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Entranced by the Nakken

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Beware the monster in the river…

When Casey slinks home from college with his tail between his legs, his hometown hasn’t changed. His mom dotes on him, his father yells at the T.V., and the townsfolk cling to legends of malevolent water spirits.

Casey doesn’t believe the spirit is evil. An evil spirit wouldn’t have used their beautiful voice to save him when he was a boy. That day, a geyser burst in his soul, leaving a gaping wound. Music eases the emptiness, but he can’t find the chords to make himself whole again.

Their song brings certain death.

Lately, no bodies sink below the surface. Without sustenance, Tsunis will forever remain a lump of sea rubbish, and yet the will to play the violin has sunk to the depths. No humans fall into a trance at its laments.

Three drops of blood seal both of their fates.

Get ready to SWOON with these two lovesick fools! Entranced by the Nakken is the final novella in a series of stand-alones, Freedom, Love, Monsters. Read it now!

199 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2025

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Delilah Dare

13 books104 followers

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5 stars
26 (40%)
4 stars
23 (35%)
3 stars
7 (10%)
2 stars
6 (9%)
1 star
2 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Poppy || Monster Lover.
2,062 reviews673 followers
August 25, 2025
3.5 stars
Casey was a sweetie pie and loved on Tsunis. He rolled with the punches pretty well. Tsunis was grumpy and lonely and terrible at communication. They did improve their communication with Casey over time. I wanted a bit more depth to their relationship.

Spice: 4/5

Triggers: pregnancy, estranged parent/child relationship (MC’s sibling), brief fear of drowning, mentions of near drowning as a child, side character with past drinking problem, accidental mate bonding, mild blood
Profile Image for Lauren Head.
830 reviews26 followers
August 5, 2025
I loved this book! I love how both characters were learning about each others world!
Profile Image for Anastey.
821 reviews10 followers
August 15, 2025
Thank you Delilah Dare for sending me this advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was such a fun novella!

The pacing is quick, and the characters have a ton of depth to them. So many emotions flying around from trauma, anxiety, fear, and deep neverending devotion to each other. It is sweet, wholesome, and somehow incredibly spicy at the same time.

The spice was absolutely amazing, and very unique too. There were a lot of spicy activities to enjoy and interesting body parts to play with.

I really enjoyed Tunis's shapeshifting abilities, and their sizes and forms were nicely varied. We didn't go in depth into their magic, but it was just the right amount for the book to stay interesting without getting lost. Casey is the sweetest of cinnamon rolls, and is the perfect partner who isn't afraid of anything.

Overall this was a great quick read, and if you like short MM monster romances, you will likely enjoy this book too.
Profile Image for Cat.
134 reviews44 followers
August 16, 2025
What a cute and fun monster romance! Casey and Tsunis are honestly so adorable and I loved reading about them falling in love. This book is pretty fast paced but there isn’t any action, it’s more about two people falling in love and striving for their happily ever after. And maybe some hot sex on the side lol. I also greatly enjoyed the fact that Casey had a loving family and friends, you don’t find that much in these types of books! Thank you to Delilah Dare for the advance reader copy!
6 reviews
May 15, 2026
2.5 ⭐

I won't lie, this reads like a Wattpad fanfic.

Writing:

It's poorly written and poorly edited. There are comma splices and run on sentences everywhere.
The dialogue is clunky to the point where Casey and his friend all read like middle schoolers instead of grown adults approaching their thirties.

Characters:

Casey is just so incredibly stupid? Tsunis mentions the breeding concept repeatedly and while Casey notices he never actually asks a single genuine probing question.
Which leads to the actual issue of Casey's character; he has no personality. He has no aspirations, no personal desires, nothing that doesn't revolve around Tsunis.

None of the characters were fleshed out, even Tsunis, who receives the most developed background and existence. Which devolves from a lonely seasoned warrior longing for a sense of home to...pouty sex brat.

Story: This is basically a porn with plot fic turned into a novella. There's no real conflict, no real development, just two characters who have essentially been in love since childhood dry humping or having sex for a hundred pages.

Plus the completely unnecessary, shoe-horned concert that served absolutely no purpose to the plot other than being a clunky way of introducing Tsunis to Casey's family.

Dialogue:

Casey says "fucking fuck" at one point.

That's all I'm going to say on that.


Overall I see the concept the author was going for, but the story felt incredibly rushed and like it didn't have a single pass through an editor. If she does a rewrite where she fleshed out the story where there were actual stakes, character development, anything, I'd be willing to reread and reevaluate.
But as of now? This is not a finished story, it's a rushed fanfic writing style of different scenes that don't quite connect in a disjointed attempt to put a story together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Brittney.
167 reviews3 followers
August 5, 2025
Okay, this was unique and sweet and so dang comforting.

Casey, our human MMC, is feeling lost and unsure about what’s next. He heads home and finds himself drawn back to the same lake where something magical once saved him. One song by the water, and the past comes back, only this time, it’s different. Then there’s Tsunis, a bratty, a little aggressive nakken who doesn’t fully get Casey yet… but he’s definitely not letting him go anytime soon.

The way they come together feels effortless and true, and it was so fun watching them figure each other out—especially since Tsunis barely knew human customs or much about how we humans talk, let alone kissing. Cue the classic “what’s a kiss?” moment that’s both adorable and heats up real fast! Then there’s everyone around Casey who welcomes Tsunis without hesitation—literal found family goals. Imagine being weird and monstrous and still loved completely. That part hit me right in the feelings.

The mpreg was more of a spicy bonus than a big plot point. Tsunis definitely has a breeding kink, and the actual pregnancy shows up in the epilogue like a cherry on top. Loved it.

This wasn’t a super fast-paced read, but it pulled me in and kept me there the whole time. This was just a perfectly cozy, queer, spicy monster romance with a lot of heart.

Big thank you to Delilah Dare for the ARC! I loved this little monster love story, and I’m absolutely ready for more.
Profile Image for Sandra.
1,014 reviews
August 4, 2025
"On the other side of a wreck is a new beginning, so by all means, human... wreck me."~Tsunis

I really wanted to like this one. The idea, the concept, it had potential. But. Unfortunately, it fell apart for me the longer I read it. I almost stopped reading. The story was shorter but the writing style was difficult to get into. It didn't pull me in at all. It didn't make too much sense for me. The world building didn't exist. The narrative didn't flow. It was all over the place.

Casey was 29, a guy who's struggling to find himself with life, career, and home. And Tsunis was a nonbinary monster stuck on Earth via a portal. And these 2 secretly met playing music and flirting. He saved Casey from an almost bear attack 20+ yrs ago. Odd. Casey got consent for kisses. But Tsunis, they bit him, a mate bite, said things without Casey being fully aware of what it meant, to it later being yes yes yes. Uhh. Okay.😐 That alone was all kinds of wrong. Tsunis was shady and rude. For me, they were. Going to the concert later was very strange. Nobody had an opinion. Nobody said anything. Sure. This story didn't work for me. The book cover is cool. If you want to read it, that's up to you. Good luck. Happy reading.*•>§<•*🩶🩵🩶

🦪🪸Thank you to Ms Dare and Bookfunnel. The opinions shared here are my own.🪸🦪
Profile Image for Marsha.
1,319 reviews35 followers
August 3, 2025
Human and a shape shifting sea 'monster' mate. When Casey was younger, his life had been saved by a being. That being is still in his head years later. When he returned to his childhood home in a bit of a slump, he decided to revisit the place where he almost lost his life. Something there, a melody playing in the air, draws him in. Low and behold, it's that same being. Despite their differences, what with one being human and the other a supernatural, there is an instant attraction pushing the two together. In the human world, people have heard of these water creatures, but it's all somewhat mythical. Folk Lore. But Casey has always believed, or at least since that time in his youth when he came face to face with one. This is a love story. There are several spicy scenes, that aren't quite the norm, since we are dealing with a 'thing' of another world. There is some cross over between the human world and the water world. Since we are dealing with the supernatural, the language used is as such. There is some humor and playful banter. There were several cute moments. There's a little bit of innocence about the story. As well as some vulnerability with the characters. Both Casey and Tsunis (the sea creature) have moments where they are the ones in control and the one following the orders. Neither being the Dom in the relationship. This is, a LGBTQ+ story as well as the cross species aspect, and it was all inclusive. There was no hate from any of the side characters (neither from their sexual orientation nor the species.) It was a Love is Love kind of book. It alternates between POVs. Due to the sexual content, this is suitable for mature readers.
Profile Image for Tysha.
359 reviews14 followers
August 17, 2025
This is a fantastic monster romance between a young male human, and a non-binary Nakken.

Casey is a young man, who has recently moved back home with his parents, and Tsunis is a Nakken, a shapeshifting water spirit who lives in a local waterway. The two had encountered each other back when Casey was 6 years old when Tsunis saved him from a bear. Years later, an accidental scrape, leading to a few drops of Casey's blood falling into the water, ends up reuniting them.

I've read various folktales that speak of the Nakken (Nixie/Nøkken/Näcken), and I think this story pays homage to this water spirit in the most deliciously spicy way. I loved seeing Tsunis' growth, and seeing them interact with Casey and other humans, they also have some of the most interesting anatomy I've read about in a while, plus they can shapeshift into a dragon (obviously I'm a big fan of that aspect!)

I received an ARC of this ebook from the author, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
497 reviews3 followers
August 4, 2025
Oh how fabulous this was! I adored it. Casey and Tsunis were so cute and steamy together! Loved them both! While you don’t get to know all the details of Tsunis’ past you understand they are someone who has been through some torment and desires peace. I loved how Casey’s music and presence was able to do that for them. Casey was also an awesome character. He’s always loved music but got a business degree because that’s what you’re supposed to do right? Now he’s back home and searching for something. He finds what he is searching for in Tsunis. From the moment these two first meet they have a connection and I loved seeing it become stronger and stronger. There was a lot they didn’t understand about the other but their devotion to one another was complete. Love love love Delilah Dare!

I did receive an ARC and this is my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Ashley.
51 reviews
August 11, 2026
Maybe I am just not fond of this authors style of writing?

Need to remind myself that only so much information can be packed into spicy romance novellas but for 200 pages this one felt.. exactly like the only other book I’ve read by the author. The covers are exquisite, the tik tok marketing is clever, and then the book is not what it’s marketed to be. I see potential here- but I also see a lot wrong with the execution here. If every other word is the f-bomb maybe you should consider using that space to describe some details better.. or maybe add the lyrics of the song our main character writes and performs anywhere in this novel? It just all felt weird, and I wanted to like it because again.. on paper it all had the means to be a riveting and sexy love story but it did not present that way.
Profile Image for Makayla Cardwell.
60 reviews
July 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this story and the lore. I do want to say I did struggle in the beginning via some words and going back and forth between POVS, but once I got the hang of everything and knew how to pronounce a couple of words the sail flowed smoothly. The banter and bratty attitudes were delicious and adventure was spicy.
One of my favorite quotes via the book is ““You are my water. My oxygen. You are woven into my spirit song. You are my peace, my reverie. You fulfill all the moondreams I never dared to claim. You are my mate. Of course, I love you.” I actually have the other three books in this series and I can’t wait to read them now. This was a delicious way to get introduced to the author
Profile Image for RayvnReads.
127 reviews
August 3, 2025
I love this authors works and will pick up anything with their name on the cover.
So when I was blessed with the opportunity to ARC read this one I pounced! (All opinions are my own and given freely and honestly)
I ate up this book. The MMC was a cinnamon roll which I loved and the nakken was so well written imho. Their relationship though fast for a normal reader was perfectly matched to them. It was a quick read for me mostly cuz I couldn’t put it down.
I started kinda confused on how I’d feel about the mpreg trigger but came to find I actually enjoyed it a lot.
Thank you so much for trusting me with your ARC ! I’ll always be a fan <3
993 reviews10 followers
August 4, 2025
This is a mismatched love story between Casey and Tsunis. Tsunis is a water spirit who had a chance meeting with Casey along time ago and saved him. For Tsunis, it was a mating but Casey didn’t know. Life went on. Tsunis was trapped here, unable to go back through their portal without a human. After Casey comes back from college, we find he has thought about Tsunis since then. He goes back to the water just in case they are still there, and they find each other again. Awwwww. Spiciness ensues. I really liked the lost love story. I received an ARC copy from the author and this is my honest review.
46 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2025
I really liked this story, the yearning and re-finding each other were great and the characters were well fleshed-out. I do wish it had been a bit longer and gone more into depth on some events that are presented as memories. A bit more history on Tsunis' plane of existence and species would have been helpful, instead of leaving a lot of it to be implied.
But the love story is sweet, the spice is delightfully spicy and the feels are endearing. I liked how devoted Casey was to both his family and Tsunis, and how Tsunis overcame the expected behaviors of their people to win their guy.
Also loved Casey's band mates!!
I received an ARC copy from the author and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Joanna C.
505 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2025
Beautiful story with mentions of mental health struggles and feeling stuck after finishing college and not knowing what to do next. Casey has always loved music, but after completing his degree, he has no idea what to do next. He spends his days crafting music when he suddenly meets this beautiful creature that he once had glimpsed many years ago. Could this be who he has been waiting for all along? Many steamy scenes and cute moments can be found in this story.

Thanks to the author for the eARC!
Profile Image for Kit (kit.reads.romance).
191 reviews35 followers
December 10, 2025
THE TENTACLES! Damn 🥵

This is a super sweet story of a cinnamon roll human and his black cat siren. The two of them are both so cute in different ways and their relationship really grows from one sided dislike, to absolutely devoted lovers.

The spice is 10/10! Tentacle dick, breeding kink, degradation, cumflation. So good! The writing is maybe a little shaky at first but quickly improves until I nearly gave this 5 stars.

No other person drama or other triggers I picked up!

Definitely give this a read if you like low angst monster romance.
Profile Image for Daria.
2,204 reviews46 followers
July 31, 2025
Uniquely Beautiful
You can just about close your eyes and hear the music. Its more than a story but a way of life. Like Being
From the first meet he knew. That something in the lake. C - Did the normal thing and cane back home. T - A warrior stuck far from home. A home where the song was important.
3 drops that will change them both.
A lover of dark genre this beautiful story was like a palette cleaner. Hot and sweet. Tragic and sad. Read and see if him/they will get their HEA.
377 reviews6 followers
August 3, 2025
Tsunis is an interesting spirit. Casey trusts them because of Tsunis saving his life as a child. Tsunis can't get back home without trapping humans. Casey is different and for Casey Tsunis is different. They are a pair that are unique in their relationship. This story wasn't what I was expecting and had never read Ms Dare before. Quite the interesting read. Give it a shot.
Profile Image for Bobbie.
382 reviews5 followers
August 6, 2025
This couple was so cute! This was not my first Delilah Dare creature romance, but this was the one with the least amount of fluids, which is weird when one of the characters is amphibious. Seriously, though, I love how far these two characters are willing to go for each other.
Profile Image for Nicole.
53 reviews
July 31, 2025
This was such a a fun read! I loved the connection between Casey and Tsunis
Profile Image for Alisha.
211 reviews4 followers
July 29, 2025
Absolutely another 5 ⭐ from the Freedom, Love, and Monsters series and the perfect addition to all the other amazing couples we've seen so far. I have been waiting for this for months and I was smitten right from the beginning.

"Whatever tragedy gave birth to such a lament, Casey admired how they'd rendered it into something so divine."
Ah the way these two just SWOON for one another my heart is ready to burst! Just like with the books that came before this one, I cannot get enough of the way these two see each other, actually see each other, and want every piece. How they see the beauty through the pain and want to cherish them anyway, to wash it away and replace it with the sweetest song ever composed. The literal love that Casey feels for Tsunis being powerful enough to allow them to re-form, ahhh 😭😭😭
"I'm yours."
"Say it again."😍😍😍😍

While Casimir and Tsunis don't hold the place of my favorite couple from the series (Raythm & Dana 4ever) they did squeeze their way right into the second spot. This story was so beautiful. The reminder that we all deserve to be seen for what we really are and to be loved entirely regardless, that we all have a place in the world and deserve happiness unapologetically. These books heal a small part of me every time I read them. Absolutely loved the little appearance Cass made too! If anyone was going to be able to help I'm so glad it was her! She was researching the pollution, after all 😉 The cameos of the previous couples throughout the whole series has been so fun.

Now this story is sweet and wholesome and full of love and adoration but it is also filled with piping hot tentacle bud action, much like Casey finds himself more than once 😍🥵🤭 Tentacles, slick, egg laying/male pregnancy, prostate play, cum play, dom/sub/switch, filthy talk oh my gawd 🥵🥵🥵 The spice held out longer in this book than the previous ones but when it came LORD
I love every single minute of it! Even though I preordered the paperback as soon as I was able to I'm still so honored to have been able to ARC this story. Thank you Delilah Dare. 🖤
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews