A Dragon Inside: Morntag Dragons & Kingdoms Book 1

by Anabelle Raven

She is a princess. He is chained in the dungeon. They don't trust each other, but they are Solvar's only hope for escaping war.

Ellie
When I discovered that my brother imprisoned a dragon rider, I plunged head-first into a whirlwind of political drama, mysterious history, magic, and an alluring prisoner.

Now the secrets I uncovered keep growing deeper. I wanted to save my people from war, but that was only the beginning. My brother and our inheritance complicated everything, and I must find new ways to deal with rebellions, assassinations, and an attraction to an impossible prisoner.

Deryk
I expected to die, but everything changed when the fearless princess swept into my prison cell. Now I must choose between loyalty to my family and dragon or a dangerous trust to an unnerving princess.

A Dragon Inside is a no-spice fantasy romance book with high stakes, adult characters, a slow-burn love story, incredible magic, love, betrayals, and overcoming impossible odds. It is the first half of a duology. The slow-burn, no-spice romance is perfect for fans of books by authors like K.M. Shea and Tara Grayce.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Clean Romance, Romance, Romantasy

440 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2025

About the author

I write heart-pounding, fantasy adventure books with sweet romance (no spice)!

Reviews

[Madelyn- The Squeaky Clean Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even begin with why I love this book so much?

How about with the male main character?
Deryk is a dragon rider (SUPER COOL) and he can see people's emotions which manifest as colors in their aura HOW COOL IS THAT?!?
Those things alone make him unique and awesome... but he also is such an amazing example of moral goodness, of mercy, of forgiveness, and the way he treats Ellie and falls for her 😍😍🔥🔥😭😭

Speaking of Ellie, she's amazing. I loved her growth in this book, how she went from a kind woman, to a courageously kind woman willing to sacrifice to protect the people she loves. WOW. SO AMAZING. Seriously I want to be Ellie some day.

The worldbuilding was beautiful, the plot twists and turns amazing, and the ending was fantastically heart wrenching in the BEST way and I'm so glad this is a Duology and I want the next book IMMEDIATELY.

I'm obsessed and I'm going to need a week to recover from the amazingness of this book. I have so many things to think about and process and I feel like I have more motivation to become a better person today. I feel more motivated to control my emotions, to choose peace and love and compassion after this book, and I thats the biggest reason this book is amazing. After reading it you want to become better.


Yup. I'm obsessed.

💋chaste kisses only
⚠️read author's note for content warnings

[emeraldragonlady (Maddie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

From beginning to end the story has you on the edge of your seat! I often found that while I was reading it I ended up stopping whatever project I was on to be immersed in the story because I didn’t wanna miss a single word. Lots of twists and turns enemies to lovers. I cannot wait for book 2!

[Cadence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dragon Inside is a Dual POV fantasy where we follow Ellie, a fearless princess who wants to right every wrong, and Deryk, a mysterious dragon rider, who finds himself wrongfully imprisoned in the castle dungeons and looking for any means of escape.

Fantasy books are my favorite , though, I often find myself reading them less and less in favor of other genres. Why? Well, mainly because I've had a bit of a difficult time getting into a lot of the fantasy books I've tried lately. If I can't fall in love with it in the first 50 pages or so then my brain tends to go on strike and stops wanting to focus. When that happens I generally DNF or set the book aside to maybe try again later.

That being said, this book was NOT one of those books. This book actually helped me remember why I love fantasy so much. This book spoke to me in a way many have failed to do lately. This book was amazing!!

I love the idea behind the story, the characters, the world, and the beautiful writing style of the author. I pretty much enjoyed everything about it, from start to finish. I wanted the next book to be out yesterday, but I'll try to patiently wait for it.

If you love fantasy books with dragons, magic, strong characters, betrayals, action, strong friendships and family bonds, surprises, love and forgiveness, and people stepping up and fighting for what's right, do yourself a favor and read A Dragon Inside!

I received an advanced review copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion and thoughts.

[Michaela | Reading in the Heartland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing romantic fantasy! I absolutely loved it. Though a good portion of it was slow moving in a way (dungeon visits) I was completely engaged and enraptured the whole time. I never wanted it to end. I knew it was a duology book one with a cliffhanger going into it so I was worried that I’d feel I didn’t get my “full story” but that wasn’t the case! I’m so thrilled for what we got - and it was sooo much! - and I also cannot wait to conclude this story! This was a great enemies to sweethearts romance. A Princess, a dragon rider prisoner, a dragon, political intrigue, and so much more! I adored all of this book! I never wanted to put it down. This is definitely my favorite from this author. There are some torture scenes with some violence. This is a just kisses romance, intimacy level 1.

I received an eARC of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Caylee Connelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first half of Anabelle Raven’s new Montag Dragons & Kingdoms duology.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book for you, Anabelle. All thoughts and opinions are obviously my own, and I’m doing my best to keep this short and spoiler free!

This book left me in tears, in the best way, and very eager for the second one. I took my time finishing it but wanted to make sure I left a review before this releases next week, on July 2nd! You can preorder now and it will be available on KU! 🫶🏻

The MMC is all the green flags. The FMC humble but fierce. Her humility is part of her strength and is pivotal to her role in the book. I loved all the characters so much. I can’t wait to see how it all continues to unfold in the next book.

She’s a princess, he’s a prisoner… they have to work together to save the kingdom. There’s deception & betrayal. But there’s also redemption and forgiveness. It was so good to see how they all progressed throughout the story.

💖🫑: no spice
🫢: no explicit language
C/TW: Death & loss of family members, heartache and grief, assassins, murder, torture

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dragons+Royal/Political Intrigue+Slow Burn Romance= 🔥🗡️🔥

All of these elements are my absolute FAVORITE tropes put into one beautiful book! I absolutely loved the political intrigue and kingdom world-building. I was constantly plotting on how we (yes, we--the characters and I) were going to take down the evil cousin. I was ready to throw hands with him.

Derek and Ellie were so cute together! I loved their slow-burn dynamic and the way Derek made Ellie question her beliefs and the morality of her decisions. Her character development was a joy to witness. I loved her growth in the book, and the last showdown at the end was such a satisfying conclusion to the story's main themes of betrayal, political intrigue, impossibly high stakes, true love, forgiveness, and PLOT TWISTS!!

ALSO--the quotes at the beginning of each chapter?! I loved it! Made the world-building even more impactful as we get peeks into the ancient founding of Solvar! It made the story come back full circle and added a layer of fantasy historical depth.

I highly recommend this book--I could not put it down!

[Basemath N. A. Abernathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I flew through this story! Within the first pages it is evident the reason behind the title: A Dragon Inside. I have never enjoyed a prologue so much! Daryk and Ellie are so great together! I love how he sees her from the beginning, and that they are honest with each other.

And oh my goodness! When they flew that certain someone! *cracks up laughing* Oh my goodness. That character and the whole situation was so funny! I loved it. I loved that Ellie did not have to lose her whole family for the plot, and that she is no shrinking flower.

I love the magic system! It is really unique. And that one guy’s magic is my favorite!

Negatives: None

Romance: Yes! It’s so cute!
Cussing: None
Gore: none
Violence: fight scenes, character death
Magic: Yes!

I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts are my own, I received no compensation for reviewing.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

a sweet, unsurprising fantasy novel that includes dragons, dragon riders, princesses and kingdoms in peril

Rating: 3⭐️

This book was a recommendation so I picked it up to see what I would find. A Dragon Inside is a sweet, unsurprising fantasy novel that includes dragons, dragon riders, princesses and kingdoms in peril. But adds little to the already overwhelming world of books written about this genre.

It’s the first book in a series but wrapped up the first storyline and romance pretty well by the end of the novel. King realizes he has traitor close to him, his sister, the princess helps save the day, by rescuing the dragonrider. Who ends up with the princess.

King also looks to have a HEA too.

There’s a weird magic aspect that unexpectedly occurs towards the end that doesn’t make sense and has no foundation whatsoever laid out for it.

Perhaps it’s coming in the future books.

Some readers might excuse this by saying that the story is meant for YA but all writing, no matter what age the author is aiming for, should have depth in the characters, layers to the world building and intricacies of plot. None of which happens here.

The characters should be entirely believable or engaging enough for the reader to invest their time and emotions.

For me, I thought this was just a simple, sweet, and uncomplicated plot that didn’t ask much of the reader.

If that’s something that you’re looking for, here’s a book and series for you.

This author imo does not compare with KM Shea who was mentioned in the description. Not even close.

Cover art is by Turtle Trails Publishing. Interior art (part two) is by Legowo P. Interior art (after Chapter 31) is by Sidney Brady.

Morntag Dragons & Kingdoms:
A Dragon Inside #1
A Dragon Outside #2 - Sept 30, 2025

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot even think of a way to describe how amazing this book is. Anabelle Raven has become one of my favorite authors. I need to catch up on some of her blacklisted books, but I have the feeling they are all going to be 5 stars 🤣

This book was fantastic. I mostly read fairytale retellings but I love a good fantasy/romantasy as well. This book was so well done!

This was the first book in a duology and I do feel like it leaned more into fantasy than romantasy but the romance was there (I think we are going to see even more of the romance in the second book). This was a slow-burn but it was soo well done.

Anabelle Raven took something that should have been really hard (a prison setting) and made it ABSOLUTELY amazing. Seriously, I will be recommending this book to EVERYONE.

The MMC is a dragon-rider with magic. He can read auras (a type of magic I always enjoy reading) as well as some other types of magic. He is strong, protective, chivalrous, but he is also a bit overconfident. I loved his interactions with all of the characters.

The FMC is amazing. I LOVE that Anabelle Raven includes strong, feminine characters in her stories. Ellie is kind, compassionate, intelligent and as she discovers through the story far more courageous than she realized.

I also really loved Brindon, he was such a likable character. The Main Characters are not the only ones who grow & have a journey of self-discovery. I hope we see more of Brindon. 💜

This book has so many amazing themes: self-discovery, forgiveness, friendship, courage, redemption, familial love, and acceptance.

It is both entertaining and touching.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you like romantasy, you will love this book. It is wonderful. I cannot wait for book two.

I received an ARC copy of this story. All thoughts are my own.

[Bethany Aich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family. Betrayal. Truth. Lies. Friendship. Honour. Loyalty. Forgiveness. There are so many themes in this book that I am not able to list them all. Amid the fascinating plot is a powerful underlying truth about refusing to let bitterness rule; we rule our emotions, not the other way around. And that, that is the best kind of book.

I was sucked in and read this in two sittings. Note that a good stopping place would be right before chapter 16, at least it was for me. Had I read past there, I probably would have read it in one go.

Violence: well, yes. But it’s all understandable and necessary for the plot. There is nothing gratuitous and neither is it gory.

Romance: very, very clean. It might be referred to as slow burn. This is a duology, so I anxiously await book two to see what happens with these now beloved characters.

Does it end in a cliffhanger: Not to me. Every aspect of this book was beautiful—not in the way one would classify a flower as beautiful, but in the way one could classify the day of a storm, even if destruction is weought. The way A Dagon Inside ended: perfection. I am curious about book 2 and the rest of the story, but I am completely satisfied with how it ended here, especially knowing I have only a month to wait for book two. In fact, I think the brief wait makes the ending all the sweeter. It’s like a donut: I might eat one now, but I would more fully enjoy a second after I have been able to savour and fully digest the first.

P.S. Don’t neglect to read the author’s note at the end. It may not be part of the fictional story, but it holds a beautiful real one.

[cleanbook_reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Favorite Quote -

"I'd promise to see you every week, every day, if I had any chance of keeping you, I whispered into her mind, knowing she couldn't hear any of my thoughts.
I promise to come to your aid, to fight your enemies and strengthen your friends. I promise to do everything in my power to make your life better... even if it means leaving you now."

This book is really emotional, with heartfelt moments and connections that pulled me into the story. I love the strong relationship build-up between the guards and the brother and sister—it added so much depth to the characters. The romance wasn't the main focus, which I really appreciated, but when it did show up, it was cute and heartwarming to read about. I also enjoyed getting to see the different powers and how they played into the world-building.
That said, I do wish we got to see more of the dragons, especially since they felt like such an exciting part of the story.
The pacing was a bit uneven for me—the beginning felt really slow and stayed in the same setting for a long time, then closer to the end, a lot happened all at once. Still, the ending definitely hooked me and made me want to pick up the next book to see what happens next.

[Kimthebookishbaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh. First of all, I had to pause at about 60% for sleep. Basically, the worst time to have to pause and I really struggled to sleep, don't do that to yourself! Regardless. This is a really good story that I really enjoyed. I struggled to put it down altogether. I was very engaged in the story, invested in how it would go and how it would end.
I absolutely adored the overall story, plus the characters. I definitely loved the main characters and even some of the bad guys had decent character arcs. In some ways, I still channeled Aladdin even though I know this was supposed to be a standalone and not a retelling.
The ending. You're definitely wanting book 2 but I think I still would've paused after book 1 first if I had been able to move on straight to book 2 because the ending is good but heavy. It sits with you and is something you need to process. However, I can't wait to see them have their happily ever after.
Of course, as usual, I adored the dragon and he was probably my favorite character.

[LeeEllen Belcher (Caw) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This slow burn, no spice, fantasy romance had everything a reader could want! There was betrayal, redemption, hope, sacrifice, and dual point of view from both main characters. It was an emotional rollercoaster that had me crying during scenes I didn't expect to!
Princess Ellie tried to keep out of King Brindon's political drama. However, when she overs her brother discussing with their evil cousin, Raoul, about a dragon rider that is being held in the dungeon, she can't help herself. She makes it her mission to befriend Deryk and help free him from the cruelty of her cousin. As they learn to trust each other, they discover their inner strength, and an undeniable attraction. Once Brindon realizes the evil that is trying to overcome them all, he seeks Deryk's help on a quest for peace.
Will Deryk be able to find forgiveness for the King, and be willing to help him stop the impending war?
I received an ARC with no expectation of a review.
All opinions are my own.

[Luna_Roja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dragon Inside by Annabelle Ryan surprised me in the best way. I picked it up expecting a standard fantasy-romance setup, but it actually has a much warmer, steadier pacing than I thought, without ever dragging. The worldbuilding is easy to follow (thank you, Annabelle), and the author gives you just enough detail to feel immersed without overwhelming you with lore dumps.

What I loved most is the dynamic between the two main characters. There’s tension, yes, but it isn’t forced or melodramatic. Their interactions feel natural, like the kind of chemistry that builds layer by layer instead of exploding out of nowhere. And the emotional beats? Really well done, subtle, but they land.

The “dragon element” is handled in a way that feels both fresh and grounded, and I appreciated that the plot never relies on shock value or unnecessary darkness. It’s adventurous, but it’s not grim. You can relax into it.

I’ll definitely continue with the series.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy four stars, maybe 4.5 after I think on it a little bit. This book was not what I was expecting at all. I thought Ellie would get swept away to the mountains to discover the land of dragons midway through the book and that is not at all what happened. The way the plot flowed did not follow traditional fantasy tried and true pathways and I thought that was intriguing and it kept me reading. There was also an unexpected amount of blood shed, although it was not particularly gory. So this is definitely not a fluffy fantasy. Although the interaction with dragons was secondary in this book compared to all of the people interactions, I am very interested in learning more about them in this world based on what was in this book. The next book seems like it will explore that a lot more, which is exciting.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dragon Inside by Anabelle Raven
🐲 Loyalty
🐲 Family
🐲 Princess FMC
🐲 High stakes
🐲 Sweet romance, a kiss or two (no spice)
Genre: Dragons
Really enjoyed this start of a new series! Deryk must choose between staying loyal to his family and dragon or trusting a rather unusual princess...
A new favorite from this author! Loved getting to know Deryk and Ellie and I can't wait to continue their story. Great mix of sweetness and danger. Ends with a mild cliffhanger that got me really excited for book 2!
Book 1 in Morntag Dragons and Kingdoms series
Opening line: "The lispeth’s piercing cry bit the air again, and I gripped my sword hilt."
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ARC (published July 2), all opinions are my own

