What do you think?
Rate this book
Curse of Ever #1
Wicked Sea and Sky
She’s a treasure hunter bound by dark magic. He’s the thief who shattered her trust. And now? He’s her only shot at survival.
Betrayed during a treasure hunt and sentenced to a watery prison, Marin has spent the last few years trapped beneath the waves. Now she’s back on land with three weeks to break her curse or die trying. Her only hope lies in a mythical artifact lost to the sky realm, and in the hands of the charming thief she vowed never to forgive.
Gavin was the only man she ever let close. This time, she wants revenge. He swears he never betrayed her and only wants to help, but every stolen glance and lingering touch feels like another trap.
With time running out, they'll have to hunt together one last time. Through crumbling ruins, sky mazes, and battles with deadly creatures, their search will test more than just their skills. But as their partnership heats up and secrets unravel, Marin must face the truth: the man who broke her heart might be the one fighting to keep it.
Wicked Sea and Sky is a sizzling fantasy romance packed with thrilling adventure, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a love worth fighting for. Perfect for fans of fairytale retellings, dark curses, and high-stakes heists.
Betrayed during a treasure hunt and sentenced to a watery prison, Marin has spent the last few years trapped beneath the waves. Now she’s back on land with three weeks to break her curse or die trying. Her only hope lies in a mythical artifact lost to the sky realm, and in the hands of the charming thief she vowed never to forgive.
Gavin was the only man she ever let close. This time, she wants revenge. He swears he never betrayed her and only wants to help, but every stolen glance and lingering touch feels like another trap.
With time running out, they'll have to hunt together one last time. Through crumbling ruins, sky mazes, and battles with deadly creatures, their search will test more than just their skills. But as their partnership heats up and secrets unravel, Marin must face the truth: the man who broke her heart might be the one fighting to keep it.
Wicked Sea and Sky is a sizzling fantasy romance packed with thrilling adventure, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a love worth fighting for. Perfect for fans of fairytale retellings, dark curses, and high-stakes heists.
443 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2025
76 people are currently reading
1243 people want to read
About the author
Jenna Collett
16 books252 followersAuthor of paranormal romance with a fairytale twist. I'm currently writing a spin-off to the Ever Dark, Ever Deadly series that will release spring of 2025.
I also write paranormal rom-coms with the third book in the Witching You series coming out November 2025!
NEWSLETTER: https://witty-pioneer-5050.ck.page/39...
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/jennacollettauthor
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenna...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Collett/...
As a reader, I enjoy all things romance, especially paranormal and fantasy. My all-time favorite series is the Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole. I also binge mysteries and thrillers, the spookier the better!
Let's chat about books!
I also write paranormal rom-coms with the third book in the Witching You series coming out November 2025!
NEWSLETTER: https://witty-pioneer-5050.ck.page/39...
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/jennacollettauthor
BOOKBUB: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenna...
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Jenna-Collett/...
As a reader, I enjoy all things romance, especially paranormal and fantasy. My all-time favorite series is the Immortals After Dark by Kresley Cole. I also binge mysteries and thrillers, the spookier the better!
Let's chat about books!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
January 14, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️🌶️
I had so much fun with this book! I received an ARC of Wicked Sea and Sky! This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I have truly never read anything like this. It gives Little Mermaid meets Jack and the Bean Stalk vibes.
Wicked Sea and Sky is a fast paced novel. Readers are thrown immediately into the story from the very first chapter. As someone who gets bored easily at the beginning, this wasn’t a struggle for me at all and I love that the author has it set up this way! The book contains mermaids, sea creatures, treasure hunters, and so much more! We get lots of world building in this book. There’s a sky realm, an underwater realm, and a kingdom on land. The author did so phenomenal on this! I loved everything about each place! It literally felt like I was in these places physically when the author was describing them.
Marin is the FMC. She’s a treasure hunter. She also has unknown hidden powers. She is the morally gray one in the novel. Gavin is our MMC. He’s a treasure hunter as well. The two work together on quests so readers get forced proximity. The banter between these two was so good! Gavin will definitely make you giggle and kick your feet. I struggled slightly on feeling the connection between the two in the very beginning but I felt it afterwards.
Forced Proximity
Fairytale retelling 🧜♀️🫘🫛
Slow Burn (so good!🔥)
Reluctant allies to lovers 🩷
Morally gray FMC & she’s stabby 🔪
Multiple magical realms 🌊
Mermaids 🧜♀️
Epic map quests 🗺️
Beachy vibes & the perfect fantasy romance read for summer!
2/5 🌶️🌶️
I had so much fun with this book! I received an ARC of Wicked Sea and Sky! This book had me hooked from the very beginning. I have truly never read anything like this. It gives Little Mermaid meets Jack and the Bean Stalk vibes.
Wicked Sea and Sky is a fast paced novel. Readers are thrown immediately into the story from the very first chapter. As someone who gets bored easily at the beginning, this wasn’t a struggle for me at all and I love that the author has it set up this way! The book contains mermaids, sea creatures, treasure hunters, and so much more! We get lots of world building in this book. There’s a sky realm, an underwater realm, and a kingdom on land. The author did so phenomenal on this! I loved everything about each place! It literally felt like I was in these places physically when the author was describing them.
Marin is the FMC. She’s a treasure hunter. She also has unknown hidden powers. She is the morally gray one in the novel. Gavin is our MMC. He’s a treasure hunter as well. The two work together on quests so readers get forced proximity. The banter between these two was so good! Gavin will definitely make you giggle and kick your feet. I struggled slightly on feeling the connection between the two in the very beginning but I felt it afterwards.
Forced Proximity
Fairytale retelling 🧜♀️🫘🫛
Slow Burn (so good!🔥)
Reluctant allies to lovers 🩷
Morally gray FMC & she’s stabby 🔪
Multiple magical realms 🌊
Mermaids 🧜♀️
Epic map quests 🗺️
Beachy vibes & the perfect fantasy romance read for summer!
July 3, 2025
This story truly has it all: friends-to-enemies-to-lovers tension, a hero who falls first (and falls hard), sharp banter, and characters you can’t help but root for. The writing pulled me in right away, and I was immediately hooked on Mare and Gavin’s dynamic. Their back-and-forth was equal parts fiery and tender, and their chemistry leapt off the page.
The opening portion of the story, before Mare ends up in the sea prison, struck a perfect balance. It gave just enough insight into Mare and Gavin’s relationship, introduced intriguing side characters, and laid the groundwork for Mare’s background without dragging or feeling overly drawn out. It set the stage beautifully and made me eager to see how everything would unfold. Getting Gavin’s point of view made the story even better! I’m a total sucker for a dual POV, especially when the MMC is quietly carrying a long-standing torch for the FMC ✨swoon✨
I devoured this one and am already counting down the days for Cass’s story!
Thank you to Jenna Collett and The Realm Studios for an advanced copy of this book!
The opening portion of the story, before Mare ends up in the sea prison, struck a perfect balance. It gave just enough insight into Mare and Gavin’s relationship, introduced intriguing side characters, and laid the groundwork for Mare’s background without dragging or feeling overly drawn out. It set the stage beautifully and made me eager to see how everything would unfold. Getting Gavin’s point of view made the story even better! I’m a total sucker for a dual POV, especially when the MMC is quietly carrying a long-standing torch for the FMC ✨swoon✨
I devoured this one and am already counting down the days for Cass’s story!
Thank you to Jenna Collett and The Realm Studios for an advanced copy of this book!
dnf
August 25, 2025dnf @ 66%
this was a really cute mermaid book with a fun little adventure/treasure hunt subplot (very uncharted vibes!) but unfortunately for me i am learning i hate treasure hunts as a primary plot in anything that isn't brendan fraser's The Mummy.
this was a really cute mermaid book with a fun little adventure/treasure hunt subplot (very uncharted vibes!) but unfortunately for me i am learning i hate treasure hunts as a primary plot in anything that isn't brendan fraser's The Mummy.
June 21, 2025
Amazing.
For the last year, Mare had been searching for a mythical treasure that would pay back the debt she owes for her family home that she needs to pay in order to keep it.
When she and her treasure hunting crew do find the treasure, Marin is happy that she finally gets the money she needed, until she’s betrayed. And she wakes up in an underwater dungeon with a mermaid’s tail.
I’m going to leave it at that because this book isn’t what I expected and I loved that!
This made me think of a cross between Indiana Jones, Treasure Island and a few other fairytales, like Jack and the Beanstalk and The Little Mermaid. It was such a wonderful blend of all these stories and fairytales making it its own original story just taking small elements from each of these stories and putting them into this book. It was cleverly done and well written! Still its own unique world!
Two other things that stood out for me in this book, aside from the fairytale inspired world: the banter. And the romance.
The banter. Oh my gosh, the banter. The banter was on point all the time between Marin and Gavin and even between Marin and her other friends, but her and Gavin, the wit and the sarcasm was perfect. It made me laugh and snicker and wish I could be as clever as these two.
Then the romance. I will be honest, not a fan of second chance romances. It has to be done well for me to enjoy it, and this one is WELL done! I won’t go into detail because that would spoil the story, but I’ll just say I loved it, I love Gavin(this guy 🥵) and I loved these two together.
There’s a found family in here that was broken and slowly brought back together after a betrayal and a fight. I love the way it was knit back together. It wasn’t immediate. It took time for some to come to terms with the fact they could trust these people again, or could always trust them. Marin definitely struggled the most, and I appreciate the way the author portrayed her trauma and her feelings of betrayal. She handles herself really well, and she’s angry, which is understandable, and I appreciate how she slowly learns, maybe not all is as it seems, or what she was told.
This took me on such a wonderful treasure hunting adventure. It makes me want to go on a ship and find treasure with a witty and sarcastic man 😆
Definitely worth the read! Read it and be swept away on an adventure filled with romance, treasure and so much witty sarcasm.
Thank you to the author for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
For the last year, Mare had been searching for a mythical treasure that would pay back the debt she owes for her family home that she needs to pay in order to keep it.
When she and her treasure hunting crew do find the treasure, Marin is happy that she finally gets the money she needed, until she’s betrayed. And she wakes up in an underwater dungeon with a mermaid’s tail.
I’m going to leave it at that because this book isn’t what I expected and I loved that!
This made me think of a cross between Indiana Jones, Treasure Island and a few other fairytales, like Jack and the Beanstalk and The Little Mermaid. It was such a wonderful blend of all these stories and fairytales making it its own original story just taking small elements from each of these stories and putting them into this book. It was cleverly done and well written! Still its own unique world!
Two other things that stood out for me in this book, aside from the fairytale inspired world: the banter. And the romance.
The banter. Oh my gosh, the banter. The banter was on point all the time between Marin and Gavin and even between Marin and her other friends, but her and Gavin, the wit and the sarcasm was perfect. It made me laugh and snicker and wish I could be as clever as these two.
Then the romance. I will be honest, not a fan of second chance romances. It has to be done well for me to enjoy it, and this one is WELL done! I won’t go into detail because that would spoil the story, but I’ll just say I loved it, I love Gavin(this guy 🥵) and I loved these two together.
There’s a found family in here that was broken and slowly brought back together after a betrayal and a fight. I love the way it was knit back together. It wasn’t immediate. It took time for some to come to terms with the fact they could trust these people again, or could always trust them. Marin definitely struggled the most, and I appreciate the way the author portrayed her trauma and her feelings of betrayal. She handles herself really well, and she’s angry, which is understandable, and I appreciate how she slowly learns, maybe not all is as it seems, or what she was told.
This took me on such a wonderful treasure hunting adventure. It makes me want to go on a ship and find treasure with a witty and sarcastic man 😆
Definitely worth the read! Read it and be swept away on an adventure filled with romance, treasure and so much witty sarcasm.
Thank you to the author for the e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 17, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
This was so cute! Loved Gavin!! And the banter was delicious. Loved the whimsical magic and the play on fairytales.
My only negatives are that I didn’t buy into the undersea prison ordeal (some of that just didn’t work for me) and some of the plot unfolded a little too conveniently, almost giving this a YA feel.
This was so cute! Loved Gavin!! And the banter was delicious. Loved the whimsical magic and the play on fairytales.
My only negatives are that I didn’t buy into the undersea prison ordeal (some of that just didn’t work for me) and some of the plot unfolded a little too conveniently, almost giving this a YA feel.
June 12, 2025
A great fairy tale retelling. Intense enemies to lovers romantasy. Intricate magic system. A hint of suspense with the layered twists and turns. I had trouble just putting this down to take a break and read other things or do household projects. So easy to fall for these characters and the passion that was created on the page.
June 28, 2025
This is definitely a read for summertime with sea adventures, rom com vibes, and a movie worthy romance.
little mermaid x jack and the beanstalk retelling
low spice: honestly wanted more with the tension and banter
friends to lovers (but with a betrayal in the middle)
slight miscommunication but it’s acknowledged and resolved in a way that flowed
she falls into the ocean and turns into a mermaid before she can confess feelings to her crush.
fast-paced
best aspects of the original fairytales while still feeling original
inconsistent pacing but it felt like an ode to the fairytales, so it might have been intentional. I was into in and then not and then sucked in and zoomed through another 100 pages just to hit a lull. ya know.
hidden powers/magic. found family that gets separated by a traumatic event. band of merry misfits.
time jump
“there she is”
he has been pining for her since the day they met. even when she hates him, he loves her.
carries her through a bog.
writing style was more YA than I prefer
little mermaid x jack and the beanstalk retelling
low spice: honestly wanted more with the tension and banter
friends to lovers (but with a betrayal in the middle)
slight miscommunication but it’s acknowledged and resolved in a way that flowed
she falls into the ocean and turns into a mermaid before she can confess feelings to her crush.
fast-paced
best aspects of the original fairytales while still feeling original
inconsistent pacing but it felt like an ode to the fairytales, so it might have been intentional. I was into in and then not and then sucked in and zoomed through another 100 pages just to hit a lull. ya know.
hidden powers/magic. found family that gets separated by a traumatic event. band of merry misfits.
time jump
“there she is”
he has been pining for her since the day they met. even when she hates him, he loves her.
carries her through a bog.
writing style was more YA than I prefer
June 22, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
What happens when you blend Indiana Jones, The Little Mermaid, and Jack and the Beanstalk? You get Wicked Sea and Sky by Jenna Collett — and what a gem it is!
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Jenna and The Realm Archives in exchange for my honest review, and I’m so glad I did. This story was a total treasure!
Right from the start, we’re thrown into a high-stakes adventure as our fierce FMC, Marin, and the swoon-worthy Gavin lead their crew on a mission to recover a priceless artifact — all while dodging ruthless marauders and deadly traps. Marin has plans to use her share of the loot to reclaim her childhood home, but betrayal lands her in an underwater prison… as a mermaid. Cue the Sea Queen, who offers Marin a deal: she can earn her freedom by retrieving a powerful relic hidden in the Sky Kingdom — but she only has three weeks. Oh, and the worst part? She has to team up with the very man who shattered her trust… and her heart.
I absolutely loved this book! Marin and Gavin’s journey from friends to enemies to lovers was a slow-burn done so well. The spice doesn’t show up until the final quarter, but when it does — it’s perfect. Their chemistry, the witty banter, the emotional tension… it was everything. Marin is clever, sarcastic, and fierce; Gavin may seem carefree and flirty on the outside, but deep down, he’s a golden retriever of a man who would burn the world for her.
This book has it all: treasure hunting, sea witches, mermaids and sirens, curses, giants, sky kingdoms, and nonstop adventure. I had an absolute blast reading it and rated it a solid 4.5 ⭐️. If you love epic quests, found family, and fairytale retellings with a romantic twist, I think you’ll love this too.
I’m already diving into Jenna Collett’s backlist and was thrilled to see one of her books in the recent SYKD box! Wicked Sea and Sky officially releases June 23rd on Kindle Unlimited, but you can already grab the physical copy on Amazon.
Genre/Type: Fantasy, Fairytale retelling
Format: eARC (Kindle)
Pages: 43
Audio length:N/A
Narrator(s): N/A
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tears: 💧💧
Series or Standalone: Curse of Ever
Characters: Marin, Gavin
Check Triggers:
What happens when you blend Indiana Jones, The Little Mermaid, and Jack and the Beanstalk? You get Wicked Sea and Sky by Jenna Collett — and what a gem it is!
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Jenna and The Realm Archives in exchange for my honest review, and I’m so glad I did. This story was a total treasure!
Right from the start, we’re thrown into a high-stakes adventure as our fierce FMC, Marin, and the swoon-worthy Gavin lead their crew on a mission to recover a priceless artifact — all while dodging ruthless marauders and deadly traps. Marin has plans to use her share of the loot to reclaim her childhood home, but betrayal lands her in an underwater prison… as a mermaid. Cue the Sea Queen, who offers Marin a deal: she can earn her freedom by retrieving a powerful relic hidden in the Sky Kingdom — but she only has three weeks. Oh, and the worst part? She has to team up with the very man who shattered her trust… and her heart.
I absolutely loved this book! Marin and Gavin’s journey from friends to enemies to lovers was a slow-burn done so well. The spice doesn’t show up until the final quarter, but when it does — it’s perfect. Their chemistry, the witty banter, the emotional tension… it was everything. Marin is clever, sarcastic, and fierce; Gavin may seem carefree and flirty on the outside, but deep down, he’s a golden retriever of a man who would burn the world for her.
This book has it all: treasure hunting, sea witches, mermaids and sirens, curses, giants, sky kingdoms, and nonstop adventure. I had an absolute blast reading it and rated it a solid 4.5 ⭐️. If you love epic quests, found family, and fairytale retellings with a romantic twist, I think you’ll love this too.
I’m already diving into Jenna Collett’s backlist and was thrilled to see one of her books in the recent SYKD box! Wicked Sea and Sky officially releases June 23rd on Kindle Unlimited, but you can already grab the physical copy on Amazon.
Genre/Type: Fantasy, Fairytale retelling
Format: eARC (Kindle)
Pages: 43
Audio length:N/A
Narrator(s): N/A
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️,5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tears: 💧💧
Series or Standalone: Curse of Ever
Characters: Marin, Gavin
Check Triggers:
July 28, 2025
3.75 Estrelas ★
Foi leitura instigante, o livro me interessou desde o inicio e eu não conseguia mais parar de ler. A cena no final onde eles lutam contra a Tivara(?) eu achei um pouco confusa mas talvez tenha sido por causa da tradução do aplicativo que estava meio ruim.
tirando essa parte que foi confusa eu gostei bastante dessa leitura.
Foi leitura instigante, o livro me interessou desde o inicio e eu não conseguia mais parar de ler. A cena no final onde eles lutam contra a Tivara(?) eu achei um pouco confusa mas talvez tenha sido por causa da tradução do aplicativo que estava meio ruim.
tirando essa parte que foi confusa eu gostei bastante dessa leitura.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2025
4.5⭐️ rounded to 5
That was SUCH a fun time. Pure entertainment. Treasure hunts, mermaids, curses, sky kingdoms, romance, tragedy…this book had damn near everything and absolutely enchanted me.
But Kayleigh, how can a twisted Little Mermaid retelling mix so well with a Jack and the Beanstalk retelling? Idfk but Jenna just did the damn thing. I was so engrossed with Marin Gavin’s story the whole way through the book. This was such a whimsical read. Truly gave me a fairytale vibe while still capturing some darker elements. I honestly was not expecting to be swept off my feet, but by God am I not mad about it at all. Grinning and giggling and kicking my feet while simultaneously gripping the edge of my seat to see what would happen next.
Also I feel like I need to give some props to the first book couple I’ve encountered where neither MC is toxic 👏🏼 no miscommunication 👏🏼 banter was on point 👏🏼 golden retriever MMC who would kill for his girl 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 pure perfection.
I cannot wait for more installments in this series. I am not ready to be done with Ever yet 🫶🏼
Super thankful to have read this as an ARC!!
That was SUCH a fun time. Pure entertainment. Treasure hunts, mermaids, curses, sky kingdoms, romance, tragedy…this book had damn near everything and absolutely enchanted me.
But Kayleigh, how can a twisted Little Mermaid retelling mix so well with a Jack and the Beanstalk retelling? Idfk but Jenna just did the damn thing. I was so engrossed with Marin Gavin’s story the whole way through the book. This was such a whimsical read. Truly gave me a fairytale vibe while still capturing some darker elements. I honestly was not expecting to be swept off my feet, but by God am I not mad about it at all. Grinning and giggling and kicking my feet while simultaneously gripping the edge of my seat to see what would happen next.
Also I feel like I need to give some props to the first book couple I’ve encountered where neither MC is toxic 👏🏼 no miscommunication 👏🏼 banter was on point 👏🏼 golden retriever MMC who would kill for his girl 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 pure perfection.
I cannot wait for more installments in this series. I am not ready to be done with Ever yet 🫶🏼
Super thankful to have read this as an ARC!!
June 27, 2025
I was fortunate enough to get an ARC copy of this book and while personal life got in the way of me finishing it before the pub date, it is by far the best ARC I’ve read to date.
Absolutely loved the story and the characters. The sassy FMC Marin was so much fun. And the charmingly handsome MMC Gavin is 100% book boyfriend material.
This is a beautiful blend of action, adventure and a bit of spice. The found family was amazing. It is dual 1st person POV though you don’t get the 2nd POV until the 2nd part of the book. Both voices were unique and gave a different spin on each situation. Loved it!
Absolutely loved the story and the characters. The sassy FMC Marin was so much fun. And the charmingly handsome MMC Gavin is 100% book boyfriend material.
This is a beautiful blend of action, adventure and a bit of spice. The found family was amazing. It is dual 1st person POV though you don’t get the 2nd POV until the 2nd part of the book. Both voices were unique and gave a different spin on each situation. Loved it!
June 21, 2025
ARC Read. I really enjoyed this book, I couldn’t put it down. It had a little bit of everything. Goonies vibes, friends to enemies to lovers, treasure hunting, found family, little mermaid meets Jack and the bean stalk. I loved the fairy tale elements and the character development. Hoping for another book in this series!
September 14, 2025
4.25 stars
I HAD FUN.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
This was a great standalone! I can’t believe I haven’t read this author before because I will definitely be continuing this series. I do want to note that this is a standalone (but it appears more books are coming?? I guess different main characters??). The arc for Marin and Gavin comes to a conclusion. I know that much at least.
With this being a standalone I do think the romance was a little faster paced than I like to see. I felt tossed into the beginning and was drowning a bit until things settled down. But the twist?? That threw me and I was heavily invested in the rest of the journey. There was impeccable snappy banter between the love interests and we also get dual POV!! I loved the found family and that this had a heist quality to it as well. It’s a fast paced read that was a lot of fun!!
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Romance
- Language: mild
- Romance: 2ish open door
- Violence: moderate
I HAD FUN.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM || TIKTOK
This was a great standalone! I can’t believe I haven’t read this author before because I will definitely be continuing this series. I do want to note that this is a standalone (but it appears more books are coming?? I guess different main characters??). The arc for Marin and Gavin comes to a conclusion. I know that much at least.
With this being a standalone I do think the romance was a little faster paced than I like to see. I felt tossed into the beginning and was drowning a bit until things settled down. But the twist?? That threw me and I was heavily invested in the rest of the journey. There was impeccable snappy banter between the love interests and we also get dual POV!! I loved the found family and that this had a heist quality to it as well. It’s a fast paced read that was a lot of fun!!
Overall audience notes:
- Fantasy Romance
- Language: mild
- Romance: 2ish open door
- Violence: moderate
August 2, 2025
A Fast-Paced, Multi-Realm Adventure with Mermaids, Magic & Just the Right Amount of Stabby
I had so much fun with Wicked Sea and Sky! I received an ARC through Tales & Teacups, and from the very first chapter, I was hooked. This story is like The Little Mermaid meets Jack and the Beanstalk and somehow, it works in the best, wildest way.
This book wastes no time. You’re thrown right into the action from page one, and as someone who usually needs a while to warm up to a fantasy world, I was thrilled that the pacing kept me engaged from the start. It’s fast-moving, immersive, and packed with everything I love: mermaids, magical realms, treasure hunts, morally gray characters, and banter that had me kicking my feet.
The world-building is a total standout. There’s a sky realm, an underwater realm, a land kingdom and each one felt so vivid and real, I could practically feel the salt in the air or the wind in my hair. The author did such a phenomenal job weaving each setting together without info-dumping or slowing the pace.
Marin, the FMC, is a treasure hunter with a mysterious past and some hidden powers. She’s stabby, morally gray, and totally my kind of chaotic. Gavin, the MMC, is also a treasure hunter, and the two are paired up on quests that give us delicious forced proximity and reluctant allies-to-lovers energy. Their dynamic is so fun to watch unfold. Gavin definitely had me giggling more than once. I will say it took me a little time to fully feel the connection between them at first, but once it kicked in? I was sold.
✨ Tropes & vibes:
• Forced Proximity
• Fairytale Retelling
• Slow Burn (and worth the wait!)
• Reluctant Allies to Lovers
• Morally Gray, Knife-Wielding FMC
• Magical Realms (plural!)
• Mermaids, sea creatures & treasure-hunting chaos
If you’re in the mood for something fun, fast, and full of magic, Wicked Sea and Sky should definitely be on your list.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Tales & Teacups and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
I had so much fun with Wicked Sea and Sky! I received an ARC through Tales & Teacups, and from the very first chapter, I was hooked. This story is like The Little Mermaid meets Jack and the Beanstalk and somehow, it works in the best, wildest way.
This book wastes no time. You’re thrown right into the action from page one, and as someone who usually needs a while to warm up to a fantasy world, I was thrilled that the pacing kept me engaged from the start. It’s fast-moving, immersive, and packed with everything I love: mermaids, magical realms, treasure hunts, morally gray characters, and banter that had me kicking my feet.
The world-building is a total standout. There’s a sky realm, an underwater realm, a land kingdom and each one felt so vivid and real, I could practically feel the salt in the air or the wind in my hair. The author did such a phenomenal job weaving each setting together without info-dumping or slowing the pace.
Marin, the FMC, is a treasure hunter with a mysterious past and some hidden powers. She’s stabby, morally gray, and totally my kind of chaotic. Gavin, the MMC, is also a treasure hunter, and the two are paired up on quests that give us delicious forced proximity and reluctant allies-to-lovers energy. Their dynamic is so fun to watch unfold. Gavin definitely had me giggling more than once. I will say it took me a little time to fully feel the connection between them at first, but once it kicked in? I was sold.
✨ Tropes & vibes:
• Forced Proximity
• Fairytale Retelling
• Slow Burn (and worth the wait!)
• Reluctant Allies to Lovers
• Morally Gray, Knife-Wielding FMC
• Magical Realms (plural!)
• Mermaids, sea creatures & treasure-hunting chaos
If you’re in the mood for something fun, fast, and full of magic, Wicked Sea and Sky should definitely be on your list.
Disclaimer: Thank you to Tales & Teacups and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!
July 1, 2025
**ARC Review**
⭐️4.5/5 Worldbuilding
⭐️ 5/5 Characters
⭐️ 4.5/5 Plot
⭐️ 5/5 Banter
⭐️ 5/5 Thrill
⭐️ 4/5 Ease of Reading
⭐️ 4/5 Ending
💙 3/5 (Romance)
🌶️ 2/5 (Light spice)
⭐️ 4.5/5 Overall
As someone who absolutely loved the adventures of Indiana Jones as a kid and the story of the Little Mermaid, this book caught my attention right away. I was gifted a copy early in exchange for an honest review, and I was so happy with this book that I definitely plan to read the future books as well!!
The story starts right in the middle of a high stakes adventure where the prize can give the main female character Marin the chance to buy back her family home. She works alongside childhood friend Gavin and the banter between them is AMAZINGGGG!! The character depth is so complimentary for them, giving them amazing chemistry and making them one of my top book couples of 2025!!
Also, this romantasy book did have the friends to enemies to lovers trope, and I believe that it was VERY well done! They didn’t feel like they slightly disliked and always yearned, it felt like genuine hate after everything that went down. I could feel the tension, and even the spice toward the end didn’t feel like it came out of nowhere, it was built up to!
Overall, this book was so easy to read and immerse myself into, especially as someone who usually does not read ebooks! But once I found my groove, I finished it in only a few days!! I highly recommend this book for even casual readers who want a fun immersive read!!
⭐️4.5/5 Worldbuilding
⭐️ 5/5 Characters
⭐️ 4.5/5 Plot
⭐️ 5/5 Banter
⭐️ 5/5 Thrill
⭐️ 4/5 Ease of Reading
⭐️ 4/5 Ending
💙 3/5 (Romance)
🌶️ 2/5 (Light spice)
⭐️ 4.5/5 Overall
As someone who absolutely loved the adventures of Indiana Jones as a kid and the story of the Little Mermaid, this book caught my attention right away. I was gifted a copy early in exchange for an honest review, and I was so happy with this book that I definitely plan to read the future books as well!!
The story starts right in the middle of a high stakes adventure where the prize can give the main female character Marin the chance to buy back her family home. She works alongside childhood friend Gavin and the banter between them is AMAZINGGGG!! The character depth is so complimentary for them, giving them amazing chemistry and making them one of my top book couples of 2025!!
Also, this romantasy book did have the friends to enemies to lovers trope, and I believe that it was VERY well done! They didn’t feel like they slightly disliked and always yearned, it felt like genuine hate after everything that went down. I could feel the tension, and even the spice toward the end didn’t feel like it came out of nowhere, it was built up to!
Overall, this book was so easy to read and immerse myself into, especially as someone who usually does not read ebooks! But once I found my groove, I finished it in only a few days!! I highly recommend this book for even casual readers who want a fun immersive read!!
June 27, 2025
Not even that long ago I discovered the fairytale inspired stories by this author and I just gobbled them up! When I got an email that I could sign up for a digital arc for this newest book I therefore didn't hesitate and said yet. It was hard to fit it into my reading schedule, but I just really wanted to!
I loved this book from start to finish. I've been smiling and laughing so often. I understood the feelings of the characters so well and even though there is some miscommunication between the hero and the heroine, it's very understandable why things go wrong and things are righted again in a very natural and realistic way.
I most of all enjoyed the banter between the main characters. They had an amazing dynamic and so much chemistry. There was a certain kind of tension between them that just worked. And although they worked great as a couple, they were also interesting on their own. I loved the dual point of view and getting so much insight into their thought processes.
I also loved how this book tied in with the other series in this universe. It's totally possible to enjoy this book without having read any of the others, but there are some nice cameos and easter eggs for those who did. I hope that new readers will get curious about the other books and will pick them up. I will try to wait patiently until the next book is released!
I loved this book from start to finish. I've been smiling and laughing so often. I understood the feelings of the characters so well and even though there is some miscommunication between the hero and the heroine, it's very understandable why things go wrong and things are righted again in a very natural and realistic way.
I most of all enjoyed the banter between the main characters. They had an amazing dynamic and so much chemistry. There was a certain kind of tension between them that just worked. And although they worked great as a couple, they were also interesting on their own. I loved the dual point of view and getting so much insight into their thought processes.
I also loved how this book tied in with the other series in this universe. It's totally possible to enjoy this book without having read any of the others, but there are some nice cameos and easter eggs for those who did. I hope that new readers will get curious about the other books and will pick them up. I will try to wait patiently until the next book is released!
June 20, 2025
I received this as an ARC.
I was a little hesitant at first since I had never read a book with treasure hunters or witches or any of the like. However, I ended up absolutely loving this book! I was hooked and could not put it down. I was obsessed with the characters and their development throughout the book. I was also completely captivated by the banter between the two main characters. I really enjoyed the world building and the fantasy characters that were involved. There were treasure hunters, witches, mermaids, sirens, giants, and so many more. Overall, this book was so much fun to read and you can bet that I will be coming back to read the next in the series whenever it is released! I highly recommend this book! It was a captivating tale and I absolutely loved the journey it took me on! Overall, I would give this a 4.5 star rating!
I was a little hesitant at first since I had never read a book with treasure hunters or witches or any of the like. However, I ended up absolutely loving this book! I was hooked and could not put it down. I was obsessed with the characters and their development throughout the book. I was also completely captivated by the banter between the two main characters. I really enjoyed the world building and the fantasy characters that were involved. There were treasure hunters, witches, mermaids, sirens, giants, and so many more. Overall, this book was so much fun to read and you can bet that I will be coming back to read the next in the series whenever it is released! I highly recommend this book! It was a captivating tale and I absolutely loved the journey it took me on! Overall, I would give this a 4.5 star rating!
June 21, 2025
I don’t know what i was expecting but it wasn’t this!
I’ve never been drawn to fairy tale retelling, but I never imagined they could be done like this!
If I hadn’t been aware of the original tales, this book would still read like an incredible, fun, tale of magic and magical lands with characters I love!
I’m pretty certain there are lots of smaller stories but the big ones are Little Mermaid and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Can you imagine an adult Jack retelling? And it’s GOOD.
Woven throughout is the story of Gavin and Marin. Love not realized and epic adventures.
Prisons and monsters. Treasures found and lost.
And a time limit wiggling it all down.
I was so happy to be approved for this arc as I was excited to read it the moment I saw the blurb and it did not disappoint!
I’ve never been drawn to fairy tale retelling, but I never imagined they could be done like this!
If I hadn’t been aware of the original tales, this book would still read like an incredible, fun, tale of magic and magical lands with characters I love!
I’m pretty certain there are lots of smaller stories but the big ones are Little Mermaid and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Can you imagine an adult Jack retelling? And it’s GOOD.
Woven throughout is the story of Gavin and Marin. Love not realized and epic adventures.
Prisons and monsters. Treasures found and lost.
And a time limit wiggling it all down.
I was so happy to be approved for this arc as I was excited to read it the moment I saw the blurb and it did not disappoint!
June 30, 2025
This book was SO MUCH FUN! The adventures were adventuring. The banter was bantering. The tension was tensioning. Wicked Sea and Sky was as action-packed as it sounds, literally until the last couple pages.
There is an amazing mix of Little Mermaid-esque cursing, Indiana Jones treasure-hunting, and Jack and the Beanstalk traipsing.
The friends to lovers was captivating and had me quickly flipping for more. Their banter, again, was PERFECTION. So effortless was their partnership, and then some! The mini-quests as part of the bigger journey had me gasping and holding my breath every other page, too! Jenna Collett wrote a divine story and I feel lighter for reading it. You’ll love this endearing, witty, adventurous story!
There is an amazing mix of Little Mermaid-esque cursing, Indiana Jones treasure-hunting, and Jack and the Beanstalk traipsing.
The friends to lovers was captivating and had me quickly flipping for more. Their banter, again, was PERFECTION. So effortless was their partnership, and then some! The mini-quests as part of the bigger journey had me gasping and holding my breath every other page, too! Jenna Collett wrote a divine story and I feel lighter for reading it. You’ll love this endearing, witty, adventurous story!
June 29, 2025
From start to finish this book drew me in. This book was hard for me to put down, but at the same time made me savor it. I did not want to rush through because this book was spectacular.
This book follows many characters who have so much personal growth. I loved Mare and Gavin with their banter and growth together. Two very strong willed characters and so much more.
This book pulls at your heartstrings in all the right places. Adventure, obstacles to overcome, betrayal, learning to trust and depend on others, finding the truth about themselves and the list can go on.
Beautifully written. A must read.
This book follows many characters who have so much personal growth. I loved Mare and Gavin with their banter and growth together. Two very strong willed characters and so much more.
This book pulls at your heartstrings in all the right places. Adventure, obstacles to overcome, betrayal, learning to trust and depend on others, finding the truth about themselves and the list can go on.
Beautifully written. A must read.
June 18, 2025
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via therealm.studios)
After reading the dedication I figured I was in for a good read. This had Jack in the Beanstalk x Little Mermaid x Six of Crows vibes... which tbh, not a combination I'd have thought of existing, let alone working so well lol.
So much banter between Gavin and Marin. (Love Gavin's golden retriever but touch her and die. Also the swoon points for what he "stole" from Marin??!?) The pacing was fast and made it hard to put down. The whole cast of characters were a great found family.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to seeing more from this world/characters from what appears be interconnected standalones?
Favorite quotes:
"I need you to pretend you don't hate me. Just for a minute," he finished, his tone hoarse.
"Fine. But only for a minute. I don't want to get used to it.
"No. Let's not risk that."
"When it's either you or me…” He leaned in, his mouth near my ear. “I'll take the fall. Every. Damn. Time. That is my weight to carry. Mine. Do not take it from me.”
After reading the dedication I figured I was in for a good read. This had Jack in the Beanstalk x Little Mermaid x Six of Crows vibes... which tbh, not a combination I'd have thought of existing, let alone working so well lol.
So much banter between Gavin and Marin. (Love Gavin's golden retriever but touch her and die. Also the swoon points for what he "stole" from Marin??!?) The pacing was fast and made it hard to put down. The whole cast of characters were a great found family.
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to seeing more from this world/characters from what appears be interconnected standalones?
Favorite quotes:
"I need you to pretend you don't hate me. Just for a minute," he finished, his tone hoarse.
"Fine. But only for a minute. I don't want to get used to it.
"No. Let's not risk that."
"When it's either you or me…” He leaned in, his mouth near my ear. “I'll take the fall. Every. Damn. Time. That is my weight to carry. Mine. Do not take it from me.”
June 15, 2025
I was torn between giving this book a 4 or 5 star... so we'll go with 4.5. And this is saying something as I don't give out five stars easily. I genuinely loved this story. It wasn't what I expected, but in the best way. Treasure hunts, curses, fairytale retelling, enemies to lovers... this book had a bit of everything. While I usually find that books like this have too much going on to weave all the story threads appropriately, this story is incredibly well-written. All the pieces of this puzzle work in a weird, complicated, but swoon-worthy way. I loved the characters, the mystery, and the adventure. Plus, I'm always a sucker for a good love story and Jenna nailed this one. I would recommend this book--it was such a good time.
I was honored to be a part of the ARC team for this one and hope to be on Jenna's ARC team in the future.
I was honored to be a part of the ARC team for this one and hope to be on Jenna's ARC team in the future.
June 23, 2025
I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!
this was so good!! sea witches??? adventure?? high stakes??? yes yes yes🫣🫣
there was so much happening in this book and was so good!!!!
quotes:
••
"𝕴 𝖆𝖒 𝖊𝖝𝖈𝖊𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖑𝖞 𝖘𝖐𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖉, 𝖎𝖓 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖓 𝖔𝖓𝖊. 𝕭𝖚𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖆 𝖋𝖊𝖜 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖓'𝖙 𝖇𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖆𝖑"
"𝕸𝖆𝖞𝖇𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖓'𝖙 𝖆𝖘 𝖘𝖐𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖉 𝖆𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖐. 𝕸𝖆𝖞𝖇𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘."
••
"𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓭!"
"𝓐𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓻𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰?"
"𝓝𝓸! 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓶 𝓾𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝔂 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻"
••
"𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖕 𝖐𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖊 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙"
"𝕬𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖆𝖘𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘"
••
"𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓶𝓹𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮, 𝓰𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷"
••
tropes:
☆🍁romantasy
☆🍁cursed mermaids
☆🍁revenge
☆🍁friends to enemies to lovers
☆🍁he falls hard
☆🍁supportive mmc
☆🍁touch her and die
☆🍁yearning👀
this was so good!! sea witches??? adventure?? high stakes??? yes yes yes🫣🫣
there was so much happening in this book and was so good!!!!
quotes:
••
"𝕴 𝖆𝖒 𝖊𝖝𝖈𝖊𝖊𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖑𝖞 𝖘𝖐𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖉, 𝖎𝖓 𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖆𝖓 𝖔𝖓𝖊. 𝕭𝖚𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖆 𝖋𝖊𝖜 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝕴 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊𝖓'𝖙 𝖇𝖊𝖊𝖓 𝖆𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖆𝖑"
"𝕸𝖆𝖞𝖇𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖓'𝖙 𝖆𝖘 𝖘𝖐𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖉 𝖆𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖐. 𝕸𝖆𝖞𝖇𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖎𝖙 𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊𝖘."
••
"𝓘 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓭!"
"𝓐𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓻𝔂𝓲𝓷𝓰?"
"𝓝𝓸! 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓶 𝓾𝓼 𝓶𝓪𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝔂 𝓮𝔂𝓮𝓼 𝔀𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓻"
••
"𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖍𝖆𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖕 𝖐𝖎𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖊 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙"
"𝕬𝖑𝖜𝖆𝖞𝖘 𝖆𝖘𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖒𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖉𝖔 𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖘𝖎𝖇𝖑𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘"
••
"𝓓𝓸𝓷'𝓽 𝓽𝓮𝓶𝓹𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮, 𝓰𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷"
••
tropes:
☆🍁romantasy
☆🍁cursed mermaids
☆🍁revenge
☆🍁friends to enemies to lovers
☆🍁he falls hard
☆🍁supportive mmc
☆🍁touch her and die
☆🍁yearning👀
June 25, 2025
ARC REVIEW*
This book had it all. The journey of finding treasure, and ones self, witty banter between characters, found family... The list goes on. It is so worth every single moment spent reading. It grips you from the very beginning. You fall in love with everyone and even feel her emotions through out. Marin and Gavin have the best banter and dynamic I haven't seen since Fourth Wing. Absolutely CANNOT wait for the next book to come out! I'm definitely excited!
This book had it all. The journey of finding treasure, and ones self, witty banter between characters, found family... The list goes on. It is so worth every single moment spent reading. It grips you from the very beginning. You fall in love with everyone and even feel her emotions through out. Marin and Gavin have the best banter and dynamic I haven't seen since Fourth Wing. Absolutely CANNOT wait for the next book to come out! I'm definitely excited!
July 1, 2025
Gavin and Marin. Really enjoyed this book. I love how it started, it gave me The Mummy vibes with them being treasure hunters and their banter. This book has friends to “enemies” to lovers, longing and pining, banter, emotional ups and downs, adventure and treasure hunting, lighter magic system, found family, mermaids, fantasy romance.
I love the authors comedic timing and humor tha sprinkled through the story. The witty banter, sarcasm, and word play was so great.
I loved that even the side characters were relatable and lovable too.
Overall a great read and would definitely recommend.
I love the authors comedic timing and humor tha sprinkled through the story. The witty banter, sarcasm, and word play was so great.
I loved that even the side characters were relatable and lovable too.
Overall a great read and would definitely recommend.
June 19, 2025
This was a fun read! Kind of a friends to enemies to lovers! The author did a great job with very descriptive writing—it was very easy to picture the scenery and all the places! Definitely worth a read!
June 24, 2025
4/5⭐️
Very fun story! I loved the adventures and the high stakes that the characters endured, as well as the magic system and the constant cleverness displayed by both Marin and Gavin. Highly recommend if you like stories about thieves/treasure hunters!
Very fun story! I loved the adventures and the high stakes that the characters endured, as well as the magic system and the constant cleverness displayed by both Marin and Gavin. Highly recommend if you like stories about thieves/treasure hunters!
July 20, 2025
4.5 stars - I couldn’t put this down. It was fast paced, the banter was amazing, and just an overall good time!
CW: 2 open door scenes (not explicit)
CW: 2 open door scenes (not explicit)
August 8, 2025
Loved this so much! I really enjoyed the adventure, love story, all the banter. Gavin! Already looking forward to rereading☺️
July 25, 2025
This is a solid fantasy standalone with The Little Mermaid and Jack and the Beanstalk vibes. It definitely sounds like a weird mashup, but it felt very fairytale-esque and was actually a very unique story.
There wasn’t a lot of world-building and you’re dropped into the middle of this treasure hunting adventure, but it was fast paced and action packed, so i wasn’t bothered too much. I also really enjoyed the banter and friends to lovers romance.
Content: 2 open door (low/medium explicit), some mild language
There wasn’t a lot of world-building and you’re dropped into the middle of this treasure hunting adventure, but it was fast paced and action packed, so i wasn’t bothered too much. I also really enjoyed the banter and friends to lovers romance.
Content: 2 open door (low/medium explicit), some mild language
Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews