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I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Gave off Game of Thrones/House of Dragons vibe, which is why I liked reading it. Tropes: a badass bisexual FMC, dragons, magic, enemies to lovers, betrayal and political intrigue. I was captivated by the storyline and the world building was easy to follow. Political intrigue, the FMC is fighting for women’s rights and she wants to burn the patriarchy down. She is impulsive, hot headed and entitled, which comes off as arrogant and annoying at times. The MMC was hit or miss for me, felt like I didn’t really know him and needed more character development. But I was captivated and entertained. The ending had me holding my breath and clenching my jaw. I will definitely be reading the next book to know what happens next.

So many words I couldn’t pronounce and while reading I skipped it in my head. Then I found the pronunciation glossary in the back. Wow, did my brain really eff up those words. Every fantasy book needs a pronunciation glossary.

This book was… just fine. I was immediately drawn in by the blurb and while I liked the characters, it read very similar to the plot line of House of the Dragon. Which, I liked, but it didn’t feel like there was anything special in this book.

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing for the early copy!!

In a world brimming with political intrigue, magic, and sizzling romance, A Fate Forged in Fire emerges as one of the most refreshing, compelling, and downright addictive books I've read in a long time. From the very first page, this Celtic-inspired fantasy grips the reader with a mix of tension, passion, and high-stakes adventure that has set a new gold standard for the enemies-to-lovers trope.

It’s been a long time since I’ve come across a story that felt this new, this alive, and this utterly unputdownable. I was enamored with the rich history built into the story and the incredible world building that McBride managed to incorporate that allowed me to fully immerse myself into the city of Tir Tiene. I absolutely cannot wait for the second installment, this was easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

DRAGONS! I love that we have another great book about dragons to devour! The dynamic between riders and their dragons is new but also familiar. Our FMC is fierce and feisty with lots of witty remarks and determination. Our MMC is complex and has so many layers to him that we discover with the FMC. Absolutely fun and full of adventure

In Queen of Flame, Aemyra, a gifted blacksmith blessed with fire magic, longs to restore her homeland of Tìr Teine to its former glory as a matriarchal kingdom. She embarks on an adventure to reclaim the throne, bond with dragons, and deal with a lot of political intrigue.

The world of Tìr Teine is richly imagined, with a strong Celtic-inspired backdrop that infuses the story with mythic charm. The blend of fantastical elements with sociopolitical themes of oppression and rebellion adds layers to the narrative, making the world feel very relevant to readers in 2025.

The book’s political intrigue, while occasionally predictable, keeps the stakes high and the plot engaging. Aemyra’s hot-headed nature in the early chapters can feel overly impulsive, detracting from an otherwise engaging journey. The romance was a fun part of the story. The evolving dynamic between Aemyra and Fiorean is a highlight, balancing sharp conflict with undeniable chemistry.

Queen of Flame combines fantasy, romance, and vibrant worldbuilding in a captivating tale of rebellion and redemption. Despite minor flaws, it’s a promising start to a duology that fans of Celtic-inspired fantasy and fiery heroines will relish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and had a great time. The first half of the book is slow, and there is a lot of words in Gaelic so it was slow going learning the pronunciation and remembering what was what. However, the second half of the book drew me in so hard, and I could not wait to get back into the world every time I had to put it down. This book is full of female rage, enemies to lovers, touch her and die moments. And then that end! It made me so angry and damaged, that I need the second installment IMMEDIATELY. Hazel better fix what she broke!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher to allowing me the pleasure of an ARC of this book!

4.5 stars!
- strong, vengeful, badass, bisexual FMC
- brooding MMC
- fire magic & dragons
- religious control, high stakes, & political intrigue
A true enemies to lovers romantasy. Very well developed world building and bonds between characters. I could feel the pain, the rage, and every emotion in between. The spice was exquisitely done (that knife play scene omg.) The ending though?! I'm not over it! Massive cliffhanger. I highly recommend this!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Oh my freaking gosh!!! This was the book I NEEDED all year and it only took me to December to find it 😂. I have bad news though for me and you… it doesn’t release until May 2025 so you’ll just have to take my word for it and add it to your tbr lists somewhere. The bad news for me?! I will have to wait EVEN LONGER for the sequel and I’m just not okay 🥲.

The way I ATE up this book and left no crumbs behind?! I was hesitant to start it during tbr busy holiday season. I tend to be a slower reader, especially with adult high fantasy but I literally couldn’t get enough of this one. I pushed all my other current reads aside to focus on Fate and have no regrets.

The action, the stabby FMC and the scarred definitely has a secret dark past MMC really had me in a chokehold. The dragons, marriage of convenience and non stop action and twists from then on is what really kept me going though. I honestly never knew what was going to happen in the book except for one tiny thing in the beginning I figured out lol.

For fans of Fourth Wing still looking for their next dragon book to obsess over.. look no further!! It’s action packed and full of betrayals plus DRAGONS!!

I really wanted to like this, but it just wasn't for me. I found the FMC to be confident and full of herself to a degree that she became unlikable for me. She just frustrated me the entire time, her arrogance was too much. And the MMC was... fine, I guess. He didn't really give that charisma that he was supposed to have. Overall, it didn't bring something fresh to the genre that I was hoping it would.

OMG I don’t even know what to say. This book left me with so many mixed emotions. I actually finished it days ago and have been just waiting to calm down before posting a review. It was an incredible story and I absolutely loved it but also… it left me seething. The betrayal but maybe misunderstanding??? I don’t know. What I do know is book 2 will likely rip my soul in half and I’m obviously here for it.

Magic, dragons, strong FMC, a fight for the throne, feminine goddess worship, an intense love, betrayal and a blood oath… so many good things ❤️‍🔥♥️

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

"We are all villains in somebody's story...but it's how we view each other that matters"

I actually had to go and look at other people's reviews to see if maybe my reaction to this book was a fluke. I really enjoyed the beginning. Just learning about the characters and the family connections were great. But the main character started to grate on my nerves about halfway through the book. Everything that she did it just seemed so self-centered and off the cuff that I was getting more and more confused over how she thought she would be an effective leader.

I enjoy the perspective of a woman leader in a women-dominated society. What a dream! But I just did not connect to the main character at all. At least not in the majority of the last half of the book. Towards the end I was starting to waver in my loathing. So maybe book two she will be redeemed!

Also I needed a little bit of a trigger warning because the descriptions of children dying was a little bit much for me. I just needed to know that something like that was going to happen. Ever since I had kids I cannot read books with scenes like that. It just triggers something inside of me. And this one wasn't even that long but still. And then the SA. Not a fan of reading about that either.

I am a fan of enemies to lovers. But I just didn't feel it with these two characters. Part of me just wanted her to find something different if she was really going to make a difference and be different than what the ruling class was like. How can you be the head of a revolution but also fall in love with the people you want to depose? I wish that there was a better way in this particular book to make that happen. I think Sorsha's response to the situation was the best. Rescuing her and then when she said, "you were the one who kidnapped me in the first place!" I think my best reaction was when Aemyra was like...yes I get it our younger brother was killed but I won't condemn an innocent man for one mistake. Which ok..but you did fall in love with this man who assisted with this....soo....

The cliffhanger of an end deal was really good. So I do have some hopes for book two. And I'm sure that the MMC was being forced to do everything at the end and it will all come out. But yeah. I don't know if I will say that I hated the book but it did bring up a lot of feelings for me about the characters and the storyline. Which in reality is a talking point so it could be a good thing! Try it out if you are interested!

Thanks to NetGalley and rne publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. With that said, I could not get into A Fate Forged in Fire. I can overlook high political terms and references, odd spellings and even the whole it’s a secret thing but I’m still not telling the reader or anyone, but this was just way too slow for me. Honestly, the first paragraph threw me and I immediately didn’t want to read anymore. I gave it a few more chapters but just couldn’t envision what was supposed to happen if she kept talking about her appreciation for women. I’m sorry but this was a DNF for me.

Dragons!!! I enjoyed the world building and magic theme in this story. Left on a decent cliffhanger i will definitely read the 2nd installment. There's so much more to come!!

This book is going to be amazing for people who want an immersive world, with heavy world building AND the enemies to lovers plot. However the first part of this book is so difficult to navigate as someone who is unfamiliar with Celtic words and that made it incredibly difficult to get through as it is so prominent to the story.

I finished this one a couple of days ago, and I still haven't stopped thinking about this book. There was so much that I liked about it –
✨ the Bonding concept and dragons
✨ the worldbuilding
✨ the magic
✨ political intrigue
✨ slow-burn enemies to lovers

BUT it took me a bit to get into it. There was a lot to explain in the first part, and the pacing was choppy. That being said, I really loved the ending, I'm gutted by the heart-wrenching finale and I CANNOT wait to finish this duology.

I highly recommend for romantasy fans of LJ Andrews, Jennifer Armentrout, Fourth Wing, and Nisha J Tuli. Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book.

Hazel McBride’s A Fate Forged in Fire delivers an engaging blend of Celtic-inspired magic, court intrigue, and fiery romance. Aemyra’s journey from hidden heir to potential queen is filled with high stakes, dynamic relationships, and the simmering tension of an enemies-to-lovers romance with the formidable Prince Fiorean. With dragons, fire magic, and themes of rebellion and resilience, this story sets the stage for an exciting continuation in the next book!

This novel is giving Throne of Glass meets House of the Dragon, but with its own unique twist. Our main character, Aemyra, is young and complex - the kind that has you cheering one moment and yelling at your book the next. Add in a slightly spicy enemies-to-lovers romance, deep dives into religious and political intrigue, and of course, dragons that you bond with. It’s a great read!

Fair warning: the Gaelic terms took some getting used to, but once I found my footing in this richly crafted world, I couldn’t put it down. Also it has a BRUTAL cliffhanger ending that has me impatiently waiting for book two!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read this gem!

Right from the start, the story dives into high stakes for Aemyra and the kingdom of Tir Teine. A toxic influence looms in the form of the True Religion—a patriarchal group that condemns magic and relegates women to little more than childbearers. As one of the last bastions of worship for the goddesses, Tir Teine faces growing unrest, and the tension is palpable from the first page.

Aemyra is fierce, headstrong, and unapologetically ambitious—she’s spent her life secretly preparing to claim her throne and isn’t afraid to stand her ground. Her fiery personality clashes perfectly with the equally stubborn Prince Fiorean, making their interactions crackle with tension and chemistry.

This story never slows down—it’s packed with action, romantic drama, mythical creatures, and the sinister pull of a dangerous cult. There’s truly something for every reader here.

And that ending? Heart-wrenching! I need the next installment immediately!

Aemyra is a queen in disguise biding her time to return to power. Through her quest she finds love and heartache. This book has so many romantasy winners- a slow burn, enemies to lovers, dragons, and a FMC that fights for equal rights.

Overall, I liked the ending of this book enough to want to read the next, so, that helped it earn three stars.

I very much struggled through the first half of this book. The world building was tough, especially with so many Celtic words throughout. I wish I had known about the Pronunciation Guide but it was at the back and I didn't know it existed until the end. Maybe that would have helped.

I enjoyed the enemies to lovers thread, and the women's rights thread throughout. I also enjoyed that the FMC was strong, while also being naive.

I didn't find myself connecting to the characters or truly understand what was happening until the second half of the book. I enjoyed that I didn't really feel like I had anything figured out at the end, especially with that cliffhanger. I will try the next one to see where it goes.

You will be hooked by the dedication alone. This book is filled with female empowerment, and I am here for it. Without a female heir in centuries, the true religion believers are looking to gain power. When Aemyra, the daughter of a blacksmith, comes out of hiding to show her true identity as the first female heir in centuries to rightfully take her place on the throne, things get messy. This book is filled with betrayal, secrets, and celtic myths.

I highly highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good fantasy read filled with lore, dragons, heartbreak, and easy world building. This was such an incredibly fast paced read, and I am already itching for the second book in the duology. It is a must read for 2025!