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The Tide That Binds Us
"A holographic mermaid dream come true."
Having a mermaid princess mysteriously murdered on her shores isn't how Queen Celestia envisioned her reign. With doubts about her worthiness to rule rising in her kingdom and outside her borders, she must prove herself capable as a young queen.
However, eliminating the threat to her people proves more difficult than she’d anticipated–especially when the enchanting mermaid, Aura, is thrust into her life, stirring up feelings and complicating the path to peace.
Will she be able to save her people and her crown? Or will she fail her first true test as queen?
Get swept into the romance, betrayal, and magic of Cessadia in The Tide That Binds Us.
For readers who want:
Plus size representation
Sapphic romance
Mermaids and magic
Having a mermaid princess mysteriously murdered on her shores isn't how Queen Celestia envisioned her reign. With doubts about her worthiness to rule rising in her kingdom and outside her borders, she must prove herself capable as a young queen.
However, eliminating the threat to her people proves more difficult than she’d anticipated–especially when the enchanting mermaid, Aura, is thrust into her life, stirring up feelings and complicating the path to peace.
Will she be able to save her people and her crown? Or will she fail her first true test as queen?
Get swept into the romance, betrayal, and magic of Cessadia in The Tide That Binds Us.
For readers who want:
Plus size representation
Sapphic romance
Mermaids and magic
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 27, 2022
30 people are currently reading
858 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
February 26, 2023
SAPPHIC PLUS SIZE MERMAID STORY!!! 🥹 The novella was 100 something pages so you don’t get in depth world and relationship building. This novella did OK with the limited pages. The storyline had predictable moments and it was insta love (fated) but I still throughly enjoyed the magical world we were brought into and sweet love story. I REALLY wish the author made this into a full book series because i would love to read more of this world in depth.
Edit: this isn’t for my 🌶 seeking friends! No spice!!
Edit: this isn’t for my 🌶 seeking friends! No spice!!
September 17, 2022
Mermaids? SAPPHIC MERMAIDS? I mean, I was sold right there but add in that it’s an easy read Novella with PLOT!? C’mon…. Absolutely loved it! (This is not a spicy book, but it didn’t need it!) loved loved loved
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September 19, 2022Thank you & content warnings
Thank you for taking the time to read my republished debut! This novella was originally published in the Curves & Magic anthology in early ‘22. Since readers seemed to enjoy it I decided to republish it (the only changes being an additional round of proofreading). This novella is a short and sweet political fantasy with a sapphic romance, hope you enjoy!
Before reading, here are some content warnings to consider:
Branding
Brief imprisonment
Dead bodies
Death during childbirth (referenced)
Kidnapping
Mild gore
Mild violence
Murder,
Parental death (referenced)
Poisoning
Prejudice toward mythical creatures
Thank you for taking the time to read my republished debut! This novella was originally published in the Curves & Magic anthology in early ‘22. Since readers seemed to enjoy it I decided to republish it (the only changes being an additional round of proofreading). This novella is a short and sweet political fantasy with a sapphic romance, hope you enjoy!
Before reading, here are some content warnings to consider:
Branding
Brief imprisonment
Dead bodies
Death during childbirth (referenced)
Kidnapping
Mild gore
Mild violence
Murder,
Parental death (referenced)
Poisoning
Prejudice toward mythical creatures
June 28, 2023
Sweet Sapphic
I loved the concept of this story but I struggled staying attentive. The plot may have been a little over simplified for my taste. It felt it was missing parts. I love fated mates but I prefer a little more than “I feel a pull and peace” in my romance and relationship building. I thought the magic was cool but again not enough information.
I loved the concept of this story but I struggled staying attentive. The plot may have been a little over simplified for my taste. It felt it was missing parts. I love fated mates but I prefer a little more than “I feel a pull and peace” in my romance and relationship building. I thought the magic was cool but again not enough information.
September 30, 2022
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy. This honest review was based off my experience reading this eARC, which in no way biased me. All opinions are my own.
This plot and world had a lot of potential, but I think one of the downfalls of this book is its length. This felt very much like “trying to fit a full novel in a novella sized book”, and there’s everything happens so fast, many of these things are happening concurrently. There’s not much development in the characters because of the length of time.
We get a brief back story as to how Celestia is queen, she’s half human half mermaid. Her mother died in childbirth, and although there isn’t a clear explanation of her father, one can assume he died.
The world building had a lot of potential, the magic system was interesting and I was hoping for more.
The romance felt like it heavily relied on the insta love, fated mates and there wasn’t much connection beyond the surface level and physical attraction. There wasn’t enough time for them to get to know each other.
Overall this was fine, I wish the author would have made it longer and was able to get into the back story and the “why’s”, instead of “this is happening, just because it is”.
This plot and world had a lot of potential, but I think one of the downfalls of this book is its length. This felt very much like “trying to fit a full novel in a novella sized book”, and there’s everything happens so fast, many of these things are happening concurrently. There’s not much development in the characters because of the length of time.
We get a brief back story as to how Celestia is queen, she’s half human half mermaid. Her mother died in childbirth, and although there isn’t a clear explanation of her father, one can assume he died.
The world building had a lot of potential, the magic system was interesting and I was hoping for more.
The romance felt like it heavily relied on the insta love, fated mates and there wasn’t much connection beyond the surface level and physical attraction. There wasn’t enough time for them to get to know each other.
