Title: Her First Taste of Fire
Author: Kristen Painters
Series: Shadowvale #5
Pages: 297
Nasha Black has never told anyone in Shadowvale about her curse. Everyone assumes she is only there because her father is one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She finds one cure for her curse though, the chocolate that dragon-shifter Charlie Ashborne makes. She just has to pretend to be his fiance before the dragon council to get the recipe for it.
Fake relationships are one of my favorite tropes to read, especially in a paranormal romance. This book was just a wonderful, and perfectly timed, read that I couldn’t put down. Nasha has been a character that has appeared throughout this series and I have always been interested in learning more about, especially with who her father is. She was a surprisingly resourceful, strong, and determined woman. We have only seen her baker side before this but she is a powerful woman.
Charlie is a dragon shifter who is being forced into marriage, hence the fake engagement to get out of it. I really loved learning more about him and his curse. He struggles with letting people in because of how his family acted towards him about it. I just loved watching him fall in love with Nasha during the dragon trials, especially when he frequently commented on how he loved how strong and powerful she was. He was never afraid of her or her powers. He just accepts everything about her and it was wonderful.
Another great thing about this book was the friendships that they gained during the dragon trials. I loved all the friends they made and how they all stood up for Charlie and Nasha. I do hope we see more of them in future books because I want to know more, especially about Laz.
Overall, this was a great addition to the series! I can’t wait to read the next one.
Previous books and reviews in the series:
Red-Haired Ash Reads 