She thought she’d put her past behind her… claws and fangs, demanding blood.
He’ll do whatever it takes to defend his mate…
Dagen has finally met his mate—except he insults her the first time they meet. He’s not too proud to grovel to get back into her good graces. But when a threat from her past emerges, he realizes that he’ll do anything to keep her safe. Even if it means dying—or losing her forever.
Length: 30,000 words
Author note: This is a stand-alone story in the Darkness series complete with an HEA and no cliffhanger.
Darkness series:
1. Darkness Awakened
2. Taste of Darkness
3. Beyond the Darkness
4. Hunted by Darkness
5. Into the Darkness
6. Saved by Darkness
7. Guardian of Darkness
8. Sentinel of Darkness
8.5 A Very Dragon Christmas
more
Loved it! This is the first book of this series I read, and I love it. I particularly enjoy the fact I didn’t need to read the rest of the series to follow the story. Dagen and Keva’s story is as unique as their characters. One thing I love about Katie Reus’ writing is the believability of her characters, especially the paranormal ones. You really feel like you know these people.
The Darkness continues to pull reader into a fascinating world full of wonderful, bold and sexy characters with its newest addition, Sentinel of Darkness. Keva is a local artist with a troubled past involving shifters and Dagen has finally met his mate, except he insults her the first time they meet. Keva and Dagen’s romance starts off on a slippery slope full of emotional turmoil and sizzling chemistry, but their attraction is irresistible and the passion erupts in fiery explosive passion that singes readers with every page.
The plot is fast paced, smooth flowing and full of danger and excitement as Keva’s past catches up to her and its demanding her blood. Dagen will do anything to keep her safe, even if it means dying and readers can’t help but become ensnared in the story as they hold their breath awaiting the outcome of this thrilling predicament. This is a standalone story in the Darkness series, a well-developed world that is full of mesmerizing dragons and wolves, a world that readers find as thrilling as it is sexy.
Dragons!!! I love them, but holy heck…Dragen was PERFECT!!! Absolutely, unequivocally perfect!
For a novella, this was packed full of all kinds of goodness! It has everything a full length novel has and believe it or not, was one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Dagen was such a wonderful alpha hero with a bit of insecurity that actually worked so well that I couldn’t have loved him more. I absolutely loved his courting of Keva and he was so darn cute that I swooned from his charm. However, when it came time to protect her, there was nothing insecure about him. He went into full on protective mode in the only manner a dragon shifter can and oh my gawd it just added to my total enjoyment of this story. Add in his inability to stop growling each time a man talked about her or he thought another man might be even thinking about her and I was GONE! Did I mention he was just so freaking cute?
Along with the getting to know you stage for this couple, came the standard Katie Reus suspense that always amps the action up. While the length of this book didn’t allow for a lot of expanded drama in this instance, it was still very well done and there were even a few surprises thrown in to add to the overall believability of danger.
I can’t recommend this book enough if you like dragon shifters, perfect possessive/protective and jealous heroes, and a story that works from beginning to end. I absolutely LOVED it!
4.25 stars– SENTINEL OF DARKNESS is the eighth novella in Katie Reus’s contemporary, adult DARKNESS paranormal romance series. This is dragon shifter / businessman Dagen, and human / artist Keva Sheehan’s story line. SENTINEL OF DARKNESS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for backstory as this particular series arc focuses on the dragons.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Keva and Dagen) SENTINEL OF DARKNESS follows the building relationship between dragon shifter / businessman Dagen, and human / jewellery artist Keva Sheehan. Four years earlier Keva Sheehan, on the run from her abusive, wolf shifter ex, found solace and safety with the local dragon clan. Fast forward to present day wherein Keva’s past is desperate to uncover the truth about the whereabouts of her missing ex, believing Keva knows what happened and why. Enter dragon shifter Dagen, and the man with whom Keva will fall in love. As the threats against Keva become more personal and physical, Dagen names himself Keva’s person protector with the knowledge that our heroine is Dagen’s fated mate. What ensues is the building romance between Dagen and Keva, and the potential fall-out as Keva is unable to let go of the past, or open her heart to another supernatural lover.
SENTINEL OF DARKNESS brings together several members of the Petronilla Clan of dragon shifters s they pull together to protect one of their own. Dagen knows that Keva is his mate, and offers up his home and protection for the foreseeable future. Keva Sheehan battles memories of the past, and fears her ex-lovers pack are seeking vengeance for their missing brother. Unable to open her heart to the possibility of love, Keva keeps Dagen at a distance, a distance that continues to close as her past quickly closing in .
SENTINEL OF DARKNESS is a quick read; an entertaining and heated story of fated mates, betrayals, retribution and love. The premise is engaging, inviting and spirited; the romance is passionate and spicy; the characters are damaged, colorful and dynamic. Katie Reus adds another wonderful couple to her Darkness Series of shifters, vampires and dragon mates
Keva was dating a wolf shifter when he tried to kill her. A dragon saved her life and has been under his protection ever since. Dagen is a dragon shifter and wants to buy Keva’s building but soon realizes she’s his mate. Keva was assaulted by her ex and isn’t ready for a relationship. When her ex’s brother’s come looking for him, Dagen protects her 24/7 and will not let anything happen to her. The more she gets to know him, the more she falls for him.
Short but very good. Sexy with a dragon with a protective streak a mile long. Action. This is one of my favorite series. These stories suck you in from the very beginning.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for Netgalley *
All the feels for a sexy romance in between a dragon who puts his foot in his mouth and a human who’s had bad experiences with shifters, but they also saved her. Can be read as a standalone, but go read them all because they’re that good.
My Thoughts – 5 out of 5 Unicorns – I loved it!!!
***I choose what I read and review based on what intrigues me!! Yes, I received a review copy of this book, but no one tells me what to think, feel, or write about any book! I own this whole series and many other books by Katie Reus!
The cover is mysterious with tatted mystery man!
This is the 8th book in the series, but it is the first book that I’m reading in the series. It is for adults only due to the violence and steamy content. While it is not necessary to read the books in order, I’m pretty sure you will love it even more if you read them in order. I’m going back to start book 1 next as I do own them all!
The story starts with a chase scene which also gives you Keva’s back story and how she came to know Conall. Then it jumps to present day and a meeting she has with Dagen. They get stuck together for a little bit, and then things get bumpy. He knows she is his mate, but she is not looking for a relationship and her past comes back to bite her. Dagen goes into protector mode. This story was awesome, and I couldn’t put it down. It has not hooked me on this series and world. Now I have to go read all the books! I love this crazy mixed paranormal world!
I highly recommend to any paranormal fan who loves shifters, vampires, magic, action, mates, and more!!
This novella is part of Katie Reus’ Darkness series, but don’t let the fact that it’s number 8 in the series put you off. It can absolutely be read as a stand-alone.
Keva has a past with a wolf shifter. A bad past. She’d like to leave him there. But he’s more than just a bad memory, and 4 years after settling down in dragon territory, he’s coming back to haunt her.
For Dagen, a chance meeting in an elevator has his dragon fighting to force him to claim his mate. But how? She’s skittish and he’s just accidentally insulted her.
With her past closing in, will she let Dagen help her?
This book was exactly what I needed. I loved Keva, I loved Dagen, and I loved their story. I was so into this one, that I think I’ll try to catch up in the series. Being that it was a novella, obviously everything was very fast-paced, but Katie Reus is good at writing novellas, so it felt complete. I’ve read a few in this series already, and I’d forgotten how much I like this author’s paranormal romances. Especially her dragons.
If you’d like a quick, sexy, and dragon-y read, grab this one!
Awww cue the feels. I really loved this one. Dagen and Keva’s story was moving and emotional. Dagen was the ultimate dragon protector for his mate and Keva was tough heroine. Beautifully written, filled with action and past characters that make an appearance, makes this a feel good read! Just a great story all around! 4.5 stars
This is a short read and for this length I didn’t expect something really amazing. So the story was ok, with great develope characters and interesting plot. It has a quick pace and like I said I didn’t expect something big. It was read for a rainy afternoon.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly
I LOVE Katie Reus’ Darkness series, and Sentinel of Darkness is no exception. One of the things that I like about Reus, is she’s not afraid to take on darker themes in her books. In Sentinel of Darkness, both Dagen and Keva are survivors of past abuse.
Keva is sure her ex is going to kill her. The violence is escalating and there’s no way out for her. She knew her ex was a wolf shifter, but she didn’t think things could get any weirder, until she’s saved by a dragon. Keva spends the next 4 years rebuilding herself and her life, while living under Conall’s protection.
Dagen is good at making money. He didn’t fit into his clan, partially because of his past. He know as soon as he sees her, Keva is his mate, just like he knows he totally insulted her.
There’s no way Keva is going to risk being in a relationship where the perceived power balance is so unequal, but then the past that scarred her comes back to find her. When she learns about Dagen’s past, will she be willing to take a chance?
Along the way, we see so many familiar faces. I love Arya and the twins. They just make me smile, along with getting an update on Victoria’s pregnancy. Reus has created a complex and beautiful world and I can’t wait to visit it again.
4 Stars
Review by Morgen
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Sentinel of Darkness by New York Times best selling author Katie Reus is book eight in the Darkness series. It is a novella and can be read as a standalone. The main theme of the book is that ready or not, love will find you.
Keva is a strong-willed, independent and creative human trying to put the past behind her. She knows that shifters exist, but after what she went through with her ex, she could never be in a relationship with one again.
Dagen is a dragon shifter, is somewhat new to town and is finding his place within the dragon clan.
He has a past of his own he is trying to move on from. He is business minded, strong, confident and passionate.
Keva and Dagen are thrown together and the chemistry is immediate. They are drawn to each other in ways even they don’t understand. When Keva’s past comes back to haunt her, it breaks something stronger than mere human laws. Dagen takes it upon himself to keep her safe. Can they fight their attraction or will one touch lead to another?
The story is written in third person giving the reader a full view of the storyline and making the transition between characters smooth. It might be a novella but nothing is missing from the characters depth. I loved the way the story unraveled and kept me hooked. Their passion jumped off the pages. This is a fast paced adventure that you’ll never want to end. My favorite part was getting inside Dagen’s head. The way the author wrote his emotional journey was truly gripping. The side characters are interesting and it was fun getting to know the clan. I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys a fun and passionate shifter romance.
There is a lot to love about author Katie Reus’ Darkness series, but the one thing I can’t get enough of is all the sex-on-a-stick dragons to be found. Every time I read a dragon shifter book, it just underscores that you can never, ever, EVER have enough smoking hot, growly, alpha dragons in your book. Yum.
I’m all about stories featuring battered women who not only rise above their pasts but who go on to positively soar. I love it when a heroine who has hit rock bottom then grows into a strong woman who is perfectly capable of not only fighting her own battles but winning them. It took Keva several years to fully come into her own inner strength and the new threat terrified her, but she met it head on and I adored her for it.
Degan was everything I expected him to be, but he also had a vulnerability about him due to a horrific past of his own. I found this trait of his endearing as all get out. The instant bond he found with Keva did not translate to insta-love because both were too cautious for that. Still, even though they didn’t act on things immediately, they freaking sizzled together.
What I didn’t enjoy was how anticlimactic the suspense aspect felt when it was resolved, even after another threat surfaced. It ended up feeling too quick and tidy of a resolution, almost forced actually.
I truly enjoyed the time spent with some of my favorite dragons. Arya and her sisters-in-law kept me smiling and the shifter baby shower had me giggling with all its cuteness. Sentinel of Darkness was quick, fun and seriously sexy—how could it not be with such an alphatastic but oh so sweet dragon.
Rating: 4 Growly Dragons Just Do It For Me Stars
Wow, I love this series.
This author’s books are always on my must read list. I love this book and this series. Dagen and Keva are both wonderful characters. He is strong and protective and she is stubborn and sassy. They have great chemistry and I loved the humor. I would recommend this book and this series.
Keva knows about shifters and lives among them but she doesn’t believe she should have a relationship with one. Been there, done that. But she’s Dagen’s mate and he’s determined to have Keva in his life. He settles for friendship as a beginning until her life is threatened. Then Dagen has to find and eliminate that threat and convince Keva that they belong together.
Sweet, cute novella and as usual by this author, full of romance, sexy heroes, and shifters shenanigans.
Dagen meets Keva in the most imperfect way but the moment he meets her, his dragon knows she is IT for him. The way he protected Keva (and actually all shifters in this series) is sweet and romantic. What I liked the most about the two was how in spite of having both gone through hell (one of them literally) they were still warriors and didn’t shy away from love. I would have loved for this story to be longer and read more about the other members of the pack, and specially that very pregnant shifter. But overall it was an enjoyable read that reminded me how much I like dragon shifters and this series.
*I received this book at no cost to me and I volunteered to read it; this is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher*
Darkness book #8 in the series. This book seemed darker , edgier than the other story of Dagen and Keva. Keva is still dealing with the fall out of an abusive relationship & is working to rebuild her life. Dagen also has a past with similar pains so theirs is a kinderd spirits type there. Keva is a sweet , smart and caring woman who is full of sass while Dagen is this intense,alpha protective male. Keva, the heroine has been badly hurt in her past by her ex-boyfriend, a wolf shifter and it was only the intervention of alpha dragon shifter Conall who killed her attacker that ended up saving her life. Due to this, Keva struggles with the past and what may have happened. She lives quietly on Connell’s land, not bothering anyone. Just happy to have a place to stay. She’s happy, living her life quietly under the protection of Conall and his clan in their territory. Dagen, the hero, been too been hurt in the past but he knows immediately that Keva is his mate.
I adored that he didn’t try to force the whole mate thing and even was jealous i.e growling at any male who spoke to Keva. Dagen was happy to let Keva take the pace and just be her friend if that was all she was looking for. Finally, Keva comes to see Dagen for the good, gentle man he is. In saying that, he isnt gentle or kind to his enemies. When the past comes up and Keva is threatened by foul rogue wolf shifters, it isn’t long before he goes totally alpha to protect the beautiful woman he loves.
My rating: 4.6 stars *****
Sentinel of Darkness by Katie Reus is book 8 in the Darkness series. This is the story of Dagen and Keva. I haven’t yet read the previous books, so for me this was a standalone book.
Keva is still dealing with the fall out of a abusive relationship will working to rebuild her life. Dagen also has a past with similar pains so their is a kinder spirits there. Keva was a sweet caring women and Dagen was somewhat alpha male protective of Keva. I enjoyed this book a lot and want to read more in this series along with this author.
SENTINEL OF DARKNESS (Darkness Series #8) By Katie Reus
This is the story of Dagen who is a dragon shifter and Keva who is a human artistic jeweler. He is bowled over the 1st time he sees her, and inadvertently insults her. Now he is determined to make up for it. He has realized she is his mate. She has a bad history with shifters and had to be rescued from her last boyfriend by Conall, who is alpha of the dragons. When a wolf shifter from the past shows up to threaten Keva, Dagen is determined to protect her at all cost.
This is a sweet easy read. I enjoy the dragon shifters most of all. I like when we get to visit characters from past books. It is definitely like a visit with an old friend. Katie Reus has a gift with spinning a story.
I absolutely love this series so I was excited to see book eight and it’s a DRAGON!!! Dagen oh my such yumminessssssss…….
This story is short, and I finished it in one sitting because yea it’s that good. Dragen and Keva are a perfect match once they figure it out.
And once they can put her tragic past to rest finally.
And once he learns she knows of their kind.
We get a few visits from others in previous stories, and I just love that…
Grab your copy and enjoy a remarkable story.