Overall this was fine, I wish the author would have made it longer and was able to get into the back story and the “why’s”, instead of “this is happening, just because it is”.
July 25, 2023
I will never say no to cute sapphic mermaids.
This was pretty adorable and sported some of my favourite themes/tropes like soulmates & magic.
The plot was fairly fast paced and the writing style was pretty solid.
Saying that I’m never really a fan of insta love, and also I feel like this fell into the often found novella issue of poor pacing. Many parts needed fleshing out and others felt monotonous. I wanted more pages because there were gaps in the story or twists that were obvious from the get go because the reveal was coming 5 pages later.
It was a cute read and I did somewhat enjoy it but it isn’t one I would go back to.
If you love sapphic mermaids I would still recommend this as there’s so few books in the genre and I did feel that out of all I’ve read this was one of the better ones.
I just needed more pages for that kind of story depth.
Rep// plus sized sapphic MCs. Main relationship is WLW. Human x Mermaid.
Tws listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw//Cw// branding, brief imprisonment, dead bodies, death of mother during childbirth (referenced), kidnapping, mild gore, mild violence, murder, poisoning, prejudice towards mythical creatures, scene with drowning, kidnapping (of adult).
This was pretty adorable and sported some of my favourite themes/tropes like soulmates & magic.
The plot was fairly fast paced and the writing style was pretty solid.
Saying that I’m never really a fan of insta love, and also I feel like this fell into the often found novella issue of poor pacing. Many parts needed fleshing out and others felt monotonous. I wanted more pages because there were gaps in the story or twists that were obvious from the get go because the reveal was coming 5 pages later.
It was a cute read and I did somewhat enjoy it but it isn’t one I would go back to.
If you love sapphic mermaids I would still recommend this as there’s so few books in the genre and I did feel that out of all I’ve read this was one of the better ones.
I just needed more pages for that kind of story depth.
Rep// plus sized sapphic MCs. Main relationship is WLW. Human x Mermaid.
Tws listed below, please skip if you don’t want vague spoilers.
Tw//Cw// branding, brief imprisonment, dead bodies, death of mother during childbirth (referenced), kidnapping, mild gore, mild violence, murder, poisoning, prejudice towards mythical creatures, scene with drowning, kidnapping (of adult).
July 8, 2024
⭐️4 damn, i forgot how much i loved mermaids. but sapphic mermaids & plus size rep?? absolutely wonderful!! love so much
May 1, 2023
It must've been the insta love and the length of the story for me. It made it impossible to develop a relationship.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ:☆. *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
tw: body shaming, dead bodies,
↠ Genre: Fantasy
↠ Reputation: Lesbian
↠Published: September 27th 2022
↠ Pov: Third Person
↠ Type: Novella
↠ Rating: 67-
🌱☕️ ○ Milou the grumpy hobbit
─── ･ ｡ﾟ:☆. *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
tw: body shaming, dead bodies,
↠ Genre: Fantasy
↠ Reputation: Lesbian
↠Published: September 27th 2022
↠ Pov: Third Person
↠ Type: Novella
↠ Rating: 67-
🌱☕️ ○ Milou the grumpy hobbit
June 28, 2023
Quick, easy novella to read. The romance was cute and sweet although rushed- it’s a soulmate bond romance between a mermaid and a human. The plot and resolution were predictable and cliché but it makes sense for it being a novella. Refreshing and quick and endearing.
March 30, 2025
"The Tide that Binds Us" is a great fantasy novella! This novella has mermaids, sapphic romance, a plus size lead, and a mystery. I really enjoyed the romance between our Queen Celestia and mermaid Aurora, it was very soft and sweet, a fated mates story. There is a murder to solve, and it is quite predictable, I think anyone could have guessed right away who did it. Honestly, I would love to explore this world more, if the author ever decides to create a universe within this kingdom, I's totally read it.
September 27, 2022
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! The detail was phenomenal I felt like I was there! I loved the Sapphic plus sized MC so much!! I felt represented in this even though I don't have powers ;) Please run and don't walk and grab this book for yourself!! Today 09/27 is the Official re-release and I will most definitely be buying the paperback to have on my shelf!!
November 20, 2022
One hand I wanted it to be longer and on the other it was just long enough.
I love mermaids and of course I'm all in for a saphic love story but it felt a bit flat for me.
I love mermaids and of course I'm all in for a saphic love story but it felt a bit flat for me.
March 1, 2023
Cute story and fast read
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April 12, 2023Quick, aesthetic sapphic (plus sized) mermaids! Vibes galore.
September 19, 2022
This was such a cute sapphic romance! A great amount of mystery and intrigue with a sweet storyline. And mermaids! A fun and short read.
April 8, 2023
This was a great book. My biggest issue was I wanted more. It was almost too short. But it was a perfect length to bring on vacation. This was also a first for this author I believe and I am really excited to read more from her.
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June 15, 2023DNF’d at 55%
I wanted to love this one so much. The premise is great. I wish it had been written into a full novel. The story and characters have so much potential to tell a really good story. Unfortunately it’s stuck in a time restraint, there’s a lot of telling instead of showing. I can’t visualize anything because the time wasn’t taken to flesh out the details. The insta love made no sense, there was a painful? shock that somehow made them attracted to each other but of course it was a siren song but maybe not but now it’s a comforting spark? And with so reasoning it literally happened like that. A trusted advisor is suddenly suspicious and banned without much explanation. It was obvious, but still would have been so much better to have a shock factor with a longer plot.
I like the author, the writing, the idea here. The execution just didn’t do it for me.
I wanted to love this one so much. The premise is great. I wish it had been written into a full novel. The story and characters have so much potential to tell a really good story. Unfortunately it’s stuck in a time restraint, there’s a lot of telling instead of showing. I can’t visualize anything because the time wasn’t taken to flesh out the details. The insta love made no sense, there was a painful? shock that somehow made them attracted to each other but of course it was a siren song but maybe not but now it’s a comforting spark? And with so reasoning it literally happened like that. A trusted advisor is suddenly suspicious and banned without much explanation. It was obvious, but still would have been so much better to have a shock factor with a longer plot.
I like the author, the writing, the idea here. The execution just didn’t do it for me.
Read
August 5, 2023sapphic, magic, and mermaids? i will be reading. considering it’s a novella, it was fast paced which i do enjoy. i think i would’ve loved this if it was a full on novel and everything was just more stretched out. it was sweet and cute and i definitely need to read more sapphic mermaid books
September 23, 2022
- Sapphic Mermaids
- Strong Women in Power
- Political Intrique
- Fat, Bi MC
- Water Magic
Celestia has recently inherited the throne. When a mermaid is killed on her shores, she finds herself fighting to protect her people and maintain her power from those who doubt her.
I loved this novella! Celestia is a character I absolutely loved and a very strong lead. She always stands her ground for what's right and doesn't take shit from men who talk down to her or the people who doubt her. She’s commanding and assertive, despite her underlying doubts and feelings of inadequacy. She's rightfully frustrated from constantly being dismissed and talked over, but she always finds a way to turn that in her favor and show everyone the queen she is. She's an empathetic and righteous queen who won't stand to see her people suffer.
I didn’t expect to be so invested in the politics, especially in the first half. This was the book's largest strength. The politics were intricate and tricky to navigate, and they were really well thought out. There was quite a complicated and nuanced plot line of a longstanding and tense racial conflict between mermaids and humans, beside a women vs. the patriarchy conflict within the Queen's inner circle. I was thoroughly rooting for Celestia the whole way through and there wasn't a dull moment in the politics.
I also thoroughly hated both Tolero and Maksim (especially Tolero, who talked down to Celestia the whole book and deserved everything that came to him). Besides a lot of antagonistic men, Celestia had several supportive women in her circle to support her, including Leani, though I really wish Leani had more page time to further establish her friendship with Celestia and her existing more as a character.
The romance was cute and endearing, but rushed and cliche. Aura was introduced as part of the political conflict. I liked her and her romance with Celestia, especially at first. But Aura isn't much of a character and I wish she got more development. I don't feel like I know enough about her and I wanted more scenes of them together. Sometimes the romance felt a bit tacked on and superficial, even if it was rather sweet. I did love the ending, even if it maybe muddled the messaging a little and was very underdeveloped. It made me really happy as a queer person.
This is one of the weaknesses of the book. It was originally part of anthology, and it's really clear that it was. There are so many things I wish were more developed and expanded upon. The world was very interesting and nuanced, but lacking sometimes in detail. There were several things I wanted to know more about (including an additional character added a bit last-minute in the final act). The romance was sweet and I really liked the messaging, but that messaging and character development was muddied by the book's pace in the second half. The politics in the first half were perfect, but the resolution of the book was very rushed and cliche for my liking. I was honestly really hoping the plot would be resolved via politics, rather than magic. I wish Celestia got the final satisfaction of outsmarting Maksim at his political games (I mean, she sort of did, but in a rather contrived and cliche way). Celestia was a perfect character and I love her characterization.
Despite some minor complaints, I loved this novella! You'll especially love it if you love strong women in power. Celestia's powerful, someone to look up to, and fully deserves her rule, but she'll still likely be relatable to many readers. I sped through this novella in a day. It's thoroughly investigating and there's some great positive rep too (fat, bi woman in power who asserts her worth and power), alongside its political intricacies. The romance is sweet and straightforward, a bit bittersweet, but ultimately happy.
It's not perfect, but it's an enjoyable, quick read.
- Strong Women in Power
- Political Intrique
- Fat, Bi MC
- Water Magic
Celestia has recently inherited the throne. When a mermaid is killed on her shores, she finds herself fighting to protect her people and maintain her power from those who doubt her.
I loved this novella! Celestia is a character I absolutely loved and a very strong lead. She always stands her ground for what's right and doesn't take shit from men who talk down to her or the people who doubt her. She’s commanding and assertive, despite her underlying doubts and feelings of inadequacy. She's rightfully frustrated from constantly being dismissed and talked over, but she always finds a way to turn that in her favor and show everyone the queen she is. She's an empathetic and righteous queen who won't stand to see her people suffer.
I didn’t expect to be so invested in the politics, especially in the first half. This was the book's largest strength. The politics were intricate and tricky to navigate, and they were really well thought out. There was quite a complicated and nuanced plot line of a longstanding and tense racial conflict between mermaids and humans, beside a women vs. the patriarchy conflict within the Queen's inner circle. I was thoroughly rooting for Celestia the whole way through and there wasn't a dull moment in the politics.
I also thoroughly hated both Tolero and Maksim (especially Tolero, who talked down to Celestia the whole book and deserved everything that came to him). Besides a lot of antagonistic men, Celestia had several supportive women in her circle to support her, including Leani, though I really wish Leani had more page time to further establish her friendship with Celestia and her existing more as a character.
The romance was cute and endearing, but rushed and cliche. Aura was introduced as part of the political conflict. I liked her and her romance with Celestia, especially at first. But Aura isn't much of a character and I wish she got more development. I don't feel like I know enough about her and I wanted more scenes of them together. Sometimes the romance felt a bit tacked on and superficial, even if it was rather sweet. I did love the ending, even if it maybe muddled the messaging a little and was very underdeveloped. It made me really happy as a queer person.
This is one of the weaknesses of the book. It was originally part of anthology, and it's really clear that it was. There are so many things I wish were more developed and expanded upon. The world was very interesting and nuanced, but lacking sometimes in detail. There were several things I wanted to know more about (including an additional character added a bit last-minute in the final act). The romance was sweet and I really liked the messaging, but that messaging and character development was muddied by the book's pace in the second half. The politics in the first half were perfect, but the resolution of the book was very rushed and cliche for my liking. I was honestly really hoping the plot would be resolved via politics, rather than magic. I wish Celestia got the final satisfaction of outsmarting Maksim at his political games (I mean, she sort of did, but in a rather contrived and cliche way). Celestia was a perfect character and I love her characterization.
Despite some minor complaints, I loved this novella! You'll especially love it if you love strong women in power. Celestia's powerful, someone to look up to, and fully deserves her rule, but she'll still likely be relatable to many readers. I sped through this novella in a day. It's thoroughly investigating and there's some great positive rep too (fat, bi woman in power who asserts her worth and power), alongside its political intricacies. The romance is sweet and straightforward, a bit bittersweet, but ultimately happy.
It's not perfect, but it's an enjoyable, quick read.
September 14, 2022
I received an ARC of The Tide That Binds Us, and I rated it 3 stars.
With under 2 hours of reading time, the story simply moves too fast. While the plot has good potential, there’s very little detail, and no depth. Not only do scenes happen very quickly and we jump from one plot point to the next, the romance is also rushed, to the point where the reader is informed of the romance when the main character, Celestia, tells the love interest, Aura, “I feel it too, this undeniable pull between us.” The author neither described that pull to the reader, nor did Aura say she felt anything. Celestia seemingly said this out of the blue and we are meant to accept it as fact. I was disappointed in how little depth their romance was given.
Additionally, the writing relied solely on telling the reader exactly what the author wanted us to know/feel, instead of leading us to it contextually. For example in chapter 3, when Celestia remembers something from her past, the author writes “the barren landscape around them disappeared and she was transported into the grand ballroom back home.” This reads like a movie script, directing the editing team to fade the background of the scene, and not like a novel. Using italics and context to have the reader slip back in time with the main character would have been much more effective. The book could have also benefited from the use of metaphors, or time spent with the characters figuring out their own feelings, or other in depth writing techniques to help lead the readers on a journey instead of being told what to feel. It read like a textbook though it was fiction, and the writing felt amateurish, overall.
Now onto the good stuff. The world building was surprisingly good in the short book, and the story itself has a lot of potential. The main character Celestia had some depth, and intrigued me quite a bit. I like that she was an imperfect and somewhat unprepared ruler, and I would love to see more of her internal struggle with commanding power while also requiring help and guidance. The plot is one I would love to see expanded upon with more detail and improved writing, and for this reason I’m giving a slightly higher rating of 3 stars because I believe it could be something cool if the author revisited it.
With under 2 hours of reading time, the story simply moves too fast. While the plot has good potential, there’s very little detail, and no depth. Not only do scenes happen very quickly and we jump from one plot point to the next, the romance is also rushed, to the point where the reader is informed of the romance when the main character, Celestia, tells the love interest, Aura, “I feel it too, this undeniable pull between us.” The author neither described that pull to the reader, nor did Aura say she felt anything. Celestia seemingly said this out of the blue and we are meant to accept it as fact. I was disappointed in how little depth their romance was given.
Additionally, the writing relied solely on telling the reader exactly what the author wanted us to know/feel, instead of leading us to it contextually. For example in chapter 3, when Celestia remembers something from her past, the author writes “the barren landscape around them disappeared and she was transported into the grand ballroom back home.” This reads like a movie script, directing the editing team to fade the background of the scene, and not like a novel. Using italics and context to have the reader slip back in time with the main character would have been much more effective. The book could have also benefited from the use of metaphors, or time spent with the characters figuring out their own feelings, or other in depth writing techniques to help lead the readers on a journey instead of being told what to feel. It read like a textbook though it was fiction, and the writing felt amateurish, overall.
Now onto the good stuff. The world building was surprisingly good in the short book, and the story itself has a lot of potential. The main character Celestia had some depth, and intrigued me quite a bit. I like that she was an imperfect and somewhat unprepared ruler, and I would love to see more of her internal struggle with commanding power while also requiring help and guidance. The plot is one I would love to see expanded upon with more detail and improved writing, and for this reason I’m giving a slightly higher rating of 3 stars because I believe it could be something cool if the author revisited it.
