Thank you to @berkleyromance for a free copy of Katee Robert’s newest novel, Blood on the Tide; all thoughts are my own.

Anytime I am looking for an engaging and hot escape, I pick up something from Katee Robert. I’ve read the Touch of Taboo and Dark Olympus series in their entirety, part of the Deal with a Demon and O’Malley series and the Hunt on Dark Waters. I have devoured every book; they are extremely bingeable.

Blood on the Tide is the 2nd book in the Crimson Sails series. This could be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading Hunt on Dark Waters first to avoid spoilers and get background on Lizzie.

This book follows Lizzie who continues her pursuit for her lost jewels and Maeve who is searching for her stolen pelt. They are hesitant to work together, but their current ship has refused to change course to help them find their belongings. Maeve and Lizzie embark on a road trip of sorts (minus the car) as they chase down leads.

Maeve and Lizzie fall fast and hard, insta-lust to love. Normally, I am not a huge fan of the trope, but I think all bets are off in a monster adventure romance scenario. Between traveling together, fighting predators and being dependent on each other for food and medical attention, the timeline felt natural.

I’ve read a lot of KR books and Maeve and Lizzie are one of my favorite couples. Maeve is such a sweetheart, but her kindness doesn’t make her naïve. She is also strong, loyal, and determined. Lizzie has a hard shell but is such a softie on the inside, but only for Maeve. Lizzie is fierce and violent, but willing to refrain from murder for her selkie.

TLDR: absolutely devoured this spicy, adventure, Sapphic romance. Read the first book in the series first.

What to expect:
•Sapphic, monster romance (Lizzie is a vampire & Maeve is a selkie)
•Adventure and suspense
•Historical ish but with contemporary language
•Morality chain- I want to be good for you
•Only one bed
•An orgasmic vampire bite

Rating: 4.5/5
I received eARC for my honest opinion.

This is the second book of the Crimson Sails series, and it was pretty amazing. I loved that we got to see more about Lizzie and her quest to find her family jewels, but what she finds instead is by far more valuable than her family Jewels. Maeve is a Selkie who had her skin stolen from her and she would do anything to get it back, to feel whole again. So, when Lizzie asks if Maeve would join her to go on an adventure to get her jewels and to get her skin back, she decides the answer is yes. Along the way Maeve finds more than just her skin, something that she didn’t know she wanted.

This plot will keep you on your toes, from the romance side to the pirates/action, and all the drama that will be all wrapped up at the end of the book. There were so many great tropes in this book, from touch her and die, to forced proximity, opposites attract, and I wouldn’t say 100% enemies to lovers, but it does have that kind of feel to it at first. I didn’t mind the f/f romance at all, Katee knows how to write a scene that will make you blush but at the same time have you saying YAY, finally. The pace of the book started off fast and it barely slowed down, but you do not even really realize it because the way that Roberts writes, will have you turning the pages nonstop to see what the end will reveal.

I enjoyed getting to know Lizzie better and I found myself instead of not liking her to really understand her better. I thought her character development was well done, not too fast and not too slow. Just the right amount throughout the book. You will watch her go from a cold-hearted vampire to a softer more caring woman, but only to Maeve. Anyone else you better watch out because she might just kill you on the spot for looking at her Maeve wrong. I loved Maeve, she is so sweet, caring and just a really nice person to be around…unless you get on her wrong side, and she brings out her Selkie. If that happens just run away and fast. I enjoyed getting to watch Maeve grow and experience things that she hasn’t before and really getting to live. I think they worked out so well because they were opposites and they countered each other in the best ways. It was a heartwarming story to read and beautifully written.

I can’t wait to see who will be next for Roberts to write about, all I know is that I can’t wait to read it.

I want to thank NetGalley and Berkley publishing for the opportunity to review this book

A vampire out to hunt down her family heirlooms makes an agreement to help a gorgeous selkie find her pelt... but she's beginning to think that the only treasure she wants is the gorgeous selkie who she can't seem to stay away from. Lizzie is a bloodline vampire who has never had a problem getting what she wants, and she's got the murderous streak to back it up. Picking up where the last book left off, she is now on a ship with her ex, her ex's new boyfriend, and still hunting down her family heirloom jewels. Lizzie wants those jewels back... however it's impossible to do on her won and with everyone else preoccupied with other missions, the only person who can help her is the selkie they rescue from captivity. Lizzie needs a guide and the selkie needs her pelt back, they strike an agreement and so begins an unlikely relationship. Maeve is a selkie who has had her pelt stolen from a manipulative and terrible ex. She doesn't feel whole without it and desperately needs it back. When a stunning and dangerous vampire saves her, Maeve finds that she can't resist Lizzie. Lizzie might be as deadly as she is beautiful but that just means Maeve has to try and protect her heart from another heartbreak... but the closer Lizzie gets to getting her jewels the more Maeve knows that she'll have to let Lizzie go. Together they'll have to find a way to protect each other on the high seas as they face off against dangers... and the very real feelings that are growing between them. Can a selkie and a vampire be together or were they doomed from the start? Oh I loved this one, I loved how Maeve and Lizzie fit each other so well. They both are looking for something and found comfort in one another, they are both so caring for one another and vicious against anyone else who would hurt the other. This was such a fun sapphic pirate read and I can't wait for the next book!! I definitely loved this one more than the first one ( and I had a blast with the first one). Definitely give this series a go if you enjoy pirate adventures, steamy romance, and a unique world!

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Blood on the Tide follows an unlikely partnership between ice queen vampire Lizzie and sweet, pure selkie Maeve. Both had something taken from them, both will do whatever it takes to retrieve it. What follows is a sapphic, steamy adventure across the seas.

Pirates, vampires, selkies, some Scottish folklore, I was sold.

Tropes you’ll find:
Grumpy x sunshine
Touch her and d*e
Forced proximity (one bed, too)
Morally grey FMC
TWO equally badass heroines

I was a little disappointed in the minimal spice, especially coming here after Neon Gods, but it was still satisfying.

Maeve was absolutely my favourite character, she’s badass but also pure and cute and I just wanna hug her.

Somehow, though, I did feel Robert’s managed to write the slowest burn that was also somehow rushed? The pacing just felt off to me. The writing was also repetitive to a point that it was removing me from the story. I did not feel a major connection to the story. It was fun but not one that I will be thinking about after finishing writing this review.

It is the second book in Crimson Sails, but can be read as a standalone.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It is finally time for Lizzie to shine! Lizzie is still on the hunt for her missing family heirlooms and is desperate to find The Crimson Hag. Maeve is a selkie whose pelt was stolen and she will do anything to get it back. The two couldn’t be more opposite but are willing to put most of their suspicions aside to work together and find their missing items. With no one but each other, the adventure begins trying to locate their stuff and not attract the Cŵn Annwn. Chaos ensues, friends and enemies are made but throughout it all, Lizzie and Maeve have each other. A great addition to the Crimson Sails trilogy.

This was such a fun pirate fantasy book! Lizzie is a powerful bloodline vampire who followed her ex-girlfriend through a portal to another realm to retrieve her stolen family heirlooms. While there, she ends up saving Maeve, a Selkie whose pelt has been stolen by a sailor. The two women embark on a dangerous journey to retrieve their most important possessions, but they develop an unlikely connection along the way.

Lizzie and Maeve were such an unlikely pairing, but l loved their relationship! This was such a fun and spicy sapphic romantasy book with adventure, pirates, mythological creatures and a rebellion. While this book can be read as a standalone, I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had read the first book in the series.

Tropes:
▪️Fantasy
▪️Sapphic Romance
▪️Vampire x Selkie
▪️Grumpy x Sunshine
▪️Pirates

Thank you to Katee Robert, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I ended up DNFing around 40% - like some other comments, Katee Roberts books are either a hit or a miss with me as well. Majority of the time I do enjoy her writing and world-building; she really packs in the detail which can be helpful in imagining the story or it can be overwhelming. I liked the base idea of a sapphic fantasy with some pirates of the Caribbean influence but I think it became too complicated with all the different types of magic and beings, it’s a lot to follow along and I could feel myself losing interest.

FINALLY a sapphic romance from Robert. Maybe not quite as fun as the first in the series, but Blood on the Tide was as exhilarating as it was sexy. Revenge-fueled vampire and selkie, "its just sex" trope, *and* pirates??? Count me in.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

DNF at 33%. I fear this is not for me. I've read enough Katee Robert books to know what I'm getting into, and usually I love her books for what they are. But I barely made it through the first book in this series without bailing because the world was a mess, the magic all over the place, and the story and romance just silly. This isn't much of an improvement. All I wanted was a pirate romance series, and this is overly complicated in so many ways.

Pirates and vampires? Count me in! Follow up to “Hunt on Dark Water” this book follows our favorite love to hate but secretly admire vampire, Lizzie and a selfie named Maeve. Lizzie wants to use the fact that Maeve lost her skin as an advantage to find the missing family jewels, but sparks fly and she gets more invested in Maeve than planned. Such a hot and riveting read, I loved this book as much as the first. I really love how Katee can take a seemingly unlikeable character (I secretly love you Lizzie) and flesh them out into a flawed beings that just need a little love. Another great read from Kate Robert.

Katee Robert's books tend to be hit or miss for me, and unfortunately this one is a miss. I put it down at around 60% because I'm just not connecting with the characters or enjoying the setting.

Lizzie is a vampire that has teamed up with Maeve, a selkie, to get her skin back. They are drawn to one another despite mutual misgivings and the added drama a relationship will lend to their current predicament.

Overall Take:
Super fun monster type romance

Synopsis:
Lizzie has never had a problem getting what she wants. As a bloodline vampire, she usually just takes it. And right now, she wants her family heirlooms that were stolen from her, and a portal home.

When the boat she’s on rescues a selkie from captivity, Lizzie sees this as a great solution, the selkie will be her guide, and Lizzie will help her get her skin back.

But Maeve, the selkie’s skin was stolen, and getting it back is going to be dangerous. Will Lizzie’s skills and Maeve’s selkie strength be enough to get it back?

Thoughts:
This was a fun sequel that picked up where the last book ended. While I do think that this book would work as a standalone, I felt I got more out of it by reading it in order as we were introduced to some of the characters in the first book.

I do think that this series has more build up to the romance than most of the other Katee Robert books I’ve read, these are slower burn, but not incredibly slow to where it’s frustrating. I have listened to both books on audio, and for me that is my favorite way to enjoy this series.

The narrator has done a fantastic job bringing all the characters to life in an enjoyable way. The characters in this story were a lot of fun. I don’t think that they had a ton of depth necessarily, but it wasn’t a huge drawback as the story was compelling enough to make up for it.

I think that Katee Robert writes my favorite spice scenes, and this book did not disappoint in that regard.

I’m looking forward to the next chapter in this Crimson Sails series!

Thank you to:
Thank you to Berkley @BerkleyPub Berkley Romance @BerkleyRomance as well as @PRHAudio and Netgalley @Netgalley for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.

Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert is easily accessible as a standalone installment. The heroine's seafaring adventures are sure to delight Robert's fans. I was swept away by the vivid descriptions of the ocean and the thrilling escapades of the heroine. Katee Robert's storytelling prowess shines through in Blood on the Tide, making it a must-read for fans of adventure and romance. Prepare to be captivated from the first page to the last as you embark on this unforgettable journey with the fearless heroine.

A fantastic sequel with a continuation with Lizzie's story and her own spicy romance with a selkie named Maeve. I really enjoyed the parallels the characters had with them both losing important items as well as how they balance each other out personality wise.

I enjoyed this one a lot. it's a trope that I find entertaining; two people striking a bargain to achieve a certain goal. in this case, Maeve needs to be reunited with her skin to feel whole again as a selkie. While Lizzie needs to find her family heirloom jewels and return to her realm. They team up, and of course catch feelings. Along the way, they take over a smuggler vessel, team up with a rebellion leader, and fight the monsters in the sea, and the sea itself.
This was a fun, engaging read, with characters that were not the most complex, but not dull either. I enjoyed how Maeve and Lizzie balanced each other out, and appreciated that they both recognized how strong and capable the other was.

3/5 Stars

Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy.

I really do love the world of this series, the rebellion, the side characters etc. I was also a bug fan of Maeve and her story. However, I just don't really like Lizzie and it made it fall flat for me. I really wanted to love this one.

The next book in the series - a solid follow up to the first and perfect for those that want some monster/fantasy romance. I hope there are more! VERY spicy at times. Full review coming after blog tour!

Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert is book 2 in her Crimson Sails series, set in a fantasy world called Threshold. Threshold is a realm where vampires, selkies, and other fantastical beings coexist. This book could be read as a stand-alone, but if you want to understand the world more, start with book 1, which does a great deal of world-building.  In this installment, the story focuses on two side characters from book one: Lizzy and Maeve.  Lizzy and Maeve join forces to find things stolen from them - for Lizzie, a vampire, that is her family jewels, and for Maeve, a selkie, it's her pelt holding her magic.  From then on, the story is full of romance and adventure on the high seas.

As a fan of the series, I didn't think I'd miss Evelyn and Bowen (the main characters from Hunt on Dark Waters) as much as I did. Their absence really impacted my reading experience. However, the story of Lizzy and Maeve, two side characters from book one, was still engaging. This story focuses on the romance between Lizzy and Maeve, which is good for romances, but I wanted more of a balance. Despite this, the adventure elements were still present and kept the story moving at a satisfying pace.

One of the highlights of Blood on the Tide is the dynamic between Lizzy, a vampire with a sharp wit and unwavering loyalty, and Maeve, a selkie with a cautious yet level-headed nature. Their unique traits and how they complement each other create a remarkably genuine relationship. Their interactions are a testament to the author's skill in crafting authentic and compelling characters.

I also enjoyed the thrilling adventure as Lizzy and Maeve met danger after danger head-on.  This action-packed journey kept the pace delightfully quick, and I found myself speeding through as fast as the pages would turn.  I also enjoyed the dual perspective, as the two main characters are so different that each perspective offers something new and fascinating.

Blood on the Tide is not just an action-packed adventure but also a sizzling romance. The steamy scenes will have you fanning yourself as you eagerly turn the pages to see what happens next.

Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert
Narrators: Alix Dale, K.C. Sheridan
Rating: 3.5 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub date: 5/14

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for my advanced copy, and to PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

This is another sizzling romance from Katee Robert! It’s book two in her Crimson Sails series, and follows Lizzie, a feisty bloodline vampire, on a quest to reclaim her stolen family jewels. She teams up with Maeve, a selkie who is searching for her lost pelt after rescuing her from an enemy ship, and sparks fly as they navigate the dangerous waters of Threshold.

Robert’s books are always well-crafted and a lot of fun, and Blood on the Tide is no different. We meet Lizzie under very different circumstances in the first book in the series, so it was great to see things from her perspective this time. Her complex layers and Maeve's resilience create a dynamic duo that steals the show. Their romance is a slow burn that simmers with tension and chemistry that is well worth the wait.

One of the things I loved about the first book was that we are introduced not only to a brand new world of Robert’s creation but also to a whole cast of new characters. This book’s primary focus is Maeve and Lizzie, so I missed everyone else. I’m also not the biggest Lizzie fan, so I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the first.

Overall, 'Blood On The Tide' has all of Katee Robert’s signature snark and steam, and is a must-read for fans of her previous work.

Read if you like:
*pirates
*sapphic romance
*vampires
*dual POV
*open door spice

I really enjoy reading Katee Robert's books, but I think that the pirate life just isn't for me. Of course I can appreciate the grumpy v. sunshine trope, and I loved seeing the formidable Lizzie fall in love (a bit unwillingly), but overall, I think this series isn't the one for me.

I can't wait to read what Robert comes out with next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.