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Tethered Currents: A Scottish Folklore Romance
A stolen skin. A brutal North Sea storm. A fated bond that refuses to be broken.SHAE
Escaping a dead-end marriage and a quiet life in Toronto, biology teacher Shae MacLeod flees to a remote Scottish island for a six-week marine research project. She expected grey skies and cold salt air. She didn't expect Professor Hindman’s obsessive fixation with local folklore—or Bastien, a dark-eyed local who carries the impossible heat of a furnace beneath his skin.
When Shae uncovers the dark truth behind the expedition, she realizes the professor isn't just researching myths. He’s hunting them.
BASTIEN
For years, Bastien Faelan and his brothers have guarded their true nature. As Selkies, their freedom depends on keeping their skins hidden from the human world. But when an arrogant academic steals what makes them whole, Bastien is left trapped on land until the quiet, observant woman from the camp walks straight into his storm.
She was supposed to be a stranger. But the moment his hand touches hers, an ancient thread pulls taut.
With a hurricane-force gale tearing through Port Grace and the professor preparing to display his "specimens" to the world, Shae must make a return to the safety of the life she knew, or risk everything to return Bastien's soul to the sea.
***
Tethered Currents is an atmospheric, slow-burn, magical realism romance featuring a possessive Selkie shifter, a resilient heroine, forced proximity, and rich Scottish folklore. It is Book 1 in the interconnected Tethered Realms series.
Advanced Praise for Tethered Currents "The romance was tender, emotional, and wonderfully slow-burning, and I especially appreciated that it didn't need spice to create chemistry." ~ BookSirens
"A beautifully atmospheric slow-burn paranormal romance that completely pulled me in." ~ BookSirens
Escaping a dead-end marriage and a quiet life in Toronto, biology teacher Shae MacLeod flees to a remote Scottish island for a six-week marine research project. She expected grey skies and cold salt air. She didn't expect Professor Hindman’s obsessive fixation with local folklore—or Bastien, a dark-eyed local who carries the impossible heat of a furnace beneath his skin.
When Shae uncovers the dark truth behind the expedition, she realizes the professor isn't just researching myths. He’s hunting them.
BASTIEN
For years, Bastien Faelan and his brothers have guarded their true nature. As Selkies, their freedom depends on keeping their skins hidden from the human world. But when an arrogant academic steals what makes them whole, Bastien is left trapped on land until the quiet, observant woman from the camp walks straight into his storm.
She was supposed to be a stranger. But the moment his hand touches hers, an ancient thread pulls taut.
With a hurricane-force gale tearing through Port Grace and the professor preparing to display his "specimens" to the world, Shae must make a return to the safety of the life she knew, or risk everything to return Bastien's soul to the sea.
***
Tethered Currents is an atmospheric, slow-burn, magical realism romance featuring a possessive Selkie shifter, a resilient heroine, forced proximity, and rich Scottish folklore. It is Book 1 in the interconnected Tethered Realms series.
Advanced Praise for Tethered Currents "The romance was tender, emotional, and wonderfully slow-burning, and I especially appreciated that it didn't need spice to create chemistry." ~ BookSirens
"A beautifully atmospheric slow-burn paranormal romance that completely pulled me in." ~ BookSirens
122 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 10, 2026
Tethered Currents
The Tethered Realms: Book 1
by Lila McAllister
Rated: 5 star rating
Honestly, I really felt for Shae MacLeod right from the start of Tethered Currents. Moving your whole life from Toronto because you are hurting and just need a quiet place to heal is something a lot of people can relate to. She takes this biology research job in a tiny, Scottish town called Port Grace, and you can totally feel how much she just wants to hide away and bury herself in her routine.
The author does a great job making the setting feel cold and stormy that I practically wanted to bundle up in a blanket, and imagine her walking along the foggy beaches.
Her quiet new life gets turned upside down when she meets Bastien, a local guy who is mysterious and radiates heat even in the worst coastal weather.
Shae is a science teacher, so she tries to look at everything logically, but her connection to him makes her question everything she knows. It is a really good slow burn romance because you get to watch her slowly let her guard down and learn to trust someone again after being burned in her past.
The best part of the book is watching Shae handle the crazy situation she gets thrown into. She accidentally finds out that her own research boss is hiding a terrible secret that puts the local shape shifters, including Bastien's family, in serious danger.
Suddenly, she isn't just a visiting teacher anymore. She is forced to make a choice between her normal world and doing the right thing to save the people she has grown to care about.
It is a fun, suspenseful read with great folklore and zero explicit spice, and it definitely leaves you wanting to see where Shae's journey goes next. I can't wait to read the 2nd book in this series.
Thank you, BookSirens, Publisher
Hollyhock Press and author Lila McAllister, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.
#BookSirens
#PublisherHollyhockPress
#LilaMcAllister author
#TetheredCurrents
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
The Tethered Realms: Book 1
by Lila McAllister
Rated: 5 star rating
Honestly, I really felt for Shae MacLeod right from the start of Tethered Currents. Moving your whole life from Toronto because you are hurting and just need a quiet place to heal is something a lot of people can relate to. She takes this biology research job in a tiny, Scottish town called Port Grace, and you can totally feel how much she just wants to hide away and bury herself in her routine.
The author does a great job making the setting feel cold and stormy that I practically wanted to bundle up in a blanket, and imagine her walking along the foggy beaches.
Her quiet new life gets turned upside down when she meets Bastien, a local guy who is mysterious and radiates heat even in the worst coastal weather.
Shae is a science teacher, so she tries to look at everything logically, but her connection to him makes her question everything she knows. It is a really good slow burn romance because you get to watch her slowly let her guard down and learn to trust someone again after being burned in her past.
The best part of the book is watching Shae handle the crazy situation she gets thrown into. She accidentally finds out that her own research boss is hiding a terrible secret that puts the local shape shifters, including Bastien's family, in serious danger.
Suddenly, she isn't just a visiting teacher anymore. She is forced to make a choice between her normal world and doing the right thing to save the people she has grown to care about.
It is a fun, suspenseful read with great folklore and zero explicit spice, and it definitely leaves you wanting to see where Shae's journey goes next. I can't wait to read the 2nd book in this series.
Thank you, BookSirens, Publisher
Hollyhock Press and author Lila McAllister, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.
#BookSirens
#PublisherHollyhockPress
#LilaMcAllister author
#TetheredCurrents
http://goodreads.com/patriciasreading...
http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogs...
Review of advance copy
Tethered Currents was a beautifully atmospheric slow-burn paranormal romance that completely pulled me in. Shae arrives in Scotland looking for a reset after her divorce, and I loved watching her slowly come back to life as she connects with the village, its folklore, and the mysterious Bastien.
The selkie lore is beautifully woven into the story rather than simply used as a backdrop, and the characters felt equally well crafted. Bastien's quiet confidence and steely determination perfectly balance Shae's gradual transformation into someone willing to dig in her heels and fight to right a wrong.
The romance was tender, emotional, and wonderfully slow-burning, and I especially appreciated that it didn't need spice to create chemistry. The connection between Shae and Bastien was more than enough.
ARC received through BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
The selkie lore is beautifully woven into the story rather than simply used as a backdrop, and the characters felt equally well crafted. Bastien's quiet confidence and steely determination perfectly balance Shae's gradual transformation into someone willing to dig in her heels and fight to right a wrong.
The romance was tender, emotional, and wonderfully slow-burning, and I especially appreciated that it didn't need spice to create chemistry. The connection between Shae and Bastien was more than enough.
ARC received through BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance reader copy received from the Author
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tethered Currents is a well-written slow-burn folklore inspired romance in the moody setting of Orkney. The author does a fantastic job of creating an immersive experience, describing not only the sights, but the sounds, smells and feelings so you can be right there, and feel a part of the story. If like me, you come to read this during a late evening storm you will genuinely feel like you've been transported across the world to the island.
I'm glad there are more stories to explore in this interconnected standalone series, look forward to reading them in the future.
Many thanks to the Author for sending me this ARC
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tethered Currents is a well-written slow-burn folklore inspired romance in the moody setting of Orkney. The author does a fantastic job of creating an immersive experience, describing not only the sights, but the sounds, smells and feelings so you can be right there, and feel a part of the story. If like me, you come to read this during a late evening storm you will genuinely feel like you've been transported across the world to the island.
I'm glad there are more stories to explore in this interconnected standalone series, look forward to reading them in the future.
Many thanks to the Author for sending me this ARC
Review of advance copy
This was a quick and easy read if you are looking for something fast! It was interesting and had a good plot.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews