Bond: Forbidden Desires Book 2, Piper Scott and Virginia Kelly

Harry witnessed something he shouldn't have and it's up to Everard Drake to rectify the situation.  But when he encounters an endlessly curious and quietly beautiful beta he can't seem to incinerate him on the spot.  What they grow between them goes beyond anything either expected and for Harry, it's a dream-come-true on so many levels.  Everard is given a task by his father and leader of their clan and with the help of Harry they're able to make progress on the mystery of mates and low numbers of clutches.  It's the magic and discovery between them that goes farther to solve that mystery and challenge each and every belief the dragons have had for millennia upon millennia and it will pave the way for the impossible.  The bond between them will come into question and if they can't embrace the changes or the possibility of a bond between an alpha and a beta all the progress and tender feelings between them may be lost.

Everard was endearing in Clutch with his cute pet names for everyone.  In his own story all his pet names for Harry are food-related and because he uses them all the time I have to say it gets a little distracting somewhere in the middle.  I love it in the beginning, am over it in the middle, and am both desensitized and back to thinking it's cute by the end.  I'm not exactly a huge fan of how his tolerance of Harry comes off as a bit dismissive, manipulative, and annoyed in the beginning, but as he realizes just how much Harry means to him the change is subtle and much deeper.  I really enjoy how he changes in this story and how much a talkative brainiac influences that change.

Speaking of that brainiac, Harry really is brilliant.  His constantly thinking mind flits from one thing to the next, always making connections, gleaning information, filling in blanks.  Because of this he's instrumental in pushing forward the dragons' genetic situation.  The quirks of that mind make him seem flighty and silly and while he is a bit of those things, he's much more than that.  The changes he goes through are in the realm of impossible and yet it's possible here.  His acceptance of it and assimilation of all it means is pretty astounding.  And the way he lays all the science down on the clan head?  Solid.

Both of the men together were really meant for one another.  I liked how the story played out and how much of the magic was emphasized here but also that science and genetics played a complementary role.  That it wasn't just all chalked up to the unknowable magic; the results and the history can be studied, answered, improved, and most importantly, it can evolve to correct old ways and beliefs to make way for a brilliant future.  One brother is having a little trouble with the new direction though, and I have a feeling we'll get a lot more angst in Geoffrey's story, Mate.

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