Reviewed by Nikyta
Title: Lukos Heat
Author: Megan Derr
Series: Heart of Fire #1
Heroes: Najlah & Barkus
Genre: M/M Fantasy
Length: 19k words
Publisher: Less Than Three Press
Release Date: October 22, 2014
Available at: Less Than Three Press & Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads
Blurb: Najlah is on the hunt for the traitorous coward who attempted to assassinate the king and nearly killed Najlah’s brother in the process. But the hunt has taken his team deep into the Shide, the treacherous, freezing mountains controlled by the mysterious Lukos, feral wolf shifters who do not tolerate trespassers.
When the Lukos come upon them, Najlah is reluctantly intrigued. The Lukos, especially the one called Barkus, are nothing like the soft humans he spends most of his time around. They thrive in the brutal cold the way he thrives in volcanic fire. For the first time, it feels like Najlah may have found someone who can equal the fierceness of dragons, and see them as more than demons.
But if he hopes to explore the bond forming with the Lukos, he must first survive the enemy—and the Shide.
Review:
On the hunt for a traitor who attempted to assassinate the king brings Najlah into the dangerous mountains inhabited by feral wolf shifters called the Lukos. When their paths cross, Najlah is more intrigued than afraid and captures the attention of the lead wolf, Barkus, who agrees to assist Najlah and his friends in hunting the traitor. But on their hunt, they’re attacked, leaving Barkus to form a bond with Najlah to save his life. Will these two be able to explore the newly formed bond or will their enemy destroy them first?
There’s something about Megan Derr’s writing that pulls me in every time. No matter how short or long the book is, I’m always sucked into a story that’s highly enjoyable. This one was no different especially since it’s set in a world where there’s dragons, feral wolves and magic that causes a great deal of problems. In this one, I loved the rawness that is Naj and Barkus together. They’re intense and crude and held nothing back. It was a bit refreshing considering a lot of what I read is mostly tame and sweet. Granted, there is sweetness to this story but it’s because of the longing and want between them but when they’re together, they don’t care about being careful or gentle, it’s rough and almost violent.
This was a great, fast-paced story but the ending was a bit disappointing. With the extent of the story, I was expecting something way more elaborate and complex but the ‘resolution’, if it could be called that, was a little underwhelming. It’s hard to explain without giving spoilers but I was hoping for something a little more than a quick assassination attempt.
Still, in the end, I really enjoyed this story. I loved the raw connection and emotions between Najlah and Barkus and how they were a perfect fit together. I also liked the premise of the story and while I wished it had been longer and more developed, it was still an intriguing read. I can’t wait to read the next in the series because I’m hoping that’ll have more of the Lukos in it!
Overall Impression: I really liked it!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair and honest review.*
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