Burning Ice

Claimed by Kings #2

by Lola Malone

The Imperials of Helion are burning from the inside out.


Mirel Fandi is a ghost.

Forgotten by the Empire, he survives among the graves, half-frozen and half-awake, until a single act of mercy exposes the power in his blood. The frost obeys him. The fire hunts him. When an Imperial prince catches him instead of killing him, Mirel learns that survival may be the cruelest mercy of all.

Kylix Zephyranth is flame contained.

Imperial prince, forged for obedience and violence, he knows how to command fear. But the silent prisoner who refuses to speak does something no enemy ever has. He stills Kylix’s fire, draws him in, and turns control into hunger.

Two forces that should destroy each other.
A bond older than the Empire itself.
Ice that burns. Fire that freezes. Love that kills to protect.

Trigger This is a stand-alone dark romance which means there are some themes that some might find disturbing. These include, but are not limited to, dub-con, violence, a seriously obsessed male lead, and explicit sexual content not suitable for all readers. Please be sure to read the Author's Note for a complete list of warnings! HEA guarantee!

Genres: M M Romance, Dark, Fantasy, Romance, Dark Romance, Enemies To Lovers, LGBT

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2025

About the author

Lola Malone writes dark, morally grey MM romance for readers who love obsession, mystery, and morally questionable men.

Her stories are filled with possessive heroes, dangerous secrets, and emotionally intense romances where loyalty is tested and no one leaves unchanged.

From elite academies and secret societies to distant worlds on the edge of collapse, every book explores the thin line between love and obsession.

If you love obsessive heroes, dark secrets, and romance that burns a little darker, welcome to Lola's world.

Reviews

[Jessie J melka · Rating 2 out of 5]

{Burning Ice}
Arc review by Jessie Melka
___________•___________

Burning ice is book 2 of the Claimed by Kings Series by lola malone set in chani lyn feener
universe the book is very detailed and it’s going into aspects of homelessness, starvation, forced proximity and a bunch of other things

The first 15% of the book had me hooked it started up so good and had a lot of power to suck you right in and get you interested in the plot and the characters alike Mirel and Kylix fit so perfectly together the only real problem I have with their relationship is the incredibly obsessive amount of opium they smoke. It’s like they can’t really function without and it just felt wrong

Way Too many details I got confused so many times and found my self actually skimming the book instead of reading properly cuz I swear its 60% what is happening in the environment and 40% plot I have no idea if Lola is using a new writing style or if I just missed it in blinding lights

The sexy time fell flat for me I mean Kylix talked such a big game but in the end he was all barke no bite for a “dark” romance it got a little to vanilla for me and compared to all the dirty talk Kylix did but failed to actually accomplish was a huge let down

I saw another readers review and she said it feels like reading poetry and I simply cannot agree more but it’s not in a good way it was like reading Doggerel and trut me it pains me to say cuz I looove Lola’s work and only one occasion have I rated Lola‘s books less than four stars and there was one off so reading this and seeing how much I couldn’t stand it felt like a betrayal to her
But I am obligated to say and ride my opinion

I NEED Helianth and Archer’s book stat I’ve been obsessed since book one I mean a crush so big you name your pet after them GIVE ME GIVE ME GIVE ME!

I rated this book a 2 out of 5 stars it is not really my style but I hope someone out there really gets to enjoy it so I would recommend this to someone out there who likes to read a detailed book With found family enemies to lovers And a big dose of hurt/comfort
but remember to form your own opinions and not just listen to me
Until next time, my loves…

Rating: 2,5/5
Spice: 3/5
Angst: 2/5
Would I read again: unfortunately not

(I received an advance copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily)


❄️Enemies To Lovers
🔥Hurt/Comfort
❄️Found Family
🔥Forced Proximity
❄️Opposite Attracts
🔥Touch Starved MC
❄️Captive X Captor
___________•___________

[acalithas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first started reading this I definitely thought to myself “I love whatever is wrong with Kylix!!!!” I am obsessed with everything about this book! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I had not previously read the first book in the series but this book stood alone just fine. I did not feel confused about the world-building or characters at all. I absolutely loved Kylix and Mirel together. The dialogue, the yearning, the everything. Ughhhh SO good! This book was deliciously dark and romantic, and had the most interesting storyline that I couldn’t put it down. Loved it!

[Carla]

I tried to like this book, I really did. It is really well written, the story is fascinating and engaging, the plot is incredible and the world building is fantastic. But Kylix… I tried, I really tried to like him, but the author spends too long with him being a spoiled brat, cruel without reason, nonsensical control that has no meaning behind it, and it just grated me so much, I just couldn’t like him, at all, regardless of all the good things and the redemption that is supposedly happening later on, it was too little too late. I’ve read dark romance, I’ve read about psychopaths and serial killers, people who usually are the dregs of society, but something pulled me to them because they made sense, their actions made sense, they had reasons for doing what they did, even if they didn’t know why they did it. Their cruelty and meanness was a means to an end, and they made sense. But Kylix is a brat that pushes boundaries for the fun of it. He wants to control of Mirel just because. And Mirel likes him because he’s pretty. They’re too shallow at first for me to get attached to either, and even though they’re happy together eventually… I couldn’t care less. It left me cold. Now, Moargan and Cyprian I liked. I know they aren’t the main characters k but they feel more real than the MCs, their behaviors and dialogues are more enjoyable and interesting than those of the MCs, seriously, so I stuck it out for them. I don’t have a problem with sadists, controlling people, narcissists, brats, etc. falling in love and having their HEA in books, but Kylix was just lines on paper, so was Mirel for quite a large part of the book, and their flat personalities lost me early on, and their development was uninspiring because it didn’t feel realistic or made any sense. Maybe if they were a little bit more fleshed out at the beginning, Kylix can be a spoiled, sadistic brat, but gets all huffy and puffy and wants to keep his pretty and doesn’t know how, I can be on board with that. Maybe Mirel likes Kylix because he’s pretty, dislikes the fact that he likes him only becomes he’s pretty, but gives himself a little bit of grace when he realizes that he’s a spoiled brat or something. I could get behind that. But the whole “Nobody refused an Essential, Helion Elite, let alone an Imperial Prince. Yet here he sat. Mirel, small, bound, exhausted, famished, and did” was just too bratty for me, too shallow and prideful, and rubbed me wrong. Now, Onley James has a similar dark possessive thing going, but she phrases it in a way that makes more sense by saying “his chest felt full at the knowledge that, somehow, Adam’s fucked up brain had taken one look at Noah and decided his equally fucked up brain was what he wanted.” (Unhinged, by Onley James). One look, and BAM, control makes sense, obsession makes sense, cruelty towards others makes sense. But, alas, this didn’t happen in this book. Now, it is very well written, very good story and fascinating plot, except the senseless characters. I know this can be improved on, so I will continue reading more books by this author because I know somewhere, one of the characters will click with me, and I’ll love that book to pieces.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Fen'Harel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read, with great characters and an interesting world. I really liked Kylix and his work - I was very enamoured with his vibe. However, while his intimate and romantic moments were really well done and I felt tense reading it, I found the actual sex scenes lacking. He'd basically be like "gonna rail you all night" (not a direct quote) but he was done in a couple of paragraphs and it was a bit of a let down. But i loved their chemistry nonetheless.
I also found we had some repeating words in close quarters. Like "uneasy" was used as a mental description for a character, and in the next line another character would say something using the word and it just became a little obvious. Just needed some different synonyms.
The start of the book was fantastic, with a great plot to draw the reader in and the world and system developed nicely without feeling too thrown at us, I found by about the 60% mark I forgot what was going on and what the plot was. I feel like it was dropped or forgotten and they'd do something like the binding ceremony (kind of a let down, that scene) and suddenly they were all "ohhhh the prisoner." I forgot what they'd even done by that point.
Altogether, this was an enjoyable read, but I'd like to see the plot wrapped in a little better and the amazing chemistry leading to better intimate scenes.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Burning Ice” is a dark sci-fi romance. Overall, I read this book quickly and I did enjoy it, even though I found the writing a bit convoluted at times — more than once I had to reread sentences to fully grasp them. The worldbuilding is unique, innovative, and genuinely interesting.

When it comes to the characters, Mirel and Kylix, my feelings are mixed. I loved the classic dark-romance dynamic (the beginning hooked me right away), but later on I felt things slowed down a bit. I also didn’t see much character development, which left me a little disappointed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Tropes:
• Dark romance
• M/M romance
• Forced proximity
• Morally grey characters
• Sci-fi romance

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OMG this was incredible! One thing about Lola she knows how to keep your attention glued to the pages. I didn’t even notice how fast I was reading until I hit the end. I finished it in one sitting because I just couldn’t stop. The story, the world-building, the emotions everything pulled me in. And Mirel? My absolute favorite.
That boy owns my heart. And Kylix… the way he protects Mirel till the very end? He deserves the whole world for that.


I’m a huge fan of Devils of Vitality, and seeing this new world through Lola Malone’s vision was just as breathtaking. Her version of this dark, dangerous universe is stunning equal parts ruthless and beautiful.

Burning Ice is a dark sci-fi romance done right: sharp tension, immersive world-building, and characters that linger long after you finish. It’s icy danger mixed with fiery emotion, and it hits every note perfectly.

This is exactly why I love dark sci-fi romance. I’m so hyped for what comes next! Aaaaa! 💀🔥

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Burning Ice,” by Lola Malone

Really good scifi M/M dark romance story. I liked the plot and the characters. I wish there was a little less insta lust, but it was part of the undeniable attraction. I liked how much tension there was of the hatred they are supposed to feel toward each other. 4 out of 5 stars, 400 flew past so fast because I couldn’t put it down.

-Dark Romance
-Scifi
-M/M
-Insta Lust
-Hurt/Comfort
-Spicy
-Enemies To Lovers
-Morally Grey MC’s
-Forced Proximity
-Ghost/Magic

Thank you for the ARC, Booksirens.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for Burning Ice by Lola Malone

Fantastic read; here are some of the tropes of this book.

Dub-con
Violence
A man who will hurt to keep his man safe and his
hot as heck

I really liked this story. It was quite an interesting story. It is quite a different storyline from what I have read. It pulled me in quite fast. It is a story of Mirel & Kylix. I loved the world-building and storyline that Lola Malone wrote of these two men. When I'm reading a story, and I tell everyone around me, "Mommy's reading; please let me finish, and I will then pay attention to you lol." My partner knows and understands, and he takes care of the stuff that needs answers when I'm reading. I feel very lucky he understands my addiction to books. I want to see what else is out by Lola Malone to see what else she has written or will be writing.

Nicole Harvey

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scenery described throughout this story was out of this world, just magnificent. I’m in awe. The author outdid herself. It’s like watching a movie, amazing! The plot was well thought out!
Recommendations worthy!

Fire and Ice! They belonged together before they even met.
Watch how Kylix Zephyranth conquered Mirel Fandi.

‘Fate was for storybooks, yet the pull in his chest felt older than reason.’

There are a few things that made this a four-star instead of a five. For me, the story dragged somewhat. Mirel was imo too passive. While the story was entertaining and captivating, I missed a deeper emotional connection, so I couldn’t fully connect with the MCs.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burning Ice was such a great read! Lola is absolutely perfect with her writing and kept me wanting more and more. These guys have a major hold on my heart. I can’t wait for book 3!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Vikka's Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story weird delivery

I feel like the story, characters, world building and premise deserves 5-stars but the writing is so flowery and prose-like that it ruins it tbh. This world is built on violence and predatory behavior so to have it delivered with flowery words was an unwanted and unnecessary dichotomy. I loved the first book in this series and I think I liked the continuation of the story in this second book but I'm not sure because of the rambling, descriptions (in odd places & not where you wanted) were often confusing or made no sense. I think Aviel's story is next & as much as I'd love to finally understand him and hear his story, if it's anything like this one it probably wouldn't make sense to me, anyway, so I'll pass on this series and author going forward.

[maya · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 ⭐️

I rarely dnf books but I was so tempted to dnf this one yet I persisted.

I am sorry but why does it feel like two different authors from book 1 to book 2??? book 1 was a mess, yes, but kind of an enjoyable one. this one felt sterile like a hospital; the writing was off (almost ai, sighs). too much description and the writing was confusing at times—like it didn't make sense? some passages and conversations made zero sense; i felt my brain hurting from how hard i had to force myself to make sense of it all. just INCOMPRÉHENSIBLE.

some conversations and words uttered by the characters just felt awkward, stilted like who talks like that?

some examples:

“sometimes the fire needs to remind people it still burns.”

“the frost remembers. maybe it's showing you what's trapped inside it.”
“then it remembers too much.”
“or exactly enough.” “you burn and i follow.”

“you freeze and i still burn.”

I thought i would give this book a chance after the disaster of book 1 but i am not going to finish this series.

the imperials rode their hover car past the graveyard gates, bright in their cloaks and jeweled smiles; they never looked down at the ones starving in the dirt.

praying for the downfall of the royal family (again) because while they are living their best lives, people are starving and dying.

someone whispered a prayer; the guards jeered, shoving them back. “grave rats,” one sneered. “wasteland scraps.” the sound rattled against the stones.

I am sorry but what the actual fuck? first, these soldiers invade a graveyard where homeless people sleep then hit them and call them rats??? these soldiers definitely reflect their royal family: both scums.

Chains, a cell, maybe worse. no one walked back from being taken. and worse than chains was the fate every citizen feared most: to be thrown into the aureate, fed as prey for spectacle. to end up as food while the crowd roared.

NO ONE should live in fear of being thrown into an arena where they fight to death; this is literally what the hunger games are about. have we learnt nothing??? fuck this. so much cruelty in these books, even the smut isn't evening it out 💔

mirel seemed more interesting at first; he seemed like an actual person, better than his brother. he had some bite to him; his stubbornness was refreshing. also, I liked his selective mutism but then I was like never mind, he can't fucking stop stuttering and he is worse than his brother. like the beginning was promising: he had an interesting backstory—a homeless kid who lives in a graveyard, survived on his own since he was a newborn, has ice power that he uses to help the justice system? who fought a whole general with his power... promising...

but what happened to him..... ??? he lost all his personality; i genuinely was shocked. he was too passive; replace him with a dead corpse and you won't notice a difference.

i loved the first meeting between him and kylix and how they fought each other, ice vs fire. it had potential of mirel becoming the change; i wanted to see him going back to the graveyard, him advocating for people like him, but of course i had too high of expectations.

i loved their foreplay which is fighting (only once) and food, and the torture/feeding scene was so sensual.

kylix is so far a better love interest; he is so gentle with mirel—he fed him, made him sleep in his bed, gave him new warm clothes, gave him a bubble bath. crysipian and mirel reuniting is probably my favorite part; i love them together. also how crysipian tried to make his brother live with him so he would take care of him. i wanted more of aviel x theo and helianth x asher (helianth is definitely my favorite imperial prince)

listen, i am not the moral police; i love my male leads unhinged. i have read my share of taboo and dark romances but the royal family just annoyed the fuck out of me and the male leads felt hollow.

i am sorry but i laughed so hard at the scene where he conjured fire from his eyes—what a lame ass power; couldn't he have used his hands or something?

the meeting with his mother.... made me feel nothing lol, and same happened in book 1—like how did she recognize they were her kids even though she didn't see them since they were newborns? make it make sense. but I liked them as family especially them playing with her and all

the lack of female characters was interesting (only 2 one is comatose and the other is in a psych ward)

I will admit the cover art is the most beautiful thing ever; i keep staring at that ethereal gorgeous creature.

otherwise this had interesting concepts but very badly execution and dry writing... GRIEVING THE THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF THIS SERIE 💔

also I cant even say I read it for the smut because I felt nothing reading it since the emotional connection wasn't there how am I supposed to care for a general with no personality and his doormat fated mate who also has no personality....

[Katelyn Colvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is written better than the last one, I felt like there was more focus on the relationship, and that Mirel was a stronger character than Cyprian.

That being said…

I have some strong sour feelings about a few aspects of this series so far.

It’s sort of like The Most Dangerous Game meets the American government?

Mirel is a starved homeless kid living in a graveyard tarp community by the hospital. He gets caught stealing bread. He’s chased back to his tarp by fantasy ICE where they stomp on the other homeless people’s bread, tarp houses, and mock them in an effort to get Mirel to turn himself in.

He’s supposed to be arrested but he’s taken to Kylix place and chained to something and starved some more. He’s gets taunted with food for answers. He holds pretty strong. He has some thoughts that made me feel like he was going to be the one to finally stand up to these people but alas, that’s not the case.

For someone who was desperate for family, Cyprian spends ten seconds defending Mirel before Moargan hushes him and that’s all the defense his brother gets.

Mirel resists the forced violence show in front of the family more so than Cyprian did and when he finally cracked Kylix asked him “Do you hate me?” And instead of saying “Yes, you and your disgusting family are horrible and deserve to rot.” Mirel says “I don’t know.”

Disappointing but I still had some hope.

Mirel tries to take a breather and visit the homeless community again but he’s viciously attacked by them for being a traitor (I sorta got this one)

For this, Kylix sexually assaults Mirel as punishment. We see this from Kylix’s POV where it was very obvious Mirel did not want to be assaulted. It was kind of uncomfortable to read, especially when after Kylix cleans him and sees blood that “shouldn’t be there” checks him and finds nothing. Where is this blood coming from then if not from the assault? I thought maybe there’d be a little turning point? But no.

Good old ATTICA turns out to be this massive internet body and they have all these warehouses where I guess they’re auctioning off murders of possible innocents? Also someone else is pulling the strings? Way more seemingly sophisticated than the last time I felt, maybe this was an attempt to not have people root for them?

Bekn refers to Kylix as cousin, so is Bekn part of the royal family? Explains all the gratuitous cruelty.

For the love of anything that’s worth it. Please stop abusing Theo. I’m really sick of it, I almost gave this two stars because I’m sick of the way Theo is treated. (He spends this book being dragged around on a chain in the corner) then sent again to the aureate, while being spared once again to be a slave… again. It seems him and Aviel are going to have their own book or something.

The author hasn’t convinced me to be in favor of cruelty for the sake of cruelty, this is another relationship that doesn’t make sense in the long run. It’s abused people being abused into being the abusers.

Mirel just randomly admits to wanting violence out of no where (to me anyways). I didn’t feel it was organic. I didn’t feel that way with Cyprain either.

I hope the whole government collapses and the poor eat them all.

[Ay]

dnf at ~40%

I already didn't really like Blinding Light by this author but I saw that this got released and wanted to give it a try. I honestly could not remember much from Blinding Light, because it has been quite some time since I read it. This was honestly very hard to read. The writing is just not my style at all and it's hard to immerse myself because of this. I liked both of the MCs in the beginning but then it kinda got out of hand? I forgot how annoying and just plain crazy the Imperial is and his "right hand man" or whatever he is. Forcing out sweet Mirel to kill someone, was just way too unnecessary and it didn't suit Mirel's character, atleast in my opinion. The worst of it all was them both commenting on how quiet Mirel is and that he needs to change. No, he doesn't! It's his choice, if he wants to talk more or not. But honestly, the author really wanted Mirel to have mutism? selective mutism (Don't come for me if that is the wrong term, I am not knowledgable in this field.) and it was fine most of the time but sometimes Mirel would say whole paragraphs and I am sitting here like "okay? I thought he can't talk?". Again, I don't know much about this, and this is just my opinion. Another really annoying thing that I do not enjoy in books is when a character (especially the MC!) forces the MC into indulging in drugs, alcohol etc. Mirel said he didn't want to smoke (does not matter if it is a drug or "just" a cigarette), but Kylix didn't care and forced him anyways. Well, I have been yapping about this way too much when it deserves and everyone has their own likes and dislikes but I still wanted to share my negative review of this and why I didn't enjoy it.

[Coco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ummm what’s with this horrible writing?
Like holy I’ve never read a book where nothing makes sense.
Examples;
“If Kylix was fire, Vandor was the metal that kept it shaped.”

How does this make sense. Metal shaping the fire, when has this becoming the saying? Fire is what shapes metal…

“unable not to be affected by the proximity of the prince”

Unable NOT to be… what?

“The frost curled up the line of the jaw, a careful hand that learned as it touched. He studied the way breath smoked and clung to the thin glaze, the way it turned a red mouth pale. He felt sick with beauty.”

Clung to thin glaze… Sick with beauty? What??

“Light flashed once and turned the marble silver. When it faded, the prisoner hung held in a shell of glass, breath and blood fixed in place like seeds in ice. The chain went slack and sang a last, uncertain note.”

Fixed in place like seeds in ice… bruh what tf kind of similes are these!!!

“The room forgot how to breathe for a count of two. Then glass sang, thin and high, and someone exhaled like a laugh.”

How does a room forget to breathe, it also doesn’t make sense. It’s like she tried to copy personification of “the trees danced in the wind” and just made up bs that doesn’t work.

“Laughter rippled through the chamber. It was soft and wicked and very tired.”

What’s tired? The laughter?

This is like quotes within a few pages. And the whole book is filled with writing like this. It’s torturous to read. And don’t even get me started on the plot.
And it’s just constant horrible simile after horrible simile. None of the writing makes any sense, it’s like a child wrote this.
Horrible horrible writing. People that put out books like this should be ashamed of themselves.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burning Ice – Lola Malone

I already knew going into this that I was probably going to love it—I’ve read a lot of Lola Malone’s work and her writing just works for me every time. Add in the fact that this story exists in Chani Lynn Feener’s universe, and I was honestly a little feral before I even started.

And yep. It wrecked me.

This is the kind of book where you sit down to read “a few chapters” and then suddenly you’re at the end wondering how many hours just disappeared. I read it in one sitting without even realizing I was doing it. The pacing is tight, the world is vivid, and the emotional pull is relentless.

Mirel is everything. Quiet, enduring, underestimated—and absolutely unforgettable. He doesn’t demand attention, he earns it, and I was completely invested in him from the start. And Kylix… listen. The level of devotion and protection he shows? Unhinged in the best way. Watching him choose Mirel over everything else, again and again, was deeply satisfying.

What I loved most is how brutal and beautiful the world feels at the same time. It’s dangerous, cold, violent—and yet there’s something incredibly intimate about how these characters exist inside it. The ice and fire dynamic isn’t just aesthetic here; it’s woven into the story, the power, and the emotional connection.

This is dark sci-fi romance exactly the way I want it: intense, immersive, emotionally heavy, and impossible to stop thinking about once it’s over. I received this as an ARC from BookSirens, and I’m already desperate for whatever comes next.

If this is the direction the universe is heading, I am absolutely along for the ride.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good follow up to Blinding Light, I was excited to see that Cyprian’s brother would be a lead MC in this one. Mirel is a great character, a combination of vulnerability and power over ice and frost. It’s nicely balanced by Kylix’s heat. One of my favorite aspects of this series is brother’s finding each other, and their mother. Really wonderful. I had a bit of trouble warming up to Kylix at first, no pun intended! Lol. For someone that runs hot, he seems very cold. I was able to enjoy his character the more actual warmth and care he showed towards Mirel. As always, there is someone (or someone’s) on the loose, meaning to cause the Imperials harm. So you get to watch that mystery continue to unfold, from the first book.

The reason this gets 3 stars (3.5 really), the constant drug use and smoking was off-putting. Almost every other page a ‘puffer’ is putting opium into the air or a character is lighting a cigarette or cigar that has opium. The air always carries smoke, smells like metal, inside or outside. It often is described that it tastes like iron. It’s.. odd and repetitive, I kept getting pulled out of the story. It’s like they can’t happily exist without being high off opium. There is lots of mention of machinery in the background, the smell and the noises. I wonder if the author is going for a steampunk type theme. So that was just a pretty large turn off for me personally, if you don’t mind that aspect I think you’d really enjoy the story. It has so much potential.

[silvia ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. The writing is super smooth, and I just flew through the pages without even realizing it. The story moves pretty fast, which keeps things exciting and makes it hard to put down—though as someone who loves a slow-burn romance, I did wish it eased in a bit more at the start. Still, the pacing works well for a standalone story within a series, and it never felt overwhelming.

What I really loved is how genuine the relationship between the main characters feels. You can really see the care and affection they have for each other, which makes their moments together super sweet and believable. I also appreciated the interactions between the supporting characters—they’re well-written, distinct, and add depth to the story. Plus, new characters were introduced in interesting ways, and I’m curious to see if they’ll play a bigger role in future books.

Even though the story moves quickly, I never felt lost, and the blend of elements makes the book feel unique.
This was a really enjoyable read. The writing is engaging, the characters feel real, and the romance is genuinely heartfelt.

Huge thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC — I’m already looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series!

[Cornflakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

i don’t think another book of this series can top this one 😩
I loved everything from the beginning til the end.
The clash of fire and frost was so beautifully described and in general all the portrayal made to increase suspense was well-written.
Through the whole book i was thinking how lucky Mirel was to have caught Luminary’s most powerful soldier out of every other’s attention… he’s like the most protected person in the planet and the fact he’s got a power that strong himself pleaseee PERFECT. I liked how we got a strong COUPLE and not just a non-balanced one where the first has to protect the other not because of want but need.
Kylix’s character was enjoyable from the beginning and i could feel it took everything from him to not be immediately gentle with Mirel, especially after seeing with his own eyes how his beautiful boy was reduced to, and thanks for Milanov’s comment about Kylix past 8 years ago iykyk we could understand better just how deep their bond ran.
Heat and cold, two opposite made for each other, borne for each other and that would die for each other… and i could feel it all.
this book was just perfection.

[Kamani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall, I rate this 2 stars. Thank you to Lola and BookSirens for the opportunity to read this book.

I want to start off saying, I was excited for this book. The end of the first book (Blinding Light) set up the premise for Burning Ice to be sooooo good. The excitement of the last book (Who caused the frost? Is this person friend or foe?) was resolved almost immediately in this book, which I think hurt the book. Once the truth of who Mirel was was revealed (to both the readers and the characters, about 25% in), the story seemed to end. We didn't really receive any more insight into who Kylix is or who Mirel is now that he's stepping into his power. I found myself searching for more tidbits about Helianth and Archer or Aviel and Theo. Outside of relationships, I found the Bekn prison break plot to also be boring. The imperials never seemed to have the upper hand, and Kylix (who was supposed to be in charge) seemed to only care 50% of the time. Additionally, the twist at the end (a new Dariux and Theo's "betrayal") seemed to come out of left field.

I will say, I am looking forward to the next book because of my hope that it focuses on Helianth and Archer OR Aviel and Theo.

[Nid · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC, but that does not influence my review. A few points: (1) I tried reading Burning Ice before the first book in the series (Blinding Light). I highly recommend that you read Blinding Light first, which I did after the first two chapters of Burning Ice. Otherwise, the setting and certain plot points (involving the Dariux/power system) can be confusing. (2) This is a series that follows a group of characters where each novel centers on a different/character pairing, which I love! Unfortunately, reading the two books in close tandem resulted in me comparing the stories and characters. I really did enjoy learning Mirel, but Kylix was a character that was harder for me to stomach. I kept comparing them to Cyprian & Moargan. (3) I liked how the first scene started immediately after Blinding Light, but certain scenes felt rushed or dragged on later in time. I felt like the pacing was a bit difficult and resulted in me being less immersed, but it was still an enjoyable read. :)

[Shyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to love it, but...

Okay, I'm giving this book 4 stars because I really liked the *idea* of the plot line, BUT... the *delivery* left much to be desired. First, there were some big misalignment issues with the first book. Maybe that only bothered me because I'd literally just finished book one and book two started at the same end scene, but it was an issue. Then, instead of jumping between characters with each chapter, the story would sometimes jump for a paragraph (or three) then jump back. Then, time got a little wibbly-wobbly from paragraph to paragraph and/or chapter to chapter. It might have just read as the time from the other characters point of view, if the character voice was consistent. Finally, this book seemed to try too hard at being poetic which, when combined with the misaligned voices and time flows, just became annoying. There's not a lot of grammar errors, but an editor who was reading for consistency would have been beneficial. If those aren't things that will bother you, the plot is worth advancing and reading.

[Pooja Menon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second installment in Lola Malone’s world and it was just as good as Blinding Light. I adored Blinding Light and couldn’t wait to meet Cyprian’s frost-gifted brother. Mirel might just be my favorite character yet, Lola rendered him perfectly. Our broken boy went through so much and yet, rather than turn villainous or twisted, he retained his vulnerable and gentle soul. His story broke my heart. Loved him! Kylix was a little hard to like at first, I warmed to him eventually, mostly after their joining ceremony. But the two of them fit just right.

It was great to see the characters from the first book again, how far they’ve come since book one. One star off is because somewhere in the middle, I felt the pace lagged a bit, especially after such a fast-paced beginning, that took me a bit of adjusting.

Can’t wait for the next book! Lola has such a poetic, dark, and descriptive flair with her words, I really enjoy her writing style!

[Shyandmoodreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world building in this was phenomenal, and the entire premise of humanoid aliens with powers was very interesting! I'm a huge fan of Chani so to be apart of her universe with a new author was awesome! It was like going into a comfort book with all new characters and I really enjoyed that 😍.

Mirel & Kylix's relationship was wrought with tension, delicious spice and some seriously sweet but possessive moments. Mirel as a character I absolutely loved, and to watch him come into himself and his voice was a delight 😈, even as Kylix pushed him in ways I'm sure he didn't even think possible.

Kylix was an intriguing character, sometimes I disliked, most times I adored him, but that's the beauty in a dark romance. We love to hate them, but when their possession turns into loving & caring moments it makes it all the more sweet 🔥😘. I'm definitely going to keep my eye out for the third book and probably go back and read about Mirels brother 💜.

[Danni Crass · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed the first book and was itching to read the next when I saw it as a coming soon. I was really excited when I saw this posted as an ARC and I was tripping over myself to get it. The story and plot is truly unique and beautiful. The world building and the characters within them are interesting and I enjoyed reading about them. The way Mirel is written was perfect. He was just a lost broken kid that no one wanted and had issues trying to speak again. While Kylix was an arse, he did truly care about Mirel in his own way. I am glad he wised up once he realized who Mirel was to him. My heart broke when Mirel confessed to Kylix what had happened to him in the graveyard when he was just a kid. I am glad justice was served. I am looking forward to Book 3!

[Readbookswithcats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burning Light is the second book in its series. This is about Kylix, cousin to the imperial prince’s and the head of the Luminary (the world’s military/police force), who hunts and finds Mirel, the lost brother of Cyprian. Mirel has been homeless for 10 years, unwanted by his foster family and given up by his birth father. He has been secretly helping his brother from afar with ice. Kylix finds him in a graveyard, starving and silent and captures and chains him- then decides to keep him.

While this is a new couple, you need to read book one because the plot continues from that one! Also, this is the same universe created by Chani Lynn Feener 💛💛💛

Very good and interesting story! Loved going back to Hellion and the Imperials who are all controlling and bloodthirsty 🤣 Mirel was so sweet and a nice edition to the craziness!

[Lea Gesser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must honestly admit that I didn't expect this book to be this good. I had not read part 1, so the introduction to the world of Helion and the Dariux, fire and ice, heat and cold, The story of Mirel and Kylix. Kylix is ​​a beautifully described character in this book. Hero, protector and so much more for Mirel. Mirel who only begins to live when he meets Kylix. It's certainly not all roses and sunshine, but it will be. Mirel who also saves his brother. Who would have thought that fire and cold would go well together. I personally think the world as described in this book is fantastic. Really believable. The story keeps your attention and the tension is really high. It gave me many sleepless nights to finish this book. And don't forget to scroll back. Yes, you really have to do that in this book. This book really comes highly recommended.

[Jenyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Burning Ice by Lola Malone is one of those rare stories that pulls you in from the very first page and refuses to let go. The atmosphere is intense, dark, and beautifully crafted, blending sci-fi and fantasy elements into something that feels both haunting and addictive.

The world-building is immersive without being overwhelming, and the emotional depth is what truly stands out. The connection between the characters is raw, complex, and at times almost painful to witness—in the best possible way. There’s a constant tension between vulnerability and power that keeps the narrative sharp and engaging.

[B Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was hard to finish. The story line is great but all the extra fluff and poetry describing the frost, fire, buildings, air, rooms, movement of eyes, clothing draping and many things. For the first couple chapters as an opening for us to get familiar with the surroundings, setting, characters, and how things worked and looked…sure necessary. 🧐

But after the 5th chapter of continuous several paragraphs of extra fluff describing the same skyline, night air, frost and fire it made the book almost unbearable to read. Omg I was over it, I ran online to see if it was just me. And glad to see everyone didn’t need the extra continuous poetry throughout the book. 😒

I finished the book but at what cost truly? It should have been a DNF truly. 😫

[Mekashi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm just to invested in the overall plot to DNF but...what? Like a lot of things didn't make sense from the start. Mirel is starved from YEARS of living on the streets, he's flesh and bones and yet somehow after 2 days in Kylix company he's plump and svelte? Like...no. plus the unnecessary cruelty of Kylix regarding Mirel kind of pissed me of. I understand possessiveness, the desire of chase and everything, but it felt short here. I skipped almost entirely all spicy scenes cause they were (in my eyes) cringe.

I'll still read the 3rd book because I'm curious how everything will end, but I really hope that the next couple will be better assorted and will have more chemistry.