I really enjoyed this one! It took me a little bit to really get into, but I soon found myself incapable of putting it down. If you like a fast-paced romantasy with dragons, a kickass FMC and a Celtic/Scottish folklore inspired world, this one is definitely worth picking up!

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅:
- *true* enemies to lovers (no rivals here, we enemies baby!)
- dragons & other mythical creatures
- a badass, bisexual FMC with pure feminine rage
- a hot, broody MMC that could give Aemond Targaryen a run for his money
- inspired by Celtic/Scottish folklore
- perfect for Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon fans

Thank you to Hazel McBride & NetGalley for this ARC!

Magical female blacksmith AND dragons?! Amazing. I loved the Celtic references and readers will too! Swoon-worthy enemies/haters to lovers!

Impossible to put down until you’ve read every last word, Hazel McBride’s A FATE FORGED IN FIRE is searingly good romantasy fun.

Aemyra has been in hiding for years, but now it's time for her to claim her throne. Thrust into a deadly game of politics and religion, will she be able to survive?

Read if you like:
-Dragons
-Princess in Hiding
-Arranged Marriage with your Rival

A Fate Forged in Fire just wasn't for me. It had great potential, but I feel like the author also tried to do too much with it and everything got muddled in the process. Aemyra was alternately overconfident or weak depending on what the chapter seemed to call for, which was very frustrating. She went from getting exactly what she wanted and/or not question any huge revelations to not fighting back. It made it difficult for me to believe she was the same character. And I could never quite figure out what the big evil was: the king or the church. It seemed like they were working together, which made no sense except for both the king and the church wanted to keep women down. But otherwise, their goals and beliefs were not aligned.

A fantasy that has something for everyone-palace intrigue, dragons, swoonworth enemy to lovers and never ending action. I couldn't put this book down and loved every second of it. Truly one of my most anticipated new releases of the year.

So this story at first intrigued me with the idea of using Celtic lore and dragons with a side of love. I have been getting really burned out on romantic fantasies and feel like enemies to lovers is always getting used to describe every story. And since Fourth Wing there has been a uptick in dragon based stories. I can say I was pleasantly surprised how much this story really drew me in and restored some of my faith in fantasy with romance as a big subplot. I loved the fact that there is a intricate world that doesn't feel too overwhelming to learn about in the first few chapters. The author explain the difference in the old matrilineal society vs the new patriarchal society that is trying to use fear and misinformation to spread their ideas. Sounds like something a lot of women could relate to today. I felt like the story had been plotted out and had a pretty decent flow for the story. There was times that it became choppy especially when the characters had to travel over great distance.
I really resonated with the main character Ameyra, and her need to prove herself to everyone. She is inherently flawed and has some growth that her character needs to develop. She is cocky to a fault and that leads her to making careless mistakes that forces her to re-evaluate her righteousness. She realizes that not everyone who says they are on her side actually has her back. She shows her loyalty and wants to do what's best for the kingdom she was supposed to rule by birthright. Her even questioning if she is a good fit as queen really made me feel like she wasn't just a shallow one dimensional character. I know some might not like a character who is selfish and close minded at first as a good main character but I think it makes it more impact to see someone who is like every other girl. That we can acknowledge that this character has deep seeded prejudice and she thinks she's on the only right side. I appreciate the novels that shows the complexity of life and not just good and bad guys.
The love interest I was very weary of when I first started reading him. I felt like Fiorean could easily have fallen under the trap of the supportive love interest who has no real character development of his own. But I was quickly mistaken... And if there is one thing I can say McBride can do completely right is create chemistry with her characters. This novel was a true enemies to lovers with a forced marriage that neither is happy about. Fiorean is not just a bad guy who comes to save Ameyra whenever she needs to get out of a sticky spot. This felt like a slow burn that the characters had to be allies to friends to lovers. Building that tension every time they are in a room together. Fiorean is also a character that has prejudice and even some self-loathing. I felt like he was trying to just protect his brother from madness and do what he needs to be unnoticed. I loved that his character has to learn to love and accept himself before he can truly love Ameyra. He has his own story that I am really hoping we will get to have more insight in the sequel.
The plot twist at the end was a little predictable but I feel like the author has a good chance of bringing the house down with this series. The fact this was a novel is so well written shows how much time and effort the author put to make this an amazing piece of work.

