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The Jade Lee Romantic Fantasies #2
Dragonbound
Horrific are a dragon claws, its fiery breath and buffeting wings. Potent is its body, fraught with magic down to the very last glistening scale. But most fearsome of all is a dragon cunning and the soul that allows it to bond with humans.
Sabina was the one girl of her generation chosen as Dragonmaid, friend and caregiver to the copper dragon of her nation tyrant king. There she witnessed the greed, lust and rage such a beast could incite and acquired her own very dark secret.
Sabina was the one girl of her generation chosen as Dragonmaid, friend and caregiver to the copper dragon of her nation tyrant king. There she witnessed the greed, lust and rage such a beast could incite and acquired her own very dark secret.
337 pages, Paperback
First published February 13, 2009
19 people are currently reading
275 people want to read
About the author
Jade Lee
98 books2,978 followersLibrarian Note: Also writes under the pen name Kathy Lyons.
A USA Today Bestseller, JADE LEE has been scripting love stories since she first picked up a set of paper dolls. Ball gowns and rakish lords caught her attention early (thank you Georgette Heyer), and her fascination with the Regency began. An author of more than 40 romance novels and winner of dozens of industry awards, her latest series is RAKES AND ROGUES. The first one, 50 WAYS TO RUIN A RAKE, is an awesome tale of love and laughter.
And don’t forget Kathy Lyons.. She’s Jade’s paranormal half. Check out her new shifter series GRIZZLIES GONE WILD.
To find all the latest news on Jade or Kathy, visit them at www.jadeleeauthor.com or www.kathylyons.com! And find out where you can meet her at: http://jadeleeauthor.com/appearances
A USA Today Bestseller, JADE LEE has been scripting love stories since she first picked up a set of paper dolls. Ball gowns and rakish lords caught her attention early (thank you Georgette Heyer), and her fascination with the Regency began. An author of more than 40 romance novels and winner of dozens of industry awards, her latest series is RAKES AND ROGUES. The first one, 50 WAYS TO RUIN A RAKE, is an awesome tale of love and laughter.
And don’t forget Kathy Lyons.. She’s Jade’s paranormal half. Check out her new shifter series GRIZZLIES GONE WILD.
To find all the latest news on Jade or Kathy, visit them at www.jadeleeauthor.com or www.kathylyons.com! And find out where you can meet her at: http://jadeleeauthor.com/appearances
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 11, 2012
Those who appreciate the worldbuilding and fantastical immersion of Anne Bishop may find appeal in this book. A competent storyteller, Lee weaves a dark and intricate tale of magic, politics, subversion, and entrapment. The descriptions are vibrant and the prose is deeply engrossing. I especially appreciated the unique symbiotic relationship between humans and dragons in this particular envisioning.
The story centers largely around the powerful connection between a ruthless emperor’s enslaved Copper dragon, and the beast's final dragonmaid caregiver, Sabina. The story alternates between the past, in which both the Copper and Sabina are tormented by the same vile man, emperor Dag Racho--and the present, after Racho has been killed and his dragon imprisoned in his body.
The copper dragon, Cordain, projects a force of character that is just inhuman enough to be both believable and easily misunderstood regarding his true intentions. Sabina is strong-willed and ambitious, requiring a good deal of patience to fully sympathize with. Together, they share a horrific history of abuse and betrayal at the hands of a manipulative and pitiless sociopath. Restoration between them is both the goal and seemingly insurmountable challenge amid an array of external dangers.
My biggest difficulty with the book was in regards to the graphic repeated rape of a virginal 16-year-old. I'm not sure if I should call it statutory rape or semi-consensual pedophilia, given the fantasy context. But the result for this reader was the same—a sad revulsion that seemed to nullify the overarching romantic plot. I don't believe I would have read it at all had I been forewarned about this particular part of the content, and so I feel that readers ought to be advised.
The story centers largely around the powerful connection between a ruthless emperor’s enslaved Copper dragon, and the beast's final dragonmaid caregiver, Sabina. The story alternates between the past, in which both the Copper and Sabina are tormented by the same vile man, emperor Dag Racho--and the present, after Racho has been killed and his dragon imprisoned in his body.
The copper dragon, Cordain, projects a force of character that is just inhuman enough to be both believable and easily misunderstood regarding his true intentions. Sabina is strong-willed and ambitious, requiring a good deal of patience to fully sympathize with. Together, they share a horrific history of abuse and betrayal at the hands of a manipulative and pitiless sociopath. Restoration between them is both the goal and seemingly insurmountable challenge amid an array of external dangers.
My biggest difficulty with the book was in regards to the graphic repeated rape of a virginal 16-year-old. I'm not sure if I should call it statutory rape or semi-consensual pedophilia, given the fantasy context. But the result for this reader was the same—a sad revulsion that seemed to nullify the overarching romantic plot. I don't believe I would have read it at all had I been forewarned about this particular part of the content, and so I feel that readers ought to be advised.
August 21, 2025
Set very much as a split between the present and the past, this novel follows the journey of a young but extremely intelligent girl whos family have sold her to the potential of being a dragonmaid. Though she is very gifted with bargaining and talking her way out of situations most 10 year olds could never hope to, she is still unable to convince her father that he is sentencing her to death. It's well known that all dragonmaids go mad and the heroine is well focused on her pretty looks and hopes for a rich husband. She fights desperately to change her fate but is unsuccessful. Shaven head and in acceptance of her fate if not happy about it, she stands before the fearful beast and is not afraid. Instead of seeing death and destruction, she falls into his eyes, into a world of happiness and true bonding. It's this acceptance of the dragon as well as her intelligence that wins her the position of dragonmaid. As the years pass and the heroine grows as does her bond with the dragon. With their secret voyages into their fantasy world which is spent flying with freedom and communicating as one being, she sees the dragons hatred for his imprisonment and for his slaver. She wants to free him and to do that she must find a way to survive her own enslavement. She is very smart and is able to use almost all situations to her advantage. She knows the Emperor is the key to her survival as much as he is source of both her and the dragons suffering and anger. The heroine grows and she must do shameful things, things that she knows must be done but taint her soul, all in the hopes that somehow her fate will change. The story also takes place in present, a few years after what is known as the past. The heroine is older now but she is sometimes just as naïve as she was back then. She is still blind to the heroes feelings, his devotion to her that hasn't changed between him as a dragon, a beast and as a man in the body of the man who enslaved them both. Though he may have won his freedom, in many ways he is still not truly free. Not until he can have the heroine as his own. Not until they can escape the games and the constant darkness that is the men and women seeking to use dragons for their personal gain.
Though this book is not what I am typically in to, I did find myself enjoying it. It was very fantasy but it had enough romance to spark my interest. It was however a very different sort of romance. First off, the hero was once a dragon. Born a dragon, born a slave, he was a beast without speech or a means to understand or act on his love for his human companion. All he knew was that he hated seeing her used as a tool for obedience by the man who is so evil. When he finally managed to free himself, he had to come into his own as a man and that took him away while the heroine was left behind. But what was always constant was his love for her. A very pure and selfless kind of love, he was determined to give everything to the heroine because all her life all anyone ever did was take. The heroine was both very clever and very naïve. She was able to talk her way out of a lot of situations but she was also able to turn a blind eye to reality at times and in a lot ways, remained that ignorant little girl of her youth. This book was packed with sex, both the passionate and good kind as seen with the hero and heroine as well as the dark and deviant kind as seen by the men the heroine came into contact throughout the years. This book was odd in a lot of ways but good and very interesting in others. A heathy 3 star is suitable.
Though this book is not what I am typically in to, I did find myself enjoying it. It was very fantasy but it had enough romance to spark my interest. It was however a very different sort of romance. First off, the hero was once a dragon. Born a dragon, born a slave, he was a beast without speech or a means to understand or act on his love for his human companion. All he knew was that he hated seeing her used as a tool for obedience by the man who is so evil. When he finally managed to free himself, he had to come into his own as a man and that took him away while the heroine was left behind. But what was always constant was his love for her. A very pure and selfless kind of love, he was determined to give everything to the heroine because all her life all anyone ever did was take. The heroine was both very clever and very naïve. She was able to talk her way out of a lot of situations but she was also able to turn a blind eye to reality at times and in a lot ways, remained that ignorant little girl of her youth. This book was packed with sex, both the passionate and good kind as seen with the hero and heroine as well as the dark and deviant kind as seen by the men the heroine came into contact throughout the years. This book was odd in a lot of ways but good and very interesting in others. A heathy 3 star is suitable.
September 24, 2019
Ok STOP! WHY!?!? why is there so much CRAP in this book? Honestly your imagination is something but your story is lacking bad. I couldn't stand Cordain turning into a "Rashad look-a-like" (which was never explained). Let alone Anastasiya (Sabina's Daughter) didn't even have any sympathy or a spare thought her way after all the suffering Sabina went through to have her and disappear. WHY after Cordain changes does he have to impregnate some crazy bitch and have Sabina raise it with him and also have her pregnant with Cordains baby as well!?? There was so many turns in this book I HATED it! This is the main reasoning why this book displeased me I don't want to rant on here forever explaining everything else as well so I'll leave it at that.
January 2, 2012
I really wanted to like this book and was excited about the premise but... you know how there are some books out there that just frustrate you with every twist and turn until you are literally stressed and feeling sick? This is one of them. NOTHING goes smoothly for the characters. Nothing. I guess I am just glad that none of the characters were very emotionally deep or likable, I would have been even more upset if they were.
February 2, 2013
Ever read a book, and be determined to finish it, just to see how fucked up it gets? Yeah.
October 3, 2022
I will be honest, I could not finish this book. However, I did not want to give it 1 star because I feel that it had a lot of potential. My biggest problem is in the constant switching back and forth between 'now' and 'then', as half of the book takes place after the first book - which I will admit I didnt read bc I didnt realize this one was a 2nd - and the othet half either during or before the first book. Not a deal breaker at all, as I thoroughly enjoy flashbacks as well as the pacing/narration where the majority of a book seems like a story being told. But as far as Dragon Bound goes, it was too much and too often. For me it made the story too difficult to follow along with as I couldn't seem to make sense of what was happening. Now I will confess that perhaps if I had read the first one then more of the world and the lore would have made sense to me, but I just didn't get that vibe. Plenty of times I have picked up a random book only to realize that it is part of a series by the amount of lore or worldbuilding that the book seems to assume the reader already knows. And many times I find myself drawn in and wanting to know more so I seek put the remainder of the series. This one, sadly, did not draw me in like that. Sabina, the heroine, has obviously been through trauma and while we get an initial 'this happened before', I got halfway through the book and that trauma still hadnt been brought up in the numerous flashbacks. Which made it impossible for me to really connect and sympathize with her and therefore care about what she is going through now.
I will say that many of the characters had a sense of 'i would like you if you weren't such a jerk'. Something that I actually like in writing, especially when that same character has been theough trauma bc it is a v real and human response and I enjoy that realism.
Overall, I just feel like there is nothing about this book that stands out from the innumerable other fantasy and fantasy/romance books out there. In truth, it almost seems like a fantasy book that tried to dip its toes into romance and didn't quite figure it out. If I were to stumble across the first volume I might read it, but I'm not going to go searching it out on purpose.
I will say that many of the characters had a sense of 'i would like you if you weren't such a jerk'. Something that I actually like in writing, especially when that same character has been theough trauma bc it is a v real and human response and I enjoy that realism.
Overall, I just feel like there is nothing about this book that stands out from the innumerable other fantasy and fantasy/romance books out there. In truth, it almost seems like a fantasy book that tried to dip its toes into romance and didn't quite figure it out. If I were to stumble across the first volume I might read it, but I'm not going to go searching it out on purpose.
June 26, 2021
-3 stars... maybe less. i wont be reading more of this series.
a strange book i enjoyed parts of, but others not so much. it flips the story constantly between 'then' and 'now'. so part takes place before the last novel, part takes place after. but it does at least label which chapters are then and which are now.
there is a rape, and repeated coerced oral sex. not really what you want in a romance novel.
