A Flame in the Frost (The Frostbound Saga #1) by Olivia Boothe Review | A Jack Frost Retelling You Have To Read to Believe…
Quick Book Details
Title: A Flame in the Frost
Author: Olivia Boothe
Series: The Frostbound Saga #1
Genre: Romantasy / Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 30 June 2026
Synopsis
In the frostbound kingdom of Skadgard, Sylvanna Isenwulf has earned her position as Captain of the Guard through years of loyalty and service. Her closest friend is Prince Jack Drakmyr, heir to the Frostbound Court, but as political tensions rise and dangerous secrets begin to surface, both are forced to confront duties that threaten everything they hold dear.
As alliances shift, ancient magic stirs, and old enemies emerge from the shadows, Sylvi and Jack find themselves caught between loyalty to their kingdom and feelings neither can ignore. With war looming on the horizon, the future of the northern realms may depend on choices neither of them are ready to make.
Main Character Information
Sylvanna "Sylvi" Isenwulf
Captain of the Guard of Skadgard.
A common fae who earned her position through determination and hard work.
One of the central POV characters.
Jack Drakmyr
Prince and heir to the Frostbound Court.
Prefers books and learning to royal responsibilities.
Shares a lifelong friendship with Sylvi.
One of the central POV characters.
The Ice Queen
Ruler of the Frostbound Court.
A powerful figure whose decisions influence much of the story.
Who I'd Recommend This Book To
This book may be for you if you enjoy:
Norse inspired fantasy
Friends to lovers romance
Fae courts
Magic
Character driven fantasy
Slow burn romance
Strong FMCs
Mythology inspired worlds
Dual POV
Review
This was a bit of a slog for me at times, but what a fun read!
Norse-inspired fae mythology, a Jack Frost retelling, friends-to-lovers since they were practically kids... this had my attention immediately.
Sylvi is a common fae who worked her way up to Captain of the Guard through determination and hard work. Jack is the royal fae prince who would much rather spend his time with books than worrying about the crown, right up until someone he loves is in danger and the beast underneath finally starts to show itself.
The world-building is genuinely one of the best parts of this book. There's a lot going on between the fae courts, politics, magic and mythology. However, I never felt lost. It gives you plenty to learn without becoming overwhelming, which was great. Throw too much information at me and I'll forget it almost instantly, so the pacing of the world-building really worked for me.
Sylvi and Jack have years of history behind them, which always makes for the best kind of slow burn. Their banter and chemistry are great, and it constantly made me wonder why they hadn't become a couple much sooner. Then again, every time something is about to happen, life seems to get in the way and derail the moment.
Just a heads up, this isn't all yearning and romance. The story goes to some surprisingly dark places, with plenty of danger and darker elements sitting beneath the romance.
A few things happen that aren't fully explained (I'm looking at you, Jack), and it leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions. I can only assume these will be addressed in book two.
My only real gripe was the amount of internal monologue. It was a little distracting at times. The characters occasionally went into detail about things I'd already worked out for myself. Not a major issue, but one that did annoy me a little.
And then there's that ending!! I thought I had a good idea of where this book was heading, but nope!
Overall, I'd highly recommend this and I hope book two is right around the corner!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
You can pre-order this title ahead of its June 30th realise at Amazon.
At the time of this review, this title will be available on Kindle Unlimited.
Content Notes
Explicit sexual content
Violence
War and conflict
Dark themes
References to non-consensual situations
