I finished this one a couple of days ago, and I still haven't stopped thinking about this book. There was so much that I liked about it –
✨ the Bonding concept and dragons
✨ the worldbuilding
✨ the magic
✨ political intrigue
✨ slow-burn enemies to lovers

BUT it took me a bit to get into it. There was a lot to explain in the first part, and the pacing was choppy. That being said, I really loved the ending, I'm gutted by the heart-wrenching finale and I CANNOT wait to finish this duology.

I highly recommend for romantasy fans of LJ Andrews, Jennifer Armentrout, Fourth Wing, and Nisha J Tuli. Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book.

Hazel McBride’s A Fate Forged in Fire delivers an engaging blend of Celtic-inspired magic, court intrigue, and fiery romance. Aemyra’s journey from hidden heir to potential queen is filled with high stakes, dynamic relationships, and the simmering tension of an enemies-to-lovers romance with the formidable Prince Fiorean. With dragons, fire magic, and themes of rebellion and resilience, this story sets the stage for an exciting continuation in the next book!

This novel is giving Throne of Glass meets House of the Dragon, but with its own unique twist. Our main character, Aemyra, is young and complex - the kind that has you cheering one moment and yelling at your book the next. Add in a slightly spicy enemies-to-lovers romance, deep dives into religious and political intrigue, and of course, dragons that you bond with. It’s a great read!

Fair warning: the Gaelic terms took some getting used to, but once I found my footing in this richly crafted world, I couldn’t put it down. Also it has a BRUTAL cliffhanger ending that has me impatiently waiting for book two!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this gem!

Right from the start, the story dives into high stakes for Aemyra and the kingdom of Tir Teine. A toxic influence looms in the form of the True Religion—a patriarchal group that condemns magic and relegates women to little more than childbearers. As one of the last bastions of worship for the goddesses, Tir Teine faces growing unrest, and the tension is palpable from the first page.

Aemyra is fierce, headstrong, and unapologetically ambitious—she’s spent her life secretly preparing to claim her throne and isn’t afraid to stand her ground. Her fiery personality clashes perfectly with the equally stubborn Prince Fiorean, making their interactions crackle with tension and chemistry.

This story never slows down—it’s packed with action, romantic drama, mythical creatures, and the sinister pull of a dangerous cult. There’s truly something for every reader here.

And that ending? Heart-wrenching! I need the next installment immediately!

Aemyra is a queen in disguise biding her time to return to power. Through her quest she finds love and heartache. This book has so many romantasy winners- a slow burn, enemies to lovers, dragons, and a FMC that fights for equal rights.

Overall, I liked the ending of this book enough to want to read the next, so, that helped it earn three stars.

I very much struggled through the first half of this book. The world building was tough, especially with so many Celtic words throughout. I wish I had known about the Pronunciation Guide but it was at the back and I didn't know it existed until the end. Maybe that would have helped.

I enjoyed the enemies to lovers thread, and the women's rights thread throughout. I also enjoyed that the FMC was strong, while also being naive.

I didn't find myself connecting to the characters or truly understand what was happening until the second half of the book. I enjoyed that I didn't really feel like I had anything figured out at the end, especially with that cliffhanger. I will try the next one to see where it goes.

You will be hooked by the dedication alone. This book is filled with female empowerment, and I am here for it. Without a female heir in centuries, the true religion believers are looking to gain power. When Aemyra, the daughter of a blacksmith, comes out of hiding to show her true identity as the first female heir in centuries to rightfully take her place on the throne, things get messy. This book is filled with betrayal, secrets, and celtic myths.

I highly highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good fantasy read filled with lore, dragons, heartbreak, and easy world building. This was such an incredibly fast paced read, and I am already itching for the second book in the duology. It is a must read for 2025!

Ooh, I’m a sucker for a good dragon story. And this one started out strong. Good story telling and an interesting plotline. Hazel McBride offered up an interesting tale that drew me in to Tir Teine. While I did feel as though she had a few plot holes or plot jumps that left out important details, I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and hope to find answers as the series continues. The first book of her new series has me adding book #2 to my watch list as a TBR.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

🔥 5 stars? Nah. This book deserves a kingdom, a crown, and a fire-breathing dragon to shout its praises. 🔥

Guys, A Fate Forged in Fire isn’t just a book—it’s an experience. Hazel McBride crafted a Celtic-inspired world so vivid that you’ll feel the heat of Aemyra’s fire magic and practically smell the dragon smoke. The passion? The depth? The SCOTTISH ROOTS? Absolute perfection. It’s like fantasy romance leveled up and then set the bar on fire.

✨ The Plot:
This isn’t just fast-paced—it’s a dragon flying at you full speed while you try to dodge fiery twists. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out? NOPE. Plot twist out of nowhere. Hazel McBride plays 4D chess while we’re still trying to play checkers, and honestly, I loved every chaotic second.

🔥 The Romance:
This is REAL enemies-to-lovers. None of that cutesy banter—it’s full-on “I’m plotting your demise” hatred turned “I will burn the world for you” passion. Fiorean? I hated him. Like, frothing-at-the-mouth levels of hate. He’s arrogant, cold, and infuriatingly loyal to his awful family. But somehow… SOMEHOW… I fell for him. Hard. And just when I started shipping him and Aemyra? Hazel McBride snatched my soul and smashed it into pieces.

💀 The Ending:
Cliffhanger. Agony. Absolute despair. Imagine dangling off a cliff, barely holding on, while a dragon circles above. That’s where this book leaves you. I’m not okay. None of us will be okay. But the pain? It’s worth it.

This book put me in a reading slump while I was reading it. Nothing compares. Forget Fourth Wing—this book is hotter, messier, and way more addictive. If you love dragons, fire magic, court politics, and romance that will incinerate your soul, you need this book like you need oxygen.

Now go read it so we can all scream into the void together while we wait for book two. 🐉🔥

“A Fate Forged in Fire” by Hazel McBride is a fast-paced, fiery romance that sweeps you into a world of political intrigue, magic, and dragons. From the very first page, I was hooked! McBride knows how to keep the action coming, and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Aemyra and Prince Fiorean is electric.

Readers are introduced to Aemyra, the rightful heir to the matriarchal throne. Aemyra is a protagonist you root for - flaws and all. She’s strong, determined, bratty at times, and skillful in her craft—but she’s not perfect. Her decision-making sometimes left me shaking my head. But isn’t that what makes a character human? Watching her grow and navigate the dangers of court life kept me turning pages late into the night (I mean, come on...a marriage of convenience?! Only one of my favorite types of tropes...)

The world-building here is rich and steeped in Celtic-inspired lore. I am living my dragon era and this book - with dragon riders, magic, and anti-magic villains - came in hot, while the political scheming is layered without being overwhelming (I was truly loathing some of Fiorean’s family members). Fans of “House of the Dragon" will recognize some nods to royal intrigue, but this story carves out its own space in the genre.

That said, the book isn’t without its imperfections. There were moments where Aemyra’s choices were so frustrating - I wanted to chuck my Kindle across the room. I would have loved even deeper dives into the relationships and magic system. But these are minor critiques in a story that delivers so much excitement, heart, and drama.

If you’re looking for a romantasy that’s high on stakes and packed with fiery chemistry, “A Fate Forged in Fire" deserves a spot on your shelf. After THAT ending, I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel to see where McBride takes Aemyra and Fiorean next!

[Thank you to NetGalley, Hazel McBride, and Random House Publishing for providing me with an eARC of “A Fate Forged in Fire”; I am providing a voluntary and honest review.]

Had hoped for more with this one, especially with the beautiful cover. Instead I found myself not very engaged with the plot and bored within a few chapters. Didn’t end up finishing.

Such a wild ride! I also love the title and cover for this book. Amazing. Right up my alley as well. I will certainly be buying a copy of the book once it comes out! Thank you for the early copy!

I’m going to be honest, this was a DNF for me. I tried to get into it but the plot seemed pretty complicated and convicted and all the names were tricky to keep track of. Had good potential but I just couldn’t get into it!

The beginning of this book started out really strong for me! I thought Aemyra was different, the story started out strong right away, it gave just enough information to understand the plot, characters, magic system, and world building while keeping you intrigued and excited to learn more. Once I started nearing the 50% mark is where things started to lose me. While I can appreciate Aemyra and Fiorean staying enemies to past that point and not succumbing to insta-love, I had a really hard time finding him attractive and rooting for their apparent relationship at all. I also struggled with Aemyra after a certain point because as the book progressed, i found a lack of development from her character. She was arrogant, entitled, and hypocritical (the way their people believe in women and goddesses and then the remarks she says about women of an opposing bloodline did not sit right.) There was also a scene that happened around the 50% mark that I do not believe was necessary and while the book provided trigger warnings, I really just could not find the motivation to want to pick it up again.

There are a lot of aspects that seem promising and I can tell people will really enjoy this story! I just don’t think it’s for me.

This book was a bit shallow for me. Not enough world building and not enough character depth. I suspect I'm a little older than the target audience, so likely I'm just not the right person for the book.

Thank you for the ARC. This is my first book under this author and my first ARC and I couldn't have asked for a better start. This book recharged my feminine rage and gave it meaning. This book really made me think and I'm still thinking about it to this day. Incredibly well written. Loved the conflict and anger and it represents how I feel as a women in this current day. This will be powerful when it comes out next year and will pick up a physical copy.

To preface, I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Ballantine Books and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this novel prior to the release date!!

Our female main lead, Aemyra, is every bit a Celtic bad-ass you want in your fiery redheads. She is a woman who cannot be tamed, and it was very fun to live vicariously through her. Her counterpart, Fiorean, brought an intensity to the field that made for a slow-burn I was reluctant to put down. The description of the world was exquisite, and it was very easy for me to get to know our characters. Some of them aren't the smartest of the bunch, but that's why we love the, isn't it?

I can see this book being one of the big releases of 2025! I do urge to you ensure you've read any content warnings prior to reading. I wouldn't say there was anything over the top, and it's passed by quickly.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for letting me read A Fate Forged in Fire. I wanted to like this more than I did. The plot and world-building were fantastic, but the main character was not an enjoyable head to journey around with. I think she’s supposed to be angry and righteous, but what she ultimately comes around as is just mean, with or without provocation.

Firstly, thank you NetGalley and Random House for the e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED this! By far the best fantasy romance I've read this year.

I flew through this book in a couple of days (and the last 70% in one sitting). The writing is excellent, as is the pacing. So much happens and there was never a dull moment.

The FMC is a badass and the MMC is very Aemond Targaryan coded in the best way. All the characters are fleshed out and their motivations clearly understood.

I cannot wait for book 2!! Definitely pick this up if any of the following interest you.

- Elemental magic
- Political intrigue
- Religious zealots
- Enemies to lovers
- Dragons

This book started off very slow, but it got better and better as it went on.
I realized this would be a cliff hanger at about 60% and I while I dislike cliff hangers, I am excited for the next book.

This was not as "adult" as I assumed it would be but it was still very good.

thank you for the opportunity to read this.

There are no words to do this book justice except five GLOWING stars. 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the book I’ve been searching for. It is a COMPLEX action packed romantasy-ish(I wouldn’t say fully romantasy) book.

I instantly felt a connection to the FMC the likes of which I haven’t felt since reading the Throne of Glass series. She is real and far from perfect, but fierce and loyal.

Just do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP. You will NOT regret it.

The biggest thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading an ARC.