When the Forest Enchanted the Fire

When the Night Swallowed the Moon #0.5

by Ophelia Wells Langley

A witch bound to the king. A dragon bound by duty. A forbidden love to set them free.
***
In a land where magical beings are persecuted, Aurélie has earned her freedom and quiet life in her cabin in the woods. Finally free from the king's possession, she is content to live out the rest of her days alone, with only her magic to keep her company.
But when an injured dragon lands, quite literally, at her feet one morning, she does what any powerful witch would do - she rescues the helpless creature.
Cináed has been in the king's service for decades; he is the only dragon shifter mage left of his kind. A magical collar keeps him chained and at the beck and call of the king until an arrow takes him down during battle, and he has no choice but to land at the feet of a strange woman.
When her spell goes awry, and the king comes looking for his precious creature, Aurélie and Cináed are forced to band together in order to free themselves of their past.



This adult romantasy novella is perfect for readers who love fast-paced, steamy stories with banter and forced proximity. This novella is a companion to When The Night Swallowed The Moon, releasing in March 2025.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Short Stories, Romantasy, Dragons, Novella

73 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 28, 2024

About the author

Ophelia Wells Langley spent her formative years as a writer shaped by a mild obsession with Celtic mythology, a strong taste for romantic fantasy, and a penchant for escapism. Her goal is simple: create steamy, character-driven stories that are inclusive and diverse. She writes spicy adult fantasy romance with lush worlds and whimsical lore. Most of her stories feature stone circles as portals that connect you to other characters within her fantasy universe.

You can follow her on Instagram @opheliawlangleyauthor or on Tiktok @opheliawellsauthor. For exclusive stories, art, and a great community become a member on her Patreon by searching Ophelia Wells Langley.

Reviews

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this story more than the execution of it. It started well with a cozy witch's cottage and a dragon shifter having to rely on a witch. I did like both of the characters but I wasn't able to fully grasp their backstory or get a good read on them. I was a bit confused by some of their actions and reasonings.
I was also left still confused by some of the world and I thought it might be fleshed out more in the sequel novel but with where this story ended I don't know that my questions will ever be answered.
The relationship was kind of cute but I didn't love how suddenly the relationship progressed. I have read short stories that still manage to make the relationship progression believable and this one missed the mark.
All in all this was an interesting introduction to this world and some of the characters but I was not left with a satisfying story.

[aadri ♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

no. just no.

[Sugar Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and spicy novella! Excited to see where the story goes from here!

[Noore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a cute and quick read that I absolutely adored it. There was some amazing humor in this story and a certain lightness which made me want to stay and savour the story for as long as i could.

For this being a shorter read it still had an amazing plot with some action. I also love that it has older and more mature characters in it which is refreshing from the usual age in fantasy books!

Thank you to Ophelia Wells Langley for allowing me to arc read When the forest enchanted the fire!

[Erin Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cozy, Fierce, and Spicy

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read, gave some cozy vibes, and I love that Aurelie represents women a little older :) I love books that play out in my mind like a movie, and this one did that. :)

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the forest enchanted the fire

A good introduction to this new world. The story sets up a brief backstory and introduces the characters. I enjoyed the premise. The story was a quick steamy read.

[Becks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story SO much! It was fun and playful while having depth. As always, Ophelia’s writing is so rich and sucks me into her always beautiful worlds!!

[Annalise Parr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little insta-lust story, some good sassy banter.

[Book Dragon · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the Forest Enchanted the Fire is a spellbinding prequel that has my heart racing and my mind spinning.

Aurélie and Cináed are unforgettable—they guard their secrets and wield their strength with a fierceness that left me in awe. Despite being a short novella, it offers rich backstories for the three central characters.

Yes, it ends on a cliffhanger, but the suspense has only made me more eager for When the Night Swallowed the Moon. If this is just the prequel, I can’t wait to see where the full book takes us!

[Moonlit.RomanceReads ✨️ Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Am I too marred and misshapen for you?”
“Gods, no, but I want to kill anyone who ever laid a hand on you.”

🖤

Such an cute with a pinch of spice, short introduction to some adorable characters and the world they live in. Can't wait for the next one!

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you goes to Ophelia Wells Langley, for letting me read an e-ARC of When The Forest Enchanted The Fire! This is a beautiful fantasy romance novella, & can be considered a companion to next year's release, When The Night Swallowed The Moon.

When Aurélie decides to save an injured dragon, she has no idea her life is about to take an unexpected turn. But when her magic goes awry? She has no choice but to take the creature with her, & hope she can fix things at a later date. There are powers at play that neither Aurélie nor Cináed can easily fight, & a forbidden love that could change the course of the future...

In this novella we're treated to some wonderful humour, & it's incredibly refreshing to read something with such moments of lightness to it!

Of course there's terrible dangers threatening Aurélie & Cináed, as well as some heartbreak in their history, but this beautiful tale is one that just lifts the heart of the reader. If you're after something which will help take the weight off a heavy soul? This is for you!

You can read my FULL REVIEW via my blog: https://www.immersedinbooks.com/when-...

[A. Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was an interesting, well written quick read. Despite the length, the story was able to connect you to the characters and their backstories. The ending left the story on a cliffhanger, which seems promising for the next book to follow this one. The only thing that bothered me was them falling into bed as soon as he was in human form. The story felt like it would have flowed just as well without that scene. We just were hovering to close to insta love when that scene was combined with nicknames later in the book.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this read and thought it was an interesting prequel.

[Rikke's Reading Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to read this as an ARC, though not sure when exactly it will be released this month. Ophelia swore her street team to secrecy about this one as she wanted to make a surprise.

It's a companion novella for When The Night Swallowed The Moon, this short, spicy novella weaves together the unlikely pairing between a witchy FMC and a dragon shifter MMC. They’re both older, very powerful, but their love is forbidden and goes against the laws of the world they live in.

I really loved it so much, I could see this novella as a full length cosy fantasy romance. As always, I love that Ophelia features mature women (over 30) realistically.

[Falling_Into_Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was kindly given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say other then Ophelia you have done it again. I am so in love with the intricate and unique worlds that you weave.

We follow our 2 MCs as they fight to find a way from a controlling and insidious king and find each other along the way. And happen to also find their way to one of my Favourite side charecters ever (looking at you ... birdy!)

I am blown away and cannot wait to read the next release!!

[Caity Dolton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, well written novella. I enjoyed the world building that the author was able to do in such a short amount of pages. The characters were cute and funny but I would have enjoyed getting to learn about them more in depth instead of so quickly. That is the price we way for a 70 page novella though I suppose. I would have preferred a slower burn to jumping into bed with each other right off the hop. Great potential however!

[Jennifer Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare to be captivated as the author quickly builds a story filled with magic, a witch, and a shapeshifter. Some mild spice will have you eager for more as this romance quickly unfolds within the walls of a makeshift home on the edge of a forest.
I look forward to more from this author and hopefully she finds it in herself to write a longer novel as this story being short was the only fault!

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great novella!

This was a fun, quick read! Ophelia has a great talent writing lush worlds with strong characters. While its a novella, there was plenty of world building, back story of the main characters and kingdom, action, and some mystery left for the coming book. I loved both MC's and can't wait for their full story!

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

70 pages is the only thing wrong with this. It desperately needs to be longer. This was rich with backstory and could/should have been a full length novel. I want to hear more about both characters and their relationship.

[supernovareading · Rating 1 out of 5]

Personally didn’t like it at all. Something about the way it was written and how rushed everything felt wasn’t for me. Also didn’t really make me like or feel for the characters, which is the most important part of a book.

[Susie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Super rushed. The story takes place over maybe two or three days. The love interests have a 20 minute conversation, spend the night together, and then basically flee from a guy who burns her house down, go into a tunnel and get married. I am not exaggerating that that is literally the entire book.

[RogueMarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this Novella! There were glimpses of world building and it definitely gave some insight to what is out there. The chemistry was hot! I almost jumped my husband 👀. I was left hungry for more!

[Annie (Houseofbooksandboardgames) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very quick and enjoyable read. Looking forward to learning more about this world and these characters!

[Abi]

Dnf @ 50%

[Mylene Tremblay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good prequel of the series!

[mackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

this reads like a wattpad entry. super quick, simple story but not dying to get my hands on the next book.

[Marissa Pratt · Rating 3 out of 5]

just soooo short

[Briony · Rating 5 out of 5]

70 page novella that I would’ve happily read 300 pages of

[retal's library · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Amanda Mckeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This companion novella to When the Night Swallowed the Moon was such a good read. I read it in one sitting. The romance is swoony and spicy and made me happy. Their banter made me laugh. There was also a surprise appearance by a character we know and love. Excited for what is coming next.

[Chloe Hendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review of ‘When the Forest Enchanted the Fire’ by Ophelia Wells Langley

I found the concept of this story more intriguing than its actual execution. It had a promising start with a charming witch’s cottage and a dragon shifter needing the witch’s help. While I appreciated both characters, I struggled to understand their backgrounds and couldn’t quite connect with them. Some of their actions and motivations left me feeling a bit perplexed.

Additionally, I was still confused about certain aspects of the world, which I am sure would be resolved in the actual book, as this was a prequel, however I’m not sure I’ll pick it up

The relationship had a certain cuteness to it, but I didn’t care for how abruptly it developed. I’ve read shorter stories that manage to portray believable relationship growth, and this one fell short.

Overall, this story served as an interesting introduction to its world and characters, but I was left wanting a more satisfying narrative.