Burning Rose is a New Adult romantasy that offers a new angle on Shifters. With spicy scenes and a diverse mix of characters, this slow burn enemies to lovers is full of tension and suspense. It is recommended for fans of Crescent City, Fourth Wing and Zodiac Academy. See the blurb below for more information on what to expect:
Welcome to the world of Domain: where dragons roam the forests, digital billboards blaze across the skies, and Mind Shifters covertly govern the thoughts of the human world.
Charity is one of those humans, raised with little love, or anything else, around her. She doesn’t know such a world exists parallel to her own, yet. Then her path crosses with Anton, who is tall, dark, and jaw-droppingly handsome. He reveals a mysterious prophecy that hints at her hidden abilities and says he can offer her a place in his world. With wealth beyond her wildest dreams, it’s an opportunity too good to resist.
But everything has a price, and Anton is an enigma, harbouring as many secrets as charm. His demeanour shifts unpredictably between warmth and disdain, as if he were two completely different people. The more she learns about him, the more she realises just how complicated he is.
And Domain, for all its allure, has just as many perils. Charity faces trials that will force her to confront the harsh truths of her past and the uncertainties of her future. In a land where the mind intertwines with everything, she must navigate a path that could unravel her identity or forge a new destiny.
Kirsty spends her life living between the real world and the ones found in pages. From a young age, she has imagined what the About the Author section in a novel might say about her at different stages in her life. A graduate of English Literature and also Primary Teaching, she lives in Scotland with her husband and a small dragon. When she is not reading or writing, she enjoys watching The Office on repeat, playing Tomb Raider–especially the old ones–and eating Italian food, preferably with a Gin and Tonic.
This is a stunning debut novel. The world building is complex and unique. I’ve never read about world like Domain before and it was incredibly intriguing.
The characters with their Others was a unique addition. I wish we could have found out more about Una. I couldn’t put the book down, the slow burn romance between Anton and Charity had me addicted.
I can’t wait for the next book. Congratulations to Kirsty for creating a beautiful world that had me completely captivated!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Burning Rose is the first book in the series, and now I know what you’re thinking.. with most fantasy novels the first in a series is a lot of world building and basically too much information is thrown your way.. but this is not the case with this book, we are given the perfect amount of information to gain an understanding and personally I felt like I was with the main character on the journey learning about the new world of domain. Additionally there are like fyi pieces that are put at the start of each chapter to refresh your memory of information that you may have forgotten- this was a nice touch.
This book follows Charity and lets just say Charity’s home situation isn’t the greatest, and as a result of that Charity escapes into the night one evening, to take a breather. Now while on this walk Charity bumps into a stranger named Anton, and let me say this man had both mine and Charity’s interests piqued👀 Anywho, the day after Charity kicked out of her own home because her mother honestly has no back bone and sided with a horrible boyfriend🤦🏻♀️ I mean she’s definitely mother of the year there right..
So out on her own two feet Charity gets a job waitressing and unfortunately attracts the eyes of a not so nice man, and this is where our mysterious stranger Anton makes an appearance and comes to our Charity’s rescue. Unfortunately while leaving work the very same not so nice guy was outside, not alone might I add, and again begins to harass Charity. Of course it’s one girl vs multiple men but this is where abilities Charity wouldn’t even dreamed she had has emerged for the first time.
Honestly I think Anton was just waiting that opportunity to step in and tell Charity that she was anything but ordinary because he shows up not seconds later explaining that there’s this whole other world, Domain, in which individuals with special mind abilities reside. Anton also thought it would be the perfect opportunity to inform Charity that she is possibly the woman that is linked to their longstanding prophecy that will change the way of Domain.. I mean Anton let a girl breathe😅
Charity travels to Domain with Anton where she trains to undergo a shifters actuation. Long story short this basically tests an individual’s abilities.
Charity and Antons chemistry is spell binding since the very first meeting, I liked that this book was a slow burn because the tension between these two was absolutely delicious 🔥
One piece of a shifter that you should be aware of is that each shifter has an other which is basically another personality that lives inside the shifter, and the other can be the polar opposite of the individual. I quite enjoyed this especially since Antons other Allium is quite frosty to Charity for a bit of this book, it just added to the delicious tension 👀 On a side note I’m quite jealous I don’t have an other because I want one😭
The side characters are just chefs kiss Spyder is some crazy ass man I absolutely love him and he definitely has to be my favourite side character 🤪
I know it is only book one but we can already see the closeness starting to form between the main group of characters! I was also quite shocked to go from hating to loving a character in particular, I mean once your in my bad books there’s no leaving but Kirsty swayed me into actually liking them😅
I am keeping this review spoiler free but overall the pacing and the world building is amazing and this book is jam packed full of action, and jaw dropping twists and turns that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat. I honestly couldn’t put it down. From finishing the book I know there’s a battle ahead but it was a brilliant introduction to the world and I cannot wait to dive right into book two!❤️
Honestly Kirsty pat yourself on the back girl and thank you for providing this e-arc for my honest thoughts💅
This was a fantastic debut novel! I was given an ARC of this novel. It kept me hooked the entire time and I love the FMC. Typically I struggle a lot with the first book in a fantasy world as there can be a lot of world building, but this was really well done and didn't make me feel overwhelmed! I loved the slow burn and was really impressed with the uniqueness of the world!
I still can't believe I've just finished reading this. I can't wait to read more now. I'm curious, intrigued and very happy I've had a chance to read it as one of few ARC readers. This book is a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre, with its unique idea and world building.
ARC REVIEW (spoiler free) Burning Rose by Kirsty Archer @authorkirstyarcher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“You too are now your own person, helping to create a new world for us. You are, and always will be, my burning rose.”
Oh my gosh where to start? Firstly thank you for giving me an ARC. Secondly MY FRIEND WROTE A MASTERPIECE!
This books give acotar/fourthwing/cc vibes but so uniquely written that I was just absorbed into the pages.
The why choose trope that wasn’t was just perfect 😉 those who know… and the slow burn spices scenes ohhh my gosh. To quote the final sentence in this book…. “Well, shit”, This girl can write!!! I cannot believe this is your debut, it reads as a seasoned writer.
Honestly cannot wait to see where the story goes in book two!
This is out on Tuesday (12th) it’s on KU, ebook and paperback and honestly do yourself a favour and go read this.
"She’s lost and wants to belong. I belong, but want to be lost. It’s like a fucked up kind of yin and yang."
First, thank you to the author for providing an eARC in exchange of an honest review.
I struggled with the world building at the beginning but as soon as the story picked up, I flew through the book. You have all the tropes you'd want in a romantasy: slow burn, enemies to lovers, forced proximity. There's a mystery element that keeps you on the edge and a cliffhanger that will make you want to read the second book right away.
If you love ACOTAR, Zodiac Academy, Forth Wing and Crescent City, then you will like Burning Rose too 🌹
I devoured this book in only a couple of days, I can’t believe it’s a debut!!
This book gave me everything I love in a fantasy book but with so many unique premises that really had me hooked.
The concept of ‘others’ and how well they were fleshed out was absolutely stunning, the world building incredible, a cast of characters which I am completely obsessed with, shifters and twists and prophecies and all things magical!
This was a fantastic world built around elements of the different types of mental abilities in the Shifter world. Charity is taken from her desolate world and brought into another one that is proving to be just as dangerous as her home. What she doesn't know is that she's going to be an important piece in their puzzle.
Anton and his Other, Allium, have different feelings towards Charity until they spend more time with her and realize that she's exactly what they both want. And maybe she's ok with them both being inside of Anton's body once she can tell them apart by the color of his eyes.
Alliances are tested, formed, and broken and friends are found where there were once enemies. Everything comes together to give whispers of a world they can only hope for. As they learn more and more about the prophecy, the reason that Charity is there to begin with, their lives continue to change and surprise them.
Burning Rose is the first book in The World of Domain series.
This was such an incredible read. It's not your typical fantasy book, and this just made the story so good. I really loved Charity, all the things she went through but still had so much courage to keep going.
First, thank you so you much to the author for providing this book as an ARC!
As she mentions, if you’re a fan of ACOTAR, fourth Wing and CC, you’ll like this book.
Tropes: slow burn, forced proximity, found family, enemies to lovers, opposite attract.
Burning Rose is a debut novel but wow! It was packed with drama, romance, fantasy, mystery and action! Oh, and did I mention sci-fi!? Yeah!!! There’s even sci-fi mixed in there!
Charity lives a hard life and one day, Anton saves her from her world and brings her to Domaine where she gets to learn all about it and its Shifters. She also learns there’s a prophecy that’s all bug talk but she doesn’t understand it as she doesn’t think she belongs to this new world. That’s until she started to study for her Actuation and started to learn more about Domaine, more about Shifters and more about her abilities.
It’s a big world building (very unique!) with a lot of explication of how things work in Domaine so be patient, it’s worth it!
The characters are built wonderfully and it’s easy to follow who is who. It’s fun to see Charity’s new found family all working together to understand what the prophecy could be and what it means for them.
I loved that magic and fantasy were both in this world building and how each part of Domaine had their own perks and different elements.
I say to give this author a chance and read it. I recommend it! Can’t wait to read book two!
Burning Rose is a debut novel that doesn’t feel like a debut novel. However, getting there was a struggle for me. I was less than 20% complete and was ready to throw in the towel. New author, new writing style. My mind wasn’t open to what I was reading. I blamed work stress and lack of sleep. I took a couple days to relax before trying the book again. I’m extremely happy I did. With a refreshed mind I found myself unable to put this book down and finished it in the course of two evenings.
There is action, drama, romance, fantasy, and mystery.. sprinkled with notes of comedy (banter) and sci-fi (shiftsung, floating roads, neuro-currency).
Both main and secondary characters were developed wonderfully as unique individuals. And how they worked together as a group was magic. I was happy when they were happy. Sad when they were sad. Furious when they were furious. Found family written to perfection.
The world-building was unique. The info download was spread throughout the book instead of all at once. And as someone else noted in a review, chapter heading FYIs refresh your memory on important world-building details.
All of your favorite tropes found inside a refreshingly unique world! This story starts with our FMC Charity leaving an abusive family situation and not knowing where to go next. Charity is found (lowkey stalked) by the MMC Anton and brought into an alternate world called Domain, where four types of shifters exist to maintain order (sorta!) in the human world. Charity shows signs of unlocking an ancient prophecy that may reestablish balance between both worlds. It took a minute for the story to captivate me (total mood reader) but once it did it was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Charity and Anton have chemistry from the onset and delicious slow burnnn relationship. I liked that we learned about the world of Domain along with Charity so that it didn't feel overwhelming. The supporting characters were a fun and interesting group and I always eat up the found family trope. This book ends on a cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more! There were a few pacing issues for me and Charity drove me a little crazy at times, but all in all I would recommend this book to other fantasy enthusiasts and I definitely plan on reading the next book!
x unique magic & world x banter & tension x slow burn x strong fmc x enemies to lovers x found family
Be prepared to turn those pages, grip that book, and possibly finish in one sitting. Its hard to tear yourself away from this mesmerizing book! Archer paints an incredible world with the most unique premise! In the beginning, we meet Charity who has been forced to run away from a life of abuse. She meets an enigmatic stranger who ends up whisking her away to a world of digital and wonder. It is also learned Charity could be part of a prophesy where she is of the human world and world of dominion. The answer is revealed through a ceremony called the Actuation. If it is determined she is she will be classified into 1 of 4 houses. This book is packed with so many twists, surprises, and vibrant characters. The people also wear many masks. Brace yourself for that mind blowing ending. Do NOT misw out on this book on the 12th!!!!
It has shifters, enemies to lovers, and is why choose-ish. I went into this book blindly without expecting anythung and let me tell you, it went beyond my expectations. Kirsty is now my fav author and I AM OBSESSED WITH HER AND HER BOOK. Kirsty forced me to leave all my chores and work and have sleepless nights, but in the end, all freakin' worth it.
If you are looking for a sign to read this book, this is it. GO AND READ IT RIGHT NOW!
Okay, I can’t believe I’m finished with this book. It feels unreal… I’ve been waiting for it to come out for so long and to think I just finished it… just wow. First of all congratulations to Kirsty! I’m so happy that your debut is almost here for everyone to read!! ❤️❤️ I adored this book. I like the world, the characters, the twists. I was surprised a few times and enjoyed myself a lot! I feel like it was such a great introduction to the series. Overall, it’s a solid 4⭐️ for me and it makes me excited to know what’s coming next!!!
Congratulations to author Kirsty Archer on this debut novel. I absolutely adored the fantasy world of Domain and all of its unique qualities. This book has everything a reader seeks from lovable characters, friendships, drama, spice, action and adventure, banter, a little sci-fi, mythical creatures, magical lands…✨
The author’s take on Shifters is brilliant. As the first book in the series, I like how it had the perfect amount of world building. It wasn’t too overwhelming. I cannot wait until the release of book two!
Some of my favorite quotes:
“Your only limit is your imagination.”
“She’s lost and wants to belong. I belong, but want to be lost. It’s like a fucked up kind of yin and yang.”
“The stars shimmered above us, as if someone had taken a handful of glitter and tossed it into the sky.”
I’m buying the physical book and I’m definitely rereading this!! ❤️
Just emerged from the whirlwind that is Burning Rose by Kirsty Archer, and let me spill—this book is like stumbling upon a secret door in a familiar room. It’s not just another shifter romance; it's a tapestry of magic, mystery, and a love that defies the norms of two colliding worlds. Archer's debut is a romp through the fantastical and the emotional, blending the two in a tale that grips you from the very start.
🔹 The Spark: Charity's journey from a life marked by neglect to the discovery of a realm brimming with dragons and digital wonders is both a literal and figurative escape. Her stumble into Domain, and into Anton’s life, ignites a story of awakening—of powers, of heart, and of destiny. And Anton? The guy’s like a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, but with a charm that’s hard to resist, even when he’s driving Charity (and let's be honest, all of us) absolutely bonkers.
🔹 The Flame: The slow burn between Charity and Anton? It’s the kind that makes you want to fan yourself and then dive into a cold shower. It’s a masterful tease of tension and tenderness, mixed with a dash of destiny and a pinch of peril. The addition of Others—those intriguing alter egos—adds layers to their interactions, making every glance, every word, a dance of dualities.
🔹 The World: Domain is a realm that feels at once ethereal and incredibly vivid, a place where technology and magic coexist in an enthralling dance. Archer's world-building is a buffet of the fantastical, served with a side of intrigue that keeps you hungry for more. The detailing? Exquisite. The lore? Rich and tantalizing. It's a world you want to get lost in, prophecy and all.
🔹 The Journey: From the streets of abuse to the heights of a prophesied destiny, Charity’s path is fraught with challenges that test her strength, her heart, and her very identity. Alongside a cast of characters that range from fiercely loyal to deliciously complex, she navigates the treacherous waters of trust, power, and love in a world that’s as beautiful as it is dangerous.
🌟 My Take: Burning Rose earns a resounding 5 stars for its breathtaking debut. Archer weaves a narrative that's as compelling as it is fantastical, with characters that live, breathe, and leap off the page. It's a story that holds you hostage—in the best way possible—leaving you desperate for the next installment. The perfect blend of tension, heart, and otherworldly intrigue, this book is a must-read for any fan of the romantasy genre seeking their next obsession.
It's a debut that reads like the work of a seasoned storyteller, captivating from start to finish, with characters that live and breathe off the page. Archer has not just written a book; she's crafted a world that begs you to dive in and forget to come up for air.
📚 If you're ready to dive into a tale of hidden powers, shadowed pasts, and a love that might just reshape the fabric of reality, then this book is calling your name. Prepare to be enchanted, thrilled, and utterly bewitched. Kirsty Archer, consider this reader captivated!!!
I flew through the first half of this book! Charity’s personality drew me in, making me root for her right from the start. The writing felt like a captivating conversation, Charity narrating her story as it unfolded and letting me in on her thoughts. I enjoyed the entire cast of characters, some for good reasons, some for the wrong ones - delightfully villainous ones but not so outlandishly villainous that the characters no longer felt real. The drama was simply delicious.
The second half took its time compared to the first. While reading, I was no longer zipping through paragraphs and felt like I could put the book down (which, honestly, I probably needed). Returning to the story, I couldn’t help but smile as I learned more about the characters and relationships bloomed. The storyline remained interesting, though there were times I felt it stayed a bit slow, especially near the very end. I admit that I saw some twists coming, but only because the author masterfully sprinkled hints of their realization throughout the narrative, making my predications feel rewarding when they came true.
The worldbuilding is intricate and interesting. At times, it felt like a lot, but I never got to the point of feeling overwhelmed, even though the world of Domain is vastly different from our own. Instead, I felt Charity’s wonder and confusion as she navigated it and interacted with other characters.
This book feels unique. It combines some familiar tropes with new energy, in a captivating world with well-developed characters. I’ll be looking forward to the next book!
book tropes: ▸romantasy ▸found family ▸forced proximity ▸shifters (with dragons!)
An interesting premise. a unique and different kind of world. the world in this book is beautifully written so the reader can easily follow. but I think this book more like an intro and maybe the sequel more to get deep to the story. because at the first few chapters I had high hopes for the plot but the storyline just flat, I can't even say there's a real villain in this book. what dominates are our characters having parties, get to know each other, tell us how badass our FMC is, how bitch the other girl is, girls bickering each other...but like I said before maybe this book just an intro, because it was still a compelling and enjoyable story, the worldbuilding here really unique and interesting, great characters building and chemistry. overall, an enjoyable read for romantasy fans looking for something different!✨
Thank you to the author for providing an eARC in exchange of an honest review!
I received this book for free from Author, MTMC Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I loved the world of Domain! You will find a captivating futuristic world, magic, cryptic prophecies, a fantastic cast of characters, and several all time favorite tropes (like slow burn romance & chosen one). The concept of Mind Shifters is pretty cool, they are otherworldly beings that live in a parallel world to humans and basically what they do is coordinate and control the human mind. And in this world they use their mental powers for EVERYTHING, like paying for things, traveling, healing, and even having an entire different personality/consciousness living inside them called an Other. It was just so fun to follow Charity and see her character thrive in a place where she belongs in, and now I cannot wait to see what happens in book 2 because that ending promises large obstacles ahead.
I took my time reading Kirsty Archer's Burning Rose to make sure I soaked up every little detail! Her world building technique is one of my favorites. She has a talent for spreading it just right throughout the entire book instead of info dumping at the beginning. I never tired of turning each page (even staying up until 2:30 a.m.), and I'm already wanting the next book of the series!
Charity is an easy MC to love. She has real-world relatable obstacles that create a connection for the readers with ease. Anton and his Other are so intriguing! I loved the personalities she created for each additional side character so much that a couple of them quickly became my favorites!
The magic and the Shifting and the technology; I was obsessed with all of it! Don't waste any time debating whether to read Burning Rose or not. Get it now and follow Kirsty for her next big things I'm sure are coming!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
What an interesting book! As a fan of Crescent City series, I really enjoyed the world of Domain and the urban fantasy elements it had. There is so so much in this world to explore and I’m always fascinated with the pure imagination it takes to create such a diverse nation and characters. With that being said, there was a whole lot of world building - it is a very intricate and interesting magic system so it was to be expected that it takes a while to explain it all to the reader. I think for a first book in a series, this is a very very promising start and I have high hopes moving forward. I cannot wait to see where Anton and Charity goes from here! Thank you for the ARC copy of this book, it was an honor to read this 🫶🏻
Burning Rose completely swept me away! Charity’s story tugged at my heart from the start growing up with so little love made her journey into the world of Domain even more gripping. And then there’s Anton… tall, dark, handsome, and oh so infuriating. The tension between them had me hooked, with every scene crackling between warmth and disdain.
I loved how Kirsty Archer gave us a fresh take on shifters and built a world that feels both dangerous and dazzling. The prophecy, the secrets, the slow burn romance, it all came together in such an addictive way. By the end, I wasn’t just rooting for Charity’s destiny, I was aching for it.
If you love enemies to lovers with spice, suspense, and a heroine who finds her strength in the most unexpected ways, this book is an absolute must read.
Despite not being a romantasy reader, I LOVED Burning Rose. The pace at the start was a wee bit slow (you could say a slow burn 🔥), but it was needed to introduce you to Domain and the family of characters. By the halfway point the pace was at full throttle and I couldn't put it down. I became really attached to the characters and their relationships to each other brought me a lot of satisfaction. There were also some great twists that I did not see coming!!! I didn't want it to end and I'm already looking forward to the sequel!
This book was one of the most amazing books I have ever read. It has a lot of fantasy, but not that much that you end up lost. It has powers, but not everything revolves around them. This author could create a world soft enough for new fantasy readers, but hard enough for people that already love fantasy. This book is the perfect combination of romance, fantasy, world building, soft plot twists, hard plot twists... I've never written a review but I needed to do it for this book. I can't wait for the second one to come.
Wow! An original refreshing take on shifters. The world-building was so detailed and enticing that I felt like I was there and the character dynamics are relatable/realistic and so on point! A well written NA slow-burn enemies to lovers and found family fantasy packed with action, political intrigue, and mystery. It features a unique magic system, multi-pov and a bit of steamy spice to keep you turning pages! There is so much to say, yet not enough without spoiling this masterfully crafted first look into the World of Domain! Looking forward to the next book!!
"Burning Rose" by Kirsty Archer is a captivating New Adult romantasy that offers a fresh take on Shifters. From spicy scenes to a diverse cast of characters, this slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tale is packed with tension and suspense. As Charity's world collides with Anton's, secrets unravel and prophecies come to light, leading to a journey filled with both allure and peril. While I was initially drawn in by the intriguing plot, I found the pace slowing down a bit when the characters entered the new realm. However, the story picked up towards the end, leaving me eager for more. Overall, "Burning Rose" was a solid 3-star read for me, with plenty of potential for future installments.
I did receive an ARC for this book, but I'm a little behind on my review!! It was captivating, and kept my attention throughout. The characters are well-developed and thoughtfully crafted; it felt like the author really understood their circumstances. I found the main character to be relatable and generally likable, though still flawed. I definitely recommend this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more like it!