I loved this book. The history, magic, and world were great. The relationship between the main characters was well done - arranged marriage, brute with a soft side, secret powers. I was hooked from the beginning and finished ready to dive into book 2 - it’s going to be a long wait!

A thrilling fantasy filled with deception, a forced marriage to the Beast Lord, a witch's curse, the return of dragons, and a fiery connection. A Fire in the Sky captivated me from the start.

Tamsyn (FMC) has been tasked from a young age to protect the princesses who she views as sisters. Receiving their punishments and now even wedding the barbarian lord in their place to keep the peace... Fell, the lord (MMC), won't know it is her under the veil until it is too late. Now that she is his he will have to deal with his unexpected wife.

Journeying back to his lands will be a bumpy ride filled with bandits, discoveries, and dangerous creatures. Sparks may fly and Fell may get a bit possessive/ protective even though he shouldn't. Enjoyed this phenomenal start to the story and the foreshadowing. Saw somethings coming but did not expect that ending. Looking forward to book 2 and learning more about the dragons before/after the Threshing.

Highly recommend checking this read out when it releases if you enjoy romantasy reads with dragons, royalty, hate to love, and forced marriage. Thank you for the ARC!

I have read a few of Sophie Jordans books including her firelight series. I was interested in this one since it was returning to a similar world. I enjoyed it at first but it was too predictable. My main issue was the romance, it was a bit too insta-lust for my tastes. Plot wise while the character has an interesting backstory the general story left a lot to be desired.

If you like romance fantasy you may like it more than I did. Many thanks to netgalley for the review copy.

Sophie Jordan brings dragons into a new world of adult fantasy with A Fire in the Sky. When Fell, the warlord who has been protecting the kingdom’s borders comes to the capital demanding a royal bride, the king weds him to one who has been treated like a princess for half her life…with the other half spent as the royal whipping girl.

Tamsyn was raised next to the royal daughters, treated the same except for when she was punished for their mistakes. It’s her duty to protect the princesses from physical harm, and she marries the Beast of the Borderland for that purpose. But while she’s always been resilient, traveling through the dangerous borderlands brings out a fiery side of her no one could have expected—especially as the last of the feared dragons was vanquished over twenty years ago.

A Fire in the Sky was a great story with some fun twists and turns. It doesn’t feel like much happened in it looking back, but it leaves a lot of excitement for the sequel.

Fun, new dragon shifter series from an old favorite -- definitely intrigued to read more!

This shifter story reflects a world in which magical creatures have became extinct after a major war called the Threshing. It follows our Tamsyn (FMC) and Fell (MMC) on their journey. Tamsyn, the FMC, has been trained to serve the crown at all times. No matter the request. It was fun to watch her slowly figure out what she wanted throughout the course of the story. I am interested to see where her journey goes next and watch her morph into a powerful character. Fell, our MMC, has a mission that has challenges at every step, especially when he is tricked into a wife he did not want.

The plot comes full circle by the cliffhanger at the and I am intrigued to see where Sophie Jordan takes the series next. The book appears to be setting up a much larger story and I hope to see more of this new world that she alluded to at the end.

I was a bit confused by the inclusion of Stig's chapters. I felt like a lot of his thoughts could be inferred from his actions. I wanted them to be a bit deeper than they were. I did enjoy the background POV that explained how Tamsyn came to be in this human society. I am hoping we get more of Tamsyn's and Fell's pasts in the next book.

Sophie Jordan's A Fire in the Sky is a fun romantic fantasy. If you are looking for a romance-heavy story with low worldbuilding and an amusing plot at this one to your list.

This book has so much potential, especially with the current moment that dragon books are having, but it's hindered by the repetitive prose. When every thought is echoed three or four times later on the same page, it's really hard to get into a reading rhythm. Combining that repetition with a relatively short high fantasy novel means the world is somewhat small (which does mean more to come later in the series, I'm sure). I think this will appeal more to straight romance readers than fantasy lovers, though with the gorgeous edges and exciting premise, others will likely be eager to read this one.

Having read and enjoyed Sophie Jordan in her other genres, I decided to give this a go. I really liked the set-up to the story, but I am afraid it lost me with the introduction of the fantasy elements. But that's really a me problem. I will definitely be recommending this for fans of romantasy! Overall, a great read!

“A Fire in the Sky” by Sophie Jordan follows Tamsyn, official whipping girl to the pampered princesses of Penterra. Raised as one of the royal family’s own, Tamsyn’s sole purpose is to accept the punishments for the princesses’ misdeeds. When Lord Fell Dryhten, the Beast of the Borderlands, arrives at the castle, demanding payment for his assistance to the kingdom - a princess as his only asking price - Tamsyn is dragged into a deception of the royal kind.

Despite her only friend’s objections (Stig, captain of the guard who’s also secretly/not so secretly in love with her), Tamsyn marries Lord Dryhten and is swept away to the Borderlands.

This book had me hooked from the first chapter! Despite being duty-sworn, Tamsyn feels this innate compulsion to protect her “sisters” - even when it comes at her own cost. When she’s thrust into an arranged marriage with a stranger, Tamsyn puts on a brave face and goes through with it so that her sisters don’t have to. Tamsyn is the quintessential romantasy leading lady - tough, compassionate, pragmatic, imperfect, resolute.

The characters in “A Fire in the Sky” are deftly written. Tamsyn and Fell - both wrapped up in upholding their duty - passionately and unapologetically collide in this story. Their chemistry is palpable from their very first meeting, and their journey is filled with fiery passion, danger, and unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.

With Jordan’s rich and immersive storytelling, Tamsyn and Fell’s story had me reading this book from cover to cover in one sitting! (I actually read and then re-read the book before writing this review - and it had me biting a clenched fist each time!) Jordan masterfully weaves together romance and fantasy, creating a story that's both heartwarming and thrilling.

And then there's the cliffhanger ending – a brilliant, jaw-dropping twist that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. It's a testament to Jordan's skill that I'm already counting down the days until I can dive back into this magical world. If you’re looking for a book that has it all - witches, dragons, arranged marriage, secret heritages - you’ll want to add this to your TBR list!

Great for fans of the Fourth Wing series and books by Carissa Broadbent! This book will be a favorite for romantasy readers. I will be recommending this to many fantasy readers.

Viking lore yes please, very intriguing story line.

This book has something for everyone especially imo dragon fans.

A bit spicy 🌶️

The writing is great despite some errors, could use another go with an editor but it’s still a great romantasy. Tamsyn was cool but I love Fell. The chemistry and banter is great!

A Fire in the Sky is a delightful dive back into Sophie Jordan's world of dragons. I read and enjoyed her first series and I was so excited to see her writing in this universe again (albeit in a very different way.) Tamsyn is an engaging main character who cares so much for her sisters, even though she has been hurt so much because of their actions. I appreciated that she was strong and brave, even while being forced into things by others. I also liked Fell a lot. His motivation is so pure, while he acknowledges that he's far from perfect. Watching them get to know each other and understand each other was so sweet. The sexual tension was super hot, along with the spice.
I reached the end so much quicker than I expected and I'm so sad that I read this so ahead of release. I NEED the next one!!
Definitely worth the preorder.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book. However, while I devoured the beginning, the moment it introduced the dragon element it began to lose me, which is a shock. I felt the storytelling pacing and the narrative began to fall apart, and the romance wasn’t as convincing. Nevertheless, I overall enjoyed it and will recommend it to my romance-loving patrons.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

I was only familiar with Sophie Jordan's contemporary romance books and had never read her Firelight series, so I was very interested in reading a Fire in the Sky. While reading Tamysn's POV it evokes a lot of emotions about her situation in life. She was raised to take the punishment for the kingdom's three princesses who were raised alongside her like sisters. She is forced into an arranged marriage to a northern brute, and must face the perilous journey back to his home. This was a quick read, there were different POVs and a fair bit of action. In my opinion the story did not need to be broken up into parts, while reading it made the flow choppy. The plot kind of dumps out in part five, and leaves on a unexpected cliffhanger. The story flirts with being a love triangle, but ultimately is not. Overall a good read and would continue the series. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6475225383

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book. This is the first Sophie Jordan book I have read and I cannot believe I have been missing out on this author's work. I will definitely be finding some of the other other books. This book is a very easy read. Once I started it I could not put it down. The female main character is enjoyable and the male main character is intriguing. While this book is not showing yet as the first in a series, I am very hopeful there is more to come with these characters. This book had a few really good twists and turns. If there is another in this series I will definitely be reading it.

I'm rating this 4 stars for entertainment value and getting me out of a reading slump. The writing is good, but it could stand another round with an editor. There's just a LOT of repetition of thoughts, exposition, and the main conflict, which causes the pacing to be a little off. In terms of romantasy, it's nothing groundbreaking, but the plot is fun, and even though I knew exactly what the big twist was going to be by about 7% in to the book, I enjoyed the ride to get there. Tamsyn is kind of an annoying heroine, but I did really like Fell. The spice is spicin' pretty good. I want to know a LOT more about the dragons. Overall, there's a lot to like here, and I will definitely read the next book!

Rating 3.5 stars

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading "A Fire in the Sky." I'm a sucker for enemies to lover romances and this one did not disappoint. Tamsyn, a character whose resilience shines through the adversity she faces as the royal whipping girl among princesses. While initially challenging to reconcile as a reader, her upbringing adds a depth to her character that resonates throughout the narrative, making her journey all the more compelling.

Fell, the mysterious Border Lord of the North, whose marriage with Tamsyn sets the stage for a rocky romance due to the deception and betrayal orchestrated by none other than the King and Queen themselves. Their journey homeward is filled with peril, as they navigate treacherous landscapes and enemies. The ending is twisty and sets the readers up for a sequel. Overall, an enjoyable fast-paced fantasy with a slow-burn romance.

Thank you to Sophie Jordan, Avon and Harper Voyager Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

The prose was slightly overwritten/over-narrated for my own taste so I stopped partway into chapter 2 (8%). I did like that the book is dual-POV. Conceptually, the story is really interesting, and I feel like it will go over well with the target audience. I can definitely see this at a solid 3 to 4 stars with 5 for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

A Fire in the Sky was my first experience with Sophie Jordan‘s writing. I originally thought, based on the summary, as Tamsyn is the royal whipping girl, there were going to be more hurt/comfort scenes. I like H/C when done right, and Jordan didn’t disappoint.

The wedding night scene is one of the best spicy scenes I’ve read in a long time. It’s not mind blowing hot, but the chemistry is there and the fact Fell is a total cinnamon roll had me grinning wildly and not wanting to skip pages.

I’d say this is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I don’t know what am I going to do till I get my hands on the next book because that ending left me feeling so shooked. I have always adored this author’s writing style! She is very gifted at character development. The characters are absolutely fascinating and engaging. But, the whole story is just in its own category all together. The world that this author created is entirely, 100% unique and very complex. I would undoubtedly be recommending this.