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The Bride Hunt #1
Royal Dragon
Listening Length: 7 hours and 21 minutes
Dragon Shifter Novel
Dragon shifters are a dying breed. There are so few females left that, if drastic measures are not taken, and soon, it’ll be over for the species. The threat of extinction looms.
King Blaze finally accepts that there is no other option but to evoke an age old tradition.
The Hunt.
The eligible dragon shifter males must hunt a handful of females. It’s first catch, first serve. The biggest problem is that the females are human. Weak and breakable. In Blaze's opinion, not capable of surviving the hunt, let alone the mating that will follow. He doesn’t believe that a lowly human is capable of birthing him a royal heir, so he sends his brother in his place.
The last thing Coal wants is a human mate. A human. Never. He can’t believe Blaze is using him in this way. Especially when most of the males in their tribe are willing to accept one of these puny females. Not him. He’s never rutted with one and doesn’t have any desire, whatsoever, to rut with one in the future, let alone mate and impregnate one. Yet now, he is being forced to take part in the hunt, to win a female and to mate her. Not an easy feat considering there are three other dragon tribes vying for the opportunity. How the hell is he supposed to do all of this when he doesn’t want to come within a mile of one of these unsavory creatures? Humans are not for him.
This book can be read as a standalone but would be best enjoyed as a part of the series (Start with Chosen by the Vampire Kings). No cliffhanger!
The story contains strong sexual themes/language and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Dragon Shifter Novel
Dragon shifters are a dying breed. There are so few females left that, if drastic measures are not taken, and soon, it’ll be over for the species. The threat of extinction looms.
King Blaze finally accepts that there is no other option but to evoke an age old tradition.
The Hunt.
The eligible dragon shifter males must hunt a handful of females. It’s first catch, first serve. The biggest problem is that the females are human. Weak and breakable. In Blaze's opinion, not capable of surviving the hunt, let alone the mating that will follow. He doesn’t believe that a lowly human is capable of birthing him a royal heir, so he sends his brother in his place.
The last thing Coal wants is a human mate. A human. Never. He can’t believe Blaze is using him in this way. Especially when most of the males in their tribe are willing to accept one of these puny females. Not him. He’s never rutted with one and doesn’t have any desire, whatsoever, to rut with one in the future, let alone mate and impregnate one. Yet now, he is being forced to take part in the hunt, to win a female and to mate her. Not an easy feat considering there are three other dragon tribes vying for the opportunity. How the hell is he supposed to do all of this when he doesn’t want to come within a mile of one of these unsavory creatures? Humans are not for him.
This book can be read as a standalone but would be best enjoyed as a part of the series (Start with Chosen by the Vampire Kings). No cliffhanger!
The story contains strong sexual themes/language and is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2016
3089 people are currently reading
1857 people want to read
About the author
Charlene Hartnady
113 books1,713 followersCharlene lives on an acre in the country with her husband, three children and an array of pets including a snake.
In her spare time you can usually find her typing away franticly on the computer completely lost in worlds of her making. She is an avid believer that it is the small things that truly matter like the feeling you get when you start reading a new book or a particularly beautiful sunset.
Charlene likes to write bite stories her readers can sink their teeth into. Sign up for her latest release newsletter for more information http://mad.ly/signups/96708/join
In her spare time you can usually find her typing away franticly on the computer completely lost in worlds of her making. She is an avid believer that it is the small things that truly matter like the feeling you get when you start reading a new book or a particularly beautiful sunset.
Charlene likes to write bite stories her readers can sink their teeth into. Sign up for her latest release newsletter for more information http://mad.ly/signups/96708/join
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 372 reviews
February 11, 2018
So you guys know that I LOVE ME SOME DRAGONS! So what did I do? Well, I'll tell you what, I found some more fucking smutty dragon-shifter-smut books!
And I am not ashamed!
Out of all the dragon shifter smutty reads that I have found, I think I'm starting to think that this particular series is one of the better ones.
Yes... I'm pouting.
If you want some dirty talking, dragon caveman, hung like an ox, smutty smut. Well look no further, I have found it for you my loves who are in this with me FOR SCIENCE! Well... I hope you liked it as much as I did.
*whispers* Please like it.....
September 2, 2022
Dragon Lady!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💚🖤💙❤️
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌏
Character development: 😒😚🥲
The heroine: Julie - she worked at a hotel as a temporary housekeeper, barely able to pay her bills, when she is fired and can’t pay her rent, she is evicted and then mugged. She ends up being kidnapped along with a bunch of other women, who all tell tales of being abducted by dragons.
The Hero: Coal - He is the prince of the fire dragons and planned to mate one of the dragon females he had been seeing, even though she is sterile. Then his brother, King Blaze, tells Coal that since there are no longer any fertile dragon shifter females, they and the other three kingdoms need to start mating with human females, who hopefully will be able to carry their young. He wants Coal to be the one to do it first, and if humans can’t bear them young, the king will have to then try to mate with a vampire female even though half breeds are looked down upon.
The Story: Dragons have some odd customs, chief among them is what they call ‘The Hunt’. They first abduct a handful of human women, which they justify by the fact that the women are in dire straights and will be better off with them. Then all the eligible males in all four kingdoms hunt the women and fight each other and the first to find them in the wilderness and get their scent on the females, wins them.
Though the dragons have honor and don’t force any of the women. Things go wrong when the female dragon shifter that was rejected when the King told Coal he had to have a human mate, is the one that is in charge of the females before the hunt. She takes out her feelings on the women and treats them terribly and feeds into their fears about what will happen in the hunt.
I kind of liked this inventive storyline even though the idea of the hunt is repugnant in real life. But it was pretty original. At first Julie seemed like the strongest and most intelligent of the females and that was why Coal chose her. Though later on in the story she got annoying. I had liked the fact that after Coal captured her, he very calmly explained everything (where in most books it would take half the book for it all to come out).
However, even after Coal explained all their customs, what would happen and how she had to act in order to be safe, Julie had to keep asking over and over to know every little detail. Even when Coal explained what would happen if she didn’t do what he said, she kept asserting her independence despite the fact that he assured her that he was honorable and nothing bad would happen. It just got on my nerves a bit how much she fought against every thing. Though he was the dragon, she was definitely a dragon lady.
This book was told in dual points of view via dual narration. The narration was done by Stella Bloom and Sebastian York. These are two of my favorite narrators and they always do a great job. Sebastian has a deep and gravelly voice which worked well for the dragon prince. Stella has a clear voice and a great tempo and the overall narration was as great. Though I never give 5 stars for narration unless it is duet narration. I still like to read more of this series.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💚🖤💙❤️
Heat: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌍🌏
Character development: 😒😚🥲
The heroine: Julie - she worked at a hotel as a temporary housekeeper, barely able to pay her bills, when she is fired and can’t pay her rent, she is evicted and then mugged. She ends up being kidnapped along with a bunch of other women, who all tell tales of being abducted by dragons.
The Hero: Coal - He is the prince of the fire dragons and planned to mate one of the dragon females he had been seeing, even though she is sterile. Then his brother, King Blaze, tells Coal that since there are no longer any fertile dragon shifter females, they and the other three kingdoms need to start mating with human females, who hopefully will be able to carry their young. He wants Coal to be the one to do it first, and if humans can’t bear them young, the king will have to then try to mate with a vampire female even though half breeds are looked down upon.
The Story: Dragons have some odd customs, chief among them is what they call ‘The Hunt’. They first abduct a handful of human women, which they justify by the fact that the women are in dire straights and will be better off with them. Then all the eligible males in all four kingdoms hunt the women and fight each other and the first to find them in the wilderness and get their scent on the females, wins them.
Though the dragons have honor and don’t force any of the women. Things go wrong when the female dragon shifter that was rejected when the King told Coal he had to have a human mate, is the one that is in charge of the females before the hunt. She takes out her feelings on the women and treats them terribly and feeds into their fears about what will happen in the hunt.
I kind of liked this inventive storyline even though the idea of the hunt is repugnant in real life. But it was pretty original. At first Julie seemed like the strongest and most intelligent of the females and that was why Coal chose her. Though later on in the story she got annoying. I had liked the fact that after Coal captured her, he very calmly explained everything (where in most books it would take half the book for it all to come out).
However, even after Coal explained all their customs, what would happen and how she had to act in order to be safe, Julie had to keep asking over and over to know every little detail. Even when Coal explained what would happen if she didn’t do what he said, she kept asserting her independence despite the fact that he assured her that he was honorable and nothing bad would happen. It just got on my nerves a bit how much she fought against every thing. Though he was the dragon, she was definitely a dragon lady.
This book was told in dual points of view via dual narration. The narration was done by Stella Bloom and Sebastian York. These are two of my favorite narrators and they always do a great job. Sebastian has a deep and gravelly voice which worked well for the dragon prince. Stella has a clear voice and a great tempo and the overall narration was as great. Though I never give 5 stars for narration unless it is duet narration. I still like to read more of this series.
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November 19, 2016
anyone who wants a less brutal Golden Dynasty with Dragon Shifters recomend
June 18, 2020
I really really didn't like Julie. Okay, I might have liked her in the beginning when she was being all take-charge and basically not a simpering female. But then she started treating Coal like shit, when he was being NICE.
He calmly, rationally explained everything but was Julie calm or rational?
No!
I'm not saying she should have gone and fallen on his dick or whatever but keeping in mind how good and understanding he was being, she could have at least given him the benefit of doubt.
Instead she was being an all out bitch and I don't mean this the same way Coal did.
I don't know... I mean I get the insta-lust type thing they had going but for the story...It was a total dud for me. I don't see the attraction, the love, okay maybe I kinda see it on Coal's side but on Julie's? Hun, I'm just saying but a gazelle could love a lion more.
And that "epiphany"?
The Holy Shit, I might actually love this male realization?
GAH!
I don't even wanna talk about this any more.
I hate ranting and this review probably won't be anything but that if I continue.
Let me just say, I did like this, especially in the beginning but for me it flickered out, in terms of Coal and Julie at least.
I am still gonna give Blaze a shot and I am kinda curious how Candy and Torrent get back together, though the jury's still out on whether I read their's or not...
May 10, 2018
3-3.5 stars.
I’m a bit torn with this one, It had a great start and I did enjoyed it quite a bit, but I felt like something was missing. It was too rushed for my taste. It didn’t go very deep into the characters, and there wasn’t much development.
Nothing happens besides them being in a room fucking all day long.
And then skips to a week later to just read some more about them fucking.
Some typing errors here and there, but nothing too major, just things that I’d notice.
I thought that Coal wanted to bite her to mark her as his mate, did he do it? We will never find out.
At least she jumps off a cliff and they get their HEA
Don’t know if I’ll continue with the series.
I’m a bit torn with this one, It had a great start and I did enjoyed it quite a bit, but I felt like something was missing. It was too rushed for my taste. It didn’t go very deep into the characters, and there wasn’t much development.
Nothing happens besides them being in a room fucking all day long.
And then skips to a week later to just read some more about them fucking.
Some typing errors here and there, but nothing too major, just things that I’d notice.
I thought that Coal wanted to bite her to mark her as his mate, did he do it? We will never find out.
At least she jumps off a cliff and they get their HEA
Don’t know if I’ll continue with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2017
Julie, the female mc, was ok. She was a lot of complaining. Coal, the flame dragon guy, was very sweet and cooked for her. That's all you need to know.
The first half of the book I skimmed a lot until the main characters met. Not a bad dragon book.
The first half of the book I skimmed a lot until the main characters met. Not a bad dragon book.
July 10, 2016
There was so much I loved about this book, in fact I really, really like this author and I have read several of her books. I loved the hero, that he starts out wanting nothing to do with humans and then falls head over heals in love with the heroine. The world that was created was great and so interesting. I had a huge issues(multiple) with the heroine she was mean and selfish and it seemed like the only thing she thought about was herself and in fact had double standards all over when it came to herself but no one else was allowed anything unless she was ok with it and she many times thought ever vision people had were stupid because she wouldn't have don't it their way.
If I'm being very honest she is the most irritating heroine I have ever read. I really, really liked this book besides her but I disliked her so much she pretty much ruined the book and I wanted our hero to have someone else who was worthy of him. I really thought I would have a new series here and I will check out the next book but this heroine was so bad that I can't and won't read a book with this heroine again. Usually I can get past a lot and unlike many people I tend to like most heroines I read about (even when many people have issues with a particular heroine). So after all that this one is hard to rate, on one hand as I said the heroine was bad, but everything else was really good so because I can't decide I'm going to rate this one right down he middle.
*The only other thing I am not sure about is
If I'm being very honest she is the most irritating heroine I have ever read. I really, really liked this book besides her but I disliked her so much she pretty much ruined the book and I wanted our hero to have someone else who was worthy of him. I really thought I would have a new series here and I will check out the next book but this heroine was so bad that I can't and won't read a book with this heroine again. Usually I can get past a lot and unlike many people I tend to like most heroines I read about (even when many people have issues with a particular heroine). So after all that this one is hard to rate, on one hand as I said the heroine was bad, but everything else was really good so because I can't decide I'm going to rate this one right down he middle.
*The only other thing I am not sure about is
December 12, 2018
4 “Take the plunge “-stars ! 🐉
Coal is a fire dragon prince and tasked by his brother(the king) to join “the hunt”, an ancient tradition where dragon males compete over the right to have a female. Enter Julie.
Julie is hardworking, stubborn and feisty. She is also homeless. A perfect candidate for the dragons, since dragon shifters are still unknown to the world, which means no one will miss her.
As always, Hartnadys story are compelling, unique and hot.
Personally, i did miss a little more “fight”. The blurb gives a pretty clear picture that NONE of them are having this arrangement, and yet I didn’t feel this “resistance”. Yes, Julie TRIED to convince herself of her “no sex with a dragon because she sure as hell ain’t having his little dragon babies”, and yet, I felt that she didn’t try really hard. And Coal. Well.. the resentment toward humans was non-existent. It’s why I can’t have the final star, because I really do love her stories. They are GREAT! This book had so many “drama opportunities ” that I felt was greatly “ignored” or simply wasn’t acted strongly enough upon. AND I LOVE THE “ JEALOUS EX”, The “ I CAN’T MATE A HUMAN? ARE YOU LOCO ?“, drama options! But sadly they weren’t as “deep” as I would have liked to really believe it.
Side note : It was also really rushed in the end. Still good and entertaining.
Read: 16/08/2018
Will i recommend : Still a YES! I do like Dragon shifters ✔️
Coal is a fire dragon prince and tasked by his brother(the king) to join “the hunt”, an ancient tradition where dragon males compete over the right to have a female. Enter Julie.
Julie is hardworking, stubborn and feisty. She is also homeless. A perfect candidate for the dragons, since dragon shifters are still unknown to the world, which means no one will miss her.
As always, Hartnadys story are compelling, unique and hot.
Personally, i did miss a little more “fight”. The blurb gives a pretty clear picture that NONE of them are having this arrangement, and yet I didn’t feel this “resistance”. Yes, Julie TRIED to convince herself of her “no sex with a dragon because she sure as hell ain’t having his little dragon babies”, and yet, I felt that she didn’t try really hard. And Coal. Well.. the resentment toward humans was non-existent. It’s why I can’t have the final star, because I really do love her stories. They are GREAT! This book had so many “drama opportunities ” that I felt was greatly “ignored” or simply wasn’t acted strongly enough upon. AND I LOVE THE “ JEALOUS EX”, The “ I CAN’T MATE A HUMAN? ARE YOU LOCO ?“, drama options! But sadly they weren’t as “deep” as I would have liked to really believe it.
Side note : It was also really rushed in the end. Still good and entertaining.
Read: 16/08/2018
Will i recommend : Still a YES! I do like Dragon shifters ✔️
July 25, 2016
Royal Dragon Review
I had such high hopes for this book but sadly it was a big waste of time. I feel bad for leaving a negative review but I have to be honest. The Heroine (Julie) was so hot and cold towards the hero (Coal). One minute she likes him and wants to be with and then the next minute she hates him and thinks the worst of him. By the 45% mark I was so done with Julie and her attitude I wanted the hero to take her back from where she came from or just throw her off a cliff. I have never EVER hated a heroine in a book before until I read this book. I just couldn't relate to her, her whole reasoning for "why" she was like this just wasn't a good enough excuse for me. Throughout the whole book it felt like she was constantly yelling at our hero or thinking the worst in him when there was no reason to. I just didn't like this book or the heroin in it. All the other characters were great! I liked them and wished I had read more about them. All in all, this book had so much potential to be something amazing! But the heroine messed it up. If you like your leading Lady to act as a major b*tch the entire book, then this book is for you. If not, then spare yourself this read and look elsewhere. Happy reading :)
I had such high hopes for this book but sadly it was a big waste of time. I feel bad for leaving a negative review but I have to be honest. The Heroine (Julie) was so hot and cold towards the hero (Coal). One minute she likes him and wants to be with and then the next minute she hates him and thinks the worst of him. By the 45% mark I was so done with Julie and her attitude I wanted the hero to take her back from where she came from or just throw her off a cliff. I have never EVER hated a heroine in a book before until I read this book. I just couldn't relate to her, her whole reasoning for "why" she was like this just wasn't a good enough excuse for me. Throughout the whole book it felt like she was constantly yelling at our hero or thinking the worst in him when there was no reason to. I just didn't like this book or the heroin in it. All the other characters were great! I liked them and wished I had read more about them. All in all, this book had so much potential to be something amazing! But the heroine messed it up. If you like your leading Lady to act as a major b*tch the entire book, then this book is for you. If not, then spare yourself this read and look elsewhere. Happy reading :)
July 21, 2017
King Blaze has ordered his brother Coal to join the Bride Hunt and take a human mate. Coal was fine with mating another and isn't thrilled by his current task, a human after all is fragile and he has nothing in common with them. The problem is Dragon Shifters are a dying breed and they need fertile women to carry on their line.
Julie has been kidnapped and she thinks that the men behind kidnapping her and the other women are going to rape and pillage them. When Coal captures her and claims she is his, she fights him tooth and nail. Coal though is curious about his little female and decides he is going to change her mind about escaping one one tantalizing seduction at a time.
This was delightful. Several very funny moments and I liked the fact that they had different concepts on what was expected from the other. I liked Coal he was charming and I was curious to see how he would woo Julie. Glad I ran across this book, will be reading the others in the series.
Julie has been kidnapped and she thinks that the men behind kidnapping her and the other women are going to rape and pillage them. When Coal captures her and claims she is his, she fights him tooth and nail. Coal though is curious about his little female and decides he is going to change her mind about escaping one one tantalizing seduction at a time.
This was delightful. Several very funny moments and I liked the fact that they had different concepts on what was expected from the other. I liked Coal he was charming and I was curious to see how he would woo Julie. Glad I ran across this book, will be reading the others in the series.
April 23, 2017
While I liked the hero, I found the heroine so whinny and annoying! She moaned non stop it was really irritating. This was my first book from this author. I will try another but if all the female leads are like this then this author might not be for me.
August 9, 2016
3.5 stars
June 15, 2024
3⭐️ I don’t know what kind of crack this woman put in this book, but I couldn’t put it down!!! It kinda reminded me of The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley….but it was a less brutal version of it!
Listen, this is no literary masterpiece, so don’t go into it expecting flowery prose or complicated world building because this isn’t that!😅 It was pure escapism! Yes, the plot was nonexistent but I was highly entertained by the characters and I loved the bride hunt aspect of it. Because let’s be honest here, who doesn’t want to be kidnapped by a gorgeous, hunky dragon shifter who worships the ground you walk on? 😂
I didn’t rate it higher because A) I am very stingy with my 5 stars and this wasn’t a 5 stars read even though I liket it a lot, B) Julie‘s attitude annoyed me at times, but given her past, I could understand where her fears where coming from.
And C) I would have wished to have more scenes where they spend time together doing other stuff besides having sex.😂 They spent most of the time in his chambers doing it…and I mean yeah..the spice was spicing alright😅, but I wanted a bit more, you know?
ALSO….ahm why has nobody warned me about the way dragon babies are born???? Whhyyyyy? 🙈😂Because the gasp I gasped when I found out..🤣
Anyway….I enjoyed this a LOT and I will start reading the next one shortly! I am so curious about Candy & Torrent‘s story!🤭
EDIT: After some careful consideration, I’ve decided to rate it 3 - 3.5 stars instead of 3.75. 😂
Listen, this is no literary masterpiece, so don’t go into it expecting flowery prose or complicated world building because this isn’t that!😅 It was pure escapism! Yes, the plot was nonexistent but I was highly entertained by the characters and I loved the bride hunt aspect of it. Because let’s be honest here, who doesn’t want to be kidnapped by a gorgeous, hunky dragon shifter who worships the ground you walk on? 😂
I didn’t rate it higher because A) I am very stingy with my 5 stars and this wasn’t a 5 stars read even though I liket it a lot, B) Julie‘s attitude annoyed me at times, but given her past, I could understand where her fears where coming from.
And C) I would have wished to have more scenes where they spend time together doing other stuff besides having sex.😂 They spent most of the time in his chambers doing it…and I mean yeah..the spice was spicing alright😅, but I wanted a bit more, you know?
ALSO….ahm why has nobody warned me about the way dragon babies are born???? Whhyyyyy? 🙈😂Because the gasp I gasped when I found out..🤣
Anyway….I enjoyed this a LOT and I will start reading the next one shortly! I am so curious about Candy & Torrent‘s story!🤭
EDIT: After some careful consideration, I’ve decided to rate it 3 - 3.5 stars instead of 3.75. 😂
February 24, 2019
I liked this book a lot; it was a fun read. I especially enjoyed the hunt part, where the chase was on, and the dragons were trying to capture a human mate. Exciting stuff! And it was interesting to see how the different women reacted.
I found the opening to the story a little hard to get into. There were a lot of characters mentioned and keeping track of who was who was a bit of a challenge. I almost didn't read further, but I was glad I did because it turned out to be a very good read--and the setup in the beginning was important to understanding the story.
I found the opening to the story a little hard to get into. There were a lot of characters mentioned and keeping track of who was who was a bit of a challenge. I almost didn't read further, but I was glad I did because it turned out to be a very good read--and the setup in the beginning was important to understanding the story.
January 12, 2025
Royal Dragon is the thrilling first installment in The Bride Hunt series. The story follows characters who are kidnapped and must run for their lives from creatures they never knew existed.
While each book can be enjoyed as a standalone, it's best to read them in order to fully appreciate the rich paranormal elements and exciting themes they offer. The characters just need to stay alive, but what they discover is more significant than they ever imagined.
I love the strong, sexy alpha males in protective roles!
While each book can be enjoyed as a standalone, it's best to read them in order to fully appreciate the rich paranormal elements and exciting themes they offer. The characters just need to stay alive, but what they discover is more significant than they ever imagined.
I love the strong, sexy alpha males in protective roles!
January 2, 2019
This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it. I’m a big fan of dragon shifters so I was excited to stumble upon this series and I can’t wait to read the next book.
November 1, 2019
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
Ugh okay so my frustration and disappointment with this book has heavily influenced my rating. Let me tell you why.
This book started out really strong. I got invested, like, staying up till 5am invested. Then it took a massive nosedive off a cliff and landed on flat on it's face. I think I stopped reading about halfway through because honestly...I just couldn't anymore.
When I start reading erotic romances, the BIGGEST thing for me is the heroine - is she likeable, strong, can I root for her? Julie ticked all of these boxes. She'd had a tough life but she was resilient and determined to carve good out of the bad. She gets kidnapped but doesn't fall about crying or pointlessly screaming. She smart. Then comes "The Hunt" where she's smarter still and fights her butt off, giving the dragon shifter (Coal) a run for his money until he eventually captures her. And then what happens? Well, she proceeds to spend every single second they are together doing one of two things.
First, she accuses him of planning to rape her. This made sense for her to do at first because she had been lead to believe this would happen by a certain manipulative meanie (Coal's Ex.) However, after Coal has been nothing but a gentlemen, calmly explained that he absolutely will not do anything without permission, it gets really tired. The first 24 hours they are together he doesn't initiate anything sexual, even promises to return her home after two weeks if she still doesn't want him, and yet she's still all "You're a rapist!" It just got very boring.
The second thing she did? Was talk about his errrrm...appendage. Yeah, it's huge. We get it, sweetie. She talked about it in her head, she talked to him about it. I literally could not stop rolling my eyes because It. Was. All. She. Talked. About. When she wasn't calling him a rapist that is...
So what does she do as soon as they are in his room? With this "monster" that has a "penis so big she's going to need medical attention afterwards", this man that she's sooooo certain is a rapist? Oh yeah, she begs him to have sex with her because, ya know, he's so damned huge.
I stopped reading there because I was sick of her by this point.
I'm disappointed because this book had a lot of potential. The writer is fairly talented, and right up until Julie met Coal's massive penis, there were no corny lines or overused metaphors. Coal, too, was an interesting character. I liked that he really didn't want a human mate. Often, with books where there's a hunt involved, it's completely by chance that the guy happens to catch that particular girl. But in this book, Coal (along with a bunch of other shifters) is chasing five women and as he is the strongest, he knows he basically has his pick. He doesn't get Julie by chance or goes after her because she has perfect raven locks that flow gently in the breeze. He chooses to go after the one that made the smartest choices, the one that had the best plan, which led him to Julie.
I still liked Coal right until I gave up with Julie. He was kind yet strong, patient yet dominant. A great balance - which I have to give props to the author for as that is a balance that's pretty hard to pull off. But, not only was Julie's treatment of him tiresome it was also painful. He didn't deserve it. He didn't want to be a part of the hunt any more than she did and the fact that she didn't get that not only made her annoying, it also made her stupid, which is the fastest way to kill off my love for a character.
This was my first book by this author and whilst I enjoyed her style, her grasp on the mind of kidnap victim was kind of messed up. If a mythological creature kidnapped me in order to breed me, I'd have more to say to him then a constant stream of "Your d**k is sooooo huge" *makes googly eyes*
If smut with no plot or substance is your thing than I recommend this book, but if you're anything like me, it'll leave you deflated and disappointed.
Ugh okay so my frustration and disappointment with this book has heavily influenced my rating. Let me tell you why.
This book started out really strong. I got invested, like, staying up till 5am invested. Then it took a massive nosedive off a cliff and landed on flat on it's face. I think I stopped reading about halfway through because honestly...I just couldn't anymore.
When I start reading erotic romances, the BIGGEST thing for me is the heroine - is she likeable, strong, can I root for her? Julie ticked all of these boxes. She'd had a tough life but she was resilient and determined to carve good out of the bad. She gets kidnapped but doesn't fall about crying or pointlessly screaming. She smart. Then comes "The Hunt" where she's smarter still and fights her butt off, giving the dragon shifter (Coal) a run for his money until he eventually captures her. And then what happens? Well, she proceeds to spend every single second they are together doing one of two things.
First, she accuses him of planning to rape her. This made sense for her to do at first because she had been lead to believe this would happen by a certain manipulative meanie (Coal's Ex.) However, after Coal has been nothing but a gentlemen, calmly explained that he absolutely will not do anything without permission, it gets really tired. The first 24 hours they are together he doesn't initiate anything sexual, even promises to return her home after two weeks if she still doesn't want him, and yet she's still all "You're a rapist!" It just got very boring.
The second thing she did? Was talk about his errrrm...appendage. Yeah, it's huge. We get it, sweetie. She talked about it in her head, she talked to him about it. I literally could not stop rolling my eyes because It. Was. All. She. Talked. About. When she wasn't calling him a rapist that is...
So what does she do as soon as they are in his room? With this "monster" that has a "penis so big she's going to need medical attention afterwards", this man that she's sooooo certain is a rapist? Oh yeah, she begs him to have sex with her because, ya know, he's so damned huge.
I stopped reading there because I was sick of her by this point.
I'm disappointed because this book had a lot of potential. The writer is fairly talented, and right up until Julie met Coal's massive penis, there were no corny lines or overused metaphors. Coal, too, was an interesting character. I liked that he really didn't want a human mate. Often, with books where there's a hunt involved, it's completely by chance that the guy happens to catch that particular girl. But in this book, Coal (along with a bunch of other shifters) is chasing five women and as he is the strongest, he knows he basically has his pick. He doesn't get Julie by chance or goes after her because she has perfect raven locks that flow gently in the breeze. He chooses to go after the one that made the smartest choices, the one that had the best plan, which led him to Julie.
I still liked Coal right until I gave up with Julie. He was kind yet strong, patient yet dominant. A great balance - which I have to give props to the author for as that is a balance that's pretty hard to pull off. But, not only was Julie's treatment of him tiresome it was also painful. He didn't deserve it. He didn't want to be a part of the hunt any more than she did and the fact that she didn't get that not only made her annoying, it also made her stupid, which is the fastest way to kill off my love for a character.
This was my first book by this author and whilst I enjoyed her style, her grasp on the mind of kidnap victim was kind of messed up. If a mythological creature kidnapped me in order to breed me, I'd have more to say to him then a constant stream of "Your d**k is sooooo huge" *makes googly eyes*
If smut with no plot or substance is your thing than I recommend this book, but if you're anything like me, it'll leave you deflated and disappointed.
April 9, 2017
Ugh. I was not a fan of this one. The beginning of the book just dragged for me. I didn't like that Coal thought so lowly of humans even though he has never met one. Asshole. Pretty much just wanted to skip to the part in which Julie and Coal actually met, but my OCD tendencies wouldn't let me. So for the first few chapters i was just bored out of my mind. After that i just came to hate Julie. She annoyed me far too much. Her constant doubt and accusations made my eyes twitch in annoyance. I got it the first time with what Scarlet told them, but after that i just couldn't understand it. Especially since Coal hadn't done a single thing to make her fear him. As for Coal himself he was just meh in my opinion. Honestly wasn't really a fan of any of the characters so i won't be continuing the series. It's a shame since i love dragon shifters.
September 19, 2019
DNF 68%
WHAT the hell? Pillow talk and Laughing with my abductor and probable rapist after an hour. She trusts him and he changed his ancient human hating sexist ways already on the hunt. I can guess were this "plot" is going and life is too short for this stuff.
The dialogs are at times just cringe worthy - this is the reason why paranormal romance has a tacky reputation: it's a written porn and a bad one at that! Luckily women just need to see a big package and abduction, pain, slaps, hunger and cold are forgotten - insta love for you (I think I just threw up in my mouth).
WHAT the hell? Pillow talk and Laughing with my abductor and probable rapist after an hour. She trusts him and he changed his ancient human hating sexist ways already on the hunt. I can guess were this "plot" is going and life is too short for this stuff.
The dialogs are at times just cringe worthy - this is the reason why paranormal romance has a tacky reputation: it's a written porn and a bad one at that! Luckily women just need to see a big package and abduction, pain, slaps, hunger and cold are forgotten - insta love for you (I think I just threw up in my mouth).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2018
Another great series
October 5, 2016
DELICIOUSLY CUTE, COMPLETELY CAPTIVATING AND DELIGHTFULLY ENTERTAINING !!!
Title: Royal Dragon
Series: The Bride Hunt
Designation: Book One of Series, Standalone Full-Length Novel, NO Cliffhanger
Author: Charlene Hartnady
Genre: #ParanormalRomance #DragonShifter
Reading Platform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: FIVE SINFULLY DELICIOUSLY STARS
Whoop! Charlene Hartnady has knocked it out of the park again with Royal Dragon, the first release in her brand spanking new The Bride Hunt Series, and I have a new favorite! Yeah, yeah, I know I say the same thing every time but I truly loved, loved, loved this book! It's no secret that I've been a diehard Charlene Hartnady fan for years and devour everything she writes. And just why do I love her writing so much, you ask??? Well, I'm so glad you asked. First and foremost, it's quite evident from the finished product that Hartnady invests a lot of time and effort into every book she writes but it's even more obvious that she pours her very heart and soul into each and every story. Hartnady's books are always exceptionally well crafted and edited, and Royal Dragon is no exception. Second, some people are just born with natural talent and fortunately for us, Hartnady has been abundantly blessed. She is a gifted storyteller with an incredible imagination who excels at creating vividly depicted worlds with realistic, engaging characters. You know, the kind that immediately draw you into the story and remember long after you read the last line.
But I digress, let's talk some specifics about this book. Royal Dragon is an exciting, fast-paced, exceptionally well crafted and edited full-length standalone romance, beautifully written in the third person with alternating his and her perspectives. I was instantly smitten with the two protagonists of this story, handsome, strong, stubborn, hard-headed and very opinionated royal fire dragon prince Coal and lovely, independent, hard-working, strong-willed and very human Julie. I felt they were absolutely perfect together and played off each other brilliantly. I loved that they were both brave, strong and loyal....no whimpering female here. I loved Julie's philosophy which is the same as mine : When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! And as usual, the dialogue is smart, seductive, well executed and naturally, laugh out loud funny. You just gotta love the sexy raunchy rawness that comes out of a shifters mouth. *Rawwrr* Love it! Hartnady skillfully combines every single one of these elements into a deliciously cute paranormal saga filled to the brim with heart-stopping danger, heart-wrenching angst, hilarious humor, heated attraction, fiery passion, heartwarming romance and of course, dreamy sex! After all, this is a Charlene Hartnady story and we all know she writes some of the steamiest sex scenes - ever!
Premise: The Bride Hunt Series is basically a spin-off from Hartnady's earlier series, The Program which featured a captivating cast of vampires seeking human mates. It seems the vampires aren't the only species encountering reproductive problems. All the non-humans are experiencing the same dilemma - no females to procreate their species and the very few dragon births have been all male and apparently it's the same with the other non-human species as well. For no known reason, female children have just stopped being born. Unfortunately, the dragons have been the worst affected. Several months ago, the vampires instigated their 'breeding program' whereby they advertised in the paper and recruited human females to participate in a dating program for their elite vampire males. Of course, the wolf shifters have been secretly taking human females for years. The elves, who seem to be the least affected, prefer to isolate themselves completely, which is pretty much what the dragon shifters have also preferred - until now. In the entire four dragon tribes, Fire, Earth, Air and Water, there are only two unmated fertile dragon females remaining and hundreds of male dragons. Scratch that....there were two but since Ruby, the fire dragon princess, recently mated a vampire (oops), the deal for Blaze, King of the fire dragons, to secure the available fertile female dragons is null and void. Oh no! Ruby was promised to Thunder, King of the Air Tribe, and when their mating didn't happen, Thunder gave his two sisters to the earth and water princes. Uh-oh! Now there are no fertile female dragons left and four tribes of unmated males. If their species is to survive, they need a plan...like now, and like the vampires, it seems their future will also depend upon human females. But they have no way of knowing whether a mating between a human female and a dragon of royal blood will produce a royal offspring and there's only one way to find out.....a royal male must mate with a human female and impregnate her to see if the egg (and yes, I said egg) will be golden and therefore hatch a royal baby with golden markings. What? An egg??? I know it sounds a little complicated but it's really not! So, what's a fire king willing to do to ensure the continuation of his people??? Mate a human??? Of course not! Blaze will use his brother Coal as a guinea pig and order him to hunt...claim...mate... and impregnate a human female. And just where will they find willing human females??? I'm so glad you asked! First, they will abduct...I mean rescue five human females who are impoverished, abused or in some kind of trouble, and force...um...I mean offer them a mutually beneficial deal to participate in the Hunt. Wait...What? The Hunt??? As tradition dictates, hundreds of dragon males including Coal will assemble for the Hunt and all of them will be vying for a chance to win one of five human females. What could go wrong??? Don't ask!
Royal fire dragon prince Coal can't believe his king, who also happens to be his brother, has ordered him to win one of the deplorable human females in the Hunt...plus get her to agree to a mating. Oh, and then somehow convince her to allow him to impregnate her and hope the human will birth a royal child. Coward...some brother! It's supposed to the king who needs an heir...not him. Yuck! Nope, he's never even been on one of the twice-monthly stag runs! He'd rather settle for one of the infertile dragon females. Scarlet will do nicely. He doesn't love her but he likes her ...kinda. He's never, ever rutted with a human and never intends to be with one! Never gonna happen! But we all know, never say never! Fortunately for Coal, it seems he may have underestimated the human females, or at least one of them. The dark haired one is really smart and strong, but she also may be slightly crazy. Unfortunately, she's the only one who has proven herself to be a worthy adversary as well as the only one that holds any interest for him. Possibly, he could muster enough interest to mate and impregnate her ...maybe. Oh, she can run and she can hide but she'll never escape him - not now! The Hunt just got a lot more interesting and this female just may be worthy of the honor of bearing his royal offspring!
Julie's life hasn't been easy. Since the tender age of four, she's been bounced from one foster home to another. And the one thing she's learned, trust no one. Sadly, things aren't looking up. She just lost her crappy temporary job and her apartment, and now she's been robbed. Things couldn't get much worse, could they??? Oh but they could! She's just been abducted by a dragon???? What???Dragon shifter maybe??? What in the world would dragon shifters want with her??? Don't ask! Whatever it is, she's not buying it! She'll fight to her dying breath to escape. Oh my! Buckle up, my lovelies; here we go again!
When reviewing a rating a book, there are several questions I always ask myself. First, did I like, love or hate this book? Well, I think the answer must be obvious. I absolutely loved it! As a matter of fact, I think it may be Hartnady's best work to date. I was immediately drawn into this story by Hartnady's familiar world of shifters and the amazing cast of engaging characters. I laughed with them, cried for them as well as empathized with them. The hero and heroine were both stubborn, strong-willed characters but as the story progressed, we learn much more about them. Some folks may not like Julie in the beginning of the story but I fell in love with her character instantly, recognizing a kindred spirit. But I will admit, you have to read to the end of the book to truly understand Julie and her motivations. My heart literally broke for Julie as her past was slowly revealed and once she confided the real reason for not wanting to have children, I just broke down and sobbed like a baby. But never fear folks, this is a full-length standalone novel with 306 pages of fun-filled, heartwarming goodness and NO cliffhanger. Without a doubt, Royal Dragon, in my opinion, is one of the most emotionally engaging stories Hartnady has ever written. I giggled, snickered, guffawed, sniffled, snuffled and sobbed through the entire book but by the end, I was happy, satisfied and delightfully entertained.
Second, would I recommend this book? You bet and I am but only for adult readers. As I said, there are some sinfully sexy love scenes!
Third, will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book!
And finally, was I entertained? Oh lawd, yes! Completely and totally entertained! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! Bring on Book Two!
Title: Royal Dragon
Series: The Bride Hunt
Designation: Book One of Series, Standalone Full-Length Novel, NO Cliffhanger
Author: Charlene Hartnady
Genre: #ParanormalRomance #DragonShifter
Reading Platform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: FIVE SINFULLY DELICIOUSLY STARS
Whoop! Charlene Hartnady has knocked it out of the park again with Royal Dragon, the first release in her brand spanking new The Bride Hunt Series, and I have a new favorite! Yeah, yeah, I know I say the same thing every time but I truly loved, loved, loved this book! It's no secret that I've been a diehard Charlene Hartnady fan for years and devour everything she writes. And just why do I love her writing so much, you ask??? Well, I'm so glad you asked. First and foremost, it's quite evident from the finished product that Hartnady invests a lot of time and effort into every book she writes but it's even more obvious that she pours her very heart and soul into each and every story. Hartnady's books are always exceptionally well crafted and edited, and Royal Dragon is no exception. Second, some people are just born with natural talent and fortunately for us, Hartnady has been abundantly blessed. She is a gifted storyteller with an incredible imagination who excels at creating vividly depicted worlds with realistic, engaging characters. You know, the kind that immediately draw you into the story and remember long after you read the last line.
But I digress, let's talk some specifics about this book. Royal Dragon is an exciting, fast-paced, exceptionally well crafted and edited full-length standalone romance, beautifully written in the third person with alternating his and her perspectives. I was instantly smitten with the two protagonists of this story, handsome, strong, stubborn, hard-headed and very opinionated royal fire dragon prince Coal and lovely, independent, hard-working, strong-willed and very human Julie. I felt they were absolutely perfect together and played off each other brilliantly. I loved that they were both brave, strong and loyal....no whimpering female here. I loved Julie's philosophy which is the same as mine : When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! And as usual, the dialogue is smart, seductive, well executed and naturally, laugh out loud funny. You just gotta love the sexy raunchy rawness that comes out of a shifters mouth. *Rawwrr* Love it! Hartnady skillfully combines every single one of these elements into a deliciously cute paranormal saga filled to the brim with heart-stopping danger, heart-wrenching angst, hilarious humor, heated attraction, fiery passion, heartwarming romance and of course, dreamy sex! After all, this is a Charlene Hartnady story and we all know she writes some of the steamiest sex scenes - ever!
Premise: The Bride Hunt Series is basically a spin-off from Hartnady's earlier series, The Program which featured a captivating cast of vampires seeking human mates. It seems the vampires aren't the only species encountering reproductive problems. All the non-humans are experiencing the same dilemma - no females to procreate their species and the very few dragon births have been all male and apparently it's the same with the other non-human species as well. For no known reason, female children have just stopped being born. Unfortunately, the dragons have been the worst affected. Several months ago, the vampires instigated their 'breeding program' whereby they advertised in the paper and recruited human females to participate in a dating program for their elite vampire males. Of course, the wolf shifters have been secretly taking human females for years. The elves, who seem to be the least affected, prefer to isolate themselves completely, which is pretty much what the dragon shifters have also preferred - until now. In the entire four dragon tribes, Fire, Earth, Air and Water, there are only two unmated fertile dragon females remaining and hundreds of male dragons. Scratch that....there were two but since Ruby, the fire dragon princess, recently mated a vampire (oops), the deal for Blaze, King of the fire dragons, to secure the available fertile female dragons is null and void. Oh no! Ruby was promised to Thunder, King of the Air Tribe, and when their mating didn't happen, Thunder gave his two sisters to the earth and water princes. Uh-oh! Now there are no fertile female dragons left and four tribes of unmated males. If their species is to survive, they need a plan...like now, and like the vampires, it seems their future will also depend upon human females. But they have no way of knowing whether a mating between a human female and a dragon of royal blood will produce a royal offspring and there's only one way to find out.....a royal male must mate with a human female and impregnate her to see if the egg (and yes, I said egg) will be golden and therefore hatch a royal baby with golden markings. What? An egg??? I know it sounds a little complicated but it's really not! So, what's a fire king willing to do to ensure the continuation of his people??? Mate a human??? Of course not! Blaze will use his brother Coal as a guinea pig and order him to hunt...claim...mate... and impregnate a human female. And just where will they find willing human females??? I'm so glad you asked! First, they will abduct...I mean rescue five human females who are impoverished, abused or in some kind of trouble, and force...um...I mean offer them a mutually beneficial deal to participate in the Hunt. Wait...What? The Hunt??? As tradition dictates, hundreds of dragon males including Coal will assemble for the Hunt and all of them will be vying for a chance to win one of five human females. What could go wrong??? Don't ask!
Royal fire dragon prince Coal can't believe his king, who also happens to be his brother, has ordered him to win one of the deplorable human females in the Hunt...plus get her to agree to a mating. Oh, and then somehow convince her to allow him to impregnate her and hope the human will birth a royal child. Coward...some brother! It's supposed to the king who needs an heir...not him. Yuck! Nope, he's never even been on one of the twice-monthly stag runs! He'd rather settle for one of the infertile dragon females. Scarlet will do nicely. He doesn't love her but he likes her ...kinda. He's never, ever rutted with a human and never intends to be with one! Never gonna happen! But we all know, never say never! Fortunately for Coal, it seems he may have underestimated the human females, or at least one of them. The dark haired one is really smart and strong, but she also may be slightly crazy. Unfortunately, she's the only one who has proven herself to be a worthy adversary as well as the only one that holds any interest for him. Possibly, he could muster enough interest to mate and impregnate her ...maybe. Oh, she can run and she can hide but she'll never escape him - not now! The Hunt just got a lot more interesting and this female just may be worthy of the honor of bearing his royal offspring!
Julie's life hasn't been easy. Since the tender age of four, she's been bounced from one foster home to another. And the one thing she's learned, trust no one. Sadly, things aren't looking up. She just lost her crappy temporary job and her apartment, and now she's been robbed. Things couldn't get much worse, could they??? Oh but they could! She's just been abducted by a dragon???? What???Dragon shifter maybe??? What in the world would dragon shifters want with her??? Don't ask! Whatever it is, she's not buying it! She'll fight to her dying breath to escape. Oh my! Buckle up, my lovelies; here we go again!
When reviewing a rating a book, there are several questions I always ask myself. First, did I like, love or hate this book? Well, I think the answer must be obvious. I absolutely loved it! As a matter of fact, I think it may be Hartnady's best work to date. I was immediately drawn into this story by Hartnady's familiar world of shifters and the amazing cast of engaging characters. I laughed with them, cried for them as well as empathized with them. The hero and heroine were both stubborn, strong-willed characters but as the story progressed, we learn much more about them. Some folks may not like Julie in the beginning of the story but I fell in love with her character instantly, recognizing a kindred spirit. But I will admit, you have to read to the end of the book to truly understand Julie and her motivations. My heart literally broke for Julie as her past was slowly revealed and once she confided the real reason for not wanting to have children, I just broke down and sobbed like a baby. But never fear folks, this is a full-length standalone novel with 306 pages of fun-filled, heartwarming goodness and NO cliffhanger. Without a doubt, Royal Dragon, in my opinion, is one of the most emotionally engaging stories Hartnady has ever written. I giggled, snickered, guffawed, sniffled, snuffled and sobbed through the entire book but by the end, I was happy, satisfied and delightfully entertained.
Second, would I recommend this book? You bet and I am but only for adult readers. As I said, there are some sinfully sexy love scenes!
Third, will I read this author again? Absolutely! Just as soon as she releases her next book!
And finally, was I entertained? Oh lawd, yes! Completely and totally entertained! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read! Bring on Book Two!
December 13, 2021
Kinda sweet but the FMC got on my nerves like really got on my nerves. MMC was so sweet despite his previous reservation about her but the women just couldn't get it through her thick skull, I just wanted to strangle her at times!
April 13, 2018
4 Stars!!
I was really hesitant going into the book. The book blurb drew me in but there was a lot of bad reviews. A lot of reviews stated the heroine was whiny and they didn’t like her......
Well I’m so glad I gave it a shot! I was hooked from the beginning. I really expected there to be a lot of back and forth fighting each other and there feelings but there wasn’t. I didn’t find the heroine to be whiny.... I felt given where she came from she was untrusting and then thrown into an unknown world and extreme conditions gave her the right to be wary. I didn’t think she took it to the extreme she gave into her feelings fairly quickly.
The dragon shifter king is concerned for there species. They dont have any more inmates fertile females and there existence is becoming scarce. They need to reproduce. Dragon shifters are unknown to the human world due to centuries before they were almost wiped out my humans. They decide to find 5 women who are in need of help, no families, nothing that ties them to there current world. They essentially kidnap them and then set the loose in the mountains while they are hunted by hundreds of dragon males. The king has tasked his brother with winning one of these females and mating with her. They want to find out if reproducing offspring with a human will still breed the royal line. Basically gold markings are royal. Coal the fire prince does not like humans he thinks they are below them and he does not want this job. But he will do as his king and brother asks.
The dragons shifters are not what the kidnapped girls thought...... let the wooing begin
I will tell everyone this..... this is a bride hunt however ther is no rape or assault on the women. The dragons are meant to win them however to keep them they must do so by winning there hearts body and soul.
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and I am really looking forward to the next!
I was really hesitant going into the book. The book blurb drew me in but there was a lot of bad reviews. A lot of reviews stated the heroine was whiny and they didn’t like her......
Well I’m so glad I gave it a shot! I was hooked from the beginning. I really expected there to be a lot of back and forth fighting each other and there feelings but there wasn’t. I didn’t find the heroine to be whiny.... I felt given where she came from she was untrusting and then thrown into an unknown world and extreme conditions gave her the right to be wary. I didn’t think she took it to the extreme she gave into her feelings fairly quickly.
The dragon shifter king is concerned for there species. They dont have any more inmates fertile females and there existence is becoming scarce. They need to reproduce. Dragon shifters are unknown to the human world due to centuries before they were almost wiped out my humans. They decide to find 5 women who are in need of help, no families, nothing that ties them to there current world. They essentially kidnap them and then set the loose in the mountains while they are hunted by hundreds of dragon males. The king has tasked his brother with winning one of these females and mating with her. They want to find out if reproducing offspring with a human will still breed the royal line. Basically gold markings are royal. Coal the fire prince does not like humans he thinks they are below them and he does not want this job. But he will do as his king and brother asks.
The dragons shifters are not what the kidnapped girls thought...... let the wooing begin
I will tell everyone this..... this is a bride hunt however ther is no rape or assault on the women. The dragons are meant to win them however to keep them they must do so by winning there hearts body and soul.
I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this book and I am really looking forward to the next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2017
This definitely had potential and initially wanted to give it 3 stars because thou the writing was tad sloppy & crude with a goal of merely rutting (seriously, so much "rutting" & "cock" and so forth in the book, not my taste, well, not always, but here it wasn't done to my appeal) so - with a goal of smut (cuz erotica this is not) the book initially would've gotten 3 stars for it was a little interesting.
Royal Dragon is the first book that I've read of Charlene Hartnady and seems like all of her series are of this style - short-ish, full with blatant cock talk and totally cave-man.
Honestly, that's what I didn't like and thus 2 stars - the you're mine bullshit was too much. Also, the women were kidnapped to become their brides...no. Even thou they chose women who had fallen on bad times and thus becoming their bride would be an improvement...no, they do not get to decide that. The only silver lining that saved this book from 1 star is that the women could choose to stay or leave and wouldn't be held against their will.
But even so...fuck off with your mine bullshit. There's a limit to how much of it I can tolerate and true, this is not the worst I've read and there are books where I've enjoyed it when it's done tastefully.
However, if you're in the mood for some easy fantasy smut with cocks, rutting, you're mine talk, women who think with their vagina and dragon shifters who think they're all freaking alpha macho's - this is it.
Not something I will ever read again, but when my mind needs to relax and read smt totally not excellent at all and could have a laugh about all the rutting (as was the case here, needed some time out from Throne of Glass and the mind blowing it did) I guess I'll slowly work my way trough some of her books.
Also, eggs, blech.
Royal Dragon is the first book that I've read of Charlene Hartnady and seems like all of her series are of this style - short-ish, full with blatant cock talk and totally cave-man.
Honestly, that's what I didn't like and thus 2 stars - the you're mine bullshit was too much. Also, the women were kidnapped to become their brides...no. Even thou they chose women who had fallen on bad times and thus becoming their bride would be an improvement...no, they do not get to decide that. The only silver lining that saved this book from 1 star is that the women could choose to stay or leave and wouldn't be held against their will.
But even so...fuck off with your mine bullshit. There's a limit to how much of it I can tolerate and true, this is not the worst I've read and there are books where I've enjoyed it when it's done tastefully.
However, if you're in the mood for some easy fantasy smut with cocks, rutting, you're mine talk, women who think with their vagina and dragon shifters who think they're all freaking alpha macho's - this is it.
Not something I will ever read again, but when my mind needs to relax and read smt totally not excellent at all and could have a laugh about all the rutting (as was the case here, needed some time out from Throne of Glass and the mind blowing it did) I guess I'll slowly work my way trough some of her books.
Also, eggs, blech.
October 31, 2016
Usually I really enjoy reading shifter books regardless if romance or not. This was pretty much sex scenes with little else. We learn very little, if anything, about the dragon kingdoms. What is learned is that the dragon males are very well endowed, can maintain a constant erection, and really good in bed. Otherwise, they are aggressive, possessive, and driven to procreate. Beyond that they don't do much of anything in their spare time.
We are expected to believe that the main character is hesitant and reserved about hooking up with the male. That she is more logical in being involved with him. Though she doesn't take long to go there. With things that she is supposed to be reserved about she quickly changes her mind. The fluidity of the character just wasn't there.
It is strange that the author opted to have a society that is desperately short of females treats and speaks to them like they are objects to do their bidding. Should a female not wish to be with a particular male then another male came claim her and she has to go with her new "owner." If she refuses then she is forced. But they don't rape or force themselves on the females. Just bosses them around to do as they say.
It is a insta-love series. Readers are given nothing to really make the characters likable or even care about the characters. The males apparently instantly fall head over heels with whatever human female they are with without even knowing anything about them. The females are not for off from the males.
This may appeal to some, but this series didn't even get me interested in reading further. Didn't even find the next books worth the price to attempt to read further.
We are expected to believe that the main character is hesitant and reserved about hooking up with the male. That she is more logical in being involved with him. Though she doesn't take long to go there. With things that she is supposed to be reserved about she quickly changes her mind. The fluidity of the character just wasn't there.
It is strange that the author opted to have a society that is desperately short of females treats and speaks to them like they are objects to do their bidding. Should a female not wish to be with a particular male then another male came claim her and she has to go with her new "owner." If she refuses then she is forced. But they don't rape or force themselves on the females. Just bosses them around to do as they say.
It is a insta-love series. Readers are given nothing to really make the characters likable or even care about the characters. The males apparently instantly fall head over heels with whatever human female they are with without even knowing anything about them. The females are not for off from the males.
This may appeal to some, but this series didn't even get me interested in reading further. Didn't even find the next books worth the price to attempt to read further.
September 8, 2016
This book was a really just easy and quick read. It was just one of those books which are really easy to pick up and finish in one sitting and that is pretty much what I did. The characters were good and the story was interesting although not the most original, it was one of those books that if you like the genre you're sure to enjoy.
The main characters in this book were Julie and Coal, a breeding program set up for Dragon shifters is slightly more difficult than for other shifters due to them remaining hidden so the Dragon king sends out searchers to find human females who are struggling or destitute to be taken for the programme. Julie is one of the females taken, after having lost her job she couldn't make money to pay her rent so is effectively homeless. The kings brother Coal has never been with a female, when others take time to leave their sanctuary and find females he hasn't felt the need, now his brother has forced him to join the hunt, he's not even sure he'll find someone who will spark his interest. But when the hunt starts Julie is determined and will take risks for her freedom and Coal has set his mind to her.
There are a lot of secondary characters but I feel they will get their own story's in more books in the series.
The storyline was not very original but the superb writing and characters make this an easy book to love. The pacing was excellent keeping readers guessing until the very last minute. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
4.5 stars a very enjoyable read
The main characters in this book were Julie and Coal, a breeding program set up for Dragon shifters is slightly more difficult than for other shifters due to them remaining hidden so the Dragon king sends out searchers to find human females who are struggling or destitute to be taken for the programme. Julie is one of the females taken, after having lost her job she couldn't make money to pay her rent so is effectively homeless. The kings brother Coal has never been with a female, when others take time to leave their sanctuary and find females he hasn't felt the need, now his brother has forced him to join the hunt, he's not even sure he'll find someone who will spark his interest. But when the hunt starts Julie is determined and will take risks for her freedom and Coal has set his mind to her.
There are a lot of secondary characters but I feel they will get their own story's in more books in the series.
The storyline was not very original but the superb writing and characters make this an easy book to love. The pacing was excellent keeping readers guessing until the very last minute. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
4.5 stars a very enjoyable read
September 19, 2018
Ok so this is the start of the hunt. I really like the concept however I wasn’t ok with how the book started out with the females being kidnapped and having no choice whether to participate or not despite their starting circumstances being crappy.
I do love me some shifters with their possessiveness and their provide and protect my female attitudes. Our MCs in this book are Coal and Julia. They of course meet under terrible circumstances but pull through just fine. I like how there isn’t insta love and that each character has issues to deal with. It’s really sad the whole dilemma the nonhumans are facing with fertility. Its also sad how human men can’t possibly compare.
Overall a pretty good read. I am definitely going to continue the series.
I do love me some shifters with their possessiveness and their provide and protect my female attitudes. Our MCs in this book are Coal and Julia. They of course meet under terrible circumstances but pull through just fine. I like how there isn’t insta love and that each character has issues to deal with. It’s really sad the whole dilemma the nonhumans are facing with fertility. Its also sad how human men can’t possibly compare.
Overall a pretty good read. I am definitely going to continue the series.
December 29, 2016
The blurb had me sold - I am a sucker for dragon shifter romances and the idea of a "bride hunt" sounded intriguing. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. I found this book to be really lame. All of the humans just fell madly in love with the dragons who chose them and were ready to start popping out their babies. I found the heroine to be very annoying as well. All the characters just had a cardboard character feel to them. They had no depth at all which really took away from the story and plot development. I was disappointed with this one. At least it was offered as a kindleunlimited but it wont be a series I will continue.
September 9, 2016
So Coal gets his, after being such an ass to his sister Ruby in "A Mate for Kai". And Julie can sock it to him just as good. She has issues with trust and communication, preferring to think the worst instead of just clarifying things first but I guess that stems from her background. Coal though I wish would have been more forthcoming but I was holding a tiny grudge against him so I guess making him work for it was a tiny slice of sweet revenge from me. Nothing better than a piece of humble pie for him.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2018
Good Read
This is a well written romance. I like that they both tell the story so you get to really understand their actions. She tries hard to resist the attraction but he doesn't give up. They have great chemistry.
This is a well written romance. I like that they both tell the story so you get to really understand their actions. She tries hard to resist the attraction but he doesn't give up. They have great chemistry.
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