The Dragon's Oath

Silver Dragon Shifter Brothers #1

by Marie Johnston

Deacon

In hindsight, demanding a human woman swear herself to me in exchange for the life of her father wasn’t my best idea. But I saw her and I wanted her, and I needed a mate. After shouldering the responsibility of all shifter-kind for so long, I acted selfishly. I knew what breaking her word would cost her. Ava is the one who made an oath to me, but I might sacrifice everything to save her from it.

Ava

I’m supposed to hate Deacon, and I shouldn’t believe his story about dragon shifters blending in the human world, but the longer I’m around him, the harder it is not to fall under his spell. I humor the oath I made and try to get to know him, but I’ve got one foot out the door. I’ve been duped by false promises and handsome faces before, and I’m not giving up everything for a man again. Only Deacon isn’t just a man. And he has secrets that could threaten more than my heart.

Genres: Dragons, Paranormal, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Fantasy Romance, Amazon, Ebooks

199 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2022

About the author

Marie Johnston is an award-winning, best-selling paranormal and contemporary romance writer. She grew up in the upper Midwest and planned to go to college for English. Didn't happen. She started college in accounting and was awful! Grabbing her inner science geek by the pocket protector, she changed to microbiology and medical technology where her only writing involved scientific articles and procedures.
Eventually, she left full-time work for full-time baby raising but kept thinking, "one day, I'd like to write a book." Finally, before any more time passed, Marie decided to buckle down and write. She loves it!

Reviews

[Mia Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5⭐️

Sizzle my scales and flame me sideways! This was a fun little dragon novella. It’s ridiculous, easy to binge, requires low brain power and perfect for a little pallette cleanser.

I love a spicy sky lizard and Deacon is one sexy dragon shifter. He finds Ava desperately trying to save her dad’s life after a catastrophe and promptly offers to save him, in exchange for her oath. Little does Ava know that means becoming his mate. Yay!

Grumpy, growly, powerful, possessive and a clan leader, I was drawn to Deacon. There’s some spice, it’s average and definitely a missed opportunity in the special equipment department. The deep baritone of the male narrator helps make it steamier.

Ava is young and naive but also her hesitancy is understandable however her lack of a coffee addiction is unfathomable ☕️👀

🐉 Shifter MMC x Human FMC | Urban Romantasy | Some Spice | Instalove | Book 1 of 3 | Interconnected Standalone | HEA | Dual POV | Dual Narration | 🗓️ April 21 2026 | 🎧5hrs43

Thank you Marie Johnston, Tantor Media & NetGalley for the ALC. Review forged in the fires of my own imagination without influence.

[Brittanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You swore an oath to be mine.”
What starts as a wholesome father-daughter fishing trip takes a sharp left turn into cardiac arrest, boat crash, and naturally, accidentally pledging your life to a mysterious stranger. As one does.

And from there? Pure enjoyment!!

Ava, our down-on-her-luck, heartbreak-surviving heroine, finds herself tangled up with a man who is… not just intense, possessive, and suspiciously sniffy—but also, surprise! A dragon shifter who has very much decided she is his mate. Cue: top-tier banter, hilarious internal spirals, and the kind of situational irony that makes you want to turn pages at lightning speed.

The comedy hits immediately and never lets up:

☠️ Ava fully clocking him sniffing her… and then gaslighting herself that’s a totally normal, (not-at-all-dragon) behaviour.

👀 Waking up in the hospital after accidentally using a literal stranger as a pillow, horrified: “I had slept on a strange man… I just met… for hours.” Why is this so entertaining? 🎉

✨ A smile so powerful it makes Superman look like an amateur model (honestly, fair)

✨ A dragon shifter valuing her smile over his entire hoard of diamonds?? Elite praise. Immediate swoon.

🤣 “A salad?! We’re not rabbit shift… we’re not rabbits.” Relax. It’s lettuce.

And underneath all the humour? A surprisingly satisfying emotional core. Ava’s just post a relationship with a cheating narcissist (ugh, we’ve all emotionally been there), and watching her slowly realize her worth, with a very intense, very dragon-y hype man, is deeply cathartic.

Also, can we talk about the butternut squash justice??
“If he were a real male, he’d cook it for you after apologizing.” I needed this advice earlier in life, honestly.

Yes, there’s some spice (your mileage may vary—steam skippers, I see you 🙈), but the real magic here is the vibes:

💛 Found family
💛 Protective, slightly unhinged “she’s MINE” energy
💛 Lighthearted, stress-free escapism
💛 Post-breakup emotional healing with bonus dragon

The audiobook? Fantastic tandem narration that brings the humour and tension to life.

Final verdict: Fun, flirty, ridiculous in the best way, and deeply satisfying. If you love mate bonds, found family, and heroines rediscovering their worth—with a dragon who would burn the world for them, you’ll eat this up. 🐉✨

Thanks to Tantor Media, Netgalley and Marie Johnston for letting me have early Advance Readers' Copy access to this gem!

[☆Amanda☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, the narration of this audiobook was soo good! Both narrators did a phenomenal job at conveying their characters but the MMC narration was particularly spectacular. The way he changed his voice to match the different male characters never had me doubting who was speaking. Personally for me, the narration is the reason I added a star to my rating.
The story was okay, nothing to go crazy over but a nice, fun read. Would be good as a palate cleanser in-between more Intense reads. Its short and yet does bring you on slight roller coaster. FMC is out boating with her dad after a series of unfortunate life events, only for him to have a heart attack in the middle of the lake. Dragon shifter comes and saves him only if FMC agrees to be his by oath.
The remaining of the story is him trying to win her before his birthday or he'll have severe consequences with his council. Its a little silly of an idea, quite a bit communication lacking among the characters and then some throwing everything to the wind for love.
Not a bad short read

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story about Dragon shifter, Deacon & human, Ava. Ava just got out of a bad relationship & is on a camping trip with her dad when he suddenly falls ill. Deacon hears Ava’s cries for help & answers, but the only way he can help is by tying her to him with an oath. Ava agrees without understanding all it implies. Ava & Deacon have a connection they both feel, but Ava is scared because of her past. The more Deacon shares with Ava the more conflicted she is.

There is some information Deacon is keeping from Ava & the two are on a timeline of sorts. When push comes to shove, will Ava stay & face the oath that she made, or runaway because of her past?

This was a quick, sweet read with low angst, which I appreciated. I enjoyed Deacon’s character. He was patient & kind to Ava as she attempted to figure things out. We got to meet Deacon’s brothers & a dragon from another clan, along with Ava’s best friend. I’m looking forward to more from the Silver brothers.

[Katie Gallagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the Audio ARC
Audiobook narrators were great, they really worked well with the content. Their performance was clear, engaging and helped move the story along nicely.

However, unfortunately, this book was not for me but it could be for you if you love

- romance driven storylines
- fantasy in a modern day setting
- shifter x human romance
- easy to follow
- insta love

[MyBook Journey · Rating 5 out of 5]

an excellent suspenseful paranormal story with many twists, another very enjoyable read from this author.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved these dragon shifters! Especially how they live side by side with humanity. The romance was kinda insta love but I made sense for Deacon being a dragon shifter who has to mate by his next birthday and he just knows when he finds Ava that she is the one. I enjoyed the dynamic of their meeting with Ava’s father being in peril and then all of them staying at Deacon’s house. Those antics had me giggling. I look forward to seeing what come next in this series.

[Larissa Washington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ava, fresh out of a bad relationship, goes on a camping/fishing trip with her father. He takes ill, and Deacon and his brother Steel, sense something is wrong and rush in to assist. Deacon is immediately smitten by Ava's beauty. He wants her for his mate and determines that the best course of action is for her to swear herself to him if she wants him to save her father's life. She does, and so begins the tale of secrets that Deacon wants to slowly reveal to Ava so that she can be his...completely.

Deacon and his brothers, Steel and Penn, are dragon shifters; but not just any dragon shifters. They are the 'Silvers', the alphas of the shifters. Deacon is the eldest and the leader, followed by Steel and then Penn. They live in an area called Silver Lake, and this is where Deacon takes Ava and her father, up on his release from the hospital, to live until Ava's father recovers.

Seemingly tough, Deacon is so intune with Ava and does what he can to convince her to stay with him. He wants her to be his mate in every way possible. But this girl is damaged; her past relationship did a number on her so trust is not her forte. She has no idea about what it means to be 'sworn' to a dragon shifter. Add Deacon being 'sworn' to someone from the Jade Shifters, wed by a certain age, and the situation does a downward spiral.

Eventually, Ava's life is placed in jeopardy and there is no way that Deacon will allow her to perish. He sacrifices everything to save her.

Aww, there's nothing like a budding, foolish shifter love. No matter what happens, you know that it is going to end well for the protagonists.

[BooksBooksandmoreBooks69 · Rating 4 out of 5]

a new series 🐉 ♥️

A new series by an author heading to my automatic TBR list.

Deacon is a dragon shifter, his kind live in secrecy, they only share their secret with their mates! Living the quiet life has Deacon wishing for more…..

Ava out of work and with no love life has retreated to her childhood home. Spending time with her father is the only good thing in her life. But her world comes crashing down around her ears when he almost dies!

Deacon and Ava’s worlds collide when her father has a heart attack on his boat, Deacon comes to her rescue, but will save her father at a price!
Ava thinks he’s joking, no one wants her, everyone she knows lies to her, so maybe this handsome stranger is just a little unhinged, best play along until she can escape…..

It did remind me a little of beauty and the beast (the beast saving a life in return for a favour)

Spending time with one another teaches both a few lessons, it teaches Deacon that leaving things till the last minute can cause nothing but trouble! And for Ava it teaches her that not all men are liars, and that she can trust Deacon.

But with a few secrets hanging over Deacon, can he get Ava to trust him before the council find out what he’s done? And if Ava finds out, will it break their bond before it’s fully set?

We have brothers Penn and Steel. And the amazing Venus (who isn’t related, but plays a major part in this book and possibly in future books)

First book in a new series, and I’m hooked and ready for more.

🦋

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun read and the start of a new series by Marie Johnston. I do love dragons. Deacon and his brothers are part of the Silver Clan. Deacon, the leader of the Clan, needs to mate by his 35th birthday or be terminated, as the rules of the society are very strict and repercussions severe, especially if oath’s are given and then broken.

This is the premise for his and the human, Ava’s story. Deacon and his dragon may be drawn to her from the moment he sees her, but he’s already agreed to take part in an arranged marriage with the daughter of the leader of the Jade clan, Venus, before both of their 35th birthdays. Never mind that his youngest brother Penn obviously has a huge crush on Venus, and I know that his other brother, Steel, just has to end up with Ava’s best friend, Avril. At least that is what I hope for in the continuation of this series. My only wish was that Ava and Avril weren’t written as the type of women who allowed loser boyfriends to walk all over them the way they did before meeting the men of the Silver Clan.

But, having said that, this was truly an enjoyable read and I’ll admit I may have even shed a few tears towards the end, even though I knew that Marie wouldn’t disappoint us and we would get our HEA for the couple.

The beginning chapters did start off a little choppy with past and present tenses being intermixed, sometimes from one sentence to the next, but eventually it all smoothed out. The spelling mistakes were very minimal and most of the storyline was well edited. There was only one tiny part that I caught that should’ve been picked up during the editing process. 3/4 of the way through the book Venus talks about her brother Lachlan, the leader of the Jade Clan, being mated, but her younger brother, whom she didn’t like, still being available. I only remember this because of the comments made up to this point I really thought that this elusive, and often mentioned brother, would feature in one of the books in the series when he found his own mate. So I was rather disappointed when I read that sentence. Then at the very end of the book Deacon talks about hoping for his brothers, and maybe even Lachlan, to find their mates. But Venus must’ve been correct that Lachlan was already mated since she was due to turn 35 in one month, and as leader of his clan, her brother must be older than her so he would’ve had to already be mated. I guess I’ll just have to wait for future books to see which way Marie had intended to go with his story, or lack of one.

I do look forward to Venus and Penn’s story next in ‘Dragon’s Promise.’

[Bethany Hanson]

This might be a good read for you if you go in with zero expectations and zero stakes. A short little palate cleanser.

I did not enjoy this book. It was short, so I finished it, but it honestly had me rolling my eyes at certain spots. I'm not a fan of fantasy set in modern day society. I didn't get the impression it would be from either the blurb or the cover, so it was a complete shock to me when the book starts out with the FMC and her father going on a fishing/camping trip. Next we've got the insta-love thing. He basically blackmails her into giving an oath. He never tells her that she could die if she broke it. He never told her his timeline for mating-- meaning he had to get mated in days. He never told her he was already as good as engaged to someone else. She just got dumped by her boyfriend of three years, and now she's in love with this new dude and wanting to marry him. Knowing a guy for a couple days cannot erase years of being with a narcissist. And thinking further about him keeping things, he still never told her he was engaged, a broken oath meant death, or that he had to be mated by his 35th birthday. OTHER people told her those things. I see zero redeeming quality in the MMC. Ok so he's hot, has a big eggplant, and is a dragon shifter. Great. Otherwise he's a walking red flag.

I also could not get behind some of the language used. It made me cringe, roll my eyes, and at one point audibly saw "ew." Some examples being:
-Him saying "I've got the meats" and her thinking he's too attractive to make jokes. Um. That's not a funny comment, that's the Arby's tagline.
-Calling breasts "tantalizing creamy white globes" is a no for me. As are saying she smelling ripe or describing parting her "lower lips."
-Saying if she touched his eggplant she would "make it go boom."

I'm sorry, I just really didn't like this book. I can see how this would be a quick, fun, and low-stakes read for people. I just couldn't get past the word choices.

*Thank you to NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review*

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the new dragon series. It is a standalone read with a HEA.
It all starts with Ava, as she is dumped by her cheating bf and loses her job all in the span of one week. She goes on vacation to visit her dad. He loves fishing. It is his happy place since his wife passed. So Ava and her dad go on a fishing/camping trip. She is always just along for the ride. So when her dad passes out while driving the boat, she is left to somehow get it back to shore in time to find help to save him.
In comes Deacon. He and his brother are working in the area. Deacon hears someone call for help. He is drawn to the voice. When he sees the most beautiful women he’s laid eyes on, he asks for an oath. He can save her father, but he needs her word that she will be his. She has no idea what this entails, but needs help to save her dad. So, Deacon being the leader of the Silver dragons can heal him and miraculously does. He then sticks by her side and her dad is taken to the hospital for monitoring. Ava has no idea why this gorgeous guy is staying with them, helping her, and overall inserting himself into their lives.
Once Ava’s dad is released, Deacon has a way of talking them into going fishing on his property. He and Ava are getting closer. He has a huge secret to tell her. I liked both the main characters and their family and friends. I can see where the next books can go and am excited for those journeys as well. In the end, Ava has a choice to make…. She’s ruined on trust from her ex. and she doesn’t know the consequences of breaking her oath to Deacon. I’m happy to say after some turmoil, she does see the light. I would highly recommend this story. There isn’t a lot of paranormal activity and sex like some books. This story was a journey of falling in love and trusting. I can’t wait for the next book!

[Kyle B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook copy of The Dragon’s Oath by Marie Johnston in exchange for an honest review.

Going into this, I expected a fantasy-heavy story based on the cover and description. Instead, this is very much a modern-day romance where the MMC just happens to be a dragon shifter. That mismatch between expectation and reality threw me off right from the start.

