Review: Dragon’s Honor by Nora Phoneix

Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

This is the second book in the Irresistible Dragons series, and the books do need to be read in order. As such, there may be mild spoilers for the previous book within this review

Jermon, an alpha dragon, doesn’t regret leaving the castle and joining his brother, nor does he disagree with the 50 months of servitude the dragons have pledged to the packs for their clan’s misdeeds. But he is having trouble finding his place, and that, coupled with his insecurities, has him feeling very unsteady. He feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere, he’s still not allowed to shift, and people are scared of him. Jermon lucks out, however, when he’s told to shadow Wilmer, the veterinarian. Not only is Wilmer easy on the eyes, but they get along well, and Jermon finally feels like he’s contributing.

Wilmer is an alpha wolf who joined the Hightower pack to get distance from an old lover, but he loves what he does and is passionate about it. He doesn’t think much of having one of the dragons shadowing him, and ends up pleasantly surprised by Jermon’s willing nature and aptitude. Wilmer is laid back and easy going anyway, and he definitely feels a connection with Jermon. He also feels a connection with Riordan, an omega wolf, so when Riordan comes to him with a request, Wilmer readily agrees.

Riordan was held captive by the dragons, and though it wasn’t long before his alpha rescued him and nothing too terrible happened, he came away from the ordeal with PTSD. When being in close quarters with the dragons sends him into a panic attack, Riordan speaks with the pack psychiatrist, who recommends controlled exposure, since Riordan wants to be comfortable with the dragons. Riordan asks Jermon to spend time with him, and for Wilmer to be there too. He trusts Wilmer, and having an alpha there he’s comfortable with will make him feel safer.

The three men find it easy to spend time together, and though Riordan is still a little bit afraid, they all find a connection. The more time the three spend together, the closer they get, and when Riordan’s heat hits, he asks both Wilmer and Jermon to help him through it. When it’s all over, the three men know they are supposed together, even going so far as to believe they are fated mates.

But there is trickery afoot, and the dragons are faced with problems on the horizon. In attempt to bring allies to them, they call on their magic. But it also brings them to the attention of enemies. When an attack on the pack puts them all in danger, the Hightower pack, along with their dragons, fight for what is theirs. But an injury may threaten the new relationship between Wilmer, Riordan, and Jermon.

Some points to make note of before I get into the review. The Irresistible Dragons series must be read in order, as the larger plot builds with each book. This series is a spinoff from the author’s Irresistible Omega series, and while it’s not strictly necessary to have read that series before this one, it definitely helps. Like Dragon’s Mate, this book begins with a prologue that provides history from the distant past that foreshadows events within this book. It also ends on a cliffhanger, with the next book slated for release in December, and featuring these three MCs again. More on that later. And lastly, this series seems to follow the same format as Irresistible Omegas in that, while this threesome is the main focus, there are a lot of other things going on, and therefore other characters get scenes and chapters from their POV as well.

I very much enjoyed these three MCs and how they interacted with each other. This is definitely a case where three very different people come together and actually work. Wilmer’s laid back and easy going nature goes a long way to soothe the other two. Riordan has such a huge heart, and he wants to do whatever he can to work through his issues and be comfortable with his packmates. Jermon, for me, was the most complex character. He’s working through centuries of isolation, not to mention a culture where same sex relationships are taboo. As well as the fact that alphas are supposed to be with omegas, and no other pairing is acceptable. He’s got insecurities, but he’s such a sweetheart. And I loved how both Wilmer and Riordan supported him as he worked through all of that. The chemistry between the three works so well, sparking from the start, and only growing as the story progressed. As this is a paranormal, there’s a suspension of disbelief needed. However, Phoenix does a great job showcasing each character, and it’s easy to see why they want to be together.

But while the romance is brewing, there’s a lot going on around them. There’s a tertiary plotline with Rhene and Erwan, the alpha pair leading the pack, and an offer of surrogacy that had an extremely satisfying outcome. I loved seeing the day to day life of the pack, and how they are all making their way. But it’s not without danger. With the dragons’ arrival, new enemies are revealed, and finding out who they are is a paramount. The lore, background, and history plays a big part in this story. Phoenix strikes a good balance between the romance and suspense and action plot, with the later not overwhelming the first. But there’s key information doled out throughout the book that leads up to the action packed final chapters. I couldn’t read fast enough for the final quarter of the book, needing to know how it would all turn out. It’s clear the danger is just beginning.

I need to talk about the ending of the book, and why it was disappointing to me, but I’m going to put it under a spoiler tag so as not to give away a key element of the ending.

I will say that I understand why the author made this choice, and I have faith that it’ll be resolved well in the next book. It’s not going to stop me from continuing on. And it’s definitely a major cliff from which to leave the reader dangling. Fortunately, there’s only a few months until the next installment.

All in all, this was a good addition to the series. There are a lot of layers, and the plot advances nicely. Phoenix struck just the right balance between featuring the three MCs, while also including a lot of other details. The action was well done, and the romance pulled at my heartstrings. Despite my personal qualm with the ending, I’m definitely looking forward to more in this series.