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The Aeglecian Seas #1
The Audient and The Phantom Night
Inspired by the worlds of The Legend of the Flying Dutchman and Beauty and the Beast, this action-packed fantasy filled with searing romance, outlawed magic, and seafaring danger.
Fenna Terrigan never expected to leave her seaside village. She was too quiet, too gentle, and far too kind to take on life outside of the bookshop she works at. But when her brother shows up on her doorstep begging for aid with a pirate captain hot on his tail, Fenna will do anything to protect him.
Devlin Cato is the captain of a cursed ship and can step foot on land for one day every seven years. Once again, he’s found himself using it to chase a deserter across the continent. his hunt is short-lived when Fenna agrees to take on her brother’s twenty-five-year debt in exchange for leaving her smoldering city to heal.
As Fenna spends more time aboard The Phantom Night with the ship’s mysterious and seductive captain, she soon finds herself caught between loyalty to her brother and her fiery passion for Devlin Cato. But the path to ending the curse isn’t as easy as it seems when Fenna’s dark secret is discovered, a secret that threatens the very foundation of the continent’s stability and one that anyone would be willing to kill for.
*****
The Audient and The Phantom Night is the first book in an interconnected series of standalones, which means that, while the main story will be completed, there will be unanswered questions about the world and conflicts. Additionally, is not a retelling of either Beauty and the Beast or The Legend of the Flying Dutchman. Rather, it is a story inspired by aspects of the two tales, met in the middle in a new and unique pirate fantasy romance.
Fenna Terrigan never expected to leave her seaside village. She was too quiet, too gentle, and far too kind to take on life outside of the bookshop she works at. But when her brother shows up on her doorstep begging for aid with a pirate captain hot on his tail, Fenna will do anything to protect him.
Devlin Cato is the captain of a cursed ship and can step foot on land for one day every seven years. Once again, he’s found himself using it to chase a deserter across the continent. his hunt is short-lived when Fenna agrees to take on her brother’s twenty-five-year debt in exchange for leaving her smoldering city to heal.
As Fenna spends more time aboard The Phantom Night with the ship’s mysterious and seductive captain, she soon finds herself caught between loyalty to her brother and her fiery passion for Devlin Cato. But the path to ending the curse isn’t as easy as it seems when Fenna’s dark secret is discovered, a secret that threatens the very foundation of the continent’s stability and one that anyone would be willing to kill for.
*****
The Audient and The Phantom Night is the first book in an interconnected series of standalones, which means that, while the main story will be completed, there will be unanswered questions about the world and conflicts. Additionally, is not a retelling of either Beauty and the Beast or The Legend of the Flying Dutchman. Rather, it is a story inspired by aspects of the two tales, met in the middle in a new and unique pirate fantasy romance.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 21, 2023
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2829 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
November 19, 2023
My love for Beauty & Beast had to do hard battle with my Ew, pirates! gag reflex all the way to the end. Which won?
The gag reflex.
Jokes aside, I think this book would work fine as a mainstream pirate romance, because it honestly is just that and nothing more than that. It's an honest-to-goodness pirate romance, complete with smut. And nothing to be ashamed about it, there's a crowd for this specific trope that'll eat it up and ask for more.
But as a retelling, it's a failure. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but this is by no means a Beauty & Beast retelling in the least. Not only does this not include the core theme of the fairy tale but it doesn't even have the ugly/monstrous element in the least. Devlin, the pirate captain, is hot as sin, doesn't even have the hated Token Scar at least. He's pure hotness, and this author won't let you forget how hot he is all the way to the bay. How can he even be remotely like Beast? He isn't. He has a curse, but it's not a curse that'd make him a Beast stand-in, it's a mere deal with a tricksy deity that landed him in figurative hot water, and that is it. Nothing remotely like Beauty & Beast. People should stop writing characters that'd make Adonis green with envy and try to hoist that on B&B fans, it's absurd.
And Fenna, the girl protagonist, is supposed to be plain, but you'd not know that from the half-mast in his pants that Devlin's sporting around practically from the first scene with her. Seriously, there's a kiss at 16%, a forced and unasked for one that, unsurprisingly, Fenna reacts all lustfully. Think about it, this pirate that's just come kidnap back your brother kisses you and you react not with fear or disgust but with eagerness? And as if the insta-lust between Hot Pirate and Outcast Plain Jane (that we don't see being an outcast, by the way, just some Mean Girls giggling at her plainness in a tavern. How tragic.) wasn't enough, we get treated to the Fated Mates trope. Yeah, that explains the ever-present half chub, ladies and gentlemen! Bonding with your soulmate results in priapism.
The rest is a predictable rundown of the usual pirate tropes. High sea adventures, sex, ship boarding, sex, finding a cove, sex. Oh, and let's break the curse not by true love itself but by sacrificing one's life, shall we? For some reason, the god that created the curse also created the loophole for . . . what reasons, again? Goodness knows, this isn't well explained. Guess they needed a way to break the curse and this was it, very conveniently aided by Fated Mates so these two don't have to work on earning each other's trust and actually build a relationship. You know, what is love worth if a soulmate bond decreed off-screen by goodness knows what will do?
As I said, it'd work as a pirate romance for a certain audience, it has all that Flying Dutchman element for all your sea romance needs. But then it probably wouldn't appeal to the fairy tale retellings crowd. I'm in that crowd, and it does definitely not appeal.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The gag reflex.
Jokes aside, I think this book would work fine as a mainstream pirate romance, because it honestly is just that and nothing more than that. It's an honest-to-goodness pirate romance, complete with smut. And nothing to be ashamed about it, there's a crowd for this specific trope that'll eat it up and ask for more.
But as a retelling, it's a failure. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but this is by no means a Beauty & Beast retelling in the least. Not only does this not include the core theme of the fairy tale but it doesn't even have the ugly/monstrous element in the least. Devlin, the pirate captain, is hot as sin, doesn't even have the hated Token Scar at least. He's pure hotness, and this author won't let you forget how hot he is all the way to the bay. How can he even be remotely like Beast? He isn't. He has a curse, but it's not a curse that'd make him a Beast stand-in, it's a mere deal with a tricksy deity that landed him in figurative hot water, and that is it. Nothing remotely like Beauty & Beast. People should stop writing characters that'd make Adonis green with envy and try to hoist that on B&B fans, it's absurd.
And Fenna, the girl protagonist, is supposed to be plain, but you'd not know that from the half-mast in his pants that Devlin's sporting around practically from the first scene with her. Seriously, there's a kiss at 16%, a forced and unasked for one that, unsurprisingly, Fenna reacts all lustfully. Think about it, this pirate that's just come kidnap back your brother kisses you and you react not with fear or disgust but with eagerness? And as if the insta-lust between Hot Pirate and Outcast Plain Jane (that we don't see being an outcast, by the way, just some Mean Girls giggling at her plainness in a tavern. How tragic.) wasn't enough, we get treated to the Fated Mates trope. Yeah, that explains the ever-present half chub, ladies and gentlemen! Bonding with your soulmate results in priapism.
The rest is a predictable rundown of the usual pirate tropes. High sea adventures, sex, ship boarding, sex, finding a cove, sex. Oh, and let's break the curse not by true love itself but by sacrificing one's life, shall we? For some reason, the god that created the curse also created the loophole for . . . what reasons, again? Goodness knows, this isn't well explained. Guess they needed a way to break the curse and this was it, very conveniently aided by Fated Mates so these two don't have to work on earning each other's trust and actually build a relationship. You know, what is love worth if a soulmate bond decreed off-screen by goodness knows what will do?
As I said, it'd work as a pirate romance for a certain audience, it has all that Flying Dutchman element for all your sea romance needs. But then it probably wouldn't appeal to the fairy tale retellings crowd. I'm in that crowd, and it does definitely not appeal.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2023
i was sent the ARC for the audient and the phantom in return for an honest review.
this book was so fun!! it has loveable characters, high stakes, romance, and, oh yeah, pirates!
i’ve never read a book about pirates before but it was a great experience. as they’re on a ship, characters are forced to be in close quarters together and really pursue deep connections.
my literal only negative about this book is i wish it was like 50 pages longer so we could have gotten more towards the end with the resolution.
overall, the crew of characters were funny and charming, and this concept was really unique and great.
i thoroughly enjoyed this read!
this book was so fun!! it has loveable characters, high stakes, romance, and, oh yeah, pirates!
i’ve never read a book about pirates before but it was a great experience. as they’re on a ship, characters are forced to be in close quarters together and really pursue deep connections.
my literal only negative about this book is i wish it was like 50 pages longer so we could have gotten more towards the end with the resolution.
overall, the crew of characters were funny and charming, and this concept was really unique and great.
i thoroughly enjoyed this read!
