I loved this book so much. One of my most anticipated releases of the year. The north wind is definitely one of my favorite ROMANTASY books and The West wind did not disappoint. The slow burn killed me but is so worth it. I loved these two and cannot wait for the south wind.

This book was really good! I think I might like it more than The North Wind (though I enjoyed both books). Brielle was a fabulous main character; she was strong, good, kind, and stubborn, and I loved her. She and Zephyrus made an interesting couple, and I thoroughly enjoyed following their story. I can't wait for the next book! :)

I love the author's writing style; it's very easy to follow and get absorbed into. There's a good amount of description, but it's not an overwhelming amount, and the plot went very quickly once everything was set in motion. The beginning 15% was a bit slow, but after that, everything sped up quite a bit. There was a bit too much of a religious aspect to the story, but despite that, I enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it if you enjoyed book one!

I did not finish the book (stopped at 46%).

I really enjoyed the author's writing style, but the story felt weighted down by unnecessary scenes that didn't add to plot or characterization, and the object of what I'm assuming is the main quest isn't mentioned until 25% in. The female antagonist, Harper, feels almost like a caricature of a high school bully, and she doesn't appear to have any depth or purpose besides showcasing the main character's contrasting kindness (which also felt one-dimensional).

I also did not enjoy the religious component of the story. The main character is a novitiate in a convent, and the structure/religion follows Christianity and Christian beliefs (referring even to a Father, Son and Holy Ghost) so closely that it felt strange for the author not to call it Christianity. I would have preferred the author to either acknowledge this as a Christian convent, even with specific beliefs/practices that may emerge from living with the fair folk, or to create a substantially different religious structure.

I think readers who prefer a more YA dynamic with adult elements may enjoy this story. The author, in my opinion, has strong writing skills and a way with words, but the pacing suffered from scene bloat, and the supporting cast felt far too one-dimensional for me to continue reading.

This review was collected from an Advanced Copy with NetGalley. Warwick continues to deliver with a new fantasy romance. Unlike The North Wind, this novel does not take a unique twisted spin on a classic tale, but ventures out into its own directive. The West Wind is a heroic journey through faith and self-discovery. Brielle, the main heroine, has little reason in her past to trust anyone. However, she finds trust in the most unlikely person, the immortal Bringer of Spring. In a classic tale of falling in love under less fortunate circumstances, Warwick waves an intricate story that draws in the reader and earns their love for the characters involved. What I love most about this story is that it is a stand alone novel. If you did not read The North Wind, you would still find enjoyment in this tale. Yet, there is also enough in The North Wind to give backstory to the God of Spring to make the reader appreciate his character development. While the novel itself has a slow beginning with some monotonous sub-character building, the action quickly heats up and continues. The ending itself (spoiler free) was a bit confusing and lacked a true resolution. I found myself with many questions still unanswered. However, it was still a wonderful journey for a storyline that I found difficult to put down.

✨Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review ✨

4⭐️
1🌶️

🌿Enemies to loves
🌿Forbidden love
🌿Religious aspects
🌿Fae and Mythology
🌿Redemption
🌿He fell first
🌿Age gap - (god/human)

After reading The North Wind, I was eager to read The West Wind so you could only imagine the joy I felt when receiving this ARC.

Both books can be read as a stand alone.

The West Wind features a heavy amount of religious aspects compare to The North Wind, this didn’t bother me when reading as Zephyrus character development was so well done, and proved as a redemption from The North Wind.

After being abandoned by her mother and then rescued by Mother Mable over a decade ago, Brielle dedicated her life and faith in order to move up in the Abbey.
Her character is seen as strong, when one day she finds a man in the woods. Fighting with her faith and vows she made when he takes the beaten, injured man to her rooms. Brielle heals the man, only to learn that the mortal man is intact a god, one of the Winds.
As repayment, he takes her to find the answers she seeks in the Under. Showing Brielle a life outside of the Abbey.

It was a slow read to begin with but overall I enjoyed this book and will definitely continue with the series. This book is currently sitting in my Amazon cart to buy the physical copies of both!

Book 2 of the Four Winds series can be read as a standalone, so it's not necessary to read the first book. Brielle's journey towards fulfilling her destiny is the focus of the story, and the character development and world-building are exceptional, making it a quick read. The writing style is enjoyable, and the two main characters' struggles are depicted before they come together. Tropes include forbidden love, enemies to lovers and slow burn, featuring the fae world and mythology.
I loved seeing Zephyrus grow and in a different light compared to the first book.

I didn’t particularly like the religion part of the book but overall I enjoyed this book.
Thank you netgallery for this arc

I wasn't a huge fan of the religious aspects of the book. I felt it was too similar to catholicism, and while I don't mind reading about a religion based on Christianity, some details were too close to make it feel like a distinct, on its own, fantasy world.

HOWEVER.
I want to be subjective considering the religious portion and my rating. Although I was not too fond of it, I thought Brielle processing her trauma was still done quite well and many readers will be able to relate with her story and growth.
I'm also a huge fan of Warwick and her writing, so all the stars to her stories!

⭐️Thank you to NetGalley for the Arc I’m exchange for an honest review.

I am wholly impressed with how vastly different this entry was compared to the last. In both tone and story this set itself apart while broadening the world and giving more depth to a character whom was the antagonist in the last book.

Zephyrus’ journey of change and his character growth was so well done and Brielle’s discovery of herself and her eventual need to go experience the world lovely.

The plus size rep was well done—I love how Brielle was described and how she was strong and capable and unashamed of her size even when others were cruel
about it.

I could have done without Harper 😂

Also loved getting to meet the South Wind who I’m gonna assume the next book will be about. Very intrigued.

Also the epilogues of these books will probably remain some of my favorite epilogues ever.

I received a free ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Andromeda Press.

I loved “The North Wind,” so I was overjoyed at receiving an arc for the second book in the series. However, from the beginning, I felt let down. I wasn’t as hooked with the story, and I think part of it was due to how often Brielle’s body type was shoved in our faces. I don’t care how someone’s body looks in books, and I think it’s important to have diversity in physical attributes, but it felt like that was the only thing we needed to know about her.

I did like Zephyrus’s redemption arc after the first book, so that was one positive thing from this book. I also liked that it was a different type of mythology than the first, so it didn’t feel like a repeat.

I’m definitely going to read the rest of the series, but I wasn’t as blown away by this as I was the first one.

thank you netgalley for the advanced reading copy of the west wind. this was a sequel so i wont say any spoilers but for a sci-fi and romance this was great and i will have to get these for my shop.

Like many, I really fell for Warwick's writing and her book The North Wind so I was excited for this one. I'm trying to judge it on its own merit but I couldn't help but compare it to the first book. Now, admittedly I gave that one 3 stars as well (still a good rating!) but this one wasn't as strong. Maybe I just gelled with Wren more, who knows.

At its start, I really struggled with some of the writing before it hit its stride. It felt like a bit of two different styles coming together in the earlier chapters. Then, as I said, it hit its stride and I was powering through the story.

Brielle....oh man, I struggled with her a bit. From the blurb,
"Brielle of Thornbrook has dedicated her life to the abbey. She spends her days forging iron and studying the Text, all in preparation of becoming an acolyte—a shepherd of the Father. Twenty-one years on this earth and she has never touched a man. And she never will." we know there's going to be religious elements to this book. But Brielle is just so damn dull and difficult to care about. It almost beats you over the head with how religious, innocent and devote she is. I found myself more interested in Harper and Mother Mabel's stories than hers up until the tithe and Miles Cross. She started to come alive during the quest for the sword but even that felt a bit forced. Like "Oh right, we should give her a personality besides religious." I was cheering for her in the end though.

I would still be interested in something with Harper and a story about Mother Mabel in Under. I also quite liked the little sprite and her calling Brielle 'Sweet'.

The Epilogue was super cheesy but in a cringey, cute way.

All in all, if you're curious about the next book in the Four Winds and don't mind a book that develops and grows as it goes, definitely pick this one up!

I loved every minute of this wild ride! The FMC had such growth throughout her journey in this book and boy did the MMC as well. This was a perfect continuation of The North Wind but I love how it can also be read as a standalone. The depth of the world and all the creatures in it was so fascinating and well written while also loving how Greek mythology aspects are sprinkled in. This is a must read for anyone that is a fantasy nerd like myself :)

This. Book. Was. EXCEPTIONAL. Five stars all around, I knew within the first few chapters.

It's been so long since I found a book I love this much, and I am so grateful I was given the opportunity to read this book before the release. I went into this unknowing that it was a sequel, but fortunately, they are standalones. I can be quite weary of Greek mythology retellings, but this one had me hooked from the very beginning. This book had me researching the lore, eager to learn everything I could about the characters original stories.

Not to mention, the FMC was INCREDIBLY relatable. She faces so many heart-wrenching struggles that I find comfort in reading, knowing someone understands them. It was so beautifully written, I literally could not put it down. I can't recommend this book enough! I WILL be buying a physical copy when it's released!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this free arc in place of a review.

Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
World-Building: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Character Development: ⭐⭐

Brielle only cares about the Father, and navigating her faith in order to move up within the Abbey. Her mother, who seems to have had some form of Bi-Polar, left her alone in the woods a decade ago after one of the nastiest storms known to date. It was Mother Mable who took in the young girl and shaped her into the woman she was today.

Brielle is a strong, steadfast, and curvy woman who seems to be everyone's doormat at the Abbey. When she finds a man beaten half to death in the woods, she breaks her first vow. No man should ever be in your room. Yet, she also knew that her faith didn't allow her to leave those in need. She heals him, only to find out he isn't mortal but one of the Winds itself. A God.

He promises to repay her debts, by helping her find the answers she seeks in the Under, which is a dark place the fae are able to live in in peace. She isn't able to find the answers, but it opens the door to a whole new world that she must learn to navigate while keeping her faith intact. As the story goes on, she begins to question her faith while finding herself more and more drawn to the emerald eye man that promises to show her life outside of those drab Abbey walls.

Pros:
This story is fast-paced and provides beautiful world-building. I especially loved every minute she spent in the Under, getting to know the creatures she comes in contact with, and how her bias melts with each passing chapter. I loved watching the West Wind transform before our very eyes, all while learning more about his past. The romance was sparse, but the love interests played off each other so well that it completely made up for it.

Cons:
What prevents me from giving this story five stars is I was quickly burnt with the religious aspects of this story, it was easily mentioned more than twice per page, and it's a 452-page book. Another downside was the total lack of confidence she had throughout the whole book until she was suddenly in a life-or-death situation and then she became unstoppable, only to go right back to being insecure. She wasn't just insecure about her place at the Abbey, or what Father would think of her actions, but about her weight. At first, it made the character feel more genuine and relatable, but after a while, it became just as daunting as the constant praying.

All-in-all this book was really good, and I had it devoured in two days. I'll be honest, if I would have known about the religious aspect of it, that alone would have made me not request or buy it unless I wanted the cover to decorate my library. The cover is gorgeous. However, if none of that is a turn-off, then you will absolutely love this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

After reading the first book in this series, The North Wind, which was one of my favourite reads last year, I was so excited for the sequel.
It started off slow but I couldn't put it down after I reached the second half. The character development throughout the book was fascinating, especially the heroine's. What I like the most is the way that the author describes the main characters: independent, chaotic, strong and real.
The one issue I had was Brielle and her faith. She was too devout, too pure and her Christianity-like religion and all its restrictions were driving me insane.

The West Wind was very enjoyable but it wasn't as incredible as the first book.

✔️Enemies to lovers
✔️Forbidden love
✔️Curse
✔️Redemption
✔️Mythology and religious themes

FMC: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
MMC: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Romance: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/5
Burn: 🔥/5
Spice: 🌶️ /5
Ending: HEA

<b>Star Rating:</b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
<b>Spice Scale:</b>🌶️/5
<b>Darkness Scale:</b>🖤/5
<b>Burn:</b>🔥 Painfully Slow

<b>Series:</b> The Four Winds #2 <b>Standalone:</b> Yes
<b>Ending:</b> HEA
<b>POV:</b> Single (1st)
<b>Release Date:</b> May 18

<I><b>“I choose all of you, Zephyrus of the West. I choose you every day.”

“And I choose you, Brielle of Thornbrook, for as long as there is breath in my lungs.” </b></I>


🗡️ Mythology
🗡️ Epic Fantasy
🗡️ Plus-Sized Heroine

<b>Tropes:</b> Gods, Fae, Virgin-Heroine, Redemption, Curses

<b>Kinks/Spice Details:</b> Praise, Spanking


<b>Thoughts:</b> I went into this very hopeful because I absolutely adored the the first book in this series and it did not disappoint 👏🏽

This author's writing style is so beautiful, the way she cleverly binds words together makes it impossible not to fall into the story. I effortlessly felt a connection to characters and the world they lived in. Being a mood reader, I often find myself losing interest when a book is long (over 400 pages) but I never felt any fatigue with this story. I was completely immersed from the first page to the last.

Though this book of course had the similar feel of The North Wind, it completely stood out on its own because of the mcs. I loved Brielle and Zephyrus, and appreciated how the majority of the book centered on them overcoming their own individual trials before they could focus on being together. Though their love story was long, difficult, and they each needed much personal growth before they could be good for each other, when they finally came together it was truly enchanting. When I say this was a slow-burn, I mean this was an excruciating slow burn, but it was the perfect pacing for their relationship. They each had so much to overcome, that it only felt right for their relationship to be solidified towards the end of the book.

This was unsurprisingly another exceptional read from this series, and another book to add to my all-time favorites. I recommend this to anyone looking for a high fantasy novel focused on characters personal growth and development into the people they were always meant to be. I think fans of the Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa would really enjoy this.


<b>**Thank you NetGalley, Xpresso Book Tours, and Alexandria Warwick for the early copy in exchange for a review! I was kindly given an ARC of this book. This is my honest and voluntary review. All thoughts are my own.**</b>

4.5 ⭐️

Alexandria Warwick just has a way of writing the most compelling morally grey men and infusing them with an assortment of lore and mythology from across different cultures!

The fantasy element of this novel is rooted in enough reality that you truely feel immersed in the world this takes place in. The dialogue feels realistic and the way the characters think as well.

We have a mid/plus size FMC with buddy confidence issues, and a MMC that thinks that’s the best part about her - swoon.

I wasn’t sure how I would like reading Zephyrus story after his behaviour in the last book however the character development and the arc AW takes him on is truely *chef kiss*

The beginning of the book is a little slow (the only reason I deducted .5 of a star) but once you get into it, the roller coaster of events had me HOOKED. I would Re-read this.

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- He fell first
- Fae/Creatures/Magic
- Religious themes (done well!)
- Age gap (god/human)


Thank you NetGalley & Alexandria Warwick for this E-Arc!

I honestly couldn't finish this one. The premise and the story were really interesting but the execution wasn't very good. When the main character went into Under it got pretty interesting but when she was at Thornbrook it was just so dull that I couldn't keep going with it. The characters didn't have much to them, and I couldn't bring myself to care much about them. Overall, I just couldn't do it.

A huge thank you to Alexandra Warwick, Netgalley and Andromeda Press for an eARC of The West Wind in exchange for an honest review. This story follows the trials of the banished God Zaphyrus and the pious novitiate Brielle. Zaphyrus had a large part in the first standalone book in the series, The North Wind, as the brother and antagonist of Boreas. I enjoyed The North Wind. I thought it was a unique take on the standalone fantasy romance with strong characters that I related to and rooted for. Unfortunately, I did not relate to the story of The West Wind or the characters as much in this second installment of The Four Winds Series.

We start the book knowing of Zaphyrus's deep betrayals and manipulations through TNW and because of this I had a hard time relating to and trusting him. We continue to question his intentions throughout almost the entire book, and I personally need traces of decency and sincerity to root for a character. I didn't feel like I got this from the MMC. I also felt Brielle's character was a little weak. Going from the kick-ass, stubborn Wren, it was hard for me to bond with the ultra-religious and generally closeminded Brielle. Brielle would not stand up for herself, but she continued to put her heart and life on the line for people who treated her less than shit on a shoe. Overall, I think the story could have worked better with a bit more character development and complexity.

I think Alexandria is a great author, who has a great sense of story-telling. Unfortunately, I just did not connect with the story. While a bit disappointed in this one novel, I will definitely be reading her future books.

A massive thank you to NetGalley and Alexandria Warwick for gifting me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved The North Wind when I read it last year, so when I got approved for this book, I was beyond excited. I’d been waiting for this since I learned it’s release date.

While I thought it started a bit slow, I definitely fell head first into the story just like I did with The North Wind. Brielle’s story and arc are fantastic. Her views of faith and how it exists, how you can live with faith but not live your entire life in servitude, is breathtaking. I think the way Warwick approaches religion in this book is wonderful, and Brielle encompasses all the things I actually like about faith and religion as a whole. She is pure and fair, good down to her core, while also being a person who has made mistakes and wants to atone.

And God almighty do I LOVE Zephryus. His arc is even better than Brielle’s. Watching where he begins and seeing how it ends, I was absolutely sobbing my eyes out when I turned the final page.

Their story together is selflessness, trust, seeing past the ugliness of one’s precious mistakes and growing together to change. It’s bringing out the best in each other.

The writing is perfect. The blends simple with purple prose which I appreciate immensely. Warwick weaves a story that is easy to follow while making you feel sucked into the page.

I adored this book so much. I can’t wait to see where Warwick goes next.