A FATE OF WRATH & FLAME
Series: Flate & Flame #1
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Author: K.A. Tucker
Release Date: May 25, 2021
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.
Why else does one kingdom fall but for another to rise?
I’ve been a devoted PNR reader for years, but fantasy has been a rare one for me. I don’t even know why, considering I’ve fallen in love with the genre. And what better way to read more of it than starting with a brand new KA Tucker series? And dang. I was no prepared for this story at all.
Admittedly it took me a hot minute to get into. I even put it down for a day because I knew this was a story that I have to be in the right mood to get into. There’s so much world building that takes place, and it took me almost 60% to fully wrap my head around all of it. Be prepared to be confused most of the story too. But that’s quite intentional as we spent the majority of the book in the heroine’s head, and she has no idea what’s going on and you get to experience that with her.
As for the story. It was absolutely magical. Pun intended. This is not a standalone and it’s looking to be one epic saga series. Rivaling kingdoms, elementals, gods, curses, and different worlds. The world building in this story was on another level. Romy is a skilled thief living in NY and just trying to survive. Her life is anything but ordinary but then it becomes otherworldly when a stranger with a secret agenda thrusts her into a realm that’s a different world entirely.
Romeria of this world is engaged to a king, who she is also responsible for the murder of his parents and seems to be persona non grata. But when you wear the face of the enemy, it’s tough to convince anyone you’re not her. Especially when you’re sworn to secrecy for fear of your life.
The chemistry between Romy and Zander is instant but the romance is very much a slow burn. As a matter of fact it felt almost secondary to the rest of the story, which I didn’t mind at all, because there’s just so much other things being revealed that the romance didn’t feel lacking. DOn’t get me wrong, it’s still there, just more of a zing in the background. Zander and the Romy of this realm are enemies, and even though Romy isn’t responsible for the monstrosities of the other Romy, she has to bear the brunt of the blame. She also has to struggle to understand because she has no memory of the other Romy or her agenda to fully grasp her current reality.
While the book took me about 40% to really get into, I couldn’t stop reading for the final 60%. I was slowly but surely sucked into this world and then hooked, line and sinker. I’m absolutely desperate for the next installment to see what happens next.
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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