“𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴. 𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥.”

This book swept me away and was just so entertaining. It has some of my favorite tropes including enemies to lovers, arranged marriage and forced proximity!

I think this is the first book I’ve read where the main FMC is a whipping girl.
Raised in an royal household alongside its princesses, Tamsyn has always accepted her fate until the fateful night the Beast of the Borderland comes to the castle and demands one of its princesses in marriage in exchange for his continued protection - only to be deceived with the whipping girl. Things get really interesting fast here.

This story has magic, witches, and dragons in it. The pace is fast moving and with just enough world building to set the atmosphere and tone of the story. The MC’s have such a great tension building up with each other that I devoured the book. I finished it in about a day. I just wanted to keep reading it. Some of the plot twist were predictable for me but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. This is the first book in a new adult romantasy series and does end on a cliffhanger. I definitely plan on continuing with the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book!

I was so excited about this book, but it fell short for me in several ways. The execution of the story felt underdelivered….and not a lot happens until the very end. I wanted more worldbuilding out of what was promised from the story…but the twists and turns were predictable. There was too much monologue, and it got repetitive.

Overall, I give this book three stars. To be honest, I’m not sure I will continue with the series.

If we are here for only vibes than this book is a full 5 stars. But if we are here for a well written Romantsy I’m sorry it’s only 3 stars. I really wanted to rate this book higher but I couldn’t based off major plot holes and way to predictable of a plot twist that could have been done better. The world it’s self is Amazing but the romance felt rushed and based of sex and the plot was clunky and rushed towards the end. This book had HIGH potential to be a 6 star book but just wasn’t hitting the mark in certain areas. Very grateful to get the e-Arc of this book though and hope she still continues to write the story but just improves in book 2.

What a great read by a great author! I originally found Sophie Jordan with her Firelight trilogy, and I was so thrilled when I saw this book was based in the same world. I really enjoyed this book along with the characters.

Tamsyn is a strong character, and she has had to deal with a lot growing up as the royal whipping girl. What she doesn’t count on or expect is getting married to the Beast of the Borderlands. Once married to him and leaving behind what she’s known her whole life, she travels with Fell and his band of warriors to land unknown to her.

Fell was expecting to marry a princess, and instead finds out, after the fact, that he has married the whipping girl. He takes Tam with him and things get interesting pretty quickly.

I really enjoyed the journey that Tam and Fell take in the first book. I was so excited to see that there will be a second book and I’m eagerly waiting to see when that comes out!

I really wanted to love this! Sophie Jordan’s historical romances are so good, so I was very excited for her romantasy debut. Unfortunately, this was a big miss for me. There was no chemistry between the main characters, and it felt like their whole relationship was built off of sex. There was a lot of repetition as well.

And the twist at the end? 🥲😬 It was truly something. I could definitely see it from a mile away, but the execution was..a little cringy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I did not like this book. I had such high hopes for it in the beginning because it started off well, but it went down hill quickly. The characters seemed stuck and depressing. The ending was just weird and abrupt. Is there more coming up? Not that I'm reading it, but the ending was just...so...off that if there isn't another book, I'm not quite sure what the point of that ending was.

OMG I loved, loved this book and really want the next one right now. The characters in this book were so endearing and yet also ones you like to love or hate. The storyline was well written and kept you wanting to turn the next page. Some of the twists and turns left you wondering throughout the book how it was going to turn out. Another amazing book from Sophie.

I was very much anticipating this book - I can't get enough of dragons in fantasy. The premise sounded fantastic but, sadly, the execution was sorely lacking for me. On the one hand, I love that romantasy has now become a mainstream genre. On the other hand, however, I feel that it has opened the door for cookie-cutter stories and I'm getting a little bored of feeling like I'm reading the same story over and over again. I really need the romatasy genre to explore new and fresh contexts. My other issue with this one was that I could really tell the author was previously writing young adult. This seems to be a common experience for me. It just did not at all feel like the epic/high adult fantasy that I was wanting from it.

If you’re into dragons and romance, then this is a quick, fun read for you.

We follow Tamsyn, a 'whipping girl' who gets married off to Fell, the ruthless Lord Beast (not a Beauty & the Beast retelling 😂). Their relationship starts off pretty rocky, but they warm up to each other during their long harsh journey to the Borderlands. Along the way, they discover that dragons aren’t actually extinct when Tamsyn goes missing. The chemistry between Tamsyn and Fell is great, with just the right amount of banter, tension, and spice. It’s a quick read at 315 pages, and while I wanted more character development, the fast pacing made it fly by.

