Born as the first daughter of the clan after over a century of being without a Queen, Aemyra bides her time until she can take her rightful throne. Yet, when the coup happens, she is thrown into a game of politics that she isn't prepared for.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

I was utterly hyped for the book because I've been following the author for quite some time on Instagram now. Bisexual adult female main character? Yes, I'm in. Scottish/Celtic-inspired world-building? Hell yes! Unfortunately, the book just fell flat for me. The plot idea and the world-building are interesting on a superficial level, but if you think too much about either, it just unravels and leaves you with more questions than answers. I could forgive shoddy world-building if the writing style and the characters were great, but neither is great either. The writing is extremely wooden and sometimes reads like a first draft. The dialogue is cringy. The characters, though? Oh dear. Oh dear.

The side characters are utterly flat or fall into stereotypical tropes. I can forgive either if it were just one or two side characters, but it concerns every side character. There's no depth to any of them. (This is utterly sad because a bunch of them are the FMC's family.) The two main characters though? Haha, no. Aemyra is stupid, single-minded, utterly ruled by her emotions (to the point of never thinking about what she is doing, so she always ends up in worse situations), never listens to anyone, stubborn, so fucking arrogant and full of herself, acts almighty and edgy while also belittling everyone else, and doesn't behave like a 26-year-old woman. She acts as if she is 16 years old and is a typical Mary Sue character. She has special hair & eye colour, she is utterly powerful (to the point where she can't even control her power because she's so emotional), and she gets a special dragon, too. She is the queen of all pick-me female characters because, for all her feminine rage etc., she looks down on women who aren't like her. If you write a rage-fueled FMC: make her empowering and not looking down on other women.
The MMC has absolutely no character depth. He is loosely inspired by Varys/Little Finger from GoT by acting as if he is pulling all the strings in the background but there's not one single brain cell in his head. Of course, he's a feminist when it suits him.

The chemistry between them doesn't exist. They are the "enemies-to-lovers" trope and while they do have the "I want to kill you" aspect down, they don't have a logical development from "I want to kill you" to "I want to fuck you/I love you". It just happens out of nowhere and then they fuck like rabbits. The sex scenes are boring as hell, too.

I'm only giving this two stars because the dragons have more personality than dragons in other recent fantasy novels.


✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

TWs & CWs: death, general violence and gore, sexual content, physical abuse of the FMC (by the ends of side characters), the death of parents and a sibling, attempt at a forced sterilisation of the FMC

Trope(s): enemies-to-lovers, feminine rage

Genre: Fantasy

Heat/Spice: 1 🌶️

DNF’d at 30%

Main character was not very relatable
I read the original fanfic and think that some of the modifications made were not serving the story as they were done to mask the fact that this is derivative material.

Did not make content since review is not positive

Thank you NetGalley and Hazel for an arc of the book! Okay so I loved this, it did take me a while to get into but when I was there it was amazing. The world building is so good and I’m excited to see where the story goes. I did think I wanted more yearning from them both but that twist at the end made up for it. Cannot wait for book two!!

"You are the light, Aemyra, shine for us."

I think this is going to be my favorite read of 2025 and I know it is still early in the year but I absolutely loved this book. It had me hooked from early on and it is very fast paced and full of action.

Aemyra is working as a blacksmith but is secretly heir to the throne. They have a plan to claim back the throne from the unrightful heirs but it is not going according to plan..

I had a hard time with the pronounciations of the names of people and cities but I was glad we had a pronounciation guide and a map to show us where we are. With the ending and cliffhanger that we got I am very excited to read the next book.

Some of the tropes you can expect in this book are:
- enemies to lovers
- dragons
- bonding to magical creatures
- elemental magic
- knife play
- forced marriage
- betrayal

I normally don't compare books to eachother but I think if you really liked the dragons from Fourth Wing and the main character in Throne of Glass, you will like this book.

There were so many elements which I loved and a few things that I would have preferred being executed differently. As a whole, I loved the vibe of this book. The world building with the influences of Scottish culture were really well developed and this immersion made me enjoy the experience of reading this story. I also loved the relationships with the dragons, and this aspect made it especially clear that this author was heavily influenced by House of the Dragon/George R R Martin. The romance wasn’t the strongest aspect of the story, and though the pacing was somewhat inconsistent with lulls for major sections, I still was still invested enough to continue to the end.

The part of the story which felt somewhat forced was the characterisation of Aemyra. It felt as if Aemyra was written to represent the modern-feminist trying to tackle real-world issues, but she herself was so critical and judgemental of other females and it just felt that this characterisation was attempting to portray her as a ‘not-like-other-girls’ character. This aspect impacted my enjoyment the most despite several other great elements such as the world-building and the dragons. If this is part of her journey through the series, then I look forward to seeing this change in her charcter future books.

I have been waiting for this for what feels like ages and it was everything I hoped it would be and more!

This is a very captivating and brilliant example of taking popular tropes but putting a new or different spin on them - we’ve all read books where the FMC turns out to be a long lost heir but Aemyra already knew her heritage and was patiently biding her time until she could step up and take her place.

One of the main hooks for me was the incredible history and world building rooted in Celtic mythology and how easily it was to take on board. This was mostly delivered via the FMC but I especially liked that the storytelling troupe gave us some parts too - I thought that was quite clever.

The subtle foreshadowing had me intrigued from the get go! I’m also of the opinion that the author has left some Easter eggs for book two in here too so I’d love to share theories with anyone!

There was plenty of action to keep the storyline moving at a good pace and those last few chapters were WILD! I stayed up far too late one evening just so I could finish it and regret nothing - although that cliff hanger-hangover is a tough one!

I’d also like to give a special mention for the pronunciation guide - this was so incredibly useful and made my reading experience feel much more immersive.

"This is so you remember that a woman has her own power, and that you do not have any right to take it from her."

Honestly unsure why I'm so shocked at how insaaane this was! The plot was incredible, the writing was perfect, the TRUE enemies to lovers back to enemies again was EVERYTHING!

Aemyra is a red-headed, bisexual queen (literally and figuratively) who stands her ground, protects her people and shuts down horrific men who think they have control over women's bodies.

There's amazing dragons. Characters to love and also despise. A Prince to swoon for, and one to avoid at all costs. A glorious map to look at. Castles and swords and adventure. There is spice, and the banter was bantering so hard. I will warn you there are some horrific moments to power through as a woman, but it's written so well. Can't fault this book at all, absolutely amazing, can't wait for book two!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Dialogue books for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. This story does cover some challenging topics so I would advise readers to check the trigger warnings.

As a major house of the dragon and romantasy fan, I just HAD to read this book and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. This book consumed my every waking thought from the minute I picked it up. The world building was really good and the book was well written as a whole. Although you could tell this book was heavily influenced by house of the dragon, it still kept me intrigued - it didn’t feel like I was reading something I already knew the answer to. The story had me laughing, crying, screaming and raging throughout.

The slow burn true enemies to lovers romance was executed really well. Although I saw the ending coming, and felt the final battle was a little quick with a rather abrupt ending, I enjoyed the story as a whole and will 100% be picking up the next book to see what happens after that cliffhanger!

This book was enjoyable.. the FMC is full of attitude and sass and the MMC is edgy and dark ... the storyline was action packed and full of energy... I couldn't put it down.

A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride is a masterpiece!!! I rated it 5 stars because I couldn't put it down for a second. The characters are fantastic and the story is immaculate.

The magic and politics of this felt intriguing and I really enjoyed these elements! However I struggled to gel with the characters and the main romance storyline fell a bit flat, and I felt the story would have been stronger if it held more focus on familial bonds.

This book 🥹♥️

The story follows Aemyra, our FMC, who was born to be the queen of a territory who was once under matriarchal rule and values, but has since been governed by kings. After hiding for years as a blacksmith, it’s now time for Aemyra to claim back her throne.

A true slow burn enemies to lovers with a badass FMC 🔥 Aemyra is such a great character and I adore her attitude and determination. She really is unapologetic, knows what she wants and is determined to get it. Atta girl!

The world building was great& I loved how historically the whole system was a matriarchy. This made so many parts of the story very interesting, different&explained a lot about how the FMC grew up and her belief system.

The relationship between Aemyra and her twin brother was lovely&don’t get me started on the MMC! Fiorean my man ♥️ I absolutely loved him with Aemyra&the fact that he was protective of her, but also knew when he needed to step down and let her take revenge into her own hands. They don’t agree on everything because they are both very loyal to their families, who both have conflicted interests, and it makes their dialogues&relationship dynamic super interesting.

The battle scenes with dragons were amazing and so well written, I was fully immersed in them and could truly feel how high the stakes were.

The ending?! 😱 It’s a great cliffhanger and I’m so so curious to understand what happened!

Am already way too excited and ready for book 2 🫡🐉💚

Thank you so much to Hazel McBride&NetGalley for the opportunity to read the e-arc ♥️

And this is how enemies to lovers is done!!Brilliant, captivating, and utterly unputdownable. I DEVOURED this in one sitting. The characters are richly developed, each with their own compelling arc, and the world they inhabit is vivid and immersive. The story grips you from the start. This book is a true gem, and I can’t recommend it enough.All the stars!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

A Fate Forged in Fire - @hazelmcbrideauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to Random House via @netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC ahead of its release in May!

I was so excited to see this be approved as I’ve followed Hazel for ages on social media and couldn’t wait to read her work. The premise sounded SO cool and interesting and it didn’t disappoint 🙏🏻.

If you are an enemies to lovers fan like me then you’ll love this. It is done brilliantly. They really are true enemies. They despise each other. You wonder how on earth that will ever change because it seems impossible. I looove when it’s like that, so props to Hazel for writing it so well.

The world building is intricate and detailed but as this is book one in a series, it’s warranted. The story blends Celtic mythology with elemental magic, so description is welcomed and builds intrigue and adds so much depth to the story. I’m very much looking forward to seeing where the information leads in the next book.

I don’t want to give too much away about the plot - I’ve already said enough I think - but this book is fast paced and action packed and very exciting. Please do pick it up on May 27th 2025 when it’s released!

A fate forged in Fire is book 1 in a expected duology, and has the bones of a fantastic fantasy story, which includes; dragons, a strong heroine, high stakes, political intrigue, woman's rage and some much loved tropes.

Oh my god book one isn’t even out yet and I need book two. (#ARCproblems).

The Celtic culture and Gaelic language are handled so beautifully throughout I really could feel myself transported to the rich and vibrant Scotland I love.

The FMC truly is one you can root for throughout.. though I will say I did find her a little childish at times, she seems to sulk a fair amount but yknow… her life warrants that on occasion.

The political atmosphere was really well handled, though I actually would have liked to get more into the nitty gritty of how everything worked I know that isn’t to everyone’s taste - the dowager queen and the true religion were a really compelling foe.

And enemies to lovers… but true enemies to lovers… I’m here for it. I’m so anti insta-love so this was refreshing.

For fans of Throne of Glass and Game of Thrones 100%

First of all, thank you so much Dialogue Publishing and Hazel McBride for providing me with an ARC of this book.

What can I say? I loved it! It deserves all the stars I can give this book!

One of the things I liked the most was how Celtic culture was so seamlessly introduced throughout the book, and of course that a matriarch society was also introduced here.

The FMC is all you could want from a main character: she's strong, she's a sword fighter... she represents a perfect powerful female main character. Cherry on top for this book: there are DRAGONS! And you bond with them! The magic system is very clever and well thought.

One of the things I really liked about the book is that even though it's a fantasy, there are lots of topics discussed here that we deal with every day in real life (misogyny, oppression, clashing religions...). I would also recommend checking trigger warnings as some scenes might feel a bit uncomfortable to read for some.

Overall it was a very entertaining, and engaging book that I read in no time, as I simply could not put it down.

I would 100% recommend this!

If you love Throne of Glass & Game of Thrones this is for youuuu!! The magic, the worldbuilding, the dragons all drew me in immediately, the political intrigue was top notch. I love Celtic inspired worlds and female rage so I knew I’d adore this. It’s a really good start to a romantasy series, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I wanted to love this book, from what I had heard online about this book I was going into this expecting more than what I got. Maybe my expectations were too high, and I drew into the hype for this.

On paper this seemed like everything I love in a fantasy romance book, but there were some parts of this book that I just couldn’t gel with.

Firstly the book felt so slow to me, I was quite close to a dnf in the first half, but thankfully the second half did pick up and did redeem itself somewhat.

Moving on to the characters - I just did not like the FMC, it felt like her attitude and her choices were out in place to annoy and test me! She just annoyed me and I wanted a strong, badass FMC that was promised. I wanted to like her, but she just annoyed me as she acting so childish throughout in my opinion. Talking about characters, I didn’t gel with many of them, finding myself not really caring what happened to the characters. I wanted to know more, I wanted to feel more connected to characters, which just never happened. I also wanted more dragons, the dragons were my favourite part.

I did like the story and all the tie ins to the authors heritage was lovely, great to see an author connecting within their books. As I said before the second half did pick up and I liked that the FMC and MMC were true enemies to lovers, this is one of my favourite tropes so I appreciated this.

Just wanted more, maybe if I went into this not seeing much about it, I would have felt differently. But if a book has some hype, it’s been given a spotlight.
I might pick up the next one, as the ending was okay but I feel like I won’t be jumping to do so.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Holy hell. Whaaaaaat!?!

I'm a complete wreck after finishing A Fate Forged in Fire!! There is nothing I didn't absolutely love and adore about this book!

The characters are incredible. Aemyra is 100% that b*tch and I'm front row cheering her on. I love Adarian, I love Fiorean. I freaking love the dragons!

The tension is unbearable. I am totally swept away by the world building and the political plot. It's flawlessly torturous!!!

Also, big yes to the Gaelic pronunciations included at the start of the book!!!!

Oh my god, just incredible.