Ashwalker by S.M. Gaither – Book Review
Book Details
Ashwalker by S.M. Gaither
Series: The Emberfall Trilogy #1
Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Kindle Edition
Published by: Independently published on June 14, 2026
Goodreads rating: 4.56/5
My rating: 4/5
Blurb of Ashwalker by S.M. Gaither
Quoted from Goodreads:
Long ago, dragons were unleashed as weapons of mass destruction, igniting a war that shattered the Empire of Kaldra. Now, the survivors of that once-great realm cower behind fortified walls, while the beasts terrorize the wilds between the broken kingdoms.
Arowyn Vale survives as an ashwalker—one of the few reckless enough to brave the burned-out roads between the walled cities, smuggling everything from supplies to secrets. But when she reluctantly saves a dying dragon hatchling on a routine run, she draws the eye of the ruler of Mouren, a brutal realm directly in the heart of dragon territory.
Once upon a time, King Reave Callahan’s people wielded powerful magic, bonding with dragons in order to crush their enemies with wing and flame. But now, that magic is fading, and law decrees that anyone who manages to bond with a dragon must serve the Mouren crown—even a gutter-born, half-feral ashwalker from the slums of an enemy kingdom.
Dragged into Reave’s glittering but cutthroat court, Arowyn must navigate a treacherous new life built upon secrets, ancient magic, and shifting alliances. As her connection to the hatchling deepens—and with the Mouren king watching her with a gaze full of both danger and desire—she will have to make a
To become a weapon of the kingdom that broke her world…
Or to burn it all down from within.
Enemies-to-lovers, unique magic, dragons, slow-burn, he falls first, found family, court intrigue, forced proximity, plot twists, betrayal, adventure.
My Review
Ashwalker is a really strong start to a new romantasy series, packed with so many of my favourite tropes. We have dragons, magic, found family, enemies-to-lovers, secrets galore and an epic plot twist that really struck an emotional chord with me.
At the heart of the story is Arowyn, a character who is real, relatable and incredibly stubborn. She’s a trauma survivor and carries a lot of pent-up rage and grief, which makes her character growth all the more rewarding.
While I loved her journey, the MMC, Reave, was the real standout for me. I mean, who can resist a man who wears slutty little glasses, cooks, bakes, is fiercely protective of his family and possesses such emotional intelligence?? He begins the story shrouded in mystery and danger and I thoroughly enjoyed peeling back the layers to uncover his true character.
The world-building was rich and immersive, and the connection between the dragons, the gods and the magic system felt unique.
I also appreciated the lack of a cliffhanger ending. I was still left wanting more, but the calmer conclusion makes waiting for the next book that little bit easier.
“I may have burned all the way down to the last embers of myself, but I am not extinguished.
And very soon, he will regret not finding a way to put my fire out completely.”
Thank you to the author for providing me with a digital copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.
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