What do you think?
Rate this book
Nocturne Falls #7
The Dragon Finds Forever
Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.
The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.
Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.
Monalisa Devlin is a Will O’ The Wisp, a rare and potentially dangerous creature. Unfortunately, her greedy father makes sure she lives up to that potential. Monalisa is magically compelled to obey her father's evil commands--until he finally agrees to free her in exchange for one, last mission: Travel to Nocturne Falls and use her powers to force Ivan Tsvetkov back into the ring.
Once a champion on the supernatural MMA circuit, Ivan 'The Hammer' Tsvetkov retired after a devastating injury that left him unable to shift into his dragon form. Wounded and embittered, Ivan wants nothing more than to be left alone. Until an infuriating, stubborn, delicately beautiful stranger shows up on his doorstep and demands that he rebuild his life.
Posing as a rehab therapist seemed like the easiest way to get close to the smoldering recluse, but Monalisa quickly realizes that nothing about this mission is going to be easy. To gain his trust, she shares more of herself than she ever has before, and as their connection deepens, so does the weight of her secrets. She thought she was willing to do whatever it took to win her independence...but when her deception blows up in her face, will Monalisa discover that the loss of Ivan's heart is too high a price to pay? Or will their love rise from the ashes to burn stronger than ever?
The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.
Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.
Monalisa Devlin is a Will O’ The Wisp, a rare and potentially dangerous creature. Unfortunately, her greedy father makes sure she lives up to that potential. Monalisa is magically compelled to obey her father's evil commands--until he finally agrees to free her in exchange for one, last mission: Travel to Nocturne Falls and use her powers to force Ivan Tsvetkov back into the ring.
Once a champion on the supernatural MMA circuit, Ivan 'The Hammer' Tsvetkov retired after a devastating injury that left him unable to shift into his dragon form. Wounded and embittered, Ivan wants nothing more than to be left alone. Until an infuriating, stubborn, delicately beautiful stranger shows up on his doorstep and demands that he rebuild his life.
Posing as a rehab therapist seemed like the easiest way to get close to the smoldering recluse, but Monalisa quickly realizes that nothing about this mission is going to be easy. To gain his trust, she shares more of herself than she ever has before, and as their connection deepens, so does the weight of her secrets. She thought she was willing to do whatever it took to win her independence...but when her deception blows up in her face, will Monalisa discover that the loss of Ivan's heart is too high a price to pay? Or will their love rise from the ashes to burn stronger than ever?
347 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2017
804 people are currently reading
1053 people want to read
About the author
Kristen Painter
179 books3,410 followersKristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning paranormal romance, paranormal women's fiction, and cozy mysteries. The former college English teacher can often be found on twitter @Kristen_Painter, Facebook at www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor where she loves to interact with readers and her blog: http://kristenpainter.com/blog/.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
September 7, 2017
Another cute paranormal romance in the series but not without some character issues.
I enjoyed having a dragon shifter as a MMA fighter. I really liked this concept of a character but Ivan felt a bit flat to me. The same can be said about Monalisa who is a Will O’ The Wisp and her Dad is the King of the Leprechauns. She seemed a bit blah as well.
It's such a shame because both paranormal ideas seem interesting!
There wasn’t any steaminess at all in this book and it was too G rated for me. It seems to me that the books later in the series don’t have the romance magic that was evident in the first books. Maybe Kristen Painter has rushed the later books and that's why my ratings keep going down. There just seems to be something missing from the characters.
The book was still entertaining with the plot, a possible betrayal and all the secondary characters though. I will likely finish this series and hope she can find her paranormal magic with the last book.
I enjoyed having a dragon shifter as a MMA fighter. I really liked this concept of a character but Ivan felt a bit flat to me. The same can be said about Monalisa who is a Will O’ The Wisp and her Dad is the King of the Leprechauns. She seemed a bit blah as well.
It's such a shame because both paranormal ideas seem interesting!
There wasn’t any steaminess at all in this book and it was too G rated for me. It seems to me that the books later in the series don’t have the romance magic that was evident in the first books. Maybe Kristen Painter has rushed the later books and that's why my ratings keep going down. There just seems to be something missing from the characters.
The book was still entertaining with the plot, a possible betrayal and all the secondary characters though. I will likely finish this series and hope she can find her paranormal magic with the last book.
December 31, 2019
The Dragon Finds Forever is book seven in the Nocturne Falls by Kristen Painter.
I really wanted to like this one, since I’m such a sucker for dragons, but I never really got into the story until about 50-60% and then I still had trouble focusing.
I liked the idea of having a dragon shifter as an MMA fighter. Ivan was nice and sweet. I like how he adopts a dog. As for our heroine Monalis a Will O’the Wisp. I didn’t care for her. She was blah and bit annoying with her melodramatics. Her turmoil slowed the whole story down and made things drag.
The romance was a sweet tame G rated romance. I didn’t feel that spark or connection; between Ivan and Monalis. There was something missing in the romance department.
I was also disappointed in the ending. We where building up for Ivan to return to the MMA fight world and have another fight. I was looking forward to that battle, but it never happened. All this build up and working towards that goal and then nothing.
The Dragon Finds Forever was just ok. It’s currently my least favorite in the Nocturne Falls series. Not sure if I’m going to continue the series. We will see.
Rated: 3 Stars
I really wanted to like this one, since I’m such a sucker for dragons, but I never really got into the story until about 50-60% and then I still had trouble focusing.
I liked the idea of having a dragon shifter as an MMA fighter. Ivan was nice and sweet. I like how he adopts a dog. As for our heroine Monalis a Will O’the Wisp. I didn’t care for her. She was blah and bit annoying with her melodramatics. Her turmoil slowed the whole story down and made things drag.
The romance was a sweet tame G rated romance. I didn’t feel that spark or connection; between Ivan and Monalis. There was something missing in the romance department.
I was also disappointed in the ending. We where building up for Ivan to return to the MMA fight world and have another fight. I was looking forward to that battle, but it never happened. All this build up and working towards that goal and then nothing.
The Dragon Finds Forever was just ok. It’s currently my least favorite in the Nocturne Falls series. Not sure if I’m going to continue the series. We will see.
Rated: 3 Stars
November 3, 2021
I love Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls series to bits, and this was a great addition. It's such a sweet, heartwarming series where you can always count on cuddly pets, lots of chocolate, and a happy ending. And I particularly love that she continues to work in the characters from her previous novels into the NF world so we can see how their lives have evolved after their main books are done. Van and Lisa were great characters. Interesting to watch a dragon shifter and a wil o the wisp get together. And I loved Grom the dog. Look forward to book eight.
March 6, 2020
YES! Finally, Kristen Painter answered my prayers, lol. She didn't put an ex-lover/husband/wife as the villain in this story. It was actually the FMC's parents. Turns out, Lisa wants her freedom from them and the only way to do that is to obey them "one last time". They were supposed to free her when she was 18 but now she's 30 and they're still using her powers to their own gain. Now, she'll have to pose as a therapist and deceive Ivan. Her impossible situation made me care about her.
Ivan, the Russian MMC was the perfect combo of cute and sexy. Seeing such a strong guy hurt and trying to heal was swoon worthy as well as when he was trying to learn how to sound more American and when he rescued a dog. Come on, what's not to like?? The chemistry was there even though the book is VERY tame romance-wise.
Ivan, the Russian MMC was the perfect combo of cute and sexy. Seeing such a strong guy hurt and trying to heal was swoon worthy as well as when he was trying to learn how to sound more American and when he rescued a dog. Come on, what's not to like?? The chemistry was there even though the book is VERY tame romance-wise.
February 15, 2018
In my previous review in this multi-series universe, I made a point of noting that Jayne Frost and Elves in general, from the Miss Frost series, seemed alarmingly and noticeably absent from the Nocturne Falls Series. Despite both series sharing the same small town in Georgia as a setting (and the same time period).
Then I read this book here and . . . oops. This Nocturne Falls series book came out 8 months before the Miss Frost series book I had made the comment in. And it includes both Jayne Frost, in a cameo, and elves. Heh, oopsie. Tis what I get for both not paying attention to series universe chronology, and twice skipping over book five in the Nocturne Series. Right, no matter.
So, Jayne Frost and her gang of feral Yeti’s invade . . . I’ve no idea what I’m writing at the moment. No, Frost makes just a cameo, she’s not the center of this story. And there are no Yeti’s in this book.
Like the first Jayne Frost book, though, one of the main characters in this book goes undercover. Unlike in that first Frost book, it isn’t to catch a criminal (or more accurately figure out why store employees keep disappearing). No, here, the undercover work is more like spy work. There’s a specific word and or phrase for it in the spy fiction word, what did they call it . . . a honey trap or something like that? It’s not honey pot, I know that, that’s something completely different. Right, sorry. The female main character in this story, Monalisa Devlin, has taken an assumed name and an assumed position to attempt to lure the other main character, Ivan Tsvetkov, back into the supernatural version of the ultimate fighting league.
She’d earlier blinded him in a fight that had occurred roughly two weeks before the start of this book. Blinding him In the middle of the fight, so that he was not able to block the attack of his opponent which infected him with supernatural venom which has basically removed him from the fighting world. For reasons that are unclear, Monalisa, or, as she calls herself ‘Lisa Devers’, is there in Nocturne Falls to finish the job . . .well, to lure him back to Vegas to fight . . . ‘finish the job’ just sounded better. She pretends she’s his League assigned physical therapist.
‘For reasons that are unclear’ – I don’t mean Monalisa’s reasons, those are clear – she’s being forced to do it (like she had earlier been forced to blind Ivan, or, as he calls himself, Van) by her father, the king of the Leprechauns. It’s the reasons of the father that are unclear. I mean, he’s a greedy vicious tyrant, but why he’s trying to do the things he’s trying to do to Van is unclear.
Right, so, Van and Monalisa fall for each other but Monalisa’s super sad about it because, you know, the undercover thing, and the luring thing. Oh, so luring – Monalisa is a ‘Will O’the Wisp’ who has ‘luring’ powers. A leprechaun had a Will … daughter? Well, her mother is a pixie which means . . . nothing to me in terms of Will’s. No idea why Monalisa is a Will O’the Wisp. Wisps are ‘an atmospheric ghost light’ which has nothing to do with leprechauns, or pixie’s. It’s like the author decided to have a cat and dog mate, and their off-spring is aurora borealis.eh, whatever.
Where’d I leave off before I started talking about lights? Hmms. Well, Lisa and Van circle each other. Van’s dog does cute stuff. Revelations occur. A visit to Vegas occurs. Characters great and small from prior books (and other parallel series) appear. The end.
Rating: 3.45
February 15 2018
Then I read this book here and . . . oops. This Nocturne Falls series book came out 8 months before the Miss Frost series book I had made the comment in. And it includes both Jayne Frost, in a cameo, and elves. Heh, oopsie. Tis what I get for both not paying attention to series universe chronology, and twice skipping over book five in the Nocturne Series. Right, no matter.
So, Jayne Frost and her gang of feral Yeti’s invade . . . I’ve no idea what I’m writing at the moment. No, Frost makes just a cameo, she’s not the center of this story. And there are no Yeti’s in this book.
Like the first Jayne Frost book, though, one of the main characters in this book goes undercover. Unlike in that first Frost book, it isn’t to catch a criminal (or more accurately figure out why store employees keep disappearing). No, here, the undercover work is more like spy work. There’s a specific word and or phrase for it in the spy fiction word, what did they call it . . . a honey trap or something like that? It’s not honey pot, I know that, that’s something completely different. Right, sorry. The female main character in this story, Monalisa Devlin, has taken an assumed name and an assumed position to attempt to lure the other main character, Ivan Tsvetkov, back into the supernatural version of the ultimate fighting league.
She’d earlier blinded him in a fight that had occurred roughly two weeks before the start of this book. Blinding him In the middle of the fight, so that he was not able to block the attack of his opponent which infected him with supernatural venom which has basically removed him from the fighting world. For reasons that are unclear, Monalisa, or, as she calls herself ‘Lisa Devers’, is there in Nocturne Falls to finish the job . . .well, to lure him back to Vegas to fight . . . ‘finish the job’ just sounded better. She pretends she’s his League assigned physical therapist.
‘For reasons that are unclear’ – I don’t mean Monalisa’s reasons, those are clear – she’s being forced to do it (like she had earlier been forced to blind Ivan, or, as he calls himself, Van) by her father, the king of the Leprechauns. It’s the reasons of the father that are unclear. I mean, he’s a greedy vicious tyrant, but why he’s trying to do the things he’s trying to do to Van is unclear.
Right, so, Van and Monalisa fall for each other but Monalisa’s super sad about it because, you know, the undercover thing, and the luring thing. Oh, so luring – Monalisa is a ‘Will O’the Wisp’ who has ‘luring’ powers. A leprechaun had a Will … daughter? Well, her mother is a pixie which means . . . nothing to me in terms of Will’s. No idea why Monalisa is a Will O’the Wisp. Wisps are ‘an atmospheric ghost light’ which has nothing to do with leprechauns, or pixie’s. It’s like the author decided to have a cat and dog mate, and their off-spring is aurora borealis.eh, whatever.
Where’d I leave off before I started talking about lights? Hmms. Well, Lisa and Van circle each other. Van’s dog does cute stuff. Revelations occur. A visit to Vegas occurs. Characters great and small from prior books (and other parallel series) appear. The end.
