Not your average dragon book. This was such a great start to the series!

Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl, which means she takes the beatings for the Princesses when they get in trouble. It makes her such a strong and resilient FMC! Then Fell comes along and while she is sort of forced into the marriage, she also does it in order to protect her "sisters".

They immediately have some sort of bond and their feelings grow swiftly, even though they fight it hard.

Then everything with the dragon happens and the plot thickens so much.

We get Stig coming to the rescue, except I felt like we were witnessing his villain origin story. He was so convinced she needed rescuing and protecting and wouldn't listen to her.

Tamsyn and Fell's relationship finally changes and we have a lot more revelations in the end. Very much looking forward to book 2!

Also, this is set in the same world as the Firelight trilogy, which is YA, while this one has explicit scenes and is very much Adult. Same world, but think of it more as an origin story (Author's words). You do not have to have read the Firelight trilogy to understand this one. I did years ago and really enjoyed them and now I really want to go back and reread them just to see if there are any easter eggs or what is similar about the worlds.

Read if you love:
-Dragons
-Hidden powers
-Multi POV
-Friends to enemies
-Forced marriage

I received an eARC from Netgalley. My thoughts are entirely my own.
Finished date: 9/8/24, Release date: 9/24/24

I will say that this did have my attention from the beginning. Overall by the end of the book— I was shocked— especially with that ending; I really didn’t see that coming!

Overall, I felt like the story could have moved along a lot faster, but it was an easy read. This book really didn’t get jumpstarted to me until about the halfway point. However, I do think that this will be the start of a pretty interesting series.

Book 2 will be set up nicely!

I really wish it picked up a little more throughout the book and not just towards the end. Ultimately the ending saved this book for me.

I want to thank NetGalley, Sophie Jordan, and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book, and while the world building was simple, I felt invested in Tamsyn's story as we experienced her life as the royal whipping girl, as well as how she handled going into a situation she didn't ask for.

Fell, the Lord of the Borderlands, gives off "touch her and die" type attitude, which is one of my favorite MMC attributes. Fell too, is navigating a situation that isn't exactly what he negotiated for.

This was a fast read, and while it wasn't groundbreaking, it did include magic, witches, and dragons. The book ends with a cliffhanger and I want to know what happens next to Tamsyn and Fell.

What would you do if you found yourself forced into an arranged marriage only because your association with your “adoptive family” after being found orphaned in a basket and raised with three princesses who are like “sisters” and serves as their whipping girl whenever they misbehave. Tamsyn is just that, our FMC who has been promised as a “princess bride” to Fell, King of the Borderlands our MMC better known as The Beast. The wedding is nothing short of awkward including a public bedding ceremony to legitimize the marriage and Tamsyn being hidden by a veil the entire process. The story continues to unfold as Fell discovers he was deceived and that he was promised a princess. Fell eventually decides to give their marriage ago while on their journey back to the Borderlands.

The pairing of Tamsyn and Fell to an extent felt like destiny and the connection between them is unmatched. As their similarities were hard to pass up. Both were found orphaned as babies and raised into royalty. Both should hold markings from battles and whippings they’ve endured but their skin remains unmarked. The tension between them is well done!

I thought I had the story and twist figured out, but I was a fool. This was a cute romantasy and I look forward to reading the next story to see how Tamsyn and Fell’s story continues to develop. If you love magic, dragons, witches, tension, and enemies to lovers this story is for you!

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to NetGalley, Sophie Jordan, and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of A Fire in the Sky in exchange for my honest review.

Entering a new fantasy novel can often be a gamble—there’s always a mix of anticipation and skepticism about whether it will resonate or fall flat. Happily, A Fire in the Sky proved to be a delightful surprise. From the very beginning, I found myself drawn into Tamsyn’s story, eager to unravel the mysteries and see where her journey would lead.

While the book presents minimal world-building, it offers just enough to immerse readers in its unique setting. I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth in this regard, but I later discovered that A Fire in the Sky is a standalone novel related to a previous series. Had I read those earlier books, I’m sure I would have had a more comprehensive understanding of the world. Nonetheless, the intriguing hints and glimpses into the world were sufficient to keep me engaged.

One of the standout aspects of the novel was the steamy scenes—let’s just say they definitely lived up to their reputation! I particularly enjoyed the foreshadowing surrounding the blood sharing, which added a tantalizing layer of complexity to the plot.

Tamsyn’s character development throughout the book was a highlight. Despite being burdened by a deep secret, her evolution was both compelling and satisfying. And, I must admit, Fell swiftly won my heart and secured his place in the coveted book boyfriend category—he passed all my tests with flying colors!

Overall, A Fire in the Sky was an enjoyable and captivating read. I’ll be enthusiastically recommending it to my fantasy-loving friends and sharing my thoughts on Instagram. If you’re a fan of fantasy with a touch of romance and intrigue, this book is definitely worth picking up!

I have yet to read any of Sophie’s other books, but they’re definitely on my tbr now. I could see this series being a 5 star read for a lot of people. It was fast paced, had a good plot, some spice and was written well. Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl, raised in opulence and what she thinks is affection. She considers the princesses her sisters and gladly takes the punishments for them. Shoved into an impossible situation, with no escape even if she wanted to, she thinks of it as another way to protect the innocence of her beloved siblings. Weeks on the road, a broody and cruel lord shadowing her every step and his warriors all but attempting to outright kill her, she quickly learns how expendable she really is. Fell brings the roughness of the northern country to the palace with him knowing he won’t be denied his request. Scoffing at the pampered and delicate citizens and court, he makes his demands for a royal bride. How can they refuse when it’s him that protects them from all their fears? But Fell underestimates their cunning liars tongues and is saddled with more than he bargained for. A Fire in the Sky is imaginative and addictive. You won’t want to put it down!

I need the next book yesterday.

4.7 stars and my eternal thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

I loved Tamsyn so much and I was so sad to realize it was going to end in a cliffhanger. I wanted to continue living in that world. I love a good story where the dude is like “I didn’t ask for this, but I’ll be goddamned if I’m not going to love this bitch with my entire soul.”

I feel like I guessed the twist, but maybe only half of it.

I think it’s safe to say that I absolutely loved this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉
This was such a fun read with a fast moving plot, a MC who’s not what she seems, a broody male lead with touch her and die vibes, dragons, and a surprise ending that left me wanting for more! The main twists were predictable but didn’t affect the journey one bit. In terms of the writing, I felt a bit of a nostalgic factor reading this and that only added to my enjoyment. The stakes aren’t high, the world building is easy to understand, exactly what I needed to get myself out of a reading slump.

Overall, A Fire in the Sky is a light and entertaining Romantasy that satisfied my current needs. Readers should definitely add this to their upcoming TBR piles!

I ate this book up! I seriously couldn’t put it down. It was so freaking good.

Tamsyn a whipping girl for her royal family is forced into a situation not by choice. She ultimately goes through with it to protect her sisters from a fate she would sacrifice herself for.

Fell aka Lord of the borderlands has traveled weeks to claim his prize. Entitled to his right to a princess bride only to be tricked and forced to go through with the woman he had not asked for.

Stakes are high, lust is in the air, and denial to situations still unknown to them. Check this book out, you won’t regret it. For my high fantasy/romantasy readers with a twist.

4⭐️ 2🌶️

I had a lot of fun with this quick romantasy. It’s was super easy to read. I enjoyed The FMC Tamsyn and MMC Fell. It was predictable, but still a great read. I really don’t like Stig, he just didn’t sit well with me. I found the idea of a whipping girls and whipping boys interesting, as I’ve not heard of it before. Overall this was quick fun romantasy and I’d definitely read more by this author.

I devoured this book in one day!! Granted it starts off really slow and the opening scene had put me off initially but after the third part, it picks up really quickly. The ending was definitely a scene to remember and I immediately want to know more!

I love seeing Fell and Tamsyn's individual character development throughout the book and the multi POVs gave great insights to the characters.

I wish we got to see more knowledge of the dragons and witches but it seems that will probably come in the next book. Overall it's a very easy romantasy book to read, though nothing super specific and new in the genre specifically.

A FIRE IN THE SKY is the start of an Adult prequel series set prior to the author's Young Adult Firelight series. The reader does not need to read the YA series beforehand to enjoy this new book set in the same world. In A FIRE IN THE SKY, Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl, a long-standing position where one takes punishment for the royal heirs. Though otherwise treated as well as the princesses she calls sisters, not all of the royal court views her as important. When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, demands to marry one of the princesses, the king and queen trick him and send Tamsyn instead. Despite the trickery, Fell and Tamsyn are drawn to each other, each making a startling discovery about themselves.

A FIRE IN THE SKY is hands down a faste-paced, bingeable fantasy romance. Although the writing style is a bit repetitive and curt, it is very approachable and easy to dive into. The plot is incredibly predictable and the world building simple, but even so the vibes vibe and I kept reading. There are plenty of tropes to appreciate in this book, from arranged marriage, to one bed, a little love triangle, dragons, to a history of cleansing a land of all things magic.

However, while I enjoyed this book, there are a number of things that resulted in my lower rating. Again, it was predictable. This is not necessarily a bad thing, nor did it bother me all that much, but it offers almost no element of surprise. When reading a new book, it's nice to have some unexpected plot twists. The heavy-handed foreshadowing instead highlights exactly where the author intends to drive the story.

Second, the world building is minimal. Readers who prefer a more robust explanation of the various kingdoms might not appreciate that absence of that here. A FIRE IN THE SKY is a fast-paced novel in which Tamsyn and Fell spend most of the book journeying from her home to his. There are interludes that break up the pace, but overall this kind of plot doesn't lend itself to understanding the continent.

I also felt the characters were a little flat. However, since there are various first person points of view, this provides an intimate look into Tamsyn's, Fell's, and Stig's (Captain of the Guard) thoughts and emotions. The POV feel somewhat like a stream of consciousness, which, coupled with the fast pace, muted their analysis of their situation and, thus, their characterization.

There are also a few smaller things that I felt needed improvement, but the aforementioned predictability, world building, and characterization are the big three I narrowed in on. While I can be objective with my subjective opinions about perceived weaknesses with this book, I actually did still enjoy it. Sometimes it's nice to just sit down and read a book that doesn't require my brain to figure out a puzzle.

Fantasy romance readers who want to ride that dragon trend should jump on this bingeable new series. A FIRE IN THE SKY offers a fast-paced adventure, a sympathetic character, and the kick off to characters' origin stories.

This book just seemed to drag out. The actual plot could have unfolded in a few chapters, but all the emotional turmoil of each character took away from the story unfolding to its obvious conclusion. Not my most favorite read this year. Took too long to get to a cliffhanger ending that was pretty anticlimactic. Many better dragon books in my opinion.

I did like this story - especially the beginning. The detail was excellent and it played out like a movie in my mind. I loved how the heroine starts out as a whipping girl and just thinking through what emotional trauma (and physical) really captivated me as a reader. I also love the connection between Tamsyn and Fell and how they handle their relationship throughout the entire book. it is written in both of their perspectives.

The narrators do a wonderful job between the two characters. I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Wow what an incredible start to this story and what I can only guess will continue as a series.

Jordan does a wonderful job of setting the scene for our underdog Tamsyn, who’s a whipping girl as a part of the royal family, and what is to come for her in a world where dragons are extinct and magic is is dying. Treated as a part of the royal family but also a servant, she isn’t sure where she fits in. As she is used to forgoing her own rights and protecting others, it is a natural progression that she would take the place of one of the princesses when the Beast of the Borderlands comes to wed a wife. The only thing is that he doesn’t know she’s not actually one of the princesses….

This romantasy is the perfect blend of enemies to lovers with marriage of convenience, under dog tale. There’s magic but not where you expect, and the yearning between the two MC is delicious. Their spicy scenes are done really well and I loved when Fell first calls her “my wife” and wants to claim her his own. He’s the dark, brooding, protective type that we all love. She’s incredibly stoic and strong, gives strong Cinderella vibes.

“The only one who can help me, is me”

Perfect for readers who love bad royals getting their due, an underdog FMC who is strong, and dragons.

Vibes:
Enemies to lovers
My wife
Marriage of convenience
Love triangle
Touch her and die
Woman who is more than she seems
Care taking
Spicy

Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl. She is treated as a member of the royal family and considers the three princesses to be her sisters. When the Beast of the Borderlands, Fell, arrives and demands to marry a princess in exchange for protecting the border, Tamsyn is forced to marry him. She has to pretend that she is a princess until the marriage is consummated. As Tamsyn travels to Fell's hometown, she comes face to face with magic that she never knew existed.

I was okay with the book for the first 75%, but then it just went off the rails. The writing was not great, and the plot felt laughably predictable. I was intrigued with the setup and the initial worldbuilding. I will probably skim the second book. This writing in this book reminded me of Twilight, but with dragons.

Content: sex scenes, violence

If you are looking for a good romantasy with dragons, look no further! There is political intrigue, betrayal, spice, and some fun twists. The ending left me so excited for the next book in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Quick and easy shapshifter romance perfect for fans of arranged marriage trope. It was executed well but felt a bit draggy and wish there was more focus on the romance.It also seemed more character driven rather then the plot which is fine just thought fans of big world building might be slightly disappointed .overall fun and interesting read with a cliffhanger. Intrigued to see where it goes next!

The world was interesting and the characters on their own were engaging. As a romantic couple there wasn’t much to go on. Most of the book they are apart for one reason or another and I knew what was happening as a romantasy reader but their chemistry wasn’t there for me. It felt like by the time I reached the end, I had just barely gotten to the meat of the story and suddenly it’s over. I really wanted to sink my teeth in.
Still, if you’re fantasy romance reader, this book is going to check a lot of boxes and I would encourage you to give it a read. There were no surprises but I still enjoyed the ride.

I literally blazed through this book so fast (literally finished in under 2 days)!!! This is romantasy at its finest truly. Scorching romance with spine tingling tension, threats looming around all corners, a push and pull that has you turning the page. I devoured this. I highly recommend and was lucky to have received an earc as well as an ALC and the audiobook was so so so good!! Def recommend adding it to the TBR!