wears? Grab your copy and see what the future holds for her and the mate brave enough to challenge her to become more.

[Jamie Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

I don't read a lot of speculative fiction, though I do like to do so occasionally. This book intrigued me when I read about it on a book review site, and I am glad I chose it. This is the first book I've read by this author, and it certainly won't be the last. The book has fantastic world-building, even for someone who hasn't read other books in the series. I found the heroine's world fascinating, with so many restrictive rules. Her world has big families, but no one is allowed to give birth until the last child of a family is settled. The heroine's sisters are all in stasis, waiting for her to wed. The hero's world, where she was sent after she dismisses numerous suitors, is about as opposite from hers as could be. While the heroine sees his world as primitive, aspects of it are certainly more like what we understand, like the showing of emotions (not allowed on the heroine's homeworld), dressing comfortably (no 40-pound dresses and tall wigs), and eating normal portions (a lady can only eat a handful on her world). She certainly does not fit in on the alien planet and is resistant to assimilate. The hero and heroine are joined together by the “fate of the Gods” on his planet. Essentially, the gods have chosen her for him. He sees her as a gift and blessing, even when she's being difficult. The hero is utterly swoon-worthy, and while the couple doesn't see eye-to-eye all the time, they certainly have a chemistry that neither can't deny. I found this to be an incredibly fun read.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clara’s story is one I have been waiting to read since the first mention of this heroine, back in book five – she’s a very distinctive bride who immediately piqued my curiosity. She’s also nothing like who she looks like on the outside, as well as (unsurprisingly) being the perfect mate for Vlad. With The Reluctant Lord Pillow takes us closer to the mining culture of Qurilixen, as well as showing the reader more of the down-to-earth Qurilixen citizens instead of the princes and nobility that have starred in the previous volumes. It’s very fitting, as the last thing Lady Clara of the Redding was ever raised to do was brush shoulders with the common folk. This story turned out to be one of my favorite Dragon Lord books so far. There’s a huge juxtaposition between who Clara has been raised to be and who Clara becomes, and watching her learn about her new world and grow into herself is fascinating. The mining drama brewing in this later set of novels in the series also progresses, and readers get a few more glimpses of what’s going on. I did find that some elements of the story were handled a bit quickly or easily, but that didn’t reduce the sheer pleasure I found in this story. Readers have a real treat on their hands with The Reluctant Lord! Also, I should probably mention, like most of Pillow’s Qurilixen novels, this book is likely best read in sequence with the rest of the Dragon Lords series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've enjoyed the Dragon Lords series, and this book is no exception. Lady Clara of the planet Redde has been brought up to be the perfect lady - and I do mean perfect. She betrays no emotion, does her duty despite her own private wishes, shares nothing with servants and commoners, and eats and wears only what a 'Lady' is allowed. When she turns down all of the local noblemen presented to her as marriage partners, her annoyed father ships her off to Qurilixen in hopes that she will be selected as a bride by one of the nobles on that planet. Lord Vladan is a noble by name, but a commoner by birth. Inexplicably, his crystal glows upon meeting Lady Clara. But surely the gods are joking by matching free-spirited Vlad with the refined and reserved Lady Clara? Will Lady Clara's unusual gift and strength of character give Vlad enough reason to try to work through their deep-seated cultural differences and claim her? Can Lady Clara unbend enough to welcome the easy going Vlad, who has no class consciousness, into her heart? I love how this author ties together some of the threads that she has woven through this series, in this story. If you like fantasy adventure and romance, with some steam, and aliens from unusual worlds and cultures, you'll enjoy this book and the Dragon Lords series!

