A Spellbinding Return to Zora!
"Dragon Forged" is an absolutely thrilling addition to Donna Grant's Dragon Kings series that kept me completely enthralled from start to finish! I actually only jumped into this series about three books ago, but wow, this one really delivers everything I've come to love about Grant's Dark World: powerful dragons, undeniable chemistry, and a plot brimming with twists and turns. I even both read and listened to the audiobook, which was such a treat!
Hector, the Sea Green Dragon King, is as formidable as he is captivating, and his wild journey to Highvale introduces us to a mesmerizing new corner of Zora. Emilia, the seer haunted by visions, is such a compelling heroine whose strength and determination really shine through every challenge. Their slow-burn romance is simply beautiful, built on trust and a fierce connection that practically jumps off the page. And can we talk about Antony Ferguson's narration? Seriously, he brings these characters to life with such depth and emotion. It made the experience even more immersive!
And seriously, let's not forget the delightful addition of young Teo, who utterly steals your heart! His presence adds a wonderful layer of found family to an already rich narrative. Grant's world-building is, as always, top-notch, making Highvale feel vibrant and dangerously alive. Even if you're reading it as a standalone (though you really should read the others!), "Dragon Forged" is incredibly immersive, but fans of the series will totally revel in the familiar faces and intriguing new mysteries.
This story is a powerhouse of magic, betrayal, and unwavering love. It's a testament to Donna Grant's storytelling prowess that she keeps crafting such unforgettable adventures. I literally devoured this book in one sitting (and listened to it just as quickly!) and am already super excited for what comes next for the Dragon Kings!

I had the pleasure of reading Dragon Forged by Donna Grant as an ARC, and it delivered exactly what I’ve come to expect from her—smoldering chemistry, rich dragon lore, and fast-paced fantasy romance. One thing I especially loved was how fiercely protective and emotionally layered the hero was; his internal struggle gave real depth to the romance and made the emotional payoff so satisfying. I also appreciated the glimpses of the larger world and mythology that tie into the Dragon Kings universe—it added a nice sense of scale without being overwhelming. That said, I did feel like the pacing faltered a bit in the middle; a few plot beats felt rushed or underdeveloped, and I would’ve loved more buildup before certain key moments. Still, fans of Donna Grant (and dragons in general) will find this a steamy, entertaining, and engaging addition to the series.

ohhhh my goddd.
this is the first book i’ve read by this author and was sooo surprised!! i will be reading the others immediately. i loved everything about this and the world busy was so easy to follow but so entertaining and enticing. this book has everything a fantasy lover loves magic system, seers, dragons, and a slow burn romance!

3.5 stars – A quick, entertaining installment in the Dragon Kings universe, but light on depth and tension

Book ten in the series continues the pattern of focusing on Hector, one of the Dragon Kings, meeting his destined mate. While the premise remains solid and the world intriguing with a little progress in the overall arc, this installment felt more like a light snack than a full lunch.

The plot moves quickly—perhaps too quickly. Everything unfolds over the span of just a few days, leaving little room for deeper emotional development, tension, or yearning between the characters. As a result, the romantic arc feels rushed, and the few open-door scenes read more like afterthoughts than key emotional beats.

The most complex aspect, especially for a newcomer, is the sheer number of Dragon Kings to keep track of. That said, I appreciated the brief recap of the dragon lore included in the story, which helped orient me within the world.

One intriguing thread that felt underdeveloped was the role of the seers and their visions. Can the future be changed by heeding these warnings? Is it rare or common for a vision to be altered? A bit more background would have added welcome depth to the narrative.

All in all, it’s a fast-paced read with familiar beats, ideal for fans following the series and looking for continuity—but it doesn’t offer much in terms of emotional weight or world-expanding stakes.

Dragon Forged tells the story of a heroine burdened by visions of a devastating conflict, convinced she knows the precise path to peace. Her gift, her duty, her very existence are dedicated to preventing the impending catastrophe. But as the captivating blurb promises, what she didn't foresee was him.
The Dragon King, who is a force of nature personified, an untamed surge of dominance and destruction that throws her carefully laid plans into utter chaos. He is everything she shouldn't want—dangerous, possessive, and utterly irresistible.
The chemistry between these two is palpable from the first encounter, a forbidden fire that threatens to consume them both. Grant masterfully builds the tension, exploring the heroine's desperate struggle to maintain her resolve in the face of a searing, undeniable connection that risks not just her own ruin, but the fate of the entire realm.
Overall, this book is perfect for fans of epic fantasy romance, especially those who love a good fated mates trope with an irresistible 'duty vs. desire' conflict.

This gave me LOTR vibes while maintaining the current genre obsession with dragons - in the best way possible. Slow burn tension romance with blunt straight forward MMC. Magic system was great, and I've already downloaded other titles by Donna Grant because of this storyline.

So another amazing read i don't want to give anything away can't wait for the new book to come out I really love that it is magic everywhere so much to find out can't wait gosh don't want to spoil anything about what my brain is thinking lol

✨🔥 Elegantly addicted and sassily devoted 🔥✨

There’s something dangerously addictive about Donna Grant’s Dark Universe. I don’t know if it’s the dragons, the angst, the heartbreak, the smoldering stares—or maybe it’s the literary equivalent of a rich, velvety chocolate that you swear you’ll stop devouring after just one more page. (Spoiler: You won’t.)

In Dragon Forged, Grant once again lures us into Zora—a world as layered as your favorite fantasy cake, and just as tempting. This installment delivers everything we crave and then some: betrayal that bites, a slow-burn romance between Hector and Emilia that aches in all the right places, and a young scene-stealer named Teo, who swoops into the story like a surprise cinnamon roll and absolutely steals your heart.

What elevates this tale is Grant’s mastery of the long game. The Dragon Kings may be in the background this round, but their shadowy presence keeps the flame of the overarching saga alive—reminding us that, no matter how many spin-offs we devour, we’re still wrapped in one grand, cosmic tapestry of fire, fate, and fierce loyalty.

And just when you think you’ve caught your breath? A whisper of Marcus drifts through the final pages like a promise. Or a threat. Either way, color me intrigued, ma’am.

So bravo, Ms. Grant. Once again, you’ve left us both satisfied and starved for more. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with my calendar—and the countdown to the next Dragon King who’ll set it ablaze.

🖤🔥 Forever forged, never finished.

Struggled to get into this one and found the writing to not really be for me. Also didn’t realise it was 10th!! book in a series so I feel like you need that background knowledge to read this one. DNF 20%

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It drew me in right away and kept me reading. It was fascinating, action-packed, steamy and fun. I enjoyed this book and will continue to look for more books by this author.

This was a first book i read in the series and loved that it can be a standalone! I loved the slow burn forbidden love romance so much in this. gave me wanting to turn the page to see when it will just happen! you know!?! I was worked up about the utter treachery and in the manipulation. I wish it was longer and more details on the world building aspect. but overall loved the book!! Will be reading the rest of the series!

This is book 10 in the Dragon Kings series, and while it could be read as a standalone, I really recommend reading the books from the start to have the full picture and not be distracted during the read trying to piece things together.

I loved the setup for this story! Hector, the king of the Sea Green Dragons, is pulled to the island but once there, he finds himself trapped and without his magic. Emilia has had repeated visions of horrible things happening should a dragon come to the island and now must work to get him free.

This story absolutely sucked me in with well-written action, drama, political intrigue, and a slow-burn romance simmering in the background!

Netgalley ARC Review

Dragon Forged feels like a return to the original series and I LOVED IT!

This book had everything that made me originally fall in love with the series. Slow burn romance, tension, angst, adventure, high stakes and heart.

Hector is the King of Sea Greens. While exploring Iron Hall he stumbles upon a portal that takes him to Highvale, the magical heart of Zora that had not yet been explored by the Dragon Kings. He finds himself in a tower where he meets a mysterious, beautiful woman who immediately yeets him through another portal back to the mainland. Hector isn’t one to give up though and he finds his own way back to Highvale to discover why he was brought there in the first place.

At Highvale he discovers the island is occupied by magical people who have escaped the persecution of Mainland Zora, building their own safe haven and they are OBSESSED with Dragon Kings and have statues that resemble the Kings though none have ever been to the island before.

Once on Highvale, Hector tracks down Emilia and demands answers for why she yeeted him and she reveals she is a seer who saw that if a Dragon King came to Highvale, death and destruction would follow. He agrees to leave but before he can, the leaders of Highvale trap him with intent to use him to destroy the people of Zora who persecuted them.

Hector is having none of it and when Emilia is targeted as a traitor he offers her his protection.

Hector and Emilia’s romance is a beautiful slow burn as they slowly build trust for one another and face down their enemies together. My favourite character however was Teo who was so sweet and spunky and desperate for love and family. He definitely stole my whole heart.

My only issue was that when the true villain was revealed they were barely punished and allowed to go free despite being responsible for several murders and another character was horrifically punished for their crime though that character was also awful they didn’t deserve their ending.

Also, Rhi, Lotti, Eurielle and Villette make an appearance and something is not right with Eurielle. Reminds me of Malen from Donna’s Kindred series but we will have to see what’s up with her.

I’m predicting the next book is Marcus who is being tormented by something or someone at Iron Hall. I’m looking forward to it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Yet another awesome book by my favorite author. Highly recommend to everyone.

Another fantastic Dragon Kings book. These books don’t lack for action, suspense and hot romance. This is Hector and Emilia’s story. When Hector is exploring an old part of the city he gets sucked into another part of the world. Complete with Dragons of their own but not the same kind as him.

I received a complimentary copy of his book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review

A fast-moving, action-packed love story filled with danger and intrigue. This book adds a very unexpected twist to the Dragon King series by revealing an unknown location creating more danger and excitement to an already exciting series.

The reader will be drawn into the storyline and the interactions between Hector, Teo, and Emilia as they struggle to do the right thing. It’s about betrayal at the deepest level that causes intense pain and causes a turning point in the story.

I loved the underlying theme of creating a family from those around you if you have no real family. Sometimes a family member is evil and no matter how much you love them you must let them go. And sometimes you still want to save them and keep trying. This book is about knowing when to quit.

I look forward to hearing more on Teo he's a great character that will make an intriguing book.

5 STARS for giving everything, even ones life for love.

Hector is transported to Highvale via an unexpected beacon in Iron Hall. Highvale has been home to all of the magical folks fleeing in Zora to a safe place. However, the higher ups in Highvale want to trap a dragon to help them battle the folks killing magicals. Emilia, a seer in Highvale, has had recurring visions of bloodshed and death if a dragon king arrives. Can she prevent the bloodshed from happening? Love, betrayal, etc, all rolled in one for this latest story of the dragon kings.

This Dragon Romance had all the things; found family, “court” intrigue, magic, and of course dragons! Emilia and Hector dive into the I want you but can’t have you vibes wholeheartedly and it takes a lot of well intentioned and ill intentioned meddling to get them to see the light. I loved Teo’s storyline and how quickly Emilia, Hector, and Teo find their place together as a family. Because this book is a part of a larger interconnected series I can’t wait to see what trouble Marcus gets into because that ending left me on tenterhooks. This book does not end on a cliffhanger but does set up the next book with the ending.

I will be honest. In the first 20% i was afraid of not liking it because i have not read the other books in the series and i was not undertanding it at all. But as i continued reading i was addicted, i couldn´t stop reading it and i started to undertand everything because the author explained it all very clear for those who didn´t read the other books.
The world building was so good, I don´t remember reading anything like this one before so that´s quite good. Everything happens at the correct time and i didnt feel any rush in the plot.
I LOVED the main characters, Emilia was amazing, so easy to empathize with her, she´s truthlly so strong. And Hector was incredible as well, i don´t know but i feel like they quite matched a lot and were amazing for each other. Even though i would´ve liked a little more of scenes between them alone at the begining. Lets not talk about how much i loved Teo because we wouldn´t finish.

In this story, a seer attempts to keep a Dragon King from her island to prevent atrocities she saw in her visions. This is the only book I've read from the Dragon Kings series so I missed world building from the other books. It wasn't hard to follow along, however.

Emilia frustrated me. She was so sure about what she was supposed to do but visions are unreliable magic. How did she know she wouldn't cause the vision to happen by trying to stop it anyway? Hector, on the other hand, I enjoyed. He is not the morally gray hero we often see in today's stories. In fact, I disagree with the blurb that he is "untamed, possessive." Hector did not come across like this at all. He was honorable and honest and communicated well.

Because I haven't read the previous books I was not connected to some side characters. I groaned every time I got to a chapter from Iron Hall. By the end of the book I was somewhat convinced to go back and read more of this series. It was a fun and enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.