What Fury Brings by Tricia Levenseller

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✦ BLURB ✦

There's a shortage of men in the kingdom of Amarra. After a failed rebellion against the matriarchy, most noblemen in the country are dead. Now the women of Amarra must obtain their husbands (should they want one) by kidnapping them from other kingdoms.

Olerra, a warrior princess vying for the throne, is determined to prove her worth by kidnapping a husband. And not just any husband. To outmaneuver her treacherous cousin, she needs the best. Fortunately, the second-born prince of their greatest enemy is widely known for both his looks and his sweet, docile temperament. He's the perfect choice to secure her claim to the throne.

Sanos, heir to the Kingdom of Brutus, has nothing but contempt for the idea of a society run by women. Trained from birth to fight, lead, and follow in his father's overbearing footsteps, his path has always been set. Until he takes his younger brother's place in a drunken prank and finds himself kidnapped, carted off to the Amarran Palace, and informed that he is to become the husband of Queen Potential Olerra. Sanos needs to escape before anyone learns his real identity, but the more he gets to know his captor, the less sure he is of what he truly wants.

One throne, one warrior, and one very unwilling prince...

PRE-READING THOUGHTS

After The Shadows Between Us and The Darkness Within Us, I was ready for more of Levenseller’s signature morally grey romances—but I wasn’t expecting this. What starts out as enemies-to-lovers with a dash of political maneuvering turns into something much sharper, steamier, and darker. I’m intrigued. And slightly alarmed. Let’s go!

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POST-READING

As I thought...
The concept absolutely delivers: women in power, men as political pawns, and a fierce main character who sees marriage as strategy, not surrender. The gender-flipped power dynamics are well-drawn and consistently followed through.

It surprised me by...
How adult this one is. There’s sex, violence, and a real sense of consequences here—both political and personal. A rapist loses his penis. An actual, surgical consequence. It’s handled with clarity, not voyeurism, but it makes clear: this is not a YA novel. Olerra is not a teen queen, and Sanos is not a boy with a crush. These are adults grappling with generational trauma, expectations, and the terrifying possibility of actual love.

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MUSIC PAIRING

🎵 Featured Song: “You Don’t Own Me” – Lesley Gore (Olerra’s anthem, obviously)
🎶 Vibe Album: WARRIOR by Kesha – fierce, stomping, unapologetic energy with moments of emotional clarity
🎧 Artist Recommendation: Banks – sultry, edgy, and knows how to mix sensuality with sharpness

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VIBE CHECK

🎨 Colour Palette: Royal purple, steel grey, blood red
🎬 Soundtrack: Gladiator meets Bridgerton but with less embroidery and more stabbing
🌦 Season: High summer—hot, heady, and occasionally violent
🧠 Mood: Dominance-and-defiance slow burn
🕯 Scent: Spiced wine and cold iron

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TAROT PULL

The Empress – from the Moon Dust Tarot. She’s serene but commanding, hand raised, overseeing her domain with quiet certainty. Olerra is a woman who knows her own power—and what she’s willing to sacrifice for her country.

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FOR FANS OF:

📚 The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
📺 Game of Thrones (specifically Daenerys' early arc with actual feminist follow-through)

What Fury Brings publishes on the 23rd September, 2025. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.