Song of Dark Tides

by Beka Westrup

"We are all starving hearts."

Viola is a sea witch cursed by Triton. Cast aside from the glittering city of Atlantis, she starves for power and a real life above the surface—two hungers her curse will never allow her to satiate. She patrols the sea she's claimed for her own and the nearby human city, feeding on unjust men and oceanfolk alike.

When she meets Aric, Triton's firstborn son and heir to the throne, she decides to forge her own future from his suffering. She could finally be free of her curse... if she can only manage to trick the heartless siren out of his soul.
​

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Dark, Fantasy Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Dark Romance

464 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2023

About the author

Beka Westrup is an author of fantasy romances. When she's not reading, writing, or chugging exorbitant amounts of coffee, she can be found watching The Office with her husband and two kids at home in Boise, Idaho.

Sign up for her author newsletter for updates and early access to art, pre-orders, and giveaways: https://www.bekawestrup.com/coming-so...

Reviews

[Susan Carolynn]

DNF at 35% :( I hope to come back to this book when I'm in the mood! The plot is just moving too slowly for me, and I feel like I'm still in the exposition/basic groundwork of the story on page 164. And I'm not terribly invested in the characters.

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dark "Little Mermaid" gender bent retelling - but where Ursula is the FMC. A story of betrayal, loss, and the hope for a normal life

"Song of Dark Tides" is a standalone dark fantasy that introduces Viola, a sea witch with purple hair akin to Ursula, cursed long ago by King Triton. Feared and known as a soul reaper, she sustains herself through this grim duty. Prince Aric, Triton's son, yearns to relinquish his titles and flee Atlantis. When Viola accidentally encounters Aric, she discovers his lineage and believes he holds the key to breaking her curse.

Viola resorts to blackmail, coercing Aric into assuming human form to escape his father's anger. She strikes a deal: if Aric, without his voice, can win a marriage proposal from the human princess within three days, he'll be liberated. Despite Aric's determination to destroy her, their mutual attraction complicates matters. Will they risk everything for their burgeoning feelings?

Some of my favorite quotes:

- "That's what love does best - it blurs line and sways minds, combines souls like streams colliding"

- "Sometimes we have no choice but to fit into the skin we are given. Once we're in it, we lose ourselves to the surroundings, surrendering piece after piece until there's nothing left of us"

- "I wish I had known I was your villain"

- "His last thought is one of profound realization and infinite regret: that the spirits did not flee, and they were not afraid. They only swam aside to make room for her

- And of course "Kneel, then"

Thoughts
As fantasy readers, we often dream of bat boys and handsome mermen whisking us away to enchanting lands. This book, surprisingly, beautifully celebrates humanity, portraying it as truly spectacular. It made me want to be human. Only Beka could accomplish such a feat, I'm convinced.

This has become one of my all-time favorite retellings! The characters, especially Viola, embody the kind of misunderstood female protagonist I absolutely love reading about. Viola stands as one of my top female characters, showcasing Beka's talent for creating complex and fiercely compelling protagonists. If you enjoyed this, I strongly suggest diving into Beka's other book, "The Seldom Wings," where you'll encounter another remarkable female lead.

This book was a spectacular enemies to lovers, with some incredibly unhinged main characters. A great dark retelling, and this solidifies my love for Beka. Another spectacular book, I am a committed fan.

Thank you Beka for the ARC - I feel incredibly blessed to have received one.

[Erin Mainord · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely stunning dark fantasy romance with an enemies-to-lovers story that completely ensnared me. Westrup is masterful in writing messy female characters, and Viola stole my heart. She is dark and vengeful and just this beacon of strength and resilience, but she has also allowed her rage to blind her to her own faults.

I also adored Aric and his messy, conflicted emotions and inner struggle, and the romance between him and Viola was delicious. So much tension between these two, and I craved scenes where they were on page together. The romance is slow burn, it's haunting and beautiful, and when it heats up, it HEATS up. The spice was fantastic. And yes... there are tentacles. ;)

The worldbuilding was also fantastic. Yes, this is a gender-bent retelling of The Little Mermaid, but Westrup's imagination and lyrical writing really elevated this book into a story all its own. A fantastic read for lovers of dark fantasy romance and those who enjoy a touch of monster in their love stories.

[Bookaholic Shaima · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
THIS FREAKING BOOK!!!!
When I tell you I was in the longest fantasy-slump EVER! AND THIS WAS MY CURE 🙌🏼
If you want to read a gothic, twisted little mermaid retelling where the sea witch gets a happy ending? Here's what to expect :

🐙 misunderstood villian FMC
🧜‍♂️ siren MMC
✨ magic and spirits
🍆 special peen
😡 hate fooking
🗡️ betrayal
🍬 HEA

[KMart Vet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to try to not use too many ocean puns in this, but I really can't help myself. I didn't really know what to expect with this one. The concept seemed fun, but retellings typically don't rock the BOAT too much. But I trust Westrup and I decided to DIVE in anyway. I'm so glad I did. Beka Westrup's "Song of Dark Tides" PLUNGES readers into a world that blends a tale of desire and revenge with a SPLASH of spicy intensity. This is a Little Mermaid retelling with a siren and a sea witch. And it is quite dark at times.

The story revolves around Viola, a sea witch ensnared by a curse from Triton, exiled from Atlantis, and condemned to an insatiable hunger. Despite the curse, she helps those seeking to escape their lives beneath the waves and tries to save the victims of dangerous men. When Viola encounters Aric, a siren and Triton's heir to the throne, she decides to use him to get back at his cruel father. She devises a plan and she embarks on a perilous path—one that could potentially break her curse at the cost of the siren's soul.

I found myself pleasantly surprised. Westrup elevates the storyline by infusing it with both intensity and depth, weaving a tapestry where passion and plot intertwine seamlessly. The author's signature style shines through, skillfully merging significant emotional weight with moments of intense heat.

"Song of Dark Tides" is a testament to Westrup's ability to infuse a classic narrative with new life, catering to lovers of intense, emotionally charged dark romance.

Thank you to R&R Booktours and the author for an eARC. This is an honest review and all opinions are my own.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhhhhh yeah. In my mermaids era. I have been SEARCHING for some good mermaid fantasy reads and this one was amazing. PLUS a little mermaid retelling?? Say mfing less. Full rtc!

[KB · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this dark, little mermaid retelling! I have always loved Ursula so I was incredibly excited for this book!

Viola is a sea witch who has a traumatic past and was painted as the villain. Aric is the prince of the mer and has wanted to escape his whole life. When their paths cross, their mutual hatred of each other can only lead to destruction. Or can it?

What you can expect:
🌊little mermaid retelling
🌊she’s morallly grey
🌊enemies to lovers
🌊🌶️🌶️
🌊overcoming traumatic past
🌊powerful, magical FMC


**Read CW before reading!

[True Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an absolute gem. Beka’s prose was beautiful and I found myself so captivated by Viola and Aric’s story that I devoured this in one sitting. This was the dark fantasy of my dreams with rich story telling with world-building like no other! And the romance!! Oh my gosh I’m so obsessed with them together, their messy hearts and all. This book was just beautiful! Thank you to Beka and Lake Country Press for sending me an advanced copy!

[Chelsea (2_girls_bookin_it) · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 stars

🧜‍♂️ Little Mermaid retelling
🔥 slow burn
❤️‍🔥 story of revenge
🐙 fierce FMC

This was a little slow for me, but the last 20% of the book definitely picked up. Not only is that where most of the spice happened, but that’s where most of the action takes place too. I’d love to see a book about Guillermo and Jussi. I love them together and their fierce love for Viola. I do wish we would have gotten more backstory for the priest. That part felt a bit underdeveloped. But this was a different take on a Little Mermaid retelling, and I loved that aspect of this book.

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Song of Dark Tides

Wow! Utterly captivating!

This dark fantasy stole my heart from the start and sucked me in! I loved the twists on the Little Mermaid.

This was dark, devious, destructive, haunting, seductive, and spellbinding. I loved it!

The characters were great and easy to fall in love with. And the story left you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. I highly recommend this one!

[Lettering library · Rating 4 out of 5]

~Monsters only exist without history to pardon them. Be a monster if you must, as long as you are a great one.”~

The story follows Viola, better known as The Violent Sea. She is considered by everyone in Atlantis the enemy, but it's always the victors who write the story. Triton has cursed her, she starves for power and a real life above the surface, two hungers her curse will never allow her to satiate. But she spent her time waiting, and plotting for revenge. Then, lured by his song, she meets Aric, Triton's first son and heir to the throne. She thinks that she has found the perfect opportunity for revenge, so she gives him legs in exchange for his voice and he has three days to convince a princess to fall in love with him, or he'll be hers forever. But not everything goes according to plan, feelings get involved and truths are unraveled, is he really the cruel person she thinks him to be? And is she really the monster that everyone fears?

I really liked this story! And the cover is gorgeous!! Since the start I loved Viola's character, she became a fighter because she was forced to , but despite that and everything she had to endure, she never lost her kindness. The first part of the book follows the story of the little mermaid, but Ursula is Viola, and she is not the evil we would think of, and instead of Ariel we have Aric, Atlantis heir to the throne, strong and fierce but also kind and considerate. They start as enemies, there's a lot of lies that they both think of one another, but when they finally get to know each other and clear their misunderstandings there's nothing they wouldn't do for the other . I loved their moments together, their banter and tenderness, they both yearned for love, someone that would finally put them first and they found that in each other.

~Aric tucks me even closer as he nuzzles my ear. “You’re so fucking perfect,” he murmurs. He presses a kiss to my neck, and I feel cherished.~

I loved the plot, I couldn't stop reading! There are plot twists that you want to see coming.

The side characters were also amazing, I loved Jussi and Guillermo, their relationship with Viola was so cute, and the scene where they interrogate Aric about his intentions was one of my favorites!😂

The ending was also the perfect conclusion, I'm so happy for them, they deserved it 🥹.

An amazing dark romance, you should read it if you are a fan of retellings, the little mermaid, and unhinged morally grey characters.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review, I'm really grateful to have had this opportunity💜.

You can find more of my reviews and the lettering of my favorite quotes on Istagram @the.lettering.library

[Amanda Mercedes · Rating 5 out of 5]

———
“I wish I had known I was your villain.”
———

I love reading retellings and I love it even more when they’re SO GOOD. Dare I say, I think I actually liked this WAY better than the original Little Mermaid story. There was just so much more to this, and emotion.
Aric is essentially Ariel, son of king Triton (who is meannnn) and he even has his own cavern of stuff which Triton destroys :( but it prompts him to succumb to making a deal with the sea witch, Viola (who you can think of as Ursula but way hotter and actually nice). All it would cost is his voice, but if he breaks the deal… his life. He has 3 days to make the princess fall in love with him. Viola is feared in Atlantis, and yes she is crazy powerful, but there’s a lot of miscommunication going on.
This was SUCH a good enemies to lovers story, and I was here for all the angst and morally grey components of the characters. It is definitely a dark retelling and I very much enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

Thank you to the author and R&R Tours for the copy.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 beautifully written. Love a different take on the little mermaid story.

[FloofyMooseReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Song of Dark Tides by Beka Westrup is a standalone dark romantic fantasy. This is a gender-bent little mermaid re-imagining where the main character, Viola, is the sea witch and Ariel is the crown prince, Aric. This explores themes of power, justice and revenge. Tropes include enemies to lvoers, morally gray heroine, angst and “tentacle play.” Dual POV. Please check the content warnings before reading as there are some dark topics/themes in this book.

The Lovely: I loved the plot and the tension as its full of twists and turns. Even with this being a fairytale re-imagining I honestly didn’t know what was coming next or how key points would get resolved.

Also Lovely: I also loved the main characters and how their relationship evolved over the course of the story. Viola is complex and dark as she struggles with some horrific past trauma and it makes you love her, morally gray and all.

The Mundane: I did think there was a lot of inner monologues and “telling”, especially at the beginning, that slowed the story down. To me, these long stretches have been remedied by having someone for Viola to converse with (i.e. Perla) so we got some back and forth dialogue.

Rating: 4/5 Stars 3/5 Flames

Recommendation: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I loved how the author took a classic fairytale and flipped it around multiple times. It worked so well and made the book that much more engaging. I also appreciate that this is a standalone story, something that seems increasingly rare in romantic fantasies. If you like romantic fantasy books with a darker undertone but heavy on the characters and their relationship, you would like this. In addition, if you’re looking for a one and done standalone, this is a solid choice.

[Rachel Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Song of Dark Tides is a Little Mermaid retelling where Viola, the Ursula figure in this tale, is the FMC, and her love interest, Aric, is an Ariel style MMC. It twists the original story in such interesting ways, and the description had me immediately jumping on it! I’ve never read a story where the Ariel figure was male, or where the Ursula figure was the protagonist, let alone for the two to be love interests! But it works so well! All the little aspects from the original story that show up here in new and interesting ways were fascinating. The eel!! The world itself was really interesting to learn about. As we usually view magical mermaid lands and Atlantis as wonderful places. But here, life underwater is as bad as it sounds to us!

Viola, known as the Violent Sea, is a witch cursed by the evil King Triton. He’s spread horrible lies about her, leaving everyone to believe her evil. But she only targets male predators who deserve it. Prince Aric is a siren, one who has trouble killing those he lures in. Who struggles with meeting the expectations of his father. Triton expects him to be like he is, but Aric doesn’t want to kill. When Viola meets him, she assumes he’s as evil as his father, and targets him, trapping him into a deal. But things quickly go awry when the two are not only drawn to one another, but they begin to see the other isn’t what they believe.

Viola is such an intriguing character. Villainized and alone expect for the mermaids she’s saved and the horrible couple of men she’s bound to her service, she’s unable to go to Atlantis due to Triton, and can’t stay on land often due to her curse pulling her back. But she has the favor of a Goddess, and the magic to make nearly any deal possible. She saves females who need it and punishes men who prey on women. Stalking the city to reap those who breaks her terms. But she’s truly a traumatized girl who was forced into a life she doesn’t want. She has no way out. Triton made it so she can’t even die to escape. She can’t hurt him. He can’t hurt her. Triton is obsessed with her and wants her for himself, and this is punishment. But her will is strong, and despite loosing all she loved to him, she refuses to give in.

Prince Aric is unsatisfied with his life. Unable to take to the cruelty his father expects, he feels himself a failure of an heir. He is drawn to the humans as much as Viola is. Wanting to experience life on the surface. But not at the expense of his voice. His power lies on his ability to sing, and Viola takes it away and returns it only when they’re alone. His simmering resentment of both his father and Viola are palpable. He believes all the lies his father told him about Viola, and her targeting him certainly doesn’t help. Nor making him have to get the Princess he had been visiting in his siren form to agree to marry him in three days. He has no interest in pursuing said Princess, but he’ll do anything to gain his freedom.

The chemistry between Viola and Aric is so good! The enemies to lovers tension is on point, and their arguing and antagonism is wonderful. They have a great back and forth with one another. They both have major misconceptions about the other, including Aric thinking she killed his mother. But regardless, they’re both attracted to the other. While Viola tries to tempt and distract him to get him to mess up with the Princess, ensuring she’ll own him at the end of the three days, she finds herself second guessing her games when the two of them have trouble keeping their hands off the other. The hate f*ck*ng is perfection!

The pace of the relationship was really good too. We had a good solid chunk of the story where they’re antagonistic, and then the slow fall. But things are complicated by both Triton, and an awful human who thinks he knows how to kill Viola. The parts where Aric is trying to woo the Princess while without a voice is a lot of fun, especially Viola and Aric’s interactions during this part! And the magic done! Viola has some seriously creative mischievousness she busts out. But we inevitably get into the heavier parts. Triton, the abusive pr*ck, will not give up on the idea he and Viola are a perfect match. The motivations of the human are less clear. But I’m assuming it’s some sort of power grab. As the world itself is set up where the humans are aware of magic but it they seem to not be totally understanding of the scope.

This book is dark in parts. Viola and Aric both do some things and act certain ways that is definitely dark and messed up. Then there’s the horrendous actions and of Triton that is touched on, and what the human evil attempts. But there is also a wonderful storyline here about hope. About finding love. About healing hearts. About life. Even when the worst happens there is still beauty and wonder in the world. Hope should never be given up. Love can overcome anything. Even a theme about first impressions and not believing the worst of people. There’s a definite optimistic slant to this dark Little Mermaid retelling!

The world here is so fascinating to me. The Princess calls to a Siren from her bed. There are humans with magic items. And yet they don’t seem to realize how far that magic goes. There’s also the fact that the beautiful and illustrious Atlantia is the not the shining jewel of the kingdom you might expect. Actually, the whole of underwater life is lacking to the characters, who try to get away from it whenever they can. Everything is wet and muted, food is tasteless, and drinks have salt water in them. There’s the magic Viola has, given to her by the goddess, which seems near limitless and gives her tentacles. There’s Aric’s siren magic, allowing him to create intricate illusions. And there is indeed merman/female tentacle s*x here! It’s absolutely wild!

This was definitely an entertaining and surprisingly heartfelt Little Mermaid retelling! Even with dark themes and darker characters, there is the message of a better tomorrow underpinning it all. I loved the romance and the back and forth game the two play. And the plot kept me just as invested as the characters. I would definitely recommend this if you enjoy fairy tales, darker themes, spice, complex characters, and magic!

I received an eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could read this again for the first time!

A love a good retelling, and this did not disappoint! Beka’s worldbuilding skills are immaculate, taking elements from the original tale and expanding them, adding depth and lore to an already sold foundation. The humanity (mermanity?) she’s imbued in each of the MCs just had me in a chokehold. I laughed and cried and felt all the feels many times. The smut is A+ and really so is everything else about this whole story. I really do wish I could read it again for the first time because it was an amazing ride! Massive Kudos to you Beka Westrup🖤🖤

[bookvibes.with.lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

VIBES:
🧜‍♀️ Betrayal
🧜‍♀️ Tentacle Play
🧜‍♀️ Enemies to Lovers
🧜‍♀️ Dark Little Mermaid Retelling

THOUGHTS:
🔱 Wow, this is my favorite little mermaid retelling! The author's take on the classic tale was absolutely perfect.
🔱 Viola is a badass, strong FMC. I loved everything about her.
🔱 I lived for the push and pull and sexual/hate tension between Viola and Aric.
🔱 The spicy scenes and tentacle play were 🥵
🔱 The beginning was a little slow for me, but when it picked up, I was hooked until the end, reading this gem in one day.
🔱 I highly recommend this book.

[theromantasybookcorner._ · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖💜𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺•𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆💜📖

📚💜𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞•𝗗𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗦💜📚
🐚𝚂𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝙾𝙵 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺 𝚃𝙸𝙳𝙴𝚂 𝙱𝚈 𝙱𝙴𝙺𝙰 𝚆𝙴𝚂𝚃𝚁𝚄𝙿
🐚𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘: 𝙳𝙰𝚁𝙺 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴; 𝙵𝙰𝙸𝚁𝚈𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶
🐚𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: 𝙽𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁 𝟸𝟾𝚃𝙷, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
🐚𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ♾️ || 𝟻

☆༻༺✩༻༺☆༻༺✩༻༺☆

Thank you SO much to Beka Westrup for my gifted eARC of 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗦!

Someone hold my hat because this book was PHENOMENAL. I can’t get over how much I loved it. This was the Dark Little Mermaid Retelling I didn’t know I needed in my life and now it’s all I can think about! It’s my favorite Little Mermaid Retelling I’ve read and I will very likely be rereading it again very soon because… hello, book hangover.

Beka continues to astound me with her FMCs. Viola is my FAVORITE! She is misunderstood, morally grey, dark… yet also courageous, brave, and fiercely protective when everyone thinks she is just a villain. I loved the chemistry between her and Aric and I loved the Dual POV storyline. They both have their own trauma that they’re working through & seeing their character development & relationship progress throughout the book was so beautiful & emotionally impactful. My heart was not prepared for how much their stories would impact me & my emotions were a mess while I was reading! I just really loved this book😭

Perfectly written and paced, Beka’s prose continues to be one of my favorites. Her writing style literally makes it so easy to just lose yourself in the story, & to feel like you are right there with the characters feeling everything they are & going through their experiences with them. I finished this book so fast because I literally couldn’t put it down. The twists & turns were heart wrenching & I was on a roller coaster of emotions the entire time I was reading. I was gripped from the very first word to the last!

Overall, I highly recommend Song of Dark Tides! This was an amazing read and is perfect for lovers of dark fantasy romance🐚💜

🌊𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗶𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲...🌊
💜Twisted Little Mermaid Retelling
💜Enemies to Lovers
💜Misunderstood Villain FMC
💜Dual POV
💜Siren MMC
💜Tentacle Play
💜Dark Fantasy Romance with Spice
💜Revenge & Betrayal

☆༻༺✩༻༺☆

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you R&R Book Tours and Beka Westrup for the arc.

This book was pitched as a dark twist on the little mermaid and it was amazing and exactly that. I love books that lean into the darker folklore of sirens and this did exactly that. Sirens are brutal creatures in this book and were very interesting. This book is pretty much what if Ursula had an abusive “relationship” with Triton and wants her revenge on him and sees a way to get it by corrupting his golden child. I can’t explain how much I loved the inspiration it took from the little mermaid and then made it completely unique.

Viola is a sea witch that has been cursed by Triton to starve for power and never be able to leave the sea forever. She patrols the ocean that she has claimed for her own and the nearby land for people to feed on that are unjust men and oceanfolk. But when she meets Aric, Triton’s firstborn and heir to the throne she decides to use him to free herself from her suffering by feeding off his suffering. But when she and Aric start to have conflicting feelings to what they thought they knew they may end up changing course in the end.

This book is very dark. It touches on Childhood SA and Abuse which is the reason Viola is the way she is. Viola is just trying to survive while also getting revenge for what was done to her and other women. She tries to not hurt innocent people and only feeds on the unjust to protect women on land and in the sea. Aric has been forced into a brutal role he never wanted to be but if he didn’t comply he would have been abused more than he was. Aric seemed beloved and like the golden boy of the kingdom but there is a dark history and present that no one knows about. I loved how Viola and Aric eventually realize they have more in common than they originally thought and they start working together because they understand why they are doing what they are.

This is an insane twist on the little mermaid story and I absolutely love it. It has dark siren magic and it has a complex magic system that can vary siren to siren. Sirens feed off pain but can also feed off pleasure and this typically leads sirens to be brutal and is why the drown and attack people in the world. Witches in this book worship a goddess that provides them 2 more hearts and gives them powers to follow in her path.

I highly recommend this as a dark fantasy romance with some spice and a lot of revenge.

[Wellyne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the premise, but personally I ended up being disappointed by the book. I feel like the idea had a lot of potential and liked the characters well enough.

I was a bit annoyed by the pheromone stuff of the FMC, making her and the MMC needy during her cycle in the first half of the book. But I thought: if the author wants to establish the sexual attraction this way first, which leads to feelings later, alright, let's see where it goes.

But it goes nowhere. At least that's how I felt.

We get lots of horny thoughts. And suddenly there is the talk of feelings. Out of nowhere. It felt like such an abrupt cut. There was no understanding each other first, no authentic connection.

I expected the characters to form a real connection. To slowly understand what makes them similar, to start questioning their prejudices of each other. What we get instead, is a sex scene that really wasn't to my liking and marks the turning point that I just didn't buy.

And from that point on everything just seemed ... unnatural to me. I felt as if the author had some scenes in mind and just put the characters in them. But I never felt as if it was natural for the characters to behave that way. That I didn't buy this sudden insta-love stuff wasn't helping.

So in the end, it just didn't match my personal tastes in any way: not the romance and not the plot surrounding the tyrant of Atlantis. Or how Viola's goddess always felt like a deus ex machina tool.

This book proofed once and for all that dark romance really isn't for me. No shame to anyone liking this, but too many parts left me feeling disgusted. And the poor excuse of a plot and the lack of believable feelings just made everything worse for me.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read! I'm a big fan of retellings, and this is a gender bent retelling of The Little Mermaid with Aric as "Ariel" and Viola as the love interest. It was so much fun and had all the sexy, dark romance vibes.

The beginning became a bit too info-dumpy for me. Though the author has created a very fun world, I was in the characters head way too much. Once I got past that though, I became much more immersed in the story. The dual pov was wonderful; I loved seeing the vulnerabilities in their minds.

It's a slow burn romance but boy, does it heat up. The tension between Viola and Aric is wonderful from the start, and Westrup does a great job of keeping the tension throughout the whole book. The power plays are a lot of fun.

There were a couple parts that I felt moved a little fast for me, like when Aric is seeking revenge at the church and there's no dialogue. The book lacked dialogue in a couple places for me when certain pivotal moments felt rushed. But it didn't take away from the book.

At first, I was about 60% through the book, and I thought how in the world is the book only a little over halfway done? But I loved the direction that Westrup took with the story, and even though it slowed it down a little, I loved the big family dinner scene with Jussi and Guillermo (also, they're just great side characters).

Westrup has a talent for weaving in lyrical, beautiful sentences amongst the everyday. There's some repetition, but overall, so well written. Definitely recommend!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart-shattering tale of betrayal, loss, physical and emotional scars, and hope for a life well lived

Song of Dark Tides is a dark fantasy romance introducing Viola, a sea witch cursed by Triton long ago. She’s forced to reap souls to sustain herself. Prince Aric wants nothing more than to leave Atlantis and sadistic father’s rule.

After a chance encounter with Aric, Viola learns he is the firstborn son of Triton and schemes to use him to free herself from her curse. When Viola forces his hand into a bargain to become human to escape his father’s wrath, Aric vows to destroy her. Their unexpected attraction to each other may hinder their plans. Will they destroy or save each other?

Destinies collide in this enemies-to-lovers dark fantasy romance Little Mermaid retelling.

Tropes/themes:
🐚 Dark Fantasy
🐚 Little Mermaid retelling
🐚 Enemies to lovers
🐚 Misunderstood villain FMC
🐚 Siren MMC
🐚 Curses & Magic
🐚 Revenge & betrayal
🐚 HEA
🌶️: 3.5/5


“Hope is always worth holding on for”
"I wish I had known I was your villain”
“I am the only one who gets to swallow you whole”
“I'm hers to consume, and she is mine to surrender to”

This is hands down one of my favorite retellings I’ve read to date. I connected deeply with Viola and Aric. He’s only ever wanted to be accepted by his family. She’s never known love and has lost everyone she’s ever cared for. Their traumatic pasts left them with physical and emotional scars and their journey of healing is an arduous one.

Beka brilliantly navigates the intricacies of this misunderstood FMC and the gradual evolution of these enemies who become lovers. If I had three hearts like Viola, all three would be absolutely tattered messes while reading this book.

🌊 Song of Dark Tides draws you in immediately and unravels your expectations. This book tugs at your heartstrings and proceeds to shatter your heart before slowly piecing it back together, more whole than it was before 🖤

Evocative and emotional, Viola’s story is one that needs to be told and I will be thinking about this story and these characters for a long time.

**I received a free e-ARC and am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Thank you Beka Westrup and Lake Country Press for this incredible opportunity!**

[Amber | Mermaid_mama_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark Little Mermaid retelling with Viola as the sea witch and Aric as the siren prince (son of King Triton). It’s an enemies to lovers story that is full of vengeance, hatred, trauma, healing, emotion, and love.

Viola’s past is traumatic and haunting. ‼️Please check trigger warnings before reading.‼️I found her story to be so sad and heartbreaking, but to see her strength, resilience, and ability to love despite it all was really special. If you are a reader who loves feeling the heavy feels with characters and watching them develop and heal, you gotta check out her story 🥲.

Aric’s past is also a difficult one and his character development was so well done. I loved watching their relationship go from hatred to love. It wasn’t an easy journey but 😮‍💨 so worth it. The spice was hot and delicious. The tension, the things Aric would say, the tentacles… 😉🥵🔥. So hot… and the emotion and feelings were so palpable at the end that my heart felt like it was swelling with feels. Loved loved loved the ending.

The reason I gave it 4 ⭐️ and not 5 was because it felt a little slow to me between the 30-60% mark and I found myself wanting to skim to dialogue. It really picked up though and I ended up devouring it.

I highly recommend this book if you like:
🐙 dark fantasy romance
🐙 enemies to lovers
🐙 misunderstood villain FMC
🐙 siren MMC
🐙 betrayal
🐙 trauma & healing
🐙 found family
🐙 spirits and curses

[Julia (teastarsandbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the classic Disney princess films, The Little Mermaid has always been the one I disliked the most. I couldn’t even bring myself to see the new live action version, even though I heard a lot of the plot holes in the animated version were fixed in the live action. Heck, even when playing Kingdom Hearts, I always avoid the Atlantica levels like the plague (until the story forces me to do them, then there is a whole lot of grumbling).

So, Beka, seriously, you get one hell of a standing ovation from me because finally… FINALLY someone made a retelling of the Little Mermaid that I loved from beginning to end. Life has been breathed into these characters in the most fabulous, darkest, and kinkiest of ways.

Viola and Aric are compelling characters. A headstrong morally grey witch who has been wronged in the worst ways possible and the spoiled but lost prince who seriously needs to get his head out of his ass. They are thrown together into a story about learning to love, to trust, and finding where they belong. Beka masterfully weaves their story, keeping you invested in their struggles of hearts and in what is right. And, yes, the spice is sizzling, kinky, and HAWT.

I absolutely loved this story. Thank you so much Beka for having me on your ARC team!! I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book! (Especially if tentacles is a massive YES for you)

[Mandy Kell · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We are all starving hearts. Every one of us."⠀⠀
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Beka Westrup, Song of Dark Tides ⠀⠀
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Song of Dark Tides by Beka Westrup is a Very Dark Fantasy Romance / Fairy Tale Retelling full of sirens, merpeople, curses, and magic. It is a grown up, gender bent version of The Little Mermaid that hooked me from the very first line. This book is super spicy and violent so it's definitely for mature audiences only. ⠀⠀
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Viola is wickedly wonderful with her violent tendencies and terrifying tentacles. She's a witch with a vendetta and I love how powerful she is. She's also very clever and seems a few steps ahead of everyone else in the ocean. ⠀⠀
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Aric is a merman with a kind heart hiding behind a stone facade. As Triton's oldest child he carries the weight of the Kingdom of Atlantis on his shoulders as well as his hatred of The Violent Sea. He's trapped by both monsters and desperate to be free.⠀⠀
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This enemies to lovers story is twisted and troubled but it has so many delicious surprises! I love the banter between the MC's and I also really liked some of the side characters, like Benji and Guillermo and Jussi. Triton is despicable and the lore of Atlantis is perfectly captured as tumultuous and deep as the ocean itself. This is a great spicy fairytale retelling for fans of Game of Thrones and From Blood and Ash. ⠀

[Caitlin (cottagewitchreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deliciously dark retelling of a fairytale classic.

The sea witch Viola was cursed by Triton, king of Atlantis, long ago. Ever since she has longed to be free of him, free of the sea. Trying to find solace any way she can, she had taken to her own part of the sea and fed on the souls of evil men and merfolk. After a chance meeting with Triton’s first son, Aric, Viola sees an opportunity to be free of her curse forever. All she needs is Aric’s soul.

This was a really entertaining twisted retelling of The Little Mermaid. I enjoyed the storytelling and the imagery; the settings and atmosphere of the sea were great. This story was full of tension and shocking moments that really draw the reader in. Let’s not forget to mention the spice that was so exquisitely sizzling.

The thing I was most impressed with in the story was Viola and Aric’s relationship and how it shifted from loathing to ‘touch them and I’ll kill you’ very naturally. At first I was sceptical as to how their relationship would develop as they clearly despised one another so deeply but as the story progressed, with little things happening here and there, the change happened and I was delightfully surprised.

This story is perfect for fans of dark retellings, slow burn romances, fierce FMC’s, and revenge.

Thank you to R&R Book Tours and Beka for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Marianna (marylest) Porcino · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible dark fantasy romance. An enemies to lovers that will win your heart.
You will not be able to take your eyes off the pages of this book because the writing is gripping and the story is just the right combination of adventure, mystery and romance.


The world building is incredible. It is a retelling of the Little Mermaid, to which the author has managed to give a whole new life, making it completely new: darker, more mysterious, more exciting.

The real gem of this book is the female protagonist, Viola, the sea witch.
This author always amazes me with her female characters. They are always controversial characters, with such intricate and complex personalities dictated by the life they have led and all they have been through. Viola is strong, courageous but she is not the sweet heroine devoted to justice. she is a woman with a hint of darkness, of 'evil' that is shown when necessary. ;)

This book captivated me from the first page, moved me so much and made me relive a classic story in a much more exciting way!

Thanks to the author for the eARC. All thoughts written in this review are my own.

[Anshul (stories.buddy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beka Westrup never ceases to amaze me with her writing and the new storylines she explores in her books. This one was no different, the new concept, the twists and turns, and the enemies-to-lovers trope was fantastic to divulge oneself. The story is kind of a treat for all the fantasy lovers.

From the very first line, it becomes intriguing and as it all moves forward the interest deepens. The new developments in the plot are all captivating and kept me glued to the book till the very end. The HEA was so sweet but the road to it was very difficult for both of them.

Viola is a very fierce FMC and has a very complicated life. The past is unpleasant with scars she wants to get rid of but everything comes with a cost. Is she willing to face that cost?? Read to find out. I can only say that I love her strength and determination.

Aric is wow and his growth in the book admiring. He took things positively and reacted as per his instincts in a few situations that were very fruitful in the end and that’s what all matters. Character development is a very essential part of any story and it all happened well in the book.

It’s a 4.5⭐️ for me.

[Sapphyre Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Violent Sea hunted me, ruined my life, claimed my soul. I was her prey. Yet here I am, believing with my whole chest that she belongs to me”

“It’s not my responsibility to make anyone understand me. That’s not a war I would win. It’s not a battle I want to waste my time fighting.”

Wow, I was utterly mesmerised by this dark little mermaid reimagining.
The story of Viola “The Violent Sea” as the sea witch had such depth. What a heartbreaking back story she has. Her hatred for King Triton is absolutely deserved.
Having King Triton be the real villain and the sea witch a product of his cruelty is genius. Brava @bekaboowrites Brava!
Aric and Viola’s story gripped me from the get go. His hatred for her was so visceral as was her hatred for him as King Tritons son.
This was an excellently done enemies to lovers book - so satisfying.
I do have to say that Aric needs to work on his communication though 😂 certain scenes I’m sitting here like “hang on a minute, don’t you have something important you need to tell her? She might be able to help. Come on Aric!”

Thank you to R&R Book Tours and Beka Westrup for providing me with a copy of the ebook to review.

[Searra (Zoms_reading_nook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might just be my absolute favorite Little Mermaid retelling! (Don't mind that's it's the only Little Mermaid retelling I've read. Lol) The writing was beautiful and definitely trapped me in this story.

When I wasn't reading it, it always found it's way back to my mind quickly.

I absolutely love Viola!! She was so badass and so fecking strong. She's my favorite character from this book! I love how sassy she is and how quick witted she is.

I loved her and Aric's moments together and their back and forth. Aric was not want I was expecting and I love it. And I just absolutely love how Beka wrote his song magic?! That shit was so awesome and badass!!!

Jessi and Guillermo!!! They are so absolutely adorable and I love them so much!! Honestly they almost stoled the show for me.

Now.. the spicy scenes? Oof they were spicy!! 🥵 Definitely hot and wet. Lmao 😝 I loved how the spice scenes were written.

The cover is what drawn my eye to this book and the Blurb made me devour it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fairy tale retelling, dark romance, and spice. Definitely definitely go read this amazing book!! I know I now need to get it in paperback one day!