Dragon Marked

4.25stars-emotional and captivating

4.25stars-DRAGON MARKED is the ninth instalment in Donna Grant’s adult DRAGON KINGS paranormal, fantasy romance series set in the author’s multi-interconnected series. This is orange dragon Merrill, and Druid Katla’s story line. DRAGON MARKED can be read as a stand alone but for back story and cohesion, I recommend reading the series in order as there is an ongoing premise throughout.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

SOME BACKGROUND: For tens of thousands of years the Dragons have lived and ruled on Earth but a war between the dragons and humans forced the Dragon Kings to send the other dragons through a portal into an unknown world. Fast forward to present day, the portal has been revealed, and the Dragon Kings have been reunited in Zora, with their family and kin, but a new war is on the horizon between the Dragons, the Divine and the people of Stonemore.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspective (Merrill and Katla) DRAGON MARKED focuses on the return of Merrill. For months Merrill has been the enslaved by a woman known as Villette but Merrill’s choice to remain with Villette has been his own until the day Merrill comes face to face with his future in the guise of Katla, a Druid who is unaware of her powers. Katla was once under the control of the same woman who once controlled our story line hero but Katla struggles with the guilt of those she broke and destroyed, and our heroine is determined to destroy Villette on her own. Merrill believes he is unworthy of the friendships and family he created as a Dragon King, having lost his ability to control his rage but falling for a woman who is just as broken as he, Merrill see a future with Katla, even though he believes, he has not future as a King. As Merrill and Katla journey towards their fate, the unknown entity and the Orgate warriors take aim at our story line couple.

Once again, the world building is detailed and complex, therefore I recommend reading the series in order. Merrill and Katla are determined to destroy the woman who has destroyed so many lives but circumstances change when Merrill and Katla face their own demise.

The relationship between Merrill and Katla begins acrimoniously as both are struggling with what happened and why. Having been taken prisoner and forced to work with a woman determined to take down the Dragon Kings, Merrill and Katla must come to terms with their past, and redirect their anger going forward. The lone $ex scene is passionate.

Again, there is a large ensemble cast of energetic and familiar secondary and supporting characters including several Dragon Kings: Con and Rhi, Varek, Ulrik and Brandr, and many more.

DRAGON MARKED is a story of betrayal and vengeance, power and control, manipulation and freedom, sacrifice and love. The premise is emotional and captivating; the romance is subtle and seductive; the characters are broken yet determined.