Thunderstruck: The enthralling fantasy romance novel with gods and magic for 2026

by Lissa Layland

NORSE GODS. LOVE TRIANGLE. SPICE. YOU'LL WANT TO READ THIS IN 2026!Two gods.One mortal heart.A storm is coming …Althea Leos came to Oslo to study – not for a love triangle with a hot activist and an arrogant professor. But one night, after a quarrel spirals out of control, she stumbles into Asgard – the hidden realm of Norse gods.

There, everything Torben is Thor, the electrifying god of thunder. Lukas is Loki, magnetic god of mischief. And Althea herself carries a spark of divinity that could alter the course of gods and humans alike.

Bound to them both by more than desire, Althea must choose between mortal safety and immortal temptation. In a realm where love and destiny collide, which god will leave her Thunderstruck?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Romantasy, Paranormal Romance, Adult

Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 5, 2026

About the author

Lissa Layland lives in Melbourne, Australia—on Bunurong/Boon Wurrung land—with her husband and rescue greyhound. As a nine-year-old, she wrote and performed “theatre productions” that were essentially pantheon fanfiction for her endlessly patient classmates. It’s no surprise she now writes fantasy and romance for adults. Somewhere in between, she worked in climate justice, including on campaigns for legal complaints brought before the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Reviews

[Victoria - Tori Simms (thevictorianstudy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't sure what to think when I read the synopsis for this book. But, I was pleasantly surprised by it and I'm so happy with the outcome at the end. Though, I would like maybe a short novella offshoot about Thea and her brother, if not a sequel.

Thea is Type A to the T. She had a plan when she arrived in Oslo. But then her plan falls to pieces when her professor, Professor Dahl, drops her thesis despite saying it's one of the best he's ever had come across his desk. Reeling with having to choose the second best option, she joins student-led political protests against offshore mining and meeting a really cute redhead guy named Torben. She ends up getting really drunk after kissing him and angrily following his sort-of-brother home; Professor Dahl.

But hey, Professor Dahl and Torben are actually Norse gods, and now she's having to figure out how to make it out of Asgard with her life and promise to never tell anyone about what she's seen and done. There's a whole lot more there, but I really liked it.

Thea's relationships with everyone are really deep and you feel her emotions. The cast is really diverse, too, which was pretty cool and something I know other readers will feel really strongly about. Overall, I really liked it but I do wish it was longer and that's why I'm rating it 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Lissa Layland, NetGalley, Avon Books, and Avon & Harper Voyager for this digital ARC. All thoughts, views, and opinions are my own.

[Melanie DirtyLittleSmut_Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m INVESTED!!!!! ⚡️

Two hot gods fighting over one girl? Yeah, I’m listening. 😂

Loki is freaking AWESOME. Way to stand up for your girl!!!! 👏🏻 And honestly, I loved watching their relationship develop.

I did struggle a little with the fallout of her relationship with Thor. I just wish there had been more to it than her deciding she “didn’t want complicated.” It felt like such a big relationship to move past so quickly.

And girl… you do NOT always need to have the last word. When she tries to seduce Loki and it backfires, then lashes out about how he’s not really living, I was like… ma’am. YOU are the one making reckless decisions right now. 😂 Some of her reactions just felt immature to me.

BUT Alex!!! I really hope we get more of her twin in the next book because he is awesome. I love that he’s basically like, “Yep, semi-demigods. Makes sense,” while everyone else is having an existential crisis. 😂

I’m definitely invested enough to need the next book. Bring on the gods! ⚡️

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

[BookishKB]

⚡🪓 Thunderstruck 🪓⚡

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Norse Mythology
• Love Triangle
• Academic Romance
• Magical Trials
• Romantasy
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: November 17, 2026
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Jenn]

DNF. Just wasn't working for me.

[CA · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I didn’t love this book. I actually found the relationship between Althea, her brother Alex, and her mom and sister to be more compelling and formative than her relationship with the MMCs for parts of the book.

PROS:
• Academic Setting – I really liked seeing our FMC, Althea, as a graduate student writing a complex thesis.
• Mythology – Thor, Loki, and other characters from mythology in a modern setting.
• Positive Family Relationship – Althea is a twin who has deeply cares for her brother and worries about her mom and younger sister while she is studying in another country.

CONS (for me):
• Shallow romantic relationships – while there is a love triangle aspect, I wanted to actually see more on the page about why Althea cared about the MMCs and why they were interested in her, beyond her lineage or a sense of duty.
• Wording took me out of the story – there were occasionally references items (example clothing) that didn’t seem like something a student from the US would use, and since the story is from Thea’s POV they seemed like odd choices that took me out of the story.

Given some of the ambiguity about the twins, the state of the environment and what that means for the gods, it seems like this might be setting up something going forward, which I would be interested to read to see how our characters develop a bit more.

Rounded up from 3.5/3.75 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Katie ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

First things first, I need a while book of Maya and Britta. I love them.

This book was so good! I was grinning from start to finish. My only complaint is that I felt like there was so much going on that every plot line left me wanting it more fleshed out. I wanted more about the aftermath of Professor Pedersen and his academic antics.

All in all, a solid debut! I will eagerly pick up book two!

[Dani✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun read! Layland perfectly combines the world of the gods with that of mortality and academia. She has created a story of love, friendship, emotionally heavy issues, and global climate change. It puts into perspective, that not enough people follow their hearts and even less care for the land we live on. Truly a stunning way to make reader involved in real world challenges! This is a cozy magical reality I’d love to spend time in :) Cheers to the “super-strength pheromones,” hard-headed rationality, slutty little glasses and trusting/ knowing yourself. Eennâm Lii Eellim. I’m excited to see what Layland writes next ⚡️💕

[monique - persephone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley

This is an adult Percy Jackson UNIVERSE / Norse mythology / love triangle extravaganza.
It was so fun, from the first page I was hooked. I was quite drawn to the main character in terms of her determination to complete a goal. She set her goals and lived to achieve it for others because she was so headstrong about it. Her arc throughout the book was logical and I respected the hell out of her.
Plotlines; Throughout the book, I did want our FMC to be a tad more fleshed out in terms of her tone because I felt that I was being held at arm’s length from her, despite being in her head. BUT from the arc of her character, this was completely intentional. Her main issue is not acknowledging her feelings about her decisions and relationships with the other characters (not just lover relationships, but friendships too), and I love how this was handled through healthy discussions with those characters. I also respected the hell out of her with a whole heap of actions, including; not throwing everything a way for a person, healthy relationships conversations with friends, potential partners, and family. I really respect that the author did not make a certain character a villain just to give “meaning” to an action. Sometimes it is what it is, and it sucks but we need to admit it, not ignore it and then try to move forward in a positive way. I have never seen a love triangle handled with such maturity. I wish more books did it like this one, it was just realistic in all sides and the reactions.
Onto the book itself, it was fun. It is incredibly fast paced at times but can slow tf down when needed. I enjoyed the aspect of the found family with the friends and appreciated the representation of differing bodies. Could there have been more? Sure, always. But I appreciated our characters not having the” best model” bodies in the universe (apart from Thor lmfao). I enjoyed the prose and the easy readability of it. I loved all the settings and enjoyed going back to university with out characters. I LOVE that the author managed to discuss a topic so high on all our priority lists and could model through the characters, how we can in fact contribute in any small way and it helps. I LOVED that the problems needed all the characters working together to solve, and not one character was deemed more important than the other. I could also easily discern between each character just by the tone of their dialogue. I was never confused about who was talking, which is usually a hard thing for me. I usually need to flick back and forth and go back up to check who was talking to try and follow. The fact I never had to do this once speaks to how well the cast of characters have been fleshed out. I loved the story of the gods and their lore. I can’t wait to see more. The spice was on point too, if I wasn’t injured, I would have woken up my husband and jumped him.
Overall, it’s a 3.75-4 star for me. It kept me up till 3am in the morning. I highly recommend this is you want something fun, engaging and enjoyable. For Percy Jackson lovers, this is not Percy Jackson the books at all but uses the trope of ancient religions and their gods to drive the story. It was just the most fitting story to relate to this in terms of the gods and their interaction with mortals. I felt the story expanding with each page and I am very excited for the second book!

[Eve Tsak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m always a little wary when I pick up fantasy after a break because it’s a genre that demands your full attention, especially when you’re learning a new world and magic system. At first, I’ll admit I found some of the Norse mythology terminology and world-building a little confusing. There were moments where I felt like I was trying to keep up with unfamiliar words and lore, but the further I got into the story, the more everything clicked into place. By the end, I was completely invested. I actually think this was the perfect fantasy to ease myself back into the genre because it balances mythology with an academic setting, a contemporary world, and a portal fantasy element that never feels overwhelming. The combination of university life, environmental research, mythology, and another realm made for a really addictive reading experience.

The romance was absolutely the highlight for me. Going into this, I was nervous because love triangles are very hit-or-miss for me, and I was worried it would turn into a why-choose situation. Thankfully, it didn’t. Instead, it gave me major The Vampire Diaries vibes with the Thor/Loki dynamic, and from very early on I knew exactly who I was rooting for. Loki completely stole this book for me. The professor, the glasses, the tortured immortal energy, the constant insistence that mortals and immortals shouldn’t be together—I was gone from the start. Even when I was questioning where the romance was heading, Loki kept me turning the pages. Despite some surprisingly early romantic moments, this is still a slow burn at heart, and the tension between Althea and Loki was exactly what I wanted. Every interaction felt layered with history, longing, and the sense that neither of them believed they should want what they wanted.

One thing I really appreciated was how accessible the fantasy felt. While there are gods, mythical creatures, portals, and another realm, the stakes are often tied to academic research, environmental concerns, and uncovering the truth rather than constant battles or high-octane action. For me personally, that’s probably why this landed at four stars rather than five. When I read fantasy, I tend to love stories with incredibly high stakes and intense danger, whereas this felt more character-driven and relationship-focused. That said, I genuinely enjoyed the blend of fantasy and academia, and I loved seeing mythology woven into a modern setting. The water creatures, the mythology, the different realms, and the mythology-inspired history all reminded me why I love fantasy so much in the first place.

And then there’s the ending. That epilogue absolutely made this book for me. After spending the entire novel invested in these characters, seeing everything come together left me with the biggest smile on my face. It was sweet, satisfying, and exactly the ending I was hoping for. For a debut novel, I was incredibly impressed. The world-building became easier and easier to follow, the romance had me fully invested, and Loki may genuinely become one of my favourite fantasy love interests.

♡ “If you asked me to imagine Mr December from the Hot Lumberjack’s annual calendar, he’s exactly what I’d picture. Then I’d buy a copy of the calendar.”

♡ “Of course I’ve thought about it. But wanting something isn’t the same as it being good for you.”

♡ “I’ve lived a thousand lifetimes among the Æsir, and each one leaves its marks. I won’t let them scar you.”

♡ “But when his darkened gaze falls upon me, I light up with longing.”

♡ “You’re all the things I’ve ever wanted, and was convinced I would never be able to have.”

♡ Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the eARC ♡

[donutdot · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!!

never thought i'd be here reading what feels like a self insert fanfic with loki and thor but i am so here for it!! truly feels like the best of ao3 in a book. for context i don't know much about thor and loki (never really got into marvel) but i thought this was done nicely and kept true to the vague image i had of them in my mind.

the plot is simple humans are wrecking havor on earth (midgard) and the ægir and vættin on asgard want to stop that. simple enough and i can see this being the first book in a longer series because fighting climate change is hard!! who knew such a book would be about climate change anyway?

okay the love triangle. typically not a fan of love triangles especially when it involves brothers (ahem belly, conrad and jeremiah who were also mentioned in this book) but i am happy that for once i started and ended on the right side of it.

spoilers ahead!!

i was so sure althea was going to end up with thor (torben) based on the beginning and while they did have chemistry i liked that they were somewhat adults about it, they wanted different things and after meandering decided to stay friends. though for a hot while there it got me fretting that loki/althea was not endgame despite being so bonrad coded.

personally not a fan of the professor thing but i think him being loki (reformed god of lies and trickery) takes the point away because despite being a god he is also kind of a stuffy professor and i thought the way he and althea opened up to each other was sweet. imagine sitting next to each other at a long table in a library, late afternoon sun spilling in from the window while you look at each other. exactly like that. and forced marriage is a thing but i liked that it wasn't an enemies to lovers context and changed little for the way they are. the way they worked each other through their very similar issues on what they want and finally finding each other was so satisfying.

"in the evenings we'd have heated discussions about the news, and in the mornings we'd drink coffee in bed, while doing the crossword and reading. reading for pleasure! not even textbooks!"

"i learned that you're part immortal. but i also learned that you're fiercely intelligent. that you have a chronic commitment to doing what's right, to justice. that you're so beautiful it hurts, sometimes, to look at you."

oh. and the fact that he gave up immortality to pursue just one lifetime!! they get to grow old together!!

i am manifesting a book for thor so hard as a sequel, maybe one for britta and hefring too.

[Kimberly McCoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book. I rated this 2 stars, as I was pretty disappointed with how the story played out. Reminder these are my opinions only and should be taken with a grain of salt.

I don't think the plot was that well plotted out. I feel like there was too much "filler" in the story that you lost the true plot. The amount of time she is talking about Thor or Loki with friends, and nothing happens afterwards (just moves into the next typical college student day) was very disappointing, especially when the description and the start of the story had so much potential. (SPOILER: The plagiarism scene not only came out of the blue, but also added no value to the story)

I also don't feel all the characters (secondary) were used to their potential. Britta could have definitely been used more, as well as Maya and Alex. They felt very much like "fluff" characters that added no value to the story. (SPOILER: Maya's state that Loki fixed seemed to have to impact to the overall story).

Honestly, I will say it was so hard for me to finish reading this book, but I pushed through as best as I could and once I hit about 65% it started to get better. But a book should not take that long to show progress in the plot.

[Katie May · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I think this suffers from way too many story lines and the romance really suffers for that. Aside from a brief scene closer to the beginning there isn’t really much romance until like 75 ish percent in? That’s really too far into the book in my opinion. With this set up there could have been tension and banter coming out of everyone’s ears (besides wow they’re so hot) but there really is none in favor of the Asgard plot lines (of which really no one picked this up for). Eventually all their overwhelming attraction to each other culminates in some brief seggual content but I had a harder time caring about who got together at that point.

The FMC does read a little immature and sometimes the repetitive descriptions bogged it down a wee bit. It was giving Percy Jackson for a bit of it.

This was certainly fun and easy but with cramming all the romance into the back of the book really changed the tone and it could have been an easy 5 stars. This wasn’t really that sexy as promised in the blurb.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from 3.75 ⭐️’s

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and also to NetGalley for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A woman travels to Norway to work on her thesis about environmental law. She becomes entangled with two brothers, and quickly finds out that she is getting much more than he bargained for and it’s not just her world that is suffering.

The premise of this book is amazing! That said I do have some critiques. The “love triangle” in this story really was not necessary. The way that relationship is handled is off-putting and awkward. The love interest feels more like a vehicle for explaining background info. This book very much feels like two separate books. The first half is a TON of info dumping. I understand why, but I feel like the gods system/plot would benefit greatly from some simplification. The second half of the book was amazing! Things were moving with both the plot and the romance aspects. It felt like a whole new book. This is a debut so based on the second half of this book I am excited to see what else this author might have in store!

[Danielle❣️ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, AVON and harper voyager for the ARC <3

while I can admit mythological books aren’t what I gravitate towards, I find Odin and thor’s stories deeply compelling so I was excited to give this a shot. The first few chapters of
story building felt very YA/unserious
with the way the mmcs are described. when the mythological aspect was then brought in, it felt like a completely different book with those unserious romance tropes sprinkled in where they just never seemed to meld.

I felt like the romance aspect never felt appropriate, especially with the near family relation, I really found it off putting and near incestial. Every time it became spicy it felt jarring and awkward— having never felt like there was any tension or bonding have ever taken place to escalate to that level.

there was definitely good world building/ breakdown of the mythology, and if the book was simply that, it would of made more sense. Both mmcs almost felt like older brother figures leading her through her journey of discovery and not like the romantic relationship it is supposed to emulate.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘷𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺!

As an environmental professional with a climate background who loves a mythology moment, it's safe to say this book was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. And boy, she did NOT disappoint.

Layland expertly wove climate justice, romance, and mythology together, balancing these three pillars to deliver an incredible story. Her environmental messaging wasn't only inspiring for rising advocates, but reassuring for established ones like myself, reminding us about the value in our work.

Then there's the romance. I'll admit that there's one brother in particular I loved most, and let's just say, without spoiling the love triangle, that I WON. There were screams, bitten nails, pounded fists, tears... If that doesn't prove how evocative of a read this is, I don't know what would!

Thunderstruck has become one my all-time favorite books, and I need the next books like I need air. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go look into environmental master's programs at the University of Oslo for no reason in particular!

[Jacqui Lawson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to preface that I received an advance copy from Netgalley in return for this review.

I was so excited to start this. I dropped all my love of horror and thought I would give this a try because I love a good fantasy//romance that gives you the happy feel goods.
As the story progressed, I started to feel like the connection between Thor and the MFC were just superficial and not really built up well.
The story line with Odin kind of threw me off because of the serious demand on her. And the panic to get back home? I love Thor and Loki and even more because Norse mythology is some of my favorite but this story did not really provide what I was expecting.
This also sounds terrible but the activism to save the planet was a bit much for me. Please don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in preserving and protecting our planet but this felt like a shove and did not fully sit right with me.
The writing was good, plenty of complex sentences and usage of time period language, it just wasn’t for me. Although I really wanted it to be.

[Julia Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. i received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and thoughts about 'Thunderstruck' by Lissa Layland, which is realeasing November 2026.
Thunderstruck was a fun, romantasy with mythology throw-in for kicks. It takes modern romance books and adds some An American exchange student, Althea Leos, goes to study in Norway, and instead of an education, she gets Gods instead. There is a love triangle in this book and at times you may find yourself rooting for Thor,with his strength and protection, while other times, Loki may be winning the ravce with his temptation and chaos. The character arc of Althea is interesting, and I hope to learn more about her, her family history, and her [maybe] powers. I really enjoyed the found family aspect of the book. The norse mythology was interesting, and the way the author had a backstory for why the Gods no longer came to Midgard and the way the peoples beliefs shaped who they became was thought-provoking The pacing was good and kept me engaged in the story. The romance had me invested in the characters and wanted to find out what would happen next. It was just spicy enough. 4 stars****

[VK Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Review of Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley*

This Thor/Loki fan fic is so much fun. It follows Althea, an American grad student studying environmental law in Norway. But things immediately go awry when her thesis advisor - Lukas - drops her after their first meeting. But she isn’t going to let it get her down. She gets another advisor and dives head first into a local climate activist group, led by the hunky Torben. While painting banners for an upcoming rally at Torben’s house, she realizes Torben and Lukas are brothers.
As she becomes more entwined with the brothers’ lives, she stumbles into their family secret - Torben and Lukas are actually the Norse gods Thor and Loki.
This book has family and political drama, a love triangle worth Odin’s attention, and strong themes about climate change.
I thought it was so fun. It reads like a fan fic in the best way. Team Loki forever.
There are a lot of loose ends, but it isn’t an unsatisfying end.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This sounded like so much fun, and I did enjoy it at the start. Tying environmentalism into the survival of the old gods is an intriguing premise, and I was here for that.

Unfortunately it quickly devolved into fanfiction. Despite lampshading the 'Thor' Marvel movies, this takes more from them than Norse mythology. As a Pagan and history lover, I didn't recognise any of the gods from folklore here, just cinema. Also 'seidh = magic' is very oversimplistic (as well as the purview of Freya, conspicuous by her absence). Our heroine is often described as clever, but she's simply not; she's an American abroad who forgets things are very different to her home and makes silly mistakes.

When Thor has a Mr Darcy Wet Shirt moment, I knew this book wasn't for me. A regretful DNF.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this by the publisher but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Althea is studying abroad in Norway while trying to finish her thesis, but things get tricky when she discovers two of the men in her life are actually Loki and Thor. She stumbles into their world after drinking too much only to learn she may be more connected to them than she thought.

Ok so this was good but there was a lot of information thrown at me in the beginning. Things really picked up after she went to Asgard, it took a 180 because before that point I was not really on board. After her trip to their world, we get so much more of the story & character development instead of the magic system setup. I really enjoyed her relationship with both guys, even when one of them was all pouty.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Erica Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did Lissa Layland find that environmentalist Thor story and decide that she could do that too? If so, she did a good job. I really liked this book but at times could not figure out where the heck it was going. Is this love triangle going to be MFM? Will the three of them actually save the world from climate change? Will Thea meet her deadbeat dad and punch him in the face? What happens when Thea and Alex go to Greece? Some of these questions were answered in this book and some of them weren't. It kind of feels like they should be so I hope we get a book 2 in this universe. (Maybe Alex will get with Thor too lol) The ending really surprise because of these questions. It was like "oh, we're done. hmm"

Otherwise, I did enjoy the story and the writing was well done.

[Larareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 3.75 ⭐️

This year hasn't been the best for me when reading fantasy/ romantasy so I didn't know what to think about this one, but I had so much fun!

The Gods, the mythical creatures, the realm, the stakes, the environmental concerns made this book so good. I couldn't stop reading it. The romance!!! Loki is absolutely everything and I have to say one of the reasons I finished this book is because of him. The slowburn, the longing, the tension, the spice... everything was perfect!

Honestly really hope Lissa will write more about these characters!!!

[Brooklyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the early eARC!

This was a cute and fun book. I requested it initially because I love a good mythology aspect, and the contemporary/modern romantasy element drew me in, as well. I loved the love triangle, slow burn element, and the steamy scenes were well written. Unfortunately, Thea came off as sounding immature sometimes, which threw me off considering she was supposed to be a graduate student in her mid-twenties. Some of the dialogue felt stilted and the banter forced.
Overall, though, it was a fun romance, and I'm glad I received the chance to receive an early copy!

[Julia Bozza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

2.5. I really liked the premise of this book, it was refreshing to see a story inspired by norse mythology, and it definitely stood out from other fantasy romances I’ve read. That said, I struggled a lot with the execution. The love triangle felt forced, there were a lot of side characters to keep track of, and some plot threads left me feeling confused or unresolved. The writing could also be a bit verbose and awkward at times. Overall, I enjoyed the unique concept and parts of the story, but it didn’t quite come together as well as I’d hoped.

[Madz | well.loved.lit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Two Norse god fighting over a girl? I’m here for it. I saw this cover and immediately wanted to read this book. I really loved the storyline of this book but I need more of every aspect of it. There was so much going on that it left me wanting more and that can be a good and a disappointing thing at the same time. I feel like because of the storyline, it was really really fast and I left the book feeling a tiny bit unfulfilled, like there were loose ends that I wish were tidied up. It was really fun and hooked me in right away and I would definitely recommend it, I just hope that there are more books coming.

[Devan Perry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one, but the actual experience fell short. There's probably still a market for this, but I found the two main gods to be frustratingly generic, and I wasn't at all invested in the love triangle, let alone the individual relationships they had with the FMC. The plot didn't really do much for me. Overall, a personal let down, but possibly still one to pick up for big romance readers.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ARC took me a bit to get into. It felt a little fan-fictiony at first, and the connections were not grabbing me, and I felt like I wanted to like it more than I did. Then things started shifting and the plot moved along much faster, in ways I wasn't expecting and appreciated in the romance plot, the fantasy plot, and in the academia plot. I liked the layers of self discovery Thea went through, and want to see a second book with Thea in Greece with Alex and Maya discovering others like them!

[Trista Demoranville · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The plot was a good twist on a common tale. Yet I felt like this was book was written for a ramantasy type read but it comes across more as a step up from Percy Jackson. This is the type of book I would hand my daughter after Percy Jackson as I was handed the twilight series. Like a bridge from young adult to more adult books. It was very well written and I would definitely read more from this author based upon her writing.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Thunderstruck" is about a young graduate student who gets involved in a local student community concerned with the effects of climate change, and discovers that Thor and Loki, Norse gods both, are posing as mortals in this group. Because this is a romance, both are immediately drawn to her, which sounds great on paper until you realize you're looking at having to deal with Odin, horrible god all around, as a potential in-law.

Thea is a competent main character and her passion for climate science is inspiring, so much so that it almost outshines the romance. There's an obvious "winner" in the "but who will she choose" right off the bat, which is a shame because that removed a lot of the tension. Still, I enjoyed this quick read overall, and found it charming.

[CWilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thunderstruck was so good! I don’t normally like love triangles, but this was well done. I really enjoyed the concept of the world and the tie in with the supernaturals. I hope that the author expands to make this a series as there were a lot of potential plot points left at the end. I’ve said this before in other stories, and I’ll say it again, Team Loki all the way, baby!