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Dragon Lovers
"[An] enchanting anthology"(Booklist) from four of today's most popular authors.
Romance and fantasy collide in these enchanting stories featuring dragons - and - love in all their many forms. From a virgin princess's first love to a shape-changing samurai bridegroom, from a young widow and her sexy handyman's secret project to a knight and his distressed damsel, the courage, beauty, and strength of dragons inspire the most unforgettable stories ever told....
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 6, 2007
About the author
Mary Jo Putney
171 books2,270 followersShe writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.
Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.
While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.
Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.
Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.
Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.
While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.
Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.
Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
November 5, 2010
Dreadful. Cloyingly sweet. I feel like I've gorged myself on electric-colored cotton candy and will be sick at any moment.
Avoid avoid avoid.
The Dragon and the Virgin Princess (Jo Beverley)
In which the reader learns that dragon slobber is erotic to humans, that dragons have the conversational skills of the average three-year-old child, and that an alternative method of collecting virgin princess blood by taking a small amount from several instead of nine pints from one is far too ridiculous for the author to suggest.
Anna and the King of Dragons (Karen Harbaugh)
In which a wayward virgin orphan scholar doctor accidental Dutch immigrant to Japan opts for matrimony over prostitution. Also, everyone she meets either loves her or wants to rape her.
Dragon Feathers (Barbara Small)
In which one learns that quetzalcoatls are colored in shades of pink and grant health and long life to their appointed guardians and to the guardians' selected consorts. But not to the guardians' children, so better be barren before that first dragon encounter.
The Dragon and the Dark Knight (Mary Jo Putney)
In which I completely fail to create a pithy summary and let the purple prose speak for itself:
Avoid avoid avoid.
The Dragon and the Virgin Princess (Jo Beverley)
In which the reader learns that dragon slobber is erotic to humans, that dragons have the conversational skills of the average three-year-old child, and that an alternative method of collecting virgin princess blood by taking a small amount from several instead of nine pints from one is far too ridiculous for the author to suggest.
Anna and the King of Dragons (Karen Harbaugh)
In which a wayward virgin orphan scholar doctor accidental Dutch immigrant to Japan opts for matrimony over prostitution. Also, everyone she meets either loves her or wants to rape her.
Dragon Feathers (Barbara Small)
In which one learns that quetzalcoatls are colored in shades of pink and grant health and long life to their appointed guardians and to the guardians' selected consorts. But not to the guardians' children, so better be barren before that first dragon encounter.
The Dragon and the Dark Knight (Mary Jo Putney)
In which I completely fail to create a pithy summary and let the purple prose speak for itself:
"As if I cared for the bar sinister!" She clasped his hands hard. "Let us plight our troth together. I love you, Kendrick of Rathbourne, and I take you now for my husband in the sight of God." (p. 185)(Quotes pulled from ISBN 9780451220394.)
The hood of her mantel was thrown back and her red-gold hair streamed behind her like a banner of flame. (...) "You know me, people of Penruth!" she cried in a voice like ringing bells. As she spoke, the clouds broke and a shaft of sunshine broke through, lighting her with its golden warmth. "I am Ariane of Penruth, returned to claim by birthright!" (p. 199)
December 23, 2012
The four stories in this anthology have in common dragon-related plots and romance (in half the stories, one of the lovers is a dragon). The first story deals with a virgin princess kidnapped by a dragon rider. The second story has a knight sent to slay a dragon, who is later persuaded to defend the dragon and the dragon's granddaughter. The third story deals with a Dutchwoman in 17th century Japan who meets a dragon and a samurai while considering her options for the future. The fourth and final story deals with a recently widowed young woman who moves to Santa Fe, where she finds new love and a house with a dragon that needs protecting.
This anthology will probably appeal not only to readers who enjoy romance, but also to readers who love fantasy and dragons. Personally, I preferred the first and third stories (Beverley's and Harbaugh's), but I don't really think any of the stories in this anthology were very weak.
"The Dragon and the Virgin Princess" by Jo Beverley
Princess Rozlinda is an SVP, a Sacrificial Virgin Princess. At the age of 19, Rozlinda has been the SVP for 7 years, and she's thoroughly tired of it. However, she's also very aware of her duty and cares about the fate of her people. Rozlinda's only job is to stay a virgin until either the next girl in line to be SVP starts menstruating or a dragon comes along from the neighboring country. The previous SVP selfishly risked war with the neighboring country by convincing the man she loved to kill the dragon when it came for her, thereby allowing him to win her hand in marriage when he would not otherwise have been able to. Rozlinda is determined to do things correctly this time around, even when the dragon comes earlier than expected. Unfortunately, the man riding the dragon has come to marry Rozlinda, whether she wants him or not, and take her back to his country in the hopes of using her to keep dragonkind alive.
My summary of this story is hideous, but I tried not to give too much away - that can be hard to do, sometimes, with short stories. I found this story to be pretty impressive, and I'd probably recommend it even to fans of dragons who don't normally read romance. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters, and, although there is certainly romance, the story involving the dragons was interesting enough by itself. I'd love to read something else featuring this country full of dragons and their riders.
Beverley writes from both Rozlinda and Rouar's perspectives (Rouar is the dragon rider mentioned in my summary), something that I always appreciate when I'm reading a romance. I liked Rouar and enjoyed reading about the conflict between his budding feelings for Rozlinda and his duty to his country's dragons. I felt that Rozlinda was a bit uneven, though. She's a strange mix of personality traits: she's resilient, willing to make the best of things, and kind, but she's also spoiled. She's much more willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good than her words and thoughts at the beginning of the story led me to believe.
