Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher & the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Here we go;

If Iron & Embers was the slow burn that singed the edges of my heart, then Thorns & Fire is the full inferno that reduced it to emotional ash—in the best, most gloriously gut-wrenching way.

Wren and Torj are back, and so is my inability to act normal about fictional couples. Their chemistry? Still simmering like a cauldron of forbidden alchemy. Their soul-bond? More complicated than my TBR spreadsheet. And their journey? Equal parts magical mayhem and emotional carnage, with enough twists to make a seasoned seer dizzy.

There’s a moment in this book where a character says, “That man burns for you, Wren.” And you know what? I felt that in my bones. Torj is still the brooding chaos of my heart, and Wren has evolved into the queen of resilience, razor wit, and alchemical badassery. Honestly, if I could bottle her growth and sprinkle it on my own life, I’d be unstoppable.

But let’s talk stakes—Scheuerer did not come to play. She escalated everything: the danger, the world-building, the emotional tension. I was taking deep breaths between chapters like I’d just survived battle alongside them. The political threads are tighter, the magic richer, and the cast? Let’s just say if anything happens to Thea or Cal or literally anyone in this found-family squad, I will riot with the fury of a dragon scorned.

Also, the CLIFFHANGER?? Ma’am. That ending drop-kicked me into next week. I stared at the last page like it personally betrayed me. Safe to say I’m really looking forward to part 3 in this series.

An amazing read!

I’m always hesitant when it comes to sequels of books I loved but this was an amazing one! Loved coming back into this world and being with this set of characters again!
Cannot wait for next instalment.

Thanks so much to Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble and NetGalley for the arc. The way I SQUEALED when this landed in my inbox 🥹

“That man burns for you, Wren. The sooner you both catch alight the better, lest you set the rest of the world ablaze.”

I was so excited to be back in this world and book two was even better than I hoped! We really followed Wren’s emotional journey, processing the fallout not only from the ending of Iron & Embers but deeper rooted pains from the Legends of Thezmarr series. I loved the scenes with Thea, the little moments with Wren realising her worth, and the tent scene omg 🥵 Our heroine truly seems to find herself in this one and I am so here for it.

“You’re not expendable. Not to me.”

Torj, our King of yearning, has returned. This man would do literally anything for Wren, even at the cost of his own heartbreak. These two truly are ride or die for each other (even when they don’t know it themselves). Torj is so used to being the protector and putting other people’s needs above his. Seeing him realise that he’s a priority for someone else was the sweetest thing.

“I don’t regret a moment of it. Not if we stand here together at the end of it all.”

I can’t get enough of the side characters! I would happily read a book purely on Kip’s escapades and I need more Cal like I need air.

Oh how I have missed this duo! I was soooo happy to see that I had been approved for this eARC after absolutely devouring book 1 (Iron & Embers). Torj and Wren were brilliant as always, taking me through all of the emotions, making me ignore life around me and getting me reading at lightning speed because I always needed to know what was happening next. I was HOOOKED.
Once again, I find myself in the intolerable situation of having to wait for the next installment of their story, so I shall spend my time thinking about Torj…
Thank you to Helen Scheuerer, Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Helen Scheuerer has done it again with Thorns & Fire — an intoxicating, heart-pounding sequel that plunges you deeper into the magic and chaos of Thezmarr. I thoroughly loved following Elwren’s journey as she navigates new trials, deeper magic, and the ever-intensifying bond with her soul-bound protector, Torj.

Their relationship? A firestorm. Each scene between them crackles with tension and emotion, and together, they become something stronger — something forged in battle and bound by something golden and eternal. It’s tender. It’s fierce. It’s everything.

Without giving anything away, be warned: you may want to read parts of this one in private — not a red face in sight here, no shame at all! 😅

An unputdownable fantasy filled with passion, power, and purpose.

Wow, just wow!
Helen Scheuerer writes fantasy and slow burn in the most beautiful way possible.

I finished this a couple of days ago and am still thinking about it relentlessly. Torj and Wren must be two of my favourite characters ever, the banter back and forth is utterly amazing.
The story and the character growth has been so very enjoyable to read and be part of throughout all of the Thezmarr books.

I know often people find that book 2 in a trilogy or series is a bit of a "filler" book, but I didn't find that at all with this book, everything carried on so smoothly from the end of Iron & Embers and this has set us up perfectly for book 3, Silver & Smoke.

The ending of this book had my jaw on the ground and not wanting to put it down, I have had a really slumpy June, but I finished the second half of this book in one sitting..

The side characters continue to provide me with so much joy and I know they will have a bit part to play in the finale to this trilogy.

Our villain in this series is so intriguing and I can't wait to see their plot continue and thicken, the cliff hanger ending will have me on the edge of my seat until I have book 3 in my hands at the end of this year.

I didn't really enjoy book 1, but I loved the original series so much that I wanted to see how the story continues in Thorns & Fire.
Unfortunately, I ended up DNFing at about 25% because I realized I just don't care enough to keep going.
I decided to give a 3 star rating because the plot for this is more promising than I felt about book 1, and it's just my personal disconnect that stops me from being able to get into the story.
However, I will gladly read whatever series the author writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5
Tropes : Forced proximity, Bodyguard romance, Soul bonds, Found family, Secrets.
Vibes : Rebel uprising, Hunting for a cure, Academy, Politics, Magic, High stakes.

The way I audibly squealed when I got the email saying my Netgalley request was approved! I adore Helen Scheuerer's writing and I've been so desperate and excited to continue this series, especially after that devastating ending in Iron & Embers.

This was a real rollercoaster of emotions, and the stakes have well and truly ramped up to a whole new level. You can feel the tension and danger that lies in wait for our characters at every turn and it really does hit home that no-one is safe.

Wren and Torj have had one of my favourite relationship developments. Neither believes they're good enough for the other, but they cannot resist the pull they feel to each other. I love how much everyone around them is scheming to push them together, and putting them in situations where they have no choice but to talk or be alone together.

I will say there is quite a bit of a miscommunication between Wren and Torj though. After the ending of Thorns & Fire, Torj keeps a huge secret from Wren and it pushes them apart for most of the book. I did struggle a bit to see things from his perspective and understand his reasoning, especially with his friends encouraging him to talk things out, and Wren outright asking him what happened.

That said, it didn't bother me enough to detract from the story and I saw it as being part of Torj's overall character development. We get to see a softer, more vulnerable side to both Wren and Torj throughout this book and I did thoroughly enjoy watching them rebuilding their trust and learning more about each other and their pasts

This series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend picking up The Legends Of Thezmarr series first if you want the full context behind Wren's trauma especially.

I have patiently been waiting for this book after the brutal cliffhanger that Iron & Embers was left on and wow I couldn't put this down once I started. Helen never disappoints and Thorns & Fire gave me everything I wanted and so much more and of course left you heartbroken again at a cliffhanger that left you desperately needing the next book.

Helen's writing is immersive and engaging and completely captures your attention from the very first page and following both Wren and Torj through the events of this book was amazing. The continued world building never ceases to amaze me at just how vast and in depth it really is and with dual PoV it really gives you a clear understanding of the plot development from both sides and keeps you wanting to turn the page to know what happens as their journey isn't easy in Thorns and Fire and at times is rather challenging and takes them both working together to try and figure things out as they go.

As always the chemistry between Torj and Wren is perfection and it always pays off in the best way with a lot more spice in this installment. Seeing familiar characters from the previous series/books always makes me so happy and I feel like they will have a more pivotal role in the last book which I cannot wait for as that ending hurt! 😭

I honestly cannot recommend Helen Scheuerer books enough I have loved every single one, she really is a phenomenal writer.

Thank you so much to Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book before publication, these are my honest thoughts and opinions.

Thorns & Fire was INTENSE. After the ending of Iron & Embers, I was totally looking forward to this dequwk and it almost completely tore me apart. I absolutely loved the characters and the overall storyline which came with reveals and plot twists that had me completely shook.

Wren and Torj have gone through so much and I think even more so in the sequel. Thorns & Fire sets up a completely climatic ending to the story come book 3 and I can’t wait to read it!

It was impossible, after the end of Iron and Embers, not to know how the story goes. Torj and Wren are both broken hearted, and the situation in the realm is dreadful due to a rebellion movement constantly growing.
In Thorns and Fire, they both come back to each other, but this path is full of pain and sadness.