[Meme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara is a member of royalty on another planet, but has refused all suitors. Her parents have one final offer, she's to go to another planet for one last chance to find a husband. Vlad has been hoping for a mate for a while and once he is in Clara's presence his crystal glows. They marry and despite their very different upbringing and cultures they begin to fall in love. I wasn't sure if I'd like Clara, she seemed to reserved and snobby, but once I read more about her and time went on I found I liked her. Vlad was very understanding of her attitude and her culture, he seemed to roll with whatever came up. He didn't seem to have the more chauvanistic attitude his brothers did toward women. At least if he did, he did not spout off about how things were going to be, he seemed more go with the flow. The story has some action and suspense. The suspese is the kind that is will they make it out alive kind? There are a couple pretty steamy scenes between the two of them, but the book isn't full of them being in the bedroom. The book is more focused on them getting to know each other and her growing more accustomed to life on his planet. Toward the end I wondered if it would be a happily ever after, but never fear it is.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Vlad is very excited to go to his first marriage ceremony, he knows his brothers and cousins have been to several ceremonies without being blessed with a wife and tries to hide his excitement.
Lady Clara has once again refused a Lord as a possible husband and so she is being shipped off to Quirllixen to find a husband. She is a Lady and so her father has arranged for her to travel alone and not with the other brides. She also does not go to the ceremony; she is to meet the Lords separately. Things are very different on her home planet and she has always wanted to break free a little. When she meets her new husband’s family, she is at first stunned by how they speak to each other and how they show their emotions. Gradually, she starts to be less cold and uptight. She starts to smile and show emotions on her face as she falls in love with Vlad.
I really enjoyed how Vlad and Clara started their new life together, trying to understand each other when, although they speak the same language, it appears to mean different things, leading to a few hilarious moments as they travel to his home.
I was completely absorbed in this book as I read it and am looking forward to reading the next in series.

[DianaRaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE RELUCTANT LORD is the seventh installment in the Dragon Lord series in the on-going Qurilixen World Novels by Michelle Pillow. The stories follow the Royal family as they find and win their destined mate. This is Lord Vladan's and Lady Clara's story. 

As the four Lords prepare for the Bride Festival, they are told to attend a private bride selection beforehand. Each Lord secretly breaths a sigh of relief as their Crystal does not glow, that is until Lord Vlad is presented to the potential bride. Lady Clara of the Redding has skin painted white, clothing like they've never seen before and behavior that is strangely unemotional and removed, even her head is large and pointed.

This is a fun and hot story of how two people from vastly different worlds fall deeply in love. Along the way their lives will be in danger and maybe even the planet.

I enjoy how the individual storylines and characters build upon each other throughout the series. Each story can be read as a stand alone, but so much better read in their proper order.

I recommend this book and the series to anyone who likes fantasy romance on an intergalactic planet and some steamy and fun reading.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I think one of the things that I am really liking about this series is how much background story there is in each book in addition to the main romance. This book advances the story quite a bit and answers some of the questions from previous books but the couple are what made this book amazing for me. Lady Clara is so completely different from any of the other women and especially from anyone Vlad or anyone on the planet has ever met. I love the way Michelle M. Pillow slowly feeds us bits of who and what Lady Clara is. I also enjoyed how clueless Ms. Pillow makes Vlad without ever making him seem stupid or mean. It is evident that he is trying hard to be a good husband but their cultures are just too different. Ms. Pillow makes sure that it comes across how hard both of them are trying to make things work. This is one of the things that I like best about the Ms. Pillow’s books that I have read in that she brings real problems into the relationships that she writes about. These are not books where things end with the wedding and they live “happily ever after”. I guess that even people on different worlds have to work things out.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Samm Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story! The "opposites attract" "fish out of water" story kept my attention the whole time. Even though Vlad was adopted into the Draig noble family, he is still a boy from the Mining Village. Clara has been raised to show no emotion and to be the perfect Redde Lady. From Clara's introduction to the royal and noble Draig bachelors you start to see Clara mask crack. Her first negotiation was awesome and I enjoyed that aspect of the Redde through the whole book. Vlad is a good character but I felt that this story was more about Clara and it is not disappoiinting. Page turning is too tame of a word for how I felt about this book - I enhaled it. Even the ending is perfect. The only thing that would make it better is if the book were longer and if my burning questions were answered. Don't get me wrong - there is no cliffhanger on this one but there are a couple of things that happened that I would love answers to.

