The South Wind

The Four Winds #3

by Alexandria Warwick

From the bestselling author of The North Wind and The West Wind comes a sizzling fantasy romance novel inspired by Sleeping Beauty and the Greek myth of Daphne and Apollo.

Princess Sarai of Ammara has less than three months to live before death claims her. Cursed as a child to die on her twenty-fifth nameday, she will do whatever it takes to secure her realm’s future, including an arranged marriage to Prince Balior, a handsome young noble from a neighboring kingdom. But another man vies for her attention as well: Notus, the South Wind, god of the desert breeze, and Sarai’s ex-lover.

Sarai is determined to stay away from the god who betrayed her and honor her father’s plan. But Prince Balior has an agenda of his own, and as Sarai learns more about her betrothed, she realizes he might be a dangerous threat to her people. So despite her hatred for Notus, she fakes their engagement to escape the arranged marriage and unearth Prince Balior’s true motives surrounding his obsession with the menacing labyrinth that sits in the palace’s grounds.

But darker forces are at work, and time is running out. Together with Notus, Sarai must face the horrors dwelling inside the labyrinth to save herself and her realm—but in order to succeed, she must confront her pain and the monsters she carries within herself…

The South Wind is a brand-new standalone fantasy romance novel featuring a fake engagement and second chance romance from TikTok sensation Alexandria Warwick. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer L. Armentrout, Scarlett St. Clair and Raven Kennedy.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Mythology, Fantasy Romance, Audiobook, Fiction

432 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2025

About the author

Alexandria Warwick is the author of the Four Winds series and the North series. A classically trained violinist, she spends much of her time performing in orchestras. She lives in Florida.

To find out more, visit alexandriawarwick.com or follow @alexandriawarwick on Instagram.

Reviews

[Lexie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m going to be brutally honest here but I think this is my last venture with The Four Winds series. Don’t get me wrong I loved “The North Wind”, the first book in this series. But sadly I’ve been chasing that high ever since. Book 2 “The West Wind” was ok, but not great. “The South Wind” has finally done it and my patience is out. And I don’t think I can drag myself through the fourth book only to be disappointed again. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves this review is for “The South Wind” so let me get to it.

My number one biggest complaint of this entire book is our MFC Sarai. She spent I kid you not 70% of this book just complaining. And when she isn’t complaining she’s lying at every available turn. She honestly reminds of child throwing a temper tantrum the entire book. I knew there was absolutely zero hope of me ever liking her.

The only thing that kept me from DNFing the book was Notus. That man understands he made mistakes in the past and will bend over backwards to make it right. His loyalty and love for Sarai was beautiful to watch. Even though in my opinion he deserves so much better.

The story and plot as a whole for “The South Wind” was extremely lacking. And there wasn’t enough action to keep the reader engaged. Leaving the book to feel pretty boring.

Overall, like I mentioned earlier this is the end of the road for me with this series. And sadly I have to report I can’t recommend this book. I would recommend you checking out the first book in the series. Lastly big Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

[Tia Toro · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ✨

I definitely think this is my favorite of the three!

The South Wind follows our FMC, Princess Sarai, cursed to die on her 25th name day. Before her death, she is arranged to be married to Prince Bailor, in hopes of saving her lands from drought. However, she believes Prince Bailor has nefarious reasons for marrying Sarai. Determined to avoid this marriage, Sarai enlists the help of her ex-lover and God, Notus. The South Wind.

The slow burn in this was sooooo good. The only reason I docked half a star is because they were getting freaky at the wrong time. Like HELLO?! YOU’RE TRAPPED & THERES A MONSTER CHASING YOU…. Maybe not the best time? idk tho 😂

There is a scene where Sarai has a chance to speak to her younger self, and I thought that moment was so empowering. As adults, we often wish we could tell our younger self that we will be ok. That you are loved. Sarai is also just such a relatable FMC in terms of always just looking for validation, love and feeling worthy of love and friendships.

The South Wind is so determined to make amends with Sarai and he is so patient with her. We love him.

The plot was a little slow at the beginning but really picked up closer to the end which made it such a page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[frau.gedankenreich · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ich kann mich mit mir selbst versöhnen. Ich kann mir meine eigene Heimat sein."

Ich mag diese Reihe unfassbar gerne. Sie ist nicht perfekt. In jedem Buch gab es mindestens eine Sache die ich nicht mochte oder Etwas, was man besser formulieren oder besser hätte ausarbeiten können. Sowie auch hier, denn beim Thema Labyrinth verliert sich die Geschichte ab und an etwas in Logiklücken... Aber genau dieses Unperfekte trifft einen "Soft Spot" in mir, weil es Wachstum, Möglichkeiten und Weiterentwicklung verspricht. Und genau dieses Versprechen löst Alexandra Warwick jedes Mal ein, indem sie mit jedem Teil der Reihe besser und besser wird.
Sie ist der Grund dafür, dass ich Dinge zu lesen bekomme, die sich für mich neu, unverbraucht und ein Stück weit revolutionär anfühlen, weil sie sich beispielsweise traut, FMC's zu erschaffen die anecken und das liebe ich! Überall wird dazu aufgefordert, "wild, laut, frech und wunderbar" zu sein, aber wirklich wollen tut das in der Realität scheinbar niemand; zumindest lese ich in Rezensionen sehr oft etwas darüber, dass man den FMC im Buch XY nicht mochte, weil sie zu viele Ecken und Kanten hatte. Immer schön lieb sein, alles andere zerstört den "Wohlfühl-Faktor"..
Alexandra Warwick gibt darauf nichts und das finde ich wunderbar!
Ihre Charaktere haben Schwächen, arbeiten sich aber Stück für Stück aus ihnen heraus und hin zu ihrem wahren Selbst, das mag ich sehr. Ebenso den grandiosen Schreibstil und auch das bei der "Four Winds"- Reihe keine Geschichte der anderen gleicht, Warwick es aber trotzdem schafft, einen "roten Faden" zu ziehen, der alle Teile der Reihe miteinander verbindet. Ich bin jetzt schon so gespannt auf den finalen Teil und habe "The South Wind" extra langsam gelesen um mir die Wartezeit darauf etwas zu verkürzen. Für mich eine Romantasy-Reihe die sich abhebt und die ich uneingeschränkt empfehlen kann, sofern man mal etwas Abseits vom typischen "0815" -Angebot lesen möchte!

[Phoebe ❀ ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who enjoyed The North Wind but felt a bit let down by The West Wind, I'd been really anticipating this book and was so excited to get a copy of this ARC. While I didn't love it as much as the first book, it was still a great read!

The story follows Sarai and Notus (the South Wind) - former lovers who are thrust back together when Sarai's father, the king of Ammara, asks him to come to the palace in order to help protect Ammara against the Darkwalkers. Notus broke Sarai's heart years ago and so she's naturally very resentful and frigid towards him even though he is so kind and clearly YEARNS for her.

Due to the threat of the Darkwalkers, Sarai accepts a betrothal to Prince Balior from the neighboring kingdom in order to gain their protection and support for Ammara. She really tries to see the best in him / the engagement, but spies a secret and suspicious gathering of his troops that sets off immediate alarm bells. The solution? Make up a split-second lie that she's accepted a betrothal from Notus. From there, the tension and heat revs up - the two of them are constantly dancing around each other and toeing the delicate "it's a fake engagement" line that Sarai establishes to protect her own feelings.

I liked Notus, but especially loved Sarai. She's a stubborn but passionate character; guards her emotions, keeping her metaphorical cards close to her chest to stop herself from being hurt by Notus again. Notus had always been steadfast in his devotion to Sarai: his character bordered on bland at times, but their romance was addictive. I knew there would be a deeper reason why Notus had left her, but seriously, why didn't he tell her sooner?

In that same vein, she kept the secret of her curse from from Notus for a long time. I just couldn't grasp why - she was cursed to die on my twenty-fifth birthday and the day was rapidly approaching, but kept the secret for reasons I couldn't quite understand. That said, the way that it eventually unfolded was very well done.

The plot in this book was excellent and I always love a second chance romance. I wasn't very familiar with the story of Daphne and Apollo, which The South Wind was based on, but I am definitely going to check it out now. This was an amazing read--now I wait for The East Wind, and his story is one I've been highly anticipating!

Thank you so much to Saga and NetGalley for this ARC!

[vioreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 of my 24 hour readathon 📚 https://vm.tiktok.com/ZNRPNTK5e/

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good read and enjoyed it more than the second book in the series. This book is a standalone that follows the fmc Sarai and the mmc the south wind. It starts off with the fmc being born and that’s important since it’s a Daphne/Apollo and sleeping beauty reimagining. Fast forward to present day and we see that the fmc had grown into her own and has to get into an arranged marriage. The relationship is technically a second chance since they have history and the fmc has had her heart broken by the mmc. I liked the plot, the political intrigue and seeing the importance of music and the violin. The arranged marriage part, the partnership, the secrets were triguing and I liked how the author wrote it. I thought the fmc character was so strong and opinionated especially when dealing with her father the king and I liked how passionate the mmc was but I wanted more of him. Overall both the romance and plot was interesting and cute especially the epilogue. Thanks to Saga Press for this earc!

[BookDragonAshh · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

Im going to be brutally honest here… I am only giving this book 3 stars because it had some redeeming qualities.

The story starts off really slow and with no context whatsoever. This is a standalone in a series, but I felt like I was missing so much making it hard to really connect with the story. I honestly think this could have gone much better had the author taken some time to do some world building.

I can’t say that the story was all bad. There was a couple of moments when I forgot why I wasn’t enjoying this read, but they were few and far in between.

Setting that aside, I really couldn’t stand the MFC, Sarai. She spent the entire time complaining or lying. She was not likable at all and given that the story was told entirely from her POV, we don’t get a break from her. Idk, I just hate when I can’t stand the main characters in a romance/fantasy.

Looking at the bigger picture, I just could not wrap my head around the lack of communication between the main characters. At first, it brought a certain level of tension between the couple, which I thought was nice, but after a while it got old and tired. At a certain point, I was practically begging these two to sit down and talk it out.

The only thing that kind of saved this book for me was Notus. I just loved how he protected Sarai not only from actual danger, but from her family and even herself. I also loved it when his jealous side showed. He was totally delicious and I couldn’t get enough of him. He really deserved better.

Overall, as much as I loved Notus, I really couldn’t stand the story or Sarai. For as long as this book was, there really wasn’t a whole lot going on. I definitely think if the story wasn’t so drawn out, I could have enjoyed this.

I personally, won’t reread this book and I can’t say that I recommend it.

[seshia (๑•́ω•̀๑) · Rating 2 out of 5]

there are a lot of plot holes & things that just don’t add up in the timeline

WHY did they do it in the LABYRINTH while the CITY WAS FALLING and her brother could be DYING!!! is there not a better time or place ??

second half of the book is actually just ridiculous and the whole thing is so repetitive i almost dnf
worst of the series 🫩

[Marie-Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Four Winds series has been a downward slope for me... I really liked The North Wind, The West Wind wasn't as good but had it's moments, and this ... I didn't like at all.

A large issue for me is the language. It's overly, forcedly poetic, which makes it convoluted and over the top. Chill with the metaphors, not every paragraph needs one. I was reading lines out loud to my husband, laughing in disbelief at how poorly written some of them were. 

"When dawn cracks open the world's hardened shell" - just say it's the morning. The next paragraph "when the sky unfolds in panels of black silk" - you gotta be kidding???

Another gem: "The spice of his breath is so familiar it makes my teeth ache."

My other issue is the main character, Sarai. Most of her behavior is inexplicable to me. She complains, whines, lies, refuses to communicate properly (which would have solved some plot lines), refuses to listen to reason, the list goes on. It's incongruous: she is a Princess who was raised under certain standards and morals, and behaves accordingly at times. Other times, she is a petulant, lying child who abandons all decorum, especially around her father. And the concert violinist part??? What do you meannnn

The book has a serious case of bland side characters without personality. Which makes their actions as unrelatable as Sarai's. Nobody can just have a conversation because then there would be no plot! All conflicts and misunderstandings could have been solved with a little reason, communication, and maturity.

It also has a serious case of "book series needs to establish a realm that is different and diverse from the ones before so let's do a vaguely Middle Eastern desert country where they eat hummus for breakfast and wear kohl eyeliner." 


So yeah, DNF'd less than halfway through and not sure I will pick up The East Wind.

[♡︎.ᐟજ⁀➴ Erie]

💨 The South Wind by Alexandria Warwick
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🕯️ Second-chance lovers. A death curse. A fake engagement with the god of the desert wind.
You had me at hello, and then you had me sobbing in a sandstorm.

Thank you to Saga Press for the eARC—because I had zero chill waiting to see what Warwick would do with Notus. And let me tell you, I was not prepared to be emotionally devastated in a romantic wind tunnel.

💫 What I Loved:

• Sarai is That Girl
She's prickly, poised, and battling fate with a sharp tongue and a violin. She was giving Sleeping Beauty if Aurora had anxiety, trauma, and a sword. Her strength isn’t loud—it’s quiet defiance, emotional intelligence, and a deep well of yearning she guards like a fortress. My empress. 👑🎻

• Notus… my cinnamon sandstorm.
His whole vibe is soft-spoken regret in a linen robe. He made me feel like a windswept leaf in a Greek tragedy. Yes, sometimes he leaned a bit too noble for his own good, but the man yearns like it’s his full-time job and I am HERE for it.

• The vibes are everything.
This book is all warm sands and whispered threats. Fake fiancé tension. Slow-burn ache. Music as magic. Secret pacts. Labyrinths. Love like a wound that won’t close. I don’t know what Warwick laced these pages with, but it was ✨delicious.✨

🖤 TROPES I CRAVED 🍇

• 💍 Fake engagement (with real feelings, obviously)

• 💔 Second chance romance

• 💨 God x mortal pairing

• 🕯️ Cursed heroine

• 🐍 Greek mythology retelling (Daphne & Apollo inspired)

• 👀 “I hate you but I still know how you take your tea” energy

• 🧭 Arranged marriage dodge + political scheming

• 💥 Labyrinth showdown (with consequences)

🌀 What Could’ve Hit Harder:

I needed more time in the labyrinth. It was spooky and mysterious, but the ending left me with 3.5 questions and a blinking cursor. Was it metaphor? Magic? Maze therapy?

Some emotional reveals came a bit late, and I wanted more time for the fallout (YOU KNOW THE ONE I MEAN).

Notus, sweetie, I love you but maybe try honesty next time before everything explodes? Just a thought.



🎻 Final Thoughts:

Cue me closing the book dramatically and whispering “I am not well.”

The South Wind took its time building tension, then swept me into a sandstorm of longing, betrayal, fake promises, and one final kiss in the dark that destroyed me. It's a second-chance romance wrapped in myth and dust, and I am still not over it.

This series continues to be ✨unreasonably good✨—and now I’m practically levitating waiting for The East Wind. Let’s go, Warwick. Wreck me again.

Thanks again to Saga Press for the ARC. I’ve officially fake-engaged every wind sibling at this point and I regret NOTHING. 🖤

[Durch.Welten.Und.Zeilen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nach Band zwei war ich schon sehr gespannt auf Notus Geschichte. Und The South Wind hat mich auch nicht enttäuscht. Notus ist bis jetzt mein Liebling von den Brüdern.

Sarai konnte ich auch gut leiden. Im Mittelteil waren ihre wechselhaften Gefühle jedoch etwas anstrengend. Ihre Freundschaft mit Roshar fand ich absolut wunderbar und so kurz die Szenen auch waren, gehören sie auf jeden Fall zu meinen Liebsten im Buch.

Der erste Teil der Handlung hat mit extrem gut gefallen. Es ist mir teilweise wirklich schwergefallen das Buch aus der Hand zu legen. Es war eine tolle Mischung aus Spannung und Humor. Der zweite Teil war inhaltlich irgendwie nicht mehr ganz so meins. Ich bin mit der ganzen Thematik um das Labyrinth nicht so warm geworden, bzw, hätte ich mir teilweise etwas mehr Informationen gewünscht. Hier musste ich mich teilweise zum Weiterlesen zwingen.

Der kurze Einblick in Boreas und Wrens Leben hat mir super gut gefallen. Sowas würde ich mir für Band vier noch einmal wünschen. Vielleicht sogar mit allen Brüdern.

Der Schluss ist wieder absolut gelungen und hinterlässt mich mit großer Vorfreude auf Band vier.

3,5⭐️

[brewdy_reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

♡ Thank you to @sagapressbooks for the galley.

If you liked The North Wind, pick this one up: the love story of the third immortal brother, Notus, and Princess Sarai of Ammara.

This is a fast read with some light political maneuvering, an arranged marriage to join empires, a dysfunctional family, and a second chance romance.

I loved the desert setting which felt influenced by Arabian Nights! Blustery sand dunes, dry heat oasis under setting suns, and spice markets. This gave the book unique flavor distinct from the Norse winter setting of the North Wind, or the abbey of the West Wind.

I wasn’t a big fan of the labyrinth, which included an oddly timed steamy scene, but I did appreciate the use of music for healing. If you don’t like a plot reliant on keeping secrets from each other, you may get frustrated.

However, sometimes one needs a straightforward and predictable plot, a villain we love to hate, and a HEA. These you will find here. It was also really fun to have Wren and Boreas make a cameo!

💓

Trigger warnings for suicide‼️

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 - 4,5 ⭐️: Alexandria Warwick hat es einfach drauf. Auch wenn Band 2 mein Favorit bleibt, ist auch Band 3 ein wahnsinnig tolles Buch.

Eine spannende, immersive Welt mit Charakteren, die Ecken und Kanten haben und eine Entwicklung durchlaufen. Eine nachvollziehbare Liebesgeschichte, die ich gerne verfolgt habe und mich auch berühren konnte.
Einfach ein rundes Buch, das in sich schlüssig und authentisch ist, was Tiefe hat und berührt.
Bisher hat mich kein Buch der Reihe enttäuscht, ich bin schon ganz gespannt auf den letzten Band! :)

-

"Ein eisiger Schauer lässt mir das Blut in den Adern gefrieren. Meine Glieder werden bleischwer und die Kälte schließt sich um mein Herz und meine Lunge wie ein undurchdringlicher Kristall. Es ist, als wäre ich gleichzeitig die Sarai der Vergangenheit und die der Gegenwart. Als wäre ich achtzehn und vierundzwanzig zugleich. Begabt, geschätzt, angebetet, dann betrogen, gebrochen, allein. Meine Kehle ist wie zugeschnürt, und ich fürchte, in Ohnmacht zu fallen.

Notos, der als der Südwind bekannt ist, blickt mich mit Augen an, die an tiefe, klare Quellen von Oasen erinnern. Ich habe ihn seit fünf Jahren nicht mehr gesehen, und doch scheint er keinen Tag gealtert zu sein. Ich habe dieses Gesicht berührt, geküsst, es geliebt und verachtet. Wie schrecklich, dass es für mich immer noch schön ist."

[Ellie Bailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was really bad - inconsistent, two dimensional characters and a nonsensical plot. Such a shame as the first 2 books were great

[Steph Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t think it’s safe or constructive for me to share my thoughts on this read

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fake engagement, second chance, fantasy romance. Inspired by Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, and Sleeping Beauty.

[Morgan Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to see The South Wind available on NetGalley, especially since I had recently picked up The North Wind (though I haven’t read it yet). At first, I was worried I’d need to catch up, but I was relieved to learn that each book is a standalone with only small references to the others.

I love a good Greek mythology retelling, and this one—drawing inspiration from Daphne and Apollo with a touch of Sleeping Beauty—was a unique take, set against a beautifully crafted Middle Eastern backdrop. The story started a bit slow for me, but once the pace picked up, I was completely locked in.

Sarai was a compelling protagonist, and I really resonated with her struggle to balance duty and personal desires—especially her love for music versus the weight of her parents' expectations. The tension between her and Notus was engaging, and I appreciated the second-chance romance element. This book was spicier than I expected, but I enjoyed that aspect of it.

That said, the labyrinth sequence toward the end left me with a lot of questions. I may need to reread that part to fully grasp what happened—especially regarding the Minotaur and Prince Balior. However, I did appreciate the closure that some of the characters received by the end (without spoiling anything).

Overall, this was a solid four-star read for me! Now, I’m even more excited to dive into The North Wind to learn more about Boreas, Wren, and the specters. Thank you, NetGalley and Saga Press, for the free advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
I am loving this romantasy series. Each book features a ‘wind’, they are immortal as well as brothers and they’ve been banished from the city of Gods to live in the human realm.

The South Wind by Alexandria Warwick is the third standalone book and is the story of Notus (The South Wind) and the cursed Princess Sarai of Ammara. The South Wind is both a second chance romance and fake engagement.

The setting is warm desert sands, spice markets, magical music and court intrigue. I love Greek mythology retellings and the story involves the labyrinth and Minotaur known in Greek mythology and a touch of Sleeping Beauty. The realm is under threat from Darkwalkers and the King has arranged a marriage for his daughter, Princess Sarai to a prince from the neighbouring kingdom of Um Salim…..a marriage to save the kingdom against the dark walkers.

I enjoyed the tension between Notus and Sarai, it’s a slow burn and there’s a spicy element, I liked that they had a past history. Notus is very likeable indeed, he’s caring and protective.

The villain was well played, a villain we love to hate, he made my skin crawl.

There was a lot of focus on the female protagonist feeling she was never enough for her family but boy she is stubborn.

The East Wind was nicely introduced for the next and final book and I’m excited to read his story next.

Publishing Date 30 April 2025
Publisher Simon & Schuster Australia

Thank you so much Simon & Schuster Australia for an ARC copy of the book to read

[Soph · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay. The plot was interesting and kept me engaged mostly. I didn’t really like the main character for most of the book, and some of the plots were predictable. I also felt that the ending dragged on a bit, like she kept going on random side quests. The book also took inspiration from many other stories/myths and it felt like it was combining a lot of other stuff which I felt was a bit unnecessary. But I enjoyed annotating the book for Melissa and Rowan🫶 and reading Melissa’s comments

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Ranking thus far
#1 The North Wind
#2 The South Wind
#3 The West Wind

**Post-Romance Book Club Update**
A very interesting discussion at book club. We all felt that the characters were not fully fleshed out, and a lot of the older ladies found Sarai annoying (interestingly myself and the younger girls didn't notice!) And in reverse, we were the ones who felt the King, Sarai's father, had a lot of explaining to do in terms of their relationship, whereas the older ladies blamed Sarai!

We all felt that the labryinth was not used to its full potential, and it was more of a therapy-portal than anything (talking to your younger self and confronting your darkness? Come on!)

A great point was brought up-- where are all the staff in this castle?? We see like two, but where are all the advisors, especially when ...Prince Balior's army is squatting within the kingdom and only Sarai knows?? Really? As for Prince Balior, a lot of us re-read the ending to make sure we didn't miss a chapter on where he went.

We labeled one sex scene (really out of 2) as the "rutting" scene and all felt a bit ick about it.

As for Notus, we had a giggle that he was only good for his sword/s teehee (there was red wine involved at this stage in the discussion!)

And as for the epilogue ...we all groaned when Sarai played the violin and everyone cried. Like, what a pointless thing, to have her music ripped away and then suddenly not?

Ratings ranged from 2.5-3.5 so mid. But I stand by the writing is beautiful, I said it twice below, it just needed a few more comb throughs.

---------

Sarai & Notus's story is beautiful, and the desert setting was lovely. The writing was beautiful although, this could have easily been 50 pages shorter.

[Gentry Thomson · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I don’t know…I just can’t do stories where authors humanize “gods”. Like he’s a god but he is also a random king’s bodyguard? Like why? AREN’T YOU A LITERAL GOD?? Why does the food chain not apply??

[madeline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think they should’ve had a threesome with the Minotaur

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

Sarai and Notus were decent enough. I can’t pinpoint anything specifically wrong with them, and taking their traits at face value, they are characters that I should love. In fact, I tried very hard to love them. But unfortunately, they just fall flat for me for a good portion of the book. This was remedied somewhat in the last like 30% of the book, but that connection with the characters should have been there from the start. If the whole book was as good as the end, I might have loved it.

Was I really like this as a child? My tongue dearly loves a duel, but it doesn’t seem productive to put my younger self in her place, especially when I know how fragile she really is.

Oddly enough, I actually loved younger Sarai. And speaking to her made older Sarai much more sympathetic to me as well. This kind of characterization would have done wonders at the beginning of the book.

”But home can be built,” he whispers, and I’m startled by the quaver in his voice, an undercurrent of that fear he’s carried with him. “It can be found and nurtured in another.” As his dark eyes hold mine, he says, “And I found a home with you.”

The romance was done well, for the most part. I would have been livid had they not ended up together, or one of them died, and that’s all you can really ask for.

Notus leaving Sarai in the past was an intriguing plot point. The story pushes the idea that Sarai was too harsh in her treatment of Notus, and that they were both at fault. While the latter is true to an extent, I think her anger at him leaving was fair, and he could have just addressed that lingering pain between them instead of continuously brushing past it, then being upset when she was rude to him. The reveal of why he left was also underwhelming. I was hoping it would be something where he truly had no choice but to leave, but it was very much his decision. In doing what he thought was best for her, he robbed her of the right to make her own decisions about her own life. A common trope, and one that I am not fond of. I did like that he acknowledged he had no right to make that decision for her, though—a refreshing break from how that narrative usually plays out.

Each book in this series introduces the brother whose story is told in the next one. So we met Eurus in a somewhat unexpected and really compelling way, and he instantly captured my attention. After reading The North Wind, his story was the one I was most excited for out of the remaining three (based on plot alone) and his appearance in this book just reinforced the intrigue I already held for his character.

And I’m sorry, but Sarai playing the violin being what bests the beast as opposed to any weapon is simply ridiculous. The beast being a metaphor is a cute sentiment, but not a satisfying resolution, in my opinion.

And when it is done, the last note fading, I turn toward my audience. Tears stream unchecked down the twelve deities’ faces, as they stream down mine. Even the lightning god, with his hardened exterior, wipes the corner of his eyes, the tip of his nose red. For that is the power of music. To reach into our hearts and touch those pieces of ourselves we are too afraid to acknowledge.

ARE WE DEADASS? LOL

Like the previous, this book drags at points and could stand to be cut down. The character development could have been stronger at the start. And certain parts, like the moment above, are downright ridiculous. Zeus, crying over a violin performance? Come on.

But it’s an enjoyable enough read, nonetheless.

What need had he for maps and directions when the wind identified east or north, south or west? Unfortunately, since losing his power and immortality, he felt strangely detached from his environment. The wind was little more than sensation, a brush of air against his skin. It spoke to him no longer.

Damn, that made me sad. I wish they could give up their immortality but keep their powers. That would be nice.

Now let’s talk about my babies Wren and Boreas, because I was nottt expecting them to make a cameo and istg I almost screamed when they did. It was wonderful to see them again, if only briefly.

I’m so fucking ready for all four brothers to come together in book four.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my review. All opinions are my own.

As a big fan of the previous books in the Four Winds series, I was so excited to read this and it didn’t disappoint!

The story follows Princess Sarai and Notus, The South Wind, who previously had been lovers and are back in each other’s lives, much to Sarai’s dismay as she absolutely resented him for leaving!

Sarai’s father, the King, asks Notus to come back to Ammara to help protect them from the Darkwalkers. The king thinks that marrying Sarai off to Prince Bailor from a neighbouring kingdom would help with extra protection from the Darkwalkers. At first, Sarai tries to see the best in him and the engagement but grows suspicious of him after she finds out his army are stationed already around the kingdom. In order to stop the engagement from happening, she tells her father she is already engaged to Notus!

I loved Sarai as a character, she had really been through it. She didn’t have a great relationship with her father, lost her mother and her brother and then had to go through the loss of Notus when he left. On top of this, she also had to live with the curse that she was going to die on her twenty fifth birthday - which was fast approaching.

I do feel like she should’ve have told Notus of this, instead of leaving this part out, but I liked the way it did come out eventually. At the same time, I also wished Notus had told Sarai the real reason as to why he left, but I understand why he didn’t. I loved their romance, a second chance is definitely what they needed and I was so rooting for them. I also thought their intimate scenes were written beautifully!

I really liked her tailor, he was a funny character and I also loved the appearances of The North Wind, Wren and the East Wind, whose story I am so excited to be reading (Rapunzel is my favourite fairytale and this one has elements of it in it!!)

I did go into reading this without knowing the story of Daphne and Apollo, but I will definitely go back and read it. And you don’t need to know it to enjoy this book or have read the previous ones, but I highly recommend you do!

Again, thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK!

[Ash (sundrenchedpage) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐½

I really, really enjoyed The South Wind.

This book was pure romantasy escapism, and I devoured it. The setting was so vivid, and the characters buried their way into my heart very quickly.

I loved strong, passionate Sarai, and how she navigated her struggles of not feeling like she was enough for her family, and like she would never live up to the weight of the expectations placed upon her. I loved how she acknowledged she was not a natural fighter early in the book, but this did not make her any less strong. In a world of fantasy FMCs who are exceptionally talented when it comes to fighting, it was refreshing to have a character who didn't naturally have these abilities and had to use other tactics to get out of trouble, without making her passive or weak. I did think occasionally she veered into too much complaining when it came to her internal dialogue, but honestly, girl, same. I can't judge her for that.

The tension between Notus and Sarai was perfect, and while I'm not normally a huge fan of second chance romance stories, this one was told really well, I thought. The yearning was so strong from both characters, and I loved how their past was seamlessly intertwined with how their relationship was starting to re-form in the book.

I am really enjoying The Four Winds series, and I can't wait to finish the series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Sarai, one of King Halim of Ammara’s three children, has three months until her twenty-fifth nameday – upon which she believes she is cursed to die. The king is unwell, her older brother who was always meant to take the throne is dead, and her remaining brother is recently married and preparing to take a throne her was never meant to sit on. The kingdom is under threat from the darkwalkers, and King Halim has arranged a marriage for Princess Sarai with Prince Balior from the neighbouring kingdom of Um Salim – a marriage he believes is one of Ammara’s last chances against the darkwalkers.
While Sarai begins with the intent to honour her father’s wishes, she soon starts to feel that Prince Balior is hiding things that could have a devastating effect on Ammara. To prevent the betrothal with Prince Balior from moving forwards, Sarai fakes an engagement with the South Wind – god of the desert wind and her ex-lover – in order to buy time to expose the motives of those around her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to people far and wide. I love the tropes of second chance and fake engagement and thought this was a refreshing approach to a retelling with touches of both Sleeping Beauty and Greek mythology. I particularly liked that while Princess Sarai was not portrayed as a damsel in distress, she also wasn’t an expert swordsman or fighter.
It took me a little bit to really get into this book, but the start was needed for context around the different relationships that existed within the story. The only relationship that I got briefly confused about at one stage was that between Sarai and the South Wind – at the beginning of the story it feels like they were together for some time, but later on it is suggested that that was not the case at all.
I really liked the way in which the East Wind was introduced ahead of the final book, but without being out of place in this story. The connections between the brothers – the four winds – ties the books together nicely, which still allowing each to be read as a standalone. From what we saw of the East Wind in this book I am very excited to read more about his story in the next instalment.
A huge thank you to Simon & Schuster (Australia) and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The South Wind in exchange for my honest review.

[Ellen Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a bit of a slow burn, I really loved this. This author’s style of writing is wonderful. Before I started this book I had read only one review, which wasn’t overly positive. So glad I decided to push through. Notus and Sarai’s story is heartwarming, and I can’t wait for the last book of this series to be released.

[Kelsey T · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

[Genevieve Spurway · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series - I enjoy the different elements of the seasons, the world-building, and the mythological influences!

[CiCi | bookameme · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good, the characters had great arcs. At first I was vibing with the story but disliked the MCs, but as the story progressed and they evolved I came to really appreciate them.
It felt like there were several distinct parts to this story, almost like it was a mini series instead of a book. Each part was entertaining and unique, but my mind had trouble shifting gears because the tone, arc, and pace of the story seemed to change with each part.

🌶️🌶️