Dragonfire: Dark Kings Book 14, Donna Grant

Legends and events foretold collide when Roman happens across the beautiful gypsy, Sabina, and her brother.  Powers are maneuvering everyone like pieces on a chessboard and it'll take some creative thinking and pure determination to get through the trials set before them.  Along the way they'll find the fire of passion in one another, soothing a deep ache and yearning that neither were anticipating.  Events are leading them all to a confrontation like no other and it'll take all of their gifts to sort out their path and embrace the courage to travel it.

Roman is soulful, a thinker, and very controlled.  He also feels very deeply.  His life has tossed him from abandonment to loss and back again and the Others aren't through with him.  I liked his quiet manner, his dislike for lying and misleading, and his caring concern for Sabina and her brother.  There's an immediate feeling I get when I "met" him that he needed to be wrapped up in a big hug and never let go.  Roman is a strong and supportive partner to anyone he's working with and the beginning of him and Sabina is no exception.

Sabina may have neglected her gift because of the way she grew up but she never lost her respect for or belief in her heritage and gifts.  I enjoyed how smart, determined, and strong she was.  Her forthright honesty was probably my favorite thing about her.  She never felt the need to deceive for any purpose and it often led to humorous or passionate moments that lightened the overall mood of those scenes.  She is really an ideal partner for any of the Dragon Kings but it's the way she sees into Roman and knows on a basic level that she was meant for him.  While it takes a bit for her to recognize that, she never shies away from that knowledge once she's aware of it.

Puzzle pieces are being shifted into place and more are being revealed and each is more pivotal than the last.  The story is getting more and more exciting, heading for a big confrontation and I find myself breathing faster, reading faster, and speculating more and more about what will happen next, whose mate will be the catalyst for the "final" maneuver that brings about a possible war...  There's so much to enjoy about this series and this book in particular embodies everything that's awesome about it.