Historical
The Lady and the Dragon
By Natasha Smith
Jun 15, 2007 - 12:15:00 PM

Christina Delafield is tired of the constraints her grandfather continues to put on her life.  Desperate to escape the confines of a Swiss finishing school where her grandfather plans to send her, Christina slips away to plead her case to the mysterious captain of the only ship, the Dragon’s Lair, bound for the Bahamas.  Failing to convince the masked captain of her plight, Christina does what any other desperate and resourceful young woman would do - she stows away on board and prays for the best.   

Drexell Cain is on a mission – and failure is not an option.  Fighting for years to free his brother from captivity, he decides to use his enemy’s granddaughter as a last try at liberating his brother.  Posing as his alter ego the Black Dragon, Drex hatches a scheme to grab Ms. Delafield only to be told that the young woman in question has disappeared.  Little does he know that he already met, and turned away, the young lady he seeks.

After her discovery aboard ship, the Black Dragon and “Lilli” come to an understanding of sorts.  What they don’t count on is falling in love.   What happens when the truth of their mutual identities is revealed?   Will love be enough, or will it be as fleeting as the wind on the ocean?

If I had to describe THE LADY AND THE DRAGON in one sentence, it would be, “Historical romance at its best.”  Taking place on both the high seas and in the drawing rooms of historical London, I loved watching the main characters evolve throughout the story.  Drex remained loyal to finding his twin and while his loyalty remained steadfast, he had to learn to trust his heart, which was very difficult for him.  Christina was no less a work in progress.  She longed for the freedom to live her life as she wanted without being told what to do.   Her growing love for a man who she believes to be an outlaw pirate was heart wrenchingly innocent at times and womanly passionate at others.

Having resigned myself to never obtaining a copy of THE LADY AND THE DRAGON, I was ecstatic when I was told Ms. Bradley was once again releasing this story.  I was treated to a stunning adventure, searing passion, and a touching read.  Shelley Bradley knows just how to tug on my heartstrings!  Let me be the first to state that I felt those tugs tenfold with THE LADY AND THE DRAGON.   Filled with gripping romance combined with a well-written plot and realistic emotions, THE LADY AND THE DRAGON was consumed in one sitting.  It is a great day to be a reviewer when you have books of this quality to read!