Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for access to a copy for review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Queen of Dreams is part two of a duology kicked off by Consort of Fire. I don't recomment reading Queen of Dreams without having read Consort of Fire though there is a "how we go to here" section. I found the reminder useful asit's been a bit since I read part 1.

As expected from a Kit Rocha book there is plenty of heat. Sachi is the cental MC. There are chapters from the POV of Zanya and Ash as well as Sachi's but she is the Queen of Dreams and the lynchpin of their triad. Having Sachi be away from Zanya and Ash did allow for the Zanay-Ash relationship to evolve independently of Sachi which was good to see. They do have their HEA, but with obvious room for the triad's relationships to continue to grow and change - just as well given their longevity.

From a plot perspective, the Breaker is as terrible a person as one could expect if also coming across as weirdly naive. I would have liked more court intrigue.

Super fun duolgy and I will happily read any other books in this world.

Four and a half
I certainly preferred this to the first book and that's probably because there's without a doubt less bedroom activity and more about these characters particularly Zanya. This very new relationship they are all involved in is tested as yes Sachi can love both and share but Ash and Zanya have a long way to go before there's a strong love there. So with new powers of destruction and the Endless Void Zanya has a lot to learn but when Sachi becomes trapped in the Betrayers land can she embrace all that she can be ?
I do associate these authors with steamy reads but I'm very much enjoying their journey into fantasy. They have invented some fabulous characters and I will admit I wanted more of the supporting characters but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I will say that Sachi is a wee bit annoying although to Ash she's simply perfect (picture me with eyes rolling !) and I'm definitely team Zanya although truthfully she doesn't love herself which is a little sad. There is a resolution to the issue of the Betrayer but there's without a doubt another story set in this world surely ? Please please say yes !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

If a main character in a triad is in another place for a big piece of the book, I expect that the other two are going to grow their relationship. It doesn’t have to be in a sexual way. I just need to see them forming a bond outside the other person.
This book was fine. The duet was interesting. It wasn’t as much as I wanted but I did enjoy it overall.

- 3.5 stars -

Queen of Dreams, the second book in Kit Rocha's Bound to Fire and Steel series, is a thrilling ride. The story follows Ash, Sachi, and Zanya, three lovers with ancient powers, as they go up against the menacing Betrayer. He’s a villain with a lot of depth, making him one of the most intriguing parts of the book.

Ash has been waiting thousands of years for a consort to help him break the Betrayer's chains. Instead, he finds Sachi and Zanya, who represent creation and destruction. Their personal growth and evolving relationship are some of the best parts of the story. Sachi’s adventures in the Betrayer’s realm and Zanya’s battle with her own dark powers are especially gripping.

The book is packed with twists and turns, keeping you hooked. There are a few slow parts, but the exciting scenes and interesting side characters more than make up for them. Even with the occasional lull, the character development and fast-paced plot make this a great follow-up in the series.

Overall, Queen of Dreams blends fantasy, romance, and adventure beautifully. The characters are well-developed, and the story keeps you wanting more. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

3.5 rounded up to 4

I really enjoyed Consort of Fire and was eagerly awaiting book 2. I enjoyed Queen of Dreams and think Kit Rocha has set up some intriguing future stories in this world. But I also think this duet should have been a trilogy. Queen of Dreams was a little rushed in parts.

I really enjoyed the beginning half of the book. It focused a lot of Zanya and I liked reading about her exploring her powers and feeling out her relationship with Ash. I could tell the book was building to something epic, and my anticipation was growing. But then I realized that there wasn't much book left. I enjoyed reading, but wish the ending had been given more time.

Read this book is you like:
-Dragon Shifters
-Poly Relationships (MFF)
-Epic Battles
-Gods and Magic

Sachi, Zanya and Ash complete their mission in this what could also be the last book in this series, I don't know. I admit that there is just no comparison between the affection and attachment I have developed toward the characters in Sectors (Beyond Series) and this recent trio, despite the fact that one of them is a dragon..... Perhaps I should have reread the first one before tackling this ending, but all in all, the very fact that I didn't feel like it says a lot...

