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Witch Bound #2

The ShadowHunter

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When her younger sister is stolen in the dark of night, Valerie infiltrates the northern kingdom to rescue her. Parading around as a human and hiding her Witch scent, she doesn’t realise she’s stepped onto a Dragon’s hunting ground – or that the Dragon has settled his lustful sights on her.

She only wanted to save her sister, but she can’t resist the way he sets her heart on fire.

Hiding his Dragon linage, Geryon cares little about the gala thrown to find the king a wife. It’s nothing but a means to an end – a trap. That is until a certain, cold-hearted woman enthrals him as she flits around the palace with her unfeeling grace.

As every day passes, his desire to see her fall into rapture within his arms grows stronger. He even considers keeping her.

But, their game can only last so long before they discover that neither one is who they are pretending to be. What will happen when Geryon realises the human he has been bedding is actually something in which he hates the most?

522 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 29, 2023

467 people are currently reading
2304 people want to read

About the author

Opal Reyne

21 books5,910 followers
Opal Reyne is an Australian Author who has been a fan of the Adult Paranormal Romance genre from the moment she picked up a book of it - and has never looked back.

She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.

-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.

-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!

-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.

As of the 20th of June 2022, The Aedus Chronicles has been unpublished. Thank you to all the readers who enjoyed the series, and Opal may look into revising them in the future.

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5 stars
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561 (32%)
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248 (14%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 193 reviews
Profile Image for Cece.
27 reviews8 followers
April 27, 2023
Geryon is everything.

I honestly never really saw myself reading a semi-dub-con dragon romance (make sure to read the content warnings at the beginning of the book!) but I love Opal and have thoroughly enjoyed all of her other books I've read, so when the opportunity to read this before publication came out I jumped at it.

Geryon is unlike any MMC I have seen in romance books recently. If you like your men assertive, and confident but also desperate and literally PANTING for the FMC.... then PLEASE pick up this book.

I also haven't encountered an FMC like Valerie. She is amazing. Cold and perceived as unfeeling, she is a very powerful witch and while I got a tiny bit annoyed with her at one point (I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope and while it wasn't full-blown, it did slow down the 3rd act a little bit) it was exciting to learn more about this world through her.

Opal Reyne is so great at dual third-person POV, and getting to be in both character's heads (ESPECIALLy during the spicy scenes) was just *chef's kiss*

I will always pick up books by Opal because she knows how to write interesting characters that are easy to become invested in. Despite the book running long (not uncommon for Opal's books), I didn't feel as though there were parts that could have been cut short.

I just really enjoyed myself over the 6 days I took to savor this book!~
Profile Image for Poppy || Monster Lover.
1,833 reviews514 followers
May 6, 2023
4.25

I really liked Geryon and thought he had a unique and fascinating personality. I’m still a bit on the fence about Valerie. She was so much like the FMC in the last Duskwalker Brides book that came out with her inability to open herself to her emotions. It worked for their relationship, but it’s not my preferred character type.

Spice: 4/5

Triggers: dubcon, attempted SA, kidnapping of child, murder
174 reviews32 followers
April 23, 2023
Thank you to Opal Reyne and her team for sending me an ARC!

I just want to start off by saying that Opal is becoming one of my favorite authors. That being said, this book is probably my least favorite out of all the books I have read by Opal. However, this book was still great!

Valerie is such a strong MC, and I respect her so much. I don't think I have ever related more to a FMC. She doesn't allow her emotion to drive her, and her love for her sisters is so beautiful. I wish we got a little more time with them! Also, her relationship and scenes with Wyetta are some of my favorites throughout the book! Seeing Valerie grow through this book and finally let herself feel for Geryon makes my heart melt.

Geryon is quite the character! I swear this was his inner dialog the whole time.


Geryon is so lovable, and I love the grumpy sunshine trope reversed. It was a breath of fresh air. I like how this book showed how men should react when someone says the word "no." I think it's important to show how men should respond and how they shouldn't to the word "no." Opal did a great job writing these sensitive scenes, but they are necessary to bring awareness SAs. Geryon never gave up on Valerie even though she had given up on herself, and I love him so much for that.

I am excited for this series to continue, and I PRAY that Aldora is one of our FMC in one of the upcoming books! Also, I am excited that this series could be getting new covers!

