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My thoughts, my drive, my goal was on one thing. I was a madman obsessed, and nothing would get in my way.

Treasure.

For centuries this has been the drive for humans to lie, murder, cheat, and steal, and The Nectar is the biggest fortune of them all. An object which can change the dynamics between fae and human, save lives, and gives humans fae qualities.

Tracking down Katrina in the ancient dragon caves, Croygen and Kat sink deeper into greed and betrayal from foes who have been hiding in the shadows—nightmares from the past who still haunt Croygen.

When the nectar slips through their fingers, their chase takes them to the destitute streets of Budapest, where the divide between humans and fae is brewing, and leads Katrina to an old childhood friend. Someone who would have fought the world and would have killed any enemy for her.

Now she is the enemy.

Choosing between love and her soul, Katrina will make the ultimate choice that will change all of their lives forever, setting a domino effect into the future.

But you should know never to trust a pirate. They seek revenge, battle for vengeance, and kill with cruelty.

Puss and her Pirate will ride the seas and hunt those who have betrayed them.

Yo Ho. Welcome to the world of scavengers and cutthroats.

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2023

72 people are currently reading
1250 people want to read

About the author

Stacey Marie Brown

65 books6,357 followers
Stacey Marie Brown is a lover of hot fictional bad boys and sarcastic heroines who kick butt. She also enjoys books, travel, TV shows, hiking, writing, design, and archery. Stacey swears she is part gypsy, being lucky enough to live and travel all over the world.

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5 stars
298 (38%)
4 stars
307 (39%)
3 stars
127 (16%)
2 stars
33 (4%)
1 star
8 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
159 reviews3 followers
December 22, 2024
Sprig has to be one of the funniest characters ever
Profile Image for Jess - Reader of Books.
1,024 reviews73 followers
October 26, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🏴‍☠️ romantasy
🏴‍☠️ enemies to lovers
🏴‍☠️ fated mates
🏴‍☠️ found family
🏴‍☠️ quest together
🏴‍☠️ pirates and fae
🏴‍☠️ it was always you
🏴‍☠️ you h*rt her, you unlive

“You were always mine, weren’t you?”

My goodness, you guys have no idea how good this was! Stacey Marie Brown wrote another masterpiece and had me feeling all things, all the time, everywhere.

First, Katrina and Croygen were the love story I didn’t know I needed but now can’t live without. Their “I want to h*te you, I want you” cat mouse chase was tailor made for all of us romantasy lovers. Add the fact that both PiB and the Silver Tongue Devil were two of the most bad*ss pirates out there… 5 star read just from that.

But then, Stacey Marie Brown gifted us… more. And that gets us to point number two: THE CAMEOS! The connection to all the other series in the Savage Lands universe. Wow. Just freaking brilliant. How everything connected. How everything fell into place. I’m still in awe with you Stacey Marie Brown. Completely in awe.

“But now I understood Katrina never needed to be sheltered. She was my equal, my partner, and truth was our foundation, whether we wanted it or not.”

Third, the twists were jaw dropping. I didn’t see most of them coming. And yet, I thank you for my cluelessness. Because… yes!

“I would sink every ship, slice every throat, and destroy everything in my way to keep you safe.”

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be over these books. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be over Kitty-Kat and Croygen. Not sure if I’ll ever want to.

“There is a Chinese proverb: An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break.”

Lastly, KILLIAN. That’s it. I won’t ruin it for you.
Profile Image for Jamie (SpayceJamReads).
137 reviews5 followers
October 27, 2023
This review is based on the ARC I received.

This book was good, but what really made it a 5 star read for me was the ending. The end was exactly what I needed, especially the last chapter.

I really enjoyed this book, it’s one of my favorites in this amazing world that Stacey Marie Brown has created. I love all the Easter eggs and connections to other series. Sprig was a big part of this book and I feel like that is reason enough to read it.

I had so much fun getting to know Kat and Croygen. I loved being able to compare him to how he was in the collectors series and seeing things from his point of view.

Croygen was 🥵 and now I’m even more indecisive of which book boyfriend is my favorite from this world.


“The sea is our empire… Take what you can …. Give nothing back”


Roots and Sails
Profile Image for Sara.
404 reviews14 followers
July 23, 2024
I feel like I should have read a different series before reading this one to fully understand Croygen's background, but none was mentioned. If you want to read about Croygen's past and family history, definitely read the Collector's series.
Profile Image for Gabby (bookishandballgowns).
523 reviews25 followers
November 4, 2023
Devil in Boots kicks off right on the heels of the previous cliffhanger. Kat has mysteriously disappeared and all signs point to kidnapping, but Croygen will stop at nothing to get her back. He may be her worst enemy, but he’s also the person that will follow her to the ends of earth to protect her. As much as they try to deny that things between them have changed since the barn incident, there’s a growing connection between Katrina and Croygen that can’t be ignored.

A little bad blood between Puss and the Silver Tongued Devil is the least of their worries. Things take a turn for the worse when even more villains get involved and soon our rivals set off on a desperate adventure to find the famed “Nectar” in order to save their friends. They are left wondering if the legends are true or if they’re just chasing after an old pirate’s tale.

Devil in Boots was fast paced and easy to read. For those who read the previous series, there are lots of connections / Easter eggs to the other books, but it’s all very straightforward. So many secrets are revealed and the way it all unfolds kept me in a chokehold. This book has no lack of tension or action. There’s spice, fight scenes, plenty of old faces, and so much betrayal!

This is a perfect gateway fantasy series for anyone not quite ready to fully take the plunge, but think reading about fae and pirates would be interesting. It’s a fun urban fantasy filled with pirates, fae, shifters, and various other magical creatures. But the way it all plays out feels very contemporary if that makes any sense. It’s such an easy world to slip into because the world building is instantaneous, even without reading other series from the author. Their speech is very modern and makes for an easy read. It created a fun juxtaposition where the villains are using walkie talkies while sinking pirate ships in the same chapter.

This book is SILLY! Like comically corny, but in the best way. There’s so much humor, especially wrapped up in the character Sprig. He both drove me nuts and had me doubled over in laughter at his goofy antics. The one liners were enough to make me laugh out loud and many of the jokes made me roll my eyes, but it was all in good fun.

The ending of this book was so soothing in comparison to the first. While the first one had me screaming like a banshee this one felt like a warm hug. It was endearing and left me smiling like an idiot. I’m the last few chapters were super sweet and adorable, and had me shedding a few tears at the found family. These characters all had to fight tooth and nail for their happy endings and now nothing will keep them apart. Not distance nor the blue seas.

Roots and sails. 😭💕
Profile Image for Jeannette.
802 reviews191 followers
May 28, 2025
Witness the two stupidest, horniest and most incompetent pirates to ever live spend summarily 500+ pages (in two books) getting tricked, captured, lied to and betrayed, and despite all of their (unproven) skills, they always seem to be one step behind, and the brain behind the whole opperation is a narcoleptic monkey...
Profile Image for Jennie.
685 reviews48 followers
October 21, 2023
Love this book it put me through so many emotions from holding my breath to laughing couldn’t put it down the spicy ,the batter it was a great read
Profile Image for Jocelyn Garcia.
4 reviews1 follower
January 19, 2024
Stacey did it again!

I can't overstate how much I enjoy Stacey Marie Brown's writing. Her ability to create a world full of unique and complex characters that feel larger than life, it's incredible. She paints a mural with her words in your mind, that brings it all to life and makes it so vivid and clear. It's hard not to fall in love with these characters. To laugh with them. To cry with them. To rejoice in victory with them. I simply cannot get enough.
Profile Image for KayLuvsBooks.
334 reviews33 followers
December 23, 2024
"I would sink every ship, slice every throat, and destroy everything in my way to keep you safe."

Pretty much the same feelings as book 1. I wasn't totally invested but the characters were interesting enough for me to see this through despite the repetitive plot.

Random Notes:
- Sprig was a fun and cute character for about four chapters, I kept picturing him as that monkey from Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs lol. Then he got really really annoying really fast and was just so repetitive. It was like listening to a broken record over and over.

- I still really wish I read the other novels first and that this wasn't advertised as a stand-alone series because I kept feeling like I was missing a lot of context.

- Also why wasn't this just a single stand-alone book? I don't really see them as separate books at all.

- Leaving the ending so open was an interesting idea and I'm sure she plans to tie that into her next series.
Profile Image for Alexy Peters.
361 reviews
June 25, 2025
The story leans more on relationship drama than world building/moving the bigger plot along. The pacing is quick, the twists come fast, and the cameos from SMB’s other series are nice for us that have committed to this world. Sprig. Super Sprig, Monkey God King. The sass, the chaos, the heart…he’s the true hero here. Honestly, he’s half the reason to read this book, and the ending felt like a warm hug. The found family vibes hit hard. For anyone already deep into Stacey Marie Brown’s universe, I recommend it, but newcomers can still enjoy the spice, humor, and emotional beats, just know a few references may fly over your head. (Reading the prequels helps). Overall it’s messy, it’s hot, it’s a little ridiculous and I kind of loved it.
Profile Image for Shannon.
74 reviews
December 26, 2024
I picked up this duology while reading Savage Lands since I wanted to get more background on Croygen’s journey with trying to find the nectar. It was entertaining even if a bit repetitive at times, and it was nice to be reunited with old characters like Sprig, Annabeth and Cooper. Definitely not ones you HAVE to read but they were fun!
Profile Image for Maria Finazzo Hernandez.
501 reviews11 followers
March 30, 2025
This pirate adventure is fantastically written. Spice and comedy with lots of revelations and loyalties. This is a great journey that shows not everything is what you may want but everything you need. As well as things turn out better than expected. It is a superb experience.
Profile Image for Kel.
75 reviews
May 15, 2024
If you are coming to this duology (at least I think it’s just the two- for now? I have a neeeeeeeed for moreeeee!!), after Savage Lands…. CROYGEN, I want one!! SMB, has easily become another favorite author. I eat her books UP without taking breaths. They’re so action packed and steamy and the plot always holds my ADHD attention. Kat was such a bad ass heroine. A confident killer, whitty, and sexy. Croygen was like, Flynn Rider but pirate and older and sexier. God I thought I loved Warwick… Croygen surpassed him lol all in all, if you love fantasy/post apocalyptic-ish(?)/smutty/action packed/pirate stories, give this duo a shot. SMB has you covered! On to another of her series!
Profile Image for Madison.
883 reviews32 followers
October 1, 2024
This series definitely wasn't meant to be read as a standalone duology. So many backstories not given, and missing so much context between the characters.
Profile Image for Christine.
41 reviews1 follower
September 9, 2025
Loved the action, plot, and sprig of course but I couldn’t get on board with Croygen calling her kitten get out of here lol
Profile Image for Kenny B :).
376 reviews3 followers
September 8, 2024
I am now unsure why I pushed myself into reading Devil in Boots. All of the things I hated about the first book were even worse in this one.

Once again, characters from previous series were extremely important parts of this book, and it left me feeling lost and confused. Devil of the Deep Blue Sea should NOT be advertised as a standalone series. It feels like a direst sequel to her other series.

This book is less than 300 pages yet is dragged on. Kat spends the whole book wanting to f**k Croygen, yet thinks she’s despicable for it. Every other page is “ong he’s so hot, but omg I’m so terrible for thinking that because he killed my father.”

Croygen would be less of a creep if he didn’t remind the reader constantly how the last time he saw Kat she was 12.

They both obviously know there mates but keep ignoring it for like 200 pages and I was just over it.

Again, the base plot was fine, but everything else is making me give this book a 2.
Profile Image for Jamie.
364 reviews158 followers
January 8, 2024
May not be the popular opinion, but this book would have been so much better without Sprig. He was funny to an extent, but then it became so repetitive and corny. I felt he took away from this story more than enhanced.
754 reviews9 followers
July 13, 2025
Devil In Boots - Stacey Marie Brown

Devil in the Deep Blue Sea, Book 2

Narrated By: Zachary Johnson & Mare Trevathan
Narrator Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

They did an excellent job bringing these characters to life. I felt their pacing and tone were perfect also. They brought forth all the emotions. Zachary did a perfect job as Croygen as Mare also did a perfect job as Katrina.

My Review:
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pages: 361
Genre: Fantasy
Tropes:

⚔️Forced Proximity
⚔️Enemies To Lovers
⚔️Revenge
⚔️Fated Mates
⚔️Forbidden Love
⚔️Only One Bed
⚔️Found Family
⚔️Touch Her And

This is the continuation of Croygen and Katrina’s story. This series is action packed. Nothing comes easy for Croygen and Katrina. They are under constant threat.

They must find the nectar to save Annabeth and Katrina’s lives and that of Katrina’s crew who are being held captive.

It proves to be no easy task. It’s in and out of their grasp only to be continually taken from them also. Annabeth growing sicker and weaker by the day.

Croygen and Katrina both fighting the bond they share and refusing to recognize it for what it truly is.

Now read this book as it is the conclusion of their story. Are they able to save Annabeth? Save Katrina and her crew? Who ends up with their ships and the nectar?

I highly recommend this book and series.

#RomanticSuspense #enemiestofriends #fantasy #paranormal #suspense #thriller #staceymariebrown #cityinembers #collectorseries #thebarrierbetween #enemiestolovers #acrossthedivide #fromburningashes #silvertongueddevil #devilinthedeepbluesea #devilinboots
Profile Image for Freyja's Athenaeum.
105 reviews
October 31, 2023
🩷☠️Devil In Boots ARC Review☠️🩷

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶

We return to the pirate’s life after Silver Tounge Devil, where the desperate search for Katrina and the Necter is on, and Croygen will stop at nothing to find them both. 

"I was a madman obsessed, and nothing would get in my way."

Stacey gives us the love story we all desperately need.  Devil in Boots is an absolutely magical story for the ages filled with action at every turn, emotion, spice, and absolutely enthralling connections to Savage Lands! 

It can not be read as a standalone, as it picks up from the cliffhanger in Silver Tounge Devil, but it masterfully ties into the Darkness, Collector and Lightness Series, and Savage Lands.

The continued chemistry between Croygen and Kat…it’s absolute perfection.  I love the scorching intensity of their "I hate you, but I can't hate you vibe!"

“What’s that saying? A pirate will sink you with a kiss, steal your heart, and sail away with it. You already sailed away with it,”

Just like in my review of Silver Tounge Devil, Croygen and Katrina’s story is amazing, deep, extremely complicated, and deliciously morally grey.  The dynamic between Croygen and Katrina is a constant tug between loyalty, betrayal, revenge, and absolution. 

Stacey’s will make you fall hard with this duo and their crew.  Her worldbuilding is absolutely unmatched, and this book is the perfect edge of your seat addition to Croygen and Kat's story.

✨️I AM IN LOVE WITH CROYGEN, KAT AND THEIR CREW✨️
Profile Image for Julia.
169 reviews
May 6, 2024
Ok Stacie Marie Brown is a genius… all these books are similar in the way the story is told, and yet you don’t have any idea of what is going to happen, or how it all is interconnected. This was Croygen and Katrina’s end of their story. It was exciting, fun, funny, and sweet. I wasn’t super excited to read these 2 books, and yet I knew I needed to see how it all turned out. I am sure we will see these characters in future books. The only reason I gave it a 4 is because I had a hard time excepting Katrina as a new person in Croygens life. After the author had introduced Lexi in the previous books, it seemed as if she was the one that was going to beCroygen’s love interest. And of course she died, which I guess I kind of understand that books have to have a story, it just sucked that she had to die. And then you have to be introduced to this new character while you love the other one. And Katrina came out of nowhere, never mentioned in any of the other books previous to these two. She’s not a bad character in anyway, I was just invested in Lexi and her story more. The setting in the orient was fun, and the adventures never lack in all these books! If you’ve gotten this far in all of our series, you’re going to finish them!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bruna Oliveira.
158 reviews
June 18, 2025
I absolutely loved Savage Lands series but The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea really irritated me. This duology should not be advertised as a series all on its own. You MUST read her other series prior to picking this one up or you are going to spend the majority of the book lost (like me). This irked me to no end. The repeated mentions of events that happened in other series that left me out of the loop. The storyline wasn’t as impactful as I would imagine of I had been forewarned to read her other series first. The whole thing kind of felt like when you go out with friends and they begin to tell a story but then just say “well you had to be there”. Secondly, I found Sprig’s banter annoying. Where it was supposed to offer comedic relief often times felt like childish annoying banter. I enjoyed most of the story that he was not on page with his cringe worthy dialogue. Other than that o really enjoyed the dynamic between the characters. Stacey Marie Brown knows how to write her smut scenes and does so with prowess. The Devil in Boots was definitely slower paced than The Silver Tongue Devil and at times felt repetitive but it was nice to see the origins of some of the characters you meet in Savage Lands.
Profile Image for Ashley.
164 reviews1 follower
November 5, 2023
This book took me quite a bit to get into but I will say that I was so excited once I was.

I was so enamored by the world of Savage Lands that having another book in the universe to read was an exciting idea! (This series takes place before Savage Lands and even gives you a nice inside look at one of the characters featured). Once I saw his name I was quickly transfixed.

Devil in boots is a pirate meets Puss in Boots story that is filled with Fae and battles, betrayals, and of course...lots of spice between enemies know doubt!
It's a must-read if you need a good pirate book and an absolute necessity if you loved her Savage Lands series!

-Personal feelings-
What held me back in this one was the feeling of missing something. Croygen has a story previous from this series and there were times reading that I felt like I should've read it before this one. Mainly because the characters all mixed together and the mentioning of past events had me feeling lost. But I will say I am not wholly convinced in reading her backlog! Because I need answers and to know!
Profile Image for Krystal M.
619 reviews4 followers
November 6, 2023
I was super happy to see that Croygen would be getting his own story and the only gripe I have is that this is his end. Of course I understand it but the amount of books for others had me greedy!

While this may be the end of his and Kat's story they clearly aren't done. I can see them showing up randomly in the future and I'm all for it!

This book still fits in with Savage Lands but only a little bit.

Back to the story. It picks up right after book 1 and it only keeps going. They are on a time crunch after all. While Kat and Croygen's relationship evolves so does their need to get the nectar.

I loved having Annabelle and Cooper in this book since they only had mentions really, in the other books. They added to the story and brang emotions out in all the characters and me as well. Of course I have to mention Sprig! He is always the star of the show afterall and he is also why emotions come out strong too.

While I'm sad their story has come to an end it was wrapped up nicely and will become a definite reread for me!
Profile Image for Mars.
109 reviews
July 18, 2025
What I liked
• Pirate sex puns by a talking monkey. Every themed spicy fantasy needs themed sex puns from now on.
• It's helpful to read this series in a tone that's sarcastic, which is what went over my head in the last book. The whole thing is one big parody.
• They always fuck in the weirdest, dumbest places and situations. First time they do it, they kill a bunch of men in a barn, see each other covered in blood, and then make out right there and fuck in a wheelbarrow among the dead bodies.

What I didn't like
• It's a lot.
• Katrina grieves and then sucks off Croygen right after. Wtf.
• They encounter a bunch of new enemies
• Croygen was more annoying than the monkey. Always oggling Katrina and thinking about her even though she's there, he's pitched the entire time, and they made him more narcissistic out of nowhere, calling himself pretty and sexy af.
• Everything resolved pretty quickly on happenstance.
• Killian would've made a better villain if he actually did something.
• Croygen's crew was mostly absent in this book.
Profile Image for Kiley.
338 reviews7 followers
September 1, 2024
After Croygen suffers a tragic loss he returns to his true love, the sea. He is trying to regain his title of the pirate king when he hears of a new pirate challenging his claim and it is a woman. Katrina grew up on a ship being trained by the best until she is sent away by the captain and her whole life falls apart and her entire life falls apart now she wants revenge. They meet again after centuries apart and their hate and attraction walk a thin line. They must work together in find the most wanted and powerful object in the world.

I did actually end up enjoying this duopoly a lot more then I was expecting. The pirates and fae blended together made for a fun and exciting storyline. I really liked all of the characters also, I wish we got a bit more time with Croygen's crew. There were parts of the storyline that I felt kind of thrown into and wished for more of a backstory especially when it comes to Croygen.
Profile Image for Bethany.
1,323 reviews
February 8, 2024
While book 1 was on the slower end, I didn't feel like it really lacked in pacing; however, this book has MUCH more action and high tense situation and I was tied in knots by the end of it! It was so good, though. It's totally a "I can't put it down until I'm done" situation, even if my blood pressure is high wondering what's going to happen next.

Also...KILLIAN! That's all I'm saying on that point.

Overall, I really liked this story and I loved the found family. I didn't realize this is also (timeline wise) a connecting series to her other series so I missed (and you can get a hint while reading you're missing some history) the other characters' stories we kind of glimpse in this duo, but it doesn't detract from Croygen and Kat. I liked the epilogue and thought it was pretty amazing.

I also loved how Croygen let Kat me strong and Kat IS strong. Loved Croygen a lot and think he's great for Kat.

Really glad I accidentally fell into this duo. If nothing else, reading Savage Lands first made me like this story even more.
Profile Image for Emily Deegan.
178 reviews2 followers
December 9, 2023
If you’re a lover of Stacey Marie Brown’s Darkness, Collector, and Lightness series… the Devil in the Deep Blue Sea duet is for you!

Devil in Boots is book two in this duet and picks up right where book one leaves us. We learn more about Croygen and Katrina’s past relationship and follow them as they attempt to find a cure for our sweet Annabeth & fight off Batata... but who knew their oldest friend would become their greatest enemy.

You might like this book if…
+ You’ve read Silver Tongue Devil, book one in this series.
+ You love SMB’s Savage Lands universe. Brownie points if you’ve read the Darkness, Collector, and Lightness series!
+ You’re into mate bonds and mind speaking.
+ You like a good enemies to lovers.

Genre: Romantasy, Pirates
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Mine, Touch Her and Unalive, Mates, Mindspeak
⭐️: 4/5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews

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