4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing for the early review copy!

The Bright and Breaking Sea was my first Chloe Neill book and I am definitely going to be reading more.

This book follows Captain Kit Brightling, a foundling, that has raised up the ranks and is now a Captain that works for the Queen. Kit Brightling kind of reminds me of Lila Bard from ADSOM, but not 100%. She gets paired with Rian Grant, a viscount, for a mission that is different than her usual missions. There's espionage, betrayal, adventure, action, sailing, and even some pirates involved. I'm so excited to continue this story and have the characters and world expanded.

The magic system is also interesting. Everybody that can sense and handle magic is referred to as being aligned. Kit is water aligned, someone on her crew is wind aligned. And another side character mentions being aligned to land. We touch on the magic a bit in this book, but I'm sure we'll learn more later on.

I definitely recommend this book and will be continuing the series.

50482962Chloe Neill's The Bright and Breaking Sea is a rollicking bit of historical fantasy that harkens baco to Horatio Hornblower and other nautical adventures. Less adult than some of her urban fantasy work, This volume is clearly intended for a somewhat wider range of readers.

The book stars a captain named Kit whom runs a small ship and frequently takes on missions for the queen herself. She is shown early on to be effective at running her ship and it's diverse crew, and can magically feel and slightly influence currents. While Kit yearns for home to a certaine extent, it is mostly the sea that calls her.

Another major character is Grant. Grant is a former army man, a colonel, and a member of the Bea Monde, a type of aristocracy. He is also haunted by his military hisyory, with traces of PTSD and an abiding hatred of warfare. He is a complex enough secondary character, featuring as a rather obviously telegraphed love interest for Kit. This is s not a complaint, as he is both likeable and believable in the role, and takes nothing away from her. Further, there is something positive to be said for relatively formulaic elements in a story, as they are proven to be often effective.

Prejudice relating to class and gender are are clearly expressed, and treated as a negative reality. Kit faces captains who see her as thet lesser for her status as a woman of no particular breeding, and those who look down upon her for her gifts related to magic as well. Sexism is strong enough that the current queen has to deal persistently with a subset of her own people undermining her orders based upon the fact that they are coming from a woman. There are hints of racial animocities, however these are on the backburner comparatively, which is understandable given the cast and situations.

The magic system is clearly well thought out, with comparisons amiable to both developing sciences and environmental understanding in our world. Indeed a part of the plot hinges upon the severe damage the misuse of magic, both in the past and present, can cause. This is not only in the weaponized sense but also in the fact that one might perminantly damage magic or the world. The environmental parallels are obvious and interesting, resulting in a believable sorrow as Kit encounters such damage. She has a private moment in which she senses changes and questions how one might best be able to restore the harm, and if that is entirely possible. The fact this occurs in relation to a technological development only maoes this clearer.

There is an obvious sequel hook at the end of the book, one which also suitably builds upon the setting and conflict of the existing story. It certainly will make a reader curious about future events, yet does not feel like what might be termed a cheat.

Overall, The Bright and Breaking Sea is a classic adventure novel in the making by an experienced hand at fantasy. Readers of many ages will enjoy it greatly if they share an interest in such material, and likely come away wanting more.

(Ace 2020)

[ 4.5 out of 5 stars ]

"The Bright and Breaking Sea" was a very pleasant read. The story felt like you could just lay back and enjoy.

The world-building was good and easy to acclimate myself to and how magic (alignment) worked. I was really captivated by this story and its characters from the beginning.

Captain Kit Brightling is a born leader who earns her respect and devotion by her crew. As one of few female captains and high ranked officials, she doesn’t allow misogyny or snobbery to keep her from doing what she loves and getting the job done. She has a sharp wit, is very clever, loyal, and compassionate. She’s a tough cookie who (like myself) loves reading romance stories.

I knew right away that I’d enjoy Kit and Grant butting heads. It was guaranteed to happen because of the stereotyped idea they had of each other. I liked how they earned each other's respect and even more the hint of a slow burn romance to be.

There was a lot of action, high seas battles, fighting and explosions. And while the stakes were high, Kit and crew were able to overcome obstacles in one, easy try, making their successes underwhelming. No fails or setbacks. One part could technically be seen as a fail but the ease of the mission made the perceived failure somewhat insignificant.

Overall, "The Bright and Breaking Sea "was an entertaining story and thrilling first novel of a series that I will definitely be continuing. I had a lot of fun reading this book and am keen to see what dangers are in store for the Isles as well as more cute Kit and Grant moments.

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

I loved this book. It has so many delicious ingredients for me.

Kit is a captain for the Queen Charlotte's navy. Her affinity for water magic makes her in charge of helping the top secret affairs of the country. She ends up helping Lord Rian in a rescue mission. This mission opens up a danger from a vanquished enemy.

I love books that take place during the Age of Sails and having a female captain makes it even better. The world is reminiscent of Georgian time but with just enough differences to make the world fresher. The characters are well fleshed out with their own wishes and desires. The romance is sweet that grows from distrust to confidence in each other's abilities. The plot goes quickly as Kit is constantly trying to figure out who is betraying her country and queen.

Looking forward to the next one.

This review is based on an advanced copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

I love a good pirate book, so when I read the premise of this book I had to read it! Also, you can never go wrong with a book that has a strong female lead, and this one didn’t disappoint!

Our heroine, Kit works hard, rising through the ranks to become a Captain in the Queen’s fleet. She is sent on a mission with Rian, a Viscount and war veteran. I absolutely loved the characters in this book, they really compliment each other and are well rounded which make’s for an amazing story! We do have a bit of a slow burn romance and an enemies to allies thing going. This book really hits all the right spots for me... Magic, sea captains, viscounts, pirates, mystery, enemies to allies, slow burn romance, and fast pacing. It really can’t get much better than that.

The only reason I am giving this book 4 stars is because it was a bit too predictable for my liking, but I really did enjoy this book and can’t wait for the next installment of the series!

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for this eARC!

The Bright and Breaking Sea and I did not get off to a good start. The prologue, which jumped from person-to-person-to-person, felt disjointed and slightly confusing. Then, a bunch of names and titles were thrown at me before I’d decided how much brain power I was committing to this book. (It’s a personal pet peeve of mine, so I found this especially offensive.) I saw a few awkward sentences and thought reading this was going to be a long, arduous struggle. But before I knew it, The Bright and Breaking Sea became a whirlpool sucking me in, and I was drowning in Neill’s amazing story.

This is the first I’ve heard of Chole Neill, so I can’t say if this is characteristic of “her trademark wit.” What I can say is that this book is full of sass and sarcasm, and I love it. Seriously, if this what Chole Neill’s writing is like, sign me up for 13 vampire books! The quips are snappy, the banter is sharp, and the comedic timing is spot on.

Every character is an absolute delight. I didn’t realize until much later that this is part of a series. From Kit’s fear healthy respect for horses to Cook’s paternal instincts and political bent, Neill does her best to create a diverse set of characters with depth. There’s a huge cast of characters and not a lot of time, so they’re not fully fleshed out. That being said, Neill does a remarkable job of creating nuanced and complex characters who leap off the page and endear themselves to readers after only a few short sentences. I was wary when I started the book and found it was part of a series; I did not sign up for that kind of commitment when I requested this book. I do feel like this could (and maybe should) be a standalone, but I am happy that gives us more time with the Brightling women, the Diana crew, and of course, the illustrative Viscount Queenscliffe.

I wanted swashbuckling, and I certainly got it. The synopsis mentions the mission to rescue a spy from a pirate fortress and there’s that and so much more. Some of it’s a little over-the-top (do we really need espionage on top of a rescue mission and a battle on the high seas?) I just find a little too convenient that the Queen of alt-England has all these tasks that can only be done by these two, but I digress…

As fun as this is, there are still some things I thought could be better. The pacing is a little weird for me; I’m not sure why the plot is so rushed if this is meant to be a series. In terms of its magical system, the world building is, pardon the pun, a bit watered down. There were some minor plot holes (I’m looking at you storm scene,) and if I really want to get picky, the romance could’ve been handled with just a touch more finesse. (I do have to give credit to Neill for letting it slowly build over time and not having it completely dominate the story.)

