Sadly I had to dnf at 46%. I really tried to get into this book and did really like how it was set up but I just couldn't find myself gripped to the plot in any way and the characters weren't really doing anything for me

A page-turning kick-off for a new epic romantic fantasy!

Arla Reinhart is the King's assasin, burning off the anger of her family's murder by a rival kingdom. Hark is the ambassador to this enemy kingdom and they're forced to work together. The unwilling partnership uncovers a lot of secrets from both kingdoms.

Arla was slightly one dementional at times. She is the typical, snarky female assasin. Very similar to Throne of Glass in a few ways. But I love that stereotype so it worked for me.

There's a badass fmc, magic, forced proximity, slow-burn, hate to love and maybe even dragons. Everything you could want in a romantasy.

The problem with reading an ARC is that you have to wait for the next book when the first one is not even out yet. I could have just kept reading more.

This book has all of the tropes I adore - enemies to lovers, forced proximity… Dragons! Dragons are always a good thing.

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and get immersed in. I was sad that the book finished and I didn’t have anything to continue on with. I look forward to reading more by Abbie Eaton.

This was such a great read! The further that I got into this book, the harder it was to put down!!

When the King’s Assassin, Arla Reinhart, is paired with her sworn enemy, Hark Stappen, to investigate missing shipments, she is ordered to leave Hark alive...even though his Kingdom was responsible for the loss of her family…

This is a slow burn, forced proximity fantasy book and it drew me in from the very start. Arla is a complex character, having tragedy and trauma in her past that has taught her to become fierce, strong and determined. From what she has been through in life, it has shaped her beliefs that there are no gods and that there is no such thing as magic.

The journey that Arla and Hark take to fulfil their assigned mission is full of twists and discoveries that will change the way they feel not only about themselves and each other but will make them question everything that they believe and know about the world around them.

The interactions between the two main characters is entertaining, witty but also moving as they grow, learn and develop throughout the book.

I was hooked by the concept of Arla Reinhart as a deadly assassin and her growing animosity with Hark Strappen and their forced proximity to work together. This created the perfect tension and I enjoyed their back and forth dialogue. I did feel the story took a little too long to get moving and scenes appeared to end abruptly or with a time jump. That being said I enjoyed the multi pov and the short chapters. From the 75% to the end the story and the pace picked up a lot and I was hooked to finish reading. I didn’t realise this was the first in a series and hoped for the conflict to be resolved, obviously that will be something in the future. I loved the dragons and I am intrigued to see how this impacts the rest of the story and Arla’s character development. As much as I liked Arla and Hark’s animosity, I thought the romance element came out of nowhere and didn’t lead to anything until the very end.

Overall, the ending was good and the concept is there but the plot needed to be tightened in places to keep the momentum. This was a fun dragon inspired book that touches a lot on class and power.

If you’re a lover of Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass and When the Moon Hatched you’ll really enjoy this one!

It took a little while to get into the story with this one and at first, I felt a little bit confused, but once more of the plot fell into place this was such an intriguing book full of action!

Arla is such a badass character! She reminds me of Celaena in Throne of Glass. I love how fearless she is and how she’ll stop at nothing to do the right thing! I think that Abbie also manages to portray Arla’s vulnerable side really skillfully in this!

The romance between her and Hawk was exquisitely executed. I absolute loved their slow burn and all of the heated moments between them throughout the book!

I liked this book. The banter between Arla and Hark was entertaining.
There was loads of action, which I love.
The only thing I didn’t get was that it didn’t end on a cliffhanger, even though it’s part of a series.
Otherwise, I really liked it.

DNF at 18%.

The FMC is giving too much Temu Celaena Sardothien for me. She’s arrogant, mouthy, and juvenile, and has yet to show really any redeeming features. The MMC isn’t as mysterious as the author wants to make him out to be. Like come on we all know who he is.

I considered sticking it out for the big plot twist at the end that some reviews have mentioned and the promised dragons, but I just can’t keep reading Arla’s POV.

This will definitely hook many readers! I’m just sadly not one of them.

This fantasy debut swooped onto my netgalley shelf with all the promise of a dragonrider’s epic—Fourth Wing vibes with a dash of enemies-to-lovers spice? Give it to me!

While it didn’t totally crash and burn, it didn’t exactly soar to the heavens either. It’s a mixed bag of scales and sparks, and I’ve got thoughts.

First off, the setup hooked me faster than a dragon snagging a runaway goat. Arla Reinhart, a stab-happy assassin for the King of Hadalyn, is out for vengeance and doesn’t trust the gods or their long-gone dragons (fair, considering they ghosted her when she needed them most).

Then there’s Hark Stappen, the smug ambassador from the kingdom that torched her parents, who’s forced to team up with her on a quest to save their realms. Cue the forced proximity, the simmering hate-flirt tension, and a world where dragons might not be as extinct as everyone thinks. It’s a recipe for a rollicking good time, and I was ready to strap in and ride this beast.

Buttttttt the wings began to wobble. The pacing feels like Arla and Hark took a wrong turn into a tavern brawl and forgot to leave. There’s a lot of meandering between the big moments. I get that character driven fantasy needs room to breathe, but I found myself tapping my foot, waiting for the plot to kick into gear.

Then there’s Ayla herself. Oh, Ayla. She’s bold, she’s fierce, she’s... insufferable at times. I get it, she’s got a chip on her shoulder the size of a dragon’s hoard, but does she have to snarl at EVERYONE? There’s a fine line between “strong female character” and “person I’d avoid at a party,” and Ayla tap-dances over it with reckless abandon.

And the love interest. Hark is handsome and arrogant, sure, but he’s also got the personality of a damp tapestry half the time. Their banter has its moments like when they’re trading barbs, but it’s not consistent enough to carry the weight of their “electric” chemistry. I wanted more zing, more oomph, more of that enemies-to-lovers magic that makes you clutch your chest and whisper, “Oh no, they’re hot for each other.” Instead, I got flickers of heat drowned out by a lot of “let’s journey across the kingdom and brood.”

The world-building is where we claw back some points. Eaton’s got a knack for painting a vivid, crumbling realm where magic’s fading and political intrigue is thicker than dragon hide. There’s a twist toward the end that had me sit up straighter than my dog when she hears the word “outside?”, and it’s almost enough to forgive the earlier slog.

All in all, Dragonhart feels like a debut that’s still finding its talons. It’s got heart, it’s got potential, and it’s got dragons (praise be!), but it’s also got some rough edges that left me wanting. If you love dragons and don’t mind a heroine who’s both badass and brat, you’ll probably dig it. Me? I liked it fine, but I’m not tattooing Ayla’s name on my arm anytime soon.

Worth a spin if you’re in the mood for some fire-breathing escapism. Just don’t expect me to cheer when Ayla opens her mouth.

Okay...where do I start and how do I rate this? I am conflicted. I think the bones of this book is good, I think the story is good. There were some plot holes I think her editor and Beta readers should have picked up so she could fix them. But the FMC, Arla, is not anyone I'd want my daughter to aspire to be. She's brash, argumentative, juvenile acting and has a potty mouth that is worse than a drunk sailor - for no reason, and in all circumstances even with the all-power, terrifying King (eye-roll here, even Celeana Sardothian knew when to keep her mouth shut and she was trained as a child to be an assasin). Despite all these things the book was still okay - it is better suited for a high school student - I think than a young adult or new adult. Try it out - see what you think.

First let me start by saying thank you to NetGalley, author Abbie Eaton and One More Chapter publishing. In exchange for this E-ARC of Dragonhart, I promised to give an honest review.

The premise of this story immediately drew me in with assassins, magic and dragons. It’s the author’s first book and you can tell she was very passionate about the story. However, I struggled really getting into the book and connecting with our FMC Arla. The story felt too drawn out at some points and then moving way too fast at others. I also saw a lot of influence from some popular series which I love, but there was almost too much. This just made the story hard to stand out on its own.

Overall while the plot had the chance to be an intriguing fantasy, it probably could have gone through a couple more rounds of editing and polishing of the overall story line. I was left with the feeling that if there is a sequel I might end up reading it, but also could see myself passing it by.

Dragonhart is Abbie Eaton’s debut novel and it delivers on everything you expect to find in a fantasy romance.

Arla Reinhart is the King’s assassin and definitely doesn’t believe in magic, dragons, or any other nonsense. Forced to work with Hark Stappen, ambassador of a kingdom she hates, Arla will embark on a journey that will cause her to question everything she knows and believes about the world.

Dragonhart is packed full of everything you could want in a fantasy romance; enemies to lovers, forced proximity, magic, and dragons. Arla is a strong, independent, and fiercely stubborn FMC that has been molded into the girl she is by circumstance. She is young and therefore bound to make mistakes, some that might make your blood boil; but she is also willing to admit defeat, learn, and grow when proven wrong, which is why I found myself routing for her throughout the book. Hark is living a double life and trying his best to do what is right despite his upbringing and the beliefs of those he is supposed to represent. He is at times as frustrating as he is lovable and the way he challenges Arla helps her grow to become what she has always been destined to be. This was a captivating, character driven story that I would definitely recommend to any fantasy romance lovers.

Thank you HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me an ARC via NetGalley!

When I saw the word Dragon in the title-I knew I was going to love this! What a great debut from Abbie Eaton.

Arla-Strong, Funny, demanding, brave, and a pure bad ass. She she up there with all my other FMC's.

Hank-Was annoying at times but he stepped up.

A great story of willing to do what is right-No Matter what the cost is.

I cant wait for everyone to read this.

What a debut! I really enjoyed this book!

Our FMC is sassy and stabby and I love her. Our MMC Hark is mysterious and swoonworthy.

The banter was on point between the two, I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers with forced proximity.

There were twists, turns, magic, dragons... loved it!

Very excited for book 2!

DNF @ 17%

It became apparent immediately when I picked up Dragonhart that I was going to have a hard time reading this. I managed to endure it through the first five chapters, but I couldn't continue due to taking a dislike to Arla, the main protagonist. She is entirely juvenile in character setup and actions, and I found her unbearable from the first page. The static way of writing equally didn't lend any favours to entice me to enjoy this book further. Whilst the synopsis sounded like something I would really like, the initial execution of this world and story fell flat and uninspiring to push further than I did.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of Dragonhart!

This is a 3.5 rounded to 4. I think that this book would be great for people who liked Fourth Wing and Throne of Glass. I can absolutely see where the author pulled inspiration from both books but still made an original story. The story as a whole was an easy, fast read that was a nice to read between heavy books.

My main criticism of this book is that it didn’t do anything super ground-breaking, which not every book needs to do. This book was exactly what I expected it to be (not necessarily a bad thing). I’d love to see where this series goes and I look forward to book 2!

While I'm very grateful to HarperCollins UK/ One More Chapter for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, unfortunately, Dragonhart was not for me. It felt very derivative. Arla, the King's Assassin, was very Celaena Sardothien (from Throne of Glass) coded. I gave up a third of the way through because I did not like any of the characters. Arla, in particular, was very annoying and not at all believable as the best assassin in the kingdom. She always seems to be caught unawares, has no subtlety, and does not know when to shut up. Her and Hart, the male main character, had no chemistry, and their "banter" was dismal. The writing was all tell and no show, and I really did struggle to refrain from rolling my eyes every few pages.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book in exchange for a review.

Dragonhart is a forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers story with a sprinkling of dragons. I enjoyed the story, but I did find the writing to lean a little more YA than I usually prefer. The FMC, Arla, is written very similarly to Celaena Sardothien from Throne of Glass, who is a character that I really enjoy, but if I wanted to read a character like Celaena...I would just reread Throne of Glass.

Arla is an eighteen year old and she reads very much like her age. As a high school teacher, I can say with confidence that the bravado, foul-mouth, and sometimes catty nature that Arla demonstrates is very similar to the standard behavior of high school students. That being said, Arla is the King's Assassin--a highly trained and educated member of the King's Guard. She is caught off guard a lot more often in this book than I would assume a King's Assassin to be.

I enjoyed the additions of Hark's (MMC) point of view chapters, but they seemed to be inconsistent in terms of placement throughout the novel. Overall, I found Hark to be a pretty standard blue-eyed, dark-haired love interest.

All in all, I did enjoy this story. It was a quick read and while there are elements that I think can be improved as the series (?) continues, I'd recommend readers who enjoyed Throne of Glass or Fourth Wing to give this one a try if they find they are missing those series.

Dragonhart has so much going for it: easy to read, digestible world-building; slow-burn enemies-to-lovers; emotional characters' backstories; magic, gods, and dragons. As a debut, it was strong. However, the overall vibe was less adult or new adult and more YA, despite the couple open door scenes we got. In fact, if those scenes were edited, I really think it should be remarketed as YA, which is not a favorite genre of mine, so I'm perhaps not an ideal audience for the book.

Arla, at 18, is juvenile and brash, and her characterization throughout the book (as a master spy and assassin) was quite at odds with her actions. She has experienced some awful traumas, and she desperately needs therapy. Hark, the "enemy" love interest, is 22 and sometimes swoon-worthy and other times stilted. The plot was good, with a mostly steady pace, but the narration could be repetitive. As some other reviewers have mentioned, Dragonhart has possibly drawn significant inspiration from other popular fantasy/romance books. It also suffered a bit from the curse of tropes: there were moments it felt as though a well-loved trope was dropped into the plot just to tick a box.

Overall, it is worth giving this debut author a read, and I will likely seek out the second book, if the series is picked up, to seek some closure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a mixed bad for me with some aspects I liked and some I enjoyed less. I liked the idea of the fmc being very sceptical about magic/dragons. That’s felt like quite a unique take. The animosity between the fmc and mmc felt very genuine, which isn’t always a given in the enemies to lovers trope. The world building was interesting and I liked how the dragons were written. I struggled buying into Arla as this incredible assassin as lots of her behaviour didn’t seem to back this up. It felt like there was a lot of telling rather than showing around this.