Review: ,,,a very enjoyable read.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 20, 2014
Stop Dragon My Heart Around is the perfect blend of sizzling romance, yummy dragon shifters, danger and intrigue. This is Susannah Scott’s second book featuring a group of dragon shifters who own and operate the opulent Crown Jewel Hotel and Casino on the ritzy Las Vegas strip.The characters will find their way into your heart. Our hero, dragon lieutenant Leonidas “Leo” Ryan, is every woman’s dream. He’s Australian and often mistaken for Chris Hemsworth’s Thor character. Leo utterly stole my heart. I want him! Leo fights his attraction to Tee because if he followed his heart and chose to be with Tee without his mate’s mark, Leo’s dragon would not survive. I loved watching Leo try to resist Tee.Our heroine, Tallulah “Tee” Alameda, is a Native American from the Paiute Tribe. Tee works as a high-roller host for the Crown Jewel. As a host, Tee caters to her gambler clients and competes with other hosts for bonuses. The competition is brutal. Tee lives off the reservation but devotes most of her earnings towards increasing the educational opportunities on the reservation where her father is the Chief. Tee dreams of being with Leo but he sends her mixed signals. One minute he’s passionately kissing her, cupping her buttocks or fondling her leg under her skirt and the next, he’s nowhere to be found. I laughed out loud when Tee fancied asking him: “Are ya glad to see me, or is that a roll of poker chips in your pants?” When Tee said she “has a plan” to break through Leo’s defenses, memories of the A-Team came to my mind. Hannibal used to refer to their plan at the conclusion of many an A-Team TV show when he would say: “I love it when a plan comes together.” My premonition said that Leo was in deep trouble.One of my favorite scenes involved Tee’s reaction when she found out that dragons were in charge of the casino: “The dragons live in the casino? Tee’s eyes widened and alarm coursed through her. My God, it’s like the Rocky Horror Picture Show.”It was obvious that the author diligently researched the Las Vegas environs and brought that realism to her book. The heroine’s Native American heritage figured prominently in the story as the plot delved into tribal traditions, what constitutes a tribe, the socioeconomic difficulties faced by the tribes, and the dichotomy between tribal traditions and progress.Before I read this book, I thought that a whale was a large marine mammal. Now I know that a whale is also another term for a high roller in the casino industry. These whales receive lavish “comps” from the casinos to lure them onto the gambling floors. Salaries of employees often contain incentive arrangements to bring in high rollers. Hosts compete for and steal clients from other hosts and strive to lure whales away from other casinos enticing them with “comps.” Wow!Stop Dragon My Heart Around can be read as a standalone but I suggest reading the 1st book first. Luck of the Dragon was the author’s debut novel and a very enjoyable read. Many of the characters make appearances in both books. Reading them in order would enhance your enjoyment of both books.Bottomline: The author’s writing is top-notch. The word building and character development are first rate. The love scenes are super sexy but tasteful. If you are looking for a fun romance with smokin’ hot chemistry and a happy ever after that will leave your face sore from smiling, then look no further than Stop Dragon My Heart Around.-Reviewed by Linda Townsend