Overall, I felt like this book pretty average—I liked the story, but it didn’t stand out from other Romantasy series. However, I did really enjoy Sophie Jordan's writing style, and I’d pick up Book 2 to see where the story goes.

Although there were some things that could have been fine-tuned better, A Fire in the Sky was a fun read! I was captivated by the storyline and Jordan's writing. I liked that this book played with the classic romantasy tropes. I enjoyed Jordan's spin on them. Despite being able to predict the major plot pints, I was pleased with how the story played out. I thought the whole whipping girl plot line was interesting and new. I did struggle a little bit with the world building. I found it wanting. I felt like the politics and geography of the world could have been expanded on more. Luckily, the characters made up for this flaw. I thought Tamsyn and Fell were a cute couple. I liked their tension and chemistry. I hope the next book will delve more into their relationship. I want to see more dialogue and relationship building in the next book. The attraction between Tamsyn and Fell was pretty instant. As a slow burn fan, I was a little nervous at first with their instant attraction. I liked that Jordan still created drama and tension between Tamsyn and Fell. The spice scenes were just enough for the story. I thought Tamsyn and Fell were decent main characters. I did struggle with the repetitiveness of their inner monologues. Tamsyn's monologues could also lean towards the dramatics. I hope the next book will explore more of Tamsyn's history and motivations. I'm eager to see what Fell's chapters are going to be like in the sequel after the surprise ending. The book also featured a third POV from Stig. I had a hard time wrapping my head around Stig. I thought his POV chapters were unnecessary. I didn't buy his sudden declaration of love. I wasn't convinced that he and Tamsyn were close friends. I found the pacing and breakup of the book just right. My favorite chapters were from the crossing section. I thought the "taking care of each other" trope in that section cute. Even though the writing style wasn't the strongest, I found this book very engaging. The ending was exciting and readers will be eager to see what happens in the next book. I did have several unanswered questions at the end. I thought the whole cloud and mist thing was confusing. I hope that and other questions will be answered in the next book. Overall, this was an entertaining and fast-paced book that left me hungry for the next book. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

This is a perfect blend of the drama, sizzling romance, and world building. There’s a deceptive arranged marriage, politics, DRAGONS, betrayal, and oh DRAGONS!!

Tamsyn is a royal whipping girl - the girl who takes all the punishments of her royal “sisters” since royalty cannot be harmed. She’s good at it. She has a sense of pride in her position, instilled in her by Stig. Stig is the captain of the guard who will do anything for Tamsyn, including try to save her from an arranged marriage. Fell is the Beast of the Borderlands, a brute who protects the wild edges of the kingdom. Fell demands a royal wife and he will have one… but deception abounds.

This book is a quick read that has many hard to stomach themes such as a whipping girl, arranged marriage, witnessed consummation, and death. Jordan handles these well. The horrors are highlighted but not glamorized. Intimate scenes are graphic but palatable. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that was so straightforward with hard themes.

The writing is refreshing, fast-paced, and eloquent. The first few pages pulled me into a chokehold until the very last page. The world building is fantastic. The multiple POV’s really allowed me understand how each character processed the world around them. Fell’s character development is my favorite out of the main three. I’m amazed at how complex this book is for being under 350 pages. The last 25% of the book is pretty much perfect.

I loved the dragons. Can’t say much else without spoiling it. I have never read any of Sophie Jordan’s work, but I will certainly be reading more. I will be screaming from the rooftops about how much I enjoyed A Fire in the Sky.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced digital copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to arc read this book!

Dragons, forced marriage, witches! I loved every second of this book and cannot believe the cliffhanger we’re left on. The chemistry between Tamsyn and Fell is perfect, and I loved seeing her grow as a person.
Book two is going on my tbr!

2.5⭐️

While the book had me intrigued by the end and I would consider reading the follow up, I found myself forcing my way through it. A lot of the book felt repetitive; with thought processes and turns of phrase being repeated from paragraph to paragraph and chapter to chapter. There were times I would find myself skimming the page to skip through the characters rambling thoughts and get back to forward momentum in the plot. There were moments I enjoyed and glimpses of potential for stand out characters but overall, it was just a book I found myself putting down in favor of something else more often than not.

This short fantasy book has been one of my favorites this year! The story really pulled me in, and I really loved the two main characters Tamsyn and Fell. Tamsyn is stuck in an impossible situation as she's married off to a "Beast of the Borderlands", but she holds her own and shows inspirational strength. And Fell is more complex than meets the eye. He's the perfect badass male character that shows gentleness with Tamsyn that even he doesn't expect. The dynamic between them, especially after the marriage twist, was full of tension but also had some really sweet moments. The romance was written so well, with just the right amount of heat.

I also loved how unpredictable the plot was. There were moments that genuinely surprised me, and now I have a ton of questions that I can’t wait to see answered in the next book. Overall, this book had everything—strong characters, a bit of magic, and a lot of suspense. Definitely a series I’ll be keeping an eye on!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for an eARC of this book!

It took a minute for me to decide how to rate this book. There were definite moments while reading when I was engaged and invested but I almost DNFed around 50%. I stuck it out and overall think the story was just ok.
I enjoyed the build up and set up involving the two main characters meeting, but I spent most of the book searching for their connection after that. I wanted to root for Tamsyn and Fell, yet something in the writing or the plot didn't quite cement them as a couple. Even with a cliffhanger ending I doubt I will be interested enough to continue with the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

** I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley**

Rating: 2.5 stars

Plot: This book follows the FMC, Tamsyn, who is a whipping girl for the princesses (when they act out, Tamsyn takes the consequences = whipping). She is given as a bride deceptively to the Beast of Borderlands, Fell who obviously does not appreciate being lied to. Even with the betrayal he seems to quickly become enthralled with her as they travel back to his homelands. In Penterra, there is no magic as dragons are killed off and witches are basically in hiding.

Characters: Tamsyn was written to come out strong anf outspoken at times but her character seemed flat and annoying. She was a more immature character than I was expecting for an adult fantasy novel.

Fell was honestly just a brute who did not have much depth to him.

The characters honestly shared a few sentences the entire time but yet seemed to want to be together long term. Lust vs love ….

The big climax in this book was truly predictable as there were many indications in the beginning/throughout the book.

The book could ideally go through another round of editing as the sentence structures are choppy.

This book is definitely a YOUNG ADULT book with SEX SCENES. The entirety of the book is written as YA within its themes, characters, and plot.

Overall, the plot of this book was a great idea but fell very flat within its characters and execution.

This quickly became a book I could not put down. Had everything I enjoy in a Fantasy Romance book - unique story elements, interesting characters, surprises, a bit of romance and dragons! I am excited to see where the story will go in the next book.

I've been itching for a dragon fantasy so I was super excited to receive this one. Read if you like:
-Dragons (duh)
-Arranged marriage/enemies to lovers
Ummm idk if I have more to add because that's pretty much most of the book. Evidently this is a spinoff of a previous YA series, so maybe if I'd read that I would have enjoyed this a wee bit more. As it is, I liked it but I thought it lacked a major plot. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I wish romantasy focused more on the fantasy! I like reading this genre because it tends to be lighter and quicker than like 900 page epics, but I read them for the plot too and I wish there'd been just a bit more development. Even the romance went from "I hate you" to "omg I can't live without you" in .3 seconds. There were also a couple plot twists that had no explanation and while there will obviously be a sequel, they just felt carelessly unaddressed in this first book. Give me SOMETHING, please Sophie. It was fun for what it was so it's a solid 3 from me, but I just wish we had more plot and character development all around. It felt dated, if that makes sense. Lots of trembling from fear and such, if you catch my drift.

4 -⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had not met a more treacherous woman in all my days. I despised her and what she had done, and yet she held me in the palm of her hand.
It could not stand.

A Fire in the Sky is the first novel in the adult fantasy romance series following Tamsyn, a young woman who is the personal whipping girl of the princesses of Penterra.

Raised among the princesses as a sister but always reminded of being other, Tamsyn has accepted her life as a servant for the crown...though she never expected how much it would cost her. When the Beast of the Borderland attends the castle he provides an ultimatum: he will marry one of the princesses in return for his continued protection of the border...or else. To save the princesses, Tamsyn is sent to deceive the Beast at the risk of her life and all she knows dear, including her best friend and captain of the guard, Stig.

Yet when The Beast uncovers the deception after the wedding night he decides to keep Tamsyn...but no one ever expected that by leaving with her new husband would set Tamsyn on a new path...a path where secrets she doesn't even know exist will come free. Now, the fate of the kingdom is on the brink of change - will it burn the kingdom to the ground or awake magic that can save it?

This book was a fast paced adventure that creates promise for an amazing series.

Tamsyn is a woman who wants to do her duty. She loves her "sisters" but I also feel there is a bit of misplaced gratitude because she is an orphan. I feel like there is a lot more to uncover with her that even she is still unaware of and I like to see where that is going.

Fell is the Beast of the Borderland, an adopted son who seeks to do the legacy of his father proud. I found him to be a fascinating character as he tries to navigate politics (not always doing the best) but that he continues to persevere. He feels drawn to Tamsyn regardless of his frustration of being cuckolded and he definitely changes in ways that has me excited for what is to come.

There are a bunch of side characters that help keep the pace. Stig, to me, is a little annoying. I feel like he just hasn't got the memo and I am hoping either he ends up offed or that he finds a new path. The princesses I feel were a mixture of vapid and kind. The whole royal family gives me odd vibes that I feel need unravelling. There are also Fell's companions who challenge him, some for good, some for bad. Oh there is also another character I liked...but spoilers!

In terms of spice I would say this book is about a 2.5 spicy pepper out of 5 spicy peppers. We see spice around the 30% mark which is expected with the marriage. We get a few more steamy moments after that but these two characters are definitely not in the love stage of their relationship for a chunk of the novel so it has this more angst vibe. I felt the spice was well written and I liked seeing the progress in their relationship at the end. There is this connection between them that draws me and I cannot wait to see what it means down the line!

“Tamsyn, I’m a man. A warrior. Better with my sword than with words and manners. I’m not kind..”
“I like what you are, Fell.”

The overarching story is a bit slower than I expected. I felt like a lot of this was all a teaser for the big twists coming in book 2. I felt we got a good amount of time to understand the world and we also got to explore it a bit but I will highlight the first 40% is focused on the lead up of the marriage. After that we do see more movement with action, politics, secrets, and more. There were twists I expected but one I did not anticipate. I did find some of Tamsyn's pulling away was a bit dramatic but when she finally started working with Fell I was sucked in. Their time together as they got to know each other and the journey helped us better understand them. The ending leaves us with a cliffhanger that has me dying for me. I feel the story was cut too soon...or I am just like a child who's bedtime was called when I want to watch for another 10 minutes XD

Overall, a really good start to a series that has me oh so tempted!

Thank you Avon for this arc!

A Fire in the Sky is an exciting and captivating romantasy about power, magic, and love..

Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl - an orphan raised at the palace as a princess with one big difference - takes their punishments for her sisters as they cannot be touched. Her friend Stig is the captain of the royal guard, and reminds her that once the princesses are off and wed, she will be free to pursue her own life and make her own decisions. But when the Lord Fell Dryhten, the Beast of the Borderlands, arrives at the palace demanding to wed a princess in exchange for keeping the borders safe, the royals devise a plan. Instead of a princess, they will marry off Tamsyn instead. Once the deceit is revealed, it is too late, and Tamsyn and Fell are wed, and are set to return to the Borderlands as husband and wife, and enemies. Fell won't forget the deception and is planning his retribution, but he also can't stop thinking about Tamsyn. Is their bond stronger than their desire to remain enemies? In a land where dragons are extinct and witches are hunted down, magic is gone, but not lost.

It is so easy to be absorbed into this story! The prose flows easily and I read about 75% of the book in one sitting - only stopping there because I had to go to sleep! Tamsyn and Fell have a unique relationship - they should hate each other, but there is a spark there for sure that leads to some wonderful tension. There is a lot of "we can't ever be together" back and forth in the character's POV chapters, but you know they feel that spark too and there are plenty of swoony moments. The worldbuilding comes slowly, and I would have liked a little more of the history and lore. The ending is packed with heart stopping action, and I was on the edge of my seat while finishing this book. There is a ton of action, a history of dragons and witches, and kingdoms on the brink of war. I really enjoyed this treat of a book, and I look forward to reading more!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins Avon for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.