Dragon's Heart: A Dragon Shifter Romance

Deborah Cooke

Aug 2020 · The DragonFate Novels Book 3 · Deborah A. Cooke

About this ebook

Her kiss will rock his world...

Dragon shifter Rhys believes in what he can hold in his talons. A chef with his own restaurant, he is organized, practical, and distrusts surprises. When his firestorm sparks in the realm of Fae, he's sure it's an illusion created by the Dark Queen and a trap. Even though he wants a partner and family again more than anything else, Rhys isn't going to be seduced by a fake destined mate—even if the kiss of that beautiful selkie melts his very soul and is one temptation he can't resist...

Selkie Lila learned long ago that her independence is her most precious possession. But Rhys challenges everything she believes to be true about mortals—he defends her right to choose, even at his own peril, and that's more seductive than Lila wants to admit. Is it just a trick to convince her to bear his son? Or is this Pyr warrior as honorable as he appears to be?

When an ancient and evil dragon prince joins forces with the Dark Queen to eliminate both the Pyr and the selkies, Rhys and Lila must work together to save their kinds—and each other. When they plunge into unknown realms with only each other to rely upon, will their combined abilities be enough to triumph—or will they have to surrender more for their unborn son and the chance of a future together?

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The DragonFate Novels continue the story of Deborah's dragon shape shifting heroes called the Pyr. Each book is a romance in which a dragon shifter meets his destined mate—in DragonFate, those heroines have powers of their own. Maeve's Book of Beasts is a prequel to DragonFate that introduces both Maeve's evil plan to eliminate paranormal species from the world (including the Pyr) and the cast of characters assembling to defeat her. In it, you'll meet Sebastian, a vampire who has escaped Maeve and is building the team to destroy her, and Sylvia, the mortal librarian he chooses to hide the ancient volume stolen from Maeve. Sebastian gets more than he expects from Sylvia—never mind that Maeve wants her book back—and Sebastian's slow-burn romance with Sylvia will arc over the entire series.

The other slow burn romance in this series features Mel, an immortal fae who needs to find true love to break the curse placed upon her. She's haunted by her late husband, Raymond, who betrayed her but wants to make it right. You can read Mel and Raymond's story, a romance that doesn't end happily and a retelling of a medieval French fairy tale, in Claire Delacroix's An Elegy for Melusine.

The DragonFate series so far:

1. Maeve's Book of Beasts

2. Dragon's Kiss (dragon shifter Kristofer and Valkyrie Bree)

3. Dragon's Heart (dragon shifter Rhys and selkie Lila)

4. Dragon's Mate (dragon shifter Hadrian and swan maiden Rania)

5. Dragon's Wolf (dragon shifter Arach and wolf shifter Wynter) - May 2022

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The Pyr first appeared in Deborah's Dragonfire series of paranormal romances, which is complete with 14 works and a world guide:

1. Kiss of Fire (Quinn and Sara)

2. Kiss of Fury (Donovan and Alex)

3. Kiss of Fate (Erik and Eileen)

4. Winter Kiss (Delaney and Ginger)

5. Harmonia's Kiss (a short story about the Dragon's Tooth Warriors)

6. Whisper Kiss (Niall and Rox)

7. Darkfire Kiss (Rafferty and Melissa)

8. Flashfire (Lorenzo and Cassie)

9. Ember's Kiss (Brandon and Liz)

10. Kiss of Danger (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Alexander and Katina)

11. Kiss of Darkness (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Damien and Petra)

12. Kiss of Destiny (a Dragon Legion novella featuring Thad and Aura)

13. Serpent's Kiss (Thorolf and Chandra)

14. Firestorm Forever (Sloane and Sam, plus Drake and Veronica, and Marcus and Jac. Yes, this book has THREE firestorms and is the big finish.)

15. Here Be Dragons: A Dragonfire Companion

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dragon shifter romance, vampire romance, librarian, new york city, manhattan, underground, hidden realms, dark fae, shifters, friends to lovers, opposites attract, destined mates, melusine, ghost romance, love triangle, valkyrie, selkie, swan maiden, shifters, urban fantasy romance, slow burn, enemies to lovers, psychic powers, witch, fated mate, enemies to lovers, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Donna Grant, Thea Harrison, Jennifer Ashley, Christine Feehan, Lara Adrian, G. A. Aiken, Genevieve Jack

Ratings and reviews

4.5 stars--DRAGON’S HEART is the third instalment in Deborah Cooke’s contemporary, adult DRAGONFATE paranormal, romance series focusing on the DragonFate Warriors –a spin off from the author’s Dragonfire series. This is chef and dragon shifter Rhys, and selkie Lila’s story line. DRAGON’S HEART can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is a continuing premise throughout. There is a slight cross-over with the author’s Dragons of Incendium series. SOME BACKGROUND: In the aftermath of the Dragon’s Tail War wherein the Pyr defeated the Slayers , the dragons now face a new foe in the guise of Maeve, the Dark Queen of the Fae. Maeve believes shifters and vampires, any species that is half-human, half-mythological creature are abominations, impure creatures, tainted beings, and therefore must be annihilated and destroyed leaving only the Fae and human beings to walk the earth. Told from several third person perspectives including Rhys and Lila, DRAGON’S HEART is an infinitely detailed story line that follows numerous paths including dragon shifter Rhys as he comes into his dragonfire knowing his mate is near but all is not well when said mate, a selkie named Lila, follows the mythology of the selkie, refusing to settle down or raise a child conceived by dragonfire. As Rhys struggles to prove he is worthy of his dragonfire and a son, Maeve, the Dark Queen, sets her sights on finding the ‘gem of the hoard’, a gem capable of bequeathing Maeve with infinite powers but Maeve isn’t the only powerful being focusing on the gem, an ancient dragon shifter also takes aim the ultimate prize. As the once powerful dragons slowly fall victim to Maeve and her spells, Rhys and Lila must find a way into Fae in an effort to free their friends, and take down the Dark Queen and the power she pulls. Meanwhile, Lila has been targeted by the King Under the Seas, a powerful selkie who is desperate to keep the selkie line pure. With her best friend caught in a powerful charm, succumbing to the King’s power, Lila knows to save Rhys, she will have to surrender to the King, against her will. Once again, there is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters from Fae and vampire, selkie, witches and dragons. As Maeve slowly destroys the remaining members of thirteen species, focusing on ridding the world of the dragonkind. Rhys and Lila must fight to save their son, or risk losing themselves in the land of the Fae. DRAGON’S HEART is a passionate and detailed story that recounts several histories and the mythology of magic beginning with the selkie, and the origins of the dragons on Earth. We are up close and personal as Eithne, an ancient witch, recounts the comprehensive history of the species; and as Lila recites the exhaustive mythology of the Selkie, the gem of the hoard, and the Isle of the Blessed. The premise is exciting, dramatic and intense; the romance is emotional and seductive; the characters numerous, edgy and animated.