Who This Book Is For
Fans of book one looking for deeper character dynamics between Roland and his squires, plus readers who enjoy slow-burn romantic tension in a medieval setting
Who This Book Is NOT For
Readers who wanted more dragon content in book one and are hoping for payoff here, or those who prefer fast-paced action to character-driven drama
Our Review
The Setup
Roland outwitted the great families of Avilus and resolved his impossible squire dilemma with a clever stroke. But his dreams of a noble quest to find and cure a dragon are quickly shattered by the reality of managing two beautiful women who hate each other as much as they want to serve him. Possibly more.
The story moves from the Academy to the road, and that shift in setting changes everything. Antonia and Laetitia’s shortcomings as squires are laid bare by the travails of wilderness travel, and both need significant growth before they will be ready for their own quests. Complicating matters further, Roland’s affair with Antonia makes any possibility of friendship between the two squires as challenging as curing a cursed dragon. And the political enemies Roland thought he had left behind in Avilus have followed him.
What Works
The emotional core of this book is the rivalry between Antonia and Laetitia, and it is handled with genuine skill. These are not cardboard antagonists sniping at each other for entertainment value. Both women have real motivations, real insecurities, and real reasons for the hostility between them. The forced proximity of road travel creates natural pressure that gradually shifts the dynamic in ways that feel earned rather than manufactured. One reviewer called it “even better than the first book,” specifically citing the romance woven through the story and the trials of coming to terms with complicated feelings.
The move from the city to the wilderness is also a smart choice. The academic setting of book one was well-drawn but contained. Out on the road, the stakes feel more immediate and the characters are stripped of the institutional structures that protected them. The pacing remains deliberate but never drags, and one reviewer noted wishing for more pages, which is a strong endorsement for a 472-page book.
Dalton and Hawk continue to demonstrate exceptional craft in their worldbuilding and prose. The details are vivid without being overwrought, and the medieval setting feels authentic rather than costumey. The collaboration between the two authors produces something notably stronger than either typically writes solo, and readers have taken notice.
What Doesn’t
The dragons remain mostly absent, and by book two, this is becoming a pattern that may test reader patience. The series is called Dragon Academy, and while Roland is technically searching for a dragon, the actual quest takes a back seat to human politics and relationship drama. One reviewer specifically asked how the relationship dynamics could even continue once Roland actually finds a dragon, highlighting a structural tension the authors will need to address.
The political entanglements from Avilus following Roland into the wilderness make narrative sense but feel somewhat rehashed. The same power players are pulling the same strings, and while the road setting changes the context, the underlying conflicts do not evolve as much as they could.
The Heat
The romantic content intensifies in a natural, character-driven way. Roland’s affair with Antonia is an established element, and the tension of keeping it from Laetitia while both women serve as his squires creates a pressure cooker of romantic drama. The intimate scenes are woven into the relationship dynamics rather than existing as standalone moments, which fits the slow-burn approach. This is not a book that rushes its romance, and the payoff is that the emotional moments carry real weight when they arrive.
Bottom Line
A Knight of the Dragon Academy 2 is a worthy sequel that deepens the series’ greatest strengths: its characters and their relationships. The road setting adds freshness, the squire rivalry is genuinely compelling, and the writing quality remains a cut above the genre average. The persistent absence of dragons and somewhat recycled political conflicts are real concerns, but the human drama is strong enough to sustain the book. Available on Kindle Unlimited with three books now in the series, this is a reliable choice for readers who value character depth and worldbuilding in their fantasy harem fiction.
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If You Liked This, Try
Direct predecessor with the same quality worldbuilding and character depth
Dragon-themed academy fantasy with romance and coming-of-age elements
The Verdict
A Knight of the Dragon Academy 2 is a strong sequel that takes the story out of the city and onto the road, where the real character development happens. The rivalry between the two squires drives the emotional core, and Dalton and Hawk handle the slow-burn relationships with patience and maturity. The dragon quest remains in the background, which may frustrate some, but the human drama is compelling enough to carry the book.