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The Healing Dragon
It’s impossible to escape a fate already written, but she tried, and now she has to live with the consequences.
Janelle Duelo has finally reached freedom, but it tastes borrowed. She knows it’s only a matter of time before her fate catches up with her, but this time she is ready to face it.
The King of Puerto Quinn wants the Red Book back and offers Janelle an opportunity to make amends. She might be the only person who can find the book, but she can’t do it alone. Returning to the cage she escaped from to betray her own sounds unthinkable, but there’s no other choice she can live with. Walking away was the bravest thing she ever did. This time, that won’t be enough. Restoring her family's name could be a deadly undertaking. She got out once, but can she do it again?
Jesse Oscuro is the Lord of Wisdom, but when it comes to his feelings for Janelle Duelo, he has conflicting loyalties. He knows he should hate her, but that is hard to do when his entire life he has loved her. His eyes can never see her the same again, but staying away might not be a choice he is willing to entertain.
A debt needs to be paid, and the price requires a sacrifice no one is willing to make. Conflicting loyalties, broken promises, and leaps of faith will determine the fate of the continent.
Janelle Duelo has finally reached freedom, but it tastes borrowed. She knows it’s only a matter of time before her fate catches up with her, but this time she is ready to face it.
The King of Puerto Quinn wants the Red Book back and offers Janelle an opportunity to make amends. She might be the only person who can find the book, but she can’t do it alone. Returning to the cage she escaped from to betray her own sounds unthinkable, but there’s no other choice she can live with. Walking away was the bravest thing she ever did. This time, that won’t be enough. Restoring her family's name could be a deadly undertaking. She got out once, but can she do it again?
Jesse Oscuro is the Lord of Wisdom, but when it comes to his feelings for Janelle Duelo, he has conflicting loyalties. He knows he should hate her, but that is hard to do when his entire life he has loved her. His eyes can never see her the same again, but staying away might not be a choice he is willing to entertain.
A debt needs to be paid, and the price requires a sacrifice no one is willing to make. Conflicting loyalties, broken promises, and leaps of faith will determine the fate of the continent.
318 pages, Paperback
First published July 22, 2025
1 person is currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Diana Denisse
3 books13 followersDiana Denisse is a writer of high fantasy novels and avid romance book reader who puts the magical world living in her head onto paper. She spends her free time hiking and exploring national parks across the country, seeking the magic at our fingertips.
To learn more about future books, please follow @AuthorDianaDenisse on IG, TitkTok, and FB.
To learn more about future books, please follow @AuthorDianaDenisse on IG, TitkTok, and FB.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 1, 2025
➳ 4 ★
Y’all this series is a solid romantasy read. This second book is more fantasy than romantasy just because of dynamics, but wow. I’m gonna need to buy these books!!!
*Spoiler alert if you haven’t read the first book*
This second book is in the same universe as The Fifth Soul, but we’re following different characters on their quest. This is a multi-POV following Janelle, the traitorous princess from the end of the first book, and Jesse. Shortly after Janelle’s exile, she is offered an opportunity to help save the kingdom of Puerto Quinn and hopefully getting her magic returned IF she gets the Red Book back from her father. Janelle and Jesse are forced to work together to retrieve the book.
Forced proximity and second chance love? 🤭
I loved the plot in this book, and was obsessed with finishing it. The characters were so relatable in terms of having understandable faults and struggles. I’m such a sucker for the forced proximity AND second chance love, especially in this book where they don’t want to still love each other given morally grey/villainous decisions that are made, but they can’t help it. This series helped me get out of a reading slump, so thank you Diana 🙏🏼
Thank you so much to Diana Denisse for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Y’all this series is a solid romantasy read. This second book is more fantasy than romantasy just because of dynamics, but wow. I’m gonna need to buy these books!!!
*Spoiler alert if you haven’t read the first book*
This second book is in the same universe as The Fifth Soul, but we’re following different characters on their quest. This is a multi-POV following Janelle, the traitorous princess from the end of the first book, and Jesse. Shortly after Janelle’s exile, she is offered an opportunity to help save the kingdom of Puerto Quinn and hopefully getting her magic returned IF she gets the Red Book back from her father. Janelle and Jesse are forced to work together to retrieve the book.
Forced proximity and second chance love? 🤭
I loved the plot in this book, and was obsessed with finishing it. The characters were so relatable in terms of having understandable faults and struggles. I’m such a sucker for the forced proximity AND second chance love, especially in this book where they don’t want to still love each other given morally grey/villainous decisions that are made, but they can’t help it. This series helped me get out of a reading slump, so thank you Diana 🙏🏼
Thank you so much to Diana Denisse for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 5, 2025
ARC review: After falling in love with The Fifth Soul, The Healing Dragon has been my most anticipated read of the year, and I have to say it did not disappoint!
This series continues to be everything that I want in a fantasy - likeable characters, interesting world building, and romance that adds tension but doesn’t dominate the plot.
Where Diana Denisse really shines is her ability to convey complex interpersonal relationships. I can’t get enough of the friendships and family bonds portrayed in this series. While book one is a comfort read for me, book two masterfully dealt with subjects like trauma and familial conflict but continued to have some of the warmth that was present in the first book. The main characters’ personalities lent well to the slightly darker tone of this novel.
At first I didn’t know how I felt about the addition of new magical creatures in this world but by the end it came together nicely. The ending gave me goosebumps and I am SO excited to see where this series goes!
This series continues to be everything that I want in a fantasy - likeable characters, interesting world building, and romance that adds tension but doesn’t dominate the plot.
