🔨Forged in Magic🔨 by Jenna Wolfhart

Okay, this was absolutely going to be a 4 star review up until the final few pages.

I loved the premise of this book - enemies forced to work together in a series of challenges, both hiding things from the other in a way that’s absolutely going to cause a giant fallout in the final third, only for the truth to come out and their love to prevail. I was down.
Yes, I expected the challenges to be more “Throne of Glass” level high stakes (they literally win one by baking cupcakes) but I could forgive that for the lovely little moments it gave Daella and Rivelin to get to know eachother. It also has an amazing magic system that definitely could have been explored more but it was so intriguing!

My issue is the ending. I was fully prepared for this to be a trilogy- ending the first book with Hearthaven being saved from invasion, and the second book following Daella and Rivelin back to the Emperor to find the book they need and breaking Daella’s curse and the third book being them all finally overthrowing him. But this does happen - instead all that action happen offscreen in the final 30 pages and the book is literally handed to Daella who- surprise- managed to conveniently break her curse without even trying.
The author could have delved so much deeper into this world they’ve created. How does Daella come to terms with finding out that everything she knew about Dragons is wrong? How does Rivelin wrestle the fact that there are theousands of innocent people suffering under the emperors rule who can’t make it to his magical island? Are there more dragons?????? This could have been so so so much more and I’m really sad it’s not, because I was fully prepared to read a whole trilogy of books with these characters.

I was instantly drawn to this book by the blurb and the author’s note, which described it as a warm blanket in a cold day with some spice. And of course, the cover is just gorgeous! 😍

As you may know, I’m a sucker for stories with broken characters who find their missing piece in a loving and supportive partner, against all odds. And this book delivered exactly what I love. I adored the banter between our characters and how they gradually went from enemies to friends to lovers, opening up and trusting each other. It was so satisfying to see their relationship grow. 🥰

I also enjoyed the world building, which was easy to follow and not overwhelming with too many details or characters. It added to the cozy vibes that the author promised us. 🌟

To be honest, even though the author’s note mentioned some spice, I was not prepared for the toe-curling scenes between this male and his good girl praise for her. It was a pleasant surprise and I really enjoyed it. It didn’t feel forced and the build up was perfect. 🔥

I highly recommend this standalone book to anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers stories with a hint of magic and spice. 🙌

Thank you for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I rated it four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐, five hearts ❤❤❤❤❤ for its romance and two chilli peppers 🌶🌶 for its spice.

I read this in less than two days. This book is exactly how it’s described. A cozy fantasy with just a bit of spice and low stake adventure. If you enjoyed Legend and lattes,Can’t Spell Treason without Tea, or the Mead Mishaps books you’ll enjoy this. At times it seemed a little rushed, but overall I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more from this author.

This book is exactly as it is described … a heartwarming, feel-good fantasy romance with a helping of spice and a pinch of danger. Wonderful cozy with adventure, mystery and a bit of spice! I loved every moment and could not put it down. Best read with your favorite beverage and a cozy blanket! Highly recommend checking this one out when it is available on July 11th!
Rating: 4.5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley for providing this arc!
Ahem—DRAGONS!!!!!!! I love a book with dragons. And Orc’s. And Elves.
This cover reminded me of Legends and Lattes and sounded like a (spicy but) Cozy Fantasy story and was I was definitely in the mood for that.
The world building and magic system? So fricken cool. I kind of wish we had more of a perspective of Drauger’s but otherwise I think everything was easy to understand. The characters were absolutely lovelyyyyy (I love love love a grumpy character).
Daella was fascinating. The poor little noodle essentially locked up most of her life, and because of her parents passing so early she really didn’t know much about Orc’s which 😭 ugh that’s so sad. And Rivelin is such a gruff hard working teddy bear. I loved their pairing and the few spicy scenes we got were delightful!
Overall this was super cozy and had a fun little trial and dragons and spicy scenes, and cute little town bonfires, and dragons 👀 so I highly recommend this one 🥰

Thank you to NetGalley & Victory Editing for providing me with this eARC

Daella is a half-orc and has spent her life yearning for freedom and hunting down dragon magic for the ice giant emperor who holds her captive.
But when her latest mission goes awry and she is shipwrecked on an unknow island and found by the elf Rivelin, her life takes an unexpected turn.

This book is everything it promises to be - cozy, comfy, low-stakes fantasy with loveable charcaters and a lovely enemies to lovers arc.
The worldbuilding was great, the magic system easy to understand and the writing just flows beautifully.
I loved every second of reading this. Highly recommend!

This book was everything that was promised in the author's note - perfect to grab some tea, a blanket, and keep reading through the night. It was so feel-good and lighthearted that I just wanted to keep reading and smiling. The story was well thought out and well written with lovable characters and enough mystery and intrigue to make me keep turning the pages despite the late hour. I am so happy to have received this ARC and I can't wait to read more by this author and recommend this book to everyone that asks for a feel-good book. The romance was a dash of spice in the book which added some extra enjoyment, but was not the main focus and did not take away from the rest of the book. Thank you for this ARC, I can't wait to read it again!

This book was fantastic, I thought it was really well written and was easy to follow. The writing of the characters made you feel like you were living with story with them and the plot was great. It made you wanting more of the characters, world and story. I couldn’t put the down and would definitely recommend.

A brilliant standalone cosy fantasy with a couple of spicy scenes and enough stakes to really invest in the characters.

Daella is one of the last remaining Orcs in a world where a tyrant ruler has killed off any species he deems a threat to his world. Forced to serve him as a mercenary, luck spares her from a shipwreck during a mission and lands her on an island far away from her prison.

Finding herself partnered with the town protector in the Midsummer games while she awaits the season to return home, Daella begins to feel a freedom she has never had and makes some friends along the way.

This story has:
- a slow burn romance
- Dragons
- A community of mixed races (elves, humans, demons, dwarfs, pixies)
- Midsummer games of four challenges
- An evil tyrant
- An uprising
- A redemption arc
- Plight for freedom

I loved the two main characters, Daella and Riverlin who are both strong but vulnerable. Their relationship begins as enemies, moves to allies and then friends and finally a lovely romance where communication is clear and trust is building, even after a few bumps in the road.

This was such an enjoyable read that I could not put it down.

I highly recommend this book for those who love cosy fantasy, for those new to fantasy and for anyone looking for a fantasy that’s a little bit different.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this eARC. I will be heading out to buy a physical copy as soon as it is released!

This was THE BEST, cozy romantacy stand-alone book. As a romantacy girlie who is always belly deep in series - Jenna’s newest book was a breath of fresh air and a delightful fantasy palette cleanser. (What, you don’t change things up from fantasy to more fantasy?! SMH)

This book was adorable, witty, and action packed. Did I mention steamy? Because it was. In more ways than one… 😉

I honestly loved every second of this book. The pacing was excellent, the drama had me on the edge of my seat, the romance had me giggling like a little kid. 🤣

Forged by Magic has it all. Whether you are a starter to romantic fantasy or a veteran, this story can be enjoyed by everyone!

This book was absolutely everything that I hoped it would be. An absolutely adorable and sweet cozy romtansy with a bit of spice 👀
The plot was fantastic. I really couldn't put the book down I read it in one sitting. The characters were great, I'm a huge fan of elven folk, and honestly even the vibes were great.
An absolute must read.

🧌Forged by Magic 🧌

An Elf Husband ooh yes please!

I’ve been really lucky to be able to read an ARC of Jenna Wolfhart’s Forged by Magic and boy does it bring all the warm and fuzzies!

This is a paranormal romance full of all the magical creatures and being a girl could want, including DRAGONS, yup DRAGONS!! 🐉

This book follow a super loveable and fierce half Orc called Daella who has been imprisoned and made into the Kings weapon to wield. But when she ends up washed up on an island will Daella finally get the freedom and love she hopes for or will the islands people be her ruin….


❣️Things I LOVED ❣️
💛Cute graphics
💛Super lovable characters
💛unique world and islands
💛FMC doesn’t take any crap
💛Rivelin 😍 oh Rivelin that elf knows how to make a girl swoon but also want to batter him when he is being ridiculous!

🚣My favourite scene🚣
—————————————
Rivelin defending Daella after the lake scene even though he doesn’t know if he can trust her.



This is a great book by Jenna Wolfhart, it’s well written with mystery elements that keep you guessing. She has a beautiful way of combining multiple storylines throughout without the book feeling choppy or overwhelming.

⭐️4
🌶️3
💧1

💠Tropes💠
———————
✨Prisoner forced to Kill by King
✨Magical Creatures- Dragons, Orcs, elf
✨Enemies to lovers
✨One raft
✨Finding where you belong
✨Praise
✨First romance


Thank you Jenna Wolfhart, Publishers and NetGalley for this opportunity to read your up and coming book. The review will be posted on Amazon , goodreads and storygraph when this book is released.

I haven't read a lot of fantasy romance before, but this was so fun! It definitely lived up to the promise of being a "cozy fantasy" with just enough conflict to keep the pages turning. Daella is a half-orc who's been kept in captivity and turned into a weapon by an evil ice emperor. He can turn her into an ice sculpture at any moment, but promises her freedom if she discovers the last of the dragon magic users on a faraway island. After a shipwreck on route, she washes up on a beach in front of Rivelin an Elf and blacksmith with a prejudice against orcs. He agrees to let her stay with him until the next ship comes through and in return she agrees to help him win a magical contest on the island. Some of the world building and magic system rules went over my head (as I said I haven't read a lot of fantasy romance before). But the character development and chemistry in this book is top notch!

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this early review copy!

I am a huge fan of books with an orc MC and was so excited when I saw my request had been approved for this one and I started it immediately!

Our half-orc heroine Daella has been imprisoned by the tyrant King of the ice giants for 16 years, only allowed to leave her tower when her ability to scent dragon magic is needed. After a failed escape attempt Daella is allowed to earn her freedom but with conditions which could cost her her life. She must travel to the Fabled Isles and bring back anyone suspected of using or having knowledge of dragon magic. A shipwreck leaves her on the wrong island and under the suspicious watch of Rivelin, an elf and grumpy resident of Hearthaven, a peaceful land where weapons and fighting are outlawed.

Rivelin asks her to help him win the island's midsummer tournament and in return, he would offer her a place to stay until a boat arrives to return her to the ice king. Of course, both parties distrust the other and Daella must decide if her place truly
is as the Ice King's mercenary and where her loyalty truly lies.

This story is a cosy slow burn, forced proximity romance with a hint of mystery and suspense. There is some spice but I definitely wouldn’t call this a spicy book as there is much more to Daella’s story which unravels as she spends more time on the island. I read this book in a day and look forward to exploring more of the different characters in future books in this series!

Ratings
Spice: 🌶🌶
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for accepting my request to read and review this little delight of a book!

Forged by Magic was most definitely a cover request for me I had never heard of the author or book but I saw that stunning cover and read the description and HAD to read it. I am so glad I did!

This was such a heartwarming and sweet book, with fantasy all around and yet no super high stakes. The romance was super enjoyable, and I loved that it got a little spicy which I was not expecting!

This is very much so a cosy fantasy in line with Legends and Lattes, if you loved that book you will LOVE this <3

Forged By Magic is the first book I read of Jenna Wolfhart and I was positevely surprised by how good the writing was. Efficient, the story flows easily through the author's writing style and I ended up finishing this book quite quickly compared to normally.
The plot is solid and very cute and we quickly dive straight into the story. Don't expect this book to be some High Fantasy story, high on action scenes and blo/d. As the author herself said, this reads more like a feel-good romantasy, so really perfect for this summer! ☀️
The characters are very likeable and any grump x sunshine fan will find their happiness with them! I must say I really liked the fact that this book has more than your usual fae and human species. In that way, you'll soon meet Orcs, shadow demons or even pixies on the great Islands of this story!
I would say the only negative points I saw was really the ending. Far from it being bad or non-sensical, I just felt it could have used 50 more pages to develop and that some plot elements that were resolved toward the end could have appeared in a long epilogue or even in a spin off series. As of right now, the last chapters felt rushed and a bit too conveniently wrapped up.

Overall, it was still a very good read and I definitely recommend reading this book, especially if you're a fan of grumpy x sunshine or even a possible DnD player looking for a sweet romance for this summer! ❤️

3.75/5

A cozy, whimsical, fantasy book that has just a dash of danger, a sprinkle of spice, and dragons. Daella is a half orc mercenary who gets stranded on a tranquil island where there is no violence. Rivelin, a grumpy, silver haired elf offers her shelter in return for her assistance in the Midsummer Games.

This standalone book has Norse Mythology influences, magic, and all the fun summery cozy vibes.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC, what a perfect way to get into summer.

I absolutely devoured this book and couldn’t put it down. Forged by Magic is about Daella a half orc who has the opportunity to escape her tower if she takes the kings deal, her freedom in exchange to track down people using illegal dragon magic. This is the first book I’ve read by Jenna Wolfhart and I absolutely loved it, it was an easy 5/5 star read. This book is released July 11, 2023. Thank you to Jenna Wolfhart, Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was exactly the book I needed right now! A cozy (with a lil side of spice) fantasy with everything you could want! Romance, drama, DRAGONS! Forged By Magic by Jenna Wolfhart follows Daella, a half-orc, who is forced into mercenary work for the Ice Giant Emperor. The emperor sends her on a quest to find Dragon magic users and imprison them. While on her journey across the sea to get to the Isles of Fable her ship goes into a storm, and she wakes up on the beach of an unfamiliar island. Rivelin, an elven blacksmith, finds her on the beach and against his best judgement helps her. I loved this book so much! If you are looking for a fun stand alone fantasy book, you’re going to love this one!

Jenna Wolfhart could step on my neck and I would say thank you.

This was so fun. Perfect palate cleanser read where you're looking for a good time, some spice, and a story to keep you entertained.

The world was very vivid and the pacing was super quick, which I adore. I kind of loved the insta-attraction due to the forced proximity and the various creatures, magic, and all that was cool to me. It also has dragons, need I say more?

It's a beautiful story that pulls you in, doesn't make you think too hard but also makes you lose yourself in every word, the characters, and their adventure. It truly was really great and I definitely would read again.