Crown of Sea and Storm: A Darkwood Romantasy

by Anthea Sharp

A princess cursed by silence. A prince bound by honor. Together, they must defy fate to save a kingdom.
A stand-alone sequel to The Darkwood Trilogy.

Princess Catrin Albrecht is a pawn in a dangerous game of court politics, cursed with the loss of her voice and hunted by those who seek to control her magic. When fate throws her in the path of the stoic and honorable Prince Jenson of Fiorland, the two must navigate treacherous waters—both literal and political—on a journey of survival, betrayal, and impossible love.

Once Cat returns to court, whispers of murder, poisoned queens, and dark sorcery fill the air. Shadowed by her conniving cousin Alicia and haunted by a sorceress of immense power, Cat finds herself at the center of a deadly plot that could topple the throne. But with Jenson by her side, they stand a chance to thwart the darkness, if only they can trust each other long enough to fight it. Too bad fate has an epic betrayal in store...

Crown of Sea and Storm is a spellbinding romantasy filled with elemental magic, twisty court intrigue, and a slow-burn romance destined to change the fate of kingdoms. Fans of The Little Mermaid, Norse mythology, and sweeping tales of star-crossed lovers will fall head over heels for this captivating story of love, sacrifice, and power.

* Unlike the other Darkwood books, this novel has some heat, including a *spicy open door scene*

Genres: Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 1, 2026

About the author

Growing up, Anthea Sharp spent her summers raiding the library shelves and reading, especially fantasy. She now makes her home in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes, plays the fiddle, hangs out in virtual worlds, and spends time with her small-but-good family. Contact her at antheasharp@hotmail.com, follow her on twitter, find her on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AntheaSharp), and visit her website.

Reviews

[Ashley Blevins · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author/publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy. Thoughts are my own.*

This gave me some really fun Little Mermaid-inspired vibes, which I absolutely enjoyed.
I really liked the characters and the emotional obstacles they had to work through to be together it added a nice layer of tension and made their journey feel meaningful.
I’m usually not an instalove girlie, but this one handled it in a way that didn’t completely pull me out of the story, which I appreciated.
That said, I didn’t fully fall in love with the book as a whole, but I did enjoy my time with it. And can we talk about the character art at the end?! I LOVED that touch.

[Hannah Crewe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was definitely an interesting read. It was quite different from what I expected, but I really enjoyed the fast-paced storytelling. There were a few moments that left me a little unsure, but the ending was ultimately satisfying. Cat and Jenson are absolutely perfect for each other!

[Isabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for sending me an ARC of this book!!

I have a few thoughts on this book:

First of all, Cat’s thoughts and actions don’t match up like I feel like they should and because of that I felt disconnected from her character. Because she’s lost her voice, it is hard for the author to show us her personality but they have still tried to do it in the chapters where we are inside of her mind. She feels not necessarily fierce but definitely courageous and a strong female character. However, this does not come across even a little bit in her actions. She seems so innocent and scared through her actions, which I totally get and would not have a problem with (not every fmc has to be strong and independent!) but it just wasn’t matching up with what we read in her own chapters. I know this is technically how the mmc sees her but it made me wonder all throughout the book that if this is how he’s seeing her because she doesn’t have a voice, when she gets her voice back she will become a completely different person and their relationship could’ve been affected.

I love the idea that Cat has lost her voice! It’s very refreshing as I’ve never read a book where this has happened before! It was really interesting reading about the mmc falling in love with her when he didn’t really know much about her and couldn’t have conversations with her. Especially because at the start she is described as very mundane, like she is specifically stated to be pretty normal looking not anything special so in this case personality would’ve made her even more attractive but she doesn’t even have that because she can’t speak! It was so good seeing a man fall in love with a woman not because they have great or witty banter (don’t get me wrong, I love that though) but just because he can see her for who she truly is without her voice.

In the way of plot, I felt like this book was giving more cosy fantasy vibes than fantasy. I think the focus was not just on the romance but then all of the plot points felt like side quests which I did not mind at all! Just goes to show that not all books have to have such intricate plots— this was fun to read even though it was kind of here there and everywhere.

I liked lots of this book but there were some parts that I felt dragged a bit. I think if it was compacted into a smaller amount of pages that would’ve changed my rating. But overall I did enjoy this book!

[Becky L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc Review

The Kingdom of Athraig is expecting a visitor and the Queen has decided he shall marry one of the Princesses, Catrin, without the help of her voice but still with her magic has to win over the barbaric prince Jenson. Thrust into a deadly journey together they have to navigate politics, betrayal and sorcery whilst trying to survive. Can they trust each other long enough to fight what’s coming.

This story was absolutely magically. Almost instantly you feel as though you’ve fallen into an enchanted world, the writing is so elegant and everything is very intentional. Instantly thrown into the chaos of the story I was routing for Cat as she struggled with her dilemma as a soft but fierce female lead. Meeting Prince Jenson was like returning to a character I’ve known forever, he’s strong and capable but humble and instantly protective. The instant connection between the two of them ensnared me completely. I instantly wanted to know how it was going to play out.

A little further into the story and more magic becomes ingrained, delving deeper and taking the characters along too, so that they evolved and grow on you even more. We are subtly introduced to several other characters most of whom have their own depth and part to play in the storyline rather than just being there to fill the pages.

Every part of the story is more magical than the next, the romance is slow and teasing but deep and meaningful. Fleeting moments, often interrupted are page turners on their own and you crave for the relationship to blossom. Even when danger and betrayal come into play. The court politics are intense and do not take a back seat to the romance, everything is intertwined perfectly.

The intimate scenes in the book are very tastefully described and definitely lean towards romantic rather than spicy.

I cannot say I found fault in this story, I loved every moment of it, characters, pacing, world building, writing and the romance and cannot wait for the second instalment.

I gave 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ simply because I would have like the book to have ended on a cliffhanger and give us a reason to come back. I feel like there’s a lot more that could happen.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can already tell Crown of Sea and Storm is going to be a hit for the right readers. If you want low spice, proper yearning, likeable characters, and a fantasy romance with an actual plot attached, this is a very easy one to recommend.

What I liked most is that it feels sincere. In a genre where so much seems determined to outdo itself on chaos or spice, this goes in a different direction. The romance is much more about trust and emotional closeness than heat, and I can absolutely see that working for readers who want something softer and more accessible. In particular, I think this would be a lovely step for readers moving on from YA fantasy and wanting to try adult fantasy romance without being immediately thrown into the deep end.

Catrin and Jenson are both easy characters to root for, and I appreciated that the book gives them a proper story to move through as well. There is court intrigue, betrayal, dark magic, danger, and enough going on that the romance is not left to do all the heavy lifting alone.

For me, the main thing is that it does feel very familiar. It uses a lot of fantasy-romance elements readers will already know well, and while it does them nicely, it never quite pushes into anything especially fresh or standout. So while this was not a new favourite for me, I can very easily see why others will love it.

If “fantasy romance with real plot, low spice, and lots of yearning” is your catnip, this could be exactly your cup of tea.

[Emilie Jappy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for this eARC.

I have read quite a few little mermaid inspired books recently and this one started off really well. I enjoyed that the FMC has lost her voice and you have to learn about her and know her with only an inner monologue and outward actions.

The MMC, Jay, is a golden retriever, sunshine type who dotes on Cat from the get go.

It does start of slow and the concept is very good. There are just a few areas that really confused me. At one point we meet the Snow Elves and there is some sort of speel put on the 2 when they leave that they can't mention is and yeah, it works for so much of the book. Even Cat can't write about even when it's just Her and Jay. But pass a few pages and her and Jay are having a fill blown conversation where they are mentioned twice with no issues, it's never explained. I did think to just keep reading maybe its explained later. Then in the epilogue when she opens a gift from them it's mentioned that they'll never be able to say who it's from.

I am no expert in writing the English language but another bugbear of mine was that Cat always went on tiptoe. All I can imagine is she goes on en pointe a lot. I may be wrong but should this not say on her tiptoes?

