Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for this highly anticipated ARC, and Olivia Rose Darling for writing such a phenomenal story!

Fear the Flames was my top read for this year (ranking higher than even Onyx Storm or Quicksilver, though I loved both) so I was ecstatic to read Wrath of the Dragons. What makes this story so wonderful is how character driven it is. The romance is a delicious mixture of spicy and cozy; the moments where Cayden and Elowen care for each other are just as important as the ones where they’re intimate and I lived to see their relationship expand and develop.

Hands down, the best part was Cayden's POV. It added SO much to the story and made it ten times more emotional from beginning to end. Unlike some books, it didn’t feel like it was just added in so that readers could see events that they wouldn’t be able to see from Elowen’s POV. It felt like his POV was there to let you know HIM better as a character, and it only further pushed him up on the list of book boyfriends. I would totally read the first book all over again just from his point of view.

Aside from that, one of my favorite aspects is how she shows all the little moments and really leans into not only the developing political intrigue, but just the day to day moments shared between lovers and friends. There were so many lines that really struck home about not only love, but friendship.

My one struggle was the world building at times felt clunky, too much info at once, especially about the new kingdoms and their past conflicts, which made it difficult to keep track of and I'm not sure I could tell you who is who in that regard. The appearance of magic and gods felt a bit random at times and though you can tell it's going to be important by the end of the bool, I think more steady world building in that regard would have been helpful (though it would need to go back to book 1 to do that really). Still, it didn't take away from the overall story or my love for it and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this world expand with all its lore!

I thought I knew where this ending was going several times and was wrong on every count! It was a delightful surprise in the end and I'm very curious to see where the story goes next!

I can't wait for the next book and I will be recommending the series to all my students who love fantasy (of which there are a LOT!!)

Wow! Fear the Flames was, in my opinion, a great book. But Wrath of the Dragons by Olivia Rose Darling is just beyond phenomenal! Found family, lovers-to-allies-to-lovers, revenge, magic, dragons, touch her and die, fierce battles, and an EPIC LOVE STORY...this book has it all, and I am still not well. I'm still speechless and trying to process.

In this second book of the planned 4 book series, Elowen has been reunited with her dragons. Her relationship with Cayden has become a bit strained after the events at the end of Fear the Flames. But Elowen has set her sights on revenge, making her father pay for all of the wrongs done to her, and Cayden is with her by her side every step.

I'm astounded by the imagery and details the author pours into this story. From the description of the intricate beading on Elowen's dresses to the sights and smells described in the forests, Ms. Darling brings this world to life. I found the supporting characters to be so easy to fall in love with, and I'm obsessed with Elowen and Cayden. Cayden may have surpassed all others as my favorite MMC! He's dark, fierce, will do anything for Elowen, and has some of the most swoon-worthy quotes I've ever read!

The first half of the book seemed to move at a slower pace. I'm honestly not sure if it was the book or me trying to savor every word. But by the middle, things really started to pick up speed. At that point, there was no way I could put it down. I would say the last 25% of the book had me in a chokehold! And the last five chapters? Well, read for yourself and trust me. Just make sure you have some tissues on hand!

Thank you so much to Ballantine, Delacorte Press for providing this advanced reader copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. And thank you Olivia Rose Darling for your incredible story!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

I loved the first book and was so excited to see what happened next with Elowen and her dragons. It did not disappoint.

It picked up right after the events of Fear of the Flames and brought me on a journey. I loved how confident she is now with her dragons and in herself despite everything she has gone through. Huge growth from where she started. I loved it.

Cayden is such a cinnamon roll and I love him for it. He is powerful but down so bad for her. The dual POV really helped get into his head and helped me understand him more. To me, he was the outstanding character in this book. I love them together though. Even though they were together, there was still so much tension and so much yearning with so much unspoken. That ending was brutal though and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

My Instagram review will be posted the week of June 15th and my Amazon review will be submitted on release day.

Thank you so much for this ARC, Netgalley and Olivia Darling! I loved Fear the Flames and was so excited to get the chance to read Wrath of Dragons. These books are so character driven and I love all the characters so deeply. That cliffhanger was brutal and had me so ready to pick up the next book. While I loved where the story went, the pacing felt a little off and I wish there had been more tension and build up before the final battle. I honestly expected it to be in the next book and build up for awhile, so it felt jarring to jump from Galakin to the blockade almost immediately to the final battle. That being said, these characters and their found family will definitely have me coming back for the next book. Thank you again!

“Wrath of the Dragons” by Olivia Rose Darling is the sequel “Fear the Flames”. This book has it all. Romance, political intrigue, and epic battles. Fans of romantacy will continue to swoon over Elowen and Cayden. Besides the amazing romance, there is excellent world building, plenty of humor, and amazing character development. This sequel did not disappoint. The book was well written and I had a good time reading it.
Thank you to NetGallery and Ballantine for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I adored Fear the Flames and have been eagerly anticipating this follow up! I will honestly say that this book was even better than the first, which is something I rarely say about the second book in a series. The only rough part about this book is the ending, meaning now we have to wait for the next book!! Can't wait!

Thank you Net galley and Ballantine for this highly anticipated ARC

I was excited to dive into the sequel to Fear the Flames, having loved the first book. While this installment didn’t quite live up to my expectations, it was a great story overall.

The pacing in the first half felt slower than expected, with prolonged and overly sentimental inner monologues that occasionally became repetitive. However, I really enjoyed Cayden’s point of view. His perspective added depth to the story and kept me engaged even when the momentum dipped. Once the plot picked up in the latter half, I found myself fully invested again.

I was especially glad to see more intricate world-building and political dynamics in this book. These elements added layers to the story, making the world feel richer and more immersive. While r delivery felt clunky and confusing at times, I still appreciated the effort to expand on these details. The unexpected ending also left me intrigued, and I’m curious to see where the story goes next.

Overall, while some pacing and narrative flow could be improved, I enjoyed the story and ending. I look forward to seeing how the story develops in the next installment.

3.5⭐

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Overall, somewhere between 3-4 stars for me.

I really enjoyed having Cayden's POV in this book: having him down bad for Elowen was delightful, even if his inner monologue trended a bit towards Lego Batman.

Elowen and her dragons as we head into battle for her to take her throne: Daenerys but minus the complete meltdown.

Finnian, Saskia, and Ryder continue to be solid secondary characters as the ride or die friends.

I will say I think book 2 improved upon Fear the Flames, but there were times where the writing didn't quite resonate with me because it felt what the characters were saying was overly grandiose or trying to hard to be profound (or Cayden was being Lego Batman with his emo woe is me I'm dark and a killer), or some modern words and turn of phrase took me out of the story. Honestly, I kind of respect the move to just throw your hands up and give the world our same months (Elowen a Capricorn and Cayden a Scorpio? Totally tracks.), but this is the second book I've read this year where a character has said "on days ending in y" and I'm simply begging editors to consider how jarring things like that are for world building and immersive purposes.

But, the plot was plotting, the dragons are prominently featured, we get to see Cayden and Elowen use their words both in serious sharing and some delightful banter, other kingdoms and royals and politics come into the picture, and can I just say a resounding strangled sound of distress to that ending!! I am so curious to see where this is going to go because that came wholly out of left field!

WHAT THE ACTUAL F*** WAS THAT ENDING?!?!?!
I’m sending my therapy bills to Olivia lmao!!!

Omg this was SOOOO much better than the first one (and I say that as someone who legit LOVED the first). But here??? We get CAYDEN’S POV, marriage of convenience (kinda lol), DRAGONS — like, SO MANY DRAGONS — plus all the worldbuilding and political drama!!!

I LOVED EVERYTHING but like… HOW am I supposed to survive until the next one??? 😭😭😭

WOW! This book was absolutely phenomenal! This is an undeniable case where the second book blew the first one out of the water and took the entire series to an epic level! I just finished reading it and am sitting here still trying to process all that happened and what it means for Elowen and Cayden, Finnian, Ryder, Saskia and all the dragons. This book takes you on a full rollercoaster of emotions, with so many twists and turns and unexpected plot upheavals thrown in there that I feel fully mentally and emotionally disheveled right now in the best possible way. I think I felt every emotion possible by the end of this book and will be fighting a book slump hard because all I want right now is to read more of this story and be more and more immersed in this world. I have to say that after reading the first book, I wasn’t fully in love with this world. I liked the characters and story well enough to give the second book a try, but honestly, I had minimal expectations for it. BUT, after reading this second book I am completely sold and can’t wait for more! Absolutely 100% you need to read this book!! I love it! Well done Olivia Rose Darling!! This was outstanding and I need you to write that third book faster!

Oh what another grand ol’ time in the Fear the Flames series! Feels like a good 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to me & I had a ton of fun revisiting our characters. Thank you to NetGalley & the author for providing me with an ARC! Plot, pros, & cons below 👇🏼


PLOT
Now that Elowen has her dragons back & has agreed to Cayden’s surprise marriage plan, her trust in him has plummeted & she feels used once again. However she feels about him, they must work together for their common goal of overthrowing her father. This includes finding allies, getting married, building an army, & figuring out how the other person in said marriage actually feels. This book has:
- dragonnnnns LOTS OF ‘EM, mages, sleeping gods
- tension & longing
- a smart FMC with a broken heart
- a KINGGGGG of an MMC simping for his girl’s forgiveness
- good found family once again
- med & excellent spice


PROS
- Cayden has cemented himself as an all-time favorite book boyfriend. I just love that man. His POVs are written so well & his characterization I really like. A lot of times MMCs can kind of lose any personality or personhood to being a new in-love-&-nothing-else version of them now that they’re with their girl. But Cayden was still very Cayden. His POVs, for me, carried this book. I just love him. I love him being a sneak. I love him being ruthless. I love him being a total softy. I love his slutty little reading glasses. Team Cayden forever.
- I do remain loving Elowen as well. She’s smart & snarky & a bit reckless but in a fun way vs. an annoying way, if that makes sense. She was giving Dany Targaryen in a few very amazing ways.
- Cayden & Elowen had such fun banter. I just love them so much. The way they tease each other can feel so real. Their ongoing dynamic & relationship evolution is just such a highlight of this series.
- Exploring the dragon bond & getting way more dragon time was awesome.
- The found family reaaaaally shined this book. I liked them quite a lot.
- The ending was FUNNNNNN & action-packed! I’m extremely interested in the next book considering how this ended because we are going for A RIDE.
- The world is definitely expanding which is fun. I liked the introduction of some new characters into the fold as they try to find allies.


CONS
- My main complaint is the same as book 1 which has to do with the world building. It was light in book 1, which wasn’t a huge deal because our world was very singularly focused on the heist & we hadn’t really dealt much with much magic or gods yet. But with book 2 expanding so much in both of those areas, I found it a bit messy. The mages & gods & people having magic just kind of felt there all the sudden but played a huge role. Felt a little underdeveloped.
- I found myself having to go back & be sure I understand what was being said & by whom more often than I remember in the first book. Like it just wasn’t clear initially. A fair amount of “wait who is saying this?” & “wait what is happening?” happened for me & while that definitely doesn’t ruin a read for me it does make it a little more challenging.


I’ll absolutely keep reading this series & am very excited for book 3 whenever that comes out! 🙌🏼


⚠️ SPOILERS ⚠️
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- So Cayden has… what magic now exactly? Death? Which includes shadows & water? I knew he’d have something (there were many hints in these books) but yeah I’m not 100% sure on what it is but that’s okay I know he probably doesn’t quite know yet either.
- Elowen’s dad’s death almost felt anti-climactic with everything else that was actively happening. Like shit was just hitting the fan but he also died & then his mage became enemy number one.
- The post-“I love you” spice scene being in Cayden’s POV was a chef’s kiss & I’d personally like to thank Olivia for that. You divine angel thank you. 😆
- We know Cayden will figure some way to bring Elowen back but I’m super interested in what them going to the underworld entails! I want them to become an unkillable zombie duo 😆. But also now that daddy is dead, what’s the plot of the 3rd book!? Navigating the underworld & going on the Goddess of Souls’ mission? I’m very intrigued.
- Where did the dragons go when they were all on the ships lol am I just an idiot who missed that? I kept being like “do they each have their own ship? Where do they go?”

4 / 5
Thank you to Ballantine | Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book including exchange for an honest review.

What I did love:
The GROWTH! Elowen and Cayden grew so much in this book with each other and leaders. The vulnerability! The communication! The strengthening of their trust! It makes their romance and relationship that much more heartbreakingly beautiful. Getting Cayden’s POV really enriched the story, their romance, and their relationship by getting to understand *him*.
The expansion of the world, magic, and cast of characters! We get so see and experience so much of Ravaryn in this book including the magic and rulers of the different realms, which means *politics*! I love political scheming and intrigue in a book, so this development was much appreciated. The magical, development not just in humans and mages, but familiars as well was exciting as another rich layer to the magic lore and makeup of the land.
More Finnian! Getting to see Finnian grow into new roles now that Elowen is queen is touching to see.
More DRAGONS! They’re each so unique and special in their bond with Elowen, so learning more of them and seeing their relationship with Elowen was beautiful. Sweet boy Basilius forever 💜

What I didn’t love:
Sometimes the flow of the writing didn’t vibe for me or felt slightly clunky. I wonder if I would have a different experience with the audiobook because of this. Some of the way the dialogue was written was also confusing at times. I couldn’t tell who was saying what and it made some scenes hard to follow.

For those who love Cayden: buckle in. He’s down BAD in the best and worst ways for Elowen, especially in the last 10 chapters.

Well done, Olivia! Congrats on a fabulous installment to the series! Looking forward to the heartbreak you dole out in book 3.

4 stars for Wrath of the Dragons, the sequel to Fear the Flames. I think this book was a significant step up and improvement upon the first installment of the series.

We really see Elowen and Cayden come into their roles at King and Queen. Their relationship and personal growth is very well done in this book. There is still great tension and banter as they both continue to overcome their pasts. We learn a lot more about Cayden's past and how he meet Ryder and Saskia. The worldbuilding is also significantly more fleshed out - we learn a lot about the gods and the magic system. There is also a lot more politics and Cayden and Elowen try to fight for their new kingdom and form alliances.

I did not expect the ending at all - very well done!!

My only complaints are that is was a little repetitive for me and I was getting the names/places confused. However, I felt that the writing in Wrath of the Dragons was much better than Fear the Flames. I found Fear the Flames to be jumpy/clunky, but this was much better - I think the author has really improved which is super fun to watch/read!

Overall, I would recommend this series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Delacorte Press for this eARC!

Elowen Atarah - excuse me - Veles, oh, how I love you so. Elowen remains one of my most favorite FMCs, and I loved getting to see her shine in this book. I fell in love with Fear the Flames through the characters. This group of people is so delightful that I’d read about them just hanging out forever.

In Wrath of the Dragons, we pick up right where we left off in Fear the Flames, and I was happy to spend time unpacking the emotional state the book’s ending left Elowen in. The development of her relationship with Cayden moved at just the right pace for me, wanting to forgive him, but not sure how to do it.

I loved getting to know the dragons more. Sorin is a precious angel baby, and no one will touch him. Thank you so much. The expansion of this world and new characters was well done. It doesn’t feel like we tried to accomplish too much in one book - we did just the right amount.

The addition of Cayden’s POV felt so important to telling this story. I really enjoy being in his head. Dear universe, please send me a man like Cayden Veles. It would be much appreciated. A perfect romantasy lead.

I only have one note, and it’s not even enough to deter me from giving this five stars because, truthfully, I could live in the pages of this book forever. Some of the prose gets a little repetitive. I know how willing Cayden and Elowen are to die for each other, but their minds are such interesting places to explore. Once we’d established their utter devotion to each other, I feel like we had room to spend more time reading about them analyzing situations, or putting together battle strategies, and we don’t quite get there.

That aside, if you had asked me where this series was heading at the end of Fear the Flames, I could’ve made a sound guess. Wrath of the Dragons threw all those guesses overboard, and I’m really excited about it. The emotional impact of this ending hit really hard, and it's some of Liv's best writing to date. I’m very interested to see if we’ll be getting even more POVs in book 3, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us.

Thank you so much to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for sending me an advance copy!

Unfortunately this books falls short from the first in the series. Our two MCs, Cayden and Elowen, are still lovable but it feels as if writing them for a specific audience came before any character development, plot, or substance. There are less of those pure and sweet found family moments as well. The ending of this books goes off the rails and follows in true Sarah J. Maas fashion of a main character dying, to not die. Most likely not die, as it feels like that is the main setup for the next book.

Ok, so. The first book was great, I loved it, but this is just... Wow. The character growth and relationships are out of this world. Watching Elowen and her dragons grow together and take on conflict is amazing and seeing her love story is so heartwarming. I love all the banter back and forth. That ending? Oh. My. Gosh. I don't know how I'll recover and certainly not how I'll wait for the next book. Don't skip this series, it will tear you apart in all the best ways!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!
I was eagerly anticipating this book after reading the first and it was such a great read! Solid 3.5 stars. It continues where the first book left off, and can I just say the ending? Omg I need the next installment asap after that ending!!
The only things I would say, and I’m sure this will be cleaned up before it’s officially released, was I got lost in the dialogue every so often, it was at times difficult to follow who was speaking. The pacing felt off in some places, especially towards the end, however the ending more than made up for it. Oh also, loved having Cayden’s perspective chapters they really added to the story!
Would definitely recommend and I’m excited to see where this series goes next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Olivia Rose Darling, and Ballantine-Delacorte Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I wasn’t sure how this book was going to go. But let me tell you that Olivia Rose Darling is back. This felt similar to her indie publication of book 1. It was an addicting read. There were twists and turns that I was not prepared for. I will say that there were gory combat scenes that I was not expecting so trigger warnings for those. The found family was still incredible. I loved the way all the characters came into their own. There was great character development. The reason it’s not getting a higher rating is some parts of the book felt disjointed. That being said I would highly recommend this book! I can’t wait to read book 3!

OMG!! I’m not crying, you’re crying!

What…WHAT 😱!!! I am so very very unwell at this moment. It took a full day before I could coherently form the words to write a review!

This book was EVERYTHING I didn’t know I needed!The emotional ride this book put me through is undescribable. The drama, the heart pounding action, the romance, the found family. This book has it ALL and then some! I don’t think my heart stopped racing through the entire last half of this book and now my heart is broken thinking about what is to come.

Good gods, this magnificent amazing world that Olivia has built is epic and vibrant, yet treacherous and filled with political unrest; with some incredible twists that brought a few A-HA moments. This is a world I could get lost in day after day with incredible lore and a bit of mystery.

The character development is incredible. The MCs are both so emotionally damaged by feelings of being unlovable. To watch them grow and overcome so much and continue to inspire those around them is so emotionally impactful. Elowen is truly a top tier FMC. To watch her growth and rage is exhilarating. Cayden…he’s so damaged by the things he endured in his past. Yet he is so devoted to Elowen - possessive, yet would never hold her back and would destroy any who wish to harm her and stand between them. And, the side characters…what can I say. They are such an amazing found family and are deeply devoted to Elowen and Cayden. Together they provide the most epic banter. You just can’t help but fall in love with them.

This truly is an epic Romantasy filled with equal parts plot and romance. Darling leaves so many breadcrumbs that you can’t help but ponder what is to come next. I very much look forward to the next installment.

A huge thank you to Olivia Rose Darling, Ballantine | Delacorte Press and NetGalley for this digital advance copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

I received this as an eARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

This is a highly mixed review. I LOVED the first book (5 stars) and was super excited about receiving an eARC for the second. Also, because this was an ARC, I read the whole book, but would have DNFd at the half way mark. I am glad I kept reading on, but I don't believe people should have to slug through a book to get to a good part.

The last 40% of the book was excellent. The main characters, new characters, relationships and alliances, plot, action scenes, and the twist/cliffhanger at the end kept me engaged and wanting more. Because of this last 40%, I will definitely be reading the next. Also, the world building that was missing in book one has been added to book two! So much more context to why the FMC IS bonded to the dragons, the magic system, and the world itself is included.

Here are the notes I actively took while reading the first half of the book. I stopped taking notes after that because I was enjoying it and engaged.

Trope for book 1 and 2: FMC and MMC build trust, FMC and MMC fall for each other, MMC has a secret that isn't the end of the world, FMC finds out, makes it a big deal, and just can't move on, now FMC becomes whiny and pouts for a long time, finally FMC gets over herself, and now the book picks up again.

Book one ends with the FMC finally no longer being in denial about her feelings for the MMC to start book two and we are right back on the denial train because the MMC had a relatively mild secret (didn't seem like a huge deal to me since he didn't plan to ever use the information). I feel like I'm reading book one again. The FMC pouting about the secret for 1/3 of the book reminded me of Iron Flame and we all are yelling at Violet to just get over it, it's not that big of a deal. This book had the same feeling. I was not excited about the author dedicating so much of the book to the FMCs "I'm mad at you phase" because I found her response blown out of proportion. The FMCs maturity and bada** approach to things regresses in this book for some time. We finally have some movement of her communicating and moving forward at 20-23% but she truly doesn't get over her pity party until 35%. There is little action during this 35% and the plot moves forward slowly. Then, at 43%, FMC is still having doubts despite the MMC being the kindest most thoughtful man. The FMC just takes so much from the MMC and gives nothing back, yet doubts him. This FMC went from one of my favorites, ever, to being just another typical FMC of this genre. She starts to turn around and be thoughtful, giving, and kind at 50%.

Of note, I don't mind a book where the MMC has to gain trust back, but I want it to be because he really messed up. A secret that is small, or even big but was done for a valid reason (like Iron Flame), isn't really messing up to me, so I don’t like when so much of a book is dedicated to something that I perceive as juvenile. I think Memnon from Bewitched and Bespelled demonstrates being nasty and needing to make that up to the FMC, and her anger being beautiful and justified.

Overall, not much happens the first 50%, I was bored and over the FMC's attitude. Finally there are battles, FMC changes her tune, and there are juicy changes in the plot during the second half.