Iron and Embers

 By: Helen Scheuerer

Location: FIC SCH

Genre: Romantasy

Series:  The Ashes of Thezmarr  #1

ANOTHER KIWI AUTHOR

“There is no rhyme or reason to why people are taken from us. No greater meaning, no justice. I have long ago stopped trying to find those things in death…”

“I’ve made no secret of what I want... You. It’s always been you.”
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?

Iron & Embers is the breathtaking first installment in the epic fantasy romance series, The Ashes of Thezmarr. With its lush world-building, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding action it’s perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom.

NZ BOOK LOVERS REVIEW: Reviewer: Karen McMillan

New Zealand author Helen Scheuerer has built up legions of fans for her internationally published novels that feature strong female characters and action-packed plots.

Wren is the heroine in this new novel, an alchemist turned assassin intent on revenging the death of her friends in a brutal war that ripped apart their lands. Everyone calls her the Poisoner, as she quietly works behind the scenes, taking out the people who were responsible, one by one, with her blends of potent poisons.

But after years in the shadows, she is offered a place in the prestigious ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor, so she must put aside her life of revenge to attend this school – something that is a dream come true for her. She has to face the deadly Gauntlet while there – a series of trials that could cost her life or her sanity. To add further complications, there is sabotage from fellow competitors, and there is a larger, more dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the Bear Slayer, the man assigned as her bodyguard, is the most complicated aspect of her new life. They share a bond from the battlefields, and there is a sizzling, undeniable chemistry between them. But could love end up being the most lethal poison of all?

Helen has created a fantasy world that is easy to occupy, and this novel has it all – action, intrigue, strong characters and palpable, escalating, racy tension between the two main characters. This is a sizzling fantasy romance which is breathtaking. I can’t wait to read the next in this new series.