[Hope Bragg · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 75 percent-ish was so sweet. The romance and yearning between the two MCs despite the threats around them made for wonderful reading. However, I'll admit that I thought the end was happening about 25% before it actually did. Unfortunately that caused me to feel like it dragged. This could be a me thing. I was at church camp and reading was about all I could do in my cabin due to no signal. I was tired. I was hot...This could have made me think things were slower than they actually were. I also felt like certain ideas and concerns were repeated often, but again, this could be church camp-induced tiredness that didn't let me appreciate this book like I should.
I think I'm going to reread it in a few months to see what I think...

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and I am really excited for the next book, A Dragon Outside to come out. I loved Ellie. She is so kind, courageous, loyal and good. I also loved Deryk. He is also very kind, courageous, loyal and good, he is also very forgiving. I was very invested in this world. I came to care for so many of the characters and want to see what their future holds. This book is full of danger, betrayal, friendships forged, love and courage.
One of my favorite lines in the book is, "Hate is a choice, just like love or peace. And each choice brings its own emotional consequences." So many wonderful life lessons in this book. I highly recommend it.

[Darielle Pettem · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dragon Inside by Anabelle Raven is a wonderful mix of fantasy, intrigue and slow burn romance. I really enjoyed following Ellie as she uncovered secrets and tried to balance loyalty with her own sense of right and wrong. Deryk was such a compelling character and their connection felt natural and heartfelt. The world has enough magic and dragons to keep things exciting without ever losing sight of the characters. If you like romance that grows slowly and focuses on emotion rather than spice, this book is a great choice.

[Kathy Crowder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is a great book! I had to stay up late to finish it because it was difficult to put down! I loved the characters and was pulled into their lives. The FMC, Ellie, has such grit, strength and love to her and you can't help immediately being on her side. The MMC, Deryk, is so mysterious and honorable that you want to find out all you can about him and his people. I definitely recommend this book and I can't wait for book 2!

[Ami Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing tale! Even with the bit of a cliffhanger ending, this clean fantasy romance made my heart beat faster (from the suspense, the danger, and the romance) and kept me reading until the end! I loved every minute of the story, and am waiting on pins and needles for the next one in the series! The world building and character growth for all three (and later five) characters made this an incredible reading experience!

[Tenna Chatman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annabelle Raven's best book yet!

This drew me in from beginning to end. Deryk was unjustly imprisioned, beaten and starved. Ellie meets him when she visits the dungeon. She has a kind heart and sees how the prisoners are treated. This sets off events she could not even imagine. Everyone has secrets. Some good and others are very bad. Action packed with betrayal and slow burn romance.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing. It kept me on my toes. I enjoyed how in depth each character was. As I read, the story continued to showcase how complex an individual could be. There’s also multiple story layers, which is something I prefer.
Definitely one of my new favorite books.

[Catey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! If you are looking for a closed door book that gives off fourth wing vibes. Look no further! The characters were amazing and I loved the romance elements in this book. And the world building was so good. I highly recommend this book!

[Jennifer Kitchens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

This book grabbed my attention and my heart very quickly. I have become invested in each of the characters. I anxiously await the next book in the series. I want to see what happens next!

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story

This is such a sweet story! I loved it. Betrayal, forgiveness, kindness, selflessness, relationships and sweet love story. Definitely recommend it! Going to encourage my daughter to read it! 🚫🤬🚫🌶️

[Noelle Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a slow start for me, but once I got into it, I had trouble putting it down. My only complaint is that I have to wait for the second one!

[Margaret Hatten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Moving

The plot was full of love and hate, written excellently. Add in natural attraction and royal siblings, and who knows what is going to happen!

[Patty Mooney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next book releasing soon!

[Shaeleen Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book!

I just finished it and now I NEED to finish the series! So good, compelling and all the feels. Be prepared to read the rest of the series when you start this book.