Rating: 3.45
February 15 2018
May 20, 2021
1.5 stars
Yeah, this one was kind of a hot mess.
I mean, most of the books in the Nocturne Falls series are. They follow the exact same pattern and pair weird supernaturals together for inexplicable reasons that usually involve marriages of convenience. But it is fluffy brain candy.
This one was just...boring.
I didn't particularly care for either main character. The only reason I kept reading was I didn't actively loathe them and I had now met this couple in later books so wanted to wrap their story up. Wasn't worth the time.
I do like the female friendships, though. It was a fun plot element that (slightly) redeemed the story.
Yeah, this one was kind of a hot mess.
I mean, most of the books in the Nocturne Falls series are. They follow the exact same pattern and pair weird supernaturals together for inexplicable reasons that usually involve marriages of convenience. But it is fluffy brain candy.
This one was just...boring.
I didn't particularly care for either main character. The only reason I kept reading was I didn't actively loathe them and I had now met this couple in later books so wanted to wrap their story up. Wasn't worth the time.
I do like the female friendships, though. It was a fun plot element that (slightly) redeemed the story.
February 28, 2017
A feel good kinda book!
Literally had me grinning most of the time. It's the perfect cute&fluffy PNR.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa and Van's romance. It fits perfectly into the series and yet works as a standalone as well
This is a signature Painter novel. The writing style is beautiful, lighthearted with cute and fun banter.
No smut whatsoever. Perfect swoony romance writing.
The story line is the usual with it's own twist. I really enjoyed this one. There were so many sweet moments. It was fun revisiting Nocturne Falls and seeing it and it's residents from a different POV. The little twist in the end was priceless, though I was totally gunning for them to go ahead anyway. The end is more realistic and suits the characters but I am just saying I would have loved the double thingy... (not saying more don't wanna spoiler things)
The character building makes this series shine, in my opinion. Lisa and Van have interesting personality. Both much deeper than at first glance. And the support cast holds some of my favorite NF residents, it was nice to revisit but also interesting to see where they are at in their lives.
The villain was a bit flat however. I expected somehow more. I don't know why. I guess because of Lisa's build up about him? I just expected more trouble and bigger odds. We only had minimal contact with the villain and I felt in compare to the rest of the cast he was just too cliche and one dimensional.
The world building is .. well.. for a lack of words... sweet. It is also the only part of the book that I felt a bit disappointed in. I think, the fact that Painter usually has the perfect balance between her own twist, the classic supernatural, mythology and Nocturn Falls set my expectations really high. The dragons were cool. I loved that side of the world building. The leprechaun side however left me with questions and to be honest I have very little clue about Lisa's kind. Which I found a tad annoying - there was all this mention about it, but I personally couldn't make a full picture of her supernatural side.
A fabulous addition to the series
A must read for lovers of the genre!
Literally had me grinning most of the time. It's the perfect cute&fluffy PNR.
I thoroughly enjoyed Lisa and Van's romance. It fits perfectly into the series and yet works as a standalone as well
This is a signature Painter novel. The writing style is beautiful, lighthearted with cute and fun banter.
No smut whatsoever. Perfect swoony romance writing.
The story line is the usual with it's own twist. I really enjoyed this one. There were so many sweet moments. It was fun revisiting Nocturne Falls and seeing it and it's residents from a different POV. The little twist in the end was priceless, though I was totally gunning for them to go ahead anyway. The end is more realistic and suits the characters but I am just saying I would have loved the double thingy... (not saying more don't wanna spoiler things)
The character building makes this series shine, in my opinion. Lisa and Van have interesting personality. Both much deeper than at first glance. And the support cast holds some of my favorite NF residents, it was nice to revisit but also interesting to see where they are at in their lives.
The villain was a bit flat however. I expected somehow more. I don't know why. I guess because of Lisa's build up about him? I just expected more trouble and bigger odds. We only had minimal contact with the villain and I felt in compare to the rest of the cast he was just too cliche and one dimensional.
The world building is .. well.. for a lack of words... sweet. It is also the only part of the book that I felt a bit disappointed in. I think, the fact that Painter usually has the perfect balance between her own twist, the classic supernatural, mythology and Nocturn Falls set my expectations really high. The dragons were cool. I loved that side of the world building. The leprechaun side however left me with questions and to be honest I have very little clue about Lisa's kind. Which I found a tad annoying - there was all this mention about it, but I personally couldn't make a full picture of her supernatural side.
A fabulous addition to the series
A must read for lovers of the genre!
April 19, 2020
A Russian dragon shifter MMA fighter falls for ah... some kind of fae girl. I’ll level with you, this one didn’t make much sense. I slept through part of it and did not feel the need to rewind when I woke up. But I did like the inclusion of previous characters. I hope the rest of the series is soon on Audible Escapes.
November 14, 2024
This series is just so comfy. It’s my go-to now for days I need something light and fluffy. 🥰
April 22, 2021
The Dragon Finds Forever is book 7 of the Nocturne Falls series. This book is about Nocturne Falls resident and Dragon shifter, Ivan (Van) Tsvetkov, and new-comer Monalisa Devlin. Van is a Champion MMA fighter in a supernatural fighting league and he was recently injured and lost his undefeated title. What he doesn't know is that "Lisa" the new rehabilitation therapist that showed up at his door is actually the cause of his injury and fight loss. Her awful, manipulative, greedy father is forcing her to do his bidding and has ordered her to get Van back to the fighting ring at any cost.
Deception and lies is one of my least favorite type of storylines, second only to the martyr storyline which is my absolute least favorite. I truly despise the deception storyline, so I struggled greatly with the first half to three quarters of the book. What made it worse, was that I love Van and felt very protective over him. Even through my anxiety and annoyance of Monalisa betraying Van, it was still a really good story which is why I gave the book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Luckily, by the end of the book, I really ended up liking Monalisa and I liked Van and Monalisa together. I absolutely adored Van's dog, Grom, and loved that he was such a big part of the book.
I started reading this series after completing the Miss Frost series which is a spin off of this series, so I was super excited to see Jayne Frost finally introduced in this book. It actually happened at a really cool part. I loved that scene.
Overall, I have really loved this series and definitely recommend it. The narration is good too. It is the same narrator for the entire series.
Deception and lies is one of my least favorite type of storylines, second only to the martyr storyline which is my absolute least favorite. I truly despise the deception storyline, so I struggled greatly with the first half to three quarters of the book. What made it worse, was that I love Van and felt very protective over him. Even through my anxiety and annoyance of Monalisa betraying Van, it was still a really good story which is why I gave the book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. Luckily, by the end of the book, I really ended up liking Monalisa and I liked Van and Monalisa together. I absolutely adored Van's dog, Grom, and loved that he was such a big part of the book.
