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The Fisher King #1
The Trident and the Pearl
A desperate queen makes a deal with the gods to save her land in this spellbinding romantasy debut from Sarah K. L. Wilson.
Queen Coralys rules the Kingdom of the Five Isles, but when disaster strikes, killing her husband and destroying half her nation, she pleads with the gods for salvation. And they do save her, turning back the terrible winds and tide and snatching her islands from the brink of destruction.
But the gods have a wicked sense of justice and they demand an exchange for their Coralys must marry the first man to set foot on her pier. Coralys expects the fleet of a neighboring country to come to rescue her people, led by its prince, a loyal ally. What she gets instead is a fisherman so sunburnt and stinking that her court can barely keep their breakfast down.
Coralys marries the fisherman just as she promised the gods, and sets out with him in his unkempt dinghy, with nothing but hopes of revenge against the gods to keep her from despair. But what she does not know is that the fisherman is actually the god of the sea. And he stepped on her dock for a reason.
His own kingdom besieged, his body terribly wounded, and his place as a god threatened, the fisherman has plans to turn the tides set against him and finally offer a place of refuge for his people. But working the magic he needs will require the help of the one woman bent on his destruction.
Queen Coralys rules the Kingdom of the Five Isles, but when disaster strikes, killing her husband and destroying half her nation, she pleads with the gods for salvation. And they do save her, turning back the terrible winds and tide and snatching her islands from the brink of destruction.
But the gods have a wicked sense of justice and they demand an exchange for their Coralys must marry the first man to set foot on her pier. Coralys expects the fleet of a neighboring country to come to rescue her people, led by its prince, a loyal ally. What she gets instead is a fisherman so sunburnt and stinking that her court can barely keep their breakfast down.
Coralys marries the fisherman just as she promised the gods, and sets out with him in his unkempt dinghy, with nothing but hopes of revenge against the gods to keep her from despair. But what she does not know is that the fisherman is actually the god of the sea. And he stepped on her dock for a reason.
His own kingdom besieged, his body terribly wounded, and his place as a god threatened, the fisherman has plans to turn the tides set against him and finally offer a place of refuge for his people. But working the magic he needs will require the help of the one woman bent on his destruction.
459 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2026
148 people are currently reading
17110 people want to read
About the author
Sarah K.L. Wilson
158 books1,150 followersSarah K. L. Wilson is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes fantasy stories featuring practical heroes & heroines in the most impractical circumstances. She loves writing because it is the only way to make a living and give back to the world when your primary skill is an overactive imagination and a tendency toward violent daydreams.
Sarah can be found in the outdoors of Northern Ontario with her young boys and beloved husband, reading a book, or fending off her husband's pet turkeys with a straw broom.
You can find Sarah's books in paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook and they have also been translated into Italian, German, and (very soon) Turkish.
Please, do, enjoy the read!
*USA Today bestseller list, November 2, 2017
www.sarahklwilson.com
sarah@sarahklwilson.com
Instagram @sarahklwilson
Facebook @sarahklwilson
TikTok @sarahklwilson
Sarah can be found in the outdoors of Northern Ontario with her young boys and beloved husband, reading a book, or fending off her husband's pet turkeys with a straw broom.
You can find Sarah's books in paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook and they have also been translated into Italian, German, and (very soon) Turkish.
Please, do, enjoy the read!
*USA Today bestseller list, November 2, 2017
www.sarahklwilson.com
sarah@sarahklwilson.com
Instagram @sarahklwilson
Facebook @sarahklwilson
TikTok @sarahklwilson
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 532 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It took me quite a while to get into this story, and I almost didn't make it. I was about to give up halfway through, and that was avoided only because I ended up liking the two main characters and got hooked on the revenge plot.
More on my website.
More on my website.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
”Wherever your soul lingers, there will mine be, and if it slips into the Nightwaters, even there I will join you.”
I thought I’d like this, but the characters were truly testing my patience. Coralys was a former queen and so desperate to “save her people” and what does she do? continuously makes decisions that make everything worse for those exact people she was so concerned about. then she has the audacity to play victim.. i swear she had the intelligence of the furthest rock beneath the sea. even with the “meddling gods/ goddesses” trope (which i usually love), this book could not be saved.
Oke wasn’t much better, but at least he used his brain and was actually trying to help those in need. if I was him, I wouldn’t have forgiven Coralys for what she did to him and I’d make her feel every bit of guilt possible. the plot was so repetitive and the romance was unbelievable to me. by page 100 she was already thinking she loved him & they barely had any proper conversation so my question is.. girl are you ok? she was supposedly so torn up over her ex husband’s death, but as far as im concerned, she didn’t care about neither of them and you can’t convince me otherwise.
⇉ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Orbit books for the arc, all opinions are my own.
I thought I’d like this, but the characters were truly testing my patience. Coralys was a former queen and so desperate to “save her people” and what does she do? continuously makes decisions that make everything worse for those exact people she was so concerned about. then she has the audacity to play victim.. i swear she had the intelligence of the furthest rock beneath the sea. even with the “meddling gods/ goddesses” trope (which i usually love), this book could not be saved.
Oke wasn’t much better, but at least he used his brain and was actually trying to help those in need. if I was him, I wouldn’t have forgiven Coralys for what she did to him and I’d make her feel every bit of guilt possible. the plot was so repetitive and the romance was unbelievable to me. by page 100 she was already thinking she loved him & they barely had any proper conversation so my question is.. girl are you ok? she was supposedly so torn up over her ex husband’s death, but as far as im concerned, she didn’t care about neither of them and you can’t convince me otherwise.
⇉ thanks to NetGalley, the author and Orbit books for the arc, all opinions are my own.
February 24, 2026
« I’ve never responded well to stubbornness, and I don’t plan to start bending to it now. »
Hugeee thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!!
4.25✨
This was SO GOOD.
Queen Coralys needs to strike a bargain with a God in order to save her people from a terrible storm. The bargain is for her to marry the first man to step foot on the island and take his status… thus confirming that her husband past away at sea.
« Nothing can be truly impossible when pitted against an unyielding will. »
The first man to step foot on the island is a fisherman. She has to give up her station to take his, all while grieving her husband who was her best friend and the love of her life.
« It must be a wonderful thing to judge justly without requiring evidence. »
Coralys was such a complex character. I loved her right away because she had many layers and her thought process was interesting. I did think she was a strong willed and resilient character because the fall from Queen to her new husband’s station was quite enormous.
« Impossible has never been a word that applied to me. »
Oke was a softer character. He had a very calm personality and I did feel so bad for him. You can feel his sadness and melancholy through the pages.
The God of War wasn’t a main character but he was very interesting to me. I hope we see more of him in the sequel.
The romance was a very well done slow burn. The kind where you’re at the edge of your seat for just a little kiss.
The writing was very addictive and I didn’t want to put it down. Some plot points were predictable while some took me by surprise. The progression was sometimes on the slower side but it mostly flowed well.
I highly recommend this, I loved the story and am looking forward to the continuity!
« The sun could burn to dust and still I would love him as the last warmth of the world crept away. »
Hugeee thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!!
4.25✨
This was SO GOOD.
Queen Coralys needs to strike a bargain with a God in order to save her people from a terrible storm. The bargain is for her to marry the first man to step foot on the island and take his status… thus confirming that her husband past away at sea.
« Nothing can be truly impossible when pitted against an unyielding will. »
The first man to step foot on the island is a fisherman. She has to give up her station to take his, all while grieving her husband who was her best friend and the love of her life.
« It must be a wonderful thing to judge justly without requiring evidence. »
Coralys was such a complex character. I loved her right away because she had many layers and her thought process was interesting. I did think she was a strong willed and resilient character because the fall from Queen to her new husband’s station was quite enormous.
« Impossible has never been a word that applied to me. »
Oke was a softer character. He had a very calm personality and I did feel so bad for him. You can feel his sadness and melancholy through the pages.
The God of War wasn’t a main character but he was very interesting to me. I hope we see more of him in the sequel.
The romance was a very well done slow burn. The kind where you’re at the edge of your seat for just a little kiss.
The writing was very addictive and I didn’t want to put it down. Some plot points were predictable while some took me by surprise. The progression was sometimes on the slower side but it mostly flowed well.
I highly recommend this, I loved the story and am looking forward to the continuity!
« The sun could burn to dust and still I would love him as the last warmth of the world crept away. »
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
i already know there are going to be people who find this frustrating because of how slow burn it is but… for those who, like me, have been CRAVING a slow burn marriage of convenience that is still very much rooted in it’s fantasy base… THIS ONE IS FOR US!!!
i'm weak for the angst and married couple tension combined with complicated characters dealing with grief and loss (in more ways than one). personally, i found the frustrating and difficult MC realistic and the difficult communication understandable given the foundation of how they found themselves in that situation in the first place.
in my mind, i am filleting some fish, cleaning a small hut, and sitting on a small boat on the waves of a small island… patiently waiting for them to come home.
I FEEL ALIVEEEEEEE!! the island atmosphere was so tangibleee 😭🤍 this isn’t a greek myth retelling but it’s definitely for those who like the atmosphere, tension, and high stakes those stories bring. it balances tenderness and a will-it-be-tragic-or-not ebb and flow.
the fact that the main female character is prickly but not stupid and wants what's best for her kingdom is the cherry on top for me.
i was in love with the writing from the very beginning — top tier yearning and thick tension. an island/ocean atmosphere in a romantic fantasy reminiscent of Poseidon x Amphitrite, highlighting the weight of responsibility and how people will believe what’s convenient to them. i underestimated how dark this was willing to go and how much it would explore systemic power imbalances. everything about this book felt fresh.
most importantly, however, is how much it was able to capture that encapsulating but vast feeling of the ocean’s calm and turbulence. something that feels like it can both welcome you home and consume you. the author’s bio says she spends a lot of time in the “outdoors of Northern Ontario” with her family and it really reads like it. only someone who spends a lot of time in nature with her loved ones can translate this much whimsical nostalgia of the ocean and outdoors into writing. and i say this as someone who lives on a tropical country.
the narrative was weaved together so seamlessly with its setting and reminds me of how percy jackson portrays the nuance of the ocean. it doesn’t help that the male lead is reminiscent of Poseidon (not necessarily the Poseidon in PJO). every time the smallest thing happened, i felt like i was going to jump out of my skin because of how captivating the character dynamics was.
my nerves were on FIRE. Sarah K.L. Wilson, i was not familiar with your game.
i’m very picky when it comes to books marketed as romantasy because i need a strong fantasy foundation in order to internalize character dynamics. so you can imagine my relief when the fantasy plot delivered. although this has a strong romance, i do think it relies more on the fantasy plot and the “queen’s” personal motivations to drive the story. which is how i prefer it, to be honest.
it was investing to me bc not only was the dynamics of the characters engaging to read, it highlights love based on friendship and heavily explores the weight of responsibility, political corruption, and imbalance of power. specifically, how those given power by its people should be in service of those same people. i think it also handled grief and that overbearing feeling really well. our FMC was understandably going through a lot and our MMC never invalidated her emotions.
i usually feel that fantasy fully written in first person is limiting but i think this was very self aware of everything it was doing. it’s not overwhelming, it’s fast-paced, and doesn’t try to bite off more than it can chew. all the while, feeling new and well-realized. i can feel that the author is comfortable letting their readers live in the moment without forcibly pushing the narrative. by the end, i actually think first person is the only way to write this story to keep the mystery alive.
i don’t know how it managed to feel raw, fresh, and clean all at once but that’s what it felt like to me. i’m already anticipating book 2 and this isn’t even out yet. to be a fishwife to the god of the sea doesn’t sound too bad, all things considered.
in my mind i am peacefully floating in the ocean.
*ARC sent by the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Quotes in this review are taken from the ARC version of this book.*
mehehe love u Orbit 🫶🏼
i'm weak for the angst and married couple tension combined with complicated characters dealing with grief and loss (in more ways than one). personally, i found the frustrating and difficult MC realistic and the difficult communication understandable given the foundation of how they found themselves in that situation in the first place.
in my mind, i am filleting some fish, cleaning a small hut, and sitting on a small boat on the waves of a small island… patiently waiting for them to come home.
“Sorrow is the gift you give what cannot be or is not anymore. It is a gift to the past. Anger is the gift you give the future, a sacrifice offered to unrelenting gods in hopes they’ll choke upon it and you can rebuild the world as you like it from their bones.”
I FEEL ALIVEEEEEEE!! the island atmosphere was so tangibleee 😭🤍 this isn’t a greek myth retelling but it’s definitely for those who like the atmosphere, tension, and high stakes those stories bring. it balances tenderness and a will-it-be-tragic-or-not ebb and flow.
the fact that the main female character is prickly but not stupid and wants what's best for her kingdom is the cherry on top for me.
i was in love with the writing from the very beginning — top tier yearning and thick tension. an island/ocean atmosphere in a romantic fantasy reminiscent of Poseidon x Amphitrite, highlighting the weight of responsibility and how people will believe what’s convenient to them. i underestimated how dark this was willing to go and how much it would explore systemic power imbalances. everything about this book felt fresh.
most importantly, however, is how much it was able to capture that encapsulating but vast feeling of the ocean’s calm and turbulence. something that feels like it can both welcome you home and consume you. the author’s bio says she spends a lot of time in the “outdoors of Northern Ontario” with her family and it really reads like it. only someone who spends a lot of time in nature with her loved ones can translate this much whimsical nostalgia of the ocean and outdoors into writing. and i say this as someone who lives on a tropical country.
“I fish and I think about gods and men and how people seem to worship whatever is the most convenient for them.”
the narrative was weaved together so seamlessly with its setting and reminds me of how percy jackson portrays the nuance of the ocean. it doesn’t help that the male lead is reminiscent of Poseidon (not necessarily the Poseidon in PJO). every time the smallest thing happened, i felt like i was going to jump out of my skin because of how captivating the character dynamics was.
my nerves were on FIRE. Sarah K.L. Wilson, i was not familiar with your game.
i’m very picky when it comes to books marketed as romantasy because i need a strong fantasy foundation in order to internalize character dynamics. so you can imagine my relief when the fantasy plot delivered. although this has a strong romance, i do think it relies more on the fantasy plot and the “queen’s” personal motivations to drive the story. which is how i prefer it, to be honest.
“You can’t love art without understanding the basis of what makes a thing beautiful”
it was investing to me bc not only was the dynamics of the characters engaging to read, it highlights love based on friendship and heavily explores the weight of responsibility, political corruption, and imbalance of power. specifically, how those given power by its people should be in service of those same people. i think it also handled grief and that overbearing feeling really well. our FMC was understandably going through a lot and our MMC never invalidated her emotions.
i usually feel that fantasy fully written in first person is limiting but i think this was very self aware of everything it was doing. it’s not overwhelming, it’s fast-paced, and doesn’t try to bite off more than it can chew. all the while, feeling new and well-realized. i can feel that the author is comfortable letting their readers live in the moment without forcibly pushing the narrative. by the end, i actually think first person is the only way to write this story to keep the mystery alive.
“I am nothing but this moment. I am no one but the beholder of languid patterns and intricate flows. I am not a grieving queen but only a pair of eyes beholding in wonder.”
i don’t know how it managed to feel raw, fresh, and clean all at once but that’s what it felt like to me. i’m already anticipating book 2 and this isn’t even out yet. to be a fishwife to the god of the sea doesn’t sound too bad, all things considered.
in my mind i am peacefully floating in the ocean.
*ARC sent by the publisher for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Quotes in this review are taken from the ARC version of this book.*
mehehe love u Orbit 🫶🏼
January 19, 2026
sea king x queen to a drowned kingdom who wants to stab him through the heart (while he yearns)? yes and yes
Drown under the weight of the waves in Sarah K.L. Wilson’s turbulent debut The Trident and the Pearl, where few bargains are as desperate as the ones we make before our end. Recounting a marriage of convenience between a queen stripped of her station and a god struck low, Wilson’s romantic fantasy novel puts new meaning on revenge and the path towards fulfilling that desire. Mainly it is okay to stab your husband through the chest, encouraged even. The Trident and the Pearl does not hesitate to drive that spear in deeper with a slow burn romance between our wedded pair: Okeanos, god of the sea, and Coralys, mortal once-queen hell bent on revenge against her godly husband. A recipe for tension if there ever was one, The Trident and the Pearl pulled me deep into the undertow to entangle in the deadly machinations of gods and reflect on not just godhood but the weight of holding such a power. Wilson’s attention to romantic yearning elevates this novel even further, a romance caught between hatred, vengeance, and what we owe to those whom we lead. Atmospheric and rimmed in sea foam, Wilson’s series debut manages to strike the perfect course, an ebb and flow between romantic yearning and the stratagems of fickle fickle gods. Rough seas turn rougher with bargains, quests for revenge, and gods in the mix, making this sea positively treacherous.
Read my review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
Drown under the weight of the waves in Sarah K.L. Wilson’s turbulent debut The Trident and the Pearl, where few bargains are as desperate as the ones we make before our end. Recounting a marriage of convenience between a queen stripped of her station and a god struck low, Wilson’s romantic fantasy novel puts new meaning on revenge and the path towards fulfilling that desire. Mainly it is okay to stab your husband through the chest, encouraged even. The Trident and the Pearl does not hesitate to drive that spear in deeper with a slow burn romance between our wedded pair: Okeanos, god of the sea, and Coralys, mortal once-queen hell bent on revenge against her godly husband. A recipe for tension if there ever was one, The Trident and the Pearl pulled me deep into the undertow to entangle in the deadly machinations of gods and reflect on not just godhood but the weight of holding such a power. Wilson’s attention to romantic yearning elevates this novel even further, a romance caught between hatred, vengeance, and what we owe to those whom we lead. Atmospheric and rimmed in sea foam, Wilson’s series debut manages to strike the perfect course, an ebb and flow between romantic yearning and the stratagems of fickle fickle gods. Rough seas turn rougher with bargains, quests for revenge, and gods in the mix, making this sea positively treacherous.
Read my review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25 ★— I support women’s rights and women’s wrongs, even if I sometimes wanted to yell at Coralys to take a minute and think as I read this book.
Sarah K. L. Wilson bewitched me body and soul with her previous work, so reading this new release felt like a no-brainer for me. Add a sea god and a queen on an island, and I was already sold.
The writing in this book is gorgeous. As I read, I could practically taste the salt in the air, feel the ocean waves crashing, and hear the sounds of the sea. I was really, really into this from the very first chapter.
The Trident and the Pearl's heroine, Coralys, is a woman after my own heart. She’s determined to help her people, deeply willful, and willing to go to lengths to achieve what needs to be done. Grieving the death of her husband at the very start of the story, we get to see her at an emotional low point of her life, which was a character choice I loved! It’s not something you see often in this genre, and it immediately made her feel more grounded and interesting.
Okeanos, the god she unknowingly marries after meeting him as a simple fisherman, is our MMC. Coralys enters this marriage willingly, but very much out of duty to her people, and that sense of obligation hangs over their entire relationship. This is a slow burn, and I mean a real slow burn. Okeanos presents as gentle, calm, and incredibly sweet, and Coralys is… profoundly unimpressed. That dynamic carries through every interaction and works exactly as intended.
Golden Retriever x Black Cat? Maybe. Though Okeanos might be too calm for that label, and Coralys maybe a little too angry.
The surrounding gods and goddesses were fascinating to read about. They felt powerful and untouchable in a way that gods should feel, which really added to the atmosphere and sense of scale.
Coralys spends much of this book in the dark, missing key information while still trying to fulfill her duties as queen. That led to moments where I felt genuinely frustrated with some of her decisions. Those choices clearly needed to happen for the sake of the plot, and I understand that, but the way the story framed everything surrounding those choices made the mistakes she was making feel almost too obvious. At times, her choices bordered on making her seem almost dim. This was clearly intentional, and in that sense, kudos to the author for making me feel exactly the frustration I was probably meant to feel.
Overall, this book was such a breath of fresh air, and the ending is very clearly setting up a continuation that I desperately want to read!
🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
I loved the narrator and thought she did an amazing job immersing me in the story. Her tone was very soothing, and I really enjoyed how she embodied Coralys’s emotions throughout. No complaints!
____________
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC and to Hachette Audio for the ALC.
Sarah K. L. Wilson bewitched me body and soul with her previous work, so reading this new release felt like a no-brainer for me. Add a sea god and a queen on an island, and I was already sold.
The writing in this book is gorgeous. As I read, I could practically taste the salt in the air, feel the ocean waves crashing, and hear the sounds of the sea. I was really, really into this from the very first chapter.
The Trident and the Pearl's heroine, Coralys, is a woman after my own heart. She’s determined to help her people, deeply willful, and willing to go to lengths to achieve what needs to be done. Grieving the death of her husband at the very start of the story, we get to see her at an emotional low point of her life, which was a character choice I loved! It’s not something you see often in this genre, and it immediately made her feel more grounded and interesting.
Okeanos, the god she unknowingly marries after meeting him as a simple fisherman, is our MMC. Coralys enters this marriage willingly, but very much out of duty to her people, and that sense of obligation hangs over their entire relationship. This is a slow burn, and I mean a real slow burn. Okeanos presents as gentle, calm, and incredibly sweet, and Coralys is… profoundly unimpressed. That dynamic carries through every interaction and works exactly as intended.
Golden Retriever x Black Cat? Maybe. Though Okeanos might be too calm for that label, and Coralys maybe a little too angry.
The surrounding gods and goddesses were fascinating to read about. They felt powerful and untouchable in a way that gods should feel, which really added to the atmosphere and sense of scale.
Coralys spends much of this book in the dark, missing key information while still trying to fulfill her duties as queen. That led to moments where I felt genuinely frustrated with some of her decisions. Those choices clearly needed to happen for the sake of the plot, and I understand that, but the way the story framed everything surrounding those choices made the mistakes she was making feel almost too obvious. At times, her choices bordered on making her seem almost dim. This was clearly intentional, and in that sense, kudos to the author for making me feel exactly the frustration I was probably meant to feel.
Overall, this book was such a breath of fresh air, and the ending is very clearly setting up a continuation that I desperately want to read!
🎧 Audiobook Notes
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo
⭐ Listener Rating: 5/5
I loved the narrator and thought she did an amazing job immersing me in the story. Her tone was very soothing, and I really enjoyed how she embodied Coralys’s emotions throughout. No complaints!
____________
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC and to Hachette Audio for the ALC.
February 22, 2026
Grab your headphones and settle in to get lost in a world of gods & monsters, a very stabby queen, and a slow burn romance that will have to clamoring for the next book!
I say grab your headphones, because this is an audiobook performance you will not want to miss! The Trident and the Pearl is utterly atmospheric and the narrator, Ell Potter, infuses so much emotion in her performance that before you know it your IN the Five Isles surrounded by the ocean and lost to the sea!
I really loved this book. I meant to read it rather slo but once I started the audiobook it was hard to stop reading.
It’s clear this world is epic, the schemes and political machinations vast, and the romance is just starting to simmer. I’m very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
Whats to love…
- mythology vibes are strong
- gods & monsters
- exploration of grief
- YEARNINNNNNGGGG
- revenge
- a very very STABBY FMC
- marriage of convenience
- very slow burn!
- Atmospheric AF
What might not work for some…
- I feel like this book does a great job of feeling complete and full while still setting up a much bigger plot and world. One area that I think is only just getting started is the romance. It is epically slow burn with little to no pay off until the very end. This works fine for me because I know it’s going to be good in future books but I can see how this might be a miss for some readers who prefer more pay off right away.
Audio Narration: 5/5 WOW That was a spectacular performance! Ell Potter added so much emotion into their performance it was easy to get lost and completely swept away in the narrative. She speaks (comparatively) quick so I listened to this at 1x for the majority of the book (usually a 1.2-1.4x fantasy listener). I could see some readers needing to slow this down just a bit but speed/pacing is consistent throughout so this is a non-issue for me. The inflection, pausing, and voice variation were all fabulous. I will be adding Ell Potter to my to my “must listen” list!
4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Orbit & Hachette Audio for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I say grab your headphones, because this is an audiobook performance you will not want to miss! The Trident and the Pearl is utterly atmospheric and the narrator, Ell Potter, infuses so much emotion in her performance that before you know it your IN the Five Isles surrounded by the ocean and lost to the sea!
I really loved this book. I meant to read it rather slo but once I started the audiobook it was hard to stop reading.
It’s clear this world is epic, the schemes and political machinations vast, and the romance is just starting to simmer. I’m very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
Whats to love…
- mythology vibes are strong
- gods & monsters
- exploration of grief
- YEARNINNNNNGGGG
- revenge
- a very very STABBY FMC
- marriage of convenience
- very slow burn!
- Atmospheric AF
What might not work for some…
- I feel like this book does a great job of feeling complete and full while still setting up a much bigger plot and world. One area that I think is only just getting started is the romance. It is epically slow burn with little to no pay off until the very end. This works fine for me because I know it’s going to be good in future books but I can see how this might be a miss for some readers who prefer more pay off right away.
Audio Narration: 5/5 WOW That was a spectacular performance! Ell Potter added so much emotion into their performance it was easy to get lost and completely swept away in the narrative. She speaks (comparatively) quick so I listened to this at 1x for the majority of the book (usually a 1.2-1.4x fantasy listener). I could see some readers needing to slow this down just a bit but speed/pacing is consistent throughout so this is a non-issue for me. The inflection, pausing, and voice variation were all fabulous. I will be adding Ell Potter to my to my “must listen” list!
4.5⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Orbit & Hachette Audio for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
February 7, 2026
2.5 stars
The real yearning here is my yearning for what this story could have been.
I really loved the prose, which had me hooked for the first 100 pages. However, once the conflict started to develop, the story really lost me.
The plot relies heavily on forced miscommunication to create mistakes and conflict where it doesn't make sense. Though some of the issues can be blamed on the characters' personalities and lack of trust, the fact that the plot relies so heavily on miscommunication makes for an incredibly aggravating reading experience. It genuinely makes no sense why Oke didn’t just explain the situation to her.
Coralys is presented as this strong, experienced character, but she spends the whole book making impulsive, contradictory decisions that, again, feel forced to drive the plot in certain directions. Her mistakes are infuriating when it is so painfully obvious to the reader what is going on. Oke is never really established as his own character. He yearns and keeps secrets and is described as oddly childish.
The romance moves way too quickly, especially when you consider how little time the characters actually spend together. References to Coralys' late husband feel shoehorned in to create the illusion of grief. It makes Coralys’ character feel even more disjointed.
The plot bit off more than it could chew and meanders in repetitive circles, trying to work its way out of problems that the characters have blindly stumbled into. Between the arranged marriage, god war, and multiple plots against the characters, the story felt crowded. None of these elements were well fleshed out, and the plot reveals were predictable. Though this is the start of a series, this first book ends with a frustrating lack of progress in the overall story.
I wanted to love The Trident and the Pearl, but unfortunately, it was a messy and frustrating read.
Thank you Orbit for the advanced copy!
Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books
The real yearning here is my yearning for what this story could have been.
I really loved the prose, which had me hooked for the first 100 pages. However, once the conflict started to develop, the story really lost me.
The plot relies heavily on forced miscommunication to create mistakes and conflict where it doesn't make sense. Though some of the issues can be blamed on the characters' personalities and lack of trust, the fact that the plot relies so heavily on miscommunication makes for an incredibly aggravating reading experience. It genuinely makes no sense why Oke didn’t just explain the situation to her.
Coralys is presented as this strong, experienced character, but she spends the whole book making impulsive, contradictory decisions that, again, feel forced to drive the plot in certain directions. Her mistakes are infuriating when it is so painfully obvious to the reader what is going on. Oke is never really established as his own character. He yearns and keeps secrets and is described as oddly childish.
The romance moves way too quickly, especially when you consider how little time the characters actually spend together. References to Coralys' late husband feel shoehorned in to create the illusion of grief. It makes Coralys’ character feel even more disjointed.
