Monsters in Love: Lost in the Deeps: A Paranormal Monster Romance Anthology

by Evangeline Priest, Vivienne Hart, Clio Evans

Welcome to Monsters in Love... From oceans and lakes to rivers and streams, monsters lure in their mates with their siren songs. Get twined in tentacles and fantasize about fins as you, too, are lost in the deeps. Featuring wet and wild tales of romance Eva Priest writing as Evangeline Priest Vivienne Hart Clio Evans S.J. Sanders YD La Mar Trish Heinrich Vera Valentine Wren K. Morris Jillian Graves

Genres: Anthologies, Monsters, Romance, Monster Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, Novella

700 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2023

About the author

WRITES "LOVE AT FIRST BITE" PARANORMAL ROMANCE FEATURING GROWLY ALPHA HEROES AND WOMEN STRONG ENOUGH TO TAME THEM.

Reviews

[Kate V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her Mysterious Merman - Clio Evans - 4.75 stars!

The Barista is trying to enjoy a relaxing vacation on a deserted beach when a prince from the sea demands his mate matching services. Nerio, a princely siren, needs his mate and knows the Barista can offer her on a silver platter.

Ofelia is called to the beach on the pretense she is rescuing a dolphin but she quickly realizes this is no ordinary rescue. A beautiful merman awaits her and she is helpless to his lure.

“What do you want, little sea star? I want to touch you, to devour you and please you.”

Nerio takes Ofelia to his home and they have a smutty first date with a second date sure to follow. While Ofelia doesn't exactly know where their future will lie, Nerio certainly does.

“You’re mine, little sea star,” he whispered, his voice soft, a little possessive. “I’ll take you to the surface since this is our first date, but just know that you will be mine.”

Short and Clio Evans brand smutty, I really liked this. It ends on a HFN/cliffhanger and I'm looking forward to the conclusion of their story.

Darkstorm - Vivienne Hart - 2.5 stars!

Haven is renovating the old resort at Lake Eerie but things are amiss. When Haven realizes that Wickham is behind some of it but other things are happening, Haven needs Wick’s help.

I didn’t care for this short story all that much. It was a little confusing and the steam in here felt like they were scratching an itch.

”You are even more beautiful that I thought you were. You have given me a new appreciation for humanity and the human form.”

Thanks, I guess? Lol. I found Haven to be a little rough around the edges and lacking in some grace. Wick lacked a personality in general and didn’t have much of substance to say. This ends on a HFN/cliffhanger.

The Merman's Lure - S.J. Sanders - 2 stars!

I didn’t enjoy this all that much. It was a ton of telling rather than dialogue. I ended up skimming and really can’t recall the story now 😂. Ro and Keri’s story ends on a HEA.

Surfing her Sea Monster - Evangeline Priest - 2 stars!

This short story didn't have enough explanation so I found myself wondering what exactly I was reading. Was the smutty bit real? This ends on a cliffhanger? It's left open ended and I'm not sure if there will ever be a conclusion.

Suckers - YD La Mar - 2 stars!

Yeahhhh, I don't know what this was. Sorry...

The Sea King and the Librarian - Trish Heinrich - 3 stars!

Short and smutty. Didn't love it and didn't hate it. This ends on a HFN.

Alpha Bettas - Vera Valentine - Did Not Read - No Rating

This story is MMF. I prefer reading MFM or MM.

A Glow from the Deep - Wren K. Morris - 3 stars!

This was ok. The relationship didn't feel meaningful and the HFN didn't feel resolved or complete.

Daddy of the Sea - Jillian Graves - 3 stars!

Therapy session, Daddy smut style. This was hot with no plot. A HFN?

“You just need your little pussy tended to, and then you’ll be good for me, won’t you?”

Overall, a pretty disappointing installment. Clio made this book for me and the overall rating reflects that. Hopefully the next one is better.

[T Rojo · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW FOR * DADDY OF THE SEA* by Jillian Graves (thanks Jillian!)

Currently taking up a plastic straw collection so I can pollute the ocean and get myself a daddy sea monster. Sorry turtles but mama wants some tentacle action!

