Iron & Embers is giving us enemies-to-lovers with a side of deadly alchemy, and I am HERE for it!

Wren's an alchemist-turned-assassin who's been living for revenge, perfectly content with her poisons and potions. But when some mysterious dark magic starts attacking kings, she gets dragged out of the shadows to attend a fancy alchemy academy. First she has to survive the Gauntlet—think Hunger Games but with more magical murder. Plot twist: her assigned protector is Torj, the silver-haired war hero who absolutely despises her because she, you know, assassinated his last charge. Awkward! But watching these two fight their feelings while also literally fighting everything else? *Chef's kiss.*

The tension between them is absolutely simmering. There's magical conspiracies, deadly trials, and enough sexual tension to power a small kingdom. Fair warning though—that ending absolutely DESTROYED me and now I'm desperately waiting for the next book. Sometimes love really is the most lethal poison of all!

Really loved this! The flow of the story was great, I loved all the characters, I was drawn in from the first chapter and realised I probably should have read Legends of Thezmarr first 😂 but I was so hooked i couldn’t put it down. So I recommend that, but definitely definitely read this straight after!

So, it’s no secret that I love The Legends of Thezmarr series, so of course I was ridiculously excited to get my hands on Helen’s new series early. Iron & Embers is set in the same world as LoT and brings back so many of the characters we already know and adore, but this time there’s an extra layer of academia, delicious games and trials, and some seriously gorgeous spice. If I could be anyone, dead or alive, I’d be Wren in Chapter 55 👀🔥

I do have to insist on a reading order here because I care about your feelings: LoT Books 1 & 2, Slaying the Shadow Prince novella, LoT Books 3 & 4, and then Iron & Embers. You can read Iron & Embers on its own if you really want to, but fair warning — you’ll spoil the whole ending of LoT for yourself, and I promise you don’t want to do that.

Read this if you love:
❤️ Academia vibes
❤️ A broody, protective bodyguard
❤️ Forced proximity and all the delicious tension
❤️ Spice that’s actually good
❤️ Games, trials, and high stakes
❤️ If you’re a fan of Spark of the Everflame, LoT, The Dagger and the Heir, A Fate Inked in Blood, or Throne of Glass, this is so for you.

I honestly loved every second of this and can’t wait for everyone else to meet Wren and co. Helen just keeps outdoing herself. Bring on book two, please and thank you!

This was great from Helen Scheuerer! I hope that this lives up to her previous series, I can't wait to read the rest!

No one is more surprised by this rating than I am.
I absolutely love The Legends of Thezmarr and I was so looking forward to this spinoff because it sounded right up my alley, but I wasn't able to connect to it at all.
The plot was quite slow and maybe I was in the wrong mood for it, but I was so bored.
I don't want to compare it to the original series too much, but that one had so much depth and lore and it felt pretty unique, and I just didn't get any of that for this book.
The academia aspect was okay but I can't really say I enjoyed it.
I liked the main characters but I did not care for the romance.
It was also so full of tropes, at one point I had to put the book down because it was back to back to back tropes and I couldn't do it anymore.

I really love the author and maybe I was just completely in the wrong mood for this, but there really just wasn't much that I enjoyed.
I heard that the ending was good but at that point I felt so disconnected that I just rolled my eyes at the plot twist.

I will pick up book 2 to see where the story continues but there is unfortunately a good chance I am going to DNF.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

<b>”To the women who rewrite the rules, one page at a time. Your potential is the plot twist the world never saw coming.”</b>

What can you say after finishing a book that was so heartbreakingly beautiful you can <i>feel it</i> hours later? An infinite star read, <i>Iron & Embers</i> solidified its place amongst my most favourite fantasy novels.

<b>”Knowledge is the victor over fate. The mind is a blade.”</b>

In <i>Iron & Embers</i> we follow a fierce Poisoner, Wren Embervale, and the brave Warsword Torj Elderbrock as they navigate their complicated situation. They’re forced to join forces once Torj is appointed Wren’s bodyguard while she attends Drevenor - an academy where while you’re preparing to save kingdoms, you might end up being the one needing saving...

Some of the tropes/vibes you can expect (not all, so as not to spoil anyone!):
✨ strong and determined FMC
✨ brave and loyal MMC
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ forced proximity
✨ magical academy
✨ trials
✨ slowburn that burns HOT
✨ found family
✨ fast-paced with plottwists that leave you stunned!

Helen’s writing and pacing has been nothing short of amazing, leaving me invested throughout the whole book. The tension between our main characters has been palpable, so much so that I enjoyed it as much as when it was finally broken.

Wren is easily one of my favourite female main characters. While I understand why she might’ve become closed off and guarding her heart with everything that she went through - she was also resilient, strong and incredibly smart!

Torj... Oh my sweet Bear Slayer. I’ll hold him to my heart dearly and probably forever. <i>”It has always been you.”</i>... Without spoiling anything let me say that I loved how he only ever had eyes for Wren, and his motivations in trying to keep everyone safe. I have to say I wanted (and still want to) scream at him for some things he’s done, but we’ll wait for <i>Thorns & Fire</i>!

Special mentions to all the side characters - Kipp, Cal, Thea, Wilder, Zavier and Dessa. They all held their own and added so much to the story!

<b>”I have gazed into the abyss of the most lethal potions, and I fear that the abyss has stared back at me.”</b>

I am aware that Torj and Wren’s story begins in the <i>Legends of Thezmarr</i> series as it takes place before <i>Ashes (...)</i>. However, since <i>Iron & Embers</i> was my introduction to the world of Thezmarr, and I’ll forever be grateful for it. As I’m waiting for the next two books in this series, I will travel back in time to see where it all started...

<i>Thank you to Helen Scheuerer, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Iron & Embers had some cool world-building and interesting ideas, but it didn’t completely pull me in. I liked parts of the story and the characters, but overall it felt a bit uneven and didn’t hold my attention the whole way through. Still, if you enjoy fantasy with a mix of action and drama, it might be worth checking out.

It's taken me a while to get to this ARC because when I requested Iron & Embers, I didn't think that I needed to read the four book Legends of Thezmarr series beforehand, however when I got the ARC, other people told me that I really needed to read that series first. I'm so glad I listened to that advice, even though it ended up delaying me starting the Ashes of Thezmarr series, because knowing that Wren and Torj ended up with their own trilogy made me absolutely feral for them while reading The Legends of Thezmarr series. Literally every time they were on page together, I was on the lookout for pining, attraction, tension etc. So by the time I got to the end of Shadow & Storms, I was absolutely desperate to get straight into Iron & Embers.

And it didn't disappoint at all. It surpassed everything I was hoping for. Picking up 5 years after the events of Shadow & Storms, I found the impact of the events on both Wren and Torj to be really emotional, but also realistic. And Torj - well, what a guy - he knew what he wanted from Wren and decided he'd rather have nothing at all than anything less than everything. Oh my heart. Honestly, this book was just incredible. Wren's journey at Drevenor Academy was action-packed, exciting and just as dangerous as Thea's Warsword training and test were in the Legends series, and the romance was so beautiful. There were moments that made me laugh out loud, and I loved to see Wren open up after shutting herself off for so long. Easily a five star read! Wow.

And now, immediately into Thorns & Fire because this series is addictive and I need to know what happens after that ending!

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from Tor Bramble and NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

I was so excited about this spin off from the legends of thezzamar series.
This book was not what I was expecting and it was really exciting. It lulled in the middle but soon picked up and now has me gasping for the next book!

Whilst I really appreciate getting the chance to read this early, and there’s a lot to like here—
The writing flows well, and the premise had real potential. That said, the final stretch of the book didn’t quite work for me. I was hoping for an enemies-to-lovers dynamic with more emotional depth and genuine character development. Instead, the story leaned heavily on the bond trope and repeated miscommunication, which made the plot feel predictable and the tension less satisfying.

While I can see what the author was going for, I personally would’ve loved to see more growth in the characters and a relationship arc that didn’t rely so much on misunderstandings. There’s promise in the world and the writing style—so I’m hopeful for future works, but this one didn’t fully land for me.

Wowee, this was a book and a half. I was lucky enough to get a copy of this via Netgalley and I'm glad I did.

The world building and storyline was brilliant.

I absolutely loved Wren and Torj, they had such a tumultuous start and it was really funny. Wren can be sassy and she comes across as fiercely independent, Torj appears as trying to keep her tethered due to him also seeming sassy but essentially he is protecting her.

The sizzling chemistry in this book is not to be missed.

Trying to retrain gets a bit tricky when Wren has to complete the gauntlet but is she made it tough stuff....that's for me to know and you to find out when you read this.

I had heard lots of great things about Helen Scheuerer from friends who had read her books and I had just never quite got round to them myself. NOW I REALISE WHAT I WAS MISSING! I cannot believe that I waited so long! Iron and Embers is the first I have read and it most certainly won’t be my last by this author. You know when you just find a book that has everything you need in a good romantasy? This was it. I now impatiently await the arrival of Book 2.

Iron & Embers caught my attention with its pretty cover, and the rest, as they say, is history. When I requested this I did not see much beyond the cover, a brief read through of the description, and the fact that my bestie Mandy was desperate to read this. So, sillily, I did not realise this was a spin off to a completed book series.

You can tell pretty much from the jump that this is a spin off, just by how Wren speaks about her past, particularly with the war she fought in. There were small details peppered in, but I got the feeling this was information I should know…and then came the thought of “oh, is this a continuation of something?” However, despite this, I still found I was able to enjoy the book and understand what was going on, so I do not think it necessarily enjoyed my impact although I may have found it more exciting if I had read the first series. I’m just pleased that I was able to follow along and understand the world despite not having read the prior series. Although now I want to go and read it to fill in all those missing details / see the backstory to a lot of the characters that was alluded at!

I really liked Wren, our protagonist, she’s a force to be reckoned with. I love that Wren was not perfect, she was dealing with so much and we genuinely got to see how all this trauma from the war has impacted her. I think she went through some great character growth, particularly as she learned to open up with her old friends but also making new ones, like Dessa. I really loved Dessa, she was fun and a great balance to Wren and the group. I also recall loved Zavier and his air of mystery…and dare I say I sensed a bit of chemistry with him and Wren there? I would not be opposed…

I did like Torj, our famous/infamous Bearslayer, but some of his decisions confused me (especially at the end) and sometimes I found his overprotectiveness (again more towards the end) a bit cringeworthy and over the top. I did like his and Wrens banter a lot of the time though, particularly when they were verbally sparring each other.

I enjoyed the mixture of plots with the Gauntlet and the Peoples Vanguard, I think it was a decent balance and I liked how they tied in together. I do wish we got to see a bit more of the Gauntlet though, I felt it ended way too quickly. I also wish we got to see Wren participate more in with the academics considering this was what the book was largely about, yet she missed a lot of classes.

All in all I did really like this and I’m excited to read the sequel, especially as this ended on a cliffhanger with lots of unanswered questions!

3.5 stars rounded up. Sometimes I felt like the pacing could be quicker and the plot points a little tighter, but overall it was a great read with some good world building and characterisation. I hope to continue see Wren dealing with her PTSD, I’d hate to see it magically cured now she’s found some more acceptance with herself.

I really enjoyed this novel. It is an NC-17 version of Harry Potter, with a little Fourth Wing thrown in.
It takes up 5 years after the shadow war of Thezmarr with Wren as the protagonist. She goes to alchemist school, meets two friends and must eventually fight a dark lord with powerful magic (Harry Potter). She has some smokin' sexual encounters with Torj (NC-17) and she must successfully complete the Gauntlet (EXACTLY the same name as Fourth Wing).

I like Wren as a protagonist, but she goes from being this cold-blooded vigilante executioner to what feels like a naive innocent. She comes across as younger than her 30 years while at alchemist school until almost the very end.

This was a solid read! I did have the feeling that I should've read the prequel books before delving into this one, as there were a lot of references that flew over my head. But I really enjoyed the plot, and the couple together are blazing hot 🔥🔥

welcome to the midrealms, a world filled with renowned, god-gifted warriors known as warswords and the associated warrior guild of thezmarr; strong magic-users and brilliant alchemists; adventurous quests and riveting conspiracies, and the most delicious enemies to lovers and delectable bodyguard romance, all wrapped up within a tension-filled fantasy setting of dark academia and high stakes trials. this book is a solid five stars, one of my favourite romances of 2025, and is one of the few books to have held my undivided attention and at the same time, made me want to not finish reading it, in a very long time. helen scheuerer has found herself at the top of my auto-buy and favourite authors lists!

iron & embers is an amazing introduction to helen scheuerer’s newest series, ashes of thezmarr and the engaging world-building and captivating story-telling she delivers. her other series, the legends of thezmarr has been well-received and recommended a lot on social media, so naturally the high sung praises left me feeling excited for this series. before delving further into this review, i want to note a disclaimer: it’s encouraged however not essential that you read the legends of thezmarr series first, but your reading experience will be enriched if you do as ashes of thezmarr is set half a decade after the shadow war. full disclosure, i haven’t read the legends of thezmarr (it is on my ever growing list of romances to devour) but this didn’t affect my reading experience or overall enjoyment of this book. setting aside recurring characters and references to the events of the other series, the information imparted to us isn’t so niche or specific that you’re left feeling lost and confused. at the start, we have a brief history of the shadow war and throughout the course of reading, we have various flashbacks which provide context.

helen scheuerer’s writing is simplistic and not excessively complex—it doesn’t have that convoluted haunting air, or poetic tone that some romantasy stories have—but the way she writes remains wholly engaging and, without doubt, wonderfully captivating. between the detailed world-building and unfolding war in the background; the incredible, strong emotionally fuelled scenes; the sexual tension within the budding romance between our leading characters; and the absorbing dialogues and entertaining exchanges, it’s hard to not fall in love with iron & embers. i love the ease of reading this book, that i devoured all that i read, and appreciate that despite the overall writing simplicity it remains a coherent, interesting narrative that is showcased in descriptive detail. the drevenor academy and the fortress of thezmarr both reminded me of kaer morhen (the witcher) and other well loved settings from fantasy stories, as we visited sections of the academy and its grounds. it was hard to not love the setting of this book—it was magically enchanting, all rolled into one area with finesse. all of the details and elements were captured with clarity; it was seamless imaging yourself walking alongside the characters with vividness.

♡ elwren embervale
wren is such a complex, multi-faceted character with numerous intricacies and she’s one of my favourite characters because of it. her focus on vengeance for the atrocities she encountered in the shadow war has moulded wren into a formidable weapon of destruction; her grief for her lost family members and closest friends has turned her cold and aloof. despite everything she’s lost however, wren is warm and loving towards those she still has in her inner circle. she’s such a brilliant character with a bright, intelligent mind whose experiences and knowledge around plants and poisons was refreshing! it was new and different following a prolific alchemist turned assassin who specialises in poisons, rather than having a trained warrior or magic-wielder lead character who possesses too much power. while smart, the moment wren enters drevenor academy she’s no longer the most intelligent in the room and her knowledge and experiences are challenged, but this only makes her stronger and her determination is showcased so beautifully and wonderfully as she embraces the challenges of her trials and lessons.

♡ torj elderbrock
in short, torj elderbrock is the epitome of overprotectiveness with a hint of cinnamon roll—what a classic combination. the renowned silver-haired bear slayer is one of the broodiest and grumpiest, but appealing male lead characters that i have encountered in such a long time. it didn’t matter how frustrated he became with wren, the care and love he had for her remained and was demonstrated in ways that made my heart flutter and legs kick in absolute giddiness. he was hard, but sweet; stubborn, but loving and however much this exasperating man challenged wren, it was to assist in her growth and learning. alongside wren, we discovered some information that moulded torj into the kind of man that he is and his painfully sad backstory made me love and appreciate him moreso.

♡ torj elderbrock + wren embervale
the romance unravelled slow, but burned in irresistible fashion and the sexual tension between torj and wren was FLAWLESS. what made this romance a sheer delight is: the forced proximity because torj had been assigned bodyguard to wren; the cutting banter and witticisms exchanged were absolute perfection; and the utter hatred these two had towards each other really embodied and delivered a genuine slow burn romance. the connection between them is solidified by mutual disdain but undeniable attraction. despite all of the frustration and mutual pining from a distance, even when wren made it clear she wasn’t interested and detested him, torj still desired wren. without spoiling anything—it should be read first hand—there’s an interesting approach to one of the most used albeit well loved tropes in fantasy, it made the ending of this book all the more devastating.

♡ the side characters
the cohort of side characters we have been blessed with enhanced the overall narrative, but also enriched the main characters and created an additional element to their personalities. i adore found families in my fantasy stories and helen scheurer delivered the newest additions to my favourite list. cal and kipp offered much needed comedic relief to make this book feel less ‘doom and gloom’ at times. the banter and humour they shared amongst themselves, but with torj and wren, filled me with happiness as you could sense the friendship and camaraderie between them—i trust we will continue to see more of them in thorns & fire. thea and wilder made smaller appearances, however what moments we received leaves me excited to know more about them eventually in the legends of thezmarr series. the characters who made me the most interested are dessa and zavier, who are the newest additions to the found families of thezmarr, and supported wren’s character wonderfully. they offered a different form of comfort and encouragement, became reliable teammates and genuine friends to wren; i will manifest that this continues because nothing saddens me more than a close found family being ruined!

i could continue to gush and rave about iron & embers. it is truly one of the best, well-written and executed romantasies that i’ve read in some time. the slow burn and tension between our leading characters; the extensive world-building and riveting adventures within it; and the nail biting trials and rigorous lessons are worth first-hand experience. i have zero idea where the next book, thorns & fire will take us on journeys to however, i am interested to witness further discoveries of the people’s vanguard. so interested, i’d have no shame in begging to have an opportunity to read the second book.

Enjoyable and engrossing characters. Written well. More please. Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for the ARC. 5/5

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer felt like being at Basgiath from Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing if it were for Alchemists and our heroine found herself tied to a bodyguard not dissimilar to Geralt of Rivia from Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher. Needless to say it’s a fun read and easy page turner.

I loved that this book begins a few years after the conclusion of the epic war. It made for an intriguing dynamic as we check in on our heroes as they tackle grief, consequences and paths not taken. This allowed for an excellent ‘the one that got away’ dynamic between Wren and Torj and ultimately lead to our protagonists feeling well fleshed out.

This is a dual POV story packed full of banter, sizzling romantic tension and found family. This book perhaps felt a little trope heavy at times and quite predictable but ultimately delivered an easy, fun read. It would suit a reader looking for a light romance set in a fun fantasy world.

The ending, unfortunately, felt a little rushed, forced and shocking for the sake of being shocking. I would still be open to reading the rest of the trilogy though!

I did not know this was a spin off series, but honestly I didn't need to know that. I flew through this one and enjoyed it so much. I was captivated by the story and did not want to put it down. I need to go back and read the original series now.

Iron And Embers
Helen Scheuerer

“Revenge is a precarious path to walk… It is often said that those who seek it should dig two graves.”

This is Wren’s story through and through. It’s set five years after the war and provides the perfect opportunity for the characters to have had some time to heal, but as we see, time doesn’t heal all wounds.

Wren and Torj have their own issues individually but there was so many sweet moments in this story.

Many much loved characters from Legends made appearances but you could also read this without having read Helen’s previous series.