I've been really enjoying this whole book series as well as everything between Talasyn and Alaric but man, about halfway through I started questioning if I was in the middle of a duology and I was sad. Then I started to question if they'd follow through on their plans but let me say, I did not at any point see that ending coming. Holy cow Thea! What a twist! I'm invested and can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for the ARC.

The Monsoon Rising by Thea Guanzon was such an immersive read! The world-building was rich and atmospheric, pulling me right into a realm filled with political tension, forbidden magic, and characters teetering between duty and desire.

The story follows Alaric, a soldier burdened by past mistakes, and Mira, a diplomat with secrets of her own. Their paths collide when a looming war forces them into an uneasy alliance — one filled with slow-burn tension and razor-sharp dialogue. The stakes felt so high throughout the book, and I loved how Guanzon layered in themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and power struggles.

The writing was lush, and I could practically feel the stormy winds and smell the rain-soaked earth. While the pacing slowed a bit in the middle, the emotional depth and strong character development kept me invested. Alaric’s inner conflict and Mira’s quiet strength made them such compelling leads, and their dynamic had me hooked.

If you’re craving a fantasy with a richly detailed world and complex characters, The Monsoon Rising is well worth picking up!

A must read. Very engaging and a world full of surprises. The book is very well written and the world is an amazing read.

I am in a state of shock after reading this book. Whatever Thea Guanzon put in this book I only want more!

A Monsoon Rising was a perfect blend of political uprising, angst between our two main characters, and action packed.

I loved the magic system throughout this book and I loved the incorporation of the dragons. Alaric and Talasyn completely have me swooning. This book will absolutely live rent free in my head.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an early eARC for this book.

You know what. I love this trilogy. I love reading a scifi steampunk romance with a moody, broody emo boy and a feisty twisted in guilt girlie pop. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with the secrets Talasyn is keeping, but I'm going to live in blissful ignorance pretending that everything is okay. Also, the fact that Thea used the "Who did this to you?" trope, but it was the FMC saying this to her secretly butter soft marriage of convenience hubby had me DECEASED.

This book was not what I was expecting. I did feel that it was more about their relationship than the story line. Maybe that's a "me" thing. I wanted more of the plot. I did find myself annoyed with the FMC at times. My favorite parts of the book were the action scenes. I can still "see" them in my mind when I reflect back on this book!

Ughhhh I love everything this woman writes she has such a unique and captivating way of writing and it really sucks you in right from the beginning. I’m so happy to have discovered her when her first book came out

Thank you NetGally, Thea, & Harper Voyage for the free ARC of Monsoon Rising!

Thea never ceases to amaze me with her beautiful writing! But did I enjoy this one more than The Hurricane Wars. The stronger focus on the romance, particularly with the forced proximity of Talasyn and Alaric's arranged marriage, was spot on. Like the first book, I struggled to visualize the magic system and the fight scenes involving magic. But that’s definitely a me thing, lol. However, the romance and witty banter kept me engaged throughout!

This series does not get enough hype. It is really good, and such a fresh take on a genre that has so many of the same types of books. Thea does a great job with her characters and world building. This is my new favorite series, I love to recommend it!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I’m sorry this series is just not for me i tried really hard to like it but i barely tolerated it
there is simultaneously too much plot and not enough plot, i dont know if that makes sense
things were dragging but also too much was happening somehow nothing actually relevant
i hope it gets better for people who have the patience for it, i unfortunately am not one of them.

I think I am retiring this series. I let myself be hopeful after book one, that book 2 would get into the meat of the world/magic/conflict/romance but this book was not that. I felt like had both books been edited down this could have either been a good duology or an okay YA fantasy. It's just too much white noise. After 800 ish pages it still doesn't feel like we have a grasp of the world nor do I enjoy this romance ..at...all.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the opportunity to review this title. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

I need to look up if there are more coming because this was soooo good. And the special editions they’ve put out are so beautiful. It took me awhile to read this and I have bought a copy for my shelf

𝙷𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚕𝚢, 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜, 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚖𝚋 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚑𝚘𝚠, 𝚜𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊 𝚜𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢’𝚍 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚕𝚖𝚜 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔.”

The pining in this book is off the charts! @theagwrites absolutely knocked this sequel out of the park. I loved loved loved this book. I am less thrilled about the cliffhanger because we all know how I feel about those but I could not have asked for more with Alaric and Talasyn. I’m not going to lie, I am terrified of what is going to happen when the truth finally comes out. My only hope is that they see that they were both doing the same thing to each other and that they’re able to quickly get over it because I just need these characters to be happy and in love and living their best lives.

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for a copy of this book! Perfect for fans of enemies to lovers, fantasy, and shadow daddies.

This starts off very slow but omg does it end in such a powerful and exciting way. I loved this maybe more than the first one! I am patiently waiting for the next one and by patiently I mean not even a lil bit..

The fantasy elements we got were so fascinating. I loved the info we got about the magic severs. I loved the relationship that is continuing to be built between Alaric and Talasyn. When this guy calls her Tala in private omg. The smut was very heavy but a healthy amount of plot as well.
That ending though....chefs kiss. I'm so Sat for the next book because I need to know what's happening and what the hell happened and who the fuccccccckkkk is behind this new development.

My main critique is the pacing. The first part of the book focuses heavily on the romance, which, while beautifully written, slows down the plot. Readers hoping for more political intrigue may find this installment less gripping than the first. However, once the story gains momentum, it becomes an exhilarating ride.

Overall, A Monsoon Rising is a beautifully written sequel that leans heavily into romance while still delivering on the high-stakes fantasy elements. If you loved the dynamic between Talasyn and Alaric in the first book, you’ll be completely hooked. I can’t wait to see how the final installment unfolds!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

My true rating for this one would be a 3.5/5. Honestly, I believe I enjoyed the first book more but that's also because I was mostly oblivious to the Star Wars influence before I read the second one. I sort of felt like this book was a bit slower but the last part picked up a lot and the cliffhanger?? I think I just wish it was more high-stakes but there were still moments that gagged me and wow the writing!! I will definitely still be seated for the third book though and for Alaric and Talasyn!

A Monsoon Rising is the sequel to The Hurricane Wars which is a book I enjoyed. I think I enjoyed this second book more since I was already familiar with the world and characters but this is not an all-time favorite series for me. I still had a fun time when I read it though and would recommend it is the premise sounds good to you!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!

So to be honest, I did not pay attention to the fact this was the second book in a series when I requested it. I decided to read the first title so I wouldn't be completely lost and to say I was not a big fan of the first book is a bit of an understatement. If not for the fact that I'm trying to read all of the books I'm approved for, I probably would have skipped this book. Which would have been a shame because I feel like the second book majorly outshines the first. The author has learned a lot since her debut book was released and it shows. The characters are done so much better in this book, the pacing for the story is better, and overall I enjoyed it immensely more than the first. Whereas I found myself not caring at all about where the story would be going after finishing the Hurricane Wars, Monsoon Rising has me disappointed I can't pick up the third book and read it now. If the author continues at the pace she is going, the third book in the series could be one of my favorite books of all time.

Holy wow, what a follow up. A Monsoon Rising took everything I loved about The Hurricane Wars and leveled it up. The action, the tension, the spice. It’s all there and then some. Alaric and Talasyn are beautifully written, both as individual characters and as a couple. The cliffhanger ending left me with a massive book hangover, but it was well worth it.