This was a cute short story, straight to the point!

[Averie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves

This is about our heroine Car getting punished by her Daddy in the sea 👀

This was such a hot and quick read full of tentacle goodness!!

I really want more from this couple and hope we get a full-length story sometime!

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[m · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review for:
Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves

The brat and my good girl.
I like both versions of her.

When Carina pushes her ex’s motorcycle into the sea after she finds out he’s been throwing her prized Daddy romance books there all along, she’s given the choice to apologise to the Celaelai (aka tentacle Daddy) or accept her punishment. She refuses to apologise 😏

I love novellas like this! Tentacles, spanking, and a sweet romantic arc - short and satisfying. Daddy Kalder knows exactly how to use his assets and the surprise at the end is hilarious!

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first monster romance that I've read about a sea creature that has tentacles. It was definitely interesting and very very spicy. It was also quite short on the page side and I literally read it for less than an hour.

If you are into short, spicy and a bit different monster romance, this book is definitely for you.

The novella I've read in this anthology was "Daddy of the sea" by Jillian Graves. 

***I received an ARC from the author and this is my voluntary review.***

[Lizs.book.nook ||Elizabeth|| · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is chalked FULL of fantastic stories by truly talented authors! I absolutely adored the stories and fell in love with the characters and story lines these authors created in just a short novella length story. I felt all the feels and prepare yourself for some steamy moments!

• Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves •
Hello Daddy! This daddy dom short was absolutely addicting! Even with only 4 chapters and an epilogue I still fell for these characters and the storyline quickly and fully. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

• Her Mysterious Merman by Clio Evans •
Can I have a Price Merman please and thank you! Oh boy, 3 short chapters and I HOOKED! I’m so intrigued by this story and I cannot wait to see where Clio takes it in the future.

[Izzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves
This one just wasn’t for me at the end of the day. I didn’t hate it but overall it felt off pacing wise. This left it feeling rushed in a way I wasn’t expecting. Still fun just not a favorite.



Arc provided by author for a fair and honest review

[Well Read Nurse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Jillian Graves Daddy of the Sea and I NEED MORE...

Spankings for every brat 🥵🥵🥵🥵

[Jennifer Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is just for Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves. I received an ARC copy. I am a sucker (haha) for a good Daddy. So this book was perfect for me.  After Carina pushed her exs motorcycle off the cliff, the same treatment he did to her Daddy Dom books. Kalder decided to let her choose her punishment for her choices. It will leave you wanting more. As part of the anthology, it is short and leaves you wanting more from the characters.

[Ash Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing edition

I love these anthologies, I can't get enough of them! I especially enjoyed Jillian Graves short. I'm always a sucker (😂🐙) for a daddy Dom of any kind and this did not disappoint! Definitely a must read if you like tentacles and plus size heroines. 🥰

[Kaylah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her Mysterious Merman by Clio Evans: I absolutely loved getting to read about the Barista and his matchmaking skills again! I loved the merman and the BJ on the first date. I can't wait to see where Clio goes with the expansion of this story! 5/5 ⭐️

A Glow From The Deep by Wren K. Morris: Now I love me some Greek mythology retellings and Wren never disappoints! I literally was immediately hooked to this story from the first line when the fmc was being forced to walk the plank by her crew. This short was only 6 chapters and I can't wait for Wren to expand more on Adriana, Bythos, and Aphros's story because I just know it's gonna be amazing! 5/5 ⭐️

Daddy Of The Sea by Jillian Graves: I really enjoyed the story! I hope there's gonna be more to it as I would love to learn more about the fmc and the kraken. 4/5 ⭐️

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this for Daddy of the Sea, the Jillian Graves novella. This is a very short, smutty novella featuring lots of tentacles, punishments, and daddy kink. Carina is a human woman who tosses her ex’s motorcycle into the ocean. Thousand-year old Kalder is not a fan and comes up to punish Carina with some spankings and all of his tentacles. He’s also been collecting Carina’s reads of “daddy smut” that were also tossed over into the ocean. This ends on kind of a HFN (happily for now) and was just fun!

[Elizabeth]

I read "daddy of the sea" and "her mysterious merman". At least part of it. I don't think this anthology was written with me in mind. Too much a instalust and daddy Dom. And the guy getting his before the heroine gets hers. Maybe there's some good stories in this anthology but my curiosity is satisfied, if not anything else

[Destynnee Realta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters in Love
Lost in the Deeps
Volume 4
703 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited in the USA.
Publication date September 26th 2023

I received a copy of this book from Book Sprout and the Author, and this is my review.
Please, watch out for possible spoilers, including but not limited to, TW/CN/Etc.

This anthology overall was a 5 / 5 stars for me. I will be speaking specifically about a couple stories in this anthology. I have placed the possible TW/CN/Tropes/Genres/Etc info at the end of this review so if you do NOT want to read them you can skip them. Some of the stories in the anthology also have this information before the story. Each story also has a blurb so you have an idea of what you are getting into. When authors do this, it makes me SO HAPPY.

I read every story in this anthology, and it was IMPOSSIBLE to pick which ones to share reviews for. IT IS THAT GOOD.

Also, I enjoyed the anthology so much, that I have purchased it.
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Monsters in Love
Lost in the Deeps
Volume 4
Surfing Her Sea Monster
By Evangeline Priest
703 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited in the USA.
Publication date September 26th 2023

Evangeline is one of those authors who pull you in and keep you turning those pages from the moment you start a story of theirs. And this one is no different. Minato and Kaia, were lovable and relatable even though one is a non-human. Their mind linking, and instalove had me wanting them to have their HEA from page one. If you enjoy quick reads, that pull you in from the start, you really gotta read this!

5 / 5 stars
-Destynnee


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Monsters in Love
Lost in the Deeps
Volume 4
Her Mysterious Merman
By Clio Evans
703 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited in the USA.
Publication date September 26th 2023

As always Clio kills it. We get another Creature Cafe Fated Mates story. I am here for ALL the CC stories. If you have never read any of the other CC stories, that is completly OK! You can read this story and still enjoy it without reading the others. But, I do highly suggest giving them all a read. I love the Barista, and that no matter where he goes, or what is going on, he helps Monsters and Humans find their true loves. This was such an enjoyable, and kinda cozy spicy read. I really hope you all give it a read. Ofelia, and Nerio were adorable, and I hope that we get more of them at some point.

5 / 5 stars
-Destynnee
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Monsters in Love
Lost in the Deeps
Volume 4
Darkwater
By Viviene Hart
703 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited in the USA.
Publication date September 26th 2023

Viviene does an exceptional job at pulling you into this story from the first page, and making you care not only about the people, but the town as a whole. I am absolutely here for a small town romance, between humans and monsters. And they kill it with this quick read. This story has me looking to read all of the authors catalog of work. Haven is adorable, and relatable, and I so enjoyed that she cared so much about her town, the magic folk that she wasn’t even fully aware were real. Wickham, was damn hot, and I want so MUCH more of this man. Giddy up daddy… IYKYK. I loved that the author used a magical creature that we do not always see in monster romance. And truthfully, I am here for more of that magical creature. I highly suggest reading this somewhat cozy, bit of a murder mystery, monster romance.

5 / 5 stars
-Destynnee
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Monsters in Love
Lost in the Deeps
Volume 4
Daddy of the Sea
By Jillian Graves
703 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited in the USA.
Publication date September 26th 2023

Jillian is one of my top 10 authors, and each time I read something by them, I love their writing even more. They have such an amazing ability to make characters relatable and lovable, even in quick reads like this one. I am all here for spanking as therapy. IYKYK. I highly suggest giving this short story a read, and then picking up the author's other works!

5 / 5 stars
-Destynnee
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Monsters in Love
Lost in the Deeps
Volume 4
Suckers
By YD La Mar
703 pages
Currently on Kindle Unlimited in the USA.
Publication date September 26th 2023

YD La Mar, knows how to make a roller coaster of a ride. I was pulled in the moment I started reading their story. Derrick and James were adorable, sweet, and tragic at times. They are the kinda love story that is so damn real, even with the magical stuff. I so want to read more about these two, and for them to have a long HEA.

If you enjoy friends to lovers, and very relatable characters you HAVE to read this story,

5 / 5 stars
-Destynnee

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Possible TW, Tropes, and Genres
Mature, Sexually Explicit Scenes, Romance, Soul Mates, Extra Appendages, Some Cozy Vibes, Touch Her and Die, Touch Him and Die, Fated Mates, Instalove, Cinnamon Roll Hero, Shared Dreaming, Mind Linking, Cults, Ancient Gods, Human Sacrifice, Violence, Possession, Cults, Foul Language, Depressive Memories, Death of Parent, Abusive Parent, Monsters, Tentacles, Murder, Death, Anthology, Paranormal, Begging, Oral, Vaginal, Anal, Bareback, MF, MM, Vibrating Cocks, Cockpockets, Glow in the Dark Cum, Underwater Aerobics, Spanking, Daddy Dom, Discussions of Past Emotional Abuse, Spankings as Therapy, BDSM, Kink, Sex with a Monster, Graphic Descriptions of Bodily Fluids, Brat, Submissive, Praise, Good Girl, Sweet, Drowning, Consensual Sex Between a Human and a Monster, Non-Human Anatomy, Sexual Size Differences, Shifted Monster Sex, and possibly way more!!

[SmuttyBuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a good 6 hours, but I did it! I devoured the entire thing on release day! And it was so worth it, sea creatures, and mermen, and tentacles, oh my!

Her Mysterious Merman - *****-Clio Evans - Jumping right in with the Barista always packs some good heat! And the Barista on a beach? I'm here for it! This is on brand heat for Clio Evans, and another fantastic short that I give two fins up to! Ofelia was lured to an abandoned beach by the Barista in order to be set up on a date with Nerio the Siren. The kicker? In order to spend time with him down under, Ofelia has to go down under and swallow some of Nerio's special sea water! This first date just got a whole lot more interesting! This ends on a HFN/cliffhanger, so I can't wait to see what develops from this novella!

Darkstorm - ****-Vivienne Hart - This ends on a HFN/cliffhanger. Haven Bishop owns a cute little lodge on the edge of Lake Eerie. The lodge and cabins are completely run down and need an overhaul! The problem is, the lake is rumored to be haunted, and with bodies turning up on the beach, it is ruining the tourist-y vibes! Haven's cousin, Griffin, is the Mayor of the quaint little town. He is the one pushing extra hard on the renovations. Ever since he heard that a rival B&B has been having great success, he has been salivating to get the resort up and running.

But mysterious things start happening when renovations begin. A machine on a trailer attached to a truck comes loose. That trailer rolls down the beach and ends up in the water. And then the man who was sent into the lake to retrieve it suddenly disappears below the surface. Haven is barely able to rescue him.

Haven and her entire Bishop ancestry and the town had been tasked with keeping the lake and beach clean. They had been told of the traditions and customs of the sprites and the Lady of the Lake, and how they must never forget. But slowly over time, many had stopped paying tribute and stopped the rituals.

When renovations are complete, a mysterious man shows up, seemingly out of nowhere and without luggage. It is quite odd! And the weird keeps getting weirder, as more and more mysterious things happen on the lake.

Vivienne Hart wrote a masterful short story, and I loved all the interactions between the characters. It is hard with a short because you are just craving more back story and more connection, and just.. MORE! but I know that the authors have word counts they have to stick to, so it's hard! I need to look into this author more, I'm not sure if I have read them before. I wonder if these characters have been seen before! I'm intrigued and want to know more!

The Merman's Lure - S.J. Sanders - Keri is feeling lost and so much pressure from her family to harness her diviners power. She knows that it isn't her true calling, and is determined to find out what is. Keri works at the library, and while not helping the patrons she is actively searching out what power she is capable of harnessing. While at the library, her friend Adiele brings in an actual Merman, and she is able to spend time with him, studying him for the interspecies research assignment.

This novella was lovely and fascinating, the spark that grows between Keri and Ro turns into such a sweet relationship, by the end of the book you are rooting for everything to work out! And during the times they have to spend apart, I can really feel the angst that the characters feel not being together. Sanders beautifully describes the longing and the subsequent reunions so very well! This one might have been my favorite?

Surfing her Sea Monster - Evangeline Priest - Minato and Kaia are the most darling pair! I think the thing that won me over most about this book was Priest's way with words. There are some really funny lines written in, and some truly clever ones! While Maru is helping Minato is getting dressed in human clothes for the first time he says

There were a few mistakes and a near tragedy with a zipper, but in the end, Maru deems me acceptable. Finally, he hands me a weapon to put inside my jacket pocket. "That is not a weapon, sir. Well, I suppose anything can be," he adds, correcting himself. "However, that is a phone and its main purpose is for communication. Everyone seems to have one, though most use it to watch videos and post pictures."

"Pictures? As in intel? Research?"

Maru shrug. "Perhaps they are amassing a digital archive for future generations."

And boy, isn't that the most truth you have ever laughed at?

This short is great, and it is quite possibly my favorite!

Suckers - YD La Mar - This title is awesome! A+ for creativity!

The Sea King and the Librarian- Trish Heinrich -

Alpha Bettas- Vera Valentine -

A Glow from the Deep - Wren K. Morris -

Daddy of the Sea - Jillian Graves -

[Frankie Turns Pages · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was offered an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review of Daddy of the Sea. Please note that I did not read any of the other short stories.

On a funny note, I had a bit of a hard time reading this story since the MC shares the same name as one of my closest friends (LOL). So, please bear with me on this one.

Let’s just say that the author did get very creative this time around. However, not much about this story and the characters clicked with me.

As far as I am aware, this short story takes place in the same world as Titan. If I am wrong, please correct me.

But that’s exactly why I feel as if this story could have been a full-length novel, or at least a novelette similar in length to Blood Moon. There is enough material to expand on this new side of Titan’s world.

This story introduces a submarine monster-slash-very-much-resembling-to-a-human-octopus (sign me up??). So consider me slightly disappointed when my first contact with it in this series is a short story! I believe it would have benefitted far more if we had previously been exposed to characters such as Kalder. Especially since Graves, with her previous works, has done a great job at expanding her fantasy//paranormal world whilst mixing decent romance and chemistry between characters.

Even though this is a short story - so there is only ever so much the author can write -, when compared to previous works, this one fell significantly shorter in my opinion. I find that there was an overall lack of romantic connection between the characters and story's purpose. Everything occurred very abruptly with little to no explanation. Does every single authority figure in this world sexually punish others when they’re not obeyed? Is this an under-the-sea thing? Or, maybe, I’ve slowly detached myself from stories like this lately, idk.

Can I also just say that if this had been released in the same week as The Little Mermaid’s live-action it would’ve been impeccable timing. But that’s such a small remark it does not even account for my review.

Regardless, I am still excited for Rook. A bit disappointed this time around, though. I guess it could be far more enjoyable if you binge-read all of her books and short stories in one go.

Thank you to the author for granting me this opportunity again!

[May (toastyreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surfing Her Sea Monster by Evageline Priest

Eva set up a book I want to eat up omg. I cannot wait for the full story!!!! I loved the MMCs perspective. I loved him being a grumpy and not understand or bothering to understand technology. I love his touch her and die energy mixed with cinnamon roll somehow?? HOW!!!. Also the man hates being dry ..... same.
ALSO IM SO SOLD ON THE FACT THEY HAVE NOT ONLY KNOWN EACH OTHER SINCE CHILDHOOD, BUT THEY ARE ESTRANGED AND FATED MATES 😭😭 Eva you hurt me so good!!! Also the FMC has no memory and that won't be resolved until the expanded story - but I need it now!! 😭💜
“What’s your favorite thing about the ocean?”
“I can’t put a finger on it. It’s hard to describe something that feels like your home.”
“That’s exactly how I feel.”


Daddy of the Sea - Jillian Graves

I did not expect to love this short as much as I did. I am still getting used to enjoying Daddy dyanmics. BUT OMG I LOVE THESE CHARACTERS AND THIS SHORT STORY ABOUT THEM!! FMC CANDLE MAKING SMUT READING BRATTY ICON (*cough* not relatable at all *cough*). I love how she took revenge but the MMC unveiled that it was much more than that. She wanted to do something wrong that *also* may piss of her ex and punish herself.

Then the MMC omg 🥵 Only a monster could get me hot and bothered by the nickname "little _____". Goddamn. I love that when FMCs books were thrown into sea, he didn't just keep them, bUT READ THEM AND FOUND OUT WHAT HIS PRINCESS NEEDED 😭 I liked that he was able to use kink to let the FMC open up and be vulnerable and admit to herself she was trying to punish herself more than her ex. Spanking really acted as therapy here. Iove fantasy 😍


P.S. Good Girl is my weakness. Uwu

[Nicole (Happily_After_HEAs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for Daddy of the Seas by Jillian Graves but I've read a lot of these author antho authors before, so I feel like one cannot go wrong here! And if you're into tentacles (and really, why wouldn't you be? They're so very versatile) or other wet and wild creatures this is bound to be your jam. Idk if I'd read a lot of tentacled (is that a word?) monster romance before or if this one popped my cherry barb (it's a fish, ask Google). Either way, Jillian Graves' story Daddy of the Sea was exactly the treat I wanted. Poor Carina's asshat of an ex has upset the ocean equilibrium by tossing all her Daddy Dom books into the ocean. To get even she she throws his motorcycle into the Pacific. However, Kalder, ruler of the Celaelai Strange, cannot let these atrocities go. He tells Carina she must apologize or receive punishment. Ithink we all know what which she chooses. And friends. It just gets better from there. This bratty, daddy Dom loving gal cannot even when she gets ahold of Kalder. Literally. And I never really thought about what the suckers could do before but, eye opening. 😳

While the story is short, it serves its purpose and entertains from beginning to end. I look forward to more tentacles and other creatures of the deep in this anthology, Monsters in Love, Vol 4: Lost in the Deeps. There's got to be at least eight, right?

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Monsters in Love anthologies are always winners for me: they bring together some of the best authors writing monster romance today to share spicy little nuggets that often get spun out into full-length stories. And I do love a good theme, so I was especially excited for "Lost in the Deep", full of sea monsters, merfolk, and tentacle daddies.

Speaking of tentacle daddies....

Jillian Graves, author of wonderful smut for people whose coming-of-age fantasies all involved Goliath from Gargoyles, gave me an ARC of her contribution to this anthology, Daddy of the Sea.

The story is exactly as tongue-in-cheek as the title suggests it would be, but the feelings are surprisingly earnest.

Fresh out of a bad relationship, Carina's self esteem is in the gutter. Luckily, her friendly neighborhood tentacle monster Kalder is there to cheer her up, and since her douchebag ex threw all of her spicy books into the ocean, he knows exactly how to do it.

Given the format, it's no surprise that these stories tend to be more smut than substance but, as always, Graves' story manages a balance of both. She has suggested that we'll see more of these characters in the future, and I'm looking forward to it.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for Daddy Of The Sea by Jillian Graves.

It's time for everyone to meet Daddy Kalder and bratty Carina. Daddy Of The Sea is a short novella in the Monsters In Love Anthology - Volume 4 Lost In The Depths.
🐙
When Carina finds out her dıckhęad ex-boyfriend has been throwing her prized collection of Daddy romance books in the ocean, she decides to get even. The problem is that she does so by shoving his motorcycle into the ocean, and its Celaelai protector has some issues with that. Kalder gives Carina two options: apologize or take her punishment like a good girl. Guess which one she chooses??? C'mon. Guess!
🌊
This story was short, sweet, and oh so spicy. There's:

● Fun times while reading 👀.
● Praise
● Tentacles
● Hurt/comfort
● Detachable parts.
● Spånķing

Jillian Graves always brings the heat with the right amount of sweetness and care. The story may be short, but there's tons of fun and more insight to the Strange. I also loved the cameo from Violet! I so appreciate being on this ARC team, and I hope you guys give this story and Anthology a try!

[ღ JuJu Reads ღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ARC review for “Daddy Of The Sea” by Jillian Graves, and is not a rating for the entire anthology.

While this wasn’t my favorite Jillian Graves story - perhaps because it was cruelly short - it was still a delicious bite of the Strange Universe.

Carina is a witch who makes candles by the ocean. Kalder is a protector of the ocean as a Celaelai, which puts him at odds with the gorgeous Carina when she dumps her ex’s motorcycle into the ocean. She’s been looking for a Daddy, and thankfully the Daddy of the Sea had a penchant for curvy brats.

This story is really just an erotic short with a blip of romance. I wish we had more of these two because swoon. Because it was a short, we don’t get to connect as much with their lil love story and see fairly surface-level chemistry. The chemistry we do see though sucks you in (pun intended). And the spice?! Whew, Jillian, you outdid yourself. Let’s just say Kalder’s home under the ocean won’t be the only spacious cavern after he’s done with those tentacles…

[Nina Diab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this anthology. It's one of my favorites so far. I love the sea monsters theme, so this was a must read for me! Mermen, and tentacled creatures floating in my mind. I couldn't wait to see what I would encounter! Plus it had a number of authors whose work I really enjoy so I was excited to delve into it. The anthology contains the stories:

“Surfing Her Sea Monster” by Evangeline Priest
“Her Mysterious Merman” by Clio Evans
“Darkwater” by Vivienne Hart
“The Merman’s Lure” by SJ Sanders
“Suckers” by YD La Mar
“The Sea King and the Librarian” by Trish Heinrich
“Alpha Bettas” by Vera Valentine
“A Glow From the Deep” by Wren K Morris
“Daddy of the Sea” by Jillian Graves

I literally loved all the stories. All were unique and fun. And anyone in love with Clio Evans's Baristaverse is in for a treat!

This anthology is definitely one I will be rereading (and hopefully some of these authors will expand on some of these stories in the future!) I will definitely keep my eye out on more sea creature anthologies! 5 stars!

[Jolie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves is a short story in the anthology Monsters in Love: Volume 4: Lost in the Deeps. The main character - Carina kicks out her loser boyfriend in true Beyoncé fashion. In her grieving process, she pushes her ex’s motorcycle into the ocean. This attracts the attention of a guardian of the sea, and he is not happy with her actions. Then, it gets spicy, and she starts living out her erotic novels.

Overall, it was a cute, short read. All of Jillian’s stories thus far take place in the same universe, and I enjoy discovering more about the Strange world with every book and short story. It’s especially nice to get to know other creatures than gargoyles- not that I am anywhere near done with the gargoyles! I am interested in learning more about the witches and the creatures in the ocean. (Hint, Hint - nudge, nudge Jillian)

[Disclosure] I was given an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for Daddy of the Sea. A short story apart of the Monsters in Love Vol. 4: Lost in the Deeps anthology.

A quick and fun spicy novelette about a human and a protector of the ocean.
FMC: Carina, our sweet brat who is tired of being gaslit by men and just wants revenge on her ex who threw away her daddy dom romance book collection.
MMC: Kalder, a stern aquatic daddy who protects his coastal ocean kingdom, reads daddy dom books and uses his tentacles for more than just swimming.

Kalder and Carina had passion and heart. Kalder made Carina feel valued and safe and Carina balanced out Kalder perfectly. I was swept up in their story and wished we had more chapters to enjoy in this short novelette. If all creatures in the deeps of the ocean were like Daddy Kalder, I want to be apart of your world.

