For the disclaimer: I did not like the first book. But after seeing the traditionally published version of Fear the Flames manage to slightly improve on its indie release, I had a sliver of hope. Maybe the series was finally getting its act together. Maybe it was finding its voice. Maybe the author had a plan.

Lol. No.

Wrath of the Dragons crashes and burns so hard it leaves a crater.

This book is over 500 pages, which I didn’t even realize until I finished because my ARC had no page numbers—fitting, considering this thing has the pacing of a soap opera set in a bakery. The entire first half is basically a fantasy-themed episode of The Great British Bake Off with less tension. No war. No politics. Just vibes, pastries, awkward flirting, and dialogue that feels like it was written during a group project where no one agreed on the plot.

And speaking of pastries: Elowen, the queen of two kingdoms, spends an absurd amount of time in the kitchen. And how did she learn to bake, you ask? Through the ancient, time-honored tradition of... watching other people do it. That's it. No training montage. No burnt croissants. Just full pastry prodigy status unlocked via osmosis.

Meanwhile, the realm is supposedly careening toward war, but you’d never know it. The characters spend their time baking, shopping, and exchanging vibes like they’re in a cozy cottagecore AU, not prepping for a kingdom-defining conflict.

Also, for reasons unknown, we are told the birthday of every single character. Side characters, background characters, possibly the stable boy. If they have a pulse, their birthday is announced like it’s a national holiday. This isn’t The Sims. I don’t need a calendar alert for everyone’s big day when literally nothing else is happening.

Cayden spends his chapters in full "I must protect her" mode, alternating between infantilizing Elowen and dramatically monologuing about how much he worships the ground she walks on. And I still don’t understand why. The romantic tension from book one drags on like a bad CW subplot. They finally say “I love you” after the wedding, at 60%, like it’s some huge, shocking development. At that point, I just blinked slowly and whispered “sure.”

Cayden’s backstory? Classic “brooding bastard with daddy issues,” copy-pasted straight from the Fantasy Male Lead Starter Pack™. Elowen’s “trauma reveal” comes out of nowhere—we’re suddenly told she has this harrowing past with her uncle, despite zero setup or foreshadowing. It’s dumped on us like a last-minute edit to give her depth, except it has no emotional grounding.

The actual plot is... missing. Aestilian—a whole kingdom—is casually mentioned around the 40% mark, something major happens to it, and then it’s never brought up again. Just vibes. Same with “godly land,” which we arrive at with fanfare and then promptly forget exists. The worldbuilding is like a Pinterest mood board without any glue holding it together.

Magic? Oh, there’s magic. The “make it up as you go” kind. Elowen develops powers on the fly: she can see through dragons, manipulate fire sometimes, and soul-heal when the mood strikes. No training. No rules. Just vibes and convenient timing. Cayden gets shadow powers after Elowen “dies” (spoiler: she’s fine, obviously), and of course, he’s instantly amazing at them.

Every “plot twist” is broadcast from miles away. Every emotional beat is either forced, rushed, or flops entirely. There is no tension. No stakes. No payoff.

And the dragons. Oh my god, the dragons.

You’d think a book called Wrath of the Dragons would, I don’t know, actually have dragons doing something. Instead, Elowen is the only person in the entire realm allowed to ride them—despite leading a kingdom at war. No trusted allies. No generals. No co-ruler. Just her, soloing a full squad of apex predators like she’s hoarding a Costco-sized pack of mythical beasts.

Everyone just watches as she plays air traffic controller. And when people dare question this insane system, Elowen insists, over and over, “I don’t command them—they just listen to me.”

Except… she totally commands them. Every other page, she’s “commanding” them to do this, to do that, and they obey without question. Not once does a dragon say “nah, I’m good.” So either she’s lying, or the book forgot what it was doing. Add in the random “ancient dragon command language” that gets introduced (clearly trying to channel Dracarys energy) and then never used again meaningfully, and you’ve got a whole mess of Game of Thrones cosplay without the dragons that mattered.

These dragons aren’t characters. They’re glorified Uber rides. They fly Elowen around, occasionally snarl on cue, and dream sad dragon dreams off-screen. That’s it. We still don’t know why she has five. We don’t know how the bond works. We don’t know why no one else gets to touch them. They're just… there. Like dragon-shaped emotional support animals.

And let’s talk writing.

The prose wants desperately to be poetic and lyrical, but it ends up bloated and overwrought. There’s so much telling, so little showing. Inner monologues repeat themselves like the book thinks we forgot what was said three lines ago. It explains things we just watched happen. And the info-dumps? Relentless.

Oh, and the gray hair moment? Iconic in the worst way. A character is described as having white hair, yet somehow Elowen notices gray hairs mixed in. Newsflash: if someone has naturally white hair, you can’t distinguish between which strands are gray. That’s not how hair pigment works. It’s not like you’ve got Crayola streaks you can pick apart. This isn’t just a weird line—it reveals how little attention is paid to even basic descriptive logic.

The book’s only little, tiny saving grace is Cayden.

As much of a cardboard-cutout fantasy boyfriend as he is—reading glasses, tattoos, pierced ear, “my wife” obsession, brooding stares, shadow powers—the man somehow carried this trainwreck on his back. He’s a walking trope, sure, but at least he entertained me. He had presence. He made me feel something, even if that something was 80% secondhand embarrassment. Compared to Elowen’s emotionally flat royal pout-fest, Cayden felt like the only character with a pulse.

I gave this book half a star more than the first, and that’s 100% a pity star for Cayden. He’s ridiculous. He’s dramatic. He’s over-the-top. But at least he was a consistent hot mess in a book full of inconsistent ones.

Wrath of the Dragons is like Fourth Wing meets Game of Thrones meets Throne of Glass—but only the chaotic, overdramatic fanfic versions stripped of everything that made those series work.

I tried to give it a chance. I really did. But I was bored out of my mind through 88% of it, and by the time something finally happened, I just didn’t care anymore.

1.5⭐️
1🌶️ (but make it cringe)

For the disclaimer, I did not like the first book. But after seeing the traditionally published version of Fear the Flames improve on the indie release, I had hope. Maybe the series would finally be finding its footing. Unfortunately, Wrath of the Dragons crashes and burns.

This book is over 500 pages, which I didn’t realize until the end because my ARC didn’t have page numbers. Yet somehow, the entire first half is just… nothing. No major plot progression. No war. No politics. Just baking, shopping, and aimless, meandering conversations. Characters spend a shocking amount of time doing absolutely nothing of importance while supposedly preparing for a kingdom-defining conflict.

This book takes way too much time telling us when it’s a certain character’s birthday—side characters, main characters, everyone’s birthday is noted like it’s supposed to mean something, but it just drags the pacing to a crawl

Elowen is constantly in the kitchen despite being the queen of two kingdoms. And how did she learn to bake, you ask? By watching others do it. No training, no trial-and-error, just instant pâtissière status. I wish I were kidding. Sorry, but no—pastry-making is not osmosis.

Meanwhile, a war is brewing, but you wouldn’t know it from the way our protagonists avoid doing literally anything productive. Elowen is either moping, reading, or baking. Cayden spends his chapters simultaneously infantilizing her and worshiping the ground she walks on, and I still have no clue why he holds her in such high regard.

The romantic tension from book one—centered around their arranged marriage and lack of trust—continues to drag on and on. By the time they finally say “I love you” (at 60%, after the wedding), it’s framed like some massive revelation. But by that point, I was just rolling my eyes. Of course they love each other—but also, why?

Cayden’s backstory? Classic “brooding bastard with daddy issues” template, sleepily executed. Elowen, on the other hand, is suddenly revealed to have experienced a ton of trauma from her uncle, but all of the specific abuse is newly inserted and comes out of nowhere. It felt like a last-minute attempt to add depth by telling us about past suffering we were never shown.

And then there’s the plot—or lack thereof. The political stakes are muddy. Aestilian is briefly mentioned, something major happens to it, and then… silence. No follow-up. No exploration. Just dropped. The rest of the worldbuilding is equally shallow. We’re suddenly on “godly land,” which is never clearly explained. There’s also a half-baked magic system that throws in new powers for the protagonists with zero rules or development. Elowen can now see through dragons, manipulate fire when it’s convenient, and even soul-heal sometimes? Okay.

Cayden, of course, gets shadow magic after Elowen’s dramatic “death” scene (spoiler: she’ll be back later… shock), and within minutes he’s a pro at it. Because of course he is. Every beat of this book is predictable. Every plot twist is expected. There’s no real tension, no real cost, no real emotional payoff.

And the dragons? For a book titled Wrath of the Dragons, you’d expect them to be central, right? Think again. Elowen has five dragons—and yet somehow, she is the only person who rides them. Not her trusted crew. Not her inner circle. Not her co-ruler or generals. Just her. In a story where war is looming and people are literally dying, the strategic choice is... one girl solo-piloting an entire squad of dragons like she’s hoarding Uber accounts.

It makes no sense. You’d think if your kingdom was under threat, maybe—just maybe—let someone else hop on a fire-breathing monster and help out? But no, everyone just stands back and watches while Elowen “commands” them all like some Dragon Queen cosplay.

Elowen keeps insisting to others that she doesn’t actually command the dragons—they just listen to her willingly. But what we see in the book tells a completely different story. There are constant mentions of her commanding them to do this or that, and not once do we see a dragon disobey her. It’s a strange contradiction that feels like the author wasn’t sure how to portray their bond clearly. So despite Elowen’s protests, she definitely commands them—and the dragons always obey without question.

Speaking of which—yes, the Game of Thrones parallels are painfully obvious. The author introduces a random fantasy language just for commanding dragons, clearly trying to create a “Dracarys” moment... except the dragons already understand her perfectly well in plain Common. She never actually uses the language meaningfully. It’s just there for aesthetics, a flair of Daenerys wannabe energy that completely misses the point. Unlike Daenerys, who had dragons with agency, personalities, and tactical value, these ones are just winged set pieces. They fetch snacks, they fly her places, they mope around with nightmares. That’s it.

And we still don’t know why she has five or what makes her special enough to bond with them—none of it is explained. They're not really characters. They’re glorified accessories.

The writing style made this worse. It’s overwritten and tries far too hard to be poetic. Everything is told, not shown. There are endless inner monologues, repetitive phrases, and way too many scenes that explain things as if we didn’t just see them happen. It’s like the author wanted to write high fantasy with lyrical prose, but forgot to edit for flow, clarity, or pacing. The info-dumping is relentless, and so much of the dialogue is straight up filler.

There’s a character described as having naturally white hair, but Elowen notices gray hairs mixed in with the white—something that makes absolutely no sense. When someone has white hair, it’s impossible to tell which hairs are gray and which are white because gray hair isn’t literally “gray” in color; it’s more of a blend or transition caused by pigment loss. The author seems to think gray hair means distinctly gray strands you can pick out, even on someone with white hair, which is just plain inaccurate and shows a lack of understanding of basic hair color. It’s a small detail, but it really highlights how careless and uninformed some of the writing is.

This book is bloated, repetitive, and packed with every fantasy cliché imaginable. Instead of growing the world or deepening its characters, it throws in random powers, shallow political intrigue, and tired romance drama. There are far better books out there doing what this tries to do—books with emotional weight, grounded relationships, actual worldbuilding, and yes, dragons that matter.

