ANCIENT GUARDIAN (Ancients Rising 9) by Katie Reus-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 27, 2023

He lost everyone he ever loved before…

Alpha dragon shifter Orion woke from his millennia-long hibernation into a different world-and found a band of humans struggling to survive. He’s been living among them, secretly keeping the predators away, but he’s hidden his true identity from everyone. Until an enemy threatens everything he’s come to love, including the human female he’s obsessed with. The female he can never have but will sacrifice everything for.

Now he has to step up and be the Alpha they all need…

Violet fell hard and fast for the stranger who joined their small farming community after The Fall. He lives with them, works alongside them, but there’s something different about him that she can’t quite put her finger on. When a group of visiting supernaturals upends everything in her community, she discovers he’s been hiding a huge secret. But that’s the least of their issues. If they don’t claim their territory and eliminate the growing threat outside their borders, there won’t be anything left to fight for.

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REVIEW:ANCIENT GUARDIAN is the ninth instalment in Katie Reus’ contemporary, adult ANCIENTS RISING erotic, paranormal, romance series. This is ancient dragon shifter Orion, and doctor Violet Robichaux’s story line. ANCIENT GUARDIAN can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: Months earlier, several dragons rose from their sleep, and in the aftermath destroyed much of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, in an apocalyptic showdown known as The Fall, but in doing so revealed the existence of the supernatural world to humankind. Ancients Rising focuses on the recovery of the city, and the group of supernaturals and dragons who have come to call New Orleans their home.

Told from omniscient third person perspective ANCIENT GUARDIAN follows several paths including the building romance and relationship between ancient dragon shifter Orion, and doctor Violet Robichaux. Approximately one year earlier Orion, an ancient dragon arose from a milenia of sleep unaware of the world around him. Fast forward to present day, Orion now lives and works in a small farming community but most of the people are unaware of Orion’s powers but the humans are in danger from the marauding vampires, and Orion has taken on the responsibility of protecting the people he now calls his own. Enter Dr. Violet Robichaux, and the woman with whom Orion will fall in love. Orion has not revealed his identity to Violet Robichaux but Orion’s dragon knows that the woman is his mate. What ensues is the building relationship between Orion and Violet, and the potential fall-out when our heroine is targeted in the hopes of taking down our story line hero.

Meanwhile, Violet’s sister Laurel may have found her mate in the dragon shifter Cale, and their sister Rose may or may not be attracted to Baris, a panda shifter with the ability to heal. As Violet and Orion’s territory struggles without a claim, it is suggested to Orion that he step up as Alpha in an effort to protect both the humans and the supernatural.

The relationship between Violet and Orion begins as a friendship but Orion knows that Violet is his mate. Biding his time in the face of the unknown, Orion struggles with demons from the past, memories of pain and heart break, and a personal belief that he is unworthy of love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including Violet’s sisters: Laure (Cale), Rose (Baris) and their mysterious sister Mari, who may or may not have some military experience no one knows anything about. The return of Darius and his mate Hazel, as well as ancient female dragon shifter Prima add some cohesion and familiarity.

ANCIENT GUARDIAN is a story of power and control, betrayal and retribution, desperation and determination, acceptance, forgiveness and love. The premise is captivating and edgy; the romance is spicy and provocative; the characters are spirited, encouraging and animated.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Ancient Protector
Ancient Enemy
Ancient Enforcer
Ancient Vendetta
Ancient Retribution
Ancient Vengeance
Ancient Sentinel
Ancient Warrior

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Katie Reus is the New York Times, USA Today, and IndieReader bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.

However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her book Avenger’s Heat recently won the Georgia RWA Maggie Award for Excellence in the fantasy/paranormal category.

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