These Dark Waters

by Kelsey Tremaine

Wrennley Newbury is the adopted daughter of Duke Lionel Newbury of Sulesia. She’s always been given everything she wants, but on her twenty-fourth birthday, the duke tells her he’s arranged a marriage for her. On the day of the wedding, she runs from the church and ends up aboard The Altean, the ship captained by the immortal Eleanor Crowley. Wren is given the opportunity to join the crew and she readily accepts. Her new friends are everything she never knew she needed.
Then she meets Aris, a banished prince with the magics to visit her dreams. He tempts her with something her new friends could never give her—power. He weaves a story of them retaking his throne and her becoming queen.
Now Wren has a choice to make. Aris, who reminds her of her late best friend Jakob, or her new friends, who have become the family she’s always wanted. Can she fight her way out of these dark waters, or will she find herself drowning?

448 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

Kelsey Tremaine was born and raised in a rural Northern Nevada town where she spent most of her time creating worlds to escape the cornfields and dairy cows. When she isn’t daydreaming about her next book, she can be found at the bookstore or watching the same three shows.

With her writing, she hopes to reach readers through her stories of friendship, grief, love, and hope.

Reviews

[F.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

Review Coming Soon

[Brianna Baragar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so intrigued by Wren, the boat, the crew, the dreams, the whole premise! I really appreciated the originality and I definitely had no idea what was going to happen all the way through the end which doesn’t happen often for me!

Huge spoilers in this next paragraph!!!
I was turning pages quickly up until Wren becomes obsessed with power. Leaving her amazing friends for a man who’s a known criminal/murderer in the middle of the night without letting them know she was leaving or contacting them at all!?! I know the siren on board made her desire to see Aris stronger AND because of Jakob’s soul but she still stayed with him even after he murdered people in front of her, tied her up with barley any food/water for a week AND wanted to get back home so he could murder his parents to take the throne?? LIKE GIRL COMMON. I think I just assumed Wren’s moral compass would be a little better than that so I spent the last part of the book being mad at her for being a big dummy. Regardless, her terrible judge of character did make for an interesting plot!

It was a fun ride!! Can’t wait for the next one to know what the heck is going to happen! Thank you Kelsey!