Review: Forbidden by Fate - Kristin Miller

Forbidden By Fate

Sasha, a love-thirsty werewolf and rightful heir to the Were throne, is ready to take control over her pack. But when her first love, dragon shifter Damon Frost, lands on her doorstep, demanding their races negotiate ownership over Feralon’s hot springs, he makes her question more than the fight for the enchanted neutral ground. No matter the emotions bubbling inside her, Sasha can’t become involved with Damon. Not now. Not ever again.

Forbidden to step foot onto Were land after a romp with the Were Alpha’s daughter as a teenager, Damon Frost has bided his time, waiting for the day when he’d be accepted back onto Were land. Using the hot spring negotiation as a way to get closer to Sasha, Damon plans to use every minute alone to remind her of the passion they shared—a passion they could ignite again.

One night of ecstasy stands between them and the fight for the springs. One night of revealing glances, skin searing chemistry, and erotic desires they’d long buried.

Will one taste of forbidden love be enough to satiate their desires? Or will the need to explore the depths of their love unleash a Were-Draco war?

When I saw the words dragon shifter on the blurb, I knew I had to read this. Dragons, well, there's a soft spot.

This is an explicit romance between a werewolf princess (sort of) and a dragon shifter. Sasha and Damon are of two different, hostile races, but they manage to find love in the neutral territory on the island of Feralon. When Sasha becomes of age and a full pack member, her father the Alpha forbids her from seeing Damon ever again. Years later when that neutral territory might cease to be neutral, they meet again and reconnect.

What has Damon been doing all these years, and how has Sasha fared with the potential mates thrust upon her?

This time I was expecting it, I swear I was. So, when the story starts with a steamy sex scene, I'm thinking yes, oh yes but-but-but--it's a dream. Phew!

Anonymous trysts aren't for me, I truly need to know more about the characters to enjoy it. And that's my main problem with this novella. Most of the sex is at the beginning or at least in the first half of the book. The plot and characterisations aren't addressed until later in the text at which point I'm finally diving into the world.

I like that Damon shifts into a real dragon instead of some pathetic dragon human hybrid (I've read one of those), and I like the fact that Sasha is expected to take over as Alpha after her father. This of course doesn't stop the men of the pack from dreaming of a coup through mating with her, but these aspects are only hinted at. I'm not so sure about one of the other pack aspects, according to which an Alpha can only force a pack member to obey his orders after they've turned eighteen.

We don't get to see nearly enough of the dragon side of the island for my liking, and the third race, Merfolk, are only mentioned in passing. The world building was disappointing in a sense that I wanted to know more. There simply wasn't room for it, but I wanted it explored further.

What there was room for, was roughly divided into three parts: sex, reclaiming their relationship, and the hostilities between the two races. In that order. I thought Miller struck the balance between the three quite well, but I still think the sex should have come after.

Series:         N/A
Pages:          87 (pdf)
Publisher:      Harlequin
Imprint:         Harlequin Cravings
Published:      July 1st 2012
Source:          Lit Connect

Note from Blodeuedd: Come back on Wednesday when Rameau interviews Kristin