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The Primal Sins Collection #1
Drenched
I came to the ocean to explore its secrets. Now, I’m drowning in them.Pulled beneath the waves by a creature that haunts the deep, I’m caught between terror and desire. His touch leaves me trembling, drenched in sensation, as the darkness of his world pulls me under.
He controls me completely, and I crave it, even as fear twists inside me. The deeper I fall, the more I lose myself to him—until escape is no longer an option.
Now, I have to fight for the surface, or surrender to the abyss and let him claim me forever.
This book contains dark themes and is intended for mature audiences only.
He controls me completely, and I crave it, even as fear twists inside me. The deeper I fall, the more I lose myself to him—until escape is no longer an option.
Now, I have to fight for the surface, or surrender to the abyss and let him claim me forever.
This book contains dark themes and is intended for mature audiences only.
279 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 29, 2024
166 people are currently reading
506 people want to read
About the author
Sephyrra
11 books75 followersSephyrra juggles the lively bustle of family life with her passion for writing. She's a fan of all types of romance - from spicy love stories to intense dark romances. When she's not busy with her family or stirring pots in the kitchen, she's crafting stories about plus-size characters over 35. Her writing is a blend of humor, heart, and a wide spectrum of emotions, reflecting her love for diverse romance genres. In her world, every free moment is a chance to explore the many flavors of romantic storytelling.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
January 20, 2025
“You are everything he whispered. My light, my darkness, my salvation.”
Pearl and her team of scientists travel to the same remote island her parents died on to get samples of some mysterious magical algae.
The whole town is actin fishy when they get there, and creepy things start to happen.
What's in the abyss??
Dun dun dun.
I was hooked the first half…but... I thought there would be MORE to the "abyss" than the obvious, so the ending was underwhelming for me.
I can't say I cared for the FMC or the MMC. I didn't feel the love or chemistry... Their romance wasn't tender, ooey-gooey, or meaningful. No heart-to-hearts. They didn't do shit! just underwater sex... WITHOUT a fancy mer peen or anything cool ☹️
The "Why me?" "You're a monster," and "You're mine" got old real quick.
It was alright. Back to MM I go.
Pearl and her team of scientists travel to the same remote island her parents died on to get samples of some mysterious magical algae.
The whole town is actin fishy when they get there, and creepy things start to happen.
What's in the abyss??
Dun dun dun.
I was hooked the first half…but... I thought there would be MORE to the "abyss" than the obvious, so the ending was underwhelming for me.
I can't say I cared for the FMC or the MMC. I didn't feel the love or chemistry... Their romance wasn't tender, ooey-gooey, or meaningful. No heart-to-hearts. They didn't do shit! just underwater sex... WITHOUT a fancy mer peen or anything cool ☹️
The "Why me?" "You're a monster," and "You're mine" got old real quick.
It was alright. Back to MM I go.
January 10, 2025
Falls Short of Expectations
The book promises a horror romance, Content Advisory, & the Author's Note. I was buckled in a seriously haunting ride. It just really wasn't as hard-hitting as promised. It starts off hitting beautiful notes. A FMC who is over 30 ✔️. A FMC in a cool career like marine scientist ✔️✔️. FMC who's 200lbs ✔️✔️✔️ but holds lots of appeal ✔️. Haunting scenery ✔️✔️✔️✔️ with characters you care about at the beginning pf any good horror tale ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
The first 3rd of the book does a wonderful job of horror haunting vibes. You caught the cold and danger. It all seemed to play out like a horror version of Aquaman 😄. Isolated village protected by The Abyss. A sea curse? Entity? God? Guardian? Tale as old as time?....it's something, and we all catch on quick.
However, like the sea, the story is hazy and murky. Certain relationship patterns were told to us, but it wasn't allowed to breathe or for us to truly see the relationship mix, so when the gritty horror comes, it doesn't have a solid punch. It's more like a shrug and leaving more questions. When the last half picks up, honestly had more questions that didn't seem like they would be answered. And that made understanding the dynamics harder.
The romance is impacted by murkiness as well. It seems obvious what the merman's identity is. The mystery or fate of the FMCs parents also seem abundantly obvious. And yet, our brilliant FMC doesn't catch it. 🙄 at all. Another issue is the trepid romance, "why!? Why me?" She asks constantly & we get "because I could/you're mine" or "you'll see" or "you know, " and it started to drive me batty. Like no dude just tell us! Why her!? I want to know as well. 😄
The MMC was a little dry. He wasn't really that bad or dangerous. It wasn't a really noncon. It was sorta kinda dubcon. The major content advisory wasn't really as explicit or detailed as suggested, so if that holds you back from purchasing, don't let it.
The FMC took a weird twist at the end. Her entire reasoning was giving colonizer energy. I was confused as to why she felt wronged here. I thought it was a joke until I realized she was dead serious. 😳...oh.
The book promises a horror romance, Content Advisory, & the Author's Note. I was buckled in a seriously haunting ride. It just really wasn't as hard-hitting as promised. It starts off hitting beautiful notes. A FMC who is over 30 ✔️. A FMC in a cool career like marine scientist ✔️✔️. FMC who's 200lbs ✔️✔️✔️ but holds lots of appeal ✔️. Haunting scenery ✔️✔️✔️✔️ with characters you care about at the beginning pf any good horror tale ✔️✔️✔️✔️✔️
The first 3rd of the book does a wonderful job of horror haunting vibes. You caught the cold and danger. It all seemed to play out like a horror version of Aquaman 😄. Isolated village protected by The Abyss. A sea curse? Entity? God? Guardian? Tale as old as time?....it's something, and we all catch on quick.
However, like the sea, the story is hazy and murky. Certain relationship patterns were told to us, but it wasn't allowed to breathe or for us to truly see the relationship mix, so when the gritty horror comes, it doesn't have a solid punch. It's more like a shrug and leaving more questions. When the last half picks up, honestly had more questions that didn't seem like they would be answered. And that made understanding the dynamics harder.
The romance is impacted by murkiness as well. It seems obvious what the merman's identity is. The mystery or fate of the FMCs parents also seem abundantly obvious. And yet, our brilliant FMC doesn't catch it. 🙄 at all. Another issue is the trepid romance, "why!? Why me?" She asks constantly & we get "because I could/you're mine" or "you'll see" or "you know, " and it started to drive me batty. Like no dude just tell us! Why her!? I want to know as well. 😄
The MMC was a little dry. He wasn't really that bad or dangerous. It wasn't a really noncon. It was sorta kinda dubcon. The major content advisory wasn't really as explicit or detailed as suggested, so if that holds you back from purchasing, don't let it.
The FMC took a weird twist at the end. Her entire reasoning was giving colonizer energy. I was confused as to why she felt wronged here. I thought it was a joke until I realized she was dead serious. 😳...oh.
December 31, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
•ARC review•
I never thought I would read something similarly unsettling as Thrum, but I think I might have found its twin novella, this time instead of being in space, we’re deep into the sea. And there’s more spice. Naturally, both are different, but the vibes of each one are definitely reminiscing.
With that being said, it felt suffocating (in a good way!?), because I, myself, fear the ocean so much, yet it still is so simultaneously pretty. Drenched offered both sides a chance to be seen and I liked it.
Pearl goes to a reclusive place to conduct experiments on algae to find a cure with her team when things start to become suspicious and they realize that something sinister is going on, on which they have no control over.
I adore the fact that it was a horror romance, I think it was such a great choice of genre for that story to be told. I’m glad I stumbled upon this book, I’ve been wanting to read something like that this past Summer and Drenched is exactly what I’ve been looking for all this time.
Thanks so much to Sephyrra for the arc🖤
🧜♀️dark monster romance
🩸horror romance
🧜♀️capt1ve
🩸marine biologist
🧜♀️plus size fmc
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
•ARC review•
I never thought I would read something similarly unsettling as Thrum, but I think I might have found its twin novella, this time instead of being in space, we’re deep into the sea. And there’s more spice. Naturally, both are different, but the vibes of each one are definitely reminiscing.
With that being said, it felt suffocating (in a good way!?), because I, myself, fear the ocean so much, yet it still is so simultaneously pretty. Drenched offered both sides a chance to be seen and I liked it.
Pearl goes to a reclusive place to conduct experiments on algae to find a cure with her team when things start to become suspicious and they realize that something sinister is going on, on which they have no control over.
I adore the fact that it was a horror romance, I think it was such a great choice of genre for that story to be told. I’m glad I stumbled upon this book, I’ve been wanting to read something like that this past Summer and Drenched is exactly what I’ve been looking for all this time.
Thanks so much to Sephyrra for the arc🖤
🧜♀️dark monster romance
🩸horror romance
🧜♀️capt1ve
🩸marine biologist
🧜♀️plus size fmc
January 5, 2025
Drenched by Sephyrra ARC Review.
This review contains spoilers!
Ok so I know this review is late but I needed to have time to figure out what to rate this book as.
My thought?
Started off really strong. The writing was good, the story was good, the characters were good!
Towards the end with a certain scene. I was about ready to start pace walking because I was so stressed out.
There was some redemption at the end which was good but you can’t redeem yourself after your actions in that one scene.
To sum up?
Pearl is a self harmer after being SA’ed by her uncle.
Pearl and her friends (minus Jonathan because f that guy) go to a village to research the algae. (The same place where Pearls parents die years earlier.) They were warned not to go into the water by the villagers but they do anyway.
They get end getting sacrificed to the Abyss. Everyone dies except Pearl who was claimed by a sea entity who we later know as Rynar the MMC.
Rynar was a great MMC at the beginning. Love the “he falls first” trope. Then Pearl finds out what he’s been hiding and let me just say PLOT TWIST INDEED! I’ll admit I didn’t see that coming. (You’ll know when you get there.) But it involves keeping sacrificed souls captive that includes her parents and friends. After that reveal, is a SA scene between the two main characters that honestly bothered me. (There is a non-con trigger warning at the beginning of the book.)
At the end Pearl gets her revenge on the village that sacrificed her family, her friend and herself. Good for her. Then Rynar says that he set the souls free. So, I mean that’s good but still doesn’t erase what you did to her.
In the end, they do end up back together. He says he will spend eternity making it up to her which, great but again, does not erase what he did to her in my opinion.
Just a side note here, Pearl doesn’t forgive him straight away. It takes a bit of time.
I know I’ve probably left some things out but you’ll find them out more if you read the book.
It was hard for me to give a star rating so I needed to think about it first. It started off as a 5 star but I’ll have to drop it down to a 4-4.5 just for that one part. Other than that, it’s a good book! It was my first horror romance and it was interesting.
It struck some past things inside of me mainly with her self harm and this is probably the first book that had made me cry in a few years because there’s a character who I can relate to about this.
“The figure didn’t care. His focus was mine alone.”
His black eyes dropped to my hands, to the faint scars crisscrossing my wrists. His fingers traced the lines slowly, like they were something sacred. A shiver crawled up my spine.
“Why do you do this?” His gaze didn’t waver. The quiet in his voice was like a blade slipping under my skin. “Why wound yourself?”
My throat tightened, shame twisting in my stomach. “It’s not about dying,” I said finally, my voice barely audible. “It’s about feeling like I have control. Like I can decide something when everything else is in chaos.”
“Do you feel in control now?” The words slid under my skin, making my chest feel like it might shatter.
The question cut deep. “No,” I admitted, the word bitter. “Not anymore. But sometimes… sometimes it’s the only thing that silences the noise.”
He didn’t speak for a moment. Instead, his fingers brushed over my wrist again, his touch reverent. “You think these marks make you weak.” He said it like a fact, not a judgment. “They don’t. They show what you survived.”
“No one else would see it that way,” I muttered. “They’d see them and think I’m broken.”
“They are fools,” he said, his tone unwavering. “They do not see what I see.”
This review contains spoilers!
Ok so I know this review is late but I needed to have time to figure out what to rate this book as.
My thought?
Started off really strong. The writing was good, the story was good, the characters were good!
Towards the end with a certain scene. I was about ready to start pace walking because I was so stressed out.
There was some redemption at the end which was good but you can’t redeem yourself after your actions in that one scene.
To sum up?
Pearl is a self harmer after being SA’ed by her uncle.
Pearl and her friends (minus Jonathan because f that guy) go to a village to research the algae. (The same place where Pearls parents die years earlier.) They were warned not to go into the water by the villagers but they do anyway.
They get end getting sacrificed to the Abyss. Everyone dies except Pearl who was claimed by a sea entity who we later know as Rynar the MMC.
Rynar was a great MMC at the beginning. Love the “he falls first” trope. Then Pearl finds out what he’s been hiding and let me just say PLOT TWIST INDEED! I’ll admit I didn’t see that coming. (You’ll know when you get there.) But it involves keeping sacrificed souls captive that includes her parents and friends. After that reveal, is a SA scene between the two main characters that honestly bothered me. (There is a non-con trigger warning at the beginning of the book.)
At the end Pearl gets her revenge on the village that sacrificed her family, her friend and herself. Good for her. Then Rynar says that he set the souls free. So, I mean that’s good but still doesn’t erase what you did to her.
In the end, they do end up back together. He says he will spend eternity making it up to her which, great but again, does not erase what he did to her in my opinion.
Just a side note here, Pearl doesn’t forgive him straight away. It takes a bit of time.
I know I’ve probably left some things out but you’ll find them out more if you read the book.
It was hard for me to give a star rating so I needed to think about it first. It started off as a 5 star but I’ll have to drop it down to a 4-4.5 just for that one part. Other than that, it’s a good book! It was my first horror romance and it was interesting.
It struck some past things inside of me mainly with her self harm and this is probably the first book that had made me cry in a few years because there’s a character who I can relate to about this.
“The figure didn’t care. His focus was mine alone.”
His black eyes dropped to my hands, to the faint scars crisscrossing my wrists. His fingers traced the lines slowly, like they were something sacred. A shiver crawled up my spine.
“Why do you do this?” His gaze didn’t waver. The quiet in his voice was like a blade slipping under my skin. “Why wound yourself?”
My throat tightened, shame twisting in my stomach. “It’s not about dying,” I said finally, my voice barely audible. “It’s about feeling like I have control. Like I can decide something when everything else is in chaos.”
“Do you feel in control now?” The words slid under my skin, making my chest feel like it might shatter.
The question cut deep. “No,” I admitted, the word bitter. “Not anymore. But sometimes… sometimes it’s the only thing that silences the noise.”
He didn’t speak for a moment. Instead, his fingers brushed over my wrist again, his touch reverent. “You think these marks make you weak.” He said it like a fact, not a judgment. “They don’t. They show what you survived.”
“No one else would see it that way,” I muttered. “They’d see them and think I’m broken.”
“They are fools,” he said, his tone unwavering. “They do not see what I see.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2024
Wow! I've never read a horror romance before, but let me say I'm hooked. The details given in the story painted such a movie in my head. Once I was reading, it was so easy to get lost in the book, the rawness of the characters' emotions, everything was wow. 👌 I'm definitely going to be reading more from this author because I'm hooked and need all the books.
May 9, 2025
I enjoyed the horror aspect of the story. Seeing revenge, sacrifice, and protection in a violent and bloody way in a romance novel was a novelty for me. There were some really great gory snapshots that kept me invested, excited for more.
December 26, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot - 5/5
Characters - 4/5
Spice - 🌶️🌶️
Drenched is a gothic-paranormal romance following researcher, Pearl, as she visits a small island to investigate the medicinal properties of an algae and discovers something is amiss with the villagers and abyss.
I would strongly recommend going into this book blind and going along for the ride. The author has a unique, dreamy writing style that captures the reader from the first page and while this isn’t a particularly lengthy novel, it is well paced with multiple climatic moments.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
Plot - 5/5
Characters - 4/5
Spice - 🌶️🌶️
Drenched is a gothic-paranormal romance following researcher, Pearl, as she visits a small island to investigate the medicinal properties of an algae and discovers something is amiss with the villagers and abyss.
I would strongly recommend going into this book blind and going along for the ride. The author has a unique, dreamy writing style that captures the reader from the first page and while this isn’t a particularly lengthy novel, it is well paced with multiple climatic moments.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.
December 28, 2024
Oh my goodness, I am in love with Drenched by Sephyrra. I’m not going to lie, I’m still very new to the Erotic Horror genre, but Sephyrra’s writing drew me in and kept me captivated from page 1 and wanting more at the end. Pearl was such an enthralling FMC, and her inner turmoil & strength kept you focused on her fight all the way to the sweet end. Not gonna lie, I’m obsessed with Rynar, but everything I want to scream about contains ✨spoilers✨ Check out Drenched available December 29th!
January 6, 2025
Ooooh I liked this book! I recommend it to anyone who likes mermen and other sea monsters. It’s a horror romance with an HEA.
August 13, 2025
amazing!
I like this one better then the first and I loved the first! There’s something about redemption found in pain and suffering. It was such a beautiful story of forgiveness and letting go. The spice was top notch too, while I prefer lots of spicy this one had a good amount, I just wish there would have been a wee bit more or even more heavily detailed scenes (there is scenes they’re just not as “depth”). Either way I highly recommend this shorter story and this author.
I like this one better then the first and I loved the first! There’s something about redemption found in pain and suffering. It was such a beautiful story of forgiveness and letting go. The spice was top notch too, while I prefer lots of spicy this one had a good amount, I just wish there would have been a wee bit more or even more heavily detailed scenes (there is scenes they’re just not as “depth”). Either way I highly recommend this shorter story and this author.
February 13, 2025
This is not my genre...at all.
December 27, 2024
“You’re a monster.”
��Yes, but I’m your monster.”
🌊🌊🌊🌊
Deliciously dark and violent.
Monster who is bonkers obsessed with me? Yes PLEASE.
��Yes, but I’m your monster.”
🌊🌊🌊🌊
Deliciously dark and violent.
Monster who is bonkers obsessed with me? Yes PLEASE.
May 19, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
I’d say A for effort! The execution, however… not so much. The idea behind the book? Intriguing! (You’d never catch me in the ocean, though. I do not mess with what’s down there.)
The story follows Pearl Hart, a marine biologist determined to uncover the secrets of a strange island and its magical algae, all while trying to piece together the mystery of her parents’ disappearance. When Pearl takes matters into her own hands and dives into the abyss—quite literally—everything takes a sharp turn.
That being said, while it started strong (with a sense of adventure and tension), the execution unfortunately didn’t quite hold up for me. The story lost a lot of momentum as it went on. Things felt flat and rushed toward the end, and there were noticeable gaps in the storytelling—moments that were brushed over or felt incomplete. Another thing that became slightly annoying toward the end was the repeated dialogue or lines.
My biggest ‘issue’ was the author’s writing style. While there were some lines that flowed beautifully, there was also a lack of dialogue. This might be just me, but I wished there was more descriptive detail in the world-building. I also couldn’t connect with any of the characters, nor did I feel much dynamic between Pearl and Rynar. I liked her character until it felt like she became shallow.
Pearl, sweetie, do you really think a silvery-looking man with a tail and rows of teeth looks even remotely human?
Overall, I loved the concept and was rooting for this book to pull me in deep (pun intended), but it just needed more development—especially in the characters and world-building. I’d still recommend it to readers who enjoy ocean-based fantasy or mystery, but with a heads-up that it might not completely deliver on its potential.
I’d say A for effort! The execution, however… not so much. The idea behind the book? Intriguing! (You’d never catch me in the ocean, though. I do not mess with what’s down there.)
The story follows Pearl Hart, a marine biologist determined to uncover the secrets of a strange island and its magical algae, all while trying to piece together the mystery of her parents’ disappearance. When Pearl takes matters into her own hands and dives into the abyss—quite literally—everything takes a sharp turn.
That being said, while it started strong (with a sense of adventure and tension), the execution unfortunately didn’t quite hold up for me. The story lost a lot of momentum as it went on. Things felt flat and rushed toward the end, and there were noticeable gaps in the storytelling—moments that were brushed over or felt incomplete. Another thing that became slightly annoying toward the end was the repeated dialogue or lines.
My biggest ‘issue’ was the author’s writing style. While there were some lines that flowed beautifully, there was also a lack of dialogue. This might be just me, but I wished there was more descriptive detail in the world-building. I also couldn’t connect with any of the characters, nor did I feel much dynamic between Pearl and Rynar. I liked her character until it felt like she became shallow.
Pearl, sweetie, do you really think a silvery-looking man with a tail and rows of teeth looks even remotely human?
Overall, I loved the concept and was rooting for this book to pull me in deep (pun intended), but it just needed more development—especially in the characters and world-building. I’d still recommend it to readers who enjoy ocean-based fantasy or mystery, but with a heads-up that it might not completely deliver on its potential.
March 1, 2025
Alright, y’all. This was my first-ever non-human romance, and I still don’t know how I feel about it. Drenched is dark, unsettling, and absolutely feral in a way that had me like… what did I just read??? If you love horror vibes, intense obsession, and a heroine who is smart enough to know she’s in danger but still ends up in said danger, this book is for you.
So, Pearl is a marine biologist on a research trip to a remote island, where the locals give her and her team with very clear, very loud warnings not to go diving. Naturally, they do the exact opposite, and surprise surprise, things go left immediately. Enter Rynar, a terrifying, possessive, not-at-all-human sea creature who snatches Pearl up and decides she’s his now. And when I say his, I mean in the most intense, no-escape, this-man-monster-will-drag-you-to-the-depths kind of way.
The ocean is already horrifying, but this? This took my fear of deep water to new levels. The creepy, atmospheric writing had me fully tense, and I felt like I was right there with Pearl, questioning all my life choices.
Now, let’s talk about the romance because… whew. This was my first time reading a monster romance, and y’all, I still don’t know if it’s my thing. Rynar is feral, obsessive, and has exactly zero chill. Like, I knew going in that this wasn’t going to be a soft, gentle, let’s-fall-in-love kind of story, but WOW. The steam? Intense. The power dynamic? Fully tilted in one direction. If you’re into the whole primal, monstrous, you-are-mine-now thing, this book will absolutely scratch that itch. Me? I was just sitting there wondering if I should be scared, intrigued, or both.
So, am I officially a monster romance girly? Undecided. But am I intrigued enough to try more? Yeah… maybe.
What I Loved
-A plus-size, over-35 heroine who is brilliant, capable, and refuses to go down without a fight
-The deep-sea horror atmosphere was top-tier, genuinely eerie and immersive
-Rynar’s obsessive energy was a lot, but I won’t lie… it worked in its own unsettling way
-If you love dark romance with little to no softness, this book delivers
My final thoughts....this book was a lot, but in the best way. It’s dark, disturbing, and leans all the way into the horror side of monster romance. If you love the idea of a terrifying, possessive sea creature dragging his woman into the abyss and never letting go, you’ll eat this up.
For my fellow monster romance newbies? This might not be the most gentle entry point into the genre, but it’s definitely a memorable one. I’m still deciding if this is my thing, but hey—I’m willing to give another one a try.
So, Pearl is a marine biologist on a research trip to a remote island, where the locals give her and her team with very clear, very loud warnings not to go diving. Naturally, they do the exact opposite, and surprise surprise, things go left immediately. Enter Rynar, a terrifying, possessive, not-at-all-human sea creature who snatches Pearl up and decides she’s his now. And when I say his, I mean in the most intense, no-escape, this-man-monster-will-drag-you-to-the-depths kind of way.
The ocean is already horrifying, but this? This took my fear of deep water to new levels. The creepy, atmospheric writing had me fully tense, and I felt like I was right there with Pearl, questioning all my life choices.
Now, let’s talk about the romance because… whew. This was my first time reading a monster romance, and y’all, I still don’t know if it’s my thing. Rynar is feral, obsessive, and has exactly zero chill. Like, I knew going in that this wasn’t going to be a soft, gentle, let’s-fall-in-love kind of story, but WOW. The steam? Intense. The power dynamic? Fully tilted in one direction. If you’re into the whole primal, monstrous, you-are-mine-now thing, this book will absolutely scratch that itch. Me? I was just sitting there wondering if I should be scared, intrigued, or both.
So, am I officially a monster romance girly? Undecided. But am I intrigued enough to try more? Yeah… maybe.
What I Loved
-A plus-size, over-35 heroine who is brilliant, capable, and refuses to go down without a fight
-The deep-sea horror atmosphere was top-tier, genuinely eerie and immersive
-Rynar’s obsessive energy was a lot, but I won’t lie… it worked in its own unsettling way
-If you love dark romance with little to no softness, this book delivers
My final thoughts....this book was a lot, but in the best way. It’s dark, disturbing, and leans all the way into the horror side of monster romance. If you love the idea of a terrifying, possessive sea creature dragging his woman into the abyss and never letting go, you’ll eat this up.
For my fellow monster romance newbies? This might not be the most gentle entry point into the genre, but it’s definitely a memorable one. I’m still deciding if this is my thing, but hey—I’m willing to give another one a try.
October 23, 2025
Drenched contains triggering situations such as non-consensual and dubious-consent dynamics... monsters don't ask for permission, explicit content, primal/otherworldly behaviors, Emotional struggles, depression, self-harm, childhood trauma, mention of past rape, graphic violence, human sacrifice, and supernatural horror.
Drenched is a dark monster romance, that also explores themes of self acceptance, discovery and paranormal themes.
Drenched is the second book in the 'The Primal Sins Collection' but the books can be read separately, they don't follow on from each other.
I rated this book 4* I loved Pearl as a character, due to her personality and past experiences, they made her more relatable to me. I also loved the interactions between her and the other characters especially Rynar.. she hates him but he's obsessed and she's easy for him to manipulate...
Pearl, is a plus-sized heroine in her late 30s, who finds herself in an extraordinary romance with a sea monster who adores her every curve. If you're drawn to stories with passion, heart, and a hint of the supernatural, you'll love this one.
Rynar, guardian of the abyss. His physique was a masterclass in adaptation - webbed claws, a muscular build, and an unmistakable air of power. His obsidian gaze is suffocating. The sharp contours of his face, the vibrant fins, and the soft undulation of his gills all blended together in a hypnotic display.
I'd highly recommend this book to those not put off by the triggers.
Drenched is a dark monster romance, that also explores themes of self acceptance, discovery and paranormal themes.
Drenched is the second book in the 'The Primal Sins Collection' but the books can be read separately, they don't follow on from each other.
I rated this book 4* I loved Pearl as a character, due to her personality and past experiences, they made her more relatable to me. I also loved the interactions between her and the other characters especially Rynar.. she hates him but he's obsessed and she's easy for him to manipulate...
Pearl, is a plus-sized heroine in her late 30s, who finds herself in an extraordinary romance with a sea monster who adores her every curve. If you're drawn to stories with passion, heart, and a hint of the supernatural, you'll love this one.
Rynar, guardian of the abyss. His physique was a masterclass in adaptation - webbed claws, a muscular build, and an unmistakable air of power. His obsidian gaze is suffocating. The sharp contours of his face, the vibrant fins, and the soft undulation of his gills all blended together in a hypnotic display.
I'd highly recommend this book to those not put off by the triggers.
February 4, 2026
wtf?
This was bad. Not in a fun way liked I’d hoped, but genuinely bad. I made it 43% of the way through, and skimmed most of the last part of that. This book jumps from event to event rapidly. There’s no real explanation for anything going on, no emotional processing of the events either. The characters were shallow, no depth to any of them. A lot of telling rather than showing. The structure was all over the place too. Double spacing here, indentation there, no indentation for this chapter, single spacing here. That did not make it any easier to read this.
The horror aspect was lost. I think this author was going for a Cthulhu, dark and eerie village vibe, but failed. The supposed romance aspect I just barely started reading before giving up. The little of that I read was also lost on me and fell flat.
The lack of details left me feeling grossed out within the first chapter. The way the fmc’s relationship with Jaime and her coworker was poorly described made it seem like they were grooming their student. Clarification of their relationships was NEEDED, not optional. This lack of clarification or detail was applied to everything.
The way the men were talking and behaving, it felt like the author was setting up Pearl to be a perpetual victim. I can’t do books where the main character is a constant victim with zero fight.
This was bad. Not in a fun way liked I’d hoped, but genuinely bad. I made it 43% of the way through, and skimmed most of the last part of that. This book jumps from event to event rapidly. There’s no real explanation for anything going on, no emotional processing of the events either. The characters were shallow, no depth to any of them. A lot of telling rather than showing. The structure was all over the place too. Double spacing here, indentation there, no indentation for this chapter, single spacing here. That did not make it any easier to read this.
The horror aspect was lost. I think this author was going for a Cthulhu, dark and eerie village vibe, but failed. The supposed romance aspect I just barely started reading before giving up. The little of that I read was also lost on me and fell flat.
The lack of details left me feeling grossed out within the first chapter. The way the fmc’s relationship with Jaime and her coworker was poorly described made it seem like they were grooming their student. Clarification of their relationships was NEEDED, not optional. This lack of clarification or detail was applied to everything.
The way the men were talking and behaving, it felt like the author was setting up Pearl to be a perpetual victim. I can’t do books where the main character is a constant victim with zero fight.
January 12, 2025
Haunted by the disappearance of her parents, Pearl and her diving team go to the same island where they vanished to study an unusual strain of algae. The locals forbid them from entering the water, but it isn't long before the team decides to risk it. Beneath the waves, they encounter otherworldly horrors, and Pearl's near-death escape from the depths brings the wrath of the Abyss on them. The villagers send the team to a watery demise, but the Abyss spares Pearl. She's been marked for a different fate, but will she give in to the creature's demands or try to save herself against the odds?
Oh, this one was really good! Pearl is a plus-size scientist who had her life flipped upside down when her parents vanished on their own hunt for this mysterious algae. Now, she's facing their fate until Rynar decides she's worth more to him alive. That doesn't mean she takes it lying down because this girl's a fighter. I do so love her fire. Rynar is mysterious as well as morally brackish. He kind of toys with her in a caring sense but ultimately wears the pants. However, when he smites the villagers for her? Swoon. And how Pearl brings a literal ancient being to his knees to grovel? Priceless. Their dynamic was hard-won, but definitely worth every fight.
Oh, this one was really good! Pearl is a plus-size scientist who had her life flipped upside down when her parents vanished on their own hunt for this mysterious algae. Now, she's facing their fate until Rynar decides she's worth more to him alive. That doesn't mean she takes it lying down because this girl's a fighter. I do so love her fire. Rynar is mysterious as well as morally brackish. He kind of toys with her in a caring sense but ultimately wears the pants. However, when he smites the villagers for her? Swoon. And how Pearl brings a literal ancient being to his knees to grovel? Priceless. Their dynamic was hard-won, but definitely worth every fight.
May 6, 2025
I wanted to like this book.
There were just too many story inconsistencies, like random paragraphs that contradict what was happening like they were misplaced or something.
I liked pearl until I didn’t, she was cool in the beginning but she really turned into a brat. I didn’t like her and was annoyed with her. She was also a big contradiction stating one thing then doing/saying the opposite on the next page.
The ‘love story’ didn’t feel like a love story to me, it felt like insta-lust on the MMC side, we don’t see them connect at all. We see them hook up and then pearl continually states how much she hates him. I just didn’t see any genuine connection between them at all. It didn’t even feel like enemies to lovers it just felt jarring and gave me whiplash. She hates and could never forgive him then the next second says ‘let’s go home’ even though she hates the cave and her life there. It just felt like the story was trying to wrap up without things actually getting resolved.
I thought the overall story was a good idea, I just didn’t feel like it was executed well, I kept having to fill in the gaps for myself throughout the story. It just felt very clunky like a first or second draft.
There were just too many story inconsistencies, like random paragraphs that contradict what was happening like they were misplaced or something.
I liked pearl until I didn’t, she was cool in the beginning but she really turned into a brat. I didn’t like her and was annoyed with her. She was also a big contradiction stating one thing then doing/saying the opposite on the next page.
The ‘love story’ didn’t feel like a love story to me, it felt like insta-lust on the MMC side, we don’t see them connect at all. We see them hook up and then pearl continually states how much she hates him. I just didn’t see any genuine connection between them at all. It didn’t even feel like enemies to lovers it just felt jarring and gave me whiplash. She hates and could never forgive him then the next second says ‘let’s go home’ even though she hates the cave and her life there. It just felt like the story was trying to wrap up without things actually getting resolved.
I thought the overall story was a good idea, I just didn’t feel like it was executed well, I kept having to fill in the gaps for myself throughout the story. It just felt very clunky like a first or second draft.
September 15, 2025
DID NOT FINISH THIS BOOK! PARTIAL SPOILER IN REVIEW
This book is rather underwhelming... the first part of the book is amazing, great character development of the FMC and her compatriots as they travel to an isolated island village, the mystery and the pull is there about wanting to know what's going on and what the Abyss is.
The second part of the book is where I was lost, the book takes a hard turn into the depth of unbearable repetition and bore. Spoilers follow (not of ending just some of the middle)
Spoiler Warning:
After her friends are killed and she is pulled into the underwater world the book falls flat, unfortunately even the attempt at some Stockholm Syndrome failed. You would think Beauty and the Beast-esc type stuff but it just came off as the MMC is very pretentious and annoying. The only thing they have going for them is the fact that he can make her "physically happy" and her inner monologue of do i love him why do i love him i shouldn't love him but i still do was hard to push through, at this point i don't even care about the Abyss, I wanted it to swallow her up and him up and just end the story there.
This book is rather underwhelming... the first part of the book is amazing, great character development of the FMC and her compatriots as they travel to an isolated island village, the mystery and the pull is there about wanting to know what's going on and what the Abyss is.
The second part of the book is where I was lost, the book takes a hard turn into the depth of unbearable repetition and bore. Spoilers follow (not of ending just some of the middle)
Spoiler Warning:
After her friends are killed and she is pulled into the underwater world the book falls flat, unfortunately even the attempt at some Stockholm Syndrome failed. You would think Beauty and the Beast-esc type stuff but it just came off as the MMC is very pretentious and annoying. The only thing they have going for them is the fact that he can make her "physically happy" and her inner monologue of do i love him why do i love him i shouldn't love him but i still do was hard to push through, at this point i don't even care about the Abyss, I wanted it to swallow her up and him up and just end the story there.
March 1, 2025
I’m absolutely obsessed with this book! This was my first read from Sephyrra and I can’t wait to read her other books! Drenched was the perfect mix of supernatural mystery, hauntingly-beautiful ocean secrets and horror romance. This would be a perfect choice for readers just starting horror romance. Sephyrra has such a unique and magical writing style that I was hooked from the first chapter. I love the Abyss she created and how she showed just how deeply disturbing the ocean can really get. Our FMC, marine biologist Pearl comes looking for answers in a mysterious villages but learns she’ll have to do much more than a little bit of science to get what she needs. She’s a fighter and much stronger than the Abyss thinks. Please know this is not a gentle romance. Pearl is held by a possessive, ancient merman who has decided she’s his. He will do absolutely anything to make sure she never leaves him.
January 23, 2025
“But distance doesn’t erase shadows.”
“Drenched,” by Sephyrra
This book is a unique take on mermaid dark fantasy, delving into heavy and sensitive themes like trauma, self-harm, and sexual assault. While the story is not easy to read emotionally, it stands out for its poetic and haunting approach to fantasy, blending psychological depth with mystery and healing. The beginning of the book, focused on scientific exploration, felt a bit rushed, and the side characters introduced early on lacked detail or memorability, which made it harder to connect with that portion of the story, but it got better. It was a really good read and I’m glad that I picked it up. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Merman
-Plus Size
-Enemies To Lovers
-Breath Play
-Self-Harm
-SA
Thank you for the ARC, Booksprout.
“Drenched,” by Sephyrra
This book is a unique take on mermaid dark fantasy, delving into heavy and sensitive themes like trauma, self-harm, and sexual assault. While the story is not easy to read emotionally, it stands out for its poetic and haunting approach to fantasy, blending psychological depth with mystery and healing. The beginning of the book, focused on scientific exploration, felt a bit rushed, and the side characters introduced early on lacked detail or memorability, which made it harder to connect with that portion of the story, but it got better. It was a really good read and I’m glad that I picked it up. 4 out of 5 stars.
-Merman
-Plus Size
-Enemies To Lovers
-Breath Play
-Self-Harm
-SA
Thank you for the ARC, Booksprout.
Read
February 4, 2025what… ok so first i loved this sm, but idk if im remembering insatiable wrong or what but was it this insane on the gore?? and no thats not a complaint it was crazy and well… well deserved! i do need to mention that although all of pearls friends deaths were sad, jamies last words gutted me, i wish they both had more closure than what rynar gave to them but it was bittersweet. i cant forget to talk about pearl and rynar together, even though he was supposed to be this scary monster there were moments where he was cute lmao, AND this mf wooed her with many gifts and a castle! so adorable. i love this authors books sm and i cant wait till the next in this series. oh and i feel like this book was *loosely* inspired by the shape of water and i love that movie, if thats not the case well… whoops :)
January 27, 2025
This felt a little like Whispers of the deep by Emma Hamm but not in a good way.
The FMC gets insanely repetitive from the middle to the end of the book.
The start was pretty good honestly, I thought it had a lot of promise and the way everything was described during the ‘horror’ type scenes was great, but it falls flat fairly quickly after that.
The consistent repetition of “I hate you”, “you ruined my life” blah blah blah got really annoying towards the end of the book considering the FMC started out really strong. She didn’t take shit from the others that were with her and tried to be respectful as possible to the villagers.
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved the Deep Waters series by Emma Hamm, but it was just so boring after the first initial event.
The FMC gets insanely repetitive from the middle to the end of the book.
The start was pretty good honestly, I thought it had a lot of promise and the way everything was described during the ‘horror’ type scenes was great, but it falls flat fairly quickly after that.
The consistent repetition of “I hate you”, “you ruined my life” blah blah blah got really annoying towards the end of the book considering the FMC started out really strong. She didn’t take shit from the others that were with her and tried to be respectful as possible to the villagers.
I wanted to love this book as much as I loved the Deep Waters series by Emma Hamm, but it was just so boring after the first initial event.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2025
What book with a plus size heroine should you read next? - Drenched by @authorsephyrra - This horror romance with paranormal elements is haunting, beautiful, and dark, with a complex FMC not only exploring as a researcher but finding pieces of herself along the way. I loved reading Pearl’s journey and growth. Her heartbreak is tangible, but her fight and power is undeniable. The book follows her into the ocean’s depths where she finds unexpected things about her past, who she is now, and how she will navigate her future. I highly recommend reading Drenched if you enjoy reading stories about strong FMCs with great character arcs, dark, paranormal, horror tales, steamy romances, and morally grey MMCs with tails. Also, the aesthetics for this book just hit different 🌊🐚🧜
January 7, 2025
This is my first time reading a monster dark romance and it sooooo much better than I could have ever guessed it to be. I loved how much detail was put into this book. It was so much so that I was shivering just from the opening description of surrounding areas. The characters were amazing they all had so much depth to them that I couldn't always easily guess what they were going to do or say next. I was left to fell the emotions of what the character was giving off. I am looking forward to reading other works of art Sephyrra has to offer.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 20, 2025
Dark seam monster horror romance.
Ok so this was my first merman romance and I liked most of it.
The story was actually quite good. Pearl, a scientist, and her friends/colleagues and a tool named Jonathan go to a small fishing town to collect special algae. The town is full of shady people who warn them to not go diving for the algae - they ignore them (obviously) and drama ensues!
I honestly didn't care much for Pearl, she was quite annoying. I liked Rynar though.
The spice was nice, I now know what a merman peen looks like. And against all odds there is a HEA.
My favourite line - "you're not my enemy, Pearl." "You're my purpose.".
Ok so this was my first merman romance and I liked most of it.
The story was actually quite good. Pearl, a scientist, and her friends/colleagues and a tool named Jonathan go to a small fishing town to collect special algae. The town is full of shady people who warn them to not go diving for the algae - they ignore them (obviously) and drama ensues!
I honestly didn't care much for Pearl, she was quite annoying. I liked Rynar though.
The spice was nice, I now know what a merman peen looks like. And against all odds there is a HEA.
My favourite line - "you're not my enemy, Pearl." "You're my purpose.".
January 26, 2025
I was kind of skeptical going into this book, but boy, am I glad I decided to plunge into this one (you see what I did there?). This wasn't the first merman book I've read, but unlike the others, this one was quite different. The world building into this strange underwater place was fascinating and the chemistry between Pearl and Rynar was perfect. I'm going to have to read the first in the series because I liked this one so much. If you're looking for something different than what you're used to reading in romance, give this one a try.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 15, 2025
This should be somewhere between 4 ⭐️ and 4,5⭐️ but I have rounded it to 5⭐️ as I really enjoyed all suspense and er*tic horror romance elements. And it was super easy and entertaining to read.
The thriller vibes were well executed among with decent (but limited) world building.
I wished this would be a double POV, or at least that there would at be 2-3 Ryanar only chapters.
The romance itself has some moments in which it definitely turns into monster smut, and as much as I love smut 😉, I don't think it was necessary here.
Anyway, I have enjoyed it and I will check out some other stories from this author.
The thriller vibes were well executed among with decent (but limited) world building.
I wished this would be a double POV, or at least that there would at be 2-3 Ryanar only chapters.
The romance itself has some moments in which it definitely turns into monster smut, and as much as I love smut 😉, I don't think it was necessary here.
Anyway, I have enjoyed it and I will check out some other stories from this author.
September 4, 2025
interesting read…
This dark thriller/horror romance was extremely interesting and really dove into the mental game of a toxic relationship. Because that’s what this was a very very toxic relationship and one party obsessed over the other before them knowing and the other was manipulated into eventually loving that person.
This was a very strange read, just as strange as the first in the series and maybe worse because of the toxicity? I will say Rynar is DEVOTED in the end to his woman and that is something that I loved. Though everything else just screamed dysfunctional and akin to not being able to let a toxic ex go.
The science aspect was really intriguing being about healing algae but the other scientists really annoyed me lol, they were all so dismissive of Pearl. I think she gained a little backbone as the book went on. I absolutely love the vengeance she rained onto the villagers and how she saved the little girl!
Spice 2/5.
This dark thriller/horror romance was extremely interesting and really dove into the mental game of a toxic relationship. Because that’s what this was a very very toxic relationship and one party obsessed over the other before them knowing and the other was manipulated into eventually loving that person.
This was a very strange read, just as strange as the first in the series and maybe worse because of the toxicity? I will say Rynar is DEVOTED in the end to his woman and that is something that I loved. Though everything else just screamed dysfunctional and akin to not being able to let a toxic ex go.
The science aspect was really intriguing being about healing algae but the other scientists really annoyed me lol, they were all so dismissive of Pearl. I think she gained a little backbone as the book went on. I absolutely love the vengeance she rained onto the villagers and how she saved the little girl!
Spice 2/5.
November 5, 2025
Not what I expected...
So the first few chapters of the book, loved it, it gave a chilling horror vibe that had you really invested. I feel it could have made a brilliant overall horror.
The book was written well it just lacked depth, there was no real feel for the characters, they just existed, which is a real shame because the concept was so good. The second half of the book felt rushed and repetitive, there was no fight from Pearl and barely any emotion. I get the whole Stockholm Syndrome in essence but it was so dull and just not a good vibe.
The ending was a disappointment to me personally, but it was an easy short read.
So the first few chapters of the book, loved it, it gave a chilling horror vibe that had you really invested. I feel it could have made a brilliant overall horror.
The book was written well it just lacked depth, there was no real feel for the characters, they just existed, which is a real shame because the concept was so good. The second half of the book felt rushed and repetitive, there was no fight from Pearl and barely any emotion. I get the whole Stockholm Syndrome in essence but it was so dull and just not a good vibe.
The ending was a disappointment to me personally, but it was an easy short read.
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