The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is perfect. PERFECT. Enemies to lovers! Marriage of convenience! Magical shenanigans! It’s literally the perfect storm (get it?)!

Before we go any further, full disclosure: I read the original iteration of this book. Landscape With a Blur of Conquerors was by far the best piece of fanfiction I had ever read and I still count it in my top 5 books I’ve ever read. I went into this book with high hopes and expectations and Thea did not let me down.

The world building for this novel was absolutely masterful. Thea has a way of describing even the most minute details and making them feel important. The world is rich and beautiful and perfectly woven. The magic system is unique and intriguing. It reminds me vaguely of Avatar the Last Airbender, and I was not mad about it. The pace of the book was perfect. Time passed noticeably, but did not drag and did not feel like we were skipping anything important. The plot itself was the enemies to lovers marriage of convenience of my dreams. While it does boast familiar themes and scenes, the new material and plot lines made it so compelling that I found myself enthralled.

As a friend put it, of all the Reylo rewrites I’ve read so far, this one does the best job of setting the characters apart from their Star Wars counterparts. Alaric and Talasyn feel like their own characters, not like Kylo Ren and Rey. In fact, on my inner mind theatre I didn’t even fancast them. I envisioned completely different people. Don’t let the fact it’s a former Reylo dissuade you. This book can definitely stand on its own.

Talasyn and Alaric have such good chemistry!! The constant pull of will they/won’t they was just so enjoyable to read. They both come from unhappy childhoods and both fight in the Hurricane Wars for their own reasons and while they are worlds apart they also feel that connection between them. Talasyn growing up as an orphan definitely impacts how she moves about her new life as the Nenavarene Lachis-ka. She is fierce, stubborn and compassionate to a fault. Alaric, the sole heir of the Night Empire, by contrast, moves about his world expecting it to fall to him. He is brutal, cunning and intelligent. It was so satisfying to see Alaric’s guard being let down with Talasyn, just as it was so good to watch Talasyn soften towards him. ‘Hate is just another kind of passion.’ And boy howdy, do those two have all types of passion in spades.

Seriously, if you want the chefs kiss of fantasy romance novels you want to read this book. It is the crown jewel of this years debuts.

Thanks so SO much to NetGalley and HarperVoyager UK, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Cinematic. Swoon-worthy. Epic with a capital E.

This is THE book for romance readers who like an epic magical realm setting for their favourite enemies to get cozy and murderous at the same time :) This book will grab you by the throat from the very first page and will never let you go again. I know, because it happened to me.
Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined that I would like something with my most hated trope in it (enemies to lovers, I despise you with the deepest of passions), but as this book says "Hate is another kind of passion", so I guess I had been utterly fooled and trapped in this beautifully written magical realm of Nenavar. But I'm getting ahead of myself. At first, we meet our feuding lovebirds on the battlefield in Sardovia, and my squeals cannot be silenced when I say Alaric is just the absolute, undisputed king of my heart. I mean, come on guys, he even wields a battle scythe made of shadows, how cool is that??
I feel like this is where I should mention I have a special place in my heart for broody edge-lords, so if that isn't your kind of thing, this book will likely annoy you. But it hit all the right marks with me, so, moving on.
Talasyn is slightly childish and annoying at times, but she has character and isn't just a blank canvas, so I actually enjoyed reading her POVs and such. (Still Team Alaric thought UwU).

There were certain aspects that made me roll my eyes, don't get me wrong, but without going into too much spoilers, I will just say there are certain other fantasy tropes present which were slightly cliche, however the way the author handled it was very mature and smart. The former adjective cannot be said unfortunately for our characters, however, and I feel this book is at best a YA cross-over than adult.
*I mean, come on, what 26-year-old man has not kissed a woman in his life?*
These are the summary of my grievances, although minor in comparison to the epic thrill ride I have received. Will definitely be buying this and the next installments. It cannot come soon enough.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for this earc of The Hurricane Wars. It is a very anticipated read for me and I was thrilled to be able to read it early.

Enemies to lovers is one of the most superior tropes when it is done well. And this story did it so well. Add in a slow burn romance, intricate world building, political intrigue and a dual POV. It has the set up for an amazing fantasy series.

Set in a Southeast Asian world, the world building went into such detail you could clearly visualise each part. It made for a very immersive reading experience. The history was so rich and well rounded, you could believe that this world existed. I loved all the descriptions and especially the outfits. I would absolutely love to see art of the dresses that Talasyn (and outfits of the other characters) wear.

Talasyn goes through some huge life changes and even though she still has some of her 'feral' side she does take it all into stride. I'm glad she still kept that part of her. At first Alaric appears cold and a bit cruel, but you soon see he has a softer side. They both have their own traumas they need to work through and understanding each other better brings them closer. The banter between Talasyn and Alaric was perfect! Their banter filled with so much tension made me root for their slow burn romance.

They are true enemies to lovers as they are both on opposite sides of the war and both have reasons to believe that they are on the right side of war. Having the dual POVs gave a better perspective of their reasonings and understanding on the choices they made.

The world created was truly fantastic and I cannot wait to read the next book and explore this world that Thea has created more.

I was going to give it 4 stars, but I decided on 3.5 instead. In fact, I like the concept. Furthermore, my favourite trope is Enemies to Lovers, and the world building is intriguing as well, but it's overwritten for some reason. Many characters appear and make no impression, let alone have any effect on the plot, lengthening it even further. What I like about it is how the description and setting are depicted in the ocean with very humid tropical air in Southeast Asia, complete with all of its animals and traditional food.

Yes. I liked Alaric and Talasyn's banter. Some of their swooning moments together kept me reading even though the narrative became repetitive and put me to sleep halfway through. It's unfortunate that Talasyn's identity was revealed quickly but had no effect on her relationship with her grandmother and father, which creates a slew of plot holes.

Talasyn's primary goal, which is becoming increasingly disoriented, convinces me that she is not a strong mc; she is easily swayed and lacks a firm stance. I like the gray-eyed Alaric (I'm a sucker for gray-eyed male characters haha), but he's like Talasyn in that he's too easily influenced and can't act as he wants. He appeared cruel at first, but softened towards the end, which bothered me because his character change was too abrupt.

With a cliffhanger ending, I'm hoping the sequel is even better than the first. As a debut novel, The Hurricane Wars is ideal for those who enjoy spicy romance mixed with fantasy, and the cover is so stunning!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for this eARC of the Hurricane Wars! As one of my most anticipated reads, this debut fantasy romance lived up to all my expectations and more.

Set in Southeastern Asian world, we meet Talasyn and Alaric on the battlefield. I loved the depth to their characters and the dual POV only provided more insight to what I believe are truly complex characters. Talasyn is a scrappy girl, who knows what it’s like to live at the bottom and have to fight to survive- in the streets and in war.
Alaric, Crown Prince of the Night Empire is a beast of a man, but underneath that mask? A complex man who’s yet to prove himself as a good man and leader.

In addition to our idiot lovers, I fully loved this cast of characters that have already worked their way into my heart. Urduja is absolutely iconic and while she’s low key harsh, it makes sense for a woman like her in power. Elgabi is such a sweet, genuine man who I feel deserves to be able to have more time with his daughter. While he’s made mistakes, it comes with the best intentions. I desperately hope to see if Khaede is doing well and if she’s even alive. Sevraim is by far the funniest guy aside from Talasyn and Alaric. I think he will play an important role as the closest ally to Alaric aside from Talasyn.

In any fantasy novel we have to work on the worldbuilding. In THW we have a substantial amount of world building and wide cast to establish in those series. Honestly? I could use more of it. I’m so interested in this SE Asian inspired world and the history. We’re already given amazing foundation in The Hurricane Wars and I’m truly excited to see how Thea further develops this series.

The WRITING!!! Thea’s writing is so beautiful and flows so smoothly. Details from the highest point of each building to the crumbs of the food described, it’s extremely detail oriented and sucks you right in. Not only do we have a dual POV, but we get to really feel the characters feelings, which I think is a difficult thing for writers sometimes but in this fantasy debut, it’s done very well.

A true enemies to lovers fantasy with the right amount of tension, action, and romance! I am so excited for the rest of this series and can’t wait to see what Thea does!

The Hurricane Wars is the entire package readers are salivating for - enemies to lovers, slow burn, lost royal, arranged marriage, political intrigue, magic powers, love & hate at first stab, and a world so rich with history I'm going to beg for an illustrated companion guide to the world of Lir.

Talasyn has only known wartime, raised without love in an orphanage, and devoted her independent years to fighting for freedom. She is a survivor, soldier, and a weilder magic. Conjuring light magic while her enemies are servents of shadow draws the very pointed attention of their legion's master - the crowned prince, Alaric of House Ossinast.

Thea writes a world you want to know everything about. Every detail, from the color of a moon to a texture of a fabric, is so lovingly shared. The reading experience is so immersive you'll lose track of time and space. There is a magic system too, so intricate you'd think it was a science - fantasy written as if its the height of technology. I believe in every flying ship, every weapon of shadow, creature of myth & legend because Thea has written them with as much love as she does her characters.

She also offers us the story told from both Talasyn and Alaric's points of view. It has been delicious to read how they each process emotion, relationships, and attraction. There is also trauma, past and present, that is actively shaping these characters. Learning who Talasyn and Alaric are now is just as exciting as anticipating where they will be in later books.

The dual perspectives from characters on either side of a war is fascinating to read. While Talasyn rails against Alaric for the destruction his armies have caused, Alaric in turn blames her nation as the real instigators of conflict. Who is the hero when all sides have committed atrocities? Who is the villain when they so wholeheartedly believe in their own cause? This aspect in their own intimate relationship is the highlight of the story. I am eager to see how they reconcile their differences, gain new understanding, and hopefully choose to do better than their predecessors.

Also, to be very direct to those here for the romance and smut (no criticism, I am very much the same), this is the first of a slow burn romance trilogy. Talasyn and Alaric are very much still contemplating eliminating the other from the world as much as they are undressing eachother in their minds. The Hurricane Wars delivers a true Enemies to Lovers romance.

My most anticipated read of the year delivers on all the hype surrounding it. I am convinced Thea Guanzon is a generational talent. Her debut and its sequels are sure to be instant classics. She has built a magical world that will inspire fantasy and romance readers for years to come. I cannot wait to read what Thea creates next.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK / HarperFictionfor this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC from Harper Voyager UK via Netgalley to read and review. Quoted excerpt/s may change in the final print.

There’s a reason why enemies-to-lovers is the superior trope. And Thea Guanzon did it so magnificently in her debut. The constant push and pull… the (unwelcome) secret yearning… the stolen glances… the “I hate you but I can’t stop thinking about you”… Alaric and Talasyn had me eating out of the palm of their hands. The chemistry! The banter! The knife-to-the-throat! (I know, I know. I’m in fangirl mode.)

The Hurricane Wars had me losing sleep. It was SO good I didn’t want to stop reading. There was so much about the world to explore and so much about it to love. I definitely love and appreciate the nod to Filipino culture. I’m truly happy this book exists. My Filipina heart is so happy this book exists.

The Hurricane Wars boasts a gorgeous cover and a unique story steeped in legends and lore, warring nations, characters with their own hidden agendas who would stop at nothing to achieve them and a romance that had me anxious and terrified and hardcore swooning…

I will admit there are some things about the world I still can’t fully grasp and am confused about. Hopefully, those will be made clearer in the next installment, which I can’t wait to get my hands on btw. Book one didn’t exactly end on a cliffhanger but I still have SO many questions and I have theories and I need more Alaric and Talasyn (and Sevraim is slowly growing on me please don’t let me be wrong about him), and I just really, really want to find out what happens next. Also, there are dragons. Yes, DRAGONS.

Book two, please?