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Upon Buried Embers #1
Pośród ukrytych płomieni
Pierwszy raz w życiu miałam wybór – przyjąć warunki umowy albo zginąć.
Elfka nie wie już, czym jest wolność. Nie pamięta nawet swojego imienia, bo od lat nikt go nie używał. Należy do znienawidzonego i poniżanego gatunku elfów i jedyne, o czym marzy, to śmierć. Tylko ona przyniesie ukojenie. Pogodziła się z nią.
Jednak przypadkowe spotkanie z Rohanem – bezlitosnym przywódcą związanym ze smokiem – zmienia jej los. Wciągnięta do jego klanu, nie wie, jaka przyszłość ją czeka oraz jakie plany ma względem niej tajemniczy i bezlitosny Smokan. Będzie musiała odnaleźć siłę w świecie, który uważa ją za nikogo.
I pierwszy raz będzie mogła decydować o sobie.
A przynajmniej taką miała nadzieję...
Elfka nie wie już, czym jest wolność. Nie pamięta nawet swojego imienia, bo od lat nikt go nie używał. Należy do znienawidzonego i poniżanego gatunku elfów i jedyne, o czym marzy, to śmierć. Tylko ona przyniesie ukojenie. Pogodziła się z nią.
Jednak przypadkowe spotkanie z Rohanem – bezlitosnym przywódcą związanym ze smokiem – zmienia jej los. Wciągnięta do jego klanu, nie wie, jaka przyszłość ją czeka oraz jakie plany ma względem niej tajemniczy i bezlitosny Smokan. Będzie musiała odnaleźć siłę w świecie, który uważa ją za nikogo.
I pierwszy raz będzie mogła decydować o sobie.
A przynajmniej taką miała nadzieję...
560 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2025
About the author
Kelly Cove
9 books606 followersKelly is a lover of Coffee and alpha-holes.
She has spent many years reading all things romance, and it became a dream to write her own stories along the way.
You can expect darkness with her books, along with explicit and graphic scenes that will either get you hot and bothered or a thirst for revenge.
Either one is a good time.
*Winks in Dean Winchester gif*
When Kelly is not writing, she is usually spending time with her family or reading, because who doesn't love to escape into another world then to jump into another book?
Did you say one last chapter? The lies we always tell.
Happy Reading!
https://linktr.ee/KellyCove
She has spent many years reading all things romance, and it became a dream to write her own stories along the way.
You can expect darkness with her books, along with explicit and graphic scenes that will either get you hot and bothered or a thirst for revenge.
Either one is a good time.
*Winks in Dean Winchester gif*
When Kelly is not writing, she is usually spending time with her family or reading, because who doesn't love to escape into another world then to jump into another book?
Did you say one last chapter? The lies we always tell.
Happy Reading!
https://linktr.ee/KellyCove
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 794 reviews
September 15, 2025
OH MY F*CKING GOD, 5 ⭐️!
If you enjoy Dark Romantasy and dragons, you’re going to love this book!
If I had to list my top three reasons to read it, they would be:
1. Escor
2. Sparks
3. Drogonah
I can’t really explain the list. You’ll just have to read it to understand what I mean.
Aside from that, there’s a possessive MMC who rides dragons and an FMC that you’ll want to hug and befriend. It’s a slow-paced book that makes it hard to stop reading because you just want more. Beyond bonding with the main characters, Kelly does an amazing job of connecting you with the side characters too. You care about them just as much as the mains, and you really feel like you’re there with them. I also love all the dragons and their unique personalities 🐉🙌🏻🖤 The romance is 🧑🍳💋.
Compared to the extreme slow burn in "The Hidden of Vrohkaria," this one is more instant. The first kiss happens about 80% into the book though, but the tension between them is palpable from the start. I mean, it’s a captive x captor scenario, so it makes sense that there’s a lot of tension!
I absolutely love this book! Can’t wait to read the next❤️🖤
If you enjoy Dark Romantasy and dragons, you’re going to love this book!
If I had to list my top three reasons to read it, they would be:
1. Escor
2. Sparks
3. Drogonah
I can’t really explain the list. You’ll just have to read it to understand what I mean.
Aside from that, there’s a possessive MMC who rides dragons and an FMC that you’ll want to hug and befriend. It’s a slow-paced book that makes it hard to stop reading because you just want more. Beyond bonding with the main characters, Kelly does an amazing job of connecting you with the side characters too. You care about them just as much as the mains, and you really feel like you’re there with them. I also love all the dragons and their unique personalities 🐉🙌🏻🖤 The romance is 🧑🍳💋.
Compared to the extreme slow burn in "The Hidden of Vrohkaria," this one is more instant. The first kiss happens about 80% into the book though, but the tension between them is palpable from the start. I mean, it’s a captive x captor scenario, so it makes sense that there’s a lot of tension!
I absolutely love this book! Can’t wait to read the next❤️🖤
October 23, 2025
I just needed her to shut the fuck up
Want to Read
May 19, 2025Upon Buried Embers
Mental health is important, please heed the warning.
Book warning - https://www.authorkellycove.com/warni...
Follow my socials! 🌹 - https://linktr.ee/KellyCove
Mental health is important, please heed the warning.
Book warning - https://www.authorkellycove.com/warni...
Follow my socials! 🌹 - https://linktr.ee/KellyCove
August 1, 2026
3.5⭐️
I saw a few snippets of this book a couple times on TikTok and it intrigued me. Couldn’t find safety spoilers and going in blind NEVER usually works for me! So I started it anyway thinking aw sure I’ll just DNF if I have to.
Well at the start I was tempted to DNF just out of boredom because it’s very slow to get into but I just kept going because it was easy to read and I had nothing else to do and I loved the Dragons. 🤷🏻♀️
This review is vague as fuck because the book was 474 pages and I can’t be arsed to recap it all but I’ll give the gist and I’ll spoil the cliffhanger below so don’t read if you want to be surprised.
So Elf the fmc has been a slave for as long as she can remember until she’s discarded into ‘The Pit’ by her former master. (She doesn’t even know her name she literally just goes by ‘Elf’.) Anyway, she’s fully prepared to just give up and die until she’s found by Rohan, a Dragonbond clan leader who takes her captive. He tells her elves are rumoured to be able to communicate with animals and he wants her to help him work out who is taking and harming dragons, so even though she doubts her ability she agrees to help him. They grow closer and it’s slow burn as fuck and they kiss and go all the way at like 80ish percent. Then the rest of the book finally picks up pace a wee bit with them being together, getting ready for the clan to go compete in The Games in front of the king.
It ends on a massive cliffhanger, turns out at the games a year before Rohan had promised to deliver an elf to The King in exchange for ending The Games (It’s like hunger games vibes, the king has a truce with the Dragonie clans to do the games to entertain him in exchange for not just wiping them out or something.) but when he started to fall for Elf- who now goes by Alara he plans to not go through with it. The King summons Rohan and in the meantime kidnaps Alara and then exposes it all in front of her and she’s heartbroken and thinks it was all a lie between her and Rohan from the start. The king says he’s going to use Alara to keep Rohan in line and when he’s like ‘Do you understand me’ Rohan answers ‘yes, Father’. Ooooohhhhhh I knew from the snippets on TikTok he was gonna betray Alara but I didn’t see it coming that his dad is the king.
Book 2 is like 632 pages which just seems so unnecessary after this one was 474 pages so hopefully it doesn’t drag and bore me or I’ll just dnf.
-Dual PoV- mostly the fmcs pov though with just a few here and there from the mmc
-h23, H late 20s I think?
-captor/captive
-end in a cliffhanger but book 2 is out
Safety:
-Dual Virgins- h was a slave her whole life, she was badly beaten all the time but never raped. There was no mention about the H’s past throughout the book until he was intimate with the h and then we found out he was a virgin too. Here’s 2 quotes from his pov about it=
“I haven’t wanted to be inside another that way. I was adamant that a mouth would do, never wanting to risk adding to my fucked up bloodline, wanting it to end with me.
But I couldn’t with her.
Could never with her. “
“I’ve been inside of a woman exactly one time, not wanting to pass on my family line, and that’s with the one under me….”
-So he unfortunately wasn’t 100% inexperienced like the fmc but this didn’t bother me too much I guess, and there was no mention that he’d been intimate with anyone from his clan.
-no omd/ but OWD was a woman named Darcia who took an instant dislike to the fmc and was hostile to her from the beginning, even when the other clan members thawed towards her, this Darcia bitch was horrible to her all the time, she even physically attacked her a couple of times but the Fmc was so afraid of her and to say anything to the Mmc incase he didn’t believe her. It was soooo annoying how she wouldn’t tell him what was happening. She’s eventually found out and Rohan wants to kill her but Elf just asks for her to be banished. So yeah she’ll definitely be popping back up to fuck shit up at some point I’m sure.
Oh before the banishment there was a part where she came up to Rohan and offered to bathe him and touched his hand and he told her to ‘get your fucking hand off me before I remove it.’ Then he pours water over his hand where she touched him and tells the fmc ‘the only one I want to touch me is you, Elf.’
I saw a few snippets of this book a couple times on TikTok and it intrigued me. Couldn’t find safety spoilers and going in blind NEVER usually works for me! So I started it anyway thinking aw sure I’ll just DNF if I have to.
Well at the start I was tempted to DNF just out of boredom because it’s very slow to get into but I just kept going because it was easy to read and I had nothing else to do and I loved the Dragons. 🤷🏻♀️
This review is vague as fuck because the book was 474 pages and I can’t be arsed to recap it all but I’ll give the gist and I’ll spoil the cliffhanger below so don’t read if you want to be surprised.
So Elf the fmc has been a slave for as long as she can remember until she’s discarded into ‘The Pit’ by her former master. (She doesn’t even know her name she literally just goes by ‘Elf’.) Anyway, she’s fully prepared to just give up and die until she’s found by Rohan, a Dragonbond clan leader who takes her captive. He tells her elves are rumoured to be able to communicate with animals and he wants her to help him work out who is taking and harming dragons, so even though she doubts her ability she agrees to help him. They grow closer and it’s slow burn as fuck and they kiss and go all the way at like 80ish percent. Then the rest of the book finally picks up pace a wee bit with them being together, getting ready for the clan to go compete in The Games in front of the king.
It ends on a massive cliffhanger, turns out at the games a year before Rohan had promised to deliver an elf to The King in exchange for ending The Games (It’s like hunger games vibes, the king has a truce with the Dragonie clans to do the games to entertain him in exchange for not just wiping them out or something.) but when he started to fall for Elf- who now goes by Alara he plans to not go through with it. The King summons Rohan and in the meantime kidnaps Alara and then exposes it all in front of her and she’s heartbroken and thinks it was all a lie between her and Rohan from the start. The king says he’s going to use Alara to keep Rohan in line and when he’s like ‘Do you understand me’ Rohan answers ‘yes, Father’. Ooooohhhhhh I knew from the snippets on TikTok he was gonna betray Alara but I didn’t see it coming that his dad is the king.
Book 2 is like 632 pages which just seems so unnecessary after this one was 474 pages so hopefully it doesn’t drag and bore me or I’ll just dnf.
-Dual PoV- mostly the fmcs pov though with just a few here and there from the mmc
-h23, H late 20s I think?
-captor/captive
-end in a cliffhanger but book 2 is out
Safety:
-Dual Virgins- h was a slave her whole life, she was badly beaten all the time but never raped. There was no mention about the H’s past throughout the book until he was intimate with the h and then we found out he was a virgin too. Here’s 2 quotes from his pov about it=
“I haven’t wanted to be inside another that way. I was adamant that a mouth would do, never wanting to risk adding to my fucked up bloodline, wanting it to end with me.
But I couldn’t with her.
Could never with her. “
“I’ve been inside of a woman exactly one time, not wanting to pass on my family line, and that’s with the one under me….”
-So he unfortunately wasn’t 100% inexperienced like the fmc but this didn’t bother me too much I guess, and there was no mention that he’d been intimate with anyone from his clan.
-no omd/ but OWD was a woman named Darcia who took an instant dislike to the fmc and was hostile to her from the beginning, even when the other clan members thawed towards her, this Darcia bitch was horrible to her all the time, she even physically attacked her a couple of times but the Fmc was so afraid of her and to say anything to the Mmc incase he didn’t believe her. It was soooo annoying how she wouldn’t tell him what was happening. She’s eventually found out and Rohan wants to kill her but Elf just asks for her to be banished. So yeah she’ll definitely be popping back up to fuck shit up at some point I’m sure.
Oh before the banishment there was a part where she came up to Rohan and offered to bathe him and touched his hand and he told her to ‘get your fucking hand off me before I remove it.’ Then he pours water over his hand where she touched him and tells the fmc ‘the only one I want to touch me is you, Elf.’
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
October 6, 2026DNF 33%
Nie zostałam fanką romansu w tej historii :(
Próbowałam napisać z 6 razy takie moje luźne myśli biorąc pod uwagę kreacje postaci, gatunek i inne książki z relacją niewolnicą - pan ale no za każdym razem kasuję bo mam potok myśli otwierający dyskusję na 5 stron dywagując czy jak bohater znęca się psychicznie nad główną bohaterką to czy mogę mu wybaczyć bo to DARK…
Nie zostałam fanką romansu w tej historii :(
Próbowałam napisać z 6 razy takie moje luźne myśli biorąc pod uwagę kreacje postaci, gatunek i inne książki z relacją niewolnicą - pan ale no za każdym razem kasuję bo mam potok myśli otwierający dyskusję na 5 stron dywagując czy jak bohater znęca się psychicznie nad główną bohaterką to czy mogę mu wybaczyć bo to DARK…
September 28, 2025
* ARC Review *
I binged this book in 48 hours – that should already tell you something.
Fast-paced, exciting, sometimes deep, sometimes funny.
A few situations felt too constructed, and the plot/themes started to feel a bit repetitive compared to the author’s earlier work.
But overall, it was a damn good time. Dark themes though, so check trigger warnings.
I binged this book in 48 hours – that should already tell you something.
Fast-paced, exciting, sometimes deep, sometimes funny.
A few situations felt too constructed, and the plot/themes started to feel a bit repetitive compared to the author’s earlier work.
But overall, it was a damn good time. Dark themes though, so check trigger warnings.
November 22, 2025
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance
⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶 2.5/5
🧠 4/10
Cliffhanger: 7/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete series. Dual first-person POV. Dark world with major triggers so please check content warnings. Available on KU.
I'm equally happy and sad to be back in this brutal world. I know as soon as I open one of Kelly Cove's books I need to be prepared to be wrecked but I still wasn't ready.
In this book we've moved over to the other side of the world and are introduced to the barbaric dragon clans. The FMC is an Elf who has been enslaved since childhood and can't even remember who she was before. Not even her name. The MMC Rohan is a Dragonbond aka clan leader and dragon rider/caretaker. He finds Elf and claims her to use her affinity with animals to help uncover a mystery that's endangering wild dragons. Being inside Elf's head is not easy. She's been beaten and broken for so long that it's her only identity. While Rohan is rough around the edges, watching him learn to be softer and more patient as ELF fights her intrusive thoughts and battles to find self worth is actually really beautiful. Both characters are so much more than the sum of their self reflective parts.
This book had me in tears more than once. The mental health rep is highly represented here so be aware going in. The cliffhanger was a twist I absolutely did not see coming. I'm so sad we have to wait so long for book 2.
⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶 2.5/5
🧠 4/10
Cliffhanger: 7/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of an incomplete series. Dual first-person POV. Dark world with major triggers so please check content warnings. Available on KU.
I'm equally happy and sad to be back in this brutal world. I know as soon as I open one of Kelly Cove's books I need to be prepared to be wrecked but I still wasn't ready.
In this book we've moved over to the other side of the world and are introduced to the barbaric dragon clans. The FMC is an Elf who has been enslaved since childhood and can't even remember who she was before. Not even her name. The MMC Rohan is a Dragonbond aka clan leader and dragon rider/caretaker. He finds Elf and claims her to use her affinity with animals to help uncover a mystery that's endangering wild dragons. Being inside Elf's head is not easy. She's been beaten and broken for so long that it's her only identity. While Rohan is rough around the edges, watching him learn to be softer and more patient as ELF fights her intrusive thoughts and battles to find self worth is actually really beautiful. Both characters are so much more than the sum of their self reflective parts.
This book had me in tears more than once. The mental health rep is highly represented here so be aware going in. The cliffhanger was a twist I absolutely did not see coming. I'm so sad we have to wait so long for book 2.
January 4, 2026
I don’t understand how this book is receiving 3+ stars throughout 400+ pages of FMC being all “but I am just a lowly, weak, vulnerable, pitiful slave. please give me sympathy 🥹🥹🥹”. 🙄😒
I was so bored and uninterested in what was happening. There is no world building and what little world building there is, isn’t being explained thoroughly, you’re still left with confusion. The “romance” is weak. There’s zero chemistry with the MMC and FMC. The dragons are the only interesting part of this book. The climax is lacking excitement and was predictable and the cliffhanger could be seen from a mile away.
Don’t waste your time. This book needs more jazz than what it gave. Pity.
I was so bored and uninterested in what was happening. There is no world building and what little world building there is, isn’t being explained thoroughly, you’re still left with confusion. The “romance” is weak. There’s zero chemistry with the MMC and FMC. The dragons are the only interesting part of this book. The climax is lacking excitement and was predictable and the cliffhanger could be seen from a mile away.
Don’t waste your time. This book needs more jazz than what it gave. Pity.
September 28, 2025
I will be honest, I thought this was going to be first DNF in the first 50-100 pages. I really struggled with the constant reminder that the FMC is soo tiny and soo little, and an seemingly unstructured writing style; this felt like a second book in a series with how little set up there was, paired with random characters showing up, or plot points emerging with next to no introduction or explanation. But, I gave it a shot and I am glad I did. This book was like a sexy How To Train Your Dragon, complete with some beautiful flight scenes and dragon snout-to-hand cuteness.
The FMC coming out of her shell and letting her walls down was done well, and not too rushed. That paired with a kill-her-and-you-die MMC eventually whittled me down and I finished this book, excited for its upcoming sequel. The soft moments are lovely, and the not-so-soft moments are probably some of my favourite I’ve read so far. The dynamic that developed between the two main characters is wonderful and honestly, really well done.
✨Looks like there’s some fire in your heart after all. I cannot wait to breathe life into it. For what a wonderful sight it will be.” ✨
I do wish there was a bit more attention to the development of side characters and a deeper connection to the overarching plot. But it was done well enough that I felt connected to the two main characters, the dragons - so cute! - and the overall world as I went further into the story. The last portion of the book is a whirlwind that had me sitting up in bed with my mouth agape, so bring on 2026.
✨”You are more than you have ever been given a chance to be.” ✨
And yes, the mask stays on.
The FMC coming out of her shell and letting her walls down was done well, and not too rushed. That paired with a kill-her-and-you-die MMC eventually whittled me down and I finished this book, excited for its upcoming sequel. The soft moments are lovely, and the not-so-soft moments are probably some of my favourite I’ve read so far. The dynamic that developed between the two main characters is wonderful and honestly, really well done.
✨Looks like there’s some fire in your heart after all. I cannot wait to breathe life into it. For what a wonderful sight it will be.” ✨
I do wish there was a bit more attention to the development of side characters and a deeper connection to the overarching plot. But it was done well enough that I felt connected to the two main characters, the dragons - so cute! - and the overall world as I went further into the story. The last portion of the book is a whirlwind that had me sitting up in bed with my mouth agape, so bring on 2026.
✨”You are more than you have ever been given a chance to be.” ✨
And yes, the mask stays on.
October 17, 2025
I am still trying to figure out how I feel about this. It certainly had its good points. There were some really sweet parts, and I very much liked the slow burn, which kept me quite invested in the story. However, when we got to the action (if you know what I mean 😏), it was...too much?! Not in the sense that there were too many scenes—there weren't—but the descriptions were too overdone/over-the-top for my liking. The plot was ok-dragons and Vikings; there is really not much to dislike about that - but the amount of times it was mentioned how tiny the FMC was and how the MMC said "I am a Dragonbond" pretty much anytime the heroine asked him something, was annoying to say the least. Overall I found the book rather basic.
October 31, 2026
Przestańmy nazywać darkami książki, gdzie on jest po prostu grumpy, ale główna bohaterka jest pick me, bo aż się rzygać chce...
I kilka zarzutów na 85 przeczytanych stron:
1. W TW jest ostrzeżenie, że Rohan jest niemiły dla głównej bohaterki, książka zaliczana jest do dark romantasy... A on już się o nią troszczy na 84 stronie XDDD CZEMU KURWA
2. Wszystko jest albo duże, albo malutkie (nawet nie małe, ale MALUTKIE).
3. Pardon, ale malutkie ślady zostawiają małe dzieci, nie dorosłe osoby, nawet jeśli są niskie xd
4. Ktoś ma tutaj poważne problemy z anatomią i wiedzą ogólną, bo niestety, na koniu nie da się kogoś posadzić na udach, chociaż byś się człowieku zesrał, to siadasz albo okrakiem albo w damskim siodle i w żadnej konfiguracji nie weźmiesz nikogo na kolana xd
5. Totalnie nieautentyczne postaci, a główna bohatera męczy swoim jęczeniem - ani przez sekundę nie czułam się przekonana przez jej bolesną i, w domniemaniu, przerażającą przeszłość, jako niewolnicy. Przydałoby się trochę pomyślunku...
6. 85 stron przeczytanych, a ja wiem tylko tyle, że on ma duże dłonie, ona jest malutka i prawie nic nie waży, tyle xd
I kilka zarzutów na 85 przeczytanych stron:
1. W TW jest ostrzeżenie, że Rohan jest niemiły dla głównej bohaterki, książka zaliczana jest do dark romantasy... A on już się o nią troszczy na 84 stronie XDDD CZEMU KURWA
2. Wszystko jest albo duże, albo malutkie (nawet nie małe, ale MALUTKIE).
3. Pardon, ale malutkie ślady zostawiają małe dzieci, nie dorosłe osoby, nawet jeśli są niskie xd
4. Ktoś ma tutaj poważne problemy z anatomią i wiedzą ogólną, bo niestety, na koniu nie da się kogoś posadzić na udach, chociaż byś się człowieku zesrał, to siadasz albo okrakiem albo w damskim siodle i w żadnej konfiguracji nie weźmiesz nikogo na kolana xd
5. Totalnie nieautentyczne postaci, a główna bohatera męczy swoim jęczeniem - ani przez sekundę nie czułam się przekonana przez jej bolesną i, w domniemaniu, przerażającą przeszłość, jako niewolnicy. Przydałoby się trochę pomyślunku...
6. 85 stron przeczytanych, a ja wiem tylko tyle, że on ma duże dłonie, ona jest malutka i prawie nic nie waży, tyle xd
December 12, 2025
(Second Read July 2026) i loved this just as much the second time around!! i did the audiobook this time and it was so well produced. i definitely recommend this to any DARK romantasy lovers out there looking for something that will give you all the big feelings. please check your trigger warnings and be advised here & now that the second book to this duet (which i've already read now) is EVEN DARKER than this. read my initial review below if you want a little more insight as to why i initially enjoyed this so much!
(First Read Dec 2025) you know what, i absolutely ate this shit up. no crumbs. feral for the next book. [absolutely gutted i have to wait so long though]
this was a TRUE enemies to lovers, very slow burn, morally grey MMC, captor x captive scenario, with secrets, deals, dragons, and dark themes.... i mean come onnnn! i am literally running to Kelly's other series just so i can get more of her dark fantasy vibes asap
i can totally understand why this might not be some people's cup of tea, but it was mine- so hand over the whole damn teapot, Kelly Cove! definitely read trigger warnings, and be aware that the MMC is in fact a total asshole for a good portion of this book (don't worry though, once you uncover his OTT possessive/protective streak, you'll overlook all the rest). ~however~ something i really appreciated was the depth and dimension that was afforded to the main characters. they might've made dumb decisions, or frustrated the crap out of me; but they both had valid reasonings for acting the way they did. one thing i can't stand in books is when a character does something that 1) i wouldn't do in the same scenario, but more importantly 2) i can't understand the WHY behind their actions. thankfully the author fleshed out these main characters in a way that makes it (for me) easily understandable for them to do certain things even when i disagree.
the tension and betrayal in this made the book completely un-put-down-able for me. the lore/magic was captivating and easy to understand, while still keeping enough unanswered questions to leave me intrigued instead of frustrated. i'd literally sell a kidney to get the next book early!
(First Read Dec 2025) you know what, i absolutely ate this shit up. no crumbs. feral for the next book. [absolutely gutted i have to wait so long though]
this was a TRUE enemies to lovers, very slow burn, morally grey MMC, captor x captive scenario, with secrets, deals, dragons, and dark themes.... i mean come onnnn! i am literally running to Kelly's other series just so i can get more of her dark fantasy vibes asap
i can totally understand why this might not be some people's cup of tea, but it was mine- so hand over the whole damn teapot, Kelly Cove! definitely read trigger warnings, and be aware that the MMC is in fact a total asshole for a good portion of this book (don't worry though, once you uncover his OTT possessive/protective streak, you'll overlook all the rest). ~however~ something i really appreciated was the depth and dimension that was afforded to the main characters. they might've made dumb decisions, or frustrated the crap out of me; but they both had valid reasonings for acting the way they did. one thing i can't stand in books is when a character does something that 1) i wouldn't do in the same scenario, but more importantly 2) i can't understand the WHY behind their actions. thankfully the author fleshed out these main characters in a way that makes it (for me) easily understandable for them to do certain things even when i disagree.
the tension and betrayal in this made the book completely un-put-down-able for me. the lore/magic was captivating and easy to understand, while still keeping enough unanswered questions to leave me intrigued instead of frustrated. i'd literally sell a kidney to get the next book early!
September 29, 2025
I could not read this because of the writing.
It felt kind of flat and unpolished, even inexperienced, which made the reading experience less smooth
It felt kind of flat and unpolished, even inexperienced, which made the reading experience less smooth
July 22, 2026
Will write a review on the 2nd book for full duet review.
October 29, 2026
Dosłownie wszyscy mnie wkurwiali w tej książce
August 29, 2025
Took me a day and the only bad thing I have to say about this book is that I have to wait another year for the next one.
For those who haven't, highly suggest this book and also checking out the hidden of Vrohkaria series to help paint some more of the background. Upon buried embers is captivating, full fantasy and alluring in all the best ways. The dynamic of the main characters is well written and gets you hooked from the start. I laughed, I cried, and I related. There are times I wanted to shake the main characters because what they make you feel is a lot.
I've said it before and l'll say it again, Kelly Cove is an automatic read author for me because of her ability to write romance that tears your heart and pieces it back together, but also strong plots and world building to captive and never leave you feeling confused about where and what you're reading. If you haven't check out her other books. As for me, I'll be crying in a corner till the next one drops
For those who haven't, highly suggest this book and also checking out the hidden of Vrohkaria series to help paint some more of the background. Upon buried embers is captivating, full fantasy and alluring in all the best ways. The dynamic of the main characters is well written and gets you hooked from the start. I laughed, I cried, and I related. There are times I wanted to shake the main characters because what they make you feel is a lot.
I've said it before and l'll say it again, Kelly Cove is an automatic read author for me because of her ability to write romance that tears your heart and pieces it back together, but also strong plots and world building to captive and never leave you feeling confused about where and what you're reading. If you haven't check out her other books. As for me, I'll be crying in a corner till the next one drops
September 23, 2025
The books starts off with her being thrown in the Pitt to be given as dragon food. She’s had a pretty tough life she’s basically been a slave all her life abused. Honestly the entire book she didn’t have second of peace and Rohan here made her life more miserable by keeping her captive 😃
Honestly I don’t understand what the appeal she sees in Rohan sure he finally warmed up to her but he let her be treated like shit by his clan members. She genuinely didn’t have a single person on her side besides the dragons.
See I only find it doable if she fights back but she never fought back and was just letting them shit on her. It made the book unbearable and depressing.
The fact she had no name was called Elf the entire time. Only until the end where she decides to name herself Alara felt like she was finally freeing herself until that got squashed down by the cliffhanger 🙃
Anyways I’m expecting him to grovel in the next book after that cliffhanger🌚
Honestly I don’t understand what the appeal she sees in Rohan sure he finally warmed up to her but he let her be treated like shit by his clan members. She genuinely didn’t have a single person on her side besides the dragons.
See I only find it doable if she fights back but she never fought back and was just letting them shit on her. It made the book unbearable and depressing.
The fact she had no name was called Elf the entire time. Only until the end where she decides to name herself Alara felt like she was finally freeing herself until that got squashed down by the cliffhanger 🙃
Anyways I’m expecting him to grovel in the next book after that cliffhanger🌚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnr
September 26, 2025need safety but maybe
October 5, 2026
„Czasami coś musi zapłonąć, by można było zacząć od nowa.”
Kiedy pojawiła się polska zapowiedź 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗥𝗢𝗗 𝗨𝗞𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗬𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗜 wiedziałam, że położę swoje łapy na tej książce szybciej niż później.
Dark fantasy? Jest.
Elementy dark romansu? Są.
Smoki? W ilości dużo.
Napięcie i emocje? Od groma.
Dostałam wszystko to, co mi obiecywano. Liczyłam na świetną rozrywkę, na chwilę zapomnienia i dokładnie to dostałam.
Ta książka ujęła mnie najbardziej jednym - Elfka 𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵 słaba i absolutnie nie próbuje udawać silnej, samowystarczalnej i przebojowej kobiety. Jest zahukana, zlękniona, samotna i zagubiona, nie ma siły udawać kogoś, kim nie jest. To takie inne od wszystkich bohaterek, które są twarde jak stal. Jej rozwój jako postaci mnie ujął. Miło było obserwować jej delikatną przemianę.
Z drugiej strony mamy Smokana, który jest wszystkim, poza delikatnością. Władczy, stanowczy i oddany ludowi. Chwilami zbyt buńczuczny, ale naprawdę go polubiłam. Relacja jego i Elfki od początku mnie intrygowała, byłam kibicem tego „związku”.
Smoki. Czy dasz wiarę, jeśli powiem, że pokochałam smoki? Tutaj były wspaniałe. Mądre, lojalne i nieustraszone. Ich kultura, historia i pochodzenie były opisane na maksa intrygująco, a smoki jako bohaterowie - mistrzostwo świata.
Fabularnie nie brakowało mi tutaj niczego. I choć w pewnym momencie domyśliłam się co i dlaczego, to i tak na końcu byłam zdziwiona (no bo jak to tak!) i zostałam z zamkniętą książką i otwartą buzią.
Jeśli lubisz smoki, mroczne fantasy i romans, który wcale nie należy do uroczych i delikatnych - ta książka jest dla Ciebie.
[ reklama @wydawnictwolumivera ]
Kiedy pojawiła się polska zapowiedź 𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗥𝗢𝗗 𝗨𝗞𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗬𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗡𝗜 wiedziałam, że położę swoje łapy na tej książce szybciej niż później.
Dark fantasy? Jest.
Elementy dark romansu? Są.
Smoki? W ilości dużo.
Napięcie i emocje? Od groma.
Dostałam wszystko to, co mi obiecywano. Liczyłam na świetną rozrywkę, na chwilę zapomnienia i dokładnie to dostałam.
Ta książka ujęła mnie najbardziej jednym - Elfka 𝘫𝘦𝘴𝘵 słaba i absolutnie nie próbuje udawać silnej, samowystarczalnej i przebojowej kobiety. Jest zahukana, zlękniona, samotna i zagubiona, nie ma siły udawać kogoś, kim nie jest. To takie inne od wszystkich bohaterek, które są twarde jak stal. Jej rozwój jako postaci mnie ujął. Miło było obserwować jej delikatną przemianę.
Z drugiej strony mamy Smokana, który jest wszystkim, poza delikatnością. Władczy, stanowczy i oddany ludowi. Chwilami zbyt buńczuczny, ale naprawdę go polubiłam. Relacja jego i Elfki od początku mnie intrygowała, byłam kibicem tego „związku”.
Smoki. Czy dasz wiarę, jeśli powiem, że pokochałam smoki? Tutaj były wspaniałe. Mądre, lojalne i nieustraszone. Ich kultura, historia i pochodzenie były opisane na maksa intrygująco, a smoki jako bohaterowie - mistrzostwo świata.
Fabularnie nie brakowało mi tutaj niczego. I choć w pewnym momencie domyśliłam się co i dlaczego, to i tak na końcu byłam zdziwiona (no bo jak to tak!) i zostałam z zamkniętą książką i otwartą buzią.
Jeśli lubisz smoki, mroczne fantasy i romans, który wcale nie należy do uroczych i delikatnych - ta książka jest dla Ciebie.
[ reklama @wydawnictwolumivera ]
September 8, 2025
Oh boy, how good was this… This author was new to me when I started reading “Upon Buried Embers”, but I swear she won’t stay new. For books like this one I’m totally willing to read more MF romances. I was hooked on this story from the start, but if you have any triggers I do advice to check those first and not dive in simply based on this recommendation.
“Upon Buried Embers” is a romantasy story with amazing dragons, fascinating worldbuilding, dark elements both to the world and the storyline, great character building and some surprising twists and turns. Elf hasn’t had the easiest life, and meeting Rohan doesn’t immediately change this either. But slowly she gets the chance to start living instead of simply suriviving, while becoming friends with some amazing dragons.
I love how multidimensional these two main characters are at the end of this first book, and it definitely helps they both get their POV’s. The end of book one came way too soon, and I can’t wait to find out what’s next for these characters!
“Upon Buried Embers” is a romantasy story with amazing dragons, fascinating worldbuilding, dark elements both to the world and the storyline, great character building and some surprising twists and turns. Elf hasn’t had the easiest life, and meeting Rohan doesn’t immediately change this either. But slowly she gets the chance to start living instead of simply suriviving, while becoming friends with some amazing dragons.
I love how multidimensional these two main characters are at the end of this first book, and it definitely helps they both get their POV’s. The end of book one came way too soon, and I can’t wait to find out what’s next for these characters!
September 10, 2026
Loved this.
Our female protagonist is Elf. She is a slave elf who was abducted by the Elven Lands when she was a child and was bought by a cruel human lord.
As such she spent almost the entirety of her life being beaten, starved, humiliated and dehumanized. She doesn't even have a name and she goes by Elf.
One day she steals bread from her master and he sends her to the Pit, a labyrinth of underground tunnels that hosts criminals and monsters.
She doesn't think she will survive long there but she is found by Rohan, the leader of the Blackscale clan who is also a Dragonbond, meaning he has bonded to and rides a dragon.
Rohan takes her with him saying he has use of her. He brings her to his clan and as time passes Elf realizes she wants to stay with his clan, taking care of their dragons and being around a found family.
Enter the evil king and everything goes to shit. Dragon eggs go missing, dragons are found slaughtered or missing and Elf is maybe the only one who can actually speak to dragons and find out what is happening.
Worldbuilding: Good! We have dragon clans and a nice map. And we, also, have descriptions of how a clan operates, their customs, their habits etch.
I would like to know more about the elves and how the war started between them and the humans.
Plot: Very character-driven, which I normally don't fancy but here I loved it!
Romance: Good! At first, I loathed Rohan's and Elf's dynamics. She was a slave before she was discarded by her master and Rohan continues to treat her as such, tying her to poles to sleep or making her walk behind his horse.
But after he gets to know her, everything changes and he is transformed into a cuddly marshmallow who can't say no to her.
Good spice too!
FMC: She is not the typical FMC and I liked that. What I mean is that we are currently in an era when most FMCs are hot-headed, badass and arrogant which when done right is cool but I have encountered a lot of failures. Here, our FMC has experienced true horrors in the majority of her life and she has adapted in order to survive. She is silent, afraid, flinches and cries and honestly, even if some will find her weak, I actually found her strong and authentic.
MMC: Kal Drogo but make him a Viking and instead of a horse he rides a dragon. Total marshmallow when he falls in love.
Side characters: We have some really cool dragons and some okay sides.
Villain: A little lacking but I think the villain will be the main focus of book 2.
Overall: Yes!! Loved it!
Our female protagonist is Elf. She is a slave elf who was abducted by the Elven Lands when she was a child and was bought by a cruel human lord.
As such she spent almost the entirety of her life being beaten, starved, humiliated and dehumanized. She doesn't even have a name and she goes by Elf.
One day she steals bread from her master and he sends her to the Pit, a labyrinth of underground tunnels that hosts criminals and monsters.
She doesn't think she will survive long there but she is found by Rohan, the leader of the Blackscale clan who is also a Dragonbond, meaning he has bonded to and rides a dragon.
Rohan takes her with him saying he has use of her. He brings her to his clan and as time passes Elf realizes she wants to stay with his clan, taking care of their dragons and being around a found family.
Enter the evil king and everything goes to shit. Dragon eggs go missing, dragons are found slaughtered or missing and Elf is maybe the only one who can actually speak to dragons and find out what is happening.
Worldbuilding: Good! We have dragon clans and a nice map. And we, also, have descriptions of how a clan operates, their customs, their habits etch.
I would like to know more about the elves and how the war started between them and the humans.
Plot: Very character-driven, which I normally don't fancy but here I loved it!
Romance: Good! At first, I loathed Rohan's and Elf's dynamics. She was a slave before she was discarded by her master and Rohan continues to treat her as such, tying her to poles to sleep or making her walk behind his horse.
But after he gets to know her, everything changes and he is transformed into a cuddly marshmallow who can't say no to her.
Good spice too!
FMC: She is not the typical FMC and I liked that. What I mean is that we are currently in an era when most FMCs are hot-headed, badass and arrogant which when done right is cool but I have encountered a lot of failures. Here, our FMC has experienced true horrors in the majority of her life and she has adapted in order to survive. She is silent, afraid, flinches and cries and honestly, even if some will find her weak, I actually found her strong and authentic.
MMC: Kal Drogo but make him a Viking and instead of a horse he rides a dragon. Total marshmallow when he falls in love.
Side characters: We have some really cool dragons and some okay sides.
Villain: A little lacking but I think the villain will be the main focus of book 2.
Overall: Yes!! Loved it!
August 14, 2025
I hadn't read MF fantasy in a while, and this one blew me away!
The reading was so fast, I was impressed with myself lol
And the story is so good and easy to get into (sometimes fantasy is so hard to understand for me).
Anyway, the real question is, when is the next book? How many books will there be?
The reading was so fast, I was impressed with myself lol
And the story is so good and easy to get into (sometimes fantasy is so hard to understand for me).
Anyway, the real question is, when is the next book? How many books will there be?
September 14, 2025
ARC Review
Huge thanks to Kelly Cove for the ARC so grateful I had the chance to read this early and share my honest thoughts.
When a Viking warrior who can bring a dragon to heel yet still carries a kind, empathetic heart steps onto the page it just hits differently. Kelly Cove has a gift for creating emotionally strong FMCs and MMCs who are almost too good-hearted for their own sake. The way she weaves relationships, between humans, magical beings, and even animals is simply beautiful.
This is a powerful story of perseverance against all odds. At its core is a heroine who has never known kindness, yet continues to give it freely, often at her own expense. Alongside her stands a hero burdened with the responsibility of his clan and his dragons constantly sacrificing to ensure not just their survival, but also their happiness.
The world is rich with unforgettable side characters you can’t help but adore. But the true stars of the story? The dragons.
It’s a testament to Kelly’s incredible writing that each dragon feels like a fully realized character, their personalities shining through without a single spoken word. I found myself just as invested, if not more in their fates as I was in the human characters. Honestly, I think I love the dragons most of all.
I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next. This is absolutely a MUST READ!
Huge thanks to Kelly Cove for the ARC so grateful I had the chance to read this early and share my honest thoughts.
When a Viking warrior who can bring a dragon to heel yet still carries a kind, empathetic heart steps onto the page it just hits differently. Kelly Cove has a gift for creating emotionally strong FMCs and MMCs who are almost too good-hearted for their own sake. The way she weaves relationships, between humans, magical beings, and even animals is simply beautiful.
This is a powerful story of perseverance against all odds. At its core is a heroine who has never known kindness, yet continues to give it freely, often at her own expense. Alongside her stands a hero burdened with the responsibility of his clan and his dragons constantly sacrificing to ensure not just their survival, but also their happiness.
The world is rich with unforgettable side characters you can’t help but adore. But the true stars of the story? The dragons.
It’s a testament to Kelly’s incredible writing that each dragon feels like a fully realized character, their personalities shining through without a single spoken word. I found myself just as invested, if not more in their fates as I was in the human characters. Honestly, I think I love the dragons most of all.
I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next. This is absolutely a MUST READ!
August 31, 2025
ARC review: After her first series (one of my fav romantasies) - “The Hidden of Vrokharia” I just knew I was going to love this, but I didn’t know how much. There’s just something about her books and her writing – she makes every single page interesting. No unnecessary filler, no boring moments.
The two of them had PERFECT chemistry. Her background is so heartbreaking, and watching him try to light her fire was beautiful (though not gonna lie, he was an asshole at times – as they all are – and I wanted to beat the shit out of him). But really, I was on edge the whole book. I kinda suspected the ending because we got easter eggs about it earlier in the book, BUT HOLLY SHIT I DID NOT EXPECT ALL OF IT. I read the last sentence and my. Jaw. Was. On. The. Floor. That’s the thing about this author – HER EVERY BOOK LEAVES ME SHOCKED AT THE END. And honestly, I couldn’t wish for anything more. I love nothing as much as a MMC who pisses me off and then becomes the biggest softy. (Love me some groweling hihihi)
I just hate that I have to wait so long for book two, because this was the first romantasy in a LOOOOONG time that actually got me this excited. Honestly, of course it’s 5 stars – I didn’t expect anything less from her. Truly a masterpiece ❤️❤️❤️
The two of them had PERFECT chemistry. Her background is so heartbreaking, and watching him try to light her fire was beautiful (though not gonna lie, he was an asshole at times – as they all are – and I wanted to beat the shit out of him). But really, I was on edge the whole book. I kinda suspected the ending because we got easter eggs about it earlier in the book, BUT HOLLY SHIT I DID NOT EXPECT ALL OF IT. I read the last sentence and my. Jaw. Was. On. The. Floor. That’s the thing about this author – HER EVERY BOOK LEAVES ME SHOCKED AT THE END. And honestly, I couldn’t wish for anything more. I love nothing as much as a MMC who pisses me off and then becomes the biggest softy. (Love me some groweling hihihi)
I just hate that I have to wait so long for book two, because this was the first romantasy in a LOOOOONG time that actually got me this excited. Honestly, of course it’s 5 stars – I didn’t expect anything less from her. Truly a masterpiece ❤️❤️❤️
October 9, 2025
I mf loved this book. Slow burn, dragons, elves (well singular?), and trauma.
November 2, 2026
Muszę się zastanowic nad oceną. Niektóre momenty to totalnie 5/5 ale było ich tak mało i to dopiero pod sam sam saaam koniec. Reszta książki brutalna, a główny bohater to powinien isc sie leczyć chyba. Do wymiany😅
October 29, 2026
Wiecie co, to był prawdziwy rollercoaster emocji, tych lepszych i tych gorszych.
Jeszcze nie zdecydowałam czy sięgnę po drugi tom 🤯
Jeszcze nie zdecydowałam czy sięgnę po drugi tom 🤯
September 17, 2025
ARC review:
Once again, Kelly Cove has revived me from a reading slump. Her books are so easy to digest and become fully immersed in. This books is full of wonderful plot points and world building, and I COULD NOT put it down. The fantasy aspect of this books was so easy to understand and it was packed full of amazing creatures and plot themes! Sometimes fantasy and romance books can feel repetitive, but not this one! This was its own story in this genre and it was so refreshing.
I’m beyond thrilled to see what is next for these characters 😭😭 and to see what Kelly can think up next!! This book is amazing for romance/fantasy readers who are both new to the genre and have been here for a while. I will always highly recommend Kelly’s books!
Her previous trilogy quite literally changed my literary life, so when the opportunity came up to be an ARC reader I COULD NOT pass it up!
Once again, Kelly Cove has revived me from a reading slump. Her books are so easy to digest and become fully immersed in. This books is full of wonderful plot points and world building, and I COULD NOT put it down. The fantasy aspect of this books was so easy to understand and it was packed full of amazing creatures and plot themes! Sometimes fantasy and romance books can feel repetitive, but not this one! This was its own story in this genre and it was so refreshing.
I’m beyond thrilled to see what is next for these characters 😭😭 and to see what Kelly can think up next!! This book is amazing for romance/fantasy readers who are both new to the genre and have been here for a while. I will always highly recommend Kelly’s books!
Her previous trilogy quite literally changed my literary life, so when the opportunity came up to be an ARC reader I COULD NOT pass it up!
August 28, 2025
✨ ARC Review: Upon Buried Embers by Kelly Cove ✨
First off, thank you to the author for the ARC❤️❤️
Okay, wow. The start of this book had my heart hurting for Elf right away. She goes through so much, and I was instantly rooting for her. Then we get the dragons—ugh!! Drogonah with his grumpy, no-nonsense vibe, Escor being the younger, lovable one(my favourite 😘)and baby Sparks… my heart broke with how they got him in their family and I’m begging that he’s okay in the next book. Please don’t let him suffer, Kelly! 🥺🐉
Rohan, I’ll admit, came off cold in the beginning, but it was obvious he noticed Elf right from the start. The bathing, the hair braiding practice on each other and the braiding significance (which totally gave me Dothraki vibes from GoT, ngl). I loved how Elf sought comfort in the dragons, and how protective they were of her in return. That bond was honestly one of my favourite parts. And her naming herself!!!!!
As for the drama… Darcia. Yeah, that bitch had it coming.
And omg—the spice?? Hotttt. 🔥🔥 I loved how they were given a chance to get to know each other before the intimate scenes, the building up of sexual tension definitely didn’t disappoint. And then the twist at the end?! I did NOT see that coming and now I’m screaming for the next book!!!!!!
First off, thank you to the author for the ARC❤️❤️
Okay, wow. The start of this book had my heart hurting for Elf right away. She goes through so much, and I was instantly rooting for her. Then we get the dragons—ugh!! Drogonah with his grumpy, no-nonsense vibe, Escor being the younger, lovable one(my favourite 😘)and baby Sparks… my heart broke with how they got him in their family and I’m begging that he’s okay in the next book. Please don’t let him suffer, Kelly! 🥺🐉
Rohan, I’ll admit, came off cold in the beginning, but it was obvious he noticed Elf right from the start. The bathing, the hair braiding practice on each other and the braiding significance (which totally gave me Dothraki vibes from GoT, ngl). I loved how Elf sought comfort in the dragons, and how protective they were of her in return. That bond was honestly one of my favourite parts. And her naming herself!!!!!
As for the drama… Darcia. Yeah, that bitch had it coming.
And omg—the spice?? Hotttt. 🔥🔥 I loved how they were given a chance to get to know each other before the intimate scenes, the building up of sexual tension definitely didn’t disappoint. And then the twist at the end?! I did NOT see that coming and now I’m screaming for the next book!!!!!!
May 6, 2026
Meh, I didn't get past 15% I get it's dark . I get it. So calm your crazy. However, I really wanted her to stab like everyone... And apparently the doosh that is first on that list is supposedly the romantic interest. 🤷 I would slice my wrists and call forth the wild dragon horde to eat every mf in that clearing that sneered at me. Much less tied me to his belt and dragged my broken ass across a mountain. Steal a sword send his ass to Valhalla. Why does dark automatically mean the female goes through intense trauma usually by the romantic interest? I like the dark romance where the female is nuckin futs and makes the insecure little narcissists bleed usually the ones you guys are trying to ship her with.
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