Benny, a Puerto Rican ironworker in 1911 New York tells us "I had lost track of all the times I had melted myself down just to recast myself as someone with a slightly better shot at belonging someplace". And he finds himself in a new family when he joins a carnival sideshow, only to fall in love with the captive merman. Gorgeous vivid world-building, lovely found family and a very sweet love story. Picked it up based on the cover and was delighted with the story. Will look out for this author in the future!

This book is BEAUTIFUL.
I love finding LGBTQ representation, not only is this perfect for that it’s also a historical romance which I adore!!

As a boy who always dreamed of being a merman or drifting off in the waves, When the Tides Held the Moon was a beautiful escape into those wishes. The book includes illustrations which I loved, further clarifying the images I was seeing in my head. The mixing of languages, like most multilingual people I know do, was extremely well done and while I understood most, I really appreciated the glossary in the back of the book for clarification. The showcasing of different cultures and religions and belief systems throughout the story proved how important the points-of-view and stories unlike our own are. The relationship between Benigno and Río is slower than I anticipated but it is so beautifully developed. It warmed my heart and made me ache and pray to the gods that things would work out for them. I found this book full of hope and love. Familial and romantic. Sometimes our families are found in unexpected places and love is found with even stranger tides. This story was overall beautiful and I think everyone should read it.

Set in early 20th-century New York, When the Tides Held the Moon tells the story of Benny (short for Benigno) Caldera, a blacksmith and immigrant from Puerto Rico, struggling to find his place in an often unwelcoming society. The novel starts with Benny crafting a large metal tank—a job that draws him into the world of Sam Morgan, the leader of a Coney Island curiosities show. Soon, Benny becomes entangled in the capture of a merman, Rio, and their fates intertwine in unexpected ways.

The novel begins with richly detailed descriptions of places, professions, and characters. Vanessa Vida Kelley takes her time, introducing each protagonist with care before the plot fully unfolds. While this slower pace might challenge some readers at the start, the story gains momentum once Benny and Rio meet. Their relationship grows beautifully, and the narrative becomes gripping and emotionally charged.

One of the standout elements of the novel is the author’s use of language. The inclusion of Spanish and other languages in the dialogue adds authenticity and highlights the cultural diversity of the characters. It also shows how communication can transcend language barriers, which is an important theme in the story.

At its core, the novel explores what it means to feel trapped—not only in physical spaces but also in one’s circumstances, environment, or even one’s own body. This theme is handled with sensitivity and depth, making the story relatable on a profound level.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautifully written and thought-provoking novel that combines historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. It’s a must-read for those who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional depth and cultural richness.

I loved this one. Kelley masterfully crafted a lyrical, vivid, lush, poetic, and evocative story. Did I cry? Perhaps. You can prove nothing.

Plus - look at that cover!

Set in early 20th-century New York, primarily in a vibrant and lively Coney Island, When the Tides Held the Moon is at once a moving immigrant story, a sweet and tender romance, and a powerful portrait of found family--with a dash of intrigue and adventure.

The writing is gorgeous, the narrative is utterly heartwarming., and the characters are compelling.

Full of wonder and nostalgia (the old-timey slang!), this book is a celebration of camaraderie and community, and of acceptance and love in all its forms--between friends, among family, and for oneself. The story brims with memorable scenes, including some laugh-out-loud moments, some heart-stopping moments, and some moments that brought tears to my eyes. And what an ending!

The author also illustrated the book, and the images really bring the story to life. This is just a fantastic and lovely book in every way.

A beautiful story from start to finish. I loved the cultural aspects of it, the way it made me think of the Spanish I've learned over the years. It painted gorgeous imagery underwater and complex dynamics between the characters.

Thank you Venessa Vida Kelley, Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I felt the synopsis was true to the book and the book cover art was gorgeous. The setting was beautiful and the world building was rich. The romantic plot let the book down unfortunately and the lack of action bored me. The side characters didn’t seem fully fleshed out either. I dnf this book wanting more and wishing I knew Spanish. With some editing, I think it could be a solid 3.5-4. There is definitely an audience for it.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It needs to be said: the first chapters had me genuinely wondering if I was having a stroke. I, for one, finished the whole book and still don’t know what that prologue is about. Past that, you get to meet the MC, whose internal narration is randomly interspersed by words in Spanish. Of course, it’s quickly explained that he’s a Puerto Rican immigrant who had to learn English a few years ago to survive. But if his fluency was an issue, wouldn’t it make more sense for him to struggle with big English words during dialogue (which he barely does) rather than in his interior narration?
An example, Chapter 1: “Don’t ask how a flaquito like me wound up in here.” (note: no emphasis to differentiate both languages in the source either.)
How would he know what “wound up” means but not the translation of “flaquito”? Nonsense.

