Bound to the Dragon Rider

Why these tropes fit

This dark dragon rider romantasy follows condemned candidate Seren Ashvale, whose hidden forbidden bloodline marks her for execution, as she survives the brutal, rigged Trial by Flame gauntlet. Forced proximity with Commander Caelan Dravenor—the oath-bound rider ordered to ensure her failure—sparks enemies-to-lovers tension, forcing Caelan to choose between his loyalty to the controlling Order that raised him and the bond he forms with Seren, who is linked to a waking ancient gold dragon with the power to burn the entire kingdom down.

Evidence from the source

• Dragon Romance: “an ancient gold dragon begins to wake for the first time in centuries.” source
• Enemies to Lovers: “enemies to lovers tension” source
• Forced Proximity: “forced proximity” source
• Hidden Identity: “Seren's amber eyes reveal a forbidden bloodline the Protectorate thought it had erased.” source
• Strong Heroine: “Seren does not break. She survives the rigged trials.” source
• Tortured Hero: “Bound by duty, blood, and the magical Oath-Mark that controls every rider of the Obsidian Eyrie, Caelan has spent his life serving the order that raised him.” source
• Morally Gray: “Caelan is forced to question everything he was trained to protect.” source
• Tournament: “Trial by Flame, a brutal dragon rider gauntlet where the weak die, the worthy are claimed” source

Metadata source: Google Books. Quotes are used only to verify the tags.