A forced marriage to a former childhood friend to save her country is as huge as it sounds. What makes it even more complicated is that there is still treachery underfoot, killers on the loose, and a lust that cannot be denied.

I have no clue why this book sat on my shelf for so long - maybe it was the length (chuckle). I am a huge fan of Lexa Luthor which is why it is still a puzzle why it languished in the #tbrpile for so long. The reason why I’m saying this is because Of Wulf and Wynd is dynamite!

Yes, the book is long, but it flew by. Luthor keeps up the intrigue and action throughout the story. There are sword fights and bare knuckle ones. It’s hard to keep up that much action in a story but the author does an amazing job.

Let’s not forget about the steam. Whew! There is steam. Tharon is a stud and knows it which can be so appealing and frustrating for Roswynd at the same time. Never mind the reminder that each was each other’s first loves and talk about muddying the waters.

As with all things royal and filled with war, family can be the most dangerous component there is and it’s no different here. Expect betrayal around every corner and you won’t be surprised.

I don’t think there isn’t anything I don’t love about Of Wulf and Wynd. Matter of fact, the first thing I did after reading the digital copy was buy a hard copy of the book. It’s that good.

How could it end like that??? I'm a huge Lexa Luthor fan. I've bought ever single book of hers in the Alpha God Series, and I'm so glad she's now got another series. I wasn't expecting to like it as much as the AG series (because that series is fantasict), but boy did I!! Loved this book and the story of Tharon and Ros she's started, but I am so mad at her that she's left us where she has!! Will Ros be able to reach the old Tharon? Will Tharon stop being such an ass?? Who really killed her Mom???

I need the second book, like tomorrow.

This book was the first time I truly ventured into the omegaverse and I was pleasantly surprised. Lord Commander Tharon (once princess but now called Prince) and Princess Roswynd's story as they try to rebuild their relationship together based off of pain and betrayal was a wild ride. Roswynd's bittersweet love for what was for her friend and now wife constantly could be felt as I read it and there were moments where I wish I could embrace her and let her know everything would be ok. I often wished to smack Tharon around to stop being so stubborn and let Roswynd explain/provide proof that the war between the houses was just a big misunderstanding. I admired how much respect Tharon still had for Roswynd despite society's expectations on how they should both behave in their relationship, private and public. The ending was such a terrible cliffhanger and I am full with much worry and concern for the both of them, but mostly Roswynd. I do hope that they can overcome the pain of the past, especially Tharon, and keep the vows they made to each other from back then and also in the present. The imagery of the places they visited, such as the sea side or the mountains, were wonderfully described and I would love to have been there in person. I think the closest place I could think that this world was based off was maybe Iceland or other Nordic countries. I think my only qualm with this book are the names. Some of them are a bit hard to pronounce. A guide would've been nice. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy f/f omegaverse/werewolf themed books. I cannot wait to read the sequel!

This was my first time reading anything omegaverse, and while it wasn’t really my thing, I thought the author had an interesting take on it. The main characters were interesting and I liked their scenes together. Unfortunately the flashback scenes felt a little repetitive after a while, and the side characters were one dimensional. Overall I think this book could have been trimmed down a lot.

I was intrigued to try out a book with the omega trope. Before going into this I knew nothing about it, but the author has a webpage with more information about it.
The plot, romance and sex scenes were alright. I didn't like the flashbacks at all, although I understand that they were needed to flesh out the relationship between the main characters and give us some backstory.
Altogether it was a good read and I'm glad I tried something new and more out of my comfort zone.

Wow. This took me by a complete surprise. For full disclosure, I've never read F/F omegaverse and I didn't know what to expect. Especially, not being sucked into a story for three days straight and eating up almost five hundred pages of tension, intrigue and overall goodness of this book with no crumbs left.

The book follows two timelines, the present day and the shared childhood and adolescence of the two main characters: Roswynd of Wyndfeld and Tharon of White Sommer. They were best friends while growing up but the friendship of these two women fell apart when the two kingdoms declared war. After years of conflict, Roswynd and Tharon enter into a political marriage to cease-fire... or not.

I very much enjoy when one character stubbornly resists any type of kindness or friendship from the other person and slowly but surely wears down. Tharon has a stronghold around her heart and is determined to not let Roswynd through despite the love and attraction she has for her wife. The tension between the two is palatable and one has to keep turning pages to see if something between them changes. That's for the romance plot.

The political plot of the book is good too, and my brain is filled with possibilities of who is to blame and what really happened before the war was declared. It's on the lighter side, so people who live for intricate complicated political fantasy won't be satisfied with this but for a romance book, it's enough. The cliffhanger at the end of the book was painful to me because I need to know what is going on and what will the princess do!

I can't pinpoint specifics but I really loved this book and cannot wait for part two of this series. And I'm going to pick up the other series by this author for sure.

Thanks to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for providing an ARC for me in exchange for an honest review.

If Lexa Luthor’s The Alpha God Series got me interested in the omegaverse, then The Kingdoms of Gyldren series is the one I could say I’m an omegaverse fan now.

I love everything about this book, the friends-to-enemies-to-lover trope, the political, the longing, the angst, and the steamy!! Lexa Luthor is an incredible storyteller, the worldbuilding of two kingdoms, the slow-burn romance and characters development between Tharon and Roswynd, the story pacing between flashback and present, everything is perfect to me, and I might be willing to do anything to read part 2 of Of Wulf and Wynd right now. The cliffhanger is driving me crazy I can’t wait to read it!

If you are already an omegaverse fan, you got to read this. If you are not but willing to jump out of your comfort zone, I highly recommend Lexa’s books. You’d feel safe with your fantasy in the whole journey.

I would like to thank NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So this is the first fantasy I’ve read in a while and I was hooked immediately. I loved this so much, I can barely talk about it.

Tharon and Roswynd were childhood best-friends and were forced apart by a war between their kingdoms. Their marriage is arranged to end the war and they need to learn to get along again. This book is the first in a series.

This is the first Omegaverse novel I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. I loved the characters and their complex relationship.Tharon is very hot and I’m kind of in love with her. I love the way Ros pushes her when they are children. Their slow burn romance was so compelling and looking back at their past gave such a good emotional foundation to the characters. I am so looking forward to the sequel.

A solid fantasy read with delicious enemies-to-lovers tropes & F/F omegaverse!

Fantasy is my fave genre, and enemies-to-lovers is one of my favourite tropes. This book did not disappoint!

There was so much delicious angsty goodness that I loved.

Technically this is book 2 in the whole series, but book 1 was a standalone with a different pair so you needn’t have read it (Of Iron and Gold). This book is part 1 of a trilogy.

TROPES/TAGS
- tragic family backstory
- dead mother
- friends to enemies to lovers
- childhood friends
- background war
- arranged marriage
- F/F omegaverse
- butch alpha/femme omega
- jealous & possessive alpha
- royal/royal
- butch top teaches femme bottom how to use weaponry
- fully consensual, though with some angsty feels and undernegotiated touch
- some homophobia and fantasy gender-nonconforming phobia (e.g. antipathy towards alpha women)

HOW IT MADE ME FEEL
Tharon (the butch alpha) is unrepentently badass, which I loved, though both girls had a bit more softness in their youth than I’d have preferred. Roswynd, in particular, does not imo have the pragmatism needed in a royal of her birth order, though her compassion/softness provides a pleasing contrast to Tharon’s cool demeanour.

This book knows well its fantasy & omegaverse tropes and is unashamed in nailing them, and I loved that. There’s one line I screamed about on twitter in particular 😂

It’s a bit frustrating at times that the characters don’t realise they’re in a fantasy novel; you just want to shake them and break the fourth wall. Because of the dual pov, the reader knows more than either character, and so it’s a bit of a game waiting for them to catch up. Since this is book 1 of 3 parts, they’re not there yet, but I have faith that the showdown when all is revealed will be spectacular.

The romance is deliciously ANGSTY, as befits ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS. Because both parties are royals, there are KINGDOM-ENDING STAKES (I am all about high stakes in my fantasy romance). It’s a perfectly calculated SLOW-BURN. These are all things I love and they were used well in this book. ❤️

There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end. I plan to read the rest of the series!

I've just realised that Of Iron and Gold, a book I absolutely adored when I read it, is part of this series (albeit book '0.5'). Although this is only my second omegaverse read, I find the genre compelling and I think that's due to Lexa Luthor's writing.

Of Wulf and Wynd is a long read at 475 pages. Regardless, I flew through it as though I was reading a novella. It's such an easy, compelling read. The pace is quick as there is a lot happening in this book, with lots of characters and flashbacks to the princess' childhood. I loved the world building, as well as the two kingdoms and our very different princesses. Their relationship development was enthralling to follow. Also, Lexa Luthor has to be the queen of heat, as this book packed a punch 🔥🔥🔥.

I think its safe to say I loved this book and I cannot wait until book two.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I thought, since it had such high scoring reviews already, it might convert me, but unfortunately I just found it quite boring. I also didn't like Tharon at all, and her choices. It all felt a little stilted to me, the flashbacks breaking the story up too much. I know they were once friends and aren't and the flashbacks didn't give me much cause to root for them. Unfortunately, I won't be continuing with this series.

Featured presentation: Of Wulf and Wynd, Part 1 – The Vows of Marriage by Lexa Luthor

To have and to hold is just the beginning…

Cast: Prince Tharon of White Sommer: the Black Wulf and Lord Commander of the kingdom’s army. Princess Roswynd of Wyndfeld: the eldest daughter of the house of Arrington and fiercely loyal to her family.

The Plot: The friendship between Princess Tharon (later Prince Tharon) and Princess Roswynd was abruptly ended years ago after the kingdom of White Sommer accused the house of Arrington of murdering Tharon’s mother. A union between Tharon and Roswynd is suggested as a peace treaty in the resulting war. These two were once best of friends, but can the strangers they’ve become forge a marriage?

The blazing: The main characters! Both Tharon and Roswynd jump off the page – neither of them are perfect (or even likable most of the time). As we venture deeper into their history as told by flashbacks, we get a clear picture of how they became the women they are at present.

Ms Luthor bravely strides into the turbulent waters of sex, gender and the full spectrum in between for both. Often writers overcome these obstacles in Fantasy (and Sci-fi) by making it the norm. Instead, Ms Luthor added realism by making it an important stumbling block, especially during Tharon’s formative years.

The bright: The secondary characters (the royal families and guards) add depth to the story as well as enhance the main characters. They are subtle, but not stifled.

I really liked the world building! We didn’t see too much of it, but the two kingdoms felt real. Whether they are hunting, traveling, at a ball or just lounging around, the reader is there with them…

The bleak: This is the beginning of a three part series and the ending thoroughly leaves the reader wanting more!!! (This might just be me feeling sorry for myself that I have to wait…)

The burned-to-ashes: Nothing.

And then The Plot Thickens into political intrigue sweetened by the interspersed flashbacks of Tharon and Roswynd as pups. We see the broken adults they’ve become while we yearn for their innocent friendship to be restored and grow into a loving marriage.

The Vows of Marriage sets the stage for greatness to come in the follow up books in the series!

Studio: Luthor Publishing

Closing credits: I willingly leave this review based on an eARC copy graciously granted to me by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op.