You know what's worse than my ex-husband? The apocalypse.
That's why I'm putting the past behind me as I drag my best friends to safety. My ranch is the perfect place for us to lay low while the world falls apart—as long as I can survive the small-town drama.
But I wasn't expecting to come face-to-face with a smoking-hot trespasser who says he owns my property now. Kieran has another thing coming if he thinks he's staying on my land. I don't care if he's working for the government or trying to solve some sort of apocalyptic prophecy that might involve me and my friends.
I'm definitely not swooning over his brooding scowl or beautiful eyes that seem to stare into the depths of my soul while he warns me to stay away.
He doesn't scare me.
Even if he does have wings. And a tail. And...um...Did he just turn into a dragon?
Heather K. Carson is the mother of two feral little boys by day and published author by night. When she isn't working on a new book or refereeing a wrestling match, she's covered in mud from playing in the garden or dancing around the kitchen and whipping up enough food to feed the monsters she created.
In her paranormal romance books, you'll find world building twists, lovable side characters, beastly males, and strong female leads who like to shake things up.
Heather currently resides in the Pacific Northwest and spends whatever free time she gets by running away to the mountains with her equally exhausted husband and the best chocolate lab in the whole world.
Find out more and sign up for her mailing list to get some bonus content @ www.heatherkcarson.com
So excited to read this as an ARC before it comes out to the general public.
The story is so well written and the building of the story and characters was wonderful… I was invested from the start and cannot wait for the next book.
It has the right amount of steaminess, chaos, back stories with trauma to build the characters, friendship and so much more. Oh and super drool worthy dragons!!!
Call me a turkey the way I gobbled up this book!! I received this as a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is for the girlies who loved the “Fire in his Blood” series by Ruby Dixon and needed more dragon mating in apocalypse times, but with a focus more on mother nature and environmentalism.
Loved the writing style and the characters!! The chapter names were so cute too. Also love love love the skip over miscommunication since no one has time for that in the apocalypse!! The mains are adults and act like it and this was literally a book I did not put down until i finished it!! Love me some dragon shifter romance and I cannot wait to see what happens in future books!!! Catch me rushing off to read more books by this author!! 🐉
3.5/5 WOWWW!!! This was such an easy bingeable read! And had some of my favorite genres all blended into one (very unexpectedly creative imo), in this book we are set in a apocalyptic world as the earth is slowly crumbling apart, our fmcs escape the city and move back to our main fmc’s childhood home (an old ranch, OKAYYY A LIL WESTERN BLENDDDD)! However the move back to her ranch with her friends in tow is just not that simple (typical end of the world shenanigans), there’s a new homeowner claiming her ranch is now his, and to add onto this he’s a part of a dragon shifter clan! I was skeptical with the set up of this book but I honestly had so much fun, the fmc’s has such a great found family connection and were HILARIOUS! Loved the romance, I’m always sat with any kind of book that has to do with dragons, THIS INCLUDED! It was steamy and it had some really sweet parts all entwined throughout these characters development! MY ONLY COMPLAINT! Is that I cannot binge the other two ASAP! THE CLIFFHANGER?! THE RUNES?! THE PROPHECY?! Criminal. HUGE thank you to Tantor Media, Tantor Audio, NetGalley, and Heather K Carson for early access to this audiobook! 🤍
Holy guacamole this book was good!! I think this is the spicest book I've read by this author and I'm not complaining. There are dragons, fated mates and prophecies. All the things that makes a great fantasy book.
I really liked Ember. She was a girls girl. Always took care if her friends...her chosen family. Could she be a bit hot headed? Yes but that's what makes you like her.
Kieran is now apart of my book boyfriends. This man is fiercely loyal and devoted to his woman. As much as he tried to fight his connection with Ember he couldn't.
Those two brought out the best of each other. Both were alone and searching for something more and as soon as they met a spark was lit. I love their story and I look forward to reading more about them!
Definitely got my dragon fix. The way these dragons are described I could visually see them in my head. The book takes place in an apocalyptic world. These characters are older and relatable. The dual pov is nice. I liked the telepathic dialogue with Kieran and his dragon and the bond with Ember, Riley, and Willow. I took great delight in getting to know Ember and Kieran with many spicy and humourous moments.
