This is being promoted as the first book in a new series. Had I known from the start that it's a spinoff series, I likely wouldn't have requested it. The original series The Legends of Thezmarr is heavily referenced throughout Iron & Embers, and based on the vague details of the character backstories and world building, it's clear that it was written with the understanding that readers have already finished Legends. I would only recommend this book to folks who have read and enjoyed the original series.

That said, I did enjoy Wren's character and her journey. Her connection with love interest Torj was compelling. The audiobook narrators were both great.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

Thank you so much for an advance copy of this audiobook. I really enjoyed the setting and magic system created in this world. I think I may have gotten more out of this book had I also read the author’s previous works set in this world. I will definitely need to add those to my TBR.

✨𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, Book 1)
🎙️: Narrated by Matt Haynes; Emilia Bauer

"𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐'𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐'𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘴𝘩, 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴."

In this spinoff series following the events of The Legends of Thezmarr, Wren takes center stage. As the Poisoner, her mission of vengeance can only be quelled by her thirst for knowledge. But the ghosts of her past and a certain lightning-touched Warsward still haunt her.

With the midrealms in peril yet again, Wren and her allies must unravel the mystery of the attacks against royals and face the threat of growing unrest. Please see my full book review on Goodreads and Amazon!

Tropes:
👀 Dual POV
⚔️ Bodyguard
🏫 Academy
🫂 Forced proximity
📍 Hairpin to the throat
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Found family
⚔️ Brooding hero
🚫 Touch her & 💀
🌶️ Steamy

I loved reuniting with these characters first established in the previous series as well as meeting new characters that further enrich this incredible story. I cackled at the convivial banter and felt the deepening friendships in every encounter.

The narrators masterfully portray Wren and Torj’s POVs. Both are irrevocably changed by the war and struggle with their own demons and painful memories. Most of all, they’re still haunted by what could have been between them. I could feel the tantalizing tension, electrifying chemistry, and all-consuming yearning.

This audiobook sent me through a torrent of emotions as the forbidden love and secrets unfurl between Wren and Torj.

In Iron & Embers, Helen forges a nerve-shattering, heart-stopping, and heartbreaking Romantasy that perfectly blends elements of academia, magic, and steamy romance.

Huge thanks to the author, Dreamscape Media, and netgalley for the audio listening review copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Wow. What a book. I went into this book without having read The Legends of Thezmarr series for full disclosure. Since this is the beginning of a spin off series with different main characters I figured I would be able to figure things out. There was definitely enough context and information given about The Legends of Thezmarr series when it was needed to help a reader understand how or why without giving too much. Obviously there are some things about TLOZ that I spoiled for myself (because now I HAVE to go back and read that series), but I still think it will be an amazing read - Helen Scheuerer is quickly jumping into a must read author slot.
Wren and Torj both bring their points of view to tell this new story and they are both such interesting and compelling characters. The beginning of the book jumped around in time a lot so having a printed version helped me to reference where we were in time because sometimes with the audio I would lose track. Once Wren got settled into Drevenor, the ancient alchemy academy where she is finally able to continue her alchemy studies, the action was non-stop. Whether it's her alchemy classes getting her into scrapes or the threats from outside Drevenor, Tori had his work cut out for him as her bodyguard.
Toward the ending I was wondering if The Ashes of Thezmarr was going to be a standalone book to wrap up the story of favorites side characters from the original series because everything was tying up nicely into a neat little package, but then I looked at how much book was left...Scheuerer then proceeded to rip my heart out and stomp all over the pieces.
The narrators were great and really added depth to the story. If you like audiobooks I would definitely recommend these narrators.

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is the kind of book that pulls you in from page one and doesn’t let go. Set years after the events of the Legends of Thezmarr series, it follows Wren, a former assassin grappling with the trauma of the Shadow War, as she’s called back to complete her alchemy training at the prestigious Drevenor Academy. Along for the ride is Torj the Bear Slayer, her grumpy, protective, and utterly swoon-worthy bodyguard. Their slow-burn romance? Absolutely chef’s kiss.

The tension between Wren and Torj is everything you’d want from the bodyguard trope—lingering glances, stolen touches, and so much longing that it hurts. When the romance finally boils over later in the book, it’s all-consuming and so worth the wait. Torj is one of those characters who will stick with you for years. His quiet strength and unwavering devotion to Wren make every scene with him unforgettable. And Wren? A socially awkward, introverted poisoner-turned-alchemist? Her complexity makes her one of the most compelling protagonists I’ve read in a while.

The world-building here is top-tier. The academia vibes at Drevenor Academy are immaculate—potions, alchemy, and all the intricate details of Wren’s training bring the setting to life. The plot is a bit more character-driven at first, with the action ramping up toward the end, but it’s so engaging that you don’t mind the slower pace. Plus, there are plenty of breadcrumbs and callbacks for fans of the Legends of Thezmarr series, giving longtime readers that “aha!” moment of piecing it all together.

And the ending? Pain. Pure, heart-wrenching torment. Helen Scheuerer doesn’t just tug at your heartstrings—she shreds them. I’m still recovering, and I need book two like I need air.

Whether you’re new to this world or a returning fan, Iron & Embers is a fantastic start to a new trilogy. That said, I highly recommend reading Legends of Thezmarr first for the full emotional impact—seeing familiar characters like Kipp and Cal pop back in is a real treat. If you’re into slow-burn romance, incredible world-building, and just a touch of emotional devastation, you’ll love this book. Highly, highly recommend!

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I ate up the dynamic between the two main characters, bodyguard and royal poisoner? Yes please. And the plot and setting kept my interest the entire time. I loved the journal and book excerpts at the beginning of every chapter and the flashbacks of the love interests. This book put me in my feels and I need book two yesterday.

My review in a nutshell - when readers ask me for a fantasy romance recommendation, this will immediately come to mind.

This is a book that touches on the topics of PTSD and trauma after battle, the power vacuum after a war, the tentative peace, and finding who you are and what you want when the smoke has cleared and the wounds have healed. The romance is intricately woven through the journeys taken by the characters to find themselves and their purpose. Finding the strength to carry on again and carve a new path in the world.

Secrets are kept but it makes sense to do so. How can you trust again after what they've seen? The secrets are not there to increase the tension of the romance, but because it is a logical decision on both of their parts.

While I am not usually a fan of mutual pining, this book did it perfectly. The tension was there but not so much that you started to get frustrated. Perhaps because as I mentioned - their actions and decisions made sense and were true to their characters and lived experiences.

My favorite romances are where two independent individuals come together. Instead of merging themselves into one person, they keep their autonomy and independence but come to find that life is better lived with the other in it. And Torj, my sweet summer child - between the battle hammer, long nights in the library, and picking lavender, you are the pinnacle of fantasy romance MMC.

I rarely stop a book at 90% simply because I don't want it to end yet. I read an entire book while this was sat at 90% and all I did was think about it the whole time...

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an advanced audiobook copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was soooo great!
My first Helen Scheuerer book, but definitely not my last!
The story had me hooked from the beginning and the tension was lit!
If you like Romantasy, you need to read this!

Oh and the vocie of the MMC, blew me away!
4,5 ⭐️ and a thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook, and I will definitely recommed this book on IG :)

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced listening copy of Iron and Embers! This is the first book in the spin-off series to Legends of Thezmarr, focusing instead of Elwren and Torj. I loved their will-they-won’t-they energy in the Legends of Thezmarr series, and was very much a fan of both the evolution/development of Helen Scheurerer’s writing in this book as well as the enemies to lovers storyline. This book is perfect for fans of romantasy!

Some of the tropes and themes we get to see in Iron and Embers:
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity
- he falls first
- magical academy
- magical trials
- touch-her-and-die
- smart and snarky FMC
- fun banter

We return to the world of Thezmarr with Wren as our main character, who has finally been accepted to Drevenor to train as a master alchemist. Due to her royal status, she is forced to accept the protection of a War Sword if she will be leaving the fortress of Thezmarr. Enter Torj, stage right. Wren is the last royal that he would ever ask to be assigned to, after she spurned their chance at a relationship. He still can’t stop thinking about the alchemist who leant him her power to wield storms during the battle of Thezmarr at the end of the war, and Wren reluctantly can’t stop thinking about the Bear Slayer with his rugged good looks and thick muscles. We get yearning, we get fierce protection, we get hot romance.

I really think that Scheurerer’s strength as an author shines in Irons and Embers, and it’s been so fun to see her develop into the author that she is today.

I really loved this book! The alchemy and guard notes at the beginning of every chapter really added to this, I loved getting those. I liked Wren a lot during the Legends of Thezmarr series so I was super excited to get to read her book and see how her mind worked and more importantly, how the war affected her. I knew when they talked to the Queen Reyna in Shadow & Storms that this series wasn’t going to be the last of it for this world and I’m so glad for that. I felt like this was a dark, adult Harry Potter in certain aspects of this book.

It was nice getting to see Wilder and Thea in this series as well as getting to see them from a different point of view. I knew when we first met Tori that we were going to get more from him, and he exceeded my expectations. Just from those few lines he had in Legends I knew he was going to have my heart.

Honestly I was not prepared for that ending, it made me hurt for them both and I will be stressing until I read the next book. I can’t wait for it!

I think it needs to be made much clearer that this is a new series extended from another series. I think it requires the knowledge from the previous series to fully deliver.

Many thanks for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I try to get to at list about 20% of a novel before DNFing. But this was a struggle to get to 10%. I keep trying romantasy because I do like romance in my fantasy. It's just been difficult to find one that is a good fit for me. Just based on the reviews, it looks like this is a hit for others and I'm in the minority. So, it clearly works for others.

That said, my specific issues were with how the romance was being written. The female love interest actively pursues vigilante justice against criminals by executing them. The male love interest disapproves and actively judges her, drugs her to take control of her at one point, and wants her to change to fit his preferences for a relationship between them. That means their incompatible and therefore the romance portion of the romantic fantasy has already failed. I really dislike the theme that seeking justice is bad and will cause a woman to be "too far gone" to be deserving of a man's love.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm giving this book 3 stars because it is an extension to another series that I didn't read so at times I was a like confused. Befire going into this book I didn't know their was a connecting series until the looked up the author. Overall, I found this fantasy world to be interesting but I was missing a bunch of world building and character backstory to really enjoy it.

With that being said I did enjoy this story and was very interested in the alchemist school setting. This book definitely has an enemies to lovers feel but really is a princess and her bodyguard book.

I listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed the performance because I'm not sure if I would have been able to pronounce some of the names.

I really enjoyed returning to the world of Thezmarr! We get to spend time while the cast of characters that we know and love from the Legends series. Though our main characters are Wren and Torj, there is still a lot of interactions with our side characters from Legends. I definitely think you should read the Legends of Thezmarr series prior to starting the Ashes of Thezmarr series. There is so many little (a a couple) of big spoilers to that series. Plus you get a lot of added backstory on our main and side characters. This series is set up to be another epic story line where our badass FMC helps take down the enemy. I’m really looking forward to the next installment.

I didn’t realize until halfway through the book that this is another series in about universe. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read the other series first. That being said, excellent story and great characters. Lots of good tension and an interesting alchemy school. Can’t wait to read the next one. Narrators were also fantastic.

I received an arc from Netgalley and the publisher.

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is the first book in the fantasy romance trilogy “The Ashes of Thezmarr” and it is set five years after the events of the Legends of Thezmarr series.
If you did not read this series yet, I recommend it, as this can be considered a continuation and it would be easier to understand the world and the characters. Also there are references to events that happen in the past.

Thank you The Realm Studios for the e-ARC and Dreamscape Media for the ALC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book is for you of you like:
- academy setting
- deadly trials
- alchemy and potions
- magic
- forced proximity
- bodyguard/princess
- strong FMC
- broody MMC
- slow burn
- found family

In the beginning of the book we find how the ending of Shadow & Storms affected the kingdoms and that people are still healing. Wren and Torj were also affected by the war.
Wren is an alchemist turned assassin that still grieves the loss of her friends and suffers from trauma.
Torj is a warrior that is charged with her protection. There was a connection between them for a long time and now that they are some much time in close proximity, it is harder to deny it (as much as they try).

The romance is a very slow burn, but filled with angst, tension and a lot of banter.

Listening to the audiobook is a plus as I could multitask when needed. The narration is dual, done by Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer that did a good job. My only comment is that the voice of the narrator through Torj’s lines was a bit too low, but I enjoyed his narration overall. By listening to the book I felt some of the emotions of the characters even stronger.

I also liked that the chapters are short. The plot is engaging and there is enough action, mystery and tension to keep me reading.
The side characters are great, especially Kipp and Cal that provide the funny side of the book.

The ending was intense and Torj’s decision made me angry. Now I am (im)patiently waiting for book 2.

As always, Helen is a masterful world-builder and storyteller. The evolution of the LOT world was so clear and believable and it was so nice to be back in something familiar but changed. I knew from the start that Wren was going to be my kind of character. I loved how prickly she was and the yearning. My gods! The yearning in this book. I am dangling from that cliffhanger ending, anxiously awaiting book two.

Y’all I absolutely devoured this book. Helen for sure has quickly become one of my favorite authors. She has this unique talent of crafting such an engaging story, compelling and realistic characters with a build up of spice that when it finally blows up, it’s exquisite.
The narrators absolutely hit it out the park. They embodied Wren and Torj with such precision that I fell in love with them. Their back and forth quips were one of the main highlights of this book. Seeing them circle each other in this sexy, hilarious and intense dance had me swooning.
This is a Romantasy that needs to be on your TBR and moved up to the top. I know it’s early but this book is sitting pretty as my number 1 book of the year and it’s going to be tough to knock off its perch.☺️
Make sure to check it out on 1•28•25 when it takes the world by storm 🤘🏻

Iron and Embers features Wren, assassin and alchemist, and Torj, War Sword. Wren has recently been accepted into a secret school for alchemy and needs a bodyguard assigned to her for protection. Torj is the unlucky War Sword assigned to Wren. They have never been on the same page and have had animosity for years. Now, they are forced to interact daily as Wren trains.

This. Was. Incredible. I was lucky enough to get an ALC and throughly enjoyed the story and the audiobook narration. Helen Scheuerer has created something magical here and I loved every minute. This is the first book in a new series, but set in the same world as a previous series. You don’t need to have read the previous series in order to enjoy this one, I haven’t, but I am going to now!

Wren is an incredibly strong character, who is still living through her grief from the war. She is determined to do well at her studies and I loved seeing her brain work. I also loved how much Torj got under her skin (and vice versa). Torj, meanwhile, has silver haired Witcher vibes and all the growly grumpy bodyguard vibes. I loved being in his head and living through his unrelenting focus on Wren.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series, to see what happens next!

Overall, highly recommend and the audio was incredible!

"Iron & Embers" by Helen Scheuerer takes place in a dark world trying to recover from the last war and preparing for the next. Wren Embervale as earned her reputation, both as strong wielder and as an assassin. She has spent years honing her craft of alchemy and taking out her enemies by poisoning them. However, that time has come to an end as she has been invited to attend her dream school - Drevenor Academy. It is only here she will be able to further push herself and master alchemy. But, there's a catch, she may only attend Drevenor if she agrees to have a body guard. The bodyguard assigned to her is no other then Torj Elderbrock, war-hero and her sworn enemy (since she killed his last charge). The tensions are high and Torj has his hands full trying to keep Wren out of trouble, but maybe shes the type of trouble he likes...

This is such a fun romantasy with it's quick banter and well developed characters. I really enjoyed my time in this world and look forward to seeing what happens next.