Title: The Rebel and the RoseAuthor: Catherine Doyle
Series: The City of Fantome #2
Pages: 528
Publication Date: Dec. 2, 2025
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:
The path of destiny burns with love, magic, and betrayal in this second book in the City of Fantome enemies-to-lovers romantasy series perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson and Caraval.
From a remote hilltop haven, far from the city of Fantome, Seraphine Marchant and her Order of Flames plot to eradicate shade magic with lightfire. But as Sera struggles to control her blooming powers, destiny calls her back to Fantome—and to the assassin who haunts her dreams.
Ransom Hale can’t get Sera out of his head. As their rivalry grows and he grapples with the responsibility of leading the Order of Daggers, he feels himself slipping further from who he wants to be. Is he doomed to a life in the shadows? Or can he forge another path?
Meanwhile, rebellion is stirring in the kingdom, and a dangerous prince grows in power. Forced to work together by order of the king, Sera and Ransom’s conflicted hearts are tested to their limits. And all the while, an ancient prophecy is unfolding that will change the fate of Valterre forever…
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The Rebel and the Rose pulled me right back into Fantome, and honestly, this sequel gave me everything I was hoping for. It was suspenseful and intense, the found family vibes were great, and the characters and romance were fantastic!
Sera continues to be a layered and compelling character, and I liked seeing her in more of a leadership role as she forms the Flames. She’s getting stronger, but she’s also overwhelmed, confused, and trying to make sense of a power that doesn’t behave the way she wants it to. Her journey is so emotional, especially when thinking about what happened in the last book.
And Ransom! I just adore him. He goes through a lot, too, as he juggles his new leadership role, challenged loyalties, and the fact that he absolutely cannot get Sera out of his head. Their romance is super swoon-worthy! From the first book, Sera and Ransom have had such amazing chemistry, and in this book, though they lead rival gangs, they must work and travel together when the King sends them on a dangerous joint mission. They are both so stubborn and so stubbornly in love, and they really struggle with conflicts between duty, loyalty, and their feelings for each other. Their enemies-to-lovers romance is super complicated, but I’ve never hoped for a couple to find their happily ever after more. These two deserve it! lol
The world-building is also great and expands more in this book, which I really liked. Between the traveling, the new threats, and the Saints and all the lore surrounding them, we learn a lot more about this world and the people and magic. I also love the found family vibes and the side characters, especially Theo, Val, Nadia, and Caruso. They all play important roles in the story, and the connections are positive spots in otherwise dark times.
The Rebel and the Rose is a great follow-up to The Dagger and the Flame. It’s intense and suspenseful with some twists I totally didn’t see coming. And after that ending, I’m definitely looking forward to reading book three!
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Fear is a fog you cannot see through. Only the light of bravery can banish it.
- enemies to lovers
- found family
- forbidden romance
- dual POV
Catherine Doyle grew up in the West of Ireland. She holds a first-class BA in Psychology and a first-class MA in Publishing. She is the author of the Young Adult Blood for Blood trilogy (Vendetta, Inferno and Mafiosa), which is often described as Romeo and Juliet meets the Godfather. It was inspired by her love of modern cinema. Her debut Middle Grade novel, The Storm Keeper’s Island (Bloomsbury, 2018), is an adventure story about family, bravery and self-discovery. It is set on the magical island of Arranmore, where her grandparents grew up, and is inspired by her ancestors’ real life daring sea rescues.
Aside from more conventional interests in movies, running and travelling, Catherine also enjoys writing about herself in the third-person.
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