Forged in Thunder and Fire

by R.M. Wood

A kingdom invasion.

A brutal commander.

A princess in hiding.

And secrets that can kill.

Living under the protection of her brother, the King of the Isling Dwarves, Princess Darna concerns herself only with her lab and her inventions. When humans invade, led by the deadly Commander Thranet, they demand her and her most powerful invention to be used as an unstoppable weapon of war. Black powder, created with the sole purpose of aiding mining operations. Princess Darna stays behind during the evacuation of her home, knowing she has to destroy her life's work.

Forced into hiding as a servant, Darna finds herself a chambermaid to the commander. Many dwarves were left behind, and they need leadership and reassurance. Many want to escape and reunite with their people, including Darna. But the commander is observant and has motives of his own. Watching her every move, Darna fears he knows more than he is letting on. Even though he comes to her aid and their goals seem to align, Commander Thranet is still human. Any deeper connection she may feel for him would be a betrayal to her people. And the discovery of who she really is means her black powder will bring destruction and death to countless lives.

Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2026

Reviews

[Mira Ashrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I applied for the ARC because the cover was simply gorgeous!

However, the story quickly sucked me in as well!

A royal protagonist? ✅
She's smart, too? ✅
She gets a super accurate nickname? ✅
A comforting read that doesn't leave you reeling after it ends? ✅
Tension? ✅
Hot guy with big sword AND has a heart? ✅
Lovely ending with a HEA? ✅

Turns out the author took just as much care with the inside as the outside!

I love how both characters change over the course of the book. The growth is wonderful to see, and I especially liked her internal struggles. Right Vs wrong. Gray areas. Finding your inner strength. All that jazz.

The fact that she's not an insta-badass is the cherry on top. She uses her intelligence. She does what she needs to to survive. Relatable.

The book is not super spicy 🌶️, so if you're not into that, you can easily skip. There are a few triggers concerning the bad guy, but hey, they're the BAD guy for a reason, right?

Overall, if you're looking for a cozy, very unique and delightfully deep read to curl up with and forget the world exists for it bit - I'd highly recommend ✨

[Lauryn Munro · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

First and Foremost, as a science lover, I am soooooo happy that science was a major theme in this novel!

The best thing that ever happened to Darna was the humans invading the mountain. She really needed that wake up call to fix her attitude and respect the people around her.

I am so pleased with the ending! Overall, a great standalone!

[Shimmer_Sassy_Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forged in Thunder and Fire takes you into another world where princess Darna is well known for her analytical thinking and her scientific advancements among her kingdom. Her world turns upside down when humans invade her mountain to get their hands on her black powder creation. Princess Darna isn’t afraid to get her nails dirty to ensure her life’s work doesn’t get into the wrong hands. Now, trapped with the one who led the attack and destroyed her peaceful world, Darna must face her adversary if she wants to get her mountain back.

I can get behind a STEM FMC! I love the take on Darna, a scientist princess; smart, driven, and top in her field. And did I mention she has her own lab? I’m captivated by her journey in this beautifully written fantasy tale. Her struggles, her ambition, her downfalls, all play an important part. But what I really appreciate is her grit. From her peaceful life to the sudden chaos, this determined princess is ready to roll up her sleeves to get things done.

Have you ever heard the saying don’t judge a book by its cover? No, no, no! I’m talking about Tharent. I feel this saying applies to his character. (Since we were talking about the book cover- It’s whimsical and a beautiful design.) Back to Tharent! His reputation speaks volume but what speaks more is his success in battles which gives him the title of an oppressor. He is feared by all, and yet he is greatly respected. Never judge a book by its cover- Tharent’s true core is only hidden by his hard steel exterior. And the romance! For me, I would call it a slow burn. A nice sizzle. You know, when the characters can not touch but once they come into contact! Sizzle! My Spice rate: 2 (out of 5).

What caught my eye was the relationship dynamics, they were so much fun to read. Ereigrea, Alicia, and Skokra. And Tharent! I became immersed with each one. Each has a story of their own, a battle to overcome and a powerful drive that pushes them forward. Forged in Thunder and Fire explores themes like identity and self-discovery, love and sacrifice, and survival. These themes are what I take away from this riveting read the most. And the ending! A satisfying ending. Hmmm…what can I say without giving anything away? I love a girl who isn’t afraid to tackle hard work, and defend what is hers.

Thank you to R.M Wood for the ARC. It was a pleasure to read.

