To Have and to Hold by Mackenzie Lucas

Title:  To Have and To Hold

Series:  Derkesthai Dragon Mage (novella) Book 1

Author:  Mackenzie Lucas

Genre:  Romance

Blurb:  American-born heiress Cate Cooper never believed her sexy, stalwart English husband of two years, Grayson, could be a monster of epic proportions until he shifted into a fire-breathing dragon right in front of her eyes. After several near-miss encounters with the dragon who almost killed her, Cate trapped the beast in the attic using her own magickal skills as spell-caster and an enchanted chatelaine left to her by her grandparents. She agreed to give her husband one year in the magickal confines of their attic to battle the dragon within before she gives up on him for good. During the year Grayson Cooper has been trapped in his attic fighting for his life and his marriage, his best friend and legal partner, Michael James, seduces his wife and devises a plan to take over her fortune. If that’s not bad enough, clues in an intricate embezzlement scheme all point to Grayson, who, according to the world, disappeared without a trace the year before along with a million dollars. Only Grayson and Cate know the truth of where he’s been. In this paranormal romantic suspense novella, Grayson Cooper must embrace his dragon mage heritage, clear his sullied name, and save the only woman he’s ever truly loved from a ruthless villain bent on destroying him and Cate as well as the whole dragon mage race.

Thoughts:  This novella introduces us to a new world that involves dragon shifters, magic, mages, dragon “hoardes”, and just an all around new twist on your typical shifter story.  In the novel, Cate and Grayson are already married, and despite the fact that he lost control of his dragon when he first shifted and inadvertently injured her, she has stood by him for years.  Even though she has been forced to confine him until he learns to control his beast, she has still loved him all that time – but she has resigned herself to leaving him if he can’t get a handle on his dragon side.  The question is – with someone out to claim Cate for his own,  will Grayson be able to control the beast trying to dominate him?

There are so many interesting things going on with this story, the first of which is that they start out being married already – and have been happily married for a few years before Grayson discovers that he is a dragon shifter.  Most dragons shift when they are young, but Grayson doesn’t until well into his thirties, so they are both surprised when he changes.  The way their dragon society works, and the intricacies behind it make this a really interesting read.  And for a novella, Lucas manages to fit quite a bit of information in there!

Only downfall – sometimes it seems as if you are missing something.  You get the impression there was a previous book, or some kind of back story to it, but it turns out there isn’t. Is it enough to ruin the story?  Not at all.  However, I was looking forward to reading more about this series, so I think part of me was hoping there was a previous book!  I will just have to be satisfied with waiting for the release of From This Day Forward, which appears to be the next in the series with an as yet unreleased date for release.  Of course, there is always her Megiddo Mark series, about angels, God, guardians, and the battle between good and evil.  All of them are broken down into small parts for easy reading, so if you’re in the mood for a “quick fix” give this author a try!

Rate:  B