The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is perfect. PERFECT. Enemies to lovers! Marriage of convenience! Magical shenanigans! It’s literally the perfect storm (get it?)!

Before we go any further, full disclosure: I read the original iteration of this book. Landscape With a Blur of Conquerors was by far the best piece of fanfiction I had ever read and I still count it in my top 5 books I’ve ever read. I went into this book with high hopes and expectations and Thea did not let me down.

The world building for this novel was absolutely masterful. Thea has a way of describing even the most minute details and making them feel important. The world is rich and beautiful and perfectly woven. The magic system is unique and intriguing. It reminds me vaguely of Avatar the Last Airbender, and I was not mad about it. The pace of the book was perfect. Time passed noticeably, but did not drag and did not feel like we were skipping anything important. The plot itself was the enemies to lovers marriage of convenience of my dreams. While it does boast familiar themes and scenes, the new material and plot lines made it so compelling that I found myself enthralled.

As a friend put it, of all the Reylo rewrites I’ve read so far, this one does the best job of setting the characters apart from their Star Wars counterparts. Alaric and Talasyn feel like their own characters, not like Kylo Ren and Rey. In fact, on my inner mind theatre I didn’t even fancast them. I envisioned completely different people. Don’t let the fact it’s a former Reylo dissuade you. This book can definitely stand on its own.

Talasyn and Alaric have such good chemistry!! The constant pull of will they/won’t they was just so enjoyable to read. They both come from unhappy childhoods and both fight in the Hurricane Wars for their own reasons and while they are worlds apart they also feel that connection between them. Talasyn growing up as an orphan definitely impacts how she moves about her new life as the Nenavarene Lachis-ka. She is fierce, stubborn and compassionate to a fault. Alaric, the sole heir of the Night Empire, by contrast, moves about his world expecting it to fall to him. He is brutal, cunning and intelligent. It was so satisfying to see Alaric’s guard being let down with Talasyn, just as it was so good to watch Talasyn soften towards him. ‘Hate is just another kind of passion.’ And boy howdy, do those two have all types of passion in spades.

Seriously, if you want the chefs kiss of fantasy romance novels you want to read this book. It is the crown jewel of this years debuts.

Thanks so SO much to NetGalley, HarperVoyager US and HarperCollins Canada for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Filipeno author Thea Guanzon has written a wonderful debut, in The Hurricane Wars, the first book in the trilogy. Romance, wars, and saving all who you hold dear - what wouldn't you do to have it all? While these may be common themes in fantasy romances, Guanzon writes with a bright new light and energy prevailing in the entire story. This story is colorful and breathes new dreams into the reader. Highly giving it five of five stars.

The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon is a spellbinding debut novel in a fantasy romance trilogy set in a Southeast Asia-inspired world that has been ravaged by storms. Talasyn, an orphan, has grown up amidst the Hurricane Wars, in a nation that has been under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor. She hides a deadly secret that she possesses light magic, which is believed to have been wiped out years ago, and can cut through the Night Empire's shadows. Meanwhile, Prince Alaric, the emperor's only son and heir, has been tasked with destroying any threats to the Night Empire's rule with his armies and mighty shadow magic. He discovers the greatest threat in Talasyn, who possesses the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force unlike anything seen before.

The novel is a tale of bitter enemies with opposing magical abilities, whose fates are swept together. The story is brimming with unforgettable characters, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance, and richly drawn worlds. The author's intricate world-building, unique magic, and a gleeful, smoldering romance will keep readers hooked until the very end.

Overall, The Hurricane Wars is an exquisite fantasy novel that marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer. Fans of Sarah J. Maas and R. F. Kuang will find themselves immersed in the world created by Thea Guanzon, and eagerly awaiting the next installment in the trilogy.