The kingdom is crumbling. The docks have been left to rot. And something lurks in the shadows.In a kingdom plagued by poverty and violence, Talwyn remains two things: a fearless bounty hunter and a drunk. Only those closest to her know she harbors a secret that kings would go to war over. Talwyn is a Fury—a wielder of a rare and powerful fire magic.
On the night Talwyn exacts a long-awaited revenge, she becomes the center of a deadly manhunt. While she and her friends race to apprehend her enemies, Talwyn catches the eye of a handsome noble who can’t seem to stay away.
With danger around every corner, Talwyn’s fight for peace becomes a battle between the world she lives in and the life she once knew.
The Fury She Holds hit with a raw, intensity that hit pretty hard! From the start, the book settles into a steady rhythm where internal conflict and external danger feed into each other in a way that works.
Talwyn is the clear heart of the story. As a bounty hunter with a secret powerful enough to get her killed, she’s sharp, guarded, and carved by what she’s survived. Her anger feels less like an outburst and more like a force she’s having to manage, and I liked how that influenced her choices without defining her entirely. Talwyn’s story isn’t loud or flashy, but it carries real emotional weight, driven more by what she’s holding inside than by constant action or big twists. Watching her struggle with trust, loyalty, and vulnerability while still holding onto her sense of self made her easy to stay invested in.
The pacing is steady, giving emotional moments time to land without feeling dragged out. There are points where the story slows as it stays close to Talwyn’s thoughts, but that felt purposeful and helped strengthen the emotional moments rather than hurt them.
The worldbuilding supports the story well. Vingaurd, with its sense of decay and quiet danger, feels gritty and lived in, and the magic tied to Talwyn’s identity as a Fury is woven in naturally. Nothing feels overexplained, and the world consistently reinforces the stakes and tone of the story.
By the end, I was impressed with how fully realized Talwyn felt and how thoughtfully the book explored the cost of power, trust, and identity. The Fury She Holds is emotionally grounded, character driven, and quietly fierce. At 4.75 stars, this was a standout read for me and one that definitely made me want to read more.
I had the privilege of being an ARC reviewer for Milli C. Viera’s The Fury She Holds, and the book was nothing short of amazing. Fantasy is usually a tough genre for me (I’m a bit of a snob), but slipping into Milli’s world was effortless and by the end of the first chapter I was fully engaged in the story. Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge fan of sharp dialogue and good banter, and this book delivers. I laughed out loud throughout, and when the drama hit and the jokes stopped, I found myself completely invested. Milli has a rare talent for making you laugh one minute and then surprising you with emotional depth the next.
Most fantasy books often feel dense or overwhelming, but The Fury She Holds is the exception. Milli introduces her world organically so that it never feels like a heavy lore dump. Each piece of worldbuilding fits neatly into the story and doesn’t take away from the pacing of the plot. The cast is fantastic, and while I had a few favorite side characters (Waylon), Talwyn stole the spotlight every time.
With Talwyn, Milli has created a wonderfully stubborn and cranky FMC who is determined to do the right thing even when everything in her world is working against her. What I loved most about her were her flaws. She is not perfect and she never pretends to be. When she makes mistakes, she owns them. When she faces setbacks, she does not wallow or seek comfort. She keeps moving forward, even when the cost is high.
As someone who regularly plays fantasy TTRPGs, the entire book felt like an unhinged campaign where anything might happen. If you enjoy D&D, Critical Role, or Dimension 20, you will have a great time with this story. Even though Milli has never played D&D, she captured the experience perfectly.
I cannot recommend this book enough, and I am already excited to add the special edition I ordered to my shelf.
I was lucky enough to be an Arc reader for this book and enjoyed it thoroughly. This book had a feisty FMC who can take care of her self and has a power hidden deep within that she is learning to control.
Her Fury feeds this power and she has a lot to be Angry about. She has a close knit group of found Family and closes herself off to love and connection from any outside sources. Until a stranger comes around and their banter/flirting and support of each-other is but one of the big things I enjoyed about this book.
If you like Fantasy books that build a world but doesn’t take the first ten chapters to do so this book is for you. If you like an FMC that has flaws but is strong, smart, and vengeful this book is for you. If you like your romance to be a slow burn with great payoff and banter this book is for you.