Despite being a bit predictable (I literally figured out the “twist” six chapters in,) The Bright and Breaking Sea is a delightful, engrossing read. Neill is a storytelling siren. She lures you in with words, immersing you in the world she’s created, compelling you to read until you find yourself turning the last page bereft of sleep and some sanity. I thought I’d get a head start and read a few chapter before bed and found myself gulping down passages into the wee hours of the early morning. So be warned, dear readers, should you choose to embark on this journey, do so when the sun is high and your dance card is empty.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Chloe Neill treads new waters with her debut historical fiction, with just a hint of magic, novel The Bright and Breaking Sea. Widely known for her paranormal series Chicagoland Vampires and Heirs of Chicagoland, Chloe tackles the new genre with finesse!

Kit is captain of her own ship in the queen’s command and has a talent for taming the sea. Her next voyage however will be a rescue mission, to save a man loyal to the crown, yet she has to bring along Grant, who is a good friend to the kidnapped man, and a solider to boot. The two do not get along well, at all. So naturally, we know that they eventually will! Lol.

The rescue mission is of course, only one of the voyages Kit will have to undertake. There’s plenty more missions to come as there is a traitor out there who is doing whatever possible to take the crown away from the queen. Coupled with high action voyages on said sea this is a read that will keep you entertained.

That being said, I have to admit, this one just wasn’t for me. I love Chloe’s vampire worlds and the magic and people in it. This book sadly just didn’t have that same kind of thrill. Yes, it’s a new genre, new world, new world order…I get that. The description touts magic being involved though and I was greatly expecting there to be a lot of magic in this one. Yet, it almost seemed like it was added as an afterthought. Kit has an ability to help “tame the sea,” if you will. She doesn’t use it very often, nor do we talk about it very often. It’s almost like Fight Club.

I did like the dynamic between Kit and Grant though. There’s always something to those relationships that start with animosity but soon grows into something more. Though they are not very lovey-dovey like even when they start to admit there might be something there.

Another thing that just wasn’t in my favor was the pacing. This was a very slow paced read in my opinion. I guess maybe that’s the trend in historical fiction novels? There was a lot of emphasis on describing this and that of the ship and the sea, and the weather, and the sailing process…it was just a little too much for me. I like my novels to be driven by character or plot more than the setting.

I have to admit that I did start skimming some pages towards the end, mostly skipping over the overlong descriptions. I got the gist of the situation at hand and was only mildly surprised when a traitor popped up. Honestly, when I saw them (yup, using improper verbiage here) in the beginning, I had me a Scooby Doo moment and thought they did it! I don’t know what they did, but they are a suspicious character.

The ending was one of those nice kind of endings that you tend to get in a new series. That you think the waters are calm at last, but there’s yet another storm brewing just on the horizon and there will be lots more to come in the future. Sadly, I don’t think this will be a voyage I will be continuing. Though Chloe is still one of my favorite authors, this series just isn’t for me.

However, if you find yourself needing a good historical fiction read with just the tiniest taste of magic, then The Bright and Breaking Sea will be the read for you!


Overall Rating 2/5 stars

The Bright and Breaking Sea releases November 17, 2020

Super interesting concept, I loved Kit as a strong female lead but I just couldn’t get into the story. Would recommend for anyone who likes magic, military tacticians and swashbuckling adventures.

