5/5

For fans of: enemies-to-lovers, epic fantasy, political intrigue, political marriage, forced alliances, slow burn romance

The Big Questions:

• What genre is this in? Fantasy, Romance

• Are there any swoon-worthy characters? No one is outright swoon-worthy, but the main couple grows on you.

• Is it spicy? ACOTAR-level spice

• Is it violent or gory? PG-13-level violence

• Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? Buy it!

Synopsis: The heart is a battlefield.

All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows.

Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire's rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion--one that could save their world...or destroy it.

Review: As a longtime fan of Thea Guanzon’s immaculately romantic and epic writing, I have been waiting for EONS to read this book. My expectations were through the roof and she met every single one. I reviewed my annotations and I highlighted a good quarter of this book with my favourite scenes, descriptions, and quotes. Its too much. Thea, ITS TOO MUCH.

You want epic world-building with a unique magic system, political intrigue with crafty manipulators, multiple cultures (including a matriarchy?!?!?!?!?!) with rich and complicated histories? Here you go. You want action sequences with magic wielders, an ongoing war where both sides believe they are in the right, literal light and darkness suddenly working together to form something new? HERE YOU GO. You want a feisty female main character fighting for her found family while also discovering her own hidden past, an extremely disciplined and powerful male main character fighting to end a war that destroyed his family suddenly getting completely thrown off his axis when he meets his equal, and a massive world-ending problem requiring them both to be forced to work together all the while bantering like crazy in a kicking-your-feet-at-every-encounter sort of way? HERE. YOU. GO.