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(and Dragons) #2
Partridge Up a Pear Tree (and Dragons)
She loves him. He loathes her, and rightfully so. Not even time heals wounds this jagged and misaligned.
Eighteen-year-old Joey Partridge doesn’t do conflict. Negative tension stresses her out. Yelling sends her verbally vomiting every thought in her head and bursting into tears. Which, as a normally confident, world-wise daughter of globetrotting dragon scientists, is just embarrassing.
It also wrecked her relationship with drummer-boy Slade Adler, her best friend and romantic addiction. A year ago, she publicly fell apart, blamed Slade for something he didn’t do, and destroyed his future plans and their relationship.
Now all dragon scientists have been called to Newfoundland to study an incubating seadragon egg. Slade will be there, and he’s not shy about making it clear how much he hates her. Joey’s best option?
Avoid him at all costs.
Only weird things are going on in Newfoundland. Shady figures keep sabotaging the scientists and sneaking into the cove holding the egg. When a local magic-handler convinces Joey to help investigate, her first clue points a little too close to…Slade.
No way will Joey risk getting him into trouble again. Not when deep inside she still wants him back. Joey must solve the mystery, protect the egg and Slade, and convince him to forgive her for her past mistakes. All while avoiding any sign of conflict.
She is so screwed.
Eighteen-year-old Joey Partridge doesn’t do conflict. Negative tension stresses her out. Yelling sends her verbally vomiting every thought in her head and bursting into tears. Which, as a normally confident, world-wise daughter of globetrotting dragon scientists, is just embarrassing.
It also wrecked her relationship with drummer-boy Slade Adler, her best friend and romantic addiction. A year ago, she publicly fell apart, blamed Slade for something he didn’t do, and destroyed his future plans and their relationship.
Now all dragon scientists have been called to Newfoundland to study an incubating seadragon egg. Slade will be there, and he’s not shy about making it clear how much he hates her. Joey’s best option?
Avoid him at all costs.
Only weird things are going on in Newfoundland. Shady figures keep sabotaging the scientists and sneaking into the cove holding the egg. When a local magic-handler convinces Joey to help investigate, her first clue points a little too close to…Slade.
No way will Joey risk getting him into trouble again. Not when deep inside she still wants him back. Joey must solve the mystery, protect the egg and Slade, and convince him to forgive her for her past mistakes. All while avoiding any sign of conflict.
She is so screwed.
308 pages, Unknown Binding
First published November 1, 2025
14 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Taylor Thompson
3 books26 followersRachel Taylor Thompson lives in the central coast area of California with her husband, daughters, and a truly ridiculous number of animals (including but not limited to horses, rabbits, chickens, cats, a guinea pig, a bearded dragon, bees, and various wild animals that endlessly steal the cat food).
She started writing after she and a group of friends played the game Two Truths and a Lie and not a single person guessed that 'I'm writing a book' was her lie. Since her friends had so much faith in her, she decided to go for it.
To hear more about her books (and animals) head over to her website/newsletter-signup: www.racheltaylorthompson.com
She started writing after she and a group of friends played the game Two Truths and a Lie and not a single person guessed that 'I'm writing a book' was her lie. Since her friends had so much faith in her, she decided to go for it.
To hear more about her books (and animals) head over to her website/newsletter-signup: www.racheltaylorthompson.com
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 18, 2025
I need more people to read and fall in love with these books so I have people to talk to about them. This is loosely connected to book one (Sasha) as in same world but new set of characters. There’s some cameos from book one, though. I’m not going to lie I was a little nervous that this wouldn’t live up to the first book but it completely surpassed my expectations.
Quick actual review: 18 year old word-vomit-prone Joey Partridge would rather face a dragon than any kind of confrontation. Unfortunately her ex-boyfriend, Slade, will be at the same research site where their dragon-scientist parents are studying a mysterious egg. When sabotage and magic start swirling around, Joey has to protect the egg, investigate what’s going on, and try to have a bit of a social life. I described the first book as a Howl’s Moving Castle/Lemony Snicket vibes road trip. This book I would describe as a cozy dragon mystery wrapped in teen angst and secondhand embarrassment. And I say that with LOVE!!
Cover is again giving middle grade vibes when it’s YA (our girl is about to go to college). And theres only some kissing and talking about kissing (and dragons).
