The Wild Beneath

by Kelly Anderson

For fans of Wild Dark Shore and The Time Traveler’s Wife , a fierce, haunting story of one woman caught between her first love and a mysterious stranger who upends everything—and the two worlds that won’t let her go.

Annie MacLeod always knew she was different, growing up on a sailboat in the Pacific Northwest, navigating by stars and swimming with sea creatures alongside her parents and best friend Evan. But when a tsunami shatters her world, Annie is stranded on land and forced to confront how eccentric she is. In the wreckage, she rescues a wordless man named Walker, who emits a hum only she can hear.

Their connection is instant, electric. Walker’s touch gives Annie visions of the ocean’s hidden world, a life she’s never known but feels inexplicably drawn to. Yet even as she is pulled toward him, Evan—the steadfast love who has always been there—remains on dry land, offering the stability she may have to leave behind. Annie is torn between Evan’s grounding presence and Walker’s magnetic secrets. But then, Walker vanishes—along with the answers she needs about who she really is.

Six years later, Annie has left the sea and buried the past—until Walker’s otherworldly sound returns, pulling her back toward the ocean and the life she abandoned. The truth under the water is more ancient than she ever could have known, and Annie must confront a choice that will test her heart and determine her future.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Adult, Contemporary, Summer

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun]

3 ⭐

A tsunami upends her enviable explorer lifestyle along with all that was solid and reliable, and Annie MacLeod soon finds herself at a crossroads; stay with what’s comfortable, stable and grounding OR risk it all for adventure, magic and secrecy.

I felt the pull of the familiar as much as I longed for her to heed the whispers of adventure. I appreciated the call to leave all that robs us of our childlike trust and sense of wonder and a unique plot focused on choices, resilience and connections.

Unfortunately, the author’s choice of writing style and format didn’t appeal to me.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Brianna Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Breathtaking. Indescribable. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before, in the best way possible. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page; I truly haven’t stopped thinking about it.

[Aidan Busch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically if remarkably bright creatures and twilight had a forbidden love child

[bonreviewsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

This story is ethereal, a little haunting, mysterious and so unique. If you’ve ever felt drawn to the ocean, you need to read this book. I felt enveloped in this story and wrapped up with all of its characters. I found little pieces of myself in all of them and loved the multiple POV. Annie is complex and I didn’t mind being in the dark with her because the journey to the light was so beautiful.

There are so many beautiful themes to explore in this book: love, coming of age, resilience, unconditional love and our relationship with nature, modern day living and technology. I think I could wax poetic about it for weeks.

At first, Mara really bothered me, but I came to understand her much the same as Aiden did, and isn’t that the whole point of the story??

Will be telling everyone to read 🩵

[Tracey Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Described as fantasy, this story was so much more than that...mystery, romance, young love, true love, family, our connection to the environment...all so perfectly balanced and real. It was heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time. So beautifully written and so compelling that I couldn't put it down and it left me immediately wanting more once finished. It left me with that warm glow that only a superb read can for days afterwards. I’m grateful to have been able to read an advance copy and cannot tell you enough how much I highly recommend it!

[Zoe Westerduin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful read that pulled me in from the first page, and from there I couldn’t put it down. It balances romance and mystery perfectly, and I felt totally immersed in another world. I’m grateful to have been able to read an advance copy and would highly recommend!

[Abby Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced digital copy. These are the type of stories that I adore. Mostly realistic fiction, with a lot of heart, and a sprinkling of fantasy. I didn't want it to end.

[schmorireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK. So dreamy.

🧜‍♀️ saltwater vibes
🪼 magical realism
🐚 alternating timelines
🌊 coming of age
⛵️ lyrical storytelling

This book felt like salt air, grief, mystery, and longing all tangled together.

I loved the medical threads woven into two of the main characters, one a doctor and one a nurse. The little bits of medical jargon and nursing care? Chef’s kiss.

I loved the boat being such a central part of the story. It wasn’t just a setting. It felt alive. Atmospheric, intimate, and full of secrets.

