I love all the fantasy creatures, but give me a book with dragons, and it’s an instant add to my TBR. The problem is, it’s sometimes hard to tell if there will be more heat on the page than from the dragon. That’s why I rounded up six of my favorite books that feature dragons and no spice.
As always, every book on this list has been rated for heat, violence, and language using my rating system, so you’ll know exactly what to expect before you dive in.
Dragon’s Kiss by E.A. Winters
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 1
Stolen as a child and raised as an assassin in the dragonlord’s hidden syndicate, seventeen-year-old Semra discovers she and her fellow assassins are the true villains and turns against the only world she’s known to save the royal family before war tears the kingdom apart.
Flame Theory by C.F.E. Black
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When a slum-born girl is chosen by an illegal dragon—proving the elite godborn have been lying—she’s forced to assume a false identity at a prestigious riding academy and spy on the heir of a ruthless crime family, only to uncover a conspiracy about dragons powerful enough to reshape the world, and a forbidden attraction just as dangerous
Jabberwock’s Curse by R.V. Bowman
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
Swept into Wonderland by a sharp-tongued cat, Alice Cavendish must free the fearsome Jabberwock to earn her way home, but as she uncovers the Red Queen’s tragic past and a dark hunger for power, she must decide how much she’s willing to risk—including her heart.
Saints and Monsters by Ellen McGinty
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When her sister is cursed on the eve of her coronation, the disabled Princess Meera must claim a vicious sea dragon to take the throne—but her plea to the Saints accidentally transforms the dragon into a mortal man and steals his heart into her own chest, forcing the mismatched pair to work together to break the curse and save their kingdom.
Wormwood Abbey by Christina Baehr
Heat: 1 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When a mythical salamander tumbles into her lap, Victorian clergyman’s daughter Edith Worms is swept away to a crumbling gothic abbey in Yorkshire—where curious beasts, ancient family secrets, a handsome reluctant neighbor, and a prickly cousin draw her into guarding a legacy whose mysteries aren’t all small enough to fit in her lap…and some of which have teeth.
The Last Dragon on Mars by Scott Reintgen
Heat: 1 Violence: 2 Language: 1
On a cursed and dying Mars where humanity’s ancestors once warred with the dragons that occupy space, a scavenging boy named Lunar Jones ventures into a restricted underground zone after a salvage run goes wrong—and discovers something buried in the Martian dust that may be the last hope for his doomed planet.
While each of the dragons in these books plays very different roles in the stories, they are all fascinating. Personally, I’d probably take any of them home with me if only I had a bigger backyard.
Want even more options? Grab my free 100+ Spice-Free Reading List. It covers everything from dragon books to fae fantasy to heist stories, all rated for heat, violence, and language just like this list. Click the link: rvbowman.com/readinglist, and I’ll send it straight to your inbox.
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