I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read this book and I rate it 4.5 stars.
If you love romantasy this book is for you. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I loved it. I loved the plot and the storyline. The character dynamics were on fire and the pacing was just right. The Fury She Holds leads us on a whirlwind adventure of friendship, romance, excitement and heartache.
Absolutely beautiful book, wishing I could read the sequel already!! The word building and the assemble characters were so enticing, and the golden retriever MMC in a Romantasy was amazingly refreshing. Definitely recommend!
I blitzed through this book in two days, staying up to the early hours to finish it because I just couldn’t get enough.
The Fury She Holds is an exceptional debut book which immerses you into the world of Tal and her gang from the very first page. The characters are well fleshed out, the world is intriguing and the dialogue is some of the best I’ve read this year. There were multiple moments where I laughed out loud.
There were also multiple moments where I cried. The Fury She Holds leads us on a whirlwind adventure of friendship, romance, excitement and heartache.
This book should 100% be on your tbr for 2026, and I will be recommending it to everyone I talk to. However, I would especially recommend it to you if you are a lover of:
- Golden retriever FMCs - Grumpy/ sunshine - Strong female leads - Fierce friendships - Witty banter - Six of Crows
The fury she holds follow Tal and her mates along the docks. The docks have become corrupted after the king's family was killed in a fire and a new line took over, allowing the corruption of the court and council to thrive, and the docks to be overlooked and left to be run by underworld beings. Traffickers, mages and the like. Tal and her friends have joined together to fight the evil powers controlling the docks and to force the rulers to take control of the docks back. But Tal and a couple of her friends wield elemental magic. Tal not yet being in control of her power as a fire fury yet, and battling using daggers. When Tal's rescue of a little girl evil mages is disrupted by a handsome and charming masked male, Tal is frustrated that she can no longer keep focused on what she is working to achieve, and gets caught up in the mystery of who he is and what his part in the evil happenings are. Not to mention she is being hunted by these mages for the fire fury power she possesses, but she'll be damned if she's going to let anyone get their hands on her. For any reason. Plus she's a drunk... So there's that.
I really enjoyed this story. I found it a little much in the first 50 pages where it felt like we were getting a massive amount of back story and information. It was pretty hard going. But once the story settled into its plot line I absolutely loved it.
It was gritty. Well written. I think timely, given events in the world... And just a really good time.
There wasn't that much spice in this story. It was incredibly suggestive, however the spice was VERY much written in a beautiful way describing a deep love, rather than lustful hard out banging. I found it respectful and tasteful and demonstrative of the deep connection Milli was giving to her lead couple.
I have to say Carrick is such the best best friend. He clearly loves Tal. And I was so surprised he didn't show jealousy or anything. possibly a missed opportunity? Possibly coming in later books? Dunno. But I do love that he was just SO GOOD to Tal.
Tal is a bit of a bitch. But it makes sense that she would behave in the ways she does given her elemental power and it coming from rage. But SO often it was just like come off it girl. Get over yourself and get on with it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ARC Review: The Fury She Holds by Milli C. Vieira
Romantasy lovers, this one’s for you. Humor, depth, tension, and characters you’ll want to protect with your life—it’s all here.
Milli’s debut absolutely delivers. The plot is tight, the pacing addictive, and the character dynamics? Chef’s kiss. I couldn’t stop reading.
🌀 Worldbuilding: I wanted more. The kingdom and surrounding realms felt intriguing but underdeveloped.
👀 Loose threads: Syb’s council room vision left me hanging. Maybe it’ll pay off in book two, but I’m still wondering. The Pyrie concept? I’m obsessed. Reincarnation? Secret lineage? Not dead? I need answers.
📚 Ending: No cliffhanger—which I actually appreciate because I’m not utterly dying in a puddle of what ifs right now, but I did kinda want a final “WOAH” moment to launch us into the next book.
💘 FMC & MMC: Tal and Faron are magic. I don’t usually fall for golden retriever MMCs, but Faron? Dimples, smirk, and that slow-burn. Mhmmm. He has shown his potential in book 1 for his eventual “touch her and die” energy? I’m sold.
🔥 Tal is stubborn, sarcastic, and growing into her power. I saw pieces of myself in her. She’s got walls to break and a destiny to claim and I’m here for it.
🎉 Milli’s writing blends action, emotion, and character development so seamlessly it feels effortless. For a debut? She crushed it.
I can totally see her building multiple series that dominate the romantasy shelves. Watch this space!
This book was epic. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this romantic fantasy. The main character, Tal, is a freaking bada** and not in an obnoxious way. She is a well rounded character with flaws in addition to her born in flaring and ever-growing power. She is an entirely relatable character with spunk and humor that will keep you smirking through endless banter. Faron is by far one of my favorite book boyfriends. I love his witty retorts and constant flattery that you can never decipher if it is flirtatious joking or genuine. The storyline was full of action and suspense. Each page turned urged you to read “just one more”. The characters are complex, with a found family feel and clear build relationships that make for realistic and relatable friendships. Something I truly admired about this fantasy specifically was how this author built the world and information delivery. She wrote with intent to avoid: lengthy definitions, overly descriptive backgrounds, and too-long explanations of rules of magic. I truly enjoyed how the author slowly revealed information through dialogue and simple yet effective internal monologue. Each description and detail was calculated and extremely well-delivered. Being that fantasy is not a common genre I enjoy, this book misses all the trademark issues I find within fantasy while still maintaining the magic that the genre offers. Highly recommend this book!
The Fury She Holds by Milli C. Vieira and a masterpiece. Her debut novel, a romantic fantasy taking place in the kingdom of Meladair, was an absolute delight to read. The author demonstrates beautiful restraint in her writing to keep the tension drum-tight, the stakes high, and the spice simmering. It's a very well-written, unencumbered fantasy book that rejects the need for massive tomes of lore and backstory. Instead, you are dropped into the lives of a rag-tag band of misfits who take odd jobs on in a kingdom that is falling apart.
The adventure follows Talwyn, primarily, who is a secret magic-user, called a Fury. She and her brigade of cronies, each with their own personalities and specialties, spend their days chasing bounties and getting paid, and their nights blowing the money on healing elixirs and booze just to do it all the next day. After a sinister blight befalls the kingdom, Tal begins to put the pieces together to a much large scheme that us afoot.
Joined by a masked swordsman who is more than happy to pal around with Tal and her gang, if for no other reason than to offer backup while she tears her enemies to shreds, the plot thickens the further they delve into the darkness surrounding the kingdom. And the further the tension between our female lead and the swordsman ratchets up.
I thoroughly enjoyed every syllable of this book and am looking so forward to continuing the journey with Tal, Faron, and all of the crew as Paths Unbound unfolds.
This was 100% one of my top two favorite reads this year. I simply could not handle how much the banter frikin bantered, and I accidentally replaced my established book boyfriend with Farron, holy crap. I am obsessed with Tal, too. The writing was beautifully done. I wasn't overwhelmed with world-building or underwhelmed by it. It was the perfect amount that kept me immersed in the world without dragging. There was not a single point where I wasn't completely enveloped in the story. I need book two immediately. I am so so so glad I picked up this book as a ARC reader. I will be signing up to ARC book two because I am so impatient.
I really honest to God could not get enough of this book. It hit all the spots. Fantasy, secret identity, twists and turns but not so many that you're overwhelmed. Every character was deep enough that you got attached to all of them and loved all of them. Except Daire. I hate Daire. I will shin kick him. and Pauchette. He's worse. If Tal hadn't gotten to him, I was gonna.
Overall, I cannot get this book out of my head. I find myself referencing it every day multiple times. My kid has now started referencing it and he's never read it. I may be obsessed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I had the wonderful honor of being an arc reader for The Fury She Holds. This book is such a beautifully written work of art! The characters are well-developed, an hi grow to love the more with each page. I loves story with found family, and the author does a wonderful job at incorporating it into her characters. You can see how much they care for one another through each of their struggles and tasks. Tal instantly become was my favorite! I love her firery spirit (pun intended 😉) but I also loved that no matter how hard things got, she still kept fighting hard to protecting those around her. Faron, 😮💨😮💨He definitely has become a top tier level book boyfriend for sure!! That man sure does have a way with words! 🫠♥️ And the BANTER!! Oh my, was the banter amazing! This story drew me in from the very beginning, and I was on the edge of my seat with each twist and turn! It’s beautiful, heartfelt and tugs at your heartstrings while also making you giggle.
If you’re looking for your next amazing Romantasy read, this is your sign to read The Fury She Holds now!!! ♥️🙌
Congratulations Milli, you did an amazing job and wrote a beautiful book! I can’t wait to read more! I’m so proud of you!
The Fury She Holds is a love letter to holding it together when everything is falling apart.
When we meet Talwyn, the bar is already on the floor, and still, she tries to crawl under it. Faced with unthinkable danger, from both herself and her city, she must dig deeper than she's ever dared to find a way forward and save the people she loves. I am a big fan of an FMC who understands the cost of what's being asked of her, and Talwyn is exactly what I need to see in a main character.
This book balances a dark plot, engaging lore, sweet connections, dangerous magic, high stakes, delicious romance, and the wittiest banter to grace the fantasy genre in a hot minute. Each character has a place in the world, with goals and hopes and flaws. Each new bit of mystery unfolds and weaves itself into the world with excellent pacing. And each time Faron opens his mouth, I want to snuggle him.
By the end, I had laughed, cried, thrown my phone (only to pick it back up immediately), and crossed my fingers for the next book in the series. I am so ready for book two, and I love this universe already.
❤️I’m Obsessed. This Book Is Going to Explode on TikTok.❤️
I don’t say this lightly, this book consumed me. You know that feeling when you start a story expecting a good time, and suddenly you’re sitting there at 3AM whispering “no way… NO WAY”? Yeah. That was me.
The writing is razor sharp, the pacing is immaculate, and the emotional punches? Unexpected. Violent. Delicious.
The characters feel so real you’ll want to shake them, hug them, scream at them, and protect them. Every single relationship is layered, messy, human, exactly how I love it.
And the plot twists? Plural. Perfectly set up, devastatingly executed. Not one wasted page.
This is the book I’ll be thinking about for weeks. I genuinely believe this is going to be the book everyone is talking about.
If you love stories that are: ✨ Expertly woven ✨ Emotionally devastating in the best way ✨ Dark, immersive, and addictive ✨ Full of characters who feel painfully real
The Fury She Holds is a richly layered romantasy. Talwyn is a fierce, flawed FMC who feels deeply human—stubborn, sarcastic, and burdened by choices that actually carry weight. Her fire magic isn’t just power for show; it’s tied closely to who she is and the consequences she’s trying to outrun.
The character dynamics are a standout. The banter is sharp and natural, the friendships feel earned, and the slow-burn grumpy-sunshine (hopefully eventually touch her and ☠️ in book two 👀) romance simmers with just the right mix of tension and restraint. Nothing feels rushed or overly convenient, which makes the emotional moments hit harder when they arrive.
The plot unfolds at a steady, confident pace, revealing twists that reward attention without relying on shock value. By the end, I was left with lingering questions, emotional investment, and a strong desire to continue the series.
A compelling debut with heart, heat, and depth—perfect for readers who love strong heroines, found-family vibes, and romantasy that prioritizes character as much as magic.
The Fury She Holds completely caught me off guard in the best way. The plot twists just kept coming. Every time I thought I had a handle on what was happening, another reveal dropped and blew my mind. There were a couple twists I anticipated, but it felt more like a reward for paying close attention to the details than predictability. This book really invites you to notice things, which was such a breath of fresh air as a reader.
The chemistry and banter between the main characters was electric. Sharp, natural, and full of tension. I ate it up.
The elemental magic was another standout. While the foundation felt familiar, Milli’s unique touches made it feel fresh and distinct. It never felt recycled or overdone, which is hard to pull off, and instead felt unique to this story.
Vieira’s writing is beautifully descriptive and immersive, and I genuinely did not want this read to end. I am very much looking forward to whatever she writes next. Thank you for the advanced reader copy! :)
The FMC is pure fire! Granted that her element is fire, but she her journey is intense. This amazing story has intense world-building, constant twist and turns, chaos at pretty much every turn. The FMC is basically a hot mess and you can’t stop from rooting for her. For me the love story is a slow build but appropriate based on the storyline. This story is centered around the FMC, but I truly love the found family she manages to find. This storyline did give me Robin Hood vibes, since the FMC and her found family main mission is to help others by either stealing, un-aliving, taking bounty jobs, and so much more.
So if you are looking for romantasy that has a flawed by fierce FMC, an MMC that is grumpy-sunshine, slow burn romance that just has right amount of tug and pull, found family, and. Lots of twist and turns. Then, you have a book you must read!!!
This book did not come to play—it leapt off the page, lit everything on fire (literally), and strutted off like, “You’re welcome.” Talwyn is everything I want in a main character: chaotic, deadly, emotionally allergic, and surrounded by the most lovable band of misfits I would absolutely follow into a questionable alley.
I was obsessed with the Elemental magic, and I’m begging book two to give me more. I want to meet ALL the Elemental users and anyone else who has any kind of "power." And those cloaked dudes?? I have at least 47 theories and zero answers. Book two, I'm counting on you to spill everything.
The worldbuilding was so good. The tension, the action, the secrets—chef’s kiss.
This book truly exceeded the hype. I had the best time, and now I’m feral waiting for the sequel.
Thank you, Milli C. Vieira and Bookfunnel for the opportunity to read this fantastic story.
This book sucked me in so fast. I love the world that is created. It is dark and grisly, filled with sadness and pain, but also has moments of levity and mirth. The characters are diverse and have great depth. Each has their strengths, but they also all battle flaws within themselves as well as past traumas. Their little family of misfit bounty hunters has such great chemistry.
Talwyn is a complicated main character. She has some major issues, and at times, you just want to yell at her. The romance with her and Faron really has a slow burn. The intense collision of their meeting followed by time carefully getting to know one another was crafted very well.
The plot was filled with danger, mystery, emotional upheaval, banter, comedy, sadness, darkness, and so much intrigue. I truly enjoyed every moment, and I can not wait for the next book.
I received an ARC copy of this book, and this is my genuine review.
It has been a LONG time since I’ve read a book this good. The pacing was perfect, the world building, the magic system, the romance (ugh, THAT TENSION), all of it was incredible. Milli has such attention to detail that you can really feel as if you’re there, experiencing everything right alongside her characters, who are so wonderfully flawed it just adds to the magic. Mistakes were made, feelings were felt, but all of it was believable, like Talwyn’s drinking problem. I hated it, and it made me want to shake some sense into her, but it made her more genuine. There wasn’t a single character that felt 2D, even the in the background.
If you love grumpy-sunshine romances where she’s the grump and he’s the sun, found family, a unique power system, and fantastic world building, this is the book for you.
This book is amazing. The comedy is my favorite part. Typically I highlight lines that make me laugh, but I had to stop because I was highlighting entire pages. Regarding plot, the author lets you figure out some of the answers through foreshadowing, but also surprises you at many points. The main and supporting characters are all so different yet you will become attached to each of them. There are many heart warming scenes as well as a few heart breaking ones. The action and magic scenes are well thought out and easy to follow. The cliffhanger ending (since this is book 1) is perfect - I want to know what happens next, but I also have just enough answers that I am not upset at the book. This was my 72 book I read this year, but it is in my top 3 I have recommended to others, maybe even #1.
I would start by staying that I'm glad i signed up for the ARC.. and immensely grateful to Milli for choosing be to be a part of this journey.. You’ve done an incredible job crafting such a beautiful story... It officially raised my romantasy standards... Cant wait for book 2...
Sarcastic, fiery FMC and a cutie patootie MMC... what more could you possibly want?? Twists that twisted, banter that bantered, slow burn + some spice, incredible world-building, and friendships worth dying for!!! i was laughing, crying, yelling... and staying up way too late turning pages.. The plot and magic system felt fresh and unique, and honestly words aren’t enough to praise this book.
An unforgettable read and the best New Year’s gift I could’ve asked for... I highly recommend this book to all romantasy/fantasy lovers... an absolute must-read!
Fire!!! This book had fire everywhere you looked. Fury in the title best describes this fierce, strong, stubborn, and chaotic FMC : Talwyn. This book takes you on the journey of Tal and her crew at the docks. You will go thru the ups and downs as the crew tries to save the docks for a magical being called a Mage or Mages.
❤️🔥 - Plot. This is a fantasy book. It is very plot oriented and defined. The plot moves along smoothly. It has some twists and turns within itself. I loved the plot.
❤️🔥 - Characters. I do love me a strong FMC. Tals growth into a woman is a great story. It brings the book together nicely. Along with her love interest, Faron. I do enjoy her crew. They make the book as well.
❤️🔥 - Spice. This is a romance book as well. You have your slow burn and banter. Love interest. Almost enemies to lovers vibe. It does have some spice scenes to it but the dialogue makes the scenes even spicier.
I had the chance to discuss this part with the author—world building as the plot needs it! (Or in this case, as the FMC cares to know it, haha.) Such a good way to keep me hooked, because with the little sprinklings given every now and then, now I need to read the next book to know more! And I’m very much excited for it!
This was my first adult romantic fantasy read, and while certain aspects of it were not for me, I overall very much enjoyed it. The intriguing yet simplistic use of alchemy, the “gifts” the characters have, the in-your-face symbolism that also leaves you hanging and curious—fantastic.
And the characters! I know this is a romance, but the friendships were SO good! The snarky remarks, the loyalty, all of it! Can’t wait to get to see more of their development!
This book pulled me in fast and kept its grip until the end. The world is dark, immersive, and emotionally heavy, but balanced with sharp banter and moments of levity that make the characters feel real. The chemistry between the leads is intense and well-earned, especially with the slow-burn tension woven throughout the story. The plot is packed with danger, twists, and emotional fallout, though a few sections felt slightly rushed or could’ve used a bit more depth. Still, the writing is strong, the characters linger in your mind, and the story leaves you eager for what’s next. A solid, engaging read that’s absolutely worth picking up.
I’m just so grateful I got to be an arc reader. This books was amazing and I can’t wait for book 2 to come out.
This book was probably my favorite romantasy read this year. It had me hooked from the beginning to the end. I don’t care it a slow burn since the story/plot and characters was not boring.
The FMC she is feisty, independent, strong, stubborn The MMC is like a golden retriever, but the way he flirts and he acts around the MMC reminds me of Hook from Once Upon A Time with Emma.
It’s adventurous, magic, mystery, great bantering, some sad moments.
If you want a bold, fearless heroine, you’ve come to the right place. She’s ruthless, driven, and you really don’t want to be her enemy (the last one suffered for a solid four or five pages). She knows how to drink (almost), how to be a good friend, and how to protect herself and the people she loves. She’s a fiery redhead - and yes, I think I’m in love.
Aside from one cool MFC, the book itself is a solid piece of work: great plot twists, a dark, well-built world, and truly engaging, attractive characters. Really hoping part two comes out soon 🙂
Guys this book is soo good! Milli out did herself. I love the brooding and the banter between mmc Faron and fmc Talwyn is aghhh! I just kept wanting more of their slow burn. Carrick is one of my favorite members of the crew, the perfect person to raise Tal. I love Tal’s crew is my favorite chosen family. The twins are everything, I love their personalities. Our mmc Faron is such a golden retriever of a mmc. I am used to the roles being reversed in fantasy novels, so I really appreciate it that change of pace. I can’t wait for Milli to write more stories! Everyone go read this book!
Millie C. Vieira has written a novel that immediately captivates its readers. In the span of a single day, I was overwhelmed by a perfect blend of adventure, humor, sarcasm, and tension. One of the strongest aspects of her debut novel is its realistic and well-crafted characters — from a fierce and uncompromising FMC, to a golden-retriever MMC, and a friend group that surpasses even Friends and How I Met Your Mother. This book should be a must-read on everyone’s 2026 TBR. I’m already looking forward to the sequel.
The Fury She Holds was a wild, magical ride and I loved every second of it. Fierce heroine? Check! Dangerous magic? Hell yea! Slow-burn tension that had me yelling “JUST TALK” at the book? Absolutely.
Talwyn is sharp, stubborn, powerful, and refreshingly real. The worldbuilding is immersive without being overwhelming, the pacing keeps things moving, and the banter and tension kept me glued to the pages.
If you like fantasy with bite, heart, and a main character who absolutely refuses to be underestimated, this one’s for you. I’m officially invested and waiting impatiently for more.