Early Sampler Review: Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

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Fourth Wing meets Iron Widow in this enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy by debut author Mikayla Bridge. The hottest must-read of the summer!

On an island built from ash and shrouded in fire, phoenix racing is a sport just as profitable as it is deadly.

Seventeen-year-old Kel Varra and her team of underdogs, the Crimson Howlers, are desperate to win the annual races and the fortune that comes with it. But the Howlers need a new rider, which leads Kel to join forces with Warren “Coup” Coupers – an arrogant rival she can’t get out of her head.

As tensions rise on and off the track, Kel's home is mistakenly burned down, and she’s forced to take a job from a mysterious tech mogul with an unsettling interest in her phoenix, Savita. This sets in motion a conspiracy that threatens everyone Kel cares for, especially Coup, for whom her embers of resentment are quickly igniting into something dangerously new.

Heart-pounding pages full of steamy romance, fiery confessions, political scheming, and volatile magic culminate in a final twist readers will never see coming.

***This is a sampler and contains only the first 10 chapters of the novel***
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First line:
Flames raced past Kel's stinging eyes.
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Source:
Sampler from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Publication Date:
July 15, 2025
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Rating:
5 Phoenixes out of 5
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This sampler contains only the first 10 chapters of Of Flame and Fury. And let me tell you, I was hooked from the beginning. We are immediately thrown into the thick of phoenix racing and learn the different roles on the team...and the tragedy and violence of the sport.

Bridge has set the stage early for us to learn more about the phoenixes, Kel's father, and how the government works. I am screaming for a map so I can see how these islands are set up! She has eased us into this world so that we can easily understand what is happening and how the world works but leaves us wanting to learn more.

I think this might be my favorite way for a couple to be forced into fake dating. I also love the grumpy/sunshine thing going on where Kel is the grumpy and Coup is the sunshine. I cannot wait to see their relationship develop more.

My heart is breaking for Kel at the end of this sampler and I am desperate for the rest of this book! I will definitely be snatching it up as soon as possible!



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