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A review by francineh98
A Fate Forged in Fire by Hazel McBride

dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

I’m torn on how I feel about this one. While I was excited to dive into a story with dragons, magic, and the FMC’s journey to claim her throne, a few things kept it from being a 5-star read for me.

Aemyra, the FMC, had great potential as a fire-wielding badass, but her rash decisions often felt out of character, and it was frustrating to see her constantly falling into traps. Also, the romance could’ve been stronger. There was some spice, but I was hoping for a more emotional connection, which I think was affected by the pacing. The pace was fine for world-building, but the enemies-to-lovers slow burn between Aemyra and Fiorean felt rushed, making it hard to fully feel the tension.

That being said, I still enjoyed the banter and some of the moments between the fmc and mmc, particularly after one of the more heavier scenes toward the end (please check CWs). I also loved the Celtic-inspired setting—learning about the goddesses and the world was a highlight for me. And of course, I can’t forget about the dragons!

Overall, despite the critiques, I was hooked by the political intrigue and can’t wait to see what happens with Aemyra, Fiorean, and the people of Tìr Teine.

What to Expect:
✅ bi rep 🏳️‍🌈
✅ enemies to lovers
✅ elemental magic
✅ dragons 🐉 
✅ a bit of 🔪 play 

A huge thank you to the author, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest and independent review.
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