"The Dragon and the Dark Knight" by Mary Jo Putney
Kenrick is a skilled knight whose frightening face and status as an illegitimate son keeps him from getting what he most desires: land, a wife, and children. At the moment, it's peaceful in England, so he and his squire are having a hard time finding a good place to stay during the winter. When Kenrick hears about a baron looking for a champion willing to kill a troublesome dragon, he decides to check things out. If Kenrick is able to kill the dragon, he'll be given the fief of Tregarth as a reward. However, Kenrick discovers that the dragon isn't as bloodthirsty and dangerous as he was led to believe, and he also begins to fall in love with the dragon's part human, part dragon granddaughter.
This story also wasn't bad, although I think non-romance lovers/readers may not enjoy this story as much as the first, since I don't think the overall non-romantic story is as strong. I did really like Kenrick, though. He's a nice guy with a strong sense of honor. Putney makes no attempt to make Kenrick's life seem glamorous - at the beginning of the story, it's clear that he's living hand-to-mouth and has been much-battered by his life as a knight. However, Putney also doesn't make things as gory as she could, either. Kenrick does kill a few people, but since this isn't a dark story by any means, the deaths aren't described in any stomach-churning way.
Ariane (the dragon's granddaughter) was... okay. It wasn't that I disliked her, it's just that I didn't find her very interesting. The romance between her and Kenrick didn't really grab me either. Although Kenrick tells her that he loves her because of her part dragon blood and not despite it, and Ariane is pleased by this news, I'm not sure I would've been as pleased by Kenrick's words if I were her. I think I might've liked it more if he had also talked about the things he liked about her as a person. There's not much that he could've said, though, since he doesn't really know much about her, other than that she can heal and knows how to cook. One of the drawbacks of romantic short stories, and one of the main reasons why I don't often read romance anthologies, is that there often isn't enough time for the hero and heroine to get to know each other and fall in love with each other for reasons that aren't shallow. Kenrick likes Ariane's dragon abilities and her kindness towards him, but I needed more than that for the romance to grab me.
"Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh
This story takes place in Japan in 1650. Anna Vanderzee is a Dutch physician whose parents have recently died. She is uncertain what to do with her life: it's unlikely she'll be able to practice medicine in either the Netherlands or in Japan, she's not sure she'd even fit in in the Netherlands anymore, and prostitution, the one job she'd have the best chance of getting in Japan, is not something she wants to do. While she's considering her position, Anna slips and almost falls and drowns in a pond, but she's saved by a dragon. The dragon lets her go after Anna promises to bring him books. On her way back to the inn she's staying at, Anna is attacked by bandits and saved by a samurai named Nakagawa Toshiro. Anna keeps her promise to the dragon and asks for Nakagawa's help again. Although the two are falling for each other, Anna doesn't see how it would ever be acceptable to Nakagawa's family for them to marry, and she prepares to go back to the Netherlands. However, there is more to Nakagawa than she realizes.
Of all the stories in this book, I think this one is my favorite. Part of the reason for that is the setting - I have to say, I'm a sucker for all things Japanese. Most of what I know about Japan, Japanese history, the Japanese language, and Japanese customs I learned from the vast amounts of anime I've watched and manga I've read, so I can't really say with any kind of authority how accurate Harbaugh's depiction of Japan is. She uses a little bit of Japanese in the story, especially in the beginning - the phrases and words I recognize seem to be correct, although, as I just mentioned, I'm no expert. Harbaugh also includes a few details of Japanese history and customs. One of my favorite bits in the story is the part where Nakagawa manages to get Anna better clothing from an innkeeper by talking about her status, knowing that the innkeeper is eavesdropping.
In addition to liking the setting, I also enjoyed Anna and Nakagawa. It's too bad more of the story wasn't written from Nakagawa's perspective. Overall, I thought Anna and Nakagawa made a nice couple, and Nakagawa's family had a pretty good reason to accept Anna as Nakagawa's wife.
"Dragon Feathers" by Barbara Samuel
Penny Freeman, widowed before she's even turned 30, has come to Santa Fe to learn to weave from Maria Libelula, a famous weaver who only takes 7 students at a time. Before beginning classes, she manages to find a house that seems perfect for her and that, for some reason, is much cheaper than it should be. In and near her new home, she discovers what appears to be pink-dyed peacock feathers. Her teacher's son, Joaquin, tells her not to show the feathers to anyone, and, sure enough, some of the people who've seen the feathers try to break into Penny's new home. Gradually, Penny discovers where the feathers came from and what her new role is to be. If she chooses to accept her role as a guardian, she can also choose to have Joaquin, the first man she's found attractive since her husband died, as her consort.
I'm not really sure how I felt about this story. Of all the stories in this anthology, it felt the least dragon-related - Penny doesn't see the dragon until late in the story, and, in appearance, the dragon seems like it might be more related to birds than anything lizard-like in appearance. Also, for all that Joaquin says Penny is in danger, it feels like a very sedate and slow-paced story. Mostly Penny floats along, adjusting to life in Santa Fe and life as a widow, learning about the feathers, and thinking about Joaquin. It felt a little like a set-up for a full-length novel that would have a great deal more action (and more romance). I didn't think it was a bad story, but, in my opinion, it was either the weakest or second weakest in the anthology.
