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This Vicious Sea
Not yet published
Expected 24 Feb 26A blood-soaked pirate on a quest for her freedom.
A siren prince caught between vengeance and answers.
When Odelia Ivor, daughter of the most violent pirate on the Adamaris Sea, finds herself in the brig of The Gilded Hart, she doesn’t expect the captain that rescued her to be so… enticing. Bone blade, blue hair, bulging—cough—buttons on his shirt. Too bad he’s determined to let her rot in the inland prison. She’s got one hope to convince him to let her go—and it just might work out in all their favour.
Captain Rune Ahren, siren prince by blood, bounty hunter by choice, knows the routine. He’s caught his prey, and she wants to bargain. Except—this time—it’s a deal he can’t refuse. Lethally gorgeous and armed with a razor sharp tongue, the woman’s got more violence in her than a sea wyrm. It’s all he can do to focus on the task at hand, waiting for the moment she tries to kill him. Again.
One map, four keys, a deadly secret, and this vicious, monster-laden sea… But the greatest threat may just be the viper in his bed.
This Vicious Sea is a standalone, dual POV, spicy ocean romantasy featuring “run and I’ll catch you,” “where tf do you keep all these weapons?!” tying her to the mast for her safety, kissing underwater, kickass fmc, siren mmc, cutthroat banter, riddles, kraken fights, lost treasure, and more!
A siren prince caught between vengeance and answers.
When Odelia Ivor, daughter of the most violent pirate on the Adamaris Sea, finds herself in the brig of The Gilded Hart, she doesn’t expect the captain that rescued her to be so… enticing. Bone blade, blue hair, bulging—cough—buttons on his shirt. Too bad he’s determined to let her rot in the inland prison. She’s got one hope to convince him to let her go—and it just might work out in all their favour.
Captain Rune Ahren, siren prince by blood, bounty hunter by choice, knows the routine. He’s caught his prey, and she wants to bargain. Except—this time—it’s a deal he can’t refuse. Lethally gorgeous and armed with a razor sharp tongue, the woman’s got more violence in her than a sea wyrm. It’s all he can do to focus on the task at hand, waiting for the moment she tries to kill him. Again.
One map, four keys, a deadly secret, and this vicious, monster-laden sea… But the greatest threat may just be the viper in his bed.
This Vicious Sea is a standalone, dual POV, spicy ocean romantasy featuring “run and I’ll catch you,” “where tf do you keep all these weapons?!” tying her to the mast for her safety, kissing underwater, kickass fmc, siren mmc, cutthroat banter, riddles, kraken fights, lost treasure, and more!
- GenresFantasy
624 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 24, 2026
189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ⭐️
2 🌶
What's inside:
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
One Bed
High Seas Adventure
Siren Prince MMC
Deer Shifter Pirate FMC
Found Family
Treasure Hunt
Banter
Spice
This Vicious Sea is a standalone adventure-filled story about Odelia a pirate and daughter of a brutal pirate captain, and Rune, the siren prince that captures her. He is a bounty hunter intent on turning her in to face justice, but when Odelia strikes a bargain with Rune using the treasure map she stole from her father, they agree to hunt the treasure together and split what they find. And so begins their adventure to solve riddles while visiting several islands to locate the keys that will unlock the treasure they seek.
The book did start off a bit slow for me, but I am glad I stuck with it because it did end up grabbing my interest. Odelia is a complex character who just wants to escape her father and her past to begin a new life away from all the killing and brutality that she has experienced. I did find myself hurting and feeling for her and everything she has been through and wanting her to find the escape she seeks.
Rune is a tough but kind hearted siren that is looking for his lost mother while also bounty hunting pirates to clear the seas of its criminals. When he captures Odelia he is intent on turing her in, until he finds out the treasure map may also leads to clues about his missing mother.
The side characters really add a lot to the story as well and help to really round out the book. I couldnt help but fall in love with Rune and his crew.
The banter is fun and keeps things interesting and the plot was fun and engaging. I found myself laughing a few times and I even teared up a bit for Odelia and the trauma she experienced.
This was definitely an action-packed adventure about finding love and family where you least expect it.
Thank you to the authors for an eARC copy of this book.
2 🌶
What's inside:
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
One Bed
High Seas Adventure
Siren Prince MMC
Deer Shifter Pirate FMC
Found Family
Treasure Hunt
Banter
Spice
This Vicious Sea is a standalone adventure-filled story about Odelia a pirate and daughter of a brutal pirate captain, and Rune, the siren prince that captures her. He is a bounty hunter intent on turning her in to face justice, but when Odelia strikes a bargain with Rune using the treasure map she stole from her father, they agree to hunt the treasure together and split what they find. And so begins their adventure to solve riddles while visiting several islands to locate the keys that will unlock the treasure they seek.
The book did start off a bit slow for me, but I am glad I stuck with it because it did end up grabbing my interest. Odelia is a complex character who just wants to escape her father and her past to begin a new life away from all the killing and brutality that she has experienced. I did find myself hurting and feeling for her and everything she has been through and wanting her to find the escape she seeks.
Rune is a tough but kind hearted siren that is looking for his lost mother while also bounty hunting pirates to clear the seas of its criminals. When he captures Odelia he is intent on turing her in, until he finds out the treasure map may also leads to clues about his missing mother.
The side characters really add a lot to the story as well and help to really round out the book. I couldnt help but fall in love with Rune and his crew.
The banter is fun and keeps things interesting and the plot was fun and engaging. I found myself laughing a few times and I even teared up a bit for Odelia and the trauma she experienced.
This was definitely an action-packed adventure about finding love and family where you least expect it.
Thank you to the authors for an eARC copy of this book.
Currently reading
January 17, 2026────────────────────
˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
the entire concept of an enemies-to-lovers romance between a female pirate and siren prince hellbent on vengeance embarking on high sea adventures is so tantalising and irresistible! i’m looking forward to something different in the romantasy genre and beg that this delivers.
a massive thank you to megan g. mossgrove and sarah c davies for the gifted e-arc.
follow me on: instagram
˖⁺‧₊♡ pre-read review ⋙
the entire concept of an enemies-to-lovers romance between a female pirate and siren prince hellbent on vengeance embarking on high sea adventures is so tantalising and irresistible! i’m looking forward to something different in the romantasy genre and beg that this delivers.
a massive thank you to megan g. mossgrove and sarah c davies for the gifted e-arc.
follow me on: instagram
January 7, 2026
Sitting here in awe over this story. I’ll be thinking about it for days to come. This story was the perfect mix of adventure, action, love, and more. The epic journey this story took us on was a roller coaster - one I still am not ready to be done riding. The riddles and obstacles that these characters had to work through and overcome were so well thought out and planned - I enjoyed each one. The found family in this book… *chef’s kiss* - It was such a beautiful thing to see how Odelia, a pirate captive and prisoner, became one of the Gilded Hart and how with each of the characters we loved… she really developed a relationship with them. Otto was just the sweetest and must be protected at all costs - I ABSOLUTELY loved his character. I actually loved all of the side characters and what they brought to the story. Odelia was so much fun to get to know more - she had so much depth to her character. Rune was also incredible and I loved the banter and jokes he brought to the book. Odelia & Rune’s attraction was tangible early on but the authors did an AMAZING job of building the chemistry and relationship between our main characters. This book had twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting but I’m blown away at how well they tied it up at the end. I found myself wondering how they would be able to do so as I was approaching the end… but really I am so so happy with the ending and the perfect little bow that tied this book together.
January 18, 2026
I received an eARC directly from the authors, and this is my honest review.
- dual POV
- 🦌 deer shifting wood nymph
- siren prince 🤴🏻 🧜♀️
- he chases her, & she likes it 😉
- 🏴☠️pirates
- treasure map 🗺️
- enemies to reluctant allies to lovers ❤️
- standalone
- ❤️😃HEA
If you are looking for a fun standalone in a pirate setting that is very predictable, highly troped, with an HEA, this is the book for you!
I give this book 3.5 stars. Overall, I liked this book, it was a fun time, and I am glad to have read it. I am also a sucker for a sappy, HEA and this provided that!
In regard to the plot, I got glimpses of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more recently the movie Uncharted.
This book was primarily romance focused with a heavy side plot. As the plot moves forward, much of the focus was still on the tension between the MC’s. There were frequent action scenes that got your heart racing, but before and after these action scenes, again, the focus was on the attraction and tension building between the MCs.
This story started off with strong hate between the MCs. He jailed her and she tried to kill him. Then, they discovered that they had a shared goal, so they reluctantly aligned with each other. He still didn’t trust her, so he would tie her up to his bed at night. Over time, trust was established and slowly built. Of course, though, as that trust was building, they still had secrets they had not shared with each other. Eventually, the secrets are revealed and there are hurt emotions. Those emotions are processed and then they reunite, and we have our happy ending.
- I will note that there were no surprises and zero twists. This was a big part of why I did not give it a full four or five stars. The fact that it was so predictable made it somewhat cheesy and that’s not my favorite. However, that doesn’t make for a bad story, it just doesn’t keep me on edge and/or it does not provoke the strong emotions I like when reading a book when there’s a surprise or twist.
Now come on let’s chat about the characters:
I really liked that the MMC was different than other men in the genre. He had blue hair, was a male siren, and was overall very kind and empathetic. In addition to this, he was strong, fierce, and determined. Again, this was a nice change of pace for an MMC in the genre. I appreciated how thoughtful he was and he was a big part of why the MFC was able to have such substantial character growth. I also really love that the MMC had emotions and was vulnerable by crying in front of the MFC. I love a man that can show a range of emotions, not just anger
I also really liked the MFC. She was just doing her best to find a sense of safety, which required her to escape her father and keep big secrets from everyone else. She was a nice blend of being 1) assertively aggressive in order to protect herself, 2) vulnerable overtime, and 3) truthful at times to give other people a chance. She could stand up for herself both emotionally and physically, and would verbally assault men who were disgusting. Similar to the MMC, I really liked that she was able to share her emotions with the MFC, especially ones other than anger once they established some trust.
In regards to the MCs, the relationship between them was very predictable. This was not bad or good, just giving information for those reading this review to determine if they like predictability or not. The MFC was raised emotionally abused and neglected, so she was cold and presented with a rough exterior, but really she had a warm heart. Standard MFC trope. The MMC was raised with love, but high expectations for what he should do and how he should behave as a prince. He was more warm, but cocky and arrogant at times. Again, standard MMC trope for a prince. Both MC‘s only have fathers and no mothers (really common trope). The MCs we’re a great fit together. They challenged each other to grow. The MMC‘s found family opened the MFC with warm arms and showed her how families really should look. The MFC then showed the MMC that not all pirates were jerks. I really was impressed with both their individual character and relational growth.
- The MMC’s found family was fantastic. I loved Otto so much. What a warm heart. He added so much to the plot, even though he was a side character. Also, the MMC‘s best friends having their secret love for each other. Although a small component to the story, I loved it. They were both very loyal to him and challenged him to be better. They even had character and relational growth, which was lovely to read.
- The pacing: the pacing the first 20% of the book was quite slow, and I had a difficult time getting drawn in. However, the pacing starts picking up and the plot starts moving forward after 20%. Then, every aspect of the story really starts moving around 50%.
- There were some heart wrenching, anxiety provoking action scenes that really drew me in. I loved when the MMC would try to “protect” the MFC and she would just show him that that was unnecessary, most of the time. She challenged his need to control in these action scenes, really forcing him to grow.
Some points I didn’t love about this book:
- A big chunk of the book focused on the internal dialogue from each of the MC’s POV about how attracted the MCs were to each other and all the reasons why they could not be together. This got a bit repetitive at how much and how often this happened. I think internal dialogue such as this is important for readers to understand each person‘s POV, but when it is frequent, lengthy, and the same content every other chapter, I’m just now skipping these paragraphs saying, I get it!
- Because of how often and how much the internal dialogue focused on how attracted the MC’s were to each other and why they could not be together, the characters lacked depth. It was not until the last 10% that we got more glimpses about the MMC‘s past. It wasn’t until the end that I felt I knew him a little bit better. I don’t think we should have to wait until the last 10% of a standalone to actually find some depth to a main character. Also, although I understood the MFC and why she was the way she was, we were only told this. We were never shown the depth to the MFC. Currently, I’m audio listening to another book and I’m only 8% in, and I feel like I know that MFC incredibly well. I don’t think authors need to spend chapters describing the depth of a character, but little snippets intertwined in early help draw me into the character, again something of which I felt was lacking in this book.
- The banter: Finally, around 50 to 55%, I felt the banter and sexual tension between the MC’s was finally something that had me giggling. Before that, I didn’t get that strong anticipation feeling in my chest when banter is really strong. Don’t get me wrong, there was banter, but it wasn’t as enthusiastic and blush inducing as I like. I was excited to have this level of banter start at the 50% mark.
- I normally don’t notice but I caught modern language in this book that did not make sense for this world. This book takes place in this magical land, but they used the words such as “pay check.” That’s a really modern term based literally in paper checks from banks. I don’t think this pirate world has checks.
- My one issue with the MMC was how he truly was a terrible captain. He was a good person, but a terrible captain. The author’s put work into creating a kind and warmer man, as evidenced by him allowing a pirate to yell at him without consequence, when all other captains would have “slit his throat.” So, that didn’t make sense for much of his behavior. 🏴☠️ First, the MMC’s ship was one that found bounties but the MMC decided, for selfish reasons, they were going on a treasure hunt, even when his crew AND closest friends said that was not a good idea and asked him not to, multiple times. He did not care what they thought and did what he wanted. If he were a ruthless captain or a golden retriever captain going into his villain era, this would have made so much more sense. He was written as wanting to find his mother, but to have his crew killed off and he just kept going to find information about his mother (not even find his mother! just information) didn’t align with how he was described morally, especially because his internal dialogue all throughout the book was about how much hate he had towards pirates who would just kill everyone for their own selfish pursuits. 🏴☠️ Second, his men died because of his selfish pursuits and almost no care was given. He just keeps trucking along and there was only a mention of going to the funerals, and I’m not sure he even did. Yes, he does make a choice to do everything alone to prevent death, but he just moved right along and people kept dying. 🏴☠️ And thirdly, during fighting scenes and people getting hurt, he’s focused on the MFC’s wet white shirt or how hot she looks. 👎🏻 Really?
- Also, there were a ton of spelling and some grammar errors. I read a ton of ARCs and I don’t think I’ve read one with this many errors before. I hope they have a good editor to catch all of these before published!
- dual POV
- 🦌 deer shifting wood nymph
- siren prince 🤴🏻 🧜♀️
- he chases her, & she likes it 😉
- 🏴☠️pirates
- treasure map 🗺️
- enemies to reluctant allies to lovers ❤️
- standalone
- ❤️😃HEA
If you are looking for a fun standalone in a pirate setting that is very predictable, highly troped, with an HEA, this is the book for you!
I give this book 3.5 stars. Overall, I liked this book, it was a fun time, and I am glad to have read it. I am also a sucker for a sappy, HEA and this provided that!
In regard to the plot, I got glimpses of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, Pirates of the Caribbean, and more recently the movie Uncharted.
This book was primarily romance focused with a heavy side plot. As the plot moves forward, much of the focus was still on the tension between the MC’s. There were frequent action scenes that got your heart racing, but before and after these action scenes, again, the focus was on the attraction and tension building between the MCs.
This story started off with strong hate between the MCs. He jailed her and she tried to kill him. Then, they discovered that they had a shared goal, so they reluctantly aligned with each other. He still didn’t trust her, so he would tie her up to his bed at night. Over time, trust was established and slowly built. Of course, though, as that trust was building, they still had secrets they had not shared with each other. Eventually, the secrets are revealed and there are hurt emotions. Those emotions are processed and then they reunite, and we have our happy ending.
- I will note that there were no surprises and zero twists. This was a big part of why I did not give it a full four or five stars. The fact that it was so predictable made it somewhat cheesy and that’s not my favorite. However, that doesn’t make for a bad story, it just doesn’t keep me on edge and/or it does not provoke the strong emotions I like when reading a book when there’s a surprise or twist.
