I read this book a while ago and enjoyed it. I'd read others in this series and by this author.

This is a supernatural romance with a Djinn, but there's more than just romance. Joanne Baldwin is a weather warden and while mudanes have no idea about the supernatural goings-on in their world--she does.

This is also the book where her Djinn lover proposes marriage and apparently not everyone is happy about this. ( )

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Gale Force

Enemies never seem to leave Joanne and David alone. When word leaks that the two are engaged, a new threat appears, one the Djinn are unable to see. Someone has found a blind spot for the powerful beings, and the wardens aren’t strong enough to fight alone. Joanne must find a way to make the Djinn see the threat to Mother Earth. With each attack, the Earth is thrown into further chaos, and innocent lives are lost. But without a united front, there will be no winning this time.

Despite Gale Force being book seven in the Weather Warden Universe, there's still plenty of world-building. David will finally part ways with information on the Djinn giving Joanne and readers long sought out lore. And as events begin to spiral out of control, the outside world begins to realize something is amiss. The carefully hidden world of Wardens and Djinn may not be so hidden anymore. Reporters begin to hound Joanne and David, trying to expose what is happening behind the scenes. Between dodging the press and staving off the newest threat, everyone has their hands full.

Rachel Caine has a way of planting seeds for later conflict into early plot lines. There they sit cultivating over the course of a few books before bringing them back into the forefront of the main plot. This was done expertly in Gale Force as old opponents rear back up with new challenges for Joanne and company. And while Joanne may have gained quite a bit of power since last facing them, she has a long way to go before she can harness her full potential. Both the Wardens and Djinn will be tested as their enemies launch an assault no one could have predicted.

And even with the extra boost in power Joanne receives, Rachel Caine makes sure she has to develop as a character before being able to fully use it. There are no easy choices for Joanne to make. And though there is still a bit of her old self tossed into the story, Joanne’s a lot less focused on designer clothing and much more focused on survival. No longer a solo act, Joanne has a team at her side and her relationships run deep. She’ll do all she can to protect those she loves. Gale Force is appropriately named, as the action never lets up and there are some powerful emotional hits that will assault the reader. Brace yourselves, this one is going to twist and turn, never letting up and breaking off mid conflict. Readers will be left demanding to read the next book. ( )

Not bad instalment although I am wondering just how far this series is going to go on for. Going public on the weather was a nice tactic ( )

3.5 stars

I'm starting to get a little frustrated. I absolutely love this series and I was enjoying the book until the last 50 or so pages. How much bad stuff can happen to one person already? It's starting to annoy me and I'm not really not looking forward to the next book. I'm afraid that it's going to be the same old/same old. ( )

The series is certainly approaching the end. As stated in the preview, David poses the question and Joanna agrees. But like all situations that befall her, before the knot can be tied, disaster strikes in a very big way. Without giving away the storyline, which is something I don't do since I despise it when someone divulges the plot when I haven't read a novel, Joanne is determined to reach the alter come 'hades' or high water. The Wardens and the D'jinns are on the warpath but beware this book ends in a cliffhanger. I will always remove a point for authors who utilize this technique to get readers to buy their next book. My belief is every novel should complete the storyline it started and certainly it can drop clues as to what may happen in future books, but the reader should feel that they've read the entire novel. I've read Ms. Caine's other series, and at this point she is well established as an author and no longer needs to rely on these amateurish techniques. ( )