Renegade Dragon is the fourth book in the Dragon Heat
series by Lolita Lopez. I have read two of the three previous books, but
think newcomers could enjoy the read without the full back story, but
as always knowing a bit more of the mythology and about the main players
always helps. The previous books are Dead Sexy Dragon, Red Hot Dragon, and Wicked Dark Dragon.
When
her best friend goes missing during Spring Break, bio-engineering
student Eris Jones refuses to believe Ivy is dead and follows the trail
of clues to a mysterious, secluded estate. Locked
away in the lair beneath his home, dragon shifter Niko Drakon suffers
terribly from a massive overdose of a synthetic drug that forces his
body into the mating heat. When her sweet, alluring scent hits him,
Niko's dragon overtakes him and he breaks free from his bonds. Captured
by the snarling, winged creature, Eris thinks she must be hallucinating
when her touch transforms him into a human male-a dangerously sexy and
highly seductive male. After one taste of Eris, Niko realizes a single
week will never be enough. He wants her forever by his side and in his
bed. But convincing the human to take a chance on a dragon won't be easy
and suddenly Niko is faced with the hardest choice in his centuries of
life.
Renegade Dragon
is a high action, and entertaining read. I like that Eris an
independent, smart woman. I did not like her immediate acceptance to
Nico and all the weird that goes along with having eaten a mythical
apple and being chased down by a dragon slash man after having broken
into his house in search of her missing best friend. Yes, mates and
pheromones, and mystical whatever, but there was no real adjustment or
freaking out, or anything. she just kind of goes with it even after all
hell breaks loose. That always bothers me. Not that I want a woman (or
man for that matter) to freak out and get hysterical, but some actual
concerns or safety attempts might be a better option than sleeping with
the random dragon guy. Just saying. Niko is a good guy, a bit one
dimensional but it has been so long since I have read anything from the
series that I have forgotten any previous knowledge of his character and
why he had himself locked in a dungeon while pumped full of a synthetic
drug that strengthened his urge to mate- which strikes me as a really
bad idea- but I am reasonably certain there must have been a reason. Once you get past logic and desire to survive, the story is a lot of fun. It is high action, with some high drama moments. The
inclusion of a bit of mythology was fun, and I liked the touch of
science as well. A good read for staying warm on a snow day, which is
when I read it.
Renegade Dragon
is a good paranormal romance, but the insta-love and acceptance that is
so important in getting mates together her, and the shrugging off all
the weird is what makes the series less than perfect for me. Great for a
hot weekend read, but not a series that I would hunt down or re read.