(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
This anthology will probably appeal not only to readers who enjoy romance, but also to readers who love fantasy and dragons. Personally, I preferred the first and third stories (Beverley's and Harbaugh's), but I don't really think any of the stories in this anthology were very weak.
"The Dragon and the Virgin Princess" by Jo Beverley
Princess Rozlinda is an SVP, a Sacrificial Virgin Princess. At the age of 19, Rozlinda has been the SVP for 7 years, and she's thoroughly tired of it. However, she's also very aware of her duty and cares about the fate of her people. Rozlinda's only job is to stay a virgin until either the next girl in line to be SVP starts menstruating or a dragon comes along from the neighboring country. The previous SVP selfishly risked war with the neighboring country by convincing the man she loved to kill the dragon when it came for her, thereby allowing him to win her hand in marriage when he would not otherwise have been able to. Rozlinda is determined to do things correctly this time around, even when the dragon comes earlier than expected. Unfortunately, the man riding the dragon has come to marry Rozlinda, whether she wants him or not, and take her back to his country in the hopes of using her to keep dragonkind alive.
My summary of this story is hideous, but I tried not to give too much away - that can be hard to do, sometimes, with short stories. I found this story to be pretty impressive, and I'd probably recommend it even to fans of dragons who don't normally read romance. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters, and, although there is certainly romance, the story involving the dragons was interesting enough by itself. I'd love to read something else featuring this country full of dragons and their riders.
Beverley writes from both Rozlinda and Rouar's perspectives (Rouar is the dragon rider mentioned in my summary), something that I always appreciate when I'm reading a romance. I liked Rouar and enjoyed reading about the conflict between his budding feelings for Rozlinda and his duty to his country's dragons. I felt that Rozlinda was a bit uneven, though. She's a strange mix of personality traits: she's resilient, willing to make the best of things, and kind, but she's also spoiled. She's much more willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good than her words and thoughts at the beginning of the story led me to believe.
"The Dragon and the Dark Knight" by Mary Jo Putney
Kenrick is a skilled knight whose frightening face and status as an illegitimate son keeps him from getting what he most desires: land, a wife, and children. At the moment, it's peaceful in England, so he and his squire are having a hard time finding a good place to stay during the winter. When Kenrick hears about a baron looking for a champion willing to kill a troublesome dragon, he decides to check things out. If Kenrick is able to kill the dragon, he'll be given the fief of Tregarth as a reward. However, Kenrick discovers that the dragon isn't as bloodthirsty and dangerous as he was led to believe, and he also begins to fall in love with the dragon's part human, part dragon granddaughter.
This story also wasn't bad, although I think non-romance lovers/readers may not enjoy this story as much as the first, since I don't think the overall non-romantic story is as strong. I did really like Kenrick, though. He's a nice guy with a strong sense of honor. Putney makes no attempt to make Kenrick's life seem glamorous - at the beginning of the story, it's clear that he's living hand-to-mouth and has been much-battered by his life as a knight. However, Putney also doesn't make things as gory as she could, either. Kenrick does kill a few people, but since this isn't a dark story by any means, the deaths aren't described in any stomach-churning way.
Ariane (the dragon's granddaughter) was... okay. It wasn't that I disliked her, it's just that I didn't find her very interesting. The romance between her and Kenrick didn't really grab me either. Although Kenrick tells her that he loves her because of her part dragon blood and not despite it, and Ariane is pleased by this news, I'm not sure I would've been as pleased by Kenrick's words if I were her. I think I might've liked it more if he had also talked about the things he liked about her as a person. There's not much that he could've said, though, since he doesn't really know much about her, other than that she can heal and knows how to cook. One of the drawbacks of romantic short stories, and one of the main reasons why I don't often read romance anthologies, is that there often isn't enough time for the hero and heroine to get to know each other and fall in love with each other for reasons that aren't shallow. Kenrick likes Ariane's dragon abilities and her kindness towards him, but I needed more than that for the romance to grab me.
"Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh
This story takes place in Japan in 1650. Anna Vanderzee is a Dutch physician whose parents have recently died. She is uncertain what to do with her life: it's unlikely she'll be able to practice medicine in either the Netherlands or in Japan, she's not sure she'd even fit in in the Netherlands anymore, and prostitution, the one job she'd have the best chance of getting in Japan, is not something she wants to do. While she's considering her position, Anna slips and almost falls and drowns in a pond, but she's saved by a dragon. The dragon lets her go after Anna promises to bring him books. On her way back to the inn she's staying at, Anna is attacked by bandits and saved by a samurai named Nakagawa Toshiro. Anna keeps her promise to the dragon and asks for Nakagawa's help again. Although the two are falling for each other, Anna doesn't see how it would ever be acceptable to Nakagawa's family for them to marry, and she prepares to go back to the Netherlands. However, there is more to Nakagawa than she realizes.
Of all the stories in this book, I think this one is my favorite. Part of the reason for that is the setting - I have to say, I'm a sucker for all things Japanese. Most of what I know about Japan, Japanese history, the Japanese language, and Japanese customs I learned from the vast amounts of anime I've watched and manga I've read, so I can't really say with any kind of authority how accurate Harbaugh's depiction of Japan is. She uses a little bit of Japanese in the story, especially in the beginning - the phrases and words I recognize seem to be correct, although, as I just mentioned, I'm no expert. Harbaugh also includes a few details of Japanese history and customs. One of my favorite bits in the story is the part where Nakagawa manages to get Anna better clothing from an innkeeper by talking about her status, knowing that the innkeeper is eavesdropping.
