Dragons, sapphic pining, and a dash of chaos—this romantasy is pure magic. Vanessa Ricci-Thode crafts a story where a hot-mess aquamancer (Tollar) and her anxiety-riddled pyromancer neighbor (Bee) navigate stolen dragon eggs, political intrigue, and *feelings*. When the dragon hatches, imprinting on Tollar like a chaotic toddler with wings, the duo’s mutual pining and odd-couple banter steal the show. The romance is soft, ace-inclusive, and simmering with “just kiss already” energy, while the plot zips along with spies (bad ones), magical professions, and threats that force Tollar to confront her mysterious powers.

Bale, the dragon, is a scene-stealer—imagine a fire-breathing puppy with zero survival instincts. Her POV chapters add whimsy and heart, deepening the bond between her and the humans. The world-building is immersive but effortless, blending magic systems and political stakes without info-dumping.

What truly shines is the focus on community and resilience. This isn’t a chosen-one narrative—it’s about flawed, relatable characters choosing to protect their home and each other. Bee’s growth from anxious to courageous and Tollar’s journey from self-sabotage to trust are deeply satisfying. Add a bumbling spy, queer found-family vibes, and a dragon who’d 100% burn your toast, and you’ve got a story that’s equal parts heart and fire.

A cozy, inclusive fantasy for anyone who’d risk a mailbox arson for a chance to cuddle a dragon.

This was a really exciting fantasy about dragons, with an adorable f/f romance, and lots of political intrigue.

I absolutely loved the premise of this novel and it exceeded all my expectations! Bee and Tollar were really fascinating characters in their own right, and I loved how we learned more about their past and backstory as the novel progressed. I think the 'before' chapters were some of my favourites from the whole book. I also loved the chapter from Bale's POV. Bale is such an adorable character and it was so cool to see things from her perspective and how she perceives the dynamics between characters.

The world-building was great, I loved the emphasis on the different professions/life-styles of the characters, and how they worked together.

Overall, a really good queer fantasy! With dragons!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I struggled through it with the names; so I ended up not recognising the names of characters/places and would omit them whilst reading - it didn't take away anything from the book itself!

Overall its a wonderfully magical fantasy, with f/f romance, and world building that sucks you right into the story alongside the characters. I'm excited to see what the next adventure would be..