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Fires of the Fae #2

A Spark of Promise

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Book two in the Fires of the Fae series, A Spark of Promise follows Annalise on her journey in the Fae Lands.


Liberated from the Master’s castle, Annalise is finally free. At least that’s what she keeps being told. Fabien, one of the rebels, saved her. However, does she really know the kind fae who wears many faces. Has she just gone from one form of capture to another?

Having left behind her mate that she never wanted, she tries to adapt to this new life. Only she can’t seem to get him out of her mind. Trying to keep busy, she begins to learn to use her power, refusing to ever be weak again.

When fae start disappearing across the land, rumours of a great evil start to circulate. All eyes turn to Annalise as the true promessa, the Chosen One.

Finally learning to embrace her powers, she’s the spark of promise the rebels so desperately need. Only the role of the promessa is so much more than she understands it to be, and ultimately could cost her life.



*This is a slow burn fantasy reverse harem book, meaning our leading lady won't have to choose at the end of the story. Aimed at readers 18+, this book contains scenes that some might find distressing.

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2021

28 people are currently reading
181 people want to read

About the author

Erin O'Kane

65 books485 followers
Erin O'Kane is an independent author from the UK. She used to work within healthcare, but now is able to follow her dream as a full time author. Writing is her escape and a dream she never thought possible until she was given a push from her friends and family.

She has an addiction to coffee, Lucozade and baked goods. When not writing she will be found on adventures with her husband, reading a book or watching bad romance movies.

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5 stars
83 (44%)
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58 (31%)
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36 (19%)
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Maddie.
43 reviews
June 10, 2025
Great world building in this book as we are getting a clearer picture of the rest of the realm and all the other factions. We are meeting the rebels and seeing their camp. It shows that The Master’s has many enemies and just how important it is she stays away from him lest he hold her power over the rest of them to keep his tyrannical rule. When the description said reverse harem I was not expecting it to be so many! However, I absolutely adore how each one of them have a unique connection and help fulfill different aspects of each other. While the ending of this book may seem relaxing and a happy ending, trouble is brewing and chaos is on the horizon.




************LET’S RECAP/SPOILERS************






After Elijah helps Fabien and Caldor get her away from The Master, they take her to the rebel camp. Here she is taken before the rebel council to decide her fate. Fabien gets her settled in and she starts to build stronger relationships with the 2 men. We also meet Gideon who isn’t her biggest fan since he has beef with her mate. Fabien takes her to start training on physical strength with Sergeant Orin and to strengthen/control her powers with Emil. Gideon is helping Orin train her on the mat. One day he decides they need to take a field trip. She needs to learn to use her power and not be afraid of hurting others. So he takes her away from camp to play a game of hide and seek.



***BIG SPOILER***



She bests him in hide and seek and eventually comes out of her hiding spot. Only to be greeted by a cold, evil presence. It starts hunting her and she runs for her life. She eventually runs into ELIJAH who’s been on the hunt for her since she escaped The Master. Elijah has strict orders to bring her back. He manages to resist the orders long enough to complete the mating bond this allows him to overrule the orders in an act of protecting his mate. He’s still being drawn back to The Master when Gideon shows up. He realizes what they’ve done and goes into a rage frenzy. Elijah does the only thing he can think of to save her- play into the accusations of him being such an evil person. He claims he forced Annalise to complete the bond which makes Gideon empathize with her and take her back to camp. Though he promises to take care of her, he locks her in a magically bound room to keep the “separation sickness” at bay. Caldor is pissed when he finds out, given her past, and sits with her. We learn he had a mate who died so he has also survived the sickness. When she’s better, Prince Abel of Doerallia shows up demanding to see her. Back when he tried to free her from The Master, he saw the attack coming and kept himself safe. He never stopped looking for Annalise though after she escaped. The Doerallian people want to go to war with The Master and want the rebel’s help to do so.


***BIGGER SPOILER***


Fabien returns from his mission gravely injured- he was found out but managed to escape. He needs his MATE by his side to help the healing process. Ever since her death in that dungeon, he’s known they were mates. He saw the complicated relationship she had with Elijah and knew that enduring all she had been through, she just needed a friend. Revealing the mating bond would have been selfish and further complicated things. But now, it’s imperative for her to accept the bond so her closeness will allow Fabien to heal. She agrees and after spending days together, they finally complete their bond. Unlike with Elijah, they’re able to stay curled up together for days. Now that Fabien is healed, it makes it possible for them to agree to Abel’s request that Annalise stay in Doerallia so he can use the royal forces to protect her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
42 reviews3 followers
September 3, 2021
Wow, so many positive reviews for this book but I cannot understand why! I found the writing to be really lacklustre and a little childish and don't recommend this series at all.

Uninspiring writing throughout
MC: *panicking* "I can't put my shield down!"
Man: "Take a deep breath, calm down, pull it back into yourself"
MC: (wow he's so knowledgeable about magic, and how does he know so much about mine?)
Oh for goodness sake that's not showing overwhelming knowledge of anything, that's telling someone to calm the F down.

Totally ridiculous scenarios that the MC was already well-prepared for
"The body-building, sumo-wrestling sharks are heading this way!"
MC: "My dad's, cousin's, friend's uncle was a champion shark wrestler, I knew my watching would come in handy one day!"
"The bees! With AK-47's! They'll wipe us out!"
MC: "I can make my anti-bee, bullet-proof shield! I got this."

The one time she leaves the sanctuary to have training in a nearby clearing she meets... well, meets everyone. She finds powers she didn't have before. Someone "who's been looking everywhere for her" just happens to be stood around the corner. A creature not seen by anyone ever, and has been alive for 500k+ years, pops up to say hi. And the hideout is supposedly in a secret location that they journeyed to while she wore a blindfold? Where did they go, they bad-guy's back garden?!

Lack of consistency with character bios, actions totally out of sync
MC: "I'm so scared, ashamed, embarrassed, I've had it so hard, always trapped and looked down on, I can barely make a spark look, pew... pew."
Man: "You're pathetic and I'm sending you to your room"
MC: "How dare you! Who do you think you are? I won't be spoken to like that! I don't deserve this treatment! KerPOW!"

And don't get me started on all these "fated mates" that keep popping up! Absolutely ridiculous.

Book 1 wasn't great but at least there was the potential for a decent storyline. Book 2 completely flopped for me. I won't be reading the rest of the books.
1,214 reviews
September 5, 2021
I dove right into book 2 (A Spark of Promise0 after book 1 (A Lady of Embers) and I was not disappointed! I thought the storyline in book 2 really did a great job showing us the lives the rebels live, more about this world, and expanding on the tension with some old and new characters!!

I am loving all the new characters from the rebel camp, not gonna lie, and honestly and am not sure how Erin is going to do this in 3 books because it feels like we have 2 more books to go in my opinion. With all the amount of things to touch (storyline and relationship-wise) I just worry things might be rushed in book 3 and I don't want it to because I am so invested in this series and love the world/characters. Learning about her powers was awesome, her training making me laugh and jaw drop and want to hit Gideon so bad sometime haha. I am intrigued by where she is from/her family situation since its implied she might be from this land after all. So we get some big reveals in this book and even more questions plaguing our brains ahahah. It makes for needy readers so I get it, I cannot wait for book 3 later this year ❤️❤️❤️.

I have a HUGE soft spot for Caldor. I love how awkward he can be, but how thoughtful and caring and kind he can be. The food, thinking of things Annalise hasn't. being very protective but not upsetting her/all up in her business. The silent one who would do anything for her. I really hope he is part of the harem, especially with the little backstory we got from him. I also am on the fence with Gideon because we all know he has feelings for her and cares, but his hot and cold is tough for Annalise and us the reader to love him 100% of the time. I really liked the ARC with Fabien but honestly that felt a little rush with him coming back and the stuff happening between them. Don't get me wrong, I was happy, but it felt not up to Erin's previous developments. Like Elijah had almost a whole book and their coming together felt right with the urgency and the timing. I don't know, maybe it was because we only got glimpses of him in book 1, then he was gone for a lot of book 2 (or it at least felt like it with the timeline of the story) then boom that happens. Also what are these guys?!?! I want to know more backstory about Fabien and Elijah to figure out their parentage/their true abilities. It seems like its skirted around and maybe there is a reason for some reveals in book 3, but again, I feel like there are a lot of these moments/pivotal for me things that I want to know and there won't be enough space/time in book 3 to get to it haha.

I think the major reason I didnt give this 5 stars was some repetitiveness with Annalise. I loved book 1 and couldn't stop reading book 2 up until like 40-50% and then it slowed down a lot for me and that's where I felt I could put it down and not come back for a couple days, which didnt happen before. I think a lot of internal thinking/monologue got to be a bit much for me and I wanted to have more actions and less telling me, if that makes sense. This was the first time I really felt that from any of Erin's writing, but overall I thought the different plots and people introduced in this book were fantastic and are making for a great series.
Profile Image for Clare Harrison.
1,074 reviews16 followers
August 21, 2021
Oh me oh my!! this here is book heaven!! if you loved the previous book then you are DEFINETLY going to want to read this beauty!

The Fires of the fae series began with "A lady of embers" but Annalise was first introduced to us, as a side character in "The war and deceit" series.

This is a direct continuation from book one, and we pick up the story as Annalise finds freedom from "The Master" and his desperate plea to make her his.

Now she's in hiding, surrounded by rebels that aren't the most welcoming, but as always Annalise strives to earn her place.

The new characters we meet are all quirky and unique from the grumpy and aggressive Gideon, to the real Alric and his supportive best friend Caldor.

I can't get enough of them! I love them all!!!

Erin always has a depth to her books that few other authors achieve and this follows the same theme.

From beautiful spirit horses, to the differences in the fae factions. It's so easy to visualise everything in your mind. Her words paint a beautiful picture!

All in all this is a story that wraps around your heart and refuses to leave. I can't wait for mooore!!!


Profile Image for Jenny (jennyluvslitbooks).
773 reviews12 followers
February 9, 2022
Okay, speaking as a true fan of ACOTAR, this book is definitely giving me that vibe. Do I love it? Hell, yes. I will read just about anything that gives me that feeling and this author did not disappoint me at all.

Starting the story from that epic cliffy ending of book 1, Annalise found herself in the rebel camp where she met allies and foes as well. While she was at the camp, she used the time to train both her mind and body for the upcoming battle with the prophesied evil that's to come. She found help in the form of one gorgeous albeit rude AF fae, Gideon. Mind you, his character's description is just whew! Add caring, gentle protector Caldor and your girl is about to dive into this world and never go back, LOL! Well, will these two be her love interests? I don't know but I want to. Oh and let's not forget Fabien and Prince Abel too. Aside from the fact that I really wanted Annalise to have her relationship with Elijah to develop, there were a lot of things happening here at this book. Overall, pretty solid sequel and can't wait to read what's next!
Profile Image for B ~ modern day bookworm~.
317 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2021
This book takes off exactly where book one left us in agony needing to know what happens.

Like most of this authors work, book two does feel like it takes a nose dive in the beginning and most way through in the mc development and amazingness, but that’s also because she’s beautifully giving her a lot more depth and feeding into that mental stress can play havoc on the physical and emotional aspects of life and regression is going to happen. I applaud and appreciate this author for the ability to do this. It gives so much depth to the characters as they help the mc get back to a healthy state of mind, regain her confidence, and accept help and love.

The journey is long, the suffering isn’t over, but the mc knows she’s finally not going to just survive but make it her b- and she won’t have to battle it all alone.

Definitely recommend!
Profile Image for Charlene.
1,389 reviews26 followers
September 7, 2021
I absolutely love the world's that this author creates, and when I discovered a spin off of her War and Deceit series I was more then eager to dive into this book.
A Spark of Promise, book two in the Fires of the Fae series continues the story of high elf Annalise. Having been rescued from the grip of the Master, Annalise flees with the rebels, along with her new friends Fabien and Caldor, leaving her mate Elijah behind in the rush to leave the castle behind. One in her new 'home', Annalise must learn to control her powers, while learning to defend herself as well. And just when Annalise is starting to become comfortable in the new camp, she learns that she has another mate. Will it push her over the edge? Or will she find a way to learn to adapt, just like she has in the past?
Profile Image for Shelly Diguer.
566 reviews2 followers
August 18, 2021
Another fantastic book 📖 wrote by awesome 👏🏼 talented writer who knows how to grab a reader 😊 Annalise 🧝‍♀️finally feels free but is she really that is the question ....? 😜 Fae 🧝🏻‍♂️🧝🏽vanishing all over the place and the pressure is mounting is Annalise their new saviour will she be their promessa the chosen one , will she accept her mate , and will she embrace her true self and be the saviour her people need her to be .....well your gonna have to read it to find out what happens 😊 I can say that this book 📖 kept me entertained and hooked from beginning to end with so much going on it just flowed like a movie 🎥 in my head , brilliant 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Profile Image for Richelle Zirkle.
2,122 reviews12 followers
August 21, 2021
The intrigue has me hooked!

Ahh… So good! Annalise continues to amaze me as she adapts to the situation she’s been thrown headfirst into. Discovering she has multiple mates when she wasn’t sure she would even find one in her lifetime has rocked her world. But more than that, she doesn’t have time to focus on mates when she is struggling to get stronger both physically and in the sense that she can control her power. There’s also the matter of the beast that lurks and hunts fae… That creature will need to be dealt with. In the meantime, she is developing friendships (and maybe more) with a few other men as well… I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Profile Image for HARSH ASIMI.
215 reviews
September 15, 2025
pretty good book. I'm scared that the series hasn't ended yet and I've started it. damn. but the characters are pretty good even. the FMC is a bit of a crybaby. always complaining about how hard her life has been. telling people she's just met her life story.
if you've gone through all that, shouldn't your trust issues be bad, yet you're telling everyone everything. damn alright. the guys I like..
going with a random man when Fabien already told you to go straight to caldor is crazy. especially considering he was literally one minute away. but okay go off.
she's a bit stupid but okay. I'm still gonna continue the series because I like the guys.
Profile Image for Naurarwen.
1,011 reviews8 followers
August 27, 2021
The more and more I read about Annalise, the more and more I absolutely adore her. She's such a brilliant character who grows more and more with each page turn. There's a lot going on in this book, learning her new powers, being pulled away from her mate, and maybe finding another mate or two along the way.

There is also a darkness lurking, hidden from everyone but potentially taking creatures from across the lands for its own uses. I really can't wait for the next book in this series, I want to see Annalise take on the bad guys, and kick some serious behind.
Profile Image for Joy Whiteside.
4,785 reviews110 followers
August 20, 2021
I loved this book. this book was such an amazing read that I could not put it down. It moved along at a pace which made for an easy and enjoyable read. It has characters that you will find yourself falling in love with and you want to know more about them. This book is a must read, there is no doubt about it. You will not be sorry that you did.
442 reviews1 follower
August 20, 2021
Amazing

Book 2 kicks off right after book 1 ends. I love watching the FMC grown and learn with the help of some key characters. I love the plot and all the intrigue behind it. The relationships are forming now and it makes me so excited and nervous for the final book. Also the covers are to die for!!
Profile Image for Dominique.
1,051 reviews7 followers
August 21, 2021
In A Spark of Promise we really start to see more of this new world Annalise has been brought to, a bit unwillingly. However, she begins to learn about her power and what that means for her. There are some good steamy bits and still just as much emotion as the previous book. I get the feeling that book three is really going to amp up all the action!
Profile Image for Margaux Espinosa.
1,301 reviews21 followers
August 21, 2021
I absolutely love this series and it’s characters. The writing is amazing, able to provoke any number of emotions, and creates an stunning picture in the readers mind. The storyline keeps me coming back and makes re-reading before new book releases an absolute pleasure. I can’t wait for more of this series, and anything else written by such an amazing author.
Profile Image for E.
742 reviews3 followers
August 21, 2021
I'm absolutely loving this series! Annalise is a great leading lady, downtrodden but never gives up. I enjoyed the twist with Fabian and I'm hoping there's a few more to come with Gideon, Abel and Caldor! Yeah I'm greedy I know!! I can't wait until she is reunited with Elijah, I'm itching to see the sparks fly between him and the other males in Annalise life.
248 reviews3 followers
August 21, 2021
Another excellent read

I loved this book. A superb follow on with beautifully written characters and an immersive world. Who will be the next to fall under Annalise’s spell? Can’t wait to find out and for her adventures to continue.
Profile Image for Kassandra Gauthier.
7 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2021
Erin has a way of writing characters that you just want to root for and fall in love with. I love the progression of the story and how she builds up the FMC to gain her confidence and strength. Another successful story. Love it
592 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2021
This author truly has a gift. It sneaks up on you and you’re hooked before you know it. I love this main character and her drive and focus. The mates are always a nice bonus. I’m so looking forward to more. You should be reading this series if you’re not already.
Profile Image for Kbuzz.
3 reviews1 follower
September 14, 2021
Has potential

There’s a lot do explaining that’s as in the first book and truly hasn’t gotten much better. This book could truly be soooooo good, but there’s too much “this is why” and explaining of characters actions/thoughts that ruin the mood.
Profile Image for Katie.
1,962 reviews16 followers
October 10, 2021
This was a fantastic story. This is book 2 in this series. I loved it. Story was very well written. This is a slower burn. But storyline itself was amazing. So far I have loved book 1 and 2. Excited to see why book 3 brings us. Definitely recommend.
Profile Image for R.M. Gardner.
Author 5 books9 followers
August 22, 2021
Such an exciting sequel

Loved this one even more than the first. The world just continues to fill out and it is completely fascinating. I can't wait for book 3!
973 reviews1 follower
August 26, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to the next book in this series. Hopefully things will be coming together a little more and we can see what the deal is with this beast.
9 reviews
January 17, 2023
The inner monologue of the FMC in this book is so annoying and there's a lot of it.
Profile Image for Lindsay Hamilton.
666 reviews21 followers
November 24, 2021
Beautiful world and relationships

The wonderful world building continues in A Spark of Promise and I was very happy to get a few snippets of Annalise and her mate(s). The slow burn is killing me and I’m desperate to figure out who else joins Annalise and how they’ll all fight the battle that is coming.
Profile Image for Margaret.
374 reviews2 followers
September 30, 2022
Erin O'Kane sure does know how to write a story that will keep you engaged until the very end. I could not stop reading A Spark of Promise and stayed up till the wee hours of the morning to finish it. I love the storyline and the characters, and I'm really excited for book 3!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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