This is a very cozy fantasy and defo recommend if someone wants a slower read and a break from full action packed fantasy. it's a nice balance of calmness, danger and action.

[Kendra Oosterhouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Anthea Sharp for the opportunity to read this ARC of Crown of Sea and Storm. I really enjoyed this twist on The Little Mermaid with Vikings, court intrigue, magic, and finding love in unexpected places. I thought the FMC and MMC were both likable characters, with their own journeys on finding where they belong in the world. New to Anthea Sharp’s work, I appreciated that while this world is not new, it felt like a true standalone; I was rarely left guessing and if anything - I grew more interested in reading the original trilogy.

While this story has mostly positive feedback from me, it was not without some critique. I felt like the pacing in the book was lopsided. It was really drawn out during the first 2/3 and then way too fast in last 1/3. Without spoilers, I felt like the main conflict that was building throughout and the unexpected visitor made me wanting more. The FMC quickly became an expert in her magic without any training you typically see in fantasy genre. The battle was confusing and without a build up. In short, I was left wanting more.

Despite the critiques, this was a fun, quick romantasy. Looking forward to reading more of Anthea Sharp’s work!

[Estela Ko · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, I would like to thank the publisher, NetGalley and the author for providing me an ARC of Crown of Sea and Storm book.❤️
It was truly an easy read for me, with a fast-paced story that includes a little mermaid tale inspired elements. The storyline revolves around the main couple: our FMC Cat is rescued by the MMC Jay from the seashore, where Cat discovers her inability to speak after a traumatic accident. From there on their journey begins, involving elemental magic, elves, cultural differences, and the gradual development of their relationship alongside unfolding truths.
Pros: A fast-paced story with fairytale and romantasy elements that I really enjoy. There’s a sense of adventure, elemental magic, and a magical atmosphere supported by varied settings. I also liked the tension and mutual understanding between Cat and Jay.
Cons: Some plot holes. The romance felt a bit too instant. The ending seemed rushed and underdeveloped. Personally, I didn’t feel as emotionally moved as I had hoped.

This is a book you can easily read in one sitting, and it doesn’t leave you on a cliffhanger.☺️

-Third-person POV
-Forced proximity
-Elemental magic

3🌟read.

[Liber Mushroom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long story short, I loved it, I loved them.

Thus was such a good book, and I believe the story to be compelling, and a page turner. The magic system made sense to me, and I didn’t have to mental gymnastics to understand it. It’s pretty interesting and the main character (Cat) was someone who head I didn’t mind being in.
Cat and Jenson bring in love made sense, they fell in love on the page and you could see why they were together. They both also held each other accountable. When the other was in the wrong they didn’t mince their words or brush it under the rug. I actually see them together after the book ends.

A drawback for me was that I felt that at times we spent too long in scenes. And that we met so many characters that I felt faded into the background, as the story progressed, which is understandable it’s not their book. But I do wish they had made more of an impact within the story.

[Denise Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review from Netgalley.

I really enjoyed the premise of Crown of Sea and Storm, especially the clear nod to The Little Mermaid with the idea of losing a voice and having it captured in a pearl. That element added a familiar but intriguing twist that pulled me in right away.

That said, I do think the story could have benefited from stronger world-building. The magic system wasn’t always fully explained, and at times the plot felt a bit rushed, which made it harder to fully immerse myself in the world. I also would have liked more depth in the relationship between him and Rose—expanding on that dynamic could have added more tension and emotional weight.

I’m also not a big fan of insta-love, which made some of the romance feel less developed than I would have preferred.

Overall, it’s not a bad book at all; it’s an easy, fast read, especially if you enjoy quest-driven fantasy stories. It just left me wanting a little more depth in both the world and the relationships.

[Whittleton. Adventures · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley


📖 Third person pov
📖 Elemental magic
📖 Forced proximity
📖 He falls first


Bleurb

"A princess cursed by silence. A prince bound by honor. Together, they must defy fate to save a kingdom. "

My feelings of the book 💭

My very first arc so thank you to Anthea Sharp, Netgallery and the publisher for giving me a chance.

my ratings is 4 and half stars
spice- 🌶️🌶️ but it's right near the end if it's not your cup of tea.

I really enjoyed this story, I loved Jenson as the mmc, especially loved chapter 34 🔥🔥 he was hot in that scene.

I also enjoyed cat, and her strength, and finding her power.

the story moved quite fast, it definitely had little mermaid vibes, which I loved.

overall I had a lovely time reading this story, it was easy to read and so enjoyable

[Andrea Bearman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crown of Sea and Storm

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book.

This book was intriguing to me because Cat has an usual symptom that is blocking her ability to communicate. I hadn't read anything like that before, I wanted to see how it turned out.

I appreciated the characters and the mystical moments in the story very much. The only challenge I had was that the ending seemed to move too fast. Everything fell apart in a single scene and came back together very quickly. I wish there had been more time, slower pacing. I also felt like her special abilities were perfect immediately with no training and that seemed odd to me.

Overall I enjoyed it and the love story. The ending just was too clean.

[Sophia Hirst · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
What a wonderful story! I’m not sure if this is necessarily a little mermaid retelling but it had some of my favorite aspects! Inside this book you’ll find, action, adventure, mystery and some swoon worthy romance!
I loved watching Cat and Jay’s romance bloom despite her not being able to speak. I loved how the author showcased Cats personality through her body language and actions when she couldn’t speak.
Overall I had very few problems enjoying this book, the only thing that really bothered me was the obscureness of the magic system, but that can be forgiven easily as the characters themselves are still discovering it.
By way spice I would give it a 🌶️🌶️🌶️. the spice is at the end and very skippable but there are innuendos and some explicit thoughts throughout.

[Amy Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book so much I had to go and buy the others!! Although not a five star as it wasn’t that five star feeling it was just as amazing. I loved Jenson I want him to be my boyfriend, sorry to my irl bf loll 🤣 I was hooked on the adventures the characters went through and the romance, I would say it was a slow burn as in all the teasing!! The last 10 chapters I was so mad but the end is worth it so all is forgiven. I just love that they could understand each other without words and found it so bittersweet. I feel that is just what every girl wants. At least I do. And even though the family relationships where tense, I feel deep down it was from a place of love (not from Alicia let’s get that straight) and I like that in the end they could support each other.

[Georeadss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think the little mermaid meets fantasy romance 🧜‍♀️

Our FMC finds herself washed up on a shore where our MMC finds her and she finds she has lost her ability to speak.

This had that deliciously annoying tug of war between the FMC and MMC with a sprinkle of forced proximity for good measure.

If you love:
-Forced proximity
-Protective MMC
-Tension
-Elemental Magic

This will be a solid read that you could devour in one sitting

The magic system and world building is easy built into the plot nothing too overwhelming

Solid 3 .5⭐️ read.


Arc read kindly provided by Victoria Editing NetGalley Co-op
Release date 3rd September

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

Crown of Sea and Storm may seem to give the vibes of a certain small mermaid animated movie in the beginning but it quickly turns into its own unique story.

Cat, the FMC, finds herself unable to speak after being found washed ashore but the MMC, Jenson. To me the pacing of the book seemed too rushed in some places and drawn out in others, but as a standalone is concluded well. Jenson and Cat’s romance is sweet with Jenson reading Cat so well. The magic system was underwhelming and comes easily to the character despite a lot of training. Overall, Crown of Sea and Storm is pleasely and enjoyable read.

[Autumn Breeze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from @Netgalley

I loved this book from the very beginning the FMC has lost her voice which makes the book even more intriguing. The book is well paced and descriptive. The characters are likeable and the storyline is nice, mysterious and easy to follow. A different type of romatasy book, it’s a very interesting storyline and I enjoyed the book all the way through. The middle of the book wasn’t at all what I expected it was so descriptive, the world building was beautifully done. The characters are built wonderfully throughout the whole book had me gripped from start to finish. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 star read. I will certainly be exploring more of this authors books.

[Shelly Hadaller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one held my attention, which I appreciated, and the plot is really what carried it. There’s enough going on with the story, magic, and overall direction to keep you engaged, even when other elements didn’t fully hit for me.

That said… if you’re here for spice, just know there’s not much. It leans way more into the plot and romance development than anything physical, which just wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.

The characters and story were interesting enough to keep me reading, but I didn’t feel super emotionally invested, and it didn’t stand out as anything super memorable for me.

Overall, not a bad read at all—just one where the plot did most of the heavy lifting.

[Cassandra Western · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.

Crown of Sea and Storm is a very easy, fast paced book. I got through most of the book in one sitting.

Princess Catrin of Athraig, goes overboard during a storm, where she loses her voice and is washed ashore. She is found by Prince Jenson of Fiorland, unconscious. His protective instincts kick in, and he feels responsible for her.

The story has elemental magic, elves, cultural differences, political moves, betrayal and love. For me, it has very light world building in it, moves very quickly, can feel very rushed and lacking depth.

[Leonie Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Anthea Sharp and NetGalley for the ARC 🖤

This was very much giving me The Little Mermaid vibes.
I’ll be honest, it was a bit of a slow start for me, but once it picked up I was hooked. The tension between Cat and Jenson was good. Few other mentionable tropes were forced proximity, a bit of push and pull, and that slow-burn energy I love.

The world was easy to fall into (not overly complicated, which I appreciated), but the pacing felt a little off overall. Slower at the start and then quite rushed toward the end. I definitely wanted a bit more depth in some of those bigger moments.

Overall, a fun, easy romantasy with fairytale vibes and just a touch of spice.

[reema · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first ever ARC! So exciting

This is such a nicely paced book with a really intriguing magical setting to it. I was intrigued throughout the book and also getting to know the characters - I think Cat and Jenson were so compatible throughout but I wish there was more tension between them leading up to the romance.

I do wish there was more explanation to her magic abilities or a look into the past from how it developed with her though.

Definitely give this book a read if you want a fantasy book that is easy to understand and follow but also a satisfying ending!

[Theresa Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I want to say thanks to the author for the giving me an eARC. I really enjoyed this book. I was initially intrigued to see how the story would be told when the FMC lost her voice. The way it was done was excellent.

Cat and Jenson had multiple parts of their story which allowed for their connection to become strong, although not always plain sailing and can sometimes hurt each other with their words.

The magic within was easy to understand and the story is well set-up for future books.

This would be a perfect book for someone looking to get into fantasy romance.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this ARC! I had not read or heard of the interconnected other series but it did not affect my reading experience whatsoever. I am also now interested in reading them!

This book kept me hooked from the first scene. The romance and tension were to die for, but I do wish there was less miscommunication/misunderstanding between Cat and Jay. The book was a very quick easy read and still gave you a lot of politics and adventure in such a short time. I will definitely be continuing this series to see what happens next!

[Katia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Anthea Sharp, and the publisher for the ARC copy!

This is not the typical fantasyromance storyline that I normally read, so I was pleasantly surprised by the world of Cat and Jenson. I found that their story nicely wraps up in 1 book, although I would have liked for the series to be longer!

This was my first book by Anthea Sharp, and I will be checking out more of her books!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this was exciting!!!

I love the familiarity with some of the themes to the Little Mermaid. I can’t wait for more!

Cat learning of her true self is inspiring. I love experiencing a woman come into her true power and realize she is more than what she’s always thought she could ever be.

And Jensen? Sweet Jensen. Fighting for what he wants despite all that gets in the way though he falters at time.

[Hazel Grey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crown of Sea and Storm completely swept me away. Anthea Sharp creates a world that feels both wild and dangerous, with an atmosphere that lingers on every page. I was drawn in by the magic and stayed for the emotional depth—the longing, the tension, and the undeniable pull between the characters. It’s immersive, beautifully written, and impossible to put down. Five stars — I’m still thinking about it long after the final page

[Ren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC! This was such a fun read, I loved the magic, the world and the characters!

I loved how much Cat’s character developed & how she learned to stick up for herself. 💗