10 Exciting Dragon Romance Books You’ll Love

The dragons are wild creatures or oversized lizards, which is fine as a book concept. They were part of a group of mystical beings during the Western Middle Ages. In Oriental mythology, dragons were seen as celestial beings with power, similar to the gods in ancient Japan. In China, the dragon represents good luck and prosperity.

Prepare to soar into the skies of imagination, where dragons’ majestic and mysterious world collides with the timeless quest for love and companionship. Welcome to the realm of dragon romance books, a genre that combines the fierce beauty of dragons with the deep, enduring power of love. Here, fire-breathers become protectors, allies, and lovers, proving that even the most formidable beasts have hearts yearning for connection.

Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of a human-dragon partnership, enchanted by shape-shifting dragons navigating the human world, or captivated by realms where dragons and humans unite against familiar foes, you’re about to embark on a journey filled with adventure, passion, and a touch of the magical. So, let your heart take flight as we dive into tales that promise not only the heat of dragon fire but the warmth of true love.

10 Dragon Romance Books

Dragon romance transports readers to imaginative realms where dragons soar through the skies, ancient castles loom on misty mountainsides, and magic crackles in the air. These stories invite us to explore fantastical worlds filled with wonder, mystery, and adventure, where anything is possible.

Here are ten dragon romance books that features diverse and inclusive representation, with characters from different backgrounds, cultures, and identities. These stories celebrate diversity and empower readers to see themselves reflected in the magical worlds of the narrative, fostering a sense of belonging and inclusivity within the genre. Let’s fly!

1. Fireborne (The Aurelian Cycle)

Fireborne is a Russian Revolution-inspired story. In a written interview, Rosaria Munda talked about being a political theory student because she studied political theory at Princeton. She would often wonder while learning and listening to all these historical events. What would have happened in those revolutions if dragons had existed? That is the coolest way to imagine these. It feels like historical fiction. But dragons are so incredibly tragic and heart-wrenching.

The characters, examination of the trauma of the characters is phenomenal. The Dragons are not super magical the way that you find in other stories. They’re almost so part of the society that they don’t feel mythological, which makes sense because they wouldn’t be if they were in that world. They almost feel overpowered by horses.

Eventually, the dragons can breathe fire. But currently, when we start the story, we see that they haven’t sparked yet. So, it’s interesting to see the theories as to why they haven’t. You even see at one point somebody thinking, that’s because they’re letting the peasants ride the dragons now. I learned friendship, integrity, love, and loyalty. Though the romance was slow, I enjoyed the plot and story. Also, it is one of the best YA dragon fantasy romances I have ever read.

Author: Rosaria Munda
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Tropes: Politics & Government, Dystopian
Number Of Pages: 446
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle

2. His Majesty’s Dragon (Temeraire)

In the Temeraire series, I have only read the first one, His Majesty’s Dragon, which is a Locus Award winner. It’s similar to historical fiction, but with dragons; the difference is that it’s an alternate history. So, where Fireborne and Flamefall are fantasy settings, this one takes place during the Napoleonic era, and we have dragons. So you have an Air Force, essentially, but they’re dragons. At the story’s beginning, the main character discovers a dragon egg.

The dragon hatches, and it can talk, which is so adorable. This dragon is so precious. You see the loyalty of the dragons to their riders, but the riders are not always loyal to the dragons, and they can be terrible, the same way you see human beings towards animals. So, it was one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever read. The romance plot is short, graphic, and irrelevant, but the character’s bonding is remarkable. If you like a historical adventure with the dragon, read the series.

Author: Naomi Novik
Publisher: Del Rey (Reissue Edition)
Tropes: Alternate History, Sci-fi, Adventure
Number Of Pages: 384
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

3. Dragonbound

Dragonbound is about a girl named Virginia who is a fantastic dragonslayer because she comes from a family of dragon slayers. But unfortunately, she’s not. Because of that, everybody makes fun of her and teaser. They sometimes ignore even her dad. But when her older sister Celeste gets captured by the dragons’ clan, Virginia will only rescue her.

