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Between Tides & Thunder
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
Published March 31, 2026
About the author
Leena Kazak
4 books567 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 1,373 reviews
April 7, 2026
Could not put this book down..but unfortunately life and sleeping got in the way 😂 I loved it! I have the best time and did not expect a lot of the twists in this! AND IT IS A STANDALONE 🤯
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!!
April 3, 2026
OH...
MY...
GOD.
I had a feeling I would like this ... BUT I'M OBSESSED!! I grabbed this on Kindle Unlimited, and I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to pull a materialistic girlie move and order a physical copy because this was SO seriously amazing.
You know how we're all sick of the meek and mild princess who needs to be rescued? You know how were tired of the same plots? GURLLLZZZ - This is NOT the same plot, and I'm not going to ruin anything for you, but my jaw actually dropped at I believe 56% on my Kindle 😂😂 And I almost thought this was like any other read there for a hot minute.. but it's NOT.
Have you seen my enthusiastic reviews for Direbound? Between Tides & Thunder is THAT good. What I also like about this is that it's a standalone - so the whole thing was deliciously satisfying!!
HOUSEKEEPING:
* Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5 -- THE TENSION - but also somewhere between open & cracked door spicy. The one detailed scene isn't penetrative sex, and still it's pretty hot!
* Reader Age Suggestions: Adult / new adult
* Content Warnings: --
* Kindle Unlimited: ✅
Follow me on Instagram for honest reviews, bookish freebies & giveaways! 🖤
MY...
GOD.
I had a feeling I would like this ... BUT I'M OBSESSED!! I grabbed this on Kindle Unlimited, and I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to pull a materialistic girlie move and order a physical copy because this was SO seriously amazing.
You know how we're all sick of the meek and mild princess who needs to be rescued? You know how were tired of the same plots? GURLLLZZZ - This is NOT the same plot, and I'm not going to ruin anything for you, but my jaw actually dropped at I believe 56% on my Kindle 😂😂 And I almost thought this was like any other read there for a hot minute.. but it's NOT.
Have you seen my enthusiastic reviews for Direbound? Between Tides & Thunder is THAT good. What I also like about this is that it's a standalone - so the whole thing was deliciously satisfying!!
HOUSEKEEPING:
* Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5 -- THE TENSION - but also somewhere between open & cracked door spicy. The one detailed scene isn't penetrative sex, and still it's pretty hot!
* Reader Age Suggestions: Adult / new adult
* Content Warnings: --
* Kindle Unlimited: ✅
Follow me on Instagram for honest reviews, bookish freebies & giveaways! 🖤
April 7, 2026
4 ⭐️
This book really said:
“be patient for 60%…and then I'll RUIN your emotional stability in the final act.”
And I didn’t expect it…but it got me.
Because I was coasting. I was vibing. I was occasionally checking how many pages were left.
And then the last 40% hit like a stormwielder with unresolved feelings and a personal vendetta.
Suddenly I was awake. Invested. Unwell.
What Worked For Me
(aka: when the story finally locked in)
Once this book decides to escalate, it commits fully, no hesitation, no brakes, just straight into chaos. What starts as political tension, slow-burn proximity and a steady “okay, this is fine” kind of pace suddenly flips into betrayal, rage, power reveals, emotional breakdowns and multiple near death experiences (because apparently one simply wasn’t enough).
And I ate it up.
The back half is where everything finally clicks into place. The stakes feel real, the emotions hit harder and the characters stop circling and start colliding. It’s messy, dramatic, slightly unhinged and exactly what I wanted the whole time.
Zev specifically, really comes into his own once the book fully leans into his morally grey, storm-wielding, emotionally repressed chaos. That’s when everything about him clicks, his intensity, restraint, anger, devotion, all finally feeling cohesive instead of confusing. And when the story finally reveals the reason behind his feelings for Mayah, it lands in a way that adds real weight to their dynamic.
Mayah also levels up in the second half. When she stops reacting and starts choosing, when she fully steps into her power and identity, she becomes the version of herself I’d been waiting for. The female rage arc was super satisfying. The power payoff was worth it.
And the ending?
The full-circle moment???
Oh they understood the assignment.
What Didn’t Work For Me
(aka: why I was vibing...but not sold)
The first half, if I’m being honest, dragged and had me drifting more than I wanted to. There’s a heavy focus on travelling and quiet conversations but without enough momentum to keep things engaging. At the same time, some of the emotional shifts happen a little too quickly which makes the development feel uneven rather than fully earned.
It reads smoothly but the pacing isn’t doing the story any favours. The enemies-to-lovers arc especially suffers early on. What should feel like tension and resistance sometimes comes across as… muted. The emotional transitions happen but not always with enough on-page development to fully sell them.
I also struggled with the world-building. It’s there but it stays fairly surface-level which makes the political stakes feel less immersive than they could have been.
And then we get to the back half where the book overcorrects.
Suddenly, the story shifts into overdrive, stacking twist after twist, reveals, near death moments, secrets, resurrections, and emotional devastation all hitting back-to-back with barely a moment to breathe. It’s constant, almost overwhelming.
Don’t get me wrong - I was entertained.
But at times it felt like the book was stacking drama instead of letting moments settle. Some twists were great. Others felt like they slightly undercut earlier emotional weight.
Final Thoughts
This was a tale of two halves for me where the first half - okay… I’m here and the Second half - WAIT… why am I suddenly invested??
It’s not perfect. The pacing is uneven, the buildup could’ve been stronger and some reveals come in a little too late to fully maximise their impact.
BUT.
When it hits its stride, it’s hard to look away.
The emotional payoff, the character arcs, the chaos, the intensity - it all comes together in a way that made me forget my earlier complaints and just… feel things.
Final Verdict
Messy, dramatic, slightly unhinged but when it locks in, it LOCKS IN.
4 stars - came for the vibes, stayed for the chaos, left a little bit unwell.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Arranged marriage (political chaos edition)
• Enemies (kinda) to reluctant allies to Enemies (for real)
• Morally grey MMC (storm powers + control issues)
• Forced proximity (road trip + survival)
• “Who did this to you?” energy
• Power imbalance > mutual destruction
• Hidden abilities / secret power reveal
• Betrayal + redemption arc
• Female rage awakening
• Touch her and die (literally)
• “I hate you” / “say it again” energy
• Obsession-with-devotion MMC
• Trauma bonding (extreme sports edition)
• Back-half chaos spiral (no brakes, no warning)
This book really said:
“be patient for 60%…and then I'll RUIN your emotional stability in the final act.”
And I didn’t expect it…but it got me.
Because I was coasting. I was vibing. I was occasionally checking how many pages were left.
And then the last 40% hit like a stormwielder with unresolved feelings and a personal vendetta.
Suddenly I was awake. Invested. Unwell.
What Worked For Me
(aka: when the story finally locked in)
Once this book decides to escalate, it commits fully, no hesitation, no brakes, just straight into chaos. What starts as political tension, slow-burn proximity and a steady “okay, this is fine” kind of pace suddenly flips into betrayal, rage, power reveals, emotional breakdowns and multiple near death experiences (because apparently one simply wasn’t enough).
And I ate it up.
The back half is where everything finally clicks into place. The stakes feel real, the emotions hit harder and the characters stop circling and start colliding. It’s messy, dramatic, slightly unhinged and exactly what I wanted the whole time.
Zev specifically, really comes into his own once the book fully leans into his morally grey, storm-wielding, emotionally repressed chaos. That’s when everything about him clicks, his intensity, restraint, anger, devotion, all finally feeling cohesive instead of confusing. And when the story finally reveals the reason behind his feelings for Mayah, it lands in a way that adds real weight to their dynamic.
Mayah also levels up in the second half. When she stops reacting and starts choosing, when she fully steps into her power and identity, she becomes the version of herself I’d been waiting for. The female rage arc was super satisfying. The power payoff was worth it.
And the ending?
The full-circle moment???
Oh they understood the assignment.
What Didn’t Work For Me
(aka: why I was vibing...but not sold)
The first half, if I’m being honest, dragged and had me drifting more than I wanted to. There’s a heavy focus on travelling and quiet conversations but without enough momentum to keep things engaging. At the same time, some of the emotional shifts happen a little too quickly which makes the development feel uneven rather than fully earned.
It reads smoothly but the pacing isn’t doing the story any favours. The enemies-to-lovers arc especially suffers early on. What should feel like tension and resistance sometimes comes across as… muted. The emotional transitions happen but not always with enough on-page development to fully sell them.
I also struggled with the world-building. It’s there but it stays fairly surface-level which makes the political stakes feel less immersive than they could have been.
And then we get to the back half where the book overcorrects.
Suddenly, the story shifts into overdrive, stacking twist after twist, reveals, near death moments, secrets, resurrections, and emotional devastation all hitting back-to-back with barely a moment to breathe. It’s constant, almost overwhelming.
Don’t get me wrong - I was entertained.
But at times it felt like the book was stacking drama instead of letting moments settle. Some twists were great. Others felt like they slightly undercut earlier emotional weight.
Final Thoughts
This was a tale of two halves for me where the first half - okay… I’m here and the Second half - WAIT… why am I suddenly invested??
It’s not perfect. The pacing is uneven, the buildup could’ve been stronger and some reveals come in a little too late to fully maximise their impact.
BUT.
When it hits its stride, it’s hard to look away.
The emotional payoff, the character arcs, the chaos, the intensity - it all comes together in a way that made me forget my earlier complaints and just… feel things.
Final Verdict
Messy, dramatic, slightly unhinged but when it locks in, it LOCKS IN.
4 stars - came for the vibes, stayed for the chaos, left a little bit unwell.
Tropes and Vibes:
• Arranged marriage (political chaos edition)
• Enemies (kinda) to reluctant allies to Enemies (for real)
• Morally grey MMC (storm powers + control issues)
• Forced proximity (road trip + survival)
• “Who did this to you?” energy
• Power imbalance > mutual destruction
• Hidden abilities / secret power reveal
• Betrayal + redemption arc
• Female rage awakening
• Touch her and die (literally)
• “I hate you” / “say it again” energy
• Obsession-with-devotion MMC
• Trauma bonding (extreme sports edition)
• Back-half chaos spiral (no brakes, no warning)
April 3, 2026
Is there a category for suspenseful romantasy yet, or did Leena Kazak just carve out a new genre all for herself? This book is incredible! Wow! I was not prepared for the twists and turns in this story. They were so utterly unexpected!
The writing is fluid and languid, a delicious mix of magical elements. When it comes to Mayah and Zev, Kazak puts the tense in tension and the yearn in yearning! Whew! I loved the banter. I was annotating with gut-reactions (“I. Am. Shooketh!”) and emojis the entire time. 😂
From the get-go, the story immediately starts off with action. Without giving anything away, it's a mix of a simmering slow burn, that somehow stays action-packed with crazy amounts of tension from start to finish.
I can often lose interest if there's too much dense world-building or complicated politics, but this is written in a way that hooks you immediately. Sometimes, less really is more.
I have to say, I quickly morphed into a *eating-popcorn-and-following-all-this-drama* GIF. Reading this honestly felt like diving into a thriller. I was totally swept up, and constantly saying, “What!?”
My brain is still reeling from some of the shocking reveals, and the way they are written into the story so seamlessly is mind-boggling. There were literal scenes where I had no idea what was coming next. Wow! Well done!
I loved the way she handled familiar tropes, and the best of all was her storytelling. The way she builds up tension is insane. And the feminine rage? Yess! Loved it!
Perfect if you love:
❤️ An action-packed standalone romantasy
🔥 A slow burn
✨️ Yearning and tension
🌩 Enemies to lovers (but for real)
❤️ Forced proximity
😂 Banter, banter, and (even more) sharp banter
👀 Political drama (but like, not boring)
🔥 Feminine rage
Thank you to Iris Influencer Society and the author, Leena Kazak, for an advanced reader copy of this book for review consideration. I am choosing to write this review voluntarily. These are my honest opinions.
The writing is fluid and languid, a delicious mix of magical elements. When it comes to Mayah and Zev, Kazak puts the tense in tension and the yearn in yearning! Whew! I loved the banter. I was annotating with gut-reactions (“I. Am. Shooketh!”) and emojis the entire time. 😂
From the get-go, the story immediately starts off with action. Without giving anything away, it's a mix of a simmering slow burn, that somehow stays action-packed with crazy amounts of tension from start to finish.
I can often lose interest if there's too much dense world-building or complicated politics, but this is written in a way that hooks you immediately. Sometimes, less really is more.
I have to say, I quickly morphed into a *eating-popcorn-and-following-all-this-drama* GIF. Reading this honestly felt like diving into a thriller. I was totally swept up, and constantly saying, “What!?”
My brain is still reeling from some of the shocking reveals, and the way they are written into the story so seamlessly is mind-boggling. There were literal scenes where I had no idea what was coming next. Wow! Well done!
I loved the way she handled familiar tropes, and the best of all was her storytelling. The way she builds up tension is insane. And the feminine rage? Yess! Loved it!
Perfect if you love:
❤️ An action-packed standalone romantasy
🔥 A slow burn
✨️ Yearning and tension
🌩 Enemies to lovers (but for real)
❤️ Forced proximity
😂 Banter, banter, and (even more) sharp banter
👀 Political drama (but like, not boring)
🔥 Feminine rage
Thank you to Iris Influencer Society and the author, Leena Kazak, for an advanced reader copy of this book for review consideration. I am choosing to write this review voluntarily. These are my honest opinions.
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.
April 7, 2026
4.25⭐️ Such an impressive debut 🤯 I never expected those plot twists and every reveal from 60% on WOW!! I actually wish this was a duology because it felt a little rushed and I just wanted more!
I loved the characters, the concept, & the magic! The ONLY reason I didn’t give it 5⭐️s is because the magic felt far too convenient at times. There would be a huge plot twist but then the characters would conveniently reveal something & it was resolved within 5 pages (only to have another twist lol). I really did love it though & cannot wait for more from this author !! 💗
I loved the characters, the concept, & the magic! The ONLY reason I didn’t give it 5⭐️s is because the magic felt far too convenient at times. There would be a huge plot twist but then the characters would conveniently reveal something & it was resolved within 5 pages (only to have another twist lol). I really did love it though & cannot wait for more from this author !! 💗
April 3, 2026
Ya’ know I don’t wanna be a mean girl, but man, I have some thoughts. You can, however, sit with me while I dish ‘em out.
Oh, spoilers, obviously
-In a fantasy medieval-esque setting, I never, and I mean absolutely never want to hear the endearment “baby.” The 300 times (it was at least a couple hundred times, right?) it was said, it just immediately whipped me out of the story. Is he the ruthless Dark Commander who is feared by all? Or he is actually my high school boyfriend im’ing me that he misses his bbygrrl <3 ;)
-World-building? Who she? I was confused for most of this. Where are we? A forest? There is snow? Maybe? No, wait we crossed the border but it’s still cold? Okay, now it’s hot. These people hate us. Mean men. WOW, can actually picture the infirmary but now we’re spending an inordinate amount of time talking about periods… Okay, big palace, room, now room but MANLY and sewers? Where the hell are we?!? I never found out. Eventually everything blurred and I just accepted the ride we were on.
Spoilers on top on of spoilers. You’ve been warned!
-Okay, okay my biggest issue though were these disjointed plot points being chucked at us. It was like we gotta move this story forward even though our wheels are actually not round, they’re triangles and good luck. You’re actually marrying Zev! *plonk* Whoops, Daak is dead. Don’t spend too much time on that! *plonk* Everyone you thought was dead is actually alive!! *plonk* Both kingdoms somehow found rebel hideout they didn’t know existed AT THE EXACT SAME TIME *plonk* Your evil brother just happens to show up alone though and you anticlimactically kill him *plonk* Now other daddy king is conveniently here to be killed too *plonk* You’re not the only one who has been hiding a second power, baby. *PLONK*
I will say, I enjoyed that it was a standalone and I hope more romantasy authors get on board with that.
******side note**** We glossed over that they are also related? I guess, when in Tundrayn, do what the Tundrayns do and have sex with your second cousin? I actually don’t know what the grandchild of your father’s cousin would be in relation to you but close enough.
Oh, spoilers, obviously
-In a fantasy medieval-esque setting, I never, and I mean absolutely never want to hear the endearment “baby.” The 300 times (it was at least a couple hundred times, right?) it was said, it just immediately whipped me out of the story. Is he the ruthless Dark Commander who is feared by all? Or he is actually my high school boyfriend im’ing me that he misses his bbygrrl <3 ;)
-World-building? Who she? I was confused for most of this. Where are we? A forest? There is snow? Maybe? No, wait we crossed the border but it’s still cold? Okay, now it’s hot. These people hate us. Mean men. WOW, can actually picture the infirmary but now we’re spending an inordinate amount of time talking about periods… Okay, big palace, room, now room but MANLY and sewers? Where the hell are we?!? I never found out. Eventually everything blurred and I just accepted the ride we were on.
Spoilers on top on of spoilers. You’ve been warned!
-Okay, okay my biggest issue though were these disjointed plot points being chucked at us. It was like we gotta move this story forward even though our wheels are actually not round, they’re triangles and good luck. You’re actually marrying Zev! *plonk* Whoops, Daak is dead. Don’t spend too much time on that! *plonk* Everyone you thought was dead is actually alive!! *plonk* Both kingdoms somehow found rebel hideout they didn’t know existed AT THE EXACT SAME TIME *plonk* Your evil brother just happens to show up alone though and you anticlimactically kill him *plonk* Now other daddy king is conveniently here to be killed too *plonk* You’re not the only one who has been hiding a second power, baby. *PLONK*
I will say, I enjoyed that it was a standalone and I hope more romantasy authors get on board with that.
******side note**** We glossed over that they are also related? I guess, when in Tundrayn, do what the Tundrayns do and have sex with your second cousin? I actually don’t know what the grandchild of your father’s cousin would be in relation to you but close enough.
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.
April 15, 2026
to be completely honest, this book was good at times but also bad at times, so overall kind of a mess? i am thrown off by all the five star reviews, but i will say it was entertaining so i somewhat understand it. if you are looking for a book where the characters and their dynamics and motivations are completely fleshed out and do not feel one dimensional, then this is not the book for you. if you are looking for a standalone fantasy to simply pass the time, then try this but i wouldn’t have high expectations!
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
April 2, 2026
4.25⭐️I really loved this book, more specifically I REALLY loved the first half. I don’t even know where to start. This is everything you could possibly want in a romantasy standalone. At no point could I tell where the story was going—I went from giddy to heartbroken to angry to giddy all over again. How the author managed to fit this all brilliantly in 524 pages I’m not sure but I devoured it. I only wish I had more…I’m so sad to have to leave this world so quickly. All that being said, I can’t give this book 5 stars because as much as I enjoyed it, I really disliked how rushed the ending was, it felt incomplete. The resolution happened so quickly and I was disappointed when I flipped the page and saw that there was no more conclusion,only the epilogue. But I understand that there is only so much you can do, and so much time you can spend when writing a standalone. I did also feel like the major plot twist was a little random and just kind of got thrown in there for the shock factor (it worked). I really think this book is going to be the next big thing…
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 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.
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.
Did Not Finish
April 15, 2026dnf 16%
unfortunately not for me gang. I wish I was having as much fun as everyone else reading this but it just isn't meant to be.
**I was provided with an ARC from the author / iris influencer society for an honest review **
unfortunately not for me gang. I wish I was having as much fun as everyone else reading this but it just isn't meant to be.
**I was provided with an ARC from the author / iris influencer society for an honest review **
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April 8, 2026
This is a prime example of when people getting ARCs juice the rating of a book detrimentally. I expected this to be a banger.
Plot holes left and right. Disjointed plot points being dumped with little to no set up. The world building?? It makes no sense. How come a girl who only lived in the ice kingdom is cold all the time? The insta love was annoying. And the rest of the book just felt like an amalgamation of every one liner from popular romance books. The writing did not feel original.
PS the MMC and FMC are 2nd cousins 🤢
DNF at 48%
Plot holes left and right. Disjointed plot points being dumped with little to no set up. The world building?? It makes no sense. How come a girl who only lived in the ice kingdom is cold all the time? The insta love was annoying. And the rest of the book just felt like an amalgamation of every one liner from popular romance books. The writing did not feel original.
PS the MMC and FMC are 2nd cousins 🤢
DNF at 48%
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.
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.
April 12, 2026
2.75⭐ 1.5 🌶️
Sigh.... Bear with me, I have thoughts. I went into this book with a lot of expectations, I was sold on the first half of the book. I really loved it! the slow burn was doing its thing, the characters were very promising and the plot was plotting.
After the big first plot twist reveal, it kind of started falling apart. Everything started happening too fast ( I know this is a standalone but the pacing just went from slow - medium to wait too fast and chaotic). After that it was plot twist after plot twists, that felt more like a shock value plot twist than a storytelling one. A lot of story lines were just left behind or were glossed over without the depth that it should have required (Daak's death and later the revelation that he was in cahoots with the King, how now everyone knows about the tunnels, everyone showing up and conveniently attacking the rebel camp at the same time, blood-bending, how everyone now has a "rare second ability"....).
Another thing that was kind of annoying were the spicy (?) scenes. I swear her dreams had more heat that the actual thing. The tension during the first part was delicious, they kept getting interrupted or things kept happening but after a while that particular plot device got old and it turned almost like a rage-bait situation. I don't mind close door scenes, but this felt more like being promised Thai or Mexican food and being served a Mayonnaise sandwich with black pepper.
Overall, it was a fun standalone with enough plot to have been 2 or 3 really good books.
Thanks to the Author and Iris Influencer Society for the ARC. All comments are my own.
Sigh.... Bear with me, I have thoughts. I went into this book with a lot of expectations, I was sold on the first half of the book. I really loved it! the slow burn was doing its thing, the characters were very promising and the plot was plotting.
After the big first plot twist reveal, it kind of started falling apart. Everything started happening too fast ( I know this is a standalone but the pacing just went from slow - medium to wait too fast and chaotic). After that it was plot twist after plot twists, that felt more like a shock value plot twist than a storytelling one. A lot of story lines were just left behind or were glossed over without the depth that it should have required (Daak's death and later the revelation that he was in cahoots with the King, how now everyone knows about the tunnels, everyone showing up and conveniently attacking the rebel camp at the same time, blood-bending, how everyone now has a "rare second ability"....).
Another thing that was kind of annoying were the spicy (?) scenes. I swear her dreams had more heat that the actual thing. The tension during the first part was delicious, they kept getting interrupted or things kept happening but after a while that particular plot device got old and it turned almost like a rage-bait situation. I don't mind close door scenes, but this felt more like being promised Thai or Mexican food and being served a Mayonnaise sandwich with black pepper.
Overall, it was a fun standalone with enough plot to have been 2 or 3 really good books.
Thanks to the Author and Iris Influencer Society for the ARC. All comments are my own.
April 13, 2026
2.5 ⭐️
this was just wayyy too fast of a burn for me 😩 the plot twist mid book kept it interesting but i just found the romance was tok fast and the plot was rushed, esp at the end in the battle scene everyone kept taking breaks to eat it was wild. like they’ve been fighting for like an 10 mins and they’re first priority is making sure the kids are eating ?? and then they go to the kitchen like 3x for food in the middle of the battle?! unrealistic and honestly hilarious 😂😂😂
i still finished it tho so that does tell u something 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
this was just wayyy too fast of a burn for me 😩 the plot twist mid book kept it interesting but i just found the romance was tok fast and the plot was rushed, esp at the end in the battle scene everyone kept taking breaks to eat it was wild. like they’ve been fighting for like an 10 mins and they’re first priority is making sure the kids are eating ?? and then they go to the kitchen like 3x for food in the middle of the battle?! unrealistic and honestly hilarious 😂😂😂
i still finished it tho so that does tell u something 🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️
April 4, 2026
A good romantasy standalone book. I had a great time and devoured it, even though there was some inconsistencies in the writing and the ending was very laughable lol.
Did Not Finish
April 9, 2026that was such a mess… I really didn’t like the writing, the world building is nonexistent, and “baby”, seriously? I wanted to give it a chance and finish it, because of the plot twists everyone is yelling about, but I read half of the book and couldn’t do it anymore
April 1, 2026
dnf’d at 32%
enemies to lovers where? 15% and it’s too much insta love.
The constant bickering was childish, there’s no way both the fmc and the mmc are above 25 because they act 15.
the world building was decent, not enough for me to continue reading tho.
enemies to lovers where? 15% and it’s too much insta love.
The constant bickering was childish, there’s no way both the fmc and the mmc are above 25 because they act 15.
the world building was decent, not enough for me to continue reading tho.
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.
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 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
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