A Court of Seas and Storms

Legends of Love #2

by Daniela A. Mera, Elayna R. Gallea

He has to kill her. She trades her voice for legs she didn't want. Can love be found on a ship of enemies?

The Ice Mer King makes a deal with the Pirate of Death to kill his daughter to repay his life debt. Fail, and Erik will die in her place.
He doesn't expect the princess didn’t have such a talent for getting under his skin and consuming his thoughts.
All that Helena wants is love, safety, and family. Somehow, she finds herself tangled up with a dangerous Pirate whose fate lies in her hands.
Falling in love is exciting, effortless. But is either of them willing to pay the price to be together?

This book is a complete, stand-alone story in a larger series. "Legends of Love" are the perfect books for fans of fantasy romance who love sweet love stories, powerful ladies, danger, political intrigue, and epic journeys. Setting classic stories in an urban setting with vampires, fae, merfolk, angels, daemons, and werewolves makes them all the more enticing.

*This work was previously published as The Pirate's Deal.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Pirates, Enemies To Lovers, Retellings, Mermaids, Romantasy

416 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2023

About the author

Daniela A. Mera was born into a royal Fae family in Scotland. She was a free spirit who loved traveling and cloud watching while laying velvet-soft grass. When she came of age, her mother forced her to travel to Las Vegas in order to kill a dragon and conquer a neighboring kingdom.

The dragon turned out to be a man, whom she fell wildly in love with. The couple ran away to the gentle hills of Mexico where Daniela ate lots of tacos and fruits the size of her head.

Something along those lines, anyway.

She writes whimsical tales full of lore all around the world, full of emotionally available men and women who run the world. She can be found listening to sappy romance ballads while writing scenes meant to emotionally damage her readers.

When not writing, Daniela can be found doing yoga and playing video games. Join her newsletter for freebies at: www.danielaamera.com

Reviews

[✩ Yaz ✩]

The little mermaid meets Captain Hook you say?👀

[zel · Rating 4 out of 5]

ya lo acabe, lo más probable es que mañana venga con la reseña porque ya tengo sueño jajajaja.
3.5-4 ⭐️
bueno aquí vengo con mi opinión, que lo pondré en ingles (ya que es el idioma materno de la autora) y en español:
1. English
First of all, I received an ACR copy from the author, and I thank her very much for giving me this opportunity.
I remember that I found this book on TikTok and then I contacted the author to ask her where I could get it, and she told me that it had not been published yet (it will be published on May 24, 2022), and she told me that I could get on a list of people who have the opportunity to read the book before...and here I am.
>>This book is a retelling of the little mermaid.
>> We have our two protagonists: Helena who is a mermaid and is the next to be queen, she is a princess; and Eric who is a captain. This story begins when Helena's father hires Erik to k1ll her, since he doesn't want her to be queen. So this story has enemies to lovers.
>>I liked that on the first page of the book, warned us what we could find when reading the book (substance 4bus3, vi0l3nc3, curs1ng, s3xu4l 4ss4ult), I also liked that the captain was not rude or that he did not treat the girls badly; Another thing that I liked was that the chapters are short and I find it addictive.
>>On the other hand, what I didn't like was that for me it lacked more enemies tp lovers, that's why I didn't give it a 5. Just like in the end I didn't understand something hahaha.
>>But anyway, in conclusion it's a retelling of the little mermaid, it's a not so heavy fantasy book, it has short chapters, it has enemies to lovers, <3 <3 <3
2. Español
Primero que nada, debo decir que recibí una copia ACR de la autora, y le agradezco mucho por darme esta oportunidad.
Me acuerdo que encontré este libro en TikTok y después me contacte con la autora para preguntarle donde lo podía conseguir, y me comento que todavía no se publicaba (se publica el 24 de mayo 2022), y me dijo que podía meterme a una lista de personas que tienen la oportunidad de leer el libro antes...y aquí estoy.
>>Este libro es un retelling de la sirenita.
>>Tenemos a nuestros dos protagonistas: Helena que es sirena y es la próxima en ser reina, ya que es princesa; y Eric que es un capitán. Esta historia empieza cuando el padre de Helena contrata a Erik para 4s3sin4rl4, ya que no quiere que sea reina. Por lo tanto esta historia viene siendo un enemies to lovers.
>>Me gusto que en la primera pagina nos advirtiera que es lo que podíamos encontrar al leer el libro (4bus0 de sustancias, vi0lenc14, 4c0s0), también me gusto que el capitán no fuera grosero ni que no tratara mal a las chicas; otra cosa que me gusto fue que los capítulos están cortos y a mi me adictivo.
>>Por otro lado lo que no me gusto fue que para mi le falto más enemies to lovers, es por eso que no le doy 5. Al igual que al final no entendí algo jajaja.
>>Pero en fin, en conclusión es un retelling de la sirenita, es un libro de fantasia no tan pesado, tiene capítulos cortos, tiene trope de enemies to lovers, <3 <3 <3

