This book was a very cute cozy romantasy in a classic western with a fantasy twist. I found the fantasy world building easy to understand and follow along with without it coming across as info-dumping; It a felt very natural how we learned about the setting.

I really enjoyed the characters, from their first introduction I could see what their personalities were and their family dynamics felt sincere. I appreciated that although Aevrin is a classic rancher cowboy like character he wasn't stereotypical broody grumpy romantic lead. He was very earnest and kind hearted and I really liked how open he was about his feelings to Cassia even when he thought he could be rejected. What I liked about Cassia was although her role in the house is the most traditional feminine role there is emphasis on how these are essential tasks that shouldn't be taken lightly and cooking is also a labour alongside their farm work.

The only thing that fell flat for me was the disconnect with the conflict and the villian. The way the story starts out makes it feel like it's building to more of a overarching issue with the rustlers especially with Cassia but it feels like once they do reappear it's wrapped up very quickly with very brief action. With the book having dragons in the name I figured we would get a lot more from the dragons as well especially in the conflict but they were more in the background. I feel if this had perhaps been a little longer and if there was more tension with Cassia holding back with what she knew it might have tied in better. But it never came across to me that there was any actual threat to the narrative with her keeping her secrets.

But overall this was a very sweet book. If you like very relaxed low conflict romances I'd 100% recommend this.

This was a fun, fantasy small town story. It had romance, dragons and tension, what more could be asked of it. I liked reading how Cassia easily slotted into the family, and I loved her growing relationships with everyone, and not just the main love interest.

This is a new sort of crossover for me and I didn't really expect to love it but it really blew me away. I love that it's low stakes and minimal angst. Sometimes I just need a soft cozy read to escape into and this was perfect.

This was such a fun read! It is like nothing else I have read before! If you want a cowboy romance with dragons this is for you!

This started out promising but there wasn’t enough plot to keep me engaged. The premise was interesting but not actually much emphasis on the presence of dragons. In general I got bored reading this

Cute story. I liked the storyline and characters. There was some fantasy aspects that felt fresh and creative.
My biggest hiccups were on, as an ARC, there were more errors and holes than I'd have thought. Hopefully they got ironed out before publication.
But I really enjoyed the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Juliette for the ARC. 3.5 stars rounded up.

The first half of the book was a bit slow but I enjoyed the slow burn between the FMC and MMC. The second half of the book really picked up the pace and I flew through it.

MMC is a sweetheart that also gives 'touch her and die' vibes 💖

FMC was a bit annoying at times and constantly whiplashing her thoughts in her head.

I wish we could have seen more of the main conflict with FMCs brother played out more. It felt like it was slowly building up the first half of the book and then was quickly resolved in only a couple short chapters.

Overall a good and easy read with some cute 'kick your feet and giggle' moments between the main characters. The Found Family trope had me tearing up at times. Wish we would have seen more of the seemingly magical elements that popped up in the story...maybe there will be more if there is ever a spinoff.

Cassia wakes up at the healers after being left for dead in the mountains. Having been rescued by the grumpy rancher Aevrin, Cassia now feels in his debt. So when he invites her to heal up at his ranch home, she hesitantly agrees, not wanting to impose on him and his family. What unfolds is a story of found family and budding romance.

The Dragon Ranch of Dawn Ridge is such a cosy read with an incredibly unique take on cowboys and dragons. It was giving Heartland the TV series vibes, but if they had dragons instead of horses, and their cattle breathed fire. The magic system was so interesting, with things like healing vines and glowstones. The characters are wonderful and the writing style truly makes you feel like you are sitting at the ranch’s kitchen table with everyone drinking a cup of coffee or grallo. Aevrin Riveker is everything you dream a cowboy to be, ruggedly handsome, mighty respectful and charming. The banter between him and Cassia had me laughing out loud, and their tender moments had me giddy.

Was it a little predictable at times? Yes. Did I still devour it with absolute enjoyment? Most definitely yes. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking to read something sweet and wholesome, with a touch of spice! I would love to read more from this world and am hoping each of Aevrin’s siblings gets their own book.

Thank you to Juliette Caruso, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Awakening in a hospital bed, a dark-haired, brooding cowboy, Aevrin Riveker, is waiting to check on her. Before she can let the hurt sink in, Cassia Clarek is whisked away to recover. Finding herself away from her city and now in the home of a long-standing family of dragon ranchers. It’s clear to Aevrin that she was running away from something; if he chases her, she might run right to the person who hurt her. Cassia, afraid to bring trouble to the Rivekers, plans to flee.

The whole time I was reading about the Riveker ranch, all I could picture Yellowstone set up, iykyk. I imagined the beautiful mountain ranges in the same way, only with dragons in the sky. I’m honestly okay with that. I’m a big fan of YS and now this, so it feels like a solid match.

Sticking with my visions of Yellowstone, Aevrin Riveker gave me massive Rip vibes (just with slightly longer hair.) He’s the rough, handsome MMC who runs the ranch with his family. Dude, I’m so about him (not just for the Rip-esque appearance in my mind), I loved his character and how much he wanted to care for Cassia.

This was not super, fast-paced, focusing more on relationships vs the plot. I wasn’t quite sure about this at the start, but once I got to the end I thought about how nice it was to slow down and be in the moment. I would have loved more info about the dragons and deeper worldbuilding - so I guess this is me begging for a second book!

The Dragon Ranch of Dawn Ridge is pure fantasy comfort—a heartwarming blend of found family, rural charm, and dragon magic. The setting is vivid and inviting, with the ranch itself feeling like a character you grow to love. I adored how the story balanced cozy, slice-of-life moments with just enough adventure to keep the pages turning. The characters are wonderfully drawn, and the bond between humans and dragons is written with tenderness and awe. This is the kind of book that makes you want to linger in its world long after the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Juliette Caruso and NetGalley for letting me read the advanced copy.

The Dragon Ranch of Dawn Ridge is a cozy, low-stakes romantasy with a fun mix of dragons, ranch life, and gentle romance. The setting is charming, with clever worldbuilding, like fire-breathing cows in armor and the overall concept really appealed to me.

Unfortunately, the story didn’t fully click. The pacing was very slow, especially in the first half, and I felt the plot lacked real tension. The romance was sweet but needed more build-up, and the shift to intimacy felt abrupt.
I also struggled with the writing style at times. The use of terms like "dragon," "drake," and "cow" was inconsistent, which made it confusing to follow what kind of creature was being described. Character depth was another issue, I had trouble visualizing anyone, and their backstories felt quite thin.
All in all, this book has a lot of heart and a unique setting, but it needed more clarity, tension, and emotional depth to truly stand out.

That said, I really appreciated the cozy atmosphere, the soft magic, and the lighthearted tone. It’s an easy, feel-good read with a lot of charm, perfect for fans of gentle fantasy with a romantic twist.

4 stars.
Thankyou Netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc. Expect an honest, unbiased review from me, always.
Set in a different world in a place that reminded me alot of the western era of America, with cowboys, ranches, rustlers, etc but still the inhabitants are human just woth extra creatures from myth like manticores. There are cities but there are also dragons who "bond" rarely with humans and help to herd and ranch basically whilst getting a cut of all profits to add to their own horde. It genius. Had me smiling the whole read. Fully charming, loved the protagonists, loved the main family and their differing bonds with their "ducks" which is another term they use for dragon (that confused me for a good chunk haha). Proper cozy vibes. You must read this and I'm seriously hoping I can find some more books out or coming soon! It had steam, serial chemistry, hilarious innuendo mishaps, found family and so much more goodness. Fully recommend.

Reviews all posted on GoodReads.

Such an interesting book! I mean cowboy romance WITH DRAGONS?? I said sign me up immediately. Thank you so much to Juliette Caruso and NetGalley for the ARC. I went off the blurb alone and I really enjoyed it, so will definitely look forward to reading more of Juliette’s work.

Overall, the whole magic system was easy enough to follow, even though there were some interesting terms like toilet is called the necessary which takes a bit of getting used to.. but it makes sense in context. The plot was a little predictable but it was satisfying nonetheless. I enjoyed myself!

I went into this book not knowing what to expect—and ended up loving every second of it!

Imagine a cozy small-town vibe with a ranch, cowboys, and bonded dragons (yes, really!). It was such a unique and delightful mix. The storyline pulled me in, the characters felt alive, and the banter? Perfection. You’ve got found family, a deliciously slow burn, just the right amount of spice, and dragons with serious attitude problems—and I was here for all of it.

And best of all? No third act breakup. Just satisfying, heartwarming progression all the way through.

This book has everything you need in a cowboy dragon riding romantasy, lots of action,found family vibes, nosey townspeople, and a golden retriever MMC that is patient,sweet & caring when it comes to the gentle,hurt & wary FMC .

Survivor x Hero
Found family
Grumpy MMC with an even grumpier dragon!
Protective MMC
FMC chef left for dead
Bonded dragons
HEA

I’m really hoping we get some more stories from Dawn Ridge 🐉 🤠 ❤️‍🔥
(4.5 ⭐️)

A slow burn romance, with cowboys and dragons. This book held so much promise as it featured some of my favourite tropes; however, it fell flat on the delivery.

First the positives. I did love the dragons, they had puppy like qualities that I adored. The scene where the dragon is running across the ranch towards the mmc and he sidesteps and swings himself onto his dragon and then launches into the air is just a beautiful image which will remain in my mind for a long time.

I think my main issue was that I didn’t feel there was any chemistry between the main characters at all and tbh I didn’t particularly like them. The plot was predictable and a bit boring. Such a shame as it held so much promise.

#TheDragonRanchofDawnRidge #NetGalley

This was such a cozy and refreshing take on a dragon story. I loved the ranch setting, it made everything feel grounded and different from your usual fantasy adventure.

The pacing was pretty smooth overall, though I wished for a bit more intensity toward the end. Still, the emotional payoff was there, and I closed the book feeling satisfied. Definitely a great pick if you’re in the mood for something magical but low stress.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I had a great time with this one!

I really wanted to like this book. I’ve read two others by Ms. Caruso, the first somewhat better than the second, so I was optimistic about The Dragon Ranch of Dawn Ridge. After all, in reading the book description, the premise was cute and the story sounded promising. Unfortunately, I have to say it might be one of the most boring books I’ve read this year. The characters are lackluster, there is a lot (a lot a lot!) of repetition that was obviously just filler to get to some sort of page or word quota, and if it wasn’t for the unique bits about dragons, for instance, it would just be a dull cowboy book.

This is a sad 2.5 stars.

ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op. Opinions are entirely mine.

i got around 20% of my way into this book and knew it would be a new favourite! the world building is amazing, the characters are so sweet and relatable it made my heart grow a size. Juliette Caruso's writing drips with magic and the warmth i felt from this book won't leave me for a long while. i think i have to add this to my favourites list because i had an absolute blast reading it. i am BEGGING for more romances set in this world. i can't wait to try out other books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book! I have only read a few fantasy and I found this book to be really intriguing and I kept wanting to read more. I liked the build up of the main characters and watching their relationship genuinely develop. I enjoyed the dragons and the picture that the author painted!