Dragon’s Mate (DragonFate 4) by Deborah Cooke-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 24, 2020

Dragon shifter Hadrian has always thought a sweet mortal maiden would suit him best, so is astonished when the spark of the firestorm leads him to a warrior Swan Maiden—and one intent upon killing him. He doesn’t care if the firestorm is faked or not—the spark has led him to a fierce and alluring woman who claims his heart immediately. Rania hates dragons above all other creatures and would willingly sacrifice the Pyr to Maeve—even though Hadrian and his firestorm are almost powerful enough to make her forget her own convictions. Hadrian needs her help and promises to make the effort worth her while—Rania finds his arguments persuasive but fears she’s been beguiled by his potent touch? When Maeve catches them together in the realm of the Dark Fae, only trust and teamwork can see them both saved. Will Rania believe in their shared destiny and the promise of the firestorm in time?

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REVIEW:DRAGON’S MATE is the fourth instalment in Deborah Cooke’s contemporary, adult DRAGONFATE paranormal, romance series focusing on the DragonFate Warriors –a spin off from the author’s Dragonfire series. This is blacksmith and dragon shifter Hadrian, and Swan Maiden/assassin Rania Hingston’s story line. DRAGON’S MATE can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for back story and cohesion as there is a continuing premise throughout. Several characters from the Dragonfire series cross over for familiarity and cohesion.

SOME BACKGROUND: In the aftermath of the Dragon’s Tail War wherein the Pyr defeated the Slayers , the dragons now face a new foe in the guise of Maeve, the Dark Queen of the Fae. Maeve believes shifters and vampires, any species that is half-human, half-mythological creature are abominations, impure creatures, tainted beings, and therefore must be annihilated and destroyed leaving only the Fae and human beings to walk the earth.

Told from several third person perspectives following several intersecting paths, using present day and stories from the past DRAGON’S MATE follows Swan maiden and assassin Rania Hingston as she is tasked with killing thirteen ‘Others’ in an effort to release her brothers from their magick-induced prison. Maeve, the Dark Queen of the Fae, has trapped Rania’s brothers in their swan-shifted state, and Rania has made a deal with Maeve to free her brothers, for a price-thirteen lives for thirteen lives. Rania’s final target is a member of the Pyr, an ancient dragon shifter but our heroine has no idea that the dragon she has chosen is actually her fated ‘dragonfire’ mate. Enter emerald and silver dragon Hadrian, the man with whom Rania will fall in love. What ensues is the acrimonious and tempestuous relationship between Rania and Hadrian, as our hero struggles to prove to Rania that they are destined for all eternity while the shifter world around them begins to implode. Maeve is determined to destroy all of the abominations she deems beneath the Fae, and in doing so wipes out entire packs and covens in her need for power and control.

DRAGON’S MATE is an infinitely detailed and complex story that follows several plotlines all converging in an effort to destroy the Dark Queen of the Fae. Magically enhanced by the woman she believed was much more than a mother-type figure, Rania has gone on a centuries long killing spree in an effort to free her brothers from Maeve’s magical control but our heroine will soon discover that Maeve’s promises are not worth anything, and Rania’s killing spree has done nothing but bring guilt and grief to those that survived.

Deborah Cooke reveals our couples’ backstories, their family histories, losses and loves, setting a foundation for what happened and why. Both Hadrian and Rania’s families had been cursed by magick, and with it the loss of families and friendships for an eternity ensued. The detailed premise is heart breaking, engrossing, dramatic and intense; the characters are numerous, energetic, and impassioned; the romance is seductive and edgy. Deborah Cooke closes one series ARC but leaves the story line open ended-I am not sure what the author has planned for the numerous characters whose stories have yet to be told.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Maeve’s Book of Beasts
Dragon’s Kiss
Dragon’s Heart

Copy supplied for review

reviewed by Sandy