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Ruby Downing.
28 reviews
April 22, 2023
Opal has this amazing gift of making me love each of her male leads a little more than the last, which I still find to be a little unbelievable! Geryon was the perfect mix of sexy and sweet! I found myself going through so many different emotions reading this book, and I could not put it down to save my life (that’s how I finished it in a day 😅). This book was a rollercoaster in the best way. One thing I really enjoyed was there was no petty argument, or minor infraction, that caused the main characters to stay away from each other for an extended time. Opal is great about avoiding that type of plot point in her books, and I think that’s what makes her one of my favorite authors of all time. The level of spice was perfect!

Possible spoiler: learning more about the dragon council, and the idea that the witches can power their dragon parent? That leads to such interesting possibilities in future books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
23 reviews
May 1, 2023
Opal's books are great usually. This one, however, is not. Main issues are with the Mary-Sueish protagonist, and just utter lack of plot in the book. There's meant to be a focus on 'internal stuggles' throughout the book with out MC, however the way her struggles are written is jarring to the flow of the story, and pops up in the most inopportune time, hindering the plot and meandering the story.

Do not recommend.
Profile Image for Lilly 🖤.
52 reviews10 followers
January 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️

Another wonderful read from one of my all time favorite authors 👏👏👏

I can’t wait until she continues this series ❤️
Profile Image for Neeks.
279 reviews2 followers
May 10, 2023
2.5⭐️
Ehh this was kinda boring tbh. I was expecting another thrilling romance like the first book, with adventure and fantastical elements, however the book was mostly confined to a royal court setting and it’s politics.

Inverted grump x sunshine trope, she’s the cold, stoic one that intrigues the cheery ml. Personally, I couldn’t really connect with the characters, particularly the fmc, wish we got to see more sides to her. I love Opal (all hail the queen) which is why I’m rating this a 2.5 instead of a 2 despite me dnf’ing 1/3 in

The relationship just didn’t feel that fleshed out, it seemed based on their instant crazed lust for one another, which is obviously fine but I like having a deeper emotional aspect.
Profile Image for Rachel.
155 reviews12 followers
April 26, 2023
4.5 / 5 stars
Heat rating: 3 / 5 peppers


This is the second book in the Witch Bound series, each can be read as a standalone. I would suggest reading them in order but that isn’t required to enjoy this story. This story starts off right in the action of our FMC trying to gain entrance to the king’s palace in order to save her sister. Lucky for her, the king is looking to take a bride so he is throwing a gala for 4 potential ladies who might be ideal for the role. The witch decides to use the identity of a lady who is invited to be a possible bride. It gave me very minor Cinderella vibes, except the king isn’t the dragon, and our FMC isn’t going to be queen.
This book didn’t feature as much “dragon time” since our MMC spends most of his time in human form, but I truly enjoyed the change of pace getting to see how a dragon would mesh himself into the workings of court with a king. The ShadowHunter also goes more into depth on the witch’s lore in relation to the dragons that we did see brief mentions of in the first book.


Valerie: She was a tough nut to crack, I think I am just so used to seeing FMC’s who are more open with their thoughts and personality. She cared deeply for her family, that much was evident from the beginning. She wasn’t unlikeable, just reserved about sharing herself with others. Opal has done an interesting job creating an FMC who is different, who maybe isn’t the most liked girl in the room, whose personality may be off putting too many. I think that is one of my favorite things about Opal’s stories is the diversity in the characters.

Geryon: This dragon like all that we have met so far hates witches. Geryon could be charming, a tiny bit arrogant, jealous, possessive, but he respected the word “no”. I loved his character. I adored the fact that he did not give up on Valerie, no matter how many times she fought/fled. I loved seeing the interactions between him and Rurik (and their mother), I enjoyed the unique dynamic to their dragon family.






Me after the palace:
Where this lost a half star for me was after the palace, it had a lot of push/pull/separation/time skips, which if you know me you know that this can frustrate and break my heart all at once. I liked their cat and mouse interactions at the palace, but my brain was shifting towards thinking about my HEA and waiting that long with little time left in the book scared me a bit honestly. I’ve had too many book disappointments from other authors that I usually avoid these when I can, but I knew Opal would wrap up this book beautifully with a HEA. I kept glancing down at the percentage of the story left and panicking that there wouldn’t be enough time to finish everything. It did, but I was sweating.

