Wave Song

Deep Waters #0.5

by Emma Hamm

Alys Fairweather has always loved the sea.

So when her father gets the opportunity to build a city beneath the waves, she is the first in the submarine with him. She never expected to discover an entire species of merfolk living there. And she certainly didn’t expect to find one of them so captivating.

But the song of the waves is one she has never been able to deny, even when that temptation comes in the form of a battle scarred merman.


Wave Song was previously published in The Lovely A Monster Romance Anthology by Emma Hamm, Juliette Cross, and Zoey Draven. This book is a novella that takes place long before the Deep Waters series. It is suggested to read Whispers of the Deep before reading this one, but not necessary!

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Novella, Monster Romance, Romantasy, Paranormal, Monsters

138 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2025

About the author

We all know you don't really care about reading my background. Enjoy Cap instead.

Reviews

[Eszter - Bookteszters · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Every wrinkle, every scar, every sign of your age is a testament to how much I love you."

Now why did I tear up about a fictional merman-human girl couple in less than 200 pages??

I've read the whole whispers of the deep series, and while this novella is shorter than the novels, it still carries depth. Even though the romance is similar throughout the series (Yes Please to slow burn and two of everything, duh), the characters, the hurdles that they need to overcome, and their interpersonal dynamic are unique to every couple. To be the first romance between their kind, it made sense that these two lovebirds (love.. fish?) were adrenaline junkies with soft hearts.

I would recommend this as a first book in the series or as a standalone if you are too scared to dive into the full-length ones!

Would recommend to anyone looking for these tropes / themes:

✅ Language barrier romance
✅ Instant attraction, medium-slow burn
✅ Environmental disaster apocalypse
✅ Inter-species 🌶️
✅ Morally grey father + complex father-daughter relationship

[Julotlinde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid read but it definitely should have been longer. I liked the main characters, but I would have loved to see more development of their relationship. Sometimes it just jumped in their relationship while I wanted to savor it. Also, I felt the beginning of the human settlement in the water and the dynamics of the merepeople and the human could have been more explored. I get that this is a novella, but it could and should have been a full novel.

Still fun, still nice, still loved the main characters and their relationship. But the story could have been so much better imo.

3.5 stars!

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good novella and now I need to go read Whispers of the Deep by this author! Humans are needing to live underwater and the heroine’s dad is the inventor building this massive underwater city dwelling for humans. While exploring, she ends up meeting the hero who lives under the sea with his merfolk-like species. Short, sweet, interesting, and has me excited to get to more from this author now!

[Averie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novella so much!! If you loved Whispers of the Deep, you're going to love this one.

[Liv - Livslibrarylabyrinth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series can do no wrong. Such a beautiful novella, I absolutely loved it.

The epilogue genuinely made me teary it was so cute!

"She cannot stay in the water forever, and I cannot go onto the land. But if I must chase her sunlight across the seas, I will. Just to bask in the light of her smile.” If he wanted to he would 💅

[FlewB'DoobeyDoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series.

This Gah-Damn Freaking series man.

I was so hopeful we would get to glimpse the entwined two that were found in the first book of the series, and it just makes their love so much more heartbreaking and beautiful. And it's not even that long or deeply detailed but GOLLY I can't give it any less than five stars cause this freaking series was just superb.


Hopefully, the way book 4 ended, means that we will get to visit the water more??

Pretty please.

This series, man.

5 Take-My-Heart stars 🌟

[amyreadclub · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a sweet novella

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 5 out of 5]

WAVE SONG is the prequel to the DEEP WATERS series and gives us the answers behind the two entwined skeletons Arges found in book 1. It was really cool to go back in time and see the start of the human's underwater cities and read about a time when the humans and the People of the Water weren't at war yet. This book was so emotional and heartfelt in its beautiful descriptions of the sea and the never-ending devotion between Alys and Imber.

Alys was the daughter of the man who invented the cities and she was obsessed with the ocean and all it's wonders. She was an adventurer at heart and deeply compassionate and from the moment she saw Imber she was captivated. Imber was just as interested back and I loved how soft he was as a character. Alys and Imber were so tender and sweet and my heart broke at the sacrifices they made to be with one another but their happiness and love for each other mended it back together.

WAVE SONG brought a very different feel compared to book 1 while still feeling connected to the series and the world. I read this after book 1 like the author suggested but I think it could probably be read at any time since it takes place so long before the other books.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Favorite Quotes:

"If I must chase her sunlight across the seas, I will. Just to bask in the light of her smile."

[Marissa Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read!

Guys, I don’t know what to say. Emma’s books just keep getting better and better! This is one of my favorite series! Wave Song was the perfect prequel to the Deep Waters series!

Theres nothing having an origin story. And being able to tie things together between the books! I love being surprised by that and saying “oh my gosh! That’s what they used in this book!”

Book 4 cannot come soon enough! 1 month to go!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[✨ Just Another Bookwyrm ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhh, the wonder, awe, and immediate connection between Alys and Imber in this story is exactly what my little love-at-first-sight loving heart was hoping for in the first book 😝🥰

Also kind of bittersweet to read after the first book.

[Jules · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good for what it was. I do wish it was longer but it's a novella so I can't complain.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful little novella about these two. Love it.

[micolreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐

I love coming back to this world

[Kelspar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything felt super rushed. Plot, characters, feelings. Definitely a prequel novella

[christinac_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wave Song is a beautifully haunting prequel to the Deep Waters series. I knew how this ended as these characters were already introduced throughout the series and oh my goodness, this was so bittersweet. Our FMC, Alys is basically the antithesis of Ariel - in love with the sea and all the unknown secrets it has to offer. Despite its really short length, I was immersed in a world I already love and was completely heartbroken when it ended. Emma Hamm really knows how to write star crossed lovers. While it can be read as a standalone, I urge you to dive into the other books in the Deep Waters series first for a lasting impression.

[ChasxSabri💗🫧 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You and I are going to live through so many more of these.”

“Are we now?”

“I couldn’t imagine a life without you, Alys. And someday, when you decide your body is tired and your will to live has ended, I will hold your hand into the darkness.” He kissed her soundly one more time and then grinned. “Now, no more talk of death. I want to live with you, wave song. Until the end of all things.”

😭my babies
I very much enjoyed this, ugh
Emma Hamm ate as per usual 👏🏾

[Lisa Muchmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rip Alys you would’ve adored Anya

[Celi | Dark Romance & Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again @emmahammauthor has done it with a small novella Wave Song💚. It is the beginning story that takes place many years before Whispers of the Deep. It is not necessary, but via the authors suggestion and I do agree with her 100%, once you finish reading WOTD you should jump into this book. It is a quick read and can definitely finish it in one setting. I was sucked in, just like I was before in the first book as the pages kept me going, like the calm waves 🌊🪸of the sea. The story is beautifully written, but also felt some bittersweetness to it as well. Without spoiling some of the text within the book, my own interpretation is, “Until the end, I will always be here and never leave your side. Even in death”. 🥹🙏🏼 I am telling you this book does get you and pulls on those heart strings. No trigger warnings in this book but the spice 🌶️ is a slow burn 🔥and it is just perfect for our characters💃🏻🧜🏻‍♂️. We follow a tale of our FMC Alys who is the daughter of the greatest engineer who created the underwater cities (Alpha, Beta etc) that were designed to help people live under the sea instead of above since the world was becoming dangerous. Unbeknownst to Alys, with the love for the sea, she had no idea of the beings, creatures of legend, that lived in the ocean. The Undine, merfolk, who are very large strong creatures, but very beautiful in their own way. Captivated by our MMC Imber as he looks at her as if he has known her his whole life as they stumble upon one another. Not knowing if they could truly be, their story is one of discovery & challenges, but in the end, an eternal love that could survive through the ages. Secrets need to be kept but more importantly, staying alive is Paramount. Can they survive the changes that plague their worlds or need to run and live on without one another? You’ll just have to pick up the small Novella and find out. Happy reading my lovely readers💋🖤✨📖

[Kayla’s Book Binge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read book 1 and said there BETTER be a prequel and I’m so glad there was!!! Since this was the start none of them had hatred towards the other species yet so I liked that we got to see their relationship immediately start with affection. They weren’t born hating the other like the future. It was just pure love towards the other.

It was sad to see how the destruction started. How their homes were destroyed and they couldn’t do anything about it. Just had to watch as it happened. I would hate the humans too.

But I loved that we got to see his sister! His bond with her was sweet and refreshing since the siblings in the first book had so much anger and pain. Also picturing his niece strapped in a net on her hip was adorable. Had me thinking about the future premonition in book 1 had her pregnant. I am just so curious what a mixed child would be like. I’m praying we get to see one of these couples show us 🙏

(I was hoping the epilogue would’ve been the day they died. I wanted to see how it happened since the bones were still there wrapped around each other after all those years.) Nonetheless this was sweet and sad at the same time. I liked seeing how everything started!

[Hennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella completely stole my heart. Having read the entire Deep Waters series, this novella felt like coming home. I’ve missed this world so much, and Wave Song was the perfect way to dive back into its depths. From the very first pages, I was swept away by the tender yet aching romance.

Alys and the scarred merman were such a beautiful pairing—gentle, sweet, and filled with so much quiet love. For a short story, their bond felt powerful and real, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with them right alongside each other. My only complaint? I desperately wish it had been longer. I wanted more of their moments together, more time to live in that love.

Even so, the story gave me everything: sweetness, longing, and ultimately heartbreak. By the end, I was in tears. Knowing how their story fits into the wider Deep Waters series made it hit even harder, but that didn’t make it any less devastating.

This novella is bittersweet, romantic, and unforgettable. It wrecked me in the best possible way.

[jessa ☘︎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"...You are built like a predator, Imber. Don’t think I ever forget that.”
He took her hand in his and slid it down his arm. He used his own hand to force her to linger on the sharp points down the backs of his arms, then drew her closer to make her feel the spines down his back. Baring his teeth, he took her hand and touched her thumb to the sharp points of his teeth.
Throughout it all, she held her breath. Barely breathing at all as she allowed him to make her touch every single dangerous part of him.
And when he was done, when he was certain she had been frightened enough, he leaned down to press his lips against the very sensitive side of her neck. “I am a predator, Alys, but I am yours."

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoyed this series and its nice to have this novella in a stand alone form.

That being said, I feel like this story could (and possibly should) have been a full novel on its own. The jump to instantly in-love felt jarring compared to the more relative slow burns of the other three novels. Plus, the beginning of the conflict between the undines and humans I felt really merited a deeper exploration. Still, I enjoyed the story overall. Just wish it was a full novel.

[Marissa Pekurny · Rating 5 out of 5]

ahhhh i loved this story so much!!! it was so sweet and i just couldn’t put it down. it was lovely to see how everything led up to whispers of the deep and alys and imber were perfect. i am obsessed with this series and emma hamm will forever be one of my fav authors. highly recommend reading!!

[Erica Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it

I’m so glad we got to see what happened with Alice and her mate. This was a cute low drama quick novella. Can’t wait to get the paperback and add it to the rest of this series collection.

[TheBinaryBookBinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will without a doubt devour any and every piece of Deep Waters that Emma publishes

[Saraspoisonedpages · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully perfect short love story that moved me to tears and gave me everything I hoped for.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Book Worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Annica ⚡️ annica_reads_books ⚡️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ah, what a sweet novella! I really enjoyed this one. 😍

[Shia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ooooo I loved it!!

Such a unique fantasy that had me wishing I had my own Undine! This is one of my first “monster romances” and it won’t be my last! Emma really knows how to capture the essence of storytelling and how romance and love knows no boundaries!