First of all, thank you so much Dialogue Publishing and Hazel McBride for providing me with an ARC of this book.

What can I say? I loved it! It deserves all the stars I can give this book!

One of the things I liked the most was how Celtic culture was so seamlessly introduced throughout the book, and of course that a matriarch society was also introduced here.

The FMC is all you could want from a main character: she's strong, she's a sword fighter... she represents a perfect powerful female main character. Cherry on top for this book: there are DRAGONS! And you bond with them! The magic system is very clever and well thought.

One of the things I really liked about the book is that even though it's a fantasy, there are lots of topics discussed here that we deal with every day in real life (misogyny, oppression, clashing religions...). I would also recommend checking trigger warnings as some scenes might feel a bit uncomfortable to read for some.

Overall it was a very entertaining, and engaging book that I read in no time, as I simply could not put it down.

I would 100% recommend this!

If you love Throne of Glass & Game of Thrones this is for youuuu!! The magic, the worldbuilding, the dragons all drew me in immediately, the political intrigue was top notch. I love Celtic inspired worlds and female rage so I knew I’d adore this. It’s a really good start to a romantasy series, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

I wanted to love this book, from what I had heard online about this book I was going into this expecting more than what I got. Maybe my expectations were too high, and I drew into the hype for this.

On paper this seemed like everything I love in a fantasy romance book, but there were some parts of this book that I just couldn’t gel with.

Firstly the book felt so slow to me, I was quite close to a dnf in the first half, but thankfully the second half did pick up and did redeem itself somewhat.

Moving on to the characters - I just did not like the FMC, it felt like her attitude and her choices were out in place to annoy and test me! She just annoyed me and I wanted a strong, badass FMC that was promised. I wanted to like her, but she just annoyed me as she acting so childish throughout in my opinion. Talking about characters, I didn’t gel with many of them, finding myself not really caring what happened to the characters. I wanted to know more, I wanted to feel more connected to characters, which just never happened. I also wanted more dragons, the dragons were my favourite part.

I did like the story and all the tie ins to the authors heritage was lovely, great to see an author connecting within their books. As I said before the second half did pick up and I liked that the FMC and MMC were true enemies to lovers, this is one of my favourite tropes so I appreciated this.

Just wanted more, maybe if I went into this not seeing much about it, I would have felt differently. But if a book has some hype, it’s been given a spotlight.
I might pick up the next one, as the ending was okay but I feel like I won’t be jumping to do so.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Holy hell. Whaaaaaat!?!

I'm a complete wreck after finishing A Fate Forged in Fire!! There is nothing I didn't absolutely love and adore about this book!

The characters are incredible. Aemyra is 100% that b*tch and I'm front row cheering her on. I love Adarian, I love Fiorean. I freaking love the dragons!

The tension is unbearable. I am totally swept away by the world building and the political plot. It's flawlessly torturous!!!

Also, big yes to the Gaelic pronunciations included at the start of the book!!!!

Oh my god, just incredible.

I was fascinated by the Celtic/Gaelic inspiration for the story. You can tell from the guide that a huge amount of research and dedication has been put into researching for this world.
People battling an Onyx Storm hangover will be thankful of a new dragon-riding male main character to fall in love with. Additionally the LGBTQ+ representation is always a welcome change when it characterises a main character in the face of a heteronormative climate.
The magic system and lore was enjoyable, plus THAT CLIFFHANGER? I’ll eagerly be awaiting the next part in this duology.

I adored this book. From the very first chapter, it had me in a chokehold and never let go. And somehow, it just kept getting better.

I don’t even have the words to do justice to how beautifully written this was. A story woven around a matriarchal society, it felt like a dedication to women—our strength, our resilience, our fire. I felt this book in my soul. The fear, the bravery, the heartbreak, the triumph, the sheer force of survival and comeback.

And the FMC? An absolute badass. Dragons, magic, breathtaking world-building, and the rich infusion of Celtic lore and language made this a chef’s kiss experience.

There’s so much more I could say, but just know this: A Fate Forged in Fire is an instant five-star read and easily one of my top books of the year. What an absolute banger of a read.

Dragons, Kilts, and a Battle for the Throne – What More Could You Want?

Let me start with two things: DRAGONS and men in kilts. If that’s not enough to grab your attention, let me tell you why this book needs to be on your TBR.

A Love/Hate Relationship for the Ages
You know what’s better than enemies to lovers? Enemies to lovers… to enemies again. The tension in this book was off the charts. The slow burn? Absolutely sizzling. And if you love a good “Touch her and you die” moment or a dagger-to-the-throat standoff, buckle up—because this book delivers.

The chemistry and banter between the two main characters had my heart racing, and just when you think you know where they stand, the story pulls the rug out from under you.

Celtic Lore & a Magic System Like No Other

One of the biggest highlights of this book is its rich Celtic mythology. Hazel weaves folklore seamlessly into the plot, making this world stand out from other fantasy novels. The magic system? Absolutely brilliant

Here’s how it works:
- Dùileach– magical beings with elemental powers
- Beathach– magical creatures (think firebirds, salamanders, griffins, phoenixes, and yes, dragons) that bond with Dùileach to amplify their abilities

It’s unique, immersive, and just so well done.

Meet Our Fierce & Mysterious Leads
Aemyra – Strong, fiery, and absolutely NOT a damsel in distress. She’s undercover as a blacksmith and healer’s daughter, but she’s actually the rightful queen the people have been waiting for.

Fiorean — The definition of a walking enigma. He plays his cards very close to his chest, and I was questioning his true motives until the very end.

Their dynamic? Utterly addicting.

A World Worth Getting Lost In
I’ll be honest—the world-building is a little dense at first, but once you settle into it, the payoff is worth it. I was so hooked, I physically could not put it down. The story is packed with political intrigue, religious conflict, and all-out war

What I Loved
🐉 Rich Celtic lore
🥀 A strong FMC who takes charge
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to lovers (to enemies again?!)
👑 Traitor kings & queens
⚔️ Nonstop action & high stakes

If you love traitor queens, morally gray love interests, and being emotionally wrecked by fantasy novels, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. I need the sequel ASAP.

i was really excited to get an arc of this book - dragons, slow burn romance, and a prophecy? yes, please! however, i ended up feeling a little let down

it took me longer than i’d like to admit to get into the story, as there were so many names, places, and gods that i struggled to keep up - the world-building, while detailed, felt overwhelming at times

as much as i enjoy a well-crafted fantasy, this one leaned too heavily into politics and religion for my taste 👀 a little bit of political intrigue can add depth, but here, it felt like the entire book revolved around those elements, making it harder for me to stay engaged

the romance, unfortunately, didn’t work for me 🥲 the two characters didn’t seem well-matched, and their interactions often felt awkward rather than compelling

overall, it was a decent read with some fun moments, but it wasn’t anything new, and the ‘plot twists’ were predictable

I loved this!
The Celtic lore that flowed throughout the book was brilliant.
I enjoyed the clever magic system with the bonded animals, the beathach.
Aemyra is a brilliant FMC, she is fierce and powerful and I love that she will rescue herself before she waits for someone to rescue her.
Fiorean was a complex character who had me guessing his true motives right until the end.
I found the topics in this book extremely poignant especially considering what is happening in the real world at the moment, the misogyny and conflicts with religion, the oppression of women and girls, it was all handled very well within the book and came very close to home.
A fate forged in fire, is dark and bleak and gruesome at times but also action packed, engaging and full of twists and turns.
I will be looking forwards to book 2 when it is released

I am really sorry to say I gave up at 15% I should like this book it has all the things I usually like in a book. Unfortunately I couldn't get interested enough to want to carry on. I get using the Gallic names for things as that is a long tradition but some of the words being used seemed unnecessary and it just put me off.

Firstly, thank you to Hazel McBride, Dialogue Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read an eARC of A Fate Forged in Fire.

A Fate Forged in Fire was an absolute masterpiece. It's probably going to be one of my top reads of the year and it's only January!! Hazel McBride has created an immersive word full of dragons, magic, court intrigue and politics, with a fierce female lead at its heart. Aemyra is the FMC I dream of. Intelligent, loyal and unforgiving to those who seek to dampen her spirit or belittle her because she's a woman. Misogyny and sexism are key themes in this book and Aemyra must navigate constant belittlement and people either ignoring her or insulting her because she isn't a male. She takes no prisoners and this is HER story, make no mistake. I adored the world building, the romance, the character arcs and relationships, the storyline, the twists...everything. I raged, celebrated and sobbed with Aemyra. That is how you write characters that your readers connect to. Hazel McBride has written an absolutely fantastic tale, full of magic, feminine power and steeped in Gaelic history and I was hooked from the start. I cannot wait to see where Aemyra and Fiorean go next and Hazel is now a go to author for me. Just wow. An incredible read.

I can't get over that these two can track how closely related they are



Overall this was fun. I think people who like Fourth Wing will enjoy this.

It has really interesting world building that I enjoyed, I liked the conflicting religions and the barriers that Bonding with a mythical creature means you can't leave a territory (I know they want to expand to multiple duologies so this was smart). The general idea was easy yo keep track of, though I definitely couldn't tell you who people were or what they looked like. And although I liked the politics I had a big issue in trying to actually figure out what anything looked like, there was practically no imagery description. All I know are the main characters are both red heads because they are RELATED.

I like a slow burn enemies to lovers and this would have been fine... IF THEY WEREN'T RELATED. Generally the dynamics between characters were alright. Aemyra was a bit of a brat and really wasn't very women supporting women other than in her own head, matriarchy is cool but only if she's Queen first apparently.

The dragon bonds were cool. I didn't get why it happened so fast for Aemyra, it felt rushed which happened in other aspects I wished were more fleshed out.

Ultimately I liked the ending but really has anything changed? No. We are back where we started but she's married now.

4.25 ✨

The bridge kingdom meets throne of glass BUT WITH DRAGONS

I love a good enemies to lovers but do you know what I love more?

• enemies to lovers and back to enemies again
• traitor kings/queens
• and finally dilfs

Does this have all three? Yes.

For the first 20% I was unsure if I was going to love this book or just like it but by 30% I was hooked. At 60% I could not put it down.

Our FMC is a “blacksmiths daughter” but lowkey she is the true heir to throne and wants to take back her queendom. What does she need to rule? Ideally a freaking dragons. Do I love dragons? Yes, I am in my dragon era.

Spice 🌶️ 2.5/5
Enemies to lovers 4/5
Back to enemies? 5/5
Well presented trauma? 4/5

the current market is overflowing with dragon fantasy books, yet Hazel does it so much better. filled with lore and world building you get information at such a gradual pace it never feels overwhelming.
a rich and lush story that pulls you in from the very first moment. aemyra is such a complex and well written character, she makes you feel for her without making her look weak. it has been a long time since i have seen a main character who has flaws and is so life like.
this book is filled with family, a quest for power and political intrigue.
a must read for all, i cannot wait for the second book and continue my journey at aemyra’s side.

A Fate Forged in Fire is a political fantasy novel about dragons, Scottish mythology, and romance.

To start with, excellent worldbuilding. It hooks you from the beginning with it's fiery, life-like characters and medieval setting. It was very fun to experience a book that doesn't just show your typical rebellion, but the diplomatic struggle within court, too.

I did feel, however, that the physical descriptions were sometimes lacking, and I didn't have many clues about the setting around us. Also, certain relationships, such as between the FMC and her father, and also her dragon, did not feel very convincing to me (the latter not given much weight after the initial bonding in my opinion). It felt slightly neglected.

But! Overall, had a great time, very entertaining, can't wait for the next book.
Thank you for letting me read this book.

Tropes you can find are
🔥Mortal Enemies to Lovers
🔥Stabby
🔥Slow Burn
🔥Touch her and you die
🔥He tends to her wounds

This book blew my mind away.
The political intrigues are done in such a way that are not too heavy and they are a good balance with the story.
You need go understand all of that and the intrigues at court to follow the story, but they are so well done and just super fascinating.

Now let’s talk about the main female character. She’s been told all her life that she was going to be queen so she acts the part even if she is only queen in name. And the throne is not even her yet.
All the parts with the priests and how in depth the author goes into the conviction that the women in this society are just view as a meaning to procreate pretty much left me speechless.
Super well done and super emotional. Especially one scene at the end. Once you read the book you’ll know. Where they try to take Aemyra‘s power away as a woman.

Adrian? My babe. He’s my fav character as Aemyra’s brother and how her dragon prefers him to her is so funny 😂

Now let’s talk about our favourite prince. Do we want to punch him for the entirety of the book? Yep
Do we still like him? Yep
Do we trust/believe him? Still not sure

The romance was so so good. The angst. The “touch her and you die “ when they are still enemies. The slow burn. Their dragons that fell in love before them?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I could put this book down – absolutely loved it.

A Fate Forged in Fire had me gripped from the opening line. This book is incredible. Exciting, tense and tender in perfect harmony and lyrically written. The spice is so well written and enhances the plot. The characters are engaging, complex and multifaceted. The relationships between characters feels real, and the friendships Aemyra has have you rooting for her all the more. Of course the dragons are a huge selling point for me and I love the way bonds between magic user and magical creature is depicted in this book.
Potential readers should be aware of scenes of sexual assault and child loss.

This is a very generic fantasy romance with dragon riders.

The FMC was insufferable and times and the MMC lacked personality.

I liked the world the author built and love how it centred a Scottish inspired world.

4.5⭐️.
“We are all villains in somebody’s story”

I’ve had mixed luck with fantasy romance recently but I loved this book!!

We follow Aemyra, a young woman living in an historically matriarchal society, despite not having had a true queen to rule them in the last century, which is being threatened by a group called the True Religion, who are looking to subjugate women and those with magic.

“No wonder so many like him, mostly men with no magic of their own, had eagerly converted to the True Religion. It was the only way they could exact control over others, and it was no secret that they despised powerful women.”

I really liked Aemyra as a main character. She is strong willed and passionate, at times a little reckless, but not in the over the top, irritating way that I find some romantasy FMCs are. She’s in her mid twenties, still finding her way and making some mistakes as she goes, but she also shows maturity, particularly as the book progresses, and comes across as someone who is genuinely trying to do the right thing for the right reasons.

“My true inheritance is a quick temper, the ability to forge steel and cure minor ailments. Beyond that, I keep nothing of what I have been give .”

I really liked her relationship with her twin brother, Adarian, as well as her relationship with Fiorean, the MMC. They had great chemistry and banter but it also felt like it went beyond surface level.

“When I met you, I suddenly realised I wasn’t fire at all. I was ice. Decades of living within this court had me crafting an unyielding, impenetrable facade that only your infuriating and downright excruciating presence has been able to crack.”

I wasn’t shocked by the ending but it was dramatic and I can’t wait for book 2!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

Tropes

- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers
- Bonded dragons
- Dagger to throat
- Touch her and die