A Fate of Wrath & Flame by K.A. Tucker

Published by: K.A. Tucker (independently published) on May 25, 2021

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, New Adult

Pages: 510

Goodreads | Bookshop (support indie stores!)

Would I recommend it? YES!

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.

Content Warning

This book is new adult and may not be appropriate for young readers. It contains several explicit sexual scenes between consenting adults. POTENTIAL TRIGGER: While it is never seen, one character mentions that she is often coerced into having sex with someone who has power over her.

Perfect for fans of Blood & Ash

It has been such a long time since I picked up a book on release day, but here I am after binging until 4 a.m. after release day! I absolutely could not resist checking out K.A. Tucker’s take on fantasy after falling in love with so many of her contemporary romances. I will NEVER stop sobbing over The Simple Wild! Naturally, I also could not resist another new adult dark fantasy romance after becoming utterly obsessed with Blood & Ash. For a Blood & Ash addict, A Fate of Wrath & Flame hits all of the right notes: sexy slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, corrupt systems of power, and looming betrayal.

Swoon-worthy romance

As always, I feel the overwhelming need to scream about my new ship! The enemies-to-lovers tension is palpable the first time Romeria lays eyes on Zander. After a mysterious and threatening woman uses her magic on Romeria, she wakes up in the body of Princess Romeria of Ybaris. Unfortunately, the knight in shining armor she meets there is King Zander of Islor, whose family was just slain by Princess Romeria. And to make things worse, Zander REALLY hates Princess Romeria, the fiancée who pretended to love him. Meanwhile, Romeria really needs to be in his good graces to steal a magical rock. Bring on the fake engagement/political marriage trope!

Much like From Blood & Ash, it does not take long for the too-hot-in-here, why-does-this-feel-so-right steaminess to occur. Romeria finds herself falling for the noble king she needs to use. And of course, Zander is finding it hard to resist this Romeria who is so miraculously different from the woman he knew. I’m obsessed with them getting to know each other and all sorts of distraught because Zander doesn’t know that she is literally not the same Romeria. Naturally, K.A. Tucker draws out the slow burn with tons of teasing because romance authors are cruel. When things finally happen, it is absolutely worth the wait. I’m talking volcano-erupting hotness.

SPOILER! There is a _____ scene in Chapter 26!

THERE IS A BATH TUB SCENE, AND I AM STILL ALL KINDS OF MESSED UP BECAUSE OF IT!

Into a strange and dangerous realm

If you’re a fan of manhwa like me, you’re very familiar with isekai. Just in case: isekai is the trope wherein the main character wakes up as another character, often in another realm. While common in manhwa, I don’t see it as often in novels, so I was thrilled to see this trope play out in A Fate of Wrath & Flame.

As expected, K.A. Tucker does not disappoint! The characters are just as fantastic as K.A. Tucker’s contemporary characters, from sassy Corrin the maid, to mysterious priestess Wendeline and loyal Elisaf, Zander’s closest friend and Romeria’s guard. Like Burying Water and Keep Her Safe, this one is twisty, dark, and full of lies. Unlike her contemporary reads, this dramatic plot is folded into a whole new world with its own rules and politics. I really enjoyed unravelling the relationships between Ybaris and Islor, as well as the corrupt system that Zander needs to change. I will say, however, that I did feel a bit overwhelmed and still can not really distinguish Seacadore, Skatrana, etc.

Part of this world is the magic, which I do wish was shown off more. I LOVE magic, especially elemental magic (probably because I’ve watched Avatar so many times). In a couple of combat scenes, we get badass water magic. For the most part, we see hints: healing, flowers blooming, and candles lit. Zander, with his fire abilities (no wonder he’s so hot), does the latter. This power originates from affinity with one of four gods, who seem to have their own plans for the characters, and I can’t wait to learn more about these mysterious gods.