3,25 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.

I fear I have bad news... I was disappointed with this book. I really didn't want to be, and I was so excited to get to read an ARC of it! But unfortunately, too many things annoyed me and ultimately I couldn't rate it higher.

The beginning had me intrigued and I really liked the overall world and plot, but I felt like it quickly started lacking feeling. The writing was a little bland and I had a difficult time discerning what our main character felt about anything. I wanted to get to know her, see more of her reactions and hear her thoughts. I am pretty sure it was originally written in 3rd person POV but then changed to 1st person - and I think it shows in the writing, especially in the beginning where it just doesn't really feel like we are in her head. But it got better around the 30% mark, the writing felt more natural, and I started connecting more with Nina.

And I do think the book had its strengths with interesting characters and a few really good twists that I liked. But I think the pacing was just way too slow for me, and I honestly felt like nothing really happened which made it hard to stay engaged. And yet the romance between our main characters happens really fast, which is a bit of an odd mix. I did like the romance, I just think there could have been a bit more tension and yearning before their first kiss. She is only there for a few days before they are suddenly falling madly in love with each other, and I would have just liked for that to be stretched out a bit so it lasted longer and felt more natural.

There were also a few things that didn't really make a lot of sense to me.
SPOILER INCOMING:
Tanner suddenly not being able to wait any longer after only giving Nina a few days to locate the Alchemist (when he has already been waiting years) seemed a little weird to me. It obviously takes time to gain their trust, so why did he expect her to be able to move so much faster than Theo and Polly? And how did the Artisans use the tunnels when they weren't finished? If they knew the precise location of where the tunnel was and how far they had gotten, I guess they could have dug a hole and entered the tunnel through it - but how did Polly know that? She wasn't ever in the tunnel and it doesn't make sense for the information to be send to others, so why would she be privy to it? And if she was, I think we should have gotten more info on it, so it felt more natural, because it confused me quite a bit.
END OF SPOILER.

But I think my biggest issue with this was the kind of story it was, and therefore the use of some plot points that I'm not the biggest fan of.
SPOILER INCOMING:
The whole lying and betraying and not coming clean and just asking for Patrick's help... It frustrated me so much. And of course, when she finally decides she needs to tell him everything, she is going to do it "later" and by then, it's (of course) too late. Of course Polly betrays her, and of course it happens right then. Of course, of course, of course. It's just very predictable and not my favorite way to tell a story, because it's so obvious (which is annoying) and so overly dramatic (which is unnecessary). This is my personal issue with that kind of plot progression, and it does not mean that it was necessarily done poorly - I just think it's very frustrating to read, and it makes me mad at our main character and the story, which obviously affects the overall reading experience.
END OF SPOILER.

Also, quick sidenote: why were there almost no important female characters? We have a total of three, and one of them is our MC. The rest are men. I understand the world she created and how the miners' stories are crucial, but I really do feel like she could have chosen to create more women with important voices.

Anyway... I think the story had a lot of potential, and I did like a lot of the elements throughout. The magic, the conflict, the characters and their struggles. I would have just liked to see... more. More plot, more things happening. More romancing, more honesty. More of all the good things that could have made the story great.

This was an okay read, I had a good time with it. I enjoyed the writing a lot. I would definitely read more from this author. But this didn’t hit like I wanted it to.

I was so excited when I got the approval come through for this E-book. I heard such good things about it so I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. And Stacey did not disappoint!! I loved this so much! It was giving major Peaky Blinders vibes but with magic! It had me hooked all the way through.

Slightly obsessed with the morally grey MMC Patrick….

‘Look somewhere else Nina, I’m only so strong’

I loved the dual POV with Patrick and Nina. The ending was so chaotic and that cliffhanger!! 😭

I am heavily invested in this and I cannot wait for the next book to see where this story goes next.

I have already preordered this book for my shelves!

Thank you @simonschusteruk @netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Forbidden Alchemy was such a refreshing and original read — Stacey McEwan has built a world that feels both industrial and magical, full of layered politics, found family, and a romantasy dynamic that absolutely delivers.

The alchemy system was one of the standout elements for me. It was so unique and well thought out, and I loved how it tied directly into the social structures and the characters’ personal journeys. The romance? Tender, charged, and completely absorbing — I was rooting for these two the whole way through.

That said, the early time jumps made it a little harder for me to fully connect at first. While I understand they were necessary to build the foundation, I found myself much more engaged once the main plot took hold and everything started falling into place. From that point on, I couldn’t stop turning the pages — the twists and emotional punches kept coming, and the ending left me reeling (in the best way).

An exciting and heartfelt start to what I’m sure will be a powerful series. Bring on book two!

Fabulous read - i dont usually like school based books but this was amazing, like hogarth meets class struggles and usually I can see twists coming a mile off but really didn't see this one, cannot wait for the next one

A forbidden alchemy by @staceymcewanbooks explores wealth discrepancy the differences between the 1% and the rest of us in such a unique yet soul-crushing way. There are artisans, the elite, and then there are craftsman, the workers. What defines their differences is magic.

I have never read a magic system like this before, it's completely unique. People have magic, but they must drink a liquid that can only be extracted from the earth by an Alchemist, an incredibly rare type of artisan.

Nina is a lowly craftsman. But on her 12th birthday, just like everyone else, she is given an elixir to discover if she is an artisan hiding in plain sight. When she overhears a conversation not meant for her, she is faced with a choice to BECOME an artisan. It's her lifelong dream.

Nina is discovered to be an earth charmer and makes a her way through magic cool the top of her class. She's on the path of highest success, everything she's ever dreamed of. Until the starving, neglected, abused craftsman organize and attack the artisan capital. Her entire life changes and she must choose a side.

A huge thank you to @sagapressbooks and @amara.books for this beautiful arc! It was such a good read and I am forever a fan of Stacey McEwan. I'll have her baby any day! 😉

4.25 ⭐️

TLDR review: slow start, but when it got going YES YES YES 👏🏻
Think Peaky Blinders criminal gangs 🔫 slow burn 🔥 enemies to lovers 🗡️ elemental magic 💧 he fell first 💙 revolution and resistance 💣

Set in a gritty, bleak, world where, at 12 years old, fate and drinking a vial of liquid sets you up for your future. Or does it?

Perfect for lovers of romantasy with an undertone of underground criminal gangs. You’re looking at an element based magic system, set in a broken mining community (think Thatcher mining strikes), with Peaky Blinders gang dynamics, in a world where division is enforced by those in a position of power in the big city.
Starts slow, but BOY does the pace pick up to a full on Olympic SPRINT by the end.

Story: 4.25/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ (rating chart at bottom for ref)
Pacing: 3.75/5
Plot twists: 4.5/5
Magic system: 3.75/5

From a close-knit miners town comes our main female character, Nina, who is determined to become an Artisan and wield power she was never expected to have. But a chance meeting, a discovered secret and four vials of liquid set Nina and fellow miner’s son, Patrick, down a path of resistance, revolution and betrayal. Asking them both: what would they do for the world and people they want to protect?

This was a book I couldn’t pull myself away from.
Now, you need to bare with it initially. The pacing in the first 25% of the book is a LOT of set up and time jumps to establish the FMC’s history. I wasn’t vibing with this, and it felt both rushed (through her history and life) but also ironically slow (as we don’t get much happening to hold our attention). But I can see why the set up was needed, it’s just where the star was lost for me as it was starting to lose me!

But then we really got into the swing of things! There was action, tension, plotting, shootouts. And that love triangle, well I thought that was going to be deadly at one point…
And the characters! I LOVE the Colson brothers, it think Stacey did an incredible job with them. Witty, flawed, stoic and, at their core, caring deeply for their family.
Patrick, our MMC, giving Labrador puppy in a Doberman coat. The world on his shoulders, yet desperately wanting to be that carefree boy who danced. I fell completely in love with him, and what he was trying to protect.
I found Nina a hard character, she wasn’t unlikeable at all, but I think her being caught in the crossfire made it difficult to be in her mind and also be sympathetic. But by the end, I ached with her and her choices.

Magic system was a bit lost amongst the other elements, and I feel like it was secondary to the main revolution plot. I guess it’s because we spent the majority of our time with the Crafters (non magic wielders) so it wasn’t explored as much. Maybe this will change in book two.

That ending. The last 25% of the book was relentless with twists and drama and revelations. The hits DID NOT STOP COMING and I loved if. That last quarter of the book was easily 5 ⭐️

Overall, I really enjoyed it. Loved the characters and cannot WAIT for the next book. That slow, unsteady start took a little away from my rating, but the middle and ending made up for that in droves. YES 👏🏻 PLEASE 👏🏻 MORE 👏🏻 OF 👏🏻 THAT 👏🏻


Thank you so much to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this ARC, all views and opinions are my own ✨

Spice rating:
- low to no spice, just kissing
🌶️ - Low spice foreplay, fade to black/closed door sex
🌶️🌶️ - One or two open door “soft” (not overly explicit) sex scenes and/or spicy foreplay
🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Multiple open door explicit/detailed sex scenes and detailed spicy foreplay
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Lots of open door sex scenes and spicy detailed foreplay
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️- more sex than plot

What an absolute treat of a book! It's hard to imagine a better romantasy being released this year.
Nina and Patrick meet as children as they await partaking in a yearly ceremony that should direct the path of their lives to come. What they discover that day sets off a chain of events that eventually sees them through to adulthood, where the story picks up apace. The world building is subtle yet deft and the characters are complex and wiley. I'm reticent to mention twists but there are many surprises til the cliffhanger end. I'll be needing the sequel immediately please, Stacey McEwan

Consider me buried alive🪦That’s how many plot twists got piled on top of me during the last few chapters!💀

“You will sink this tunnel. Bury us all.”

In a world divided by power, your destiny is determined by a single vial of Idium. Drink it, and your blood could awaken elemental magic, marking you as a prized Artisan. But if nothing happens? You remain unchanged, a lower class Crafter.

But what if Idium isn’t distributed equally?🧪

Our two main characters Patrick & Nina uncover this brutal corruption & find themselves on opposite sides of a class war, Artisans vs Crafters.

Patrick leads the Crafters revolution, imagine Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders 🙌🏼 Morally grey but fiercely loyal to his family & town. I was swooning during his chapter POV’s.

“He’s bad to those who’re bad. No idea if that makes him good, though.”

Nina who is a powerful Artisan finds herself constantly pulled between both sides of the war but the biggest pull is towards Patrick. Hello banter, tension & possession 🔥

“Trust me, darlin’, he’s always lookin’ at you, even when you think he’s not.”

This book is for you if you love
>Elemental Magic
>Political Intrigue/Class war
>Secret identities
>Multi POV
>Found family (Donny🙌🏼)
>Tension & slow burn
>Betrayal & Plot twists that leave you emotionally unwell 💁🏼‍♀️
>Australian Author ✍️

“We’re stuck between two guns now…That’s all there is to it.”

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I will be racing to buy a physical copy on release day!

This was incredible!! This book had me hooked from start to finish and exceeded my expectations.

A Forbidden Alchemy felt like a breath of fresh air in this genre. I absolutely loved the Peaky Blinder vibes and the world that was created here with the magic of alchemy.

The characters had depth and personality and I appreciate that we got to see them change from childhood to adulthood and how their circumstances have shaped their perspectives.
I loved both Nina and Patrick and the romance had me swooning with the tension and banter. Patrick might actually be one of my new favourite mmc’s. I also can’t forget about the amazing side characters and found family.

Now, the plot had me INVESTED. So many twists! Nearing the end of the book, I could literally feel my heart beating out of my chest waiting to know what will happen. I would do anything to be able to read book 2 because of that ending. This is definitely one I’ll be thinking about for a while.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this e-arc💕

This was such an intricate world created. The story kept me on the edge of my seat as I wanted to find out what happened as quickly as possible. The vibes were amazing, and Patrick is an incredible MMC - I loved the way in which him and Nina met. The tension of the back story (them meeting as children) is incredible and adds such high stakes to the romance aspect.
I'm genuinely really excited to find out how this story ends!
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 here.
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster UK for the ARC via NetGalley and for giving me the opportunity to share my honest thoughts on this book.

A Forbidden Alchemy is an adult romantasy with dystopian vibes that felt a bit like Divine Rivals in atmosphere. The premise really drew me in and the story ended up giving me exactly what I was hoping for. The whole book felt so vivid and immersive. I can picture everything so clearly, l almost feel like I’ve just watched it on film.

The writing style made it an easy read and the world building is kept simple. There was a real focus on the characters, the Colson family especially all felt so real and lifelike. Nina could be frustrating at times but it was easy to sympathise with her after learning more of her backstory. I enjoyed the romance although found myself wishing it had been a slower burn. Nina and Patrick had such great chemistry as adversaries but it was over too quickly. I sense we might be returning to that dynamic in book two though, which I’m very excited for.

The plot was a little predictable in places. I guessed the major reveal at the end from very early on although it didn’t impact my enjoyment, and the twist midway through blindsided me! I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book and if the second book in the duology is as strong as this one, I can see this being a new favourite series!

Stacey McEwan is a fantastic writer, I love how she builds unique worlds, and creates tension from the first page.

This book is a blend of magic, romance, and rebellion, following Nina and Patrick, two young people from mining towns who find themselves stuck in a sticky situation. If you love books with fabulous world-building, slow-burn romance elements, and high stakes drama, this is the book for you!

This was a lot more fun than I expected! I loved the tension and character development throughout and the system of magic in this world. At times I felt like the romance was written around tropes rather than the other way around, but overall it was an exciting first instalment.

Oh, A Forbidden Alchemy is an absolute triumph. The yearning, the atmosphere, the sheer depth of emotion—it pulls you in like a spell woven too tightly to escape. But the plot? That’s where it becomes something truly extraordinary. So intricately crafted, layered with twists that hit hard and fast, keeping you on edge, refusing to let you settle. Every revelation reshapes the story, makes you rethink everything you thought you knew, and somehow, it never loses momentum.

The concept itself feels fresh, sharp, and utterly compelling—class warfare intricately intertwined with alchemical intrigue, turning power dynamics into something even more volatile, dangerous, and deeply fascinating. And the execution? Flawless. The world-building drips with detail, making it feel tactile, rich, and unforgiving.

But the characters, oh, the characters! Morally grey in the most delicious way, each one navigating their own convictions, ambitions, and betrayals with motivations so deeply personal, so achingly real, that it’s impossible not to get invested. You root for them even when you shouldn’t, even when their choices teeter dangerously close to ruin. It’s that perfect balance of complexity—so much depth, so much conflict, and yet, every decision feels earned.

It’s rare to find a book that grips both the mind and the heart so thoroughly, but A Forbidden Alchemy does just that. And then some.

I flew through this! It was a fantastic read.

I was hooked from the beginning when we meet Nina and Patrick, both from similar poor mining backgrounds who want very different things in life. Patrick wants to be a miner like the rest of his family and Nina just wants out and feels she is destined for bigger and better things, despite the odds being stacked against her. They meet as kids when they uncover a great secret in their country by accident. They reunite as adults and the sparks fly.

I love the tension, the secrets, the betrayal, the romance, the banter. This book has it all. The pacing is fantastic and keeps you hooked throughout. I finished it in a day because I didn't want to put it down.

The only thing that bothered me was some of the tropes that come with the romantasy. Constant declarations of trust and love towards the end but still keeping vital secrets I find annoying and frustrating. Other than that, an excellent read.

4.5 stars rounded up

This was amazing, I was GRIPPED! Secrets? Betrayal? Gangsters? Unique magic? YES! It is honestly one of my favourite reads of the year! Thank you Simon & Schuster for this eARC! This has total Peaky Blinders vibes but with magic..and mining! It’s so good! It’s also the first book that I’ve said to my husband that he HAS to read when it comes out!

I loved both Nina and Patrick, I think he’s the best male character I’ve read in a long time, I’m a big fan of dual POV and it was perfect. The banter in this…tension in this…I was seriously falling in love along with them! Also, as someone who first met their future husband at 12 years old I’m a total sucker for couples meeting as kids and then again as adults 💕 Seriously I just loved Patrick and his chapters!

Not going to lie I was so stressed towards the end and tried to finish it before bed but I get up at 5 so I had to leave the last 6% for the morning and that’s quite an adrenaline rush before work haaaa! The twists & turns and TENSION!! This book was brilliant and I CANNOT wait for book 2! Like I need it already, that ending!!!!

DNF. I was really hoping to enjoy this but I couldn't get past the fact that Patricks chapters are written in third person and Ninas are written is 1st. Maybe this is all from Ninas perspective?

insta-love. Noooooo.

Also... presuming these are these twelve year olds, I'm really put off with the swearing. Different times, sure. But off-putting for me.

This romantasy was so fresh and different from any others I've read and I ATE IT UP!
The first part of the book is full of character and world building but it's done in such a beautiful way without feeling like an info dumping snore fest. I love getting to know our main characters through their childhood and adolescence, this helps us understand how they think and where they come from, in a way that the other characters don't quite understand. The found family and relationships here were so well developed and will pull on your heart strings. The magic system is unique and beautifully done and I can feel that there is so much more to be uncovered through the series.
Belevere Trench is a continent with magic wielders, known as Artisans and regular folk. known as Craftsmen. Your fate is determined at 12 years old when every child travels to Belevere city to drink a vial of Idium, and determine if they have been blessed with magic or not, but all is not as it seems. Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are both from poor mining towns and they meet when they go into the city for the Siphoning Ceremony and stumble upon big secrets that ultimately change not only their future, but the future of the entire continent. They both choose a different path but fate has other plans and brings them back together years in the future amidst a revolutionary war that they might have sparked the beginnings of at the young age of 12.
The way Patrick and Nina's fates are woven together is perfectly done. Nina has so much trauma and fear propelling her forward throughout the book and I love seeing her grow and change through her experiences and relationships. Patrick on the outside appears to be a rough and tumble rebellion leader but underneath we get to see how deep and genuine he really is as he strives to make a huge change in their world and uncover the corruption that's rampant in Belevere City.
The plotting is done so well and I love that I didnt have a clear view of where the story was going.
The slow burn and tension was amazing, AND the emotional damage along the way was incredible and painful in the best way. That ending broke me, I cannot wait for the next book!!

I loved A Forbidden Alchemy! This book is a perfect mix of magic, romance, and rebellion, set in a beautifully crafted world.

The story follows Nina and Patrick, two young people from mining towns who find themselves caught in the dangerous, high-society world of Belavere City. As they uncover secrets about their world, their relationship is tested, creating a slow-burn romance filled with tension and emotion.

Stacey did an amazing job blending fantasy with real-world themes like power and privilege. The Victorian-inspired setting, mixed with magic and intrigue, reminded me of Peaky Blinders meets the Grishaverse.

If you love books with rich world-building, slow-burn romance, and high stakes, A Forbidden Alchemy is a must-read!

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