A review by stitchesandpages811
Fear the Flames by Olivia Rose Darling

5.0

Format: Print 

A few quick notes to start: 

  1. I read the traditionally published version of this so can’t comment on what may have been edited between versions. 
  2. Checking out the content warnings is a must. 
  3. My star ratings are based on feeling and overall experience of reading a book, so while this is a 5-star read for me, I am aware it isn’t for everyone and can understand why. 

And on to the review: 

I love love LOVED this. Honestly, I was hooked. I pretty much fell asleep on the sofa reading at midnight last night and then had to finish it on my lunch break today because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened. I was looking for a fast-paced romantasy, ideally with some kind of dragon element and wow did this deliver. 

So firstly, Elowen our FMC. I loved how much strength she showed, and yet she learned to be vulnerable with Cayden. And Cayden, our MMC. Talk about intense! In fact, their entire relationship was intense but I was here for it. Yes, you can argue there is some insta-love but for the way their relationship developed, it worked. They needed that intensity of feeling. And their interactions were somehow this combination of sweet and yet charged (in a fair few different ways). I loved the way they were with each other. 

The relationships generally were incredibly well done. The friendship between Elowen and Finnian was great – siblings by experience and feeling, even if not by blood. And that between Cayden, Ryder and Saskia – and that’s a friendship I think we needed to see as a counterpoint to his ruthlessness as Commander (as was his treatment of Elowen). 

I will say we didn’t get that much dragon content but again I thought the way we did get it suited the storyline so well. And we got to explore and understand the bond between Elowen and the dragons because we experienced it in the same way that she did. I also loved that each dragon has their own personality and I can’t wait to learn more about them in future books. 

I really enjoyed the plot and that ending has me on tenterhooks for what will happen next.
And yet, it wasn’t a cliffhanger. You have no idea how much I love the fact that Elowen and Cayden are together at the end of the book. Yes, they have some issues to sort but it’s so common to see our characters separated. That’s not to say they won’t be at the start of book two but they aren’t now and I am so grateful for it.
I am both incredibly satisfied by the end of the book and completely unsure on how I am supposed to wait for book two, which I really hope isn’t too far away. 

It may have been right book right time, but I was so engrossed in this. It’s absolutely one of my favourite books of the year and I am already considering reading it again!