Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I was not that engaged for the first half of the book, mostly because I found the main character, Aemyra, insufferable, and the plot didn't seem like it knew where it wanted to go. About halfway through, though, things picked up significantly. The twist was somewhat predictable, but I'm looking forward to the second book to find out how this all concludes. I'd recommend to fans of House of the Dragon.

I had to DNF this book at 34%.

The story was simultaneously dragging on and on as well as being all over the place. I feel like the plot was just too messy. I found myself getting confused quite often and had to reread many sections to understand.

The FMC was very back and forth in how she was portrayed. I couldn't connect with her or really any of the other characters. Everyone came across as very flat and one dimensional.

Not to mention it just seemed like every little thing was going wrong. This book was written at a solid downward curve with not a single thing going right. It felt very unrealistic (yes I know its fantasy) but I just couldn't get behind it.

The thing I really liked about this book was the female rage and queer rep, the plot felt a little messy at times and I had to go back and re read because I got confused but that could just be me? I can't wait to read more by this author and overall I'd say this is a solid debut

I’m rating this one a 3 star because I know it’ll be enjoyed by SOMEONE, that someone just isn’t me.

I ended up DNF’ing at 34% because I felt like the story was severely lagging and all over the place at the same time.

I did not like this book. I had to DNF on chapter 4. This book did not draw me in, right away I knew I did not like the main character Aemyra. Sorry this was just not my cup of tea.

Oh. My. God. This book was absolutely incredible.
I loved the story line but found myself going back and forth on Amerya’s character. First Amerya feels inferior to the other women around her and that did turn me off a bit, however when her world is turned upside down, I felt myself empathize with the character! I felt like Amerya was multifaceted and I love seeing that in a story. The battles, the tension, the true enemies to lovers — LOVED IT!! Overall, I am so excited for this book to come out & will absolutely be recommending it to fans of When the Moon Hatched!

Dragons, Scotland, bisexual badass FMC? Yes please! I had high hopes for this book, and while I loved parts of it - I have to be honest and say it was also hard to get through at times.

The feminism was 👌🏻 *chef’s kiss*

You will definitely get pissed off with female rage several times during this book, I found that really refreshing.

The queerness was also a big plus for me, but I expected more. It’s still 97% hetero.

I had trouble following the avalanche of names and clans and leaders and keeping them apart. Sometimes the war-strategy info dumps would be boring and unnecessarily long.

The plot felt a little messy and there some skipping over stuff here and there. It was hard to follow at times because of all the Gaelic words.

A big plus was the intense love scenes, expect the blood play - not my thing… 😅

I could not relate to the FMC unfortunately, I also found her annoying at times, as I’ve read on here in other reviews.

To end on a high note: it’s a very refreshing book in a genre where that is very difficult to achieve. Not in a big way, but in small world, plot and character components.

I think this writer has a lot of potential and I’m excited to see what else she will create. I’m all for more queerness in the romantasy genre! 🌈

-

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc for a honest review.

DNF @ 40%

The synopsis was very promising and I had high hopes. However, I didn’t not care about any of the characters, or the world, and I felt like the FMC was all over the place.

When I read “I had no idea the air moved so much” I figured that was a good place to stop for me.

A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride isthe first book in the Bonded to Beasts duology. The story follows Aemyra, who’s been living in hiding as a blacksmith for most of her life. But she's destined to be queen and has to use her intelligence and fire magic to overthrow the current kingdom once the king dies. The book is inspired by Celtic lore and takes place in a world that was once ruled by woman. Unfortunately, this world has weakened under the rule of kings and the influence of the True Religion, which is led by anti-magic men.

To fully claim her throne, Aemyra needs to bond with a dragon. The plot is full of political intrigue and scheming characters, Prince Florian, a dragon rider, has been supporting his corrupt family. After Aemyra and Florian enter into a marriage of convenience, they form an uneasy alliance, and their attraction draws them together. Despite Aemyra's vows to kill Florian, she has never acted on them.

As Aemyra navigates court politics, she uncovers just how deep the corruption runs. Aemyra was a bit hard to root for at times and I found her haughty, arrogant, and often makes poor decisions. I wanted her to be more supportive and empowering towards the other women in the story. Florian, on the other hand, felt very flat to me. I needed more depth to truly enjoy his role.

The story is fast-paced, and I'm hopeful that the conclusion will bring some growth for our main character.

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Fate Forged in Fire is the first in a duology, and does a fantastic job building a world that sucks you in and will not let go. I loved that this fantasy romance was filled with political intrigue, sexy banter and TENSION. The fact that dragons are also involved here is the icing on the cake. I loved the FMC; Aemyra is a complete badass. Would recommend to anyone who loves this genre, especially fans of the enemies to lovers trope.

DRAGONS. Okay, with that out of the way, this was an interesting adventure with a great enemies to lovers romance.

A Fate Forged in Fire is an epic fantasy with rich world-building and a gripping plot. McBride’s vivid writing and complex characters make this a must-read for fantasy lovers.

I was disappointed in this book and I had to DNF it. At first I was intrigued and excited about it but the more I read the more uncomfortable I became. It felt very anti Christian to me and felt very offensive. I know there are people who will like this book but not me. I did give it a fair try!

Aemyra has been waiting her whole life to take a throne that is rightfully hers. Living as a blacksmith in the very place she wishes to rule, she waits for the king to die so she can claim his dragon and take the throne. Except nothing goes according to plan following the king’s death. Aemyra must survive through the court and it’s corruption all while battling her unbidden feelings for the cold, dragon riding prince Fiorean.

