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Dragon Kings #5

Dragon Lover

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant returns with the next exciting story in the Dragon Kings series.

Can she learn to love the man—as well as the dragon within?

Sensual. Clever. Daring. There’s only one thing Kendrick yearns for—peace that has eluded the Dragon Kings. Zora may have been made in the image of Earth, but it’s a far cry from home. For too long the Kings have been on the defensive, betrayed time and again. When Kendrick has an opportunity to stop a foe, he takes it. Except he isn’t the only one tracking it. Soon, he finds himself face-to-face with an exquisite swordswoman who holds him enthralled...and sparks passion within his cold heart.

As an Asavori Ranger, Esha has dedicated her life to protecting her people. She trains relentlessly to become one of their best warriors, forsaking everything else. When a treacherous new enemy invades their lands, she vows to destroy it. Esha’s rash decision has her crossing paths with that of a mysterious, handsome outsider. He’s trouble the Rangers don’t need, but she can’t walk away. He awakens desires long buried and dreams neglected. The temptation of their forbidden union is more than she can resist. She’s soon walking a treacherous path—one that could be the downfall for them both.

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 10, 2023

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About the author

Donna Grant

272 books4,469 followers
Donna is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a hundred novels. Her most popular series is the breathtaking Dark King (aka Dragon King) series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.

In addition to her novels, Donna has written short stories, novellas, and novelettes for digital-first and print release. She has been dubbed as giving the “paranormal genre a burst of fresh air” by the San Francisco Book Review. Her work has been hailed as having “deft plotting and expert characterization” by Publisher’s Weekly and “sizzling” by RT Book Reviews.

She has been recognized with awards from both bookseller and reader contests including the National Reader’s Choice Award, Booksellers Best Award, as well as the coveted K.I.S.S. Award from RT Book Reviews.

Donna travels often for various speaking engagements, conferences, and book signings. She is also a frequent workshop presenter at national conferences such as RT Book Lovers Convention and Thrillerfest, as well as local chapters.

Born and raised in Texas, she also has ties across the border in Louisiana. Growing up with two such vibrant cultures, her Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding. She is never far from her faithful 80 pound dog, Sisko, or her three cats. She can often be found at the movies or bookstore with her children. Or buying makeup. And shoes.

You an find her at www.DonnaGrant.com
as well as her website devoted entirely to the Dragon Kings and all series that encompass the Dark World at www.MotherOfDragonsBooks.com.

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5 stars
262 (62%)
4 stars
128 (30%)
3 stars
24 (5%)
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2 (<1%)
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1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
Profile Image for Madison Warner Fairbanks.
2,610 reviews395 followers
January 8, 2023
Dragon Lover by Donna Grant
Dragon Kings series #5. Spin off of the Dark King series. Paranormal Dagon shifter romance novella. Technically can be read as a stand-alone but many names and situations are mentioned though not really relevant to this specific story.

Kendrick is a Dragon King. As a dragon shifter, he is patrolling and protecting a mountain range when an unseen enemy attacks. Kendrick fights to protect and follows the attacking enemy across the forbidden threshold. He finds himself in the land of elves which the dragons didn’t know existed. He finds they are fighting the same unseen enemy so he decides to stay to find out if the elves have more information that will help them both.
Esha is a Ranger of the elves. A warrior and protector. She has never seen a dragon before and realizes that if they collaborate, they may get further in defeating the enemy.

Kendrick and Esha establish a truce and go to the local leader with a plan. As they work together and get to know each other an attraction grows. Can a relationship exist between an elf and a dragon shifter?

A quick and “fated” romance with the odds against the couple. Of course, barriers and opposition must be considered.
I found Kendrick’s accent to be distracting since I read this story in the printed form. If I had listened to an audiobook, it would have been just his voice.
“I’d really like to know why we can no’.”
“I donna intend to.” “It doesna…”
I enjoyed the romance and the couple working together to beat the enemy both known and hidden.
Gripping and adventurous.

The 1001 Dark Nights stories are from the author’s world and only one piece of a whole.
My rating is for this short story alone and ignores the tendrils not fully explained or missing.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Profile Image for Alyson | Books.plants.and.tea.
264 reviews20 followers
January 7, 2023
I should probably preface this by admitting this is my first ever Donna Grant, so I went into this book with zero backstory knowledge.

"Are you suggesting I walk around shirtless?"
"I'm saying I wouldn't mind."


My heart is so full of fuzzy feels! I am in love with the way the romance was developed in this one. Donna Grants focuses on the small interactions between Kendrick (MMC) and Esha (FMC) to build intimacy, showing how one would make a bid of connection, the other would respond to that, to which the first would often joyfully smile. It was so beautiful to read and it filled my heart with so much warmth. You could feel the intimacy between these two rise with each of these positively answered bids of connection, which made the entire relationship build up feel so natural, even though it was very fast paced (within 2-3 days). I think this is what made me fall in love with them, as they were falling in love with each other. This just goes to show you how strongly human beings react to bids of connection, as it even has its effect through written word!

"Can I come in?" she asked.
As if he would deny her. As if he could.


Anyway, moving on to my love of Kendrick's character, because I am absolutely smitten. I admired the way he carried himself with such grace and respect towards a people he thought was only a myth. He entered each interaction with the Elves in such a de-escalating way through showing respect and being truthful about his intent, all the while still being genuinely curious and wanting to learn more about these people. Also, the fact that he considers himself as equal to the elves even though he's way more powerful, and that he respects every choice and decision Esha makes, I loved that about him so much!

"He had known with their first kiss, but he hadn't admitted it until that moment. Esha was his mate."

This moment made my heart burst with love. It was the perfect moment to introduce the fated mates trope,. I can't elaborate without spoiling it, but let me re-iterate that the fact that he is so respectful of her, her wants and feelings, the boundaries she implicitly set... It made me love Kendrick even more.

Now concerning how standalone this book is - since that's what it claims - I must admit chapter one was a heavy one to take in. We get bombarded with information and I wasn't completely sure I had a good grip of the world and its characters. Thankfully, as Kendrick and Esha build intimacy by sharing about themselves and their people, we get spoonfed the necessary information in a way that makes it easy to grasp. So, yes, this is a very good standalone novel and I would even say a good introduction to the series as a whole. I can say I am a fan and will be reading more from this author.

The side characters were great (Dain was amazing), the intrigue was good, the world-building was decent, and the romance was swoonworthy AND fan-yourself-Kendrick-is-coming-out-of-the-lake-naked. An all around enjoyable read!

So, why only 4 stars? As much as I enjoyed reading this book, I think it might've benefitted from being a full length novel to fully wrap up the 'entity' storyline, which was left unfinished and not mentioned at the end of the book. I also would've loved to learn more about how the shift happens, since that is a major part of the shifter world building. And I felt cheated out of seeing their mating ceremony, which made me just a tiny bit sad...

**I read and reviewed an advanced reading copy, granted to me by the publisher through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Profile Image for BookedWithSel.
139 reviews18 followers
January 13, 2023
"Are you suggesting I walk around shirtless?"
"I'm saying I wouldn't mind."


I want to start off by saying that this was my first Donna Grant book provided to me by Blue Box Press and what an introduction into her world. So I really went in with no true back ground knowledge on the story but when I tell you this filled my dragon loving cup right up.

The story hooked me in from the first page and I could not put it down. This book gave me all the feels. The way the romance developed in DL was perfect. The dynamic between Kendrick and Esha was an absolute delight to witness. I could easily feel how their intimacy grew with each step taken and that they really were fated to be with one another. By the end I can fully admit that I was taken with him. The way he treated the elves was perfect. Considering he is so much more powerful than them. How he saw himself as their equal and that the way he respected every decision Esha made and choices she stood for, I appreciated that so much.

Donna did such a great job in the world building as well that I was fully transported. I would also like to say that the side characters were great (looking at you Dain) and the lore indeed was very intriguing. At times the story got a bit heavy on the information load but considering this is a short standalone novella it did not end up overwhelming the plot. I would have actually liked to learn more about the shifting process as it was a big part of the storyline.

Dragon Lover is perfect for those who love a well carved fated mates trope in their books.

My overall rating is 4.5

However, I can safely say that Donna Grant you have a new fan. I am excited to slowly make my way through your back log and meet all your characters.

Thank you to 1001 Dark Nights and Blue Box Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a fantastic introduction to this universe.
Profile Image for Mary Kirkland.
624 reviews30 followers
January 10, 2023
Kendrick is on a planet that looks like Earth but isn't Earth. He is tracking an enemy and goes right through the border between his side and the human side because he wants to keep tracking the enemy that's almost impossible to see. He meets Esha there where she is also tracking the invisible enemy. Esha is a warrior like many of her people and doesn't believe him at first when he tells her that he's a dragon shifter. Her people know there are dragons but they didn't believe that shifters existed until he shows them that they do.

They agree to let him stay for a few days in order to track and get rid of the invisible enemy but after that they want him to leave. But Kendrick realizes that Esha is his mate and he doesn't want to go back home without her. He doesn't think she'll leave her people to come back to his home with him so he isn't sure what to do.

Watching them get to know one another better as well as search for their enemy was fun. It was a good story and can be read a standalone.

Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book via NetGalley but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews .
1,451 reviews206 followers
January 10, 2023


Ever since Game of Thrones ended, I have been looking for someone to fill my romanticized dragon void. Little did I know esteemed writer Donna Grant would be exactly what I needed. 1001 Dark Knights, Dark Lover by Donna Grant is the first that I’ve read in the Dragon Kings series. I am now genuinely excited to hit the backlogs and find out everything I can. If you're like me and are in need of a dragon fix this novella is perfection!
~Tanja

*ARC provided by 1001 Dark Nights & Blue Box Press

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Profile Image for PROAM.
61 reviews1 follower
January 10, 2023
Just finished reading Dragon Lover by Donna Grant. It is a testament to her creative mind, that after years of writing her dragon shifter books, she still delivers unexpected plot pathways. Who knew elves lived on Zora? Excellent character and world building along with romance and battle action, keeps me watching and waiting for Donna's next book. Kendrick, the Dragon King, joins forces with Esha, an elf, to take out an invisible, untrackable entity killing those who call Zora home. But all is not how it seems. Can the Dragon Kings prevent history from repeating itself? Only time will tell.
Profile Image for Beth.
606 reviews
July 7, 2023
The Dragon Kings never disappoint!
168 reviews3 followers
January 10, 2023
I can't even begin to express how exited this book made by D&D playing nerdy heart, OMG. I absolutely love Esha's character, and I really, really hope we get to explore more of her people. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the Dragon Kings, but .... there are so many interesting new beings in this world and I really want to see more of them and this book was just too short for Esha I think. I'd love to see more of her sister and more of Esha's supporters.

**Received an ARC for an honest review**
Profile Image for NanaX8.
1,952 reviews57 followers
December 28, 2022
I loved Dragon Lover...peace, acceptance and love...things we all are looking for in life. Can Kendrick and Esha find the balance when others want only to divide and conquer for the power they get and do anything to get what they want? Will they lose the love they've found due to the ill intentions of others? Or do they find what they always needed regardless? A fantastic, heartwarming love story❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Profile Image for Branita J.
111 reviews11 followers
January 10, 2023
Kendrick, a dragon king, is trying to find the invisible enemy that keeps attacking them. While fighting it, he inadvertently trespasses on the elfs land. Through the threat of war, he finds Esha. She leads the Rangers and they have a common enemy. They fall head over heels for each other, but the uncertainty of the future makes being together difficult.

I'm late to the Dragon King stories, but I've enjoyed this one immensely. I know that I will be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. I'm usually a mystery or thriller type of gal, but every once in a while, I like to cleanse the palate with a good romance. Throw in a shifter, and a dragon one at that, and I'm hooked. If you like the unusual, this book is for you. It's a novella, so it's an easy read. But fair warning, you might not be satisfied with stopping at this short story and your tbr list will get longer.

Thank you to NetGalley, Evil Eye concepts and Donna Grant for this ARC.
Profile Image for Tammy.
379 reviews16 followers
January 11, 2023
This is the first I’ve read in this series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone. However, I think I would have enjoyed it more had I already been in the series, attuned to their world & been friendly with the characters. The author did do a really good job of explaining things where I was able to get a rapid course in everything happening & I still really enjoyed it.
I absolutely love dragons, so I was excited by this premise. I adored how he called her lass. I was amused as he introduced her to food & tea. This was a quick, fun, adorable & simultaneously sexy fantasy read!

If you’re looking for an exciting & spicy romantic fantasy with great chemistry, then I would check out Dragon Lover by Donna Grant, which is out now.

Massive thanks to 1001 Dark Nights for the arc, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Profile Image for Ola Adamska.
2,879 reviews23 followers
January 10, 2023
Dragon Kings is the newest addition to Dark World and is quickly developing new characters and new spices - which I really love! Expanding what we have in books is always hard, as we have a mind on what we know and the author needs to get our attention to something new, unknown.
Our Male MC is Kendrick, we did not know much about him, but now we can get to know him, and at first, I was not fond of him, as he seemed audacious in the beginning and took too lightly what was in front of him. And this could be his undying, but he got help from someone that happened to be a beautiful elf woman - Esha. They are mates, and there is no way to deny it, but both are strong-willed so they will not fall for it right away. And this is something I really loved here - falling in love is not easy especially when danger is hidden in the shadows.
In the end, I liked this story, and I hope Zora's world will grow and grow as I feel there is still a lot to discover.
Profile Image for Mai.
108 reviews10 followers
January 13, 2023
This novella was a wonderful entry into the world of Donna Grant's dragons.  The instant chemistry between Esha and Kendrick made their story delightful to watch unfold. Esha has the fierceness of a heroine who knows how to take care of herself but also understands when she needs help. Kendrick's fiercely protective nature does not overshadow his recognition of Esha's strengths or his ability to respect them. There is a creative blending of many species through the mating connections, and this is something not often seen in fantasy books. While this is a short read, it is not lacking in plot or passion. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys fantasy and fantasy romance!
Profile Image for Tracie R.
2,140 reviews
January 21, 2023
The fifth book in the Dragon Kings, Dragon Lover and tells us Kendrick and Asavori Ranger, Esha’s story. The secondary characters are ones we recognise well and the main character are intriguing and engaging. A story of dominance, power, and love with this well written and delivered storyline and the dynamic characters this is a great addition to the series and a must read for lovers of this genre.
Profile Image for Mhollie.
608 reviews39 followers
November 3, 2023
Really quite good!

It is refreshing to say that as I haven’t said it in quite some time about a book in this massive mega series. These are actually moving toward romantic high fantasy and everything that goes with it: Elves, adventure, mystery, unknown/lost/mystical civilizations, monsters, magic, dragons, and, of course, romance. I am looking forward to the next in the series.
Profile Image for Karen Fisher.
1,100 reviews9 followers
January 4, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. Esha is a Sun Elf and a warrior for her people. Dragon King Kendrick is searching for an invisible foe who is attacking the dragons but finds Esha and her fellow warriors. Their story is a complex inventive one and such a good read!
Profile Image for Naomi.
45 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2023
I love how Donna Grant continues to build the world she has created. She’s an expert at developing characters. Dragon Lover is the latest Dragon King book and I absolutely adore Kendrick and Esha. As always, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
Profile Image for Annarella.
13k reviews143 followers
January 14, 2023
I think this is my fav Donna Grant's romance and I read quite a number. An original and well developed word building, humour, an intriguing MC and a hot romance.
I had fun and read it fast.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Profile Image for Celeste.
948 reviews36 followers
January 19, 2023
Again another fantastic read from an author that never disappoints me. How every story is it’s own but also intertwined from a an original core series missing amazing. And now a whole new species to this series is introduced and I loved all the descriptions and look forward to more about them.
Profile Image for Cindy Gilleland.
130 reviews1 follower
January 11, 2023
As always Donna Grant has done it again. Great characters and story plot. Worth reading. Can’t wait for the next in the series
1,585 reviews11 followers
January 12, 2023
Loved reading the mesmerizing and spellbinding paranormal romance story. When Kendrick, a Dragon King, is going after an unseen enemy, he discovers elves do exist, meets a beautiful sun elf, Esche, a warrior ranger, conflict and danger surround them, and feelings develop between Kendrick and Esche. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a riveting must read love story. Can't wait to read the next story in the series by the awesome and amazing author, Donna Grant!
Profile Image for Tonya Phillips.
55 reviews
January 10, 2023
Dragon Lover

Kendrick and Esha what a couple! Love always wins and elves now! It’s a whole new world and the evil is all new as well. I can not wait to see what’s next!
January 10, 2023
Book 5 of new series. Donna Grant never fails to grab our hearts and desires. this book is wonderful, hard to put down. Enjoy all.
Profile Image for Ashley.
80 reviews
January 11, 2023
Loved Kendrick and Esha. Great to see more of the characters I love. These novellas are a great quick read and never disappoint!
Profile Image for Melvena Asa.
1,481 reviews5 followers
January 12, 2023
Oh My, how good can a book be. I know it can't anything be better than this one is. This book is so full of exciting twists and it is action pack from the beginning to the very end of this book.
Profile Image for Mildred.
35 reviews2 followers
January 13, 2023
Enjoyed this adventurous trip to Zora! There’s great chemistry between the characters and a new world to explore with the introduction of the elves.
Profile Image for Jann.
134 reviews39 followers
January 13, 2023
Love love love, off the charts chemistry. Always love this author and this is one of her best books.
January 11, 2023
Kendrick and Esha’s story really brought the underlying plot to a head! The forces working against the kings are getting braver and I can not wait to see what happens.

I am loving this new world for the kings and love the discovery that is taking place! It’s so new and refreshing! Each king has me falling more in love and the heroines are as equally amazing if not more! Especially Esha! She is a warrior and is so strong and loving! I love these two together!
Profile Image for Nancy Bosque.
82 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2023
OMG, the saga continues and new characters are introduced into this world. We have elves! So unexpected but perfect. This is the story of Kendrick and his mate, Esha, who is an elf. She is on the other side of the dragon barrier in Zora, which Kendrick goes through in a fight (don’t want to give to much away here). Suffice it to say this story unites a dragon with an elf and it was so unexpected but so great. I’m loving Donna Grant’s Dragon Kings series and the continuation of the Dragon King stories. As I read them, I can’t help to think how great it would be to see the series come to life in a TV series (Thinking Games of Thrones type of series) and I’m sure it would be a hit. Can’t wait for the next book in the series out in June (don’t know how I’m going to make it to June). I loved this book and I know you will too. I also highly recommend you read the complete series.
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