The Dragon CEO’s Assistant

An amnesiac hero wonders whether ignorance really is bliss in the disappointing second paranormal in Burke’s Golden Kingdom series (after The Gryphon King’s Consort). Executive assistant Aidan Bishop wakes up outside of his office building naked with no idea of who he is or how he got there. His boss, a dragon named Nassim Kader, offers Aidan support and a place to stay while he unravels the mystery of his amnesia. Aidan is immediately attracted to Nassim but, with no memory of what their relationship has been, worries about romantically pursuing his boss. As Aidan follows his only lead—a friend named Ryan whom the police suggest Aidan may have been out with the night his memory went blank—and fights his feelings for Nassim, he discovers that everyone around him is harboring secrets. Themes of recovery and letting go are shunted aside in favor of an unearned late-book reveal. Bland characterization and a lackluster resolution make this a romance to skip. (Nov.)