I hate that I read this as an arc, only because now I’m stuck in the state of desperate yearning for book 2. This book completely swept me away and left me absolutely obsessed and craving more.

Although it’s pitched as a romantasy, and yes, there’s romance (slow burn lovers, this is for you), the focus in this book is very much on the plot and I loved that. The pacing was tight, the world building rich and I found myself flipping the pages at 2AM because I just had to know what happened next.

It’s loosely a Hades x Persephone retelling - not a direct adaption but it pulls in just enough mythological flavour to keep things familiar while building something new. And honestly? It works so well.

Cahra is the kind of heroine I want more in a fantasy - strong, capable. She’s not waiting to be saved. She isn’t portrayed as weak or frail. And then there’s Hael. Shadow daddy. Mysterious. Powerful. Dream-hauntingly good. It’s a yes from me.

Terryl had me charmed at the start - he’s your classic noble sweetheart. But by the end? My heart fully belonged to Hael.

If you love slow burn, found destiny and high stakes fantasy, a kiss of hammer and flame is absolutely worth your time.

I loved how Cahra was physically strong and buff from the beginning. It was kind of refreshing to have a FMC who wasn’t dainty and perceived as helpless. However, I did find myself annoyed by her most of the time. I found her to be somewhat of a hypocrite and her actions were repetitive. I found that many elements/events in this book were either forced or predictable. The plot was unique and I liked the concept but some parts felt like they were added solely for shock value. While this book wasn't necessarily the one for me, I do feel that many people would enjoy it.

This book has the potential for people to absolutely love and be obsessed with, and many people will. Unfortunately the book just didn’t grip me. It has all the ingredients needed to make a great romantasy book and a lot of people will eat the series up but it just wasn’t one that I could completely immerse myself into. I just felt that I couldn’t quite picture some of the world building. It is a good book, and has a very intriguing storyline - but it didn’t have that final spark to make it amazing for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to this book.

I struggled a bit to connect with this story but may need to return to it another time! Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Overall rating: 2.5

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame had a lot of potential. Female blacksmith, prophecies, immortals, and romantasy? Sign me up. Unfortunately, this novel missed the mark for me.

The writing style was sadly not to my liking. It felt like a lot of telling versus showing, which took me out of the plot. It had a lot of potential! The language used just wasn’t especially exciting or intriguing during points of climax. Even though the pacing was fast at points, the novel still dragged a little for me.

To me, the characters lacked depth, which prevented me from getting invested. I couldn’t connect to Cahra and Terryl, much less their romance. To me, their romance felt forced and disingenuous, and unfortunately neither character came to life for me. The supporting characters also fell more into support and less into their own characters. To me, they lacked individuality and depth, and were used more as plot progressors. I didn’t learn much about them, and would’ve loved to see them implemented more!

I will say, however, that I really enjoyed the worldbuilding. I liked the idea of the prophecy and implications of Cahra setting it off.

Overall, even though this novel wasn’t my cup of tea, it will definitely be engaging for those interested in YA fantasy! It has a lot of good aspects both plot and setting wise!

* I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame introduced an intriguing concept that initially piqued my interest. The premise hinted at a story filled with depth and potential, but unfortunately, the execution fell short.

The writing style was one of the main drawbacks. It often felt repetitive, which detracted from the narrative's overall impact. Certain phrases were overused, making the prose feel somewhat monotonous and lacking in the creativity needed to sustain engagement.

The characters, while central to the plot, were difficult to connect with on an emotional level. Their development felt uneven, and their motivations were not always clear or compelling. As a result, it was hard to invest in their journeys or feel truly immersed in their experiences.

Pacing was another issue that hampered the story. There were moments where the plot dragged, bogged down by scenes that felt unnecessary or overly drawn-out. Conversely, other parts of the story progressed too rapidly, leaving little opportunity to explore key events in greater depth or build tension effectively.

That being said, it’s worth noting that the core idea behind the book had promise. There were glimpses of interesting concepts and moments where the story showed flashes of potential, but these were fleeting and not enough to carry the narrative.

In summary, while A Kiss of Hammer and Flame had a promising foundation, it ultimately struggled with repetitive writing, unrelatable characters, and uneven pacing. It’s a book that may resonate with some readers, but it left me wishing for more polish and depth.

*A Kiss of Hammer and Flame* delivers a sizzling blend of fantasy, romance, and richly imagined mythology that kept me turning the pages late into the night. The world-building is immersive, with a unique magical system and a setting that feels both epic and intimate.

The chemistry between the protagonists crackles right from the start—tense, passionate, and beautifully complicated. I appreciated how their relationship was given space to grow, with just the right mix of tension, tenderness, and heat. The heroine, in particular, is a standout—strong, flawed, and refreshingly self-aware.

The only reason I’m giving it four stars instead of five is that a few pacing issues slowed the momentum in the middle, but the emotional payoff and thrilling climax more than made up for it.

Overall, *A Kiss of Hammer and Flame* is a gripping romantic fantasy that will appeal to fans of slow-burn tension, strong characters, and high-stakes magic. I’ll definitely be reading whatever this author writes next!

This was an interesting YA story in a unique fantasy world! The world building was interesting and original.

The main character Cahra has her life upended after becoming central to a prophecy. She is reluctant to take on power but her journey the politics and history of this world are very intriguing.

For me, the characters, their personalities, and relationships felt a bit underdeveloped. This may pick up more in future books as we learn more about them.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book follows Cahra, a young blacksmith who unintentionally forges a sword that triggers the start of events foretold in a centuries old prophecy.

