An heiress who needs a betrothal. A forbidden love with her best friend.A dragon race that will change it all.
Ana is the daughter of a wealthy lord. Federico is the son of a dragon trainer who works at Ana’s estate. They have loved each other since they were young, first as friends and then something more, but because of Federico’s lack of status they could not form a betrothal.
When Ana’s family falls into financial problems, Federico returns with the wealth and status he earned as a dragon rider and purchases Ana’s estate to keep the family afloat. Ana and Federico struggle to mend old wounds and overcome status differences.
In spite of family pressure, Ana will not marry for wealth but chooses to secretly enter the dragon races to earn freedom to marry any beaux she desires.
If you’re looking for Jane Austen’s Persuasion meets How to Train Your Dragon, then you’re in the right place.
For fans of fantasy with clean romance, comes the 8th book in Realms of Lurin, a multi-author collection of standalone magical regency-inspired fantasy novellas that take place in the same world.
What happens when you combine Persuasion and How to Train Your Dragon? Magic, pure fantasy-Regency magic. Beaux and Dragons was such a fun blend of genres, and a delightful story. My only complaint was that it was too short (novella length). This story is part of a multi-author collection of novellas that all take place in the same fantasy world, but are stand alone.
The story was engaging, hooking me right off the bat. The characters were really fun, unique takes on the original Persuasion characters. The blending of the Persuasion retelling with a land where dragons live and race, was so fun!
Ana and Federico were well written FMC & MMCs. I enjoyed the tension between them both in terms of chemistry and their social class differences. The way he continues to love and care about her through hidden or disguised gestures was adorable, especially in the final dragon race. The author did a good job making Ana's family entirely unlikable, as they are in Persuasion.
There was very light faith content in the book, however there was on-page prayer several times. I would say this book has Christian lifestyle more than being a distinctly Christian fiction story. Either way, I was ok with the amount of faith in the story, especially considering the shorter length of the story.
What I enjoyed: 🐲 DRAGONS! 🐲 Persuasion retelling 🐲 Ana & Federico's romance 🐲 Females being allowed to dragon race 🐲 The secret dragon flights 🐲 An interesting Fantasy world...I wanted more of it!
⚠️ Content Warnings: - Flirting with another to get attention - Mild dragon violence
This was a persuasion retelling with dragons. Need o say more? I think not. But I will. This was such a cute rendition of a beautiful Jane Austen book. I have enjoyed all of Candice’s stories. The dragon riding was a fun addition
Beautiful short read of no spice, Regency-dragons fantasy love story!
How far are you willing to go for freedom and love? For a chance to choose your destiny?
Here are some of the tropes author gave as easy guide for those looking: ✨TROPES✨ - YA Fantasy Romance - Second chance love - War time letters - Best friends to lovers - A Latin vibe - Regency styled dances
When I first read it, down to the both of them first exchanging letters I just know that it would love it. There's just something special about that that it would always hooked me up in any books 📚 ✨️ And when the story finally finished, it felt like closing a Happily Ever After story book.
And for some reason, while writing in my Book Journal trying to summarize it all, etc, it reminded me of that song "Love Story" by T.S. maybe its the regency vibes where the story she's the daughter of rich person wanting to be with someone she loves but her father wont allow lol
The only thing that I would caution some people may not like is the fast pacing of the story. I mean its a complete story and filled with action, but since its a short book it might be too fast for some who wishes that there would be more details.
5 stars for me, just because its a short story with a story, and clean! I wish there are more details, but its not much of deal breaker ;)
I’m a huge Jane Austen fan, so a Persuasion retelling with dragons? Count me in! Beaux & Dragons was such a fun, creative spin on the classic second-chance romance. The author did a really great job hitting all the major plot points from the original book, so if you're looking for a faithful retelling, you'll definitely be happy with how the story plays out. Adding dragons was such a cool twist! There was still all the drama around wealth and social status. My only real critique is that it’s a pretty short read—only about three hours. Because it moves so fast, it focuses a lot more on the plot than the characters' inner feelings. When I read Austen, I'm used to getting pulled deep into the characters' emotions and all that pining. With this one, I wanted a little more depth and tension, especially during the big, intense scenes and the romance itself. Overall, it’s a super quick, charming, and cozy fantasy read. If you want a fun afternoon book with a unique dragon twist, I definitely recommend checking it out! #cleanromance #janeaustenmeetsdragons
This was a wonderful regency-inspired fantasy! The world-building was richly detailed, and I enjoyed the tidbits of dragon lore. I loved how mischievous Ana was and how charming Federico was with her throughout their childhood. It was sad when he left for the Air Guard, but I was touched by the letters that they sent each other. I felt bad for Ana since her family expected her to marry for their reputation and wealth (which Federico didn't have), but all she wanted was love. It was sweet watching Ana and Federico discover their true feelings and put their grudges from their separation in the past. Of course the dragons were a big plus, and Celestia was so cute! It was thrilling to experience the dragon races, though disheartening that Ana had to enter for her only chance at happiness. I was also entertained with the mystery that was involved in the story. I highly recommend this novella for anyone who loves a slow-burn, no-spice, second-chance romance!
I received an Advanced Reader Copy with no expectation of a review. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars. This was a sweet, entertaining story that I finished quickly. I love how Candice Pedraza Yamnitz writes, and I simply can't put down her books. Beaux and Dragons is a standalone fantasy novella in the multi-author Realms of Lurin series. I've enjoyed the mix of fantasy and regency vibes in this world. While I don't know Jane Austen's Persuasion that well, I recognised a few aspects of the book that inspired this story.
Close childhood friends forbidden to marry, Ana and Federico were likeable and believable. While the story is told via Ana's POV, Federico's actions spoke loudly of his feelings. I sympathised with Ana, given that she had few options. It was admirable that Federico stayed true to himself and his love for Ana despite the prejudice he faced.
I laughed at some scenes of Ana and Federico, Celestia, and Lucia. I loved the letters as well as the dragon riding scenes. Also, Celestia was cute and sassy. I wanted more of her. This was great.
The above represents my opinions about the ARC of Beaux and Dragons. This review was voluntary.
Technically, my rating is 4.5 stars, but I rounded up. This is loosely a Persuasion adaptation in a fantasy world, it follows some of the same beats and shares many of the same characters, but is also a different story. I knocked half a star off because it does not have one of my favorite scenes from Persuasion in this adaptation in the book, and because it's a novella it feels a little short. It tells the story the author intended, and so I know it's not fair to knock it off for my preferred length. But to the actual characters. Ana is a nice character, we get to know who she is and why she's in the situation she is in. Because of the novella length, we learn more through broad strokes and statements than because of nuance, but overall she's a nice solid character I liked. Her relationship with Federico is a good solid relationship, and it's believable and appropriate for the age range, a nice sweet romance.
ARC review: This was so incredibly cute! I loved the dragon riding mixed with the regency vibes in a latin atmosphere. It’s a short read and due to that the pacing of the book was very fast. Now that isn’t to say it was bad or that I didn’t like it, quite the contrary actually. Every time I felt like it was a good time to put it down to go get something done, there was something happening in the book that drew my attention back immediately. I feel bad for hating Natalia like I did because she really didn’t do anything justifying my hatred for her. I simply can’t stand a girl trying to gain the attention of the MMC even when done in innocent ignorance. ALSO letterssssss. I go absolutely feral for letters in books. There are few things in life I love more than seeing characters exchange missives. The only thing I can think of that I love more than letters in books is actually receiving letters or packages myself
This was the perfect novella to read at the creek in this heat wave. It will also be available on KU. This is part of the Realms of Lurin novella series of standalones written by different authors set in the world of Lurin.
This is a YA fantasy about forbidden love and of course dragons. If your looking for a quick read to round out your summer reading before summer is gone this would be a fun pick.
The regency feel paired with the fantasy is something I really enjoyed. The Latin flair almost makes this feel like its set in regency era Spain, which makes this book a nice stand out in a sea of English regency books. The story is fast paced but still easy to follow while keeping a eye on the kids playing in the creek.
The author generously gifted a copy of the book to my ever growing horde of books takeing over my house. My opinions, like my book horde, are large, uncontrollable, and all mine!
Persuasion with Dragons! This short novel was a delight to read. Ana is the shy dragon loving protagonist. Frederico is the charming love interest. They're both perfect for each other. There's only one problem-Ana's rich, haughty family. Thus begins the twisted retelling of Persuasion. If you know anything about Jane Austen's classic tale, you'll see all the elements of that story in this one, but with two characters who love dragons and a dragon race. It's a fun, breezy read with the journey of a woman from no confidence to one who is willing to risk it all. Enjoyable! Content Warnings: none. PG level violence. Cozy. Kiss to forehead and hand.
Beaux and Dragons by Candice Pedraza Yamnitz is a Cosy fantasy novella. The story was a perfect read for a night after having the grandbabies. It was not overly complex while having characters that captured my attention. This is a great YA novella set in an interesting world. I appreciated it was clean with just a kiss to back of hand and a sweet kiss upon engagement. It reminded me of romance movies on hallmark Channel. Cute and sweet.
I don't usually read fantasy but .....dragons. Who can resist dragons? I loved that I could finish this in a relatively short time, but it could have been much better as a full-length novel. I think the best part for me was that the dragon rider was female, but I didn't see nearly enough interaction between the two. If there are other books in this series, I need to find them. I want more!
What an interesting action packed story. It's a love story, it's a dragon race, it's overcoming parental objections and social standings. This was a really fast paced read. There is something for everyone wanting to read a clean fanciful fiction book. There is not one page that will not hold your interest. Excellent read!
A short and sweet retelling of Jane Austen's "Persuasion" with a fantasy twist!
This was a creative re-imagining of a classic. I enjoyed the setting and the plot, although felt the characters could have had a bit more development. Overall an easy and cute read.
Disclaimer: ARC received from author - all opinions are my own.
This short little dragon adventure had minimal violence (dragon related, but not graphic), and squeaky clean romance (not even kisses). Sometimes the FMC’s lack of backbone in the beginning made me cringe, but I loved how both of the characters grew as the story progressed, and how everything finally fell in place at the end! I received an ARC copy and this is my review.
Beaux and Dragons is another wonderful entry in the Realms of Lurin series of novellas. I found this story to be both entertaining and enjoyable, a perfect fun little read for summer. Clean romance with thrills, it’s easy to recommend this story and this series as well.
Persuasion retelling with dragon racing??? Say less!
This was a sweet, quick read. Though there were some inconsistencies, it didn’t keep me from enjoying this story. This is perfect for fantasy and Jane Austen lovers who are looking for a quick, clean, sweet romance read!
As always, Candice delivers! This YA book is a mixture of Jane Austen’s Persuasion meets dragons. Filled with adventure, dragons, and second chance love this book is a fun, sweet read. Even though I am well beyond YA age, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book 😍 Spice: nondescript kisses only Swearing: None Violence: G
I absolutely loved watching Ana grow to find her voice and on top of that how Federico was a fantastic romantic lead loved his patience with her as she found her way/voice. Beaux and Dragons is a beautiful marriage of persuasion and HTTYD! I see this as a book you will want to read again and again.
*An ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*