Dark Embers by Tessa Adams

Title: Dark Embers
Author: Tessa Adams (aka. Tracy Wolff)
Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Penguin Books
Series: A Dragon's Heat Novel #1
Review At: ATM, Goodreads, Amazon

~*~Synopsis from Goodreads~*~

Prince Dylan MacLeod is one of the last pure-blood dragon shape- shifters-and ruler of a dying race, the Dragonstar clan. It falls to him to protect his people and their ancient magic. But he has one important duty: to provide an heir...

Like all dragons, Dylan, who has a dark, rampant sexual appetite, can only procreate with his destined mate-for whom he's searched for the last five hundred years. But his quest is delayed when a disease sweeps through the Dragonstars, and Dylan must venture to the human world to find a cure. He tracks down bio-chemist Phoebe Quillum, never imagining the beautiful scientist would be the mate he's been seeking. But even with the fate of the clan on their shoulders, Phoebe and Dylan are overcome by their sexual desire.

Their passion turns to something truer, but when Phoebe is kidnapped by Dylan's oldest enemy, he must risk everything for his love and his clan.. 

I think that it always says something about a book when you purchase it one evening and finish it the next! I had been anxiously anticipating the arrival of this novel, which caused me to put it on a higher pedestal than any book aught to be. But, much to my joy--and relief--, this book was able to meet the mental bars I had put in place. Dark Embers is a fantastic debut to a new erotic paranormal series, that will take you an a scorching hot adventure, and leave you wanting more.

First and foremost, I must comment on my number one appreciation for this book: an erotic tale with a plot! Not sex surrounded by plot, but an actual plot sprinkled with some delicious smexiness! And, it wasn't half-assed either. This factor alone gains major points with me! 

Phoebe's a beautiful and super intelligent biochemist who's just had her research grant yanked out from underneath her. (Can we say, 'YAY', for making the heroine geeky smart with looks!) She's desperate for money to continue her research in finding a cure for Lupus-- a painful and deadly disease that has wrecked havoc on her family. She's a little suspicious of the one person who can secure her funding for a couple of years with his generous pay-out. But, like I said, she's desperate, and with all big 'gifts', there's something that's required in return.

Dylan is the king of a concealed, ancient, and dying clan of dragon-shifters, who's plagued with both personal and obligatory failures. He's without a mate, leaving him without an heir, he's in a position of power that he's not eager to be in, and now his clan is under attack by an unforeseen force: a deadly virus that his own scientist can't figure out how to cure. When the disease starts claiming members of his family, Dylan is left in a dangerous position to carefully seek outside help-- Phoebe. 

They immediately feel 'something' between them, but they don't know what, nor why, and both have issues with trusting one another. But, the connection only deepens when Phoebe accepts his proposition and joins him and his 'people' in finding a cure for what's killing them off. Which brings me to my next appreciation of this book: the characters.


Tessa Adams has done an amazing job at developing both the heroine and hero, as well as the secondary characters! Right from the beginning I started to get a true sense of who the characters really were. She also spends time conveying the character attributes through non-verbal communication within their interactions. My feelings of connection with the characters was only amplified when I was introduced to other Dragonstar members. There was even a moment I felt myself get teary-eyed-- in an erotica people!! I already have my eyes on a couple of smexy Dragonstar men I want follow up books to!

There was only one major issue that I had while reading this and that was the final 'outcome' (I'm treading lightly here as to not give away spoilers) of Phoebe, and Phoebe's and Dylan's resolution. I will only say that I wish there was more information on her family due to some events, and leave it at that.   

Adams' writing style is very easy to follow. She provides detail and imagery in a beautifully written way that you can just let the movie play out in your head without getting caught up in words. The unique scenery of the setting enhanced the fantasy of the story, but still made me feel like I could step in to this location and believe it was real.

And last, but not least, the fervent passion between Dylan and Phoebe. I've read a lot of erotica books where the sex scenes get over-the-top graphic, but this is not the case in Dark Embers. Adams wrote very hot, yet tastefully sexy scenes. I honestly can't decide if it was the way in which the sex scenes were written, or the deep connection that she has created between the characters that made them even hotter. Maybe it's a combination of both! I guess you'll have to be the judge on that one.

~*~Final Thoughts~*~

This is an adult category book for primarily the reasons of sex and language. I highly recommend this book to all erotica and paranormal romance fans who have a great appreciation for hot passion, men with a smexy combination of dominance, loyalty, affection, eye-candy bodies, and hot growling noises, and one adventures ride! Oh, and you must love dragons, not be afraid of heights, and have an appreciation for the mile-high club! :P

Author's Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

What's Up Next in the Series...

Title: Hidden Embers

Release Date: (?)January 2011

~*~Synopsis from Author's Website~*~

In her ten year career with the CDC, noted hematologist Jasmine Kane has been in many of the world’s hotspots. Fiercely dedicated to her job and filled with a wanderlust that can’t be denied, she’s spent most of her life with her bags packed and one foot out the door. So when an injury puts her on extended medical leave, keeping her out of the field and locked in her Atlanta apartment, she nearly goes stir-crazy—until a call comes in from an old friend, asking her to visit a lab in New Mexico and help isolate hemorrhagic properties in a strange, engineered disease. Before Phoebe can so much as say dragon, Jasmine’s out the door and on her way to Las Cruces.

Quinn Maguire is an ancient dragon shapeshifter—and healer for his clan. For hundreds of years he’s worked to keep his people safe, sacrificing any kind of personal life in his quest to keep the Dragonstar clan from dying out. And for centuries it’s worked. He’s lost friends and lovers because of his obsession, but at least the Dragonstars have not perished as so many of the dragon clans have in the last three hundred years. But now he’s faced with something he can’t solve, a disease engineered by his clan’s mortal enemies and one that may do what war, difficulty in childbirth and an encroaching human population hasn’t—wipe out his people for good. Desperate to stop the disease, he’s willing to try anything—even working with a human hematologist, one whose very presence sets him on fire…