This was a dark fantasy which I enjoyed. The heroine deals with an alcohol problem in addition to trying to save her land from succumbing to winter. In order to keep winter from taking over, she is forced to marry the God of winter and he has some issues of his own.

Thank you to Netgalley & Xpresso Book Tours for a review ebook copy in exchange for an honest review!

Let me just tell you the following words: enemies-to-lovers, standalone, one bed trope, a pinch of Greek lore, slow burn romance, spice, an interesting fantasy world. Do these strike your fancy? Then I recommend you read The North Wind!

Our heroine is Wren, who does have the usual 'strong female lead' vibe, would do anything for her twin, but she is also vulnerable at times, and has her own doubts. Her counterpart is the mystical, grumpy Frost King, who perfectly reminds me of everything I love in 'Beauty and the Beast'. Some story parts are predictable, but I loved it nevertheless. Also, I have to note, that this book is just my favourite mix of fantasy and romance, the latter doesn't smolder the former. We have an interesting fantasy world, which I can't wait to read more of in the future!

I'd recommend the book mainly to fantasy romance lovers; The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick is now available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other retail sites. #TheNorthWind #NetGalley

The North Wind is a dark fantasy novel inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone stories. These stories aren't usually my cup of tea, but I was in the mood for a good dark retelling, so I gave this book a try. I'm really glad I did! Turns out this book IS my cup of tea!

After the first chapter or so, I thought "oh, this is the Hunger Games meets Hades and Persephone." Which it kind of is, but didn't at all fall into the tropes of either genre. Wren, the main character, is complex and not the perfect quiet girl that we see in a lot of these novels. She struggles with addiction, family boundaries, and vulnerability. I enjoyed seeing her lower her defenses over the course of the book in a way that felt natural and true to her character.

I also really liked the romance between Wren and Boreas. It's quite a slow burn and I enjoyed the build up. I was worried that 97% of the book would be him being a jerk and coming around in the last 3%, but that (thankfully) isn't what happened. This book is almost 600 pages and I got swept away and read half of it in one night. It's pretty rare that I get so into a fantasy novel, especially a dark fantasy novel, so the author really is to be commended for that!

Overall, I really liked this book and am glad that I read it. If these kinds of stories are your thing at all, I definitely recommend it. If they aren't, I recommend it anyway! 4.25 stars rounded down to 4. Thank you to Andromeda Press and NetGalley for the electronic advanced reader's copy of this book!

To start off, anything that can be labelled as a beauty & the beast or Hades & Persephone retelling is immediately of interest to me and The North Wind definitely checked that box. If you’re a fan of a lot of the “popular” tropes in fantasy romance (there was only one bed, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers) than The North Wind will definitely be for you. Personally, I love a trope heavy book in this genre so The North Wind got quite a few points in that regard. Despite there not being a plethora of new or original plot points or concepts, I don’t think the story necessarily suffers for it. The world building was lush and easy to understand, and I was intrigued with the story right off the bat, which is often half the battle. Although Boreas took a little more time to “de-thaw” than similar love interests, I grew to love his character and how his relationship with Wren progressed. Overall, The North Wind was an enjoyable, engaging and quick read for those who enjoy a good dash of fantasy romance.

Enemies to lovers and one bed? Be still my heart! I love when my two favorite tropes make it into one amazing story and I'm an absolute sucker when it comes to anything resembling a Beauty & the Beast retelling. The slow burn drives me just a little crazy, but it definitely aids in driving up the tension and overall this book was so awesome. I enjoyed reading Wren and Boreas' story very much.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I am reviewing of my own free will and all opinions in my review are my own.

“There is nothing I would not do for you. I would conquer cities in your name. I would lay waste to the world and place its greatest treasures at your feet. I would cross realms and topple empires and alter time, all for the promise of an eternity spent by your side.”

•⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC through NetGalley and I have to say that I am so happy I did, because I truly loved this book. The author did an amazing job with this Beauty and the Beast retelling, including a delicious slow burn, deep dialogue, angst, secrets and intense chapters.

The story follows Wren, a girl that is taken by the The Frost King (Boreas), thinking she was her sister. She is taken “prisoner” by the king, only to find out he intended to marry her… and to use her blood.

The start is slow, but it does its work introducing the world, the power system, the characters and the feelings both characters carry for each other, that in the beginning were… well, not that nice, but that is what made this so exquisite, how both had to fight to stop what was developing between them and the feelings that were growing everyday, especially because Boreas didn’t want to get close to her, and Wren mission was to end his life.

I adored a lot of side characters, especially Pallas and Orla, I think both were great additions to the story and made it a lot more complete. Of course there a few I couldn’t stand at all, like Wren’s sister.

Even though I liked how everything ended, it makes me sad that this is a standalone and not a series, because I feel like Boreas and Wren had a great potential for more books, I would definitely prefer another book with them and more actions, that Zephyrus’ love story, since truly I don’t like him at all, but of course after reading this book I trust the author, and I will read The West Wing regardless (I hope his girl kicks his ass before falling in love with him haha).

Reader beware, this book has way more romance in it than you might think it actually has. I know the summary DOES say there is romance involved, but I didn't expect it to be 70% of the book. So if you intend to read this more for the fantasy aspect, maybe ask yourself if you're okay with the romance. I didn't mind it at all, since it was everything I can hope for in a fantasy romance: A swoon-worhty, broody lord/god, a fierce human woman, and a lot of danger in the mix. In a way, Wren and Boreas reminded me of Feyre and Rhysand from ACOTAR, and I was definitely here for it!

The plot is a little bit basic, and Wren and Boreas can be a little cliché from time to time, but the author is GOOD and she managed to bring life everywhere. I wanted to know what happened at the Shade, I wanted to see Wren and Boreas interact, everything! I could not stop reading. Despite the novel being over 500 pages, I remember being so engrossed in it I finished it in less than 3 days. There's a real talent in the writing, as well as a compelling power.

I read this over a month ago, and it stills sticks to me, which is unusual, as I struggle to keep a clear memory of every book I read. But this one is special. It's perfect for fans of the genre, and lovers of Sarah J. Maas, Holly Black and Naomi Novik.

The next book can't come fast enough, and I really hope it will be as fantastic as this one was. I know it's going to be about the Spring god, to whom we are introduced in The North Wind, and now that I know his character from Wren and Boreas' point of view, I'm excited to see how he might be in his own perspective!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

4.5 stars

I was wholly surprised by this book. It sucked me in by the first chapter and didn’t let go the entire time. Wren is an amazing character while Boreas is the perfect counterpart. I loved all of their interactions. I especially loved how they were both broken characters who needed to heal. Everything in this book was worth it. I definitely need to get myself a copy.!

I wish Goodreads didn’t mark this as book #1. It reads as a standalone. The “second” book is meant to be a companion.

TW: alcoholism, rape (mentioned), abuse (mentioned), sex

What a book! Wow. I was wary at first to read this, because I’ve gotten so tired of anything related to Beauty and the Beast retellings, but I am almost always drawn to anything that even slightly sounds related to Hades and Persephone (yeah, I know, it’s a fine line between the two sometimes, but whatever). But I really loved this book overall.

The thing is, I loved Warwick’s writing style more than anything. It’s very atmospheric and descriptive, without ever crossing over into the dreaded realm of purple prose. It’s enough for me to know what color a dress is and that it’s embroidered–I don’t need to know what the collar style is, exactly how the sleeves are designed, what kind of waistline it has, what the embroidery is on it… you get the idea. I don’t need to know every single detail of the room, but Warwick manages to give you just enough of an outline that the reader can easily sketch the rest out for themselves without issue, and that’s such a breath of fresh air from being told step-by-step what the heroine’s dress looks like!

The supporting characters were a joy, too. Forgetful Thyamine, steady Orla, the loyal soldiers… They are all given just enough time on the page and just enough voice I can’t imagine this book without them (although Thyamine is my favorite).

The spice is higher than ACOTAR. I don’t know if it’s higher than FBAA because I haven’t read that series. As for the vibe? It’s definitely along the lines of ACOTAR (with more angst) or even “These Hollow Vows” (with less spice).

I’ll be looking forward to the rest of this series!

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

You've read this book before, there's nothing very new and original about this story.
For me this is not a fantasy book, the world is well constructed and I liked the mixture of mythologies, but for me, this book is a romance novel, if you like books that focus on romance this book is for you.
I found the romance very well developed, the author knows how to get out of the clichés, and at the same time, she knew how to work very well with the clichés she chose.
For me, the author also knew very well how to work the story and take them to places you don't expect.
I loved the ending, I'm was not waiting since I knew this book was the first in a series so it surprised me a lot in a great way and make me love this book.
I recommend this story, even if in the beginning is similar to something you've read before and in its center, it is something every other romantic fantasy has done, the characters here are completely captivating, you will fall in love with them and along with hem, the story also involves you a lot and I'm sure in the end you will leave this book with a smile on my face and in love with this book.

⭐️ ⭐️/5

The difficult task that awaits every author who tackles a hades and persephone retelling is this: you have to convincingly establish the hades character as the enemy, then gradually divulge his true character as not villainous, but instead heroic and morally good. This is where the story suffered.

I never stopped seeing Boreas as evil. His selfish acts of casting the world in eternal winter in response to a past traumatic event were unforgivable. Heroes don't make the whole world suffer as they have. They try to prevent suffering so the world does not have to suffer as they have. In fact, I empathized more with Zephyrus, the antagonist, and his motivations more so than the actual Hero.

I enjoyed Wren's exploration of the citadel (each door opens into a different realm!) and the atmospheric setting of the deadlands. Actually, I enjoyed Wren's character quite a lot, minus the achingly obvious Stockholm syndrome.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley, Andromeda Press, and the author for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>

This was a well-written, entertaining book. Creative and engrossing, it held my interest and I didn't want to put it down. It is a standalone story that is the first in a series. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books in this series as well as others by this author.

This retelling that weaves together elements and pieces of the stories of Beauty and the Beast & Hades and Persephone together was incredibly captivating and enchanting. Every single page of this story from start to finish was so well written. The development of the story, the world building, and the characters was magnificent.

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. Within the Gray one of the Anemoi- the Four Winds- resides.

The only way to make the Shade's fall stop is for a mortal woman to be taken captive across the barrier, bound in wedlock to the dark god who reigns over the Deadlands. Survival is all Wren have ever known, and to keep her town safe she will do whatever it takes. Including be the mortal captive to marry the North Wind, the Frost King. Throughout this story she fights to protect and survive, and unexpectedly finds herself falling for the immortal whose heart is said to be as frigid as the land he rules.

I fell in love with this world and the characters that Alexandria Warwick created and truly can't get enough of them. I'm so excited to for the other books in that will follow the other brothers. If this story is any indication for what is to come I can already tell they will be amazing. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book.

This. Book.
This book is what dreams are made of, I swear. It’s a bouquet of inebriating tropes you won’t be able to put down. It’s heartwrenching, heartwarming, it rips your insides out, makes you cry out in joy and pain. The North Wind is written in such a way that makes me jealous: it’s beautiful, decadent, refined and all the things wonderful. Really, from the very first line, you can see how talented Alexandria Warwick is. The North Wind is the first book of hers that I’ve read, which made me need to read her other ones, for I fell for Alexandria’s writing.
The story, at first, might seem quite simple: girl is taken as a wife of an immortal god and plans to end eternal winter.
Ha! You’d think!
You want some tropes? Here are the tropes: enemies to lovers, forced marriage, caring love interest over injured protagonist, unresolved sexual tension (loads and loads of it!), only one bed, but of course, it’s also a slow burn… And with a healthy dose of triggers. What can I say, I love my reads to be dark and full of sexy times.
Gosh, the characters and the plot are far, far away from being simple, something I seek out in my reads, because as much as I love a twisted plot, I adore complex characters, and both Wren and Boreas fit the description perfectly.
Wren, my goodness, Wren is cutthroat, brave, free-falling into a darkness she succumbed to with no one there to help her out of it, and one of the things I’ve loved the most is her development, her growth. I truly admire her strength, the way she is not perfect and doesn’t claim to be, but mostly, I admire her heart.
Boreas, my Frost King, what can I say that won’t be a spoiler? Pretty much nothing, although my bloody heart broke for him so many times. If my rating system were to include how many blankets I’d wrap the characters into to protect them from the world, Boreas would need a shipload of them. Wren, too, of course. I don’t think there will ever be enough blankets for these two.
What actually made me fall for them both was their bond and how they were around one another: first off, writing banter between enemies to future lovers is fun, albeit you might fall into clichés, and writing banter between married enemies is even harder, but here it flows oh so perfectly. Second, usually, that banter is toned down after a while, it begins to lack something. Again, not here, not in The North Wind, and definitely not between Wren and Boreas. I love them and their bickering is exquisite. At some point, my notes were written in all caps, some were just a mess of letters and lots and lots of stretched-out yesses, that’s how much these two idiots bewitched me.
There’s a character I loved, then hated, and now I’m so, so curious of - yes, it’s the one the next book in the series will be about and I genuinely cannot wait to see what it’ll be of him.
What’s more, I was blown away by the world building of this book: I thought it’d be a more “classic” retelling of Hades and Persephone (stuff I really, really can’t resist), but it was ten thousand times better. Really, I’m a sucker for Greek mythology, and it’s not lacking, it really isn’t, but it might not be what you’d expect: it was almost like watching a Marvel movie with a new character and looking out for the easter eggs, extremely satisfying!
I’ll be not so patiently waiting for the next book, but I hope to sneak more of Alexandria’s books on my “read” shelves: I just can’t get enough of her, it seems, and I don’t think I ever will, not if her other creations are anything like The North Wind and its beautifully broken protagonists.

Similar to many other romantic Fantasy books I have read. Altogether an enjoyable read. It was well paced; the story did not feel as though it was rushed nor did it drag on.

This was such a wonderful read. I adored reading this book the last couple of days and did not want it to end at all. When I had read the description for this book, I knew that I had to read it and man, am I glad that I did. It's a mix of Greek Mythology with the gods of the wind playing a part, and a bit of a Beauty and the Beast/Hades and Persephone retelling. It was everything that I wanted it to be and so much more.

Wren's character was my favorite part of this book. She's a fierce character who is not afraid to stick up for herself, even against a god who initially scares her. I loved reading her interactions with Boreas so much. She always held her own and knew just what buttons to push. She has had a lot of problems in her life that she has to get past and I love how they get through that together. Their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance was perfect. Boreas was also just great when we got to know him.

Also, I really enjoyed the side characters, especially Orla. I'm glad that Wren got to have such a wonderful friendship in this story.

I highly recommend picking this book up if it even sounds remotely interesting to you. I decided to buy my own copy for my collection. It's definitely a new favorite that I will reread again and again. I can't wait for the other books in this series.

“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 that falls under control of The North Wind—a god of winter’s wind whose power is synonymous with death and yet 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!

I LOVED this very dark fantasy romance. This book immediately drags you in, and you literally can’t look away, especially from the very unusual heroine, Wren. This novel breaks so many archetypes and I love it, but it also makes it very difficult to review without spoiling anything. Suffice it to say that if you love unusual heroines, handsome weather gods, and dark romance, this is the book for you. 5 HUGE ⭐️ !

I enjoy a good re-telling and Hades and Persephone are usually among my favorite. So when I saw this book come up I knew I wanted to read it.

I enjoyed the concept of this slow burn fantasy romance of enemies to lovers. For me though, there was an overwhelming amount of world building that sometimes took me out of the story. This is the first in a series so it is understandable, as the author has to establish the story. The first 40% of the books is building this world and the characters within. After this, the story really beings to move forward.

I really enjoyed this dark fantasy and it was a wonderful retelling. I am definitely looking forward to seeing where the story leads next.

I want to thank NetGalley, Alexandria Warwick and Andromeda Press for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

~Arc review~

Very solid Beauty & The Beast / Hades & Persephone retelling. It was very slow burn for me to be honest and I had to battle through the most of the book.

I still enjoyed the read but, it took me a loooong time to finish, because I kept picking up something else instead.

I mean all the tropes that we love so much are there...

I don’t know, maybe I have to re-read it one day and I would like it more.