5/5 stars! The stunning cover of this book drew me in and I'm so grateful it did. This is a stunning fantasy romance with epic elements. The world-building was a bit hard to follow in the beginning, but the pacing picked up and I was swept away with the magic of it all.

Premise on this one intrigued me, but unfortunately could not get into the book. Read about 20% before deciding to DNF.

Thank you so much Avon and Harper Voyager, Thea Guanzon, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story was originally a reylo (Star Wars Kylo Ren) Fan Fiction and although I’m not a huge Star Wars fan, I’m a huge fan of Fan Fiction in general, so it was exciting to see an author turn it into an original work. Overall, I thought Thea Guanzon did a great job because I loved the slow burn, enemies to lovers, and arranged marriage tropes, the character banter was entertaining, and the romance/smut was enjoyable. However, sometimes the characters fell flat, the worldbuilding was oversaturated with info dumping, and the pacing was slow. I’ll have to admit I was struggling at some points and did consider DNF’ing the book. But considering this is Thea Guanzon’s debut novel, she did a good job. Authors have to start somewhere. I just don’t know whether or not I’ll be continuing this series in the future. 3/5 stars, would recommend this book to others.

This book has the makings to be a great read! It had a great enemies to lovers tale! However, my problem is there was not enough world-building. I wanted more Asian culture and myth incorporated into the story, but it could really be set anywhere. There were also a few times that it dragged. Nevertheless, this novel still has potential! I recommend this for fans of Stacey Jay!

The world is complex more complex than I was used to after reading mainly romantasy titles when wanting something magical or fantastical. This is perfect for readers who want a bit more from romantasy titles but don't want to miss out on all the steam and angst of an enemy to lovers trope.

Don't choose the audiobook if not prepared to reference a map throughout the first chapters and take notes on which character is which.

I was expecting to enjoy this enemies-to-lovers romantasy, but I wasn't necessarily expecting to love as much as I did. I thought that the Philippines-inspired worldbuilding was extremely well-done and easy to envision, and although I was fairly surprised when the war storyline ended so early in the book and the plot very much shifted gears, I ended up loving the direction that it took. Both main characters were well-drawn and interesting, and their romance is a true enemies-to-lovers where the protagonists begin the book on opposite sides of a devastating war and find themselves later on in an arranged marriage to preserve peace and save lives. Their chemistry is extremely well-done and propels the story; I'm so on board with their stories and can't wait to pick up the sequel.

I received an eARC of The Hurricane Wars from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review; I also purchased a physical copy for myself.

Thea Guanzon is a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy romance featuring a high-stakes enemies-to-lovers dynamic, political intrigue, and rich worldbuilding. The story follows Talasyn, a soldier with hidden light magic, and Prince Alaric, her sworn enemy, as they navigate a brutal war and a forced alliance that threatens to turn into something more.

Guanzon weaves lush descriptions and an engaging slow-burn romance, though the pacing and worldbuilding can feel dense at times. Fans of The Bridge Kingdom or The Night Circus will likely appreciate its mix of tension, magic, and political maneuvering. Overall, it’s a compelling debut with strong romantic and fantasy elements, though some readers may find the exposition-heavy style challenging.

Sadly this book just didn’t grab as much as I hoped it would. I put it down and picked it up multiple times but I just couldn’t connect with it. Super bummed.

This enemy to lovers book is one of those books that the end of the book helps excuse some of the earlier problems. It is a bit wordy.

As someone with Filipino roots, I was really excited to see Southeast Asian influences in a fantasy novel. The world-building was pretty cool, drawing from that rich cultural backdrop.

The story follows Talasyn, an orphan soldier with light magic, and Prince Alaric of the Night Empire. Their enemies-to-lovers journey had its moments, but sometimes their chemistry felt a bit forced.

While the plot had potential, it dragged in parts, and some twists were predictable. I wanted to love it, especially with the Filipino-inspired elements, but it didn't completely click for me.

Still, it's worth checking out if you're into fantasy with unique cultural influences.

I'll admit, I'm not a huge fantasy person. I took a chance on this book because it sounded interesting, and I want to get more into Romantasy, but maybe this isn't the book for me. The parts were a little disjointed which took me out of the story. I definitely got Star Wars vibes. Also, the worldbuilding was done in a way that I couldn't really get into it. Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this ARC!

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is an epic, enemies-to-lovers fantasy that absolutely delivers on the drama, magic, and romance. The story follows Talasyn, a rebel fighting against the Night Emperor’s oppressive rule, and Alaric, his ruthless heir. Their chemistry is off-the-charts, with so much tension and longing that I couldn’t put the book down.

The world-building is lush and immersive, with magic tied to light and darkness, and the stakes feel high from start to finish. The political intrigue and slow-burn romance are perfectly balanced, making the story as gripping as it is emotional. Talasyn’s fierce determination and Alaric’s inner conflict add so much depth to their characters, and watching their relationship develop was both heartbreaking and addictive.

If you love dramatic, high-stakes fantasy with romance that’ll have you rooting for the characters despite all the odds, The Hurricane Wars is absolutely worth the read. It’s intense, beautifully written, and will leave you desperate for the sequel!

I did not enjoy this book, I felt a lack of connection with the characters but I will also acknowledge that it is more. of a "Me" problem than that of the book or the writing.

The Hurricane Wars, by Thea Guanzon

The Hurricane Wars will definitely appeal to readers who like their books teeming with tropes! This slow burner has a lot! Enemies to lovers, arranged marriage, complex character and world building, paths pre-set in part by destiny … and I am sure there are others. It was a lot and unfortunately due to my own brain I had a hard time keeping up. I liked the concept but it wasn't the right time for me.

Readers have commented that it felt like “fan fiction”, which may be true, but as I hadn’t read the book they referred to, it didn’t bother me as much. I do think that knowing this might help with a better understanding of what to expect prior to going in.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my advanced digital copy to read and review.

I really enjoyed this one. There were times I had a hard time picturing what was happening. I also felt that the pacing was all over the place, but I loved the romance. Can't wait for the sequel to come out.

It's Publication Week for The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon! (Released Tuesday 10/3)
Short & Sweet Synopsis: Talasyn is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power that can cut through the Night Empire's shadows. Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire's rule using his own magic. This war can only end with them.
In full disclosure y'all, this book just wasn't for me. I am so grateful to have had the chance to read it early but we can't love them all. I urge you to read
@thatswhatnatread and @_bingereader reviews as they both loved it.
Thanks to @harpercollins for my advanced copy!

I am glad that I knew before reading The Hurricane Wars that it was loosely based on the pairing of Reylo from Star Wars, and as I am not an avid Star Wars fan it did not impact my enjoyment. If anything, I thought it was kind of fun to have an exact visual image to have in my mind. But if you are a huge Star Wars fan, proceed with caution and keep an open mind. Overall I enjoyed the book although at times it felt like the pacing was slow and the plot dragged on a bit. I am interested to see if book two leans more adult, as this read more upper YA or new adult than a true adult romantasy. There is a lot of world-building and set-up for the future books, setting the foundation for something that has the makings of a very strong series. Overall this was a solid book and I am looking forward to book two.

Wow, I loved this! The writing immediately captivated me and the world building was so wonderful and lush. I really like that such an epic fantasy managed to stay very character-focused. Both protagonists felt so real with their self-doubts and traumas guiding their choices. The romance was really thoughtfully done—because obviously these two enemies would have a very hard time grappling with their attraction toward each other! I can't wait to read the next book to see how the story unfolds and how Talasyn and Alaric continue to grow!

This was another five star fantasy for me. I loved this one a lot. This was absolutely amazing, the enemies to lovers in this one was real enemies to lovers where they actually tried to kill each other and basically hated each other the entire time. I loved the political aspect as well and had a great time.

A pretty standard romantasy, but a good debut from this author! I think I'm not in love with the Kylo Ren/Rey line of storytelling so it's not my favorite. I also felt like the enemies to lovers aspect in this kinda tired me sometimes because it felt a little similar to a lot of other fantasy books I've read, but overall this wasn't too bad and I'd recommend!