The Prince’s Dragon
by W.M. Fawkes & Sam Burns
Series: Fire and Valor #2
Release Date: April 16, 2020
Subgenre: LGBTQIA+ High Fantasy Romance
Synopsis
The last place Lord Tristram Radcliffe ever expected to find himself was right hand to the Llangardian throne. His parentage should have seen him banished, but he managed to keep his draconic secret. Now, King Reynold is dead. Long live King Roland.
The boy ascends to rule a kingdom in chaos, and Tristram must undo the damage of the last king's reign to save his people from lean winter and wolves in the palace itself. Reynold’s former shadow, Bet Kyston, is determined to root out King Roland's enemies, but his version of help may cause as much harm as good.
There remains a traitor near to the throne, and when the king falls mysteriously ill, Tristram’s strongest ally is forced to leave court. As his enemies move closer, the strength of Tristram's regency is more precarious than ever. Abandoned and friendless, Tristram must sacrifice everything to protect his homeland or risk not only Roland’s life, but his own.
The boy ascends to rule a kingdom in chaos, and Tristram must undo the damage of the last king's reign to save his people from lean winter and wolves in the palace itself. Reynold’s former shadow, Bet Kyston, is determined to root out King Roland's enemies, but his version of help may cause as much harm as good.
There remains a traitor near to the throne, and when the king falls mysteriously ill, Tristram’s strongest ally is forced to leave court. As his enemies move closer, the strength of Tristram's regency is more precarious than ever. Abandoned and friendless, Tristram must sacrifice everything to protect his homeland or risk not only Roland’s life, but his own.
Excerpt
“I thought you wanted me gone?”
Tris clamped his jaw shut so he didn’t say anything unwise, but then he realized that if he couldn’t be honest with Bet, there wasn’t a soul in all of Llangard he could be honest with. “I’ve never wanted you gone. I don’t want an assassin in Roland’s employ, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you there.”
Bet, still fully clothed, climbed atop him, running his hands over Tristram’s bare chest. “So all you wish is to change my nature?”
“I do not,” he denied. He put his hands atop Bet’s, but didn’t hold them in place. He let them roam over the planes of his chest, down the narrowing line of his waist, just barely dipping below the sheets to tease at the trail of hair leading farther down. He took a shaky breath and reminded himself that they were conversing. Or they had been.
Bet smirked.
“You are more than what Reynold asked of you, Bet. More than what I’ve asked.”
Bet’s smirk turned into a scowl for a second, but then he was changing the subject with his hands once again, slipping them both under the sheets.
Carra's Review
First up—this is the second book in the Fire and Valor series, and you need to read book one, The King’s Dragon, before starting this one or you’re going to be lost. That story does an excellent job of introducing you to the world these talented authors have created, and entrenching you in the lives of the characters.
Next—there are a lot of characters who are important to this story (as well as the series), but it’s actually pretty easy to remember who they are and their relationships to each other…or at least I think so. I think some of that is due to the fact that, just as in the first book, the story is told from multiple points of view. Telling the story this way has its advantages with more depth and a greater understanding of all the moving parts and character relationships. For me, again just like with book one, it does make the flow of the story less smooth until I got more than halfway in. Once I was deep into it though, the excitement of the events did take over and make the read easier.
Things between Tristram and Bet continue to evolve (*insert happy grins here!*), but you’ll also find that several other budding relationships are starting to form among other characters. This means you’ll find some interesting alliances forming as the real baddies start to show their faces, as well as some family relationships that start to shift. There are some new faces, the most intriguing being one simply known as “Dragon” who I just wanted to wrap up in my arms and cuddle close (you’ll see why).
With tensions rising with the young king fallen ill, issues with family (and not just the king’s family), and the increasing threat from enemies, there is plenty of drama to go around. There’s more to come in the series, so things are not resolved by the end of this story—though there are moments that will definitely make you smile amongst the turmoil.
Four solid stars for The Prince’s Dragon, and I can’t wait for the next book! This series is a must-have for fans of fantasy romance, and not just M/M…you’ll find other pairings as well, though Tris and Bet do command the most attention ;-) As with the first book, this story is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
About the Authors
W.M. Fawkes is an author of LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romance. She lives with her partner in a house owned by three halloween-hued felines that dabble regularly in shadow walking.
Sam lives in the Midwest with husband and cat, which is even less exciting than it sounds, so she's not sure why you're still reading this.
She specializes in LGBTQIA+ fiction, usually with a romantic element. There's sometimes intrigue and violence, usually a little sex, and almost always some swearing in her work. Her writing is light and happy, though, so if you're looking for a dark gritty reality, you've come to the wrong author.
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Giveaway!
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