4.5 Wine Glass #Review of Soulfire by Juliette Cross

  

Title: Soulfire: A Dragon Fantasy Romance
Series: Nightwing #1
Author: Juliette Cross
Format: Kindle Edition, 172 pages
Published: September 10th 2018 (first published October 20th 2014)
ISBN: ASIN B07FXJHMLB
Links: Goodreads  | Amazon
Reviewer: Linda
Source: Amazon
Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 Wine Glasses

In a world divided by prejudice and hatred, only love can bridge the chasm.

Tensions are rising in the Gladium Province. The boundary between humans and Morgons has begun to blur. While the human aristocracy strives to maintain distance between their daughters and the dragon-hybrid race, fate has other plans.

As the daughter of the corporate king, Jessen Cade is duty-bound to honor her arranged marriage to a man she detests. Feeling trapped by family duty and a loveless future, she longs for more, straying to the Morgon side of the city.

Lucius Nightwing is the eldest son of the powerful Morgon clan, and the greatest enemy of Jessen’s father. When a bar-room brawl thrusts Jessen into his arms, his dragon roars to the surface, craving to sate his carnal hunger in the brown-eyed beauty. The beast in Lucius recognizes her as his own, even if the man refuses to admit the truth.

Your Thoughts:
“I have the compelling need to press my lips to yours. To see if they taste as sweet as they look. I don’t want to, and yet” – he brushed the pad of his thumb along my lower lips, then the top – “I’ve never kissed a human woman.”

My breath came shallow and quick. “I’ve never kissed a Morgon man.”

Soulfire marks the electric debut of Juliette Cross’ Nightwing series which features hot half-dragon alphas in a world of intolerant humans. With Juliette at the helm, you can count on a swoony romance with oodles of heated sexual tension in an engrossing, well-written plotline.

This tale takes place in Gladium Province, a world where the two races have prospered while segregated, but the half-breed dragon clans are now taking up residence and fighting for their rights in what were exclusively human areas. Some humans are fascinated by the powerful, mystical beings – supporting their business ventures and socializing with them in their off-hours. Others are fighting acceptance of the hybrids at every turn. Soulfire is the story of Lucious Nightwing, the oldest son of the Morgan dragon clan, and Jessen Cade, the daughter of a powerful businessman who detests the hybrids.

Jessen’s father has betrothed her to a man she can’t stand - the entitled, sadistic son of his business associate.  He expects Jessen to comply without question and become a dutiful wife. Her happiness is not a consideration. However, Jessen has a mind of her own and rebels by visiting a thriving, jiving nightclub on the Morgon side of town with her friends where she first lays her eyes on Lucious when he is called upon to break up a fight initiated by Jessen’s fiancé. As a Morgan, Lucious is off-limits to Jessen even though she is strongly attracted to him from the start. But, that doesn’t mean that her heart concurs with her father’s ban.

Lucious is a sexy, huge, forceful man who has always planned to mate with his kind. But, when he steps in to be Jessen’s knight - rescuing her from the dangerous situation in his club- his dragon immediately recognizes the siren call of his mate. AND, even though Lucious tries to stay away and to get her out of his mind, Lucious’ dragon won’t let him ignore her alluring appeal, no matter the consequences to them both.

I thoroughly enjoyed the mythological lore associated with the dragons including their historical origins and even how their wing color denotes their clan. Jessen and Lucious are wonderful characters - snaring my heart from the get-go. Their story is a fractured paranormal retelling of Romeo’s and Juliet’s forbidden love– but, this time, they get their happy ever after. Their banter is flirty fun. Lucious is very protective and supportive of Jessen, but not suppressingly so.

Following please find a few of my favorite lines from Soulfire:

 “Maybe you are a goddess. A witch more like.”

“Witches aren’t real.”

“No? Then why do I feel like I’m under a spell, as if something is gripping me, and I’m helpless to free myself.” 
--- 

“When he lifted a hand toward my face, I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, wanting his touch in that moment more than I’d wanted anything.”
--- 

“He gripped my arms from behind, steadying me, his body a wall of tantalizing heat.” “Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.”

“Funny, because he just did.” 

I initially discovered Juliette when I happened to pick up her Vampire Blood fractured fairy tale series last year. I’m so grateful I did as those books were pure awesomeness and I’ve been inhaling her works ever since!

Soulfire is a great introduction to this new magical setting teeming with heart, passion and prejudices.  It is a quick, fast-paced read that I couldn’t put down until I’d read every word. You should know that if you have previously enjoyed this series, you may want to re-read it now that Juliette is re-releasing the books with a few amazing new additions.

Steamy paranormal romance? Check! Sexy dragon men? Yum! Let there be no doubt that I will be continuing with this fantasy series.



Suggested Reading Order: 
Soulfire (Book #1)
Windburn (Book #2)
Nightbloom (Book #3)