Kiss of Fire ( Dragonfire 1) by Deborah Cooke

Hello to all,

                it's not a good week for me, i haven't read a book so far and i'm still completly exhausted waiting for the results of my analyses that will perhaps say what medecine i need . If it wasn't enough the exams started and ..just let's forget yesterday when i was crying pitifully while trying to stay up.
The positive thing is that before i got worse i had read and managed to finish some review so i won't let you down.

Today i will introduce you to Deborak Cooke and her series Dragonfire with the first book " Kiss of Fire", a really good paranormal romance.

Happy Reading.

Publisher: Signet Eclipse paranormal romance

Publication: 2008

ISBN:  0451223276

Genre: paranormal romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodread :

For millennia, the shape-shifting dragon warriors known as the Pyr have commanded the four elements and guarded the earth's treasures. But now the final reckoning between the Pyr, who count humans among the earth's treasures, and the Slayers, who would eradicate both humans and the Pyr who protect them, is about to begin...

 When Sara Keegan decides to settle down and run her quirky aunt's New Age bookstore, she's not looking for adventure. She doesn't believe in fate or the magic of the tarot-but when she's saved from a vicious attack by a man who has the ability to turn into a fire-breathing dragon, she questions whether she's losing her mind-or about to lose her heart...

 Quinn Tyrrell has long been distrustful of his fellow Pyr and a self-reliant loner. So when he feels the firestorm that signals his destined mate, he's determined to protect and possess Sara, regardless of the cost to himself. Then Sara's true destiny is revealed-and Quinn realizes he must risk everything- even Sara's love-to fulfill their entwined fates...

My opinion:

          A book about Pyr, meaning shape shifter Dragon, was a new change for me, I loved to see one in Dragon bound by Thea Harrison and I wanted more so I discovered Deborah Cooke series DragonFire and I’m really happy with it. In this universe, Pyr have an affinity, a power over one element and each one has a speciality but life isn’t easy for them. They were created to protect the earth however a schism appeared centuries ago and now two camps exist. One camp, the “true” Pyrs stay true to their mission of protecting the earth, including simple human beings because they are considered a treasure of the earth. They are fewer than before because of the war ongoing and they want to breed but that can only happen when a there is a magical state called firestorm between a Pyr and a human female since all Pyr are males. The firestorm is made to show a Pyr his destined soulmate and affect both parties. 

The second camp, their enemies, is made by Pyr called the Slayers. They are Pyr that decided that to save the earth all human must be destroyed and that included mate to be and other Pyr that loves humanity. They don’t hesitate to kill other dragons even if they are fewer and fewer. However a prophesy is starting to take place and they want to destroy it for that they break all rules that a normal Pyr follow and even capture and torture the wyvern, only female dragon that should be sacred being the only one, really rare, that has the power to know when a firestorm will take place and who it will concern.

Now of course there is some part quite common in the paranormal romance genre like the destined mate, the soulmate, a fierce and nearly irresistible attraction and such. But it’s really well written and done in a new universe with rules and all so if it can’t be said that a story completely original it’s still a really great book and wonderfully written.

The romance is there but the way it develops can be changed for each character, the romance is building not too quickly and the action make the reader more than interested in learning more about those dragons and their specificities because they are fighters first and foremost.

The characters are well thought; their past is really influencing their present and explains their reactions. A dragon being nearly immortal, some more than a millennia old you understand the number of  squeletons in the closet they can have and the numbers of enemies too. It’s well shown in this story as Quinn doesn’t know who the good guys are because of his troubled past. He has to learn to reinterpret his memories and to makes decision based on instinct but not only.

Sara is balancing him well, she refuse to accept what she is but has no problem with the past and try to stay open minded. She has been hurt too in the past and must overcome that, and being honest I found that she did it a bit too quickly. She is a fighter too not a simple damsel in distress and both will have to admit that and takes it into account. I love Madga’s ghost is funny; I really hope we will see more of it, it’s really a great help.

Deborah Cooke writing style is fresh and I like the idea of the elements as an important tool and part of the identity of the dragons. So in a whole that‘s really a great paranormal romance to recommend to those who love all dragons’ things.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Score:  4/5

Challenges:

Book read for the 2012 TBR reading

This book enter in the Romance and Me Challenge

Ce livre s'intègre dans le challenge de Natasia