I really wanted to enjoy this with its promising premise of dragons and enemies to lovers, but it just didn’t work for me. The characters felt flat, and I found Arla particularly frustrating. I kept reading hoping it would pick up, but unfortunately it never quite clicked for me.

I barely made it to the 50% mark, and for that I apologize. I simply could not tolerate the female main character any further. Since it became obvious that she was connected with the dragons somehow - probably possessing some magic of her own - it really didn't seem like it was worth my time to finish.

From the very beginning of the book, I was not invested. I wanted to be. (I chose this book for a reason, after all.) Unfortunately, the beginning was boring. There was very little world building, though a fair amount of "woe is me" and "I'm the best" from Arla. She really needed something to make her relatable or likable. What especially made her viewpoint difficult was how terrible she was at her job. At every opportunity to show how much of a bada** she was, I only cringed. I've ready many assassin characters who were far superior than Arla.

In contrast, Hark was a wonderful character. Unfortunately, I kept reading his name as Hank and questioning why he could possibly have an interest in Arla. He was superior, by far, in all things. I wish his POV was longer. I found there was a lot more world building in his chapters, and there was definitely more of a setup.

Meanwhile, Arla's POV only provided information when it was convenient or pertinent to the plot at hand. I had no sense of the magical views of either kingdom until it was necessary. I had no sense of slave law until we were about to discover slaves. I had no sense of romantic feelings until they randomly had a one-night stand.

I wish there was more to the world. I wanted to feel the tension between them. I wanted to actually see her being a wonderful assassin without peacocking about. I would have loved to FEEL something when reading this book - anything other than annoyance toward Arla. After Arla received the dragonhart pin, I knew what was coming and just had to call it quits.

Due to my lack of finishing the book, I will not be posting this on Goodreads like I normally do. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it. I just wish the author had read "Save the Cat! Writes a Novel". They really could have benefited from it.

So… Dragonhart. Where do I even begin? This book is kind of like fantasy fanfiction’s greatest hits—if you’ve read Throne of Glass, ACOTAR, Fourth Wing, or any combination of those, then buckle up because this will feel incredibly familiar. Maybe too familiar.

Let’s start with the main character, Arla. She’s the best assassin in the land—or at least, she keeps telling us she is. She’s got the reputation, the ego, the flashy knives, the tragic orphan backstory… but somehow she’s always getting caught, outsmarted, or just straight-up followed without noticing. It’s like someone turned up the “I’m so amazing” dial and forgot to code in the actual competence. I wanted to root for her, but honestly, she came across as more arrogant and petulant than impressive. She spends most of the book glaring at people and reminding them (and us) how great she is, while constantly getting shown up.

And then there’s Hark, our broody ambassador from the rival kingdom. He’s supposed to be the mysterious, secretly soft love interest—but he’s mostly just there. He throws a few sarcastic remarks, pines from a distance, and is… conveniently hot, I guess? The banter between him and Arla is meant to be the enemies-to-lovers slow burn, but it felt more like two mildly annoyed coworkers stuck on a work trip. They bicker, they brood, they save each other a couple times, and then… boom, romance. It’s not the worst, but it never really hit me in the feels.

Plot-wise, this book is a slow burn. Like, really slow. It kicks off with promise—assassins, court politics, mysterious dragon lore—but then kind of loses momentum in the middle. Around 50%, things finally start happening that make you feel something, and by 80%, it actually gets exciting. But until then? Be prepared for a lot of inner monologues, dramatic declarations, and vague political intrigue that doesn’t make much sense. (Also… why is the villain doing any of this? Still unclear.)

Now the dragons. I love dragons. I read this book for the dragons. So imagine my disappointment when the dragon appears late in the game, barely does anything, and sounds exactly like Tairn from Fourth Wing. Sarcastic, telepathic, hates the love interest—check, check, check. The bond? Also very Fourth Wing. I wanted something new or meaningful here, but the dragon ended up feeling like an afterthought—a checkbox ticked off the romantasy trope list.

The worldbuilding had potential, but it barely scratched the surface. There are sleeping gods, vanishing magic, and a history with dragons—but it’s all vague and undercooked. There’s also this weird time lapse issue—apparently, dragons were real just a hundred years ago but somehow everyone thinks they’re a myth now? I don’t buy it. A century isn’t nearly long enough for that kind of cultural amnesia, especially with giant flying lizards involved.

In the end, Dragonhart wasn’t awful. I actually liked the pacing in parts, and the writing itself had moments that flowed nicely. It just leaned so hard into familiar territory without giving me something new or meaningful to latch onto. If you loved Celaena and Rhysand and Tairn and want more of the same, this might scratch that itch. But if you’re craving originality or strong character depth, this one might leave you side-eyeing your bookshelf.

Also—bonus points for no cliffhanger ending, which I did appreciate.

I enjoyed Dragonhart, and I wanted to really love it. But it just felt like something was missing.
I love the premise, I love enemies to lovers and action and dragons.
I loved the world building! Eaton has beautifully described a world of political intrigue and crumbling magic.
But the pacing fell a bit flat. When there was action it was great, but all the in between times? Not so much. And I understand that thee needs to be slow moments, those are the moments where characters are developed, the little things happen and the questions are often answered. They just fell a little flat for me.
I also wish the characters had a little more oomph between them. I wish that Ayla wasn’t quite so insufferable and Hark was little less wet blanket personality (my personal opinion).
Dragonhart has so much promise and I think is still worth a read!

Dragonheart is a new fantasy story that came out April 18th and it has a lot of things that would set it up for success: dragons, magic, revenge story, strong female characters and enemies to lovers story. For me it fell a little flat, I was not keen to pick it up and keep reading and the ending felt rather unresolved to me and I do not believe that this planned to be a series.
If you enjoy the above tropes, it could be an interesting read for you but the competition in these genres is fierce and I'm not sure Dragonheart stands out.

Many thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Dragonhart by Abbie Eaton is a decent enemies to lovers fantasy novel that had me wanting answers to so many different questions.

There were so many things about the world found in this book that had me deeply intrigued and somehow left me feeling like I was unravelling some kind of mystery at the same time that I really enjoyed. There are so many questions that both the reader and the main character, Arla, are presented with about the world she lives in, particularly about Hadalyn, her home, and Kastonia, their neighbour. There are the questions of whether the dragons people talk about and the gods often mentioned are actually real, whether in the past or even in a lesser state in the present as some people wholly believe in them, whereas others like Arla think they are a made up story. This also ties into the question of magic, said to be related to the dragons though seemingly something only talked about as if it exists, and never actually seen.

It felt like these were questions that Arla was on a path to find answers to, whether she intended it or not, and the way the answers felt so secret except to a certain few added an element of mystery that I really enjoyed in this book, particularly because I wasn’t expecting it and it created this unique atmosphere to the story that I loved.

As far as characters, I quite enjoyed Hark, grumpy and constantly butting heads with Arla, yet seeming like he was denying even to himself that there might be more to his feelings for the assassin then disdain. Arla wasn’t as exciting of a character in comparison in my opinion, solely because she felt like a bunch of other fierce warrior-esque, deadly killer type females I’ve read in the past and it left her feeling like a not very unique character. As much as I understand why she is a certain way, because of her upbringing, her past in general, and her status as an assassin, I just felt like she could have been more of her own character if she didn’t feel like she was such a contrived personality type. She was also very childish and at the same time felt like she was tooting her own horn about being the greatest assassin ever which had me growing pretty tired of her. I didn’t dislike her by any means, I just found myself very meh about her as a main character as a result and not deeply invested in her.

The book also suffered a bit from taking too long to get to the point and really go anywhere that left it dragging and had me struggling to get through it and keep reading. The plot of Hark and Arla going off together to find out why a shipment was disappearing on the King just took up way more of the book than it needed to and as a result made it feel super slow paced and difficult to push through at times. I felt like I lost a bit of interest around the halfway point which left me putting off continuing with the story for an extended period.

All together it was OK, but not overwhelmingly exciting or groundbreaking. There wasn’t quite enough happening in the plot to keep me interested and it felt like it took too long to get to the point of the book and I just didn’t feel entirely invested. The characters themselves were also for the most part underwhelming, with the most interesting by far being Hark. In the end I could take or leave this book though it could have potential going forward. Will I read more of the series? Eh, I don’t really have an answer at the moment, perhaps if I feel like it when the next release, or not if I don’t feel particularly motivated.

I love a dragon book and was really excited to get into this! I just struggled with the character development (moreso the lack thereof). I often find that good characters can really hold a book together and get me so invested, but Arla and Hark just didn’t do that for me here and I really struggled to care about what happened to them.

I do think others will be able to connect with them and will love this, it just didn’t work for me personally.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻

Oh, how I loved the majestic dragons of Dragon Hart! This fantasy debut from Abbie Eaton is captivating. There are plenty of adventures, thrills, surprises and heart-stopping events that kept me on the edge of my seat. The story begins at a slower pace but this allowed me to get to know the lay of the land, the traits of the main characters and the predicaments they face. But as the plot progresses, so does the action and what a wild ride it is!

Yes, the dragons have disappeared for a long a time but we discover the reason and their whereabouts and the promised one that ushers in a new age. Arla Reinhart is the personal assassin to the King of Hadalyn. She was taken in by the Hadalyn King, after her parents were killed by the opposing kingdom. Her painful losses fuel her determination to rid the evil forces that surround her. She has trained and worked hard to climb the ranks and is feared by all for her warfare skills and astute awareness. She is not a believer of gods or dragons, though, for it seemed they abandoned her when she needed them most—to save her parents. This poses some issues and blind spots in her vision. But we know she is going to be challenged and confronted on these points for this is a story about magic and dragons! And the rise of one who will become the Dragon Hart, the leader of these magnificent beasts.

A perilous assignment is set before her when important shipments go missing. This thievery affects the kingdoms welfare and so Arla is asked to restore order. But not alone. She is tasked with hooking up with Hark Stappen, who is part of the kingdom who killed her parents. This intense hatred for Hark and what he represents sets her on edge. This emotional connection and conflict will definitely pose some major issues. Lack of trust being one of them. But she must learn to co-exist with Hark and make plans to save the kingdoms. Arla is forced to work with the arrogant, handsome ambassador, for together they must solve the dilemma that each of their kingdoms have requested of them. It will take them into places of mixed alliances, where they will dine with royalty, fight in taverns, jails and castles. Along the way Arla learns some surprising things about her partner in crime that will cause her to look upon him in a different light. Her adventure will unveil many secrets and cause a transformation in her, too. She will learn more about her heritage: that the blood in her veins is very different than she expected. She will discover her biggest asset and purpose. Adventures with Hark will open her eyes to a world she has never known.

I loved the tension between Arla and Hark, then the attraction but the surprises are delightful. The Dragons are glorious and those scenes sent my heart and imagination soaring. I was impressed with the writing skill of this debut author. The dialogue suits the characters and the construction of the fantasy realm setting is appropriate. This first book is set up well for the continuation of the story of these fascinating people. Book one contains powerful enemies, a tale of revenge, an enemies to lovers trope, a saviour-hero plot, unbelief - belief in magic, unveiling of life shattering secrets, a battle for freedom from slavery, a new call on Arla’s life and the release of dragon power and protection. As mentioned, I loved the dragon scenes as they are gloriously conveyed in stunning detail and are among my favourites in the novel!

This Dragon Hart debut is an admirable imaginative effort that I greatly enjoyed. It will be exciting to see the next segment, too. I, for one, will be willing and waiting anxiously to read this sparring couple’s next adventures. What new kingdom surprises await us? Bring it on, Abbie! 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to One More Chapter and Netgalley for the review copy.

A debut novel with lots of promise. The story line drew my interest. The character dvelopment didn't hold it. I do think Abbie Eaton's story of this young assasin assigned to work with a man she has reason to dislike showed moments of excellence, just not enough of them.

Thank you for the chance to read this ahead of release! Fans of dragons and slow burn and enemies to lovers and intrigue will really like this book. It wasn’t quite for me as I found I wasn’t really invested in the characters/plot but this is likely a personal issue and others would enjoy! I’ll still recommend.

Book Review: Dragon Hart by Abbie Eaton
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Tropes: Dragons, Hidden Royalty, Found Family, Slow Burn Romance)

Dragon Hart absolutely swept me away. From the very first page, Abbie Eaton had me hooked with vivid world-building, rich mythology, and a heroine who’s impossible not to root for. This book felt like wrapping yourself in a cozy fantasy blanket—filled with danger, desire, and destiny.

Our main character, Hart, is fiery, flawed, and fiercely loyal. Her journey from self-doubt to self-discovery is beautifully written, and you feel every bit of it alongside her. The dragons? Breathtaking. I could practically hear their wings beat and smell the smoke when they roared. Eaton creates a world that feels lived-in—magical yet grounded, filled with secrets that unfold at the perfect pace.

Let’s talk romance. It’s a slow burn, but so worth the wait. There’s tension, banter, and that delicious push-pull dynamic that keeps you flipping pages long past bedtime. And the found family element? Heart-melting. It reminded me why I love fantasy so much—it’s not just the magic, it’s the people who make the story feel like home.

If you’re into dragon lore, strong female leads, and that perfect blend of action, angst, and affection—Dragon Hart needs to be on your shelf. This was a five-star read for me, and I already know I’ll be thinking about this world long after the last page.

Dragonhart is a fun fantasy debut with all the ingredients I love—dragons, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a fierce heroine who definitely doesn’t have time for feelings (until she does). Arla, a royal assassin, is forced to team up with Hark, the guy whose kingdom ruined her life. Cue snark, slow-burn chemistry, and a magical journey through crumbling kingdoms.

It’s got drama, intrigue, and a bit of spice—perfect if you’re into romantasy with edge. Some parts felt a little rushed, but overall, a solid read!

Dragonhart - Abbie Eaton

I thought this was just okay. The premise really intrigued me but it did fall a little flat.
It felt very similar to other fantasy books but I didn’t fall in love with the characters.
There’s nothing wrong with this book I just didn’t really connect with it.

“Beneath Castle Grey, there are dragons in a slumber so deep, not even gods can wake them”

“When I touch you again, I want you to remember every second of it”

I really enjoyed this book. A well written enemies to lovers fantasy story where the magic dragons held has been hunted and desperately craved for too long, and two people of rival kingdoms have to work together for peace. Only not everything is as it seems. Arla and Hark’s story is intriguing and beguiling and it’s been a pleasure getting through it. It was action packed, it was fast paced and every banter scene was funny and entertaining and I loved it. There were some mild spicy scenes too which are always appreciated. And, as always, when the “fuck it” moment is revealed … I’m a puddle on the floor!!!!
I’m glad I had a chance to read this book and I truly think a lot of people will enjoy it too!!

“And when I bring him back, we’ll storm that city and burn its king to ash”

“She was blood, and fire, and truth, and she would never again be useless. She would never again be that child locked in a dresser, watching her kingdom fall before her”

Thank you to Abbie Eaton, Harper Collins UK, and One More Chapter for providing me with this eARC.

I went into this book with so much anticipation — the cover, the title, and the description all pulled me in effortlessly. The opening had me fully hooked, and I was excited to see where the story would lead.

However, as the plot unfolded, I found myself becoming increasingly distracted and struggling to stay engaged. I kept holding on, thinking perhaps it was because the book is written in third-person — a narrative style that usually demands more of my attention — but the further I read, the more difficult it became to stay immersed.

That said, this isn’t a reflection of the writing itself or the premise, which both held a lot of potential. I personally found the pacing a little too slow for my taste, and the FMC's arrogance and anger began to wear on me as the story progressed. While I’m sure there’s a character arc intended for her, I’m not certain I’ll be able to see it through just yet.

I do hope to revisit this book in the future, when I can return to it with fresh eyes and perhaps a different mindset.

So much potential here, but it fell short for me.
Honestly, Arla might be one of the most annoying fmcs I’ve encountered in a while.
She’s honestly so irritating, and I honestly don’t know how she’s the King’s personal assassin when she is so completely incompetent.
Honestly, she ruined my whole reading experience.
Overall, a frustrating read that could have been great.

Dragonhart by Abbie Eaton offers an intriguing concept with dragons, magic, and a strong central character, but it didn’t fully deliver on its promise for me. The world-building is solid, and there are moments where the story really shines, especially during the action scenes and emotional turning points.

However, the pacing felt uneven at times—some parts dragged while others moved too quickly to feel meaningful. The character development had its highs, but I found it hard to connect with a few of the side characters, who felt a bit underdeveloped.

That said, the author clearly has talent, and fans of fantasy looking for a lighter, character-driven story may enjoy this more. It’s a good foundation, and with a bit more refinement, future installments could really take flight.

Abbie Eaton's debut fantasy romance "Dragonhart" offers an intriguing premise in a world where dragons have disappeared and kingdoms are in decline. The story follows Arla Reinhart, the king's assassin, who partners with Hark Stappen, an ambassador from the rival kingdom that killed her parents.

The world-building has some interesting elements, particularly the mythology around the absent dragons and gods. I enjoyed the journey aspect of the story as Arla and Hark travel across kingdoms, encountering both royal courts and rougher tavern scenes along the way.

Their relationship develops from initial hostility to something deeper, which creates some genuinely engaging moments. The gradual revelation of secrets between their kingdoms adds nice complexity to both the plot and their relationship. What I found most compelling was Arla's internal journey - watching her tough exterior slowly reveal the vulnerability beneath as she's forced to question her long-held beliefs about magic, the gods, and even her sworn enemies.

If you're looking for a fantasy romance with a strong female protagonist and enjoy stories about unlikely partnerships that bloom into something more, "Dragonhart" might be worth adding to your TBR pile!

This book is about Arla who gets sent on a mission with Hark, someone she despises with her whole heart, because she blames him for the death of her parents. But unfortunately they are stuck with eachother on this mission and they have to make it work.

I need to start with that I did not finish this book. I have struggled to read at least 10 chapters to be able to give this a fair chance, but I started to get frustrated and irritated so I decided it was fair for me to DNF this book at 27%. I tried my best but I could not get into this. I will try to explain it the best I can, so here we go.

The first chapter was ok. We got a nice introduction into Arla and the story started immediately. However, it feels like Arla's character is build only on hate. Hate for her job, hate for the neighbouring country, hate for her rivals. She even hates when she likes something. To me this feels very very flat. I get that she is angry, but when angry is the entire personality of a person, it is not ok. What I have read was so negative, even the other characters were angry at the world and it honestly felt like anger was everyones personality. Also, this is supposed to be an Adult romantasy, it feels very very very YA. The way the characters are described, only one or two character traits. The FMC acts and behaves like a spoiled teenager in the midst of their puberty where everyone is against them and it is them against the world. She has a very adult job, but the way she acts she honestly sounded more like a 16 year old than an adult. I have no idea in what age range she should fall, because that is not mentioned in the part I have read. Even the conversations with other characters felt flat and young. They are supposed to be adults but I cannot imagine them being adults.
She constantly acts to violence, she is violence and violence is she. There also is a constant "I hate him" vibe going on and it is being mentioned multiple times per chapter.

I got Throne of Glass vibes very early on, but then a temu ripoff from the original. The story was lacking, we were thrown all around, parts I would have loved to know more about were over in a couple scentences and irrelevant things were dragged out immensly. The pacing is weird. They get their mission very early on in the book. Arla and Hark need to travel a long time, perfect time to get to know these characters a bit more. Unfortunately, they are there in no time and I was thoroughly disappointed by that. Great opportunity missed to build a foundation between these two important characters.

I felt frustrated and irritated probably most of the time. The amount of eyerolls I have done are lost to time. I absolutely did not enjoy this.

However, I do think this book would be a nice read if you don't need a lot of character build. I think this would be great if you just started reading fantasy, this could be a nice read to start. It is not overly complicated and even though I find the pacing weird, it is sorta logical?
Anyhow, I think this is a better fit in the YA section and I think that age group would find this book to be a nice read.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Hello! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of Dragonhart! I read it in one afternoon, it really hooks you. Who doesn’t love a FMC who’s an assassin who worked her butt off to get to where she is. Even willing to stab her hand to prove her loyalty. Then we have our MMC who is more than meets the eye and has more than one secret. I absolute love Arla and Harks banter and fighting and can’t wait to see more of their story together. At first I thought this was going to be a standalone because everything was going so smoothly towards the end, but I’m glad the author left some things unfinished so we can now have a book 2!
Thank you again and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.