This book needs many content warnings for violence, rape, torture, etc. Whatever bad can happen to someone probably happens in this book.

Calling this a romance is a stretch. It's probably better off under fantasy. I was hoping the book was almost done and I was at 41%. So I plodded on. Maddek has threatened to cute out Yvenne's tongue - and it is VERY clear he will do so, he comes very close - and if he'd let her talk, then a lot of things could've been solved (not his distrust of her, but...). This book may appeal to readers looking for new fantasy realm but not for romance fans. The romance is barely secondary, and hardly believable. It's an alliance.

I can't say the book was engaging, nor did it really hold any surprises. The "I don't trust you" storyline just went in circles and Yvenne's hope for more dies. It's clearly setting up the world and the threat of the Destroyer, so a series is anticipated, but the world building is mixed. So many things introduced that didn't seem to actually mean anything for the story. A Heart of Blood and Ashes did not inspire any interest in continuing with the world.

This book is a lusciously brutal foray into romantic fantasy, with a love story that burns so hot, you might singe your fingers while reading it. I devoured it in a single sitting and have been struggling to re-emerge back into the real world ever since. It’ll be a travesty if it doesn’t top the “Best Romance of 2020” lists.

“There are enemies, and there are monsters. Always slay the monsters first, because enemies may one day become allies – but monsters never will.”

I know we’re barely into January, but I’m just going to come right out and say it:

THIS WILL BE MY FAVORITE BOOK OF 2020

I’m confident in that, because I have been waiting for a book like this for years. YEARS, I TELL YOU. My two favorite genres are romance and fantasy. Therefore, my favorite subgenre of all time is romantic fantasy.

Do you know how many romantic fantasy books there are? I do, because I have read all of them and there are simply NOT ENOUGH.

With A Heart of Blood and Ashes, Milla Vane has crowned herself as the new queen of the genre for me. Seriously, this book was THAT good.

Okay, now let me try to get my shit together and do it justice in an actual review instead of just flailing all over my keyboard.

*deep breath*

This story is centered in a fantastical world. It has a sort of medieval setting, complete with towering castles, barbarian hordes, vengeful gods, and evil sorcerers. Also, dinosaurs are a thing. Just an FYI for those of you with shorter attention spans, this is definitely on the high fantasy side of the genre, with extensive world building.

The great thing about that world building is that it never once reads like an info dump. Milla Vane did a genius thing with this. The female lead, Yvenne, has spent her entire life locked away in a tower, so you see the lands and cities she travels through from her awed perspective. Everything is fresh and new, and because of this, the setting and history of all the places she visits unfolds in a natural, organic way.

The story opens with the murder of the king and queen of one of these nations. Their son and heir, Maddek (the male lead), is a military commander at the time, fighting on the front lines of the allied nations’ territory.

The message he receives about their deaths is cryptic. Because the leaders of the alliance council know he will freak out when he learns the truth. As much as these allied nations claim to be civilized and fair, they know the story they were fed about the deaths of his king and queen is total bullshit.

And so does Maddek.

Seeking vengeance, he abducts the daughter of King Zhalen, the man who had his parents murdered. That princess would be Yvenne, and whoo-boy do they have some instant chemistry.

Real talk: I’m not typically a fan of darker romances. In fact, I usually avoid the subgenre at all costs, because I almost always find the “romances” in them to read more like glorified tales of abuse and manipulation. Seldom do I understand the character choices.

That said, I loved the hell out of Maddek and Yvenne, regardless of the fact that their interactions sometimes dipped toward the darker side of romance. Because, through their perspectives, I understood them both, and though I might not agree with their choices, I could see why they made them.

Thanks to the book blurb, it’s not a spoiler to say that Yvenne is nothing like what Maddek expected. He’d been led to believe that she acted as an agent of her father and betrayed his parents by luring them to their deaths. Imagine his surprise when he finds out that her hatred for her father eclipses even his own. Instead of murdering her, he winds up betrothed instead.

From the moment they meet, they’re on the run. Because Yvenne’s father will do anything to keep the truth of what he did hidden. And he’s even more desperate to keep his motivations a secret.

Yvenne and Maddek are pursued through several nations, guarded by an incredible cast of side characters that I liked so much, I would gladly read a story from each and every one of their perspectives.

Another thing I’ll say is that this is not always an easy read. There are some harder themes in here. The violence is brutal and sometimes gory. I was so invested in these characters that every time one of them was hurt, I got a little bit ragey on their behalf. And it’s not always smooth sailing for our hero and heroine. It’s more like they chartered their course through a storm-swept sea. But what never flags is their heat.

Good lord, these two set the pages on fire.

One thing I loved, loved, LOVED about this book was how inclusive it was. More than half of the cast are characters of color, men and women hold equal power in leadership roles, and sexuality is so widely accepted as being fluid that it’s literally never made into a “thing”. It’s just written along the lines of “she took her to bed”, without further dissection, and amen for that.

Another thing I loved was the way that Yvenne was portrayed. She’s easily one of my favorite female leads of all time. I am sick to death of readers equating traditional male qualities as strengths in heroines. Like, a heroine is only ever deemed “strong” if she swears a lot, and is violent, and is short-tempered, and never cries, etc.

Yvenne is not physically strong. She spent her life locked in a room. She has chronic pain thanks to a knee that was once shattered. But Yvenne is not without strength. Her mind is an exquisite thing. Her political acumen is prodigious. She was cutthroat and manipulative and deceptive and did anything to get what she wanted – all for the good of her people – and I fucking adored her for it.

And Maddek. Oh, Maddek. At times I wanted to punch him in the face. Then half a page later I wanted to climb him like a tree. What I’m saying is that I understood why Yvenne lusted after him and was pissed at him in equal measure.

It’s important to point out that I never, ever gave up on him. I rooted for him as hard as I did Yvenne, and his character arc is as strong as hers. He learns from his mistakes. He strives to be a better man. While he sometimes pissed me off, I totally got why he acted the way he did, and I never stopped believing that he would work through his demons.

Which he does, and lord is it worth it. I damn near cried when this ended.

One last note is that while their romance is a dominant part of the story, it shares space with one gloriously complicated plot. This is a highly political fantasy setting, with kings and queens and gods all vying for power on the same playing board. Just when you think you know what is going on, the rug is pulled out from under your feet. Just when you think these characters have finally made it to safety, a new threat emerges.

I was honestly terrified that this was going to end on a massive cliffhanger and I’d be left waiting in breathless desperation for the next one to come out.

Fear not, fellow reader! This ends with the HEA we expect from romance, but with room for more installments.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’m going to avoid the massive book hangover this will give me by just picking it back up and reading it all over again.

What a way to start the year!

Heart of Blood and Ashes by Milla Vane is the 1st book in her A Gathering of Dragons series. I was not sure what to expect when I started this fantasy novel that was 560 pages, but as I read a few chapters in, I became totally engrossed into this fabulous story that kept me unable to put the book down. Milla Vane is a new author to me, and I am happy to say that I will most certainly be reading the future books in this series.

We meet Maddek, our hero, at the start, when he learns that his mother and father (King and Queen of Parsathe) have been murdered by a King from another realm, who are part of an alliance protecting them from The Destroyer. Maddek confronts the Alliance Council, determined to enact vengeance against the corrupt King and his sons; he is ordered not to attack someone in their alliances. Maddek takes his army and heads for Syssian, only to find the corrupt Kings daughter being taken away. Since the daughter was the one who invited his parents to visit, and thereby were killed, Maddek plans to enact his revenge against the daughter.

Yvenne, our heroine, is the King’s daughter, and to his surprise, she kills her brother in front of him, and offers herself to help him defeat her evil father, and other nasty brothers. Yvenne was not what Maddek expected, as she was nothing like a warrior queen was supposed to be, being small and weak, having suffered most of her young life. But Yvenne was horribly treated by her family, having lost fingers, damaged knees and imprisoned most of her life; she was though very intelligent, with knowledge that would make her a fine Queen. She proposes marriage to help Maddek become King of both lands, which he accepts. The problem is Maddek hates her, thinking that she lured his parents to their deaths. No matter how much she explains that she became close to his mother, and tried to help her, Maddek treated her with distain and threatens to shut her up.

I will say that for a 1/3 of the book, I was not a fan of Maddek, as he was nasty to Yvenne, even though all his soldiers began to love her. I did love Yvenne, as she made such a wonderful heroine, making up for her disabilities, working hard to use a knife and arrows, as well as strengthen her body. She slowly earned the respect from the men and women on Maddek’s team, as she was able to use her ‘sight’ to warn them of the enemy coming close to attacking. Maddek in a short time, slowly began to fall for Yvette and help train her, but it did take some time. The chemistry between them was sizzling.

What follows is a fabulous, exciting, entertaining adventure filled with danger, magic, betrayals, as well as fantastic secondary characters created by Vane. I loved the Parsathian men and woman, and how they opened up to Yvenne, as well as their loyalty to Maddek. Heart of Blood and Ashes is a big novel, but it is so worth it. To tell too much more would become spoilers, and you really need to read this from start to finish.

Heart of Blood and Ashes is fantasy at its best, with intense nonstop violent action, excitement, fantastic characters and a wonderful romance. I will also say I loved loved the ending, which had an epilogue. So many fantasy books end with a cliffhanger, but Heart of Blood and Ashes had a satisfying conclusion, even though the story will continue in the next book. Thank you Milla Vane for this wonderful conclusion, and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Maddok has been leading the defense of the alliance of the southern kingdoms and Parsathe when he learns that his parents are dead. He must return to plains to be acknowledge speaker and leader of his nation. But when he learns that his parents were murdered he vows to avenge their death and kidnaps the daughter of the man responsible.

Yvenne is the last of legendary warrior-queens and her frailty leaves her with only the protection of her wits. She proposes a marriage between them so that they both can avenge themselves on her father.

Why I started this book: Milla Vane is the pen name for Meljean Brook. I've loved her other series and was eager to follow her into a new genre.

Why I finished it: It took 3 days to read this book, and that was during the chaos of going home for Christmas and spending time with family. If I hadn't flown for hours to be there, I would have devoured this in one go. This series is going to be so fun... I can't wait for the next installment.

A generation past, the western realms were embroiled in endless war. Then the Destroyer came. From the blood and ashes he left behind, a tenuous alliance rose between the barbarian riders of Parsathe and the walled kingdoms of the south. That alliance is all that stands against the return of an ancient evil—until the barbarian king and queen are slain in an act of bloody betrayal.

Though forbidden by the alliance council to kill the corrupt king responsible for his parents’ murders, Maddek vows to avenge them, even if it costs him the Parsathean crown. But when he learns it was the king’s daughter who lured his parents to their deaths, the barbarian warrior is determined to make her pay.

Yet the woman Maddek captures is not what he expected. Though the last in a line of legendary warrior-queens, Yvenne is small and weak, and the sharpest weapons she wields are her mind and her tongue. Even more surprising is the marriage she proposes to unite them in their goals and to claim their thrones—because her desire for vengeance against her father burns even hotter than his own…

Em:  I’m just going to put it out there:  I loved A Heart of Blood and Ashes.  Full stop.  It isn’t perfect, but for someone looking for pure escapist romantic fantasy (me), it checks all the boxes.  Maddek is the classic badass barbarian - fierce, capable, confident, sexy, strong - but he more than meets his match when he finally meets Yvenne, the woman he’s sworn to kill.  But Yvenne, Maddek’s physical opposite - small and weak - quickly and cleverly convinces him she’s more than she appears.  And she is.  Her mind and his physical strength make for a formidable partnership as this saga unfolds, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how it would conclude.  I enjoyed both the fantasy and romance - did you?

Caroline: Oh. My. Gods and goddesses. Absolutely agree. Could not put this book down. I balanced my reader on my leg so I could read while I was folding laundry. I took not-totally-necessary bathroom breaks at work to squeeze in another chapter. If loving a big, brawny, sword-swinging barbarian and his little powerhouse queen is wrong, then I don’t have a prayer of being right.

Dabney: I too loved it--it feels genuinely original in a startling way. The world Vane (who is also Meljean Brooks) has created is off the charts unique and dense. (The last time I was so struck by a world was probably in R. Lee Smith’s The Land of the Beautiful Dead.) How would you describe it?

Em:  I don’t read a lot of fantasy, but after reading AHoBaA, I feel like I should read a whole lot more!  Honestly, I had a bit of a challenge getting into the story and seeing it in my imagination.  It’s a bit jarring to go from historical romance to fantasy romance, and I was lost at first.  I’m still trying to decide what I thought about the animals that populate the story.  Are we supposed to think that the ‘reptiles’ are dinosaur-esque?  That’s how I imagined them in my mind - but perhaps more vicious and intelligent?

Dabney: I am still wondering about the creatures, both animals and savages. I felt as it perhaps this was a world in which dinos and humans lived side by side. And that maybe the savages were Neanderthal-esque.

Caroline: I saw the biggest animals as more of monstrous dragons, and the Farians almost as little green men, but with extremely sharp teeth.

Dabney: Whatever they are, they are so believable--this is world-building at its best.

Em: I thought Vane’s descriptions of the landscapes - especially Maddek's home on the Burning Plain - are particularly well rendered.  Seeing everything new through Yvenne’s eyes (since she’s been imprisoned since her birth) was such a smart writing decision!  I was fully immersed in each new landscape she discovered, and I saw everything she did in my mind’s eye.  The fantastical elements - the settings, the animals, the people, the magic, the gods and goddesses - felt vivid and real.  I escaped to this imaginary world, and I hated when I finally had to exit it.

Caroline: Gods and goddesses are tricky to write, because they are so powerful they can make the actions of the protagonists seem pointless. Vane managed to steer clear of this here - the gods and goddesses are clearly real and clearly powerful, and can bless or curse characters, but humans need to play out their own destiny.

Dabney: It’s such a joy to find a book with the big three: a thrilling context, a storyline you can’t stop thinking about, and characters you adore. Let’s talk about our leads Maddek and Yvenne. He’s as alpha a male as I’ve read in some time. She’s more nuanced. They both, on so many levels, need what the other brings into their lives.

Em:  I love that reference to the big three!  And so true here.

Caroline:  Here’s a setting where an alpha makes sense - brutally violent. But the author does something rare, which is to challenge the idealization of the alpha archetype. An alpha isn’t male perfection - Yvenne shows us and Maddek that there are other things to value than physical strength. She teaches Maddek that he may be a warrior, but he hasn’t learned how to be a king.

Em: How could Yvenne resist Maddek?  HE’S IRRESISTIBLE.  Smart, honest, loyal, brave, talented, handsome, tough...just a super badass who you can’t help but also fall in love with.  His emotional and intellectual growth as the novel progresses is also well done; I liked that Ms. Vane framed his emotional and intellectual growth in the context of his relationship with Yvenne.  By opening his heart to Yvenne, he became a better man, partner, and leader.  She unlocks the best parts of Maddek - his generous and loving heart, his passion for his people and their needs, his willingness to see shades of gray when before he could only see right and wrong.

Dabney: AND yet there was a surprising and successful way in which Yvenne was able to wait for Maddek to become the man she is sure he can be. I liked that he was a bit of a dick in the first half of the book--it made their connection so much more powerful once he grew into the king--and the partner--she knew he could be.

Em: I’m not sure what to say about Yvenne.  Her willingness to sacrifice herself for the greater good and to be the architect of her own destiny...I loved it.  She’s smart and clever and wise, and a survivor who never quits.  While Maddek is so narrowly focused on vengeance, Yvenne - who has more reason than anyone else to seek it - takes every experience as an opportunity for a greater good.  She’s hopeful even in her darkest moments, always looking for a way forward.

Caroline: And obviously we should talk about the sex. Not just because it’s a big part of romances, but because here, it’s important to the plot - it will seal their marriage, but the moon goddess requires that people have their first sexual experience at the full moon or risk her wrath. So we have a lot of tension building up.

Em: The chemistry between these two is off the charts hot!  I liked the raw, crude sex scenes very much, although I’m not sure they will appeal to everyone.  And that scene at the inn when Yvenne watches K & A [note: check names]?  Damn.

Dabney: It’s kinda amazing that Vane was able to write a sexual progression that starts iffy--their first sexual interaction took me aback--and ended up feeling perfect and pure.

Caroline: Was there anything you didn’t like?

Dabney: I thought the late middle was a bit slow. But that's a small flaw in a great book.

Em:  Not really!  Well, if I had to name one thing it would be the (lack of) backstory for the Destroyer.  I get that he (?) was mighty and powerful, and after the war to defeat him (?), Parsathe and the kingdoms of the south allied to prevent his return.  But is the Destroyer a sorcerer?  A God?  Did I miss that?  And why is the Destroyer so all powerful?  Where did all that power come from?  And where is the Destroyer now?  The location is a real place?  I think perhaps these questions are answered - but I still felt vague about the enemy at the door.  I missed the answers!  Did you “get it?”

Caroline: Yeah, the “Big baddie returns” is a fantasy staple, from Voldemort to Sauron. This wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t handled in a groundbreaking way, either.

Dabney: I believe this series will explain and explore the Destroyer--I am willing to accept his lack of explication because I think he’s coming our way--terrifyingly--in the next book(s).

Em:  AHoBoA was a wonderful return to romance from Milla Vane.  I highly recommend it, and think it will probably make my short list of favorite books in 2020.  It’s an A from me.

Dabney: I loved the romance and the nuanced way the leads resolved their burning needs for revenge. I did feel that parts of the story were a teeny tiny bit draggy but, other than that, it’s a fabulous read. An A- from me.

Caroline: I’ve been waiting for Milla Vane to return to this world since I DIK’d the novella The Beast of Blackmoor in the anthology Night Shift. It was worth every moment of waiting, and more. An absolute A from me.

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- 4.5 stars -

I was excited to read this book ever since I laid eyes on the blurb and cover. When I started reading and saw how long it was I got even more excited. In the fantasy genre, especially if it is the first book in a series, it can get very difficult and sometimes chaotic when introducing a new world to a reader. So I really appreciate it when an author really takes the time to explain everything, but not dumping the information on the reader at once. In the beginning it took me some time to remember the names of characters and tribes. I had to get familiar with everything, but once that was done I was hooked to the story. I love Fantasy Romance novels, and this book was an amazing addition to the genre. Maddek is blinded with the revenge for the deaths of his parents, and can't see that Yvenne is innocent as well. I fell in love with so many different characters, but Yvenne especially stole my heart with her determination and persistence. She looked small and weak, but inside she was so strong. She did everything in her power to convince Maddek that she isn't anything like her treacherous family. It wasn't an easy road, and Maddek broke her heart and soul many times.

However, she isn't some meek and obedient woman. She was absolutely amazing. She had to overcome so many hardships and learn things that are normal to anyone else. She didn't give up and also didn't let Maddek bully her around. She stood her ground and gave him her piece of mind whenever it was needed. The banter and chemistry between Yvenne and Maddek was incredible. The pacing of the story is slow, but it really gave me time to see everything happen in real time. I didn't mind it at all, and I loved seeing the respect and love grow for each other. They both had to learn many things and were the best teacher to each other. Maddek had to learn to behave and think more like a king, and Yvenne had to became the warrior queen she was destined to be. The side characters were great and I enjoyed getting to know them. The action was also very captivating and suspenseful as well. The author had me on the edge of my seat a couple of times. The romance was perfect, and I loved the attraction and fire between Yvenne and Maddek. A Heart of Blood and Ashes was a complete story, the author took her time to tell it and create a new world. The detailed descriptions were easy to read and really came alive in my mind. This book was a great introduction to the series, and I already look forward to the next book.

3.5 stars

I read this book in two days and I can see the potential for an amazing series, but it’s not without some issues.

It’s clear that this is not the work of a debut author. The plot was well thought through, and the world had everything that makes fantasy fascinating, from the the different races to territories, from gods to beasts. The descriptions were well done, and it was easy to envision it all. Most importantly I loved the group Maddek and Yvenne were traveling with, the friendships between the individuals characters were heartwarming and I can see many more future stories set in this world.

I also really enjoyed Maddek and Yvenne’s relationship, especially when they talked strategy or learned from each other – it was enthralling. And I thought that particular aspect was very well done, it’s seldom to see a couple make such a strong team. Yvenne was such a feisty, determined, smart, cunning and ballsy heroine – I was absolutely enamored with her. And Maddek was the perfect hero for her. Strong, with a kind heard, but smart to heed signs, and follow his gut when needed. His personal growth was tangible, and gave me hope. Both learned from each other, and accepted their short comings in certain areas. I really liked that.

Nevertheless there were still times I got frustrated with both of them. Also I felt that some issues throughout the book were rinsed and repeated, either in thoughts or rehashed dialogues. The plot, and especially Maddek and Yvenne recycled some issues so often I got tired of it and found myself skipping paragraphs.

And even though I finished this book within two days, and I was invested in the characters and the outcome of the story, I felt the story dragged at times. And it could have benefitted of less thinking and more doing. The action was missing, and the inner monologues could have been cut in half.

Also, despite the fact that I rejoiced how quickly some of their enemies were dispensed with, the truth is that the balance was off. Most of the book, 80% of it, was them traveling across the continent. There was rarely any action, and when the fighting commenced it was done way too quickly.

Nevertheless I really enjoyed their story, and would love to see Maddek and Yvenne have another book, it didn’t feel like their story was done being told.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 5
Maddek is out for vengeance and nothing will stand in his way. That is until he meets an unlikely ally. One that will test everything the Maddek knows and feels. Nothing will ever be the same for Maddek.

Yvenne has been looked away for all her life. But now she is free and she is determined to take what is rightfully hers. In order to do that she will need the help of a very reluctant ally that would rather her dead.

What a great first book in Milla Vane’s new A Gathering of Dragons series. I really enjoyed reading this book. Milla does a great job building a world full of very strange creatures, magic and the people that live in this world. I really enjoyed the case of characters too. I am already looking forward to the next installment in this series.

If you are looking for a great read that is filled with stubborn warriors, strategic queens, lies, betrayals, magic, hope and romance you need to put add this book to your need to read list!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.