Did I finish this book? Yes. But the truth is that it actually finished me. As I knew it would.

I knew going into this that Stacey McEwan was going to shatter my heart but it didn’t matter. It will never matter when it comes to her books. I will break over and over again to have the privilege of reading her words.

This was no slow burn for me… it was insta-love. Instantly in love with Stacey’s writing. Instantly in love with Nina and Patrick. Instantly in love with this world of opposites, of desire, of illusion.

I intentionally took my time with this book. I didn’t want it to end. I paced myself so that I could draw out the deliciousness of this piece of art.

I laughed and cried (like UGLY cry) and told everyone I know that they must also read it immediately so that I can go over every minute detail with them.

This book is utter magnificence.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

What an amazing surprise! I picked this book up after enjoying Stacey's previous work Ledge, and this seemed like a romantasy I might like. What I was not expecting was to be absolutely swept away by this story and completely engrossed, sometimes mouth hanging open in shock, and eyes welling up with tears a few times. No one is more shocked than I am that I loved this!

Nina Harrow is a miner's daughter who dreams of a life of creativity and freedom from a miner's fate on board the train to the Artisan city of Belavere. Patrick Coulson, also a miner's son, knows that by the end of this trip he will be right back at home with nothing changed. While sneaking for some food the two stumble upon information that rattles their entire worlds. Nina eventually becomes an Artisan, learning all of the finer things in life at the Academy while Patrick starts a miner's revolution. Their paths converge again many years later, when Nina is kidnapped and taken to the heart of the Miner's rebellion.

This is one of those stories that I was so engrossed in that I cannot really review this with any eye for critique. Because I basically forgive most of the flaws for the sake of crackling yearning and some audacious flirting. This just really worked for me.

Forbidden Alchemy delivers a rich, slow-burn romantasy filled with emotional tension, elemental magic, and a high-stakes class war, anchored by the complex relationship between Nina and Patrick. The worldbuilding is immersive and the themes of power, loyalty, and rebellion are compelling, though the pacing lags at times and some characters feel underdeveloped. While the romance and final act offer strong emotional payoff, the story occasionally struggles under the weight of its lore and familiar tropes. Still, it’s a worthwhile read for fans of angsty, character-driven fantasy with revolutionary stakes.

At age 12 Kids are sent to drink the potion that will determine their destiny as an Artisan or a Craftsman. Nina and Patrick meet there and discover the secret that it is all rigged and whoever gets the right vial will have magic powers. She decides to be an Artisan and go to the school and he chooses to go return home to his family as a craftsman. When a war breaks out between the 2 factions and Nina’s school is bombed she must choose between her coal miner upbringing and the artisan aristocrats and finds herself as a pawn in this war because of her Earth Charmer powers. Meeting Patrick again further complicates the delicate balance of her motives in this war and her heart desires. Fantastic slow burn and duty angst romantasy that I absolutely loved and it left me hungering for #2!

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Wow, A Forbidden Alchemy lives up to all the hype and then some! From the very beginning I was hooked. The author gives us wonderful character developement and world building. There were so many fabulous twists and turns and a cliffhanger that has me desperate for more.

Nina and Patrick's story begins when they are children. They first meet at Belavere City, where they are both tested for magical abilities. Nina dreams of becoming an Artisan, a powerful elemental mage and escaping her life in a mining town. Patrick wants nothing more than to go back to his mining town and continue his life as a Craftsman. They both achieve their goal and go their separate ways. Fast forward thirteen years when they are thrusted together as adults onto opposite sides of class war.

The author writes incredible characters, even the side character's add so much to the story. Our female main character Nina is someone to look up to. She is strong and ambitious and wants better for herself but she also hasn't forgotten where she has come from. Nina also has the ability to pull the rug out from underneath the reader too.... if you know, you know!
Our main male character Patrick is also a very strong lead. He is the kind of character that you are rooting for him from the second you meet him. He loves his family and town and will do everything he can to give them a better life. I especially love his relationship with Nina and the banter between them. Patrick will have you swooning.

"You're too beautiful to be real"

I had extremely high expectations of this series going in as The Glacian Trilogy is one of my all time favourite series, the bar for this was already set so high. I can confidently say this series is going to be another favourite of mine.

Wow. This book was so good! It completely pulled me in from start to finish. The worldbuilding is vivid and immersive. I could see everything so clearly in my mind. Stacey McEwan does such a phenomenal job creating a complex, magical world filled with rebellion, betrayal, and secrets.

This story is packed with top-notch banter, tension, and a deliciously slow burn romance. I absolutely love the friends-to-enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Nina and Patrick. Both characters are layered in the best way. Nina is smart and clever and actually shows it on the page, and Patrick is swoon worthy, complex, morally gray, and mysterious.

I also adored the side characters. They aren’t just there for filler. Each character has purpose and adds so much to the story.

One unique aspect of this book is the alternating points of view. Nina’s chapters are told in first person, giving you deep insight into her thoughts and feelings, while Patrick’s chapters are told in third person, adding to his mysterious, morally gray aura. At first the switch between POVs was a little jarring, but I quickly got used to it and found it enhanced the reading experience.

The story begins with Nina and Patrick as children from low-class labor towns. Nina is desperate to leave the life in her small town for a better future and dreams of becoming a magical Artisan, and Patrick wants nothing more than to return to his home. They meet at the ceremony that determines if they have magical abilities, and what they discover there changes everything they thought they knew about their world. Years later, their paths cross again, and the tension between them is absolutely electric.

This book has everything I love:
✨ Morally gray characters
✨ Found family
✨ Rebellion against corrupt power
✨ Magic
✨ Betrayals
✨ Plot twist after plot twist (I did not see them coming!)

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the ending left me devastated but also so excited for the next book.

If you love fantasy with tension-filled slow burn romance, morally gray characters, and twists that keep you guessing, A Forbidden Alchemy is a must-read.

I want to say a huge thank you to Stacey McEwan for DMing me a link to download this book through NetGalley. Stacey is an incredibly kind and generous author and is so engaging with her readers. I’m incredibly grateful.

Absolutely brilliant! Perfect for fans of "Peaky Blinders" with an romantasy twist.
I devoured A Forbidden Alchemy and I NEED the next book in the series ASAP!
What I loved:
- "Peaky Blinders" inspired family in a mining town
- Unique Magic System
- Twist, turns, and double-crossing
- An MMC who is a deadly cinnamon roll

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of Forbidden Alchemy! I cannot wait for the world to fall in love with a woman who could tear apart the earth, and the man who would do anything for her.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

I went into this with high hopes because the special editions of it are stunning, and it did not disappoint. This is a book with great in depth world building and storyline and characters that have flaws and yet are working towards the best life they can try to create, while navigating impossible choices and their own humanity. Really gripping story and I want to give props to the author for the start of this book because they did an excellent job starting off with a young version of the MC and then speeding forward quite fast while still giving you enough substance to understand who she is without spoiling some of the mysteries we need to uncover. Super easy 5/5 and I drank this up so fast. Excuse me while I go preorder the pretty versions of this!

Patrick is my new boyfriend from his drawl. McEwan blew me away with this story and I’m frothing for more. Secrets and more secrets. Multi POV with first person/ third person writing? Say no more. McEwan has worked her craft in the best of ways.

Gaslamp magic system with a societal scale on the brink of war. The story time jumps through Nina’s life and it felt like a movie. Characters grew on me for loving them or just wanting to punch their face in. And Patrick. Ah. No words.

Thank you for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

What do you mean I have to review this book after it completely ruined me?!? What do you mean??

Absolutely marvelous book.
This is exactly what I want when they say inspired by Peaky Blinders. Strong family bonds, working outside the law, unshakable beliefs. Not just foggy streets and hats.
The setting and vibes of this book are immaculate.

Patrick and Nina are such a fantastic, complex couple destined to be together but continuing to be ripped apart by circumstances.
I can't wait to listen to the audiobook when it comes out because once isn't enough.

