My Rating

Oh Yes, Beauty and The Beast retelling was mentioned, and I had to read it. But it was the fascinating character of Wren that had me hooked into the story. Wren is prickly, stubborn, obstinate to the point of rudeness but with all her flaws one can’t help but love her for what she is.

The word building in this high fantasy novel is impressive but maybe it’s me I couldn’t completely form a picture in my head about how the Shade and the surrounding areas are laid out. The relationship between Boreas known as the Frost king or North Wind and Wren is a brilliant slow-burn romance. It is slow, slow, and then burning dazzlingly bright. They are hurling insults, they are bickering, they can’t stand the very sight of each other but of course, desire does conquer them. Boreas has a low opinion of all humans and Wren has fixed on her aim to murder the Frost King and return to her village and be with her sister.

There is also the friendship that Wren shares with Orla which was delightful. As the story progresses and attraction sizzles between the leads, both Boreas and Wren have some serious lessons to learn before they commit to each other. I loved how the author takes her time to change the perceptions of the Frost king from a cruel vile monster to the immortal being whose suffering never ends, and likewise how Boreas assumptions about unworthy humans change and he begins to see Wren for her loyal and protective nature. Wren’s struggle against alcoholism and the help offered by Boreas in making her understand her own self-worth was beautifully conveyed and added to the intense hate-to-love drama between them.

In all, The North Wind, book #1 in the standalone The Four Winds series is an excellent read for all fans of this genre and if you like me love any Beauty and Beast retelling, then this is just the perfect read.

Lush. Dark. Romantic. Introducing a newly reimagined tale written in the vein of Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone.

Long before civilization, there were the gods. And before the gods, there was the earth, the celestial bodies, and air given flesh. They are the Anemoi—the Four Winds—and they have been banished to the four corners of the world.

Wren of Edgewood is no stranger to suffering. Her parents are gone. Survival is all she knows. For three hundred years, the land known as the Gray has been encased in ice, surrounded by a great barrier called the Shade, which protects the townsfolk from the Deadlands beyond.

But day by day, the Shade weakens.

Only one thing can stop the Shade’s fall: a mortal woman taken captive across the barrier, bound in wedlock to the dark god who reigns over the Deadlands. He is the North Wind, the Frost King, an immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules.

And the time has come for the Frost King to choose his bride.

The North Wind is a standalone, enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance, the first in a series sprinkled with Greek lore. Perfect for fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout, Laura Thalassa, and Scarlett St. Clair. 

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