He guards a secret. She means to discover it.
Cole Barton is a sentry, living alone at the edge of a lake, keeping away all who would run afoul of the monster that lurks beneath its depths. At least, he keeps all away until Jude Drake arrives and refuses to be run off. The sexy, powerful, gold dragon shifter is more than a match for his own giant beast, and she seems intent on uncovering the secrets he wants to keep hidden. Even more unsettling, the lake monster is calling her, wanting to use her to break free from the sorcery that imprisons him. Cole would never allow his old leader to do that to any woman, but he’s particularly insistent that Jude not fall prey to the monster’s trap. Something about the gold dragon calls to Cole’s soul. The lake monster can’t have her. Cole will see to it, even if he has to deny his own heart and push Jude away.
Never again will he lose anyone he cares about to the monster.
Jude Drake knows why her cousin keeps sending her off to settle trouble around the country. Two gold dragons are too many for a single territory. Jude wants to settle down, though. She’s tired of her nomadic life, tired of cleaning up problems she had no part in making. She needs her own ground to rule, and with this lake territory she’s come to, she thinks she might have found it. The ground speaks to her, and she can see herself putting this broken clan back together. This is where she belongs, she’s sure of it—on this lakeshore, with this surly cabin rental manager.
Now if only she could convince the man and the land to give up their secrets and let her make her place here, she’s sure she could be happy.
Cole is the first book in Emilia Hartley’s Keepers & Legend series. Like all Emilia’s books, this one is steamy romance with a strong female lead, a super-hot male shifter, and a satisfying HEA. It can stand alone but is even better when read in connection with the others.
My Review……
Cole is the last of his clan and it’s his duty to protect everyone from the monster that lurks beneath the waters of the lake! He’s lonely and longs for company (and that doesn’t include Sybil the witch) but he can’t let anyone near the lake, it’s dangerous, so he scares off the locals and only takes tourists out to fish, he’s always careful, he’s always on guard.
But he knows his time is almost up, the beast will awaken soon, and the world will once again be in danger!
Jude is a gold dragon on a mission, her cousin has sent her out to discover the whereabouts of a missing clan of dragons. But she’s knows better, her cousin (the king) doesn’t want to kill her (gold dragons don’t share their territory well) and so sends her out as an emissary for him. She’s use to being on her own, but someday she wants to settle down and look after her own dragons (that’s what gold dragons do, protect and rule)
The lake calls to both the woman and the dragon as they land, it says home, but how can that be, she’s only here to find out what happened to the dragon clan, and then it’s off on another job.
Dragon shifters, well just the one until Jude joins Cole by the lakeside, a mystery that needs to be solved, and a love that might not happen!
Is there truth in the whispers Jude hears?
Fighting his attraction to Jude, Cole has a hard time remembering why, oh yeah, the monster in the lake, it tore his dragon family apart, and for his sins he’s now the guardian. So it’s imperative Cole makes Jude leave. Simple…..
As the lure of the lake calls to Jude, Cole has to make a few choices, does he tell her what happened at the lake ten years ago? Does he make her understand that’s it’s dangerous here. And can he claim the woman who stole his heart, or will he send her away to keep her safe, but break his heart?
I love this author I really do. And a new series to boot. This book was great, good storyline, great characters, a plot that will continue into the next book.
And a lovely surprise the dragons are related to a dragon clan in a different series the author wrote (Aurum Court Dragons)
The only issue I have…..can we cut down on some of the angst!! I love a sad story, I love the emotions it pulls from you, but when it feels like an up full climb, I sort of lose interest…..
But saying that, I can’t wait to read the next book…..
🦋
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