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Water Brides #1
The Siren's Mistress
Young women of the island of Gimgar have one wish, they long to be the next bride of the sea, an age-old tradition of the village dating back to the first settling. The chosen is to wed a god, a siren.
Being selected is an honor to oneself and family, and when the elders choose Mayme, she is elated she will live amongst the gods by the end of autumn. Mayme couldn’t be luckier, Como her husband to be is beautiful and benevolent, or so he seems.
Grand celebration, festivities… and death follows. Mayme has 91 days before she departs to live her life with Como, days spent courting become dangerous.
Dark secrets are revealed, and the marriage proves perhaps false. Can love be born based on the pretense of lies?
Being selected is an honor to oneself and family, and when the elders choose Mayme, she is elated she will live amongst the gods by the end of autumn. Mayme couldn’t be luckier, Como her husband to be is beautiful and benevolent, or so he seems.
Grand celebration, festivities… and death follows. Mayme has 91 days before she departs to live her life with Como, days spent courting become dangerous.
Dark secrets are revealed, and the marriage proves perhaps false. Can love be born based on the pretense of lies?
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2022
8 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Dolly Nightmare
7 books37 followersDolly Nightmare is a young American author who has always been fascinated with the darker side of romance. Her love for romance and everything which is macabre brings together a delicious mix of what is known as her Nightmare novels. Her work explores the romances others dare not write about. She lives with her family in a small town in rural Maine, with her many pets, consisting of a Siberian Husky, four beautiful cats, and reptiles. She is an indie author, staying true to her nature and following the nontraditional route in life. Follow Dolly and be bewitched by books which literally take your breath away and stop your heart.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 15, 2023
I liked the vibe and the aesthetic, the brutal and gore aspects of the story. I didn’t appreciate the main character, Mayme. The last 30% of the book fell short for me.
January 29, 2023
I needed a few days to process this one.
I've come to the conclusion that this is not my type of book, but it did have a nice story.
To anyone who wants to read this: please take the trigger warning seriously. I went into this read, all excited for the dark romance, thinking i could handle the bits of gore, but there was (in my opinion) more gore than romance and that was on me.
Apart from that, the book has an interesting start but the story progression at around 25% up to 50% into the book is a little slow paced, nothing much happening. At exactly 50% up to the end, the story progresses drastically.
Also, the romance between the female and male lead character did not make sense to me. I could not understand (from her point of view) why in the end she would go to such lengths for the male lead character. I just could not find the reasoning/her motivation for all her effort for him in the last part of the book (after all his actions throughout the book etc). The character development of the female lead is also nicely done, very subtle. In the first halve of the book, she was really working on my nerves with the way she behaved and her thoughtprocess behind it, but she matured thankfully.
I've come to the conclusion that this is not my type of book, but it did have a nice story.
To anyone who wants to read this: please take the trigger warning seriously. I went into this read, all excited for the dark romance, thinking i could handle the bits of gore, but there was (in my opinion) more gore than romance and that was on me.
Apart from that, the book has an interesting start but the story progression at around 25% up to 50% into the book is a little slow paced, nothing much happening. At exactly 50% up to the end, the story progresses drastically.
Also, the romance between the female and male lead character did not make sense to me. I could not understand (from her point of view) why in the end she would go to such lengths for the male lead character. I just could not find the reasoning/her motivation for all her effort for him in the last part of the book (after all his actions throughout the book etc). The character development of the female lead is also nicely done, very subtle. In the first halve of the book, she was really working on my nerves with the way she behaved and her thoughtprocess behind it, but she matured thankfully.
February 15, 2023
Read on Valentine's day. Yah me for being single! The sirens mistresss is a good dark, tragic, sexy monster romance with a satisfying ending. I am looking forward to the black tongued sirens story next. Love how the stories are interconnected. Hopefully the author does Tsvi's book, love how unforgiving he was to Mayme...perhaps he has been betrayed before. He seems like a really interesting character with a lot of potential for a book. Water Brides is a unique series so far.
