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Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox: A Gender-Flipped Romantasy
Last Updated on July 22, 2026 by Sierra Richard
Smoke and Scar is a solid attempt at flipping the gender norms of the romantasy genre, but ultimately failed to meet all my expectations. Here are my honest thoughts on what went right and wrong with the first book in the Shattered Crown trilogy.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Gretchen Powell Fox, Simon & Schuster (Scarlett Press), and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Commissions may be earned on links in this article marked with “*”.
Book Recap
Elyria Lightbreaker has already lost a lover, Evander, to the Crucible, a brutal series of trials that occurs every 25 years that is the only hope for peace between humans and the magical races. Now, Evander’s sister is preparing to attempt the trials for herself, and Elyria will do whatever she can to protect her, even if that means teaming up with Cedric Thorne, a human champion who believes that Elyria is responsible for his family’s death. Smoke and Scar* is the first book in the Shattered Crown trilogy.
Top Tropes/Themes:
- Romantasy
- Enemies-to-Lovers
- Slow Burn Romance
- Deadly Trials
- Found Family
- Dual POV
- Forced Proximity
- Elemental Magic System
- Fae x Human Couple
- Age Gap
- She Saves Him
Spice Rating: 🌶️(It was only a kiss…)
Indie Publication Release Date: March 10, 2025
Traditional Publication Release Date: April 7, 2026
Let’s talk about it…
Smoke and Scar* is a fae and human slow burn romantasy where the female main character (FMC) is the 200 year old fae shadow wielder and the male main character (MMC) is the human she keeps having to save. While I enjoyed the concept of flipping the gender norms in these common tropes, the overall story didn’t live up to the hype.
Flipping the Gender Norms
Romantasy books are well known for having the FMC be the damsel in distress who needs to be saved by a shadow daddy. Gretchen Powell Fox flips the narrative by having Elyria wielding the shadows and saving the human MMC time and time again. While I did enjoy this and thought it was well done, at the beginning of the novel we saw Elyria really leaning into those traditionally MMC themes such as heavy drinking and bar fights. As the story went on, I felt like there were less and less of the flipped norms.
Taking on the Trials
I’m a sucker for a good set of trials, but in this book there were moments where some of the routine surrounding the trials in the book felt a bit repetitive. Around the middle of the book it felt like we hadn’t made much progress forward from a plot standpoint and it wasn’t really until the last 25-30% of the book did the plot really start to move. Once it did, it really took off and I enjoyed it.
The Ending Twist That Added a Whole Star
The end of the book added an entire star to my review. There were multiple plot twists in the last third of the book that I didn’t expect, including the very last page. It does end in a cliffhanger, but book 2, Splintered Kingdom*, is going to be released for traditional publishing August 11, 2026.
My Final Thoughts
If you liked the ACOTAR series* by Sarah J. Maas but wished that Feyre was Fae from the start, then this series might be a good fit for you! Fans of deadly trials and likeable side characters will also feel right at home in Arcanis.
FAQs: Smoke and Scar by Gretchen Powell Fox
Is Smoke and Scar Spicy?
No, while Smoke and Scar is not considered a spicy book, the author Gretchen Powell Fox has been very open about a large increase in the spice level as the series continues.
Is Smoke and Scar a part of a series?
Yes, Smoke and Scar* is the first book in the Shattered Crown series. The second book Splintered Kingdom* will be traditionally published on August 11, 2026 and the third book Shadow and Son* will be released on October 20, 2026.
Does Smoke and Scar end in a cliffhanger?
Yes, there is a huge cliffhanger ending for Smoke and Scar. If you don’t like cliffhangers, you may want to wait for the full series to be released which will be October 20, 2026 when the third installment Shadow and Son is published.
Is Smoke and Scar like ACTOAR?
Yes and no. If you liked A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, but wished that the FMC was Fae and the MMC was human then Smoke and Scar will be exactly what you are looking for. There are tricky fae riddles and deadly trials, but this time the FMC has all the power!
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