First Flight

Why these tropes fit

An invisible groundskeeper at a dragon-riding academy is unexpectedly chosen by four supposedly extinct war dragons, drawing the attention of four elite cadets who must now share her wing. The why-choose dynamic weaves together a fierce underdog heroine, rivals-to-lovers tension, and a slow-burn that detonates as the four suitors become fiercely devoted ("touch her and die"). Beneath the gothic academy setting, the heroine uncovers a centuries-spanning military conspiracy surrounding spirit dragons and her own mother's death, forging a found family forged in dragonfire along the way.

Evidence from the source

• Dragon Romance: “featuring dragon riders, a military academy carved into a mile-deep gorge” source
• Found Family: “Found family forged in dragonfire” source
• Gothic: “Gothic atmosphere and spirit dragon lore” source
• Magic Academy: “Seven years I've worked the deep levels of Dragonfall Academy” source
• Slow Burn: “Slow burn that detonates” source
• Strong Heroine: “A fierce underdog heroine who reads dragons better than people” source
• Touch Her and Die: “"Touch her and die" - but the Elderwyrms get there first” source
• Why Choose: “First Flight is a scorching fantasy why choose romance featuring dragon riders” source

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