The Dragon of Cecil Court (The Treasure of Paragon #5)

Why run from love? Ten years ago, twenty-year-old Clarissa Black ran away from her centuries-old dragon lover when he offered her protection, power, and everlasting love. Nathaniel had rescued Clarissa, an orphan and a street singer, and nurtured her own latent powers as a witch. But haunted by a past where every happiness had ended in loss, she wasn’t ready to trust, to settle down, or to be his mate. Fueled by her magical talent, Clarissa became a famous pop superstar. That is, until her voice is attacked by dark magic. Now, she has no choice but to turn to her ex-boyfriend for help. Unfortunately, he hasn’t forgotten, nor forgiven, her abandonment.

On the surface, “The Dragon of Cecil Court” may appear to be a standard second-chance romance. But there is an amazing treasure trove of intrigue, action, humour, magic, and emotional depth compacted within its pages. This may be due to the placement of Nathaniel and Clarissa’s story as the middle book within a captivating series, bringing with it a well-developed fantasy world, a sinister nemesis lurking in the background, and lots of interesting secondary characters. Rest assured that it reads very well as a stand-alone, nonetheless. Genevieve Jack delivers all of this fabulousness with fast pacing, an engaging tone and an insightful balance of humour and thoughtfulness. Nathaniel and Clarissa quickly become very realistic and likeable characters and, despite their own denials, their indelible bond screams for acknowledgement. For readers whose hearts pound faster at the thought of dragons, witches, fairies and wizards, this one is not to be missed.

Joan Lai