I read this book in one sitting! I was impressed with the authors writing and will definitely be looking for more.

The Bastard King hooked me from the very beginning, and I absolutely devoured this book. Donna Grant's writing style is intriguing and adds a layer to the book I was not expecting. I would recommend this book to lover's of dragons and romance.

I had a lot of fun reading The Bastard King. The dragons and magic were super cool, and the chemistry between Derek and Kora felt pretty real. The story kept me interested with plenty of action and some nice romantic moments.

Some side characters could’ve been fleshed out more, and I kinda saw a few plot points coming, but overall it was a solid read. Definitely excited to see what happens next in the series!

The Bastard King is a gripping start to a dark fantasy duology filled with dragons, destiny, and a romance that burns. Donna Grant's world-building is rich and immersive, pulling you into a realm where loyalty is tested and nothing is simple.

The male lead is a standout—powerful, torn, and deeply loyal to his cause. While I wished the female lead, with her centuries of life, showed more strength and depth, the tension between them is magnetic. Their connection, paired with the high-stakes plot, kept me hooked.

Complex, atmospheric, and brimming with promise—I’ll definitely be grabbing the sequel.

Kora is the last of her kind and she is tired of running. She decides to make a stand against Villette once and for all, and she does that by trying to find her way into her kingdom. That is when she ends up with the help of Derek, a dragon, that helps her find her way to revenge.

I thought the book was quite good. I am interested in reading the second book, that is why I gave it a 4. But I will note that it is a bit slow at times. It isn't heavy on the romance until way later, otherwise they are basically just sleeping together. I also didn't realize it was a part of a huge series. Although you can read it by itself as a duology, I now want to read the rest of the series to gain some context on what's going on.

The Bastard King drops readers into a rich and dangerous world filled with political tension and dragon-blooded beings, where loyalty is slippery and love can be lethal, especially for Kora, whose kind has been hunted for dragons 'till near extinction. Though the opening chapters felt a bit disorienting, things began to click into place—and once they did, I was hooked.

At the heart of the story is a romantic tension built on natural enmity. The two leads aren’t enemies in a personal or hateful way necessarily , but their identities and loyalties make them instant opposites. It’s more of a star-crossed setup, and while the chemistry isn’t explosive, the relationship is central to the story and develops with emotional weight.

The worldbuilding is atmospheric and immersive, with the feel of ancient grudges and magical forces churning under the surface. That said, some of the magic systems and world mechanics could have used a bit more clarity—there were times when I felt unsure of how things worked or who had what power. But Donna Grant’s signature writing style—sensual, dark, and layered—kept me grounded enough to enjoy the journey.

The characters themselves were solid. Neither lead felt overly flashy, but they grew across the story, and their evolving bond helped anchor the political and magical stakes. If you like stories with dragons and dangerous attraction, this one may be for you.

The Bastard King isn’t the easiest fantasy to dive into cold, but once the pieces start falling into place, it offers a compelling blend of romance, rebellion, and magic.

This book was ok to me. It had an interesting story line but starts off confusing and missing information. A few chapters in things begin to become clearer but I found myself annoyed it took so long to get there. I loved the sexual tension between Kora and Derek as natural enemies! I wish there had been more build up to their relationship than just sneaking around a mountain avoiding capture. I also found Kora to be very sassy for a girl with zero fighting skills and no ability to defend herself…. She has one trick of her kind and that’s all she has to go on. I wanted a hardcore heroine with badass skills! I still am unsure how she plans to actually kill the story’s villain.

This book ends on a cliffhanger. I liked it enough to give book 2 an honest go, but not enough to rush off to it immediately.

I really really wanted to like this book. It has so much going for it! But the instant romance was a big turn off for me. There wasn’t any tension between the characters and that part of their relationship felt very rushed. It just all happened too quickly for my taste.

The Bastard King by Donna Grant is the first book in The Bastard Duology, set within Grant's "Dark Universe," particularly among the Dragon Kings. This fantasy romance delves into a world of dragons, magic, and revenge. The story follows Kora, the last of her kind, seeking vengeance against the dragons who destroyed her family, and Derek, a dragon shifter with a mysterious past, bound to serve a manipulative leader.

Review:

The book is praised for its engaging characters, fast-paced plot, and blend of political intrigue, battle scenes, and steamy romance. Grant weaves a narrative filled with secrets, unexpected twists, and a slow-burn romance between Kora and Derek. The dynamic between the protagonists, who find themselves connected despite being on opposing sides, adds depth and tension to the story.

Some readers have noted that prior knowledge of Grant's "Dark Universe" can enrich the reading experience, as the book references characters and events from previous series. While the book can be read as a standalone, having some background knowledge may enhance the understanding of the complex world and its history.

The book has been described as a mix of fantasy and romance, with elements of suspense and mystery. Grant's writing style is engaging, and the story contains enough twists and turns to keep readers invested. However, some readers found the cliffhanger ending to be frustrating.

Book: The Bastard king
Author:Donna Grant
Series: The Bastard Duology
Book Length: 319 Pages
Publisher: DL Grant, LLC
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5 Saltire Flags

One taste of her lips, and I’m caught. Trapped. Seized. The more I’m with her, the harder it is to leave. But I have sworn allegiance to another who promises to free the dragon- The first book in the Bastard Duology. These lines alone had me devour this book and now I am begging for the next book!

Kora is the last of her people and will always defend and protect those who are weak, vulnerable and defenseless. Even if the cost is sacrificing herself by putting herself in harm's way, to help people who need her aid. She despises tormentors and will defend those who are too frail and helpless to defend themselves.

Derek is a fire-burning inferno! He is death, but he is also a lone dragon. He knew Kora hates dragons and keeps his abilities from her. He is really taken by Kora’s protectiveness and courage however it comes with a cost when he thinks he was too late to save her. He doesn't realize Villette is using and lying to him.

Now Villete is a liar and a manipulator who uses Derek for her own selfish purposes. She also rules Stonemore and does not care who
she harms and destroys to get what she wants and feels she deserves.

Now Kora and Derek both have secrets. Will they ever reveal the truth? What will happen when both of their lies and deceptions comes to the surface

This is the first book in the dualology connected to the Dragon King series. This book is an absolute brilliant masterpiece. I loved it so much! I have been reading Donna Grant books for close to twenty year. I started with her Scottish Historicals, however now I am hooked on fantasy and I am so happy she is writing fantasy too. This is an magnificent read with well developed strong characters that drew me in! The phenomenal magic system and world building that is absolutely brilliant! The dazzling storyline is absolutely mesmerizing! This tale is full of intrigue, suspense mystery and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is no wonder Donna Grant is a favorite author of mine. Another magnificent Donna Grant novel that is definitely a book readers don’t want to miss! I can’t recommend it enough!

Disclaimer: I received an advance readers copy from the publisher. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair, review and blog through netgalley. All words, thoughts, ideas are my own.

I struggled finishing this book, I couldn't connect with the characters and the story felt just a bit off. The plot was a bit confusing so it was confusing. I think with another edit it might flow better. The narration itself was great which is what saves this book.

Do you like dragons and other magical beings? Do you like spicy romance? Well, this is definitely a tale for you.

Cora meets Derrick by chance and from there, both of their lives get flipped upside down. In some ways good and others, not so much.

Cora is a hellhound hellbent on revenge for the losses of her entire family, her entire kind. She's the only one left and she needs to avenge her family.

Derrick is a dragon who works for Cora's enemy. They've fallen for each other in a Romeo and juliet situation.

This book is an interesting dive into the fantasy genre. It leaves you wanting to know what happens next and more.

I'd like to get to know more of this world.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I really enjoyed this book!! It has dragons, hell hounds, druids & more! Unknown enemies (to lovers) falling for each other & questioning their belief systems 🥰 along with some spice. The plot twists & intrigue kept it interesting along with exploring the memory loss of the MMC.
An interesting magical worlds concept & introduction of side characters left me feeling it is an enjoyable stage setter for future books to come. Not to mention the ending! I will be back to read book number 2.
I haven’t read any of the Dragon Kings books before reading The Bastard King & I didn’t feel like I needed to have read them first to read this book. I was lucky enough to receive a free arc of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author and I'm sure it won't be my last. Looking at some other reviews it looks like I should have read another series first but I didn't feel like I was that lost and I did end up still enjoying this one. It took me a little bit to really get hooked in the story but loved the forbidden romance between Derek and Kora. Of course it ends on a major cliffhanger so can't wait to dive into the next book!

What a fun read. The story picked up from page one, everything is happening all the time so exciting, the thing i didnt like so much is that the sexual tension felt onsesided for the most of the book

Thanks to NetGalley and DL Grant LLC for the ARC.

My biggest complaint is that both the NetGalley and Goodreads listing fail to communicate well enough that this is a new duology within an existing fictional universe 20+ books in. There is so much information that isn't explained until maybe the very end because it assumes you've read some of the other series. Otherwise, this is a fun romantasy. It's nice to see a couple in the genre that are both fully grown adults, I'm tired of weird age gaps because one is magically near immortal. It is very much a insta-lust romance that grows into something deeper. The villain(s) are comically evil, but that might also be because I'm missing context from the other series. Their motives feels so basic, and I struggle to take them seriously. I do plan to read the conclusion soonish, none of my issues prevent me from wanting to know how this ends.

THE BASTARD KING is the first book of the Bastard Duology series. As a lover of Donna Grant’s dragons, I was very excited about this book. It features a unique dark fantasy world. If you’re familiar with Grant’s writing style, you may know that she is great at worldbuilding and this book is no exception.

I enjoyed the dragon mythology and the romance between Kora and Derek. Kora especially interested me because of her past. Her strong spirit was evident from the get-go and I loved how Derek was able to support her and make her shine even more.

The duology surprised me as Grant has always done long series, so if you’re new to her writing and want to try it out, I feel like it’s a good chance to do so. If you’re anything like me, you’ll get addicted to her worlds and writing style. I am definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

2.5 stars rounded to 3.

I received an advance ebook copy of The Bastard King by Donna Grant.

If you're looking for a spicy fantasy then this book is for you.

I was drawn to this book because of the fantasy aspect, and the cover art. Going in I was expecting spice, but not right away and immediately in your face. I know there are plenty of readers who will enjoy that, but it's not for me.

There is potential for stronger character development and World building. It's sort of lacking here.

However, I'm still interested enough to move onto book 2.

Overall I thought this book had a lot of potential. I loved the tropes and I think I can get behind Kora and Derek eventually. He gave me the big ick and there isnt a whole lot of character dev on either side. I didnt love that there was insta lust, I’m more of a yearning girl. I was a little confused in the beginning with people being introduced, I need at least some information as to why they are imoortant.

I had the time of my life reading this book. Something Grant did a great job with, were stakes. I just CARED about this book.

The character development was great, the Worldbuilding was kind of at a medium grade, which fit the story well, and I loved the romance. I had to have a physical copy, and added it to my collection.