This was the true slow burn enemies to lovers I needed. It gave ACOTAR, or at least what Feyre and Tamlin were supposed to be, but better. While I enjoyed the two aforementioned tropes, the book really was rather dull. The alcoholism was not something I really wanted to read through. The FMC was so rigidly dull that that it took away from anything witty that ever happened. Boreas was fun and I did enjoy his character. I was upset that he was saddled with this dull creature.

The North Wind by Alexandra Warwick completely sucked me in and didn’t let go. It’s got the Beauty and the Beast vibes along with the myth of Hades and Persephone, but with its own unique twist—and holy cow, it delivers.
Book one in The Four Winds series was so captivating!
I loved this story so much! I loved the way Warwick expertly weaved these into an enchanting romantasy tapestry.
I can’t wait for book two!

The North Wind by Alexandra Warwick completely pulled me in and didn’t let go. It’s got all the Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone vibes, but with its own unique twist—and wow, it delivers.

The story follows Wren, a tough, sharp-tongued woman who sacrifices herself to save her sister from the Frost King, Boreas. She’s taken to his icy kingdom, and what starts as pure hostility slowly evolves into something deeper. Wren is fiery, flawed, and so relatable—she’s fighting grief, self-doubt, and a rough past, but she’s still fiercely loyal and determined. Boreas? Classic broody, powerful hero who keeps everyone at arm’s length…until her. The tension between them is unreal, and their slow-burn romance? Chef’s kiss.

The world-building is gorgeous—icy castles, creeping darkness, and a fascinating mythology surrounding the Four Winds. Even the side characters shine. Orla is so sweet, Pallas is an absolute cinnamon roll, and they add so much warmth to the story. Wren’s relationship with her sister also stands out—it’s messy and raw but so heartfelt.

If you’re into slow-burn enemies-to-lovers with sharp dialogue, rich world-building, and characters you can’t help but root for, you need this book. It’s one of the best romantasy reads I’ve picked up this year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press

Saga Press is one of my favorite science fiction and fantasy imprints. They publish some of my favorite books and so I always pay special attention to their new releases. The North Wind makes our books to read this month because its a fantasy romance, involves sisters and mythology. It has all the things that one of my favorite books Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher has.

Wren loves nothing more than her identical twin, Elora. And so when Elora is chosen to be sacrificed to the King of the the North Winds, she secretly takes her sister's place - beginning her journey into the intrigue of the world of the dead.

The book puts a unique twist on the Hades and Persephone myth. Wren is an character who shows quite strongly the effects of trauma - she has some harmful coping strategies which have helped her survive the death of her parents and her difficult life. Yet despite her trauma, she is still compassionate and kind to others, making her an easy heroine to root for. I really enjoyed cheering her on and am excited for the books representing the other 3 brothers.

Loved this book so much. I wish more people 1: had knowledge of what inspired ACOTAR instead of saying this is a ripoff, and 2: were patient enough to read into the therapy that is hidden in this book. I really appreciate the care taken to show, not tell the difficulty in getting through life through the lens of this couple. More couples than people realize are EXACTLY like this.

I struggled a little to get through this. It was an okay read. For fans of beauty and the beast or ACOTAR it might be instant love, however it left me a little less than satisfied.

The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick is an enemies to lovers fantasy romance.

Every few years the North Wind, a god, takes a woman from Wren's village to be his wife, but most assume she's a sacrifice. This year the god chooses Wren's beloved twin sister, her only family, and headstrong Wren, the less attractive and scarred sister, takes her place in secret.

She learns she really is to be his wife, but it is a forced marriage to her captor., until her feelings change toward her husband, who is more than meets the eye.

I loved how Wren stayed strong, feisty and independent throughout, never needing rescuing and always being the rescuer, even at the end. I dislike MF romances when the strong heroine becomes needy and clingy in the end when she pines for her strong man. This was not that.

I also loved how Wren wasn't afraid of her husband and challenged him at every turn. I also liked the representation of Wren as an alcoholic, something I don't see often in fantasy.

There was lots to like in this dark Beauty and the Beast retelling about two strong-willed characters who are unable to resist the pull of each other's orbits.

Overall I would highly recommend this book and found it to be a great read!

At first I feared this sweeping romantasy would just read like ACOTAR fanfiction because the opening chapter introduces us to its heroine, a scrappy, independent young woman who hunts with a bow to provide for her sister. I didn't care for ACOTAR and I found Feyre to be a petulant, needy child. While there are similarities to ACOTAR this reads like a more grown-up version of it, with a darker edge, and I loved the FMC, Wren.

Every few years the North Wind, a god, takes a woman from Wren's village to be his wife, but most assume she's a sacrifice. This year the god chooses Wren's beloved twin sister, her only family, and headstrong Wren, the less attractive and scarred sister, takes her place in secret.

She learns she really is to be his wife, but it is a forced marriage to her captor... until her feelings change toward her husband, who is more than meets the eye.

I loved how Wren stayed strong, feisty and independent throughout, never needing rescuing and always being the rescuer, even at the end. I dislike MF romances when the strong heroine becomes needy and clingy in the end when she pines for her strong man. This was not that.

I also loved how Wren had murderous intentions toward her husband, wasn't afraid of him and challenged him at every turn. I also liked the representation of Wren as an alcoholic, something I don't see often in fantasy.

There was lots to like in this dark Beauty and the Beast retelling about two strong-willed characters who are unable to resist the pull of each other's orbits.

The obliviousness and drama of that obliviousness got to be a little annoying and childish at times but overall I rather enjoyed this charming fantasy romance. I only like the oblivious trope if it is done well.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The North Wind is coming to their village and leaving with a wife. As the town prepares for the North Wind’s arrival, the single women are forced to draw lots and the North Wind will pick one as his wife. This is in exchange for his protection. When Wren’s sister is chosen, Wren tricks the North Wind into taking her as his wife instead. Wren is forced to leave her small town and everyone she knows, but is determined to find a way back. Inspired by the myth of Hades and Persephone, will Wren thaw the North Wind’s heart or will she work with his brother, the West Wind, to escape?

I enjoyed this original story, which had enough magic and just a little spice. The relationships that develop through the book moved at the right pace and kept me turning the pages. If you like mythology and fantasy combined with a great romance, this is a book for you.

I enjoyed this book. It was a bit slow but overall I enjoyed it. I really like the love story and how it was done. Slow burns are my favorite and this was done well.

*The North Wind* kicks off an epic saga of four brothers—each a god representing one of the winds—and the ways their lives shape their realms and impact the world around them. In this first installment, we meet the North Wind and Wren, a woman taken from her town as a presumed sacrifice, only to find she’s meant to marry this powerful god to strengthen a barrier that protects her home. Inspired by fairy tales and Greek mythology, the author crafts an intricate, thrilling story that draws you in from the first page to the last.

This book was so captivating and riveting! You will not be disappointed in the adventure, and you will not be disappointed in the character development. I fell in love with the characters and I absolutely loved how unique this fantasy romance, fantasy action story was. If you’re looking for a magical world that captivates you and keep you flipping the pages, this is the book for you!

I neither loved nor hated this book, it was... middle of the line, mediocre, at best for me. I can appreciate the author's take on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale mixed with Hades/Persephone; however, the plot missed the mark. The pacing felt disjointed and too slow in parts and the plot left me scratching my head in others.

I wanted a fantasy and I got one. Alexandria you are amazing! Clap Clap. Don’t pass this one up. I wanted a casual read and planned on reading a chapter a week but I ended up reading the whole book in a day. Sometimes you just have to know the ending.

"The North Wind" by Alexandria Warwick offers an intriguing blend of Beauty and the Beast and Greek mythology, set against a backdrop of a cold, barren fantasy world rich in detail. As a standalone, it provides a satisfying conclusion, though some subplots felt rushed, leaving me with lingering questions.

This slow-burn romance features an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, with Wren as a flawed but determined protagonist. Her struggles with addiction and a take-charge attitude make her a complex character, though at times, her demeanor can be hard to warm up to. This may be a reflection of her imprisonment, which adds depth to her journey.

The North Wind, embodied by the god Boreas, is a compelling figure—strong and passionate. Their relationship unfolds in a way that is both spicy and heartfelt, appealing to older young adults rather than a teen audience.

While the story felt familiar, echoing themes and character traits from other tales, Warwick’s writing is engaging enough that I found myself wanting to explore her future works. Although "The North Wind" may not break new ground, it is a solid addition to the genre, and I’m curious to see how Warwick continues to develop her storytelling in upcoming titles.

Easy story to get into and get lost in a new world! Loved that the main character was a twin and how protective she was of her sister.

The book I didn’t know I needed!

Alexandria Warwick has a lyrical and beautiful way of storytelling that keeps the reader cativated from the very beginning.

I loved everything about this book, from the characters that had so much depth to them to the world building that was done phenomenally well!

My only critique is that the middle felt like it dragged on a little, but other than that this book was AMAZING!

Thank you to Alexandria Warwick, NetGalley, and the publishers for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

DNF

A tale as old as time, but starting to turn stale.

Readers who can't get enough Hades/Persephone retellings or trying to fill the Sara J Maas hole in their heart should give this a try. The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks is a similar read.

This book had a lot of promise, I did enjoy some things in this book and those are:
-villain love interest, banter (just a little bit though), and some action.

Most of the book I was just confused what was going on and couldn’t for the life of me connect to the characters. I read this back in May and decided to give it another shot but I just didn’t enjoy it.