This is a love letter to A Monsoon Rising.

Dear A Monsoon Rising,

You are amazing. You were everything I hoped you would be. Where your former self, The Hurricane Wars, was a lot of world building and the slowest burn of burns in the romance department, you were fast-paced and romantic and left me SWOONING. I am going to buy every special edition copy of you that is produced. Never change.

P.S. I simply cannot wait until the next book. I might die from the anticipation.

Love,

thatsalattebooks

5x1000000 stars

If you love romantasy, please go read the Hurricane Wars if you have not yet! You'll love this series.

Thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

“Oh, my sweet, guileless politician—what have you done now?”
I would like to begin this review with a tremendous thank you to HarperCollins for providing me the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for my honest thoughts. Congratulations also to Thea Guanzon on this publication and the success it has already earned!
“A Monsoon Rising” is the second installment in “The Hurricane Wars,” a Romantasy series that follows the enemies-to-lovers arranged marriage between a rebel warrior and the heir to the Empire. The former is a fiery, optimistic young woman, whereas the latter is a brooding, abused prince who is actually a *gigantic* cinnamon roll. Despite the tense backdrop of a brewing war (and possible world annihilation via natural disaster), much focus of the book rests upon the budding romance between our two newlyweds. Thus, readers should be aware—if you are ready for an indulgent romance, this book is perfect. If you want strictly high fantasy… I would keep this on the back burner until your mood swings toward romance, especially if you are a worldbuilding nut.
A huge strength of this book is the characters. Talasyn and Alaric are likeable and quirky, albeit a tad naïve. They possess tons of chemistry, and although each tries hard to hate the other, they cannot resist caring for each other. Talasyn and Alaric are the epitome of idiots in love, and I say that with fondness. There are plenty of moments that elicit laughter and amused groaning alike. Additionally, I like that this installation has portrayed more nuance to the conflict between the rebels and the Empire. Sometimes with this rebels-government dynamic, one side is clearly idealized as blameless and “good”, but not the case here—both sides have their winning moments, but both have committed atrocities. I found this much more satisfying and realistic, especially when I watched Talasyn and Alaric try to support each other while not sweeping their prior allegiances under the rug.
That said, Talasyn’s naivety can be a bit… frustrating. Yes, she was not raised in the royal life, but since serving under the tutelage of her grandmother and father, one would expect her to be more politically savvy or at least wary. Instead, she frequently accepts the words of politicians and potential enemies at face value—without question. She learns answers to the questions that burn within her through little effort, and both lead characters frequently ignore major red flags in the political situation around them—for example, if I was in their shoes, I would be *way* more concerned that the previous Emperor possessed enough strength to wipe out a whole warship. Although the romance is strong with this one, the political maneuvering is more aesthetic than substance. Additionally, this reader isn’t particularly fond of smut. The presence of smut in this book doesn’t make it bad (it’s totally a personal preference), but readers should be aware that this is an R-rated title.
In the end, I rated this book 3/5 stars—although I frequently had to suspend my disbelief, it was entertaining and cute, and I will pick up the next one!

Whoever said there wasn’t enough smut…did we read the same book!?

✨5/5✨
Cliffhanger 🫠
Romance with a nice helping of spice ✅
Shadow Daddy

I definitely recommend this book! 📚

I loved this book. So the funny thing is, I got this book before I read hurricane wars. I guess I just submitted an ARC request for vibes instead of actually knowing the series. The good news is I had hurricane wars on my TBR. And even better I wound up binging both books in the span of two days.

So I think the story was actually really well laid out and pretty unique about the love interest being on opposite sides of the war and while that can be pretty normal in the world of enemies of the lovers, I did just feel like it was unique in the way that they actually did like hate each other and still have issues with how things went down. It’s not like they fell in love and it’s all good and both had really good reasons for what they were doing. Honestly, both have really messed up reasons for what they’re doing.

I do think this story pushed the plot and romance along equally. No middle book syndrome here imo.

The only issue I have is that I don’t have the third book in my little hands. Especially after that cliffhanger. 😭😭😭

So……I loved the interactions between talasyn and alaric but it felt like something was missing. I still love them tho. I love their growth together and as individuals. While this book felt like it was kinda slow at times I really enjoyed it, although not as much I enjoyed the first book. Definitely a solid sequel and I can not wait for the next one.

4.5⭐️s

As much as I wanted to become as obsessed with this book as many of my friends are-- I just don't think it was meant to be. It was entertaining but as someone who enjoys romance as the subplot and not main plot, this was on me for not looking more into it and thinking the storyline would be the main plot, not the romance. And even then, the romance felt more like hormones raging rather than love or even liking.

Omg 😱
This book , wow , this book.
Let just said I loved the first one and the second didn’t disappoint.
Really strong start , loved the battles and the tension.
The middle there got a bit explanatory but I will said the tension between Alaric and Talasyn so worth it. So much comedy as well, like i was cracking up for easy 4 chapters.
Now the ending , im in shock like definitely didn’t expected at all. Wow way to have me now on edge until the next book is out.
100% will recommend. Loved it

I was so bored during this and so disappointed!! I made it halfway before i had to DNF. I loved hurricane wars so this was a big letdown after such a long wait

I did not see that ending coming!! That was a surprise. But besides the ending i enjoyed this sequel but I felt that it could of been better in some ways such as the romance between the main characters and some fighting scenes

Synopsis
A continuation of the first book in the Hurricane Wars. Alaric and Talasyn continue their adventure to prevent the night of the world eater to save the realm from destruction.
Book Review
When I first applied for the ARC of this book, I hadn’t yet read the first one, though I had it on loan from the library. I’ve been in a major reading slump for the past few months, but this series jolted me right back into reading. I rarely order a physical copy after reading an ARC, given the limited space in my library, but after finishing this book, I immediately ordered both the B&N US Special Edition and the Waterstones Special Edition. Now, I’m on the hunt for the special edition of the first book.

The first 30% of the first book was a bit hard to get into with all the new information and characters being introduced, but after that, I couldn’t put either of these books down. I read both in a two-day span. My only regret is starting another incomplete series and having to wait a year to find out how Alaric and Talasyn’s story ends.

Thoughts:

- Enemies to Allies to Lovers: I’m really enjoying this take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, where they come together as reluctant allies before growing into something more. The banter in the second book was elevated, and I loved seeing their playfulness throughout. The slow burn was absolutely worth it, especially with that monsoon scene—chef’s kiss.

- Character Building: Alaric and Talasyn gained more depth in this book, and I appreciated that Talasyn wasn’t immediately a super-strong heroine or good at everything, but instead had realistic thoughts and struggles. The side characters, especially Elagabi and Sevraim, were also a joy to get to know.

- Pacing: Some of the pacing felt a bit off for me. The big climax around the night of the world eater seemed to peak and then taper off before introducing a new plotline. I expected a bit more focus on this event, especially with the buildup across two books. That said, did I still devour this book in about three hours because I couldn’t put it down? Absolutely.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this ARC—thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this one!

Thank you Netgalley and Harpercollins for the ARC

Thea Guanzon continues the intense and romantic fantasy world of Hurricane Wars. A Monsoon Rising feels like a lot of plot build up for bigger events and tragedies to come. Does this mean it doesn't stand on its own? No. It is a good sequel that is continuing the world. I enjoyed this however I yet again must admit the plot build up for the future was a bit annoying at times. Obviously important but annoying slightly.

This book was absolutely phenomenal. Honestly? I wasn't expecting this book to be five stars for me. But it definitely is! I feel like it finally came into its own storyline and lore, and I. am. here. for. it.

I loved the flow of this book. It had and kept my attention from start to finish. The character dynamics and arcs were engaging and interesting. The romantic subplot was romancing*beautifully*. I love that they are secretly, and yet no so secretly, obsessed with each other.

This enemies to arranged marriage partners to reluctant allies to lovers romantic relationship progression is well done and believable. This book has trauma bonding, healing together, and learning and being mindful of each other's triggers. I love how they change each other's viewpoints and how what's most important to them shifts.

It's just a beautiful and wonderful book. If you struggled with the first book, I highly recommend pushing through so you can read this masterpiece 💕

Also that ending was mind boggling and so well done, and the next book cannot come fast enough.

Content: s*xy daydreams of their wedding night, m*sterbation, manipulation, off page torturing/experimentation of animal, major storm near unaliving and aftereffects of devastation, destroyed town by supernatural means

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

I really enjoyed this. It felt much more cohesive than the first book and I feel more tied to the world and its characters.

5⭐️

This is hands down one of my favorite reads this year. HURRICANE WARS had all my favorite elements in a romantic fantasy story: enemies to lovers, a strong FMC with a hidden identity, slow burn with a broody MMC, dagger to the throat, detailed worldbuilding, and so much more. Plainly, I loved it. Thea Guanzon really said “hold my beer” with A MONSOON RISING and delivered one of THE BEST romantic fantasies I’ve ever read.

One of the most delicious parts of this book is the *tension*. There is internal tension, between Tala/herself and Alaric/himself as they come to terms with their feelings. There is the looming tension of imminent betrayal between the two sides of the war that has now been hinted at for two whole books. And last but not least, there is juicy, delectable sexual tension between Tala and Alaric. Let’s just say that last one comes to fruition…more than once. Together, these elements drive the story forward and make this book utterly unputdownable.

The character development between book 1 and this is transformative. You feel like you watched Tala and Alaric grow into themselves. You see them reckon with old wounds that they’ve carried around for their whole lives and you see them help to heal one another. Their love and care for each other is palpable, even if they are in total denial about it (I eat that up).

Along with the exhilarating plot and deep character development, Thea weaves us into her world with her stunning writing. We are immersed in every raindrop, every ray of light that the characters observe. We feel the elemental nature of this world on every page. The ending really surprised me - I was not expecting it to go in that direction at all. So I’m extremely excited to see how the story develops in book 3.

This book is SPICY. I would not have guessed from the semi-tameness of book 1 but WEH. Yup, I enjoyed that very much thank you give me more please. And there is a masquerade ball. That is all I will say on the matter.

Lastly, I would recommend reading this book close to finishing book 1. There are many side characters in the story and details from book 1 that resurface and it’s important to keep them all straight. Enjoy this stunning sequel my friends. And thank you to NetGalley, Harper Voyager US, and Thea Guanzon for this early copy!

I was interested in reading the next installment of Hurricane Wars. The first one wasn't an all time favorite but I wanted to see where this story went.

Unfortunately I gave up on this book on the 60% mark. Nothing happens plot wise and we just kind of follow along as the two main characters see each others kingdoms. The author tried to build sexual tension but it just never really developed. Leaving me disappointed.

The biggest issue I had with the first book was the spicy scenes being incredibly awkward and uncomfortable. I felt the same with this book. I just felt so uncomfortable and needed it to be over. I appreciate that they are inexperienced but it just was just too much.

I don't really understand what happened in this second book. The overall plot was interesting in the first book and this one had an opportunity to continue to build on the world and the characters trying to solve how to save it. This book felt very much a filler book. I unfortunately will not be continuing with this series.

Thea Guanzon is undoubtedly a rising star on the romantasy scene. I’ve been really tough on romantasy books this year, but I have to say, for me, her books really have the IT factor that I look for in a romance forward fantasy.

There is enough fantasy worldbuilding to keep me happy, but the romantic tension is built well throughout the book. One thing she does REALLY well is she holds off on creating resolution between her characters, so that their conflicted feelings are believable.

Despite the fact that on the surface I feel like this series should not work for me as well as it does, I am super super into it. Finished each book in a day into it! I will definitely be reading book 3 and looking forward to whatever Thea does next.

“I will always remember this… Just him and me and the monsoon”

HOLY CRAP! 🐉💞⚔️
This was an absolute masterpiece. The pickup from the previous book was perfect and flowed so nicely. Thea Guazon really is an engaging and talented writer. there was never a moment where I was bored.
I. COULDN’T. PUT. THIS. DOWN.

The death monsoon is on the way and we are out of time. Tal 🦋and Alaric 💀are on a rush to save the world with their light/dark weaving abilities or let the world perish into the dark cyclone. They juggle their impending nuptials in Kesarth, maintaining power in their kingdoms, festering their rebellions, and confronting whatever is building between them 👉🏽👈🏽🥹

The political intrigue and tension escalates and we get deeper into the high stakes of what could be a massive betrayal on either side. We learn more of Alaric’s side and I am here for it. He is my newest shadow daddy 😭👤

The slow burn build up tension of the first book exploded into incredible passion and🌶️🌶️🌶️🥵🤤. You will not be disappointed 😏. It was fierce, scalding, and so dang sweet and I love Alaric and Tal more for it. They both catch feels but their political alliances hold them apart.

Idk which side I want to win. At the same time I don’t want either side to win, I just want Alaric and Tal to win together and forge a new path 😩❤️

I had the honor of reading the Monsoon Rising advanced reader copy. I want to thank Net Galley and Thea Guazon for being just the sweetest human! I am so excited for book 3 and I cannot wait to attend her signings for this book’s release!

Being a huge fan of Thea's, this sequel was at the top of my reading list. I absolutely loved this story when it was fanfiction and am sad to say that I had a very difficult time reading this book's predecessor, The Hurricane Wars. It was so full of SAT words and extensive world building that it wasn't really enjoyable and took me a long time to finish. However, I can happily say that A Monsoon Rising was much easier to read and much more enjoyable.

While THW had words that I needed a dictionary to understand, AMR is something anyone can read. I was also able to get a much better feel on the characters, the world, and the story. This time I really enjoyed how the main characters' relationship built throughout the book, though they both fought tooth and nail to ignore their connection. Romance inevitably leads to sex and while some of the scenes were pretty good, they were nowhere near what I know the author is capable of. Many of the scenes were not fleshed out and essentially faded to black, which I despise. The characters' internal conflicts were well-written and relatable. While we may not agree with their actions, we can understand why they did what they did and hope for them both to change their minds. Yes, both. Alaric may be the criminal here, but Talasyn has some work to do herself.

The fight scenes were incredible. I'm not usually into that sort of thing, but these characters and this author made me enjoy it. I was on the edge of my seat during many of them. However, the two main characters were working together throughout a majority of the book to overcome something that would impact the entire content and the conclusion was a major letdown. It really felt anticlimactic and I kept waiting for something major to happen, but it never did. Yes, the book left off at a cliffhanger that I'm excited to read about in the next book, but the big plot point in this book was a bummer.

Will I still read the third book? Definitely. But I can't say I recommend these books, which breaks my heart.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I love this series. Talasyn and Alaric have so much tension and angst to work through to come together in order to save the world. The slow burn of the romance really sets the pace for the entire book and even knowing their plans to betray each other, there's no way the won't come together in the end to fight for what is right, a better future.

This was absolutely fantastic. I could not put this book down. I read this book up until 3 o’clock in the morning because I just had to finish it. The first book was awesome and I assume that Book two was just gonna be you know a typical Book two, to get to the next part of the story. This has so much in it and there’s so much still that needs to be addressed and I cannot wait for the next book! The author did an awesome job and she will be forever an Insta buy for me.

I am obsessed with this series and am SO invested in this story!

I honestly don't know where to start! I love the culture differences between Tala and Alaric and how they both struggle to communicate in such a relatable way. The tension that comes with that is just perfection!

This book was able to dive more into the lore/legends of this world without the usual fantasy fog or giving up that Romantasy feeling.

My big disappointment is that this will only be a trilogy and the next book will be the conclusion. 😭