The second installment of the Fear the Flames series picks up right where we left off in book one and it is fantastic! Elowen really comes into her own with her dragons and it is amazing to see. Cayden is one of my fave MMCs and I love having his POV in the story. And the political intrigue and alliances add interesting new characters into the fold and I am here for it! And that ending….talk about a cliffy! I need book 3 stat!

Firstly, thank you Ballantine | Delacorte Press and Netgalley for this ARC, I was so excited to be able to read this early!

This book was a whirlwind and an absolute joy to read (until the last 10-20% where I was gasping and sobbing, again Olivia how dare you). We come back to this world with betrayal, broken hearts lingering, and war looming- Elowen is devastated by loss and that she may not be able to trust the man she thought would be her safety from the world while also trying to find peace knowing she has her dragons again. She is left deciding if she can move on and forgive herself and the person she would give her heart to before war comes.

I am in love with how ORD takes the reader through the world of Ravaryn, we get so much more world building, lore, gods/goddesses, more on the magic system, the dragons, languages and new characters. We dive deeper into the found family and truly develop deep attachments to each character and the dragons.

We dive deeper into the politics of Ravaryn and it was action packed and ruthless as ever from our favorite demon commander and dragon queen. I love that both Cayden and Elowen are equal in their judgment and ruthlessness, they both carry a darkness within them that only they can understand. While Elowen still has a fierce softness for her dragons, her family and people.

I was so so happy to learn so much more about the dragons, I’m not sure I could pick a favorite. I love them all so much. The found family returns and is better than ever and has me scared to lose anyone!!

CAYDEN VELES THE MAN THAT YOU ARE. Learning his past and why is the way that he is hurt my heart and makes me love him that much more for the adult life that he earned and deserved. While I love slow burn, I knew going into this that it was past that point and he is all in and SO AM I but seeing the lengths the dedication and devotion he goes to for her has me in agony. He is a top book bf forever I fear, miss Olivia Rose Darling put her whole authussy into this man because absolutely lives rent free in my head forever.

The way she has me bamboozled, hoodwinked, gobsmacked but that last 10%??? I could have never predicted that. I genuinely did not expect the turn ORD decided to take this. Living through that 10% had me sobbing, I felt everyone’s pain, it was a movie scene I respectfully never want to watch again. THAT HURT but the vengeance will be sweet and I will be there to eat it up. I cannot wait for book three!!!

The stakes? Higher.
The dragons? Madder.
The main character? Fully in her ✨chosen one era✨ but also kinda unhinged and I love it.

If you liked Fear the Flames, this sequel is like watching everything you feared actually happen — and somehow it’s even better. Plot twists hit like fireballs, and the ending? RUINED ME.

10/10 would sell my soul for book 3. 🐉🔥📖

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher and Olivia Rose Darling for the ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed the second installment of Cayden & Elowen’s story. There were many characters to keep track of, which took me a bit to get used to, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. There were many political allegiances that shifted during Cayden & Elowen’s reign, while staying firmly partners through all of the battles to secure their reign.

Wrath of the Dragons was an absolutely stunning follow up to Fear the Flames.

I was so excited to pick up where we left off - getting to see Cayden and Elowen work through things from that epic Book 1 ending. Watching Cayden work for Elowen’s forgiveness, and watching them slowly build trust while both falling further for each other was such a journey, I loved seeing them work through things like a real life couple would. Getting Cayden’s POV this book was an absolute game changer. I’m obsessed with him - the yearning, the love for Elowen, the EVERYTHING. That man knows what he wants and will stop at nothing to get her.

I am still not over this ending! This is definitely not at all where I imagined we were headed, but I do see the setup for the adventure we will be on next book. I’m super excited to see what layers this will add next book. Looks like more magic, an expanded world, and maybe some more lore/background on the Gods is in our near future!

Thank you to Olivia Rose Darling, NetGalley, and Random House for the eARC of Wrath of the Dragons!

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶

I loved the first book in this series, but this book definitely dragged on. The first portion of the book annoyed me so much. Elowen spends so much time mad at Cayden, and then she just... stops?

Cayden saves this story! His POV made this whole book worth it. I had such a hard time with Elowen's chapters.

I highly suggest reading this in physical form, because you will probably want that map to reference.

Overall I like the story, and I will definitely read Book 3, but this story could have ended at Fear the Flames.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Nothing like crying first thing in the morning… that ending had me feeling all the emotions and I did not expect it.

I’ve been obsessed with this series ever since Fear the Flames was a baby indie book… I’ve loved and followed its trad release and now the release of Wrath of Dragons. Wrath of Dragons was a highly anticipated 2025 release for me and it did not disappoint. I absolutely loved it. I really loved watching Cayden and Elowen step into their roles of King & Queen as well as watch them further develop their relationship as a couple. Cayden’s utmost devotion and dedication to Elowen is to die for. Elowen’s connection and love for her dragons felt almost tangible on the pages… it very much gives Daenerys/GOT vibes. It was one of my favorite parts to get to finally see her with her dragons and to train and help her bond with them flourish This book is filled with magic, politics, love (and heat), action and more.