Its other fatal flaw is its pacing. The middle felt like it would never end—like being stuck in a cycle of longing between the MCs doomed to go nowhere. And when a solution is finally handed to the MC on a platter (because he’s not resourceful enough to figure something out himself), the climax and resolution take forever. This might be related, but the last “twist” (related to the MC’s asthma) took way too long to happen for how much foreshadowing there was throughout the story, even though it still ended up feeling like a huge chunk of lore was missing from this macguffin. All-in-all, I feel like the book could benefit from some trimming here and there, about 100 pages; but it also comes down to personal preferences.

What truly redeems it in my eyes is that it’s beautifully illustrated (the art is GORGEOUS, oh my!), and the sense of setting is so well done. It truly felt like being transported to early-1900s New York.

I also enjoyed learning about the side characters and their backstories—it made their sense of unity pop that much more off-page. The “villain” also has a compelling past that added a lot to his character.
On top of that, a word about the romance: the slow-burn, "enemies"-to-lovers dynamic between the two MCs delivered everything it promised. There was so much pining!

I know I complained a lot in this review, but I genuinely enjoyed the book overall. It reminded me of those 50+ chapter merfolk AUs I used to inhale back in the day. I’d definitely recommend this book it; it hit all the right buttons for me!

This book reads like a classic, yet is written in 2024. Its beautiful prose and language is a bit slow to get through, but has left me wondering what I'm going to do now- how I'm going to just move on and read another book like I didn't just read the singlehanded most beautiful book in a very long time. The cast is diverse and nothing is as it seems at first glance. Characters you think you'll hate turn out to have the saddest back stories and things going on in their lives that really make you feel for them, and it's really truly hard to choose a favorite amongst them all. The villains are realistic and the book well thought out in terms of time period and setting. You can tell a great deal of thought and love and labor and care went into the making of this, and I fully expect to see this book on every major newspaper's best seller best of the year list, like Cat Sebastian's You Should Be So Lucky was so highly accoladed by the NYT and several other outlets last year.

I fear that we are skipping backwards in terms of progression here in the US, and reading this book felt eerily similar to some of the things we might face regarding sexuality and gender in these coming years, and I think this book will be a really helpful read to anyone who feels lost or scared, to know that there is a piece of fiction that echoes present issues but retains the sentiment that there's nothing wrong with being the way you are.

"This mans Brooklyn accent was thick enough to insulate a house."

“I cannot take your burdens,” he went on. “But if you let me, I can bear them with you for a while.” I stared at him with his arm lifted over his head like Lady Liberty, his open hand offering promises I was afraid to believe in. With his eyebrows bunched up and low over his wide eyes, he looked nearly as grieved as I felt. “I can’t swim,” I whispered. “I can carry you.” “My lungs—”
“Benigno, I will not let you drown.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for a review.

When the Tides Held the Moon follows the journey of Benny Caldera, a young Puerto Rican man who flees his homeland for New York, to fulfil his Tita's dying wish - chance at a better life. Instead, he finds himself in an ironworks surrounded by other immigrants. The oppressive heat and smoke of the forge weigh heavily on Benny, aggravating his asthma and amplifying his profound sense of isolation. Mocked by those around him, Benny feels like an outsider in every sense.
His life changes when he is asked to design a tank for Coney Island's Luna Park—a structure meant to house the park's latest exhibit. However after being deliberately sabotaged by his colleagues his approaches Samuel Morgan, who commissioned the tank and subsequently joins "Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities" as blacksmith, general handyman but also the caretaker for the tank’s mysterious resident—a mythical merman Benny names Rio.
Over time, Benny and Rio's friendship blossoms, but Benny faces a harrowing choice: freeing Rio, whose captivity haunts him, or preserving the exhibit, which may be the only thing keeping Luna Park from financial ruin.

When the Tides Held the Moon had such a dreamlike quality that captivated me from start to finish. I loved the blending of genres, from magical realism to historical fantasy, with a touch of folklore-inspired storytelling—there’s a lot of overlap here that works beautifully.

Kelley's writing is so rich with vivid imagery and prose, that the illustrations feel almost unnecessary— her words alone paint such a clear and vibrant picture. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed each one, what a treasure trove. If you have the opportunity to include them, why not take it?. I'm honestly looking forward to purchasing my own physical copy of this book to enjoy as a reread. While the illustrations in the eBook version were lovely (if not finalised in the Arc) I can only imagine how stunning they’ll look printed on a physical page.

As with any circus or carnival story, having a vibrant and extraordinary cast of sideshow characters is essential, and Kelley delivers this beautifully. Her descriptions of stereotypical roles (The tall man, the fat lady, the strongman, ect) like Igor the Giant, had me chuckling more than once. There's also a real focus on found family here, which is a favourite trope of mine. I also appreciated the inclusion of an extra queer couple as side characters—it was a delightful touch that wasn’t immediately obvious. In some LGBT books, secondary queer couples can sometimes steal the spotlight from the main relationship, but that wasn’t the case here. Kelley struck the perfect balance, keeping the focus where it belonged while still adding depth and diversity to her cast.

The romance between Rio and Benny is everything you need in a devastatingly beautiful merfolk narrative. It was slow burn, tender and my heart still aches thinking about it. Rio begins as a "defanged viper," consumed with rage, and slowly transforms into a snobby prince before finally committing wholeheartedly. Every interaction between them feels like a lyrical, musical exchange, full of both joys, sorrows and deeply raw. r>

What I struggled with, was the sheer amount of Spanish phrases in this book (I am English speaking only). While the Spanish phrases adds cultural flavour and depth to Benny's inner world. I often felt as I was lost at sea without an immediate context. Helpfully, there is a glossary at the back which was good for some sections, but for singular words I heavily relied on the ebook function going straight to Google Translate and I had such FOMO.

Fans of Water for Elephants, Big Fish, and the Greatest Showman - A phenomenal debut, Kelley and her team should be very proud.

4.5/5
I loved this book. So much so that I stayed up to finish it and that’s a great feeling I haven’t had much of as an adult. But I didn’t want to put this one down.

To start, this had two things I don’t see a lot of and quite enjoyed: Puerto Rican Spanish and illustrations. I found the author on instagram through their illustrations, and always knew she was boricua, so neither of these things were surprising, but they really did make the reading experience more wonderful. I have Puerto Rican family and a terrible time imagining faces (especially for side charters with minimal description) so this was quite possibly made for me.

Speaking of the characters, I did love Benny. He’s absolutely imperfect, and I think that’s good in a character. I enjoyed his arcs and his emotions and just being in his head and watching him grow. Río, likewise, was lovely, and I enjoyed the glimpses we got into his POV. I do wonder if they could have had a longer getting to know each other phase. Maybe that was just me, but it felt like they had a lot to get over and not enough time. That’s not to say they don’t get enough time as the story goes, but the beginning felt a little bit quick to me considering the stakes.

There were a lot of named side characters—like a lot. And I will be honest, it took me over halfway through to get them figured out. The illustrations did help, but especially because we see more of them as the novel goes on, the beginning was very tough. Did the supporting cast all need to exist? Probably. But they were hard to keep track of and just as difficult to tell apart by name. In truth, some of the minor, barely speaking ones probably could have gone nameless.

It did take me a little bit to get into this. After 20 percent I was in it, but I did have to get there. Overll, though, I quite enjoyed the plot. I might have wanted more clarity for Río and Benny at the end, but the overall story was very engaging.

If Kelly writes another book, best be assured I’m picking it up. I might need to get myself a copy of this one too. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a delightful store filled with atmospheric writing that really envelops the reader. I felt compelled to pick this up every time I had a spare moment because I just needed to know what would happen next. What a riveting read.

Thank you to the author, Kensington books, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When The Tides Held The Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley, Ever since the hurricane of 1899 in Puerto Rico Benny cannot remember his past all he knows is the lady who saved him Tida Luz. While tuberculosis racked her body, she made him promise he would go to New York and find his freedom. unfortunately, instead of freedom, he finds himself working at a steel mill, as a blacksmith. this is where he gets a specialty order to make a metal box which he does, but soon after he loses his job when he burns his hand. Thanks to his box. He is searched out by the owner and find himself working for an oddity’s show set on Coney Island. After helping catch a merman where his mer mom was killed, he is put in charge of the creature. He learns he is stubborn and refuses to do anything they ask of him, but when Benny starts spending time with the merman, he realizes he isn’t a creature, but something much much more. how can this metal box which is captivity for one B freedom for another and when it starts killing the merman, can Benny save him in time? there is so much more to this great great story I could not stop reading this awesome book. It is rare I run across such gems. not only does the author write a great tail of found family, and true love. She also writes some of the prettiest pros in writing from any era or genre. The way this author writes is truly a talent, skill, craft and definitely an art. This book is so good and we’ll go on the list of my six, now seven favorite books.#NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks, #VenessaVitaKelley, #WinTheTideHeldTheMoon,

I've been following Vanessa's art for years and just like her art this book is beautiful. It's an amazing immersive queer story that tugs at your heartstrings. I really enjoyed how Kelly included her culture throughout the book and with Benny. A really good story or resilience, self discovery and love.

This is an immersive historical, told mostly from the point of view of Benny, born in Puerto Rico and seeking an uncertain future in New York. Ever the outsider, he's dark-skinned and bilingual in a world run by white, English-speaking men; queer in a world that fears and hates those who love beyond traditional boundaries; and an orphan cast adrift first in a hurricane and later by the death of his beloved adopted aunt.

At the same time, it's a romantic tale of magical realism, set in a sideshow on Coney Island. Sam Morgan, the carnival manager, steals a merman from the East River to serve as the newest act in his crumbling menagerie. Benny is devastated at having been part of the capture and at having been the one to devise the tank that serves as a prison. As his tentative friendship with Río, as he calls the merman, blossoms into something more, Benny must decide what family and love and courage mean in an often unwelcoming world.

Gorgeously written and illustrated, this novel has a dreamlike quality. As enjoyable as this was as an ebook, it requires the full color print edition to truly shine.

4.5 stars—It’s been years since Benny left Puerto Rico for New York City to fulfill his promise to his aunt, but the American Dream has proven to be anything but for an asthmatic ironworker who is too foreign even for the other foreigners he works alongside. But he’s used to opposition and change, to molding himself into whatever others need him to be and hiding his true self in order to survive. All of that he can handle. So when his boss assigns him an impossible project and potential for promotion, Benny sees it as his opportunity to finally escape the smoke that rattles his lungs and live a better life. Yet when he comes face to face with a living legend, a merman trapped in a tank of Benny’s own design, he must confront his own nature, accept the love he has denied himself, and learn to rely on others who see him as family in order to save them all.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a wonderful, immersive queer fantasy set in 1910s New York City that does a wonderful job of interweaving not only Benny’s identity into the narrative, but highlighting the humanity of the performers he meets in Coney Island’s Luna Park. We come to know characters of every gender, sexuality, culture, and ability who are instrumental to Benny’s journey. Parallel to the narrative on land is that of Rio the merman who’s connection to the world speaks to not only the environmental decay of the early 1900s, but also of today. This story touches on the intersections of identity, the destructive impact of prejudice and hate, and the restorative properties of love, family, and self-acceptance.

If you are a fan of chosen-family, queer romance, and the intrigue of 1910s Coney Island, I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Erewhon Books via Kensington Publishing for an advance copy of this book to read and review.

DNF at 56%

Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me. I loved the carnival setting. It is so full of life and energy and the setting is very well realized. However, this book is incredibly slow with a lot of character interactions but very little action. Most of the book is just spent with Benny and Rio talking which ended up just making me bored. I personally just don't care about the romance that is being developed and the romantic plot was not enough to keep me intrigued without a faster side plot to add some action and interest. There is also a lot of Spanish used in the book without translations being provided in the text. While I could normally make out what the intent was from the context clues, it negatively impacted the emotional influence some moments had because the actual meaning and sentiment was not always apparent. The book does provide a glossary of Spanish terms used but they are used frequently enough that flipping back and forth between the glossary and the text started to hinder my enjoyment.

There is an amazing cast of side characters that are very underdeveloped and could add so much life and color to the plot if they were given the chance to shine. But with the extreme focus on the romance, the found family elements and side characters are not developed. I could see some people really loving this book if they are invested in the romance and a ok with a slow character driven story but unfortunately, this book was not for me.

Venessa Vida Kelley’s When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautifully written tale that feels like poetry in motion. Set against a hauntingly vivid coastal backdrop, the story explores themes of love, loss, and resilience with a touch of mysticism that adds an otherworldly charm. The characters are deeply layered, their emotional journeys pulling you in as they navigate personal and shared struggles. While the pacing slows in places, the lush descriptions and heartfelt storytelling make it a captivating read that lingers in your mind long after you finish.

4,5 ⭐
I saw the pretty cover and decided to give it a shot. I’m so happy I did because this book was incredible.
The story follows Benny, a metalworker from Puerto Rico who is tasked with building a tank for a mysterious menagerie show-runner. After losing his job, Benny finds himself back with the menagerie group, where he becomes involved in capturing a real-life merman. From that point on, they connect, and it’s beautiful... despite the fact that Río (the merman) is caged. Although there are ethical conflicts around this (which, personally, I think the author handled very realistically), Benny does his best to help Río.
The author’s writing style is amazing, seamlessly blending multiple languages in a way that makes everything easy to understand. There are also some stunning illustrations throughout the book. Some parts were incredibly emotional, and I found myself fighting back tears because, just like Benny, I didn’t want to cry in public 🤣. The book also explores several themes I love reading about: found family, characters coming to terms with their sexuality, and different cultural identities.
Benny and Río’s romance unfolds in such a beautiful way, my heart just can't-
Also, I completely understand why Benny sometimes hesitated and struggled with taking action. Settling in those types of mid-situations/conflicts can feel easier and safer, and in this case, it made for a really satisfying character arc.
My two not so positive points would be: a) I felt the heist was a bit too simple, with things working out too smoothly, just like the many visits Benny made to Río; b) I desperately wanted more follow-up with Benny and Río at the end of the book.
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. It was amazing, and I’ll definitely be buying it when it’s released.