If you are a high fantasy lover you’ll instantly fall in love with this book. Unique to many other fantasy books because the world building isn’t as intense. It felt more like it was peppered in and you discovered it as the main characters explored the landscape. You never feel like you are playing catch up and the prologue did a really good job of setting down the basics. I loved the slow burn tension and of course if you like morally gray bad boys Cayden will definitely be your favorite. This book is definitely romantasy at its core but the betrayal, found family and trauma will have you on the verge of tears. Overall great fantasy read and I look forward to more.
Elowen is born with a prophecy of commanding dragons looming over her head she can either help her people or be the one to destroy them. Not will to chance it she is trapped away, a banished princess until she is able to escape. The exile princess must pair with the deadly commander of a different Kingdom if she will ever have a chance to come out of the shadows and be reunited with her dragons.

3.75 stars

The plot piqued my interest rather quickly, going into Fear the Flames. However, the writing was difficult for me, so it was hard to immerse myself fully. Maybe because this is the first book I picked up recently? I was able to follow along eventually but still felt the writing could have been more alluring.

The fantasy elements took a back seat in this one but will stand out in the next installment, considering the final events in book one. There were some fantasy creatures I found unique, like the netherwraith, and I would have loved to see more of them since they barely made an appearance. The dragons were super fun, and I can’t wait to get to know them better in book two. I love how they’re all very distinct–in appearance and personality. I even got a little teary-eyed in the last chapter. It truly felt like a magical, coming home moment. A true dragon lover will understand.

The romance is more of a fast burn but still done well, and the bantering served. There’s a fair amount of spice, and plenty of quotes had me giggling. Cayden's flirtatious remarks, supporting El’s violent side, and having a soft spot only for her easily make him a new favorite. That said, although I always prefer an achingly SLOW slow-burn, Cayden and El’s relationship was still entertaining.

If you’re a reader who loves fantasy with a heavy romance plot, a decent amount of spice, bantering aplenty, and political intrigue, there’s a good chance you’ll love this one! On the other hand, if you picked this one up because you love dragons, I can gleefully say that the dragons are absolutely magical. But they will not make a lot of appearances until book two.

Thank you, Netgalley and Penguin Random House, for an e-ARC of this book!

Can you say giddy? I am giddy! All your fave fantasy romance tropes wrapped into one laugh out loud, kick your feet book.

Loved the main characters and their banter. It gave insta attraction but the good kind where they obvs are attracted to each other but she's in denial and he's being a straight up protective gentleman *swoon* The slow burn was slow burning! No spice until 60% in, all tension prior 😍

I definitely wouldn't say this was a dragon fantasy as we only saw a little bit of dragons so far. It does give stabby FMC and burn the world for you MMC which is just what I love in a fantasy romance. Also, more plot, slow burn, HIGH TENSION, low spice, yes please!

Really hoping there's a book 2!

An ARC review : holy sh*t! I loved Fear the Flames when it first came out but Darling really changed it up in this new one. I’ll be honest I was sad some parts from the indie were changed but the parts added to the official publication made up for it. I loved the changes to the friend group dynamic and the slight changes to Cayden’s character and magic!!! Having the changes to Fijians character as well made me thrilled! Elowen is such a badass and I can’t wait to read the rest of her story.

Wow. The published version of this books slays. I really appreciated the additional heist in the story line. Cayden and Elowen are goals for sure. Cayden could happily take on any infamous shadow daddy and win. The vows, the nicknames, the dragons, the BOSS heroine all add up to a top read (ever) for me.

Having read the Indie version it sometimes felt choppy to me- I knew where new pieces had been placed. Without the prior adoration and overconsumption of the Indie version this would have been perfection. The one major plot addition I loved was the mages being used to trick the dragons and that being the reason for their first interaction.

As reader I felt that the story ended in a good place, concluding some story lines and opening others. I rate books on a crazy scale, and would give this a 14/10. (Translating into a 5+ star. I mean how 5star, Yanno?)

Can’t wait for the next one!

This new version completely lived up to my expectations! Once again, I ate up this book. I am in awe of Olivia’s ability to make this story even better! I loved every new plot point and scene. There’s wayyyy more Dragons in this version and Elowen’s character really reminded me of Daenerys at times! Some morally grey moments, which I was living for.

The tension between Cayden and Elowen is UNMATCHED. They have such a fun dynamic and I cannot wait to see their relationship progress in future books. And once again, I am stressing how wonderful the found family is 🥲 Such an exciting fantasy romance!

I loved this book the first time I read it AND the second time with the new edits for the traditionally published version.. The elements I loved from the story still sing true. The found family was still magnificent. The touch her and die troupe, chef's kiss. The heist for the key and dragons, excellent. Elowen is by far one of my favorite FMCs. She truly embodies the duality of being strong and delicate. She used everything in her past to shape her but still found a way to see the light in a way that felt so genuine and raw. I absolutely can't wait to see where her journey takes her and her dragons. And I loved getting a little bit more of Cayden's backstory even if I still want to know even more. He is by far the best book boyfriend. I live for the way he would burn the world down to keep Elowen warm. I love a ruthless man who is only soft for his girl.

I loved this book when it was an indie edition and couldn’t have imagined it getting any better. I loved the added pieces from the original version that give the book a little bit more depth. The addition to the ending was such a nice touch and I’m hoping this becomes a series because I’m not ready to be done with Elowen and Cayden. The banter between them is so good and we love a MMC that is a literal “touch her a die” kinda of guy (but only in books)

A solid fantasy romance with room for improvement. The main characters are likable, but their relationship sometimes feels rushed. The plot moves along nicely until the end, where it loses some steam. Freeing the dragons felt too easy, and the twist didn't quite land for me.
Despite these issues, it's an enjoyable read. The spice is there, though not especially memorable. Curious about the next book, but not desperately so.
Thanks to NetGalley for the a copy of this book.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this arc. I actually read the indie version and was so excited to see what changes were made since I absolutely loved the indie version. The changes were great, and I highly recommend this book. The romance was really well done, and the characters all developed extremely well. I'm so excited to continue this series.

Holy crap this was FANTASTIC!

The banter, the found family, one bed, touch her and die, he falls first and hard. It was all *chef kiss*.

An up most master mind of a book, I was sucked into it from chapter 1. The banter right off the bat was so good, I already wish I could read this again for the first time, that’s how good it is!

If you love, from blood and ash, throne of glass, & fourth wing you’ll LOVE this book!

Thank you, Delacorte Press and Olivia Darling, for the eARC!

Rating - 4.25 🌟
Spice - 🌶🌶

This has been on my radar for a couple of years! I mean, who wouldn't want to read about a princess who 5 dragons were born to?

This book was super easy to jump into and just keep on reading! The premise of a princess who is bonded to 5 dragons, but they are locked up, is what really drew me in.

I did feel like the last 10% of the book was a little rushed, and I had to reread things a couple of times to make sense, but other than that, I can't wait for book two!

ARC REVIEW TRADITIONAL PUBLICATION

"Your enemies are my enemies. My sword is yours."

Dragons, romance, BETRAYAL?! Yes, please!
This book had every single element that I look for in a juicy read.

"Nobody wins harder than someone who once lost everything."

We follow Elowen Atarah, a young woman who is bonded at birth with 5 dragons. She is exiled and goes into hiding for most of her life, but breaks free from her metaphorical shackles and bands together with 4 others on a mission of vengeance.
The banter was bantering, the spice was spicing, and the love between these 5 was absolutely flawless. The unexpected betrayals had me shook in the best way possible. And the BROTHEL SCENE?! Unforgettable 👏
*chef's kiss*

I can not wait for the next installment of this series, and I'm SO lucky to have read the ARC.

This book is a breathtaking masterpiece that captivated me from page one. The story of a fierce princess turned prisoner is both heartbreaking and exhilarating. The heroine’s unyielding spirit and fiery personality make her an absolute force of nature. The blend of defiance, romance, magic, and sizzling tension had me completely hooked. I couldn’t put it down.

Wow this book was a wild ride! It was super long but I could not have imagined it being any shorter. The journey that Olivia Rose Darling takes us on with her writing is a fantastic one that I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of sooner.
The characters were all so well fleshed out and their relationships with each other had me smiling the whole time. Elowen is 100% one of my new soul characters and I seriously vibed with her so much.
The banter and the tension were stunning and I thought that it burned for just the right amount. Cayden has my whole heart!!
I really loved this found family and I really will recommend this to everyone!!

Okay, so I LOVED this book. It had almost all my favorite romantasy tropes, if not all. Found family, enemies to loverd (although he falls first and fast. She’s not far behind ☺️), DRAGONS 😍, and a kingdom take back. Also, Cayden was book bae all the way and from the start. I really liked the FMC and I felt like she was very relatable. Her anxiety issues and trauma were written really well and I couldn’t help but root for my girl Elowen all the way. There were some grammatical issues and sometimes it got confusing and the who was talking during the conversation but those were minor things for me. Overall, it was a solid romantasy that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this amazing ARC that I received in exchange for my honest review.

This was a really solid fantasy debut. I was fascinated by the way the dragon bonds were explained. The descriptions involving the dragons were so vivid and creative. I really enjoyed Cayden and Elowen's banter and relationship.

I feel like there were quite a few things that could have been expanded on and explained better. I.e. the way magic is viewed and used, and Cayden's background. I'm hoping we get some more details in the next book.

I knew we were in for a big upheaval at the end as there was 10% left in the book and everyone was too happy. It definitely adds to the intrigue to what happens next in the story. Overall an enjoyable read.

3.75⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

If you like a romantasy that’s spicy and HEAVY on the tension, romance, BANTER, one bed, found family, with a little teensy weensy bit of dragons then this one is for you.

If you’re looking for world building, this is not for you.

Quick book recap:
Elowen bonds with 5 dragons as a child only for them to get separated from her and they all end up imprisoned. Then she escapes, builds a secret kingdom and then becomes allies with Cayden to rescue her dragons and use them for the war that’s brewing.

I officially have a new book boyfriend, the most feared man in Ravaryn, Commander Veles (Cayden). He kept this book alive for me. I giggled and kicked my way through it. I love his character, his one-liners, his pining and his humor.

The FMC Elowen, is a strong, determined, badass, coffee loving, exiled princess who teams up with my boyfriend Commander Veles and plan a heist together to free her dragons. She is loyal, fierce and will gut you with her daggers. Also really enjoyed her platonic relationship with Finnian.

This was a fun, easy and quick read. I think it had the right amount of spice in it, and GREAT banter.

What I wasn’t crazy about:
-Lacks world building
-When he calls her Love
-Talks about magic and Gods but lacking the lore
-I didn’t get a strong supposedly “soul bond” between the FMC and her 5 dragons it was VERY weak
-The rescue and fight at the end were anti-climatic
-The ending was a little confusing and rushed
-Why is there a war brewing in the first place?

Will be reading book 2, but no rush.

Hoping for a map when published

Thank you Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the eARC

3 Stars

The book was thoroughly enjoyed up to the 70% mark. The primary characters displayed a complex moral ambiguity, yet managed to evoke empathy from the reader. The portrayal of both the princess and the commander as equally ruthless was a notable aspect of the narrative.

The world building in this one leaves a lot to be desired as reader. I was lost for awhile regarding her dragons, how they came to be and why it was so important that they bonded her. I don't still understand why her family hated her so much and didn't take advantage of the fact that now had 5 dragons to their disposal.

Contrary to the slow burn romances, the attraction between the characters escalated swiftly and was lust heavy. This could work for some readers

Unexpectedly, the seamless transition from a passionate scene to a dark and grim fantasy setting in successive chapters was jarring. The sudden shift to a gruesome depiction, especially considering the prior instances of torture being largely implied rather than explicitly described, felt discordant with the overall tone of the story. It lost some of its steam after this and I wasn't as invested.

At this time I'm not sure I will be continuing with this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advanced reader story. My review is voluntarily my own.

Quite simply, Fear the Flames was everything and more!! Dragons and bonds and enemies and lovers and banter and vengeance and all around bad@ssery!! Elowen was strong and fierce and resilient, everything you want to root for as a reader. And Cayden was protective and strategic and their chemistry was perfection. Can’t wait for more and thank you so much for this arc!