Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken

Author: G.A. Aiken

Title: Dragon Actually
Publication: September 1st, 2008
Publisher: Zebra
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5 out 5

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Synopsis: It's not always easy being a female warrior with a nickname like Annwyl the Bloody. Men tend to either cower in fear-a lot-or else salute. It's true that Annwyl has a knack for decapitating legions of her ruthless brother's soldiers without pausing for breath. But just once it would be nice to be able to really talk to a man, the way she can talk to Fearghus the Destroyer. Too bad that Fearghus is a dragon, of the large, scaly, and deadly type. With him, Annwyl feels safe-a far cry from the feelings aroused by the hard-bodied, arrogant knight Fearghus has arranged to help train her for battle. With her days spent fighting a man who fills her with fierce, heady desire, and her nights spent in the company of a magical creature who could smite a village just by exhaling, Annwyl is sure life couldn't get any stranger. She's wrong. And just wait until you meet the rest of the family?

Thoughts: This story is different than most romance novels. Lets start with the female lead, Annwyl. She is one of the most kick-ass characters you'll ever read. Nothing gets past her... she's a warrior, and would like to die as one. In other romance novels, the women can be independent and say "I don't need men", then fall in love with one (plot for every book), but Annwyl is a serious "If I find a man I'm going to battle him first." This might turn people off, but don't get your undies in a bunch just yet. Her hard personality has some humor factors in it as well. She makes friends with a dragon, who saves her from battle. He becomes her best friend, and he's one of the few she trusts.

The male lead -- Fearghus -- is the grumpiest out of his siblings. The day he met Annwyl his life was turned around. He's a straight forward male who doesn't know how to handle women. He disguises himself as a human in order to train her for the biggest battle of her life. She doesn't realize that the dragon and human are the same person, so she bitches to her "knight" (the name she deemed him with) by day, then bitches about Knight to Fearghus at night.

Both of them together become humorous and addicting to read. What makes it interesting is the play fighting. They get along best when they're arguing, which is something people aren't used to. It has a charm, and you'll understand the humor once you get into the book. Yes, they're both hard-asses, but that's what makes them bread and butter. You should read for the storyline, which moves at a great pace. I definitely recommend it.