In addition to liking the setting, I also enjoyed Anna and Nakagawa. It's too bad more of the story wasn't written from Nakagawa's perspective. Overall, I thought Anna and Nakagawa made a nice couple, and Nakagawa's family had a pretty good reason to accept Anna as Nakagawa's wife.
"Dragon Feathers" by Barbara Samuel
Penny Freeman, widowed before she's even turned 30, has come to Santa Fe to learn to weave from Maria Libelula, a famous weaver who only takes 7 students at a time. Before beginning classes, she manages to find a house that seems perfect for her and that, for some reason, is much cheaper than it should be. In and near her new home, she discovers what appears to be pink-dyed peacock feathers. Her teacher's son, Joaquin, tells her not to show the feathers to anyone, and, sure enough, some of the people who've seen the feathers try to break into Penny's new home. Gradually, Penny discovers where the feathers came from and what her new role is to be. If she chooses to accept her role as a guardian, she can also choose to have Joaquin, the first man she's found attractive since her husband died, as her consort.
I'm not really sure how I felt about this story. Of all the stories in this anthology, it felt the least dragon-related - Penny doesn't see the dragon until late in the story, and, in appearance, the dragon seems like it might be more related to birds than anything lizard-like in appearance. Also, for all that Joaquin says Penny is in danger, it feels like a very sedate and slow-paced story. Mostly Penny floats along, adjusting to life in Santa Fe and life as a widow, learning about the feathers, and thinking about Joaquin. It felt a little like a set-up for a full-length novel that would have a great deal more action (and more romance). I didn't think it was a bad story, but, in my opinion, it was either the weakest or second weakest in the anthology.
(Original review, with read-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
June 1, 2013
A 4 story anthology with dragons being the theme. There is mostly implied sex, nothing really explicit.
Jo Beverley - 4 stars. This is a peculiar little story, set in another world with 2 opposing cultures. Saragond is like medieval England. Rozlinda is the chief princess. Rouar is a dragoneer from Dornan, a culture which revolves around the dragons, which are benevolent.
I didn't like Zlinda when she was a shreiking shrew, however, you have to cut her some slack. She's only 19, ripped from her family & culture & told she's going to have to walk a good part of the way to Dornan. I liked that out of her 2 sisters, Zlinda seems to have a better sense of what a princess entails. She's not selfish & manipulating like them & does what she needs to do to save her people.
I didn't like Ro since what he really intends to do with Zlinda is very cruel. I did like him when he decides she's really a strong person with integrity & character & he begins to fall in love with her.
The dragon has a mental connection with Ro & also Zlinda, which makes sex very interesting. Kind of like a threesome, but with the humans only doing the act.
If you can get past that, then you should like this story. It's very well written.
Mary Jo Putney - 3 stars. This one's set in medieval England with the usual brave, but baseborn knight & the beautiful lady he vows to keep safe ( & in his bed!). There are a few twists though, which makes it interesting enough for 3 stars.
Karen Harbaugh - 3 stars. I read "Shogun" back in my 20's & I've got to tell you that samarai are NOT kind & benevolent. Maybe if I hadn't read it I would have enjoyed this story more. It IS unusual in that it's set in Japan in 1650. Anna is a Dutch girl, living in Japan, whose parents have recently died leaving her with hard decisions. She comes across a Japanese dragon who saves her life, then a samarai who looks after her. Well written, but probaby not realistic.
Barbara Samuel - 2 stars. Set in contemporary times, this involves a Mexican dragon in Santa Fe. It has the usual tortured, young woman. Her parents are dead, her husband died in a car accident. Now, she's starting over in a new place. Of course there's the dark, handsome man who constantly tells her when weird things happen- "It's not time for you to know that yet". " I can't tell you anything" Yadda,yadda, whatever. Not as well written as the other 3.
Jo Beverley - 4 stars. This is a peculiar little story, set in another world with 2 opposing cultures. Saragond is like medieval England. Rozlinda is the chief princess. Rouar is a dragoneer from Dornan, a culture which revolves around the dragons, which are benevolent.
I didn't like Zlinda when she was a shreiking shrew, however, you have to cut her some slack. She's only 19, ripped from her family & culture & told she's going to have to walk a good part of the way to Dornan. I liked that out of her 2 sisters, Zlinda seems to have a better sense of what a princess entails. She's not selfish & manipulating like them & does what she needs to do to save her people.
I didn't like Ro since what he really intends to do with Zlinda is very cruel. I did like him when he decides she's really a strong person with integrity & character & he begins to fall in love with her.
The dragon has a mental connection with Ro & also Zlinda, which makes sex very interesting. Kind of like a threesome, but with the humans only doing the act.
If you can get past that, then you should like this story. It's very well written.
Mary Jo Putney - 3 stars. This one's set in medieval England with the usual brave, but baseborn knight & the beautiful lady he vows to keep safe ( & in his bed!). There are a few twists though, which makes it interesting enough for 3 stars.
Karen Harbaugh - 3 stars. I read "Shogun" back in my 20's & I've got to tell you that samarai are NOT kind & benevolent. Maybe if I hadn't read it I would have enjoyed this story more. It IS unusual in that it's set in Japan in 1650. Anna is a Dutch girl, living in Japan, whose parents have recently died leaving her with hard decisions. She comes across a Japanese dragon who saves her life, then a samarai who looks after her. Well written, but probaby not realistic.
Barbara Samuel - 2 stars. Set in contemporary times, this involves a Mexican dragon in Santa Fe. It has the usual tortured, young woman. Her parents are dead, her husband died in a car accident. Now, she's starting over in a new place. Of course there's the dark, handsome man who constantly tells her when weird things happen- "It's not time for you to know that yet". " I can't tell you anything" Yadda,yadda, whatever. Not as well written as the other 3.
October 14, 2013
This is an anthology featuring four short stories by acclaimed authors.
The first story is titled The Dragon and the Virgin Princess by Jo Beverley. I really enjoyed this story. It was about a dragoner who took a SVP (Sacrificial Virgin Princess) as his bride, for her to be a true sacrifice for the dragons survival. Will the dragoner fall for his princess bride, you'll have to read to find out.
The second story is titled The Dragon and the Dark Knight by Mary Jo Putney. I thought this was a very good story. It was about a knight coming to the aide of a damsel in distress, only to find she is half-dragon. He helps her grandfather (Lord Magnus) and her, when it becomes apparent that they desperately need his help. Will the knight and Lord Magnus's grandaughter fall in love.
The third story is titled Anna and the King of Dragons by Karen Harbaugh. It is set in 1650 Japan. It's the story of a young dutch woman who was visiting Japan with her father (a doctor) and mother. Her parents were in a carriage accident and died, leaving her all alone in a foreign country. She is considering suicide by jumping into a bottomless pool in the woods, when she is frightened and fall into the water. A dragon pulls her out, which leads to confusion on both Annas and the dragons parts. Anna thinks she has died and the dragon is the devil, and the dragon thinks she is a demon. She talks to the dragon and he wants some books, which she promises to bring him. On the way back to the inn she is staying at she is attacked by bandits. She is saved by a samurai. She befriends him and the dragon, will she stay in Japan or return to her homeland. Is it more than friendship between Anna and the samurai. This was my favorite story out of this Anthology!
The final story is titled Dragon Feathers by Barbara Samuel.I enjoyed this story! It is a story about a woman chosen to protect a dragon. Read to find out more.
The first story is titled The Dragon and the Virgin Princess by Jo Beverley. I really enjoyed this story. It was about a dragoner who took a SVP (Sacrificial Virgin Princess) as his bride, for her to be a true sacrifice for the dragons survival. Will the dragoner fall for his princess bride, you'll have to read to find out.
The second story is titled The Dragon and the Dark Knight by Mary Jo Putney. I thought this was a very good story. It was about a knight coming to the aide of a damsel in distress, only to find she is half-dragon. He helps her grandfather (Lord Magnus) and her, when it becomes apparent that they desperately need his help. Will the knight and Lord Magnus's grandaughter fall in love.
The third story is titled Anna and the King of Dragons by Karen Harbaugh. It is set in 1650 Japan. It's the story of a young dutch woman who was visiting Japan with her father (a doctor) and mother. Her parents were in a carriage accident and died, leaving her all alone in a foreign country. She is considering suicide by jumping into a bottomless pool in the woods, when she is frightened and fall into the water. A dragon pulls her out, which leads to confusion on both Annas and the dragons parts. Anna thinks she has died and the dragon is the devil, and the dragon thinks she is a demon. She talks to the dragon and he wants some books, which she promises to bring him. On the way back to the inn she is staying at she is attacked by bandits. She is saved by a samurai. She befriends him and the dragon, will she stay in Japan or return to her homeland. Is it more than friendship between Anna and the samurai. This was my favorite story out of this Anthology!
The final story is titled Dragon Feathers by Barbara Samuel.I enjoyed this story! It is a story about a woman chosen to protect a dragon. Read to find out more.
January 29, 2013
In a refreshing change from vampires and werewolves and zombies (oh my), four authors probe what it would be like to have a dragon for a mate. The stories are well told, brimming with familiar themes as damsels in distress, daring duels, beleaguered princesses, brave knights and magical spells. But the directions are original, fascinating and sexy, as the title suggests, with dangers not always coming from the expected sources.
There is passion as well and sexual heat, although the erotic scenes are much milder than the usual fare. But they are decided parts of the stories rather than tacked-on adjuncts. The only story that didn’t quite measure up to the others was the last one, “Dragon Feathers”. I don’t care how it roars; pink dragons that purr and smell like sugar cookies aren’t inherently awe inspiring.
This is chick lit fare that is a notch above the usual. I could have wished for a better cover, however. In spite of the title, there is no evidence of a dragon except on the back and it’s barely visible, hidden by a foggy bronze tone and covered with print.
There is passion as well and sexual heat, although the erotic scenes are much milder than the usual fare. But they are decided parts of the stories rather than tacked-on adjuncts. The only story that didn’t quite measure up to the others was the last one, “Dragon Feathers”. I don’t care how it roars; pink dragons that purr and smell like sugar cookies aren’t inherently awe inspiring.
This is chick lit fare that is a notch above the usual. I could have wished for a better cover, however. In spite of the title, there is no evidence of a dragon except on the back and it’s barely visible, hidden by a foggy bronze tone and covered with print.
October 15, 2009
As with all anthologies, this book is only as strong as the stories inside... and I really bounced back and forth between loving the book and tossing it into my charity donation stack.
The best, IMO, is "Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh, dipping into the Asian well of dragon lore and crafting an expert story that had me going until the very end. The other three were interesting, but not enough to make me rush to see what else the authors had written. One actually had me wondering if I hadn't fallen into some alternative universe with very bad fanfiction!
Overall, a good buy if you can get it cheap or adore the authors and want to complete your collection. As a dragon lover myself, I'm only giving it three claws.
The best, IMO, is "Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh, dipping into the Asian well of dragon lore and crafting an expert story that had me going until the very end. The other three were interesting, but not enough to make me rush to see what else the authors had written. One actually had me wondering if I hadn't fallen into some alternative universe with very bad fanfiction!
Overall, a good buy if you can get it cheap or adore the authors and want to complete your collection. As a dragon lover myself, I'm only giving it three claws.
June 6, 2012
Four different tales that were lovely, rendering dragons and loves and lovers in new (to me, anyway) stories. I enjoyed the light, dreamy fantasy of the stories. I will have to check out more by the two authors I'm unfamiliar with.
April 13, 2013
Super surprise, wonderful adventures, unexpected turns and twists in the first two stories ...the last was nice too. I didn't take the title literally so here I find myself reading romance dragon style and romance is not my interest but I got some good laughs and met some fine dragons, worthwhile.
January 7, 2015
This is an anthology featuring four short stories by acclaimed authors.
The first story is titled The Dragon and the Virgin Princess by Jo Beverley. I really enjoyed this story. It was about a dragoner who took a SVP (Sacrificial Virgin Princess) as his bride, for her to be a true sacrifice for the dragons survival. Will the dragoner fall for his princess bride, you'll have to read to find out.
The second story is titled The Dragon and the Dark Knight by Mary Jo Putney. I thought this was a very good story. It was about a knight coming to the aide of a damsel in distress, only to find she is half-dragon. He helps her grandfather (Lord Magnus) and her, when it becomes apparent that they desperately need his help. Will the knight and Lord Magnus's grandaughter fall in love.
The third story is titled Anna and the King of Dragons by Karen Harbaugh. It is set in 1650 Japan. It's the story of a young dutch woman who was visiting Japan with her father (a doctor) and mother. Her parents were in a carriage accident and died, leaving her all alone in a foreign country. She is considering suicide by jumping into a bottomless pool in the woods, when she is frightened and fall into the water. A dragon pulls her out, which leads to confusion on both Annas and the dragons parts. Anna thinks she has died and the dragon is the devil, and the dragon thinks she is a demon. She talks to the dragon and he wants some books, which she promises to bring him. On the way back to the inn she is staying at she is attacked by bandits. She is saved by a samurai. She befriends him and the dragon, will she stay in Japan or return to her homeland. Is it more than friendship between Anna and the samurai. This was my favorite story out of this Anthology!
The final story is titled Dragon Feathers by Barbara Samuel.I enjoyed this story! It is a story about a woman chosen to protect a dragon. Read to find out more.
The first story is titled The Dragon and the Virgin Princess by Jo Beverley. I really enjoyed this story. It was about a dragoner who took a SVP (Sacrificial Virgin Princess) as his bride, for her to be a true sacrifice for the dragons survival. Will the dragoner fall for his princess bride, you'll have to read to find out.
The second story is titled The Dragon and the Dark Knight by Mary Jo Putney. I thought this was a very good story. It was about a knight coming to the aide of a damsel in distress, only to find she is half-dragon. He helps her grandfather (Lord Magnus) and her, when it becomes apparent that they desperately need his help. Will the knight and Lord Magnus's grandaughter fall in love.
The third story is titled Anna and the King of Dragons by Karen Harbaugh. It is set in 1650 Japan. It's the story of a young dutch woman who was visiting Japan with her father (a doctor) and mother. Her parents were in a carriage accident and died, leaving her all alone in a foreign country. She is considering suicide by jumping into a bottomless pool in the woods, when she is frightened and fall into the water. A dragon pulls her out, which leads to confusion on both Annas and the dragons parts. Anna thinks she has died and the dragon is the devil, and the dragon thinks she is a demon. She talks to the dragon and he wants some books, which she promises to bring him. On the way back to the inn she is staying at she is attacked by bandits. She is saved by a samurai. She befriends him and the dragon, will she stay in Japan or return to her homeland. Is it more than friendship between Anna and the samurai. This was my favorite story out of this Anthology!
The final story is titled Dragon Feathers by Barbara Samuel.I enjoyed this story! It is a story about a woman chosen to protect a dragon. Read to find out more.
September 22, 2009
I'd honestly been wondering lately if I've just grown too cynical or jaded from my years of reading romances and fantasy and science fiction... the romance and fantasy books I've picked up most often these days all seem to be dreck. (And I'm reading them from recs... which scares me even more! *shudder*)
But I took a chance once more on this book when I saw it come up on a "if you like x, you might like y" list - dragons, after all, are one of my most favorite fantasy creatures.
Took a chance and was pleasantly surprised. Very enjoyable collection. All very different, but delightful takes on dragons and humans and romance. Dragons being magical and shape-shifting into human form as needed, of course, in two of these. But the dragon element in the other two was just as delightful and interesting and lovingly handled.
*happy sigh* Yay! It is the skill of the authors and not me. I'm relieved!
If you like dragons and romance too, give this collection a try. Very solid all around.
But I took a chance once more on this book when I saw it come up on a "if you like x, you might like y" list - dragons, after all, are one of my most favorite fantasy creatures.
Took a chance and was pleasantly surprised. Very enjoyable collection. All very different, but delightful takes on dragons and humans and romance. Dragons being magical and shape-shifting into human form as needed, of course, in two of these. But the dragon element in the other two was just as delightful and interesting and lovingly handled.
*happy sigh* Yay! It is the skill of the authors and not me. I'm relieved!
If you like dragons and romance too, give this collection a try. Very solid all around.
June 21, 2014
This novella made me reconsider my reading position on her Guardian series. I had put them back as being too close to Mercedes Lackey's Elemental Masters premise, but this story set in WWII Scotland was unputdownable.
It is a great anthology with strong offerings from all the contributors.
It is a great anthology with strong offerings from all the contributors.
November 4, 2015
Two of the authors in this anthology are among my favorites and the other two a new adventure. Every once in a while I have to feed my inner princess and dream of castles and dragons. This book was one I couldn't put down...a nice piece of escapism. :)
December 19, 2011
Beverly's take on the sacrificial virgin princess is hilarious but otherwise this book was just sort of okay. the subject ideas were good but somehow the execution was just lacking.
May 14, 2017
Four short stories about dragons and lovers by four different authors. With any collection, the stories will not match up equally with each other, hence the three stars. I liked Barbara Samuel's "Dragon Feathers" the best. I had the most trouble getting through "Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh. Please don't let that affect you enjoyment of the book. YMMV.
Ruthi's paperback book. Looked liked an interesting change of pace.
==========================
Passion takes wing in four all-new stories from New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors.
Romance and fantasy collide in these enchanting stories featuring dragons-and love-in all their many forms. Four of today's most popular authors bring to life mythical creatures, otherworlds of yesterday and today, and the passionate melding of hearts.
From a virgin princess's first love to a shape-changing samurai bridegroom, from a young widow and her sexy handyman's secret project to a knight and his distressed damsel, the courage, beauty, and strength of dragons inspire the most unforgettable stories ever told.
Ruthi's paperback book. Looked liked an interesting change of pace.
==========================
Passion takes wing in four all-new stories from New York Times bestselling and award-winning authors.
Romance and fantasy collide in these enchanting stories featuring dragons-and love-in all their many forms. Four of today's most popular authors bring to life mythical creatures, otherworlds of yesterday and today, and the passionate melding of hearts.
From a virgin princess's first love to a shape-changing samurai bridegroom, from a young widow and her sexy handyman's secret project to a knight and his distressed damsel, the courage, beauty, and strength of dragons inspire the most unforgettable stories ever told.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2019
"Dragon Lovers" is a collection of stories published by Signet Eclipse, paranormal romance stories.
Though I've read romance books written by Jo Beverley & Mary Jo Putney, the story I like the most of this collection was "Anna and the King of Dragons," by Karen Harbaugh. I enjoyed reading the lovely fantasy, romantic story of Anna, a young Dutch girl left homeless, an orphan on an island of Japan. Her fateful adventure brings her into the presence of a legendary & mysterious male dragon. No, I won't spoil the story for you.
Its a pleasure to re-read this story. The other stories I didn't care for, maybe you will enjoy reading them.
Though I've read romance books written by Jo Beverley & Mary Jo Putney, the story I like the most of this collection was "Anna and the King of Dragons," by Karen Harbaugh. I enjoyed reading the lovely fantasy, romantic story of Anna, a young Dutch girl left homeless, an orphan on an island of Japan. Her fateful adventure brings her into the presence of a legendary & mysterious male dragon. No, I won't spoil the story for you.
Its a pleasure to re-read this story. The other stories I didn't care for, maybe you will enjoy reading them.
February 18, 2020
I picked this title for a Valentines Readathon thinking it would be raunchy or funny... It was a /slog/! It was boring and racist. And chaste, for the most part. Let me put the question to you, do you find these topics sexy?
- Dragon Farts
- Pacifism
- Dead parents
- Dead spouse
- Evening commutes
- Dreading that there might be an attacker lurking on your evening commute.
- Being right, and getting abducted by an attacker on your evening commute.
- Quilting
This was supposed to be a romance novel involving dragons, and yet the dragons are secondary to close-ups of a shut-in, cat lady drinking tea... Nothing energetic in this book at all.
- Dragon Farts
- Pacifism
- Dead parents
- Dead spouse
- Evening commutes
- Dreading that there might be an attacker lurking on your evening commute.
- Being right, and getting abducted by an attacker on your evening commute.
- Quilting
This was supposed to be a romance novel involving dragons, and yet the dragons are secondary to close-ups of a shut-in, cat lady drinking tea... Nothing energetic in this book at all.
April 30, 2024
Giving this one four stars because I don’t believe others will like it very much. It feels very juvenile, but such a fun read. I’ve read this book cover to cover time and time again when I was younger and revisited for nostalgia, and it brings back so many memories. It’s a good read, for at least one time.
