A desperate gambler. A masked assassin. A dragon who could burn them both alive.
Jack Landry just wanted to be the responsible one for once. When he offered to take George Calhoun’s money to the bank in Denver so George could stay with his pregnant wife, Jack never dreamed his gambling habit would get the better of his good intentions. Now Jack haunts the Denver underworld like a ghost, determined not to go home again without winning back what he lost.
A night of gambling in Chinatown takes an unexpected turn when Jack finds himself the target of a shadowy criminal syndicate. A mysterious assassin in a dragon mask rescues him from their clutches… moments before the real, live dragon in the basement burns the whole place to ashes.
Behind the mask is a woman named Shufen. She carries twin swords and a double-bladed attitude to match. She’s bent on getting revenge on the gang that exploited and killed her sister. When Shufen breaks into their headquarters to save a little girl named Jinjing from her sister’s fate, she isn’t particularly pleased to find a hapless, clueless cowboy tagging along—a man with a price on his head. She’s even less pleased to see a giant scaly monster who should only exist in ancient legends.
With homicidal crime lords and fire-breathing dragons on their tail, the odds of Jack, Shufen, and Jinjing making it safely home to the Calhoun ranch are looking mighty slim…
If you love mythic Chinese beasts and rip-roaring Western adventures, you won’t want to miss Black Dragon.
Jack Landry just wanted to be the responsible one for once. When he offered to take George Calhoun’s money to the bank in Denver so George could stay with his pregnant wife, Jack never dreamed his gambling habit would get the better of his good intentions. Now Jack haunts the Denver underworld like a ghost, determined not to go home again without winning back what he lost.
A night of gambling in Chinatown takes an unexpected turn when Jack finds himself the target of a shadowy criminal syndicate. A mysterious assassin in a dragon mask rescues him from their clutches… moments before the real, live dragon in the basement burns the whole place to ashes.
Behind the mask is a woman named Shufen. She carries twin swords and a double-bladed attitude to match. She’s bent on getting revenge on the gang that exploited and killed her sister. When Shufen breaks into their headquarters to save a little girl named Jinjing from her sister’s fate, she isn’t particularly pleased to find a hapless, clueless cowboy tagging along—a man with a price on his head. She’s even less pleased to see a giant scaly monster who should only exist in ancient legends.
With homicidal crime lords and fire-breathing dragons on their tail, the odds of Jack, Shufen, and Jinjing making it safely home to the Calhoun ranch are looking mighty slim…
If you love mythic Chinese beasts and rip-roaring Western adventures, you won’t want to miss Black Dragon.
MY THOUGHTS
I loved Water Horse, the first book in this series, so I was really looking forward to this sequel. While it did take me a little bit to get into, I ended up really enjoying it.
I loved catching up with old characters and meeting new ones. Shufen was fierce and strong. I really admired her quest to rescue girls who were in horrible situations. Jack was rough around the edges but extremely likable. They made for a mismatched and often antagonistic team, yet they worked so well together! They made a great team, and I loved watching them fall for each other.
I’m not usually drawn to westerns, but I love this series. The combination of the historical setting and the fantasy elements really works here.
While the whole book was exciting, the second half really ramped up the action and had me flying through the pages.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone looking for exciting historical fantasy. I’d recommend reading Water Horse first. Even though this story focuses on two different characters, the stories are very much connected.
Note: While this is a clean romance, there is a fair amount of strong language.
I received a copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and comments are my honest opinion.
FOUR STARS
If you're interested, check out my review for Water Horse, the first book of this series: https://rusticreadinggal.blogspot.com/2024/03/review-water-horse-nightmare-saga-1-by.html
Westerns with mythical beasts and magic is a very fun combination imo! :D
ReplyDeleteIt is! I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed that combo! :D
DeleteThe Western, combined with fantasy, definitely intrigues me.
ReplyDeleteIt's a fun mix of genres! :)
DeleteSounds good.. glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hena! :)
DeleteI’m glad you enjoyed it. Hope you’re doing well.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Hope you are too! :)
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