The third book in the Four Winds series, proving to be one of my favourite romantasy series and in my option very underrated.
Book three was a little slow to start but it was clear who the destined couple were and I enjoyed every second of their slow burn story.
This second chance story took a wild turn as a wicked spell forced the couple a part. As the saying goes distance makes the heart grow fonder - and when the rekindled it was like taking over the world.
Such a fun and tense romantasy series that left me wanting book four now!

Another great book in this series. I’ve loved all of them so far, very unique and unlike anything I’ve read before.

10 second review: The South Wind by Alexandria Warwick. I love how these books are able to be read as standalones even though they are connected. This is the third book I’ve read in the series now, and I enjoyed it just as much as the others. This one is inspired by Sleeping Beauty (and the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, which I’m not familiar with 🫣)
Princess Sarah is cursed to die on her 25th birthday, and she’s trying to make sure her realm is in safe hands. Her dad is trying to get her to agree to an arranged marriage, which she is thinking about doing until The South Wind (Sarai’s ex) comes back on the scene.
I enjoyed the pace and over all storyline of this one, definitely recommend, especially if you liked the others in the series!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Another excellent instalment in Warwick’s series. An adaption of a classical tale with a contemporary twist makes for a quick and easy read.

“The child was born into silence.”

This felt a bit like a swashbuckling adventure on the desert sands rather than water. I loved that there was already an established relationship - broken and rocky as it was - between Sarai and Notus. It made it different from the other two stories in this series so far. Watching them rediscover their friendship and love was so beautiful.

Sarai’s sense of duty, and her dedication to finding a way to save her land, as well as herself and her family was admirable. It’s heartbreaking that she is treated the way she is when the situation is literally not her fault - she didn’t ask for what was done to keep her alive when she was born. Her relationships with those around her were so interesting.

I loved this story - it was my favourite so far and I really can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you Alexandria for the opportunity to read and review your beautiful story.

3.5/5
Ranking thus far
#1 The North Wind
#2 The South Wind
#3 The West Wind

**Post-Romance Book Club Update**
A very interesting discussion at book club. We all felt that the characters were not fully fleshed out, and a lot of the older ladies found Sarai annoying (interestingly myself and the younger girls didn't notice!) And in reverse, we were the ones who felt the King, Sarai's father, had a lot of explaining to do in terms of their relationship, whereas the older ladies blamed Sarai!

We all felt that the labryinth was not used to its full potential, and it was more of a therapy-portal than anything (talking to your younger self and confronting your darkness? Come on!)

A great point was brought up-- where are all the staff in this castle?? We see like two, but where are all the advisors, especially when ...Prince Balior's army is squatting within the kingdom and only Sarai knows?? Really? As for Prince Balior, a lot of us re-read the ending to make sure we didn't miss a chapter on where he went.

We labeled one sex scene (really out of 2) as the "rutting" scene and all felt a bit ick about it.

As for Notus, we had a giggle that he was only good for his sword/s teehee (there was red wine involved at this stage in the discussion!)

And as for the epilogue ...we all groaned when Sarai played the violin and everyone cried. Like, what a pointless thing, to have her music ripped away and then suddenly not?

Ratings ranged from 2.5-3.5 so mid. But I stand by the writing is beautiful, I said it twice below, it just needed a few more comb throughs.

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Sarai & Notus's story is beautiful, and the desert setting was lovely. The writing was beautiful although, this could have easily been 50 pages shorter.

South is my favourite of the three books so far, the series seems to be getter better as it goes on.
If you feel like a slow burn romance, then this almost complete series is a great place to start.
Thank you for the ARC Simon and Schuster

Content warning - su!cide, d3ath of a parent, grief, war. References to mental health challenges. A couple of s3x scenes, the most graphic at around the 75% mark

In this third book of the Four Winds saga, we are taken to the city of Ishmar in the realm of Ammara, a desert city suffering from severe drought. The oases are drying up, and Princess Sarai Al-Khatim's life is running out. While she is to be wed to the Prince of a rival kingdom, she also owes her life to the Lord of the Mountain, and on her 25th name day she will be sacrificed to the Labyrinth; both pacts made for her by her father the King.

But when Ammara is threatened by the Darkwalkers that have already plagued the realms of the North Wind and the West Wind, the South Wind is there to protect the realm.

The only problem is - Sarai and Notus, the South Wind, have *history* and their on/off romance is getting in the way of her betrothal to Prince Balior - and their quest to save both the realm and Sarai's life.

==
This was a fun retelling of ancient myths, that bring together both Beauty and the Beast and the tale of Theseus and the Labyrinth.

Sarai is a fiercely independent woman who both rails against the trappings of royalty and duty.. and who uses it to her advantage when it suits her. Notus is tall, dark and brooding, and says her name a lot (he's a bit one dimensional).

There are major communication issues that woukd be resolved if the people involved would just stop and listen to each other instead of being on their high horses in righteous anger. The main antagonist, the Lord of the Mountain is a fascinating character and he will have a part to play in the next book (spoilers).

Of the supporting characters, I wanted to find out more about Tulleen and Roshar and the blind storyteller - they're characters who deserve more than just a bit part, and their stories would really expand the world of Ammara.

There are some very dark scenes in this book compared to the others in the series, and some readers may find them confronting.

I enjoyed the theme of music being a healer and a way to "soothe the savage beast" as the old adage goes, and the inclusion of both the East and the North Winds, linking the stories together.

I really enjoyed this, and can't wait for the next instalment in the Four Winds series!

~This is a NetGalley Arc. All opinions are my own. I also purchased the audiobook via Audible ~

As ALWAYS Alexandria has delivered us a complete masterpiece!!! This entire series is so beautiful and each book is always so unique while fitting with the themes of this series. I always look forward to falling in love with the new characters we are introduced to, and The South Wind is no different!

Fairytale retellings and mythology mingling together to form a romantic fantasy is right up my alley, I loved the way we were introduced to both Sarai & Notus, and how they were brought back together in a second chance romance. Although the start of the story was a little slow, I was thoroughly enthralled by a few chapters in. I loved the progression of Sarai and Notus love story, even though Notus made a mistake, he did everything to find his way back to her. But I was a bit frustrated with Sarai s reaction, I felt like Notus was trying to give an olive branch and Sarai didn't want a bar of it, communication - well miscommunication in this instance was a bit of a let down. I'm not the biggest fan of a miscommunication trope and I felt like Sarai just continued to make it worse.

The Labyrinth at the end was good! I really enjoyed that and I felt like it gave the story closure.

Thankyou so much for the opportunity to read this ❤️

Enjoyable overall read. Felt that it was quite repeating and confusing at times but overall enjoyable

I enjoyed The North Wind, the first book in this series. It had what I thought was a good mix of adventure, personal struggles, MC interactions and romance. It was supposed to have Beauty and the Beast vibes, and overall I enjoyed the book. I missed The West Wind so put my hand up straight away when I saw this one, The South Wind, available on NetGalley.

I wouldn't say I had high hopes for this book but I at least thought I would enjoy it about the same amount as The North Wind. It started off well, I was interested in how things would go when Sarai and Notus came back into each other's worlds, but unfortunately my interest dropped away the further I got into the book. I didn't particularly warm to Sarai, and there was a lot more of her and Notus' back story that I wish we'd got to actually read instead of it just being hinted at.

I wasn't invested in the "action"; it was meant to be quite devastating but then kept just fading away and was left so unresolved at the end. Perhaps it was a set up for the final book? I don't know. I can't say I'll be reading the final book in the series. I've just lost interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for allowing me to read and review this one.

I like how Alexandria Warwick has crafted these stories inspired by fairytales and retellings of ancient myths.

Of the first three of The Four Winds series that I've read, this was my least favourite. I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope and Sarai wasn't my favourite character. I didn't feel a connection to her & Notus' relationship.

I do find it interesting getting to know the four brothers though and I am very much looking forward to The East Wind!

These new covers of these books are also great!

This is the third in the Four Winds series, but like the others is essentially a stand alone with only loose links to the two previous novels. I enjoyed it a good deal – it’s a pleasant read – but it doesn’t offer anything truly unusual for readers.

Princess Sarai of Ammara is unhappy. Her life has been formed – or deformed – by her father’s incessant demands and his apparent obliviousness to her actual wants or needs. Still, she’ll do her duty by her country. If an arranged marriage is what it takes, that’s what she’ll do.

But Sarai is distracted by multiple things, and perhaps the most important is Notus, the South Wind. Her past lover and a loyal guard to her father, Notus cares about the best interests of both Sarai and Ammara. He doesn’t know that Sarai is cursed to die on her twenty-fifth birthday, but he does see the urgency of dealing with the magical threat to Ammara – he just doesn’t understand the full consequences if they can’t defuse it.

This is a very familiar plot – it held few surprises and signaled pretty much everything very early on. That’s never stopped me enjoying a well written novel, but this one left me somewhat flat.

There were many small inconsistencies in the novel, some of which had plot implications (who can legally break an engagement changed within a few pages, for example, for no apparent reason). Despite its’ familiarity, the plot seemed a little weak and uncertain in places. It lacked conviction, somehow.

The characterisation was decent, but many of the characters felt like familiar archetypes rather than fully rounded characters. Again, there were no real surprises and no real emotional engagement.

This was a pleasant and undemanding read – it was good enough entertainment, but it didn’t challenge me in any way and I don’t think it’ll prove to be memorable. This isn’t a bad novel, it’s just a perfectly average one.

Recommended if you’re looking for something enjoyable but unremarkable.

I really enjoyed The South Wind! It follows Princess Sarai, who’s been cursed to die on her 25th birthday. With only a few months left, she agrees to an arranged marriage to protect her kingdom — but things take a turn when Notus, the South Wind (and her ex), returns unexpectedly.

Sarai is such a strong, determined lead, and I loved how complex her relationship with Notus was. Their fake engagement brings a great mix of tension, chemistry, and emotional depth. The desert setting and the dangerous labyrinth added a sense of urgency and danger that kept me hooked.

Some parts were a little slower in the middle, but the character growth and emotional payoff really made up for it. The writing is vivid and atmospheric, and Warwick continues to build a beautifully imagined world that feels rich with mythology and heart.

A great pick for fans of slow-burn romance, high-stakes fantasy, and layered heroines.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

These books just keep getting better. In the acknowledgements, the author notes that this book in particular was a labour of love. And you really can feel that. Deeper and more emotional than North and West, with our heroine, Sarai suffering from such grief, its truly palpable throughout the story. A bit less action packed, the story definitely feels a bit more meandering than the other 2, with quite a few threads left hanging (the storyteller and Roshar feel forgotten to name 2), perhaps the author clung more tightly with this edit than with the first 2 stories, the book doesnt suffer for it though. Bring on the East Wind ... I can't wait to see how he is redeemed.

I enjoyed the first two book in this series so far, and South Wind didn’t disappoint. The intertwining of fairytale and mythology was intriguing, I loved how this was blended together.

Sarai is a fierce and passionate young woman who knows what she wants - and doesn’t back down even when it comes to defying her father - the King. She has confident to speak her mind and fight for what she believes in. Her pain and mistrust in Notus did make it a little hard to really enjoy their relationship development at times. But there was yearning on both parts.

Notus I felt was quite a reserved character which I didn’t mind because it allowed Sarai to shine. His loyalty to Sarai was evident as well as how much he adored and respected her not only as his lover but as a strong, confident princess.

The fantasy elements of this book made me not want to put this one down. I was intrigued by the curse, the labyrinth, history and politics of their world.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Princess Sarai is cursed to die on her 25th name day. As her realm steadily declines, she works to secure its future before she passes away by marrying a prince from another kingdom. But can this prince really help save her kingdom, or will he just add to their problems? And why has her traitorous ex lover shown up just as she begins to court the prince? This story weaves features of Sleeping Beauty with the Greek myth of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth.

Sarai, our FMC, struggles deeply with trying to live up to others expectations of her, and this manifests as resentment towards her father, a strong sense of duty to her kingdom, and grief for the life she could have lived. Sarai is a talented violinist and I loved how Sarai’s musical talent played a big part in the story, proving that not every FMCs strength needs to be physical.

Notus, our MMC, is my favourite of the three brothers we’ve met so far! He is a strong, gentle god who seems entirely enchanted with Sarai… so why did he leave years ago without a word? I adored how protective he was over Sarai, even though she is cold and bitter towards him.

After a strong, compelling start, the story lost its way a bit in the middle. It felt like the author was trying to juggle too many different elements at once and the execution felt a little clumsy. I did like following Sarai’s journey through grief, trauma, and acceptance - discovering her inner strength and overcoming her past was so satisfying to read. The ending was great, and I especially liked the later chapters in the book, where we get little cameos and crossovers with characters we’ve met before.

If you enjoy second chances, and the insane tension that comes with a fake engagement, you should pick this one up! Notus will steal your heart just as he did mine and Sarai’s!

Alexandria Warwick returns with the stunning third installment in the Four Winds series, 'The South Wind,' a beautifully written tale that delves into powerful themes. This book particularly resonated with its exploration of facing inner monsters, the journey of self-healing, overcoming fear, and the poignant conflict between duty and desire, all within a captivating second-chance romance touched by curses and echoes of Theseus and the Minotaur meets Sleeping Beauty.

ARC Review of The South Wind by Alexandria Warwick
* * * * *
A thrilling fantasy read with a sizzling connection between our love interests, who already have been burned by the flames of love which will once again engulf their lives as they face danger, betrayal and a ticking clock.

Sarai will do all she can for her kingdom, with the limited amount of time she has left. That includes marrying a foreign prince, which now does not seem so easy when her father decides to also hire a traitor - The South Wind - as a royal guard.
The South Wind, who once broke a promise and her heart.
It was all meant to be smooth sailing from this point, but as men control her life and beasts infiltrate her kingdom, Sarai is sure to uncover the threat she refuses to linger with what time she has left.
Though she does have a few surprises up her sleeve...one that includes the man who she wants to kiss and kill.

A spirtfire chemistry between our lovers. Darkwalkers and beasts tear apart the kindgom, a cloaked figure whispering to her in the darkness, enemies threaten to unveil their power, men of power being egotisitcal maniacs who don't realise they are facing a strong woman that can make her own damn decisions...it's action packed wihout having to look into the romance between Notus and Sarai.
Notus and Sarai's past affects their current relationship and predicament that they have landed themselves in. Sarai acts cold and aloof, but inside she is burning with pain and yearning for that happiness she had not felt in so long, even if she hates herself for feeling it when around Notus. The sexual tension is constant! Damn! Sharing a door has never been so dangerous!!
Sarai's family background is backpacked with drama, mourning, and years of a princess being pushing into a perfect mold that is about to break!
Then the epic reveal of Sarai's tragic limited time that is bound to take you all for a spin, along with the epic battle that will have your jaw on the floor!

"You have absolutely stolen my heart. There's no way around it. I love you then, and I love you now."

South Wind is a tender, aching story of healing. Sarai is withdrawn and hurting, haunted by past trauma, and Notus—gentle, steady, and full of quiet devotion—meets her where she is. Their love grows slowly, built on silence, safety, and soft persistence. That line? It wrecked me.

This story doesn’t demand attention—it earns it. And I’m so glad I gave it mine.