Amazing! I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going to love this book seeing as this author is hit or miss for me but I was right! This book was just what I was looking for.

Great title snd cover. Love the characters and vibes💖 great new ,, adult Romansty. Easy to get wrapped up in and great writing. Would recommend for a older audience , intense

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this story, full stop!!! As another reviewer mentioned--this is Not what an ideal world of women ruling would look like0, and the author does not condone this society. It's a world where women and men's places are reversed, and that means in *everything* (besides child bearing). Men are treated like 2nd class citizens, are not in power, are treated as whores and servants, etc.

Taking that into account, it's really easy to love this book. The slow burn romance is really enjoyable--as are the smutty scenes. The author turns femdom up to 11 in this book (we're only missing pegging, really) and I loved every second of it. The smutty scenes will make audiences feel horny, they're that vivid and the relationship that believable. And the more tender part of the relationship is also believable--both characters are protectors and really fall in love when they each put themselves in harm's way to protect the other. They're the kind of couple to fight and fuck and then emotionally make-up. Yes, the love declarations near the end felt a little soon, but I loved so much of the book that I allowed them.

Highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First of all--I loved this, even with the cheesiness near the end (I thought some of the love declarations were a Little too soon, but somewhat understandable for a standalone). I devoured this in <24 hours (probably in like only 4 or so hours?), as proof of how much I loved this.

Second of all, I'm a little perplexed at the people rating this down because of the society the characters are in--newsflash, the author *warned* you that it's our society flipped, and that she does *not* condone it as an ideal society or condone the behavior of some of the characters in the novel. And yet people are obtuse about her author's note...

Anyway. Loved it. Loved how it flipped our society's misogyny and 2nd class citizen treatment of women on its head, and changed it to misandry and 2nd class citizen treatment of men. Loved how Sanos only realized the faults of his *own* (male-dominated) kingdom in light of Olerra's (kingdom's faults and strengths).

Loved the slow burn, loved how (in the end) they can protect *each other* and be the strength the other needs. Loved how their love slowly grew from mutual admiration and a need to protect. Loved the smut scenes (and boy does the author go spicy with <spoiler>bondage and anal play</spoiler>!), those were seriously fan-worthy.

Loved Olerra's bff and how she helps the matchmaking along a bit.

Oh, and loved how even though she kidnapped the wrong brother, Sanos ended up being the right brother *for her*. ;)

I also loved how Sanos is forced to learn about toxic masculinity and how he comes to decide what clothes/jewelry mean to him (not decided overtly by either his father or Olerra).

Finally, loved how--despite her secret--Olerra's strong, metaphorically and physically and emotionally, all on her own. :)

another one for the faves shelf, lads!

You know, I had reservations at the beginning of this book about the whole patriarchy reversal. I read the author's note about the reasoning behind writing the story and it almost turned me away because I don't see the patriarchy being as much of an issue today (here in my country-I know there are parts of the world where it is a real problem and people can relate more to the author's anger towards men).

That being said, I am so glad I read this. It was beautifully written, the characters were humorous and loveable, and I felt entertained at every point in the book. Despite the author's frustrations with the patriarchy, it was still recognized that a matriarchy could be just as problematic.

I think the amount of smut was perfect and not repetitive; it was not over done to the point I was bored and it fit how the story progressed very well.

I think the author could have written more- more detail, more world building, more story- it was rather short for a book, and that is why I gave the book 4 stars. I just think the story could benefit from a little more detail.

Tricia Levenseller makes her adult romantasy debut with “What Fury Brings” - and wow, this story was amazing! This story is raw, dark, and unapologetically furious - and with everything going on in the world today, this is exactly the story I needed to hear.

The book is set in Amarra, a matriarchal society where women rule and men are literally captured to ensure noble lineages. The main character, Olerra, is a fierce and ambitious warrior fighting for her place as heir to the throne. She accidentally kidnaps the wrong prince - Sanos, the crowned prince of a rival kingdom - and that mistake sets off a chain of political intrigue, dangerous games, and a romance that is anything but simple.

What I loved:
- The bold worldbuilding - a matriarchy that flips gender power dynamics on their head. Levenseller doesn’t shy away from making this world brutal, messy, and thought-provoking.
- Olerra herself. She’s strong, ruthless at times, and refuses to apologize for her ambition. She’s also naively authentic at times which makes the budding romance between her and Sanos that more endearing.
- The tone. Levenseller balances dark, heavy themes with moments of humor and snappy pacing, which kept me turning the pages - I literally devoured this book in one day!

And of course, the romance. It’s spicy, it’s complicated (true enemies to lovers!), and for readers who like their romance with high stakes, this definitely delivers.

That said, this isn’t a book for everyone. The romance may feel more physical than emotional at times, and the themes are also heavy - there’s kidnapping, bondage, abuse, and other triggers, so definitely check content warnings first.

For me, this book worked because it’s not trying to be soft or gentle. It’s meant to be intense, sexy, and cathartic. It’s Levenseller writing with rage and passion, and you can feel it on every page.

If you loved her YA work, just know this isn’t that - this is her turned all the way up to adult. I’d recommend it for readers who enjoy dark, boundary-pushing romantasies with a fearless heroine and aren’t afraid of a little chaos in their romance.

What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller is an absolute powerhouse of a book, and I was hooked from the very first page—starting with the author’s note that sets the tone for the entire story. This is a tale that immediately pulls you into a world where power dynamics are completely flipped, and the way it explores gender, power, and societal structure is nothing short of brilliant.

Set in a country ruled by women, What Fury Brings imagines a world where the goddess grants women the power to dominate and protect themselves. In this society, men are not afforded the same privileges or rights, and the laws are built to ensure that women are the dominant force—punishing any harm done to a woman, including the most extreme consequence of death for causing a woman to bleed. It's a concept that feels wildly radical yet undeniably thought-provoking, and the way Levenseller builds this alternate reality feels both fascinating and unsettling.

The brilliance of this book is in how it mirrors modern-day society’s issues, but through a royal and fantastical lens. It makes you reflect on the inequalities that still exist in our world, but without feeling preachy. The book dives into the complexity of these roles—where power, control, and justice are seen through the eyes of those who have been historically oppressed. It’s a vivid portrayal of what could happen if the script were flipped and the imbalances of power were addressed in an extreme, yet strikingly resonant way.

The writing is sharp, the world-building is immersive, and the characters are rich and multi-dimensional. The way Levenseller weaves tension, power struggles, and the exploration of gender into the plot kept me turning pages until the very end.

This is a must-read for anyone who loves intricate political dynamics, strong female characters, and stories that challenge societal norms. What Fury Brings is both a thrilling fantasy and a deep commentary on power, gender, and justice. 5 stars all the way! Highly recommend.

“P*nis guillotine”

Not a feminist story, but one of revenge.

I had to put this down and return a few times - I *loathed* these characters and so much of the story, but I also really enjoyed it and couldn’t bring myself to completely stop reading it. I have conflicting views about this title but still liked it.

Lines -

After the furor in the US over women being “too emotional” to serve as president (how’d that attitude work out?), I really appreciated this line - *”Men were unfit to rule. They were easy to provoke, and they always thought with their c*cks instead of their heads, which was why they were better suited to the bedroom.”*




Thank you to FEIWEL and NetGalley for the DRC

I went into this book intrigued and quickly was completely hooked. What pulled me in most was the world Tricia Levenseller built. She flipped the traditional patriarchy and built the land of Amarra, where women are the warriors, breadwinners, and leaders, while men were pampered, painted up, and kept at home.

Because of the shortage of men in Amarra, the FMC Olerra is forced to kidnap a royal from a neighboring land to be her husband.

She sets her sights on Andrastus, the second born prince of the land of Brutus. However, things don’t go as planned and she ends up taking the heir to the Brutus throne, Sanos. Brutus is a more traditional male-dominated land and seeing the dynamics between the prince and Olerra was both entertaining and thought-provoking.

There were definitely moments that felt uncomfortable, especially in how men were objectified. But I think that was the point—the author made us sit with the idea that simply reversing the roles of patriarchy isn’t the answer either. It pushed me to reflect, which I loved.

At times, it read like a traditional romance novel with tropes I recognized and enjoyed, but layered with heavier worldbuilding that made the story feel fresh and unique. The combination of tension, cultural clash, and unexpected twists made this a book I devoured.

Overall, What Fury Brings was fun, smart, and unlike anything I’ve read lately. It made me think while still giving me that addictive pull. I’d recommend this to fans of Romance and Romantasy books I’m already eager to see what Levenseller writes next in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for providing me with this ARC. All opinions are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ — What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

Levenseller’s adult debut kicks off the Wrath and Fury world with a bold premise and a gender-flipped power dynamic: in the matriarchal kingdom of Amarra, warrior general Olerra must kidnap and train a husband to solidify her claim to the throne. Enter Sanos, a Brutan prince whose “sweet, docile” reputation makes him the perfect political prize. It’s a spicy, battle-studded romantasy with plenty of banter and role reversal.

What worked for me:
The hook lands fast. Levenseller opens on the battlefield, then pivots into a palace/courtship plot that leans into forced-proximity, enemies-to-lovers energy. The worldbuilding choice (a society where women rule and husband-kidnapping is normalized) gives the romance immediate stakes and lots of room for commentary on gender and power. 
Tone-wise, it’s intentionally more mature than her YA work, with open-door scenes and darker edges, which aligns with the marketing around this being her adult debut. 

What didn’t click as well:
The pacing wobbles: momentum surges in the action beats, then thins during middle-act palace maneuvering. I wanted the political thread to deepen rather than reset to the romance loop.
The tonal blend occasionally clashes, quippy banter sits next to heavier themes (coercion, state-sanctioned abduction), and the shifts aren’t always smoothed out.
Character work is engaging but sometimes broad; Olerra’s ruthlessness and Sanos’s principled stubbornness repeat a few times before either meaningfully evolves.
Content notes: graphic battle violence; abduction/forced proximity framed by the world’s laws; on-page sexual content; gendered power imbalance explored and subverted. 
Bottom line: A provocative premise with crackling chemistry and a confident adult tone, but the execution is uneven. If you come for the spice + banter + role-reversal combo, you’ll likely have fun; if you need tight political intrigue and seamless tonal control, temper expectations. 3 stars—enjoyable in bursts, uneven overall. 

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun standalone romantasy romp that I feel harkened back to 80s harlequin romances but with some misandry thrown in—as a treat.

Were men sexually objectified in this book? Absolutely. Was the subversion of gender stereotypes done in a way that’s truly thought provoking or will make you seriously examine your outlook? Nope! Did I, a certified man-hater, giggle and kick my feet when the topic of men’s promiscuity came up and someone asked “what use is a dull sword?” You bet your sweet ass I did.

This book is fun. It’s CAMP! And the romance/sexual chemistry works, imo. It struck the sweet spot between sexy and ridiculous which apparently suits my tastes. If you want to read a fun little romantasy that pokes fun at misogyny by showing how outrageous gendered expectations are when reversed, definitely give it a try.

I can appreciate this author's intentions in the creation of this story, and as someone who reads widely, I was not turned off by the content warnings introduced at the beginning of the book. But instead of being an engaging story about feminine rage and revenge, What Fury Brings falls flat, lacking the nuance or maturity to do the themes justice.

Olerra and Sanos are underdeveloped and uninteresting characters, and the majority of the supporting characters are so unmemorable that the author barely takes the time to describe them (aside from Glenaerys, the token Mean Girl, and Ydra, the Good Friend). I found it impossible to root for the "romance" because the characters hardly have any personalities to invest in. By the end, Sanos hardly even seems like the same person. The conversations between Olerra and Sanos are stilted and generic.

The world, as a concept, is interesting: a matriarchy where the general method of managing men is "let's see if you like it when it's done to you!" But it's so heavy-handed that at times it feels like a caricature instead of a message, and the plot is too weak to carry the book otherwise.

I think some readers will be bothered by the way the author handles some of the themes (honestly, with very little care), while others will argue that this genre doesn't need the author to offer any moral commentary. For me, the overall reading experience was just entirely awkward and uncomfortable, content warnings aside.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC, but What Fury Brings simply didn't land for me.

I finished this book DAYS ago and it’s all I can think about

I enjoyed every scene, sentence, and TENSION filled moment!!!! no notes on this masterpiece

Olerra and Sanos are my favorite babies EVER i miss them already

I planned to read this book during the weekend and ended up devouring it on Thursday. I had such a great time with the characters. Olerra is determined and strong. The author writes this book as an inversion of behaviors we are accustomed to seeing. The men are to be seen and not heard, and the women dominate. Olerra doesn't want just a male. She wants to kidnap a Brutus Prince. She thinks she is going to take the poet home, but she kidnaps the wrong one. Sano and Olerra are so fun to read. What I love most about this novel is that through Olerra's voice, she teaches Sano all the cruelties they do to women (because Brutus still maintain old ways).
Thank you, author, for making Olerra want to rule with equality and not just step on males as some feminist characters do.
Lots of spice.

Look, I get what the writer was trying to do. Oh yay, a matriarchy. I’m all for that. But what could have been a genuinely good story was a bumbling mess of human trafficking and a major case of Stockholm Syndrome. There were sooooooo many other options out there to make this better without being incredibly cringe, AND getting the same overall message through. I can think of multiple scenarios off the top of my head.

I found there to be zero romance in this “Romantasy”. Sure the characters start to talk and sorta connect in an all to convenient “we have so much in common” way, but it’s like 2/3’s of the way in of him being a literal prisoner/slave essentially. Any declarations of “love” just didn’t feel earned. The main male character, Sanos just kind of ended up with a new personality towards the end too and leaves you feeling cheated that this supposed strong general of Brutus is all the sudden, “I don’t wanna go home”.

I didn’t like this book so much, my brain kept wanting to dream about it last night and make it a good story and 100% cringey extreme feminist. Again, this book could have communicated the same message but in a different way, the story was just too weak and simplistic with plot and character conflicts everywhere

I felt apprehensive going into this book because of the mixed reviews but I’m so glad they didn’t deter me! I’ve enjoyed Tricia’s YA books in the past so I ran to apply for an ARC for her adult debut.

You must read Tricia’s dedication to enjoy this book. She simply poses the idea of what would happen in a world where men are treated as women have historically been treated, how would men react, and how would this world look. Tricia is not posing this hypothetical alternative as a solution but rather as an interesting study of what would occur if historical roles were reversed.

Olerra, our FMC, is a strong general in Amarra’s army who is hoping to win the crown once her aunt’s rule is over. In this realm, the crown is passed to the most deserving relative and Olerra will need to gain additional favor among the constituents to be selected. She kidnaps herself a husband of the enemy realm, Brutus, and she purposely chooses to kidnap the second son of the King to leave Brutus their heir while still marrying nobility. However, Olerra kidnaps the wrong son and accidentally takes the first born son, Sanos.

Once Sanos travels to Amara, he sees a world very different from Brutus. Initially, Santos fights tooth and nail against Olerra. However, the forced proximity and attraction to Olerra cause him to reconsider all he knows. Their romance is a superrrr slow burn and I enjoyed it!!

Read this if you like:
🔹 unique, female specific magic
🔹 political intrigue
🔹 plus sized FMC
🔹 forced proximity
🔹 feminine rage
🔹 some spice including a certain scene that we RARELY see in romance books but we should see it more often!!

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you so much to Macmillan for the eARC! #whatfurybrings #netgalley #romantasy

This was my first Tricia Levenseller and it was a lot of fun! Not nearly as dark as the trigger warnings or some reviews make it out to be, at least not by my standards, and while it's hardly a deep dive into exploring the nature of matriarchal societies, I wasn't expecting one--what I was expecting was a light romantasy with gender role reversal, and that was what I got (and honestly I'm rounding up a star just for the accuracy of the marketing). Short version, I enjoyed the read and will definitely be recommending this one to readers looking for something slightly different in their next romantasy.

This book pulled me in right away—Tricia Levenseller has such a fun, fast-paced writing style that makes it super easy to get hooked. What Fury Brings had the perfect mix of action, mythology, and just the right amount of romance to keep me invested.

I really enjoyed the main character’s journey—she was fierce but also vulnerable, and it made her feel real. The side characters added a lot of heart too, and the banter kept things from ever feeling too heavy. There were definitely some darker, emotional moments, but that balance of humor and intensity is one of the things I love about Levenseller’s books.

“A sexy, empowering romantasy featuring a warrior general who must kidnap and train a husband in order to take her rightful place as queen.”

While this is my first book by this author, I definitely don’t feel like it will be my last. I had heard so many mixed reviews about this book I was almost hesitant to start, but I am really glad that I didn’t let it deter me.

I honestly had a hard time rating this book because I’m not quite sure star ratings are the way to go. While I enjoyed this book, it is not going to be for everyone. Please read the trigger warnings and synopsis before going in blind. This book turns our current world on its head and rewrites our narrative as a matriarchal society where women hold all the power and political prowess.

The writing style was great and I really loved the character development throughout the story. We see both the FMC and MMC grow and change their ideals and beliefs from polar opposites to ideas that can come together to make a better world.

This story is great for fans of:
⚔️Banter
⚔️Reverse gender roles
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Hidden Identity
⚔️Forced Proximity
⚔️True Enemies to Lovers
⚔️Curvy/powerful FMC

A very special Thank You to NetGalley, Macmillan, FEIWEL, and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**3.5 STARS**

Content Warning: violence, physical abuse, mentions of sexual assault, kidnapping, dubious consent, auctioning/selling men/children, mentions of grooming and underage sexual partners, animal death, penis guillotine

+ I went into this arc, seeing the reviews for it online being very polarizing. People either love it or hate it and it made me very curious as to why. The world building is different – especially for a romantasy. We hear romantasy and think certain tropes, but this is most definitely a reversal of the gender roles and this is a dark romantasy. Olerra is from the kingdom of Amarra where the women are in power. And I don’t mean they just are the rulers of this place, oh no, they housebreak their men – yes, that’s what the call it. Men are the subordinate, they are the househusband, they are used for breeding, they are punished if out of line, they are the whores, and they are the ones being bought. Personally, I thought it was very eye opening and I wanted to see how this story played out.

+ Olerra, as a character, she’s powerful. She fights with men, wins against them, she’s a commander of the military, she’s a big woman and she’s ambitious. I kind of got a kick out of her husband-hunting/kidnapping and being the one to save him in the end. Is she perfect? No. Because she does punish Sanos, put him on display, plays on his lust for her – but this is a role reversal, this is how Olerra has been raised. Readers of dark romance have seen similar scenarios take place in the traditional roles of men and women. The man doing the kidnapping, displaying the woman, etc…so it was really fascinating to see Olerra do all of this to Sanos, who is not a weak man himself. He’s a warrior and fighter just like her, and she emasculates him so she can be viewed as powerful among her people.

+ I like how this book bent my brain because I’m so used to the usual gender roles in all the romantasy I read – and I read a LOT of them. So this book was so good at challenging my thoughts on what I’m used to reading, things I just readily accept about female and male characters. I thought Amarra being a mirror to the Brutes was interesting. The society in Amarra is the result of men doing what they do to women – but instead of flourishing as an open society (which they do – they accept different sexualities), they treat the men as women have been treated. They treat criminals like an eye for an eye – male rapists get their privates removed. The women don’t seem to have evolved but are carrying out revenge. Instead of Amarra’s women taking the high road and saying, this won’t happen here – they do it full force, exactly what’s been done to them, because that’s “what fury brings“. But not going to lie, I was kind of scared for these men!

+~ There is spicy scenes and one that includes bondage. So it’s spicy but might also make some readers uncomfortable because of dubious consent.

~ This is marketed as a romantasy but I felt like the romance was under-developed. It’s enemies to lovers, clearly – the enemies being very obvious, Sanos has been kidnapped and is being forced to marry Olerra. It’s definitely Stockholm Syndrome but again…I’ve read this in regular romance and didn’t mind it. He eventually has feelings for her but I felt like it was all lust. Would have loved to see some tender moments between them, that shows that feelings, more than lust, were growing.

~ Please heed the trigger warnings – this is a dark romance. Stockholm syndrome anyone? There are mentions of grooming, buying young boys and it’s gross and uncomfortable.

~ I kind of wanted to see at the end how Olerra and Sanos would rule Amarra and Brutish because they both win their crowns so would book two show progress as Sanos points out things Olerra can change in Amarra and vice versa? I’m very curious! I did feel Olerra did exactly say all the things she would change as Queen, she mentioned not being as cruel as her cousin. But that doesn’t mean much. Would also like to see Sanos change some things in Brute.


Final Thoughts:

This is a dark romance fantasy where the gender roles have swapped in Amarra and women in take their revenge on men. I like that it was like holding up a mirror to how men treat women but it doesn’t mean what they are doing in Amarra is right. Men sell young women in many dark books – well the Amarran women sell young boys in this book. It’s ugly, but I think that is the point of the mirror. Men do it…but women could do it too. Sanos basically falls for his kidnapper – but we’re not new to stories like this, are we? Nope. Just new to who does the kidnapping and who is doling out punishment in this book. Either way, it’s wrong to live like this or behave this way and I think that’s what I got out of this story. Now there were many uncomfortable moments in this story but I also found it a quick read and there were even some funny moments. So I think you have to read this one at your own risk, read some reviews on this one, and definitely check out the trigger list before going into it. Overall, I found it a fascinating read but did want more out of the romance and maybe see both main characters commit to doing more to change how their kingdoms treat people.