I started reading this series after completing the Miss Frost series which is a spin off of this series, so I was super excited to see Jayne Frost finally introduced in this book. It actually happened at a really cool part. I loved that scene.
Overall, I have really loved this series and definitely recommend it. The narration is good too. It is the same narrator for the entire series.
February 25, 2017
The Dragon Finds Forever by Kristen Painter
The next book in the Nocturne Falls series where the town celebrates Halloween year-round so the paranormal residents can live in the open.
A darling romance where paranormal is entertaining and amusing.
Monalisa is sent on an errand she doesn't want to do. She doesn't want to use her powers to hurt people. Awww. But Daddy doesn't give her a choice, twisting the screws. Of course, we are routing for her to win her freedom throughout the story.
Van is galant and noble. “He put the super in supernatural.”
Grom, the rescued shelter dog, is adorable. It was cute when Monalisa finds similar traits between the dog and his owner.
Started out a bit rough. She lands on his doorstep, he gives her a place to stay and then he's
obsessed with her? How did that happen? I'm all for love at first sight or instant attraction, but it wasn't mentioned before he obsessed. It gets better, of course. I love these books and the characters. They are fun and super entertaining. This one includes cameos of Nick and Willa from a prior book as well as a few others. With hints of more to come.
The next book in the Nocturne Falls series where the town celebrates Halloween year-round so the paranormal residents can live in the open.
A darling romance where paranormal is entertaining and amusing.
Monalisa is sent on an errand she doesn't want to do. She doesn't want to use her powers to hurt people. Awww. But Daddy doesn't give her a choice, twisting the screws. Of course, we are routing for her to win her freedom throughout the story.
Van is galant and noble. “He put the super in supernatural.”
Grom, the rescued shelter dog, is adorable. It was cute when Monalisa finds similar traits between the dog and his owner.
Started out a bit rough. She lands on his doorstep, he gives her a place to stay and then he's
obsessed with her? How did that happen? I'm all for love at first sight or instant attraction, but it wasn't mentioned before he obsessed. It gets better, of course. I love these books and the characters. They are fun and super entertaining. This one includes cameos of Nick and Willa from a prior book as well as a few others. With hints of more to come.
February 22, 2017
It has been a little while since there was a new Nocturne Falls book (although the Jayne Frost series is amazing and certainly has helped fill the time) but then I get a new one and it makes me remember all over again why I fell in love with this series.
I am not sure if the books really ARE getting better each time, or if I just know the world so well that I FEEL like they are, but either way this story is fantastic. I love the characters, I mean a Dragon and a Will O’ The Wisp? I read a TON of PNR and had never come across one of those before.
I love how the characters all cross over from book to book, which keeps the stories fresh and fun, whilst still feeling familiar and like a visit with old friends.
Yes you know there is going to be an HEA, Yes you know the guy is going to get the girl, but YES this book is a fun read.
Love this series and just WISH they would pick it up for TV! I would be hooked ... oh wait I already am!
An easy 5 stars from me - and the repeated desire to want to move there! V""V
I am not sure if the books really ARE getting better each time, or if I just know the world so well that I FEEL like they are, but either way this story is fantastic. I love the characters, I mean a Dragon and a Will O’ The Wisp? I read a TON of PNR and had never come across one of those before.
I love how the characters all cross over from book to book, which keeps the stories fresh and fun, whilst still feeling familiar and like a visit with old friends.
Yes you know there is going to be an HEA, Yes you know the guy is going to get the girl, but YES this book is a fun read.
Love this series and just WISH they would pick it up for TV! I would be hooked ... oh wait I already am!
An easy 5 stars from me - and the repeated desire to want to move there! V""V
November 17, 2017
Audiobook Review
How does Kristen Painter come up with all these different types of supernaturals? Who would have ever thought about making a story about a will-o'-the-wisp other than her?
First, I loved hearing B.J. Harrison doing Van's Russian accent. His voice is perfect for this series.
The story was very cute and romantically endearing. I have yet to be disappointed by a book in this series.
On to the next!
How does Kristen Painter come up with all these different types of supernaturals? Who would have ever thought about making a story about a will-o'-the-wisp other than her?
First, I loved hearing B.J. Harrison doing Van's Russian accent. His voice is perfect for this series.
The story was very cute and romantically endearing. I have yet to be disappointed by a book in this series.
On to the next!
March 16, 2023
The first half drove me crazy - all "poor me, I'm trapped," and "should I tell him or should I not" and "I think I'm falling in love" to the point that I skimmed and even skipped a few pages. So two stars. The dog was terrific, tho. But the second half, after he found out the truth, was great, so stars, so an average of three stars. I don't know if it was this book, or maybe this series...
January 25, 2020
Listened to this through Audible Escape. The premise kind of reminded me of the first book in the series, but I liked that this couple are unique ''creatures'' from other countries. I kind of fell out towards the end of it.
March 4, 2017
These books are like candy for me, in a good way. I can't have too much at once, but when I want one it hits the spot.
April 14, 2017
First, I said I wasn’t reading this author again and decided to anyway… Shouldn’t have!
I love books about dragons but I hate dragons, or any male, really, described as having “visible tattoos, a shaved head and a bent nose.” That does sound more like someone in the mafia, especially since Ivan is Russian. I was very disappointed in his description. This will definitely be my last book by this author. Once a hero or heroine start looking like today’s people I’m done. It’s like the cover of Pleasure for Pleasure that has a thin and shapely woman on the front and the REAL heroine is plump. One reviewer said she was called “the Scottish Sausage” in the book. Jeez, really? Call me shallow, again, but I hate heroines like that and I hate authors who try to trick me into buying a book like that. So, I will not read either of these authors again.
This book was altogether boring. Monalisa is a Will O’ The Wisp and is tied to her father, a leprechaun king, until he gives her a gold coin. She has to go to Ivan and convince him to fight one more time in a MMA fight for her father. She wants to convince him without using her supernatural powers of compulsion to do it but her father wants her to do it no matter what she has to use. Her parents, Padraig and Tavia leave a lot to be desired. For the first 60% she’s back-n-forth about telling Ivan the truth and see what happens then she changes her mind, then thinks about it again and changes her mind again, and on and on. Until Ivan discovers her lies. Wow, who didn’t know that?
OK, so at 66% I’m done. Absolutely nothing is happening. I can only assume that all the 4 and 5 star reviews are from readers who love Kristen Painter and don’t care what kind of book she writes it’s wonderful to them.
No sex, no swearing, no nothing.
As to the narrator: B.J. Harrison did a wonderful job on the voices, both men and women, and his emotions were fabulous.
I love books about dragons but I hate dragons, or any male, really, described as having “visible tattoos, a shaved head and a bent nose.” That does sound more like someone in the mafia, especially since Ivan is Russian. I was very disappointed in his description. This will definitely be my last book by this author. Once a hero or heroine start looking like today’s people I’m done. It’s like the cover of Pleasure for Pleasure that has a thin and shapely woman on the front and the REAL heroine is plump. One reviewer said she was called “the Scottish Sausage” in the book. Jeez, really? Call me shallow, again, but I hate heroines like that and I hate authors who try to trick me into buying a book like that. So, I will not read either of these authors again.
This book was altogether boring. Monalisa is a Will O’ The Wisp and is tied to her father, a leprechaun king, until he gives her a gold coin. She has to go to Ivan and convince him to fight one more time in a MMA fight for her father. She wants to convince him without using her supernatural powers of compulsion to do it but her father wants her to do it no matter what she has to use. Her parents, Padraig and Tavia leave a lot to be desired. For the first 60% she’s back-n-forth about telling Ivan the truth and see what happens then she changes her mind, then thinks about it again and changes her mind again, and on and on. Until Ivan discovers her lies. Wow, who didn’t know that?
OK, so at 66% I’m done. Absolutely nothing is happening. I can only assume that all the 4 and 5 star reviews are from readers who love Kristen Painter and don’t care what kind of book she writes it’s wonderful to them.
No sex, no swearing, no nothing.
As to the narrator: B.J. Harrison did a wonderful job on the voices, both men and women, and his emotions were fabulous.
May 17, 2022
Confession. I almost skipped over this book. I'm not sure why, but it just wasn't calling to me. And then I started reading it. Y'all. I'm so glad I decided to give it a try.
Monalisa has been controlled by her father her entire life. No matter what she does, he refuses to let her go. She's too valuable to him and his world full of greed. With yet another "promise" of giving her her freedom, she heads to Nocturne Falls to help his prize MMA fighter heal and get him back in the ring.
Van has been undefeated in the ring until a fight gone wrong leaves him injured and unable to shift into his Dragon form. He can't bring himself to enter into the ring again so he makes the tough decision to retire. But when Monalisa shows up on his doorstep with a story of helping him or losing her job, his protective instincts kick in and Fate takes over from there.
I really enjoyed Monalisa and Van's story. I loved that, even though Monalisa was brought up by horrible parents, she never once wanted to be like them. She stood up to them whenever she could and tried to always do what was right. Van was the perfect champion for her. It didn't take long for his protective instincts to kick in. His desire to treat her like she was the most precious person in the world had this girl letting out all the dreamy sighs.
I am definitely hooked on this series and there's no going back. I loved seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I cannot wait to dive back in to Nocturne Falls. Only a couple more books to get through before I can start Marigold's book. I cannot wait!
The books by Ms. Painter just keep getting better and better. I cannot tell you how happy I am that she already has lots for me to choose from! Y'all. It feels like Christmas!
And of course I can't forget my casting. *dreamy sigh* I love them! What do you think?
Monalisa has been controlled by her father her entire life. No matter what she does, he refuses to let her go. She's too valuable to him and his world full of greed. With yet another "promise" of giving her her freedom, she heads to Nocturne Falls to help his prize MMA fighter heal and get him back in the ring.
Van has been undefeated in the ring until a fight gone wrong leaves him injured and unable to shift into his Dragon form. He can't bring himself to enter into the ring again so he makes the tough decision to retire. But when Monalisa shows up on his doorstep with a story of helping him or losing her job, his protective instincts kick in and Fate takes over from there.
I really enjoyed Monalisa and Van's story. I loved that, even though Monalisa was brought up by horrible parents, she never once wanted to be like them. She stood up to them whenever she could and tried to always do what was right. Van was the perfect champion for her. It didn't take long for his protective instincts to kick in. His desire to treat her like she was the most precious person in the world had this girl letting out all the dreamy sighs.
I am definitely hooked on this series and there's no going back. I loved seeing old friends and meeting new ones. I cannot wait to dive back in to Nocturne Falls. Only a couple more books to get through before I can start Marigold's book. I cannot wait!
The books by Ms. Painter just keep getting better and better. I cannot tell you how happy I am that she already has lots for me to choose from! Y'all. It feels like Christmas!
And of course I can't forget my casting. *dreamy sigh* I love them! What do you think?
November 11, 2018
Magically compelled to obey her father's commands, Will O’ The Wisp Monalisa Devlin is ordered to go to Nocturne Falls and do whatever it takes to persuade former supernatural MMA champion Ivan Tsvetkov to return to the ring for one more fight. Deeply bitter about the way his fighting career ended, Ivan has retired after a terrible injury sustained in his last fight that kept him from finishing it and has left him unable to shift into his dragon form. Now, he wants nothing more than to be left alone and lick his wounds in peace. That all changes, however, when a pretty stranger claiming to be his rehab therapist shows up on his doorstep, determined to get him to stop sulking and rebuild his life.
It's been ages since I last read one of these books, and I do so adore them. Cute, fluffy, heartwarming paranormal romance is a genre I don't usually gravitate towards, but this series is very much an exception. As ever, a sweet romance with lovable characters and just enough drama to keep things interesting. I also really love the sense of community in Nocturne Falls, which allows the reader to keep following all the couples beyond their respective HEAs. Wonder if we'll get to see that double wedding in a future book after all?
It's been ages since I last read one of these books, and I do so adore them. Cute, fluffy, heartwarming paranormal romance is a genre I don't usually gravitate towards, but this series is very much an exception. As ever, a sweet romance with lovable characters and just enough drama to keep things interesting. I also really love the sense of community in Nocturne Falls, which allows the reader to keep following all the couples beyond their respective HEAs. Wonder if we'll get to see that double wedding in a future book after all?
April 8, 2018
• Major points to Kristen Painter for originality - the concept of a shifter whose form is a will o’ the wisp is just magnificent. Plus it was a concept of which I was only vaguely familiar, and I always appreciate a reason to investigate things.
• The rest of the story didn’t do all that much for me, but it was a pleasant tale. Just a personal thing, but I can’t stand the literary plot device wherein one character is deceiving the other (even if it’s involuntary).
• The rest of the story didn’t do all that much for me, but it was a pleasant tale. Just a personal thing, but I can’t stand the literary plot device wherein one character is deceiving the other (even if it’s involuntary).
June 13, 2017
Eh. The beginning was cute. But the last half was soooooo schlocky...
February 23, 2017
This was a wonderful trip back into Nocturne Falls. Which is one of my favorite places to be. This is the story of Ivan a Russian dragon who is a MMA fighter and Monalisa a Will-o'-the-Wisp. She is the daughter to the Leprechaun king an he is a piece of work. He sends her to convince Ivan to come back for one fight any way she can. Ivan was injured at his last fight and is in a funk. Monalisa arrives and deceives Ivan to the real reason she is there. Except she doesn't plan on is falling for the big dragon, and she is starting to. However her life isn't her own. Her father controls every second of it. All she wants is freedom her father and to start a new life hopefully in Nocturne Falls where Ivan lives. I love this story, this town and all the supernatural people in it. I love how Kristen always brings back characters from previous books and weave their lives together. I cannot wait for my next trip to Nocturne Falls.
June 7, 2021
Seventh in the Nocturne Falls magical realism fantasy series and revolving around a town in Georgia full of supernaturals who are hidden in plain sight. The couple focus is on Monalisa Devlin and Ivan "Van" Tsvetkov.
My Take
I do love this series! It's a town full of people/supernaturals who care about each other, and Painter pulls in characters whose stories she's written so we continue to hang out with them. Yes, the bulk of each installment does focus on the couple, but we never lose track of the others. I'm especially enjoying that housewarming Pandora and Cole are throwing.
I like that Monalisa has that core of honor that her father so blatantly lacks. It adds tension to Monalisa's character arc. She is in a bad position, and I do have to wonder why she didn't challenge more of her father's statements. I found it hard to believe she was that trapped.
I gotta say that I find Van's belief that his perfect record is broken to be quite annoying. Which really isn't fair, as I know the truth behind that lost last fight. Adding to his frustration is the time he'll need to recover. It'll take Monalisa's pushing to force Van to re-examine the truth.
Painter does use third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Monalisa's and Van's perspectives. Which makes it so cute as we hear how much Monalisa admires Van, and Van's efforts to continue to better himself despite his success and fame.
Her parents are so abusive that I want to find an automatic weapon and spray 'em down. I'm so dumbfounded . . . !
Crack me up . . .
Acceptance is a major theme throughout the Nocturne Falls series, a point noted with that exchange between Bridget and Lisa. I do have to say that Van's attraction to Monalisa/Lisa was pretty fast acceptance. Painter does try to slow it down a bit by having the dragon side of Van be more eager.
Van certainly is a forgiving guy. A little too much so. It does get annoying, even though it leads to my kind of outcome.
The Story
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Monalisa is forced to accomplish the task her evil father has given her: to be The Hammer's rehab therapist. She has got to trick Van into re-entering the fights to win her own freedom.
The Characters
Monalisa Devlin, a.k.a. the dryad, Lisa Devers, is a Will-o'-the-Wisp, a supernatural being who can bend people to her will and make them do what they don't want to do.
Her father is Padraig Devlin, a leprechaun who constantly betrays her trust, the king of the leprechauns, and the unofficial boss of the Las Vegas supernatural mafia. Tavia, a pixie, is her equally greedy mother. The Shamrock is Padraig's casino where they also hold supernatural fights. Sean is the head of Padraig's security. Seela is a banshee and Padraig's administrative assistant.
The undefeated Ivan "Van" Tsvetkov, a.k.a. The Hammer, is a dragon shifter and a badly injured MMA fighter. Grom (it means thunder in Russian) is the three-month-old Doberman Van adopts. Norma Turnbuckle, a hobbit, is Van's housekeeper. Boris is Van's brother who lives in Japan and teaches mixed martial arts. Shiori is Boris' wife. Yuri had been a distant cousin who ran afoul of a witch. Harlan, a ranger-class gargoyle who wants to be a magician, is a member of Van's training team in Las Vegas. He's also a bit of a player . . . just ask Sasha, Laurette, and Monica. Roger is the doorman at the Skye Towers where Van has a two-story condo.
Nocturne Falls is . . .
. . . a small town with a mixed bag of humans and supernaturals. Supes that the humans aren't aware of! The Ellinghams, a vampire family, own most of the town. Elenora is the Ellingham matriarch and the boys' grandmother. Alice Bishop is a powerful witch who is Elenora's secretary. Sebastian is the oldest grandson. Hugh is the second oldest, and he's married to Delaney who runs a sweets shop, Delaney's Delectables ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1).
Bartholomew Stanhill is Hugh Ellingham's rook and engaged to Corette Williams ("The Witch's Halloween Hero", 4.5), a witch who owns Ever After, a bridal shoppe. Her witchy daughters are Charisma, who is a life coach; Marigold, a green witch who owns the florist shop; and, Pandora, a witch and a real estate agent, who is Van's good friend. Cole is Pandora's fiancé. Kaley is Cole's witch daughter. Jack is Cole's dad. Gertrude is a witchy ghost who used to own Cole's Victorian.
Sam Kincaid, a werewolf and firefighter, is Ivy's brother and dating Bridget, the werewolf who owns Howler's Bar and Grill. Phyllis is a waitress at Howler's. Juan Carlos is a cook. Nick Hardwin is a leviathan-class gargoyle who's with Willa Iscove, a fae jeweler who owns Illusions ( The Gargoyle Gets His Girl , 3). Roxy St James is a paranormal romance writer who's involved with Deputy Alex Cruz, a panther shifter ( The Shifter Romances the Writer , 6). Sheriff Hank Merrow, a werewolf, steps up ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2). Princess Jayne Frost is a winter elf.
Tim works at the local animal shelter. Ryde is the local taxi service, similar to Uber. Café Claude.
The Titan Fight League (TFL) is . . .
. . . the organization that sets up the supernatural fights. And supposedly has sent Lisa Devers to help Van. Ronan is a manticore who got lucky.
Ultra is a high-end club in Vegas. Desdemona Valentine, a vampire, has a show in Vegas.
The Cover and Title
The busy graphic cover is a mix of blues, grays, and pops of red. Okay, so I should probably include orange. The background is a montage of settings. Starting at the top, the sky is a gradation of deep, deep teal to a pale teal where it meets the top of the pale gray mountain range, the tallest of which towers over the deep navy blue house, its windows all lit up. The landscape continues with a darker gray hill on the left above which towers the same color in the dragon's shadow. On the right, below the two-story house, is a deep blue-green lawn that ends with a red and white plaid blanket, a bottle of champagne, and two full glasses of champagne on the right. Oh, and I can't forget the series jack-o-lantern with its gleaming eyes above a wooden sign with the series information on it in yellow just above the picnic. There are three characters filling the left lower corner: the bald-headed, incredibly muscled Van in a tight gray T and blue pants, holding Monalisa's hand. Her long brunette hair is blowing straight out in the wind as she stands in front of Van while wearing a red halter neck dress and heels. On the far left is Grom in a deep blue gray. The rest of the text is in white with a black shadow. The title is at the top in the sky. Crossing the characters' lower legs is an info blurb with the author's name immediately below it.
The title is all about Van, The Dragon [Who] Finds Forever.
My Take
I do love this series! It's a town full of people/supernaturals who care about each other, and Painter pulls in characters whose stories she's written so we continue to hang out with them. Yes, the bulk of each installment does focus on the couple, but we never lose track of the others. I'm especially enjoying that housewarming Pandora and Cole are throwing.
I like that Monalisa has that core of honor that her father so blatantly lacks. It adds tension to Monalisa's character arc. She is in a bad position, and I do have to wonder why she didn't challenge more of her father's statements. I found it hard to believe she was that trapped.
I gotta say that I find Van's belief that his perfect record is broken to be quite annoying. Which really isn't fair, as I know the truth behind that lost last fight. Adding to his frustration is the time he'll need to recover. It'll take Monalisa's pushing to force Van to re-examine the truth.
Painter does use third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Monalisa's and Van's perspectives. Which makes it so cute as we hear how much Monalisa admires Van, and Van's efforts to continue to better himself despite his success and fame.
Her parents are so abusive that I want to find an automatic weapon and spray 'em down. I'm so dumbfounded . . . !
Crack me up . . .
Poor Van. I'm sure too many of us can sympathize with his dislike of physical therapy and those "physical terrorists", lol! Lucky for him, he was in pretty good shape before he was injured."Van gave her a look. 'Grom loves them.'
She snorted. 'I'm not sure that's a ringing endorsement. I've seen Grom lick his privates like it was an ice cream sundae.'"
Acceptance is a major theme throughout the Nocturne Falls series, a point noted with that exchange between Bridget and Lisa. I do have to say that Van's attraction to Monalisa/Lisa was pretty fast acceptance. Painter does try to slow it down a bit by having the dragon side of Van be more eager.
Van certainly is a forgiving guy. A little too much so. It does get annoying, even though it leads to my kind of outcome.
The Story
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Monalisa is forced to accomplish the task her evil father has given her: to be The Hammer's rehab therapist. She has got to trick Van into re-entering the fights to win her own freedom.
The Characters
Monalisa Devlin, a.k.a. the dryad, Lisa Devers, is a Will-o'-the-Wisp, a supernatural being who can bend people to her will and make them do what they don't want to do.
Her father is Padraig Devlin, a leprechaun who constantly betrays her trust, the king of the leprechauns, and the unofficial boss of the Las Vegas supernatural mafia. Tavia, a pixie, is her equally greedy mother. The Shamrock is Padraig's casino where they also hold supernatural fights. Sean is the head of Padraig's security. Seela is a banshee and Padraig's administrative assistant.
The undefeated Ivan "Van" Tsvetkov, a.k.a. The Hammer, is a dragon shifter and a badly injured MMA fighter. Grom (it means thunder in Russian) is the three-month-old Doberman Van adopts. Norma Turnbuckle, a hobbit, is Van's housekeeper. Boris is Van's brother who lives in Japan and teaches mixed martial arts. Shiori is Boris' wife. Yuri had been a distant cousin who ran afoul of a witch. Harlan, a ranger-class gargoyle who wants to be a magician, is a member of Van's training team in Las Vegas. He's also a bit of a player . . . just ask Sasha, Laurette, and Monica. Roger is the doorman at the Skye Towers where Van has a two-story condo.
Nocturne Falls is . . .
. . . a small town with a mixed bag of humans and supernaturals. Supes that the humans aren't aware of! The Ellinghams, a vampire family, own most of the town. Elenora is the Ellingham matriarch and the boys' grandmother. Alice Bishop is a powerful witch who is Elenora's secretary. Sebastian is the oldest grandson. Hugh is the second oldest, and he's married to Delaney who runs a sweets shop, Delaney's Delectables ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1).
Bartholomew Stanhill is Hugh Ellingham's rook and engaged to Corette Williams ("The Witch's Halloween Hero", 4.5), a witch who owns Ever After, a bridal shoppe. Her witchy daughters are Charisma, who is a life coach; Marigold, a green witch who owns the florist shop; and, Pandora, a witch and a real estate agent, who is Van's good friend. Cole is Pandora's fiancé. Kaley is Cole's witch daughter. Jack is Cole's dad. Gertrude is a witchy ghost who used to own Cole's Victorian.
Sam Kincaid, a werewolf and firefighter, is Ivy's brother and dating Bridget, the werewolf who owns Howler's Bar and Grill. Phyllis is a waitress at Howler's. Juan Carlos is a cook. Nick Hardwin is a leviathan-class gargoyle who's with Willa Iscove, a fae jeweler who owns Illusions ( The Gargoyle Gets His Girl , 3). Roxy St James is a paranormal romance writer who's involved with Deputy Alex Cruz, a panther shifter ( The Shifter Romances the Writer , 6). Sheriff Hank Merrow, a werewolf, steps up ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2). Princess Jayne Frost is a winter elf.
Tim works at the local animal shelter. Ryde is the local taxi service, similar to Uber. Café Claude.
The Titan Fight League (TFL) is . . .
. . . the organization that sets up the supernatural fights. And supposedly has sent Lisa Devers to help Van. Ronan is a manticore who got lucky.
Ultra is a high-end club in Vegas. Desdemona Valentine, a vampire, has a show in Vegas.
The Cover and Title
The busy graphic cover is a mix of blues, grays, and pops of red. Okay, so I should probably include orange. The background is a montage of settings. Starting at the top, the sky is a gradation of deep, deep teal to a pale teal where it meets the top of the pale gray mountain range, the tallest of which towers over the deep navy blue house, its windows all lit up. The landscape continues with a darker gray hill on the left above which towers the same color in the dragon's shadow. On the right, below the two-story house, is a deep blue-green lawn that ends with a red and white plaid blanket, a bottle of champagne, and two full glasses of champagne on the right. Oh, and I can't forget the series jack-o-lantern with its gleaming eyes above a wooden sign with the series information on it in yellow just above the picnic. There are three characters filling the left lower corner: the bald-headed, incredibly muscled Van in a tight gray T and blue pants, holding Monalisa's hand. Her long brunette hair is blowing straight out in the wind as she stands in front of Van while wearing a red halter neck dress and heels. On the far left is Grom in a deep blue gray. The rest of the text is in white with a black shadow. The title is at the top in the sky. Crossing the characters' lower legs is an info blurb with the author's name immediately below it.
The title is all about Van, The Dragon [Who] Finds Forever.
February 24, 2017
Van is a fighter, a supernatural fight who has retreated from the world because he feels he can't fight any longer. Monalisa is a Will o' the Wisp with controlling parents and a potentially devastating skill. And she's been sent to bring Van back for his final fight - by any means necessary, even the use of her powers.
I loved this book, a dragon and a wisp. Such a unique and unheard of pairing. Monalisa has fast become one of my favourite unique shifters. Separately they have been through a lot, they're both closed off, until they decide to give the other a chance and then boom sparks. And Grom is just loveable and a definite character within this story.
