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.

If you’re on the hunt for a fantasy that delivers action, romance, and, of course, dragons, Dragonhart by Abbie Eaton is a must-read! This debut novel introduces us to Arla Reinhart, the King’s personal assassin in the kingdom of Hadalyn. Arla is a fierce and complex heroine on a quest for vengeance. When she’s forced to team up with Hark Stappen, the sharp-witted ambassador from a rival kingdom, sparks fly in all the best ways. Their journey is packed with political intrigue, magical discoveries, and a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance that will keep you hooked. The world-building is rich, the plot twists are jaw-dropping, and did I mention the dragons? Fans of series like Throne of Glass and Fourth Wing will find themselves right at home in this exhilarating tale. I couldn’t put it down and can’t wait to see what Eaton has in store next!    

The odds are truly stacked against our assassin, Arla Reinheart, as she embarks on an intercontinental trip to discover the reasons behind her kingdom's missing iron shipment. However, she is forced to take on this journey with the help of Hark Stappen, the infuriating, conceited ambassador of Kastonia - a man she has sworn against every star in the sky to kill the moment she's given the chance. Can she complete her mission and return back home alive and in one piece?

The plot of this book was extremely intriguing. Beginning with a character that is already extremely established in her field and has some definite salt in the assassin game provided a foothold for this story to launch into the fast-paced action and adventure I was expecting from it. Having the love interest also be an established person in her life already definitely added more weight to the enemies to lovers dynamic this book was swinging for. As a reader, you come to understand the hatred they have for each-other, and why, even though neither was directly involved with the past misfortunes of the other, it might be difficult for them both to reach an understanding.

However, with the premise of Arla being an established assassin who is the absolute best of the best, I found it a bit difficult to read her being so careless and brash. Her inner monologue is constantly focused on revenge and completing her mission, telling the reader that she's a focused individual who never fails to complete a job, but she allows her emotions and her impulsivity to get the better of her, putting herself and others in danger. She also talks about being the worst with a bow and arrow but continues to use it in spite of her bad aim because "it's fun," further discrediting her as the King's Assassin.

Regardless, this book was an extremely fun read and I can't wait to see where the series goes from here on out.

If you love enemies to lovers that crackles with tension, forced proximity that forces emotions to the surface, and a world woven with magic, political intrigue, and morally grey assassins, Dragonhart delivers. And let’s not forget Hark Stappen, the cocky, knife-dodging ambassador who practically begs to be stabbed but somehow makes you love him anyway.

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its characters. Hark is the perfect mix of infuriating and irresistible, his banter with Arla turning every conversation into a verbal sparring match laced with barely restrained attraction. Arla herself is broody, ruthless, and so done with everyone’s nonsense. As an assassin, she’s captivating, but I couldn’t help but wish we had explored her past and internal struggles a little more deeply. Hark’s found family who completely stole the show whenever they appeared. Their chaotic, protective, ride or die energy added warmth and humour.

Despite all of this, there were a few areas where the novel left me wanting more. The final battle, for instance, felt like it was rushing to the finish line rather than delivering the high-stakes, emotionally charged climax the story deserved. Arla’s revenge arc had so much potential, but its resolution felt slightly underwhelming, as if it needed just a little more space to breathe. The dragons, while an intriguing aspect of the world, never fully commanded the presence I was hoping for. With a title like Dragonhart, I wanted to feel their power reverberating through the story, to see them shape the world in ways beyond their conceptual presence. And while the plot remained engaging, it leaned into some predictable beats, nothing that made it less enjoyable, but for seasoned fantasy romance readers, a few twists were easy to see coming.

That being said, Dragonhart delivers where it counts, with characters that draw you in, a romance that keeps you hooked, and a world that, despite some missed opportunities, remains immersive. While I wanted more from the climax and a stronger presence from the dragons, the journey was still worth it and I would definitely recommend.

I requested this ARC since the description intrigued me + I’ve been on a romantasy kick lately!

I was provided this ARC by One More Chapter and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

For a debut novel this book wasn’t bad! I can see myself reading the next book. I just wish the plot, and setting had been flushed out a bit more. I’d give it 2.5-3 stars. The second half of the book really redeemed it for me.

The book follows Arla Reinhart, personal assassin to the King of Hadalyn. She doesn't believe in the gods and their dragons who once served the people - not after they abandoned her when she needed them most. Then there’s, Hark Stappen a the ambassador from a rival kingdom. He believes in the old gods and magic. Together they are sent on a mission for the King…

I want to start off and say that I find the marketing cringy and overdone. It’s a bit much that on Goodreads the title includes “The brand new forced proximity romance for 2025.” I think more readers would be drawn to it if this wasn’t how it was portrayed on Goodreads and purchasing platforms.

Also.. I’ve never read SJM but this book very much gives off powerless, folk of the air, and fourth wing vibes.

Characters

Arla reads like a pick me I’m sorry. It’s just over and over that she’s not like other girls. She’s seeking revenge which is great but I want more to her like how she is with her friend with the kids. For being an assassin I also just don’t get why she’s snuck up on so much by Hark and then there’s that weird section about her use of a bow?? she’s just not a very likeable character. Only thing I respect is how hard she trains. Other than that she’s so childish.

Hark is surprisingly likeable.


The plot

The entire time I was reading I felt like scenes were missing. There’s not always context for what’s going on and that could just be the authors style but I do wish we were given more. The magic system is lacking description and so is the world they live within. Its hard to understand what the story is going for. Why are they under the castle?? I’m given lots of cool information but it’s not necessarily needed or part of the plot. Just seemed like a surprise point that missed its mark.

I preferred reading Harks pov best.

The Romance
- take out the finger scene. I’m sorry but it doesn’t feel like something Arla would do easily give in to.
- would’ve been better as a slow burn. Just have them make out. And build up feelings. Then give in.
- I like them together
- 18 and 22.. meh

What I loved
- the reveal of why the book is titled Dragonhart
- the back and forth wit
- the basis of the story is intriguing

Small side note: Arla loves lavender baths and then gets jasmine soap from her hairdresser. But I found it switching back and forth too much between Jasmine and lavender and it seemed inconsistent. Choose one scent.

Yes, I’m being picky but at the end of the day I do think everyone should give it a try. And I will be on the look out for the next book. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it.

Arla Reinhart, the King's personal assassin, is a protagonist who has been hardened by loss and betrayal. She's a warrior, a survivor, and fiercely independent, making her journey of questioning her beliefs all the more compelling.
The mystery surrounding the missing shipments and the unraveling of the kingdoms is engaging. The forced partnership between Arla and Hark Stappen, the enigmatic ambassador from the kingdom that destroyed her family, is a highlight. Their initial animosity is palpable, and the slow burn of their evolving relationship is expertly crafted. Hark himself is a complex character, balancing arrogance with hidden depths, making him a worthy foil to Arla.
Overall, this is a captivating read that will appeal to fans of fantasy, romance, and political intrigue.

This one didn’t do it for me. I didn’t connect with any of the characters or the plot. The dragons are sleeping until 75%. I don’t think anyone had a well developed personality. This book had all the makings of a fun read, but ultimately couldn’t make it work:

The best scene in the book is used frequently in social promos and, while it is a strong scene, I wish there had been more of that throughout the book. The ending is the best part but it feels disjointed from everything that came before it. Love a dragon couldn’t get behind this one, unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC. in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh boy... where to begin...

I will start by saying that the marketing for this book is really good. So good, in fact, I was convinced to read it. However, I am sorry to say that this one just didn't live up to the hype for me.

Needless to say, I was not a big fan of this one, which was a major disappointment because I wanted to like it so badly. It had a lot of potential, but it missed every single mark.

I won't go into too much detail as to why I didn’t like it, as I can tell the author put so much work and love into this, but I also want to be honest about what it was I didn't like in particular.

For me, the characters were unlikable (with the exception of a couple of side characters that barely got the chance to shine). I literally couldn't care less about the FMC (if she survived or not), which just felt like a carbon copy of Calaena/Aelin but with a bad attitude. The MMC was no better either, and the romance between them felt forced, in my opinion.

In terms of writing style, this was just not for me either. It was just too repetitive. I kept wanting the author to get to the point half the time.

Also, there was a stylistic choice the author used when someone was speaking that was unconventional. Not only did that irk me, but it made it difficult for me to know when someone was done talking because dialogue could appear in the middle of a paragraph. Idk if this was accidental or intentional (I hope the former), but regardless, I had to dig deep to look past it tbh.

Unfortunately, this is perhaps the worst book I have read this year, and I say this with the heaviest heart. There, for sure, is an audience out there for this novel. It just isn't me. I give this 2.5⭐️ (rounded up to 3).

This novel would be perfect for readers who enjoy ToG, magic & dragons, high fantasy, enemies to lovers, feminine rage & leadership, chosen one tropes, and slow burns.

Although this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations, there were enjoyable elements. The author has promising writing skills, but I had difficulty connecting with the characters and found certain parts of the book challenging to read.

The pacing was consistent, though certain parts felt slow due to what seemed like excessive descriptions or inner monologue. Sadly, the dragon and fantasy elements were minimal, and the lack of world-building made it difficult to connect with the story.

Arla’s bond with the dragon felt hurried and lacked any opportunity to form a connection with this supposedly significant character in the story.

For me, the romance lacked chemistry between the FMC and MMC, resulting in a very fast shift from hatred to love and a spicy scene felt awkward and forced.

While it wasn’t my favorite, I still don’t think it was a bad book. It certainly has the foundation of a great fantasy—unique magic, political intrigue, and even the beginnings of lovable side characters. However, I believe more time could have been spent developing the world and its characters, as well as their relationships to elevate it to a higher level.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I truthfully cannot say that there was any part of this that I enjoyed. This felt like a ripoff of multiple popular romantasy novels and that’s putting it nicely. I think the ending did show some promise, and that’s why I’m giving it 1 star and not 0. Otherwise, Arla was extremely brash and disrespectful, which didn’t make sense for her character, the king’s assassin that was raised by the king himself. Hark felt like a copy paste of every other one dimensional broody but loyal male leader. Arla was another female lead that was “so smart and intelligent” yet consistently makes the dumbest decisions. The plot felt like a bunch of tropes held together with a dream. I was hoping for more originality and depth of the story based on the synopsis but I’m sure other people will love this.

🌟 3.5

The cover art hooked me for this one! So pretty.

⚔️ Enemies to lovers
⚔️ Forced proximity
⚔️ Strong FMC assassin seeking revenge
⚔️ Dragons & magic
⚔️ Arrogant flirty MMC - enemy 👀
⚔️ Must work together with the enemy
⚔️ Slowburn 🔥
⚔️ Good world building
⚔️ Banter
⚔️ Third person dual POV

For a debut novel there’s a lot of promise and a fun ride none the less. Enjoyable ride, easy reading Romantasy with enemies to lovers vibes.

2.5★

I had high hopes for this book, especially because When The Moon Hatched is one of my favourite recent fantasy reads, however, this just missed the mark for me, unfortunately.

The fmc, Arla, was so insufferable, in my personal opinion. She was irritating, argumentative, angry, and foul mouthed. Usually I wouldn’t mind this in a strong female character, but she just seemed juvenile and these traits annoyed me. She was oblivious to most things around her, and for someone who is supposedly a top notch assassin/spy, she was caught off guard frequently.

Hark was slightly better. He is the stereotypical cocky, arrogant, and flirtatious guy. I don’t mind this. I’ve gotten used to this character type since it’s the standard male character in recent books these past few years. He is trying to do the right thing, and fight injustice, which is very admirable. and I think he cares a little too much. Overall he isn’t as unlikeable, but there also isn’t much to him either.

Their romance wasn’t really too believable either. They went from “hating” each other and Arla being mad at Hark for everything, to devleoping a romance? It wasn’t natural and I didn’t really see the true romantic connection between them.

At the end of the day, I just don’t think this was for me. I think it’s unfair for me to continue bashing it, when other readers may enjoy it. The plot was relatively good, and the writing was ok too.

This is an enjoyable fantasy, especially if you are just breaking into the genre. It's pretty light and no-angst - and there are dragons - what more could any fantasy lover want?!

If you took Celaena Sardothien made her more irritating and childish and put her into a shittier version of Forth Wing, this is what you’d get.

Arla Reinhart is supposedly the best assassin in her kingdom, so much so that she is the “kings assassin”. However, all of her actions went against that. Multiple times she referenced not being as good as she should’ve been or how “known” she was around the kingdom. It was not a well depiction of her being this “badass unbeatable assassin”. Not only that but the dialogue was so very bad. It felt forced which made it cringey to read. Everything that she said made me constantly roll my eyes.

Hark Stappen felt like every romantasy MMC mashed into one. There was no originality with him. Broody ✔️ Standoffish ✔️ complete fucking dick ✔️ I hated this man with my whole heart. This chapter POVs made me die inside everytime they came up.

I am usually more forgiving with debut authors. However, this felt very much like a mash of so many romantasy greats. It was not well written. I can get past bad writing if the story is entertaining, but with this the story was cringy and the writing was bad. I recommend skipping out on this one, you won’t miss much of anything. This one should’ve stayed in the drafts a little longer..

Final rating: 1.5 stars ✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Publishers for the opportunity to read an ARC of Dragonhart.