A fantasy novel, hidden magic, enemies to lovers and a city you just wish you were able to visit in the world you live in. I loved this story, in both written and audio version. Do recommend!

A Passionate and Gripping Journey – 4/5 Stars

Nisha Tuli’s Heart of Night and Fire is a captivating and emotional journey that blends romance, mythology, and self-discovery in a way that leaves a lasting impact. Set against the backdrop of a world brimming with ancient magic and mysticism, Tuli crafts a story that pulls readers into a whirlwind of emotions and high-stakes adventure.

The novel centers on its strong, determined heroine who embarks on a quest of personal growth while navigating complex relationships. Tuli’s writing is both lyrical and evocative, painting a vivid picture of the world while immersing readers in the emotional depth of the characters’ experiences. The romance that unfolds is filled with tension, passion, and heartfelt moments that feel organic, rather than forced.

The world-building in Heart of Night and Fire is one of its standout elements. Tuli introduces a rich mythology that feels fresh and exciting, drawing on cultural influences that enhance the story’s depth and intrigue. The setting itself, with its magical elements and fantastical creatures, adds an immersive layer to the plot, making it feel alive and teeming with possibility.

While the novel has many strengths, there are moments where the pacing slows, particularly during some of the internal monologues of the protagonist. This can occasionally detract from the otherwise engaging plot. Additionally, some of the secondary characters could have been developed a bit more, as they occasionally feel underexplored compared to the central figures.

That said, Heart of Night and Fire is an emotional and thrilling ride that will appeal to fans of fantasy and romance alike. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and the themes of love, sacrifice, and self-discovery resonate long after the final page. It's a beautifully written novel that keeps you invested until the very end.

4⭐️

Wow, the world building in this is amazing. I loved the magic system, and I'm hoping we get to learn more about it in the next book given how this one ends.

Zarya is a very interesting main character. She takes no shit and isn't afraid to tell you what she thinks, which i love. As far as love interests go, Vikram was sweet and their connection felt genuine. However, it was obvious given the listed tropes that he was not the main guy and I'm definitely interested to see what happens next with mystery dream guy.

I at one point thought Yasen was a love interest (for reasons that become obvious he isn't an option at all), the friendship they developed was one of the best parts of the book for me. I'm a sucker for the found family trope and this book does it well. I really liked Amrita, too, so I'm almost sad at how her story is likely to go.

I've gone with 4 stars because I did find that some of the side characters blurred together a little. There's a lot and mixed with them all having different magic i almost felt like i should make notes (having started book 2 the author has helpfully done that at the start which is great).

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and I'm excited to continue the series. I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

DNFed at 20%. I don’t usually DNF but I just couldn’t get invested. The story never seemed to go anywhere and according to other reviews it never does.
The descriptions of buildings etc were unnecessarily long and the metaphors took me out of the story.

Tuli is such a gifted author. I've read some of her previous work and enjoyed it. This book was no different. I love that she borrows from Indian culture. It really feels like coming home when reading those references and enhances the reading experience so much.

The overall plot and writing in the story is great and I found myself rooting for the characters very easily. A great romantasy that I'm sure many will enjoy!!

I really enjoyed this romantasy book, it gave me similar vibes to Trial of the Sun Queen by the same author, but with a more intricate magic system. I found the characters to be well developed and their flaws were clearly impactful on the plot of the book.

I loved the influence from Indian culture, the descriptions of the clothing and the food in particular were beautiful, and I'd love to see art of these characters showing the colours and details of their clothing!

The plot was well paced, and although some aspects were a little predictable I found myself internally screaming "I knew it!" at the characters. The ending was dramatic and I look forward to the next installment to find out what happens next!

This book was a little harder for me to get invested in, It took a while for me to find my groove in this book.

DNF

I started reading this book, but it just wasn't for me. There were things in it that I hadn't realised when I'd first heard about this book, which I just wasn't comfortable reading.
So I won't be continuing and made the decision to DNF this title.

I am currently reading book two of this series and that has given me some updated feedback on this book. I While I do believe Book 2 is a stronger entry in the series, this opening book is a respectable entry into the world and characters Tuli presents to the reader, and I will DEFINITELY be continuing the series!

DNF @ 42%

I think I gave Heart of Night and Fire more than a fair shot. Usually I DNF before 20% but I really thought this had to be going somewhere eventually. But it never did. It just kept... going? But nothing happened? All of the descriptions and explanations were so unnecessarily long and... I tried. I really did.

Tuli does it AGAIN! The new queen of romantasy has ARRIVED!
Her world building is so amazing and the stories are so dynamic!
This book puts us straight into Zarya's vivid world full of gorgeous and refreshing Indian themes. It's a unique take on some of the favorite tropes (monsters, vampires, morally gray captors, slow burn romance, hello!) that you won't be able to put down! Zarya faces hard battles and even harder truths, but will it be enough?

I’ve been a fan of Nisha J. Tuli since her early writing days, and Heart of Night and Fire is my absolute favorite of hers! The vivid writing, intricate details, and complex characters create such an immersive experience that it feels like I’m right there in the story. This YA romantasy masterfully blends Indian and South Asian mythology, offering a captivating and richly woven narrative. It’s a perfect read for anyone looking to dive into a beautifully crafted world with a compelling storyline.

Initially I thought this was going to totally be my jam. It had all the hallmarks of what I look for and enjoy in my books: desert fantasy, south Asian influence, mythology influence, cool magic and mythical creatures, a magical blight that slowly eats the land around it, and it was supposedly a "slow burn" romance (the only kind I can tolerate).

The beginning instantly grabbed my attention and sucked me in, starting right out with the mystery of Zarya's birth and her unusual magic. I was so curious to find out more. I love a good mind puzzle in my reads, and this promised to be a good one!

I also thoroughly enjoyed all the cultural influences that went into the world building, and it was a place I could see so clearly in my mind. The writing was so immersive and beautiful, and the descriptions of the various foods had me salivating and looking up recipes! It all sounded so wonderful, and rife with magical mystery. Tuli has some very unique descriptions that I was absolutely loving! So often you just come across the same old ones in every book. So it was quite refreshing to read her creatively thought up ones.

Sadly, all the good things I was loving about this book got overshadowed and shoved in a trunk once Zarya made it to the capital. Then everything is just reading through the hormone haze that's exploding from her character since she's led such a sheltered life before this. She goes gaga for every male that crosses her path, and goes all insta-gooey for one if not both of the main guys she traveled with to the city. Now again, this has been listed as a "slow burn" romance which I just wasn't seeing since it seemed insta-love from her first sighting of men. Sigh. I assume though that there is a later love interest that is where the "slow burn" romance comes into play. But seriously, why couldn't we just have that one, please and thank you -_-

I mean okay, Zarya has a supposed excuse for her hormone haze, but at the cost of everything going on, demon birds shitting giant eggs from the sky that almost kills her and the dude, you'd think she'd be more focused on the magical crisis threatening her life and all of the lives in the capital now that they've been made vulnerable?! Right??? Wrong! She instantly goes back to "omg I wonder when I'll get to finish that kiss we were having and maybe something more" *gags* So ridiculously unromantic in my opinion. Plus the fact, that I want to know more about the magical blight and the demon creatures that her insta-love interests. All the good stuff was just too buried even by the halfway point of the book! We never got back to the good stuff. True romance readers will still enjoy this one, but I'm not huge on romance. I was excited for the fantasy elements and plot , but those were sorely lacking after the initial start. I had to dnf at 49% and move on to a different book with a more promising plot.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

I did not manage to read this unfortunately, due to unforeseeable issues at home but I have preordered this book as I’m interested in reading it once I get the opportunity.

This book seriously had everything I’m looking for in a fantasy novel!

Slow burn. Magic. Enemies to lovers. ONE HORSE!!!

And Indian-Asian elements!

4.5 stars! This was a terrific read! The world building was absolutely amazing, without it coming as a big info dump. The details wove together seamlessly. I absolutely loved the main character, Zarya! She never irritated me like some main characters can. The plot was interwoven with the romance very well - neither overpowered the other - which is what I prefer and appreciate! I must get my hands on the next book because while this one definitely got me hooked, there is still so much to know and this definitely didn’t feel “finished” by any means.

This book once again proves that Nisha is the Queen of Romantasy! Her writing continues to improve, and each new book she releases reminds me why she's one of my instant-buy authors! The world she's created in Heart of Night and Fire is both interesting and engaging, with vivid descriptions that draw you in and keep you engrossed in both the setting and the story.

I appreciated how the action, adventure, and romance were well-balanced throughout the narrative and loved the found family aspect!

However, I did find myself a little frustrated by some of the decisions made by the FMC. I hope to see a little more growth from her in the next book and can't wait to pick it up.

Overall, I am excited to finish this series and see where Nisha takes us next!

A wonderful fast-paced romantasy full of fairies, demons, vampires and more!
I loved our FMC and the world-building was great and easy to imagine.
I also loved the magic system.
Highly recommended.

I regrettably had to dnf this book. I made multiple attempts to pick it up before giving up. While I love the setting, I wasn't captivated enough by the plot to continue. The characters also seemed so bland. I might give it another try later.

Not the kind of book I usually read but once I got started couldn’t put it down! .I do hate was a cliffhanger. Zarya has been kept protected in this cottage all her life. When something happens to her caretaker she sets out on an adventure that you can only imagine!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for allowing me to review