One monstrous moment…and I fall for the dragon shifter…literally!
Title: The Longing (Monster Romance)
Author: Hattie Jacks
Page Count: 282
MY RATINGS:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One monstrous moment…and I fall for the dragon shifter…literally
Falling through a portal to the realm of the Yeavering was not in my life plan, but neither was being chased by my aunt with a gun.
Falling straight into the arms of a dragon shifter wasn't on the cards either…but here we are.
The Lambton Wyrm is the most dangerous, most feral of all the monsters in the Yeavering and he has decided I belong to him.
Which, as he has no idea what I am, or what to do with me, is not ideal. Neither is the curse binding him, the one which says I am his fated mate, and the only way he gets to stay alive is if he breeds with me…
As if my day could get any worse…I have to teach the Lambton Wyrm all about mating, without being accidentally eaten by the big growly grump, regardless of how desirable he might be with his chiselled good looks and abs for days...
Looks like things are about to get interesting.
I did not ask for a fated mate, the Yeavering gave one to me.
And this one is my mortal enemy, a human.
She is not like me. Her anatomy is wrong and she smells…clean. But she is the key to unlocking my curse.
So I strip her of all weapons, including the strange holster on her chest and wait. Providing we share a bed, she will be mated and my curse lifted. Or at least that is what I was taught by my books. So when the human tells me it is not so, why should I believe her?
No matter how good she smells, humans have killed Wyrms for centuries. I cannot give in to the way my heart flips in my chest whenever she is near.
Until the day I discover exactly what mating is…
Forced proximity
Grumpy/sunshine
Fated mates
IYTHIKY
Cinnamon roll MMC
and so much more!
The Longing is the first book in the Monsters of the Yeavering series by USA TODAY Bestselling Author Hattie Jacks. This retelling of the old tale of the Lambton Wyrm with a monster romance twist will charm, delight and heat you up in all the right places.
The series features monsters from the myths and legends of ancient Northumberland in the North East of England and is written in British English. It's also chock full of steam and spice, like all her books. Full CW/TW on the author's website.
ARC Review Confession:
I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy of this book, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity! I was really excited because it’s a dragon shifter (monster) x human spicy romance, which is one of my absolute favorite tropes.
However, I have to admit… Fenrother’s tantrums in the early chapters really got under my skin. I even thought… if I were Alice, I’d just leave him in that castle and jump off into whatever unknown dark creatures are waiting for me in the veil! I even thought this monster romance wasn’t for me, so I considered not finishing it. In fact, I hadn’t even finished reading the story by the time the ARC review was due.
It might sound strange, but two days after the book officially came out, I felt like the story was “calling me.” You know that feeling when you’re standing deep in the woods… then someone is calling YOU from the darkness? I’m not even joking, haha! I felt like it was “calling” me to read it again.
So, I decided to give it another chance and really concentrate. I don’t know why, but I felt like I’d be betraying my love for monster romance if I didn’t finish it. What happened next completely changed my mind. Taking me from nearly DNF’ing this story to giving it a solid 5-star rating!
Give Fenrother a Chance! Yes, Maam! I completely understand Fenrother seems annoying at first. BUT, if you stick with him and let him show you his true self, you’ll understand him better.
1. You’ll witness how his feelings for Alice slowly and positively evolve.
2. You’ll understand his background.
3. You’ll discover his real purpose in the story.
4. IMPORTANT! Most especially, give him a chance to hear his side. Understand why he has this unique way of referring to a specific thing (such as PIZZLE) and why he seems so innocent about certain intimate topics.
I promise you (coming from my own experience), if you keep turning those pages…. Boombayah! You’ll realize Fenrother isn’t as bad as you thought he was in the beginning. In fact, once you get to know his full story and see how his character develops, you might just find yourself completely charmed by him. You as a reader, will see a depth and complexity YOU NEVER EXPECTED.
The entire plot of this story is fantastic. There’s no doubt it’s well-written. Yes, I’m not an expert or a beta reader, but to be honest… I found the writing to be perfectly fine. I’m not sure why some readers found it difficult to read. Or perhaps it’s just me. I mean, I’m not usually bothered by minor errors in the book I am reading. If the book is good, then it’s all good. Make sure to read the author’s warning before you start, so you know what’s coming.
——–
NOTE: This is my personal opinion about the book. My goal is to share my experience, not to change anyone’s perspective. I received a free copy of this book from Hattie Jacks and am voluntarily leaving a review.