Genres: NA Fantasy, New Adult, Fantasy Romance | Release Date: 24 October 2025 | Series: The Dragon’s Heart | Series Book: #2 | Pages: 453 | Indie Author | Review
“I’m the ruin at the end.”
M. A. Frick
Overview:
A huge thank you goes to M. A. Frick, for letting me read an e-ARC of Between Love and Ruin! This is book two in The Dragon’s Heart NA fantasy romance trilogy, and let me tell you, it packs a lot of emotion between its pages. But before I go any further, if you haven’t read my review for the first instalment? You can check it out here! Now without further ado, let’s give you an overview, shall we?
Torn apart and shamed for their forbidden love, Nienna and Kallias must now face the fallout in both kingdoms. For Kallias, this means trying to regain the trust his people had in their king, even as his own son plots his downfall. But when even his god has seemingly abandoned him? There’s only one thing to do… Decide which he can live without: his kingdom, or a chance at true love? Dragged back to her father’s kingdom, Nienna must face the judgment of the starving citizens of Radaan. Can she save her people, with the marriage alliance now in ruins? Is it possible for dragonfire to purge Nienna and Kallias of their broken oaths, reforging what was broken? If Nienna and Kallias can’t find a solution, two kingdoms will fall…
Happiness Boost:
Glitterbugs, Between Love and Ruin is a fantasy romance full of intrigue, power plays and a love that cannot be denied. I absolutely adore it, and have no doubt you will too! But you know what I love most about this instalment in The Dragon’s Heart trilogy? How Nienna comes into her own power in this book. She’s no longer waiting to be told what to do, letting others dictate how she must act. Instead, Nienna embraces the role she was born into, even as she refuses to bow down to anything less than true love. If you’re looking for a tale featuring female empowerment? This book is going to be your new bestie.
If you’ve been wanting to dive into more stories that feature dragons? Of *course* I’m going to be recommending this series to you! There’s so many within these pages, but I admit I’ve fallen in love with one dragon in particular, Tsunami. If you want to see what chaos incarnate looks like? It’s this dragon. And I am a huge fan. Riderless, Tsunami is known for being unpredictable. But if Nienna, the Dragon’s Heart, is ever threatened? All I can say is buckle up, buttercups. You are in for a treat with this girl.
Can we talk about the strong, loyal family at the core of Radaan? How about the devotion Kallias has to Nienna and everything that she is? And just when you think this is a story of love and loss? We also get warfare, political machinations, and the revelation of some secrets that were never meant to surface. Listen, as soon as Between Love and Ruin went live as a Kickstarter? I pledged for the hardcover. I was *not* going to miss getting this beautiful book on my shelf. If that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know, I don’t know what will.
Downside:
I don’t have a downside for this exquisite tale!
Final Thoughts:
Between Love and Ruin by M. A. Frick is a powerful fantasy romance full of political intrigue, dragonfire, and a love that could change everything. Being book two in a trilogy, there is (of course) a cliffhanger to face at the end. But please, please do join me on this edge—I need to chat with people who are facing the same thing! Nienna and Kallias’ story is worth every moment of angst and fear. I can promise you that. Love what you’ve heard from my review? Just click on the link below to pre-order yourself a copy! Happy reading, glitterbugs!
You can pre-order Between Love and Ruin via this link: Amazon
