The Duchess and the Dragon

Historical Romance

This is the second title I have reviewed for a Jamie Carie book and, as before, I was not let down. This is the author¿s second title, following Snow Angel, a Best Books Award winner. Jamie Carie resides in Indianapolis , Indiana with her husband and three children.

The Duchess and the Dragon, set in Regency-era, is a historical romance. Drake Weston, Duke of Northumberland , England is set to be the heir upon his father¿s passing, bringing with it influence and wealth beyond imagine. But when his poor temper causes a tragic mistake, Drake is forced from the country he loves and the life he knows, in to America as an indentured servant. Barely surviving the journey and horrid conditions, Serena Winter, a Quaker woman, finds him near death and rescues him by bringing Drake home and nursing him back to health. Thrown together by circumstance, these two individuals, from backgrounds that couldn¿t be more opposite, discover the consequences and power of what love can do. They must confront the web of deceit that threatens to destroy all that they hold dear, trusting in the power of prayer and their love for one another.

In all honesty, historical romance is my least favorite of the romance genre. This is a tough genre to write in, as I have done so myself, and to invent a story-line that has not been over-used or recycled is a daunting task. I am pleased to report that this was not the case in this book.

I find myself completely enamored by Jamie Carie¿s ability to tell a great story, with strong characters to back them up. The backdrop and history was stellar, as was the language that tossed you into another time, another era, forgetting that this was fiction. The two very different religions added a great element for the plot and turmoil between the main characters. I liked the diverse family background, as well- One coming from deceitful and hateful surroundings, and the other from a warm and nurturing one. It added to the plot nicely. The characters were realistic and endearing. I especially liked that they were not without common human flaws, as we tend to see in this genre often. The plot flowed well and, at no time, did I find myself disinterested. Mostly, the ending was a sagacious one, in where I did not have to roll my eyes at an unrealistic `happily ever after.¿ It was happy all right, and gave closure to such magnitude everyone will be satisfied, but not in an impractical manner.

This was a heart-pounding and moving read. Jamie Carie is still new to the publishing world, but she won¿t be for long. She has immeasurable talent and I look forward to seeing her on a best-seller list some day.



Kelly Moran

Author and Reviewer

Hard to put down and edgy...

Jamie Carie knows how to pull a reader in to a story. The inheritance scandal and Drake flight's for his life and near-tragic sea journey really grabs you. That was all great stuff, if not too descriptive. Some details even turned my stomach. Then the romance begins, and my first thought was that it reminded me of a Harlequin historical romance. I haven't read them in years, but the attraction Serena feels toward this obviously sick man doesn't make a lot of sense because you know he had to look skinny and bedraggled, but I suppose the pull she felt was reminiscent of Florence Nightingale syndrome. I would think her desire would be more from pity that actually having the hots for him. That is just a minor issue. At any rate, the attraction between them sizzled and that was pretty exciting stuff. I was amazed at how much was implied that goes above and beyond what you find in most inspirational historicals, but it was enjoyable and refreshing to read. Like many woman, Serena felt a strong pull toward the dangerous guy and felt mere friendship for the safe one. The fear, excitement, pangs of regret, renewed hope, and roller coaster of emotion that played out in this story all made sense to me. I especially enjoyed the faith portion and the change exhibited in Drake's heart over time. He truly was not the same man he was before. Isn't that just how it is when God uses trials and hardship to soften us and draw us close to His heart? Overall, I'd say this book was a dynamic read. It was hard to put down and I found the story and the setting incredibly engaging, plus the emotional and physical interplay between the hero and heroine was breathtaking. If you loved A Bride Most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist, you will enjoy this story.

Diappointed

I just finished reading this book and I am so disappointed. I have read many great reviews about this author so I really thought I had found a winner but I was so wrong. The book started off strong but soon fizzled. Characters would pop up and then disappear and you would be left wondering what happened to them. The love story was more like a lust story to me. I want to fall in love along with the characters but I didn't feel like these characters really fell in love. I mean they end up getting married because her parents catch them making out in his room one night....how romantic..not. Another thing that bugged me was here is a Quaker, she's been a Quaker all her life and because she falls in 'love' with Drake she has to decide between him or her Quaker life. Well, you would think she would really struggle with this decision...nah, didn't take her too long and that left me feeling like her Quaker life really didn't mean anything to her. I guess the bottom line is that I just didn't feel anything for the characters...I didn't like them and I didn't dislike them...I just didn't care. There were tons of other things that bugged me about this book but in case you want to read this book I won't say anything else so I don't spoil it for you. But I will say if your looking for a good love story I would recommend 'The Measure of Lady' by Deeanne Gist or my personal favorite 'Roses for Mama' by Janette Oke.

Historical Pleasure

This is the second title I have reviewed for a Jamie Carie book and, as before, I was not let down. This is the author¿s second title, following Snow Angel, a Best Books Award winner. Jamie Carie resides in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband and three children. The Duchess and the Dragon, set in Regency-era, is a historical romance. Drake Weston, Duke of Northumberland, England is set to be the heir upon his father¿s passing, bringing with it influence and wealth beyond imagine. But when his poor temper causes a tragic mistake, Drake is forced from the country he loves and the life he knows, in to America as an indentured servant. Barely surviving the journey and horrid conditions, Serena Winter, a Quaker woman, finds him near death and rescues him by bringing Drake home and nursing him back to health. Thrown together by circumstance, these two individuals, from backgrounds that couldn¿t be more opposite, discover the consequences and power of what love can do. They must confront the web of deceit that threatens to destroy all that they hold dear, trusting in the power of prayer and their love for one another. In all honesty, historical romance is my least favorite of the romance genre. This is a tough genre to write in, as I have done so myself, and to invent a story-line that has not been over-used or recycled is a daunting task. I am pleased to report that this was not the case in this book. I find myself completely enamored by Jamie Carie¿s ability to tell a great story, with strong characters to back them up. The backdrop and history was stellar, as was the language that tossed you into another time, another era, forgetting that this was fiction. The two very different religions added a great element for the plot and turmoil between the main characters. I liked the diverse family background, as well- One coming from deceitful and hateful surroundings, and the other from a warm and nurturing one. It added to the plot nicely. The characters were realistic and endearing. I especially liked that they were not without common human flaws, as we tend to see in this genre often. The plot flowed well and, at no time, did I find myself disinterested. Mostly, the ending was a sagacious one, in where I did not have to roll my eyes at an unrealistic `happily ever after.¿ It was happy all right, and gave closure to such magnitude everyone will be satisfied, but not in an impractical manner. This was a heart-pounding and moving read. Jamie Carie is still new to the publishing world, but she won¿t be for long. She has immeasurable talent and I look forward to seeing her on a best-seller list some day. Kelly Moran Author and Reviewer

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.