Legend of the Highland Dragon

October 7, 2013
Cooper (Lessons After Dark) populates her Victorian England series launch with supernatural entities, sending a secretary from London’s East End on an adventure that blends magic, history, horror, and sleuthing. Mina Seymour, who has pulled herself out of poverty by working as a scholar’s secretary, is concerned when Lord Stephen MacAlasdair visits her employer and leaves him visibly distressed. Visiting Stephen’s house to check up on him, she’s attacked by demons and rescued by Stephen—who is a shape-shifting dragon. Stephen, impressed with Mina’s cool-under-pressure attitude, enlists her help to defeat an evil sorcerer. The plot combines a cross-class romance with a mystical quest, neatly twining discussions of class differences with descriptions of magic. The relationship builds naturally and heatedly, but the abrupt ending will leave readers longing for an epilogue or a chance to revisit these characters in future books.

Starred review from December 1, 2013

Mina Seymour knows that Laird Stephen MacAlasdair is dangerous the minute he walks into her boss's office, but she never expects to be saved by a dragon when she is attacked on the street or to see him shift into Stephen right before her eyes. Now she's in over her head, and when Stephen offers her a job as his secretary, Mina accepts--and ends up in a surprising enterprise. VERDICT Mesmerizing, ingenious, slyly humorous, and wonderfully romantic, this unusual charmer is a winner for fans of paranormals. A Highland dragon? How can it miss? This book is the first in a new trilogy for Cooper (Lessons After Dark), who lives in Boston.

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2013
Stephen MacAlasdair has lived through centuries, protecting the shape-shifting secret of his clan. Now, in Victorian England, Stephen faces an old enemy who has learned to wield supernatural powers. Mina Seymour's curiosity is piqued when Lord MacAlasdair barges into her employer's office with urgent business. Eager to learn more about this mysterious rogue, she visits his estate to catch up on the latest gossip. Stumbling into the wrong area of the house, Mina finds herself face-to-face with a dragon. Shifting back to human form, Stephen explains his history, the danger he faces, and the secret he must protect. Willing to help, Mina agrees to work for Stephen to catch a dangerous villain, and they slowly realize that their feelings for each other cannot be denied. Cooper offers a light romance with strong character development and a plot rich with supernatural themes. As the relationship between Mina and Stephen slowly develops, the interaction between them is comical and genuine.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)