Escape to the Bookshelf

This Shattered Tempest by Thea Guanzon

Release date: 08.10.2026

SPOILER ALERT: THIS IS THE THIRD BOOK IN A SERIES. YOU MAY WISH TO START WITH BOOK ONE: THE HURRICANE WARS

They’ve saved the world from the Voidfell, put the dragon back to sleep, and fallen in love along the way. But the dragon was never the real enemy and there are still warring factions who want both of them dead for different reasons.

Talasyn must both quell internal conflicts in her own kingdom and choose which side of the wider battle she truly belongs to: the country that raised her or the country of the crown she wears and the man she loves.

To Alaric the war is merely a rebellion that needs to be squashed before he can make the real changes to bring peace and prosperity to his country. His real priority is his wife and working out how to keep her safe without losing her love, especially when his own father is the greatest threat. Will their secrets and conflicting loyalty finally destroy them both or will they realise in time that they both want the same things: peace, love and, ultimately, each other.

Once again, the dual POV in this book weaves a frustrating foundation of secrets and longing and deception, fuelled by a constant lack of communication and trust and a drive to fix everything without the other person finding out they broke it in the first place. As a reader, you can see exactly why each character feels the way they feel and does the things they do. Yet you can also see exactly how easily everything could be fixed if only they would talk openly with each other. This combination makes for an exhilarating read as you are constantly braced for the next blow, knowing exactly what betrayals each character has lined up and how the other one will truly feel when they find out. And when everything finally comes out, you wait with bated breath to see how far their love will stretch and whether this will finally be the thing to break them.

I also really enjoyed the final spurt of character growth in this final instalment. Both characters have had a lot of growth throughout the trilogy as their love for each other helps them to see that the world is not as black and white as they have been taught to believe. Talasyn especially has worked through a lot of emotional trauma and become so much stronger for it. This book presents a final rebirth for both characters as they are finally able to cut the ties holding them back and make their own choices, the ones that are best for them and for their kingdoms without worrying about what others will think. Similarly they both step into their royal roles with far more maturity and confidence than has previously been shown, fully embracing both the positives and negatives of the responsibilities handed to them by their births. It is this acceptance, I think, that finally brings them together as a couple because they finally accept that their mistakes are fuelled by the right intentions and that no one else can truly understand the burdens they carry in having to make these choices in the first place.

Finally, Thea Guanzon has treated us to an extremely satisfying ending. There is no cliff-hanger, but also no perfect happily-ever-after; just the realistic promise of a slightly complicated and messy life, with more work to be done and the sense that this is only the beginning of something much greater.

Review by Mikaela Keetch

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