Blood and Brine

by A.V. Wilcott

Two monsters want her.
One has her heart.
The other wants her soul.
And Dr. Isla Hart isn’t sure which will break first.

After surviving a mutiny and recovering the legendary Phoebalith, Isla thought she and the vampire crew of The Nocturne had earned a little peace. But when the artifact is stolen and her blood begins to change, she finds herself haunted by a cephalogod older than myth—one who whispers to her in the dark, calling her his Ink’s Courage. His chosen. His. He sings to her in silence, the echo in every hollow place, patient as the sea and twice as jealous.

As the mission spirals deeper, Marina is pulled into dangers no one saw coming. Caspian holds the crew together with a wrench in one hand, sarcasm in the other, and absolutely no idea how he became the responsible one. But the Phoebalith is not done with any of them. It stirs beneath the surface, reshaping what it touched. And not even Sebastian is beyond its reach.

Cryptic transmissions suggest the mystery of her father’s disappearance is still waiting to be solved—and Inky may know more than he’s letting on. But even gods can bleed, and Isla isn’t sure she can protect him from what’s coming. Now Isla is hunted on all sides. Enemies from Sebastian’s past resurface. A rival vampire submarine stalks the seas, led by a monster-hunting captain.

As the ocean awakens inside her, Isla must choose between the vampire commander who would bleed the world for her… and the abyssal god who marked her.

The tide is rising. Isla is changing.
And what the sea touches, it body, blood, and soul.

Blood and Brine is a gothic romantic fantasy full of oceanic secrets, fangs, ancient devotion, and enemies-to-lovers tension.

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2025

Reviews

[Moonburst · Rating 5 out of 5]

After recovering the Phoebalith, Isla and Sebastian hoped for some respite to recover and find some needed food sources, then possibly search for Isla’s father. Unfortunately, circumstances continue to work against them, as the Nocturne is fighting Sebastian’s control, leaving them horribly exposed to the sun. Thrall Marina is acting stranger than usual, and the Phoebalith goes missing. Furthermore, Isla is struggling against the changes wrought through her connection to the Inkscourge, and Sebastian is clearly more than just a vampire due to his connection to the Phoebalith. Pulled between supernatural forces, can the two regain what was lost without losing themselves entirely?

Blood and Brine continues the atmospheric tale started in Fangs and Fathoms, and continues with dreamy imagery and plenty of mental anguish. Sebastian and Isla both spend quite some time grappling with the changes they’ve experienced, often engaging in a cyclical argument similar to people coming to terms with a terminal or chronic illness. The truth is that both of their previous decisions have had very real, ongoing consequences, and neither one can fully deny the eldritch powers working upon them. Each character has to decide what is worth fighting for and what is worth losing. And when old enemies resurface, they thankfully refuse to back down without a fight.

A compelling continuation of the series that continues its exploration of change, choice and consequences.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Blend of adventure

I read and liked Blood and Brine and liked its blend of submarine adventure, eldritch pulls, and slow-burn romance. I liked the setting: Isla’s scientist voice grounds the lore, and Sebastian’s command dilemmas give the action weight. I enjoyed Caspian’s dry competence and the sentient-ship touches. The ocean imagery is vivid, and the cephalogod thread adds eerie intimacy. The plot starts a little slow as breadcrumbs reset Book 1, then tightens once the artifact theft and transmissions converge. A few lore repeats could be trimmed, but the tension between choice, change, and devotion kept me engaged. I appreciated how the crew’s banter breaks the heaviness without undercutting stakes. The rival submarine, old enemies, and cryptic messages give the middle stretch steady propulsion. I also liked that the romance simmers rather than sprints, which fits these characters’ wounds and responsibilities. By the end, I cared about the ship, crew, and the cost of power more than I expected. For me, this is a confident, atmospheric sequel that deepens the series and sets up the next leg cleanly.

[Jeffrey Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel tells of vampires, sea gods, and cursed relics.

The plot drives forward with purpose, balancing action at sea with moments of muted resolve. Conflict builds from the first page and never drifts.

Characters stand clear. Isla seeks the truth about her father and battles the pull of ancient power. Sebastian wrestles with his bond to the Phoebalith and the demands of command.

Marina drifts between thrall and threat. Caspian brings sharp wit and skill with machines. Evangeline and Alaric add danger from outside. These figures all act with weight.

The writing style flows. The language paints potent images of sea, ship, and storm. Dialogue carries much of the story and reveals tension with clarity.

The book holds readers with its myth and its danger. At times, the pacing slows when lore repeats. A tighter focus would sharpen the impact.

The text contains some swearing and references to mild sexual activities.

Readers who enjoy dark seas, cursed relics, and tense romance will find this voyage worth taking.

[LL Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶

Book two in this series (follows Fangs and Fathoms), which anyone that usually loves vampire or monster books will want to try. The Paranormal Romance byline might intimidate you, but really this is an adventure story that has some romantic feelings between characters.

If romance isn't your normal thing, still consider giving this series a try! And if it *is* your thing, buckle up and mind that slowwww burn tag!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"Time to rise. Time to strike. Time to set this ship ablaze from hull to mast and salt the ashes behind her."

I like that Isla is an intelligent FMC, there are still times I want to say "Girl!" and give her a shake 😂 but give me a smart scientist over a boring flake any day of the week!

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this gothic paranormal story. I enjoyed this author's ability to keep me engaged throughout the story and keep me coming back for more. I enjoyed their use of details to make the story realistic and I had no problems connecting with the characters. This is a well written story about secrets, romantic tensions and a fantasy story that kept me turning pages fast. I enjoyed the creative characters that made the story easy to read and entertaining as well. I enjoyed watching not only the growth of the characters but the plot as well. There is great chemistry and attraction with the characters which made it hard to put down. This is a fast paced story and one you don't want to miss. I highly recommend this book.

[Annabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another novel full of vampires, sea gods and cursed relics; with main characters developing and changing this was just as brilliant as Fangs and Fantoms.

Isla again is seeking the truth about her father, and willing to risk everything even herself to get said answers. Sebastian is fighting his bond with the Pheobalith and the demands of being the captain of a sentient ship.

I enjoyed how evenly the plot progressed, without rushing whilst also building on the relationships, friendships and rivalries we found in book 1.

This is another story that felt like natural progression, nothing was rushed, it is still slow burn. We just learn more about the characters and the plot.

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Isla, Sebastian and Inky's story however it did take me some time to identify who was who and what was what. When I finished book 1 I was anticipating what came next but had to thoroughly review what had happened as I read to many books between them. The start was slow for me to get into with twists and turns and all the breadcrumbs. Once the actions started it was a very quick read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

She is hoping for some quiet time but something is out there calling for her. He has her heart but another wants her soul. She is also changing in ways she does not expect and things are not going to be an easy journey as she struggles with her changes. See where life will take her
I received an advance copy from hidden gems and a great read

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting action packed paranormal themed storyline that pulls you in and never lets go. Multilayered characters. Lots of exciting twists and turns in this book. Enjoyed every minute of this well written story.

[Mary Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gem books and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

LIKE THE BOOK
start slow

This is where I say the author gives enough information.
So, I do not give anything away.

[Mya Squillace · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's another good book. I was given the opportunity to read the second book and I am not disappointed. It draws you into adventure and gives you an escape. I love seeing the old characters and the new ones, it's got a bit of romance as well and I'm enjoying it.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️🙋🏾‍♀️

[Liberty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this without reading the first book in the series and was still able to greatly enjoy it! I appreciated the romance being more of a slow burn, it felt more natural and more rewarding than most others which throw characters in at the deep end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.