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Incredible Series Starter!!

I honestly don't know what “romantasy” is, but this story has me thinking it is a new favorite of mine! Oh my! So many amazing aspects to this story. It pulls you in immediately and honestly never lets you go.

A new world, only accessible to humans who have magical aptitude. Competing clans, royalty, politics, binding vows and so much more that to describe it further would give too much away.

Just know, this is something very special.

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This world was a fantastic draw in. It's not perfect and it could use some work in places but I loved the story and the MC's. Time-travel-ish through a portal to an almost medieval-like realm but whose inhabitants are semi-current on Earthisms and technology!

Mevlida (I'd go by Mev too!) has returned to the scene of her mothers lost time. She's trying to root out what happened to her mother, who her father may be and what caused her mum's memory blackout. Along for the ride is her bestie and fellow history lover, Clara. They make a huge discovery but before Mev can think about what she's doing she finds herself sucked through a portal!

Ah Kael. He's the playboy bad boy of Elydor. He's had centuries under the authority of his father and he now sees the error of his ways. Now if he can just smuggle this human refugee to safety, he thinks he'' be making a dent in the karma overhaul he needs to undertake!

These two are slow-burn, intense enemies to lovers. The MC's and the secondary characters are relatable and friendly. The banter is witty and paced well. And shock horror - these characters actually have to go to the loo! I hate it when characters never need to go to the loo, brush their teeth, etc.

There is spice but it's infrequent and not over the top. It was a tad cheesy in places and could be more telling than showing but I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have added book 2 to the TBR!

PS I may be not so subtly hoping for a MM romance between Adren and Rowan, just saying!

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Mevlida never could have imagined that her trip to England looking for clues to find her unknown father would end up with her tumbling into an alternate world of magic called Aetheria, but here she is. She also couldn’t have known that her father is none other than a king, and she is the princess the kingdom has been missing since her mother disappeared from Aetheria. Mev’s return sparks tension between kingdoms, bringing her into the clutches of Kael, the prince of an enemy kingdom. As the tension between the two of them begins to mirror the ongoing conflict between their kingdoms, they both need to choose where their loyalties lie.

This was a light, breezy read. The author did a good job of creating a world and characters that I felt invested in as a reader and a premise that sets itself up well for future installments in this series. There were a lot of plot threads set up over the course of this book, and just enough of them were explored to make it a satisfying read while still leaving sufficient material to explore in sequels. The writing style matched the pace of the book well, with enough detail to visualize the characters and scenery but not so much that I felt bogged down reading it. I also appreciated the amount of development that went into the side-characters to make them feel like fleshed-out people.

There was a lot that I liked about this book. The magic system was interesting, and I liked the main character a lot. The story was fast-paced and I never felt bored reading it. That said, it also doesn’t do anything particularly new or different from other Romantasy books. And that’s okay! But I would have liked to have gotten to know the world a little more, and the relationship between Kael and Mev being so fast-paced made it difficult for me to get fully invested in their romance. If you’re looking for a quick Romantasy read with a lighter tone than others in the genre, I think this would be a fun read for you. Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

3.5/5 A fast-paced romance set in a vibrant fantasy world.

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I feel very neutral about this book. I think it could use some extra editing, and I wish it had been a bit longer with more attention to little details. The premise is super interesting, and I liked the characters well enough, it just wasn't anything super remarkable or groundbreaking. It's very much insta lust and insta love and I prefer a slow burn with more chemistry and tension. I feel like so much more could've been done to enhance the story. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

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I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an entertaining medieval inspired romantasy. It was more plot driven than spice driven and thus allowed more focus on the magic system. There could have been more world building, but what was there wasn’t overwhelming.

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Whisper of War and Storms by Cecelia Mecca is a fantasy book with an interesting magic system filled with love, secrets and friendship. The characters were well crafted and the world building was interesting, with a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance to add the cherry on top. There's a delicious banter between the characters and a lot of secrets to be revealed.

This book has time travel, and a romance with medieval vibes and i was hooked from the very start. It was a great way to start a new fantasy series and i hope the author will explore the inner thoughts of the characters to add a bit more depth to it. There's a tiny bit of spice in the story and many secrets and betrayals which was a good thing.

Overall, this book is a light read for fans of romantasy books, having a taste of magic combined with a slow burn romance. This is a fast pace book, with a good plot but a bit rushed at times. I still recommend it to fans of the genre and i cannot wait to see what will come next.

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5/5

A phenomenal fantasy novel in my opinion. It has some of my favourite tropes from my favourite childhood fantasy novels (portal fantasy! Lost Princess! The love interest is a prince from the enemy kingdom! Elemental magic!) and I could not get enough of it. The writing style is distinct between the two point of views and both Meg and Kael are AMAZING characters who both have great arcs in this book. I love a good travel fantasy and that was what this was. Just on a horse in nature with 2 characters who have to share a tent like OHH that is just peak fantasy in my opinion. Genuinely everything about this just hit the mark for me, it all brought me feelings of nostalgia in some odd way but I just have to say I loved this book.
The plot is slowly developing and again it’s a classical fantasy plot that I ADORE and haven’t read in ages. I genuinely loved the pure whimsy this novel had.
The romance had me kicking my feet and smiling. THEY WERE SO CUTE TOGETHER!!!!!!
And the side characters were perfect as well. The magic system is cool, the setting is vibrant and vivid….10/10.
I am now DYING for book 2 and praying I get an arc for it because this was amazing! Mev and Kael for life!

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First let me say thank you to netgalley, the publishers, and C.L. Mecca for the chance to read this amazing story early!

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️

This is the first book I’ve read by C.L. Mecca and I can confirm I will definitely be back for more because I simply could not put this book down! I fell in love with the world building, the magic systems, the slow burn, enemies to lovers romance, the characters both main and side, the hilarious banter, and still I am left with questions that have me counting down the days till book two is released! A time travel, medieval romance you won’t be able to put down! After twenty eight years of no answers and her mother telling her that some things are better left in the past Mev is determined to figure out who her father is, what her background is, and if maybe just maybe finding him might fill in the gaps she feels missing in her heart. So when she finds a strange ring and a photo of he mom outside some strange pub, Mev and her best friend decide to go on a trip to York to see if they can’t hunt down some answers. After a thorough search of every pub and more than one side eye from annoyed bartenders and pub owners Mev has accepted that maybe her longing to find her father truly never will be fulfilled. That is until her and Clara (the bff) walk into the Crooked Key, a pub whose owner spins a fanciful tale of a wild world outside our own that happens to be connected by a portal that was shut and sealed years ago. A portal that when shown to Mev she feels an undeniable draw to. And when she touches it transports her to a new world, a world that seems to be trapped in the medical time with a few modern amenities. Before she even has a chance to get her wits about her though Mev is whisked away by the enemy Prince Kael. What follows is a twisting and turning plot full of mystery, action, slow burn, enemies to lovers romance, a sprinkle of spice and a few secrets and betrayals that may or may not be the downfall of Mev and Kaels budding romance if they can’t put aside their differences and believe in the truth of their love. If that’s the kind of story you’re looking for then don’t hesitate to grab a copy of Whispers of War and Storms today!

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This genre is not my usual reading fare, and it took me a little while to get into the book as I found the names and places confusing, probably because I was initially unable to relate to them. However, once I got into the plot, I found myself caught up in the magic, the descriptions, and the relationship between Mevlida and Kael. The novel is the beginning of a new interconnected series of books, and thus the story does not end in the closing chapter, nevertheless, I found that this adventure into hidden realms is well-written and there were no loose ends. I received a copy of this enjoyable novel as a gift through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

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Mevlida grew up with her mom. 28 years ago her mum arrived back in US being pregnant and without much memory about her time in York. All this is changing when Mev finds a ring with strange symbols on it and a picture showing her mum in front of a pub.
With her best friend she is flying to York in hope finding the pub and what once happened to her mum.
What she finds is for sure not what she expected. She learns that her dad is a king from another world who created the portal which was closed after her mum came through it. When she touches this portal she is activating and ends up in the other world and must learn that magic exists there, immortals rule and that not all is as it seems. Political games are played, the tension between two kingdoms are so strong that we are at the verge of war. So when a man is capturing Mev and she finds out he is Prince Kael, no other than the son of the one person responsible for closing the gate, she knows she can´t trust him and most importantly not tell him who she really is.
Kael has sworn to protect his people so he is determined to bring the person who could re open the gate to this father so they can find out how this was possible and to make sure no more humans are able to enter their world. When he finds out she is the long lost princess and must accept the feelings she is awakening in him he knows for sure he can´t bring her to her farther who hates humans. He must decide on what side of this fight he stands.


This is a really good start into a new fantasy series.
I really like the writing style and the mix between our world and one which is similar to ours but on the other hand so totally different. The idea that a human person wants to find out what once happened to her mum, who her father is and then steps via a portal into another realm and a totally different world is well written.
The setting in this world, how the magic abilities changed due to the region they settled, that also human abilities are changed by the magic is a good idea and I liked how the world is built.
Also the characters are well created. I really liked that there is friendship even so they are on different sides.
Also the secrets which get revealed and that there is so much more behind what once happened than was known so far is interesting and was surprising.

Mev is very well adjusting to the fact that she ended up in another realm and this is what I liked most. They way she is acting right from the start, that she is true to herself and how bit by bit she learns and accepts new things about herself is nicely written.
Kael loves his people. He is working hard to make sure they are safe, stands with his father and brother but he is not seeing all the way his dad wants it. Instead he is also making his own decisions even so this can cost him a lot.
When both meet each other they should not trust each other or have feelings but during their journey they can´t ignore the feelings for each other. I really like how they act together, how they learn more about each other, how they feelings change.

For me a really good start into a new fantasy series with the perfect combination of love, secrets, magic, friendship and a realm on the brink of war.

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Whisper of War and Storms
Cecelia Mecca

Ms. Mecca has created a world of majestic scenery and beauty so captivating it’s almost unimaginable. Within these surroundings live immortal characters to who possess magical abilities. This planet has three kingdoms and a closed portal blocking humans from traveling through. The peace between the kingdoms is extremely tentative. Into this fragile environment steps a human woman. She is looking for her father who she doesn’t know and has very little to go on. Enter the hero, prince in one of these kingdoms, who promptly abducts her. He hates humans but is undeniably attracted to this one. Their journey is fraught with dangers of all kinds. But ultimately they accomplish their goal and find her father. Ms. Mecca built an exquisite fantasy to travel through. Have fun and enjoy the ride.

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A Whisper of War and storms
By C. L Mecca

Rating : 3.5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐

This was a unique story that followed the protagonist Melvida who lives in our world and is on a mission to find out information about her father. Her search leads her to an old pub in york, England where she discovers an outlandish story about parrellel universes and portals. It's unbelievable until she goed through the portal and gets stuck in Elydor. She now has to navigate an unknown world and it's politics while developing feelings for her supposed sworn enemy.

This was a fast paced, interesting read. The world building was okay and the magic system was reminiscent of the last Airbender series. The characters were also likeable and the romance itself wasn't overdone. Overall it was a good setup book for a series and I look forward to
seeing how the story will progress.







***Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for an Arc in exchange for an honest review basex on a personal reading experience ***

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Whisper of War and Storms by C.L. Mecca is an enthralling fantasy filled with magic, political intrigue, and forbidden romance. Mevlida Brennan’s life is upended when she discovers she’s the long-lost princess of Aetheria, a kingdom of immortals. Thrust into a world on the brink of war, Mev faces a perilous journey with the brooding Kael, whose loyalties challenge her fate. As her powers awaken and dark forces rise, Mev must navigate a treacherous path between duty and desire. With vivid world-building and complex characters, this captivating tale keeps readers hooked until the last page.

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First I want to thank C.L. Mecca and Netgalley for an arc of this book.

I really wanted to like this story, but a few things kind of fell flat in this. The writing was a little sloppy at times and there was no good descriptions. When I read books I need the world building and description of places and people to picture them in my head. With this book there was some, but it wasn't enough to keep me engage and remember what those places looked like.

I'm not sure if the author was rushing her story, but I think with a few good edits and a little more time this story could turn out with more potential! I really hope the writer see's she has a great story her and will be able to development more in her future writings!

2.5 Stars

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Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC of Whisper of War and Storms.

It was a fun, quick read with a good storyline which was simple enough to follow which meant I could fly through it! But still really enjoyed the story & the relationship development between the FMC and MMC.

Loved the dual worlds aspect, enemies to lovers, giving touch her and die vibes... ending with a quest that we're going to have to go on for three artifacts in the next book! I'll definitely be reading the second one when it becomes available! Loved it!

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

Whisper of War and Storms by C. L. Mecca has a cozy fantasy vibe that came just at the right time for me as a good in-between read. This is a portal fantasy that whisks our main character, Mevlida, into a magical world where she searches for questions about herself and her family. The banter between Mevlida and Kael, our MMC, was my favorite part of the book.

You will find:
-Enemies to Lover
-Forbidden Love
-Portal Fantasy
-Fae and Elves
-Magic
-Hidden identity
-Low spice

The foundation of a great story is here—the idea, the world, and the characters. I would love to see a bit more character development and engaging storytelling.

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❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

A really good read from Cecelia, a new genre and a new direction that I think will pay off for this wonderful writer.

I will admit to not being a fan of fantasy romances, but I quite enjoyed this and found it very readable. I’m a big fan of her other work so decided to give it a go .
Good characters and a great storyline helped me stay focused on the plot and I would read more from this author. Not quite a convert yet but on my way .

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

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Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC!

Overall, I enjoyed the book but it was very rough at times and it definitely has room for improvement. The dialogue would be my biggest criticism; the use of modern terminology and slang just felt out of place and forced kind of taking me out of the story itself. The characters were well developed and the dual POV did help strengthen the plot. I was very excited to learn about this other world and the politics of the Kingdoms. The slow burn romance was a bit predictable but the characters had good chemistry. I would recommend this book and will definitely check out the next in the series!

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Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this eCopy to review

As a lover of romantasy novels, Whisper of War and Storms by C.L. Mecca was a delightful read that kept me hooked from start to finish. This book is a captivating blend of romance, magic, and adventure, set in a world filled with secrets and dark magic.

The story follows Mevlida Brennan, who discovers her true heritage as the long-lost princess of Aetheria, a kingdom of immortals and magic. Her world is turned upside down when a forgotten ring reveals her royal lineage, thrusting her into a realm on the brink of war. Mev must navigate a dangerous political game and uncover the truth about her destiny while dealing with her newfound powers.

Kael, the brooding prince, stands in her way as he is sworn to protect his people, even if it means kidnapping Mev to keep her from uncovering the truth. As dark forces rise and Mev's dormant powers awaken, trust becomes a luxury neither can afford, yet their hearts may leave them no choice.

C.L. Mecca's writing is both lyrical and engaging, making it easy to get lost in the story's intricate web of relationships and events. The world-building is exceptional, with vivid descriptions that bring the fantastical landscapes and cultures to life. The blend of elemental magic, political intrigue, and forbidden romance creates a multifaceted narrative that appeals to a wide range of readers.

Whisper of War and Storms is a highly engaging and immersive read that I would recommend to any fan of romantasy. It's a book that left me eagerly anticipating the next instalment in the series.

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Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and C.L Mecca for a copy of the ARC.

4 stars! Whisper of War and Storms is a fast paced dual point of view romantasy featuring a woman journeying to another world via a Narnian style portal where she unravels her past. Throw in an immortal prince, with a kingdom full of elemental magic, and you have a fun, light and enjoyable story with easy world building and lots of humorous banter and a touch of steam. You aren’t left on a giant cliffhanger, but the story is left open easily allowing for a sequel!

“Never, in all the years I have been alive, have I kissed a woman and felt the very ground beneath me settle in contentment, as if it were at peace.”

🗡️ Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Forbidden Love
🪄 Elemental Magic
✨ Narnia Style Portal

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