This was okay, but not great for me. I found the characters, especially the MFC, to be two dimensional, and kind of boring. I didn't mind the world and thought if it had only dug into the characters a bit more, it could have been great. It reads quite YA for my tastes.

Thank you to Canelo and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book to review.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame was a great read. I really enjoyed this book. The story revolves around Cahra, a blacksmith, who forges a specific sword that sets off a chain of events that could unravel a long held prophecy. I thought the world building was really good and the characters were well written. The plot was fast paced and action packed and kept me engaged throughout the whole book. This was an enjoyable read with a good mix of magic, action, and a little bit of romance.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and review the eARC!

Overall I think this is a very promising start to a series and has a lot of potential for the future. I really enjoyed the romance of the story a lot and didn't mind the love at first sight vibe to it personally.

The world and setting are interesting and I love the idea of a prophecy and kingdoms being at war trying to take control of a powerful weapon.
There is a LOT of worldbuilding by way of giving us names of places, people, objects, and history and I think it could do with being spread out a bit more and fed to us where it is immediately relevant to ease up how much the reader is having to take in and remember in a short space of time. The first two chapters especially were very information heavy in my opinion and I felt like I was getting a new name, place or object thrown at me every other sentence, it got overwhelming very quickly. This did ease off and the pacing was better by chapter three though.
The same problem persisted a bit when there the switch to a brand new characters POV, we're very quickly given more information and history and even more characters to learn about. I understand it can be hard with a fantasy world as there is always so much information that feels necessary for the reader to get the full scope of the world and situation, but I think it's okay to leave some things up to interpretation and not explicitly spell it out to us every time.

Cahra is an interesting character, but I'm on the fence about whether or not I like her, I found it hard to connect and really resonate with her in some parts. At times I thought she was a great, strong, FMC who throws herself in the path of danger to help others without a second thought. Then suddenly she does a 180 and feels quite sulky and immature. After Terryl's secret is revealed her reactions really threw me off and made me start to find her quite unlikeable. She starts giving him the cold shoulder and becomes quite outwardly rude and dismissive towards him. I understand why she was feeling betrayed, but the reaction felt very disproportionate to what had actually happened between them.
Her actions/reactions to certain situations just felt off and very contradictory, and in the end they made me really start disconnecting from her as a character.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this book.

I enjoyed Cahra's character and the premise, as well as some of the worldbuilding aspects. Even though I found this to be an easy story to follow, I found most of read like a very long epilogue, as though we were waiting for the major elements to tie into the storyline. I get that first books are often where the buildup occurs, but it felt like a lot of buildup without much genuinely happening at times.

Otherwise, this was an interesting enough story, with Cahra's romantic interest seeming to shift toward the end of it.

This was such a great book. I really enjoyed it. I love a strong female lead that ends up being an amazing character. This book has a ton of action and events. I love all the characters and their different roles. The fact that there was such a huge secret about Cahra's lineage is just amazing. I loved finding out who she actually is and what she can do. I can't wait to see what Cahra and Hazel are able to do in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo for this eCopy to review

When I finished A Kiss of Hammer and Flame, I couldn’t help but feel like I'd been swept into a tempest of magic, romance, and intrigue. It’s the kind of book that stays with you, not because it’s gentle, but because it challenges you to journey through its perilous world and entangle yourself in its characters’ dilemmas.

At its heart is Cahra, a young blacksmith who inadvertently crafts a weapon that awakens Hael, a dormant immortal being bound by prophecy. Hael’s existence is overwhelming—he’s magnetic, powerful, and dangerous, yet there’s an unmistakable allure that draws Cahra closer to him. As civil war erupts across three kingdoms, Cahra finds herself fleeing with Terryl, a noble who commissioned the fateful blade. He’s enigmatic in his own right, with secrets that seem to deepen the mystery around Cahra’s own role in this upheaval.

The tension builds relentlessly. Cahra’s growing connection to Hael, who appears to her in mesmerizing dreams, is juxtaposed against the looming threat of tyrants who covet his power for their own ends. It’s a story of choices: Cahra’s decisions don’t just shape her fate—they could destroy or rebuild empires.

Amy de la Force excels at world-building. Every forge spark, every crumbling ruin, every charged encounter feels alive. The interplay between creation and destruction, ambition and restraint, gives the novel its gravitas. It’s also steeped in romance—the simmering chemistry between Cahra and Hael burns bright, though it’s not without its shadows.

Perfect for fans of epic romantasy and anyone who loves a good dose of danger mixed with desire. A Kiss of Hammer and Flame left me eagerly anticipating the next instalment in the "Fated for Hael" series.

This was a decent start to a new fantasy series. I think it has the potential to be really popular with a younger crowd. The world building was intriguing and wasn't boring to read through like some fantasy series can do. Cahra is badass. I mean, a female blacksmith in a day and age that treats women like second class citizens? Hell yeah!

~ ARC Review ~

I absolutely loved this book. It had me hooked from the first chapter and evening turned to 2am before I even noticed. The first time the book had me crying I was just around 10% in because Amy de la Force did an incredible job of making me feel emotional for the characters.

Cahra is not a FMC you read about often - she isn't dainty, she isn't tiny and she doesn't need saving. She is capable and tough but not a Mary Sue. She's just a BAMF. It was an absolute joy to read her story. Terryl and Hael are both in their own way very interesting MMCs - and I'd definitely call them both main characters. Hael has a special place in my heart, he made me very emotional in how he treated Cahra.

The story started off very fast paced and slowed down a bit around the 50% mark - I barely noticed that I had gotten so much of the book already because the plot moved along quickly, but in a way that felt as though we were part of Cahra's group.

I also loved the subtle but definitely there LGBTQ representation. ♥

Really, really loved this, I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series!

The story has potential and I believe it can develop into a strong Romantsy series. The romance fell a little flat for me although I did start to enjoy it by the end. The fantasy side is a lot to wrap your head around and it took me a little while but once I got it I was thrilled!

The potential to be a good fantasy romance series.

A strong MFC with a unique world/magic system.
I felt initially I wasn’t too sure with the first love interest and how it suddenly seemed both characters had intense feelings pretty early on. However I love when an unsuspecting romance starts to form within a book which we began to see towards the end of this book.

The world building can take a minute to get your head around but it is easier to understand as the story unfolds.

Looking forward to seeing what is to come next for this series and a forbidden romance to develop!

I wanted to love this soooooooo bad!
I really liked where it was going and the wording building and then it fell victim to my "adult" brain. I couldn't do the YA insta-love thing. It was becoming a chore to read and not exercise my rolling eye muscles. BUT I give it 3 stars because I skipped forward to the last chapter and the epilogue and it was intriguing. I'm sure people who don't mind love triangles or YA fantasy will dig this. It was well written and I loved the author's voice.

A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is an engaging fantasy romance with an intriguing premise and strong character dynamics. From the very start, the world-building pulls you in, adventure, and slow-burning romance in a way that makes for an fun read. The protagonist is well-developed.

However, while the book starts strong, the latter part of the story loses some of its initial momentum. The pacing slows, and the climax doesn't feel as gripping as the buildup promised. It’s still a fun read overall, but the ending left me wanting just a bit more.

WOW! If this isn't a book to brag about I don't know what is... I started it late last night. Never did I anticipate I would be closing the book at 1am left in complete shock... This book was insane! It was twisted, it was gripping but it was so darn good!

"A Kiss of Hammer and Flame" by Amy De La Force is the first book in a planned trilogy. The story follows Cahra, a blacksmith apprentice, who is unexpectedly thrust into a 400-year-old prophecy that holds the fate of the capital city in its grasp. As she unravels secret after secret, the gripping mystery and her perilous journey kept us eagerly turning the pages.

You will find:
Reluctant hero
Warring kingdoms
Ancient prophecies
Found Family

Spice: 0/5 - romance is a subplot
Worldbuilding: 1/5 – Would like more vivid details to bring the world to life.
Unique Plot Elements: The Key, the Scion, and the Weapon.
Character Development: Would love to see more depth in the side characters and their backstories.
Favorite Character: Hael – His intriguing past and the potential for future romance make him a standout!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC.

I am sorry but this is a DNF book at 40%
I couldn't get into more of the story even that sounds promising but this was a not for me, it had a very good plot but sadly it wasn't make it for me./

A Refreshing and Captivating Fantasy Adventure

This book was such an interesting and refreshing take on fantasy! The worldbuilding was rich, the magic felt unique, and the story had just the right mix of action, romance, and mystery to keep me hooked.

Cahra is a strong and compelling protagonist, and I loved how her simple act of forging a sword set off a chain of events that could change the fate of an entire empire. Hael is the kind of enigmatic, powerful character that instantly draws you in, and the dreamlike connection between him and Cahra added an extra layer of intrigue. The story moves at a great pace, with high-stakes adventure, political tension, and a simmering romance that keeps things exciting.

If you’re looking for a fantasy that feels fresh while still delivering all the magic, action, and romance you love, this one is definitely worth picking up!

I really liked a Kiss of Hammer and Flame and think it has the potential to become a great fantasy series. I loved Cahra's whole story, her strength as a blacksmith, her kindness in the face of overwhelming pain, and her very real reaction to having your whole life change.

In terms of the 3 books listed in the description as what this book is similar too/if you are a fan of these you will like this. A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is much more similar to Throne of Glass (the first book in the series) compared to The Book of Azrael and The North Wind, the latter 2 skew more adult with spicy content whereas A Kiss of Hammer and Flame thus far has skewed fairly YA with mostly longing glances. Nothing wrong with a longing glance though, we all need some build up and I do not know if the series will move to more NA/Adult as the books go on.

One area I would have liked expanded on in this book was the romance. This book is classified as a romantasy and while there are many debates as to what this means this book did have a romance subplot but I would have liked just a tad bit more focus on building it up to give it more of an emotional impact on the readers. I don't want to spoil anything so I won't say more just that the way the book ended made the romance subplot of the book feel a little lacklustre (thought there is a lot of hope for future books).

The magical system, the unknowns of what the future is for our characters, and the interesting backstory and character of Hael all make for some great potential for future books. Also the FMC has a badass hammer like Thor and I love that

All in all A Kiss of Hammer and Flame was a good read and I will be looking for the next books in the series.

An interesting premise and real potential, but awkward phrasing and a lot of “she said…” “he ran…” “she turned…” The writing style felt very basic, and with little to no variation in sentence structure, the composition overwhelmed the content and started to feel repetitive and dull even in moments of intense drama &/or action.

In my opinion, some intensive stylistic editing is needed, though it’s an extremely common issue with debut authors, particularly young ones.

First of all, thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC.

I feel like the book started off really strong. I adore the main character, Cahra, who is a blacksmith, a trait i have not yet seen in a main character. She had some really solid character development throughout the book, however i feel like at some point past the middle she gets a bit confusing. Her feelings do a very sudden 180, which i feel disrupted the flow of the book completely.
I also really enjoyed the fact that the characters weren't stuck in one place the whole book. The constant shift in environment was a great way to keep me engaged and reading the book, as new environments created new ways for the characters to learn and develop.
I loved the ending, though it did feel like it was written in quite a rush and was slightly confusing at times.
Overall, i give this book 3 stars, I like the plot and really enjoyed the first half of the book, however the sudden change in quality after the halfway point was quite disappointing.

The battle scenes were action-packed. I had a hard time getting into this book though, because it felt like it took too long to get to the actual plot. The relationships felt forced and shallow, and could use more “personality” scenes between them. I really wanted to like it, but unfortunately this one just didn’t keep me hooked.