Storm of Blood and Shadow

Merciless Dragons #3

by Rebecca F. Kenney

Jessiva's flourishing career as one of the Queen's favorite dancers is cut short when the kingdom is conquered and dragons descend upon the Capital. When she is snatched up by one of the dragon princes, Jessiva is afraid, not only for herself, but for those who depend on her to survive. She determines to destroy Varex, the dragon prince, no matter what the cost. But she didn't anticipate his kindness and charm, or his unexpected need for her help.
Varex is shocked and intrigued by the gorgeous, murderous little human female who seems immune to his smooth talk. He's determined to win her over; but when a catastrophic storm strikes the dragons' island, he makes a decision with severe consequences. Jessiva may be the only one who can save him... but she's been quite clear about wanting him dead. With their goals at odds and the fate of others in their hands, Varex and Jessiva must decide how much they are willing to risk for each other.

"Storm of Blood and Shadow" is book 3 in the Merciless Dragons series. It can be read as a standalone but there will be relationship spoilers for the first 2 books, so the series is best read in order.
This spicy, adult fantasy romance is perfect for fans of Rebecca Yarros, Carissa Broadbent, LJ Andrews, and Katee Robert. Contains intense themes. Reading guidance can be found at the beginning of the book or on the author's website.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Romance, Spicy, Enemies To Lovers, Mental Health, Fantasy Romance

281 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2025

About the author

Rebecca F. Kenney writes spicy fantasy romance about sassy, strong women and hot guys with tragic backstories... pirates, warlords, demons, Fae, and royals. Her main series are the "Wicked Darlings" series (spicy Fae retellings of the Nutcracker, Wonderland, and Oz), the "Dark Rulers" series (standalones in a shared world), and the "For the Love of the Villain" series of genderbent fairytales. Other books include a post-apocalyptic vampire romance trilogy ("The Vampires Will Save You"), a demon romance "Interior Design for Demons," a dark mermaid fantasy duet, and other spicy retellings.

Rebecca is represented by Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary. She lives in upstate South Carolina with her handsome blue-eyed husband and two smart, energetic kids.

For updates and information about upcoming novels, follow on Instagram @rebeccafkenneybooks, on Twitter @RebeccaFKenney1, and on TikTok @rebeccafkenney

Reviews

[Stillbelieveinnightmares (busy) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I'd say about ¾ of the story is a summary of what happened in book 1+2, only this time we get other characters pov. there were still some things happening the reader didn't know about before (or at least didn't know how exactly they came to be). overall a good, quick read if you're able to look the other way whenever some plot convenient solutions emerge

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was arguably the best book in the series so far. Varex is so much better than his brother 🔥I loved the happy ending to their story and while this book overlaps from the timeline of the first two books it was not boring or tedious to read, the events from their POV were refreshing and super endearing. 🖤

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶🌶🌶
Dual POV
🤍 Dragon romantasy
🤍 Captor/captive
🤍 Forced proximity
🤍 MMC has a human kink
🤍 He is beyond smitten with her
🤍 Virgin MMC
🤍 Mating Heat
🤍 Healing old wounds
⚠️ Trigger Warnings

This book is a great continuation of the Merciless Dragons series. This story features Ky's brother Varex and his female captive, Jessiva. The story takes place concurrently with Books 1 and 2, so while it can be read as a standalone, a lot of world-building details are glossed over in this one. It would be a more enriching reading experience to start with Book 1. Having said that, this is a fast-paced, quick read that explores the relationship between a sweet, yet troubled dragon and a tenacious, yet burdened woman.

We get to experience a lot of the same entertaining dynamics as the first two books; captor/captive, learning to be human/take care of humans, and a virgin MMC going through a heat cycle. This time though, we aren't bogged down by the politics of war. We get to dive right in and explore the nature of a selfless dragon choosing something for himself for once and how it impacts the woman he chose. Along with their budding relationship, the book explores the themes of familial obligations/expectations, accepting help, forgiveness, and letting go of the past.

