Kiss of Fire: A Dragonfire Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

A book was never posted faster to an Amazon Wish List until Vamp Fan Girl saw the cover for Deborah Cooke's 'Kiss of Fire'. Learning that the book featured a hunky dragon shape-shifter and all his hot dragon buddies and it was a definite must have! Boy was I disappointed.

The book could have been really good. In fact, I thought it started off great during the first thirty pages. Sara Keegan is the proud, but somewhat reluctant new owner of her deceased aunt's New Age book store. With a past life as an account, Sara is reasonably skeptical about hocus-pocus. But, when she is saved from a would be murderer by a giant dragon who shape-shifts into a hot guy, she can totally deal. Wonderfully enough, Sara does not become one of those pathetic hysterical heroines who refuse to face the reality that they're the lead in a paranormal romance. So, as you can imagine, I was quite relieved that sensible Sara didn't freak out and instead started having hot fantasies about her hero, Quinn Tyrrell, who unknowingly to Sara, can see her desires being played out in her mind. I say "see" because he cannot read thoughts; he can only see Sara's fantasies.

Quinn, known as the Smith, is a member of a race of shape-shifting dragons called the Pyr. Within the Pyr is a rebel faction bent on destroying all of mankind known as the Slayers. With an affinity for metals Quinn withdrawals himself from his race for two centuries because of his tragic past filled with betrayal. Quinn distrusts any member of the Pyr, whether they are good or evil. But when Quinn saves his mate Sara from a murdering slayer, he realizes that he might need help to keep her safe.

I love a tortured hero plotline!

The sexual tension between Sara and Quinn is really intense in the beginning. They are experiencing a "firestorm" which is a dragon's version of a mating heat. Sparks literally fly when these two touch. I really liked the idea of a firestorm. Again Sara is not alarmed by the heat that makes her sweat profusely every time she is in the vicinity of Quinn. The storm only makes her want Quinn more. Despite what could have been really good tension built up over two hundred pages the author destroys it within 60. Sara and Quinn zoom past first and second base with nary a kiss before languishing at third. In fact, Sara probably would have screamed in pleasure on the way to home if the two didn't have a scheduled meeting with Quinn's Pyr buddies. Because of this I felt cheated. I never really felt that Quinn and Sara were in love. I think that more than anything, they just had the hots for one another. Yes, okay this is a plot device in most, if not all, romance novels, but generally this occurs only in the begining. Eventually true love and passion are experienced but I just didn't feel it in this particular novel.

The action in the book was excellent. Plus, the rest of Quinn's Pyr members looked really interesting, especially Rafferty's heartbreaking desire for his own firestorm.

Anyway, the reason why I gave this book three stares is because I think the author can and will do better on the next addition to the series. Ms. Cooke really had all the elements of a good novel but instead she cheated the characters out of what could have been a real emotional and passionate love story. I intend to pick up her next installment, 'Kiss of Fury' in August of 2008.

Quinn Tyrrell has been alone for centuries. Having watched his family die a horrendous death by fire and having witnessed the demise of his best friend and mentor, he figures being alone is better than being vulnerable. And to Quinn, being in love means being at risk and that is something that he never wants to experience again. As a shape shifting dragon, Quinn is the Smith - able to forge metal and take blasts of fire. Quinn is also coming into what is known as his firestorm. His chosen mate? Sara Keegan, a human.

Sara Keegan left the hustle and bustle of the big city after the death of her parents in order to slow down and enjoy life. Having inherited her favorite aunt's bookstore, Sara just wants to get the books in order and have some sort of order. While Magda, Sara's aunt, was a firm believer in all things magical and psychic, Sara herself does not believe. Attacked one night while leaving her store, Sara swears she saw her rescuer take the form of a dragon. In the blink of an eye however, Sara sees Quinn Tyrrell, a man unlike any she has ever met before.

The firestorm is coming and while Sara begins to believe in the unbelievable, Quinn just wants to keep her safe. As destined mates, more is at hand than a simple mating. Quinn must battle one he thought dead in an epic battle of good versus evil. It will take every bit of his fire skill for Quinn to overcome the complete evil that is following him - but if anyone can do it, the Smith can.

I am going to be honest and say that I initially choose a book based on its cover. Seeing the cover of KISS OF FIRE on Deborah Cooke's website intrigued me greatly. After reading the blurb I admit I was somewhat disconcerted. While I like shape shifters, dragons are not my usual shifting genre of choice. Suffice to say, I will never again disregard a book about shape shifting dragons - especially if the book is written by Deborah Cooke. From beginning to end KISS OF FIRE held me enchanted. Over the course of an entire day all I could do was sit and read. Quinn Tyrrell was not a typical hero for me. He was solitary. He wasn't that thrilled with being a dragon. He basically wanted to be left alone to live his life alone. His destiny came in the form of a tiny human named Sara who rocked his entire world off its foundation. While Sara and Quinn were destined mates, it took more than a few mere words to make Sara a believer. I have to say though, she bucked up under pressure and became the Seer she was meant to be. The fact that she and Quinn fell in love? Icing on a very powerful and fire breathing cake.

Deborah Cooke has definitely made me a fan. I am now lying in wait for the second book in this new and extremely exciting series called KISS OF FURY whose hero, Donovan, is introduced in KISS OF FIRE. August really needs to hurry!

I am a big paranormal fan - so it was with excitement that I picked up his book. I enjoy Claire Delacroix's historical romances. I love dragons - so I dove right in. However - I didn't realize that this was a contemporary urban fantasy novel and there was very little romance in it - and the character development was quite flawed.

For fans of Urban Fantasy genre I am sure that they will enjoy this story. Though I will admit that I did enjoy the world that Cooke has created where a race of the Pyr - ancient shape-shifting dragons that live amongst unsuspecting humans. The Pyr's main objective is to command all of Earth's elements and that includes the human race.

In this first installment of the Dragonfire series, Quinn Tyrell is Pyr. He is the Smith - the one who forges metals and turns them into precious objects.

Sara Keegan is attacked one night as she leaves her new age bookstore. What she thinks is someone mugging her for her purse turns out to be much worse. The man wants her life! Quinn arrives just in time to save her life and Sara is astonished to see two men shape shift into dragons and fight right in front of her eyes.

From then the story catapults into a decent paced and edgy story where Sara is caught in the middle of an ancient feud between the Pyr and the Slayers - dragons that have chosen to embrace the dark side - for complete world domination and the extermination of the human race. Sara is drawn into Quinn's world and into the Firestorm. Sara and Quinn are mates - he the Smith and she The Seer. Their Firestorm is about to begin. Each Pyr is pre-destined to meet their human mate as that is the only way that they can beget an heir and continue with their race.

Quinn has been a loner, unwilling to have any contact with the other Pyr. He has much to learn - if the Pyr want to succeed winning the brutal and venomous battle between them and the Slayers - Quinn has to join forces with his fellow brothers - as the Slayer's goal is to kill Sara and prevent conception of another Pyr.

The other Pyr characters are quite interesting - and I will read their stories when they are published. However - the character development between Sara and Quinn, though interesting, their supposed "spark" isn't that well illustrated. The description of their coming together is supposed to be an unbelievable and almost cataclysmic encounter. There is only one scene where Sara and Quinn finally come together to mate - it's disappointing and flat, specially after the hype has been built up throughout the novel.

I felt that the story was narrated and the focus of the novel revolved around the nasty fights and encounters between Pyr and Slayer and not the "Firestorm" between the two main characters. This is more an action/adventure/fantasy story, with a touch of a romance thrown in for good measure, than a paranormal romance. The character development between Sara and Quinn was almost none-existent - and the conflict was only focused on the fights between the good and bad guys.

I might read some of Deborah Cooke's books in the series, as some of the Pyr characters were interesting - especially Erik the leader of the Pyr. But as far as Urban Fantasy goes - am sticking to good old fashioned romances - paranormal yes ... urban fantasy - thank you - but not for me.

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