He’s her royal guard—a dragon shifter in hiding. She’s the princess, and his fated mate. Raelan and his dragon have longed for Alina for years, but he’s always believed that keeping his distance is the only way to protect her. Still, fate has a way of breaking through even the strongest of wills.

As with the author’s previous works, I was completely drawn in by the romance and plot development in Alina and Raelan’s story. The way Raelan’s feelings for Alina unfolded—the pacing, the transitions, and the emotional beats—felt perfectly timed. By the time they finally surrendered to their bond, it felt not only inevitable, but deeply earned.

I also really appreciated the family and friendship dynamics woven throughout the story. Each character stood out with their own distinct voice and personality. Since this is just the first book in the series, I’m excited to guess who might take center stage next and what role they’ll play in the larger arc.

The world-building and character development were another standout. The way the author portrayed Raelan’s dragon form—his strength, his inner turmoil, and the battle to contain his beast—was both powerful and compelling. The flying scenes with Alina riding on his back were beautifully described and a joy to read. My only wish is that we had seen a bit more of Alina wielding her elemental power. That said, it made sense that she’s still learning to control it, and I’m hopeful we’ll see her truly come into her own in future books.

"I never said you were breakable. I said you were precious. That's different. If anything, you're the one who can break me."

This academic romantasy tale follows Princess Alina, who wants to go to Coven Crest Academy to learn how to better control her frost magic. The king's only stipulation to her attending is that she has a bodyguard. The king chooses Raelan, a dragon shifter with a big secret: Alina is his fated mate and he has been fighting the mate bond ever since he realized.

Their forced proximity at Coven Crest wears heavy on Raelan, which makes him rather grumpy. Alina's roommates and new friends pretty quickly (much quicker than Alina), figure out that Raelan has feelings for Alina, but he's determined to fight it, because he thinks 1) his dragon form is too dangerous for her and 2) her status makes her way beyond off limits.

I loved all the characters in this book. Raelan was so honorable. Alina was determined to be more than just a coddled princess. Her roommates were all wildly different (a chaotic fire witch, a bookish dream witch and an enigmatic witch with a snake familiar), but were all loyal and devoted friends. And Yuki! Who wouldn't love an adorable talking fox familiar?

Even though it was a fated mates situation, I liked that Raelan and Alina actually started to get to know each other and like each other as people before diving into the mate bonding. If you love dragon shifters, fated mates, forbidden romance and tons of yearning, definitely give A Witch and Her Dragon a chance!

Thank you Emberly Wyndham and NetGalley for the opportunity to advance read this book!

3.75★
It was so entertaining and fast paced. Loved the academia settings!
The cover is stunning! (is my fav color so I kight be impartial haha).
I would have loved more academia in-depth and probably will get more next book!
I loved the scenario and friends but somehow I ended up with so many questions.
Who was yhe one that asked to kidnap Raelan?
Why Alina's father is mentioned but we get just a glimpse of him?
Also, what about Raelan's father?
What happened to Tristan?
It ends like a HEA but there is a second book on the series, will it be about Alina and Raelan, or maybe some characters that we already know about or new?

The end was a little chaotic and seemed like rushed that is why I ended up with 3.75★ instead of 4.25★ as it seemed it will be but will I read the 2nd book? of course!
Will I recommend it? yes. It was the perfect book for me after a really heavy fantasy book I read before this one.

I got the amazing opportunity to get my hands in the advance reader copy thanks to NetGalley for an honest review.

This wasn’t what I was expecting from the title and it being described as cosy, but I’m not mad at all.

He’s her bodyguard while she goes to magic school, and is secretly a dragon shifter and her fated mate. The relationship between the two developed well - good amounts of tension and chemistry. I’m a bit of a sucker for ‘touch her and you die’, admittedly, but it was well done here and flowed nicely.

Side characters interacted nicely within the plot, and were well written. I would have liked more information about the school itself, but I’ve seen it’ll be a series so I would assume that’ll get fleshed out in the coming books, so I’m not mad at that.

Solid 4.5/5, rounded up to 5.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

This book was so fun! Alina and Raelan, a princess and her guard. Such a great forbidden romance, set at a magic academy. I really enjoyed the magic types, a well as all the side characters. Looking forward the rest of the series.

This was enjoyable as a romantasy. A lot of fun tropes going on and dragons!!!! It moved at a good pace and the romance storyline was beautifully executed, not rushed with expected hiccups and such throughout.
The only reason this was not a five star read for me is that the twist felt rushed and not fully fleshed out. I’m hoping this is something that the author delves into further in the second book as it left a lot of questions for me, and almost seemed added for convenience.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a pleasant surprise! The characters were all written fabulously and the story was fun and kept me on my toes! Can’t wait to see what happens next!

I received an arc through Netgalley for this book. New to me author and she had me at dragon, lol. This book was an absolute delight to read. dragons, witches, a princess and her knight.... I won't spoil it but I loved it.

Witches, magic, and a really hot knight bodyguard?! Who could need more! The Witch and Her Dragon by Emberly Wyndham was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed this one and I was hooked from page one. It’s a perfect cozy fantasy romance to curl up with on a rainy day, I read it one sitting!

I loved all the characters!! I loved Alina and Raelan, and their dynamic. The grumpy/sunshine (ish trope) is one of my favorites and I love a good bodyguard romance, I mean who wouldn’t want a hot dragon shifter body guard?! I need to find myself one of those 😂 but even the side characters- Alina’s roommates fit into the book perfectly!

“She is the frost to my fire, the earth to my sky. She’s my mate. And destiny got it right”

The world building/setting was not complicated and was easy to follow. I loved the magic academic setting. But that plot twist at the end, I definitely did not see happening. This book was sweet, charming, spicy and entertaining! I can’t wait for book 2.

I seriously loved this! It's been a while since I read a book where I liked everyone, no mean girls, no evil anyone, but not like a cozy, not at all. A likeable Princess, a knight who is secretly a dragon, a benevolent king, fun roommates, and the bad guy really is more clueless than bad - and I am a sucker for the magic academy setting. Hope to see more focusing on other characters!

A Witch and Her Dragon" is a slow-burn fantasy romance full of magic, secrets, and forbidden yearning. Alina, a headstrong princess, wants to join the king’s coven—but her new guard, Raelan, complicates everything. He’s a dragon shifter hiding a big secret: she’s his fated mate. With sizzling tension, emotional stakes, and royal intrigue, this story blends magical training with aching desire. A must-read for fans of protective heroes and slow-burn angst.

This book was… okay, I enjoyed most of it but there are two glaring things that I have MAJOR issues with, one of which I almost stopped reading the book for immediately. But I got this as an advanced copy on NetGalley and I wanted to give the author the benefit of the doubt at least to see if my initial fears could be semi resolved and they kind of war but not without a lot more reading and a good bit of hopefully accurate math.

My first issue is an age related one. From the synopsis we know that the MMC is dated to mate the FMC, which is fine, but I almost stopped reading immediately when I came across a passage very early in the book that says the MMC realized that the FMC was his mate when she first came of age (okay okay) at 15! IM SORRY WHAT?! Look I get that this is a medieval type fantasy, but please, in modern society we still know that even in medieval times 15 was way too young for any girl to be married, and not to mention the MMC’s age is never actually revealed, you can guess the age based off of context clues, but not until reading much much further into the book. Based off clues given the MMC is 18 when he realizes that the FMC is his mate, and the 2 characters are 18 and 21 (approximately) during which the story takes place. So my fears of a disgusting age gap are alleviated, and at least the author waited until the FMC is actually 18 before anything happens, but it still gives me the ick considering it’s mentioned on MULTIPLE occasions that the FMC “came of age” at only 15.

Slight spoilers below regarding my other issue, but i’ll keep it as vague as possible.
My second main issue is how the king is talked about being so generous with the way that he cared for the MMC and his family. His way of “caring” for them was after realizing that the MMC is an incredibly rare dragon shifter to employ the MMC as a page and gift the rest of his family (a single mother and 2 young sisters) with a 1 bedroom place that the mother also works out of as a seamstress. You mean to tell me the KING couldn’t at least give them a 2 bedroom place since he basically stole away a young dragon shifter to work for him. The MMC even mentions multiple times his fear that if he does anything against the kings wishes that the king will take it all away from them. Idk, I just don’t see generosity in that, not even a little bit.

If these two details were changed even a little, the princess coming of age at 18 instead of 15, the “oh so benevolent king” actually being a little more benevolent, the book actually would have been really really good. But as it stands now I can only give this book 3 stars, and if I’m being honest I don’t know if it truly even deserves that except for I actually did enjoy a decent bit of the story.

3.5 ⭐
I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

This was a cozy, easy-to-follow read with simple writing that made it feel like a warm blanket on a winter evening. While the prose wasn’t particularly complex or lyrical, it suited the story well and made for a relaxing experience.

I appreciated that the plot felt complete—there’s a satisfying arc for the main couple, which made the ending feel earned. Knowing that the next book will follow a different couple is a nice touch and makes the series feel fresh without dragging out one relationship too long.

If you’re looking for a light paranormal romance with comforting vibes, this is a charming pick.

The world-building in this book was absolutely fantastic. Raelan’s torment was so vividly written, it felt tangible. I also really appreciated Alina’s struggle to be seen as more than just a member of the Royal family—it added such depth to her character. And I’m always a sucker for a strong girl squad! I can’t wait to dive into the rest of their stories.

What a gorgeous cozy read!
I love an academy setting, add in dragons, talking animals familiars, magic and so much sexual tension you'd lose an eyeball when it finally snapped...and I was hooked!
Perfect for a non-intense read with a strong focus on the main character arcs and their romance rather than the fantasy/danger plot.
This book will be part of a series but can be read as a standalone, so no need to wait for the next one to come out before reading it!

If you're looking for an academia romance with fantasy elements and a HAE, then please read this one!

*edit to add: needed more dragons!*

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for proving an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this book felt like being wrapped in a warm, magical hug — comforting, tender, and exactly what my heart needed.

