This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Sci-Fi Romance
Published by Indie/Self Published
Released on February 17, 2021
Pages: 190
Format: eARC
Source: Author
The Delight
A cooling planet leaves a race of alien dragons in jeopardy and a ruthless human plots to wipe out the whole race. The exciting culmination of the trilogy had me eager to see if the Draconian race would survive and what would come of the doomed attraction between the dragon priestess and a war-weary human former CIA agent.
Review
Playing With Fyre is the third and final book in the Alien Dragon Shifters trilogy. While this is a new romance pair, the story is still tightly connected to what came before so isn’t the best place to jump into the series.
Henry Winslow might have helped break up a plot by the rogue Biggs that would have led to possible war between the Draconians and humans and left a key person/s dead, but the Draconians are mistrustful at best of humans. A meaningful encounter with O’ne the Draconian priestess leaves him haunting the temple hoping for a chance to see her again that doesn’t come. When he gets on the first colony ship with the dragons headed to their new planet, he finds O’ne on it. She is honest with him about her duty to the Sacred Flame and her people, but they have the time of the journey. He doesn’t understand his own need to be with her even if it’s just two days, but he agrees.
O’ne has been the Draconian Priestess for thousands of years. She never wanted the duty, but the Flame chose her. Now, she has the job of transferring the dragon fyre and her acolytes to their new temple home. Much is at stake, but that doesn’t stop her from setting aside duty for two halcyon days with H’ry aboard the ship. She avoided the attractive and distracting human back on Draco, but her resistance weakens and here she is discovering that a lot can take place in two days. Her heart may never be the same, but she has to give up H’ry for her duty.
I have always enjoyed the way this author weaves in her sci-fi setting and alien background details with an exciting plot and sensual romance. Playing With Fyre delved into the mystical side of the Draconian culture giving O’ne’s history and responsibilities that are also a big part of the conflict since being priestess prevents her from pursuing her own happiness. Henry has lived a dangerous life his whole career and never thought to have anyone in his life and I found it poignant that he ends up falling for a female bound up in duty she can’t escape. I was really cheering for this pair to find a way somehow. There were some fun twists and surprises as a result.
And, oh yes, the villain Biggs was still causing trouble and things got pretty intense there toward the end leaving me flipping pages quickly. I do love when a villain makes things interesting.
This was a fabulous series of books and I enjoyed them all with my favorite for the last. I got the best of two genres with dragon shifters and sci-fi worldbuilding. Those who enjoy spicy alien romances should definitely keep this trilogy on their radar.
My thanks to the author for providing a copy of the book to read in exchange for an honest review.
Challenges Met
Romance BINGO: #13 Sci-Fi Romance
About the Book
PLAYING WITH FYRE BY CARA BRISTOL
A forbidden love forged by fyre…
Former Secret Service agent Henry Winslow comes to planet Draco to help a friend. He intends to return to Earth, but something about the mysterious woman in bridal white grabs him and won’t let him go. It’s a crazy, futile infatuation. She’s an alien dragoness, a priestess, and possibly literally divine. To pursue her would be playing with fyre…
After a devastating loss, dragon-shifter O’ne seeks vengeance at the temple of the Eternal Fyre. Unexpectedly, she is exalted to priestess and bonded to the sacred flame, transforming her life to one of duty and devotion. Then Henry arrives, and the mostly human man awakens her secret yearnings. To have anything to do with him would be playing with fyre…
Surrendering to temptation and passion, Henry and O’ne are about to discover when they play with fyre they might get burned.
Preview
About Cara Bristol
Cara Bristol continues to evolve, adding new subgenres of erotic romance to her repertoire. She has written spanking romance, contemporary romance, paranormal, and science fiction romance. No matter what the genre, one thing remains constant: her emphasis on character-driven seriously hot erotic stories with sizzling chemistry between the hero and heroine. Cara has lived many places in the United States, but currently calls Missouri home. She has a husband and two grown stepkids. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading and traveling the world.
Cara loves to hear from readers. You may post a comment on her Web site/blog, http://carabristol.com, email her at carabristol50 (at) yahoo (dot) com, or friend her on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/cara.bristol.3.
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I’m still not reading SciFi romance but I will someday.
Hers are great when you want something on the lighter end, but still builds the world well. 🙂
Oh yay, I’ve loved this series so far! Glad to hear the last book is a good ending point. I particularly love how the dragon part of the shifter is so separate and usually obstinate and kinda snarky to their paired human. It’s so much fun. I really hope O’ne’s dragoness gets on board with Henry eventually! The little snippets Cara Bristol sent out in her newsletter made it seem like the dragoness will be a MAJOR stumbling block between them.
You are so right that her dragonness is not in favor of Henry and is a danger to him. Makes things mighty interesting.
How fun!
The most fun, Carole!
Sounds like it had a nice mix of scifi and romance elements. Good to know this series works best in order and this one sounds like a solid ending to the series. That sounds interesting how this one delves into the more mystical side of their culture. Great review!
There is. They are attracted, but see no way to be together so that is an interesting problem, but the dragon world and the planets along with the evil guy intriguing was really great. Thanks, Lola!
Dragons and sci-fi ? That looks interesting ! I won’t read it this year but when I have finished that physical TBR and subscribed to Scribd… ^^
Oh yes, it will be well worth the wait. I keep a list of books for the future pleasure, too. 🙂
I have been loving this series since I started reading it. I’m definitely looking forward to reading this book too.
It was a great finish, Mary. I look forward to seeing your review, too. 🙂
One of these days I am going to read an Alien romance. Although Dianne Duvall’s newest series takes place off planet. Wonderful review!
They are fun to change up my reading. Yes, Dianne Duvall’s latest books totally count. 🙂 I want to read those.
It’s been quite some time since I read a paranormal, but I can’t say this one would work for me, but I’m glad you enjoyed it, Super Sophia! Hugs, RO
Dragon alien shifters are definitely a niche sub-genre. LOL Howdy, Ro! Glad you could drop by. 🙂
I don’t think that I have ever read anything about alien dragon shifters before.
Definitely something different. 🙂