The Dragon and the Dreamwalker (Elemental Series #1)

MEDIEVAL FANTASY:  Brynn is on the verge of being sacrificed to the dragon of Lornoon by her villagers when she is saved at the last minute.  Her relief quickly turns to disgust when she realizes that her savior is none other than Drake Pendragon, the man she believes killed her parents.  Drake is intent on marrying the woman he knows as an elemental. To fulfill his destiny and kill the dragon, Brynn must be by his side. But can she look beyond the legend and see the real man?  And can they work together to stop the dragon before he kills again? While Brynn denies Drake his rights as her husband, their relationship during her dream-walking is much more personal.

Brynn is an extremely strong-willed heroine, and her defiance is both empowering and humorous.  Big, tough guy Drake seems in turns baffled and frustrated with his new bride, and he is honorable enough not to lord his power over her too much.  The initial character development for both protagonists was lacking, and it took awhile to grasp each of their personalities and motivations.  The pacing started off a bit too fast, but after the plot finally unfolded, the story settled in nicely.  There is a lot going on in this world, but Brynn and Drake are each dynamic enough to not let the story overpower them.  This was an exciting, sexy fantasy set in a world similar to the Dark Ages.  

Nicole Duke