Read this as an ARC from NetGalley.
Edited to add: big kudos to the author for neurodivergence representation done well.
Quick actual review: 18 year old word-vomit-prone Joey Partridge would rather face a dragon than any kind of confrontation. Unfortunately her ex-boyfriend, Slade, will be at the same research site where their dragon-scientist parents are studying a mysterious egg. When sabotage and magic start swirling around, Joey has to protect the egg, investigate what’s going on, and try to have a bit of a social life. I described the first book as a Howl’s Moving Castle/Lemony Snicket vibes road trip. This book I would describe as a cozy dragon mystery wrapped in teen angst and secondhand embarrassment. And I say that with LOVE!!
Cover is again giving middle grade vibes when it’s YA (our girl is about to go to college). And theres only some kissing and talking about kissing (and dragons).
Read this as an ARC from NetGalley.
Edited to add: big kudos to the author for neurodivergence representation done well.
October 30, 2025
I grew up in a family where the women were capable and pragmatic, which isn't unusual in New Zealand. Accordingly, I prefer to read about women like that, and fortunately there are plenty of fictional heroines who are. Sasha, the protagonist of the first book of this series, for example.
Unfortunately, at least from my point of view, Joey Partridge, the protagonist of this book, is not that, even though she fixes things around the house (something that felt to me as if it had been tacked on to make her seem more competent). She's a big ball of crippling anxiety wrapped in a thick layer of codependency, and I personally found her trying to spend time with. She's surrounded by people who are incapable of listening to her, and treats this as normal and not a reason to, for example, refuse to go out with them. She has crying jags so severe as to be completely debilitating, and under stress she spills a desperate stream of consciousness that causes all kinds of trouble, not only for her but for the people around her. It got her previous boyfriend arrested by the Chinese state security forces, for example, which not only resulted in her family and his being thrown out of China but also broke their relationship completely.
He, of course, refuses to listen to her apologies. He's a brooding musician. At one point he describes her as the complete opposite of what we know her to be through her POV - fearless, happy, carefree - and then says she doesn't get him. Project much? (To be fair, when they were together she was able to be more like he describes, at least outwardly - but that in itself is a problem, in fact several problems.)
Her parents, and his, are part of a Canadian government department that researches dragons, called in to Newfoundland because of the events of the previous book. They move around a lot, researching dragons in various parts of the world; her parents are emotionally distant and impractical, and (you'll be surprised to learn) don't listen to her when she tries to tell them that she wants to pick her own college rather than the various ones they and several other family members have arranged for her.
For some reason - I suspect because otherwise she couldn't conceivably be the protagonist - the dragons have decided they like Joey, based on no acquaintance at all, and only she will do to help in finding out who is trying to do something initially vague to the incubating dragons that all of the fuss is about. She spends the first quarter of the book refusing the call, arguing (quite plausibly) that she's a poor choice for the role, engaging in extreme teenage angst, not being listened to by basically anyone, and starting up a new relationship that is obviously doomed (thus providing the classic YA love triangle), interspersed with flashbacks to the backstory in China.
She turns out to be surprisingly good at investigating, despite continuing high teen drama and a series of terrible choices and major wimp-outs on her part. Her handler/dragon liaison, Bob, says at one point that she's less incompetent than he'd expected, and honestly I felt the same. For me, it was the mystery and the investigation that kept me reading despite the teen angst - so I was somewhat frustrated when the resolution to the teen angst came before, and delayed, the resolution of the mystery plot, with no sense of urgency even though one was called for.
Other readers will no doubt enjoy the parts I didn't. The relationship and emotional dynamics are well developed and realistic, to be clear, so this isn't about the author's skill but the reviewer's taste.
Something else I enjoyed besides the investigation plot was the antics of the dragons, who are intelligent but in a way that doesn't completely map to human ways of thinking. They name themselves after dragons from fantasy literature, like Ramoth and Temeraire, which I also liked.
I had a pre-publication version for review via Netgalley, and one thing I did notice about it was that the editing was in a much better state than the previous book. I suspect a good copy editor has gone through and largely corrected the author's terrible overhyphenation habit, though they've missed a couple of cases where there's a hyphen between a verb and the pronoun which is its object (why would anyone do that?), and there are still one or two places where there's a hyphen between an adjective and the noun it's modifying. This includes "magical-creatures," which was everywhere in the first book, and the editor may have decided to keep it consistent (even though that means consistently wrong). There's also frequently a comma used after "of course" when it's just being used to agree with a previous statement, which is a common error encouraged by MS Word's inaccurate grammar checker. As always with books I get via Netgalley, there may be further editing to come after I see it and before it's published.
For me, it was a difficult-to-rate mix of strong storytelling, a character I didn't care for (though she does develop), and a cheeky shortcut by the author to justify why that character is even involved. Joey's character arc, from total emotional bomb site to able to stand up for herself and cope, came late and rapidly, which stretched my suspension of disbelief a little, though it is true that having to focus on the needs of others - in this case, the dragons - is the most likely thing to get someone in internal crisis to pull themselves together and break out of their downward spiral.
Overall, I'm putting it in the Bronze (lowest) tier of my annual recommendation list, because it wasn't quite the book I'd hoped for and didn't fit my taste well. If that hadn't been true, it would have won a place in Silver, since it's soundly written and has some insight into human relationships - just between humans I don't particularly care to read about. Your mileage is highly likely to vary.
I will hesitate a bit longer before picking up the third book, though I probably will do so. It's clear which character will be at the centre of it, and she's not particularly promising, though she may be more promising than Joey. We'll see.
Unfortunately, at least from my point of view, Joey Partridge, the protagonist of this book, is not that, even though she fixes things around the house (something that felt to me as if it had been tacked on to make her seem more competent). She's a big ball of crippling anxiety wrapped in a thick layer of codependency, and I personally found her trying to spend time with. She's surrounded by people who are incapable of listening to her, and treats this as normal and not a reason to, for example, refuse to go out with them. She has crying jags so severe as to be completely debilitating, and under stress she spills a desperate stream of consciousness that causes all kinds of trouble, not only for her but for the people around her. It got her previous boyfriend arrested by the Chinese state security forces, for example, which not only resulted in her family and his being thrown out of China but also broke their relationship completely.
He, of course, refuses to listen to her apologies. He's a brooding musician. At one point he describes her as the complete opposite of what we know her to be through her POV - fearless, happy, carefree - and then says she doesn't get him. Project much? (To be fair, when they were together she was able to be more like he describes, at least outwardly - but that in itself is a problem, in fact several problems.)
Her parents, and his, are part of a Canadian government department that researches dragons, called in to Newfoundland because of the events of the previous book. They move around a lot, researching dragons in various parts of the world; her parents are emotionally distant and impractical, and (you'll be surprised to learn) don't listen to her when she tries to tell them that she wants to pick her own college rather than the various ones they and several other family members have arranged for her.
For some reason - I suspect because otherwise she couldn't conceivably be the protagonist - the dragons have decided they like Joey, based on no acquaintance at all, and only she will do to help in finding out who is trying to do something initially vague to the incubating dragons that all of the fuss is about. She spends the first quarter of the book refusing the call, arguing (quite plausibly) that she's a poor choice for the role, engaging in extreme teenage angst, not being listened to by basically anyone, and starting up a new relationship that is obviously doomed (thus providing the classic YA love triangle), interspersed with flashbacks to the backstory in China.
She turns out to be surprisingly good at investigating, despite continuing high teen drama and a series of terrible choices and major wimp-outs on her part. Her handler/dragon liaison, Bob, says at one point that she's less incompetent than he'd expected, and honestly I felt the same. For me, it was the mystery and the investigation that kept me reading despite the teen angst - so I was somewhat frustrated when the resolution to the teen angst came before, and delayed, the resolution of the mystery plot, with no sense of urgency even though one was called for.
Other readers will no doubt enjoy the parts I didn't. The relationship and emotional dynamics are well developed and realistic, to be clear, so this isn't about the author's skill but the reviewer's taste.
Something else I enjoyed besides the investigation plot was the antics of the dragons, who are intelligent but in a way that doesn't completely map to human ways of thinking. They name themselves after dragons from fantasy literature, like Ramoth and Temeraire, which I also liked.
I had a pre-publication version for review via Netgalley, and one thing I did notice about it was that the editing was in a much better state than the previous book. I suspect a good copy editor has gone through and largely corrected the author's terrible overhyphenation habit, though they've missed a couple of cases where there's a hyphen between a verb and the pronoun which is its object (why would anyone do that?), and there are still one or two places where there's a hyphen between an adjective and the noun it's modifying. This includes "magical-creatures," which was everywhere in the first book, and the editor may have decided to keep it consistent (even though that means consistently wrong). There's also frequently a comma used after "of course" when it's just being used to agree with a previous statement, which is a common error encouraged by MS Word's inaccurate grammar checker. As always with books I get via Netgalley, there may be further editing to come after I see it and before it's published.
For me, it was a difficult-to-rate mix of strong storytelling, a character I didn't care for (though she does develop), and a cheeky shortcut by the author to justify why that character is even involved. Joey's character arc, from total emotional bomb site to able to stand up for herself and cope, came late and rapidly, which stretched my suspension of disbelief a little, though it is true that having to focus on the needs of others - in this case, the dragons - is the most likely thing to get someone in internal crisis to pull themselves together and break out of their downward spiral.
Overall, I'm putting it in the Bronze (lowest) tier of my annual recommendation list, because it wasn't quite the book I'd hoped for and didn't fit my taste well. If that hadn't been true, it would have won a place in Silver, since it's soundly written and has some insight into human relationships - just between humans I don't particularly care to read about. Your mileage is highly likely to vary.
I will hesitate a bit longer before picking up the third book, though I probably will do so. It's clear which character will be at the centre of it, and she's not particularly promising, though she may be more promising than Joey. We'll see.
October 7, 2025
I adored the first book in the series, but I found this one harder to connect with. I didn't form a bond with Joey, the narrator, until about halfway through the book - but once I did, I enjoyed her story.
I liked how Joey's character is developed, especially her anxiety and the mess she creates trying to mask it. The love interest, Slade, is also a complex and interesting character, and the arc of forgiveness resonated.
The plot was quite ridiculous. At first, that annoyed me, but then I embraced it and just laughed along. It does feel forced at times, but if you enjoy fun and silly, then it's very enjoyable.
I liked how Joey's character is developed, especially her anxiety and the mess she creates trying to mask it. The love interest, Slade, is also a complex and interesting character, and the arc of forgiveness resonated.
The plot was quite ridiculous. At first, that annoyed me, but then I embraced it and just laughed along. It does feel forced at times, but if you enjoy fun and silly, then it's very enjoyable.
October 8, 2025
What a delightful addition to this magical
series by a favorite Author. Joey, a simply
delightful youngster, goes through an awful
lot in this fast paced, fascinating “mythtery”
Myth and Mystery are side by side from
start to finish.
I was happy when we learned …ah….
NO SPOILERS HERE, folks!
I am permanently in love with this series❤️.
My thanks to the Author for an advance copy
of the book! Read via kindle…
series by a favorite Author. Joey, a simply
delightful youngster, goes through an awful
lot in this fast paced, fascinating “mythtery”
Myth and Mystery are side by side from
start to finish.
I was happy when we learned …ah….
NO SPOILERS HERE, folks!
I am permanently in love with this series❤️.
My thanks to the Author for an advance copy
of the book! Read via kindle…
October 9, 2025
Oh so good. I love the way Thompson's lead female characters are powerful and strong despite and because of their weaknesses. Though not the same characters, you should read the first "and Dragons" book first because it introduces the world and sets the stage for this one. Absolutely loved it.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
October 13, 2025
I enjoyed this book! Not as much as the first one but it was still quite entertaining. I had trouble at first with Joey and adjusting to her being so deeply insecure most of the time and also super confident in certain situations. I have trouble relating to such an extreme people pleaser.
I loved all the new dragons. They were so amusing. I loved them learning new skills and their interest in Joey's love life. I'm excited to see what the next book brings!
I loved all the new dragons. They were so amusing. I loved them learning new skills and their interest in Joey's love life. I'm excited to see what the next book brings!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for this free eARC! All opinions are my own.
I was really interested in finishing this one. However, the main character's anxiety was giving me anxiety, and I just couldn't continue. I made it to the scene where Joey gets her job at the pizza restaurant. #PatridgeUpAPearTree #NetGalley
I was really interested in finishing this one. However, the main character's anxiety was giving me anxiety, and I just couldn't continue. I made it to the scene where Joey gets her job at the pizza restaurant. #PatridgeUpAPearTree #NetGalley
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews