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Tear of the Selkie: Book One in the Tear of the Goddess Quartet
Not yet published
Expected 18 May 26Addaline
My father arranged the wedding, forced my to say goodbye to my sisters, and sent me to live with the monster from the deep.
Used to a lifetime of being controlled and told what to do, the sudden freedom and trust Caspian places in me is terrifying and addicting.
With the Green Ash plant dying, and the fate of the Selkie resting on my shoulders, the weight feels unbearable and I have everything to lose.
Caspian
The Desal Kingdom is dying, the people fleeing, and I am forced to consider even the worst propositions. But the Human King has promised me his daughter can solve my problems, and I would be a fool to say no.
I wasn’t expecting her to be beautiful, I wasn’t expecting her to be everything I had ever wanted in a mate. But she flinches every time I come near her, is terrified of me punishing her, and has proven to me time and time again that I know nothing about humans.
Tear of the Selkie is book on in the Tear of the Goddess Quartet.
My father arranged the wedding, forced my to say goodbye to my sisters, and sent me to live with the monster from the deep.
Used to a lifetime of being controlled and told what to do, the sudden freedom and trust Caspian places in me is terrifying and addicting.
With the Green Ash plant dying, and the fate of the Selkie resting on my shoulders, the weight feels unbearable and I have everything to lose.
Caspian
The Desal Kingdom is dying, the people fleeing, and I am forced to consider even the worst propositions. But the Human King has promised me his daughter can solve my problems, and I would be a fool to say no.
I wasn’t expecting her to be beautiful, I wasn’t expecting her to be everything I had ever wanted in a mate. But she flinches every time I come near her, is terrified of me punishing her, and has proven to me time and time again that I know nothing about humans.
Tear of the Selkie is book on in the Tear of the Goddess Quartet.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication May 18, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
2/5 🌶️🌶️
ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity, it truly means a lot.
Selkies are my favourite mythical creature so I was genuinely excited for this one.
Addie is one of three sisters married off to foreign kings by their abusive father, and her story takes her to the court of the desal king ("selkie" being a term we quickly learn carries a derogatory weight). Her healing journey is one of the most compelling parts of the book and watching her find her footing somewhere that needs exactly what she has to offer is satisfying character growth.
Tropes:
Hurt/comfort
He falls first
Forced marriage
Dual POV (first person)
Addie (FMC):
- Overtly anxious and fearful at first but her growth throughout the story is one of the highlights
- Scared and naive when it comes to romance, with a deep fear of intimacy and touch that slowly unravels throughout the story
- Fiercely loyal and brave
- The oldest sister
- Allergic to sunlight, handled really thoughtfully as disability rep
Caspian (MMC):
- Kind and patient
- Noticed when he overstepped and apologised well
- Supports her autonomy and growth
- A little inconsistent in protective vibes: fierce about her past when they’re in his kingdom but a bit of a pacifist when actually faced with her abuser
The dual POV is honestly one of the strongest parts of this book. Both voices feel distinct and it's executed very well.
The world building is where this book really shines. The desal people come across as gentler, kinder and more communal than the humans, and their world is genuinely unique. They live in a deep ocean bubble where sunlight can't reach, lit entirely by bioluminescence. For Addie, whose skin burns in the sun, it's the first light she has ever been able to experience freely. It's a beautiful detail and exactly the kind of thing I wanted more of.
The tone is a little hard to pin down at times. It sets up some darker elements but carries quite a light feel overall, which created an odd tension that took a little getting used to. There are some interesting plot threads introduced that don't quite get the page time they deserve, and the pacing felt a little rushed in parts — I'd have loved a longer book with more room to breathe and for some of those threads to really land. The prose leans tell-over-show at times and feels a little unpolished in places, but the descriptive language captured my imagination and pulled me into the world.
The ending isn't a cliffhanger, the conflict of this book wraps up satisfyingly, but there are plenty of bigger questions still floating around. Knowing it's the first in a quartet makes me excited for more, I’m especially interested in reading Addie's sisters stories in their own books.
A warm, imaginative romantasy recommended for readers who enjoy light romance in a dark and unique setting. If you have a soft spot for mythology and ocean worlds, this one is worth your time.
2/5 🌶️🌶️
ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity, it truly means a lot.
Selkies are my favourite mythical creature so I was genuinely excited for this one.
Addie is one of three sisters married off to foreign kings by their abusive father, and her story takes her to the court of the desal king ("selkie" being a term we quickly learn carries a derogatory weight). Her healing journey is one of the most compelling parts of the book and watching her find her footing somewhere that needs exactly what she has to offer is satisfying character growth.
Tropes:
Hurt/comfort
He falls first
Forced marriage
Dual POV (first person)
Addie (FMC):
- Overtly anxious and fearful at first but her growth throughout the story is one of the highlights
- Scared and naive when it comes to romance, with a deep fear of intimacy and touch that slowly unravels throughout the story
- Fiercely loyal and brave
- The oldest sister
- Allergic to sunlight, handled really thoughtfully as disability rep
Caspian (MMC):
- Kind and patient
- Noticed when he overstepped and apologised well
- Supports her autonomy and growth
- A little inconsistent in protective vibes: fierce about her past when they’re in his kingdom but a bit of a pacifist when actually faced with her abuser
The dual POV is honestly one of the strongest parts of this book. Both voices feel distinct and it's executed very well.
The world building is where this book really shines. The desal people come across as gentler, kinder and more communal than the humans, and their world is genuinely unique. They live in a deep ocean bubble where sunlight can't reach, lit entirely by bioluminescence. For Addie, whose skin burns in the sun, it's the first light she has ever been able to experience freely. It's a beautiful detail and exactly the kind of thing I wanted more of.
The tone is a little hard to pin down at times. It sets up some darker elements but carries quite a light feel overall, which created an odd tension that took a little getting used to. There are some interesting plot threads introduced that don't quite get the page time they deserve, and the pacing felt a little rushed in parts — I'd have loved a longer book with more room to breathe and for some of those threads to really land. The prose leans tell-over-show at times and feels a little unpolished in places, but the descriptive language captured my imagination and pulled me into the world.
The ending isn't a cliffhanger, the conflict of this book wraps up satisfyingly, but there are plenty of bigger questions still floating around. Knowing it's the first in a quartet makes me excited for more, I’m especially interested in reading Addie's sisters stories in their own books.
A warm, imaginative romantasy recommended for readers who enjoy light romance in a dark and unique setting. If you have a soft spot for mythology and ocean worlds, this one is worth your time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had the opportunity to read this book as an ARC reader. It’s not often that I come across a romance where the central love interest is a selkie, or “desal,” as they’re called in this story. I’ve read other books where selkies appear as side characters, so seeing one take center stage was a beautiful change. It was such an interesting read to learn more about the folklore woven through this fantasy world. The characters' pain practically jumped off the page (or screen, in my case) and I found myself tearing up several times. Caspian, the desal king, is hesitant about marrying a human, while Addie is horrified at the idea of being forced to marry someone she believes to be a monster from another kingdom. I had fun reading about what it was like for her to be away from her kingdom for the first time and slowly healing from her father's brutality.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Addie is summoned by her father, the King, and told she will marry the selkie king. They have never met. His kingdom's plants are sick and she is a Master Gardener so he agreed to the marriage in the hope she can help.
But her father has an evil plan. He wants her to steal the Goddess' Tear stone from her new home.
Things are difficult at first with her arranged marriage. But they respect each other and their love grows. There are some hot and steamy scenes too.
I received an advance reader copy from the author.
I took off 1 star because the heroine has the habit of picking at her nail beds until they bleed. She also was mentally and physically abused by her father. It was hard to read those scenes.
But Addie and her selkie king have a happy ending.
But her father has an evil plan. He wants her to steal the Goddess' Tear stone from her new home.
Things are difficult at first with her arranged marriage. But they respect each other and their love grows. There are some hot and steamy scenes too.
I received an advance reader copy from the author.
I took off 1 star because the heroine has the habit of picking at her nail beds until they bleed. She also was mentally and physically abused by her father. It was hard to read those scenes.
But Addie and her selkie king have a happy ending.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was super lucky to receive an ARC of this book, and it was so good!
I couldn't put it down once I started to read it, and finished it in one sitting! The author was really good at making me hate the father, and the joy I felt with Stetson!
Addie's transformation in the book was so lovely to read, and made me wanna keep reading well into the night. And Caspian yearning for her just made me giggle!
I highly recommend this book, and i cannot wait to read the next one!
I couldn't put it down once I started to read it, and finished it in one sitting! The author was really good at making me hate the father, and the joy I felt with Stetson!
Addie's transformation in the book was so lovely to read, and made me wanna keep reading well into the night. And Caspian yearning for her just made me giggle!
I highly recommend this book, and i cannot wait to read the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had never read a book about selkies before. Lots of wolf and other shifters but never selkies. I was so pleasantly surprised!! The world building wasn’t cumbersome or overwhelming. Addie and Caspian’s relationship progression was perfectly paced especially due to her trauma! Very believable and endearing. That’s not to say they didn’t have their ups and downs but they weren’t overdone and didn’t last for pages and pages. I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read books 2 and 3!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews