Firstly thankyou to Hazel, the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The TikTok hype on this book prior to release really sucked me in and I was so excited and grateful to receive an early copy. Based on the authors Scottish heritage, expect a battle for the throne from a secret heir (Aemyra - FMC), dragons, a little bit of spice and plenty of fireworks.

I found the book slow to get going and didn’t particularly feel much inclination to the characters especially in the first 30% of the book. I wanted more from her dragon bond and sometimes found the use of Scottish Gaelic language a barrier to me following the story as it wasn’t explained what these words meant or translated to.

I had a really good time reading this book. The first half is absolutely amazing, I love our main character Aemyra, her personality and spirit are exactly what I look for in a FMC in a romantasy. I’m also thankful that the romance part of this didn’t start instantly, it felt fresh.

However I do think that the book could have done with being multiple POV as in the second half I felt like the book went a little downhill and it felt like something was missing.

Other than that I adored this book and will absolutely be reading the sequel!

I'd like to start by thanking #netgalley and the publisher @dialoguepublishing for a copy of this book.

Dragons always draw me in to a book (and what a time for dragon books) but this one in particular caught my eye with purple dragon scales and celtic details on the cover.

The celtic theme continue through the book with a lot of Scottish inspiration which I LOVED, you can tell it was written by someone who had lived here. Names, placenames, kilts and phrases, all added to it for me.

The story itself is good too. It gets a bit spicy at one point but not too much. The pace is a little slow around the end of the first half but the second half picks up and there is an actual cliffhanger at the end which means I will be on the lookout for Bonded to Beasts 2 to find out what happens.

From the very first sentence, I was hooked. Hazel McBride throws you into a world of fire, fury, and fractured power, and never once lets you come up for air.

Aemyra might be one of my favorite fantasy heroines of the year. She’s unapologetically bold, stubborn to a fault, and so sure of who she is even as the world tries to strip that away. She doesn't ask for space. She takes it. Watching her light up every page with raw power and bite? Obsessed.

The world-building is vivid and steeped in Celtic inspiration, with dragons, corrupted politics, anti-magic zealots, and a matriarchy buried under the weight of a rising patriarchy. I won’t lie,some parts of the lore were a bit dense, but once I found my footing, I was fully immersed. There’s a map. There’s magic. There’s a kingdom ready to burn.

The dynamic between Aemyra and Fiorean? It’s not just enemies to lovers. It’s I will gut you to I would die for you energy. He’s cold, arrogant, blindly loyal to the wrong cause and every moment between them crackles with tension and heat. I ofc am a dark romance girlie at heart so personally my favorite scene was the knife play scene! Hot damn.

That said, I do wish we had more depth from the side characters. Aemyra absolutely steals the show, but I can feel the potential simmering in the background, and I’m hoping book two lets them rise.

Thematically this book does not hold back. It digs into power, rage, religion, and resistance. I wanted to scream half the time because of how real the political commentary hit. I was ready to hurl my Kindle across the room and then immediately pick it back up because I needed to know what happened next.

That ending? Left me feral. I don’t know peace anymore.
I am fire consumed, fate bound, and absolutely not okay.

As a fantasy book this was amazing, the matriarchal world slowly being overturned by a new patriarchal religion, the dragons, the magic system, all of it was intriguing and gripping.

This story follows Aemyra who is a princess in hiding, when the king dies she rises up to take her rightful place as Queen since this world believes in the Goddesses and being ruled by a woman.
However the previous king only had sons and was married to a woman who believed in the new patriarchal religion so of course Aemyra faces hardship trying to claim the throne.
Parts of this story really reminded me of the politics of Game of Thrones, as if Sansa was the rightful heir but had to fight Joffrey for it.
I loved the court politics and elemental magic and out FMC Aemyra was easy to root for because she was fierce and wanted to do right by her people.

Unfortunately for me the romance let this story down, I hate Fieorian whatever his name is, everytime he was on page I was rolling my eyes, he was pathetic and had no backbone, I understand he has a lot of growth to go through but surely the idea is to at least make me like him. It was borderline a bully romance.
The first 200 pages solidified him as a villain to me so when the romance started to happen I couldn’t root for it, in my eyes he is irredeemable.

Slight spoilers:
He kicked Aemyra to her knees to bow to his brother, he allowed his brother to damn near strip her naked, he then proceeded to allow his brother to walk in and see her naked.
They mmc & fmc are also distantly related, with the same red hair that runs in the royal bloodline.

He gave me the ick and I wasn’t able to shake it, so when the ending happened I wasn’t even shocked because I expected nothing else.

Unfortunately I won’t be continuing the series because I don’t want them together, lowkey wish it was a love triangle so I could root for the other guy.

But 5 stars for the dragons as always!

5 stars. Amazing. No notes. I devoured this
Cannot wait to see what else hazel writes!!
Will be posting review on TikTok as well soon

This book was a fun read. There were things I liked about it but there were also things that didn’t vibe with me. But overall I enjoyed it well enough, it’s just not gonna be one that goes down as a fave.

I loved the culture, the matriarchal society and the Scottish influences on the world. It was really interesting to explore and the plot of trying to save the kingdom from a new Misogynistic religion was interesting.

I also liked how the enemies to lovers relationship was done. There wasn’t an instant attraction and time was allowed for the characters to change their feelings towards each other slowly. It felt more genuine than most of the enemies to lovers I’ve read recently.

However I didn’t really feel I was rooting for the main character to become queen. She was impulsive, reckless and seemed to make bad decisions at every turn. She was really easy to manipulate too. This may be a character growth thing and be addressed in the next book, but I just couldn’t see her making a good ruler at all.

I also felt that the creature bonds were a bit inconsistent. They would talk about how you couldn’t make a dragon do anything and how the bond was a mutual relationship and then talk about taming the dragons in another scene. I also would have liked more focus on the bond, but that’s just my tastes.

Overall, I did enjoy it, but there was a lot to complain about.

I was really expecting to love this cause I was craving a good fantasy story with dragons, but unfortunately, it didn't hit like I expected it to. It's good, it just didn't make me feel big emotions or give me the feelings that I look for.

I can't say what didn't work for me. I'm not sure if it was the FMC and how often difficult it was to understand her choices or get behind her attitude, the writing style, or the story as a whole. The dragons were really cool, but I just wasn't invested in this world; I didn't feel transported. That could be on me, so take my thoughts with a pinch of salt and check this book out if it calls to you.

Absolutely brilliant! I loved this book and I can not wait for more! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Dialogue Books for this eCopy to review

From the moment I opened A Fate Forged in Fire, I was completely swept away. McBride has crafted a world that feels both ancient and urgent, steeped in Celtic myth and burning with modern themes of power, identity, and resistance.

Aemyra, was born with fire in her veins both literally and figuratively. A blacksmith blessed with fire magic, she spent her life in hiding, waiting for the moment she could claim her destiny: to bond with the king’s dragon and restore the matriarchal rule of Tìr Teine. But when the king dies, everything unravels. Betrayed, cast into the heart of a corrupt court, and forced into an uneasy alliance with Prince Fiorean, a dragon-rider loyal to the very regime she despises, Aemyra had to fight not just for her throne, but for the soul of her kingdom.

What I loved most was how deeply personal this story felt. Aemyra isn’t just a heroine, she’s a force of nature. Her journey through betrayal, political intrigue, and forbidden desire was raw and empowering. And the slow-burn tension with Fiorean? Absolutely electric. Their dynamic was full of sparks, both magical and emotional.

The world-building is lush, the prose is lyrical, and the themes of resilience, legacy, and the cost of power hit hard. This book didn’t just entertain me; it made me feel seen. It’s rare to find a fantasy that balances action, romance, and social commentary so seamlessly.

If you love dragons, enemies-to-lovers tension, and heroines who forge their own fate, this book is for you. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book on Netgalley.

This book was so good. I loved the balance of fantasy romance in this and it's perfect if you want to start reading books with a heavier fantasy but equally as good romance.

What you will find in this book:
- Slow Burn
- Banter
- Dragons
- Feisty FMC
- Political Intrigue

I have found a new favourite author with this 5 star book! I always want to support Scottish authors and find fantasy books that accurately use Gàidhlig and Scottish culture. Reading this book felt like reading about my home and It was really special. It helps that the story was so captivating and I absolutely flew through it. It has the perfect enemies to lovers slow burn, dragons, and a strong female MC.