November 16, 2023
The Audient and the Phantom Night has a Davy Jones/Beauty and the Beast mixture going on that is so compelling! I have never read a Flying Dutchman/Davy Jones romance until now, and now I feel cheated I haven’t had one before! The book follows two characters, Captain Devlin, who is cursed to collect souls for the god of the sea, Liddros, and Fenna, a girl ostracized in her small town to her ability to hear thoughts. When her brother is reported killed on his first mission with the navy, she’s devastated. Until he comes flying in, reporting that the Spector is after him, and he’s traded his soul away. Fenna gives herself in place of her brother, offering to take his debt. Devlin is drawn to her the moment he sees her, and can’t resist taking her offer to have her aboard, despite how he knows it will distract and upend him. Especially when the debt doesn’t take as it should.
Fenna is very sweet and innocent, despite the hardships she’d dealt with. Her parents are dead, her only friend is into her brother, her brother was her only protector until he left and was reported to have gone down with his ship, and her entire town literally crosses the street when they see her to get away from her. Her ability to hear thoughts means she hears every awful thing they think about her too. And her brother and friend aren’t much better. And she still runs out to try to help people when the town is attacked. When she offers to go aboard the Phantom Night in her brother’s place, she’s thrust into a whole new world. She always expected her brother to have the adventures, and her to merely read about them in books. Yet she finds there’s more to herself than she ever expected.
One of the things I love is how different she is from the usual strong female protagonist. Not that she isn’t strong in her own way, she definitely is! But she still has that soft, sweet side, and she never looses that. It’s a great contrast to Captain Devlin, especially. She finds new aspects to herself aboard the ship. New strength and courage. But she doesn’t become someone totally new either. It just helps her shed the meekness she hid behind her whole life. Devlin does a lot to help bring this out of her. She was taunted and teased by the men of her town, and having someone be genuinely interested in her throws her for a bit of a loop.
Devlin himself is operating under a curse. Liddros owns his soul and he has to collect dying souls to join his crew, who will gain more years, but owe them to Liddros at the end. Unless they win a challenge, where they could possibly go free. Unlike other Spectors, Devlin always gives people a choice to join him. He has more integrity than the others, and he refuses to give into that ruthlessness. He is a ruthless pirate captain, of course, but he’s more honorable and true. He made some bad decisions, trusted a girl he believed he loved who was awful to him, and landed himself in this mess. He’s just trying to survive and help his crew, until Fenna enters his life.
Their relationship is wonderful. You get great push and pull at the beginning, and as they progress, they each balance the other so well. It makes sense, in the way they are connected. She is soft where he is hard, and yet, she hardens up and he softens in the presence of the other. The balance lets them meet perfectly in the middle. You can see the changes progressing in the both of them. A la Beauty and the Beast, the Davy Jones figure here is under a curse, that only the love of a woman will solve. Where he softens up and falls in love after being a bastard at first to her. Of course, the curse is more complicated here! It’s not just her falling in love that would break it. That would be much too easy!
I really enjoyed this story! It’s such an interesting concept, and it was executed perfectly. The relationship is great, as is the setting of the pirate ship, the Phantom Night. There’s fantastic and interesting side characters that I can’t help but be intrigued by. The way Fenna joins the crew and gets them interested in stories and critically analyzing them is such an amazing addition as well! The crew is not the typical stereotype of pirates, which I much appreciated! Fenna’s gift, the curse, the gods…the magic here is just an accepted, if minor, part of the world they life in. I found the whole concept really fascinating. The way all those aspects came together to create this environment and inform the relationships. All in all, I definitely recommend this book!
I received an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.
Fenna is very sweet and innocent, despite the hardships she’d dealt with. Her parents are dead, her only friend is into her brother, her brother was her only protector until he left and was reported to have gone down with his ship, and her entire town literally crosses the street when they see her to get away from her. Her ability to hear thoughts means she hears every awful thing they think about her too. And her brother and friend aren’t much better. And she still runs out to try to help people when the town is attacked. When she offers to go aboard the Phantom Night in her brother’s place, she’s thrust into a whole new world. She always expected her brother to have the adventures, and her to merely read about them in books. Yet she finds there’s more to herself than she ever expected.
One of the things I love is how different she is from the usual strong female protagonist. Not that she isn’t strong in her own way, she definitely is! But she still has that soft, sweet side, and she never looses that. It’s a great contrast to Captain Devlin, especially. She finds new aspects to herself aboard the ship. New strength and courage. But she doesn’t become someone totally new either. It just helps her shed the meekness she hid behind her whole life. Devlin does a lot to help bring this out of her. She was taunted and teased by the men of her town, and having someone be genuinely interested in her throws her for a bit of a loop.
Devlin himself is operating under a curse. Liddros owns his soul and he has to collect dying souls to join his crew, who will gain more years, but owe them to Liddros at the end. Unless they win a challenge, where they could possibly go free. Unlike other Spectors, Devlin always gives people a choice to join him. He has more integrity than the others, and he refuses to give into that ruthlessness. He is a ruthless pirate captain, of course, but he’s more honorable and true. He made some bad decisions, trusted a girl he believed he loved who was awful to him, and landed himself in this mess. He’s just trying to survive and help his crew, until Fenna enters his life.
Their relationship is wonderful. You get great push and pull at the beginning, and as they progress, they each balance the other so well. It makes sense, in the way they are connected. She is soft where he is hard, and yet, she hardens up and he softens in the presence of the other. The balance lets them meet perfectly in the middle. You can see the changes progressing in the both of them. A la Beauty and the Beast, the Davy Jones figure here is under a curse, that only the love of a woman will solve. Where he softens up and falls in love after being a bastard at first to her. Of course, the curse is more complicated here! It’s not just her falling in love that would break it. That would be much too easy!
I really enjoyed this story! It’s such an interesting concept, and it was executed perfectly. The relationship is great, as is the setting of the pirate ship, the Phantom Night. There’s fantastic and interesting side characters that I can’t help but be intrigued by. The way Fenna joins the crew and gets them interested in stories and critically analyzing them is such an amazing addition as well! The crew is not the typical stereotype of pirates, which I much appreciated! Fenna’s gift, the curse, the gods…the magic here is just an accepted, if minor, part of the world they life in. I found the whole concept really fascinating. The way all those aspects came together to create this environment and inform the relationships. All in all, I definitely recommend this book!
I received an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2024
THE AUDIENT AND THE PHANTOM NIGHT started out pretty strong for me but as things went on it didn't quite hold up. The world building was on the sparse side and that left a lot of questions especially considering so much of the plot seems to be influenced by a mysterious King who is working with the Sea god who controls Devlin's curse and yet we don't know anything about this King. I was also a bit surprised how forceful and tough Fenna was since the first chapter sets her up as mild and shy and she feels alone and ostracized from her fellow villagers. That being said, I did like Fenna's character, as well as Devlin's, and they had good chemistry together even when they started off at odds.
The other big glaring issue is that the first chapter makes a big deal about Fenna's mind reading abilities and yet as soon as she's on the pirate ship it's not mentioned again until almost halfway through the book. And even then it's just a brief moment of Devlin finding out about it and insisting that Fenna train how to use her powers (something we're told happens but we never actually see happening). Then Fenna's powers suddenly become a key part of her actions at the end of the book and this setup made it feel like the author wanted Fenna to have this ability but only when it was convenient to the plot instead of making it a truly organic part of her character.
Content Warning: references to sexual assault; threats of rape (not from MMC)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
“I kissed you, because I wanted to. Because you looked ruthless while the city burned to the ground behind you. And I really like ruthless things.”
The other big glaring issue is that the first chapter makes a big deal about Fenna's mind reading abilities and yet as soon as she's on the pirate ship it's not mentioned again until almost halfway through the book. And even then it's just a brief moment of Devlin finding out about it and insisting that Fenna train how to use her powers (something we're told happens but we never actually see happening). Then Fenna's powers suddenly become a key part of her actions at the end of the book and this setup made it feel like the author wanted Fenna to have this ability but only when it was convenient to the plot instead of making it a truly organic part of her character.
Content Warning: references to sexual assault; threats of rape (not from MMC)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:
“I kissed you, because I wanted to. Because you looked ruthless while the city burned to the ground behind you. And I really like ruthless things.”
November 28, 2023
I received this book as an arc for review purposes and while I was excited to start it, I ended up not enjoying it very much.
What I didn't realize was the book was marketed as a cross between Beauty and the Beast meets the Flying Dutchman. I knew about the Flying Dutchman part, which is why I was interested in the book. While I'm not big on pirate romances, I do like the idea of a ghostly ship at sea. The B&tB part...well that was meh and didn't really fit into the story. It was shoved in and I could see hints here and there, but the author should have left that comparison out.
My main issues were the characters. Fenna and Devlin didn't have any characterization to set them apart. They didn't have any chemistry. The romance was shoehorned in before these two have barely talked, and the sex scenes were skippable. The secondary characters weren't fleshed out either on the boat or in the village Fenna lived in. Her brother and best friend should have been characters that helped drive Fenna's own characterization, but they felt more like stock people the author had to use in order to not have Fenna and Devlin alone.
The world building was thin, and the magic system was flimsy. The mythology was not fleshed out and the so-called curse didn't really seem to be much of a curse. The sailors cursed didn't have anything different in their lives other than they lived forever on a boat. The stakes felt like they were added because there was no plot. The attempt at a plot didn't work for me and never once did I care what happened to these characters.
I probably won't try this author again as she just doesn't work for me.
Thank you to Sadie Hewitt for the arc for review purposes.
What I didn't realize was the book was marketed as a cross between Beauty and the Beast meets the Flying Dutchman. I knew about the Flying Dutchman part, which is why I was interested in the book. While I'm not big on pirate romances, I do like the idea of a ghostly ship at sea. The B&tB part...well that was meh and didn't really fit into the story. It was shoved in and I could see hints here and there, but the author should have left that comparison out.
My main issues were the characters. Fenna and Devlin didn't have any characterization to set them apart. They didn't have any chemistry. The romance was shoehorned in before these two have barely talked, and the sex scenes were skippable. The secondary characters weren't fleshed out either on the boat or in the village Fenna lived in. Her brother and best friend should have been characters that helped drive Fenna's own characterization, but they felt more like stock people the author had to use in order to not have Fenna and Devlin alone.
The world building was thin, and the magic system was flimsy. The mythology was not fleshed out and the so-called curse didn't really seem to be much of a curse. The sailors cursed didn't have anything different in their lives other than they lived forever on a boat. The stakes felt like they were added because there was no plot. The attempt at a plot didn't work for me and never once did I care what happened to these characters.
I probably won't try this author again as she just doesn't work for me.
Thank you to Sadie Hewitt for the arc for review purposes.
November 21, 2023
If pirates, spice, and HEA are your kind of thing, then you definitely need to add this book to your TBR! If pirates, spice, or the fated mates trope are not your cup of tea, then this isn’t for you. (Also, please refer to the author’s IG page for the trigger warnings.)
This is a story that draws inspiration from Beauty and the Beast and The Legend of the Flying Dutchman; it’s not a retelling of either one, but you can see the inspiration of both throughout. I found the characters to be likable, the world-building to be easy to understand, and the plot vs spice to be very even. I would say that if anything, the story is more plot-driven. I really appreciated that while the FMC, Fenna, seemed weak at first, she grew and her strength was able to shine through. The cursed captain, Devlin Cato, is also a character I would consider to be morally grey in all the best ways.🥵 Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it!
Note: I did receive this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is a story that draws inspiration from Beauty and the Beast and The Legend of the Flying Dutchman; it’s not a retelling of either one, but you can see the inspiration of both throughout. I found the characters to be likable, the world-building to be easy to understand, and the plot vs spice to be very even. I would say that if anything, the story is more plot-driven. I really appreciated that while the FMC, Fenna, seemed weak at first, she grew and her strength was able to shine through. The cursed captain, Devlin Cato, is also a character I would consider to be morally grey in all the best ways.🥵 Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it!
Note: I did receive this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 4, 2023
Rating: 4/5
Spice rating: 3/5
I love myself a pirate romance and this did not disappoint. There’s something about the ruggedness about a pirate that is so captivating…especially when said pirate is a sexy captain. I loved how this took place primarily at sea! I also felt like I learned so much about ships, which was definitely a plus!
The writing was very well done. There were some parts that were confusing but it wasn’t enough to cause my brain to fully malfunction. It flowed very well. I enjoyed the dual POV of this read, but it also managed to give me insight to the other characters as well.
I really liked our main characters! Fenna was so meek and shy in the beginning. She truly thought herself to be destined for a life by herself, but oh was she wrong. She grew so much throughout this read and I was so proud of her! I personally would have loved if we could have delved deeper into her powers. Had some scenes where she was learning her powers. It seemed we heard a lot of them in the beginning and then again at the end of the book. I didn’t know her power growth until she was kicking ass on the mercenary ship. Delvin was a very complicated man, but I think he was able to really redeem himself and find peace after so many years not being in control of his choices. You could definitely feel his inner turmoil through his POV. He was utterly obsessed with our FMC and I was living for it.
This book was super exciting and held my interest for sure! I found myself deep into the read and craving a day at sea. However, I’m also a big baby and would definitely not be able to handle one of those storms! I’ll be content sitting in my bed reading more of these pirate reads! I absolutely loved this and will be picking up more from this author in future.
Spice rating: 3/5
I love myself a pirate romance and this did not disappoint. There’s something about the ruggedness about a pirate that is so captivating…especially when said pirate is a sexy captain. I loved how this took place primarily at sea! I also felt like I learned so much about ships, which was definitely a plus!
The writing was very well done. There were some parts that were confusing but it wasn’t enough to cause my brain to fully malfunction. It flowed very well. I enjoyed the dual POV of this read, but it also managed to give me insight to the other characters as well.
I really liked our main characters! Fenna was so meek and shy in the beginning. She truly thought herself to be destined for a life by herself, but oh was she wrong. She grew so much throughout this read and I was so proud of her! I personally would have loved if we could have delved deeper into her powers. Had some scenes where she was learning her powers. It seemed we heard a lot of them in the beginning and then again at the end of the book. I didn’t know her power growth until she was kicking ass on the mercenary ship. Delvin was a very complicated man, but I think he was able to really redeem himself and find peace after so many years not being in control of his choices. You could definitely feel his inner turmoil through his POV. He was utterly obsessed with our FMC and I was living for it.
This book was super exciting and held my interest for sure! I found myself deep into the read and craving a day at sea. However, I’m also a big baby and would definitely not be able to handle one of those storms! I’ll be content sitting in my bed reading more of these pirate reads! I absolutely loved this and will be picking up more from this author in future.
May 14, 2024
This is an amazing seafaring adventure filled with romance, pirates, and danger. This is a series of standalones, but they're interconnected. Not my FAVORITE type of stories, but these have all been amazing and I love a good pirate tale! I love how the overlying story carries through the series of interconnected standalones. I actually read the second in the series first, so this was extra fun because it explained a few little things.
I love, love, love pirates but I'm also obsessed with all of Sadie Hewitt's books, to be honest. Her writing shines - as always - in this action-packed story, with vivid settings and incredibly engaging main characters. The chemistry between Fenna and Devlin is the BEST - it crackles with tension and heat. The banter between the two is particularly delightful and the yearning is wonderful. The bath tub scene was AMAZING. If you know, you know. They're two characters who are easy to love.
Fenna is a quiet and kind-hearted bookshop worker that unexpectedly finds herself drawn into a world of piracy and curses when her brother seeks her help to evade a pursuing pirate captain. Enter Devlin - CAPTAIN Cato - the broody captain of a cursed ship, who strikes a deal with Fenna to settle her brother's debt if she agrees to take it on herself.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator's accent really added an immersive layer to the experience.
However, despite how much I enjoyed this, I did yearn for a bit more world-building and more in depth secondary characters. Thank you to the author and R&R Booktours for the chance to listen and review. This review is honest and voluntary. This was fun and heck and I deeply enjoyed it! Delightful and very quick read. Plus - these COVERS are everything!!
I love, love, love pirates but I'm also obsessed with all of Sadie Hewitt's books, to be honest. Her writing shines - as always - in this action-packed story, with vivid settings and incredibly engaging main characters. The chemistry between Fenna and Devlin is the BEST - it crackles with tension and heat. The banter between the two is particularly delightful and the yearning is wonderful. The bath tub scene was AMAZING. If you know, you know. They're two characters who are easy to love.
Fenna is a quiet and kind-hearted bookshop worker that unexpectedly finds herself drawn into a world of piracy and curses when her brother seeks her help to evade a pursuing pirate captain. Enter Devlin - CAPTAIN Cato - the broody captain of a cursed ship, who strikes a deal with Fenna to settle her brother's debt if she agrees to take it on herself.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator's accent really added an immersive layer to the experience.
However, despite how much I enjoyed this, I did yearn for a bit more world-building and more in depth secondary characters. Thank you to the author and R&R Booktours for the chance to listen and review. This review is honest and voluntary. This was fun and heck and I deeply enjoyed it! Delightful and very quick read. Plus - these COVERS are everything!!
March 13, 2025
I went into this book completely blind for book club, and I was very surprised as to how much I loved it! I thought it might just be a normal pirate book, but it had so much more.
Fenna was found in a small cove as a child, and was always considered "weird" and a outcast since she could hear people's thoughts. However, she knew from a young age that she must keep it under wraps. The only two people who knew about it are her brother, Dasos, and her one and only friend, Imogen. Dasos is about to set sail and join the country's navy and go on so many adventures - or so he thinks until a few months later when the ship he is on starts to sink, and The Specter appears. The Specter is Delin Catto, and he is similar to Davey Jones, as he collects the souls of those dying and offers him a spot on his crew, or sends them to their watery graves. Dasos was the only one on the navy ship to take the deal, and everything was fine and dandy until he thought he could run out on it, bringing Devlin and The Phantom Night right to the village Fenna lives in. Obviously Fenna offered herself in place of her brother, and then the adventure really starts.
I was honestly not expecting this book to be as spicy as it was (I would give it 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 spice), but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I always do love a good pirate book with a captain with a dirty mouth. I loved that their relationship wasn't instalove and they had time to get under each others skin, before they, well, literally did get under each other's skin. The ending of the book had me on the edge of my seat, and I was genuinely worried for a little bit there, but in the end we did get our happily ever after.
This was my first book by Sadie Hewitt, and I will definitely be checking out her other books!
Fenna was found in a small cove as a child, and was always considered "weird" and a outcast since she could hear people's thoughts. However, she knew from a young age that she must keep it under wraps. The only two people who knew about it are her brother, Dasos, and her one and only friend, Imogen. Dasos is about to set sail and join the country's navy and go on so many adventures - or so he thinks until a few months later when the ship he is on starts to sink, and The Specter appears. The Specter is Delin Catto, and he is similar to Davey Jones, as he collects the souls of those dying and offers him a spot on his crew, or sends them to their watery graves. Dasos was the only one on the navy ship to take the deal, and everything was fine and dandy until he thought he could run out on it, bringing Devlin and The Phantom Night right to the village Fenna lives in. Obviously Fenna offered herself in place of her brother, and then the adventure really starts.
I was honestly not expecting this book to be as spicy as it was (I would give it 🌶️🌶️🌶️.5 spice), but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I always do love a good pirate book with a captain with a dirty mouth. I loved that their relationship wasn't instalove and they had time to get under each others skin, before they, well, literally did get under each other's skin. The ending of the book had me on the edge of my seat, and I was genuinely worried for a little bit there, but in the end we did get our happily ever after.
This was my first book by Sadie Hewitt, and I will definitely be checking out her other books!
April 12, 2024
Finished this in about 24 hours. From page one, I couldn’t put it down! This was my first ever pirate romantasy…and boy did it deliver.
This book was FUN, it was SEXY, it was ACTION-PACKED, and the characters are so fun to be with. I was giggling along with them the whole way through.
If you’re looking for an adventurous, (did I mention sexy?), enjoyable, humorous romantasy, I suggest you give this one a try!
This book was FUN, it was SEXY, it was ACTION-PACKED, and the characters are so fun to be with. I was giggling along with them the whole way through.
If you’re looking for an adventurous, (did I mention sexy?), enjoyable, humorous romantasy, I suggest you give this one a try!
November 11, 2023
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
~ I received this book as an ARC, all thoughts are my own~
Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, touch her and ☠️, dual POV, grumpy/ sunshine, magic, slow burn.
This book does have some triggers, please read them before reading
I kissed you, because I wanted to. Because you looked ruthless while the city burned to the ground behind you. And I really like ruthless things.” - Captain Cato
Fenna is now well liked in her town, really only close with her brother and friend. Her brother is a sailor who was recently reported as deceased. So how does he end up on her doorstep?
Captain Cato is cursed to his ship and only allowed to step foot on land one day every seven years. This time when he’s chasing an escaped crew mate, he finds Fenna instead.
How will Fenna being on The Phantom Night change the course of the ship and its crew?
The Audient and The Phantom Night is a beautiful combination of a sea legend and a classic fairy tale. One that will have you begging for more.
I devoured this book. I was hooked from the first page. The story had an amazing flow and plot.
Fenna is a smart FMC who loves to read. She stands for what she believes in and has an amazing ARC within the plot.
Captain Cato is one of my new book boyfriends. He commands a strong presence, knows how to get what he wants, and has a mouth on him! His character ARC is also extremely well written and flows with the story.
The side characters are top notch, each helping to add depth and dimension to the main characters.
Once the spice hit, it hit!
Overall, a fantastic romantic fantasy for anyone who loves the morally gray main character.
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
~ I received this book as an ARC, all thoughts are my own~
Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, touch her and ☠️, dual POV, grumpy/ sunshine, magic, slow burn.
This book does have some triggers, please read them before reading
I kissed you, because I wanted to. Because you looked ruthless while the city burned to the ground behind you. And I really like ruthless things.” - Captain Cato
Fenna is now well liked in her town, really only close with her brother and friend. Her brother is a sailor who was recently reported as deceased. So how does he end up on her doorstep?
Captain Cato is cursed to his ship and only allowed to step foot on land one day every seven years. This time when he’s chasing an escaped crew mate, he finds Fenna instead.
How will Fenna being on The Phantom Night change the course of the ship and its crew?
The Audient and The Phantom Night is a beautiful combination of a sea legend and a classic fairy tale. One that will have you begging for more.
I devoured this book. I was hooked from the first page. The story had an amazing flow and plot.
Fenna is a smart FMC who loves to read. She stands for what she believes in and has an amazing ARC within the plot.
Captain Cato is one of my new book boyfriends. He commands a strong presence, knows how to get what he wants, and has a mouth on him! His character ARC is also extremely well written and flows with the story.
The side characters are top notch, each helping to add depth and dimension to the main characters.
Once the spice hit, it hit!
Overall, a fantastic romantic fantasy for anyone who loves the morally gray main character.
December 5, 2023
I thought the description of “The Flying Dutchman meets Beauty and the Beast” was so perfect since our main gal Fenna ends up serving time on a ship full of cursed souls. I LOVE Devlin, and don’t we love a broody pirate? Yes, yes we do.
The world building and setting descriptions of the sea, adventures, the storms, stars, etc were done so well and had me feeling like I was aboard the ship myself 🏴☠️⚓️
Very thankful I got to add another wonderful pirate romance to my 2023 reads!
The world building and setting descriptions of the sea, adventures, the storms, stars, etc were done so well and had me feeling like I was aboard the ship myself 🏴☠️⚓️
Very thankful I got to add another wonderful pirate romance to my 2023 reads!
November 30, 2023
Have I mentioned I am in my pirate era? There’s just something that hits different.
I’ve been binging every piece of pirate media I can get my hands on and The Audient and The Phantom Night has been a unique take on the high seas that I’ve loved.
A new take on Davy Jones/The Flying Dutchman with Beauty and The Beast elements, The Audient and The Phantom Night brings a high stakes adventure on the open seas filled with fated mates, found family, and a healthy dose of ‘touch her and ☠️.’ Fenna, an outcast due to her ability to hear thoughts, fears her brother dead, but when he returns claiming the fabled phantom is after his soul she bargains for his life with her own. Devlin, one of three patrons collecting souls on the seas, is instantly drawn to Fenna and brings him aboard his vessel.
The found family in this is so perfect. I love the crew and their interactions with the MCs and each other. The spice is sublime, and their attraction with the fated mates aspect had me swooning. I think the last 10-20% had me holding my breath (and tears back). Sadie has wonderfully crafted this swashbuckling story, and I am eager to read more from her.
If you’re looking for a spicy poster read that you can binge in a few hours, add this to your list.
Thank you so much to Sadie and @rrbooktours for this gorgeous copy and ARC! 💜❤️
I’ve been binging every piece of pirate media I can get my hands on and The Audient and The Phantom Night has been a unique take on the high seas that I’ve loved.
A new take on Davy Jones/The Flying Dutchman with Beauty and The Beast elements, The Audient and The Phantom Night brings a high stakes adventure on the open seas filled with fated mates, found family, and a healthy dose of ‘touch her and ☠️.’ Fenna, an outcast due to her ability to hear thoughts, fears her brother dead, but when he returns claiming the fabled phantom is after his soul she bargains for his life with her own. Devlin, one of three patrons collecting souls on the seas, is instantly drawn to Fenna and brings him aboard his vessel.
The found family in this is so perfect. I love the crew and their interactions with the MCs and each other. The spice is sublime, and their attraction with the fated mates aspect had me swooning. I think the last 10-20% had me holding my breath (and tears back). Sadie has wonderfully crafted this swashbuckling story, and I am eager to read more from her.
If you’re looking for a spicy poster read that you can binge in a few hours, add this to your list.
Thank you so much to Sadie and @rrbooktours for this gorgeous copy and ARC! 💜❤️
March 25, 2025
(dnf 77%)
romantasy (derogatory), fanficy writing (derogatory), "enemies"-to-lovers (derogatory).
trigger warning: fated mates trope 🙄(at this point we've lost the plot guys, seriously, stop the sjm agenda. i'm Tired. i'm On My Knees Begging For Mercy. i am enduring against all odds but barely. please i just want to read my romantasy in peace.)
romantasy (derogatory), fanficy writing (derogatory), "enemies"-to-lovers (derogatory).
trigger warning: fated mates trope 🙄
December 7, 2023
I really wanted to enjoy this book more. There were plenty of parts I enjoyed, and I have some more valid critiques of the plot/characters/writing…..but I honest to god couldn’t get past the gorgeous pirate captain MMC having the name ‘Devlin’.
Read
November 24, 2023DNF.
I love pirates so much, do you know how boring it had to get for me to stop reading?
I love pirates so much, do you know how boring it had to get for me to stop reading?
November 12, 2023
Rating: 4.75/5 Penguins (rounding up to 5)
Quick Reasons: steamy, steamy scenes; pirate romance; pretty, purple prose; slow burn; devoured it; a new twist on old magic; WHY DID IT HAVE TO END?!
HUGE thanks to Sadie Hewitt for the ARC copy of this title! My review of this book is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.
"The kiss had nothing to do with the debt?" she asked, her lips pursed into a thin line. She didn't know why the thought had her core thrumming, though anger still seeped through every pore of her body.
"I kissed you because I wanted to. Because you looked ruthless while the city burned to the ground behind you. And I really like ruthless things."
There must be something in the bookish waters lately, Penguins, because these ARC reads have been NEXT. LEVEL. I picked this up SOLELY because it was described as Beauty and the Beast meets The Legend of the Flying Dutchman and while I can SEE where inspiration came from, from each of those well-known tales, Sadie Hewitt did a fantastic job of making this book STAND APART.
Devlin Cato is THE kind of morally grey, believably complex character I always find myself falling head over heels in love with....so it's safe to say that that slot is currently VERY MUCH occupied, thank you. This book is steamy in all the right places, swashbuckling-ly swoony in all the right ways, and devastating to have to come to an end. The prose is pretty and purple, the world is SO vivid, and I got entirely swept away on this word-sea journey. The fact that there were some lead-ups...the focus on there being more than 1 type of "Clair"....I'm REALLY hoping that Sadie Hewitt plans on revisiting this world in the future, because I NEED MORE OF IT.
"That designation was given to me by mortals." It took Fenna a moment to realize the words were spoken in her mind. "Do you truly think a mere god of the sea would be able to manipulate the constraints of time like me? There was Time and there was Death, Fenna Terrigan. And, in the beginning, they were together as one.
I definitely recommend this to lovers of hot and steamy romances, morally grey men who uphold their (if slightly questionable) standards, and fated mates tropes that just seem to WORK for the story. These characters are delicious; this story is fraught with turmoil; and I now need to go down with this ship. Would you roll the pirate's dice, Penguins, for the chance to live?
Quick Reasons: steamy, steamy scenes; pirate romance; pretty, purple prose; slow burn; devoured it; a new twist on old magic; WHY DID IT HAVE TO END?!
HUGE thanks to Sadie Hewitt for the ARC copy of this title! My review of this book is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.
"The kiss had nothing to do with the debt?" she asked, her lips pursed into a thin line. She didn't know why the thought had her core thrumming, though anger still seeped through every pore of her body.
"I kissed you because I wanted to. Because you looked ruthless while the city burned to the ground behind you. And I really like ruthless things."
There must be something in the bookish waters lately, Penguins, because these ARC reads have been NEXT. LEVEL. I picked this up SOLELY because it was described as Beauty and the Beast meets The Legend of the Flying Dutchman and while I can SEE where inspiration came from, from each of those well-known tales, Sadie Hewitt did a fantastic job of making this book STAND APART.
Devlin Cato is THE kind of morally grey, believably complex character I always find myself falling head over heels in love with....so it's safe to say that that slot is currently VERY MUCH occupied, thank you. This book is steamy in all the right places, swashbuckling-ly swoony in all the right ways, and devastating to have to come to an end. The prose is pretty and purple, the world is SO vivid, and I got entirely swept away on this word-sea journey. The fact that there were some lead-ups...the focus on there being more than 1 type of "Clair"....I'm REALLY hoping that Sadie Hewitt plans on revisiting this world in the future, because I NEED MORE OF IT.
"That designation was given to me by mortals." It took Fenna a moment to realize the words were spoken in her mind. "Do you truly think a mere god of the sea would be able to manipulate the constraints of time like me? There was Time and there was Death, Fenna Terrigan. And, in the beginning, they were together as one.
I definitely recommend this to lovers of hot and steamy romances, morally grey men who uphold their (if slightly questionable) standards, and fated mates tropes that just seem to WORK for the story. These characters are delicious; this story is fraught with turmoil; and I now need to go down with this ship. Would you roll the pirate's dice, Penguins, for the chance to live?
November 16, 2023
Thank you to Sadie Hewitt and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.
Wow I have been really getting in my fantasy reading era, but this was my first pirate story and it did NOT disappoint. The soundtrack I heard when reading this was Taylor Swifts “Blank Space. Specifically, “Magic, madness, Heaven, sin”. It had all of those elements and more!
If you’re looking for a new fantasy, spicy romance, and bit of a thriller all wrapped into one then this is the book for you! My only critique of this book is that I would have loved to see an extended epilogue to see more of Devlin & Fenna together. (Or possibly even another book because I loved reading about them).
When Fennas brother Dasos takes a gamble to get out of death at sea with Captain Devlin, his debt is made and he will have to live his time on the specter, The Phantom Ship. But Dasos escapes the ship, and it doesn’t take long for Devlin to come to shore and destroy the entire town to find him and haul him back to the ship.
But what he finds instead is Dasos’ sister Fenna who agrees to take over his debt. He takes her back to the Phantom, where she begins to pay back the debt that's owed. But Devlin is intrigued by Fenna, and not only because he’s attracted to her, there’s something else. She is a Clair with magical powers; an Audient who can hear and interrupt the thoughts of others. And as soon as other people find this out about her they will try to turn her over to the King for a reward. How is he going to navigate this, does he give Fenna up? Or does Fenna have feelings for him, and could they possibly ever be together?
Filled with so many nail biting adventures, mishaps, and mysteries to solve this story is just so good. The spice showed up about the last 1/4 of the story, but it was still fire! I didn’t know until this read how much I would enjoy smutty pirate books, but sign me up!
Wow I have been really getting in my fantasy reading era, but this was my first pirate story and it did NOT disappoint. The soundtrack I heard when reading this was Taylor Swifts “Blank Space. Specifically, “Magic, madness, Heaven, sin”. It had all of those elements and more!
If you’re looking for a new fantasy, spicy romance, and bit of a thriller all wrapped into one then this is the book for you! My only critique of this book is that I would have loved to see an extended epilogue to see more of Devlin & Fenna together. (Or possibly even another book because I loved reading about them).
When Fennas brother Dasos takes a gamble to get out of death at sea with Captain Devlin, his debt is made and he will have to live his time on the specter, The Phantom Ship. But Dasos escapes the ship, and it doesn’t take long for Devlin to come to shore and destroy the entire town to find him and haul him back to the ship.
But what he finds instead is Dasos’ sister Fenna who agrees to take over his debt. He takes her back to the Phantom, where she begins to pay back the debt that's owed. But Devlin is intrigued by Fenna, and not only because he’s attracted to her, there’s something else. She is a Clair with magical powers; an Audient who can hear and interrupt the thoughts of others. And as soon as other people find this out about her they will try to turn her over to the King for a reward. How is he going to navigate this, does he give Fenna up? Or does Fenna have feelings for him, and could they possibly ever be together?
Filled with so many nail biting adventures, mishaps, and mysteries to solve this story is just so good. The spice showed up about the last 1/4 of the story, but it was still fire! I didn’t know until this read how much I would enjoy smutty pirate books, but sign me up!
October 28, 2025
2.5
Unfortunately disappointed. It started okay, nothing special but i did like the characters and i thought the plot had promise. Overall the book was okay. It had its moments where it was good and i thought we were making some progress. Regrettably, this never hit its stride for me. It consistently stayed okay until the last 70ish percent where i was just ready to be done. I felt like the romance has a lot of promise. But with the small page count and the plot and random ship chores i felt like the couple didn't get enough time to convince me of their feelings.
Their interactions weren't palpable to me and never got vulnerable enough for me. It all felt fairly abrupt. I think it was trying to do too much in such a small amount of time.
Note: i appreciate that the other woman on the ship was a complete non issue. I wish it hadnt been included because really it was unnecessary, however she was just a woman on the ship minding her own business keeping to herself and even going so far as to be nice to the fmc. I appreciated the lack of petty drama even though it was an icky detail to add anyway.
Safety&Info:
3rd person dual Pov
Spice:🔥🔥🔥🔥ish couldve miscounted. And some partials
Romance meter: 🧡/5
Magic meter: 0
◇Ow drama: mmc slept with a woman on the ship, she causes no issues but the fmc does know and feels jealousy. Mmc had a prior love that dumped him when he put it all on the line for her.
◇Om drama: none
◇No cheating/sharing/love triangle
◇ 3rd act breakup: no?
◇Seperation: yes, 3 days or so, not by choice
◇fmc v, mmc not v
◇Ages: fmc 25, mmc 100+
◇Protection: didnt catch if anything was mentioned
◇HEA- they are going to travel the world on their ship with their crew/ found family
Unfortunately disappointed. It started okay, nothing special but i did like the characters and i thought the plot had promise. Overall the book was okay. It had its moments where it was good and i thought we were making some progress. Regrettably, this never hit its stride for me. It consistently stayed okay until the last 70ish percent where i was just ready to be done. I felt like the romance has a lot of promise. But with the small page count and the plot and random ship chores i felt like the couple didn't get enough time to convince me of their feelings.
Their interactions weren't palpable to me and never got vulnerable enough for me. It all felt fairly abrupt. I think it was trying to do too much in such a small amount of time.
Note: i appreciate that the other woman on the ship was a complete non issue. I wish it hadnt been included because really it was unnecessary, however she was just a woman on the ship minding her own business keeping to herself and even going so far as to be nice to the fmc. I appreciated the lack of petty drama even though it was an icky detail to add anyway.
Safety&Info:
3rd person dual Pov
Spice:🔥🔥🔥🔥ish couldve miscounted. And some partials
Romance meter: 🧡/5
Magic meter: 0
◇Ow drama: mmc slept with a woman on the ship, she causes no issues but the fmc does know and feels jealousy. Mmc had a prior love that dumped him when he put it all on the line for her.
◇Om drama: none
◇No cheating/sharing/love triangle
◇ 3rd act breakup: no?
◇Seperation: yes, 3 days or so, not by choice
◇fmc v, mmc not v
◇Ages: fmc 25, mmc 100+
◇Protection: didnt catch if anything was mentioned
◇HEA- they are going to travel the world on their ship with their crew/ found family
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2023
“I've had a never-ending, unquenchable need to taste you since the moment I laid eyes on you."
4.25 stars
Devlin gaped at her, lips parting in disbelief. “You traded your life to the sea knowing full well that you didn’t know how to swim”
Fenna bristled. “I didn’t think you would toss me into the bay at your first given chance.”
Our fierce Fenna, in a heroic attempt to save her USELESS SHIT brother, takes on his life debt to a pirate – one who hunts souls for the sea. Think Pirates of the Caribbean and Davey Jones locker – I was living for it!
A fun trope list, or at least things I liked that may or may not be a trope:
🏴☠️Tattooed pirate
🏴☠️A bargain
🏴☠️Spicy spice
🏴☠️Morally grey MMC with a soft inside for ✨her✨
🏴☠️A MMC who always makes sure a woman consents and punishes those who don’t ask for consent
🏴☠️FMC with a hidden strength and rare power
🏴☠️Do you like me on my knees before you?
“My mother would have expected it from me. The women who have signed themselves to my charge expect it from me. And furthermore, I expect it from me. No one will touch you, except when you want to be touched.”
I absolutely loved Devlin! He was the perfect mix of all the personalities I like in a book boyfriend.
Though Devlin merely returned her gratitude with a gruff grunt from the back of his throat, he was certain he would choose to spend the rest of his existence in an uncomfortable armchair still in his wet, frigid clothes just to hear her say them again.
I really need to read more pirate books, I absolutely adore them.
What would he do to keep Fenna at his side? Absolutely anything was the resounding answer. He would do anything. He would sacrifice a thousand men, and burn the world to the ground in the process.
______
This was so fun! Review to come but thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
4.25 stars
Devlin gaped at her, lips parting in disbelief. “You traded your life to the sea knowing full well that you didn’t know how to swim”
Fenna bristled. “I didn’t think you would toss me into the bay at your first given chance.”
Our fierce Fenna, in a heroic attempt to save her USELESS SHIT brother, takes on his life debt to a pirate – one who hunts souls for the sea. Think Pirates of the Caribbean and Davey Jones locker – I was living for it!
A fun trope list, or at least things I liked that may or may not be a trope:
🏴☠️Tattooed pirate
🏴☠️A bargain
🏴☠️Spicy spice
🏴☠️Morally grey MMC with a soft inside for ✨her✨
🏴☠️A MMC who always makes sure a woman consents and punishes those who don’t ask for consent
🏴☠️FMC with a hidden strength and rare power
🏴☠️Do you like me on my knees before you?
“My mother would have expected it from me. The women who have signed themselves to my charge expect it from me. And furthermore, I expect it from me. No one will touch you, except when you want to be touched.”
I absolutely loved Devlin! He was the perfect mix of all the personalities I like in a book boyfriend.
Though Devlin merely returned her gratitude with a gruff grunt from the back of his throat, he was certain he would choose to spend the rest of his existence in an uncomfortable armchair still in his wet, frigid clothes just to hear her say them again.
I really need to read more pirate books, I absolutely adore them.
What would he do to keep Fenna at his side? Absolutely anything was the resounding answer. He would do anything. He would sacrifice a thousand men, and burn the world to the ground in the process.
______
This was so fun! Review to come but thank you to the author and R&R Book Tours for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
March 23, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒:
❥ enemies to lovers
❥ age gap
❥ found family
❥ touch him/her and die
❥ let the world burn
𝐋𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐳𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢 𝐡𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚: 🥰 😊 😮 🥵 😠
𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨:
In un mondo ove gli Dei vengono venerati ma si fa fatica a credere nella magia, i nostri protagonisti non hanno una vita normale ma nemmeno la vogliono.
Devlin è un "giovane" Devy Jones con un debito da pagare al Dio del Mare, mentre Fenna possiede il dono di leggere la mente gratis. Incontrarsi e parlarne mi sembra il minimo. (ㅅ´ ˘ `)
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞:
Non è assolutamente un brutto libro, ma per le ambizioni che avevo poteva essere meglio. E' un mondo con potenzialità ampie che mi vengono a malapena mostrate, e se da una parte apprezzo il non tergiversare qui mi sembra di sfiorare il buco di trama - voglio comunque dare il beneficio del dubbio in quanto, a quanto pare, è una saga di standalone e in ogni volume sembra aggiungersi qualche risposta in più alle mie domande -.
Oltretutto la romance diventa quasi subito l'unico motore della storia ed è un peccato, anche perché immaginavo Fenna diversamente.
Da vergine damigella contadinotta incapace di difendersi ma agile come una scimmia, dopo la prima notte di sesso si trasforma in una donna sicura e improvvisamente sa anche usare i suoi poteri al loro massimo.
Avrei preferito più immersione e partecipazione del lettore a certi periodi che invece sono stati abbreviati o del tutto saltati, ma nel complesso mi è piaciuto.
Devlin è approvato. Il sesso anche.
🌶🌶🌶
𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐒:
❥ enemies to lovers
❥ age gap
❥ found family
❥ touch him/her and die
❥ let the world burn
𝐋𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐳𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢 𝐡𝐚 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚: 🥰 😊 😮 🥵 😠
𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨:
In un mondo ove gli Dei vengono venerati ma si fa fatica a credere nella magia, i nostri protagonisti non hanno una vita normale ma nemmeno la vogliono.
Devlin è un "giovane" Devy Jones con un debito da pagare al Dio del Mare, mentre Fenna possiede il dono di leggere la mente gratis. Incontrarsi e parlarne mi sembra il minimo. (ㅅ´ ˘ `)
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞:
Non è assolutamente un brutto libro, ma per le ambizioni che avevo poteva essere meglio. E' un mondo con potenzialità ampie che mi vengono a malapena mostrate, e se da una parte apprezzo il non tergiversare qui mi sembra di sfiorare il buco di trama - voglio comunque dare il beneficio del dubbio in quanto, a quanto pare, è una saga di standalone e in ogni volume sembra aggiungersi qualche risposta in più alle mie domande -.
Oltretutto la romance diventa quasi subito l'unico motore della storia ed è un peccato, anche perché immaginavo Fenna diversamente.
Da vergine damigella contadinotta incapace di difendersi ma agile come una scimmia, dopo la prima notte di sesso si trasforma in una donna sicura e improvvisamente sa anche usare i suoi poteri al loro massimo.
Avrei preferito più immersione e partecipazione del lettore a certi periodi che invece sono stati abbreviati o del tutto saltati, ma nel complesso mi è piaciuto.
Devlin è approvato. Il sesso anche.
November 27, 2023
The Audient and The Phantom Night
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
~Bargains
~Strong and powerful FMC
~MMS is morally grey
~Spicy
~Pirates
~Forced Proximity
~Touch Her and Die
~Grumpy x Sunshine
Review:
This one is for fans of Beauty and the Beast and for fans of The Legend of the Flying Dutchman.
Seriously, if you like a good pirate romance, I would strongly recommend you read this!
Fenna, our FMC, is quiet, gentle and a book lover. She discovers her true strength throughout The Audient and the Phantom Night.
Devlin, our MMC, is our beloved morally grey pirate captain of a cursed ship.
Fenna and Devlin meet when Fenna is protecting her dearest brother. She so gallantly agrees to take on her brother’s debt with the pirate captain.
Fenna and Devlin have some serious chemistry, and I am here for it!
This is my second book by this author, and it will not be my last! I can’t wait to read more!
*I received this as an ARC, and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review*
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
~Bargains
~Strong and powerful FMC
~MMS is morally grey
~Spicy
~Pirates
~Forced Proximity
~Touch Her and Die
~Grumpy x Sunshine
Review:
This one is for fans of Beauty and the Beast and for fans of The Legend of the Flying Dutchman.
Seriously, if you like a good pirate romance, I would strongly recommend you read this!
Fenna, our FMC, is quiet, gentle and a book lover. She discovers her true strength throughout The Audient and the Phantom Night.
Devlin, our MMC, is our beloved morally grey pirate captain of a cursed ship.
Fenna and Devlin meet when Fenna is protecting her dearest brother. She so gallantly agrees to take on her brother’s debt with the pirate captain.
Fenna and Devlin have some serious chemistry, and I am here for it!
This is my second book by this author, and it will not be my last! I can’t wait to read more!
*I received this as an ARC, and I am leaving an honest and voluntary review*
August 4, 2024
5 ✨
3 🌶️
🏴☠️Who let me take this long to pick up this book?! Cursed Pirates? Loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast? Say lessssss.
🏴☠️Pirates of the Caribbean was my entire personality for a time, as was beauty and the beast (I’d watch them on repeat and still will!) so this entire premise is 100% me.
🏴☠️First, and importantly, it’s best to note that the author tells us from the start that this is LOOSELY INSPIRED by Beauty and the Beast and the Flying Dutchman legend. It’s not a retelling, so please don’t go into this thinking that.
🏴☠️Fenna willingly takes her brother’s place on the pirate ship that saved him from death. Having always been treated oddly and most townsfolk keeping their distance, she’s succumbed to the reality of her ordinary life. That’s all before a cursed pirate captain excepts her trade.
🏴☠️Delvin tries to not let Fenna get under his skin. Obviously it doesn’t work when the attraction and temptation is undeniable. I loved seeing both MCs grow within themselves and with each other. I almost love the world the author has created. There’s more to be discovered within the world with the next couples (I’m predicting at LEAST four books 👀👀).
🏴☠️If you love pirates, fantasy, and some spiiice. Get your hands on this book. Immediately.
3 🌶️
🏴☠️Who let me take this long to pick up this book?! Cursed Pirates? Loosely inspired by Beauty and the Beast? Say lessssss.
🏴☠️Pirates of the Caribbean was my entire personality for a time, as was beauty and the beast (I’d watch them on repeat and still will!) so this entire premise is 100% me.
🏴☠️First, and importantly, it’s best to note that the author tells us from the start that this is LOOSELY INSPIRED by Beauty and the Beast and the Flying Dutchman legend. It’s not a retelling, so please don’t go into this thinking that.
🏴☠️Fenna willingly takes her brother’s place on the pirate ship that saved him from death. Having always been treated oddly and most townsfolk keeping their distance, she’s succumbed to the reality of her ordinary life. That’s all before a cursed pirate captain excepts her trade.
🏴☠️Delvin tries to not let Fenna get under his skin. Obviously it doesn’t work when the attraction and temptation is undeniable. I loved seeing both MCs grow within themselves and with each other. I almost love the world the author has created. There’s more to be discovered within the world with the next couples (I’m predicting at LEAST four books 👀👀).
🏴☠️If you love pirates, fantasy, and some spiiice. Get your hands on this book. Immediately.
November 20, 2023
I have to admit, in my life, I never thought about what a combo Beauty and the Beast meets the Flying Dutchman would make- and let me tell you that I should have before because this was so fun!
This has all the classic BATB elements: a bookworm outcast of a small town with a big heart, a broody (pirate) king with a curse only true love can break, a crew of characters (in this case a literal crew) who serve him and also kind of care about him, a whiny brat boy who just wants to claim our special gal and her skills for his own gain, and magical beings who have too much vested interest in the lives of humans!! Now take this all, add piracy, soul-trading, magical skills and curses, and you've created The Audient and The Phantom Night.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, not just for the story I know and love, but for the new characters we got to journey and grow with! Fenna, our FMC, shows a different kind of strength than most fantasy heroines- she may not be able to swim, fight, or use any sort of weapon BUT she is strong of heart and brave beyond bounds. Devlin (Captain Cato to you), our intrepid MMC, has been cursed to wander the seas for hundreds of years but shows that he has not been broken, that he can grow, that he wants love as much as any of the rest of those still living. Watching the two of them take these journeys separately and together was so delightful!!
Thanks to Sadie Hewitt and NetGalley for the chance to read this book! The Audient and the Phantom Night comes out tomorrow- November 21!!
This has all the classic BATB elements: a bookworm outcast of a small town with a big heart, a broody (pirate) king with a curse only true love can break, a crew of characters (in this case a literal crew) who serve him and also kind of care about him, a whiny brat boy who just wants to claim our special gal and her skills for his own gain, and magical beings who have too much vested interest in the lives of humans!! Now take this all, add piracy, soul-trading, magical skills and curses, and you've created The Audient and The Phantom Night.
I genuinely enjoyed this book, not just for the story I know and love, but for the new characters we got to journey and grow with! Fenna, our FMC, shows a different kind of strength than most fantasy heroines- she may not be able to swim, fight, or use any sort of weapon BUT she is strong of heart and brave beyond bounds. Devlin (Captain Cato to you), our intrepid MMC, has been cursed to wander the seas for hundreds of years but shows that he has not been broken, that he can grow, that he wants love as much as any of the rest of those still living. Watching the two of them take these journeys separately and together was so delightful!!
Thanks to Sadie Hewitt and NetGalley for the chance to read this book! The Audient and the Phantom Night comes out tomorrow- November 21!!
November 22, 2023
The Audient and the Phantom Night was such an exciting and fast-paced pirate adventure. I absolutely devoured it!
Think Flying Dutchman vibes with a strong AF FMC and plenty of spice. I really loved the way everything in the plot was set up.
This book has the most beautiful and vibrant colors!
When I started reading, I didn't know what an Audient or Phantom Night was. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to figure both parts out!
Devlin is a pirate captain damned to eternal life. He is dastardly, morally grey, and the things that came out of his mouth made me blush a little!
Fenna has a very special ability, which leaves her wondering where her place in the world is. The small town she lives in is not a good fit for her.
I love the innocence Fenna exudes while still having a smart mouth. She is not the type of person to back down from any kind of challenge.
The banter between Fenna and Devlin was excellent. I loved seeing them battle over who was the most stubborn.
Whether you've never read a pirate themed romance before or you love that genre, I highly recommend reading The Audient and the Phantom Night!
Think Flying Dutchman vibes with a strong AF FMC and plenty of spice. I really loved the way everything in the plot was set up.
This book has the most beautiful and vibrant colors!
When I started reading, I didn't know what an Audient or Phantom Night was. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to figure both parts out!
Devlin is a pirate captain damned to eternal life. He is dastardly, morally grey, and the things that came out of his mouth made me blush a little!
Fenna has a very special ability, which leaves her wondering where her place in the world is. The small town she lives in is not a good fit for her.
I love the innocence Fenna exudes while still having a smart mouth. She is not the type of person to back down from any kind of challenge.
The banter between Fenna and Devlin was excellent. I loved seeing them battle over who was the most stubborn.
Whether you've never read a pirate themed romance before or you love that genre, I highly recommend reading The Audient and the Phantom Night!
March 23, 2025
B O O K C L U B choice
”There were rumors, of course. Tales of a captain with so much venom in his heart that the sea herself refused to allow him rest in her depths.”
Edition: audio [✔️] Kindle [✔️] Physical [❌]
🏴☠️ I’ll give it a solid 3.5! It was my turn to pick a book for book club and this was one of the 3 options I gave everyone to choose from! I decided pirates would be a nice little break from the usual faerie drama.
🏴☠️ There wasn’t really much that stood out about this book for me but it also wasn’t a boring read. I found myself having to force myself to pick it up but also having a hard time putting it down at times. It wasn’t a bad story at all I just think I need a little bit more of a slower burn 🔥. I hate nothing more than a rushed romance. HOWEVER, the MMC, Devlin….he was a breath of fresh air compared to the hopeless romantic fae men I’ve been reading about for the past year!
🏴☠️All in all it was a quick, cutesy little romance with a bit of spice! I do wish we could’ve dove a bit more into the clairs and their backstory there and maybe a bit more world building especially some lore with the God of the sea….but i still think it’s definitely something worth talking about with my book club!
”There were rumors, of course. Tales of a captain with so much venom in his heart that the sea herself refused to allow him rest in her depths.”
Edition: audio [✔️] Kindle [✔️] Physical [❌]
🏴☠️ I’ll give it a solid 3.5! It was my turn to pick a book for book club and this was one of the 3 options I gave everyone to choose from! I decided pirates would be a nice little break from the usual faerie drama.
🏴☠️ There wasn’t really much that stood out about this book for me but it also wasn’t a boring read. I found myself having to force myself to pick it up but also having a hard time putting it down at times. It wasn’t a bad story at all I just think I need a little bit more of a slower burn 🔥. I hate nothing more than a rushed romance. HOWEVER, the MMC, Devlin….he was a breath of fresh air compared to the hopeless romantic fae men I’ve been reading about for the past year!
🏴☠️All in all it was a quick, cutesy little romance with a bit of spice! I do wish we could’ve dove a bit more into the clairs and their backstory there and maybe a bit more world building especially some lore with the God of the sea….but i still think it’s definitely something worth talking about with my book club!
May 16, 2024
This has been on my tbr for months! Anything with pirates and I’m sold 🙌🏼 this audiobook did not disappoint! I love the storyline, loved the magic elements, loved the spice 🔥 the story was inspired by beauty & the beast and the Flying Dutchman!
I quickly got addicted to this story I didn’t want to put it down. It had so many of my favourite tropes in one! It had one of my favourite types of MMCs - the kind that will sacrifice the world if only to save you. 🫠🖤
The narrator did a great job - the voice fit well with the storyline and she did a good job distinguishing between voices even tho it was just one narrator!
I definitely want to continue this series to see what comes next for this world ❤️🔥
I quickly got addicted to this story I didn’t want to put it down. It had so many of my favourite tropes in one! It had one of my favourite types of MMCs - the kind that will sacrifice the world if only to save you. 🫠🖤
The narrator did a great job - the voice fit well with the storyline and she did a good job distinguishing between voices even tho it was just one narrator!
I definitely want to continue this series to see what comes next for this world ❤️🔥
November 24, 2023
So I’m a sucker for a story with a pirate in it and when I read the premise for this book I was interested. It’s heavy with the FLying Dutchman vibes and I ATE THIS BOOK UP. It’s a fast paced book that keeps you interested and engaged and the plot moves along fantastically. It’s an easily bingable book that will have you wanting more. The spice level is off the charts and damn Captain Cato was added to my list of book boyfriends so fast it wasn’t even funny. It is the first book in a series so I’m excited to see what the next book has in store. If you love spicy pirate books with action, legend retellings, and fated mates then this is the book for you. You will not be disappointed!
dnf
June 7, 2025DNF 30%. My book bingo has a pirates square and I had picked this up for that theme.
Man it’s one of the worst books I’ve read. Boring 2d characters, almost no worldbuilding, inconsistent follow through of the fantasy elements/confusing fantasy elements, poor romance (instalust and…that’s it?), and to top it all off it’s labeled as Beauty and the Beast retelling but there are NO elements of that story.
Man it’s one of the worst books I’ve read. Boring 2d characters, almost no worldbuilding, inconsistent follow through of the fantasy elements/confusing fantasy elements, poor romance (instalust and…that’s it?), and to top it all off it’s labeled as Beauty and the Beast retelling but there are NO elements of that story.
April 25, 2024
3.75 Overall Rating
While 'The Audient and The Phantom Night' wasn't exactly my cup of tea, there were definitely some enjoyable aspects to it. The setting of the book was rich and immersive, making it easy to get lost at sea. The magical abilities of the FMC added an exciting element to the story, and the cover art was simply stunning. I also have to give credit to the narrator of the audiobook for bringing the tale to life. The spicy scenes added a touch of excitement, and I appreciated the author's talent for crafting vivid descriptions throughout the book.
However, there were a few drawbacks for me. The pacing of the story felt a bit off, and the character growth seemed a bit inconsistent, which affected my overall connection to the characters. Additionally, there were moments where the plot seemed to drag, making the reading experience less engaging.
Despite these issues, I believe that fans of mythical gods, pirates, a strong heroines may still find aspects of 'The Audient and The Phantom Night' enjoyable; particularly if they appreciate strong world-building and descriptive writing. While it didn't completely win me over, I can see the appeal for those who enjoy a mix of magic, adventure, and a touch of spice in their reads.
While 'The Audient and The Phantom Night' wasn't exactly my cup of tea, there were definitely some enjoyable aspects to it. The setting of the book was rich and immersive, making it easy to get lost at sea. The magical abilities of the FMC added an exciting element to the story, and the cover art was simply stunning. I also have to give credit to the narrator of the audiobook for bringing the tale to life. The spicy scenes added a touch of excitement, and I appreciated the author's talent for crafting vivid descriptions throughout the book.
However, there were a few drawbacks for me. The pacing of the story felt a bit off, and the character growth seemed a bit inconsistent, which affected my overall connection to the characters. Additionally, there were moments where the plot seemed to drag, making the reading experience less engaging.
Despite these issues, I believe that fans of mythical gods, pirates, a strong heroines may still find aspects of 'The Audient and The Phantom Night' enjoyable; particularly if they appreciate strong world-building and descriptive writing. While it didn't completely win me over, I can see the appeal for those who enjoy a mix of magic, adventure, and a touch of spice in their reads.
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