Cloak&Dagger Burlesque

by Lizzie Strong

Tahlia Bloodsword is done with adventuring. Time for the good life, and this Dragos has earned it. No more burnt coffee over a fire, no more lich’s, no more kingdoms. Just her, the solitude of her apartment, and the first job to hire her in King’s Fall. Nothing better for a Paladin than Head of Security at Cloak&Dagger Burlesque. It’s supposed to be keep an eye on the performers, check for tripping hazards, throw out a few drunks here and there- simple. Until she gets a little too flirty to the owners daughter Delilah. Delilah Morningstar is flirty, funny, quick witted, and exactly Tahlia’s type. The pixie performer is trouble. But when the club is held up at magic staff point, Calcifer Morningstar, realm renown rogue and owner of the burlesque rushes to up the clubs security measures. All of this to help Delilah feel more safe… but he can’t make her feel safe after he was the reason she’s felt hollow for years. The only person, in fact, who makes Delilah feel safe is Tahlia.As Delilah and Tahlia’s relationship blossoms from flirting in the backroom, to so much more, they stumble across a plot. A grand heist against Calcifer Morningstar and the club. As the past returns to haunt them both women must come to terms with who they are and what they’ve become in order to stop the heist. And what better way to beat the thieves, then to do the heist first and beat them to the punch?

Genres: Lesbian, Romance, Fantasy, LGBT, Dragons, Queer, Monster Romance

331 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2024

About the author

Lizzie Strong is A Monster Romance Author, where the monsters are spooky scary, and the romance is cute and cuddly. Queer Representation, Smink ;) friendly, consent heavy. A Florida swamp gremlin masquerading as a functioning human and author. The DM for a D&D podcast, previous retail and restaurant manager, constant worry wort, and romantic, Lizzie is always in between a brilliant idea and a dumb one. Inclusive books with magical nonsense, filled with monsters (you may or may not love) and mayhem. Find out more about her, the books coming out, and her nonsense at lizziestrongauthor.com

Reviews

[Fey Flowers (enbytweenthepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delilahs and Tahlias story is beautiful - spicked with little horror details and alllll the feels.
I fell in love with every single character - not you, Gaelith - but especially with Delilah and Calcifer - their relationship has some kind of healing energy.
He is the father we all deserved but a lot of us we're not lucky enough to have.

I'm so proud of Delilah for facing her fears and learning to accept herself.

"She wasn't a good person. She wasn't a bad person. She wasn't a monster for having to survive. She wasn't a beast for having boundaries or needs. She wasn't a nightmare for having damage or trauma. Delilah Morningstar was a survivor and she was damn proud of that."

Also Tahlia has gone through so much character development - she finally realized that she is loveable with all her failures and that she deserves everything good in her life.
- I'm so glad for you, Dragos Mommy.

Lizzie is a master of writing horror romance with so much cozyness my heart is so full of love it threatened to burst.

"... I could draw you forever and still like sketching your face."

Thank you for trusting me with an eARC again, Lizzie. I love your book.

P.S. The epilogue 🥹❤️‍🔥

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a dragon mommy in my life.
Tahlia and Delilah were so precious together and protective of one another in different ways. Delilah was chaos incarnate and lived in a permanent form of denial and Tahlia was the grounding and accepting force she needed in her life. Tahlia needed that same compassion back from Delilah. They had to deal with a lot of their own traumas and weren’t always the smartest about handling them. But their unconditional acceptance of one another made it all come together. The brat taming aspect was fun as well.
Also, I need Calcifer to have his own book. Like, yesterday.

Spice: 3.5/5

Blood, gore, violence, murder, trauma induced ptsd flashbacks, mentions/discussions of physical torture, mental torture, abduction (past/lore, not on page), loss of bodily autonomy (past/lore, not on page to MC- side/minor character mentally controlled), conversations about accidental ingesting of flesh (Biting an ear/finger off during a fight), confronting religious trauma (dnd religion, death of a god), animal/pet death (not belonging to main characters), Minor physical torture of side NPC (MC interrogating them with her fist and threatening his life) confronting parental conflict, claustrophobia, bugs, mold/decay, emesis(act of throwing up), maggots/locust specific infestations, Old Fae (The kind that eat people/trickster gods/ horror fairy), Almost character death, explicit content.

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a delight. It has D&D vibes, sapphic romance, retired heroes with great backstories, and a touch of a heist. It has humor and heartwarming moments tangled up in the more complex and darker topics that are covered. This is a great intro to monster romance for those newer to the genre.

Tahlia is essentially a dragonborn paladin who has retired from adventuring to live a quieter life as the head of security at Cloak & Dagger Burlesque. However, life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes infatuated with Delilah, the witty and charming pixie performer, and the daughter of the club’s owner, Calcifer.

The chemistry between Tahlia and Delilah is palpable and forms the heart of the story. Their relationship begins with playful flirtation and blossoms into a deep connection, despite the shadows of their pasts. The dynamic between Delilah and Calcifer adds another layer to the story, showcasing the complexities of familial bonds and the path to reconciliation. Both are amazing relationships.

Despite the darker story beats, Cloak & Dagger Burlesque maintains a light-hearted and enjoyable tone. The dialogue is sharp and witty, the characters are endearing, and the romance is both sweet and spicy.

Thanks to the author for the copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.

[spidermse · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I want to hoard your heart and never let anyone else have it. I want...I want you and I never want to let go."

Absolutely devoured this book. Just like Tahlia wanted to devour Delilah! In classic Lizzie fashion, this book was full of great banter, HOT spice, lots of angst and drama, and lovely side characters. The tension and relationship between the two MCs was hilarious and beautiful. They both had me cracking up the entire book. Several parts had me going on a serious roller coaster ride of emotions and I loved it. Lizzie's stories always leave me on the edge of my seat - not really sure what's going to happen and me having to know what was going to happen next!

Again, great worldbuilding and adding to the lore already established in the other books from this world. Though I feel like I need to make a chart to keep track of all the characters and their backgrounds and connections. 🤣 We do get some answers that were sort of lingering from previous books regarding the lore around certain characters and it was fun to see how Lizzie tied that in to this story!

As usual, I fell in love with a side character and I hope we get to see more of him in the future! Calcifer's character was hilarious and seeing his relationship with Delilah was sweet. Finally learning more about his background and why he made certain choices was such a relief!

I love the mix of fluff and romance and dark almost creepy moments that happen in these books. It keeps me on my toes and makes me want to keep reading! Looking forward to more from this world and series!

[Lia ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

" -I'm not hoarding your panties
- Not with that attitude you won't"

----------------------—

Story rating: 4.0⭐️ | Romance lvl: 5.0⭐️
Spice lvl: 2.5🌶️  | Smut frequency: 3.5⏳

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Tropes:
✨ Chaotic, plus-size Pixie
🔥 Possessive, brat-tamer Dragon
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
👉 FF romance
💥 Shenanigans & revenge arcs
👉 The best banter
😌 The most amazing dad ever
😏 So much spanking

TW: violence, gore, PTSD rep, death
----------------------—

~ STORY & PLOT 📝 ~

This is a cozy romance wrapped in a chaotic story and I was so here for it! At this point, Lizzie Strong is high on my list of "If She Wrote It, I'll Read It" authors ❤️‍🔥

Tahlia and Dahlia have my heart in their mf palms. So freaking cute. And the banters. And the love. And the way they heal each other bc the things they need the most are exactly what the other is. Ugh, I'm obsessed with them. Would rate 4.5 romance level but read the epilogue and you'll understand why this book is a straight 5 out of 5 "nothing can compare" romance 😮‍💨💘

The story kinda alternates between those cute moments between them and the actual plot filled with action, mysteries, and shenanigans in order to stop the heist planned on the club and get revenge!

Long story short: Read this. I swear you'll have the best time 😌



---------------------—

This is an arc review. Thanks to the author for the advanced ebook copy 🙏💖

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[Erin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I read one of Lizzie’s stories, I feel like I’m thrown into some of the craziest D&D game of my life. And that’s a good thing! She has a way of setting the scenes that makes me, as a reader, feel so immersed into the story that I never want to put it down.
In this story we have Tahlia who comes to look for work at cloak & dagger burlesque. She ends up finding more with Dahlia, the daughter of the club owner. They become extremely close and work together to thwart an attack on the club, but it goes a little off the rails.
I highly recommend Lizzie’s books, literally any of them, because they are always so amazing to read. Please check triggers on this and don’t get mad at the author for reading something you were warned about

[monsterinthepages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cloak&Dagger Burlesque
RELEASE DATE: 25th June 2024

━━ † ━━

⭐️ overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚 plot intensity: 📚📚📚📚📚
🔥 burn: 🔥🔥🔥
💋 spice: 💋💋💋
🍬 sweetness: 🍬🍬
🩵 the feels: 🩵🩵🩵
🤣 humour: 🤣🤣🤣
🩸 gore/violence: 🩸🩸🩸🩸
🍑 anatomy uniqueness: 🍑🍑
👤 POV: 3rd person — Dual POV

━━ † ━━

I didn’t quite know what to expect when going into this book, but Tahlia & Delilah’s love story captivated me just as much as the wonderful fantasy world building (with fun DND type vibes!) and heart-wrenching story of survival. It was an absolutely wonderful book that I couldn’t put down.

Delilah is the flirty daughter of Tahlia’s new boss—owner of Cloak&Dagger Burlesque—to which Tahlia is to be the new head of security at. Cue Tahlia falling for a cheeky, sweet & chaotic brat who just loves to ruffle her scales. They were so perfect for each other, Tahlia being the level head and grounding anchor that Delilah so needs in her life (for a multitude of reasons)—and not to mention they just TREASURE each other! (and I loved the brat/brat tamer dynamic too!)

I also LOVED the beautiful father/daughter relationship between Delilah and Calcifer—it was so damn CUTE!!

The plot was also very thrilling and exciting with quite a few twists and turns to keep you, as the reader, on your toes! It weaved perfectly with heavy fantasy elements, and even some more darker themes that brought a touch more gruesome macabre, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

I loved this book was WONDERFUL; funny, warm, spicy, fantastical, trilling, at times raw and brutal—but more so just filled with a of love (both romantic and that of family) & surviving trauma and healing through that love. 5/5 stars!!

━━ † ━━

❗️I received this ARC via sign up and every part of this review is written willingly and genuinely with my own personal feelings/thoughts and is under no conditions or obligations❗️

[May (toastyreads)]

THIS BOOK LIVED UP TO THE HYPE. It is sapphic, features a female dragos & pixie, a fantastic world, and oh so lovely spice.

Tahlia. LITTLE TEETHIES!!!!!!! That is when I knew I was hooked. I was already sold on her just by the image of her on the back cover, bUT LITTLE TEETHIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And how she would roll up her sleeves, swoon!! I am a sucker for the bodyguard/touch her and die tropes, so Thalia was my cup of tea. I am on the same page a Delilah, I am down to be stepped on!

"With a low, raspy voice, she growled, “I don’t take, I devour.”
“I’ve been told I’m a snack,” Delilah blurted out, her cheeks burning to a crisp. “I suspect you’re a whole meal, my little daisy,” Tahlia straightened, pulling away.
“But you’re a dangerous thing to have on the menu.” Delilah smirked, “Because I’m spicy?” “Because you’re trouble.”"

Delilah. Delilah is a delight. Her bubbly energy really made me giddy. I fell in love with her so quickly, but it was solidified when she decided she had to boop Tahlia's snoot. The more I learned, the more I loved. The kindest ones tend to have to saddest stories. As most of my favourite characters, Delilah is strong as hell, and unapologetic.

"Because she’d come to accept it. She wasn’t a good person. She wasn’t a bad person. She wasn’t a monster for having to survive. She wasn’t a beast for having boundaries or needs. She wasn’t a nightmare for having damage or trauma. Delilah Morningstar was a survivor and she was damn proud of that."

[Kat Reads Skulls · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read! I wasn’t sure how I’d like the dragon character but the vibes and chemistry between Tahlia and Delilah were impeccable! If you like grumpy/sunshine with a flirty bit of bratting in there, this is perfect! I liked the lore drops in the background and it helped flesh out a few things I’d wondered about some of Lizzie Strong’s other books in the same universe.

Definitely a quick read, I barely put it down since starting. It was everything I was hoping it would be; playful, funny, and occasionally heartbreaking. I will say to please pay attention to the warning list on this one. Personally, I do not think it was gorey and the blood was very mild, but one of the fmcs was a kidnapping victim with flashbacks to (non sexual) torture and while it is set in a fantasy universe, it does hit hard.

ALSO, I loved Calcifer’s (Delilah’s dad) entire character; his protective acceptance of Delilah, his deranged penchant for chaos, and his enthusiastic encouragement of their relationship was really refreshing to see! There is a story line about his and Delilah’s relationship that I won’t spoil, but it was a unique way of showing a father/daughter relationship, especially with their background!

Overall, loved it! Pay attention to the trigger warnings, but if it sounds like your cup of tea, it’s a cozy, endearing book!

[Caity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't prepared for how much I adored the relationship between Calcifer and Delilah! Omg, I love my dad so much, and their goofy banter just filled my whole heart.
I really loved the story, the mystery, and the drama in this book. It was a really fun adventure! There were some moments when my heart was just breaking for what everyone was going through, especially Delilah. Just wow, some of the conversations between her and Tahlia about what she had to do to survive her abduction had me crying.

“You did what you had to, you survived. You got out of there alive. No one, and I mean no one, has the right to fault you for what it made you. For what that’s done to you. You hear me, my little daisy. You are not a monster for having to survive. You’re not a monster for doing what you had to do to survive.”

Tahlia is just the sweetest, grumpy dragon. I would not mind her hoarding me one bit! I really loved the banter and the panty-stealing between her and Delilah. The dynamic between all the characters was so nice; I really enjoyed everyone. Cal is goofy. I loved just picturing that crazy old weirdo. It made my heart so happy that he got his own happy ending.

10/10. I totally recommend this fun, silly, magical, and spicy adventure :)

[SoulsHaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!!!

Ok first and foremost Lizzie is amazing in EVERYTHING she does! I had the pleasure of ARC reading this and let me tell you she NEVER disappoints!!!

If you ever wondered what your D&D characters or even your favorite books side characters were doing day to day when the main plot isn’t going down….?!? Kings Fall is where it’s happening!

Each story is its own monster master piece of mystery, intrigue, spice, and sass. Cloak & Dagger is no exception!

The banter between the two FMCs was chefs kiss!💋

I need to be in a campaign with her as the DM! I want to live in Kings fall and run around and interact with all her characters! I want to fall into a plot she’s designed and laugh and cry as the story unfolds! I need Lizzie as a bestie! That’s is how good her books are!

Go read her books!!!!!!!!

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to have a ARC for this story ! And let me tell you that Lizzie never disappoints , this book was so god , so easy and enraptured! I couldn’t put it down (yes it was that good ) , the plot , the 🌶️ , all is there and I loved every second of getting to know our Protective Dragos and sassy Pixie

[Jessica Ogram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love how Strong’s books are a good mix of romance, fantasy and mystery. It’s everything you’d want included in a book. I love how unique they are, I truly recommend them to everyone. The characters are the right mix between good and bad which makes them interesting. I will say that Strong’s books do seem to take me ages to read and I’m a fast reader, they’re quite slow paced. I loved being an arc reader for this book.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, emotional , DnD type of story. The MCs hit it off with great chemistry and banter right from the start. They are very supportive of each other both with past traumas and current hopes and needs. Lizzy keeps you engaged with fun chaotic characters that balance each other and a interesting in one place adventure/mystery.

[Coolkidfrances · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first sapphic romance and I loved it! Lizzie is one of my favorite authors and their ability to write books so lovely with so much trauma at the same time is chefs kiss. This is basically a DnD lesbian heist book and it’s great cozy read with a bit of trauma ❤️

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh, so beautiful. I don't think I've read anything by Lizzie that I haven't enjoyed.

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

*This book was an ARC. This is my honest voluntary review*

I'm so excited for y'all to get to read this Sapphic Monster Romance! I absolutely LOVE Delilah and Tahlia, and their relationship. The back and forth snark, the brat/brat tamer, the way they care for each other, it was honestly just so wonderful to read and had me kicking my feet.
I also really loved Delilah's relationship with her Dad, Calcifer. It's such a fantastic example of the father/daughter relationship that every girl deserves.
Now I'm off to see about purchasing the paperback for my shelf since I need to own all of Lizzie's paperbacks 👀

[Tammy Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing if you love DND and LGBTQ community! Delilah and Thalia were such a cute couple and I absolutely loved Calcifer Morningstar. He made me laugh so hard most of the time. There are some trigger warnings and the author does tag the chapters with them but the book isn’t really a dark book! Definitely worth reading!

[Rue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww~
Yes I was picked as an ARC reader for this story. But I had digital issues getting to my copy and only just finished it.
So good. I love how I can start picking up little bits around King's Fall. It makes me want to take this town and place it in my next campaign.

I loved the ending of heist. Was the perfect twist of why it was there.
"Please, let me ruin your life again."

Can't wait to buy more from Lizzie Stong in the future

[BriBiscuit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again another 5/5 stars by the lovely Lizzie Strong!
This book had me swept off my feet and dreaming of an over protective Dragos paladin one page and of a slick sexy retired rogue the next. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of Tahlia and Delilah's story, and could not get enough of the intoxicatingly adorable couple :) I think this story would make a wonderful animated show or movie! I am dying to see fanart of the two of them as well as Flora & Calcificer!! Oh I want to read more about the two of them SO BADLY! Calcifer was intoxicating and I couldn't get enough of the shadowless rogue with a complicated history.(for I am a sucker for a sexy rogue like Vax from Vox Machina ;D) This was my first sapphic romance and I have to say that I loved it! The banter between Tahlia & Delilah had me giggling and kicking my feet so often. I couldn’t get enough of their teasing banter, as well as how much of a playful tease Calcifer was. To see them all overcome traumatic fears and obstacles that had alerted their lives for so many years was very heartwarming. Seeing how they were each other's reason and motivation for becoming stronger, and wanting to live without fear was very moving. The dual POV was great and flowed seamlessly, it was sweet to see how the Dragos and Pixie viewed and treasured one another. The way Strong portrayed Calcifer made it so I kept wanting to see more of him and had such a strong desire to learn more about him and read from his POV; which is why I loved the epilogue as much as I did ;D So thank you very much for that treat Lizzie Strong!! <3
Strong's book exceeded my expectations by adding in mystery and stressful moments to the romantasy story of two sassy woman who were made for one another. While reading I found myself eager to know more about the characters' pasts, especially the adventurers like Calcifer's old party as well as Tahlia's. I'm looking forward to reading more of Strong's books that take place in or around King's Fall to get the chance of seeing more of the characters I've come to adore!
Strong has been added to my coveted list of authors called "If (insert pronoun here) writes it I will be reading it!!!" I look forward to reading more of her work and excited to see what book will be released next!
5/5 sexy rogue dads ;D <3 with plenty of banter, spice, magic and teasing to go around!!! <3

[Sin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is for every queer person who’s ever felt like they’re not enough, like something inside of them is broken, or wrong or like they’re struggling to fit in and keep a part of themselves contained, controlled and hidden.

Delilah, a pixie who’s been cursed with the Blight, suffers immensely with PTSD and self acceptance issues after experiencing a horrifically traumatic event. While a lot of her story explores her difficulty with the blight and her struggle to hide it, the vast majority of her struggle also resonated with how I felt as a young queer person. She can be angry, and vicious, but at her core her heart is hurting and all she wants is to find a way to live with the person she’s become as a result of her trauma. I would like to be extremely clear here and state that at no point does Lizzie equate being queer to the trauma that Delilah experiences- just that I myself resonated with it that way.

Thalia was the perfect counterpart for Delilah. She was strong, stern and steadfast in her desire to hold her precious pixie together and I absolutely LOVED their dynamic.

It was so nice to revisit the land of King’s Fall, and to read a sapphic story set in the kingdom. I adore that all of Lizzie’s characters are canonically pan/bi, and I love that we get to see all forms of pairings.

Cloak & Dagger is real, raw and spicy. I highly recommend you check it out!!

⭐️ 4/5
🌶️ 2.5/5 (a lot of bratting and brat taming along with some epic tension that leads to amazing spice!)

Thank you so much Lizzie for blessing my eyes and my mind with this book. Forever grateful for each story you write because I feel seen every single time ❤️

I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

[Foxx Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you like witty banter?! do you like traumatic pasts?! Do you like hot spice!? then this is the book for you! this book is filled to the brim with witty and hilarious banter, intense and traumatic backstory for the characters to navigate, and enough heat to make even a dragon pull out a hand fan.

Tahlia is a ex adventurer with a secrete to hide. She wants nothing more than to retire and settles in to be a bouncer at a famous and well paying burlesque club. it was supposed to be an easy job, just good for some cash and to let her live a good, peaceful life after sacrificing too much to her previous job. but when you work for one of the most famous Rogues in history, being head of security comes with a few pitfalls... particularly when the boss's daughter is just... so... hot! and mouthy. oh what Tahlia wouldn't do to pin that pixie down and teach her a lesson.

Delilah is the star of the show. she smiles so pretty, and laughs... but it's all to hide the secrete she can't bring herself to share. her past is constantly haunting her in her dreams... she's dead inside, even if no one knows it. she's a monster, even if no one can see... so what is it about Tahlia makes her feel so hot all over. so whole inside!? and what the hell are they going to do when the man who tortured her shows back up to the club!? she has to team up with Tahlia, the woman she want's to climb like a damn jungle gym, to save her club and protect her father. right after she finishes with this panic attack.

Content Warnings - Gore, PTSD, Flashbacks, Nightmares, Bugs (a lot of bugs), cannibalism (of a sort), death and murder, trauma.

[Morrigan Gaines · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received an ARC ecopy of this book and this is my honest review**

Solid 4.5 stars overall.
Definite spiciness.

Monster sapphic romance with strong DnD vibes, suspenseful plot, mental health representation and cozy vibes.

I had Lizzie Strong on my TBR, forever. I'm glad this was the first book I picked up from this author. Going in my knowledge of the book was it was based in a burlesque club (yes please), was labeled CL for "chaotic lesbians" and had mental health representation.

First off, this is one of the few sapphic romances where I have loved the couples chemistry and it did their spicy side's justice while still building a story and relationship. Yes, they're a little head over heels for each other from first site, BUT there is some fabulous banter, flirting and sexual tension before one of them finally breaks. I love that they never deny their attraction but still try to keep it under wraps as long as possible.

This is also the one of the few books I've read which included the heavier trigger warnings at the top of the chapters which I feel worked well. I generally am good with just a page in the front (also included) but the chapter TW were nice since the story had moments where it switched from fluff and smut to harsher parts of the ongoing plot. I also feel like the mental health representation was realistic and the characters own ongoing recoveries from their respective trauma's was refreshing to see on page.

I wanted more of both the FMCs. Like the on page plot was fantastic but I would totally read more books about them in a heartbeat.

[Bookfairymel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m absolutely obsessed with this cast of characters. From chaotic and willful Delilah, to strong and charming Tahlia, to flirty and silly Calcifer, I really loved them all. The burlesque club setting was cool and allowed you to really sink into the darker themes but keep it lighthearted at times. All of the magical elements made the story really come alive, like the orbs of light that would turn on with the rising sun and spelled cars and doors.

There was so many moving parts to the mystery that the story always felt fresh, it didn’t feel weighed down by a singular goal. The way Delilah overcame her trauma was really amazing and at times I was teary eyed reading her scenes. Seeing her strength in loving her body and her sweet personality after everything she’s been through was really inspiring. Her relationship with Calcifer, her dad, was so cute and sweet, I loved his character so much. Tahlia really balanced out their chaos which was so sweet to see. The spicy scenes were hot but also sweet in a way, I loved seeing how much Tahlia loved pleasuring Delilah.

I really have no complaints, the story was well written, imaginative and impactful. The characters were lovable but deeply relatable and real. I was enthralled with the magic and mystery of it all and have fallen in love with the world and everyone in it. I’m hoping for a Calcifer book in the future because true to his rogue nature, he’s stolen my heart!

[Drew Knuth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genres: Romance (Explicit), Diverse, Sword & Sorcery

I saw someone else recently post a review of their "Squirrel Book" and I had to laugh because this is MY "Squirrel Book" aka "Shiny Object" book... the book that distracted me from my planned summer TBR pile.

It was the cover of Cloak & Dagger Burlesque caught my eye ... I used to take Pole Fitness classes for almost 5 years, which was SO MUCH FUN and I had never been fitter in my life. **makes note to sign up for a class again**

Anyway, enough about me and on to the review... I really enjoyed this book! It was a lot of fun to read. Fair warning though, it is VERY heavy on the romance... five-ish explicit scenes (which I thought were written really well) but if that's not your thing I'd pass.
The other half of the book follows a heist in the style of Dungeons & Dragons (rogue, paladin, elf, dwarf, etc.) and there are very dark elements/magic to this novel. I thought everything fit really well together - there was enough comedy to offset the darker themes and the author does give trigger warnings at the beginning of certain chapters. I personally wasn't bothered by the darkness- it all seemed to work.

If anyone has ever played the game "Red Dragon Inn", this is the "world" that I imagined when the characters were traipsing about their business.

I totally recommend this book! I had a lot of fun reading it.

"Cool it acid gecko" ... "Listen here, kitten whiskers" 😂

[Michelle Lebron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story transported me back to the years when I played D&D. Living that constant adventure with your characters reminded me of the entire game system, especially the action and the intrigue of what would happen next with the characters. Wow, Lizzie, you really created an incredible story with excellent characters. I loved every minute of the story, especially the relationship between Cal and Delilah. They have a beautiful relationship, and I loved the trust between father and daughter. Cal dedicates every moment to making up for lost time with his daughter, and it shows in everything he does for her.

Delilah has been through a lot, especially the traumas of her past, which are still present until this Dragoness arrives to change her entire world. Tahlia is strong and would do anything for her troublemaker. The relationship between the two in the book is super beautiful. Delilah finds someone who makes her feel safe and helps her overcome the traumas of her past. I loved that Tahlia always had a flower name to affectionately and lovingly call Delilah; it made my heart swell with happiness.

If you are a fan of D&D, you will enjoy this story as much as I did. It's as if you were truly on an adventure.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another thrilling dark fantasy set in the King’s Fall universe. Strong clarifies in the trigger warnings that while the story explores dark themes, it is not a dark romance. It can be read as a standalone or in any order within the series, connecting to characters from The Kattos Waitress and Knight&Mage Inc. without spoilers.

The story follows a female Dragos FMC hired as security for the burlesque club co-run by the Pixie FMC, who also performs there. Both protagonists grapple with figurative demons from their pasts and must work together to uncover the mysteries unfolding at the club.

While the book contains darker themes and intense spice, Strong provides a thorough outline of trigger warnings for readers with sensitivities.

Spice: 4.5/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
My Enjoyment:4.5/5

Series in publication order:
Knight&Mage Inc. 8/2/22
The Kattos Waitress 9/1/22
Hauntings&Company 10/31/22
The Bugbears Heiress 11/15/22
Nymph on the Rocks 12/1/22
The Dragos Assistant 2/14/23
Two Kattos and their Barista 6/1/23
A Fowl Company 8/1/23
How to Marry a Lich 2/23/24
The Orc from the Bar 3/1/24
Cloak&Dagger Burlesque 6/24/24
Jockstraps&Newspapers 9/1/24
A Deal with the Devil 2/3/25

[Jenny T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Tahlia Bloodsword, former Paladin, half-dragon/half-ogre, who takes a job as security at Cloak & Dagger Burlesque, where she meets the owner’s flirtatious but troubled daughter Delilah, who’s a pixie and a dancer at the club. This sounds like the set-up for a spicy romance, and there IS spice here (and it’s well-written) – but the story is what makes it for me:

Delilah’s father Calcifer (a loveable changeling Rogue, in all senses of the word) is in danger from assassins who have been trying to get at him for years for a treasure he might be hiding. Meanwhile, Delilah is trying to recover from past trauma and understand some dark magical changes that have come over her. And Tahlia is, shall we say, on the outs with her deity.

Honestly, this book went right to my heart.. The themes of self-acceptance, healing from trauma, and making good from past mistakes really resonated with me. There’s a wholesome father-daughter relationship, and watching the feelings grow between our heroines was lovely. Also, the D&D vibes were strong!

Highly recommended for fantasy fans who also enjoy romance!

[Tayler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the way that Lizzie builds her worlds in her books, but this was a little slow to start for me and kind of lost my interest at times.

HOWEVER, this could 100% be a me issue and not a story issue. I've been going through a bit of a slump lately, and bigger books like this one (well, it's not really THAT big, but still [that's what she said]) give me a hard time.

This is a great story though, all of that aside. It's my second monster sapphic romance and I adored Tahlia and Delilah.

What you'll find:
- Dragon Female/Orc mix
- Pixie Burlesque Performer
- Horns & Tails & Scales
- Forked Tongue
- Hoard Her/Keep Her Dragon instinct
- Schpicy
- Mystery/Heist
- Violence/Gore
- PTSD/Trauma/Flashback
- Check your TW!

[Kassa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You did what you had to, you survived. You got out of there alive. No one, and I mean no one, has the right to fault you for what it made you. For what that’s done to you. You hear me, my little daisy. You are not a monster for having to survive. You’re not a monster for doing what you had to do to survive.” - One of the quotes that broke me!

Lizzie Strong had me in tears well reading this book! It was amazing and heart wrenching to see the mystery unfold and the bonds growing. Our two leading duo were Tahlia and Delilah who have to overcome the demons of their past & present to grasp their HEA. The road to this doesn't come easy when you have to unpack everything and deal with a mystery (no spoilers).

If you are looking for a story that will make you laugh, cry, feeling, spicy moments and plot! this is the book for you.