October 14, 2022
This novel is certainly dark and I was not expecting it especially the end. 10/10 read, I enjoyed the world and the characters.
October 20, 2022
This book had me up late trying to figure it out. I DNF at 47% honestly that's where things really started going down hill for me. I kept trying to like Como and I did at first but he just kept making me hate him. I honestly didn't mind that he ate people just the fact that he betrays and manipulates that main female lead. I didn't really like any of the characters in the long run, I disliked Como for being a lier and betrayer, her village for all the and manipulation and cruelty and Mayme for being so forgiving and honestly dumb for not trying to understand herself and her situation better. After the 47% mark I skimmed through a bit untill the end and felt like that basically the whole thing comes full circle and basically the awful traditional is still In place or at least our main female did what was going to be done to her. What is crazy is that I'm slightly interested in book two maybe I'll give it a go if dosen't have anything to do with stupid cult like villages. Because I do think the ideas are cool, I like the siren elements and the map is intresting. The story just all came together In a way I didn't enjoy.
August 18, 2022
So I follow the authors Patreon and currently still a patron...and I just finished up this book today and it was a wild wild ride. Dark, juicy, and unforgettable.
Will I look at sirens the same again? Probably not. xD
Will I look at sirens the same again? Probably not. xD
February 27, 2024
I think the main reason I didn’t care for this book was because it wasn’t what I expected. I was hoping for a dark romance and thought I was getting that 30% in, but then things kind of shifted to a larger overall narrative with lore and world building, other characters, family drama, and other woman drama. I think I just didn’t expect this much plot? Lmao
Other things:
1. This book needed editing. Tons of grammar mistakes.
2. The world building fell pretty flat for me. I felt the more the author tried to expand the world, the more I didn’t care for it. I had trouble envisioning the initial island where the story began. Dresses, shirts, and pants are mentioned but not what they look like. People live in huts but have raised beds with mattresses and can pump sea water into the homes for domestic uses? Then the story moves beyond the island and now krakens and sea witches are essentially their own races, and half-breeds are pretty common? There’s magic and magic tech? I really had difficulty getting a grasp on the world and where they were with society and technology.
3. The romance was confusing. Was the MMC’s love for the FMC real or a result of her low-key sea witch magic? Why did the FMC love him and go to such lengths for him? Sure, his odd behavior was endearing at first but then everything else happened and I just didn’t understand her motivation for loving him other than “I know he’s not as terrible as people think he is” and that he “loves her” back? I love me a dark romance and monsters that aren’t cinnamon rolls, but it very much felt like the MMC’s love was triggered by the sea witch magic and the FMC’s love was triggered by…idk being pretty much alone? I don’t remember any inner dialogue that explained what they actually found attractive about each other, other than their looks.
4. While he eats human flesh in every other instance, she’s disgusted but then when she miscarries, she’s totally down to eat another woman’s womb so she can get pregnant again? After being a mistress herself and going through that trauma, I can’t see why her character would suddenly be down to do the same to another woman when the whole time she’s been painted to be this kind, non-violent person.
Other things:
1. This book needed editing. Tons of grammar mistakes.
2. The world building fell pretty flat for me. I felt the more the author tried to expand the world, the more I didn’t care for it. I had trouble envisioning the initial island where the story began. Dresses, shirts, and pants are mentioned but not what they look like. People live in huts but have raised beds with mattresses and can pump sea water into the homes for domestic uses? Then the story moves beyond the island and now krakens and sea witches are essentially their own races, and half-breeds are pretty common? There’s magic and magic tech? I really had difficulty getting a grasp on the world and where they were with society and technology.
3. The romance was confusing. Was the MMC’s love for the FMC real or a result of her low-key sea witch magic? Why did the FMC love him and go to such lengths for him? Sure, his odd behavior was endearing at first but then everything else happened and I just didn’t understand her motivation for loving him other than “I know he’s not as terrible as people think he is” and that he “loves her” back? I love me a dark romance and monsters that aren’t cinnamon rolls, but it very much felt like the MMC’s love was triggered by the sea witch magic and the FMC’s love was triggered by…idk being pretty much alone? I don’t remember any inner dialogue that explained what they actually found attractive about each other, other than their looks.
4. While he eats human flesh in every other instance, she’s disgusted but then when she miscarries, she’s totally down to eat another woman’s womb so she can get pregnant again? After being a mistress herself and going through that trauma, I can’t see why her character would suddenly be down to do the same to another woman when the whole time she’s been painted to be this kind, non-violent person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2023
This is a true MONSTER romance. An erotic horror novel featuring a sinister siren with ulterior motives who ends up truly falling in love with a human by the end of the novel and realizing what he has done just breaks my heart. I couldn't help but feel bad for como and mayme who were used by there own species and told what to do thus creating a unhealthy relationship from being forced together. I am happy despite everything they did receive there twisted happily ever after.
Not for the squeamish. LOTS of Gore, cannibalism, weird peen, sex scenes, violence, mind fucks, lots of mentions of infertility including the FMC, miscarriages, strange sea witches with no eyes, cult island, 5/5 Stars.
Not for the squeamish. LOTS of Gore, cannibalism, weird peen, sex scenes, violence, mind fucks, lots of mentions of infertility including the FMC, miscarriages, strange sea witches with no eyes, cult island, 5/5 Stars.
January 14, 2025
THE SIREN'S MISTRESS is a captivating dark fantasy romance that delves into the eerie realms of horror. Dolly Nightmare skillfully intertwines a haunting narrative centered around sirens revered as Gods, alongside the humans who worship them on the enigmatic Island of Gimgar. This enthralling tale earns a commendable 5.5 stars.
“Do Gods or these Sirens have a soul? Or are they only for humans…?” my favorite quote from the book.
“Do Gods or these Sirens have a soul? Or are they only for humans…?” my favorite quote from the book.
January 8, 2023
this was a great beginning to the Water Brides series, it was a great dark monster siren romance. I enjoyed the atmosphere in the novel and getting to know the characters. It had a great romance going on and it left me wanting more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 30, 2023
Be warned over triggers with this book! This has to be one of the darkest books I have read concerning monster romance books. The author makes sirens very unsettling and monstrous. The ending is the most disturbing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 25, 2025
Liked the darkness of this story, but just got so BORED...and the MC got on my last nerve.
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March 7, 2023DNF at 17%/ chapter 9
I gave this book three chances, and I don’t know if it’s the book or me. I like premise, but I wasn’t a big fan on execution. I was waiting around for the dark fantasy and horror, but at 15% in, it wasn’t really happening and the book was dragging. Another few of my concerns include the world building, the repetition, Como acting like a child, and the amount of ellipses (…).
The author is constantly trailing off… without much reason or leaving it to dramatics… and it was driving me bonkers. (… A reason why I think the DNF may be me because other people will be not be bothered… but it was killing me… slowly….)
I gave this book three chances, and I don’t know if it’s the book or me. I like premise, but I wasn’t a big fan on execution. I was waiting around for the dark fantasy and horror, but at 15% in, it wasn’t really happening and the book was dragging. Another few of my concerns include the world building, the repetition, Como acting like a child, and the amount of ellipses (…).
The author is constantly trailing off… without much reason or leaving it to dramatics… and it was driving me bonkers. (… A reason why I think the DNF may be me because other people will be not be bothered… but it was killing me… slowly….)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2025
Todo iba bien hasta que se reveló la verdad y el hdp tuvo sexo con otra en FRENTE DE ELLA Y EN SU MISMA HABITACIÓN, luego tuvo el descaro de pensar que ellas se iban a llevar bien 🙂🖐
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews