I’ve been reading Scheuerer since the Oremere Chronicles and I’m so happy to be along on the ride for Iron & Embers. This latest installment is swoony, full of angst, and perfect for all the fans who would suck in hand to hand combat. Keep reading this book review of Iron & Embers for my full thoughts.
Summary
Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends. The wars of the past may be over, but her thirst for revenge is far from quenched.
For years, she has been content with her poisons and potions for company, but when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the midrealms, Wren’s time in the shadows comes to an end.
She’s offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor to find a cure to the dark magic threatening the kingdoms. To win her spot, she must conquer the Gauntlet, a grueling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.
More is at play than sabotage from fellow competitors. Magic wielders are being targeted and Wren becomes tangled in a dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.
But the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her—Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge.
Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both.
Peace is fragile, trust is scarce and enemies lurk around every corner… Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from a PR company. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Iron & Embers is an emotional whirlwind. For those who are fans of “we can’t but we want to” this is for you. Emotional angst to the max. There’s pining, slow burn, a hint of second chance romance as well. We also love a man who is 100% in it to win it from the beginning. It’s also combined with a commitment shy fearful heroine. We love to see it! The romance in Iron & Embers is truly serving. It’s that beautiful emotional heart wringing pain I know will be worth it in the end.
At the same time, Iron & Embers tackles the question of justice and vengeance. If we don’t think that someone will face true justice, if they’ll just wriggle their way out, how do we make sure they meet their fate? Do we take it into our own hands? Do we make them suffer? And yet, if we take that role on, what separates what we’re doing from what they did? What I loved the most in Iron & Embers is Wren’s character journey. The way she has to realize that while she’s still traumatized by the past, she can open her heart up again. That she can love again, she can let people into her life.
Overall,
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Studious and determined, sometimes you have to realize that people in our corner is a source of strength, not weakness. Iron & Embers is dual POV and I just have to say that in the sequel, I will be keeping an eye on Torj. There are so many relatable moments in Iron & Embers whether it be the fear we have of our own happiness or the lengths we will go to for our secrets to remain hidden. We shouldn’t see love as only a crack in our armor to exploit. It’s a source of strength, can be something more – if we let it. Find Iron & Embers on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.