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Between Tides & Thunder
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Expected 31 Mar 26Win a free print copy of this book!
11 days and 22:47:15
3 copies available
U.S. only
She was raised to hate him. Now she shares his bed.
Princess Mayah of Tundrayn isn’t allowed to want. Not freedom. Not love. Not even her own future. Instead, she’s spent her life healing others’ pain and swallowing her own. But when her father strikes a fragile alliance with enemy-kingdom Arbinj to crush a rising rebellion, she is bartered into a marriage she didn’t choose for a crown she doesn’t want.
She expects a prince. She gets the Dark Commander.
Zevayr is ruthless, unyielding, and a stormwielder with a reputation soaked in blood. He is everything Mayah was taught to fear. Yet as they race across rebel-torn lands, the less certain she is of where the monster ends and where the man begins.
In Arbinj’s glittering courts, the Rebellion surges and dangerous secrets stir from Mayah’s past—secrets that could shatter her kingdom, and her heart, if she lets them.
The question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself?
Princess Mayah of Tundrayn isn’t allowed to want. Not freedom. Not love. Not even her own future. Instead, she’s spent her life healing others’ pain and swallowing her own. But when her father strikes a fragile alliance with enemy-kingdom Arbinj to crush a rising rebellion, she is bartered into a marriage she didn’t choose for a crown she doesn’t want.
She expects a prince. She gets the Dark Commander.
Zevayr is ruthless, unyielding, and a stormwielder with a reputation soaked in blood. He is everything Mayah was taught to fear. Yet as they race across rebel-torn lands, the less certain she is of where the monster ends and where the man begins.
In Arbinj’s glittering courts, the Rebellion surges and dangerous secrets stir from Mayah’s past—secrets that could shatter her kingdom, and her heart, if she lets them.
The question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself?
496 pages, Paperback
Expected publication March 31, 2026
120 people are currently reading
10537 people want to read
About the author
Leena Kazak
4 books469 followersLeena Kazak has been spinning stories since she was ten years old, when she wrote her first short story and never looked back. A lifelong reader, she’s devoured everything from fantasy and thrillers to historical fiction and contemporary romance—but these days, she’s happily tumbled down the romantasy staircase and shows no sign of climbing out. (Send help).
She writes fantasy romance with fierce heroines, impossible choices, and immersive worldbuilding. When she’s in the thick of drafting, Leena wakes up between 4:30 and 5 a.m. to chase that magical, half-asleep window when words flow freely and the world is still quiet.
Leena lives in the frigid Northeast with her brooding, handsome husband and their two adorable, half-feral sidekicks. (Leena and her husband are actually the sidekicks, but don’t tell her kids that.)
She writes fantasy romance with fierce heroines, impossible choices, and immersive worldbuilding. When she’s in the thick of drafting, Leena wakes up between 4:30 and 5 a.m. to chase that magical, half-asleep window when words flow freely and the world is still quiet.
Leena lives in the frigid Northeast with her brooding, handsome husband and their two adorable, half-feral sidekicks. (Leena and her husband are actually the sidekicks, but don’t tell her kids that.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 756 reviews
January 24, 2026
romantasy standalone perfectionnnnn!
the political intrigue, plot twists, and characters made this story jump off the freaking page.
our fmc is a morally grey character with a healer’s heart, i loved her so much. she was so layered, and did what she thought was right.
the mmc!!!! now don’t get me started, gworl!!! this man is pathetically down bad, overly powerful, and brooooody! that’s my typa man!
there’s forced proximity, secrets, and amazing elemental magic battle scenes. i was so pleasantly surprised by this! fast paced, and intriguing from
page one. 5 stars!!
the political intrigue, plot twists, and characters made this story jump off the freaking page.
our fmc is a morally grey character with a healer’s heart, i loved her so much. she was so layered, and did what she thought was right.
the mmc!!!! now don’t get me started, gworl!!! this man is pathetically down bad, overly powerful, and brooooody! that’s my typa man!
there’s forced proximity, secrets, and amazing elemental magic battle scenes. i was so pleasantly surprised by this! fast paced, and intriguing from
page one. 5 stars!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
holy six stars, WOW!! never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d rate a standalone romantasy this high, but this book absolutely defied all odds.
it delivered on every single thing a romantasy reader (me) could possibly want: forced proximity, sharp banter, delicious tension, broodiness, angst, yearning, enemies-to-lovers, a true slow burn, shocking reveals, gut-punch twists… the list goes on. it’s the kind of story that gives you everything and still somehow keeps you desperate for more.
mayah is an incredible fmc - fierce, determined, and wickedly witty. and zev? the broody, dangerous, overly protective asshole of my dreams. absolutely yummy. every time he says ‘wife’ or ‘baby’ I’m on my knees. and might I add: a storm daddy. he falls first and he falls HARD, which makes everything that follows hurt in the best possible way. both characters are so layered that every time you think you have them figured out, the story reveals another side of them.
I felt every emotion under the sun while reading this. just when things start to feel steadY…BAM my jaw is on the floor and my heart has been ripped straight out of my chest. every time you think there might be a sliver of hope, you’re reminded not to get too comfortable… until you finally surrender to the ache of that ending.
I genuinely think I’ll be chasing the high this book gave me for a long time.
huge thank you to leena for this e-arc!
it delivered on every single thing a romantasy reader (me) could possibly want: forced proximity, sharp banter, delicious tension, broodiness, angst, yearning, enemies-to-lovers, a true slow burn, shocking reveals, gut-punch twists… the list goes on. it’s the kind of story that gives you everything and still somehow keeps you desperate for more.
mayah is an incredible fmc - fierce, determined, and wickedly witty. and zev? the broody, dangerous, overly protective asshole of my dreams. absolutely yummy. every time he says ‘wife’ or ‘baby’ I’m on my knees. and might I add: a storm daddy. he falls first and he falls HARD, which makes everything that follows hurt in the best possible way. both characters are so layered that every time you think you have them figured out, the story reveals another side of them.
I felt every emotion under the sun while reading this. just when things start to feel steadY…BAM my jaw is on the floor and my heart has been ripped straight out of my chest. every time you think there might be a sliver of hope, you’re reminded not to get too comfortable… until you finally surrender to the ache of that ending.
I genuinely think I’ll be chasing the high this book gave me for a long time.
huge thank you to leena for this e-arc!
March 27, 2026
6⭐️∞ 🏆My top read of 2026!!!
The PERFECT sweeping romantasy standalone with epic levels of yearning, STUNNING plot, a slow burn to leave you breathless and deep character arcs with heaps of emotional damage.
This story sucked me right in from the first page and was perfectly paced and structured. I truly appreciate how Leena was able to articulate such a beautiful story with so much depth in under 500 pages.
Mayah was such a thoughtful FMC and grew into herself so wonderfully through this story. She is forced to wed the prince of Arbinj, in an alliance with her kingdom Tundrayn. The two kingdoms have been at war for years and they need to join forces against their shared enemy the rebels. She is ready to sacrifice her life and future for the good of her people without hesitation. She does what’s right and doesn’t show fear, a true baddie.
Enter Zev > ZEV! THE MAN THAT YOU ARE *swoon*
He’s sent to escort her back to Arbinj to marry his fuckwad brother…
The grumpy broody spare brother, destined to be seen as the evil dark commander, with layers of depth and a sad boi back story to make you KNOW you can fix him. He is the blueprint.
The plot moved forward wonderfully with purpose. Somehow Kazak manages to compress the epic scope of a trilogy erving political intrigue, rebellion, betrayal, secrets, and commentary on classism in just one novel.
The romance is the most delicious tension-filled slow burn that will have you unable to put the book down! The tension was off the charts from the first moment they meet. The man is down bad, touch her and die a painful death. The trauma and emotional rollercoaster of devastation we went on had me sobbing, screaming, and swooning wanting to reach into the book and hit characters. This is a book I’d love to wipe from my brain and read again for the first time. I am forever changed, I’m never getting over it.
The writing was PERFECT, delicious and delectable. I have so many highlights and quotes I am obsessing over.
I want to scream from the rooftops about this book till im blue in the face and my voice is hoarse. Leena has become a favorite author, by 50% into this book I already had all of her books added to my tbr. I literally highlighted part of the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS because the writing is so beautiful.
Tattoo this book into my bones when im dead.
The PERFECT sweeping romantasy standalone with epic levels of yearning, STUNNING plot, a slow burn to leave you breathless and deep character arcs with heaps of emotional damage.
This story sucked me right in from the first page and was perfectly paced and structured. I truly appreciate how Leena was able to articulate such a beautiful story with so much depth in under 500 pages.
Mayah was such a thoughtful FMC and grew into herself so wonderfully through this story. She is forced to wed the prince of Arbinj, in an alliance with her kingdom Tundrayn. The two kingdoms have been at war for years and they need to join forces against their shared enemy the rebels. She is ready to sacrifice her life and future for the good of her people without hesitation. She does what’s right and doesn’t show fear, a true baddie.
Enter Zev > ZEV! THE MAN THAT YOU ARE *swoon*
He’s sent to escort her back to Arbinj to marry his fuckwad brother…
The grumpy broody spare brother, destined to be seen as the evil dark commander, with layers of depth and a sad boi back story to make you KNOW you can fix him. He is the blueprint.
The plot moved forward wonderfully with purpose. Somehow Kazak manages to compress the epic scope of a trilogy erving political intrigue, rebellion, betrayal, secrets, and commentary on classism in just one novel.
The romance is the most delicious tension-filled slow burn that will have you unable to put the book down! The tension was off the charts from the first moment they meet. The man is down bad, touch her and die a painful death. The trauma and emotional rollercoaster of devastation we went on had me sobbing, screaming, and swooning wanting to reach into the book and hit characters. This is a book I’d love to wipe from my brain and read again for the first time. I am forever changed, I’m never getting over it.
The writing was PERFECT, delicious and delectable. I have so many highlights and quotes I am obsessing over.
I want to scream from the rooftops about this book till im blue in the face and my voice is hoarse. Leena has become a favorite author, by 50% into this book I already had all of her books added to my tbr. I literally highlighted part of the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS because the writing is so beautiful.
Tattoo this book into my bones when im dead.
December 7, 2025
I screamed, I cried, I blushed, I swooned. so many feels you’ll finish thinking how the hell was that fulfilling of a story wrapped up in one book.
March 18, 2026
This was hands down the best standalone I have read in a long time. 10/10. No notes.
This felt like a series that was managed to be fit into one less than 500 page book in the best way possible. I was engrossed from page one and it never let up. I tend to have an issue with standalones because they never feel as complete and well rounded as a series does, but the code has been cracked here.
We follow Mayah, heir to the Tundrayni throne, who is engaged to the heir of the Arbinji throne. These two kingdoms have been at war for years, and this arranged marriage is part of the peace deal. Come to find out, the heir’s younger brother, Zevayr, has come to escort Mayah to Arbinj.
The enemies to lovers romance was so so sooo good. I was OBSESSED. You don’t even understand how much I love Zev. Whenever he called Mayah “baby”, I literally combusted. Mayah was a fantastic fmc. She was fierce but she was also kind and considerate. She is also a healer which I love to see. Quiet powers don’t get enough love in romantasy.
Both characters were flushed out very well. They were extremely complicated, and their dynamic with each other even more so, but justice was done with them.
The plot was very fast paced with short chapters as well. Not a boring second while reading this. My only complaint is that there is no second book because I fear I’m attached.
This comes out March 31!! Make plans to check it out you won’t regret it.
Endless thank you to Leena Kazak, her team, and IRIS Influencer Society for this e-ARC!!! All my thoughts are my own.
This felt like a series that was managed to be fit into one less than 500 page book in the best way possible. I was engrossed from page one and it never let up. I tend to have an issue with standalones because they never feel as complete and well rounded as a series does, but the code has been cracked here.
We follow Mayah, heir to the Tundrayni throne, who is engaged to the heir of the Arbinji throne. These two kingdoms have been at war for years, and this arranged marriage is part of the peace deal. Come to find out, the heir’s younger brother, Zevayr, has come to escort Mayah to Arbinj.
The enemies to lovers romance was so so sooo good. I was OBSESSED. You don’t even understand how much I love Zev. Whenever he called Mayah “baby”, I literally combusted. Mayah was a fantastic fmc. She was fierce but she was also kind and considerate. She is also a healer which I love to see. Quiet powers don’t get enough love in romantasy.
Both characters were flushed out very well. They were extremely complicated, and their dynamic with each other even more so, but justice was done with them.
The plot was very fast paced with short chapters as well. Not a boring second while reading this. My only complaint is that there is no second book because I fear I’m attached.
This comes out March 31!! Make plans to check it out you won’t regret it.
Endless thank you to Leena Kazak, her team, and IRIS Influencer Society for this e-ARC!!! All my thoughts are my own.
January 22, 2026
I absolutely devoured this book. This story didn’t just entertain me it consumed me. From the very first chapters, I was completely locked in, emotionally invested, and thinking about nothing else but Mayah, Zev, and what on earth was about to happen next.
The banter??? TOP. TIER.
Every exchange between Mayah and Zev was sharp, emotional, and addictive. Their dynamic is everything I love: tension, softness, stubbornness, vulnerability, humor, and that slow, aching pull between two people who absolutely should not be falling for each other. I loved watching their relationship unfold not just romantically, but emotionally. The trust. The clashes. The quiet moments. The way they slowly see each other. It was so sweet, so intense, and so deeply satisfying.
And Zev… oh my god.
I don’t even have proper words. He is officially on my list. Protective, complicated, dangerous, soft in the ways that matter and I adored him. Every layer we got made me love him more, and the way he and Mayah challenge each other just wrecked me in the best way.
The story itself is emotional, gripping, and impossible to put down. I laughed, I hurt, I swooned, I stressed, and I absolutely lived inside this world while reading. The magic, the tension, the twists, the quiet character moments, it all worked for me.
This was heart pulling, page devouring, stay up too late kind of reading. The kind where you close the book and just stare at the wall for a minute because you’re not ready to leave.
Easily one of my favorite reads to kick off 2026, and 100% a book I’ll be screaming about and recommending. Thanks to the author for the gifted ARC.
The banter??? TOP. TIER.
Every exchange between Mayah and Zev was sharp, emotional, and addictive. Their dynamic is everything I love: tension, softness, stubbornness, vulnerability, humor, and that slow, aching pull between two people who absolutely should not be falling for each other. I loved watching their relationship unfold not just romantically, but emotionally. The trust. The clashes. The quiet moments. The way they slowly see each other. It was so sweet, so intense, and so deeply satisfying.
And Zev… oh my god.
I don’t even have proper words. He is officially on my list. Protective, complicated, dangerous, soft in the ways that matter and I adored him. Every layer we got made me love him more, and the way he and Mayah challenge each other just wrecked me in the best way.
The story itself is emotional, gripping, and impossible to put down. I laughed, I hurt, I swooned, I stressed, and I absolutely lived inside this world while reading. The magic, the tension, the twists, the quiet character moments, it all worked for me.
This was heart pulling, page devouring, stay up too late kind of reading. The kind where you close the book and just stare at the wall for a minute because you’re not ready to leave.
Easily one of my favorite reads to kick off 2026, and 100% a book I’ll be screaming about and recommending. Thanks to the author for the gifted ARC.
March 25, 2026
6 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟
By the damn Tides, this book chewed me up and spit me out, and I absolutely loved every second of it. With a unique plot, creative magic system, complex character dynamics, pacing that builds a delicious tension, moments that will give you actual whiplash, and plot twists that have you throwing your Kindle, this book had it all.
Mayah is a fierce, badass FMC, willing to sacrifice herself for her values but never willing to back down from a fight. Her wit and resiliency made me instantly fall in love with her character and determination, wanting to root for her along this adventure.
Storm daddy Zev is the broody, guarded “second” prince to the throne but everyone knows he is number one. He is the definition of a man who is only soft and gentle for her, letting that guard come down so she can be cared for. He falls first and hard, willing to do anything to keep Mayah safe. He is built on so many layers, and at the core, he’s a small boy inside wanting to be loved but has developed a shielded heart to protect himself.
This story is full of tension, yearning, angst, rage, passion, resiliency, redemption, and at the root of it all, love. Whether it was a desire to seek revenge for loved ones, a craving to feel loved, having love ripped from their grasps, a deep longing to be loved by those who had long ago turned their back on them, Mayah and Zev battle their hearts through every struggle, betrayal, challenge, heartbreak, and triumph. Relationships came in all forms throughout this book, including arranged marriages, parent-child, a romantic slow-burn, true friendships, and self-love for their power and strength within.
Every time I thought I had this story figured out or could predict what was going to happen next, Leena proved I was so wrong. Cue: whiplash. Although I initially loved the idea of a standalone, I’m now devastated I won’t have any more after this book. I’ve been thoroughly consumed with this story and I’m going to be thinking about this one for quite a long time after.
Thank you to Leena Kazak and IRIS Influencer Society for allowing me to be on the early ARC team. All opinions are my own.
Tropes:
⚡️ Standalone romantasy
🩵 Enemies to lovers
⚡️ Bodyguard
🩵 Forced proximity
⚡️ One bedroll/horse/tent/bed
🩵 Warring kingdoms
⚡️ Elemental powers
🩵 Aphrodisiac scene
By the damn Tides, this book chewed me up and spit me out, and I absolutely loved every second of it. With a unique plot, creative magic system, complex character dynamics, pacing that builds a delicious tension, moments that will give you actual whiplash, and plot twists that have you throwing your Kindle, this book had it all.
Mayah is a fierce, badass FMC, willing to sacrifice herself for her values but never willing to back down from a fight. Her wit and resiliency made me instantly fall in love with her character and determination, wanting to root for her along this adventure.
Storm daddy Zev is the broody, guarded “second” prince to the throne but everyone knows he is number one. He is the definition of a man who is only soft and gentle for her, letting that guard come down so she can be cared for. He falls first and hard, willing to do anything to keep Mayah safe. He is built on so many layers, and at the core, he’s a small boy inside wanting to be loved but has developed a shielded heart to protect himself.
This story is full of tension, yearning, angst, rage, passion, resiliency, redemption, and at the root of it all, love. Whether it was a desire to seek revenge for loved ones, a craving to feel loved, having love ripped from their grasps, a deep longing to be loved by those who had long ago turned their back on them, Mayah and Zev battle their hearts through every struggle, betrayal, challenge, heartbreak, and triumph. Relationships came in all forms throughout this book, including arranged marriages, parent-child, a romantic slow-burn, true friendships, and self-love for their power and strength within.
Every time I thought I had this story figured out or could predict what was going to happen next, Leena proved I was so wrong. Cue: whiplash. Although I initially loved the idea of a standalone, I’m now devastated I won’t have any more after this book. I’ve been thoroughly consumed with this story and I’m going to be thinking about this one for quite a long time after.
Thank you to Leena Kazak and IRIS Influencer Society for allowing me to be on the early ARC team. All opinions are my own.
Tropes:
⚡️ Standalone romantasy
🩵 Enemies to lovers
⚡️ Bodyguard
🩵 Forced proximity
⚡️ One bedroll/horse/tent/bed
🩵 Warring kingdoms
⚡️ Elemental powers
🩵 Aphrodisiac scene
Review of advance copy received from Author
“because i know you wouldn’t tolerate anything less than being treated as my equal.”
—
6 huge stars. this is romantic fantasy standalone PERFECTION. i devoured this in less than 24 hours and couldn’t put it down to save my life.
both of these characters are so layered you think you have them figured out… until you absolutely don’t. mayah was such an intriguing, witty fmc, and zev? added him to my book boyfriend list immediately. broody, dangerous, overly protective. what more could you want? brb while i go find a man’s bicep to use as a pillow.
the yearning and the tension this had was CRAZY. this man falls first (and harder) and i ate up every second of it. their chemistry felt so raw and real. it might not seem like a slow burn at first, but just wait. after a certain point, i was foaming at the mouth for every single interaction.
i can’t say much without spoiling anything, but the twists completely caught me off guard. one minute i was giggling and kicking my feet, having the best time, and the next i absolutely was NOT. there were moments i genuinely couldn’t breathe i was so stressed.
this book felt like it was a thousand pages long (in the best way) because what do you mean an insane romance and plot with twists fit in less than 500 pages? i became SO attached to the story and these characters that it had me fully immersed.
i’m genuinely devastated this is a standalone because i did not want to leave this world. i will take any bonus content. immediately. pls.
thank you so much leena, her team, and iris influencer society for this e-arc! ♥︎
“𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅. 𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆. 𝒊’𝒎 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆.”
—
6 huge stars. this is romantic fantasy standalone PERFECTION. i devoured this in less than 24 hours and couldn’t put it down to save my life.
both of these characters are so layered you think you have them figured out… until you absolutely don’t. mayah was such an intriguing, witty fmc, and zev? added him to my book boyfriend list immediately. broody, dangerous, overly protective. what more could you want? brb while i go find a man’s bicep to use as a pillow.
the yearning and the tension this had was CRAZY. this man falls first (and harder) and i ate up every second of it. their chemistry felt so raw and real. it might not seem like a slow burn at first, but just wait. after a certain point, i was foaming at the mouth for every single interaction.
i can’t say much without spoiling anything, but the twists completely caught me off guard. one minute i was giggling and kicking my feet, having the best time, and the next i absolutely was NOT. there were moments i genuinely couldn’t breathe i was so stressed.
this book felt like it was a thousand pages long (in the best way) because what do you mean an insane romance and plot with twists fit in less than 500 pages? i became SO attached to the story and these characters that it had me fully immersed.
i’m genuinely devastated this is a standalone because i did not want to leave this world. i will take any bonus content. immediately. pls.
thank you so much leena, her team, and iris influencer society for this e-arc! ♥︎
“𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅. 𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒆. 𝒊’𝒎 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆.”
March 21, 2026
🌊𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒖𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅. 🌊
Between Tides and Thunder... When the one you were taught to fear becomes the one you trust most in the world.
If you're burned out on long romantasy series, you're not only going to love Between Tides and Thunder, you're going to D-E-V-O-U-R it! Zev and Mayah frustrated, infuriated, and broke me, and in the end, it was all worth it.
This one put me through the emotional ringer. I fluctuated between distress, frustration, rage, hope, and absolute heartbreak. My heart still weeps.
𝐻𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑚𝑒. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑡𝑜.
"𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒. 𝐿𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒, 𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑎ℎ, 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒.”
Zev makes my heart flutter.
“𝑌𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑒. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑜 𝑚𝑒, 𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑎ℎ.”
I'm utterly, unequivocally obsessed with him, and every time he calls Mayah "wife," I melt. 🫠
Also, this man knows how to offer sincere apologies, which makes him a keeper.
Mayah’s fierce, wanting a better life for her people, especially non-wielders, and she's willing to sacrifice herself to achieve it. That right there is strength.
“𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠. 𝑂𝑟 𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑎 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒.”
The further I became immersed in Between Tides and Thunder, the deeper and deeper I fell under Zev's spell right alongside Mayah.
“𝐼 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑠, 𝑍𝑒𝑣, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙.”
Leena gave me all the emotional damage I crave in a series and shoved it all into a single book, nearly breaking me.
Listen, if you love romantasy, a slow burn, and emotional upheaval, which includes having your heart wrenched out of your chest multiple times, you must read Between Tides & Thunder. By the way, is it actually possible to have your heart (figuratively) ripped out several times without returning to your body, because trust me, that's how reading this felt.
Between Tides and Thunder... When the one you were taught to fear becomes the one you trust most in the world.
If you're burned out on long romantasy series, you're not only going to love Between Tides and Thunder, you're going to D-E-V-O-U-R it! Zev and Mayah frustrated, infuriated, and broke me, and in the end, it was all worth it.
This one put me through the emotional ringer. I fluctuated between distress, frustration, rage, hope, and absolute heartbreak. My heart still weeps.
𝐻𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑚𝑒. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 ℎ𝑖𝑚 𝑡𝑜.
"𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒. 𝐿𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑚𝑒, 𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑎ℎ, 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒.”
Zev makes my heart flutter.
“𝑌𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑒. 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑜 𝑚𝑒, 𝑀𝑎𝑦𝑎ℎ.”
I'm utterly, unequivocally obsessed with him, and every time he calls Mayah "wife," I melt. 🫠
Also, this man knows how to offer sincere apologies, which makes him a keeper.
Mayah’s fierce, wanting a better life for her people, especially non-wielders, and she's willing to sacrifice herself to achieve it. That right there is strength.
“𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠. 𝑂𝑟 𝑎 𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ. 𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑎 𝑓𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒.”
The further I became immersed in Between Tides and Thunder, the deeper and deeper I fell under Zev's spell right alongside Mayah.
“𝐼 𝑚𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑠, 𝑍𝑒𝑣, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝐼 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑓𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙.”
Leena gave me all the emotional damage I crave in a series and shoved it all into a single book, nearly breaking me.
Listen, if you love romantasy, a slow burn, and emotional upheaval, which includes having your heart wrenched out of your chest multiple times, you must read Between Tides & Thunder. By the way, is it actually possible to have your heart (figuratively) ripped out several times without returning to your body, because trust me, that's how reading this felt.
March 17, 2026
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓛;𝓓𝓡 ✧˖°
An unputdownable romantasy perfect for readers looking for a tension-fueled, agonisingly intricate standalone with a vibrant world and captivating main characters.
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
4.5 ⭐
2 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
"Are we going to be civil?" He asks, brow arched.
I nearly laugh. "Depends. Are you going to be an ass?"
"Except he isn't delivering her, like bartered goods to be traded. He's safeguarding her. Like a treasure."
"It'll be my hide if the prince finds out. Fruit. Now. Please."
"I would never let him lash you."
"Wonderful. My fate rests in the hands of a wisp of a princess. Very reassuring."
"I am not a weakness," I grit through pain shearing through my wrists and ankles. "Or a bitch. I am a fucking force of nature."
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
Bartered into marriage to secure a fragile alliance, Princess Mayah is bound to the feared Dark Commander. As rebellion rises and buried secrets surface, she must choose between loyalty. and love.
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
❤️🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔗 Forced Proximity
💍 Arranged marriage
🔥 Slow burn
🛏️ One bed / one horse / one tent
💧 Elemental powers
❤️🩹 He falls first (and hard)
🛡️ Warring kingdoms
1️⃣ Standalone
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🆘 Attempted SA
🩸 Violence & Torture
💥 PTSD & Trauma
🌶️ Some Explicit Sexual Content
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ Action-Packed Pacing
+ Immersive and Engaging Writing
+ Rich World-building
+ Compelling Main Characters
+ Romance that makes you ACHE
+ Breadcrumb Foreshadowing
+ Complex Plots with Impressive Payoffs
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Personally would've preferred a Duology for more breathing room between twists and allow side character stronger resolutions
- Best Friend would've benefited more time on-page given the significance of their role
- Cultural Idioms were used too often and could occasionally be distracting
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
I was so unbelievably excited to read this book - and I wasn't disappointed!
The pacing in this book was incredibly fast, constantly moving between action packed moments with twists that catch you off guard! Although it's important to note that any twists were absolutely foreshadowed, and Leena does a great job of calling back to those moments to remind the reader in case they ever feel too abrupt. I went into this book knowing that I'd be taken by surprise and even expecting the twists didn't make me any more prepared for them (in a good way!).
Even with the fast pacing, it was easy to immerse myself into the world. The prologue sets the scene for all future panic attacks, which really grounds the reader into Mayah's emotional state. We're then introduced to her friend Daak, the clear divide between magical and non-magical people, and her father the King. The world is immediately rich and developed, with Mayah at the epicentre.
Mayah's feisty yet devoted. As a healer, she'd help everyone. As a princess, she'd do her duty. I love the parallels between those two pathways following her on her journey in BTAT. The push and pull within her and externally is exactly the reason we feel so much conflict as a reader throughout. Add to that, Zev - Dark Commander of the enemy, brother to her betrothed, and wielder of her greatest fear - and us readers didn't stand a chance!
Zev's a really interesting character to follow. We don't get anything from his POV the entire book, but Leena is excellent at portraying his emotions (or lack thereof!). I found him to be a great love interest with his soft personality hidden by his commanding military front, and their developing relationship made me ACHE. The pair of them go through so much, it was difficult to watch at times, but I couldn't stop turning the pages.
With strong leads and a rich world, the story damn near writes itself - but that's not to say that Leena had it easy. The number of plot threads woven throughout BTAT is complex but the payoff is extraordinary. As a standalone, there's so much story! And it's impressive as a reader that we can follow so much going on - a testament to Leena's writing. It's emotive and descriptive but still easy to read.
However, personally, I think I would've enjoyed a bit more time between the action-packed plot to process each twist after it had happened. A duology might've let the story breathe a little more! Some of the "villains" of the story had quite abrupt resolutions at the end, which if the book had a sequel (or been longer) it might've let the character arcs end at the right time rather than being forced into the last 10% of the book.
I also wish that Daak had been more developed! He plays quite a significant role, but he's only present in a handful of chapters. I appreciate the way Leena wrote his story, but in my mind he was more interesting than some of the other side characters who got more page time. Also, Leena has created cultural idioms that are used regularly by the characters. This is great, but sometimes it got a little repetitive and made it hard to stay focused on the scene.
Even so, I loved this story and can't wait to see it on my shelves! Mayah and Zev have one of the most intricate love stories I've ever read, and I'm so excited to see everyone's reaction to it once BTAT is out in the world! In my mind, there's definitely room for a sequel, but if Zev and Mayah's story ends here I think they'll finally be allowed to rest and enjoy their happily ever after!
Thank you to Leena Kazak and Iris Influencer Society for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
An unputdownable romantasy perfect for readers looking for a tension-fueled, agonisingly intricate standalone with a vibrant world and captivating main characters.
° ˖✧ 𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
4.5 ⭐
2 🌶️
° ˖✧ 𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
"Are we going to be civil?" He asks, brow arched.
I nearly laugh. "Depends. Are you going to be an ass?"
"Except he isn't delivering her, like bartered goods to be traded. He's safeguarding her. Like a treasure."
"It'll be my hide if the prince finds out. Fruit. Now. Please."
"I would never let him lash you."
"Wonderful. My fate rests in the hands of a wisp of a princess. Very reassuring."
"I am not a weakness," I grit through pain shearing through my wrists and ankles. "Or a bitch. I am a fucking force of nature."
° ˖✧ 𝓢𝔂𝓷𝓸𝓹𝓼𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 ✧˖°
Bartered into marriage to secure a fragile alliance, Princess Mayah is bound to the feared Dark Commander. As rebellion rises and buried secrets surface, she must choose between loyalty. and love.
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
❤️🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🔗 Forced Proximity
💍 Arranged marriage
🔥 Slow burn
🛏️ One bed / one horse / one tent
💧 Elemental powers
❤️🩹 He falls first (and hard)
🛡️ Warring kingdoms
1️⃣ Standalone
° ˖✧ 𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 ✧˖°
🆘 Attempted SA
🩸 Violence & Torture
💥 PTSD & Trauma
🌶️ Some Explicit Sexual Content
° ˖✧ 𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
+ Action-Packed Pacing
+ Immersive and Engaging Writing
+ Rich World-building
+ Compelling Main Characters
+ Romance that makes you ACHE
+ Breadcrumb Foreshadowing
+ Complex Plots with Impressive Payoffs
° ˖✧ 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼 ✧˖°
- Personally would've preferred a Duology for more breathing room between twists and allow side character stronger resolutions
- Best Friend would've benefited more time on-page given the significance of their role
- Cultural Idioms were used too often and could occasionally be distracting
° ˖✧ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 ✧˖°
I was so unbelievably excited to read this book - and I wasn't disappointed!
The pacing in this book was incredibly fast, constantly moving between action packed moments with twists that catch you off guard! Although it's important to note that any twists were absolutely foreshadowed, and Leena does a great job of calling back to those moments to remind the reader in case they ever feel too abrupt. I went into this book knowing that I'd be taken by surprise and even expecting the twists didn't make me any more prepared for them (in a good way!).
Even with the fast pacing, it was easy to immerse myself into the world. The prologue sets the scene for all future panic attacks, which really grounds the reader into Mayah's emotional state. We're then introduced to her friend Daak, the clear divide between magical and non-magical people, and her father the King. The world is immediately rich and developed, with Mayah at the epicentre.
Mayah's feisty yet devoted. As a healer, she'd help everyone. As a princess, she'd do her duty. I love the parallels between those two pathways following her on her journey in BTAT. The push and pull within her and externally is exactly the reason we feel so much conflict as a reader throughout. Add to that, Zev - Dark Commander of the enemy, brother to her betrothed, and wielder of her greatest fear - and us readers didn't stand a chance!
Zev's a really interesting character to follow. We don't get anything from his POV the entire book, but Leena is excellent at portraying his emotions (or lack thereof!). I found him to be a great love interest with his soft personality hidden by his commanding military front, and their developing relationship made me ACHE. The pair of them go through so much, it was difficult to watch at times, but I couldn't stop turning the pages.
With strong leads and a rich world, the story damn near writes itself - but that's not to say that Leena had it easy. The number of plot threads woven throughout BTAT is complex but the payoff is extraordinary. As a standalone, there's so much story! And it's impressive as a reader that we can follow so much going on - a testament to Leena's writing. It's emotive and descriptive but still easy to read.
However, personally, I think I would've enjoyed a bit more time between the action-packed plot to process each twist after it had happened. A duology might've let the story breathe a little more! Some of the "villains" of the story had quite abrupt resolutions at the end, which if the book had a sequel (or been longer) it might've let the character arcs end at the right time rather than being forced into the last 10% of the book.
I also wish that Daak had been more developed! He plays quite a significant role, but he's only present in a handful of chapters. I appreciate the way Leena wrote his story, but in my mind he was more interesting than some of the other side characters who got more page time. Also, Leena has created cultural idioms that are used regularly by the characters. This is great, but sometimes it got a little repetitive and made it hard to stay focused on the scene.
Even so, I loved this story and can't wait to see it on my shelves! Mayah and Zev have one of the most intricate love stories I've ever read, and I'm so excited to see everyone's reaction to it once BTAT is out in the world! In my mind, there's definitely room for a sequel, but if Zev and Mayah's story ends here I think they'll finally be allowed to rest and enjoy their happily ever after!
Thank you to Leena Kazak and Iris Influencer Society for the opportunity to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
STANDALONE ROMANTASYS ARE IN!!
I audibly said “what??” MULTIPLE times in this book because I was so shocked about certain events hahah. This book had everything I love in Romantasy, and the best part was it was just 1 book! It was done so well too. I didn’t feel like it was rushed or that there wasn’t enough at all. For the first half of the book I was enjoying it and having a good time, but also questioning what direction the book was going to go in. BUT THE SECOND HALF??? I literally could not put the book down. I stayed up all night to keep reading!
There was tension and angst and yearning!! It was a single POV, which I’ve been needing more in Romantasy! It made the tension so much better because we only got the fmcs thoughts!! I LOVE single pov!! The fmc was so likable and she is a strong healer. She has been arranged to marry the prince of the warring kingdom to try to establish an alliance.
This is what I want in all my romantasy standlones! It was engaging, fast pasted with twists that will have you needing to take a moment to wrap your head around what’s happening, moments that’ll feel like you got punched in the gut and hurt your heart, and the romance is 🔥🔥
⭐️Single POV
⭐️healer FMC who’s afraid of thunder storms
⭐️mmc with storm magic
⭐️arranged marriage
⭐️warring kingdoms
⭐️one bed roll
⭐️standalone
⭐️🌶️.5
Thank you to Leena for allowing me to read an ARC of this amazing book!!
I audibly said “what??” MULTIPLE times in this book because I was so shocked about certain events hahah. This book had everything I love in Romantasy, and the best part was it was just 1 book! It was done so well too. I didn’t feel like it was rushed or that there wasn’t enough at all. For the first half of the book I was enjoying it and having a good time, but also questioning what direction the book was going to go in. BUT THE SECOND HALF??? I literally could not put the book down. I stayed up all night to keep reading!
There was tension and angst and yearning!! It was a single POV, which I’ve been needing more in Romantasy! It made the tension so much better because we only got the fmcs thoughts!! I LOVE single pov!! The fmc was so likable and she is a strong healer. She has been arranged to marry the prince of the warring kingdom to try to establish an alliance.
This is what I want in all my romantasy standlones! It was engaging, fast pasted with twists that will have you needing to take a moment to wrap your head around what’s happening, moments that’ll feel like you got punched in the gut and hurt your heart, and the romance is 🔥🔥
⭐️Single POV
⭐️healer FMC who’s afraid of thunder storms
⭐️mmc with storm magic
⭐️arranged marriage
⭐️warring kingdoms
⭐️one bed roll
⭐️standalone
⭐️🌶️.5
Thank you to Leena for allowing me to read an ARC of this amazing book!!
January 26, 2026
Firstly, a huge thank you to Leena for sending me an eARC of Between Tides & Thunder to read and review. What a book!! I devoured Between Tides & Thunder in a little over 24 hours...it was awesome!
She's a princess who is forced into an arranged marriage she doesn't want, he's the dark commander of the enemy kingdom, whose powerful lightening magic has killed hundreds of her people...what could go wrong?!
Leena promised us an emotional gut punch of a romantasy standalone, with enemies to lovers and elemental magic wielders, and whew boy did she deliver. From the start, you're immediately invested in the story and the world Leena has created. I adored Mayah as an FMC, she's so fierce! Her and Zev have the most EXPLOSIVE chemistry and I loved their banter. Zev is such a beautiful soul; dark commander yes, but also secret softie. Gah, I loved him! (The ring?!?!?! I mean C'mon Leena what are you trying to do to me!)
Honestly, I could read a whole series of books in this world with Zev and Mayah. The storyline, the development of the characters, the magic, the twists and turns - I can't believe how much LIFE Leena has injected into Between Tides & Thunder with only a little over 400 pages. An epic standalone romantasy and easily making it onto my top books of 2026, and it's only January!!
With it being a standalone I don't want to go into much more detail and risk spoilers, but you need to read this book guys!! Like, NOW.
She's a princess who is forced into an arranged marriage she doesn't want, he's the dark commander of the enemy kingdom, whose powerful lightening magic has killed hundreds of her people...what could go wrong?!
Leena promised us an emotional gut punch of a romantasy standalone, with enemies to lovers and elemental magic wielders, and whew boy did she deliver. From the start, you're immediately invested in the story and the world Leena has created. I adored Mayah as an FMC, she's so fierce! Her and Zev have the most EXPLOSIVE chemistry and I loved their banter. Zev is such a beautiful soul; dark commander yes, but also secret softie. Gah, I loved him! (The ring?!?!?! I mean C'mon Leena what are you trying to do to me!)
Honestly, I could read a whole series of books in this world with Zev and Mayah. The storyline, the development of the characters, the magic, the twists and turns - I can't believe how much LIFE Leena has injected into Between Tides & Thunder with only a little over 400 pages. An epic standalone romantasy and easily making it onto my top books of 2026, and it's only January!!
With it being a standalone I don't want to go into much more detail and risk spoilers, but you need to read this book guys!! Like, NOW.
February 2, 2026
A standalone romantasy that delivers on the jaw dropping plot twists. This adventure romance is full of secrets and betrayal. I like a story that feels satisfying without having to invest in a long series. She’s on a journey with the dark commander, because she’s arranged to marry his brother.
This was unique, I didn’t really expect it to go the way it did. I loved the intensity of the MMC, protective over her right from the start. She was raised to hate him and he is a storm wieder, the one thing she fears most. The world building in this was very simple so you can focus more on the characters and romance plot. Very much forced proximity going on. I was eating up the protective energy.
Overall a great read if you’re looking for a bingeable fantasy romance with twists you won’t see coming.
“He kisses me as if he’s been waiting for me his entire life.”
“I will take his cruelty, his disdain. I’ll bathe in his contempt until I’m covered in every drop of his wrath.”
“After you, there’s only you.”
Healer FMC
Arranged Marriage
Warring Kingdoms
He Falls First
Elemental Powers
This was unique, I didn’t really expect it to go the way it did. I loved the intensity of the MMC, protective over her right from the start. She was raised to hate him and he is a storm wieder, the one thing she fears most. The world building in this was very simple so you can focus more on the characters and romance plot. Very much forced proximity going on. I was eating up the protective energy.
Overall a great read if you’re looking for a bingeable fantasy romance with twists you won’t see coming.
“He kisses me as if he’s been waiting for me his entire life.”
“I will take his cruelty, his disdain. I’ll bathe in his contempt until I’m covered in every drop of his wrath.”
“After you, there’s only you.”
Healer FMC
Arranged Marriage
Warring Kingdoms
He Falls First
Elemental Powers
January 3, 2026
This book is sooooo good! It’s got kingdoms, evil kings, awful princes, a broody, gorgeous prince, and a princess that was to avenge her mama and make life better for her people. She’s afraid of storms, his magic is stormwielding. She’s a healer, he’s a killer. She’s got a smart mouth, he has rope and a gag. Its enemies to lovers to enemies to frenemies to… well you have to read to find out. There’s a really cool magic system, court intrigue, plot twists, A LOT of emotion, secrets, betrayal, yearning, suspense, and some delicious (light) spice. Highly recommend this infinity star read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to IRIS Influencer Society for providing the eARC. This is my honest opinion.
Where the Sea Remembers What the Heart Tries to Forget
Some stories unfold quietly. ‘Between Tides & Thunder’ moves like an incoming storm, slowly darkening the horizon until the emotional weight becomes impossible to ignore.
Leena Kazak builds a romantasy where the external world and the inner lives of the characters constantly mirror each other. The sea, the storms, and the elemental magic never feel like decoration. They echo fear, restraint, longing, and the struggle between control and surrender. From the very beginning, tension lingers beneath every interaction, creating the sense that something fragile is always on the verge of breaking.
The enemies to lovers dynamic thrives on emotional resistance rather than sharp conflict alone. Trust is not given easily, and the connection develops through shared vulnerability, quiet observations, and moments where silence speaks louder than dialogue. The slow burn pacing allows the relationship to evolve naturally, making each emotional shift feel earned instead of inevitable.
What stands out most is the structure of the story. Kazak takes time to establish emotional foundations before allowing the narrative to fully accelerate. This deliberate pacing creates a strong sense of immersion, as if the reader is learning to breathe within the rhythm of the tides alongside the characters. When the emotional stakes finally rise, they carry real impact because the groundwork has been carefully laid.
The characters themselves feel shaped by duty and past wounds, both carrying burdens that influence every decision they make. Their growth is subtle but meaningful, unfolding through small changes in perspective rather than dramatic transformations. The romance becomes less about desire alone and more about recognition, about seeing another person clearly despite fear.
At times the slower middle section may test readers looking for constant action, yet this restraint strengthens the emotional payoff. The story chooses atmosphere and emotional evolution over spectacle, allowing tension to simmer beneath the surface until it quietly reshapes everything.
‘Between Tides & Thunder’ is a story about storms that do not simply pass, but leave the shoreline altered, reminding you that some connections arrive like thunder and stay long after the echo fades.
Enemies to lovers | slow burn romance | elemental magic | forced proximity | romantasy | emotional healing | reluctant allies | magical worldbuilding | high emotional stakes | character driven fantasy
Where the Sea Remembers What the Heart Tries to Forget
Some stories unfold quietly. ‘Between Tides & Thunder’ moves like an incoming storm, slowly darkening the horizon until the emotional weight becomes impossible to ignore.
Leena Kazak builds a romantasy where the external world and the inner lives of the characters constantly mirror each other. The sea, the storms, and the elemental magic never feel like decoration. They echo fear, restraint, longing, and the struggle between control and surrender. From the very beginning, tension lingers beneath every interaction, creating the sense that something fragile is always on the verge of breaking.
The enemies to lovers dynamic thrives on emotional resistance rather than sharp conflict alone. Trust is not given easily, and the connection develops through shared vulnerability, quiet observations, and moments where silence speaks louder than dialogue. The slow burn pacing allows the relationship to evolve naturally, making each emotional shift feel earned instead of inevitable.
What stands out most is the structure of the story. Kazak takes time to establish emotional foundations before allowing the narrative to fully accelerate. This deliberate pacing creates a strong sense of immersion, as if the reader is learning to breathe within the rhythm of the tides alongside the characters. When the emotional stakes finally rise, they carry real impact because the groundwork has been carefully laid.
The characters themselves feel shaped by duty and past wounds, both carrying burdens that influence every decision they make. Their growth is subtle but meaningful, unfolding through small changes in perspective rather than dramatic transformations. The romance becomes less about desire alone and more about recognition, about seeing another person clearly despite fear.
At times the slower middle section may test readers looking for constant action, yet this restraint strengthens the emotional payoff. The story chooses atmosphere and emotional evolution over spectacle, allowing tension to simmer beneath the surface until it quietly reshapes everything.
‘Between Tides & Thunder’ is a story about storms that do not simply pass, but leave the shoreline altered, reminding you that some connections arrive like thunder and stay long after the echo fades.
Enemies to lovers | slow burn romance | elemental magic | forced proximity | romantasy | emotional healing | reluctant allies | magical worldbuilding | high emotional stakes | character driven fantasy
March 15, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Every star in the sky (but Goodreads only lets me give five).
I’m genuinely honored to be on Leena Kazak’s street team and receive an early ARC of Between Tides & Thunder. This is hands down one of the best romantasy books I’ve read in years.
Leena Kazak deserves to be on shelves next to the greats in this genre. Her writing is magical, immersive, and the characters always keep you invested. This story blends romance, politics, and high-stakes action in a way that had me hooked from the prologue.
Mayah has never had the privilege of choice — not in her life, her love, or her future. She’s bartered into a political marriage with an enemy kingdom to secure peace. She expects a prince… and instead finds herself tied to a dark commander.
Mayah is sassy, stubborn, and wonderfully disobedient, and I loved every second of her character.
The pacing is perfect for a standalone romantasy, and the mid-book plot twist absolutely knocked me on my ass. But what really had me spiraling was the shift from enemies → allies → true enemies again. At one point I genuinely wondered how on earth this story could possibly come back from that — and whether a HEA was even possible.
This book felt special. I haven’t loved a romantasy this much in literal years.
God-tier romantasy. Absolute perfection.
📖 Releases March 26.
Every star in the sky (but Goodreads only lets me give five).
I’m genuinely honored to be on Leena Kazak’s street team and receive an early ARC of Between Tides & Thunder. This is hands down one of the best romantasy books I’ve read in years.
Leena Kazak deserves to be on shelves next to the greats in this genre. Her writing is magical, immersive, and the characters always keep you invested. This story blends romance, politics, and high-stakes action in a way that had me hooked from the prologue.
Mayah has never had the privilege of choice — not in her life, her love, or her future. She’s bartered into a political marriage with an enemy kingdom to secure peace. She expects a prince… and instead finds herself tied to a dark commander.
Mayah is sassy, stubborn, and wonderfully disobedient, and I loved every second of her character.
The pacing is perfect for a standalone romantasy, and the mid-book plot twist absolutely knocked me on my ass. But what really had me spiraling was the shift from enemies → allies → true enemies again. At one point I genuinely wondered how on earth this story could possibly come back from that — and whether a HEA was even possible.
This book felt special. I haven’t loved a romantasy this much in literal years.
God-tier romantasy. Absolute perfection.
📖 Releases March 26.
Did not finish
March 27, 2026March 11, 2026
Thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy. The following reflects my honest opinion.
The beginning of the book was compelling and funny. The FMC had some pretty fun lines and I was rooting for our girl. However, it was definitely a choice from the author to immediately send two supposed enemies on a journey alone through the entire continent.
The MCs weren’t very good enemies, instead instantly starting to bond. This didn’t stop the FMC from being extremely wishy washy all the fricking time and throughout the entire book. The plot twists in the book came from ABSOLUTELY nowhere and seemed to just pop up for shock value. So many chapters ended on an overly dramatic phrase and the book was full of repetitive lines.
I was hella annoyed at 20%, wanted to DNF at 54% but ended up rage reading the rest of the book anyways.
If you enjoy reading over 110k words of back and forth between two characters, then you might enjoy this book.
The beginning of the book was compelling and funny. The FMC had some pretty fun lines and I was rooting for our girl. However, it was definitely a choice from the author to immediately send two supposed enemies on a journey alone through the entire continent.
The MCs weren’t very good enemies, instead instantly starting to bond. This didn’t stop the FMC from being extremely wishy washy all the fricking time and throughout the entire book. The plot twists in the book came from ABSOLUTELY nowhere and seemed to just pop up for shock value. So many chapters ended on an overly dramatic phrase and the book was full of repetitive lines.
I was hella annoyed at 20%, wanted to DNF at 54% but ended up rage reading the rest of the book anyways.
If you enjoy reading over 110k words of back and forth between two characters, then you might enjoy this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐♾️
(The book that broke my rating system..)
This book consumed my every thought from start to finish. All I wanted to do was dive back into this new world Leena gave us.
The prologue hooked me so fast I was instantly in Leena's DMs. I then found myself saying "just one more chapter" so many times that I finished the book within 3 days (that's fast for this snail paced reader over here).
There are so many plot twists that I didn't see coming. And trust me, I tried. I actually sent my (maybe unhinged?) theory to Leena and I'm sure she got a kick out of it. Not being able to predict what was coming was so much fun! I love when I'm completely surprised by plot twists.
One of my favorite things was the banter between Zev and Mayah. It was absolute perfection. Their chemistry is undeniable but that doesn't mean sunshine and roses (insert emotional damage).
Mayah's got some sass and isn't taking crap from anyone. And Zev may be all rough and gruff (and buff, hello biceps!), but he stole my heart from the beginning. He has been through his own hurts in the war and I totally cried when he tells Mayah one of his stories. New favorite MMC hands down!
There is so much in this standalone book and I feel like I could go on and on with how much I genuinely LOVE it.
Tropes you'll find:
🌩️ Forced proximity
💙 Enemies to lovers
🌩️ A Thunder Daddy
💙 A strong princess (also afraid of storms)
🌩️ Warring Kingdoms
💙 One bedroll/horse
🌩️ Elemental powers
I hope you'll go to the Tundra and fall in love with Zev and Mayah as much as I have.
A huge thank you to the author for trusting me with an early ARC and for letting me be a part of her Street Team.
✨ Interested in an ARC? There is still time to apply! Head over to the author's page and comment "ARC" on any of her posts to get the application link ✨
This is also the ONLY book I've immediately started over. I just can't move on yet.
Key words: Romantasy | elemental powers | Bookstagram | book review| ARC Review | early ARC | street team | indie author | upcoming release | forced proximity | enemies to lovers
#arcreview #romantasy #standalonebook #bookreview
(The book that broke my rating system..)
This book consumed my every thought from start to finish. All I wanted to do was dive back into this new world Leena gave us.
The prologue hooked me so fast I was instantly in Leena's DMs. I then found myself saying "just one more chapter" so many times that I finished the book within 3 days (that's fast for this snail paced reader over here).
There are so many plot twists that I didn't see coming. And trust me, I tried. I actually sent my (maybe unhinged?) theory to Leena and I'm sure she got a kick out of it. Not being able to predict what was coming was so much fun! I love when I'm completely surprised by plot twists.
One of my favorite things was the banter between Zev and Mayah. It was absolute perfection. Their chemistry is undeniable but that doesn't mean sunshine and roses (insert emotional damage).
Mayah's got some sass and isn't taking crap from anyone. And Zev may be all rough and gruff (and buff, hello biceps!), but he stole my heart from the beginning. He has been through his own hurts in the war and I totally cried when he tells Mayah one of his stories. New favorite MMC hands down!
There is so much in this standalone book and I feel like I could go on and on with how much I genuinely LOVE it.
Tropes you'll find:
🌩️ Forced proximity
💙 Enemies to lovers
🌩️ A Thunder Daddy
💙 A strong princess (also afraid of storms)
🌩️ Warring Kingdoms
💙 One bedroll/horse
🌩️ Elemental powers
I hope you'll go to the Tundra and fall in love with Zev and Mayah as much as I have.
A huge thank you to the author for trusting me with an early ARC and for letting me be a part of her Street Team.
✨ Interested in an ARC? There is still time to apply! Head over to the author's page and comment "ARC" on any of her posts to get the application link ✨
This is also the ONLY book I've immediately started over. I just can't move on yet.
Key words: Romantasy | elemental powers | Bookstagram | book review| ARC Review | early ARC | street team | indie author | upcoming release | forced proximity | enemies to lovers
#arcreview #romantasy #standalonebook #bookreview
March 24, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️.5
Wow I really enjoyed this! This was the first book that I’ve read from this author. I saw so many of my friends raving about this ARC, and I had terrible FOMO.
Our FMC is the Princess and she has healing magic. Her father (the king) makes her marry the prince from the other kingdom to make peace and to fight against the rebels. On the wedding day, the dark commander (the princes brother) comes instead because his brother couldn’t make it. He ends up taking her to his kingdom, so we get a lot of forced proximity and alone time (hehe). The Dark Commander is also a storm wielder, and the FMC is terrified of storms.
The first half I’ll say that I was enjoying it but nothing really stood out to me. But THEN. Things take a turn, and it was just one thing after another. I do feel like it would’ve been better as a duology, but it’s still an amazing standalone. The MMC falls first and falls SO HARD. Which makes some of the events that occurred in this book so heartbreaking 😭😭
Between Tides and Thunder comes out March 31st!
This book has:
✨Forbidden love
✨Arranged marriage
✨Forced proximity
✨Twist after twist
✨He falls first and falls SO HARD
✨Betrayal
Thank you to the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
Spice: 🌶️.5
Wow I really enjoyed this! This was the first book that I’ve read from this author. I saw so many of my friends raving about this ARC, and I had terrible FOMO.
Our FMC is the Princess and she has healing magic. Her father (the king) makes her marry the prince from the other kingdom to make peace and to fight against the rebels. On the wedding day, the dark commander (the princes brother) comes instead because his brother couldn’t make it. He ends up taking her to his kingdom, so we get a lot of forced proximity and alone time (hehe). The Dark Commander is also a storm wielder, and the FMC is terrified of storms.
The first half I’ll say that I was enjoying it but nothing really stood out to me. But THEN. Things take a turn, and it was just one thing after another. I do feel like it would’ve been better as a duology, but it’s still an amazing standalone. The MMC falls first and falls SO HARD. Which makes some of the events that occurred in this book so heartbreaking 😭😭
Between Tides and Thunder comes out March 31st!
This book has:
✨Forbidden love
✨Arranged marriage
✨Forced proximity
✨Twist after twist
✨He falls first and falls SO HARD
✨Betrayal
Thank you to the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review
March 20, 2026
Ah there's something to be said about a good fantasy standalone.
Mayah, just a princess trying to do best by her people in any way she can, including trying to convince her father those without powers are still people to be treated fairly and not cannon fodder for the decades long war with the rival kingdom.
She soon finds herself betrothed to the rival kingdoms prince as a peace offering but is met with his brother, the commander of the army instead to escort her to her new home.
The short & dirty review:
A long journey to her new home after an attack on their convoy has us spiraling towards one of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers. Only when she arrives does she find out plot twist you now get to marry the commander instead of the sadistic prince. Mayah resumes her duties to helping people and healing the people of this new kingdom....
and then we have REVENGE. My other favorite trope. *inserts evil laugh*
Secrets and betrayal abound.
Mayah, just a princess trying to do best by her people in any way she can, including trying to convince her father those without powers are still people to be treated fairly and not cannon fodder for the decades long war with the rival kingdom.
She soon finds herself betrothed to the rival kingdoms prince as a peace offering but is met with his brother, the commander of the army instead to escort her to her new home.
The short & dirty review:
A long journey to her new home after an attack on their convoy has us spiraling towards one of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers. Only when she arrives does she find out plot twist you now get to marry the commander instead of the sadistic prince. Mayah resumes her duties to helping people and healing the people of this new kingdom....
and then we have REVENGE. My other favorite trope. *inserts evil laugh*
Secrets and betrayal abound.
March 24, 2026
This was a truly enjoyable read. I flew through the pages. It’s not a heavy story (at least not for me 😉), easy read that still delivers a full and satisfying romantasy experience. The characters were easy to like, and the romance was well balanced with the plot. I also really enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers-back-to-enemies-and-then-lovers-again dynamic. And if you’re looking for something on the lower-spice side, this one will suit you perfectly.
The finale left me wanting just a bit more. I understand it’s a standalone, but it felt slightly short. Still, I truly enjoyed the story as a whole.
Thank you Leena Kazak and Iris Influencer Society for the advance copy.
The finale left me wanting just a bit more. I understand it’s a standalone, but it felt slightly short. Still, I truly enjoyed the story as a whole.
Thank you Leena Kazak and Iris Influencer Society for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC read
I did not want to put this book down! It had me hooked from the very beginning and not once did it waver! The plot and the twists were amazing, I never saw any of the twists coming!
Zev was just utter perfection, this man is just up there with top MMC's! Meyah was also such a developed character, I loved that she was fierce and caring and didn't care that people didn't have magical powers they were all equal.
Wow this book was just amazing and I really enjoyed reading it and was so thankfull to get an e-arc of this book. I have already recommended it to my friend for when it's released!
I did not want to put this book down! It had me hooked from the very beginning and not once did it waver! The plot and the twists were amazing, I never saw any of the twists coming!
Zev was just utter perfection, this man is just up there with top MMC's! Meyah was also such a developed character, I loved that she was fierce and caring and didn't care that people didn't have magical powers they were all equal.
Wow this book was just amazing and I really enjoyed reading it and was so thankfull to get an e-arc of this book. I have already recommended it to my friend for when it's released!
January 18, 2026
A huge thank you to Leena for sending me an ARC for BTAT. Between Tides and Thunder was one of my most anticipated books of 2026 and it did not disappoint. The first half of the book had me so entertained with Mayah and Zev’s banter and enjoying how the story was unfolding. I was lured into a false sense of security. The second half was filled with so many plot twists my head was spinning. I truly was not prepared. I got to 95% and was worried something else was going to happen before the end. Trust me when I say that you will be on the edge of your seat the entire time. I was second guessing every single character and didn’t know who to trust.
BTAT has everything you want in a book - banter, complex but easy to follow plot, twists and turns to keep you guessing, yearning, amazing characters, emotional moments, betrayal, an epic love story, and beautiful writing that makes you feel like you’re immersed in the story. It’s impressive how much Leena crammed into this book. And get ready to add Zev to your book boyfriend list. He’s brooding, flirty, sweet, romantic, and thoughtful and you’ll be swooning and crying over him by the end.
Does this book have a happy ending? Yes. Was I still emotional after finishing because of the roller coaster Leena took me on? Also yes. This is a book you’ll want to read again and again and again.
BTAT has everything you want in a book - banter, complex but easy to follow plot, twists and turns to keep you guessing, yearning, amazing characters, emotional moments, betrayal, an epic love story, and beautiful writing that makes you feel like you’re immersed in the story. It’s impressive how much Leena crammed into this book. And get ready to add Zev to your book boyfriend list. He’s brooding, flirty, sweet, romantic, and thoughtful and you’ll be swooning and crying over him by the end.
Does this book have a happy ending? Yes. Was I still emotional after finishing because of the roller coaster Leena took me on? Also yes. This is a book you’ll want to read again and again and again.
March 9, 2026
After picking this book up and putting down after every chapter for two days, I hit some sort of stride and flew through this story. Talk about addicting!
The romance, the banter, the rebellion stricken world, the way that not everything is as it seems: I absolutely loved this story! This is my favorite book by this author, and I absolutely will be reading everything she’s ever written now.
I’m not usually a standalone person. I have a hard time connecting to the world and seeing everything wrapped up in just one book. I always love the characters, but the end always leaves me dissatisfied. That was not the case for this book! I completely fell in love with this world and its characters. There’s just enough world building that I could picture everything and understand the situation we were in without feeling overwhelmed.
Did I think it was perfect? No. I’m still definitely not a standalone person because the endings are often just a little too perfect in my opinion. But I had an incredibly fun time reading this one and exploring the world.
I want to talk about the romance for a second. They’re enemies - but not. They act like enemies. They don’t trust each other, they have misconceptions about each other, and they’re basically just following orders. But the enemies dynamic isn’t like a true enemies kind of thing. They’re definitely civil with each other from the start even if they grumble about each other all the time.
Thank you so much to Leena Kazak and Iris Influencer Society for an arc of this book! All opinions are my own.
The romance, the banter, the rebellion stricken world, the way that not everything is as it seems: I absolutely loved this story! This is my favorite book by this author, and I absolutely will be reading everything she’s ever written now.
I’m not usually a standalone person. I have a hard time connecting to the world and seeing everything wrapped up in just one book. I always love the characters, but the end always leaves me dissatisfied. That was not the case for this book! I completely fell in love with this world and its characters. There’s just enough world building that I could picture everything and understand the situation we were in without feeling overwhelmed.
Did I think it was perfect? No. I’m still definitely not a standalone person because the endings are often just a little too perfect in my opinion. But I had an incredibly fun time reading this one and exploring the world.
I want to talk about the romance for a second. They’re enemies - but not. They act like enemies. They don’t trust each other, they have misconceptions about each other, and they’re basically just following orders. But the enemies dynamic isn’t like a true enemies kind of thing. They’re definitely civil with each other from the start even if they grumble about each other all the time.
Thank you so much to Leena Kazak and Iris Influencer Society for an arc of this book! All opinions are my own.
March 16, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐♾️
WOW. Tides take me, that was an epic and exciting journey.
I adore an epic series, of course; but much like with The Scattered Bones by Nicole Scarano, Between Tides and Thunder takes the reader on such a brutally emotional journey that getting the resolution of a standalone is satisfying, even cathartic.
I’m blown away by how much world building and character development the author was able to convey in this book. The countries of Arbinj and Tundrayn are at war, and have been for decades. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how it does not gloss over that fact. The war is like a character in and over itself, a two-headed monster: each head so desperate to hurt the other that the monster pretends not to notice the catastrophic damage to itself. Both lands are wildly imperfect and as in any bloody conflict, it's impossible to know who was wrong first or how the scales of retribution are balanced.
It's the lies we tell ourselves that keep us moving forward.
The MMC, Zevayr, isn’t book boyfriend material. He’s a book HUSBAND. What wouldn’t I for this kind-hearted yet deadly man? Even when you want to reach into the pages, grab him and scream it’s because you love him so much. And our FMC Mayah is exceptional, a princess of deep empathy and strength, despite a debilitating fear of storms.
If you experience this story anything like I did, it will emotionally rip you pieces. But stay the course and read to the end, and Leena will put you back together again.
WOW. Tides take me, that was an epic and exciting journey.
I adore an epic series, of course; but much like with The Scattered Bones by Nicole Scarano, Between Tides and Thunder takes the reader on such a brutally emotional journey that getting the resolution of a standalone is satisfying, even cathartic.
I’m blown away by how much world building and character development the author was able to convey in this book. The countries of Arbinj and Tundrayn are at war, and have been for decades. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how it does not gloss over that fact. The war is like a character in and over itself, a two-headed monster: each head so desperate to hurt the other that the monster pretends not to notice the catastrophic damage to itself. Both lands are wildly imperfect and as in any bloody conflict, it's impossible to know who was wrong first or how the scales of retribution are balanced.
It's the lies we tell ourselves that keep us moving forward.
The MMC, Zevayr, isn’t book boyfriend material. He’s a book HUSBAND. What wouldn’t I for this kind-hearted yet deadly man? Even when you want to reach into the pages, grab him and scream it’s because you love him so much. And our FMC Mayah is exceptional, a princess of deep empathy and strength, despite a debilitating fear of storms.
If you experience this story anything like I did, it will emotionally rip you pieces. But stay the course and read to the end, and Leena will put you back together again.
March 24, 2026
ARC REVIEW!
I said “What the f*ck!?” More times during this book than I think I have in my whole life. I swear it shattered my heart and put it back together at least 15 times. I was constantly messaging my friend since she had finished it….I felt every emotion I think possible!! Now I need a strong drink!!
The world building in this book was out of the realm I thought possible. Everything was explained so perfectly and even the smallest details you didn’t think would be important? Wrong! Everything had a meaning and everything fell into place absolutely perfectly. I got to a point at about halfway through part 2 and I knew I wouldn’t be able to put the book down until I finished.
The love. The hate. The betrayals!!! THE BETRAYALS!! Threw me for a freaking loop, nothing was predictable! I was laughing, crying, screaming, kicking my feet. It was all too much!!
Mayah is a freaking force of nature! I loved her so damn much, she was fierce, she was loyal, she was pure badass. Zev, damnnnnn that man!! Give me more! He was pure rage! But also tender and caring. Slightly misunderstood forced to play a role he didn’t necessarily want. And damn if he didn’t have me in a chokehold!!
Part 3 was a whirlwind. And then you hit 95% and you think you’ve got it all figured out and BOOM curveball!!!! I loved it!
You absolutely HAVE to read this book!!!
I said “What the f*ck!?” More times during this book than I think I have in my whole life. I swear it shattered my heart and put it back together at least 15 times. I was constantly messaging my friend since she had finished it….I felt every emotion I think possible!! Now I need a strong drink!!
The world building in this book was out of the realm I thought possible. Everything was explained so perfectly and even the smallest details you didn’t think would be important? Wrong! Everything had a meaning and everything fell into place absolutely perfectly. I got to a point at about halfway through part 2 and I knew I wouldn’t be able to put the book down until I finished.
The love. The hate. The betrayals!!! THE BETRAYALS!! Threw me for a freaking loop, nothing was predictable! I was laughing, crying, screaming, kicking my feet. It was all too much!!
Mayah is a freaking force of nature! I loved her so damn much, she was fierce, she was loyal, she was pure badass. Zev, damnnnnn that man!! Give me more! He was pure rage! But also tender and caring. Slightly misunderstood forced to play a role he didn’t necessarily want. And damn if he didn’t have me in a chokehold!!
Part 3 was a whirlwind. And then you hit 95% and you think you’ve got it all figured out and BOOM curveball!!!! I loved it!
You absolutely HAVE to read this book!!!
February 24, 2026
ARC REVIEW; 4.5 ⭐️
It is an understatement to say that I DEVOURED this book.
Between Tides and Thunder is a stand-alone romantasy in which we follow Mayah, a healer princess from a wintery kingdom who is forced into marriage with a prince from the enemy realm to secure peace and ensure her kingdom’s survival. Reluctantly, she travels to Arbinj… but instead of a prince, she gets the dark commander, a merciless thunder wielder. Through their journey, they learn to rely on one another and, against all odds, begin to care for each other until...
✅ Plot twists you don't see coming ✅ Betrayals and deadly secrets ✅ Tension that keep you hooked
✅ Angst for days
This being a standalone fantasy was such a refreshing break from long, ongoing series. It’s fast-paced and doesn’t dwell too deeply on world-building or politics, but I honestly didn’t mind. The story is so engaging that I was completely swept up in it. It’s actually kind of wild what the author managed to do in 500-ish pages.
The romance did feel a little insta-love at times, but I still loved the dynamic between the FMC and MMC. Their chemistry? Chef’s kiss. The banter? Top tier.
And can we talk about Zev being the perfect husband for a second? Hello???
I did, however, cringe at the overused pet names and all the "tides" curses.
A very good read if you like:
✨ Single POV
✨ Touch her and die
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Arranged marriage between warring kingdoms
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Elemental magic
✨ Thunder daddy
"My wive was not where I left her"
" I am not a weakness or a bitch, I am a fucking force of nature"
Overall a very enjoyable read! Thank you again to the author for providing me with an ARC!
It is an understatement to say that I DEVOURED this book.
Between Tides and Thunder is a stand-alone romantasy in which we follow Mayah, a healer princess from a wintery kingdom who is forced into marriage with a prince from the enemy realm to secure peace and ensure her kingdom’s survival. Reluctantly, she travels to Arbinj… but instead of a prince, she gets the dark commander, a merciless thunder wielder. Through their journey, they learn to rely on one another and, against all odds, begin to care for each other until...
✅ Plot twists you don't see coming ✅ Betrayals and deadly secrets ✅ Tension that keep you hooked
✅ Angst for days
This being a standalone fantasy was such a refreshing break from long, ongoing series. It’s fast-paced and doesn’t dwell too deeply on world-building or politics, but I honestly didn’t mind. The story is so engaging that I was completely swept up in it. It’s actually kind of wild what the author managed to do in 500-ish pages.
The romance did feel a little insta-love at times, but I still loved the dynamic between the FMC and MMC. Their chemistry? Chef’s kiss. The banter? Top tier.
And can we talk about Zev being the perfect husband for a second? Hello???
I did, however, cringe at the overused pet names and all the "tides" curses.
A very good read if you like:
✨ Single POV
✨ Touch her and die
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Arranged marriage between warring kingdoms
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Elemental magic
✨ Thunder daddy
"My wive was not where I left her"
" I am not a weakness or a bitch, I am a fucking force of nature"
Overall a very enjoyable read! Thank you again to the author for providing me with an ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2026
I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. WOW what a ride!! Loved this book from beginning to end!! The banter was too notch and it had me drawn in!! There is lot of emotion, secrets and yearning!! This is a must read!!
“She was raised to hate him. Now she shares his bed.
Princess Mayah of Tundrayn isn’t allowed to want. Not freedom. Not love. Not even her own future. Instead, she’s spent her life healing others’ pain and swallowing her own. But when her father strikes a fragile alliance with enemy-kingdom Arbinj to crush a rising rebellion, she is bartered into a marriage she didn’t choose for a crown she doesn’t want.
She expects a prince. She gets the Dark Commander.
Zevayr is ruthless, unyielding, and a stormwielder with a reputation soaked in blood. He is everything Mayah was taught to fear. Yet as they race across rebel-torn lands, the less certain she is of where the monster ends and where the man begins.
In Arbinj’s glittering courts, the Rebellion surges and dangerous secrets stir from Mayah’s past—secrets that could shatter her kingdom, and her heart, if she lets them.
The question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself”
“She was raised to hate him. Now she shares his bed.
Princess Mayah of Tundrayn isn’t allowed to want. Not freedom. Not love. Not even her own future. Instead, she’s spent her life healing others’ pain and swallowing her own. But when her father strikes a fragile alliance with enemy-kingdom Arbinj to crush a rising rebellion, she is bartered into a marriage she didn’t choose for a crown she doesn’t want.
She expects a prince. She gets the Dark Commander.
Zevayr is ruthless, unyielding, and a stormwielder with a reputation soaked in blood. He is everything Mayah was taught to fear. Yet as they race across rebel-torn lands, the less certain she is of where the monster ends and where the man begins.
In Arbinj’s glittering courts, the Rebellion surges and dangerous secrets stir from Mayah’s past—secrets that could shatter her kingdom, and her heart, if she lets them.
The question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself”
March 29, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Just finished this one and OH MY GOD I LOVE IT!!!!! I didn’t want it to end. Please please please bring us back to this world, Leena! PLEASE!
The pace is perfection. I was hooked from the first chapter. The FMC was absolutely fantastic – her rage, her love, her power, her secrets, her guilt, her fear.
The world is amazing – the magic system is outstanding. Healers, earth wielders, waterwielders and many others.
Our MMC is such a broody dick – I LOVE HIM! BUT…. he was also an absolute cinnamon roll – FOR HER! The best kind of guy. The way he taunted her, too, was hysterical.
Her dad was such an asshole – I HATED HIM!
There were several times when it was so serious and then I read something that legit had me laughing aloud. I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!
The tropes were a tropin’ – found family, forced proximity, morally grey MC’s, magic, political intrigue, secrets, amazing fight scenes, yearning, plot twists…. Potential red herrings that were like – wait WHAT… oh PLEASE NO!
Legit – gave me stress!
📜FAVORITE QUOTES📜
📜 “You’re more than just a promise to me, Mayah. My heart is yours.”
📜 Sometimes, it’s the lies we choose to believe that let us keep moving forward.
Just finished this one and OH MY GOD I LOVE IT!!!!! I didn’t want it to end. Please please please bring us back to this world, Leena! PLEASE!
The pace is perfection. I was hooked from the first chapter. The FMC was absolutely fantastic – her rage, her love, her power, her secrets, her guilt, her fear.
The world is amazing – the magic system is outstanding. Healers, earth wielders, waterwielders and many others.
Our MMC is such a broody dick – I LOVE HIM! BUT…. he was also an absolute cinnamon roll – FOR HER! The best kind of guy. The way he taunted her, too, was hysterical.
Her dad was such an asshole – I HATED HIM!
There were several times when it was so serious and then I read something that legit had me laughing aloud. I LOVE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!
The tropes were a tropin’ – found family, forced proximity, morally grey MC’s, magic, political intrigue, secrets, amazing fight scenes, yearning, plot twists…. Potential red herrings that were like – wait WHAT… oh PLEASE NO!
Legit – gave me stress!
📜FAVORITE QUOTES📜
📜 “You’re more than just a promise to me, Mayah. My heart is yours.”
📜 Sometimes, it’s the lies we choose to believe that let us keep moving forward.
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