Royal Dragons of Alaska, Book 2
Review of Royal Dragons of Alaska, Book 1
Heat Factor: It’s not what I’d call explicit
Character Chemistry: Tania resists the inevitable for a long time
Plot: Magic spells are creating romance and causing international conspiracy trouble
Overall: It’s just fun and I want more!
Okay, so, Elva Birch reached out to send us The Dragon Prince’s Librarian, which is book 2 in this series, and I was like, “HIT ME.” Because even though I was hollering at the protagonists of book 1 to be less obtuse a lot, this series is plain fun. There’s a lead-in to the relationship for book 2 in book 1, so I was already very much here for Rian’s story with his secret pen pal who is obviously his mate.
Fun story: This book is also super fun. AND it steps up the drama that strings through the series. (Side note: I can’t wait for Fask’s book. I hope his mate messes up his hair, because he needs it real bad.) So much drama! So much magical mystery! There are no dramatic breaking windows dragon fighting moments in this book, but Rian does break the castle when he shifts indoors, so don’t worry that there’s no action.
Let me recap what we know: The story takes place in an alternate reality in which Alaska is a small kingdom that is part of a group of small kingdoms, all of which are connected with a Compact, which to the rest of the world looks like a treaty but is actually a magical spell that enforces itself and makes all the kingdoms toe the line. Also, all of the monarchs of said small kingdoms are dragon shifters. Also also, the Compact finds mates for the royal offspring, and whichever offspring has a mate becomes the heir. What could possibly go wrong?
Now, the baby of the family found his mate and became crown prince in Book the First, so the fact that another younger brother (Fask is the oldest, FYI, which is probably why he needs hair mussing) finds his mate makes everyone start questioning WHAT IS GOING ON?! And who on earth is going to be the king if there are two potential mate pairings now?!?! Ergo, much of this story is about puzzling out what’s going on with the Compact, not really what’s going on between the protagonists. Though I will say, Tania holds out for a long time, considering that she does, in fact, want to jump Rian’s bones.
The protagonists are the aforementioned Rian and Tania, a librarian who had to drop out of school when all of her work about the Compact was stolen and who lost her job because she couldn’t manage to stay at work full time with her chronic pain. I found the chronic pain element to be something to chew on. Tania struggles with some boundaries, wanting to be able to do more than she physically can manage, which is an understandable feeling, especially when considered in the context of wanting to be “normal” for a love interest, and even more especially when that love interest is a public figure. On the other hand, people I know with similar chronic conditions tend to be pretty good at being clear about their limits and boundaries, especially if they’ve been living with the illness for a while, because they have to be, so I wasn’t totally sure how I felt about Tania consistently pushing herself and Rian keeping an eye on her and reassuring her. Perhaps that’s something to hear about from someone who’s living with chronic pain.
Anyway, Tania, being a dark horse expert on the Compact, comes to the aid of the royal family even before she acknowledges that she’s totally going to marry Rian. (Because seriously, girl, have you never read a fated mates romance?) She’s smart and analytical, so she and Rian, who is the studious brother, have a cerebral sort of romance. They are cute together, all dancing around each other.
Puzzles and magic portals and fated mates, oh my! The plot thickens, so be prepared to WAIT for the next book, which is going to be off the hook because it’s about two dragons! (Sadly, I do not think that Fask will be getting his hair mussed…yet.)
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
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