This was a very fun, fantasy reimagining of pride and prejudice (as could be inferred by the little P&P nuggets sprinkled throughout the book's summary).

It was a tad rushed - like the 2005 P&P movie instead of the superior BBC miniseries - but enjoyable all the same! I loved the characters and the light world building. Mr Bennet makes me very glad my own cats cant talk, he was kinder than mine would be i think.

I want first of all thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this amazing book. I enjoyed it a lot because it mentions dragons and fae and elves. The plot was good and the characters seemed interesting.

For someone who loves a fantasy read and especially the involvement of dragons, this book appealed to me instantly! I mean, who wouldn't adore dragon jousting, a talking pet caracal, pride and predjudice etiquette, some royal fae, and other magical creatures? I, for one, had a grand ole time.

I love the idea of the FMC being a dragon groomer and that a tournament was held in a quaint little village, where riders were expected to joust one another for points and a championship (Very 'A Knights Tale'-Esque but with dragons!).

Sadly, I didn't feel there was much time dedicated to the FMC and the MMC's love development, but I was rooting for Asher from the very beginning all the same. Julian just didn't sit right with me from the get-go, and I would have enjoyed him being on the receiving end of a well aimed lance, poked somewhere indecent 🤭

The friendships were very endearing though and the book jumped straight into the story, and for someone who isn't all that bothered about world building, that was right up my street. Such a quick, cozy read that I didnt put down until finished :-)


I definitely could've inhaled a longer book or even a sequel to the story to follow Livvy and Asher's relationship going forward - I feel there was so much potential there. It ended too abruptly for me. Nevertheless, it didn't take away from how much I enjoyed the story that was given. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book!

For Want Of A Dragon offers a warm swirl of small‑town fantasy charm, talking cats, dragon grooming, and a love interest who’s prickly in all the right ways. Livvy Stoud is a likable heroine: she’s independent, grounded, and has a genuine affection for dragons; her work as the local dragon groomer in Eshan gives the premise a cute novelty. The setup, with dragon jousting tournaments, a talking cat, and a grumpy stranger disrupting her quiet life, has plenty of whimsical fantasy potential.

One of the book’s strengths is its tone. Wendy Day balances light humor, dragon lore, and romantic tension well. Moments with the dragons feel affectionate and fun; when Livvy’s prejudices toward professional riders clash with the reality of their danger (or grace), it adds a bit of internal conflict. The cozy cottage / mountain village setting is cozy and appealing, especially if you enjoy fantasy that leans gentler, with less high-octane epic stakes.

However, the book has a few limitations that stop it from being more than pleasant. First, the conflict sometimes feels a bit thin. The tension arising from Livvy’s disdain for riders and the “grumpy stranger” trope is fun—but not always deeply developed. The antagonist or external pressures could be stronger or more layered. Some stakes felt predictable, and certain character arcs that had potential felt rushed or resolved without sufficient buildup.

Also, pacing unevenness is noticeable. The early chapters move nicely, introducing setting and characters, but middle sections drag in places—dragon grooming descriptions and minor side quests pull focus without always adding new depth to plot or character. On the flip side, romantic tensions sometimes escalate in ways that feel a little too quick given the groundwork. The “grumpy stranger” is charming, but the emotional evolution (from annoyance to attraction / trust) gets compressed in parts.

Finally, while the whimsical elements—talking cat, cottage life, very visible dragons—are mostly delightful, they sometimes conflict tonally with the moments of danger or seriousness. Transitions between humor, fantasy world‑rules, and higher stakes can feel a little jarring. Some readers might wish for clearer magic rules or more consistency in how the fantasy elements affect everyday life in Eshan.

Verdict: For Want Of A Dragon is a cuddly fantasy romance with charm, humor, and dragons to spare. It’s not perfect—it sometimes plays it safe, the conflicts lack depth, and the pacing wobbles—but it’s a fun escape, especially if you like light fantasy with dragons, gentle romance, and a heroine who’s stubborn in a good way. Three stars: an enjoyable read, worthwhile for relaxing evenings, but not quite one I’ll re‑read often.

This is a majority fantasy with a romantic side plot. It's almost a romantasy, but I felt the excellent worldbuilding was substantial enough to say it's majority fantasy. I really liked the idea of dragon jousting and dragon grooming. I loved the talking cat/caracal. Who wouldn't wish for a cat that could talk to you and say vaguely affectionate yet imperious things? The only aspect of this book that I liked less is that the romantic plot portion, maybe 5-10% is derived from the romantic plot of Pride and Prejudice to the point where I could predict when the two would have problems, why, and what they would say to each other. I wished that such an imaginative author had made everything new. But if I had never read Pride and Prejudice I would have been satisfied with the romance. It was only because I knew what was coming that I was slightly disappointed. Because that's such a small portion of the book, and because I enjoyed the rest, I would still recommend purchasing this book if you are looking for an adventure with a dragon groomer of dragon jousters. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ARC.

I was excited to read a Pride and Prejudice adaptation for the semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, but For Want of a Dragon is a very loose retelling, if that. The bits and pieces added aren't enough to really tell the P and P story and didn't align with the existing story. The 2005 movie verbatim quotes were also excessive (and I watch that movie multiple times a year!)

The FMC felt a bit generic to me, which was disappointing given she was supposed to be The Lizzy Bennet. The MMC was not able to endear himself to me with the little interaction time he got, and this is crucial to the Lizzy- Darcy magic. I also wanted more from the ending because I don't think the FMC really got what she wanted. I did love the talking cat, of course, and appreciated his name.

The writing was a little too simple and formulaic. One small piece that I hope is changed in the final book is that the FMC describes her best friend (the Jane of the story) as a "half-breed" for being half fae, half human, and the negative connotations really didn't align with what the FMC seemed to be conveying. The world building was also pretty lacking. I don't necessarily expect that much world building for a short, cozy fantasy, but there was the start of a would being fleshed out that in the end felt vague. This was a very quick read that I finished in almost one sitting, and if you're looking for a fantasy dragon romance, this might be fun!

Thank you, Open Sky Publishing, for the arc!

The two main elements of this book were definitely appealing, but there's something about how they meshed that didn't quite hit.

The Pride and Prejudice retelling was a cute idea since it's such a beloved book, but I found it got in the way of the other element of the FMC being a dragon groomer who always wished to have a bond with a dragon of her own. I think the idea of the dragon groomer is interesting enough, especially since dragons are more aligned with fae and our FMC is human, that it didn't need the added layer of the Jane Austen retelling. I wanted to learn more about the point of the tournament, why fae men are the only ones who can be dragon riders, and why humans are so rare in this part of the world. Perhaps I would have liked the Austen angle more if there was a very compelling chemistry between Lizzy and the Darcy MMC but his aloofness and snobbery was a bit too extreme to see him as a viable romantic prospect.

This is still a nice read, but it was a bit disappointing that the dream the FMC has isn't quite fulfilled and feels more like a consolation prize. I am very intrigued by this world, though, and I hope the author will turn this into a series.

Thank you Wendy Day, Open Sky Publishing and NetGalley for a copy of *For Want Of A Dragon* in exchange for my honest review🐉🩶

This book is a cozy romance full of dragons and magical creatures. It's a quick and cozy read with Pride and Prejudice inspiration. Not too much depth or complex world building, making it an easy read.

Livvy is human, living in a charming small village in the magical land. She left her family in the human land on the other side of the border to follow her dream of being close to dragons. She lives in a cozy cottage with a talking cat-like creature, works as a dragon groomer and has sweet friends in the village. A dragon jousting tournament brings many dragons and their riders to her village, including Asher, Fae royalty and famous dragon rider. Livvy immediately dislikes him while also being drawn to him. There's excitement, romantic gestures and a very happy end. Overall, this an easy and cozy fantasy romance read.

A Great Dragon Story!

An engaging and interesting read with a hint of mystery and deception with a slow build to love storyline.

I enjoyed how this author described the different Dragons, and I loved Livvy’s role in the tournament.

I did find Asher a little stand-offish and slow to show the wonderful person he really is!

Although a bit slow in places the hero and heroine of this storyline do get their HEA and it is worth a read!

Thanks to NetGalley, Open Sky Publishing and Wendy Day for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

If you want something easy, cozy and with dragons this is a good option. It takes some inspiration from Pride and Prejudice but I was hoping for a bit more in that department. It's a quick read and could be a good palate cleanser book.

Thank you to the author Wendy Day, netGalley, and publisher Open Sky publishing for allowing me to read this book.


Perfectly serviceable cozy romance tale-magical fantasy world with dragons. This features a retelling/inspiration from Pride and Prejudice. The story does not really follow Pride and Prejudice, but has references and quotes from the book and the 2005 movie.

This is a very straightforward. story and is written very simply. There are some errors that could use some cleanup, but nothing overly awful.

Livinia is a human woman that left her family to live alone and have a career as a dragon groomer. She lives in a small village that straddles the land between magic land, and human land. Love interest has very little development. One could take out the Jane Austen references and have a perfectly serviceable original little cozy village romance, I don't know why it was necessary to add the Jane Austen bits other than author indulgence. It gets a three stars because it was a charming enough pleasant read.