The Fire Lord's Lover

by Kathryne Kennedy

[Vicki]

I took a chance on this book and I am so glad I did! I saw this listed under the "Readers Also Enjoyed" section of two other books that I loved (Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson and Master of Crows by Grace Draven). There weren't a ton of reviews and none by any people I follow, but I thought I'd take a risk and it definitely paid off. I loved this book!

A wonderful fantasy romance, that's heavier on the romance than fantasy. Dominic and Cassandra are stuck in an arranged marriage, both with hidden agendas that make falling in love with each other dangerous. You see them both fighting their growing love and when they finally admit their feelings, it was glorious.

I do wish there was a bit more world-building. It's definitely a very interesting world...set in England during the Georgian era but with an alternate history where Elven lords conquered and divided England into seven different soverignties. It's nice blend of fantasy and historical fiction. I only wish we got to know more about the alternate history and more about the Elven lords.

Also, I thought the ending was very rushed. There was so much build-up of tension between Dominic and Cass, between Dominic and his father, between the court, that to have the whole thing resolved in one chapter, felt too rushed. I was also disappointed with the ending itself. It seemed a bit unrealistic and while it closed up the Dominic/Cass story, it left a lot open as to the broader storyline. I suppose it will get resolved in the later books, but I will miss Dominic and Cass. I loved them together and don't see how this could be it for them.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and I hope the next books give us more insight into the world. And maybe Dominic and Cass will at least have a cameo...