This is my first journey into the fantasy world of Sophie Jordan and I’m slightly conflicted. I enjoyed A Fire in the Sky, by the end of the book I was seriously hooked but it took me a long time to get there. For most of the story I was frustrated by the repetition and lack of world building but when the action started and the lines were drawn (no spoilers here, folks), I forgot my frustration and just enjoyed the ride.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

It should be noted that this is a prequel to Sophie's Young Adult Firelight trilogy, but this is very much an adult read. I haven't read Firelight and wasn't confused at any point.

The concept of a "whipping girl"—a girl raised alongside royalty, only to bear the brunt of their punishments—is a fascinating aspect of history, or perhaps myth, that has always intrigued me. A Fire in the Sky explores this concept through the character of Tamsyn, who navigates a perilous life in the royal court of Penterra. Treated as part of the royal family but also as the lowest servant, Tamsyn's complex position immediately grabbed my interest.

The writing in this book is solid, with enough intrigue and tension to keep the pages turning. The courtly setting is well-crafted, and I found myself invested in Tamsyn's plight and her relationships with the other characters, particularly Stig, the Captain of the Guard. The stakes are high from the beginning, and the story maintains a brisk pace that kept me engaged throughout.

However, there are a few aspects that didn’t fully resonate with me. While the initial premise and Tamsyn’s role as the royal whipping girl were compelling, the development of Fell’s character felt a bit unclear. His motivations, particularly his desire to help his people, are well established, but the sudden, mystical bond between him and Tamsyn seemed to overshadow the potential for a more gradual, organic relationship. I would have preferred to see them grow to like and understand each other over time, rather than being thrust together by a mystical force. This aspect made their connection feel somewhat forced, which detracted from the emotional depth of their relationship. As well as this, as the story went on Stig's feelings for Tamsyn seemed less romantic and more possessive, which was unsettling to read.

Additionally, while the twists involving both Tamsyn and Fell were well-executed, I did find them a bit predictable. That said, the journey to these revelations was still enjoyable, and the story's pacing ensured that my interest never waned.

It’s worth noting that the book does contain some spicy scenes, which may not be to everyone’s taste. These scenes are integral to the plot but might be a consideration for readers who prefer their fantasy with a little less heat.

Overall, A Fire in the Sky is an enjoyable read with a unique premise and solid writing. While the romance element didn’t fully click for me, the story’s other strengths make it worth the read. I’m looking forward to the next installment in the series and seeing where Tamsyn’s journey takes her next.

Thankyou to the publisher for reaching out! Some parts of the book I really enjoyed, but the whole thing just wasn't for me and I really just had to battle through most of the book.

I haven’t read any of Sophie Jordan’s previous books but, A Fire in the Sky is the first in her new adult romantasy series and I was intrigued to discover a fantasy world where dragons have been eliminated and magic destroyed.

The story of the FMC Tamsyn begins in a world of outward luxury and gilded walls, the royal court, where Tamsyn has been elevated from an orphaned baby to proxy daughter of the royal family and whipping girl, punished for the indiscretions and misdeeds of the royal daughters. It is here that Jordan sets the scene for a romance told from the PoVs of the three core characters. This is a romance which at its roots calls upon forced proximity, marriage of convenience, and reluctant partners, set amidst a world of dying magic and the destruction of dragons.

Tamsyn is forced to marry Fell, a Northern lord who protects the pampered royals from threats to their borders, also known as the Beast of the Borderlands, after his demand that he is given one of the royal princesses as his bride. Whilst he is deceived and Tamsyn forced to deceive him, not the greatest start to a marriage, their relationship grows and evolves as they journey back to Fell’s home, however, not all is as it seems and during this journey Tamsyn discovers more about herself than she ever knew, which puts under threat everything she knew before and the kingdom itself.

Wow! That was such a fun read! Even though I’ve never read the YA Firelight trilogy, for which I believe this book is a prequel, I was totally engrossed from start to end. Tamsyn is an empathetic character, who it was easy to warm to and feel for, and the relationship between her and Fell was written beautifully. I am definitely not a fan of Instalove and Jordan created a relationship between them that deftly and skilfully manoeuvres around this to deliver just the right balance of attraction and deception that works with the plot.

The world building is really well done, it isn’t overly lecturing, you don’t have to take notes, Jordan gradually immerses you into the world, introducing themes and politics, such as the whipping child whose role is to take corporal punishment on behalf of the royal princesses in this case. The arranged marriage and evidence of consummation are portrayed in such a way that you can feel the discomfort of the participants and the spite and glee of the spectators. The geography of the world and the dark woods are written in such a way that you can feel the mists swirling around your ankles or the neck aching awe of viewing the Crags, alongside the physical hardships endured to travel through such regions, all of which weave together to bring to life this fantasy world.

The only gripe I have, is that I don’t have the next book in my hands. As soon as I opened this book, I was entranced and didn’t want to put it down to leave this world. The ending has only served to increase my desire and appetite to find out what the next book has in store for Tamsyn and Fell. If you love fantasy, romance, great characters, worldbuilding and a story that will totally transport you, pick up A Fire in the Sky now!

Thank you HQ and Harper Collins, and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

What a great Fantasy story, dragons that can become human, what next! There was a lot of atmosphere to this story that drags you in. A lovely, very fitting conclusion.

⭐⭐⭐.75.

Cons
I think this would have made a better YA or teen book if it didn't have so much spice. The style of writing felt like it belonged to YA books.
It all felt very fast. Once the big *spoiler* happened. It was all very fast with hardly any world building in the new location. Just lots of things happening one after the other.
Pros
It was interesting learning the history behind the whipping girls and boys.
I liked the main two characters personalities and their chemistry.
It was an easy fun read and it could be read in one to two days easily.
The big *spoiler* was a nice surprise and I guessed it was something along those lines, but I never would have guessed that reveal!

Headlines:
Clever plotting
Marriage of convenience
Dragon revival

This book swept me into it's thrall rather quickly with Tamsyn's situation in the royal family that was both awful and at the same time, intriguing. I couldn't fathom the idea of a whipping girl. The arrival of "the beast" brought ripples through the palace and colour me interested in the dynamic that evolved.

I didn't expect the turn of events but found myself laughing in parts and horrified at the wedding night. Still, Jordan was able to show incredible chemistry between Fell and Tamsyn that had me wishing all the things for them.

The journey they found themselves on both relationship-wise and across the country was risky and full of peril. I did not see the twists that came along that journey. You could have heard my jaw drop from 50 steps. What a turn of events...and then we got a second twist!

I did feel a bit of ebbing in the plot and pace towards the end but then things picked up with steep excitement. It's a fairly open ending and I really hope the author intends to bring us more of this world and characters; I'm ready for it.

Thank you to HQ stories for the eARC.

Could not put this book down! I just wanted to inhale it!

It was intriguing, engaging and just the right amount of spice!

Tamsyn was a perfect female lead. Her prestigious yet lowly position in court was a rollercoaster. 1 minute she's a princess the next a servant. Her mysterious life unfolded so well throughout the book. Giving just the right amount of background as you go along to keep you guessing!

Fell was a wonderful beast with rough edges and unruly followers. But his more tender nature just shone through! In the beginning it was so hard knowing whether to route for their marriage or hope he rejected Tamsyn to keep her safe.

The treachery thought up by the royals was both unbelievable and totally predictable. I loved the under current of mistrust that surrounded them as the book went on.

The only slight issue I had with this book was that it was too short!!! I could have read 200-400 more pages and still be wishing there were more!

Enemy to loves done right! If you love this trope buy this book! I could not put it down and the twist I did not see coming. Please give us book two asap!

What a great read. This book has it all, magic, tension, action, drama, spice (on the lighter side), and everything else in between. Tamsyn is the main character and you can't help but be on her side. She's hasn't been dealt an easy life. Fell is a great character too and I loved the dynamic between him and Tamsyn. I flew through this book as I didn't want to put it down. I love when I'm hooked for the first few pages. There was a great twist that I didn't see coming either.

The world building is excellent as is the character development and the magic. I loved the author's style of writing too. For me it was the perfect mix of fantasy and romance and I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

3.8 Rating for a fast paced romance in a fantasy world.
If you like arranged marriages, marriages under pretense, heroines who come into their beastly inheritance, medieval settings with magic, and love triangles, then you're in for a good book.

A Fire in the Sky is easy to read, fast paced and the language is clear and casual, with some sprinkles of antiquated language we all love.

This book is very obviously a part of a series and thus, there isn't much character development yet, nor extensive world building, but there are many wonders in this fantasy world that are fascinating and I suspect will be further explored in book two. It's well structured, paints vivid pictures and has all the tropes, if you're so inclined. Banned magic/magic leaving the 'land', witch hunts and creature heroines who learn to appreciate their strong side.
I hope to see that in the next book, the heroine is coming to terms with, in some way, with the injustice of her childhood as a whipping girl. There's much potential here. I think if you like the premise and want a light and fast read, you should give it a go.

I would have given more stars, but for my personal tastes I'm not a huge fan of the trope of touching your soulmate gives you physical symptoms and some of the characters were a bit stereotype-y. That is a personal preference.

A copy of the book was given to me through Netgalley, in exchange for my honest review. This does not influence the ways in which I write about my reading experience, or the book itself.

A great start to an intriguing fantasy world! Whilst there were certain aspects of the plot that I predicted, I still found the characters compelling and am curious to find out where the story goes next

I am obsessed with this book!! It is going to be such an amazing series!
I loved the writing style and the world and characters!! By chapter 2 I was completely hooked and couldn’t get enough! I will definitely be buying the physical copy for my shelf! Love love love!!!

This really took me by surprise. It just wasn't the story I really expected from the blurb and in all the good ways.
We love a good heroine but when you throw in a surprised love match it's amazing how things can change.

Some bits were a little obvious but that's okay, they needed to be to let the storyline work. The ending leave you wanting the next book and it really cane come soon enough!

This was such an addictive and easy read. Sometimes fantasies can get really wrapped up on having confusingly intricate plot lines with lore than goes on and on and on but it was really refreshing to read a fantasy that had a simple plot line, with a simple backstory but at little cost to the quality of the story. I read this one in a little over of a day!

The FMC, Tamsyn, was a really likeable character. She’s not your typical heroin but still possesses all the traits to make a great one. She’s brave, selfless, resolute and will do anything to protect the ones she loves. I really enjoyed reading her points of view and can see her becoming a favourite character for me!

I just think there needed to be more content. I wanted more romance and tension between Tamsyn and Fell. More stolen moments or charged encounters. There was something missing between the two and needed maybe 100 more pages to really give the characters the development they deserve!

I can tell that the next book is going to be dragons galore and I’m really intrigued to learn more about the witches!!

But overall it’s nice to read something that feels a bit different to the types of fantasy books currently being put out there and I’m really looking forward to reading more of this series!

I received this book as an arc, and I really did like this book, and can’t wait for the next to see how the story evolves. The only downside for me was the pacing. It started off good, but the middle section of the book when they are traveling to the north seems to be a little disconnected. It was almost like the author was trying to give as much information as possible but it just didn’t seem to blend very well from plot to plot, and seemed a little off. I can see where the author was going and trying to achieve, but for me personally it felt a little bit of a full stop to the story. The end section of the book and the action really made it for me. I did guess the big plot twist early on, but I didn’t mind. I was just sat anticipating, knowing it was good to happen. I was sat talking to my book saying “it’s going to happen… it’s going to happen.” I really cannot wait for the next book because I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!! Thank you to NetGalley, the punisher and the author for allowing to ready this book

Things I love in a book:
- Dragons ✔️
- Romance but not too much ✔️
- Quick pace ✔️
- A strong female protagonist ✔️
Not only this book had everything I love but also it was amazing.
I never read anything from the author but for me she is an author I want to follow from now on. This was one hell of a ride, a marvellous ride from the begging to the end, and I for sure want to read more books from her.
I needed more when I finished... I STILL NEED 😅
I recommend this book for the romantsy people as me, you will not regret reading it .

Calling fans of When the Moon Hatched and Game of Thrones!!

Wow, I was hooked from the beginning of this story. It follows the FMC Tamsyn who is brought up as part of the Royal family as the whipping girl (punished for the princesses misdeeds). The lord of the Borderlands (our MMC Fell) visits the King and demands he marries one of the princesses. The King agrees and unbeknownst to Fell arranges for Tamsyn to be the bride as he doesn’t want one of his blood daughters to marry such a brute and be taken to a place like the Borderlands. She wears a veil the whole ceremony until the marriage is consummated and only then does Fell find out he has not married Royal blood.

The story unwinds from here. There are two plot twists in the book and both are absolutely incredible. If you like Witches, Dragons, Game of Thrones vibes with people being used as pawns then this book is for you.

The writing and plot of this book are fantastic. Sophia Jordan has you captivated from the first chapter. I could not put this book down. Her writing is almost poetic at some points which immerses you into the world.

I love Tamsyn’s and Fell’s relationship in this book. I feel like there is so much more to both of them and I cannot to see how their characters both develop throughout the series.

You need to add this book to your TBR right now!

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for a copy of the eARC🔥

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the E-ARC of this book.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF at around 40% because I was at the point where I was dreading reading it and then forcing myself to do so. I know a lot of people love this book, and I can see where they are coming from but this just was not for me.

I really enjoyed the first chapter and thought the premise was quite original and interesting. We follow Tamsyn the royal whipping girl, taking punishment for the princesses she grows up alongside. This develops into an arranged marriage with a warrior from the perilous borderlands.

The plot is very predictable, and some of the thoughts/dialogue are so basic. Tamsyn goes from naïve to natural born 'lover' in seconds and it makes the character feel unbelievable, I really wanted to be rallying for her but then she just changed. The bad boy character with a gentle heart was much more alluring but not enough to carry the book for me.

This is the first book I've read by Sophie Jordan and I've had to go and read other readers opinions as I was convinced I was reading a teen book (apart from the small amount of mild erotica).
Firstly, dragons give birth - who knew?! Then why a human child. Very transparent that this was Fell's fate too. What was the witch Thora all about. What was the point of her.? The clearing in the woods but, what?!
Then the ending. No explanation, nothing. Assuming gearing towards a second book. Therefore touche!