I had a really great time with A Fate Forged in Fire! I was hooked right from the start and honestly, I thought the pacing of the book was great. We’re plunged into the action pretty quickly.

I really loved Fiorean. Maybe I should, maybe I shouldn’t, but I unabashedly do. He’s morally gray, certainly, but I love the different sides we see of him. I’m really looking forward to his character arc in the next book. I have a theory about what his arc will be, but either way, I’m excited! He was giving red haired Aemond Targaryen vibes, and I was into it.

Honestly the main thing holding this book back from being a total 5 star read for me was that, at certain times, I found Aemyra to be so unlikeable. She’s very naive and doesn’t seem to learn from her mistakes. It could be frustrating at times. Overall, I do like her well enough most of the time, even more so when she’s with Fiorean, but I wish she had a little more character progression. I’m holding out hope that she’ll grow a lot in book two.

A Fate Forged in Fire is a great start to this epic romantasy duology, and I look forward to seeing where this story goes in the next book. I’m on the edge of my seat after the ending of the first book!

Thank you Random House/Delacorte for the early review copy of A Fate Forged in Fire! All opinions are my own.

I didn’t enjoy this book. The way the women are treated was just a huge turn off for me. Also, the world building felt chaotic and clunky rather than seamless. I was left confused on more than one occasion while reading it. Even though the book ended on a cliffhanger I doubt I’ll be continuing the series.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Loved this! Dragon riding, hidden powers/royal blood, magical twins, and a sizzling enemies to lovers romance set in a beautifully written Scottish-based fantasy world. The pacing was good, plot was great and very interesting. Deducting half a point because the FMC was a bit frustrating at times and I felt like she was all talk and not as much action (not sure if that's intended, hence only half a point).
Overall, I had a great time and I cannot wait to read the next one!
Rating: 4.5/5
Spice Level: 2.5/5
Publication date: May 27, 2025 (US)
Thank you so much to @netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Absolutely loved the ending line for chapter one “and when he does, I will be ready to take everything I was born to be,”

I will admit though, it was a bit hard for me to get into the first 25%, and it dragged a bit in spots, but it was an overall good book! The writing is so detailed and well written and the plot is interesting.

The fmc was feisty, just how I like, but she came off a bit more childish to me, maybe arrogant.

I did enjoy this book, and the ending was good!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

TROPES: HIDDEN HEIR, SLOW BURN, DRAGONS, BANTER

2.5 stars

i wanted to like this more than i did, but the writing really wasn’t working for me. there’s a big emphasis on Scottish Gaelic and it made everything in the book so confusing to follow. it has a lot of things that i like: a strong and powerful fmc, TRUE enemies to lovers, dragons, etc and i did like those elements in here but it still wasn’t enough. Aemyra was angry and willing to fight tooth and nail for her crown and her people, while Fiorean does everything in his power to stop her.

i actually loved the romance, there’s an incredible push and pull between Aemyra and Fiorean. they skirt the line between love and hate in the best way tbh. if this focused mainly on the romance, I probably would’ve enjoyed it more. the world building was all over the place, there was so much happening but in a way that felt chaotic. it also gets very dark towards the end, the women aren’t treated well and Aemyra herself goes through something very traumatic. i love dragons, so all those scenes along with the romance were my favorite. despite all my issues, the end left on a cliffhanger that i wasn’t expecting and now my curiosity is piqued again.

Need 2nd book!!! This was a breath of fresh air. The main characters had great chemistry, Aemyra and Fiorean re great characters. This was nicely paced and I need the physical copy ASAP. Can’t wait to read more from Hazel.

While it made for easy reading I did not care for any of the characters. Sadly they were bland while the FMC was arrogant and bland. She made decisions without thinking and blames others for her mistakes. She did not grow nor did she back up her arrogance but once in the earlier chapters. I found the worldbuilding good but could have gone into a little more depth. Overall it was enjoyable.

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

Why did I wait so long to read this ARC??? A Fate Forged in Fire truly gave House of the Dragon/Game of Thrones vibes with the politics and succession war, rich world, strong characters, and of course, dragons. I did struggle to keep track of some of the names/places in the beginning of the story, but the map helped and I was able to get past this quickly. Also, the romance might be the closest to TRUE enemies-to-lovers in a Romantasy that I’ve seen in a while. I can’t believe I have to wait over a year for book two, because with that ending I needed it YESTERDAY!!!

With all of that said, definitely check trigger warnings - there is a graphic scene of assault that made me feel so disgusted and enraged for our main character; I’ve never hated the enemies/villians in a book more! I’m so ready for book two and to watch Aemyra get her revenge!

After 2 failed attempts, I thought maybe the 3rd time I could push myself to finish this book but there was nothing that captured my attention.

The story was hard to get into, the pacing was a little off. The story would drag and then everything would happen at once. It took me out of the story all together.

The world building would have been interesting if the story didn’t just dump information and do nothing with it.

I found Aemyra unlikeable and that made it hard for me to enjoy the story overall. Our main character being rude and arrogant could work if done right but it just made her unpleasant.

I really wanted to enjoy this book but unfortunately this was not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

I’m extremely excited to pick up a physical copy of this book! This was a quick read. Hidden royalty, enemies to lovers, and dragons. It was a good read to keep my mind off the world burning outside.

The initial worldbuilding and characterization felt clumsy, less immersive and more like a a water hose, at times battering us and at others just a trickle. Aemyra is one of those fierce powerful fmc’s forced to hide her gifts, but she seems to have no sense of self preservation and in what I read it the impulsivity veered toward TSTL. I was determined to give this book a chance, but then she ridiculed her brother in front of a customer at the forge and later made a homophobic joke at his expense. I tried to keep going but ultimately DNF-ed because casual jokes insulting men by implying they are gay are not the way to make me give something I already wasn’t vibing with a chance

Aemyra was born into a world where magic is dying. With no Goddess blessed queen in more than a century, Tir Teine's magical people are becoming less powerful with each generation. A new, insidious religion is also on the rise, preaching g that Magic is evil and those who carry it are cursed and need to be cleansed. They also do not tolerate the matriarchy but prefer the rule of kings. Aemyra is the last woman to be born to the noble bloodline of Clan Daercathian in the last century. She and her twin brother have lived in secrecy their entire lives, always hiding who they truly are. When the mad king finally dies, it is time for Aemyra to claim her rightful throne. During the coup, Aemyra is blessed by the Goddess Brigid as the rightful queen, but the king's family, especially Prince Fiorean, refuses to accept her claim. The coup does not go to plan due to the royal family's unexpected reinforcements from the new religion, and Aemyra must flee and regroup.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I devoured it. I loved the world building and the magic of this story. I love how fierce and unapologetic Aemyra is. She has a dream of a better life for her people and the drive to accomplish it. Fiorean has a lot to work through. He loves his family, but that love has blinded him to many things. This book was absolutely epic, and I can't wait for book two!

Thank you @netgalley, @randomhouse, and @hazelmcbrideauthor for the gifted eARC.

Thank you to Hazel McBride, Delacorte Press, and NetGalley for an ARC of A Fate Forged in Fire. All opinions are my own.

This was an engaging fantasy for those who enjoyed Game of Thrones and Throne of Glass, full of intrigue and magic and strong female characters. I definitely enjoyed the action, as well as the political maneuverings, love story, and background in Scottish Gaelic lore, and thought they provided a strong basis for the story.

Things I disliked a bit more included how impulsively it seemed even “skilled” warriors acted, basically throwing themselves into multiple obvious traps. I also feel like the religious aspect on Aemyra’s side was lacking compared to the level of detail we got from the royal family and the Chosen.

Overall, a good read, and looking forward to what comes next.

POV: singular third person

You can expect: magic, dragons, creatures, rebellion, enemies to lovers, forced marriage, forced proximity, “touch her and die”, “you’re mine”, betrayal.

Rep: queer FMC (implied bisexual), panic attack.

Spice: 2/5

CW: sexism, murder of family, violence, kidnapping, attempted forced sterilization

As debates around the lines between fantasy and romantasy become increasingly fraught, A Fate Forged in Fire is an interesting case as it blends classic fantasy elements, a flawed heroine, folklore, religion, and a toxic romance. It's simultaneously stressful and sexy, frustrating and fascinating—but in a way that kept me turning the pages.

While the plot beats and twists follow classic fantasy storytelling tropes, making it so that certain reveals throughout are easy to guess if you're an avid reader, the story is well-done, setting up a world on the verge of a war driven by zealotry, the clash of a matriarchal versus patriarchal worldview, and the fear of those with gifts from the gods. The main character, Aemyra, is deeply flawed—reckless, too trusting, and often short=sighted—but in a way that should set her up for incredible character growth as the series continues. However, it can be hard as a reader to want to invest in her journey because she often makes decisions that will have you going, "Don't do it, girl"—but of course, she does it anyway.

While this book lays a lot of groundwork for what seems to be an epic story and exciting series, this first one can be difficult to get through—in addition to Aemyra being a frustrating herone, the dialogue is sometimes cliché or cringey. But, I'm interested to see where Hazel McBride takes this series, what exactly she's going to do with Florian, Aemyra's duplicitous love interest, and how she plans to develop Aemyra as a main character. The series has promise, that's for sure—and I hope it delivers.

This one was a challenging read for me. Possibly just not a good fit for me personally.

This seems very Targaryen-inspired in a lot of ways *ahem* and includes dragons and other bonded creatures, magic, a matriarchal society with goddesses, and a fight for the crown. Lots of reveals and some sickening betrayal. It had all the right elements, and there were some really good moments, but overall it didn’t connect for me.

I found most of the characters to be unlikable or just a little off in their behavior or felt like we hardly got to know them at all in the case of most side characters. The romance felt rushed. I’m as feminist as they come, but the matriarchy aspect felt like serving us the point with a sledgehammer.

I really do feel like this had great bones but just needs a little more time spent on character development in the next one.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc opportunity!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, & Hazel McBride for this e-ARC!

★ ★ ★ ★

This book kept me fully engrossed and thoroughly entertained from start to finish!
The beginning did hold a learning curve due to the amount of Scottish Gaelic names/terminology used. I love that the author wanted to keep a lot in the U.S. translation, but I was heavily using the reference guide for a good chunk of this read.
I loved (most of) the characters & was so excited to have a new dragon book! The romance was everything I didn’t know I needed. It was written so tastefully, and it also served as respite from all the politics, family drama, and world building we get in this book.
Towards the end I could feel my emotional attachment to both the FMC & MMC growing, and then, like all good fantasy books… I was devastated. wrecked. crushed. I have questions. I need the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review. I got the EARC and also received the physical arc from a giveaway on Instagram.

I want to say I started out really loving this book. We had a bad ass, strong willed FMC and it was shaping up to be an awesome story.
The main thing I didn’t like was the lack of nuance in the world building. A lot of the world building was just spit out in inner monologue or in non sequitur conversation.
Also, it seemed like every trope from every romantasy ever was forced into this book.

All together it was a decent read, but not my favorite.

This was not for me. I didn’t finish this book, so I really can’t say if it was well done or not. I got about a quarter of the way through before I decided to stop.

The premise of a matriarchy striving to regain control from a patriarchy that had ousted it was interesting. The fire magic and world was fine (what I saw of it). But I did not care for the characters or writing style and it took me MONTHS to drag myself through just 25%. I think this was just not for me.


I received an arc of this through NetGalley—thank you NetGalley and Delacorte for the opportunity!

I really enjoyed this one !! It was so hard to put down once I got sucked into the story. There was a lot of politics and word building and a some romantasy elements later on. I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series plays out. I highly recommend this if you are looking for a new enemies to lovers romantasy.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you like
-enemies to lovers
-chimeras, dragons, and phoenixes
-magic system strengthened by being bound to dragons
-hidden royal
-arranged marriage
-strong female character
-matriarch ruling
This book could be for you
Trigger warnings
-patriarch and religion taking over
-forced medical procedures
-death of children
-war
-murder
-female mutilation