True enemies to lovers trapped in a world of magic that steadily kills it's users with weird moments that ruined the overall experience.

"if you could stay still while I'm killing you, I'd appreciate it"


Things I liked before I get into the review:
- proper enemies to lovers
- intresting and new magic system
- assassins vs thieves
- the mystery (but this would have been so much cooler without the prologue)
- the end


The opening is weighted down with the past taking away tension from the FMC circumstances. I am never a fan of a prologue that can be later woven in or hinted to so it put a damper on the beginning.

It was made slower still by the dual POV describing the same set of events, even if the new perspective was interesting it felt unnecessary. I thought the names were funny, it made it sound more of a fairytale and I couldn't take some of these 'criminals' seriously.

The MMC use of nicknames felt juvenile and it felt unnecessary for a twenty year old. Like "cabbage head", really? His chapters also felt a lot more sexualised at times it felt quite unnecessary.

For plot twists, I enjoyed the FMC one 70 or so percent. I don't feel it was foreshadowed well other than the mother hated him (granted I may have missed some) but I wish it felt more clever but maybe I've been reading too many good thrillers.

Throughout this there are soo many countdowns to build tension but it becomes more annoying after the third time. It looses the effect and makes me more inclined to skim.

I knew about the 20% mark that it was going to be a favorite and I'm definitely not wrong: it's such a 5 star favorites I loved it so much and am so happy to discover this book and its world!

I already liked Marvel's Cloak & Dagger base idea so that what made me request this arc because I was intrigued. And while we're still different from the inspiration, the changes gives such a great and interesting fantasy world, with powers and dangers and fall backs all the more intriguing.

I really loved Seraphine and Ransom, may it be their personality on themself seperately from each others, but also - and especially - when they're together. We have here a true ennemies (true, Ransom has to kill Sera lol) to lovers with some cat and mouse games, I'm trying to kill you but you save me so I'm saving you back, and all of that ponctuated with great tension. I really loved the character growth of them both, but more for Ransom especially with what happens at the end /spoiler iykyk/.

The story itself is very fast-paced and holding your grip, I didn't want to put the book down. There's always some actions or important revelations that shades away the boredom and there's not a moment dragging slower. I also really loved the explanation on why the word Flame was used in the title (instead of Cloak), why the fire had such importance to the story, to the plot. It was really well made and used, and I so wish to talk about it but it's too spoilery for you.

Also this is romantasy because the romance has a huge importance to the plot (if there were no romance there would have been no plot as Sera would be dead at like Chapter 2 lol) but it's still done well and it was even, well-balanced between romance and fantasy. And as I'm usually afraid of starting book announced as romantasy because most of the time there's 80% romance 20% fantasy, it wasn't the case here and that's what makes this romantasy so great for me.

The ending leads to more adventures and more conflicts, and this book 1 isn't even released yet that I can't wait to dive into book 2, it's torture!


PS: I do feel like it's more upper YA or New Adult, as both MCs are 19-20 years old, and there's a spicy scene that while it was short, it was pretty descriptive on what they were doing.

So, the first third of this book felt a wee bit slow but as soon as I got past that I was completely and utterly sold.
Seraphine is a fantastic character and I love her energy. I love her band of friends she makes and of course we all love a pet sidekick.
Ransom just stole my heart, his story just makes him such an endearing lovable character and my heart breaks for him
The overall plot was incredible and I'm obsessed with the world building. I loved the comedic moments, my favourite being in the catacombs.
I cannot wait for the sequel to be available now. I'm completely sold.

After reading all the twin crowns books in one go, I was so eager to read this one - as I'd LOVED those.
I loved the Dagger and the Flame just!
The story just flows so nicely and it's one of those booked you'll get suck into and just fly through.
Can't wait for more!

I've read and loved all of Catherine's middle grade novels and have also read book 1 of the Twin Crowns series (written with Katherine Webber) so I was keen to read The Dagger and the Flame... and I wasn't disappointed.

A YA book, The Dagger And The Flame centres around Sera and her fight to stay alive following the murder of her mother. The pair lived a life between the Daggers and the Cloaks, providing shade magic, but now that her mother has been killed Sera knows that her life will never be the same again. She claims sanctuary amongst the Cloaks and is desperate to avoid the Dagger (Ransom) tasked with killing her; however the longer the chase goes on, the closer the pair become.

There's a gothic feel to this fantasy that oozes danger and darkness in a way that completely draws you in. Told through a dual point of view, the chemistry that builds between Sera and Ransom is compelling; the romance that builds works well with the plot and will keep readers intrigued. With plot twists that keep you on your toes, the book is one that I found a compelling read and left me needing to know what the second part of the duology holds for the characters.

Hooked from chapter 1!!

This book was an excellent start to the series/trilogy!! ❤️

Things I loved:

❤️ The dual POV was so well done - I loved how their paths crossed and that their interactions were filled with delicious tension and threat!

❤️ A true Enemies to Lovers plot!

❤️ The pace and plotting was fast and gripping - every chapter had something happening to keep you invested!

❤️ I genuinely liked both POVs equally!!

❤️ Fantastic ending! Thoroughly looking forward to the next book!

One thing that slightly took me by surprise - I found the steamy scenes a shock for a YA?? Perhaps more NA in parts??

Enemies to lovers
Found family
Rival gangs
What’s not to love!

I really enjoyed this, big thank you to net galley for the advance copy.
This is perfect for Fans of six of crows & these violent delights

Excellent story, enemies that are actually enemies, so many twists and turns!

4.5 ⭐️

I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Dagger and the Flame is one of the few recent books that I have found to actually live up to the impressive marketing claims.

Firstly, I LOVED that was actually enemies to lovers. We are talking murder attempts and actually enemy behaviour here!! This was followed with a brilliant, yearning reluctant romance which was a huge positive of this book.

The magic system was incredibly unique. I haven’t come across a system like this which is very rare! I did find it sort of confusing to start but overall I thought it was very interesting.

Onto the not so good… the main thing that stuck out to me was the REALLY random alley sex scene in the middle of what was arguably the most important part of the story. It did kind of ruin the pacing and tension for me and I just didn’t think it was necessary for the relationship. It also felt like it was a little bit too much for a YA book in my opinion.

As a whole, I thought this was a great first book for a new series. There was a range of twists, some of which I guessed but I honestly don’t even mind, I still found them really enjoyable. 100% would recommend this book to those who are looking for a new YA fantasy series to devour!

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

Oh, I love this b9ok. Absolutely love it and I want, no need book two now, please. Pretty please!
The Dagger and The Flame is the first book in the City of Fatome fantasy romance series. Our two protagonists are Sera and Ransom. Now, they belong to different factions or guilds within the city, with Sera being a member of the Cloaks, and Ransom a member of the infamous Daggers. Meaning that they are instant enemies, especially as Ransom is tasked with killing Sera. However, this scenario sets up the perfect enemies to lovers storyline, which is brilliantly written by Catherine Doyle and the lines between the two characters are genuinely hilarious. I actually cackled at one point - probably unnerved a few people in the local coffee shop but I couldn't help it, their conversations are excellent.
The world building is simple but well-done and makes it easy for the reader to imagine the world of Fatome as they read.
The story could be read as a standalone but honestly, why would you finish when the story is at such a highpoint? I can't wait for book two. And I fully recommend that you read the series.

Nothing in this world is ever black and white. What we do is not always who we are."

This might be my top romantasy pick of the year. No joke. I'm obsessed! 😍

First off, let’s talk enemies to lovers. We’ve seen it all done before, but this? THIS was actual, brutal, “I will unalive you” enemies to lovers, not that soft version where they’re just mildly annoyed with each other. Sera and Ransom legit try to kill each other. Multiple times. And the tension? The banter? Off the charts. Like, I’m over here cackling one minute at their savage back-and-forths, and the next, I’m fully kicking my feet when they finally give in to that angsty chemistry. Absolute *chef’s kiss* 😘👌.

"You and I have unfinished business."
"Yeah, I can't help but notice you're still alive."


Now the world of Fantome? I want to live there. It’s this rich, dark, moody city with cobbled streets and flickering lanterns, and the whole vibe gives major underground Parisian feels. It’s a magical underworld with rival guilds (Cloaks vs. Daggers, baby!) fighting for control, and everything revolves around a dangerous magic called 'Shade'. Catherine Doyle builds the world so well that you can basically smell the old stone catacombs and feel the tension hanging in the air.

Then there’s Sera, who goes from this innocent farm girl to a total badass, all while on a mission for revenge after her mum gets murdered. She has this secret magic no one really understands, and oh boy, when she and Ransom—who’s all dark and broody and just so happens to be the heir to the Daggers—finally come face-to-face? Sparks fly. And not just the flirty kind, but also the “let me throw a knife at you” kind. It’s the perfect mix of “Will they kill each other or kiss?” You’re constantly on edge.

"If you want to kiss me, just say so."
"You're projecting, Ransom. You know I prefer stabbing you."
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I want to know what that smart mouth tastes like.


Speaking of edge, there's this one random spicy scene (in a YA book, mind you!...) that had me going, “Wait, hold up—is this actually happening right now?” But honestly, I didn’t hate it. The build-up was real, and when it finally happened, it was like YES, finally! 👏 But it may be a little much for the intended audience...🙅‍♀️

The side characters are sheer perfection! Sera’s little found family over at House Armand? Bibi, Val, and Theo are just top-tier squad goals. And then there’s Ransom’s crew—Lark and Nadia—who give him that extra depth and just make you love him more, even when you’re screaming at him for being a dumbass sometimes. Let’s not forget Pippin the dog, who, let’s be real, deserves a spin-off of his own because this little guy is iconic. 🙌

The whole book has this amazing balance of witty, fun moments, heartbreaking tension, and rich lore. The history of the Cloaks and Daggers and their roots in Fantome is so well done, and the plot just sweeps you along. Monsters in the streets? Guild warfare? Dangerous magic? Yes, yes, and YES.

That ending though…😱😱 I. Am. Shook. The final twist had me gasping—like, Doyle did NOT hold back, and now I’m sitting here absolutely needing the sequel asap. Why do authors do this to us?! 😭

So if you’re into dark, enchanting worlds with an actual enemies-to-lovers romance (not just fake tension but REAL fighting and drama), witty banter, and a plot that will leave you begging for more—go read The Dagger and The Flame as soon as you physically can.

I’m calling it now: The Dagger and The Flame is everything I want in a romantasy and will be one of the top romantic fantasy books of 2024.

✨ 5 stars and a dagger to my heart, honestly. ✨

Thank you so much to Catherine Doyle, Simon & Schuster Children's UK, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.



____________________________

Favourite quotes:

"Get a hobby, stalker."
"You are my hobby, Seraphine."

"Sometimes it takes a master to destroy a monster."

"Maybe I'm a little afraid of you. I know what you can do with a letter opener. I shudder to think what you'll do with that."

"What the hell do you want from me?"
"I want you to touch me, Seraphine."

"Seraphine was a spitfire. And Ransom wanted to burn."

"Seraphine was so much more than a thorn in his side. She was a thorn in his soul."

"How many minutes do you want, Seraphine?"
"As many as you can spare,"
"How about eternity?"

"Run away with me. Tonight. Tomorrow. Yesterday. I don't care. We have the same dream. Let's chase it together."

"I can save my own damn life."

"And then you came barrelling over the horizon like a runaway sun. You shattered the darkness, Seraphine. And I realise that all these years I wasn't wishing for freedom. I was wishing for you."

I totally loved The dagger and the flame, such a thrilling and atmospheric book! I thoroughly enjoyed the description of the city of Fantome that seemed to recall a seventeenth century Paris, together with the history of the saints and of the founders of the main orders of the Cloaks (thiefs) and the Daggers (murderers) who share their rule over the Fantome. The descriptions are at the same time decadent and extremely detailed, which was very fun to read!
As for the main characters, I absolutely adored Seraphine’s stubbornness and strong will, as well as Ransom’s impertinence. I loved their banter and the tension during their first encounters (it’s always appreciated when enemies actually try to take each other out)!
Both of them had supportive and well laid out friend groups that helped them through their heists.
I’m also definitely very satisfied of that ending! I find it to be such a good premise for book two and I definitely can’t wait to read it!
Bonus points for the gorgeous cover🤩

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher Simon & Schuster for a free earc, all opinions are my own!

“Seraphine was a spitfire. And Ransom wanted to burn.”

🔥 The cutest pup sidekick
🗡️ Found Family
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🗡️ Unique Magic System
🔥 Morally Grey Characters
🗡️ Rivals
🔥 Unique Magic System (Shadows with a twist)

Overall Enjoyment: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 1/2 a 🌶️
World Building: 🌎🌎🌎🌎
Romance: ♥️♥️♥️
Characters: 👤👤👤👤

“And even though he was still a well-seasoned assassin and their truce teetered on the knife edge of their mutual curiosity, she felt like in that moment they were something else –two lost souls, left adrift in the same dark sea.”

If you are craving an atmospheric fantasy world full of cloak and dagger. If you like your romance beautifully slow burning with enemies to lovers, that is full of tension and banter. Then this is exactly the book you should read.

The Dagger and the Flame is based in a city full of secrets and magic where the lines are blurred between ‘good’ and ‘evil’. The magic system is incredibly unique, Shade is the deadly source of magic for the two enemy guilds. Each abusing it in different ways. This book is full of morally grey characters, where everyone is balancing on the knife’s edge of the light/dark scale.

Our FMC Seraphine has to try to carve out a new place in the world after the murder of her mother. You will follow her along on her journey to figure out just how far she might go for revenge. Especially as she unearths betrayal after betrayal.

“She was so hell-bent on revenge, she’d crawl through a bonfire just to get it. Burn herself along with Dufort, and the rest of them.”

The relationship between Ransom and Sera made for such an interesting read. They go from being true enemies, he stands for everything she despises and she is his mark to kill. This makes for some of the best tension filled scenes, because inbetween trying to kill each other they find this common ground that just can’t be ignored. No matter how they try to brush aside this pull, even when it risks everything they still manage to build utterly compelling something together.

‘And then you came barrelling over the horizon like a runaway sun. You shattered the darkness, Seraphine. And I realize now that all these years I wasn’t wishing for freedom. I was wishing for you.’

One of favourite things about this book was its fascinating rich characters. The found family aspect was so well done, you will find yourself falling in love with Theo, Bibi, Val and of course the best pup Pippin. As the story goes along their individual personalities start to shine, and I just know that they’ll become even more involved in the books to come. The loyalty between this group is everything I could have hoped for.

This book will hook you from the first page, I know I couldn’t escape this captivate world. This was such a great start to the series, I truly can’t wait for what happens next!

Excellent start that sucked me into the story immediately and just didn't let go of me 😊 I devoured this book.

I loved Ransom and Seraphine together! The banter was brilliant, I was smiling like an idiot at my e-reader for every interaction 😍 Also the tension between them was perfection.

The magic system with Shade was very interesting also all the twists and turns were shocking and intriguing, I also liked all of the side characters, the friendships throughout are so sweet.

I absolutely loved this book! I cannot wait for the next one! I need more of her Dagger and his Spitfire in my life ❤️ That ending has ruined me, I need the next book now please.

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

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's UK. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review The Dagger and the Flame.]

Rating: 2.5/5

Set in a city’s dark underworld where danger lurks in the shadows, The Dagger and the Flame introduces us to a magical kingdom where powerful criminals utilise shade magic to carry out their crimes. In this city there are two enemy guilds; the Cloaks and the Daggers - the thieves and the assassins. When Seraphine’s mother is murdered and a perilous revenge plot is set in motion, she seeks sanctuary with the Cloaks and finds a place amongst the other members. But danger is never far, and Sera will have to do more than dabble with shade magic if she wants to beat those who took her mother’s life.

Despite being quite excited for this story, unfortunately this book was not for me. Although it contains tropes and themes I generally enjoy, I personally felt that a lot of elements in this story were poorly executed.

But let’s start with the positives. Finally, we have a true enemies to lovers romance that actually has the main characters trying to kill each other. Sera and Ransom go through a rollercoaster of emotions when they are pitted against each other and I enjoyed their interactions that were filled with sparkling tension. I also thought the magic system was quite interesting and would have loved to see more regarding the side effects of using shade - it’s touched on here and there but other than Dufort’s character, I never got a true sense of what was at risk.

Then there’s the parts that I didn’t like. The biggest issues for me were the characters and the worldbuilding. I really struggled coming around to this cast of characters as the writing makes them seem very childish at times. I know that Sera is 17 years old but her dialogue and actions felt more middle grade than young adult - and that’s particularly jarring when you realise that this book features some steamier scenes. The worldbuilding, on the other hand, didn’t feel strong enough for me to get a full picture of the city that this story takes place in. It’s hard to care about a place that your characters are trying to protect or make better when you don’t know enough about it.

I’m conscious as I write this that I’m perhaps not the target audience, and that this book is aimed at the younger end of the YA scale. There’s still a lot to enjoy here so I’m sure I’ll see a lot of people reviewing this positively. Unfortunately for me, I won’t be continuing with the next book.

A very fun read with quite a lot of novel ideas! This book is set in a city controlled by two rival orders—the Daggers and the Cloaks. Both use Shade magic, but for different purposes: the Daggers are assassins, while the Cloaks are thieves. The main characters, Sera and Ransom, work for opposing orders, and even though one wants to kill the other, they are constantly drawn to each other.
While the worldbuilding isn’t very elaborate, I really liked the magic system in this book. The use of Shade, either to kill or to steal, was very interesting and not too complicated to grasp.
When it comes to characters, I’m not going to lie—I’m not the biggest fan of the enemies to lovers, mostly because it’s difficult to write well and many authors fall short in that regard. However, I did enjoy the characters' relationship in this book, probably because they have never truly been enemies on an emotional level. Obviously, Ransom works for the organization that wants Sera dead, but it’s not like he hates her, nor does she hate him. Their circumstances are quite dire at the beginning, but as they get to know each other, their fondness grows. I think handling their dynamic this way was the best possible approach to making this trope feel plausible.
I should also mention that while this is a YA book, it reads more like an adult novel, which was fine for me (especially since I often struggle with reading YA). However, readers should be aware that there is a spicy scene in it.
My only quibble with this book lies in its somewhat uneven pacing, as it was a bit slower in the middle. Still, I really enjoyed it, and I’m definitely going to read the sequel.

THE DAGGER AND THE FLAME is the start of a new duology full of magic, danger, and forbidden romance.

There is a nice chemistry between the two. Their notes were a particularly good way of showing their flirtation, how much they wanted each other even as they hated each other. Their first major fight gave the book a great way of ensuring they both had a deeply personal reason to be at each other's throats (literally) and Ransom a reason to want to hunt down that conflicted with his kill orders. It helped drive the plot and their meetings without feeling contrived.

It's a very pacy read, one that goes down nice and easy. I finished this one very quickly as I just kept turning the pages to find out what happened next in one afternoon.

I really liked the way the monsters came into the book. It brings a bunch of different parts of the magic and characters' pasts together to create a pretty horrifying scenario that targets everyone but has only one solution (other than "try to kill them, I guess?") I do hope the themes behind them continue to be explored in the next book.

The finale places Sera and Ransom on opposite sides of the guild lines even more firmly. Ransom can't continue to help her - or act on his feelings - without jeopardising everything and he's also got a personal reason to dislike her. It should be a fun dynamic for the next book to play with.

Very grateful to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book to read and review!

I heard great things about this and was super excited for another romantasy pick!

I think I could have really enjoyed this book a lot more but unfortunately even from the get-go I was super let down by the writing style.

The writing was very juvenile and honestly made me feel like the characters who, despite being told they are 17, I felt that they were way younger. Add in the fact that it was dual POV but in third person? I truly felt like I was reading a middle grade book.

WHICH IS FINE - BUT SADLY NOT MY THING

I just felt like because of this the romance and chemistry fell super flat for me. I wasn’t rooting for them. I didn’t feel the tension from the enemies to lovers.

I also couldn’t SEE the setting of this book. The descriptions were vague or just not compelling enough.

Leading in from the setting, I just didn’t feel like the world building was done in a way that truly compelled me. I was very often wondering how these guilds actually worked and how the city functioned.

Perhaps, as an adult, I am rating this young adult book too critically, but I feel that many aspects of this books I have read in other books in ways I have loved e.g the enemies to lovers in Crimson Moth, or the opposing gangs in These Violent Delights.

Anyhow, I think this will work well for younger YA readers but perhaps not so much for those on the upper end of the genre.

Rating would actually be 3.5 stars.

This was a great start to the series and I'm looking forward to following the next instalments. I loved that this was an ACTUAL enemies-to-lovers, and there was relationship development throughout. The magic system was intriguing - I loved the idea of shadows being wielded. However, I do feel that there is much more that could be fleshed out with the magic system and I'm really hoping this is a focus for the next novel.

I also loved the French themes and setting throughout - it gave it a Phantom of the Opera feel, which I really enjoyed, and the classic feud between Cloaks and Daggers.

However, parts felt like they lagged. I also felt uncomfortable that there was a spice scene in a novel that is being marketed for teens and young adults as it felt really out of place compared to the rest of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.