"A Fire in the Sky" is a fun, if not amazing read. I had not previously heard of the concept of a "whipping girl" and I remain disturbed at the notion. And also by FMC Tamsyn's easy acceptance of what she has had to endure. She seriously needed to stop referring to the king and the queen as essentially loving parents. I did see the start of dissatisfaction, a reexamination of memories towards the end, and I hope that continues to grow in the next book in the series.

Tamsyn and MMC Fell definitely have a case of instalust, and it is hard to see where that somehow transitioned to love considering how little he interacted with her during the initial journey to his homeland. Though I am pretty sure they are supposed to be fated mates, so maybe that explains the overwhelming, not backed up by anything, feelings of love they each have for the other.

The secondary characters here are lacking. Stig is annoying and seemed almost irrelevant. The royal family...maybe the one sister is redeemable? Maybe? Fell's people are mostly just there, expect for his psycho right-hand man, and even he doesn't get real depth.

I did like the ending, even though I was not surprised. Once we learn Tamsyn's true origin story, the rest of it was fairly obvious. It did suck me in enough that I will read the next book in this series.

3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

thank you netgalley for the arc!

i'd rate this around 3.5 stars! i enjoyed our FMC and her story. definitely different from other romantasy books i've read in the past, and the MMC has the whole dark and broody thing going on too.

this was spicy!!! like i did not expect it to be as spicy as it was. the chemistry between the FMC and MMC definitely worked and the ending really solidified them as a couple for me.

i wanted a bit more explanation of the magic in this book (hopefully will be getting this in book 2???) and overall i feel like i wasn't super wowed by the story.

world-building was good! but could have used a few side characters or more of a focus on the political system, etc. in this book bc i definitely forgot some of the various politics/kingdoms that were mentioned.

enjoyed it and will read the next book!

I really love this fast paced, fantasy! It had an intriguing world building, steamy romance, dragons and some twists I did not see coming! I can't wait to read the sequel after that ending!!

Dragons? Check
Broody warrior love interest? Double check

This fantasy romance is packed with beloved tropes, including an
- arranged marriage that serves as a ruse
- enemies-to-lovers tension, and
— a brave heroine with a secret past.

Tamsyn, the royal whipping girl, has spent her life enduring pain and punishment for the princesses she serves. Her final mission is to deceive Fell, a brooding warrior, into a marriage that will secure a crucial alliance for the kingdom.

But here's the twist-Tamsyn and Fell have serious chemistry, and things get complicated. Lies, passion, and danger collide in this slow-burn romance set in a world with witches and dragons

If you're into fantasy romance with action-packed tension, morally gray heroes, and just the right amount of spice, pick this one up already looking forward to book two

Tamsyn is the whipping girl that is what she had been ever since she was lil, she takes the princess punishment when they misbehave. So when Fell, The Beast of the Botherlands arrives at the palace demanding a Princess as a wife Tamsyn is chosen to be his wife so safe the pampered Princesses of a horrible fate since she is consider part of the family. Fell is tricked because he doesn’t know in reality who he is marrying. But when he finds out she swears to take revenge on those who wronged him.

The pace at the beginning was too slow it took almost half of the book for the story to take off. But one we passed the first half the story starts to unravel and oh I was glad I stick to it. The way the dragons are featured in this story is so unique I have not read something similar before. Thought I had my suspicions of what was going to happen.

The ending was so good I thought I have more pages ahead but I guess that was it for now!!! 😫

I can’t wait for the next book!!!

I really enjoyed this book! I love dragon books and it was so fun to read. The story was very well written and the world building was the perfect amount!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager.

Sophie Jordan's A Fire in the Sky is a quick read that offers a fresh take on the fantasy romance genre, though it falls short in some areas. The narrative is heavily driven by internal monologues, and the twists and revelations feel predictable. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the main characters, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, the premise had a lot of potential, but the execution didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Read for:
-Arranged Marriage
-Dragons
-Touch her and die
-Hidden Identity
-He falls first
-Dual PO

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

When Tamsyn is married off to the leader of the Borderlands she is finally free from her dual roles as adopted princess and whipping girl.
Called the “Beast of the Borderlands” by outsiders, Fell seeks to secure the autonomy of his lands by marrying a princess of the kingdom.
Neither of them could have predicted the larger story that they find themselves part of.

Never a dull moment in this fast paced Romantasy of princesses, rogues, witches, and dragons. Sophie Jordan brings life and emotion to the story without showing all of her cards at once. Book two cannot come soon enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've been looking for a fantastic new series involving dragons to come out and I hadn't found one that I loved... until this one. This gave Throne of Glass meets Fourth Wing vibes in the best way. Tamsyn, the princess, has to accept a marriage of convenience to save her kingdom... and rediscover who she is in the process. It reminded me so much of "old timey" fantasy/romantasy which is exactly what I've been looking for. It felt "magic" and I felt like I was in this story, and I didn't want to leave. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

I never read Sophie Jordan's Firelight series so I requested and read this with zero expectations. I was curious because romantasy is the rage at the moment and I'm always looking to expand my library's collection and meet the voracious need.

I expected A Fire in the Sky to be typical of the genre -- dark and gritty with complicated world building and a steamy relationship. The novel did not deliver on a number of levels. Our main character Tamsyn is mistreated by just about everyone. She is stoic to the point of death. There was little chemistry between the main characters and the story lacked depth and detail. I wanted a greater understanding of this world and the people in it but everything felt a bit two-dimensional.

This was just an OK read for me and somewhat unsettling. Despite the cliff hanger ending, I'm not sure I would read a sequel to see what happens next. 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an advanced readers copy of this novel

Book:A Fire in the Sky
Author: Sophie Jordan
Publisher: Avon
Length: 336 Pages
Overall Rating: 5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5 Stars

Tamsyn is an orphan who was raised in the royal court as the whipping girl, which is an honorable place with the royal family. She must take the punishments for the three princesses' bad behavior no matter how slight. Where Tamsyn has done nothing but has to be whipped for their bad behavior. As no one is allowed to touch the skin of the royal princesses. However they call her a princess and sister to the three royal princesses, she even has a royal seat next to them in the throne room. It is an honor and her duty to be a whipping girl, even though she is not a legitimate royal heir. Tamsyn was told by her only friend Stig that she won’t be a whipping girl forever and one day she will be able to make her own decisions about her life. Stig is the Captain of the guard, the son of the Lord Regent whose father despises her! It is obvious Stig has romantic feelings for Tamsyn.

Luckily Tamsyn heals very fast and has no scars from her severe beatings. It always seemed odd to her, especially the lashings that were so severe she had to see a healer. She never told anyone for fear they might think her a witch as they killed witches and dragons long ago as neither species no longer exist…or so they believe. Tamsyn’s life changes when Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, comes to claim a royal princess as his bride. It was for a political alliance as the people of the borderlands were suffering miserably. As King Hamlin needed to keep the Beast of the Borderlands happy so he would keep fighting his wars for him with his warriors.

Tamsyn’s adopted father but only seems to care for his royal subjects. Yet the Borderlands were his people too yet he did nothing to protect and care for them. However he needed the Beast of the Borderlands and his warriors. They were trained soldiers and Fell was their King and leader. She soon learns of this Beast’s intention that he wants to wed one of her sisters and is shocked when she learns her adopted parents the King and Queen of Penterra are going to trick him and give their whipping girl as his bride. Tamsyn knew she was the one who was going to pay for their deceit especially after she is covered from head to toe in the public bedding. She knew Fell would feel publicly deceived.

What surprises her is that there is an attraction between the two that can't be denied. However, will it be enough?
Something in Tamsyn soon changes but it is something she does not understand, just as Fell doesn't understand his feelings for Tamsyn. Someone he should hate even though he understands she was only following orders afterall she was their Royal whipping girl. Do Fell and Tamsyn have a future even though it started with deception and lies? Furthermore there is another secret for both of them waiting in the wings. Read and discover their fate.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. I have been reading Sophie Jordan historical romance books for twenty years. Recently I started reading fantasy and was delighted to discover her book which is absolutely extraordinary! It does have some historical elements in this magical world as you can tell by their only form of transportation is horses and carriages, also the clothing descriptions was a big indicator too and the servants too. So I think even Ms. Jordan’s historical readers will enjoy this fun fantasy. I was drawn into this story immediately right from the start. It has everything fantasy readers love with a magical world building, magnificent characters, and so many different plot twists that were truly phenomenal, also the dialogue was also absolutely exhilarating! As in most fantasies it ended in a cliff hanger. I can't wait for the next in this brilliant series! I just loved this book so much and highly recommend it. A book fantasy readers don't want to miss!

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader’s copy from Avon Publishing. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

I think this release is timed well for the dragon craze we're seeing since Fourth Wing came out.

While this isn't the best written book, I know it will be massively appealing to my fantasy romance customers who are looking for something easily digestible, compulsively readable, and set in a medieval fantasy world.

This story has the benefit of original plot elements that set itself apart from others in the genre, and our two main characters have a lot of chemistry.

I do feel that the pacing was inconsistent. The ending in particular felt rushed and lacked the impact I was looking for. I wish that the characters would have communicated more. I just think the book could have been fleshed out substantially and better polished.

I will still be interested in reading the sequel because I think there is a lot of potential in the setup.

Not gonna lie, when I heard this was a quasi-prequel to Sophie Jordan's YA Firelight series, I was a little hesitant -- I hate-read my way through that series so hard, purely because I was buddy-reading with a friend. But dragons are having a moment right now, I wanted some palette-cleansing romantasy after months of reading heavier stuff, and I got sent a free copy, so who was I to say no?

I'm actually really glad that I got past my many-years dislike of Firelight to give A Fire in the Sky a shot. Besides being set in the same world--Penterra--and featuring dragon shifters, the connection between the two series stops there. So if you've never read Firelight, don't let that dissuade you from picking up A Fire in the Sky; it's not ONE BIT like the "standalone" issue many readers (myself included) had with Lexi Ryan's new duology.

That being said, I don't think A Fire in the Sky is a great book. It's not a bad book either. It's fun, light, palette-cleansing, ultimately a bit forgettable. Something to pick up on a lunch break at work, take your mind off things for a second, and then get back to the daily grind. The writing is fine, if a bit repetitive. The characters are fine. The plot's absolutely bonkers, but doesn't have much momentum until the second half (think Ice Planet Barbarians, but instead of good spice, we get 3 horrendously unsexy scenes).

I didn't fall head over heels for our main man, Fell, like I wanted to in a good romantasy; he's just kinda there? Standard Issue Barbarian Love Interest, if you will. And Tamsyn, our leading lady, doesn't really do much either? And there's a love triangle, and it's...not great? Mainly because the final point in our triangle, Stig, Tamsyn's childhood best friend, is truly out here giving nothing. The man kissed her twice, Tamsyn said she felt nothing, and then he fights Fell every time they're on the page together. I wasn't a Twilight girlie, but even Edward and Jacob gave us more.

But something kept me turning the pages. Something kept me captivated and not mad at this book. Maybe it's because I went in with low expectations, but I didn't hate it. Actually, I'm eagerly anticipating Book 2? I know. We're all shocked. If you're going in expecting Fourth Wing or incredible romance, spice, worldbuilding, etc, you're not gonna find it. But if you go in expecting a popcorn read--something light, fluffy, and easy--I think you won't be disappointed. And also, those blue sprayed edges are gonna look so stunning in person.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Voyager, and Sophie Jordan for gifting me this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I seriously could not put this book down. It was so good. That feeling you get when you have found a new Dragon series. Sadly, there is no known date for the next book, but I cannot wait! I got the audiobook to read along with the ARC from Netgalley. I enjoyed the narrators quite a bit. Tamsyn is such a fun character, so brave. Sophie Jordan is familiar with steamy scenes and provided as good as it gets.

Personal rating (4/5)

I really enjoyed the story and it pulled me in from the beginning. I hoovered it up in one weekend. If you are the kind of person who doesn't like predictability this one probably isn't going to be your favorite book. That being said I think the characters Tamsyn and Fell were well-written and acted true to their character. Tamsyn was severely abused, of course, she wasn't going to put up a fight about basically lying to Fell in the marriage arrangement. Fell is a warlord so yes he is going to take advantage of his power and try to secure more. Even though there is spice in this first book, I don't think the romance will fizzle out. There is still tension and the characters still have a lot of getting to know each other left. All in all, I am excited for the second book!

Genre: Romantasy
Length: 336
Vibe: Fairytale, lost princess,
Tropes: Arranged marriage, Rebirth of extinct race ( dragons), medium burn, perceived bad guy to lover

Dragons and adult romantasy?? Say less!

Read this one if you're looking for enemies to lovers in an arranged marriage, dragons and magic.
The middle was a little slower, but it's light and mostly easy reading if you're ok with some world building. All in all fun escapism read!

I had hoped for a little more with this book, to be honest. There was a lot that I thought would go one way, but then it didn’t. The romance felt weird and rushed to me and I know this is to be a multibook series so I had hoped it would be a slow burn, but then it wasn’t that I finished the book wondering what the other books would be about, but I can’t say in a good way. More of, what else could be happening to make this longer than one book? On the fence about this one if I’ll be reading the next book or not.

This book was fun! It had a slow start but it did start to pick up and get more exciting. The FMC was incredibly annoying at first and I almost DNFed but she got better. I always love a good enemies to lovers and a true slow burn and this book did not disappoint in those ways plus the dragons were great.

This book was so good. Fell and Tamsyn are such good characters. Stig is such an insufferable character and just reminds me of the type of man that won’t take no for an answer, and they just grate on my nerves. The twist with the magic near the end was so great and I honestly didn’t even catch it till it happened. I really did love this book, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for providing me with an E-ARC to read and review.

Thank you so much to Avon and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this in exchange for my honest review!

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this going in, but I didn't expect to adore it nearly as much as I did. Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl, but treated like her "sister" princesses in every other way (to maximize the punishment for them). So when one of her sisters must be married off to someone dangerous in order to secure an alliance, she is sent in their place.

Fell is in charge of securing the border for the king, but from an area they consider to full of savages, and he won't do it anymore without the political pull of being married to a king's daughter. He doesn't expect someone with the fire and bravery of Tamsyn, and is happy when he finds out his princess has some courage to her. Until he learns she isn't a princess after all.

I seriously enjoyed watching the relationship with these two develop. I loved seeing them overcome their distrust and learn that what they'd always been taught wasn't at all true. I will say I saw the plot twist coming, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable! The biggest negative for me is that cliffhanger at the end. Ya girl can't stand a cliffhanger, but I still think this book deserved 4 stars and I can't wait to read the next.