LOVE IN THE TIME OF DRAGONS

Author: Katie MacAlister ISBN: 9780451229717 5/2010 PARANORMAL Publisher: SIGNET/NAL

If you found out you were a famous fire-breather, you’d be freaked out too. Tully Sullivan is just like any other suburban mom—unless you count the days every year that she zones out and turns base metals in to gold. Those are weird. And now she’s woken up in a strange place surrounded by strange people who keep insisting they’re dragons—and that she’s one too. But not just any dragon. She’s Ysolde de Bouchier, a famed figure from dragon history. Tully can’t shape-shift or breathe fire, and she’s definitely not happy being sentenced to death for the misdeeds of a dragon mate she can’t remember. All Tully knows is that she wants her son back. So she’ll have to find a way to solve the crimes of a past she has no memory of living...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

If I had to describe one consistent emotion I had throughout this entire book, it would be amusement.  MacAlister has long held sway over my paranormal romance leanings because of her humorous they-don't-take-themselves-seriously novels.  I've been a little less happy about recent 'Dark Ones' novels, but I had great hope for this, the first in her 'Light Dragon' novels.

They were fulfilled completely.

The interaction between Isolde/Tully and Baltic was hot.  Baltic was a right jerk, but he was the kind of jerk that was more amusing than really upsetting.  He kept expecting things of Tully, things he knew that even when she was Isolde she would kick his butt for, and then get all huffy when she said no.  Tully, on the other side, seemed to get a thrill out of getting him riled up.  Not that Baltic complained, exactly.

Familiar faces from her previous Dragon series (Silver Dragons, about May and Gabriel), as well as her Aisling Grey books, pop up quite often.  In fact, events from previous volumes in which Tully was a part of are also referenced.  I like that all her paranormal romance novels tie in to the same world, but don't necessarily have to all be read to enjoy the current book.  MacAlister does a good job of summing up each character when they are introduced without making it seem like the narrative is getting crowded.

I almost want to call Tully 'Martha Stewart' because, near the end, when a big meeting is being called, Tully isn't worried about the threat of death or violence—she's more worried about if her desserts are perfect. 

I did have questions at the end of the book, such as, what was really up with Tully's son, Brom?  Tully's situation is explained, but it doesn't really answer why Brom didn't question things.  Also, like several others, Brom's "hobbies" were a little creepy (what nine-year old child wants to mummify animals?).

I'm excited for the second book and can't wait to see what inventive way Tully pulls them out of the trouble they fall into.

Alexandra Cenni