“But suffice it to say, dragons take care of their own.” I really loved this one. It has mystery, angst, magic and dragons. Aidan and Nassim are both lovable and flawed, and had me floating with happiness as they found theirs. Plus, they’re smoking hot together. It was a twisty-topsy unraveling of all the secrets but I’m an eager believer in them both.

I enjoyed this story. Poor Aiden has lost all his memories and with no memory of what happened finds himself stumbling out next to a building that ends up being his place of work. Nassim and everyone else have been worried sick about Aiden after he disappeared, but finding him alive is only the beginning of the story as everyone tries to figure out what happened and also find a new normal.

I felt for Nassim and Aiden in this story. Both of them had things they were hiding for different reasons and those secrets caused there to be a lot of mistrust that the two men needed to get past to find their way back to each other. Their relationship was fragile and each new piece of information had the potential to shatter them. But, they fought through things to find each other and find out just what had happened to Aiden. This would give them a foundation for the future.

This book was a solid story that stayed on the right side of sweetness and caring.

A slightly confusing start

I found this book to be an enjoyable experience, but did find the first chapter to be confusing. Aidan's bewilderment as he tries to find his memories, felt organic as did Nassim's fear.

I am going to read the other book by this author in this series. This is an enjoyable read overall.

Ohhh, this was just delightful! A lovely blend of paranormal/fantasy elements, romance, some action and conflict, and a seriously sexy end and HEA.

This entire story is from Aidan's POV, so we get to follow him as he wakes with amnesia, and then tries to restore his life and also figure out what happened to him and what exactly caused the amnesia. His boss, Nassim, who also just happens to be a powerful dragon, offers to help Aidan get reacquainted with everyone at his job. Of course, there are plenty of things that Nassim hasn't told Aidan too. I don't want to give anything major away, but it's pretty obvious that there's more to Nassim and Aidan's relationship than just work.

I really enjoyed the blend of fantasy with our world. In this world, dragons, shifters, gryphons, all exist with our human world. They have a separate governing system and different rules. And all I will say about Aidan's secret is that it's awesome, unique, and I really loved how it worked within this story.

I would definitely love to read more of this series, maybe Fazl can get a story! Also, this is the sequel to the Gryphon King, but this one stands really well on its own.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 DSP Beyond Hearts

I’m typically all for an amnesia trope and this one grabbed me pretty easily. Take note that with most amnesia storylines, the reveal and resolution are a bit long in coming which might frustrate some.

So yes, as per the blurb, Aidan basically finds himself naked and afraid, not knowing who he is or where he’s at. When he’s quickly found by his employer Nassim, it’s evident that they’re closer than just simply an employee/employer dynamic, but no one is willing to say much. Hence, Aidan starts on a journey of self discovery that lends more questions than answers and a growing inexplicable pull towards Nassim. Why is that? I think you already know the answer...

This book is loosely tied to the [b:The Gryphon King's Consort|36519648|The Gryphon King's Consort (Golden Kingdom, #1)|Jenn Burke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1509592472l/36519648._SY75_.jpg|58242060], and I have to say that what I enjoyed most about book one was the complex world building and hierarchy, where here it was a bit lacking. I wanted more of the interesting world where the mythos lived. I wanted more about the dragons and their fascinating political and turf issues. I simply wanted these two things more cohesively connected and intertwined. Nassim’s history and his background was interesting and unique (just like King Luca’s) and the potential for expanding on that was missing. However, I appreciated Nassim and Aidan’s personal fears and struggles while the central mystery behind Aidan is slowly revealed.

Overall, I think that if you liked the first book, or love anything with dragons, plus enjoy the concept of the mate bond with some UST and smexy, then this will be a reliable DSP Beyond win. If Burke chooses to write additional stories in this world, hopefully she’ll bring more of the fantastical creatures and their elaborate cultures which is where this series shines the most and will keep me coming back for more!

Thank you to the publisher/author for a copy in exchange for a honest review

Good

I liked seeing the dragons and their mythology. The amnesia trope is one I’ve seen before and I felt it was done well. I liked both our MCs and I rooted for their HEA.

I loved how this romance stepped away from most stereotypical shifter tropes!

Content warnings include: amnesia, murder, blackmail, gunfight, characters get shot, sex on-page; mentions of drowning.

The whole amnesia plot was handled well and dominated most of the book. It wasn't all that stand out to me, but I loved all the little details around the setting: the company Nassim and Aidan work for, the bits of mythos (=shifter) politics that came through and the different kinds of mythos that appeared.

I would have liked the book to be longer in pretty much all parts. More about the side characters, more about what's going on in the background. The one thing I would have liked to be a bit shorter was the length it took for Aidan to find out anything about his life. It wasn't that it got boring or frustrating because the rest is pleasant and diverting, but a few more hints and a gradual build would have been nice.

It's technically second in a series but can absolutely be read as a standalone.

Overall a very pleasant read for in between.

I received an ARC and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

It could be so much better with a different ending

Jenn Burke is back with more of her paranormal fantasy romance series, The Golden Kingdom. This sequel to The Gryphon King’s Consort picks up about a year later but with a new focus on the dragon community. I originally hoped we’d get a little more of Duke Rudel’s story, and while he does make an appearance, this story centers around Nassim Kader, a powerful dragon CEO who’s still licking the traumatic wounds of his past, and his assistant Aidan Bishop. What readers encounter as the story opens doesn’t promise to make life easier for either of them in any way.

The Dragon CEO’s Assistant exudes mystery and intrigue from the moment Aidan stumbles out of the woods naked and confused. That series of events unleashes a race to uncover the pieces of his missing memories and determine just what happened to him and why. Burke uses Aidan’s POV to give readers a firsthand look at how he’s floundering about trying to get a handle on life. One particularly interesting part of that is Nassim; it’s pretty clear there’s something more to Aidan’s relationship with Nassim than boss-employee, but discovering it’s nature creates a thrilling anticipation. Burke masterfully reveals just enough to give readers a sense of familiarity without giving away too much, keeping them on the edge of their seats as the mystery unfolds.

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*