The cover is very pretty and suits the story well! I enjoyed the dragons in this story as I love dragons. It just didn’t fully click with me. Aemyra is an interesting character, both powerful but definitely needs to learn more and mature for the goals she strives for in the book.

It’s definitely a cool book, filled with fire and royal corruption, I hope the second book clicks better, since I will still read it so I can see more of the dragons.

Definitely give it a try if you like fantasy, romance, dragons and fiery heroines.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for the chance to read an arc of this book.

First of all, thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just know this book will divide people, and so will its FMC, Amyra.

The world we are in is depicted in a map you'll find at the beginning of the book. There is also a pronunciation guide at the end that can help with names of characters and places (I only found out after finishing the book, sadly).

The worldbuilding is not super detailed but enough to make it believable, and the story is set in continent divided in lands where a particular element rules, and Tir Teine, our reign, is associated with fire. Those who possess magic live with those who don't and can bind themselves to animals or magical cretures, such as dragons.
Amyra, the FMC is the secret first female descendant of the mythical queens who ruled Tir Teine, on which throne now sits a line of male heirs. The book centers around her quest to take said throne back, but more then that I'd say the focus is on the fight between the traditions of Old, inlcuding magic and the bonds to beasts, and what I see as a representation of the advent of Christianism. Safe to say, the first victims of this new religion are women and while the conflict grows between different branches of the royal line the real enemy is much more ordinary (Athair Alfred your days are numbered).

Amyra is one of those protagonists readers either love or hate. Strangely, I am neither here nor there because while sometimes her recklessness and arrogance really unnerved me, her determination and inner desire for justice won me over. I still think she has a long way to go, but I definitely want her to triumph. When it comes to Fiorean, that's a whole different matter. He is quite inscrutable and shows opposite sides of himself so that you're never really sure if you're seeing his real face or another facade. The ending left me dumbfounded when it comes to him because, once again, I don't understand if we're really seeing him or a result of something that happened to him.
My favorite characters are the dragons. No, really, they are, and it fascinated me how despite being bonded to people on opposite sides they are able to forge their own alliances and realize who deserves their respect. Terrea, Geleach, Aervor, stay strong please.

Now, I wouldn't say I didn't struggle sometimes, especially in the first part of the book, but there is potential, and after that cliffhanger (which was bad, but not as bad as I thought it would be) yes, I do want to know what happens next and I will read the second installment. Futhermore, this book got me out of one of my longest reading slumps and that kind of morally obliges me to recommend it (I still would!).

I was immediately sucked into this world, and somehow still managed to be further invested the deeper into the story we fell. I adore the fact that the FMC is a strong badass but also fallible. It was refreshing to see her fail but not give up. The MMC is also a flawed character, in the best and worst ways and I love him more for it. I need book 2 expeditiously!

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC to read and review! A Fate Forged in Fire delivers a gripping enemies-to-lovers romance that feels truly earned, not rushed or forced, making it one of the standout aspects of the novel. The tension between the main characters is palpable, evolving naturally from deep-seated animosity into something more complex and compelling.

The protagonist starts off somewhat naïve, but her journey is one of the book’s biggest strengths. Her character development is gradual and satisfying, shaped by both personal struggles and the intricate political maneuvering that weaves through the plot. The political intrigue is another highlight—full of twists, betrayals, and strategic alliances that keep the stakes high and the pages turning.

That said, I did find myself wishing for a bit more world-building. While the characters and plot are strong, the setting felt somewhat vague. I often imagined the events happening in a vacuum, as there weren’t enough descriptions to fully ground me in the world. A clearer sense of place would have made the story even more immersive.

Despite that, this book is absolutely worth reading. The compelling romance, well-crafted character growth, and intense political dynamics make it a standout in the genre. If you love a true enemies-to-lovers story with high stakes and emotional depth, this one should be on your list!

This is my first Hazel McBride and I requested it knowing next to nothing about the book and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. It was a slow start getting going, especially figuring out the pronunciation of names and places (the pronunciation guide was in the back of the edition I was given and I had no idea until I was already done). Once the story picked up I binged the entire thing.

Someone said that the love interest was inspired by Aemond Targaryen and honestly... accurate. Haha. I'm here for it.

I found the world building, magic system, and politics very interesting. The tension had me in a state. I eagerly wait for the second book.

Tropes & What to Expect
~ Stabby Bi FMC x Broody MMC
~ Slow Burn
~ Enemies to Lovers
~ Forbidden Romance
~ Arranged Marriage
~ Dragons
~ Betrayal
~ Touch Her & Die

Read/Watch-Alikes
~ Throne of Glass
~ A Fate Inked in Blood
~ Game of Thrones
~ House of the Dragon

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

This book was a really good fantasy read but it does require a lot of attention to understand the names and world building. It was not something to passively read but it was definitely a good time and would recommend it to those who like fantasy.

Okay so normally I write my reviews while I read but this had me so engrossed I would forget my phone even existed. The world-building was a little confusing at first but once I got the hang of it, pieces of the puzzle started to make sense. This enemies to lovers to enemies was so deliciously written. The witty and short tempered FMC made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. There are definitely some parts that can be considered triggering such as child death, religious cults, extreme misogyny, and gore. Full of lies and deceit, this book was an absolute page turner. The lore behind the dragons and the bonding process interested me deeply and hope to learn more about them in the next book.