Thank you so much for the arc!

Thank you Saga Press & Simon Audio for the gifted copies!

A Forbidden Alchemy
Stacey McEwan
Publishing Date: July 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎧 Narrator: Billie Fulford-Brown & Joshua Riley 🎧

This was Romantasy PERFECTION. Easily one of the best Romantasy novels I’ve read. I had the pleasure of buddy reading this with an amazing crew 💛 check out their posts and reviews using… #AForbiddenAlchemyBuddyRead

This book had me sucked in so fast and I couldn’t look away until the very end where I just stared at the book wondering what Stacey McEwan had just done to us!

This book honestly had it all.

✨The world building was well crafted. I love books set in academia!

✨The characters were well developed and entertaining. If you follow Stacey on instagram you know she’s super funny, and you could totally see her wit shine through during the dialogue between characters.

✨The magic system, which combined elemental magic and alchemy, was unique and well explained.

✨ There was political intrigue and a war setting that raised the stakes.

✨ The romance was slow burn perfection that was just enough to not take away from the plot but still have you piningggg ❤️‍🔥

✨ The pacing was perfect, there was not a moment that I wasn’t fully enthralled and invested in these characters and their journey. And the TWISTS gave me whiplash in the very best way. Just when you think you know what’s going on… you sure don’t.

✨ And that ending… Staceyyyy I am not ok and I hope you have book two coming asap!

🎧 Billie Fulford-Brown & Joshua Riley were absolutely stellar in their narration here. 10/10 no notes, would absolutely read this with my ears again and again. And I sure will when book two is upon us..

I would like to send a big THANK YOU to Simon & Schuster/Saga Press and #NetGalley for the chance to read this beautiful book early in exchange for an honest review.

This fantasy was so excitingly unique! I loved the alchemy aspect of the story and how there were idium miners competing in an academic-type setting.
The beginning of the story is immediately engaging and takes you on a journey where the mc, Nina Harrow, is super excited for the magical chance to become something different - an Artisan (magic wielder). However, she discovers that the Artisan School is corrupt and the "choosing" isn't what it claims to be.

In the process of fighting for what is right and just, she also finds herself in a complicated friendship that turns into an even more complicated relationship. Although the romance in this story could have been kicked up a notch, I do enjoy a good slow burn. It just felt like this one burned a little slower than I normally like for it to. This is the only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars.

I've heard that this book is a duology, and if that's true, I will be more than happy to read the next installment.

The world was interesting with the mix of magic and a western. My favorite character was Patrick, probably because he reminded me of Kayce from Yellowstone. The ending was tense!

The beginning felt disjointed to me with all the time jumps. The middle felt too slow, and I lost connection with the characters and the romance. And the swearing was so excessive (coming from a girl who rarely notices swearing in books).

Content: open door

This was a top read of 2025 and one of my favorite fantasy worlds to dive into. Stacey has an incredible ability to make fantasy feel new and even more magical. Everything about this book was so enjoyable, the incredible world building with zero info dumping, characters that felt real, and a story I could not get enough of. I can’t wait for book 2!

I Adored this book Patrick has become top tier boyfriend/friend status. I loved this story and the way we get to follow Nina from Age 12 when her and Patrick first meet through her trials and errors of adjusting to a new life that was not given to her but taken by her. She forged her own future at such a young age and you can see how that effects her life going forward. Fast forward to present time and we get to watch her come to terms with the young girl she was and the woman she wants to become while her morals are tested and she is forced to make decisions she has never wanted any part in. I loved the "magic" in this world and the way it relates to the elements and minerals and how everyone is unique in a way that suits them best. The found family and the mines brought a higher stake to this story that helped me as a reader really get invested in the book and the outcome of not just out MC's but the whole town.

Thank you to @sagapressbooks for the ARC! ♡
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Loved being part of a month long buddy read for this book! To see all our posts check the hashtag: #AForbiddenAlchemyBuddyRead
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💓 Read if you love: fast paced, steam punk style dystopian societies with a slow burn romance between warring sides.
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At first I was reminded of mages vs. muggles: the opening scene begins sorting kids. Those with special abilities (“artisans”) and those without (“crafters”), in a class system with the artisans on top.
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Artisans use elemental magic to design and architect the world, while crafters mine the terranium, living in poverty and dying in mine collapses.
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When war breaks out, Nina will have to decide which side she is on, the rebel crafters — or the side who raised and forged her into the weapon she is.
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I really enjoyed this one! A solid romantasy with a plot you could sink your teeth into and lots of twists and turns (and some heat!) 🌶️. I guessed almost every twist, with one exception, but it was still such a fun ride!!

A few things you can guarantee from a Stacey McEwan book. Badass FMC, swoon worthy MMC, drama, suspense AND a brutal cliffhanger.
So no surprise, we got all of them in this absolute MASTER PIECE.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

We start off with Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson when they are 12 years old. They are taken to Belavere City to be tested to see if they have any magical abilities. They are then separated into either and Artisan or Craftsman. Artisans are powerful elemental mages who stay in the city and serves it and Craftsman are the non-magical folk.
When they meet they find out a truly dark secret, Artisans are not born, but chosen. Patrick goes back home to be a craftsman where Nina becomes a very rare type of Artisan.
Years later, the two are reunited when Nina is captured by Patrick’s rebel group. Patrick needs Nina for his own mission whereas a ex-love of Nina’s is asking her to betray Patrick and the craftsman’s for the Artisans.

Boy oh boy what an epic journey we went on in this.
I LOVED Nina! She is everything we love about a FMC.
Patrick, Patrick, Patrick. What can we say about good ol’ Patty??? PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS. I swear if anything happens I will scream. He is everything! Top tier book boyfriend.
As all Stacey books, we have some very loveable side characters and I can’t wait to have some more of them in the next book.

This book is for the fantasy lovers who love great, immersive world building that isn’t complex, fans of heists, lovers of Peaky Blinders, and of course, those readers who just want to have fun in a new fantasy world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 million stars.

This book had me hooked, heartbroken, and holding my breath!

Nina and Patrick are just kids when they’re taken from their mining towns and thrown into a glittering, dangerous world of elemental magic and political ambition. But when they uncover a brutal secret, their bond fractures, sending them on opposite paths in a brewing war. Years later, she’s an elite Artisan, he’s a rebel leader, and fate throws them back together.

The plot twists were INSANE and truly surprised me.

The chemistry was such a slow burn with great banter. Patrick might be one of my new favorite MMCs.

And the romance was tender and unforgettable.

Thank you Saga and NetGalley for the ARC!

I was only a couple pages in and I already knew this was going to be a five star read. And after finishing the book, I have no doubts it will be in my top reads of the entire year. With how many fantasy books I consume, it’s hard to find worlds and concepts that truly feel different and this book is the definition of unique. A Forbidden Alchemy is pitched as Peaky Blinders meets Six of Crows and it definitely delivers on those vibes. It’s gritty and dark and mystical, and the magic was so vivid it was basically jumping off the page. I absolutely love elemental magic in fantasy books but this was on another level. The plot twists had my jaw dropping and this did not let up for the entire last half of the book. I wish I had a more eloquent way to describe how amazing the romance was but I don’t so: HOLY FUCK THE ROMANCE!! When I say I want chemistry and tension and banter, this is what I mean. Honestly, Patrick Colson just raised the bar for MMC’s everywhere. The main characters stole my heart and I won’t be able to rest until I find out what happens next for them.

I loved this book so much - it’s an amazing, high-stakes story that blends rebellion with swoony romance and a dark twist of magic. I was hooked from the first page and couldn’t put it down!

A Forbidden Alchemy is packed with jaw-dropping twists, heartbreaking betrayals, and a rebellion fueled by secrets and magic. The characters are complex and compelling, and the emotional tension - both in the plot and the slow-burn romance - had me completely invested!

This is the kind of story that makes you feel everything: suspense, heartbreak, longing, hope. It’s intense and completely addictive.