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Between Tides & Thunder #1
Between Tides & Thunder
A princess’s arranged marriage to a ruthless enemy general forces her to question everything in this unputdownable stand-alone romantasy with devastating twists, relentless yearning, and a gripping enemies-to-lovers romance. Perfect for fans of Callie Hart, Devney Perry, and Carissa Broadbent.
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.
She expects to wed Prince Faramir. Instead, she is handed to his brother—Zevayr, Arbinj’s feared Dark Commander. With a blood-soaked reputation and the ability to wield the very storms that haunt Mayah’s nightmares, Zevayr is everything she’s been raised to fear. Yet as the two traverse rebel-torn lands toward Arbinj’s glittering courts, forced into close nightly proximity for survival, the line between monster and man begins to blur.
As dangerous secrets from Mayah’s past resurface, she begins to question more than just Zevayr’s motivations. Is the true threat the Rebellion, or the two ruthless kings who seem determined to wage war at any cost? When loyalty means perpetuating a war built on deception, the question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself?
This epic stand-alone novel delivers utter emotional devastation through the tropes of irresistible banter, immersive worldbuilding, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, arranged marriage, slow burn, elemental powers, one bed/horse/tent, and warring kingdoms.
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.
She expects to wed Prince Faramir. Instead, she is handed to his brother—Zevayr, Arbinj’s feared Dark Commander. With a blood-soaked reputation and the ability to wield the very storms that haunt Mayah’s nightmares, Zevayr is everything she’s been raised to fear. Yet as the two traverse rebel-torn lands toward Arbinj’s glittering courts, forced into close nightly proximity for survival, the line between monster and man begins to blur.
As dangerous secrets from Mayah’s past resurface, she begins to question more than just Zevayr’s motivations. Is the true threat the Rebellion, or the two ruthless kings who seem determined to wage war at any cost? When loyalty means perpetuating a war built on deception, the question is not if Mayah will betray, but who: her people, her love, or herself?
This epic stand-alone novel delivers utter emotional devastation through the tropes of irresistible banter, immersive worldbuilding, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, arranged marriage, slow burn, elemental powers, one bed/horse/tent, and warring kingdoms.
446 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2026
About the author
Leena Kazak
6 books1,277 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 7,099 reviews
April 1, 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.
June 19, 2026
OH. MY. GOD. I'm stunned. Utterly speechless. Color me flabbergasted.
This is exactly how fantasy books should be written. The world building was phenomenal, and the writing was simply incredible. A perfect blend of longing, love, and healing that left me wanting more. The politics, the revenge arc and the magic system was extremely impressive. This book exceeded all my expectations.
The characters have my whole fucking heart. Both the main leads were tenacious, and the romance was superbly written. Enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-finally lovers again. This is one of the most difficult tropes and the author executed the same with utmost perfection. My heart literally broke for everything they had to endure, and the insane amount of cruelty they both were subjected to.
However, my only complaint is that the first 150 pages dragged. It wasn't boring, not at all, but it wasn't particularly gripping either. Something was happening here and there, enough to keep you invested, but not enough to overlook the slow pacing.
But despite the slow start, I'm so glad I picked this book up. There's love, there's yearning, there's betrayal, there's revenge, there's character development, there are secrets and so much more, you name it. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Would definitely recommend!
This is exactly how fantasy books should be written. The world building was phenomenal, and the writing was simply incredible. A perfect blend of longing, love, and healing that left me wanting more. The politics, the revenge arc and the magic system was extremely impressive. This book exceeded all my expectations.
The characters have my whole fucking heart. Both the main leads were tenacious, and the romance was superbly written. Enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-finally lovers again. This is one of the most difficult tropes and the author executed the same with utmost perfection. My heart literally broke for everything they had to endure, and the insane amount of cruelty they both were subjected to.
However, my only complaint is that the first 150 pages dragged. It wasn't boring, not at all, but it wasn't particularly gripping either. Something was happening here and there, enough to keep you invested, but not enough to overlook the slow pacing.
But despite the slow start, I'm so glad I picked this book up. There's love, there's yearning, there's betrayal, there's revenge, there's character development, there are secrets and so much more, you name it. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions. Would definitely recommend!
April 20, 2026
ㅤ ㅤ ✦ . ⁺ . 4.1 - 4.3 . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤ ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ I would like to thank every possible divinity for convincing me to pick up this book when I was in the mood for a stand-alone, because this has been, BY FAR, one of the most entertaining, captivating, and genuinely immersive reads of my year so far. It completely drew me in and refused to let go; actually, I didn't even want to be let go. I admit, I might have enjoyed this so much just because it landed in my hands at the perfect moment, but I rate books mainly based on how I feel when reading them anyway, so I don't care about anything else. I had fun.
ㅤ My only complaint? That it is a standalone. I am genuinely upset I will not get to spend more time with these characters....I think I might really be in mourning....
ㅤ ㅤ “I won’t be kind. I won’t be gentle. I’m going to ruin you”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ THE WRITING? So suitable for the book. Yes, there were a few repetitions here and there, but honestly, who even cares? Certainly not me. Everything else fit the story so flawlessly that those minor issues felt completely irrelevant.
ㅤ This book had me awake until 4 AM on a random Tuesday, fully aware I would be a walking corpse the next day. And yet...did I regret it? Absolutely not.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The plot? THE DAMN PLOT??? You are not ready for this. I will admit, I started suspecting something around the 45% mark — everything was just a little too sweet, a little too perfect for me not even being halfway through it. But the moment everything unraveled? Absolute chaos. The good kind. The addictive kind.
ㅤ I mean political intrigue, layered schemes, ruthless revenge, and emotions so intense they practically bleed off the page and right into your soul!!! It was insane in the best possible way. Honestly, if this plot was a man, NOTHING WOULD GET ME OFF HIS DICK (I would apologise for this, but most of you already know me and you are used to this sort of things from me)
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely need to applaud the plot twists separately, because this book does not allow you a single moment of peace. It just keeps hitting you, revelation after revelation after revelation, and somehow, almost none of them feel predictable. It is the kind of story that practically demands a reread, if only to catch all the subtle hints and details that seemed insignificant at first but suddenly make perfect sense once everything is revealed. So yeah, I will absolutely reread this.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The romance… you all know I cannot stand when it develops too fast, too suddenly. And yes, at first, it absolutely felt like it was heading in that direction. But something in me insisted I stay patient, to keep reading; like an itchthat this man could scratch ANYTIME he wants just keeping me reading. And I am so glad I listened. Because while the first half is enjoyable on its own, even with the slightly rushed development, the second half completely altered my brain chemistry. What starts as something light, almost sweet enough to make you smile and giggle, transforms into something far more intense.
ㅤ The second part does not just elevate the romance, it unleashes it. It makes you feel everything all at once. I was howling. I was screaming. I was basically going feral in my room; thank God I live alone.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ 6 times, ladies. SIX FUCKING TIMES in a single night. Idk about you all, but I am definitely doing something wrong here.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The ending was simply everything I could have wanted and more; YET I STILL SOMEHOW WANTED MORE THAN THAT "more". PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME OUT OF THIS WORLD, I AM NOT YET READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO THESE CHARACTERS 😭😭😭😭 That bonus epilogue was everything.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Mayah — I love her. Truly, I do. She feels like such a breath of fresh air in a landscape full of FMCs defined by ego and relentless sharpness. She is kind, gentle, almost delicate...and yet, beneath that softness, she is quietly cunning in the most fascinating way. She is a warrior at her core. She feels deeply, loves passionately, and would do anything for the people she loves. She does not need to be protected, but she undeniably cherishes the feeling of being safe. Good thing she finds a man that literally murders for her 🤭🤭
ㅤ ⊹ Zevayr — I do not really know how to fully describe my thoughts about this man, but I will do it in the best way I am capable of (by being fully unhinged): if the world was ending and I would be made to choose between saving the entire humanity by pressing a button and riding this man one last time, you would all be dead; not even "till death do us part" would be able to separate me from this man's dick.
ㅤ For short, he is absolutely everything. He is the ultimate simp, he is completely whipped and a complete sweetheart. Sure, he is also very mean once he gets hurt, but you will find it really hard to blame him for it.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ I mean, I think it is already painfully obvious from my rating and everything I have said so far — some of which, admittedly, might require a quick visit to church. But ANYWAY. YES. Go and read this. It is just one book. It will not take a lifetime to read it. And who knows, you might end up loving it just as much as I did. It is not even that big, right??? No, I will not make a stupid joke about "big" things; but know that I thought it.
ㅤ READ. THE. BOOK.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ started ┆20-Apr-2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ in the mood for a quick standalone read, and I’ve heard so many great things about this book that I can’t put it off any longer
ㅤ ㅤ ˋ°•*⁀➷ㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤ I would like to thank every possible divinity for convincing me to pick up this book when I was in the mood for a stand-alone, because this has been, BY FAR, one of the most entertaining, captivating, and genuinely immersive reads of my year so far. It completely drew me in and refused to let go; actually, I didn't even want to be let go. I admit, I might have enjoyed this so much just because it landed in my hands at the perfect moment, but I rate books mainly based on how I feel when reading them anyway, so I don't care about anything else. I had fun.
ㅤ My only complaint? That it is a standalone. I am genuinely upset I will not get to spend more time with these characters....I think I might really be in mourning....
ㅤ ㅤ “I won’t be kind. I won’t be gentle. I’m going to ruin you”
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ honest thoughts
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ THE WRITING? So suitable for the book. Yes, there were a few repetitions here and there, but honestly, who even cares? Certainly not me. Everything else fit the story so flawlessly that those minor issues felt completely irrelevant.
ㅤ This book had me awake until 4 AM on a random Tuesday, fully aware I would be a walking corpse the next day. And yet...did I regret it? Absolutely not.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The plot? THE DAMN PLOT??? You are not ready for this. I will admit, I started suspecting something around the 45% mark — everything was just a little too sweet, a little too perfect for me not even being halfway through it. But the moment everything unraveled? Absolute chaos. The good kind. The addictive kind.
ㅤ I mean political intrigue, layered schemes, ruthless revenge, and emotions so intense they practically bleed off the page and right into your soul!!! It was insane in the best possible way. Honestly, if this plot was a man, NOTHING WOULD GET ME OFF HIS DICK (I would apologise for this, but most of you already know me and you are used to this sort of things from me)
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ I genuinely need to applaud the plot twists separately, because this book does not allow you a single moment of peace. It just keeps hitting you, revelation after revelation after revelation, and somehow, almost none of them feel predictable. It is the kind of story that practically demands a reread, if only to catch all the subtle hints and details that seemed insignificant at first but suddenly make perfect sense once everything is revealed. So yeah, I will absolutely reread this.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The romance… you all know I cannot stand when it develops too fast, too suddenly. And yes, at first, it absolutely felt like it was heading in that direction. But something in me insisted I stay patient, to keep reading; like an itch
ㅤ The second part does not just elevate the romance, it unleashes it. It makes you feel everything all at once. I was howling. I was screaming. I was basically going feral in my room; thank God I live alone.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ 6 times, ladies. SIX FUCKING TIMES in a single night. Idk about you all, but I am definitely doing something wrong here.
ㅤ ⋅ ☾ The ending was simply everything I could have wanted and more; YET I STILL SOMEHOW WANTED MORE THAN THAT "more". PLEASE DON'T TAKE ME OUT OF THIS WORLD, I AM NOT YET READY TO SAY GOODBYE TO THESE CHARACTERS 😭😭😭😭 That bonus epilogue was everything.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ characters
ㅤ ⊹ Mayah — I love her. Truly, I do. She feels like such a breath of fresh air in a landscape full of FMCs defined by ego and relentless sharpness. She is kind, gentle, almost delicate...and yet, beneath that softness, she is quietly cunning in the most fascinating way. She is a warrior at her core. She feels deeply, loves passionately, and would do anything for the people she loves. She does not need to be protected, but she undeniably cherishes the feeling of being safe. Good thing she finds a man that literally murders for her 🤭🤭
ㅤ ⊹ Zevayr — I do not really know how to fully describe my thoughts about this man, but I will do it in the best way I am capable of (by being fully unhinged): if the world was ending and I would be made to choose between saving the entire humanity by pressing a button and riding this man one last time, you would all be dead; not even "till death do us part" would be able to separate me from this man's dick.
ㅤ For short, he is absolutely everything. He is the ultimate simp, he is completely whipped and a complete sweetheart. Sure, he is also very mean once he gets hurt, but you will find it really hard to blame him for it.
ㅤ ˗ˏˋ★‿︵‧ ˚ ₊⊹ should you read this?
ㅤ I mean, I think it is already painfully obvious from my rating and everything I have said so far — some of which, admittedly, might require a quick visit to church. But ANYWAY. YES. Go and read this. It is just one book. It will not take a lifetime to read it. And who knows, you might end up loving it just as much as I did. It is not even that big, right??? No, I will not make a stupid joke about "big" things; but know that I thought it.
ㅤ READ. THE. BOOK.
⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍendㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹
ㅤ ᯓ ✿ pre-reading ⪼ ㅤ started ┆20-Apr-2026┆
ㅤ ㅤ ⤿ in the mood for a quick standalone read, and I’ve heard so many great things about this book that I can’t put it off any longer
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 🤯
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)
July 12, 2026
5 stars ⭐️
I could not put this book down. For a standalone romantasy this was sooo good. I normally hate standalone romantasy books because there is always something missing in my opinion, but this was amazing. It was such a fun read.
The world and magical system was entertaining and easy to understand. The romance is an actual enemies to lovers and is such a good slow burn. The tension and the yearning between Mayah and Zev was so well done, and the banter between them was witty and funny.
Mayah is an amazing FMC. She’s tenacious, fierce, strong, and caring. She’s so clever but is down to earth, and her irrational fear of thunderstorms makes her relatable.
Zev is charming, broody, morally grey, but he is also so protective and caring. His protective nature when it comes to Mayah is precious. His love for Mayah is what made me fall in love with him. The small acts he does for her are so sweet.
The first part of the book was a bit slow, but I loved it because the slow burn romance was the focus. The rest of the book is super fast paced with a lot of action and twists.
I do think the ending was a bit rushed, but I loved the story so much it didn’t bother me. I honestly wish this was a duology because I want more! I’m not emotionally ready to say goodbye to these characters.
~ Pre read ~
Heard good things about this one, so I’m going in with high expectations!
I could not put this book down. For a standalone romantasy this was sooo good. I normally hate standalone romantasy books because there is always something missing in my opinion, but this was amazing. It was such a fun read.
The world and magical system was entertaining and easy to understand. The romance is an actual enemies to lovers and is such a good slow burn. The tension and the yearning between Mayah and Zev was so well done, and the banter between them was witty and funny.
Mayah is an amazing FMC. She’s tenacious, fierce, strong, and caring. She’s so clever but is down to earth, and her irrational fear of thunderstorms makes her relatable.
Zev is charming, broody, morally grey, but he is also so protective and caring. His protective nature when it comes to Mayah is precious. His love for Mayah is what made me fall in love with him. The small acts he does for her are so sweet.
The first part of the book was a bit slow, but I loved it because the slow burn romance was the focus. The rest of the book is super fast paced with a lot of action and twists.
I do think the ending was a bit rushed, but I loved the story so much it didn’t bother me. I honestly wish this was a duology because I want more! I’m not emotionally ready to say goodbye to these characters.
~ Pre read ~
Heard good things about this one, so I’m going in with high expectations!
August 24, 2026
“I’ve been starving for you, Mayah. All these months. Right beside me, yet painfully out of my reach.”
i cant believe this is a standalone, i haven’t read one in forever. it had everything i wanted.. then it ended 😩
the beginning was a little slow for me i didn’t exactly know the direction it was going in but the rest delivered!!!!! let me tell you. my jaw was on the floor from every little twist and turn.
it’s definitely “he falls first” but i think she fell harder, i’ll never know unless i read zev’s pov 🤭
mayah is strong and fierce and fights for what is right! i absolutely loved her!!!! strong fmcs will forever have my heart they make me so happy 🤭 she didn’t give off snarky vibes like “i’m better than you” she just wanted to make a difference and did 🙂↕️
zev this man was pathetically down bad and i ate up every. last. crumb 😍 overly powerful, protective and broody ughhh i couldn’t get enough of him.
the world building was fun, very simple to follow which i appreciated AND the elemental powers were enjoyable.
⸺ 𑣲⋆˚࿔ preread
idk if i feel a slump happening because i have no idea what i’m in the mood for so i better like this 🙃
i cant believe this is a standalone, i haven’t read one in forever. it had everything i wanted.. then it ended 😩
the beginning was a little slow for me i didn’t exactly know the direction it was going in but the rest delivered!!!!! let me tell you. my jaw was on the floor from every little twist and turn.
it’s definitely “he falls first” but i think she fell harder, i’ll never know unless i read zev’s pov 🤭
mayah is strong and fierce and fights for what is right! i absolutely loved her!!!! strong fmcs will forever have my heart they make me so happy 🤭 she didn’t give off snarky vibes like “i’m better than you” she just wanted to make a difference and did 🙂↕️
zev this man was pathetically down bad and i ate up every. last. crumb 😍 overly powerful, protective and broody ughhh i couldn’t get enough of him.
the world building was fun, very simple to follow which i appreciated AND the elemental powers were enjoyable.
⸺ 𑣲⋆˚࿔ preread
idk if i feel a slump happening because i have no idea what i’m in the mood for so i better like this 🙃
April 7, 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 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!!
Read
May 14, 2026review tk - i have to think on what i've read, but i got EXTREMELYYY strong zutara vibes from zev and mayah; overall, this book had very strong avatar the last airbender vibes due to the similarities in the magic system.
--
i have continuously heard nothing but good things! very excited to see what this is all about...
--
i have continuously heard nothing but good things! very excited to see what this is all about...
April 3, 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!
April 26, 2026
The overuse of the word ‘Tides’ in replace of ‘God’ is probably the least annoying part of this book.
Also. A reach out to all the Romantasy authors - please stop putting your heroines in leggings. Even pairing them with a rustic tunic is the most ridiculously jarring image that needs to burn in Tidesdamned Hell.
Also. A reach out to all the Romantasy authors - please stop putting your heroines in leggings. Even pairing them with a rustic tunic is the most ridiculously jarring image that needs to burn in Tidesdamned Hell.
July 7, 2026
“I gave you all of me, Mayah. I loved—love—you. My life’s been split down the middle: before you and after you. Before you, I was merely existing. Going through the motions. Alone. A fucking shell. But after you? After you, there’s only you. Since our journey, it’s only ever been you. Every moment spent thinking about you, aching for you, loving you. And then… everything came crashing down around me. You were with him when you were mine.”
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS A STANDALONE.
I went into this thinking I was starting an incomplete series because there was no way one book could give me everything I wanted… and then it ended. 😭 UGH. I need more Zev and Mayah.
And yes… Zev has officially claimed the #1 spot for my favorite MMC. I said what I said.
The world-building was incredible, the magic system was fun without being overly complicated, and the romance absolutely delivered.
Zev… where do I even begin? The Dark Commander. Broody. Dangerous. Overprotective. Possessive. Emotionally repressed. Absolutely obsessed. Every single scene with him had my heart hammering.
This is enemies-to-lovers done RIGHT. The tension was insane. The betrayals hurt. The secrets unraveled little by little, and there was never a dull moment.
The forced proximity? ✔️
Arranged Marriage ✔️
Enemies to lovers ✔️
The yearning? ✔️
The longing? ✔️
The slow, painful build-up? ✔️✔️✔️
And when I say slow burn… I mean SLOW BURN. It was so slow that I genuinely thought there had to be another book coming because there was no way everything was going to happen in one book. But honestly? It was worth every second.
Watching them slowly fall for each other was one of my favorite parts. You feel every stolen glance, every tiny moment of trust, every ounce of longing. Every unspoken word, tt was indeed so painful to read!
I could not put this book down. I tried to stayed up all night reading, and the second I woke up, I picked it right back up. That’s how addicted I was. This book had actual crack in it because there is no other explanation.
I loved every single minute of it. And now excuse me while I immediately go read Zev’s POV because I’m not ready to leave this world behind.
“Maybe you can get my little brother to stop scowling so much.”
Zev bares his teeth in a snarl.
I run my fingers over my husband’s stubbled jaw, angling his face toward me.
Zev. He’s Zev—not Varad.
A spark of surprise lights in Zev’s eyes when I say, “I rather like his broody scowl.”
My husband studies me carefully for a moment before his face breaks into the most delighted, boyish grin.
😭❤️
~pre-read~ This sounds soooooo good!
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS A STANDALONE.
I went into this thinking I was starting an incomplete series because there was no way one book could give me everything I wanted… and then it ended. 😭 UGH. I need more Zev and Mayah.
And yes… Zev has officially claimed the #1 spot for my favorite MMC. I said what I said.
The world-building was incredible, the magic system was fun without being overly complicated, and the romance absolutely delivered.
Zev… where do I even begin? The Dark Commander. Broody. Dangerous. Overprotective. Possessive. Emotionally repressed. Absolutely obsessed. Every single scene with him had my heart hammering.
This is enemies-to-lovers done RIGHT. The tension was insane. The betrayals hurt. The secrets unraveled little by little, and there was never a dull moment.
The forced proximity? ✔️
Arranged Marriage ✔️
Enemies to lovers ✔️
The yearning? ✔️
The longing? ✔️
The slow, painful build-up? ✔️✔️✔️
And when I say slow burn… I mean SLOW BURN. It was so slow that I genuinely thought there had to be another book coming because there was no way everything was going to happen in one book. But honestly? It was worth every second.
Watching them slowly fall for each other was one of my favorite parts. You feel every stolen glance, every tiny moment of trust, every ounce of longing. Every unspoken word, tt was indeed so painful to read!
I could not put this book down. I tried to stayed up all night reading, and the second I woke up, I picked it right back up. That’s how addicted I was. This book had actual crack in it because there is no other explanation.
I loved every single minute of it. And now excuse me while I immediately go read Zev’s POV because I’m not ready to leave this world behind.
“Maybe you can get my little brother to stop scowling so much.”
Zev bares his teeth in a snarl.
I run my fingers over my husband’s stubbled jaw, angling his face toward me.
Zev. He’s Zev—not Varad.
A spark of surprise lights in Zev’s eyes when I say, “I rather like his broody scowl.”
My husband studies me carefully for a moment before his face breaks into the most delighted, boyish grin.
😭❤️
~pre-read~ This sounds soooooo good!
June 18, 2026
4⭐
When's the last time I read a romantasy standalone? I can't even remember. When's the last time I read a romantasy standalone THIS good? I still can't remember...
This was amazing!! It was so refreshing to read a fantasy standalone rather than a bazillion book series (even though I do love those too!) This was literally the definition of a rollercoaster. It had it's up and downs and twists that would make my head spin.
This was me in the first maybe 40-50% of the book: 😍😝😉🥹 This was me for the rest: 😬😩😭😭😧😨🥴 This book really handed you the giggling, swoon worthy, everything is happy moments at the beginning and them BAM 🫠🤯 stuff goes down.
Maya? She was quiet but also fierce, strong and was not afraid to fight back. I love seeing her grow and evolve during the length of this book and finally stand up for herself! She was so in love with Zev and would make sure he knew it, over and over again I might add because Zev was annoyingly stubborn when we wanted to be. Maya when she was truly herself was so rewarding and great to see and I just loved her!
Zev started off as a cute little puppy dog and then in the second half he was a feral beast. AND I LOVED IT. He fully unleashed his morally grey dark commander self, and I was fully here for it. His devotion, protectiveness and love for Maya was still so clear to see even when he was clouded by anger and hate. With all his flaws and ferociousness he was still the perfect mmc! And that secret he was hiding throughout the whole book?? I did not see that coming or even suspect it one bit, it was a bit random tbh but it made sense 🥴🤭
Overall, I absolutely loved this book! It has everything that should be included in a romantasy... banter, tension, world building, twists. Both the fmc and mmc were perfection like actually. My only complaint is that this book wasn’t nearly long enough. I need more, I already miss them!😩
When's the last time I read a romantasy standalone? I can't even remember. When's the last time I read a romantasy standalone THIS good? I still can't remember...
This was amazing!! It was so refreshing to read a fantasy standalone rather than a bazillion book series (even though I do love those too!) This was literally the definition of a rollercoaster. It had it's up and downs and twists that would make my head spin.
This was me in the first maybe 40-50% of the book: 😍😝😉🥹 This was me for the rest: 😬😩😭😭😧😨🥴 This book really handed you the giggling, swoon worthy, everything is happy moments at the beginning and them BAM 🫠🤯 stuff goes down.
Maya? She was quiet but also fierce, strong and was not afraid to fight back. I love seeing her grow and evolve during the length of this book and finally stand up for herself! She was so in love with Zev and would make sure he knew it, over and over again I might add because Zev was annoyingly stubborn when we wanted to be. Maya when she was truly herself was so rewarding and great to see and I just loved her!
Zev started off as a cute little puppy dog and then in the second half he was a feral beast. AND I LOVED IT. He fully unleashed his morally grey dark commander self, and I was fully here for it. His devotion, protectiveness and love for Maya was still so clear to see even when he was clouded by anger and hate. With all his flaws and ferociousness he was still the perfect mmc! And that secret he was hiding throughout the whole book?? I did not see that coming or even suspect it one bit, it was a bit random tbh but it made sense 🥴🤭
Overall, I absolutely loved this book! It has everything that should be included in a romantasy... banter, tension, world building, twists. Both the fmc and mmc were perfection like actually. My only complaint is that this book wasn’t nearly long enough. I need more, I already miss them!😩
July 1, 2026
"I gave you all of me Mayah. I love you. My life's been split down the middle: before you and after you."
4.5 stars!
This was an action-packed and fascinating stand-alone fantasy about love, loyalty, second chances, power, and revenge. Between Tides & Thunder follows Mayah, the Princess of Tundrayn must marry the prince of Arbinj her enemy kingdom after her father makes a deal with them. Instead of marrying the crown prince, she marries the Dark Commander, Zevayr. But when the Rebellion comes close to Abrinj, she must decide if she wants to follow them or stay where she is.
"I won't be kind. I won't be gentle. I'm going to ruin you."
Thoughts
I was transported into this intricate world from the very first page. I loved that this book was a stand-alone and it was refreshing for the plot to be resolved in one book. The plot was excellent, I was engaged in the story the entire book and there were so many plot twists that left me completely shocked. The pacing was perfect throughout the book, it wasn't too slow or too fast. I loved the world building it was so detailed and well executed. The differences between the two enemy kingdoms was fascinating, how the cultures, people and land differed. The magic was unique and I enjoyed learning about the types of wielders including earth wielders (they can use vines, soil from the land), water wielders (alter water, freeze it or melt it), storm wielders, (can create thunderstorms) heart wielders and healers. The writing was concise, descriptive and engaging. I felt that I was watching a detailed movie in my head and felt every emotion that the characters felt. The ending was great, I enjoyed that the conflict was resolved and there were several exciting moments at the end.
Characters
I loved Mayah, she was kind, compassionate, loyal to her kingdom, strong, resilient, and brave. Mayah's character development was excellent, at the beginning she was hesitant about her place in the world and found her strength. I adored Zev, he was cruel at times, but he was kind, brave, strong, protective and obsessed with Mayah. Zev was a complex character when he was upset he was mean but when he was happy he was so sweet. There were several scenes when he did sweet things for her that made me swoon especially the picnic scene and when Mayah was scared of storms. They both made decisions that I didn't agree with, but it made sense in relation to the plot. The side characters were interesting and complex.
Romance
I loved that the romance was actually enemies to lovers, the love interests are from enemy kingdoms and hated each other. The development of the romance moved too quickly in the beginning, but by the middle it was the complete opposite, which I enjoyed. The chemistry and tension between Zev and Mayah was amazing. I loved the banter between them, I laughed so much. I loved that they were honest about their feelings for each other. The romance was also relatable and realistic.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, great characters, awesome chemistry between the main characters and unique magic.
4.5 stars!
This was an action-packed and fascinating stand-alone fantasy about love, loyalty, second chances, power, and revenge. Between Tides & Thunder follows Mayah, the Princess of Tundrayn must marry the prince of Arbinj her enemy kingdom after her father makes a deal with them. Instead of marrying the crown prince, she marries the Dark Commander, Zevayr. But when the Rebellion comes close to Abrinj, she must decide if she wants to follow them or stay where she is.
"I won't be kind. I won't be gentle. I'm going to ruin you."
Thoughts
I was transported into this intricate world from the very first page. I loved that this book was a stand-alone and it was refreshing for the plot to be resolved in one book. The plot was excellent, I was engaged in the story the entire book and there were so many plot twists that left me completely shocked. The pacing was perfect throughout the book, it wasn't too slow or too fast. I loved the world building it was so detailed and well executed. The differences between the two enemy kingdoms was fascinating, how the cultures, people and land differed. The magic was unique and I enjoyed learning about the types of wielders including earth wielders (they can use vines, soil from the land), water wielders (alter water, freeze it or melt it), storm wielders, (can create thunderstorms) heart wielders and healers. The writing was concise, descriptive and engaging. I felt that I was watching a detailed movie in my head and felt every emotion that the characters felt. The ending was great, I enjoyed that the conflict was resolved and there were several exciting moments at the end.
Characters
I loved Mayah, she was kind, compassionate, loyal to her kingdom, strong, resilient, and brave. Mayah's character development was excellent, at the beginning she was hesitant about her place in the world and found her strength. I adored Zev, he was cruel at times, but he was kind, brave, strong, protective and obsessed with Mayah. Zev was a complex character when he was upset he was mean but when he was happy he was so sweet. There were several scenes when he did sweet things for her that made me swoon especially the picnic scene and when Mayah was scared of storms. They both made decisions that I didn't agree with, but it made sense in relation to the plot. The side characters were interesting and complex.
Romance
I loved that the romance was actually enemies to lovers, the love interests are from enemy kingdoms and hated each other. The development of the romance moved too quickly in the beginning, but by the middle it was the complete opposite, which I enjoyed. The chemistry and tension between Zev and Mayah was amazing. I loved the banter between them, I laughed so much. I loved that they were honest about their feelings for each other. The romance was also relatable and realistic.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy, great characters, awesome chemistry between the main characters and unique magic.
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 10, 2026
I am so utterly confused by all the 5 star reviews. There were so many random plot twists that were just jarring and made no sense. I guess they were there for shock value? But it came at the cost of characterization that makes absolutely no sense. This girl wants to have peace and equality but is a secret water wielder who is going to commit mass murder???? Oh but don’t worry she forgets all about that bc it was actually her dad who is the bad guy (something she never once wanted to think about despite him allegedly treating her like shit? Also Daak was pointless as a character. We’re told she loves him day 1 but she forgets about him easily and then awkwardly cheats with him bc she’s too uncomfortable to hurt his feelings. Also the truth wielder peace just felt like a last minute addition bc it was the only way Zev could believe her/forgive her after she cheated on him, let him be tortured, and plotted to kill his whole family. Also his characterization was just a personification of book boyfriend. He’s a deadly commander but loves her immediately and doesn’t suspect she could be a double agent!?! Also we really planned and executed a 2 kingdom coup in like 2 days with all the major antagonistic characters killed quickly and the kingdoms just accepting her rule bc she’s a kind healer lol. I get that this wasn’t supposed to have extreme world building but I would have liked it to be a bit more believable!? Maybe if we spent less time on the stupid journey across the continent without knowing her true motives it could have been more compelling?
ALSO! Doesn’t the dad being half Arbinj royalty make the two main characters SECOND COUSINS
ALSO! Doesn’t the dad being half Arbinj royalty make the two main characters SECOND COUSINS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2026
2.75/5⭐⭐
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
This sounds SO frustrating. Like you wanted a slow burn enemies to lovers with twists that actually hit, and instead got neither.
The instant attraction thing kills me every time authors do that. If they're already vibing with each other from the jump, what am I even doing here, that's not enemies to lovers, that's just two people who like each other. The tension is the whole point. She was confessing her love to Daak in the first part then suddenly she is so attracted and in love with the stranger in a week, and some time after their marriage( Zev and Mayah ) she suddenly she sees Daak and she forgets everything about the man she loves and turns into a double agent. Not to mention the fact she let him kiss her and she was okay with it. CHEATINGGGGGGGGGGG🚨🚨
And using her panic attacks as the go to way to get them close every single time? That's not romance, that's just recycling the same trick because writing an actual emotional arc is harder. It cheapens what should've been a real thing between them.
Makes total sense why the pacing fell apart too. Sounds like the author spent so long on the slow build that they ran out of room and just crammed everything into the back half, twists and all, and whatever storylines they couldn't cram in just got dropped.
And Mayah being wishy washy the entire time, "I love him I hate him I don't care," like girl pick a lane. Watching him get tortured and just not doing anything isn't deep, it's just frustrating to read because there's no logic behind it, you're just watching her flail.
Zev doing a full personality swap too, from soft and mushy to suddenly executing someone and leaving her with soldiers who hate her, that's not dark and mysterious, that's just inconsistent writing. Feels like the author needed him to be scary for the plot so he just was, with zero buildup.
Basically the whole thing had potential and just faceplanted halfway through.𓂃 𓈒𓏸 𓇼
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
This sounds SO frustrating. Like you wanted a slow burn enemies to lovers with twists that actually hit, and instead got neither.
The instant attraction thing kills me every time authors do that. If they're already vibing with each other from the jump, what am I even doing here, that's not enemies to lovers, that's just two people who like each other. The tension is the whole point. She was confessing her love to Daak in the first part then suddenly she is so attracted and in love with the stranger in a week, and some time after their marriage( Zev and Mayah ) she suddenly she sees Daak and she forgets everything about the man she loves and turns into a double agent. Not to mention the fact she let him kiss her and she was okay with it. CHEATINGGGGGGGGGGG🚨🚨
And using her panic attacks as the go to way to get them close every single time? That's not romance, that's just recycling the same trick because writing an actual emotional arc is harder. It cheapens what should've been a real thing between them.
Makes total sense why the pacing fell apart too. Sounds like the author spent so long on the slow build that they ran out of room and just crammed everything into the back half, twists and all, and whatever storylines they couldn't cram in just got dropped.
And Mayah being wishy washy the entire time, "I love him I hate him I don't care," like girl pick a lane. Watching him get tortured and just not doing anything isn't deep, it's just frustrating to read because there's no logic behind it, you're just watching her flail.
Zev doing a full personality swap too, from soft and mushy to suddenly executing someone and leaving her with soldiers who hate her, that's not dark and mysterious, that's just inconsistent writing. Feels like the author needed him to be scary for the plot so he just was, with zero buildup.
Basically the whole thing had potential and just faceplanted halfway through.𓂃 𓈒𓏸 𓇼
April 23, 2026
guys, believe me when i say i had a STRONG feeling this book was going to be a 5 star read from the very beginning.
and i stood ON THAT HILL. defended it. fought for it, even.
...right up until that plot twist happened.
after that? it was all downhill. (pun intended)
i also couldn't care less about where the story was heading by that point, so that definitely didn't help.
anyway, the main reason this ended up being a 3 star read is the fmc. she irritated me so bad oh my lord i was genuinely yelling at my book at 3am loud enough to wake my brother up like every time she opened her mouth i lost another year off my lifespan, im not even exaggerating. she got on every. single. one. of my nerves 🔪🔪😃
zev, however, is my baby. if anything bad ever happens to him again, i will be taking it personally <3
the book was very fast paced, which i liked, but the middle started feeling repetitive after a while? so that's another point against it.
as for the overall plot... i don't really have much to say because, once again, i simply was not invested enough to care.
sorry not sorry 😔
and i stood ON THAT HILL. defended it. fought for it, even.
...right up until that plot twist happened.
after that? it was all downhill. (pun intended)
i also couldn't care less about where the story was heading by that point, so that definitely didn't help.
anyway, the main reason this ended up being a 3 star read is the fmc. she irritated me so bad oh my lord i was genuinely yelling at my book at 3am loud enough to wake my brother up like every time she opened her mouth i lost another year off my lifespan, im not even exaggerating. she got on every. single. one. of my nerves 🔪🔪😃
zev, however, is my baby. if anything bad ever happens to him again, i will be taking it personally <3
the book was very fast paced, which i liked, but the middle started feeling repetitive after a while? so that's another point against it.
as for the overall plot... i don't really have much to say because, once again, i simply was not invested enough to care.
sorry not sorry 😔
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.
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!
April 10, 2026
I almost DNF'd this so many times. This author pulls a trick at about 50% which works the first time but then repeats the trick two more times, by the last time I wanted to throw the book it was so stupid. Small spoilers below but as a friend, I really advise you not to waste your time with this book:
It gets one star because it taught me why the "fated mates" construct exists. The intensity/obsession the MMC feels towards the FMC is just not believable or supported. The author tries to construct their connection in the beginning of the story but it doesn't work for me. It makes the pace of the book really disjointed, forced and their love never makes sense. Oh and then she was meant to be his brother's betrothed but magically everything works out and they get to be together right in the first 35% of the book. Eyeroll. Also trying to legitimize the enemies to lovers dynamic by him killing her ex was ridiculous. The author spends so much time building the narrative of him as a good guy and then has him completely out of character just to create friction in their relationship? If they were fated mates MAYBE that could have made sense but it still would have been rough. This taught me that the "fated mate" trope can have an important purpose in a plot.
The most interesting parts of the story the author abandons almost as quickly as they are brought up. Like Zevs dad potentially being a good guy or the lore with Mayahs grandmother.
This book loses at least two stars immediately because of how bad the 1st person POV nets out. Mayahs internal dialogue is goofy and the author uses it to try to explain plot holes, and it comes across sloppy. You're just expected to believe these sweeping comments in Mayahs head that you've got no exposition to support. The author also tries this with the dialogue between characters which can work if a skilled writer is doing it but this author simply doesn't have the talent.
Nonsensical dream sequences that provided nothing. If something can be cut entirely and makes no impact on the story then you are just wasting my time. The dreams weren't adding vibes either they were simply filling time. Unforgivable.
Another star is lost because of how hollow and poor developed the villains are. You need a strong villain & a strong villain is only created with a great orgin story. If you're going to have a vapid villain then you better spend some time with them so the audience understands that they are just a loser. The author didn't do any of this with the bad guys and so they are just hokey.
It gets one star because it taught me why the "fated mates" construct exists. The intensity/obsession the MMC feels towards the FMC is just not believable or supported. The author tries to construct their connection in the beginning of the story but it doesn't work for me. It makes the pace of the book really disjointed, forced and their love never makes sense. Oh and then she was meant to be his brother's betrothed but magically everything works out and they get to be together right in the first 35% of the book. Eyeroll. Also trying to legitimize the enemies to lovers dynamic by him killing her ex was ridiculous. The author spends so much time building the narrative of him as a good guy and then has him completely out of character just to create friction in their relationship? If they were fated mates MAYBE that could have made sense but it still would have been rough. This taught me that the "fated mate" trope can have an important purpose in a plot.
The most interesting parts of the story the author abandons almost as quickly as they are brought up. Like Zevs dad potentially being a good guy or the lore with Mayahs grandmother.
This book loses at least two stars immediately because of how bad the 1st person POV nets out. Mayahs internal dialogue is goofy and the author uses it to try to explain plot holes, and it comes across sloppy. You're just expected to believe these sweeping comments in Mayahs head that you've got no exposition to support. The author also tries this with the dialogue between characters which can work if a skilled writer is doing it but this author simply doesn't have the talent.
Nonsensical dream sequences that provided nothing. If something can be cut entirely and makes no impact on the story then you are just wasting my time. The dreams weren't adding vibes either they were simply filling time. Unforgivable.
Another star is lost because of how hollow and poor developed the villains are. You need a strong villain & a strong villain is only created with a great orgin story. If you're going to have a vapid villain then you better spend some time with them so the audience understands that they are just a loser. The author didn't do any of this with the bad guys and so they are just hokey.
April 9, 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.
June 3, 2026
Loved Zev and Mayah!!! I'm looking forward to reading Zev's POV someday.
Want to Read
October 24, 2026🌊Pre-Read:🌊
Enemies to lovers. Forced marriage to broker a peace between kingdoms. AND it's a standalone??!
Heard such great things, excited to be starting this one next! *Fingers crossed* I break my current string of back-to-back dnfs!!! 🤞🤞🤞
Enemies to lovers. Forced marriage to broker a peace between kingdoms. AND it's a standalone??!
Heard such great things, excited to be starting this one next! *Fingers crossed* I break my current string of back-to-back dnfs!!! 🤞🤞🤞
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.
May 5, 2026
1.5 ⭐️ God gave me eyes, and I have abused them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Elemental magic & Healer princess
✅ Forced proximity & Captivity
✅ Arranged marriage
✅ Betrayals and plot twists
✅ Sharing a cloak at night, and a horse
✅ Court politics
✅ Zev
✅(🆗) Mayah
✅(🆗) Hate to love
✅(🆗) Pace
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths, torture, drowning, electrocution, attempted rape, and mentions of past sexual assault, PTSD, and panic attacks
🔥 Spice level: 🌶️🌶️ / 5
Strong 3.5 stars
I did enjoy this book a lot, and it could probably have been a 4.5 or 5-star read if it had been longer and some ideas had been more developed. There is potential, for sure, but the second half, especially, felt rushed. I was promised emotional damage, and while I did enjoy Mayah and Zev’s story, I was hoping for more.
To end the war between Tundrayn and Arbinj, a marriage is arranged between Princess Mayah and Prince Faramir. After Faramir fails to come get Mayah, she is forced to travel for weeks with Faramir’s younger brother, the ruthless and feared Dark Commander.
I do not want to reveal too much about the plot, because there are many twists that I do not want to spoil.
I love the world-building. Tundrayn and Arbinj are vastly different, and it shows in what magic their wielders possess, but also their climate, their clothing, the food they eat, and the dance they know. I like that in the end, it wasn’t just two very similar nations, only with different names. Mayah has to adapt to this new life, as she discovers new customs and food, while dealing with court politics and always trying her best to do what would help her nation the most.
Besides the war between Tundrayn and Arbinj, and the inner court’s politics, both kingdoms also need to deal with rebels. There are disparities between wielders and non-wielders, creating growing anger in both countries. Non-wielders are treated like lesser beings, and the rebellion is aiming to get rid of both Kings and get equal rights for non-wielders. Mayah cares for the non-wielders and the rebels’ cause, and has been trying to get her father to help the non-wielders for years, without success.
The plot is engaging and has some unexpected twists, the ideas are good, but at times it felt a little rushed. This story would have benefited from having an extra 100 or even 200 pages to better develop some of the ideas and tropes in the book. The first half focuses on the romance developing between Mayah and Zev, and while it is developing over a few weeks, it feels like only a few days because there is not much time spent on their time traveling together. Then, the second half focuses on the politics and the rebellion brewing in both countries, but again, I feel that some things were rushed.
There are a few plot twists in the book, but while some of them were enjoyable, others seemed to be there only for shock value, thrown in our face only so we could move on to the next big reveal, and I didn’t enjoy those as much. I don’t want to say too much, because I don’t want to spoil anyone.
As I said, the pace is the main reason I can’t give a higher rating to this book. The second half especially felt rushed; too many things were happening too quickly, without any chance for the characters or us to catch our breath. There were idle moments, but they were not described; it was always time jumps in between the action scenes or key revelations, making it a series of action, revelation, action, romantic development, action, revelation, and after a while, it made the story lose some of its quality. I would have loved to see more about the everyday life in the rebel camp, or see some casual moments between Mayah and her friends. It would have allowed me to care more about the secondary characters, to begin with, but also to be more immersed in the plot and to better understand the strong bond between Mayah and her friends. I was told repeatedly about their deep friendship, but I didn’t feel it that much, because I didn’t see enough of them together. By the time I got to the last 10%, everything felt rushed, and some revelations were dropped at the very end with a very quick resolution of the political and romantic drama, and I am still not sure how I feel about it.
I loved the fighting scenes with the wielders. The way they use their abilities to attack and defend created great action sequences, and I would not have minded seeing more of it. The final battle felt rushed, and the villains were dispatched too easily. I wanted the battles to last a little longer, for the rebels to show what they could do, and how they managed to stay alive this long.
Mayah’s reactions are not always consistent. She is mature and takes the time to think about the outcome of her every action most of the time, but other times, she is rash and impulsive. At first, she seems to always think about the political repercussions of her decisions, especially once she reaches Arbinj’s palace, but when she gets bored and pissed at Zev, she goes around threatening palace employees to get what she wants, and she argues with Zev in front of anyone. She also claims many times that her father made her into a weapon, but she mostly shows co-dependency and empathy through her work as a healer, not fitting the image I have of someone made into a weapon… Mayah is also very empathetic, which makes her a great healer, but she is almost too empathetic at times.
Zev is a good character and love interest, but he is nothing out of the usual fantasy dark and mysterious handsome Prince we are used to in the romantasy series. I enjoyed the fact that he was not ashamed of showing his softer side to Mayah, and that he fell first, but while I liked him, I can’t say that I fell in love with him. I can’t reproach him much, but he did not stand out either. If you enjoy broody, strong leading males who fall first and have a hidden soft side, and who take the “touch her and die” trope very seriously, you will like Zev.
As I said earlier, the pace is a little off at times, and it impacts the romance. There is no insta love or insta-lust, but while Mayah and Zev travelled for weeks together, it felt more like days, so their growing affection and desire seemed like a sudden change at times, even though it happened over weeks spent in forced proximity. The same thing happened once they reached the capital; what Mayah describes as endless days did not feel as long, so her frustration toward Zev and her situation lost some impact. Overall, while Mayah and Zev were enemies at first, it felt more like an inconvenience-to-lovers than an enemies-to-lovers romance. Zev was mostly kind to Mayah from the start, and she didn’t seem to need a lot of encouragement to fall for him either. Mayah hated Zev, but he seemed to start caring for her almost right away. It didn’t take them long to start to bond. On a side note, while traveling together, Mayah and Zev take watch at night, but they also sleep at the same time. Who is watching then? I kept wondering…
That being said, I liked the romance between Mayah and Zev, and I liked that in the end, it was more complicated than what I initially thought. There were trust issues and lies between them, and instead of working to solve those issues, there was a too-easy resolution, without any in-depth work or conversation, and voilà. It felt like an easy way out, and it did them a disservice. I would have preferred if they had to work a little harder for their happy ending.
Despite the pace that was too fast at times, and the romance that could have been better, there is potential in this book, and I am curious and eager to see what this author will come up with in the future.
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✅ Elemental magic & Healer princess
✅ Forced proximity & Captivity
✅ Arranged marriage
✅ Betrayals and plot twists
✅ Sharing a cloak at night, and a horse
✅ Court politics
✅ Zev
✅(🆗) Mayah
✅(🆗) Hate to love
✅(🆗) Pace
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: deaths, torture, drowning, electrocution, attempted rape, and mentions of past sexual assault, PTSD, and panic attacks
🔥 Spice level: 🌶️🌶️ / 5
Strong 3.5 stars
I did enjoy this book a lot, and it could probably have been a 4.5 or 5-star read if it had been longer and some ideas had been more developed. There is potential, for sure, but the second half, especially, felt rushed. I was promised emotional damage, and while I did enjoy Mayah and Zev’s story, I was hoping for more.
To end the war between Tundrayn and Arbinj, a marriage is arranged between Princess Mayah and Prince Faramir. After Faramir fails to come get Mayah, she is forced to travel for weeks with Faramir’s younger brother, the ruthless and feared Dark Commander.
I do not want to reveal too much about the plot, because there are many twists that I do not want to spoil.
I’m not the first Tundrayni princess that was sent to Arbinj with the hope of peace. My grandmother made the journey decades before me. Her marriage lasted only three months— three months of agony and humiliation and abuse— before a group of Tundrayni warriors rescued her.
I love the world-building. Tundrayn and Arbinj are vastly different, and it shows in what magic their wielders possess, but also their climate, their clothing, the food they eat, and the dance they know. I like that in the end, it wasn’t just two very similar nations, only with different names. Mayah has to adapt to this new life, as she discovers new customs and food, while dealing with court politics and always trying her best to do what would help her nation the most.
Besides the war between Tundrayn and Arbinj, and the inner court’s politics, both kingdoms also need to deal with rebels. There are disparities between wielders and non-wielders, creating growing anger in both countries. Non-wielders are treated like lesser beings, and the rebellion is aiming to get rid of both Kings and get equal rights for non-wielders. Mayah cares for the non-wielders and the rebels’ cause, and has been trying to get her father to help the non-wielders for years, without success.
The plot is engaging and has some unexpected twists, the ideas are good, but at times it felt a little rushed. This story would have benefited from having an extra 100 or even 200 pages to better develop some of the ideas and tropes in the book. The first half focuses on the romance developing between Mayah and Zev, and while it is developing over a few weeks, it feels like only a few days because there is not much time spent on their time traveling together. Then, the second half focuses on the politics and the rebellion brewing in both countries, but again, I feel that some things were rushed.
There are a few plot twists in the book, but while some of them were enjoyable, others seemed to be there only for shock value, thrown in our face only so we could move on to the next big reveal, and I didn’t enjoy those as much. I don’t want to say too much, because I don’t want to spoil anyone.
As I said, the pace is the main reason I can’t give a higher rating to this book. The second half especially felt rushed; too many things were happening too quickly, without any chance for the characters or us to catch our breath. There were idle moments, but they were not described; it was always time jumps in between the action scenes or key revelations, making it a series of action, revelation, action, romantic development, action, revelation, and after a while, it made the story lose some of its quality. I would have loved to see more about the everyday life in the rebel camp, or see some casual moments between Mayah and her friends. It would have allowed me to care more about the secondary characters, to begin with, but also to be more immersed in the plot and to better understand the strong bond between Mayah and her friends. I was told repeatedly about their deep friendship, but I didn’t feel it that much, because I didn’t see enough of them together. By the time I got to the last 10%, everything felt rushed, and some revelations were dropped at the very end with a very quick resolution of the political and romantic drama, and I am still not sure how I feel about it.
I loved the fighting scenes with the wielders. The way they use their abilities to attack and defend created great action sequences, and I would not have minded seeing more of it. The final battle felt rushed, and the villains were dispatched too easily. I wanted the battles to last a little longer, for the rebels to show what they could do, and how they managed to stay alive this long.
Mayah’s reactions are not always consistent. She is mature and takes the time to think about the outcome of her every action most of the time, but other times, she is rash and impulsive. At first, she seems to always think about the political repercussions of her decisions, especially once she reaches Arbinj’s palace, but when she gets bored and pissed at Zev, she goes around threatening palace employees to get what she wants, and she argues with Zev in front of anyone. She also claims many times that her father made her into a weapon, but she mostly shows co-dependency and empathy through her work as a healer, not fitting the image I have of someone made into a weapon… Mayah is also very empathetic, which makes her a great healer, but she is almost too empathetic at times.
Zev is a good character and love interest, but he is nothing out of the usual fantasy dark and mysterious handsome Prince we are used to in the romantasy series. I enjoyed the fact that he was not ashamed of showing his softer side to Mayah, and that he fell first, but while I liked him, I can’t say that I fell in love with him. I can’t reproach him much, but he did not stand out either. If you enjoy broody, strong leading males who fall first and have a hidden soft side, and who take the “touch her and die” trope very seriously, you will like Zev.
When nothing happens, he sheathes his sword and turns around.
Just in time for my hand to connect soundly with his cheek. His head swings sideways, and a resounding, satisfying, crack resonates through the frigid air.
My palm stings, but the shock in his eyes sends a warm rush of gratification through me.
I jab a finger into his chest.
“You will not touch me again,” I hiss.
As I said earlier, the pace is a little off at times, and it impacts the romance. There is no insta love or insta-lust, but while Mayah and Zev travelled for weeks together, it felt more like days, so their growing affection and desire seemed like a sudden change at times, even though it happened over weeks spent in forced proximity. The same thing happened once they reached the capital; what Mayah describes as endless days did not feel as long, so her frustration toward Zev and her situation lost some impact. Overall, while Mayah and Zev were enemies at first, it felt more like an inconvenience-to-lovers than an enemies-to-lovers romance. Zev was mostly kind to Mayah from the start, and she didn’t seem to need a lot of encouragement to fall for him either. Mayah hated Zev, but he seemed to start caring for her almost right away. It didn’t take them long to start to bond. On a side note, while traveling together, Mayah and Zev take watch at night, but they also sleep at the same time. Who is watching then? I kept wondering…
That being said, I liked the romance between Mayah and Zev, and I liked that in the end, it was more complicated than what I initially thought. There were trust issues and lies between them, and instead of working to solve those issues, there was a too-easy resolution, without any in-depth work or conversation, and voilà. It felt like an easy way out, and it did them a disservice. I would have preferred if they had to work a little harder for their happy ending.
Despite the pace that was too fast at times, and the romance that could have been better, there is potential in this book, and I am curious and eager to see what this author will come up with in the future.
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March 1, 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.
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