If you need more dragons in your bookish world this is gold! Great for fans of Fourth Wing who can’t get enough dragons. There are so many unique elements to the dragons and their riders. The Celtic inspiration throughout the story is beautifully done.

I enjoyed the FMC, Aemyra, who is a fire wielder. The story follows her on her journey to claim her rightful throne. There’s action, drama, and fantasy lore that doesn’t stop.

The enemies to lovers is delectable and as slow burn. There is some spice but more plot than spice.

The cliffhanger is brutal at the end but left me wanting to read more immediately. I need to know what happens with these characters and dragons.

“What did queens or kings matter in a world where dragons existed?”

This book has the potential to be the next big romantasy hit! Hazel McBride has created a lovely Gaelic inspired tale where a secret heir to the throne attempts to reinstate the matriarchal society of the past. Our FMC, Aemyra, is frustrating at times and makes some poor decisions, but she is dedicated to eradicating the Covenant, a patriarchal religion keen on taking over Tìr Teine. We follow Aemyra through her quest to gain her rightful place on the throne and all of the setbacks she faces along the way.

If you like enemies to lovers, forced marriage, and strong feminist characters, this story will keep you engaged throughout. Hazel did a wonderful job of creating such an enticing story that I could not put down! I will absolutely be recommending this book to friends.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for access to the eARC!

I loved this book so much! The characters, the plot, the twists and turns. I was hooked from the start. I loved that this book is a coming of age with a bit more experienced FMC. It allowed for a different take on the enemies to lovers trope. Aemryn and Florian’s story so far has been fraught with scheming politics and betrayal. I can’t wait to see what happens when they are united - I am more than ready to see the rot in this world burn.

I can’t wait until the next book is out! Definitely the start of an amazing series!

A queen’s quest to reclaim her birth and reign as the queen she was always meant to be. With possible love/hate romance with a man who’s family is currently occupying her throne..and Dragons
Tropes:
* Enemies to Lovers
* One bed. Oh no we have to share
* Political Intrigue
Overall this book for sure bypassed my expectations. I loved the main character Aemyra with fiery demeanor and “I’ll stab you” attitude. The storyline progressed at a great pace that sometimes didn’t leave me room to breath. Which I need out of a book.
There was a scene that came out of left field that gutted me. (If you know you know) and I was in rage and baying for justice. And boy did we get it.
And that final betrayal at the end. Girl. I need part 2 of this duology and knowing I’m going to be waiting 2 years minimum for it makes me wanna throw myself on the bed and flail lol
For sure would recommend and can’t wait for this. lol to be out in the world.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a ARC of this book. I am so appreciative.
My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book.

This was definitely interesting and a pretty good start to the series. there was some parts in the story that honestly confused me and i feel like i didnt get anything to clear that confusion up. It is definitely a slow burn thats for sure. im sure i will pick up the next book since i want to see what happens next.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Adult fantasy with “true” enemies-to-lovers, matriarchal society, and a bisexual FMC? Sign me up!

It was good. For those who eat up the romantasy genre, I think you’ll be satisfied. Aemyra is a very headstrong main character, Fiorean is hot (literally), and there’s dragons! Who doesn’t love dragons!

I went in with high hopes and was actually very pleased in the beginning. While I think the world building could do with a little more explanation, I was happy that there was an actual fantasy world to really base the story off of, and it wasn’t just “flimsy fantasy as a backdrop to straight romance” like some other books in the genre. I was really hoping for a Game of Thrones-esque plot that was romantic, sure, but had substance.

The book started to fall flat for me when Aemyra finds herself in her main predicament, “behind enemy lines.” I feel as though the writing then becomes unoriginal and typical for the genre. I even guessed the main plot twist.

I also wanted the writing to feel more flushed out and “adult.” Even the spicy scenes have cringy dialogue. It ended up reading YA in a not-good sense, which is a shame for me, because Aemyra is 26! She’s an actual adult!

I will read the eventual second book because I am invested in how Aemyra keeps the promise she makes at the end. Is it bad I hope it comes true?

Overall, I think it’s a good book for the romatasy genre. I was just hoping for something a little more flushed out and polished.

3.5 stars

This book had a lot of potential and delivered on most of it. It's a very solid Romantasy that blends the fantasy and romance elements exceptionally well. Plus, it has dragons!

Our main character, Aemyra, has been raised to rule the kingdom of Tìr Teine since birth. The problem? Someone else sits on the throne. When the King dies, it's finally time for Aemyra to claim her birthright. However, things don't go as planned.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is how it tackles organized religion. It explores how religion is often used as a tool of oppression rather than a means to uplift. The parallels between the True Religion and Christianity were well-defined and added depth to the story.

Unfortunately, I had several issues with the plot and overall narrative. There were numerous plot holes, the most glaring being the lack of explanation about how the True Religion is able to nullify magic. None of the characters seem to care or show interest in discovering how to stop it.

The plot lacked the natural flow I expect from a well-paced book. You could almost feel the mechanical shift from one plot point to the next. Including more transitions or events between these points could have mitigated this issue.

The tension between Aemyra and Fiorean was palpable. It was also refreshing to read an enemies-to-lovers storyline where the characters genuinely despised each other at the start.

I'm very interested to see where the story goes when the second book is released.

the ARC gods were clearly in my favor when i got approved, because HOLY cow, this book was so good.

it did take me a bit to get through the first 20% (a lot of essential world-building and plot setup), but once I pushed through, i was absolutely hooked—and it was totally worth it.

angsty FMCs, dragons, court politics, and enemies to lovers? all of my favorite plot devices wrapped up into one epic story. i haven’t been this invested in a book in a while (literally on the edge of my seat, stomach churning during the last 10%). i need more people to read this 🗣️

thank you so much to hazel mcbride, random house - ballantine, delacorte press, and net galley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

pub date: may 27, 2025

add to your tbr if you like:
⚔️ scottish folklore
🔥 game of thrones and house of dragons
⚔️ succession wars/court politics/corrupt political systems
🔥 elemental magic
⚔️ hidden royalty
🔥 dragons
⚔️ true enemies to lovers
🔥 feminine rage
⚔️ angsty, bisexual FMCs

please check the TW before reading 🖤

This book was really hard to get into and the language and writing was hard to understand, I think a reference guide or something would have been nice. The characters were hard to like, I did like fiorean, but I don’t know. It really took me a lot to get through. The spicy scenes were good. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Really enjoyed this book. I thought the world building was exceptional. Looking forward to the sequel! Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶️
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Gave off Game of Thrones/House of Dragons vibe, which is why I liked reading it. Tropes: a badass bisexual FMC, dragons, magic, enemies to lovers, betrayal and political intrigue. I was captivated by the storyline and the world building was easy to follow. Political intrigue, the FMC is fighting for women’s rights and she wants to burn the patriarchy down. She is impulsive, hot headed and entitled, which comes off as arrogant and annoying at times. The MMC was hit or miss for me, felt like I didn’t really know him and needed more character development. But I was captivated and entertained. The ending had me holding my breath and clenching my jaw. I will definitely be reading the next book to know what happens next.

So many words I couldn’t pronounce and while reading I skipped it in my head. Then I found the pronunciation glossary in the back. Wow, did my brain really eff up those words. Every fantasy book needs a pronunciation glossary.

This book was… just fine. I was immediately drawn in by the blurb and while I liked the characters, it read very similar to the plot line of House of the Dragon. Which, I liked, but it didn’t feel like there was anything special in this book.

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing for the early copy!!

In a world brimming with political intrigue, magic, and sizzling romance, A Fate Forged in Fire emerges as one of the most refreshing, compelling, and downright addictive books I've read in a long time. From the very first page, this Celtic-inspired fantasy grips the reader with a mix of tension, passion, and high-stakes adventure that has set a new gold standard for the enemies-to-lovers trope.

It’s been a long time since I’ve come across a story that felt this new, this alive, and this utterly unputdownable. I was enamored with the rich history built into the story and the incredible world building that McBride managed to incorporate that allowed me to fully immerse myself into the city of Tir Tiene. I absolutely cannot wait for the second installment, this was easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

DRAGONS! I love that we have another great book about dragons to devour! The dynamic between riders and their dragons is new but also familiar. Our FMC is fierce and feisty with lots of witty remarks and determination. Our MMC is complex and has so many layers to him that we discover with the FMC. Absolutely fun and full of adventure

In Queen of Flame, Aemyra, a gifted blacksmith blessed with fire magic, longs to restore her homeland of Tìr Teine to its former glory as a matriarchal kingdom. She embarks on an adventure to reclaim the throne, bond with dragons, and deal with a lot of political intrigue.

The world of Tìr Teine is richly imagined, with a strong Celtic-inspired backdrop that infuses the story with mythic charm. The blend of fantastical elements with sociopolitical themes of oppression and rebellion adds layers to the narrative, making the world feel very relevant to readers in 2025.

The book’s political intrigue, while occasionally predictable, keeps the stakes high and the plot engaging. Aemyra’s hot-headed nature in the early chapters can feel overly impulsive, detracting from an otherwise engaging journey. The romance was a fun part of the story. The evolving dynamic between Aemyra and Fiorean is a highlight, balancing sharp conflict with undeniable chemistry.

Queen of Flame combines fantasy, romance, and vibrant worldbuilding in a captivating tale of rebellion and redemption. Despite minor flaws, it’s a promising start to a duology that fans of Celtic-inspired fantasy and fiery heroines will relish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and had a great time. The first half of the book is slow, and there is a lot of words in Gaelic so it was slow going learning the pronunciation and remembering what was what. However, the second half of the book drew me in so hard, and I could not wait to get back into the world every time I had to put it down. This book is full of female rage, enemies to lovers, touch her and die moments. And then that end! It made me so angry and damaged, that I need the second installment IMMEDIATELY. Hazel better fix what she broke!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher to allowing me the pleasure of an ARC of this book!

4.5 stars!
- strong, vengeful, badass, bisexual FMC
- brooding MMC
- fire magic & dragons
- religious control, high stakes, & political intrigue
A true enemies to lovers romantasy. Very well developed world building and bonds between characters. I could feel the pain, the rage, and every emotion in between. The spice was exquisitely done (that knife play scene omg.) The ending though?! I'm not over it! Massive cliffhanger. I highly recommend this!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Oh my freaking gosh!!! This was the book I NEEDED all year and it only took me to December to find it 😂. I have bad news though for me and you… it doesn’t release until May 2025 so you’ll just have to take my word for it and add it to your tbr lists somewhere. The bad news for me?! I will have to wait EVEN LONGER for the sequel and I’m just not okay 🥲.

The way I ATE up this book and left no crumbs behind?! I was hesitant to start it during tbr busy holiday season. I tend to be a slower reader, especially with adult high fantasy but I literally couldn’t get enough of this one. I pushed all my other current reads aside to focus on Fate and have no regrets.

The action, the stabby FMC and the scarred definitely has a secret dark past MMC really had me in a chokehold. The dragons, marriage of convenience and non stop action and twists from then on is what really kept me going though. I honestly never knew what was going to happen in the book except for one tiny thing in the beginning I figured out lol.

For fans of Fourth Wing still looking for their next dragon book to obsess over.. look no further!! It’s action packed and full of betrayals plus DRAGONS!!

I really wanted to like this, but it just wasn't for me. I found the FMC to be confident and full of herself to a degree that she became unlikable for me. She just frustrated me the entire time, her arrogance was too much. And the MMC was... fine, I guess. He didn't really give that charisma that he was supposed to have. Overall, it didn't bring something fresh to the genre that I was hoping it would.

OMG I don’t even know what to say. This book left me with so many mixed emotions. I actually finished it days ago and have been just waiting to calm down before posting a review. It was an incredible story and I absolutely loved it but also… it left me seething. The betrayal but maybe misunderstanding??? I don’t know. What I do know is book 2 will likely rip my soul in half and I’m obviously here for it.

Magic, dragons, strong FMC, a fight for the throne, feminine goddess worship, an intense love, betrayal and a blood oath… so many good things ❤️‍🔥♥️