Scales and Sensibility

I was hoping for "Austen meets Pratchettian swamp dragons" in this novel set in fantasy Regency England. I did not get that. All the characters felt one-dimensional, the obstacles contrived, and the dearth of shoulder dragon world-building disappointing. How do you breed them, train them, show them? Nothing! Romance fans who like fantasy may enjoy this, but it's becoming apparent that I don't appreciate some (many?) of the standard romance tropes and it might not be the genre for me.

A regency romp of a story as our heroine tries to save herself from the actions of horrid relatives she’s beholden to, with the help (or hindrance) of a magical dragon she befriends. I’d like to see where the series goes and for it to get a little more unexpected, as long as we still have a happily ever after ending. But for now a perfect thing for a lighter read with a coffee and some cake on a Sunday afternoon - especially one where I’m exhausted after more marathon training ☺️. Was well worth me buying. Author is on the fediverse as @stephanieburgis@wandering.shop.

This was incredibly cute and a fun read. Of course, I'm a sucker for anything with a cute magical pet in it, and our two protagonists were lovely, but I think my favorite character in the book was the poor scholarly Mr. Aubrey, beset on all sides by people insisting on him participating in society, the horror! (I have often felt the same, Mr. Aubrey.) So, since it seems he's one of the protagonists in the sequel, I may jump right on in there for my next read.