As a child I had a set of children’s stories of all kinds. The volumes that held the stories of science fiction and fantasy were the books I read over and over until the spines fell apart. To this day I still enjoy a well-written story of fantasy; stories with a modern twist that still invoke that touch of childhood awe of castles, dragons, warriors and fairy princesses.

And well-written fantasy is what Delilah Devlin offers in her Arctic Dragon.
In a bid for a last little taste of freedom before her marriage Queen Larikke rides the arctic wind far beyond the bounds of Northland, into the realm of humans. When her horse bolts at a shot from a hunter's gun, her "rescuer" is a handsome, mysterious man who lives alone in the wilderness.

Even though he made peace with his surroundings, Drake was a very lonely man; a man who was lost in a world that he truly didn’t fit in. He had his cabin in the woods, his erotic paintings and his sculptures. Thinking he was saving the life of the woman he nearly killed, Drake brings the woman to his home, and strips her to warm her by his fire. He fears that his long, self-imposed isolation may have made her allure impossible for him to resist. And resist her he must because his biggest fear is that he'll endanger her when he shares his special kiss.

She knows that any contact with humans could be dangerous but rather than fearing Drake, Larikke sets out to seduce him, hoping to indulge in one last fling before she settles down to do her duty and wed. It will be a marriage that will be for her more of an alliance because she will do anything to protect her land from invasion. She finds that Drake ignites a heat that not even her fiancé can bring forth in her. And when she discovers his secret she wonders if he is the man that cannot only save her from a loveless marriage but her people and land, too.

Okay, I know it sounds redundant but I love Delilah Devlin. I grab every story of hers I can and I’m never disappointed. She is one of the truly talented writers of today. You feel Drake’s loneliness, his longing for human contact and yet his fear of that contact. You understand both Larikke’s rebellion, her sense of duty to her people, and her longing for a true mate. Fans of Ms. Devlin will want to grab this story up and if you haven’t read any of her work before you can’t miss this one or any of her other works. As always, I can’t wait for her next book.
 
Reviewed By Theresa
© July 2007