The plot bit off more than it could chew and meanders in repetitive circles, trying to work its way out of problems that the characters have blindly stumbled into. Between the arranged marriage, god war, and multiple plots against the characters, the story felt crowded. None of these elements were well fleshed out, and the plot reveals were predictable. Though this is the start of a series, this first book ends with a frustrating lack of progress in the overall story.
I wanted to love The Trident and the Pearl, but unfortunately, it was a messy and frustrating read.
Thank you Orbit for the advanced copy!
Links to my TikTok | Instagram | Bindery Books
February 7, 2026
Wow. I did not crack this open and expect to have my socks knocked off, but here I am. Sockless. That. Was. Stunning. This was my first work by Sarah K. L. Wilson. It’s clear she has done the work. The prose in this novel was otherworldly. It was just the right balance of Greek odyssey and fable without feeling like it was fake or reaching.
This is what happens AFTER you bargain with gods. Driven by vengeance Coralys must choose between saving her people or revenge for her misfortune and suffering. From the first page I was entranced. I couldn’t put it down! I had to know what was going to happen next. The action was non-stop, however it didn’t suffer as Wilson wove in the motivations and conflict of Coralys with every move.
Note this is the first book in a series, so you know that ending is going to leave some questions unanswered. It’s hard to be mad at it when you loved the story so damn much! Get this one when it hits shelves Feb 24. It’s well worth it! (Admittedly I preordered my copy before I even hit the 25% mark. I was THAT in love with this book already!)
Thanks again to the folks at Orbit Books for the gifted ARC. Y’all continue to amaze me with the incredible catalog on offer this year. All opinions are my own.
This is what happens AFTER you bargain with gods. Driven by vengeance Coralys must choose between saving her people or revenge for her misfortune and suffering. From the first page I was entranced. I couldn’t put it down! I had to know what was going to happen next. The action was non-stop, however it didn’t suffer as Wilson wove in the motivations and conflict of Coralys with every move.
Note this is the first book in a series, so you know that ending is going to leave some questions unanswered. It’s hard to be mad at it when you loved the story so damn much! Get this one when it hits shelves Feb 24. It’s well worth it! (Admittedly I preordered my copy before I even hit the 25% mark. I was THAT in love with this book already!)
Thanks again to the folks at Orbit Books for the gifted ARC. Y’all continue to amaze me with the incredible catalog on offer this year. All opinions are my own.
December 30, 2025
Thank you to the publisher Little Brown Book Group UK for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
This book was an interesting ride, it was slow to start as the author is setting the scene but in the second half of the book the action really picks up and I didn’t feel I could catch my breath. I enjoyed the world building in this book, I really liked the Crocus Isles and Oke. I did like Coralys but I don’t agree with all of the choices she made, even if she came to see the error of her ways. Oke was patient, kind and very respectful towards her and gave her time to grieve but she throws this all back in his face, I would have liked to have read chapters from his point of view but even without this we still get the sense of how honourable a man he is and much he loves his people. He came across as very shy, a quiet but strong man. Coralys wanted the best for her people too but she was so lost in her vengeance that she didn’t really see or truly appreciate Oke until it’s nearly too late. After that cliffhanger at the end I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, the beginning of the book gave me King Thrushbeard vibes.
This book was an interesting ride, it was slow to start as the author is setting the scene but in the second half of the book the action really picks up and I didn’t feel I could catch my breath. I enjoyed the world building in this book, I really liked the Crocus Isles and Oke. I did like Coralys but I don’t agree with all of the choices she made, even if she came to see the error of her ways. Oke was patient, kind and very respectful towards her and gave her time to grieve but she throws this all back in his face, I would have liked to have read chapters from his point of view but even without this we still get the sense of how honourable a man he is and much he loves his people. He came across as very shy, a quiet but strong man. Coralys wanted the best for her people too but she was so lost in her vengeance that she didn’t really see or truly appreciate Oke until it’s nearly too late. After that cliffhanger at the end I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, the beginning of the book gave me King Thrushbeard vibes.
February 8, 2026
Let me catch my breath, because this audiobook had me in a chokehold.
There are a few books I consider top-tier dramatic fantasy in the audiobook category. Where the narration is so insanely great, it deserves an award in my nerdy life of bookish gems. They take the writing and own it so thoroughly, that I feel transported and consumed.
And no matter how I rated the book, the narration is like infinitely/5 stars- because I will want to go back and experience it again. (And even though I was craving a few missing beats in this story, I was still blown away by this audio experience.)
Top-tier audiobooks include-The Song of Achilles, The Binding (Really anything #carlprekopp reads, tbh), A River Enchanted, The Empire of Gold, Vita Nostra, The Goblin Emperor- just to name few.
Welp, the latest #saraklwilson just joined that list- expertly read by #ellpotter Holy Sea Gods, this was thrilling.
The fact this is a series?! >>>low whistle<<< Welp, I know what’s added to most anticipated reads list. (Please say early 2027🤞)
Are you looking to add to your summer TBR list? Grab your crab, trident and headphones.
My thanks to Netgalley, Hatchette Audio & Orbit books for the audio and kindle versions (ARCS). And I bet this would sing to me if I would have read it with my eyeballs, but the audio experience just swept me away from page one.
Out 24 Feb 2026
There are a few books I consider top-tier dramatic fantasy in the audiobook category. Where the narration is so insanely great, it deserves an award in my nerdy life of bookish gems. They take the writing and own it so thoroughly, that I feel transported and consumed.
And no matter how I rated the book, the narration is like infinitely/5 stars- because I will want to go back and experience it again. (And even though I was craving a few missing beats in this story, I was still blown away by this audio experience.)
Top-tier audiobooks include-The Song of Achilles, The Binding (Really anything #carlprekopp reads, tbh), A River Enchanted, The Empire of Gold, Vita Nostra, The Goblin Emperor- just to name few.
Welp, the latest #saraklwilson just joined that list- expertly read by #ellpotter Holy Sea Gods, this was thrilling.
The fact this is a series?! >>>low whistle<<< Welp, I know what’s added to most anticipated reads list. (Please say early 2027🤞)
Are you looking to add to your summer TBR list? Grab your crab, trident and headphones.
My thanks to Netgalley, Hatchette Audio & Orbit books for the audio and kindle versions (ARCS). And I bet this would sing to me if I would have read it with my eyeballs, but the audio experience just swept me away from page one.
Out 24 Feb 2026
November 21, 2025
My wait was worth it. This book is like Jim Hensons Storyteller but something completely new.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read. I have chased this book down for two years. Back when it was known as The Fisher King. It reminded me of various stories about a princess (or sometimes a prince) who married someone due to a forced situation to realize that person was someone else.
In this our princess' island is being hit terribly by an awful storm. Her husband goes to save lives caught in it only to die. She prays to the sea god, in which her people worship, for a respite or end to this storm, and is told to marry the first person who comes to her dock. It is a poor 'fisherman'. She does so, and his gains and bounty are hers, away they go.
Our Fisherman is a sea god, one amongst several. He has been wounded by someone, and he must find out who. Out of respect he keeps his identity from her until she is done grieving and he feels like they have known one another well enough. In return, she is becoming paranoid and angsty because of the revenge she wishes to take upon the god who did not assist her people.
I loved our characters, both have their own issues that result in lack of communication. It makes me think of those greek tales (since this is very grecian god coded) that have that one element that makes the plot become sad, unfortunate. However, there is hope, and since this is to be a trilogy you can start at the bottom and work your way to the top. There are so many 'ifs' and 'maybe I should have' with them that this becomes fuel to the fire that already began with his wounded body.
This isn't really a romantasy but it is two people who learn to love one another. The rest of the gods that make up the tale (including the other story of a list of tasks that our God is trying to complete) add to the fun, and I am excited to see more of them.
The end of the book does not quite end on high note, yet I tend to like books like that because it gives you something to look forward in the next two books. It can't be easy for these two. But if you enjoy watching two people make human follies amongst a world of gods and men, this is your book.
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a read. I have chased this book down for two years. Back when it was known as The Fisher King. It reminded me of various stories about a princess (or sometimes a prince) who married someone due to a forced situation to realize that person was someone else.
In this our princess' island is being hit terribly by an awful storm. Her husband goes to save lives caught in it only to die. She prays to the sea god, in which her people worship, for a respite or end to this storm, and is told to marry the first person who comes to her dock. It is a poor 'fisherman'. She does so, and his gains and bounty are hers, away they go.
Our Fisherman is a sea god, one amongst several. He has been wounded by someone, and he must find out who. Out of respect he keeps his identity from her until she is done grieving and he feels like they have known one another well enough. In return, she is becoming paranoid and angsty because of the revenge she wishes to take upon the god who did not assist her people.
I loved our characters, both have their own issues that result in lack of communication. It makes me think of those greek tales (since this is very grecian god coded) that have that one element that makes the plot become sad, unfortunate. However, there is hope, and since this is to be a trilogy you can start at the bottom and work your way to the top. There are so many 'ifs' and 'maybe I should have' with them that this becomes fuel to the fire that already began with his wounded body.
This isn't really a romantasy but it is two people who learn to love one another. The rest of the gods that make up the tale (including the other story of a list of tasks that our God is trying to complete) add to the fun, and I am excited to see more of them.
The end of the book does not quite end on high note, yet I tend to like books like that because it gives you something to look forward in the next two books. It can't be easy for these two. But if you enjoy watching two people make human follies amongst a world of gods and men, this is your book.
December 7, 2025
How fitting that I reached my reading goal with this book.
There’s so much I want to say about this book. Just trust the process.
This was truly a unique experience. Danielle L Jensen was spot on when she named this book new and timeless. It was fresh and unique, while also feeling classic. I eat anything up with Gods-especially when they are sentient and meddling.
There is darkness in this world. This story is deep and thought provoking.
Tragically beautiful. Or Beautifully tragic?
I don’t think I’d call this a romantasy. BUT, there is a love story at the core of this book.
The ending of this book has me super annoyed that book 2 isn’t already in my hands.. BECAUSE THAT ENDING! Are you kidding me!?
Thanks Orbit for the arc 👍🏻 and for kicking my heart around a bit
There’s so much I want to say about this book. Just trust the process.
This was truly a unique experience. Danielle L Jensen was spot on when she named this book new and timeless. It was fresh and unique, while also feeling classic. I eat anything up with Gods-especially when they are sentient and meddling.
There is darkness in this world. This story is deep and thought provoking.
Tragically beautiful. Or Beautifully tragic?
I don’t think I’d call this a romantasy. BUT, there is a love story at the core of this book.
The ending of this book has me super annoyed that book 2 isn’t already in my hands.. BECAUSE THAT ENDING! Are you kidding me!?
Thanks Orbit for the arc 👍🏻 and for kicking my heart around a bit
December 30, 2025
this was fantastic!!!! such a breath of fresh air. wow. it wasn’t perfect ofc and the fmc in particular was so frustrating for a large chunk, but it was still great. such a cool plot, interesting and well developed world. so many fun twists and turns (though some predictable). i loved this. will elaborate more soon.
thank you Orbit Books for the ARC!
thank you Orbit Books for the ARC!
February 22, 2026
This was a wonderful read. I’ve got to admit: The stunning cover was the main reason why I felt drawn to this book. And luckily, it held what it promised (for the most part). The beautiful writing and intriguing beginning grabbed my attention immediately, compelling me to keep turning the pages.
I love the sea and mythology-inspired tales, and The Trident and the Pearl was a great blend of both. The author did a great job of setting the tone from the get-go and creating the perfect atmosphere to get lost in, I felt swept up by Wilson’s writing.
Coralys was a strong and compelling character. Her emotions and her need to do what is best for her people drove her and kept her moving forward. Oke was a wonderful counterpart who understood and was able to give her the space she needed to come to terms with her new circumstances. And while I really liked them together, there was some miscommunication, which I could’ve done without. Also, I wanted to see more intensity between them, more/deeper emotion. But after THAT ending, I have a feeling book 2 will be a lot more intense, with higher emotional stakes. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!!
Overall, this was a beautiful fairytale-like story about grief and loss, and about finding love and healing amidst it all. I was lucky enough to have the ebook and audiobook available, which created such an immersive reading experience (my favorite way to enjoy a story, whenever possible). The narrator was fantastic and really elevated the story to another level—highly recommend going that route.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Hachette Audio for the eARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review.
I love the sea and mythology-inspired tales, and The Trident and the Pearl was a great blend of both. The author did a great job of setting the tone from the get-go and creating the perfect atmosphere to get lost in, I felt swept up by Wilson’s writing.
Coralys was a strong and compelling character. Her emotions and her need to do what is best for her people drove her and kept her moving forward. Oke was a wonderful counterpart who understood and was able to give her the space she needed to come to terms with her new circumstances. And while I really liked them together, there was some miscommunication, which I could’ve done without. Also, I wanted to see more intensity between them, more/deeper emotion. But after THAT ending, I have a feeling book 2 will be a lot more intense, with higher emotional stakes. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here!!
Overall, this was a beautiful fairytale-like story about grief and loss, and about finding love and healing amidst it all. I was lucky enough to have the ebook and audiobook available, which created such an immersive reading experience (my favorite way to enjoy a story, whenever possible). The narrator was fantastic and really elevated the story to another level—highly recommend going that route.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK, and Hachette Audio for the eARC/ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Read
March 5, 2026Will be in my next vlog
December 27, 2025
oh to yearn for another
wowee this was a fun one, i think
im still a bit unsure of my feelings on this but atm i feel more positive about it. this book doesn't mess around with throwing you straight into the world and immediately starting off strong, and whereas i like a strong start it made it harder for me to build up any connection. Coralys was a great character and everything she goes through in this really does shape her into something entirely different at the end but i still felt something was missing. i do appreciate her never forgetting her love for her first husband and im glad she didn't just get over him straight away once Oke appeared. im also glad Oke respected her needing time to grieve and never pushing himself onto her. Oke's character was truly my favourite and i wish we got moreeeee. some of cora's decisions did make me kinda frustrated especially those towards Oke, had me kinda feeling like a miscommunication trope but there was circumstances so ill let it slide.
overall it was fun. i loved the writing a lot and im excited for the next one.
thank you NetGalley for the arc!
wowee this was a fun one, i think
im still a bit unsure of my feelings on this but atm i feel more positive about it. this book doesn't mess around with throwing you straight into the world and immediately starting off strong, and whereas i like a strong start it made it harder for me to build up any connection. Coralys was a great character and everything she goes through in this really does shape her into something entirely different at the end but i still felt something was missing. i do appreciate her never forgetting her love for her first husband and im glad she didn't just get over him straight away once Oke appeared. im also glad Oke respected her needing time to grieve and never pushing himself onto her. Oke's character was truly my favourite and i wish we got moreeeee. some of cora's decisions did make me kinda frustrated especially those towards Oke, had me kinda feeling like a miscommunication trope but there was circumstances so ill let it slide.
overall it was fun. i loved the writing a lot and im excited for the next one.
thank you NetGalley for the arc!
February 17, 2026
“I’m sensible enough, thank you.” Uh huh, sure. Fooled by another pretty cover.
Read
February 24, 2026Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. I did also read it with the audiobook, which I will say is narrated beautifully.
I am a huge fan or Orbit as a publisher, and have read many from their catalog.
This book did not do it for me. Admittedly, I did not realize it was a series and probably would not have requested it had I realized, simply because I have so many other series that I've started or want to get to. Nevertheless I was looking forward to it as I love ocean related things and it was giving off mythology x Little Mermaid ish vibes. We started off strong, and ended interestingly but I found the middle to be repetitive. There is a lot of politicking which would be interesting, except for the fact that most of it happens off page. The FMC spends the entire book grieving the loss of her husband, yet we know nothing about it so we cannot properly.connect to the grief with her. Her new husband, the MMC has the potential to be interesting but he's not doing much here.
It's a shame because this could be an interesting story with some heavy edits. It very much presents as a debut. There is some nice writing to be found however. I most likely will not be continuing with this series as romantasy is not really a genre I gravitate to.
I am a huge fan or Orbit as a publisher, and have read many from their catalog.
This book did not do it for me. Admittedly, I did not realize it was a series and probably would not have requested it had I realized, simply because I have so many other series that I've started or want to get to. Nevertheless I was looking forward to it as I love ocean related things and it was giving off mythology x Little Mermaid ish vibes. We started off strong, and ended interestingly but I found the middle to be repetitive. There is a lot of politicking which would be interesting, except for the fact that most of it happens off page. The FMC spends the entire book grieving the loss of her husband, yet we know nothing about it so we cannot properly.connect to the grief with her. Her new husband, the MMC has the potential to be interesting but he's not doing much here.
It's a shame because this could be an interesting story with some heavy edits. It very much presents as a debut. There is some nice writing to be found however. I most likely will not be continuing with this series as romantasy is not really a genre I gravitate to.
February 25, 2026
“if we are to trust, then one of us must trust first.”
in this sweeping oceanic romantasy, a dutiful queen makes a pact with the gods to save her people. in return for their safety, coralys will marry the first man to set foot on her pier—even if that man is a filthy, sunburnt fisherman and she’s still mourning the loss of her first husband. the fisherman brings her to his home, an island far from her kingdom, where she learns the truth even as she plots her revenge against the gods: oke is no ordinary fisherman. her new husband is okeanos, the god of the sea, grievously wounded and desperate to protect his own besieged people.
with influences ranging from arthurian legend to “king thrushbeard” to greek mythology, the trident and the pearl feels familiar yet fresh. the vividly captured ocean-and-islands setting and an intricate system of gods and magic draw the readers into a dazzling, immersive fantasy world that is just as appealing as the slow-burn romance between coralys and okeanos. (and oh, it’s a proper slow-burn! fans of yearning rejoice!) their relationship is complicated by grief, revenge, and duty and left me desperate for book 2.
coralys in particular is a breath of fresh air. she’s a capable, confident leader making the best choices available to her, and it’s fascinating to encounter a “dutiful” character who actually prioritizes her responsibility to her people. the question of what a leader owes their people is one of the most compelling themes throughout TTATP, and i can’t wait to see how wilson explores that theme in the rest of this trilogy.
if i have any complaints, it’s the pacing of the middle section. the speed feels off for the 450+ page first book in a trilogy, and without any more spoilers, i’ll just say that i think certain aspects of the plot could have been built to more slowly.
not a complaint, more of a wish for the rest of the series:
if you’re seeking an ambitious romantasy on a grander scale than most, featuring a marriage of convenience (with all the requisite yearning and angst, and also some stabbing) and a lush, captivating oceanic setting, the trident and the pearl might just be the book for you.
i received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
rating: 4.25/5.0 stars
February 20, 2026
3.75/5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really interesting book. It’s definitely slow paced throughout the whole thing, which may be an issue for some. I think the first 45% was very slow, but an event at about the halfway mark made it much more interesting, but not really any faster.
The writing is very good, but it also is oddly impersonal at times. For a book in first person, it seems that Coralys is just really removed from everything that’s happening to her. The book does honestly suffer from a lot of telling and not showing. We’re told she cries at least 10 times in this book but we never really see her breakdown. We’re told of the rage she feels but it feels like all of her emotions are kept behind a glass window. I never felt fully connected to Coralys as a character. She is resilient but she just makes poor decision after poor decision and it gets frustrating. I did enjoy her growth but I still wish I could understand her reasoning behind certain actions better.
I don’t know what to say about Oke. He’s honestly such a good person that it hurt my heart to see him in so much pain in this novel. I don’t think we see enough of him though. Again, I know he’s good but we’re told of this more than seeing it on the page.
The romance…let’s just be clear, this book is a fantasy with the inklings of a possible romance. I thought it was romantic fantasy but if you go in wanting really any romance at all you will be disappointed. The beginning possibilities of a relationship are interesting but I think the whole situation with Lieke was a bit odd. Again, I know Coralys loved him but I never felt that love on the page.
The plot is interesting but very slow to get going. The initial concept in the synopsis is quickly approached, but the main plot beyond that takes a while to develop, and I think the miscommunication that sort of fills those gaps into the story are to its detriment. The second half of the novel presents many interesting issues, but I feel we never really see them. Coralys hears of a lot of problems but she doesn’t go investigate a lot of them. I think how being a god works in this world is super cool, as is the entire concept of how to become one, and the notions of an even higher being are super intriguing. Yet I feel we don’t explore a lot of the intricacies of the world when we could.
The world is very cool, in terms of mythology and the like. I don’t really know how big this world is and I’d like to see much more of it in the sequel. I also wish we had seen more people - for a story of this scope, the cast feels far too small.
All in all, this was an enjoyable fantasy novel, and I will keep my eyes out for the sequel!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a really interesting book. It’s definitely slow paced throughout the whole thing, which may be an issue for some. I think the first 45% was very slow, but an event at about the halfway mark made it much more interesting, but not really any faster.
The writing is very good, but it also is oddly impersonal at times. For a book in first person, it seems that Coralys is just really removed from everything that’s happening to her. The book does honestly suffer from a lot of telling and not showing. We’re told she cries at least 10 times in this book but we never really see her breakdown. We’re told of the rage she feels but it feels like all of her emotions are kept behind a glass window. I never felt fully connected to Coralys as a character. She is resilient but she just makes poor decision after poor decision and it gets frustrating. I did enjoy her growth but I still wish I could understand her reasoning behind certain actions better.
I don’t know what to say about Oke. He’s honestly such a good person that it hurt my heart to see him in so much pain in this novel. I don’t think we see enough of him though. Again, I know he’s good but we’re told of this more than seeing it on the page.
The romance…let’s just be clear, this book is a fantasy with the inklings of a possible romance. I thought it was romantic fantasy but if you go in wanting really any romance at all you will be disappointed. The beginning possibilities of a relationship are interesting but I think the whole situation with Lieke was a bit odd. Again, I know Coralys loved him but I never felt that love on the page.
The plot is interesting but very slow to get going. The initial concept in the synopsis is quickly approached, but the main plot beyond that takes a while to develop, and I think the miscommunication that sort of fills those gaps into the story are to its detriment. The second half of the novel presents many interesting issues, but I feel we never really see them. Coralys hears of a lot of problems but she doesn’t go investigate a lot of them. I think how being a god works in this world is super cool, as is the entire concept of how to become one, and the notions of an even higher being are super intriguing. Yet I feel we don’t explore a lot of the intricacies of the world when we could.
The world is very cool, in terms of mythology and the like. I don’t really know how big this world is and I’d like to see much more of it in the sequel. I also wish we had seen more people - for a story of this scope, the cast feels far too small.
All in all, this was an enjoyable fantasy novel, and I will keep my eyes out for the sequel!
February 1, 2026
I loved this ngl rtc
4.5/5
4.5/5
February 25, 2026
Rating: 3.5/5
Queen Coralys is the ruler of a dying nation, her isles ravaged by endless storms and mass destruction, which have killed her husband and countless others. In a last-ditch effort to save her people, Coralys strikes a perilous deal with the gods: in exchange for calming the storms, she will marry the first man to land on her shore, and match his rank. She expects the arrival to be an allied nation come to her aid, and is instead shocked to watch a filthy, injured fisherman wash up on her beach. Though she dutifully accepts her new station as a fisherman’s wife, she quickly realizes Oke is more than a humble fisherman, but the god of the sea, who has his own motivations for their marriage. Trapped in the games of the ever-scheming gods, Coralys must decide who she can trust and who she will betray.
I want to start with what I felt was the strongest aspect, which is the world-building! The world the author has created is so rich and fascinating. From the first moments of the book, you are treated to intricate, well-thought-out traditions, cultures, and environments that all tie together in a convincing and cohesive way. Beyond the intro, the book carries on with detailed, descriptive prose that vividly painted a picture in my mind of this vibrant seascape of islands. I loved being able to clearly envision the gorgeous scenery, and it perfectly set the stage for this sweeping tale.
This has a strong, compelling plot as well. The royal intrigue is indeed intriguing, and watching Coralys as she’s in over her head trying to figure out how she can save her people and decide who she can trust was quite riveting. This book also consistently surprised me, which I loved. If you read a lot like I do, genres and tropes can begin to feel repetitive, and you can guess where a plot is going tens or even hundreds of pages before it happens. This book pleasantly surprised me by not going down those well-worn paths. There were twists and tropes used in interesting or entirely new ways. It was so refreshing, and more importantly, I never knew where the book was taking me, which was great!
I felt the characters were another strong point, though not without some downfalls. I enjoyed Coralys and her constant hotheaded plotting, matched by Oke’s calm, dreamy demeanor. Combined, they had that great slow-burn dynamic full of tension, deceit, and mystery. However, Coralys’s decision-making capabilities were a point of frustration for me. It’s challenging to write from the perspective of a character who knows the least in every situation. Here, when it worked well, the mysteries intrigued me and added an enjoyable layer of suspense. However, when it didn’t work as well, I felt irritated by Coralys’s ignorance and impulsiveness. Adding to this, the book spends practically no time letting you get to know Coralys before the plot kicks off, leaving her feeling like virtually a stranger to me. Over time, she drops information about herself in inner monologues, but they felt like things I either should have known beforehand or should have been able to pick up on through showing rather than telling.
Touching a bit more on the romance, I need it to be known that this is a true slow-burn. As in, no insta-love, no flirty banter, and hundreds of pages may earn you some fleeting touches and a passionate kiss, but no more. While the romance and will-they-won’t-they is a major focus throughout, it’s worth noting that things are slow-moving and there is no spice. For me, this was perfect, and I savored the sizzling tension, but I imagine for others, this chunky ~450 page slow-burn may not have the payoff they were hoping for.
Anyway, THAT ENDING! What a juicy cliffhanger. I’ll be super interested to see where this series goes next. I’d absolutely recommend this for fans of The Bridge Kingdom and In the Veins of the Drowning, or anyone interested in a slow-burn, seafaring, Greek-god-adjacent political romantasy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Queen Coralys is the ruler of a dying nation, her isles ravaged by endless storms and mass destruction, which have killed her husband and countless others. In a last-ditch effort to save her people, Coralys strikes a perilous deal with the gods: in exchange for calming the storms, she will marry the first man to land on her shore, and match his rank. She expects the arrival to be an allied nation come to her aid, and is instead shocked to watch a filthy, injured fisherman wash up on her beach. Though she dutifully accepts her new station as a fisherman’s wife, she quickly realizes Oke is more than a humble fisherman, but the god of the sea, who has his own motivations for their marriage. Trapped in the games of the ever-scheming gods, Coralys must decide who she can trust and who she will betray.
I want to start with what I felt was the strongest aspect, which is the world-building! The world the author has created is so rich and fascinating. From the first moments of the book, you are treated to intricate, well-thought-out traditions, cultures, and environments that all tie together in a convincing and cohesive way. Beyond the intro, the book carries on with detailed, descriptive prose that vividly painted a picture in my mind of this vibrant seascape of islands. I loved being able to clearly envision the gorgeous scenery, and it perfectly set the stage for this sweeping tale.
This has a strong, compelling plot as well. The royal intrigue is indeed intriguing, and watching Coralys as she’s in over her head trying to figure out how she can save her people and decide who she can trust was quite riveting. This book also consistently surprised me, which I loved. If you read a lot like I do, genres and tropes can begin to feel repetitive, and you can guess where a plot is going tens or even hundreds of pages before it happens. This book pleasantly surprised me by not going down those well-worn paths. There were twists and tropes used in interesting or entirely new ways. It was so refreshing, and more importantly, I never knew where the book was taking me, which was great!
I felt the characters were another strong point, though not without some downfalls. I enjoyed Coralys and her constant hotheaded plotting, matched by Oke’s calm, dreamy demeanor. Combined, they had that great slow-burn dynamic full of tension, deceit, and mystery. However, Coralys’s decision-making capabilities were a point of frustration for me. It’s challenging to write from the perspective of a character who knows the least in every situation. Here, when it worked well, the mysteries intrigued me and added an enjoyable layer of suspense. However, when it didn’t work as well, I felt irritated by Coralys’s ignorance and impulsiveness. Adding to this, the book spends practically no time letting you get to know Coralys before the plot kicks off, leaving her feeling like virtually a stranger to me. Over time, she drops information about herself in inner monologues, but they felt like things I either should have known beforehand or should have been able to pick up on through showing rather than telling.
Touching a bit more on the romance, I need it to be known that this is a true slow-burn. As in, no insta-love, no flirty banter, and hundreds of pages may earn you some fleeting touches and a passionate kiss, but no more. While the romance and will-they-won’t-they is a major focus throughout, it’s worth noting that things are slow-moving and there is no spice. For me, this was perfect, and I savored the sizzling tension, but I imagine for others, this chunky ~450 page slow-burn may not have the payoff they were hoping for.
Anyway, THAT ENDING! What a juicy cliffhanger. I’ll be super interested to see where this series goes next. I’d absolutely recommend this for fans of The Bridge Kingdom and In the Veins of the Drowning, or anyone interested in a slow-burn, seafaring, Greek-god-adjacent political romantasy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 27, 2026
Just finished listening to an advanced copy of a book that was just released on February 24th called, The Trident and the Pearl. This story is about Queen Coralys, and it starts out with a disaster that destroys half of her land and takes her husband's life. She begs the gods for help for her people and her land, and they agree, only if she agrees to marry the first man to step foot on her pier. A simple fisherman named Oke is the first to step on her pier. Once they get married she takes his status and sails off with him to go back to his home. And now Coralys wants revenge on the gods for all of this; she is married to a stranger, still grieving the loss of her first husband, and in a new place when she wants to get back to her land and her people. But her new husband is not a simple fisherman, Oke is keeping things from her and he stepped onto her pier that day for a reason... She's the only one who can help him to save his own people, if he can trust her.
This was an enjoyable fantasy with a marriage of convenience and slow burn romance with a cliffhanger ending. Coralys is definitely a resilient and complex character, she is kind hearted and cares about her people but she's also out for revenge against the gods. Oke is trying to do right by his new wife and the circumstance they're in, as well as do right by his people and help them. The way Oke yearns for Coralys, but gives her all the time and space she needs to grieve, he's so good. 🥹 The narrator did an amazing job with all the voices, she brought all these characters to life beautifully. The atmosphere of this book with the setting near the ocean was so easy to picture and I just felt like it gave this story an overall tranquil vibe which I loved. I enjoy books with Greek gods/mythology and I have read a decent amount of them, but this story wasn't about those gods. It gave those same folklore/myth/fairytale vibes as stories about Greek gods which I loved, but I did feel like there were a lot of gods' names and powers being thrown at me, and it felt a little confusing at times keeping everyone straight in my mind. But overall I definitely enjoyed this story, and that ending has me so eager for book 2! 🤍📚
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this ALC of The Trident and the Pearl, in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable fantasy with a marriage of convenience and slow burn romance with a cliffhanger ending. Coralys is definitely a resilient and complex character, she is kind hearted and cares about her people but she's also out for revenge against the gods. Oke is trying to do right by his new wife and the circumstance they're in, as well as do right by his people and help them. The way Oke yearns for Coralys, but gives her all the time and space she needs to grieve, he's so good. 🥹 The narrator did an amazing job with all the voices, she brought all these characters to life beautifully. The atmosphere of this book with the setting near the ocean was so easy to picture and I just felt like it gave this story an overall tranquil vibe which I loved. I enjoy books with Greek gods/mythology and I have read a decent amount of them, but this story wasn't about those gods. It gave those same folklore/myth/fairytale vibes as stories about Greek gods which I loved, but I did feel like there were a lot of gods' names and powers being thrown at me, and it felt a little confusing at times keeping everyone straight in my mind. But overall I definitely enjoyed this story, and that ending has me so eager for book 2! 🤍📚
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for this ALC of The Trident and the Pearl, in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2026
Kudos to Sarah K.L. Wilson for delivering a completely fresh and unique fantasy romance that swept me away. I don't read a lot of fantasy books set in and around the sea, but I felt this was very immersive and descriptive and could picture things clearly. I think it's important going into this to know that this is a slow burn, slower paced book. That's not a con in any way, in fact in an age where too many books gloss over things or turn the heat up too quickly, this was a nice change of pace, literally. A storyline filled with meddling Gods, betrayals, yearning up the wazoo, and a FMC who makes very real, sometimes hurtful choices. Also, this cover? GORGEOUS! All in all, this was a great book and I'm excited for the sequel!
Thank you Orbit Books and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Orbit Books and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC. All opinions are my own.
January 15, 2026
OH I LOVED THIS!! 🔱
This is lyrical fantasy perfection to where I was absolutely inside this book and living through everything!
You can tell that in those moments of “I’m going to throw this book against the wall” THERES A REASON for it all!!!! 😆😆
you can feel the yearn and slow burn to the romance deep to its core and I feel like the next book is going to be sooo epic!! I NEED IT NOW!!
I loved everything about this book!
This is lyrical fantasy perfection to where I was absolutely inside this book and living through everything!
You can tell that in those moments of “I’m going to throw this book against the wall” THERES A REASON for it all!!!! 😆😆
you can feel the yearn and slow burn to the romance deep to its core and I feel like the next book is going to be sooo epic!! I NEED IT NOW!!
I loved everything about this book!
January 5, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had really high hopes for The Trident and the Pearl. I loved the cover, the premise, and had seen great things online — but unfortunately this one just didn’t work for me.
The prose often felt forced, and much of the dialogue lacked emotional depth. By around 60%, there was still no chemistry or romantic tension between the main characters, only loathing, which made the romance hard to connect to. The timeline of grief also didn’t feel believable; we’re asked to accept potential feelings for the sea god only weeks after the FMC’s husband dies, yet there was very little authentic grieving on the page.
I also found the FMC frustrating and inconsistent. She jumped to conclusions, made impulsive choices, and often went rogue for no clear reason, which made it difficult for me to stay emotionally invested.
This may work better for readers who enjoy an extremely slow-burn romantasy focused more on prose and atmosphere, but for me, it wasn’t the right fit.
I had really high hopes for The Trident and the Pearl. I loved the cover, the premise, and had seen great things online — but unfortunately this one just didn’t work for me.
The prose often felt forced, and much of the dialogue lacked emotional depth. By around 60%, there was still no chemistry or romantic tension between the main characters, only loathing, which made the romance hard to connect to. The timeline of grief also didn’t feel believable; we’re asked to accept potential feelings for the sea god only weeks after the FMC’s husband dies, yet there was very little authentic grieving on the page.
I also found the FMC frustrating and inconsistent. She jumped to conclusions, made impulsive choices, and often went rogue for no clear reason, which made it difficult for me to stay emotionally invested.
This may work better for readers who enjoy an extremely slow-burn romantasy focused more on prose and atmosphere, but for me, it wasn’t the right fit.
March 4, 2026
2.5
is it slow burn because of the intense, simmering, hot tension between the characters that gradually bubbles and bubbles until it tips over? or its just the lack of interaction between the two main characters? for the trident and the pearl its the latter, i am afraid.
before going into my actual thoughts i would like to point out that the description for the main character doesn’t match the cover at all
“His skin is sunburned. His hair an indistinct color slightly bleached by the sun and pulled back into a gnarled knot. He’s bearded. His clothing is ragged and hangs over his body in a way that makes it hard to tell his height or width”
smh who even is the man on the cover?
now that that’s out of the way, let me talk about some stuff i enjoyed. the world is immersive. its beautifully crafted and the gods are loosely based on greek mythology. i could imagine the ocean and the current of the water very vividly. one of my favourite things was the huge hammock style bed in oke’s house and statues surrounding his island. but things do get fishy alot. they talk about things in fish and eat a lot of fishes. the magic system is not very unique but it complements the story. i really enjoyed the beginning. the story starts quite abruptly with the main character coralys bidding her husband farewell one final time and making her bargain with a god for her people. once the marriage happens and they start living together things get a little dull. they spend way too little time together for any mutual understanding to develop between them let alone love. i think the trident and the pearl also suffers from a marketing problem. this is not a romantasy. the author posting on instagram with only list of tropes isn’t helping the case either. the romance is an afterthought but the plot of the main character trying to save her people and fighting her feelings for her new husband while mourning her dead one is very uninteresting. i thought at least the gods and the godly war would be engaging but it was not. the dialogues between the characters were oddly formal and clunky.
*MAJOR spoilers ahead*
this book does something that i absolutely hate. it establishes the characters in their roles then without anything significant happening changes things completely. in this case, the main character kills(so easily, mind you) her husband and becomes the god of sea herself. and because the god of sea is the love interest so he isn’t really dead. instead he is stuck in this kind of limbo being punished like prometheus. it happens around 60% , so we get the marriage of convenience thing and then very little interaction between them to care for them as a couple then they are pulled apart.
*END of spoilers*
overall the story is unsatisfying. the whole plot revolves around miscommunication which made me feel so frustrated. oke, the main guy, doesn’t reveal anything and whatever he says to the main character she doesn’t believe. also i know he stank with all the fishes he kept catching and the gaping wound he had throughout the entire story that wasn’t treated. idk how she voluntarily kissed him.
also
there’s something that needs to be mentioned
“The iron scent of blood hangs thick between us and the droplets on his lips are black as inkblots in the moonlight.”
god! finally, i was so tired reading about the ‘coppery taste of blood’.
is it slow burn because of the intense, simmering, hot tension between the characters that gradually bubbles and bubbles until it tips over? or its just the lack of interaction between the two main characters? for the trident and the pearl its the latter, i am afraid.
before going into my actual thoughts i would like to point out that the description for the main character doesn’t match the cover at all
“His skin is sunburned. His hair an indistinct color slightly bleached by the sun and pulled back into a gnarled knot. He’s bearded. His clothing is ragged and hangs over his body in a way that makes it hard to tell his height or width”
smh who even is the man on the cover?
now that that’s out of the way, let me talk about some stuff i enjoyed. the world is immersive. its beautifully crafted and the gods are loosely based on greek mythology. i could imagine the ocean and the current of the water very vividly. one of my favourite things was the huge hammock style bed in oke’s house and statues surrounding his island. but things do get fishy alot. they talk about things in fish and eat a lot of fishes. the magic system is not very unique but it complements the story. i really enjoyed the beginning. the story starts quite abruptly with the main character coralys bidding her husband farewell one final time and making her bargain with a god for her people. once the marriage happens and they start living together things get a little dull. they spend way too little time together for any mutual understanding to develop between them let alone love. i think the trident and the pearl also suffers from a marketing problem. this is not a romantasy. the author posting on instagram with only list of tropes isn’t helping the case either. the romance is an afterthought but the plot of the main character trying to save her people and fighting her feelings for her new husband while mourning her dead one is very uninteresting. i thought at least the gods and the godly war would be engaging but it was not. the dialogues between the characters were oddly formal and clunky.
*MAJOR spoilers ahead*
this book does something that i absolutely hate. it establishes the characters in their roles then without anything significant happening changes things completely. in this case, the main character kills(so easily, mind you) her husband and becomes the god of sea herself. and because the god of sea is the love interest so he isn’t really dead. instead he is stuck in this kind of limbo being punished like prometheus. it happens around 60% , so we get the marriage of convenience thing and then very little interaction between them to care for them as a couple then they are pulled apart.
*END of spoilers*
overall the story is unsatisfying. the whole plot revolves around miscommunication which made me feel so frustrated. oke, the main guy, doesn’t reveal anything and whatever he says to the main character she doesn’t believe. also i know he stank with all the fishes he kept catching and the gaping wound he had throughout the entire story that wasn’t treated. idk how she voluntarily kissed him.
also
there’s something that needs to be mentioned
“The iron scent of blood hangs thick between us and the droplets on his lips are black as inkblots in the moonlight.”
god! finally, i was so tired reading about the ‘coppery taste of blood’.
February 16, 2026
The Trident and the Pearl is a romantasy that blends Greek god mythology with expansive worldbuilding and themes of grief and vengeance, set against a high-stakes story. It’s the first book in The Fisher King series and is a real enemies‑to‑lovers story. While the romance is emotionally charged, the story focuses more on the fantasy plot, full of divine bargains, mythic politics, and epic stakes.
The story follows Queen Coralys, whose island kingdom is devastated by a deadly storm that kills her husband and threatens her people. In a desperate bid to save her nation, she bargains with the gods, who agree—but demand that she marry the first man to step onto her pier. She’s surprised when it turns out to be a sunburnt fisherman named Oke. Setting off with him, she soon discovers that he is actually the wounded god of the sea, carrying secrets that will shape both of their fates.
Coralys is a captivating and impulsive protagonist, carrying grief and guilt over her lost husband, with an unwavering dedication to her people that fuels her desire for vengeance. The man she marries, Oke, the god of the sea, is far more complex than she initially realizes. When Coralys discovers his true identity—and what she believes he’s done to her people—she immediately plans to take him down. Add in a magical pearl that allows her to communicate and eventually make a risky bargain with another trapped god, and the story becomes even more layered and fascinating. Romance fans expecting a slow-burn or steamy romance might be a little disappointed—their dynamic is initially full of tension, and while they do share a bed, it’s so large and they are so opposed that not even a hint of romance develops—and readers will have to wait until the final act for the real suggestions of romance to emerge.
The story moves at a comfortable pace, giving room for the lush worldbuilding to shine and the high emotional stakes—especially through Coralys’s inner dialogue and her dealings with the gods—to unfold. There’s lots of political intrigue among the gods, with twists and reveals as Coralys makes risky choices, particularly in the middle and second half of the book. Some may find Coralys frustrating at times, as she often lets her desire for revenge override logic, which leads her into trouble and occasionally slows the momentum—but it also keeps the tension high and makes her arc compelling. By the end, Coralys comes to terms with her bargains and begins to accept the reality of her situation, though there are still plenty of unanswered questions, clearly setting the stage for the next book in the series!
Overall, The Trident and the Pearl is an impressive first book in this new series, with a highly original storyline, immersive worldbuilding, and compelling characters who readers will be emotionally invested in. It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys slow‑burn romance, mythic fantasy, divine bargains, or romantasy, where the fantasy comes first.
The story follows Queen Coralys, whose island kingdom is devastated by a deadly storm that kills her husband and threatens her people. In a desperate bid to save her nation, she bargains with the gods, who agree—but demand that she marry the first man to step onto her pier. She’s surprised when it turns out to be a sunburnt fisherman named Oke. Setting off with him, she soon discovers that he is actually the wounded god of the sea, carrying secrets that will shape both of their fates.
Coralys is a captivating and impulsive protagonist, carrying grief and guilt over her lost husband, with an unwavering dedication to her people that fuels her desire for vengeance. The man she marries, Oke, the god of the sea, is far more complex than she initially realizes. When Coralys discovers his true identity—and what she believes he’s done to her people—she immediately plans to take him down. Add in a magical pearl that allows her to communicate and eventually make a risky bargain with another trapped god, and the story becomes even more layered and fascinating. Romance fans expecting a slow-burn or steamy romance might be a little disappointed—their dynamic is initially full of tension, and while they do share a bed, it’s so large and they are so opposed that not even a hint of romance develops—and readers will have to wait until the final act for the real suggestions of romance to emerge.
The story moves at a comfortable pace, giving room for the lush worldbuilding to shine and the high emotional stakes—especially through Coralys’s inner dialogue and her dealings with the gods—to unfold. There’s lots of political intrigue among the gods, with twists and reveals as Coralys makes risky choices, particularly in the middle and second half of the book. Some may find Coralys frustrating at times, as she often lets her desire for revenge override logic, which leads her into trouble and occasionally slows the momentum—but it also keeps the tension high and makes her arc compelling. By the end, Coralys comes to terms with her bargains and begins to accept the reality of her situation, though there are still plenty of unanswered questions, clearly setting the stage for the next book in the series!
Overall, The Trident and the Pearl is an impressive first book in this new series, with a highly original storyline, immersive worldbuilding, and compelling characters who readers will be emotionally invested in. It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys slow‑burn romance, mythic fantasy, divine bargains, or romantasy, where the fantasy comes first.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.25⭐️
A stabby queen and a sea king? Yes sign me up!! The Trident and the Pearl is a stunning book from Sarah K.L. Wilson! I was hooked into the story from the beginning and with our main character Coralys. You immediately feel empathetic towards her at the start of the book because she is losing everything she has known and has to make a sacrifice in order to save her kingdom. While mourning the love of her life, Coralys finds herself wed to another man, Oke. I really enjoyed how the relationship between the two of them progressed. He was validating, comforting, and caring towards her and her feelings. One of my favorite parts of their relationship is how validating he was of Coralys’ grief. The slow burn romance between them was really well done and paced! The plot was engaging with political maneuvers, schemes, and twists that kept the book engaging from start to finish.
I was lucky enough to receive the arc and alc for this one and let me tell you this audiobook narration is fantastic!!! Ell Potter does such an amazing job conveying so much emotion and tension into this book. The audiobook was so atmospheric and I truly cannot recommend this book more on audio!! I am so happy that this is a series so that we can return to this wonderful world that Sarah has created!! The ending was devastating but sets up book two so well and I will be waiting patiently for it!!
Read if you like:
- gods and mythology
- marriage of convenience
- revenge plotlines
- yearning and slow burn
- a badass fmc
Thank you to Orbit Books, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALCs in exchange for my review!! I will be running to the bookstore to pick this one up on release day!
A stabby queen and a sea king? Yes sign me up!! The Trident and the Pearl is a stunning book from Sarah K.L. Wilson! I was hooked into the story from the beginning and with our main character Coralys. You immediately feel empathetic towards her at the start of the book because she is losing everything she has known and has to make a sacrifice in order to save her kingdom. While mourning the love of her life, Coralys finds herself wed to another man, Oke. I really enjoyed how the relationship between the two of them progressed. He was validating, comforting, and caring towards her and her feelings. One of my favorite parts of their relationship is how validating he was of Coralys’ grief. The slow burn romance between them was really well done and paced! The plot was engaging with political maneuvers, schemes, and twists that kept the book engaging from start to finish.
I was lucky enough to receive the arc and alc for this one and let me tell you this audiobook narration is fantastic!!! Ell Potter does such an amazing job conveying so much emotion and tension into this book. The audiobook was so atmospheric and I truly cannot recommend this book more on audio!! I am so happy that this is a series so that we can return to this wonderful world that Sarah has created!! The ending was devastating but sets up book two so well and I will be waiting patiently for it!!
Read if you like:
- gods and mythology
- marriage of convenience
- revenge plotlines
- yearning and slow burn
- a badass fmc
Thank you to Orbit Books, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALCs in exchange for my review!! I will be running to the bookstore to pick this one up on release day!
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