From the very first page, I was drawn into a world full of wonder, quiet magic, and emotional depth. The story weaves together elements of fantasy, romance, and healing in a way that feels both gentle and powerful. The connection between the main characters is beautifully developed, growing slowly and meaningfully, with just the right amount of tension and tenderness.

What really stood out to me was how the author balances magic with emotion — it’s not just a fantasy tale; it’s a story about trust, sacrifice, and finding home in another soul. The writing is lush, lyrical, and full of heart.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves slow-burn romance, enchanting settings, and the kind of love that speaks through actions more than words. Take your time with it. Let it linger. It’s the kind of story that stays with you long after the final page.

Highly recommended.

This was a cozy story about a princess who goes off to a magic school to try to fit in and learn more about her powers. Her guard is someone the king trusts with everything he has, which makes the job that much more difficult for Raelan. Raelan is a dragon shifter, and him and the princess can't seem to stay away from one another despite the fact that he is her guard.

Lyra Wilder's spirit companion was probably my favorite! I imagine Juniper being the cutest little creature. Alina's white fox, Yuki, is a close second favorite, though. I enjoyed her roommates, Poppy and Maeve! I thought Poppy's dream magic was cool, but I wish it would've been used at some point other than her saying she had a dream.


The story felt like it was missing something to me. Things felt a bit repetitive, and Raelan and Alina kept going back and forth on denying one another constantly. While there were risks with them allowing each other to ne together, it felt like there was no real conflict other than that. It was a cozy read, but I wanted more from the story. Thank you to Netgalley and Emberly Wyndham for an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emberly Wyndham for an ARC of this book, which will be released in June 2025!

I devoured this book and felt about ten-ish years younger (shoosh, I'm an old millennial) as the FMC is 18 and the MMC is 21. Overall, I think this book deserves a 4-star review, strictly for myself, as the relationship progressed fairly quickly, and some scenes were a bit too much teenage angst and insta-love for me. However, if this book had been released when I was in college, it would quickly fall within my frequently reread pile of books that had a heavy preference for broody/grumpy love interests.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading A Witch and Her Dragon and being teleported back to my youth for a couple of days. I will definitely be picking up the other books in this series as they become available, as Wyndham has created a very cozy, lighthearted, and fun universe in which you can escape. Alina, the FMC, was also no damsel in distress, which is an absolute requirement, and I loved how Raelan, MMC, was the mild emotional disaster of this book. Finally, just a shout out for my dude King Jorvick, aka Grandpa.

A Witch and Her Dragon is a quick, trope-heavy romantasy that delivers cozy vibes, slow-burn tension, and a healthy dose of magical school charm. Princess Alina, eager to master her frost powers away from royal duties, gets her wish to attend a magic academy. With one major condition: she must bring along her bodyguard. Enter Raelan, her silent, watchful protector who also happens to be a dragon shifter and secretly her fated mate.

The romance is clearly the centerpiece here, and the book leans hard into "he falls first," “touch her and die,” and “forbidden love” energy. Raelan’s simmering devotion and Alina’s oblivious charm make for plenty of slow-burn moments and stolen glances. While the tension is fun, the emotional connection lacks real depth. There’s not enough communication or internal growth between the pair, which made the eventual payoff feel a little unearned.

The found-family subplot with Alina’s roommates adds some needed lightness, and their banter and support are among the book’s highlights. Unfortunately, other fantasy elements, like the magic system and spirit animal companions- felt a tad underdeveloped. The animal familiars, in particular, had tons of potential but were barely used beyond being cute background elements.

Plot-wise, everything plays out pretty predictably. The villain’s motivations are vague, the stakes stay low, and the overall story doesn't stray far from the genre's blueprint. That said, the pacing is fast and the writing is easy to sink into, making this a great choice if you're between heavier reads or just want a familiar, comforting escape.

Ultimately, A Witch and Her Dragon doesn’t break any new ground, but it’s a fun, trope-filled romantic fantasy for readers who love the cozy side of the genre and don’t mind a little predictability with their spice.

I really enjoyed this book. It's not the most original of plots but it is just a nice cosy read. It's not one to be taken too seriously.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Alina and Raelan. I liked his grumpiness but softness towards Alina. I liked the back and forth in their relationship. However, I will say there was a bit of an odd contrast over the spice in the book and how immature Alina seemed at times. I wonder whether this book would have been better as a YA book.

I really enjoyed the setting of the magical academy and Alina's friends. I hope we see more of them in future books. I would also have liked a bit more world-building. I loved Yuki and the concept of the spirit animal companions but they weren't explained much and didn't appear too much. I would have liked more of them.

The plot of the book was very enjoyable. I felt like it was just a cosy fantasy read. It's not supposed to be hard-hitting or dramatic and it was just really nice and gentle. It's definitely not high-stakes which is what I wanted to read at this point in time.

I would highly recommend this book for cosy fantasy fans. This book was released on 3rd June so make sure you check it out.

Thanks to NetGalley, Emberly Wyndham, and Victory Editing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.