Overall, I freaking loved it and I think everyone should read it!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A branch from the Dragon Lord saga regarding the cousins: Lady Clara of the Redding & Lord Vladan, Ealdorman Honorary of the Draig & High Mining Official. Lady Clara is raised as a lady with so many restrictions it (to me) is ridiculous. Her dress is that of the old renaissance woman’s dress type complete with the large cone white wig. Yeah that would be horrible. However it is a crude yet refreshing awakening when Clara is wed to Vlad. So many humorous moments that has the reader chuckling and a couple interesting plot twists that actually answers the speculations mentioned in the previous books. And a clever surprise of Clara’s talent. I enjoy this series because the Draig wed for love and trust their crystal they wear upon birth blessed by their gods. It’s wonderful to see these men woo their brides and each bride is uniquely different.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. I also had purchased this book prior to receiving an advanced copy from BookSprout to provide an honest review.

[Linda C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara has a strict up bringing on Planet Redde. She has nineteen pregnant sisters in stasis waiting to be woken up upon her marriage. She has turned away twenty suitors. Her angry father is sending her to participate in the Qurilixian Breeding Festival. Special arrangement are made to meet the prospective grooms before the other Galaxy Brides participants. She plans to get married and pregnant. Then she can return home to have her child.
Vlad is the adopted nephew of the king. He and his brothers are participating in the breeding festival. This is his first festival. The king has them to meet the strangely dressed Clara from Redde. His crystal glows. She is his fated mate. She has outrageous hair sculpture, white painted face, huge custom dress and demure personality. She is not the outdoors kind of bride he was hoping for.
Vlad and Clara need to understand each other’s culture and upbringing.
Good story with a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another wonderful addition to this series and I thoroughly enjoyed the read
I have been fortunate enough to have the pleasure of reading and reviewing the books in this series and have enjoyed them all, they have all been original and well written with great plot and very innovative characters that draw you into the story.
The two characters in this book were very charged and at times the interaction and the sparks between them both could easily have jumped right out of the pages,
I will not spoil the read for others but can guarantee that this will be another one of your favourites reads in this series, it is simply captivating and once started impossible to put down.
I voluntarily received and review an Advanced Reader Copy
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the great writing.

[Debi Cote' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, talk about prejudice! Nobility vs commoners. Her parents already had her life mapped out. They were giving her 1yr to get married & be pregnant, then they will bring her home. Her husband has no say in this?!?!? Really? Lol. Guess they only looked at his title & not that he's a dragon shifter, who mates for life.
It's true......These books are enjoyable & can be read as a stand alone, in any order, but they're much better read in order in the series. Each book has 2 main characters, getting together, but they all have things happening throughout each that intertwine with the characters in the other books. Either way, enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is my favorite in the series so far because Clara was amicable to Vladin. She had customs that were rigid, but worked passed them quickly. I'm sure it was also due to the circumstances she found herself. If she had fiercely held to her native beliefs and customs, I would not have liked her either. I also liked Vladin and felt they complimented each other well. I'm eager to see what happens to the sleeping bride and the kingdom's infestation.

The writing is consistent across the series. There were a few errors, typos that autocorrect couldn't catch. I liked the pacing. The characters have a little depth but this is a quick beach read rather than a book club selection, if that makes sense. A quick escape to a far away world.

[Shayay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining alien romance with some sweet and steam. Clara grew up in a strict family setting; she was taught to be a "proper" unemotional lady; her people have some odd ideas about what is expected of their people. Clara ends up being sent off to marry one of the Draig lords; she ends up being matched with Vlad, who wanted someone full of passion, so there's a bit of conflict between them. I liked the bit of opposites attract scenario, and I appreciate that Clara started to lighten up as the story went on. I liked Vlad; he's a good fit to bring Clara out of her shell. There's a bit of danger and action, which adds some fun to the story, and I like the interaction between the lords. Interesting alien romance with some fun mystical aspects.