Dragon Bound

“I’ve got to give myself one thing. Mom never did tell me not to steal from a dragon. No doubt she thought it was too flaming obvious to mention.”

I'm not a huge Paranormal Romance fan, but this one had such a popular rep I couldn't resist - plus, dragons. Pia Giovanni, a half-breed (Half-human and Half-Wyr) has to deal with the consequences after being caught stealing from a powerful pure-bred Elder Dragon. Hilarity, romance, and fun times ensue.

First, Pia. She's a fun heroine with spice and spunk but also compassionate. She was a fun person to stay in the head of, although the author did sometimes switch to the domineering and even spicier Drago's POV. Both points of view rocked since both worked. I like when authors build up a show more relationship with humor instead of insta-love lightning strikes. Hello, Ilona Andrews? Prime example of making it work and making readers care while the characters are developing their feels.

So, both are strong as individual characters and I could be glued to any scene where they act on their own, but their relationship absolutely sizzled. Funny when it was needed, hot when it was needed, they never grew stale. In fact sometimes PNR or romance stays at its best in the beginning, exciting stages when they are just flirting with taking the plunge...happy to say in this case their relationship just kept keeping better. Yes, it was hot, but yes it also felt deep and true and sweet. Romantic bliss.

Throwing in the dragon lore of Dragos being addicted to his treasure until he finds something even more valuable kept the nods of dragon up. I loved what Pia ended up being - was trying to guess, but it was a surprise. And the little "white dragon" - be still my heart. Throw in fun side characters of his team and the a creative enough villain and you have a full casted book of great characterization who keep the plot flying by. I have to say that while I dug Trick's relationship with Pia, I'm not a big fan of hers compared to the others and couldn't get into the second book with her story though.

The writing style isn't shabby either -

“You took a 1962 penny,” Dragos said. His teeth were gritted. “You left a 1975 penny. It’s no replacement.”

She stared at him. “Oh my God, it’s scary you noticed that.”

Yes we have the typical stuff like domineering and stalkerish males (which are still fun, I don't care), and the wealthy and powerful elite (hey, it just WORKS still with a lot of romance, okay?), and we have little element of surprise because as romance readers we know that if the author doesn't give us a happy ending a pitchfork or two may come out and they wouldn't dare, but the point was the journey worked so well with everything, stereotypical or not, that it was a great ride and one of the best PNR out there. show less

I am, without a doubt, a very easy sell when it comes to Dragon Shifter Romances. I am not easily swayed by the pretty. I've been let down in the past and that makes me a little wary, not enough to forgo the genre, but enough so that I don't immediately say 'My precious!'.

Harrison however wrote a Dragon Shifter Romance I very much enjoyed.

On the one hand you have what I like least about Dragon Shifter Romances--the author takes the fact that because he's a dragon, Dragos is going to be an arrogant, overbearing and often times domineering human. He's going to bark his orders, likely have a short temper and everybody will be in some sort of feared awe of him. Or else. Then the heroine is going to be scared of him, deathly afraid, walk on show more eggshells and immediately resentful if she snaps at him (justifiably or otherwise).

Pia does not do this! She does not take any crap from Dragos! She begins scared, but to be fair she was stealing from him so I'd be scared too. She doesn't let him push her around; she doesn't just jump into bed with him because he does the cave-dragon thing and declares her 'his mate'. Even after they go to bed together she's like 'Wait. What does this mean to you exactly?' and then calls him on his BS.

In short Pia cracked me up. And Dragos had no clue how to deal with her. She didn't fall to his charms, to his blustering, to his 'I'm a scary Dragon!' routine. I loved her plain and simple, not that her awesomeness is contained with just handling Dragos. Later, when facing against the Dark Elf King, she's very blas‚ are-we-done-here-yet.with him. Pia spins a highly plausible, if slightly skewed accounting of the events all the while plotting her escape. Is she scared? Yes.terrified even. But she doesn't let that faze her.

Honestly if Pia wasn't so awesome, and Dragos didn't immediately recognize her as special, I'd probably not like him as much as I do. Since he does, I forgive him his little personality quirks. When he caves in to Pia's logic--reluctantly and manfully as he does--he gets this adorable look of resignation. And I find his complete lack of remorse for his bloodthirsty ways amusing (he has a point, he's not going to be top dog by sending cards and flowers to everyone).

I am, without a doubt, looking forward to the next book of the Elder Races. Some interesting developments crop up at the ending and judging from Dragos' reaction, things are going to get mighty interesting in the future! show less

Wow. Loved this book.

The paranormal mythos was clear and easy to understand and accept. There weren't big info dumps. The explanations were just part of the flow of the story. The heroine was gutsy and brave without being a snarky bitch. The hero was pretty alpha. And why wouldn't you be if you were the oldest being in existence on Earth? I totally fell in love with him. He was bowled head or heels by her almost before he met her. He was charming in a "I'm trying hard to do what you want if I could just figure out what you wanted?" kind of way. I love stories where a strong man is wrapped around the heroine's finger. But only if the heroine deserves it. She was funny and loving and accepting. There was plenty of opportunity for her to show more do TSTL things but even though she might want to, she doesn't.

The writing was solid. The plot made sense. The characterization was well done. The secondary characters were well drawn. The romance was believable even if it took place over a relatively short time.

Just a great new paranormal series. I can't wait for the next one. show less

I'm actually completely shocked at how much I enjoyed this. I 'grew out' of my paranormal romance phase sometime before the age of 20. Not to say that paranormal romance is any more or less childish than any other type of romance, I simply burned myself out. The ones that I've tried since were so heavy on the 1st POV and rote world-building that I could never immerse myself in them. Add to the fact that I typically despise overly controlling, "alpha" male heroes (be they shifter or other) that are excused because they're a little less than ~human (or more than, if you prefer), and I was not exactly excited for this book.

However, it got such wonderful reviews everywhere I threw up my hands and decided to give it a go. And BOY was I ever show more pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Possibly, its saving grace is that it's third person and gives both the hero and the heroine's points-of-view. There was something decidedly animalistic, remote and ancient about the way Harrison wrote Dragos. Normally, the heroes of these shfiter/immortal novels just come across as machismo assholes, and while Dragos has his moments, there are also wonderful moments where he's a fish out of water -- the Ziploc bag scene comes to mind especially. He's never cruel or violent and he often apologizes and is like I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING EITHER, I DON'T NORMALLY GIVE A SHIT ABOUT PEOPLE. But in a manner that is STRANGELY charming. I don't know how Harrison managed to make me not hate Dragos, but she deserves many accolades for that alone.

Then there's our heroine, Pia. If you had, at any point, told me that I was going to give a paranormal romance between a dragon and unicorn shifter 4 stars, I would've laughed in your face, but it WORKS. Pia's wonderful. Closed off and protective of herself, but never a victim of her circumstances. She doesn't JUST like Dragos run roughshod over her and her protestations. And even though there's the whole ~mate~ aspect, you never get the sense that Pia thinks she'd die without him, he just simply makes her life better.

THERE'S ALSO A PREGNANCY STORYLINE. Which NORMALLY, I WOULD HATE. I mean, it's a half-dragon, 1/4 unicorn, 1/4 human baby. WTF. But weirdly, I didn't even hate THAT part even if it was sort of tacked on at the end.

Overall, I'm baffled by my enjoyment of this novel. But ... I'm not going to argue about it. show less

I’m going to start telling you all you really want to read this book. Why? Because it has a really hot alpha hero, a heroine who pretty much kicks ass and a fast and sexy plot that kept me reading until five in the morning...ON A WORK NIGHT! Needless to say, my boss wasn’t impressed, but I really couldn’t care less because this book was amazing. Anyway, I digress; I’m going to really REALLY try not to give away any spoilers. You need to read it for yourselves...really, I insist :D