I really don't read or listen to shifter romances but this sounded like it would actually be good and surprisingly it was. I think it had great narration and the banter was cute. There was some spice but in my opinion it was very tame. My complaint....if you can even call it that was that it ends on a cliffhanger and now I am going to have to grab the next book.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
4.5⭐️ i really enjoyed this book! so different and interesting while most fantasy novels take place in medievalish times this one takes place in modern day where they have cell phones and in an apocalyptic, the world is ending setting which is very unique. i honestly wish it was longer it all felt really rushed and im used to romantasy books being slow burn and very drawn out this was not.the ending was weird just very rush i really wish it was longer than 250 pages however i still really enjoyed it and will be reading the next one!
Okay, if you're a huge werewolf romance lover then you will for sure love this one (because now we got dragons instead and apparently they come well equipped (if you catch my drift.)) So yes, this book has all the spice and possessive qualities you'd expect in a fantasy romance...and yet still on the tamer side.
This series has a ton of potential so I definitely plan on reading the second book once it's released, but with that said I do have a bone to pick. My only downside to this novel is how quick everything happens...like did you have a hard stop limit on the word count? It was a little bizarre and I swear I almost got whiplash from how one scene jumped to the other with no transition (trust me, you'll see this a ton in the second half of the book) and another question, how were they all so cool with dragons? There was so much missing detail wise that I just couldn't rate it higher than a 3.
⭐ 3.5 stars Listen my loves… this was a fun little dragon-kissed ride. Think seismic chaos, ranch drama, and one very attractive dragon man just casually existing on your family property like that’s normal. The AUDACITY. I respect it.
Ember is out here surviving trauma, bad decisions not of her own making, and the general disaster that is her life… and then Kieran shows up all “I guard the Earth from volcanoes AND I adore you.” Sir. Please. My heart can only handle so much whiplash.
The worldbuilding is kiiinda soft. I wanted deeper lore about the quakes, the dragons, the prophecy, all that crunchy stuff. But the vibes were elite so I’ll take it . As for the romance, I mean it’s cute and spicy enough, but it definitely jumped from “hello sir” to “I love you, let’s fight the Earth together” a little fast. Not a dealbreaker, just a noted moment.
Also Ember’s friendships were adorable and grounded the story in a really sweet way. Girl deserved every ounce of love she got.
Overall: a cozy, quick, dragon-flavored escapist read. Perfect when you want something light that still gives you that supernatural romance hit without requiring a dissertation’s worth of attention.
Would I recommend it? Yeah! Just go in expecting vibes > deep lore. Would I read book two? Absolutely, hand me the fireproof gloves.
Heather Carson throws you straight into a dragon-soaked apocalypse, and it is delicious, chaotic, trope-drenched madness in the best way. Ember is a mid-30s, no-nonsense lit nerd who’s done with mediocre men—so of course she ends up matched with Kieran, a possessive, scaly menace who is very much ribbed for your reading pleasure. Their chemistry? Instant and feral. The spice? Fast, hot, unapologetic.
The worldbuilding stays light enough to fly through but still gives you prophecy drama, political mess, and end-of-the-world tension. Sure, a few details feel like they’re saving themselves for book two, but honestly? I didn’t even blink—I'd already queued up the sequel before the cliffhanger smoke cleared.
And the audiobook? Divine. The narrators absolutely understood the assignment. The tension hits harder, the banter is sharper, and the spice? Let’s just say hearing Kieran brought to life should come with a warning label. The performance elevates the story in a way that made me forget real life existed for several hours.
If you want dragons, fated mates, spicy chaos, and a heroine who just wants a rolling library ladder while the world collapses—this is your next binge.
Excellent start to a new series! I love dragons, I love a great plot, I love dragon riding (who doesn't), and I love fated mates, so this book was PERFECT! Steamy, spicy, a bit of buildup for the next book, it was just what I was wanting when I started it. I give it 4.5 starts! The only reason I did not give it 5 starts was due to a bit of plot confusion I had, that I'm hoping will be cleared up in the next book. This book introduces us to our FMC Ember, who is trying to live in a pre-apocalyptic world. Earthquakes, rolling power outages, and martial law are the norm and she is trying to protect and shelter her and her friends. They decide to pack up and head out to her childhood ranch, which ends up being taken over by the MMC, Kieran. He's a big ole grump...or is he? Turns out Mr. Grumpy Pants is a dragon shifter with a cinnamon roll heart! The dragons are also trying to survive Mother Earth's wrath and a prophesy that spells their doom.! There was not a lot of angst, there was the perfect amount of spice, and it was a great read! HEA at the end and a bit of a cliffhanger for the next book. I loved it, great book to read when you feel like reading a fun, spicy, shifter romance.
Oh my gosh! I just loved this first book in this brand new PNR/Post-Apocalyptic/Urban Fantasy interconnected stand alone series! To Match A Dragon's Fire was soooo good.
Buckle up because this was a wild ride ride!
This setting is so unique and not done nearly enough so whenever I get a good PNR set in a post-apocalyptic world I do a little dance. Romantic Suspense is my jam and so was this book.
Ember has an amazing back story so you really get to know her. Not only that but she is the strong take no bs type of woman. AND she is not some 18 or 20 something either. That's right. This is for all the women who love this genre and don't see their age done enough. This girl has lived and she is over it.
Now- enter hot dragons ❤️🔥🔥 Give me Kieran now like now please. The spice is nice and just the amount of hot you need. I give it a 2.5 pepper rating. I can't wait to get more info on our crazy hot dragons in the next book. There is definitely a mystery to solve and that brings this to why I think it deserves 10 stars.
So what are you waiting for? Literally why are you still here? Go read this book!
This was such a fun listen. It was lighthearted and funny with a few little cringy names and moments but the read was such a vibe and would highly recommend if you love listening to audiobooks while doing other things. This audio pulled me in and I finished it in no time.
Will I remember the story a year from now? Probably not. I like my stories a bit more fleshed out and a little more broody and slowburn. But this was just fun!
The narrators did an amazing job performing this one. It was a real performance and pulled us into the apocalyps. If you are tempted to read this book, then you must at least immersive read with the audio.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tantor Media to give me he opportunity to listen to this one in return for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Not gonna lie, I went into reading this book for the apocalypse part, which there really wasn’t much of. But that’s ok, because while I’m not into shifter romances, I was still entertained by this book. Fun characters, fated mates, a little bit of spice, what is not to enjoy? There isn’t a lot of depth to the storyline, besides Ember and Kieran becoming mates, but that ending? Now I have to know what happens with that prophecy and Riley in the next book.
I listened to the audiobook of this and the narrators did a decent job, however, some of the voices done by the female narrator were a little cringeworthy (Harper anyone?). Other than that, the snark in Ember’s voice was actually quite funny.
Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the advanced copy of this audiobook.
This was a cute, fast paced read. The synopsis was intriguing, the storyline grabbed me, it was easy to relate to the FMC, and it has the right amount of spice. I do feel like the story could have had more depth because I was intrigued and invested; a deeper history of Kieran and the dragons, more about the prophecy to help the reader understand better. I know we’ll learn more in book 2 but I think not exploring what happened in the cave with the new rune was a bit of a missed opportunity to dive deeper into the prophecy and how the FMC plays a part in it. Overall I enjoyed the book and I look forward to the next book!
I had a fun time with this! The story takes place in a pre-apocalyptic world with frequent earthquakes, widespread power outages, martial law and government chaos. I appreciated that our FMC is a divorced, mid-30’s lady who’s been there done that with men and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself and her close friends…made for a lot of very relatable dialogue. I also loved that the author made Ember an English/lit nerd who just wants a library and rolling ladder😅 Kieran is dragon shifter whose inner dragon is nearly it’s own snarky, lustful character and I loved it. There is very little angst, fated mates that feels very insta-lust to love but I enjoyed it all the same! Ends on a baby cliffhanger that intruiges me for the next book but won’t leave you chomping at the bit. I hope we get more insight on the prophesy, Mother Earth connection and the connection dragons and Ember have to saving the world in the next books - set to be a trilogy!
