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Sirens and Sea Captains
Siren attacks. A forced engagement. And the once-dignified lady made to live with pirates.
Lenora's heart rips to pieces as she finds herself the latest victim of Thomas McKraven's charms. The summertime ball, where she had hoped to announce their betrothal, is instead the pinnacle of her humiliation. But just when she thinks things can't get any worse, her father makes a shocking announcement—Lenora is to be married, not to Thomas or any other eligible suitor, but to a pirate
As Lenora tries to come to terms with her new fate, she is thrust into a world of danger and adventure on the high seas. Along with her loyal pet axolotl, she must survive amongst the rough crew, siren attacks, and the distant and unfriendly Captain Devonshire—her intended husband. But as she journeys further into the unknown, Lenora can't shake the feeling that there is something more waiting for her out in the vast ocean.
For fans of adventurous fantasy with clean romance, comes Sirens and Sea Captains, the first book in Realms of Lurin, a multi-author collection of standalone magical regency-inspired fantasy novellas that take place in the same world. With twists and turns, pirates, danger, and magical creatures, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy stories by authors such as Mary Mecham, Marissa Meyer, and Stephanie Garber, then this is a must-read for you.
Buy now before the price changes and lose yourself in the captivating world of Sirens and Sea Captains.
Lenora's heart rips to pieces as she finds herself the latest victim of Thomas McKraven's charms. The summertime ball, where she had hoped to announce their betrothal, is instead the pinnacle of her humiliation. But just when she thinks things can't get any worse, her father makes a shocking announcement—Lenora is to be married, not to Thomas or any other eligible suitor, but to a pirate
As Lenora tries to come to terms with her new fate, she is thrust into a world of danger and adventure on the high seas. Along with her loyal pet axolotl, she must survive amongst the rough crew, siren attacks, and the distant and unfriendly Captain Devonshire—her intended husband. But as she journeys further into the unknown, Lenora can't shake the feeling that there is something more waiting for her out in the vast ocean.
For fans of adventurous fantasy with clean romance, comes Sirens and Sea Captains, the first book in Realms of Lurin, a multi-author collection of standalone magical regency-inspired fantasy novellas that take place in the same world. With twists and turns, pirates, danger, and magical creatures, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. If you enjoy stories by authors such as Mary Mecham, Marissa Meyer, and Stephanie Garber, then this is a must-read for you.
Buy now before the price changes and lose yourself in the captivating world of Sirens and Sea Captains.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2026
About the author
Courtney Denelsbeck
8 books56 followersWhen she’s not stuck in magical worlds, Courtney is homeschooling her four daughters, chatting with her husband, drinking too much coffee, playing with her dog, or enjoying a Minnesota sunset. Before she wrote books, she designed baby toys and stuffed animals. She’s always loved art and illustrates and designs her own books. Her focus is on creating immersive experiences that are whimsical and fun while weaving deeper themes and meaningful content throughout her stories. Her faith in Christ inspires and guides her content. Her debut novel, Red Fairy & Fox, released in 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 11, 2026
A sweet romance that gave me Pirates of the Caribbean vibes. I enjoyed seeing this particular story play out because it was like witnessing the humbling of a spoiled princess and the refinement into a pirate queen. I also enjoyed the twists, turns, and suspense. The romance in this one was more compelling to me. Clean, with more passionate kisses. Light Christian elements.
April 27, 2026
4/5 stars
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a fun novella! I really enjoyed this take on sirens and how their powers worked. I also loved the axolotls!
I enjoy pirate stories, so the scenes on the ship were some of my favorites. Captain Devonshire was an interesting character, and I was curious to see how his relationship would play out with Lenora.
I do feel like the story felt a little rushed, likely because it was a novella, so it made it a bit difficult to connect with the characters. However, I still enjoyed the story and finished the whole book in one sitting!
I think this would be an excellent novella for YA audiences! The story is cute and clean, and it is an easy read.
Thank you again to the author for an ARC!
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was such a fun novella! I really enjoyed this take on sirens and how their powers worked. I also loved the axolotls!
I enjoy pirate stories, so the scenes on the ship were some of my favorites. Captain Devonshire was an interesting character, and I was curious to see how his relationship would play out with Lenora.
I do feel like the story felt a little rushed, likely because it was a novella, so it made it a bit difficult to connect with the characters. However, I still enjoyed the story and finished the whole book in one sitting!
I think this would be an excellent novella for YA audiences! The story is cute and clean, and it is an easy read.
Thank you again to the author for an ARC!
April 27, 2026
This was a fantastic read! The axolotl really made a wonderful sidekick. I need a fantasy pet to have an adventure with me now. The sirens were quite interesting. The MMC and FMC have to figure out how to trust each other and work together. Do they manage it? I don’t know….I won’t spoil. I enjoyed reading this and can’t wait to read more from this lovely author!
May 9, 2026
okay okay it was so good!!!!! and very easy to understand even tho it was in a whole different time period and universe i feel like they could’ve spread the plot out a little more but it was still good i didn’t see any of the plot twist coming (other than devonshrine falling in love i saw that coming) it was really good (i mean it had to be a binged it in one day😁😛😂)
May 3, 2026
Denelsbeck knows how to set a world and throw in a character like Lenora that expected a completely different life from what she got, then you have a very interesting story. I loved reading it and also loved how curious Lenora is. What can I say, I appreciate that in a character. Part of me wished this story had been a little longer though, because I liked being emerged in this world.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a no-spice romance novella set during the regency era in a fantasy world. It’s the first book released in a set of interconnected books by different authors all set in the same world, the Realms of Lurin.
What you can expect to experience when reading this book:
-From Lenora, the MFC: Relatable teenage angst, hopes and desires, naïveté, and outbursts of emotion.
-From Captain Devonshire, the MMC: Mystery, authority, evasiveness, many moments of frustration, and some sweet moments too.
-From Loxi, the side kick: Love, understanding, cute moments, and protectiveness. Arguably the best character in the book.
-From the setting: I’ll be honest, this book did not feel “Regency” to me at all. The language and mannerisms did not fit my learned perception of what life in that time period was like. 90% of the story took place on/in the ocean, so in my mind it just felt more like a generic fantasy time period, which was fine. There was minimal descriptions of the different locations, likely in an effort to keep the story novella length, so picturing the world was mostly left up to my own imagination.
-From the storyline: The story moved quite slowly through the first half of the book, then picked up speed, ending with a rushed conclusion. There were some definite unexpected twists thrown in though, which was great.
-Language: There was no foul language/cursing.
-Violence: There was quite a bit of battling between humans and sirens, which resulted in injuries and multiple deaths of both species. Most of it was not graphically described, but there were some mentions of blood, gore, and (SPOILER) consuming of victims.
-Faith Elements: “The Maker” was referenced a number of times, spoken about by both human and siren characters, and the MFC prays to The Maker multiple times.
-Magic Elements: The only magic seemed to be what was natural to the sirens, like the ability to sing to entrap humans, transform from legs to tails in water, release hidden feathered wings from their backs to fly (I had not read about this ability in sirens before, and I admittedly found it a little strange), grow in size and change to a monstrous appearance when threatened, and absorb the life force of humans.
-Romance: The little bit of romance we saw in this book was clean/no-spice and kisses-only. It’s a forced betrothal, dislike to like to love(?), slow burn romance. I did not feel like at the end of the story that the main characters had truly fallen in love, but I can easily imagine that as their story continues off page that it would have developed into real love. Again, this was likely rushed due to the nature of a novella’s shorter length.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this. I would recommend it for teens to adults who like clean/no-spice fantasy adventures with a bit of romance.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
What you can expect to experience when reading this book:
-From Lenora, the MFC: Relatable teenage angst, hopes and desires, naïveté, and outbursts of emotion.
-From Captain Devonshire, the MMC: Mystery, authority, evasiveness, many moments of frustration, and some sweet moments too.
-From Loxi, the side kick: Love, understanding, cute moments, and protectiveness. Arguably the best character in the book.
-From the setting: I’ll be honest, this book did not feel “Regency” to me at all. The language and mannerisms did not fit my learned perception of what life in that time period was like. 90% of the story took place on/in the ocean, so in my mind it just felt more like a generic fantasy time period, which was fine. There was minimal descriptions of the different locations, likely in an effort to keep the story novella length, so picturing the world was mostly left up to my own imagination.
-From the storyline: The story moved quite slowly through the first half of the book, then picked up speed, ending with a rushed conclusion. There were some definite unexpected twists thrown in though, which was great.
-Language: There was no foul language/cursing.
-Violence: There was quite a bit of battling between humans and sirens, which resulted in injuries and multiple deaths of both species. Most of it was not graphically described, but there were some mentions of blood, gore, and (SPOILER) consuming of victims.
-Faith Elements: “The Maker” was referenced a number of times, spoken about by both human and siren characters, and the MFC prays to The Maker multiple times.
-Magic Elements: The only magic seemed to be what was natural to the sirens, like the ability to sing to entrap humans, transform from legs to tails in water, release hidden feathered wings from their backs to fly (I had not read about this ability in sirens before, and I admittedly found it a little strange), grow in size and change to a monstrous appearance when threatened, and absorb the life force of humans.
-Romance: The little bit of romance we saw in this book was clean/no-spice and kisses-only. It’s a forced betrothal, dislike to like to love(?), slow burn romance. I did not feel like at the end of the story that the main characters had truly fallen in love, but I can easily imagine that as their story continues off page that it would have developed into real love. Again, this was likely rushed due to the nature of a novella’s shorter length.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this. I would recommend it for teens to adults who like clean/no-spice fantasy adventures with a bit of romance.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given willingly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2026
3.25/5
Thank you to the author for writing this book and for the ARC! I quite literally devoured this book in one sitting - and I will say, this was well written. It had adventure, action, and a dash of banter-filled romance. I did enjoy the story as a whole - there is a lot of promise here for the writer. It definitely reminded me of POTC with a mix of Bridgerton, which was something I liked about the book.
Personally, I feel as though the story would have done better as a full length novel rather than a sort of novella, as it made the pacing feel a little rushed at times. I understand that this is part of an interconnected series - so in that regard, totally understandable. There was a limit on the length probably which accounts for that. It just would have flowed a bit better had the story been more fleshed out, a lot more time for the natural development of characters. It also felt as though the last portion of the book was where all the action was and all went by so fast. I would have liked to have more buildup to the final scenes and more details throughout.
However the one thing that really stood out to me while reading this book was the apparent age gap between the two love interests. We know the main character, Lenora Darlington, is a mere 17, but how old is the captain? I understand that age gaps were probably common for the time period, but this took me out a little bit. I would have preferred the main character even a year or two older at minimum. I do not think the author meant anything bad by this - it just was what it was and it bothered me a little while reading. Maybe this would have been less of an issue had we known more about the male love interest, I feel like we learn a lot about Lenora but not enough about the captain. But as it stands, I would have preferred the relationship between the two be more of a mentor and mentee versus lovers given the age gap thing. One other notable comment was about Lenora’s “friend” Elisabeth, it mentioned that she did not hold any opinions of her own - that line sort of struck me as a bit “not like other girls”. It wasn’t enough to take me out of the story entirely, though, and as a whole, I did still enjoy reading the book.
May I just say, my favorite character as a whole was probably Loxi - though Leopald and Percy would probably be close seconds. The ending was also really sweet, I do enjoy a good happily ever after. Overall, this book was really cute - I’ll admit that. It was a fun read overall - it just could have been a little better in my opinion. Would I read more from the author in the future? Absolutely.
Thank you to the author for writing this book and for the ARC! I quite literally devoured this book in one sitting - and I will say, this was well written. It had adventure, action, and a dash of banter-filled romance. I did enjoy the story as a whole - there is a lot of promise here for the writer. It definitely reminded me of POTC with a mix of Bridgerton, which was something I liked about the book.
Personally, I feel as though the story would have done better as a full length novel rather than a sort of novella, as it made the pacing feel a little rushed at times. I understand that this is part of an interconnected series - so in that regard, totally understandable. There was a limit on the length probably which accounts for that. It just would have flowed a bit better had the story been more fleshed out, a lot more time for the natural development of characters. It also felt as though the last portion of the book was where all the action was and all went by so fast. I would have liked to have more buildup to the final scenes and more details throughout.
However the one thing that really stood out to me while reading this book was the apparent age gap between the two love interests. We know the main character, Lenora Darlington, is a mere 17, but how old is the captain? I understand that age gaps were probably common for the time period, but this took me out a little bit. I would have preferred the main character even a year or two older at minimum. I do not think the author meant anything bad by this - it just was what it was and it bothered me a little while reading. Maybe this would have been less of an issue had we known more about the male love interest, I feel like we learn a lot about Lenora but not enough about the captain. But as it stands, I would have preferred the relationship between the two be more of a mentor and mentee versus lovers given the age gap thing. One other notable comment was about Lenora’s “friend” Elisabeth, it mentioned that she did not hold any opinions of her own - that line sort of struck me as a bit “not like other girls”. It wasn’t enough to take me out of the story entirely, though, and as a whole, I did still enjoy reading the book.
May I just say, my favorite character as a whole was probably Loxi - though Leopald and Percy would probably be close seconds. The ending was also really sweet, I do enjoy a good happily ever after. Overall, this book was really cute - I’ll admit that. It was a fun read overall - it just could have been a little better in my opinion. Would I read more from the author in the future? Absolutely.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4 ⭐
I'm so grateful to have received an ARC of this book!
This is a YA regency-inspired romantasy (is that spelled right?) with a forced engagement, and let me tell you, it was such a fun read! I love pirates so this was right up my alley! If you like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, you should read this book.
🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️
📌 Plot: This book is fast-paced and addictive! I was quite invested and needed to find out what would happen. There's an air of mystery around the characters and the circumstances surrounding them, which I enjoyed. There were also some good twists and action too!
👥 Characters:
👗Lenora: she was likable however she was a bit one-dimensional which made her hard to connect with and understand.
🏴☠️ Devonshire: he was mysterious and interesting, which made me want to find out more about him. I do wish, however, that we were able to get to know him better once some questions were answered because he still felt distant and almost dry.
❤️ Romance: I was really excited to see how the romance would play out with the unexpected betrothal. Since marriage-of-convenience is one of my favorite tropes, I enjoyed it. I will say, because of the characters being on the dryer side, it was hard to connect with their relationship at times.
✝️ Faith: Lenora prays to "The Maker" more than once.
🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️
CONTENT WARNINGS
🤬 Language: none
🌶️ Spice/Sexual: a few not-detailed kisses; embraces.
🏳️🌈 LGBT: None
💀 Violence:
• death by drowning and harpoons; not overly detailed.
• sirens try to sink ships and lure sailors to there deaths; not overly detailed.
• Pirates hunt sirens and try to kill them with harpoons; not overly detailed.
• brief mention of sirens eating humans; not detailed or gorey.
⚠️ Other Content Warnings: grief, heartbreak.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book but all of the opinions and thoughts expressed here are my own.
I'm so grateful to have received an ARC of this book!
This is a YA regency-inspired romantasy (is that spelled right?) with a forced engagement, and let me tell you, it was such a fun read! I love pirates so this was right up my alley! If you like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, you should read this book.
🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️
📌 Plot: This book is fast-paced and addictive! I was quite invested and needed to find out what would happen. There's an air of mystery around the characters and the circumstances surrounding them, which I enjoyed. There were also some good twists and action too!
👥 Characters:
👗Lenora: she was likable however she was a bit one-dimensional which made her hard to connect with and understand.
🏴☠️ Devonshire: he was mysterious and interesting, which made me want to find out more about him. I do wish, however, that we were able to get to know him better once some questions were answered because he still felt distant and almost dry.
❤️ Romance: I was really excited to see how the romance would play out with the unexpected betrothal. Since marriage-of-convenience is one of my favorite tropes, I enjoyed it. I will say, because of the characters being on the dryer side, it was hard to connect with their relationship at times.
✝️ Faith: Lenora prays to "The Maker" more than once.
🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️🏴☠️🌊🧜🏻♀️
CONTENT WARNINGS
🤬 Language: none
🌶️ Spice/Sexual: a few not-detailed kisses; embraces.
🏳️🌈 LGBT: None
💀 Violence:
• death by drowning and harpoons; not overly detailed.
• sirens try to sink ships and lure sailors to there deaths; not overly detailed.
• Pirates hunt sirens and try to kill them with harpoons; not overly detailed.
• brief mention of sirens eating humans; not detailed or gorey.
⚠️ Other Content Warnings: grief, heartbreak.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book but all of the opinions and thoughts expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy
I was an ARC reader for this book. I've always been a fan of ocean stories, especially when sirens are involved, so I immediately knew I wanted to check out Sirens and Sea Captains. Overall, I loved it! It's been a while since I've read a book that I couldn't put down. The story moved at the right pace and didn't stall. I liked how we learned about Lenora's origins alongside her; the mystery drove the story forward and kept me reading. When we finally met her mother, I wasn't quite sure whether she'd become a full-on villain later in the story, but I liked the direction the author took it.
I'm typically not a fan of romance stories, but the relationship between Lenora and Devonshire felt natural and progressed nicely. When he revealed he only wanted to marry her because she was part siren and could protect his ship, that STUNG, but then we see the shift to when he realizes he actually does love her. It's sweet and not overly sappy, which I appreciated.
The twist where Lenora's mother had already arranged an engagement to another siren (Cetus) for her was fantastic. And then he's the one who reveals that sirens eat people to gain immortality? Even better. The picnic scene might have been my favorite in the whole book.
If I had any criticism, I would just have liked it to have been longer! It was nice that it was a quick and easy read, but there’s so much interesting lore here, and I would have loved to see it expanded a bit more. But in the end, I still adored this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a strong magical romance story.
I'm typically not a fan of romance stories, but the relationship between Lenora and Devonshire felt natural and progressed nicely. When he revealed he only wanted to marry her because she was part siren and could protect his ship, that STUNG, but then we see the shift to when he realizes he actually does love her. It's sweet and not overly sappy, which I appreciated.
The twist where Lenora's mother had already arranged an engagement to another siren (Cetus) for her was fantastic. And then he's the one who reveals that sirens eat people to gain immortality? Even better. The picnic scene might have been my favorite in the whole book.
If I had any criticism, I would just have liked it to have been longer! It was nice that it was a quick and easy read, but there’s so much interesting lore here, and I would have loved to see it expanded a bit more. But in the end, I still adored this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a strong magical romance story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a rough read for me. It had a lot of teenage angst in it, which makes sense because Lenora is only 17. The author also doesn’t mention how old the love interest is but they end up betrothed. He’s also a captain of his ship so I figured he’d be older which grosses me out a bit.
Maybe I’m too old to understand 17 year olds, but I struggled liking and relating to Lenora. I also felt that the Captain didn’t redeem himself enough for her “love” (she’s 17 and I’m not wholeheartedly convinced it’s love). Honestly, he was kind of a turd. Like a huge one. I didn’t like him. He treated her like a child (which she is). He also did like 2 nice things for her which made her believe she loved him and he loved her but I’m not fully convinced he actually loved her or just keep wanted to utilize her. (Without spoiling the story). I just felt like it portrayed a really unhealthy relationship.
It was well written and flowed well. It also had a really surprising twist where I’m like “oh, that makes sense now that I have this information”.
Overall, I’m giving it 3 ⭐️. It wasn’t a terrible book. I just struggled to read it because: I didn’t like the two main characters, it was filled with too much teenage angst and I’m waaaaay past teenage angst, and that is portrayed an unhealthy relationship which is problematic for the readers within the age range this book is gearing towards. I won’t read it again and I wouldn’t let my preteen/teenage daughter read this.
Maybe I’m too old to understand 17 year olds, but I struggled liking and relating to Lenora. I also felt that the Captain didn’t redeem himself enough for her “love” (she’s 17 and I’m not wholeheartedly convinced it’s love). Honestly, he was kind of a turd. Like a huge one. I didn’t like him. He treated her like a child (which she is). He also did like 2 nice things for her which made her believe she loved him and he loved her but I’m not fully convinced he actually loved her or just keep wanted to utilize her. (Without spoiling the story). I just felt like it portrayed a really unhealthy relationship.
It was well written and flowed well. It also had a really surprising twist where I’m like “oh, that makes sense now that I have this information”.
Overall, I’m giving it 3 ⭐️. It wasn’t a terrible book. I just struggled to read it because: I didn’t like the two main characters, it was filled with too much teenage angst and I’m waaaaay past teenage angst, and that is portrayed an unhealthy relationship which is problematic for the readers within the age range this book is gearing towards. I won’t read it again and I wouldn’t let my preteen/teenage daughter read this.
Review of advance copy
I was enchanted by this story from the beginning. A young lady just entering society has her sights set on a certain young man from whom she expects a proposal any day. But, at the ball that was to be her big moment, she finds out in quite a shocking manner that she is actually promised to a pirate captain. She is whisked away on his ship, but to what destination she has no idea. Along the way she encounters dangerous sirens, storms, indifferent pirates, and unexpected romance. I will be honest that there were some parts of this book that felt confusing in the moment. However, with the ending providing context I understand some of the characters’ motives throughout the story. There were some portions that didn’t quite deliver the way I had hoped they would but other portions made up for that! The romance between Lenora and Devonshire was indeed a slow burn that almost didn’t spark for the longest time. At first they are both at odds with each other, but she begins to warm to him and he begins to finally show a little interest. I won’t spoil the ending, you will have to read it for yourself. But I will say that you will have moments where you kick your heels and put your chin in your hands like the Jeremy Renner gif and grin at the couple. If you are a fan of the Little Mermaid you will enjoy this story filled with sirens, hidden identities, adorable animal sidekicks, and unforgettable sights.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I will start out by saying that I was given an ARC copy to read and am giving my own opinion.
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book! The best way I can describe the story without spoiling it is imagine you combined the little mermaid with pirates and then have it set in a dark, regency inspired world. I thought the story was fantastic and I had a lot of fun reading it! Lenora and Captain Devonshire have a very rocky relationship to start (with very good reason), but they slowly warm up to each other and I loved watching them slowly fall for each other. However, my favorite character has to be Loxi, Lenora’s sidekick axolotl! Axolotl are one of my favorite creatures, so I am a bit biased, but Loxi is an amazing character!
The story is on the shorter side, so the plot does go pretty quick, however I thought it was the perfect speed for the story. Sirens & Sea Captains is what I would consider to be a YA book, so if you’re looking for smut, then you’re looking in the wrong spot. That being said, the story works really well without it and I think it would actually ruin the story if it were added in.
I loved reading this book and I would absolutely recommend it!
Thank you so much to Courtney Denelsbeck and her team for letting me read the book! I really enjoyed it and appreciate the opportunity!
I absolutely enjoyed reading this book! The best way I can describe the story without spoiling it is imagine you combined the little mermaid with pirates and then have it set in a dark, regency inspired world. I thought the story was fantastic and I had a lot of fun reading it! Lenora and Captain Devonshire have a very rocky relationship to start (with very good reason), but they slowly warm up to each other and I loved watching them slowly fall for each other. However, my favorite character has to be Loxi, Lenora’s sidekick axolotl! Axolotl are one of my favorite creatures, so I am a bit biased, but Loxi is an amazing character!
The story is on the shorter side, so the plot does go pretty quick, however I thought it was the perfect speed for the story. Sirens & Sea Captains is what I would consider to be a YA book, so if you’re looking for smut, then you’re looking in the wrong spot. That being said, the story works really well without it and I think it would actually ruin the story if it were added in.
I loved reading this book and I would absolutely recommend it!
Thank you so much to Courtney Denelsbeck and her team for letting me read the book! I really enjoyed it and appreciate the opportunity!
Review of advance copy received from Author
A YA, regency-inspired romantasy with arranged marriages, pirates, and sea creatures. I enjoyed reading this novella and the twists and turns it showed throughout and even a faith element. Starting with the betrayal Lenora felt from her father to the love expressed in the end, I was there for it.
Lenora is a young girl of 17 who believes she will soon be betrothed to Thomas but as things start to fall apart on that front she is soon surprised by the arranged marriage to a Pirate Captain. She gets no explanation and is soon whisked away with only her pet axolotl to board his ship and get to know Captain Devonshire before their wedding.
Along the way she soon learns about the Sirens that her father has commissioned her betrothed to kill and bring the heads back to him. Although they are to learn more about one another, he seems distant and goes from cold to hot with her in a moment’s notice.
“Lenora stared over the vast blue ocean and smiled. She had felt abandoned by the Maker after her heartbreak over Thomas, but her beautiful surroundings reminded her that the Maker was with her in this strange new place and this strange new life, even if she felt distant from Him.”
She is now on an adventure of a lifetime where she will soon learn more than she imagined.
#arcread #yaromantasy #arrangedmarriage #regency-inspired
**I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Lenora is a young girl of 17 who believes she will soon be betrothed to Thomas but as things start to fall apart on that front she is soon surprised by the arranged marriage to a Pirate Captain. She gets no explanation and is soon whisked away with only her pet axolotl to board his ship and get to know Captain Devonshire before their wedding.
Along the way she soon learns about the Sirens that her father has commissioned her betrothed to kill and bring the heads back to him. Although they are to learn more about one another, he seems distant and goes from cold to hot with her in a moment’s notice.
“Lenora stared over the vast blue ocean and smiled. She had felt abandoned by the Maker after her heartbreak over Thomas, but her beautiful surroundings reminded her that the Maker was with her in this strange new place and this strange new life, even if she felt distant from Him.”
She is now on an adventure of a lifetime where she will soon learn more than she imagined.