Once again, this book is a perfect mix of threading my heart apart, great adventure, tense moments and fun ones. The story goes, and of course the big twist in the end makes it impossible to wait till the next book !

I really enjoyed this book. It felt good to be back in this amazing world full of magic and danger, and dive back into it once more.

It is the middle book in the series and it did feel like a set-up for the final book. The start of it was a little bit slow for my taste and not much happened. But, around the middle part, it did pick up and I inhaled the last chapters.

I loved Wren; she is a very unique FMC, not your normal protagonist in this type of fantasy books. But, she is as lethal as any of them, as well as loyal, smart and passionate.

In the last book I was frustrated at Torj for hiding information from Wren. And in this book, it still happened, but she made Torj grovel a little bit, so it didn’t ruin the book for me.

The slow burn and the tension were really good. And the chemistry between them was amazing. They really do make a perfect couple.

I loved all of the returning side characters: Thea, Wilder, Kipp and Cal. They all have really amazing personalities, as well as little quirks and flaws that make them unique.

There was a point at the end of the book that I was like not this again, but the ending was really good.

Overall, I am really excited for the next book and to read how Wren and Torj's story ends. Also, I need a book about Kipp.

Thank you, Pan Macmillan and Tor Bramble, for this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

After the brutal and heartbreaking ending of book 1, I had to read this book. And right when I thought the tension and yearning couldn’t have been more intense than in Iron & Embers, I was proven wrong. I loved that Wren entered her revenge era, and how jealous Torj got 😉 What I liked most was that there was more depth to their connection than in book 1 and that they started opening up to each other more. This new development between the two (no spoilers) was definitely interesting and I can’t wait to see how everything is going to work out in book 3.
As always, Kipp carried the story (he needs his own series!!!), the stakes were high and the ending crazy (I should know that by now😂😩).
I’m rating this book 4.5 stars but rounding up to 5 because while I did enjoy the story, there wasn’t enough going on academically and politically (but this is the 2nd book of a trilogy, so I guess it makes sense?).

I sped through the first instalment of this series, and I can safely say I did the same with this. It’s been so long since a romantasy series has stuck with me like this one has and I love it.

We join forces with Wren and Torj again in the aftermath of their bond being broken and the battle that took place. We see the two struggle to come to terms with being apart, as well as the alchemy that their enemy (Silas) is using.

Wren and Torj together are just everything. The yearning. The desperation for each other was unparalleled and I just wanted to shout at them to stop being so frustrating and GET. THEIR. ACT. TOGETHER.

Which they did eventually, obvs. But can we please talk about the massive cliffhanger we’ve got to deal with until the release of the third book. I’m so excited to see where the series goes, but I also know I need to read the first series. Now.

I couldn’t put this down and finished it all in one day.
Iron & Embers is one of my favourites reads of 2025 so I was dying to read its sequel, Thorns & Fire.

We follow on from iron & embers, with Wren and Torj navigating their relationship after their fallout - this is some of the best enemies to lovers (to enemies to lovers again!) that I’ve read. The chemistry between wren and torj had me giggling and kicking my feet whilst rooting for them to make up constantly.

There’s plenty of plot and I like how everything is so clear and easy to understand, whilst also being engaging and having me hooked. We follow wren and her friends as they continue their studies, whilst finding out about wren and her sisters homeland which changes things for them and they have to navigate how to deal with it.

And that ending! I need book 3 immediately!

If you loved iron & embers then you will definitely won’t be disappointed with thorns & fire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh my. Helen has done it again another 5 star read. Following both Wren and Torj through the events of this book was amazing. I continued to love the authors writing style with the way in which they told this story. With the duo pov it helped keep me glued to the story wanting to find out even more the more and more that I continued to read it. Wren and Torj didn’t have an easy time throughout the book and had to face many challenges throughout, which they sometimes had to work together to get through. I loved the twists and turns throughout this book as I didn’t want to put it down. With everything that was changing and developing which meant that I just wanted to keep reading to be able to find out what was going to happen next. And with the way this book ended I am already wanting the next book, as I want to be able to find out what going to happen next and what Wren and Torj would need to go through next.

"That man burns for you, Wren. The sooner you both catch alight the better, lest you set the whole world ablaze."

SCREAMING at this sequel honestly - Helen? you are a mastermind!!!! the yearning, the storyline, the smut!! chef’s kiss 😘🤌🏼

if you are into SMUTTY romantasy - just so you know, the last 20/25% of this book are pretty much non-stop smut, you’re welcome 🙂‍↕️

definitely feel like i’m slightly missing out by not having read The Legends of Thezmarr series but i’m loving this nonetheless! what an amazing & exciting, action packed book; and once again ending in such a WOW cliff hanger, i cannot wait for book 3 now

this series so far is easily shaping up to be my top series of the year and i can’t wait to see how it unfolds, i might even take the plunge and read the other books in advance of the third one’s release to add to the emotional attachment to these characters

PS. does anyone know where i could find my own Torj? asking for a friend x

thank you so much to Pan Macmillan / Tor Bramble & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!! <3

I'm so happy to be back at Drevenor with Wren and Toji.

I was worried the ending of book one would be dragged out throughout the beginning. However it was done in a clever way. It wasn't the main focus of the story and there were just bits here and there throughout the book until we got closure.

I prefer the academy setting and that didn't start until later in the book. Even then, don't expect lessons and focus on the school. It's more the build up to book three. Which, I can't wait for now!!! Seriously, I need it now.

The book is fast paced from the 60% mark so make sure you have time to sit down and finish the last half in one go! Haha

The chemistry between Wren and Toji is perfection. Other characters from the previous series make more of a appearance in this book and I think they will definitely be more present in book three. Seriously, I can't wait!

There is A LOT of spice so be aware in case that's not your cup of tea!

Getting this arc was a blessing and a curse.
A blessing because Iron and embers is my favourite romantasy and I got to read this masterpiece of a sequel early. A curse because how am I supposed to wait until the next one?!
What I love about this series is that is never predictable. Despite featuring a lot of well-known and well-loved trope Helen still manages to take the story in unexpected direction.
Thorn and Fire is a slow moving book but goes by super quickly. It is not full of action but rather set the stage beautifully for what is to come next.
All the players move into their position, the new threats is more defined and drawn out and everything is ready for the next step.
Wren and Torj are still amazingly stubborn and infuriating, and the yearning is absolute top tier.
My only complain is that I would have liked to see more of Cal and Kip. And that the third book is not already in my hands

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for sending my an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Bravo Helen! Coming back into this world is just a joy. I can't get enough of the Midrealms!

We head into Thorns & Fire after the events of Iron & Embers. I was emotionally distraught after that ending and I needed this book to put the pieces of my heart back together!

My man Torj is back at his best. The grumpy warsword making us absolutely swoon with every chapter he's in. I love how endlessly in love he is with Wren. There's nothing he wouldn't do for her despite what relationship he might have with her.

"I never said I needed easy" he told her. "I needed you"

I love Wren. She's so strong and dedicated to her career in alchemy, specifically how it aids the midrealms. The weight of the world is on her shoulders and she's in emotional turmoil over her relationship with Torj. I like how her journey is so different from Thea's. She gives as good as she gets with the Bear Slayer too!

The chemistry between these two is electric and there were numerous points when I was giggling and kicking my feet.
"You're going to want to hang on tight, Embers...." 😍😍😍

I am a sucker for yearning and oh there is so much yearning, longing and angst! There is also lots of political tension and drama as war is headed to the midrealms once again.

We had some fight scenes with Torj and Wilder showing us what they do best! We also see dark alchemy come to the forefront of what's unfolding. There's lots of twists and turns that unfurl with identities and motives coming to light.

Our favourites are all back - Wilder, Thea, Cal and my beloved Kipp. Kipp is the comedy relief as always. I bloody love the son of the fox!!

Helen is the master when it comes to romantasy with the perfect blend of spice. Those scenes were just the cherry on the top of an already enthralling story. The story is well paced, engaging plot lines, and every interaction between Wren & Torj has you begging for more.

It's set us up for book three which is heading to be an epic conclusion. I mean it when I say I absolutely can't wait. Helen is an auto-buy author for me. If she writes it - I'll read it!

Thank you to Pan Macmillan. Helen Scheuerer and NetGalley for the arc. This is my honest review of the book.