Where Diana Denisse really shines is her ability to convey complex interpersonal relationships. I can’t get enough of the friendships and family bonds portrayed in this series. While book one is a comfort read for me, book two masterfully dealt with subjects like trauma and familial conflict but continued to have some of the warmth that was present in the first book. The main characters’ personalities lent well to the slightly darker tone of this novel.
At first I didn’t know how I felt about the addition of new magical creatures in this world but by the end it came together nicely. The ending gave me goosebumps and I am SO excited to see where this series goes!
July 20, 2025
Could not put this down! I was so fully invested in Jesse and Janelle 🙌🏻 loved the longing, the broken to healing together, the forced proximity. I loved how this second chance romance played out with the two of them loving each other through the challenges pulling them apart. Thanks to forced proximity for keeping this love and tension going ❤️🔥 You get to spend a whole second book within the found family of the Black Castle which I LOVED. Getting to spend so much time revisiting the Oscuro family and their friends made this book truly feel like a continuation of book one even though the main couple wasn’t Brandon and Bianca. The mystery/twists around Mattias held so much intrigue and so did the court intrigue. This was an incredible second book for this series and I look forward to the next book.
❤️🔥 Redemption
❤️🔥 Longing
❤️🔥 Court Intrigue
❤️🔥 She’s Broody
❤️🔥 Second Chance Romance
❤️🔥 Magic Powers
❤️🔥 Found Family
❤️🔥 Mystery
🫑🫑 (swoony no spice romance)
❤️🔥 Redemption
❤️🔥 Longing
❤️🔥 Court Intrigue
❤️🔥 She’s Broody
❤️🔥 Second Chance Romance
❤️🔥 Magic Powers
❤️🔥 Found Family
❤️🔥 Mystery
🫑🫑 (swoony no spice romance)
September 18, 2025
Diana Denisse delivers a powerful and captivating fantasy filled with fate, betrayal, and sacrifice. Janelle Duelo is a heroine you can’t help but root for—torn between freedom, loyalty, and the heavy price of redemption. Her story is heart-wrenching yet inspiring, a reminder that the bravest choices often demand the greatest risks.
Jesse Oscuro’s conflict between duty and his forbidden love for Janelle adds a rich, emotional depth that makes every page burn with tension. The chemistry, the impossible choices, the sacrifices—they all come together in a tale that is both breathtaking and unforgettable.
A beautifully written, high-stakes fantasy that blends danger, passion, and destiny—perfect for readers who love epic stories with heart and fire.
Jesse Oscuro’s conflict between duty and his forbidden love for Janelle adds a rich, emotional depth that makes every page burn with tension. The chemistry, the impossible choices, the sacrifices—they all come together in a tale that is both breathtaking and unforgettable.
A beautifully written, high-stakes fantasy that blends danger, passion, and destiny—perfect for readers who love epic stories with heart and fire.
July 24, 2025
The Healing Dragon is a beautifully crafted fantasy full of emotion, tension, and heart. Janelle is a fierce, flawed heroine you can’t help but root for, and her tangled history with Jesse adds a powerful emotional pull. Diana Denisse weaves a story of betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption with lyrical prose and high stakes. The world feels rich, the characters unforgettable.
I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend for fans of character driven fantasy with a slow burn edge!
I couldn’t put it down! Highly recommend for fans of character driven fantasy with a slow burn edge!
July 27, 2025
The Healing Dragon is a slow-burn fantasy full of heart, tension, and healing. It stole my heart. Janelle and Jesse’s second-chance romance had me hooked, forced proximity, and all the feels. Diana Denisse weaves magic, betrayal, and love into every page. I’m obsessed! 🐉🔥
April 29, 2026
Ate up the story of Janell and Jesse. These two and their back and forth of I want you, I can’t be with you made was what kept me turning the page. You still get Bianca and Brandon, but more as side characters in book two. Looking forward to what comes in book three.
August 6, 2025
The Healing Dragon is book two in the Red Book series and one I was highly anticipating because I was dying to read more about Jesse and Janelle. I loved the flashbacks we got of them when they were younger and getting to know a bit more about their story. But I think my favorite part was seeing Janelle's story arc as she comes to terms with her villainous father, her actions in the previous book, and learning who she is without her fire magic. I really enjoyed the themes of healing and acceptance, as well as the familial bonds and the friendships. There were also some funny character moments that brought some lightheartedness to the story, which I appreciated. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series!
September 6, 2025
Book 2 in The Red Book series was a very satisfying tale of finding oneself and striving for redemption, focusing on a sympathetic villain from the first book. Most of the main characters return, but many are changed, marked by grief or fierce determination. We’re introduced to new magical creatures and shifting politics for the young king and council.
The Healing Dragon expands the emotional depth of the series. While I missed time with the leads from The Fifth Soul, the new leads have known each other since childhood and have a powerful connection that has been twice-severed by tragic events. I felt deeply for both of them as they struggled through their very complex emotions. This book was much more than a romantic adventure, dealing with trauma and various paths towards healing. Despite the trauma, it still had the pleasing rhythms of the first book, good for a YA reader or a cozier read for an adult.
I’m really looking forward to the next book, although I have no idea about any of its details.
The Healing Dragon expands the emotional depth of the series. While I missed time with the leads from The Fifth Soul, the new leads have known each other since childhood and have a powerful connection that has been twice-severed by tragic events. I felt deeply for both of them as they struggled through their very complex emotions. This book was much more than a romantic adventure, dealing with trauma and various paths towards healing. Despite the trauma, it still had the pleasing rhythms of the first book, good for a YA reader or a cozier read for an adult.
I’m really looking forward to the next book, although I have no idea about any of its details.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews