BLUE IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA: A Psychological Dark Romance

by A. Em

Genres: Dark Romance

293 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 3, 2026

About the author

“Where others write ever after, I write never after.” -A.

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Reviews

[dark read girl]

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨

For one whole week, I’ve been trying to write something about this book, and nothing is coming. And honestly, I still don’t know what to tell you.

You need to feel this book on your own to understand what I’m trying to say.

“This book is for all of you who were hurt and abused by your own blood and still loved them with all you had.

This book is for every version of you; the one you were, the one you are, and the one you’re becoming.”

How are you supposed to feel after opening a book to words like these?

Listen… this book destroyed me. Ruined me. Tore me apart. 🖤

I want to start with these two lines because they broke something inside me:

“I hope one day you’ll forgive me for leaving. With love, Dad.”

“No one can bring my mother back.”

And then there’s Blue and Oliver…

Their love is unreal. They hate, they love, they break, they find their way back to each other. Thirteen years of hate, and even more years of love.

“You are my poison, Blue.”
“I’m addicted to you.”
“I’m obsessed.”

Their chemistry? INSANE. 🔥🤤

“Don’t come yet.”
“I only know how to fuck like a beast.”

Breathless moans? Music to my ears. 🤤

But beyond the love, obsession, and spice, this book is about trauma. About learning to live with the things that hurt you, even when you wish they would stop hurting.

Sometimes life doesn’t get easier. You just learn how to keep going.

And this book reminded me of that in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Thank you for bringing back memories I thought I had buried. 🖤

[Kenia Coronado]

i knew where this was going😭

I should have known A.em was going to mess with us. I really enjoyed the mystery of this! I was immediately hooked on these two when the first thing they do when they see eachother again is argue lol

[Kellie Jackson]

Unfortunately, this disappointed me in ways I truly hoped it didn’t. I had such high expectations for this one and was so bummed by not loving this the way I wanted to. I felt that this premise was good, but didn’t carry the emotional impact that I was expecting it to have. The chemistry between Gabriella and Oliver just didn’t hit for me, and boy do I love an enemies to lovers romance—I do. Give me the hate between characters with all the tension. However, I just felt that this story lacked all of this. Majority of this story the characters couldn’t stand one another and then in the end, bam. They love one another. It was like being hit in the face with no in between. So, when the devastating scenes came in—I felt nothing. Was there trauma? Yes. But I kept reading expecting something to grip me in tight and sadly it just didn’t. The anticlimactic moment is at the very end and yes was heartbreaking but due to the lack of connection with the characters I just didn’t get the emotional impact. I didn’t get the dark thrill that it is described. Something dark happens but nothing thrilling locked me in.

[Ellie Collins]

Thank you to the author for allowing me to be apart of the ARC team & to receive an early copy!!!

I adore this author so much. Her books never fail to make me feel things I never knew I could feel and it’s still exactly the same each time she releases a new book!!

The whole vibe of this book was so different to her usual work & it’s actually one of my favourites that the author has wrote! I loved the whole being at sea vibe & 🦈🦈🦈🦈!!!!

It had a mix of everything. I loved the plot vibe & how it all connected. The vibes between the FMC & MMC towards the end of the book was🥵🥵

These books are always quick & easy reads and my only downside is I wish it was longer! We get a lot of past moments in this book from the younger period the characters lived but I would have preferred these to be separate chapters throughout the whole book & following a timeline?

But what a beautiful heart aching story!😭💔

[Freyja's Athenaeum]

🌊Blue in the Deep Blue Sea Review🌊

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

I don't know if I will recover from this one. A. Em is my go to author for dark, psychological thriller romance. Every one of her books has pulled me into the story and made me FEEL...and trust me, you WILL feel everythinggggg.

The anxiety, the feeling of being alone and the GRIEF are like punches in the stomach. For me, there are not many authors that can make me feel so deeply, but A does it spectacularly.

I do not want to give away anything regarding this book, so I will just say this. If you don't mind not getting a HEA, and you love a dark psychological thriller with romance, danger and mystery, Blue in the Deep Blue Sea will have you in it's grip until the end.

I will be A's fan forever...her writing feels more like prose than dark romance. Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to experience your books and your talent!

[Darkbookghoul]

Blue in the Deep Blue Sea by A.Em is a psychological, dark romance and this one wrecked me! If you fancy some emotional damage then you need to read this!

When our FMC, Gabby’s brother, Gianni goes missing she and his girlfriend decide to try and find him. Gabby has a fear of deep water and when she realises the trail leads to a yacht she gets a job on it to try and find out what happened to her brother. While on the yacht, she comes face go face with Oliver, her brother’s best friend, who happens to be her worst enemy, can they put their differences aside and work together?

This book literally grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go until the end, please check the triggers before reading and be aware that there is no HEA!

What to expect:

- Enemies to lovers
- Brothers best friend
- Forced proximity
- Deserted island
- Childhood crush
- Stranded together
- Playboy MMC
- Virgin FMC

[The Book Ssirren]

This story brought it and then some. It pulled no punches with all of the emotions weaved beautifully throughout. Gabby and Oliver were everything in this. I don’t have words to describe what Gabby went through. But it was no easy feat. And she was one heck of a strong woman. And Oliver was stuck an amazing guy. He was there for her in so many ways. From beginning to end I was rooting for these two. This was dark and painful, filled with hurt and happiness. Spice and romance. That shipwreck was private the best thing that ever happened to them. I loved every minute of this. Didn’t put it down until I finished it.

[T ||]

Blue in the deep blue sea by A.Em.

Blue is a dark psychological romance with thriller elements, also a heads up (sorry if you deem it spoiler) it features no HEA.

I went in already emotional AF knowing no happy ending 👀😭, and I instantly loved Blue!! Emotional & read to cry by page 3, me?
Never....😭😭😭😭 dammit A!

I, this book. I am emotionally exhausted right now omg. This book liturally had everything & the trauma from it holy sh*t, I feel like someone's been playing basketball with my heart as the ball 👀😭🤣 , can 1000% say this is one story I am not forgetting in a hurry. I think I'm emotionally scarred for life from this one....

Thank you for the Arc A 💙

[Katie McJunkin]

ARC REVIEW

HOLY SHIT! I am broken. Utterly and completely destroyed.

This book was absolutely beautiful. The feeling of loneliness and feeling anxious and depressed. Sunk so deep into me. The writing was immaculate and the feeling immense.

Gabby just wanted someone to love her. She felt like everyone always left her. Oliver was the rich playboy. Their feelings overwhelmed me in the best way.

I can’t give too much of the story because I don’t want to give away spoilers but seriously read this book! The love, the loss, the utter gut wrenching grief. HOLY SHIT!!

Please be aware (because I misread it on the post) there is NO HEA. I’m gonna need 5-7 business days to recover.

[Alisha]

This is yet another exceptional read by A.

It was unputdownable, I was hooked from the very first sentence! I absolutely adored Blue, I love the depth to her, how she's so upbeat outwardly despite everything going on, she's beautiful, yet tragic.

The book left me with emotional trauma I will need at least 5 days to recover from. I would not recommend reading in bed, before you sleep because you're desperate to finish the book because I was SOBBING but I love when my heart is ripped out and stomped on by books 😭

10/10 would recommend reading and 10/5 ⭐

Thank you A for trusting me with an ARC copy of Blue, I absolutely loved it 🥹

[Bebe Luna]

The story is bringing me emotional damaged ✨👏🏻🦈

[Spicy_Horror_Guy]

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as an ARC from the author. All opinions about the book are my own.

This book was such a freaking journey. A journey that I very much enjoyed. It is dark, as it should be, at times. It does deal with some difficult topics at times, so read the trigger/content warnings if you need to before starting this. This is very very much a slow burn, so know that going in. Also, don't be expecting a happily ever after (HEA) for this book or you are going to have a bad time.

I liked getting to know the characters and their backstory. This book spends a bit of time with the buildup, but I very much feel it is needed in order to get to know the characters. The FMC and MMC had a lot of good quotable moments as well. I had so many parts that I highlighted as I was reading this on my e-reader. Also, the banter between them was chef's kiss. I am a major sucker for good character banter and this book had it in spades. There were some good moments between the two that had me laughing.

My only slight qualm with the book was the turnaround from enemies to lovers was a tad too quick for my personal liking. I wanted a tad bit more breathing room from them going from hating each other to being obsessed and in love with each other.

Overall, this was such a good dark romance with enjoyable characters, very steamy scenes, and fuck, an ending that will still hit you hard even though you expect things not to end happily.

[ybookie_wanderlust]

Blue in the Deep Blue Sea by A.EM was an emotional read! I really enjoyed getting to know Gabriella, aka Blue, and Oliver (Olly), especially their complicated “I totally don’t like you” relationship 😂.

One thing I really appreciated was how the story explored different sides of Gabriella’s life, especially her fear of the ocean and her relationship with her family. Those details added more depth to her character and gave the story some really meaningful moments. I also loved the history between Blue and Olly and the fact that their relationship goes all the way back to childhood.

I did feel like the beginning was a little slow, but once the story picked up, it REALLY picked up. 😂 The shift in pace felt a little sudden at times, especially during some of the yacht scenes, and I think I would have enjoyed those moments even more with a little more buildup.

I also wanted a bit more development between Blue and Olly romantically. Their transition from hating each other to falling for each other happened pretty quickly, and although their childhood history helped explain their connection, I would have loved to see their relationship develop more naturally on the page.

The flashbacks were another small thing I struggled with. There were moments when it wasn’t immediately clear that the story had shifted back into the past, so I found myself having to reread a few sections to figure out where we were in the timeline. A clearer transition would have helped.

BUT despite those little things, I genuinely enjoyed the story. And listen… the ending had me in my feelings! 🥹 I definitely shed some tears, and any book that manages to make me emotional automatically gets a few extra points from me. 😂💙

Overall, Blue in the Deep Blue Sea was an emotional and enjoyable read with a sweet childhood connection, family dynamics, romance, and plenty of heart. 🌊💙

[Emmy]

Rating: 2.5 ⭐️

I’ve said this in pretty much every review of A.Em books but she is genuinely one of my favourite authors, which is exactly why I went into Blue in the Deep Blue Sea with such high expectations. And unfortunately this one just did not meet them.

The beginning was actually pretty good. I was invested and the reveal that the FMC’s brother was actually the MMC’s brother genuinely caught me off guard. I did NOT see that coming. But even before that reveal, something felt missing. And honestly, I have a major issue with calling this an enemies to lovers romance. They were NOT enemies. If anything, they were childhood friends with a massive pile of misunderstandings, grief and resentment between them. I understood why he hated her, especially considering the loss he went through, and I can even understand how grief can make you irrational and make blaming one person easier than blaming your own family. But that still doesn’t make them enemies.

And then we get past the island, and this is where the plot completely started falling apart for me. There were so many moments where I was just thinking, how does nobody realise how obvious this is? The MMC is supposed to be a grown-ass man with a functioning brain, not a helpless ten year old. How did he not notice what was happening around him? How did nobody put two and two together? I kept waiting for the story to explain things in a way that would make sense, but instead I was left questioning how everyone was this oblivious.

The FMC was another huge problem for me. I actually understood parts of her personality and what she had gone through, and I could sympathise with her because of that. But after they leave the island, she just loses all of it. This man spent so many years haunting her saying incredibly hurtful things to her and making her life miserable. She was even at the point of considering suicide and he did nothing for her. And then suddenly, after one conversation and one letter, she’s ready to forgive him and be with him? Excuse me??? Where did all that pain go? I genuinely needed to see her process everything. Vulnerability isn’t weakness, and forgiveness doesn’t have to happen overnight. But here it felt like she simply forgot thirteen years of suffering because the MMC finally realised he was wrong.

And then we have the sex scenes… oh boy.

There are basically two scenes that really made me question the characters’ thought processes. The first is the classic heat of the moment situation. Fine. I can maybe let that one slide. But the possessive “you are mine,” “I own you,” “I’ll keep you safe” attitude had me rolling my eyes because YOU were the one hurting her. You were literally one of the biggest sources of her pain for years. And then there’s the fact that she was a virgin while he was obviously experienced which honestly, is such a painfully common romance trope that I didn’t even expect anything groundbreaking from it.

But what really got me was how drastically her personality seemed to change after ONE sexual encounter. Suddenly she’s the one taking initiative, riding him and being completely bold and confident. And I’m sorry, but HOW? How did we go from a woman carrying so many years of emotional baggage who had barely processed what this man had done to her, to suddenly being this sexually confident person after one encounter? I kept wondering what exactly was happening inside her head. How did she suddenly reach the conclusion that this was the man who was going to take all her pain away? What part of that emotional transition did I miss? Because I genuinely didn’t feel it.

And then we have the second sex scene, where she is injured. This one was even more baffling to me. You discover the truth by reading the letter and realise how horribly wrong you were and your immediate second thought is to have sex with her? While she’s injured? And somehow she’s completely okay with it too? Sir, maybe start with an APOLOGY. The apology comes later but at that point I was already done.

The romance just kept prioritising physical intimacy over emotional resolution. I wanted to see him genuinely earn her forgiveness. I wanted to see her actually struggle with everything he had put her through. Instead, it felt like one sexual encounter magically erased years of resentment.

And I hated how much her brother seemed to disappear from her thoughts once the romance took over. I wanted to actually feel how much she cared about her brother and what losing him meant to her. She had been through so much because of that entire situation, yet the moment the MMC became involved, it felt like everything else took a backseat. At least give me some internal conflict. Let me see her think about him when she’s alone. Let me see that guilt and grief still exist alongside her feelings for the MMC.

And then we randomly get the illegitimate child storyline. Why? 😭 It felt completely unnecessary and so disconnected from everything else happening that I genuinely wondered where that plot point even came from. there were so many characters and decisions that just made me go, what are we doing here?

The biggest issue for me was that the book kept telling me these characters were deeply in love devastated by each other, connected by years of history, etc but I rarely felt it. The FMC felt far too passive for someone who had supposedly endured so much, while the MMC was a full-grown man who somehow managed to make one questionable decision after another without using the brain he was clearly supposed to possess.

I really wanted to love this book. I wanted the enemies-to-lovers, the angst, the history, the emotional payoff all of it. But instead, I spent a good portion of the book questioning the characters’ decisions and wondering how we got from years of hatred and trauma to okay, we’re together now.

A.Em. is still one of my favourite authors, and maybe that’s exactly why this disappointed me even more. I expected so much from this one, and unfortunately, it just wasn’t it for me.

[🖤 alyssa 🩶]

Blue in the Deep Blue Sea was a dark, gut wrenching, amazing read that will pull you in and under fully and have you hooked before absolutely ruining you 💙 Gabby and Oliver have such great banter and chemistry, and they really are a perfect example of enemies to lovers! The yummy spiciness is mixed in well with the heavy emotions, and the mysteries, crazy secrets, lies and betrayals all kept me interested and wanting to know more. I thought this was paced and written very well, and I enjoyed learning bits of Gabby and Oliver’s lives and their history through the flashbacks 💙 You could really feel all of the sadness, fear, suspense, love, and heartbreak from the characters coming off the pages from the descriptive and immersive writing, which made this a really engaging and heartbreaking read, with a devastating ending to it that will have you sobbing 💙

Gabby’s character broke my heart, and I wanted to give her a giant hug so badly 💙 Her life has already been hard, and her brother going missing has a big impact on her because of how close they are. The emotions and thoughts that she held and expressed were very well explained, making you experience everything she does 🥺 The history between her and Oliver is long and complicated, and I liked that we got glimpses into their past to get a better idea on how they got to hating each other so much! But when the hatred she felt starts melting and becomes something stronger, I was really happy for her 💙 Their banter changed over the course of the story, and went from tense and filled with hate, to intimate, emotional, and sweet. She chose to be vulnerable and let her walls down, leading to moments that felt deliciously heated, but they also felt meaningful and special 🥺 She and Oliver are perfect together, and I loved the safety and love that she was able to find in him, him (finally) being there for her 💙 My heart cracked open and fell apart all over again for her with that brutal and shocking ending, and I think she is beyond immensely strong for having gone through everything she has and continuing to push on. I loved her character, she felt raw, real, painful, and so human when it came to dealing with grief, pain, and loss 💙

Oliver is a man you cannot help but love, any flaws and all 💙 He goes through major character development and changes in a lot of ways that were nice to see. He cares so much for Gabby, and once he stopped holding back and really realized what he was feeling for her, the sparks just didn’t fly, they exploded with spice, sweetness, pain, and emotion 💙 I loved his poem, his boat name, and how much of a softie and sweetheart he is underneath that playboy exterior! He became so protective over Gabby and would do anything, absolutely anything, to make sure that she’s safe and okay 😭 And he takes care of her in many different ways, and some of them were just simply delicious!! 😌 Like Gabby, he has his own struggles he’s dealing with, and some of the things he uncovers and learns were unexpected and jaw dropping! He felt like such a layered character with everything he was going through and everything he’d already been through, and he carries a lot of feelings and does a lot of reflecting, which that leads to him having pretty big character changes too—only making him better. He ruined me with that ending, somehow broke my heart more than it already was reading this great but emotional gut punch of a book 😭 I really loved Oliver and his flirty, playful, arrogant personality, and also the intense, thoughtful, and sweet sides that he had to him 💙

This was a very emotional and dark read that brought me to my knees sobbing and broke my heart, but I loved every second of Gabby and Oliver’s story 💙 This is enemies to lovers done right, and though the way they get there is painful and emotional, it’s so rewarding seeing them together—and also sooo spicy! But the plot is also one that is dark, heavy, and heart shattering, and, with there being no HEA, it will have you feeling like a complete and total wreck afterwards, because how could things play out that way, how??? 🥺 What they go through together is unimaginable, but they still come together and are even able to climb some hurdles from their history. Gabby and Oliver’s story is unforgettable, emotional and painful, beautifully written, and it will take you deep, deep into the blue sea right alongside them 💙

[Faiza]

🖤 Blue in the Deep Blue Sea by A.Em 🖤

Well… this book absolutely wrecked me. 😭 I went in knowing there was no HEA and that the author had warned us about what kind of story this was, but somehow that still didn’t prepare me for how much this one would hurt.

Gabby has been scared of deep water since she was little, so naturally when her brother Gianni goes missing and the trail leads to a yacht, she decides the best thing to do is… get herself onto the yacht. 😭 The fact that she’s willing to face one of her biggest fears just to find her brother says so much about her.

And then there’s Oliver.

Her brother’s best friend. The person Gabby has hated for years. The last man she wants to be stuck with, especially after everything that happened between them.

Then a storm changes everything.

A capsized yacht, shark-infested waters and a deserted island leave Gabby and Oliver with nowhere to go but toward each other. 🦈🌊 And when there’s no one else around, all those years of anger, hurt and unresolved feelings become impossible to ignore.

What I really loved about Gabby was how much there was beneath her seemingly sheltered personality. She’s had to grow up in ways she never should have had to, constantly putting her family before herself and taking on responsibilities that weren’t hers to carry. She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t hurting.

Oliver was such a complicated character too. He’s spent years hiding behind the careless playboy persona, drowning his own pain in women and alcohol instead of actually dealing with what happened to him. And underneath all that is someone who has been carrying a LOT for a very long time.

Watching these two finally face everything they’d buried was painful, messy and incredibly emotional. Their relationship had so much tension, but it also had that feeling of two people who know each other far more deeply than they want to admit. 🥺🖤

This book had me hooked from the beginning, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. But PLEASE check the content warnings before picking this one up, especially because this is a psychological dark romance and there is no HEA.⚠️

And that ending? Yeah… I knew what I was getting into, but I still wasn’t ready. I kept hoping for something different right until the end. 😭

I’m not ready to let Gabby and Oliver go yet, though. Their story may have broken my heart, but I still want more from them.

If you want emotional damage, complicated characters, enemies-to-lovers tension, forced proximity, a dangerous island, and a story that will leave you staring at the page afterwards… this one is definitely for you.🖤🌊

[hajime.kokonoii_]

𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)
I am very thankful to have the opportunity to receive an ARC of this masterpiece of a book🥺 If I could give this book infinity stars I would ♾️⭐️ Because 5/5 are so little compared to what this book truly deserves as a rating. I wasn’t disappointed at all and I went completely in this story with no having a clue and I was captivated from the start. I literally didn’t expect anything. The plot twists. Holy shit.
I literally wanted to annotate the whole ebook. There are many things I want to say about this book but I don’t want to spoiler fully. First of all… Gianni🥺
And the ending👀 YEAH I WILL TALK ABOUT IT THOUGH
OKAY LET’S JUST TALK ABOUT SOME STUFF AS NOTES👀 SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IT WHEN YOU READ
Um spoilers👀
1) The initials carved one the tree KILL ME NOW I SWEAR😭
2) OLLY’s POV in the beginning with the flashback of him finding his mum… GOODBYE😭
And the pancakes… BRO KILL ME NOW😭😭😭😭he was so excited for pancakes😭💔
😭not him sleeping near her 😭
Not him crying becayse she was the only person who loved him 💀no I was so sad.
3) OKAY THE ENTIRE CHARACTER OF GABBY IS SAD WHAT ELSE THIS GIRL DIDN’T FACE?!!!
Seriously her mum… LIKE OH GOD THAT WOMAN WAS AWFUL
AND THEN… ANNIE?!🥺
🤣as a greek reader the
“Malaka, i missed you” felt like home
Bro
Annie…
And not only ANNIE… (😭Isabella too…)
4!!!!!!) Then Gianni being Oliver’s brother. I’m sorry WHAT?!
And Gianni is dead… ACTUALLY when he 5!!!!) WASN’T I WAS HAPPY BUT then well oh well😭
BRO
6) Also the fact that everyone thought that they were looking for gold but instead of something that’s supposed to be important… everyone was searching for drugs.
Like the gold was a code for something awful.
Damn…
And the paintings holy shit.
7!!!!!!!!!) Okay the last chapter with gabby😭oh that poor girl…She met Elliot🥺 (Gabby being mute for six months🥺)
8) OLLY TORN APART A PIECE OF HIS SHIRT SO HE COULD COVER HER EYES BECAUSE OF HER PHOBIA
UGHHHH
HE HELPED HER AND THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO HATE EACH OTHER… GUYS UGH😭
9!!!!) Okay not OLLY and his mum used to call Gabby… Blue. (YES GUYS… USED TO😭😭😭😭😭😭😭)
10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Bro… OLLY died…
OKAY I I EXPECTED SOMEONE TO DIE BUT FUCKING hell no🥹😭
She’d rather have olly in her life and hate him rather than what he got as an end…
I think this book made me be frightened of sharks even more🤣
Okay guys READ IT! If you don’t care about a HEA… THEN READ IT

[Nicole]

Since she was a child, Gabby has been terrified of deep water, so when her brother disappears, the fact that she got a job on a yacht to try to find him says a lot in itself. When she finds out the owner of said yacht is none other than her brother’s best friend, and the man she has hated since they were children, it takes everything in her not to jump ship. A freak storm capsizes the ship in shark-infested waters and leaves her alone on a deserted island with the one man she can’t stand, but it doesn’t take like for their animosity to turn into passion, and soon they’re both realizing what they’re been denying for years.

Oliver may come off has a careless playboy, but after losing his mother at a young age it was easier to wear a mask than to see who he was underneath. When he found out the one person he used to trust above all had betrayed him, it was easier to push Gabby away and play a role than to admit who was really at fault. Now they’re stuck on an island surrounded by sharks with only each other for company, and he’s forced to come to terms with the feelings he’s been burying for years.

I received an early copy of this book from the author and it blew me away. I will preface this by saying the author warns us that this book does not have a happy ending, but I still wasn’t prepared for the way things played out. Gabby comes off as someone who was simultaneously very sheltered, and her forced to age beyond her years. In all her naivety about life, she has proven to be more of a parent in her household than those who spawned her, often taking care of both her mother and brother to her own detriment. While we didn’t know exactly what happened with Ollie, it’s clear that he has deeply hurt her, and not ready to trust his intentions, even when he begins to reveal himself to her. At heart, Ollie is still the young boy who found his mother, and has spent all the years since burying his pain in women and alcohol, rather than turning to the one person who was meant to hold his pain. I definitely wish the story had ended differently for them, and even knowing the ultimate outcome, I was expecting different news in the epilogue, but I’m still not ready to let go of these characters and would love to see more from them in the future.

[Crystal Reads]

Every time A. eM releases a new book, I know I'm about to become completely consumed by it. Her writing has a way of pulling me in from the very first page, and once I start, I can't look away. She has an incredible talent for crafting stories that are as beautiful as they are heartbreaking, and Blue in the Deep Blue Sea absolutely shattered me.

Gabby has been terrified of deep water ever since a traumatic event in her childhood. But when her brother, Gianni, mysteriously goes missing, she'll do anything to find him, even if it means boarding a yacht and facing her greatest fear. What she doesn't expect is to meet Oliver, the yacht's owner, or that the two of them will end up stranded together with no one to rely on but each other.

The emotional journey this book took me on was incredible. I was so proud of Gabby as she confronted her fears out of love for her brother. Her courage and determination made her impossible not to root for. Oliver had me constantly torn, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to hug him or shake him, but that complexity made him such a compelling character. And my heart...it didn't stand a chance. I cried, I felt completely gutted, and I honestly wasn't sure how I was supposed to recover after everything these characters endured.

As Gabby and Oliver take refuge in an abandoned lighthouse, the story becomes even more captivating. The isolated island is filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered, and an underlying sense of danger lingers in every chapter. I never knew what was coming next, which kept me completely invested until the very last page.

If you're looking for a beautifully written, emotionally devastating story filled with suspense, unforgettable characters, and a romance forged through impossible circumstances, Blue in the Deep Blue Sea is a book you won't soon forget. Just be prepared, this one will absolutely wreck you.

[Jocylena Beck]

If A.E.M. writes it, I’m reading it. Period. She has officially become one of those authors for me where I don’t even need to know what the book is about before adding it to my TBR. I’m loving everything I’ve read from her, and Blue in the Deep Blue Sea just proved why.
This book had me hooked from the very beginning. When Gabriella’s brother goes missing, she’ll do anything to help her family, even if it means accepting a job on a luxury yacht owned by the one person she swore she’d never need; Oliver Sinclair, her childhood crush turned billionaire playboy.
The tension between Gabriella and Oliver was EVERYTHING. The enemies-to-lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, and slow-burn romance were done so well. Their constant push and pull, the "we shouldn’t" moments, the almost kisses, and the undeniable chemistry had me completely invested. Oliver is the perfect mix of morally gray, possessive, and protective, while Gabriella is a strong FMC who doesn’t back down and holds her own.
But this book isn’t just about the romance. The survival aspect, the secrets, the lies, and the twists kept me turning pages. Being stranded on a deserted island with nothing but a lighthouse, a deep blue sea, and sharks circling below created such an intense atmosphere. I felt the desperation, the fear, and the emotional weight of everything they were uncovering.
A.E.M. delivered a story full of obsession, yearning, danger, and a love that was never as simple as either of them wanted it to be. The slow burn was absolutely worth the wait, and I loved watching everything unfold.
Final verdict: If you love dark romance with survival elements, morally gray heroes, forbidden attraction, and enough tension to keep you glued to the page, you need this book.
A.E.M. is officially an author I will read anything from. 🖤🌊

[krystle Reads]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 6/5 Stars

I don’t even know where to begin.

First, I am beyond grateful and blessed to have received an ARC of Blue in the Deep Blue Sea. Thank you for trusting me with this story because it completely wrecked me in the best way possible.

I went in expecting an enemies to lovers, stranded on an island romance. What I got was so much more.

The banter? Perfection.

The chemistry? Absolutely electric.

And let me just say this… when you get to the shark scene, prepare yourself. 🌶️🌶️😂 The author had me completely GAGGED. I had to put my Kindle down for a second because… WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! That’s all I’m saying. IYKYK.

But this book wasn’t just romance. It had heart. It had pain. It had healing. It had darker emotional moments that made everything feel so raw and real. There were so many parts of this story I related to, and I found pieces of myself in these characters.

And can we PLEASE talk about the plot? I expected a stranded on an island enemies to lovers romance, but I did not expect those twists. Every time I thought I knew where the story was going, the author completely pulled the rug out from under me. I was shocked in the best way.

Then came the ending…

I cried.

Not just a few tears—I sat there with my heart in my hands, completely overwhelmed. I fell in love with these characters, their growth, and the beautiful love they built together.

I’m still holding my chest after finishing this book.

I’ll leave a message in a bottle for them…

IYKYK. 🌊🤍

Some books entertain you. Some books stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Blue in the Deep Blue Sea did both.

This wasn’t just a five star read.

It was a 6 star, I wish I could erase my memory just to experience it again” kind of book. 🖤

[Ilse]

I must apologise in advance if this book makes you sad. And if you’re one of those people who can’t seem to cry anymore, I hope this book holds your hand instead.

This book is for every single one of you who feels alone, who feels left out, who feels like everyone keeps leaving while you keep holding on to that little thread of hope that one day they’ll come back. This book is for all of you who were hurt and abused by your own blood and still loved them with all you had. This book is for lovers and haters, and for every single person who carries a smile that hides years of pain buried deep inside.

It's just 300 pages, it can't hurt that much right? -me
Well.. I was very WRONG! This is the first book that ever made me cry.
I have never felt this way about a book before, it was perfect!

‘Still thirty-three,’ I said. ‘Thirty-three what?’ she asked, opening one eye. ‘Freckles.’ I chuckled. ‘I counted them the day we met, when we were just kids.’

The chemistry between all the characters was amazing.
I really loved how the relationship development of Gabriella and Oliver was written.

If any of us made it out alive, let it be her.

The ending, I knew there was not going to be a hea, it still fucking hurts though and I don't want to talk about it. In my head they are living their happily ever after on that damn island with no problems!

Life knows more than we do. We just have to let it unfold. Now I understand why Italians talk about dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing. Maybe we aren’t meant to force life. Maybe life has its own timing, and when the moments comes, it will carry us exactly where we’re meant to be.

[Naatjuh_Books]

English ARC Review

​Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Title: Heartbreaking, emotional, and utterly unforgettable

​Blue in the deep blue sea absolutely shattered me in the best way possible. A.EM. has created a story that touches the deepest corners of your heart, blending raw emotion with a narrative that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

​The character dynamics are so beautifully written that you can’t help but get completely invested. Olly and Gabby’s journey was a total emotional rollercoaster — truly heartbreaking at times. All I wanted throughout the entire book was for Olly and Gabby to just get the happy ending they so desperately deserved! But they didn't 😭

​If you love deeply moving stories that make you feel every single emotion, this is an absolute must-read. Be prepared with some tissues!

​Nederlandse ARC Review

​Beoordeling: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Titel: Hartverscheurend, emotioneel en prachtig geschreven

​Blue in the deep blue sea van A.EM. heeft me echt diep geraakt. Wat een ontzettend mooi, maar ook hartverscheurend verhaal. A.EM. weet emoties zó puur en voelbaar neer te zetten dat je vanaf de eerste pagina helemaal in het boek gezogen wordt.

​De band tussen de personages is ontzettend sterk uitgewerkt. Tijdens het lezen leefde ik zo enorm mee met Olly en Gabby — mijn hart brak echt meerdere keren voor hen. Het enige wat ik tijdens het lezen kon hopen, was dat Olly en Gabby gewoon het gelukkige einde zouden krijgen dat ze zo ontzettend verdienden. Maar dit kregen ze niet 😭

​Een prachtige, meeslepende read die je niet snel loslaat. Houd de zakdoekjes zeker bij de hand!

[Kitty 💋]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well oh my gosh! This read actually made my chest hurt 😭
The rollercoaster of emotions i went through while reading this has left me feeling bereft.

Blue in the deep blue sea absolutely shattered me and left me broken in the best possible way.

A, created a story that touches even the deepest and blackest parts of your heart, mixing all that emotion into a story that has the reader hooked from the very first page. I was completely lost in this book from start to finish.

The journey that Oliver and Gabriella find themselves on is absolutely heart breaking and deeper than the sea itself.
It was absolutely heart breaking at times and I desperately wanted them to make it and get the ending they deserved, but they didn’t.

As usual, A, you create such a world that every reader gets lost in, the pain is real and raw and sometimes it hurts. Thank you for giving me the honour of being on your ARC team, i adore you so much.

As always kittens, check your triggers before diving into this one, it is heavy and emotional, while you’re at it.. I’d suggest you grab some tissues too 😭🖤

“No one prepares you for this kind of hurt. Or for this kind of love. No one prepares you for finally finding your favourite person, only to lose them in the next second.”

“In the deep deep blue sea there was a blue blue shark, and a blue blue shark swam further deep deep down, and deep deep down there was a sunken ship, and inside a sunken ship was a blue blue chest, and inside of a blue blue chest someone was dead.”

[Kayleigh Owen]

Blue in the deep blue sea
A.EM.
Stars- ♾️
Chilli 🌶️🌶️

Holy shit. I genuinely have no clue how to even start writing this review. Whenever I read one of A book I always cry at the end no matter what. This was no different. The pain Gabriella goes through in this. This girl has more trauma than most people. She’s strong. She’s a fighter but I just wanna hug her.
I stopped reading, continued reading and stopped throughout this. This book genuinely fucking broke me in ways I can’t even explain.
Oliver is one of those MMCs that you hate to begin with but then end up loving. He sacrificed everything for her and I mean EVERYTHING. He loved unapologetically and made sure she knew it in the end.
The plots in this book all took me by surprise. Each one helping us understand the previous.
The pain I felt during this book will hold a place in my heart for an along time.
The feelings I’ve got while writing this!
I’m rereading right now
Now, Mamma A. Are you okay?😭

“In a world full of people, I was just one person against the whole world”

“A single tear slid down my cheek, but I wasn’t crying for him. I was crying for me. I pitied myself because no matter how hard I tried to be a good friend, a good sister, a good daughter, a good person… In the end, everyone left”

“The worst fear of all was forgetting the person you’d waited for your whole life… …only to lose them all over again”

[Amber R]

I read this book during a plane ride from the west coast to the east coast and it had me completely hooked from the first chapter. What starts as a story about family, loss, and desperation quickly turns into a mix secrets and survival.

Gosh- I would say this is a friends to enemies to lovers. As children, Gabby was the poor daughter of a housekeeper. And Oliver was the son of the well-to-do owner. Gabby would find herself at Olivers house while her mom worked and Gabby formed a relationship with Oliver and his mom.

Feelings started to change for both of them for different reasons but by time they were in middle/high school, they couldn't stand each other!

Gabby's brother and Oliver were best friends. But Gabbys brother was getting into trouble with the wrong kind of people!

When her brother goes missing- Gabby goes out to find him. The way circumstances hash out, she finds herself on Oliver’s yacht for work. Their chemistry is intense, filled with unresolved feelings and tension.

Things go from bad to worse! The yacht setting was already interesting, but once the story shifted to a deserted island, the stakes skyrocketed. Between the survival elements, shocking twists, and slow unraveling of hidden truths, I couldn't predict where the story was headed.

This is a darker, I want to say love story, BUT I will caution you, there is no happy ending.

There are trigger warnings Iisted and the author does make your mental health a top priority!!

[Michelle Howard]

🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈

A. Em has done it again, absolutely knocking it out of the ocean with yet another amazing book.

Friends to enemies, enemies to lovers, and then something else entirely. This book was a vibe from start to finish.

I loved the flashbacks and getting to understand the characters and their trauma. They were both weak and strong in their own unique ways, and I really loved that. Oliver and Blue were both lost souls who only had each other to rely on to survive, and that made their connection feel so much more powerful.

The whole being lost at sea, the sharks, the shipwreck, the trauma, the story and the twists were perfectly woven together. It all kept me hooked, and I genuinely enjoyed every second of it.

My only issue was that the MMC is called Oliver. Which is also my brother's name, so that definitely felt a little weird while reading! Although, from my experience, the personality suited the name!

One of my favourite parts, though, wasn't even the story itself. It was opening the book and seeing A. Em's message and supporting numbers at the beginning. Knowing she takes the time to remind readers that their mental health matters says so much about the kind of author she is.

This was the perfect summer read, with no happily ever after, in true A. Em style. And honestly? That's exactly what made me love both this book and A. Em even more.

Thank you for another unforgettable read. 🦈

[belma]

Spoiler
They should have gotten their happy ever after. Oh my days. They should have ended together. She should not have gone after her brother…sorry, not sorry. That decision fucked up everything, and me, who thought, okay, we gonna get a hea even though I knew there was no hea. Mental, I know.
This book was heartbreaking.
Gabby, felt so bad for her, broke my heart into pieces, she didn’t deserve losing every loved one and going through so much. Nobody deserved a happy ending more than her.
Olly, he also deserved better.
They went from friends to enemies and lost so much of each other and each other, because of other people’s faults. They broke my heart, my babies. And in the moment they communicated and things were going great, boom, they killed him because of his mom’s fault and they DROPPED him in the sea, she saw him.
She wanted to stay on the island cuz that was home for her cuz there was him and Isabella, she didn’t wanna leave him even though he no longer existed.
Her family failed her.
He, omfg, he ripped a piece of his shirt to put it on her eyes cuz of her phobia. And he had a poem written for her. Him and his mom used to call her Blue cuz she brought them peace….
Gabby going mute for 6 months after his death, devastating…
I hate giving this book four stars, but it felt torn. I like that it had mystery, plot, love, and sometimes it just was so mixed and I didn’t like that.

[Kat | WhenSheReads.SheReads]

"Blue in the Deep Blue Sea" is the haunting story of Gabby and her descent into total despair. Her father abandons her and her family at a very young age, intensifying an already established fear of the ocean and its inky black depths. Years later, as an adult, her brother goes missing off the coast of Amalfi, and not even her fear of drowning will stop her from finding answers.

This was a beautiful and harrowing story. Just when I thought the MCs couldn't possibly experience more loss, another layer wouls be revealed. But that is the poetic nature of this story. Grief and pain and loss tend to come in waves; just like the ocean, there are times when the waters are clear and calm, where life feels safe...and then there are times when the waves are tempestuous and the pain feels deadly.

I loved the themes intricately weaved into the narrative. The topics of generational abuse, suicide, self-harm, addiction, hatred...they all are woven together in a succint and poignant way that adds to the impactful writing that is bound to stick to the soul.

Readers of dark romance who like a steady pace of emotional damage without the resolution of a clean HEA will adore this story. The banter between the FMC and MMC is top notch; the dual-POV adds depth and intrigue as well as highlights the very nature of grief and how differently it affects all it touches.

[sinfullittleshelves]

𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑩𝒍𝒖𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒂
ᴀ ᴘsʏᴄʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ

“𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓
🦈ᴇɴᴇᴍɪᴇs ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀs
🩵ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀs ʙᴇsᴛ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ
🦈sᴛʀᴀɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ
🩵ᴄʜɪʟᴅʜᴏᴏᴅ ᴄʀᴜsʜ
🦈ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
🩵ᴜɴʙᴇᴀʀᴀʙʟᴇ sʟᴏᴡʙᴜʀɴ
🦈ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴏғ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ
🩵ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴛᴇᴅ ɪsʟᴀɴᴅ
🦈ᴘʟᴀʏ ʙᴏʏ ᴍᴍᴄ x ᴠɪʀɢɪɴ ғᴍᴄ
🩵sᴘɪᴄʏ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ sʜᴀʀᴋs
🦈ɴᴏ ʜᴇᴀ

“𝚊 𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧｡”

𝘼𝙧𝙘 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

this destroyed me in ways I can’t even explain. but I was invested from the start. I absolutely demolished this book and I always loved every single book this author has written. but this one? it snapped my soul.. I cried, I screamed, I completely lost myself in this story but it was so worth the pain because it was such an amazing book. I loved these two so much. the banter, the angst, the sexual tension. everything flowed right where it should and I loved it. I cannot wait to see what comes next for this author because she has always been a must read for me. thank you so much for this arc even though it completely ruined me.

“𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚…𝔬𝔫𝔩𝔶 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔬𝔰𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔪 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔞𝔤𝔞𝔦𝔫.”