Ignite the Magic (Dark Kings #0)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant delivers an epic prequel to her long-running and critically acclaimed Dark Universe series.

Passion’s magic ignites a fire too hot to touch—and too wicked to die…

The stars have always called to Ailis, beckoning her to see what other realms were out there. She’s told its impossible, but that doesn’t stop her need to explore beyond what others believe. Ailis never expected to change history by creating the first doorway to another realm. She certainly never imagined opening that door to find a commanding dragon who shifts into a man. She’s irresistibly drawn to Lennox, powerless against the yearning of her body and the longing of her heart.

Magic might have chosen Lennox as King of Dragon Kings, but it’s a position he’s never wanted. Until the day a new being arrives—and irrevocably changes his life. The closer he gets to the fearless, ravishing woman, the more he fights the passion that flares between them. He lives only for his duty, but one fiery kiss unleashes a firestorm of desire that will ripple across eons and realms. Fate might have brought them together, but will it also tear them apart?

The origins of the Dark Kings/Dragon Kings and the entire Dark Universe is finally revealed.

Themes: Paranormal, Dragon Shifters

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

Wow I have to admit when I heard that Donna was giving us a prequel to the Dark Kings series, I was totally unsure what to expect other than a great story of love and loss, but I was pleasantly surprised to experience where her imagination took us even though I was a lot to unpack for sure. If you have a been a long-time reader of this series you will understand why it is important to reader this series, but I bet a lot of folks aren’t going to get what they thought they would get. This story isn’t an original story so much as a peak into a long-held secret that we learned in a previous novel, the fact that there was one a mating between a fae, other than Rhi and Con, that produced a child, Melisse. I enjoyed learning the story of Melisse’s parents and seeing the first mating of a Dragon King and his Fae lover, even with all the pain and strife they went through. There were plenty of the twists and turns and the expected drama of a Donna Grant novel, and while the story ends in an HFN, we definitely need another novel, most likely Melisse’s to learn the rest of the story between Ailis and Lennox and what happened after their mating and the birth of their daughter. The Magic has spoken and the first Dragon Queen has been born, but the story is definitely not over, and Donna has a lot more to share with us before Melisse can get her own HEA.

Ailis has always been pulled toward the unknown and she is determined to find a way to prove that her magic can open a doorway into another world, one that most believe is pure myth, but she knows in her heart exists. When she finally braves the danger and crosses into the amazing world that has always drawn her, she is amazed to find the beauty not only of nature but of Dragons! When she comes face to face with a dragon, she never imagined he would shift into the sexiest man she’d ever imagine though. Lennox, King of Dragon Kings, has no idea what is happening to him when he meets the tiny creature by the lake, but the moment she begins to speak his body begins to change into a shape much like hers and suddenly he can communicate with her in her language. Now that they are able to communicate, Lennox and Ailis begin a leery friendship that quickly blossoms into something so much deeper. When strife breaks out deep in Lennox’s people, he can only turn to his beautiful Fae mate for solace, but there is no hope for them loving in the open or presenting her to his people. Can he really expect such a vibrant and exquisite creature to live out the millennia of their lives in hiding just because he selfishly can’t let her go, or must he find a way to release her from the bond they have formed?

Ailis was an interesting character, a mix of vulnerability and strength that reminded me of the most intrepid of women that have shaped out world in the past. While a woman might have her fears, and though things that try to keep us down, when we truly find something worth fighting for, we know that there is no giving up and nothing will keep us down. She is brave, sassy, sweet, funny, intelligent, loving, and most importantly she provides a light to Lennox’s darkness that will provide the balance so needed for the King of Kings in a world where war threatens at every turn. Even when she knows that she is going to be forced to live a life in relative solitude, hiding most of the time from the world and those that inhabit it, she knows that the love Lennox and her daughter offer her will be more than worth it and won’t give it up for anything. Honestly, she is one of my favorite DG heroines to date. Lennox is a tricky one; while I can definitely see a bit of Con in him, he definitely has his own ruling style, and he handles problems very differently, so I would love to learn more about how the roles he and later Con share evolves over the eons. His steadfast belief in his people was beautiful, but made it harder for him to see the enemy in his midst when tragedy struck, though I was surprised by the villain fully this time, which let me tell you is rare. I loved seeing Lennox experiencing everything for the first time once he shifted, from certain textures/feelings against his skin, to tastes, sounds, and sights with his human senses, it was like seeing the beginning of a life. Lennox was also a wonderful male for showing her love, support, and caring when they experienced a loss, and being right by her side as they welcomed their daughter into the world, even though he was obviously lost and terrified. He is going to be a great mate and the best father he can be, but I am looking forward to learning more about him and Ailis from Melisse’s POV when we get her story to be sure.

Prequels after such a long run of a series are always a little bit tricky, because we as readers are so invested in our thoughts on the series and the characters we know so well, but Donna Grant knew she needed to write the story and went and gave us a story we could all enjoy without finding too much to whine about. Ailis makes her great escape from a realm that has never really had a place for her, only to find herself in a world where she is truly unique and will be for a long time. But she quickly stumbles on the one being in the universe Fated for her and Lennox proves to her quickly that their differences are less important than their similarities. Lennox never imagined he’d stumble onto a tiny creature that would change not only him irrevocably but the entire world for him and his people. While their love might never see the full light of the sun, it will never be forgotten and leads to the birth of the very first Dragon Queen, even if her people aren’t truly aware of her for millennia to come. I loved every moment of this story, from the laughter to the tears, the fear and pain, and even the suspense and drama. I know that the ending we got doesn’t represent the true ending for these two, because we will learn so much more in coming novels, but I like to think now that they have their love and the love of their daughter they will have long and happy lives together, even if no one else on the realm knows it but the three of them. I am really looking forward to Melisse’s story next year and any other novels or novellas that come in between, but for now I will just bask in the glow of the love between this beautiful and sweet Fae and her brave and loving Dragon King. Long live the King and Queen, and may their love burn bright for many long millennia. Thank you for the memories, Donna!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.