Fear the Flames
A Novel
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4.2 • 107 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An exiled princess teams up with the last man she thought she could trust in the start of a dazzling and unforgettable epic fantasy romance series.
As a child, Elowen Atarah was ripped away from her dragons and imprisoned by her father, King Garrick of Imirath. Years later, Elowen is now a woman determined to free her dragons. Having established a secret kingdom of her own called Aestilian, she’s ready to do what’s necessary to save her people and seek vengeance. Even if that means having to align herself with the Commander of Vareveth, Cayden Veles, the most feared and dangerous man in all the kingdoms of Ravaryn.
Cayden is ruthless, lethal, and secretive, promising to help Elowen if she will stand with him and all of Vareveth in the pending war against Imirath. Despite their contrasting motives, Elowen can’t ignore their undeniable attraction as they combine their efforts and plot to infiltrate the impenetrable castle of Imirath to steal back her dragons and seek revenge on their common enemy.
As the world tries to keep them apart, the pull between Elowen and Cayden becomes impossible to resist. Working together with their crew over clandestine schemes, the threat of war looms, making the imminent heist to free her dragons their most dangerous adventure yet. But for Elowen, her vengeance is a promise signed in blood, and she’ll stop at nothing to see that promise through.
An immersive fantasy filled with a sizzling reluctant-allies-to-lovers romance, a world to get lost in, dangerous quests, dragon bonds, and an entertaining band of characters to root for, Fear the Flames marks the stunning debut of Olivia Rose Darling.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Darling's uneven romantasy debut follows Princess Elowen Atarah of Imirath, who was born with a soul "forged from the fire of the gods, creating a link to the five dragons that could not be broken by any mortal or god." When her violent father attempts to break this bond, the dragons attack, killing her mother, and Elowen spends the rest of her childhood imprisoned. As a young woman, she's saved by her uncle Ailliard, and they flee Imirath to establish their own kingdom, Aestilian. Come winter, the snowed-in kingdom requires a fresh food supply, so Elowen comes out of hiding to sign a treaty with neighboring Vareveth, agreeing to join their war against Imirath in exchange for resources. Part of the deal includes allying with the fearsome Commander Cayden Veles to stage a heist to free Elowen's dragons from Imirath's castle. Romance soon sizzles between these two, but the chemistry is not enough to save the meandering story. The central heist feels disappointingly easy and low-stakes, draining the novel of suspense. There's little to make this stand out in a crowded market.
Customer Reviews
Mixed feelings
I got 50% of the way through and had to put it down. It feels all over the place, her actions, reactions and inner thoughts are all conflicting. It was giving me serious whiplash. It felt like some stuff was added to make it more interesting and it doesn’t feel like I know the female lead at all—not in a mysterious or interesting way.
Wanted to Love It..
… but I didn’t. It got super predictable really fast. The early writing in the book was solid, but it got worse and worse as the book went on. I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just didn’t love it enough to go on to the next book in the series. So disappointing because the opening pages are SO promising.