I only read a handful of romantasy over the year. It isn’t my least read genre, but it is far from my most. However, when I do read it I usually enjoy it because I tend to be very picky, and that was the case here. It did take me a while to get into this one. I struggle with world building and while this one did not have overly complicated world building, it still took me a while to get into the right frame of mind for the book. Once my mindset shifted, I really started getting into things and found myself getting lost in the writing. The author did a really good job of bringing their words to life and painting a vivid picture. However, as the book went on, I found myself bogged down in the middle of the book. There wasn’t a ton going on that felt relevant to the plot, and it felt more like filler information. I also kept waiting for the dragons to enter the book, and was a little disappointed with how this was handled. However, things did wrap up nicely and the ending was simply amazing. I hope that this is the start to a new series, or at the bare minimum a duology because I need to know what is going to happen next! The author certainly enticed me and made me want to keep reading.

If you are looking for your next romantasy with arraigned marriage, a little bit of dragons, and some witches, then check this one out.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon for the eARC of A Fire in the Sky

I was excited to read this book as I have heard great things by Sophie Jordan and I always feel 'special' when I am granted early access to a romantasy book. I would give this a 3.5 if that was possible, I will say it was good but predictable and, unfortunately, somewhat forgettable. I think the idea of the story is spot on and I looked forward to pick up the book to see where the story takes me (even if it was extremely predictable).

I have a hard issue when a book, especially the first in the story, ends on a cliff hanger - which this story does. The ending is rushed and just cuts off, there is a way to wrap up the first part of the story without slamming the door shut on the reader. I am usually much more receptive if it is further along in the series when I am emotionally invested in the story/characters. Due to the weird pacing and the predictability it is a 50/50 shot if I will remember enough to pick up book #2 when it comes out.

Sophie Jordan can't miss! I am a fan of many of her books, and this ADULT spin off to the Firelight series is just phenomenal. I am so thrilled to be back in fantasy romance with Sophie Jordan and I can't wait to read what is next.

Okaaaay, A Fire in the Sky, I see you, I see you!

Just give me a quick second to run and preorder this beauty! Because, yeah…I loved this one.

I was not sure what to expect diving into this story, but I know I was intrigued. That intrigue transformed into such a fixation whilst reading. I simply could not put this book down. In other words: I had a thrilling time reading this one.

It features an arranged/forced marriage— with a splash of betrayal, some deeply hidden secrets (that our own protagonists may or may not even know!), an easy-to-follow world-building, myths surrounding dragons, and two leads with brilliant chemistry that electrifies the senses.

Tamsyn is our heroine, and quite the complex one at that. I always like to walk in the shoes of the protagonists I read, but I felt firmly on the outside of Tamsyn, better said, I felt the need to break through the walls erected around her, to shake her free from what I'd consider the gaslighting that shaped her perspective. She grew up in an environment in which brutality was disguised as duty, and took to it steadfast. I wanted her to see how much better she deserved than the suffering she endured.

I may be mere spectator, but luckily, Fell is the hero and co-protagonist, and what begins as a deceitful arranged marriage, becomes a second chance— for the the both of them.

Fell becomes a man obsessed, and I was honestly here for it. He wants to feel anger at being fooled, but his connection to Tamsyn is so immediate, as was his protection over her.

Their mutual lust quickly evolves into that ~something more, which I reveled in ever so much. I thoroughly consumed their chemistry, their connection, and their every exchange. I was all in.

There’s a twist revealed towards the end (perhaps more than one!), and I can’t wait to see how it further develops. The origin of this twist especially has my attention, I am curious of how it will shape the future and overall story resolution.

Yeah, I was definitely all in reading this one— but I needed more! I needed moooore! The ending came too quick! I wanted to stop it so I could stay in this world a while longer. But then that cliffhanger dropped (heh) and yeah, jaw to the floor, need to scrape it off and pick it back up— and find me a way to teleport to the future so I can sink my teeth into book two! Whewww!

I did not know what I was getting myself into when I started A Fire in the Sky, but I know I’m buckled in for the rest of this ride.

If you love fantasy heavy on romance, mythological creatures with a twist, fast action, a world with just the perfect amount of magic to make you take flight, then ready thy steeds and gallop to A Fire in the Sky! 4

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

while this is certainly not the best romantasy i've ever read, it still had a lot of my favorite tropes and that kick of spice. while some parts were lackluster and predictable, for me it was still an entertaining read and certainly had me blushing at some parts! not to mention that cliffhanger...

I first noticed Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan because of seeing multiple advertisements for the book’s limited edition hardcover, especially the “beautiful flipbook style art throughout.” I love flipbook art and frankly think that more books should incorporate it. Oh, and the story sounded pretty good! I went ahead and preordered the book. Now, my normal style when it comes to book acquisitions is to read the book first from my library, decide if I love it enough to take up some space on my shelf, and then order a physical copy. All the pretty hardcover editions that are all the rage right now are throwing me for a loop! I don’t want to miss out on a special edition (even though logically I know there are probably plenty to go around), but I have bought some lackluster – but beautiful! – dead-tree books that take up my money and my limited shelf space. I was feeling such trepidation about this book when I received the opportunity to receive an ebook ARC from NetGalley.

Now I can’t say much to the art and flourishes of the hardcover, obviously, since that is still coming as of my writing this, but I can unequivocally say that my preorder is still in place and I am even more excited. I started Fire in the Sky shortly before bedtime one night – and finally forced myself to bed three hours later. Tamsyn is such an interesting character and her position in this society is so unique. She is a bit brainwashed and naive, but is very loving and not bitter, which she justifiably could be. The world-building is fantastic. Fell also is a compelling, honorable character with some mystery in his background.

Through much of the story, Tamsyn and Fell do not communicate much beyond what is absolutely required. Often, I am so frustrated with poor communication that does not make sense other than if they actually talked to each other the book would be done 150 pages too early. But in this case, Tamsyn especially has very, very valid reasons for keeping to herself. Both of them very slowly reveal to each other that they have admirable qualities that weren’t immediately obvious. In fact, before the end of the story, I doubt either of them are even circling the L-word. They are just that wary of each other.

Without giving away the ending, I felt it could be a story that could be a standalone, with the fun of imagining what comes next. However, the author’s notes indicate that this is the start of a series. Yay! There is so much more I want to know about so I can’t wait.

I received an ARC from NetGalley, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received A Fire in the Sky as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a good time readings this book - I do feel as though it is more romance based than fantasy. At times some of the information was repetitive, which did leave me feeling frustrated. I enjoyed the dragon aspects and the multiple povs. I would say that this would be a good book for someone who is newer to fantasy or likes lower level fantasy.

I consider this a very good book in my opinion. And while I am easily impressed by books, that does not take away from the way that it was very interesting.

The first 20% of the book was very straightforward, and very typical of a fantasy book. I found the beginning slightly boring but it had an air about it that made me keep reading it. I could see from the beginning where a large plot of the book was going.

Up until about 60% of the way through, there were no surprises for me. Until I got to a point in the book that did actually surprise me. While certain themes I did expect, the main “plot twist” actually did surprise me.

After learning of the surprising plot, the ending did not surprise me as I feel that I went alongside another theory I had from the beginning.

Since the book ended on a cliffhanger, I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I am definitely curious to see.

I received A Fire in the Sky as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. These are my honest opinions. Thank you to the publisher for both an eARC and a physical ARC.

This book is marketed as a romantasy, but it is definitely a romance novel with splashes of action and fantasy added and not an actual romantasy. More than half of the book really doesn't have any fantasy or action. Dragons are talked about as having existed, but there's really nothing involving dragons or magic for the majority of the book. This book is pretty much a damsel in distress with two men fighting over her despite their being no chemistry in either relationship. I get that she and Fell turn out to be dragons (the most obvious spoilers from the onset), so it seems like they're supposed to be a mated pair but it is a poorly written and poorly developed concept. At least have them banter more to make it seem like they could be falling for each other during the "forced proximity."

Repetitive. There are so many repetitive phrases and descriptions. The bulk of the book is repetition. This aspect made the book annoying to read. On top of that, the description made this book seem like she was going to be brave, smart and powerful. She wasn't and I'm so tired of authors writing stubbornness for a damsel as this amazing attribute to prove how tough they are. The blisters on the thighs scene as an entry point for a sexual encounter...*eye roll* Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good spicy scene but it has to make sense. Also, having Stig so quickly be ready to kill Tamsyn because she's a dragon made no sense either. At least have a lot background and dialogue to create a narrative that he hates or wants to kill dragons. This was sort of done with Fell, but then he ended up not really having an issue with dragons other than thinking one had killed Tamsyn. Again, the storyline and character development didn't make any sense.

I think the cover is pretty. I received a physical ARC that has cute images in the right corner of Tamsyn running and changing from a servant into a dragon. That was a very cute addition. I liked the love triangle though, as previously said, it could have been better developed. This book is a 2.5 for me.

**ARC REVIEW**
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager

When i say I devoured this book I’m not joking. I started at 6 pm and finished at midnight.
This new series has everything fantasy you could want(I.e, dragons, witches etc.) The story follows a girl named Tamsyn who grew up with/in the royal family and gets betrothed to a ruthless barbarian (fell) to save her other sisters.
This series is so dang intriguing and I can’t wait for the 2nd one to come out.
Friends, betrayal, enemies to lovers.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC- I had such a good time reading this story!

I went into this book only knowing it was a dragon romantasy- nothing else.

We're told off the jump that dragons are extinct, but being that this is advertised as a dragon book, I knew we were going to find them somewhere. I was genuinely surprised when we did find those dragons (I had some suspicions that weren't confirmed until so late I began to doubt myself).

The writing was easy to follow and the world was simple enough to understand while still being interesting. It was on the shorter side for my usual fantasy reads, but it really just felt like most of the fluff was cut. I was never skimming and waiting for the next thing to happen.

Loved our strong main female character, loved the kind passionate men present in her life, and found her story to be more unique and interesting than a lot of books I've read recently.
Ultimately, I felt immersed and connected to the characters.

Those last two pages had me kicking my feet and screaming (in a good way).

My biggest complaint is that it was too short- the ending was so climactic and I so badly want to dive deeper into this world.

A FIRE IN THE SKY by Sophie Jordan was a fun and easy read. I enjoyed the authored story telling however I wish there was more world building and development of the characters. The relationship between the characters felt forced as well as choppy. Aside from that I did enjoy the second half of the book as there was more action and suspense that I wash was present throughout the book. Because of the ending and how it ends with which a cliffhanger I am intrigued to see what will happen in the second book.

If you are interested in the following you should pick up this book:
-betrayal
-dragons
-multiple POV’s
-he falls first
-arrange marriage/marriage of convenience

I unfortunately do not think I was the right reader for this. It is marketed as romantasy, but it read more like a mass market paperback romance novel. I know the author does write a lot of those, but I had read her Firelight series when I was in high school and thought it would be a more adult version of that. Maybe I’m just too used to reading more fantasy focused novels.

I definitely enjoyed seeing the multiple perspectives throughout, this kept my interest a little bit. The romance was surprisingly what turned me away the most and I think that could be because I don’t really enjoy romance only novels. This felt more like a romance with touches of fantasy.

The writing was good, but it just couldn’t hold my interest and I skimmed through a majority of it. There is a big cliffhanger, plot twist ending that really surprised me.

I do know not all books are for every reader, I am looking forward to seeing what other readers think of this and hearing their thoughts as I know many people will love it.

I did not think I was going to like this as much as I did and actually found myself devouring it up toward the end! It certainly was not what I expected, but I actually loved what it turned into. Will totally read the sequel whenever that happens.
I love a good book with magic and dragons.
The end is quite a cliffhanger so fair warning to all future readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I've been a Sophie Jordan fan since her Firelight series and I was so excited to have the privilege to read A Fire in the Sky early! Just like with her previous dragon series, Sophie writes dragons well. This book was fast paced and well written in her usual style. One thing that was a bit lacking for me was the relationship development between Tamsyn and Fell. I would've really liked to have seen them getting closer together, especially while they were traveling, so that when he does go after her, it's more believable in that sense. I understand that it was probably fated mates aspect, but since that's used as a reveal at the end of the book, it would've been nice to see more of them together. I'm curious to see where book two takes the story!

I love me a good adult romantasy series with dragons! This was right up my alley and did not disappoint. So much fun, I loved the arranged marriage and touch her and die tropes. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

I'm honestly surprised that this was written by Sophie Jordan. I've read many of her books and have always really liked them, so I have no idea what's happened here. A Fire in the Sky was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. Her YA dragon series is what made me fall in love with dragon books! The writing in this one, though, is cumbersome and repetitive. There's a lot of inner monologues from different characters, all recounting the same events with no additional information. Many passages are overly dramatic, with short, blunt sentences that I'm sure were written to try and add emphasis and drama, but they all came across as annoying "mic-drop" moments where the characters keep trying to illicit a gasp from the reader. Examples:

"It was a good day for a whipping. I'd had my share. Too many to count. But today was special. Today the border lords arrived."

"Ever since we were little girls, we had done everything together. Played together. Ate together. Took lessons together. There was no distinction between us. We were sisters. No difference except one. A very important distinction. I was the only one to bear any punishment."

"I shook my head. It was not even a request. Not even a proposition. It was a statement of fact. A forgone conclusion."

"He had taught me to fight. He had taught me the meaning of honor. That you bled for the things that mattered. Your homeland. Your people. A worthless and feeble king. I inhaled."

"I let my words hang in the air. Not a threat. Precisely."

"My boyhood was gone. The time for childish things was over. I had things to do. Important things. Adult things. And yet there was something about her. Something that had me lingering over her."

"She was going to be free. Free to be. Free to choose."

"When I was ten years old, I learned that there would be no grand state wedding for me. No multitude of guests. No weeklong festivities. No royal hunts for the wedding party. No lavish feast with all manner of entertainment. No bells tolling throughout the land. No marriage rites..."

"Especially not at ten. Not yet. I was a little girl. I didn't worry about such things. I lived in the moment."

"I spent my mornings learning with tutors and our governess. In music lessons. Dance. Art. Comportment."

This is not all of them, and this is only up to 16%. Is the author's period key broken on her keyboard? What happened to commas and flowing sentences? Reading this is like driving on a bumpy road. Unfortunately, I had to abandon ship early and decided not to finish. It breaks my heart, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book early. I'm sorry it didn't work out for me.

I have not read this authors YA series that is set in this same world.. This is supposedly a prequel series according the acknowledgments at the back of the book. Now when this is done…or if i get antsy enough sooner I am going to have to go back and read the FIrelight Trilogy because I am now going to have to read everything this author has written. This is the origin story of how the Dragons came to be from what the acknowledgments states.
In this we find that our FMC is a princess of the realm…but she really isn’t. She was taken in by the king and queen when she was found and was used as the royal “whipping girl for the actual princesses as they all grew up together. This was a custom throughout their kingdom. Anyone could tell by looking at her that she didn’t belong as she has red hair and golden in coloring and they are more fair in coloring.
Our MMC was also found and taken in by the boarder king. He has now come to see if he can claim a princess as a prize and to try to get more of a voice for the boarder lands. But instead he is tricked by the king and get Tamsyn.
Now in this world dragons have been basically exterminated to extinction so have witches. They were hunted down over a long period of time and very agressively. We find that our MMC very much has dislikes them as he was found basically in a dragons lair by his adoptive father when he stained the last dragon.
Overall I loved this story. I loved the spice level that the author put into this. You can tell that this is defiantly on the adult level and not YA part so if you were into this authors last book and expect to go into it thinking that a preteen could read it I highly suggest rethinking that. I loved the writing style and found it very easy to read an breezed through it so fast that in the blink of the eye the book was over and I am desperate for the next one. Whenever it is announced it will be highly anticipated!

I truly wanted to love this book so much, but it was just flat for me. I found it repetitive, predictable, and the romance was not romancing for me.

This. Was. So. Fun.

I really loved A Fire in the Sky, between the amazing tropes, the blistering tension between the leads, and the really fun fantasy elements that were smartly deployed, this was just a super entertaining book that was insanely hard to put down. Tamsyn is a royal whipping girl for her kingdom, which means that she was raised alongside the princesses as one of their own but was forced to submit to all punishments for their bad actions. Meanwhile, Fell is known as the Beast of the Borderlands because of his fearsome reputation for keeping the kingdom safe. Fell visits the palace and demands marriage to one of the princesses, and the king and queen conspire to trick him while technically fulfilling their promise by marrying him to Tamsyn. What no one could have counted on was the chemistry between the two or their points of commonality that make them see a future in this "trick" of a marriage.

Tamsyn and Fell are both great characters whose journeys happen slowly and aren't without stumbling blocks. Tamsyn has to learn to stand up for herself but her entire life taught her to just let things happen to her rather than take the reins in her own life, while Fell yearns for a true family but has to move past the trickery of their beginning in order to realize that Tamsyn could be the family he is looking for. I loved them both, and the only times I was upset during this book was when it took me out of their POVs.

This is a great start to a series and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.