If I could give A Fate Forged in Fire a million stars I would. I have a feeling this is going to be a hot hot book next summer, it's BEYOND incredible!

Think Game of Thrones x Reign x Scottish Fantasy. Clash of Clans. It has intricate world building which so many books seem to be missing these days.

Our FMC Aemyra and her twin brother have been hiding in plain site for years until it was time for her to reclaim her throne. They both have fire magic (the magic system Hazel McBride has created is really neat as there are others with magic that control different elements). Those with magic also usually bond with creatures, and Aemyra is hoping to claim a dragon for herself as there are pretty much none left.

After things don't go according to plan, she ends up needing to form an alliance with Prince Fiorean (whose father/brother currently sits on the throne). Their banter is everything and I loved seeing their relationship develop. There's also some great *spice*.

I don't want to give too much away but I love that Hazel McBride isn't afraid of battles filled with gore and executions. Definitely check the trigger warnings before reading this book!

It ends on a cliffhanger and I am truly dying to get the next book.

FIVE FREAKING STARS.

This book had me hooked from the start. From literally page 1, I wanted to know more about Aemyra and her journey. She is strong and determined to fight for her birthright.

I do suggest reading the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book as there are very dark topics.

Pick up this book now.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. finally, a dragon romantasy that i LOVED. this was so intricate, with such an interesting love interest? i loved its exploration of misogyny and religion’s role in power (or lack thereof). and ofc i loved Hot Dragon Boy, as i love all my Hot Dragon Boys. I NEED BOOK 2.

There were so many things I loved about this book. First of all, can we talk about the House of the Dragon vibes? Because I very much enjoyed the House of the Dragon vibes. I am sure any girl who loves fantasy, dragons and a zesty red-hot heroine will also love this story.

Let's start with the things that were not my favorite first:
1) I wasn't a huge fan of the love story. I felt their feelings for each other were mostly surface level and they were merely strongly attracted to each other because they saw parts of themselves in the other they could empathize with. I would have liked to see more emotional growth before they really started to accept their relationship. Especially considering Aemyra's predicaments at that time, I find she started giving in to him too quickly. I think it would have made more sense if she begun to reciprocate her confusing feelings just a little bit later on.
2) There was a period near the beginning where I felt myself getting a bit detached from the story/characters and I found it difficult to try to get to read it further, but I pushed through that area and quickly found myself unable to drop it afterwards.
3) I would have liked to know a little more about Aemyra's family tree to try to understand who is kin vs who is not. At one point I thought Aemyra was directly related to her love interest.

Now onto the things I loved:
1) Aemyra as a the female heroine was a badass! I loved her sassy, fiery nature and felt myself laughing out loud a few times at some of her retorts (which I found pretty clever for a few of them). She was an interesting character that was by no means perfect and had enough faults of her own to keep her working towards her end goal. You couldn't help but cheer for her success.
2) I could NOT stop reading this once I hit a certain point of the plot. I had to know what would happen next.
3) I loved the parallels and allegories in reference to current modern themes, politics and religious dogma and how easily a society can easily succumb to corruption behind those in power.
4) The dragons and their stories/personalities was an obvious hit for me as well

I always purchase copies of the ARCs I enjoy best and this one will be no different. Can't wait to see what happens in the next installment.

4.5/5

She wants the throne, they want her submission.

This book is full of emotional ups and downs. Aemyra is a future queen in hiding and when the king dies she makes a play for the throne. Fiorean is a prince bonded to a dragon that gets in her way.

This book sucked me in right away. It is an easy read (aside from the Gaelic words that I had to look up occasionally) and relatively short. There’s enough character backstory without it becoming boring before the real story kicks off. The author has a good writing style which maintains a fast pace without excluding necessary details.

The religious theme and some of Aemyra’s sexual preferences made me uncomfortable and almost ruined the book for me at times. However, I continued reading as the character tension was delicious and DRAGONS. Who doesn’t love a strong FMC and super strong dragons fighting against oppression?!

If you like Fourth Wing or SJMaas, this book is for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride is a refreshing dive into fantasy, filled with vivid world-building, intense magic, and a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Aemyra’s journey is captivating; she’s fierce, flawed, and constantly evolving, making her feel incredibly real. The author’s writing style is richly descriptive, pulling readers into every setting and conflict, while the pacing keeps things fresh and intense. What I loved most was the balance of action, character development, and a beautifully crafted slow-burn romance that added depth to the plot without overshadowing it.

The world is easy to get lost in, with every detail serving to enrich the plot and Aemyra’s personal growth. The writing is straightforward yet emotive, making it a great pick for readers who appreciate well-built fantasy worlds and characters with emotional layers. There’s a smooth flow that makes this a great read for both fantasy lovers and those dipping their toes into the genre.

The pacing in the beginning is a bit on the slow side, which allows for deeper world-building but might feel a little drawn-out for those who prefer a quick start. Also, while the side characters are interesting, a bit more depth would have added an extra layer to Aemyra’s relationships and motivations.

Fate Forged in Fire ignites with passion, power, and a heroine who burns brighter than her challenges—a mesmerizing must-read for every fantasy lover.


Overall, this is a stellar start to what promises to be an engaging series. I’d give it a strong 4.5 stars and definitely look forward to continuing the series!

4.5⭐️
2.5🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of this e-arc!

Wow! What a journey this book took you on!

A Fate Forged in Fire is book 1 of a dulogy that centers around Aemyra, the hidden female heir to Tir Tiene, a matriarchal society where woman were rulers. However, after a century of male only heirs being born, it has slowly fallen away from worshipping their goddesses and instead the True Religion has seized an opportunity for power and to suppress woman from every angle.

Once the current king dies, it is on Aemyra to step out of the shadows and make herself known as the true born female heir to the throne. The royal family and the True Religion leaders however will not allow her to claim what’s rightly hers. Forced to deal with one of her greatest enemies but undeniable attraction to, Fiorean, Prince of Tir Tiene, Aemyra must fight for her birthright and her budding feelings for the deadly prince.

Warning 🚫: I do suggest reading the Author’s Note for the trigger warnings. There are topics in the book that are dark and may be triggering for some.

When I saw this come up on NetGalley, after reading the blurb, I knew it was going to be right up my alley. It’s such a new and unique world for a fantasy romance book. The magic system is different and the various clans, families, etc. just bring an overall intrigue to the reader. I will say, it took a bit to get used to all the Scottish stylings and culture influence as someone who isn’t overly aware of them to begin with. I do feel like the author does well explaining things without it feeling like she’s explaining it.

I read this book in 24 hours. From the very beginning it brings you right into the heart of the story. It took directions I didn’t see coming and other parts I was able to predict, but I like the mix of those 2 things.

The spice 🌶️🌶️ is slow burn but pays off in a big way! It didn’t take away from the plot but added to the story I felt.

Story does end on a cliffhanger.

I’m only so sad that I got this e-arc so early before the release because now it means it’s going to feel like FOREVER before book 2 comes out 😭 just kidding, I am so happy to have received this arc! But I will definitely be reading book 2!

I should start by saying that I prefer fantasy with a touch of romance that forwards the plot rather than romantasy books that are heavy on spice content and low on plot, but I just could not resist the dragon cover on this novel and so wanted to give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised that the author devoted quite a bit of the start of the book to build up a story and even a plausible enemies to lovers subplot before sliding into the spicier content. We get to know Aemyra, get a sense of the political condition of Tìr Teine, and we get to see the relationship with dragons before Prince Fiorean and Aemyra's relationship moves beyond adversarial. Now for those who are fans of romantasy that is spiced from beginning to end, there is an actual story being developed here, so you may be disappointed. I, however, am curious how Aemyra overcomes the circumstances at the end of this book and can't wait to read the sequel. (3.5/5)
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.