Review: Not your mother's Dragon...
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 24, 2013
I highly anticipated reading the continuing saga of Ramsey Stone and Jezebel Carter- especially after that epic cliffhanger  that concluded The Masseuse. As I began reading The Dragon, I got the sense early on that this was a totally different story; the tone was darker and while there were plenty of steamy sexual encounters between Ramsey and Jez I felt as if the passion that was the hallmark of The Masseuse was lurking just below the surface. True to the nature of their lives now, they are in different spaces and that is very prevalent in their interactions with each other. It is almost as if they can't trust each other, much less open themselves up to allow the healing to begin and at times, it becomes tedious. I kept wondering when they were going to actually have a cohesive conversation about where they were at and just when they were on the precipice, they either delved into petty arguments or sex. Relationships are not cookie cutter to say the least but there must be some effort. I just felt that Ramsey and Jez were phoning it in. That isn't to say that their journey isn't enjoyable to read; the suspense was  believable and the twist was the perfect kink in the armor. I just wanted more reason to invest in Ramsey and Jez's relationship- yes, they're having a child together, Ramsey put a ring on it, and they love each other but it seems to be merely a facade of what they could be.With that said, I really enjoyed reading The Dragon. The conflict and duality was visceral; Ramsey's vendetta of vengeance, bar none, was exquisitely conveyed and Jezebel's uncertainty ( to a point) was believable. I will say that I did find Jez's actions, at times, to be more on the level  of a child having a tantrum and less like the woman who needed to take responsibility and charge for what  was going on in her life. She seemed to have more invested in the fact that she had to give up her position as the CEO than settling the matters of the heart.  Despite this, I couldn't put the book down. That's what I love about Violette Dubrinksy's work; she's not afraid to show us the icky parts of relationships that work that last nerve . Some characters just need that moment to work it out and Violette is such an awesome writer that she allows them the space they need to fix those issues.As always, I stand in awe of Violette Dubrinksy's talent and will continue to read as long as she continues to write!Great work!