October 18, 2022
A lovely short read 💗
This story was a fantastic telling of Queen Celestia and her struggles to protect her kingdom and its people, while also dealing with her feelings for a captured mermaid by the name of Aura.
While there are many things I absolutely ADORED in this story, there was one thing I was a bit disappointed with and that was Aura's character. While Aura seemed very sweet and genuine, and I truly wanted to like her, I personally felt she lacked as a character overall. Understandably while the story is short, I felt as if Aura existed to be a love interest and only that. In my opinion as the reader, I didn't know much about her aside from her name and the fact she was a mermaid making her feel very robotic. I felt like the interactions between she and Celestia we're also rushed so it was really hard to feel the spark between the couple until the very end. Every interaction leading up the the ending felt very touch and go, and again I understand it is a relatively short story however, a few extra pages of interaction and getting to know Aura would've been a nice addition.
That being said there were also many things that I really did enjoy about this novella starting with the MC Celestia. Her fiery spirit while also maintaining a gentle and attentive nature when dealing with those she loved and cared about made her a well likeable character. She spoke and acted with authority when needed, showing those who doubted her time and time again she was fit to be queen. One of those people who questioned her intentions was her aunt Meridia, whom I also liked as a character. Although each time she appeared it was to criticize Celestia, I felt as if that highlighted Celestia's strengths when encountering her aunt. In the end Meridia sees Celestia as the queen she is and comes to trust and accept her. The start and ending of the story were also nicely done, the start really drew the reader in and the end left the reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling, at least it did with me.
Overall I would certainly recommend this story to those who enjoy mermaids, and LGBTQ friendly content.
This story was a fantastic telling of Queen Celestia and her struggles to protect her kingdom and its people, while also dealing with her feelings for a captured mermaid by the name of Aura.
While there are many things I absolutely ADORED in this story, there was one thing I was a bit disappointed with and that was Aura's character. While Aura seemed very sweet and genuine, and I truly wanted to like her, I personally felt she lacked as a character overall. Understandably while the story is short, I felt as if Aura existed to be a love interest and only that. In my opinion as the reader, I didn't know much about her aside from her name and the fact she was a mermaid making her feel very robotic. I felt like the interactions between she and Celestia we're also rushed so it was really hard to feel the spark between the couple until the very end. Every interaction leading up the the ending felt very touch and go, and again I understand it is a relatively short story however, a few extra pages of interaction and getting to know Aura would've been a nice addition.
That being said there were also many things that I really did enjoy about this novella starting with the MC Celestia. Her fiery spirit while also maintaining a gentle and attentive nature when dealing with those she loved and cared about made her a well likeable character. She spoke and acted with authority when needed, showing those who doubted her time and time again she was fit to be queen. One of those people who questioned her intentions was her aunt Meridia, whom I also liked as a character. Although each time she appeared it was to criticize Celestia, I felt as if that highlighted Celestia's strengths when encountering her aunt. In the end Meridia sees Celestia as the queen she is and comes to trust and accept her. The start and ending of the story were also nicely done, the start really drew the reader in and the end left the reader with a warm and fuzzy feeling, at least it did with me.
Overall I would certainly recommend this story to those who enjoy mermaids, and LGBTQ friendly content.
September 14, 2022
STARS: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.✨
“To daring to dream.”
“To forever.”
I requested this ARC as I felt that Maness’s debut Vengeance Becomes Her, despite having an array of issues, held a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I felt The Tides that Bind Us was plagued with similar problems. However, there is a wholesome F/F mermaid romance with light fantasy world building and plus sized rep that will draw in fans of her works and those looking for a short, wholesome romance read.
My main gripe is the matter-of-fact and plainly worded writing style, with far more telling than showing. I feel like it lacks imagination and would benefit from some metaphors or similes to change things up. And I’m a gay as heck feminist, but I do take issue with the one-dimensional men represented in this book. They’re very superficially villainous and misogynistic, with both antagonists practically the same character with the same motives.
However, this novella has a lot of wonderful things to offer beyond the above points!! I found this much better paced and edited than VBH! Albeit short, the story is easy to follow and makes sense. It’s not too deep, with very light fantasy elements that are easily digestible.
Celestia is a wholesome protagonist and just queen finding her feet in a patriarchal world. Her dedication to what is right is endearing and congruent with her backstory of living between the land and sea. Aura is a sweet and adorable love-interest that, whilst not explored greatly in the short story, complements Celestia well. Their romance is saccharine and swoon-worthy! Coupled with the beautiful holographic aesthetic, as well as the plus-sized and queer rep, The Tides that Bind Us offers magical, pleasant experience.
Easily digestible and a vast improvement from her debut, Maness provides a short but sweet novella brimming with representation and magic. The perfect length for a heart-warming romance, The Tides that Bind Us is a great, quick read!
“To daring to dream.”
“To forever.”
I requested this ARC as I felt that Maness’s debut Vengeance Becomes Her, despite having an array of issues, held a lot of potential. Unfortunately, I felt The Tides that Bind Us was plagued with similar problems. However, there is a wholesome F/F mermaid romance with light fantasy world building and plus sized rep that will draw in fans of her works and those looking for a short, wholesome romance read.
My main gripe is the matter-of-fact and plainly worded writing style, with far more telling than showing. I feel like it lacks imagination and would benefit from some metaphors or similes to change things up. And I’m a gay as heck feminist, but I do take issue with the one-dimensional men represented in this book. They’re very superficially villainous and misogynistic, with both antagonists practically the same character with the same motives.
