I normally don't like first person view books but I couldn't stop reading this one. Fell and Stig are both jerks and Tamsyn should have been able to decide who she wanted to marry even if if was neither of them. Stig trying to force his love on Tamsyn was a major ick for me. Also that brilliant twist at the end of book where both Fell and Tamsyn are dragons is awesome. I can't wait for the next book.

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan, I want to thank Harper Collins Publishers and Sophie Jordan for allowing me to read the ACR of A Fire in the Sky.
This book had me hooked from the first chapter and I read it in less than 24 hours. I couldn’t put it down. There is a fierce FMC and a morally grey MMC, and a love triangle thrown in on top of it. There are dragons, witches, and other supernatural beings. And for the cherry on top, if you like spice, A Fire in the Sky has that too.
Tamsyn story is unlike anything I have read before, and I really enjoyed getting to know her as a character. Fell’s story is just as interesting, and he seems to surprise you at ever turn.
I can not wait for the next book in the series!

Dragons, romance, fantasy -- what a great story that I couldn't get enough of! Fans of Fourth Wing, Fireborne, and Acotar will really enjoy this and I very much recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC gift in exchange for my honest review.

4/5 stars
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was my first book by Sophie Jordan, and I enjoyed it!

Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl for Princesses of Penterra. Although she takes their punishments, she loves the Princesses and sees them as her sisters; however, she sees the light at the end of the tunnel for her position in court. The princesses are of marrying age and once they are wed and gone, Tamsyn will be able to marry anyone of her choosing and live a privileged life. Of course, this all goes south quickly. Tamsyn is basically forced to marry Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, under a rouse, and he does not take kindly to the kingdom’s deception. Despite this, Fell and Tamsyn’s chemistry is undeniable, and they feel themselves pulled together repeatedly.

The characters were enjoyable. Although Tamsyn is a whipping girl, she is no pushover, and despite his nasty reputation, Fell continually surprised me regarding his reactions to Tamsyn. I think we can all agree that Stig is entitled and will hopefully get what’s coming to him.

The plot, although predictable in some respects, had twists that surprised me. I had never heard of a ‘whipping girl’ before and I appreciated Sophie provided some historical context at the end of the book. It was interesting, and a somewhat unique concept.

As other readers have stated, there seems to be repetition when it comes to characters thoughts that can get annoying, but it wasn’t enough to make me dislike the book. I would like to see further development of the romantic relationship between the main characters. I get that they were hurt and angry with each other in this book, so although there was plenty of physical attraction, we didn’t get to see the building of intimacy. Hopefully, that will be resolved in the future.

The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I will certainly pick up the sequel.

Ok first, let’s talk about the amazing tropes this book has. It has everything from arranged marriage, he falls first, it’s spicy, and it’s a ROMANTASY? That’s the perfect book in one. I am not a huge fan of fantasy because I find them confusing at times but this book is really well written. If this isn’t your cup of tea please try it anyways. It was worth it!

This is an amazing story that definitely needed to be told of siblings, family, and most importantly dragons. This held up to my expectations although the plot was a bit slow and the characters not fully fleshed out. I do see much promise in this book and wish it great success.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for inviting me to read this book! Below is my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Summary of the plot:
Tamsyn is the whipping girl to her three "sister" princesses, meaning that if they do something wrong, she gets punished. All her life, she has carried the consequences of her sisters' actions. One day, the Beast of the Borderlands, Fell, demands the king for one of his daughters in order to gain political power and to get a seat at the council table. The King unwilling to give one of his biological daughters away gives Tamsyn away as she is still considered one of his "daughters". After they consummate the marriage, Fell finds out that he's been tricked and is angry but reluctantly taks Tamsyn as his wife anyways. As they return to his homeland up north, something happens to Tamsyn that changes everything that everyone knows about dragons.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!

Thoughts on the book:
Overall, I thought it was an okay read. There were certainly lots of phrases and information that was repetitive, such as Tamsyn's need/duty to protect her sisters. The repetitiveness also made the characters feel one dimensional as if this one single aspect defined their personality. Additionally, I thought dragons would be more involved early on in the book,. but the first dragon doesn't show up until 60% of the book is over.

Another thing I didn't really like was Stig's POV chapters. Stig is Tamsyn's best guy friend who confesses his love to her as she's about to be married to another man. He just seemed dumb and ignorant to me even though he's supposed to be (I think) intelligent. His chapters seemed pretty useless but there's only a few of his chapters, so I guess it was something I could overlook.

In terms of worldbuilding, I was definitely interested in it. I predicted that Tamsyn would become a dragon and boom, there she is as a dragon. I'm curious to know how the witches play a role in the future/non-future of the dragons. There's potential there to expand, which is something that will likely be explored in the second book.

Regarding the romance, I didn't hate it. I could have used a bit more tension between Fell and Tamsyn, but it is what it is. It's not a slow burn, but it's not quite a fast burn either. The sex scenes are nice and quick--a little graphic, just warning those who may not like that kind of stuff in books.

Overall, I guess I would recommend this book. I was expecting a bit more fantasy in this book and a little less romance, but that's just my preference. Oh, and again, I wish there were more dragons sooner. And more dragons in general, I suppose!

5/5 MUST READ for adult romantasy readers!! An epic and exhilarating story about an arranged marriage between a royal “whipping girl” and a strong, inked warrior. Tamsyn and Fell’s connection and secrets make for a gripping tale full of mouthwatering tension, intrigue, and a plot twist that will leave your jaw on the floor.

I can’t remember the last time I wanted to step into a book so much, be part of a world so desperately, even with all the danger. A Fire in the Sky has it all... royal intrigue, magic, dragons, dragon shifters, secret heritages, and tantalizing tension. Just wait until you meet 𝑳𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕!! 🔥

This is a beautiful book. I do not have a single criticism for this fantastic piece of writing. I loved it! I could not recommend it more highly. I need book 2 ASAP!! This ends on a cliffhanger and will leave you wanting more!

4 stars!

I absolutely requested this book because it had dragons in it, and quite frankly I ate this up. This was really fun, and the fantasy romance aspect definitely made me kick my feet and giggle a little bit. I also read this in one sitting and I really enjoyed the writing and I will definitely be reading the sequel.

I think where this wasn't perfect for me was that it did kinda feel like a prequel. Like upon reflection, not that much happened? And I definitely have more questions. Additionally, I don't really love a love triangle and granted this one is a teeny tiny FMC doesn't actually want to be involved love triangle but I still kinda hated it. I think that book two is going to be so fun. I need to know more about the dragons? And witches??? like tell me more. Also, I think the idea of the main character being a "whipping girl" with Sophie Jordan later talking about the historical background in the author's note was also very interesting. Anyways, more dragon books!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Magic. Magical. I was left floored by the end.

The chemistry, natural fit, and burn of Fell and Tamsyn is delicious. Tamsyn is a refreshing take on a strong yet vulnerable female lead. Never knowing where she came from but embracing everything that is expected of her in order to protect those she loves and cares for without so much as a grumble. She is selfless, humble, reasonable, logical, I love her. The same can be said of Fell, and it made so much sense from the beginning that there was a lot more to them and their intertwining fates. While it was immediately obvious that there was some same-recognizing-same happening in their connection even before their blooding, I was not fully expecting what was to come. Only once everything happened in the woods with Arkin and Tamsyn's story really began to unfold did I know that Fell would end up on a similar path. I did not see the betrayal that came from Stig and the acceptance and love that followed from Fell. And the ending! When I read the final words I held my breath, slowly released it, and exclaimed "WHAT?!" so shocked that I startled my husband. The story, the characters, the world (I can't wait to learn more), the pace - brilliant! Sophie Jordan, please don't make us wait too long for the next book. This book has sunk its claws into me and it won't let me go.

Honorable mention: the spice! YES PLEASE! As much as I love a slow burn, thank you for not making us (me) wait and then delivering again...and again!

Thank you Sophie Jordan, Avon/Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the eARC!

Sophie Jordan is a new to me author. I fell in love with her writing. I was hooked from the very first sentence. I didn’t want to put it down but I made myself read it at night when there was total silence and I could get swept away in the story.
Tamsyn is a whipping girl and that blew my mind. She takes whippings when the princess do something wrong. I had never heard about this. Whipping boy/ whipping girl, they are punished for the misdeeds of Princesses or Prince. Tamsyn takes whippings for her ”sisters”. She is brought up to think this is an honor, to be chosen to take a punishment for someone else. She’ll do anything for the king and queen who raised her.
Tamsen marries Fell, they deceive him. Their wedding night, oh my lord they’re custom blew me away. I felt bad for Tamsyn and how they had to prove they consummated their marriage. I did like what happened to save them a bit from it all.
There is chemistry between Fell and Tamsyn from the beginning. Things aren’t easy for them since they don’t start things off the right way. But they both feel a pull toward each other. Their trip back to where Fell is from isn’t an easy one and secrets are uncovered.
I loved the twist and turns. I must say I didn’t see some of the things that happened coming. I guessed one thing but it turned out to be another.
This book is not too spicy and the dragons don’t make a lot of appearances but that cliffhanger! I need the next book soon. I can’t wait to see what happens.
This a must read.

It’s been a longggggg time since I have been hooked on a book since the end of chapter 1. The other thing I loveee about this book is the magical twist. It’s not something I have yet to come across and my jaw dropped to the floor when I read it. I reread the page at least 10 times to make sure I have understood correctly 😅😅😅 I loved this story and I can’t wait to see where it goes. Cause my heart is so happy and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

A fire in the sky was a great fantasy romance! I would recommend for anyone who likes dragons and shifters!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy! You can pick up A Fire in the Sky on September 24, 2024.

I absolutely loved diving back into Sophie Jordan's dragon-filled world! After refreshing myself on the Firelight series, A Fire in the Sky perfectly fit the mood I was looking for: dragons and adventure but with higher romantic stakes and adult spice. I'm so glad Sophie made the decision to explore the origin of the dragons and draki we meet in Firelight, and I loved all the cameos from her YA series!

The romantic tension was definitely one of my favorite parts of this book. Tamsyn and Fell had so much chemistry, from their first surprise meeting to their arranged marriage ceremony and beyond. I wish we'd seen even more on page romance, but given the political intrigue and betrayal and other factors at play, I can see why Sophie held off.

The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because the pacing could have been a lot better. The parts that I really loved REALLY stood out in this book. But it felt like there was way too much downtime spent in the characters' heads in between big plot moments. I wanted more action, more fantasy, even more character interactions. Something to keep things moving a bit quicker.

All in all, I think a lot of people will enjoy this one! Especially if they're marriage of convenience and forced proximity fans.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with a copy of a fire in the sky for review.

This book has such a unique storyline and the dynamic between Fell and Tamzyn is literally palpable. I look forward to seeing where this goes to.

I didn’t know what to expect with A Fire in the Sky because I haven’t had the chance to read Sophie’s YA series but I have been in LOVE with her historical romances. The verdict? I’m obsessed. Sophie Jordan has a way of writing that just brings you into the story and you can’t put it down… this story in particular - the twists that i did not see coming - I felt so invested from beginning to end. From the idea of a “whipping girl” (that was new to me) to the lore and world building, A Fire in the Sky was definitely a book I will recommend to my fellow romantasy readers and I truly cannot wait for the next book in the series… it can’t come quickly enough!

So I love fantasy romance books ands I love dragons. But let’s be honest, there are only like 3 general story lines and ideas. Except this one is actually unique and I really enjoyed that. The plot really kept my interest with the romance interspersed but not overwhelming, allowing for a true fantasy plot.

Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl whose entire existence is meant for taking punishment for the princesses. She has dreamt of being able to choose what she does with her life after the princesses are all married off into alliances. However, with The Beast shows up looking for a royal wife, he gets her instead. Fell (The Beast) wants a royal wife to ensure he’s part of the conversations to improve the lives of all people outside of the main cities. Things fall apart when he realizes who is wife is instead…

There’s passion(love and hate), intrigue, MMC being deceived, FMC used as a pawn, and enemies-to-lovers wrapped up in a really interesting plot.

The beginning threw a lot of information at you and I felt a bit bogged down but once I got into the story, I was into it. So much happened that really opened up so many options for future books. There were a few things that I really didn’t expect to happen or I thought would happen a different way, which kept me really engaged. There were a few spots that were fairly repetitious but nothing that pulled me out of the story line.

The FMC annoyed me a bit but I think it was more of a product of her upbringing and was intentional for the story. Overall, I’d give this 3.75-4 Stars for general enjoyment factor. I want to learn more about this world and I’ll definitely be interested in the next book of the series! This was my first Sophie Jordan book but it won’t be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager publishing for the arc copy of this book.

I loved this book so much! For a being a fantasy book it was a super quick read. This book has arranged marriage, betrayal, kill for her vibes. I really wish this book hadn’t ended so soon I need to know what happens! I really hope there will be a second book! If you liked fourth wing you like this book.

THIS.IS.EVERYTHING! I was immediately hooked from the very first page until the very last! And I read this so fast, in under a day because it was that good! Jordan uses some of the best tropes in this books and I'm all for it! This is one of my tope 2024 reads! Do yourself a favor and read it ASAP!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC.

Dragons, witches, arranged marriage, secrets, and a bit of found family.

This was an entertaining read with good pacing. I enjoyed the way that the secrets were revealed as I read. There were times where the wording felt a bit repetitive and there was some predictability to the story but overall I had a good time reading.

I would’ve liked to learn more about the characters that were mentioned in passing. By the end I was left with so many unanswered questions and wanting to know more. Still a good book, I just feel like it could’ve been more, either as a longer book or a duology.