When I first heard the term Romantasy, I knew it was created for me. I love fantasy, I love romance, but actually both of them only if they are combined. And in those cases I personally like there to be as much fantasy as there is romance. So, when I came across this book on Netgalley I of course had to request a copy and Simon and Schuster was so kind to give me a copy. I was even more surprised when the Dutch publisher Harper Collins NL gifted me a special edition hardcover!

This book was everything I had hoped it would be. From the start I was sucked into the story. That's mostly because the author created some really interesting and layered characters. In a way they are both teens, stuck in a shitty situation. Which means they are willing to be a little reckless, a little daring and a little brave. And that's exactly what keeps the plot flowing and what creates some delicious tension.

Especially because the author does a great job making that tension both romantically and dangerous. Of course, we know it's a romantasy, so we kinda know they're probably not really going to kill each other and yet, there are quite a few situations where they came very close. There are quite some moments where we don't know for sure what they're gonna do. Are they gonna kiss? Or are they attempting to murder the other?

I also really liked the setting and the magic. It's not too complicated, so from the start it's easy to grasp what's going on, how the magic works and what led to the use of this magic. However, it does lead to some very interesting situations. Especially because during the book the author keeps on adding to the mythology and magic, combining it with Alchemy. I'm really curious what will wait for us in the sequel. It feels like there is a lot more amazingness to come!

I knew Catherine Doyle wouldn't let me down with her book and this didn't. I loved everything about this book, the plot, the characters, THE ROMANCE and the world building. Just so good. I will definitely be rereading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster UK Children's for an early copy of this book in an exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 56%


This was probably the most boring book I've read the whole year. I was expecting a fast-paced fun story about two rival guilds that I will fly through and absolutely fall in love with. But this was just meandering without any real plot and the love story was nowhere to be found. I thought this was supposed to be a romantasy (which is not my favorite genre, but I keep giving it a try anyway.) so where is the romance? The two main characters don't really interact with each other that much, they meet maybe three or four times during the first 30-40% and these meetings do not last long. They are trying to kill each other every meeting and suddenly they lust after each other? Without any sort of development? That is not love nor romance for me. And highly unbelievable.


Also, this is categorized as YA, right? But apart from the characters being teenagers, this could have been an adult book. And I think it would have been better that way.

What I really enjoyed was the world and the magic. Especially the magic was very well done in my opinion, and original. That is ultimately why I kept reading, because I wanted to know more about it. And about the saints that the people worship as gods and saviors of the realm. There could have been more atmosphere though. I did not really feel immersed in the story.

Also the plot with the monsters attacking Fantome and the fire magic was very interesting and kept me turning the pages. To my endless dissapointment, about 50% through the book we get explained everything that is going on, by a random character who by some miracle knows all the information we need and immediately shares everything with our main characters. So all the suspense is killed as is my will to continue reading. Like this is a key information and we learn it as like a by the way this what's going on?! No! You can't give your characters important information this easily. They have to work for it. Earn it.


Also, there are some very bad decisions in this book. For example our main character Seraphine is a thieve and she is going on heists, breaking into people's mansions and stealing from them. I love a heist. But this is just stupid. She's going in to the mansion without any sort of planning before hand. She doesn't know the lay out, the ways in or out, what she can encounter inside etc. Part of the fun of a heist is the planning. As a reader knowing the plan and seeing it go absolutely wrong. Why do you write a heist and do not include the planning phase? And the heists are way too easy, you aren't scared for and they feel just like side quests that delay the actual plot with mysterious monsters attacking the city.

And as I said, the plot is very very slow and meandering. We have a hundred pages before we even hear about a monster. This book is almost 500 pages. It could have been around 350 in my opinion. So much unnecessary stuff that could have been taken out.

I enjoyed our main characters. I did not love Ransom as a love interest though. In my opinion he was a bit creepy and would be an awesome villain, but a love interest? No. Also, the side characters could have been a bit better developed. I liked them, I liked the romances betwwen them, I just wish we got a bit more from them.

So, this book had a great potential but in the end ended up being boring and lackluster.

Catherine Doyle's "The Dagger and the Flame" is a thrilling start to the City of Fatome series and brings fresh blood to the young adult fantasy category. Set in the enchanting city of Fantome, this novel spins together elements of magic, revenge, and forbidden love. In a world where shade-magic is controlled by rival guilds of thieves and assassins, 18-year-old Seraphine seeks vengeance for her mother's murder. Her path crosses with Ransom, the heir to the Order of Daggers, igniting a dangerous mix of attraction and conflict. As they navigate the treacherous underbelly of Fantome, both must choose between forgiveness and vengeance, love and duty.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Thrilling adventure in a magical Belle Époque-inspired world
💖 Enemies-to-lovers
🌟 Complex characters
🌃 Atmospheric setting: cobblestone streets & secret catacombs
🔮 Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas & Leigh Bardugo

Doyle creates a vivid, atmospheric setting reminiscent of Paris, with cobblestone streets, flickering lamplights, and secret catacombs, and a picturesque countryside outside the city. The shade-magic at the center of the book creates unique conflicts and possibilities, I'm looking forward to learning more in the next book(s). The tension between Seraphine and Ransom is outrageously palpable, with their relationship evolving from animosity to a sizzling, slow-burn romance. Their back-and-forth relationship is filled with tension, witty banter, and undeniable chemistry. Doyle does a great job showing how they move from being enemies to working together, making their growing bond feel real and satisfying. The secondary characters, especially Seraphine's found family among the Cloaks, add humour and heart to the narrative.

This book is perfect for fans of young adult and new adult fantasy who crave intense enemies-to-lovers romances with some spice, fantasy world-building, and high-stakes adventures. Readers who enjoy the works of Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, and Stephanie Garber will find themselves engrossed in this captivating new series. It's an ideal choice for those who love stories of revenge, forbidden love, and characters grappling with moral dilemmas in a richly imagined fantasy world.

Note: This is an updated review after a re-read. I read it so fast the first time, I felt like I missed the better points. I'm glad I did, now I love it even more and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Children's UK and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Well, this was frustrating. After hearing so much praise, I ended up trying to finish this book as fast as possible just so that I would be done with it.

The core of the story held promise - I liked the idea of gang rivalies and the magic was interesting. But the other elements were disappointing - the worldbuilding was minimal, background characters - underveloped and the romance had no flame. The main characters experienced instant love and even though there were so many reasons not to act on it (which would have given the readers more tension), of course they ignored it.

This book was not for me and I'll probably will not pick up the sequel

The Dagger and the Flame was a rollicking, romance filled, humour tinged fantasy adventure.

Seraphine Marchant is the daughter of a smuggler, or rather, she is the recently orphaned daughter of a smuggler. Running from the Daggers, Fantome's underground order of assassins, she seeks sanctuary in the only place she will truly be safe, the order of Cloaks. Now facing down a life as a thief, Sera must stay vigilant - there is still an assassin on her tail. Ransom, drawn into the Daggers as a child, is that assassin. But there's something different about this mark, and try as he might, be just can't bring himself to kill her... not right away at least. Set in a world where Shade, dark magic, is stronger even than the rule of law, Sera and Ransom must work together, wittingly or unwittingly, to untangle the twisted web of magic and lies that robbed her of her mother, and seeks to rob Ransom of the only family he has ever known.

The Dagger and Flame is a Adult enemies-to-lovers romantasy, with some solid YA elements. I would recommend this for YA readers who want to dip their tow into adult romantasy, or regular readers of adult romantasy, who don't mind their spice very mild! The stand out of this book is the moral and emotional considerations on the part of both of our POV characters / leads. Doyle also works in some good twists, and well considered friendships. There are some elements that felt a little out of place, and some of the choices made by our FMC particularly didn't make the most sense, but holistically, this was a good idea, executed well. I give this 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to Catherine Doyle, Simon and Schuster, and NetGalley for a galley of this in exchange for an honest review.

My gosh this book was fantastic! The enemies to lovers trope hit hard and was expertly executed. The pacing was great throughout, with some shocking revelations to keep you on your toes, and a climactic ending that left me desperate for the sequel

Twisting fantasy tale, with responsibilities impacting on a maybe should/shouldn’t romance. For older teens, YA and up. The main characters have life histories that we get dripped fed as they playfully feud against each other and try to save not just themselves from death. Será just wants to be free but only after she manages revenge on her mother’s killer. Ransom, assassin, allotted Sera as a mark finds her intriguing, beguiling and very much to his own hurt difficult to kill. But much is not as it seems. Magic is in play, and treachery is to be found in the cast presented to us in this story. As to Sera and Ransom’s possible future - responsibilities are not necessarily one’s own, and a fairytale romantic ending is not certain at all. Thank you to Simon and Schuster Uk Children’s and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

3.5 stars

This story gave me serious Romeo & Juliet vibes without some of the tragedy. It felt upper YA in tone and plot. Sera and Ransom were pitched on different sides of magic ability and so an enemies to more theme emerged. It gave me some angst because of the investment I felt in this couple.

The magic system was really interesting. It rolled out to be quite a complex plot that had a few pacey moments but overall romped along well. It was quite a long read and I would encourage readers to bear with the slower start. The City of Fantome turned out to be darkish and bustling setting.

A lot happened in the final few chapters so there's plenty to feel excited about in the next book. Overall, a promising series starter.

Thank you Simon YA and Nina Douglas for the review copy.

Thank you Simon and Schuster UK and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

In The Dagger and the Flame, we follow a 17 year old girl Seraphine, who runs for her life after her mother was killed. She wants to revenge her mothers dead, but is followed by Ransom, heir to the Order of Daggers. He has never seen a person who wields this strange and blazing magic and they are attracted to each other on their journey.

Unfortunetely, this book didn’t work for me, I found the characters childish and I had middle grade feelings towards them. Besides that, the world building felt flat and I didn’t get a connection with the world building or the characters.

I think this book will work for younger readers who are beginning to read the middle grade-young adult books. For me it didn’t work.

Having read and enjoyed the author’s previous novels (written together with Katherine Webber), I was really excited about her new solo novel and I wasn’t disappointed. A city ruled by two rival gangs (one of thieves, the other of assassins), a slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance and quite a bit of family drama… I loved it!

The story is well-developed. There is a magic controlled by the two rival gangs, the Cloaks and the Daggers. A decades-old truce makes sure that they stay out of each other’s way, but as mysterious deadly creatures start appearing in the city causing panic, they may have to find a way to cooperate. Of course, the two protagonists each belong to one of the groups. After her mother’s murder, Seraphine found refuge with the Cloaks and is learning the skills while trying to figure out who killed her mother. A member of the Daggers since he was a child, Ransom is destined to lead them one day, but for now he has an assignment: Seraphine.

After a bit of a slow start, I got completely immersed in the story. The writing is captivating and I loved the action, the twists, the romance (I adored their note-exchanging), and also the close friendships. The ending left me really excited for the sequel and I can’t wait to read what is next for both Seraphine and Ransom!!!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's UK for providing me with an arc.

I request this book before I realized that most YA isn't working for me anymore and this one also did struggle with that for me. I couldn't really get into it which definitely isn't fully the fault of the book and is partially just that I am not the target for YA anymore. I do want to come back to this as I liked this author's other books but at this time I am DNFing it.

5 ⭐️

YA
Enemies to lovers
Thieves & Assassins

My new obsession! Absolutely loved it. The world building, the story. The progression the pace.
The characters connection. The burn. So so good. I ate it up.

Read if you liked Powerless & Throne of Glass.

Thank you Simon and Schuster UK and Netgalley for the eARC.

Dagger and Flame started out so promisingly. Rich in lore, with a unique magic system. The banter between our MCs was so fun and I loved their early interactions.

Unfortunately, the book didn’t keep its momentum and I found myself disliking Sera, our FMC. The overall story was good but the final nail in the coffin for me was the magical orgasm. I just couldn’t take the book seriously after that.

A couple of the twists just had no impact on me and, whilst I did find the actual plot interesting, I just wasn’t invested in the characters in the way I want to be when reading a book.

The world-building and the lore were the saving graces of this book.

Fantasy, proper enemies to lovers and a swoon-worthy romance - what more could you ask for?
The Dagger and the Flame will sit right along side all of your favourite romantasy titles. Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Cassandra Clare.

I loved this book. I thought the world building was very good and enjoyed the history of the Cloaks and Daggers and the overall glimpse you get into the city of Fantome and the Saints.

Sera and Ransom were both very interesting and engaging characters and I enjoyed that we had both POVs throughout.

The story has a few twists and turns, some I predicted and some came out of nowhere which I feel is always good and keeps us readers on our toes.

My only slight complaint was the Daggers becoming so upset and self righteous whenever anyone attempted to kill/harm them. Surely as assassins they should understand more than anyone and expect people to retaliate. But this was a very minor side point and in no way detracted from the story or characters, just something I kept coming back to.

Really excited to see where this story goes and looking forward to the next installment.

Buckle your seatbelts, folks, you’re in for a ride! This book dives almost straight into the action and keeps the momentum moving throughout. I was completely hooked on this addictive tension between Ransom and Sera, a forbidden attraction between enemies from rival factions. The danger and their power struggles built the complexity of their relationship, making their growing feelings all the more interesting. This book certainly has some dark moments, and the family relationships experienced by both Ransom and Sera are a mix of darkness and light. I enjoyed how the plot played out, unravelling the mysteries that emerged at a pace that helped keep the book moving along quickly enough.

We’re not left on too much of a cliffhanger at the end which is nice, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’m not desperate to have the sequel as soon as possible to find out where the road takes us and to see more of my favourite characters.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

The Dagger and the Flame by Catherine Doyle is a fun, fast paced fantasy. I think it is going to be one of my top fantasy reads of the year. I really loved the development of the enemies to lovers story line between our main characters. The worldbuilding is well done and I loved the idea of rivalry and power battles between the cloaks and daggers and the unique magic system in this book. It is well written with charismatic characters, intriguing, gripping plotline and unique and well done worldbuilding and magic. I am really looking forward to reading more as this series continues. I found myself consuming this book in 24hours as I just couldn't put it down and was captivated by the characters and the plotline.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this e-arc

Catherine Doyle's The Dagger and the Flame is a spellbinding tale full of rich world-building, gripping intrigue, and emotional depth. The story effortlessly blends high-stakes adventure with intimate character moments, immersing readers in a world of magic, loyalty, and betrayal. Doyle's writing is captivating, with vivid descriptions and well-paced action that keeps the plot moving at a satisfying pace. The characters are complex, particularly the protagonist, whose journey of self-discovery and courage is deeply engaging. Fans of fantasy and strong heroines will be thoroughly enchanted by this enthralling read.

Highly recommended for lovers of fantasy fiction!