DANGEROUSLY FIERCE is the third book in Deborah Blake's "Broken Riders" series. Although this book is part of a series, I was able to enjoy and appreciate it without having read the previous books in this series. Former Immortal Rider Alexei Knight and law school graduate- slash-barkeeper Bethany McKenna cross paths one day when Alexei ambles into her bar The Hook and Anchor. Although there is an attraction between Alexei and Bethany that eventually develops into something deeper, I wouldn't classify DANGEROUSLY FIERCE specifically as a romance novel. For me, DANGEROUSLY FIERCE is more of a story of fantasy, adventure, and magic with a contemporary setting. This is perfect for readers who enjoy stories about magic and fantasy and may have never been interested in love stories before.

At the opening of DANGEROUSLY FIERCE, the reader gets a strong sense of who the male and female protagonists are. Bethany is a strong woman in a difficult situation caring for her cantankerous disabled seadog dad and running his dive bar. Alexei is wandering from place to place across the country without purpose, and unsure if he really needs or wants one. In each other, both characters find what they've been looking for. Bethany finds someone who is a match for her father and can get him to behave, and Alexei finds a sense of belonging again that he hasn't really had since leaving his brothers. At first, I thought the focus in DANGEROUSLY FIERCE would be on the relationship between Alexei and Bethany and their struggle to find their proper place in life, but Deborah Blake threw a curveball of sea monsters, pirates, and magical shenanigans.

Nobody would suspect a sleepy little seaside town in Cape Cod would be host to things like dragons, mythical talismans, and assorted sea monsters. Bethany does remarkably well when she finds out this is her new normal. Instead of her normal struggles like money worries and healthcare concerns, Bethany is confronted with a wily supernatural villain. Luckily for everyone, Alexei is a worthy warrior and he has some equally badass friends to bring to the battle. I like how Deborah Blake draws parallels between Alexei and Bethany's father because it makes it easier to understand her reluctance to become involved with him.

DANGEROUSLY FIERCE is a swashbuckling tale of adventure and supernatural creatures, with a dash of romance. This is a great story to get swept up in and one that paints an extremely vivid picture for readers. Readers new to this series who loved Alexei should check out the previous books about Alexei's brothers.

Book Summary

The Riders: Three legendary brothers who kept the Baba Yagas safe. The Riders’ immortality was stripped away, along with their mission. But they are still much more than Human, and their story is far from over…

His brothers may have found new paths to follow, but Alexei Knight isn’t even looking. If he can’t have the life he was meant to lead, there is no second choice. So he is bent on drinking and brawling his way across the country until he winds up on Cape Cod in a bar called The Hook and Anchor, where he finds challenges he was never expecting, a feisty red-haired bartender, and maybe a lot more than that…

Bethany McKenna left behind an almost-completed law degree to return home and care for her cranky disabled father and run his bar for him. If that wasn’t enough, she also agreed to foster a very pregnant Great Dane. She has enough to deal with without adding in a giant bearded brawler, no matter how appealing he is. Yet somehow he ends up living in the guesthouse, taking care of her father, and sneaking his way into her heart…

Alexei and Bethany both think the lives they wanted have come to an end, but after dealing with a mysterious sea monster, pirates, dragons, and some adorable puppies, they might just discover that love is the greatest adventure of all…

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