Stars: 🦑🦑🦑🦑(4 ⭐️)
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
CW: tentacle play (he is a kraken), impact play, light D/s, dirty talk, praise, facials

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

[Suzanne McNeill Taviner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this collection of stories, they were a great range of creatures and romances.
The Sea King and The Librarian by Trish Heinrich was a great read-after Tandy's aunt dies she drowns her sorrows in wine and accidentally summons a Sea King. Now he wants her as his Queen!
Also enjoyed Darkstorm by Vivienne Hart-Haven is helping to overhaul an old resort at Lake Eerie, the lake is rumoured to be home to the Lady who has a treasure hidden in the lake along with other mysteries. But does the newest arrival, Wick, know anything about it? This was a good read and sets up an interesting series, for sure.
Surfing her Sea Monster by Evangeline Priest was another story that sets up a series. I enjoyed the interplay between Minato and Kaia and am looking forward to reading more of their story.

[Chelsea Silver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves is a solid five stars.
For the rest of the book? Also five stars.
Not only is Kalder Daddy but Jillian shoved enough feeling into as few pages as possible that you'll be facing your extreme fear of the ocean (my extreme fear of the ocean) to find your own
Earth conscious sea Daddy.
It's very short but so worth it, there's enough story to make the characters real and the emotions you feel towards them real. And the fantasy of it all hits just ever so perfectly to where the instalove concept doesn't ruin it if instalove isn't your vibe.
I may have initially put off the arc i received but I finished it quickly, passed out and woke up with only one thing on my mind and that was getting the entire anthology immediately and there's no way to regret these stories.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc copy of Jillian Graves "Daddy of the Sea" and I love her books. I prefer the full length versus the novellas because I'm greedy and I want MORE!!! Insert Veruca Salt foot stomp here.

Daddy is the story of Kalder, a half-man, half-octopus creature and Carina, a human who's recently broken up with her gaslighting boyfriend of 8 years. They meet when Carina throws the ex's motorcycle into the ocean and who's in charge of protecting said ocean...? Kalder, the Daddy Dom sea monster.

When she refuses to apologize for her actions, Daddy's just got to punish her and Carina finds that's exactly what she's been needing.

Even though it's only 30 pages, it is steamy hot and I did not want it to end.

[Kali Dempsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monsters in Love 4: Lost in the Deeps
5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️

Her Mysterious Merman by Clio Evans - 4% - 9%
5/5 ⭐
4/5 🌶

I absolutely loved this look at Ofelia and Nerio's story. We start with The Barista being interrupted on his vacation by a merman looking for his mate and end on a specularly spicy scene that had everything I'm looking for in a monster romance. I am really looking forward to not only getting this full story, but reading more Barista tales too.

Surfing Her Sea Monster by Evangeline Priest - 45% - 52%
4/5 ⭐
0/5 🌶️

My only complaint is I wish I had more now!! And that there was at least one spicy scene... This story was full of intrigue and I'll absolutely be grabbing the full length version. I can't wait to find out why Kaia and Minato's bond was severed and how they get their happily ever after.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Love . . .

Even monsters fall in Love, as you will find out when you delve into these paranormal monster stories. This collection focuses on the watery beasties who lure their mates with their love songs or maybe by dangling something to lure them in? With the variety of stories to read, you can get a good introduction to each author’s writing style. You are certain to find several that are exactly what you are looking for. So “dive in” and enjoy the water with your new friends!

Featuring wet and wild tales of romance by:
🌴 Evangeline Priest
🌴 Vivienne Hart
🌴 Clio Evans
🌴 S.J. Sanders
🌴 YD La Mar
🌴 Trish Heinrich
🌴 Vera Valentine
🌴 Wren K. Morris
🌴 Jillian Graves

[Lyla Nadeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of Daddy of the Sea by Jillian Graves and that is what this review is of. I love Jillian's style of writing monster romances and even though the stories are short they are fantastic! They just have this fluffy but heavy vibe to them but really enjoyable! The spice is always fantastic and I always want more! This short story is about Kalder who is the perfect sea daddy, he's caring and sweet but knows just how to deal with a brat like Carina who is done settling for less than she deserves and oh does she deserve this sea daddy. I LOVE the strange world that Jillian has created and simply can't get enough.