From the blurb, this book had me 100% sold since it seemed to contain absolutely everything that I want in a story. Frustratingly though, it wasn't quite what I'd hoped. The plot was slower than expected and I didn't think the characters were particularly great. Things picked up around the middle, but still not to the point where I was desperate to see what was going to happen. A solid 3 stars, even though I really wish it had been higher.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Romantasy + Dragons is a win-win for me. I loved it more than I expected to. There's really not much I can say without spoilers, but I implore you to READ THIS BOOK!

It has multiple POV, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, dragons/magic/witches. The world building was good and not too intense. The witch element was not as prominent as I expected, and I wish there were more dragons, but the story was intriguing, and I hope it will go more in depth in the next books. The FMC, Tamsyn, is interesting, and I really enjoyed her character arc. The MMC, Fell (The Beast of the Borderlands) is strong, intimidating but caring and gentle - a pretty perfect MMC. There is an interesting dynamic with Tamsyn’s best friend also. There were lots of surprises which I really enjoyed, and the pacing of the story was well executed.  

I will definitely be looking to read more from this author, and I can not wait for the next book! 

Thank you to the author, Sophie Jordan, the publisher, HQ, and Netgalley, for providing me with the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

| 3.75 bumped up to 4

TLDR: A solidly good read that I don’t think most will be disappointed with but be warned that there is certainly some clunkiness that I didn’t expect from Jordan.

I read A Fire in the Sky within 2 days which should tell you how gripped I was, it completely left me to make notes while I was reading as well which I’m paying for now!

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I love a good, true enemies to lovers which this was hitting the spot for. I will say that the chemistry is definitely lacking a bit between our two main characters and I would prefer some real relationship developments between the two instead of the, what I assume, is the “mate bond” or some variation of it.

Sophie Jordan had be in a chockhod the whole way through the book until we get to the, no spoilers, “basket” scene which ripped me out of the story so fast as I tried to comprehend the anatomy and logistics of the whole thing and as silly as it sounds, kinda ruined the ending a bit as it really just kills the immersion. It just seems like the strangest thing for an editor or someone to not point out and seems like a very silly mistake from an author so well established.

Generally though, I had a good time and would definitely recommend!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book.

I enjoyed this book, but I think I spent most of the book waiting for the story to properly start. I felt like we didnt really get into things until about 45% in and then it all fell flat again until the last 10% of the book.

I loved learning about Fell and Tamsyn. Their chemistry was off the charts but Tamsyn was a tad stupid and annoying sometimes- I wish she made some more selfish decisions when it came to Stig.

Overall, I liked this book and I would read the sequel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Loved this book!

Tamsyn is the main character and you find yourself rooting for her from the beginning. She is a whipping girl for the royal princesses but she is strong and resilient. Whilst loyal to the royal family, she still has her own mind and protects those around her.

The book contains a perfect level of spice and you're left wanting more.

Fell is a huge hunk of a man and is referred to as 'The Beast'. Tamsyn isn't intimidated by him at all and it leads to a great dynamic between the two.

She is betrayed but the twists leave you guessing as to where it will come from! It ends on a cliff hanger and leaves you wanting more.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

My review will be posted in the following location on the 25th June.

https://www.instagram.com/hf.payne/

Firstly, thank you NetGalley, HQ, and Sophie for allowing me to read an early release of this wonderful book!

I was immediately on Tamsyn's side in all things - a girl found abandoned and used as a whipping girl for the princess's bad behavior, forced into marriage through trickery to the Lord of the Borderlands.
Although at first, I didn't like Fell, his character development meant that I understood and liked him better about halfway through the story.
Stig - no, I didn't like him - he gave me Dain in fourth wing vibes.

I loved this book, and finished it in a weekend, not even realizing I hadn't moved for the whole day to get a coffee. The world-building, the character development, the magic lore, and the beautiful writing make this enchanting and enthralling.
Already on my Amazon WL for release and recommending to friends to do the same.

A Fire in the Sky is the first book in a high stakes romantasy series that interweaves deception, magic and dragons. It is a fast paced story that is full of twists and turns that kept me on my toes. As soon as I saw the gorgeous cover, I had very high expectations and I am delighted that this book lived up to them all.

Tamsyn is a whipping girl, raised alongside the princesses of Penterra and punished for their misdeeds. When Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, arrives with the intent of taking one of the princesses to wife, Tamsyn helps to decieve him by marrying him in their place. I absolutely adored the romance and I instantly warmed to Fell.

The world felt brutally real and I absolutely adored the lore and history of the dragons. The plot was incredibly intriguing and was perfectly mixed with the romance.

This was my first book by Sophie Jordan and I was absolutely hooked! I am very eager to discover more books by her in the future.

This book was good, it appears to be a destiny/fate story for Tamsyn and Fell. They cannot seem to keep themselves away from each other. I am eager to find out more.

The Royal Family are unbelievable, I can't decide if they are evil or just plain idiots <spoiler>At one point it does seem like Fell killing Tamsyn never even entered their minds, also that they think he would still fight for them after being tricked?</spoiler>

The beginning was very promising but then when they started to travel roughly half way through, it became very slow only picking up a few times here and there, then the ending felt very rushed. Which is a shame because of how well the first half of the book sucked me into the story.

At first I thought I knew where the story was going but then things happened that changed my mind, so I was not expecting the ending and it has just opened up so many questions that I now need answering.

I really like Fell and Tamsyn together, I wish we got to see more of them actually working together so this is what I wish to see in book two. It has definitely intrigued me enough to look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! I really enjoyed the author's writing style and found myself struggling to put it down!

It felt like the perfect mix of fantasy and romance and although I suspected how the plot would develop, it was enjoyable to realise I'd worked it out rather than a feeling of frustration or predictability. I can't wait for the next one.

Tiktok review to be posted on release date.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC to review.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It had an unexpected twist which I did not foresee which I loved. An easy writing style makes the reading experience pleasurable and provides a good amount of descriptive detail without being too much at any point.
There are all the requirements for a great book, in my humble opinion, including romance, family love, power, deceit, conflict, action, mystery, history and change. The main characters are well crafted, believable and react and respond exactly how the reader would expect until...(no spoilers). There is a little spice (just so you know). Can't wait forthe next instalment!

This new dragon fantasy is sublime. A novel delivered with experienced and expert writing, a polished, perfectly narrated story and worthy of all the praise that will come its way.

In the royal courts Tamsyn is the whipping girl for the princesses, taking their punishments whilst living alongside them in the palace she knows little of her heritage and only that she was adopted at birth. She continues to benefit the crown as an adult in an arranged marriage to secure a union, however this releases a strength and power unknown and unforeseen.

This novel is such a page turner, the alternate PoVs allow us into the minds of our protagonists, and we see different sides of events as they unfold. The characters are superb, Tamsyn is a strong and relatable lead and her relationships and experiences with others are expertly written. We journey with her through majestic landscapes as magic weaves in threads around her and her destiny unfolds.

The incredible climax with big twists is exhilarating and, although the book ends on a cliffhanger, there is a satisfying turn of events to conclude.

This is the work of a pro; the level of detail is exceptional, the world building is expertly crafted, the characters are well fleshed out and the plot is water tight. Other recent dragony big hitters have nothing on this, and I hope that A Fire in the Sky gets all the noise it deserves.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. Enemies to loved is my favourite trope to read, and this book does it very well.
This book had me hooked, and I can't wait for book two!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

I read this book in less than a day and enjoyed pretty much every moment of it! From the beginning, when we found out our main character was a royal whipping girl, to the end, it was fantastic. Tamsyn was interesting and believable. Her love of her royal family and her sisters makes sense considering how she's been raised—she IS a sister of the princesses in all the ways that matter. It's just that she's the one who takes the punishment when they do wrong.

Fell is our male lead, and he has that brooding style down. He's all about wearing black and stoic, but he's committed to his people and lands. The lack of care for himself and his people was admirable, especially in THAT scene where he knew they expected him to put on a show. So, put on a show he did!

Their chemistry was immediate. You get the sense that there's something more between them outside of normal human attraction. This immediately raises eyebrows, as this is a world where magic is viewed as a threat - the dragons were eliminated, and the witches are still being actively hunted. Humanity needs something to blame, and magic is now the number one enemy.

Despite the animosity between them both after the Big Reveal happens, you can still sense their yearning. They don't understand it, but they're also unsure what to do with it. The big twist happens, though I will say that I saw it coming a mile off. Either way, I still enjoyed it when it happened, and I want to find out what happens next, so I'm excited to read the sequel when it comes out!

My suspicions about Fell were right...what those were, you'll have to read to find out.

On another note - good lord did I hate Stig. Save us from men who think women need to be saved.

🌟 🌟
2 stars
I loved the idea behind this book and believe it started off so well. Unfortunately it very quickly began to go off the rails for me. It was predictable and a little young too in places. Almost as if it wasn't sure what age range to claim as its audience. The opportunity to really hit hard on so many parts was a sad missed opportunity. It just really did not live up to its hype sadly.

I loved this book! Started it and couldn't put it down. It grabbed me within the first few pages.

Really liked the FMC and MMC and their relationship, the enemies to lovers, angst and 'she's mine' vibes. The spice was spicing, but there could have been more, IMO 🤣

Would definitely recommend it and can't wait for the next book!

This an original and exciting take on the enemy to lovers fantasy trope with some very unexpected plot twists by the end of book 1 that leave you on edge for book 2. Tamsyn and Fell have a mysterious past connected to dragons and witchcraft. Both were abandoned as children and as adults find themselves in a marriage of convenience. But what happens next is unexpected and opens the way to giving them answers about their pasts. I can't wait for book 2!

A Fire in the Sky is the first book in Sophie Jordan's new adult romantasy series, set in a world where dragons are extinct and magic is fading. Tamsyn is a whipping girl at the royal court of Penterra and is punished for the princesses' misdeeds. Her life is upended when she is forced to marry Fell, the Beast of the Borderlands, under false pretenses to save the princesses from marrying him instead. Their relationship evolves as Tamsyn's identity and hidden powers come to light, revealing secrets that could reignite the dormant magic and transform the kingdom.

As soon as I started reading this book, I was instantly hooked, and I couldn't stop until I'd finished it in one go. I've never read the young adult Firelight trilogy, but given this new series is a prequel or origin story to the Firelight series, I think it was a great entry point, and it meant that I didn't really know where the plot was going so it was all very unexpected. I was definitely along for the ride and I was totally invested.

As well as loving the plot, I also loved the relationship between Tamsyn and Fell. Their instant attraction and chemistry was perfect as it didn't fall onto the instalove side of the line. The sex scenes were just right, and it was the perfect balance of plot and romance. It was just everything I was looking for.

I thought the world was fascinating - the presence of whipping girls or boys to take the punishment for the royal family, and the method of proving the consummation of a marriage were just a few of the ways that this world felt both fleshed out and original. It really felt like a real (but odd and interesting) fantasy world that had been really well thought through.

The only note I wrote while reading the book itself was "Omg it's amazing! So emotional and gripping" and that was around page 50, and after that I was too enthralled to write any further notes. So it's safe to say that I will definitely be reading the rest of this series. That cliffhanger had me gasping for more, and if this was a completed series already, I know I would binge the whole series right now. This is the perfect start to an adult romantasy series, and I can't wait to read the future books!

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

✨I received this ARC in exchange for a honest review from NetGalley ✨

From starting this book, the story really intrigued me, and I really struggled to put it down! The world building was great, and so much detail was put into everything! I did guess some plot points, but others took me by complete surprise.
The main characters relationship was so complicated with arranged marriage, deceit, and a lack of trust. But in finding themselves they also found eachother in the process, and I loved reading the multiple POVs throughout.

There were a couple of characters that I just didn’t gel with, but overall I fell in love with Tamsyn and Fell. The way the relationship grew, and their sexual tension was on point!

The cliffhanger was absolutely brutal and I was definitely left feeling that I desperately wanted more! I can’t wait for the next book!

I really enjoyed this, A Fire in the Sky is dark, atmospheric, emotional and has a deeply rewarding cliffhanger twist at the end. I felt at times, the steamy connection between Fell and Tamsyn was quick, but given the magical twist, it makes a lot of sense. Huge thanks to the author and publisher, for the chance to read this ARC, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I hope to read more from this series.

I am so glad that the author is planning future books, because after that ending, I need more!!

Written in multiple POVs, this is an epic romantasy with adventure, arranged marriage, spice, dragons, and witches.

I finished this within 24 hours because I honestly couldn't put it down - I was intrigued from the very start, and even though I guessed some of what was going to happen, it didn't make it any less of a surprise!

I am really looking forward to where the author takes this story and these characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Stories for the opportunity to read this ARC.