Thank you to Heather K. Carson and her team for this arc!
The Earth is being destroyed by increasingly severe earthquakes. Ember and her friends try to escape the city's growing panic to a farm, only to find that the state has expropriated it to become a habitat for secret dragons.
I liked the book's premise and friendship, as well as the humor. The love story is insta love and lust, too many spicy scenes for my taste, especially considering the book's brevity. The audiobook satisfied my need for a quick and entertaining romance.
Thanks to Tantor Media | Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an early review copy of the audiobook!
I had the pleasure of meeting Heather K Carson at Wild and Windy West last month, where we discussed the books she’s written and this new world she’d just jumped into. I signed up for To Match A Dragon’s Fire and I’m so glad I did! The banter was hilarious, I was giggling and cackling most of the time. Snark ✅ sass ✅ possessiveness ✅ Kieran, in all his scaly, ribbed glory (wink wink), made me laugh so hard. Ember’s past challenges in life were well represented without making it all about that. Together they created a story that had a general feel-good vibe about it and I really enjoyed that aspect. There were a few spots that felt like were missing something, so I’m thinking they’ll make more sense once we get the next story in this world!! Combining the fantasy/paranormal with apocalyptic elements and an FMC who is a little more mature? The creativity. And to leave us hanging like that? Oh my lanta. I’m really looking forward to book 2!! Thank you so much to Heather K Carson for the gifted review copy!
This was such a fun and fast pace read. I’m in the mood for a dystopian-like read and this one was a quick listen for me and checked off lots of things that I like. I really liked Ember and her friends. They really are super close and have the found family bond that I love. Ember is a tough cookie and I loved to see her stand her ground. This one does have dragons, as the title hints and it was fun to just listen to how all of that unfolds in the story. I can’t wait to continue on the journey with Ember’s friend next. The narrators, Bridget Bordeaux and JD Tomlinson do a wonderful job portraying Ember and Kieran well. They breathed fire, er, life into the characters. Several lines had me laughing to swooning over Kieran. If you’re a fan of dragons, steamy romance, prophecy, touch her and d!e, and dystopian be sure to check this one out.
A very special thanks to Tantor Media and Netgalley for the gifted ALC.
A quick read featuring some of my favorite things - fated mates, alpha energy, dragons, and a determined female lead. Ember’s in her 30s when she finds out dragons exist and the world is ending. She embraces a new life with little to lose. I enjoyed her strength and loyalty towards her found family, while not quite having it all put together. I’m looking forward to some prophetic twists and grumpy dragons in the next book.
This is a new to me author and I do not regret taking a chance on her. This story was unique and refreshing from the typical dragon shifter romances you read. I truly enjoyed the story and the plot. I am extremely excited for the following booking in the series to see how the over all plot unfolds.
This book is the first of a trilogy and it revolves around a woman who is in her mid thirties and she isn’t scared of living life to its fullest. There were plenty of laughs out loud scenes and while it does end with a cliff hanger it finishes the story for the main couple with hea. Can’t wait for the second book!
This was fast and fun. Really enjoying this author for the easy, comforting reads… Can’t believe I’m saying shifter fated mates is a comfort read but hey, here we are!
I was honored to get to read this as an ARC reader let me tell you it immediately grabbed my attention and kept me hooked. She is a new author to me and this was my first read and I will definitely read more. Please add this to your TBR you will not be disappointed.
I was not sure what I was getting into with this book being an end of the world, apocalypse book but I was absolutely captured by it from the get go. The world building was as you go so you get to discover what has gone wrong with the world and how broken it is from both Ember’s human pov as well as Kieran’s dragon pov.
I absolutely loved the characters. The three friends were a hoot and were trying to make it in the world. (Ember, Riley, Willow) I enjoyed their camaraderie and found family vibes. Kieran and his dragon clan were a group I absolutely wanted to get to know more about. Getting to read Kieran and Ember’s fated mates romance was hot and fun and dangerous at times.
This book is a great bingeable dragon shifter novel that will keep you hooked and waiting for book two. I can’t wait for more and hope you check it out.