A great start to a series, this is perfect for romantasy lovers who need a bit of spice! (and dragons!)

With rich but not overwhelming world building, interesting characters and a great plot, I’m intrigued to see where the series goes and will be keeping a look out for the next book.
This was the first Kit Rocha book I’ve read but I’ll definitely be picking up more!

This was an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I need to stop trying to read romantasy books, even from authors I’ve liked a lot previously who have written in other genres. I’ve come to realize I want battles and actual fighting. At best, we get sparring here and that’s…it? There IS a life and death element to the story but it never feels particularly pressing because the romance takes over. It wouldn’t be too bad, but the romance is the slowest of burns. I normally adore slow burn romances, even where the couples don’t get together in the first book, but there needs to be tension or some external plot to keep me occupied in the meantime, and I just wasn’t getting that at all.

The pacing felt weird from the romance side of things to me and the external plot takes a backseat. The ending implies something big is on the horizon but I don’t really get a sense of the threat. I understand the WHO but not why I should care. I think I was too taken aback at the random POV thrown in at the last minute, and I was still distracted trying to remember who this person even was. And the thing is, I just don’t know if I’ll care enough to come back to the story when the book comes out almost a whole year from now.

Content warnings include (taken directly from the authors’ website) violence, murder, reference to past trauma for heroine #1 (child abuse, emotional abuse, trained in seduction under coercion), and reference to past trauma for heroine #2 (child abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, violently trained as an assassin).

So, I just did a whole re-read of the available Kit Rocha backlist available on audiobook earlier this year. It’s the Beyond, the Gideon Rider’s, and the Mercenary Librarians series. Those all take place in the same world. This is a brand spanking new fantasy world, and I think I just have a whole different set of expectations when it comes to fantasy books. This is romance-focused with a bit of fantasy thrown in. A story with a fantasy flair if you will. And I know a lot of romance readers prefer that and love that, but I am not one of those readers. I fear I’m a fantasy first, romance second girlie, so this is just not my thing.

This was signed as a duology I think? The audiobook is 12 hours and 31 minutes and while this is far shorter than other adult fantasy books I listen to and this length seems more on par with older YA fantasy, the book FEELS long when it comes to the story. The story moves at a snails pace. When I first got the e-ARC, I winded up stopping at 5% because I was already bored. I wasn’t into it. I winded up getting the audiobook though because it was whispersynced on Audible (if you have the Kindle Unlimited copy) for only $1.99. Well, I finished it but it was rough there at even by the 50% mark, because I was ready to quit again. Again, I was bored.

The story is about three characters - Sachielle (Sachi), the human consort who is to marry the dragon god; Zanya, Sachi’s handmaid and assassin who loves Sachi; and then there’s Ash, the dragon god in question. The book seems undecided whether he is 3000 or 4000 years old, but the point is, he’s old. Sachi and Zanya are 25.

One of my favorite characters from the authors’ books is Ashwin from the Gideon Rider’s series so it was super weird to see a MC called Ash here. But I guess Ash is a play on the fact he can shift into a dragon? And breaths fire and can tithings to ash? I’m not sure if that is his full name and Ash isn’t short for something? If he said, I missed it. Also, are there other dragons or is he the only one? How did the people in this world decide on the name ~dragon~ if there are no others? Did his parents name him Ash in some divine prophecy knowing he’d be a dragon one day? I have questions.

But like the blurb says, Sachi and Zanya have been sent to trick the gods and they must kill the dragon god within a set number of days. Sachi has been cursed to die if they don’t succeed within 5 weeks. The premise of Ash having to take human consorts in general seems convoluted to me. He is…one with the earth and he marries them to…preserve the land? I honestly don’t know. I think it was in one of the many bedtime stories and lore told in the book but it honestly did not stick in my brain as I was listening to the audio.

The pacing of the romance was odd to me. This is a FFM polyam book and I loved the idea of that pairing because we don’t really see enough of that in romance books. But half the romance already happens before the book starts. Sachi and Zanya already fiercely love one another, even if they had previously only been able to show each other their affection in a dream place Sachi can create. Disappointingly, Sachi immediately falls for Ash the minute they’re married and bonded in a (nonsexual) bonding ceremony. I don’t know when Zanya fell for Ash.

