
Member Reviews

Okay! This one swept me away, I was really into this book, the writing was easy to follow, engaging and the story line kept it's pace pretty well! Cahra's character development was brilliant and I found her a likeable character to follow. But the world building was a little hollow, not enough of it to help me immerse myself. The romance felt a little unrealistic, but that's a love at first sight trope for you! So I'm on board, Hael was engaging enough for me to go with the flow! I would recommend this book for a light read, interesting to see where the author goes with other stories in this universe!

Love love love!! Completely obsessed with this new romantasy from Amy de la Force! The romance was sooo well done and I am completely obsessed and need more!

I didnt read this book in the right moment for me, but still caught my atention. Its a very good, and I am looking forward to reading the next book.
It was predecible some times, and the love triangle was a little obvious, but still good. I liked Thierre, and I love that he hadnt a villain arc or smth just to make him a "bad" love interest. Him being so cute just makes Hael and Cahra's ship stronger.
And with that, this fucking ship. I just love it. Its soooo good and I am so obsessed with it. I NEED seeing them in the next book, the forbidden thing makes it more appealing.
In conclusion, an very good book that I would defenitely reccomend to YA fantasy readers.

my 7th arc read and i must say that this was so exciting! i was so curious about the plot and it was a completely badass read! the main characters? a shadow daddy? yes thanks you
however the only thing i was missing was even more tension and chemistry between the love interests!

Nothing is as it seems at the start in this fantastic story. Cahra is a blacksmith who makes a sword for lord Terryl not knowing what she has just set into motion. It turns out that she isn’t just a blacksmith who grew up on the streets she is a fighter, scion, and a princess? The sword she made for Terryl unleashed a prophecy and they end up running for their lives, but Terryl is really Prince Thierre. Will Cahra and her new friends and allies be able to keep the ultimate weapon out of the hands of evil and bring back the lost capital Hael’stromia? Read A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by Amy de la Force to find out.
I couldn’t get enough of this amazing romantasy. I loved how strong Cahra is and that she would do anything to save those that she cares for even if it means putting herself in grave danger. I loved Prince Thierre’s character so much and was a little upset that he doesn’t get the girl in the end.

This book has some really interesting elements to it, with the prophecy, and the magic, and this intriguing connection between Cahra and Hael which I definitely want to see more of. The relationship between Cahra and Terryl felt underdeveloped, and so I would have liked to see more of their relationship building for it to feel more genuine. That being said I liked the closeness of Cahra and her mentor father figure, as well as her passion for doing the right thing. Overall I wanted to enjoy the book more than I did. I think it has some great elements and but the execution didn't quite hit the mark for me personally. It didn't grip me, despite a fair bit of action, though I enjoyed it enough to read to the end so it's definitely worth a shot if it sounds like your kind of book.
I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for giving me an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I had a lot of trouble getting into this book and I think it’s because I couldn’t connect with any of the characters. They lacked depth and since I couldn’t connect with them, I didn’t really care what happened to them. I also found the pacing of the story to be slow and there was insta-lust which I’m not a fan of.
I did enjoy the fact that Cahra was a blacksmith, which was different from the usual FMCs in fantasy books.

In the harsh kingdom of Kolyath, apprentice blacksmith Cahra is hired to forge a sword for a young charming lord. When she accidentally sets in motion a centuries old prophecy in the process, she and the lord, Terryl, are forced to go on the run from those seeking the sword. As they travel across the empire of Hael'stromia, Cahra begins to commune with the empire's 'ultimate weapon' that was awakened by the prophecy in. The empire's capital city. She finds herself growing closer to both Terryl and the 'weapon' while trying to keep ahead of enemy armies. Which path will she choose and who is she really?
I recognize that this book has its flaws but based on vibes alone? I loved it and could not put it down. The author definitely leans into a good number of romantasy tropes: a teenager paired with a centuries old immortal being, a love triangle, forbidden romance, etc but xhe also defies alot of tropes at the same time. Cahra is able to recognize her feelings are infatuation and wisely makes the decision to focus on plot relevant things instead. Also, she respects and admires her first love interest (Terryl) for reasons beyond, 'he's hot'. And he's a legitimately good love interest! I will withhold my judgement for the second love interest, Hael, until I see how it plays out in the remaining books. De la Force is going for a slow burn (which is a nice change of pace from insta spice) but I'm still a little hesitant about that age difference......
I do think that the world and its people should have been fleshed out more. What De La Force gives us is adequate for a romantasy book but that extra attention to detail would have really elevated the story. The same critique applies to our side characters outside of the main foursome. I also think that De La Force jumped around with POVs as a cheat code for exposition instead of integrating story beats in more naturally. My last minor quibble is that Cahra's views on violence and its usage flip flops throughout the book in a way that undercut her character arc.
Despite all this, I consider this book far and above a lot of other romantasy books that I have read in the past couple of years. As I said above, De La Force goes out of her away to not fall into the same tired tropes as other romantasies (mostly) and I really liked the plot. And she left us with a cool plot based cliff hanger! I cannot wait for the next book and will be reading it as soon as its published.
Reviews going live on Goodreads, Storygraph, Fable and Tiktok on 7/7.

I really enjoyed this book! The world building was well done, and I really liked the FMC. I am excited to see what happens next, and hope for more Thierre!

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is a richly atmospheric, emotionally layered romantasy perfect for readers who enjoy psychological depth and slow-burn tension. Centered on a tough but vulnerable heroine, the story blends gothic worldbuilding with subtle magic and introspective stakes, focusing less on flashy action and more on trust, longing, and internal conflict. The romance simmers with restraint, growing out of emotional friction rather than instant attraction, while the world reflects the characters’ inner struggles—dark, mysterious, and quietly dangerous. If you’re drawn to stories where the real tension lies beneath the surface—in what’s unspoken, uncertain, and emotionally charged—this book offers an intimate, haunting, and deeply satisfying read.

I enjoyed this book but it took me a while to get into due to the pacing.
The overall concept and worldbuilding were intriguing enough to keep me reading.
I am interested in seeing how the rest of the series unfolds.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!
So, I was really struggling with this book at the beginning. It only got much more interesting when a secret identity has been revealed. After that exact moment, the story is really fast-paced, exciting, action-packed, and so many turns and twists. You won't be able to sit still while reading this book.
The writing is exquisite. The character developments are amazing. The plot is so well-thought. This was a fantastic read, and I can't wait to read the second book.

This was a phenomenal start to a new romantasy series!
The amazing world building, the characters are wonderful.
This book was absolutely unputdownable!

I completely forgot to leave a review for “A Kiss of Hammer and Flame” when I read it a few months ago, but better late than never! I really enjoyed the storyline; It felt refreshing to read something unique, that stood out from many of the fantasy romance books currently out there (and I’ve read quite a few).
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC.

I am sorry but I couldn’t finish this. DNFed it at 60%. I’m not sure if I wasn’t in the mood however, the story just didn’t grit me. I didn’t care about the conflict or the characters and I just didn’t wanna waste my time. I do think other people will like this however this book is not for me.

I am sorry but I couldn’t finish this. DNFed it at 60%. I’m not sure if I wasn’t in the mood however, the story just didn’t grit me. I didn’t care about the conflict or the characters and I just didn’t wanna waste my time. I do think other people will like this however this book is not for me.

The dedication to this book gave my heart a little squeeze: "And to every woman living in this timeline, who was told they weren't enough. You contain multitudes, and you are everything."
We follow a young female blacksmith FMC, who changes the course of her life by forging her first sword solo. Cahra must flee the only "home" she's ever known to save her life and the lives of others.
This story touches on anxiety and panic attack representation, multiple secret identities, a world-altering prophecy, a powerful weapon, and strangers to TBD.
Thank you to Canelo & NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of A Kiss of Hammer & Flame by Amy de la Force.

I received a copy of A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by Amy de la Force from NetGalley. This book is a fantasy romance adventure, and it is the first book of the Fated for Hael series. The story follows Cahra, a young blacksmith. She carves an ancient symbol unknowingly, leading to the first omen of an old prophecy. Now, she has to go on the run to find answers and protect herself.
Cahra is a young blacksmith in Kolyath, one of the kingdoms. A young lord commissions a sword and gives Cahra a free hand with its design. Cahra unknowingly incorporates an ancient symbol that is the first omen of a prophecy related to the weapon. This weapon is said to be all-powerful, and all three kingdoms want it. Now, hunted for her creation, she runs away with Lord Terryl, who commissioned the sword. They have to navigate through trouble and learn more about the prophecy and Cahra’s role in it. Meanwhile, Cahra starts seeing someone in her dreams, Hael. He has been imprisoned in the capital of Hael’stromia for centuries. With the first omen, he is awoken, and Cahra and Hael have a connection.
A Kiss of Hammer and Flame by Amy de la Force has a lot of aspects going well for it. I liked the fantasy world related to the story. The blend of fantasy, romance, and adventure keeps the reader engaged. The characters, especially Cahra and Hael, are intriguing and grounded. They make you root for them. Overall, I enjoyed reading this story. I will be waiting for the second book.

This was a really interesting concept, I liked the magic and the lore set up, but it felt really slow and meandrring at times. I did like the way everything unfolded quite a bit, and the way information was revealed was very well done! This, however, would not be considered a romantasy to me, as it is barely present in the overall story, or between the characters. Overall, interesting and I will definitely read the next one!

I wouldn't say i hated this book but i just didn't love it, i just didn't feel like i could connect to it as much as i would of wanted to.
I was enjoying the story and the main FMC but also i don't think it helps that i am not a girlie who likes any kind of why choose situation.
Thank you to netgalley for this early e-arc <3