The Elder races and humans have co-existed a very long time. Wyr (shape shifters), Elves, Goblins, Trolls and Mortals are all part of one big happy family. Pia is a half-breed with a secret, one that she will die to protect. Her scuzz-bag ex-boyfriend show more knows a little part of her secret and uses this, potentially life threatening, information to blackmail her into doing something stupid. That something stupid is to steal something from the hoard of the Dragon Wyr, Dragos. Dragos is not very happy at all and vows to hunt her down personally as a matter of honour. Using the letter of apology that she leaves at the scene, he uses his power to track her down in a very sexy dream. After waking up very aroused (and more than a little p*ssed) he gets serious about hunting her, and uses witches to pinpoint her physical location. Unfortunately for him, the second they lay eyes on each other, the sparks they created during their dream encounter, turn into a full on inferno. Realising that he can no longer punish Pia, he decides to capture her and take her home with him. This turns out to be easier said than done, as the journey home is filled with danger and a near death situation due to Dragos’s enemy, the Dark Elf King, deciding that now is the time to start a war. Can Pia and Dragos navigate through the danger to reach his home, or will they get lost in the other world forever?

I love Dragos. Dragos has gone to number two on my alpha male list of hotness (I’m sorry, but it will take a fricking miracle to knock Judd Lauren off the top). Dragos is the ultimate Alpha warrior, an ancient being who has had to claw his way to the top of the hierarchy to organise the Wyr into a force to be reckoned with. Pia excites him, Pia makes him feel alive and, unwilling to let her escape, and he pretty much forces her into coming home with him. He is so dominant and so forceful that he made my stomach flutter. He constantly orders Pia around because his single focus is her. However, what was absolutely fab was his willingness to learn. At one point in the tale, he quite willingly admits he used to eat humans before he had a conversation with one, and now he is looking to claim one for himself so I think that shows how he has evolved! He has no idea how to deal with a relationship (I had a little grin on when he wondered if he was now a boyfriend) but he wanted to be with her so much that he was willing to learn. Don’t get me wrong, he is always going to be bossy, Dominant and completely in charge, but he tried to work around these character traits. When they got into danger , everything in him screamed at him to protect her at all costs, but he knew it would do more harm than good. What he did was prepare her as much as possible, and then hope for the best. However, don’t think he did nothing. No, he definitely does not do nothing as he meticulously notes down who touches Pia and then plots their demise. Yum! :D He wanted Pia just as she was, he wouldn’t even accept her in her glamored form that she used to protect herself, and he just made me melt.

I loved Pia because she was such a strong character. She wanted Dragos and was willing to take him at face value. Apart from the whole ordering her around, she didn’t want him to change anything. At one point, she refers to him as her “hero”, and he honestly can’t believe that someone can see past the big scary monster to the man inside. She calms him down when the Dragon takes over, excites him with her refusal to cower and bow to his every whim, and revs up his libido to the point where rational thought leaves the building (The sex scenes in this book are amazing. Seriously. Think Dominant Dragon with a new lease for life and a ridiculous amount of stamina and you might get an idea. Oh and he has a big tail :D) They are amazing together but both have a lot to learn in order to have a successful relationship. Can she trust him with her secrets? Moreover, can he let go of his Wyr side enough to be with her without trying to control her?
One of the fab things about this book was the world building and the side characters. We meet a whole host of creatures who help bring this character to life. Dragos is the leader of the New York branch of Wyrs. Many different warriors report to him, all who play different roles in bringing this love story together. My favourite were the two gryphons Rune and Graydon who are put in charge of her care. They are big, bossy, sexy men with protective streaks a mile wide...love them and can’t wait for their books! :D

This book is amazing. Sexy, funny, dark and magical, I just couldn’t put it down. I recommend it to Alpha fans who don’t mind a little darkness with their Romance. I leave you with my favourite exchange between Pia and Dragos....soooo bossy :D



“You’re mine,” he said. “You can deny it, argue, throw fits, try to run away. But. You’re. Still. Mine.”

“That’s insane,” she whispered. “I have no idea what that means. I don’t belong to you or anyone else.”

“Yes, you do,” he told her. His thumbs stroked her lips. “You are mine and I will keep you. I will not hurt you and I will protect you. And You’re beginning to trust me. All of that is a good thing.” show less

Guys, seriously. You know how rare for me is to read a paranormal romance and like it, but this book is amazing. 10/10 material. The blend is just so perfect.

