Jamie Carie's The Duchess and the Dragon ~ Reviewed

The Duchess and the Dragon
By Jamie Carie
B & H Books
Release Date: April 1, 2008
ISBN 13: 978-0-8054-4535-0

The Duchess and the Dragon is a sweeping love story that crosses two continents and encompasses two different worlds as Serena Winter, a humble Quaker girl from Philadelphia, meets and falls in love with a man she thinks is an indentured servant.

Set in the elegant regency period, Drake Weston, Duke of Northumberland, is unaccustomed to a life of servitude until a tragic mistake followed by murderous rage results in his sudden escape from England. Not knowing Drake’s history, Serena is later shocked to discover her new status as a duchess. What follows are hard truths and softening hearts, romantic triangles, webs of deceit, and ultimately, the power of grace, love, and passion.

Carie’s romance elements are her strong point. The attraction between the two main characters is electric—in spite of the fact that the leading lady is a Quaker. The love story between Serena and Drake connects the reader to the characters. Another strong point is Carie’s use of history. Her blend of fact with fiction is well balanced.

I do think the story action moved along too quickly which sometimes left me as a reader wondering what the characters thought and felt. I also found it unrealistic that Serena would separate from her husband for such a long period of time, including during the birth of their first child. A pregnant woman in a foreign country away from family and friends would more than likely have made up with her husband when delivery was imminent.

The Duchess and the Dragon is not a spellbinding page turner, but it is a pleasant diversion from reality. Author Jamie Carie has a good grasp on romance, so if that’s what you’re looking for, then this is the book for you.

Review by Michelle Griep