
When Dealing with Dragons
Dana Swift(Author)
Penguin Books Ltd (Publisher)
Will be published approx. on 9. July 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-0-241-79594-1 (ISBN)
Description
An enemies-to-lovers, cross-class, cosy romantasy, perfect for fans of Twin Crowns and The School For Good and Evil.
In Farren's world, dragons are prized for their precious scales - giving the humans they bond with metal-crafting magic.
Farren's family believe dragons are worth so much more, which is why they dedicate their lives to caring for them. It's also the reason she hates people who exploit the incredible creatures. That includes her classmate James Murphy, an arrogant dragon racer whose silver-crafting family tops the social hierarchy but represent the worst of greed and dragon abuse - worse still, he's the biggest competition for the college scholarship Farren desperately needs.
When James unexpectantly gets a job her family's dragon sanctuary, it puts everything at risk. Farren isn't just the plain copper-crafter she seems. She's hiding a secret that could change not only her life, but society as a whole.
And James has his own secret . . . a years-long crush on Farren. As the summer passes, hating James becomes harder than Farren thought, and suddenly Farren has a new secret to keep, the fact that she's falling in love with James Murphy.
Praise for When Dealing with Dragons:
'A delightful, dragon-filled love story with clever world building, endearing characters, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that you will be shipping from the very first chapter!' -Romina Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Castle of the Cursed
'Pure gold . . . dragons like you've never seen before. Cozy and clever, fierce and tender - this is a gem of a read. ' Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury
'The yearning alone had my heart soaring like the gilded dragons I met on the page. If you are looking for a story that is equal parts sweet, adventurous, swoon-worthy, and ferocious, this book is for you.' Angela Montoya, Author of Sinner's Isle and A Cruel Thirst
'This book has everything: heart-stopping dragon racing, daring rescues, and breathtaking romance.' Erika Lewis, award-winning author of the Kelcie Murphy series
'Come for the dueling dragons, stay for the Elphaba/Fiyero vibes between our two main characters. A perfect companion to a cup of tea and a fresh baked batch of fiery cinnamon cookies!' Amanda Quain, Author of Accomplished
In Farren's world, dragons are prized for their precious scales - giving the humans they bond with metal-crafting magic.
Farren's family believe dragons are worth so much more, which is why they dedicate their lives to caring for them. It's also the reason she hates people who exploit the incredible creatures. That includes her classmate James Murphy, an arrogant dragon racer whose silver-crafting family tops the social hierarchy but represent the worst of greed and dragon abuse - worse still, he's the biggest competition for the college scholarship Farren desperately needs.
When James unexpectantly gets a job her family's dragon sanctuary, it puts everything at risk. Farren isn't just the plain copper-crafter she seems. She's hiding a secret that could change not only her life, but society as a whole.
And James has his own secret . . . a years-long crush on Farren. As the summer passes, hating James becomes harder than Farren thought, and suddenly Farren has a new secret to keep, the fact that she's falling in love with James Murphy.
Praise for When Dealing with Dragons:
'A delightful, dragon-filled love story with clever world building, endearing characters, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that you will be shipping from the very first chapter!' -Romina Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Castle of the Cursed
'Pure gold . . . dragons like you've never seen before. Cozy and clever, fierce and tender - this is a gem of a read. ' Mikayla Bridge, author of Of Flame and Fury
'The yearning alone had my heart soaring like the gilded dragons I met on the page. If you are looking for a story that is equal parts sweet, adventurous, swoon-worthy, and ferocious, this book is for you.' Angela Montoya, Author of Sinner's Isle and A Cruel Thirst
'This book has everything: heart-stopping dragon racing, daring rescues, and breathtaking romance.' Erika Lewis, award-winning author of the Kelcie Murphy series
'Come for the dueling dragons, stay for the Elphaba/Fiyero vibes between our two main characters. A perfect companion to a cup of tea and a fresh baked batch of fiery cinnamon cookies!' Amanda Quain, Author of Accomplished
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Penguin Random House Children's UK
Target group
Children/juvenile
Young adult
Interest Age: From 12 years
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 198 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
500 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-241-79594-1 (9780241795941)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
approx. 07/2026
Penguin Books Ltd
€9.99
Not yet available
Person
Dana Swift started making up fantasy worlds when she was eleven years old and hasn't stopped since. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned degrees in English and Advertising. Dana currently lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and goldendoodle, Kala, who's antics inspired the dragons of this story. Her debut, Cast in Firelight, and its sequel, Bound by Firelight, were published with Delacorte Press. You can learn more about Dana at www.danaswiftbooks.com.