Married by Wind

by Angela J. Ford

A cursed lamp, a mortal woman, the god of wind, and an arranged marriage that could devastate their hearts.

When sand devils attack Ulika’s tribe and destroy her home, she travels to fae mountain to ask for help.

When she arrives, she accidentally traps the Wind in a lamp and binds herself to him.

In his fury, he takes her to the hall of the gods to ask the spirits to sever the bond between them.

The spirits aren’t keen to help and decide the binding is a perfect opportunity to teach the Wind a lesson.

He and the mortal girl are bound together until he helps her rid the desert of the sand devils.

Obstacles arise as the two work together, but as time passes, they discover one truth.

Even though a mortal and an immortal don’t belong together, perhaps their love can break all curses.

Read the origins of the first jinn, set in the magical land of Nomadia, where forbidden love has the possibility of changing the future forever.

Arranged Marriages of the Fae is a multi-author series of romantic fantasy stand-alone short novels, designed to be read independently. Together, they approach the theme of arranged marriages in fae fantasy from a variety of different angles and tones and offer complete romances while also allowing the reader to enjoy a variety of tones and approaches. Perfect for romantic fantasy readers with busy lives who love swoony romance.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fae, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Young Adult, Fiction

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2022

About the author

Angela J. Ford is a bestselling fantasy romance author who writes mortal × immortal forbidden romance featuring Black heroines in worlds where gothic cinema meets fantasy.

Angela's standalone novels deliver steamy yearning, atmospheric world-building, and complete emotional satisfaction in one book. No cliffhangers. No waiting years for sequels. No series commitment required.

Perfect for readers who love the ache of mortal/immortal romance, want meaningful Black representation in fantasy, and prefer complete standalone stories over multi-book series commitments.

When she's not crafting fantasy romance worlds, Angela can be found with her nose in a book, curating romantasy book boxes for readers, or exploring new ways to bring her stories to life through signed editions and immersive book experiences.

Visit her website (angelajford.com) for signed hardcovers, exclusive book boxes and luxe bookish candles.

Reviews

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Married by Wind is the first book within the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series.

In this, you will meet Ulika and Vinn. She is a mere mortal and he's the god of wind. Together? An unlikely romance but an adventure with the sand devils brings them closer to one another. In some ways, you could call this a second chance at romance, but you can also call this a fake to real marriage/romance as well.

Either way, it was all fast paced and exciting until the very last page. I do; however, kind of wish things were explained a bit more... but with novellas I can't really complain. Very easy to fly through and can't wait for the next book to fall into my lap. Or onto my kindle. Either option will make me happy.

[Ashlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute, and fast read. There is a little adventure, second chance romance, and forbidden love. I definitely enjoyed reading this book, and liked the two main characters. I know this was a novella, but I kind of wish some things were explained a little more in detail. But overall, this was a very good read. I recommend this if you are looking for a fade-to-black romance with fae/gods and adventure.

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+ Stars!

A jinn origin story. It was entertaining. Happy reading.

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only thing good about this was that it was easy to read.

This was very disappointing. I looked forward to this for a while and it did not meet expectations.

I knew going into this it would be short and that the series as a whole are all by different authors. The writing isn't bad, however it feels very amateur. Nothing was explained in great detail and often times I found myself wondering how they were even standing.

The romance was absoluetly lack luster. The first chapter was so beautiful but after that it all just goes downhill. The H and h already have a past so there is no tension and they're are both so wishy washy. Pretty much all the way up until the last chapter it was a back and forth about them and it was really just annoying.

Also, it was sooo repetitive. All they talked about how he was immortal and she wasn't and they'd never work out and "oh dear you cannot give up your immortality and magic for me, it just wouldnt be right" -eye roll- I felt no butterflies reading this and even the kiss scenes felt boring and short and the romantic declerations just made me yawn. I've gotten more feeling an excitement reading a 70 page novella compared to all 218 pages of this.

I hate to leave such a negative review because the author is so nice but I just couldn't get into this.

Two stars for it being an easy read and something I was able to finish.



Safety:
-No om drama
-ow drama: I don't really know. I got the impression he'd never been with another person before, however later in the book another god mentions "others" and the h recalls seeing flashes of red from a cloth and not roses and perfume of flowers, then the h says she's the only one for him? Not sure what his past is but she did feel a bit insecure after that.
-no cheating
-3ish day seperation

[Mo Jordan]

Married by Wind: DNF at 55%


My Thoughts:
I'm so sad! I was beyond excited to discover this series and I've been seeing it super hyped all over IG. I felt like it had all of my buzzwords and fully expected to love the books in every single way. Unfortunately, I just couldn't really get into Married by Wind. I found this so incredibly slow. It took me almost a week to get halfway through... and this is a novella. I also thought the writing style was incredibly simplistic, which made it feel like a very early YA level. I didn't realize this was YA anyway, but even if I had known going in, this would have been tough to enjoy because YA doesn't mean that quality can be lacking.

Because there are various authors involved in this series, I MIGHT try another book sometime in the future, but we shall see...


--------------------------------------

[Brianne Wik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get swept away in this tale of love, survival and second chances. I loved the genuine characters and their second chance romance. Ulika was sincere and gentle, but also a fierce woman fighting for her tribe and family. Vinn had the biggest growth as a character, but I loved watching his heart soften and his love grow.

Beautiful and heartwarming. Loved this story.

[Francesca]

Reading vlog dove leggo tutta la serie qui (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞ https://youtu.be/OYArImc1XFU

[lexi vega · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 / 5 ⭐️

okay this was my first angela j. ford story, and i want more! i would read fifty books about vinn and ulika and all of the adventures they go on after this story. vinn was such a softie for his wife and i loved every second. when he was just admiring her painting in the beginning of the book???? swoon.

this book had the perfect balance of pacing, character development, adventure, romance, and magic, and i wish I stumbled across these short stories sooner because i already know i’m about to read them all in one week.

[🔥🌅🧞‍♂️🌬️🕯️🐪]

[Pabla is petty ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

At this point, I really need to stop finishing books I know I'm not enjoying while reading them.

No chemistry. An entire book of "will we" and "won't we." A whole book of the H complaining about being a god and wanting to live like a mortal. A whole book of the h worrying about how she and the H will find a way to stay together like her life depends on it, but it never felt like anything was truly at risk 🤷🏻‍♀. A half-developed relationship between the MCs. A whole lot of mushy, cutesy kisses—pecks, really—that add nothing to the MCs' relationship. Seriously, a whole lot of nothing except stuff that made the MCs sound juvenile and whiney.

I don't know if I need to give up on finding my favorite fantasy romance for 2022 or call it a year and go back to dark romances.

[Sahana Ramnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

💫 Vibes of Aladdin's lamp and the genie!
💫 Second chance romance + romance between a mischievous wind god and a vibrant mortal woman
💫 They have to quest together whilst being fake married!!
💫 A love that has to fight against and endure the wrath of the gods
💫 Cool af fighting scenes
💫 Also, all the second chance pining and angst

[Elissa Gunton · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a dnf for me. Just not my vibes, very quickly written, it’s a fast read but I got to 35% and gave up. It felt too much like a summary to me and not enough detail to keep me interested.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly magical and enchanting tale about a mortal woman Ulika, and the god of wind, Vinn who though not meant to interact with one another, fall in a love which is forbidden. Ulika's tribe is devastated by sand devils and she seeks the aid of the gods in the fae mountain, taking with her a gift of a gold lamp. However when she arrives she accidentally traps the god of wind in the lamp, which instead of a gift turns into a curse, and he in turn takes her to the frost mountains to seek the aid of the gods. Justice intervenes and binds them together, sending them on a quest across the desert to destroy the sand devils, saying they will only be free once they succeed. Both of them feel it is their own fault for the problem of the sand devils and they are full of remorse. They also fall deeply in love and are ready to do anything to stay together, but there are those who would see them fail. Namely Tallen, the god of might, who is jealous of Vinn and his power. However nothing can stand in the way of true love. I love the characters in this tale, Ulika is dauntless and puts others' interest before her own, and Vinn is ready to give up everything for the love of his mortal woman. The romance is a slow burn and makes for a great read. As usual the narrative is very descriptive, Ms. Ford paints a picture which brings the desert to life, and this is one characteristic which makes reading her books so pleasurable.

[Constance Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun quick read

A story of forbidden love, Married by Wind is rich with its descriptions and fast-paced. The prose has some truly stunning moments, and the setting felt oh so real. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the magic, of Vinn being/directing the wind.

Ulika is a sweet character, and I loved her bravery. Vinn's ache for connection, for something beyond his lonely life, was super relatable, and I just wanted him to be happy.

My only squabble was that the romance felt quick to me--understandable, given that this is a novella, and definitely a personal preference, as I tend to prefer slow-burn romances. Nevertheless, there were some adorably sweet moments between them.

