3.5
*Mixed Feelings*

I had mixed emotions about this book. The beginning was confusing, with too much world-building that left me lost 🗺️. However, as I read on, things started to make sense, and I enjoyed the story 📖.

*Characters*

The female main character, Aemyra, was a bit too cocky for my taste 😒. However, as the story progressed, I saw a more vulnerable side of her, and I appreciated her growth 💪. Fiorean, the male lead, was complex and intriguing, but I'm still unsure about his intentions 🤔.

*Romance*

The romance was a slow burn, with a delicious enemies-to-lovers trope 🔥. However, the transition from hate to love felt a bit abrupt 🤷‍♀️. The spice level was moderate, with some steamy scenes towards the end 💋.

*World-Building*

The magic system, with animal bonds, was fascinating 🔮. The setting, with its political intrigue and dragon appearances, was engaging 🏰. However, I felt lost in the chaos of Aemyra's plans and her father's schemes 🤯.

*Conclusion*

Overall, this book was a solid fantasy romance with dragons, politics, and spice 📚. While it had its flaws, I enjoyed the story and the characters. If you're a fan of fantasy and romance, you might enjoy this book 👍.

*Rating:* 3.5/5 stars ⭐️

*Recommendation:* For fans of fantasy, romance, and dragons 🐉. Be prepared for a slow burn romance and moderate spice level 🔥.

I really enjoyed this book. The FMC was a force. If you love House of Dragons/GOT you will love this.

I am a really big fan of dragons and anything with dragons is always going to be put on my tbr. So thankful for net galley for giving me this arc of this book and it was everything I ever needed so happy to have been able to read this book. I really love the tension between the two main characters. It really makes it worth it. Like they hate each other so much in the beginning. And the symbolism between her finding the only female dragon was amazing. Def put a twist on normalcy of dragon culture.

True enemies (as in wow they really hate each other) to lovers. Liked some of the world-building, but fell flat to me overall. Still enjoyed the read. Thanks for the chance to read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

This book started off a little slow, but by the end, it was absolutely worth the journey. Aemyra was truly forged in fire—fierce, resilient, and a force to be reckoned with. I loved following her character arc from start to finish.

Enemies-to-lovers is my all-time favorite trope, and this story delivered perfectly. Add in dragons, political intrigue, angst, and sizzling romance—what more could I possibly ask for?

I’m completely hooked and already counting down the days until the next book in this epic duology

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book. I was unable to follow the story mainly due to the main character. The main character was unlikeable (for me, at least) and it was difficult to continue the book with her inner dialogue and themes that were starting to be introduced. Personally, it wasn't for me and I decided to DNF.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While I'm not sure I would call it enemies to lovers, I enjoyed the dislike to lovers romance and once that really started developing was when the book started taking off for me. I loved the FMC and her strength and sass.

I loved the world and the politics going on; the two warring religions were very well thought out and executed. The existence of and lore of the dragons really drew me in.

I do think the book was a little slow in the beginning, it took until around the 40% mark for me to REALLY get into it. But after that it was nonstop, which I liked!

Overall, great world, entertaining story, interesting characters, and dragons! I will definitely be continuing the series!

DNF at 31%

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. The major issue I had was with the main character Aemyra. I did not like her at all. In the first scene she's in, she's delivering a child and thinks about how she only likes being between a woman's leg when they are screaming in pleasure and not in pain. This is literally the first paragraph of the ARC. She regularly sleeps with her female friend and while Aemyra is at the friend's tavern, she constantly sexualizes the friend in her head and the phrasing really grossed me out.

Aemyra is also fated to be queen. The book kind of tries to be coy about this for a while, but it's literally on the back of the book. I realize that characters can grow as the story progresses, but I expect to see some glimmer of why Aemyra would make a good queen in the first third of the book. Instead, she comes off as immature (she's twenty-six??), impulsive, and she constantly makes the worst choice in any given situation. The people in her coup are also staggeringly incompetent, so there wasn't anything to even balance her out.

There do seem to be a lot of people who like this book and I'm very happy they do, so if the book does interest you, you should still check it out.

2.5 rounded up to 3.

This is a difficult one for me, because there are aspects of this story that I really enjoyed. Dragons, political intrigue, enemies to lovers. But it all just fell a bit flat for me (and I have a hard time getting past the fact that the main characters are cousins?).

The pacing of the story was a bit off, and the characters lacked depth, particularly the MMC. We really didn’t get to know him very much, and I think this book could have actually benefited from dual POV. I feel like the switch from enemies to lovers made no sense and there was another part of the book which I won’t spoil that happened so quickly (then out fmc was an expert?).

But, while the ending was super predictable, the story drew me in enough to want to know what happens in book 2.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House for an ARC for an honest review. I was very excited to receive this book but I did not finish at 14%. I just couldn’t take the MFC. She was the rude, mean, spiteful and unlikable - could not connect to her at all. I didn’t get to the romance part yet but I feel like I would have had no respect for the MMC because he seemed way too nice for her. There were also a lot of Gaelic terms that I had no idea how to pronounce or really what they meant. I felt lost a lot of the time. There were a lot of five stars reviews but this just wasn’t for me.

I just finished reading Onyx Storm so when I read the book blurb for this it seemed like a home run; unfortunately, not so much. I tried really really hard to get into it but just couldn’t seem to get there. For a character that was supposed to be strong and a ruler, I felt like Aemyra fell flat. I couldn’t get behind her as someone who would even manage a Target let alone rule a kingdom. Had she been different then maybe I wouldn’t have struggled so much to get through this book, but we shall never know.

***Thank you NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC for my honest opinion***

I really liked this and will definitely be continuing the series. We have:

Slow start
Bisexual FMC
Secret royals
Bonded dragons
Betrayal
Enemies to lovers
Marriage of convenience
Cliffhanger ending

It took me a bit to get into, but once I did, it was definitely worth it.

DNF @ 18%.

Don’t let me not finishing this book deter you from reading it. This is definitely going to be a great book for many romantasy readers. This one didn’t work for me due to the main character. She was a bit too arrogant and juvenile for my liking (I think she reads a bit more YA).

I may pick this one back up if I’m in the mood for this type of book.

Projected rating 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

You guys know I’ve been in a dragon mood for my books and this is yet another dragon book 😆 if you love high stakes, fast paced action, descriptive storytelling books, and did I mention dragons?, then this is for you!

Set up a unique world filled with Celtic mythology that reels you in. Aemrya is faced with having to fight for her crown in a world that used to believe in the matriarchy but now follows the divine religion that pushes patriarchy while devaluing women. Not only does the religion look down on Aemrya for being a woman but on her having fire magic.

This books touches on a lot of serious issues that can sometimes be hard to read but it was executed so well. With the amount of world building in the books it can get a bit confusing at times especially with the clans but I enjoyed the storytelling, it was very descriptive. Aemyra makes some poor decisions that end up with bad consequences that she is somewhat shocked about - that really made me go “dude what” - but it really helps grow her character. I loved being able to read how Hazel McBride describes riding a dragon, I literally felt like I was on the back of a dragon having my little dragon queen moment. It has a TRUE enemies to lovers - I’m talking they’re trying to kill each other not just being rivals - involving a red haired, fire wielding prince Fiorean.

I am in need of the second book because WHAT was that cliffhanger!! not Overall do remember that this book will have some heavy topics so be aware. Thank you so much to @hazelmcbrideauthor , @dialoguepublishing , and @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC

This Celtic inspired family set in a matriarchal society is the blueprint for romantasy. It has all the tropes that are well loved by fans of the genre. Including one of my personal favorites, dragons.

It was a decent book that can scratch the romantasy itch if you’re having it. There’s enemies to lovers and slow burn. It’s not monumental but it’s fun if you’re in the mood.

The pacing was a little rough with the slow start then rushing through important parts. I was excited for an older fmc but she did sometimes feel younger being very reactive. I have hopes the character development can improve in the second novel.

This book was amazing in every way possible. The magic system, the plot, the characters, the betrayal! I could not get enough of this book. Not only did it have dragons, but Aemyra was such a likable character. Who doesn’t love a badass FMC who never doubts her ability to be a badass? The ending was everything I wanted it to be. It wasn’t too much, it wasn’t too much useless killing in regard to main characters/main side characters, and it wasn’t as predictable as I find some fantasy novels with betrayal to be. Even though this book comes out in three months, I’m already chomping at the bit for the next one.

This book was very interesting in the way the story unfolded. I felt like it wasn’t entirely my vibe

DNFed at 10%. I think I could’ve given this more time and I might’ve reached the turning point of becoming engaged with the story, but it felt more like a “not right now.” I might revisit eventually, but I’m feeling a bit worn out by the same tired romantasy tropes lately, and it didn’t feel like this was offering me much new or different. I didn’t particularly enjoy the FMC so far, though there’s a chance that could change if I were a bit more invested.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

This was a hard one for me to get into. Lots of cliche’ aspects in this one as in all the other romantasies coming out.

I was bored, found myself not reaching for it. Not one meant for me.

I really wanted to love this but I just couldn’t. There were so many good things about this book. However, the characters in the world building felt very disjointed. The MFC was not to my taste and no matter how much I tried I just didn’t care about her. I definitely think some people will love this book however for me it really was just a hard pass.