Review will be posted in Shelf Awareness PRO (trade) newsletter.
***
With The Bright and Breaking Sea, Chloe Neill launches a high-stakes on the high seas historical fantasy series full of political intrigue, naval battles and well-drawn characters.
Like the urban fantasy series she's known for--The Chicagoland Vampires and others--Neill drops readers directly into the action with a daring escape aided by heroine Captain Kit Brightling's water magic. The world is roughly mapped onto historical Europe during the Napoleonic wars, complete with a fictional exiled dictator named Gerard, recently ousted from Gallia (France). Brightling and her allies hail from The Isles, a fictional Great Britain which appears to have eschewed colonization in favor of international trade and diplomacy. The queen ,a Black woman named Charlotte, sends Brightling on a series of missions to save a spy captured by pirates, to hunt down an enemy ship and more in order to thwart Gerard's attempt at a comeback. The action is continuous, with brief stops along the way to repair the ship, re-provision and receive new orders.
As an Aligned person, Kit can tap into the natural magic of the sea. So when an air-Aligned colleague confirms her sense that's something's off, she's tasked with a mystery only Kit can solve: what's happening to the magic? And what does it have to do with Gerard?
While the large cast is a little unwieldy at first with so many crew members and palace denizens with whom to become acquainted, Neill develops her characters well enough that readers will soon be able to tell them apart and appreciate their idiosyncrasies. For example, readers will immediately identify Colonel Grant, a military commander, Viscount and Kit's reluctant partner on these missions, as Kit's love interest. Since both are accustomed to command, their partnership begins with a power struggle that evolves into respect and friendship as they work together. As they face pirates, misogynistic and condescending fellow Isles captains and danger from several directions, they grow closer, despite their best intentions. Their relationship is by far not the central plot, but Neill deftly employs it to give depth to Grant and Brightling's characters and to discuss subjects such as feminism, independence, obligation and post-traumatic stress.
The Bright and Breaking Sea pits Kit Brightling and her crew against misused magic, cannons and traitors in an adventure that doesn't let up. Readers will be eager for the next installment.
***
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.

I've read various books by Chloe Neill before, and The Bright and Breaking Sea is quite unlike anything she's ever written! I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going in to this book other than sailing, magic, and a feisty female lead, and I got all those things and more and had a blast while reading about them!

The Bright and Breaking Sea is the story of Kit Brightling, former foundling and current captain extraordinaire. Kit is exactly the heroine I was looking for. She's intelligent, she's sarcastic, and she's not afraid to throw a punch. She also loves reading gothic romance novels, she'll put herself in danger to save her crew, and she loves her adopted sisters more than most anything. Kit is a well-rounded character, and while she's willing to do whatever it takes to successfully complete a missions, she's not perfect, and that's okay. She's willing to admit her mistakes and try a different approach, and she knows her limits and when she needs to hand the job off to someone else. In this book, that 'someone else' is often Rian Grant, viscount and colonel, who begins as an unwanted visitor on Kit's ship but ends up being a true ally and perhaps something more. I love seeing Kit's relationship with Grant develop throughout the story as the two come to trust and rely on one another, and I can't wait to see what happens between the two of them moving forward. I also really love the relationship between Kit and her crew and the obvious trust and camaraderie they've built as their own family.

The magic system in this book is very interesting. Individuals who are Aligned have an affinity for a certain element-water, wind, earth, and presumably fire--which sounds a bit like Avatar: the Last Airbender but is really not. Instead of being able to control an element, those who are Aligned are in tune with an element and can harness its power to some degree, but true manipulation of the element is outlawed because of its destructive potential. As such, Aligned such as Kit use their abilities in smaller ways, such as finding ocean currents to help speed a ship along, that only risk a personal cost. Furthermore, there seems to be at least some distinction in what exactly a person is Aligned to. Kit, for example, is aligned to the sea, but not to other bodies of water such as a river. It's an interesting contrast to other elemental magic systems, and I'm really looking forward to learning more about this magic system as the series continues.

And if the magic isn't enough, there's plenty of swashbuckling to keep the pace moving. I love that most of the story takes place on Kit's ship, as that's clearly where she's in her element (pun intended) and thus allows for a nice introduction to her as a character. It's also just a lot of fun. Neill doesn't overdo it with the nautical terminology and makes everything understandable, and her descriptions of the ship, the ocean, and the various islands create a vivid image of a fast and capable ship and her magical captain sailing around the Isles and saving the day.

