THE DRAGON KING (Ethereal Foes #4) by Marie Harte-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 22, 2015

What good is being king if you can’t burn your own rules?

Ethereal Foes, Book 4

In the two years since Jentaron hatched, he’s grown into an adult blue dragon full of the knowledge of his royal predecessors. He’s a true king, even if the other denizens of the Ethereal, those demons, havoc, angels and the like, continue to test him.

But he’s got heavier worries. Namely, an unspeakable danger that threatens all life as the planet knows it. He can feel it, can sense that he’s got a bigger role to play than just pissing off the Ethereal.

With the blood elves and havoc making more trouble than usual, magic no longer flowing freely in the Abyss, and angels massacring everything demonic they can get their holy hands on, the Balance has reached a tipping point. Time to take charge before the rules change.

What’s a dragon to do but create his own chaos? He’ll take a mate or two, instill fear where needed, and finally return dragonkind to the Ordinary—the human lands—where a dragon will decide the fate of the worlds.

Because he’s king, and he says so.

Warning: Contains a dragon king challenged by a devious demon and an alluring, not-so-human human. Expect carnal hunger only a king can satisfy, and heat only a dragon can generate.

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REVIEW: THE DRAGON KING is the fourth installment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult Ethereal Foes fantasy romance series. This is Dragon King Jentaron, demon Zelec, and human female Ella Nelson’s story line. THE DRAGON KING can be read as a standalone without too much difficulty; the author reveals some background information and history where necessary for cohesion and fluidity .

NOTE: THE DRAGON KING contains M/M/F, M/F/M, M/M and M/F sexual situations.

Told from several third person perspectives including Jentaron, Zelec and Ella, THE DRAGON KING focuses on an upcoming war between the supernatural powers and the enemy known as the Hunger. Ella is a human whose own ‘hidden powers and psychic gift’ begin to manifest as the impending war draws near, and with it the draw of not one but two potential supernatural mates who both claim Ella as their own. When several strange incidences and supernatural attacks begin to surface upon the different realms of heaven, the Ordinary, and the lower realm, Jentaron calls the leaders of the supernatural powers together to prepare for the possible ‘end of the world’. What ensues is a mating between our three leading characters that strengthens the power within the Dragon King. We will learn that Ella and Zelec are more than what they present to be, and it is their combined powers that will help the Dragon King survive the upcoming battle.

The relationship between our leading characters is quick to build as Zelec and Jentaron realize that Ella is not only their mutual mate, but they too, are one another’s mates as well. Ella is not surprised by the world of the supernatural, and she immediately accepts what it is she needs to do. . Jentaron is a young dragon; a blue dragon-the only one of his kind in over 10,000 years-and a dragon who has found not one, but two mates to call his own. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive, graphically erotic with same sex, multiple partners and M/F sexual situations.

The DRAGON KING has a large ensemble cast of characters. All of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting roles: Eve and Jentaron’s brother and Guardian Ranton (The Dragon’s Demon #1); Duncan and Sapphira (Duncan’s Descent #2); James, havoc creature from the lower realm Kihra and Dragon prince Teban (Havoc and Hell #3). Marie Harte adds demons and angels, the Fallen and Nephilim (children of angels and humans), humans and dragons to her list of cast and characters. Books one and two were rereleased in 2015, while books three and four are new releases in the same year.

THE DRAGON KING is a passionate story line that, at times, got lost in the numerous cast of characters and their connections to once another- some of these connections are revealed within the story line while others have been revealed earlier in the series. There are moments of heartbreak and sorrow; humor and fun; romance, love and sexual exploration. The premise is entertaining; the characters are colorful, larger than life, and charismatic; the romance is a fantasy come true.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Sandy