A Thrilling, Dark Fantasy and Romance with Amazing Mythology Tones!
The North Wind
Fantasy Romance, Dark Fantasy, Mythology, Fairy Tale Retelling
Andromeda Press
January 13, 2022
ebook, paperback, hardcover
566
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.
“I am a mortal woman in a dark god’s realm.”
The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick is for those readers (like me) who cannot get enough of dark romance, sweeping fantasty tales, Beauty and the Beast retellings, Hades and Persephone retellings, and unique mythologies all rolled into one incredibly thrilling tale.
The mythology and structure of the fantasy of The North Wind is what kept me reading. The romance dance between Wren and Boreas had me glued to the pages. Wren is a human woman—think Feyre from A Court of Thorns and Roses crossed heavily with Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games only make her BIPOC. Wren and her twin sister, Elora, live in a snow-ridden hell-scape that would rival beyond the Wall in Game of Thrones which falls under control of The North Wind—a god of winter’s wind whose power is synonymous with death and yet also manages to keep creatures called darkwalkers at bay.
“He has lived millennia while I am but a gasping breath, a dandelion fluff, ice beneath a summer sun.”
This mythology is what was truly fascinating. Boreas, The North Wind, must have a human bride in order to secure his borders and keep his land safe from the darkwalkers. Wren, to her horror, realizes that when The North Wind comes to call on her village, her sister will inevitably be chosen because she is the most fair and lovely of all maidens—naturally. In a cunning twist of events, Wren disguises herself as her sister and ends up within the citadel of The North Wind, married to Boreas, and full of murderous contempt.
I’ll leave the rest of the events of The North Wind to myself so you all can experience it for yourselves, but I will tell you how much I loved the dynamic between Boreas and Wren. Both are survivalists and have come to depend on themselves for everything. Seeing the two of them learn to trust each other while the plot unfolded around them was nothing short of superb. They are both the exact opposite in substance: one a god, one a mortal. One that fights for humans and goodness, the other is entrenched in hurt and darkness. But the richness of the story lies within their relationship and how it grows from literally nothing in the cold tundra of Winter. There are also so many twists and turns that I could not read this fast enough!
“There are many ugly things in this world, Wife. But I do not think you are one of them.”
I absolutely cannot wait to see where this burgeoning world will go next! With Boreas one of four brothers, and his crafty brother up to no good, I look forward to more from Alexandria Warwick. Between the gorgeous prose, the beautiful romance, and so much delicious angst and tension between Wren and Boreas, I implore fans of any of the mentioned fantasy romances to read The North Wind! Congrats on a fantastic new release, Alexandria!
Get your copy today: https://amzn.to/31Qj0eg
Jes is a self-proclaimed bookworm, who recently moved from the PNW back to the Midwest. When her nose isn’t in a book, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and her three fur babies, or exploring the globe. She also firmly believes that you should start the day with coffee, and end the day in bed with a good book.
