Starred review from March 18, 2024
Pairing an ice-cold god in exile with an alcoholic heroine possessed of a minor martyr complex, Warwick (the North series) weaves a heart-pounding, pulse-racing fantasy romance that draws from “Beauty and the Beast.” Following her parents’ death, Wren of Edgewood has devoted her life to protecting her twin sister, Elora, happily sacrificing so that her sister can thrive in the cold wasteland that their homeland—once called the Green, now called the Gray—has become. So when the North Wind, Boreas, descends on Edgewood for his once-every-few-decades ritual of claiming a young woman as his captive, and sets his sights on Elora, Wren demands that he take her instead. Boreas, an exiled god, rules over the Deadlands that border the Gray, separated from the mortal world by a barrier called the shade—and now he’s got a rather feisty sacrifice to care for. Wren doesn’t make life easy for anyone, least of all herself. With the boundaries of the Deadlands fast fading and the residents of the North Wind’s true kingdom in peril, time is short for the pair to figure out how to save their world—and each other. Their enemies-to-lovers romance feels wholly earned, with just enough spice to keep the sparks flying, and the worldbuilding is fresh and distinctive, even with the clear fairy tale influence. Romantasy fans will swoon for this.
December 1, 2024
Warwick ("North" series) transports listeners to a land where winter is constant, and the feared god, the North Wind--Boreas--needs a new bride. Protective Wren will do anything to stop her twin sister, Elora, from becoming Boreas's next prize, even if it means taking her place. Determined to kill him so that she can end Boreas's wintry grip on the land and keep her sister safe, Wren forges an alliance with Boreas's brother, the North Wind. As she spends time with the wintry immortal, waiting for her plan to fall into place, her feelings for him begin to change. Carlotta Brentan does an excellent job of voicing Wren, capturing her fierce resolve that begins to soften as her relationship with the North Wind develops. Travis Tonn narrates the North Wind in a husky tone, leaning into his masculinity and arrogance but also letting his tenderness surface. VERDICT The enemies-to-lovers trope shines in this lush romantasy. Listeners of Sarah J. Maas and Claire Legrand will want to add Warwick's latest to their shelves.--Amber Wessies
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