A Forbidden Alchemy is an addictive tale that weaves together magic, romance, and heart-wrenching betrayal. A devastating truth ties together two strangers with their hearts set on entirely separate paths, forcing them to bear the burden alone. Nina Harrow and Patrick Colson are whisked away from their decaying mining towns to the elegant Belavere City to discover their magical potential. Those who pass Belavere’s test will become Artisans, wielders of powerful elemental magic and those who don't will travel back home. For Nina, the Artisan School is a dream and an escape from her reality, while Patrick yearns to return to his harsh reality. After the two discover that Artisans aren't born, as they have lived their lives believing they are chosen, they part ways only to reconnect years later amidst a revolution. A Forbidden Alchemy is a magical story. It is the kind of story that will revive a reader's love for reading. The depth of writing has the ability to mentally transport the reader into the story, making you feel like a background character walking the same streets, visiting the same locations and suffering from the same tribulations. I couldn’t get enough. I was attached to the characters the moment they were introduced, needing to know their past and eager to discover what is to come for their future, especially for Nina and Patrick. As more and more characters were introduced, I was worried I’d feel overwhelmed, but each character has such a unique personality and charming quirks that it was easy to set them apart, to the point that I fell in love with them almost instantly. I had a strong connection to these characters and felt all kinds of emotions from page one up until the last words. The slow-burn romance between Nina and Patrick had me in a chokehold. I’m not much of a romance reader, so I prefer when it’s not the main focus of the story, and I thought the slow burn was well executed. I was eager for the two to get together and wanted nothing to come in the way of that. The character development drew me into the story. The last 15% of this story is an emotional roller coaster. I felt joy, shock, stress, and emotions I can't even name. There were multiple points in the story where I had to put my Kindle down and hold my head with my hands. I needed some space from these last chapters, but the story was so addicting that I kept picking it back up every few minutes, only to take a brief break again and again. Reading the last 15% took me longer than the other 85%. I was also filled with worry for most of the end.. There were a few points in the last couple of chapters where I was expecting the story to go one way, and I was preparing myself to be upset, but my predictions were wrong, and I was thrilled with how everything turned out. I knew I was going to enjoy this book. It has all the elements I love packaged into one piece, but I didn't realize how much I would appreciate it. The characters, the magical element, the slow-burn romance, and the conflicts flowed well. This story left me deep in my thoughts at the end; I know this will be a reread in the near future. Thank you, Netgalley and Stacey McEwan, for the opportunity to read this perfection of a read!