They’re all so hesitant to have sex together until they’re not. Like it feels there’s just nothing happening for ages because Ash is trying to be respectful and suddenly we’re having sex scenes that escalates into a mini orgy scene by the end. It does harken back to the authors’ Beyond series days but the orgy scene here really threw me off because it doesn’t work well when you don’t know who’s who and you’re trying to keep up on audio alone.

There’s a LOT of characters thrown at you in this book and I don’t have a sense of who anyone really is besides our main three and the one known as the Lover (Aleksi, another god). There’s also the Huntress and the Wolf, a newborn water spirit, and a security detail of five people known as the Ravens who turns into actual ravens. But hell if I know anyone’s actual names. Maybe it’ll be more obvious in the next book and easier to know who’s who but all the characters just blend together to me and don’t have enough depth to them to differentiate who’s who.

All the gods are old but they weren’t born gods. They were all humans once and later became gods when the world needed them. But the problem to me is they feel and act like they’re so young for people who are thousands upon thousands of years old. Like, I could get behind them being a few hundred of years old based on their personalities, but thousands is a stretch. The one time they actually showed some old wisdom is that they recognized Zanya for who she was and what her mission was pretty early on. I actually liked that it wasn’t a huge secret they were all just sitting around waiting for Sachi and Zanya to fess up to.

Ash I liked, but I feel like he doesn’t really have that PRESENCE in the book I was expecting. Although he is a POV character, he doesn’t exhibit godly power and the confidence you’d expect? Maybe something did dampen in him when his last consort tragically died, but I think I would have almost preferred this to be strictly a FF romance between Sachi and Zanya because I don’t know what Ash is bringing to this relationship. The audiobook narrator was Ash was fine. Will Thorne is apparently a recognizable actor and narrator under his real name, but I don’t think I’ve listened to anything he’s narrated before. He brings a slight British accent to an otherwise American sounding cast. The other narrators in the book also use an accent for Ash when he shows up in their POVs, which seemed well done.

I’ve seen reviews say they like Zanya the most? But I don’t know why. I guess it’s because Zanya can fight with weapons, is standoffish, and seemingly has a darker past? The thing is, she has a very single minded focus on Sachi, and Sachi alone. She wants to keep her lover alive by any means necessary and I just found her POV chapters exhausting. I get her fears? But I got very tired and bored reading her chapters because she thinks about nothing else. I also think I don’t like Zanya as much because I don’t love the audiobook narrator for her. The narrator pseudonym isn’t a secret since it’s been said in an interview that’s available online and she uses her own face for her pseudonym social media profiles, but Victoria Mei is Natalie Naudus, who narrates a lot of popular fantasy audiobooks under her NN name. I had a very bad time listening to her in the Drowned Empire series and the Radiant Emperor books, so realizing it was her again here for this audiobook was disappointing. I got through them but I’m not a fan.

I did like Sachi the most as the book went on. I think she’s the most unassuming character and I don’t like how every character acts like she can’t take care of herself. She also had rigorous training for this moment - when she’d marry the dragon god. She might not have been trained in weaponry like Zanya, but I don’t think Sachi is to be underestimated and I appreciate her strength. The narrator for her threw me off at first. I’ve never listened to Caitlin Elizabeth before but my literal first thought was that she had a voice that would do better for YA audiobooks because her voice sounds so young. I don’t think the actress is young herself but her voice sounds that way. And what do you know, she has a pseudonym as well for very popular and well-known YA books so I guess I wasn’t wrong.

We have a fourth narrator listed in this audiobook listing, Adenrele Ojo. She appears in the last chapter in the audio and I am confused I guess. Like why was this POV change needed for this scene specifically? What does she add to the story? And more importantly, who is this character? I was so distracted by this new character POV, the shock of who appears in the last scene didn’t have the same punch to it that I’m sure it was supposed to have. I THINK she’s the Siren. The god of the sea? Why was she even there when she says she hasn’t even seen Ash for 3000 years at that point? What is her role?

So, how they solve the conundrum of saving Sachi and not having to kill Ash (this is a romance after all) feels like a bit of handwavy magic. It just all gets fixed out of the blue. There is a harrowing moment involved but maybe I’m just used to reading longer books because everything happens so fast here from one scene to the next and things get explained away so quickly that it had no impact on me whatsoever.

I know a lot of reviews say they love the worldbuilding but the worldbuilding is lost on me apparently. I am not getting a great grasp or sense of the world like I would expect for a fantasy book. It feels very…surface level.

