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.

So if you’re looking for a new book with dragons look no further, there’s an abundance of dragon bonding woven with Scottish mythology and a healthy dose of feminine rage that will keep you coming back for more. I have heard a lot of mixed opinions about this book but I was absolutely obsessed. It took a little while to get into, but I came to appreciate that this was Hazel setting up for all of the events that followed what felt like a slightly stilted beginning in order for the story to truly shine. The world building and mythology alongside more political intrigue and plotting than you can shake a stick at had me hooked. A story that very much revolves around Aemyra and her journey to attempt to become queen and save her people from an oppressive anti-magic religion, intertwines with a young woman’s journey to find out who she is and how finding love along the way in the most unlikely of places leaves her open to the biggest fallout of all.

Tìr Teine, once a land built on the idea of matriarchal rule, has spent centuries under the rule of corrupt kings swearing fealty to an anti-magic religion that leaves the people of the kingdom oppressed and suffering. Where dragons were once common and bonded to the fire wielded of this land there are no few with no new dragons being born. We join Aemyra with an introduction to her life hidden away in the kingdom she was born to rule. Gifted with fire magic and an even more fiery temper she waits for the king to pass so she can claim his dragon and her birthright. However, when he plans to awry Aemyra busily realises that her journey to queendom will be one that is hard thought, and will have her questioning everything she knows and believes along the way. Thrust unexpectedly into the court that she is meant to be ruling, Aemyra must form a tenuous alliance with the Prince she vowed to hate. With absolutely everything on the line and fire all around them the lines begin to blur and Aemyra finds herself falling for the one person she can never have. Will she allow her faith in others to lead her awry or will she find herself and a way to save her people?

I originally found her hard to understand Aemyra’s motives and personality, however, as the story progresses she grows on you so much more than I expected. You begin to realise that to a degree that what she portrays is just a front and that she is trying to the best she can for everyone around her. Under the weight of such her expectations of becoming the next Queen of Tìr Teine with so much standing in her way you begin to understand her struggles and motivations. I cried for Aemyra, for everything she looses and being an oppressed woman, seen as only an object in a world that should be celebrating you for everything that you are. Fiorean is a perfectly frustrating MMC for this story, he perfectly pushes Aemyra’s buttons. Reading as these two broke down each others walls while in a perilous position with the royal court was one of my favourite aspects, sparks truly do fly when these two are together and when Fiorean lays claim of Aemyra and become ridiculously possessive and brooding I was absolutely gone for. I mean who doesn’t look a broody dragon riding prince who cuts off the hands of people that touch you?!

For me the plot very much felt like it was setting up for book two, but had me on the edge of my seat nevertheless, especially towards the end. I was prepared for the cliffhanger but I was not ready for it to go the way that it did and now I need book two asap! There are so many secrets and so much betrayal that you frankly don’t know who to trust, with everything on the line all the time and people’s lives constantly at stake you never know which alliances will stay and those that will fall apart. The concept about the matriarchal beliefs being subdued by an anti-magic religion that believes woman are only good for what their bodies can provide was such an interesting and unique spin, you’d be mad not to notice the clear messaging with this. I would have loved to explore the dragons and their personalities a little more, but I am hoping we will have the chance to do so in the coming books in the series. All in all, this is the perfect book for you if you’re looking for an action packed enemies to lovers fantasy with a huge amount of political intrigue, feminine rage and of course DRAGONS!

Thank you so much to the author and published for sending me an e-ARC to read and review early.

This book got off to a really slow start for me and I found myself skimming parts of it in the first 40% as it was very description heavy without a lot of dialogue or interesting plot points. I did then get more into the story and everything that was unfolding. Aemyra faces a lot of danger and is in a situation where she’s surrounded by those she can’t trust. Certain relationships develop in different ways during that time and it was interesting to see her character tackle the challenges she faces. There are some characters that made me absolutely rage and so it’s safe to say this book managed to bring out some emotions. I would have liked to see more of the dragons and a bit more plot as not a lot really happens across the story as a whole, so it moves quite slow but does throw in some intriguing situations now and then which kept me reading. That ending left me very stressed out though so I now need to know what happens next - that’s the nature of a great cliffhanger and I hope now a lot of the world building is complete the next book might have more of a punch to it.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

'A Fate Forged in Fire' is a phenomenal epic fantasy and feminist tale. The influence of the beautiful celtic language, culture, and mythology was so immersive to the story, and fit so well with the elemental magic system this story contains. This novel had such rich and vivid world building, and the political intrigue and the fight for the throne between warring factions reminded me of Game of Thrones. The story-telling was stunning, and the writing style was so detailed and engaging. And of course, the dragons were amazing. However, I would have loved to see even more of them!

Aemyra was such a strong-willed and fierce main character. She was passionate and fiery and completely devoted to her people. I loved her bond with her brother, and especially adored her relationship with her adoptive family.

Unfortunately, despite the incredible world building, I wasn't able to rate this novel five stars as I do have a few critiques.

Firstly, this novel is described / advertised as a "new romantasy phenomenon," which I think is extremely misleading. I wouldn't really even label it as a fantasy with romance. There was an element of 'enemies to lovers' which lasted barely any time at all, and I found there to be no connection between Aemrya and Fiorean either. Our male 'love interest' had barely any personality at all compared to our other characters, and the introduction of a romance felt sudden and very out of place.

Another critique I have is for the switch up of the plot. For the first 50% of this book we go from preparing Aemrya to take her rightful place on the throne of her kingdom, and reuniting her with her father, to her being kidnapped and entering a forced marriage plotline.

In this time, Aemrya receives no contact from her father and is completely uninvolved in the preparations for her taking back her throne, as she is too busy frolicking with the enemy.

At one point she says "I have been working for our cause within the walls of Caisteal Lasair", and I do think this could have made for a very cool and intriguing plotline had this been the case at all. Aemrya spent most of her time behind enemy walls squabbling with the royals and resigning to her fate.

The sudden and fleeting romance plotline really threw me off, and I think this book could have been a lot stronger - and I already found the world building and main plotline fantastic - had it focused more on Aemrya raising her armies herself, rather than being locked in a castle.

Besides this, I'm really looking forward to book two, and I found this an incredibly well written and brilliantly crafted world. I just felt the romance plotline didn't really add anything to the story as I found it a bit bland and much too fast. Therefore, the ending didn't hold as much impact to me.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this!

*I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*

I actually struggled a little bit to review A Fate Forged in Fire. In theory this book contains all I love in Romantasies: enemies-to-lovers, royal schemes, rebellions, arranged marriages and dragons! Don’t get me wrong, it was a very enjoyable read: my expectations were simply too high after seeing friends absolutely getting obsessed with this book.

The world building was very interesting and I found it easy to follow. I liked the history behind it and how it build the kingdom/realm and of course the dragons and the different family branches that were running for the throne - although this got me a little confused at times and thinking the MCs were some long lost cousins of each other! The writing was ok and I felt that the pace was ok too which lead me to rate this book with 4⭐️.

At the same time, the biggest reason for the 4⭐️ was the FMC and I am that type of reader that when starts butting heads with a main character it’s more than enough to not give it a better rating. I found Aemyra to be arrogant, immature and entitled. From her backstory, I wished she had more humility in her and I struggled to see her growth throughout the book.

This being said, don’t let my review put you off from picking up this book because I still enjoyed it and what I didn’t like as much was entirely personal! If you like dragons, true enemies-to-lovers and rebellions then this book is for you!

Many thanks for the e-arc, all opinions are my own

This was a solid 4-star read for me. It took a while to get into, and the first part felt quite slow. There’s a lot of world-building and political context introduced early on, which I actually enjoy, but at times it was a bit much all at once and I did feel a bit lost here and there.

The story follows Aemyra, a fire-blessed blacksmith with a rightful claim to the throne of Tìr Teine. She’s been waiting for her chance to rise, but nothing goes to plan and she ends up thrown into a complicated web of politics, power struggles and old rivalries. I really enjoyed how the political side was handled, especially watching Aemyra deal with it across different settings. It added a lot of depth to her character.

The romance builds slowly, and while it’s not the main focus of the book, I loved the dynamic between Aemyra and Prince Fiorean. The banter, the tension, the reluctant alliance — all very satisfying. If you prefer books that are heavier on the romance, this might not quite hit the mark, but I liked that it took its time.

Also, dragons. Always a win for me.