The couple.

Dragos and Pia are both strong, self-deprecating, appreciate humour in any situation and admit they've been stupid and made mistakes without you reaching the point of longing to bash them over the head.

The world-building.

Is unique. The fae, wyr, vampires and other creatures co-exist with humans in an uneasy peace throughout the centuries. The blend of creatures is fascinating. Dragos is a huge dragon, but he is Wyr, which means he belongs to winged creatures. His lieutenants are griffin, thunderbird, harpy and couple of others I don't quite remember.

The pace.

Is fast show more enough to qualify for urban fantasy. They don't mop around, make silly mistakes and accuse each other of stupid sh*t. They go from crisis to crisis and act accordingly.

Overall, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I've been buzzing ever since I've read this book and the buzz has't quite worn off yet.

I'm sorry, the message said.
The theft was a violation of privacy. It was a unbelievable act of impudence and disrespect. Not only that, it was - baffling. he was murderous, incandescent with fury. He was older than sin and could not remember when he had last been in such rage.
He looked at the paper again.
I'm sorry I had to take your penny. Here's another to replace it.
Yep, that's what it said.
One corner of his mouth twitched. He gave himself a deep shock when he burst into an explosive guffaw.

"All I took was a freaking penny. Besides I already gave you another one."
...
"You took a 1962 penny," Dragos said. His teeth were gritted. "You left a 1975 penny. It's no replacement."
She stared at him. "Oh my God, it's scary you noticed that."
"I know everything in my hoard and exactly where it is," he told her. "Down to the smallest piece."
"You could go to the doctor got checked out for OCD," she panted. "There might be medication for that." show less

You know what is totally awkward? Listening to sexy books in audio format. There was a really great moment while I listened to this one when a friend of mine got in the car, I turned on the engine, and the narrator said something along the lines of “he caressed her breast as he pushed her legs further apart” and I frantically tried to switch to the radio, stumbling all over myself and hitting all the wrong buttons. Awkward City, population 1. Chalk that up as one more reason I prefer listening to murder mysteries, YA, sci fi, and fantasy. Also, it feels weird being turned on while I’m driving around. BAM! How’s that for TMI on Goodreads? But you know what the ultimate libido killer is in books? The scrunchie. Oh, didn’t you show more know? Some contemporary authors are under the impression that despite the calendar reading 2011, we are somehow still living in the 1990s. Bare midriff shirts? Holy hell. Pretty soon I’m going to read a new release where the main character wears backwards overalls like Kriss Kross with one buckle undone, a hypercolor shirt, and Airwalks.

I don’t want to harp on one tiny non-issue because this book was loads of fun. I initially started reading it with a friend but she blew past me because frankly, I’ve been a sucky reader with the attention span of a caffeinated toddler as of late. So I started it again as an audiobook and half listened, half read it the second time round. I’m a bit tired of fairies (scratch that, totally tired of them) but not at all tired of dragons yet so this worked really well for me. Plus, there are several more exciting Wyr kind in this book—Gryphons! Harpies! Thunderbirds! Goblins! A FRAKKING UNICORN!!!! Plus, you know, *cough* there may or may be some sexy dragon scenes.

With a delightful sense of humor, [a:Thea Harrison|4443809|Thea Harrison|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1295634607p2/4443809.jpg] introduces us to Pia Giovanni, who has just stolen something from the hoard of the most powerful dragon in existence. Who hired her? How’d she do the seemingly impossible? What IS she? While the reader knows the answers to several of these questions (and can probably guess the answer to the last one if they’ve read enough in the genre), the well-paced plot and action scenes kept me entertained until the last page. Something that often bothers me in romance books is when a supposedly strong woman allows the man to treat her like property or doesn’t allow her to make decisions. There were several instances in this book when I was angered by some action or statement that Dragos made BUT Pia almost always stood up to him or addressed why it made her uncomfortable. She seemed realistically strong yet vulnerable and I didn’t find her needy or annoying, which is probably reason to celebrate. (or at the very least, continue reading the series…which I will do, probably next week!) show less