I've enjoyed Sophie Jordan books in the past and I really like romantasy, so this book caught my attention. I did really enjoy the story - thought it started especially strong with descriptions and characters. I do think it got a bit slow in the middle and dragged along a little. The ending picked back up, but there were pieces of it that felt to abrupt and a bit out of character for a few characters. There was a "plot twist" that I saw coming from a mile off, but the way it was done was part of the abruptness I felt. Overall, I really enjoyed and I'm sad that there has been no announcement for when the next one will be released!

I’m aware that I’m fairly easy to please when it comes to fantasy. You give me a strong FMC, a strong MMC, a fantasy world I believe in, and I’m there. Throw in some magic & some tension and we’re good! All that to say . . . I really enjoyed this! There were multiple times I had to stop myself from skipping ahead because I needed to know what was going on. I refuse to hear negative critiques about this (although I will subtract a star bc I recognize them & am fully committed to honesty in reviews). Nevertheless, I am very interested in Tamsyn and Fell & I absolutely will be there for the next one. As for Stig?! Stig can kick rocks.

*Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this arc.

Now, this book hooked me from the start. I like the author’s writing style and descriptiveness. Until they started repeating. Repeating. Repeating. I also was a little confused on the dragon descriptions. Sometimes they seemed more humanoid than mythical creature.

However, those are my only two complaints. I enjoyed the characters, the plot line, the SPICE 🥵

Whereas, it does seem there are some Fourth Wing influences. It wasn’t too much, and well done. I honestly would have loved more in this first book. Maybe a little more time delving into life once Tamsyn got to the Borg. Also A MAP! But that’s just a personal preference.

I highly reccomend this book to anyone who loves dragons, spice, and an easy read!

DNFed at 50% and then skimmed some of the rest. I really wanted to like this book, and the plot did start of strong, but pretty soon it began to slow down a lot. Like, a LOT. I think the romance between Tamsyn and Fell was supposed to make up for that, but I felt like their romance didn't have the necessary buildup and the tension didn't simmer long enough for me to be as invested as I was supposed to be. It felt like a sudden switch flipping and was a bit jarring, to be honest. I was also so confused as to how Fell suddenly accepted Tamsyn as his bride/wife? Wasn't the fate of his kingdom resting on him marrying a true princess, which Tamsyn is not? The way Tamsyn's trauma was handled in the book also felt very weird to me. She seemingly blindly accepts marrying a brutal warrior to save her sisters, and this doesn't, like... cause any trauma triggers or anything? It was giving "romantasy tough girl" in a way that felt disingenuous and not true to how trauma actually manifests and would affect someone. All in all, I really wished I liked this book more, but I can't say that I would recommend it. It fell into the category of a lot of other romantasies for me and didn't distinguish itself or hook me emotionally. I do think some romantasy readers will still enjoy it, as there are fun elements to the world and plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon / Harper Voyager, and Sophie Jordan for providing an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a very quick read for me. There wasn’t much world building, but it was set up well enough for the series to continue on. The book was pretty repetitive, so at times it was boring for me. I wish it was longer to go into better detail on certain aspects. I did enjoy the ending, so I look forward to the continuation of this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan is the first book in a new fantasy series set thousands of years before Firelight. With dragons, witches, and deadly warriors, it taps into the current trend of fantasy and romantasy, much like Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses. This is the perfect time to revisit the world Jordan originally introduced over a decade ago with her popular Firelight series.

The story is set in the kingdom of Panterra, where dragons have long disappeared from the skies. At the heart of the story is 21-year-old Tamsyn, Lord Fell Dryhten, and Sig, the captain of the guard and Tamsyn’s only true ally. Tamsyn, known as the royal whipping girl, endures punishment whenever the princesses misbehave. Fell, also called the Beast of the Borderlands, is charged with protecting Panterra from external threats.

Abandoned as a baby, Tamsyn was adopted by the King and Queen and raised in court alongside the princesses Feena, Sybilia, and Alise. Though she’s treated like family, she also holds the lowest status, making her feel like she belongs nowhere. Her sole friend is Sig, though she sometimes suspects he wants more than just friendship. But Tamsyn’s world turns upside down when Fell arrives at court, demanding a marriage alliance with one of the King’s daughters.

To protect the princesses, the Queen orders Tamsyn to disguise herself and take the princess’s place. Reluctantly, Tamsyn agrees, leaving behind her life and Sig. The wedding night begins with unexpected passion but quickly spirals into near violence when Fell discovers the deception. Rather than incite war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his wife—but can he handle the dark secrets she doesn’t even know she’s hiding? For Tamsyn is much more than the whipping girl she appears to be, and when those secrets come to light, they threaten to destroy the kingdom. Magic isn’t dead; it’s only dormant, waiting for an ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

This is a classic enemies-to-lovers romance. As Tamsyn and Fell spend more time together, their chemistry becomes undeniable, despite their attempts to resist it. As they journey to Tamsyn’s new, harsh home, the tension between them grows, eventually sparking a flame neither can control. The final chapters of the book are especially gripping, particularly a scene where one of Fell’s men tries to kill Tamsyn, leading to a shocking moment that makes everyone believe something terrible has happened to her.

The book ends on a massive cliffhanger, revealing that both Tamsyn and Fell have been lied to about their true identities and origins.

I can't wait for the next book. This book reminds me a bit of Cassandra Clare's new Sword Catcher series with the role of the royal whipping girl taking the whippings and the unwanted duties of royalty. I think Fell is going to be a interesting character, you already see his conflicted nature. Tamsyn's secret I can't wait to find even more out about what path will take these two in the next book.

Absolutely an unputdownable read from start to finish. I devoured this whole.

Dragons are SO BACK, baby! Romantasy at its finest, and I need it now.

I more info about the magic and the world and witches and dragons. Book 2, come at me!

Loved the idea of this book and it definitely had parts where I was invested but also big chuck that just didn’t of my interest. Love the dragons, the journey for the mc had to make and grow as a character. I just didn’t feel like it was written in a way that just held your attention and continuously drew you in. I needed more but I don’t think it was a bad story at all just seemed to lack that draw and when it started to have it… it didn’t seem to last.

Great book! Would recommend to people who love romance fantasy novels with a little slower read. I wonder what will be next for the author

Really enjoyed the book and cannot wait for more!
I will say i thought the beginning was really slow but it started to pick up around 27%

As with most of Sophie Jordan's books, I liked the story a great deal, but the amount of internal monologues really cripples the pace and my enjoyment of it.

Fast summary:
Tamsyn, the royal whipping girl, is forced to marry Mel Gibson from Braveheart AKA Fell- the Beast of the Borderlands. There is deception, passion, and a guard names Stig. In a world that believes they had killed off all dragons, witches and any sort of magic, surprise: they havent!

I would totally read the follow up to this story, but will probably be skimming the internal monologues as I go.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This romantasy was decently well written in the first person perspective. There is a good plot and there is spice. If you enjoy webtoons, you will probably enjoy this book, The plot reminded me of several webtoons I loved.
3.75 Stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so addictive. Dragons, Witches, Magic, Family secrets, and so much more!!
Highly recommended for Romantasy fans!

This is such an intriguing fantasy, it was full of twists and turns and was definitely fast paced. I would recommend this to fans of Romantasy who want something a little different than the more popular ones. I will definitely be picking up the next one.

Long ago I read Firelight and I did try to remember the dragons and the lore of that first novel. Thankfully, it was not necessary for this adult romantasy. It really started out more as a sort of fictional Viking arranged marriage trope book. I actually did enjoy this as it felt different to other fantasies, with the concept of a whipping girl. It was new to me. The pace was fast for me which I enjoyed as I knew to anticipate dragon and glad to have gotten to that part too. It certainly felt like a fresh take on the theme and background lore for an old popular series which I do hope to return to and reread someday. The end did leave me wanting, wishing it had been longer and stretched out to learn more. Eagerly awaiting the next book instead.

Thank you for the ARC and the chance to review this novel.

I really liked this book. I just wanted a little more from it. More back story, more dialogue and conversations between the characters. More information, but maybe we’ll get that in book 2. Overall really enjoyed it though

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! What a fun twist ending. A little repetitive in parts but I’m hoping for a sequel. I need to know more about the dragons and what’s in store for Tamsyn and Fell. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

this story was absolutely phenomenal.

i was gripped from beginning to end and wanted to abandon all my adult responsibilities 😆

i loved the characters and their inner dialogue, the originality of the plot and how it all comes together. the special bond Fell and Tamsyn have ❤️ the surprises always got me every single time, till the very end.

all these characters have officially had their eyes opened...not only to their current situation and among their relationships but with everything they thought they knew about their world.

A Fire in the Sky, by Sophie Jordan, is the first installment in a brand new series. Set thousands of years before Firelight, A Fire in the Sky kicks off a brand-new series featuring dragons, witches, and deadly warriors. Between Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorn and Roses, fantasy and romantasy are all the rage. This is the perfect moment to return to the world of Firelight, a popular HarperTeen series Jordan released over ten years ago.

The story is set in a place called Panterra where Dragons no longer are seen in the sky. The key characters of this story are 21-year-old Tamsyn, Lord Fell Dryhten, and Sig, Captain of the guard and Tamsyn's only real friend. Tamsyn is called the royal whipping girl because any time the princesses of Panterra do something wrong, Tamsyn gets their punished. Fell, aka the Beast of the Borderlands, it is his responsibility to keep the country safe from border incursions.

Left behind in a bassinet when she was a baby, Tamsyn was taken in by the King and Queen as their own. She was raised in the glittering court alongside princesses Feena, Sybilia & Alise. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowliest servant, Tamsyn fits nowhere. Her only friend is Stig, Captain of the Guard, though sometimes she thinks he wants more than friendship. But things are going to change quickly for Tamsyn because of the arrival of the Beast of the Borderlands and his demands for a seat at the table and a marriage.

When Fell arrives in the capital, he has a plan. He needs to find a wife to marry and who better than one of the King's precious daughters? To save the pampered princesses from a fate worse than death, Tamsyn is commanded by the Queen to don a veil and gloves to hide her identity. She agrees to the deception even though it means leaving Stig, and the only life she’s ever known, behind. The wedding night begins with unexpected passion and ends in near violence when her trickery is exposed.

Rather than start a war, Fell accepts Tamsyn as his bride but can he accept the dark secrets she harbors? Secrets buried so deep even she doesn’t know they exist? For Tamsyn is more than a royal whipping girl, more than the false wife of a man who now sees her as his enemy. And when those secrets emerge, they will ignite a flame bright enough to burn the entire kingdom to the bone. Magic is not dead...it is only sleeping. And it will take one ordinary girl with an extraordinary destiny to awaken it.

This is definitely a enemy to lovers story. The more they spend together, the more they lean on, and get closer. As they make their way back to her new rough home both of them will realize that nothing has prepared them for the spark between them that they ignore but will soon burn out of control. The final chapters of this book were, honestly, the best. Forget one particular scene when one of Fell's men tries to kill her and she does something that leads people to believe that something bad happened to her.

The story itself ends on a whopping cliffhanger that will leave you gasping because it's apparent that both characters have been lied to about who they were, or where they came from for the entirety of their lives. I find it interesting that 12 years ago, the author wrote a young adult series called Firelight about dragons. A decade later, she was encouraged to write an adult fantasy romance series featuring dragons. The ending is probably the best part of this story. The almost love triangle seems to have gone down in flames. Of course, the book ends on a cliffhanger. Allegedly, the second book in this series, tentatively titled A Scar in the Bone, will be released in the first half of 2025.