4.5 Stars
HOLY GUACAMOLE! Where do I sign up to be Nola (the heroine)’s best friend?? Move out of the way Vale (she’d probably punch me in the face for saying that, but WHO CARES?) Gena has done it. She’s written one of my favorite heroines! Nola’s body might be weak, but her spirit is stronger than ten dragon shifter aliens.
Nola is dealing with an opioid addiction due to her fibromyalgia and lupus. On top of that, she’s suck is a centuries-long gladiator/greatest race-ish battle between alien warriors. Girlfriend has a lot going on, to say the least. She’s stuck with Bane, a sexy but angsty dragon shifter who wants to use her to defeat the queen who has enslaved him and killed his first wife. Sound intense?? Well, it’s even more than you think!
The romance is a hot push and pull between Nola and Bane while they’re dodging deadly queens and even deadlier fellow contestants. Does this story have delicious sexual tension and banter? OF COURSE. Does it have Gena’s signature hilarity? Absolutely!
While many people liked this book more than SHADOW AND ICE, myself included, you really need to read in order. Ms. Showalter did the seriously hard work of laying the groundwork of an epic series in book one and book two runs parallel to the first. You might be a little lost if you just dive in with this story. Over it. I will say he makes up for it in the end!
Overall, we bow down to Queen Showalter for this book! There is a reason she’s one of the reigning badasses of paranormal romance, and this book is in my top five of her fantastic collection of work.
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
Romance Reader 