*A Kiss of Hammer and Flame* delivers a sizzling blend of fantasy, romance, and richly imagined mythology that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The world-building is immersive, with a unique magical system and a setting that feels both epic and intimate.

The chemistry between the protagonists crackles right from the start—tense, passionate, and beautifully complicated. I appreciated how their relationship was given space to grow, with just the right mix of tension, tenderness, and heat. The heroine, in particular, is a standout—strong, flawed, and refreshingly self-aware.

The only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five is that a few pacing issues slowed the momentum in the middle, but the emotional payoff and thrilling climax more than made up for it.

Overall, *A Kiss of Hammer and Flame* is a gripping romantic fantasy that will appeal to fans of slow-burn tension, strong characters, and high-stakes magic. I’ll definitely be reading whatever this author writes next!

This was an interesting YA story in a unique fantasy world! The world building was interesting and original.

The main character Cahra has her life upended after becoming central to a prophecy. She is reluctant to take on power but her journey the politics and history of this world are very intriguing.

For me, the characters, their personalities, and relationships felt a bit underdeveloped. This may pick up more in future books as we learn more about them.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book follows Cahra, a young blacksmith who unintentionally forges a sword that triggers the start of events foretold in a centuries old prophecy.

I was initially captured by the premise and the protagonist, a strong and independent woman with a tortured past. I thought it had potential but sadly in the end I did not enjoy this book. I found that the relationships between the characters were unbelievable and the plot was one dimensional. I was often bored by the story and found the romance to be contrived.

I think there are some good bones in this book, but more development is needed to flesh out the ideas and create depth.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by Amy de la Force is an intriguing fantasy with a promising premise, but ultimately falls short in some areas. The world-building is vivid, and the magical elements are well-crafted, offering an interesting setting for the story. However, the pacing feels uneven, with parts dragging on too long while others rush through crucial moments. The characters are likable but lack depth, making it difficult to fully invest in their journey. While the romance adds some charm, it doesn’t feel as developed or compelling as the plot itself. Overall, this is an enjoyable read for fans of light fantasy, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. 3 stars.

This story takes you on a epic quest with war, hints of romance and great world building. It's engaging and the characters are well written. The ending felt satisfying with an opening for more

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame had a lot of things I usually love—dark magic, gothic vibes, a strong female lead, and the promise of romance—but overall, it didn’t fully click for me.

The beginning drew me in, but as the story went on, I found myself losing focus. As a mood reader, this felt like one of those books that demands your full attention, and I just wasn’t in the headspace for that kind of read. The pacing felt uneven in parts—some sections moved quickly, while others dragged or felt dense with information.

I was hoping for more romantasy elements, especially since there’s a hint of a love triangle, but the romantic tension didn’t quite land. I found myself wanting more chemistry and more buildup between characters. There was definitely potential, especially with the dark, mysterious characters and the “touch her and die” energy, but it never quite hit the mark.

Still, the worldbuilding was solid, and I appreciated the darker, gothic tone. Cahra’s journey from reluctant hero to stepping into her role had some great moments, and I’m curious to see how things develop in the next book.

Not a favorite for me, but I can see the appeal—and I’m still interested enough to see where the story goes.

While A Kiss of Hammer and Flame had an exciting premise and a strong, bold heroine I admired, the story itself didn’t quite live up to expectations. The plot had potential, but lacked momentum, and the male lead fell a little flat for me. I’d still be open to exploring more from the author, but this one just didn’t quite deliver the spark I was hoping for.

Cahra is lucky to live the life of a blacksmith apprenticeship. Save from death and the dungeons, she's content in the humble life she leads. Blessed with a stunning gift for crafting weapons, she's tasked to create a sword with no other parameters. Unbeknownst to her, the design that comes to her in her dream state is the first part of a realm wide prophecy. This is where the action and adventure kick into high gear. The world building is phenomenal with such attention to detail that all links together.

Cahra needs to choose what she wants out of life and thus starts the remainder of the prophecy in motion. She is the only one who can wield the ultimate weapon. I'm interested to see where the story goes.

3.75⭐️

This was such an interesting read! The concept really grabbed me — a blacksmith at the heart of a prophecy, an immortal with world-shifting power, and kingdoms on the edge of war. It had that classic fantasy feel but with some fresh, original twists.
I really liked the FMC. She was relatable and strong in a quiet, thoughtful way. The relationships and tension between the characters were done well, and the story had a good build with some beautiful, almost dreamlike moments throughout.
There were a few spots where I found myself wanting a bit more clarity, especially with some of the worldbuilding and pacing in the middle. But overall, the writing had a lot of heart, and the story kept me curious until the end.
Definitely a solid start to what feels like a bigger series. I’ll be keeping an eye out for book two!

I unfortunately didn’t love this book. I wonder at times if I even liked it. While there were some aspects that were interesting, so many others fell flat for me.

When I started reading I felt like I didn’t connect with the characters, but really liked the plot and pacing. I assumed that as I continued reading, I would grow to love or even like the characters, but sadly I felt like they remained unremarkable throughout the book. The main character lacked any distinguishing personality and her relationships with the other characters were shallow. I did not feel any real connection between her and the love interest which is most disappointing.

And that pacing that I initially enjoyed so much slowed to a painful pace. I feel like the concept of the book was good. It had good bones, but I did not like the way that things developed.

Thank you, Amy de la Force, NetGalley, and Camelot for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! I especially loved the character development. Cahra is such a strong lead! I love that she starts off strong, and is not in need of saving. A Kiss of Hammer and Flame pulled me right in. I didn’t put it down until I was done. It’s fast-paced, and packed full of adventure. The storyline is unique, and original.
I can’t wait for the next one! I will be adding more to my review as I read over my highlights 🙂

DNF at 20%. I had such a difficult time finding the motivation to pick this one up whilst reading. I thought the writing was immersive and interesting, but not the characters. Cahra lacked a perceivable personality as well as most of the supporting characters. The plot also moved at a slow crawl. I found it hard to maintain interest in the plot when there was such little build up. Loved the writing, the characters and plot just dulled it for me. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC, all opinions are my own!

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is the first book in what will no doubt be a captivating romantasy series!.

The storyline is fast paced and compelling, with a cast of unique, well developed characters that you quickly become attached to from the start.
I adored following Weapon and Scions characters as they grew throughout this book, and seeing their relationship develop too was delightful!

This book has officially made me excited for the rest of this series!. A must read for the romantasy fans!

I really enjoyed this book - the setting and worldbuilding are interesting and engaging, and I want to learn more about the kingdoms and magic. The characters are lovely, and their relationships with each other felt genuine and strong.
The last 20% of the book covers a lot of plot and moves very fast. The characters don't get much time to process new feelings, or new information, or any of the events. There's more telling than showing here, and so it feels a little rushed and emotionally distant. Maybe we'll get some of what was missing in the next book, and I'm curious to see where we go from here. 3.5 but rounded up!

*I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*

A wrapping of familiar romantosy themes, with a filling that is all its own. The author serves up a delightful action packed thrill. The only thing for me, which lost a star, is the sudden change of major romantic interest, a much darker turn than expected. Carha declared her heart, but now? However is redemption of that star possible? Has the magic imbued corrupted her? I think a sequel is there for the telling! Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

DNF in the most "it's me, not you" type of way.
Unfortunately, I cannot get very far in any book that uses single quotation marks instead of double quotation marks.

This book had so much to love - a strong female lead healing from her past and stepping into her power (albeit begrudgingly at first), an escape from a fear-ruled, violence-ridden kingdom, and a journey that transforms reluctant allies into found family.

The gothic influences and dark magick elements were another standout, especially embodied in my favorite character archetype present in this story - a certain smoke-shifting, fire-eyed, gothic nightmare of a man, his nether-magicks becoming ever more known as the story progressed. And when that final battle hit? I was biting my nails at 1 AM, waiting for my favorite touch her and die trope to play out. And play out well, it did.

This book jumps between multiple POVs, but we mostly follow Cahra. Her development starts slow, and while the overall plot is well-paced, a few scenes in the early-to-mid section felt rushed. I would have loved to linger in the Wylds a bit longer to soak in the world-building and explore the developing dynamics between Cahra and one of the characters in the proposed love triangle. I also enjoyed the tense (but humorous) dynamic between Cahra and Raiden and would have loved to see more of that, alongside deeper connections with the other comrades on their journey. That said, I think there’s plenty of time in book two to see these relationships really develop.

The novel takes a darker, gothic turn toward the end, setting up a promising trajectory for the series. Thankfully, we’re not left with a brutal cliffhanger - just plenty of foreshadowing for an even deeper dive into dark magick, rising villains, and a forbidden romance (kicking my feet already!). His final moments in this book? Unhinged perfection. He’s going to complement our reluctant heroine so well.

This was a solid start to the series, and I’ll absolutely be picking up the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy!

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame
By Amy De La Force

3.75⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

While I found this book enjoyable, there was something about it that dragged for me. I couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was that didn’t line up for me but there was something that just didn’t quite mesh. However, I found the overall story intriguing, the promise of a doomed love, there was a uniqueness in the way the world was set up. I love the three sister kingdoms and how it was set up to be overruled by Hael’stromia. Hael himself was the most intriguing character in the whole story and I’d have loved more from him but I feel as though there will be more to come of that in the following book. I think overall it was enjoyable, but there was just character depth missing and something else I can’t put my finger on. I will definitely read the next one though!

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 A Kiss of Hammer and Flame
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Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The blurb for this book had me interested from the start, the cover is stunning and it 100% delivered.

This book is perfect for the fantasy readers who wish to go back to their YA roots. This world is so different and unique. We meet Cahra, a blacksmith you becomes a reluctant hero as she is thrust into a prophecy that spans 400 years.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is fast paced and packed a good punch with character development that kept me engaged the entire time. For those wondering, there is a little romance but it is a sub-subplot. The majority of this book is action and it is just so refreshing and unique.

I really enjoyed Cahra's character, I thought we would get the reluctant hero that is small and dainty. Instead we got a hero who knows her worth and is overall a BAMF that takes all her challenges head on.

Definitely will be continuing this series, especially after learning who Cahra is.

DNF'd at 33%. I was really enjoying this one at first, but the more it went on, the more it seemed to drag. It just seemed to be too much. I think it would have benefitted from being tightened up significantly.

The love triangle also just made this feel like a YA novel and really took away from the book. I didn't even end up caring who she ended up with by the time I DNF'd.