Virginia doesn’t know much about dragons, so she gets help from one of the dragons in their family’s dungeon to help her rescue her sister. In this rescue mission, she falls in love with a dragon, Amelrik, our protecting hero. The story has a few dragon shifters, werewolves, or other animal shifters that make a plot twist. You must read if you like paranormal romance with dragons and adventure. I also recommend listening to the audiobook because the background sound and representation quality are outstanding.

Author: Chelsea M. Campbell
Publisher: Skyscape
Tropes: Shapeshifters, Action, Adventure
Number Of Pages: 290
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD

4. Heart of the Dragon (Atlantis)

Heart of the Dragon is the first book in the Atlantis series that focuses on Darius, a Dragon King of Atlantis. Being a dragon, he can shift into a full-sized dragon. Also, he maintains the peace there in Atlantis and is the guardian of one of the portals. There are two portals: an inner and an outer palace. Darius is at the inner palace, protecting the inner portal. One of the duties is that anybody who comes through that portal must die. This portal leads to the Amazon, where we meet our lovely female lead, Grace Carlyle.

Grace gets a mysterious package with a beautiful dragon necklace that her brother sends her, and she goes to the Amazon to meet him to work on an expedition for Atlantis. Darius is protecting the portal, and the story goes from there. So, we get to see Grace and Darius fall in love. Also, we learned that Darius had been emotionally detached, especially since his youth, when his family was murdered. I liked Darius and Grace together and how they made their human-dragon romance work.

Author: Gena Showalter
Publisher: HQN Books (Reissue Edition)
Tropes: Werewolves & Shifters, Vampires, Alpha-males
Number Of Pages: 387
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

5. Seraphina

Seraphina achieved a Locus Award Nominee for Best First Novel. In this dragon world, the dragons and the humans have been at war for a long time, but they’ve established peace treaties during Seraphina. Dragons live amongst people and take the shape of humans in their cities. That’s one of the conditions of their existence. So because of the dragon’s magic, they can look like humans and think very differently.

In the kingdom, Seraphina lives, and dragons must wear a bell to designate that they are dragons inside, not humans. So everyone’s clear on that. The first book in the series is more of a court intrigue story. Also, the second one is more of a fantastical quest adventure, where Seraphina is a very distinctive character who can straddle the boundary between dragons and humans. She was partially raised by her music teacher, who is a dragon.

At the book’s beginning, Seraphina becomes the young princess’s music teacher. That’s how she becomes a part of the court life. This book is the first choice for mystery, thriller, and dragon lovers.

Author: Rachel Hartman
Publisher: Ember (Reprint Edition)
Tropes: Medieval Historical Fiction, Mystery, Society-culture, Psychology
Number Of Pages: 381
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD

6. The Rage of Dragons (The Burning)

Despite having dragons in the title, they are not in the story, as you might expect, but they are at its core. The Rage of Dragons is a revenge story. We follow our main character, Tau, who wants a peaceful life. He is a part of an oppressed class of people and wants to do what he can to get out of a path laid out for him.

Then, some things go down, and some terrible things happen. That sets Tau on this path of revenge. He is very tunnel vision when it comes to revenge. But despite how he sees himself, the rest of society starts to notice him because he is a part of an oppressed group. But he’s proving that people in his class can be a threat. They can be as strong and skilled as those above them, which is a problem for their caste system.

To try to compete on an equal playing field, Tau utilizes some tricks with the magic system and pushes himself beyond belief. So many other elements have to do with society as a whole. Tau falls into an instant love and lust in the middle of a mission. The only negative side of the book is the confusing plot and side characters. But I greatly enjoyed the audiobook because of the narrative voice and narration style, so if you’re somebody whose bookish buzzwords are the caste system, love, revenge, and dragons.

Author: Evan Winter
Publisher: Orbit
Tropes: Military Fantasy, War, African-American Fiction
Number Of Pages: 578
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Audio CD

7. The Ninth Rain (The Winnowing Flame Trilogy)

The Ninth Rain has a unique, exciting fantasy story I have ever picked up. It feels familiar in some ways, but it takes so many different things and combines them to become the freshest story. We follow the three main characters and their queer love because one of them is lesbian. Lady Vincenza (Vintage) owns a successful vine manufacturing company. Tormalin is a vampirish non-human, and Noon is a Fel-Witch.

They have some power to try and understand the history of the wars that always inevitably come to their world. But they know nothing about it because there are cycles throughout history and the last one happened so long ago. So everybody who could have told them about it from this magical race of people is dead. While reading the book, you start to understand what’s happening because many things will go wrong.

The author shows us a fantasy world of wild, alien, and human nature within its extremes. Also, the worldbuilding, mature characterization, and the story contain plenty of action and humor. The second half was dull, but the first and ending were surprising. Don’t miss the book if you want dragon, magic, and queer. Please avoid hardcover because I found some problems with that, but the paperback is good for font, color, binding, and cover quality.

Author: Jen Williams
Publisher: Headline
Tropes: Norse Viking Myth, LGBT
Number Of Pages: 550
Available: Paperback | Kindle

8. Tooth and Claw

Tooth and Claw is set in the 1700s, an 1800s-esque world where all the inhabitants are dragons and live in grand houses. They’re either born to the lower classes or wealthy families. The story’s main characters are predominantly from a family whose father has died but has not left the family much money. Although they’re from an aristocratic background, they have little to live off and find their way.

Many aspects of the world are very distinctive because they’re dragons, and their characteristics and behavior are very fitting of dragons. This book’s world has a slightly more diverse character range, political intrigue, and class discussion. It’s a very well-thought-through, planned story. But the story and mate romance plot are not unique. If you love paranormal history and dragons with regency romance, I recommend you check it out.

Author: Jo Walton
Publisher: Tor Books (First Edition)
Tropes: Comedic Dramas, Slow-paced, Sci-fi
Number Of Pages: 321
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

9. The Ruin of Kings (A Chorus of Dragons)

The Ruin of Kings is a fantasy book about a boy named Kihrin, who is about 16 years old and an orphan. One day, he discovers that he is the long-lost son of a prince, and he is forcibly taken away from his adoptive family to live in the custody of this prince. His new family is cruel and manipulative, and he finds himself no better than a prisoner. Throughout the book, Kihrin realizes that there is something special about his past and destiny.

As Kihrin learns about his role in this greater prophecy involving gods and wizards, he grows from an orphan thief into a would-be hero as he tries to save the world. There is a dragon in one chunk of the story, and it’s interesting how the author wrote this dragon. There are so many strong aspects of it, which hurt my overall experience while reading this book. The story is told in a dual-timeline narrative. So, at the beginning of the book, you enter the story with Kihrin in jail and the jailer’s third-person point of view of Kihrin’s story.

The next thing I did not appreciate about this book was the confusing family lineages and characters. So, it was almost impossible to keep track of who was who and who was loyal to whom. The plot was so good, and many moving parts kept me reading. I wanted to figure out how everything would come together.

One of the significant aspects of the book is a war between Gods and Demons. Also, I loved the worldbuilding, true dragon love, and the fantasy world. The author did a fantastic job fleshing everything out and adding exciting elements to draw you into the story.

Author: Jenn Lyons
Publisher: Tor Books
Tropes: Action, Adventure, Mythical Creatures
Number Of Pages: 569
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle | Mass Market Paperback

10. Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle)

The books in the Inheritance Cycle series are chunky, well-developed, fantastical worlds with many different species and races. There is much political intrigue and foreign affairs, almost as well as one young boy’s journey with his dragon. While hunting, our main protagonist, Eragon, discovers a strange blue stone in the forest near his village. One day, this stone hatches and turns into a dragon egg.

So, Eragon has incidentally become a dragon rider. The Dragon Riders are a group whose stories have been told throughout the realms, Eragon territories since he was a little boy. But they died long ago, and the only dragon rider left is the evil king who rules most of the land and the area under which Eragon village comes. He is responsible for the destruction of most of the other dragon riders.

So Eragon’s life has instantly changed. Things roll on from there, like Lord of the Rings. Alongside the humans and dragons, there are major parts played by the elves and the dwarves. The middle story and the ending were not satisfactory, and sometimes I felt bored. So I only recommend this book for the adventure lover.

Author: Christopher Paolini
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Tropes: Natural World, Witch-wizard
Number Of Pages: 528
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Hardcover | Kindle

5 Dragon Shifter Romance Books

1. “Dragon Bound” by Thea Harrison – Elder Races Series

In “Dragon Bound,” half-human and half-Wyr Pia Giovanni finds herself blackmailed into stealing from a dragon. The dragon in question is Dragos Cuelebre, one of the most powerful beings in the Elder Races universe. When Dragos tracks down Pia, they form an unexpected and passionate bond. Harrison masterfully combines danger, intrigue, and romance elements in a world where mythical creatures and humans coexist.

2. “Firelight” by Sophie Jordan – Firelight Series

Jacinda is a draki, a descendant of dragons with the ability to shift into human form. When she defies her clan’s traditions, Jacinda and her family flee to the human world for safety. There, she meets Will, a dragon hunter, and an intense connection sparks between them. “Firelight” explores the struggles of forbidden love, identity, and finding one’s place in the world, all wrapped up in the allure of dragon mythology.

3. “Kiss of Fire” by Deborah Cooke – Dragonfire Series

Quinn Tyrrell is a dragon shifter who has given up on finding his destined mate until he meets Sara Keegan. Sara, a skeptic regarding anything supernatural, is drawn to Quinn and the world of the Pyr—dragon shifters tasked with protecting the earth’s treasures. “Kiss of Fire” is a sizzling tale of destiny, magic, and the flames of desire that burn between Quinn and Sara as they face external threats and their own fears.

4. “Fury of Fire” by Coreene Callahan – Dragonfury Series

Bastian, leader of the Dragonfury pack, is sworn to protect his kind from their enemies. When he saves Myst, a nurse who unknowingly carries the key to their survival, both their worlds are turned upside down. Callahan delivers a fast-paced, action-packed story filled with intense emotions, steamy romance, and the compelling bond that forms between Bastian and Myst amidst the ongoing war between dragon factions.

5. “Dragon Actually” by G.A. Aiken – Dragon Kin Series

Annwyl the Bloody is a fierce warrior with a knack for beheading her enemies. When she’s gravely injured in battle, a powerful dragon, Fearghus the Destroyer, finds and heals her. What starts as a partnership of convenience develops into a deep, fiery romance that challenges both Annwyl’s and Fearghus’s expectations. Aiken combines humor, battle, and passion in a lively tale of love between a dragon shifter and a human warrior.

5 Dragon Romance Book Series

1. “Dragonfury” Series by Coreene Callahan

Starting with “Fury of Fire,” this series introduces a world where dragon shifters, known as dragon-warriors, protect the human race from their evil counterparts. Each book focuses on a different member of the Dragonfury pack as they find their mates among humans or other supernatural beings, battling external threats and personal demons along the way. The series has action-packed plots and intense romantic connections.

2. “Dragon Kin” Series by G.A. Aiken

G.A. Aiken’s “Dragon Kin” series, beginning with “Dragon Actually,” combines humor, violence, and romance in a fantasy world populated by dragon shifters, humans, and various other creatures. The series focuses on the adventures and love lives of the dragon-shifter siblings of the royal family. Each novel and novella showcases a different couple’s story, all interwoven with ongoing political intrigue and battles.

3. “Fire’s Edge” Series by Abigail Owen

The “Fire’s Edge” series delves into the lives of dragon shifters who are part of an elite group of firefighters, hiding their true nature while protecting humanity from fire-spawned threats. Starting with “The Boss,” each book centers on a different dragon shifter finding love amidst danger and conspiracy, exploring themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and forbidden romance within a contemporary setting.

4. “Elder Races” Series by Thea Harrison

While not exclusively about dragons, the “Elder Races” series features a world where dragon shifters are among the powerful beings that inhabit the Earth. The first book, “Dragon Bound,” focuses on Dragos Cuelebre, a dragon shifter and one of the most formidable beings in the Elder Races universe, as he finds his mate in a half-human, half-Wyr woman. The series shows mythology, paranormal romance, and urban fantasy.

5. “Talon” Series by Julie Kagawa

The “Talon” series presents a modern world where dragons can take human form and live among us, hidden by the ancient dragon organization, Talon. The story follows Ember Hill, a young dragon trained to infiltrate human society. She is torn between her duties to Talon and her forbidden attraction to a rogue dragon and a dragon-slaying soldier. Kagawa weaves a tale of espionage, rebellion, and romance, exploring the clash between freedom and loyalty.

5 Human And Dragon Romance Books

1. “Dragon Bound” by Thea Harrison – Elder Races Series

In “Dragon Bound,” half-human, half-Wyr Pia Giovanni steals from a dragon hoard to pay off a debt, only to find herself the target of the dragon’s wrath. The dragon, Dragos Cuelebre, is surprised by his attraction to Pia and decides to claim her as his own. Their ensuing relationship is fraught with challenges as they face the political intrigues of the Elder Races. Harrison’s novel is a thrilling exploration of power, love, and the melding of two different lives.

2. “Firelight” by Sophie Jordan – Firelight Series

Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons who can morph into human form. Jacinda struggles to suppress her true nature when her family moves to integrate into the human world for her safety. Her life takes a complicated turn when she falls for Will, a human boy with a family legacy of hunting her kind. “Firelight” is a tale of forbidden love, identity, and the struggle to reconcile one’s true self with the demands of love and family.

3. “Talk Sweetly to Me” by Courtney Milan – The Brothers Sinister Series

Though not the series’ primary focus, “Talk Sweetly to Me” is a notable novella for featuring an interracial romance in Victorian England, with the hero being an astronomer and the heroine a brilliant mathematician. While it doesn’t feature a literal human and dragon romance, Milan’s work is celebrated for weaving complex themes of love, societal expectations, and the pursuit of personal dreams, much like the metaphorical dragons faced by those in cross-species romance narratives.

4. “Heartstone” by Elle Katharine White

A reimagining of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” set in a world of dragons, “Heartstone” tells the story of Aliza Bentaine, whose village is attacked by gryphons. When dragon-riding Riders are hired for protection, Aliza meets the haughty but brave Rider, Alastair Daired. White’s novel is a fascinating blend of classic romance and fantasy, exploring themes of prejudice, honor, and love amidst a backdrop of dragon lore and heroic deeds.

5. “The Smoke Thief” by Shana Abe – Drakon Series

Set in a world where a tribe of dragon shifters lives hidden from human eyes, “The Smoke Thief” follows Rue, a woman with the unique ability to turn into smoke. When she catches the attention of Christoff, the alpha leader of their tribe, a thrilling game of cat and mouse ensues. Abe crafts a mesmerizing tale of intrigue, theft, and romance, with the push and pull between Rue and Christoff exploring the balance between freedom and belonging.

Through the pages of dragon romance books, we’ve traversed worlds where love defies all odds, and the bond between human and dragon illuminates the power of understanding, loyalty, and the heart’s capacity to love beyond form or species. These tales have fueled our fantasies with their breathtaking flights and fiery encounters and reminded us of the transformative power of love in all its forms.

Whether you’ve been enchanted by the tales of dragons and their human counterparts for the first time or are a seasoned traveler in this genre, we hope your journey was as exhilarating as it was heartwarming. Until we next summon the courage to leap onto dragon back and take to the skies, may the flames of passion and the winds of adventure continue to inspire your reading journey, reminding you that sometimes, the most extraordinary love stories are those that dare to embrace the impossible.

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