In Darkest Flame by Donna Grant, the Dark Kings have fought for centuries to preserve their dragon magic. But one of the most powerful warriors of his kind will be put to the ultimate test. Is he strong enough to resist his greatest temptations? Or will he be forced to surrender–body and soul? HER BEAUTY IS A WEAPON. Denae Lacroix is a beautiful MI5 agent on a deadly mission. Sent to the … mission. Sent to the Scottish Highlands to spy on the mysterious Dreagan Industries, she discovers too late that she’s been set up–as human bait. She is an irresistible lure for a man who has not seen or touched a woman for centuries. He is a man with a destiny–and a desire–that could destroy them both…
HIS PASSION IS A CURSE…
It’s been twelve hundred years since Kellan has walked among humans–and there’s no denying the erotically charged attraction he feels for Denae. But as a Dragon King, he is sworn to protect his secrets. Yet the closer he gets to this smart, ravishing woman, the more her life is in danger. All it takes is one reckless kiss to unleash a flood of desire, the fury of dragons…and the fiercest enemy of all.
“Time travel, ancient legends, and seductive romance are seamlessly interwoven into one captivating package.”–Publishers Weekly on the Dark Warrior series“Once again, Donna Grant has given the readers a great story.” –Night Owl Reviews Top Pick on MIDNIGHT’S PROMISE
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I started reading this series ions ago and somewhere along the way I stopped. It is now my mission to go back to the beginning and start over.
What a beginning it was!!! Lots of tension. Lots of Dragons. A forbidden romance. A dragon determined to hate, but falls in love and will do anything to protect her. Best of all you are introduced to a conspiracy that will have you guessing, wondering and dying to know more.
They don’t call Donna Grant the Mother of Dragon’s for nothing. The Darkest Flame is the first in the Dragon Kings series, a spin off if you will from her Warriors series. This one packs a punch. Mythical dragons, Scottish Highlands, buff hot guys…and a killer story line that will have you coming back for more.
This is a re-read for myself as when it first came out I was still a reader of physical books and not at all in the know of posting reviews. LOL. Now if you want to read the full story of the Kings before starting this book, I personally recommend reading Dark Heat. It has three novella’s in it that will very much come in handy and explain at lot when starting the series.
In the this book we are introduced to all this Dreagan, who they are, what the do and fast enough WHAT they are. Whiskey is what they do, running a distillery on the massive plot of land they call home in Scotland. Dragons are what they are. That’s right, I said Dragons! Fire breathing, scales and claws, Dragons. Men that are Kings that can shift from human to giant, dangerously beautiful dragons!
Alright…here we go.
Danae Lacroix is a average person, normal in all the ways the matter…except she’s an American working for MI5. Her latest mission; Dreagan. In the dark of the night, she and her partner sneak onto the land and into the mountain, only for Danae to be taken by surprise. Her partner tries to kill her. Left bleeding in a dark, damp, cave, all she can do is wait to die.
Or not.
Kellan is a Dragon King, the King of the Bronzes, or should I say, he was. Kellan has slept for thousands of years after the tiredness of the humans. What he doesn’t expect is to see a woman come crawling into his cave, but once awake….
The attraction between Kellan and Denae is so strong, the sexual tension can be felt from all those around them. Can he control himself long enough to fond out who is after her? After his family? Or will the flood of emotions over power him for good?
I received Flame as an ARC and my opinions are honest and sincere.
Noreen is a member of the Others on the run and wanting to help the Dragon Kings any way she can. Cain, King of the Blues, has been nominated by Con to go pick her up and ensure that she is what she says she is, and if she needs help, provide it.
This is the beginning of a true roller coaster ride of a novel, and just when you think you have everything figured out, Donna throws a delicious curve ball. There are a lot of hidden things in this novel that you miss if you read through it too fast, so as much as long time readers are tempted to do so, DON’T!!! I’ve read it twice now and found something new each time.
I believe that if this is your first time reading a Dragon King book, please buy it, but don’t read it until you’ve had some more exposure. Donna is building up to a fantastic climax of this series, so if this is your first book, you’ll be lost.
For us long time readers, there is a cameo by a long time character that will make all who know the series VERY happy, Donna also brought in new characters who are advancing the upcoming battle between the Others and the Dragon Kings in such an exquisite way. There was also something special building for Henry too!
Because these last couple of books have been the “set up” for the climax of this series, my only “complaint” about Flame is there was not much true action in the story. It’s a heavily emotional book, with a lot of thinking, and talking, and ache.. But the action itself is really non existent. That’s not a bad thing as long as you understand before you dive in, that this is a “setting everything up” kind of book.