"he knew she hated to cry. she'd told him dozens of times that tears were a marker for others to see how best to hurt you."
how could he think that a new child would replace the daughter she had lost?
"they're not wagon wheels! one does not serve as well as another."
a strange book i enjoyed parts of, but others not so much. it flips the story constantly between 'then' and 'now'. so part takes place before the last novel, part takes place after. but it does at least label which chapters are then and which are now.
there is a rape, and repeated coerced oral sex. not really what you want in a romance novel.
"he knew she hated to cry. she'd told him dozens of times that tears were a marker for others to see how best to hurt you."
how could he think that a new child would replace the daughter she had lost?
"they're not wagon wheels! one does not serve as well as another."
November 15, 2020
Good ending but for more than half of the book I really didn’t understand what was going on. Will not be reading any of the others. Unfortunately the king, Rashad, is a totally believable character. Ruthless and obsessed with power. Cordain and his kind have an understanding of their own desires even before they are born.
May 6, 2017
This is not what I thought it would be. If you love fantasy and dragons, this is probably the book for you. I was looking for something more along the lines of a dragon mystery, and this was NOT what I was looking for.
December 8, 2019
Not a bad tale per se. It dealt with many dark issues I did not care for. Decent pacing. Overall, the story was well woven.
October 23, 2019
Sabina is a dragonmaid. Which is exactly what it sounds like. A maid for a dragon. She cleans him and feeds him and all other types of maid duties.
Cordain is a dragon in the body of his former bond mate, an evil king.
I can't give this story less than three stars but I don't want to give it more than one.
The world building is amazing and everything is so well thought out. Amazing! So detailed. Dragons are born when eggs are incubated in human bodies. Humans who do this merging gain special powers and titles. This in redouble world earns a star. I just wish that it would have been explained better than having constant flash backs to the childhood of the leading lady.
The characters were so well rounded. My biggest issue with them was there constant amnesia about important events. This complaint excludes the time that magic removed memories. It was almost like the characters didn't know what happened in the past until we, the readers, had experienced the correct flash back. This is a negative that really bugged me. Especially with the main character who seemed to constantly forget that she loved this dragon man.
Sabina had daddy issues and I LOVED it. This book did something that really won my heart with her paternal issues. First she didn't get that annoying guilt at being angry with her father. Especially since he deserves her Indifference at best. He deserved to die and I was never more happy with the series than when her family was killed.
The second thing I liked was that she didn't pretend that just because he helped create her, meant he deserved her love and forgiveness.
He damaged her and she was angry about it. She never apologized to him about and they never had that annoying reunion. She hates him and he died without them "making amends". The best part is the writer explained his actions toward his daughter but she still condemned his actions! How novel! Two stars for that alone.
The final mark in my stars vote came with the fact that everyone called the leading lady intelligent. This was annoying at first. They all kept talking about how amazing it was to see a female with a brain. Of course there were several intelligent women in this book. However all but one of these smart women made stupid mistakes and basically killed themselves with terrible decisions that were made hastily.
Then Sabina was not actually smart. She managed to be manipulated and tricked for the entirety of the book by everyone but her dragon. And she doubted the dragon the entire time! Which is a human failing so ten points to writing a believable character. The fact is that for a "smart" character she made several stupid mistakes and couldn't ever manage to get herself out of trouble.
At the end of the day it was an okay read. Not the worst but not in the top ten. Maybe the first book will be better.
Cordain is a dragon in the body of his former bond mate, an evil king.
I can't give this story less than three stars but I don't want to give it more than one.
The world building is amazing and everything is so well thought out. Amazing! So detailed. Dragons are born when eggs are incubated in human bodies. Humans who do this merging gain special powers and titles. This in redouble world earns a star. I just wish that it would have been explained better than having constant flash backs to the childhood of the leading lady.
The characters were so well rounded. My biggest issue with them was there constant amnesia about important events. This complaint excludes the time that magic removed memories. It was almost like the characters didn't know what happened in the past until we, the readers, had experienced the correct flash back. This is a negative that really bugged me. Especially with the main character who seemed to constantly forget that she loved this dragon man.
