A Merciful Sea

Nightingale & Courtney #3

by Katie Daysh

An ocean divides them. Can their love survive the battles to come?

Arthur Courtney is a commander without a ship and without purpose. So when old friend Captain Henry Harrison offers him a place onboard HMS Lion, bound to join Nelson’s fleet in the Mediterranean, he is eager for the opportunity.

But onboard discipline has broken down; Harrison is not the captain he once was. Added to this, Courtney has agreed to a troubling deal in order to serve: marriage to Harrison’s sister-in-law, Tabitha Sandham. He fears he will have to choose between his career and his love for Hiram Nightingale.

In England, Nightingale’s life is shaken by the death of his father and by the re-appearance of the Lion, the ship that caused him such pain. When threatening notes are received at his and Courtney’s cottage on the Isle of Wight, he vows to find out the truth behind them.

But it appears there is more trouble on the island than simply the threatening messages. So while Courtney defends the sea, Nightingale must help protect England’s shores from calamity.

Genres: Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Queer, M M Romance, LGBT

336 pages, Hardcover

Published March 27, 2025

About the author

Katie Daysh is an author from the Isle of Wight who loves to explore unheard voices in fiction. In her main genre, historical fiction, she enjoys placing queer characters at the heart of the narrative, and most of her books are set on the sea. She is the author of the Nightingale/Courtney queer naval adventure series.

Reviews

[Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how this book series manages to feel like a harrowing adventure and a warm hug at the same time, but it accomplishes it. A Merciful Sea is probably the most character-driven of the adventures so far. Both Nightingale and Courtney are tested - individually and their relationship. The conclusion is satisfying and feels right.

I adored this series and I'm going to miss new Nightingale and Courtney adventures!

4.5 stars rounded up - thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh this entire trilogy is sheer perfection and the final book, A Merciful Sea, was a brilliant ending!

This book picks up a little after the events of A Devil to Pay; Courtney, now a commander without his own ship, is invited aboard the Lion under the command of Captain Harrison, destined to engage with the French and Spanish fleets as the war rages on. But the Lion is reportedly cursed, and a series of unfortunate events is causing discontent in the crew…

Nightingale, now captaining the merchant vessel Larkspur, is set to protect the waters around the Isle of Wight and southern England. But what should have been an easy job ends up with him being entangled in a strange mess of smuggling and corruption with the local enforcement. It also doesn’t help when threatening messages start turning up at their cottage, suggesting someone knows about their secret…

There is so much pining in this book, with Courtney and Nightingale forced to be apart and wrestle with what they both truly want in life. Of course we also get some truly incredible sea battles, which Daysh writes beautifully - you feel like you are on the ocean, ducking the cannon fire yourself!

This author’s work is absolutely gorgeous and heart-wrenching; you truly feel for all the characters, not just the MCs but the swathes of beautifully written SC’s too. I will read literally anything Katie Daysh writes and I will definitely be thinking of Nightingale and Courtney for years to come!

Read A Merciful Sea for:
✨ Achillean 1800’s historical romance
✨ Naval battles, smuggling, storms
✨ Gorgeous, atmospheric writing
✨ Beautifully written MCs and SCs
✨ Naval politics and corruption
✨ Heartbreaking sub-plot
✨ Final HEA for our main couple 🥹
✨ I LOVE THEM BOTH YOUR HONOUR

I received an ARC from NetGalley & Canelo, but also my hard copy from Waterstones came early so I ended up reading that 😹 It’s available on 27th March (unless you got a pre-order from Waterstones in which case it’s probably already in your hands lol) - both books 1 & 2 are available now!

[M Gregs · Rating 5 out of 5]

*My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for granting me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. And yes, as soon as I finish writing this I will be ordering a hard copy of this book to be shipped across the ocean because I want to pass it down as an heirloom to my progeny.*

Okay, first of all: that cover? GORGEOUS. If this hadn’t already been one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, that cover alone would have sealed the deal.

And I am pleased to report that finally, finally, I have read a book that met and exceeded all of my expectations. This series is criminally underrated, and I don’t know why I have been so lucky to witness these characters grow and flourish for years while the rest of the world just, like, goes on not knowing that they exist. How do people even live without Nightingale and Courtney? Is it even living at all?

In all seriousness, this was such a lovely, sweet ending to this trilogy. I was a little nervous at first because we not only got dual POVs, we also got two completely separate stories. Nightingale and Courtney are apart for nearly the entire book, which is usually a red flag for me. But the more I read, the more I realized how much sense this decision made. Neither Nightingale nor Courtney’s stories had really resolved by the ending of book 2, so it made sense to give them both a narrative in this final installment. And, where other books have failed with this exact same setup, Daysh succeeds marvelously by treating each narrative line as its own complete plot, building character, tension, and suspense along the way. Both stories were equally compelling, and, fortunately, both resolved well, and allowed the characters to come back together, changed but stronger, in the end.

[By the way: the actual scream I scrumpt when I realized we were building toward a Trafalgar sequence in this book could probably be heard about three towns over. The whole series is worth a read for this sequence alone!]

I have learned and loved so much while reading this series, and I’m devastated to have to say goodbye to the world Daysh has built. But I am so, so excited to see where she takes us next.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not crying, you're crying... This series was such a delight. It's a shame this was the last book. Still, I'm glad that this series gave me my micro-obsession with Nelson.

[Munch · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Lizva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This trilogy really worked for me and this one dis not disappoint. Lots of adventure but also personal development from the main characters.

[Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warning: this review may contain spoilers. I will try to keep them to a minimum but be warned.

So. I am writing this review as an overall "summary" of the whole Nightingale & Courtney trilogy. I did leave reviews for Leeward and The Devil To Pay, but here I will summarise my thoughts.

I will start with a summary, because the review is long and I imagine not everyone will want to read everything. Journalling does me good but it may not be for everyone, so here is a short recap:
1. all three books are a bit slow in the first half and pick up the pace in the second one
2. the romance is there, but it is mostly long-distance and not heavily developed
3. if you are looking for sex - this is not the trilogy for you, there are no sex scenes at all.
4. characters are generally morally grey, which in my opinion is a plus
5. protagonists are likeable
6. I enjoyed Leeward best of all three.
7. I disagreed with some choices, but I also think the author really put in a lot of work towards research. The effort is there and the prose flows well. These books may not be the absolute best thing you'll read, but they are still solid.

Now for the full review.
I admit I went in with high expectactions. This was due to how the book was advertised: a story of adventure and queer romance in the Nelson era of the British Navy. Since I am indeed interested in stories of sailors/Navy, etc. and interested in queer romance. I thought this trilogy would absolutely be up my alley and I expected to love it.

In truth - I found it overall a little... disappointing at times. And it saddens me to write it, especially because I am an aspiring author who is working on his own novel and when I read that Katie Daysh has a "regular" job and wrote this novel, I felt - and still feel - great respect for her. It is not easy to write a book: it takes a lot of time, effort, research and determination. You write and sometimes doubt yourself, wonder "But what if no one reads it? What if no one likes it?"
Yet, Katie Daysh pushed through and delivered not a novel, but a whole trilogy - which is more than I can say for myself since I am still working on my first novel.

Why do I say this? I say this because, well, I have no idea if Daysh reads reviews on Goodreads, but in case she does, and comes across mine, I want to tell her: I see you. I see you have put in work and effort here. And while I have some criticism, I do not want to lay it out acting like I am better, or smarter. I do not mean to disparage you or your work. I simply read these books, have thoughts on them and think it is helpful to leave a review for other fellow readers.

But now - the review.
I have to say, of the 3 novels, Leeward was my favourite. It was a little slow to begin, but the second half really picked up the pace and delivered. I especially enjoyed reading the tension and the emotions going around in the mind of Captain Nightingale: his anxiety and his stress at being constantly scrutinised and judged for his actions, even when he thought he was doing the best he could - in a world that did not always understand him. I think Daysh here did a masterful work in terms of conveying the emotional tension and I was really able to experience the story as if I were Nightingale, to feel his inner turmoil. So - well done there. Really well done.

The Devil To Pay however is where one of my criticisms begins: more specifically, I did not like how Nightingale and Courtney were separated for most of the time, something that also continues with A Merciful Sea. The reason why the two protagonists are separated is tied to the ending of Leeward, and my impression here is that perhaps the author wrote herself in a bit of a corner: I think the reason why Nightingale ends up as he does in Leeward is understandable, but it also makes it hard to continue the story around the two characters, since they spend most of the time apart, but they are also supposed to be in a romance. It is, in a sense, a long-distance romance for the most part.
Or - perhaps I am mistaken and the decision to separate them was intentional, to set up the stage for Courtney's journey, his own development through the Navy. This is possible, but it does not solve the issue of the fact that the two characters are supposed to be in a relationship, yet spend most of their time apart.

Now, onto A Merciful Sea.
Structure-wise, the book repeats the patter of the predecessors: slow start, pace picks up in the second half. To an extent, I do not think this is necessarily a bad decision: indeed, in the case of A Merciful Sea the author did need to "set the stage", so to speak, in the sense that she needed to create events which conveyed the troubled atmosphere on board of the ship. Somewhat poor seamanship, lacking discipline, laziness, absenteeism (which makes you think: why do so many sailors call in sick? Are they truly sick or do they not want to work? If they are sick, why is that the case?). Indeed, one says that when you write, you should "show, not tell": and the author did show, she did not simply say "The crew was troubled in many ways, lazy, overly superstitious, undisciplined, etc". She showed it. She let the reader draw their conclusions.
And yet - after reading 2 books already where the first half of the book is somewhat slow, with lots of "small events to set the stage" but not a lot of "adventure/drama" - I have to say I was getting a bit tired of it. Perhaps it would be more balanced to still use this technique, but cut down on it a little bit and pick up the pace a little sooner.

Still, I told myself: "When you read Leeward, you enjoyed it a lot once the action had picked up and the payoff was all worth it. Stick with it, and be rewarded".

So I did.

And yet, the reward was... not quite there, I think. And I struggle to exactly explain why.
Daysh definitely succeeded in creating a "shades of grey" sort of atmosphere, where there is not a lot of "black and white", where many characters are not completely good or completely bad.
A Merciful Sea presents a difficult situation which definitely makes you think: the ship where Courtney serves is definitely mismanaged, the lack of discipline is clear, there is bullying among the midshipmen, abuse of power, even an attempted suicide. On top of all of this, the captain of the ship, Harrison, is doing a terrible job of managing things: he seems to want to believe that everything is fine, refuses to enforce any significant discipline and consequences, turns a blind eye to many issues, and when Courtney - who comes aboard as an outsider and works hard to get to know the men and fit in with the crew - when Courtney points out these situations to him, Harrison somewhat undermines his authority instead of supporting him as his commanding officer. Throughout the novel, I had the impression that Courtney was doing his best to get to know the crew, in a respectful way, but was met with a wall of silence (the ship and its crew have secrets and refuse to trust the new officer with them). I also had the impression that Courtney repeatedly went to captain Harrison reporting his observations, trying to get his support to enforce discipline - but Harrison claimed everything was fine and did not back him up.

As someone who was in a somewhat similar situation at work - I worked for a relatively short time as a manager and tried hard to get to know my team and support them, but they also had their issues in terms of skills and discipline and I was left powerless to do anything about it, with senior management not supporting me at all and giving me zero decision making power - I deeply related to how Courtney was feeling.

Then, the issues get worse: a midshipman dies, another tries to kill himself, accusations are made and denied - and in all of this, the captain refuses to call for an investigation and a court martial! - and only towards the end is it revealed that many problems stemmed from a terrible abuse of power from one of the men in the crew (I will not say who, to avoid excessive spoilers). Finally there is retribution and the issue is somewhat solved.
Meanwhile, the ship's surgeon works hard to understand what is wrong with the captain - it has now become clear that there must be a reason why the captain is so lenient, so absent, so remiss in his duties. The captain recovers enough to lead the ship in the final battle, where he performs well, and once everything is over, he opens up to Courtney about his problems and the reason for his poor performance. Again, I am trying to avoid spoilers so I will not say more.

Meanwhile, there is a plot involving blackmail and smuggling with Nightingale ashore, which delves deeper in the family history of Courtney. I had no particular issues with this plot, and it is my impression that it does not take up a very long time - but I did not exactly count so I could be mistaken here.

At long last, Courtney and Nightingale reunite. Courtney tells Nightingale of his misadventures at sea and mentions his struggles with imposing discipline. And I - personally - did not like how this part was managed.
Courtney essentially says he does not recognise the man he has become, that he thinks he has become a brute and a terrible officer. I imagine the title of brute stems from the fact that in one scene, he does lose his temper with some members of the crew who had been brawling and goes on a long speech where he tells them in no uncertain terms that they ought to be ashamed of their behaviour: they brawl, they are late for duty, they are slow in performing their tasks, uncoordinated, all despite his attempts to drill them and get them to improve. Caught in a moment of frustration and feeling at the end of his rope, he even threatens them with a flogging (which again, the captain only half-heartedly backs, undermining his influence and doing nothing to manage the lack of discipline by himself).

I did not like this. Yes, Courtney lost his temper. Yes, corporal punishment is bad - though it was quite the norm back in the day. However, we know, because we see the story from Courtney's eyes, that Courtney really did try his best. He tried to get to know the men and was met with silence. He tried to drill the men to help them improve their skills but the rest of the officers did not really match him, being slow themselves to recognise his authority and unprofessional, questioning his orders frequently. Courtney also tried to mention his concerns to the captain, who ignored him.
So yes - at some point, Courtney lost his temper, badly scolded and shamed the men and threatened them. But looking at the whole story, can we really say he did not try, in a ship that frankly never gave him that much of a chance?

So yes - I did not like this conclusion, because I feel that the author is sort of passing a certain message as "the lesson" Courtney learned from his adventure: the lesson being, "authority bad, discipline bad, if men behave a certain way there must be a reason and if you scold them for unprofessional behaviour then you are the brute".
Now, do not get me wrong: I do think that parts of this lesson are valid. I definitely think that the message here is: the situation on the ship got this bad because there were wounds aboard stemming from a disgusting abuse of power that were allowed to fester. And the blame for this falls probably on the overly rigid hierarchy of the Navy, where the weaker links of the chain have no safeguard against abuse. So, for sure, I'd say Courtney can draw this conclusion: "The next time I see a situation like this, I should be more thorough in my investigation and remember no one is above suspicion, I should create an environment where people trust me and come to me with their problems".

