Book: The Flame in the Frost by Olivia Boothe
Reviewed by Alex
Rating: 4.5/5
⚠️ Spoiler Review ⚠️
The first part of this review is spoiler-free. I'll clearly mark where the spoilers begin.
I don't know if I finished this book... or if this book finished me.
This wasn't quite a perfect five-star read for me, but it came so incredibly close that my heart refuses to rate it any lower.
When I picked up The Flame in the Frost, I expected a fantasy romance inspired by Jack Frost.
What I didn't expect was to become completely emotionally attached to Jack and Sylvi.
The worldbuilding is absolutely phenomenal.
Every kingdom has its own identity, politics, traditions, and atmosphere. Nothing feels thrown together just to move the plot forward. The glossary at the end was also a wonderful addition and made the world even easier to navigate.
Jack...
Where do I even begin?
He completely stole my heart.
Watching him constantly choose between the kingdom he was born to protect and the woman he couldn't stop loving was heartbreaking.
And Sylvi?
I loved her.
She never stops being herself, even after discovering that everything she believed about her identity was a lie.
Now...
Can we talk about the romance?
Because this is SLOW BURN.
No.
This is PAINFULLY SLOW BURN.
The yearning was absolutely incredible.
Every almost-kiss.
Every interruption.
Every stolen touch.
Every time they looked at each other like they wanted everything but settled for almost nothing.
I ate. Every. Single. Page. Up.
---
🚨 SPOILERS BELOW 🚨
Seriously.
Stop reading if you haven't finished the book.
...
...
...
I MEAN IT.
...
...
I was FINALLY celebrating because Jack and Sylvi had stopped running from what they felt.
The mating bond.
The kiss.
The acceptance.
Everything I'd been waiting for.
AND THEN—
Another one just shows up like:
"Actually... she's mine according to prophecy."
EXCUSE ME??
I was genuinely heartbroken.
Not only because Sylvi is taken away the moment they finally allow themselves to be happy, but because Jack immediately chooses to sacrifice everything.
That final scene...
Knowing he'll embrace forbidden magic, knowing those voices will slowly strip away his humanity...
Just to find her.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
That's the kind of ending that leaves you staring at the wall after closing the book.
I immediately needed Book Two.
Immediately.
Overall, The Flame in the Frost delivered exactly what I love in fantasy romance:
❄️ Incredible worldbuilding
👑 Political intrigue
🐺 Shapeshifters
❤️ Friends to lovers
💙 Forbidden romance
🥹 Slow burn with unbearable yearning
🗡️ Characters worth fighting for
I can't wait to see what happens next.
Thank you to Olivia Boothe and The Nerd Fam for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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⚠️ Reseña con spoilers ⚠️
La primera parte está libre de spoilers. Avisaré claramente cuándo empiezan.
No sé si terminé este libro... o si este libro terminó conmigo.
No llegó a ser un cinco estrellas perfecto para mí, pero estuvo tan cerca que mi corazón se niega a darle menos.
Cuando empecé The Flame in the Frost, esperaba una fantasía romántica inspirada en Jack Frost.
Lo que no esperaba era terminar completamente enamorada de Jack y Sylvi.
El worldbuilding es espectacular.
Cada reino tiene personalidad propia, política, historia y costumbres. Todo está construido con muchísimo cuidado y el glosario del final fue un detalle que disfruté muchísimo.
Y Jack...
¿Cómo no enamorarse de él?
Su lucha constante entre el deber y el amor fue devastadora.
Y Sylvi fue una protagonista maravillosa.
Ver cómo descubre su verdadero origen sin perder nunca su esencia hizo que conectara muchísimo con ella.
Y ahora...
Hablemos del romance.
Porque esto es slow burn.
MUY slow burn.
El yearning es de otro nivel.
Cada casi beso.
Cada interrupción.
Cada roce.
Cada mirada.
Valió completamente la pena.
---
🚨 SPOILERS 🚨
En serio.
Si no terminaste el libro...
No sigas leyendo.
...
...
...
YO TE AVISÉ.
...
...
Cuando por fin Jack y Sylvi dejan de huir de lo que sienten...
Cuando finalmente aceptan el mating bond...
Cuando POR FIN pensé que iban a ser felices...
Llega otro tipo.
Y básicamente dice:
"La profecía dice que ella me pertenece."
Perdón... ¿QUÉ?
Me rompió el corazón.
No solo porque Sylvi es arrebatada justo cuando por fin podían estar juntos.
Sino porque Jack decide sacrificar absolutamente todo.
Sabe que la magia prohibida lo va a consumir.
Que perderá su humanidad.
Y aun así la elige a ella.
¿Cómo se supone que cierre el libro después de eso?
Terminé mirando el techo durante varios minutos.
Necesito el segundo libro.
Lo necesito YA.