The Palace Beneath the Sea: A Mermaid Fantasy – A Mermaid Fantasy – A Sweeping Novel of Duty Love and the Impossible Choice Between Heart and Home

by Lauren Wiesebron

The acclaimed author of House of Frost and Feathers returns with a sweeping, lyrical novel inspired by a mermaid folktale filled with exploration, love, adventure, and magic.

A GREAT LOVE. A MYSTERIOUS KINGDOM BENEATH THE WAVES. A DEVASTATING BETRAYAL.

A doomed love story created the city of Ys, it’s fitting that another one would end it . . .

Nolwenn is sure that her life’s purpose is to defend her beloved coastal city of Ys as a lighthouse keeper. But when a dangerous, unnatural tide threatens Ys, the queen instead tasks Nolwen with collecting enough rare seasilk to shield the city from the deadly monsters who lurk deep beneath the waves.

Determined to fulfill her task, Nolwenn recklessly puts her life in danger, only to be attacked by the very creatures she’s trying to defend her city against. She’s saved by Morvan, a member of the korrigez people, with the torso of a human and the tail of a fish. Against her will, Morvan drags her deeper into the ocean to the coral palace of Below-Ys. Although Nolwenn is terrified and homesick, Below-Ys is also strange and beautiful…as is Morvan. The more time Nolwenn spends below the surface, the less she is sure she wants to leave.

As danger draws ever nearer to her homeland and Ys remains precariously unprotected, Nolwenn must decide between her heart and her home.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 15, 2026

Reviews

[BookishKB]

🧜‍♀️🌊 The Palace Beneath the Sea 🌊🧜‍♀️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Mermaid Fantasy
• Forbidden Love
• Underwater Kingdom
• Mythology Inspired
• Coastal Setting
• Magic & Monsters
_ _ _

📅 Pub Date: September 15, 2026
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[Faith | bookswith_faith]

this book follows a lighthouse keeper named Nolwenn who is tasked by the Queen with obtaining seasilk, a rare and powerful material that can protect the city from underwater monsters. but when Nolwenn is saved by one of those very monsters, she’s ultimately forced to confront where her home truly is.
i love all things mermaids so i was really excited to get this ARC! this will be a challenging book to review without spoilers because there’s so much detail, but it was such a fun and enchanting read. the writing was lyrical and descriptive, with stunning settings both underwater and on land. this author really knows her sea life, i loved the accuracy!
this is a more character driven story with a slower paced plot, but i really enjoyed getting to experience Nolwenn’s thoughts and emotions and following her along on this exciting journey. i also really loved the beautiful romance between Nolwenn and Morven 🥹
this book was strange and stunning, and i’m really looking forward to listening to it on audio when that’s released!
i highly recommend this if you’re looking for a cozy underwater adventure!
thank you so much Harper Voyager for the eARC

[Judith Christianson]

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This one had me waffling because the worldbuilding is SO much stronger than the actual plot.

Lauren Wiesebron has a PhD in marine ecology and WOW does it show. 🌊🐠 Below-Ys isn't just “pretty mermaid city.” The korrigez biology, coral structures, creatures, communication, social structure—all of it feels like it grew out of an actual marine ecosystem.

Naturally, I went down a research rabbit hole. 🐇

Wiesebron drew parts of the korrigez sex/gender system from real marine species that change sex during their lifetimes and then asked what an intelligent society built around completely different biology might look like.

Nerd catnip.

I also discovered that Ys is based on an actual Breton legend about a city swallowed by the sea, which sent me down YET ANOTHER rabbit hole because apparently reading the book itself was insufficient. 😂🌊🏰

The eARC format helped a lot because there are French/Breton names, unfamiliar terminology, new language, new biology, AND many korrigez using the same they/them pronoun set. Being able to visually check names/referents made everything much easier for my brain to organize.

BUT.

The plot is sloooooow. 🐌

Nolwenn explores.

Nolwenn learns.

Nolwenn thinks.

Nolwenn hangs out underwater. (Nolwenn please let's go!!!!)

And weirdly...I was mostly fine with it?

I liked hanging out underwater too. 😂 I liked the fish. I liked all the strange biological details and what I imagined as an underwater marine rave glow-party habitat. And I really liked the tender and demure romance between Nolwenn and Morvan. 🫶

But I never got that I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS NEXT feeling, and ok I am a fiend for books with raging plot engines about 75% of the time.

So: 3.5 stars. rounding to 4

Gorgeous, weird, cozy-ish, VERY nerdy about the ocean, and much more interesting once you realize how much actual science and Breton folklore is sitting underneath it. 🌊✨

[Samantha Kolhoff]

As someone who has read a bunch of mermaid/siren books, this was incredibly UNIQUE. I’m in desperate need of some character art asap! The way these (Korrigeez, part fish, part human) were described was just something I need to visually see! They are these part fish, large eyed, giant sharp teeth creatures that live deep down in the coral and don’t come to the surface. Another thing that I found incredibly interesting is they don’t speak, they have there own language, they use their hands to speak but their hands also glow to help them communicate and their scales change colors to reflect their mood sometimes. It was just super different and something I really enjoyed!

This book follows Nolwenn who is a lighthouse keeper, her job is to help protect the coastal city of Y’s. Danger is quickly approaching the city and the queen has asked Nolween for her help finding seasilk, a rarity that will help protect the city. One night Nolween risk everything to try to get the seasilk only to be attacked by the creatures they are trying to defend the city against. Instead of drowning, Morvan saves her by transforming her into a Korrigeez, but the catch is he steals her away to live underwater with him. The more Nolween stays underwater the more comfortable she is, and she doesn’t long to return to the surface anymore…

If your looking for an incredibly unique mermaid book, with deadly politcs, a doomed love story and a whole mess of secrets to unravel this is for you!!

[Skeena8]

This cover was stunning and I knew I wanted to read it. I fell in love with the world, the descriptions and the amazing details. A trusty sidekick octopus named Lemon and I knew this book was for me. Nolwenn is the daughter of the lighthouse keeper, and when collecting seasilk she is captured and taken Below. Morvan uses magic to turn Nolwenn into a ‘mermaid’. I love their use of sign Language to communicate underwater and the way they learn about each other and the world. The story progresses quickly in the second half and I was so nervous and emotional. I was lucky enough to get the audiobook and ebook and did an immersive read. The story was narrated by Antonia Whillans who is a new to me narrator and her style and voice are very delightful. The narration provides a lyrical aspect to the world being the details more into light. The colors and descriptors just were so vivid. So happy with this story. If you are looking for a more relaxed and romantic fantasy this would be my recommendation.

[Savvy]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

The worldbuilding in this book is absolutely astounding. I feel like I could visualize everything. You can tell the author knows what she's talking about, transferring real world knowledge to a fantastical world. I especially like that the korrigez all use "they/them" pronouns and their biology is so different from a human's. I think it adds more depth to "mermaids."

I will say it feels a little slow at first since the main character ends up in a new place without the ability to communicate well. However, the pacing picks up and keeps you curious about the korrigez and teuthes.

It's rare I feel a romantic relationship develops organically, but I think it's done perfectly here. I liked seeing the development of feelings, the confession, the comfort with each other. It's exactly what I wanted from a "mermaid x human" romance.

If you want to get immersed in a new world with a cohesive plot and intriguing characters, I highly recommend this book!

[Kat | WhenSheReads.SheReads]

Nolwenn loves her island and doesn't imagine there ever being a reason she'd leave its shores. She loves her family legacy and yearns to take her place as a future lighthouse keeper. When the queen asks for her help to secure the safety of the islandn as well as the inner city of Ys, from monstrous sea creatures, Nolwenn is all too happy to oblige. But the sea holds mysteries and secrets; Nolwenn must decide where her loyalties lie, with her island or what she finds beneath the sea.

I really, really loved this audiobook. The narration was lyrical, adding to the sheer magic one conjures when envisioning the ocean and its inky depths. I found myself transfixed and utterly captivated the entire length of the recording.

[Jessica]

💫Book Review💫

Summary: Nolwenn is a lighthouse keeper, sworn to protect the city of Ys from sea monsters. The Queen strikes a bargain with her after Nolwenn finds a lot of precious seasilk. One night, she sees a bunch on the shore. Before she reaches it, she almost drowns. She is saved by a mermaid (of sorts) and becomes one of them.

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

What you'll enjoy:
Lyrical, descriptive prose
Unique love story
NB rep
Found family
An octopus named Lemon

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

My thoughts: an interesting retelling about fitting in and belonging. It was beautifully written, not my typical type of fantasy. Thank you @netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own and freely given.

[Tina]

The Palace Beneath the Sea is a darker, masterful take on the mermaid folktales with beautiful world building, loyalties and love. Nolwenn's journey between Ys-above and Ys-below with the korrigez people is both fascinating and riveting, and I couldn't put this one down!

Highly recommended if you're looking for a mermaid story with a little more grit vs cozy!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this eARC, and I'm providing my honest review!