Sabina had daddy issues and I LOVED it. This book did something that really won my heart with her paternal issues. First she didn't get that annoying guilt at being angry with her father. Especially since he deserves her Indifference at best. He deserved to die and I was never more happy with the series than when her family was killed.
The second thing I liked was that she didn't pretend that just because he helped create her, meant he deserved her love and forgiveness.
He damaged her and she was angry about it. She never apologized to him about and they never had that annoying reunion. She hates him and he died without them "making amends". The best part is the writer explained his actions toward his daughter but she still condemned his actions! How novel! Two stars for that alone.
The final mark in my stars vote came with the fact that everyone called the leading lady intelligent. This was annoying at first. They all kept talking about how amazing it was to see a female with a brain. Of course there were several intelligent women in this book. However all but one of these smart women made stupid mistakes and basically killed themselves with terrible decisions that were made hastily.
Then Sabina was not actually smart. She managed to be manipulated and tricked for the entirety of the book by everyone but her dragon. And she doubted the dragon the entire time! Which is a human failing so ten points to writing a believable character. The fact is that for a "smart" character she made several stupid mistakes and couldn't ever manage to get herself out of trouble.
At the end of the day it was an okay read. Not the worst but not in the top ten. Maybe the first book will be better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2009
This is a wonderful fantasy where dragons and humans communicate psychically. Her first in this series, Dragonborn, opens us to her world of Dags who hatch dragon eggs by attaching them somewhere on their body. In this book, that history aside, we are introduced to a dragon whose Qi has entered the form of his former Dag, an evil twisted little man who used him in his dragon form to terrorize not only his nation but the two adjoining nations. All the dragon made man wants now is to be left alone until he meets up with his former dragon maiden with whom he communed spiritually through sustained eye contact. Really powerful metaphors... a must read as far as I'm concerned.
August 28, 2010
Definitely better than the first. I would actually rate it 3.75 stars, but I was pretty distracted so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. I really liked Sabrina's dragonmaid days. I didn't expect to like Sabrina, but I did. Quite a bit actually. I didn't really see where she got such strong feelings to influence Kiril about dragons turning the man bad. I kinda felt like she was wavering on that opinion when she parted with the Copper.
The book had lots of good intricacies in the plot. It was nicely done, it was just missing...something, some spark or something that makes a book great.
The book had lots of good intricacies in the plot. It was nicely done, it was just missing...something, some spark or something that makes a book great.
July 23, 2012
This was the first Jade Lee book I have read. I loved it!! The strength of Sabina through all life threw at her was wonderful and she proved very resourceful. Cordain was a believable hero also. I liked the way the story was told in the now and then style. I read it all in one day because I couldn't wait to see what came next.
January 30, 2015
Even though this book is second in the series, and I did not read the first book, I feel this is a wonderful read. I have read and reread this book and found it was just as mystical as the first time I flipped through the pages. Going back and forth in time was a touch irritating to me, so not for someone who has ADD, but this book can stand alone.
June 26, 2012
I won this book on a Firstreads Giveaway. Only three chapters in and I won't be finishing the book due to graphic sexual content. Also - a book that starts off with a father threatening to sell his child into slavery if she doesn't do what he wants - not the type of book I'm into.
August 12, 2013
Great sequel to Dragonborn. I loved the heroine, Sabina. Though we got a glimpse of her in the first book this was her story and it was full of action, intrigue, and very strong characters. The hero was also unique and intriguing. Great read with very hot sex scenes.
June 28, 2014
I really loved this book. Jade Lee's vision of dragons is original and intriguing. Erotic, adventurous and includes powerful metaphors. Many cheers.
September 27, 2010
Okay, but not a keeper.
July 14, 2011
The back and forth between then and now story settings helped build the story.
Want to read
April 1, 2012I just won a copy from Goodreads. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you.
December 28, 2012
Was okay..had so many good thing to make it great..but it was just too strange and odd at times.
March 3, 2013
I thought this was a great dragon story! The world in Dragonbound was amazing! Jade Lee did a wonderful job bringing the story of Sabina's past together with the present!
April 19, 2017
UrhG, that was not romantic!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews