Heat by Donna Grant
Dark Kings #12

Another dragon king finds his mate in this book :)

Esther North, having lost part of her memory and feeling tense and worried about what lurks in her mind, has talked Nikolai, Dragon King of the Ivories, into going with her to locate the druid that took over her mind in the past. Off the two go to Ireland and Scotland to visit places that might trigger memories and help Esther achieve her goal. They have interactions with Fae, druids, dragons and others as they learn that Esther has a purpose and that her parents are not who she thought they were. While their story is taking place side stories occur in which the king of the dark fae is killed, the light fae queen’s evil is exposed even more to those she has harmed in the past, more chess pieces are moved toward an ultimate conclusion for the series, characters from previous books make appearances and the set-up for book 13 is put in play.

I enjoyed this book and believe The Dark World series would make a brilliant series for TV or the big screen. I will say that having only read three books from this series, the Reaper series from the beginning and few if any other books in this series it is not always easy to follow what has happened in the past or figure out where the story might go in the future. In spite of not having all of the backstories I am eager to keep reading this series and look forward to what will happen in this marvelous paranormal world that is so wonderfully created. I LOVED when Esther flew through the sky on the back of Nikolai while he was in dragon form…what a wonderful thing that would be to do! I would recommend reading from the beginning (if you can) and found a listing of the order to read the books should you decide to do so: http://www.motherofdragonsbooks.com/category/books/?series=dark-world

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Publisher's Description:
He knew her round eyes and the deep shade of brown along with the band of black that encircled her irises. He knew the slope of her breasts, the indent of her waist, and the flare of her hips. He knew the way she preferred to wear muted colors to help her blend in with a crowd. It had taken one look to put all that to memory, but he found his eyes going to her again and again, as if he couldn’t get enough.

Nikolai is a dragon shapeshifter who knows well the meaning of loss. Orphaned and raised to be a Dragon King, he never accepts defeat. Now, Nikolai prefers his solitude. . .until a beautiful, irresistible woman calls upon him for help—and Nikolai’s whole world goes up in flames.

Ever since MI5 agent Esther woke to discover her mind taken over with magic, she feels like a stranger to herself. She looks to a notorious dragon, one who has the power to help her find her memory. But as she and Nikolai come closer to discovering what really happened to her, a dangerous passion ignites between them. Can this lone Dragon King help the woman he’s grown to love to uncover the truth about her past—or will a deep and fiery danger tear them both apart in Heat, the next Dark Kings novel by New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant.

My Thoughts:
"Heat" reads much better and with more ease than the other book I have read in this series, "Blaze". I have read other titles by Ms. Grant but they were read several years ago as hardback and paperback titles when I read more paranormal type romance. Now my taste runs more toward Historical romance and Historical Fiction with some lighthearted contemporary romance thrown in for good measure.
Blaze was much too violent for my taste. This book was much more of the soul searching variety.
It is important that I have only read two books in a very long series, because this is book twelve.
This is not a book to be read as a standalone title. The reader could become lost with so many characters most of which were introduced and visited in prior books of the series.
I liked the underlying story of Nikolai and Esther, but thought the jumping back and forth from their story to the others in this book very distracting. Maybe that would not be the case if I had read the entire series from the beginning.
We have dragon shifters, light and dark fae, druids and other paranormal beings. Thankfully this book didn't contain all of the violence the prior book did. It was a much easier read with the much milder violent nature.
I gave this book 4 of 5 stars for storyline and character development and a mild sensual rating of 3.5 of 5.0 flames. The intimacy is not overly descriptive but we can feel the heat between our hero and heroine.
I received a complimentary digital ARC by invitation, of this book to read and review. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I’m sorry I ended up with this book by accident and while the blurb sounds good I feel it’s not fair to start a series at book 12. I tried the first chapter but felt I’d missed too much backstory.

***I was provided a copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest and entirely mine review***

WHAT. THE. HELL! Too much happened too much to grasp and the effing ending! *screetches* lol.

First my character breakdown:

Nikolai; His story tugged at my heart strings, his relationship with Ulrik broke my heart. But his power and his certainty for Esther was pleasant to read. I adore how he showed his affections to Esther and to Ulrick.

Esther; The girl is a though chick. All that she was dealt with and all that she was dealing with. Yet still be determine to find answers and stand so strong. I love when the heroine in books are this tough but still hold vulnerabilities. I am looking forward towards seeing how her future will go.

Like I said before this story had a lot of things happening at once. It will take you a minute to wrap your mind around them. I took it all as best I could but damn that blew my mind. 

I feel so bad for Rhi and I am looking forward to the day she finally gets the happy ending she deserves. Poor thing.

I only gave the book 4 stars because it ended on a cliffhanger! I. Can't. Wait. Until. May. Ulrick come quick!

I enjoyed this book. I thought Esther and Nikolai were a good couple. I liked most of the other characters, the exceptions being Balatyne, Mikkel and Usaeil!

I love, love, love Donna Grant -- her books sweep me off to somewhere fantastic, usually with someone incredibly hot and this one is no different. Nikolai is a Dragon King and he doesn't really want to be around anymore; he would love to be in his mountain away from all the nonsense. But Esther needs help only he can provide so he agrees to help and, as they say, it is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

These books should really be read in order to enjoy all of the interaction and recurring characters but could be read as a standalone if you insist -- it is just that good. I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy provided by NetGalley and enjoyed the diversion immensely.

This book was just OK for me. In all fairness, I have not read the other books in this series and this did put me at a disadvantage. Esther really got on my nerves, with her whining and complaining about her memory. Nikolai has the patience of Job. I am an Alpha Male person and Nikolai performed that role well, but the book lacked action and was a bit boring. Maybe it was because I should have been putting the story together from previous books, but I do not feel the urge to go back and familiarize myself with the others. This will be it for me with this series.

After eleven books in this series we've come to know a lot of the characters already. Nikolai may be newly awakened, but we are quickly introduced and you feel as if you know him and his feelings toward Esther right away. Esther has been in the storyline for a few books, but it is not until now that we see some glimmer of feelings towards someone. The attraction between them both is hinted at pretty early.

Esther hasn't been the same since the Druid messed with her memories and she believes the only way she will get them back is to have Nikolai take her back to where she was when she lost them. She has some coasters from different places in the area she's visited so they decide to use those as a kind of road map. Nikolai can see from her past when she was actually in those places and draw what he sees. What is interesting is they come across some information that may, or may not, change the Druid's alliance.

We do learn more about the Druid, Eilish, and what she is actually after with Mikkel. Why she is working with him. After the strange events with Sebastian and Gianna, we wonder just how dedicated she really is to Mikkel. She is definitely keeping her options open as we see her more in Heat.

I thought the romance was pretty close to being already established at the beginning of the story. That just left the mystery of Esther's memories and finding the Druid. We get some surprising visits from Ulrik, which continues to make me question my feelings on him and his plans. Not that I want to see him actually challenge Con, but I'm learning so much more about him, that I'm dying to read his book. To make it even more exciting, the ending to Heat really leaves you hanging. Kind of a cliffhanger, but more just hinting that we may have come to the point in the war we are all waiting for.

In disappointing news, we still don't find out who Rhi's King was, but we learn so much more about the Light Queen. She is incredibly more dangerous and conniving than we thought and her betrayals go a lot deeper than anyone could have imagined. Rhi's relationship with Balladyn is kind of put in question over some of his actions. That kind of makes me happy because I'm really hoping that Rhi gets reunited with her King. I just love her character and want to see her happy. She's been miserable for so long, and now when she learns even more details of their separation, I feel like a reunion may be possible!

In even more exciting news, we find out some pretty cool stuff about Esther and Henry. It takes Ryder some digging, but it will set them on a course looking for answers.

So much has happened in this series and we've been building up to a lot of things. We don't get many answers in Heat, but a lot of new information is revealed. I was even left questioning Ulrik and wondering if his plans had changed any as he continues to make contact with the other Kings. This build up has me craving each new installment despite the challenge of keeping all the dragons with their powers and their mates straight. I may need a chart.

If you are a follower of this series, you definitely want to get in on this installment. Too much is revealed and questions raised with new information that reading Torched (book 13) may leave you a bit disoriented. You don't want to miss all Heat has in store!

I was kinda lost , didn’t realize it was the twelfth book in the series and I haven’t read any of the previous ones. My bad should have started from the beginning of the series but overall a good story and plot. This is the first time I am reading this author and I really enjoyed the writing style.

Ok so a confession/explanation before I start this review.

I received this book by the publisher through netgalley.. It didnae say that this was not a standalone and in my opinion it's definitely not.

- This book is number 12 is the series and very obviously not a standalone. I'm not sure if this world interlinks with any of the other series's (I'm gathering it does) but reading this book as my first from the series was a colossal mistake. If your reading this as an ARC then I highly suggest you start from the first book. I wished I did because while I really enjoyed it, starting late in a series that's interlinked is my peeve.

With all that in mind... I genuinely really enjoyed this book. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't lost in parts because especially in the beginning I was. However the story still sucked me in. I was intrigued by the characters and captivated by the plot. Nicolai and Esther had great chemistry and a believable connection from the start. I love that there's no ow/om drama or really any angst at all with them as a couple. A slow burn romance that just clicked, they complement eachother in everyway. Both strong characters yet neither of them pushed for dominance.. they just fit together perfectly.
There's a whole slew of side characters which I kinda loved and was so curious about! Rhi being a huge ??? For me. I want to know more about her for sure. The story is set at a great pace and again despite being a newbie way to late on in this series I caught up on most of what was happening and really enjoyed it! It's seemlessly written with great depth and emotion. A crazy tale of suspense, lies and betrayals. Untold truths and newfound loves. Some pretty funny moments and super hot lovings.
The attention to detail is fascinating in the book. It's a crazy world woven with twist and turns designed to suck us as readers in & it did that for me.

DRAGONS!!! Did I mention that part?. Oh I do lurvv me some dragon shifters.

Only negative that I found was the accent... am no sure what its supposed to resemble (Scottish or Irish?. I'm Scottish btw.) but it didnae sound right... it annoyed me at first then I just forgot about it but thought I'd mention it anyhow.

I will be starting this series from the start because I'm so intrigued now. There's a good chance I'll come back to this review with more thoughts and a better in depth understanding once I'm up to date on the history .. I have a feeling I may have to add more once I have.

I kindly received this ARC from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heat is the 12th book in the Dark Kings series and having only read one book previously I have to admit to finding this one rather confusing at first and I have to admit I took a little while to get into it, plus dragons with Scottish accents was a little odd! That said it was an enjoyable and at times exciting read.
NIcolai a dragon shifter has been raised to become a dragon king after being orphaned when very young. Esther an MI5 agent has lost her memory after her mind was taken over by magic, she looks to NIcolai to help restore her memory and uncover her past. They embark on a hazardous journey where passion between them ignites and danger beckons.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly.

Will this King find his mate? Esther needs to find the druid that took her memories and there is only one Dragon that can help her, Nikolas has watched her for so long and he knows he has been waiting for her all along. But what are they going to find on their search, will it lead too even more questions? Esther is about to find out that she& her brother Henry have a family history buried under secrets but why? Will the druid hold all the answers and why is she working for Ulrik or is she? Will Ulrik make his attack on Con soon or has he other things to worry about? Rhi thought that she had found some happiness with Balladyn but he has turned his back on her now that he has what he wants. What does that mean for them? Will he still protect from the Queen or will Con & the kings have her back? War is coming and it isn't going to be pretty but who will win in the end? Another great book in the series. What I like so much about Donna's is that we always get to see glimpses of the other characters throughout the series and we are learning so much more about the Dragon Kings. Con draws me back each time there is so much more we need to learn. I was lucky enough to receive a copy in exchange for my honest review via Netgalley & the publishing house.

Action, suspense, intrigue and some surprising twists…

This is the twelfth book in the Dark Kings series.

MI5 Agent Esther North and her brother joined forces with the Dragon Kings against Ulrik and his machinations to regain power and exterminate humans, the silver’s vengeance has been brewing for centuries. Esther is recovering from being used by a powerful druid and her memories of that time are gone, not knowing what she’d done during the missing periods plague her as does an internal sense that something within her mind is amiss, she fears that she’ll lose herself in the unconsciousness of sleep and the lack of the necessary function is wreaking havoc on her physically. With the help of the Dragon King Nikolai and his unique abilities she hopes to retrace her steps and find the answers she desperately seeks. The man is also a gorgeous distraction whose empathy is supportive and comforting.

Unbeknownst to Esther, Nikolai, Dragon King of the Ivories, has sketched her when she wasn’t looking. His ability allows him to see a person through time and space and retain all aspects of a scene that he then sketches. His interest in her is one of understanding her pains and strength to not accept defeat plus an attraction that he’s kept to himself. When she reaches out to him for assistance he can’t deny her. Nikolai feels guilt when it comes to Ulrik who was once friend, brother, father to him. Like some others Nikolai has doubts about the silver’s total responsibility for all that has happened. As Esther’s answers are connected perhaps in the journey they take together he’ll also find his own.

Every time I pick up one of these books I find myself with a new favorite dragon king, Nikolai is awesome and Esther the perfect complement for him, a trained intelligence agent with immense reserves of inner strength that enabled her to confront the aftereffects of deadly magic on her psyche. I admire a heroine who doesn’t concede and act the victim. Ulrik is a dragon of much complexity and there is more to the pained silver than previously realized. He is not as alone as he believes, perhaps there’s still a sliver of goodness in his soul that needs a catalyst to be fully realized. Or is that just wishful supposition?

This book was filled with engaging action, suspense, intrigue and some surprising twists. Multiple plot lines unfolded seamlessly and for every answer we learned more questions arose, unexpected actions caused unexpected reactions changing the play that is being acted out before us. After so many books you’d think the reader would tire of an ongoing story but the author easily grabs our attention and imagination anew with each installment and the constant twists that never cease to surprise.

An advanced reading copy was obtained from the publisher via NetGalley.

Only thing I knew going into this book was what the synopsis on Net Galley website had posted. Going by that alone, this book sounded good. I made it through the first chapter okay! But all that changed in the middle of the second chapter, when the two main characters meet then everything started to feel strange like I was missing out on something. Went on to Goodreads and low and behold, I realized that Heat is book #12 of Donna Grant “A Dark Kings” series.

You're probably wondering if this story could be read as a stand-alone? My answer. No, this title can't be read as a stand-alone. However, I did complete the story. Only so I can give my honest opinion about this title. The world that Donna Grant created was fun. The characters too were well created and the predicaments that the characters found themselves, advance the story without slowing the tempo too much. As, a whole, I found this story just okay. The story for what it's worth keep my attention. After the story was over, it was over.

If you found pleasure in watching or reading the Hobbit and, or The Lord of the Rings. You would surprisingly enjoy this title.

Four and a half
Finally everything starts coming together with answers getting ever closer and after twelve books it's about time ! I loved this series when it began but after so many books if brutally honest I kind of started to feel frustrated as the author constantly teased us about the connection between Rhi and the Dragon Kings. Here we see Rhi start to truly become the awesome character that we always knew she was plus Con is starting to crack and I'm sure every other fan of this series has been dying for that. Oh and Ulrik might just step in and save the day, or will he ?
Still in typical fashion all this amazing background is wrapped around a romance and this time it's Nikolai and Esther ( Henrys sister) . Esther fell foul of the Druid working with Ulriks uncle and her memory is fragmented but luckily she is partnered with Nikolai who has an amazing gift that could really help. I liked both these characters and felt their attraction and subsequent romance seemed believable but you just know there's going to be a fly in the works and yes it's Nikolai and believe it or not his history with Ulrik . To say more would be unfair on my fellow readers but keep watching out for scenes with Rhi because those pesky secrets are starting to unravel!
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

Another successful Dragon king story. I love the story line & the continuation of the characters. More insight to the Ulrik & Con conflict.

I have read contemporary and paranormal by Donna Grant over the years but always loved her paranormal/fantasy the best. Heat, Dark Kings Dragon 12, does not disappoint but brings new life to this long running series.

Nikolai and Ester’s story is an amazing one with both of their histories coming into play. Of course, I always read looking for any mention of Rhi and her full story. For a while, I was discontented that her full story had not been told but now I am seeing that the time is not yet right. There are just too many questions about too many characters whose motives and ethics are not clear and need to be answered first.

This leads to the question of whether this book could be a stand-alone. While Nikolai and Esther find their HEA, their world is not suddenly a safe place. There are numerous characters with a major theme happening along with several subplots that would make this a difficult read with which to begin the series. I am not sure that one new to the series could keep up with the Light and Dark Fae, the Dragon Kings, M15 and now the Druids, who are all part of the overarching theme by starting with book 12 in the series. However, for those who have been keeping up with the Dark Kings, this is a must read.

Nothing I love more than a dragon shifter with a heart of gold, who’s also badass! This is Nikolai’s story of how he became a Dragon King. After being asleep for an extremely long period of time, he awakes to help Esther recover some memories that were taken from her by a Druid. In the process of helping her uncover who stole her memories, she sees herself through Nikolai’s eyes and it is powerful. As an MI5 agent, she has to figure out if she’s really happy with her lot in life while fighting her severe attraction to Nikolai. Can they recover her memories, and will she like what she remembers? Will Nikolai stand with her no matter the outcome?

While I did enjoy the story, this cannot be called a stand-alone. It is a slight pet peeve of mine when it comes to books. I personally feel like if it is a part of a series, it should be labeled that way and where this book falls in the series. This book was under the “Read Now” section on NetGalley. The synopsis is what pulled me in. Thankfully, the story was easy to follow on who was who and what is their role, otherwise, I would have had to add this to my DNF list. There wasn’t a huge amount of backstory which is fine, but I can definitely see how others reading this, not knowing this is a series, could be confused. I did enjoy the book and it did make me interested in reading other books in the series, but it also brought about a lot of questions.

Heat (Dark Kings, #12)
by Donna Grant

A definite buy book.... However , warning!!! If you like myself hate coming in the middle of the series, I suggest strongly you start from beginning.

Now for the rest of the story..... While I am not a sincere fan of the shifter type of stories... I think I am a closet one now! This author is a fantastic example of one with such a vivid imagination that she paints pictures in your mind while you are engrossed in her story. Such a talent is so fantastic that while I was not a fan of this type of book, I am as I said becoming a closet fan of it.... (If she is the author). I like her characters, the way she makes the story unfold and it flows easier into each element. Rather that be passion and romance, or action and adventure. The paranormal is done in a way that makes it very interesting to read. I must say the fantasy of such a world can be thrilling. I will suggest you read the series as it seems so far to be a good read! I was given this book in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own and are voluntarily written. Regards, Anna Swedenmom

The next Dragon King’s book delivers so much. Ulrik is looking less and less like the villain (YAY), Rhi had some devastating blows emotionally in this one, and guess what, Con was the one there for her! Nikolai and Esther were great together. Their passion and chemistry were awesome on the page.  The plot was great. The conflict was strong. The dynamic of how things are progressing was flawless in this one. Loved it. I feel so bad for Rhi; she can’t seem to get a break at all. So excited with where the series is heading and what is in store next.