Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the ALC.

I got 20% in and ended up DNF’ing. The narrator was good and it was an interesting story idea, but I clearly needed to read the series prior to this. I wish it had been made more apparent that this was a spin off.

In the beginning there was a brief “history” given that made me realize that this was probably the case, but I was hoping that would be enough to get into this series.

Unfortunately for me, it just wasn’t. I’m interested in the story and may try and go read the first series and come back to this.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book.
I enjoyed this romantasy. The world building was descriptive and the story played like a movie in my head. Even though this is a spin off series I feel that it was not necessary to read the first books. I think the secondary characters were interesting and I liked the family they became. There was some spicy scenes in this story-HOT.
I will not be purchasing this for my high school library, but if you like Spicy Romantasy books give this a try.

I was beyond excited to see that there was a spinoff series of The Legends of Thezmarr! You do not HAVE to read Legends of Thezmarr series first, but I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend it because it gives so much insight and context to the world and these characters. I am so happy that we are getting a book about Torj and Wren.

The tropes in this book are everything I love: enemies to lovers, bodyguard, forced proximity, found family, grumpy/sunshine

There is so much tension between Torj and Wren. The banter is fantastic, the plot is complex, the tension and yearning between the MCs, and the ending...I am speechless.

I didn't think anything in the world of Thezmarr could top Thea and Wilder, but now I am not so sure! The alchemist and the bear slayer may just win the battle for my heart!

I highly recommend the audiobook. Matt Hanes and Emilia Bauer do such a wonderful job bringing all of the characters to life. They bring out the emotions and tension and bring the book to a higher level!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Iron and Embers by Helen Scheuerer is an engaging fantasy that kept me hooked from start to finish. I went into it blind, without reading the previous series, and surprisingly, it was easy to follow along! The world-building is rich, and the characters are layered and complex. The narration by Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer was fantastic, bringing the story to life with their distinct voices. The plot had plenty of twists and kept me guessing, adding a layer of excitement to the journey. I really enjoyed the ride and can't wait to dive deeper into this world. A solid four stars! Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC!

I really enjoyed this fist book back in the world of Thezmar! It was full of action, mystery and romance! I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!

do: read the legends of thezmarr series before this one

don’t: read the legends of thezmarr series in one week bcos you panic realised that it’s a necessary prerequisite, get into a reading slump bcos you panic read 5 fantasy books/novellas in one week & take one month to finish this one where you forget half of what happened bcos it took so long

do: take my entire review with a grain of salt bcos i read this book in so many chunks i can barely remember what happened, also it’s 12am and i’m running on 4 hours of sleep

anywayssss

the thing that felt weird-ish is i feel like we didn’t get to see much of wren’s friends and group and it was a LOT of thea’s crew reappearing (which don’t get me wrong i LOVE kip i need more of him pls) but it’s sort of missing that same charm? idk? but also i forget that this is book 1 so there’s definitely a lot more character building to go - as in like yeah her friends exist but the bonds aren’t as strong??

but i could have accidentally zoned out that entire time bcos again, brain

i can always count on helen to add a 🤤🤤🤤 but very specific trope (& i EAT IT UP every timeeee) but also SLOWBURN & BODYGUARD ROMANCEEE ahHHHHH

thank you sm netgalley & pan mac aus for the alc & review copy!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the Author (Helen Scheuerer) for this audio ARC of Iron & Embers narrated by Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer.

I'm going to start with my big gripe with this book. A few chapters? in and I felt misled by the marketing on this book. Specifically this part:
“Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge”

I mean if this is hate…Hate me Torj!

I started the book confused because their first interactions (flashbacks) they do not hate each other.
Maybe that is in the other series that I haven't read, I started with this one. This book is my first by the author.

The writing is good, the story is good, the voice actors are great. They embody the roles.
I haven’t read the other series, so I enjoyed learning about the world in flashbacks.

If I could describe this book in 1 word it would be grief. Everyone and everything have scars from the war. There is trauma & angst galore. So much pain for everyone especially Wren...

Now I have no idea how to rate this book. I liked it, it was exciting and a little mysterious. All the elements for a good story are there and well executed and I’ve been thinking about it for days… but that ending… >> I << have trauma. My heart was brutally hammered.

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is an exciting fantasy romance brought to life by narrators Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer. Their dual performance adds depth to the story’s rich world-building, high-stakes action, and slow-burn romance. Fans of immersive audiobooks will love this captivating listen!

This is my first Helen Scheuerer's book and I had a great time reading this one🤩🤌 as soon as I read the blurb, I knew I would love it and so I downloaded the audiobook asap and picked up my physical copy to annotate 🤭 for the first time I literally had to ditch my physical copy 'cuz annotating was making me slow and I wanted to read and know more and more about our amazing pair 😍❤️ Wren and Torj ✨🤌

After a long time, I found a fantasy book which focuses more on the magic and fantasy elements while simultaneously giving a slow burn romance which makes you giggle, blush and even scream!!!!

Wren was my favourite since chapter one!! The way she made her entry in the book, I knew she is one of the fierce and brave female protagonist that I will adore 🥰 and complementing her is the perfect grumpy, rough and tough Torj ✨🤌 their banter is epic!!

Coming to the magical world 😍✨🤌 damn after a long time, I found a fantasy world that was indeed penned in details yet it didn't bore me as the author brilliantly wrote each conquest of our protagonists including in discription of the magical school and world of the book, which made it much easier for me to understand the concept and logic of it.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

3.5 Stars

Overall this was a good book. I think I would of enjoyed reading it more than listening to it. It was a little hard to follow at first. I felt like I was missing something like maybe it was not the first book in the series. I had not read any other books by this author. The narrators were great though.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this book.

Really enjoyed this first book of the new series. It is definitely time for Wren to get her own story.

This book was amazing!! I was hooked from the very beginning and wanted more when it ended. I cannot wait for the next in the series! I listened to the audiobook and the narrators made it even better.

If I could give this book infinite stars, I would. It's gorgeous through and through, and I urge everyone to pick it up ... That being said, I don't think it's really the first book of a new trilogy, as the marketing suggests. Let's discuss...

Before going into Iron and Embers, I had read the author's other connected series, The Legends of Thezmarr. The Legends of Thezmarr is set in the same universe and takes place 5 years before the start of this novel. I devoured that series, and throughout reading it, kept feeling like it was reminiscent of Throne of Glass. I couldn't pinpoint what gave me that feeling. Was it the tropes used, or perhaps common story beats? But as I read Iron and Ember, I realized why it reminded me of so many icons of the fantasy genre. It's not necessarily because of the elements that Helen Scheuerer puts into her books, but rather how she combines them.

I've found that many books published in the last year or two have lacked the depth that I've wanted. Even some with great premises rely too heavily on one trope to carry the novel. Iron and Embers, however, does not fall victim to this issue. This novel is a tapestry of smaller stories that all work together to create a romantic, fantasy epic. Iron and Embers is full of numerous intertwined fantasy plot lines, mystery elements, romantic plots, character development and real world discussions. In fact, when I first started writing this review, I wanted to list all the engaging aspects of this book. But I've realized that no matter how comprehensive the list I compile is, it will not do justice to this book. Yes, there is a bodyguard romance, the second-chance trope, fated mates, deadly trials, royals with elemental powers, and so much more, but just listing these tropes doesn't convey the emotional journey this book will take you on.

I actually found that this story reminded me in many ways of A Court of Silver Flames. It is a love story between a man and woman with a romantic past full of yearning and almost confessions, that was then cut short at the end of a war. Flash forward to now, the woman is dealing with trauma, and as such, shutting everyone out. However, as the man protects and trains her, she slowly opens herself back up and allows herself to be loved. Sound like something you'd like? I thought so!

Funnily enough, I think this novel is much like A Court of Silver Flames in terms of its place in its series as well. Although Iron and Embers gives you lots of flashbacks and context as to the events of The Legends of Thezmarr, I don't think you get the full impact of this story without reading that series first. These characters have been growing with and against each other for multiple novels now. Although you can start here, you don't get the full impact if you do. I know that this book has been marketed as the first book in a new series and world, but really, I think it is more of a continuation of The Legends of Thezmarr series, simply from a new point of view, in the same way that A Court of Silver Flames is still an ACOTAR novel, just following a new character.

That being said, I do urge people to read this story. From the humour, to the fun tropes, to the earnest character growth, it has everything I could have asked for. If you don't want to commit to reading a whole series before this book, I totally get it and think you'll still enjoy this book. But, if you do have time on your hands, or have been looking for a new fantasy series to read, I really do suggest starting this universe with Blood and Steel.

I will be counting the days until the next book in the series comes out.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was great. I loved the FMC and how dynamic she was. At points it felt a little tropey, but the pacing and plot was really solid and fun.

This book exceeded all my expectations. If you were a fan of The Legends of Thezmarr series, it fit the bill. Wren is really working through her demons and emotional trauma while Torj is struggling with his future and what his life will look like. The banter between them is next level.

The best thing Helen Scheuerer does is create a found family, and that was not lost in this series. This book shows how the people you are closest with become your people in every sense, and the community around you can change your mental and physical health.

The storyline itself is very interesting and left me so excited for the next 2 books in this series. July cannot come soon enough!

I really enjoyed the setting and the vibes in this book. The characters and the voices were amazing as well.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher!

I'm a little torn on how to rate this because it did have potential and quite a few things I enjoyed, but also some things that didn't work for me and to be fair I think that might be because I shot myself in the foot by reading this book before the original series.

Wren and Torj had an interesting relationship but sometimes I feel like I enjoyed the premise of it more than the actual relationship. So much of the relationship was wrapped up in lust and those moments didn't work for me. I don't believe the whole relationship is lust, but I wanted to see more about the reasons why they should be together apart from the lust they feel.

I did like the idea of Wren being a poisoner and going to a school for alchemy. The backdrop of the academy was really enjoyable and I love a girl who takes matters into her own hands. I loved the people she met there and all the secrets and twists. The ending was also pretty epic.

Again, I do think part of why this didn't connect with me as much as it could have is because I didn't read the original series first. I am planing to go read it and I would recommend anyone who wants to read this book to read the original series first.

I absolutely loved the audio narration!!
Immediately buying a shelf trophy and will be recommending to all!!

Helen Scheuerer should be in your list of top romantasy authors. Iron and Embers is the first in a spin off series from Blood & Steel in the Thezmar universe. This series follows Thea’s sister Wren, heir to the Dalmarian throne. Ember has always had a way with alchemy. She is as creative as she is deadly. Since the war ended she has been taking her revenge on those that aided evil in the war. With the chance to grow her knowledge of alchemy and become a master poisoner she accepts a body guard. However will she manage that her body guard is also her insufferable crush & nemesis Torj Elderbrock.

Torj made his feelings for Wren quite clear. She is it for him. How will be stand to be around her as a her bodyguard?

I loved this book. I thought the mutual pining in dual point of view gave us excellent insight into how they both didn’t believe they deserved the other but dealt with it through snark. It was forced proximity, touch her & d!e with only eyes for them inside a world of mystery with a rebellion inching closer and closer to their doorstep. I highly suggest reading the Blood and Steel series first so it makes more sense before diving into this one. When you get here the tension slow burns us to crisp but the wit and found family within friendships will give you all the feels.