**4.5 Stars**

HOLY GUACAMOLE! Where do I sign up to be Nola (the heroine)’s best friend?? Move out of the way Vale (she’d probably punch me in the face for saying that, but WHO CARES?) Gena has done it. She’s written one of my favorite heroines! Nola’s body might be weak, but her spirit is stronger than ten dragon shifter aliens.

Nola is dealing with an opioid addiction due to her fibromyalgia and lupus. On top of that, she’s suck is a centuries-long gladiator/greatest race-ish battle between alien warriors. Girlfriend has a lot going on, to say the least. She’s stuck with Bane, a sexy but angsty dragon shifter who wants to use her to defeat the queen who has enslaved him and killed his first wife. Sound intense?? Well, it’s even more than you think!

The romance is a hot push and pull between Nola and Bane while they’re dodging deadly queens and even deadlier fellow contestants. Does this story have delicious sexual tension and banter? OF COURSE. Does it have Gena’s signature hilarity? Absolutely!

While many people liked this book more than SHADOW AND ICE, myself included, you really need to read in order. Ms. Showalter did the seriously hard work of laying the groundwork of an epic series in book one and book two runs parallel to the first. You might be a little lost if you just dive in with this story. Over it. I will say he makes up for it in the end!

Overall, we bow down to Queen Showalter for this book! There is a reason she’s one of the reigning badasses of paranormal romance, and this book is in my top five of her fantastic collection of work.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

Well hot diggity damn, this was great! I’m so happy I gave this series another shot after not quite connecting with the first book, because this one officially hooked me. The connection and chemistry that I found lacking in the first one was absolutely incendiary in this one. Pun intended.
I was so curious about Bane and Nola’s book from the second they appeared in Shadow and Ice. The story here runs parallel to the one in the first book. But I will say that if you haven’t read the first, you may struggle in parts. This story doesn’t go as much into depth into some of the background given in the first, so I’d definitely recommend giving that a read before diving into this one.
Bane was a hero that was impossible not to love even if his hot and cold behavior did make me want to jock punch him more often than not. A dragon shifter, he’s a fierce warrior that is bound to the command of an evil queen that he’s sworn vengeance on. Determined to win the third All War in order to achieve his goal, he knows immediately that Nola plays an intricate part in his revenge.
Nola and Vale are foster sisters and tight as thieves. And while I liked Vale’s character, I absolutely loved Nola. There’s just something so endearing about a woman that’s dealing with an opioid addiction due to her fibro and lupus yet is still fierce as hell. This is not a woman that takes her situation lying down. Her body may be weak, but not her spirit. And I absolutely loved watching her fierceness grow with each chapter. She’s definitely much more than a simple mortal.
The connection between Nola and Bane is instant, even though Bane fights it tooth an nail. Knowing what Nola’s destiny is doesn’t help this matter. Bane already loved and lost, and he’s not looking to let another soon to be evil loyal get her hooks in him. But the more time they spend together, the more he sees just how different Nola is.
As per usual Showalter fashion, the quips and zingers are on point. With a splash of her signature humor and banter, the romance was everything I needed! I loved the internal monologue and I absolutely loved the two of them together. There’s a secondary character introduced that I can’t wait to learn more about, especially with the twist you learn in the end. I’m happy to report that while I felt overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information and too many characters in the first book, this was nothing like it. There was just enough story and plenty of romance to make this an absolute page turner. I did wish we got a little more in the end there because it did feel like it wrapped up much too quick for all of the build up, but it was still satisfying. I’m thinking we’ll be getting a little more on these two in the next book, but even if we don’t, there’s still a satisfying enough conclusion.

This is such an interesting series. The hero, Bane, is a combatant in the All War; a war where there is a member from each realm sent to fight to the death to claim a new realm. Bane is Adwaewethian, a race where the males are possessed by a beast that they transform in to. He is chosen to compete, but also to locate a royal and eliminate her. Nola is a sickly human who finds herself smack in the middle of an otherworldly war, not knowing that she is a hybrid royal. I loved Nola! She was snarky, but also insecure while Bane is a brute and takes no prisoners. The interactions between these two are hilarious. Looking forward to reading more in this series.

I have been waiting for Bane’s book with baited breath and I can’t believe it’s finally here.

Let me tell you my heart was in my throat because I was scared out of my mind because of this book. My anxiety peaked because I was so worried something horrible would happen. But of course that was just Gena playing with my heart and man did I love it.

Bane turned out to be the love of my life. I mean a beast who is a dragon shifter while also being borderline insanely vengeful? You know I had to love him. I adore how he was portrayed in this story. Like sure he can murder people in his sleep but my man knows how to love. I almost couldn’t stand him being so sweetly in love with Nola. A+ character arc! I am in love.

So Nola is like a next level Goddess? Honest to God, I’d let her walk in heels all over me. Sure she has life threatening health issues but will she let that stop her from kicking divine arse? HELL NAW!!!

This book doesn’t hold back when it comes to the war. It has gory details, graphic violence and insane thrills. At the same time, Gena provides some extremely well timed humour and such sweet sweet love.

I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next. 200% hyped about the next story!!

Y'all, this book isn't just hot, but it is a freaking scorcher!! I have always been of a fan of Gena Showalter with the Lords of the Underworld drawing me into her writing, and The Gods of War series is extremely unique but still an awesome paranormal series. I will warn that this book is extremely gory, so if that is not your jam, then you might not like this book or series.

Now, if you like things gory and hot and a great story line, you will definitely enjoy this series. I like the plot and how this coincides very well with the first book in the series.

All in all, this book is about kismet and strength with a super awesome paranormal twist! If you like your main men to be totally alpha and your leading ladies to have mega strength and sass, you will enjoy this book! 4.5 outta 5 from me!

PS: Thank you to Gena, Insklinger PR, and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review honestly!

Science fiction romance requires a balance between the elements, which can be a struggle to maintain. In Frost and Flame, it’s more science fantasy, but the relationship develops along with the story in very real ways. It’s open-door romance and violence, so not for every reader, but the world building was fascinating and allowed the author to touch on deeper subjects.

Right off the bat, you have a realistically portrayed female lead who suffers from fibromyalgia. Because it’s both a romance and fantasy, the costs of her condition are not always in play. At the same time, neither is she cured at first contact, reducing her disability into a checkbox.

Nola must manage and work around her limitations. There’s a complicated genetic history (trying to leave it a surprise), and for most of the book, the improvement is temporary. Her condition mirrors the good days/bad days pattern if not in quality then in impact. Nola also demonstrates the inner strength necessary for survival even when it does nothing to improve her situation. This strength slowly undermines Bane’s prejudice against her bloodline and her physical weakness.

Bane steps into the story with a full history (as does Nola) that informs his path. He’ll let nothing stand in his way, and he already understands everything there is to know about himself. Except when the Terran he’s been dream-walking shows up as he demanded, the foundations of his world start to crack.

This is not a romance layered over a thin veneer of science fantasy. The romance and speculative fiction is twisted into a complex braid that works together. The book is set in a modern human world but with aliens bearing fantastical weapons engaged in a to-the-death battle for dominance over Earth. Humans are ignorant of the All War except for those drawn in by one of the combatants.

The blend of Nola’s “normal” life as a magazine columnist into Bane’s All War existence offers humor to balance out the graphic violence. The early open-door encounters are long and detailed. They include a little more rumination on the internal conflicts than I felt sustained the passionate tension, but I can’t argue how they added to the romantic development. Reflection changes their relationship, especially in how Bane and Nola see each other. Both had prejudice to overcome, though Nola would not have admitted it. She needs to see herself as he does, and he needs to separate the person from the labels he puts on her.

The issues around intimacy were enhanced by their cultural differences as well. The author explored the costs of desiring forbidden acts, for example, though what Bane’s culture shamed is standard in ours. She also looked at how a female-dominant culture could be just as tyrannical as a male depending on circumstances. While not an ideal portrayal, it helps illustrate the dangers of following the norms without question.

The writing drew me in most of the time, and while some seeds took a bit to grow, I enjoyed recognizing the moment odd mentions became critical. The mentions of the first book were also well done. They created interest without revealing too much for those of us that missed the start of Gods of War.

There is much to enjoy in this book. It takes on difficult topics from our world and clothes them in adventure, intrigue, and fantasy so we learn by exposure without feeling taught. The relationship development between Nola and Bane is complex and goes through many cycles where self-doubt or personal history undermines confidence. The loyalty and friendship between these and many other characters, even those considered enemies, was a delight to watch. There’s a bit of a Flash Gordon vibe, but with enough unique elements to make that a strength rather than a weakness.

It’s a romance, so you know Bane “gets the girl,” but Nola “gets the guy,” too, based on her own strengths and actions. Characters change, grow, fight, die, break free of physical and emotional prisons, and win new futures. There’s a little of something for most readers, and hints at explanations for history and myth we love to explore. I’m curious to see the next, and first, step on this journey.

P.S. I received this ARC title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

4.5 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has pain, secrets, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first
Shadow and Ice (Gods of War, #1)

This is Nola and Bane’s story. Bane might hate the power that Nola holds over him but he needs her. She makes him feel again after he never wanted to. But can she really help him or will they just end up fighting a fight that they can never win? Side by side they must fight but in the end will they be the winners or will they both lose everything? The chemistry is pulling them closer but is that making them stronger or weaker? Will they be saved in the end or will they lose more then they ever thought they would?

I loved these characters and the side characters. I felt I could connect with the characters and the story was a great read.

I highly recommend this book.

I am loving this series!

This book has a lot of overlap with the first book in the series (Shadow and Ice) since at the beginning of each book is when the two main female characters are separated. There was very little actual overlap though so the books didn't feel like you were rereading too much. (Other series have failed at this and it just felt like you were reading the same book with a different POV.) I loved how strong Nola Lee is despite how weak her illness makes her, and even though Bane is alpha male to the core, Nola has him wrapped around her little finger.

If I found any fault at all with this book it was that I didn't feel they fully explained why Nola's illness disappear when Bane is around and reappear when he's gone. What is that all about? Did I miss it in the story somewhere?

Holy crap! I don’t know where to begin with this book. Action, adventure, emotion, intrigue, and you can’t forget the steam! This is the second book in the Gods of War series, but don’t let that stop you from picking up the book. I read this one without reading the first and am going to go back and read book one now.

Bane is a warrior who was chosen to fight in the All War and takes his orders from the Queen, who I have to say is a ***. He has orders to kill the new queen, and nothing will stop him from doing what he is supposed to do. Nola is sick and determined to go on her trip, determined to find the man she has been seeing in her mind. What happens when they find each other? You have to read to find out!

I always love reading Gena Showalter. She is able to build great worlds and characters who are strong and can stand on their own two feet. This story is no different. With an amazing plot and cast, this book is a must-read. 5 stars!

Book 2 in this Gods of War series, which I really enjoyed and connected much more with the characters in this one. This is Nola's story, the foster sister from Vale in the first book. This story runs parallel to the first book, which it is not necessary to read first as it is completely different, but it would help for the background to what the world is all about, so I would suggest reading this first.

Bane is sent as a competitor of the 103rd All War, like a gladiator trial, where the winner takes the planet for their King/Queen. Bane's Queen is evil and nasty, having killed his wife in order to force him to compete, Bane is battling in the hope that he can get revenge on his Queen. His people contain a beast, which happens to be a dragon, which only the Queen can control. It turns out there are some hybrids on Earth, Princesses that can become Queen, and Bane is sent to ensure they are also killed.

Nola turns out to be one of these hybrids, she is one hell of a fighter struggling with lupus and fibromyalgia every day, battling with pain and goodness knows what else. This makes her weak in her eyes, unable to be loved or have a relationship.

Bane knows who she is and what she could become, but treats her badly at first, wanting nothing but revenge on his Queen, before he starts to realise just how strong her spirit and character really are. He feels drawn to Nola constantly, but battles with his feelings of guilt for his dead wife and tries to keep his distance.

I love the dynamic and chemistry between Bane and Nola, the banter and the quips were fabulous! I am really enjoying this series and can't wait to read more from Gena.

Ok, so let me start by saying that I loooove this world a lot and that the main characters in this one were just a joy to read about. I really like the characters in the series that I’ve met so far and am already looking forward to read more about them all in upcoming installments...

but somehow I also feel a bit disappointed, as I also felt when reading the first book. I feel like there’s something ‘missing’ regarding the writing in this book. It sometimes feels like there’s just not enough depth and development present regarding certain scenes and with the story line progression. It felt too shallow at times, unfortunately.

Despite that, I am a fan of the set up of it all with the All war elements, the set of characters, the amount of action combined with magical elements and of course the steamy romance that Gena knows how to write so well.

This was a contradictory read for me as there are parts I really loved but things that were quite disappointing as well. That’s why I’m giving it a 3 star rating. A 3 star rating means that I still very much enjoyed reading it but that I also have some more serious remarks. I’m still invested in the series tho and will definitely continue reading new books that the author will probably write. There are a lot of characters in need of their own spotlight and I’m quite excited for that.

So, to me this isn’t Gena’s best work but the basics of the series has such promise and despite me having remarks on some things, it was still a really fast paced read for me. I’d definitely recommend giving this series a go if you’re looking for a new PNR/fantasy romance

Smoking hot paranormal romance with The Gods Of War series. Second book but can be read as a stand-alone. Scorcher! Must read.

This is book number 2 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone. I say this because it has been so long since I read book one that I forgot a lot of the details. Don't worry. The author catches the reader up on the past. It's an intriguing world--complex, magical, and filled with all kinds of otherworldly (actually other dimension) creatures who are fighting an All Worlds War to win earth.
The main characters, Bane and Nora, were an interesting mix. Nora battles a mysterious chronic, debilitating disease that seems miraculously cured whenever she's near Bane. Bane doesn't want to like her. He wants to use her in his plot for revenge. Of course as the heat between the characters ramps up, Bane's revenge plot unravels a bit and Nora finds her strength.
What a fantastic paranormal read in a time when romance needs to find the paranormal genre again. Thank you, Gena Showalter!
However, this book is not for the faint of heart. The battle scenes are gory and the smexy scenes erotic. If you're looking for a book that doesn't leave things behind closed doors, does a beautiful job with characterization and description, then you've found your next read.

I received an ARC copy of Frost and Flame to give my honest review.

Ever since I read Shadow and Ice last year I've been waiting for this book. It's no secret that I love Gena Showalter, so it should be that big of a surprise to hear that I absolutely loved this book with all my heart. Because I did. I totally, totally did. Let me tell you all about it!

The events in this book happen following the same timeline as the events in Shadow and Ice. So we see what happened from Nola's perspective. Nola is Vale's foster sister, the one that is very sick and the one that caused Vale so much anguish in the first book. This time we see that Nola is much stronger than she appeared in the first book. In fact, there's a very good reason why Bane wants her and why Zion, another combatant, teams up with her and Bane. As I said, Nola has a strength that I didn't expect. She has to struggle not only with her illnesses, but also with something very strange happening inside her. She knows she's addicted to her medicine, so she believes Bane's voice inside her head is a figment of her imagination. She believes the strange thoughts coming from what she calls "Dark Nola" are a result of her meds. So when she finds out that everything is real she is stunned. She doesn't understand what it all means, but she's definitely going to do anything in her power to keep everyone she cares for safe.

Nola's story was surprising to me. She had a lot to deal with in this story. She discovers a lot of things about herself, things she didn't anticipate, including very surprising things about her family. I really enjoyed discovering why Nola could communicate with Bane, why she was so important to him, but also why some of the things that transpired happened. There were a lot of questions I had when I read the first book and I was very happy that I found my answers in this book.

Bane was a very intriguing man. He was so full of hate for a good part of this book, and it was interesting to see how that affected his relationship with Nola. He was dead set on hating her, so it was a very entertaining time seeing him fall slowly in love with her and seeing his defenses shatter. Also, he wins hotness points because he's got a dragon inside him.

At the same time, Zion, another combatant, tries to keep Nola safe, and to me he was the big unknown. Since I haven't reread the first book to prepare for this one, I'm not sure if we get to learn about Zion's past from the first book. Either way, I found him really intriguing and I really hope to see more of him.

I usually struggle with parallel story lines, mostly because I fear they will be too similar to one another. I was happy that except for very few scenes, that were also very important to drive the story, there weren't any unnecessary repeats of the details. This does however make me wonder about something. Will the next book have a parallel timeline or will we get to see future events? I'm not really sure what I want to see happen, to be very honest. I honestly want both, actually.

The story was fast paced and I went through the book in one sitting because I couldn't stop myself from reading. I really enjoyed reading this book, as I already mentioned. All in all, a fantastic addition to the series, and I cannot wait to see what will happen next.

Frost and Flame is a paranormal romance featuring an immortal warrior, Bane, and a mortal woman, Nola, who is fated to be his Queen. Nola suffers from a chronic autoimmune condition, lupus, as well as fibromyalgia, and the way her illness affected her life was well-drawn. (There's a bit of wish fulfilment in the fact that all her symptoms disappear whenever she is near Bane, her fated mate, but if you can't have wish fulfilment in a romance novel, where can you have it?). I liked Nola's very strong sense of self and of what she wanted from life – while her determination was not always enough to overcome her physical weakness (and it would have been a little annoying if it had been, I think), she was not one to be intimidated by the various immortal warriors who were trying to take over her life with their various agendas. I was less keen on Bane, who spent way too much of the book being angry and vengeful and kind of hating Nola on the basis of what she might become, but he came good in the end.
There's quite a lot of violence in this book, and to be honest, it wasn't really for me, but I think it succeeded well at what it set out to do. If you do like paranormals with feisty and unusual heroines, and don't mind a bit of angst in your heroes, you will probably enjoy this.

I enjoyed this more than the first but for some reason it still didn’t grab me. The story was good but the banter felt forced and unnecessary. Ugh. I will still keep reading though. I’m intrigued to see where the story line will go. Many more characters to read about.

A terrific second story in this new series by one of my favorite authors. Warrior gods from other realms land on Earth to fight for the planet and enslave its inhabitants. Well, humans don't take it laying down! A pair of sisters find the warriors and needless to say love connections form. This story runs parallel to the first in the series and has enough background that it is a standalone. The sickly Nola has been abducted by Zion and separated from Vale, her sister, and her medication. But it's the golden warrior Bane that she has a telepathic connection with and he has to get to her to avenge the death of his wife. He's a force as a fierce dragon shapeshifter beast and so twisted up in his hatred for the Queen of the beasts and any challenger to her throne that it effects his true feelings for Nola. As they fight to survive against the other warriors and her illness their connection grows and the soon chemistry turns hot. Bane is torn between his old feelings and the new ones that develop for Nola as they grow closer. Spectacular writing and a thrilling storyline with action, danger, fierce battles, foes galore, twists and turns, and a sexy romance in true Gena Showalter style makes for a fantastic read. I can't wait for the next story!

Frost and Flame takes us back into the All War and to the moment the warriors all wake from their ice prisons. We got Vale’s story in Shadow and Ice. Now it is time to get Nola’s adventure.

Nola is not in the best of the health, but has been looking forward to this trip to Russia for a long time and is not going to let her problems get int the way. However, getting lost and a runaway guide have left her in a position where her illnesses could really leave her in a mess. I thought Nola’s conditions were very deep to look at and see through the sufferer’s eyes. I think Gena did a great job of creating Nola’s character with all that her health issues entailed.

Frost and Flame gradually showed us new things that related Nola to the All War. She is not just some human who stumbled across an ice cave full of warriors. Bane knows this and has been secretly planning his vengeance using Nola for many years. During their story, Bane slowly comes to realize that vengeance is not what he wants from Nola. I felt like there was a lot of jumping from place to place to avoid the war and concentrate on the pair. We read of fierce training Nola goes through, but I didn’t really imagine how intense it was until the final battle with Queen Aveline.

I did feel like Frost and Flame was a bit choppy, but I loved seeing the relationship between Nola and Bane bloom. I may have missed the explanation, but I was not really clear on why Bane had the effect on Nola that he did when it came to her illnesses. Especially if there was another with Adwaethean blood in their circle, you would think that person would have had the same effect. If you picked up that piece, please let me know in the comments what the explanation was.

Frost and Flame brought us characters with the same sarcastic and humorous traits we are used to with Gena Showalter and that is always a treat for me. It makes me laugh even in the most severe of circumstances. I am excited to see who gets focused on next in this series and how everyone works together to stop the war without joining Erik’s group!

It was also a lot of fun to get a glimpse of William’s story at the end. You have to love William. He is definitely entertaining!

Frost and Flame by Gena Showalter is book two in her Gods of War series and definitedly worth reading. Every book can be read as a standalone. For best redaing experience I recommend to read the books in order. The previous book is Shadow and Ice.
Frost and Flame is Bane and Nola's book. And oh boy what a story it is. It's raw and gritty and def. nsfw and not for the faint of heart.
Frost and Flame is a fast paced nailbiting story and deals with sens. subjects.
I was captivated from chapter one and was sitting on the egde of my seat the whole time.
I loved the storyline and the writing, 4,5 Stars.

Frost and Flame is book 2 in the Gods of War series and takes place parallel to the first book in the series. Speaking as someone who read this book and then went back to read the first, I don't feel like I missed anything reading out of order, it just adds more to it because you get both sides of the story. It did feel a little repetitive at some points when the two stories meet but I wasn't overly bothered by it. 

Book two revolves around Nola and Bane, whereas book one is about her sister, Vale. Bane is a warrior who was forced into the All War in order to seek revenge for his wife's murder by the Queen. Needless to say, he is fueled by anger to win the war, but also to find a new Queen who will take over and end Queen Aveline's reign of terror. He never would guess that his savior would be Nola. He is determined to hate her and use her to help with his plans but slowly she proves that she is nothing like Aveline. Bane fights tooth and nail his attraction to Nola but can't fight it forever and goes full on protector mode. 

"Your smile." he croaked.
She gulped, shivers trekking down her spine." Yes? What about it.?"
He licked his lips. "I want to taste it."

Nola has suffered most of her life with Lupus and Fibromyalgia and you can't help sympathize with her pain while also admiring her for her strength. Being in chronic pain, every day, takes a toll not only on one's body, but on one's mind and Nola is a strong woman having to deal with both.

"You are my salvation and my damnation, rolled into one beautiful package.”

The book is action packed, lots of violence, lots of epic, with a stubborn warrior and a sassy heroine and it was all types of good.  I am so hoping for another book in this series because I didn't really want this book to end. Four action packed stars.