I've been reading lots of dark romances recently so this was a refreshing read, I enjoyed it through out and would definitely recommend this to others!

This book! While some of it was predictable and things I’ve seen before, it was highly enjoyable and so much fun. I was dragged into the story pretty fast, and it only got better. I need more of this. It can’t just stop there.

I have so many questions and theories for this series. I can’t want to see where this will go.

I remember hearing about this book years ago and now with the traditionally published release, I’ve been able to read it. I regret that it took me so long to get to this story!
Penn Cole has constructed a really interesting world and characters who are torn in so many directions. I like the mystery of Diem’s parentage (though it’s more like Diem’s increasing awareness and not wanting to admit it) and how she is torn about her future, about her abilities to change the world. The ending was a plot twist - did not see that coming - and I am so excited to pick up the next one!

The world building in this book is fantastic. The plot is a slow build but it still managed to keep me engaged and turning the pages needing to know what was going to happen next. I felt fully immersed in this magical, yet relatable, place with how descriptive the writing is. I cannot wait to see where the next book takes us if this one was only dipping our toes into this world. Diem is so strong and stubborn and I am here for it. Luther is mysterious and I cannot wait to peel back the layers and find out more about him!!

OMG, I finally know what all the hype is about. This book was everything I was looking for and so much more. For a debut novel especially this was just amazing. The characters are so perfectly imperfect, so real with real problems and yet we are in this fantasic fantasy world with injustice and mysteries. Couldnt put it down and read this book in one setting. One of the best reads of this year and will be reading the second book after writing this review
What I liked:
- the characters and their dynamics, the family, the friends, the strangers. The conversations felt real and not awkward and placed. We have strong family bonds but family always includes conflict and we have enough of that
- the world building and magic system in general were just amazing, I was drawn in and I want to know so much more about the world and its workings
- the romance that is building on the horizon, I already knew this was going to be an overall slow burn and I am so here for it. I hate insta-love and this is just so much better, Im just much more invested in the romance
- the writing was great, not too flowery but not too little detail just perfect amount

What I didnt like:
honestly dont even know, fantastic read, no complains from my side

Thanks to netgalley and Headline for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

‘Don’t choose a mediocre life for a mediocre man. Go be exceptional. And if he’s really he one, he’ll come along for the ride’

Overall I loved this book! Whilst it follows a similar structure to many other fantasy novels there’s something about this one that seems unique.

I loved the world building in this. The magic system was so interesting - the fact that different factions have different coloured eyes and that relates to their powers. And you could really feel the tensions building in the world - the poor ‘normal’ people vs the rich powered people.

I was really invested in the rebel uprising - how it seemed to bring people from all walks of life together in a unified cause of stopping the tyranny of the crown. A secret rebellion group that’s unhappy with how society is - wanting to go against the current government.

What I found interesting here was the moral dilemma Diem faced - she wanted ‘vengeance’ for how the Descendants treated her people but she didn’t want that to come at the cost of innocent descendants. I’m really intrigued to see how her needing to ‘choose a side’ plays out in future books.

Diem was such a badass FMC. I loved how confident she was in her abilities, not only as a healer but also in fighting. She never shied away from standing up for herself and others.

The tension she has with Luther - the way they challenge each other and she says what she thinks. The fact she could literally be executed for treason the way she speaks to him, yet she does it anyway. I was obsessed with their relationship! A very slow burn enemies to lovers that was just so well written - you could feel the way they antagonised each other yet he was so protective of her.

I loved the juxtaposition of the two romance options and how they paralleled the two factions in her society - Henri of the uprising, who wants to give her a safe quiet life, and Luther of the Descendants, who challenges her and pushes her to see her ‘true’ self.

Overall this has similar vibes to Red Queen and is the perfect choice if you want a badass FMC, rebel uprisings, a morally grey MMC with shadow powers and an amazing cast of side characters.

ARC copy provided by Headline & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐

I loved Diemm and Luther and I even loved more the story itself. I found Diem to be a flawed, realistic and interesting character and I enjoyed her story in this book!

I wanted to love this book but unfortunately it just didn't grip me. The main character comes across as naive with no real depth. The pace is slow and the storyline just felt unoriginal.

“Don’t choose a mediocre life for a mediocre man. Go be exceptional. If he’s worth it, he won’t judge you. And if he’s really the one, he’ll come along for the ride.”

👑 Found Family
🔥 Sloooooow Burn
👑 Unique Magic System
🔥 Forbidden Love
👑 Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Demi Gods

I have to admit I had high hopes for this series, and it did not disappoint! You know a book is good if you are trying to balance your kindle in one hand and cook with the other. Trying to tear myself away was torturous.

Penn Cole’s writing is captivating, you’ll escape realty to a world of secrets and lies, where magic means power and nothing is quite as it seems. Where the relationships are oh so complicated and the characters incredibly complex.

“War is death and misery and sacrifice. War is making choices that will haunt you for the rest of your days.”

Diem has been surrounded by legends her whole life, her mother a greatly respected healer with a never ending amount of secrets and her adopted father, The Commander, who is both feared and admired in equal measures. Her quest to be worthy of greatness herself leads her to some questionable but understandable decisions. Especially as she is stuck between both the Descendants and the Guardians, both pulling her in opposite directions.

“Each side was convinced they were fighting for good, each of them believing that the killings they committed were righteous and justified to prevent the deaths of innocents.”

Diem will have you cheering her on as she learns to stand on her own two feet, hiding behind your hands and peeking between your fingers to see what decision she’ll make next, especially when she makes mistakes. You’ll feel her conflict and her guilt. You’ll follow her as she finds her boundaries. And throughout it all you’ll start to fall in love with these characters.

“I hid behind false bravado and snarky jokes, while Luther’s shield was forged with brooding stares and clenched jaws—but inside, we were one and the same.”

Every scene with Diem and Luther had me holding my breath. These two only have to glance at each other and you feel the tension. I absolutely live for a slow burn enemies to lovers romance and this book delivered.

“It would be an insult to dismiss you so easily, and I wouldn’t dare do you that disrespect. I recognize a threat when I see one.”

I have to admit, every time Henri made an appearance I pulled a face. Penn Cole has done so well to pull every emotion out of me with this book I swear.

“What if our story isn’t over, Diem Bellator? What if it’s only beginning?”

In a world where everyone has secrets, I am expecting the rest of the series to be even more intense as they are revealed. I can’t wait!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story is told in first person by the character Diem. She's a healer in the mortal city. Her mother dissappears, and she ends up suddenly learning a lot more about the descended and their world as she finds herself in it. The descended are essentially the descendants of mortal and God-like couples who have no basically outlawed inter relations to preserve their magic.

There are lots of characters, some good, some not so much, but i had my immediate dislikes, and i feel like i was justified in my dislike by the end. I loved Diem she's a healer, which would make you think she could be a passive character. She is anything but. She is full of attitude and can easily hold her own and kick ass!

The story was nicely paced, and Diem learns about secrets that were hidden from her by people close to her as well as uncovering other secrets. There's a nice little slow burn enemies to lovers thing going on a well.

I'll be starting the next book after that little surprise at the end, even though I had a feeling that could happen.

This book is well worth the read and is a great start to the series!

Wow, adored this book! Diem is a healer with a warriors heart. After the disappearance of her mother, she takes up her mantle as the healer at the descended palace. Only to learn that the hated descended may not be as evil as she believed. Diem begins to question everything she's ever known and finds her loyalties pulled in different directions.
This is a brilliant fantasy romance. The world building is unique and clever. The characters are great. I love Diem who's strong, yet flawed and desperate to make the world she lives in a kinder, safer place. There's lots of twists and turns and the romance??? I really can't wait to get into the next book to see what happens. This book was a really refreshing addition to the genre and one every lover of fantasy romance needs to get reading if you haven't done so already.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

I went into this book completely blind. I had seen a few mixed reviews on TikTok and decided to find out myself what it was all about. HOLY COW. Diem is a force to be reckoned with. She takes everything that is throw at her in stride and doesn’t look back. I loved the relationship between her and her patients. The compassion and love she was able to show was amazing. I will say, I was getting annoyed with her naive she was being over what she truly was, especially knowing what her father was. I was so thrown off by the ending, I really never expected it. I can’t wait to see where her story goes from here!

I don't remember exactly when I added this book to my wishlist, but it feels like this book was everywhere the last few months. People were collecting the indie editions now they were out of print, people were ordering the new editions. It made me extra curious and when I saw the book on Netgalley I therefore didn't hesitate and wished for a copy. Luckily Headline granted me one and this week it was time to start reading.

This book was a surprise in every way. Firstly I absolutely loved the world building, magic and mythology. There are no large info-dumps in this book, so I'm pretty sure we don't know everything yet and we for sure don't understand everything yet, but the author does an amazing job giving the world a familiar feel, and therefore making it easier to feel comfortable reading about it, while also giving it a slight magical touch.

Secondly I love the heroine of the story and her growth through the story. It's quite clear her journey has only just started, but the author did an amazing job introducing her to us and building up towards that very last chapter. By then the plot twist didn't come out of nowhere anymore, but I can't wait to see what will happen now in the next book. This is gonna change everything. Her relationships, her position in the world and most of all how she looks at herself and the world around her.

And thirdly I loved the romance, although I wanted to see more of these two together and hope that they're forced to interact a lot more in the next book, I loved the politics and I loved the writing of this book. It doesn't happen often that I forget the entire world around me while reading. Luckily I had to leave the bus at its final stopt, else I would have surely missed it! I can't wait to get the next book and to continue this amazing journey and story.

Spark of the Everflame by Penn Cole is an absolute must-read for any romantasy lover. This BookTok sensation lives up to the hype, delivering a richly woven tale that combines epic world-building with characters you can’t help but get deeply invested in. Diem Bellator, a healer with a fierce will, is a breath of fresh air. Her journey from her small village to the dangerous realm of the Descended pulls you right in, and her morally grey, enemies-to-lovers tension with the darkly enigmatic heir, Luther, is everything fans of the genre crave.

Cole's world-building is mesmerizing—detailed yet not overwhelming, bringing Emarion and its powerful Descended rulers vividly to life. I’m a fan of complex settings, and this book nails it with layers of lore and high stakes that make the story feel immersive. The blend of classic romantasy tropes is done masterfully; nothing feels forced, and every moment feels natural and compelling. From the “who did this to you” vibes to the protective “touch her and die” moments, Spark of the Everflame taps into every romantic fantasy trope in the best way possible.

If you enjoy deeply flawed, realistic characters, Diem and Luther’s chemistry is the icing on an already perfect cake. Their interactions are charged with tension, and their individual journeys feel meaningful, adding an extra layer of depth to the romance. Diem's courage and vulnerability, paired with Luther's brooding protectiveness, make this story an unforgettable start to what promises to be an epic series.

I devoured this book in two days and can’t recommend it enough!

The ending of this book left be desperate for the next one! This is definitely a different and unique magical system, and one I haven't encountered before, which I enjoyed learning about. I like how feisty the main character is, and look forward to seeing her grow, especially with that cliffhanger. The forming relationship between the 2 characters is giving slow burn, which I love! As most books in a fantasy series, the first book tends to be more of an introduction to the world and set up of what is to come, so there is still some excitement/action and drama that could have made it better, but it has me hooked.

This book has been on my radar for a while and it did not disappoint! This is perfect for any romantasy lover! Full of excitement, tension and romance I can not wait to dive into book two!

A great start to a series, I really loved how the plot was so central to the overall storyline instead of the Romance.
Although this is a romantasy in part I really liked how it was a slower burn and other elements of the story were still explored and developed alongside the romance.

The mystery element of where Diem's mother is was really interesting as we are given possible hints about who she is really and where she could be. I liked how we, as readers, weren't told that the mother had just died to then show up again, as I liked the mysterious element of guessing her true motivations.

I did feel that some characters were developed better than others, however as this is only book 1 in a series, that is to be expected.

This left me wanting to read book 2 straight away after that cliff hanger. Would recommend this to anyone that wants a good romantasy with a developed plot line

I was very excited to read this after a friend spent ages raving to me about this series, and I whilst it wasn’t a revolutionary title I’m definitely intrigued to see where the rest of the series will go!

I found the world really interested and I’m excited to see how it continues to expand and be explored over time. I enjoy a good enemies-to-lovers dynamic, however I definitely need the conflicted emotions and angst to really sell and build up the believability of their connection. It was a bit of a hit and miss for me in this case, and ultimately I found this was explored a little late in the book which made the romance aspect feel rushed.

I really liked Diem initially but at the story went on she just became difficult to like at best, insufferable at worst. She was presented as an intelligent and strong-headed woman which disappointingly seemed to fade as the plot progressed forward to the point she almost seemed like a completely different character. Diem made a lot of poorly made decisions on a whim and ultimately come across as reckless and rash. I desperately wanted her to just *slow down* and think her actions through more before jumping into action.

The magic system itself was interesting and there’s definitely a lot of room for character development and plot progression, so I’m happy to see where it goes in the sequel before making a decision on whether this is a series for me.

Spark of the Everflame is one of those books where it takes a chapter or two to get into, but once you're past that point, it's game over. It consumes your thoughts, it's the only thing you want to talk about.
The plot, especially the world-building, was phenomenal-unique, complex, yet not overly complicated to the point of being hard to follow. The author did an amazing job incorporating all our favorite tropes without making them feel forced or excessive - if enemies to lovers, who did this to you, touch her and die and other stuff is your thing, this is the book for you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that none of the characters were perfect, but rather flawed and morally grey. Diem with her impulsiveness and recklessness and Luther with his brooding demeanor were perfectly complimenting each other and making this journey even more enjoyable.
I honestly cannot recommend this book enough! If you're looking for a series that will evoke the same frenzy you experienced after finishing Acotar, Throne of Glass, he Plated Prisoner, etc., this should be your next read.

I really liked the premise of this book, so I've been quite excited to read it.
The world was reasonably easy to understand, it didn't have any excessive world building etc that can make getting into a book difficult. The plot was fun, and quick paced for the most part, with a few little twists and turns along the way but I wouldn't say there was a massive reveal or twist that I found shocking.

It's a slow burn romance, for sure. I wouldn't put it as an enemies to lovers, or at least not a true enemies to lovers. More a misunderstood 'enemy'.
Add in a dose of rebellion, and which side is the right side and I was hooked.

Diem... was, well, a young 20. She seemed extremely naive, and seemed to believe what people told her without thinking for herself which got a smidge annoying and eye-roll inducing. Though I guess that makes sense when she's been coddled from the world.
Henri was very much a holier than thou character who I enjoy hating and feel like he's probably on a villain arc, but that's my own feelings, nothing to indicate it yet.