This was such a fun and addictive romantasy read. I went in for the magic and adventure, but stayed for the banter, tension, and surprisingly emotional character development. Arryn and Rowan are complete opposites in the best way — she’s determined and sheltered by duty, while he’s grumpy, guarded, and trying very hard not to care. Watching them slowly break down each other’s walls was honestly my favourite part of the book.
The frozen world beneath the barrier felt vivid and atmospheric, with just the right mix of danger, mystery, and romance. I also loved that Rowan treats Arryn like an equal from the start, which made their relationship feel even stronger as the story progressed. It’s steamy, heartfelt, and full of that “one more chapter” energy that makes it hard to put down. Perfect for anyone who loves fantasy romance with forced proximity, emotional tension, and a genuinely satisfying happily ever after.

A fantastic pick if you love high-stakes fantasy with a lot of romantic tension. The story does a great job of pulling you into a world that feels both freezing and fierce, and the "enemies-to-lovers" vibe between the main characters is handled perfectly.

The best part of the book is the chemistry. The lead characters have so much fire between them that it balances out the icy setting, and the magic system feels fresh and easy to understand. I also appreciated that the heroine is strong and capable without feeling perfect; she makes mistakes, which makes her feel like a real person.

The only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the ending felt a little bit rushed. After all the great build-up, the final big conflict seemed to wrap up very quickly, and I wanted a few more chapters to see the characters process what happened.

Overall, it’s a fast-paced, exciting read that fans of "fated mates" and elemental magic will really enjoy. It sets up the rest of the series beautifully and leaves you wanting more.

Thanks for the arc!

Really enjoyed this, a wonderful high-stakes fantasy with plenty of romantic tension. The story drops you into a world that’s equal parts icy and intense, and the enemies-to-lovers chemistry between the main characters is so satisfying to watch unfold. Definitely be back for more

3.75⭐️ - I’m surprised this doesn’t have higher reviews. It was a good read! I thought after I finished that it should be a series and see there are 3 books in total. I may continue it.

I really wanted more into on the story of the princess and the general of the under’s story. Even though this is book 1, I kinda felt like I was dumped in the middle.

I really liked the relationship of the FMC and MMC. I loved how much she grew from the quiet submissive lady into herself. Also, the Prince was such a douche.

*Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!*

This was really engaging from start to finish. I would absolutely check out more from this author. I would recommend this one to my followers.

Hearts of Ice and Flame was such a strong start to this series. The world feels big, layered, and full of history without becoming overwhelming, and I loved how the alternating POVs gave a much deeper look into both Rowan and Arryn as characters. They felt like fully developed people with their own motivations, flaws, and strengths, which made it really easy to get invested in them.

The worldbuilding is detailed and immersive, filled with magic, monsters, elves, dwarves, dragons, and plenty of mystery still waiting to be uncovered. It took me a little time to fully settle into the setting at first, but once Rowan and Arryn’s paths crossed, everything started clicking into place.

I also appreciated that the conflict between them felt believable. The misunderstandings and tension came from genuine biases and different experiences rather than frustrating lack of communication. Watching them slowly move from enemies to something more was really enjoyable, and the romance added depth to the story without overpowering the main plot.

There’s a lot happening beneath the surface too, which kept me intrigued the whole time. Between the action, danger, magic, banter, and hints at bigger things going on in the background, this felt like the kind of first book that’s laying the groundwork for an even bigger story ahead.

After several fantasy books with heavy plots, soul-crushing endings, and enough emotional damage to require recovery time, Hearts of Ice & Flame was exactly what I needed.

This book felt like a reset button for my reading life. Light, funny, well-written, and genuinely fun to read. No devastating cliffhanger making me question my life choices. No ending designed to emotionally destroy me. Just a story that made me happy while reading it.

And honestly? That was perfect.

Rowan and Arryn absolutely carried this book for me. They have the exact kind of humor I love, that dry, sarcastic, straight-faced snark that somehow makes everything ten times funnier. Their interactions were so entertaining, and the banter between them felt natural instead of forced. I had such a good time following them through all the chaos.

The world-building was also really interesting. One world split in two by magic, with each side believing the other is full of monsters, created such a fun setup for the story. It felt familiar enough to settle into quickly, while still having enough mystery to keep me invested.

And the plot itself was just so enjoyable. A girl from the world above accidentally falls into the world below and needs to find a way home. A boy is forced to help her. Chaos naturally follows. It is exactly the kind of fantasy adventure that is easy to sink into and hard to put down.

I also really appreciated that while this is listed as book one in a series, it actually has a proper ending. The story feels complete while still leaving room for more, which honestly feels rare these days.

Meredith Hart wrote exactly the kind of fantasy book I needed at exactly the right time.

Highly, highly recommended.

Centuries ago, the Kingdom of the Fall was imprisoned in the Lands Below. We are told that this kingdom is wicked and that the elves who live there are monsters. When her betrothed, Prince Folwynn goes missing, Lady Arryn goes looking for him, only to fall into the Lands Below and find herself at the mercy of Rowan Undervale, an outcast with magic that others in the Lands Below do not trust. After some persuasion from his brother, Phaedron, Rowan agrees to take her home, but on their journey to return her to the Worlds Above they find more than they bargained for - danger from the voids they travel... and from the feelings brewing between them.

This book is more than it appears at first glance, and it grew on me more and more as the plot advanced. I really enjoyed the relationship between Rowan and Phaedron and felt their characters were well-developed in light of that relationship. Seeing Arryn come out of her shell and grow into herself was also enjoyable. She learns to embrace those things about herself that her mother and society shamed her for. Down in the Lands Below, she's allowed to be brave, bold, stubborn, wild, and improper. Here, her fire magic is a blessing, not a curse. She learns to stand up for herself and refuse to give in to things she doesn't want - something that never occurred to her that she could do before - and to take what she does want.

Arryn doesn't just learn more about herself, though. She learns more about the Kingdom of the Fall and its king, who surprises her as everything she thought she knew gets turned upside down. "Perhaps the Kingdom of the Summer, with its elegance and refined cruelty, could learn something from the barbaric Kingdom of the Fall," she thinks, as we come to see which kingdom is actually more monstrous.

I found the ending, where all is revealed and resolved, to be delightful. All in all, this is a quick, enjoyable read with a dual POV, and I look forward to more from this series.

Enemies to Lovers
One Bedroll/Bed

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a fair and honest review.

I’ve quickly come to love Meredith Hart’s writing. This is the second book of hers I read and when I say I devour them I mean it. This book had its hooks in me from the very start… and I was desperate to learn more.

This book focuses on Lady Arryn, from the kingdom of the Summer (from the above), and Rowan from the world below. While this story doesn’t go into details of just how the Summer kingdom managed to lock the people of the below in a bleak dark land; we discover that along with the lack of stars and the ability to grow things the below is plagued by void beasts and dangerous monsters.

Lady Arryn falls into the worlds below on a mission to save the Summer prince and is quickly met with by the broody, magical and darkly comical sentry Rowan. The unlikely pair travel together to get Arryn safely back to the world above. I loved their story and the way their relationship developed over the shared adventure. I picked this book up as a book club suggestion and am excited we are going to be reading book 2 next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Meredith Hart, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rowan and Arryn were such a breath of fresh air. This genre can feel saturated with the typical grumpy/sunshine dynamic, but their relationship brought something different to the table. I loved their banter, their inner monologues, and the way they balanced each other out. Both characters had a sunny sense of humor, even when that humor was being used as a coping mechanism, which made them feel incredibly genuine.

I also appreciated that Rowan was the underdog. It’s common to see the female lead come from humble beginnings and fall for royalty or someone powerful, so it was refreshing to see that dynamic reversed. Neither Rowan nor Arryn spent their time feeling sorry for themselves, which made them much easier to root for.

Rowan was easily my favorite part of the book. He was witty, funny, dangerous, and vulnerable all at once. I especially loved that he was the shy one in the relationship and struggled to open up emotionally. That’s not something we see often, and it made him stand out. His relationship with his brother was another highlight. Brotherly love and family bonds are rarely explored with this much care in books like this, and I found myself wanting even more of those moments.

I was also fascinated by Rowan’s magic and his origins. Learning that he was the first, last, and only one born there immediately sparked my curiosity, and I kept hoping to uncover more about his history and abilities.

This book was heartwarming, funny, and incredibly charming. I had a hard time putting it down.

My only real complaint is that I wanted more. The world felt unique and interesting, and I would have loved a longer story that dug deeper into both the setting and the characters. There was so much potential to further explore the magic system, the lore, and the layers of Rowan and Arryn.

I would love to spend more time in this world, learn more about the magic, and see what happens next for these characters.

And that bonus scene? Let’s just say I was definitely blushing.

I came for elemental magic and emotional damage, stayed because I apparently enjoy suffering in pretty fantasy settings

this book is basically “what if fire and ice had unresolved feelings and everyone else had to deal with it,” and honestly I respect the commitment

the main characters are very much the “I would die for you but also I would absolutely insult you first” type of pairing, which is my favourite brand of romance chaos

the magic system is one of my favourite parts, it feels visual and punchy, like everything would look amazing if it exploded in a fantasy movie budget scene

there is a lot of tension, a lot of longing, and a concerning amount of emotional staring across rooms while everything slowly falls apart around them

pacing is a bit slow in places but I was still turning pages like I had unfinished business with the plot

overall, dramatic, addictive, and exactly the kind of romantasy that makes you lose track of time and responsibilities

This book is part of the Fallen Hearts series. This is a steamy, standalone, forced proximity, opposites attract, fantasy romance. Amazing world building that is detailed and imaginable. Fascinating characters that are well developed and diverse. Twists and unexpected turns keep you reading. The characters are well developed with compelling back stories, strong motivation, and goals. They have bold personalities and make bold choices. They have captivating internal conflicts with multiple difficult decisions to make. I felt like I was right there watching, feeling, and experiencing the book...not just reading it. The author does a great job developing her characters. This story is well written and will draw you into the characters emotions. You feel all their angst and love. The storyline is fast-paced and very well written. This review is based on an early review copy I was sent by the publisher, but this didn't affect the content of my review that I am voluntarily providing.