Sachi, Zanya ed Ash portano a termine la loro missione in questo che potrebbe anche l'ultimo libro di questa serie, non saprei. Ammetto che non c'é proprio paragone tra l'affetto e l'attaccamento che ho sviluppato nei confronti dei personaggi dei settori (Serie Beyond) e questo recente trio, nonostante uno di essi sia un drago..... Forse avrei dovuto rileggere il primo prima di affrontare questo finale, ma tutto sommato, il fatto stesso che non ne avessi voglia, la dice lunga...

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Rocha is fast becoming one of my go to writers for this extra spicy genre. I just really like the balance they hit in their books and this one is no different.

I have really enjoyed this series. It has a great balance of story and heat. The world building is done very well. I enjoy all of the characters and appreciate how each one has grown from the previous books. I am always thrilled to find FFM poly romance books. The steamy scenes are well written and very detailed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The epic world of the High Court of Dreamers continues from Consort of Fire. Zanya has come into her godlike powers. She and the Dragon Ash want to keep their lover Sachielle safe but doing so instead makes her feel inadequate. Their triad romance remains the heart of the story with political machinations galore and an intriguing cast of supporting characters. When an old enemy manages to abduct Sachi will her lovers be able to stand back and allow her own powers manifest or continue to try and shelter her? While this book wraps up this particular romance arc, there are more adventures to come in this world. Thanks to Montlake and #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this world, and I truly hope we get more from it! I especially adore Aleksi, and would love a story centering on him!

As for this story, I just… I don’t know if I could put into words how much I loved this!! It was so good, and I loved all three of the main characters! The magic system/world-building is absolutely one of my favorite things, as well, and I just want so many more stories from this world!! (Yes, I’ve already mentioned that, but I really could just disappear into this world to live happily ever after there, lol!)

I also loved that I felt just a hint of sympathy for the villain - but really only a hint! Just enough to make me feel the tug on my heartstrings, but not enough to feel bad about where he ended up… He did still deserve that. (He deserved worse, but I get why it ended the way it did.)

Anyways, I can and will gush about this duology for so much longer, but I’ll just end it with many thanks for allowing me to read the eARC!

I would like to note that I received this ARC with the mindset that I would provide an honest review.
This book was a fun ride and had an interesting premise. I will say that I signed up for this ARC before I realized that it was a sequel. I was initially drawn in by the cover (and by the quote printed on the cover by a favored author) but I stayed for the book itself.
I liked how this book was more character driven than the first book. I really enjoyed the character development with Zanya in this book in comparison to the first book but I also loathed her in some parts. So that was an interesting twist while reading. We also get more from other critical characters like our ‘villain’ and more for the world building.
I will say that I wish this book gave me more. The build up throughout the series kind of left me wanting more when the war occurred and what occurred next. That could also be said about the relationship between the three lead characters. I wish the relationship and dynamic between them was explored more; especially, with all that occurred throughout the book. I do not want to get too far into the story because I want others to read this story and connect to the text like I did. Overall, this was a good read for me. I plan to read the next book and would encourage others to read this book as well.

Overall, I found this book to be good, but not great. Now the reasons for that are purely based off my preferences and not a reflection of the writers skill. I found the writing to be well done, and the story unfolded well. There was just something about the characters that I never quite got attached to them in the way I would have liked.

*ARC received from Netgalley - all opinions are my own*

TLDR: Rocha has created such a vast and interesting world with unique and engaging characters which, like in the first book, gets underutilised. There is so much potential but lacks execution for me. If you enjoyed the first though, it’s more of the same in Queen of Dreams but be aware that there are far less spicy scenes, in case that’s what you’re here for.

Disclaimer: I made a mistake when requesting Queen of Dreams for review, I wasn't aware that it was a sequel. I read Consort of Fire to get ready for QoD and I wouldn’t have made the request had I read the first book. So be aware that from the get go, I was likely never going to enjoy the sequel.

In many ways, Queen of Dreams was more enjoyable to read than the previous book. The focus was more on our main characters, Zanya the most, and their own development and finding out more history and learning about our villain. The sex and spicy scenes took a backseat (for obvious reasons) and I felt like the plot was better for it.

We finally got to see the “new” part of the world and meet our villain and his court. I think Sorin had the potential to be a great villain. I wish that he had been made to be a bit more charismatic and endearing and I think it would have suited him better. Get us almost liking him and then have us realise that he’s on the tip of sanity and is actually a monster. He is written in such a black/ white way that cheapens him and the story in my opinion. Especially when the high court and Ash still have a degree of affection for him and Ash himself even admits that he is partially to blame for the way their friendship ended and Sorin isn’t entirely in the wrong.
Similarly, his court was a great chance to expand upon their likeness to the original court and the relationships and history Sorin had with them in the past but, again, just more wasted opportunities to make this something great.

I still found Zanya to be insufferable, she has very little to like as she is just so focused on orbiting Sachi that she has nothing that makes her uniquely Zanya. This also hinders the polyamorous relationship our 3 main characters have as there just isn't any real chemistry between Zanya and Ash on their own, it’s just so focused on Sachi, even when it’s not supposed to be.

The ending was very anticlimactic as well, we spent the entire book gearing up for a war that could sunder continents and render the earth uninhabitable and it was just nothing like that. So much build up and hype for a battle that was over so quickly and was just in no way satisfying.

All in all, there is so much potential in this series and could have been such a hit but everything just falls short of being as amazing as it could be. It’s safe to say I’ll not be continuing with the series.

I used to love Kit Rocha’s Beyond series but the librarian series just didn’t really work for me and so I wasn’t sure how this writing duo’s foray into romantasy would fare. That said, I did enjoy the first book in this series but something didn’t fully click for me and I’m sorry to say, this book didn’t improve upon much. The characters are fine but they don’t really click for me, all three together and it felt like much of the same in this book as in the last book. I think this boils down to it just not being for me. YMMV.

I was able to be nice and eloquent for book one, but for book 2 I'm having trouble coming up with phrases that aren't overused to the point of meaninglessness but I want them to mean something again. This is a beautiful follow-up, resolving everything I hoped would be resolved after the last book though I had the advantage of knowing this wouldn't be the end of the books in this setting. I can't wait to see what they do next with this world.

I’d heard of Kit Rocha for years before I finally jumped in during their Mercenary Librarians trilogy (and then glommed the backlist), and this duology is such a level up for them! The world is so amazing and the characters all grab my heart and attention! I love that in so many ways Queen of Dreams is a parallel, a mirror, to Consort of Fire in the romance is between Ash and Zanya while we watch Sachi coming into her power and confidence. I loved the way things are resolved in the world with the Betrayer, and cannot wait to see continuation of the universe as they continue grabbing with the ripple effects of the Empire. This is such an incredible book, romance, story with characters I find so hard to let go of. Just, so amazing and my heart is so happy after finishing!!

Vibes: FFM, grumpy/pretend grumpy/sunshine, coming to terms with oneself, dark/light

Heat Index: 8/10

Now that Sachi and Zanya know their true identities--the embodiments of Creation and Destruction, respectively--the challenge is staying alive and harnessing their abilities. What Sachi's dragon god husband Ash wants most is to protect both women; but as the Betrayer lures Sachi into his clutches, he must work with Zanya to harness her dangerous abilities so that they can rescue (and fully awaken) the woman they both love.

This is the direct sequel to Kit Rocha's Consort of Fire, which introduced Sachi and her handmaiden/assassin/longtime lover Zanya as she was forced to marry Ash. Who not only turned out to be great, actually, but more than willing to accept Sachi and Zanya's relationship. Actually, he embraced it, falling in love with Sachi and becoming quite intrigued with Zanya... who was equally intrigued with him, if conflicted because, you know, she was supposed to kill him after Sachi seduced him.

It was great to see these three as a united front this go around, even if Sachi did spend a lot of time physically apart from her lovers. At least they were on the same side! The world spun in these books is so interesting, and I'd be happy to read more of it. Ash and Zanya are both such compelling characters; though she's a lot angstier than he is (which is saying something, as Ash isn't without his angst) there's this teasing that they're two sides of the same coin, just as Sachi and Zanya are... Albeit in different ways. They're both monsters that really get each other.

Which is why, for all that I enjoyed this book, I was a bit disappointed with how Sachi-centric the triad remained. Don't get me wrong--I really do like Sachi. She's bratty and fun, and I love that a girly girl princess archetype was allowed to be spoiled and decadent and quite sexual... and loving and sweet and powerful. However, I would personally say that Sachi has the least going on in terms of personal growth in both books. And that's fine. Ash and Zanya just have a lot more conflict and darker temptations in terms of power, and more disturbing pasts. All of those things just make them naturally, more interesting to follow.

And to be clear--I don't expect these books to dial back Sachi and Zanya in favor of Zanya and Ash. Although I believe that these women love Ash and he loves them, Zanya and Sachi have known each other way longer. Their relationship is really the crux of these two books. I don't want to cast either woman aside and het up a fundamentally queer relationship.

However.... Sachi is literally physically separated from Zanya and Ash for a lot of this novel. And before she goes, Zanya is so conflicted about hurting Sachi during sex, what with the destructive powers that she doesn't have a hold on, that their sexual relationship has died down a good bit. And Sachi actually tells her, "Ash is super down to fuck you, and I totally think you should get yours". She TELLS Zanya to explore that relationship.

And... they get somewhat closer, I guess. There are teases. But while I do believe Ash and Zanya forge more of a bond, I never felt like the emotional or physical climax of their arc really occurred. Maybe that would feel more okay to me if there was this very clear, full-hearted three-person arc ONLY. But just as Ash and Sachi's relationship developed in the first book, and we've seen the heart of Sachi and Zanya's relationship throughout both... It felt important that we got to the third aspect. I just don't super think we did. I felt Ash's attraction Zanya growing into love, and Ash is in general a very caring character who is a bit more honest about his feelings. I felt Zanya TRUSTING him, but it fell short of the sense that she... got to the place that I think we were supposed to believe she got to at the end of the book.

Which frustrates me, as I do think this dynamic was begging to be explored, and was full of chemistry. We were left at the end of the last book with this idea that Ash knew that Zanya needed to be loved and held. I thought this book would explore that, and I especially felt like it would after Sachi was separated from the other two.

For me, it's less this need to explore Ash and Zanya on their own, and more this desire to see Zanya fully loved and adored on the same level that Sachi is. Additionally, it seemed to me that Sachi kind of got all this praise for being sooooo amazing throughout both books that... Again, I like Sachi! But it became a bit much. Like. I know.

It sounds like I'm just dogging this book out, but I promise that I liked it! I'm definitely going to read more of Kit Rocha. However, and this could be more of a personal preference thing than a right/wrong thing--when I read a triad romance, personally, I like to see all aspects developed. It just felt like Zanya and Ash's dynamic got the short end of the stick.

The Sex:

Obviously, this book was quite hot. There isn't as much actual sex on the page as there was in the last book... which again, kind of frustrated me, as I thought we would get more Zanya/Ash stuff... But the sex that's there is well-written and exciting. There's one scene towards the end that.... oof. It's memorable, and honestly worth the entire read, I'm not gonna lie.

Again--for all that I have my critiques, this is a good book, and if you liked Consort of Fire, you should obviously read it. We seemed to have reached the end for this triad, but I'd definitely read about more characters in the same world. And I want to check out other polyamorous romances by Kit Rocha; I'm curious about how they handle different dynamics. Either way, I'm reading more from them, and that's a win in itself.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An exciting continuation in the Bound to Fire and Steel series. I continued to love the polyamorous relationship and the sexual fluidity of many characters. The use of language is lovely. And towards the end, I was even moved to tears.

I will say that, for me, this one wasn't as propulsive as the first book. I felt it was a bit of a slow start. However, once I got into it, I was all in.

A fun fantasy romance with interesting characters and a very well-written epic battle scene.

Thank you for the ARC in return for an honest review, you made my month and I devoured it!

-

The book picks up where the first one left off, and is exciting and amazing from the very start. The writing is fast paced, fun and vivid, and I absolutely adore the colourful diverse world the story takes place in. In this book we get to explore more of the world, and see more of the Empire especially, and it delivered everything I wanted and more.

The found family vibes of the main cast made me cry more than once, it feels so loving, accepting and sweet. They really feel like each other’s family and home, and that feeling oozes out of the pages. The feeling of acceptance of whatever you are, wherever you are in your journey - be it with your magic, your sexuality and gender expression, or your place in the world.

I'm so happy I started this series, and that the sequel delivered everything the first book promised to me. Kit Rocha has yet to let me down, and I'm here to stay!

4,75 stars and all of my love to these chaotic loving characters

Queen of Dreams by Kit Rocha is a captivating blend of fantasy and romance that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The world-building is rich and immersive, and the characters are both complex and relatable. Rocha's storytelling is masterful, weaving together elements of magic, intrigue, and passion to create a truly unforgettable reading experience. If you're looking for a book that will sweep you away to another world, look no further than Queen of Dreams.