Ive never read a romantasy, so thought I would try the first in a new series to find out why they are so popular. Although it was well written and a page turner the magic and dragons weren't really for me, and I think I will leave my education there!
Thank you to netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Dragons seem to be all the rage in fantasy/romantasy at the moment, but Jordan somehow finds a twist that hasn't been done to death. I did see it coming from quite a distance away, but it was well-done enough that that didn't really matter. Outside of this, a fair amount of the novel felt quite cliche (particularly the love triangle element and the characterisation of the main male protagonists). Fairly fun, and I'm intrigued enough to keep reading.

I hate giving a poor review but I really didn't enjoy this book unfortunately. It was poorly written, the characters were just awful. I struggled to get through this and wanted it too end. Sorry.

I only found myself stepping into the Fantasy genre this year when I read Fourth Wing and having read a few from this genre now I certainly find I am more drawn to dragons so the minute I saw the cover for A Fire in the Sky I didn't hesitate in starting it straight away.

The pace of the book is slow paced but this felt fitting as it really felt like the author was concentrating on developing the readers relationship with Fell and Tamsyn and the world building ready for something bigger to come in book 2. Although the pace is slow my attention didn't waver at all I was intrigued to see if an actual relationship was going to happen between them and was eagerly awaiting where the dragons were going to fit into this storyline.

One thing this book was not was predictable and I actually loved that the author taken a completely different and unexpected approach towards the dragons which I won't say anymore on as I really don't want to give any spoilers but it did make for a fresh take on this genre that I applaud.

This was more on the romantasy that had a slight YA feel but there is also a couple of sex scenes but these were wrote really well into the storyline rather than just feeling like a bit of spice thrown in for what seems like a current trend.

I actually really enjoyed the kind of royal historical feel to this too, I had never heard of a whipping girl and was applaud by this but it just made me warm to our main character Tamsyn even more.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book and I really hope I don't have too long to wait to be reunited with Fell and Tamsyn.

I definitely enjoyed the concept of this book and the overall storyline, I liked the characters and themes. I do feel it could have been less descriptive though with a lot more plot. I can see this is built up for book 2, but I would have loved to see more action. Looking forward to book 2

Tamsyn the whipping girl for the royal kids was such a strong fmc who grew throughout the book, from the start it was clear there was special I loved how she fought for what she believed in.
It was nice to read about the background she came from.
The mmc was strong and well written and I just loved him.
The world building,plot and the characters and all so well written that you just get so lost in a world of your own when reading.
I have recommended this book 100x over to anyone who will listed.
'I fell in love with Tamsyn and Fell. The way the relationship grew, and their sexual tension was on chef kiss'
Just sitting her patiently waiting for book 2

Rating 3.5/5

I have struggled to write this review, I think because it was a book that started on a bit of a bad foot with me and then took me on a bit of a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

The reason I was a bit put off to begin with was our main character Tamsyn is a whipping girl and honestly I was really not sure about that part of the story, I feel like there was maybe a better way to have her in that position and still be a resilient person. It felt a little redundant and for me, this was only confirmed by the fact that the author has pre-empted a reaction to this by justifying it in the acknowledgements.

Whilst that did give me a little more context I still felt like it could have been done differently and had the same effect, rather than it being Tamsyn’s whole personality. It could have made for some interesting dynamics had there been other motivations for her taking on the role that she does other than she’s been training for it her whole life.

The story was also really dragged out, it would get to a point where I was feeling that pull of the story and starting to get into the swing of it and then it would be at least three pages of Tamsyn overthinking the same thing again and again. It was as if the story needed to be bulked out but actually if you took a lot of that out then I would’ve been so hooked that I could probably forgive some of the other issues.

There was definitely chemistry between Tamsyn and Fell, it had a kind of enemies-to-lovers vibe going on, but I was hoping for it to be a slow burn and it went from zero to Fell abandoning all reason over her without a chance for them to build on anything. I feel like there could still be potential for them to achieve that in the next book, as they’ll have issues that they need to face together.

I feel like I’ve leaned a little more into the lows in this review but there were some good bits too, there were some glimpses of magic that I found intriguing, and a part of the dragon side of the story that I was interested in finding out more about. There was a lot more action in the second half of the book so the pace picked up and I felt a bit more engrossed in the story.

Despite there being a lot in this story that didn’t quite work for me I would still be keen to read the next book in the series as I feel like it just got to the most interesting part at the end.

Mmm I can't remember why I requested this book as fantasy is not my usual genre.
Book started well, interesting life in a palace of Tamsyn, a girl who takes the punishment if one of the three princesses misbehave. She is close to her three sisters and also to the King and Queen,although she suffers at the hands of others for her red hair. One of her friends is Sig, who help her understand her role as whipping girl.
The beast a ruler of the Borderlands visits the Palace and requests the hand of one of the Princesses, he is fooled into marrying Tamsyn and takes her to live in the Borderlands, after an eventful journey they settle there.
The next part of the story struck me as just too fanciful. The book does seem to be more a YA novel with the emphasis on emotions and sex. Thank you Sophie, NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book!

I loved all the characters, and whilet majority of the story is Tamsyn and Fell getting married and their journey to the borderlands, I really liked it and thought the pacing was well done.

I love a cinnamon roll character, and although Fell didn’t fully open uo, he is definitely a cinnamon roll. I really loved that he was proving everything that Tamsyn was told about him wrong. Also Stig and Fell fighting, honestly I couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculousness of it, much like Tamsyn when she just went “men”.

The ending - I feel like it was rather abrupt and I know it is setting up for book two, which I am excited to read when it comes out, but I just feel like I needed something a bit more rounded as I feel like I am missing half the story! It was like just getting really into the dragons storyline and then it ended.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book and I am excited for the next one! I am giving A Fire in the Sky 4 stars.

I devoured “A Fire in the Sky” in a day. I loved everything about it, and I would give anything to be able to read it for the first time again.

Tamsyn and Fell have their own points of view, which I really liked. It gave me a chance to understand how they are both feeling and get to know their story.

Tamsyn is such a strong female character. As a whipping girl, she is used to taking punishment, but she will never be ashamed of who she is.

“I would take the long march to the chapel on my own, through the deepening day. I understood this. There were some walks you must go alone in life. This would be one of them.”

And Fell is quite a strong character as well. A leader and a fighter, spreading fear wherever he goes. And yet Tamsyn is slowly getting under his skin and he starts to get a soft spot for her. But he’ll never admit it.

“She was a peculiar thing. A puzzle I could not quite piece together. A non-princess. I didn’t care what they called her. No royal took a beating with a smile and called it duty.”

Their attraction for each other is instantly evident, even though they are both trying to hide it and fight it. The whole tension made this book such an enjoyable read. They go through an incredibly hard journey together, a journey that will change their lives forever.

I won’t reveal anything else, as I don’t want to spoil anything, but I gasped at the big twist. Thinking about it now, I have no idea how I didn’t see that coming. I did, however, anticipate the twist at the end. It turns out, the story doesn’t end here and I can’t wait to come back for more! I loved this book with all my heart. Every single thing about it.

“She had not looked for it. Had not wanted it. And yet it had found her… And when love found a dragon, it could not be denied. Before she knew it, they were bonded. There was no severing them. For as long as she lived, there would be no other for her. Like a seed to the pod, they were a set, a duo, a pair.”

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me, which I’m so sad about as it was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year.

However I feel like this would be a PERFECT starting place for someone who is new to the genres of fantasy and fantasy romance. If you’re coming from YA fantasy up to NA or adult this would be a perfect stepping stone, it’s got a bit of everything going on some spice, action, tension, secrets & lies!

I really enjoyed this book. It kept my attention from the get go, I was only going to read a few chapters before bed and ended up demolishing the whole thing.

The set up plot is the normal fantasy formula (which works) and is fast paced but a little bit light on lore and mostly you are just introduced to the FMC and some of her backstory and her environment - she has been raised to put everyone else in her family and needs before herself. Then you are introduced to the MMC and we start to get into the main plot.

The spice was good and steamy but slows down for the plot, but will be looking forward to more of it as the series goes on. One scene had me flash back to My Lady Jane, but better. 🌶🌶🌶

The pace slows down in the middle, as does the romance and spice as it focuses more on the plot and gets into the dragons. I saw very early on what was going to happen but was looking forward to the various reveals regardless. I'm looking forward to learning more about the dragons and their story.

The Tamsyn and Fell have good chemistry. I do particularly enjoy Fell and his directness and confidence and will be interested to get some more of his backstory as we go along.

I am very much looking forward to book 2 to continue the story and will now also be looking into the authors other books as well.

- Enemies to Lovers
- Arranged Marriage / Forced Proximity
- Dragons
- Magic / Witches / Shifters / Creatures
- He Falls First
- Hidden Identity
- Found Family
- Spicy

Thank you to Netgalley for this E-Arc!

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan is a spicy romantasy set in a world where magic is dying, dragons are extinct and witches are outcasts.

The story centres on Tamsyn, the royal family's whipping girl - a young woman who is punished for the princesses misdeeds. Tamsyn struggles to find her place in the world as she’s not quite royalty, but not quite a servant either. Her world is turned upside down as she is promised to Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands instead of one of the Princesses - even though Fell was promised a Penterra princess as a bride.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I really enjoyed the lore and the world that this book was set in, but sadly I didn’t quite connect with any of the characters and felt that the spice overshadowed some of the plot.

However, this is coming from someone who prefers fantasy with a sprinkle of romance versus a romance set in a fantasy world, so if you prefer the latter then you might enjoy this!

This was one of my most anticipated reads for the rest of the year. Romantasy, magic & dragons had me sold.

The blurb sounded really interesting and I loved the idea of the plot. It took a little while to get into the main plot, but it wasn't boring. I liked finding out why Tamsyn was a part of the family and wasn't at the same time. She was a complex character who would defend her family even if it meant losing herself. I neither loved nor hated her as a character, she was tolerable but there were definitely parts I would've changed and delved deeper into. I really liked Fell as a character, he was my favourite. Stig irritated me like no-one else. I don't think that his POV needed to be told. I get he wanted to 'save' Tamsyn, but I never felt like his POV added to the story. I just wanted to slap him.

This was relatively short for a fantasy book it was also decently paced. I would say that it feels like some parts were rushed and other parts took far too long to end. When they're travelling north, it felt like it lasted a very long time and a whole load of nothing happened? Even though it did. It's hard to explain unless you read it. Whilst there was a few things I didn't get on with throughout, I did quite like it. I found myself continuing to think about it after I had read it. I wasn't expecting the twist to be what it was, so that was definitely an added bonus.

One thing I did find really difficult to read was the smut scenes. In the beginning I was definitely thrown off by some of the language used, it seemed quite brazen. I also found myself cringing at it often, it wasn't as bad toward the end. But I was definitely not into the whole having to consummate the marriage in front of everyone. The Queen and King being there just watching was really off putting.

The ending was much better than the beginning, it was left on a cliffhanger which is so annoying. Cliffhangers have been the bane of my life lately. I genuinely enjoyed the book, I hope there is another one so the plot with the dragons and a war can actually develop. This book kind of felt like a filler, so that if there is another one you can actually get into the plot with having other questions answered. This didn't live up to what I specifically had in mind but it was an entertaining, quick read, that I finished in less that a day.

Thank you to NetGalley for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this quite an easy book to get into. I liked the characters, the world, the relationships. At about 65% I struggled a bit with the story, theres lots going on but this story certainly adds something different to the romantasy genre. Expect more from this author, the books ends of a shocking cliff-hanger.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review.

I have a new series to read. I enjoyed this one a lot, despite a few obvious flaws.

The biggest thing that threw me was actually the descriptions of the dragons. They seem to have hands and fingers and humanoid faces, but also all the illustrations in the book look like traditional dragons, and they're like 20 feet long. I could not figure out whether I was supposed to be picturing human/dragon creatures or dragons with human hands or what.

I also really wanted at least a slight examination of the trauma Tamsyn must have been through as a child, and some level of working through that. She's just sort of cool with it all and fine, which I just don't buy at all.

The final issue was that the romance was a bit rushed, and although it had its moments, overall, wasn't as well-developed as it could have been.

Also the love interest turns blond at the end... yikes. But! My entertainment factor was high and I still liked and rooted for both Tamsyn and Fell. The plot was interesting, and the world is well-developed. I'm definitely invested in this world, and I'll be signing on for the rest of the series.

Three stars!

Exciting new fantasy that reinvents the idea of dragons. I really enjoyed the book, reveling in its originality and fresh approach. It had all the key elements of a compulsive read - strong, interesting lead characters, great chemistry, intrigue, action, lots of creativity, unexpected plot twists, and of course a great cliff hanger. I can’t wait to read the next book.

This wasn’t for me. Tough to read due to the writing. The plot lost my interest. There are some references to whipping and abuse in the beginning that just served to make me uncomfortable.

A book I enjoyed reading. I liked Jordan’s writing. The plot was simplistic and trope-y but I enjoyed the relationship of Fell and Tasmyn. Stig kind of felt like a waste of space, no real reason for him to have the thoughts and feelings he has except that the author wanted a love triangle and the drama of it. If Stig was to be more important, I would have wanted more development of his and Tasmyn’s feelings. I liked the world building with the dragons and the plot twist around them. The ending felt rushed and just a set up for another book rather than a satisfying ending of one story.

The protagonist, Tamsyn, is caught between two worlds—treated as part of the royal family but also punished for the misdeeds of the princesses she serves. Tamsyn is a likable character, though her role as the royal “whipping girl” is more about her circumstances than her personal growth. While she shows resilience and determination, especially after being forced into marriage with Fell, her character development remains somewhat superficial. When reading you do wish for a deeper dive into her emotions and her struggle to find her place in this world.

Fell, the “Beast of the Borderlands,” is presented as a fearsome warrior, but the book tends to tell us more about his terrifying nature than show it. His relationship with Tamsyn starts with tension, but rather than developing into a slow burn, the romance escalates quickly, which may leave some readers unsatisfied. Fell’s character does offer moments of vulnerability, but his transformation into a more sympathetic figure feels rushed.

Stig, the Captain of the Guard and Tamsyn’s long-time friend, is set up as a potential romantic rival. However, his possessiveness and sudden jealousy once Tamsyn is to be married off feel cringey at times. His “love” for Tamsyn lacks depth, and his reactionary jealousy makes his character seem immature and overly dramatic, especially since there was little between them before the arranged marriage plotline.

The central plot revolves around the extinction of dragons and a kingdom teetering on the edge of ruin. But the real story focuses on Tamsyn and Fell’s forced marriage and the romance that unfolds between them. The concept of a long-forgotten dragon magic and a world where these creatures once ruled is intriguing, but unfortunately, the dragons play a minimal role in the story. The world-building around magic and dragons feels underdeveloped, and those looking for a high-fantasy adventure may be left wanting more.

The romance is very much the focus of the plot, leaning heavily into the “forced marriage that turns into love” trope. While some readers may enjoy the romantic tension, the relationship between Tamsyn and Fell is more about lust than a deep emotional connection. Their attraction is instantaneous, and the romantic development feels predictable. Additionally, not much happens outside of their interactions, making the pacing slow and uneventful at times.

The story does introduce some twists, particularly concerning Tamsyn and the secrets she doesn’t even know about herself, but these revelations come late in the narrative, and by then, the predictability of the romance overshadows the more interesting magical elements.

Sophie Jordan’s writing style is repetitive at times, with frequent inner monologues that slow the pacing of the story. There’s a lot of exposition through Tamsyn’s thoughts, which often restates information the reader already knows. While the prose is easy to follow and relatively simple, it may not offer the level of immersion or complexity some readers look for in a fantasy novel. The descriptions of the world and characters are sometimes vague, making it difficult to fully visualize the settings, especially in a story that could have benefited from richer world-building.

The theme of deception is central to the story, particularly as Tamsyn is forced into marriage under false pretenses. The manipulation and power struggles within the royal court are touched upon but not explored in great detail.

Tamsyn’s journey of self-discovery and her connection to the long-lost dragon magic are key to the plot, though these elements feel underused. Her character arc could have benefited from a deeper exploration of her inner strength and how her powers affect her identity.

A Fire in the Sky is firmly a romantasy, with the romance between Tamsyn and Fell taking center stage. Readers looking for a complex fantasy world or intricate plotlines may be disappointed, as the story leans heavily into romantic tropes and keeps the fantasy elements in the background. The presence of dragons, though intriguing, is minimal, making this more of a romance with light fantasy elements rather than a true high-fantasy epic.

Positives of A Fire in the Sky
The premise of a forgotten dragon magic is intriguing.
Tamsyn is a likable, resilient protagonist.
The romance may appeal to fans of the “enemies to lovers” and “forced marriage” tropes.
Quick and easy to read, making it suitable for a light fantasy escape.
Negatives of A Fire in the Sky
The romance feels more lust-driven than emotionally developed.
Minimal involvement of dragons and magic despite the intriguing premise.
The writing style is repetitive and can slow down the plot.
Predictable storyline with few surprises.
Stig’s possessiveness and jealousy come across as cringey rather than endearing.
A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan is a quick, light romantasy read that may appeal to fans of romance-driven stories with fantasy elements. However, those hoping for a rich, dragon-filled world or a complex plot may find the book lacking. While the premise holds promise and Tamsyn is a character worth rooting for, the story ultimately feels predictable and underdeveloped in terms of both its romance and fantasy elements. If you’re in the mood for a simple, escapist romance with a touch of magic, A Fire in the Sky could be worth picking up – but don’t expect a high-fantasy epic.