A sanctuary owner running on stubbornness and cold tea. A grumpy veterinarian who talks to dragons but not to people. And an injured rescue that will only heal when they work together.
Lindie Keene has held Ember & Ash Dragon Sanctuary together for twelve years through budget crises, mountain winters, and the kind of grief that reshapes a life—no days off, meals skipped that no one notices, no help wanted or needed. When search and rescue calls in a critically injured dragon, she calls in the one vet she trusts. Dr. Callum Voss, the volunteer who’s spent two years showing up, doing his job, and never once staying past his shift, moves into the bunkhouse and doesn’t leave.
Now they’re sharing midnight checks and quarantine shifts—monitoring vitals, arguing about feeding schedules, not talking about the way the room changes when they’re both in it. Lindie has survived by being the one who carries everything. Callum doesn’t push, doesn’t fix, doesn’t make promises. He just leaves a sandwich where she’ll find it. And she’s terrified of what happens when she lets someone stay.
✓ Injured animal brings them together
✓ Grumpy / sunshine
✓ Forced proximity (snowed-in!)
✓ Slow burn, sweet romance
✓ Found family (with dragons)
✓ He fell first (he fell HARD)
✓ Strong female lead
Heat Level: Slow Burn / Closed Door
Vibes: Cozy, tender, yearning
Setting: Mountain dragon sanctuary
Ending: HEA
Ember & Ash Book 1 — standalones with recurring world
Some creatures are worth the risk of staying.
