Born of Air

April 30, 2018
Michael’s hot and heavy fourth Dragon Soul erotic romance (after Bound by Thorns), set in a sparsely rendered Halifax, N.S., intersperses lengthy sex scenes with smatterings of plot. Mark Beteferoce, a SWAT cop who’s secretly a dragon shape-shifter, discovers that baker Quincy O’Brien may be the reincarnation of his long-lost soul mate. An instant attraction leads the two men into bed, where they discover just how compatible they are. Numerous, increasingly kinky sexual encounters barely take the edge off their insatiable mutual lust. Quincy takes it rather well when Mark bluntly informs him, “I’m that dragon and you’re my soul mate,” but the true test comes when it’s time for Quincy to meet Mark’s family. Sadly, despite an entertaining premise, the story never develops beyond what Mark pithily describes as “the drive for sex, sustenance, and sleep.” The erotic scenes are intense and well-described, but they don’t make up for a lack of external conflict or character development, and Mark spends almost no time actually being a cop. The story is vastly overshadowed by sex, to the detriment of everything else.

June 1, 2018

Quincy O'Brien runs the successful Aerie's Bakery with sister Barb. He's been going through a dry spell, but finds himself more than satiated by Mark Beteferoce, the sexy cop with a taste for raisin doughnuts and a big, shape-shifting secret. Mark is still reeling from the heartbreak of his murdered soulmate Garrett but cannot deny the heat building with the cute redheaded baker. Quincy and Mark succumb to their primal lust almost immediately, but both can feel the twinge of something more. However, when Quincy calls out some mysterious phrases in his sleep, Mark spirals into grief and doubt for his lost love. Is it possible to get a second chance at forever, or is something more sinister at play? Michael (Branded by Flames) has crafted a fast-moving otherworldly tale that offers up naughty sex ridden with gruff dirty talk that also tugs at the heartstrings. Long, clause-laden sentences can add up to a slightly unwieldy read, but the abundance of raunchy fun and dragon lore make it more than worth it. VERDICT A playfully dirty paranormal romp; highly recommended for fans of erotic M/M fantasy.

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