A Fate of Wrath and Flame by K.A. Tucker

Title: A Fate of Wrath and Flame

Author: K.A. Tucker

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Fate and Flame # 1

Paperback 496 Pages 

Publication: May 20, 2021

Source: Audible

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Gifted thief Romeria steals jewels under a notorious New York City crime boss. But when an enigmatic woman secures her services at swordpoint, Romeria is wrenched from this world and transported into a realm of opposing thrones, warring elven societies, and elemental magic.

Waking up in the body of a treacherous elven princess, Romeria quickly realizes she's entangled in a deadly plot and must hide her identity at all costs - not least from the princess's betrothed, King Zander, who detests her. Romeria is forced to play the smitten princess as the unwilling pair work together to uncover the danger that surrounds them.

But with their enemies closing in - and as she fights her growing feelings for the king - it's time for Romeria to find out who she truly is.

MY THOUGHTS

I’ve had A Fate of Wrath and Flame on my radar for a long time. I actually started the audiobook multiple times, but the narrator always put me off, and I never got past the prologue. Determined to finish it, I finally made it to the end. However, to my surprise, what started as a strong story ended up fizzling out. In a single word: underwhelming.

A Fate of Wrath and Flame is a portal fantasy that follows Romeria, a thief from New York who is transported to another world and inhabits the body of her doppelgänger, an elven princess. Tasked with finding a critical artifact, Romeria faces additional challenges: the body she now occupies just murdered her betrothed’s parents. Not only does she need to complete her mission, but she must also keep her true identity hidden.

I haven’t read many fantasy novels where characters transition from the real world into a fantasy setting. I like the concept, but everything else felt too familiar, and I wasn’t impressed. In this new world, vampire faes, mortals, and elemental magic users coexist. Mortals, predictably, are at the bottom of the hierarchy, often serving as slaves or workers for the immortal, aristocratic fae.

Romeria is street-smart, practical, and has a caring heart; all qualities I appreciate in a female protagonist. However, there were moments where she felt immature. As for Zander, I didn’t care for him much. He seems like a competent king overall, but his relationship with Romeria felt too erratic; hot and cold far too quickly. Even knowing that the "Romeria" before and after are two different people, I couldn’t buy into Zander’s acceptance of her. Personally, I wouldn’t be able to overlook the fact that my partner had murdered my parents, regardless of the circumstances. Like Zander and others repeatedly noted throughout the book: when Romeria is around him, all common sense seems to fly out the window.

Overall, A Fate of Wrath and Flame was just okay. Nothing about it stood out, and I never felt connected to the characters. With that said, I won’t be continuing with the series.