The romance leans heavily into insta-lust—within seconds of meeting, the MMC manipulates the FMC into a lifelong mating vow, with the extreme consequence that breaking it would mean her death. This dynamic didn’t sit well with me, and unfortunately, both main characters came across as walking red flags. I kept hoping for some grounding perspective from the supporting characters, but they didn’t offer much in terms of balance or realism either.

The story itself felt rushed and somewhat surface-level. I was waiting for a deeper plot or a moment where things would really take off, but it never quite got there for me. It also feels like the setup for a larger series, but based on this installment, I don’t plan to continue.

That said, the audiobook narration by Stephanie Dillard and Jonathan Lake was a definite highlight. Both narrators delivered strong performances—the pacing felt natural, and their voices complemented each other well, making the listening experience enjoyable even when the story didn’t fully land for me.

Overall, this wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. I’m giving it 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 for the narration.

[Timea Andoczi-Balogh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Dragon’s Oath by Marie Johnston delivered exactly what I look for in a dragon shifter romance. It’s low angst, light, easy to read, and full of all the elements that make this genre so enjoyable.

The story follows Deacon, a slightly overbearing yet deeply self-sacrificing dragon king, and Ava, a very jaded human heroine who has just escaped a bad relationship. Despite knowing Ava is his fated mate, Deacon refuses to force the final bond on her, believing it has to be fully her choice. Of course, that creates all sorts of complications, especially when Ava is so determined to protect her heart that she twists the truth to keep herself safe.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between them. Deacon was such a softie when it came to Ava, always considerate of her feelings, and I especially loved how welcoming he was toward her dad. Their relationship felt sweet and heartwarming, with just the right touch of cheesiness that honestly worked perfectly for this type of story.

The world and story left me with plenty of questions, and while I know future books will likely answer them, I’m still impatient enough to complain about it anyway. The ending was cute and definitely left me interested in continuing the series.
The audiobook narration was fantastic and really elevated the experience for me, making this an easy 4.5-star read overall.

[Victoria Rebecca Hawkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deacon
In hindsight, demanding a human woman swear herself to me in exchange for the life of her father wasn’t my best idea. But I saw her and I wanted her, and I needed a mate. After shouldering the responsibility of all shifter-kind for so long, I acted selfishly. I knew what breaking her word would cost her. Ava is the one who made an oath to me, but I might sacrifice everything to save her from it.

Ava
I’m supposed to hate Deacon, and I shouldn’t believe his story about dragon shifters blending in the human world, but the longer I’m around him, the harder it is not to fall under his spell. I humour the oath I made and try to get to know him, but I’ve got one foot out the door. I’ve been duped by false promises and handsome faces before, and I’m not giving up everything for a man again. Only Deacon isn’t just a man. And he has secrets that could threaten more than my heart.

This was a very enjoyable dragon shifter romance and it included a very interesting storyline. I loved how the author brought the two main characters together and the personalities were absolutely brilliant. The book was so good I had a hard time of putting it down and I got completely sucked in. Marie Johnson was a brilliant book this is the second book I've read by her and wow this was a phenomenal book to read.

[Shelly Chantler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life's choices

A superb read one that I found extremely hard to put down.
Ava and Deacon are a couple who find denying their feelings towards each other almost impossible..
As Ava is somewhat skittish due to her experience with her ex, leaves Deacon making sure that whatever Ava's decision is he accepts, he refuses to push her into what is paramount for him in his life, giving her the chance to make her own decisions.
Author Marie Johnson has woven a magical tale of how deeply the actions of those in our past can deeply affect the choices that are made in the future.
After sharing the secrets of himself and his clan with Ava, he finds that no matter what might happen to him on his birthday his love for Ava made sure she was not cornered into making a major life altering decision through persuasion or pressure, all he wants is for her to decide if they would be mates because she believed 100% Deacon was the shifter for her and as a human accepted him and his families secrets, no matter what she was faced with.
Family and friends continually try to influence Deacon into pushing Ava into accepting the promise she had made, but after a lifetime of following the rules and laws of his clan to be the leader his people deserved he refused to be pushed into a corner to do what is best for the clan when finding his mate was the one choice he made of his own not permitting laws or rules to influence his decision.
Protecting Ava and their live was the central most important choice he had made and was determined to follow it through by protecting her from the desires of others.
A fascinating novel that is totally realistic in both the shifters reactions and feelings along with Ava's fears after what her ex had put her through, one could easily believe what Ms Marie Johnson had written could easily be real, it would be so easy to step into the world she has created.
If paranormal is a genre you enjoy then do not pass this book by I highly recommend you add it to your collection.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short shifter romance story at just under 6 hours long! Our FMC is Ava who has been newly dumped by an abusive a-hole of an ex and also lost her job at the same time. She goes on a fishing trip with her Dad to get herself back on her feet before going back to her regular life.

When Ava ends up in an emergency situation with her dad, our MMC Deacon and one of his brothers came to her aid. From there she makes an oath to be a dragon shifters mate, whilst not even knowing dragon shifter exist! Thrown into a world she finds hard to believe, along with her dad, you slowly get to see more about Ava and learn about the dynamics of the dragon shifters.

There is a great side of found family with this book from Deacons brothers and someone else (no spoilers here lol). It’s a shorter story so I can’t give too much away but I really enjoyed the characters and story. The dragon’s oath is an easy read shifter romance that allows you to just sit back and enjoy the journey.

The narrators are Stephanie Dillard and Jonathan Lake who did a good job bringing the story and characters to life.

A huge thank you to rbmedia and netgalley for the ALC, I can’t wait for the next audio book!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story a lot more than I expected to. I was skeptical because other dragon shifter books I had tried were not so great. This was a pretty well-written story. Easy, swoony (Deacon), sassy (Venus and Penn), sweet (Dorian), and interesting.
I can’t give it a fourth star though because of Ava. I find Ava quite insufferable with her, no one picks me, I’m not special attitude that lasts far too long in the beginning. And then just when you think she’s finally gotten over her woe is me attitude, she has a major relapse and adds dumbness in too. Clearly Deacon could make his life easier and pick ANY other girl, but he didn’t. Ava was not compliant at all. And I’m sure he could’ve found one much more compliant but Ava’s selfish attitude believing she’s being manipulated is all she can see🙄 so she annoyed me to no end. Thank goodness for Venus!!

It all ends well though and Deacon was just adorable til the end. “As many as you’ll let me get away with.” 😍

I’ll definitely read more by this author.

[Mary L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blazing heat from beginning to the end. Fast paced, well written, and easy to follow along. Not an overly complex story but enough to leave you wanting more by the end.

Ava is out fishing with her father after losing both her job and her boyfriend within a few days. He has a heart attack while out on the boat. Deacon, a dragon shifter, hears her screams and races to her. He knows she special immediately and his dragon wants her as his. Deacon makes her make an oath to be his before he will help her father. From there it is a roller coaster of awes and ohs.

The narration is very well done by Stephanie Dillard and Jonathan Lake. I normally listen to audiobooks at 1.5-1.75x speed. This one I listened to at 1.25x speed because it was paced just right. It was easy to follow and understand. I was able to finish in about 4hrs.

Now off to find out what happens in the lives of the other Silver brothers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Media/Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

[Kristy aka Brooksie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast paced, short, dragon shifter romance about a shifter king desperate to avoid an arranged marriage who comes upon a human who he finds is his mate. In an attempt to keep her and save her father, he binds her to a deal she didn’t fully understand, and he has to convince her to stay with him and agree to bond as his mate before time runs out.

Expectations

💎 Dragon Shifter x Human
💎 Sworn Promise
💎 Arranged Marriage
💎 Mate
💎 Short timeline w/ Deadly Outcome
💎 Beautiful Cabin Mansion on Private Lake
💎 Strict Shifter Laws
💎 Father Approved

Not a ton of filler in this story and it goes by quickly. It was enjoyable to listen to, Althing could have been a bit longer to fill in some areas. I listened to it in one sitting and at no point was bored. The audiobook was in dual narration by Stephanie Dillard; Jonathan Lake, and the voice actors did well. Each character was easily identified by their voices.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media | Tantor Audio for an advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Mere.Dragon.Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragon shifter meets human woman that he wants. In exchange for saving her dad, he forces her to make an oath to be his.
What was the weirdest thing about this book was that the fmc and her dad stay with this complete stranger for quite a bit and her dad doesn’t seem to have any concerns over how quickly this strange man took them in, became a part of their daily lives, got involved with his daughter, and with his daughter staying behind when he went back home. Then her best friend shows up and stays with them for a couple days too but also ends up leaving without many questions. The best part about this is a female dragon shifter just laying out all the info for the fmc instead of tiptoeing around it like the mmc which resulted in a much more positive outcome than it would have without her interference. The yearning and spice was quite good but the actual premise of the story with the plot points was lacking a lot.
I received an audiobook from NetGalley and Tantor Media. It was narrated by Stephanie Dillard and Jonathan Lake. I thought they both delivered amazing performances and would enjoy listening to more of their work.

[Cat Lady Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short fun steamy read. Definitely a good book to use as a palate cleanser between heavier books. The audiobook was solid, told in dual POV with male and female narrators. Both were really good and made the story come to life!

I won't give away too much of the plot, but Ava makes a deal with Deacon, a man she doesn't know is a dragon shifter, in exchange for saving her father's life. Now she has to decide whether to keep her promise or run away.

Since this was a pretty short story there wasn't a ton of time to build the relationship between the two characters, but I'm a big fan of insta love so I have no problem with skipping a few steps in the romance department. Despite everything moving fast, I think the story progresses at a pretty even pace for the length of the book. Overall I really enjoyed it, and I loved the side characters Venus, Penn, Steel and Avril. I'm pretty sure the next two books are about them and I can't wait to check them out!

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ALC I received in exchange for my honest review.

[Joyffree]

A fated mate dragon shifter romance with a slightly overbearing yet sacrificing dragon king and a very jaded human

Deacon definitely took the long way around the lake with regards to Ava and their mating. He knows Ava is his fated despite having coerced an oath from her his sense of chivalry will not allow the final bond to be anything but her choice
This presents all sorts of problems

Ava just got out of a bad relationship and is gun shy when it comes to being a human carpet for another man -enough so that she warps the truth to keep her heart safe

But can she deny the truth that is before her?

Venus is an absolute blast - at times she lacks the brain to mouth filter

I have to admit despite how jaded Ava was I did enjoy this first in the series and have all kinds of questions - I know I am impatient and they will be answered in the books to come - I can still whine about it though

[Cyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oaths and mates

I really enjoyed this. I like the different take it had on mates and shifters and humans and oaths. The chemistry between this couple could be felt. Their chemistry was hot.
Ava's recently found out she's been cheated on, dumped and lost her job. So realistically she's going to have some Hang-Ups but thankfully there's a nice balance between it affecting her and her future relationship and her moving forward.
I love when someone is set to marry someone else and there's ow drama, and in this case the OW drama didn't really happen and Ava and Venus became friends, which I don't normally like, but works out really well on this book.
Venus shifting, and then Ava asking Deacon shift were done well.
I respected that after he forced her into an oath he was going to take responsibility for anything fulfilled instead of putting that on her. If you like shifters or dragons I recommend this book.

[BookishKB · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐉🔥 The Dragon’s Oath 🔥🐉

I will never say no to a dragon shifter romance and this one delivered. It was low angst, light, and easy to read. It had all the fixings for what I look for in a solid shifter romance .

The story felt sweet, and heartwarming, with a touch of cheesiness that honestly was perfect. Deacon was such a softie when it came to Ava. He was very considerate of her, and also so welcoming to her Dad.

The ending was cute and left me interested in continuing the series.

The audiobook narration was fantastic and made this book a solid 4.5 stars.

🖤 What to Expect
• Dragon shifter MMC
• Human FMC
• Oath bound romance
• Forced proximity
• Protective hero
_ _ _ _
🎧 Audio Score: 4.5 Stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Dual (Stephanie Dillard; Jonathan Lake)
📅 Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Thank you to Tantor Media, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.

[kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Media for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook in return for a voluntary and honest review!

I have to say this book cover made me expect that the actual contents of the book would be set in a VERY different setting. I expected this to be set in more of a fantasy world for the majority of the book so finding out this is just set primarily at some camping site and lake in the US really threw me off. (it doesnt look like the audiobook cover is uploaded here but imagine a very fantasy-esque dragon and woman on the cover LMAO)
This does mean i struggled to really begin to get 'in touch' with the characters in this book and really believe in their story - which is unfortunate because i really think i would've enjoyed it a lot more if i went in with my expectations set properly!

The narrators really helped bring me back to the story and were one of the sole reasons i worked my way through it so huge props to them!!

[LAJordan Leigh Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️(0-5)
Steam: 🔥🔥☄️ (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 First person dual POV & these narrators, Stephanie Dillard & Jonathan Lake, are very entertaining and fantastic as Ava & Deacon.
🤩 I thought Jonathan Lake was going to be new to me, but nope! I knew that voice right away—Patrick Zeller!
🤩 I’ve been looking for dragon shifters with HEAs & no cliffhangers!
🤩 The captivating plot from the start! I love the oath!

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I like a little teaser about one of the other Silver brothers’ love stories—gimme Venus & Penn’s story.
💫 More dragon shifter experiences, not just descriptions.
💫 But also more scrumptious descriptions.
💫 More tension in the forced proximity.
💫 More feels in the schmexy scenes.
💫 Okay, when things started happening, I was not feeling the flames. Darn. 🥱
💫 Cute story, but missing the feel for me. ☹️

Thanks to Tantor Audio for the gifted ALC!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting premise, which I expect from Marie’s books, though I did not find the story quite up to Marie’s normal standards in terms of either character development or plot depth. However, the world-building is solid and the idea that there are shifters hidden quietly among us is cool. Despite having forced Ava’s hand, Deacon is a really good guy, and Ava’s ability to truly see Deacon sells their instant attraction. It was a quick, undemanding read and now I’m anxious to see what happens to Deacon’s brothers, and how much he teases them when they fall too. I’m also fascinated by the glimpses of the compromises and accommodations shifters would have to make to live undetected among humans, and I hope the next book continues to explore that facet as well. I received an advance copy in return for my honest review.

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a new PNR series, which I was eager to read having started with Marie Johnston's other PNR series before her more traditional romance series.

This was a good start to the series, with a good story line, as well as getting to know the background of this new world with Dragon shifter communities and all the different characters.

This story focuses on Ava, who is on a fishing trip with her dad when he collapses with a suspected heart attack in the centre of the lake.

Deacon, helps to save her dad, but only once she gives her oath to be his, not that she really understands what that means. She has a couple of weeks left on her vacation, and needs to spend time getting to know Deacon to understand him and the consequences of the oath she had made.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Lindy Dierks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very quick listen. A story about a mortal woman and a dragon shifter. It was fun with a unique take on a dragon shifter community. It didn’t have a complicated plot. Decon needs to be married by his birthday. He knows Ava is the one, but convincing her is a different story. Ava has a past boyfriend that did a number on her. I loved the banter. This was humorous at times. Devon is kind, protective and knows what he wants. There’s some spice in this book. It’s well written with solid conflict! It looks like this book was first released in 2022 but is now getting released in audio. Jonathan Lake’s deep voice was perfect for Decon, the dragon shifter! Stephanie Dillard brought Ava’s character to life very well. I fully enjoyed this audiobook! I received this book from Tantor Media and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.