However, this novella has a lot of wonderful things to offer beyond the above points!! I found this much better paced and edited than VBH! Albeit short, the story is easy to follow and makes sense. It’s not too deep, with very light fantasy elements that are easily digestible.
Celestia is a wholesome protagonist and just queen finding her feet in a patriarchal world. Her dedication to what is right is endearing and congruent with her backstory of living between the land and sea. Aura is a sweet and adorable love-interest that, whilst not explored greatly in the short story, complements Celestia well. Their romance is saccharine and swoon-worthy! Coupled with the beautiful holographic aesthetic, as well as the plus-sized and queer rep, The Tides that Bind Us offers magical, pleasant experience.
Easily digestible and a vast improvement from her debut, Maness provides a short but sweet novella brimming with representation and magic. The perfect length for a heart-warming romance, The Tides that Bind Us is a great, quick read!
September 27, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Tropes: Sapphic Romance, Plus Size MC, Bisexual Rep, Mermaids, Political Intrigue, Mystery, Trigger—Betrayal, Trigger—Death, Ends in an HEA.
•
This is not a book I would normally pick up. However, I'm grateful I did. It is such a beautiful story & so phenomenally written. It was also such a refreshing change of pace. Reading primarily dark romance has a tendency to leave me abandoned in the dark parts of my mind. It's stories like this that help me recover. It was like getting a boost of oxygen in Aspen, or a vitamin drip after a weekend of going too hard.
Celestia is half mermaid & half human. She's a young Queen, ascending to the throne after her father passes. She doesn't appear to belong in the human realm or the merpeople's realm. She's a hybrid who seems to constantly be fighting for respect & never completely sure who to trust—sans a select few.
I absolutely loved Celestia. Because a lot of her struggle was relatable. The dedication of the book goes...
"𝓣𝓸 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓾𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓽 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭, 𝓘 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓺𝓾𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓹𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓪𝔀𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾."
Celestia has been othered, a feeling I'm certain a lot of us have felt. She tries so damn hard to keep herself together while doing the absolute best for her ppl. More feelings we know. I felt so much for her. Every weary bone in her body, the tension in her muscles, the way her entire being seemed to swoop for Aura, the Heartache of her first love and his abandonment—I felt all of it.
I knew going in this wasn't a romance with spice. I was not expecting such an emotional read beyond the mystery and action. Even when it felt like everything was going against her—and Aura—all I could do was hope for them.
I was completely and emotionally invested in this story. I was fascinated and consumed from the very first line. If you need something sweet that wraps up in an absolutely perfect HEA. You may enjoy this. 🖤
Tropes: Sapphic Romance, Plus Size MC, Bisexual Rep, Mermaids, Political Intrigue, Mystery, Trigger—Betrayal, Trigger—Death, Ends in an HEA.
•
This is not a book I would normally pick up. However, I'm grateful I did. It is such a beautiful story & so phenomenally written. It was also such a refreshing change of pace. Reading primarily dark romance has a tendency to leave me abandoned in the dark parts of my mind. It's stories like this that help me recover. It was like getting a boost of oxygen in Aspen, or a vitamin drip after a weekend of going too hard.
Celestia is half mermaid & half human. She's a young Queen, ascending to the throne after her father passes. She doesn't appear to belong in the human realm or the merpeople's realm. She's a hybrid who seems to constantly be fighting for respect & never completely sure who to trust—sans a select few.
I absolutely loved Celestia. Because a lot of her struggle was relatable. The dedication of the book goes...
"𝓣𝓸 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓸𝓯 𝓾𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓮𝓵𝓽 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭, 𝓘 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝓮𝓶𝓫𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓺𝓾𝓮 𝓪𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓘 𝓬𝓪𝓷 𝓪𝓼𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓹𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂 𝓸𝓯 𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓪𝔀𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾."
Celestia has been othered, a feeling I'm certain a lot of us have felt. She tries so damn hard to keep herself together while doing the absolute best for her ppl. More feelings we know. I felt so much for her. Every weary bone in her body, the tension in her muscles, the way her entire being seemed to swoop for Aura, the Heartache of her first love and his abandonment—I felt all of it.
I knew going in this wasn't a romance with spice. I was not expecting such an emotional read beyond the mystery and action. Even when it felt like everything was going against her—and Aura—all I could do was hope for them.
I was completely and emotionally invested in this story. I was fascinated and consumed from the very first line. If you need something sweet that wraps up in an absolutely perfect HEA. You may enjoy this. 🖤
September 12, 2022
The Tide that Binds Us is a fast whirl wind romance between a strong Queen and a captive mermaid.
Upon learning that a mermaid princess was murdered on her shores, Queen Celestia is determined to get to find out who did it and bring swift justice. As she confronts a potential suspect, she is suddenly cornered into making a risky alliance in order to save the captive mermaid named Aura. As Celestia digs deeper to find out who betrayed her, the more her thoughts of Aura consume her. With the killer on the loose, will they be able to prevent another victim? Will Celestia make sense of her time with Aura before it's too late?
I love how fast this story played out, I read it in one sitting, it gets to the point and does not beat around the bush. I believe it is around 126 pages total.
It took me a few chapters to get used to how quick The Tide that Binds Us moved but also greatly appreciated the pacing.
This is great for anyone who:
- loves all things mermaids and queens
-loves strong women who rule the land equally as much as men
-Has a short attention span
- magic
- not overly complicated stories and characters
Even though this was a fast read the world building was strong and on point, nothing was condensed. Queen Celestia having a big ole trident and the strength to use it was exciting, I would have loved to have seen Aura in action a bit more.
There is an unsuspecting ally that opens up towards the end and that was a fun touch.
Overall, this was a really good author debut and I give it four stars out of five. Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read the arc !
Upon learning that a mermaid princess was murdered on her shores, Queen Celestia is determined to get to find out who did it and bring swift justice. As she confronts a potential suspect, she is suddenly cornered into making a risky alliance in order to save the captive mermaid named Aura. As Celestia digs deeper to find out who betrayed her, the more her thoughts of Aura consume her. With the killer on the loose, will they be able to prevent another victim? Will Celestia make sense of her time with Aura before it's too late?
I love how fast this story played out, I read it in one sitting, it gets to the point and does not beat around the bush. I believe it is around 126 pages total.
It took me a few chapters to get used to how quick The Tide that Binds Us moved but also greatly appreciated the pacing.
This is great for anyone who:
- loves all things mermaids and queens
-loves strong women who rule the land equally as much as men
-Has a short attention span
- magic
- not overly complicated stories and characters
Even though this was a fast read the world building was strong and on point, nothing was condensed. Queen Celestia having a big ole trident and the strength to use it was exciting, I would have loved to have seen Aura in action a bit more.
There is an unsuspecting ally that opens up towards the end and that was a fun touch.
Overall, this was a really good author debut and I give it four stars out of five. Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read the arc !
August 29, 2023
The Tide That Binds Us is a sweet sapphic romance between a mermaid and a full-figured half-mermaid queen. I was immediately hooked by the concept of this story, and I love that the author seems determined to write empowering fat queer female characters (which we definitely need more of in fantasy!). Unfortunately, though, this novella just didn't work for me. Many of its characters felt inconsistent, and the plot progressed more because of convenient happenings than from any influence of the characters' actions. The romance was at best unbelievable and at worst repulsive, and the main love interest failed to show any personality. The world and magic of this story, though interesting, were not shown to their full potential. Even as someone who writes primarily short fiction myself, I have to agree with other reviews that this story would have benefited from more space to fill in its characters, showcase its world, and develop its plot. This seems to be the first published piece from the author, and I can see a lot of room for improvement, so even though I didn't enjoy this novella, I'll still be looking forward to future works from her because I love her ideas and themes of badassery and empowerment.
December 5, 2022
A perfect little reread with my book gf, Celestia 😍🧜🏽♀️
Y’all I read this novella as part of the Curves & Magic anthology and had to get a physical copy of my own 🥲
We follow half-human, half-mermaid Celestia, a newly anointed queen, as she navigates ruling her kingdom, solving a murder, and mending the distrust between the land and sea. The weight of her role intensifies when a captivating mermaid called Aura is taken prisoner by a neighboring ruler (and absolute butthole).
I loved the inner kingdom politics of this story. Alexis does a great job of looping you into the investigations and adhering to the many regulations of diplomacy, while building a tense and loving romance between two characters.
Celestia is an especially swoon worth lead, curving moments of self doubt with strength, and sweeping Aura off her tail (hah). Their romance is so so sweet, and while it is not explicit, there are def some heated moments!! The antagonists of this story also had me clenching my teeth, and I applaud Alexis for writing villains whose heads I want to microwave.
You can still order this copy on Alexis’s website so be sure to check it out!! 🔱
Y’all I read this novella as part of the Curves & Magic anthology and had to get a physical copy of my own 🥲
We follow half-human, half-mermaid Celestia, a newly anointed queen, as she navigates ruling her kingdom, solving a murder, and mending the distrust between the land and sea. The weight of her role intensifies when a captivating mermaid called Aura is taken prisoner by a neighboring ruler (and absolute butthole).
I loved the inner kingdom politics of this story. Alexis does a great job of looping you into the investigations and adhering to the many regulations of diplomacy, while building a tense and loving romance between two characters.
Celestia is an especially swoon worth lead, curving moments of self doubt with strength, and sweeping Aura off her tail (hah). Their romance is so so sweet, and while it is not explicit, there are def some heated moments!! The antagonists of this story also had me clenching my teeth, and I applaud Alexis for writing villains whose heads I want to microwave.
You can still order this copy on Alexis’s website so be sure to check it out!! 🔱
March 18, 2023
Loved the Mermaid Vibes, But Not a Compelling Plot
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4!
I loved the concept and world of the story--a sapphic fantasy with queens, political intrigue, and mermaids. The author did a great job establishing Celestia as an other in both sides of her heritage, both human and mermaid (and with this being a queer novella, something I think many of us can relate to.) The mermaid/ocean focused elements of the world were also well-done, and anyone who loved mermaids as a kid (or still loves mermaids) would love that.
Where this novella fell short for me, was the plot development. I felt like the conflict in the story was too easy, with too much "tell" and not enough "show." I had high hopes for Celestia and Aura's romance (I'm always on the hunt for sapphic books!) but I didn't find it compelling, or fully developed. (Which, I recognize may be because of the novella length of the book).
All in all, if you're looking for a fast, easy read, that makes you want to be a mermaid queen, then this is a good one. I enjoyed the story, but didn't get invested in the characters or their struggles the way I hoped (however, that may not be the case for you!)
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4!
I loved the concept and world of the story--a sapphic fantasy with queens, political intrigue, and mermaids. The author did a great job establishing Celestia as an other in both sides of her heritage, both human and mermaid (and with this being a queer novella, something I think many of us can relate to.) The mermaid/ocean focused elements of the world were also well-done, and anyone who loved mermaids as a kid (or still loves mermaids) would love that.
Where this novella fell short for me, was the plot development. I felt like the conflict in the story was too easy, with too much "tell" and not enough "show." I had high hopes for Celestia and Aura's romance (I'm always on the hunt for sapphic books!) but I didn't find it compelling, or fully developed. (Which, I recognize may be because of the novella length of the book).
All in all, if you're looking for a fast, easy read, that makes you want to be a mermaid queen, then this is a good one. I enjoyed the story, but didn't get invested in the characters or their struggles the way I hoped (however, that may not be the case for you!)
September 27, 2022
First thing I have to say is the writing was absolutely beautiful. The word choices made me immediately smile. I love a good fantasy tale especially a romance but this book had it all. It gave me the warm and fuzzies and also made me ready to battle cry. The fat and queer representation alone made my bisexual heart flutter. I really appreciated the way the love story was set up it felt like I was falling in love with them. I honestly can't recommend this book enough it has everything I could want in a comfort read. It is so hard to find a story where I can invision myself as the MC but I had no trouble imagining myself in the ball gowns that would fit my body type or picturing I had glowing iridescent skin and scales. I literally finished this book in one sitting with a cup of calming tea. The main characters are well constructed, have such distinctive voices, and bring so much to the story as a whole. Of course I was rooting for the HEA, but I was living for the conflict as well. Alexis C Manes does it again another flawless portrayal of love.
December 28, 2022
I was very fortunate to get my hands on an ARC copy of The Tide That Binds Us, a short story about the best kind of sapphic love; mermaids 🥰💙🧜♀️
🌿Spoiler-Free Review🌿
Magic, mermaids, drama and forbidden love destined to be together. I'm a sucker for it. Swept up in amongst the political drama involving a neighboring kingdoms and their rulers after a tragedy hits Queen Celestia's shores, she has to find a way to get justice without starting a war. Only along the way, she meets the fearful Aura, a mermaid.
Let me just say I ADORE Celestia and Aura. I'm always a sucker for a soulmate bond and the was Alexis has written how mermaid soulmates work had me kicking my feet and gushing all happy-like.
Another aspect is I LOVE the author's insistence on plus size women MCs in her books. This is my first time reading about someone with MY body type and Celestia is a gorgeous creature. It made me feel good about myself too, in a sense I'm not entirely familiar with because I've never seen it before. My heart is filled with nothing but love for this!
🌿Spoiler-Free Review🌿
Magic, mermaids, drama and forbidden love destined to be together. I'm a sucker for it. Swept up in amongst the political drama involving a neighboring kingdoms and their rulers after a tragedy hits Queen Celestia's shores, she has to find a way to get justice without starting a war. Only along the way, she meets the fearful Aura, a mermaid.
Let me just say I ADORE Celestia and Aura. I'm always a sucker for a soulmate bond and the was Alexis has written how mermaid soulmates work had me kicking my feet and gushing all happy-like.
Another aspect is I LOVE the author's insistence on plus size women MCs in her books. This is my first time reading about someone with MY body type and Celestia is a gorgeous creature. It made me feel good about myself too, in a sense I'm not entirely familiar with because I've never seen it before. My heart is filled with nothing but love for this!
August 3, 2023
This had the potential to be a great read, but it was let down by the length.
I really enjoyed the concept of the book, and the worldbuilding was fun. The magic system was also very fascinating, and had a lot of promise.
However, as a novella, this book doesn't work. There's a lot happening in a very short space, and it's obvious. There's no time for any build-up, and there's a lot of tell don't show happening with the writeup. Additionally, the mystery is pretty obvious from the beginning.
I liked the romance between Aura and Celestia - it was cute - but it was also very obviously insta love, something that doesn't work for me. Plus, there's a section at the end where they talk about it "only having been a few weeks" which left me surprised - I was pretty unaware of the passing of time, and if you told me the book took place over the course of a couple of days rather than a couple of weeks, I would have believed you.
Some stories are meant to be novellas and work in shorter length. Unfortunately, despite its promise, this wasn't one of them. 2.25/5 stars for me.
I really enjoyed the concept of the book, and the worldbuilding was fun. The magic system was also very fascinating, and had a lot of promise.
However, as a novella, this book doesn't work. There's a lot happening in a very short space, and it's obvious. There's no time for any build-up, and there's a lot of tell don't show happening with the writeup. Additionally, the mystery is pretty obvious from the beginning.
I liked the romance between Aura and Celestia - it was cute - but it was also very obviously insta love, something that doesn't work for me. Plus, there's a section at the end where they talk about it "only having been a few weeks" which left me surprised - I was pretty unaware of the passing of time, and if you told me the book took place over the course of a couple of days rather than a couple of weeks, I would have believed you.
Some stories are meant to be novellas and work in shorter length. Unfortunately, despite its promise, this wasn't one of them. 2.25/5 stars for me.
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