Jarek by Erin Tate

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What’s hotter than an alien with scales? An alien with wings and scales, not to mention a hot body.

At 457 Preor years old, Jarek sen Claron is a dragon ready for his final flight into the skies. This voyage to Earth as the War Master of the third fleet will be his final assignment. Once he has helped his fellow Preors secure human mates, he will return to Preor before the madness of loneliness overtakes his mind. 

That all changes when he meets Melissa. Human Melissa with her sparkling eyes, bright smile, and body that would make any hot-blooded male drool. Unfortunately, she never registered as a Preor mate hopeful. No matter, the Knowing stretches between them and there is no way she can resist him. Until she does. 

Jarek wishes to give her the choice to mate him, while everything inside him screams to take Melissa beneath his wing, now. No choosing necessary. 

But should he draw her to his side when his enemies are circling? Many males do not believe the son of a Preor mass murderer deserves to have a mate. Can he survive the coming battles? Or will he die without tasting sweet Melissa’s lips?

Jarek

The Dragon Who Had Given Up on Love

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: ❤️💙💚🖤
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍
Character development: 😋😉😎😮
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

Characters and Plot Summary

Jarek sen Claron is 457 years old, the War Master of the third Preor fleet, and a dragon shifter who has already resigned himself to a lonely end. His mission to Earth is supposed to be about helping other Preor males find compatible human mates before he returns home for his final flight. Instead, he meets Melissa, a human nanny caring for a royal Ujal toddler, and the Knowing hits them with absolutely no warning. The problem is that Melissa never volunteered to be a Preor mate, and she is not willing to surrender her free will just because an alien dragon has decided they belong together.

I really liked that Melissa does not simply melt into Jarek’s arms. When he initially tries to claim what he believes is his, she actually runs from him, forcing him to confront the fact that the woman he is desperate for has a choice. Jarek’s own history makes things even more complicated because he is the son of the Preor who nearly destroyed his own people, leaving Jarek carrying guilt and judgment for something he did not do. After Melissa escapes, Jarek is injured during an attack, putting him in a vulnerable position that is very different from the powerful War Master we first meet. That shift gave their relationship more emotional weight for me.

Highlights and Limitations

The biggest surprise for me was how much I enjoyed the relationship itself. With an instant mate bond, I expected Melissa and Jarek to jump immediately into a physical relationship, but they actually have to work through their very different ideas about choice, duty, and what the Knowing means. I especially appreciated Jarek listening to Melissa even when he disagreed with her. That distinction matters because he could easily have become an overbearing alphahole, but instead he learns that wanting her does not automatically give him the right to make decisions for her.

Melissa was another highlight. I liked that she has a backbone and is willing to stand up to Jarek, including when he is injured and vulnerable. She is not simply the human who gets swept away by an exotic alien. She makes decisions for herself and even puts herself in danger to protect him.

The one thing I struggled with was the opening world-building. This story is connected to the Ujal books, and some characters and events are introduced as though the reader already knows the background. I could follow the story, but I occasionally wanted a little more explanation about the Preor society and their history. I also found the Knowing concept a little too convenient at first. Fortunately, Melissa’s resistance gave that premise enough conflict to work for me.

Narration

Todd Mrozek and Mandy Lane were a strong combination. Mrozek gave Jarek the commanding presence I expected from a 457-year-old War Master, but he also brought out the character’s more vulnerable side after Jarek is injured and separated from his usual position of power. Mandy Lane made Melissa feel appropriately independent and emotionally grounded, particularly during the moments when she refuses to simply accept Jarek’s demands.

What worked especially well was that the performances made the emotional conversations feel acted rather than merely read. I could hear the difference between Jarek’s certainty and Melissa’s determination to maintain control over her own life. Some listeners have specifically praised the duo for bringing the characters to life, and I can understand why.

Final Thoughts

Jarek ended up being a much more enjoyable audiobook than I expected though it was nothing special for this genre. I went in expecting an alien dragon mating story built mostly around the fantasy of a huge, possessive warrior finding his mate, but the part that stayed with me was actually Jarek learning that loving Melissa meant respecting her choices. His history as the son of a hated Preor and Melissa’s determination to retain her independence gave the romance more substance than I anticipated.

It is definitely a steamy, escapist sci-fi romance, but there is also a surprisingly sweet emotional thread underneath all the wings, scales, danger, and mate-bond drama. I especially liked that Jarek’s vulnerability after the attack allowed Melissa to see the man underneath the intimidating War Master. For me, that was when their relationship really started to feel earned.

If you enjoy possessive alien heroes, dragon shifters, fated mates, strong heroines, and a romance that still makes room for the heroine to say “no,” I think Jarek is a fun place to start the Dragons of Preor series.

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