Heph and Ant are both cinnamon buns deserving of love
Fireforged by Sam Burns & W.M. Fawkes
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
I’m so glad these two are back in their modern mythology universe and this series in particular.
I loved book one, in which the ultimate douchebag Hermes went a long way to restoring his reputation as something other than a flakey flyboy.
Here we get the goods on Hephaestus, God of the Forge, the ultimate blacksmith and generally put-upon guy who’s been deliberately used and abused by all his Olympian relatives since day one.
With a wee bit of poetic license, the authors have taken one of the lesser-known Erotes (a collective of winged gods associated with love and sexual intercourse), Eros’ brother Anteros, God of Requited Love, and given him the spotlight and I’m so here for it.
The poor lad gets mistaken for his brother often so I was super excited when it became clear he was going to be the one at the heart of this story.
Essentially it continues on from the events of the first book, with the Titans still roaming free and Chronos determined to overthrow his disobedient children.
The romance is a gentle one, Anteros doesn’t expect to find a gentle giant, who he believes is the most handsome man he’s ever seen, scars and all, when he’s sent to find out which side Hephaestus will take.
And Heph, he’s so used to being screwed over by anyone from Olympus that it takes time for his barriers to fall.
I wasn’t expecting the way the story takes a turn here, the Titan who gets his just desserts isn’t who I thought it would be, but it’s all the more satisfying for it.
Anteros and Hephaestus are a sweet pair, both looking to find someone with who they can be both the caregiver and also the receiver of love and devotion.
As they spend more time together, each one brings a comfort to the other that draws them closer and when danger threatens, Heph’s support of Anteros’ desire to stay and fight is the catalyst which spills them over into love.
With surprising twists, Sam and W.M. take this middle book and move the plot on with ease, building up to the big confrontation that’s going to come next in Ares’ book.
I can’t wait to see who he’s going be falling for!
#ARC kindly received from the authors in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings 
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