I’m so glad this is my first book by Helen - now I’m heading to read her entire back collection!

I loved Torj and Wrens story from the start, it was full of tension, banter then happiness leading to heartache. The world building was fantastic, and considering I haven’t read the LoT I wasn’t confused in the slightest.

The use of alchemy and warfare in this story was phenomenal and seeing the characters come into themselves was a joy to read

I can’t wait for book 2!!

An intense and captivating read that hooks you from the first page. With strong character development and a plot that never lets up, ‘Iron & Embers’ is perfect for fans of high-stakes fantasy.

Loved loved lovedddddd this book!

Cannot wait to read the next one in the series, it can’t come soon enough!

I think that this book is just isn’t quite for me. I only made it about 40% thru before I dnf’d. The plot was a touch slow for personal preference for the first 30%. but then when it did finally pick up, I had a really hard time caring about the characters.

5 🌟
3 🌶️

- forced proximity
- Bodyguard Romance
- Dark Academia (Alchemist Academy)

AMAZING
I had high expectations due to my love for The Legends of Thezmarr series, and this delivered!

I loved Wren & Torj bond, their banter, their longing for each other. I loved the world building, the academy setting, the size characters (Special mention to Kipp and Cal)

Cant wait for the next book, as this series has my heart.

(it is book 1 of the new series but I would recommend reading The Legends of Thezmarr so you get the full story, but also that series is amazing too)

Thank you Helen & Netgalley for this early review copy.

R E V I E W

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer

☆☆☆☆.5

Advanced Reader Copy graciously provided by Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble via Netgalley

Well, folks, she's done it again. Helen Scheuerer has effortlessly shown us that it is possible for a romantasy series to go from strength to strength without the dip in quality we tend to find when reading a multi-book narrative. And make no mistake, whilst this book is technically the first in the Ashes of Thezmarr spin-off series, it is very much a continuation of the Legends of Thezmarr and I feel you would be doing yourself, and the characters, a real disservice if you didn't read the previous series first.

Iron & Embers is set five years after the Battle of Thezmarr, where the midrealms are still healing from the havoc that King Artos and his daughter wrought. We immediately get glimpses of our favourite Legends characters but it is Thea's sister Elwren who is at the forefront of this narrative, sequestered away in the ruins of Delmira, only leaving to exact her revenge on those who escaped justice after the war.

When Wren 'the poisoner' is dragged back to Thezmarr, it is to receive long-awaited news: she has finally been accepted to study at the famous Naarvan Academy of Alchemy, Drevenor. But her relief is short-lived when she realises two things. First, her invitation comes with strings attached. Someone is raising a force hellbent on destroying all those with royal magic, and they're using her Warsword-capturing alchemy of the past to do so. Wren must use her time at Drevenor to seek out a cure for this substance, something to counteract the subduing of royal magic and in turn, protect the monarchs of the Midrealms. Second, she will not be attending the academy alone. Alongside Kip, Cal and Farissa, Wren will be joined by noneother than the lightning-kissed bear slayer himself as her very own Warsword bodyguard since she remains a royal heir herself. With five years of animosity between them, Wren and Torj's reunion is fraught with discomfort, rage, and unacknowledged feelings as the pair attempt to move forward as primary and bodyguard despite the burning tension and magical threads that bind them together.

This book was initially quite dark, dealing with themes of grief, loneliness, and vengeance versus justice. However, once we finish with the flashbacks and the story remains focused on the present, we see Wren begin to emerge from her darkness with the help of her stalwart Warsword, her new friends, and her studies. This book retains all the things we loved about the Legends series, even going so far as to bring Kip and Cal on board for some much needed levity, whilst also telling a whole new story centred on alchemy rather than Warrior prowess. The only reason this didn't gain the full five stars from me was the reasoning behind Torj's actions during the final skirmish, with the last-minute excerpt from that book as an explanation feeling a little half-baked when a simple sacrifice and hidden wound might have been more effective. Regardless, I am now desperate for the next instalment.

This book had me hooked from the first page. The romance and the chemistry between the two protagonists, the tension and the twists, the world-building and the magic, and that fantastic ending that left me eagerly waiting for the sequel.

The two protagonists are Wren and Torj. Wren is an alchemist, still haunted from the trauma of the war and from seeing her sister and best friends brutally killed which has set her on her own path of vengeance. All her life she’s dreamed of being accepted into the alchemy academy and her dream is finally coming true. All she has to do is find the cure to a new poison and accept the bodyguard assigned to protect her. Torj is a warrior and war hero and their past history can be better defined as quite complicated. Wren doesn’t want him shadowing her every step and being near her gives him conflicting feelings. However, they don’t have any choice. And between deadly trials, cursed wounds, and hidden enemies and allies, they must learn to trust each other.

It was a good thing that I read Iron & Embers during my Christmas holidays as I couldn’t put it down. And I was so engrossed in the story that it took me a while to figure out that Iron & Embers is actually the first book in the sequel of The Legends of Thezmarr series, so now I need to get my hands on the other series. The plot is intriguing and addictive and I loved the slow-burn romance, the found family theme, the forced proximity, and also the flashbacks to the past that gives a glimpse of the tension and attraction that has been burning for five years between Wren and Torj.

The ending was explosive and completely unexpected and I can’t wait to get my hands on book 2!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It’s full of unique world building, magic, alchemy and poisons, an academy with a gruelling gauntlet to pass and a passionate romance. I went into this one blind and didn’t realise there is a series before this one which focuses on the events of the Shadow War from a few years before this book is set. After reading this one I don’t think it’s necessary to read that series first as this one focuses more on Elwren and Torj but if you do want to read the first series then this one does have spoilers for that (I still want to go back and read it though!)

This is how you write an amazing fantasy book! It was immersive, filled with plot twists and so much tension one could cut it with a knife. And the way Helen managed to keep the reader’s attention…

The characters were complex, their dynamic so well thought out. And don't let me start on the chemistry between our MMCs - I couldn't do their enemies to lovers act enough credit even if I wanted to. It was simply delicious

This was good but also it was kinda obvious that its a spinoff series. Its written well though, and I’ll probably give the original series a chance once I forget what happened in this book

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer is a masterpiece in book form. This is so so good. I rated it 5 stars because it's that good. The characters are fantastic too.

I received this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5*
Tropes: Fantasy romance, alchemy academy, touch her and die, deadly trials, slow burn, forbidden love, who did this to you.

Well. That was. Something.
I will preface this by admitting that I haven't read the previous series. But that most certainly didn't spoil this book!
I was immediately captivated by the characters. Wren and Torj have wanted each other for years but with the results of the war, the losses Wren especially went through, cut things off quickly. They mostly moved on with their lives for a few years before crossing paths, and boy did that not end well.
Wren is consumed by her grief and Torj just wants to move on. When the book begins, he really resents Wren and what she decided to do following the war.

But of course, not all is as simple as that. Torj is assigned as Wren's bodyguard, her being royalty and all and Wren resents it. Wren finally gets admittance to the alchemy school she's wanted to attend for years and that's where it all begins.
The world building is perfect. I was sucked right in. The brutality of the school and the descriptions of poisons and the use of the ingredients just brought a genuine quality to this book. Poor Torj has his own problems and fears, ones that Wren is the cause of, not the solution.
The secondary characters are distinct and fell well rounded. There were plots and subplots and yet everything blended so seamlessly and flowed so well that i just flew through this book.
The tension between Torj and Wren was just perfect. He is bound by his duty as her bodyguard and she is trying to figure out how good of an alchemist she really is, on top of a side mission from her superiors. The romance was so satisfying and the banter and interactions between not only Wren and Torj, but the secondary characters as well was just so good.
I also love a dual POV. I appreciated being part of Wren's journey, becoming strong and coming out of the grief that gnaws at her at the beginning of the book, as well as witnessing Torj's inner thoughts and struggles. I find the dual POV heightens romantic tension and it was very effective in this book.

That ending though? Well I need the next one because my heart needs fixing.

4⭐️
I went into this book blindly and it was such a pleasant surprise. Right from the start I was completely captivated by the fantasy world. It was so immersive and well build.

As a romance girlie I was so excited for the romance! Fierced alchemist and her hot protective bodyguard, but they don’t want to be around each other!? All the ingredients for great dynamic and burning tension.
Torj is everything I want in a book boyfriend, the cocky overprotective mmc.
Wren was a little Nesta Archeron coded. I was deeply moved by her character growth and seeing her overcome her traumas.
The slowburn between those two was so worth the wait.

After all the twists and turns, I can’t wait for the next installment in this series. Now I need to go back and read The Legends of Thezmarr as soon as possible!!

Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

This book has really great potential but I just couldn't get into it. The first 20% of the book could have been just a couple of chapters, and I really wanted it to move forward with the storyline a lot sooner.

Iron & Embers is a great start to what will be a haw-droppingly good fantasy series. It is impeccably written, full of intense yearning, poison, and a broody warsword I have come to love.

The chemistry between Wren and Torj is insane, its very very slow burn, full of yearning as mentioned before, and the spice? Oh, it's spicy. Helen Scheuerer never disappoints with a romantasy, and this book is romantasy at it's finest.

The world building is great, most of the book is set within an alchemy academy so the dark academia vibes with the old libraries and classes are very much there. The plot was fast paced, exciting, and the end?! Don't even talk to me, I need book two now.

As someone who has never read The Legends of Thezmarr series, I didn't struggle finding my feet with this book at all, I think if you wanted extra background information on the world and characters it would be beneficial to read it - but not a necessity.

Overall, very worth the hype and I can't wait to see everyone falling head over heels for Torj and his devotion to Wren.

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75 STARS

Im so happy we are getting more stories that take place in the Legends of Thezzmar universe.

I love the series and really liked Iron & Embers as well. Very similar but very different in all the right ways.

Great dialogue that felt like it flowed natural between Wren and Torj. We are here for a slowwww burnnnn romance!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy
Tropes: Dual POV, Academia, Forced Proximity, Bodyguard, Found Family, Touch Her You 💀, Enemies To Lovers, Nickanme (Embers), Trials, One Horse, Protective MMC, Who Did This To You, Fated Mates

‘No games. No secrets. You’re what has been missing all my life. And I intend to keep you. Consequences be damned.

‘Go up in flames with me, Embers.’

The war may be over, but Wren remains vengeful but that will have to wait.. Wren is offered a placement at the much coveted alchemy academy of Drevenor. As a rather talented alchemist she has been tasked with finding a cure for the dark magic threatening the kingdom & its rulers. Her safety is important to the realm, enter her bodyguard Torj Elderbrock..
But they have history…
A steamy, enemies to lovers with an academia setting.

Firstly, I read this & listened to the audiobook alongside each other. I thoroughly enjoyed both! The voice performances of both narrators were amazingly done! The quality of the writing in the book is also high quality. So it makes for a great experience whether you’re reading or listening. I recommend both.

I loved the back & forth with Torj & Wren, the building of their relationship to each other. I also really liked the side characters in this story, I cared for them & what happened to them.
And let’s be honest the bodyguard storyline is always a hit! It just works!!

If you want solid, well written fantasy/ romantasy this is it. I think you’ll love this if you loved Fourth Wing. Hey, it’s perfect for that Onyx Storm hangover!!

Thank you to Helen Scheuerer, Dreamscape Media (Audiobook), Pan MacMillan & NetGalley for the review copies in exchange for an honest review.

Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer - Publish date 6th Feb 2025 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am a huge fan of Helen's work and The Legends of Thezmarr was my favourite romantasy series I read in 2024. I absolutely devoured the series in less than a week and I was a bit bereft when it finished.

When I received the arc for Iron & Embers it felt like stepping into a world so familiar and comforting. One that I'd missed!

Torj and Wren's chemistry is amazing and I loved that in Legends you could feel that flirty tension building so to get their own series following the pair of them is just exciting!!

Helen's world building is superb. I loved that we see a different part of the realm, we see the university and we see the characters in a different dynamic as we saw in Legends.

I was so excited to see some of our favourite characters back - Cal & Kipp. Just being back with their banter is brilliant. We see Thea and Wilder again and some of the others from Legends.

Despite there being so many familiar faces we get to meet exciting new characters, allowing Wren to go on a journey to find friendship again after so much hurt and trauma. There is also a completely different storyline for Wren in her pursuit of Alchemy. I loved that we see this topic explored so much more in Iron & Embers. We see that's where her passion lies. We start to see her become her own person, develop as a character and thrive in this new life.

The trials and tests in this book are so much fun. Literally poisoning your own students is a whole other level of hands on learning.

The tension between Wren & Torj. Let me tell you I was kicking my feet at points in this book. How do you make such lush Warswords, Helen?!? I adore their dynamic in this book. I can't wait for where this series leads them.

Helen is an absolutely fantastic romantasy writer. I was wrapped up and transported into this story, I couldn't get enough of the characters, the tension, the suspense and just the story in itself.

I had already preordered this book before the arc. If Helen writes it, I'm reading it. I can't wait for book two!

Thank you to Helen and NetGalley for the arc. This is my own honest review of the book,

This was fast-paced, slow burn, alchemy excitement!!

We pick up with our FMC Wren 5 years after the shadow wars, dropping us back into the action of the midrealms with our FMC grappling the effects of grief, trauma and isolation.

I loved the direction the plot took in Iron and Embers, it felt both developed and intriguing without being too trope-filled or predictable!

Torj was our brooding warsword MMC, taking on the role of bodyguard to Wren after attacks on the royal members of the realm leave her in need of protection. Of course, this also fuelled the tension and yearning for a slow burn romance with plenty of history, after hinting at a potential romance in previous books.

I really enjoyed the quieter moments with Wren and Torj, where they helped each other through their trauma and healed aspects of their grief by supporting one another, it was really beautiful to see them heal and learn to face their struggles together.

The side characters in Cal, Kipp, Zavier and Dessa also provided some comedic relief and much needed camaraderie in between the tension of the trails set before Wren and her teammates. I’d LOVE more Kipp cameos, he just makes me giggle any time he’s on the page!!

The plot and pacing were the strongest of any of Helen’s books in my opinion, and I loved how we went through every step of Wren’s journey to train in becoming an adept alchemist - it was interesting, insightful and entertaining to hear about her progress. I also loved how the romance took more of a backseat in this book, and gave room for Wren to shine in her role as a budding alchemist.

My only point of contention was the last 10%, where i felt things were really rushed to tie up a cliff hanger ending and provide some strife for book 2.

I didn’t love the direction it took, and it felt cheap after taking so much time to develop Wren and Torj’s already difficult journey to falling for one another. I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel, but wasn’t happy with the way the story wrapped up, which is a shame.

This is overall a fantastic start to a new romantasy series and I can’t wait to see where we go next in the Ashes of Thezmarr ❤️

Thank you to the publisher Pan Macmillan, NetGalley and the author Helen Scheuerer for an arc copy of this book, I was honoured to have recieved it!

Another fabulous new-to-me author with a kickass fantasy romance!

Wren and has never denied the attraction to Torj...to herself at least. But to everyone else they're prickly allies at best. But Wren feels incapable of letting down her defences to let anyone in and refuses to be anything other thana ONS. That will never be enough for Torj and they part ways after the war is won.

A few years later and Wren has finally been given the one thing she wanted, admittance to the Alchemical College of her dreams. One slight fly in the ointment, Torj is now her bodyguard! Can Torj keep his never diminished attraction to wren on the back burner whilst he protects her? Can Wren rid herself of the ghosts of her past to allow love to enger her heart?

Warswords, Alchemists, secret royal heirs, a gut wrenching trial to claim status as an adept - Wren is going to have to put all her knowledge and bravery on the line. The small group of friends she has made at the college become a new family to Wren and I couldn't help but enjoy the way they test and annoy each other but still have each others backs. The camaraderie between the Warswords is also very bromancy and Kipp and Cal are a hoot (even though they nearly come to blows a time or two!)

Wren is a really great FMC. She is smart, loyal - sometimes to her own disadvantage, and passionate. She may not be as much of a physical soldier as the warswords but she is deadly with her potions and new that she has some delf-defence under belt she'll be fearless! Torj is the epitome of a fantasy MMC, tall, grumpy, protective and very THAD! My heart did break for Wren and Torj during the gauntlet - that was a torment I'd never survive.

I did enjoy the ending, leading us nicely to the steps of book 2 but I did want to scream a little that Torj and Wren only had that fleeting moment of peace and then they were torn apart once again.