[Martina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had such high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint. I was fascinated by the premise of it ever since it came across my Threads feed, especially since dwarves are quite uncommon in romantasy.

The plot was relatively quick paced, with enough hooks and revelations to keep me flipping the pages one after the other and unable to pull away from this masterpiece. The twists and revelations, though, I usually pride myself on being able to guess plot twists ahead of time, but I really didn't expect the ones in this book.

I completely fell in love with Darna and Thranet, our lovely main characters. The concept of Darna being a scientist is quite unlike most mainstream romantasy books, which I appreciated a lot, as I always enjoy the unconventional. I really liked her character arc, how she went from a withdrawn, antisocial scientist, who never leaves her lab, to a confident young genius who fought for her inventions and for her man, and in the end, saved her own story. Thranet, too, was a complete sweetheart. I mean, yeah, a murderous war general, but a complete sweetheart nonetheless. I was just swooning over the way he was obsessed with Darna, how he was willing to be tortured and die for her to be safe.

As for side characters, I loved Alicia and Finamic, I mean, they were just the cutest. Glordia was pissing me off a little when she first made an appearance, but she realized what she was doing wrong and in the end, she was pretty cool. But when I tell you that I simply couldn't stand Eriegrea, I mean it. Forget king Brastine, forget Khern, at least those two were dealt with. But the fact that Darna verbally forgave Eriegrea, I had to take a break for a moment. But that's how you know a good book, it makes you feel a lot of intense emotions.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, it's unlike any romantasy I've ever read. The biggest thank you ever goes to the author for the ARC copy of this book, it will forever be my prized possession.

[Priya | fablesandstarlight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forged in Thunder & Fire is a debut romantasy novel in an imaginative setting filled with humans, dwarves, orcs, elves, goblins, you name it! We have the dwarven Princess Darna, who feels most comfortable within the safety of her laboratory and among her research experiments, where there is clear logic to follow when it comes to occurrences and results, unlike when it comes to dealings with people. She really hasn't needed to concern herself with running the kingdom as her brother, the King, and sister have been taking the lead in matters of their people. Unfortunately, when greedy humans invade her home to expand their territory and in search of the deadly black powder, Darna is forced to take on the role of a chambermaid to the human commander while assuming a role of leadership and comfort for her people who were unable to escape. To make matters worse, Darna is responsible for inventing black powder and needs to keep her identity a secret from the humans who seek to exploit her work for their nefarious goals.

This was a fast-paced standalone full of science, forbidden love, character growth, high-stakes, and spice! I really enjoyed the fact that Darna is a woman in STEM and proud of it! Her character growth is also profound through the story as she transforms from someone who was only concerned about her work to one who acknowledges the value in knowing and learning about her people. Sparks literally fly from her first meeting with the grumbly Commander Thranet (she sets him on fire)! Their dynamic was a treat to see evolve and watch their relationship grow. Watching Darna breathe life into the shell of a human he was before and his constant support of her was so endearing.

Read if you love:
- Enemies to lovers
- Woman in STEM
- One bed
- Nicknames
- Open door spice
- He saves her

[Moon Sisters Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story follows Darna, a princess of the Isling Dwarves who has spent most of her life focused on her inventions and her work in her lab. When a human invasion drives everything to change, Darna is pushed far outside the life she has always known. She quickly finds herself in a position that forces her to see both her own people and humans in a completely different light.

I felt one of the strongest aspects of the book is Darna’s character development. Watching her worldview slowly shift as she experiences life beyond her royal status makes her a really interesting protagonist. She begins to reflect on her past behavior and starts forming connections with people she never would have before.

The dynamic between Darna and Commander Thranet adds a lot of tension to the story. Their interactions are layered and intriguing, especially as their goals begin to overlap despite them coming from opposing sides.

I also really enjoyed how cleverly the author writes the characters. The way they are presented often influences your opinion of them as the story unfolds, and some give real wolf in sheep’s clothing vibes. It keeps you questioning motives and makes the character interactions even more interesting.

I found the author’s writing really engaging and easy to get pulled into—it definitely has that “just one more chapter” feeling where you keep wanting to see what happens next. The pacing keeps the story moving while still allowing the characters to develop in meaningful ways.

I also appreciated the fact that this book is a standalone, which makes the story feel that much more complete and satisfying.

On top of that, as someone who is always a sucker for enemies-to-lovers, this book absolutely scratched that itch.

[Maladaptive Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the opportunity!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A dwarven princess who is also a scientist goes undercover as a servant to free her people from the nasty humans infiltrating her castle, honestly, what more could you want?