Varex is probably the sweetest dragon shifter I've ever read. He's adorable. You can't help but like him. And I love that he has a "human" kink. He has is BAD for his human female. It is very much instalove on his part. And unlike his brother, Varex immediately embraced turning into a human and had the most charming and innocent reactions as he learned what it means to have a human body and experience the world (i.e. bodily functions, sizes of things, and reactions to bugs!)

This story is a bit of a faster burn for this couple, as Varex experiences lusty urges due to his human kink and then working through his heat cycle. Overall though, the quality of the spice is still engaging and hot, but not as frequent compared to the first two books.

I had a great time reading about Varex and Jessiva as they learned how to navigate their relationship while growing and healing as individuals. I can't wait to read the next one and see how this world grows!

[Mari Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

You COULD read this as a standalone, but it benefits from reading it in the order in the series. On the surface this is a dragon shifter series, but really it’s so much more. The lengths to which the princes go to save the future for their people and the choices that they have to make are just heartbreaking and very well-written. Book 3 specifically, has a beautiful romance woven-in with complex characters going through things individually and as a new couple. This series is likely to be a five star one as a whole for me.

[123_Romantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
2.5🌶️

Technically a stand alone but I would recommend reading Ky and Syrella’s books first.

This is Jessiva and Varex’s story, and does take you back to the beginning of the story overall and how they came to be but did extend past Ky and Syrella’s story. Fast-paced, quick read (finished in 1 day).

I loved the growth both of these characters went through, as they both definitely went through their own trauma’s and hardships to be the person they are today. It definitely is still very much an insta-attraction type story as the first books but they also go through their ups and downs along the way.

This installment is still very spicy 🌶️ and once again, it’s not going to be for everyone. We have dragon action spice and some kinkier type spice. But honestly, overall, I feel like the spice scenes were skipped over more this book vs Ky and Syrella’s books. We got a lot of “and then we made love” and it moved on. Ky and Syrella’s story actually went into those scenes more often. Yes, it allowed for more time dedicated to the story and their relationship development but I lost a little bit of the intimate scenes that I felt could have added to that. Don’t get me wrong, the spice is still there FOR SURE, it just felt more pulled back this book.

The series is going to continue, following different couples now each book. Book 4 is going to follow Thelise and Ashvelon’s story, which I think will be interesting. I also think I know another future couple that may be a future book 😜

[Rachel’s Coffee & Rain Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 I think 🥴

This was… interesting. I didn’t read books 1 and 2 because the reviews were very off putting, and I’m glad because this writing style was not really for me and the characters from 1/2 made appearances in book 3 and were just as annoying as the reviews stated.

This was a super intriguing concept. It could have been a super cool world and story if executed well. But it just didn’t hit the mark for me. The writing style was way more telling than showing, which gets so tiresome to just read pages and pages of internal monologues about what’s happening around the characters instead of being shown through actions and dialogue. For a short book it felt like a slog occasionally to get through it. The prose was easy to read and follow, but repetitive, which just taxed me out on the characters since it was almost exclusively their inner thoughts. What could have been sexy, interesting, endearing interactions between Varex and Jessiva ended up mainly being cringey and decidedly un-sexy. This is my first book by this author so maybe I’m not her target audience but even super descriptive spice scenes can leave a bit to the reader’s imagination. Allow us to go there with the characters. These read like creepy, cringey anatomy lessons poised for shock value. Only a couple of the scenes were well written and landed well. Also some serious plot holes in my opinion about dragons who fought with humans in the war having absolutely zero knowledge about humans (needs, anatomy, terms, anything). It felt weird and disingenuous.

Not my cup of tea and not sure I’ll try anything else by this author 🤷🏼‍♀️🥴

[Katie’s Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

"Even if you don't speak to me or look at me for the rest of your life, even if I'm deprived of the sight of you and the sound of your voice, I will love you and only you, until my body perishes."

All I wanted was some dragon babies. For a book that is centred around a mating season and breeding in order to save the dragon population, there is a serious lack of dragon babies.

This is the third in the Merciless Dragon series, but it takes place simultaneously with the first and second. Here we have Varex, younger brother to Kyreagan, and Jessiva, a dancer from the royal court. He off course steals her and takes her back to Ouroskelle for the upcoming mating season, with the intention of turning her into a dragon.

I'm glad this book stayed around the dragon islands and didn't have as much politics as the second book. It stays fully focused on Varex and Jessiva and the magic of the dragon kind. These two were really cute together- Varex was so earnest and in love, he quickly wore down Jessiva. Jessiva for her part wants to return to the mainland to care for her niece and nephew, and at first is willing to do anything to achieve this. But of course, she beings to see just how good Varex is and starts to fall for him.

[Dru · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
🔥🔥🔥

This is an engaging fantasy romance about Jessiva, a skilled dancer whose life is turned upside down when dragons invade her kingdom. Varex rescues her from men who have other ideas of what she can be used for. After being taken, she has to navigate fear, survival, and unexpected alliances while developing a complicated relationship with Varex, the dragon prince.

The world-building is fantastic and the plot keeps moving with plenty of twists. Jessiva has this black cat energy and is constantly fighting to get back to her family, which is intriguing to read and really shows her determination. At the same time, her nonstop struggle can get a little tiring after a while since she’s in fight mode almost the whole book. Varex was a little too overly sweet for me and kind of golden retriever-like at times, which felt a bit much. Everything else about the book though was great, from the romance to the action and the immersive fantasy world.

Overall, it’s a solid read that balances romance, adventure, and character growth. Even with the overly sweet hero and Jessiva’s relentless fighting, I would definitely recommend it to fans of the series and fantasy romance.

⟣Tropes⟢
✅ Obsessive/JP MMC
✅ Fated Mates (vibes)
✅ Dual POV’s (first person)
✅ Captor/Captive
✅ FMC not Virgin
✅ Found Family
✅ He falls first
✅ Dragons
✅ Shifters
✅ 🔥 Medium Burn 🔥
✅ Grumpy/Sunshine
✅ MINE
✅ HEA

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Taylor Violette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to Beta read and I am SO EXCITED for everyone who loved books 1 & 2 to get their hands on this one next. Jessiva and Varex are an absolute delight and I adored their story from the very beginning. Technically this can be read as a standalone, but I think you'll enjoy the story and characters so much more if you've read the first two first. I just love a good monster romance with delicious smut, angstyyyyy angst, and a gorgeous HEA.

Tropes:
~captor/captive
~he's *obsessed* with her
~trauma bonding
~dragon with a human kink

[Baby Got Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. I adored these characters. Man I’m still thinking about them. They almost shouldn’t have worked but somehow their coming together and connection felt inevitable.

I identified so hard with Jessiva and I was not expecting that. She was a protector yet the world had made her so cynical and hard in order to protect the ones she loved ugh.

Varex was all in for her from the beginning. His unconditional and unwavering devotion to her was written in away that was all encompassing without being overwhelmingly possessive and domineering which I don’t see often in this type of romance.

I will re read this and also revisit on the audio when it comes out…that’s my highest endorsement!

Can’t wait for the next books! (I will keep putting it out in the world hoping to manifest it but I would love love love a grovel redemption story for our notorious villain who did make a little pop up in this book… iykyk)

[Kate Brasington · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I get the greenlight to post a review, I absolutely will but just know that this is the best book in the series so far

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m so glad I was able to be a part of the beta read group for Varex and Jessiva’s story. This book moved me. It was both comical and profound delving into deep, important issues like familial disfunction, the benefits of unburdening, and forgiving oneself. The characters are individuals, even as part of a pair, who struggle with their own biases and pasts like so many of us do. Rebecca Kenney has truly outdone herself. (And the spice is top notch too 😜)

[Olexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️ It would have been a 5 ⭐️ but the separation without a goodbye ruined it. 😢

[Lisa Conant · Rating 5 out of 5]

🐉Dragon Shifter x Human
🫂Forced Proximity
💛Obsessed and Sweet MMC
❤️‍🔥Br33ding K1nk
🔗Captor/Captive
💥Reverse Damsel in Distress

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
🌶🌶🌶 out of 5

Review:
This is my favorite of this stellar series so far, and the two previous were 4.5 star reads from me. It's also my favorite dragon shifter series and it's only getting better as we expand upon this world and characters from book 1. This is interconnected to books 2 and 3 though there is some recap but I highly reccomend reading in order.

This was brilliant in the way that it is concurrent to the events of books 1 and 2 but from Varex and Jessiva's POV. It's seamless in its execution and the action, drama and humor is top notch! Jessiva is especially fiesty. A caretaker to her family but also bearing past hurt from living a hard life (having needed to "work the streets" for money). She is resistant to like the Dragon that is her captor. But it's impossible not to like and love Varex.

Omg, this Dragon (and Man) is the absolute sweetest Cinnamon Roll one cam ask for. The fact that he was an anomoy amongst his kind in that her was not only fascinated by but attracted to human women is a delicious twist! He's so innocent and shy about it all. He harbors pains of the past in not being able to save his mother, he's shy and genuine. There's an altruism to him that is immediately attractive. He has an eloquence in the way he speaks, is selfless to a fault and I can't stop raving about how much I love him.

The stakes get very high in the third act and I was white knuckled and loving the intimate, internal battle that this couple fought. I could not put this down, I was fully invested in the story, highly engaged in the world, and captivated by characters. There's a sublime mix of humor and heart (like the sharply balanced effect in the best Marvel movies). Absolutely placing Varex as my top tier Dragon Shifter book boyfriend. A heart of gold like no other! Can't wait for the next book!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragon kink. 'Nuff said.

So, I wouldn’t call Jessiva a prostitute. She might be considered the equivalent of an exotic dancer who is not ashamed of flaunting her body. She allows herself to be seduced by men and accepts their gifts and monetary compensation. Sexual favors are hinted at but not overtly revealed except for the night before the dragons arrive. (A bit more is later revealed)

Varex: Two creatures cannot share such closeness for so many midnight hours and not develop a bond. I beg to differ. It’s been done.

This book had a lot of angst from both the dragon and human. The timeline overlaps book 2 after the princess had been kidnapped, rescued and her captor imprisoned. There are two deadly entities to be conquered which seemed somewhat related to one another, although I certainly could be wrong.

I admit that Varex using the endearment “darling” seemed odd to me. He didn’t know the names of various body parts but had this in his vocabulary? I also felt it was overused.

Familial ties were explored as were feelings of guilt. Life lessons learned.

Overall an entertaining read.

[Nhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little fairy going through the book with her wand smacking the main characters with “you get healing from trauma” and “you get healing from trauma.”

We finally get to see Jessiva and Varex’s romance bloom! This was a fun and emotional read delving into their backgrounds and how they helped heal each other but also learning how to heal on your own. 🥺

Spice: 2.5 🌶️ (but we get that dragon action so like 3 🌶️)
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Dragon 🍆 💦 🥵
Virgin MMC
Prostitution
Suicidal Act
Sexual Assault (not by MMC)
HEA ✅

Minor Spoiler below
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I did enjoy that the author did not include a pregnancy for this couple as Jessiva kept stating it would be impossible for her to get pregnant. Maybe we’ll see it in future books if Jessiva is presented with a possible option? She never discussed if she wanted kids just that she could not have them and she loved her niece and nephew very much.

[Meagan Kusek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this world and was sucked right in to Jessica and Varex's story. Jessiva definitely came off differently than she did in the first two books, but that comes from being in her head and not Serylla's. Varex was super sweet the whole story, and I loved his power arc, from how he has to fight for control to unleashing an entire malestrom. So awesome!

This story definitely felt rushed compared to the first one - but that's absolutely because Kenney crammed two books' worth of plotline into one while skimming over details we'd already read about in the first two books. It also lessened the romantic tension, since it was pretty hot and heavy from the start, but I enjoy those stories too.

I am SUPER excited to read about Thelise and Ashvelon's story though! Been waiting for them for a while! I just hope we see more dragon babies again some day. 🥲

[Bethsbooksau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read in my opinion for a book 3!

Reads KIND OF like a Novella but is a full-length novel.

As books 1 and 2 of the series follow Kyreagan and Serylla, it makes sense that this book, being book 3 gives you a summary of events as it follows 2 new different characters.

It is a duel POV from Varex and Jessiva and I really liked how different they are from the first couple in the books. So it wasn't repetitive at all. They are both really struggling with grief and guilt and it was great to see their POV for the series of events that happened and how they navigated it.

I'm excited for book 4 - again, this one is following 2 other characters from the world and I MUST know everything about all the different dragons! 🙌📚

[GoldenEyeOfHorus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The FMC and MMC were funny in this and their connection was so romantic. They really were good foils for each other.

The spice was also quite hot.

However, it was frustrating to me that after the FMC's capture up until 35% into the book, it was practically a exact replay of the previous book with Kyreagan.

Some plot points were dropped and left unexplained, like what happened to Fortunix after he betrayed them.

Also, the ending felt very abrupt.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's so good to get to know the brother's perspective! I wanted to hug him and not let him go! the pain he was in, ughhhhh.

Now, I’ll be honest—the heroine frustrated me at first. The constant running, the hesitation... I wanted to shake her. But somewhere around the halfway point? She clicked. Her growth, her strength, her spark—it all came through, and by the end, I was rooting for her hard.

The chemistry? Tense and magnetic.
The slow burn? Painfully worth it.
The monster romance? A+ emotional damage.

[Aurien · Rating 4 out of 5]

But I love her. I adore her beyond logic and beyond recovery. I am addicted to everything that she is, in every phase of her mind and emotions.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 / 5

“I don’t think you have blood and death in your heart, little one.”
“You underestimate what I will do for those I love.”
“Not at all,” he replies. “I’m simply hoping that by the time you figure out how to kill me and return to those you love… I’ll be one of them.”

[Trysta Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the 3rd installment in this series! Dragon shifter romances 😍 and this one delivers! Emotional depth for the characters, dragon spice and humor. I laughed out loud a few times, I love it when a book is balanced with humor! While I don’t know I’d say this is a comedy because there are definitely some darker themes and character emotions, it definitely felt like a whirlwind fun time! Can’t wait to read the next one!

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I didn’t have high expectations for this book but was still disappointed. The tension and fight I was expecting from Jessiva just wasn’t there like it was in the previous book and I was let down by her character. I also didn’t enjoy basically re-reading the first book from a different perspective.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly I'm a huge fan of Rebecca's work and this series. I always go in thinking "yay, a super spicy fun book!" And it is! But somehow we manage to have a heck of a lot of trauma, heart, and healing, and she does it in a relatively short span of time.

This was my favorite book in the series thus far. You will have already seen many of the plot points for the first portion of the book as the timeline overlaps with the first two books (Serylla and Kyreagan's story), but it allows us to see a very different version of events and keeps things moving quickly. We also get a lot of new information, as well as a whole new story line for what's happening with Varex and Jessiva.

Varex is a top tier MMC and is DOWN BAD for his lady. Jessiva is a strong, sympathetic FMC with a lot about her to love and empathize with. I enjoyed their relationship and to me, this was in some ways even better than the first two books. As always, if you know Rebecca, the spice is spicy and you are not getting a slow burn here. Hang on and enjoy!

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad just not for me

If you want to dip your toe in the taboo reading pond. This is a good start. It’s not full on taboo but a sprinkle. This was my least favorite of the three books. The beastiality was a turn off. Besides that it reads like companion/dual perspective of Book 1&2.

[Naj_ana_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

🐉 🐉

I absolutely LOVED their story! Underneath all the mating, shape shifting and battling. There was healing. Healing that had been festering for so many years and the bonds that were forged between two. Just beautiful ❤️❤️❤️

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic read

A great fantasy story which is mainly character driven but has some amazing world building and mythical creatures. I loved seeing the events of book 1 from Varax and Jas point of view. Themes of grief and trauma really well explored. A lot of spice!

[Books0507_Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great edition to the series, and was one I was looking forward to. The banter and chemistry is great in this, my only issue was it felt a little too repetitive in terms of the background plot from book one and two. I'm still looking forward to book four.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book of the series, loved the two mains.