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Prince of Blaze and Embers: A Dragon Rider Romantasy
Prince of Blaze and Embers is a slow-burn, epic romantasy perfect for fans of Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and Sarah J. Maas’s ACOTAR series—in which one defiant girl and the fire prince sworn to destroy her ignite a love that could burn empires to the ground.
A Slave. A Fire Prince. A Fate Written in Dragonfire.
I’m Ash Mist—an orphan, a slave, a girl whose name was never meant to be remembered.
But I’ve always dreamed of more. Of freedom. Of soaring high above the world on the back of a dragon, where no one could ever touch me again.
That dream turns deadly the day a dragon battle erupts over my town, and a glowing rune blazes to life on my skin. Suddenly, I’m not invisible—I’m powerful. I’m chosen. And that makes me a threat.
Now the ruthless Blaze Queen wants me for her dark desires…
She sends her most dangerous general to capture me—Cade Phoenixfire. A fireborn prince feared across the realms. Bound to a monstrous dragon and haunted by a past as scorched as the lands he conquers.
But I’m not the helpless girl he expects. I won’t bow. I won’t break. And the more he tries to control me, the more something wild and forbidden sparks between us.
He was raised to serve the crown. I was born to burn it down.
As war ignites and our fates entwine, I have to run from the fire—or drown it.
Because I might be the key to an ancient prophecy. And the girl no one ever saw… might be the one to change everything.
Perfect for fans of epic fantasy romance, forbidden love, dragon-rider wars, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension.
A Slave. A Fire Prince. A Fate Written in Dragonfire.
I’m Ash Mist—an orphan, a slave, a girl whose name was never meant to be remembered.
But I’ve always dreamed of more. Of freedom. Of soaring high above the world on the back of a dragon, where no one could ever touch me again.
That dream turns deadly the day a dragon battle erupts over my town, and a glowing rune blazes to life on my skin. Suddenly, I’m not invisible—I’m powerful. I’m chosen. And that makes me a threat.
Now the ruthless Blaze Queen wants me for her dark desires…
She sends her most dangerous general to capture me—Cade Phoenixfire. A fireborn prince feared across the realms. Bound to a monstrous dragon and haunted by a past as scorched as the lands he conquers.
But I’m not the helpless girl he expects. I won’t bow. I won’t break. And the more he tries to control me, the more something wild and forbidden sparks between us.
He was raised to serve the crown. I was born to burn it down.
As war ignites and our fates entwine, I have to run from the fire—or drown it.
Because I might be the key to an ancient prophecy. And the girl no one ever saw… might be the one to change everything.
Perfect for fans of epic fantasy romance, forbidden love, dragon-rider wars, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
August 14, 2025
Thank you Zander Wolfe, NetGalley and Crimson Cro Publishing for the eARC!
The cover of this book drew me in and the plot sounded interesting. I’m so sad that the writing was really hard to read and honestly seemed like it was written by AI or had a lot of help from AI. The writing style had a lot of ellipses in random places in sentences, paragraphs and dialogue. The descriptions of the main male character were repetitive and didn’t draw me into the character at all. There was no real connection between the FMC and MMC but somehow they were attracted to each other. The love scene was very repetitive in terms of what the characters were saying and I skipped through it.
I got about 60% of the way through and felt like the plot wasn’t going enough places for me to keep reading and I was struggling with the writing a lot. This was a 2 star read for me for the reasons outlined above.
The cover of this book drew me in and the plot sounded interesting. I’m so sad that the writing was really hard to read and honestly seemed like it was written by AI or had a lot of help from AI. The writing style had a lot of ellipses in random places in sentences, paragraphs and dialogue. The descriptions of the main male character were repetitive and didn’t draw me into the character at all. There was no real connection between the FMC and MMC but somehow they were attracted to each other. The love scene was very repetitive in terms of what the characters were saying and I skipped through it.
I got about 60% of the way through and felt like the plot wasn’t going enough places for me to keep reading and I was struggling with the writing a lot. This was a 2 star read for me for the reasons outlined above.
August 4, 2025
I feel so awful leaving a bad review, especially when a book so new. However, this book was unbearable. I tried to force myself through, but it was boring, repetitive, and riddled with issues. This is the first book I’ve ever DNF, and I did so at 77%.
This novel desperately needs an editor. There are so many sentences that repeat themselves. They used the word “like” an overwhelming amount of times. The similes were out of control.
The world building was boring and lacking. The turtle was juvenile and silly. The fmc was annoying, thick headed, and unlikable. Apparently she was ugly too, according to every character except Cade. 😑
There wasn’t much to Cade beyond being extremely attractive.
There was no chemistry between the two. Cade rescued ash from a slave farm where she was being beaten. Yet as soon as he buys her she’s turned on by his large erection in her back? Good lord. No build up. No chemistry. No attachment. Their entire relationship was cringe.
The story was clunky.
Ash was able to instantly tame a random dragon tho. You go, girl! 🙄
Sorry for the poor review if you’re the author. ☹️ I’m sure you spent a lot of time on the book, and it does have potential. I did think it was unique that the flowers woven into the nets prevented the dragons scales from moving. That was creative. .
This novel desperately needs an editor. There are so many sentences that repeat themselves. They used the word “like” an overwhelming amount of times. The similes were out of control.
The world building was boring and lacking. The turtle was juvenile and silly. The fmc was annoying, thick headed, and unlikable. Apparently she was ugly too, according to every character except Cade. 😑
There wasn’t much to Cade beyond being extremely attractive.
There was no chemistry between the two. Cade rescued ash from a slave farm where she was being beaten. Yet as soon as he buys her she’s turned on by his large erection in her back? Good lord. No build up. No chemistry. No attachment. Their entire relationship was cringe.
The story was clunky.
Ash was able to instantly tame a random dragon tho. You go, girl! 🙄
Sorry for the poor review if you’re the author. ☹️ I’m sure you spent a lot of time on the book, and it does have potential. I did think it was unique that the flowers woven into the nets prevented the dragons scales from moving. That was creative. .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2025
ARC Review
This started out good and I was super intrigued.
But the writing style overall felt really YA and juvenile, but then again our FMC is a 19 year old slave who knows nothing else, so I thought maybe that was why. It didn’t get better.
The sentences were way too wordy and there were a lot of similes. And Cornelius just seemed like a ridiculous character. I’m all for a wise ancient advisor in a fantasy setting but the fact that it was a giant tortoise was just weird.
I didn’t feel any connection with the MMC. They had zero chemistry whatsoever. They barely spoke to each other AT ALL! And then suddenly he’s all “I’ve wanted you for so long”.
Then it felt like a million chapters of Ash asking Cade “where were you? I deserve to know!” And he’s like “none ya business” and then we repeat that for eternity.
The final battle was super repetitive and if I read “You cannot hope to [defeat me/ save him]” any more, I will lose it.
I found it hard to want to keep going but also had invested a lot of time so I felt like I needed to see this story through to the end. At this point I am not sure if I would continue to the second book (which releases 9/22/25). I’m really stubborn and hate leaving things unfinished. I feel really terrible leaving a negative review and I’m sorry!
I liked the magical elements and that there were dragons. Their relationship made me think of the movie Elemental (which I adore). The cover is beautiful and I love the artwork on the author’s website. I don’t read a lot of books by male authors these days so I was definitely curious to see how this would go. I feel like the story was well thought out in the bigger sense and had potential, but the execution was underwhelming.
Thank you to the author for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.
This started out good and I was super intrigued.
But the writing style overall felt really YA and juvenile, but then again our FMC is a 19 year old slave who knows nothing else, so I thought maybe that was why. It didn’t get better.
The sentences were way too wordy and there were a lot of similes. And Cornelius just seemed like a ridiculous character. I’m all for a wise ancient advisor in a fantasy setting but the fact that it was a giant tortoise was just weird.
I didn’t feel any connection with the MMC. They had zero chemistry whatsoever. They barely spoke to each other AT ALL! And then suddenly he’s all “I’ve wanted you for so long”.
Then it felt like a million chapters of Ash asking Cade “where were you? I deserve to know!” And he’s like “none ya business” and then we repeat that for eternity.
The final battle was super repetitive and if I read “You cannot hope to [defeat me/ save him]” any more, I will lose it.
I found it hard to want to keep going but also had invested a lot of time so I felt like I needed to see this story through to the end. At this point I am not sure if I would continue to the second book (which releases 9/22/25). I’m really stubborn and hate leaving things unfinished. I feel really terrible leaving a negative review and I’m sorry!
I liked the magical elements and that there were dragons. Their relationship made me think of the movie Elemental (which I adore). The cover is beautiful and I love the artwork on the author’s website. I don’t read a lot of books by male authors these days so I was definitely curious to see how this would go. I feel like the story was well thought out in the bigger sense and had potential, but the execution was underwhelming.
Thank you to the author for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2025
Prince of Blaze and Embers had potential with its premise, but sadly, it didn’t quite work for me. The pacing felt rushed, especially in the way the relationship was portrayed. A slave girl Ash was taken to the Emberveil by the prince Cade Phoenixfire, and instead of building tension or connection, things jumped straight into lust. For someone who lived as a slave her whole life, the sudden shift didn’t feel natural.
There was also a lot of word repetition, and Bella’s dialogue sometimes felt robotic, almost AI-like, which pulled me out of the story. The dynamic between Ash and Cade started with arguments and unanswered questions, but before we could get clarity, the physical side took over without any real emotional buildup.
As for the title, Prince of Blaze and Ember, I expected the prince to play a significant role, but he mostly appeared for meals or rest, then disappeared again with the dragon to find the answers to the unknown. The lack of deeper interaction or meaningful scenes between the main leads left me unsatisfied.
While the idea had promise, the execution didn’t deliver the depth or engagement I was hoping for.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC — this review is honest and my own.
There was also a lot of word repetition, and Bella’s dialogue sometimes felt robotic, almost AI-like, which pulled me out of the story. The dynamic between Ash and Cade started with arguments and unanswered questions, but before we could get clarity, the physical side took over without any real emotional buildup.
As for the title, Prince of Blaze and Ember, I expected the prince to play a significant role, but he mostly appeared for meals or rest, then disappeared again with the dragon to find the answers to the unknown. The lack of deeper interaction or meaningful scenes between the main leads left me unsatisfied.
While the idea had promise, the execution didn’t deliver the depth or engagement I was hoping for.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC — this review is honest and my own.
September 12, 2025
My first - and BIGGEST - qualm is how FAST everything happens. SO fast I feel like we just skipped over what could have been written in good detail . It's instant attraction, instant magic, instant training, instant bond, instant changing minds, instant learning about oneself, instant healing, ect. Where's my mystery? Extreme tension/longing? Apprehension? Fear? FMC is like, "Oh no I must not be taken" to "But I get to ride a dragon with a hot man, so let's go!" to "I really should escape, he's bad and must be lying!" to "Oh but he's hot and I'm being given a bath, food and clothing, so maybe he's actually great! I just need to talk to him more!" Talk about falling FAST. MMC is no better on that front, instant desire for her and letting it be known practically at their first moment alone. If you're going to describe an MMC as not thinking love is a luxury he can afford/something someone broken as him can have, don't have him so blatantly honest about his motives when pushed only SLIGHTLY. If you are going to say they're broody, brutish, broken, enigmatic, give me that, not someone who seems like they are one right word, or touch, away from bearing their soul the whole time.. Like come on.. both of you play a little harder to get would you?! I like the general idea, magic/powers, plot and characters, but damn, slow down was my thought throughout the whole thing. I guess all of that could just simply be put as: Edge me more, dammit! LMAO. Also, usuing "rock" as like an insult/cuss seemed just a tad juvenile when the FMC is also saying "fuck" all the time. There were also times of repetitive statements, missing quotation marks and some mistakes/typos.
Prince of Blaze and Embers (Zander Wolfe - Book 1 in the Emberveil Empire Series): Dragons, w@r, sl@very, tension/attraction (but QUICKLY), some spice, magic/powers, att@cks/f¡ghting, stubborn/pushy/inquisitive FMC, broody MMC, secrets, incompatibility, seeking answers.
Prince of Blaze and Embers (Zander Wolfe - Book 1 in the Emberveil Empire Series): Dragons, w@r, sl@very, tension/attraction (but QUICKLY), some spice, magic/powers, att@cks/f¡ghting, stubborn/pushy/inquisitive FMC, broody MMC, secrets, incompatibility, seeking answers.
August 16, 2025
DNF at 38%. I got this as an ARC but I just can’t get through it. The world building has potential. The characters need work. There is no chemistry between Ash and Cade. There is very little interaction between them at this point in the book beyond prisoner and captor and Cade is just a hot and powerful jerk at this point with nothing to draw Ash beyond physical attraction. There are frequents bouts of repetition which is annoying when it was just read and already easy to draw the conclusion as the reader. When I got to the magic teaching invisible tortoise I gave up because it just seemed silly. I feel bad because I can appreciate how authors put their hearts into their work but this story needs more before publishing. I won’t be posting my review on Amazon. Thx for the opportunity to read!
August 4, 2025
The action that started immediately gave me some high hopes for fast-paced and immersive fantasy read. Unfortunately, it just didn't flesh out for me.
With some polishing I think there's a lot of potential here. The relationship between the characters just didn't do it for me and the wording threw me off a bit.
With some polishing I think there's a lot of potential here. The relationship between the characters just didn't do it for me and the wording threw me off a bit.
September 3, 2025
DNF, horrible.
August 14, 2025
Prince of Blaze and Embers was more of a fast paced romantasy. An orphaned woman, raised as a slave is bought by the Prince when her magic awakened. Through the story she does things she has only my dreamed of & gets to bring her best friend along with her. There is magic, dragons, battles, found family. I just wish there was more detail and background information to better support the story.
it was a fun read nevertheless. I am rating this 3.75 stars.
it was a fun read nevertheless. I am rating this 3.75 stars.
August 27, 2025
**ARC REVIEW**
I was thrilled to be given an ARC copy of this book and I'm going to try to give an honest review.
The initial concept is great, the opening chapter was really intriguing, and we have dragons right there from the first page. I really liked the idea of forbidden magic and the water Fae/fire Fae. The main character Ash has spent her life in slavery and knows little of her origin. She discovers a secret which will change her life's trajectory.
A war has been going on but this is not explained in too much depth so I'm not really sure what they are at war over. I would have loved some more detailed background on the two factions at opposing sides of the war, and some development of the Blaze Queen, what are her motivations?
Our MMC Cade is heralded as a fearsome deadly dragon rider with a reputation to strike fear in everyone. I wish this had inspired a slow burn romance with them starting out hating each other and Ash being petrified of her captor, then developing feelings for each other with lots of longing but it all felt very rushed and I just didn't believe their feelings were genuine.
Their love scenes were quite jarring, especially as there was very little dialogue between the Ash and Cade prior to them, and no longing, no slow burn romance, no believable connection. He's been told she's a virgin when he buys her from the slave master yet he never checks with her if this is true, or checks on her welfare or for consent. I feel like a girl who's been a slave her whole life and been sold to men would not be this horny for a guy she should by all accounts be terrified of and fearing for her life.
And please don't get me started on Cornelius.
Another reviewer mentioned they felt there was use of AI, I really hope this isn't the case but it might perhaps explain the usual descriptions and occasional repetitiveness in this book.
All in all, there were some great concepts in this story but overall it just didn't hit for me. The romance was non existent and I just feel this book needs a lot of editorial work and perhaps a bit of restructuring.
I was thrilled to be given an ARC copy of this book and I'm going to try to give an honest review.
The initial concept is great, the opening chapter was really intriguing, and we have dragons right there from the first page. I really liked the idea of forbidden magic and the water Fae/fire Fae. The main character Ash has spent her life in slavery and knows little of her origin. She discovers a secret which will change her life's trajectory.
A war has been going on but this is not explained in too much depth so I'm not really sure what they are at war over. I would have loved some more detailed background on the two factions at opposing sides of the war, and some development of the Blaze Queen, what are her motivations?
Our MMC Cade is heralded as a fearsome deadly dragon rider with a reputation to strike fear in everyone. I wish this had inspired a slow burn romance with them starting out hating each other and Ash being petrified of her captor, then developing feelings for each other with lots of longing but it all felt very rushed and I just didn't believe their feelings were genuine.
Their love scenes were quite jarring, especially as there was very little dialogue between the Ash and Cade prior to them, and no longing, no slow burn romance, no believable connection. He's been told she's a virgin when he buys her from the slave master yet he never checks with her if this is true, or checks on her welfare or for consent. I feel like a girl who's been a slave her whole life and been sold to men would not be this horny for a guy she should by all accounts be terrified of and fearing for her life.
And please don't get me started on Cornelius.
Another reviewer mentioned they felt there was use of AI, I really hope this isn't the case but it might perhaps explain the usual descriptions and occasional repetitiveness in this book.
All in all, there were some great concepts in this story but overall it just didn't hit for me. The romance was non existent and I just feel this book needs a lot of editorial work and perhaps a bit of restructuring.
October 9, 2025
I'm afraid I couldn't finish this book. The constant use of the F word and the incessant arguing from Ash got on my nerves. Everything was an irritant to her. Then there was Cade who caused all the irritation by telling her absolutely nothing! Could sense hardly any chemistry between them at all. Even when Cade started to warm up to Ash it seemed contrived. I lost all interest in the story so wont be completing the series.
October 8, 2025
DNF at 34%. It was generally shallow and just felt childish. The characters act like overdramatic teenagers, snarking at each other at any opportunity.
October 11, 2025
DNF. Genuinely couldn’t read this book or take it seriously. The premise is good but the delivery and character building is awful.
September 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and author Zander Wolfe for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I’m so glad I got to read it. 💖
🌙 Review: Prince of Blaze and Embers: An epic romantic fantasy - by Zander Wolfe
𓍊𓋼𓍊 3.5☆
🗡 Update (09/12/25)
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
● Introduction
"Prince of Blaze and Embers" by author Zander Wolfe is a romantasy work that plunges the reader into a world of dragons, elemental magic, and warring kingdoms. The narrative stands out for its fast pace and an electrifying romantic tension, promising a breathtaking adventure that grabs your attention from the very first pages. It's a story with immense potential, exploring a heroine's journey from servitude to absolute power.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Plot Summary
The story follows Ash, a 19-year-old slave living a life of misery in the coastal town of Bramblebash. During a dragon attack, she manifests an unknown magical power to protect herself, which attracts the attention of the feared Blaze Prince. He buys her from her abusive master and takes her with him, along with her best friend, Bella, whom Ash refuses to abandon. Ash is then thrown into the midst of a civil war, pursued by Cade's cruel stepmother, the Blaze Queen, who desires her unique power for herself. While on the run, Ash must unravel the secrets of her magic, her true identity, and navigate the intense and complicated attraction she feels for her new, brooding master.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Critical Analysis
○ Plot: The plot is undeniably addictive. The author creates a succession of high-stakes events, dragon battles, desperate escapes, magical confrontations, and shocking revelations, that makes it hard to put the book down. However, this speed is a double-edged sword. The story feels rushed, attempting to cover a war, the discovery of multiple magic systems, a rebellion, and an epic romance in a space that feels insufficient. In my opinion, for the number of elements introduced, the work would benefit from more in-depth development, perhaps with twice the number of pages to allow each subplot to breathe.
○ Characters: Ash is a captivating protagonist, especially for her unwavering loyalty to Bella, insisting on not leaving her behind even when it meant defying the prince. Her friend Bella is also a high point, serving as an emotional anchor and a voice of reason. Blaze Prince is the archetypal tormented hero, with a tragic past and a tough exterior that hides vulnerability. The tension between him and Ash is, indeed, electrifying, filled with moments of palpable desire.
The problem, however, lies in the speed at which this tension transforms into declared love. "From one day to the next," they go from master and slave to a couple deeply in love. This swiftness makes the connection feel superficial, grounded more in physical desire than in a well-built emotional bond.
○ Author's Style: The writing is fluid and direct, focused on action and dialogue, which contributes to the fast pace and the "addictive" feeling. The author excels at creating vivid action scenes and moments of high emotional charge.
○ Themes: The work explores themes such as the search for freedom, the discovery of one's own identity and power, the weight of duty versus the desires of the heart, and loyalty in friendship. The dynamic between Ash and Blaze Prince serves as a powerful metaphor for impossible loves and opposing forces that attract.
○ Impact: The book has great potential to resonate with readers who love romantasy with constant action. Ash's journey of empowerment is inspiring, but its abrupt execution can be frustrating. The feeling that remains is that of an incredible story told too quickly, diminishing the impact of its most important moments.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
○ Addictive Pace: The succession of events and the direct writing style make for an extremely fast and engaging read.
○ Romantic Tension: The chemistry and physical tension between Ash and Blaze Prince are one of the book's biggest draws, with scenes charged with electricity.
○ The Friendship: The relationship between Ash and Bella is a solid and moving emotional pillar of the story.
○ Interesting Concepts: The mythology, the magic, and the war-torn setting offer a rich backdrop with great potential for exploration.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
Weaknesses:
○ Rushed Pacing: The development of the plot and relationships is excessively fast, which harms the depth.
○Superficial Romance: The love between Ash and Blaze Prince blossoms unconvincingly, seeming more like desire than a genuine emotional connection due to the short time of their interactions.
○ Abrupt Power Development: Ash goes from a novice who has never used magic to manifesting armor and a golden sword without a believable "journey" or training process, which lessens the impact of her empowerment.
○ Under-explored World: With so many plot points to focus on, the world-building (the history of the kingdoms, the politics of the war, the origin of magic) takes a backseat and deserved more attention.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Conclusion
"Prince of Blaze and Embers" is a read that burns as fast as dragon fire. It offers a thrilling adventure, a strong heroine, and a romance full of passion. I recommend it for romantasy fans who are looking for constant action and don't mind accelerated development. However, readers who appreciate detailed world-building and relationships that deepen over time may feel that the story sacrifices depth for the sake of speed. It is a work with a vibrant heart and fantastic ideas, but one that could have provided warmth for longer if the flame had been nurtured more slowly.
🌙 Review: Prince of Blaze and Embers: An epic romantic fantasy - by Zander Wolfe
𓍊𓋼𓍊 3.5☆
🗡 Update (09/12/25)
"You are special. You're special to this world, and you're special to me..."
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
● Introduction
"Prince of Blaze and Embers" by author Zander Wolfe is a romantasy work that plunges the reader into a world of dragons, elemental magic, and warring kingdoms. The narrative stands out for its fast pace and an electrifying romantic tension, promising a breathtaking adventure that grabs your attention from the very first pages. It's a story with immense potential, exploring a heroine's journey from servitude to absolute power.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Plot Summary
The story follows Ash, a 19-year-old slave living a life of misery in the coastal town of Bramblebash. During a dragon attack, she manifests an unknown magical power to protect herself, which attracts the attention of the feared Blaze Prince. He buys her from her abusive master and takes her with him, along with her best friend, Bella, whom Ash refuses to abandon. Ash is then thrown into the midst of a civil war, pursued by Cade's cruel stepmother, the Blaze Queen, who desires her unique power for herself. While on the run, Ash must unravel the secrets of her magic, her true identity, and navigate the intense and complicated attraction she feels for her new, brooding master.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Critical Analysis
○ Plot: The plot is undeniably addictive. The author creates a succession of high-stakes events, dragon battles, desperate escapes, magical confrontations, and shocking revelations, that makes it hard to put the book down. However, this speed is a double-edged sword. The story feels rushed, attempting to cover a war, the discovery of multiple magic systems, a rebellion, and an epic romance in a space that feels insufficient. In my opinion, for the number of elements introduced, the work would benefit from more in-depth development, perhaps with twice the number of pages to allow each subplot to breathe.
○ Characters: Ash is a captivating protagonist, especially for her unwavering loyalty to Bella, insisting on not leaving her behind even when it meant defying the prince. Her friend Bella is also a high point, serving as an emotional anchor and a voice of reason. Blaze Prince is the archetypal tormented hero, with a tragic past and a tough exterior that hides vulnerability. The tension between him and Ash is, indeed, electrifying, filled with moments of palpable desire.
The problem, however, lies in the speed at which this tension transforms into declared love. "From one day to the next," they go from master and slave to a couple deeply in love. This swiftness makes the connection feel superficial, grounded more in physical desire than in a well-built emotional bond.
○ Author's Style: The writing is fluid and direct, focused on action and dialogue, which contributes to the fast pace and the "addictive" feeling. The author excels at creating vivid action scenes and moments of high emotional charge.
○ Themes: The work explores themes such as the search for freedom, the discovery of one's own identity and power, the weight of duty versus the desires of the heart, and loyalty in friendship. The dynamic between Ash and Blaze Prince serves as a powerful metaphor for impossible loves and opposing forces that attract.
○ Impact: The book has great potential to resonate with readers who love romantasy with constant action. Ash's journey of empowerment is inspiring, but its abrupt execution can be frustrating. The feeling that remains is that of an incredible story told too quickly, diminishing the impact of its most important moments.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
○ Addictive Pace: The succession of events and the direct writing style make for an extremely fast and engaging read.
○ Romantic Tension: The chemistry and physical tension between Ash and Blaze Prince are one of the book's biggest draws, with scenes charged with electricity.
○ The Friendship: The relationship between Ash and Bella is a solid and moving emotional pillar of the story.
○ Interesting Concepts: The mythology, the magic, and the war-torn setting offer a rich backdrop with great potential for exploration.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
Weaknesses:
○ Rushed Pacing: The development of the plot and relationships is excessively fast, which harms the depth.
○Superficial Romance: The love between Ash and Blaze Prince blossoms unconvincingly, seeming more like desire than a genuine emotional connection due to the short time of their interactions.
○ Abrupt Power Development: Ash goes from a novice who has never used magic to manifesting armor and a golden sword without a believable "journey" or training process, which lessens the impact of her empowerment.
○ Under-explored World: With so many plot points to focus on, the world-building (the history of the kingdoms, the politics of the war, the origin of magic) takes a backseat and deserved more attention.
✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹✵⋆⁺₊⋆ ✧ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ✹
● Conclusion
"Prince of Blaze and Embers" is a read that burns as fast as dragon fire. It offers a thrilling adventure, a strong heroine, and a romance full of passion. I recommend it for romantasy fans who are looking for constant action and don't mind accelerated development. However, readers who appreciate detailed world-building and relationships that deepen over time may feel that the story sacrifices depth for the sake of speed. It is a work with a vibrant heart and fantastic ideas, but one that could have provided warmth for longer if the flame had been nurtured more slowly.
April 12, 2026
Never DNF a book before but with this one I nearly did. I had to put down for a time and when I picked it back up, I really struggled to finish it. There is no real depth. The rush from slave to saviour and instantly how fast she fell for the Prince and vice versa. No longing, no build up. They hardly talked then all of a sudden they crave each other. The repetitive writing especially during inner dialogue was like copy and paste for most chapters. Very infuriating for me so I'd end up skimming over many pages. I had high hopes for the series but unfortunately I won't be reading book two.
August 11, 2025
Prince of Blaze and Embers
By: Zander Wolfe
Book #1 of the Emberveil Empire Duology
4/5 Star Review
4/5 Spiciness Level
Thank you, Zander Wolfe, for allowing me the opportunity to read your book as an eARC for my honest review! Thank you, Liv Zander, for getting the word out about this wonderful new author and new book series!
RECOMMENDATION:
Amazing debut Romantasy from brand new Author Zander Wolfe with elemental magic, dragons and a magic guide who is a big, helpful, talking turtle named Cornelius!
I definitely recommend reading this book! Best to go in blind knowing it’s a Romantasy with moderate spice and DRAGONS! So, I would just dive in without reading any further if it were me! I enjoyed it very much, looking forward to the conclusion to this duology and to future books by this author who is a male author! Not very many of those within the romance genres!
BRIEF RUNDOWN:
A slave girl finds out she has powerful magic that is wanted by an evil queen to steal it. The handsome prince is on a quest to find the one who has this magic and bring them to the queen. Luckily, the prince knows the queen, his stepmother, is evil and hides the girl away in the woods. Here, the girl is visited by a guide only she can see who helps her learn about herself, her magic, and trains her how to use it. Sparks begin to fly between her and the prince. When the queen finds their hiding place, she comes herself where they fight. The ending is a mild cliffhanger once the fight is over, but the war remains.
GENRE, POV & TROPES:
Prince of Blaze and Embers by Zander Wolfe is book #1 of the Emberveil Empire Duology Series. There is a prequel short story available as well called Phoenix Fire. POV is in the first-person of the FMC. Tropes include prophecy, dragons with dragon riders (my fav!!!), one dragon (instead of one horse), elemental magic, evil stepmother of the MMC, insta-lust, broody MMC, slave girl FMC turned powerful magical being, moderate angst, and FMC/MMC incompatible for spicy time (enjoying this unique trope!!).
FMC:
Ashlyn “Ash” Mist, was sold into slavery at age 5 and is from Bramblebash, a small fishing town located along the coast of Allovan. She has a ride-or-die best friend who is also a slave, Bella. Her slave owner, Garrish, is just plain awful. When threatened, she summons magic she never knew she had. As emotionally beaten down as she is, she finds considerable strength within herself to never give up and to keep fighting for those she loves in the world… which aren’t many. To her, though, they are everything.
After years of being a slave, beaten down with little hope for any happiness and then seeing Ash coming into her power, understanding her origins, and gaining the confidence and thirst for life… it is wonderful to experience! There are so many spoilers I am not sharing abut Ash’s story because it is best to just go in blind!
MMC:
Blaze Prince Cade Phoenixfire is a Cinderyn Elemental, a wielder of fire, from Emberveil, the royal city of Allovan. He is a dragon rider of the infamous black dragon named Krakos. He also has a best friend, Hunter, his second in command and also a dragon rider. After the death of his father in battle (this story happens in the prequel book called Phoenix Fire), his stepmother seizes the throne based on the contingency of an active war. Cade knows she is powerful and evil, but cannot yet take the throne from her.
STORYLINE/PLOT:
There is a long-lasting war between Emberveil and the Stormscales. When dragon riders from both sides come to Bramblebash locked in a battle in the sky and seem to be headed straight for Ash, Bella and all of the innocent people in her town, Ash calls upon a dormant magic she never knew she had and saves them all from imminent death. The Blaze Prince is a part of that battle and sees Ash use the power he’s been trying to find for centuries.
The Blaze Prince knows to be on the lookout for the “Gold-Marked” and to bring them immediately to his stepmother, the evil Blaze Queen of Emberveil, Queen Mortriana. She claims the Gold-Marked is important to her plan to bring peace to the world. What she actually wants is to steal that power.
He decides to purchase Ash from Garrish. Ash convinces him to also buy Bella. This sets off an epic adventure for Cade, Ash, Bella and Hunter and their quest to keep Ash out of the Blaze Queen’s grasp.
It’s very quickly that Ash begins having feelings of lust for Cade… I mean they leave Bramblebash riding on the same dragon. Based on what she feels behind her, the lust is mutual. Cade acts as if he is her enemy, letting her know the plans of the Blaze Queen. So, she expects to be taken to Emberveil and handed over for certain death. Instead, Cade brings them all to the Faewood to hide from the Blaze Queen and her minions and make longer term plans. Cade demands Ash always remain inside the cabin to not be found.
Not long after their arrival, Ash has a visitor in the form of a very large talking turtle, Cornelius, who says he is her guide. He tells her about her magic, where she comes from, and about what is happening in the world around them. These are things Cade is keeping from her. Cornelius wants to teach her how to use her magic, build it up, and use it to be able to protect herself and others. She is the only one who sees him and he keeps bringing her out into the Faewood at night to train. Cade does not understand and is insanely frustrated as to why he keeps finding her in the woods when he has ordered her to stay inside.
It is in the woods where the sparks begin to fly for Ash & Cade. Ultimately, they realize because of their differing magic they are unable to be together in any sort of intimate way without causing each other immense pain. This is an interesting and unique trope! I am anticipating book #2 to know how they remedy it!
Of course the Blaze Queen ends up finding them hiding in the Faewood and they are forced into a battle that ends in a very mild cliffhanger. The author could have been a lot meaner with the ending if he had shortened it by a few pages! It definitely ended in a way that has me anticipating the next book! I must know the conclusion of the story and hopefully get the HEA so deserving of our main characters!!!
SPICY CONTENT:
Mild in chapter 14, moderate to heavy in chapters 19, 23 and 32. Well written and again I am enjoying the incompatibility trope!! Makes the angst next level!
Happy Reading! ♥☻
By: Zander Wolfe
Book #1 of the Emberveil Empire Duology
4/5 Star Review
4/5 Spiciness Level
Thank you, Zander Wolfe, for allowing me the opportunity to read your book as an eARC for my honest review! Thank you, Liv Zander, for getting the word out about this wonderful new author and new book series!
RECOMMENDATION:
Amazing debut Romantasy from brand new Author Zander Wolfe with elemental magic, dragons and a magic guide who is a big, helpful, talking turtle named Cornelius!
I definitely recommend reading this book! Best to go in blind knowing it’s a Romantasy with moderate spice and DRAGONS! So, I would just dive in without reading any further if it were me! I enjoyed it very much, looking forward to the conclusion to this duology and to future books by this author who is a male author! Not very many of those within the romance genres!
BRIEF RUNDOWN:
A slave girl finds out she has powerful magic that is wanted by an evil queen to steal it. The handsome prince is on a quest to find the one who has this magic and bring them to the queen. Luckily, the prince knows the queen, his stepmother, is evil and hides the girl away in the woods. Here, the girl is visited by a guide only she can see who helps her learn about herself, her magic, and trains her how to use it. Sparks begin to fly between her and the prince. When the queen finds their hiding place, she comes herself where they fight. The ending is a mild cliffhanger once the fight is over, but the war remains.
GENRE, POV & TROPES:
Prince of Blaze and Embers by Zander Wolfe is book #1 of the Emberveil Empire Duology Series. There is a prequel short story available as well called Phoenix Fire. POV is in the first-person of the FMC. Tropes include prophecy, dragons with dragon riders (my fav!!!), one dragon (instead of one horse), elemental magic, evil stepmother of the MMC, insta-lust, broody MMC, slave girl FMC turned powerful magical being, moderate angst, and FMC/MMC incompatible for spicy time (enjoying this unique trope!!).
FMC:
Ashlyn “Ash” Mist, was sold into slavery at age 5 and is from Bramblebash, a small fishing town located along the coast of Allovan. She has a ride-or-die best friend who is also a slave, Bella. Her slave owner, Garrish, is just plain awful. When threatened, she summons magic she never knew she had. As emotionally beaten down as she is, she finds considerable strength within herself to never give up and to keep fighting for those she loves in the world… which aren’t many. To her, though, they are everything.
After years of being a slave, beaten down with little hope for any happiness and then seeing Ash coming into her power, understanding her origins, and gaining the confidence and thirst for life… it is wonderful to experience! There are so many spoilers I am not sharing abut Ash’s story because it is best to just go in blind!
MMC:
Blaze Prince Cade Phoenixfire is a Cinderyn Elemental, a wielder of fire, from Emberveil, the royal city of Allovan. He is a dragon rider of the infamous black dragon named Krakos. He also has a best friend, Hunter, his second in command and also a dragon rider. After the death of his father in battle (this story happens in the prequel book called Phoenix Fire), his stepmother seizes the throne based on the contingency of an active war. Cade knows she is powerful and evil, but cannot yet take the throne from her.
STORYLINE/PLOT:
There is a long-lasting war between Emberveil and the Stormscales. When dragon riders from both sides come to Bramblebash locked in a battle in the sky and seem to be headed straight for Ash, Bella and all of the innocent people in her town, Ash calls upon a dormant magic she never knew she had and saves them all from imminent death. The Blaze Prince is a part of that battle and sees Ash use the power he’s been trying to find for centuries.
The Blaze Prince knows to be on the lookout for the “Gold-Marked” and to bring them immediately to his stepmother, the evil Blaze Queen of Emberveil, Queen Mortriana. She claims the Gold-Marked is important to her plan to bring peace to the world. What she actually wants is to steal that power.
He decides to purchase Ash from Garrish. Ash convinces him to also buy Bella. This sets off an epic adventure for Cade, Ash, Bella and Hunter and their quest to keep Ash out of the Blaze Queen’s grasp.
It’s very quickly that Ash begins having feelings of lust for Cade… I mean they leave Bramblebash riding on the same dragon. Based on what she feels behind her, the lust is mutual. Cade acts as if he is her enemy, letting her know the plans of the Blaze Queen. So, she expects to be taken to Emberveil and handed over for certain death. Instead, Cade brings them all to the Faewood to hide from the Blaze Queen and her minions and make longer term plans. Cade demands Ash always remain inside the cabin to not be found.
Not long after their arrival, Ash has a visitor in the form of a very large talking turtle, Cornelius, who says he is her guide. He tells her about her magic, where she comes from, and about what is happening in the world around them. These are things Cade is keeping from her. Cornelius wants to teach her how to use her magic, build it up, and use it to be able to protect herself and others. She is the only one who sees him and he keeps bringing her out into the Faewood at night to train. Cade does not understand and is insanely frustrated as to why he keeps finding her in the woods when he has ordered her to stay inside.
It is in the woods where the sparks begin to fly for Ash & Cade. Ultimately, they realize because of their differing magic they are unable to be together in any sort of intimate way without causing each other immense pain. This is an interesting and unique trope! I am anticipating book #2 to know how they remedy it!
Of course the Blaze Queen ends up finding them hiding in the Faewood and they are forced into a battle that ends in a very mild cliffhanger. The author could have been a lot meaner with the ending if he had shortened it by a few pages! It definitely ended in a way that has me anticipating the next book! I must know the conclusion of the story and hopefully get the HEA so deserving of our main characters!!!
SPICY CONTENT:
Mild in chapter 14, moderate to heavy in chapters 19, 23 and 32. Well written and again I am enjoying the incompatibility trope!! Makes the angst next level!
Happy Reading! ♥☻
August 4, 2025
Pros:
-Magic
-Magical tortoise
-Dragons
-Besties
Cons:
-Repetitive phrases and overly-descriptive sentences (so much cheek scratching…)
-So many commas
-Random cursing (trust me, I curse like a sailor but these were just kind of thrown in for shock factor)
-Awkward spice
-Everyone muttering
My biggest issue was the romance. The FMC and MMC had literally not said more than 10 words to each other and were kissing and in love. We learn next to nothing of the MMCs personality or nature, but our FMC is in love with him. I definitely wasn’t feeling the relationship.
I was interested in the magic system but needed more background info. It’s illegal for people to possess magic, but it seemed like there was a lot of magic floating around with no source. The end was pretty exciting, and no huge cliffy so that’s a plus!
All in all, I did like the idea behind this book, it just needs some heavy editing and rephrasing, and maybe some embellishing.
-Magic
-Magical tortoise
-Dragons
-Besties
Cons:
-Repetitive phrases and overly-descriptive sentences (so much cheek scratching…)
-So many commas
-Random cursing (trust me, I curse like a sailor but these were just kind of thrown in for shock factor)
-Awkward spice
-Everyone muttering
My biggest issue was the romance. The FMC and MMC had literally not said more than 10 words to each other and were kissing and in love. We learn next to nothing of the MMCs personality or nature, but our FMC is in love with him. I definitely wasn’t feeling the relationship.
I was interested in the magic system but needed more background info. It’s illegal for people to possess magic, but it seemed like there was a lot of magic floating around with no source. The end was pretty exciting, and no huge cliffy so that’s a plus!
All in all, I did like the idea behind this book, it just needs some heavy editing and rephrasing, and maybe some embellishing.
August 8, 2025
The Prince of Blaze and Embers by Zander Wolfe has an intriguing premise—Ash Mist discovers she is more than an unknown slave. There is power within her and the evil Blaze Queen will stop at nothing to get it.
I love a good dragon fantasy, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark. The fast pace kept me reading, but it came at the expense of character depth and world building. Beyond the FMC Ash, characters felt underdeveloped, and while she has a physical chemistry with the MMC Cade, they didn't connect emotionally.
This was noted on NetGalley but there were some number of editing issues with the ARC, including repeated sentences and switching between first and third person, which did make it difficult to read at times.
An interesting story and concept but I think it needed to be fleshed out more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crimson Cro publishing and Zander Wolfe for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.
Expected release date is 15 August 2025.
I love a good dragon fantasy, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark. The fast pace kept me reading, but it came at the expense of character depth and world building. Beyond the FMC Ash, characters felt underdeveloped, and while she has a physical chemistry with the MMC Cade, they didn't connect emotionally.
This was noted on NetGalley but there were some number of editing issues with the ARC, including repeated sentences and switching between first and third person, which did make it difficult to read at times.
An interesting story and concept but I think it needed to be fleshed out more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crimson Cro publishing and Zander Wolfe for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.
Expected release date is 15 August 2025.
August 9, 2025
I was drawn to this book due to the blurb and cover. I was immediately interested when it jumped right in to action especially with the warring dragons and dragon riders. Ash Mist who is a slave in the beginning discovers that she has power that the Blaze Queen will stop at nothing to possess.
I felt as though there was no true connection between the MMC and FMC. It was a hard pace to follow when nothing was truly developed. At times the writing seemed robotic or AI produced. Maybe with some edits and fleshing out some of the world this could turn into an great story. The premise is so good but it just needs more, I just feel as though so much is missing.
An interesting story and concept but I think it needed to be fleshed out more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crimson Cro publishing and Zander Wolfe for the advanced copy, all of my opinions are my own.
I felt as though there was no true connection between the MMC and FMC. It was a hard pace to follow when nothing was truly developed. At times the writing seemed robotic or AI produced. Maybe with some edits and fleshing out some of the world this could turn into an great story. The premise is so good but it just needs more, I just feel as though so much is missing.
An interesting story and concept but I think it needed to be fleshed out more.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crimson Cro publishing and Zander Wolfe for the advanced copy, all of my opinions are my own.
March 27, 2026
has potential!
This book has so much potential and I love the story, however the monologue needs to be more detailed and scenes jump too quickly missing for the opportunity of depth
This book has so much potential and I love the story, however the monologue needs to be more detailed and scenes jump too quickly missing for the opportunity of depth
November 2, 2025
This was not for me. By the 40% mark, I do not think the mmc has said more than 5 sentences to the fmc, but the fmc has fallen for the mmc. its just not my cup of tea
December 27, 2025
The writing in this was absolutely atrocious. The FMC was annoying and her inner monologue made me wish I had never learned to read. By far one of the worst books I’ve read this entire year.
January 4, 2026
loved the start of this book, but then it felt very superficial and quite rushed. characters romance developed way to quickly without any real depth
February 16, 2026
pretty bad plot and even worse writing
Hard to read. Writing felt like a high schooler wrote it. Plot could have been great but writing was pretty awful.
Hard to read. Writing felt like a high schooler wrote it. Plot could have been great but writing was pretty awful.
February 25, 2026
DNF. Not enough plot.
August 13, 2025
I received an ARC of Prince of Blaze and Embers and this my honest review.
(There's some light spoilers in here but nothing outright)
For the first of it's series, I found it captivating. Zander puts us right in the action as soon as it begins. I'm a simple person, I love dragons, star-crossed lovers, action, elementals (supernatural?), world building, spice, so I was hooked. The series has a lot of potential and I'm eager to read more.
Some parts did seem a bit rushed, such as the FMC and the MMC's relationship (or maybe I've just been so desensitized to the slowest of burns). Though, her lack of companionship (besides Bella) makes sense why she fell for him so quickly (at her age). The world building was captivating, the sounds of faewood, appearance, the dragons, armors, the coast, the stark differences between the lands and the elements. Ash went from an entire life of slavery to, a lowkey badass pretty quickly. (but I pinned that more on her magic guiding her than her .. alarmingly quick glow up.(teehee, a pun) I'm still very curious about the other lands and what they have to offer. The queen seemed virtually high on so much corrupt power it gave me an unhinged villain vibe, but when we finally see her the battle result was understandable, but it was fast.
I'm curious if something more with Hunter and Bella will develop, but besides being Cade's right hand man, Hunter didn't receive much attention. What kind of character is he? Does he also have some sort of hidden talent? I would have loved to have a Cade chapter (or Hunter?), or at least to get more of an insight on how Cade/ they are feeling about everything, or everyone for that matter. Especially when (dangerous) situations happened, or Cades feelings for her. It happened fast, and part of me was worried it was all an act and I was going to suffer a bomb of emotions by the end.
(Also Cornelius is hilarious and I want a pocket invisible tortoise giving me wise advice, if he becomes bad, I'm stealing him.)
All in all, I enjoyed the book. It has potential, it definitely could have been longer and giving us a bit more insight on Ash's pitiful life before or during her time at the Forge, their relationship conspiring, Cade's fierce need to protect her (besides just having magic) I'm eager to see what the next book has in store for us, especially with some unexpected alliances.
(There's some light spoilers in here but nothing outright)
For the first of it's series, I found it captivating. Zander puts us right in the action as soon as it begins. I'm a simple person, I love dragons, star-crossed lovers, action, elementals (supernatural?), world building, spice, so I was hooked. The series has a lot of potential and I'm eager to read more.
Some parts did seem a bit rushed, such as the FMC and the MMC's relationship (or maybe I've just been so desensitized to the slowest of burns). Though, her lack of companionship (besides Bella) makes sense why she fell for him so quickly (at her age). The world building was captivating, the sounds of faewood, appearance, the dragons, armors, the coast, the stark differences between the lands and the elements. Ash went from an entire life of slavery to, a lowkey badass pretty quickly. (but I pinned that more on her magic guiding her than her .. alarmingly quick glow up.(teehee, a pun) I'm still very curious about the other lands and what they have to offer. The queen seemed virtually high on so much corrupt power it gave me an unhinged villain vibe, but when we finally see her the battle result was understandable, but it was fast.
I'm curious if something more with Hunter and Bella will develop, but besides being Cade's right hand man, Hunter didn't receive much attention. What kind of character is he? Does he also have some sort of hidden talent? I would have loved to have a Cade chapter (or Hunter?), or at least to get more of an insight on how Cade/ they are feeling about everything, or everyone for that matter. Especially when (dangerous) situations happened, or Cades feelings for her. It happened fast, and part of me was worried it was all an act and I was going to suffer a bomb of emotions by the end.
(Also Cornelius is hilarious and I want a pocket invisible tortoise giving me wise advice, if he becomes bad, I'm stealing him.)
All in all, I enjoyed the book. It has potential, it definitely could have been longer and giving us a bit more insight on Ash's pitiful life before or during her time at the Forge, their relationship conspiring, Cade's fierce need to protect her (besides just having magic) I'm eager to see what the next book has in store for us, especially with some unexpected alliances.
May 15, 2026
I was super hopeful for this book, and the beginning pulled me in but that’s where it all went downhill. I had to increase the speed to 2.1 then to 2.5 just to make myself finish it. (I know I could dnr because life is short, but I had already given my time, and I didn't want it to be wasted for my book count.)
The connection between the two mc's was instant, but the maturity was lacking so hard for this kind of story. Rosa talked like she was from the Southern states when no one else did and she lives by herself in the fae woods and that's about all you ever really get to learn about her. If I had to hear “I’m just a slave girl…You are not just a slave girl”, one more time I might have perished. The girls talked to each other sound like middle schoolers and right away Ash wants to jump his bones. This is literally immediately after he bought her and she has previously been sold off for nights with men multiple times and never enjoyed it and yet she suddenly aches so bad to have this giant member in her? Then it actually causes physical pain to be together, but they keep going back to try.
Then every other word it felt like she was “glaring” at something, but she was just looking or gazing. It had good promise, but I will not be continuing. You got all these characters but like very little backstory to make them feel relevant. The dragons felt like an afterthought most of the time. (I will give it that book two might be different on that point). It was mentioned how hard it would be to convince Cade to turn against his previous loyalty and yet it was all of a sudden and she didn't have to convince him at all. When they do fight she suddenly is the one calling the battle shots when you have a duo of hardened soldiers?
This girl has a magic tortoise attached to her, a dragon, some magic named Eden, her magic is water magic and the mmc has fire along with her being the "gilded radiance". It was all waay too much with no build up but things just piled on top of each other saying oooh look at me. And then there are these magic men right when they need it most and the rebellion.
I did like Cornelius the tortoise.
The connection between the two mc's was instant, but the maturity was lacking so hard for this kind of story. Rosa talked like she was from the Southern states when no one else did and she lives by herself in the fae woods and that's about all you ever really get to learn about her. If I had to hear “I’m just a slave girl…You are not just a slave girl”, one more time I might have perished. The girls talked to each other sound like middle schoolers and right away Ash wants to jump his bones. This is literally immediately after he bought her and she has previously been sold off for nights with men multiple times and never enjoyed it and yet she suddenly aches so bad to have this giant member in her? Then it actually causes physical pain to be together, but they keep going back to try.
Then every other word it felt like she was “glaring” at something, but she was just looking or gazing. It had good promise, but I will not be continuing. You got all these characters but like very little backstory to make them feel relevant. The dragons felt like an afterthought most of the time. (I will give it that book two might be different on that point). It was mentioned how hard it would be to convince Cade to turn against his previous loyalty and yet it was all of a sudden and she didn't have to convince him at all. When they do fight she suddenly is the one calling the battle shots when you have a duo of hardened soldiers?
This girl has a magic tortoise attached to her, a dragon, some magic named Eden, her magic is water magic and the mmc has fire along with her being the "gilded radiance". It was all waay too much with no build up but things just piled on top of each other saying oooh look at me. And then there are these magic men right when they need it most and the rebellion.
I did like Cornelius the tortoise.
August 11, 2025
I'm not sure if this author has another pen name that she's published under, but to me, this feels like a debut novel. As a writer myself hoping to publish someday, I feel awful for not leaving a more positive review.
Firstly, I want to say that if this is the Authors first book, congrats! She should be proud to have this accomplishment even if I personally don't care for the book. A writiers story belongs to them first, and she did what many of us dream to do and immortalize and share it. (I dont know why im writing this like they might actually see my review, its probably my guilt, tbh 😭)
Now, because I always give an honest review:
You will like this book if you enjoy:
Fast Paced Spice
Insta Attraction
Low Angst romance
He Falls First
Hidden Powers
Firstly, fantasy romance is tricky, and the author has a really fun story idea that's Starwars / Avatar tla coded but set in a fantasy world. I really wish we'd gotten to see and learn more about it. Some more beautiful descriptions and alternate settings and creature information would have been awesome. I'm still not really sure what the dragons look like or how they behave.
This book has some of my favorite tropes, Hidden Powers, Dragon Prince, Escape from Slavery, "I've been looking for you." It's also spicy.
This book also seems to fall in the category that I like to call "Fluffy Dark Romance," where the story is darkish, but the romance itself isn't really. Personally, I like my dark romance pitch black and my books super wordy. This book does have a back story, but really, it's a canvas for the MMC and FMC's romance, which is also fine if that's what you like to read.
The best character is Cornelius. Zander Wolfe mastered this side character, and he was giving Yoda/ Master Shifu vibes and genuinely made me laugh and smile. The beginning with the MMc and FMC was my favorite. When the prince walks in to get her as a slave, it is giving heated "Reylo vibes." (That scene where Kylo carries Rey off from the forest after searching for her *swoon*) But the mutual insta attraction isn't my cup of tea. Actually, I dont mind insta attraction sometimes, but when it's been drawn out more.
I personally wanted to stop reading after page 237. But I always feel bad not finishing an ARC read, especially if I've been asked to give a review. But I can confidently say if you're not having fun. By the halfway mark, this will be a DNF for you. I'll probably read book 2 when it comes out because I'm curious enough.
Firstly, I want to say that if this is the Authors first book, congrats! She should be proud to have this accomplishment even if I personally don't care for the book. A writiers story belongs to them first, and she did what many of us dream to do and immortalize and share it. (I dont know why im writing this like they might actually see my review, its probably my guilt, tbh 😭)
Now, because I always give an honest review:
You will like this book if you enjoy:
Fast Paced Spice
Insta Attraction
Low Angst romance
He Falls First
Hidden Powers
Firstly, fantasy romance is tricky, and the author has a really fun story idea that's Starwars / Avatar tla coded but set in a fantasy world. I really wish we'd gotten to see and learn more about it. Some more beautiful descriptions and alternate settings and creature information would have been awesome. I'm still not really sure what the dragons look like or how they behave.
This book has some of my favorite tropes, Hidden Powers, Dragon Prince, Escape from Slavery, "I've been looking for you." It's also spicy.
This book also seems to fall in the category that I like to call "Fluffy Dark Romance," where the story is darkish, but the romance itself isn't really. Personally, I like my dark romance pitch black and my books super wordy. This book does have a back story, but really, it's a canvas for the MMC and FMC's romance, which is also fine if that's what you like to read.
The best character is Cornelius. Zander Wolfe mastered this side character, and he was giving Yoda/ Master Shifu vibes and genuinely made me laugh and smile. The beginning with the MMc and FMC was my favorite. When the prince walks in to get her as a slave, it is giving heated "Reylo vibes." (That scene where Kylo carries Rey off from the forest after searching for her *swoon*) But the mutual insta attraction isn't my cup of tea. Actually, I dont mind insta attraction sometimes, but when it's been drawn out more.
I personally wanted to stop reading after page 237. But I always feel bad not finishing an ARC read, especially if I've been asked to give a review. But I can confidently say if you're not having fun. By the halfway mark, this will be a DNF for you. I'll probably read book 2 when it comes out because I'm curious enough.
July 31, 2025
I enjoyed reading this book and would give it 3.5 stars (4 rounded up).
The Prince of Blaze and Embers is the story of Ash, a slave female, who discovers she has magic when she’s stuck in the onslaught of fire from the Blaze Prince’s dragon amidst a battle raging over the beach.
Ash is a strong FMC, she’s plagued by self doubt at the start of the book, though she does have a fiery stubborn streak, but as she learns how to use her magic with the help of a magical tortoise, she becomes more sure of herself and that she wants to stand up for the people and make sure no one else is ever made a slave.
Cade is the Blaze Prince. He’s brooding, grumpy, smouldering and powerful. There’s an immediate attraction between Cade and Ash, and Ash spends a lot of time fantasising about the handsome prince. The romance gets spicy about 40% of the way into the book and is based on a kind of opposites attract, forbidden love between a Prince and a slave. I wouldn’t call it instalove because there is yearning, however when they act upon this mutual attraction, things progress quickly which I quite enjoyed.
This book has some decent world building and the character development for Ash is good. I did find that sometimes the same idea would be repeated a few times in varying ways and I think if the draft was refined a bit further then some ideas could be explored with a bit more depth rather than the same phrases being repeated.
You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🐉 Dragons
🔥 Fire daddy
🥰 Found family
🪄 Interesting magic
🖤 Forbidden love
😡 Feminine rage
📜 Prophecy
Thank you to the author for a cope of the eARC and this is my honest review
The Prince of Blaze and Embers is the story of Ash, a slave female, who discovers she has magic when she’s stuck in the onslaught of fire from the Blaze Prince’s dragon amidst a battle raging over the beach.
Ash is a strong FMC, she’s plagued by self doubt at the start of the book, though she does have a fiery stubborn streak, but as she learns how to use her magic with the help of a magical tortoise, she becomes more sure of herself and that she wants to stand up for the people and make sure no one else is ever made a slave.
Cade is the Blaze Prince. He’s brooding, grumpy, smouldering and powerful. There’s an immediate attraction between Cade and Ash, and Ash spends a lot of time fantasising about the handsome prince. The romance gets spicy about 40% of the way into the book and is based on a kind of opposites attract, forbidden love between a Prince and a slave. I wouldn’t call it instalove because there is yearning, however when they act upon this mutual attraction, things progress quickly which I quite enjoyed.
This book has some decent world building and the character development for Ash is good. I did find that sometimes the same idea would be repeated a few times in varying ways and I think if the draft was refined a bit further then some ideas could be explored with a bit more depth rather than the same phrases being repeated.
You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
🐉 Dragons
🔥 Fire daddy
🥰 Found family
🪄 Interesting magic
🖤 Forbidden love
😡 Feminine rage
📜 Prophecy
Thank you to the author for a cope of the eARC and this is my honest review
August 12, 2025
This book definitely has some good bones and a decent plot line. I love dragons and I love a strong FMC. This book started off right off the bat as something that was going to be action packed but I think it ended up being lacking in world building and tension as a result. It was almost instalove between the FMC and MMC even though they said like two sentences between each other. Cade, the MMC also said that he was looking for our FMC Ash for such a long time but didn’t really go into the details. I also have no idea what Ash looks like…. Also, I feel like her character didn’t develop much considering her backstory. So much could have been done with that- the struggle and the self-discovery was a bit lacking. She was too busy pining for a guy who didn’t talk to her. I also needed more from Hunter!! That was a missed opportunity. He could have been amazing lead support character but he wasn’t. Cornelius was kind of a weird element to the story. While I appreciate his contribution it seemed a bit forced. I needed more banter, more angst, more tension, more world building. It was also a little bit repetitive in the dialogue to the point where I went back and forth between pages thinking I was re-reading the same passage. My final little gripe is about errax and her introduction into the story. That could have been done differently too. Also the male member? Too big lol. Needs to be realistic unless Ash has the hands of an infant. Overall- good bones. Good story. Just needs some polish. Also- throw in a dual POV! I love a dual POV! Even if it’s one chapter. I love them.
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