Title: Dragon Bound

Author: Thea Harrison

Redonk Nutshell: Halfblood woman is dragged into a conflict between ancient Elder races when she’s blackmailed into stealing from a dragon

Official Synopsis: Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful-and passionate-of the Elder races.

Confession – one of the main reasons I picked up this book is because Mandi over at SmexyBooks RAVED about it (and she’s usually spot on).  I have a soft spot for dragon books, anyhow, so I figured I probably couldn’t go wrong picking up this book.

I WAS RIGHT.

LOVED this book.  This is one of those instances where I didn’t even read the synopsis – I just purchased it and added it to my to-read stack on my iPad.  I had no idea if it was a historical fantasy or urban fantasy, no clue what the lore was, no idea what to expect from the heroine.  Literally, I went into this book blind, knowing only there was one bad-ass dragon.

Dragon Bound is the story of Pia, a halfbreed human and…something else she’s not quite sure of.  The story opens with her kicking her own ass for getting herself into the dumbest of situations – falling for an complete and utter jackass.  In this case, aforementioned jackass has blackmailed her into using one of her “tricks” to steal something from Dragos Cuelebre, the most feared Wyrkind in existence.  She manages to pull it off, against her better judgment, and after leaving it with her jackass ex (I’m not telling you what she stole – it’ll ruin the joy of it), she takes off, knowing fully well Cuelebre is going to track her down.  And likely tear her to pieces.

Dragos Cuelbre is a Dragon, the only in existence, and has been around since before the beginning of time.  He rules the Wyrkind of NYC, is ridiculously rich, and has no patience whatsoever for the blasphemous thief that has impossibly managed to not only find his stash of treasures but also steal.  The audacity! PSH!

It’s only a matter of time until he tracks her down, but what he doesn’t count on is the utter complexity of the woman behind the theft.  She has no idea who or what she is, and he, in his ancient wisdom and experience, isn’t sure either.  There’s chemistry between them, an instant spark that ignites the very air between them.  He opts to “keep” her and before long they have to team up to figure out who orchestrated the theft from his brood.

What make this book different from other urban fantasies?  Harrison’s characters are witty, independent, and utterly intriguing.  Dragos is, at heart, a predator, and at times is nothing but pure neanderthal.  He’s used to getting his way (and why shouldn’t he – he’s scary as hell).  He’s rich as sin.  He has everything he could possibly ever want or need.  Except there’s one problem.  He’s bored.  Enter Pia – she’s a fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants kind of woman, a trait her mother pounded into her up until her death.  She’s been conditioned to protect and hide herself at all costs.  So when her ex-boyfriend manages to get the better of her she’s pissed, but resigned.  She’s made her bed, and now she has to lay in it.  I like that about Pia.  There’s very little brooding, and no whining.  She’s a “let’s get this shit over with” kind of woman.  She’s snarky and daring, and quick to slip through one’s fingers.  All of these things are why Dragos finds her interesting.  It’s little things she says and does that throw him off.

I loved the world Harrison created.  The hierarchy of the races and their domains is fascinating.  I really liked Pia – she was bad ass without being abrasive, independent without being annoying, and passionate without being cliche.  Dragos is…well, he’s a force of nature.  What a character, that guy.  It’s possibly, ya’ll, that he may just be one of my favorite heroes.  He’s up there with Jericho Barrons.  The things he says and does are just…baffling, hysterical and endearing.

And the raunch?  Woooooo-eeee! *waves self*  Good.  Stuff.  I tend to tear through books like there’s no tomorrow, but Harrison’s scenes forced me to read SUPAH SLOW.

For me this is definitely one of those romance books that’s going to get read many, many times.  I’m definitely looking forward to the next in the Elder Race series, Storm’s Heart, due out August 2011.

Rating: A

Romance: 4/5           Raunch: 5/5