Allyson James, Dragon Heat

Dragon Heat

Allyson James

Berkley, Jul 2007, $6.99

ISBN: 042521589X

Lisa Singleton knows wills can contain strange bequests and that some roommates can be difficult to live with. She knows both from recent practice. Her beloved grandmother recently died leaving her with a roommate; Caleb the fifty-foot dragon. Caleb does not like anyone entering his personal space, which is wider than the Grand Canyon; worse the beast also detests anyone stepping inside of Lisa's.

Caleb is a guardian warrior sent to keep Lisa safe from evil witches, led by Donna, who attack the naive who do not know they have magical skills. Caleb goes human to protect Lisa from Donna and her black dragon although he struggles to stay focused as he fell in love with his charge when he was a fifty foot golden dragon.

The key to this delightful romantic fantasy is the audience will believe that grandma's San Francisco apartment has an access to Dragonspace as Allyson James makes the dragons, witches and their environs so real. The story line is action-packed as Caleb turns from pet dragon to pet human in love. Lisa is delightful as she changes from non-believer to healthy skeptic to tyro-practitioner in an attempt to stay alive while also falling in love with her protector. Although readers will wonder where to buy a litter box to accommodate a fifty foot dragon, this is a fun tale of life between a mortal and her dragon.

Harriet Klausner