I really did enjoy the twists and turns in this one.
It has a nice dense magical system, Duileach's are blessed by the Goddess. And there are Duileach for different elements. In recent decades an oppressive anti magic religion, the True Religion, the 'chosen' have infiltrated the nearby countries drudging up anti magic sentiment gaining power. A formerly matriarchal country, Clan Daercathian was led by queens who were all fire duileach, bonded to great dragons, but no female heirs have been born in a century. Males have taken over the crown and their magic has been waining, dragons failing to thrive, people fearing a curse on the country and their people, of Tir Teine. They wait for a true queen to be born again.

Aemyra is the first to be born. Raised in hiding with her twin brother Adrian, they're from a branch family, cousins to the current rulers. Raised by a Healer and a Blacksmith, they aren't exactly what you'd call a typical Princess and Prince. They were still tutored to take up the roles expected of them in secret by their father who visits in secret when he could.

Waiting for the current king to die, Aemyra is just waiting to stage her coup and reveal herself as the True Queen. She's brash, bisexual, blacksmith and healer, she doesn't take crap from anyone. But she has to be careful, keep her hair constantly covered, and try not to reveal the vast amount of power she has. Adrian was born without power, he's not a Duileach- but a very talented swordsman and blacksmith as well. They always knew their lives would change.

She finds herself in a precarious situation when things don't exactly go as planned, knowing who she can truly trust may just cost her everything. It's an enemies to lovers to enemies again wild ride and it's a really good one! It's got dragons, stabbing as flirting, fighting, court intrigue, and a revolution to come.

Okay, so this book seems to have some pretty poor reviews. Many say it feels similar to a Game of Thrones book or fanfic, I however really enjoyed this book! It took about 20-30% to really get going but by the end I was hooked and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to drop! This book does have a vibe like it wasn’t thoroughly edited and it could have used a heavier hand with the editing so fingers crossed they do that before it hits the shelves. The entire first part is name dropping and trying to build this world but without much explanation so it doesn’t make sense or pull you into the story. You have to ignore the first 20-30% and then it’s fine. The main character does act young and impetuous but it works for this book. The true test will be if I can remember anything about this book by the time the next one comes out!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher/author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I tried my best to trudge through this book, but frankly my dislike for Aemyra just made this story a no for me. The romance was half baked, though I always love bi/pan rep, and her energy towards other women drove me insane. I definitely can see where McBride pulled from House of the Dragon and the fight scenes were very interesting. I was hoping this would fill a gap left in my post Fourth Wing reading, and it truly felt like a chore to read.

I really tried to enjoy it but I just couldn't . All the characters were insufferable more especially the mmc. I was so close to ending it because of the way he acted towards to fmc. The book focused more on the spice instead of the development of their relationship. The synopsis looked promising but I fear this is a no for me

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc. The Arc was provided in exchange for my honest review.

I felt that the FMC was a bit hard to read at times (so vengeful and wishing death on everyone one minute, and the next saying that she would rule in peace is just one example). I also felt like she was a straight-up man hater and it didn't read as a strong feminist (which is what I'm assuming the author is going for). I liked the plot a lot however and felt like it was GoT meets Vikings. I am and will continue to read this series, I hope that Aemerya becomes a bit more palatable in book 2.

I almost felt like we needed 1 more instance of them softening towards each other before they initially kiss, because I'm truly believing they HATE each other. But again Fieoran was softening and we could see that. But overall I liked that they actually had tried to kill each other first- no fake enemies to lovers here!

I will not be posting this review to Goodreads. I will only be posting my rating of one star.

Random House reached out to me via NetGalley and sent me this book in exchange for an early review. I did not request to read the book.

At a glance, I was very excited to read A Fate Forged In Fire, as it was marketed as a Celtic romantasy, with dragon bonds and a queen in hiding. However, this book did not deliver, despite the ingredients list including some of my favorite tropes.

From the very first page we had more focus on sex, ego, and virtue than story line, and the story line very much suffered for it. I felt thrown into a world whose tale started long ago, and I was unable to catch up, like a child who sits in on story time at the half way mark and misses all the world building. I had no skin in the game. I just didn’t know enough about this world or its characters to care. It was hard to look over the poor writing and annoying characters. So much of the story felt forced and the story structure and arc felt, awkward.

The plot (outside of the romance) of the story entirely revolves around a religious war. If that’s your thing, you may enjoy this, but for me, it was a hard pass. It wasn’t a pass, necessarily for the material, but for the context and execution.

Overall, I did not feel the story delivered what was promised by marketing. The ingredients were there, the execution in my opinion, was not.

First I would like to thank Random House ,Hazel Mcbride,NetGalley for lettitng me read this E-ARC for an honest review! I loved everything about this novel!! It has fantastic world building inspierd by Celtic Religion, a Badass main character who will stop at nothing to gain thier rightful place as Queen, A True Enemies to Lovers trope done right, intriguing politics, and Dragons ! I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoyes Enemies to lovers, badass Main Charaters and House of the Dragon! Though I'm limited to five stars i would give it ten if possible!

Hazel McBride truly deserves praise for giving us something so unique. I won't lie, I had just come off of Onyx Storm when I started this book and I was burnt out on dragon bonds and enemies to lovers romance. But this book, *happy feet kicking in the air*, it was like diving into 68 degree pool on a 105 degree day. While bonding with a dragon plays a crucial role in the story and Aemyra's character development, the book doesn't overindulge in endless sassy exchanges between her and the dragon. In fact, the dragons’ appearances are impactful and influential without ever overshadowing the main plot.

As a reader in my late twenties, it was exhilarating to have a female protagonist around my age rather than the usual 16- to 21-year-old lead. Aemyra’s journey felt more grounded and relatable, adding an extra layer of depth to her character development.

Now, let’s talk about Fioran. Can I just say how much I adored the true enemies-to-lovers dynamic here? His character isn’t just a pretty face with a chiseled body—THANK YOU! The tension between them is woven into the dialogue and their actions, not just his physical presence. There are no repetitive descriptions like "his eyes darkened," or "his muscles rippled," or "Gods, he was beautiful when he was murderous." Instead, you feel the tension in the blades, in their words, and in the intense back-and-forth, in the subtle body language. You root for them, and it’s so satisfying to see the relationship unfold in a way that feels natural, not forced.

The world-building was just as impressive. It was so well-researched, and the lore of the world was explained in a way that I never felt lost or confused—nor did I feel like I needed to have done a deep dive into Celtic mythology to understand it. The balance between rich storytelling and accessibility was chef’s kiss.

Speaking of chef’s kiss—those plot twists at the end? Perfection. I pre-ordered the second I finished and can’t believe I have to wait for the official release—let alone another year for book two. It’s going to be a long wait, but if this book is any indication, it’ll be more than worth it.
Move over Fourth Wing, A Fate Forged in Fire is taking flight, and in my personal opinion, it just might be the better beast.

As all first books in a fantasy series, the world building was tedious to get through. That being said once I got through that the story was amazing. The only complaint I had while reading was that this is an ARC read and I'll have to wait even longer for the second book.

Tir Tiene hasn't had a queen in ages and has crumbled under the rule of kings that have allowed the True Religion to take over the land. When the current king dies, Aemyra finally sees her chance to reclaim the throne for her family. She is the first daughter born to her clan and with her fire blessed magic she announces herself the Queen.

Now she is thrown into a world of politics and on the brink of war with the current royal family as well as the True Religion who seems to have a hold on them. But her greatest adversary is Prince Fiorean. She has to fight off his opposition to her rightful throne, and her growing attraction to him. As she gets deeper into his corrupt family, she discovers that they have more in common and might be fighting for the same thing. As the two of them share an unlikely alliance, will they be able to finally bring peace to Tir Tiene or will their plans blow up in a way they never saw coming.

Ending on a cliff hanger has me begging to read the second book as soon as possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

It is so, so good. Read it! You will never be the same.

Enjoyed every chapter. It kept getting better and better.

Highly recommend.

Thank you! Netgalley and Delray for my Earc🔥

A story begins long ago where a world is being colonized and brainwashed into being this sexist cult…and whos to save them well that would be the only living breathing dragon queen left in existence!!

I really enjoyed this book it gave me Reign vibes wirh the plotting and scheming of 2 sides but a hatred for the enemies prince turns into some love!! Also gave game of throne with everyone fighting for the throne and all denying claim to Aemyra the rightful ruler that had been hiding right under everyones noses…


I think the political intrigue was amazing! You really take a step behind the scenes of what rulers decide a lot books have a lot of action which i thoroughly enjoy but this explains it more. You also get to experience dragons in this world and i love nothing more than reading about dragons and how they came to pass

I think this is a great book that has a steady pace its not super fast but you really do get to understand the world better even without all the action. There is action its more towards the very beginning and the very end! Im sure we will see a lot more from book 2 about the lovers that are possible enemies and so many political conflicts….i hope Aemyra is victorious she was my absolute fave character!

I suggest this to all fantasy girlies especially if you have watched Reign im currently doing a rewatch ♥️

For fans of:
- A Fate Inked in Blood
- BBC's Merlin
- Fourth Wing

This book follows Aemyra through her journey to free her people and fight back against a malignant religious cult making its way to take over her homeland. Blessed by fire, it is her duty to bond to a dragon to reach her full elemental potential and step into her duty as queen.

This book includes:
- A hidden queen
- dragons, phoenixes, chimeras, and more
- ancestral enemies
- religious extremism
- misogyny in religion
- a mad king
- elemental powers
- soft magic system
- scarred and protective MMC
- Scottish inspired world

This book has a lot of great elements. I love the idea of individuals bonding with magical creatures as a way to symbiotically enhance each others supernatural abilities. The ethnic/religious conflict is very compelling, and I enjoyed the characters once I got into the book. Sadly, I had an issue with the pacing throughout this book. The first half was very slow and felt like it dragged on, whereas the second half felt forced and rushed. The chemistry between lovers, siblings, and friends all felt stilted, and I never found myself truly rooting for Aemyra. Fiorean was interesting enough that I will probably look into book 2 when it comes out, even though he is the irredeemable villain.

This is a little nit-picky, however, I cant STAND the way the author described Aemyra's clothes as satin 50 times in this book. Satin is a modern fabric that is almost always made of plastic. Silk can have a "satin finish" but satin on its own is made of polyester. These details matter when you're writing a fantasy book and it is what takes them from feeling amateur to expert. One use of the word? I would have moved on. But using it to describe her clothes on every occasion? I cannot forgive.

Beyond those criticisms, I do predict that this book will do well on Booktok and will probably become popular with fans of Fourth Wing. I felt like I was supposed to like this one (and honestly I was very close to falling in love with this one in a few parts), but it didn't end up being a great match.

I received this eBook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Hazel McBride, and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book. This review has been posted across my socials under the username @tinynightingales, check out my GoodReads profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863
my bookstagram account https://www.instagram.com/tinynightingales/
and booktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tinynightingales?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Overall, A fate forged in fire, is a good first outing for author Hazel McBride.
The start of the book felt slightly slow and tedious. I stuck with it though and am happy to say the tension / action picked up. It is a fairly quick read and the enemies to lovers trope was handeled decently, however, the female lead, Ameyra, was not given enough control in this female lead society.
If not for the spicy romance scenes this would have made a great JF or YA book.
Unfortunately, the characters are not fully developed and the world building needs a bit of work. Hopfully ,these issues will be addessed in future editions .

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacort Press for the ARC of this debute novel.

The last 20 pages really PMO but that’s to be expected when another book is coming

This may become one of the next big enemies to lovers with dragons and I’m here for it!

This was such a captivating story! I loved the banter and protectiveness between the twins. I loved the tension between Aemyra and the prince, truly captivating and had me coming back for more! This is a book I would definitely recommend

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the advance copy!