I loved this book, a dragon and a wisp. Such a unique and unheard of pairing. Monalisa has fast become one of my favourite unique shifters. Separately they have been through a lot, they're both closed off, until they decide to give the other a chance and then boom sparks. And Grom is just loveable and a definite character within this story.
December 2, 2022
Monalisa Devlin is stuck -- she's forced use her powers in the service of her father, the Leprechaun king -- and what he wants is dragon-shifting MMA fighter Ivan Tsvetkov back in the ring (regardless of what Van wants to do with his life). Monalisa hates using her hypnotic power to control people, but she suffers in excruciating pain if she disobeys. Thankfully, she'll soon have Van (and friends) on her side, working to secure them both their freedom.
It's Nocturne Falls gone Vegas as the world of big money fights collides with small-town Georgia. This is a nice change from the rest of the Nocturne Falls books and adds another element to the story. However, the book again relies on one of the MCs lying to the other one as a major plot point, which is similar to other books in the series, and something I don't like very much. But otherwise, this is a very good book.
It's Nocturne Falls gone Vegas as the world of big money fights collides with small-town Georgia. This is a nice change from the rest of the Nocturne Falls books and adds another element to the story. However, the book again relies on one of the MCs lying to the other one as a major plot point, which is similar to other books in the series, and something I don't like very much. But otherwise, this is a very good book.
March 2, 2017
bored.
December 18, 2020
Series: Nocturne Falls #7
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
Monalisa Devlin has been sent to Nocturne Falls by her greedy and controlling father to compel MMA fighter Ivan Tsvetkov to fight again. She quickly realizes that this mission isn’t going to be easy, especially since she doesn’t want to lie to Van anymore.
This was an interesting pairing but I enjoyed it. I never considered a Will O’ the Wisp as a potential character but it actually works. I do wish we had seen more of what she could do but that was just because she is a unique character. Monalisa has been under her fathers control her whole life and expects the worst from everyone. Van, and the residences of Nocturne Falls, show her what life could be like if she was free. I liked Monalisa but did get a little annoyed with her in the beginning. I wish she had just been truthful once she realized how kind and protective Van was.
Ivan 'The Hammer' Tsvetkov is a protective, alpha male dragon who loves his dog and reading. Van is the kind of hero that I love reading about. They look scary but have a soft side that they hide. I enjoyed watching him fall in love but wish we had actually got to see more of his dragon side. I feel that both of these characters needed more time in their true forms to really understand what it is like for them.
Overall, I liked this book but wish there had been a bit more development with their paranormal sides. Also I kind of wish we had more details about what happened to her father and the MMA league. It was just briefly mentioned at the end and I wanted to know more about it since the whole book was about Van fighting again.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Rating: 3 stars - I liked it
Monalisa Devlin has been sent to Nocturne Falls by her greedy and controlling father to compel MMA fighter Ivan Tsvetkov to fight again. She quickly realizes that this mission isn’t going to be easy, especially since she doesn’t want to lie to Van anymore.
This was an interesting pairing but I enjoyed it. I never considered a Will O’ the Wisp as a potential character but it actually works. I do wish we had seen more of what she could do but that was just because she is a unique character. Monalisa has been under her fathers control her whole life and expects the worst from everyone. Van, and the residences of Nocturne Falls, show her what life could be like if she was free. I liked Monalisa but did get a little annoyed with her in the beginning. I wish she had just been truthful once she realized how kind and protective Van was.
Ivan 'The Hammer' Tsvetkov is a protective, alpha male dragon who loves his dog and reading. Van is the kind of hero that I love reading about. They look scary but have a soft side that they hide. I enjoyed watching him fall in love but wish we had actually got to see more of his dragon side. I feel that both of these characters needed more time in their true forms to really understand what it is like for them.
Overall, I liked this book but wish there had been a bit more development with their paranormal sides. Also I kind of wish we had more details about what happened to her father and the MMA league. It was just briefly mentioned at the end and I wanted to know more about it since the whole book was about Van fighting again.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
June 14, 2017
Nat King Cole's Monalisa
"A cold and lonely lovely work of art" who's smile really does hide a broken heart. And the worst of it is Monalisa's heart is breaking because of her own parents, her father in particular. Sent to Nocturne Falls to use her Will-o-the-wisp willies to get Ivan back into the fight game after he retired. She bears a double burden of guilt, because it was she who distracted him at his last fight (under her father's orders) resulting in the injury that made Ivan retire, and because the only way to get her freedom from her father is to use her powers to coax or coerce Ivan back to fighting. But imagine her surprise when this huge dragon of a man turns out to be the complete opposite of what she has always been lead to believe. Not only that but he turns out to be the perfect man for her. The struggle to help him heal, is at war with her father's command to get him to Vegas for the fight. But even beyond that is the fact she does not trust her own father to keep his word and giver her the coin that grants her the freedom to live her own life free of his greedy manipulative control. Can this new found love be worth the actual physical pain of defying her father. Can Ivan accept and forgive her and her new-found friends help them release her so she is free to love the man of her dreams? - It will have you filled with angry frustration and tears of joy, not to mention a typical girl's night out in Nocturne Falls -
"A cold and lonely lovely work of art" who's smile really does hide a broken heart. And the worst of it is Monalisa's heart is breaking because of her own parents, her father in particular. Sent to Nocturne Falls to use her Will-o-the-wisp willies to get Ivan back into the fight game after he retired. She bears a double burden of guilt, because it was she who distracted him at his last fight (under her father's orders) resulting in the injury that made Ivan retire, and because the only way to get her freedom from her father is to use her powers to coax or coerce Ivan back to fighting. But imagine her surprise when this huge dragon of a man turns out to be the complete opposite of what she has always been lead to believe. Not only that but he turns out to be the perfect man for her. The struggle to help him heal, is at war with her father's command to get him to Vegas for the fight. But even beyond that is the fact she does not trust her own father to keep his word and giver her the coin that grants her the freedom to live her own life free of his greedy manipulative control. Can this new found love be worth the actual physical pain of defying her father. Can Ivan accept and forgive her and her new-found friends help them release her so she is free to love the man of her dreams? - It will have you filled with angry frustration and tears of joy, not to mention a typical girl's night out in Nocturne Falls -
October 20, 2019
2019 bk 337. A Will-O-Wisp must encourage a retired fighter, a dragon, to return to the fighting ring for one more match. In the mythical universe, will-o-wisps had flown under my radar - didn't really know what they were. In this story, a will-o-wisp can mess with a man's mind to lure him into danger, but she can also send out a bright flash as she turns from her human form to wisp form. Once before our Monalisa had been forced to used her flash to endanger this fighter, but now she must use her other talents, again was forced to, to lure him back into the ring. Her father, the evil crime lord and leprechaun king had never given her the coin of adulthood and in her late twenties she was trapped into obeying his commands or suffering intense physcial pain. Can the dragon free her to love him or can she free herself?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews