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.

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.

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!

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.

"For Want of a Dragon": "Pride and Prejudice" meets "The Dragon Keeper" by Robin Hobb. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite books! Add dragons and a talking caracal, and you’ve got me hooked. Wendy Dayby’s "For Want of a Dragon" is a sweet, cozy fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice, following a dragon groomer who dreams of flying with dragons

Told in first-person POV and present tense, the book follows twenty-six-year-old Livvy Stoud, a human dragon groomer in the mountain village of Eshan, a community of mixed races—mortals, Fae, gnomes, and other magical creatures. Her childhood dream was to ride dragons, but only Fae are allowed to bond with them. A ward placed on its borders keeps the magic manageable for its human denizens. Livvy lives in a cozy cottage with a talking pet caracal named Mr. Bennet—how cool is that?—and her best friend is Marinn, who is a half-Fae, half-human.

Livvy’s luck takes a turn for the better when her village hosts the annual dragon jousting tournament. She agrees to groom the dragons despite her dislike of the contest and its professional riders, as she needs the fees to pay for her ailing father’s treatment. Along the way, she meets several riders, including the amiable Thaddeus Cedar and his aloof friend Asher. Livvy’s prejudices toward the riders clash with the pride of the Fae, creating several entertaining moments, with a dash of romance.

The atmosphere is charming, with small-village life, quirky Merchants’ Guild meetings, the excitement of the Drakonas Tournament, and even the playful use of 'berries' as a curse word. I especially loved Mr. Bennet, who brought so much humor and personality to the story. I just wish there were more scenes with him

The plot closely mirrors the original tale, with just a few twists. The premise is original—I loved the idea of a dragon groomer and a talking caracal. I also enjoyed the friendship between Livvy and Marinn, and the way they supported and cared for each other. There is some slow-burn romance, which I loved, but there were too few interactions between the love interests, making their romance develop too quickly. Some quotes and scenes, such as the letter written by Asher and Livvy's meeting with his aunt, followed the original too closely at times, making them predictable.

The writing was a bit simple and didn’t flow always smoothly, perhaps due to the present-tense narration. The pacing felt uneven at times, and some sections were repetitive. World-building wasn't developed enough—why can only Fae bond with dragons?—and the Fae lore wasn’t particularly original. There were also a few plot inconsistencies, such as Asher’s father being mentioned as deceased in one instance and alive in another. On the positive side, I loved the concept of the book, and the different characteristics of the dragons and their variety.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. Fine-tuning the writing and plot would make it stronger. I loved the ending, though an epilogue would have been appreciated. Still, the story is sweet and enjoyable, so I rate it 3.5 stars out of 5, rounded up to 4. If you’re looking for a sweet, feel-good read with dragons, cozy village charm, and a touch of slow-burn romance, For Want of a Dragon will fit the bill.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

This had that fantasy romance element that I was looking for and was engaged with what was happening. I enjoyed this as a concept and how the dragons were used in this world and am excited to read more in this universe. The characters had that overall feel that I was wanting and enjoyed the concept. Wendy Day wrote this well and was engaged from the first page.

This was a cozy, sweet romance with a fantasy setting. Livvy’s job as a dragon groomer was well described and interesting. I thought the romance could have been expanded upon, but overall enjoyed the story. Thank you for the ARC.

This was such a fun book! I loved the pride and prejudice retelling part of this book. And the romance was so cute!

What a lovely book. Going into it, I really didn't get the Jane Austen hint in the title. It went right over my head. But a little bit into the book, you can't miss the cute little nods to pride and prejudice. And who doesn't love a Pride And Prejudice reimagining? And then they add dragons and make it even better.
I love that this book leaned more towards fantasy though than just straight up romance. I tend to get annoyed with romantaay, and this book did not fall into that character at all with me. Absolutely lovely story, just enough romance to make it sweet, and plenty of fantasy and fun.

Thanks to Open Sky Publishing for letting me have an ARC. This was the perfect book at the perfect time for me. A Pride and Prejudice retelling but with a fantasy twist and because of that you know exactly what happens but it was still so fun to accompany the characters and worry over what was going to happen to them.

I felt there was enough world building that you could understand the context Livvy exists in but there is still a lot that could be explored and I hope Wendy Day has more books planned for this world.

There were a couple of scenes that felt a bit abrupt in execution but served the forward motion of the plot. I would have liked a bit more elaboration around the prejudice between Fae and humans - unstated but obvious from reading other Fae fantasy still it would have been interesting to know how that plays out in this world.

Loved Livvy being a dragon groomer and the dragon jousting tournament- made a great setting for the romance. I loved the backstory and outcome for the Wickham character but I wished the aunt was more involved before her major scene.

Overall this was a lovely book with cozy vibes but great relationships, action and world building. Looking forward to more from this author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Whimsical, Heartfelt, and Pure Magic

For Want of a Dragon is an absolute delight—filled with charm, humor, and just the right amount of wonder. Wendy Day’s writing sparkles with warmth and imagination, and the characters (especially the dragons!) completely stole my heart. The story strikes the perfect balance between cozy fantasy and heartfelt adventure, making it one of those rare reads that leaves you smiling long after the final page. I adored every moment.

Loved this one! For Want Of A Dragon is one of the best Pride and Prejudice retellings that I have ever read - why? BECAUSE THERE IS DRAGONS!
Wendy Day, you are an absolute goddess for blending two of the best things in the literary world: Jane Austen and Romantasy.

Perfect for fans of Austen looking for a cozy romantasy! 5 STARS.

Thank you, NetGalley and to the author for an ARC of For Want Of A Dragon. Pub Date: October 14, 2025.