Fire Power: A Novel

by Mir Benitz

Fourth Wing meets Formula One in this enemies-to-lovers sports romantasy about a stubbornly ambitious dragon rider who goes up against her childhood friend turned racing rival in the ultimate dragon race.

The Silverscale Grand Prix is the national championship of dragon racing—a high-speed, often deadly, elite sport with an unimaginably big cash prize. 

Asta and her dragon Carmine are unlikely competitors. No sponsors, no high-tech gear, no fans out in the stands. Not to mention that a female rider hasn't won the Prix for nearly sixty years. The odds are stacked against them—but Asta is determined to prove everyone the training school that kicked her out for fighting a classmate, her family who wished she'd never left the farm, and, most of all, her infuriatingly arrogant childhood-best-friend-turned-rival Felix, the poster-boy heir to the Seraphin racing dynasty and reigning tournament champion.

Raw talent alone won't be enough to get Asta and Carmine through these races—and it soon becomes clear that the risks Asta has taken to get to Silverscale could have devastating consequences. Time to think fast, or die trying.

"Exhilarating, dangerous and a little bit sexy. The genre blend I didn't know I needed." —Hazel McBride, author of A Fate Forged in Fire

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Dragons, Sports Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Sports

384 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2026

About the author

Mir Benitz writes about imperfect people adventuring into love. Also, dragons. She is an eclectic reader, a haphazard gardener, and an overly ambitious carpenter. At various points in her life, she has worked as a high school English teacher, a college instructor, a janitor, an editor, the executive director of a writing nonprofit, a landscaper, and an extra in one movie. She lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and houseplants.

Reviews

[Hades ( Disney's version )]

🌟3.5🌟

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC of Fire Power by Mir Benitz

This had such a fun premise that I was immediately curious to see if it could actually pull off Formula 1, but make it dragons… and honestly, it mostly does!

The dragon racing was easily my favorite part of this book. The races had energy, competition, and enough chaos to keep me invested, and I really enjoyed watching Asta and Carmine take on the odds stacked against them..

Asta was a highlight for me. I liked her determination and her refusal to let everyone who underestimated her decide what she was capable of. She isn’t perfect, and some of her choices had me wanting to shake her a like a salt shaker, but she still made for a character I was happy to root for!

Where I personally struggled a bit was with the romance. I liked the history between Asta and Felix and the idea of childhood friends becoming rivals, but I never completely felt the chemistry I was expecting.. For me, the racing and adventure were much more compelling than the romantic storyline, so I’d definitely recommend going into this expecting more fantasy sports adventure with romance rather than a romance-heavy romantasy.

There were also a few moments where I wanted more from the worldbuilding and character development. The concept is genuinely unique, and I think there was room to dig even deeper into the world and its dragon-racing culture.

Overall, this was a fun and easy read with a ridiculously entertaining premise. It didn't completely blow me away, but I had a good time with it, and I can absolutely see this being a hit for readers who love dragons, competitive sports, and a little romantasy mixed into the chaos.


Until next time
Hades
🩵

[Elizabeth]

Fire Power: A Novel by Mir Benitz
Book Blurb: enemies-to-lovers sports romantasy about a stubbornly ambitious dragon rider who goes up against her childhood friend turned racing rival in the ultimate dragon race.

Rating: ****
Feels: Excitement, Fun, Adventure, Satisfaction
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Dragons, Sports Romance
First published September 1, 2026 : 384 pages

Themes & Setting: I loved this setting of a childhood romance and reunited later in life in the high paced world of dragon racing and dreams of glory. Themes of believing in yourself and going for what you want !!
FMC: I really adored that Asta had dragon fever. I think we have all been there. She really had me rooting for her and I enjoyed her journey.
MMC: Felix is the poster-boy heir to the Seraphin racing dynasty and reigning tournament champion .. yah so of course he is quite the catch and its really fun to see the two of them reunite. Plus we get to see glimpses of their childhood love.
Conclusion: Fast paced fun and spicy !! I can totally relate to Asta’s dragon fever !! If my world had dragons I could race in I would be all over that ! Enjoyed the tension between her and the other dragon riders as well as her past. Her second chance romance was pretty fun to watch unfold to see what would happen. The barriers to her racing in the form of family , past mistakes and her own feelings made for an interesting background. Overall an enjoyable and entertaining read !!!

Favorite Quote: "Always violence with you,"

This book has:
Enemies to Lovers
Forbidden Romance
Childhood Friends
Dragon Racing
Found Family
Second Chance Romance

[Sarah]

✨ARC Book Review✨

This book is described as F1 meets Fourth Wing, filled with dragon racing and romance.

I would say for the adventure and suspense of the dragon racing, I’d give this book a solid 4/5. The visual imagery made the races feel so exciting. The competition surrounding the races was entertaining and addictive. I also really liked her dragon, Carmine.

The romance between Asta and Felix, however, is a 2/5 for me. I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between them. By 25% into the book, they had barely interacted outside of the prologue, where they competed in the same race. I loved the concept of childhood friends turned rivals turned lovers, but the execution didn’t really work for me. The romance is definitely more of a subplot in the story.

Honestly, I found myself wanting Asta to end up with Nat, the flirty side character, instead.

Overall, this was a fun read as long as you go in knowing it’s much more about adrenaline driven dragon racing than romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company publishing for providing me with an (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.

[louise ʚଓ]

| rating: 3.0 ★

F1 but with dragons is somehow the most original concept I’ve seen this year. I was incredibly intrigued by this book when I saw it recommended to me via NetGalley and I can definitely say that I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

Fire Power is an urban-fantasy-fusion where dragons are bred and used in racing. Our main character, Asta, grew up as a farmgirl and has been dreaming of racing in the Silverscale Grand Prix ever since she was a little girl. When the Seraphin family, who are full of racing legends, move near their farm, Asta grows up to be best friends with their son Felix. Asta and Felix plan on attending the dragon racing/training school Pillar together and eventually become racers, but an incident before graduation causes Asta to be expelled and for her friendship with Felix to deteriorate. Her expulsion sends her into the arms of the infamous Bruce family, who operate an illegal dragon racing empire.

The dragons operate in the same niche as racing horses and they have some similar mannerisms. The racing format itself isn’t like F1 where there are multiple races throughout the year that riders have to compete in before they can qualify for the main race, the Silverscale Grand Prix. Despite that, I found the racing aspect of it to be incredibly thrilling! I liked how it highlighted the dangers of such a high-speed sport, especially with large and sentient steeds like dragons in the mix. The random Fast and Furious/illegal street racing subplot made things a little interesting, though I thought it was a little anti-climactic.

I appreciate how flawed everyone was, but at some point Asta was blaming her own bad decisions on everyone except herself. She rarely took accountability for her own actions and her own bad behavior. She was constantly in “me vs them” mode which meant that she couldn’t see the people actually cared about her and it led her into making terrible choices. I also thought that the misunderstanding between Asta and Felix was stupid. Unlike other people, I actually do enjoy a miscommunication trope, but only if it makes sense. The fact that Felix didn’t even try to understand what happened and Asta just assumed she did it—I had to put my Kindle down because I was gobsmacked. I thought they were cute together and they had some nice lines. Unfortunately, I couldn’t completely get into them because there was such a jarring and stark class difference that they never actually addressed/fully bridged.

I had a very fun time and I really enjoyed this book!


Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the e-ARC!

—

pre-read | got the arc for this and i'm a little intrigued. the concept of f1 but with dragons...

[sabrina (books.with.sabrina)]

✨ Rating: 3.5⭐️
🫧 Vibes: F1 formula but with dragons
🎶 Song: how to train your dragon theme
📖 Favourite Quote: "I didn’t want your help, I wanted you. Just you. And I lost you."
📚 Would I recommend? yes
💬 tldr thoughts: while the romance fell flat, the rest of the book was really fun!

In the package:
📦 friends to rivals to lovers
📦 dragon racing
📦 dual timeline

Plot: Astra has always dreamt of being a dragon rider and now she has her chance at the Silverscale Grand Prix where she will go up against her former childhood friend, Felix. She's determined to prove to everyone that she can win but she soon realizes that she will be facing some barriers.

Thoughts: This was such a fun concept, when I heard this was Formula 1 but with dragons, I was immediately intrigued! There was also some magic incorporated into this, which was really fun. I loved how there was pit teams and trackside intervention teams just like in Formula 1 races. I adored Asta's relationship with her dragon, Carmine, and I was rooting for them the entire book. The side characters were also really interesting and I couldn't figure out if Nat was a good person or not 👀 She was definitely fun! The politics and corruption made for an interesting read and the flashback chapters from Asta's past added some depth to her friendship with Felix.

I didn't really care for the romance in the book honestly, it was more secondary and since it wasn't really explored, I had a hard time with Felix and Asta's connection. I honestly thought she had more chemistry with Nat at some point.

Thank you HBG Canada for the physical ARC!

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

[Chasing Silhouettes]

'....Dreams will be fulfilled for some and crushed for others, but we know one thing without a doubt: the sport of dragon racing will shine.’ (Ch 7)

Sports (Dragon Racing) Fantasy | Childhood Friends to Rivals | Underdog

I normally don't read sports romances, but I do like racing, soccer, and extreme sports in general (mostly on rare ocassion). This one has racing, but not with cars... with dragons!!! How could I resist that?!

There was a cozy kind of feel to the writing, most of it edging into the teen/YA fiction side.

Before starting this, I imagined and anticipated the thrill and the adrenaline rush of the races. And there was on some level. There was action, but I was puzzled as the races were definitely not the type I would envision for dragons. It was entertaining enough, though.

'She had not come here to make nice with Felix. She had come here to beat him.' (Ch 4)

Asta thought she had nothing left to lose, but everything to prove — to herself and everyone else. Riding and winning was her dream. But she had a chip on her shoulder. Her pride and recklessness were her hitches.

Petty jealousies, rivalries, a love triangle of sorts. But to me, it seemed like all of the emotions and feelings that existed between Asta and Felix were mostly in the past. Asta's feelings toward him, in the now, was not indicative of a lead to rivals to lovers. She was more focused on doing things on her own without being under thumb, without hand-outs. Yet she did some rather foolhardy things that would potentially jeopardize her goals.

'....this was what she loved. Going fast and making the world disappear– no prizes, no politics, no Bruces, no anything.' (Ch 22)

It was slower paced that I would have liked and wished the romance factor was stronger than the animosity or dismissiveness displayed through most of the story. Not sure that I would consider this a slow, steady burn, more of a flip of a switch or shift in gears.

3.25🌟 eARC courtesy of Little Brown & Company / Hachette Book Group via NetGalley

[Robin]

When I saw this was Fourth Wing meets Formula One, I was very excited. However, this one missed the mark for me on the romantic side. The racing aspects and the incorporation of magic were fun and exciting, and these scenes had my adrenaline pumping. The switch between past and present was also done well and added to the story and the friends to kind of rivals to lovers aspect of it. The relationship between Asta and her dragon Carmine was also a highlight for me.

The romance and character choices is where I struggled though. Asta is portrayed as an extremely determined go-getter who just wants to succeed in dragon racing. It is her passion and her dream and she makes sacrifices to achieve it. There were a couple choices she made that seemed very out of character for her given her sole goal is to be the best dragon racer and win the championship race. Felix comes off as unsupportive of Asta which made my connection to their relationship fall short. I also wanted more depth from his character as everything from him just felt very surface level.

Overall, this one was just average. I didn’t dislike it but I also didn’t love it.

Thank you to Little Brown for the review copy.

[Annet Yarkovaya]

DNF 37%

[Megan]

Thank you to Headline Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

The Silverscale Grand Prix is the national championship of dragon racing - a high-speed, often deadly, elite sport with an unimaginably big cash prize. Asta and her dragon Carmine are unlikely competitors. No sponsors, no high-tech gear, no fans out in the stands. Not to mention that a female rider hasn't won the Prix for nearly sixty years. The odds are stacked against them - but Asta is determined to prove everyone the training school that kicked her out for fighting a classmate, her family who wished she'd never left the farm, and, most of all, her infuriatingly arrogant childhood-best-friend-turned-rival Felix, the poster-boy heir to the Seraphin racing dynasty and reigning tournament champion. Raw talent alone won't be enough to get Asta and Carmine through these races - and it soon becomes clear that the risks Asta has taken to get to Silverscale could have devastating consequences.

Asta has a lot of promise. She’s smart, she’s fierce and she’s dedicated. But she also allows her emotions to cloud her judgement quite frequently. Things felt a little repetitive with Asta, with her getting emotional and then getting angry over it and trying to focus on racing. With her anger, I wanted more of a backbone from her, more standing up against things instead of blindly going along with it. She also seems very intelligent but there were moments I could have facepalmed for how obtuse she was being. I think if her character was a little stronger, I would have liked her a lot more.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Felix, if I’m completely honest. He seems like a decent guy just trying to make his family proud. But then he acts like a complete ass and expects Asta to be able to see through it despite also being an ass to her? He felt a little two-faced, expecting honesty and openness but refusing to give it in return. I would have loved seeing more of the younger version of him because that was the best version. Yes, they’re grown up and things have happened that have changed them. But Felix didn’t really feel authentic or even similar to the person he was only a few years ago.

I love a sports romance so when I see that mixed with perhaps my ultimate favourite genre, you best believe I will jump at the opportunity to read it! Marketed as F1 but fantasy, this book fits those vibes. The plot did feel a little repetitive at times but I enjoyed getting the occasional flashback to understand what happened in the past and how it influences the now. The racing itself is cleverly written, blending magic and dragons with modern technology to create something that’s one of a kind. I found myself more interested in the races themselves, seeing how dynamics changed but also how the characters adapted to different situations. I found it gave a more honest look into each person - stressful situations really help pinpoint a person’s true identity. Character wise, I do feel like we were robbed just a bit. We don’t get to know anyone truly in depth which I think would have really enhanced this story. We get some background for some characters but the others are very much surface level. Considering how much they are mentioned or appear, I wanted to know more about them. It could have only made the stakes higher! The romance was definitely interesting too. Best friends to enemies to lovers can be tricky. It’s finding the correct balance of emotions that packs the biggest punch. I do feel like the enemies/rivals part could have been bigger. It felt a little stilted before disappearing all together so more focus there would have held my attention more. I will say though, I was happy to see the inclusion of queer relationships! Spice wise, it’s very mild but what we see did help to heighten the overall romance. Some moments perhaps a little oddly placed but otherwise pretty good. The ending felt a little underwhelming. I can totally see where the author was aiming for - that sometimes things don’t go to plan etc - but it has built so high up and then just kind of brushed past everything. I finished the book wanting more and with unanswered questions which was a bit of a shame.

Overall, Fire Power is a book for lovers of fantasy and modern worlds colliding.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Headline Books for an advanced copy of this book.

[Alessia Doni]

A book with dragons races formula one inspired its the thing I didn’t thought I need until I read it . I mean, really, the premise was brilliant and the book start was so strong that hooked me from the first page . The sport with its rules , politics ,and high stakes races kept me in a chokehold . Also the bond with Asta and Carmine was so genuine ,beautiful and heartwarming and totally was the highlight of the story. But around the middle the story starts to slow down and getting lost: I loved seeing how the friendship between Asta and Felix was born but , to be honest, I didn’t resonate with Asta decisions and behaviours event if I tried and I expected definitely more from romance !

That said , even if it’s not perfect it’s a fun, addictive and quick read !

[Alyx Gough]

Thank you Little Brown for the eARC!

I was so convinced this was going to be a new favorite. “Fourth Wing meets Formula One” honestly sounded like it had been written specifically for me. Dragons? Racing? Sign me up.

Unfortunately, I think this book suffers the most from how it was marketed because it wasn’t really either of those things.

Instead of feeling like dragon racing with the speed, intensity, and adrenaline of F1, it leaned much more into mafia politics with dragons woven throughout. I was genuinely surprised by how much of the story centered around organized crime and family power struggles.

The dragons themselves also weren’t what I expected. They felt less like majestic flying dragons and more like horse-sized, feathered creatures that mostly ran around and occasionally breathed fire. For a book built around dragon racing, there was far less flying than I anticipated.

The races themselves were also difficult for me to follow. Between illusions, fire, swimming, climbing, and obstacle courses, I never really had a clear picture of what was happening. Add in dragons wearing spikes, riders wearing helmets despite having magic at their disposal, and I found myself more confused than excited during what should have been the most thrilling parts of the story.

The romance unfortunately didn’t work for me either. I never felt any real chemistry between Asta and Felix, and for most of the book Asta actually seemed far more invested in her racing partner. Honestly…I was rooting for that relationship instead.

The pacing was another struggle. The story takes place over roughly a week, but the constant flashbacks and timeline jumps gave me a bit of whiplash and made it hard to stay grounded in the present. On top of that, many of the “big” reveals were incredibly easy to predict, which made it frustrating watching the characters take so long to connect the dots.

There were also moments where the dialogue completely pulled me out of the story. When the intimidating mafia boss said “flying farts,” I had to pause because it completely shattered any sense of tension that had been building.

I don’t think this was a bad book—I just think it was a very different book than the one I was promised. If you go in expecting a dragon-filled fantasy version of Formula One, you may end up disappointed like I was. If you’re looking for a fantasy with heavy mafia elements, obstacle-course style dragon competitions, and a lighter romance, your experience may be very different.

[Ridhima]

2.75/5

Told with our female protagonist, Asta's third person pov, this book strived to bring together the worlds of Formula One and dragons together in a fast-paced setting involving competitive dragon racing. While I could ideally see the vision, I think the execution was a bit choppy and uneven.

The romance in this one is closed door/fade-to-black, friends-to-rivals-to-lovers, with a queer fmc and a good slow burn. The story itself jumps back and forth between the past and present, eventually revealing the big reveal of what drove Asta and Felix apart several years before. There are scattered mentions of magic and illusions but nothing deep or concrete enough in the lore to feel too invested. I also found it tough to feel the actual tension from the Silverscale Grand Prix, even though it was the big finale event. Asta's prejudice against the rich started to grate on my nerves after a while, since she seemed to hate on Felix solely for the advantageous opportunities provided to him and refused his help every time he offered any. The fast paced and action packed dragon races, which I was expecting to be the highlight of the book, also fell flat since I had trouble simply imagining the race tracks (in the air? and ground? and water?) and the overall rules and structure of this adrenaline fueled competition.

Ultimately for a debut, this was somewhat promising but I hope the author's future books spend more time fleshing out the world and it's characters more, so it's easier to be invested in their relationships.

[Shauna]

3.75⭐️
This book is described as 'F1 Romance meets Fantasy Dragons' and I am not completely sure I agree with this summary. Fire Power is a super concept and is a fantastic tale of adventure where you can definitely see the influence of F1. Where I think Fire Power fell down a little was the Romance aspect. Personally I felt the romance between Astra and Felix was more of a subplot which, although cute was not necessarily crucial for the progression of the plot.

Astra dreams of being a dragon rider and has worked her whole life to prove her worth, not coming from one of the great families. Her goal is finally in sight as she has made it to the Silverscale Grand Prix. Now she just need to win so that she can have control of her life and silence her critics.

Astra is in debt to the Bruce's, the bad boys of racing. Without them, she wouldn't have made it this far. Winning the prize money will allow her to finally be free of them. But did her alliance come with more strings than she realised? This was one of the thinks that really bothered me about Fire Power - for someone who is so strong by necessity she is also incredibly naive. She chooses to ignore the warnings of everyone around her, and then acts surprised by the results.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, but think I would have preferred if it was not portrayed as a romance but just as a fantasy adventure as I was expecting more than what I got regarding Astra and Felix. While it did feature, I never felt invested in them romantically.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an eARC of Fire Power in exchange for an honest review.

[Alexander Horsey]

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an Advanced Reader copy to review!

This review is entirely my own opinion, I encourage anyone who may read this review to not let my words hinder you on reading this book.

3.5/5 Stars

As a newer fan of Formula 1 and a longtime fan of dragons, this book has been on my radar for quite some time.

This story follows Asta Ekenberg, a farmgirl who dreams of winning the Silverscale Grand Prix - a race that has only been won by a woman once. After a rocky past that caused her to lose her best friend, Felix Seraphin, and her scholarship to the prestigious Pillar academy - where riders go to learn to race their dragons, Asta works hard to get to Silverscale on her own, training with a brutal family known for illegal street racing.

As the grand prix steadily approaches, Asta has to face not only her best friend turned rival, but also the sense of not belonging among the throngs of rich racers. Having gotten here on her own, Asta doesn’t have any sponsorships or fans, she doesn’t even have an official pit team. But she has worked hard and she is finally at Silverscale. Where she has to face off against old classmates and her former best friend, who seems to have something out for her.

Asta grew on me in the last 25% of the book but for a long while she read as such an immature character I couldn’t root for her. Some of the things she did without thinking about the consequences, or how she reacted to things at the drop of a hat just made it hard for me to want her to win.

This is an ending that actually had tears welling in my eyes. While it wasn’t the happy ending I wanted, it was a good ending nonetheless.

[Elle]

Fire Power promised F1 but with dragons and that is the perfect description! I devoured it! The dragon racing was so compelling - with pit teams, medical checkups for dragons, legacy houses, opening ceremonies, riding rivalries, press and more, it felt exactly well thought out and well delivered, the depth it had making it feel all the more realistic.

Asta was a great character. She’s impulsive and brave and wants nothing more than to compete and win Silverscale, the epitome of dragon riding. If she wins, she can pay off her debts and finally earn her place in the the world of dragon riding. Except when she gets there, it’s nothing like what she expected. Her only friend is untrustworthy, the family she owes taking more than she’s willing to give and her childhood best friend and rival who she hasn’t seen in years is the favourite to win. Her feelings for Felix are messy and complicated, their history twisting up everything. Plus there were a ton of other characters I loved that added a lot to the story. Asta is naive in a lot of ways and can often only see what she expects/ wants but I felt it was realistic to her character even if a little frustrating at times.

The legacy houses added a lot of engaging dynamics. The privilege and classist opinions were insidiously woven into the whole of Silverscale and the elite of dragon riding. Asta is the opposite of all this. She was never meant to be a rider, she doesn’t belong but all she wants to to earn her place as a dragon rider. She struggles hard and Felix is the living embodiment of the elite class.

I really liked that we got flashback chapters of Asta’s childhood. It gave us a lot of context to her childhood and her relationship with Felix. I enjoyed them just as much as the present, and it really added to my emotional connection to the characters.

The books was just such a great journey. There were so many interesting characters and so much for Asta to learn and work through. Plus the dragons racing was just so much fun. I loved learning about the obstacles, the rules and experience the high risk, intense races alongside Asta and Carmine. Speaking of, Carmine was a delight! Plus the romance felt earned and realistic, their communication and forgiveness and understanding a choice after years of going through opposite. It was really enjoyable seeing them learn to trust again and learn to see the past through each others’ eyes. It was a refreshing change. And I really liked how it ended and the choices everyone made despite the difficulties.

Overall just a very enjoyable read with a lot of great threads woven though with a compelling perfectly F1 style dragon racing setting!

I will say I would class this as more of a cosy fantasy adventure than a romance as the romance is great but more of a subplot. It’s balanced really well with the story but it’s not the sole central focus.

[Vicky]

DNF @ 29%

As someone who loves both fantasy and is a huge fan of sports romances, this sounded right up my street!

The concept of F1 but with dragons sounded so fun and I really enjoyed the set up of the Grand Prix and how we were introduced into this world of dragon racing. You can tell that the author really loves racing - there were so many thought out details that really made the racing aspects come to life.

However, this was marketed to me as a sports romance but with dragons, and while the sport was there, the romance wasn’t. At 29%, our two love interests have interacted maybe once or twice, and there was no tension or banter. We know something happened between Felix and Astra in the past that turned them from childhood friends to enemies but they didn’t have enough tension between them in the present to keep me invested in their relationship, even though the set up for them to be rivals to lovers is perfect.

I think I may have just expected something very different from reading the blurb. If you want more focus on sports, this might be a great book for you!

Thank you to Mountain Leopard Press and NetGalley for the eARC.

[Em]

Thank you to the publisher for a physical ARC of this book!

I was super excited about the concept of it, I LOVE f1 and I love dragons. I thought the pacing was a bit off in the beginning but by the end I was OBSESSED.

This book follows Asta and Felix who are both dragon riders and childhood best friends. Asta comes from nothing and Felix is a dragon rider legacy and their fates have been so intertwined. After a falling out and removal from school Asta has a lot to prove to Mae it to the silver scale Grand Prix (THE NAME LOL). Post falling out with Felix she is being sponsored by a sketchy riding family and partaking in even sketchier things to repay them.

I thought the strongest part of this book was actually the dragons and racing sequences, while the relationship could have been stronger! I loved how the author created different ways for riders to cheat and to have rules for riding with the dragons. It was all very clever to try to draw parallels to racing and it was such a fun concept for me!!

[Miranda]

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for this ARC

🔥 enemies to lovers
🔥dragon racing
🔥found family
🔥childhood friends

Make in formula 1 racing, but with dragons!? Don’t mind if I do 😍

I loved the concept of this book, it was something new and fun that I haven’t seen before. Reading about all the dragon racing was definitely one of my favorite things about this book. It was so detailed and descriptive that I could imagine it in my head and was just so exciting.

I also enjoyed the childhood best friends into enemies into lovers that the author did here. The reunion they had but then realizing the are racing against each other was just brilliant.

Overall this book was pretty easy to read through and understand what was going on. It had a good level of spice incorporated and the world building for me was pretty easy to imagine in my head. It was an entertaining and fun read!

[Kayleigh Sponaugle]

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown & Company for providing me with the ARC FOR ‘Fire Power.’

This was a fast, fun read for me, and it had dragons, which usually wins me over. I enjoyed the premise of dragon racing, because I haven’t read anything with that before, which is always a plus. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. And I liked how there was a little bit of magic thrown into the fray.

It wasn’t too heavy and there wasn’t much world building, but I was OK with that, as I think that’s would have taken away from the story. It was a nice palate cleanser in between books and I’d recommend this to anyone who wants a light, quick story.

[Leanna Streeter]

This was one of my most anticipated reads because Formula 1 with dragons? That premise immediately had my attention, and I had so much fun with it.

The dragon racing was easily my favorite part of the book. It was exciting, easy to visualize, and gave the story such a fresh feel. I loved seeing how the races worked and the different challenges the riders and dragons faced. It really delivered on the concept that first drew me in.

Going in, I expected a romantasy, but this leaned much more toward action and adventure than romance. That wasn’t a bad thing for me—I had a great time with it. It’s a fast-paced, entertaining read that never takes itself too seriously and keeps the focus on the racing, dragons, and competition.

If you’re looking for a fun fantasy with a unique premise, plenty of action, and dragons at the center of it all, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. It was simply a really good time from beginning to end.

[Mybookish.odyssey]

3.5⭐️
This is my first Sport Romantasy.
I must admit the premise of the story was intriguing to me; since it is a different take on dragon riding.
From the very beginning of the book, we are off to the races. The descriptive writing transported me front row to The Silverscale Grand Prix for thrilling dragon racing.
I enjoyed Asta determination, as well as her connection with her dragon Carmine.
To be honest, I’m not quite sure where I stand withAsta and Felix relationship.
Overall this was a fun read. Book has a YA feel to it.
I would like to take NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this advance reader copy.

[BookishKB]

🐉🏁 Fire Power 🏁🐉

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Dragon Racing
• Enemies to Lovers
• Childhood Friends
• Sports Romantasy
• Dragon Rider FMC
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: September 1, 2026
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Reactor Magazine]

Formula One.
Dragon Racing.
Fantasy Romance.

Jared Shurin reviews Mir Benitz's Fire Power, a debut novel that's a little creative and a lot of fun 🏁

[Amy | romantasy.myromanempire]

4⭐️ 1🌶️

Fire Power is a fun fusion of romantasy and sports romance, featuring a second chance, rivals to lovers romance and I just ate it up! The unique dragon racing sport was super fun! I also really enjoyed Asta’s underdog storyline. Asta and Felix’s childhood friendship to rivals to lovers was so wholesome to me. It was a sweet romance and I enjoyed the flashbacks of their childhood together. The racing scenes themselves added plenty of action to the story too, as well as some villains keeping the stakes high. Overall I found Fire Power to be a fast, fun and unique read!

Thank you Little Brown for the arc to read and review!

[Angela Y (yangelareads) ♡]

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Little, Brown and Company.

The Silverscale Grand Prix is the national championship of dragon racing—a high-speed, often deadly, elite sport with an unimaginably big cash prize.

Asta and her dragon Carmine are unlikely competitors. No sponsors, no high-tech gear, no fans out in the stands. Not to mention that a female rider has not won the Prix for nearly sixty years. The odds are stacked against them, but Asta is determined to prove everyone wrong: the training school that kicked her out for fighting a classmate, her family who wished she would never left the farm, and, most of all, her infuriatingly arrogant childhood-best-friend-turned-rival Felix, the poster-boy heir to the Seraphin racing dynasty and reigning tournament champion.

Raw talent alone would not be enough to get Asta and Carmine through these races—and it soon becomes clear that the risks Asta has taken to get to Silverscale could have devastating consequences. Time to think fast, or die trying.

I was so excited to pick up another F1-inspired romance, but unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. The dragon racing brought plenty of adventure and suspense, and I loved how the author blended magic and dragons with modern technology to create something genuinely unique. The races were cleverly written, and I found myself invested in the action and the changing dynamics between the competitors.

Unfortunately, the romance did not work nearly as well for me. I loved the idea of childhood friends turned rivals turned lovers, but I did not feel enough chemistry between Asta and Felix to make their relationship convincing. Their connection felt flat and occasionally forced, as though the romance was included simply to remind readers that it was there. Since it remained more of a subplot, I wanted stronger emotional development and a more engaging dynamic between them. I also struggled to care deeply about either the characters or their relationship.

Overall, this was an average read for me. I did not dislike it, but I did not love it either. The imaginative dragon-racing concept was easily the strongest part, while the romance left me wanting much more.

[SelkieReader]

Ok I finished it.
Hated it, every single character sucks, you can’t really root for anyone and the romance is soooo lackluster.
FMC was sleeping with OW most of the book anyway

[Lori]

***ARC courtesy of Little, Brown and Company Publishing and NetGalley***

Tropes: Dragon Racing, Second Chance, Rival Families, Bisexual FMC, She Comes From Nothing

Spice: 2/5

This review is going to be split up as I feel that this book should belong in the YA section. So some of these words will be supportive of that choice, but if this falls into the adult category, then I have stronger critiques. No matter what, I applaud the author for writing and completing a book, that is an admirable journey.

This book follows one POV, our FMC who has desperately wanted to race dragons for most of her life. She grew up on a farm without supportive parents, but when rich neighbors move in across the valley, they bring money and a dragon breeding program. She quickly develops a friendship, and subsequent crush, on their son. While there may be a financial gap between our girl and boy, their friendship knows no boundaries. He and his family teach her how to ride, allowing her to be one step closer to fulfilling her dream of winning the Grand Prix one day. Both of them go off to school together, but as she (and us as the readers) find out, she is a charity case. His parents paid for her admission which causes of a rift of distrust between her and him. Throughout this journey, both of them have admitted their feelings towards each other but have decided to wait until after graduation to make any actions. A massive event at the school causes their friendship to dissolve and results in her expulsion. She doesn't give up hope on racing though, she seeks out a training family who may dabble in illegal activities but they are willing to train her for free. She even gets to train alongside their daughter too. They majority of our story takes place during the Grand Prix, a five day (I think?) event where the best of the best have come to race. Our FMC is there, her girl friend is there, and so is he. He has become the golden boy of racing. This is a story of trust, forgiveness, and honesty, with a touch of young love.

Right off the bat, I think the marketing campaign needs to change because I went in with vastly different ideas than what I read. I take responsibility for those expectations and attempting to make comparisons. As it stands, this book is using "F1 meets Fourth Wing" and is being categorized as a fiery romantasy. I appreciate the fire pun, but I never felt passion from any of these characters. As for the comparison, these dragons cannot speak to their riders, they primarily run on the ground instead of flying, there is no war going on, the race courses change each day, and so many others. So truly, this should be marketed as "Kentucky Derby meets Fast and Furious meets dragons."

For the structure of the book, it is told through present day moments as well as flashbacks. I wanted a lot more history of our FMC in those flashbacks. I wish I had seen her actually learn how to ride a dragon and how to communicate with them. Instead, we know her ultimate dream is to race on a dragon and she has that idea at 13 years old, but then we jump to her 18th birthday where she is already a fantastic rider and hoping to be accepted into a prestigious school. Without reading about her riding journey, I was confused on how her dragon understood her. She would shout commands or even sentences and he would immediately follow them. How long did it take for him to learn her language or cues? I also think that by learning with her, we would have learned a lot of about the saddles on the dragons. The author was using terms that I was struggling to comprehend, even with context clues.

To follow up the previous paragraph, I needed a lot more physical descriptors. I only knew what two of our characters look like because of the book cover. I appreciate that the author is allowing us to form our own ideas, but I need something to go off of. We received one comment about her hair color, but I know nothing else about her. I don't know anything about him except for his love of hair gel. I have a vague idea about the rebellious girl that trains alongside our FMC, but even then, I know more about her outfits than anything else. I don't know how old these characters are either. I can make a vague guess, but when I was about halfway through the story before I realized that their college was only a two year program instead of four. Are these characters 20? 22? Even older?

