4.5 ⭐️ 3 🌶️

This was an incredible continuation of Elowen & Cayden's story, I was so happy with the direction of this book and I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK 2!! SCREAMING CRYING DYING OLIVIA!!!!

**If you didn't read the traditionally published edition of Fear the Flames, do so before you read Wrath of the Dragons**

"She's the poison I'd willingly lift to my lips without an antidote in sight, knowing death would offer me know relief if it cleaves me from her." -Cayden Veles RAW NEXT QUESTION

Elowen and Cayden really stirred up some chaos in Fear the Flames and they are back strong to stake their claims and take Garrick down in this sequel! We pick right back up from the world shifting ending of Fear the Flames with our main characters all trying to find new footings with the massive changes happening for them and the World of Ravaryn.
Elowen and Cayden are thrust into the new duties of ruling Varaveth & war while wedding planning and navigating their personal dynamics and complicated feelings for one another. We get to dive deeper into their psyche and pasts to help learn more about them and their decision making.
Fear the Flames was wonderful but I wished for more depth a bit and Wrath of the Dragons really gave me everything I wanted and maybe more.
Elowen & Finnian's character growth is fantastic in this one and I really love watching them come into their roles in their friendships & places in the kingdom.
SO MUCH DRAGON ACTION! I love each of the dragon's and their different personalities and how they each have a different dynamic with Elowen. The Magic & Lore is really expanding throughout book 2. The magic in the world of Ravaryn is somewhat mysterious in book 1 and we start to learn more about it in book 2 but I have a feeling there's much more to discover which keeps me so excited for more.

Let's talk about the ROMANCE ❤️‍🔥 OMG Cayden is swoon worthy as ever, but in a smoother, more mature and deep way than book 1, their love story is strengthening and deepening and I am so in love with everything that comes out of his mouth. SO MANY HIGHLIGHTS AND QUOTES 😍
The spice was really great and daddy Cayden was everythingggg you want him to be.
The writing was so well done and I can see so much growth from Book 1 to 2. The pacing flowed so well for me and I loved the tone throughout.

I could quite literally share 67 quotes from this book, SO MUCH GOODNESS, I hope you love it, Happy Reading!

Holy moly that ending left me gaping. It actually yanked on my heart strings so hard, and then left me wondering just how different the third book is going to be. The door is open for so many potential viewpoints in the third book too, so maybe we’ll get to know Saskia, Ryder and Finnian in a new way as well.

I’ll admit the beginning I was feeling a little lost after a few months have passed since I read FTF. I had to go back and remind myself of exactly which territory was which and what the heck was going on. I still felt a little lost throughout though-not because I didn’t remember anymore, but because the discussion of the political side needed to be fleshed out a bit more I think. It just all seemed too easy to gain allies.

The other thing as well is that the inevitable forgiveness we all knew we would see from Elowen took a while but didn’t actually feel gradual. It kind of felt like she was just going “ugh keep distance, no keep distance, hmm ok” and there was no grand moment or anything to lead her there. That could be good-as it foregoes so many cookie cutter fantasy tales-but I’m undecided on how I really feel about it.

I also want to get to know each dragon better-Sorin is of course the favorite, but I found at the end I still couldn’t name them all from memory which tells me they weren’t present enough in the pages. But there is always time for development, as we’ve got more books clearly coming! And I truly do love the writing and characters, and am ready for more right away.

It’s not often that the second book is better than the first, but it’s so apparent that this author put her heart & soullll into this one. The evolvement of the characters, the complexity of the gods/magic system, & the thoughtfully mapped out world building…chef’s kiss, ma’am🤌🏼 The vengeful side of Elowen & her dragons was so satisfying (top tier feminine rage). And Cayden…absolutely possessive & brutal, while still making me MELT 🫠. The definition of perfection, hands down. With their tortured pasts & appetite for revenge, these two were a force to be reckoned with. The ending of this book was an emotional rollercoaster, and made me want to get on my hands & knees and beg for book 3. I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this when it releases on July 29th!

ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The rollercoaster of emotions I just went on was insane.
1) Cayden Veles, the man you are.
2) This series gets better with each book. Fear the Flames was the closest I made it to 5 stars this year, and I have no problems giving Wrath of the Dragons 5 stars🤩 the world is immersive, the bonds between both familiars and humans is amazing, and the slow building development of the magical world is enticing. There were a few areas where I thought the politics were a bit much, but also you needed to know to fully understand later on in the book.
SPOILER ALERT ‼️‼️‼️
3) My one and only plot critique is I really wish the scene with Cayden saving Ryder would have been developed more, but I also as I’m writing this see that it really developed how “ride or die” (no pun intended😉) Elowen was for Cayden that she saw he needed something and she gave him her life.
4) The ending had me sobbing in bed as I finished off the last 10% and I haven’t ever cried for so long with no reprieve in a romantasy book so that’s something.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! Pretty good sequel though I was not as captivated as u was by the first installment, just needed a little something more

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me an eBook of Wrath of Dragons in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this book! I adored the main characters we met in Fear the Flames and the found family that Elowyn, Cayden, Finnian, Ryder, and Saskia built together. I also loved that the dragons played a much larger role in this sequel—Elowyn’s time flying with them, fighting alongside them, and connecting with their distinct personalities was a highlight for me. The romance was another standout! Cayden’s heartfelt declarations of love for his queen were some of the most beautiful I’ve read. The battle scenes were intense and memorable, full of grit and gore that reminded me of Game of Thrones—sometimes a bit too much for my taste. And Elowyn as the Dragon Queen definitely gave off strong Mother of Dragons energy, which I loved.

That said, the story dragged in places and felt overly long. While many of the pacing issues I noticed in book one were improved here, the narrative still moved slowly at times. The expanded worldbuilding added richness, but also felt overwhelming. With so many new kingdoms, rulers, sigils, and politics introduced, I found myself tuning out. I also struggled with some of the new characters—Zarius and Zale, for instance, were hard to keep straight. More distinct names might’ve helped!

Elowyn and Cayden’s pursuit of revenge is central to the plot, but I struggled to connect with that motivation. I understand the desire to fight back after experiencing horrific trauma, but a story so rooted in vengeance doesn’t resonate with me. I’d hoped to see stronger morals or a bigger-picture vision behind their quest for power. As it stands, I’m not entirely convinced they’re the right people to rule Ravaryn—or the kind of leaders I’d want to follow.

The ending left me upset, and ultimately, I’m not compelled to continue the series. Like Fear the Flames, Wrath of Dragons has great bones—strong characters, intense relationships, and ambitious quests. But overall, it was too long, overly detailed, and excessively violent for me. I also wish the main characters showed more maturity and growth. I’m just not invested in the next leg of their journey.

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t my cup of tea.

Sometimes, a sequel lets you down. But this one did not disappoint! 10/10 recommend. We get to see continued growth in our characters and their relationships, plus the “my wife” trope. Wonderful banter, great storyline. I am dying for more!

Wow!! Wrath of the Dragons was an excellent follow up to Fear the Flames! I have been so excited to read this book since I finished the first last fall & I am very grateful for my ARC from Netgalley!

This book picks up right where we left off with Cayden & Elowen having conquered Vareveth and dealing with the emotional complications of Cayden enacting the marriage clause. There’s a lot of pushing & pulling between their relationship as they start to prepare for war with Imirath. But eventually they find each other again with a love so strong and powerful. There are many beautiful and detailed scenes in this book - the royal wedding, fearsome battles on land and sea, and journeying to the tropical island kingdom of Galakin. The battle at the end was incredibly well written - from the core group around the fire the night before, to the impassioned battle speeches, to the personal combats at the end. The tragedy and beauty intertwined in those chapters was unmatched. I am heartbroken by the end but so excited about how the story will continue in the third book - it is setting itself up to be incredibly unique from the typical romantasy books and I am so so looking forward to it!

The characters are all still as great as they were in the first book! I love Elowen’s ruthlessness and her loyalty to those she loves. I really liked getting Cayden’s POV in the story and do think it mostly added to his character development. I will say though that the obsession he has for Elowen & the fact that 90% of his inner monologue is about how amazing she is and he will kill anyone who looks at her, got to be a bit excessive. But the love overall between Cayden & Elowen is so swoon worthy and fun to read! I loved getting to know the dragons more too and seeing their unique personalities and learning a little about their histories. I also really liked the new characters we met - very interested to see how things develop with Zarius in particular.

The world building again was also as beautiful as the first book! I liked learning more about the kingdom relationships. I will say I am still a bit confused by Cayden’s ties to the southern isles and whether Zarius’ mother Ruella was related to Cordelia and Nasha. But other than those two points, I really appreciate Olivia’s detailed history weaving of the kingdoms and people. She does a nice job of blending a plot of exploration, battles, calm moments, romance and camaraderie.

Overall, I would absolutely recommend reading Wrath of the Dragons if you liked Fear the Flames! It was very well written, had a captivating plot, beautiful world building, and great characters. And given the ending, I am personally now more excited for book 3 than I was for book 2!!!

What an amazing book! I'm super grateful to have gotten an ARC copy of the second book in the *Fear the Flames* series.

This story totally hooked me. The characters are so rich, the plot is intricate, and the adventure kept me on the edge of my seat. I seriously can’t believe that ending—it completely took me by surprise!

The characters are definitely what make this series shine. Cayden’s feelings for Elowen had me preparing for some serious drama, especially after that cliffhanger in the first book. Watching Cayden go through such a positive change was awesome. Their love story really gets to me, and I’m all in for them.

I can't wait for the next book! I’m so pumped to see how their journey goes! If you haven't read Fear the Flames, what are you waiting for do it now!
Wrath of the Dragons releases July 29, 2025

First of all, huge thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I feel like I was handed treasure!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint. The yearning. The tension. The savagery. Olivia Rose Darling doesn’t just write fantasy she writes feral poetry with dragons and emotional damage and I’m obsessed.

Elowen’s arc in this book was stunning. Watching her step into her power was so satisfying. She walks that perfect line of being both tender and terrifying. Proof that femininity and badassery aren’t opposites they’re soulmates.

and then there’s Cayden Veles. My emotionally tortured, morally grey king. Getting his pov gave this story so much depth. He’s everything a man written by a woman should be. haunted, loyal, hot, scary af. Olivia, you’ve done a great service to the romantasy community with this one 🫡

I was highlighting entire pages like a maniac. This book made me feel. and not just for the characters but for the girl I was when I first fell in love with fantasy stories. and THAT ending?! That cliffhanger was psychological warfare and now I won’t know a moments peace until book 3.

If you’re into dragons, political intrigue, steamy slow-burns, strong found family, and an FMC who matches (or exceeds) the MMC’s savagery this series is for you. Out July 29.

‼️Run, don’t walk‼️

Wrath of dragons
I will start off by simply just saying "wow" . Fear the flames exceeding any expectations I had and Wrath is no different. Cayden and Elowen's love must navigate through many different emotional traumas and betrayal. We get to experience dragons in war, many gruesome battles and plenty of zesty moments to keep things interesting. Cayden will remain as a top tier book boyfriend. The last few chapters had me in an emotional chokehold I may not fully recover from. Olivia, you're a goddess and I cannot wait for the next book.

3.5⭐️

This is the second book in the Fear the Flames series and explores the development of Cayden and Elowen’s relationship, Elowen’s bond with her five dragons, and the trials and tribulations of Elowen fighting to overthrow her abusive father to secure her rightful place on the Imirath throne.

Cayden is EVERYTHING in this book and his complete and utter devotion to Elowen was phenomenal. Cayden and Elowen are RUTHLESS in this book and will do whatever it takes to accomplish their goals. This book is much heavier on politics than the first and the pacing felt a bit slow at points.

I was absolutely BLINDSIDED by the ending and am extremely eager to see how the story pans out.

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the first book and it felt at times like a placeholder book that was necessary to continue to build the story in what is planned to be a four book series. I definitely still enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it and am excited to continue following Cayden and Elowen’s story throughout the series.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 ⭐️

✨Fated Mates
✨Nicknames
✨Found Family
✨Dragons
✨”Where is my wife?”

Olivia, I’m dying with that ending 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠

“The Queen who brought dragons back into the world, and the king who conquered a kingdom to have her.”

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

”She’s my only exception, my one crack within a heart made of stone.”

”Wanting her is the cruelest form of torture.”

”You know me, El. Come back to me.”

”I wonder what it would feel like to be enough exactly as you are.”

”All I have to do is smile and you’ll let me drain your accounts?” “Breathing works just fine.”

”I know she has a hard time accepting comfort, but it doesn’t stop me from trying.”

”I’ll never understand how someone I completely adore could see herself so terribly.”

”I conquered a kingdom to have you. It was the only way.”

”I adore everything about you, even the traits you despise.”

”Brave men don’t chain things they have the courage to face or tame.”

”She’s the only form of torture I’ll never hold up against.”

”I’ll be so good to you , Elowen.”

”One day you’re going to realize that you deserve happiness.”

”You keep those pretty eyes on me. These people don’t mean anything, it’s just us, angel.”

”You do whatever you must and come home to me.”

”I would relive every moment of my life, all the pain and suffering, knowing it would lead me to you.”

”She’s the center of my universe and everything else revolves around her.”

”I’ll accept anything from her, even crumbs. I’d rather starve for the rest of my life than be without her.”

”Even when our souls are forgotten wisps in the wind and the world ceases to exist, I’ll still love you.”

”I’ve been addicted to you for longer than you can fathom and now l I’ll never let you go.”

”I’ve been lost for so long, but when he looks at me, it’s like I’ve finally been found.”

”My loyalty is not to a crown or a kingdom; it will always be to my wife.”

”I didn’t know such a powerful love could be delicate until I met him.”

”Did you think I wouldn’t come for the people trying to kill my wife?”

”I’ll always find my way back to you. No matter where you are. Never doubt that.”

”I’ve never had anything to lose, and now it feels like I have everything to lose.”

”Tomorrow I’ll become the worst version of myself to fight for our future. But tonight, all I am is hers.”

”None of this is worth it if you don’t walk off that field.”

”For you, my love, I’ll break the world.”

”In every lifetime, Elowen, and in every world.”

10/10 this was hard to read at first but only because I forgot so much of what happened previously.
I am in love with her writing style and hope that she continues to write more books.

Love a strong FMC with a touch her and die MMC good story.

I had to go get the first book before I could read this one and I was not disappointed for either book. Both characters are struggling with a bunch of self doubt but they are so strong throughout and only get stronger.
There is a ton of character growth in this second book and she finally gets some of the revenge she is seeking I have never been so happy to have some unalive someone until she gets some of her revenge.
The MMC is just a great overall character with his moody self trying to be the bad guy when he's actually great person looking out for everyone he loves. I love the developments with the character without giving to much away I love that they are growing into these abilities they didn't know they had.
I really enjoyed this story I can't wait for the next book that cliffhanger killed me.

Thank you Delacorte Press and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Before I begin my full review I will say that I wish I had re-read Fear the Flames! I did not have time after I got approved for this ARC and I think it would have been a helpful refresh.

I’m going to start with what worked for me: I really, really, really love these characters. Olivia Rose Darling could give a masterclass on making readers care for characters. I wanted to stay in the pages with them forever–especially the dragons. I was thrilled we got to spend more time with them and learn more about their unique personalities. I know I am not alone in loving sweet baby Sorin with my whole soul.

I was also really pleased to see the growth Darling showed between this book and FTF. She is getting to be a stronger writer and it’s so fun to have a front row seat on her journey.

A few things that didn’t work for me:

-I felt like there were a few times where the transitions between chapters were awkward
-Some of the battle scenes got a tad confusing
-And the biggest thing that bothered me was how repetitive we were sometimes. I didn’t need to constantly be reminded that Cayden would die for Elowen or how unlovable Elowen has felt her whole life. I got the message, and I did not need to keep hearing it, especially at 75%.

My love for the characters certainly overshadows the things I took issue with, as I am giving this book 4 stars. I was utterly alarmed at the ending–truly did not see that coming. And I cannot WAIT to see where we go next.

This book was A LOT of world building. I struggled most of my way through it trying to remember the countries, alliances, and all the characters.
Cayden Veles… the definition of the perfect book boyfriend. I’m obsessed with Cayden & Elowen. That being said, the ending… NOT okay. I will be eagerly awaiting book three.
I should also mention that I cried literal tears, which has only happened for a handful of books.

Thank you Net Galley & Ballantine for the ARC!

Wrath of Dragons had me clutching my imaginary pearls and whispering "sir??" at Cayden more than once. This book is chaotic and utterly addictive. Elowen is a powerhouse of a heroine and the emotional growth in this one hit hard in the best way.

The world is rich, the tension is tensioning, and the spice? It’s there. Things slowed down for a stretch around the halfway mark, but once it ramped back up I was locked in. The ending made me blink at my Kindle like… wait WHAT.

If you're into morally gray men, dragons with agendas, and stories that leave you making conspiracy boards in your head, this one's for you.

I really wanted to love this book since I LOVED Fear The Flames so much. But it took over 50% of the book for things to pick up. I loved the wedding ceremony between Elowen and Cayden and how poetic the author described Cayden’s love for Elowen. I also loved the development of Elowen’s relationship with her dragons I just wish there was more about the dragons in the book!

I need a Cayden Veles in my life ASAP. I loved Fear the Flames and was so excited to be offered a chance to read an ARC of Wrath of the Dragons. Cayden overthrew the throne and he's now king. Elowen has her dragons and they need to go around Ravaryn to build alliances to go up against Elowen's father. I feel like this book had some really great battle scenes and Cayden was just so swoon worthy. Can't wait for the next one.