The book’s only little, tiny saving grace is Cayden. As much of a cardboard-cutout fantasy boyfriend as he is—complete with every cliché imaginable: reading glasses, swirling tattoos, pierced ear, brooding inner monologues, “my wife” obsession, and now of course, shadow powers—he still carried the book for me. Yes, he’s a literal walking stereotype, but at least he made me feel something, even if it was just eye-roll affection. I’ll take that over Elowen’s emotionally flat royal pout-fest any day. The author clearly threw every trope into the blender with him, and while the result wasn’t original, it was at least entertaining in that guilty-pleasure sort of way. Cayden is the one thing that kept me from DNF-ing. He’s overdone, dramatic, and frustratingly overprotective—but compared to the chaotic, info-dumpy mess around him, he felt like some kind of anchor.

Despite a few decent Cayden moments (he’s hot, okay), Wrath of the Dragons is a mess. It's Fourth Wing meets Throne of Glass meets Game of Thrones—but only the fanfic versions, stripped of substance and weighed down by filler.

I wanted to give it a chance. I really tried. But I was bored through 88% of it, and by the time things finally happened, I just didn’t care anymore.

If you loved Cayden and Elowen in Fear the Flames, you will absolutely adore Wrath of the Dragons. It started out slowly, but ended with a bang of a cliffhanger, sending the series in a completely unexpected direction that I'm super excited for. The romance is front and centre in this series and it is such a beautiful, burning love. I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I absolutely loved the first book in this series and I was hoping for a fun romantasy read and this really didn't disappoint. A solid 4.5-5 stars I'd say!

The action, the yearning, the tension. Olivia Rose Darling has nailed it with this one. Really looking forward to seeing how this goes in book 3 now!

Wrath of the Dragons is the sequel to Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling. I had very high hopes for this book, and while not everything I wanted it to be, it was still really enjoyable. There were parts of this book that were a little slow for me, but I know I would definitely recommend it.The world building and character development was my favorite part of this book. We are introduced to a few new characters in this book snd That made it more interesting. . I’m hoping we get more of them in book 3. I was also a little disappointed that we didn’t get more of the dragons. I can’t wait for the next one.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC

3.5 stars

"Tomorrow I'll befome the worst version of myself to fight for our future. But tonight, all I am is hers."

I really loved Fear the Flames, so I was very excited to get an arc for Wrath of the Dragons! This book definitely made space to explore more of Elowen and Cayden's world, and hinted at the confrontations to come in future books.

The characters are absolutely the highlight of this series, and I loved how the sequel brought new characters into the mix, while continuing to build on the existing relationships. I did have some issues with just how many new elements were being introduced to the story - there were a few places where there was an overwhelm of information, and I began to feel as though certain tropes or plot points were being put into places where they didn't necessarily fit. I'm hoping this was a bit of second book syndrome, and that this will help to set up everything that will happen next.

However, I was hoping for a fun romantasy read, and this delivered!

Books with similar vibes - When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A Parker, Crystal Crowned by Elise Kova, The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon, and Bride by Ali Hazelwood.

Spoiler Free ARC Review

I think Cayden has ruined yearning for all other MMC’s. Because this man YEARNS for his woman.

This book was incredible. Getting to see the relationship between El and her dragons blossom was so sweet. Seeing her come into herself and define who she is was everything.

Cayden is just gorgeous. His devotion to El throughout this book was heartwarming and lovely to read. The found family, the politics of the world, and the magic were covered so well and I was laughing and crying along with the characters.

That ending was diabolical though. 5/5 stars and I’m so excited for the next book!

Thank you to the published and NetGalley for the eARC!

It’s difficult to put into words how much I loved this book. Olivia, you have written the most beautiful and devastating love story I have ever read. I’ll also be sending you my therapy bill because what was that ending?!?

I’ve been so excited for this sequel since I read Fear the Flames, and it did not disappoint. Having Caydens POV in this was an incredible choice and it made this so heartbreakingly beautiful. THE YEARNING!!! We love a man that yearns and this is the blueprint. Thinking about Elowens and Caydens love for each other makes me tear up, I cried my way through the last 10% of this book 😭

The writing is exceptionally beautiful, I love the poetic quotes and flowery descriptions of everything. I think this is one of the best writing I have ever seen in fantasy.

This book will stay with me for the rest of my life.


“Pain shapes us like a blacksmith honing a blade that we point at anyone who threatens to take what little joy we find in this corrupt world”

“I look for her in everything, everywhere. I see her eyes in the mundane details of my day that make me crave the moment I’ll be with her again.”

“Trying to cut him out of me would be like trying to rip my soul in half”

“All I ask is that when your mind starts to wage war on you, you give me a place on the front lines.”

“When I’m taken from this world, I will happily walk into hell knowing I’ve experienced divinity in your presence and tasted salvation from your lips.”

“I love the very bones of you.”

“For you, my love, I will break the world.”

—4.75 stars—

Following Elowen and Cayden back into their world of alliances, dragons, and revenge, Wrath Of The Dragons felt like if Olivia Rose Darling took every single thing i loved about Fear The Flames and somehow made it ten times better—which is an impressive feat by itself, but even more so considering how much i enjoyed the first book in this series. Honestly, i don’t think i have enough words to describe how much i loved this masterpiece of a book, or how many emotions i experienced reading it.

First and foremost, i can’t write this review without mentioning how much i loved getting more details on the worldbuilding, magic, and the gods. It was the only thing i felt was missing from book one, and the depth and clarity given here was so amazing to read. Olivia Rose Darling’s writing has always been good, but it almost feels like it reached another level here, with the world and the characters both.

I also can’t forget what truly makes this book shine—its characters, especially the collection of friendships at the core of it all. Found family is portrayed perfectly here, with banter and teasing aplenty, but also so much care and genuine love between them (albeit begrudgingly from Cayden). Though i love Elowen and Cayden the most, Ryder, Finnian, and Saskia each have their own places in my heart (and so do all of Elowen’s dragons.

Elowen, once prisoner and now queen, is the epitome of someone who has had to build sharp walls to protect their heart. She may be fierce and vengeful, but it all comes from her desperate love for her dragons and dreams of taking her rightful throne. I love her dearly, especially in her most lighthearted, mischievous moments, and in her most rage-fuelled ones.

Cayden, her love and king, was everything in this book. Having his POV (and therefore full access to his yearning and obsession over Elowen) was the best addition i could have dreamed of. His morally grey, sarcastic personality is so deliciously at odds with how soft he is for his angel, and i truly think he’s raised my standards to the highest level.

Elowen and Cayden’s relationship was simply everything to me. I’ve always loved them, but their i-would-burn-the-world-for-you dynamic reached new heights here. I would say i was just as obsessed with them as they are with each other but i genuinely don’t think that’s possible. Their sweet moments were stolen in the midst of battle strategising and various planning, which in my opinion made it all the more special. I’m someone who loves a healthy dose of fluffy domestic parts to my fantasy books—because the stakes are even higher when we know what there is to lose.

All the action and tension reached their peak as the book draws to a close, and the ending brought out such a reaction in me i was frantically checking for more pages! Needless to say, i will be eagerly awaiting book three (and possibly still crying).

Oh ok Olivia Rose Darling, I see you 👀
This story was a vast improvement on ‘Fear the Flames’, the world building greatly expanded, the characters matured and the relationships more vulnerable, and the plot was far more engaging. There were so many instances where I whole-heartedly laughed at the incredibly witty banter, be it between the bickering betrothed, or a joke at a friend’s expense. These genuinely wholesome moments were easily some of my absolute favourite and kept me throughly engaged. Second to this was the dragons and their family dynamic, as well as the intense bond they share with Elowyn. There are some truly heartwarming moments detailed in this particular novel that are not seemingly so common within many ‘dragon’ stories, and for this I was particularly thankful.
A particularly pivotal moment in the novel, where the narrative changes dramatically, would be the fmc and mmc wedding. Up until the wedding, Cayden spends much of his time riddled by guilt and yearning for a love currently out of reach to grief. The communication between them is that of bickering or competitiveness, often leading to witty moments of banter or funny stalemates. Only upon accepting the notion that she does in fact deserve a future do the walls finally come down and Cayden and Elowyn share some truly beautifully raw moments together. And the wedding itself is truly beautiful, the level of detail and the emotion behind the vows was stunning.
Whilst I do enjoy the intensity of their relationship, I do often find myself questioning whether Cayden and Elowyn are actually good people or not? They could so easily be perceived as the villains in the story. And whilst I understand the need for vengeance, it is however, all consuming. There were many references to Elowyn being observed as a ‘kind’ ruler, but at no point does she display any kindness towards her people in this particular instalment. The vast majority of her interactions outside of the main ‘click’ are often laced with threats and/or acts of violence. Both Cayden and Elowyn appear to only wish to be rulers that are feared. Maybe this is the point? But I wish we had seen one or two moments where the king and queen showed some vulnerability with their people, instead of the entire onus being ‘demonic’. Because of this I think I struggled to build empathy with their characters, particularly with Elowyn. It should have simple with her tragic back story, but I just struggled to bond with her in the way I had hoped to with an fmc.
As a critique, I did also find there were some issues with pacing throughout. There were descriptions in places that didn’t feel like it needed the level of detail provided, and yet lacked in areas where I personally would have liked to have seen infinitely more. There was an odd amount of attentiveness given to fashion at so many stages of the narrative, to a point it jars the pacing to near standstill. I enjoy a good descriptive prose, but these felt more like ‘information dumps’ than flowing lucidly with the story.
In almost complete contrast to this, the battles then faced during the war segment proceeding the wedding, were over and done with within a chapter, sometimes less than. I ached to have so much more detail in these sections as they held so much promise, yet lacked the tension and the epic-ness that could have come with such a fantastical battle sequence.
That being said, the final battle was mind-blowing! At no point was I correct in my estimation of the twist. Darling perfectly encapsulated what it would feel like to die, and the heartbreak and desperation of those who get left behind. My heart utterly and completely shattered along with Caydens’ in that final scene. I will forever be haunted by that cliffhanger, and am fully captivated by the potential of what is to come.
Congrats on the release Olivia Rose Darling, cannot wait to see how the story progresses and matures! Andy a special shoutout to Zaffre books for granting me the opportunity to read this as an arc 🫶🏻 really appreciate it!

4.5 stars!
Was a solid 4 star read most of the way through (a tad too many lovey dovey scenes for my personal taste). But then that ENDING just blew it out of the water! I love when a plot twist is truly unexpected and that is definitely the case here. Really curious to read book 3 and see where this leads now and how this will be resolved.

I absolutely adored Fear the Flames and have been impatiently waiting for the sequel since it was announced, so I was unbelievably excited to get access to this as an eARC. I should warn you that it starts off quite slow. The first half of this book sees us get a lot of the politics and world building that were perhaps less well-developed in FTF. FTF was very focused on Elowen and her battle to get back to her dragons, where WOTD expands the world and introduces us to the wider consequences of her bond. While I think the need to explain this did lead to some pacing issues, I appreciated it as it truly allowed me to situate myself within the world I was reading about. We got new kingdoms and new characters, and I’m excited to see how these individuals fit with our core group of five from book one.

WOTD also sees a change in the relationship between Elowen and Cayden. It’s still incredibly intense and there’s a lot to unpick emotionally. I did struggle initially seeing the difficulties they were facing as that wasn’t necessarily my takeaway from the first book, but I think we saw a real development of their relationship. In particular, I loved getting Cayden’s perspective in this book. Cayden’s devotion really shines through in his chapters and it really demonstrated the growth of their relationship by showing it from both sides. This relationship really does take centre-stage in this book so we saw less of the friendships, but I do have some ideas for how the group might branch out in future books that I’m intrigued about.

We saw a lot more of the dragons in this book and actually quite a bit of the early information sharing was to do with the dragons. This did feel a little bit info-dumpy but it was useful to help get a sense of their different personalities and how they fit together in their bond with Elowen. Nonetheless, I really would have liked to see more of the dragons and Elowen’s relationship with them. We heard a lot about how strong that bond was but I think more could have been done to really show this.

The second half of the book picked up a lot in the pacing, and this is where it really invested me. There was action, there was tension and I found myself unable to put the book down as we reached the climactic ending. And wow that ending. Under no circumstances did I see that coming at all. Book three could be going in an interesting and very unexpected direction so I’m intrigued to see what’s next for these characters.

Thank you to Zaffre and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐2🌶️

I have mixed feelings on this book. One of my ongoing struggles with this series is the pacing. Some scenes are well done, while others drag on.
Based on the title of the book, I was expecting a bit more development and moments between Elowen and her dragons. We’re told there’s a deep bond between them, but I wanted to feel that connection more on the page.

Caden carry the hole book. His devotion and love for elowen was everything. I like the side characters too. It comes with action, drama and a whole lot of banter! It also includes spice, dragons, war, magic and power. It has love and political turmoil. But I was expecting more from this book

Thank you netgalley for the arc

I was completely in love with Fear the Flames so of course I was eagerly awaiting the second book in the series. Unfortunately the joy of being able the read it as an ARC dwindled during the first half of the book when there was so much missing from what I enjoyed in the first one. Elowen and Cayden having to emotionally find back to each other was kind of understandable but oh so boringly long and therefore I missed so much of their banter. I expected to really love the dual POV but didn’t love Cayden’s side too much. I absolutely love me a MMC that is so in love he can’t basically do anything else than think about his partner but somehow enjoyed it way more seeing it just from Elowen‘s perspective. And I think because we only had her view in the first book we automatically had more banter because we needed more showing of Cayden’s love and that was just better than hearing it in his head. While I enjoy good politics there was way too much going on in this story. Maybe it will be easier to grasp when having a physical book than reading it as an e-book because you can go back to look at the map but so I was overwhelmed by all the kingdoms, towns and royals that were referred to as if we were deeply familiar with them. Also didn’t like to constant blood hunger which made it hard for me to see why Elowen should be so much better than her father. Yes, she spared some civilians but also she sent soldiers into a war just to take revenge. Since Cayden was established as the demon it would have been enough to have him being more on the brutal side. I understand that the author probably wanted to set them on equal footing but it was too much in my opinion. What I really loved was the found family, so much more of the dragons and the two new additions to the group and their specific abilities.

“I will no longer be at the mercy of men, but they will beg for mine.”

Happy release day to Wrath of the Dragons! This is the second book in Olivia Rose Darling’s Fear the Flames series. The story picks up right where book 1 left off, as Cayden and Elowen try to navigate their new reality, whilst preparing for the looming war.

They’re both working through their traumas and trying to repair trust, whilst also trying to present a united front to build political alliances.

Without spoilers, you can expect:

🖤Cayden’s POV - absolutely *chef’s kiss* and added so much emotional depth to the story. He’s firmly cemented his position as a top tier book boyfriend.

More of the dragons - the dragons get much more page time in this book and I absolutely adored seeing all their different personalities and learning more about their bond with Elowen.

🔮 Expanded worldbuilding - I loved getting to see more of their world, but the magic system and lore did feel a little bit confusing at times.

⚔️Epic battles - the stakes are HIGH. There are also some serious Daenerys Targaryen vibes (yes please) with a side of ‘dismantling the patriarchy’ - perfect!

🤯 Incredible twists - an absolute jaw dropper of an ending that I genuinely did not see coming.
With the plot blown wide open and the stakes higher than ever, I cannot wait to see where this story goes next! Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

"Wrath of the Dragons" Delivers an Emotional Rollercoaster and Epic Fantasy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of "Wrath of the Dragons" by Olivia Rose Darling!
This highly anticipated second book truly outdoes itself, picking up the thrilling story of Princess Elowen and Commander Cayden.

Fans of the first book will be ecstatic to see the continued development of what makes this series so special. The found family dynamic is incredibly heartwarming, providing a strong emotional core. And of course, the dragons are magnificent, adding a powerful layer of magic to the gripping tale. The romance between our angel and demon is still an absolute chef's kiss, full of undeniable chemistry and complex development.

Darling excels at crafting twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, constantly guessing what's next. It's incredibly satisfying to watch all the narrative pieces begin to fit together, showcasing the author's meticulous planning.

Be warned though: the last 10% of this book is an emotional rollercoaster. I'm not typically one to tear up while reading, but this section genuinely made my eyes well up. It's a testament to Darling's ability to evoke powerful emotions, leaving you in a whirlwind of introspection. While I'm still processing some of those feelings, I can wholeheartedly say I highly recommend "Wrath of the Dragons" to everybody.

This book is a must-read for anyone who loves epic fantasy, strong character bonds, captivating romance, and a story that isn't afraid to pull at your heartstrings. Prepare to be swept away!

Liv Darling, I am coming to you with my therapy bill..

This book, I have been waiting for it for over a year having read Fear the Flames when it was indie published and oh my, this did not disappoint in the slightest.. I was absolutely hooked.
Cayden, my demon king, you have my whole heart always. Watching this man yearn, urgh, absolute perfection.
Elowen, forever the badass queen, a true force to be reckoned with, with so many wonderful quick witted lines.
Our Dragons, my absolute babies, they're just like a little pack of Golden Retrievers with Elowen and I am OBSESSED with them.

This book being dual POV was spectacular, I was dying for Caydens POV so Liv did not disappoint in the slightest.
The cliff hanger, you're all going to need some tissues that's all I am going to say!

Thank you Netgalley and Liv for the early copy of this book. I can't wait for everyone to read it!

This booked was packed full of amazing tropes such as found family, touch her and you die, where is my wife moments
Cayden Veles is a master of yearning and being the world’s biggest simp - this book was so romantic, the writing about love and emotions was gorgeous. I fell straight back in love with this man - “any piece of furniture is an altar with her on it” - damnnnn
Elowen really grows in this book. She is still reeling from the betrayals in book 1, but with her dragons and her found family, she finds her way back to herself.
The world grows massively in this book and we explore new kingdoms, meet lots of new characters and there is a lot more magic and dragons!
That ending absolutely left me reeling and now I am desperate to find out what is going to happen to our Demon King and Dragon-riding Queen 💖

I really enjoyed this sequel to Fear the Flames! Cayden absolutely won me over in book one but I was feral for him in book two! I love his dedication and devotion to Elowen and his super morally grey tendencies!

Elowen is determined and strong yet obviously shaped by her past as she’s also gentle too. I loved the dual pov so we could see both his devotion to her and her reluctance to trust whilst constantly yearning!

I really enjoyed the deeper dive into the dragon lore in this book, I also felt like we got to see more of their personalities and bond with Elowen. I definitely have a soft spot for Sorin.

The found family in this book is one of the best I’ve read, I adore the relationship they all have, like their own inner circle!

The ending was fabulous, I will 100% be continuing the series as I can't wait to see what happens next!

As with some series, the second book is better than the first and that was my hope with Wrath of the Dragons - unfortunately this did not transpire for me. Lots of the fantasy elements added felt forced to me, like the author was trying to see how many she could add into the book. I guess, why not? Go big or go home?
Again, where are the dragons and their supposed wrath? I feel like they appear very little for a book with ‘dragon’ in the title.
I liked that this book has dual POV and got Cayden’s thoughts direct and he’s a great MMC but I couldn’t really connect with the FMC.
I can see where the author is trying to go with her story and I think her ideas are great, and lots of people will love it. Personally, this one just isnt for me. The ending was verrrry interesting though.