3 stars
OVERALL: A slow-ish start but with plenty of sex, this book felt like it was finally the start of a series by the end! I enjoyed jumping into this world, and something about the writing pulled me in and along, I tore through this book and the next two back to back!!
Content warnings: sexually explicit scenes, violence, death, blood, fire, hostage? captive?
Tropes: alpha male, alien romance, forced proximity, magic?, captor/captive, enemies to lovers

The initial third/half of this book takes a lot of time to set up the world and the situation that our main female character is in: a post-apocalyptic environment full of dangers and where the main goal is survival. She's left out as 'bait' for the enemy: the dragons that have destroyed the physical landscape and broken down human society.
I thought the fear that Claudia felt and was struggling with was done well--she tries to make the best of her situation and continually is talking herself down from freaking out, especially as time goes on and she realizes that Kyle is taking care of her and protecting her, not hurting her. But also, this time that is covered is unrealistic to me--I realize reading weeks of time with this dynamic wouldn't be super fun, but it felt like she jumped from fear to sexy times too fast. Especially considering the lack of communication before that point.
But the second half of the book improved, with the communication now possible and also to gain a bit more plot with planning to go back to the Fort to rescue her friend and sister. That went about as well as I expected, honestly.

Did NOT need that "I'm pregnant and soooo happyyyy" epilogue.