This was quite a fun read but I'm taking off a star for two reasons. One, the ending. I *hate* the direction the end took so much, but it's also enough to get me to read a sequel in the hopes it gets fixed. The second, it feels like Aemyra was intended to be shown as a bold, powerful woman that I could envision straight out of Celtic legend. Unfortunately, she often came across pig-headed, annoying and juvenile (she's 26, c'mon!). I will say she doesn't come across as bad as Violet in Rebeccas Yarros's Empyrean series.


I loved the world building (though I wish the pronunciation guide was at the front of the book and that we had a basic glossary), the characters and of course, the dragons. The romantic relationship built was also fun for me, though the cliffhanger is killing me. The matriarchal leadership, the diversity, family bonds, ownership of mistakes, culture and fantastical creatures are also wonderful elements in this book.

As angry as I am with the ending, I do hope this does well enough for a sequel because McBride just can't leave us like this!!

First of all thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC!

Hazel McBride gets all the stars in the galaxy for this. 😭😭 I loved it so so much!!

The world is so beautiful and well built, I loved the culture and the matriarchy dynamic! And the DRAGONS!!!! This book is a dragon lovers DREAM and I’m so sad that I don’t have a dragon of my own.

Aemyra is a fantastic FMC, she’s powerful, bold, and unapologetic. She takes no sh*t from anyone and I love her! Her emotions jump off the page and made me root for her right away. She’s confident, but I also loved that she acknowledged when she made a mistake and endeavored to do better. Her heart for her land and her people is so big and she will do whatever it takes to give them the life they deserve.

I LOVED that this was TRUE enemies to lovers, with a slowwwww burn! But when it burns, it burns HOT! Fiorean is absolutely delicious and I’m pretty sure I melted straight to the floor multiple times. The emotion, the chemistry, the angst. Oh my gosh I loved it so much. And the ENDING. It was a gut and heart punch. I am severely unwell, I am in full body pain. Which by the way is what I live for in a book. Give me exquisite pain and emotional torture.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for sharing this ARC!

I really, really wanted to love A Fate Forged In Fire, but I could not get past how annoying the FMC Aemyra was. I can usually find a way to power through but in this case I just have to chalk it up to the fact that this book was not for me.

If you love House of the Dragon, enemies to lovers, slow burn, this one is for you. I enjoyed the story and it was a fast paced read for me. I enjoyed the writing style as well. This is a great read between some heavier books for when you need something good but not gut wrenching. I’m looking forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, Ballantine, and Delacorte Press for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

3.5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️(⭐️)

First, let me speak to the fact that this book has such a great premise with it being Scottish inspired. I absolutely loved the direction the world-building is heading towards and you can tell within the story the level of effort that was placed into creating such beautiful elements of Scottish culture. It is so refreshing to see it represented in the romantasy world and I loved seeing all the little details that brought it together.

Now, let me just say this. This book gives *heavy* House of Dragons in the sense that 1. There are clearly dragons (haha), but 2. Mainly in the sense that two sides of a family— one that has ruled for generations—are now battling for the throne, things very quickly descend into chaos, and that they all possess trademark features that essentially scream royalty.

However, I enjoy House of Dragons so I definitely enjoyed these aspects within the book! I also loved how strong and, fiery (excuse the pun) Aemyra is within the story. She wanted the kingdom and everything she does is attempts towards gaining what she wants and what she believes, deserves. She has a single goal and actively strives towards this in every moment. She is definitely a flawed character with her own misguided beliefs but she does love the kingdom and its people and makes conscious steps to embody a kind and fair ruler when she can.

I found the writing easy to follow and it flowed well. The political situation within the story is also very well thought out and a well written conflict with the concept of another culture trying to forcibly take over (and erase) a current one. I am eager to see this continue to play out in the second book!

This book does end on a cliffhanger (Hazel McBride, if you’re reading this, that was absolutely criminal), but I am very excited to see where this story goes from here!

Publication date: May 27th, 2025
Review will be posted to Goodreads profile here on May 20th, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/173776789