I don’t read many standalones, so I was curious how the pacing would be handled. I was pleasantly surprised to find it consistent throughout; at no point did the story feel like it was rushing to catch up with itself or dragging its feet.

The characters were well-written and felt genuinely three-dimensional. I loved the chemistry and fun banter between the main characters, and I thought it was so cool that Darna (the FMC) is a scientist! I really appreciate when an author can pull strong emotions out of me, specifically, they did a great job making me dislike certain characters. There were a couple here that truly riled me up!

I also loved Darna's internal struggle with violence. It raises thought-provoking questions about where the line is when it comes to protecting others. Is it right to harm someone to prevent further harm? And if you do, does it change who you are? I’m not sure of the answer, but I loved that the book made me think about it.

I would definitely recommend this!

[Amanda B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had an amazing time reading this book! I really love the two main characters, Darna and Thranet. They have a great dynamic throughout the entire book. Darna isn't your typical princess, she's also a scientist, who helps develop black powder for mining proposes. She's also a dwarf, this story is plot heavy with the humans taking over the mountain where the dwarfs reside. The humans want her to get their hands on the black powder for dubious reasons.

The story opened up really strongly, it gets right into the action in chapter one and grabbed my attention immediately. I could not stop reading and even fell asleep while reading. The plot is very well done, the battle between two kingdoms and just the right amount of romance. I'm kind of glad that the romance didn't take up too much of the book, the pacing is phenomenal.

Darna is not a damsel in distress, she stays behind to take care of her people still left on the mountain, she refuses to abandon them and hides as a maid. Thrant is a human, he's the commander of the human army that took over the mountain. Darna shouldn't be having feelings towards him, he murdered some of her people. She can't resist him though. The more you learn about him, the more you start to love him. I'm glad that he was never ever cruel to Darna despite being enemies. They work very well together and I enjoyed reading their story.

Thank you so much to R.M. Wood for writing this story and for this arc!

[Sara Zandford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to RM Wood and team for allowing me the honor of reading a ARC of Forged in Thunder and Fire!


This story follows the dwarven princess Darna as she works to help her people escape their newly conquered kingdom. We see how Darna is forced to face the things she took for granted in her previous role as she takes on the role of a servant to avoid detection


Overall I would say this was 3.5 ⭐️ for me but I rounded to 4 because I really did like the story

I really enjoyed Darna’s arc and the growth she shows. I found her hard to like at first, but I feel like that was intentional. Her constant struggle between her values and the position she was forced into and what that means to her feels very authentic and relatable

My main complaint with this story was that there was not enough of it. I felt like it was appropriate as a stand alone, but needed another 100 pages or so. Overall I felt like the pacing was a bit rushed making it difficult for me, at times, to stay fully immersed in the story. I also would have loved the author to expand more on the world and culture of Darna’s kingdom. I feel like I rarely read a story where dwarves are in a primary role which had me really excited about this story. Although the story did address some aspects of the kingdom, again I feel with a bit of slower spacing this could have been expanded on

I really did enjoy the story and the dynamics between many of the characters and would recommend to anyone looking for a standalone easy read romantasy with enemies to lovers vibes

[Brandice Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forged in Thunder and Fire by R.M. Wood is an incredible read. Princess Darna is brilliant, brave, and completely relatable with her inventions, her courage, and the way she navigates danger... all of this makes her unforgettable. The human invasion, the secrets, and Commander Thranet’s complex motives keep the tension high the entire way. I loved the mix of suspense, action, and clever world-building, and there were moments that made me hold my breath wondering what would happen next. If you love strong heroines, high stakes, and a story that keeps twisting in all the right ways, this book is a must-read. Seriously, put it on your TBR now! I also love the cover of the book. So aesthetically pleasing.

[Faye Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, and a huge thank you to R.M. Wood for the eARC. I really appreciated the female scientist representation in this one. Being a woman in a technical field myself, I am always here for smart women doing the actual heavy lifting in STEM. The science aspect was genuinely great. The romance itself was actually fine, but the smutty bits were a total miss for me. They lacked any real chemistry and felt incredibly forced, almost like the spice was tacked on at the last minute just to hit a genre requirement. Come for the sassy scientist FMC, but know what you are getting into with the intimate scenes. Honestly, this would have been a fantastic fantasy novel on its own without the forced smut dragging it down.

[Addy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars 🌟
Thank you to the author for providing me with a physical ARC! It was my first one, and I loved seeing all the little quirks that one wouldn't normally get to see. 💙

This was a phenomenal enemies-to-lovers, romantasy story! Diana, a dwarf princess, was the FMC, and how she changed and grew as the story went on was sweet! She's strong and seeing her relationship with Thranet, a human commander, slowly bloom was beautiful. Even when they couldn't quite be together, they found little ways to protect one another. I do think it's cool that the author made dwarves a primary focal point! In fantasy, they're not commonly focused on other than a side character, so it was really fun to see! I really enjoyed Forged in Thunder and Fire, and I'm grateful for getting to read!

[Kaleigh Shabdue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forged in thunder and fire was a captivating read! I loved our fmc... She was strong willed and smart!! It was refreshing to see humans as the "other race" this time instead of the Dwarves. Care and time was taken in developing this story, world, and characters. You care about the maids as much as our Princess, Darna, While our MMC, Thranet is broody and a grump ... he has a heart of gold and eyes for Darna only. This was a fun slow burn and not too spicy either. I loved every minute of reading and it was a 5 star read! I will absolutely pick up anything else I see from R.M. Wood

[Samantha Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was refreshing. I especially appreciate when a fantasy book can build the world around what is happening vs. spending so much time world building and then finally things happen and this author did a great job. The main conflict starts almost immediately and hooks you from the very beginning. I also love that this is a stnadalone and I'm not going to be waiting forever to find out how the story ends. Definitely recommend, very good quick read with a great plot and just enough spice.

[Nikki Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Forged in Thunder and Fire! As someone in STEM, I really enjoyed seeing a smart, inventive heroine whose scientific thinking plays a real role in the story. It’s such a refreshing twist in a fantasy setting.

The characters were great, the plot kept me hooked, and I loved the mix of innovation, danger, and kingdom-level stakes. R. M. Wood created a world that was easy to get lost in.

[Shortaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Omg... this was such a lovely romantasy! 🥰
I really liked the character development of Princess Darna! And the romance...🤭💕
Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fantasy more focused on the romance between the MC's but still with a strong plot!

[A H · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a good book! I loved that it was different than other Romantasies. A dwarf scientist princess?! Yes! This book has everything:: Action, comedy, spice, twists, betrayals, enemies to lovers, secrets. Definitely a shelf favorite and can't wait for more from this author.

[Pandora · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually give this a 4.5 but good reads doesn't have that.
Arc read, also shout out the the author foe such a cute PR box.
This story was amazing it had all my emotions going and it had the right amount of spice to help enhance the story. The author is also extremely kind.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited for a book with a dwarf as the FMC! Darna is not the most likable at the beginning but you see her growth as she realizes the rules she has set for herself kept her narrow and unfeeling. Thranet is properly broody and sexy. Great standalone book.

[Jen Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of dwarf princess Darna, a brilliant royal who invented black powder (a powerful explosive) and whose home kingdom has been invaded and captured by humans. To stay safe, she hides in plain sight, posing as a servant who has been appointed to the human commander Thranet. But neither are what they seem to each other, as Darna conspires to save her people and take back her home.

I really enjoyed this book. It seemed that the FMC Princess Darna might be a little neurodivergent, so that representation was appreciated. The tension between her and Commander Thranet was top-tier. The pacing on their development was right in the sweet spot for me. The twist with Thranet’s background (I’ll avoid spoilers) was awesome! Darna’s character arc was believable and very satisfying. Great HEA.

This is an enjoyable, easy read with beautiful world building, strong characters, high stakes, intense action, and delicious tension. Definitely a comfort read.

I received an advance copy from the author and am providing this honest review voluntarily.

[TiffanyMarieTicer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great debut Romantasy set in a magical world with Dwarves, Humans, Elves, Goblins, and Orcs. Darna our FMC is a Dwarven Princess and the kingdom is invaded by the evil humans. (I mean how awesome is that already). Anyways the MMC Thranet is the commander of the human army and is literally set on fire at their introduction hahaha. Oh and did I mention by her! She is a smarty STEM FMC. This has everything you want in a great book. I was thoroughly entertained and really adored the characters. The writing was easy to follow and descriptive enough to really see the setting in your mind. I highly recommend this book and hope you add it to your TBR. So so unique.

❤️True Enemies to Lovers
❤️STEM FMC Princess
❤️Hottie Commander Human MMC
❤️One Bed
❤️Forced Proximity
❤️Explosions
❤️Spice🌶️🌶️ -🌶️Open door
❤️Action and some mild gore