Rogue Dragon Rising, part one: Dragon Shifter Romance

TJ Shaw

Sept 2018 · Outside the Veil Book 1 · Forgotten Dreams Publishing, LLC

About this eBook

Twenty-three year old, Amari Hawke, is thrust into the world of two-soul shifters when she is injured and kidnapped by trackers outside the veil, beyond the safety of her homeland. Unable to remember her past, she trusts no one and relies on instinct to survive. As her awakening approaches, the first time she will transition into her animal, she must evade rogue shifters trying to capture her.

Now free from the King’s Army, powerful dragon lord, Jaxon Blackthorn, seeks a peaceful life. Intent on building his lands into a viable plantation, away from war and bloodshed, he is reluctantly pulled back into the fight when he defends the mysterious shifter with no past against an unseen enemy. 

As evil threatens to destroy the entire realm, can the battle-hardened warrior and coming-of-age noblewoman accept their differences to forge an alliance that will ultimately unite the shifter nations?

Please note: Both Rogue Dragon Rising and the subsequent novel, Sleeping Dragon Stirs, end in cliffhangers. The third book in the serial trilogy, Alpha Dragon Awakes, provides a satisfying conclusion to Jaxon and Amari’s story, but broader story arcs continue into the Outside the Veil series. 

KEYWORDS: action, action adventure, adventure, age difference, alpha male, alternate world, box set, boxed, boxed set, coming of age, damaged hero, dragons, dragonshifter romance, dragon shifter romance, empath, epic, epic fantasy, fairy tale creatures, fated mates, fantasy, female protagonist, first love, free, freebie, free book, free ebook, free romance, free romance novel, free series starter, gods, goddesses, high fantasy, horses, humor, immortals, lords, magic, magical, medieval, mystery, new adult, paranormal, paranormal romance, possessive male, powerful female, rebellious heroine, redhead, rogues, romance ebook, secret, sensual, serial, series, sexy, shaman, shapeshifters; shapeshifters free, shifter, sorcery, spirit, strong female heroine, supernatural, suspense, swords

Ratings and reviews

Amari Hawke is the daughter of a dragon shifter and a human Eldian. Because of her mixed race, her parents have never told her of the possibility of her shifter within. It never mattered until she ventured outside the Veil, got captured by slave traders and lost her memory due to a bump on the head. She’s sold in servitude but not before meeting the handsome dragon Lord Jaxson. She’s drawn to him yet doesn’t know why. Jaxson never goes to auctions yet here he is at the very same auction where Amari is being sold. Once he lays eyes on her, she intrigues him. She claims to be a sheep but her feisty attitude riles up his dragon. He wars with himself over his inability to keep her safe but when there’s a rogue attack and her life is in jeopardy, Jaxson acts. Can he heal her as only his dragon can or will he be too late? From the first page, I knew this was going to be a breathtaking fantasy romance. I fell in love with both Amari and Jaxson, their attraction immediate and made my heart flutter. As the story unfolds, the world Shaw creates comes to life. Nuances of dragon near-extinction, societal hierarchy and the will to survive no matter the risks add immense depth to this story. It’s more than just a shifter romance; it’s about life and what you make of it. Bravo to Shaw for her world-building tactics. The alternating POV with Amari’s parents and their painful search for their missing daughter was pure emotional anguish to read. But in a good way, I promise. If you’re looking for a fantasy romance with plenty of action and intrigue, pick this up today. Be aware: there is a huge cliffhanger but parts two and three are available to keep reading. I myself can’t wait to read the rest of the serial. My Rating: 5 stars

Wow! This was nothing like I was expecting! I was expecting it to be good, great even, but what I got was beyond my ability to put into words. After an injury leaves Amari without memory of anything but her name, she finds herself in one situation after another, each one worse than the one before. Taking cues from those around her, she manages to struggle through but she is in physical pain and emotionally lost. When her very life is threatened, she is rescued by the dark alpha dragon shifter Jaxon. Jaxon as well as his dragon are attracted to the little red haired shifter from the moment he first meets her and she speaks. She claims to be a sheep but she certainly doesn’t act like one. His dragon is adamant that they claim her but he keeps the beast in check, barely, because in their world predator and prey cannot work. However, when he finds her in a very bad way, he takes drastic measures to save her. Going so far as to open himself up completely to her. Jaxon is all alpha, possessive and protective even if he’s unsure why he’s feeling that way. He can’t stop thinking of Amari and is furious when his initial intention to claim her is thwarted. While we do get Amari’s background through the points of view of her family, she is completely unaware and yet her instinctive independence and strength shine through even as she questions where it comes from. This story was all the more interesting due to watching little tidbits of her personality slowly reveal themselves to her as the plot unfolds. This is set in a time and place where modern conveniences are non-existent. That in itself gave this a fresh feel that I absolutely loved. The writing is crisp and precise painting a clear picture of the characters, the beasts and the world they live in. I was completely engrossed with this story and once I started reading I couldn’t stop. This is a pretty short book and is the first of a trilogy, ending in a cliffhanger. I’m sure I was tricked into reading this one by a friend who knows I don’t do trilogies or cliffhangers and yet I am so happy she did so. But now to hurry up and wait for book 2. Sigh.

Gripping book , kept me up all night til I finished the book and left wanting more ! Amari a strong woman who basically had no control over her life but instinctively wanting more out of the situation she finds herself in ! Her heart unafraid , her mind not helping her to realize who she is ! I can't wait to see what transpires in the next book! Thank you for your imagination and ability to put on paper your fantasies !!!

About the author

As a child, TJ thrived in the Arizona desert. By the age of five she was riding horses through cotton fields, and by eleven, bought her first motorcycle. Growing up with teachers as parents meant traveling during the summer. Hiking, backpacking, fly fishing, climbing pyramids, surviving earthquakes, and flying in hot air balloons were just some of her adventures. An avid day dreamer, she would lose herself in mystical worlds and far off places limited only by her imagination.

Her debut novel, Caller of Light, a high fantasy romance, was dedicated to her mother who died of ovarian cancer. Following the success of Caller, she entered the realm of vampires and cops. Using her experience as a police officer and felony crimes prosecutor, she applied a realistic background to the paranormal world she created for Divergent Bloodline.

In Rogue Dragon Rising, TJ returns to her first love, high fantasy romance. 

TJ writes from her heart by incorporating her dreams and experiences to create strong, passionate characters who must overcome personal flaws to survive against the challenges of traversing through magical realms, undiscovered planets, and apocalyptic catastrophes.

You may contact TJ at https://tjshaw.com/. She’d love to hear from you.