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Beyond the Tides #1
A Wraith Beneath the Tides
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN MEETS ATLANTIS THE LOST EMPIRE. -->
Raised in secret by the sea’s most feared pirate, Esmyra Blackwood knows nothing of her past or the origins of her mysterious powers.
In the mortal kingdom, Draevyn Rowe is the second-born son of the tyrant king, and the only known fire-wielder of their realm.
Esmyra and Draevyn's journeys collide when she kidnaps him to force a trade with the king for her captain’s life. But when her barter is refused, she is instead tasked with unearthing a kingdom lost a thousand years prior. Together, the two are forced to navigate a labyrinth of lies and secrets in search of the sunken kingdom.
The tides are shifting, and with scheming gods and ancient rivalries at play, alliances will be forged and shattered. The two must decide who to trust, and how far they’re willing to go for the ones they love.
Esmyra will face a choice: Does their world deserve salvation... or will she be its reckoning?
Raised in secret by the sea’s most feared pirate, Esmyra Blackwood knows nothing of her past or the origins of her mysterious powers.
In the mortal kingdom, Draevyn Rowe is the second-born son of the tyrant king, and the only known fire-wielder of their realm.
Esmyra and Draevyn's journeys collide when she kidnaps him to force a trade with the king for her captain’s life. But when her barter is refused, she is instead tasked with unearthing a kingdom lost a thousand years prior. Together, the two are forced to navigate a labyrinth of lies and secrets in search of the sunken kingdom.
The tides are shifting, and with scheming gods and ancient rivalries at play, alliances will be forged and shattered. The two must decide who to trust, and how far they’re willing to go for the ones they love.
Esmyra will face a choice: Does their world deserve salvation... or will she be its reckoning?
584 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2025
About the author
Emilia Jae
6 books444 followersEmilia is an author of dark, epic, and romantic fantasy stories, and has been in love with disassociating through fantasy realms her entire life. She was born and raised in scenic New England, and when she isn't cuddled up with a good book, or writing her own, you can find her playing with her dog, or being the chaotic human that she is with her loved ones. Emilia is a Pisces and INFJ.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,258 reviews
June 1, 2026
“If it’s a monster they want, then it’s a monster they will fucking get.”
i need a new kindle because I JUST SET MINE ON FIRE!!! are you joking me? like bro, please. i can’t handle this kind of rage cursing through me. the last 25% of this book sent me into a psychosis.
now i will admit it took a little bit of time for me to fully emerge myself into this, but it could have also been my mood. i picked this book up before some stressful events. could be that or it could just have been that it took me a good 30% to be fully connected - either way i really enjoyed the whole book & it only continuously got better as it went on. once i was locked in there was no stopping me! this has all the right ingredients for a fun and interesting romantasy, but then bring the pirates, sirens and gods into the mix - for me, it gave a layer of something a bit different, which i really enjoyed. the pacing was good, it kept me on my toes but it also gave me time to sit with developments and emotions. i did mostly guess where things were heading, but it doesn’t bother me cause the book was good and i was having fun!! plus sometimes it’s all about the execution and i thought it was built up really well. not everything always needs to be a jaw dropping revelation.
esmyra is one of those fmcs who is unapologetic herself, she’s fierce & a force to be reckoned with. i adored her character & support all her rights and wrongs. i will say, as a reader, there was a couple of moments i want to scream at her - GIRL, remember who are you, stop and think please, before i loose my goddamn mind 😩😩 this didn’t effect how i felt about her character, it just gave me more things to crash out about. she is about to show us that all this rage she gave us in this book will be child’s play with what she’s about to unleash - i am so ready for the feminine rage to explode. she’s without a doubt a baddie.
draevyn - oh i’m seated. he’s just a lover boy who’s got his own past to battle with. please. i would not be mad if he sets me on fire. also we love a man who’s down bad. can i protect him??? i’m scared. someone hold my hand.
“I’ve never been one to take lovers, Wildfire.”
“Then what do you consider me?”
“My damnation.” okay fire daddy 😩
when it came to the romance it definitely did deliver on the enemies part, maybe slightly mildly but it still gave us that. i will say i do wish there was a tiny bit more tension & spark brewing between them throughout BUT when things FINALLY started to pay off - that fuck it moment was so worth it and then tension was sizzling in that moment. oh i need more of this man and his mouth 😏
the villain in this story has my blood boiling. IM SORRY BUT FIGHT ME. i told abbie i was giving the book 1 star cause i’m so mad. like let me crawl into this book and unleash my wrath. look you know the books got its hooks in you when you are literally fuming, like smoking coming out my ears FUMINGGGGG. na i’m genuinely so mad, someone needs to help me be normal.
one thing that was causing me extreme emotions was the miscommunication - it had me wanting to drown myself. like it’s so infuriating to read about but it adds to the rollercoaster of emotions, so i really don’t mind at all - but i hope it doesn’t drag on because i genuinely cannot cope. i need air to breath guys.
the ending has me equally scared and excited to read book two… i will be diving right in tomorrow!!!
in conclusion to my waffle, it’s one of those books i might not be deeply obsessed with but i had a really good time with it, it made me feel so many different emotions & had me feeling a lot of anxiety!! i loved the setting, the pace, the storyline, the mcs, the side characters and i enjoyed the romance, plus i can see it has a lot of potential for book 2 to be even better!! but i’m kinda unwell and stressed too. crash out paused for the evening, soon to commence again.
For the Phoenix finally had a weakness, and it was his Wildfire—not the one that surged through his veins, but seared herself into his heart.
__________
okay let's go. a pirate x siren romantasy! influenced by my girl abbie, but i hear nothing but good things about it, so i have a good feeling this will be a vibe 😍🏴☠️🧜🏼♀️
i need a new kindle because I JUST SET MINE ON FIRE!!! are you joking me? like bro, please. i can’t handle this kind of rage cursing through me. the last 25% of this book sent me into a psychosis.
now i will admit it took a little bit of time for me to fully emerge myself into this, but it could have also been my mood. i picked this book up before some stressful events. could be that or it could just have been that it took me a good 30% to be fully connected - either way i really enjoyed the whole book & it only continuously got better as it went on. once i was locked in there was no stopping me! this has all the right ingredients for a fun and interesting romantasy, but then bring the pirates, sirens and gods into the mix - for me, it gave a layer of something a bit different, which i really enjoyed. the pacing was good, it kept me on my toes but it also gave me time to sit with developments and emotions. i did mostly guess where things were heading, but it doesn’t bother me cause the book was good and i was having fun!! plus sometimes it’s all about the execution and i thought it was built up really well. not everything always needs to be a jaw dropping revelation.
esmyra is one of those fmcs who is unapologetic herself, she’s fierce & a force to be reckoned with. i adored her character & support all her rights and wrongs. i will say, as a reader, there was a couple of moments i want to scream at her - GIRL, remember who are you, stop and think please, before i loose my goddamn mind 😩😩 this didn’t effect how i felt about her character, it just gave me more things to crash out about. she is about to show us that all this rage she gave us in this book will be child’s play with what she’s about to unleash - i am so ready for the feminine rage to explode. she’s without a doubt a baddie.
draevyn - oh i’m seated. he’s just a lover boy who’s got his own past to battle with. please. i would not be mad if he sets me on fire. also we love a man who’s down bad. can i protect him??? i’m scared. someone hold my hand.
“I’ve never been one to take lovers, Wildfire.”
“Then what do you consider me?”
“My damnation.” okay fire daddy 😩
when it came to the romance it definitely did deliver on the enemies part, maybe slightly mildly but it still gave us that. i will say i do wish there was a tiny bit more tension & spark brewing between them throughout BUT when things FINALLY started to pay off - that fuck it moment was so worth it and then tension was sizzling in that moment. oh i need more of this man and his mouth 😏
the villain in this story has my blood boiling. IM SORRY BUT FIGHT ME. i told abbie i was giving the book 1 star cause i’m so mad. like let me crawl into this book and unleash my wrath. look you know the books got its hooks in you when you are literally fuming, like smoking coming out my ears FUMINGGGGG. na i’m genuinely so mad, someone needs to help me be normal.
one thing that was causing me extreme emotions was the miscommunication - it had me wanting to drown myself. like it’s so infuriating to read about but it adds to the rollercoaster of emotions, so i really don’t mind at all - but i hope it doesn’t drag on because i genuinely cannot cope. i need air to breath guys.
the ending has me equally scared and excited to read book two… i will be diving right in tomorrow!!!
in conclusion to my waffle, it’s one of those books i might not be deeply obsessed with but i had a really good time with it, it made me feel so many different emotions & had me feeling a lot of anxiety!! i loved the setting, the pace, the storyline, the mcs, the side characters and i enjoyed the romance, plus i can see it has a lot of potential for book 2 to be even better!! but i’m kinda unwell and stressed too. crash out paused for the evening, soon to commence again.
