The world building of this book took some time getting used to, especially with the Celtic mythology. Once you get past that, it’s an entertaining fantasy read.

The tension between Aemyra and Fiorean was definitely the highlight of this book. They’re truly enemies to lovers. It had a great balance between attraction, hatred, and of course longing.

The political aspect made this book intriguing, along with the magic systems in place. Hopefully the bonds between the dragon and rider will be further explained and deepened. I’m looking forward to more world building in the second book.

If you’re wanting a fantasy with dragons, betrayal, and romance then this will be good for you!

-Romantasy
-Enemies to Lovers
-Slow Burn
-Dragons
-Single POV

Thank You to NetGalley, Hazel McBride, and Random House Publishing for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to rate this 5 stars by the middle of the book, as much as the beginning plot took awhile to speed up (and the FMC was truly an asshole for a good chunk of the beginning of the book). The romance in the middle ESPECIALLY made me want to rate it 5 stars, their UST to RST was sooooo full of tension and so hot.

And then the major plot twist of the end hit me in the face, and I was back to 4 stars. :/ Also there’s an attempted, almost completed, sexual assault/torture scene upon the FMC near the end of the book that I was very much not prepared for (and didn’t appreciate).

My kingdom for a romantasy book that doesn’t rely on a 3rd act romance betrayal (or attempted sexual assault!). Literally any other character can be involved in the betrayal, I just don’t want it to be part of the romance plot. :/ and I would love to not have sexual assault in my romantasy books.

Will I be reading the rest of this series? Probably, just to find out how things get resolved. Do I have high hopes that this romance doesn’t end in tragedy? Not really. :/

“Aemyra had been forged in fire, but a queen would rise from the ashes”

Rating: 3.5
Spice level: 2.5

Read if you like:
⋆ Hidden Heir
⋆ Enemies to Lovers
⋆ Slow-burn

A Fate Forged in Fire is a betrayal filled romantasy with an amazing new book boyfriend, and DRAGONS. (Did I mention dragons?) It combined both the vibes of my favorite book series and show: Throne of Glass and Game of Thrones (House of Dragon)!!
While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I do believe the ending was a bit slow near the 80% mark, however picked back up after a chapter or two and I could not put it down! As well as the fantasy aspect was a little lacking, I wish we had more in depth descriptions on how the magic system worked and the world.

Thank you to Net galley & the author for the ARC <3

This book is written well, it kept me engaged for the most part. The middle dragged a little, but the ending made up for it.

This romantasy book has everything that I hope for as a reader, from action packed adventure, to an intense slow burn romance, and a feisty FMC. The banter between the main characters is hilarious and creates a real connection and attachment to them. I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and this book did not disappoint. It contained a lot of the cliche tropes that I'd expect to see in a romantasy book, but the author really made it their own and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Thank you so much for this review copy, I'd highly recommend A Fate Forged in Fire to anyone looking for a good romantasy read!

3.5
House of the Dragon meets The Legend of Korra… let me explain.
A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride is the story about a girl named Aemyra living in a world that values a matriarchal rule, but has lacked a female ruler for over 100 years. Aemyra is the daughter of an outcasted prince who attempted a failed coup onto the throne. Now, with her father’s help, she is thrust into a bid for the throne as the only female decedent born in decades. Her rule being contested by a drunken king, and his scarred younger brother with eyes for her.
In this world, there are magic wielding element benders called “Duileach”—of which Aemyra wields fire. Beyond the use of elemental bending, this reminded me a lot of the Legend of Korra (namely season one) because there is a battle of beliefs brewing in the background. We have the Duileach (benders) using their magic, while the “True Religion” (non benders) argue that there is a divide in power amongst the people. We have a villain, Athair Alfred who sort of acts as Amon in this story, but is not the founder of this religion. Beyond this, it doesn’t hit too much in the classism between Duileach vs non-Duileach as much as The Legend of Korra did, but the divide reminded me of that.
As for House of the Dragon, we have the character of a young man becoming king on the curtails of his father’s deteriorating mental health. He is introduced as a drunk, reluctant to rule the throne, but begins to display the same madness as his father, which gave me King Aegon vibes. His younger scarred brother who is way more competent gives Aemond/Deamon energy. And our MFC Aemyra is a mix of Rhaenyra and Rhaenys. Sprinkle in some Alicent, Criston Cole, and Otto for the secondary cast. There are also dragons presented in this book as well, though their bond with their rider is not as present as something like “Fourth Wing” for people who are looking for the talking dragons.
The story follows Aemyra’s fight for the crown as the rightful heir, where she must maneuver the inner workings of this court that she is not accustomed with, whilst fighting off the growing influence of the “New Religion”.
The rest of this review will discuss my thoughts and the shortcomings of this novel, but will be going into spoiler territory, so please yeet yourself out of here if you don’t want to be spoiled.
Aemyra, and most of the people of her land, follow the religion of “The Goddesses”, while a new religion is on the rise to combat this. The “True Religion” is run by a group of “Chosen Priests” that have entered the royal family and turned them against the matriarchal beliefs of the Goddesses. I really enjoyed this idea of the book, but I do have to admit that it felt a bit underutilized. We don’t have information on what the common folk think of the Duileach. We don’t really understand why the True Religion is fighting against the ways of the Goddesses, nor do we get an idea of what each religion sanctions or scrutinizes. We never really see a juxtaposition between these two waring ideals, which was a shame.
We are introduced to elemental magic, but we don’t have a chance to really see it flourish in this world until the very end. We even have a cast of characters that have sworn fealty to Ameyra by way of her father banding them together, but we never see them until the end of the story, practically in one line delivery. This would have been a great opportunity to do some found family narrative, but because we separate Aemyra from her brother and father, we never see these people really caring for her. Why are they fighting for her beyond the fact that she is a woman and rightful heir to the throne? They don’t know her—her father chose them, so there is no connection between her and them.
Aemyra is separated from her brother and father and sent to the court where she’s forced to marry Fiorean. During her time there, she rarely attempts escape, rarely thinks about her brother or father, and doesn’t show any interest in ruling the kingdom beyond it being her birthright. She doesn’t really stand up against their rule, the encroaching believes of the New Religion, or show the audience that she will be a good ruler. She is more focused on her annoyances towards Fiorean, and being followed by the family. A partial ‘whodunnit’ plot is given to us when their heirs to the throne mysteriously turn up poisoned, but Aemyra isn’t actively trying to solve who is trying to kill these kids. We have her bond with the only female dragon that has been in hiding for decades, but then proceed to never see said dragon because we need Aemyra in the court, helpless to fight back. Though I enjoyed the way the forced marriage was presented, I fear this plot line took away from the importance of showing Aemyra being a competent ruler.
Her trust in Fiorean does seem a bit abrupt. I think we should have seen more of Aemyra’s compassion for the common folk, her ability to solve political strive and issues from within, and showcase her ability to outperform the current monarchy in ruling this kingdom. It should have been evident to everyone around, the Aemyra is the better ruler because of the person that she is, not because she’s the prophesized woman. It really devalues her as a character, and devalues Fiorean’s affections for her, when he starts to inevitably fall for her. When she eventually meets back up with her father and gang, with Fiorean, they question her ability to rule considering she’s put trust into her enemy. She meets this apprehension with an abrasive attitude saying things like “Am I not your queen?” or “I am the queen”, rather than showing humility and admitting that they haven’t seen her for half of the book and understanding their concern, but assuring them that she is in control.
Because we wanted to build a relationship with Fiorean via forced marriage, we were robbed of storylines like 1.) Aemyra being a leader amongst a rag tag group, 2.) her navigating her father’s overreach of undermining her decision making, 3.) the issues these opposing religions are causing the common folk, 4.) her use of her fire magic, and 5.) her bond and relationship with her dragon. I feel as this book should have been book 2 in the series, and the 5 points above should have been book 1. We will see how McBride furthers the plot of this land in the continuation, but it did seem a bit surface level in this one. We need more backstory on these religions, we need to see more struggles that are being caused by these waring religions to the people of this kingdom, and we need to seed Aemyra being a better ruler to those around her.
Thank you to author Hazel McBride, the publishing company, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC!

A Fate Forged in Fire, the anticipated romantasy by Hazel McBride, delivers a thick tapestry of world-building and a passionate enemies-to-lovers trope, albeit with a rocky start. The novel enchants with its Celtic mythology influences, dragons, and a hidden heir trope, capturing fans of intricate fantasy worlds. The pacing is initially sluggish, which can be challenging for readers eager to dive into action and emotion. However, perseverance is rewarded as the narrative picks up momentum midway, drawing readers deeper into its intrigue-laden plot and character dynamics.

Aemyra, the fiery female protagonist, annoyed me quite a bit. I was exasperated with her as often as I admired her. She struggles to assert herself and figure out the basis for her leadership besides her father saying she is supposed to be queen. For me, it left her feeling entitled, but that was more dispelled later on as her character had more time to develop. Her chemistry with Fiorean, the mysterious and emotionally scarred love interest, adds layers to the narrative, offering moments of intense connection amidst the broader political and magical turmoil. I loved the true enemies-to-lovers aspect of their relationship; I feel like so often in romantasy, that trope gets used for people who kinda don't like each other, but that is not the case here. For me, that was really satisfying.

The story flourishes in its vibrant matriarchal society setting and well-crafted mythos. As someone who loves Celtic history and culture, it was a treat to feel so immersed in this world. The worldbuilding was impressive, if occasionally convoluted. It also didn't help that I had just read Onyx Storm before this and struggled to keep the dragon lore separate between the two!

As a side note, the cliffhanger for this book had me wishing I could throw it across the room. Hazel McBride, that was cruel and unusual punishment and I want the next one now.

This debut was fantastic. The queen of fantasy is here. This book did not disappoint, you need to pick it up!

3.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an eArc of A Fate Forged in Fire.

A Fate Forged in Fire is Celtic inspired fantasy romance. The story follows Aemyra (FMC), a blacksmith with fire magic, determined to reclaim her kingdom. However has to work with her enemy Price Fiorean after some complications with her plan. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Aemyra and Fiorean is definitely one of the highlights of the book, though it takes time to truly develop.

The world-building was okay and a tad bit confusing. However as the story progressed, the world and its rules became clearer, making it easier to get immersed in the plot.
This a slow slow burn and I enjoyed the tension between the characters. Some parts of the book I felt had unnecessary filler info. The inclusion of dragons and the complex societal conflicts (with a goddess-worshipping culture vs. a patriarchal religion) added a lot of depth to the world.

Despite these issues, I’m intrigued enough to continue the series and see where it goes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5⭐️

A Fate Forged in Fire is a fast-paced story with similarities to Throne of Glass, Fourth Wing, and Game of Thrones that will surely be a hit in the Romantasy genre.

Aemyra is a princess in hiding who emerges at the death of the king to claim the throne as the rightful queen, the first female born in centuries to a royal line in which the throne is passed to the female heirs. The story follows her play for the throne and is filled with political intrigue, magic, enemies to lovers romance, and a dash of dragons.

At the risk of potential spoilers, I will add that after finishing the story I learned this was initially a HotD fanfiction that was picked up by a trad publisher and transformed into an original story. However, I read the book without this knowledge, nor have I watched the show, so it has not impacted my review.

While I did enjoy parts of the story, overall it fell a little flat for me. I’m sure many readers will appreciate the fast-paced nature of the book, but to me the story (both plot and romance) felt rushed. A lot of the decisions made by the main characters were rash in an attempt to keep the story moving quickly. I mean, in what world would it make any sense for someone to willingly give their enemy and captive a weapon? The book itself is not too long, so I wish that the background and characters could have been fleshed out more.

The world building in the beginning was quite clunky, but it did smooth out as the story progressed. I enjoyed learning about the clans and the world, and I appreciate the authors efforts to keep the Scottish-Gaelic inspired names as accurate as possible. The pronunciation guide was helpful (though I regrettably did not see it in the back until I was already part way through), but I wish I had the audiobook for this one!

One of my main gripes with this book was the heavy-handed feminist themes. It was disorienting to both be in a fantastical world in which the nation is historically a matriarchal society, and yet the women are somehow also oppressed. Every “bad guy” (aka followers of the True Religion) were laughably simple with no depth and just spewed repetitive misogynistic rhetoric (some variations of “a women’s role is through her womb”). While I do think politics has its place in literature, in this instance it felt extremely forced in its execution which took me out of the story. The book touched some on the fearmongering of the powerless populations against the Duileach magic wielders, which was much more believable and intriguing.

I do look forward to the sequel, as the ending does leave potential for an interesting continuation of the saga. I’m confident that this will be a hit for many people, and my critiques for the story may be pros for other readers!

Mixed feelings on this! It was a lot & fast paced but I’m still interested enough to read the next book

Thanks to NetGalley & Delacorte Press for an eARC! Review and opinion are honest and my own

Thank you to Random House Publishing for providing this ebook ARC through Net Galley. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the world building in this story as it is Celtic inspired and would have liked to know more about the other clans as most of the story focuses on one clan. I also liked the magic system. In this Kingdom there are multiple clans and each clan has its own form of magic such as earth, wind, fire and water magic. And people can bond with animals, including dragons, and it amplifies their magic which I thought was really interesting. If you enjoy a story with dragons, political intrigue, female rage, and enemies to lovers I think you will like this book.

Thank you again for giving me the chance to read this ARC.

I feel like it fell short in my opinion. I had no trouble going into this story, the world building was great and the characters were building up to be amazing. However it just felt as the story after 30% through wasnt hitting anymore. It felt dragged and the FMC i guess wasnt my type of girl. She was childish and very annoying. However on a positive note; the world building really was good and the politics was intriguing espcially the dragons.

The beginning really reels you in however, I couldnt keep reading unfortunately.

If anything i might try again when the release date comes, but im not a big fan.

This book caught my attention becuase of it Celtic-inspired world, Gaelic culture, and a setting that seems mystical and deeply rooted in history. The mix of elemental magic, political intrigue and rebellion makes for a captivating and absorbing read.

We follow Aemyra, who has remained hidden since birth to protect herself from those who stole her family's throne. Now, she is determined to reclaim her rightful place as queen of Tir Teine, a kingdom suffering under the rule of the oppressive True Religion, a group that demonizes magic. Aemyra is a force to be reckoned with, but I have to admit that she starts out a bit insufferable. Her stubbornness and impulsiveness made it difficult to connect with her at first, but as the story unfolds, so does her depth, vulnerability, and undeniable strength.

I loved the relationship between Aemyra and Fiorean. Their tension crackles with intensity, and their dynamic is full of biting banter, knife-edge moments, and a slow-burning chemistry.

The world-building is intricate, with Scottish cultural elements, a complex political landscape, and a magic system that is as dangerous as it is fascinating. While the beginning can be a bit dense with the amount of detail, the story moves along quickly and leads to an action-packed, emotionally charged narrative.

Thank you so much for the ARC!!!

So much happens in this book, it felt like a whirlwind. It contains everything a fantasy lover needs: dragons, action, magic, political intrigue, he falls first, and betrayal. Aemyra is the only female born to her clan in a hundred years, which makes her the heir apparent. Except the current ruling family doesn't know this. So when the king dies and Aemyra attempts to peacefully take the throne, things go horribly awry. She is left playing a game that she is ill-prepared for. Aemyra must navigate her father's oversight, her love for her people, her desire for a peaceful kingdom, and her drive to protect her kingdom, particularly the magic wielders and women, from the religious cult threatening to take over the land.

However, because so much happens, it felt like there was a bunch of big build ups of tension that were just released anticlimactically. I was surprised about how much happened in this book. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing and it didn't feel too rushed either. I did feel the same way about Mistborn too and just like that book, I am anxious to learn what happens next for our characters.

I think this book might take off once it releases because of the aforementioned elements. I really enjoyed this one and am anxiously awaiting the sequel!

Review goes live April 21

“To the little girls who were told to put their fires out. Burn them all to the f*cking ground”

I finished this book yesterday and can't stop thinking about it. I needed time to gather my thoughts because by 20% in, I knew this was already a 5-star read for me. I loved every single thing about this book, and I am genuinely unwell after finishing it. This was written so perfectly, and I was immediately hooked and unable to put this down. I need book 2 ASAP and I will beg the NetGalley gods to be an ARC reader for it as well.

“Even without your magic, you burn like wildfire. Before I knew who you were, I could see that. It is not your magic, or your blood, that makes you the right ruler for Tir Teine. It is your heart”

Our FMC, Aemyra, isn't the typical heroine from my romantasy books who must learn to embrace their power...she is bad*ss right out the gate working in a forge creating the best weapons in the kingdom. She is witty and has a mouth on her, fearing nothing and no one. She also likes to start fights and cause trouble, challenging authority and standing up for what she believes in.

“The world is already on fire, Aemyra. We don’t need you burning anything else down”

Aemyra knows who she is and knows what power she possesses but is forced into hiding for 10 years while plans are in motion to reveal her lineage. She is a true queen and the rightful heir to the throne, blessed by the goddesses that are worshipped in this world. Her whole life she has been close to the goddesses, offering prayers and seeing signs that she is on the right path to her fate. She wants to protect the people of Tit Teine and realign them with the ways of the goddesses without fear and oppression. The people know her, and they see the signs that she is goddess blessed when she publicly declares her claim to the throne at the temple of the goddesses as the priestesses all swear allegiance to the true queen.

“Brigid gifted me for a reason, and I will fight with flame and steel for what is rightfully mine”

When the previous king dies and his alcoholic, slightly mad son Evander is set to take over as king and bond to his dragon, a temporary truce is struck between the 2 heirs once she declared her intent until it is settled. Prince Fiorean, our MMC, is bonded to the other dragon that controls the kingdom, and Aemyra's father is bonded to the third who lost the last battle in an attempt to overthrow the previous king. She wants a dragon of her own more than anything, and the one that was bonded to the previous king is who she had her sights on, not knowing that he was already going to be bonded to his son. Even without her own dragon, she is still more powerful than most with her goddess blessed magic, and she might just get what she wants.

In this world, half of the people follow the old ways of the goddesses where matriarchy rules and women have power. The other half of the people follow the True Religion and are called the Covenanters who are embraced by the previous king and his family. They are slowly trying to infiltrate the world and remove temples for the goddesses and build their own while forcing people to convert via torture, prison, and other horrific acts that made my stomach churn. As they slither their way into the courts and into the people, it is a fight for the two religions as well as the two claims to the throne. When Aemyra's plans get thwarted and she can’t instantly take the crown despite her title and blood, she gets kidnapped and forced into marriage with Fiorean. Evander officially gets crowned king, and her army is now controlled by her father while she works from the inside to find a way to claim her throne. Of course, Fiorean isn't just the brute and murderer who also tried to kill her, and our true enemies become lovers in the most epic, spicy, brilliant way. Aemyra endures so much in her castle prison, and the True Religion does horrendous acts that made me cry and feel all of the rage that she felt. I felt this so intensely, and this book was very emotionally heavy at some parts with feminine rage on full blast.

‘Weak men would rather guilt strong women than become strong themselves, and Aemyra was content to show them what strength truly looked like”

As Fiorean's new wife, she acts the part as princess despite being truly a queen, and he protects her fiercely as he starts to see what she sees and how corrupt the court really is. He sees how the True Religion treated her and other women and explains how they took over in other lands. Secrets and truths unravel, and alliances are formed. They begin to plot together as they see Evander lose his mind more and more, going mad like the previous king, and they realize that they want the same for their people.

"It took her a minute to understand that his touch was setting her skin alight without the help of his gifts. It burned through her like a fever, incinerating what was left of her hatred for him"

As armies clash, dragons fight, and wars are waged within palace walls, the plot will continuously have you in a chokehold and you'll be on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next. The spice between Aemyra and Fiorean was elite. I had a million things highlighted from this masterpiece, but below are my faves:

“I don’t need you to play nice. I want you exactly how you are. A scarred, dangerous dragon rider who isn’t afraid to play with fire”

“I can assure you…I f*ck like I fight” YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS

“So how can I be fire? If the only thing that makes me burn…is you?

“You like to get revenge” he whispered, dragging the edge of the dagger across her jaw “but I make it a f*cking art”

The world building in this book is beautiful and there is court intrigue, dragons, bad*ass FMC, forced marriage, feminine rage AF, touch her and die, and so much more to obsess over. Seriously, every single thing about this book was phenomenal and I highly recommend this to everyone. Thank you SO much NetGalley for letting me get an ARC of one of my fave reads.

Unfortunately, this title was not for me. I tried to get through it multiple times since receiving it a few months ago but decided to stop trying. I liked the premise a lot, but had a hard time becoming engaged due to clunky language and issues with being immersed into the world-building. There is a lot of dropping of proper nouns related to the world in the very first chapters and passages, without a lot of explanation of those in-world names or terms refer to, which made it feel like I was reading a different language. This can work in fantasy sometimes and help immerse a reader rather than overwhelm them with info-dumping, but to me the level with which it was done just highlighted the fact I was reading a fantasy book with no information about the world and playing a lot of guessing games to figure out what was going on language wise. I think a more balanced approach to general terms and in-world terms may have been easier for me. This also prevented me from becoming invested in the characters' journeys and caring more about the plot even when I progressed further. Since I didn't finish the book, I don't feel comfortable giving it a review online and won't be reviewing it below 2 stars here.

The world building and Gaelic words were extremely difficult for me the understand. I struggled with that and also the plot until about 50% of the book. It was boring and dragged on for too long. Halfway through is when I got hooked and needed to continue reading. The banter between Aemyra and Fiorean was fantastic and I loved the scenes with Terrea. I wish we had gotten more of her but totally understand due to the plot. I loved the take on dragon bonds and wish we had gotten more of it.

All I can say is wow!

This book did not disappoint! For one, you can't go wrong with dragons. The setting and Gaelic were interesting to me and I actually really liked Aemyra's personality. The romance between her and Fiorian seemed long to fruition but loved when it all came together. That being said, the cliffhanger at the end is KILLING me. I feel personally attacked! But that will not stop me from chomping at the bit for the next book!
Definitely a must read!!!

Thank you Netgalley for the free e-ARC of this book!

Hazel McBride's A Fate Forged in Fire presents a familiar fantasy landscape, hitting many of the genre's well-worn tropes. While it delivers on some basic expectations, it ultimately falls short of offering anything truly novel, leading to a two-star rating.

The premise itself, a hidden, powerful woman destined to reclaim her throne against a backdrop of political corruption and magical suppression, is a staple of contemporary fantasy. Aemyra, the fire-blessed blacksmith, fits comfortably into the mold of the strong, independent heroine navigating a hostile environment. Similarly, the "enemies to lovers" trope with Prince Fiorean, the arrogant dragon rider, is a predictable, though often popular, narrative arc.

The Celtic-inspired setting offers a glimmer of potential, but it feels underdeveloped. The world-building lacks depth, relying on familiar fantasy elements rather than creating a truly immersive experience. The "True Religion" and its anti-magic stance, while serving as a convenient antagonist, feel generic and lack nuance.

The romantic tension between Aemyra and Fiorean is present, but it often feels forced. Their interactions, while intended to spark chemistry, frequently come across as clichéd. The dialogue is serviceable, but it lacks the spark and wit that would elevate their relationship beyond the predictable.

The plot progresses in a straightforward manner, with little in the way of unexpected twists or turns. The political intrigue, while present, is fairly rudimentary, and the stakes never feel particularly high. The pacing is uneven, with moments of action interspersed with lengthy stretches of exposition.

Ultimately, A Fate Forged in Fire is a competent but unremarkable fantasy romance. It delivers on the basic elements of the genre, but it fails to offer anything that sets it apart. While fans of familiar fantasy tropes may find some enjoyment in its pages, those seeking a truly original and captivating story may be left wanting more. The book felt very similar to many other fantasy novels, with very little done to make it stand out.