Warwick does a lovely job of applying her writing style to entirely new characters, and I'm glad it wasn't a rehash of The North Wind. We got to explore more of the world and the lore, including the mysterious Under.
Brielle is a righteous and strong character. I had trouble understanding her "journey" through the book, other than to open her mind a little. While Zephyrus was interesting in Book 1, I felt this was very much Brielle's book and Zephyrus was just there as a plot tool. Despite not identifying as strongly with the characters this time around, I very much enjoyed the adventure and world building, as well as the development of Harper and Brielle's friendship over the course of the book (this was the best aspect, in my opinion).
I am anxiously awaiting Book 3 after the glimpse of The South Wind we received here.

*Thank you to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster Australia for providing a digital copy to review*

I haven’t read The North Wind, the first book in the series but it didn’t hinder me from enjoying this book.

It’s described as being inspired by Greek myth as well as the Scottish ballad Tam Lin and you really get the sense of both while reading. The book is set in Carterhaugh which is an actual place in Scotland where the ballad takes place while Zephyrus, The West Wind, is from Greek myth and is not a figure I know too much about

Brielle is our FMC, a devout woman who has spent most of her life at the abbey and whose goal is to become an acolyte. She is an outcast at the abbey and is often targeted with jibes about her weight. I really related to her, especially with being non-confrontational and taking everyone else's opinions to heart. I loved her growth throughout the book. She starts to challenge the beliefs she’s had for most of life and begins to think about what she really wants.

I thought Brielle and the West Wind were similar but they also taught each other things which benefited them separately and together. I knew the West Wind was the antagonist in the first book and we see how his actions are the result of centuries of trauma. I liked their relationship as well as the one between Brielle & Harper.

Overall I enjoyed the story and look forward to learning more about his brothers.

In the forest of Carterhaugh, 21yo Brielle - blacksmith and novitiate to the Daughters of Thornbrook Abbey - stumbles across a man injured and left for dead. Despite being against the rules to have a man on premises, Brielle brings him back to the Abbey for healing. Little does she know, he is no ordinary man, but the capricious god of the West Wind, Zephyrus.

When Zephyrus offers thanks for his rescue, and an explanation for his injuries, he lures Brielle into the dangerous, tantalising underworld populated by the Fair Folk and ruled by the sinister Orchid King. Armed with her iron daggers, Brielle is determined to return to the Abbey with both her person and her Faith unharmed. But will she?

This book, book 2 in the Four Winds series, is markedly different from book 1, the North Wind. I really liked that it is *different* to the preceding novel, with its own style, atmosphere and characters. The character Boreas (The North Wind) is hardly mentioned while and Notus (The South Wind) has a small role towards the end, hinting at the content of the next book. The world building is absolutely spot on, and I found it incredibly immersive (which is difficult to do in a 1st person POV)

Brielle is a character with insecurities and doubts about herself; Zephyrus is a trickster, a self serving false god. Mother Mabel (the head of the Faith) gives strong "Tissaia from the Witcher" vibes while the Orchid King is every bit an oozy, sinister creature. And the folk of Under are delightfully unhinged, from the sprite Lissi to the demon Yakim.

I need to preface the next bit with a disclaimer: I really enjoyed this book, BUT, there were bits that rubbed me the wrong way. Eg:
* the constant references to Brielle's body ("thick waist" "lack of defined muscle" "curves" (so many references to curves), comments about weight etc) comes across as fat phobic. The woman is a blacksmith for crying out loud - she would be all muscle!
* the religious Faith was clearly modelled on the Christian religion, and while ultimately this was a story of a woman questioning her beliefs, I felt the religious aspect was a little too heavy handed for a romantasy.
* some sexual references throughout, including one open door sex scene that goes on for pages and pages around the 80% mark. (That's a me issue - I'm tired of open door sex scenes in every book I read. Also I didn't feel they had chemistry)

Overall an excellent read, and I'm looking forward to book3, The South Wind!

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. While I recieved the ARC for free, I did purchase the audiobook version of this as well~

3.5⭐️ read the North Wind before you start this, huge spoilers. Yes a standalone but very much interconnected.

“I believe there are a few good things in this world”, he says, “but the kindness of your heart might be the best thing I have ever experienced, in any lifetime”

Betrayal, Faith, Self discovery, Cruelty, Selfishness, Self loathing, self sabotaging. The characters had a range of different traits & personalities & each their own unique story within the book.

This book was a very slow starter for me, I enjoyed the world building but the first 50% of the book could have been condensed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the West Winds character, his trauma and growth and flirtatious attitude. It was nice to learn his full story after reading North Wind.

As someone who absolutely adored The North Wind I was super excited to get stuck into this one.

The first half way slow, even though I enjoyed it, I really wanted it to pick up pace.

Love the fantasy elements of this book and overall enjoyed this book. However I still prefer the first book.

If I could swear I would.. did not disappoint absolutley LOVED it !! Thankyou so so much for allowing me to read it earlier, look he’s better than Zephyrus
And I feel there was more instant gratification for both of them. I couldn’t put it down I loved brielle so much and feel this one may be my fav out of them both so far !!

It feels SO GOOD to be able to say I’ve finished this book! It’s been a journey… I started this book in the middle of my busiest month of the year uni-wise so it took me ages to get through, but every single second was worth it. I adored Brielle and Zephyrus’ story. It was so completely different to book 1 in the best way possible. Where I loved The North Wind for its familiarity (the characters, plot, etc all felt like home in a way that’s so rare for a book I’ve never read) the West Wind was like a breath of fresh air in a world where so many fantasy books have started to blend together. It was inspired by the myth of Hero and Leander (a myth I had never heard of until this book) and the first thing that comes to mind when I think of this story is unique. The plot, the characters, the world… it all felt so unique… so fresh and so new and so exciting to experience. I could never quite tell where the story was going to go, and that made my reading experience so much more exciting!

This book was HEAVY on the religious aspect which I was unsure about at first, but is something I ended up really enjoying. I liked the way it was handled throughout the book, and it set our FMC up perfectly for some major character development. And speaking of Brielle… I loved her. She was such a strong willed character to follow, and I loved watching as she experienced her world in a new way and realized all that life has to offer. Also the fact that she’s a bladesmith just made her that much cooler. And I never thought I’d say it, but I actually loved Harper in the end. I really hated her for a while there… but I really think it’s a testament to an author’s writing ability when they’re able to make you hate a character so thoroughly only to turn your feelings entirely on their head by the end. I am genuinely impressed… to balance beautiful writing with an engaging plot that illicits so many emotions is an achievement. Alexandria Warwick has truly become one of my favourite authors and I cannot wait to read more from her!

“I believe there are few good things in this world, but the kindness of your heart might be the best thing I have ever experienced, in any lifetime.”

Okay this was an amazing follow up to The North Wind! I feel like this entire series is going to be up there with one of my top fantasy series! Thoroughly enjoyed being back in this world!

The dynamic between Briella and Zephyrs is unmatched! Loved the push and pull of enemies to lovers. It was great watching Briella fight between following the ‘rules’ she was raised on and breaking free to follow her own heart and thoughts and watching her figured out the truth from the lies.

I need the next two books immediately, the wait is going to kill me but forever grateful to receive and early copy.

I absolutely loved the North Wind, so I was super excited to be able to read this early. I was sad to leave behind Wren and Boreas, but our new main characters, Zephyrus and Brielle quickly replaced that hole. As in the first book, Alexandria Warwick's beautiful and descriptive prose transports you right into the books world, making for an engaging and escaping read. The vibe in this book is slightly different - with Brielle's dedication to Thornbrook and in turn; her faith. This is the only reason I didn't rate it five stars, as it wasn't as much my vibe, but that's entirely personal and shouldn't put anyone off reading this book. Alexandria also has a beautiful way of creating incredibly complex characters, demonstrated here by both main characters but especially Zephyrus. Portrayed as a villain in the last book, it was satisfying to learn more about him in this one and his motivations behind his questionable actions, and to see his genuine regret.

Would you give up everything for a new life? Brielle finds a man lying in the woods and she knows that it is wrong to bring a man into the abbey. But she can’t just leave him there to die. Once he is healed he disappears but he wants not be gone for long. Zephyrus might be a fallen god but he is trapped to never be free. But with Brielle he finds that anything is possible but there is no future for them. But they didn’t count in falling in love and doing everything possible to be free.
Great characters a good solid storyline.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. An enjoyable read. This is my voluntary review.

I was very much looking forward to this book as the second in the Four Winds Series.

The West Wind tells the story of faith bound Brielle, working for the honour of ascension to Acolyte, a converted role bestowed on only one most worthy Daughter of Thornbrook each year. However Brielle’s devotion to her faith is tested when she comes across a near dead man and must decide if she should help him or not. Enter Zephyrus, (who we are introduced to in The North Wind), who in an effort to repay his debt for Brielle’s kindness, proceeds to derail her path, and sabotage the trust he nurtures in her. Their journey together has a rather long and winding road, as they unlock parts of themselves long buried.

I have given this book a 4⭐️. I struggled to start this one despite how excited I was to read the next book in this series, my major reservation being my difficulty reading ebooks without assistive technology. Once I was able to access the audiobook i did smash through it quickly. My access issues hindered my enjoyment of the first part of the book, and I really didn’t find myself engaged until about halfway through.

That being said, I do highly recommend this book, any book that has me invested enough in characters to feel the need to cry is an Auto Recommendation.

I would lie to thank NetGally, Simon & Schuster Australia and of course Alexandria Warwick for the opportunity to access this ARC

She’s done it again!

Alexandra Warwick is the absolute queen of the slow burn. I was worried I wasn’t going to like Zephyrus after the North Wind - but he had quite the little redemption arc. Overall I loved the continuation of the story but this one could have been a little more succinct. Absolutely can’t wait to read the next one in the series :)

I had been highly anticipating this book ever since I read an ARC of The North Wind when it was picked up by Simon & Schuster Australia. I absolutely LOVED The North Wind and had been nervously awaiting Zephyrus' story and boy was it worth it!

Our FMC Brielle was easy to relate to on different levels. Truly believing in one thing but testing those boundaries and also allowing herself to make mistakes, grieve her indiscretions and move forward. Finding solace in the ultimate morally grey character on a path - literally and figuratively..

The West Wind is the perfect stand alone quest story which bleeds Greek folklore and entwines itself with the more original origin stories of the Fae.

The romance aspect between Zephyrus and Brielle is slow burn, enemy's to friends to lovers. The chemistry isn't as strong as I would have liked but overall I enjoyed how each character grew together and how they eventually made each other stronger, strengthened their bond.

The world building was unique and easy to get lost in, Alexandria has a beautiful way with words and obviously a deep connection with these characters.

I can't wait for book 3!

Thankyou so much for allowing me the opportunity to read this book ♡

Thank you Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m really loving this series. I felt this book was better written than the first. It felt far more adult and the world building felt more intense, both things I love.

I ADORED Brielle. Like, instantly fell in love with her. Kind, chubby, sword-wielding ginger???? My ultimate weakness. But beyond that, gosh she was lovely, and she really had such a wonderful character arc. I loved every minute of her journey.

Zephyrus was a really interesting love interest. I didn’t like him in The North Wind, so I’d been worried about this book, but I needn’t have. His growth is even greater than Brielle’s in many ways, and I really loved seeing all the ways he changed over the course of this story, all the ways Brielle opened his heart.

The epilogue made my heart feel so full, oh my gosh. After everything these two went through, that ending is exactly what they deserved, and given my love of cosy fantasy, I would genuinely read an entire novel that’s just them together in Kilkare.

Another great, immersive, descriptive work of art.
The pacing was a lot slower compared to the north wind but this didn’t detract from the story at all. As it made sense with the setting of religion and battling with your morals/teachings- that’s not something you rush.
The Under was such a great experience as a reader, It felt like a nightclub fever dream initially which of course kept me invested.

Loved this - can’t wait for the third book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclaimer - I only read 41% - apologies and thank you for giving me the opportunity to try this book. 2.5 / 5 stars

I really enjoyed The North Wind, so I was happy when I received the ARC for the follow up book, also because I enjoyed Zephyrus in book one. Unfortunately, I found this sequel very difficult to get into and it felt very different from the first book. I found my mind kept wandering so after around 40% I decided it was time for me to put this aside. I will note that this is not necessarily a poorly written book, merely that it did not work for me.

I think one thing that largely made the tone feel different was that this was quite heavily steeped in religion. I don't mind religion in and of itself, in fact, I often enjoy stories about deities. But there was something very rigid and perhaps a bit <i>too much</i> of it - while I enjoy a bit of fantasy religious elements, I'm not a big fan of overly restrictive ones, especially when the characters are so deeply imbedded to it and their whole world seems to revolve around said religion.

As such, I also didn't enjoy the MC Brielle as narrator very much. She was just a wee bit too deep into all her religious endeavours and her narrative felt weirdly choppy. I also felt that her body wasn't written in a well thought out way - she is a big girl and I get that people may comment negatively on that but the way some of the other characters treated her based on her weight and the words they threw at her felt uncomfortable. As I haven't read the whole book, I don't know how this plays out and my guess would be is that she gets accepted and appreciated for her values, and yet this early treatment just left a sour taste.

Speaking of other characters' treatments of her... This is a fantasy setting but at times I felt like I am reading a variant of Mean Girls. For all that this is about piety and how to be good in life, these other girls felt like they came right out of a high school romcom - Harper is the ringer leader and she really just comes across as the mean girl who is stirring up trouble and bullies others, Brielle in particular. Given the direction the plot was taking, my guess would be that they are going to end up being friends but it doesn't change that she has quite the insufferable start and her behaviour feels like it's in the wrong setting.

The pacing was pretty off and it felt extremely slow. I was also confused about the world building, at least when taking the first book into consideration. There are now fair folk and it just feels like an entirely different setting beyond the odd mention or two of the North Wind and his realm. I also felt rather indifferent to the West Wind as a character despite previously liking him, but I think that's mainly down to just not connecting with the plot. I like a good slow burn and I think it's safe to say that this is one as fairly little happens this half of the book.

I appreciate the chance to read this ARC and feel sorry for not completing it. Given that The North Wind can also be read as a standalone and I enjoyed that one, I am likely still to give future instalments in this series a try and that this particular sequel was just a miss for me.

I really enjoyed the North Wind however I found The West Wind a lot slower. There were times where I had to force myself through some sections, in saying that, I did overall enjoy the progress of the story as a sequel. There were heavily religious themes, which does make sense considering the direction of the story - but I thought there was a littleeee too much for me at times (I acknowledge this is personal preference though).
While I did find it slow at parts, I found that the tension and slow-burn romance between the main characters well paced (considering I do indeed prefer slow-burn romance). The slow-burn-ness of the romance had a really good pay-out in the end.
I'll definitely be reading the next instalment, but hopefully the pacing is figured out a bit better in the next (the non-slow burn aspect of the story, that is)!

I felt so bad for Brielle and everything she went to but she was so strong and always got through it all. I love that she was a larger lady and that Zephyrus loved her curves and her heart. I honestly didn't know how Zephyrus could possibly be redeemed but he definitely was. I liked how he brought Brielle out of her shell. The last 10% of this book was so emotionally destroying. I cried, I got mad and finally cried happy tears. I can't wait to see where the third book takes the next brother.

An exciting second installment to the series. I had the privledge of being able to read the first book, and the second book was every bit as good. The world building is phenominal, and Warwick has carefully constructed a complex world that is easy to get drawn into.

The West Wind was a wonderful continuation of the Four Winds series.

After reading the North Wind, I did not think of Zephyrus very fondly. That being said, this book was a wonderful redemption arc for Zephyrus and added so much more depth to his character.

The slow burn relationship between Brielle and Zephyrus was developed beautifully. These two characters had such a tender and vulnerable dynamic, making their eventual connection all the more satisfying.

Admittedly, this book was slower and less engaging compared to the North Wind. However, I was invested in the character development and emotional stakes.

Overall, The West Wind was an enjoyable read and I look forward to continuing the series!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the ARC.