ARC read- releases May 27, 2025

Aemyra, a goddess blessed blacksmith, is determined to fulfill her birthright- to bond to a dragon and become the first queen in over 200 years, Prince Fiorean has other plans. Tìr Teine and its dragons have grown weak without a female leader, leaving the royal court to be infiltrated by corrupt anti-magic priests who oppress and degrade women. On her quest to rid her kingdom of the Covenanters and claim her throne she is thwarted by a prince. Forced to become allies she soon realizes he may be her only salvation- or so she thought.

🔥🐉

The dedication immediately told me I was gonna love this book. I’m baffled by how much I enjoyed this! I think I would give it 6 stars if I could. The enemies to lovers is actually crazy omg- they literally tried to kill each other, I’m talking actual hatred. The ending still has me reeling and I finished it a couple days ago (cliffhanger🥲).

Hazel McBride painted a beautiful picture of Aemyra’s life and the kingdom of Tìr Teine. I was immediately hooked by Aemyra’s quick comebacks and banter and found it so hard to put this book down. She reminded me of Aelin (tog) and Nesta (acotar), with her “I don’t need men” attitude lol and she’s honestly just a badass.

The world-building was really good and the side characters were very well developed (Lachlann <3). The magic and political systems can get a little confusing, especially with the hard to pronounce words (there was a pronunciation guide, I’m just lazy), but it was pretty unique and I enjoyed it a lot.

There were a few descriptor words used during ✨inappropriate✨ scenes that were a little icky and kind of took me out of the book, but other than that I really have no notes lol.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC- I received this eARC for free and all of my opinions are my own

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

DNFed at %50. I did my best, I really did. I kept waiting for the story to pick up, for the fmc to finally own up to her big talk, but it never happened, and when I'd started crying angry tears, I knew it was time to put the book down. I don't want to spoil the story, but the fmc is easily the most incompetent main character I've ever read about. She's got no strengths, no charm, and is highly disrespectful to other women. Had the story followed anyone else, I might've been able to endure the other half of this book, but with a character like this at the head? She gave me no reason to root for her. Someone else might enjoy this story, but I need a female main character that I can at least respect, and Aemyra was the furthest thing from that that I could ever get.

Thank you netgalley for the E-Arc!
This book has me in a chokehold.

It’s been almost two weeks since I finished it and I still can’t stop thinking about it.
Was it a perfect book without flaws? no. Did the characters make me rage at points? Yes. But did I still enjoy and love it? Absolutely
I honestly loved learning the different Gaelic words and pronunciations (thank you to the pronunciation guide!!!)
The battle scenes were action packed, and the book was full of dragon goodness, magic wielding, and just the right amount of smut for my liking.

The only issue for me, that I can think of, is the long wait I’m gonna have for book 2

The MC was completely unbearable I DNF’d I totally understand what the author was trying to do with the MC but I’m afraid in an effort to try and make her strong willed instead made her unbearable, the whole cocky I’m better than you attitude and the immaturity of the MC made this book unreadable for me.

Thank you Netgalley Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for the arc

The world building was a bit confusing. This is romantasy. It has enemies to lovers which is my fave trope. The plot is intriguing. The fmc was a little annoying on my opinion but it was ok. Looking forward to the next installment.

A Fate Forged in Fire is the first book in this Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology where Aemyra is poised to be the first Queen in centuries but must overthrow the corrupt ruling powers including a dragon-riding prince who is devout to his family’s rule.

I enjoyed the new magical system within this story and of course the dragons. I am looking forward to learning more about the other magical creatures mentioned in this story in the following book hopefully.

The FMC, Aemyra is a strong FMC who cannot hold in anything that she is thinking. My biggest flaw with Aemyra is that as strong as she is portrayed, she loses a lot of battles/does not think her choices through. The MMC, Fiorean, is an arrogant prince but I enjoyed him. Together they had good banter and chemistry within the book. The religious/political aspect (matriarchal versus patriarchal power dynamic) was very different than other fantasy books and I liked it. The ending was a surprise and now I have so many questions that I cannot wait to see how this is going to end in book two.

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I love a good dragon fantasy! Aemyra is the rightful heir to the throne but she has been hiding as a blacksmith, appropriate as she has fire magic. Once the king dies it’s her chance to bond with his dragon and take his place. The biggest thing standing in her way his the Prince. He’s arrogant and loyal to his family, and no friend of hers. But when she’s thrust into the politics and backstabbing the two may only have each other to lean on to stop the chaos. Can they trust each other? Will their relationship develop into more? The world building was so well done in this one! Plenty of romantic tension as well! I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and I love a fantasy with dragons! A fast paced, incredibly detailed, romantasy with plenty of action and swoon worthy moments!

I loved this! A proper Romantasy is what I needed to get me back into the fantasy world. The bisexual fmc and broody mc were perfect. The story and the adventure are just what I needed. Thank you’

“Forged in Fire” begins, setting the scene for an epic historic fantasy, exploring Celtic folklore and feminine power, but quickly seems to toss aside that plot to focus on a romance that feels forced and out of no where.

Following Ameyra, daughter of a blacksmith and the secret only woman for the typically matriarchal throne, who is set to reclaim her throne upon the passing of the mad King, but his family will have none of it. She is chased out of town, and returns to her home to regroup. But soon finds herself kidnapped by the prince and forced to marry him.

The writing style, whilst containing quite a few moments of adult situations and content, leans more young adult in nature, with a narrator who doesn’t quite trust her readers to follow along or understand or infer nuanced moments. Because of this, I felt myself craving a conclusion to the monarchy and war story much more than to the romance and felt myself dramatically let down by the ending, which felt as though the story was only just getting started.

I would call this novel akin to Fourth Wing, albeit better researched and a more promising execution in its story. Still, not one for me. I might pick up the sequel in the duology in future out of curiosity, but it’s not at the top of my list.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the DRC.
My review will be live on my Instagram following the book’s release.

Just WOW! What a fantastically action packed book!!

A Fate Forged in Fire is a captivating Romantasy that had me thoroughly in its clutches. The world building is vivid and beautifully portrayed. The character arcs were well thought out and crafted. The plot pacing, while a tad slow to start, picked up quite nicely and blew up like a raging storm.

Aemyra, the FMC, is not your typical weak to powerful FMC. She’s arrogant, resilient and utterly unapologetic for k owing who she is and what she stands for. After being in hiding for her entire life, she is thrust into a world full of political/religious injustice. She knows what she wants and stops at nothing to get there. While she has a rough road to endure, she handles it with grace and dignity. Despite the turmoil and heartbreak of losing her “family” she continues to fight for her people and what is right.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the fact that McBride gives us a true enemies to lovers trope. It was refreshing and believable in all aspects. I loved the pace in which the MC’s relationship evolved. The tension between them was epic.

I am thoroughly looking forward to the continuation of this story!

With A Fate Forged in Fire, you’ll get…true enemies to lovers to ??, marriage of convenience (or is is inconvenience 😂), hidden identity, betrayal, elemental magic, Dragons and dragon bonds, feminine rage, fast paced read, and a bit of spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this advance copy!

🔥FEMININE RAGE🔥

*uncorrected ARC- SPOILERS*

I love a book where the relationships and plot are engaging and the deeper themes make you analyze the world and reflect. Really enjoyed the FMC and how justifiably angry she is at the patriarchal changes being forced upon her; she makes mistakes & is open about her flaws and felt realistic. Some of the world building felt abrupt/heavy-handed or clunky but the overall plot and character relationships were strong & engaging. HATE the main priest and felt physically ill during the scene where they hold her down and attempt to mutilate her. I am INVESTED in the enemies to lovers back to enemies (and hopefully back to lovers) storyline- I feel like there is more depth/nuance to the situation than we can see right now and I am rooting for them (that death vow felt like a gut punch)!!!

I spent so much of the book wishing there was a pronunciation guide only to find it at the end so that’s on me. This book really solidified how much Celtic/gaelic inspo other series (fourth wing, acotar) pull from, and it bothers me thinking people might compare to those series rather than the deeper lore bc of similar names/locations, etc.

(Review also on StoryGraph & Fable, Tome, Goodreads)

A truly great enemies to lovers trope, weighed down by some poor worldbuilding and pacing that felt just slightly off.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Heard really great things about this and it did not disappoint!

This book might be my new personality for a few weeks. I really loved the writing, I felt what the FMC was feeling and several times my heart was pounding and I was on the edge of my seat. Very House of the Dragon minus the incest.

The first couple of chapters are hard to get though, it's a lot of learning language, names and places. After the first few chapters it gets easier to read and becomes very enjoyable.

I'm heart broken and have so many questions, can't wait for the second book!

Stabby and slightly cynical FMC? .. why not!

Well, friends.. meet Aemyra. Our FMC works in a forge.. and wields literal fire. Blessed by the goddess, just a little more than the rest and knows she's destined for "more". Our friend has a twin brother, that is somewhat the voice of reason and the "ice" to her "fire", but not literally speaking.
Aemyra basically is like many of us, still trying to figure it out and we are along for the ride!

I enjoyed the ups and downs, the plot twists and the " I hate you, but I love you" plot.

If you enjoy enemies to lovers, embark on this adventure with Aemyra and you wont be disappointed.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for gifting me an advanced digital copy via NetGalley !

Unfortunately, while the premise had potential, the execution fell short. I liked the Celtic inspiration and was excited for the House of the Dragon vibes, but there were too many missing pieces that made it a struggle to get through. The worldbuilding lacked depth, relying on heavy info-dumping without proper explanations, and the magic system felt underdeveloped, making it hard to stay engaged.

What frustrated me the most was the main character, Aemyra. She was unbearably immature, impulsive, and constantly angry for no real reason, making it hard to connect with her. The side characters didn’t help much either, as their personalities were flat and one-dimensional, making them forgettable. The romance was another weak point. Aemyra and Fiorean’s relationship was built entirely on insta-lust, with no real emotional connection. Their chemistry felt forced, making their dynamic unconvincing.

On top of that, the pacing was all over the place, making it difficult to stay invested, and the so-called twist was anything but surprising. And for a book that seemed to promise dragons, they were barely present, which only added to my disappointment.

Overall, this book just didn’t work for me. It had all the right elements but failed to bring them together in a compelling way.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
# Pages: 416
Publication Date: 05.27.25

"Even betore I knew who you were, I wanted you.”

🔥Romantasy
⚔️Hidden Heir
🔥Slow Burn
⚔️Banter
🔥Dragons
⚔️Sassy/Feisty FMC
🔥Morally Grey MMC
⚔️Political/Religious Intrigue
🔥Bisexual FMC
⚔️Marriage Of Convenience
🔥Elemental Magic
⚔️Female Rage
🔥Slow Burn

**To become the first queen in centuries, a powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to overthrow the corrupt powers ruling her kingdom—while also fighting her growing desire for one of her dragon-riding adversaries—in the first book of a sizzling Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology.**

A Fate Forged In Fire by Hazel McBride was a good book. The first page had me questioning if I was wanting to continue or not. However, I did continue and I’m not disappointed with my choice.

Hazel did a great job creating a Celtic inspired world that’s full of mythical creatures, vampires, and awesome magical system. Dragons, you’ll always have me at dragons. I did enjoy the character development as well. The plot had a lot of twists and turns. It did end on a cliffhanger (brutal) and well, second book is needed, like yesterday!

This is a TRUE enemies to lovers and I loved the build up to the relationship with Aemyra, our FMC and Fiorean, our MMC. Don’t expect it to be super romantic throughout most of the book though. But that is what makes slow burns even more alluring.

Overall, I really enjoyed the read. The pacing was fast but done smoothly. It’s definitely worth checking out!

⚠️Trigger/ Content warning will need to be read. Does have some darker parts/ moments.⚠️

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC copy.

idk how to truly rate this book bc one moment i’m having a great time and the next im just pissed HAHA my emotions were all over the place with this one! overall i enjoyed the book i just had some strong feelings throughout the book!

the beginning is heavy on the world building and politics which was really intriguing! around the 50% mark i was fully invested everything was coming together perfectly and loved the dynamic between the mmc and fmc! they were literally trying to kill each other for the first half of the book which i devoured LOL

the ending made me want to scream bc i saw it coming but i was still upset 😭

Thank you Random House Publishing Group for the eArc!

I’m sad to report friends this is my first DNF of 2025. Which is a bummer because I had such high expectations for this. Early reviews from TikTok have been glowing and Hazel’s dedication for this book got me fired up. Regrettably those things weren’t enough to save it for me. I made it to the 40% mark when I finally decided to call it quits. I also went to the ending and read the last 5 chapters and immediately knew I made the right call.

My biggest two issues with this book. The characters and the world building. For characters we have honestly way too many of them. Hang of the battle with this book was trying to remember who is who. And just when you think you got it another name gets dropped. That confusion just overwhelmed me and severely hinder my reading experience. It also doesn’t help that out of all these characters none of them are enjoyable. Our MFC for example, she is one of the most insufferable female leads I’ve read in a Romantasy in a long time. I had other gripes with her but that borders on spoiler territory and I wanna keep this review spoiler free.

Like I mentioned my other big issue was the world building. Just like the characters, the magic system, goddesses, political system was a hot mess express. It honestly felt like the author couldn’t pick a plot direction and just decided to throw everything under the sun in there. It was all way too much and extremely confusing.

Overall, I sadly cannot recommend. I do wish Hazel all the best and even though this wasn’t for me I’d still check out her future books. Lastly big Thank you to Penguin Random House & NetGalley for providing me an arc to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eARC.

This book sets up an interesting premise—an oppressive world built on colonization and a cult-like, sexist system, with the only hope for change resting on the last surviving dragon queen. The story follows Aemyra, the rightful ruler who has been hidden away for years while others fight for the throne, denying her claim. There’s political scheming, power struggles, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that slowly unfolds as the plot develops.

Political Intrigue & Worldbuilding
One of the book’s stronger elements is its focus on court politics. Rather than relying purely on action, the story takes time to explore the decision-making, alliances, and betrayals that shape the world. While this approach makes for a more thoughtful narrative, it also slows the pacing at times. Readers who enjoy deep political maneuvering over constant action will likely appreciate this aspect.

Dragons & Lore
The inclusion of dragons adds an intriguing layer to the worldbuilding. Their history and connection to Aemyra are gradually revealed, making them feel like an important part of the story rather than just an aesthetic feature. However, I would have liked to see them play a more active role in the present-day events rather than mainly existing in the background.

Pacing & Action
The pacing is steady, though at times, it feels a bit slow. The book prioritizes setting up the world and its conflicts rather than diving straight into action. Most of the major action sequences happen at the very beginning and the very end, which might not be ideal for readers who prefer more consistent momentum. That said, the ending does set up potential for a more intense follow-up in the sequel.

Aemyra as a Protagonist
Aemyra is a compelling character—determined, intelligent, and clearly meant for something greater. However, while she has a strong arc, some parts of her journey felt predictable, and I found myself wanting more depth in certain moments. Hopefully, the next book will develop her further and give her more standout moments.

Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a decent fantasy read with solid political intrigue and an interesting premise. While it had some strong elements, such as the worldbuilding and court dynamics, it didn’t always maintain engagement due to its slower pacing and a somewhat familiar storyline. Fans of Reign and Game of Thrones will likely appreciate the mix of power struggles, secret identities, and forbidden romance, but it may not stand out among other books in the genre.

I’m curious to see how the sequel unfolds, as there are plenty of unresolved conflicts and potential for more action. Hopefully, it builds on what worked in this installment while addressing some of the pacing and character depth issues.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)

Aemyra is a blacksmith who has been powerfully blessed with fire magic and has been living in hiding waiting for the king to die so she can bond with his dragon. When the king dies she unexpectantly gets thrust into a game of politics and plots. Her biggest rival is the Prince and he is everything she hates, cold arrogant and blindly loyal to his family. As chaos emerges in the court they must work together to stop the corruption from overtaking everything,

The world building was done masterfully and the romance had lots of tension and high stakes which had you on the edge of your seat waiting for what would come next. The FMC is also a power house who is not going to go down without a fight, The character are written well and in a way that even though you are not certain who the good guys are you are routing for them,