For the Phoenix finally had a weakness, and it was his Wildfire—not the one that surged through his veins, but seared herself into his heart.
__________
okay let's go. a pirate x siren romantasy! influenced by my girl abbie, but i hear nothing but good things about it, so i have a good feeling this will be a vibe 😍🏴☠️🧜🏼♀️
July 1, 2025
easiest 5 stars i’ve EVER given! if an infinity star book were a feeling, it would be how this book made me feel 🥹
Wraith has quite literally every ingredient to make a new favorite book: ruthless pirates and vengeful sirens, magic, found family crew members, rivals with sizzling tension, and a QUEST. Emilia’s writing was so wonderfully immersive and the pacing was PERFECT. I couldn’t put this book down for the life of me, and it had be up WAY past my bedtime continuously saying “one more chapter”. (it wasn’t just one more chapter)
Esmyra is a siren shifter / first mate to the most vicious pirate in the land, who just happens to be her adopted father. Esmyra’s abilities are unique and she soon finds out that she comes from Maerinys, the city that sunk into the sea hundreds of years ago (think: Atlantis the Lost Empire vibes). Meanwhile the second son of the human king, Draevyn, sails the seas looking for the lost kingdom *insert dreamy eyes and heart bubbles*. lots and lots of tension and twists ensue… you just gotta read to find out more 🤭
speaking of tension… THE ROMANCE SUBPLOT TOOK ME OUT. OUT OF ORDER. MY BRAIN NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. i’m a firm believer in slow burn tension >>> spice, especially when the payoff is worth it 🙂↕️ Esmyra is a fiery morally grey sass master, and she keeps Draevyn on his toes in the best way. they’re both just mistrusting and slow to love… alexa play Free from KDH 😭😭
BASICALLYYYYYY this book is going to be in my top favs of the year 10000%. easiest book rec i will ever give! 🧜🏼♀️🏴☠️
Wraith has quite literally every ingredient to make a new favorite book: ruthless pirates and vengeful sirens, magic, found family crew members, rivals with sizzling tension, and a QUEST. Emilia’s writing was so wonderfully immersive and the pacing was PERFECT. I couldn’t put this book down for the life of me, and it had be up WAY past my bedtime continuously saying “one more chapter”. (it wasn’t just one more chapter)
Esmyra is a siren shifter / first mate to the most vicious pirate in the land, who just happens to be her adopted father. Esmyra’s abilities are unique and she soon finds out that she comes from Maerinys, the city that sunk into the sea hundreds of years ago (think: Atlantis the Lost Empire vibes). Meanwhile the second son of the human king, Draevyn, sails the seas looking for the lost kingdom *insert dreamy eyes and heart bubbles*. lots and lots of tension and twists ensue… you just gotta read to find out more 🤭
speaking of tension… THE ROMANCE SUBPLOT TOOK ME OUT. OUT OF ORDER. MY BRAIN NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. i’m a firm believer in slow burn tension >>> spice, especially when the payoff is worth it 🙂↕️ Esmyra is a fiery morally grey sass master, and she keeps Draevyn on his toes in the best way. they’re both just mistrusting and slow to love… alexa play Free from KDH 😭😭
BASICALLYYYYYY this book is going to be in my top favs of the year 10000%. easiest book rec i will ever give! 🧜🏼♀️🏴☠️
July 7, 2025
BOY DO I HAVE THE SUMMER ROMANTASY REC FOR YOU.
5 stars because this book was literally made for me and I loved every second.
This was everything I have been CRAVING - pirates and sirens, a dangerous quest, a world full of cool magic and lore, a true slow burn with such delicious tension, banter that will have you screaming, and an ending that will have you RAGING yet still begging for more.
The characters in this book immediately stole my heart, starting with our fierce, morally grey FMC, Esmyra. Throw in a grumpy captain of a prince with fiery magic of his own, and an epic adventure on the seas? Yeah, this was unputdownable.
Synopsis:
As the adopted daughter of the most dangerous and notorious pirate lord in the realm, Esmyra has become her father’s ultimate weapon, putting her mysterious powers and abilities to use to do her father’s bidding.
Enter the fire wielding prince, Draevyn Rowe, and his quest to find the lost, sunken city of Maerinys and its rumored treasure. As Esmyra embarks on a dangerous quest for answers, she’s forced into a reluctant truce with a prince who should be her enemy, but instead becomes the most unlikely of allies. As lies are revealed and truths are uncovered, Esmyra must decide who deserves her trust, her loyalty, and her heart.
This releases on July 17 so mark your calendars!! And of course, thank you endlessly to the author for an ARC of this book🩵 I can’t wait for everyone to read it!
5 stars because this book was literally made for me and I loved every second.
This was everything I have been CRAVING - pirates and sirens, a dangerous quest, a world full of cool magic and lore, a true slow burn with such delicious tension, banter that will have you screaming, and an ending that will have you RAGING yet still begging for more.
The characters in this book immediately stole my heart, starting with our fierce, morally grey FMC, Esmyra. Throw in a grumpy captain of a prince with fiery magic of his own, and an epic adventure on the seas? Yeah, this was unputdownable.
Synopsis:
As the adopted daughter of the most dangerous and notorious pirate lord in the realm, Esmyra has become her father’s ultimate weapon, putting her mysterious powers and abilities to use to do her father’s bidding.
Enter the fire wielding prince, Draevyn Rowe, and his quest to find the lost, sunken city of Maerinys and its rumored treasure. As Esmyra embarks on a dangerous quest for answers, she’s forced into a reluctant truce with a prince who should be her enemy, but instead becomes the most unlikely of allies. As lies are revealed and truths are uncovered, Esmyra must decide who deserves her trust, her loyalty, and her heart.
This releases on July 17 so mark your calendars!! And of course, thank you endlessly to the author for an ARC of this book🩵 I can’t wait for everyone to read it!
April 2, 2026
we love a pirate romance!! it took me awhile to get into this book after reading bloody black but i’m glad i did.
esmyra is an immortal siren who serves as the first mate on her fathers ship. draevyn is the captain of his father/the human kings ship. loved their rivalry!! esmyra definitely did not act like she was centuries old imo but she wasn’t annoying like some fantasy fmcs. i could gush about drae all day - he was such a softie for esmyra from the beginning.
the story dragged a bit in the middle for me. its a super slow burn with a lot of miscommunication but i did appreciate the dual pov and it definitely wasn’t predictable. the cliffhanger was wild and has me pumped for the next book!
the narrator did great! thank you netgalley for the arc!
esmyra is an immortal siren who serves as the first mate on her fathers ship. draevyn is the captain of his father/the human kings ship. loved their rivalry!! esmyra definitely did not act like she was centuries old imo but she wasn’t annoying like some fantasy fmcs. i could gush about drae all day - he was such a softie for esmyra from the beginning.
the story dragged a bit in the middle for me. its a super slow burn with a lot of miscommunication but i did appreciate the dual pov and it definitely wasn’t predictable. the cliffhanger was wild and has me pumped for the next book!
the narrator did great! thank you netgalley for the arc!
July 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Thank you for the eARC. This was an anticipated read. Mermaid/Siren, water magic FMC captain of the Night Wraith.
MMC is fire wielding, princeling commander of his own ship.
Book started off strong!
15-40% was slow. Took way too long to get going, and didn’t hold my attention. A lot of back and forth dialogue that could have been polished off better so it didn’t drag on
Is this to be a YA? There was a disconnect with the main characters and lack of tension, then all of a sudden he liked her & was possessive over her out of no where.
A lot happens, for nothing to actually happen.
Wish it had more depth. There was ample opportunity to dive deeper but instead was filled with dialogue leaving it feeling 2 dimensional
For someone nearly 1000 years old she’s pretty immature lacks a lot of wisdom.
He trains her trope- she never bothered to learn in all those years, but when she went to cut her father lose from the gallows she expertly threw the dagger that flew across the room to cut the rope?
Wish it detailed more of her trying to figure out her life and where she came from, along with her relationship with her father.
Didn’t pick up until 60%, but only slightly.
Always super weird that the girl has no interest in researching her own background but Drae does it for her.
Her miscommunication and petulant child act drove me nuts for a woman who’s 1000 yrs old.
Based off the prologue, it makes the ending predictable.
In saying all this- the positive side: I truly believe if you are new to Romantasy reads and looking for an easy read this book is perfect for you. It is long- 621 pages. A bit hefty for an easy read but would recommend for those that loved a read that’s not so heavy on the world building.
Thank you for the eARC. This was an anticipated read. Mermaid/Siren, water magic FMC captain of the Night Wraith.
MMC is fire wielding, princeling commander of his own ship.
Book started off strong!
15-40% was slow. Took way too long to get going, and didn’t hold my attention. A lot of back and forth dialogue that could have been polished off better so it didn’t drag on
Is this to be a YA? There was a disconnect with the main characters and lack of tension, then all of a sudden he liked her & was possessive over her out of no where.
A lot happens, for nothing to actually happen.
Wish it had more depth. There was ample opportunity to dive deeper but instead was filled with dialogue leaving it feeling 2 dimensional
For someone nearly 1000 years old she’s pretty immature lacks a lot of wisdom.
He trains her trope- she never bothered to learn in all those years, but when she went to cut her father lose from the gallows she expertly threw the dagger that flew across the room to cut the rope?
Wish it detailed more of her trying to figure out her life and where she came from, along with her relationship with her father.
Didn’t pick up until 60%, but only slightly.
Always super weird that the girl has no interest in researching her own background but Drae does it for her.
Her miscommunication and petulant child act drove me nuts for a woman who’s 1000 yrs old.
Based off the prologue, it makes the ending predictable.
In saying all this- the positive side: I truly believe if you are new to Romantasy reads and looking for an easy read this book is perfect for you. It is long- 621 pages. A bit hefty for an easy read but would recommend for those that loved a read that’s not so heavy on the world building.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2026
6☆ Oh, where do I even begin? I went into this expecting a cute, breezy, mermaid romantasy - just a light “sea-read” for the summer. Oh, how wildly, spectacularly wrong I was.
As someone who grew up obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean movies and has been begging for more mermaid-inspired romance ever since I got back into reading five years ago, this book felt like something I didn’t even realize I’d been missing. It didn’t just meet my expectations, it completely blew them out of the water.
Esmrya? A morally gray, anti-hero badass. I love her…even though she definitely pmo a few times. And Draevyn… oh, he is so “baby girl,” giving me major Enzo vibes.
This story truly healed something in me. It delivered adventure, emotion, romance, and that sweeping, cinematic magic I’ve been chasing for years. It’s the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place.
“If it’s a monster they want, then it’s a monster they will fucking get.“
As someone who grew up obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean movies and has been begging for more mermaid-inspired romance ever since I got back into reading five years ago, this book felt like something I didn’t even realize I’d been missing. It didn’t just meet my expectations, it completely blew them out of the water.
Esmrya? A morally gray, anti-hero badass. I love her…even though she definitely pmo a few times. And Draevyn… oh, he is so “baby girl,” giving me major Enzo vibes.
This story truly healed something in me. It delivered adventure, emotion, romance, and that sweeping, cinematic magic I’ve been chasing for years. It’s the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with reading in the first place.
“If it’s a monster they want, then it’s a monster they will fucking get.“
July 26, 2025
god forbid i pick up a silly little mermaid book expecting a fun time… I AM UNWELL.
—
i wanted to throw my kindle at the wall for the entirety of the last 100 pages. enemies to lovers back to enemies… why do i do this to myself!!!
draevyn is so babygirl i will defend this man at all costs!! esmyra’s rage is def justified but i am TERRIFIED for next book, nearly had a damn heart attack reading this one. safe to say i won’t be able to rest until i have book 2 in my hands.
“𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒙 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆—𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒗𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.”
—
i wanted to throw my kindle at the wall for the entirety of the last 100 pages. enemies to lovers back to enemies… why do i do this to myself!!!
draevyn is so babygirl i will defend this man at all costs!! esmyra’s rage is def justified but i am TERRIFIED for next book, nearly had a damn heart attack reading this one. safe to say i won’t be able to rest until i have book 2 in my hands.
“𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒙 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆—𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒗𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.”
July 7, 2025
WHEN I TELL YOU I FINISHED AND STARRED OFF INTO THE DISTANCE CLUTCHING MY KINDLE TO MY CHEST.
THIS WAS IMMACULATEEEEEE 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Pirates, sirens, kraken, kings and mysteries abound—idk what Emilia put into this book but I need more of it IMMEDIATELY injected into my veins. The yearning!! The enemies to lovers!! The slow burn!!
This book is perfection and I fear I’ll never recover.
I am on my knees with gratitude to the author for the advanced copy!!! I have never felt luckier!!!!
THIS WAS IMMACULATEEEEEE 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Pirates, sirens, kraken, kings and mysteries abound—idk what Emilia put into this book but I need more of it IMMEDIATELY injected into my veins. The yearning!! The enemies to lovers!! The slow burn!!
This book is perfection and I fear I’ll never recover.
I am on my knees with gratitude to the author for the advanced copy!!! I have never felt luckier!!!!
March 27, 2026
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A Wraith Beneath the Tides delivers tension, secrets, and a slow-burn collision of power and desire. I was hooked from the moment Esmyra Blackwood kidnaps Draevyn Rowe. The story sets its tone with sharp banter and shifting power dynamics. She is not impressed by him, neither trusts the other, and their interactions crackle of the page. Their verbal sparring becomes one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The result is a relationship that feels layered, unpredictable, and on edge.
Esmyra has been raised in secrecy, shaped by the sea and a past she does not fully understand. Draevyn carries the weight of a tyrant king and the burden of being something rare in his world. When their paths intertwine, the narrative leans into natural mystery. Secrets unfold gradually and the world expands alongside them.
The pacing is where this book will divide readers. The story meanders and takes its time with world building, conversations, and lingering moments. Yet that same wandering quality allows the relationships and plot to breathe. The banter feels organic. The emotions are not rushed. What might feel like a plot stuck in molasses makes the story rich in atmosphere and character work. As a reader, the impatience to reach the next revelation is constant. So is the enjoyment of the journey itself.
Don't even get me started on the twists! These moments are impactful because the groundwork has been carefully laid.
There are also tear jerker moments.
The romance between Esmyra and Draevyn builds slowly and is filled with mistrust. Given the tension and slow burn buildup, the intimate moments needed more pages. The spicy scenes leave you wanting more rather than feeling fully rewarded. The connection between them remains compelling. Especially with the added complication of betrayal that may not be what it seems.
By the last page, everything is in motion. The cliffhangers make it impossible not to reach for the next book. This is a fantasy that understands its audience. It blends romance, magic, and political tension so elegantly. Readers are can't help sinking into this world and staying there.
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A Wraith Beneath the Tides delivers tension, secrets, and a slow-burn collision of power and desire. I was hooked from the moment Esmyra Blackwood kidnaps Draevyn Rowe. The story sets its tone with sharp banter and shifting power dynamics. She is not impressed by him, neither trusts the other, and their interactions crackle of the page. Their verbal sparring becomes one of the novel’s greatest strengths. The result is a relationship that feels layered, unpredictable, and on edge.
Esmyra has been raised in secrecy, shaped by the sea and a past she does not fully understand. Draevyn carries the weight of a tyrant king and the burden of being something rare in his world. When their paths intertwine, the narrative leans into natural mystery. Secrets unfold gradually and the world expands alongside them.
The pacing is where this book will divide readers. The story meanders and takes its time with world building, conversations, and lingering moments. Yet that same wandering quality allows the relationships and plot to breathe. The banter feels organic. The emotions are not rushed. What might feel like a plot stuck in molasses makes the story rich in atmosphere and character work. As a reader, the impatience to reach the next revelation is constant. So is the enjoyment of the journey itself.
Don't even get me started on the twists! These moments are impactful because the groundwork has been carefully laid.
There are also tear jerker moments.
The romance between Esmyra and Draevyn builds slowly and is filled with mistrust. Given the tension and slow burn buildup, the intimate moments needed more pages. The spicy scenes leave you wanting more rather than feeling fully rewarded. The connection between them remains compelling. Especially with the added complication of betrayal that may not be what it seems.
By the last page, everything is in motion. The cliffhangers make it impossible not to reach for the next book. This is a fantasy that understands its audience. It blends romance, magic, and political tension so elegantly. Readers are can't help sinking into this world and staying there.
July 6, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐️
~~~
first, thank you so much Emilia Jae for this ARC! your writing is always beautiful and i’m so greatful to be a part of this journey💕
also, there may be some light spoilers ahead, so please be cautious!
~~~
Esmyra Blackwood is a siren shifter & pirate who sails the sea with the notorious Cyrus Blackwood— who happens to be her adoptive father. and let me tell you, Esmyra is a baddie! she doesn’t hesitate to use violence when needed, even against her own crew. she’s sassy and headstrong, and is probably the very definition of the word stubborn😍
and of course, her life completely changes when she meets Prince Draevyn Rowe, second son of the King to all the humans. Drae is firey (literally🤪) but but also caring. he can be scary when he wants to be, but all he really wants deep down is to not be seen as a monster. and when he meets Esmyra, life takes a total 180 and shenanigans + an adventure ensue to find the lost kingdom of the sea goddesses.
now, i will say that this book does start off a bit slow! but, this is the first book in a fantasy (+ romance) series, which means world building takes some time, so i still enjoyed the slow parts. i also enjoyed the side characters! Jak was funny & very protective of Esmi, as a friend should be. and Elowynne was also a fun surprise when it came to characters👀
SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH:
i think the only reason i did not rate this book as a full five stars was because of (SPOILER!!!) Syrena’s character and how she acted towards Draevyn. i get that her character was portrayed one way to Esmyra and a different way to Drae, but i don’t condone those types of actions no matter the gender, and it made those few scenes hard to read for me personally. that does not mean this book was bad in any way! just something personal that makes it hard for me to read in any book.
overall, i think Esmyra’s & Draevyn’s story has had a beautiful start, and i can’t wait to see where book two takes us next year💕
~~~
~~~
first, thank you so much Emilia Jae for this ARC! your writing is always beautiful and i’m so greatful to be a part of this journey💕
also, there may be some light spoilers ahead, so please be cautious!
~~~
Esmyra Blackwood is a siren shifter & pirate who sails the sea with the notorious Cyrus Blackwood— who happens to be her adoptive father. and let me tell you, Esmyra is a baddie! she doesn’t hesitate to use violence when needed, even against her own crew. she’s sassy and headstrong, and is probably the very definition of the word stubborn😍
and of course, her life completely changes when she meets Prince Draevyn Rowe, second son of the King to all the humans. Drae is firey (literally🤪) but but also caring. he can be scary when he wants to be, but all he really wants deep down is to not be seen as a monster. and when he meets Esmyra, life takes a total 180 and shenanigans + an adventure ensue to find the lost kingdom of the sea goddesses.
now, i will say that this book does start off a bit slow! but, this is the first book in a fantasy (+ romance) series, which means world building takes some time, so i still enjoyed the slow parts. i also enjoyed the side characters! Jak was funny & very protective of Esmi, as a friend should be. and Elowynne was also a fun surprise when it came to characters👀
SPOILERS IN THIS PARAGRAPH:
i think the only reason i did not rate this book as a full five stars was because of (SPOILER!!!) Syrena’s character and how she acted towards Draevyn. i get that her character was portrayed one way to Esmyra and a different way to Drae, but i don’t condone those types of actions no matter the gender, and it made those few scenes hard to read for me personally. that does not mean this book was bad in any way! just something personal that makes it hard for me to read in any book.
overall, i think Esmyra’s & Draevyn’s story has had a beautiful start, and i can’t wait to see where book two takes us next year💕
~~~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2026
The fact that we were left off a massive cliffhanger like that and now must wait an eternity for the next book is just extremely cruel. While I enjoyed this book immensely, to their point where there were times it was impossible for me to put down, I still felt like it was hard for me to really love and connect with this story. With that said, I still plan on reading the next book, hoping, and praying the miscommunication that happened A LOT in this one, will be fixed for next time.
This book is for someone who likes the fantasy aspect of romantasy verses the romance portion. While there was some romance, it was more on the fantasy aspect. Don’t get me wrong, the story is amazing and the romance that we had was so good and especially the spicy scenes, because they were *chefs kiss* I just wanted more! I love when a romantasy is equal parts romance and fantasy, and this just leaned heavily on the fantasy which most people will love. It was just the constant miscommunication that made me want to somehow physically go through the book and slap the Esmyra and Draevyn🤣 Like get your act together and just TALK. The ending was also a huge shock for me. I knew something bad was going to happen, but I did not think that would be it. While I also understand that there needed to be a massive catalyst to set everything over the edge, I just didn’t like how he just kinda stood around and let it happen? Draevyn did nothing to help and neither did Atlas either, but I more so understand why he didn’t.
I am very eager to read book two and to see what will become of Esmyra and Drae, I just know my girl is going to go on a bender and will most likely just destroy everything in her path and I am so here for it.
3.5/5⭐
This book is for someone who likes the fantasy aspect of romantasy verses the romance portion. While there was some romance, it was more on the fantasy aspect. Don’t get me wrong, the story is amazing and the romance that we had was so good and especially the spicy scenes, because they were *chefs kiss* I just wanted more! I love when a romantasy is equal parts romance and fantasy, and this just leaned heavily on the fantasy which most people will love. It was just the constant miscommunication that made me want to somehow physically go through the book and slap the Esmyra and Draevyn🤣 Like get your act together and just TALK. The ending was also a huge shock for me. I knew something bad was going to happen, but I did not think that would be it. While I also understand that there needed to be a massive catalyst to set everything over the edge, I just didn’t like how he just kinda stood around and let it happen? Draevyn did nothing to help and neither did Atlas either, but I more so understand why he didn’t.
I am very eager to read book two and to see what will become of Esmyra and Drae, I just know my girl is going to go on a bender and will most likely just destroy everything in her path and I am so here for it.
3.5/5⭐
April 28, 2026
Pirates of the Caribbean x Lost City of Atlantis.
The FMC was a bit annoying and for someone who’s been alive almost 1000 years you’d think she would develop critical thinking skills at some point. I like the concept of the story though and I am interested to see where the story goes in the future because I believe it will get better.
The FMC was a bit annoying and for someone who’s been alive almost 1000 years you’d think she would develop critical thinking skills at some point. I like the concept of the story though and I am interested to see where the story goes in the future because I believe it will get better.
August 1, 2025
3 ⭐️
Salty seas, ancient magic, and a dash of Disney-core ('Pirates of the Caribbean' meets 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire').
Fast-paced and cinematic, but not especially deep. Great for a binge read, less so if you're here for lyrical prose or layered characters. Everyone exists to move the plot along, not the other way around.
🌶️ Spice came in like a low tide. If I had a coin for every “he winked,” “she winked,” I’d have enough to buy the ship and sink it myself. It read like a YA adventure...choppy chemistry, lusty tension.
This might not bother everyone but: Why is this called 'A Wraith Beneath the Tides' when it's about Sirens? A Wraith and a Siren are fundamentally different, there were no wraiths in this entire book. None.
Here’s hoping Emilia Jae trades the winks for wrath in book 2. I want less flutter, more feminine fury.
✔️ Pirates
✔️ Lost City of Atlantis Vibes
✔️ Gods & Monsters
✔️ Enemies x Allies x Lovers x Enemies
✔️ 🌶️ Some steamy scenes, pretty basic
✔️ Fierce, Independent, Powerful FMC
✔️ Broody, Powerful, Princely MMC
❌ Unfinished Series
________________________________________
✨Preread
Pirates!!!!! 🏴☠️
Also this hardcover has some gorgeous character art in it.
That’s all.
Salty seas, ancient magic, and a dash of Disney-core ('Pirates of the Caribbean' meets 'Atlantis: The Lost Empire').
Fast-paced and cinematic, but not especially deep. Great for a binge read, less so if you're here for lyrical prose or layered characters. Everyone exists to move the plot along, not the other way around.
🌶️ Spice came in like a low tide. If I had a coin for every “he winked,” “she winked,” I’d have enough to buy the ship and sink it myself. It read like a YA adventure...choppy chemistry, lusty tension.
This might not bother everyone but: Why is this called 'A Wraith Beneath the Tides' when it's about Sirens? A Wraith and a Siren are fundamentally different, there were no wraiths in this entire book. None.
Here’s hoping Emilia Jae trades the winks for wrath in book 2. I want less flutter, more feminine fury.
✔️ Pirates
✔️ Lost City of Atlantis Vibes
✔️ Gods & Monsters
✔️ Enemies x Allies x Lovers x Enemies
✔️ 🌶️ Some steamy scenes, pretty basic
✔️ Fierce, Independent, Powerful FMC
✔️ Broody, Powerful, Princely MMC
❌ Unfinished Series
________________________________________
✨Preread
Pirates!!!!! 🏴☠️
Also this hardcover has some gorgeous character art in it.
That’s all.
Did Not Finish
March 30, 2026DNF Audiobook at 33%
I’m done after the FMC told the MMC to “Say you’re sorry”……. Um no. I’ve had enough of her BS.
This has been on my tbr for ages & when I saw that there’s an audio coming, I jumped at the chance. So thank you as always to NetGalley for this opportunity!
This has become just too tedious to read. The FMC here is just an awful main character. Her entire morally grey persona is reaching. It’s not nearly as convincing that this person is the greatest villain of her world; more like the world’s oldest teenager. She’s almost a millennia old but you definitely don’t see it. I was promised feminine rage. You wanna know what we do get?! All she does do is slam doors/snarl/taunt/smirk/prop her boots on the table/hisses/rolls her eyes. Logically, I expected this woman to be wise beyond her 900+ years but alas, all she is, is angry/frustrated/annoyed/irritated/impulsive. She acts first then thinks oh I just put people in danger. She’s supposedly this badass with a reputation that proceeds her but all she really is, is pathetic & immature. This is not the sea’s most vicious creature; think aggressive chihuahua😪
But my FAV part of her “vibrant” personality is how while everyone else seems to react appropriately in regards to whatever situation has arisen, she’s too busy getting upset at this & precedes to act like a loon! & she wishes to be captain!! How?! What leadership qualities have you amassed Ms ma’am in your grown ass age?? Her stupidity is astronomical.
This is a great example of a story needing more than single POV. Getting to be in the MMC’s head was such a great reprieve. Actually, everyone around her are much more enticing characters including her father & her friend Jack. The fact that I enjoyed these 3 male characters more so than the FMC is a bad sign IMO.
Also, overall the story is just so dull & boring. The world building is so promising & beautiful but we don’t really see much of it because the story is moving at a snail’s pace since we’re too busy reading about an emotionally stunted grown woman’s nonsense. I’m at 33% & literally!!! Nothing!!!! has happened yet!!!! There is so much useless back & forth & again back & forth; like a ship at sea🤦♀️
I’m done after the FMC told the MMC to “Say you’re sorry”……. Um no. I’ve had enough of her BS.
This has been on my tbr for ages & when I saw that there’s an audio coming, I jumped at the chance. So thank you as always to NetGalley for this opportunity!
This has become just too tedious to read. The FMC here is just an awful main character. Her entire morally grey persona is reaching. It’s not nearly as convincing that this person is the greatest villain of her world; more like the world’s oldest teenager. She’s almost a millennia old but you definitely don’t see it. I was promised feminine rage. You wanna know what we do get?! All she does do is slam doors/snarl/taunt/smirk/prop her boots on the table/hisses/rolls her eyes. Logically, I expected this woman to be wise beyond her 900+ years but alas, all she is, is angry/frustrated/annoyed/irritated/impulsive. She acts first then thinks oh I just put people in danger. She’s supposedly this badass with a reputation that proceeds her but all she really is, is pathetic & immature. This is not the sea’s most vicious creature; think aggressive chihuahua😪
But my FAV part of her “vibrant” personality is how while everyone else seems to react appropriately in regards to whatever situation has arisen, she’s too busy getting upset at this & precedes to act like a loon! & she wishes to be captain!! How?! What leadership qualities have you amassed Ms ma’am in your grown ass age?? Her stupidity is astronomical.
This is a great example of a story needing more than single POV. Getting to be in the MMC’s head was such a great reprieve. Actually, everyone around her are much more enticing characters including her father & her friend Jack. The fact that I enjoyed these 3 male characters more so than the FMC is a bad sign IMO.
Also, overall the story is just so dull & boring. The world building is so promising & beautiful but we don’t really see much of it because the story is moving at a snail’s pace since we’re too busy reading about an emotionally stunted grown woman’s nonsense. I’m at 33% & literally!!! Nothing!!!! has happened yet!!!! There is so much useless back & forth & again back & forth; like a ship at sea🤦♀️
July 21, 2025
Genre: Romantacy
⭐️4.75/5
🌶2/5
🧠6/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of and incomplete series. Multi POV. Major cliffhanger. Available to read on KU.
Final thoughts: Wow... just wow! This book was an epic adventure from start to finish. We have magic, mortals, gods among the people, mystery, betrayal, sea adventures a plenty, and a fun little section that has an Indiana Jones vibe to it. This book started out strong and was into the action fairly quickly. I love that it was able to do that while building the world, too. There was a ton of action in the first 60% of this book, and I could hardly put it down. There is a portion where the pacing slows significantly, but it's mostly needed to set up the next act. Keep pushing! That pacing is why I gave the book a small ding. It took just a smidgen too long to move on. But oh, when we did, it led the story in a direction I did not fully expect. Especially the end and that cliffhanger. Sheesh! And now we have to wait almost a year for book 2? Nooooo!
The characters here were amazing! The FMC Esmi is an almost 1000 years old siren, and while she is smart most of the time, she sometimes has a naivety to her. I would imagine spending your whole life at sea could lead to limited life experiences no matter how old you are. So, to me, it made some sense. She was a complete baddie, and sometimes overconfidence can get you. My hope is that in book 2, she gets back to her instincts and trusts them.
The MMC Drae is a fire wielding, brooding, ostracized, golden retriever-esk prince. What more could a reader ask for? He was clocking stuff left and right in this book. He had me grinning because Esmi couldn't get away with anything around him. I love his relationship with his brother. The love and trust they have for one another was so nice to count on. I hope he finds a little more of that bad boy persona in book 2, especially when dealing with his father and his girl's newly formed attitude. 😂
Overall, this book was incredible! I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys true enemies to lovers, god lore, pirate stories, uncovering lost information and mysteries, and morally grey FMCs.
⭐️4.75/5
🌶2/5
🧠6/10
Noteworthy: Book 1 of and incomplete series. Multi POV. Major cliffhanger. Available to read on KU.
Final thoughts: Wow... just wow! This book was an epic adventure from start to finish. We have magic, mortals, gods among the people, mystery, betrayal, sea adventures a plenty, and a fun little section that has an Indiana Jones vibe to it. This book started out strong and was into the action fairly quickly. I love that it was able to do that while building the world, too. There was a ton of action in the first 60% of this book, and I could hardly put it down. There is a portion where the pacing slows significantly, but it's mostly needed to set up the next act. Keep pushing! That pacing is why I gave the book a small ding. It took just a smidgen too long to move on. But oh, when we did, it led the story in a direction I did not fully expect. Especially the end and that cliffhanger. Sheesh! And now we have to wait almost a year for book 2? Nooooo!
The characters here were amazing! The FMC Esmi is an almost 1000 years old siren, and while she is smart most of the time, she sometimes has a naivety to her. I would imagine spending your whole life at sea could lead to limited life experiences no matter how old you are. So, to me, it made some sense. She was a complete baddie, and sometimes overconfidence can get you. My hope is that in book 2, she gets back to her instincts and trusts them.
The MMC Drae is a fire wielding, brooding, ostracized, golden retriever-esk prince. What more could a reader ask for? He was clocking stuff left and right in this book. He had me grinning because Esmi couldn't get away with anything around him. I love his relationship with his brother. The love and trust they have for one another was so nice to count on. I hope he finds a little more of that bad boy persona in book 2, especially when dealing with his father and his girl's newly formed attitude. 😂
Overall, this book was incredible! I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys true enemies to lovers, god lore, pirate stories, uncovering lost information and mysteries, and morally grey FMCs.
March 26, 2026
2026: Listened to the audiobook thanks to an ALC from Tantor Media. Amanda Dolan does a great job in this single narration. I do wish it was at least a dual narration since it's dual POV, but it's very good either way. I'm so happy to be back in this world and even more excited now for the sequel!
2025: Infinite stars
Absolutely obsessed with this book!
I DEVOURED this as quick as I could because I just did not want to put it down. I have over 100 highlights! There is so much set up in this world to continue into the next books and I absolutely cannot wait!
Esmyra is such a fun and feisty, badass siren with ALL SORTS OF POWERS and I love her so much. The MMC Draevyn has fire powers and takes absolutely none of Esmi's crap. They have the most fun banter and it is definitely a slow burn as they don't stop truly being antagonistic towards each other until the latter half of the book.
HOWEVER THE ENDING!! Excuse me! I got chills and squeals!
This was a stunning mermaid, pirate, adventure, fantasy romance and I'm ready to live in this world.
Except it's about to be destroyed...hehe.
Read if you love:
-Siren FMC
-Fire daddy
-Prophecies
-Atlantis x Pirates of the Caribbean
-Banter
-Slow burn
Thank you to the author for the eARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.
Finish date: 6/29/25, Release date: 7/17/25
2025: Infinite stars
Absolutely obsessed with this book!
I DEVOURED this as quick as I could because I just did not want to put it down. I have over 100 highlights! There is so much set up in this world to continue into the next books and I absolutely cannot wait!
Esmyra is such a fun and feisty, badass siren with ALL SORTS OF POWERS and I love her so much. The MMC Draevyn has fire powers and takes absolutely none of Esmi's crap. They have the most fun banter and it is definitely a slow burn as they don't stop truly being antagonistic towards each other until the latter half of the book.
HOWEVER THE ENDING!! Excuse me! I got chills and squeals!
This was a stunning mermaid, pirate, adventure, fantasy romance and I'm ready to live in this world.
Except it's about to be destroyed...hehe.
Read if you love:
-Siren FMC
-Fire daddy
-Prophecies
-Atlantis x Pirates of the Caribbean
-Banter
-Slow burn
Thank you to the author for the eARC. My thoughts are entirely my own.
Finish date: 6/29/25, Release date: 7/17/25
March 16, 2026
4-4.5⭐️
Ok Pirates and Feminine Rage may be my new obsession!! 🏴☠️🔥
I loved this! You have Pirates, Sirens a lost city, Magic and I LOVED the Romance 🖤
This book is such a vibe!!
If you love those sea vibes that definitely remind you Pirates of the Caribbean absolutely pick this up!
Ok Pirates and Feminine Rage may be my new obsession!! 🏴☠️🔥
I loved this! You have Pirates, Sirens a lost city, Magic and I LOVED the Romance 🖤
This book is such a vibe!!
If you love those sea vibes that definitely remind you Pirates of the Caribbean absolutely pick this up!
June 30, 2025
I partially feel like this book just wasn’t for me, but I also feel like maybe I went into it with wrong expectations.
Is it Pirates of the Caribbean x Atlantis? Absolutely. That part is absolutely accurate. But the story takes so long to really get going that I felt like I personally lost momentum reading it before the story even began. Nearly 300 pages in, the Atlantis vibe starts to come around. I know that sometimes it takes a long time for the story to really get going, but I felt myself losing interest before we got there, and when we finally did, I didn’t have the same level of interest that I did at the start.
Esmi is absolutely a morally grey fmc who reminds me a bit of Dianna from The Book of Azrael and Catwoman if they were combined into a pirate siren. I loved watching her slowly descend into her rage and then watch her get pulled out of it.
I think the world that this book takes place is my favorite part. I was intrigued by the world, where we are, and how this world works the most.
The enemies are absolutely enemies. This isn’t a fake enemies to lovers type situation. They’re attracted to each other right off the bat, but their enemy story eliminates desires to make it a true enemies to lovers story.
Will I read the next book in the series? Honestly, I don’t think so. I kept finding myself to be increasingly bored as the story went on, and it just didn’t keep my interest at the level that I would’ve liked. When you find yourself taking breaks every few chapters to play on your phone, it’s best to let the series go in my opinion.
I’m glad I read this book, but it wasn’t perfect in my opinion.
Thank you very much to Emilia Jae for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Is it Pirates of the Caribbean x Atlantis? Absolutely. That part is absolutely accurate. But the story takes so long to really get going that I felt like I personally lost momentum reading it before the story even began. Nearly 300 pages in, the Atlantis vibe starts to come around. I know that sometimes it takes a long time for the story to really get going, but I felt myself losing interest before we got there, and when we finally did, I didn’t have the same level of interest that I did at the start.
Esmi is absolutely a morally grey fmc who reminds me a bit of Dianna from The Book of Azrael and Catwoman if they were combined into a pirate siren. I loved watching her slowly descend into her rage and then watch her get pulled out of it.
I think the world that this book takes place is my favorite part. I was intrigued by the world, where we are, and how this world works the most.
The enemies are absolutely enemies. This isn’t a fake enemies to lovers type situation. They’re attracted to each other right off the bat, but their enemy story eliminates desires to make it a true enemies to lovers story.
Will I read the next book in the series? Honestly, I don’t think so. I kept finding myself to be increasingly bored as the story went on, and it just didn’t keep my interest at the level that I would’ve liked. When you find yourself taking breaks every few chapters to play on your phone, it’s best to let the series go in my opinion.
I’m glad I read this book, but it wasn’t perfect in my opinion.
Thank you very much to Emilia Jae for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2026
4.25⭐️
something i didn’t know i needed: a pirate/siren romance with a fire daddy??
this book was *chefs kiss*
esmyra and draevyn🫶🏻🫶🏻
that ending left me unwell and i will be needing book 2 immediately 🫧🧜🏼♀️ 🏴☠️
something i didn’t know i needed: a pirate/siren romance with a fire daddy??
this book was *chefs kiss*
esmyra and draevyn🫶🏻🫶🏻
that ending left me unwell and i will be needing book 2 immediately 🫧🧜🏼♀️ 🏴☠️
March 14, 2026
*Listened to through NetGalley*
This started off really strong and I was super interested at first, but around the 30% mark it kind of lost me. The pacing slowed down a lot and it started to feel like the story was just going so slow and repeating. There was a lot of back-and-forth dialogue that felt repetitive and it definitely could’ve been tightened up so it didn’t drag so much.
Esmi also drove me a little crazy. She’s almost a thousand years old but makes decisions like a teenager. The way she acts, you’d think she’d been locked in a tower her whole life. But she’s literally a pirate, so it didn’t make much sense that she constantly lacked basic judgment or critical thinking. A lot of the problems in the story came from her decisions, which just made things feel even more drawn out.
By the 45% mark I remember thinking… how is there still more than half this book left? A lot of scenes felt way longer than they needed to be and the plot became pretty predictable, so it started to feel like things were being stretched out instead of actually moving the story forward.
Which is frustrating because the concept sounded so fun. Atlantis, pirates, and sirens should have been such a great combo and I was really excited about it going in, but the execution just didn’t fully work for me.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the POV structure. It’s mostly two main POVs, but then random extra ones pop up here and there. It kind of felt like they were added just to explain things instead of letting the story unfold naturally.
Overall this one was a bit of a letdown for me, which is a bummer because the premise had so much potential.
This started off really strong and I was super interested at first, but around the 30% mark it kind of lost me. The pacing slowed down a lot and it started to feel like the story was just going so slow and repeating. There was a lot of back-and-forth dialogue that felt repetitive and it definitely could’ve been tightened up so it didn’t drag so much.
Esmi also drove me a little crazy. She’s almost a thousand years old but makes decisions like a teenager. The way she acts, you’d think she’d been locked in a tower her whole life. But she’s literally a pirate, so it didn’t make much sense that she constantly lacked basic judgment or critical thinking. A lot of the problems in the story came from her decisions, which just made things feel even more drawn out.
By the 45% mark I remember thinking… how is there still more than half this book left? A lot of scenes felt way longer than they needed to be and the plot became pretty predictable, so it started to feel like things were being stretched out instead of actually moving the story forward.
Which is frustrating because the concept sounded so fun. Atlantis, pirates, and sirens should have been such a great combo and I was really excited about it going in, but the execution just didn’t fully work for me.
I also wasn’t a huge fan of the POV structure. It’s mostly two main POVs, but then random extra ones pop up here and there. It kind of felt like they were added just to explain things instead of letting the story unfold naturally.
Overall this one was a bit of a letdown for me, which is a bummer because the premise had so much potential.
June 16, 2026
Its an easy enough read, but it does have moments that drag a bit for me.
I'm not usually too bothered by predictable plot points. Especially if theres still something that feels surprising. Unfortunately I didn't feel surprised at all.
I'm also usually a big fan of multi POV, but it didn't really feel like it fit right for this book. The vast majority is between the 2 main characters and then its dusted with some others.
If you don't mind the general layout of enemies to lovers to enemies with betrayals and such it could be worth the read.
I'm not usually too bothered by predictable plot points. Especially if theres still something that feels surprising. Unfortunately I didn't feel surprised at all.
I'm also usually a big fan of multi POV, but it didn't really feel like it fit right for this book. The vast majority is between the 2 main characters and then its dusted with some others.
If you don't mind the general layout of enemies to lovers to enemies with betrayals and such it could be worth the read.
January 21, 2026
“Within the sea, Esmyra was stealth incarnate—a wraith beneath the tides.”
A Wraith Beneath The Tides made me picture and feel the ocean kissing my skin, tasting the sea salt, and imagining myself as a mermaid. This story gave me the little mermaid vibes but darker.
This book felt like ripples of water with a powerful shift ready to burst while feeling the chaos in your heart. This story became my whole personality that I was not ready to break from.
The stakes that are high and a woman who was left with unspoken answers, feminine rage that will have you raging with her. A slave to her father, a siren that whispered along the tides, and feared by all men.
Seeing Esmyra’s strength throughout this book was so empowering. She is an ultimate baddie that has become a new favorite character I adore and will cherish deeply.
Everything felt so atmospheric and crisp to where I felt like I part of the sea along these characters experiencing the journey to the Sunken Kingdom.
The banter and slow burn tension we get from Drae and Esmyra was pure divine and pleasurable at the same time. You feel connected to these characters to where you can’t get enough of them.
Emilia, will bring you a story that will keep you on your toes, absorbing every detail in the story to where you will feel like you’re part of the deep blue sea 🌊
A Wraith Beneath The Tides made me picture and feel the ocean kissing my skin, tasting the sea salt, and imagining myself as a mermaid. This story gave me the little mermaid vibes but darker.
This book felt like ripples of water with a powerful shift ready to burst while feeling the chaos in your heart. This story became my whole personality that I was not ready to break from.
The stakes that are high and a woman who was left with unspoken answers, feminine rage that will have you raging with her. A slave to her father, a siren that whispered along the tides, and feared by all men.
Seeing Esmyra’s strength throughout this book was so empowering. She is an ultimate baddie that has become a new favorite character I adore and will cherish deeply.
Everything felt so atmospheric and crisp to where I felt like I part of the sea along these characters experiencing the journey to the Sunken Kingdom.
The banter and slow burn tension we get from Drae and Esmyra was pure divine and pleasurable at the same time. You feel connected to these characters to where you can’t get enough of them.
Emilia, will bring you a story that will keep you on your toes, absorbing every detail in the story to where you will feel like you’re part of the deep blue sea 🌊
March 25, 2026
“if it’s a monster they want, then it’s a monster they’ll fucking get.”
i knew this was going to be a 5 star read after only reading the first few chapters. AHHH THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! this was romantasy PERFECTION.
pirates, sirens, magic, found family, SLOWWWWW BURN - i ate this UP.
esmyra is a morally gray BADDIE: sassy, stubborn and headstrong, everything i love in an fmc.
the tension between her and draevyn was CHEFS KISS. draevyn being a fire daddy too?? smash. i folded instantly for him!!!
i love the relationship between draevyn and atlas too, i love brothers who would do anything for each other. i just need MORE of atlas in book 2 please!!!! he intrigues me so much 🤭
i am soooo ready (but scared) for the feminine rage in book 2!!!!!
i knew this was going to be a 5 star read after only reading the first few chapters. AHHH THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! this was romantasy PERFECTION.
pirates, sirens, magic, found family, SLOWWWWW BURN - i ate this UP.
esmyra is a morally gray BADDIE: sassy, stubborn and headstrong, everything i love in an fmc.
the tension between her and draevyn was CHEFS KISS. draevyn being a fire daddy too?? smash. i folded instantly for him!!!
i love the relationship between draevyn and atlas too, i love brothers who would do anything for each other. i just need MORE of atlas in book 2 please!!!! he intrigues me so much 🤭
i am soooo ready (but scared) for the feminine rage in book 2!!!!!
June 30, 2025
Someone needs to perform a wellness check on me because this book DESTROYED me.
Thank you to Emilia Jae for the eARC so that I may review it early and convince others to hop on this ship.
A Wraith Beneath the Tides is what every pirate & seafaring fan needs in a romantic fantasy. It's got shenanigans, rum, a crew that would die for one another, and more shenanigans.
It also has a TON of heart. Esmyra Blackwood is a morally grey FMC (in D&D alignments, I would put her at chaotic neutral), but even she has a few soft spots. We see her grow so much in this book, and seeing her transform into the leadup to book 2 paid off SO well and now I need book 2 in my hands immediately.
Draevyn Rowe was another wonderfully crafted character. Almost a mirror to Esmyra, he does nothing in this book but go through it. The way he cares, despite everything in him telling him not to, made him such an easy MMC to root for. I want him to win so badly.
This book emotionally destroyed me. I was crying by the end, and that just goes to show how connected Jae gets you to these characters. Their relationships, both platonic and not, felt so thought out and heart wrenching.
Everything from the world to the magic system made sense. I desperately need more of Atlas in book 2, as his loyalty to his brother is something that really spoke to me throughout the story.
This book is a knockout, and I need everyone to read it and scream with me when it releases on 07/17.
Thank you to Emilia Jae for the eARC so that I may review it early and convince others to hop on this ship.
A Wraith Beneath the Tides is what every pirate & seafaring fan needs in a romantic fantasy. It's got shenanigans, rum, a crew that would die for one another, and more shenanigans.
It also has a TON of heart. Esmyra Blackwood is a morally grey FMC (in D&D alignments, I would put her at chaotic neutral), but even she has a few soft spots. We see her grow so much in this book, and seeing her transform into the leadup to book 2 paid off SO well and now I need book 2 in my hands immediately.
Draevyn Rowe was another wonderfully crafted character. Almost a mirror to Esmyra, he does nothing in this book but go through it. The way he cares, despite everything in him telling him not to, made him such an easy MMC to root for. I want him to win so badly.
This book emotionally destroyed me. I was crying by the end, and that just goes to show how connected Jae gets you to these characters. Their relationships, both platonic and not, felt so thought out and heart wrenching.
Everything from the world to the magic system made sense. I desperately need more of Atlas in book 2, as his loyalty to his brother is something that really spoke to me throughout the story.
This book is a knockout, and I need everyone to read it and scream with me when it releases on 07/17.
April 6, 2026
dnf at 40%
June 29, 2025
I have been LOVING pirate and sea themed worlds lately and this book was a perfect mix. I loved the world building and the way the scenes were described, I got chills more than once and I cannot WAIT to see art of these. After finishing book one, I have lots of theories to keep me occupied until the next book and definitely have a new book boyfriend to obsess over, Draevyn. The banter and dynamics between Draevyn and Esmyra were top tier and I love them both so much. Another aspect of this book I really enjoyed was the morally grey FMC (our darling Esmi) and she is a total baddie! I could say more about this pirates of the caribbean x atlantis themed adventure but I want you to get the *full* experience…so will you say “aye” to this adventure? You can dive in starting July 17, just watch out for the sea creatures because a few of them have sharp teeth and claws…
Thank you so much to Emilia for the eARC, it was quite the journey but an honor to be part of your world and under the sea, I just hope those poor unfortunate souls are ready for Esmi’s wrath in book two ;)
Thank you so much to Emilia for the eARC, it was quite the journey but an honor to be part of your world and under the sea, I just hope those poor unfortunate souls are ready for Esmi’s wrath in book two ;)
April 1, 2026
ALC REVIEW
Rating 4⭐
Spice 🏴☠️🧜🏻♀️
I still agree with what I first felt on my first read. The world building and characters were there. I still hated the fact Esmyra was starting off so strong to just fall down. HOWEVER, I am solely convinced that she's being manipulated by a person. I will be delusion on that until we get answers in book 2.
I received the ALC through Netgalley by Tantor Media. This review is my true and honest opinions
ORIGINAL ARC REVIEW
Rating 4⭐
Spice 🏴☠️🧜🏻♀️
Oh my goodness, towards the end of the book go to me really hard. I was screaming, vomtting (okay I wasn't, but I almost did). The world wsa so interesitng and super original! I haven't read a book that was any remotely simialr. At least, not yet.
I am super into pirates and mermaids so it was sooooo my calling to read a book like it. I have yet to read more pirate themed stories, BUT it's on my TBR....if people just stop throwing recs at me (No, i'm kidding i love recs being thrown at me.)
While, the plot itself is very good, I personally felt didn't have to be 600 pages. I did feel I have to push myself to finish a chapter because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. And since it has different POV, I just want to know that specific POV at the moment.
Another huge thing to me was the MCs. I would have like more personal connections between Draevyn and Esmyra. For example, one of the book trope is a "slow burn." While it is indeed a "slow burn" I personally didn't feel connected to them. I'm definitely not making sense but I didn't feel the "spark" the burn of the tension snapping to the romance to start. The romance slightly a bit rushed. I wouldn't have minded more tension, more friendship build-up so when Book 2 happens the string snaps so hard it flies everywhere.
Lastly, I enjoy a good feminine rage. Heck I enjoy bad ass, morally grey FMC. What I didn't really enjoy? i didn't like near the end of the book, all of that nearly went away. And I know 1000000% it was intentional. I still didn't like it.
Overall, I really did enjoy the book even though there were some pointers that stood out to me I wasn't fond of. Again, the ending got to me pretty hard to the point I had a massive book hangover. I can't wait for Book 2!
Thank you to Emilia Jae for allowing me to read the ARC. This review is my true and honest opinions
Rating 4⭐
Spice 🏴☠️🧜🏻♀️
I still agree with what I first felt on my first read. The world building and characters were there. I still hated the fact Esmyra was starting off so strong to just fall down. HOWEVER, I am solely convinced that she's being manipulated by a person. I will be delusion on that until we get answers in book 2.
I received the ALC through Netgalley by Tantor Media. This review is my true and honest opinions
ORIGINAL ARC REVIEW
Rating 4⭐
Spice 🏴☠️🧜🏻♀️
Oh my goodness, towards the end of the book go to me really hard. I was screaming, vomtting (okay I wasn't, but I almost did). The world wsa so interesitng and super original! I haven't read a book that was any remotely simialr. At least, not yet.
I am super into pirates and mermaids so it was sooooo my calling to read a book like it. I have yet to read more pirate themed stories, BUT it's on my TBR....if people just stop throwing recs at me (No, i'm kidding i love recs being thrown at me.)
While, the plot itself is very good, I personally felt didn't have to be 600 pages. I did feel I have to push myself to finish a chapter because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. And since it has different POV, I just want to know that specific POV at the moment.
Another huge thing to me was the MCs. I would have like more personal connections between Draevyn and Esmyra. For example, one of the book trope is a "slow burn." While it is indeed a "slow burn" I personally didn't feel connected to them. I'm definitely not making sense but I didn't feel the "spark" the burn of the tension snapping to the romance to start. The romance slightly a bit rushed. I wouldn't have minded more tension, more friendship build-up so when Book 2 happens the string snaps so hard it flies everywhere.
Lastly, I enjoy a good feminine rage. Heck I enjoy bad ass, morally grey FMC. What I didn't really enjoy? i didn't like near the end of the book, all of that nearly went away. And I know 1000000% it was intentional. I still didn't like it.
Overall, I really did enjoy the book even though there were some pointers that stood out to me I wasn't fond of. Again, the ending got to me pretty hard to the point I had a massive book hangover. I can't wait for Book 2!
Thank you to Emilia Jae for allowing me to read the ARC. This review is my true and honest opinions
July 10, 2025
“I am the sea. The storm. The depths. The monster within.”
If there is one thing Emilia always delivers on it’s a strong female lead and lots of feminine rage. I like that we get a morally grey villain as the fmc. Did I mention she’s a pirate and a siren. Esmyra spent her life being yielded at sea as a weapon by her father. Things quickly take a turn for her when she finds herself in a situation with the king's son, Draevyn. What starts out as a relationship as enemies soon turns to forced allies as they find themselves working together in search of answers and a missing kingdom.
I LOVED the setting of this story. They are on a quest to find a sunken kingdom and it was totally giving Atlantis vibes. The world building in this was magical. The book had curses, meddling gods, betrayal and lots of secrets. I really enjoyed the overall storyline and the mysteries surrounding Esmyra’s past. It was a little bit of a slower start but once you get about halfway into the story it really takes off and you won’t want to put it down.
The romance side to the story was more of a slow burn. Expect some flirty tension between the two and a he falls first dynamic. Lots of protective MMC energy from this fire wielding man.
The ending was explosive and I’m anxious to find out what happens next. Lots of plot twists and a great set up for what’s to come in the series. I would sum this up as one magical action packed adventure.
“He always found her—in every room, every thought, and dream.”
𝒜𝒹𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒
𝒱𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝐹𝑀𝒞
𝒮𝓊𝓃𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝒦𝒾𝓃𝑔𝒹𝑜𝓂
𝐹𝑒𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝑔𝑒
𝑅𝓊𝓃𝑒𝓈 & 𝒞𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓈
𝐵𝑒𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓎𝒶𝓁
𝒮𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓈 & 𝑀𝓎𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓎
𝒫𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝒯𝓌𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓈
𝒮𝓁𝑜𝓌 𝐵𝓊𝓇𝓃
𝐸𝓃𝑒𝓂𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈
If there is one thing Emilia always delivers on it’s a strong female lead and lots of feminine rage. I like that we get a morally grey villain as the fmc. Did I mention she’s a pirate and a siren. Esmyra spent her life being yielded at sea as a weapon by her father. Things quickly take a turn for her when she finds herself in a situation with the king's son, Draevyn. What starts out as a relationship as enemies soon turns to forced allies as they find themselves working together in search of answers and a missing kingdom.
I LOVED the setting of this story. They are on a quest to find a sunken kingdom and it was totally giving Atlantis vibes. The world building in this was magical. The book had curses, meddling gods, betrayal and lots of secrets. I really enjoyed the overall storyline and the mysteries surrounding Esmyra’s past. It was a little bit of a slower start but once you get about halfway into the story it really takes off and you won’t want to put it down.
The romance side to the story was more of a slow burn. Expect some flirty tension between the two and a he falls first dynamic. Lots of protective MMC energy from this fire wielding man.
The ending was explosive and I’m anxious to find out what happens next. Lots of plot twists and a great set up for what’s to come in the series. I would sum this up as one magical action packed adventure.
“He always found her—in every room, every thought, and dream.”
𝒜𝒹𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒
𝒱𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓃 𝐹𝑀𝒞
𝒮𝓊𝓃𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝒦𝒾𝓃𝑔𝒹𝑜𝓂
𝐹𝑒𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝑔𝑒
𝑅𝓊𝓃𝑒𝓈 & 𝒞𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓈
𝐵𝑒𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓎𝒶𝓁
𝒮𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓈 & 𝑀𝓎𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓎
𝒫𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝒯𝓌𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓈
𝒮𝓁𝑜𝓌 𝐵𝓊𝓇𝓃
𝐸𝓃𝑒𝓂𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝓉𝑜 𝐿𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓈
March 30, 2026
hearing this book on audio was EVERYTHING and more!!! it was so fun revisiting this world and these characters! I adore them and this story so dearly, I cannot wait for book two in the coming months!!! 🧜♀️ thank you Tantor Media for the ALC 💫
OK SO THIS BOOK is every romantasy reader’s dream 🥹 it’s said to be pirates of the carribean meets atlantis the lost empire, and with those being two of my favorite movies of all time, I had high hopes and BOY did it pay off. this felt like it was written for me!!! the lore and the magic? INSANE. the plot and the pacing? INCREDIBLE. I wanted this book to last forever and I’m honestly SO sad it’s over 😭
our FMC, esmyra is absolutely lethal and wildly powerful! I LOVE HER!!! and the MMC?? all I’ll say is 🔥 their banter is TOP TIER and the slow burn was delectable 🩵 if zuko and katara got together?? 🤭 also, the writing was so immersive, it made me feel like I wasn’t reading, like I was THERE!
it’s got pirates, sirens, elemental magic, betrayal, deceit, curses, bargains, enemies to lovers, a deathly quest, gods and goddesses, a badass FMC and hot as hell MMC, a lost kingdom, multiple POV’s, and an incredible ending!! this one is a MUST READ and perfect for summertime! plus it’s on KU ☺️
I need EVERYONE to pick this book up and give it a try bc 🗣️ THIS ONE deserves the hype!!! I have found not only a new favorite book, but one that’s in the running for my favorite book of the year. easiest 5⭐️ ever!!! tysm to the author for an ARC of this book!
____________
okay so I’m freaking out??? this was so good!!!! rtc 🧜♀️
OK SO THIS BOOK is every romantasy reader’s dream 🥹 it’s said to be pirates of the carribean meets atlantis the lost empire, and with those being two of my favorite movies of all time, I had high hopes and BOY did it pay off. this felt like it was written for me!!! the lore and the magic? INSANE. the plot and the pacing? INCREDIBLE. I wanted this book to last forever and I’m honestly SO sad it’s over 😭
our FMC, esmyra is absolutely lethal and wildly powerful! I LOVE HER!!! and the MMC?? all I’ll say is 🔥 their banter is TOP TIER and the slow burn was delectable 🩵 if zuko and katara got together?? 🤭 also, the writing was so immersive, it made me feel like I wasn’t reading, like I was THERE!
it’s got pirates, sirens, elemental magic, betrayal, deceit, curses, bargains, enemies to lovers, a deathly quest, gods and goddesses, a badass FMC and hot as hell MMC, a lost kingdom, multiple POV’s, and an incredible ending!! this one is a MUST READ and perfect for summertime! plus it’s on KU ☺️
I need EVERYONE to pick this book up and give it a try bc 🗣️ THIS ONE deserves the hype!!! I have found not only a new favorite book, but one that’s in the running for my favorite book of the year. easiest 5⭐️ ever!!! tysm to the author for an ARC of this book!
____________
okay so I’m freaking out??? this was so good!!!! rtc 🧜♀️
August 1, 2025
➳ 4.5 ★
Everyone knows (or should know now 🤪) that I am OBSESSED with mermaids/sirens. I live and breathe these books. There aren’t enough of them and holy gods, this one is GOOOOD. This book gave me Disney’s Atlantis x Pirates of the Caribbean (spot on from the blurb)
Morally grey FMC? 🙂↕️
Enemies to lovers…back to enemies…? 🤨
Forced Proximity? 😩
Age gap? 🫣
Cliffhanger? 😓😭
The ending of this book KILLED me. I need the next one NOWWWW. I don’t even know what to write without spoiling it so just read it 🥹 The FMC is a bit annoying and immature for her age, but I’m putting blinders on bc imo, it’s worth the plot and slow burn ❤️🔥
Thank you soooo much to Emilia Jae for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Everyone knows (or should know now 🤪) that I am OBSESSED with mermaids/sirens. I live and breathe these books. There aren’t enough of them and holy gods, this one is GOOOOD. This book gave me Disney’s Atlantis x Pirates of the Caribbean (spot on from the blurb)
Morally grey FMC? 🙂↕️
Enemies to lovers…back to enemies…? 🤨
Forced Proximity? 😩
Age gap? 🫣
Cliffhanger? 😓😭
The ending of this book KILLED me. I need the next one NOWWWW. I don’t even know what to write without spoiling it so just read it 🥹 The FMC is a bit annoying and immature for her age, but I’m putting blinders on bc imo, it’s worth the plot and slow burn ❤️🔥
Thank you soooo much to Emilia Jae for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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