Release Date: July 20, 2023
Hidden Fate by Jen L. Grey
King Arman is dead. With
his dying breath, he bade Thorn to stop Drake and rule in his stead.
For too long Thorn had hidden, had been feared for the magic
within him. The same magic his grandfather had had and used for evil purposes,
to murder and control the people. A caring person wanting only to heal those who
were sick or injured, he was unsure at times that using his magic might make
people around him fear him. He hadn’t realized that he was missing a part of
himself, until Everly appeared. Recognizing this human as his fated mate. Through
their connection she could reach out to him, bring a sense of calm, help him
see different perspectives and find the best solutions. She helped him see himself as a healer, his
magic as a gift and not a curse. To see
the good that he could do for his people, and how different he was from the
grandfather that had used his magic as a means of destruction. Now they must find others to listen, to trust
and help stop Drake from destroying the world of dragons…
Now there was no one to stop Drake’s reign of terror as he
would proclaim himself the next dragon king. Mad with power and hatred for his
brother, desire for the human that was Thorn’s fated mate and wife, he was
assured the crown upon his head, his people’s obedience in all things and the
woman at his side.
Drake’s climb to
power was littered with the dead he deemed unfit to live, coercion and the fear
he struck in the hearts of those he would rule. He would find Thorn and Everly.
Kill Thorn and take Everly to his wife. Those that would disagree or fight
against him would die, along with the cripple, infirm or elderly dragons. What
he hadn’t counted on was that Thorn had been changed by Everly’s love becoming anchored
in his belief in himself and what was right. He had become stronger.
Together Thorn, Everly,
Elliott, Eva, Saphira, Vlad and Cassidy along with others must now work to gather
people they could trust and would trust them in turn to stop Drake and those
who follow him. The battle that soon to be wrought, would be a bloody one,
brother against brother, warriors, many who were forced to serve, against the
untrained and the vulnerable. While for
many the stories of Thorn’s grandfather’s evil use of his magic was a cautionary
tale and a warning that Thorn could follow in his footsteps. It would take
demonstrations of Thorn’s power to heal and his words of a world where all were
free and could live in peace that might turn the tide. First, they must show people that Thorn is not
someone to be feared for his magic but a man who cares for others, who would
use his magic to heal, wherever possible, not to kill, and one who seeks peace
for all.
The love stories abound
in this tale with several finding fated mates, spicy love scenes, and the love
siblings have for each other. Before there can be peace and freedom, there will
be war and death. Who will end up with the crown will determine the kind of
world in which dragons would live. There is suspense, tension, action and even
some humor in this final tale. It’s a journey that favors poor odds for victory
over the battle of genocide of those who may be sick or weak. And have the
reader turning pages quickly to see the outcome. It is also one of strength and
conviction that you must fight for a better world for all, no matter the odds.
A few will start, gather strength and numbers and not stop until Drake may be defeated.
The conclusion of the trilogy that started with “Ruthless
Mate” continued in ”Mated Dragon” this tale of dragons with Jen L. Grey’s spin
on dragon magic is one I found fascinating and sad at times. Parents who feared what they did not understand
and blaming the child. Thankfully, Thorn found love in his adopted parents and
a young human woman, that will help him to become the man he was meant to be.
Secondary characters, each with their own personalities, help bring the story
to life and create the world of dragons that live on the pages in the books. For
myself, I love adventure, suspense, uniquely created worlds, characters, including
the truly evil, that can bring a story to life and of course romance. I enjoyed
the spicy romantic scenes and dialogue in the tale but at times it took over
the tale. This isn’t always a misstep, but I thought the romance wouldn’t have
suffered with a bit less and bit more storyline about Drake’s thoughts and
motives, background about the dragon magic or the evil grandfather, etc. Jen L.
Grey is a grand storyteller, I guess I just wanted a bit more of her imaginary
tale.