4.5 ⭐️’s Oh. My. Gawd! This book is unexpected and amazing! The adventure, banter, tension, world building, story incredible. If you are looking for intense and perfectly written tension and banter…this series is it! We continue Elowen’s story as she continues to process the repercussions of her past and follow her heart into her future. We dive in deeper and learn why Cayden is the way he is and the mystery behind both of them. The best way I can describe this is Game of Thrones and the Empyrean series had a baby and you get this masterpiece.

🔥 MORE dragon content

🔥 Touch her and ☠️

🔥 Forced proximity

🔥 Burn the world down for her (quite literally)

There are some slight TW but nothing in explicit detail. You may want to have your tissues ready for all the feels. Olivia Rose Darling, I’m ready for book 3! Please and thank you!

PS…Thank NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to jump back into this world early!

What a perfect sequel and mid point of the series! I cannot wait to get the next book!!
The yearning from Cayden was flawless. The strength of Elowen is enviable. and the way these two connect is just perfection. The progression of the story moved smoothly and at a good pace. The development of the characters flowed really well. We got beautiful moments with all the side characters and the banter and wit was just so fun.
If you want high adventure and high stakes with undeniable chemistry then this book and series is absolutely for you!!
OMG THAT ENDING!!!! Our Cayden actually challening the Gods to get Elowen back from the Underworld!! What a next chapter are we in for! I am so stoked!

My only complaint throughout was in some scenes the dialogue moves from one person talking to the next and back and forth without clearly stateing who is speaking so it took going back and slowing down to figure it out. There are also many parts where the characters are clearly doing tasks - for example Elowen baking in the kitchen while talking to Saskia and is also helping Saskia make a cup of tea and we get some introduction to these things happening while we talk but then we just get dialogue and it jumps to the actions being completed. It felt a little inconsistent at times but did not take away from the overall narrative.

I loved seeing the growth in the relationship with Cayden and Elowen. But what I loved even more was the deeper dive into the lore of the world. It became way more intriguing getting to learn more of the historical background but it stayed perfectly balanced with the romance. Anyone comparing the action scenes to the likes of watching Game of Thrones are pretty spot on, the descriptions ebb and flow just as if it’s a show playing out in the readers mind.

Wrath of the Dragons
I really wanted to like this, but it just fell flat for me. I wasn’t a big fan of the first book, so I’m not entirely sure what possessed me to request this one (I blame FOMO). I think if you are looking for a good ole fantasy book, you’ll be happy with this. It’s got elements of all the popular series in it. The magic system isn’t really unique, but it works. You’ve got your grumpy shadow daddy and your exiled princess warrior- that itself makes the story a solid 3 stars for most people. Book two jumps between Cayden and Elowen almost every chapter and I know for many people that will be a plus, but for me it just made the story so disjointed. I already felt like the writing style left me confused where we were at times and the constant switching between POVs only left me more confused. I did enjoy the banter between Cayden and Elowen and the spice level was decent. For the book being called the Wrath of Dragons, there was very little wrath and very little dragons. I’m hoping book three can tie everything together better. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine | Dellacorte Press for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you change then I'll spend the rest of my life finding new reasons to love you.
~
I am UNWELL! This book is probably one of the best sequels I’ve ever read, and has easily jumped its way onto my favorites of the year list. There was something truly special about this book, and the heart, sweat, and tears that Liv poured into this are evident on every single page in every single word. I was absolutely sobbing through the end and found myself tap-tap-tapping my kindle screen repeatedly, needing there to be more hidden pages after the acknowledgments. So that’s your warning that this ends in a brutal cliffhanger, but I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way and I am SO excited to see where this story and world takes us next. The side characters, something you know I always take note of, were incredible in this and I loved getting to see more of them and their interactions with Cayden and Elowen. Cayden’s POV destroyed me in the best way, this man is so broken but is so down bad and loves with his whole entire self, and his dry humor is unmatched. Elowen is an absolute QUEEN, literally and figuratively and I adore everything about her. And the dragons! The dragons, my little babies (that aren’t so little, shhh), I loved getting to see each of their personalities shine throughout this book and the bond they share with Elowen and how they react to those she cares about (and let’s be real, those she hates, because it is deeply satisfying), and I want to just snuggle them all. This book was everything, and I can’t wait for the next one!

I wish I could say this lived up to my expectations, BUT IT FAR EXCEEDED THEM.

Elowen is an exiled princess now on the precipice of becoming queen through a marriage of necessity. The only thing that’s not clear is which she needs more, a throne or the love of Commander turned King, Cayden Veles. Elowen has been reunited with her dragons and begins exploring what her bond to them really means. Together with their band of fierce friends, the only thing stronger than their yearning is their need for vengeance.

This book is not one that will have you telling people to read it; this book will have you telling friends “it ripped my heart out and you need to read it now”.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the eARC of my most anticipated release of 2025!

Wow. This was such a great follow-up to Fear the Flames! I was really excited to read Wrath of the Dragons, and it did not disappoint. The writing is fantastic, and I found myself highlighting line after line of poignant, powerful, and meaningful text. (I actually have a separate post scheduled that spotlights all of my favorite quotes!)

The romance between Cayden and Elowen was top-notch. I absolutely LOVE their banter! Cayden always knows just what buttons to push to get a reaction from her. He reads her so well and supports her unconditionally. Sometimes the professions of love were over-the-top cheesy, and though I generally don't love that, it was Cayden. The man can do no wrong! Cayden is so in love with Elowen, and I loved that through the entire book. UGH!!! He’s just gone for her, and he shows it over and over.

I also feel like Elowen really comes into her own in this book. She's such a layered character, and her journey is compelling. And the found family. Love it! Besides the romance, it’s one of my favorite things about the story. It's really beautiful, especially when you learn about most of their pasts and all of the struggles, pain, and lack of family they each faced.

And then there's the ending. I’m still not really sure how I feel about it. It was a massive cliffhanger, which I always love, and there was a huge twist, too, that was completely unexpected. It made me a bit feral for the next book, that's for sure. lol

“She wants to protect everyone else, and all I want to protect is her.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

My jaw is on the floor. I LOVED Fear the Flames and book two, Wrath of the Dragons is just as incredible. WOTD includes Cayden’s POV which adds a lot to the story.

Seeing Elowyn come into her own and build back the relationship with her dragons was beautiful. The relationship with her and Cayden continues to be filled with tension, banter, spice, and the loveliest, mushiest love story.

I will say that towards the end, I wanted to check my Kindle across the room and cry for days. The ending will crush you but the set up for book three is a 10 out of 10.

Cayden and Elowyn are precious. The side characters are also so good and I can’t wait to see more of their stories in book three.

Thank you to Delacorte Press for the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

For me, this falls somewhere within a 3-4 star book. I often struggle with book 2 in fantasy series because book 1 always gets you so into the world, then I often find book 2 is a lot of building up to ultimately a more action-packed remainder of the series. That was definitely the case for the first 2/3 of this book. But while I do think the build up was slow, it ultimately led to an exciting last 1/3 that knocked up the score a lot for me! I also think the dialogue is witty and the characters are great, so even though elements of the book felt slow-paced and maybe clunky, I think the characters kept me engaged enough to still enjoy what was going on.

If I could rate this infinity stars I would. This book was so amazing and I absolutely loved their relationship in this one. The ending had me losing my mind I did not expect any of the story at the end (which is so exciting) I cried so many happy and sad tears throughout this book and I feel even more connected to the characters they feel like family to me. I also really loved seeing more of the dragons and them being trained and so loyal. I am so impatiently waiting for the next one!!! (But I’ll wait it I have to lol)

This was such another great book. It flows right away from where Fear the Flames ends. I easily got sucked into the fun relationship of Cayden and Ellowen as they navigate new titles. The ending tore me up and i was crying as i read it, it felt like I was there. I cannot wait for others to read this and then book 3 to come out.

Thank you NetGalley for a free eArc in exchange for a honest review.

I really wanted to love this one, but I honestly couldn’t care less for what was going on. I felt like book 1 could’ve wrapped up to be an awesome standalone fantasy. The majority of the book was painfully slow. I did love seeing Cayden’s POV and that’s the only reason I felt inclined to keep reading. You finally get some world building in this one, but for some reason I wasn’t connected with the story anymore. I wish I could’ve liked it more, but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Expansive and filled with adventure! I was optimistic for this sequel, and I’m happy to report that I do think it improves upon the first book. The world feels far more fleshed out, the tension between Elowen and Cayden retains that delicious push and pull of a good romantasy couple, and our cast of supporting characters return with a few new additions. Cayden’s POV is hugely welcome here! It really provided for some excellent new perspectives and connections with other characters that didn’t stick out as much to me in Fear the Flames. Saskia, Ryder, and Finnian have some major development. Wrath of the Dragons starts slow, and picks up the pace near the 50% mark— those last 10 chapters or so were my favorite of the whole book. I think the pacing is actually a victim of Fear the Flames; if more of the world building work had been done in the first book, many of the tiny details of the alliances and kingdoms might have been a bit clearer. I wish the bonds with the dragons were more thoroughly explored— they act more as weapons with a thirst for revenge than characters themselves. With that being said, Elowen’s character development was assisted greatly by her relationship with each dragon, and seeing her come into herself as the story progressed was so satisfying. If you loved Fear the Flames you will love this sequel! You might enjoy this series if you’re a fan of Alex Aster or Holly Renee. 3.75 stars rounded to 4! Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine Decllacorte Press, and Olivia Rose Darling for providing me with an advanced copy! This review can be found on TikTok, Instagram, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and Fable— all under @rosecoloredreading