between tides & thunder review — Leena Kazak (spice level, tropes & is it worth it)

between tides & thunder by leena kazak was not on my radar, wasn’t on my tbr, and definitely wasn’t supposed to keep me reading until 2 a.m.

a princess. the wrong brother. and a man everyone swears is the villain.

this is a standalone romantasy with enemies to lovers, forced proximity, forbidden love, and enough tension to keep you turning pages long after you should have gone to bed. if you’re here for dragons and nonstop action, this probably isn’t your book. if you’re here for two people slowly realizing everything they’ve been told is a lie? welcome.

is between tides & thunder worth it?

yes, but…

only if you’re someone who loves romantasy but doesn’t need the spice to carry the entire book.

this one lives and dies by its characters. by the journey. by the way zevayr and mayah slowly chip away at everything they thought they knew about each other.

it’s softer than a lot of the books i usually recommend. but don’t mistake that for boring.

there’s a plot twist sitting in this book that i’m not touching with a ten-foot pole because discovering it yourself is half the fun.

if you like forbidden love, forced proximity, touch her and die energy, and a morally gray man who might not be as monstrous as everyone claims, this is absolutely worth picking up.

the book

spice level breakdown

spice rating: 3/5

🌶🌶🌶

honestly, a 3/5 might be a stretch.

this is very much a slow-burn romantasy.

the kind where a hand on a waist does more damage than most full spice scenes.

there’s tension. lingering touches. way too much forced proximity. and two people trying very hard not to want each other.

the spice is there.

it just isn’t the point.

tropes in between tides & thunder

• enemies to lovers
• forced proximity
• forbidden love
• touch her and die
• political marriage
• wrong prince
• morally gray mmc

favorite quote

“I fell in love with you—while I was dragging you to marry my brother.”

fictional boyfriend material?

zevayr is proof that sometimes the wrong brother is actually the right choice.

stormwielder. war commander. feared by everyone. secretly one of my favorite romantasy men in recent memory.

between tides & thunder spicy chapters

looking for the spice?

try starting with chapters:

• Thirty-Nine
• Eighty-Two
• Epilogue

just remember: this is a slow burn. you’re here for the tension more so than the sex.

final thoughts

i finished this one in two days.

and honestly? i think what surprised me most was how attached i became to zevayr.

everyone in this world has already decided who he is. a killer. a monster. a man drenched in blood.

watching mayah slowly realize the truth underneath all of that is where this story shines.

the romance works because neither of them changes overnight. trust has to be earned. feelings have to be earned. even the ending feels earned.

and that matters.

if you’re looking for a romantasy that’s more character-driven than action-heavy, with a genuinely satisfying standalone ending and a romance that takes its time, i’d put this on your list.

want more like this? say less.

the full romance library is waiting.

morally gray men, slow burns, hockey romances, villains who should absolutely not be attractive… it’s all there.

frequently asked questions

what book is zevayr from?⌄

zevayr is from between tides & thunder by leena kazak, a standalone romantasy.

what are zevayr’s tropes?⌄

enemies to lovers, forbidden love, forced proximity, touch her and die, wrong prince, political marriage gone sideways.

how spicy is between tides & thunder?⌄

🌶🌶🌶 — the tension does the heavy lifting and it does it well. every mile they travel together makes the inevitable harder to resist.

does between tides & thunder end on a cliffhanger?⌄

no — this is a standalone with a happily ever after. you’re safe. read it in one sitting and don’t feel bad about it.

is there a plot twist?⌄

yes. it’s good. that’s all you’re getting.

what should i read if i love zevayr?⌄

powerless by lauren roberts and fourth wing by rebecca yarros deliver that same reluctant, fiercely protective, enemies to lovers fantasy energy. the ever king by l.j. andrews is the next move if you want a darker version of a similar world.

what are the spicy chapters in between tides & thunder?⌄

if you’re skipping ahead for the spice, start with chapters 39 and 82. just know this is a slow burn romantasy, so most of the payoff comes from the tension that builds before those scenes.

join the newsletter

morally gray men delivered to your inbox every sunday.