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The Dragon Favorite: Beginnings Duology
Welcome to Jöro…
…a land once teeming with the majestic presence of dragons, known as the Draughtrìnd, now reduced to ashes by the insatiable greed of a malevolent king. Though the war between man and dragon has faded into the past, the lingering aversion towards magic and its wielders remains.
In the river city of Rau, Amalya dreams of adventure beyond her father’s cozy farm. When she stumbles upon a wounded dragon with the farmhand, Wesley, her dreams of adventure take flight. As the years pass, love and family gradually fade that memory into the background of her life, becoming the only remaining beacon of hope.
Now, Amalya finds herself trapped in the clutches of depression, forced to observe the vestiges of her joy in the eyes of her son. The realization that she will never genuinely reclaim that joy plunges her further into the depths of despair.
When a mysterious man arrives to help on the farm, Amalya feels an unexplainable sense of familiarity. Could he be her only chance to break free from the torment that has haunted her since motherhood? And what consequences must she face to reclaim her light?
…a land once teeming with the majestic presence of dragons, known as the Draughtrìnd, now reduced to ashes by the insatiable greed of a malevolent king. Though the war between man and dragon has faded into the past, the lingering aversion towards magic and its wielders remains.
In the river city of Rau, Amalya dreams of adventure beyond her father’s cozy farm. When she stumbles upon a wounded dragon with the farmhand, Wesley, her dreams of adventure take flight. As the years pass, love and family gradually fade that memory into the background of her life, becoming the only remaining beacon of hope.
Now, Amalya finds herself trapped in the clutches of depression, forced to observe the vestiges of her joy in the eyes of her son. The realization that she will never genuinely reclaim that joy plunges her further into the depths of despair.
When a mysterious man arrives to help on the farm, Amalya feels an unexplainable sense of familiarity. Could he be her only chance to break free from the torment that has haunted her since motherhood? And what consequences must she face to reclaim her light?
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 10, 2025
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 19, 2025
"Being away from you is a punishment I never wish to endure."
Welcome to Jöro—a realm where dragons are more memory than myth, magic is outlawed, and motherhood is as much a battlefield as any throne room.
Let me just say it: The Dragon Favorite is one of the most emotionally charged dark fantasies I’ve read in a long time. It’s not here to give you happily ever afters in neat little boxes. It’s here to make you feel deeply, painfully, beautifully.
💔 At the heart of this story is Amalya, a woman weighed down by depression, grief, and the suffocating expectations of motherhood. Her life has dulled into routine on her father’s farm, until a mysterious man shows up…and everything begins to unravel.
But this isn’t your average farm boy fantasy.
This is:
🔥 Dark fantasy with dragons and forbidden magic 🖤 A morally grey, magnetic MMC named Tristan 🌪 A love triangle with consequences 🥀 A raw, gut-punching exploration of postpartum depression 🌶 Slow burn spice with poetic intensity ✨ Prophecies, fated lovers, and ancient secrets ready to burst wide open
🐉And did I mention the dragons? Because, yes, DRAGONS. And not just as background creatures. The Draughtrìnd are steeped in the very lore and tension that binds this entire story together.
Yes, it’s heavy at times. Yes, it dances with infidelity, loneliness, and regret. But it’s also a story of quiet strength, of rediscovery, of choosing yourself even when the world asks you not to.
If you’re looking for:
💫 Hidden magic 🐉 Dragons with history 🖤 Forbidden love 🌒 A woman reclaiming her identity 🌶 And a morally grey man who says things like “Let me take you”… Then The Dragon Favorite belongs on your shelf.
I'm already waiting (and emotionally bracing) for book two. 👀
📚 Thank you to @oahowdyn and @rrbooktours for the chance to read this powerful gem. My heart still hurts but in that “yes, this is art” kind of way.
Welcome to Jöro—a realm where dragons are more memory than myth, magic is outlawed, and motherhood is as much a battlefield as any throne room.
Let me just say it: The Dragon Favorite is one of the most emotionally charged dark fantasies I’ve read in a long time. It’s not here to give you happily ever afters in neat little boxes. It’s here to make you feel deeply, painfully, beautifully.
💔 At the heart of this story is Amalya, a woman weighed down by depression, grief, and the suffocating expectations of motherhood. Her life has dulled into routine on her father’s farm, until a mysterious man shows up…and everything begins to unravel.
But this isn’t your average farm boy fantasy.
This is:
🔥 Dark fantasy with dragons and forbidden magic 🖤 A morally grey, magnetic MMC named Tristan 🌪 A love triangle with consequences 🥀 A raw, gut-punching exploration of postpartum depression 🌶 Slow burn spice with poetic intensity ✨ Prophecies, fated lovers, and ancient secrets ready to burst wide open
🐉And did I mention the dragons? Because, yes, DRAGONS. And not just as background creatures. The Draughtrìnd are steeped in the very lore and tension that binds this entire story together.
Yes, it’s heavy at times. Yes, it dances with infidelity, loneliness, and regret. But it’s also a story of quiet strength, of rediscovery, of choosing yourself even when the world asks you not to.
If you’re looking for:
💫 Hidden magic 🐉 Dragons with history 🖤 Forbidden love 🌒 A woman reclaiming her identity 🌶 And a morally grey man who says things like “Let me take you”… Then The Dragon Favorite belongs on your shelf.
I'm already waiting (and emotionally bracing) for book two. 👀
📚 Thank you to @oahowdyn and @rrbooktours for the chance to read this powerful gem. My heart still hurts but in that “yes, this is art” kind of way.
April 24, 2025
I was lucky enough to beta read this book for the author. To me, it was a journey of self discovery. Not only for myself, but for the characters as well. This book has big, raw emotions and tackles the very real, very honest, side of post partum. But thru this, you’ll find a story with love lost and discovered, there is mystery around a man named Tristan who will draw you in, and there is a world of magic and dragons waiting to be discovered. I can’t wait for book two!
April 27, 2025
I’ve read this author’s other books before, and let me say, I think fantasy is really showing off more of their writing talent. I admire the detail and care that went into the world and the characters.
The post partum depression really tugged at my heartstrings and let me experience what other women may have gone through. It’s something I appreciate the author highlighting! I’m looking forward to book two. I couldn’t predict what would happen, so I guess I’ll have to keep reading. 😁
The post partum depression really tugged at my heartstrings and let me experience what other women may have gone through. It’s something I appreciate the author highlighting! I’m looking forward to book two. I couldn’t predict what would happen, so I guess I’ll have to keep reading. 😁
June 10, 2025
“Being away from you is a punishment I never wish to endure.”
I am blown away. This is such a gripping dark epic fantasy that will take you on an emotional roller coaster that may or may not have you sobbing and in love. Although this doesn’t have the typical triggers, there are still some heavy hitters dealing with women’s health (to include postpartum depression), trials of motherhood, infidelity and adult situations. On the lighter side, this story has forbidden magic and secret prophecies, dragon shifters and a morally grey MMC and a slow burn spicy romance with fated lovers.
This story follows Amalya, who lives a somewhat mundane life on her father’s farmland in a world where dragons are almost nonexistent, thanks to the greed and tyranny of the King. One day, she happens upon a wounded dragon and all the possibilities of what her life could be dance in her mind. As she finds herself lost in despair, a seemingly familiar and mysterious man arrives at the farm and serves as a beacon of light in her darkness.
Beautifully written and easy to read, I loved this story. I found myself getting lost in the story and the chapters just kept flowing, in the best of ways obvi! I really appreciated the pronunciation guide and glossary provided by the author, it was very helpful and provide a different understanding of the storyline.
“Let me Take you.”
I am blown away. This is such a gripping dark epic fantasy that will take you on an emotional roller coaster that may or may not have you sobbing and in love. Although this doesn’t have the typical triggers, there are still some heavy hitters dealing with women’s health (to include postpartum depression), trials of motherhood, infidelity and adult situations. On the lighter side, this story has forbidden magic and secret prophecies, dragon shifters and a morally grey MMC and a slow burn spicy romance with fated lovers.
This story follows Amalya, who lives a somewhat mundane life on her father’s farmland in a world where dragons are almost nonexistent, thanks to the greed and tyranny of the King. One day, she happens upon a wounded dragon and all the possibilities of what her life could be dance in her mind. As she finds herself lost in despair, a seemingly familiar and mysterious man arrives at the farm and serves as a beacon of light in her darkness.
Beautifully written and easy to read, I loved this story. I found myself getting lost in the story and the chapters just kept flowing, in the best of ways obvi! I really appreciated the pronunciation guide and glossary provided by the author, it was very helpful and provide a different understanding of the storyline.
“Let me Take you.”
February 5, 2025
Thank you to the author for providing me with a copy. The following review represents my honest opinion.
I liked the ending of this book the most (NOT because it ended). There was so much emotional weight to the ending that I felt really rewarded for the effort I put in to read the book. I am not usually a fan of books with children and pregnancies but I found in this book I didn't hate it as much as I usually do (which is about as good as it's gonna get). I found the love triangle to be very interesting because of the nature of the romances. In the real world I abhor cheating but in books I love a good torrid affair. I won't say too much more because I try really hard to not put spoilers into my reviews but this is a love triangle worth reading.
I liked the ending of this book the most (NOT because it ended). There was so much emotional weight to the ending that I felt really rewarded for the effort I put in to read the book. I am not usually a fan of books with children and pregnancies but I found in this book I didn't hate it as much as I usually do (which is about as good as it's gonna get). I found the love triangle to be very interesting because of the nature of the romances. In the real world I abhor cheating but in books I love a good torrid affair. I won't say too much more because I try really hard to not put spoilers into my reviews but this is a love triangle worth reading.
March 12, 2025
A raw, melancholy, riveting, haunting (so many words I could use!) tale with delicious world-building and some of the most stunning grey-shaded characters I've ever encountered. This book is the epitome of "hidden gem"!
November 20, 2025
I found this book on Indiereads.org and was entertained throughout. The world-building shined. It was some of the best I've read in indie fantasy. I often found myself in awe of the depth and lore woven throughout.
July 31, 2025
*Five Stars
The Dragon Favorite takes a hammer to typical fantasy tropes and delves into the human psyche with a depth usually reserved for world building and magic systems. Howdyn has introduced something truly unique, an FMC with flaws that not only go mostly unmentioned in the fantasy genre, they are overlooked in the ‘real world’, and her sense of the main character Amalya’s inner-world is epic in its own right. As someone who struggles with mental-illness, myself, it’s a rare thing to read about Amalya’s unique struggles from a wizened and empathic writer, rather than encountering yet another story using mental-illness as a trope to fuel the larger narrative. I left this book richer in understanding, as I followed Amalya’s struggles with postpartum depression, the horror of feeling stuck, the beauty and tragedy of choice. Howdyn has weaved something masterful.
Through this incredible ‘cognitive-world-building’, she also weaves a story of forbidden love with a flawed MMC who breathes grayly from the page, and the Draughtrìnd invest the narrative with dragon-lore that revivifies my favorite fantasy creature, as believable as the physical and emotional journeys of Amalya.
And Howdyn’s prose is steeped in magnificent poetics, perhaps the only way to pull off both the emotional and epic scope of this story. This review was a long time coming and I’m eager to read her next work. Fantasy still has a beating heart and Howdyn writes from its inner-workings.
Hayden Moore
The Dragon Favorite takes a hammer to typical fantasy tropes and delves into the human psyche with a depth usually reserved for world building and magic systems. Howdyn has introduced something truly unique, an FMC with flaws that not only go mostly unmentioned in the fantasy genre, they are overlooked in the ‘real world’, and her sense of the main character Amalya’s inner-world is epic in its own right. As someone who struggles with mental-illness, myself, it’s a rare thing to read about Amalya’s unique struggles from a wizened and empathic writer, rather than encountering yet another story using mental-illness as a trope to fuel the larger narrative. I left this book richer in understanding, as I followed Amalya’s struggles with postpartum depression, the horror of feeling stuck, the beauty and tragedy of choice. Howdyn has weaved something masterful.
Through this incredible ‘cognitive-world-building’, she also weaves a story of forbidden love with a flawed MMC who breathes grayly from the page, and the Draughtrìnd invest the narrative with dragon-lore that revivifies my favorite fantasy creature, as believable as the physical and emotional journeys of Amalya.
And Howdyn’s prose is steeped in magnificent poetics, perhaps the only way to pull off both the emotional and epic scope of this story. This review was a long time coming and I’m eager to read her next work. Fantasy still has a beating heart and Howdyn writes from its inner-workings.
Hayden Moore
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews