DNF @23%. I really wanted to love this one, especially with its clear House of the Dragon vibes and strong nods to Scottish lore ( I'm a sucker for both). I just don't love how it was executed I guess? The concept is compelling, but i mostly struggled to connect with Aemyra. She is all bark and no bite. and I just couldn't find a hook to pull me into her story. The worldbuilding felt underdeveloped, yet shoved into your throat the second you opened the book. It was hard to keep up yet not enough at the same time. I can see this working for a lot of people, however it wasn't for me.

4 stars

First thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the eArc. Pub date 5/27/2025

I struggled where to rate this. It took me until around 70% mark to not be able to put this book down. I just didn’t connect with the characters as well in this story. This is written by a Scottish author. There is a lot of usage of Gaelic throughout the story, and there is a glossary, but there were also a lot of words used not in the glossary and found I had to google the meaning to fully understand the context. It would have been great to have these words in the glossary as well.

It’s a Celtic inspired fantasy romance with true enemies to lovers. We follow Aemyra a blacksmiths daughter, who’s waiting to claim her place on the throne of an area that was once built on matriarchal rule, now ruled under the True Religion and their anti magic teachings.

I’ll probably read book 2, as I am at least curious to find out if the fmc and mmc find their way back to one another.

Review posted on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7434680477

A Fate Forged in Fire” was such a fun ride! The characters are bold, the action never lets up, and there’s just the right amount of magic and chaos. Totally got sucked in and didn’t want to put it down. If you’re into fast-paced fantasy with a bit of fire (literally and emotionally), this one’s worth checking out.

𝔸 𝔽𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕀𝕟 𝔽𝕚𝕣𝕖

In a world rooted in Celtic mythology and shaped by matriarchal power, A Fate Forged in Fire throws readers into a battle between tradition, magic, and a rising tide of patriarchal oppression.

The True Religion—eerily reminiscent of Christianity—seeks to silence feminine power, suppress the worship of the Goddesses, and erase the magic they bestow. But one woman—blessed by the Goddesses themselves to be the next great Queen of Tir Tiene—won’t go down without a fight.

This is romantasy that leans hard into the fantasy. The world-building is rich and immersive, the dragons are everything I want in dragons (fierce, loyal, and literally ride-or-die), and the magic system is both unique and powerful. While there’s a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers thread, it never overshadows the story’s deeper themes.

𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴…

One of my favorite things about this book is that McBride doesn’t hold back—her statement on how religion can be weaponized against women is clear, unapologetic, and powerfully handled. It left me both enraged and empowered, and honestly, we need more stories like this in the world.

Aemyra, our FMC, is feisty and flawed in all the right ways. I was frustrated by her naivety at times, but I also appreciated how it exposed the manipulation and cruelty of the men around her. Despite the fact that she could resort to violence, her first instinct was to create kindness, softness, in a world that would break her and expose her sharp edges. And that contrast? It hit hard.

And reader beware: the ending will leave you banging your head against the wall wanting to know what happens next.

If you love dragons, magic, and women trying to take down the patriarchy, this is definitely a book for you.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

"It's surprising how many lies people will believe if they are said with enough conviction."

A heart-racing tale of dragons and queens and fire. The enemies to lovers in this is so deeply real that there was a point where I actually was convinced no romance could possibly be forthcoming and I must have applied for the wrong ARC.

This was a lushly built world. I appreciate the trust the author has in the reader to derive information from context - we got enough explanation to keep things from getting confusing, but she left out pages of definitions and awkward info dumps masquerading as dialogue and conversation that no actual human would say. Same with her use of Scottish Gaelic terms - they are largely left to their context rather than defined within the pages.

I'm normally able to see plot twists coming a mile away, but I never knew where this tale was going to turn. Nothing felt like it was chucked at us just to be surprising, it just simply defied prediction. I'm feeling positively heartbroken by the ending, so hopefully the sequel is well underway *fingers crossed*

Also, I didn't think anything could ever rival Trial of the Sun Queen for the best first line, but my goodness does this take a shot at the title.

Rating: 4.25/5
Spice: 2.5/5

Tropes:
- REAL enemies to lovers
- Dragons
- Arranged/forced marriage
- Celtic culture and lore
- Matriarchy vs misogyny
- Touch her and die
- Bi blacksmith FMC
- "My wife"
- Forced proximity
- Female rage

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the chance to read an advance copy.

From the first 3 pages of A Fate Forged in Fire, I was hooked.
The world-building and pacing is so natural, I felt like I was right there alongside the characters. The blend of action, fantasy, romance, and plot twists kept me engaged until the very last page.
What really stood out to me, though, was the strength of the main character, Aemyra. Even when she was uncertain or vulnerable, she always knew the power of her own judgment.
The story beautifully showcases how Aemyra continually embraces her right to stand up for herself-especially when it comes to her body and autonomy. The exploration of radical religion overtaking the country and its impact on women is such a poignant and timely theme. Aemyra's fight against the patriarchal structures being built around her is both empowering and inspiring.
Aemyra's journey of self-discovery, rebellion, and resilience is something I won't ever forget.
If you're a fan of fantasy, romance, a blend or looking for a powerful story about a strong female protagonist fighting against a newly emerging patriarchy, A Fate Forged in Fire is a must-read. It's a beautiful story about reclaiming strength, fighting for what's right, and finding your voice.
Huge thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine / Delacorte Press for gifting me an advanced digital copy via NetGalley - all thoughts are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

DNF at 30%

I'm sure the target audience of romantasy readers will enjoy this. Unfortunately, I already feel this wont be an enjoyable experience for me so I thought it woud be best if I DNF now. Lately I'm only seeking something different in the genre, because I got tired of the formula and the tropes and I didnt think this one was doing anything so far to stand out for me. But like I said, I feel like romantasy readers will enjoy this regardless.

4🌟 enemies to lovers romantasy. Aemyra who is secretly the rightful heir to the throne and her twin have been in hiding since birth waiting for the ruling king to die and to bond to a dragon to get her kingdom back. Fiorean, the kings son has to do everything he can to stop her. the magic system how elemental magic could be amplified by the bond to an animal, i loved Aemyras description of the bond to her dragon Terrea. i was hooked from the first paragraph of this book, i never see queer rep in fantasy FMC and i loved that! thank you to Random House & NetGalley for the ARC!

So I was not able to read all of this but I'm still giving it four stars. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the book. I loved the characters, the plot was insanely interesting, and I wanted to continue reading it I just couldn't, This was much more fantasy heavy than I was expecting and fantasy is a genre I very much struggle with. I have a hard time keeping things straight and tend to just end up confused. Everything that I read of it was fantastic I could just feel myself losing what was going on.

For people who love House of the Dragon and Throne of Glass as much as I do. Court politics, gender/religious hierarchies, magic, dragons, Celtic mythology, and beautiful family bonds, with a huge epic ending. Need the next book asap.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The dragons were a highlight! I loved their presence and only wish we had learned more about their bonds and lore. The central relationship felt unconvincing.

Thank you NetGalley and Random house for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A Fate Forged in Fire is a Celtic-inspired Romantasy with a captivating storyline perfect for fans of House of the Dragon.
Our FMC Aemyra is powerful but young, emotional and impulsive. Half the time you love her and half the time you want to give her a good “what the heck are you doing?” shake, but I love that she was so polarizing and I really got invested in her growth.
The world building is deep and complex. It dives into religious extremism, political scheming, gender roles and other social intricacies that can pack a serious emotional punch - be sure to read trigger warnings before reading!
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC!

All of the romantasy girlies are gonna eat this one up!!

This will absolutely be all over Booktok and Bookstagram, but, as we all have learned from personal experience with the Booktok obsessions… your mileage may vary.

I enjoyed the world building in this one more than the romance, but I also wished we’d learned a little more about all the magic. Two or three times we are told that characters are wielding water and ice magic but it’s just in passing.

If you like dragons you might enjoy this! I really liked all the scenes with dragons and wish there had been more of them 😅

This was solid but not a major standout for me. It *was* addictive, though, and there’s definitely something special in there somewhere. I’ll be interested to check out the next installment when it’s out!

Thank you to Hazel McBride, Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This one wasn't't for me which was overall a disappointment since it was a highly anticipated book for me. Overall, I found the writing to be inconsistent in tone, the world building to be juvenile and characters to be one dimensional. I had hope that by halfway many of the difficulties in the world building be vague and overall flat would decrease however I felt the author focused less on actual fantasy and more on attempting to copy Game of Thrones vibes,

The first fiery installment of a dragon riding, enemies to lovers, Celtic inspired romantasy series.

This book was spicy, fun and intense! I had a blast exploring the world of Tir Teine and its elemental magic system. Especially through the eyes of our FMC Aemyra- a feisty, fire wielding, secret heir to the throne with many a score to settle.

The feminine rage was incredible. The commentary on religion was topical and cutting. The romance was spicy and piping hot. The court intrigue, politics and secrets were gripping. The dragons were everything. I can't wait to follow Aemyra's journey throughout the series!

Definitely check out the content/trigger warnings before beginning this book.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Hazel McBride and Random House Publishing for the ARC <333

The dragons were incredible—each unique, with their own language and bond to royals, and Aemyra’s especially stood out. The enemies-to-lovers romance? Chaotic and intense. They literally tried to kill each other, and I had no idea how they'd ever fall in love, but somehow it worked.

The beginning was info-heavy and slow, but once it picked up, I couldn’t stop reading. I’m definitely diving into book two to see how it all ends—especially after that ending. Whew.

A Fate Forged by Fire by Hazel McBride is a rich and emotionally driven fantasy tale with compelling worldbuilding and a strong, determined protagonist. It balances introspective moments with bursts of action, making it a satisfying read for fans of character-focused fantasy. The slow burn of the plot is worth the investment.

Unfortunately this one was just way too spicy for me. Overall, I don’t mind spicy books but this one just had too much of it intertwined into casual conversation.

As a A Song of Ice and Fire lover and a certified Targaryen defender™️, I was excited to see a story that dealt with dragons and a queen in hiding trying to assert her given right to rule. I really thought I’d love this, and for half of this book, I was convinced it was going to be a five-star read.

The world-building felt solid, with this Scottish-inspired fantasy setting and a strong, outspoken FMC. I was intrigued by her claim to the throne and the political tension surrounding her secrecy. It all started off so promising.

It’s also pretty clear early on that this story is deeply rooted in House of the Dragon lore, just under a slightly different coat of paint. The parallels are hard to miss: Queen Katherine is basically Alicent, Aemyra feels like a blend of Daenerys and Rhaenyra, Daevran is Daemon (without the incestuous relationship), and Fiorean might as well be Aemond. If you’re familiar with the source material, it’s not subtle - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it did make the story feel more derivative than inspired at times.

Like I said, I did enjoy the first half, but from the middle point of the story, it kind of devolved for me. The arranged/forced marriage to the enemy prince had potential (I usually enjoy the trope), but the romance just didn’t work. The MMC went from deadly enemy to deeply possessive love interest way too fast, and the emotional shift never felt earned. The FMC’s feelings flip-flopped so quickly - one minute she’s grieving or angry, the next she’s flustered and distracted by him - and the whole romantic arc felt rushed and unconvincing.

There wasn’t enough build-up or meaningful development between them to sell the bond, and by the time the “I love you” moment hit (with an extremely cringey confession from the MMC, no less), I was just done. The MMC saying things in the vein of him not being made of fire, but ice being the nail in the coffin for me - it felt like a parody of a dramatic love speech.

I also found the religious themes lacking. The bad guys in this follow a belief system called the True Religion, and it’s portrayed in the most cliché, one-note way possible: oppressive, misogynistic, rooted in evil with no nuance or depth. It felt like a generic placeholder religion meant to hammer in a moral point rather than an organically developed aspect of the world. It was just incredibly generic and uninteresting.

In the end, this book was a really mixed bag. I enjoyed the action scenes and the early setup, but the rushed romance and shallow thematic elements really bogged the story down for me.



Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to have to sit on this one for a while...

This had all the feels of House of the Dragon - did I imagine a spark between relatives or just men ogling a woman before they knew who she was? This was full of ruthless betrayal and fighting among the rightful heir to the throne and the crowned prince, who feels like he should be king because his father was king and he's a man.

🔥 Court Politics
🔥 Fighting against the Patriarchy
🔥 Religious persecution
🔥 Bi-sexual FMC
🔥 Enemies-to-lovers
🔥 Forced marriage
🔥 Touch her and ☠️
🔥 Slow burn
🔥 You're mine

WORLD BUILDING
I enjoyed the intricate world Hazel McBride has created. The Celtic inspired elements (which thankfully includes a much needed pronunciation guide) and language made it a struggle at the beginning. There were a lot of words that were new and different, and many of them did not have context as to what they meant. So, this felt a little clunky to me and made it difficult to get into the book. However, once I got used to the language, I found I was interested in where the story was going.


CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
Aemyra says to Fiorean she no longer has to pretend to be helpless. However, she never came off that way in the beginning of the book. If anything, the way she spoke to him was confident, arrogant even, and reckless. It would have actually made more sense if she had acted helpless instead of entitled when she was in his presence. Or if he reacted to her talking to him in the way she did by mentioning he could have her arrested or killed for her behavior. She knows she is the rightful heir to the throne, but he doesn't. This was simply the first of many poor choices Aemyra makes in her fight for the throne.

Aemyra also acts naive and arrogant when it comes to political matters as well. She's rash, impatient, and misguided. When it finally catches up with her... boy, does she fall!

I am in love with Fiorean! He isn't unjust or cruel. He challenges Aemyra, complementing her, and I enjoy their banter. They clearly loathe each other, being on opposite sides of the feud to determine the line of succession. However, they are also clearly curious about each other, which grows into an attraction. The two of them together are fire (pun intended)! 🔥🔥🔥


PLOT
The plot is fast-paced, cutthroat, shocking, heartwrenching, brutal, and every moment was a fight for vengeance. Even when I was infuriated by Aemyra's choices, I was invested in what was going to happen next. Once she was forced into marriage to another prince, that sealed the deal for me. They're both stubborn and arrogant, bring out the worst in each other, and yet are absolutely perfect for one another. He would burn down the world for her, and I felt that in my soul.


SIDE NOTE
I'm going to need the Audiobook now! The things Aemyra and Fiorean say to each other had my mouth gaping, I was laughing, and then I was blushing...


I can't wait to continue this series to see what happens to Aemyra and Fiorean in the next book.