CdnMrs Reviews – Forbidden Embers
October 25, 2011 in Reviews
- Paperback: 320 pages
- List Price: $14.00
- Publisher: NAL Trade (October 4, 2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0451234707
- ISBN-13: 978-0451234704
The Dragonstar clan is under attack, endangered by an insidious enemy. Now a top sentry must go undercover, but the task will be more than he bargained for…
Desperate to save his clan from deadly biological warfare, Dragonstar sentry Logan Kelly must infiltrate the Wyvermoon clan—and put an end to the war. Posing as a rogue dragon without a clan, Logan quickly realizes how close the Wyvermoons are to anarchy since the death of their leader. Their ranks are thin, and their only hope lies in Cecily Fournier, the princess whose grasp on the throne is shaky at best. All he has to do is stick around long enough to see his enemies fail.
The plan is foolproof. Until he falls for Cecily.
What starts as an uneasy alliance turns into an uncontrollable passion. As the spark between them gets hotter, Logan discovers the Wyvermoon’s hidden agenda. But how can he bring down the Wyvermoons without exposing himself as a traitor to the woman he loves?
I love really good blurbs. They make review writing super easy. The blurb for Forbidden Embers, the third book in the Dragon’s Heat series, pretty much tells you the entire story and I’m ok with that. Forbidden Embers is a straight up PNR and exactly what I wanted to read. You know the drill: one or more characters with a paranormal ability of some kind meet, face trial, fall in love, bump uglies, endure conflict and then possibly obtain an HEA. This being said, Tessa Adams writes great PNR and it’s in no way run of the mill. Her Dragon’s Heat series has a fresh dragon mythology, with strong, female leads and sexy, alpha males, hot romance and plots with action and suspense.
Here’s what I liked about Forbidden Embers.
Forbidden Embers is sexy.
All of the Dragon’s Heat books are sexy. Hell, book 2, Hidden Embers,has given me a whole new perspective on hotel room furniture and Tequila. In Forbidden Embers we get tons of hot smexy times, but with a paranormal element. Logan, our hero, is a telepath. You know what that means – he can sex you with his mind! Think of the potential for long distance relationships!!
She blushed, thinking of everything she’d let him do to her that night, when she thought it was only her imagination. “You weren’t anywhere near me. How did you get inside me like that?”
“I was having the same fantasy you were, I think. Or something pretty close to it, and somehow my mind found yours.”
Character Depth.
Yes, both the characters are dragon shifters and yes, the heroine is kick ass and the hero a tough-guy, alpha male, and this alone gives them a bit of depth, but characters with these attributes are all through PNR. Tessa Adams, in my opinion, was able to infuse more than the average amount of depth into Ceciliy Fournier and Logan Kelly .
Logan Kelly is essentially a refugee in the Dragonstar Clan having left his clan in Ireland centuries ago. His telepathic abilities keep him constantly on guard and his departure from his previous clan centuries ago leave him feeling like he doesn’t and won’t really ever truly belong. Add to this an intense loyalty to the Dragonstar Clan for taking him in and you’ve got a guy who doesn’t think much of himself, but will die for others, hence the reckless mission he decides to go on.
Cecily Fournier has been raised to be a figurehead for her people, but nothing more. To smile and wave as the menfolk of her male dominated clan tend to the needs of the Wyvermoons and eventually marry a politically appropriate husband. Until recently, this all well and good, but after the death of her father and brother it becomes apparent that her clan is going to hell in a hand basket and that if she doesn’t step up there will soon be no clan to be figurehead for.
Both Logan and Cecily have a warped sense of their own self-worth and a sense that they don’t belong and as a result offer a vulnerability and depth to the classic kick ass heroine and alpha male characters of PNR.
DRAGONS!
I’m on a bit of dragon kick right now and I really enjoy Tessa Adams’ dragons. Each of her dragons possess a paranormal ability, unique colouring and unlike some other dragon mythologies are very social creatures, living in large clans. Maybe I’m a weirdo, but there’s something about ferocious dragons that could tear your head off living in at least semi domestic bliss with family and friends. This adds another layer to the plots in the Dragon’s Heat series, something you wouldn’t get reading about a lonely, old dragon living under a mountain atop his gold. (That’s right, I’m talking to you Smaug!)
Forbidden Embers is a fun and sexy book. You could technically read it as a stand alone, but I’d recommend at least reading Hidden Embers, book 2 in the Dragon’s Heat series, it will give you a bit more insight into the character’s motivations and some plot elements. I have no idea what Tessa Adams will do with this series now that a certain story arc has concluded, but I look forward to reading more about her dragons and their adventures.
