With Hearts of Flame (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Dark Academia Romantasy Novel of Vampires and Dragons Featuring Stenciled Edges and Illustrated Endpapers (Bloodwing Academy, 4)
Briar Boleyn
Soul of Smoke: A Dragon Shifter Fated-Mates Romantasy (Dragonsworn Book 1)
by Caitlyn McFarland
About this book
Kai Monahan was a woman defined by her carefully constructed plans until the night a dying dragon crashed into her world. After saving a creature she never knew existed, she is plunged into a hidden society of lethal, gorgeous warriors who hide their scales behind human skin. Bound by a volatile, unwanted magic to Rhys, a battle-scarred dragon shifter with eyes like starfire, Kai finds her life irrevocably altered by a fated-mates connection that literally burns when they are apart.
This high-stakes urban fantasy thrives on the friction between two people who refuse to be tamed. Rhys is a burdened warrior fighting to protect his kind, and Kai is a woman clawing back her autonomy after her life fell to pieces. As they are forced together within the intense confines of a secret academy, their initial hostility transforms into a sizzling, slow-burn tension that is as dangerous as it is undeniable.
If you crave a paranormal romance where the stakes are as high as the sexual tension, this addictive series opener delivers. It is a masterclass in enemies-to-lovers chemistry, weaving dragon lore with an emotional depth that keeps you turning pages long into the night. Surrender to the fire.
- Publication Date
- May 25, 2026
- ASIN
- B0CXKDV47H
Reader Reviews
July 29, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. (Five stars, duh.) It was both an adventure and a romance, a combination that I love, and kept me thoroughly interested all the way through--so much so that I read the whole thing in one day! Kai is hiking in the Rocky Mountains with two of her college roommates, Juli and Charlotte, when they come across an unconscious girl on the trail. Juli and Charlotte hike back down the mountain to go for help, but once Kai is alone with the girl, she wakes up and starts...
August 25, 2015
Since I read it in less than 24 hours and felt irritated whenever I had to put it down, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book.Without posting a summary (plenty of other people will have done that already), I can most easily describe \"Soul of Smoke\" by Caitlyn McFarland as Twilight meets Magic Dragons. Nobel prize-winning literature, it's probably not (though I found myself admiring many a phrase and laughing out loud frequently), but it's an entertaining story and a remarkable debut...
December 14, 2015
(There is a very good synopsis of this book above, so I won't waste words repeating it. My review is about the writing.) For a first book, or a tenth book, this is amazing! I loved everything about the choices this author made in her creation, especially her choices for Kai, the main character. As written, Kai is a strong sensible young woman who enjoys testing her strength rock climbing. Because Kai's independence from her controlling family was hard won, she has a problem with people telling...
October 26, 2025
I picked this up because I love romantasy. Soul of Smoke definitely has an interesting setup. The story moves quickly and it’s an easy book to fly through, perfect if you want something light and fast-paced. The world has potential, and there are some cool ideas about dragon bonds that kept me curious to see where it would go. That said, it’s not quite on the level of ACOTAR or some of the other big romantasy series. The characters felt underdeveloped and the emotional moments didn’t fully land...
January 20, 2026
Loved this book. Great characters, strong empowered women, insufferable yet loving men. Enemies to lovers, challenges and family ties. Dragon shifters with unique abilities, and of course good vs evil. Highly recommend this book. )