January 25, 2026
I really liked these 4 short stories. They are not too complex but are still interesting enough to keep your interest. The romance is fast since they are short stories and there is sex but it’s not very descriptive. I really liked the last story Dragon Feathers but I liked them all. I’m going to be keeping this book to reread in the future.
October 23, 2018
It was just ok. Short stories and none of them really capture my attention.
July 11, 2019
My fav was “The Dragon and the Dark Knight” by Mary Jo Putney, but the other stories were enjoyable too.
July 20, 2021
Love story's like this. 💜⭐💜⭐💜⭐💜⭐💜🌟⭐💜⭐💜⭐💜⭐💜🌟⭐⭐⭐🌟💜
November 22, 2021
Well, one out of four stories was well written and interesting. Two were ok, and one was... meh.
September 2, 2022
Stopped reading after two stories. Both had too many tropes and the first one was honestly just hard to read. Saying "I love you" after like 2 days in the second story.
October 11, 2022
it was ok.
October 23, 2022
first story - fun! middle two stories - extremely meh. last story - kind of good?
December 13, 2022
Love the dragon stories
June 3, 2023
I enjoyed all four of the stories in this anthology. If you are a lover of fantasy and dragons and romance, I highly recommend this.
May 14, 2025
i picked this up randomly because i thought it was funny. i liked 1/4 of the stories LOL
July 18, 2013
Huh.
Let's see... the first tale by Jo Beverly was just...odd. The dragons have to eat rocks, but not just any rocks, green rocks, *and* speshul blood only found in one family in order to lay eggs. And...they only lay eggs every 8 years. Seven years ago, a man the h's sister cared for killed the dragon so he could have the sister as a wife. (he being too lowborn otherwise). So only a dragon who'd already laid eggs can do so again in an off year. Also it takes more blood to accomplish said feat. Eh, long story short, the dragoness' rider had her play dead so he could claim the h - with every intention of her being a sacrifice for real. Several days and much walking later, the two of them and the dragoness come up with a workaround so the h will survive.
Mary Jo Putney had the H go on a quest to slay the dragon in order to gain some land, only to find his quest wasn't quite what it seemed with the end result that he uh...got sidetracked. In this one, dragons can take human form.
Karen Harbaugh's tale also had a dragon who could take human form, only in Japan. In this one, I never quite figured out why the h (newly orphaned and alone) set out on a trip to the location alone in the first place, particularly since she was beset by bandits on the way back. After that, it mostly made sense but...
Barbara Samuel's tale seemed...like it needed a few pages, like to explain what happened with some of the people with ulterior motives. Other than that, how do you take a dragon seriously when it's covered in pink feathers?
Let's see... the first tale by Jo Beverly was just...odd. The dragons have to eat rocks, but not just any rocks, green rocks, *and* speshul blood only found in one family in order to lay eggs. And...they only lay eggs every 8 years. Seven years ago, a man the h's sister cared for killed the dragon so he could have the sister as a wife. (he being too lowborn otherwise). So only a dragon who'd already laid eggs can do so again in an off year. Also it takes more blood to accomplish said feat. Eh, long story short, the dragoness' rider had her play dead so he could claim the h - with every intention of her being a sacrifice for real. Several days and much walking later, the two of them and the dragoness come up with a workaround so the h will survive.
Mary Jo Putney had the H go on a quest to slay the dragon in order to gain some land, only to find his quest wasn't quite what it seemed with the end result that he uh...got sidetracked. In this one, dragons can take human form.
Karen Harbaugh's tale also had a dragon who could take human form, only in Japan. In this one, I never quite figured out why the h (newly orphaned and alone) set out on a trip to the location alone in the first place, particularly since she was beset by bandits on the way back. After that, it mostly made sense but...
Barbara Samuel's tale seemed...like it needed a few pages, like to explain what happened with some of the people with ulterior motives. Other than that, how do you take a dragon seriously when it's covered in pink feathers?
January 9, 2013
This book is a good read for a quick fix and if you want to read about a range of dragons from different cultures. From the Mayan/Aztec Quetzalcoatl, to the Japanese ryuu, and to the classic European dragons, all aspects from all corners are explored in this collection of stories. Romance is present in all four of the stories.
Perhaps it's just my preferences, and I don't mean any of the four stories are badly written, but coming from a history of reading lots of dragon lore and lots of fantasy literature, I wasn't too impressed in particular. It was enjoyable, but. Personally, I enjoyed the latter two stories the most.
The first two romances I felt moved too fast.
But again, that may just be my preferences. The one I enjoyed the most was the once concerning the Japanese dragon because I felt the protagonist, Anna, was an intelligent, pragmatic, and believable heroine. The other one I liked, the one with the Quetzalcoatl, was similar in that the protagonist, Penny, was someone who the reader could relate to.
So since I liked about half the book, three stars! Haha.
Perhaps it's just my preferences, and I don't mean any of the four stories are badly written, but coming from a history of reading lots of dragon lore and lots of fantasy literature, I wasn't too impressed in particular. It was enjoyable, but. Personally, I enjoyed the latter two stories the most.
The first two romances I felt moved too fast.
But again, that may just be my preferences. The one I enjoyed the most was the once concerning the Japanese dragon because I felt the protagonist, Anna, was an intelligent, pragmatic, and believable heroine. The other one I liked, the one with the Quetzalcoatl, was similar in that the protagonist, Penny, was someone who the reader could relate to.
So since I liked about half the book, three stars! Haha.
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