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A Heart of Flame: Serious Modern Fantasy
A modern Roman Empire. A world chained in brutality. A chance for freedom born of the burning heart of a broken woman.
Oregon, Northwest Americas. Angie Forester is living her worst life. Out of work, homeless, and estranged from her family, the determined survivor seethes over the bleak conditions facing ordinary folks just trying to keep their heads above water. So when she joins a protest and lands in the middle of a deadly riot, the last thing the former foundry worker needs is some elegant aristocrat attempting to lure her away with wild claims of magic.
Daniel Fawl is no stranger to trauma. Cursed after a failed coup against his venomous mystic society, the Scottish adept fumes that he’s given scant minutes to save a newly awakened recruit from certain death. When he fails to convince the fiery runaway he’s there to help, the enigmatic man resorts to using his powers to spare her from a stray bullet.
Realizing the impossible is true, Angie grudgingly accepts her place alongside her new mentor only to learn the supposed utopia is full of sadistic manipulators. And Daniel’s hope is rekindled by the gorgeous girl’s rebellious spark, even as he struggles to crawl out from a mountain of secrets.
As they start to fall in love, can they heal enough to fix their shattered world?
A Heart of Flame is the gritty first book in the Unlocked contemporary romantic fantasy series. If you like wounded but resilient protagonists, defying shadowy cabals, and forbidden affairs, you’ll adore Rebecca Maeve Hartwell’s page-turning tale.
Buy A Heart of Flame to ignite adventure today!
Oregon, Northwest Americas. Angie Forester is living her worst life. Out of work, homeless, and estranged from her family, the determined survivor seethes over the bleak conditions facing ordinary folks just trying to keep their heads above water. So when she joins a protest and lands in the middle of a deadly riot, the last thing the former foundry worker needs is some elegant aristocrat attempting to lure her away with wild claims of magic.
Daniel Fawl is no stranger to trauma. Cursed after a failed coup against his venomous mystic society, the Scottish adept fumes that he’s given scant minutes to save a newly awakened recruit from certain death. When he fails to convince the fiery runaway he’s there to help, the enigmatic man resorts to using his powers to spare her from a stray bullet.
Realizing the impossible is true, Angie grudgingly accepts her place alongside her new mentor only to learn the supposed utopia is full of sadistic manipulators. And Daniel’s hope is rekindled by the gorgeous girl’s rebellious spark, even as he struggles to crawl out from a mountain of secrets.
As they start to fall in love, can they heal enough to fix their shattered world?
A Heart of Flame is the gritty first book in the Unlocked contemporary romantic fantasy series. If you like wounded but resilient protagonists, defying shadowy cabals, and forbidden affairs, you’ll adore Rebecca Maeve Hartwell’s page-turning tale.
Buy A Heart of Flame to ignite adventure today!
500 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2023
61 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Maeve Hartwell
7 books17 followersRebecca Maeve Hartwell has always escaped into make-believe and fiction. Stories have helped her survive and even thrive after the darkest chapters of her life, and now she writes her own in the hopes of doing the same for others. Her first series, Unlocked, delves deep into dark romance, immersive magic, and high-stakes adventure. Her characters are complex and troubled, stitched together with heartfelt themes of healing and personal power. Her background in theater, reenactment, and the strong oral storytelling traditions she was raised with are all noticeable in her elegant story-telling and rich, captivating worlds. Rebecca lives in Maine with her two cats. She enjoys Lindy Hop swing dancing, sewing costumes, and long drives in the dark with just the right music playing.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 5, 2023
The world building sets the story up so so well! I enjoyed the story line as I feel like it touched on topics that can be controversial that authors stay away from but I enjoyed it!
June 8, 2024
This urban fantasy boasts an extraordinary magical system, sure to ignite your imagination long after you turn the final page. One of the standout elements of this book is its ability to seamlessly weave in some spicy, yet tastefully executed scenes. Even for those of us who might consider ourselves slightly prudish, these moments are enticing without being overwhelming. For readers seeking a bit more thrill, these scenes deliver just the right amount of excitement to leave you craving more.
The characters in this story are nothing short of spectacular. Each one is meticulously developed, presenting layers of complexity that make them feel incredibly real. It's a joy to follow their emotional journeys, navigating the intricate landscape of their feelings and experiences. The main characters, in particular, share a chemistry that's palpable from the moment they meet. Both are on their own quests to mend their brokenness, and watching their relationship evolve is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming.
In essence, this urban fantasy offers an exhilarating blend of magic, romance, and character depth. It's a must-read for anyone looking to escape into a world where the boundaries of reality are delightfully blurred, and the heartstrings are expertly played.
Character development: 5 stars
Magical system: 5 stars
Readability: 4 stars
Spiciness: 4 stars
Stickiness: 4.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 5 stars
Overall Stars - 4.6
The characters in this story are nothing short of spectacular. Each one is meticulously developed, presenting layers of complexity that make them feel incredibly real. It's a joy to follow their emotional journeys, navigating the intricate landscape of their feelings and experiences. The main characters, in particular, share a chemistry that's palpable from the moment they meet. Both are on their own quests to mend their brokenness, and watching their relationship evolve is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming.
In essence, this urban fantasy offers an exhilarating blend of magic, romance, and character depth. It's a must-read for anyone looking to escape into a world where the boundaries of reality are delightfully blurred, and the heartstrings are expertly played.
Character development: 5 stars
Magical system: 5 stars
Readability: 4 stars
Spiciness: 4 stars
Stickiness: 4.5 stars
Worldbuilding: 5 stars
Overall Stars - 4.6
June 10, 2023
Such an amazing story. I was instantly pulled in and couldn’t stop reading. I laughed out loud to a few things too and got weird looks from the family 😆 the story definitely is intense and shocking. Things happened that I didn’t even expect to happen. The way they regard magic and how it works for them is so intriguing. I love the lord and the story that gets built in this book. I look forward to diving into the next one!
November 8, 2024
A really good book!
I was quickly drawn into the world and the story was well written! It was a refreshing love story. I was drawn into the world and started caring for the people in it quickly. I really recommend this book!
I was quickly drawn into the world and the story was well written! It was a refreshing love story. I was drawn into the world and started caring for the people in it quickly. I really recommend this book!
April 19, 2024
Wow
Your writing is endless with imagination and intriguing with fast action-packed stories. I really couldn't put the book down for the night
Your writing is endless with imagination and intriguing with fast action-packed stories. I really couldn't put the book down for the night
August 16, 2023
I tried, I really tried to read this book. But I just could not get through it due to two main reasons: editing and world building.
The editing on this book was so poor. I get misplaced commas; commas are hard. But there was a lot of simple grammar mistakes like tense shifting. In just the first few pages. So many errors that should’ve been caught by an editor. And there were a lot of incorrect word choices, many where I couldn’t even determine what the sentence was saying. Either the editor did a terrible job or the editor had a nightmare of a manuscript to work with. Either way, the poor grammar made it frustrating to read.
However, it was the world building that really made me stop reading. This is an urban fantasy (one of my favorite genres) set in an alternate version of our world. Many, many world building facts were dropped and mentioned but with zero explanation. Zero. And I’m talking in the first few chapters. A few little things would’ve been fine, especially for me because I don’t love heavy world building. But there was just so much mentioned with no information backing it that I felt lost and could not get invested in the world or the characters.
I did like the MMC more than the FMC; he seemed interesting. However, again due to the poor world building, I was more confused than interested.
There might be potential to this book but I have way too many books on my TBR list to waste time on a terrible book.
The editing on this book was so poor. I get misplaced commas; commas are hard. But there was a lot of simple grammar mistakes like tense shifting. In just the first few pages. So many errors that should’ve been caught by an editor. And there were a lot of incorrect word choices, many where I couldn’t even determine what the sentence was saying. Either the editor did a terrible job or the editor had a nightmare of a manuscript to work with. Either way, the poor grammar made it frustrating to read.
However, it was the world building that really made me stop reading. This is an urban fantasy (one of my favorite genres) set in an alternate version of our world. Many, many world building facts were dropped and mentioned but with zero explanation. Zero. And I’m talking in the first few chapters. A few little things would’ve been fine, especially for me because I don’t love heavy world building. But there was just so much mentioned with no information backing it that I felt lost and could not get invested in the world or the characters.
I did like the MMC more than the FMC; he seemed interesting. However, again due to the poor world building, I was more confused than interested.
There might be potential to this book but I have way too many books on my TBR list to waste time on a terrible book.
November 8, 2024
This book for me took a little getting going and I think that was mainly due to the world building. I wish there was a little more explanation to it all. Urban fantasy is one of my absolute favorite genres to read but a lot of questions about the magical system works and flows with reality took some time to get answered or used. By the end of the book I really enjoyed the story and there were some absolutely heartbreaking moments that I felt deep. Interested to see where this story goes next.
January 16, 2025
This is one of those books that owns you up for a great storyline. Yes it took a little bit to get into the world that Angie finds herself in when meeting Daniel. Although it is written in the person, I found myself being able to see the see the point of view shifting between Daniel and Angie. There is so much emotion and history unpacked while the book goes forward. I will say the bit about Hawaii touched my soul being my home state. Excited to get into book two. ✨️📚✨️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2023
3.5-4 stars on this book for me. I really enjoyed reading Angie and Daniel’s story, however, I am not a huge fan of 3rd person narration. Because of that and life, it did take me a little longer to read this book. I did love the world building and the characters. I can’t wait to read the second book and finish the series though!
June 18, 2023
A Heart of Flame took such a turn I wasn't expecting. This book had immense world building and focus on so many hard-hitting and controversial topics in our current life that was refreshing to read about. This book pulled me in and wouldn't let go until its story was finished
Want to read
May 22, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/22/2023)! 🎁
August 25, 2023
I love Heart of Flame the description of how she created the characters and the atmosphere is really breathtaking, and I love to buy this whole set when this book comes out.
December 25, 2023
Great start!
I enjoyed this book immensely. The plot was hooking. Angie and Dan's relationship evolved beautifully. Looking forward to book 2!
I enjoyed this book immensely. The plot was hooking. Angie and Dan's relationship evolved beautifully. Looking forward to book 2!
December 27, 2024
This book drew me and I couldn't stop reading
June 24, 2023
I enjoyed the general story-line but, for me personally, there was a bit too much world-building over 'action'/things happening. It felt like a lot of build-up but no real climax. I am hoping the rest of the series has more of the action, with this being the initial set-up of the full series.
There were some things that seemed like they were setting up for a key plot point, to end up glossed over / never really mentioned, with the real plot points seeming to come a bit out of nowhere.
There were some things that seemed like they were setting up for a key plot point, to end up glossed over / never really mentioned, with the real plot points seeming to come a bit out of nowhere.
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews