A Fate of Wrath & Flame is live!
An exciting and unpredictable fantasy story with a chemistry-filled enemies-to-lovers romance, I couldn’t get enough of this book!
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Blurb
Gifted thief Romeria has flourished from her days as a street kid pilfering wallets to survive. Now she thrives, stealing jewels from the rich under the involuntary employ of New York City’s most notorious crime boss. But when an enigmatic woman secures her services at swordpoint, Romeria is plunged into a startling realm of opposing thrones, warring elven, and elemental magic she cannot begin to fathom.
Her quest is straightforward: Steal a stone from Islor’s sacred garden without anyone discovering her true identity, which would earn her certain death. But the identity she has inexplicably assumed is that of the captured Ybarisan princess—an enemy to Islor after she poisoned their beloved king and queen on the day she was to marry the prince.
Her betrothed, the newly crowned King Zander, detests her with every grain of his handsome being. Fortunately for Romeria, she is more valuable to him alive than dead. Zander gives her a choice: life in a cell, or an acquittal of all charges in exchange for her help in exposing the growing plot against him.
Romeria sees no other option and embraces the tricky role of smitten queen-to-be until she can escape, a ruse that brings her far closer to the king than she anticipated and threatens more than her safety. As she digs deeper into this sacred garden and the ancient feud between Ybaris and Islor, she discovers monstrous truths that could spell ruin for all.
She would know the world of vengeful gods and monsters, and the lengths one would go for love. And nothing would ever be the same for her again.
Review
5 stars!
Wow, what a read! An exciting and unpredictable fantasy story with a chemistry-filled enemies-to-lovers romance, I couldn’t get enough of this one, and I loved it!
KA Tucker has returned to fantasy, borrowing from her first series, Causal Enchantment, and twisting and expanding on it to create a complex, well-developed world of fae, fates, magic users and supernatural beings, in an exciting and intriguing story that had me hooked from start to finish. It’s the beginning of a brand new series, and I loved this world – and the characters that inhabit it – and I loved the ride that this book took me on!
Romeria is a young woman living in New York City, and is an expert thief. After a difficult childhood, she’s found a life that she’s well suited for, and though she’s under the thumb of a notorious underground crime boss, she has created a comfortable, though lonely, life for herself. But her life is upended when she accepts a job offer from a mysterious woman by the name of Sophie, and soon finds herself in a whole new world.
After one very strange encounter, Romeria wakes in the land of Islor, and her mission is to take a stone from the palace’s sacred garden, without anybody realising who she truly is. But her situation is made all the more difficult because she has landed in Islor in the blood-soaked body of the Princess Romeria – an assassin from a neighbouring kingdom who is betrothed to Islor’s Prince, and she has just murdered the king and queen.
Declared a killer and a traitor, she is thrown into prison, but her claims of innocence are helped by the fact that she remembers absolutely nothing of her life before waking up from what was most definitely a fatal wound, and she is clearly very different from the woman she once was. The newly crowned King Zander also needs her to weed out those conspiring against him, so he tentatively brings her back into court life with a story of her innocence, and pretending that their betrothal is still in effect while they wait for the evil Princess’ allies to make their move.
It’s a complex storyline, but a great set up, and I easily found myself lost in this whole new world. It’s a long book, and the story is slow moving, so we get to learn about the fantastical kingdom, its magic, its history and its traditions, in pieces alongside Romy. I’m not going to lie, it’s a bit overwhelming at times. There is so much story in this book, and there’s a lot to take in, and to remember, but Tucker writes the story well, and Romy’s wit, snark and sarcasm is relatable and hugely entertaining as she figures out her new world.
And in the middle of it all is King Zander. Gruff, serious, and understandably full of hatred for Romy. But despite all of that, the chemistry between them sizzles, and as they continue their fake relationship for the court, there are moments of intensity and anticipation that hint of what is to come. The romance is there, but not, and while there is certainly enough to keep romance readers satisfied, we know that it is just a hint of what is to come for these two, and I’m so excited to see how their story unfolds.
“Even though I know there is something you continue to hide, I am fighting against this constant aching pull I feel toward you … fighting and losing.”
There are so many twists and turns in this story. It’s unpredictable, with big reveals and surprises all the way through, and I never knew where the story was going to go. I love that, and even though it got a bit confusing at times, I was eagerly flipping pages waiting to see what was going to come next.
There’s a fabulous cast of side characters that Romy meets along the way – both friends and enemies, and sometimes a little of both – and I loved the different dynamics that all of those relationships bring. There are scenes that made me smile and laugh, others that made my heart ache, and moments that shocked or had me on the edge of my seat. I feel like I’ve been on a huge adventure, and after that shocking ending, I cannot wait to see where Tucker takes us in the next book.
So well written, with wonderful characters and an incredible new fantasy world to explore, I loved this one!
5 stars!
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Fate & Flame
A Fate of Wrath & Flame (#1)
Review
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A Curse of Blood & Stone (#2)
Review
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A Queen of Thieves and Chaos (#3)
Review
Buy: Amazon | Apple | Nook | Kobo | Google Play
A Dawn of Gods & Fury (#4)
To be released 3 September 2024
Pre-order: Amazon
About Kathleen
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.
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