To summarize, I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I loved getting different views into the Witch Bound series, each one adds to the pictures in my head. Opal is one of those authors I would buy anything she writes because each book is a gem for my imagination. I am excited to read more in this series in the future.




Profile Image for Tieraney (arobynns version).
330 reviews20 followers
April 30, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

please check the TW before reading

OPAL YOU HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!!

ShadowHunter is the second book in the WitchBound series, i highly recommend reading the first one to get a firm grasp on the lore and world building (plus there is a cameo) however it is technically a standalone.

I was super bummed when Opal revealed there would be less dragon sexy time but honestly? if there was a lot of dragon smut like book 1 it wouldn’t fit into the story, and it’d be disingenuous. its a SLOWBURN baby, buckle up your angst seatbelts and HOLD ON! please keep your heart and hands in the ride at all times, thank you :)) no seriously because dragon daddy is going to be stealing that heart of yours once you read this book! trust me

i loved how much i resonated with valerie, the emotionless mask she uses, the way she would do anything for her family, the way people assume things just by looking at her and not asking; that just really hit home with me. also geryon is a consent king, like as he should.

i really feel like getting to 50% was a chore with the amount of filler we had. reading about the ladies circling the grounds with the king 10 times (i’m exaggerating) really dragged the book along, but when it sped up around 60% when the plot started plotting 🤪 and the way geryon was offended and upset that valerie was hiding she was a witch when he was actively hiding he is a dragon was sooo hypocritical—ik ik daddy dragon learns he was hypocrite and we love him for that—but i literally wanted to punch him. like wow it’s the consequences of your actions.. how strange.
other than those specific things, i loved reading the newest book of the WitchBound series!

Thank you so much, Opal and your team I’m so grateful for you guys for giving me the opportunity to read and review this!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for BookNerd.
54 reviews2 followers
February 24, 2024
4.3/5⭐️
4/5🌶

Opal remains a standout among my favorite authors, and, as expected, she delivered with "The ShadowHunter." Compared to the first book, this one stands out to me for its portrayal of Valeria (FMC), whose strength and determination intrigued me from the start. Geryon (MMC), who I can only be described as "Chef's kiss”.

Although " The ShadowHunter" is technically a standalone, I highly recommend reading the series in order to fully appreciate the shared conclusions from "The WitchHunter." Also, a heads-up that you may want to check trigger warnings before diving into this book.

Valeria's character resonated with me deeply—her strength, relatability, and unwavering commitment to protecting those she loved most had me cheering for her within the first two chapters. I found a personal connection with her on various levels, and I hope I can be as brilliant as her one day. Geryon, a truly captivating character, is a brilliant and charming individual with some domineering aggression that adds an extra layer of allure.

The dynamic between Valeria and Geryon is a highlight of the book. Even when Valeria is portrayed as emotionless or cold, Geryon sees beyond the surface, recognizing the depth she keeps hidden from the world. Both Valeria and Geryon may come off as cold to the outside world, but the way their passionate connection blossoms is nothing short of beautiful.  Opal skillfully weaves a love story that I can't help but connect with, combining well-developed main characters with spice that left me fanning myself.

The slow-burn and cat-and-mouse game played out in the palace adds an extra layer of intrigue to the story as well 😏. Opal has masterfully crafted a story that combines passion, secrets, and well-developed characters, making "The ShadowHunter" a must-read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for P C  .
262 reviews13 followers
December 11, 2023
Opal Reyne you have me in a chokehold with your written artistry!
This feels almost cult-ish lol I'm trapped and do NOT want to get out!

Another brilliant read of the "Witch bound" series, I've come to realize these two books can be read as standalones and they'd make perfect sense but I would advise you to read them both cause they're awesome 😎👍🏻

The first book was more explosive and dramatic whereas this book embraced a slower setting and two very different MCs: a sunshine Dragon and a grumpy witch!!
As a rule, Reyne's books hold some kind of emotional trauma and mental setback as a plot device for a MC, in the first book Amalia had PTSD and in this book we see a different kind of woman; a tough as nails cunning woman that's pancake soft inside with her own demons to process and conflicting feelings* plaguing her throughout the book, she was somewhat desensitized by her own hardships in life and was awarded with the name Valerie the Heartless.
Tough shit.
Her sunshine of a dragon was SO CUTE and hot I was salivating for her 😭 he was literally chasing her around like a lovesick puppy ffs 😭😭😭 this book was definitely passionate and low-key toxic 🤭

*I appreciate the total transparency of these issues being aired and shown so raw but it made little sense 80% in when she kept escaping her manz for death whereas she could just talk it out and make another magical deal?

Idk I'm satisfied with the ending and this book was Very entertaining but something was definitely missing in the conversation department even after their reconciliation..
Her ancestor pulling up was MENTAL as a plot twist lmao
Profile Image for Missemilylou.
71 reviews
April 23, 2023
The shadowhunter is the second book in the “witch bound” series, as with the first book this one can be read as a standalone but it’s better to read in order due to characters that are in the first book appearing briefly in this one aswell.
In this book we are following the story of Geryon and Valerie - it’s very boy meets girl, girl is a total bit*h, boy absolutes loves her slightly crazy side.
This books is hugely different from the first book in terms of plot/ world building but that’s what I love about it, I enjoy seeing different aspects of the “witch bound” world and I also enjoyed that we get to see the more human side to the dragon.
As usual I would 100% recommend reading this series if you love dragons and giant dragon peen 😉
Can’t wait to read the next in the series!
4/5 - stars ⭐️
3/5 - spice 🌶️
5/5- world building 🌎
Profile Image for DeeReads.
31 reviews1 follower
April 29, 2023
Book 2 in Witch Bound Series by Opal Reyne

I'm happy to give my honest review :)

Our headstrong fmc and sweet, caring mmc, share a reverse grumpy/sunshine relationship, bound to charm a paranormal romance reader. Valerie(the witch) and Geryon(dragon) are unaware of each other's nature, but that doesn't stop him from trying to break down her walls and make her warm up to him. Valerie is on a quest to help her sister, and through her journey we get to see more of the dragons and witches world which I enjoyed.

This is a slow build book, medium level spice
Profile Image for Cheryl Hancock.
201 reviews3 followers
May 4, 2023
Loved loved LOVED this book! Valerie was an amazing character, and getting to witness both her determination to do whatever it took to find her sister and also her internal struggle with those choices helped to identify with her as a character (I think we have all had at least one difficult situation that made us hate ourselves a little bit). The interactions between her and Geryon were just perfect, and although I wasn't a huge fan of the miscommunication issues between the two, overall their story was just *chef's kiss* amazing!
Profile Image for Kristy.
96 reviews
April 26, 2023
It’s hard when a book written by your favorite author doesn’t quite live up to your expectations. This book is good but my least favorite of her stories so far. Here’s my honest take on ShadowHunter.

I think most of my issues with the story are personal preference related. I still LOVE Opal’s work and would recommend this book to others who don’t mind what I didn’t enjoy below.

The central story was very slow to build. I did not enjoy the setting, it felt very claustrophobic for a large portion of the story. I didn’t get a great sense of world building like I did from WitchSlayer or from her Duskwalker series. The whole premise of a witch pretending to be a human to save her sister was interesting in the beginning. However I hated that so much time was spent with her incognito with the other women that were at the palace to woo the king. Their talks and storyline seemed superfluous to me and I found myself skimming their pages. Once the story gets to about 60% it really starts to build and pick up pace. You finally get some more detailed character development which was VERY needed for me since I didn’t find Valerie’s personality enjoyable. Once I got to that place in the storyline it was a much easier read.

Geryon was an interesting character to me although he was not relatable to me whatsoever. I really enjoyed how he always made sure he had consent by making sure she always knew she could say “no”.

I really enjoyed the time we spent with her sisters. When she’s with them we finally see a bit of what makes her tick. I wish we would have spent more time exploring them and their relationships. Those scenes were some of the most touching and emotional in the book.

I also struggled a bit with some of the conclusion. I found her getting her magic back to be significantly anticlimactic, it’s only mentioned as an afterthought when it seemed like it would have been a moment to build more emotion since the use of her magic was so central to her character and would have emphasized his trust and feelings for her.
I also feel like we didn’t get the “full monty” with their last romantic scene but the steam level of the story overall was great.

Negatives
*Very slow start
*Too many side characters I didn’t care about (the King and the girls he’s choosing from to marry)
*Too many mentions of “nose crinkling”, it became increasingly distracting to the developing story.
*Valerie is difficult for me to like, she’s cold, emotionless and calculating for a large portion of the story which makes it hard for me to be in her corner
*Insta lust, very little emotional development until late in the book which made their romance feel shallow
*Not enough connectedness to the previous book until the end

Positives
*steam level
*the main climax of the book and the final conflict were well done and held my interest
*the scenes between Valerie and her sisters. I wanted more from them and their coven. How they existed and operated was very enjoyable to me
*cat and mouse theme as well as the reverse grumpy/sunshine
*characters although not necessarily enjoyable for me are not stereotypical to the romance genre (this is something Opal always does well)
*inclusion of previous characters in the series towards the end of the story


I fully intend on reading this again and look forward to more in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jillsbooknook.
863 reviews58 followers
April 24, 2023
4 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Be prepared for me, vicious butterfly."

The Shadowhunter is the second novel in the standalone new adult fantasy romance series, Witch Bound, following the characters Valerie and Geryon. Valerie is a white witch who is desperately looking for her younger sister - using dark magic she fears will turn her evil to find her. She needs to infiltrate the Northern Kingdom to uncover the truth about her sister's capture and location but what she doesn't know is that she has brought herself directly in the crosshairs of a handsome and dangerous dragon... a dragon who is equally drawn to her and she to him. Stuck between duty of heart and duty of family Valerie must decide what she is willing to do and how she she is willing to go...unless a stubborn dragon has other ideas...

This is an incredibly light and easy book to fall into with likeable characters, extra spice, and a plot that was comfortable. Valerie is calculating and cool but underneath she is kind and empathetic. I loved how she wasn't afraid to be herself. She does fall into the more self-sacrificing but I loved the play between light and dark around her. Geryon plays into the gruff but charming figure. He knows what he wants and pursues, even if he isn't sure why he wants it. I admired the honesty in his character and the determination. He learns quickly from his mistakes and isn't swayed easily so him falling for Valerie was a delight. I will say there is a brief miscommunication trope between them that I didn't love but thankfully they resolved it quickly so there was so drawing it out.

The spice in this book is about 4 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. There is lots of tension that builds and the spice ranges to public events and gradually into monster romance (as Geryon can shift into a dragon form). It is well written and I felt it represented the characters well with their antagonist introduction.

Body and soul, he wanted it. I will have all of her.

In terms of world and plot - the world building is light but you have the core elements you need. I would say reading the previous book would also benefit you but it is not necessary. I really liked the lore about Valerie's family history to help flesh things out. I felt the story itself had good pacing and plenty of moments to really just be with the characters. It's a story that easy to fall into and consume fast with court intrigue, a bachelor style plot, and a bit of forbidden romance. I felt it has comfortability in its rhythm but also freshness to its approach. I will say the back of forth of Valerie and Geryon's relationship in the last 20% was a little jolting but the end nicely wraps things up.

Overall if you are looking for a fantasy romance that just hugs you and teases you this book is perfect. I felt so cosy during my read and devoured it in a single evening!

Thank you to the author for this ARC!
Profile Image for Vanessa.
132 reviews6 followers
May 5, 2023
This book was everything I could have wanted from this series and more. I loved this book so much and it definitely will be in my top 5 for this years reads. Now I’m not one to say the sequels or any other books that are a continuation of a series surpasses the original but this book blew past my expectations. The storyline was so fresh and fun while still relating back to the original. The way the characters tie into the first book was ingenious and so clever. I went into this book blind not knowing where the story would lead me or anything about tit really other then what I knew from the first book in the series but wow Opal has outdone herself in this book. The hard exterior of both Valerie and Geryon but then to have the gooey love that they both share in private stole my heart. I was captivated by the story from the first to last chapter and I would and will be picking this back up to reread. Having a strong female lead who doesn’t need a man but to find the one who brakes down her barriers to support and cherish who she is without wanting her to change. That’s a story I want. I want the female to be the powerhouse where they support and uplift each other without stealing the spotlight from each other. The way they incorporated the old characters and the way that her dragon parent came to protect her had me jumping up and down screaming with excitement. I do wish they did touch base on when he did the spell to stop her from getting pregnant and she made that comment like she wanted to get pregnant. I felt like I would have enjoyed a conversation about it later on and I would have loved to see the scene of him penetrating her womb! But I know there’s only so much you can fit in a book otherwise it would be 3000 pages long haha. This book has humour that will have you laughing out loud, romance that gives you warm fuzzies in your heart and body, a storyline that’s fresh and exciting keeping you on your toes never knowing what to expect next! This book may not have as much smut as other books but the descriptions of those scenes are so well written and blow other books out the water! I love that Opal does not shy away from the details and giving the audience the full picture! Chefs kiss 😘🤌🏼 Two main characters who are so strong and independent but compliment each other so well. This books is incredibly well rounded and it is without a doubt my favourite read of the year currently. If you want fantasy, romance and excitement then this is the perfect book for you! 10000/10 highly recommended to anyone who loves these genres and is looking for an excellent book to read!


Storyline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Profile Image for Dacia.
230 reviews1 follower
April 25, 2023
Okay, wow.
So, this book is very different from the first with much less dragon time. However, I think it fits perfectly with these characters and their personalities. You can tell Geryon is just as fierce in his human form as he is in his dragon one. It's interesting to compare him with his brother in actions and their comfort in their different forms.

I love how Valerie and Geryon's relationship builds. The slow burn that gets brighter and draws the reader in like a moth to the flame. And the underlying suspense/need to find Valerie's sister sticks with you even as you cheer Geryon on for unintentionally distracting her from it. The cat and mouse game they play is definitely going to keep you reading lol.

It's interesting how everything works out with the king, too. I'm not sure if I would have gone with the one who becomes queen Consort, but it was a fantastic choice in the long run.

The chase that takes them to the Elders is fun, however, I wonder if Valerie will ever return home. I want to know if she'll tell them of her adventure and what she was told by her dragon parent. I also want to know if she ends up having a little Geryon! I bet if they do have kids that they'll be adorable, mischievous, and powerful.

Also, what of her two male companions? I kind of wanted to get to know them more lol. They seemed interesting. Will they stay friends with Valerie?

This book can be read as a stand-alone. The characters from the first book are brought in, but it's not in a way that you would have had to read the first book. Though, it's better in order because you get to see why the Elder brother is Witch Hunter and the younger is Shadow Hunter :)

20/10 recommend. It's an amazing book! Opal makes the overall plot of the book just as amazing as the characters that bring it to life.
Profile Image for Tayloura.
407 reviews15 followers
April 30, 2023
*The ShadowHunter (Witch Bound book 2) by Opal Reyne *

4/5 ⭐
2.5/5 🌶️

**Tropes**
- Dragon Dick
- Badass FMC
- Reverse Grump Sunshine
- Eldest Sibling

📖 **My Thoughts**

I am truly enjoying this series…dare I say possibly more than the dusk Walker series? Hot take i know!! But here me out…the way these FMC’s are written truly cater to my dark little heart. These aren’t necessarily dark romances but they hit a place in my dark romance loving heart that makes me addicted to these stories. I’ll admit, it was a bit difficult for the first 45%, the burn was definitely slowin’. But once we got over that hurdle, I flew threw the rest of this story. I absolutely loved and related to our FMC. I found myself shedding a few tears at about 65%. Our MMC was absolutely hilarious and I loved how emotionally secure he was. He was so willing to move mountains for our girl and be emotionally available. Love to see it!

⚠️ **Triggers**

Attempted SA, SA (mentioned but not done to our FMC), child abuse, violence

🏳️‍🌈**Representation**

N/A

🌶️ **Spice**

I give the spice 2.5, we got some good dragon smut but the spice wasn’t necessarily a huge factor in this story. The plot was definitely plottin and the spice takes a back seat in order for our main characters to have the story they deserved. Not mad about that choice at all, it was necessary for these characters to shine.

📝 **Special Notes**

Kind of disappointed that this series will take a backseat while the duskwalker series gets to shine. I love both series but this was has such depth to it that I hope we don’t have to wait too long for the third book.

**Link to Book**

The ShadowHunter: Witch Bound - Book Two https://a.co/d/2bPVD5N
8 reviews
April 30, 2023
I love all of Opal's books, but I was still worried that I might dislike this one. I am not usually one for the cat and mouse romances, or ones where there is a ton of struggle/back and forth. I like the characters to be unabashedly in love with each other and willing to admit it instead of dancing around it or running from it and miscommunicating. HOWEVER, it was more enjoyable here because I know by now to expect HEA endings for Opal's books, so I was able to let go of some of the anxiety.

As far as spice goes, I was a little concerned in the beginning (during the first spicy scene) that there would be way too much pushing from the MMC and it would get too far into the realm of non-con. As with my other misconceptions going into this one, this worry was put to rest because while Geryon clearly wants Valerie and definitely pushes her boundaries, he respects the word "no", and Valerie is clearly into it. This book contains some of my favorite spicy scenes out of all her books because the teasing and slow ramping up were so well done and left you wanting more.

I found so many of the characters in this book to be so dynamic and lovable, and I'm continually amazed at Opal's ability to accurately write such a wide range of convincing characters, both side and main. I'm excited to see what else Opal can do.
Profile Image for Lauren.
253 reviews11 followers
December 12, 2024
5 stars!

I loved the previous book a lot, but this one was even better! Geryon is such a cocky MMC, but it's so cute how easily Valerie aggravates him. The best part is he loves it so much and he is obsessed with her (but also stops any sexual acts when she is firm on not wanting anything at times). I loved Valerie's ice queen personality a lot and I like how even though she does become more vulnerable as the book progresses, she doesn't change completely. I was just so in love with their entire back and forth. The court intrigue and plotline with a different coven of witches was also fun to read. I think Opal Reyne does a good job at having a solid, unique worldbuilding but you gradually learn about the world in a non-info dumpy way. Once again, there's only one dragon sex scene (although she mentioned future books will have more) that's entirely skippable so I would recommend this book for the romance and world! I know she's focusing more on the Duskwalker series which I will definitely read, but I really cannot wait for more books in this series.
Profile Image for Tmarie.0.
295 reviews6 followers
May 2, 2023
This author is one of my favorites and I will devour anything she puts out, but for some reason this book fell just a little flat to me. I still enjoyed it, but not as much as her others. I liked both our mcs but didn’t fall in love with either of them. Maybe it’s a me thing lol. I could do without a miscommunication trope. But thankfully this one wasn’t super big. I think I’ll have to try this book again later on because I fell like I should have loved it more. I liked that we got some history of the dragons and witches. Definitely read the warnings in the beginning of the book. But the smexy times?! 🥵



I received this as an arc but this is my opinion
Profile Image for Phylicia.
646 reviews11 followers
April 27, 2023
This book is like the fantasy baby of a medieval version of The Bachelor with dragons and witches and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet….with dragon spice and less poison and stabby stabs. I am here for all of it! I loved it. This book was wonderful to read. I was so immersed in the world and the uniqueness of the characters, I just wanted it to go on for ever! There’s some super sweet side characters too. I was so invested in the plot, lovely lay out and building. She’s a chonky read so settle in with a cuppa tea and your fave dragon plushy for snuggles! I really enjoyed it!
Profile Image for Jamie.
388 reviews36 followers
June 29, 2023
2.5 stars.

It wasn’t bad, but about 40% of the book was completely unnecessary and boring af. Seriously this book was so effing long for literally no reason.

Also, I think I like smut with my romance not smut with romance. I’d classify this as erotica because the couple’s relationship was completely reliant on their sexual activities. All the actual relationship building was condensed into small explanations that they were “getting to know each other”. Not bad for people who enjoy erotica like this, but I just don’t seem to have a taste for it a majority of the time.

Profile Image for Kate Presley.
223 reviews7 followers
Want to read
January 9, 2024
As much as I loved this one, I preferred the first, but only bc there was so many more scenes with dragon form. Geryon preferred hunting in the shadows and masquerading as a human, so it made so much sense for most of the book to be from his human perspective and body, but seeing the way that Val gave in to him, and opened herself up to him was honestly so heart warming that it made up for it.
I am crossing my fingers, toes and nose if I can that the next one has more dragon aspects, as I adore their grumpy no nonsense bluntness, even if Geryon had his moments that way as well.
I also loved the redemption that was shown for Val after all she felt she did, and how terrified of turning she was, she was still pure, and she did everything in the sake of her sister.

Such a beautiful story and world and I am frothing at the mouth for the next one!
Profile Image for Jennifer Gibson.
461 reviews70 followers
May 3, 2023
I really enjoyed this continuation of the series and learning more about both Dragons and Witches, and normal humans too! This was a lot of tension and slow burn.

Valerie is impersonating a potential bride for the king while trying to find her sister. A man catches her eye at court, what could go wrong?
Profile Image for H Fiercely.
14 reviews1 follower
August 8, 2024
Great history

Fleshing out the history and back story of the witches was fabulous. I loved the depth of unique information that was revealed.
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