A Kiss of Hammer and Flame: The must-read, sizzling romantasy debut for fans of Throne of Glass (Fated for Hael)

Steph

FMC Blacksmith? Yes Please!

"“For when the the Seers reappear, When the Key has been bestowed, When the mark walks the path to enter the Nether in life, Then shall Hael rise again” A Kiss if Hammer and Flame was such a fun read. This is a high stakes fantasy that is very much focused on the plot with a slow-burn romance. Cahra is a strong female lead that does not hesitate to do what is right and stand up for those in need. She is bound by an ancient prophecy that leads her on a journey to find out who she really is and to save the kingdoms from those only interested in power and the prophecies weapon. She first meets Lord Terryl who has commissioned her to make him a sword which marks the beginning her journey. This is a face-paced storyline that keeps you engaged and before you know it you are at the end of the book wanting more. I can’t wait for book 2!!! but my heart is also not ready, for what is in store for us next. ["

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February 16, 2026

srkromer

Great Start to a New Series

"A Kiss of Hammer and Flame was a great start to a new series. The story drew me in from the start, and I was invested in what would happen next. Cahra grew up on the streets until she was arrested, when the kingdom's blacksmith rescued her and taught her the craft. She has become well-known and is commissioned by a Lord to make him a sword. She is allowed to make the sword however she wants; unfortunately, what she creates sets off a whole adventure because it triggers an age-old prophecy. She has to flee the kingdom with the Lord who commissioned it, Lord Terryl. She starts having dreams of Hael, the secret weapon prophesied about, the three kingdoms vying to wield, but she’s the only one who can release him. Can she trust all her new friends around her and free Hael? This story had a little bit of everything I love in a story: a strong female character, found family, political intrigue, a slow-burn, and a hot shadow daddy. I love that Cahra is a strong female who takes care of herself and doesn’t come across as a jerk; she's been taking care of herself for a long time and will continue to do so. The world-building was so interesting and different from anything that I have read so far, and I can’t wait to find out more about the world and how the magic works. The ending was so good and has made me so anxious for what comes next. ["

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February 24, 2026

M. Phillips

Great world building

"3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Cahra, a low-born blacksmith, is thrust into a prophecy that uproots everything she knows and takes her across several realms and kingdoms. I really appreciated the strong female lead, the slow burn romance, and the vivid world building. Terryl (aka Thierre) was a standout for me. I loved his attitude and how he treated everyone around him. I also enjoyed Hael's character. He was scary but caring at the same time. On the flip side, I struggled with Cahra’s constant self-doubt and the way she sometimes came across as hypocritical. The seer, Wyldaern, was frustrating at first as well —swooping in, making assumptions, and earning Cahra’s trust far too quickly compared to others who had been supporting her. And while some readers may enjoy it, I’m not a big fan of love triangles, which this book leans into. Overall, it wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t pull me in as much as I hoped. I found it hard to fully connect with Cahra, though the world itself was engaging enough to keep me turning the pages. The writing was well done. There was great character development and vivid descriptions that pull you into the story and make the world feel alive. That said while I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, I think others who like this type of trope will really enjoy the book. ["

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December 12, 2025

Stephanie

Four Strikes and I'm Out

"Updated review 4/24/2026: This magically reappeared on my NetGalley reading app, so I decided to reread it - the whole thing this time - so I could fulfill my obligation to review the entire book. Unfortunately, I kind of wish I had left well enough alone, because the last 23% did not work for me. At all. I'm still #teamhael (who wouldn't be?), but this book ultimately had four big strikes against it: 1) Instalove (x2) (and not nearly enough organic romantic development to feel believable in either case). 2) Pseudo love triangle (and the old "it was just infatuation" or "first love" to explain away one side of the triangle after a mere week of "knowing" both love interests). 3) Magikal character who can do all the things (resulting in a conflict that gets resolved way too easily - after building for the entire book). 4) Low-born girl who (surprise! except, not really because this is the plot of many a romantasy) finds out she's not actually low-born at all and is really a princess (no, empress) but doesn't want the responsibility of leadership because, darn it, she wants to do something for herself for once! I might have been able to overlook one or two of these issues (which are all pet peeves of mine) in the book, but all four? That's the kiss of death. I'm sure there are people out there who are not nearly so grumpy and picky as I am who will love this. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them. One thing I did love? The cover. It's gorgeous! Original review: An overambitious NetGalley requesting spree, combined with a bout of severe anxiety that left me unable to read as much as I'm used to, meant the publication license for this book expired before I was able to finish reading it. So this review will be for the first 77% of the book. This was...engaging...but not pulse-pounding, but that very well could have been me more than the book. Also, I stopped reading before the climax. Who knows how much the action would have built by the end? I was really enjoying Hael's character and would have loved to see him in the flesh rather than just in dreams. #teamHael all the way because who doesn't love a pair of flaming eyes? Terryl...well, let's just say he was a little too vanilla for my taste. Cahra was sometimes relatable and sometimes annoying and had a lot of growing up...and growing into her title...to do. Here's hoping that will happen before the end of the series (as I assume it doesn't happen by the end of this book). If I can get this from the library after it releases, I'll probably eventually finish reading it. For now, I'm going to consider this a lesson learned and be more judicious when requesting books from NetGalley. *Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo Romance for the Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All opinions are my own.* ["

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April 24, 2026

Monica Beard

Great world building

"A Kiss of Hammer and Flame is a book with a lot of really interesting details, but it's a book that never managed to totally click for me. Luckily, it's the first book in a series, and I'm excited to see what de la Force does with future installments and her rich imagination. Our heroine Cahra starts as a blacksmith in kingdom occupied by a strict steward, and I did really enjoy all the small details that de la Force imbues in the world (it's illegal to help beggars, the use of children as cheap labor for dangerous jobs). But while the author excels at world building, I had less of a sense of who Cahra was outside of her struggles, and I couldn't quite get a handle on her (although other readers might really enjoy the opportunity to self insert.) The book is not steamy for anyone who insists on smut, although by the end of the book, I had a sense that the next one might be a bit spicier. It did feel a bit like this book really set up the world and the next book may really narrow in on the stakes established. While this book wasn't quite for me, I'm excited to see what de la Force does with the series and does next. This is for fans of Lauryn Hamilton Murray and Stephanie Garber. ["

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December 4, 2025