This was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed from the fantasy romance perfectly, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and what was going on in this world. C.L. Mecca wrote this perfectly and thought the overall feel worked together in this. I hope there is more in this series as this was really well done.

Magical Realms, Family History, Imagination Abound:
This story is a new genre for me, and I was tempted to try something different which this story is very different.
The story is quite involved with Mev searching for her past without much information to go on
The large cast of characters who have many different magical abilities is quite interesting with beings from different clans, no humans allowed. What did you say? How could that be?
To me it is what I would call a time travel fantasy where Mev the heroine discovers who she really is and falls for Prince Kael.
It took me to different realms filled with magic and creatures beyond my imagination for sure.
The romance is sweet with some budding desire a long with some turmoil they needed to overcome
Definitely a fantasy. I enjoyed the imagination it takes to write something like this story.
Book Rating 3.8 rounded up to 4 stars.

The writing was great! I love when authors give you the background to the characters. Dual POV which is always nice to get to see into both the FMC and MMC minds, and I love the relationship between the two. Mev does seem to be a little too trusting very quickly though, and Kael seemed to fall very hard very fast.The world building was great and their magic system is unique which is refreshing as well. This does end in a cliffhanger which definitely has me excited for the next book!

Whisper of War and Storms
C.L. Mecca

Mevlida Brennan decides to take a trip with her friend bringing along an old photo. A picture of Mev's Mother when pregnant with Mev in front of an unknown Pub in the UK. Her mother has no memories of that time so can't tell her anything, but when a forgotten sapphire ring unlocks a long ago closed portal to another existence she finds out that she is Princess Mevlida of Aetheria. This is a kingdom of immortals and magic. There is only one problem -Mev has no idea she was missing.

Kael also a prince happens to be there when Mev comes through the portal and immediately kidnaps her as it's his father who sealed the portal after sending the pregnant Queen through the portal against her wishes.
As time goes on Kael starts to realize that he is developing strong feelings for Mev, and he realizes that all he wants is to get her to her father the king safely.

C.L. Mecca just took my world and dumped it upside down. I should have realized that this author could write in any genre she chooses. This book just blew my mind and left me feeling like I'm soaring through the air with happiness. This is one gifted author. This book took me through a gauntlet of emotions. And the secrets, wow! I didn't even see these coming. There are secrets everywhere in this book. The magic was unparalleled. I was so amazed at the magic powers everyone seemed to have and they were so perfectly different for them all. All in all of you enjoy magic, fantasy, romance, paranormal things, immortals, humans, and all with a nod to long ago times then this is the book for you. Well done Ms. Mecca, I tilt my head in appreciation to you.

Magic and romance blend into amazing world building by this new fantasy romance by CL Mecca! I found it to be a quicker read, but still packing an amazing story within. I felt a connection most to Mev and watching her find her path in a brand new world to find her true path. Interested in seeing more from this author!

Whispers of War and Storms is an enchanting tale of elemental magic, political intrigue, and a reluctant heroine thrust into a world of immortals and secrets. Mevlida Brennan’s discovery of her true heritage as the long-lost princess of Aetheria sets the stage for a story filled with twists, danger, and the weight of destiny.

Kael, the brooding and relentless protector of his people, brings a delicious mix of tension and complexity to the story. His chemistry with Mev is laced with distrust and undeniable attraction, making their dynamic a highlight of the book.

While the world-building was intriguing, it felt a bit underdeveloped in places, leaving me wanting more depth and exploration of Aetheria and its magic. However, this lighter approach to fantasy makes it a great introduction for readers new to the genre or those seeking an easy, enjoyable read. I definitely can't wait to read more.

This was a pretty fast-paced romantasy read. I feel it is perfect for readers who want a lighter shorter read. I really enjoyed how clear the world-building was and the explanations of elemental magic. The FMC Mev and the MMC Kael were both pretty likeable. Though they were likeable, I didn't feel the ‘pull’ to them as much but it could have been the slight insta-love/insta-lust. There is political drama and at points if felt rushed. It probably has to do with being under 300 pages.

Regardless, the story was pretty entertaining.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was quite disappointing given the hype on Facebook about it. It is another derivative of ACOTAR but not very well written (for example, why is Mevlida so enthralled with the fae toilet paper?) There are some good ideas in it and interesting plot strands but not enough to really lift this up as much it needed.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an earc of this book.

4.5 stars (Rounded up to 5)

Multiple realms, magic and romance is what you can expect in this wonderful story from C.L.Mecca.

Mev is searching into her past by visiting York, a place where her Mother fell pregnant but left with no memories of what happened. She finds herself accidently stumbling through a gate and into a new world that happens to have all the answers she is looking for. She meets Kael, a Prince, who has to decide whether he helps Mev or takes her back to his clan where his Father will make the decision on her fate.

This book was a light and cosy romantasy that gave us a well developed world in a short number of pages. The world and magic was interesting and definitely easy to understand, usually I find myself flicking back to remember something but this story had me the whole way through. The romance is fast which isn't usually my favorite but we still had to wait for the spice which added in the tension between the two main characters.

I love the trope of a human finding themselves in a completely different world and this book did not disappoint - I am very much looking forward to more of Mev and Kael's story.

Review already posted to Goodreads and Instagram, I will be posting it to Amazon on release day.

Whisper of War and Storms follows Mev as she discovers she is a long lost princess when she travels through a portal. This book, being on the shorter side, is great for a quick read to get started in fantasy or to get out of a slump. The magic system was easy to understand and the world was described beautifully. I didn’t feel very attached to the characters and the relationship was very insta love, which is the only downfall of the book being so short. I wish Mev and Kael had more time for their relationship to grow.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“I seek the mysteries beyond and am officially enquiring within”

“I’d want to hate you but would probably end up dating you instead, the red-flag magnet that I am”

I really enjoyed this book !! Fast paced, very action packed and enemies to lovers with forced proximity. What’s not to like. I’m generally more of a slow burn kinda gal but once you find yourself close to a reading slump, you need something fast that hooks you in and gives you all the vibes you need right from the start!! Kael and Mevlida’s story was messed up. A Prince and a Princess from enemy kingdoms and she has just recently find out that she is one. And she is an historian !!! Love that !!! A secret magical passageway to another universe and the truth beyond her heritage. A new future. A complicated but very enjoyable relationship (oh boy the spicy scene was good) and anything is possible. Is only there wasn’t a war brewing in the background!!! I’m excited to see where their story will lead and what this universe can bring me!!!

“If I bind your wrists and throw you anywhere, it would be onto my bed”

C. L. Mecca creates a fantastic, magical and brilliant alternative world populated with exotic animals and plants, and 3 clans of beings. In this world, humans are the outsiders. Clan members have varying magical powers which adds to the fun and fantasy of the story. The journey around the kingdoms in this story is exciting, romantic and interesting so I couldn't put it down. Dr. Mecca creates a world and characters so believable that you feel like you are there and you buy into the magic and myths. The romance appears to be impossible, with Kael and Mev being from different kingdoms that hate each other and Mev being half human. It is hard to imagine how they could succeed but the romance and difficult decisions are part of the magic here. The book includes many great characters from different clans and reminded me of Lord of the Rings in their heroic quest and partnerships.

I absolutely loooved this book. I ate it up so fast and finished it in less than a day. It’s very fast paced with lots of action, magic and love. I love a good romance with magic and adventure. This story had the perfect amount of everything I need to fall in love with a series. Recommending to everyone I know!

I am a sucker for a good mystery book, throw in some magical elements and I’m sold!

Mev (our FMC) is trying to find out about her past specifically her father, when only a photograph to go on, she set her sights on England. Looking for answers and hoping to find out something about herself, what she didn’t expect was to be a missing princess in another world! I was impressed with Mev as a character and intrigued on where she will go later on in the series.

Kael, (our MMC), dark prince, doesn’t reveal a lot about himself at first, there is definitely a twist, that I was pleasantly surprised with. It’s humorous watching him attempt to remain her “enemy”.

The banter between the two was fantastic. I wouldn’t say it has any actual spice within the book. More focused on developing the storyline and building towards a bigger series.

I greatly enjoyed the world building and magical concepts that were developed within this book. You have secrets, portals, feuds, of course we do have some political issues (there is a war going on) and tension between the characters. Honestly, it’s a great foundational start to this series.

Mev and Kael's story of a missing Princess, kept me turning pages in this engaging story. There is drama, danger, suspense, twists, turns and romance in this well written story. I found the story to be well worth reading. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for an advanced reader copy of this book.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4! Whisper of War and Storms is a fast paced romantasy where the plot moves along quite quickly! the world building was easy to understand and well explained. I liked the elemental magic, I liked the concept of the plot of a human accidentally thrust into a magical realm, and I found both Mel and Kael to be likeable! I felt certain parts were rushed and I would have like to seen more development, but it was entertaining and I’m intrigued to see where the story heads!

This was different! I liked that there was a plot that was very different than the norm right now. The author really took time and detail to make sure you felt that you were fully diverged into the story.

4⭐️
2🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an e-arc of this book.

I sat down to start this book and ended up reading it all in one sitting. Couldn’t put it down!

Whisper of War and Storms is a fast-paced, quick read that was exactly what I needed to get out of my reading slump. The relationship between Mev and Kael is definitely a quick burn of an enemies-to-lovers, which for some may not be their cup of tea but I honestly enjoy stories like that sometimes. I don’t always need it to be slower than slow burn.

Mev travels to York to search for answers about her mother’s time in the town she does not remember but resulted in her pregnancy with Mev. Armed only with a picture of her mother at a pub, Mev finds herself stumbling into a new world where it turns out, she’s a missing princess. Immediately caught and taken by her clan’s enemy, Prince Kael, Mev works to not only accept this new world and discover as much info as she can, but also fighting her undeniable attraction to the Prince she knows she can’t have, not knowing Prince Kael is fighting that same attraction at the same time. Mev is determined not only to meet her father but get back to her mother to relieve the unknown memory she’s battled for decades.

Again, this isn’t a super slow burn. The main characters fall for each other pretty quickly but doesn’t mean it jumped to spice immediately. I actually wish we got more of a spicy scene once we finally got to it. I’m hoping for a bit more in future books. This first book I will agree is a bit of an info dump but for a shorter book, I’m ok with that. The story kept moving and I think it’s set up nicely for further installments where we’re going to learn about various characters and the world being built. Overall, an enjoyable read and an addicting read.

A time travel romantasy that’s engaging and easy to follow. The world building was well executed. There is an ‘insta love’ feel throughout so would definitely recommend if that’s your vibe. Looking forward to reading more

This was honestly a great book! The world building was not overly complicated and easy to not only understand but follow quickly.

This was my first ever time travel romantasy and i absolutely loved it! Mev and Karl being opposites in so many ways was why when it started to work out in their favor I enjoyed it even more!