I was initially captured by the premise and the protagonist, a strong and independent woman with a tortured past. I thought it had potential but sadly in the end I did not enjoy this book. I found that the relationships between the characters were unbelievable and the plot was one dimensional. I was often bored by the story and found the romance to be contrived.

I think there are some good bones in this book, but more development is needed to flesh out the ideas and create depth.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by Amy de la Force is an intriguing fantasy with a promising premise, but ultimately falls short in some areas. The world-building is vivid, and the magical elements are well-crafted, offering an interesting setting for the story. However, the pacing feels uneven, with parts dragging on too long while others rush through crucial moments. The characters are likable but lack depth, making it difficult to fully invest in their journey. While the romance adds some charm, it doesn’t feel as developed or compelling as the plot itself. Overall, this is an enjoyable read for fans of light fantasy, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. 3 stars.

This story takes you on a epic quest with war, hints of romance and great world building. It's engaging and the characters are well written. The ending felt satisfying with an opening for more

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame had a lot of things I usually love—dark magic, gothic vibes, a strong female lead, and the promise of romance—but overall, it didn’t fully click for me.

The beginning drew me in, but as the story went on, I found myself losing focus. As a mood reader, this felt like one of those books that demands your full attention, and I just wasn’t in the headspace for that kind of read. The pacing felt uneven in parts—some sections moved quickly, while others dragged or felt dense with information.

I was hoping for more romantasy elements, especially since there’s a hint of a love triangle, but the romantic tension didn’t quite land. I found myself wanting more chemistry and more buildup between characters. There was definitely potential, especially with the dark, mysterious characters and the “touch her and die” energy, but it never quite hit the mark.

Still, the worldbuilding was solid, and I appreciated the darker, gothic tone. Cahra’s journey from reluctant hero to stepping into her role had some great moments, and I’m curious to see how things develop in the next book.

Not a favorite for me, but I can see the appeal—and I’m still interested enough to see where the story goes.

While A Kiss of Hammer and Flame had an exciting premise and a strong, bold heroine I admired, the story itself didn’t quite live up to expectations. The plot had potential, but lacked momentum, and the male lead fell a little flat for me. I’d still be open to exploring more from the author, but this one just didn’t quite deliver the spark I was hoping for.

Cahra is lucky to live the life of a blacksmith apprenticeship. Save from death and the dungeons, she's content in the humble life she leads. Blessed with a stunning gift for crafting weapons, she's tasked to create a sword with no other parameters. Unbeknownst to her, the design that comes to her in her dream state is the first part of a realm wide prophecy. This is where the action and adventure kick into high gear. The world building is phenomenal with such attention to detail that all links together.

Cahra needs to choose what she wants out of life and thus starts the remainder of the prophecy in motion. She is the only one who can wield the ultimate weapon. I'm interested to see where the story goes.

3.75⭐️

This was such an interesting read! The concept really grabbed me — a blacksmith at the heart of a prophecy, an immortal with world-shifting power, and kingdoms on the edge of war. It had that classic fantasy feel but with some fresh, original twists.
I really liked the FMC. She was relatable and strong in a quiet, thoughtful way. The relationships and tension between the characters were done well, and the story had a good build with some beautiful, almost dreamlike moments throughout.
There were a few spots where I found myself wanting a bit more clarity, especially with some of the worldbuilding and pacing in the middle. But overall, the writing had a lot of heart, and the story kept me curious until the end.
Definitely a solid start to what feels like a bigger series. I’ll be keeping an eye out for book two!

I unfortunately didn’t love this book. I wonder at times if I even liked it. While there were some aspects that were interesting, so many others fell flat for me.

When I started reading I felt like I didn’t connect with the characters, but really liked the plot and pacing. I assumed that as I continued reading, I would grow to love or even like the characters, but sadly I felt like they remained unremarkable throughout the book. The main character lacked any distinguishing personality and her relationships with the other characters were shallow. I did not feel any real connection between her and the love interest which is most disappointing.

And that pacing that I initially enjoyed so much slowed to a painful pace. I feel like the concept of the book was good. It had good bones, but I did not like the way that things developed.

Thank you, Amy de la Force, NetGalley, and Camelot for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so good! I especially loved the character development. Cahra is such a strong lead! I love that she starts off strong, and is not in need of saving. A Kiss of Hammer and Flame pulled me right in. I didn’t put it down until I was done. It’s fast-paced, and packed full of adventure. The storyline is unique, and original.
I can’t wait for the next one! I will be adding more to my review as I read over my highlights 🙂

DNF at 20%. I had such a difficult time finding the motivation to pick this one up whilst reading. I thought the writing was immersive and interesting, but not the characters. Cahra lacked a perceivable personality as well as most of the supporting characters. The plot also moved at a slow crawl. I found it hard to maintain interest in the plot when there was such little build up. Loved the writing, the characters and plot just dulled it for me. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC, all opinions are my own!

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is the first book in what will no doubt be a captivating romantasy series!.

The storyline is fast paced and compelling, with a cast of unique, well developed characters that you quickly become attached to from the start.
I adored following Weapon and Scions characters as they grew throughout this book, and seeing their relationship develop too was delightful!

This book has officially made me excited for the rest of this series!. A must read for the romantasy fans!

I really enjoyed this book - the setting and worldbuilding are interesting and engaging, and I want to learn more about the kingdoms and magic. The characters are lovely, and their relationships with each other felt genuine and strong.
The last 20% of the book covers a lot of plot and moves very fast. The characters don't get much time to process new feelings, or new information, or any of the events. There's more telling than showing here, and so it feels a little rushed and emotionally distant. Maybe we'll get some of what was missing in the next book, and I'm curious to see where we go from here. 3.5 but rounded up!

*I was given a free ARC in exchange for an honest review*