The West Wind

Brielle's uneventful life as a religious devotee in Thornbrook is upended when she discovers Zephyrus, the West Wind, unconscious and alone in the woods. Against her better judgment, she secretes him in the abbey, only to have her faith severely tested by the immortal in her care. Zephyrus may have the face of an angel and be surprisingly kind at times, but he is also cunning, selfish, and motivated by dangerous secrets. One of those secrets leads Brielle into and out of Under, a faerie realm full of dark and disturbing magic. Once there, Brielle quickly discovers that Zephyrus has his own agenda. Lush prose and high drama keep this fantasy narrative moving at a fast clip, but the roller coaster of emotions and the constant near-death experiences of the two leads may feel repetitive to some. Still, this is a dreamy and captivating addition to a series (after The North Wind, 2024), built on an interesting premise and promising a broader happily-ever-after for readers who stick with it.

Magic and myth collide with faith and fate in Warwick's luxuriously imagined and immersive second Four Winds romantasy (after The North Wind). A skilled bladesmith and devout novitiate in service to the Father at Thornbrook Abbey, 21-year-old Brielle has lived almost half her life there, though she's never quite fit in. Her simple life is irrevocably changed when she comes upon an injured man in the woods. The decision to save him takes her deep into the land called Under, the domain of the fair folk, and leads her to question everything she thought she knew. It turns out the man is Zephyrus, a god from another dimension known for his selfishness. When Brielle sets out on a quest with her tormentor from the Abbey, Zephyrus tags along, ostensibly to repay her for saving his life. Her attraction to him is intense, but acting on it would mean forsaking the god to whom she's dedicated her life. The well-shaded characters brim with nuances accentuated in sharp dialogue. Brielle's introspection, particularly as it relates to her faith, is as exquisitely detailed as the romantic and fantasy elements. Drawing from Greek myth and the Scottish legend of Tam Lin, this intricate fairy tale enchants. (Nov.)