FICTION

Dark Heat: The Dark Kings Stories

by Donna Grant
St. Martin's. Jan. 2014. 448p. ISBN 9781250043788. pap. $7.99; ebk. ISBN 9781466848566. PARANORMAL ROMANCE
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The Dragon Kings are shape-shifting immortals who hide somewhat in plain sight at a distillery in Scotland, where they brood about the past and try to stay out of the way of the modern world. In "Dark Craving," the green Dragon King Hal breaks the spell blocking the kings from falling in love when he meets Cassie, a young woman who comes to Scotland to stay with her brother, who had disappeared. The red Dragon King Guy falls in love in "Night's Awakening" after rescuing London businesswoman Elena from a cave where her boss had trespassed and took her exploring. Then blue Dragon King Banan meets Jane, a secretary in the company the kings believe sent Elena's boss to spy on them, as the kings seek to find out who knows their secrets in "Dawn's Desire." A bonus story, "Passion's Claim," revisits Banan and Guy as they decide whether to commit to their newfound loves, or set the women free to live a normal life.
VERDICT The ongoing "Dark Kings" series is loosely tied to Grant's "Dark Warriors" and "Dark Sword" series, and brief mention of those titles is made in the last two stories here. The tales are fast paced and loosely plotted and leave several plot threads hanging. What happened to Cassie's brother? Who is conspiring against the Dragon Kings? What is happening with the Silver dragons and their king? One hopes these questions will be answered in the forthcoming Darkest Flame and Fire Rising (both 2014), but new readers may become frustrated at the repetitiveness of these pieces. Recommended only for libraries where Grant's previous series are popular.
Reviewed by Melanie C. Duncan, Shurling Lib., Macon, GA , Dec 27, 2013
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