But I still do not think Courtney was right in thinking of himself as a brute, because while he made mistakes, he also did try really hard to get to know a crew that, for the most part, shut the door in his face. Certainly a more thorough investigation should have been conducted, but at the same time, it is hard to do so when you are the only officer who actually cares. And as for the discipline, that is a no for me - this s a time of war, when it is essential for everyone's survival that the ship be managed as efficiently as possible. Yes, some people were abused, but that was still a very small minority of the crew, and there was no reason for the others to still work in a way that was - pardon my French - half-assed.
So I do think it was harsh to say "the lesson Courtney took with himself is that he was a brute because he lost his temper once".

Perhaps this comes across as a bit of a rant, but again - this comes from a painful moment in my past, where I really did try my hardest, even ruining my own health - and was undermined from the top and the bottom at the same time, and I did not like to see the same environment in this novel, and to see the conclusion being "well discipline is bad". A good working relationship is a two-way street, where the officers/managers listen, facilitate and support, but the crew/workers also respond by doing their best. If one of the two ends of the street fails, the relationship also fails, and I did not like how here the blame was placed solely on Courtney with his reflection at the end where he thinks of himself as a brute.

Moving on, because frankly I have ranted enough - the romance. I had again great hopes for the romance, but I think that separating Nightingale and Courtney and having them follow parallel paths which only occasionally intersected did not work out well in terms of creating a satisfactory relationship. Yes, they love each other dearly, but we do get very few moments with them.

In short: I think I would have much preferred if Nightingale and Courtney had served aboard the same ship, having to navigate not just perilous seas but also the ethics of a relationship where one is the captain and the other his lieutenant. The threat of discovery of their queer relationship would have been much more pressing, with them stealing moments onboard, on a crowded ship. Not to mention the danger and thrill of going into battle together.

I also do wonder - are both Courtney and Nightingale asexual? We know that Louisa, Nightingale's wife, most likely is - and we know Nightingale is gay, in the sense that he is attracted to men only. However there are moments where it is hinted that Nightingale also feels no desire towards sex.
However, we do not get any information on Courtney, (unless I missed it) and this did leave me wondering: how did they navigate their relationship from this perspective?
As someone who is somewhat on the asexual spectrum myself, I think I would have liked to see a more thorough exploration of this issue. I am not saying at all that one needs to use the word "asexual", on the contrary, it would have been anachronistic to do so. But as a general rule, the expectation in a relationship is to have sex from time to time, so I think that it would have been more realistic to address the topic by showing a conversation between Courtney and Nightingale. A moment where they discuss their experiences and their expectations and reach an agreement.
I think this would have been an important point to cover, as many asexual people do face this challenge when it comes to relationships: being a minority, it is not easy to find a fellow asexual person, so a conversation on the topic, while difficult, is definitely in order to figure out how to manage. Instead, we get nothing, we do not know how this was resolved, and I think this is a bit of a missed opportunity.

This brings us to the end of my review. If you have read all of this, I thank you.
I do want to add one more point: while I have my issues with this trilogy, I also think that, well, first of all, this is a personal opinion. Others may certainly disagree, I am merely reporting my experience.
But I do want to say: the book is otherwise well-written. The prose is good, it flows nicely. Daysh definitely did a lot of research in Royal Navy history, and it absolutely shows. And while I think the trilogy has some flaws, I also think that both Courtney and Nightingale are 100% likeable and relatable characters.

For this reason I decided to grade A Merciful Sea with 3/5 stars: yes, there were some things I did not like or disagreed with, but all around, given the research, the prose, the characters, the effort in painting a picture that is not black and white but a more realistic grey - for all of these things, I think the book is still solid and I would recommend it.

And to Katie Daysh - if you do read reviews - please do not take this review as a discouragement. I think you did a great work by being able to write a whole trilogy that is so well-researched. I respect that and I wanted to offer my reflections and my feedback. The fact that I disagreed with some choices takes nothing away from the respect I have with you. Writing a whole book is tough, but you still did it.
If you choose to write more, I will choose to read more of what you have to say. Thank you.

[r.j. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Canelo for the ARC!

What a beautiful ending to the series. I finished reading this late at night and ended up staying up well past midnight just thinking about it. I absolutely fell in love with this series last year, putting both Leeward and The Devil To Pay on my top reads of 2024 list (well, technically just Leeward, but I only put firsts of series on that list), so to say I have been eagerly awaiting A Merciful Sea would be an understatement and this 100% delivered.

I’ve read a lot more historical fiction since I read Leeward last year, and it’s made me appreciate the historical accuracy of this series even more. It was especially important in this book, and as someone who admittedly doesn't know a lot about the main battle featured in A Merciful Sea, it still came across really well. I also loved how, despite the fact that Nightingale and Courtney are physically apart for most of the book, their relationship still felt like the core of the story and the foundation that they both want to build their lives on.

I will never stop recommending this series to everyone, and I can’t wait to see what Katie does next!

[Carol Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Courtney and Nightingale trilogy comes to an end with this beautiful story of love, loyalty, and heroism, set against the backdrop of England's greatest naval victory, the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Katie Daysh is not just a talented young author. She's a visionary who charts her own course and totally redefines genre expectations. Her naval epics celebrate the seamanship and courage of the officers and men of the Royal Navy. But at the center of the story are two men who break all the rules. Aristocratic Nightingale and rugged, working class Courtney are not just devoted friends. They're lovers. And they burn for each other with a sexual passion that nearly scorches the pages! After many adventures, they're now separated. Nightingale is retired from the Navy and has settled on the Isle of Wight, where smuggling and intrigue threaten the peaceful life he hopes to build with his partner. Courtney has a key post on a troubled warship called the Lion, a ship with many dark secrets.

Naval adventures are not normally my type of reading, but Katie Daysh is like no other author. On the one hand, she's not afraid to break genre conventions, and put right out in plain view what authors of this type of book have never confronted before. On the other hand, she's deeply respectful of historical accuracy and an absolute fanatic about getting the details right. As much as I loved the tender moments between Courtney and Nightingale, the gun drills and sailors going aloft were every bit as fascinating. Katie Daysh makes the ship itself come to life. She knows every inch of it and understands how a single mistake can make the difference between life and death. And she understands the role officers play as leaders and disciplinarians. Yet at the same time, unlike male authors of a bygone age like Joseph Conrad, she never dismisses or patronizes the common sailors. In our age, alas, patriotism is a dirty word to many people. Yet Katie Daysh is in many ways the most patriotic author I've ever read. She writes not just to make queer voices heard but to make them a part of England's story. She celebrates Trafalgar as a victory for all of England, rich and poor, male and female, gay and straight. Her vision of the battle, and of the men who fought it, is both deeply reverent and completely fresh.

Now much of this book is about characters who have lost their way and are trying to make amends. I won't go into plot details, but the way that Nightingale handles himself among the working people of the Isle of Wight is very poignant and quite original. On the one hand, he's an aristocrat among commoners. On the other hand, he's in love with Courtney, the local boy made good. And in Courtney's absence, Nightingale is very keen to prove himself to the rugged local working people. These chapters are so wonderfully written, with such quiet humor and tender emotion. Katie Daysh has such a hopeful view of life. She really believes people can change for the better. There are many secondary characters in this book who will surprise you, both in the mistakes they make and the ordeals they go through to make things right. The battle scenes at the end of the book are so terrifying and horrifying that they seem to be written in blood. Action lovers will get their money's worth! But the extraordinary thing about these books is that the focus is always on the deep feelings of the characters. Courtney literally wades through blood to get back to Nightingale, and their reunion is so quietly tender that it brought tears to my eyes. Their happy ending was well deserved.

But for Katie Daysh, and the lucky readers of her amazing books, the adventure is just beginning!

[annabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God.

Before I start yapping about what must've been one of my most anticipated reads of the year, I must say THANK YOU for the ARC! I cannot put into words how excited I was for this book, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint.

I don't know how Katie Daysh managed to write an essentially perfect trilogy, but she did. I was not once bored by anything in any three of the Nightingale and Courtney books; I was so endeared to the characters and so embroiled in the story that I could not help but love every second of it. And of all three, I do think A Merciful Sea is my favourite.

I was correct in my guess that this book would combine Nightingale and Courtney's POV's, providing us with amazingly juxtaposed perspectives and stories that highlight how good of an author Katie Daysh truly is. Both perspectives are incredibly distinctive, with Nightingale coming across as more weathered, and Courtney younger, and more stubborn. I thought this worked well, and I really enjoyed following each man as they navigated through their own personal struggles, whilst dealing with the prejudices that came with being queer at this time. Katie Daysh managed each storyline well.

I must say though, I do feel personally endeared to Courtney's story and struggles, as a man who came from nothing and has fought tooth and nail to end up where he has, who still doesn't get all of the credit he is due. In this book, Courtney has been promoted to commander, and he cannot help but feel somewhat out of place, like an actor. I think this is a struggle than many people can relate to, and I really enjoy how it is depicted.

That is not to negate how much I enjoyed Nightingale’s story though, as a man who served 30+ years in the navy who is still trying to find his purpose and deal with his trauma. It is emotional, deep, and reflective.

The way they converge in this book is *chef’s kiss*.

The secondary characters also really shine in this book; though they have done so throughout the series, you can really feel their presence here. Obi, Lousia (my beloved), Jane, and Appleton are but some of my favourites. But even the characters that I didn’t like (like Nightingale’s father...) made the story feel much deeper and the world more expansive. The presence of Courtney’s father in this book was interesting, because I didn’t expect it. And much like Courtney, I don’t really know how to feel about him, and again I just think that speaks to how good of a writer Katie Daysh is. The complexity, ambiguity of every character is just so well done.

Though Courtney and Nightingale are apart for much of the book, going through their own trials and tribulations, their relationship nevertheless felt pertinent to the story - these books could not have existed without it, and you felt that. Nightingale going to the Isle of Wight to investigate malicious notes turning up at Courtney's cottage there, and Courtney serving on Nightingale's old ship the Lion - which almost appears to be cursed - as important as their relationship is to them and the story, they still have their own stories to content with.

This series was absolutely PERFECT, in my mind, and though I am sad that it is over, I have been following Kaite Daysh on Instagram and cannot WAIT for what she puts out next. I will be waiting eagerly!

[Heather (londonhev) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I was so excited to read this, and yet wary too - knowing I'd have to say goodbye to Nightingale and Courtney. But this did not disappoint - we join them, five years after Leeward, as they're figuring out what life together could look like, and whether it's even possible. They're mostly apart for this book, which is sad in some ways (I'd always like more time with them together), but does make for a fascinating read, especially as this time it's dual POV. We follow Courtney out to join the fleet on a much larger ship, in a bit of an odd position - Commander, somewhere between Lieutenant and Captain, joining voluntarily, not having specific prescribed duties. As he finds his place on ship, we experience the months leading up to Trafalgar, a weird mix of dull blockades, racing across the Atlantic, and of course, the major naval battle itself. As ever, Daysh does an incredible job of bringing these experiences aboard ship to life, both the day to day routines and the excitement and danger of battle. Plus, there's something dark going on on his ship, but given his position, he's unsure of how much authority he can take to try to get to the bottom of it.

Nightingale, meanwhile, is now part of the merchant navy, splitting his time on land between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. But things aren't quite right there either, and Nightingale has to work out exactly how much he wants or needs to step in to sort things out in Courtney's absence - again, not wanting to overstep, but deeply invested in this community, very aware that he's an outsider, but wanting to do good if he can. It's interesting to find out more about life on land in somewhere so closely linked to the sea - what people make of the Royal Navy, how people make their livings, legally and not so legally and why that is. And over both is a shadow of each of their fathers - a pair of bad dads - what legacy they leave, and the agency they have to decide what of them, if anything they want to carry with them and what to leave behind.

I loved getting both perspectives, seeing their distinct personalities side by side, different and yet so closely aligned in values. Both characters do their best to do right, but are both thoroughly human - not without fear or temper or error. The joy of these stories is seeing how they handle these things and move through them. I loved the whole Trafalgar sequence - read rapidly with my heart in my mouth (of course, knowing the outcome helps, but not knowing how various characters will fare keeps the tension high). It was good to see Louisa again, and while it's always clear that she has her own life, I wish we could have spent a bit of time finding out more about what that looks like.

This was a very well-done finale to a trilogy I've thoroughly enjoyed, and am likely to re-read again in future.

[Cindy Vallar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Royal Navy Commander Arthur Courtney is betwixt wind and water. He’s lost his command but is offered a position as a volunteer on a ship of the line – one that may come with a string attached. Once at sea, he has nothing to do. Although disturbed by the implied condition and the lack of activity, he senses an undercurrent of disquiet permeating the ship, but is unable to discern its cause. The crew aren’t practiced in firing their guns; sickness plagues some men; laudanum goes missing; and a midshipman dies. Then there’s the captain’s indecision. Yet, Courtney would rather be at sea than remain at home, for trouble brews on the island as well.

Hiram Nightingale is adrift. He never wanted to be a naval officer, but now that he has been dismissed from the service, he’s not sure what to do with himself. Although he is master of a vessel that belongs to his brother-in-law, it’s not the same as commanding a warship. Seeing Courtney off aboard HMS Lion only raises more doubts and emphasizes his lack of purpose. Then he learns of mysterious notes that his beloved Courtney never mentioned. Discovering who sends these and thwarting the implied peril provide one lifeline, but this isn’t enough. A suggestion from an old acquaintance leads to another idea, and Nightingale takes to the sea again as a privateer, fighting the enemy and protecting the Isle of Wight where Courtney lives. Ascertaining who that enemy is proves more challenging than he first thinks.

This final book in the Courtney-Nightengale trilogy takes place in 1804 and 1805. Although the first half of the book is slow-paced, Daysh lays the groundwork for what unfolds in the second half. Nightingale, who wants to be accepted by the islanders, unearths the true enemy and risks his life to help them in a portrayal that is both as riveting and galvanizing as the storm that unleashes its fury in the midst of the chase. While Nelson’s pursuit of the French fleet to the Caribbean and back again provides the initial background for Courtney’s time at sea, the crowning event of this book is the Battle of Trafalgar. Daysh places us above and below decks of HMS Lion in ways that allow us to experience the fighting firsthand. It is filled with gritty realism where we hear the roar of the guns and the screams of those who give the ultimate sacrifice. The resolution of this atypical romance is in keeping with the time period and the characters who understand the risks they take in loving each other.


(This review originally appeared at Pirates and Privateers: http://www.cindyvallar.com/Daysh.html...)

[Pudsey Recommends · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just closed the back cover of A Merciful Sea by Katie Daysh, the third and final instalment on the Nightingale & Courtney’s adventures. I feel a mix of emotions, I am elated with the ending but also a tad melancholic about this being a sort of goodbye to them.

I loved both Leeward and The Devil To Pay, and was completely mesmerised by A Merciful Sea. Daysh’s writing is as just elegant, thoughtful and thrilling as it was in the first two books. There is such a profound maturity and respect for the characters along with a strong ethical measurement about the world, culture and circumstances they inhabit. I am certain there have been quite a few Nightingale & Courtney’s figures during that period, and the way Daysh handles it is rather graceful. Who knew that an age of sail adventure could be so accessible and queer?

Nightingale and Courtney’s journey is so special, their love for one another is so vividly portrayed in every page. The attention and care they have for one another is admirable, transcending the prejudices of the time. Yet, Courtney faces the heart-wrenching dilemma of choosing between career and relationship—what ultimately must yield?

All the other characters receive enough attention—from Captain Harrison to Mr. Bowles, the bosun, Applegate, Louisa, and Dr. Archer; they are all drawn with thoughtful care and detail. The battle scenes again do not disappoint, you feel completely immersed in the ship’s life. The final battle scene is exceptionally well crafted.

I particularly loved following Nightingale on the Isle of Wight - really appreciate how Daysh brought more of her own homeland into the Trilogy. I was also fascinated by the Isle of Wight Sea Fencibles and all the smuggling connections.

This is definitely one of my top books of 2025. I adored spending time with A Merciful Sea . I feel a profound sense of loss having to let go of Nightingale and Courtney, and I cannot wait to see what Daysh will produce next. #pudseyrecommends

Very grateful to Netgalley and Canelo for the arc.

[Phoebe Wilkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am, once again, in awe. And after reading this book, I think I can faithfully say this is one of the best trilogies I´ve ever read.

This last book of the series continues the adventures of (now) Commander Courtney at the Lion, the same ship Nightingale once was captain of. And also, since we got the dual POV this time, we also get to see how Nightingale is doing on land while Courtney is away.

The story is, just as the other were, packed of trauma. But in this case I felt that somehow, it was even more wholesome than the previous last books. Because, you see: Bad guys die, people get reunited with their found family and nothing (too) wrong happens to the people who don´t deserve it... Well, mostly.

Also, if the previous book featured pirates, this one has smugglers, petty officers and (maybe) a murder mystery. Which was by the way, this last thing, an interesting thing to do. I´ve come to realize I´ve become spoiled with all the action and naval battles of the other books in this series that I felt in this one there´s not that much action until maybe the last 1/3.
Anyway, that´s not a problem at all because less action means more time for character development. And I loved how that was handled (spoiler here: there´s quite a few characters we meet before and that appear here again).
Plus, the last battle of the Lion was incredibly done. I´ll never get tired to give credit to authors who really take care of getting right the historical context. Especially when it comes to a famous naval battle where there´s so many things happening at the same time.

The ending was perfect and, although this is a trilogy, I feel would have gladly read many more books featuring Nightingale and Courtney. And since that´s not possible, I´ll probably go for a reread quite a few times in the future.

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final installment in the Courtney and Nightingale adventure series and a well-deserved ending for the two main characters.

The first book gave us Nightingale's pov, the second - Courtney's, so it is fitting that the last one gave us both: Nightingale trying to find a life for himself in Courtney's world (and finding quite the adventure for himself), and Courtney fighting his personal doubts and circumstances on the Lion, a ship with her own long history.

Perhaps it was a little too ambitious to put two full stories into one book and there were a couple of moments when I felt that the narrative was a little disjointed simply because there were a lot of things going on at the same time. There were also moments when I felt like I wanted to grab Courtney by his wide shoulders, shake him and yell at him to stop fretting so much. But I have grown to adore and care for the main characters so much, that these were very small issues for me - the writing is still dynamic, the adventure and the tension still pulled me in and made me grab the book whenever I had even a few minutes to read, and the little cameos from characters from previous books were lovely too.

A worthy finale for a fantastic trilogy.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in echange for an honest review.

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the first book. The melding of this sort of historical sea adventure and gay romance was beautifully executed and a delight to read (if a little slow). Unfortunately the tow genres don't go together as well when spun out into a series. This sort of sea adventure often involves a long series of novels highlighting a the MCs storied naval career but that doesn't really work when there are two main characters and, for whatever reason, they are not on the same ship. Here there are essentially two separate plots, each with their new characters, new themes, and naval engagements. Each plot could be a book on it's own and if this was a typical naval series, they probably would be. Here they rob each other of momentum and slow an already glacial pace. The MCs rarely get to interact in any meaningful way and their individual stories never touch each other.

I'm not sure this book needed to exist.

I'm glad the MCs get what amounts to an HEA in this time period but all in all, this feels unnecessary.

[sexpear · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have repeated this grievance in my review of the previous novels, that Ms Daysh for some reason feels the need to repeat things that occur earlier (a book ago, a chapter ago, a paragraph ago) which not only slows down the pace to a frustrating standstill, but also feels extremely condescending to the reader, who is treated worse than a five-year-old at a history lesson. I encourage you to open this book on a random page without having previous knowledge of the proceedings and I bet you will grasp the majority of what you need to know before the chapter is over. this happens for example with Mr and Mrs Woods, who are Courtney's guardians. The first time their relationship to him reiterated is fine, the old readers might have forgot between books or the new readers need to pick this information up fast. By the hundredth time it's cloying. it's agonizing.
as always I applaud Ms Daysh for her dedication to historical detail, her well-constructed plots, and the palpable love she has for the wonderful world she has created.
I'm looking forward to whatever she publishes next.

[Tiphaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

|| Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review ! ||

It was once again a captivating book. While we got most of the time Arthur and Hiram seperated, following both of their sides, their issues, their battles, and their feeling... it was intense.

And once again, there's no need to understand every single nautical words (it'd be as confusing for me in french) to be enthralled by the battles. We're here following the Trafalgar battle and how intense it was, and the work done by the author was amazing to make it that way. It was amazing.

I deeply love Hirma and Arthur and their romance, and every single moment of them being together were the best. I'll be missing them, but I'm extremely satisfied with how this series ended.

[Mindy B (reader_of_the_lost_arcs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a journey!! This book takes place five years from when they first met. Courtney is now on a ship that has a lot of suspicious dealings going on and may also be cursed. Nightengale is spending time with Courtney's friends and family with his own problems going on. He also has become a Privateer.

Of course, my favorite parts are when they are together in the book. I love them and they deserve every good thing. They are one of my favorite couples.

And god bless Louisa. What a woman. I would love to read her story someday.

All around great job and the ending was beautiful!!!
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

[Jess Milner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've so enjoyed this series and I'm quite sad it's over - Though very much satisfied with the ending for Courtney and Nightingale. The thing I love about this series is that it strikes just the right balance between genre fiction and the romance. It's first and foremost a historical novel and you can feel the passion and research Katie Daysh has for naval history. But the queer love story at the heart of this novel is just as important. I've said it before but I love the way the author has centered queer characters within the historical time period. It feels like she's saying: we were there. We were always there. I will read anything Katie writes next.

[Damien Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should go be insane about this series. It's so underrated.

The attention to detail is fantastic, the naval battles and navy culture are well-researched (well, I assume so, as I don't know anyone in the Navy), and the characters had me screaming... if you want a beautiful and satisfying conclusion to Nightingale and Courtney's story, you will absolutely find it here. No spoilers but the final chapter MAY have had me kicking my feet like a schoolgirl while giggling and blushing. I think I need to reread the series immediately.

[Lou · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe this is the last we get of their story. What an incredible journey it’s been, and how I adore these two and the growth they’ve gone through, individually and combined. I want to read another several hundred pages about their life on the island together, of all the mornings they get to wake up next to one another, to see how the build a life for the both of them, a life that is wholly theirs, not their individual lives trying to coexists, but THEIR life. In my head I shall imagine it, and forever be thankful to Katie for giving us this adventure and their love story. Thank you.

[Ness · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered this trilogy by chance on the very day A Merciful Sea came out and I'm so very glad of it.

Nightingale and Courtney's story was an emotional one that I really enjoyed following. A Merciful Sea is a beautiful conclusion to an amazing journey. I'm delighted to have read these wonderful books as they'll stay with me for a long time. I can only highly recommend reading all three of them.

[Iona · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with the first two books of this trilogy, I adored it.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly disappointing.

Again, far too much angsty introspection and not enough action, although the battle of Trafalgar is described well.

[Méli ☀︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sobbing too much to write a review right now but let me come back when I feel human again

Edit:
Ok I've taken a few days to gather my thoughts. First of all, thank you to Canelo and Katie for providing me with an ARC!

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025. I fell in love with the previous two instalments, which were both five stars for me, so my expectations were very high. Katie not only met them, she exceeded them! In this third book, Nightingale and Courtney are mostly apart. It could have been a negative, but Katie makes it an incredible strength by giving us dual POVs. This time, we really get to see Nightingale and Courtney shine individually (and without spoiling, they both get their big moment) and we get to know how they both feel: about their relationship, about their careers and about themselves. She gives each of them an incredibly distinctive voice and personality and it made me love both even more than I already did. The supporting cast is as strong as ever. I still adore Louisa, was really happy to see Jane return, and took an unexpected liking to Harrison. I'd happily read full novels about any of them. I also really liked the reflection about fathers and how much children should forgive in the name of family. That hit pretty close to home and touched me immensely. As usual with Katie, we get a perfect balance of beautifully emotional human interactions and incredibly well-researched action scenes. As the trilogy concludes, we also get a very satisfying ending that feels right and true to the story.

Honestly, it is a privilege to have discovered this series and to have been an advance reader for books 2 and 3. I will cherish these characters and all they stand for for a very long time, and I will read anything Katie Daysh writes in the future, no questions asked. Just begging everyone to read this trilogy for now so I can talk about my feelings!