Book Review: Dragons Don't Cry by D'Elen McClain

Dragons Don't Cry is the first book in the Fire Chronicles paranormal romance series by D'Elen McClain. Acasia lives in a world where every twenty five years the young women of the village are expected to keep themselves pure and offer themselves up to be chosen by a dragon. One girl is chosen and becomes the bride of the dragon. Acasia and her friends drink the night before they are to be offered, and lo and behold she in her hung over glory is the one chosen. Bastian is one of the last four surviving dragon, all of which live under a nasty curse. He is drawn to Acasia, and hope to make her comfortable and bond with her. Most of all he hopes that she will live as long as possible so that he will not be forced to spend too much time alone before the next choosing.

Dragons Don't Cry is a book that while technically the publishers blurb is right, it just does not give the feel of the story. I tried to make mine a little closer, but it still does not give a full feel of the book. Acasia is a spunky but small girl, while Bastian is a dragon and living under a curse. I loved the slow discover of both characters, their feelings and thoughts were shared with the reader in a way that makes readers really feel for them. The story is one about love, understanding, and compassion. Acasia is smart and strong, coming to see and understand the pain Bastian and his fellow dragons faced, as well as the loneliness they had to deal with. Even when she is facing a very real threat, she seems to understand the variety of viewpoints around the situation. Bastian is a little slower with that, and a bit hesitant to allow himself to admit the depth of his feelings for Acasia, but I found that it really worked and was consistent with the situation and characters.

I am interested now to go back and read the related series, The Fang Chronicles, to see if her characters are as well developed there as they are here. I would recommend Dragon's Don't Cry for readers that enjoy paranormal romance, but like the characters and larger story arch to be more detailed and a little more slowly developed that you see in more standard fare. This was not the best I have read, but it left be very satisfied and interested to see more from McClain.