I definitely enjoyed this one more than The West Wind.

The story follows Princess Sarai and Notus (the South Wind), former lovers who end up in each others orbits again after the King asked Notus to come and protect the city again the Darkwalkers.

We love a second chance at romance trope and a fake engagement.

The slow burn was slowwwwn and the yearning had me!
I just wish there was more time in the Labrynith, it left me with so many questions

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Australia, and the author for the chance to read this book.

This is the 3rd instalment in the Four Winds series. I found the characters in this one a bit more frustrating than in the other books. There were times I just wanted to shake Sarai and tell her to stand up for herself.
Overall, it was an engaging story full of drama and emotion.

I love Alexandria Warwick and the rest of this series so much, and this book was no exception. The plot line was interesting and I always love that Alexandria incorporates such unique mythologies into her books (this one being sleeping beauty crossed with Theseus and the Minotaur) and I really loved that a core theme of this book was centred around music and processing grief/the sudden loss of a loved one and the process of re-finding yourself afterward. The setting was vivid and so easy for me to visualize (which definitely helps me to enjoy the story more) and our characters felt super well fleshed out. I really loved Sarai, I always like a princess FMC and she felt so well balanced. And did I mention that this book is a second chance romance?? (Aka one of my favourite things)

There were really only a few minor things that kept this from being five stars for me. I got a little lost in the middle and the story kind of stopped holding my attention for a while (i was also pretty busy at the time, but the fact it wasn’t grabbing me made it hard to find the motivation to pick it up) and because of this I feel like the middle of the book kind of blurs together. I also found it a little disappointing (and this may be a minor spoiler here) that Sarai gave up her passion for love at the end. It just doesn’t feel right… she literally surrendered a huge part of her identity for a man :( like yes he was a god but ughhhhh yknow?

Anyway overall I did really enjoy this book and highly recommend this whole series!! Very much looking forward to book 4🥰

Gah! This series is so fun! I loved following the Princess and South wind! I think every book in this series gets better and better!

Okay so I have avoided doing my review for this because I absolutely loved the first book! Like LOVED it! I read the west wind and it was okay but I was hopefully that things would pick up more again for the south wind.

I fear it did not. The story felt like it was lacking and dragged out / forced. I found myself very bored but also not being able to follow the story as it felt like it didn’t make sense. I switched to audio book as sometimes that helps me enjoy a book I’m not physically enjoying and I still just couldn’t connect with the story.

I don’t know that I will read the east wind but I am undecided. I’m so grateful to Simon & Schuster for sending me the first two books

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.