And the ocean? The author made it feel mysterious and dangerous, but also comforting. Like it was telling its own story. Like it was home.

There’s also this recurring theme of stepping away from phones, work, and the autopilot blur of life to actually live for the people we love. And honestly? Tempting. Extremely tempting. Throw my phone into the sea, babes.

And personally, I read the main character as neurodivergent, and I was very much here for it.

At its heart, this is about love, loss, family, and the kind of longing that lives deep under the surface. Soft, strange, and beautiful.

⚠️TW: brief harm to a whale, death of a parent, alcohol misuse

[Suzanne Poulin]

What an accomplishment. Creating a novel filled with ocean magic, love, loss, and mystery takes real vision. What a stunning creative achievement. I can’t wait for the world to read it.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

“The sea takes all of it. Annie realizes somewhere in the wild beneath, she’s not alone anymore.”

This book was so different than anything I have read recently, it was so refreshing. The Wild Beneath has a bit of everything: romance, mystery, grief/loss, and magic that captivated me so much I finished it in less than 24hrs.

The Wild Beneath follows Annie who lives in the PNW after a tsunami devastated her remote island and ended her previous life that was filled with sailing with her parents who have now gone missing. She ends up finding a mysterious man in the wreckage who doesn’t speak much, but has a hum to him that only she can hear. As Annie’s story unfolds, she has to choose between her childhood love and the mysterious man that has changed everything for her.

I loved Annie’s refusal to modernize and maintain her wildness along with her parent’s joy for living a simple life sailing on the sea. The glamorization of a simpler life served as a reminder that in the hustle and bustle we all need to slow down and realize who we are and what we want to be.

[Jennifer Fullmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review!!

19 year old Annie has grown up living with her parents on their boat, with a home base in a small town off the coast of Vancouver BC, where Annie’s grandmother lives. The story begins just after a tsunami has hit the west coast of North America, destroying the small town. When it hit, Annie was on land with her grandmother, but her parents were out at sea. Sitting on the beach in the aftermath, Annie finds a young man unconscious and naked on the beach.

The first half of the story explores Annie’s life growing up on the boat and her budding love with the boy from town, the fallout of the town from the tsunami and Annie’s grief from the unknown, and the pull Annie has to the stranger on the beach and the sea itself. I thoroughly enjoyed this part of the story.

However, the second half of the story DRAGGED. I know there’s a deeper meaning here about our impact on the earth and how we are part of the land and the sea, but I was so bored I just wanted it to be done. And I felt the ending was just… blah.

[Jessica Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

This book is unlike anything I have read in a long time. It’s ambiguous, mysterious, polarizing. Readers will either love this (that’s the camp I’m in) or find the ending and unanswered questions frustrating. While I know that the ending was intended to be left open for interpretation, I am CRAVING an epilogue. I just need to know what happens in ten years to Evan, Annie, and Walker. This story was emotional and full of so much depth. The writing was beautiful and so rich in description. I loved the whispers of magical realism and how everyone was connected to each other and to nature. The book felt like a love letter to nature and the wild. I think that readers who loved Wild Dark Shore and A Sea of Unspoken Things will love this book as well. I cannot wait to pick up more books by this author!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trading Publishing for the gifted copy of this book! It was amazing!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was the most hauntingly beautiful book I’ve read. For lovers of the water with a deep pull to protect the earth and all she has to offer. For anyone who has ignored what their heart tells them to instead do what is expected of them. This book is a love story between Annie and the ocean. Mysterious yet calming, I couldn’t put this down. And when I had to it was still in the back of my mind. Highly recommend this read.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

so unique, so beautiful and will be thinking about this for a long time (bonus points bc of my attachement to vancouver island and the pnw)

[Anica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that makes you savor each page as you turn it. Not only was the writing stunning, but it reminded me how magical the little things around us are. Sunsets. Tree roots. Rainstorms. Even the love story felt like something otherworldly, just as fragile and formidable as the earth. So often do we forget that we are not above nature, we are a part of it, and I feel like a better person for having been reminded. Thank you, Kelly Anderson.

[Debbie Lynn Poulin]

I’ve watched Mrs Anderson pour years of heart and imagination into this story, and I’m so proud of her. She’s truly multi-talented: doctor, businesswoman, mother, artist (to name a few!) and now a novelist. This book feels immersive, mysterious, and beautifully written. I’m so excited for her release next August.

[Text Publishing]

The following reviews have been shared by Text Publishing, the publisher of The Wild Beneath.

‘Anderson’s book is ethereal, languid, crafted of language that rushes and recedes like a tide, buoying a story that reminds us sometimes the impossible is possible.’
Jodi Picoult

‘An achingly lovely book about the melodic pull of the natural world...sublime.’
Lily Brooks-Dalton, author of The Light Pirate

‘The Wild Beneath is part love story, part ode to nature, with a mystical, musical, mysterious quality that carries readers along like a gentle wave.’
Nikki Erlick, author of The Poppy Fields

‘In lush, lyrical prose, Anderson weaves a spellbinding tale of singular Annie—her loves, her losses, her profound connection to the sea. Richly imagined and unlike anything you’ve read, The Wild Beneath is at once a beautifully rendered tribute to the natural world, a layered love story, and a deft reminder of the elemental bonds that tie us to each other and to the wild at the fringes of our urban lives.’
Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of The Painted Girls

‘Drop everything and read The Wild Beneath, Kelly Anderson’s astonishing debut. Her luminous prose reveals the world that exists beneath our own, from the depths of the ocean to the wild terrain of the human heart. I was transported.’
Daisy Alpert Florin, author of My Last Innocent Year

‘In The Wild Beneath, debut author Kelly Anderson elegantly blurs the line between nature and humanity, illuminating the deep, unseen currents that connect us—to each other and to the natural world. Readers won’t so much read this novel as feel it. I’ll never look at the ocean the same way again. Absolutely dazzling.’
Sarah Penner, author of The Lost Apothecary

‘An astonishing act of imagination…asks wise, subtle questions about the line between science and magic, and suggests that both are found in the natural world…Haunting and unforgettable.’
Julia Kastner, Shelf Awareness

[betsy gentry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an early copy of this book in exchange of my honest thoughts, so thank you to HarperCollins for the ARC!

This is a very unique and atmospheric story, and I was genuinely intrigued the entire time, constantly wondering where it was all heading. The premise is original and there’s a strong sense of mystery and momentum that kept me turning pages.

That said, the writing style ultimately didn’t work for me. The prose felt very short and choppy, often cutting straight to the point, and that rhythm made it difficult for me to fully sink into the story. Because of that, I struggled to connect emotionally with the characters, even though the ideas behind them were compelling.

Overall, while I didn’t love the execution, I can absolutely see how this book would resonate with readers who enjoy experimental, lyrical storytelling and unconventional narratives!!

Three stars!

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is poetic and magical. From the moment you pick it up, you can tell it's not a straightforward story and that you'll be in for a ride. The Wild Beneath follows Annie MacLeod, a young woman whose life has always been shaped by the sea. Raised on a sailboat and deeply attuned to the rhythms of the ocean, Annie’s world is shattered when a devastating tsunami destroys her coastal community and takes the people who defined her sense of home. In the aftermath, she’s left navigating grief, fractured relationships, and a lingering sense that something about the disaster and her past doesn’t quite add up.

As Annie tries to rebuild, she becomes entangled in two complicated connections: one rooted in years of shared history, and another sparked by a mysterious stranger she rescues in the wake of the storm. At the same time, subtle but unsettling changes in the environment and in the people around her hint that the tsunami may have uncovered more than it destroyed. The deeper Annie digs, the more the story shifts from recovery into something layered with quiet mystery, emotional tension, and an almost otherworldly pull.

This is one of those rare books where atmosphere does as much storytelling as the plot itself. The writing is lyrical without feeling overworked; it flows, almost like tide patterns, pulling you forward in a way that feels immersive and natural.

The ocean isn’t just a backdrop here. It’s a presence. It feels alive, unpredictable, comforting, and dangerous all at once. The same can be said for the boat, the coastline, and even the silence between characters. Everything feels intentional, layered, and deeply connected.

Emotionally, this book hits hard. It explores grief, love, identity, and belonging. Annie is a complex protagonist. She is sometimes difficult to fully understand, but always compelling. I actually appreciated being slightly “in the dark” alongside her, because the gradual unraveling of truth felt earned and meaningful.

The relationships are equally nuanced. The romantic elements are present but never overpower the story; they enhance it, adding tension and tenderness without taking center stage.

This is a slow, atmospheric read, and that won’t work for everyone. The pacing dips in the middle, especially as the story leans more heavily into introspection and emotional processing. This made me almost put it down, but I kept reading, and I'm glad I did, as it truly paid off in the end.

I also felt some side characters could have been more fully developed, and parts of the mystery remain intentionally ambiguous, which will feel powerful to some readers and frustrating to others. Overall, The Wild Beneath is not a book you race through; it’s one you experience. It’s soft, strange, emotional, and quietly haunting. A story about loss and love, about listening to what lies beneath the surface, and about the invisible threads that connect us to each other, and to the world itself.

Thank you, HarperCollins (@htpbooks) and NetGalley, for this ARC in return for my honest review. I truly enjoyed this book. I gave it ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 stars) and will be recommending it to all my social media friends and followers.

[Bre ✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first quarter of The Wild Beneath completely hooked me. I was constantly asking questions and making wild theories. Who is Walker? Why does he know so much about Mara and Annie? Why did Annie have to be born in the water? What’s making that strange noise? Every night I found myself lying awake trying to piece it all together. There simply weren’t enough hours in the day for me to read this fast enough because I needed to know where it was all going.

Unfortunately, that momentum didn’t last.

This is somehow both a fast- and slow-paced novel. Time passes quickly, but the story itself unfolds at such a gradual pace that around the 40% mark I started losing steam. The middle section felt far longer than it needed to be, and I honestly considered adding it to my DNF pile before deciding to push through. While the final quarter picked the pace back up again, the ending ultimately felt like a letdown.

I had guessed fairly early where the story was likely headed, but I kept reading because I was convinced there would be another layer waiting for me. The book opened so many fascinating doors, yet many of them were never fully explored. There were so many unique directions this story could have taken, and I found myself wishing it had been a little bolder.

The biggest issue for me, though, was the characters. I never really became attached to any of them or invested in their relationships. Walker, especially, felt too juvenile for the romance to land. His shift from childlike curiosity to romantic interest happened so suddenly that their relationship felt more like a device to create tension with Evan than something that developed naturally. Even after acknowledging she’s thinking about Evan, Annie simply moves on, and that entire sequence felt awkward rather than emotionally convincing. I kept waiting to feel the chemistry everyone was acting on, but it never arrived.

Ironically, Evan ended up being the character I cared about the most.

I also found myself far more interested in the women who surrounded the story than the central romance. I wanted to know so much more about Ruth, Mara, and especially Celeste. Their histories hinted at something much richer than what we were shown. Likewise, I wish the parallels between Annie’s relationship with the ocean and Evan’s relationship with the land had been explored with greater intention because there was so much thematic potential there.

The novel’s message about our relationship with water is beautiful, and I absolutely understood what Anderson was trying to say—that water is not separate from us but part of who we are. But I found myself wishing she’d leaned even further into the magical realism. The concept of the literal wild beneath the waves was, to me, the most compelling part of the novel, and I desperately wanted to spend more time there. That was the book I thought I was picking up.

I completely understand why this has so many five-star reviews, but it ultimately just wasn’t for me. In fact, I wonder if readers who haven’t yet developed a strong connection to land and water might get more out of it than those who already have. As someone who already sees those relationships as deeply personal and foundational, I found myself wanting the story to push much further than it did.

There was so much promise here. The mystery at the beginning had me absolutely captivated, but by the end I was left wishing the characters had been more fully realized, the magical elements had been explored more deeply, and the story had followed through on the incredible possibilities it introduced.

Miigwech netgalley & harper collins canada for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Anderson’s The Wild Beneath reminded me why I love finding books that don’t fit neatly into one genre. Park Row Books, thank you for the gifted copy.

I picked this up expecting a romance with some magical realism. What I got was something much stranger, much quieter, and honestly a lot more memorable.

Annie MacLeod grew up on a sailboat, raised by parents who saw the world differently than most people around them. The ocean wasn’t just where she lived—it was part of who she was. After a tsunami changes everything, Annie is left trying to figure out where she belongs and who she is without the life she always thought she’d have.

I really connected with Annie. She spends so much of the book feeling like she’s standing between different worlds, never fully fitting into any of them. She’s grieving, searching, making mistakes, and trying to understand things that don’t always have clear answers. It made her feel incredibly real to me.

Evan and Walker couldn’t be more different, and that’s what made Annie’s relationships so interesting. Evan is familiar. Safe. The person who has known her for years. Walker is the mystery. The question mark. The one I could never quite figure out. Usually I get annoyed by love triangles, but this never felt like one of those “pick your favorite guy” stories. It felt much more tied to Annie figuring out her own path.

The thing I keep thinking about, though, is the setting.

The ocean is everywhere in this book. Not just in the background but woven into the story itself. There were scenes where I could practically feel the cold water, smell the salt air, and hear the waves. The sailboat felt as important as some of the characters.

“There are some things that can only be heard when the world goes quiet.”

That line stuck with me.

I also loved the themes running underneath the story. Family. Loss. First love. Belonging. The idea that home isn’t always a place. The pull between the life people expect you to live and the one that feels true to who you are.

This isn’t a fast-paced book. It’s the kind you settle into and let wash over you. Some questions remain unanswered, and I know that won’t work for every reader, but for me it fit the dreamlike feel of the story.

By the end, I wasn’t ready to leave Annie, the sailboat, or the ocean behind.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you love atmospheric stories, magical realism, coastal settings, and books that feel a little wild and a little haunting, I think this one deserves a spot on your TBR.

Have you ever finished a book and immediately missed the world it created?

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

It began with a tsunami. The ocean north of Vancouver Island swept off the beach into the sea and returned in a massive wave, carrying anything or anyone in its wake back on land. Luckily, Annie's aunt knew the signs and ran Annie, and her friend Evan, up the highest hill, out of the way of the deadly water. Her parents weren't so lucky. They had allowed Annie to stay onshore while they continued their voyage on their sailboat and were lost at sea.  A few days later, as Annie scoured the shore for dinner amidst the mess left from the tsunami, she noticed a nude young man walking on the beach.  He fell down in the sand and she and her aunt managed to carry him up to her shack and administer medical treatment. The next morning, Annie woke up early and saw him swimming in the cold ocean which even she wouldn't be in during winter. For some reason she felt an affinity to this stranger who seemed to connect with her on a mystical level. She called him Walker.
Evan and Annie had been inseparable since they were little children-but they only saw each other in the summertime. Annie lived with her parents on their sailboat and her father was her school teacher. Her mother could not live anywhere but the ocean and she taught Annie to swim and fish for food that they'd cook in the ship's galley. After being on the water for the first years of her life, Annie's father persuaded her mother to dock the boat for a few months at his mother's house in the small beach town of Hale's Landing. Evan's father owned the town and had a logging company in the forest above the ocean. Every summer the family would sail into the dock at Hale's Landing and Annie  and Evan would spend their days together-it eventually grew into love.  
Evan's father realized that whole areas of western Canada would need to be rebuilt and he owned the lumber to supply them-it would save their company. Unfortunately, the power to transport them was knocked out in the tsunami. They could use a boat to bring the logs to the buyers but water transportation was dangerous. Evan did not want to disappoint his father and volunteered to pilot the boat and Walker went with him to crew. One returned.
Told in flashbacks that explain the history of Annie's parents and the love they have for each other, Anderson's debut novel of life above and below the sea is an evanescent glimpse into the natural world and the magic it holds. As Annie sorts out her relationships with steady Evan and mysterious Walker, the reader is fascinated by their contrasting attributes, and wonders who will finally win her heart. A story lyrically told, the novel is a fascinating dive into a new watery fairy tale that resonates long after the last few words.

[Sydtcar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars!
Wow, this book was incredibly unique and it hooked me from the start. This book follows main character Annie and the people of her town of Hale's Landing as they deal with the after effects of a tsunami that devastated the town. Annie also finds a mysterious man washed up on the beach with no idea who he was or where he came from. The main thread of the mystery is Annie trying to determine what happened to her parents, who is this man that washed up on the beach, and what was causing her inner turmoil?

This book had an interesting structure with alternating timelines before and after the tsunami, focusing on different people. It was captivating to watch different factors push and pull the main characters in different directions, sometimes towards each other and sometimes driving them away from each other.

The setting was so mysterious and atmospheric. That combined with the magical realism and the wondering of what was actually going on with some of the characters led to a feeling of unease and anxiety. The way the author described what the characters were going through, such as Annie dealing with the sound of her surroundings being too loud, actually made me feel unsettled myself.

The Wild Beneath explored several heavy themes like family and belonging, being connected with the earth, nature, and one another, and finding one's purpose.

At no point during this book did I have any clue what the ending would be like and I still felt like we didn't get a full explanation - however I did feel that the reader gets some closure with the ending and it's one that is purposefully left a little up to the reader's interpretation.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves the ocean, nature, mysteries, soulmates, and magical realism! The writing was fantastic and I can't wait to see what Kelly Anderson writes next - it will definitely be on my list! The trigger warnings I would include for this book are death and grief. The "spice level" was low - a few explicit scenes but not written in an extremely graphic way.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Kelly Anderson for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be out for publication on August 4, 2026.

[Maeghan 🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huge thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!

This story follows Annie as her world changes when a Tsunami hits the village she’s temporarily living in and a naked man washes up on shore.

While the synopsis initially drew me to this book ; I think I wasn’t the right audience for this novel. The dark, melancholic & heavy atmosphere was very well written and succeeded in making me feel depressed during this read. I just sadly ended up having a few issues along the way.

The writing was very jolted and straightforward, which didn’t quite fit with the mystery, in my opinion. The conversations were a bit unrealistic and took me out of the story. It irritated me deeply that her boyfriend kept repeating ‘I love you’ every time she would say a word.

The characters were one dimensional and simple minded, which made me feel extremely detached from their plights. The synopsis stated that Annie was torn between her first love and the mysterious stranger but I didn’t feel the emotional weight this story should’ve had. Her first love ended up just being a man who didn’t seem to care about her at all and wanted to change her into something she wasn’t. The mysterious stranger barely said anything the whole time and so this ended up feeling like emotional cheating.

The first part of this novel served as background and it did make me feel as if Annie loved her first love because he was the only guy she knew. And then loved the second guy because he was the second one to pop into her life. When everything unraveled in the second part of the novel, I did wonder why someone who didn’t really know what to do with her life would commit to so many years of medical study. I know the second part was more of a philosophical journey through what I feel is common societal pressure/problems humans face nowadays but it didn’t quite capture the weight or convey the messages it wanted to send. I didn’t like the ending for various reasons.

Overall, I don’t think this one was for me but I know it’ll find its rightful audience!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Wild Beneath” by Kelly Anderson completely pulled me under from the very first page. Set in the rugged, haunting beauty of the Pacific Northwest, the story centers on Annie, a young woman raised on a sailboat, whose life is deeply tied to the rhythms of the ocean. After a massive tsunami devastates her coastal town, the community is left fractured, entire landscapes are reshaped, and nothing feels quite as it once did. As Annie returns to shore and reconnects with people from her past, she begins to notice gaps in the story of what really happened and her past—missing details, uneasy silences, and a growing sense that the disaster may have revealed more than it destroyed.

As Annie navigates the aftermath, she’s pulled between complicated relationships, including a subtle but compelling love triangle that adds emotional depth without overpowering the plot. One relationship is rooted in familiarity and shared history, while the other challenges her sense of trust and the future she thought she wanted. At the same time, a thread of mystery runs through the story, building into something darker and more unsettling as Annie starts piecing together strange environmental shifts, lingering damage beneath the surface, and the possibility that the danger didn’t end when the wave receded.

What really stood out to me was how immersive the setting felt—it’s moody, raw, and beautifully written. The environmental themes add urgency, making the stakes feel incredibly real without ever feeling heavy-handed. I genuinely couldn’t put this one down, especially as the tension steadily builds and the emotional stakes deepen alongside the mystery. Fans of “Wild Dark Shore” will absolutely be obsessed with this one. And the ending? It left me both satisfied and still turning things over in my mind—one of those conclusions that gives you closure while still leaving space for interpretation.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Park Row and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy to read in exchange for my honest thoughts.

In the wake of a tsunami that took everything from Annie’s family and her town, she rescues Walker, a mysterious man, with whom she makes a unique and instant connection.

Ok, I will be straight up honest. When I saw that this book was being marketed for fans of Charlotte McConaghy and The Time Traveler’s Wife I hit that request button on Netgalley without even reading the synopsis, so I went into this totally and completely blind and wow I loved it. Mark my words - this book will be among my top favorites at the end of 2026 and a stand out debut of the year.

First, the writing. Kelly’s writing feels seasoned. And experienced. This book felt rhythmic and poetic. As if it had its own heartbeat I could feel the entire time. It was all together lovely, beautiful, other-worldly and nothing short of magical. Plot-wise, I don’t want to say too much, because I think my experience of going in blind was the way to go. So, I’ll just let you know how it felt. It was atmospheric. Mysterious. Wild. Free.

I read this book with my eyebrows furrowed - I was completely locked into the mystery and unknown that drove the story and I quite literally could not stop reading. Any book that has me turning the pages, because I have so many unanswered questions and can’t rest until I get the answers…is a good book. And gosh, I felt heavy after finishing it. Unsettled, but settled at the same time?

This book will work for readers who enjoy literary fiction with a little side of fantasy and themes of nature. Think Piranesi, Wild Dark Shore, The Unmaking of June Farrow, and The Light Pirate. This was a modern fairy tale that read like a fever dream.

[Maude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Annie's life is the ocean. A tsunami hits British Columbia, and Annie is left with nothing but despair, and a mysterious man washed up on the shore. Where are her parents? Who is Walker? What will be the secrets sung to her by the water? And how can she fix this hole in her chest?

What a masterpiece! Beautifully written, Kelly Anderson clearly has mastered the key element of writing atmospheric scenes and made Canadian land shine, and I could feel the salty water on the tip of my tongue. This book kept me wondering until the very end, and, god, I got lost in its imagery. Not going to lie, I even had some teary eyes by the end. I love a good old story of taking back what was once ours. The context of the story was so unique that I felt the need to power through it during the last 20%.

My only critic was the overemphasis on romantic relationships when this girl's whole life was falling apart and facing a lot of trauma. I just wished it was more about her and not the romantic feeling she had for the people around her. She is such a deep character with an interesting background, but it felt a bit overshadowed by "Do I want him or him?" Furthermore, it took me a long time to see Walker's appeal, as he left me uncomfortable most of the time. The end of the book really sold it for me, and I'm looking forward to every reader getting there. Something clicked in me and made all the doubts I had about the story wash away. A little plus, the opposition of Annie's love for the sea and Evan's understanding of the trees was just a chef's kiss.

Nonetheless, I felt truly moved by this story, and I will, for sure, be looking at Anderson's future work.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an Advance copy of this book. Thank you.

I found this book to be very immersive and interesting. While not fast paced, it draws you in. So much of this book is beautifully descriptive, especially the water scenes and what the water means to the characters.
Annie MacLeod grew up on a sailboat, that was her home. Her parents would anchor in a town in the Pacific Northwest, in the summers, reconnecting with her father's people. During her one attempt at public school in first grade, before sailing away and being home schooled, she made one, lifelong connection with Evan. Every summer Evan would come on board and the two were inseparable. As the two grow up, a real love bonds them.
A Tsunami hits the town and destroys all Annie knows and loves, including her parents, and for the first time in her life, she rejects the sea.
Evan becomes torn. His dad needs him and compels him to see to his needs, making it hard for him to be there when Annie needs him. Annie feels she has lost everything and everyone. One day when she's foraging for food, she stumbles on a man, clearly injured from the storm. She and her grandmother nurse him, Walker, back to life, and soon Walker is an important part of Annie's life, and she finds herself drawn to him like she was drawn to her mother. Despite being with him, she never knows anything about him before he arrived.
The story continues for years, and Evan, Annie and Walker continue to influence each other.
I found the book slowed down in the middle, while still interesting, there was a lot of soul searching and at times it seemed a bit hopeless.
The ending picks up with some twists, and overall, it is an engaging, beautifully written book.

[Bianca (biancamoodreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wild Beneath is framed as an epic love story, but the strongest love story in the book is really with the ocean and the natural world. The story follows Annie, who grew up on a sailboat and recently lost her parents in a tsunami. When a mysterious man appears on the beach, seeming almost like he belongs to another world, Annie feels instantly connected to him, as if she has known him before. Through him, Annie begins to question where she truly belongs and what kind of life she wants.

The novel follows Annie from her teenage years into adulthood, with a time jump from nineteen to her mid twenties. The jump felt a little sudden, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Annie’s mother was one of the most interesting characters, and I wish we had learned more about her past and Walker’s. I also really loved Evan and felt for him throughout the book. At times, the story borders on emotional cheating, but I think those moments mainly show how disconnected Annie feels from the life she is trying to live.

The writing is beautiful and descriptive, especially when it focuses on the ocean and nature. Readers who enjoy environmental speculative fiction and books like Wild Dark Shore will probably connect with this story. It also leaves some questions unanswered, but in a way that fits the tone of the novel rather than feeling unfinished. Ultimately, I couldn’t put it down, even if some sections/characters were frustrating at times, it was still a great read.

In my opinion, the main takeaway of this book is reflection on how easily modern technology can disconnect us from the beauty of the natural world, especially the ocean, as we remain absorbed in our phones and rarely pause long enough to appreciate what the Earth gives us.

For a debut, this was a standout read. I’m looking forward to watching this author grow and am excited to see what she does next!

Thank you to the publisher and HTP Hive for the e-arc via NetGalley.

[Beatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Booktrovert.

This was an odd tale of people inexplicably tied to the ocean and the people who loved them. It was also a grey lonely and unnerving story.

We find Annie ( who was literally born in the ocean) in the aftermath of a devastating tsunami that took virtually everything from her, struggling with her grandmother Ruth to survive in Hale's cove. It will be weeks before the Red Cross and the Coast Guard will be able to reach them and decisions need to be made. Annie has lived her entire life at sea on a boat with her parents but now all that is gone, she feels betrayed by the sea. Evan Hale, the boy she's loved since childhood wants to take her to the safety of the city ( which would also free him from his father's lumber company). Walker, a strange man she finds naked and feverish on the shore after the tide receded urges her to get back into the water.

This book was not at all what I expected and I don't know that I cared for it. I empathize with Annie's sense of loss and displacement but found the lack of answers about Mara and Walker very frustrating. I also grew tired of her inertia. I just wanted her to snap out of it or just blurt out I'm a mermaid and I need to go back to the ocean - or I'm a whatever she's supposed to be.