When We Danced With Fire

by Daniela Frendo

Deborah has many talents. She can dance, name all the grapes in a glass of wine, and control fire with a flick of her hand. The only thing she can’t do is decode the book that killed her parents.

Until she meets Marek, a historian obsessed with all things dark and secret. With his help, she begins to unravel the mystery about her parents: who they really were, and what they died for. But the chemistry between them threatens Deborah's friendship with Irena Suková – the enigmatic writer who has given her refuge in a lush Prague villa.

In her search for answers, Deborah becomes entangled in a dangerous feud where the lines between love and betrayal, justice and revenge, blur into a twisted tango.

And when she learns that her parents sacrificed everything to uncover the truth, she realises that there are greater dangers at hand: she must protect herself from the same forces that destroyed her family.

Genres: Fantasy

327 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2025

About the author

Daniela Frendo is a writer from Malta. She has a master's degree in social anthropology and an ever-growing collection of cacti.

Reviews

[Veer.leest · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐
When we danced with fire starts off with Deborah getting her story condemned by all her fellow students except for one: Dr. Irene Suková. They end up in an Irish pub talking about how they got at university in the first place. Turns out Deb ran away from her ex who was the head of the Malta's far right party and he was also the PM of Malta. (At this point I was like OMG WHAT or maybe I just misunderstood since English is my second language 🤭🫣).

They are both single and Irene invites her to a festival called the Beltane Fire Festival, hence the title. This enlightens a spark in her, a flame. It is only being fueled more when she discovers a rare book during her time as an employee at a bookstore. "It seems that the book is just another part of the great mystery that was my parents' lives. Or it's the key to solving the mystery?" Meanwhile Irene has gone to Prague and keeps inviting Deb to go there as well, but she likes Edinburgh too much although for me it feels like she is lonely and needs to stay there to be safe for the Maltan government...
Deb decides to go to Prague to write her book and she also meets this lovely guy Jan. They hook up at one of Irene's get-togethers at her enormous garden. But Irene also expresses she is interested in her...
Will she ever finish her story? Will she end up with someone who loves her? Or will the Maltese government find her?

Go read this wonderfully written novel by @danielafreddo 🩷🔥

Since I've been to Prague, I recognized a lot of placed and LOVED the fact that even the alchemist museum was included! Yay for the witches haha and I also loved the historical aspects of this story with a splash of magic 🔥✨

[Jenna Devroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed learning about Deborah and her family lineage and her quest to learn of what really happens to her parents. A lot of questions were answered, but I have so many more.

I honestly can’t wait for the next book and all the mysteries.

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

[C.C. Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this novel. I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I had to purchase a physical copy.
From the very first chapter, I was completely emotionally engaged. The story had me hooked, and by the time I reached chapter six, I genuinely couldn’t put it down. The plot is both compelling and well paced, filled with tension, betrayal, and a twist that had me shook.
The characters are wonderfully developed and believable. Deborah is incredibly relatable, and Marek stands out as one of my favourite characters. Without spoilers, I’ll admit, I was initially a bit disappointed in how a relationship with one particular character played out, I found the character to be flat and one-dimensional until I realised that was exactly the author’s intention. It was such a clever, realistic choice that not only deepened the emotional impact, but added further dimension to the more significant relationships within the story.
The writing style and point of view enhance the entire reading experience. The author’s prose is vivid and descriptive, making every setting come alive on the page. The atmosphere perfectly suits the tone of the story, immersing me completely in its world.
Beyond the plot and characters, the novel’s themes resonated with me, exploring trust, self-discovery, and the complexity of human relationships.
The dialogue feels natural and authentic, and the book offers a refreshing originality, a familiar genre with a fresh perspective. The ending is satisfying and beautifully executed, tying everything together in a way that feels both inevitable and surprising.

[Douglas Matheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was asked to read this book and to leave an honest review. This is not the genre of book that I usually read, so I began it with no small measure of scepticism. I am more of a Jordan, Feist, Sanderson reader - high fantasy is my comfort zone, the only time I venture out of it is probably for my history books.

But, that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The character of Deborah appeals to me as she is a flawed human being who is learning that the life she thought she had was not what it seemed. She is battling against the weight of a discovery which turns her whole world upside. On a personal level, as her journey goes through Prague, Malta and Edinburgh, I am able to connect with the locations and clearly visualise Deborah trying to make meaning. Even if I didn't know the locations, Frendo describes them in a way that I feel like I'm there.

The story moves at a good pace, with a gentle build up to a fast moving climax and I finished the book wanting to learn more about what happens next.

I hope Frendo continues with this story as I am pretty invested - even though I do not believe I have ever read a book in this genre before in my life.

[Emma Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

When We Danced With Fire is an emotionally engaging and refreshingly unpredictable journey through Deborah’s time in Prague, where the connections she forges aren’t quite what they seem. Each revelation pulls the reader deeper into a world of conspiracy and corruption that stretches the limits of reality, and we experience every twist right alongside her.

Daniela’s vivid portrayal of Prague (along with Malta and Edinburgh) truly sets this novel apart. Her writing is immersive without ever feeling heavy-handed, and her character work is just as strong. Irena, in particular, was a standout for me.

The story moves at a steady, compelling pace and delivers twist after twist, each one raising the stakes until it all comes together in an explosive finale. The romantic elements feel honest and organic, never rushed or contrived.

Overall, this is an outstanding debut, and the ending has absolutely left me eager for book two!

[Bookish_Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story took a little for me to get into, but once the development got further and more was explained the author did a great job with the connections and the mystery that was the death of Debbie’s parents. There were various characters that played important roles on her journey while also providing such amazing history development.

[WV Belle Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

When We Danced with Fire was a slow burn but well worth the read. I received this as an ARC and went it blind. While not my typical read I enjoyed it immensely. Will definitely read more from Daniele Ferndo. Add this book to your TBR if you like magical, thrillers that entrap you within their pages!

[My bookworld by Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘢 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.

The story is about Deborah a young woman who lost her parents at a young age. Her parents die in a car accident, but is it really an accident? After living with her grandparents in Malta for a while she decides to make a fresh start in Edinburgh.
During her master's degree at Edinburgh University she meets Dr. Irena Suková.

During her job at a secondhand bookshop she recognized a book between a pile of books for auction. Does this book have the answers she has been searching for so long about her deceased parents? She decides to take a huge risk and steals the book and go to Irena in Prague. Will she discover the truth?

▪︎ Mystery
▪︎ Slow burn
▪︎ A touch of magic
▪︎ Passionate tango
▪︎ Betrayal

The prologue invites to keep reading. After this it takes me a little more effort to stay in the story. This is not my typical read so mayby it has to do with that. I did enjoy this read especially the vivid description of Prague. We went to Prague last fall and the book brought it back to life for me. The book gets you thinking. You get little pieces of the puzzle each time. The dancing in the book is described very beautifully, colorfully and with passion. For me this really brought across the feeling I was able to experience myself during dancing Bachata. The spice scenes, on the other hand were an anticlimax after all the passion while dancing. Mayby I am spoiled because of my normal reads in that department. The books ending leaves me with a lot of questions. So hopefully we get a sequel soon.

[Juliette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not my usual setting, which might be what made it a little hard for me to get into at first. I was not used to the quickly changing scenery (at the first 25% of the story), nor the european setting. As we went from Malta to Edinburgh to the Czech republic, I found it very easy to settle in those places. They were written very authentically and the Czech Republic specifally, feels like I could walk the city tomorrow and find my way, without dragging everything out.
The changing scenery however, uneased me and made it difficult for me to bind myself to the story at first. I truly couldn't tell where the story was going and every time I got used to a certain plotpoint, it changed again. Clearly, it didn't stop me from finishing the book, though and I'm glad I did.
The pacing is very nice and honestly, thats like half the work for me. It has a natural flow and doesn't linger longer than necessairy, without it feeling rushed. It has a certain melancholy, without being too heavy. The plot itself is very broad, which is probably why the start of the book felt very chaotic to me, but it all made sense in the end (while DEFINITELY keeping the suspense and mystery).
The romance was nice, but in my opinion it's more the vibe of the book that I'd recommend.
I look forward to reading the next one, as I'm sure we're in for even more love, suspense and mystery.

[Tammy-Rose Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks you @booksirens for the e arc for an honest review.

That was so blooming intriguing, gripping and had my heart on the edge. I didn't know there was going to be that kind of betrayal. I mean wow. I'm actually trying to process what the hell just happened and what was that cliff hanger. You seriously can leave my heart jumping like that. I need the 2nd book now.

I also loved her bond and relationships with her grandparents.

Deborah wants to find out what really happend to her parents tragic death 💀 was it really all it seems and she wants to be a writer. So she was in Edinburgh but her friend Irena said to her to go and stay with her in Prague and then that's when the trouble begins not going to into what happens. Read and find out but I honestly was shocked. The darn twist I never saw coming and I do love Marek 😭.

When you dance the tango, together sparks will fly. That is a very intimate and heated dance 🩰.

Mystery
Slow burn to 🔥🔥
A touch of magic
Passionate tango
Betrayal of the worst case

If you like mysteries with European settings, Gothic vibes, romantic suspense, this is for you .

[Shree G · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up this ARC on BookSprout, I knew there was an element of magic realism. It is a genre I've generally avoided reading after the entire Harry Potter series, eons ago, in my youth. I wouldn't go so far as to call this a YA adult novel, but I guess it can be, what with the newer generations being avid readers, which is a good thing.

Back in my day, libraries were the only places I could afford to access books, because there was no Star TV or cable in India until 1994. Glad to see that, despite so many technological distractions (read PlayStation on the list too), young adults today are as voracious readers as we were back in our younger days.

Back to the book! I love Daniela's writing style and her word choice. She's a super erudite writer and has a lovely way of describing things, almost like Ernest Hemingway. Huge praise indeed! She uses her mastery of the language to beautifully weave her book with some pearls of linguistic artistry.

The mystery takes the reader far into the echelons beyond the boundaries of reality and the unknown, and those who love themes of fantasy and wizardry at a leisurely, unhurried pace, this novel is a must-read.

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ Review

Overall, the story had enough intrigue to keep me reading, but there were several things that made it difficult to stay fully engaged.

There’s a fast-moving relationship early on that just isn’t my preference. While it’s later balanced by a slower-burn romance that I enjoyed more, the initial hot-and-heavy storyline wasn’t my favorite.

There are also a lot of dancing passages, which tended to pull me out of the story. That said, I think readers who understand and appreciate dance will find those sections beautifully written and immersive.

The secret society element and the main character’s powers held my interest throughout, though the ending felt a bit anticlimactic.

Full disclosure, this isn’t my usual genre, and that likely shaped my perspective. Still, I truly believe this book will be a 5⭐️ read for the right audience.

Thank you to the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Kirsty Southwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good four star read for me. The writing style beautifully captures the streets of Prague and transports you there. The sights smells and sounds are vivid. The characters are well rounded. I found the story,one a little slow to start but once it got going it was fast paced and thrilling. The twists and turns had me wanting to finish this quickly. My only critique I wanted more of the fire. The dancing again was cleverly written, detailing the steps and music and drawing you in. I just wanted more fire!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looooooved this book. Excited to see where the series goes. It's like Da Vinci Code but with love and romance mixed in.