Now come on let’s chat about the characters:
I really liked that the MMC was different than other men in the genre. He had blue hair, was a male siren, and was overall very kind and empathetic. In addition to this, he was strong, fierce, and determined. Again, this was a nice change of pace for an MMC in the genre. I appreciated how thoughtful he was and he was a big part of why the MFC was able to have such substantial character growth. I also really love that the MMC had emotions and was vulnerable by crying in front of the MFC. I love a man that can show a range of emotions, not just anger
I also really liked the MFC. She was just doing her best to find a sense of safety, which required her to escape her father and keep big secrets from everyone else. She was a nice blend of being 1) assertively aggressive in order to protect herself, 2) vulnerable overtime, and 3) truthful at times to give other people a chance. She could stand up for herself both emotionally and physically, and would verbally assault men who were disgusting. Similar to the MMC, I really liked that she was able to share her emotions with the MFC, especially ones other than anger once they established some trust.
In regards to the MCs, the relationship between them was very predictable. This was not bad or good, just giving information for those reading this review to determine if they like predictability or not. The MFC was raised emotionally abused and neglected, so she was cold and presented with a rough exterior, but really she had a warm heart. Standard MFC trope. The MMC was raised with love, but high expectations for what he should do and how he should behave as a prince. He was more warm, but cocky and arrogant at times. Again, standard MMC trope for a prince. Both MC‘s only have fathers and no mothers (really common trope). The MCs we’re a great fit together. They challenged each other to grow. The MMC‘s found family opened the MFC with warm arms and showed her how families really should look. The MFC then showed the MMC that not all pirates were jerks. I really was impressed with both their individual character and relational growth.
- The MMC’s found family was fantastic. I loved Otto so much. What a warm heart. He added so much to the plot, even though he was a side character. Also, the MMC‘s best friends having their secret love for each other. Although a small component to the story, I loved it. They were both very loyal to him and challenged him to be better. They even had character and relational growth, which was lovely to read.
- The pacing: the pacing the first 20% of the book was quite slow, and I had a difficult time getting drawn in. However, the pacing starts picking up and the plot starts moving forward after 20%. Then, every aspect of the story really starts moving around 50%.
- There were some heart wrenching, anxiety provoking action scenes that really drew me in. I loved when the MMC would try to “protect” the MFC and she would just show him that that was unnecessary, most of the time. She challenged his need to control in these action scenes, really forcing him to grow.
Some points I didn’t love about this book:
- A big chunk of the book focused on the internal dialogue from each of the MC’s POV about how attracted the MCs were to each other and all the reasons why they could not be together. This got a bit repetitive at how much and how often this happened. I think internal dialogue such as this is important for readers to understand each person‘s POV, but when it is frequent, lengthy, and the same content every other chapter, I’m just now skipping these paragraphs saying, I get it!
- Because of how often and how much the internal dialogue focused on how attracted the MC’s were to each other and why they could not be together, the characters lacked depth. It was not until the last 10% that we got more glimpses about the MMC‘s past. It wasn’t until the end that I felt I knew him a little bit better. I don’t think we should have to wait until the last 10% of a standalone to actually find some depth to a main character. Also, although I understood the MFC and why she was the way she was, we were only told this. We were never shown the depth to the MFC. Currently, I’m audio listening to another book and I’m only 8% in, and I feel like I know that MFC incredibly well. I don’t think authors need to spend chapters describing the depth of a character, but little snippets intertwined in early help draw me into the character, again something of which I felt was lacking in this book.
- The banter: Finally, around 50 to 55%, I felt the banter and sexual tension between the MC’s was finally something that had me giggling. Before that, I didn’t get that strong anticipation feeling in my chest when banter is really strong. Don’t get me wrong, there was banter, but it wasn’t as enthusiastic and blush inducing as I like. I was excited to have this level of banter start at the 50% mark.
- I normally don’t notice but I caught modern language in this book that did not make sense for this world. This book takes place in this magical land, but they used the words such as “pay check.” That’s a really modern term based literally in paper checks from banks. I don’t think this pirate world has checks.
- My one issue with the MMC was how he truly was a terrible captain. He was a good person, but a terrible captain. The author’s put work into creating a kind and warmer man, as evidenced by him allowing a pirate to yell at him without consequence, when all other captains would have “slit his throat.” So, that didn’t make sense for much of his behavior. 🏴☠️ First, the MMC’s ship was one that found bounties but the MMC decided, for selfish reasons, they were going on a treasure hunt, even when his crew AND closest friends said that was not a good idea and asked him not to, multiple times. He did not care what they thought and did what he wanted. If he were a ruthless captain or a golden retriever captain going into his villain era, this would have made so much more sense. He was written as wanting to find his mother, but to have his crew killed off and he just kept going to find information about his mother (not even find his mother! just information) didn’t align with how he was described morally, especially because his internal dialogue all throughout the book was about how much hate he had towards pirates who would just kill everyone for their own selfish pursuits. 🏴☠️ Second, his men died because of his selfish pursuits and almost no care was given. He just keeps trucking along and there was only a mention of going to the funerals, and I’m not sure he even did. Yes, he does make a choice to do everything alone to prevent death, but he just moved right along and people kept dying. 🏴☠️ And thirdly, during fighting scenes and people getting hurt, he’s focused on the MFC’s wet white shirt or how hot she looks. 👎🏻 Really?
- Also, there were a ton of spelling and some grammar errors. I read a ton of ARCs and I don’t think I’ve read one with this many errors before. I hope they have a good editor to catch all of these before published!
January 18, 2026
✨This Vicious Sea✨
This sweet and spicy Romantasy is EXACTLY what I needed. If you love pirates, sirens, shifters, and fae along with low stakes and gentle world building then you’ve GOT to check out this latest read by Megan and Sarah. I’ve had the pleasure of reading Sarah before and she NEVER fails me.
We follow a dual 1st person POV from Odelia, our pirate lord’s daughter who is renowned for her prowess but fighting to escape her reputation, and Rune, our Siren Prince bounty hunter who just so happens to capture said daughter, one of the ruthless Vipers. When they agree to assist each other in a treasure hunt, Rune hopes to find answers on his missing mother and Odelia seeks to find enough gold to run from her problems, because being alone means safety. Except that that mantra soon falls short when she begins integrating into Rune’s reluctant crew.
Odelia is strong yet longing to be soft, scarred, and ready to escape her sins. She only wants to be free, but her past won’t release her. Rune is a green flag, cinnamon roll Captain. He is supportive, encouraging, and willing to take everyone’s burdens. Together, they complement each other so well and I loved seeing them grow closer. The tension, yearning, and slow burn had me giggling and aching and when the burn ignites, each moment is SO GOOD. This is a cozy Romantasy and I loved how it revolved completely around the romance. And Otto was a clear favorite. 🤭 I can 💯 see myself reading this again when I need a comfort read.
Tropes you may find in TVS are forced proximity, wound tending, captive x captor, cinnamon roll siren daddy, one tent/one bed, pirates, fae and shifters, gentle world building, treasure hunt, slow burn to medium spice, so much yearning, found family, nickname, and a HEA.
Thank you, Megan and Sarah, for this gifted arc and thank you, Sarah, for allowing me to continue to be on your ST. It’s a pleasure to have been here from the beginning!!
This sweet and spicy Romantasy is EXACTLY what I needed. If you love pirates, sirens, shifters, and fae along with low stakes and gentle world building then you’ve GOT to check out this latest read by Megan and Sarah. I’ve had the pleasure of reading Sarah before and she NEVER fails me.
We follow a dual 1st person POV from Odelia, our pirate lord’s daughter who is renowned for her prowess but fighting to escape her reputation, and Rune, our Siren Prince bounty hunter who just so happens to capture said daughter, one of the ruthless Vipers. When they agree to assist each other in a treasure hunt, Rune hopes to find answers on his missing mother and Odelia seeks to find enough gold to run from her problems, because being alone means safety. Except that that mantra soon falls short when she begins integrating into Rune’s reluctant crew.
Odelia is strong yet longing to be soft, scarred, and ready to escape her sins. She only wants to be free, but her past won’t release her. Rune is a green flag, cinnamon roll Captain. He is supportive, encouraging, and willing to take everyone’s burdens. Together, they complement each other so well and I loved seeing them grow closer. The tension, yearning, and slow burn had me giggling and aching and when the burn ignites, each moment is SO GOOD. This is a cozy Romantasy and I loved how it revolved completely around the romance. And Otto was a clear favorite. 🤭 I can 💯 see myself reading this again when I need a comfort read.
Tropes you may find in TVS are forced proximity, wound tending, captive x captor, cinnamon roll siren daddy, one tent/one bed, pirates, fae and shifters, gentle world building, treasure hunt, slow burn to medium spice, so much yearning, found family, nickname, and a HEA.
Thank you, Megan and Sarah, for this gifted arc and thank you, Sarah, for allowing me to continue to be on your ST. It’s a pleasure to have been here from the beginning!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Odelia is a walking ocean. Unpredictable. Dangerous. Raging. Calm. Breathtaking. And I’m drowning in her."
What an action packed love story! I would say this is equal parts epic fantasy and romantasy. The plot and goal of the characters are each their own and amazing. But the chemistry, banter, and obsession these two grow into was hot and magical!
Here is your new favorite pirate fantasy of 2026!
Sirens, bounty hunters, pirates, shifters, fae, princes, kraken... I could go on and on. It was not over done one bit. The balance of characters and their roles was perfection. It kept me turning the pages late in to multiple nights. You can't just stop in the middle of battles!!!
What also makes an amazing adventure for me? Entertaining side characters who captures your attention and heart just as much as the main characters. I could just wrap Bear up in my arms ans never let him go! He is the ships cook who was severely injured at age 14 by mone other than Odelia father, the captain of the Sea Bane.
Quick intro:
Odelia of the infamous Sea Bane is a shifter pirate who gets captured by bounty hunter, siren, and pirate hater, Rhune. Upon interrogation, she offers a treasure map that is more interest to him and his heritage than turning her into authorities. Together they go through the different clues and tasks the map set forth. Every step is dangerous and life threatening.
Definitely put this on your TBR for release on February 24th! You won't be disappointed!
Things to look forward to:
🗡 Badass FMC Pirate
🗡 Siren Bounty Hunter MMC
🗡 Magical Creatures of many kinds
🗡 Enemies to Lovers
🗡 Slow Burn
🗡 Forced Promixity
🗡 Treasure Hunt
🗡 Banter
What an action packed love story! I would say this is equal parts epic fantasy and romantasy. The plot and goal of the characters are each their own and amazing. But the chemistry, banter, and obsession these two grow into was hot and magical!
Here is your new favorite pirate fantasy of 2026!
Sirens, bounty hunters, pirates, shifters, fae, princes, kraken... I could go on and on. It was not over done one bit. The balance of characters and their roles was perfection. It kept me turning the pages late in to multiple nights. You can't just stop in the middle of battles!!!
What also makes an amazing adventure for me? Entertaining side characters who captures your attention and heart just as much as the main characters. I could just wrap Bear up in my arms ans never let him go! He is the ships cook who was severely injured at age 14 by mone other than Odelia father, the captain of the Sea Bane.
Quick intro:
Odelia of the infamous Sea Bane is a shifter pirate who gets captured by bounty hunter, siren, and pirate hater, Rhune. Upon interrogation, she offers a treasure map that is more interest to him and his heritage than turning her into authorities. Together they go through the different clues and tasks the map set forth. Every step is dangerous and life threatening.
Definitely put this on your TBR for release on February 24th! You won't be disappointed!
Things to look forward to:
🗡 Badass FMC Pirate
🗡 Siren Bounty Hunter MMC
🗡 Magical Creatures of many kinds
🗡 Enemies to Lovers
🗡 Slow Burn
🗡 Forced Promixity
🗡 Treasure Hunt
🗡 Banter
January 14, 2026
✨ARC Review✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🧜♂️ enemies to lovers
🏴☠️ deer shifter pirate FMC
🧜♂️ siren prince MMC
🏴☠️ Pirates of the Caribbean x Indiana Jones
🧜♂️ banter & spice
🏴☠️ only one tent
This was an adventure-packed standalone with all the feels, delicious enemies-to-lovers banter and tension, treasure hunting, found family, spice, and a hard-earned love.
Odelia was a great blend of strong and soft, fierce and gentle. She was smart, kind, empathetic, and easy to root for. Rune was arrogant and a strong leader, hellbent on doing the right thing, but frustrated by his pull to the enigmatic pirate he captured. Both of their growth was intriguing to see and kept me reading as I couldn’t wait for them to finally see each other.
The found family on the ship was great, Otto must be protected at all costs. I almost wanted a bit more of that, of Odi building those bonds with others as well as Rune.
The adventure was extremely well done, the perils on each island intense and I couldn’t stop reading. This book offered the adventure of Indiana Jones and the all the feels of your favorite romantasy. I cried a couple times, laughed out loud, and was glued to my kindle during heart-pounding action. Would rec if you love pirate/siren, enemies to lovers, adventure, found family, spice, revenge/redemption.
Why not 5 stars? For me some of the writing was a tad long-winded and struggled to hold my attention in parts. My mind would drift or I’d subconsciously skip ahead to dialogue to see if the scene moved forward. The action and second half of the book made up for this, but I still feel maybe 50 pages could have been cut.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️
🧜♂️ enemies to lovers
🏴☠️ deer shifter pirate FMC
🧜♂️ siren prince MMC
🏴☠️ Pirates of the Caribbean x Indiana Jones
🧜♂️ banter & spice
🏴☠️ only one tent
This was an adventure-packed standalone with all the feels, delicious enemies-to-lovers banter and tension, treasure hunting, found family, spice, and a hard-earned love.
Odelia was a great blend of strong and soft, fierce and gentle. She was smart, kind, empathetic, and easy to root for. Rune was arrogant and a strong leader, hellbent on doing the right thing, but frustrated by his pull to the enigmatic pirate he captured. Both of their growth was intriguing to see and kept me reading as I couldn’t wait for them to finally see each other.
The found family on the ship was great, Otto must be protected at all costs. I almost wanted a bit more of that, of Odi building those bonds with others as well as Rune.
The adventure was extremely well done, the perils on each island intense and I couldn’t stop reading. This book offered the adventure of Indiana Jones and the all the feels of your favorite romantasy. I cried a couple times, laughed out loud, and was glued to my kindle during heart-pounding action. Would rec if you love pirate/siren, enemies to lovers, adventure, found family, spice, revenge/redemption.
Why not 5 stars? For me some of the writing was a tad long-winded and struggled to hold my attention in parts. My mind would drift or I’d subconsciously skip ahead to dialogue to see if the scene moved forward. The action and second half of the book made up for this, but I still feel maybe 50 pages could have been cut.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely loved everything about this book. The story, the writing, the banter and tension. It was so good. Pirate/siren books always do it for me, and this one definitely didnt disappoint!
You get a mixture of action, adventure and love as our MCs go on and epic quest to find burried treasure. But its definitely not an easy journey, as there are dangers at every turn.
Odelia is such a badass! She a pirate and a killer, but she also has a heart and just wants to be loved.
And Rune, oh man, he's definitely been added to my list of book boyfriends. Hes the siren prince and bounty hunter whose tough when he needs to be, but underneath, he has a playful caring side. Him and Odelia are just perfect together.
The side characters really brought this book together. Tavi and Elio, ahh I need to know more about them. And Otto (Bear) he was just the sweetest
You get a mixture of action, adventure and love as our MCs go on and epic quest to find burried treasure. But its definitely not an easy journey, as there are dangers at every turn.
Odelia is such a badass! She a pirate and a killer, but she also has a heart and just wants to be loved.
And Rune, oh man, he's definitely been added to my list of book boyfriends. Hes the siren prince and bounty hunter whose tough when he needs to be, but underneath, he has a playful caring side. Him and Odelia are just perfect together.
The side characters really brought this book together. Tavi and Elio, ahh I need to know more about them. And Otto (Bear) he was just the sweetest
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a really fun read! I haven't read a book with a Siren MMC before, which is what drew me in at first since it was a little different. Plus that cover art! sooooo pretty.
Anyway, those are what interested me at first, but the story itself is what kept me reading and zooming right through the book. The plot was great, it wasn't just the amazing slow burn romance but the treasure hunting aspect, with added danger etc it was amazing. We get lovable side characters, some less lovable characters all of it :)
We get spice but it doesn't kick up until later in the story but when it does *fans self*
The conclusion to this story was good and closed off nicely. If more stories are added to this world I will definitely read them.
Anyway, those are what interested me at first, but the story itself is what kept me reading and zooming right through the book. The plot was great, it wasn't just the amazing slow burn romance but the treasure hunting aspect, with added danger etc it was amazing. We get lovable side characters, some less lovable characters all of it :)
We get spice but it doesn't kick up until later in the story but when it does *fans self*
The conclusion to this story was good and closed off nicely. If more stories are added to this world I will definitely read them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was invited to read This Vicious Sea as an ARC reader, and what a fun adventure it was. It is a stand-alone fantasy adventure with pirates, sirens and sea monsters. It is enemies to lovers and has some fun banter between the two main characters. It comes with a treasure hunt (because pirates!) and a satesfying HEA. It was fun from the start until the end. Read it as a book between series, as a pallet cleanser, or just because you want to read a solid good stand alone.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Odelia is a walking ocean. Unpredictable. Dangerous. Raging. Calm. Breathtaking. And I’m drowning in her."
I absolutely adored this book! It may include some swashbuckling adventures and gore, but it was such a sweet romance! I love how their trust and love bloomed over time.
I think the only thing I would've liked is more background on the MMC's mom. We don't get a complete background as to what happened to her and why.
I absolutely adored this book! It may include some swashbuckling adventures and gore, but it was such a sweet romance! I love how their trust and love bloomed over time.
I think the only thing I would've liked is more background on the MMC's mom. We don't get a complete background as to what happened to her and why.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Auteur
Thank you so much for the ARC !
I took my time reading it, but as I went deeper into the book, I just couldn't put it down.
This book is an adventure and a journey, of two souls finding each other, spiced with such loveable characters (I'll gladly give my life for Otto).
It is slow burn, but once they cave in... The FEELS ! ALL THE FEELS !
I loved every bit of it, every island described, every riddle solved, and every kiss shared
I took my time reading it, but as I went deeper into the book, I just couldn't put it down.
This book is an adventure and a journey, of two souls finding each other, spiced with such loveable characters (I'll gladly give my life for Otto).
It is slow burn, but once they cave in... The FEELS ! ALL THE FEELS !
I loved every bit of it, every island described, every riddle solved, and every kiss shared
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2026
This was EVERYTHING! I loved the tension, the enemies to lovers, and the high-stakes treasure hunting. A lot of this was cute, especially with the found family, and some tender moments. Pace was mostly fast paced, though the book is a bit long but expected for fantasy romance. Perfect for fans of pirate romances, heists, secrets, and enemies to lovers dynamic.
Overall; 5 ⭐️ and 2.5 🌶️
* I received this as an ARC*
Overall; 5 ⭐️ and 2.5 🌶️
* I received this as an ARC*
January 11, 2026
I loved this book! It’s everything I like in a romantasy- enemies to lovers, adventure, and fun side characters. It was an easy read but interesting enough to keep me engaged. It’s definitely a slow burn… but so worth it! Can’t wait to see if there will be another book in the same world to explore the other characters.
January 16, 2026
4.5 🌟
I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest review. This book is a standalone. It was such an easy read. I love fast pacing books, there was always something happening. Rune is not your typical brooding MMC, he is charismatic, funny and very caring. Odi is such a breath of fresh air, she is capable without being bitchy, has gone through life just surviving and the only thing the reader wants it’s for her to finally be loved. The side characters are adorable, all in their own way. The world is quite complex but the authors don’t fall for pages and pages of infodump, you can place yourself in it quite quickly. The spice is plenty and explicit. You can’t go wrong if you pick this book.
I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest review. This book is a standalone. It was such an easy read. I love fast pacing books, there was always something happening. Rune is not your typical brooding MMC, he is charismatic, funny and very caring. Odi is such a breath of fresh air, she is capable without being bitchy, has gone through life just surviving and the only thing the reader wants it’s for her to finally be loved. The side characters are adorable, all in their own way. The world is quite complex but the authors don’t fall for pages and pages of infodump, you can place yourself in it quite quickly. The spice is plenty and explicit. You can’t go wrong if you pick this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
✨️ARC review copy✨️
absolutely loved this read. loved the banter. loved the tension. loved when they finally admitted their feelings. loved Otto. so, so good.
absolutely loved this read. loved the banter. loved the tension. loved when they finally admitted their feelings. loved Otto. so, so good.
January 13, 2026
✨ARC REVIEW✨
This book was beautifully written ♥️ a true enemies to lovers. Pirates & Mermaids 🧜♀️ who wouldn’t like that?? Someone that can’t be trusted!! 4.5 ⭐️
This book was beautifully written ♥️ a true enemies to lovers. Pirates & Mermaids 🧜♀️ who wouldn’t like that?? Someone that can’t be trusted!! 4.5 ⭐️
Read
January 11, 2026This book sent me into the sea with how fast it gripped me. Gripping romantic tension, with loving side characters that help guide the story along. Loved! 10/10, I ended up backing the Kickstarter
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Reader!
Thank you so much for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this book.
I really enjoyed this book and finished it very quickly. This author had everything I love: 1st person dialogue, Dual POV, strong female lead, and spice!
I loved Odelia! She is a strong capable pirate but just wants to be free of her father and be loved! I was rooting for her to get her happy ending! Rune is a Siren prince that wants to rid the seas of pirates. He is a fair captain of a ship and protects those he loves. I loved seeing their romance blossom. There was great banter between the two and so much tension!
The side characters were also just as great! I felt myself feeling for all of them!
The world was with shifters, sirens, elves and pirates. I loved that there were male sirens, I haven't read that before. It seemed that there weren't any certain powers for the shifters, they just took on the traits of the animal. I did feel like I wanted more world building, like what other types of shifters are there? I was curious about the wood nymphs and how or if they are different from regular shifters? I felt elves/fae were mentioned but I didn't understand how they were really different besides sense of smell. I do understand it was a standalone and maybe author has plans to build on the world with different characters.
This story has lots of adventure, where something is always happening. The treasure hunt was intriguing and action packed. I loved the found family. Everything kept me intrigued and engaged in the story. The spice doesn't come until later in the book, but the chemistry with the leads are great!
Minor critiques: there were some editing errors I noticed, such as spelling or grammar. Some places had to read over a sentence but it didn't take away from the book. There were just enough to be noticeable though. Not something that really bothered me because I don't know the whole editing process but just thought I would mention.
Otto had a nickname, Bear. It was kinda confusing when we switched from calling him Otto to Bear within the same page. I think it could have been more consistent if we stuck with one name or consistent with each character on what they called him.
Overall, very good book!
Thank you so much for allowing me to be an ARC reader for this book.
I really enjoyed this book and finished it very quickly. This author had everything I love: 1st person dialogue, Dual POV, strong female lead, and spice!
I loved Odelia! She is a strong capable pirate but just wants to be free of her father and be loved! I was rooting for her to get her happy ending! Rune is a Siren prince that wants to rid the seas of pirates. He is a fair captain of a ship and protects those he loves. I loved seeing their romance blossom. There was great banter between the two and so much tension!
The side characters were also just as great! I felt myself feeling for all of them!
The world was with shifters, sirens, elves and pirates. I loved that there were male sirens, I haven't read that before. It seemed that there weren't any certain powers for the shifters, they just took on the traits of the animal. I did feel like I wanted more world building, like what other types of shifters are there? I was curious about the wood nymphs and how or if they are different from regular shifters? I felt elves/fae were mentioned but I didn't understand how they were really different besides sense of smell. I do understand it was a standalone and maybe author has plans to build on the world with different characters.
This story has lots of adventure, where something is always happening. The treasure hunt was intriguing and action packed. I loved the found family. Everything kept me intrigued and engaged in the story. The spice doesn't come until later in the book, but the chemistry with the leads are great!
Minor critiques: there were some editing errors I noticed, such as spelling or grammar. Some places had to read over a sentence but it didn't take away from the book. There were just enough to be noticeable though. Not something that really bothered me because I don't know the whole editing process but just thought I would mention.
Otto had a nickname, Bear. It was kinda confusing when we switched from calling him Otto to Bear within the same page. I think it could have been more consistent if we stuck with one name or consistent with each character on what they called him.
Overall, very good book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Book Review: This Vicious Sea by Megan Mossgrove and Sarah Davies
Imagine a pirate fantasy where the main character can turn into a deer, and somehow that is not even the strangest part. Odelia is the daughter of a ruthless pirate captain, and after attempting to kill him, she is promptly tossed into the ocean. She is rescued and held hostage by Rune, a broody bounty hunter who is, naturally, also a siren prince. From there, things escalate in the only reasonable direction, which is deciding to follow a stolen and possibly cursed treasure map.
Odelia ends up aboard Rune’s ship, where the two form an uneasy alliance built on leverage, grudging trust, and increasingly questionable decision making. The story unfolds through dual narration, alternating between Odelia and Rune, which adds depth, tension, and plenty of dramatic irony as each hides secrets from the other. The map leads them through riddles, magical trials, and monster-filled waters, including a kraken, while they take turns getting injured and nursing each other back to health. Forced proximity, dual POV tension, and yes, a one bed situation do a lot of the emotional heavy lifting here, letting the slow burn romance unfold alongside the chaos.
As the journey continues, Odelia uncovers the truth about her mother, a powerful water spirit, and the long tangled history connecting pirates, sirens, and shapeshifters. The sea itself begins to feel like an active participant, quietly pushing her toward a life she never knew was an option. The final confrontations bring her face to face with her father, the true nature of the treasure, and her own autonomy.
This Vicious Sea is chaotic, clever, and surprisingly heartfelt. It asks you to suspend your disbelief more than once, but rewards you with sharp banter, emotional depth, and a story that somehow makes a shapeshifting deer on a pirate ship feel completely earned. Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is my honest and unbiased review.
Imagine a pirate fantasy where the main character can turn into a deer, and somehow that is not even the strangest part. Odelia is the daughter of a ruthless pirate captain, and after attempting to kill him, she is promptly tossed into the ocean. She is rescued and held hostage by Rune, a broody bounty hunter who is, naturally, also a siren prince. From there, things escalate in the only reasonable direction, which is deciding to follow a stolen and possibly cursed treasure map.
Odelia ends up aboard Rune’s ship, where the two form an uneasy alliance built on leverage, grudging trust, and increasingly questionable decision making. The story unfolds through dual narration, alternating between Odelia and Rune, which adds depth, tension, and plenty of dramatic irony as each hides secrets from the other. The map leads them through riddles, magical trials, and monster-filled waters, including a kraken, while they take turns getting injured and nursing each other back to health. Forced proximity, dual POV tension, and yes, a one bed situation do a lot of the emotional heavy lifting here, letting the slow burn romance unfold alongside the chaos.
As the journey continues, Odelia uncovers the truth about her mother, a powerful water spirit, and the long tangled history connecting pirates, sirens, and shapeshifters. The sea itself begins to feel like an active participant, quietly pushing her toward a life she never knew was an option. The final confrontations bring her face to face with her father, the true nature of the treasure, and her own autonomy.
This Vicious Sea is chaotic, clever, and surprisingly heartfelt. It asks you to suspend your disbelief more than once, but rewards you with sharp banter, emotional depth, and a story that somehow makes a shapeshifting deer on a pirate ship feel completely earned. Thank you to the author for the ARC. This is my honest and unbiased review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC reader
This is a fun, Indiana Jones–style adventure where two people narrowly avoid deadly traps and fall in love while searching for treasure. There are so many things that I liked about this book. It was interesting, unique, and action packed.
Things I liked
● The romance: The relationship progression between Odelia and Rune felt real and organic. It was a satisfying slow burn and their relationship felt earned after their many near death experiences together.
● The 3 dimensional characters: Odelia was a kickass character, but had real moments of vulnerability. She was not some cringe inducing Mary Sue who was the best at everything.
● Otto/Bear: I adore this side character. He deserved his own bullet point in this list.
● Great action packed scenes: The action scenes were really good. It was easy for me to visualize.
Things I didn't like
● The grammar mistakes: The authors often use long, complex sentence structures. While this adds style, some of their sentences were hard for me to read or understand. I also noticed a handful of grammatical errors in a few chapters.
● Lack of lore in a major area: Zero lore is given about the original treasure owners. Why did they design such lethal traps that would probably kill themselves if they wanted to retrieve the treasure? Why did the map have a water elemental mark? How does it relate to sirens?
●
This is a fun, Indiana Jones–style adventure where two people narrowly avoid deadly traps and fall in love while searching for treasure. There are so many things that I liked about this book. It was interesting, unique, and action packed.
Things I liked
● The romance: The relationship progression between Odelia and Rune felt real and organic. It was a satisfying slow burn and their relationship felt earned after their many near death experiences together.
● The 3 dimensional characters: Odelia was a kickass character, but had real moments of vulnerability. She was not some cringe inducing Mary Sue who was the best at everything.
● Otto/Bear: I adore this side character. He deserved his own bullet point in this list.
● Great action packed scenes: The action scenes were really good. It was easy for me to visualize.
Things I didn't like
● The grammar mistakes: The authors often use long, complex sentence structures. While this adds style, some of their sentences were hard for me to read or understand. I also noticed a handful of grammatical errors in a few chapters.
● Lack of lore in a major area: Zero lore is given about the original treasure owners. Why did they design such lethal traps that would probably kill themselves if they wanted to retrieve the treasure? Why did the map have a water elemental mark? How does it relate to sirens?
●
Review of advance copy received from Author
Arc Review! I really loved this book! The shifters are a really cool and the authors didn’t make a crazy magic system that was hard to understand. The world building is awesome, and there is no info dumping. The FMC doesn’t hate on herself and isn’t childish at all, which was so refreshing. The MMC is hot but also fun and seemed pretty mature as well. There are no “all powerful” characters in this book to make it boring either. The adventure part of this book is insanely good and it really pulled me into the pirate swashbuckling atmosphere. The book is very descriptive and paints a picture of every moment for the reader.
The riddles are fun, the monsters are scary, and the romance is real. The side characters were all enjoyable and super interesting. Otto is such a lovable character with so many talents and I really became invested in Elio and Tavi’s relationship. The villains are intense and not easily defeated. The battles/fight scenes are fantastic. It’s also dual pov, which made for a really fun read!
The spice is juicy, but no different anatomy down there for the shifters if that’s not your thing.
I’ll end this by saying I would have given this book a 4.5 if I could, but since I can’t I’ll give it a 5.
The were only a couple things I didn’t love:
1) The extensive length of descriptions for light hitting something/someone. Overall the descriptions were great, sometimes there was just too much though.
2) As trivial as it seems I’d love an explanation of the inktopus system.
3)There was no full shifter siren smut, and I’ll be honest I like that sort of thing. I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea though.
4) There is one part when Rune gets some key information and it really doesn’t make sense how he got it. I wish that was clarified.
The riddles are fun, the monsters are scary, and the romance is real. The side characters were all enjoyable and super interesting. Otto is such a lovable character with so many talents and I really became invested in Elio and Tavi’s relationship. The villains are intense and not easily defeated. The battles/fight scenes are fantastic. It’s also dual pov, which made for a really fun read!
The spice is juicy, but no different anatomy down there for the shifters if that’s not your thing.
I’ll end this by saying I would have given this book a 4.5 if I could, but since I can’t I’ll give it a 5.
The were only a couple things I didn’t love:
1) The extensive length of descriptions for light hitting something/someone. Overall the descriptions were great, sometimes there was just too much though.
2) As trivial as it seems I’d love an explanation of the inktopus system.
3)There was no full shifter siren smut, and I’ll be honest I like that sort of thing. I understand it’s not everyone’s cup of tea though.
4) There is one part when Rune gets some key information and it really doesn’t make sense how he got it. I wish that was clarified.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Summary: 🌶️🌶️/3 | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would like to thank the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book, and want to share my gratitude for being chosen to read this book early. That being said, onto the review!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a good mix of fantasy and romance, with the romance being the primary focus of the book, and fantasy elements dominating the setting. While I would say this is a "spicy" book, it still has a notably good plot such that the entire book doesn't feel like one long "spicy" scene after another. The (three I think?) "spicy" scenes were well written and had me at the edge of my seat. The pirate/ocean setting was quite enjoyable and unlike other books I have read, making this book a good palette cleanser.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was different from other romantasy books I read, but that made it all the more fun to read. If you are looking for a romantasy palette cleanser with a badass FMC and a MMC who is down bad with pirates, shifters, and sirens, then you should definitely give this book a go.
Now: the plot. SPOILERS BEWARE!
"She's a pirate and I'm a bounty hunter-a prince- but the truth is, here on my knees, I know without a doubt I would crumble for her." Page 195
I would like to thank the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book, and want to share my gratitude for being chosen to read this book early. That being said, onto the review!
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a good mix of fantasy and romance, with the romance being the primary focus of the book, and fantasy elements dominating the setting. While I would say this is a "spicy" book, it still has a notably good plot such that the entire book doesn't feel like one long "spicy" scene after another. The (three I think?) "spicy" scenes were well written and had me at the edge of my seat. The pirate/ocean setting was quite enjoyable and unlike other books I have read, making this book a good palette cleanser.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It was different from other romantasy books I read, but that made it all the more fun to read. If you are looking for a romantasy palette cleanser with a badass FMC and a MMC who is down bad with pirates, shifters, and sirens, then you should definitely give this book a go.
Now: the plot. SPOILERS BEWARE!
"She's a pirate and I'm a bounty hunter-a prince- but the truth is, here on my knees, I know without a doubt I would crumble for her." Page 195
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️This is an ARC review⭐️
This Vicious Sea is an action packed romantasy that ultimately landed as a solid, enjoyable read for me. Perhaps, not a standout favorite, but far from a disappointment.
The story leans heavily into action and adventure, with a structure that often felt cinematic and relic-hunt driven. Which reminded me of Indiana Jones at times. For much of the book, this momentum worked, keeping the plot engaging and dynamic. However, as the story progressed, the pacing became relentless, with major events arriving in quick succession and little narrative downtime. This eventually made the story feel a tad overwhelming.
The worldbuilding took a light touch approach, introducing shifters, elven, and other creatures without heavy exposition. While this created a D&Desque atmosphere, I occasionally wished for clearer grounding; particularly around shifting mechanics and the delayed clarification of the protagonist’s identity.
The romance is a highlight. Rather than “traditional” enemies to lovers, it focused on genuine emotional conflict, mutual attraction, and withheld truths, which felt refreshing and well executed. The tension built slowly and was effective leading up to the first two spice scenes. Though later intimate scenes felt forced and less narratively necessary.
Overall, this book reads like a comforting, trope driven romantasy with strong action and accessible characters. If you’re a reader who enjoys high momentum, familiar fantasy tropes, and low stress romances; I’d recommend this book.
This Vicious Sea is an action packed romantasy that ultimately landed as a solid, enjoyable read for me. Perhaps, not a standout favorite, but far from a disappointment.
The story leans heavily into action and adventure, with a structure that often felt cinematic and relic-hunt driven. Which reminded me of Indiana Jones at times. For much of the book, this momentum worked, keeping the plot engaging and dynamic. However, as the story progressed, the pacing became relentless, with major events arriving in quick succession and little narrative downtime. This eventually made the story feel a tad overwhelming.
The worldbuilding took a light touch approach, introducing shifters, elven, and other creatures without heavy exposition. While this created a D&Desque atmosphere, I occasionally wished for clearer grounding; particularly around shifting mechanics and the delayed clarification of the protagonist’s identity.
The romance is a highlight. Rather than “traditional” enemies to lovers, it focused on genuine emotional conflict, mutual attraction, and withheld truths, which felt refreshing and well executed. The tension built slowly and was effective leading up to the first two spice scenes. Though later intimate scenes felt forced and less narratively necessary.
Overall, this book reads like a comforting, trope driven romantasy with strong action and accessible characters. If you’re a reader who enjoys high momentum, familiar fantasy tropes, and low stress romances; I’d recommend this book.
January 15, 2026
🌊 This Vicious Sea 🌊
Odelia Ivor is the daughter of the most infamous Pirate on the sea. When she finds herself in the brig of the Gilded Hart, she comes face to to face with the Captain and bounty hunter,Rune Ahren, who is also the siren prince. Odelia strikes up a bargain for her freedom, and Rune finds it hard to resist.
Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had a lot of fun reading this Vicious Sea. It is exactly what I needed to warm me up during this cold winter. ;)
It’s been a while since I’ve read a pirate fantasy that felt authentic so this book was really refreshing. The pirates, including our FMC, are ruthless and want their gold. I loved the action and adventure. There were sea monsters and buried treasure.
There’s alot of contrast between Odelia and Rune that I liked. Odelia is a strong and just over all almost morally grey, while Rune is sarcastic and more left hearted. I thought they complimented each other well. They sure do have a lot of spice! 🌶️
The side characters are great as well. It makes me happy when a book makes me care for everyone and not just the main character. Otto was my absolute favorite!
Overall, the writing was great. For 480 pages, this book read fast. I think the pacing was just write for the plot.
I recommend this Vicious Sea if you like pirate fantasy, sirens, and enemies to lovers.
Tropes:
One Bed
Forced Proximity
Enemies to lovers
Pirate x Siren
Odelia Ivor is the daughter of the most infamous Pirate on the sea. When she finds herself in the brig of the Gilded Hart, she comes face to to face with the Captain and bounty hunter,Rune Ahren, who is also the siren prince. Odelia strikes up a bargain for her freedom, and Rune finds it hard to resist.
Rating: 4/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I had a lot of fun reading this Vicious Sea. It is exactly what I needed to warm me up during this cold winter. ;)
It’s been a while since I’ve read a pirate fantasy that felt authentic so this book was really refreshing. The pirates, including our FMC, are ruthless and want their gold. I loved the action and adventure. There were sea monsters and buried treasure.
There’s alot of contrast between Odelia and Rune that I liked. Odelia is a strong and just over all almost morally grey, while Rune is sarcastic and more left hearted. I thought they complimented each other well. They sure do have a lot of spice! 🌶️
The side characters are great as well. It makes me happy when a book makes me care for everyone and not just the main character. Otto was my absolute favorite!
Overall, the writing was great. For 480 pages, this book read fast. I think the pacing was just write for the plot.
I recommend this Vicious Sea if you like pirate fantasy, sirens, and enemies to lovers.
Tropes:
One Bed
Forced Proximity
Enemies to lovers
Pirate x Siren
January 14, 2026
🖤 ARC Review🖤
⭐️5/5
🌶️ 4/5
Plot 100/5
Vicious Seas is an exciting tale about a Siren, Rune, and a pirate, Odelia, who are sworn enemies brought together by happenstance.
* Odelia is a ruthless pirate who was born into pirating by her ruthless father, the worst of the worst pirate and Captain of the Vipers.
* Then there’s Rune, a Siren who is the Captain of a Bounty Hunter ship that has been searching to bring the Vipers to justice.
Now, this is where the tension starts. Together, Rune and Odelia must venture into a dangerous adventure filled with monsters, riches, and sexual tension that cuts sharper than a sword. I hope you’re ready for the motion of the ocean, because this chemistry is making quite a splash.
Set sail into the Adamaris Seas and follow the adventures of Rune and Odelia. A story of love, found family, and forgiveness—you won’t be disappointed that you took the plunge!
My Personal thoughts:
I have utterly and thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I’m not much of a pirate/siren girly, but this book has me hooked. The spice was intense; you could feel the heat radiating off the pages. These two ladies knew exactly what they were doing and left me speechless. The plot was excellent and well-paced, with twists I never saw coming. I devoured every second of this story like candy—I truly couldn't get enough!
⭐️5/5
🌶️ 4/5
Plot 100/5
Vicious Seas is an exciting tale about a Siren, Rune, and a pirate, Odelia, who are sworn enemies brought together by happenstance.
* Odelia is a ruthless pirate who was born into pirating by her ruthless father, the worst of the worst pirate and Captain of the Vipers.
* Then there’s Rune, a Siren who is the Captain of a Bounty Hunter ship that has been searching to bring the Vipers to justice.
Now, this is where the tension starts. Together, Rune and Odelia must venture into a dangerous adventure filled with monsters, riches, and sexual tension that cuts sharper than a sword. I hope you’re ready for the motion of the ocean, because this chemistry is making quite a splash.
Set sail into the Adamaris Seas and follow the adventures of Rune and Odelia. A story of love, found family, and forgiveness—you won’t be disappointed that you took the plunge!
My Personal thoughts:
I have utterly and thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I’m not much of a pirate/siren girly, but this book has me hooked. The spice was intense; you could feel the heat radiating off the pages. These two ladies knew exactly what they were doing and left me speechless. The plot was excellent and well-paced, with twists I never saw coming. I devoured every second of this story like candy—I truly couldn't get enough!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely ate this book up!! I cannot explain just how much this book captured my attention immediately. We are plowed straight into action as Odelia fights to get off her father’s ship for a shot to freedom. And what a journey it was for her! This book is full to the brim of action, adventure, high’s, low’s, yearning and lust. I thought the plot was brilliant, you didn’t know what was going to happen at the next turn and the characters are just chef’s kiss😚🤌🏻
Our MMC Rune is an absolute babe, his cautious kindness towards Odelia in the beginning was admirable and his ongoing encouragement and support to not only Odelia but his crew is such a green flag. This man/siren is everything you want in a book boyfriend.
Odelia is an absolute bad-ass, but right from the start you can see she is lonely and has a vulnerable side to her. She thinks she’s not good enough for redemption as she’s done terrible things under her father’s thumb but her character development is brilliant.
The story wraps itself up in a lovely bow, no stone left unturned and no questions left unanswered. Greatly satisfying!!
This book is a brilliant concoction of romance, adventure, slow-burn, shifters, sirens, fae, forced proximity, one bed, enemies to lovers, spice and more!!
Thank you so much to Megan & Sarah for the brilliant ARC. I have read this book voluntarily and this is my honest review.
Our MMC Rune is an absolute babe, his cautious kindness towards Odelia in the beginning was admirable and his ongoing encouragement and support to not only Odelia but his crew is such a green flag. This man/siren is everything you want in a book boyfriend.
Odelia is an absolute bad-ass, but right from the start you can see she is lonely and has a vulnerable side to her. She thinks she’s not good enough for redemption as she’s done terrible things under her father’s thumb but her character development is brilliant.
The story wraps itself up in a lovely bow, no stone left unturned and no questions left unanswered. Greatly satisfying!!
This book is a brilliant concoction of romance, adventure, slow-burn, shifters, sirens, fae, forced proximity, one bed, enemies to lovers, spice and more!!
Thank you so much to Megan & Sarah for the brilliant ARC. I have read this book voluntarily and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I really loved this book. It was good vibes for me for sure. I thought it was a fun sea-meets-land premise and I appreciated that we just fell right into the world and learned as we went. We had reluctant allies, enemies to lovers, found family, trials/quests, powerful villains, and wonderful friends. It was a great introduction into the world of the Adamaris Sea and I will definitely be keeping up to see what happens. The banter was fun, the yearning was f.o.r.e.v.e.r. but when the spice was happenin', it was spicy! It was more on the vanilla side of spice, BUT it was a rich, creamy, very satisfying kind of vanilla that makes you feel good. I didn't have to get a physics book out to figure out how parts were fitting in other parts -- you gothic, dark romance, why-choose girlies know what I mean... I loved Rune, Elio, Tavi, Otto and Odi's story and how they all found treasure in each other in the end.
This is definitely standalone and I can see where there could be interconnected standalones coming down the pipe if they get inspired. Overall, it made me feel warm and squishy on the inside and I would read it again! It was a little predictable but in the best way, like "I KNEW you were gonna get him, he deserved it!!" kind of way.
This is definitely standalone and I can see where there could be interconnected standalones coming down the pipe if they get inspired. Overall, it made me feel warm and squishy on the inside and I would read it again! It was a little predictable but in the best way, like "I KNEW you were gonna get him, he deserved it!!" kind of way.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5⭐️’s
This is a high-seas adventure (giving daughter of the pirate king vibes) with our pirate FMC Odelia captured by our noble, siren MMC Rune. Here they strike a bargain and follow an ancient map on the search for buried treasure, (Indiana jones fans will enjoy this part) but more importantly, Rune hopes to find answers.
I enjoyed seeing Odelia’s character progression and Rune’s stringent views slowly change throughout the story and as they faced each trial. The cast of side character’s really brought that found family dynamic to Odelia’s POV who suffered a harsh upbringing at the hands of her infamous pirate captain father.
Otto was definitely one of the favs. His kind-heart never wavering despite his past trauma and mixed with his outward love of cooking and concocting healing tinctures made him very endearing to read.
There were a few extended internal dialogues and some modern language that seemed out of place but the high-stakes plot kept you invested. So, if you are looking for a fun pirate/siren standalone littered with faved romantasy tropes, easy world building and some spice, then you’ve found your next read!
Thank you to the authors for an e-ARC copy of this book!
This is a high-seas adventure (giving daughter of the pirate king vibes) with our pirate FMC Odelia captured by our noble, siren MMC Rune. Here they strike a bargain and follow an ancient map on the search for buried treasure, (Indiana jones fans will enjoy this part) but more importantly, Rune hopes to find answers.
I enjoyed seeing Odelia’s character progression and Rune’s stringent views slowly change throughout the story and as they faced each trial. The cast of side character’s really brought that found family dynamic to Odelia’s POV who suffered a harsh upbringing at the hands of her infamous pirate captain father.
Otto was definitely one of the favs. His kind-heart never wavering despite his past trauma and mixed with his outward love of cooking and concocting healing tinctures made him very endearing to read.
There were a few extended internal dialogues and some modern language that seemed out of place but the high-stakes plot kept you invested. So, if you are looking for a fun pirate/siren standalone littered with faved romantasy tropes, easy world building and some spice, then you’ve found your next read!
Thank you to the authors for an e-ARC copy of this book!
January 19, 2026
This Vicious Sea is a dark, atmospheric plunge into a world where danger rolls in like the tide and never fully recedes. The story has Sirens, pirates, shapeshifters, and a treasure map. Need I say more?
The ocean isn’t just the location, it’s a character. The author’s imagery is so vivid that I could practically taste the salt in the air.
The pacing keeps the story rolling. There’s always a new revelation, a new danger, or a new twist to keep you hooked.
I do feel like there were some world-building gaps.
A few elements, political structure and mythology, felt under‑explained or rushed. I feel like these things could have been explored more fully.
With all of that being said, This Vicious Sea is a thrilling, immersive read that balances romance, danger, and mythology. It’s not flawless, but its strengths far outweigh any flaws. If you enjoy moody fantasy with sharp edges and emotional stakes, this one is absolutely worth diving into.
P.S. There is a Kraken.
Thank you to the authors for the eARC copy of this book
The ocean isn’t just the location, it’s a character. The author’s imagery is so vivid that I could practically taste the salt in the air.
The pacing keeps the story rolling. There’s always a new revelation, a new danger, or a new twist to keep you hooked.
I do feel like there were some world-building gaps.
A few elements, political structure and mythology, felt under‑explained or rushed. I feel like these things could have been explored more fully.
With all of that being said, This Vicious Sea is a thrilling, immersive read that balances romance, danger, and mythology. It’s not flawless, but its strengths far outweigh any flaws. If you enjoy moody fantasy with sharp edges and emotional stakes, this one is absolutely worth diving into.
P.S. There is a Kraken.
Thank you to the authors for the eARC copy of this book
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