#arcread #yaromantasy #arrangedmarriage #regency-inspired
**I received an advanced copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am for the Realms of Lurin series to continue. Sirens and Sea Captains was such a good little novella to start out this series. I love the world and all of its magic and fantasy creatures. The sirens are really complex which adds a really cool layer of depth to the world. Such a small detail but the names of all the characters were absolute perfection. Lenora was such a good representation of a confused teenager trying to fend for herself. Captain Devonshire was very protective of her in a very good way. I definitely did not expect the plot of this book but it was so captivating and intriguing. The only real critique I have is I wanted more! I wish this book could’ve been longer. I also wish the romance was a little bit more in depth, it felt very hot and cold which I know was sort of the point. I just didn’t love on her end how quick she was to fall for him. Overall, this was such a good read! Thank you @courtney.denelsbeck for this arc opportunity!
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a fun story! This is my first from Ms. Denelsbeck and I am excited to read more!
Poor Lenora! She was thrown into such difficult circumstances and surprise after surprise! She felt very young, but she was and she was wrestling with her new life. Lenora had to grow up over the story and learned a lot over it. She had to face her past and all the choices that had been made for her. Yet Lenora also had to make her own choices for her future.
The story moved pretty quickly, but it is a novella! I loved the magic of it and the adventure. It definitely had the mystical fantasy vibes and I was so intrigued to see the sirens’ lore. Captain Devonshire was an interesting character. Seeing him through Lenora's eyes, there was a slow realization of who he was and his character. He did have to grow on me and her, but I loved getting to know him! This romantasy is a standalone novella with only kisses and some non-descriptive fantasy violence.
I received an ARC.
Poor Lenora! She was thrown into such difficult circumstances and surprise after surprise! She felt very young, but she was and she was wrestling with her new life. Lenora had to grow up over the story and learned a lot over it. She had to face her past and all the choices that had been made for her. Yet Lenora also had to make her own choices for her future.
The story moved pretty quickly, but it is a novella! I loved the magic of it and the adventure. It definitely had the mystical fantasy vibes and I was so intrigued to see the sirens’ lore. Captain Devonshire was an interesting character. Seeing him through Lenora's eyes, there was a slow realization of who he was and his character. He did have to grow on me and her, but I loved getting to know him! This romantasy is a standalone novella with only kisses and some non-descriptive fantasy violence.
I received an ARC.
May 14, 2026
⭐️⭐️
4.5 out of 10
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒆𝒂
🏴☠️ Pirate Captain x Highborn Lady
🧜♀️ Sirens and Monsters
💫 Magical Realm
💍 Forced Engagement
🤝 Marriage Alliance
🎭 Secret Identity
🫖 Regency Era Vibes
🦎 Axolotl
📖 Novella
🌸 Young Adult / No Spice
This one started off with an interesting premise but I struggled with the pacing and plot points of the story. The first half developed at a normal pace but then in the second half we’re thrown a lot of information and everything was taken at face value. The romance was also not fully fleshed out in my opinion as it felt like it went from angst to all of a sudden they had fallen for each other. I do like that it was a novella and a relatively quick and easy read though. Will be interesting to see what the rest of the books in this series are like!
Thank you so much to Courtney Denelsbeck and her team for the ARC opportunity 🫶✨
Rated Young Adult / Older Teen for Romance and Violence ❤️⚔️
4.5 out of 10
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑺𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝑻𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑺𝒆𝒂
🏴☠️ Pirate Captain x Highborn Lady
🧜♀️ Sirens and Monsters
💫 Magical Realm
💍 Forced Engagement
🤝 Marriage Alliance
🎭 Secret Identity
🫖 Regency Era Vibes
🦎 Axolotl
📖 Novella
🌸 Young Adult / No Spice
This one started off with an interesting premise but I struggled with the pacing and plot points of the story. The first half developed at a normal pace but then in the second half we’re thrown a lot of information and everything was taken at face value. The romance was also not fully fleshed out in my opinion as it felt like it went from angst to all of a sudden they had fallen for each other. I do like that it was a novella and a relatively quick and easy read though. Will be interesting to see what the rest of the books in this series are like!
Thank you so much to Courtney Denelsbeck and her team for the ARC opportunity 🫶✨
Rated Young Adult / Older Teen for Romance and Violence ❤️⚔️
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was such a fun and fast read! I think this is the first book I've ever finished in one day.
The plot was interesting and exciting from start to finish and there was never a dull moment.
In this high adventure, YA fantasy regency (super unique storyline), the FMC, Lenora gets thrown into an arranged betrothal to a pirate!!! Her world is turned upside down when she's immediately wisked away on his ship. This isn't an ordinary pirate for his sole mission is to hunt Sirens. He's a little rough around the edges and Lenora doesn't like him at first but soon feelings start to blossom. Will Lenora and the Captain find love or will secrets and a huge plot twist get in the way?
This was a clean, kisses only, no language YA!
I was given an E-copy of this ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The plot was interesting and exciting from start to finish and there was never a dull moment.
In this high adventure, YA fantasy regency (super unique storyline), the FMC, Lenora gets thrown into an arranged betrothal to a pirate!!! Her world is turned upside down when she's immediately wisked away on his ship. This isn't an ordinary pirate for his sole mission is to hunt Sirens. He's a little rough around the edges and Lenora doesn't like him at first but soon feelings start to blossom. Will Lenora and the Captain find love or will secrets and a huge plot twist get in the way?
This was a clean, kisses only, no language YA!
I was given an E-copy of this ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fun YA regency inspired fantasy romance
I was sucked into this book so much that I read it in one day, almost in one sitting. All of the twists were great and the HEA was sweet. I could feel Lenora's confusion and frustration and determination. I loved Loxi too. Captain Devonshire was confusing but for good reason! I didn't really notice teenage angst like another reviewer said. My one complaint: I needed more of the forbidden relationship building between Lenora and Captain Devonshire. I understand why there wasn't more but I really wanted it. Absolutely would have read another 200 pages! Can't wait to read more from this author.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
I was sucked into this book so much that I read it in one day, almost in one sitting. All of the twists were great and the HEA was sweet. I could feel Lenora's confusion and frustration and determination. I loved Loxi too. Captain Devonshire was confusing but for good reason! I didn't really notice teenage angst like another reviewer said. My one complaint: I needed more of the forbidden relationship building between Lenora and Captain Devonshire. I understand why there wasn't more but I really wanted it. Absolutely would have read another 200 pages! Can't wait to read more from this author.
I received an advanced reader copy from the author. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What starts as a sweet, hopeful romance quickly turns into betrayal, secrets, and an unexpected journey filled with pirates and sirens. I loved the tension between her and the captain—he treats her well but keeps his distance, which made their story even more interesting as everything unfolds.
It’s light, romantic, and just the right amount of drama without feeling heavy.
✨ What I loved:
🏴☠️Pirate + siren storyline
💕Sweet, slow-building romance
📖 Easy, fast-paced read
✝️Faith elements
🌪️Just enough twists to keep you hooked
🎉Release day-TODAY!
🌸Sweet kisses only
🔖🔖🔖🔖🔖Such a cute, shelf-worthy read!
🔒No spice
Thank you @courtney.denelsbeck for providing me with an arc, all thoughts were my own.
It’s light, romantic, and just the right amount of drama without feeling heavy.
✨ What I loved:
🏴☠️Pirate + siren storyline
💕Sweet, slow-building romance
📖 Easy, fast-paced read
✝️Faith elements
🌪️Just enough twists to keep you hooked
🎉Release day-TODAY!
🌸Sweet kisses only
🔖🔖🔖🔖🔖Such a cute, shelf-worthy read!
🔒No spice
Thank you @courtney.denelsbeck for providing me with an arc, all thoughts were my own.
May 10, 2026
I will say this was super fun to read! I loved the writing style and world building. Considering my reading slump, the fact I read this in less than a day is proof that I was fully invested. The whole sea world was so cool. I was right there gasping at every turn.
The only thing I will say is more of a personal problem, but I am never a big fan of the whole "happily ever after" ending. (I like happy endings, though, so don't get me wrong. Try to make that make sense🤪) So the whole wedding at the end felt more hallow than the start of the book.
I was also really sad at how fast it ended. If this book was a couple hundred pages more, I would have been so happy. The ending wouldn't have felt as rushed either giving the characters more time to bond. But it was an awesome novella, either way!
The only thing I will say is more of a personal problem, but I am never a big fan of the whole "happily ever after" ending. (I like happy endings, though, so don't get me wrong. Try to make that make sense🤪) So the whole wedding at the end felt more hallow than the start of the book.
I was also really sad at how fast it ended. If this book was a couple hundred pages more, I would have been so happy. The ending wouldn't have felt as rushed either giving the characters more time to bond. But it was an awesome novella, either way!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2026
I was sent Sirens and Sea Captains by Courtney Denelsbeck as an ARC.
The FMC, Lenora is a 17 year old who has a pet axolotl named Loxi. Lenora is pinning after a young man she thought was going to ask for her hand in marriage, but instead he goes after another lady. Her father holds a ball where Lenora is supposed to find a future husband only to be surprised that her father has already promised her to someone else, a pirate named Captain Devonshire.
Lenora is then sent to Captain Devonshire's ship to sail with him and his crew. They go to sea and while on the ship Lenora discovers some interesting things about her past and who she is.
If you enjoy books on sirens, pirates, and axolotls you should give this a read.
The FMC, Lenora is a 17 year old who has a pet axolotl named Loxi. Lenora is pinning after a young man she thought was going to ask for her hand in marriage, but instead he goes after another lady. Her father holds a ball where Lenora is supposed to find a future husband only to be surprised that her father has already promised her to someone else, a pirate named Captain Devonshire.
Lenora is then sent to Captain Devonshire's ship to sail with him and his crew. They go to sea and while on the ship Lenora discovers some interesting things about her past and who she is.
If you enjoy books on sirens, pirates, and axolotls you should give this a read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review:
Denelsbeck shows promise, but I think this one would have benefited from a full-length book rather than a novella. It personally felt like a little too much plot, but not enough pages to do the characters or premise justice.
And I could have missed it, but I really don't remember ever learning Devonshire's age while constantly being reminded that Lenora was 17. That definitely gave me a bit of an ick, even if that was the norm of the time. Thankfully, nothing too intense happens, but it was still one of those jarring little details that I couldn't easily overlook. 2.5⭐
Denelsbeck shows promise, but I think this one would have benefited from a full-length book rather than a novella. It personally felt like a little too much plot, but not enough pages to do the characters or premise justice.
And I could have missed it, but I really don't remember ever learning Devonshire's age while constantly being reminded that Lenora was 17. That definitely gave me a bit of an ick, even if that was the norm of the time. Thankfully, nothing too intense happens, but it was still one of those jarring little details that I couldn't easily overlook. 2.5⭐
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review:
As a fan of both fantasy and regency, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It can be difficult to get the combination right, but I felt the author did a great job. I enjoyed the journey the book brought me on along with the main character, learning more of her back story along the way.
I only wish we had more time to get to know the MMC. I understand him keeping his distance was crucial to the story, but it felt like I didn't really get to chance to know him as much as I'd had liked. I would have been okay with a little more length in order to get to know the characters a little better.
As a fan of both fantasy and regency, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It can be difficult to get the combination right, but I felt the author did a great job. I enjoyed the journey the book brought me on along with the main character, learning more of her back story along the way.
I only wish we had more time to get to know the MMC. I understand him keeping his distance was crucial to the story, but it felt like I didn't really get to chance to know him as much as I'd had liked. I would have been okay with a little more length in order to get to know the characters a little better.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 Stars
Sirens and Sea Captains is a fast-paced, imaginative blend of Regency charm and high-seas adventure. I loved the unique combination of ballroom politics and pirate danger. Plus, seeing an axolotl as a companion was a delightful touch!
The standout for me was Lenora. I appreciated her determination to seek answers and carve out her own place in a world that kept trying to decide her fate. While I found the plot engaging, I did wish for a bit more depth and development in Captain Devonshire to really round out the dynamic.
Overall, it’s a fun, quick read for fans of clean romantasy and magical historical settings!
Sirens and Sea Captains is a fast-paced, imaginative blend of Regency charm and high-seas adventure. I loved the unique combination of ballroom politics and pirate danger. Plus, seeing an axolotl as a companion was a delightful touch!
The standout for me was Lenora. I appreciated her determination to seek answers and carve out her own place in a world that kept trying to decide her fate. While I found the plot engaging, I did wish for a bit more depth and development in Captain Devonshire to really round out the dynamic.
Overall, it’s a fun, quick read for fans of clean romantasy and magical historical settings!
April 10, 2026
Honestly this was really cute, it was a nice pallete cleanser, and I love a good clean Romantasy, this story was definitely more fluff than angst, but I honestly kinda loved that!!🫶🫶 the only thing I would say is that I wish it was a tad bit less rushed, but I think it was meant to be that way because it’s fluff romance, and it’s ya, so it makes sense, but other than that I relaly liked it!! I was transported to the most magical world out on the sea with Lenora and captain Devonshire, I am very grateful that I was given this arc, this was a verry fun read, I hope that others enjoy this book when it comes out it was a fun time
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a fast paced story incorporating Regency charm and high seas adventure. I've never read anything by this author before and was surprised to discover this wasn't her first book as although the concept and plot are well enough, the characterisation does feel somewhat ametur and I found the romance very flat. It very much feels like a book by someone who could/will be a great author once they have more experience. If you're after a quick, light-ish (there are battles and deaths) read with magic and adventure without too much emotional nuance this is a good way to pass a couple of hours.
I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.
I received an ARC and voluntarily leave an honest review.
April 27, 2026
Sirens and Sea Captains has a little bit of everything: swoony, no-spice romance, axolotls, and characters you'll love to love--and maybe a couple you'll love to hate. This book made me a believer in the arranged marriage trope, with just enough twists and turns to keep flipping pages. Captain Devonshire is just the right amount of grumpy and mysterious, the villains have just enough good excuses to make you think long and hard about their motives, and the main character Lenora is relatable and easy to empathize with. I absolutely loved this little novella!
I read an early edition; thoughts are my own!
I read an early edition; thoughts are my own!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was a breath of salty sea air!
It starts out with an immersive regency setting and quickly moves to the high sea's.
FMC Lenora's heartbreak, embarrassment and shock are palpable. She feels real and relatable. The pet axolotl was a genius inclusion. It was easy to get swept up in this story.
I highly recommend this especially if you liked In The Veins of Drowning-of the two books this one was definitely better.
It starts out with an immersive regency setting and quickly moves to the high sea's.
FMC Lenora's heartbreak, embarrassment and shock are palpable. She feels real and relatable. The pet axolotl was a genius inclusion. It was easy to get swept up in this story.
I highly recommend this especially if you liked In The Veins of Drowning-of the two books this one was definitely better.
March 29, 2026
I can’t say enough good things about Sirens and Sea Captains! This is an absolutely stunning YA novel that completely took me by surprise, especially since I’ve never read this author’s work before. It’s perfect for young adults and teenagers, and I was hooked from the very first page. The book weaves together mystery, themes of forgiveness, and unconditional love, with a dash of tension that occasionally makes it a bit scary. I couldn’t put it down—highly recommended!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book quickly drew me in! I was so invested in Lenora's whirlwind life. One minute, she is living at home with a broken heart, and the next, she is the betrothed of a pirate captain. Lenora, with her pet Axolotl, will have to brave the rough seas and even rougher manners of her betrothed, the fearsome Captain Devonshire. This was a sweet story of love and of finding where one belongs in the world.
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