Re-read
So this April 2017, I decide to re-read Dragon Kin, to refresh my memory since I read book #6, Eibhear's 2 or 3 years ago (kinda blaming my reading slump). I see my read history and I read the novella back at...2012??!!!
No wonder I really forget the story XD.
So like what my old review stated below, I just read Can't Get Enough novella, written by Shelly Laurenston, aka G.A.Aiken. Idk why she don't use her Aiken pen name, or maybe she just didn't consider it before. Since I just finish re-read Dragon Actually that contain Chains and Flames, story about Rhiannon and Bercelak, I remember that Chains and Flames is her first Dragon Kin story. I'm not sure if Can't Get Enough written before or after, but I believe it to be later.
If you are chronologically reading order OCD like me, you might want to read Can't Get Enough first, because this novella is way way back before Fearghus's era. It's about Bercelak's parents, Ailean the Wicked (or Slag, or Whore, depending on who you may talk to) and Shalin the Innocent. But if you read this after reading Dragon Actually and Chains and Flames, it's fine too. This novella will complete some plot of Chains and Flames, like how Shalin finally become Ailean's mate and Rhiannon's bitch queen mother, Addiena's obsession toward Ailean that set the motion of event in Chains and Flames.
I really like how depth Shalin and Ailean's characters here. Didn't took me long enough to know that Shalin is introvert to the core, and Ailean's is her opposite. Opposite attract theme are very common but never failed to amazed me. I feel connected to Shalin, since while she kinda shy and meek, all of them are part of deceit. Even Shalin didn't realize that she was like a walking bomb, she able to hide her emotion by blending effortlessly into her environment, and yet, she can strike without warning. This is a person that you don't want to mess with, because I know that Shalin hate conflicts and seems pragmatic, but she can bite when cornered. Ailean himself is not just a mere playboy or easy going person. His antique behavior, constantly pushed his hatchlings, hit them, surprise them, all for the purpose so they can be ready for any battle and have good reflexes. All come from his hard past and that make Ailean is more than just a womanizer characters. He is a person (or dragon. Semantics.).
I always laugh when reading Aiken/Laurenston's story, but I know behind all her crazy plots, she always deliver something meaningful. I really, really, enjoy this novella! And I hope in the future, she will release an anthology that contains all of her novellas, so I can read it in one book!
Below is my old review
The rating just for Can't Get Enough by Shelly Laurenston who write as G.A.Aiken. The story is about Ailean the Wicked and Shalin the Innocent. Both are parents of Bercelak the Great and grandparents of Fearghus the Destroyer from Dragon Actually.
Guess Shelly Laurenston love to write family theme story after all.
Not too crazy but still steamy. And the length of story even just short still make me enjoy to read it.