In honestly, I have to admit that I threw this book across the room at page 176. This is an act I have not performed since I read Mercedes Lackey The Silver Gryphon, which was to packing luggage as MST3K's "The Lost Continent" was to rock climbing. 
 I did not finish this book, but after a week of my wife giggling at my grumbling before it became a thrown missle (damage: 1d2), I feel qualified enough to say... 
 Aisling Grey is a quirky, funny woman who I pictured as "Veronica Mars"-era Kirsten Bell. I liked her the moment she arrived in Paris, intent of delivering a golden dragon statue for her uncle. Soon, three events happen generally simultaneously. One, she finds her customer ritualistically murdered. Two, she learns that she can do... 
 MAGIC. 
 She's apparently a natural demon summoner. That's what she thinks is, eventually, at least. After all, very few people sit her down and explain things; they just assume she's in the know, and she has to fake it. Funny stuff. 
 Sigh. 
 And we meet the book's male lead, Drake Vireo. 
 Drake is a dragon, a thief, and an overbearing misogynist who spent the rest of the book commiting creepy assaults, stealing Aisling's statue, claiming her as his mate, and refusing to help her. 
 That's just in the next thirty pages after his introduction. Also, no matter how gross he is, Aisling can't stop think about having sex with him. 
 Drake kills the book for me in any scene he's in. I like Aisling. I like her supporting cast: the intrepid, fearless Parisian cabbie and her talking dog demon. If those three were solving mysteries, I'd read the whole series. 
 Instead, imagine this scene as the standard for Drake encounters. 
 Perky Girl: Help me! You ruined my life! 
 Dark Dickhead:No. By the way, I consider you my possession now. 
 Perky Girl: Dammit, I hate you! 
 Dark Dickhead: I'm hot, though. 
 Perky Girl: (Bites her lip) He's so hot! 
 I should be loving Aisling's struggle. Her luggage is burnt to a crisp, she's got no passport, she's framed for murder, and she rolls up her sleeve and gets down to mystery solving. I want to read about her adventures! 
 But the only scene I liked with Drake was when she kicked him in the balls, eye-gouged him, and bludgeon him into unconsciousness in the space of one paragraph. I should mention that event happened in his gorgeous mansion where every detail earned a comment from Aisling, because Drake is the avatar of every World of Darkness character that ever had a background written by a 13-year-old. 
 I should sum up my feelings for Drake. 
 Dark Dickhead: You are my mate, my possession. I will protect you at all costs. 
 Perky Girl: Can I have this statue that my professional life depends on back? 
 Dark Dickhead: No, I like it. It really ties my living room together. That drink you ordered is poison to humans, by the way. 
 Perky Girl: DAMN IT, WHY DID YOU LET ME ORDER IT!? 
 Dark Dickhead: I didn't want to contradict you. 
 When they have dream sex, Drake drops the rule that he must firstly possess his lovers dragon-style. I get excited, thinking we were about to see really kinky interspecies sex with a fun sense of humor. Spoiler alert: I'm pretty sure Drake uses the "dragon-style" line on every girl just to get them to let them do hair-yanking doggystyle. 
 Of course, this guy is the soul of chivalry. 
 Dark Dickhead: I smell gold on you. I demand you show it to me. 
 Perky girl: :crosses arms over blouse to hide necklace: Are you going to steal it? 
 Dark Dickhead: Maybe. I dunno. If I have to reach in and grab it, I'm definitely keeping it. 
 Then I hit page 176. 
 Aisling is finally pressing Drake for info. She's done a damn good job of staying on her toes so far, and she's ready to hold his ass to the fire until she gets answers. As she questions Drake, not allowing him any evasive answers, he declares, "I warn you, I do not like my women dominant," 
 No. 
 After locating where the book had landed, I flipped to the end to see if Drake had been incinerated in a demonstrable fireball of punishment. Dammit, but no. 
 I want to read Katie MacAllister's other books. I want to give her a shot again. I just will not return to this series until I hear that Drake Vireo was hit by a falling airplane engine.