I also need way more information on the dragons themselves. Feathers were referenced numerous times, at least in relation to their heads. Their horns and scales were also mentioned a few times. But what do they look like? Do they have membranous wings or feathered wings? Why do they run these courses? How tall are they? I repeat, why are they running through most of these courses if they are dragons? We are given drake races, essentially giant lizards, they have their own classification of race within this book. So why are the dragons also running all the dang time?

Back to the characters and their development. Unfortunately, I never related to any of the characters. I could read about their struggles on the page, but I never felt it. When the characters would bicker, I had difficulty keeping up with their reactions. I understood the words that I was reading, but their emotions did not make sense. I couldn't understand why this character was mad or that character was crying. I never felt any of the chemistry between them either. I applaud the author for writing a bisexual lead character. I did need some clues to her desires though; it took about 1/3 of the way through the book before the female rival kissed our FMC. I could not get a read on if our girl liked it, if she accepted it because this other girl always used flirting as a defense mechanism, or if she just didn't care. I'm not saying that characters have to immediately state their romantic leanings right out of the gate, but I do need some context for if a character is consenting towards an action or not. Was this her first F/F experience? Had they hooked up before?

If this is marketed as a yong adult book, then here are my final takes. This is absolutely a safe (spice free-ish) read. There are a few fade to black moments and even then, I didn't realize that was happening/had happened until two to three pages later. This book feels very surface level in the sense that the world building is not super heavy. The bad guys feel kind of cookie cutter in a way; they reminded me of Nickelodeon villains. The revenge from the kids towards the adults felt like it was made for a teenager's television show instead of an adult audience.

I would not personally recommend this book, but I hope that I fall into the minority category of readers. I want all authors to succeed.

[Chloe]

I was really drawn in by the F1-meets Fourth Wing concept, and the book started strong with an engaging opening that kept me reading. The characters were introduced well, with solid backstory between them.

However, I struggled to see any real chemistry between the main characters. Personally, I felt Asta and Nat had more spark, even though Nat is a bit of an asshole.

In the end, it’s a dragon rider story with a SMALL romantic subplot, which didn’t really work for me. I think this book will land for some people, but it didn’t for me.

2.75 stars.

[Sasha | omgitssmk]

Breathe In….Breathe Out.
Breathe In….Breathe Out.

I close my eyes, focusing on my dragon's heartbeat thrumming between my thighs as I chant the same mantra over and over to help lower my creeping anxiety.

Breathe In……Breathe Out.
Breathe In……Breathe Out.

Opening my eyes, I look to my left and see one of my competitors tapping their foot nervously waiting for the GREEN LIGHT to strike at the podium in front of us. To my right, another competitor waits as they lazily yawn while purposely flexing to the blinding flashes of cameras pointed his way.

Breathe In….Breathe Out.
Breathe In….Breathe Out.

I focus back to the podium in front of me, still remaining RED.
It's the semi-finals of the Grand Prix Racing Weekend and I only need to make it in the top three to be able to participate in the final race of the weekend for the main prize. As with many of us here, we have worked hard to get us to this point and I am so proud of myself and my team who have gotten us this far.

"How Many Minutes?" I ask while re-adjusting my helmet.
"60 Seconds and Ticking."

I close the visor of my helmet and lower my left arm to give three pats to the side of my dragon, a tradition we do together to let her know that we have 30 seconds till her wings can spread free. She snorts in excitement, directing light smoke rings from her nostrils as I find a good grip on the scales in front of me. In the next 20 seconds, we are going to be shooting off forward and my dragon is well known for her speed - that's why I named her Rocket after all.

"Let's show them what we're made of", I whisper to myself as my internal clock ticks down the final seconds.

FIVE….FOUR…..THREE…..TWO…..

The light turns GREEN and my mouth forms into a smirk as Rocket shoots us off toward the path leading us already into first place territory.


Dragon Riding Meets Formula One Racing - those six words blared at me as I looked at the description of the book, Fire Power by Mir Benitz, on the NetGalley website. We've heard of Dragon Riding in many fantasy novels that the reading community have come to love but the concept of mixing genres with Sports Romance really caught my attention; so much so that I squealed in excitement when my approval arrived in my inbox that I was receiving this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Little Brown to read before it released on its PUB DATE of September 01, 2026.

To start us off with this review, let's talk a little bit about the tropes you'll experience on your high-stakes competition journey….

🏁 Underdog FMC
🏁 Dragon Racing
🏁 Friends To Enemies To Lovers
🏁 Second Chance Romance
🏁 Slow Burn
🏁 Found Family

These are a few of the tropes you'll come across as you find yourself learning more about our FMC Asta, MMC Felix, and their heart pumping adventure through the Silverscale Grand Prix.

The book starts you off by bringing you to the world in which our FMC, Asta, has found herself bored with the day to day farm living that doesn't bring the excitement and desire she craves to find herself feeling each morning. One night when her father falls asleep on the couch, his traditional sitcom had ended and started the beginning of a Grand Prix for Dragon Racing which immediately ignited something within her. Startled awake, her father angrily turns the television off informing her that Dragon Racing will never be a way of living and showed his distaste for the career path. For Asta, however, she just found something worth living for and has a goal to brainstorm how she will find herself riding a dragon as this is what she wants to do with her life. Convenient enough, her next door neighbors that are moving in just happen to be taking quite a bit of land which her father had slipped that just so happen to be "Dragon Farmers"; meaning the fantastic creatures she just saw on the televisions are now closer than she would have ever thought possible.

Fast forward to present day, Asta has found herself walking up to the Registration Booth for the 194th Silverscale Grand Prix, grinning ear to ear, because she has officially made it and her dreams of dragon racing has now become a reality. As she registers herself and her dragon, Carmine, she glances around to see if her "ex-childhood best friend turned rival", Felix, was also around. Low and behold, she didn't have to check long as there, among the ever growing flashes of cameras and cellphones was Felix, showcasing his 1000 watt smile that would make any girl melt, including Asta who tries to keep herself in check and focused on winning this Grand Prix. In fact, it's Asta who feels she needs this more than anyone else as she not only wants to show that a woman can win the 194th Silverscale Grand Prix, but also to obtain the prize. That money they are offering? Yeah, this money is something Asta DESPARATELY NEEDS as it's already set to be paid on debts which she hopes doesn't come to surface with the journalist on site and especially not with Felix, who she hasn't seen in such a long time since their fallout years ago.

While reading this ARC, I loved the author's dedication bringing the reader on a the journey of understanding how dragons could be within a formula one racing system. This idea of "Sports Fantasy" really intrigued me and was one of the reasons I actually requested for this read on NetGalley in the first place. The way the author described the world and the surroundings as the FMC made their way through the Grand Prix was so detailed that I truly felt like I was there with Asta as she experienced each area of the racing program. The intensity provided through the racing trials was very tense that I found myself gripping my toes waiting to see what will come through the twists and turns of the track.

I would note, however, that the romance was definitely a VERY small sub plot of this storyline which may have been a misunderstanding from my side when I read the original description. In fact, it wasn't until around 80% of the book where any real connection or romance truly started to blossom between our two MCs. I wanted to feel more chemistry and dynamic between both Asta and Felix. And I really wanted to find myself caring more about the characters and their relationship - to root for them to be together throughout the storyline. But in this case, I just felt like their relationship was really flatlined and almost forced to mention in the book most of the time which didn't execute well reading through. It was almost like it read more on the contemporary romance side of the spectrum than what I'm used to with other "fantasy" related reads. My past experience with contemporary romance has not been favorited or rated well, which may have contributed to that - so that take with a grain of salt as you determine whether to pick this up as your next TBR choice.

Overall, I did enjoy my experience reading through this book and appreciated the new take on genre blending that Mir Bentiz created (from my reading experience at least). If you are someone looking for high stakes racing tension, a unique spin on formula one racing with dragons, and an underdog story with feminine empowerment, I definitely recommend you pick this up for a spin when it comes out this SEPTEMBER 01, 2026.

[Maxine]

3.5

I think the concept of this book was a really cool one. I mean dragon riders x formula one really cool. I also liked the idea of an underdog FMC doing whatever she can to achieve her dream. But there were some real misses for me.

First, I personally do not like the romance in this book bc there is the obvious love choice in the MMC but there is a past GF who she still interacts with almost every chapter bc they are under the same company in the same competition. There was almost no chemistry with the MMC, and all the passion chemistry was with the EX GF. Also, I did not like the MMC at all who is from a well-respected racing family and this racing industry has become very elite and very locked into its "traditions" with his family at the top. At times he does seem to resent the strappings and burdens of having this privilege but he at the same time doesn't want to seem to break or even change the system. He even at times berates Asta for taking the path she did which was like the street racer version to Formula one with some criminal elements. But she had tried to take the proper path and was mocked and treated horribly bc she pushed boundaries and didn't fall completely within the traditions as well as the only reason she was there was bc of his connections which she resented bc she wanted to do it on her own. So, it's like the only proper way to do this is this way but you can only do it bc of my connections but then you are pushed out bc you don't conform and then when you still manage to find a way I am going to hold it against you for not doing it the proper way but there was no other way. I just can't get behind an MMC who recognizes the privilege he has but has no desire to change it and then hold it against someone bc they don't have the same privilege. Then there is the fact with what caused their friendship to end (trying not to give it away) he later comes up to the FMC mid competition and just goes oh I have decided that we are friends again and we are moving past the past and Asta is like okay sure and she is back in her feels for him. He didn't really grovel or earn forgiveness, but he did try to explain away his reasons later on and the FMC just accepted it. There was not real accountability or actions to earn Asta just a change of his mind her accepting it and him explaining his reasoning. I just think Asta could have done so much better.

Now the other aspect is the writing I personally don't like constant flashbacks mid story and rather have 1-2 max or have it structured as the first couple chapters with time jumps bc simply if the story is progressing and is interesting all of a sudden, it comes to a halt and we have to jump back in time. It's like if you're eating cake and ur a couple bites in enjoying ur cake and then someone comes and takes your cake away to explain how the cake portion was made and then you get ur cake and take a couple bites and they take it away to explain how the frosting was made rinse and repeat when all you want to do is just eat ur cake. For me it's just not my favorite style.

Overall, I think the concept was cool with the dragons and the racing and I liked Asta a lot for trying to succeed in a sport where mostly privileged men have won but the writing style was not for me as well as I did not like the MMC and the "romance' between them.

-----

This book is about Asta and her dragon who against all odds without the help of sponsors, a powerful family or even the best gear have made it to the Silverscale Grand Prix, the national championship of dragon racing where a woman has not won in nearly 60 years. But none of that is going to stop Asta from achieving her dream. Not after everything she has done to get there after she was kicked out of the school that trains all the "proper" riders for the circuit. The reason she was kicked out was after a fight with her childhood best friend and now rival Feliz who is heir to the Seraphin racing dynasty. That fight had him injured to where there were even questions if he would even be able to race but he put those rumors to bed as the 2x reigning champion. But now they are both at Silverscale to where Asta's raw talent might not be enough to get her over the finish line especially with their past but also the consequences of her choices in getting there blocking her path.


I received this as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.