[Vaidehi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s giving Pirates of the Caribbean + The Little Mermaid in an urban fantasy setting. I love all of these things, so naturally I enjoyed reading this book!

Things I liked:
* Touch her and die vibes
* Jean Luc
* Good mix of action and romance

Things I didn’t like:
* Overuse of the word “female”
* It’s just a bit too fast-paced
* It’s a standalone in a series, but it references things that happened in book 1 a lot at the beginning. I didn’t read the first book so it was a little frustrating to not have full context to the multiple references

Big thank you to the authors for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of this novel by the authors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Daniela and Elayna!

A modern retelling that includes podcasts, reality tv, and cell phones. Yet, it scratched my love of nautical romance almost perfectly.

"Is he a murderer...with morals?"

Erik doesn't want to be evil, nor does he enjoy what comes with the coveted title that he possesses. Through the story, he grapples with his own mortality and traumas that have made him who he is - but even though he is resistant, I saw that he wanted to no longer do harm. When he finally accepts what could be his undoing, he is granted a second chance.

Helena is a beautiful Mer who has lived her whole life in unfortunatw circumstances. The abuse she has endured at the hands of the family who casts her away is heart breaking and the trauma only continues once she boards The Black Rose with no way to communicate.

Even though they both did not want their lives to be the way they are, they are quickly entangled and the lives they once knew are changed forever.

At times the story progressed quickly, I found myself pausing on multiple occasions to ensure I hadn't missed a detail. At first I found the modern elements jarring, but that quickly dissipated.

The jokes that are peppered in occasionally were an amazing touch, too.

I stayed up late into the night reading until my eyes were strained because I wanted to know what happens next. It captivated me quickly and I am sad that it is over.

The next book in this standalone series is being added to my TBR.

[(old.enough.for.fairytales) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, this was SUCH a fascinating world!! I’m used to pirate books being set in societies without modern technology…gas lamps, writing letters, traveling via carriage. This world has pirates and fantasy beings, but also has their own version of technology! Cell phones, electricity, running hot water, etc. I loved that change from what is the norm I feel like in this genre!

And the story was really really good. Little Mermaid meets Captain Hook retelling? Yes please 😍 I loved this slow burn enemies to lovers romance. It also featured the always favorite “I was sent to kill you but I fell I love” trope which I am a sucker for. Haha

Def recommend if you love fantasy romance, retellings, or want fantasy but in a totally unique world from what you’re used to in this genre!

Thanks to the authors for gifting me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[✩₊*Shelby ⋆ ☾⋆ LiteraryFaery ⁺₊✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pirate’s Deal is such an epic pirate-mermaid adventure romance tale! I absolutely LOVED the dynamic between Helena (the Ice Mer Princess) and Erik (the Pirate of Death) so freaking much!! This is a Little Mermaid + Captain Hook retelling set in a totally unique, urban fantasy world and y’all—it’s MAGIC.

Featuring the swoon-worthy “I’ve sworn to kill you but I’ve fallen for you” trope and endless hate-to-love banter, this standalone is perfect for fans of classic fairytale-inspired romantasy with spice! You definitely do not need to read book 2 before diving into this one; I found it extremely easy to navigate the fascinating world-building even not having read the first installment.

Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed above are entirely my own.

[sairs_readsandreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this enemies to lovers story overall, and after reading a Court of Frost and Fire, I think I preferred this book in the series so far!

This book starts off as a Little Mermaid / Hook retelling with Helena returning in this book after seeing her appear as a character in a Court of Frost and Fire. She finds herself voiceless and travelling alone on a ship with a crew she doesn't know.

For me, this book seemed to be in two parts - the first 50% of this book was the enemies to lovers build up where we see Helena and Eric in forced proximity and trying (not very hard!) to not fall in love. I have recently read two other books that have the same premise where the fmc loses her voice and is in forced proximity with the morally grey Captain (re-tellings obvs), that being said Helena as a character was kick ass and we saw some touching and banter-full moments with the two, including some texting which was endearing and funny to think off them building a love / hate relationship between them in this way.

The second part of this book, literally after we hit the 50% mark, is almost like a totally different story! We see more of Erik and Helena separately and learn about them as characters which I appreciated. The actions both of them take in Lethe really made the story for me. I think this is where the world building shines, we have multiple types of creatures and species, we meet some really interesting new characters who I'd want to hear more from and we get lots of action!

I think the part in Lethe was more entertaining, we had attacks, assaults, high jinx, breaking and entering, a new animal friend and more with a specific take on mythology in this urban fantasy world. I think the balance of the book could have been weighted differently to give more time in Lethe and to see that world rather than the long ship scenes. As soon as we hit a certain point, a lot of that slow burn build is seemingly forgotten and they are characterised a little differently. I'm not sure if this was because the two parts were written by the different authors or not.

This doesn't get a 5 star for me because as with the first book, I'm not completely convinced by the characters motivations, their love at times feels a little superficial and I just don't get that swoon feeling from them. We hear all the right things from Erik, but I just couldn't completely commit to them, the same as I had with Nathanial and Elva.

It's a strong 4 star and well worth a read if you like Little Mermaid and Hook retellings, a hot morally grey Ship Captain and a strong fmc with a personal journey to go on!

I read this as an arc, thanks to the authors for the book! This is my honest review.

[Kristy Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface this with the fact that I have not read book one in this series, but given the opportunity to read an ARC copy of book two, I jumped right in to check it out.
The world and people come vividly alive in this story. Each character is well developed. The story pulls you into another world that is easy to see in your own mind. There is so much I could and want to share with you, but I hate reviews that spoil the story so I won't do it.
What you need to know is that I loved it! Now I have to go back and read the first book in the series. Dive into this book and the world that lives inside!!

[Shae · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pirate's Deal by Daniela A. Mera and Elayna R. Gallea is marketed as "Little Mermaid meets Captain Hook" but with a decidedly spicier heroine. Helena is the spicy mermaid in question (or Mer as they're called in the book) who has, unbeknownst to her, been sentenced to death by her own father. Enter Erik. Captain of The Black Rose. The Pirate of Death. Ordered by Phelix, the Ice Mer King, to kill Helena in exchange for freedom from his life debt.

This book is written in first-person with chapters switching between Erik's and Helena's points of view. I don't read a lot of first-person books, so this initially took a little getting used to. Once I got into the flow of the story though, I think it worked really well. Each picked up right where the other left off which made the transition nearly seamless. This is a story filled with characters based on Greek mythology, which I love. There are different creatures (species?) aside from humans and mermaids, including daemons, vampires, and fae. I don't know much about fae, but I particularly loved that they are named here for the different seasons. For example, the autumn fae have vivid orange hair the color of autumn leaves, bright green eyes, and matching green ear tips. The descriptions are delightful, not only of the people but also the places. The city of Lethe is a blend of old and new, with ancient statues of gods and demigods intermingling with skyscrapers and technological innovation. The part of the book centered around Lethe was most certainly my favorite.

Erik and Helena both have pasts to reckon with and each handles this in their own way. Erik pushes his emotions down and focuses his attention on his ship and his crew, while Helena lashes out in sometimes violent ways. They are opposites in a way but also equals. I do wish that we could have experienced more of Erik's backstory. We have a brief glimpse of his past trauma later in the book, but I would love to see his character fleshed out more. I'm missing the details; I want to know more about him and his history. I feel as though I have more of a sense of who Helena is than I do Erik. I would love to see a prequel about his past!

Self-preservation is still a good enough reason to keep moving. It is the reason I've made so many questionable decisions.

Helena I found to be quite childish in the beginning, but she does grow as a character (though it feels a bit abrupt). As another reader mentioned, there were several instances when she violently destroyed Erik's things for no apparent reason whatsoever. I believe it's meant to show the way she is guarding herself against the growing feelings she has for Erik, but it seems unnecessary. I was honestly so annoyed with her for probably the first half of the book. Well, the whole time she was on the ship really.

A few things that didn't work for me:

The repetitive use of the word female to describe Helena. I'm guessing this is because Helena isn't a human character so maybe woman didn't feel accurate, but Erik referring to her as "the female" over and over again was too much for me. There were also instances of "the male" to describe some of the other characters. Again, it's possible that this is because they aren't human.

It was interesting to see a mix of old and new together, but while the mention of FaePhones seemed cute and witty in the beginning it felt overused and a bit cheesy by the end. I do like the idea of newer technology mixed in with the pirate aesthetic, but it felt overdone to the point that it pulled me out of the story at times. I would have preferred to see the technology exist as a part of the world instead of being reminded about its use throughout.

Overall, anything I disliked didn't make much difference in the end because I had a good time throughout. This is just a really fun story. In the end, that's all I really want from a book.

This is the second book in the Aranthium series. I haven't yet read the first, Opposite Ends of the Sea, which is a Romeo and Juliet retelling. I get the impression, however, that the books in this series are intended to be mostly standalone, aside from a few small references to characters in the other stories. I'm very much looking forward to the third book, which follows two of my favorite characters in The Pirate's Deal.

Many thanks to the authors who provided an ARC of this book for me to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Laurisa Brandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy to review.

Let me start off by saying that I had a higher rating for this book as I read the beginning and middle. I actually paused another ARC from a different author to dive into this one because it captured me! But through the last quarter of the book, I felt like I was forcing myself to finish it just to get on to something else.

The story contains so many wonderful things. I enjoyed the scene with the chimera. I enjoyed a couple early interactions with Vampire characters. I REALLY loved everything between Erik and Helena on the boat. It was so much more their element than when they took the story onto the land.

Their banter and fights were well-done. These two had smashing great chemistry and felt like they deserved each other and made just for each other.

The front matter did warn of strong language. And through the first part of the book, it created a lot of great humor. By the middle/end, it just seemed too heavy for the New Adult category.

Reasons for why I chipped two stars by the end have to do with the overall feeling the book left me with. Something about the lover's chemistry seemed to fall apart at the end and I cringed several times. The falling action and ending left me a little disappointed, and the angel/daemon characters and technology mashup felt influenced by the Lucifer show (which I have not seen) and the Angelfall series by Susan Ee.
I have a hard time swallowing what authors do with angels named Raphael, Gabriel, and the like, turning names associated with God into bickering, backstabbing, cursing liars too similar in nature to humans. I would have an easier time reading about angels and demons if they were given other names that differentiate them from these beings and the lore that already surrounds them. This may just be my own bias, and I know it's hard to change entrenched perceptions.

To be clear, I have very fond memories of the beginning and middle of this book. There were great messages and examples put forth concerning rape, women, victims, and even vocally challenged persons. There were tender and sweet moments, and so much of the book had me laughing out loud.

The texts between Erik and Helena at the beginning (and the sticky notes) were fabulous, and I think the authors have much to be proud of in this work. I really loved Erik's backstory and personality. I rooted for him all the way. Fantastic fictional man. XD Helena also. Her tirades and frustrations were so relatable, and so many of their passages spoke to me.

Again, it was the ending that fell into a carnal slump that left me feeling disappointed.

[Casey Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC of this title for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a fun and unique enemies to lovers twist on The Little Mermaid, featuring a moody pirate and a sassy Mer who gives him a quite the run for his money, look no further!

This was such a fun take inspired by a widely beloved classic, and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the banter between Helena and Erik, which had no business being as humorous as it was, being that our sassy little thing of a FMC was mute for half the book. But it was; an engaging adventure that fantasy romance fans will want to embark on.

Readers who are returning from A Court of Fire and Frost will also be excited to know that there are some (minor) tidbits about Elva and Nathaniel sprinkled in a few places, too!

I am very much looking forward to reading more about Hades and Phaedra in A Court Of Wind and Wings!

[Lover of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. If ya like pirates and vigilantes this is the book for ya. The only thing I didn't necessarily like was how much the main characters fought. But other then that I loved this book. The fights were well done I could actually see the blows like I was watching a movie. Can't wait for the next one!

[Kayla Palmeter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy from the author; here is my review!

Here's a quick TLDR overview: I loved the book. The characters are great, the story is engaging, the world-building and lore is complete enough that this is a stand-alone but also has me interested enough that I'm going to go read the first book set in Aranthium ASAP. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!

Full review for those not scared away by the length:
I would rate this book a 4.5 star, but since there aren't half stars and it didn't feel right given it a 4 star, I rounded up. I really enjoyed this book. I actually ended up reading it through twice before I decided I was ready to review it. The first time I was so enthralled by the story that I zipped through it in about 5 hours. The second time I read it I really slowed down and payed attention to the different elements of the story so I could give a detailed review of the book. I'm not a fan of reviews that basically just summarize the story, so I'm going to try to do it a little differently so people can get an idea of what this book has to offer without giving too much away so you don't even feel like you need to read it.

Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Helena is fantastic. Her sass, her spark, her ceaseless tormenting of Eric is all perfect. She felt authentic. I could see her frustrations, her fears, her anxieties, her struggles, and her triumphs so clearly. She's no one's damsel in distress, and she won't let anyone forget it.
Erik didn't feel quite as real to me in every interaction; sometimes his over-the-top reactions and complete inability to laugh at himself made me grit my teeth a little. But he's not really out to make you love him. He's sure he's not the hero in his story, and so his easily bruised ego and grandstanding still fits. I wasn't as sold near the end with some of his interactions with Helena (he started to feel a little like he was acting and saying things more how a woman would want a man to respond in the situations than how his character really felt like he'd handle some of them), so that's why the not-quite-5-star rating.
The other side characters are also great. I loved Jean Luc; he is basically the worst pirate ever, because he's basically the nicest person alive. Maybe that's why he's the cook? And Hades and Phaedra have me crossing my fingers that the authors are going to do the next book with a Hades/Persephone myth retelling with these two; I'm a sucker for a good rework of Greek mythology. And Cebe was just a gem; she's basically a mystical version of the dog that will let robbers strip the house as long as they bring snacks.

Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The story was top-notch. There weren't any big twists or reveals that I didn't see coming, but the pacing was well-done, the serious elements were dealt with in a mature way, and there was enough action that I never felt like the narrative was dragging. I found myself grinning like an idiot a few times when I was reading some of the scenes, and I stayed up way too late because I just couldn't seem to find a spot where I wasn't eager to find out what was going to happen next. Some of the one-liners from characters had me literally laughing out loud (my husband looked at me like I'd lost it).

World:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The world of Aranthium is well-crafted. I like the mix of old and modern, simple and techy. I don't typically think of cell phones or handguns when I think of the fae, but I found the combination of mystical and technological interesting, and it worked. It gave the story more of an urban fantasy feel than I expected to find in a story that mostly takes place on a pirate ship. I also enjoyed the wide mix of creatures included; a lot of times you don't find mermaids, vampires, fae, warlocks/witches, werewolves, angels/demons, and gods/goddesses from mythology all in the same world. It made it feel a lot more diverse than some other fantasy worlds out there.

Overall, this was a great book, and I look forward to reading more stories set in Aranthium.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The little mermaid retelling but add a bit of spice with an enemies to lovers trope. I am sold! This book was great. Helena is sassy and fierce. Erik is broody and protective. They drive each other insane, and I am LIVING for the tension between the two.

There’s also a nod to the big three Greek gods which I found intriguing. It was well done, and once you read the book for yourself then you’ll understand what I mean. There was also one small point in the book I felt was even a small nod to SMJ and if you’ve read her CC series I think you may pick up on it as well.

The only reason I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 is because about half way through it tended to drag just a tiny bit but then it picked right back up. It is a good book! And even though I received a digital arc for an honest review I’ll absolutely be buying a physical copy.

So if you love the little mermaid, enemies to lovers, and happily ever afters then you need to pick up this book ASAP!

[Tati Alvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not read many pirate books, but it is a genre that I really enjoy. Although The Pirate's Deal is book 2, it can be read as a standalone.

I would consider this book enemies to lovers because of Erik's job. He is tasked with killing the Ice Mer King's daughter who he has traded her voice for legs. Helena must know spend her time amongst humans without her voice. As much as the two try to ignore the feelings for one another, they can't help but feel a strong pull.

I love all of the mythical creatures and tension this books has. I'm a sucker for build up and I think the authors did a really good job with that. I'm excited to read more.

[Michelle Stotts Acosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars I received the ARC for this book Let me just say I really did enjoy the book I loved Helena and Erik the bickering and the hell she put him through when she was on his ship the notes and texts but I really wished we could of gotten the fight scene with her father I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get that or Erik’s revenge on Conrad for betraying him and the crew. I hope there will be another book

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I've never read a book about pirates and mermaids before. And I can tell you that I loved the book 😍

Couple with tropes ENEMIES TO LOVERS >> automatically love

" Touch her and you die" ✋🏻😫 I LOVE THIS LINE OF ERIK 🥺


The only thing I didn't like was the chapters being too long 😥

[bookgirlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirate of death this. Pirate of death that. HE’S JUST A CINNAMON ROLL.


And I was here for it :)

[Megan Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this. you get pirates mermaids fae werewolves Vampires and gods plus tech very interesting world for sure!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book. Everything said here was written in full by me.

I really enjoyed this semi-sequel. Basically what if the little mermaid and captain Hook had started liking each other? Great plot and character development. One of the best things is that with two authors, I couldn't tell you who wrote what. Brava!

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book at the beginning of May. I really enjoyed the first half of the book. I loved how the authors set up the plot and world to make sense for us readers. I loved how the characters developed. I liked the banter and the friendships the female MC makes.

But at around page 230 and on, the tone changed and it lost me. The conclusion didn’t settle with me very well and the love between the female and male MC just didn’t feel authentic.

I also didn’t like how the female MC became vile and just started destroying things in one scene on the ship. Maybe that was the author trying to display the trauma they were feeling but it came off as gross behavior and ever since then, I felt turned off by the story.

I’ll still check out other books from the author in hopes that other novels are different. Based on other reviews, most people liked this story. Which I’m glad! It just didn’t click with me, and that’s okay. I wish the author the best and I hope I can read some more of their work!

[PleaseGoAwayImReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this. This is my honest review: I loved this! Retellings and Re-imaginings are two of my favorite things to read, so I was destined to enjoy this one. Inspired by The Little Mermaid, the Ice Mer King, a horrible man with a dark, hateful soul, places a price on his daughter Helena’s head. Having lost his son Henrik in the previous book in the series - A Court of Fire and Frost— Helena is his only living heir and is destined to inherit the throne of the Ice Mer kingdom. But the King refuses to give it up, hiring Erik, the Pirate of Death, to kill her. Erik doesn’t really want to, but he owes the Ice Mer King a life debt, and if he completes this task he can finally be free of the king’s grasp forever.

The story was set up very well. I enjoyed reading about Helena’s kidnapping, her waking up on Erik’s boat having been granted legs by her father but also having lost the power of her voice ( there must be balance in magical deeds, after all). Her journey as a voiceless, unwilling passenger — and the only female on a ship filled with men— is interesting to watch.

While on the ship she communicates through writing, which has some hilarious moments as she insults Erik with words and by drawing unflattering renditions of him. The two circle one another, getting on each other’s last nerve… but that slowly changes.

I won’t reveal any more details but I will say that their blossoming love story is very sweet. The spice level is very low, but I think that perfectly fits their story. I expected the end of the tale to occur once they had declared their feelings for one another, but it didn’t— and this was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed their collaboration to protect one another and her Uncle’s city from the Mer Elite.

This book- and series- is definitely worth reading!

[Brittni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors for an ARC.

There were many things I loved about the book. Jean Luc is adorable. Eric and Helena have great chemistry. The idea was original, especially as a little mermaid retelling. The descriptions were great, the enemies-to-lovers element was well done, and the story itself was fun and I enjoyed it!

Unfortunately, the writing was a big sticking point for me. There were several grammar errors littered across the entire novel. The writing also relied more on telling rather than showing. We're told Eric is such a terrible person, but hardly ever see that he actually is. Most emotions are also told rather than shown.

There were also some discontinuities that didn't make sense to me, perhaps because I haven't read the other books in the series. For example, Helena knows what a takeout bag is, but as far as I can tell, she has lived her life as a mermaid--is this something they have? Also, she knows how to use a cell phone--again, is this something available under water?

I really think that a little more worldbuilding and another round of edits could make this an exceptional read!

[Crystal Wilt · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you mixed The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan together and then added some Pirates of the Caribbean to it, it would be this book. It’s a fantasy romance that is a stand alone, yet part of your world, I mean…series-which I personally LOVE. I enjoy getting a whole new story yet getting little bits of previous characters lives that you fell in love with.

I really enjoyed our FMC Helena, I feel like she was dealt some hard things to deal with and handled them like a strong FMC should and not a poor unfortunate soul. She wasn’t perfect and didn’t handle everything perfectly, which makes her totally relatable. I also LOVE that she looked like a mermaid. Not a human with a tail that got legs and then just became a mute human that walked around on what do you call them…oh feet.

Our dark and angry MMC Erik, is just as dark and angry and secretly sweet as he needs to be for us to fall in love with him and anxiously await the moment he breaks and realizes he’s in love with Helena.

If you like slow burn-like slooooow burn-fantasy romance, pirates, mermaids, action packed scenes on the seas and off the seas, great banter, and a freaking awesome ship cook named Jean Luc, stop asking questions and get some answers by reading this book.

I’d like to say I’m sorry for The Little Mermaid song lyrics sprinkled in this review-but I’d be lying because I’m really not sorry. 🤣

[Elsa L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, the little mermaid has always been my absolute fairytale so this one is an automatic must-read for me. I was lucky to get an ARC of this book, this is a little mermaid retelling. We meet Helena who is now the new heir to the Ice Mer Kingdom. However, her father, King Phelix and Demigod, has always been disappointed by her rebellious daughter. So he enlists the Pirate of Death, Erik, to take his daughter and kill her so she cannot inherit his crown.

Helena thinks she is being transported to visit her uncle Hades to learn about being an heir. During this trip, Erik and Helena hate each other and make their lives difficult, until they find common ground and fall in love.

I really like Helena’s story she always knows who she is but is constantly reminded that her family is not good and has never loved her so she seeks a safe and loving environment.
If you like retellings, i recommend this series! They are short, super fun stories.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Torn between 3, and 4 stars. It's more of 3.5. Love the writing and concept. However, had a hard time clicking with some of the storytelling.

A Court of Sea and Storms is a mix of Steampunk, Mythology, and Shifters.

Comparable to A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Where the main female character is at battle within herself because she is denying one thing or another. The main male character is weirdly accommodating and into her same interests until he isn't. Mostly when the plot needs to be pushed forward.

More of a fun chick flick type of story with fantasy elements. Plethora of showers, smelly soaps and candles, texting, coffee, and chilling with a book. Action and resolutions are secondary.

[Caroline Eastman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion (thank you!) this book was enjoyable for me to read beginning to end. Sassy FMC who is strong-willed, unapologetically herself, with a MMC who is also sassy, with great banter between them, and him falling first 😍👌 he is patient and kind with her, once he accepts his feelings for her
This book is a great palate cleanser -easy to follow and understand, romance but with mild suspense. I will be reading the other two stand alone but in the same universe books, which are on KU😁

[Keri Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC e-book. It is the second book in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. It is a slow burn, forced proximity, enemy to lovers story with little spice. To best describe the story, it is a pirate meets mermaid tale. There are plenty of action scenes and a little romance mixed in. I enjoyed this book and will likely continue the series.

[Jordynn Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨Arc Review✨

Pirates if the Caribbean meets the little mermaid!! I love the chapter titles; they’re super clever! Such a good modern retelling if the little mermaid! I loved every minute!

[Hope (boba.nbooks) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the authors for an ARC in exchange for my honest review of this novel.

Unfortunately, this book was not it for me. I may not be its intended audience.

This novel is the second in a series that is stated as able to be read as a standalone, but I think to really understand the world, you probably need to read the first book.

Tropes include:
- Enemies to lovers
- Touch her and die vibes
- Little Mermaid retelling
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Fantasy romance

The premise of a Little Mermaid retelling set as an urban fantasy was really promising for me, but as the novel went on, I found myself confused and having some whiplash from how fast the characters changed their minds and personalities. The romance had a great beginning, but it went so quickly that I didn’t feel like it was realistic. Also, the use of “female” makes sense with so many different species, but it got to the point where it felt like overkill.

All in all, if you read the first in this series and enjoyed the writing, I’m sure you’ll love this book. If you’re big on world building, haven’t read the first book, and are highly critical, this book probably isn’t for you.