A Fate Forged in Fire— and a Queen Born from the Ashes

| epic fantasy | high fantasy | netgalley | arc | enemies to lovers | arranged marriage | chosen one | hidden identity | dragons | bonded with animals | magic | magic vs religion | spicy | trauma | trigger warnings | third person POV | Gaelic | deep lore | world building | legend | touch her and dxe | badxss FMC | banter | fate | blacksmith | elemental magic | court politics | oppression | women | tension | choice | action packed | cliff hanger |

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely. Unputdownable.
Is it spicy? Just enough to make the tension simmer— and it’s delicious.

I devoured this book in under 24 hours— I couldn’t focus on anything else. Once the plot took hold, it owned me.

A Fate Forged in Fire is everything I want in epic fantasy: rich world-building, intense emotion, high-stakes magic, layered mythology, and a heroine who absolutely refuses to be broken. Hazel McBride doesn’t just tell a story— she crafts it, tempers it, wields it like the blacksmith at the center of this tale.

This is not a light read. The world is vast and deeply rooted in Scottish Gaelic, with terms and legends woven in unapologetically— a feature that makes the story feel real, but also challenging for readers unfamiliar with high fantasy. You won’t be spoon-fed explanations. You’ll be immersed— pushed into the fire with the heroine, forced to rise with her or burn alongside her.

If you love fantasy shaped by myth, forged in pain, and burning with raw emotional truth, you’ll be hooked. This book has teeth. It has depth. And it hurts— in all the right ways. McBride doesn’t shy away from showing darkness. There’s trauma. Oppression. Violence. And still, so much power. So much heart.

This book made me feel.
I cried. I gasped. I raged. I laughed through gritted teeth.
I felt the FMC’s fury, her longing, her unbidden vulnerability.
I felt seen. I felt changed.

As a bisexual woman and a lover of fierce heroines, I was absolutely swept away. I haven’t had a fantasy crawl under my skin and live there like this in a long, long time. And that ending? A cliffhanger with a vengeance. Desperation as an adjective couldn't come close to defining how badly I want the next book.

Hazel McBride has cemented herself as a fantasy powerhouse.

Every chapter ends with a bang, and the whole story feels like a rising war drum.
Five stars for Hazel McBride. Every single one earned in blood, fire, and fate.

Happy Reading, Friends xx

4 stars. I feel like I owe this book an apology. I tried to read it a few weeks ago and just was not feeling it. So I put it down, thinking that was that. But I had a lot going on personally at the time, which can always cloud your reading preferences. So after hearing a friend, whose bookish opinions I 100% trust, absolutely rave about A Fate Forged in Fire, I figured that I owed this book another chance. And honestly, I'm glad that I gave it one. The things that bugged me on my first attempt still bugged me: it's a bit tropey, I struggled a little with the writing in some bits (that said, I also read an unedited proof which undoubtedly contributed to that), and I was still VERY frustrated with both Aemyra and Fiorean as characters. I still think Fiorean kind of had no personality and Aemyra was annoyingly impetuous, brash, and full of bravado. But by the end, I was definitely rooting for Aemyra, and if that meant also rooting for Fiorean, well, ok, fine, he can come along, too. Especially if he brings his dragon. But in reading the entire book, I realized that there were a lot of things that I actually really ended up enjoying. First of all the dragons. I don't know how many times I have to say this, but if a book has dragons, or some other magical creature, I am on board. Yes, the events with the dragons were a little predictable, but I don't care. Gimme all the dragons. I also loved that not only was Aemyra a bisexual character, she was also a hard core feminist. And the major theme of the book was taking down the patriarchy, and that is 100% a theme I can get behind. And finally, I actually really liked the plot. Again, some of the book felt tropey and was predictable, but the plot itself was actually super enjoyable and action packed and propelling. Did I know how this book was going to end? Pretty much. I've been reading a lot of romantasy and the ending is one I've definitely seen in other books. Did it do enough for me to want to read book 2? I actually think so! And to be honest, more so than other romantasy reads I've read lately. And no one is more surprised about that than I am. If you're someone that reads nothing but fantasy/ romantasy, A Fate Forged In Fire may not feel super original, but it will still likely be very entertaining. And if you're someone that's new to the genre, then I really think A Fate Forged in Fire is an excellent romantasy to start with. All in all, I actually did end up enjoying this one and I'm really glad that I decided to pick it up and give it another chance. Thanks so much to McBride, Delacorte/ Dell, and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I did unfortunately DNF this book. It was strictly due to the fact that the story and writing style just didn’t suit my taste, and that’s no knock to the author at all. I know many will absolutely adore this book, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House for this opportunity!

OH. MY. GOD!!!! This book. I LITERALLY CANNOT with this book. The feisty FMC. The morally grey MMC. The magic. The banter. The nicknames. The tension. I DEVOURED the last 1/3 of this book. AND THAT ENDING!!! WTF!!!! I need my hands on book 2 immediately kthanksbye. 🔥

I devoured this book! I admit at first, I was a bit lost with the names and world building, but once I got into the flow of the story, I couldn't put it down. If you like enemies to lovers, morally grey mmc, dragons, political intrigue, feminine rage, magic, all with Scottish Mythology vibes, then pick this book up today. The plot was fantastic with characters you love, once you don't, and ones you suspect. Plus twists & turns, and betrayals, not to mention that heart wrenching ending!! Already can't wait for book 2.

Quick Thoughts Reviews


📖 what’s a letter that starts with W E D N E S D A or Y that describes your day so far? For me, it’s struggling, as in, struggling to figure out what to wear 🤣. I have changed my outfit three times & I’m about to go back for a fourth.


🌼 Broken Souls & Bones has a lot of potential on the romance front: forbidden attraction, betrayal, secrets. The fantasy parts, though, are a bit hard for me to follow. Still, if you’re in the mood for a solid introductory book with 🔥& a cliffie, you might want to read this one. 4 ⭐️, out 04/29. (Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)

🌼 A Drop of Corruption (part of the Ana & Din series) is book 2 of a Sherlock Holmes re-telling with a whip-smart, mysteriously augmented Sherlock & a Watson who’s both part & not-part of it all. This series is fantastic, you all. The mystery & the character development are there; a perfect combo. 5 ⭐️, out now. (Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)

🌼 A Fate Forged in Fire has a secret princess heroine with a temper, a marriage of convenience, & dragons! The vibes in this one skew a bit too dark for my taste, but this will make a super satisfying fantasy for someone! The tension between leads is a big part of their dynamic. 3.5 ⭐️, out 05/27. (Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)

Overall this book was just ok for me. I felt like it had a lot of promise but it read more like a first draft to me. The basis of the plot was good but the pacing was off and jolting. There were several times I had to turn back pages to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. It also felt like a mad dash where I wanted more information and then it drug on when I was ready for it to get moving.

It seems a lot of people didn’t love the characters but I didn’t mind them. I did think they read somewhat young for the ages they are supposed to be but I am hoping we’ll get a little more growth in the sequel.

The romance was also rushed and the enemies did not enemy long enough. And then it felt awkward when they went back to enemies at the end. It seemed very predictable for Fiorean to be the double agent and actually think it would have been more interesting for him to have stuck by Aemyra’s side even if he wasn’t able to turn the tide of the battle into her favor.

I really did like the dragons and the magic system in this book. I wish we would have explored the other magical creatures more throughout the book to understand that part of the magic system more.

Overall I’ll probably finish the series but I won’t say it’s something I’m just itching for.

I made it 40% in and just couldn’t continue so I DNFed. It had all the potential to be a phenomenal book, but fell so short for me personally. I just felt really bored reading it and I could not get into it. I wanted to love this book. I’m sorry I didn’t, but I do hope a lot of other people love it.

I read this as an ARC through NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Hazel McBride

I don’t know this is a miss for me. I don’t like rating unreleased books bad ratings. But the beginning is a detailed scene about a woman giving birth and I had a hard time getting into it after that. Just felt slow and I couldn’t keep myself interested in it.

I think the world building is wonderful, it’s a bi-sexual FMC. Lots of political intrigue!

I also think I didn't find the FMC likable. She's very arrogant.

Overall though I think this is a solid fantasy book. I think if someone loves a complicated world and heavy on the political intrigue they will absolutely adore this.

Gave this a soft DNF. The story was not gripping me. It may just be me, but thinking this might be better in an audio book form. Will revisit this book at a later time.

I had low expectations going into this due to some of the negative reviews, but I ended up really liking it! The pronunciation guide at the back of the book was really helpful too. I wish more books included this.
Aemyra has been living in disguise as a blacksmith until the time is right to make herself known and fight for her people. Things do not go according to plan and she ends up in the clutches of an enemy dragon rider prince named Fiorean.
Aemyra is bold and brash and desperate to fight for the women who are being mistreated by the priest-like figures. There were a few times where I thought she gave in a little too easily despite how stubborn her character is supposed to be though.
The beginning of the book was a little slow, but it really picked up and OMG the end (😡😭). I will definitely be continuing the series to find out where their story ends up.

Subjects to note: enemies to lovers, forced marriage, betrayal, dragon riders, religious persecution, death of loved ones, war

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Random House Publishers for the advanced readers copy! I received this book for free in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

Wow I could not stand our FMC. She alone is what caused me to DNF this book. She is insufferable. She makes the stupidest decisions and she thinks she’s all that and a bag of chips. The constant name dropping, the lackluster spice (no chemistry), the lack of decent world building, this just was not it for me.

It took me a bit to get used to the names of characters and cities but once I figured that out, the worldbuilding was wonderful. Aemyra is one of my favorite FMC, not too annoying and wonderfully ambitious. The MMC's initial intro was hard to understand since he changes personality almost a third into the book. The one thing that irked me the most was the random year-date drops. It's hard to understand WHEN in time we are in the story and therefore which ancestors are being spoken of or referenced. Other than this, I look forward to the book's release and the sequel!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review “A Fate Forged in Fire” ahead of its release.

The premise of the book is intriguing, featuring a magic system, dragons, and a young woman who has been usurped from her throne.

The beginning of the story is slow, and it took me a while to become invested. I didn’t fully engage with the plot until about 60% in, when the pace picked up considerably.

The world-building is extensive, drawing on a mix of Gaelic and Scottish clan culture, elements reminiscent of "House of the Dragon," and possibly some influences from Viking gods and goddesses, though I’m not entirely sure about that. There’s also a touch of political intrigue, but most of it is revealed towards the end.

The magic system seems quite simple at first, centered around a specific familial line with a gift for fire. However, there were references to other types of magic wielders towards the end that confused me.

The conclusion is exciting, especially with the "enemies to lovers to enemies" trope and a cliffhanger. I am curious to see how the story will unfold and what will happen next.

STORY: 🌟🌟🌟

SPICE: 🌶 mild

RECOMMEND: Yes, I believe there are readers who will thoroughly enjoy this story.

Unfortunately this one was just not for me. I liked the overall premise but the writing style and I did not click in a way that made me want to continue the story.

3-3.5*

I am conflicted on the rating of this one because there were aspects of this book that I really liked but overall when it ended I just felt that it could have been more fleshed out and structured better in order to have more impact. To me it never felt like the main character was 26 her decision making and attitude were very YA to me and I kept forgetting she was not 17. The beginning of this book was a bit slow and clunky with the magic system and world not explained in a very understandable way. Around 35-40% through it I got more invested in it but the FMC again made such questionable decisions that it made it hard to root for her a lot of times. The feel and style of the book reminded me a lot of House of Dragons and the action sequences and overall plot were interesting so I will likely continue with series but I do think that that for me it needed a bit more work to be more memorable.

I received an eARC thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press, all opinions are my own.

Dragons, a secret princess who is the rightful ruler, and enemies-to-lovers? All the makings of something I should love.

Unfortunately, I felt like I oscillated between loving and hating it throughout the entirety of the book. The world building was quite good and the enemies-to-lovers setup is done really well. But the execution of the lovers part of the relationship felt rushed and really surprising in terms of where it happened. There didn't feel like a natural progression to their relationship.

There are a number of plot points I didn't expect to happen (in a good way!) and the political intrigue execution was phenomenal.

Received as an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 45%

I really, truly, wish I could say I enjoyed this. The premise was intriguing especially with the aspect of it being Celtic inspired but to make it as far as I did was a lot of effort.

I’m realizing maybe it’s not the 3rd person POV I don’t like but more so the way it’s utilized/written? Like with When Among Crows I didn’t mind but following that POV but with the way it was written here it seemed like I was following a bland monotone narrator that wasn’t even excited to tell me about the story.

A lot of my disappointment really stems from the FMC. The opening was freaking fantastic. Loved her being a helping with childbirth, showing her strength, the way she raced against the prince to bond with the last dragon. She had the makings of being such a great lead to follow but as the story continues she just becomes a pick-me girly that didn’t do anything to really deserve her position aside from being born. I was super excited for this matriarchy but she wasn’t a woman I’d want to follow. She’s entitled, unsupportive, and naive.

RATING: ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the Publishers for the opportunity to read ❤︎

I didn’t see that coming ! Readers beware , don’t read unless you’re ready for an epic and emotional cliffhanger ! In this book we follow our FMC fight to become queen and take the thrown. In doing so she must make an alliance with the current kings brother.
The FMC Aemyra has always known she was destined to be queen but she never knew how hard it would be when emotions get involved. Then we have the kings brother Fiorean, who is definitely my new top fantasy bad boy. This is the definition of enemies to lovers , with just the right heat. The plot is amzing, twists and turns are just the right amount and like I mentioned, the ending ! Wow !! I’ll give this four starts, the only reason I didn’t give it five is because I’m crushed I have to wait for book two. I need it now !

I read this as an ARC through NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Hazel McBride

Aemyra was born to be Queen. Unfortunately, she must wait for the King to die before she can claim the throne.
While waiting for that time to come, she is a blacksmith and Healer. She helps her people where she can.
According to rumors, she won't have to wait much longer.

This was a very easy read, I flew through it. However, that doesn't mean it was great. I enjoyed parts of the story, but Aemyra just did too many stupid things. Her bad decisions really grated on my nerves. That being said, the ending was really good, so I might still continue the series.