The first, oh…75% of the book was super slow to me despite the short book. I’m not even sure what they’re doing. Once Sachi and Ash get married, they’re immediately on progress going around to different castles where people throw a party for them. And it’s just rinse and repeat where they’re on the road again and then at another party. I wish something happened during this time like someone attacking them while they’re on the road. ANYTHING. But there just wasn’t really anything exciting happening by my measure of fantasy books. When I’ve read the authors’ previous books I’ve never felt bored. This was, for the most part, just really boring. And that’s a shame because I’ve really liked a lot for the authors’ books in the past. I just wish I liked this as well. I think I need to give their older PNR books a try instead of their fantasy books. I know they’re huge fantasy readers (or maybe just Bree out of the writing duo), and maybe something about this story reflects their love for older school fantasy books because I personally prefer more recent fantasy book styles? And maybe that’s where my disconnect with the story is.

I know I’m the odd one out here. Many people love this book and I think if you’re not an epic fantasy reader, or just don’t read fantasy books in general, you might really love this. I just like a very specific type of fantasy book and this didn’t work for me. The romance didn’t work for me either and I think I would’ve loved it more as a FF book rather than an FFM polyam. It fell flat for me and I’m sad about that, but the authors’ do have a wealth of backlist books I still haven’t gotten to yet, so I think I’ll read those instead.

Consort of Fire is the first book in a new series. Sachi has been promised to the Dragon as his consort. She has accepted her fate because she has no choice due to evil forces. Her servant, Zanya, is her constant companion. They grew up together and have learned to only truly trust each other. The Dragon isn't what they thought he would be and they are soon forced to determine who they can trust and how they might survive together.

I wasn't sure what I would find when I picked up this book. I found myself slowly and steadily pulled into the complexities of the story and I was excited to see what happened next. Of course, The Dragon is not what most people think he is. I wasn't really surprised by that. What I liked about it was that the author chose to let him grow from moody to friendly and that transition made a lot of sense. I like where his character was at the end of the story. I wasn't sure how the author was going to handle the Sachi and Zanya relationship but once I got to the end of the story, I was impressed with how their relationship was rolled out in small parts that all fit together very well. There is a complex background in this story that involves gods and kings that is really good and I look forward to learning more about it in future installments. I enjoyed the side characters and the small snapshots of various areas around the world.

I think my one complaint was that the bad guy was not all that. I can say that the author has set up multiple bad guys in the story so maybe there will be a bigger bad guy moment in a future installment.

This is a fantasy story set in a world where gods walk among humans. The characters dress in historical clothing. There are adult activities that involve multiple partners, same sex relationships and group activities. I would recommend this story to anyone that likes fantasy with a dose of romance and are willing to commit to reading that next book in the series. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

This is the first book I’ve read by these authors, but it definitely won’t be the last! Consort of Fire is a spellbinding fantasy of secrets and magic with a complex love triangle, a princess and her handmaiden/assassin/lover, dragon gods, romance, erotica, sexual tension - this has everything!
Consort of Fire is super spicy- so if that’s your jam, you’ll love this!

I love their other books, however, this new series is a nice change. As with any new series, there is a good bit of world-building to set the scene. Well written and I am looking forward to reading the next book. While I do read menage and reverse harem books, I don't usually read books with two women and one man, however, I enjoyed the story.

Dive Into this Incredible Magical World!!

For a Millenium a human consort has been sent to the Dragon - every one hundred years. The consort is to be an heir to the King. This year it is Sachielle (Sachi) and her handmaiden Zanya - who is also a trained assassin.

An evil plot is afoot. A curse has been put into Sachi. If she or Zanya does not kill the Dragon, Sachi will die. An impossible situation as they find that all they have been told about “the monster” is not true. The Dragon (Ash) knows what they plan, but not why. Regardless he will do everything in his power to keep them safe. He is a god and will not die easily.

Magic, power, betrayal and an amazing bond that surpasses all known romance.

Included as a top pick in weekly November New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

Consort of Fire by Kit Rocha
Bound to Fire and Steel series #1. Fantasy. Dragons, romance, lgbtq+, erotica elements.
For three thousand years, an ancient dragon god has protected the borders of the Sheltered Lands. He makes one demand that the mortal ruler must send an heir to serve him. In the year 2999, Sachi is the thirty first to be sacrificed to the dragon. She has been trained for what ever might be her duties including seduction. But she also has secrets. First, she is an orphan rather than an heir. Second, her handmaid, Zanya, is an assassin. Third, Sachi is cursed. She and Zanya have five weeks to murder the Dragon. If she fails, it means her very soul.
The Dragon too has secrets and the first is that he wants to possess both women.

A bit on the dark side as the women are being forced to comply with the kill order under threat plus there is cruelty from the priests in belittling them. Sashi is vulnerable in protecting her best friend and lover and the priests take full advantage of her. It made me angry. There is also reference to the women being drugged in their training so that didn’t help ,y attitude. Fortunately the ancient Dragon is a good guy and protective of the women.
This is on the erotic side of the romance genre. Whew! I can’t wait to see where this goes.

I received a copy of this from NetGallety.

Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Kit Rocha for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

LOVED the premise. I love a dragon book. I know "romantasy" is a new name and all but the genre has been around for quite some time. I've been a happy romantasy reader for years. And I LOVE the Mercenary Librarians series. I was all set to 5-star this and call it a day.

I did not expect it to be such a slow starter. The beginning just sort of stumbled. Then there was some angst. And THEN there were pages upon pages of traveling and touring and more angst. The more Sachi and Zanya's predicament (curse) was developed and revealed, the more I doubted it: the dragon is quite clearly connected to the actual world, to the point that the ground trembles and comes apart every time he feels a feeling, and Zanya is going to kill him to save ONE person?! But this person is her TWOO LOOOOOOOVE! so it's all good! Ooooooooookay. So let's say you're OK with potentially causing the deaths of thousands, perhaps millions, of people if the dragon with the psychic and possibly physical connection to the world dies. Then this causes a war of gods, which will potentially cause many more people to die. Very probably one of them will be Sachi. ?!?!?! OK. Logistical problem alert. I guess I felt like Zanya and Sachi both should have tried a little harder to find a third solution to this problem.

I'm sure the poly spicy times will be satisfying to many readers but I wish there had been a touch less smut and a bit more plot. I ended up skimming through quite a few of the scenes to get to the storyline action. I did LIKE the main characters but I hope the second book features more of the other gods/Dreamers. Speaking of which: all of the "dreams made mortal flesh" talk gave me some strong Anne Bishop Janelle/Witch vibes. Anyone else get that a little bit?

Will I read book #2? Maybe. If I do, I really hope there's more happening in the plot department. Ratings-wise though it would seem that I'm an outlier on this one, so YMMV.

This is book 1 in the Bound to Fire and Steel series. For three thousand years, an ancient dragon god has protected the borders of the Sheltered Lands. In return, he makes only one demand: every one hundred years, the mortal ruler must send their heir to serve as his consort…for as long as they can survive. Sachielle of House Roquebarre is the thirty-first consort to be sacrificed to the monster who guards the mountain passes. She is young, beautiful—and she has three secrets. First: she’s a disposable orphan trained in seduction. Second: her handmaid, Zanya, is an assassin and the only person she has ever loved. Third—and most dangerous: she’s cursed. Sachi and Zanya have five weeks to murder the Dragon in his bed. If they fail, the mortal king’s curse will steal not just Sachi’s life, but her very soul. The Dragon has only one secret: he is nothing like what they have been told. And he will do whatever it takes to possess them both.

I was intrigued with this book just by reading the blurb, and it was definitely good! I was iffy about two women being together, as that just isn't my thing. However, this was done in such a way that I read it with no issues. Let me start by saying, there is a lot of world building in this book. So for the beginning, at least for me, it was slow going. But it is well worth it, and I truly believe that it is needed in order to build this world so the rest of the series will be able to flow and have the necessary information. I loved how their joint relationships come together. And how they all come to realize what they can have together. My only downside, I wish there had been more action or adventure to their story. But I am hoping it's just because it's the first book and the world building needed to take place. Otherwise, I enjoyed it!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
I'm just going to come out and say it, I LOVE this book! It has interesting characters (all of them), lots of angst, slow building romance, and did I mention the gods?

We start by being introduced to Sachielle, who is a princess who's being delivered to the Dragon as an agreement that's been carried out for hundreds of years. She is to be his consort, and the bridge between humans and gods. When humans are involved, no one can be trusted.

Zanya, the trusted handmaiden, is Sachi's best friend, confidant, and true love. What could go wrong when watching the love of your life being bound to another? Not only good at saying hair, she has a way with weapons...

Then there's Ash, also known as the Dragon, a god who is fulfilling his duties and waiting for the moment he's been promised for centuries. He's a flawed character yet resilient, patient, kind, and likeable.

I love this world, each domain has its own flavor. The slow burn really built up my anticipation of things to come. The ultimate sacrifice each one is ready and willing to make...

Overall, I LOVED this. The story was awesome: I love the world, I like these characters, the romance was HOT, and I can't wait to read the next book in this series!


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first book in a new series, and I am definitely keen to read on when the next one is available. It is a hefty tome and there is a lot of world building alongside the main storyline. I normally read a book like this in a couple of days, but it took double that, so be prepared for quite a long read. It is dense and full of detail, as well as some of the hottest scenes between the fascinating trio of Dragon, consort, and attendant.

I thought that the characters were introduced well and given shape thanks in part to Ash's bedtime stories. They are a close bunch and there is some particularly fun banter following some of the nights of passion – difficult to hide that you are getting excited when the earth literally rumbles in excitement for you!

I loved the twist at the end – lots of clues but thankfully not too many, breadcrumbs to give us the ideas until the big reveal! Already looking forward to the next installment.


Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

CONSORT OF FIRE is the first installment in the Bound to Fire and Steel series.

I enjoyed the storyline but...

The good: a polyamorous storyline featuring a sort of established FF couple shrouded in a fantastical world featuring gods walking among humankind, filled with betrayal. Anxiety-filled angst. An imbalanced power dynamic throughout all their intermingled relationships. Watching the one you long to have be mated to the one you're destined to end. Forced to end the one you're bound to when they are a part of you now. Angsty deliciousness.

An orphan acting as the heir for a bloodline who is contractually obligated to serve their descendants up to the dragon as his consort every hundred years. The king uses Sachielle and Zanya to end the contract. Sachielle is the imposter led to the dragon's lair, with her lover assassin acting as her handmaid, Zanya. Their souls are at risk if they do not take out the dragon to forever end the contract. Whereas Ash, the dragon god, is merely misunderstood, not the monster the masses spread gossip about.

The highlight of the story for me was in the beginning portion of the novel when Ash would spontaneously combust into flames, then have to burst into dragon form and take to the skies because he was so overcome by the glow of his new "human" consort.

This is a slow burn romance, pun intended. I love me some slow burn to establish a relationship and show all the appropriate feels (see bad section). But there was zero feels from such emotionless characters, only for them to all end up in bed together.

I enjoyed the story but...

The bad: the overall tone, writing style, perspective, and world building.

CONSORT OF FIRE hit the trifecta of all three of my top pet peeves. Too many narrators: Sachielle, Zanya, and Ash, which wouldn't have been an issue for me if not for... no chapter headings to let the reader know who is narrating. Shifting narrator mid-scene. Since this was third-person, all three emotionless narrators sounded exactly the same, where I was never quite sure who was narrating until something pinpointed to who, only to be proven wrong a paragraph later, until I realized the narrators where shifting willy nilly for no apparent reason, as it didn't help the storyline along, only caused me mass amounts of confusion.

It took me the better part of two weeks to wade through this slog of a novel. Keep in mind, I can bang out a fantasy trilogy in a day and a half if I'm properly inspired. I honestly thought I was suffering from the dreaded reader's block since I did enjoy the storyline. Reading another novel in one sitting showcased how it wasn't me, it was the book. When I was about to throw in the towel, the novel finally picked up near the end.

Slog is the best way to describe how I felt while reading. The storyline was buried beneath the overly complex world building that wasn't truly complicated. The world building was not organically flowing from the three narrators. Info-dumps of information, most of which just overly complicated matters but wasn't actually necessary. There were times I found myself just zoning out, mind wandering rather than reading, only to skim almost a chapter to get to something, anything happening on the pages.

The tone. All three narrators sounded the same. Ash, while ancient, sounded juvenile like a young adult. I was shocked to discover Sachielle was nearly thirty when the way she spoke and carried herself was also young-adult-like. But it was how emotionless the third-person perspective with roving narrators made the story that was a real issue for me.

I couldn't fall into the story due to the way it was written. I wasn't invested in the storyline with how it was buried beneath the heavy burden with overly complicated world building. And I couldn't root for the main characters since they felt like nothing but emotionless drones playing out the parts written for them.

After inundating the reader with world building, it takes a backseat to erotica featuring the three main characters. All this buildup over the main happenings with the plot, and it just fizzled out and was anticlimactic. It ended up feeling like the two weeks of work I put into attempting to read this novel were merely a vehicle for the three of them to showcase their bedroom gymnastics, so I was salty about it and didn't find any of this particularly titillating or heated. The steam felt out of place after such a slow slog through the mythology and magic system.

As this is a fantasy novel, I expected adventuring, exciting action, and battle scenes. Not much was happening until the very end of the novel to set up the next installment and hook the reader. So it felt like a sale's pitch more so than a plot device to move the story forward. I wanted that vibe revealed in the last portion of the novel to be throughout the entire novel.

Will I read the next in the series? No. This is a situation where it just wasn't my cup of tea, the writing style is not for me. No matter how good the premise may be, I worry the next book will be another slog to get to the meat of the story, only for the erotica to be showcased instead.

Since no two readers read the same book, perhaps the writing style will be your cup of tea.

Kit Rocha are one of those authors I’ll follow just about anywhere. Except, apparently, into the realm of fantasy. As much as I wanted to love it as much as I love the rest of their books Consort of Dragons was most definitely Not For Me. There was a lot of great material and great characters, fantastic world building. It had all of the elements of a good book but fantasy isn’t my preferred genre and I found the whole book to be a slog. As I do with pretty much every other fantasy book I’ve read so it’s in no way a reflection on the authors. I do usually do better with fantasy in audio and do plan on eventually going back to see if the narrators can work some magic. As for this book and future ones in the series, I’ll be cheering the authors on and hoping for their success but I’ll be passing.

Consort of Fire is book one in the Bound To Fire and Steel by Kit Rocha.
The cover caught my eye, and the description sounded interesting, but it turned out to be much more than I expected.
I loved this amazing romantasy story! A super fun and spicy read with very intriguing characters.
Kit Rocha had done a great job introducing a new fascinating world.
The character development in this book was spot on.
I’m excited for the second book in this series.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

3.5 stars. I found the storyline of this book interesting, but for some reason I struggled to get into the book for the first half. It felt a little slow to me, which isn't bad, but my personal preference are books that are a little more fast paced. With about 30% of the book left, things started picking up and I got more into the book. The ending left me wanting to read the second book to see what happens.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Consort of Fire is the first book in the Bound to Fire and Steel series by Kit Rocha. I saw this one and immediately had to request as I love their other books. If you did too, consider picking this one up.

To set the stage, for three thousand years, an ancient dragon god has protected the borders of the Sheltered Lands. In return, he makes only one demand: every one hundred years, the mortal ruler must send their heir to serve as his consort…for as long as they can survive. Sachielle is the thirty-first consort to be sacrificed to the monster who guards the mountain passes. What the dragon god doesn't know is that she has some secrets that could put them all in danger.

I enjoyed this book and while it felt a little slow to start, the further I got into the book, the more invested I was in these characters and making sure things worked out. I thought the development of the character's relationships was well done. You have a sacrifice, a god, and an assassin and how they all come together could have been a difficult thing to pull off but I thought the way it was done seemed true to who these characters were.

I can't say too much about the story as I don't want to give everything away. What you need to know is that there is action, danger, and plenty of spice to keep the plot moving and I'm interested in picking up the next book in the series to see where this story goes and what happens with the characters. If you're looking for a story that has all of those things and more, consider picking this one up when you can.

This is my first time reading this author but I had read great reviews about their other books on Goodreads and wanted to give it a try, and I’m so glad I did.

This is the first in a series so there is a real focus on world building and getting to know the characters. The world building was well done and interesting although perhaps a little slow at times which isn’t unusual for a first book in a fantasy series.

The characters were complex but I liked learning more about them and their stories/dynamics. Zanya was exactly the type of fierce, female main character that I enjoy reading about.

The romance is great, just the right level of believable emotion mixed with spice and I look forward to seeing more of this in the coming books.

Plus there’s dragons which will always be a win for me 😁

Looking forward to picking up the rest in the series

Thanks @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
While I enjoyed Kit Rocha’s prior Mercenary Librarians series (and still want to read their popular Beyond series someday), I was intrigued to hear that they were getting into the “romantasy” game with their own “Horny Dragon Book.” The promise of not just queerness but polyamory at the center further piqued my interest. And while Consort of Fire isn’t the best thing I’ve read from them, there’s a lot of promise here.
Whereas their dystopian worlds are much more bleak (for obvious reasons), I love that this was their outlet for fun. That’s not to say there aren’t issues to reckon with, but they aren’t on the world-ending scale, and there’s things like free healthcare and puppies, and other things that seem to manifest only in dreams. And with there being queer people in this world, it’s particularly refreshing that this world doesn’t impose faux-historically accurate homophobia and transphobia on the world, with the world being particularly friendly to bi/pan people and attraction and love not being attached to gender. There’s also a Phoenix that allows trans peopkle to be reborn as their “true” gender, enabling them to exist in the form they wish. The world itself is intricate, while also not being overly complex, and it was easy to become immersed in.
However, the characters and the dynamics between them are the most intriguing part. I loved that the story started with the relationship between Sachi and her handmaid, Zanya, and how their relationship is borne both out of their love for each other, as well as the painful things they’ve experienced. Both are rather fearsome, and are more than a match for the Dragon, also called Ash, when Sachi is summoned to be another in a long line of consorts for him.
I loved the tension, with Sachi and Zanya planning to murder Ash, and Ash being aware of this, but also being drawn to both of them in spite of it all. I enjoyed seeing them face off against each other, especially the more wary Zanya against Ash, and seeing how everyone eventually let their guards down and their plans changed and evolved to let the other(s) in.
This was a delicious book, and I’m excited for what’s to come for the series! If you’re looking for a fun, queer fantasy romance with dragons, I’d recommend checking this out!

Sachielle has been sent as consort to the Dragon god Ash in accordance with a three thousand year old tradition. She brings her handmaid(and lover) Zanya with her, but she's hiding secrets and once the bonding ceremony is complete Ash tells her he won't touch her until she no longer fears him as he can feel it through the bond. The problem there is that Sachi doesn't fear him she fears what her and Zanya have been sent to do. They have 50 days to kill the Dragon or Sachi's soul will be destroyed by the curse she's under.
It took me a while to get into this one because I'm so used to the author's other world from their dystopian series' but eventually I let that go and wound up enjoying myself. I enjoyed the relationships between the 3 MC's though I didn't feel as much for these characters as I have others in their various works but I'm hoping that will come with book 2 now that all the groundwork has been laid in this one.

I am very fond of Kit Rocha’s books. When asked what they wanted readers to get out of their books, the two authors who make up Kit Rocha, Donna Herren and Bree Bridges, said hope and joy. I think they deliver. I found them in 2019, and I genuinely do not know how I would have made it through the last few years without the chaotic, supportive, and fiery communities they have built. Their new series, Bound to Fire and Steel, is pure romantasy (fantasy+romance). I have totally over thought this review, written a thousand words and deleted them and started over a few times. The 15 word review: princess under death threat and assassin girlfriend go to kill dragon god. Mutual seduction ensues.

Sachi has been trained to seduce and Zanya to kill. They were acquired as children with the intent to use them as tools, and that is how they were raised. But the information they have about Ash, the Dragon god is misleading, and over time his legend has evolved from protector to villain. Kit Rocha has built a fascinating world. The magic in it and the creation of gods is unusual. Ash wasn’t born a dragon shifter or a god, but he became one because the Sheltered Lands needed a protector and he was willing. The Everlasting Dream, which made the world can call new gods and others into being as it needs.

Consort of Fire ably sets up the world, the relationships, and the conflict that will drive the series. Kit Rocha has always allowed their characters’ and their relationships to grow over their series. At the end of Consort of Fire Ash, Sachi, and Zanya are a throuple, but the newness of their relationship is evident. I’m glad we’ll get more books to see them evolve.

I enjoyed Ash as a character tremendously. He subverts a lot of the expectations of a dragon shifter god. He is big and manly, but the safety he offers is supportive and freeing rather than abusive and controlling.

Just so you know, this one is coming to me as an ebook, a paperback, and as an audiobook. I have already pre-ordered the second book, Queen of Dreams already. If you would like to hear how growly tones of the narrator for Consort of Fire, check out @authorkitrocha on Instagram.

I received this as an advance reader copy from Montlake and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.

Spicy dragon hangover from Fourth Wing? Well Kit Rocha, they got your back! This definitely needs to be added to the Interspecies Romantasy Genre. Curses? Dragons? Assassin with stab stab stab and seduction vibes? sacrilege traditions? The plot and setting are so unique and original is so helpful to have two people write a book and makes a world of difference in my opinion. I really hope you give this book a chance. Thank you so much to Kit Rocha, the publisher, and Netgalley for this book!