I DNF’d this one at about 20%. it just wasn’t for me; unfortunately. I think the writing was fine & the plot was interesting but it didn’t capture my interest. it’s possible it was a mood thing & I’ll come back to it, but it just wasn’t for me at this time.

Whisper of War and Storms was a story that captured my attention and I ended up reading it within 24 hours. I liked getting to know the characters and their back stories. It was also interesting to see how Mev coped with so many secrets from the past being revealed.

For me this book was an engaging romantasy and I did like the enemies to lovers trope that was threaded throughout. There was a good amount of chemistry between Mev and Kael to keep me invested too. I would say the story moved at a very good pace. There was always something within the story to keep me entertained and to keep turning those pages. I’m already eager for book two! It will be interesting to find out what will happen next. As I’m sure there are more secrets to be revealed. The world building also started well in this book but I’m sure there is more to come with that too.

Whisper of War and Storms is engaging, at times very intriguing and above all enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the pages of this books. So a definite escapist read for me!

As someone who absolutely LOVES Fantasy/Romance this was the perfect read!

In this book we follow the story of Mey and Kael... two characters who, as the story progresses it is impossible not to love!

The storyline itself is perfectly paced and captivating, and keeps you utterly obsessed to the end!

*Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and C.L. Mecca for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for my honest review.*

I loved this book as it is written in an exciting and intriguing way which made me read it in no time. It is written from the point of view of Mev and Kael, which allows you to get to know both characters well and gives a nice variety in the narrative. The characters were well developed and I really liked them. The writing style was good and kept me engaged. The plot itself was interesting and I really liked the chemistry between the FMC and the MMC and am looking forward to the next book.

Thanks to NetGalley and C.L. Mecca for sending me an ARC and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book needs about 5 more rounds of editing. The writing style is rough and sloppy, writing felt rushed which made the world building fall flat and there wasn't nearly enough description used for thing sin order to make it immersive.

A unique and gripping romantasy book - with worlds of potential.

When a forgotten ring reveals Mevlida Brennan’s true heritage as the long-lost princess of Aetheria, a kingdom of immortals and magic, her world is turned upside down. But there’s just one problem—Mev didn’t know she was missing.

As a firm lover of all things fantasy and romantasy, this book was everything it promised - while also remaining a manageable length.
It was everything I wanted Outlander to be without the elements I found difficult to read/cliched.

The world builiding was equistite - a portal romance where the FMC - a woman from Earth finds herself in Elydor. The Elemental magic system was interesting and the political intrigue helped the plot immensely.

There were some areas that were overly descriptive and boarded on clunky in terms of the writing style; it definitely would have benefitted from further editing - however the world building more than made up for this!

Both the FMC and MMC were lovable - albeit a tad tropey.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and will definitely be picking up book 2 when it releases in May!

This was my first romantasy book, but it will not be my last! I can't wait to see where C.L. takes us in the next installment! I loved the concept and the heroine was amazing. I'm so excited to get back into this world.

This book is my first foray into romantasy and C.L. Mecca made it well worth my time by creating a magical world filled with well developed characters and snappy dialogue. I loved Kael and Mev's HEA and the unresolved main conflict leaves me anxiously awaiting the next world of Elydor installment!

Thank you to Boldwood for the ARC. I am pleased to leave this honest review.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book but I knew within the first few pages that it wasn't going to be a five star read. I hate giving low star reviews because these books are parts of someone's soul. It's the bringing it to life part that is the hardest. The idea of the book is good and I loved the cover. The magic system was very well thought out and it was the best aspect of the book and the one I enjoyed the most. It was detailed, specific and a bit different to anything that I've read for a while. The world building was also quite well done, it wasn't drawn out but a 'learn as you go - along with the FMC' kind of thing. The whole world was explained well and was easy to understand. It is an easy read, especially if you're looking for something quick and light.

For me, the story lacked depth. While the world building and the secondary characters were introduced and described quite well, the main characters just lacked chemistry. They went from hate to love in a heartbeat and it just didn't feel natural to me. There was no progression, no small moments where they start to see each other in another light, if you don't count changing clothes and hair changes. The opposition from Mev's language to Kael's was too much for me and I know that if it had been done any other way it wouldn't have been right but all of a sudden Mev starts to pick up Kael's way of speaking, makes a comment about it but doesn't stop doing it. Everything was too easy, Mev had 'feelings' and they were always true and then all of a sudden a lie came out of nowhere and I was just a little blind sighted by it. Some parts were cheesy and all of it seemed to just move so quickly and yet nothing really happened. There was no tension, no worrying about whether something bad was going to happen and how they were going to get through it. The plot was a simple one, it is exactly as the blurb says and I crave a deep, thick plot that keeps my attention or at the very least a cliff hanger that has me gasping for more, more story, more history, more of the MC's romance.

It's a quick, easy and uncomplicated read and unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! between the tropes, the travel fantasy, the dual POV, and the fantastic character arcs I loved every minute of it. I think the only thing left for me to say is that I am sitting on the edge of my seat and I can't wait for more and to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The idea of a woman traveling through a portal to a land of magic where she is the lost princess and meets the son of her enemy is not such a bad idea, but the way the idea is executed is what made me lose interest in this book. There are several parts where she uses a lot of vocabulary from the human world that should be incomprehensible to the world of magic.
The “show, don't tell” effect is lost.
There are many scenes that are not easy to follow due to the lack of detail and coherence. They jump from one place to another. Something I don't understand is all the importance given to going to the bathroom. It makes no sense and contributes nothing.
The blurb says: A spellbinding, epic romantic adventure of tangled secrets and dark magic. I feel like they wanted to make the story bigger than it is.

This seemed to tick all the boxes. Transported to another realm and a lost princess with magical abilities.
I liked the descriptions of Elydor. I usually like stories with portals. However I though the story was a bit slow and I can't put my finger on it but I felt it lacked something.
I kept waiting for it to move on. I also usually like dual POV and the characters are pleasant enough but it just didn't grab my imagination.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

⭐ Book Tour ⭐

Whisper Of War and Storms by C. L. Mecca
Hosted by Rachel's Random Resources
Published by Boldwood Books

This romantasy novel is the first in a series and the debut by the author.
It's a good length and sets up the scene well. We get a lot of world building and character development, and I think this will be a really enjoyable series for fans of this genre.

This is available to purchase now.

@rachelsrandomresources @theboldbookclub

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While it begins at a leisurely pace, this book quickly captivates you. The world-building is exquisite, painting a vivid picture that immerses you completely. The characters are richly developed, each with their own unique layers, and the chemistry between Mev and Kael is electric. The witty banter and the charming supporting characters add an extra layer of enjoyment. Eagerly anticipating the next installment!

Enjoyable Romantasy

One moment, Mev was in a pub in England, and the next, she would go through a portal to a world of magic and creatures, strange and impossible. Mev came to England to solve a mystery about who she was, and the truth was stranger than anything she could have imagined. She would meet Kael, who should be her enemy. However, the two would fall in love. He was the son of the king that started it all. His father closed the portal between the two worlds, leaving her and her mother abandoned. Could love stand a chance?

This is a delightful romantasy, full of action, adventure, and magic. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to those who like epic fantasy with romance. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

This enchanting enemies-to-lovers romance is filled with elemental magic, political intrigue, and undeniable chemistry. Mevlida Brennan’s life changes when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Aetheria. Thrown into a world on the brink of war, she faces the brooding prince Kael, who kidnaps her to protect his kingdom’s secrets. Their tension crackles as dark forces rise and Mev’s dormant powers awaken. The world-building is immersive, the romance deliciously tense, and the adventure gripping. While I wished for deeper character growth in some areas, the story kept me hooked. I can’t wait for the next book!

Starting with the cover. It is gorgeous. The design and colours. Definitely eye catching and one I would pick up.

This started off in the human world and I wasn’t really sure about how it would work because I’m used to being thrown in to the fantasy world but it really made a change.

This is quite a short book yet the author managed to incorporate so much world building. I felt like this could have been explored more if it was longer but I gathered a good understanding regardless.

I love the magic and thought it was good how each area is different. I would love this to have been explained more and hope it is in the second book. I also can’t wait to see how Mevs powers develop.

I like Mev and Keal and think there are also some great secondary characters. I am intrigued by Rowan. He definitely has a lot more to him! This was a nice quick and easy to read book and I will read the second book when it’s out to see where it goes.

Thank you to @rararesources @boldwoodbooks and @meccaromance for the gifted review copy.

This was a fast paced romantasy that had me hooked from the start. It was relatively short for a fantasy book at 269 pages so I was intrigued by this one.

I really liked the two main characters Mevlida and Kael. The way Mev came across the other world via the portal was done really well. All the time I was wondering is Kael going to turn Mev over to his father or do the right thing? I was eager to find out.

I really liked the magic and I’m looking forward to learning more about everything in book two.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for having me on the tour and the publisher for my gifted ebook.

For those who want a combination of fantasy and romance, Whisper of War and Storms delivers. C.L. Mecca brings readers along for the ride as Mevlida's search for what happened to her mother years ago has her entering a magical realm where her questions will be answered. She quickly meets Prince Kael who kidnaps her (for both his own selfish need and to keep her safe from others), but they eventually feel a strong connection.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a much quicker read compared to some in the genre. That left me with mixed feelings as I would have liked more time for world-building and character development. What I do know is I am ready for book 2 now to see what will happen next.

I'm giving it a 5 as I'd both recommend it and re-read it. However, the novel did not hook me quite the same as others. Something I did appreciate is that while the book has spicy scenes, it wasn't as jarring as others I've read with an abrupt switch from fantasy and world-building to soft porn chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and C.L. Mecca for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

More I need more!
I think for a first go at a romantasy, this was a great start. The settings and descriptions are clear and easy to imagine. I would have loved more.
I wanted to feel the magic coming off the page, and it was almost there.
Karl the Prince and Hero of our story is or would be a great leader, but it's really not what he wants, he's a warrior, a protector who wants peace.
Mev is searching to find out who she is. To possibly find the father she never thought she'd get to meet, to find the memories stolen from her mom.
Wait till you you get caught up in these two, in the magic of the elements, the attraction neither can fight forever and the war the desperately want to stop. I can't wait to read book two.
I have voluntarily left this review.