The Fire Lord's Lover: A Dark and Enticing Fantasy Romance

By Kathryne Kennedy

"A Tolkien-esque world combined with an eighteenth-century historical romance produces a satisfying tale with twists you'll never expect. Excellent!"—Jennifer Ashley, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

A unique combination of historical and fantasy romance, The Fire Lord's Lover will fascinate readers of Karen Monin, Jennifer Armentrout, Kresley Cole, and Diane Duval who will adore this imaginative unexpected love story between the son of a tyrant and the woman sent to take them both down.

In a magical land ruled by ruthless Elven lords, the Fire Lord's son Dominic Raikes plays a deadly game to conceal his growing might from his malevolent father—until his arranged bride awakens in him passions he thought he had buried forever.

Lady Cassandra has been raised in outward purity and innocence, while secretly being trained as an assassin. Her mission is to bring down the Elven Lord and his champion son. But when she gets to court she discovers that nothing is what it seems, least of all the man she married.

But beneath the gilded castles lies an unspeakable evil, greater than either Dominic or Cassandra had ever fathomed, and without each other they may not survive.

What readers and reviewers are saying about The Fire Lord's Lover:

"It was so good that I read it in one day...and then I read it again!!"

"It was different; keeping me entranced trying to figure out what was going to happen next."

"…engaged and engrossed right from the first chapter in the fascinating world of Elvin magic and ensuing romance."

"It's very satisfying, as addictive as chocolate covered pretzels with a side of Nutella."

"…so well written and her characters are so rich and captivating that I simply could not put it down."—The San Francisco Book Review

"A very unique series that will enchant lovers of historicals and fantasy. A beautiful gem to be treasured."—Booklovers, Inc.

"Charming, sweeping-of-your-feet romantic and toe-curling sensuous"—Erotic Horizon

"As darkly imaginative as Tolkien, as richly romantic as Heyer, Kennedy carves a new genre in romantic fiction."—Erin Quinn, author of Haunting Warrior

"[Kennedy] has created characters that live and breathe between the pages; a talent which is, in my opinion, a hallmark of skilled storytelling."—Fresh Fiction

"Ms. Kennedy's a pro at creating memorable characters, comical situations, a fun dialog, and an endearing love story."—Sia McKye's Thoughts Over Coffee

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Jul 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781402255625

Kathryne Kennedy

Kathryne Kennedy is a critically acclaimed, bestselling, award-winning author of magical romances. She welcomes readers to visit her website where she has ongoing contests at www.kathrynekennedy.com. She’s lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S., and currently lives with her wonderful family in Glendale, Arizona.

Reviews for The Fire Lord's Lover

[ashleylynnwillis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I almost put this book down after the first chapter. Too much telling and backstory. But I had nothing better to read, so for some reason, I trudged forward. To my surprise, I started to enjoy the book once the elvin prince and the heroine met. I will admit to skimming a small portion of this book because I'm not into long descriptions, but the storyline is solid and the love scenes full of emotion. The ending was satisfying as well. If the story had started with a bang, and had a little less description, I would have given it a five start. Worth the read. :)

[marysgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Other than the Harry Potter books, it's been a couple of decades since I've read much fantasy. I binged in high school and college, then gave it up as the market became glutted with poorly written rip-offs of The Lord of the Rings. I decided to dip my toe back into the waters with book, which languished on my digital self, and was pleasantly surprised. Kennedy builds a different world and interesting characters. Because of the heavy romance element, the plot felt predictable and hit all the romance beats. I generally don't read romances, so folks who like that sort of thing add another half or full star--there is lots of steamy magic-enhanced elven/human sex. My biggest quibble had to do with setting. The book is set in England and there seems to be no world outside--no mention of New World exploration or doings on the continent. I guess the elven lords pulled a mist over the island and cut it off from all outside influences. This is the first of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. All in all, a satisfying return to fantasy for me.

[bookwormdreams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The world described in this book is an interesting mix of fantasy and historical facts. I would not call it alternate history (because elves, magic and dragon do not exist), but it is an interesting theory.

Long time ago England is conquered and divided by Elven Lords. In 1724, population is mix of humans and half-breeds. There is still king who is just a figure-head and does not have any true authority. The fashion is the same as in real England in that period, with large hoop skirts and powdered hair.

Love story between main characters gets a lot of attention, so if you want hard-core-fantasy novel - skip this book.
But if you are in a mood for a fantasy with a dose of romance, you will probably like this. Also all the elves look like Legolas from 'The Lord of the Rings' movie, so if you thought he was cute, you are in for a treat. ;)

[fireweaver_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

a solid 3.5 stars.

for a free book (or for the $5 it's currently selling for on amazon), this was pretty damn good. i like romance novels to have a plot beyond 2 people making puppy eyes at each other, and this one has a fantastic set-up: a handful of rather evil elves have set up shop as the rulers of 1700s england, with the english king passed among them as a trophy for winning the season's war games. the underground rebellion, sick of their elvish overlords, has trained the young woman betrothed to the local elf lord's son & general as an assassin.

the alternate historical setting gives plenty of opportunities to describe rolling countryside and corset stays all blushed over with elven magic. the "timely" lingo only occasionally gets silly, and the quick, fun plot avoids the most obnoxious of romance novel cliches (i.e., these two people actually communicate on occasion, instead of spending the whole novel misunderstanding each other). a promising start to a new series.

[suzemo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this book was super fun.

In the past, Elves invaded England and took the joint over. This book takes place in the 1700s, and by then the 7 bored Elven rulers have divvied up the kingdom and play wargames amongst themselves, with the King as prize.

This book takes place in Firehame, Lord Mor'ded's domain. The story centers around Dominic, his half elven (bastard) son who is his Champion, and Lady Cassandra, the lady the Lord hopes will breed him a new champion. (hopefully) Unbeknownst to the Elven court, Cass has been trained as an assassin to take out Lord Mor'ded.

And of course there's the requisite falling in love with the enemy and the shenanigans that ensue as Cass tries to keep to her mission and she's surrounded by court intrigues and her hottie new husband.

[blodeuedd_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this book, elves! Lol, do I need to say more. Well, ok I have to.First there is Dominic, cold and lacking a heart, or at least that he plays at. He is the bastard son to The Fire Lord that rules London. Long ago some Elven Lords grew bored and conquered England. The world turned a blind eye when riches came from their reign and magic. They are cruel creatures that do not care for humans, those could just as well be cattle. Dominic is used by his father as a general and he does everything to try to hide his heart. Until....he meets his bride Cassandra. She has been sent to kill The Fire Lord and his bastard son. But she soon finds herself questioning things, and perhaps falling for the col hearted General.First I have to say that i loved this word, it's this alternate world/history/timeline kind of story. What if there actually were elves before, but then the portals to that world closed? And some came back, and with some offspring here and there nobles now have magic too. Little, but still some. It's a world where England is divided into realms, there is a king, but he is just a prize that the Lords fight over. because they need their games, else they grow bored, and then they are as dangerous as they get. It was an England I would have loved to see, even if the country was ruled by dictators, beautiful dictators.Dominic, oh he was such an ass, but he had to be. He has learnt that feelings, and friendship is dangerous to those he loves. So he is as cold as his father. Ice-cold to his new bride that melt under his fingers. I knew he was doing it for all the right reasons, but still I ached for her. Cassandra melts by this handsome elf, she feels passion, and slowly something is building up, while I scream, trust each other! She is not some nice little bride either, no, she has a mind of her own, pretty dangerous, but she wants freedom from this wicked rule.Two people falling in love, one crazy Elven Lord who wants a new champion, some cool magic, jealousy, an England you have not seen before, and a world that has so much more to offer. What is there not to like, and oh yes, passion too.As for which genre this is, hm, well historical romance fans will love it, paranormal romance fans will too, and those with an eye out for fantasy romance. Quite a win win.

[vampiregirl76 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dominic is the son of The Fire Lord, who has to be very cautious that his father doesn't find out that his powers are growing. If the The Fire Lord finds out it could be the end of Dominic. He's surround by danger, even from the person closest to him. Lady Cassandra, Dominic's new bride is innocent, but at the same time very dangerous.The Fire Lord's Lover was beautiful written. It was very Tolkien-esque from the cover to the characters, which was a plus for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I loved both the intrigue and danger. Ms Kennedy's lush description of characters and their surroundings brings the world to life in a way that makes you eager to read more. Original and captivating, a story that will delight both fantasy and historical romance fans.

[tarenn_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

THE FIRE LORD'S LOVER by Kathryne Kennedy is a wonderful romantic fantasy set in 1724 England. It is Book one in the Elven Lords series. It is well written with depth and detail. The characters are engaging, strong, and will pull you into the story. It has dragons, elvens, romance, mystery, intrigue, struggles, sensuality and magic. The hero, Dominic, is half elf and half human. He is strong and the bastard son of the Elven Lord. The heroine, Cassandra, is trained as an assasin, she also half human and has some elven blood. She and Dominic are to be married. She quickly falls in love with Dominic, he is also falling for Cassandra. He tries to hide his feelings, because he knows his father, the Elven Lord, will use her against him, to destroy him. Together, they learn the truth of the evil the Elven Lord. They face struggles and suffer while trying to out wit the evil Elven Lord and save the human race. All while trying to find their happy ever after. This is an engaging story with love and sacrifrice between two worlds. I would recommend this book especially if you enjoy fantasy with a twist of reality. This book was received for review and details can be found at My Book Addiction and More and Sourcebooks.

[jennifer35k · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Like many others, I have been looking forward to the weekend travel trips to the beach or the pool. A place that is not too far from home, but far enough that I can escape the ho-hum of everyday life. During the summer when I can’t run away and hide from my children, (while they have yet to figure out that the bathroom is not the place for playtime), I like to get lost in a romance novel. A book that lets me forget that my kids have decided to paint the fence with their older sister’s makeup or how every single empty mason jar must be filled up with rocks at 8 p.m. and I have no idea why. This book is a wonderful escape from monotony and it’s about a woman named Lady Cassandra and her love story with the fire lord. His name is Dominic Raikes and he is the half elven bastard of the Fire Elven Lord. He has a body that seems to be molded by artists and a personality that would cool fire. Lady Cassandra is not easily swayed by his appearance for she is no ordinary woman. She is a trained assassin that has one target in mind and that is the Elven Lord. Neither demon nor angel will sway her mind, but that does not stop the heat that develops between Dominic and Cassandra.I had a great time reading this book and it was a refreshing read for me. I have not read a real romance in quite some time and have not read one that involved elves and humans in a very long time. I was very pleased with the story and loved how the author took a different route with the elves. It seems that the elven kind tend to get portrayed as the beautiful people who are always good. I liked how the author took it in another direction. Those that are into the Lord of the Rings romance stories that are floating out there on the internet will like this story for sure. The book feeds some of the hunger for elf/human romance genre. I highly recommend this book and believe this author has a lot of talent. I plan on reading some of her other works that are out there.

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The Fire Lord's Lover
2 Stars

Warning: Rant ahead!

In the alternate world of the Elven Lords, England is conquered and enslaved by 7 megalomanic elves, who war amongst themselves for the honor of keeping the King of England as a trophy. Dominic Raikes is the bastard son of the Elven Lord of Firehame, a tyrannical and sadistic despot, who loves nothing more than torturing his subjects, especially his son. After winning the King for his father, Dominic is forced into an arranged marriage with Lady Cassandra, but little does he know that his new bride is an assassin for the Rebellion assigned with the task of murdering Dominic’s father.

Very disappointing. The basic plot of The Fire Lord’s Lover has such incredible potential. Unfortunately, the overly descriptive writing, weak characterization and unrealistic romance ruin what could otherwise have been an excellent story.

Cassandra starts out as an engaging heroine with an interesting upbringing and a seemingly suicidal mission. One would expect her to be strong-willed and well-trained in the arts of the assassin, but one is bound to be disappointed as Cass’s weapon of choice is not knives, swords or even rifles - it is dancing!

Dominic has all the traits of the tortured hero - abused by his father and forced into being his champion, Dominic has closed himself off to all human companionship for fear that his father will murder anyone he gets close to. After one night of sex, he finds himself unable to live without Cass, but instead of worshipping the ground she walks on (as any other possessive alpha would do), Dominic insults and demeans her, and flaunts his mistress in her face - yup, not exactly hero behavior is it?

The attraction between Dominic and Cassandra lacks any sort of foundation and their chemistry is virtually non-existent, which makes their romance incomprehensible.

Although the world building is intriguing, Kennedy’s writing style leaves a lot to be desired. Rather than providing the necessary detail that would flesh out the elves origins and abilities, she provides pages and pages of unnecessary descriptions of decoration, fashion and horticulture. There are a number of action scenes that could have contributed to the plot, but they are short-lived and anticlimactic, including the final confrontation between Dominic and his father.

The only character that was remotely interesting was the dragon. Unfortunately, he too is underdeveloped and instead of a powerful being, he is more of a gelding who speaks in hints and riddles, and never actually does anything.

All in all, this is a prime example of how to ruin a wonderful premise.

[TheresaEvans · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book

[eireannoir · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is my first introduction to Kathryne Kennedy so I can't really speak on how this holds up to her previous works, but I was rather impressed. While I wouldn't put her up there with J.R.R. Tolkien in regards to world creation, this alternative Georgian England—ruled over by six Elf Lords who have deserted their native Elfhame out of boredom—is lavish, intriguing and highly creative. It is a remarkable and thoroughly enjoyable blend of fantasy, historical fiction and high romance. Those who love a good Regency or Georgian romance shouldn't be intimidated by the fantasy within The Fire Lord's Lover. The detail to life in England at that time is still the same despite the magic, Elves and dragons. We still have our lucullan nobles and well-favored cravats *wink*. I really loved Kennedy's elves. It's a nice blending of the majestic and graceful Tolkienesque elves but without them being too overly pretty (to the point of androgyny). Kennedy's elves are tall, graceful and majestic sure, but they are also surly, arrogant and elusive which I think gives them an edge. The book does have a bit too much lovey-dovey, sappy romance for me though—which is why I don't normally read straight-forward romances as I like my romance raw and real—but there was such a good coalescing of action, suspense and magic (and angst; love me some angst!) that it was easily overlooked. The characters weren't quite two-dimensional however Dominic's change of heart near the end was a little too unrealistic for my taste. But people don't really read romances to find reality, do they? The Fire Lord's Lover is the first of a new series by Kennedy, yet the ending is satisfying and handled very well, leaving just enough wanting but not so much that you are left frustrated and disappointed that you have to wait for the next book. Overall, an very decent work and one that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to those needing some light reading to unwind and de-stress with.