The plot centers around Aemyra reclaiming her throne in a once matriarchal society, but the corruption runs deep and those in charge will do anything to stop a woman rising to power. Some scenes are very hard to read, especially with the current political climate of some countries, but I loved seeing Aemyra rise up despite the odds. I definitely recommend giving this one a go!

I thoroughly enjoyed A Fate Forged in Fire! Hazel McBride delivers a fierce, fire-wielding heroine in Aemyra - a blacksmith blessed by the Goddess, caught between her destiny and desire in a kingdom where matriarchal power has been suppressed for centuries.

This book has everything I love in a fantasy book: a strong female lead, feminine rage, dragons, elemental magic, and a sizzling enemies-to-lovers dynamic that kept me hooked. The Celtic-inspired world of Tìr Teine is vivid and beautifully built, and the tension between Aemyra and Prince Fiorean is electric (and infuriating in the best way).

That said, I did wish the romance had been explored just a little deeper before the final act—there’s so much chemistry there, and I was craving more storyline and depth between them.

The plot twist? Absolutely fantastic. It hit hard and set the stage perfectly for what’s to come. I can’t wait for the next book - Aemyra’s fight for her throne is just beginning, and I’m fully invested.

If you’re a fan of Fourth Wing, House of the Dragon, or powerful women reclaiming their birthright through magic and fire, don’t miss this one.

Thank you so much to Dialogue Publishing and Hachette UK for gifting me this E- ARC for review.

Loved this book soooo much! I got to meet Hazel at Comic con and shes just the best. I loved the way she described her characters and the slow burn.

I can 100% recommend to everyone!!!

Thank you for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the plot and ideas behind this story, especially the strong female lead who stands her ground. I did, however, find this hard to get in to.

I don’t enjoy not finishing an arc, I requested this book because I thought I’d really love it but it has been such a struggle.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

dnf @62%

I hate dnf-ing arcs but I’m not enjoying this book at all. I found the fmc so annoying and bratty. I could not stand her at all. There’s nothing redeemable about her. Like she was so ready to be a queen but can’t fight when she has years of training. The mmc which we don’t get to him fully till 50% of the book, I still found him so bland.

Also since her father is related to someone in the royal family wouldn’t that make the fmc and mmc related. Probably some distant relation but I still can’t get pass it.

There was no point in this book that I found entertaining and attention capturing. I just found myself not caring about anything at all.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I'm between 3.5 and 4 stars on this one. I wanted to LOVE this one, but it didnt quite turn out that way. I liked it, i loved the FMCs fiestiness and unapologetic self assurance.
However, the plot felt rushed. The romance felt... unrealistic (yes I know this is a fantasy), and I couldnt buy into the relationship. It felt flat.
The plot had a lot of influence from GOT/THOD and this was visible in the stori. Storyline had a lot of similarities to Fourth Wing, with the notable difference being that these characters are fully grown and the FMC takes no shit from anyone.

A kingdom where once the magical ladies rule
Had been taken over by Kings, mad and cruel.
But now a powerful woman is ready to stop hiding
On her and her talents the future is riding.

Aemyra is blessed by the Goddess Brigid with fire
She's worked as a blacksmith for hire
Waiting for the King to die in the belief that then
She can claim her dragon, restarting matriarchal rule again.

With her father secretly plotting and scheming,
Nothing is quite as it was first seeming.
Get ready for surprises, twist and romance
But will it lead to betrayal by chance?

A riveting read with so many turns
The next book in this series is what I now yearn!
For my copy of this book I say thank you
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Following Hazel’s writing journey, I was excited for this book from the beginning and when I got my ARC from NetGalley I squealed with excitement.
It thoroughly lived up to my expectations. Rich with Gaelic lore and history, this is a fantasy romance well worth reading. Following Ameyra and her dreams of bonding to a dragon and fulfilling her destiny of becoming queen after a life of hiding her identity.
The twists and turns this story took were enthralling. I was hooked through all of it.
Filled with deceit, betrayal, hope and despair, Hazel McBride built this world beautifully as well as the characters in it. I look forward to reading more from her.