The two evil main female characters are vying for control, with both of them taking turns torturing the other, and that back and forth is fun to read! At one point I even felt a smidgen…. a smaller than small smidgen of sympathy for Usaeil. It didn’t last long..
As for Noreen, the curve ball that Donna gives us about her sort of turned me off for a little bit. I”ll be honest, her being a dark fae was hard to accept to begin with, but the curve ball made it even harder to like her. I guess accepting a dark fae Reaper was easier because of who Reapers are. But of course as it turns out she truly does deserve her HEA and I do like her of course!! Just stick with her, she won’t disappoint you.
The romance between Cain and Noreen is sweet, and even though Cain is faced with some pretty tough facts about Noreen and the possible loss of his new~found mate, he never loses full faith in Noreen.
Last but not least… THE EPILOGUE!!!! Make sure you DON’T read it first, but stay for the EPILOGUE!!!
Ain’t I a stinker for telling you that! hee hee..
Thanks Donna for another great book!
I love dragon shifter stories, and so I found this one on audiobook, it blew me away, I loved it, will be looking forward for more in the series, the narrator did an amazing job, I certainly liked the accents and how well he portrayed all the characters.
A full length story featuring another dragon king who is not happy eith having to share. Secret service, dark fea banding together with secret humam organization. Dragons, steam, magic, adventure. This story has all.
This whole series is incredible. I cannot read them and re-read them fast enough! Wonderful love story with strong alpha male meeting a strong match!
A series I have read more than once. The characters are super sexy.
Love this series
This is by far one of my favorite books by Donna!
First book I ever read by her and finding out it was a spin off made me go back and read all of the Dark Warrior books. Amazing!
This is my 2nd time reading this book. I loved it just as much the 2nd time as the 1st. Denae is an MI5 agent and finds herself in a bad situation. Kellan is just trying to sleep in his cave. When he first meets Denae, Kellen wants nothing to do with her. But feelings are hard to ignore when you meet the one person in the whole world that you are meant to be with.
https://escaperealitybyreading.wordpress.com/2019/03/05/darkest-flame/
I loooove this book i couldnt put it down just like all of donna grants books! Definitly recomend!
Kellan has been asleep for centuries when he is awaken by two M15 agents in his cave. Danea, one of the agents, is betrayed and expected to die but is saved by Kellan.
Kellan’s hatred of humans makes him very standoffish and rude towards Danea. Their relationship is very tense and strained throughout the first half of this book. Eventually Kellan realizes his feelings about humans and Danea have changed. This tension in the beginning made it hard for me to initially invision a HEA for these two. Once things changed though I could see the emotions and feelings would last.
The Dark Fae are plotting, the Light Far are possibly going to help, and alliances and friendships are being tested. I can’t wait to see where this will go.
Love this book and the rest of the books
I’ve been dying to read this series and I am happy to say I am not the least disappointed. This was a great start to the series. I love all the characters, they’re all so amazing with great personalities that you can’t help loving them. Th history of the Dreagan and how they live separate from humans was interesting and how each dragon has their own special power. I love that there are also Fae. Kellan was such an interesting character. I liked that despite his hatred for humans, he helps Denae and can’t stay away from her. He was a wonderful hero. Denae was a strong heroine who was smart and levelheaded. She’s probably of my favorite female characters. I liked that she totally badass since she’s a trained MI-5 agent, smart, trustworthy, and was willing to do anything for Kellan. I loved her.
I really enjoyed this book and am more than excited to read about the other Dragon Kings and how the main story unfolds.
Darkest Flame is a great and fulfilling read. Grant created complex characters and injected them into a beautiful world. From start to finish, it is a page turner. I don’t think dragon shifters will ever stop being my favorite shifter, but that certainly is not the only reason why I loved this book. Denae is not only kick ass and strong, but not cold and distant. Often authors seem to write strong female characters with this type of edge – cold and distant. I struggle with it being accurate within myself (possibly – don’t judge me!) and yet something I am not a fan of (within myself – self reflection is a bitch). I don’t think you HAVE to be cold and/or distant to be strong. Reading about someone that I could relate to and still see how I could better, made this read little extra special. Now, if only I could obtain my own dragon of hawtness.
Kellan and Denae’s journey took us into a new world and Grant accomplished a lot of world building, all while not bombarding the reader with overwhelming information. Everything tad bit of story had its place and the pieces floated down creating an amazing and complete story. Darkest Flame had the trifecta of a great story. Romance, drama, comedy and world building merged in Darkest Flame and this is certainly a series I am going to continue reading. My only regret is that I didn’t pick this book up sooner!
Loved this book. Highly recommend
Love everything Donna Grant writes! She is a great storyteller!