Overall, this is a fun, fast-paced, action-packed story, and a great opening to the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series.

[Caitlyn (delightful.reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arranged by Wind is a tale of magic in the desert. It is also a tale of second chance romance.

Ulika is a part of a desert tribe. When sand devils threaten her tribe, she makes a journey to Fae Mountain, where she accidentally traps Vinn, the god of wind, in a cursed lamp. The two have to journey across the desert to undo the curse and stop the sand devils.

All in all, this was a fun (& quick read) that acts as a prequel of sorts to the Tales of Nomadia (Treachery of Water). I really enjoyed the djinn elements and the relationship between Ulika and Vinn! If you like tales reminiscent of Aladdin, pick this one up!

Special Thanks to the author and Books of Matches Media for the eARC!

[Chris Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have been good but alas, it was simply mediocre at best 🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe, if we were told more of their history, it would make more sense. Show me how they fell in love and drifted apart, don't just say that they did and expect me to swoon! The guy is a god but he's weak for most of the series. He may as well have been a normal man. The girl had no redeeming qualities either except for being in love with the guy from the start.
Won't be reading the rest of the series.

2.5 stars 💕

[Kellie Nylund · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I always wanted to know the origins of the Jinn that Angela introduced in the Lore of Normadia trilogy. I think I’m developing a love for arrange marriage trope because it was well done

I do plan on reading the rest of the Arranged Marriages of the Fae. I can’t wait to see how the other authors did with their books. I did preorder the hard copy of this book and arrived early.

[Brinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Id really been looking forward to this collection, so I'm so sad I didn't love this one. I guess I just expected more angst and connection between the characters. Part of the problem might be that this was second-chance romance, which I love in longer books, but felt a bit rushed in a novella. I own another of Ford's books, A Treachery of Water, so I'll be picking that up, and hoping it's better

[mer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vinn was a god of wind then turned into jinn because he fell in love with a mortal, Ulika.

It took me awhile to finish. I did pause in between, thinking to DNF because I couldn't connect with the main characters. The storyline is flat and the chemistry is dull, it's hard to enjoy reading it.

Read on your own peril.

[kate (declan’s version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

kinda mid tbh

[Kiera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh, this book was so cute! The only thing I hated about it was that it wasn't more detailed/longer. I know this is supposed to be a novella, but the premise was good and more detail/a continued storyline could have made this book great. The romance was sweet, that action came fast, and I truly think this could have been a great independent series of it's own but sadly, there isn't any more to the story for the FMC from here on. The rest of the books in the series are meant to be read as standalones and do not follow the same characters.
3/5 🌟 0.5/5 🌶

[Sofia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a story with a lot of potential that felt like a modern retelling of an Arabian fable. (It's kind of implied that the two main characters end up being the ancestors of the genie we know in Aladdin.)

That said, the book felt more like a first draft than a complete thing. It left me with many questions, but before I get to those...

What I liked about this book:
• Vinn and Ulika as a couple had chemistry. I enjoyed that they already knew each other before the story begins, although the extent of their relationship isn't established.

I wanted more romance-y things with them and I was kind of disappointed with how little of it we got.

Now, on what I disliked:
• It was unclear how the curse came to be. Vinn moved some rocks and Ulika found a golden lamp and she kept it to herself and that somehow set the curse off. It's also implied the goat guy god was behind it. Overall, the curse felt lazily done, as though not enough thought was put into it.

• The evil monsters of the book are also really easily defeated. The entire book was Vinn and Ulika travelling to their lair to defeat them but not once during their travel did they talk about the sand devils, what they do and how they might kill them. Most of the travel was spent them anguishing over being in love with each other and trying not to kiss and, don't get me wrong, I was super into that, it vaguely gave me the same vibes as Mulder and Scully from The X Files, but I would have liked for there to be more... something about the monsters of this book.

It really felt that the author wanted there to be an external conflict so they have the two characters do shippy things in the desert. And I was really into the shippy thing, but it felt like there was ultimately no purpose behind the sand devils.

• It is revealed in the end that Ulika is a fire mage and just ??? There's something mentioned in the beginning about fairies and mages having a rivalry I think? I don't know, like all the ~lore in this book it wasn't really explored or developed, so I don't remember exactly what it was. Anyway, this wasn't addressed at all when it's mentioned in the end. Which should be, seeing that Vinn is a fairy? I get that the two were drowning in their pheromones and wanted to bang after that slosburn in the desert, but still.

Was Ulika somehow left in the desert and her "family" found her? Is everyone in her family a fire mage too? Or a mage in general?

Also, how come she, a mage, is mortal and Vinn is immortal and a fairy turned god? The hierarchy if gods, faeries and mages is never properly developed either.

• Vinn isn't really punished in the end and if anything, Ulika gains powers (or it's confirmed she had them all along, idk, not properly developed). There is this ~warning that their offspring may end up the genie from Aladdin but it's unclear how they will actually get trapped in the lamp, just that this ~might happen. And anyway, didn't the goddess Justice take the lamp to store it away after they trapped the monsters inside? How would it reach their offspring so we get the Aladdin genie? I really think that this was added just so we, the readers, would read the part about being trapped in a lamp and having to grant 3 wishes and hope that one of them is that the genie is freed, so we go "omg! That's just like in Aladdin!" And I did like the correlation but that didn't last.

Overall, everything felt rushed and as though the writer didn't really feel like properly developing her world-building.

I was initially going to do a three star rating but ultimately the only thing I liked about his book were Ulika and Vinn's romantic scenes and we didn't even get enough of those. We could have at least gotten a proper love making scene that another half-bootied "they made love and then also wandered around this garden of paradise and lived happily ever after".

[Catherine Sobol · Rating 3 out of 5]

>> ACTUAL RATING 3.5*

It was an okay book. Nothing spectacular or particularly memorable, but pretty good; the extra 0.5* I'm adding for the (pretty much perfect) ending.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐/5
SPICE: 🌶️/4
VIOLENCE: 🩸/4

✅ World
✅🆗 Writing
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 Romance
🆗❌ Plot

***

As I mentioned, this book was alright. Its most interesting aspect was actually the setting and world, I loved the desert, the cultural aspects, and the magic system. The worldbuilding was clear, and though a tiny bit info dump-ey at times, I can forgive it.
The characters were fine, though not very memorable. I liked Ulika because she was kind and compassionate, and I appreciate that she didn't hold unnecessary grudges or cause drama. She's definitely a protagonist of the kind I like, though I would have liked her more if she'd had actual character development, or really a little more depth in general.
Same goes for Vinn actually; he was an alright character with likable and believable traits, but even though he had more development than Ulika, still lacking in that department as well.
The fact that this is a novella isn't an excuse to neglect character arcs, in my opinion, especially if the book is dialogue- and journey-based, as opposed to action with lots of characters, like this one. I feel like, with Vinn, he suffered from the author telling us about him (especially his flaws) as opposed to showing. That's probably unavoidable, to an extent, but it was the reason I couldn't really take any of his supposed flaws seriously. The way he is in the book, he's too perfect for my liking.

The plot, in my opinion, was the weak point of the book, and the main reason I'm giving 3,5* as opposed to 4*. The pacing was all over the place, too fast at times and then too slow at others. The story itself was fine, and the fact that there was very little of it as well, technically, just the way it was presented was not good. There was very little buildup or foreshadowing; I found myself basically just following along blindly without being given anything to interpret or speculate on, which is in my eyes a crucial factor in keeping a reader engaged and at the edge of their seat. The twists didn't end up affecting me because they came out of the blue.
One example of this is Ulika's fire magic; I may have missed something but as far as I'm aware, it wasn't set up or foreshadowed at all. Another is the ending, and how Vinn was able to keep his powers while still being with her. There was never any mention of the possibility of an option like that, so it was kind of just an "oh I guess that's a thing that was possible??" moment for me. Even though I have to say that I LOVE that he got to keep his powers and still be with her. I would have probably subtracted a whole star if this were another book with the (extremely annoying) "immortal has to choose his lover over his powers" ending.

***

Overall, the book was fine. I enjoyed the premise and the setting, and the characters for the most part. The story was kind of messy though.
As of now, the Arranged Marriages of the Fae series isn't leaving the best impression, with how Married by Fate was an outright disaster, and this one being more or less meh, but hopefully the series will end better than it started; I'm definitely not giving up on it.

[Prachi · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a stupid book. Kept hoping it would get better, but it just got worse and worse and before i knew it, the damn thing was over. Lame main character, no world building, half assed mythology, and the love story was shit. My 3 year old nephew can write a better story.

[Chelsea Toppin · Rating 1 out of 5]

While this book is a novella, it was so quick in every aspect. Little character development and a weak plot. The writing wasn't the greatest--the dialogue between the characters was especially bad. Sounded strained, forced, unnatural.

The cover is beautiful, but this is one book you shouldn't judge by the cover.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Premise sounded super interesting but ultimately story fell pretty flat and I couldn’t really sink into the story/characters when I felt like the POV switched every other paragraph either MMC in first person and FMC in third or FMC in first and MMC in third it was just hard for me to get into a flow

[Rose | Adventurous Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfection

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit, this was partly a cover-buy. The cover of this book, and the entire series, is just beautiful! Don't get me wrong, I love all those covers with fierce girls in pretty outfits, but this gives a certain old school romance feeling. I can't wait to have the entire series on the shelves, especially because each book is based on another very common romance trope! The trope at the centre of this book? Fake Marriage, one of my favorites!

Normally I'm not a big lover of books set in the desert. It's hard to explain why exactly, but since I hope to end up with a lot of empathy for the characters, I guess I just don't like the heat and the sand and it feels like I'm spending time there if a book is written right. However, for some reason Ford managed to make this desert feel like more than a bunch of sand with a burning sun. It felt rich, and lively and filled with interesting people. I actually wished we could see more of it!

Since this is the first book in the series of interconnected tales, all written by different authors, I had no idea what to expect, but I love how all the different mythologies, the Fae, the Gods, the Djinn and other supernatural creatures, blended nicely. It never felt chaotic, it never felt all over the place, it just felt like this world was filled with endless possibilities, which only made me even more excited about the books yet to come!

I also really enjoyed the book as a stand alone. The characters were easy to like and therefore easy to root for. Especially our heroine's longings to travel, for more, were so easy to identify with. If there's one thing I always long for it's for freedom, for seeing the world. I also really loved encountering a black girl, written by a black author, as the heroine in a romance novel! I think it happens very rarely, which is a pity, and I will for sure check out this author's backlist to hopefully find more!

[C.K. Beggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC and this is an honest, voluntary review.

Married by Wind is my definition of cozy fantasy. With a unique take on the tale of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp and djinn, the story is pleasantly familiar as we see two characters on a romantic collision course undertake a dangerous journey through the desert.

I was so pleased to see this series start out with a second chance love story. This made the characters' feelings very believable despite the brevity of the story; they had three months together to develop feelings before the story even began! Note that the marriage is more of necessity due to circumstances, rather than an arranged one, and you shouldn't expect the spice you may be familiar with in Angela J. Ford's other romantic tales.

Another caveat: If you're expecting fae from this story (as I was, based on the series title), you'll only encounter any in a roundabout way. Instead, Married by Wind focuses on deities, sacred places and a cursed lamp. I did wish Vinn's character, who has a long backstory that's mostly just alluded to, was more fleshed out, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

[Courtney · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had potential, but it was too short to successfully execute it. The story started in a very weird place. Even just a couple pages of background at the beginning could have helped so much. Instead, I was left feeling awkward and confused about the MC's relationship. And then the author tried to cram in way too more lore in without nearly enough explanation. Even now, I can't explain this world at all or how the fae, mortals, and gods overlap/interact. But I could have overlooked all that and wrote it off as an unfortunate consequence of novellas if the characters had been loveable, but they weren't. The biggest issue was that the writing was all tell, no show. There was no passion or emotion. It felt almost like a boring non-fiction story. The MC's had no chemistry. Love was just a word, not a feeling. Plus, Vinn was pretty unlikeable. He was selfish and reckless. He is the exact kind of guy I could see resenting his wife for his loss of power, even though he insists it won't happen.

[cheryl bunting Rose Bud · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

It was ok.

Ulika lives in a sand villige, with her family, when the sand devils attack she goes to Fae mountain to asked the God of wind for help, not knowing it she ends up capturing the God of Wind, inside of the lamp she planned to offer as a gift.

The God of Wind has always liked Ulika, loved the way she paints, she dances, the way the wind captures her hair, in its’ gentle caresses.
He can't have her though, it’s not right for God to fall for a Mortal, even if he had visited her village in human disguise, and had fallen in love with her.
When she binds him to her, it is even more of a struggle not to fall for her, and the Fae won’t help.

This book was cute but repetitive, the same line used over and over, I can't fall for him, I can't fall for her…. I nearly DNF’D it, but it’s so short I managed to finish it. I did prefer the God of Wind’s POV.
I wanted to give this more than 3 stars, but it just didn’t do it for me. but don’t take my word for it. Read for yourself.