As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Review: Dragon’s Folly – Joy Lynn Fielding

Dragon's Folly - Joy Lynn Fielding

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

LGBTQ+ Category: Gay

Reviewer: Maryann

Get It On Amazon

About The Book

Falling for him would be pure folly. I know that. Now all I have to do is convince my heart…

Allowing a strange dragon into my home was not my idea.

The Assembly assured me it was necessary, though. And that’s how I ended up with him.

Ollie Shaw is clumsy. Unfairly hot. He stumbles through my life leaving a trail of chaos and sunny charm in his wake.

And I hoard every moment with him like he’s my greatest treasure.

But with an entire dragon territory to rule, bills to pay, and treachery brewing in my family, I can’t afford to be distracted by Ollie’s copper-gilded beauty and boundless enthusiasm.

especially can’t give in to my dragon’s primal urge to claim him.

Because loving him could cost me everything I’ve fought so hard to protect. And that would eventually come back to bite us both—with dragon’s teeth…

Dragon’s Folly, Book 3 in the Wings over Albion series, is a sweet and spicy, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity paranormal m/m romance.

The Review

Dragons keep their identity hidden from humans, and have been surviving for centuries. How long? Not even the Dragons know for sure. Avebury has also been in existence for a long time, much like Stonehenge. It was created with smaller stones and a much wider, circular design. Some believe it might be connected to the dragons.

It’s been three hundred years since the last Dragon Moot, which ended tragically with one of the Channel Island dragons getting burned to death. There are at least sixty-one known dragon families, and very few associate with each other. Dragons are possessive of their territory and their treasure.  

Time has taken a toll. What the most powerful and richest Dragon, Abimelech Mortimer, de facto leader, experienced has him calling a moot of all Dragon Heads. Even though the Dragons don’t trust or like him, no one would dare turn his invitation down.

Ollie Shaw, of Tunbridge Wells, is a distant cousin and long-time friend of Jack Shaw’s. Jack is the next in line for Head of the Shaw Dragon family. Due to his wife being pregnant and Harry, Jack’s father, not wanting to upset his twin sons, Ollie has been invited along with Jack.

Ollie has always been ridiculed by Jack and their families. Even when Ollie feels useless, he tries to keep his enthusiasm up. Sure, he may be a little clumsy and naive, but he loves life and enjoys it as much as he can. He especially needs to keep himself under control with all the hunky dragons around.

When all the Heads attend the moot, Ollie is approached by a young girl named Mia. He sort of rescues her from a Smythe Dragon, who was making her feel uncomfortable. Since they are waiting around for the moot to end, they start to share details about themselves and become friends.  

 Abimelech Mortimer has turned the meeting over to Evelyn Berstow. She tells of how her dragon family stayed secluded from the dragon world because of safety and habit. As her dragon treasure is the history and knowledge of all dragon kind, much of the history has not been shared or is hidden away.  She reveals to the Dragon Moot her plans to collect and share dragon history. Most importantly, she promises that all the history will be digitized and protected. The Red Dragon, Rufus Mortimer, is working on an overarching history, and will distribute copies to all families.  

Abimelech had also experienced the damage of Dragon Families not associating. Especially with the Fortescues. He has already seen change with the younger generation with Mark Stevens and his grandson, Rufus and Rufus’ brother Nate, and Alex Teague.  Whether he truly accepts their relationships, it’s hard to tell, because he keeps his feelings under tight control. 

Also in attendance is Margaret Teague, who suggests for the generations to come that the Dragon families find a way to intermingle, and to invite another dragons or dragon families to visit their territory. It would still be by permission, but not so rigid as in the past. Besides building trust, it would open the door to friendships, and even romantic partners.

Archer Talbot is Head of his dragon family and attending the moot, and he’s not exactly happy with all these changes. He has time to mull it all over, but first he has to see to his seventeen year old sister Mia. He wanted his brother Tim to come with them, but they’ve had a long falling out. Archer struggled at the age of eighteen, taking over the responsibilities of being Head Dragon. There are those within the Talbot Dragons who wanted to ruin Archer. Dragons are very possessive and protective and have to rule with an iron fist, and Archer did what he had to, in order to protect his siblings. Now Archer will have to make a decision about whether to invite another dragon into his territory. 

When Archer and Ollie meet, there’s something about Ollie that bothers Archer’s dragon. Is he trustworthy? He seems to have made a connection with Mia, and Mia likes his company. In fact, she suggests that Archer and Ollie go flying together. As Ollie he and Archer get to know each other, they will get caught up in the meaning of Avebury, the Family Bible, and King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table.

Fielding has crafted another intriguing Dragon tale with Dragons Folly, in the “Wings Over Albion” series. I was very impressed with the in-depth look into the dragons’ lore, and the need to prepare for a new future. The cameo of the Red Dragon, Rufus, and his husband Mark was a pleasant surprise. I’m sure they will be back again.    

Ollie, with his innate kindness and understanding, brings new life into the Talbot home.  He makes a connection with Archer’s younger brother, Tim, and helps in the re-building the gardens, and so much more. He also brings something special to Archer, who will come to see the situation in a whole new light, even though he and Ollie sometimes butt heads. Ollie may just find a place in his heart.

Ollie and Archer are the perfect “opposites attract” characters. They need each other, and it’s delightful to see the changes that come over them.

I liked the “Wings Over Albion” series from the very first book, and now with the third volume, it has gotten even better. I was thoroughly entertained. It’s suspenseful, filled with danger and deceit, but it also has humor and lots of steamy scenes. I’m excited to see what Fielding has planned next for the series!

The Reviewer

Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.

I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.

My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!

As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.

My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.

I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.

But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.