The Bright and Breaking Sea

Captain Kit Brightling #1

by Chloe Neill

Chloe Neill brings her trademark wit and wild sense of adventure to a stunning seafaring fantasy starring a dauntless heroine in a world of magic and treachery.

Kit Brightling, rescued as a foundling and raised in a home for talented girls, has worked hard to rise through the ranks of the Isles' Crown Command and become one of the few female captains in Queen Charlotte's fleet. Her ship is small, but she's fast--in part because of Kit's magical affinity to the sea. But the waters become perilous when the queen sends Kit on a special mission with a partner she never asked for.

Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, may be a veteran of the Continental war, but Kit doesn't know him or his motives--and she's dealt with one too many members of the Beau Monde. But Kit has her orders, and the queen has commanded they journey to a dangerous pirate quay and rescue a spy who's been gathering intelligence on the exiled emperor of Gallia.

Kit can lead her ship and clever crew on her own, but with the fate of queen and country at stake, Kit and Rian must learn to trust each other, or else the Isles will fall....

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, Pirates, Historical, Fiction, Adult

368 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 2020

About the author

Chloe Neill is the New York Times bestselling author of the Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires Novels, Devil's Isle Novels, and Dark Elite novels. Chloe was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest. When she's not writing, she bakes, works, and scours the Internet for good recipes and great graphic design. Chloe also maintains her sanity by spending time with her boys--her husband and their dogs, Baxter and Scout.

Connect with Chloe at www.chloeneill.com.

Reviews

[Ellie]

there's a girl in a waistcoat with a sword on the cover who looks like Lila Bard's older sister and now I'm having breathing problems

*

extremely offended that I was not aware Chloe Neill was writing a swashbuckling, seafaring adventure much sooner

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm finding that I really enjoy this author's work across different series, and this one was no different. This is a great first book in a fantasy series based on a ye olde magicke version of the Napoleonic wars. Think naval military fantasy with a nice subplot of romance. Overall, I was really into the magical world developed and the way it was integrated into the book, and I very much enjoyed our main character, Kit. The "reveal" in this one was pretty obvious (as soon as the players were introduced, I flipped to the end to see if I had called it correctly and I had), but I enjoyed spending time with our characters on their adventure to save a spy who had fallen into enemy hands. I would continue in the series

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kit Brightling is one of the few women captains in the Queen's Navy, and one of the youngest due to her prowess in battle and her magical abilities. Her true abilities, however, are kept secret, until she's assigned on a rescue mission alongside Rian Grant, a viscount and veteran of the Continental war. Kit never asked to work alongside Rian, but they definitely have chemistry...

Solidly entertaining, however I was annoyed by the lackluster (and tbh, kinda lazy) worldbuilding and the fumbling romance aspect.

Military action should be about physical skill. Mental prowess. Leadership and hardiness.

This is obviously not what the book is about, but one of the many encounters Kit has with those who want to shoot her down and diminish her worth and abilities. In this case, it's her dual womanhood and magical abilities that make her a liability, even though this is a world where *technically* women are equal (but misogyny still exists).

However, this quote resonated hard, because how often are women in the military (in the real world) faced with this kind of logic? That if you can't keep up physically (hah) you don't belong at all? That your only worth as a leader is how many pull-ups you can do or how fast your three-mile time is?

Pure poppycock.

Anywho, off that soapbox and into what this book is about, beside showing that there are different types of leading and the one with an open mind is naturally the one that's going to win.

This was a pretty standard reluctant-partners-to-partners-to-kinda-lovers book, with two people (land and sea) thrown together and find that they work together despite their initial misgivings and in spite of any real chemistry between the two. And it's set in a pretty familiar world, where Napoleon—er, Gerard or whatever—has recently been defeated and sent to exile on an island but he's gathering up his forces and shit and plotting something diabolical in order to retain power.

It's basically Regency England with a queen slapped in position for Feminism™️, some magic to make it fantasy and changing a couple of names for...posterity? I guess?

I think much of my skepticism and unwillingness to suspend my belief came after the much-better alternate worldbuilding of The Once and Future Witches, which had many flaws but the twisting of history was not one of them.

However, I would have been more willing to slide away from the lazy worldbuilding (okay, yeah no, if there is one thing that irks it's alternate history that pretends to be clever by changing two names and a few events but keeping the rest in place) if the two leads had had any sort of connection.

I don't really get Kit's Great Hatred towards the nobility. Yes, she is an orphan (and I wished her sisters had had more screen time instead of being used as convenient plot devices), but her mother is wealthy and she's had the benefits of that wealth and privilege? Sure, she's not nobility, but is this a ceiling she really wants to break into? I dunno, I wasn't feeling it, and it felt that her and Rian's reluctance and general bitchiness towards each other was unfounded and made up entirely for Plot Purposes.

And when they do get together, it's just as awkward as their initial dislike. There's a mention of them coming together and her pressing against them like the snapping of a sail going taut, and I just...is this supposed to be romantic? Because I was laughing my ass off at the image.

And there was little to no chemistry between the two, as Kit was a blank canvas of Girlpower™️ and Rian was a half-eroded block of wood.

However, despite all this, I'm still giving it three stars.

Why?

Because despite its flaws, it was entertaining. The plot had some sagging moments (yawning at the lounging in the manor, because why???), but when the plot got hopping it got hopping! And the general tropes of Regency period (masquerades, pretty dresses, a fine manor house in disrepair, the scoundrel younger brother, a flock of women angling for better, the great threat of France/Gaul, etc., etc.) was enjoyable to read once I turned my brain off and powered through.

Although, I have to admit that this cover got done dirty. It's like they were trying to go off the Throne of Glass illustrated covers (which I hate) and hired a twelve-year-old to draw something.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly delightful!! Kit and her crew are a joy to cheer for, and fear for. This seafaring voyage is a (not so subtle) nod to Napoleon but with a dose of magic throw in for good measure. From stowaways, traitors, young queens, old advisors, and a budding sarcastic romance there is something for everyone who enjoys a good frolic at sea with a spunky, smart, and sassy female captain.

Plot
The Bright and Breaking Sea is a lighter fantasy novel with an easy to follow plot. I really liked how Chloe Neill has taken what is a complex world of magic and given the reader exactly what they need to follow this first book in her series. We don't need all the nitty gritty details of the magic at this point (and frankly our characters don't really understand the magic either), and the political maneuvering doesn't require us to know every nuance that happened in the past to understand the current situation. Instead Neill choose to tell us what we really need to know. It certainly helps that the book is obviously inspired by Napoleon and his imprisonment; but I didn't feel like anything was given away knowing this r making this connection early.

Characters
Our leading lady Kit is absolutely wonderful. She is the kind of woman I wish I could be. Tough yet clever, strong yet compassionate, and full of fun sarcastic quips. Her (begrudging) partner in doing the queens bidding is a viscount whom wants to be anywhere else than on a boat from the beginning. These two have a wonderful rapport that shows how opposites can attract. Supporting characters include a young girl, a brash cook, a first mate with a family on shore, and many other diverse characters.

Overall
Where Robin Hobb's Ship of Magic is complex and dense (but absolutely one of my fave series ever) and The Edge of the Worldfrom Kevin J. Anderson is intertwined in politics and religion (another great series); Kit's world is one that could easily be visited anytime without too much initial investment. A great introduction to fantasy, or break for those of us who read a lot of dense material, while still having all the best attributes of a good fantasy series.
I hope to see book 2 on the horizon soon as I cannot wait to enter this fast paced world and its enamouring characters again.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Rian *fire and books*]

FIRST OF ALL, lesbian cover goals. Is she lesbian? Who knows. But cover goals be goals for a reason.

Secondly, and most importantly, THERE IS A FUCKING CHARACTER WITH MY NAME!!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME?!!!!! I cannot wait to read this ARC. I think I’m gonna wait till September so I can read it on my birthday as a treat to myself.


My eternal thanks to Chloe for a character with my name and Edelweiss for the arc.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun translation of the Regency/Napoleonic naval genre into a more magical universe. The magic system has some interesting aspects and I can see a climate fiction / industrial revolution / global warming angle coming down the line. The gender politics is less successful; the author chooses to keep strong elements of misogyny present in the culture even when women have been able to rise to major roles in very socially conservative organizations (like the home office or the Navy!); it seems unlikely that institutional inertia and misogyny would bend simply due to the will of a strong queen. And there's a bit of plot railroading here too; our main characters are sent on every important mission even when they are clearly not suited for it. That said, I LOVE Napoleonic naval fiction, the characters were bright and interesting and fun to root for, and the universe is interesting enough to suspend my disbelief. An enjoyable read.

**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kit Brightling was rescued and raised as a foundling at Brightling House; a home for talented girls. Kit has a magical affinity to the sea that allows her to connect and manipulate the waters. She moved her way up the ranks of the Isles’ Crown Command and now is a captain in Queen Charlotte’s fleet.

We learn about the history of the Isles, destruction wrought by magic and the exile of the former King. It flabbergasts her when the Queen demands that she and Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe; a veteran of the Continental war work together to rescue one of the Queen’s men.

This world is an alternate version of 1815’s Europe during the Napoleonic war. The setting is an intriguing one. Neill gives readers only a glimpse of the magic, its history, and of things to come. We know some people magical and aligned to the elements. However, some are against magic and a female ruler. This created some tensions.

The lighter touch of world-building and learn as you go, allowed for a fast-paced adventure as her focus was on our hero, heroine and the crew of the Diana.

I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and while Kit and Rian aren’t enemies, there is a power-play. The back-and-forth banter and denied chemistry was great fun. While I think romance readers will want more focus on the romantic elements, I loved this side dish and am content for things to slowly unfold.

I adored Kit. She is loyal, fearless, and stands up to the men who surround her and dismiss her. Rian is desperately trying to restore his homestead, is loyal to the Queen and protective of his family seat. He is a leader, but acknowledges Kit’s skills and knowledge. I love that he was man enough to support her. Their barbs occurred when they were alone as both are too duty bound to do so in front of the crew, their equals and their Queen. Their inner dialogue made me laugh aloud more than once.

Adventures on the high seas from rescues to outrunning pirates was delightful. The author delivered danger, near-death escapades, and chases that kept me reading into the wee hours.

The audiobook was equally delightful, and I quickly slipped into the narrative. I even picked up a few things that slipped my mind during the first round.

Secondary characters such as Jin, Hetta, Jane, Tamlin, and Louisa all added to the tale. I found myself vested and felt like I was a part of the crew and household. I love the foundling house and Kit’s sisters. Jane is delightful, brilliant, and someone I hope we spend more time with.

Danielle Cohen narrates the audiobook. Her lyrical accent and wide-range of voices brought another layer of enjoyment to this high-seas adventure. The banter and budding relationship between Kit and Rian shone through her narration. I intend to continue on audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

I really enjoyed this first book in a new fantasy series. It's a quick and easy read, and there is plenty of action, magic, fighting, fast ships and has just a hint of romance.

Kit Brightling is a young female that quickly rose through the ranks of the Queen's Navy and is one of it's few female captains. Her ship is small, but fast, and its' work is aided by her magical affinity to the sea, which allows her to speed the ship up when she touches that magic under the water.

Kit is ordered by the Queen to team up with Viscount Rian Grant, who is a soldier and a member of the Beau Monde, which is their society's rich nobility. Born a foundling and raised in a home for girls, Kit has no love for members of the Beau Monde, but orders are orders. Grant is haunted by his service in the last war, and wants nothing more to do with fighting, but he must follow his Queen's orders.

The duo are tasked with rescuing a captured spy that has gained intelligence on an emperor that was recently defeated and exiled. Kit and her crew set off on the rescue, as Kit and Grant try to learn to work and trust each other.

The action starts pretty quick in this book and the author sets a good pace. There is minimal worldbuilding, but there is enough to get a good sense of what's going on. I like Kit. She's self assured without coming off too cocky, and is able to put people in their place without sounding bitchy and petty. She's earned the respect and loyalty of her crew, and would do anything and everything to make sure they come home safe from their mission.

Grant is mysterious, but not too gruff or grumpy, and is willing to give credit where credit is due. There is a little bit of chemistry between Grant and Kit, but luckily, the romance part of the book is very minimal and doesn't detract too much from the action of the book.

One thing I liked is that the main storyline of this book is concluded at the end, but the book ends on a cliffhanger that extends the story. So, if you don't want to continue on with the series (but I mean, why wouldn't you want to do that?), you get a resolution of the main storyline. I enjoyed this book, and can't wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a free digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

Review copy was received from Tantor Audio. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

3.5 hearts

The Bright and Breaking Sea is the first book in a new series blending a slice of romance with a Napoleonic War type story set in a world with magic.  Now I, for one, am usually not a huge fan of Napoleonic War stories with all the naval battles and such, but this was a surprisingly fun adventure.

Kit is a woman with a gift with water.  On the sea she can feel the magic in the currents and it serves her and her crew well on her ship.  She is self-assured and one of the few female captains and a veteran or the Continental war.  She is a likeable character, at home on the water, loyal to her crew, savior to other foundling girls and unnaturally afraid of horses.  When the Queen calls to send her on a mission to save a spy for the crown it ends up being just the beginning of a journey to save her country from ending up in another war.

Rian Grant (a.k.a. the love interest) veteran of the Continental War and a Viscount to boot is also tasked by the Queen to aid Kit in saving the spy and returning with the intel on the exiled emperor.  Sure, he seems a little stiff at first but as time continues, we find that he has issues of his own at home and isn’t such a bad guy.  He and Kit work well together and while there is a smidge of a romance going on, it is going to be a slow burner Victorian style but hopefully, we get there eventually.  He has some potential though and I could see him being swoon worthy later on.

Overall, I had a really good time with the characters and the story.  There are some fun fights, a bit of intrigue on who is trying to reinstall the exiled emperor, and the hint of romance.  The story keeps a good pace and does its job setting up the feel for the rest of the series and giving the reader a good intro into this world and how magic works in it.

Swashbuckling fun is a apt description and I liked it so much I'll have to try some of Chloe Neill's other works.

Narration:
Danielle Cohen is a new to me narrator.  I liked the slight accent she used for the characters to really give them the Victorian era feel.  She gave a solid performance of the entire cast, but definitely captured Kit's voice the best.  I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.

Listen to a clip: HERE

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I had a good time with this book! I really liked the sound of this book and I have had luck with some of Chloe Neill's other works so I was pretty excited to give this book a try. This book sounded pretty unique and I couldn't wait to see this female captain take command of her ship. I was quickly hooked by this story and found it hard to set aside at times. I really found this book to be an enjoyable story.

Kit Brightling is the captain of a ship in the Isle Queen's Command. The Queen decides to send Kit's ship on a mission to rescue a man being held captive. The Queen doesn't send her alone, instead, she sends Grant, a titled man who has served in the war, along on the mission. These two don't see eye to eye at the start but I did enjoy watching them learn to work together and eventually trust each other.

I really liked all of the characters in this book. It was great getting to really know both Kit and Grant through the connections in their life, their actions, and their history. It was really powerful to see Kit do things that made it clear that she cared about those on her ship. The crew on the ship were great characters as well and I liked how they all seemed dedicated to working together. Grant had to balance the demands of home with his orders from the Queen and I liked the way he took his responsibilities very seriously.

This book was exciting. There are some pretty intense scenes that had me quite worried about the characters. I also really liked the politics that were a part of the story, especially the challenges that Kit faced because of her gender. I was pretty excited to find that there was a bit of magic worked into the story and I thought it was a nice touch. I thought that the quieter parts of the book that focused on relationships were well done and helped to balance the story.

Danielle Cohen did a great job with the narration of this book. I thought that the accent that she used was perfect for the story. I thought that all of the character voices that she used were very well done and I thought that she was able to add a lot of excitement to the story through her reading. I found myself wanting to listen to this book for hours at a time and I believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a fun story filled with great characters and a lot of surprises. I definitely plan to read more of Chloe Neill's work in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Tantor Audio via NetGalley.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pirates, magic, and mystery, OH MY! And penned by Chloe Neill! You can’t go wrong by picking up a copy of The Bright and The Breaking Sea.

Kit has a magical ability with the seas, so being a Captain in the Queen’s fleet suits her perfectly. When the Queen pairs her with a Viscount, Rian, to infiltrate a pirate stronghold to rescue a kidnapped spy, Kit balks. She has been on the wrong side of the upper class’s attitudes and has no desire to deal with one on her ship. But when the fate of her country and home are at stake, they must find a way to work together before they find themselves under an emperor’s rule.

Neill has woven a fabulously enchanting, magical, swashbuckling, fantasy tale that sucks the reader right into the adventure. Captain Kit Brightling is an amazing heroine that surrounds herself with strong and confident family and crew members and I can only say that watching the tenuous relationship between Kit and Rian evolve was simply brilliant.

This is definitely a change from the past Neill storylines but all the sassy, strong characters and adventure that we've come to love are still there. I highly recommend you check it out.

I received this ARC copy of The Bright and Breaking Sea from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bright and Breaking Sea is a swashbuckling adventure with magic, intrigue, danger, spies, a female captain, and bit of romance! It's a very fun book and is perfect if you are looking for a more light-hearted read.

Kit Brightling is a foundling raised to serve the crown. Her water-aligned magic and savvy at sea have earned her position as captain, as well as her super secret position in the queen's service as a spy. She wants nothing more than to sail her ship, certainly not settle down in a marriage that would clip her wings. But dangerous plots are afoot and the queen sends her on a top-secret mission, alongside a nobleman she wants nothing to do with. At least, for now.

This is fast-paced and a lot of fun, featuring strong female characters who prove they are more than capable to their misogyistic detractors. Not only Kit, but also Queen Charlotte who is a young Black woman proving her ability to rule. I won't say too much more, but I had a really good time with this and I think others will too. And the audiobook is very well done! I received an advance audio copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Kendra Cusworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I love this book. I went in expecting a good time and came out with a new favourite. Its filled with swashbuckling action, interesting magic, a brilliant historical fantasy setting, and a little taste a of a perfect romance.

Kit Brightling, a young female captain, is given a new mission by the queen herself. She must team up with Colonel Rian Grant to rescue a spy and gain the information he has found out.
But Kit and Rian are two extremely different people. Kit , who has a magical ability to understand the waters she sails above, was raised as a foundling and Rian, a viscount, was born into the noble society of the Beau Monde, a society which Kit especially hates. As they sail along the magical waters, Kit and Rian must learn to work together and gain each other's trust in order to save their spy.

This was just so fun. Kit is a wonderful protagonist and Rian is a perfect supporting role. From the get go, we are thrown right into the action. It is a rather fast paced novel but I never once felt lost or left behind. There is not a ton of world building but, as this is definitely a historical fantasy, I didn't mind that at all. The setting is New London, so it takes placed in a fictional 1800s Europe and the surrounding ocean waters. There is also a magic system at play that isn't described too much but I do think that it'll become a much bigger theme of the second installment.

I especially thought the magical element to this book was rather intriguing. There are those who are aligned with a certain element, though they seem to be uncommon in this world. Kit is aligned with the sea, and reading the paragraphs in the book where the author describes her relationship with the ocean were some of my favorite parts. It was descriptive and entrancing, it made me want to be aligned with the sea.

One of my favourite parts of the novel was the developing romance between Kit and Rian. They were unwillingly thrown together on this mission and it was so addicting to watch them grow to trust each other. Rian is the perfect amount of broody and grumpy and I loved watching him open up to Kit and eventually growing protective of her. Kit's also got a bit of a harder exterior and it was so fun to watch her walls sort of unwillingly crumble for Rian. Their banter is incredible, Rian is rather quick witted and I love how much it took Kit off guard. Also, he made me laugh a couple of times and I didn't expect that from him. This is definitely a slow burn and I cannot wait to see more of them together in the second book.

Kit is a wonderful protagonist and one I am so happy to know. She is loyal and fearless and stands up to those who would put her down for being both a young and a female captain. She knows the difference between good and bad and she is a force to be reckoned with.

Overall, this was brilliant. I am so happy to have read this book. As soon as I turned the last page, I was both happy and sad. I need to next book now!

Everyone needs to pick up this book!

[melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel very odd about this one. I adore the premise– fantasy alt-history Napoleonic Wars! Swash, buckles, spies, ships, etc!– but found it lacking in some ways.

I very much thought this was going to be F/F, but it is not, and this alt-England still seems extremely heteronormative in a way that's just... boring. The romance is there, and obviously setting up for future collaboration between the romantic leads wherein they will eventually get married (it's still a romance, after all).

The writing is weighed down with taking a lot of pains to make this alt-England more focused on "respectful cultural exchanges" rather than colonizing, giving us a racially diverse cast. Parts of this felt very heavy handed to me, ignoring the violence that resulted in contact and cultural exchange with the British Empire, especially since the two romantic leads are white with nonwhite side characters all around them and you can feel Chloe Neill not wanting to have to deal with those topics, so she wrote hand-waving solutions.

My issue is: can you have the England of the Napoleonic Wars– or even the Napoleonic Wars themselves– without the driving force of imperialism and empire? There's a lot of dominoes that had to build before the historical events we're familiar with, ESPECIALLY the white settler colonialism that began with Western Europeans settling the Americas. England would never have moved past small settlements on the east coast if they had kept to their original treaties with Native American tribes.

Am I overthinking this? Most likely. But I also believe that if you're going to be creating an alt-history like this, where you upend parts of the historical social order (except for... cisheteronormativity?), you should more clearly address the complications of that. There's nothing particularly subversive here, and I truly wish things were thornier than the secret society of men who love misogyny.

The plot was low stakes, and I never felt truly stressed about any of the scrapes Kit got into. Overall, though, if you're not in the mood to nitpick your way through a novel, it's fun, better than her Devil's Isle books (the first of which I DNF in great annoyance), and I liked Kit/her sisters a lot.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that was a boatload of fun! I was very excited to pick up The Bright and Breaking Sea 1) THAT COVER 2) a lady captain 3) historical fiction goodness! Plus, it came highly recommended from a close friend, so I wasn't going to resist. As expected, this book was very entertaining and a lot of that had to do with the endearing protagonist, Kit. Kit has worked up her way through the ranks and plays an important role to the Queen. Her latest orders have her teaming up with Rian Grant, an intense and quiet viscount, to rescue a captured spy and to gain intelligence on an exiled emperor. This task takes them on a perilous, swashbuckling journey across the sea on Kit's ship. We also learn of Kit's magical affinities tied to the powers of sea on this adventure. The world-building in The Bright and Breaking Sea was introduced fairly slowly which I appreciated, with the author providing just enough to keep me knowledgeable of the world. There's still much to learn about the magic-laced historical setting presented in this book and I'm quite eager to learn more, especially about the foundling house. There's also a budding romance between Kit and Rian. They don't start off on the right foot since they come from very different worlds and have misconceptions about each other. There was some good banter between them and there's just enough here to satisfy me as a romance reader. I am definitely hoping the sequel will be more romance-driven. If you like slow-burn fantasies with interesting characters, magic, and political intrigue, I highly recommend this one.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Permission to climb aboard Captain Kit's ship! I don’t think I’d be an especially great sailor but I do want a front row seat for her and Colonel Grant’s bickering and banter. This was such a fun read!

Kit and Rian are forced to work together after the Queen assigns them a sensitive mission in this Napoleon alt history fantasy. While they get off on the wrong foot initially, Kit keeps proving what a badass she is during their missions and wins Rian’s (begrudging) admiration and then eventually something approaching friendship. There’s a “will-they, won’t-they” tension and a slow burn romance that I hope will heat up in the next book.

The secondary characters, particularly Kit’s foundling sisters and house mother, were magnificent. The role of magic (called Alignment) was fascinating in the way it can be used, manipulated, and abused, not only for the individuals who wield it but the specter of war past and present. There are big things afoot with Gerard’s escape from his island prison. Is the fact that Kit and Rian kept getting teamed up together a bit unbelievable? Sure. It would have helped to know why the Queen trusts them above everyone else. But honestly, I did not care because they really do make a good team whether by boat or land. I cannot wait to start book 2!


Characters: Kit is a 24 year old white military sea captain and Aligned with water. Rian is a white colonel and Viscount. He has a dog named Sprout. This is set in 1815.

Content notes: PTSD, past war (imperialism), physical assault, sword fight, bombs, ship attack, corpses, imprisonment (secondary character), death of secondary character (infected wound), burn scars from magic use, lacerations, sexism, classism, MMC’s brother was stabbed (recovers), gambling debt (MMC’s brother), infidelity (minor characters), FMC was a foundling left at the palace (raised in great group home), child orphan secondary character, past death of MMC’s parents, past death of secondary character’s husband, alcohol, inebriation (secondary character), “manhood” as euphemism, gender essentialism, ableist language

[Mira Mio · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF 10%

Я уже слишком стара для настолько заунывного исторического пафоса.

[Liene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite a bit of fun. For me, personally, it was a little too much romance to be an adventure and a little too much adventure to be a romance, if that makes sense?
Overall, I found the characters compelling, and thought there was genuine chemistry between the protagonist, Kit, and her enemy-turned-lover who shall remain nameless cuz spoilers...
There were a few too many quests that the characters had to race to constantly and I think the book would have benefited from some slower moments, allowing the story and the characters to breathe and for the reader to get to know everyone better.
Is it the greatest ocean adventure romance you'll ever read? No. Was it a light, fun, and engaging way to spend a few hours? Absolutely!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Beatrice in Bookland · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The world is becoming dangerous again,” she said. “Be as careful as you can.”
“The world has always been dangerous,” Kit said. “But some are better at hiding it."

This book's amount of wasted potential kinda hurts

[Melissasfandomworld · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

This was a truly fun and entertaining reading experience and I'm looking forward to reading more.
But I also missed some more depth/development here and there, but seeing how the book progresses throughout I have my hopes up for the next installment in that being a bit more solidly developed!

In general, I just really enjoyed spending time with these characters and can't wait to see them and their relationships develop more. Accompanying them on their adventures, set out mostly at sea, was plain right fun!

This is a good book to pick up when you like books set mostly at sea - the nautical theme is very well written down -, a little touch of magic being present as well as some great political elements added into the mix.

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm about fifty-fifty with this book. I liked the action, the fighting, and the start of romance, but there were some slow parts and I wasn't always sure what direction the story was going. Kit is a cool character, she's strong and independent and people underestimate her which she uses to her advantage. I liked that she cared about her family and crew and made sure they were safe.

The romance was not quite enemies to lovers, but Kit and Grant definitely didn't get along at first. He slowly started seeing how capable she was and when he stood up for her against those misogynists, I was on board with them as a couple. Kit has some reservations about him, but I think in the next book we'll see some progress there.

The pacing is the thing that got me, there are bursts of fighting that are a lot of fun, but then it gets slow and I get bored. Luckily, this isn't a long story and by the end I was intrigued to see what happens next.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

I am fond of this author's work but the description of this new series, Captain Kit Brightling , didn't really appeal to me. Wow, was I wrong.  Still, it took me a bit to get started on reading (as is often the case this year), but I was drawn into story quickly.

Bright and Breaking Sea has so many things I love.  The setting is some sort of historical fantasy world. There is a class system with the elite, Beau Monde, and the regular folks.  Women are considered inferior by the misogynistic which is many Beau Monde men.  After marriage, they would be expected to stop and career and cater to the home.  However,  the ruler is a queen.  She took over when her father the King died and is savvy and capable.  The world has an interesting magic system we only begin to see.

Of course, characters are key to a great book.  Kit has an interesting backstory as a foundling.  Her current work as a sea captain is a position she loves and handles very well.  She has amazing intelligence, care for her crew, abilities with magic and strategies. Kit is also better able to control her temper and follow orders, even when there is bias or injustice than I would be.   She has the support of a great found family.

There are other characters who add to the development. There are the key members of Kit's family and crew, as well as those in the palace.  The queen has a bit of personality as does one of her advisors, Chandler.   She has a few male friends, Kingsley and Dorian.  And for her new mission, she is teamed with a soldier, Rian Grant, part of the Beau Monde.  Grant has fought in the war recently ended in some horrific battles with great loss of life.

The missions here take place mostly at sea with wind, sails, storms, pirates, and magic affecting the travel, and strategy, magic and guns part of the battles.  But sea battles are not all of the action.  There is covert surveillance, theft of documents, and retrieval of key individuals from kidnap. So the queen assigns diverse tasks to Kit and Grant.

I liked this more than a little and highly recommend it.  The writing was charming, but the clincher is the humor. The banter between Kit and Grant is distrustful at first and then teasing as they learn to work together.  I ran looking for when there would be more, as the threats from the Queen's enemies will undoubtedly continue.

[Mallory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this first in a new fantasy series. Pirates, magic, spies, adventure, who could ask for more? I listened the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator a lot. Kit Brighling is a foundling, unaware of her own history, who was found and raised by a woman who recognized her strengths including having an affinity to water. She’s now a captain in the Queen’s navy and given a secret mission the only complication is being paired with a Vicount, one of the elite. Their adventures are fun and there is a hint of romance but it fits well with the story. I can’t wait to read more and would love to get to know Kit’s family a little better.

[Liz C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun! It ticked a lot of boxes for me so here we go:
✅️ Regency period
✅️ FMC is a sea captain and fan of swashbuckling adventure
✅️ Handsome viscount. Also likes adventure and seems to like our FMC
✅️Magical theme - fantasy set in Regency England
✅️ Hints of romance
✅️ Sea dragons! (But not in a major role sadly).

The romance isn't the main theme in this book but I think largely because the FMC wants to keep her career - good for her! I enjoyed the adventure and the banter. I'm secretly hoping bare chested pirate kind Donal makes another appearance in the second book. Or maybe a spin off series... a girl can dream!

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some characters live rent-free inside your head. For me, this is the case for Captain Kit Brightling, current love of my life. She's basically an older, more mature, and snarkier Lila Bard... BUT WITHOUT THE CONSTANT MISOGYNY, THANK GOD.

With a Napoleonic-era setting and elemental magic, this naval fantasy is perfect for fans of A Darker Shade of Magic.

I admit that this won't be for everyone, though it absolutely charmed me. I'd call this a cozy historical fantasy. I wanted to live in the pages forever and follow Kit on another adventure, but I never feared that she wouldn't find her way out of trouble. We have characters who have clearly survived traumatic incidents and a nation that's fresh out of war and on the brink of another, and yet there's little to no angst. No edgy darkness really, except for gentle asides and glimpses. Not that they aren't given respect and gravity; more that it's really a light read and family-friendly. Sometimes I wished for more complexity, but eh, this is Berkley, not Orbit Books. That's not the book it's meant to be. (I might steal the idea tho oops)

I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity as well. There are multiple POC side characters. But I can't help but think that Kit should at least be bisexual lol.

My main concern is with the romance. You can tell it's meant to be a slow burn hate to love, but rather than feeling organic, it feels as if the author threw these two MCs together and forced them to sink or swim chemistry-wise. It didn't help that the love interest was super annoying. He reminds me of a more dick-ish Matthias Helvar. I literally skipped past the kiss scene because I hated it so much lol.

The worldbuilding is def a winner. The vibes are IMMACULATE. I didn't think I actually liked naval fantasies and the (alternate) 1700s til I read this book lol. Now I'll be itching for more books set in this era, but from the female gaze.

Plot-wise, it's very simple and straightforward, but it's a short book and easily digestible. This is one cover buy I don't regret. I think I'll buy the sequel sorely because Kit is now one of my favorite heroines ever.

Underrated read!

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First in the Captain Kit Brightling fantasy alternate history series and revolving around a valued female captain in Her Royal Highness' Navy. It's three years after the war.

My Take
Sarcasm, snark, and magic...oh, yeah, baby! Neill makes use of Napoleon and his dreams of conquering Europe and gives it a magical twist.

This is so very different — even with the magic *grin* — from Neill's other series, Chicagoland Vampires and Devil's Isle. The Bright and Breaking Sea reminds me more of Naomi Novik's Temeraire.

There's a comfortable camaraderie amongst Kit's crew, although Kit does carry one heckuva chip on her shoulder toward the Beau Monde. On the other hand, while she is protective of her command, she can hold back when she needs to. A complex woman. Kit is very protective of her status and greatly resents Grant's presence, and it'll take proving on both sides to heal this. We know all this because Neill uses third person protagonist point-of-view from Kit's perspective, so we hear her thoughts and see what she sees.

"Years from now, Kit thought, they'd tell tales of the scream heard across the ocean."

I do like a man whose mind is open to change. Yep, Grant has his own mini character arc, allowing for his own growth as well as insight into his family situation. Poor lad, all he wants is to stay home and heal his family estate. All the queen does is send him out time after time.

I love that women, ahem, and men can serve in the Navy. Even better, I love Neill's presenting Kit as simply a courier, as it provides such lovely conflict amongst the misogynistic. Hah! Hoist with their own petard! Kit's attitude toward marriage is both funny and realistic. She'd never be happy with a simple life, lol.

Magic, its existence and usage, is a contentious subject with some embracing it, some denying it, and others fearing it. It makes for a lot of possibilities, softened by flashes of humor. Kit is the one who raises her fear of what magic can do to technology, which gives Neill the opening, a bit of foreshadowing for the future of the series.

Okay, then there's the letdown. I've been loving The Bright and Breaking Sea (and still do) until Neill fell into the tired account of Kit realizing she's falling for Grant.

The action is there but subdued, even the naval battles, but it's a fast read I could not put down. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this story to upper middle-grade and young adult readers as well as adults.

The Story
Suspicious of each other, Captain Brightling must share command with the unknown, the viscount, Colonel Grant. It'll be a battle of wills.

It will be a hard decision, choosing between world disruption or massive death...

The Characters
Captain Kit Brightling, a foundling, is an Aligned with a gift. In particular a gift to borrow the sea, to sense her humors. She's currently in command of the Diana and a member of the Queen's Own Guards.

Commander Jin Takamura, a former thief, is her second-in-command. The crew includes Sampson; Tamlin McCreary with a gift for the wind; August Smythe is the oldest of them; Simon Pettigrew is the pilot, navigator, and master of maps and intelligence; Banks; Teasdale; Cook (with six daughters); Lieutenants Watson, the young Phillips, and Hobbes, who has a merchant husband at home; Mr Jones is the second mate and bosun; March is the ship's physick; Oglejack is the the ship's carpenter; Cordova; and, Fahri.

Jim has a wife, Nanae, and two daughters, Saori and Emi. Mary is their housekeeper. Louisa, a.k.a. Tiny Cook, is a cunning child of the streets.

Colonel Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, is a warrior tired of it all. His father had wasted the estate. His brother, Lucien, is a losing gambler. Their mother had loved to dig and had designed an amazing garden.

At Queenscliffe (named for an odd story about Queen Morgaine), Jefferson Bailey helps repair the ship; Sprout is Grant's dog; Mr and Mrs Spivey are in charge of the manor. Cordelia is Grant's terrifying horse. Matthew Howard is inventing a uniquely powered gristmill. The radiant Tasha Howard is his wife and the daughter of Admiral John Lawrence. Will, a former comrade-at-arms, is the majordomo in charge of the London house.

The Brightling Home for Foundlings is...
...in Moreham Park and owned by Hetta Brightling, a wealthy widow with a conscience who takes in abandoned girls. A member of the Order of Saint James, she's also sub rosa as an intelligence analyst for the Crown. Sir Harry Brightling had been Hetta's kind and wealthy husband. Mrs Eaves is the stern, moral-minded housekeeper. The brilliant and inventive Jane is one of the girls, Kit's sister and closest friend. I do love Jane's sparkers, lol. The rest of the current girls include the ambitious Astrid, Bettina and Georgina are the active twins, Pari is a pianist and composer, and Marielle. They are expected to adhere to Hetta's Principles of Self-Sufficiency.

The Saxon Isles are...
...England, ruled by Queen Charlotte II in New London at Exeter Palace. King Richard had been her father. Kess appears to be the queen's go-to guy. Charles Kingsley works in the Crown Command's Foreign Office for William Chandler, the Isles' spymaster. He's also a very good friend of Kit's. The bigoted and stunted John Stanton also works at the Foreign Office.

The Isles' fleet
The Divine is captained by the ludicrous William Thornberry who prefers illogic. Some of his crew disagree, including Midshipman Cooper with her land Alignment. The Lucida is captained by Preston. The Delphine is captained by Smith, who is torn between a rock and a hard place. One of her crew, Jackson, has a land Alignment.

The rest of the Beau Monde are...
...the Isles' most privileged class, more concerned with their own comfort and ease. Hmmm, sounds like our politicians... Mary Cartwright is a friend of the ambitious Astrid. Lord Langley is interested in Astrid. Lord Dartmouth is giving a ball. Dorian Marten, a friend of Kit's, started Marten's, a coffeehouse modeled on Lloyds.

There's a pub, the Cork and Barrel, in Pencester. The Amelie is a smuggler's ship. The Seven Keys is an exclusive men's club. The Prefects is a secret society composed of men who don't believe a queen can rule. Mrs Eaves consider Portnoy's Confectioner's the premier temple of sin. The Juliana is the ship on which Kingsley embarks. Xavier Forstyhe rules the criminal underground. The Forebearer is stolen by a traitor.

The Enemies
Finistère is...
...a pirate stronghold ruled by the Five, famous pirate kings. Donal is one of them. The Chevalier is a privateer.

Gerard Rousseau is the emperor of Gallia with visions of conquering the world and with it its magic for all the power it will give him. Montgraf is the island to which Gerard was exiled. His daughter, Claysta, is queen of Arkanes.

The Guild...
...is a Frisian a consortium of merchants who prefer Gerard's rule with its greater wealth opportunities. Forstadt is an island off the coast and supposedly a royal hunting preserve. Janssen is an attaché at their London embassy.

The Earlier War
The Ardent had been captained by Perez with Lieutenant Kit Brightling under him. Zadorra was a town near the Gallic border that saw brutal fighting. Contra Costa was a tragedy with its angry magic.

The heroic Lord Sutherland had commanded the army in the earlier war and made good use of the Aligned. Grant had been one of his observing officers. Bourne had been one of them, with a gift to sense movement. Marcus Dunwood, a.k.a. Paolo, was a fellow officer and has continued his intelligence gathering. In the current day, he's aboard the Sally . Admiral Worsley had led the fleet at Barbata.

The Aligned have a gift for magic. The Unified Church of Isles combined all the gods into one. John Cox wrote the bible on the sea, Cox's Seamanship . Indigo is a card game. Kanos is the god of the sea and its shorelines.

The Cover and Title
The cover is quite patriotic, starting with its deep blue sky scratching down into a warm brown middle and descending into a white wash. Silhouetted against this is Kit's white ship, all sails furled. And in front of this is Captain Kit Brightling herself with her short brown hair blowing in the wind, posing with her left hand cocked on her hip and her right holding a red sword pointed toward the ground at an angle behind her cocked right leg. She's wearing her uniform, a deep navy frock coat with a lighter blue vest and an even lighter shirt with a solid navy cravat. Her trousers are gray with slightly blued knee-high boots. Her coat, trousers, and boots are all scratched in with strokes of black. At the very top, the first letter of the title is framed on each side with a pair of red scrolls. The rest of the title is beneath this with all in a gradating silver to pale gold. To the left of Kit's knee is the series info in deep blue. An info blurb is immediately beneath Kit's feet with the author's name below that with both in red.

The title refers to Kit and what she senses below the surface — The Bright and Breaking Sea.

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so when I tell you I was beyond excited to dive into The Bright and Breaking Sea just know that I meant it. Unfortunately, for me, it started off so freaking slow. I was honestly so bored for half of this book. Then it was like a snap of a finger happening and I started enjoying everything that was happening.

I can't even blame work for being so bored while listening to everything that was happening in this book. It just wasn't holding my attention. Don't get me wrong, eventually I started to like Kit and everyone else in this book. It just took me a while to find my groove.

The thing that kept me going was the tension and bantering. I don't know what it is but those two will always give me life. Especially when they are good. Other than that, I didn't really care for the romance and I am actually happy it was more of a back burner than anything. I feel like if it just focused solely on that - I don't know what I would've done.

I'm hoping that the next book will be a lot better for me and my attention span. I am intrigued to see what is going to happen next for everyone involved.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved "The Bright and Breaking Sea"! A delightful high seas adventure set in an alternate world version of Napoleonic times where magic exists (naturally) and some are more sensitive to it than others (naturally). We follow Captain Kit Brightling, a young captain who is frequently sent on secret missions for the queen.

Being a Chloe Neill book there's also a healthy dash of romance thrown in for good measure but for those who don't seek that sort of story out, not to worry, it won't ruin your swashbuckling good time.

This is clearly the first book in a series and I can already see several bits of foreshadowing (Who were Kit's parents? Will she secretly be royalty? What's the deal with pantaloons?) but we'll get to all of these in good time. A high recommend.

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this novel makes liberal use of recognizable plot devices and tropes, I still enjoyed it. I'm always up for a fantasy adventure (especially when portions of it take place on the sea), and I particularly enjoyed getting to know Kit Brightling and the other folks in this tale. The narrator was decent, though I wasn't too keen on her male voices.

[DesertSkyCacti]

DNF @ 43%
Sadly the begining didn't really grab my attention and this audiobook ended up turning into background noise. I am willing to try picking it up again in the future!