Reviewed by Anna Lynn

TITLE:  Breath

SERIES:  Scales ‘N’ Spells

AUTHOR:  AJ Sherwood, Jocelynn Drake

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  435 pages

RELEASE DATE:  December 3, 2020

BLURB:

A Mage’s List for Freedom:

1.  Escape his evil, controlling clan.
   2.    Get a job.
   3.    Work magic on HIS terms.
   4.    Avoid all dragons.

Tori was doing great until sexy dragon Baldewin interfered.

Between the little gifts, constant protection, and the steadfast confidence from the overgrown lizard, Tori wonders if maybe that last step needs revising. He has no chance to consider it.

Not before trouble called Jaeggi REALLY hits. Now he’s on the road trip from hell to the one place he’d never thought would be a safe haven. A clan of dragons.

Assuming they make it, that is.

REVIEW:

Being neglected and considered insignificant even by your own blood family and your clan, then add to that the fact that you are gay, can destroy a man. It can destroy his hopes and dreams, and most importantly his dignity and self-confidence. The man’s whole character will be a casualty. After two decades of believing that his family/clan will ever accept him for who he is, Nestori “Tori””Taavi finally realizes that it will never happen. So, even if he is afraid of what is out there, Tori finally decides to leave. He will leave his family and clan behind and seek out his own future, free to be himself and find his worth. He left and never returned during one of the errands that the clan sent him on.

The Fire Dragon Clan has been searching for Mages for five hundred years, ever since the end of the Great Dragon War. When they found Cameron, his twin sister Cassie and their grandmother Ha Na, their hopes were restored again. Now, they are actively seeking Mages.

Baldewin has been Alric’s best friend since they were children, even before Alric became King. Now he is the King’s Protector. He was one of the dragons who went to the States to collect the twin sister, Cassie,  of the King’s consort, Cameron, and their grandmother Ha Na. All three Mages have been training ever since. When Cassie announced that she found another Mage in Finland, I think it was but natural for the King to send Baldewin, with Warin this time, another fierce protector of the clan.

What was supposed to be a simple retrieval turned out to be more than a day or two, it took them instead almost two weeks to finally convinced Tori that they are the good ones, that they don’t mean him any harm and only wanted him to be safe.

Tori has been abused, not physically but might as well, because of the neglect and being treated like he has no value. His own clan does not appreciate his existence because he is a male Mage and Gay. In their clan, they were told that the Dragons caused the Great War and that they are not to be trusted, that they killed Mages. When Baldewin told him what really happened, and even showed him articles as proof, he started to think that maybe their clan intentionally told them another story to keep them hiding and not to seek out the outside world. Or maybe the Jaeggi clan also told his clan the lies so they will have control over them. When he further learned that the Fire Dragon Clan is willing to take him and invite him into their clan, even if he is Male and Gay, he further realized that what his clan members made him believe about his worth is still another lie. Baldewin also told him that Mages are being kidnapped, he didn’t believe him readily until he himself was kidnapped. After which he started to see the truth behind all the lies he were made to believed.

Not really an “enemies-to-lovers” trope because Baldewin and Tori are just too sweet but making you believe one truth to cover up the real truth can cause someone to readily mistrust someone. Tori’s story of being neglected and insignificant unfortunately is quite common nowadays especially if you identify as LGBTQ+. So much so that when someone accepts you readily and trusts you with responsibility you also doubt if you are worthy. A story of acceptance and support, love and having your back always. A story of being treated as significant not only as a person but also in a society, someone who has responsibilities and expected to contribute. I am truly getting sucked into this world that Ms. AJ Sherwood and Ms. Jocelynn Drake has created, I can’t wait for more!

RATING:

BUY LINK:

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