A Fate Forged in Fire promised much but ultimately left me wanting. While Hazel McBride introduces an imaginative world steeped in Scottish Gaelic lore, the novel struggles under the weight of uneven pacing, clunky narrative transitions, and characters that never quite come to life.

The setting is undeniably detailed and unique, with a rich tapestry of cultural influences. However, the relentless stream of background details and arcane terminology overwhelms the reader from the outset, breaking the immersion rather than building it. A more measured, gradual unveiling of the world’s complexities might have offered a smoother and more engaging entry into the story.

Character development is another area where the book falters. The protagonist, Aemyra, feels surprisingly immature and erratic for a 26-year-old, often leaning too heavily on her father’s guidance when faced with critical decisions. Her contradictory stance—advocating for female empowerment while harshly critiquing those who don’t live up to her ideals—further undermines her credibility as a leader. Meanwhile, Fiorean, intended to be the romantic counterbalance, remains frustratingly underexplored. Despite brief flashes of potential, his role is mired in a tired enemies-to-lovers trope that feels both forced and unconvincing.

In summary, although A Fate Forged in Fire is built on an ambitious and creative foundation, its execution is marred by overcomplicated world-building, erratic pacing, and flat character arcs. I had high hopes for this story, but ultimately, it left me wishing for a more cohesive and polished narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Book Review contains spoilers!

A Fate Forged in Fire is a stunning tale of power, love, and betrayal set in a richly imagined world where magic users bond with mythical creatures and society is ruled by a matriarchal lineage. The protagonist—a fierce young fire wielder—has always known she is the rightful queen, the hidden heir to the exiled bloodline. Biding her time, she rises to lead a rebellion, determined to reclaim her throne. But when the tides turn against her, she is forced into a political marriage with the prince of the ruling family, securing her survival at the cost of her freedom.

Their relationship is fraught with tension, built on resentment and duty rather than trust. Yet, as they spend time together, they begin to see the weight of their shared burdens, bonding over the injustices inflicted by their families. In a tale reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, their reluctant partnership turns to something deeper—only to be shattered as their families continue to manipulate and weaponize them, fueling the war that neither truly wants to fight. In the end, betrayal strikes, leaving the protagonist not as a queen in love, but as a queen ready for vengeance.

The novel’s world-building is nothing short of mesmerizing. The magic system, intertwined with mythical creatures, adds an enthralling depth to the story, while the political intrigue and power struggles are masterfully woven. The matriarchal structure of society is refreshing and adds a unique dynamic to the protagonist’s journey.

With a gripping narrative, compelling characters, and an explosive ending that promises retribution, A Fate Forged in Fire is an unforgettable fantasy. I can’t wait to see how the hidden queen exacts her revenge and reclaims what is rightfully hers in the next installment.

Sadly, I had high hopes for this one. But was turned off within the first chapter of this book and it's just not for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Delacorte Press/Random House Publishing, and of course Hazel McBride for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️

Aemyra has spent her life hidden in plain sight, taking on the role of a blacksmith’s daughter while waiting for the right moment to claim the throne that is rightfully hers. What was once a matriarchal society now suffers at the hands of a mad king who allows the influence of the True Religion to oppress the people of Tir Teine, particularly the women and those with magic. After years of keeping her head down, she finally has a chance to become the first queen in centuries. But first, she must fight against the male heirs of the mad king, their True Religion mother, and the deep rooted corruption in the courts. All while falling for her enemy.

I was immediately attracted to this story for 2 main reasons: a spitfire FMC and dragons. And that delivered for the most part. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the twists that came as it unfolded. There were a lot of great aspects to this book that made it mostly enjoyable. It had the themes you look for in fantasy: magic, dragons, political intrigue, and gods/goddesses. All of which were incredibly interesting. I think there is a solid foundation here that has a lot of potential. Aemyra is a fiery woman who takes no shit from others and who doesn’t shy away from her female rage which was a delight.

Unfortunately, the pacing felt off and at times I was very confused about what was happening. There were a lot of things happening in a short period of time and I found myself turning back pages to see if I missed something. Every page felt like a new clan or new area was being discussed but I had no context for who they were. I found myself annoyed at times with the impulsive decision making that the FMC made, especially when she seemed surprised that there were consequences to her actions. It was hard to root for her sometimes.

This is the first in a duology so I imagine I will follow the next book if only to see how this story unfolds itself.

This book took a little longer for me to get through than normal. The use of Scottish Gaelic inspired and translated words made it a little difficult for me to read and slowed me down some. I REALLY appreciated the pronunciation guide that the author included, that did help with some of the words and I always like to know the correct way to say something.

The storyline itself was different than the things I’ve read in the Fantasy genre. I love that in this world the people could be bonded to various animals. The enemies to lovers trope had a twist that I did not see coming that left me shocked at the end. The battle scenes were great to read and the ending made me really question what was real and what was fake.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press/Random House Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.75/5

Minor spoilers ahead

What was great:
1. The world building was smooth. There were enough intricacies without stuffing us with too much information. I love the feminist themes of the book, portrayal of how religious fanaticism can destroy societies.
2. The romance: there are multiple tropes that romantasy readers would enjoy. Forced marriage. Touch her and die.
3. Pace: for the most part the book was pretty fast paced
Looking forward to the next one! I think the next one will be able to really move the character arcs forward given the world building is done now and a lot of initial pieces are in play.

What I didn't enjoy:
1. There were too many fantasy words. I'm not sure if they were all gaelic or some were made up. But every other sentence had a word like breitday instead of birthday etc which made it tough to read and interrupted my flow.
2. For a book very heavily feminism themed - the FMC was constantly saved by the MMC. She made a lot of ill advised decisions and it didn't seem like she had been raised to be a Queen. It's possible this is intentional and she will come into it in the next book but given this was her purpose since she was born she should have come across as more stable and calm I feel.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read and I'll definitely be reading the next one.

Entertaining! And honestly any book with dragons in it is an immediate yes from me. The world building was easy to follow.

A Fate Forged in Fire is a wonderfully written fantasy and romance novel that will leave you begging for more.

The main characters are relatable, and beautifully written. The main female character is a strong and courageous woman who has to fight for her people. She stands firm in her beliefs and despite her hardships, she never backs down. The main male character is complex, loyal, and hard not to fall in love with.

The plot was well developed and it had surprising twists and turns. I thought I knew how this book was going to end, but I was wrong. I wish I had the second one in my hand.

I read this book in less than 24 hours and could not put it down. If you are a fan of Quicksilver, Spark of the Everflame, Fourth Wing, and other Romantasy novels, you are sure to love this one.

I had some very mixed feelings with this book. In the first half, I was really struggling to continue with the story but the latter part of the story was very compelling.

✔ I really enjoyed the portrayal of the MMC - he could be strong without always being the “dominant” character at any given moment.
✔ Aemyra had some really good character growth in this story - she’s come a long way from where she started at the beginning of the book.
✔ The ending!

✖ The pacing was really awkward and to some degree; the characters seemed like they were making impulsive decisions out of nowhere. There was not enough time at court for some of Aemyra’s choices to ring true to her characterization. The romance also felt rushed at times.
✖ For all this talk about female empowerment, there appears to be very little of it, which could be a commentary on the themes of the story in general, but was very hard to read. Insulting women’s choices while also wanting women to be free to make their own choices is a bit inconsistent.
✖ Aemyra struggles to win any of her battles - it’s one thing to struggle to succeed but it’s very hard to support a main character when she makes some really baffling decisions this frequently.

3/5 stars.

Overall, I wanted a bit more out of this story than I got but will most likely still read the sequel in the hopes of more of the improvements I started to see near the ending of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review is based on the ARC of this book.
While I read a lot of high fantasy and love a book with a strong fiery FMC and dragons - the amount of Gaelic and Gaelic inspired words threw me.

There were sentences where every third word was something I had to stop and process to recall if it was a person, place or thing. All of the names, locations and more are given Gaelic inspired names and with similar spelling between version ones as well as pronunciation differences this was a genuinely difficult read for me, even with decades of reading intense fantasy. I love a Scottish tale with some sprinkled in…this was heavy on the sprinkles.

The pacing was also something that didn’t draw me in as much as I tend to feel pulled and excited to read a fantasy book with high stakes. I can’t place my finger on why-it just didn’t draw me in as much as I typically experience.

The FMC is strong, fiery, fierce and unwavering.
The twist at the end was not necessarily predictable but also not a shock, if that makes sense. It was disappointing for the MC’s but also brings angst to deal with in future books if this is a series.
For those who care: the spicy scenes were well written!

This was.. fine? I liked the second half much better than the first. The fast-pacing and constant name dropping with no background made it hard to follow. SO much happens in a 416 page book that we didn’t get enough development on anything. Aemyra was all tell and no show… I just didn’t find her believable. I had fun at times and the ending was pretty good but idk, I’ll probably forget most of it fairly quickly.

Thank you Delacorte Press for the e-arc!

Overall, I think this is a 4.5 read for me. This was great mix of Game of Thrones style political intrigue, well written battle sequences that immerse you in the story, and exceptional banter and wit that reminded me of some of my favorite classical literature. This book does what a lot of books in this genre fail to do, and that is to make every page count (props to the editor). I’m never left with that book bloat. It all feels very intentional, with enough meat left to pick at theories of where this story will go.

Read if you:
- Love Daenerys Targaryen, and are still mad at Game of Thrones, Season 8
- Love an Enemies to Lovers plot line (with a little sprinkle of dark romance spice)
- Want to contemplate the horrors women suffer under the patriarchy

Don’t Read If You:
- Cannot handle forced bodily manipulation, that is all I will say on that.
- Have a heart condition that does not handle the anxiety of not knowing what will happen next
- Admire Harrison Butker’s personal beliefs

I wish I had better news on my reading experience with this book, but it wasn't for me. I love a good fantasy romance, but it felt a little too much like it was trying to capitalize on the popularity of Female rage/Dragon tropes that are everywhere lately, The world building was so complicated and the names hard to interpret. The politics were too much for me. I will say I thought the author did flesh out the characters well and they did have arcs and personalities, but its the story that I just didn't mesh with.

Don't let me stop you, if you love fourth wing and House of dragons you'll likely enjoy this book. Beware though, it ends in a doozy of a cliffy!

In A Fate Forged in Fire, Hazel McBride crafts an enthralling tale of ambition, magic, and unexpected love in a richly imagined Celtic-inspired fantasy world. Aemyra, a powerful blacksmith blessed with fire magic, is determined to reclaim her rightful place as queen in Tìr Teine, a land struggling under the oppressive rule of the True Religion and a line of ineffective kings. As the last remaining remnant of a once-matriarchal society, she has spent years in hiding, waiting for the current king's death to claim her throne and bond with his dragon.
However, when the king dies, Aemyra’s well-laid plans quickly unravel, thrusting her into a treacherous world of court politics and deception. Her most formidable adversary turns out to be Prince Fiorean, a dragon rider from the ruling family, whose cold demeanor and unwavering loyalty to his corrupt lineage challenge everything Aemyra stands for. Despite their animosity, a chaotic series of events forces them into an uneasy alliance, igniting a connection that neither anticipated.
As Aemyra navigates the dangers of court intrigue while grappling with her growing feelings for Fiorean, she uncovers the deep-rooted corruption that threatens not only her kingdom but also the very ideals she holds dear. A Fate Forged in Fire is a gripping beginning to a sizzling duology, blending romance and fantasy in an adventure where sacrifice and courage are tested. This captivating story promises to engage readers with its rich characters and thrilling stakes, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy romance.