Made with love
© Victoria Gryson 2025
I never intended to bond with a dragon.
I definitely didn’t intend to become his wife.
Now I must wed the Crown Prince, a man who is as cruel as he is handsome.
Yet as soon as my dragon and I are presented to the king and queen, we are rejected.
My dragon is not big enough, not good enough, and neither am I.
So I’m shoved into the dragon rider corps to train to be a royal rider
And told to find a husband among them.
I know who I want. The four men who rescued me from ruin, who’ve protected me the entire time.
And I don’t want to take just one.
The problem is dragons are power in this country and the last time a woman took four riders as consorts, she was queen.
And Draven would never allow such a threat to his future reign exist.
This is a review after rereading the book (the first time was January 2023), and I have to say, I’d forgotten so much, but it was just as captivating as the first time! 😀
The story plunges us directly into Pippin’s harsh reality. Formerly Lady Pippa, now known as Pig, she’s struggling to survive after her greedy stepmother stripped her of her estate. Shunned and ridiculed by the town, she ekes out a living herding swine, desperately avoiding attention that could lead to robbery or worse.
All that changes when dragon riders fly into town, searching for someone to bond with an unhatched dragon queen-in-waiting.
Worldbuilding is good, unfolding naturally as the story progresses. There are no clunky info-dumps, just a steady, immersive expansion of the world. It was easy to get entirely immersed in this richly imagined setting. And, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love dragons? I loved it!
As we move on to the characters… where to start!? Pippin is no damsel in distress; while she has been raised as a lady, the last year has taught her a lot about how the world works, her part in it, and what she wants. And what she wants is to live her life, holding her head high. Her journey throughout this installment alone has been incredible. She and Glimmer, her dragon queen, are destined to be a formidable duo. Pippin possesses a strong will, a kind heart, and a sharp mind. Facing the growing threats in this world, she’ll need every bit of it.
Thankfully, she’s not alone. Surrounded by the dragon riders who found her, she always has someone at her back to help her. Ged, Soren, Brom, and Flynn are all part of the same Royal Wing and either help out in the Rider Corps or protect the land and its dragons from those who seek to exploit their power.
Their personalities are diverse, each with its own hopes and dreams, but they all want to be by Pippin’s side through everything. They might not say it or be as emotionally open as our boy Ged, but they’re always by her side.
And let’s not forget the magnificent dragons! Cloud Breaker, Glacier, Wraith, Obsidian, and Darkspire are truly awe-inspiring. With powers over elements such as fire, water, electricity, and acid, it is no wonder outsiders want to get their hands on them.
And then we have Prince Draven, Pippin’s would-be husband, had she and Glimmer not been rejected by the King and Queen. He’s closed off, aloof, and often cruel (though we glimpse his hidden depths towards the end).
How he will fit in with Pippin and the rest of the riders, is still a very big question indeed.
The pacing is solid, and while it might feel slow at times, it allows for a deeper exploration of Pippin’s relationships with the riders.
This book was well written with no (noticeable) errors. Spanning 498 pages and 64 chapters, it’s primarily told from Pippin’s perspective, with a brief epilogue from Draven’s point of view.
I’m eager for more interactions and insights into the dragon’s thoughts in the next installments, similar to what we’ve experienced with Pippin and Glimmer. How do the male riders perceive their bonds? Is there a difference due to Pippin and Glimmer’s gender? I hope we find out more in any case, and some more background would also be appreciated. And, of course, Draven’s story. He has a lot to explain, so I am looking forward to that 😀
On to the next!
© Victoria Gryson 2025