Dragon Lovers

I truly enjoyed this wonderful assortment of stories all revolving around dragon lore. Bravo to Jo Beverley, Mary Jo Putney, Karen Harbaugh, and Barbara Samuel on a delightful read. I particularly enjoyed Ms. Harbaugh's Japanese tale, "Anna and the King of Dragons". Harbaugh artfully weaves Western and Japanese lore into a beautiful tale of love and compassion. Karen Harbaugh is truly a gifted author.

Step inside the pages of DRAGON LOVERS to find worlds where dragons still live and fantasy reigns supreme.... Jo Beverly opens up this anthology with "The Dragon and the Virgin Princess". Princess Rozlinda has been trained to be the Sacrificial Virgin Princes (SVP) all her life. She is thrilled that her time as the SVP is about to come to an end, when the dragon arrives one year early. A mysterious man intervenes and all that Rozlinda knows is about to change. "The Dragon and the Virgin Princess" is one highly amusing story! Rozlinda is a strong female character and her willingness to take on what she sees as her SVP obligations is commendable. Jo Beverly demonstrates that a female character can be empowered even when in a rather traditional role. Seesee, the dragon, definitely steals the show as she adds a unique flavor to Ms. Beverly's tale. "The Dragon and the Virgin Princess" was definitely the highlight of DRAGON LOVERS for this reviewer, as the humor interspersed with a unique perspective on cultural diversity made this an interesting and unforgettable romantic tale. "The Dragon and the Dark Knight" by Mary Jo Putney is a charming tale that hearkens back to the more traditional romance. Sir Kenrick of Rathbourne intends to slay the dragon menacing the people under the jurisdiction of Lord William of Penruth. Things go awry, and Kenrick finds himself under the care of Ariane. Will love conquer all for Kenrick and Ariane? Mary Jo Putney definitely knows how to write a powerful romance! The romance between Kenrick and Ariane is sweetly sensual as each accepts the other despite their supposed flaws. The surprising twist by Ms. Putney adds just the right amount of punch needed to spice this tale up. "The Dragon and the Dark Knight" is an entertaining and fun read. "Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh adds a bit of international flavor with a setting of Japan in the 1600s. Dutch native Anna Vanderzee finds herself alone and basically penniless in Japan after the sudden death of her parents. A chance encounter with a dragon changes everything when he saves her life. Anna agrees to provide the dragon with her father's scholarly books in exchange and thus sets an entirely new course for her life. Karen Harbaugh immerses the reader into the culture of Japan in the 1600s. Anna's adherence to the dictates of the Japanese culture is enlightening, but it is her willingness and determination to keep her promises that make her such an admirable character. I particularly enjoyed the character of samurai Nakagawa Toshiro as his sense of honor and duty provided a unique flair to the story. "Anna and the King of Dragons" is perhaps one of the more unusual tales in DRAGON LOVERS. Barbara Samuels concludes DRAGON LOVERS with her tale entitled "Dragon Feathers". Penny Freeman is ecstatic over her opportunity to study with the famous weaver in Santa Fe. The move is a refreshing change afte

I really enjoyed all the stories in this anthology. My favorite was "Anna and the King of Dragons" by Karen Harbaugh--I really liked the setting in the Japan of samurai and shoguns. Coming in a close second was "The Dragon and the Virgin Princess" by Jo Beverly. I enjoyed the other 2 stories by Mary Jo Putney and Barbara Samuel, but not enough to reread them.

Dragon Lovers is a very nice combination of romance and fantasy and although I enjoyed all the stories, I was most impress with Anna and the King of Dragons and Dragon Feather. Anna and the King of Dragons steps outside of the normal historical/European dragon mode; it takes on the myth of Asian dragons and culture. I was very impressed with this one, and would love to see a sequel or this story expanded into a full-lenght novel. It was very well written and had a very captivating plot. I liked the mixing of cultures, which you don't find very often in romance novels, especially in historicals. The added fantasy was a bonus. Dragon Feather was an unusual and serious romance placed in modern times. I didn't care for it the first time I read it, but after re-reading it, because I realized I rushed through it, I found it touching, with characters that weren't your typical ones. The other two stories were well written and very fascinating, and I enjoyed them too, but I can't help but pick my favorites. If you like dragons and romance ( this is not for serious fantasy fans ) you will enjoy this book. Also, I gave it 5 stars, just for the last two, and best, stories in the anthology.

Look around, there may be a dragon amongst you. In the deepest recesses of the mind lurks the heart of magic, the desire of the DRAGON LOVERS has begun... Princess Rozlinda has been groomed for eight long years to be the sacrificial virgin for the coming of the dragon. After he comes, oh...joy, she no longer has to be a virgin. She can then experience the wonders of womanhood. Why do things never quite work out the way a young woman want them to? Dragon farts! THE DRAGON AND THE VIRGIN PRINCESS is by Jo Beverley. The tone of the wondrous historical/paranormal tale is light, humorous and completely enchanting. Ms. Beverley tickles this story with magic, dragons and the blunders of life. Individual rating: 4 hearts Sir Kenrick of Rathbourne, a freelance knight, is looking for a place to winter with his faithful squire. When he learns of a Lord that is in need of a knight to slay a dragon, he will find out there is much more to his task than meets the eye. THE DRAGON AND THE DARK KNIGHT is by Mary Jo Putney. A sweet pen touched this tale of a knight and the dragons he encounters. This story is reminiscent of the books we read as a young adult--gentle and straightforward in premise. At times though, the urge to thumb ahead a few pages when the story slowed got to this reader, but she did not skip one word. Individual rating: 3 hearts Anna Vanderzee has recently lost her parents in a country where she is a foreigner. In her sadness, she accidentally slips and falls into a pool of water, the only problem is Anna cannot swim. She is rescued by a fabled dragon, but that is only were this story begins to unfold... ANNA AND THE KING OF DRAGONS is by Karen Harbaugh. Ms. Harbaugh penned a delightful tale flavored with the Orient. The cultural endeavors seasoned it with originality and unforgettable romance between two different yet completely connectable characters. Wonderful! Individual rating: 4 hearts Penny Freeman gets the chance of a lifetime studying under Senora Libelula, a famous weaver. Since the recent death of her husband, this offer is the perfect change she is looking for. Once there, floating into her life are gorgeous pink feathers. Now this story really gets good! DRAGON FEATHERS is by Barbara Samuel. This contemporary tale of a dragon was the standout story in this entire anthology. With the freshness of morning air, it captured this reader's heart from beginning to end. Ms. Samuel's writing is the cumulative of a genius with DRAGON FEATHERS! Individual rating: 5 hearts What a wonderfully written anthology that is a perfect fit for the general audience of readers of romance. If you love historical, paranormal, or romantic love stories, you will want to pick up a copy of DRAGON LOVERS by award-winning and highly acclaimed authoress', Jo Beverley, Mary Jo Putney, Karen Harbaugh, and Barbara Samuel. Courtesy of Love Romances and More Reviewed by Janalee Ruschhaupt, 2007