The Bright and Breaking Sea is a fantastic opener to the Captain Kit Brightling series, and although it just misses being a 5-star read, I have no doubt that Kit's forthcoming adventures will quickly land this series on my favorites shelf.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m going to start this off by saying that this is a case of “it’s me, not you.” and although there were good parts to this book, it just wasn’t a book I overly enjoyed.

At the beginning, a man named Gerard is introduced. There isn’t much context given but it was enough to entice me. From there, Kit is introduced and she is a pretty interesting character.

Kit is the captain of a ship that is employed to the queen. It’s a pretty nifty job and can be quite dangerous when the sea is filled with sea dragons and there are swashbuckling pirates. She is courageous and doesn’t let her gender get in the way. I also liked the bits with her sister, Jane, because it shows that family is important to her. Jane is also pretty wild with those explosives!

I will say that some of the characters felt flat and it was hard to connect with them.

After the initial prologue, the book was a bit slow and took me awhile to get into again. I think for me the problem was that I was expecting more fantasy whereas I would say this is more historical fiction with just a hint of magic. Maybe the magic will play a bigger role in the next book.

I also seem to hit a wall with my interest when it comes to seafaring books. I don’t know why and I keep trying to make them work for me but it’s just not a favorite setting of mine.

Overall, this book was good but it just wasn’t really a book for me. I think many will like this one especially if they enjoy historical fiction, strong female characters, and seafaring adventures.

A new series with pirates and magic. Kit is sent by the Queen to investigate along with a viscount. ARC from NetGalley.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’m going to admit, I wasn’t hooked right away on this one. After reading a couple of chapters one morning I put it down for a couple of weeks without really having a drive to pick it back up. It opened with action right away which I usually like, but switched between a few perspectives without really giving me an idea of who the characters were or why I should I care.

BUT! I ended up taking a vacation from work randomly and needed something to read during it. I remembered I had started this a while ago and jumped back in. The second time around I was sold! I read this in two days once I got back into it and kept thinking about when I would be able to pick it up when I had to do housework.

We follow Kit Brightling, a Captain in Queen Catherine’s fleet as she and moody Rian Grant, a member of the Beau Monde, as they cross oceans and seas to search out treachery and magic. Nothing is better than two people who aren’t fond of each other trapped on a boat. The premise is what really got me to pick this book up.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. Chloe Neill’s writing style is one that I really like. There are embellishments and details when needed, but it doesn’t get really heavy and descriptive. The plot and pacing was fast moving, action packed, and intriguing, but you do get downtime every so often to know the characters. I do wish there was more character development so that I could have learned a bit more about Kit, Grant, and the crew (Cook might honestly be my favorite). There were some scenes that I felt moved too quickly and I didn’t see some relationships grow like I wanted to.

Another thing I liked was how there were so many strong female characters in this. From Kit, our main character, to her sisters, her mom, and members of her crew, they were everywhere. The ending set us up really nicely for a sequel and I know I will be getting it as soon as it’s available.

The setting of an alternate fantasy version of 1815's Europe during the Napoleonic war is so smart and original! Because it is a familiar setting and history, even with new names for cities and people, the plot will be easy to follow for those who aren't generally fantasy readers. This reads just as much like historical fiction as fantasy; just with that little breath of magic to make it that much more special. With the addition of the naval theme of the book, this novel has something for everyone. The relationship between Kit and Grant is reminiscent of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in many ways. While they initially don't trust each other or want to work together, they earn each other's respect and appreciation over their time and shared trials. She is a strong feminist lead and won't compromise what she wants out of life, but wants to perhaps find a way for it to work for them both. The novel is also surprisingly funny in a subtle way that well-suits the plot. The glimpses we get at her sisters are equally exciting as they are all confident, intelligent women in their own unique ways, and are no worse off for their tragic pasts because they have embraced the family and freedom that they now have. I love to see it and can't wait to get more of them in the sequel! The book is diverse in a very natural way and all of the side characters are very enjoyable - the author really took the time to make them feel like your own crew. Grant is a fully-fleshed out romantic lead with his own strengths and baggage and is very well-matched to Kit in every way except perhaps the important factor of where they want to go in life. It makes for an exciting build of tension and I look forward to seeing how they navigate it in future installments.

Thank you Berkley for an arc!

This book was magical, enchanting, and I absolutely loved it! The heroine in this story is incredibly relatable yet fun to read about! I think fantasy lovers will absolutely adore this book!

Chloe Neill’s new swashbuckling, fantasy The Bright and Breaking Sea(Captain Kit Brightling, #1) is a fabulous tale of magic, a strong female character, star crossed love story, and life at sea. It starts a new series by an excellent New York Times bestselling author of the Heirs of Chicagoland, Chicagoland Vampires Novels, Devil's Isle Novels, and Dark Elite novels. It is very different from her other works, but a refreshing change.
The setting is similar to Napoleonic times, with an exiled emperor attempting to regain power.
Kit Brightling has talents many don't understand. It is a magical affinity to the sea. She is running delicate missions for the Queen.
Rian Grant, a Viscount and Colonel, who is assigned to go on a mission for the Queen with Kit, puts little faith in things he can't explain until he meets her.
You will enjoy this alternate history adventure with a touch of magic, spies, interesting characters, a slow burn romance...

I really enjoyed this book! I was expecting just a sea fairing alternate history adventure. I got the sea fairing adventure, a touch of magic, spies, interesting characters, a slow burn romance...
I’d been reading all the galley books I got access to mostly in publication date order. If I’d known this one was going to be such a fun read I’d have bumped it up my list a bit!
It is a fairly light read so pick it up on a day you need an enjoyable escape. I don’t think it’s being marketed as YA but it would be high school appropriate even though it isn’t a teen book.

The Bright and Breaking Sea was a promising beginning to a new series by Chloe Neill. It was a high-stakes, action-packed adventure of a novel, and it’s one of the best books I’ve read this year—and it’s one of my top-favorite sea-faring books of all time. From the first page, I was drawn into the story by the characters and world building. There was plenty of action, something of a mystery, a dash of romance, and plenty of time spent aboard the Diana with Captain Kit Brightling.

The prologue set up the stakes of the story with the introduction of the main characters, and who is, for much of the story, the big antagonist among the villains. Gerard’s shadow seemed to loom as large in the text as did the war, which ultimately saw him into exile. The threat of the post-war peace being on the brink of ending—and the evolving role of magic—set the stakes sky-high. It was a great introduction to the story, and an even better way to introduce the characters, world, and the way the magic functioned.

The magic system in The Bright and Breaking Sea was quite interesting. Its function was incredibly limited, and its benefits often didn’t outweigh the risks. So Kit, who was Aligned to the sea, was somewhat of an anomaly at the start of the story. She used magic to aid her ship by increasing its speed, but that was about it. I did like how the views and uses of magic differed greatly depending on the character, and how the gradual shifts throughout the course of the novel changed those perspectives.

Kit Brightling was a capable character. She was competent and confident in her skills as an Aligned and as the captain of the Diana. Some of the standout moments in the story were when Kit was thinking on her feet while engaging in combat. I also liked her family. Hetta was a wonderful character, and the same could be said for Kit’s sisters. Rian Grant was another complex character. Even though he was a viscount, he was also a soldier and had his own share of secrets. As for the other characters, I also liked them. I particularly enjoyed Queen Charlotte’s characterization.

The Bright and Breaking Sea was an exciting story. I had a lot of fun reading it. Plus the implications of the ending were something of a cliffhanger, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Berkley) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!

What a great new series from a Chloe Neill. I loved it and could not put it down and can not wait until the next book in the series. Well done.