One thing I appreciated was how the story doesn’t make things too black and white. Even by the end, you’re still not entirely sure who’s right or wrong, and that moral greyness makes the story feel more real. It definitely leaves you with questions, which I liked.

There is a cliffhanger (I did see it coming) but I wasn’t disappointed by it. And just a note — do check the trigger warnings before starting. There is a scene that some readers could find upsetting. It definitely wasn’t pleasant.

Overall, if you're into high fantasy with strong female leads, political intrigue, a slow-burn romance and dragons, this is well worth picking up. I’m looking forward to the next book in the duology.

There’s something about an FMC who is unashamedly fierce, strong and prickly that makes my heart grow twice its size and activates my protective instincts - enter Aemyra who is not your softness FMC, or even your tough FMC who is hiding a heart of gold. She’s kind of an asshole, actually, and I love her all the more for it because women are allowed to be when their entire world has been messed up, scrambled and destroyed by men who think they know better. We get a clear voice from Aemyra from the outset, and it’s her anger, palpable and hot, that anchored me to my chair as we follow her ascendancy to the throne and her fight for the rights of the women in her realm. This is House of the Dragon but written by women and for women, and with a sharp focus on structural oppression and misogyny. The exchanges between her and Fiorean, their sizzling forced marriage and unlikely bond, makes for LUSCIOUS reading material. I cannot be held responsible for the screaming I’ve screamed in @hazelmcbrideauthor DMs. I can’t WAIT for book two because that cliffhanger was THE WORST. Tysm @dialoguepublishing for the ARC.

I'm obsessed- I could not put this book down and devoured it in less than 24 hours!!

I loved the Celtic-inspired world full of dragons and elemental magic- the world-building was epic! Our FMC is a blacksmith (albeit a hidden princess) and I loved this new take for an FMC in a romantasy book. The enemies-to-lovers was *chef's kiss* and I was loving every second of it.

The plot was fast paced and complex, and I loved watching the political drama unfold throughout AND the plot twists.

I enjoyed this book so much and I'm on the edge of my seat craving book two!

I was umming and ahing on what rating to give this book but I decided to go with 3.5 stars and here is why

The first HALF of this book to me was a drag.... I struggled to keep up with all the characters being thrown at me, which also lead to me not connecting with any of them purely because I was just to overwhelmed by it all.... BUT
As I started to pick up on everything on the 2nd half of the book, there was no stopping me! I was gripped, the last 20% of the book had me shook, the battles, the things the fmc endures and that ending 😳 damn..

Do check your trigger warnings ⚠️

I came for the feminine rage and the dragons and I stayed for the political intrigue, religious trauma and enemies to lovers. What was even better? A Scottish author, basing a fantasy world rooted in Scottish mythology and using Gaelic appropriately.

I was prepared for the rage and anger, not for the tears. My heart broke for Aemyra at times and I could feel her grief poring off the page. The enemies to lovers was handled well and even though we knew there had to be a catch, I was rooting for Aemyra and Fiorean.

Saying that, Aemyra isn't perfect and she is her own worst enemy on occasion. Knowing your a queen and living as a blacksmith has to be a bit of a headache. But when she finally reveals herself she sometimes has an air of "superiority" that kind of sticks in the throat a bit. That inexperience really becomes apparent in some of the decisions she makes.

Fiorean was a great foil to Aemyra, he really knew how to inflame this firebrand but at the same time he was also a bit blinkered when it came to his horrible relatives and the religious sect they had allowed into their lands.

Aemyra really does have a tough go with the men in her life (with the exception of Adarian). They all let her down or betray her in some way. The scenes with the Chosen really left me chilled and not a little revolted. Talk about fiction mirroring life, whoever says reading isn't political is a complete dunderheid! Sometimes the Gaelic defeated me and I just substituted places I thought would fit the description we had been given. Even us Scots are sometimes defeated by Gaelic, my brain just buzzed occasionally trying to get my tongue around some of the names.

There was definitely lots of "My Wife" moments and touch her and d!e energy. We're left on a bit of a cliffhanger and a WTAF moment but with that last scene with Aervor I'm really hoping that there is some skulduggery going on trying to divert the Chosen.

There is much still to uncover and no doubt more treachery and betrayal to unfold before we get that epic HEA. But just how this tangles web is going to resolve itself I have not one clue!

This fantasy romance is set in a Celtic-inspired world, filled with legendary beasts and full of intricate political dynamics. Aemyra is a refreshing and formidable female protagonist. Her evolution from an 'ordinary' blacksmith to a potential queen was a heck of a journey. The feminist themes throughout are empowering, not heavy-handed. The romance with Prince Fiorean is full of tension, just like you want for a good enemies-to-lovers. The ending will leave you wanting the next book NOW.

Dragons, magical abilities, religious conflict, political machinations, a quest to claim a rightful place on the throne – a fantastical adventure with some spicy romance thrown in. I did find remembering the pronunciation of the Gaelic words somewhat irksome and, at times, the use of them seemed unnecessary. But a good read.

The moment I heard about this book I knew I had to have it. A romantasy with dragons and loads of politics! Sounded exactly like my thing! I pre-ordered a copy and discovered that the book was also on Netgalley. I requested a digital review copy and Renegade Books granted me one.

I have to admit that after finishing this book I have mixed feelings. This book did contain a lot of elements I like. There is an enemies to lovers romance, there are dragons, there are loads of politics, a lot of those characters really believe they are doing the right thing for the kingdom and therefore it never feels like we're reading a good vs bad story. And yet, yet this book never became the book I had hoped it would be.

I think that's partly because it feels like this book never fits into a genre. The romance is not the focus of the story and therefore it never really feels like a romantasy. However, the romance is too prominent to really market it as an epic fantasy. The plot also seems all over the place without really picking a direction or style. Some scenes really worked for me and made me shudder or hold my breath. Other times I just rolled my eyes or got really annoyed.

And I think that's my biggest issue with this book. It's really really hard to root for these characters. All those characters are incredibly violent, impulsive and reckless. Especially the heroine is incredibly stupid at times. No wonder no-one sees her as a queen, she's not behaving like one. And although there are quite a few romantic moments, I can't really root for these characters to end up together. They seem hellbent on constantly seeing the worst in the other.

I'm pretty sure there are a lot of readers who will enjoy this book, especially because it really feels like Game of Thrones fanfiction. However, I won't be picking up the sequel.

I couldn’t put this down.

My emotions through this went on a rollercoaster and honestly I loved being along for the ride. While it took a minute to figure out what was going on in the very beginning, the pay off was incredible, angst, trust issues, doubt, fear, relief, betrayal. Multiple times this book had me staring at the pages in absolute shock and disbelief!
This was a story of growth for the FMC, she’s very self assured whilst not necessarily realising much about the world around her and how it works. Only really starting to step into her own later in the book. She comes across entitled and dumb at times, not realising that she is a pawn in other people’s power struggles, believing that she knows best because the world is historically matriarchal.
The strength of the FMC in the later story and how the author wrote some truly horrific events with eloquence and compassion has me astounded.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc in return for my honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book.
There are parts I really enjoyed, but there were also aspects that left me wanting more.

What kept me hooked were the female rage, the dragons and the action-packed scenes—they were done really well.
The world-building is fascinating, but it’s also massive and a bit overwhelming at first. There’s a lot to take in, and it felt like I was juggling too many details early on. Thankfully, things started to click as the story progressed, though it took a while to get there.

For most of the book, I was straight-up frustrated—mainly because of Aemyra’s decision-making. Being queen is her birthright, blessed by the Goddess, but she didn’t feel ready to step into that role—especially since no one actually prepared her for it. I admired her determination, but wow, she can be reckless and naïve, and that drove me crazy.

The romance? Yeah, it doesn’t really take off until about halfway through.
There’s definitely a spark between Aemyra and Fiorean, but the shift from enemies to lovers happened way too fast for my liking. I wanted more tension, more build-up before they crossed that line. Still, after that jaw-dropping ending, I’m curious to see how things play out between Aemyra and Fiorean in the next book.

Overall, despite a few bumps, this was still a solid read. I’m definitely sticking around for the sequel, hoping for more character growth—especially for Aemyra.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: misogyny, sexism, domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, attempted forced sterilization, grief, child loss, death and violence.

Overall verdict: 4 Stars!

A FATE FORGED IN FIRE was a fascinating debut novel filled with a strong protagonist, Aemyra, who is gifted with fire magic from a Goddess named Brigid. The world building was strong and I liked Tìr Teine and the rich history it held. Her twin brother, Adarian was a rather interesting character as well as he was protective of his sister. The beginning hooks you in, with its use of magic and a childbirth scene. Further on in the book, Aemyra really exhibits character growth, and even more so when she meets Prince Fiorean, the dragon rider and arrogant royal. Having the same powers as him, it made things even more fiery.

I really enjoyed how AFFIF turned out, and how it raised issues with the patriarchal system in their society. The inclusion of dragons was very exciting and it bumped up my rating to 4 stars. The enemies-to-lovers situation was filled with tension, and I found the banter between Aemyra and Orunce Fiorean. The strong influence of Celtic words and world building in this world, including a character and pronunciation guide made things so much better.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC of AFFIF in exchange for review. Can't wait to read more of the author's work.

Thank you so much for this ARC! This was a solid start to a new series with sparks, dragons, and a dash of slow-burn spice!

This was a fun ride through a Celtic-inspired world full of dragons, elemental magic, and political drama. Aemyra is a fiery (literally) blacksmith and rightful heir to the throne, and she’s not about to let a scheming prince or a patriarchal kingdom keep her from what’s hers. Enter the enemies-to-lovers tension with Fiorean—the prince who might be the worst and also might steal your heart a little.

The worldbuilding is rich, and I loved the hints of lore and magic woven throughout. The magic system is cool (yay for fire powers!), and the idea of bonding with dragons to gain the throne? Yes, please.

That said, Aemyra made a few decisions that had me side-eyeing her pretty hard, and the pacing dragged a bit in places. The romance was very slow-burn, which I don’t mind, but I wanted a little more emotional depth from both leads.

Still, it has a lot of potential and ends on a note that makes me curious about the sequel. If you’re into feminist fantasy with dragons, enemies-to-lovers angst, and a heroine who sets stuff on fire (figuratively and literally), this might be your thing.

3.5 review

The good part of the book was that Hazel clearly did a lot of research for this book and the world building was great.

The FMC annoyed me. She was very naive and at some points it seems like she had no common sense.

With it being an enemies to lovers trope I had expected/hoped for more tension between the characters. Not just we are enemies then get forced to get married.

Really enjoyable!
A Fate Forged In Fire I a fast paced book filled with world building and complexed dynamics. While a bit slow at the start, once it got going I couldn’t put the book down but I feel like this is the same for a first instalment of any fantasy series. This book does come with tw so please check before reading. Enjoyed this book enough that I have pre-order a signed edition!
Cannot wait for the next book in the series.
Thank you for the ARC!

This one was such a pleasant surprise! A Fate Forged in Fire hits that sweet spot between cosy fantasy and romantic tension, with just enough mystery and danger to keep the pages turning. It’s got dragons (yes please), a determined heroine finding her place in the world, and a slow burn romance that builds oh-so-satisfyingly.

I really enjoyed how the story leans into emotional healing and self-discovery alongside the fantasy elements. Freya is a protagonist you root for - flawed, brave, and quietly powerful. There’s a softness to her arc that still manages to feel empowering, and the found family vibes here? Chef’s kiss. It’s not super high-stakes or action-heavy, which honestly worked in its favour. Sometimes you just want to be wrapped up in a magical world that feels like a warm hug with a few scorch marks.

And speaking of scorch marks… the dragons! They’re majestic, intelligent, and each with distinct personalities that add so much charm. I would absolutely read an entire spinoff from the dragon POV, just saying.

The romance simmers gently - more mutual respect and soft glances than high drama, but it fits the tone beautifully. A few pacing hiccups slowed things near the end, and I would’ve liked a bit more complexity in the villain’s motivations, but those are small quibbles in an otherwise enchanting read.

Spice level: 🌶️ Mostly fade-to-black, emotionally rich, and sweetly romantic.

If you’re in the mood for a heartfelt fantasy with dragons, healing, and a strong dash of slow-burn romance, this is the perfect weekend escape. I probably wouldn't read again as I'm less of a fan of the cosy romance type of book, but I still enjoyed the time I spent lost in this world and I'm ALWAYS a sucker for dragons!