I had such high hopes for Tempest. And I was left feeling so confused? I’ve been looking forward to Aveyard’s next book and even was so excited for pirates. But this on just felt like it was missing something? Keep reading this book review of Tempest for my full thoughts.
Summary
May the sea always sing for you
Cat Rose knows what it is to live in two worlds, in two times. Before—as Lady Catrine Rose of the Meridian Empire, chained to a loathsome lord with a dwindling fortune. And after—as the Widow Rose, queen of a pirate tavern in the Lyrian Sea, determined to be the master of her own fate.
But tides turn and winds change. The Meridian Empire looms on the horizon, the full weight of her navy falling on the Lyrian, bent on reclaiming the wealthy colonies and crushing the pirate republic once and for all. Ship after ship is captured, save for one, captained by a pirate who continually evades both noose and blade: the legendary Valerian Kane.
With his fearsome ship and uncanny connection to the song of the sea, Valerian is the only man who might rally the pirates who remain. The only man who threatens the Empire. And the only man Cat has ever loved, blazing in and out of her life like a star.
Desperate for victory, the Empire offers Cat a devastating choice: bring them Valerian or hang. In truth, no choice at all.
But Cat Rose is nothing if not a survivor.
A storm is rising on the Lyrian Sea—the question is, what will it leave in its wake?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I had such high hopes for Tempest and I was just left feeling adrift. From a craft perspective, the dual timeline let me down. I was looking forward to this action story about the one that got away who we are trying to save ourselves from. And while I got that, the past timelines did not support this action in the way I needed. The past timeline was meant to explain what happened between Cat and Valerian in the past. But the pacing of the past was all over the place and in some places it really brought down the pace of the present. You know those people who don’t love flashbacks in a movie because they think it’s a way to do ‘telling’ too easily? That was Tempest to me.
The past was supposed to give us these insights into the past, the animosity, the love, and I just didn’t feel it at all. Which made everything in the present ring false? This grand love affair, the love of our life, who we are forced to betray? They barely know each other in these past experiences. Which made their ‘tension’ and romance in the present feel hollow. I was reading until the end to find out this intense passionate love affair, this reason for it all, and then in the end I feel like it was going to be saved for book two. I was really starting to like Cat in Tempest. She’s in it for herself and always trying to outmaneuver everyone for herself – which, respect – but this romance element was such a core piece of her character that I didn’t understand.
Overall
Tempest is exploring what we are forced to become in this world where we are only ever to protect ourselves. The idea that the Empire will never let us go. And how can we really survive this system? And this was my favorite element, it just got so buried in the pushing of the romance. So it was never given the space to breathe and develop. Granted, this is just the beginning, but it means that I feel like Tempest is meandering. It leaves us just shy of where we need to be in order to be swept away. Because of the past timeline, what could be a sweeping pirate adventure, spends a bit too much times on the rocks with the character development which requires you to be fully invested. And I felt like I wasn’t given what I needed to be that – plus I did not understand the fixation with the love interest. He remained elusive until the very end and I did not understand their love.
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Find Tempest on Goodreads, Storygraph, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.