julie petitbon
Stealing the Dragon’s Heart is an action-packed, exciting, and swoon-worthy paranormal romance and the fourth book in the Dragon Lords series. The book has an incredible cast of characters, and I love Onnika and Aidan, the protagonists. They are both compelling characters, and they had tremendous growth throughout the story, both as individuals and as a couple. Onnika is funny, impulsive, protective, and smart. She’s a survivor who will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves. She’s disarming and endearing at the same time, and she has a vivacious personality. Aidan is a bit more reserved. Both have secrets and are slow to trust, and both have traumatic pasts that they are still dealing with. Their characters are fleshed out well, and both have great character arcs. I also love the found family aspect of the story. Aidan and the crew are so fun and funny and comfortable with each other. They are great friends and a strong unit, and there is a trusting, loyal bond that ties them together. The comradery of the crew is one of my favorite aspects of the book, and there are many laugh-out-loud moments with them. Onnika and her sister fit in so well with the group, and it’s wonderful to see two women who have been alone for so long mesh with this fun, loyal, and honorable group of friends. Of course, my absolute favorite part of the story is the swoon-tastic romance! The relationship between Aidan and Onnika is super sizzling! They don’t meet under the best circumstances, as she stole from him and then snuck onto his ship with her sister, but their chemistry is undeniable from the start. Onnika pushes all of Aidan’s buttons, and she really gets under his skin. He is often torn between wanting her and wanting to get rid of her. Aidan struggles to trust Onnilka, which is to be expected considering how their relationship began, but he can’t deny the pull he feels toward her. His grief over the loss of his wife and fear of going through that again also holds him back. Onnika, in turn, struggles with her feelings too. She has had a difficult life of betrayal, abuse, captivity, and loss. She and her sister also carry secrets, and Onnika and won’t risk their safety. This creates a lot of angst between Onnika and Aidan as both unsuccessfully fight their feelings, and I loved every chemistry-laden second of it! On top of the fabulous characters and romance, there’s also an epic space race, which is exciting and dangerous. I found this aspect of the story so interesting and unique, and I couldn’t wait to see what dangers, puzzles, and obstacles Aidan, Onnika, and the rest of the crew would face as their journey progressed. In addition to the race, Onnika and her sister are being chased by some nefarious people throughout the story, and their lives are in mortal danger. This makes the space race even more dangerous and suspenseful and leads to some action-packed, intense scenes. Though this is the fourth book in the Dragon Lords series, it can be read as a standalone. By reading the series from the start, you definitely get a better feel for the unique universe Fay created, as well as the connections between characters in all four books, but it is not necessary to read all books to enjoy this one. That being said, if you like steamy and captivating paranormal romance, this is a great series! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Kiersten Fay for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
nicola Brooks
Aidan has been suckered into competing in the Phase Nine race once more. He won this very race once before, but at a great cost. Now he and his ragtag team are about to take part in this dangerous race once more. They just didn't think it would be with two unwanted new crewmates! Onnika is the epitome of Grifters! She's willing to do anything to keep her sister safe. Their "talents" have been exploited before and they are on the run from the last psychopath who tried to use them for his own ends. But Aidan is going to be a hard one to win over, especially as she picked his pocket earlier in the day before implanting themselves on board as crew. The crew give off such family vibes, they bicker and bully each other just as siblings do! Aidan and Onnika fairly sizzle and he's soon ensnared by her charms but he's still determined to put her and Carin on the nearest safe world. Snarky comebacks, insta-attraction, off-the-charts chemistry. Brilliant read. Just let go of your troubles and zoom around space with the Dragoon crew! Lear, Asher and Carin have a very weird potential love-triangle going on in the background and I can't wait to see what that is all about!
