I received a copy of this e-book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Madelyn is a college professor who has gone to Russia to do research for her PhD. There was a reference to a certain book that she wants to read. Her subject? Dragons really do exist! While she loves teaching history to her students, the politics of teaching wear on her.

Madelyn doesn't remember her parents. She was raised by foster parents and they were everything a child could ask for, loving and supportive. She has always been kind of a loner, never feeling like she fit in.

When she goes to the library to look at this specific book, the guard does everything he can to dissuade her from reading it. As she reads it, she is amazed. According to the man who wrote this book, dragons do exist and he spent time with 3 brothers who were dragons. There were even drawings of the brothers in the book.

Grigori is alerted that some requested the book and he must find out what they want with it as it could destroy his family. He finds Madelyn and is going to ask why she was reading the book he realizes she has quite an impact on him, in more ways then one...she is his mate! He knows he cannot let her leave him. He senses something different about her though but can't figure it out, she must be more than human.

Madelyn is feeling quite the attraction to Grigori also but she isn't sure why. She knows he resembles one of the "brothers" in the book so he must be a descendent. Then he tells her the truth and she is shocked but happy that she may be able to prove the existence of dragons.

Then his brother kills the son of another dragon clan. The death was caused when he was trying to stop the man from abusing a woman but that isn't going to satisfy the father. This clan is not happy with hiding his dragon and would like to win over humans, even if it means their death. Law says he or the leader of the clan must fight....

Will Grigori survive this fight? What is Madelyn besides human and does it threaten his dragon?

I loved this book! I didn't want to put it down once I started reading it! This whole magic of finding your mate must be powerful because they seem to know it right away. The best part, besides Grigori and Madelyn finding one another is Madelyn's back story...where she really comes from.

Great story, great flow and hopefully there will be books about the remaining brothers!

This story was really good. I was intrigued and fascinated and really loved the concept of this story. I have never read a dragon shifter story before and this was my first time reading this author so I had some high hopes based on the synopsis, but there were a lot of editing issues that were very distracting and hindered the overall flow of the story. I'm hoping that because I was reading an ARC, that maybe the final publication will have corrected the numerous amount of grammatical errors in the book. It would be a shame if the mistakes weren't corrected because this story has some great potential. I really enjoyed Grigori and Madelyn. The mysteries of her past were very interesting. An overall very enjoyable story even with the typos.

*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book*

Duuuuudddeee...this book. This book was....Gah! I can't even...I just can't even.
5 Rip-Roaring Fire Breathing down your throat stars!!!!
Amazing. So freaking AMAZING!!!!
I LOVED THIS BOOK.
LOOOOVVVEEED IT!!!
I have a thang, you read that right, a thang for dragons and this book delivered it. Totally did it for me. I want a Grigori. Please, oh please, can I have a Grigori Barinov? Pretty Please? Wow!
In this book we have the Barinovs, ancient dragons from Russia and there are only 3 left of this wonderful and strong family, Grigori, Mikhail and Rurik. The heroine, Madelyn Haynes is a medieval mythology professor from Michigan and has been researching dragon history for years, she cannot quite understand the pull that she has, but she knows that there is something to this story. She travels to Russia, going to visit the Russia State Library to check out a book about dragons by Barrow. When she gets to the library the guard is hesitant in releasing the book into her hands. What happens from that moment on and throughout the story is nothing short of amazing. I commend the author on weaving a beautiful tale, full of history in regards to these dragons and their ancestry..There is something happening to Madelyn, she has been dreaming about a dragon, bearing down upon her, his intent to kill her but she does not know why. As the story moves forward, Grigori is notified that Madelyn has read some of the book and was seen taking pictures of those dragons in the book. Grigori and his younger brother Rurik, set out to detain Madelyn and find out what she knows. Grigori is really an old dragon almost close to 3000 years old and finds his true mate in what he believes is the mortal woman, Madelyn. Madelyn is a virgin but she knows that Grigori, though frightened at first, is her one and true mate. I cannot say enough of what a gentleman, passionate, brave, and a beautiful hero that he is. Once he knew that Madelyn was his, she became his everything. *sigh*. I fell in love with Grigori. There is action, the proverbial bad guy, Dimitri Drakor, that wants to annihilate the Barinovs, and love in this story. I can't say anymore without giving away some huge spoilers, suffice it to say, you will not be disappointed. I really enjoyed this read and am eagerly anticipating the next book, Mikhail, hinted at the end, to release. 5 stars!!!!

I think this series of books has the capacity to grow and get better. The premise is great and the characters are engaging.

Exciting paranormal romance book, but I felt it ended too quickly.

Grigori (Brothers of Ash and Fire, #1)
by Lauren Smith
Anna Swedenmom's review Sep 05, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY !! This is not a normal genre for me ..... HOWEVER,,,,, it would of been a shame to miss such a fantastic read! From the first page to the final page I was totally enthralled. I absolutely loved the characters the writing the way the plot unfolded. I loved the way story pulls you in and makes you feel and hold your breath at times for the next action to happen. I enjoyed the romance , the mystery, the suspense the plots.... WOW what a super great read in the paranormal line! I can only say buy it buy it buy it! I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna Swedenmom

Grigori is an exciting, action-packed debut to the new Brothers of Ash and Fire series by Lauren Smith. This is my first read by Ms Smith, but her Barinov brothers have me hooked, and I’m sure this will not change.

Grigori is the eldest brother and therefore feels the need to solve all their problems and protect the family secrets too. SO it’s not surprising when the mystery of their heritage falls into a mortal’s hands, that Grigori acts to shield his brothers.

Grigori is a wonderful introduction into this fascinating world and the exceptional beings who hide their lineage for self preservation. They just need to watch out for those pesky humans who will ultimately steal their hearts.

Grigori Barinov is the eldest of three brothers the last in an ancient line of dragon shifters and the guardian of his family’s lands and fortune. When he discovers a two hundred year old manuscript that exposes his family and their dragon lineage has fallen into a mortal woman’s hands, he knows he must get the book back by any means necessary. Even as he handles the book all he can smell is an intoxicating scent.
Madelyn Haynes has always been lonely, an adopted child she grew up in a loving home but never felt as though she really belonged. She is plagued by mysterious dreams she’s had of a silver scaled beast ever since she was a little girl, she is convinced dragons are real. While in Russia working on her PhD in mythology in order to escape the ridicule from fellow professors, she unexpectedly crosses paths with the sexy and dominating Grigori.
The author’s books are a must read for me & I love the strong characters that are part & parcel of her books but I’m not a fan of shifter books so started this wondering if I would like it, I needn’t have wondered, it exceeded my expectations. It is an engrossing enthralling novel. The characterisation is so very good, Grigori & Madelyn are strong characters who are very likeable & the chemistry between the pair is sizzling. Grigoris is everything you want in a hero, so very caring & protective & not forgetting gorgeous. Madelyn has always been happy to stay in the background & has been a loner until meeting Grigori when she finds her strengths. The plot is very well paced & I was loathe to put it down & read it in well under a day & eagerly look forward to Mikhail & Rurik’s stories. If you like the author’s other books give this a try you won’t be disappointed

Grigori, A Royal Dragon Romance, Lauren Smith

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance

I liked the sound of this but though I enjoyed it, I found it a bit light and fluffy, a little too predictable.
Not sure I'll continue with the series but first books do have  a hard ask, telling a story, introducing characters and a new world so maybe I'm just a bit harsh...

Madelyn, she's a professor but....doesn't seem to have too much common sense, or self preservation. "ok this guy says he's a dragon and...well, I've always had an interest in dragons and he won't hurt me..." She doesn't know him but not only does she fall into insta-lust with him but she trusts him incredibly quickly. 
Grigori, two thousand years old, (or possibly three - both ages get a mention) but makes some stupid mistake that made me wonder how in earth he'd survived that long.

He wants the book back, seemed a pretty poor hiding place to me. I know there's the "hidden in plain sight" thing but so much of it was out of his control there, given it was so crucial not to let humans see it. Still, he's ready to seduce it out of Madelyn. Except he doesn't need to do much in the way of that....
I had high hopes for his secretary, I do love those vengeful, jealous characters but it came to nothing really in this book, maybe the next one ;-) 

It's a good storyline, but was all a bit too quick, too neat as to problems and solutions, and too simple/light for me to rate higher than 3.
Maybe the next books will get a bit more solid, bit more depth but of course there will be readers who love this just as it is. 

Stars: Three, a read that's easy to get in to, but just too light for me. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Grigori (Brothers of Ash and Fire, #1) by Lauren Smith. I've read this author's League of Rogues Series and The Shadows of Stormclyffe Hall so I was ultimately intrigued by this new venture into Dragons. And quite honestly, who doesn't like a good dragon story? Right from the beginning Madelyn Haynes finds herself the object of intrigue as she uncovers a previously unknown journal while researching for her PhD at a Russian library. Grigori Barinov is the oldest of his Dragon shifter line and has taken on the responsibility of guarding their history. To give the story depth and historical value, the author incorporates dragon mythology with historical details that enhance the reader experience. Grigori is a strong lead character that compliments the softer nature of Madelyn as she gains much needed confidence. And wow, what a treat she becomes! (no spoilers here folks). A solid start to this series and I can't wait to see where it leads. Thank you to netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Swerve for graciously providing a review copy.

5 - Here there be dragons... Stars!

Lauren Smith turns her already talented hand to Dragon-Shifters with the first book in her new Brothers of Ash and Fire series introducing us to the Barinov brothers, with Grigori up first.

GIF.

It’s no secret that I am a fan of this author, her Historical titles are like Catnip to me, but dragons… well she has pretty much written a series that sits front and center proudly on my reading Nirvana shelf.

"I always knew a love of reading was a good thing."

Madelyn and Grigori’s story, was as easy to slip into as a warm fragrant bath, the heat levels between them grew as they got to know each other better, and I really liked that Madelyn had her own secrets to tell as the book developed, just as much as Grigori did.

"People always fear what they do not understand…"

Having had a fascination with Dragon’s her whole life, finding out that Grigori can shift into one and then learning all about his families history is like a dream come true for her, especially when the sexy-shifter makes it very clear that she is the only woman for him. But the Barinov Family have enemies, and discovering that Grigori has found his mate, brings them out of the shadows looking to take advantage of his distracted state.

Mate a mortal… It was a terrible idea.

Grigori was a quick read, I loved that the author actually wove true Russian history into the Barinov's past, it was done really skillfully and although fiction made me sit there and think,'that could have happened', and it hit all the right notes with me. You are also introduced to Rurik Barinov and I loved his dry wit and sarcastic humor. You are also given a small glimpse of exiled brother Mikhail, whose book is up next, Lauren has set the scene well, given the reader an epic love story to open it up, and I am looking forward to seeing the direction she takes in the future books.

"You dragons do like to hold onto things don’t you?"

Not long to wait, as Mikhail is due early 2018, and I cannot wait!

I devoured this book!! Dragons, hot alpha males, it was everything I wanted and my expectations were high. It beat my expectations. I will have a full review on release week!

I really loved this book it was sweet and great side characters. Girgori and Madelyn were absolutely perfect for each other. I enjoyed the dragon shifter story line immensely. The romance was believable and Girgori and Madelyn had amazing chemistry. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!!

Grigori is a dragon shifter one of three brothers who have sworn to protest their history and existence from humans.
Madelyn a shy scholar is in Russia to try complete her PhD in mythology, looking for information into whether all the stories of dragons in mythology could prove they were real.
They meet after Gregori is informed by a librarian that Madelyn has read a book discussing their true existence. When these two meet there is instant strong attraction with Grigori positive she is his mate even though she is human.
So begins a great story, full off romance,thrills, wicked enemies and a rollercoaster of excitement.
A thoroughly good read, I look forward to the next two books in this series.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book honestly

This is my first book by author Lauren Smith. I enjoyed her first book in Brothers and Ash and Fire series. It is a story of the dragons in Russia and our heroine goes to Russia to do research. Madelyn checks out a book in the library and starts her adventure in meeting the Barinov brothers, dragon shifters. Grigori is the eldest brother and head of the family. He finds Madelyn to find out who she is and if she is a spy. The world LS created is interesting and the story is fast paced. The storyline is full of details and leaves us wanting to find out more. The next release is about brother Mikhail and i am looking forward to it.

I received the arc of Grigori from St Martins Press with a review request. The cover didn't impress me much, but the synopsis got me curious. Since I'm a sucker for shapeshifters, how can I say no to a dragon shifter...

And what kind of dragon: a real gentleman dragon! Grigori Barinov is one of the remaining dragons of his bloodline. Together with his brother Rurik, they are the last Barinov dragons. After living for thousands of years, he and his brother live a quiet human life to stay below the radar of humans and their worst enemy: Drako of a rival dragon ancestry. But now, someone is asking questions and checking out his history...

Madelyn Hayes is convinced that dragons are real. She just has to prove it. That's why she is now digging into old data in Russia, to show her colleagues that she is right. However, after reading some interesting documents, she is followed and captured by the broody and very sexy Grigori.

Although she is drawn towards the handsome and courteous stranger, she can't help but feeling he is the enemy. But why does she recognize his mother? And why do the nightmares about the rain and thunder intensify since she is sleeping under the same roof as Grigory?

Find out in this first part of a new series of the Brothers of Ash and Fire. Let your heart be swept of his feet by this wonderful dragon and his funny little brother. I'll be looking forward to part two, to read about what happened to brother Mikhail.

Four out of five stars from me with a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

Great start to this new series! Dragon shifters are unique in and of themselves. I love it when we can get a new, fresh look at them. This is my first time reading this author. Although I thought the story rushed in some spots, for the most part it held my interest beginning to end.

This is Grigori's book. He is the eldest brother and thus patriarch of the family. All of his clan are gone except for his two brothers. In steps Madelyn, trying to prove or disprove once and for all the myth of the dragon. What follows is both eye opening and frightening.

This book brings us not only the mate attraction, but also some history, some action adventure and of course at least two super hot and gorgeous Dragons! I first thought to roll my eyes at the virgin "sacrifice" comments. Once the story unfolds and we find out all of Madelyn's secrets, it makes more sense. She is the right person in the right place to become Grigori's mate. What power and courage she has shown! Great match for him!

The best part....this is just book 1! Can't wait to meet the younger brothers in more detail. Looking forward to more from this author.

Really enjoyed the mythology Smith created. I loved the characters but wasn't thrilled with how Grigori met up with Madelyn...creepy stalker dude, but he redeemed himself. Rurik was a bit harsh though. I am looking forward to Mikhail's book.

Good, quick, sexy read. Likable characters, believable insta-love because he's a dragon shifter, and a solid story.

This was a new twist on dragon mythology and a very enjoyable one at that, loved the concept of the different species and that Madalyn got to be the bad* ss.