If you are here for the romance with a touch of denial, you came to the right place!✨ It was pretty steamy, but I was definitely expecting more than a few fade-to-black moments. 👀 Talasyn and Alaric are LOVE birds, but the politics prevent them from being able to fully give in to each other. I’m dying to see how their story plays out… like, will there be a huge sacrifice coming? Cause that’s how it sounds to me and I’m not ready to get my heart broken 😭.

The action scenes were AMAZING. 🔥 I loved when Talasyn and Alaric teamed up, it was one of my favorite parts. The world-building is also great; I felt like I was actually there, it was playing in my head like a movie. But here’s the thing, I was kinda expecting more politics! The first book had all these cool scheming moments, but this one barely touched on that. It’s a romance-heavy book, but I was hoping for some juicy political drama to keep me on my toes.🧐

In the end, I’m really invested and can’t wait for the next one! I just hope we get a little more of the political twists I was craving this time around.✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!


I was very excited to read this novel and had been anxiously awaiting its arrival since I read the last page of The Hurricane Wars. This book did not disappoint!

A Monsoon Rising picks right back after the events of The Hurricane Wars and follows a newly married Alaric and Talasyn as they navigate not only marriage but the upcoming Moonless Dark in a bid to save both of their countries. This had all of the fast paced action, witty banter and fantastic world building of the first novel.

A lot of the problems that I had with the first novel were taken care of early on in the story and it was so much easier to enjoy than the first book. I loved that we got to see more of the Nenavar Dominion and what remains of the Continent. As Talasyn learns to control her magic we are also given more insight on the magic system of this world and the politics that come with it.

Overall cannot wait for the next novel! I think this is going to be a series that only gets better with each book.

This book is for the romantasy and Reylo fanfic fans! It had pining, tension, banter, and chemistry that was off the charts! I can’t wait to dive into the next installment 😍

The only reason this isn’t a 5 star read for me is because the pacing could be slow at times but I recommend this book to anyone who loved The Hurricane Wars and this series to anyone who loves Romantasy.

THEA YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME ON A CLIFFHANGER AGAIN 😭😭😭

On a side note, I loved the progression of this book!!! Hurricane Wars provided all the needed world-building (and tension) that really shined in Monsoon Rising. This book took me on such a rollercoaster ride and I DID NOT want to put it down at all. Praying to see the extra content from the other editions soon!

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book! Now I'll be counting the days until book 3 😭

What a great second book! Liked the relationship between the main character’s but the did become frustrating sometimes. Enjoy the story

This book! I’m not really sure what I can say other than I enjoyed it tremendously! If you’re looking for something good to read I would pick it up.

First off, thank yous are owed to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for sharing the ARC! Thea Guanzon does it again.

The Hurricane Wars was focused on the political and historical imagery of the lands, while the current book builds the relation and delves into the characters of the Night Emperor and the Lachiska, herself.

While working together to overcome the Moonless dark, the Lachiska and the night emperor face their demons, overcome childhood drama and build a tentative truce based on their budding romance. Whilst each kingdom vies to keep them disconnected, they invariably fall into step with each other, learning their traits and protecting each other, without quarters.

Thea does a beautiful job in the sparring, flirting and combustive manner of their relationship which keeps the tale from stagnating. Alaric is trying to defy his father, Talasyn builds her bond with hers, and navigates the costumes and mores of the courtly life. In the space between machinations, they find themselves longing to share their fervent loyalty, while staying true to their respective roots.

The book ends on a cliff hanger and I am eagerly waiting for the next installation to drop. Alaric has grown from a cold prince to a full blooded male and is blazing his way to make his dream of a united kingdom come true, Talasyn searches for peace and to what end the tale leads them to is unfathomable...

Hello yes I continue to be feral for this series! Picking up where we left off, our MCs are now married and have to continue to collaborate to try and save the world. But of course, they are both secretly planning to betray each other and that is GUT WRENCHING! The internal POV work in the book is as strong if not stronger than the external conflict, but also the TWISTS! I spend the last 10% of this book waiting for either Alaric or Talasyn to discover the other one's plans, but then a totally different thing happens now I am going to slowly go insane until the next book is released. Drink this Book: Enjoy with a Blanc de Noir Champagne and celebrate not being eaten by a dragon.

I really enjoyed this. Both Alaric and Talasyn lowkey frustrated me with their stubbornness but their chemistry made it worth it. I loved seeing them battle with their feelings throughout this. The moonless dark is threatening to destroy everything and they must work together to protect everyone. Everything was really well written and this kept me captivated and on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next.

“I’ll see you on the other side of this, or in the Sky Above the Sky where our ancestors sail”

I loved this book. Couldn’t put it down. Book 1 was a lot of lead up and world building. This one felt even stronger. Our two MCs felt more realized and the atmospheric world was one I loved spending time in and felt myself getting pulled into the story. There were many points I couldn’t stop reading or was finding extra time in my day to pick it up for a few extra minutes so I could get just a little further. I love these MCs, love this world, and I cannot WAIT for the next installment.
Thank you so so so much to @theagwrites and @harpervoyager for the chance to read this ARC!! ☀️ 🖤

A Monsoon Rising picks up right after the ending of The Hurricane Wars and continues with the world building and romance between Talasyn & Alaric. I absolutely loved getting to read more of the romance aspect of the series.

I can't wait to read the next book!

That ending!!! OMG…what am I supposed to do now while waiting for the next book?!

“Whatever better world you think you’ll build, it will always be built on blood.”

A Monsoon Rising picks up right after the ending of The Hurricane Wars and continues with the tension, political rivalry and building romance and passion between Talasyn & Alaric. This book was more dedicated to the romance and the plot took a bit of a backseat but I felt that was necessary after it was plot heavy in book one and we are being set up for a solid mix of romance & plot for the third book!

I simply cannot wait to continue this story!

Some of the tropes in this book:
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Slow burn
✨Forbidden love
✨Tension/banter
✨Marriage of convenience
✨Forced Proximity
✨One bed
✨Political intrigue
✨Sizzling chemistry

Unfortunately I was unable to finish the book as I did not like it. Out of respect to the author I will not post a negative review online as I did not finish the book in its entirety.

This is a fun sequel to The Hurricane Wars, and we get to see Alaric and Talasyn's relationship continue to develop. This time, with their dynamic as a married couple in one of my favorite tropes, marriage of convenience. I love seeing that in a fantasy setting, and this setting felt especially lush.

Talasyn reads super young which sometimes made the book feel juvenile. But all-in-all, fans of the first book will enjoy this sequel!

4.5 ⭐ - <i>Thank you to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Oh, Talasyn. Oh, Alaric. How I've missed you so 🥹

<blockquote><i>"She returned his kisses eagerly, as though they lived in a world where there had never been a war and he was wanted and adored—and that was how he realized he was dreaming."</i></blockquote>

This spellbinding 2nd book of The Hurricane Wars was much better than the first: the writing improved, and everyone who didn't like the romance in the first book can't say the same for this one because the chemistry was AMAZING. The romance was genuinely so much better, not just because they've spent more time getting to know each other, but also because of the bond they've formed, the vulnerabilities they've shared with each other and how they're each other's emotional support. Through all their doubts, insecurities and flaws, the other is always there to support and comfort them. They're each other's safe space, and I love that.

<blockquote><i>"You should never flirt again,” he said. “It might be the end of me."</i></blockquote>

The banter is hilarious as always, not just between Alaric and Talasyn but also between Sevraim and Talasyn's noble friends (you could never make me hate Sevraim 🤭). And the ANGST. Oh, the angst. It was MULTIPLIED in this book if that was even possible??? It made the book so much better, and I can't wait for book 3 and for them to find out the depth of their obsessions with each other 🤭

Not only was this book shorter, but it was just so much easier to read. There's a lot less plot than the first book, too, but I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the plot-focused scenes (the one with the world eater was truly so so beautiful and so wonderfully written that I could see it playing like a movie in my head- I love a tragic love story.) Also, the Filo rep!! I loved that Nenavar is a tropical country, SEA countries need more appreciation 🫶 I do wish that there were more developments and motivations for side characters, though, which would help with the abrupt reveal at the end!

<blockquote><i>"He had let her get too close. She would be his undoing. Light and shadow couldn’t exist together without one destroying the other."</i></blockquote>

One of the main things I appreciated about this sequel is that Talasyn still doubts Alaric. Of course, I don't want them to stay enemies forever, but I believe that no matter how "good" Alaric is, he's still a coloniser and needs to understand the error of his actions to fully redeem himself. The Hurricane Wars can't ever be truly over between the two of them otherwise.

I really loved this book and can't wait for the last one!! I need to see Alaric and Talasyn together and safe and living happily ever after 😭😭

This book was absolutely amazing! It was perfection! And the fact that thea is making me waiting so long for the third book is killing me!

A wonderful follow up to The Hurricane Wars. Watching Talasyn and Alaric grow in their relationship, from fighting it accepting it. Their combined growing power.
Loved it!

Love the enemies to lovers dynamic in this book, was really looking forward to the developing relationship between Talasyn and Alaric.
I didn’t realize that there is going to be another book when I started it so didn’t expect to be left off on a cliffhanger but excited that the story is going to continue.
I personally enjoyed this book even more than I enjoyed the first one, I love the development of the characters in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

“A Monsoon Rising” is the much-anticipated 2nd book of The Hurricane Wars trilogy. I was very much hoping to have more scenes with Alaric and Talasyn since the first book left me wanting more, and I was not disappointed by this sequel!

Alaric and Talasyn are now married and being forced to be together despite wanting nothing to do with one another. Other than trying to save face for the sake of their political alliance, the new couple are secretly plotting against one another while trying to push aside and ignore the undeniable chemistry between them.

Fortunately and unfortunately, there are some very spicy scenes on a number of occasions, and I surprisingly found myself wishing the author would ease up and focus more on the story at times, because the plot was getting lost. I was also getting a little annoyed by the main characters’ repetitive, juvenile behaviors. Yes, they are young, but the more their relationship evolved, the more I thought these annoying behaviors would lesson. Not the case.

The plot finally picks up towards the end of the book with lots of action and an explosive cliffhanger of an ending. This part felt much more like the first book, and I really enjoyed it. I’m sincerely hoping that the third book will be a balance between the first two books in terms of having more scenes with the main characters together, but also more scenes to move the plot along.

Overall, if you liked The Hurricane Wars, you’re going to like this book. The writing style is outstanding, and the world-building is spot-on, but the romance overshadows much of this particular book. I’m eager to read the third book to see how Alaric and Talasyn’s story ends.

Thea has done it again with this highly awaited sequel to the hurricane wars. No tension can compare between Alaric and Talasyn. Their relationships with the others around them are also so well written. I'm a person that loves well written characters more than plot and most times, authors can write one well but not the other. However, Guanzon writes both character and plot so well.