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Nightingale & Courtney #1
Leeward
For whatever we lose, it is our self we find in the sea.
1800. HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. But a grand victory at the Battle of the Nile comes at a devastating cost. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.
However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web. Nightingale finds himself in the middle of a network of secrets that will affect everyone onboard the Scylla. He has to battle against the perils of the war-torn seas, a crew who he fears does not accept him, and meddling, powerful figures from the past.
And in the centre of all this, his new lieutenant, the popular Arthur Courtney, stirs up long repressed feelings. On his journey, Nightingale must confront his own demons. For it seems, during his dangerous adventure, Nightingale's greatest enemy might be himself.
A deeply poignant tale of naval warfare, political intrigue and a love that stands tall in an unaccepting world.
1800. HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. But a grand victory at the Battle of the Nile comes at a devastating cost. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.
However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web. Nightingale finds himself in the middle of a network of secrets that will affect everyone onboard the Scylla. He has to battle against the perils of the war-torn seas, a crew who he fears does not accept him, and meddling, powerful figures from the past.
And in the centre of all this, his new lieutenant, the popular Arthur Courtney, stirs up long repressed feelings. On his journey, Nightingale must confront his own demons. For it seems, during his dangerous adventure, Nightingale's greatest enemy might be himself.
A deeply poignant tale of naval warfare, political intrigue and a love that stands tall in an unaccepting world.
440 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 11, 2023
78 people are currently reading
1310 people want to read
About the author
Katie Daysh
3 books118 followersKatie Daysh is an author of historical fiction. Her books explore the voices of queer characters in spaces where they are often underrepresented. The sea is a central theme in her stories. She is the author of the Nightingale/Courtney queer naval adventure series: Leeward, longlisted for the HWA Debut Awards 2024, The Devil to Pay, overall winner of the Isle of Wight Book Awards 2025, and A Merciful Sea, named as part of The Times' Best Historical Fiction 2025.
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January 16, 2026Source of book: NG
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
***
Oh fuck me, I got this off NG and it took me so long to review it that two more books in the series have subsequently come out. I really need to get my act together. Like. That is a hard yikes.
In any case, I liked this quite a bit. It’s a well-paced, thoughtful naval romp (if the words ‘thoughtful’ and ‘romp’ do not seem to contradict each other - more on the thoughtful later) in the style of Aubrey–Maturin or Horatio Hornblower books but with the added advantage of being, y’know, actually gay. Rather than you having to yearningly imagine the gayness from your teenage bedroom. Or maybe that was just me.
Well, me and this author, and presumably large swathes of Ao3, but I haven’t checked.
The plot here concerns Captain Hiram Nightingale. Having lost the man he loved (but never declared himself to) as well as suffering several physical injuries at the Battle of the Nile, his recovery in London comes to an end when strings are pulled to find him a post in Caribbean. On arrival, however, he discovers he has been re-assigned as captain of the HMS Scylla. His mission: track down the Ulysses, an English ship that has recently mutinied. Needless to say the mission in question soon becomes a lot more complicated than it seems, embroiling Nightingale not only in a web of political intrigue, but stirring old traumas about who is and his place in the world, as well as opening his mind (and heart) to new possibilities, especially as regards his first mate, Lt Arthur Courtney.
As I said above, there’s a lot to like about this book. I’m no history buff, nor would I ever position myself as such, but to me the historical detail seemed spot on. The author’s love of the setting really shines through, while never crossing the line into lecturing or exposition. The action sequences--which span storms, pursuits, ship to ship gun battles, and plenty of good old fashioned punching and stabbing--are sincerely top-notch, as is the general picture presented of life on board ship. Where, for me, the book stumbled a little was when it came to its characters’ emotional journeys. Which, in some ways, is almost fitting, as I don’t recall either the Hornblower or Aubrey-Maturin books being super deft when it came to psychological interiority either.
That said, I do feel Leeward has greater ambitions in that regard than either Hornblower or Aubrey-Maturin, and therefore its relative lack of sophistication when it comes to exploring these topics ironically stands out more. Like, there are themes going on in up here (Nightingale’s ship is called the Scylla, and he is in pursuit of the Ulysses, and he is on his own journey of recovery a homecoming to selfhood if you will, ahhhhh d’you see) and I did appreciate them being there. But a lot of Nightingale’s trauma recovery arc basically boils down to the book telling you directly what his trauma is and then the book telling you about him coming to terms with it:
I mean, like. Yeah? I know? I’ve been here with you, this whole book.
And please don’t read too much into this criticism. I’m not saying the book is bad; I’m just saying that, to me, Leeward has relatively complex emotional themes it wants to explore, and doesn’t always succeed--to me--in exploring them except by the most direct possible route. And some of this comes down to personal taste. I’m a reader who likes to feel trusted to “get things” and I get frustrated if I sense that’s not the case. But there are other readers who prefer books to be extremely direct with them and that’s not wrong that either.
I had some other mild frustrations with Leeward, mostly towards the ending which ended up feeling somewhat rushed (although it had some great twists and was, nitpickings aside very satisfying). I wanted more of Courtney’s sister, Jane, who was on board the Ulysses during the mutiny. I needed some input, somehow, from Louisa (Nightingale’s wife: who is a fantastic character, by the way, maybe my secret fave in the whole book) - I realise that’s a huge ask, as she’s in England, and all this is happening in the Caribbean, but Nightingale has a lot of emotional breakthroughs in the last section of the book and he is writing letters to her throughout … could we get a letter back, or something? Anything? I don’t know. Louisa is such an important thread within the book, despite her distance, as a kind of moral compass in a way, that I found I really missed her voice in the final sequence of the book. And I definitely definitely wanted more downfall of the main villain, Good lord that man was a prick.
Seriously? That’s all we get? Goddamn, I wanted to see that smug fucker falling apart.
I might also add, since we’re on the “whine about things that didn’t work for me” section of the review, that there are a few complexities around queer identity that aren’t always my personal fave when explored in queer stories. But this is even more a personal taste thing than any of the other personal taste issues I’ve raised previously. Part of Nightingale’s trauma (and this is only a mild spoiler) is that his father had a stableboy Nightingale had some kind of gentle thing with hanged for sodomy. I’m not generally a huge fan of the “hanged for sodomy” situation, since how queerphobic history was tends to ebb and flow through time, rather than being a linear progression from “homophobic as fuck” to “taste the rainbow”. There were, historically speaking, fewer hangings for sodomy than you might imagine, especially if we understand that sodomy was a catch-all term for sexual depravity, that would cover things like sex with children and sex with animals, rather than it being the “gay crime” (which is how we tend to interpret it today). Again, I’m not saying everything was coolbeans, or it’s wrong (or historically inaccurate) to portray historical oppression. But I think, to me, what adds nuance to Leeward’s “hanged for sodomy” plot was the fact it was orchestrated by Nightingale’s father, essentially to punish his son (the stableboy being irrelevant in his father’s eyes). So it’s not so much “society was hanging all the gays” as a “this extremely privileged person took advantage of an oppressive system” situation. And there’s an extent to which Tom being a stableboy is as relevant to his fate as his sexuality, in the sense that he has no way to defend himself against someone of higher class and social status.
Similarly, Nightingale spends a lot of the book suffering a degree of angst about his sexuality, but he’s suffering angst in general: he’s grieving, he’s traumatised, he’s living a life dictated by his father, irrespective of who he desires. And I, personally, am at a point in my life where I don’t always want to spend time with people (fictional or otherwise) who are still in the “angst about your sexuality” stage of life (even if it’s historically appropriate that they do or might). However, Nightingale’s distress over it was counterbalanced for me by Louisa (who is asexual though the book doesn’t use that term) and Courtney (who I think is bi though, again, the book doesn’t use that term) both seeming relatively at peace with who they are.
My final niggle is that main villain is also queer-coded. I mean, he’s swanning around the Caribbean exquisitely dressed and waving a fan, but also makes it very clear to Nightingale he understands him because--as Nightingale puts it later--they “share a sin”. Plus this guy’s final act of villainy is a (thwarted) attempt to out Nightingale, and outing is, again, not one of my favourite elements of queer storytelling. Even though it, sadly, does remain a relevant one. I still haven’t quite decided where I fall on the main villain. I know the idea of queer-coded villains can get a bit eyeroll but it feels foolish to say you can’t have queer-coded villains in queer stories: I mean, sometimes we are villains to each other, and that’s an important thing to explore. I was also interested by the idea that the main villain, who is very much a representative of empire and callous privilege, was queer. Like I think exploring how queer people survive in oppressive contexts is pretty fascinating, especially when we become agents of the very systems that oppress us, and turn us on our own. And I suppose it’s equally valid to want to establish a world that isn’t just queer people versus straight people. But, as a political/narrative choice, and to me, it felt like it put extra thematic stress on a book that was already struggling with its own thematic weight - especially because I’ve already noted that some fairly significant characters are getting short shrift by the end of the book.
Anyway, anyway, I’m aware that I’ve dwelled somewhat excessively on aspects of Leeward that I struggled with, or that I felt didn’t live up to the brilliance of the rest. Firstly, picking is sort of my love language when it come to books. And secondly I do mean it as a kind of twisted compliment in that I only talk this much about books I care about. And Leeward made me really care. This is a really thoughtful portrayal of a complex historical period--while I think Daysh wants to evoke all the exciting naval adventures of Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin, and is extremely successful in this, I sincerely admire that she didn’t shy away from the less “fun” aspects of the period, which is to say, slavery, colonialism, inequality across multiple identity categories, the rise of empire, the horrors of war, and all the rest of it. For me, Leeward really hits the sweet spot of sensitively acknowledging the reality of the times while still remaining true to the style and spirit of the historical subgenre she’s writing into.
I know I’ve also I said that I didn’t always feel emotional dimensionality was a strong suite here, but I did love the tender slow-burn of the romance between Nightingale and Courtney. And I especially loved that this romantic/sexual relationship was never portrayed as in conflict with (or a betrayal of) Nightingale’s loving but platonic relationship with his wife, my fave Louisa.
So yes, I really did thoroughly enjoy Leeward. I’d also say that I think perhaps that some of what read to me as a little raw can possibly be put down to the fact Leeward is a debut. It’s very clear that Daysh is a skilled and ambitious writer, and I think experience may well help her better balance the emotional stakes of her books with the more practical ones. Or, you know, maybe it won’t. Maybe she’s not interested in that. And that’s a totally okay choice. As I say, being more interested in ships and swordfights than kisses and feefees is a hallmark of this genre, and it’s unfair to expect to different things of Daysh just because she’s a queer person writing it, rather than a cishet white man.
Nevertheless, I do think the intent with Leeward was to be Hornblower/Aubrey-Maturin but also emotions but also queer. And I think Daysh is enough of the way there that this book felt very much like a gift to my fourteen year old self. Rough around the edges or not, it is literally everything that messed up queer kid dreamed of.
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
***
Oh fuck me, I got this off NG and it took me so long to review it that two more books in the series have subsequently come out. I really need to get my act together. Like. That is a hard yikes.
In any case, I liked this quite a bit. It’s a well-paced, thoughtful naval romp (if the words ‘thoughtful’ and ‘romp’ do not seem to contradict each other - more on the thoughtful later) in the style of Aubrey–Maturin or Horatio Hornblower books but with the added advantage of being, y’know, actually gay. Rather than you having to yearningly imagine the gayness from your teenage bedroom. Or maybe that was just me.
Well, me and this author, and presumably large swathes of Ao3, but I haven’t checked.
The plot here concerns Captain Hiram Nightingale. Having lost the man he loved (but never declared himself to) as well as suffering several physical injuries at the Battle of the Nile, his recovery in London comes to an end when strings are pulled to find him a post in Caribbean. On arrival, however, he discovers he has been re-assigned as captain of the HMS Scylla. His mission: track down the Ulysses, an English ship that has recently mutinied. Needless to say the mission in question soon becomes a lot more complicated than it seems, embroiling Nightingale not only in a web of political intrigue, but stirring old traumas about who is and his place in the world, as well as opening his mind (and heart) to new possibilities, especially as regards his first mate, Lt Arthur Courtney.
As I said above, there’s a lot to like about this book. I’m no history buff, nor would I ever position myself as such, but to me the historical detail seemed spot on. The author’s love of the setting really shines through, while never crossing the line into lecturing or exposition. The action sequences--which span storms, pursuits, ship to ship gun battles, and plenty of good old fashioned punching and stabbing--are sincerely top-notch, as is the general picture presented of life on board ship. Where, for me, the book stumbled a little was when it came to its characters’ emotional journeys. Which, in some ways, is almost fitting, as I don’t recall either the Hornblower or Aubrey-Maturin books being super deft when it came to psychological interiority either.
That said, I do feel Leeward has greater ambitions in that regard than either Hornblower or Aubrey-Maturin, and therefore its relative lack of sophistication when it comes to exploring these topics ironically stands out more. Like, there are themes going on in up here (Nightingale’s ship is called the Scylla, and he is in pursuit of the Ulysses, and he is on his own journey of recovery a homecoming to selfhood if you will, ahhhhh d’you see) and I did appreciate them being there. But a lot of Nightingale’s trauma recovery arc basically boils down to the book telling you directly what his trauma is and then the book telling you about him coming to terms with it:
Too many times, he had placed deeper meaning onto his ships. They had been homes or places of escape or confinement. There had been the Strabo, his first ship as a midshipman; the Lion, the ship which had changed everything; the Scylla, the ship which had made him understand so much about his life. The Ulysses was another. He had painted her as an image of hope, a way to alleviate what he had lost, proof he could still stand – but now her symbols were stripped away. She was a desolate, melancholy construction of wood and canvas and metal and hemp. Nightingale faced the very core. In that kernel, he saw himself.
I mean, like. Yeah? I know? I’ve been here with you, this whole book.
And please don’t read too much into this criticism. I’m not saying the book is bad; I’m just saying that, to me, Leeward has relatively complex emotional themes it wants to explore, and doesn’t always succeed--to me--in exploring them except by the most direct possible route. And some of this comes down to personal taste. I’m a reader who likes to feel trusted to “get things” and I get frustrated if I sense that’s not the case. But there are other readers who prefer books to be extremely direct with them and that’s not wrong that either.
I had some other mild frustrations with Leeward, mostly towards the ending which ended up feeling somewhat rushed (although it had some great twists and was, nitpickings aside very satisfying). I wanted more of Courtney’s sister, Jane, who was on board the Ulysses during the mutiny. I needed some input, somehow, from Louisa (Nightingale’s wife: who is a fantastic character, by the way, maybe my secret fave in the whole book) - I realise that’s a huge ask, as she’s in England, and all this is happening in the Caribbean, but Nightingale has a lot of emotional breakthroughs in the last section of the book and he is writing letters to her throughout … could we get a letter back, or something? Anything? I don’t know. Louisa is such an important thread within the book, despite her distance, as a kind of moral compass in a way, that I found I really missed her voice in the final sequence of the book. And I definitely definitely wanted more downfall of the main villain, Good lord that man was a prick.
[Spoiler] had been broken by the past two days of questioning. The control over his own narrative had slipped, perhaps for the first time.
Seriously? That’s all we get? Goddamn, I wanted to see that smug fucker falling apart.
I might also add, since we’re on the “whine about things that didn’t work for me” section of the review, that there are a few complexities around queer identity that aren’t always my personal fave when explored in queer stories. But this is even more a personal taste thing than any of the other personal taste issues I’ve raised previously. Part of Nightingale’s trauma (and this is only a mild spoiler) is that his father had a stableboy Nightingale had some kind of gentle thing with hanged for sodomy. I’m not generally a huge fan of the “hanged for sodomy” situation, since how queerphobic history was tends to ebb and flow through time, rather than being a linear progression from “homophobic as fuck” to “taste the rainbow”. There were, historically speaking, fewer hangings for sodomy than you might imagine, especially if we understand that sodomy was a catch-all term for sexual depravity, that would cover things like sex with children and sex with animals, rather than it being the “gay crime” (which is how we tend to interpret it today). Again, I’m not saying everything was coolbeans, or it’s wrong (or historically inaccurate) to portray historical oppression. But I think, to me, what adds nuance to Leeward’s “hanged for sodomy” plot was the fact it was orchestrated by Nightingale’s father, essentially to punish his son (the stableboy being irrelevant in his father’s eyes). So it’s not so much “society was hanging all the gays” as a “this extremely privileged person took advantage of an oppressive system” situation. And there’s an extent to which Tom being a stableboy is as relevant to his fate as his sexuality, in the sense that he has no way to defend himself against someone of higher class and social status.
Similarly, Nightingale spends a lot of the book suffering a degree of angst about his sexuality, but he’s suffering angst in general: he’s grieving, he’s traumatised, he’s living a life dictated by his father, irrespective of who he desires. And I, personally, am at a point in my life where I don’t always want to spend time with people (fictional or otherwise) who are still in the “angst about your sexuality” stage of life (even if it’s historically appropriate that they do or might). However, Nightingale’s distress over it was counterbalanced for me by Louisa (who is asexual though the book doesn’t use that term) and Courtney (who I think is bi though, again, the book doesn’t use that term) both seeming relatively at peace with who they are.
My final niggle is that main villain is also queer-coded. I mean, he’s swanning around the Caribbean exquisitely dressed and waving a fan, but also makes it very clear to Nightingale he understands him because--as Nightingale puts it later--they “share a sin”. Plus this guy’s final act of villainy is a (thwarted) attempt to out Nightingale, and outing is, again, not one of my favourite elements of queer storytelling. Even though it, sadly, does remain a relevant one. I still haven’t quite decided where I fall on the main villain. I know the idea of queer-coded villains can get a bit eyeroll but it feels foolish to say you can’t have queer-coded villains in queer stories: I mean, sometimes we are villains to each other, and that’s an important thing to explore. I was also interested by the idea that the main villain, who is very much a representative of empire and callous privilege, was queer. Like I think exploring how queer people survive in oppressive contexts is pretty fascinating, especially when we become agents of the very systems that oppress us, and turn us on our own. And I suppose it’s equally valid to want to establish a world that isn’t just queer people versus straight people. But, as a political/narrative choice, and to me, it felt like it put extra thematic stress on a book that was already struggling with its own thematic weight - especially because I’ve already noted that some fairly significant characters are getting short shrift by the end of the book.
Anyway, anyway, I’m aware that I’ve dwelled somewhat excessively on aspects of Leeward that I struggled with, or that I felt didn’t live up to the brilliance of the rest. Firstly, picking is sort of my love language when it come to books. And secondly I do mean it as a kind of twisted compliment in that I only talk this much about books I care about. And Leeward made me really care. This is a really thoughtful portrayal of a complex historical period--while I think Daysh wants to evoke all the exciting naval adventures of Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin, and is extremely successful in this, I sincerely admire that she didn’t shy away from the less “fun” aspects of the period, which is to say, slavery, colonialism, inequality across multiple identity categories, the rise of empire, the horrors of war, and all the rest of it. For me, Leeward really hits the sweet spot of sensitively acknowledging the reality of the times while still remaining true to the style and spirit of the historical subgenre she’s writing into.
I know I’ve also I said that I didn’t always feel emotional dimensionality was a strong suite here, but I did love the tender slow-burn of the romance between Nightingale and Courtney. And I especially loved that this romantic/sexual relationship was never portrayed as in conflict with (or a betrayal of) Nightingale’s loving but platonic relationship with his wife, my fave Louisa.
So yes, I really did thoroughly enjoy Leeward. I’d also say that I think perhaps that some of what read to me as a little raw can possibly be put down to the fact Leeward is a debut. It’s very clear that Daysh is a skilled and ambitious writer, and I think experience may well help her better balance the emotional stakes of her books with the more practical ones. Or, you know, maybe it won’t. Maybe she’s not interested in that. And that’s a totally okay choice. As I say, being more interested in ships and swordfights than kisses and feefees is a hallmark of this genre, and it’s unfair to expect to different things of Daysh just because she’s a queer person writing it, rather than a cishet white man.
Nevertheless, I do think the intent with Leeward was to be Hornblower/Aubrey-Maturin but also emotions but also queer. And I think Daysh is enough of the way there that this book felt very much like a gift to my fourteen year old self. Rough around the edges or not, it is literally everything that messed up queer kid dreamed of.
April 21, 2023
You know that feeling when you discover a debut author and you wish they had a back catalogue of a dozen books to read? That’s Katie Daysh. I could take a whole series from her in a sitting.
Leeward is set mostly in 1800 (but brings in storylines from earlier years). HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.
However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web of intrigue. Nothing is as it seems.
This is a rollicking high seas adventure and the adventure sequences themselves are heart racing. You can taste the blood and the salt and smell the gunpowder. They’re fast paced and exciting and you feel like you’re part of the action.
But there’s plenty of heart here, too. Captain Nightingale is a gay man in the late 1700s - hiding his truth to save his life. And he’s dealing with the trauma of his past and what has happened to those he has loved. His relationship with his wife is exquisite.
I would have liked to have felt the attraction between Nightingale and his love interest aboard the Scylla a little more, and I stumbled over the use of “invite” as a noun (which is a huge pet peeve of mine in present day English), but other than that, I have no complaints.
Leeward is incredibly well researched. I don’t know anything about sailing ships or seafaring or warfare in the Napoleónic era (despite having read Hornblower 20 years ago), but Daysh seems to know every single part of a ship, the rules of the admiralty, the price of eggs, you name it. And it’s all peppered to create a richness of world building that enhances but in no way overwhelms. That’s SUCH a skill!
Bonus points for the inclusion of so many classical references (Ulysses, Scylla, Circe). That really hit the sweet spot for me! (If you’re not into your classics, don’t worry, everything is neatly and simply explained.)
As I said at the start of this review, I could take so much more of Daysh’s writing, so I’m beyond thrilled there are two more to follow in the series. I’d pre-order them now if I could!
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.
Leeward is set mostly in 1800 (but brings in storylines from earlier years). HMS Ulysses mutinies off Trinidad and vanishes into the Caribbean. No one knows how many of the crew are left alive or what the mutineers plan to do with the vessel.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a veteran of the wars which have raged throughout Europe and the Americas for the last decades. Plagued by wounds both physical and mental, he attempts to recover by accepting command of HMS Scylla. His task is to hunt down the mutineers and bring the ship and crew to justice.
However, it soon becomes clear that the Ulysses is just one danger in an immense web of intrigue. Nothing is as it seems.
This is a rollicking high seas adventure and the adventure sequences themselves are heart racing. You can taste the blood and the salt and smell the gunpowder. They’re fast paced and exciting and you feel like you’re part of the action.
But there’s plenty of heart here, too. Captain Nightingale is a gay man in the late 1700s - hiding his truth to save his life. And he’s dealing with the trauma of his past and what has happened to those he has loved. His relationship with his wife is exquisite.
I would have liked to have felt the attraction between Nightingale and his love interest aboard the Scylla a little more, and I stumbled over the use of “invite” as a noun (which is a huge pet peeve of mine in present day English), but other than that, I have no complaints.
Leeward is incredibly well researched. I don’t know anything about sailing ships or seafaring or warfare in the Napoleónic era (despite having read Hornblower 20 years ago), but Daysh seems to know every single part of a ship, the rules of the admiralty, the price of eggs, you name it. And it’s all peppered to create a richness of world building that enhances but in no way overwhelms. That’s SUCH a skill!
Bonus points for the inclusion of so many classical references (Ulysses, Scylla, Circe). That really hit the sweet spot for me! (If you’re not into your classics, don’t worry, everything is neatly and simply explained.)
As I said at the start of this review, I could take so much more of Daysh’s writing, so I’m beyond thrilled there are two more to follow in the series. I’d pre-order them now if I could!
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.
May 11, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
I’m currently pursuing a Masters degree in Maritime and Naval Studies, so when I saw Leeward pop up for review, I grabbed it without hesitation. And I’m glad I did, because Leeward was hands down one of the best pieces of nautical-themed historical fiction I’ve read in a very long time. Leeward is in the tradition of Horatio Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin, and is the debut novel by Katie Daysh and the first in an anticipated series involving Hiram Nightingale and Arthur Courtney. The writing was crisp and clean, while the pacing was spot on. With its taut action sequences and exceptionally engaging characters, Leeward was everything I wanted and so much more.
Nightingale is at the core of this book and his fragility and strength make him utterly compelling. With survivor’s guilt and PTSD threatening to unravel him, he somehow finds the inner strength to tackle rebuilding the crew of the Scylla and pursue a mutinous ship in a vast ocean bent upon destroying him.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
I’m currently pursuing a Masters degree in Maritime and Naval Studies, so when I saw Leeward pop up for review, I grabbed it without hesitation. And I’m glad I did, because Leeward was hands down one of the best pieces of nautical-themed historical fiction I’ve read in a very long time. Leeward is in the tradition of Horatio Hornblower and Aubrey-Maturin, and is the debut novel by Katie Daysh and the first in an anticipated series involving Hiram Nightingale and Arthur Courtney. The writing was crisp and clean, while the pacing was spot on. With its taut action sequences and exceptionally engaging characters, Leeward was everything I wanted and so much more.
Nightingale is at the core of this book and his fragility and strength make him utterly compelling. With survivor’s guilt and PTSD threatening to unravel him, he somehow finds the inner strength to tackle rebuilding the crew of the Scylla and pursue a mutinous ship in a vast ocean bent upon destroying him.
Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.
April 24, 2023
I was drawn to this book because the premise checked a lot of my favourite boxes: a captain in the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars pursuing mutineers across the Atlantic. As I read, I discovered many other lovely bonuses, like political intrigue, disability and mental health rep, and a queer slow-burn romance.
The main characters are well developed, Captain Nightingale has such an interesting and tragic backstory that it makes you root for him from the first page. His relationships (with his family, superiors, and most importantly, his crew), play an important part in how he takes on this new assignment and how he deals with the losses he has suffered in battle and the resulting trauma. His journey of redemption and self-discovery is quite touching.
The plot itself is exciting, as the stakes are high and everything that could happen to a ship happens to the Scylla, Nightingale's command. The descriptions of storms, battles, even the becalming fog are flawlessly executed. While the constant use of first names between the officers threw me off, I have no other complaints about the writing. I was immediately immersed in the time period, and I can appreciate the amount of research the author must have undertaken to ensure that the technical aspects of sailing were accurately depicted. As an aside, I have read many books set on ships and each time it takes me a while to recall the terms, but it never detracts from my understanding and enjoyment of the story.
The romance in this book is extremely slow-burn, as the focus of the main characters is elsewhere and so it feels right for this story. It was nevertheless very satisfying to read, and I expect to see the relationship develop more in the planned sequels (which I was pleasantly surprised to discover reading the author's note).
All in all, I would thoroughly recommend this book. It is a sound, enjoyable read.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Katie Daysh for the chance to read and review this book.
The main characters are well developed, Captain Nightingale has such an interesting and tragic backstory that it makes you root for him from the first page. His relationships (with his family, superiors, and most importantly, his crew), play an important part in how he takes on this new assignment and how he deals with the losses he has suffered in battle and the resulting trauma. His journey of redemption and self-discovery is quite touching.
The plot itself is exciting, as the stakes are high and everything that could happen to a ship happens to the Scylla, Nightingale's command. The descriptions of storms, battles, even the becalming fog are flawlessly executed. While the constant use of first names between the officers threw me off, I have no other complaints about the writing. I was immediately immersed in the time period, and I can appreciate the amount of research the author must have undertaken to ensure that the technical aspects of sailing were accurately depicted. As an aside, I have read many books set on ships and each time it takes me a while to recall the terms, but it never detracts from my understanding and enjoyment of the story.
The romance in this book is extremely slow-burn, as the focus of the main characters is elsewhere and so it feels right for this story. It was nevertheless very satisfying to read, and I expect to see the relationship develop more in the planned sequels (which I was pleasantly surprised to discover reading the author's note).
All in all, I would thoroughly recommend this book. It is a sound, enjoyable read.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Katie Daysh for the chance to read and review this book.
April 13, 2023
Badly injured at the Battle of the Nile, Captain Hiram Nightingale has also realized too late that he was in love with his dear friend Leroy, who was killed in the same battle. (He's married, but fortunately for both him and his wife, she isn't interested in sex; instead she seems to have business enterprises going -- it's a little vague, but it struck me as odd for a married woman who belonged to the gentry in the early 19th century. This, by the way, is foreshadowing wrt a nontrivial difficulty with Leeward.)
Through a somewhat suspicious series of events, Captain Nightingale is given command of the Scylla, with orders to hunt down and capture the Ulysses, whose crew has mutinied. There are wheels within wheels, all is not what it seems, etc. Also, the Scylla's first lieutenant, Arthur Courtney, is smart, hotheaded, competent, and a hunk.
Daysh's evocation of life aboard a 19th-century Royal Navy vessel seems, as far as I can tell, to be solidly grounded in historical fact, and the same goes for the technical aspects of sailing. Most of the latter were beyond me, but either Daysh knows her onions or she's got remarkable faking-it skills. (I'm pretty sure she knows her stuff.) She gets considerable credit, too, for not sugarcoating the uglier aspects of naval life -- Hiram has a sailor flogged for theft, for example, and though he doesn't like doing it he doesn't question the system that authorizes such treatment. Daysh describes the flogging and the resulting injuries unsparingly.
Where she falls down, oddly enough, is in the social history. First names, for example -- these Royal Navy officers drop into using one another's first names at the drop of a hat, even across ranks, and every time it happened my brain came screeching to a halt, because no. This is a formal and hierarchical subculture within a formal and hierarchical society: women might address their husbands by title and surname, for heaven's sake. Men on terms of close friendship would address each other by surname; to use someone's "Christian" name was a mark of the greatest intimacy.
Likewise, although the few seeming anachronisms ("greenhorn"; "invite" as a noun) that I checked turned out not to be, still the tone of the dialogue often struck me as slightly off. I've been reading a lot of Austen lately, so my ear may be tuned too much toward country-house diction, but on the other hand I always believe in Naomi Novik's dialogue in the Temeraire books, which are set in the British military of the same era (albeit with dragons) and don't sound a bit like Austen.
The most significant problem for me, though, was that I simply didn't believe in the growing attraction between Nightingale and Courtney. I knew it was happening mainly because the ad copy made it clear that they would become lovers, but I didn't feel the desire between them.
So the tl;dr is that I think the readers who'll be happiest with Leeward are those most interested in the aspects that have to do with sailing, and in the suspense plot. 3.5 stars, rounded down.
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.
Through a somewhat suspicious series of events, Captain Nightingale is given command of the Scylla, with orders to hunt down and capture the Ulysses, whose crew has mutinied. There are wheels within wheels, all is not what it seems, etc. Also, the Scylla's first lieutenant, Arthur Courtney, is smart, hotheaded, competent, and a hunk.
Daysh's evocation of life aboard a 19th-century Royal Navy vessel seems, as far as I can tell, to be solidly grounded in historical fact, and the same goes for the technical aspects of sailing. Most of the latter were beyond me, but either Daysh knows her onions or she's got remarkable faking-it skills. (I'm pretty sure she knows her stuff.) She gets considerable credit, too, for not sugarcoating the uglier aspects of naval life -- Hiram has a sailor flogged for theft, for example, and though he doesn't like doing it he doesn't question the system that authorizes such treatment. Daysh describes the flogging and the resulting injuries unsparingly.
Where she falls down, oddly enough, is in the social history. First names, for example -- these Royal Navy officers drop into using one another's first names at the drop of a hat, even across ranks, and every time it happened my brain came screeching to a halt, because no. This is a formal and hierarchical subculture within a formal and hierarchical society: women might address their husbands by title and surname, for heaven's sake. Men on terms of close friendship would address each other by surname; to use someone's "Christian" name was a mark of the greatest intimacy.
Likewise, although the few seeming anachronisms ("greenhorn"; "invite" as a noun) that I checked turned out not to be, still the tone of the dialogue often struck me as slightly off. I've been reading a lot of Austen lately, so my ear may be tuned too much toward country-house diction, but on the other hand I always believe in Naomi Novik's dialogue in the Temeraire books, which are set in the British military of the same era (albeit with dragons) and don't sound a bit like Austen.
The most significant problem for me, though, was that I simply didn't believe in the growing attraction between Nightingale and Courtney. I knew it was happening mainly because the ad copy made it clear that they would become lovers, but I didn't feel the desire between them.
So the tl;dr is that I think the readers who'll be happiest with Leeward are those most interested in the aspects that have to do with sailing, and in the suspense plot. 3.5 stars, rounded down.
Thanks to Canelo and NetGalley for the ARC.
April 30, 2025
Leeward, a historical, nautical piece of fiction, sees Captain Hiram Nightingale two years after the Battle of the Nile, in which he lost many men, as well as nearly losing his sight, despite the battle culminating in victory overall. Still mentally and physically scarred by these events, he finds himself captaining another ship, now in the West Indies, with the task to find and bring to justice a mutinous ship of the King’s Navy. This is a story of justice and what that means to men. It is a tale of identity, of struggling with the many facets a person contains, and how to navigate the waters of life when the weight of expectations threatens to drown oneself at any moment. It is about love; the love of the sea, of a ship, of a crew. Of oneself.
Set around the turn of the 18th century, Leeward is a nautical adventure crossing the waters of the Caribbean and continent of South America. Our main character, Captain Nightingale, is struggling with both his past and his new present, knowing that the outcome of this voyage will change his future, one way or the other. Struggling to find his place and earn the respect of his new crew, Nightingale soon realises that his mission is not as simple as it may have seemed, and that mutiny may be the very least of the crimes committed in these waters.
This book took me almost three weeks to read, which, for me, is an age. I very rarely read pure historical fiction, and perhaps this, alongside the slower pacing and myriad nautical terms, meant I found myself struggling at times, particularly in the first half. I was not bored, I was very much invested in the story, but this book was just more challenging for me to read than my usual selections. I found myself needing to take more time to process, to read more slowly. As someone who lives their life at a hundred miles an hour, this was difficult. I am used to devouring books, but I could not do that here. Instead of getting my food quickly and eating it gluttonously, I had to wait for it to be cooked, to be served. There were multiple courses, brought out slowly and deliberately. This book isn’t just food for thought, it is a feast for your mind.
And, boy, was it delicious.
This is a book that creeps up on you, that takes a moment or two to click, and it does not happen all at once. Like the tide, it rises slowly, almost unnoticeably, until you’re suddenly awash with it. Nightingale was a wonderful main character, with a storm raging inside him, despite his outward appearance. His raw humanity, solid morality, and fractured hope for the future made him a most compelling narrator. His growth, as a character, a captain, and a human being, throughout this book was such a joy to experience. His interactions with his crew, the way in which his relationships changed during the voyage, was engaging and so wonderfully real.
The plot, like the book itself, built slowly, before cresting all at once in a startling and heart-racing climax, before retreating. Then another wave hit. The latter half of this book was incredibly strong, and I was entirely swept away. Despite having minimal historical or nautical knowledge, I had no issue getting on board with the story. The terminology was entirely unfamiliar, but it just shows the depth of research the author put into creating this novel. Once I realised that I did not have to understand every piece of ship terminology, it stopped being an unknown entity and became instead a way to ground the setting and create a tangible experience.
And now, I have to mention (gush over) the romance. I have always said I love slow burns, and good grief, this was simmering for pages. And pages. And pages. This, my friends, is how you do a slow burn romance. I hate to use the phrase ‘forbidden romance’, but given the historical setting, a relationship between two men was, let’s face it, illegal. The epitome of ‘forbidden’. This aspect was not trite or contrived; it did not feel heavy-handed. It was simply of that time, and added another important piece of groundwork to the narrative. With so many aspects at play - the illegality, the psychological trauma of Nightingale’s past, the power dynamics - the romance could have gone either way. Lieutenant Courtney is younger, more junior, and battling his own demons on the voyage, and there was the biggest risk of the romance failing, but it did not.
First of all, Courtney himself is a fully-realised character with an important, often pivotal, role in the story that far surpasses simply being a love interest. He has flaws, he butts heads with Nightingale, and he is presented as just as human as our main character. The power dynamics between the two are handled beautifully, and, without spoiling anything, do not become problematic within the context of the romance. As I have said, the burn is slow and the pay-off is beautiful. Honestly, I wept.
This is the first in a trilogy, though I can safely say it stands strong as a complete novel alone. I would recommend it to those who seek a challenge, who seek an adventure on the high seas, politics and secrets muddying the waters, and a searing romance that has you clutching your chest when he simply holds onto his elbow for a moment too long.
A hard book for me to read, a book that pushed me, a book that changed me. It could never be anything less than five stars.
5 🌟
Set around the turn of the 18th century, Leeward is a nautical adventure crossing the waters of the Caribbean and continent of South America. Our main character, Captain Nightingale, is struggling with both his past and his new present, knowing that the outcome of this voyage will change his future, one way or the other. Struggling to find his place and earn the respect of his new crew, Nightingale soon realises that his mission is not as simple as it may have seemed, and that mutiny may be the very least of the crimes committed in these waters.
This book took me almost three weeks to read, which, for me, is an age. I very rarely read pure historical fiction, and perhaps this, alongside the slower pacing and myriad nautical terms, meant I found myself struggling at times, particularly in the first half. I was not bored, I was very much invested in the story, but this book was just more challenging for me to read than my usual selections. I found myself needing to take more time to process, to read more slowly. As someone who lives their life at a hundred miles an hour, this was difficult. I am used to devouring books, but I could not do that here. Instead of getting my food quickly and eating it gluttonously, I had to wait for it to be cooked, to be served. There were multiple courses, brought out slowly and deliberately. This book isn’t just food for thought, it is a feast for your mind.
And, boy, was it delicious.
This is a book that creeps up on you, that takes a moment or two to click, and it does not happen all at once. Like the tide, it rises slowly, almost unnoticeably, until you’re suddenly awash with it. Nightingale was a wonderful main character, with a storm raging inside him, despite his outward appearance. His raw humanity, solid morality, and fractured hope for the future made him a most compelling narrator. His growth, as a character, a captain, and a human being, throughout this book was such a joy to experience. His interactions with his crew, the way in which his relationships changed during the voyage, was engaging and so wonderfully real.
The plot, like the book itself, built slowly, before cresting all at once in a startling and heart-racing climax, before retreating. Then another wave hit. The latter half of this book was incredibly strong, and I was entirely swept away. Despite having minimal historical or nautical knowledge, I had no issue getting on board with the story. The terminology was entirely unfamiliar, but it just shows the depth of research the author put into creating this novel. Once I realised that I did not have to understand every piece of ship terminology, it stopped being an unknown entity and became instead a way to ground the setting and create a tangible experience.
And now, I have to mention (gush over) the romance. I have always said I love slow burns, and good grief, this was simmering for pages. And pages. And pages. This, my friends, is how you do a slow burn romance. I hate to use the phrase ‘forbidden romance’, but given the historical setting, a relationship between two men was, let’s face it, illegal. The epitome of ‘forbidden’. This aspect was not trite or contrived; it did not feel heavy-handed. It was simply of that time, and added another important piece of groundwork to the narrative. With so many aspects at play - the illegality, the psychological trauma of Nightingale’s past, the power dynamics - the romance could have gone either way. Lieutenant Courtney is younger, more junior, and battling his own demons on the voyage, and there was the biggest risk of the romance failing, but it did not.
First of all, Courtney himself is a fully-realised character with an important, often pivotal, role in the story that far surpasses simply being a love interest. He has flaws, he butts heads with Nightingale, and he is presented as just as human as our main character. The power dynamics between the two are handled beautifully, and, without spoiling anything, do not become problematic within the context of the romance. As I have said, the burn is slow and the pay-off is beautiful. Honestly, I wept.
This is the first in a trilogy, though I can safely say it stands strong as a complete novel alone. I would recommend it to those who seek a challenge, who seek an adventure on the high seas, politics and secrets muddying the waters, and a searing romance that has you clutching your chest when he simply holds onto his elbow for a moment too long.
A hard book for me to read, a book that pushed me, a book that changed me. It could never be anything less than five stars.
5 🌟
October 10, 2024
4.5 stars, rounded up. I really loved this one and will be immediately diving into the sequel. The prose and pacing had me hooked the entire time (and I'm actually really interested in seeing Courtney's perspective because Nightingale is the absolute king of obliviousness).
The emotional beats hit hard (cried a few times in public, what's good), Nightingale was definitely a flawed character and it was actually interesting seeing a book where the captain wasn't calm, all-knowing, nautical legend. I wish some of the plot points were fleshed out a little more (mainly relating to character's decision-making, like why Nightingale returned to sea or a bit more behind Admiral Nightingale's overarching motivations), but I still enjoyed everything.
I might be alone in this, but I need a short story from Leroy's POV immediately.
The emotional beats hit hard (cried a few times in public, what's good), Nightingale was definitely a flawed character and it was actually interesting seeing a book where the captain wasn't calm, all-knowing, nautical legend. I wish some of the plot points were fleshed out a little more (mainly relating to character's decision-making, like why Nightingale returned to sea or a bit more behind Admiral Nightingale's overarching motivations), but I still enjoyed everything.
I might be alone in this, but I need a short story from Leroy's POV immediately.
July 28, 2023
4 stars. Recommend.
I rarely read naval/military fiction, but this book caught my eye on NetGalley, in large part because of its LGBTQ angle, plus I DO love historical fiction a lot. The book was well worth it, though for those mostly drawn for its LGBTQ+ storyline, just be forewarned that it's really a pretty minor part of the book. Having said that, it becomes pretty obvious at one point that there will be at least one sequel, so let's say that this book is the ultimate "slow burn" when it comes to its possible MM romance? I'm in.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this excellent book in exchange for my honest review.
I rarely read naval/military fiction, but this book caught my eye on NetGalley, in large part because of its LGBTQ angle, plus I DO love historical fiction a lot. The book was well worth it, though for those mostly drawn for its LGBTQ+ storyline, just be forewarned that it's really a pretty minor part of the book. Having said that, it becomes pretty obvious at one point that there will be at least one sequel, so let's say that this book is the ultimate "slow burn" when it comes to its possible MM romance? I'm in.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this excellent book in exchange for my honest review.
April 20, 2023
I've always loved stories and fairy tales set in the sea or ocean. It brings back good memories from my childhood. Pirates of The Caribbean is one of my favourite sagas, I just love everything related to this kind of enviroment. This is why it's not a surprise that I enjoyed reading Leeward.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a very likeable character. You can't help, but feel sympathy for this bounded man who just wants to be at peace. His past hunts him and his relationship with his father is tumultuous. Lieutenant Courtney, is also a very interesting character. He is young, carefree and ambitious.
At first glance, they are very different, with completely opposite personalities. However, the more we discover about them, the more the reader realises that they do have a lot in common.
After reading the blurb, I expected more romance. Nevertheless, I was not disappointed. This is a story about friendship and I loved that. There is romance, but as a plus, on a second plan. It's not the focus or main trope.
I do recommed this book for all the pirates, ocean and adventure lovers.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Katie Daysh for the chance to read and review this book.
Captain Hiram Nightingale is a very likeable character. You can't help, but feel sympathy for this bounded man who just wants to be at peace. His past hunts him and his relationship with his father is tumultuous. Lieutenant Courtney, is also a very interesting character. He is young, carefree and ambitious.
At first glance, they are very different, with completely opposite personalities. However, the more we discover about them, the more the reader realises that they do have a lot in common.
After reading the blurb, I expected more romance. Nevertheless, I was not disappointed. This is a story about friendship and I loved that. There is romance, but as a plus, on a second plan. It's not the focus or main trope.
I do recommed this book for all the pirates, ocean and adventure lovers.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Katie Daysh for the chance to read and review this book.
October 1, 2024
Wonderful book when you're into sailing ships. The characters are lovely and queer and well written. (Excepting the villain, who becomes a bit cartoonish by the end.)
Read it in three days and will definitely return to it at some point.
Read it in three days and will definitely return to it at some point.
March 28, 2025
I finally got to read Leeward!! As I delved into the pages of Daysh's delicately woven narrative, I was taken on an incredible maritime journey kicking off at the Battle of the Nile in 1798, peppered with piracy and a tantalisingly slow-burn LGBT M/M romance. I read it as part of the discord Reading Rainbow book club!
Despite not being a regular reader of naval/military fiction, I was drawn to this book - partly because the author was having a signing event at my local bookshop (this was back in May), and she happens to be a local ( literally the next town to me on the Island) ! But, really, what truly piqued my interest, however, was its LGBT+ angle.
Daysh's exquisite story-telling skills brought to life the intricacies of ships, the crew's camaraderie, the anticipation of missions, and the raw brute force of the sea-all without overwhelming the reader with excessive world-building. Her narrative had me hooked from the start, sinking me deep into its absorbing depths.
The story revolves around Captain Nightingale, a man scarred from war, struggling with obligations, fear, and PTSD. His journey takes him from recovery to reluctantly assuming a naval support position in Trinidad - only to be unexpectedly tasked with tracking a mutinous crew. With a recovering crew and his own doubts, he faces the challenges head-on.
The bumpy relationship with his first lieutenant, Arthur Courtney, is a notable thread, leading to a discovery that someone on the crew could be working for an enemy, risking their lives.
Murder, rebellion, and hidden agendas are all parts of this gripping narrative. With Courtney by his side and the Scylla crew, Nightingale is determined to succeed or die trying. This is everything I didn’t know I needed. Leeward is epic, irreverent and so much fun! I can’t wait to continue reading more Nightingale and Courtney adventures!
#pudseyrecommends
Despite not being a regular reader of naval/military fiction, I was drawn to this book - partly because the author was having a signing event at my local bookshop (this was back in May), and she happens to be a local ( literally the next town to me on the Island) ! But, really, what truly piqued my interest, however, was its LGBT+ angle.
Daysh's exquisite story-telling skills brought to life the intricacies of ships, the crew's camaraderie, the anticipation of missions, and the raw brute force of the sea-all without overwhelming the reader with excessive world-building. Her narrative had me hooked from the start, sinking me deep into its absorbing depths.
The story revolves around Captain Nightingale, a man scarred from war, struggling with obligations, fear, and PTSD. His journey takes him from recovery to reluctantly assuming a naval support position in Trinidad - only to be unexpectedly tasked with tracking a mutinous crew. With a recovering crew and his own doubts, he faces the challenges head-on.
The bumpy relationship with his first lieutenant, Arthur Courtney, is a notable thread, leading to a discovery that someone on the crew could be working for an enemy, risking their lives.
Murder, rebellion, and hidden agendas are all parts of this gripping narrative. With Courtney by his side and the Scylla crew, Nightingale is determined to succeed or die trying. This is everything I didn’t know I needed. Leeward is epic, irreverent and so much fun! I can’t wait to continue reading more Nightingale and Courtney adventures!
#pudseyrecommends
December 21, 2024
i’d say this is like the aubreyad for gay people but frankly master and commander IS already for gay people, patrick o’brian just didnt know it.
Actual review: This is the kind of book you definitely should not think too hard about after finishing it because that would probably make it worse. I had a hell of a time reading this - I flew through it too, I can’t remember the last time I read something this fast. Every time I had to put it back down, I was already looking forward to the next time I’d be able to keep reading because I just had to know what would happen next.
Very much in the tradition of the classic naval adventure stories like the Aubreyad and the Hornblower novels, this is super action packed. Usually this is not the kind of book I’d go for, but alas, I have a problem (being obsessed with ships). I tend to prefer my stories character-driven, and despite all the action - there really was a LOT going - the characters had their appeal too. Do I wish at least some of the side characters could’ve been more fleshed out? Sure, but the main characters mostly made up for it. Captain Nightingale and Lieutenant Courtney both had an interesting backstory, some nice character development and of course some good old-fashioned repressed romantic feelings. And what can I say, I love a tortured man (or two). Plus, their initial dislike of each actually felt plausible and real and was resolved in a way that fit both the story and the characters well enough, not just something thrown in because all the girlies love enemies to lovers these days.
The writing style was not my favourite, but like I said I’m usually not the biggest fan of this kind of action/adventure story, and I thought it mimicked the style of the aforementioned naval history classics pretty competently. You can also tell that the author put a lot of research into actual naval history and terminology (and not just because she left reviews on multiple of the ship-related nonfiction books I've read, though I love to see a James Fitzjames girlie winning). In terms of historical accuracy, there was one thing that did bother me though, and quite a bit: the first names. What was up with all the first-name usage in this why are all these 19th century officers of the British Royal Navy using each other’s first names constantly even though they are not close friends, including in some fairly formal settings? It was soooo jarring I’m ngl. These men would be dying in each other’s arms in a sea battle and still be last naming each other I’m sorry (not to mention that this also cheapened the intimacy of Nightingale and Courtney first calling each other by their first names……. WHYYYYY).
To address the orange elephant in the room: I don’t think it’s immediately obvious that this was originally a Wattpad story. Seriously, if you’re interested in this book but hesitant because…… yeah, it’s really not comparable to the majority of Wattpad slop that somehow makes it to a publisher (and not just because there’s not as much romance as I was expecting). That said, you can kind of tell that this was published serially in its original form because there is just so much going on in every single chapter. No breathing room at all, which of course makes sense when you post chapter by chapter and therefore feel like you need a Big Event every time you post to keep readers coming back. Reading it as a whole book, and in such a short amount of time, it does feel like a little much sometimes. The pacing could have taken a couple of calmer moments for sure.
And just to be clear, since I mentioned the romance already: it’s definitely there, and there’s some top tier yearning throughout the story, but if you’re a seasoned romance reader, the payoff might be a tiny bit disappointing. That said, I thought the dynamic was really interesting and I’m hoping there will be further development in the next book (though I have to say I’m curious about how they bring Nightingale back into service…..). The ending is fairly self-contained, you don’t necessarily have to read the next one immediately (or at all, honestly), but I definitely want to get to it as soon as I can find a reasonably priced copy. The overall reading experience was just such a good time.
Actual review: This is the kind of book you definitely should not think too hard about after finishing it because that would probably make it worse. I had a hell of a time reading this - I flew through it too, I can’t remember the last time I read something this fast. Every time I had to put it back down, I was already looking forward to the next time I’d be able to keep reading because I just had to know what would happen next.
Very much in the tradition of the classic naval adventure stories like the Aubreyad and the Hornblower novels, this is super action packed. Usually this is not the kind of book I’d go for, but alas, I have a problem (being obsessed with ships). I tend to prefer my stories character-driven, and despite all the action - there really was a LOT going - the characters had their appeal too. Do I wish at least some of the side characters could’ve been more fleshed out? Sure, but the main characters mostly made up for it. Captain Nightingale and Lieutenant Courtney both had an interesting backstory, some nice character development and of course some good old-fashioned repressed romantic feelings. And what can I say, I love a tortured man (or two). Plus, their initial dislike of each actually felt plausible and real and was resolved in a way that fit both the story and the characters well enough, not just something thrown in because all the girlies love enemies to lovers these days.
The writing style was not my favourite, but like I said I’m usually not the biggest fan of this kind of action/adventure story, and I thought it mimicked the style of the aforementioned naval history classics pretty competently. You can also tell that the author put a lot of research into actual naval history and terminology (and not just because she left reviews on multiple of the ship-related nonfiction books I've read, though I love to see a James Fitzjames girlie winning). In terms of historical accuracy, there was one thing that did bother me though, and quite a bit: the first names. What was up with all the first-name usage in this why are all these 19th century officers of the British Royal Navy using each other’s first names constantly even though they are not close friends, including in some fairly formal settings? It was soooo jarring I’m ngl. These men would be dying in each other’s arms in a sea battle and still be last naming each other I’m sorry (not to mention that this also cheapened the intimacy of Nightingale and Courtney first calling each other by their first names……. WHYYYYY).
To address the orange elephant in the room: I don’t think it’s immediately obvious that this was originally a Wattpad story. Seriously, if you’re interested in this book but hesitant because…… yeah, it’s really not comparable to the majority of Wattpad slop that somehow makes it to a publisher (and not just because there’s not as much romance as I was expecting). That said, you can kind of tell that this was published serially in its original form because there is just so much going on in every single chapter. No breathing room at all, which of course makes sense when you post chapter by chapter and therefore feel like you need a Big Event every time you post to keep readers coming back. Reading it as a whole book, and in such a short amount of time, it does feel like a little much sometimes. The pacing could have taken a couple of calmer moments for sure.
And just to be clear, since I mentioned the romance already: it’s definitely there, and there’s some top tier yearning throughout the story, but if you’re a seasoned romance reader, the payoff might be a tiny bit disappointing. That said, I thought the dynamic was really interesting and I’m hoping there will be further development in the next book (though I have to say I’m curious about how they bring Nightingale back into service…..). The ending is fairly self-contained, you don’t necessarily have to read the next one immediately (or at all, honestly), but I definitely want to get to it as soon as I can find a reasonably priced copy. The overall reading experience was just such a good time.
January 25, 2026
not a round up, full five stars. beautifully written, deeply loveable characters, interesting plot (a really good mix of surprises and allowing the reader to feel good about predicting things - predictability is NOT always a bad thing, anyway i digress), authentic queer representation, and a very slow burn very quiet but rewarding lil romance. made me care about naval warfare and history beyond the 20th century with the vivid and engaging descriptions of well, literally everything, and now i wanna read up on the french revolutionary wars to expand on the context in the historical note at the end. i also don't think i've ever been so glad to discover halfway through reading that this is a series and there are TWO MORE i get to read, AND this first one was wrapped up very nicely (cliffhangers feel cheap to me these days)
not to mention this was a DEBUT. katie daysh is perhaps too powerful and i'm here for it
not to mention this was a DEBUT. katie daysh is perhaps too powerful and i'm here for it
April 24, 2024
I enjoyed this book-adventure on the high seas with secrets and intrigue and just a smidgen of romance, all from the point of view of a damaged, broody main character who has to come into himself. The movement between past and present sometimes took me a little bit out of the story, but I am glad o get to delve into the sequel.
April 11, 2025
I’m not really sure where to begin with this book. I don’t want to give any spoilers, because I really want people to read it.
This was recommended to me by a friend of mine and she called it an underrated gem. I had no frame of reference for what it was about. Something to do with ships, right? Maybe pirates, searching for treasure?
As cheesy as it may sound, I feel like I’m the one who found treasure. An underrated gem is exactly what this book is.
Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Historical fiction with a side of pure romance. Absolutely GORGEOUS asexual / demi-sexual rep, which I’m not afraid to say made me cry. It’s so rare to see myself represented in a book in a non stereotypical way and here it was where I was least expecting it.
I was asked the other day to name one of my favourite book characters and it made me realise that I hadn’t fallen in love with a character for a while. There were loads that I liked but none that I held close to my heart. Well I can’t say that anymore - Captain Nightingale will now be a staple in my favourite characters of all time. My absolute angel Louisa and Lieutenant Courtney have the potential too, though I know less about them so can’t wait to spend more time with them in the next book.
Was I sometimes a little lost when it came to all of the naval jargon being used? Hell yes. Did I have to reread a few battle scenes because I was lost in the action? That’s not uncommon for me though to be fair. Neither of these things hindered my enjoyment of this wonderful story.
To be honest I have written and rewritten paragraphs about this book but I’m really struggling to know what to say to fully express how much I loved this. It was just a gorgeous and fantastic story that deserves much more attention and praise. I’m so excited to read the next two in the series and to read more work from Katie Daysh.
This was recommended to me by a friend of mine and she called it an underrated gem. I had no frame of reference for what it was about. Something to do with ships, right? Maybe pirates, searching for treasure?
As cheesy as it may sound, I feel like I’m the one who found treasure. An underrated gem is exactly what this book is.
Heartbreaking and heartwarming. Historical fiction with a side of pure romance. Absolutely GORGEOUS asexual / demi-sexual rep, which I’m not afraid to say made me cry. It’s so rare to see myself represented in a book in a non stereotypical way and here it was where I was least expecting it.
I was asked the other day to name one of my favourite book characters and it made me realise that I hadn’t fallen in love with a character for a while. There were loads that I liked but none that I held close to my heart. Well I can’t say that anymore - Captain Nightingale will now be a staple in my favourite characters of all time. My absolute angel Louisa and Lieutenant Courtney have the potential too, though I know less about them so can’t wait to spend more time with them in the next book.
Was I sometimes a little lost when it came to all of the naval jargon being used? Hell yes. Did I have to reread a few battle scenes because I was lost in the action? That’s not uncommon for me though to be fair. Neither of these things hindered my enjoyment of this wonderful story.
To be honest I have written and rewritten paragraphs about this book but I’m really struggling to know what to say to fully express how much I loved this. It was just a gorgeous and fantastic story that deserves much more attention and praise. I’m so excited to read the next two in the series and to read more work from Katie Daysh.
April 20, 2025
Master and Commander, but make it gay!
Horacio Hornblower, but make it gay!
This is the slowest of a slow burn, but with lots of swashbuckling action to tide one over.
I loved it!
Horacio Hornblower, but make it gay!
This is the slowest of a slow burn, but with lots of swashbuckling action to tide one over.
I loved it!
June 12, 2024
This book is an absolute must-read for all historical fiction fans - another one I wish I could give more than 5 stars to! I am a total sucker for queer historical fiction and holy heck was this an amazing book 👀 Set in the 1800’s, this book focusses on Captain Hiram Nightingale, a captain in the British Navy and his adventures on the seas. Basically think Pirates of the Caribbean, but if the films had focussed on Commodore Norrington instead of Jack Sparrow…
Captain Nightingale was severely injured and lost the love of his life, Lieutenant Leeroy Sawyer, at the battle of the Nile. Unable to grieve openly (as homosexuality is punishable by hanging), now he is being dragged back into service as Captain of the Scylla, tasked with tracking down the mutinied ship, Ulysses. Before Nightingale joins, the Scylla had been plagued with disease and kept running solely due to the tenacity of its young Lieutenant, Arthur Courtney. Nightingale and Courtney start out very much on the wrong foot with each other, but as the book progresses, it’s so heartwarming to see them stepping up for each other.
The writing in this book is absolutely exquisite - it’s like watching a film as you’re reading. I know nothing of boats and sailing but I feel like an expert after reading this, ha! The battle scenes are moving and terrifying, the politics are intriguing and the whole thing is so immersive. There is also so much depth and emotion in all of the characters. As expected in a book of this setting, there is a lot of injury and death and you can feel the waves of emotion that these events cause.
I just adored this book and am so excited to read the next one (just ordered it!!) - we don’t get to see a lot of Nightingale and Courtney together in this book, so I’m really excited to see where their relationship goes.
Read Leeward for:
✨ Amazing naval historical queer gay romance
✨ Drama on the high seas, mutiny, murder, mayhem!
✨ Captain x Lieutenant
✨ Rivals to lovers
✨ Demi rep (not named but I get those vibes!)
✨ Key side character is AroAce
✨ Disability rep (partial blindness)
✨ Dealing with grief in secret
✨ A political mystery to be untangled!
Captain Nightingale was severely injured and lost the love of his life, Lieutenant Leeroy Sawyer, at the battle of the Nile. Unable to grieve openly (as homosexuality is punishable by hanging), now he is being dragged back into service as Captain of the Scylla, tasked with tracking down the mutinied ship, Ulysses. Before Nightingale joins, the Scylla had been plagued with disease and kept running solely due to the tenacity of its young Lieutenant, Arthur Courtney. Nightingale and Courtney start out very much on the wrong foot with each other, but as the book progresses, it’s so heartwarming to see them stepping up for each other.
The writing in this book is absolutely exquisite - it’s like watching a film as you’re reading. I know nothing of boats and sailing but I feel like an expert after reading this, ha! The battle scenes are moving and terrifying, the politics are intriguing and the whole thing is so immersive. There is also so much depth and emotion in all of the characters. As expected in a book of this setting, there is a lot of injury and death and you can feel the waves of emotion that these events cause.
I just adored this book and am so excited to read the next one (just ordered it!!) - we don’t get to see a lot of Nightingale and Courtney together in this book, so I’m really excited to see where their relationship goes.
Read Leeward for:
✨ Amazing naval historical queer gay romance
✨ Drama on the high seas, mutiny, murder, mayhem!
✨ Captain x Lieutenant
✨ Rivals to lovers
✨ Demi rep (not named but I get those vibes!)
✨ Key side character is AroAce
✨ Disability rep (partial blindness)
✨ Dealing with grief in secret
✨ A political mystery to be untangled!
April 10, 2024
This story is set at the turn of the 18th century and revolves around shipping. At the helm is Captain Nightingale, son of a cruel and, in my opinion, unfit father and admiral in the Navy who follows his father's orders and hides his homosexuality.
Well written and researched, we follow the lives of those at sea and the orders they are given, their hardships, and the consequences of their decisions. My favourite character was Courtney, a hero in every sense of the word, from his adept seaman skills to his courage. I read this through my online bookclub, Pigeonhole, and would willingly read a sequel. 4 and a half stars.
Well written and researched, we follow the lives of those at sea and the orders they are given, their hardships, and the consequences of their decisions. My favourite character was Courtney, a hero in every sense of the word, from his adept seaman skills to his courage. I read this through my online bookclub, Pigeonhole, and would willingly read a sequel. 4 and a half stars.
April 10, 2025
3.5* - if you, like me, think Master and Commander is the platonic ideal of historic film, then this is the book for you. It’s canonically gay, and deeply referential to Patrick O’Brian and the movie, with a very tender slow low key love story to keep my romance brain happy. The plot is a bit of a reach but that’s ok because it was otherwise an enjoyable romp.
April 26, 2023
This review will be updated in the future.
I read the first draft of this book about 1-2 years ago on Wattpad. Even as a first draft, the book was fantastically written. I remember the epic pirate battles, crying over character deaths, feeling so scared for the crew, loving Captain Nightingale and Courtney, and then squealing when they finally admit their love for each other. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride, well-written, with lots of history packed into the story.
I can’t wait to get myself a copy of this published version!
I read the first draft of this book about 1-2 years ago on Wattpad. Even as a first draft, the book was fantastically written. I remember the epic pirate battles, crying over character deaths, feeling so scared for the crew, loving Captain Nightingale and Courtney, and then squealing when they finally admit their love for each other. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride, well-written, with lots of history packed into the story.
I can’t wait to get myself a copy of this published version!
January 16, 2025
A little uncomfortable with the age gap… the cover’s really cool though.
June 1, 2023
Thank you to Katie Daysh and Canelo for the advance copy for review!
I will be the first to admit that I know absolutely nothing about ships, or the navy, or sailing. I don't ordinarily seek out books that feature any of those things given my lack of knowledge (and, to be honest, my fear of open water). However, I massively enjoyed Natasha Pulley's 'The Kingdom' and this sounded like it would have a similar vibe.
And I do think that it did! Whilst this one was definitely more realistic historical rather than fantastical, it is the comp I would make when recommending this book to someone. In short, Leeward follows Captain Hiram Nightingale, who commands the Scylla whilst it tries to track down & return a ship which has suffered a mutiny - though the book actually opens two years before this, when Nightingale is onboard a different ship and suffers a tragedy which will shape the decisions he makes throughout the story. On the Scylla, Nightingale is supported by two lieutenants - Hargreaves, and Courtney - the latter of whom he gets off to quite a rocky start with.
It was clear reading this that Katie Daysh either knows a lot about ships and sailing or has done a LOT of research. Whilst I can't speak to the accuracy, it definitely felt like she knew what she was talking about, and the battles and commands all felt realistic. Given that much of the book is description of ships or seafaring or naval warfare, I was wary that it would be quite disengaging when reading, however it didn't feel that way at all - in fact, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to read! The characters are the heart of this novel, particularly Nightingale and all he has overcome and is still dealing with. I enjoyed Nightingale and Courtney's shifting relationship as they warmed to each other and began helping each other, and I enjoyed the relationships Nightingale built with other members of his crew - particularly with Rylance, Loom and Dr. Archer.
I do think that, perhaps, it was slightly too long and could have used a bit more editing - as I say, a LOT of the book was descriptions of ships or naval commands, which could probably have been culled for brevity. However, I really enjoyed this one and was very excited to find out at the end that it is only the first in a trilogy with these characters!! Will definitely be picking up the rest.
I will be the first to admit that I know absolutely nothing about ships, or the navy, or sailing. I don't ordinarily seek out books that feature any of those things given my lack of knowledge (and, to be honest, my fear of open water). However, I massively enjoyed Natasha Pulley's 'The Kingdom' and this sounded like it would have a similar vibe.
And I do think that it did! Whilst this one was definitely more realistic historical rather than fantastical, it is the comp I would make when recommending this book to someone. In short, Leeward follows Captain Hiram Nightingale, who commands the Scylla whilst it tries to track down & return a ship which has suffered a mutiny - though the book actually opens two years before this, when Nightingale is onboard a different ship and suffers a tragedy which will shape the decisions he makes throughout the story. On the Scylla, Nightingale is supported by two lieutenants - Hargreaves, and Courtney - the latter of whom he gets off to quite a rocky start with.
It was clear reading this that Katie Daysh either knows a lot about ships and sailing or has done a LOT of research. Whilst I can't speak to the accuracy, it definitely felt like she knew what she was talking about, and the battles and commands all felt realistic. Given that much of the book is description of ships or seafaring or naval warfare, I was wary that it would be quite disengaging when reading, however it didn't feel that way at all - in fact, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to read! The characters are the heart of this novel, particularly Nightingale and all he has overcome and is still dealing with. I enjoyed Nightingale and Courtney's shifting relationship as they warmed to each other and began helping each other, and I enjoyed the relationships Nightingale built with other members of his crew - particularly with Rylance, Loom and Dr. Archer.
I do think that, perhaps, it was slightly too long and could have used a bit more editing - as I say, a LOT of the book was descriptions of ships or naval commands, which could probably have been culled for brevity. However, I really enjoyed this one and was very excited to find out at the end that it is only the first in a trilogy with these characters!! Will definitely be picking up the rest.
June 29, 2023
Even if I am not well versed in sailing or nautical terms, I have to admit that “Leeward” by Katie Daysh was an extremely pleasurable read with an effortless flow.
That’s where the true skill depth is reflected when it comes to the author’s writing level: the effortless way to represent the complexities of the historical information, as well as the world building, and weave it intricately into the storyline and among the dialogues. The time and energy Katie Daysh has spent on the research of this historical period shows from the first page.
Her prose is rich, filled with detailed and immersive depictions that teleport the reader to the location due to how vivid the representation is.
The characterisation is top-notch. What I would love to praise the most is the fact that in Katie’s opus, you shall not encounter “white,” or “black” characters.
Her characters are not wholly good or wholly bad. Their arcs are very realistic and their reactions believable and life-like. The only character who might be straight up irredeemable is, hands down, Admiral Nightingale. He can have the pantomime evil cackle and all.
Both queer and aro/ace representation in this book is stellar. At a first glance, it might look like “yet another gay love story” but it is so much more nuanced than that.
It harbours all the profound intensity of intellectual and emotional connection two soul mates have, as well as the budding friendship firmly based on mutual adoration and respect.
Overall, I thoroughly recommend this book to all lovers of well-written and thoroughly researched nautical historical stories, brimming with vivid descriptions, and embodying genuine human connection.
That’s where the true skill depth is reflected when it comes to the author’s writing level: the effortless way to represent the complexities of the historical information, as well as the world building, and weave it intricately into the storyline and among the dialogues. The time and energy Katie Daysh has spent on the research of this historical period shows from the first page.
Her prose is rich, filled with detailed and immersive depictions that teleport the reader to the location due to how vivid the representation is.
The characterisation is top-notch. What I would love to praise the most is the fact that in Katie’s opus, you shall not encounter “white,” or “black” characters.
Her characters are not wholly good or wholly bad. Their arcs are very realistic and their reactions believable and life-like. The only character who might be straight up irredeemable is, hands down, Admiral Nightingale. He can have the pantomime evil cackle and all.
Both queer and aro/ace representation in this book is stellar. At a first glance, it might look like “yet another gay love story” but it is so much more nuanced than that.
It harbours all the profound intensity of intellectual and emotional connection two soul mates have, as well as the budding friendship firmly based on mutual adoration and respect.
Overall, I thoroughly recommend this book to all lovers of well-written and thoroughly researched nautical historical stories, brimming with vivid descriptions, and embodying genuine human connection.
April 6, 2024
**DESERT ISLAND KEEPER **
I don't even know what to say. Nightingale and Courtney. I absolutely LOVE these two characters and they ended up with a HFN, but please, please let them have a HEA. I know this is supposed to be a trilogy, but if Katie Daysh changed her mind and made it 10, I'd gladly read them all. I am speechless. This book is easily flirting with being the best book I've ever read. At the very LEAST top 3. Thank you Katie Daysh for your wonderful writing!!!!!
I don't even know what to say. Nightingale and Courtney. I absolutely LOVE these two characters and they ended up with a HFN, but please, please let them have a HEA. I know this is supposed to be a trilogy, but if Katie Daysh changed her mind and made it 10, I'd gladly read them all. I am speechless. This book is easily flirting with being the best book I've ever read. At the very LEAST top 3. Thank you Katie Daysh for your wonderful writing!!!!!
May 31, 2023
Went from almost a DNF to almost 4 stars. A very challenging book for me at first, but ultimately a fabulous story that is both beautifully poignant and well written.
I have never been sailing, but I love the ocean and I find the ships that were around during The Age of Sail to be utterly fascinating - beautiful, staggeringly complex, awe-inspiring, thrilling - much the same way I feel about old cathedrals despite not being religious. These ships are a testament to how such a flawed and weak species as humanity is, humans can sometimes, sometimes produce objects so profound that they rival the brilliance of nature. I simply cannot fathom (hah!) how they were designed, let alone created, by mere humans. My love of these ships in an esthetic sense always made me want to read historical naval fiction; however, I have limited experience with this genre (several of the early Bolitho novels by Alexander Kent.) That is because, sadly, this is a hard genre for me because it always gets too dark for me - there is always a lot of violence (whether accidental or intentional) and many people end up getting maimed or killed and oftentimes it involves midshipmen who are barely even teenagers. This was certainly a fact of life for the time and place, but it's something that I find too unsettling actually to read about. I avoid non-fiction books about these ships for the same reason, because they tend to be about lost expeditions and always seem to veer into mutiny and the horrors that humans can inflict on each other when trapped with no way out and life is seeping away due to disease and starvation.
So, OK, moving along - I decided to be brave and try this book as the reviews from other writers were just so good. It wasn't quite as gory/unsettling as some others (thank God), but I actually felt myself heading towards a DNF result about 1/2 way through the book. Why? Because the story up till then was so bleak and the main character's anguish so prolific that it felt like swimming upstream. There were pieces of it where I felt I couldn't grasp the author's intent - it felt like I was on the outside of some facts/events/circumstances that I wasn't privy to. For instance, this bit:
Courtney opened his mouth, glancing down. Without realising, Nightingale had slapped his hand on Courtney’s knee when addressing him. He was clutching it so tightly that he could feel his kneecap digging into his palm. He removed his hand with a blush at his slip in decorum. ‘I… yes,’ Courtney managed.
The writing preceding this scene and following it did nothing to illuminate just what the hell was going on in the character's heads, much less knowing enough to understand such a strong reaction.
The writing could also confuse me at times, such as this paragraph:
Hoping his nausea would not attack him again, he sat in the gig and ascended onto the pier where Fairholme waited. He was hardly dressed for riding, in a deep green tailed coat, brocaded waistcoat and breeches rather than trousers. But he gave a dazzling smile, laying his hand to his chest. ‘I’m pleased to see you, Captain, Lieutenant,’ he said.
The paragraph begins with Nightingale as the subject ("hoping his nausea . . .", etc) but then the second sentence starts ("He was hardly dressed for riding . . .", etc) without any clear indication that we have switched to describing the character of Fairholm at this point. It became apparent by the end of the paragraph, but reading it at first it sounded like Nightingale was not dressed for riding, etc., none of which made a lick of sense. It seems alot of authors struggle with clarification of which character is referenced when the author moves from names to pronouns, and the pronouns can apply to two (or more) of the characters involved.
It was also a struggle to bear up under the continual anguish, doubt, anger and self-loathing the MC had about himself, which was described in length but without having more than a glimpse of the back story or any other rationale as to why he feels the way he does.
This was about the time I was considering DNF, but I continued onward and somehow I found myself completely invested in the story and the characters. Not sure what the turning point was, maybe it was when much of the action moved to occurring on land and we the readers started being made privy to a fuller back story, as well as introducing some politically-driven plot turns where the reader is given fuller access to what's going on as Nightingale perceives it, and his slow realization of how much he is being manipulated and used as a pawn for other folks' dirty work. This brought much needed clarity to all the painful conjectures and musings that went through Nightingale's head through the first part of the book. I guess the best way to describe it is being similar to the feeling of an MC being gaslighted, but the author not allowing you into any of the reality for an overly long time, to the point where you begin to doubt/dislike the MC yourself.
Fortunately, the rest of the book proceeded to unwrap past events, and allowed the reader to uncover all the machinations and manipulations at the same time as the MC finds/figures them out. From that point on, I found the story strongly compelling, to the point that my overall opinion of the book went from DNF to one of "Wow. Just . . . Wow."
This is a story of abuse, hate, politics, public images, and how entitlement can lead to creating monsters. There are several U-turns regarding characters that are (at least somewhat) unexpected and the ending is not one of good triumphing over evil, but rather of a man who stood up for himself at the most dangerous possible time and could easily have lost not only his own life, but the lives of others who didn't deserve punishment. (Caveat: the decision and final rulings by the review board, including punishments, was hard to believe even in terms of fiction.)
As one character tells Nightingale:
I am not the architect of your pain. I am merely using it to my own benefit, as men have done since the dawn of time.
. . . and yes, the person saying that is utterly loathsome, although the worst by far is Nightingale's father - I had guessed what the backstory with Tom was about, but I was still floored when it was fully disclosed. Suffice to say, Nightingale's father is a filthy, nasty rat bastard.
There is no HEA here, but there is the serenity of knowing who you are and having done everything you could to remain a decent human being in the face of overwhelming odds.
Lastly, I want to commend the author on their portrayal of the relationship of Nightingale and Courtney, and their portrayal of the spectrum for LGBTQA folks.
Whether ships are involved or not, I desperately want to read more about Nightingale and Courtney. THANK YOU Katie Daysh for gifting us with this lovely, lovely book. HIGHLY recommended.
I have never been sailing, but I love the ocean and I find the ships that were around during The Age of Sail to be utterly fascinating - beautiful, staggeringly complex, awe-inspiring, thrilling - much the same way I feel about old cathedrals despite not being religious. These ships are a testament to how such a flawed and weak species as humanity is, humans can sometimes, sometimes produce objects so profound that they rival the brilliance of nature. I simply cannot fathom (hah!) how they were designed, let alone created, by mere humans. My love of these ships in an esthetic sense always made me want to read historical naval fiction; however, I have limited experience with this genre (several of the early Bolitho novels by Alexander Kent.) That is because, sadly, this is a hard genre for me because it always gets too dark for me - there is always a lot of violence (whether accidental or intentional) and many people end up getting maimed or killed and oftentimes it involves midshipmen who are barely even teenagers. This was certainly a fact of life for the time and place, but it's something that I find too unsettling actually to read about. I avoid non-fiction books about these ships for the same reason, because they tend to be about lost expeditions and always seem to veer into mutiny and the horrors that humans can inflict on each other when trapped with no way out and life is seeping away due to disease and starvation.
So, OK, moving along - I decided to be brave and try this book as the reviews from other writers were just so good. It wasn't quite as gory/unsettling as some others (thank God), but I actually felt myself heading towards a DNF result about 1/2 way through the book. Why? Because the story up till then was so bleak and the main character's anguish so prolific that it felt like swimming upstream. There were pieces of it where I felt I couldn't grasp the author's intent - it felt like I was on the outside of some facts/events/circumstances that I wasn't privy to. For instance, this bit:
Courtney opened his mouth, glancing down. Without realising, Nightingale had slapped his hand on Courtney’s knee when addressing him. He was clutching it so tightly that he could feel his kneecap digging into his palm. He removed his hand with a blush at his slip in decorum. ‘I… yes,’ Courtney managed.
The writing preceding this scene and following it did nothing to illuminate just what the hell was going on in the character's heads, much less knowing enough to understand such a strong reaction.
The writing could also confuse me at times, such as this paragraph:
Hoping his nausea would not attack him again, he sat in the gig and ascended onto the pier where Fairholme waited. He was hardly dressed for riding, in a deep green tailed coat, brocaded waistcoat and breeches rather than trousers. But he gave a dazzling smile, laying his hand to his chest. ‘I’m pleased to see you, Captain, Lieutenant,’ he said.
The paragraph begins with Nightingale as the subject ("hoping his nausea . . .", etc) but then the second sentence starts ("He was hardly dressed for riding . . .", etc) without any clear indication that we have switched to describing the character of Fairholm at this point. It became apparent by the end of the paragraph, but reading it at first it sounded like Nightingale was not dressed for riding, etc., none of which made a lick of sense. It seems alot of authors struggle with clarification of which character is referenced when the author moves from names to pronouns, and the pronouns can apply to two (or more) of the characters involved.
It was also a struggle to bear up under the continual anguish, doubt, anger and self-loathing the MC had about himself, which was described in length but without having more than a glimpse of the back story or any other rationale as to why he feels the way he does.
This was about the time I was considering DNF, but I continued onward and somehow I found myself completely invested in the story and the characters. Not sure what the turning point was, maybe it was when much of the action moved to occurring on land and we the readers started being made privy to a fuller back story, as well as introducing some politically-driven plot turns where the reader is given fuller access to what's going on as Nightingale perceives it, and his slow realization of how much he is being manipulated and used as a pawn for other folks' dirty work. This brought much needed clarity to all the painful conjectures and musings that went through Nightingale's head through the first part of the book. I guess the best way to describe it is being similar to the feeling of an MC being gaslighted, but the author not allowing you into any of the reality for an overly long time, to the point where you begin to doubt/dislike the MC yourself.
Fortunately, the rest of the book proceeded to unwrap past events, and allowed the reader to uncover all the machinations and manipulations at the same time as the MC finds/figures them out. From that point on, I found the story strongly compelling, to the point that my overall opinion of the book went from DNF to one of "Wow. Just . . . Wow."
This is a story of abuse, hate, politics, public images, and how entitlement can lead to creating monsters. There are several U-turns regarding characters that are (at least somewhat) unexpected and the ending is not one of good triumphing over evil, but rather of a man who stood up for himself at the most dangerous possible time and could easily have lost not only his own life, but the lives of others who didn't deserve punishment. (Caveat: the decision and final rulings by the review board, including punishments, was hard to believe even in terms of fiction.)
As one character tells Nightingale:
I am not the architect of your pain. I am merely using it to my own benefit, as men have done since the dawn of time.
. . . and yes, the person saying that is utterly loathsome, although the worst by far is Nightingale's father - I had guessed what the backstory with Tom was about, but I was still floored when it was fully disclosed. Suffice to say, Nightingale's father is a filthy, nasty rat bastard.
There is no HEA here, but there is the serenity of knowing who you are and having done everything you could to remain a decent human being in the face of overwhelming odds.
Lastly, I want to commend the author on their portrayal of the relationship of Nightingale and Courtney, and their portrayal of the spectrum for LGBTQA folks.
Whether ships are involved or not, I desperately want to read more about Nightingale and Courtney. THANK YOU Katie Daysh for gifting us with this lovely, lovely book. HIGHLY recommended.
November 1, 2025
Okay wow this was somehow so much better than I was expecting?? I’m always slightly skeptical of maritime books, they don’t typically draw my interest and I find I’m often critical just based on my own experience/knowledge, but this was soooo good. I’m slightly offended this book is as good as it is and yet so few people are talking about it or have read it.
It’s honestly hard to describe this book without really delving into the plot, and I think it’s one that’s best to go into somewhat blind. There is *some* navy jargon but nothing that I found too extensive or difficult to follow, but it’s so obvious that Katie 1.) did a lot of research, 2.) did it well, and 3.) this is a labor of love. Don’t let that intimidate you! You could read this with no ship knowledge at all and still enjoy it.
The characters were all so well-written. Complex, likable (or not, but in a way that makes me want to know them more), realistic. Courtney was a standout to me quite literally from their introduction but basically top to bottom, I thought every character was amazing. The plot was interesting and made me want to find out what was going to happen next- I read the last 180ish pages in one evening bc I simply couldn’t put the book down.
And on a final note, I can’t say much without spoilers, but the representation in this book?? So thoughtful, delicate, and done in a way (and frankly, discussing topics that are generally omitted) that made my heart swell. It never felt like a check in the box or a caricature. Just so so so well done. Katie, you absolute queen, I have immense respect for you because of it. And the yearning??? Actually almost killed me in the best way.
I obviously don’t know how to describe this book or how I felt reading it but can ramble on for ages about it. All I can say is READ IT. An incredibly underrated gem. I cannot wait to continue with the trilogy and whatever else Katie may put out in the future. So so so good, an absolutely glowing 5 stars from me.
It’s honestly hard to describe this book without really delving into the plot, and I think it’s one that’s best to go into somewhat blind. There is *some* navy jargon but nothing that I found too extensive or difficult to follow, but it’s so obvious that Katie 1.) did a lot of research, 2.) did it well, and 3.) this is a labor of love. Don’t let that intimidate you! You could read this with no ship knowledge at all and still enjoy it.
The characters were all so well-written. Complex, likable (or not, but in a way that makes me want to know them more), realistic. Courtney was a standout to me quite literally from their introduction but basically top to bottom, I thought every character was amazing. The plot was interesting and made me want to find out what was going to happen next- I read the last 180ish pages in one evening bc I simply couldn’t put the book down.
And on a final note, I can’t say much without spoilers, but the representation in this book?? So thoughtful, delicate, and done in a way (and frankly, discussing topics that are generally omitted) that made my heart swell. It never felt like a check in the box or a caricature. Just so so so well done. Katie, you absolute queen, I have immense respect for you because of it. And the yearning??? Actually almost killed me in the best way.
I obviously don’t know how to describe this book or how I felt reading it but can ramble on for ages about it. All I can say is READ IT. An incredibly underrated gem. I cannot wait to continue with the trilogy and whatever else Katie may put out in the future. So so so good, an absolutely glowing 5 stars from me.
May 21, 2024
I honestly was afraid I wouldn't be able to understand and like that story based on the navy, but turns out it was amazing and I devored the book!
I didn't understood all the specific naval and navigation terms, but you honestly don't need to know and understand everything to understand the story on its own and what's happening, so don't worry about that.
I was really hooked by the story, by that Ulysse chase, it was captivating.
There's a subtility giving in the emotional description of the characters, especially Hiram's, and it was amazing : there's not a lot of description, not a lot of emotions, yet you can totally feel what Hiram feels from what you get. I was really attached to him, to them all. The romance, also very subtle and very slow burn, was put aside as a very subplot yet it was still really important for the story itself - so it was amazing.
I'm diving in to read the next book!
PS: I have a feeling Hiram is asexual??? It sounds very much like it from the description. It has never been said obviously as it wasnt well understood by then, but I'm glad it give a little hint of asexuality, and even aroace character (you'll understand with the last chapters).
I didn't understood all the specific naval and navigation terms, but you honestly don't need to know and understand everything to understand the story on its own and what's happening, so don't worry about that.
I was really hooked by the story, by that Ulysse chase, it was captivating.
There's a subtility giving in the emotional description of the characters, especially Hiram's, and it was amazing : there's not a lot of description, not a lot of emotions, yet you can totally feel what Hiram feels from what you get. I was really attached to him, to them all. The romance, also very subtle and very slow burn, was put aside as a very subplot yet it was still really important for the story itself - so it was amazing.
I'm diving in to read the next book!
PS: I have a feeling Hiram is asexual??? It sounds very much like it from the description. It has never been said obviously as it wasnt well understood by then, but I'm glad it give a little hint of asexuality, and even aroace character (you'll understand with the last chapters).
March 25, 2025
A meticulously written, historical fiction set in the Nepoleonic era that navigates grief, mutiny, forbidden romance, heroism, and the brutality of life at sea in the Age of Sail. The author has clearly done her research and I felt transported back to the 1800’s. The writing was consistent and well thought through. The main character is extremely likeable; Captain Hiram Nightingale is brave, compassionate, and leads with a firm but fair hand, and has suffered great loss and tragedy in his past. We accompany him as he journeys from the Caribbean to Cape Horn in the pursuit of a mutinous ship, whilst simultaneously overcoming his own personal battles. The romance with his Lieutenant Arthur Courtney is subtle and slow-burning and doesn’t overpower the story. I’m looking forward to following the next instalment in the series and seeing where their relationship goes next. This book has made me fall in love with historical fiction all over again and I couldn’t recommend it enough.
July 25, 2025
EDIT:
In summary, this is a decent historical fiction novel. It's just a bad romance.
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Hmm this is not a bad book at all but I found jt very underwhelming and disappointing… I love naval fantasies and I love queer romance so this SHOULD have tickled me but everything about it just felt very bland. The romance was so minimal that I was surprised they kissed at the end… I expected a more satisfying slow-burn, not a sudden final chapter kiss and get together that seemed randomly tacked on. Like there was genuinely very little chemistry, so I thought they would only get together in book 2 or 3. But all of a sudden the Love Interest is confessing that he loved the MC All Along and we’re just supposed to go along with it… And while I enjoyed the plot during the first half, it became very predictably straightforward by the second half. There was so much build up about conspiracies and secrets and masks and complicated characters and then… everything just works out exactly?? Without any twists?? Eh??
In summary, this is a decent historical fiction novel. It's just a bad romance.
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Hmm this is not a bad book at all but I found jt very underwhelming and disappointing… I love naval fantasies and I love queer romance so this SHOULD have tickled me but everything about it just felt very bland. The romance was so minimal that I was surprised they kissed at the end… I expected a more satisfying slow-burn, not a sudden final chapter kiss and get together that seemed randomly tacked on. Like there was genuinely very little chemistry, so I thought they would only get together in book 2 or 3. But all of a sudden the Love Interest is confessing that he loved the MC All Along and we’re just supposed to go along with it… And while I enjoyed the plot during the first half, it became very predictably straightforward by the second half. There was so much build up about conspiracies and secrets and masks and complicated characters and then… everything just works out exactly?? Without any twists?? Eh??
June 23, 2025
Incredibly well written, and was really enjoying it for 350 pages as it was splendid naval fun with all the trimmings you want from a novel set in this period (not quite Patrick O'Brian good but then what is). The central character was brilliantly drawn and I’ll read the rest of the trilogy without hesitation as I’m interested in his story.
However, the resolution at the end felt hollow, followed by a frankly absurd MM romance for the last 20 pages. It felt weirdly crowbarred in and whilst tbf I’m all for it, I can’t forgive how abruptly it arrived. It undid so much of the brilliant character work and cheapened it. It felt like a fanfic section bolted on to help sell the book.
Still I enjoyed it immensely and 3* seems harsh (but definitely fair). I think now we’ve endured the clumsy establishing of the romance, the second book has the capacity to be a lot better.
However, the resolution at the end felt hollow, followed by a frankly absurd MM romance for the last 20 pages. It felt weirdly crowbarred in and whilst tbf I’m all for it, I can’t forgive how abruptly it arrived. It undid so much of the brilliant character work and cheapened it. It felt like a fanfic section bolted on to help sell the book.
Still I enjoyed it immensely and 3* seems harsh (but definitely fair). I think now we’ve endured the clumsy establishing of the romance, the second book has the capacity to be a lot better.
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