Beautiful prose, complex characters, poignant themes, vivid and immersive turn-of-the-twentieth-century world-building, soul-stirring romance, with a touch of magic and mysticism—this story was an all-consuming, deeply emotional experience and I relished every second of it.

Honestly, it took me about 10 seconds of reading to realise the expert level of debut talent I was dealing with here.

…And then I was hit in the face with the truly STUNNING companion artwork (done by the author herself), and I was simply gone over the entire thing.

At its core, When the Tides Held the Moon is about loneliness and isolation. It’s about embracing and celebrating our differences through adversity. It’s about finding our people and our place in the world. And, ultimately, it’s about friendship, (found) family, and transcending love.

It’s a beautifully crafted, deeply engaging story from open to close, and I hope a lot of readers, like myself, pick this one up not knowing much about the wonders within, in order to have an extraordinary (unspoiled) experience. Truly, you won’t regret it.

Venessa Vida Kelley is going to be a force to be reckoned with in the book industry and I can’t wait to watch the world fall in love with her characters, their stories, and her absolutely breathtaking artwork. It is inevitable.


***A special thanks to Erewhon Books (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this eBook in exchange for an honest review

This was a beautiful queer historical cozy fantasy. I really liked the romance and strong found family elements in this novel. Benny struggled with prejudice as an immigrant in a new land of opportunity. Once he was acquainted with Luna Park’s eclectic crew it felt like a heavy burden was lifted. He’d found safety, belonging and a true space to dream.

The romance was sweet though it felt a little bit insta-lovey on one side (slow burn fan). But I feel this is an important love story. An uplifting tale about discovering love in different forms.

Love for self when being the most authentic. Love for others when willing to open up with trust. Love for someone special that seeks only the recognition of another soul as home.

I've followed Venessa for a long time because of the incredibly lush and moving fan art they've done over the years for some of my favorite queer releases. So obviously I was delighted to get the chance to read their debut novel full of original art, thanks to Netgalley. The setting for this novel is just peak carniepunk, set in the early 20th century New York City, as the city was booming into the incredible metropolis it is today. The story is grounded in the diversely Other-ed population that built the city after washing up (hehe) there for a second chance. Venessa 's writing is just as moving and vivid as their illustrations, and really brings alive a vast but personable cast of characters speaking some half dozen different world languages, all of which seems well researched, complete with a glossary of translations at the end. Even without the central queer romance, there is something so fundamentally queer about this setup where a house full of sideshow characters, from incredibly diverse backgrounds and traumatic pasts become a found family on Coney Island, and learn to speak each others' languages. As for the central romance, your mileage may vary in terms of how hung up you are on the "Shape of Water" comparison and/or love languages that are poetic and borderline spiritual. I happen to be a sucker for that kind of poetic love story. I am relieved that the POV shifts between Benny and Rio because I cannot abide by single POV romances. The relationship between them felt as organic as possible and did not shy from the hard stuff that they get wrong with each other as much as all the beautiful ways they see each other and help each other grow and heal. I do believe the end was a little too neat in absolving some of the characters without significant consequences for the sake of found family harmony, and hand waved the resolution of Rio and Benny to stay together. That said, to me, this was not just a romance story, but a historical fantast about an era where everything was difficult but everything was possible and something akin to the roots of queer history in America, in places where the odd and the unwanted found a home in each other. I cannot wait to re-read this as an audiobook up on release!

i absolutely ADORED THIS ONE!! it was so beautiful, heartbreaking, and absolutely downright adorable. the writing was stunning, the relationship between the characters was absolutely incredible, and i loved the illustrations throughout!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 | 🌶️

🧜‍♂️ Merman X Human
🎪 Sexual Awakening
🧜‍♂️ Period piece (early 1900s)
🎪 MM Romance

What sold me on this book was the marketing stating: “The Shape of Water & The Greatest Showman mixed in a new MM romance”. Honestly, that description of this story is very accurate and what made it so fun. The artwork in this book is absolutely stunning, I love when visuals are incorporated in books so you get the general vibe. I struggled getting through the writing style and the pacing of the storyline at times. There were also some words used within the book that would not be acceptable to use at this time. I don’t know if utilizing them because it was set in a specific time period that would be acceptable or not.

Final Rating: 5/5
Absolutely in love with this work. While it started slow and took some time for me to get into it, as soon as the 100 page mark hit - everything went too fast! The romance in this novel took time to develop and the themes of freedom, purpose, and future goals were effectively woven into the larger plot. Use of language and the translations that were present throughout (especially when concerning the developing relationships between our main characters) was very fitting and made me realize once more how limited the English language is in expressions of love. This has now become the type of book that I think about and remember on a daily basis and one that I will definitely try to get a physical copy of. It has settled itself in my heart and does not want to leave, and only by reading it will anyone understand how quickly you can be submerged into adoring something. An absolutely amazing work from this author and the illustrations present throughout were a very nice touch! Cannot wait to read more from them in the future.
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this novel!!

I really enjoyed this book! The characters are so lovable and there is a heartwarming found family that adore. It also contains beautiful illustrations. The pacing felt a little off (I felt like the beginning moved really slow and the ending felt a little rushed) and I wish there was a little more explanation at the end but I would still highly recommend this book!

This story was beautifully written. I loved the diverse representation and the found family. The LGBTQ+ rep is amazing and I will definetly read more of Venessa's books!

This is a phenomenal historical romance between a blacksmith and the merman he helps to capture. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and really complement the author's writing. The side characters are all amazing as well, and I really can't wait to see what Kelley does next.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a queer historical fantasy set in 1910s New York City. Benny Calder is an orphaned Puerto Rican ironworker who is drawn into Coney Island and hired on at a sideshow menagerie of human curiosities. When he inadvertently assists in capturing a merman, Benny recognizes in Rio a kindred spirit, both of them bound in different types of cages. As friendship turns to romance, will Benny risk losing this new love and found family within the show to free Rio from his captivity?

This was just spectacular, and that this is the author’s debut novel makes it even more so. It is beautifully written with some particularly lyrical prose included with intention throughout. While not marketed as a YA title, the book falls in that in between area where both audiences will appreciate it. Just as comps, I’d say this is Big Fish meets The Way of Water, with the hopeful joy of the previous and the romantic tension of the latter. While the pacing and structure is a bit uneven, the story is straightforward and delivers on its premise. Tears can be expected.

I liked the 1910s New York setting and the added dimension of Benny’s Puerto Rican heritage that was fully incorporated into the story. I liked the exploration of the ethics of these sideshows as places where the rejects of society can find both acceptance and exploitation. The cast of characters are very diverse where everyone gets a chance to shine even if in just that one trait each of them exemplifies, forming a found family that lets Benny and Rio in.

Of course, the book is primarily a romance, and the Achillean romance between Benny and Rio is at the forefront. The connection they have and the bond they form was powerful and deeply moving. As a queer man, Benny is used to hiding himself for his own protection and struggles with his growing feelings towards Rio, who is both not quite and too human, especially with Benny having played a role in his captivity. I appreciated that the book also included some (limited) sections from Rio’s perspective so we see and understand him as he too falls in love.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a wonderful and queer period fantasy romance.

*Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley

3.5 rounded up!

Highlights
~blacksmithing is a superpower
~don’t mess with the Currents
~the MOST STUNNING illustrations
~history isn’t sweet
~but true love is

When the Tides Held the Moon is the wish-fulfilment fantasy white readers have had many times before, retold to centre the BIPOC immigrant experience. So while, sure, it’s a little predictable – beat-for-beat, we’ve read this story before – I think it’s still doing something important.

(Besides, white readers aren’t the only ones who deserve indulgent wish-fulfilment!)

Kelley has clearly done a lot of research into the time period – the book is set in 1911 – and specifically into the parts that don’t make it into conventional history books. The slang made me laugh; the tenement tragedies and workhouse abuses, not so much.

“Well butter my ass and call me toast,” he snorted. “I seen a ton o’ shit in sideshow work, but this takes more than the cake. This takes the whole goldang bakery!”

Quite a lot of the book is like that, a careful balancing act between the depressing racism and xenophobia Benny has to deal with, as a Boricua (Puerto Rican) immigrant, and the found-family and romance. I think When the Moon skews to the softer side – this is a romance! – but Kelley makes sure to never let us forget how rough reality is for these characters, how genuinely bad this part of history was for minority groups and the poor. It’s delicately done.

On the other hand, the clear ‘a happy ending is coming’ vibes woven throughout kept a lot of the awfulness from having much bite. That was probably inevitable, with the kind of romance Kelley was going for. I don’t know if other readers will mind.

I really do not love captor/captive romances, and I wish When the Moon had really examined the fact that, sorry, that is what Benny is, in this scenario. That’s not never mentioned, but it is kind of downplayed; instead, the motif we get is that Benny, too, is caged. By the racism and homophobia of the society he’s in.

Yeeeeeees, I see what you’re saying. I do. But Río is in a literal cage. With people torturing him, and zero privacy. And the cage (or being separated from the ocean) is killing him – again, literally. I can’t help thinking that’s a lot worse. I was pretty angry with Benny for a while; for a surprisingly long time, he’s not even trying to come up with a plan to get Río out. He loses himself in a fantasy, seems to be telling himself things aren’t as bad as they look, that he and Río can somehow continue this indefinitely – ‘this’ meaning exchanging memories, swimming lessons, writing songs together. It’s all genuinely lovely – more on that in a minute – but I’m left wondering how long it would have taken Benny to start doing something if Río hadn’t grown visibly ill.

“I don’t have a choice,” I tried to explain. “In this town, choices are for white men with money, and the rest of us do what we can to get by. When the options are getting sick or shot or thrown in jail, what choices do any of us really have?”

“Do not speak to me of choices when you have not been locked in an iron box,” he said icily. “You have choices, but you are too frightened to make them!”

Actually, it’s really worse than that, because Benny never does actually notice that Río is ill. Río has to tell him. And I’m not inherently opposed to this! I think it’s very believable that Benny would put blinders on and try to pretend everything’s fine, when he’s so happy–

falling in love with Río had changed everything for me, and I’d assumed it had changed everything for him too. At some point, I’d convinced myself he wouldn’t be in such a hurry to leave if he felt like I did. If he knew that staying in the Menagerie meant we could stay together.

Maybe he knew no such thing.

–but I wish we’d had more than this brief moment in a single scene to really delve into that. I would have preferred it become an actual conflict between Benny and Río, that we dig into how selfish love can be (and how blind it can make us to our selfishness), that we wrestle with the fact that being oppressed doesn’t mean you can’t oppress other people. (The Irish immigrants of this period were treated horrifically badly by white Americans, and it didn’t stop them from being racist af to immigrant communities of colour.) I’d have liked more of a realisation that what Benny is doing/has done is deeply wrong, actually. And we didn’t get that, certainly not in any proportionate way.

“I’m choosing us. I’m just trying to be smart about this,,” I said. “If we play our cards right, you won’t have to–“

“By the time you finish being smart, I will be dead.”

It’s a little strange to me that we get a brief mention of Filipino people being kept in cages for ‘freakshows’ like the one Benny ends up working at, but the comparison to Río’s situation isn’t drawn more explicitly. The words ‘slave’ and ‘slavery’ don’t appear anywhere in my review copy, either, which seems like a glaring omission in the historical context. Río is sapient, a person, not an animal – and he’s not ‘just’ been kidnapped and imprisoned, he also has to obey orders under threat of torture. That’s slavery. With the history of Black slavery baked into every aspect of the US, it’s strange to me that no one ever brings that up. Especially since it would have been a good argument to raise when Benny is trying to convince potential allies to help him free Río.

But! Despite what you might think (quite fairly, given how much critique I’ve written) I did like When the Tides Held the Moon, and I don’t think it’s a bad book. I think it suffered from its insistence on being soft and feel-good and fairytale-perfect, but I think it is exactly what Kelley set out to write, and that takes skill that deserves acknowledgement.

And for all the power imbalance, the romance really is wonderful. This is where Kelley indisputably shines; the scenes Benny and Río have together are consistently stunning, rich with emotion conveyed through gorgeous prose. Benny’s internal thoughts are often breathlessly poetic; Río constantly says things that could so easily fall flat and cringey, but coming from him feel natural and genuine (and impossibly romantic).

Santa Maria, ayúdame, I prayed. I think I am the fish, and he is the net.

I don’t know if I was as invested in the romance as I was in getting Río out of there, but the love story is, objectively, beautifully written. A little wish-fulfilment-y? A bit too fairytale-perfect? Maybe – your mileage will vary; I suspect it will depend on each individual reader’s taste in romance. But I also think that most people who’ll be drawn to this book will be very happy with Benny and Río. And I think that whatever else – even taking the power imbalance into consideration! – Kelley manages to absolutely convince you of what Benny and Río feel for each other. That’s really the most important part of a romance, I think; everything else is secondary to that. And so it’s actually pretty easy to let go of my nitpicking, to forgive the plot beats I can see coming from a mile away, because I 100% bought into the love story at the heart of it all.

Learning to love like learning to swim, until each night in the tank with Río felt like being consecrated by forty tons of Holy Water.

I’m probably the person least qualified to comment on Benny’s identity and authenticity and whatnot, but I did want to address Kelley’s use of Puerto Rican Spanish throughout. Because up until now, I have not had a good time with books that mixed the character’s native language into their internal monologue. Some of this is definitely me: I have Dumb Brain Stuff about foreign-to-me languages, they make me panic, etc. But I did not have a problem with When the Tides Held the Moon. And not because the Spanish is hardly there; there’s plenty of it, at least by my monolingual standard. But for ONCE, I actually could mostly figure out what was said or meant from context! And anything I couldn’t – there’s a glossary at the back of the book. Which there usually isn’t. And I understand the arguments against having glossaries for real languages like Spanish; I’m not arguing against them. But I am saying that I really, really appreciated how clear Benny’s meaning always was to me, and I also appreciate the glossary (even if I didn’t use it while reading; I didn’t know it was there until I finished the book). So if, fellow readers, you are hesitant about picking up a book where you will be running into a fair bit of a language you don’t speak – this is the best example of that I’ve ever seen, and I don’t think you need to be nervous at all.

The sight of him ripped up everything I thought I understood about creation. One look at him and you had to wonder if the guys who wrote the Bible had been selling God short the whole time.

Another thing I want to give Kelley so many points for is their mermaids! Not just the visual design – although that is fantastic, and gorgeous, as you can see on the cover (Kelley was their own cover artist!) and in the illustrations throughout the book. But the worldbuilding of the mer, too. There’s not chapters and chapters of it, but the lore is more extensive than I was expecting, and a lot more interesting. There’s the belief in the Currents, which is somewhere between a religion and a philosophy; there’s the various magical abilities the mer have, some of which I’ve never seen before (and massively approve of!); we get insight into how mer arrange their families and social groups, their views on gender, and how completely they separate sex from romance. It’s all fascinating, and I was delighted with how much thought clearly went into every aspect of it, from mer colouration to their magic.

The ending bothered me a little – not the cinematic drama of it all, that was very in keeping with the book’s vibe, but the final-moment reveal. The groundwork was laid for it, I’d predicted it (and I’m sure most others will too), but the reveal itself ended up being confusing, kind of ambiguous. I hope the final copy (I read an arc, remember) cut one specific sentence and added another to make things clearer – that’s all that would be needed to fix that.

Ultimately, I was not swept away by these tides, even though I badly wanted to be. But it’s a lovely book nonetheless, and honestly, the illustrations alone are worth the price of admission – I cannot exaggerate how ridiculously stunning they are; the art for this book exceeds every hope I had! I think readers with more of a taste for fairytale-type romances will enjoy this much more than I did, but I did enjoy it, and I’m glad I read it.

this is the most beautiful love story I've ever read in my life and I will not take any questions

the writing is beautiful and I can only describe this book as cinematic, I could see it so vividly in my mind, I would love to see this as a movie!

the only thing I will say is that I wish there was more about benny's past/nature, but that is such a small nitpick it's barely worth mentioning

thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc

★ ★ ★ ★

I saw somewhere that they likened this story to a queer version of The Shape of Water—and considering I LOVED that movie, I just knew this one would hit me…and it did.

Benny was such a troubled young man. Rio was a wonderfully flawed yet accepting merman. The entire crew at the Menagerie grew on me and I often found myself cackling. The plot did have a few slow parts and I feel like the end was a bit rushed as well.

The vibes were immaculate. It felt like I was THERE in the 1910s. The setting was gray and bleak and I could just hear that NY accent.

The romance was tender and sweet and passionate, BUT I feel like we are missing some answers to quite a few prominent questions. And that is why I can’t give it five stars because I needed MORE. But I did enjoy it and the atmosphere was so good!

{I was gifted a complimentary copy of this book. All reviews are my own.}

Quick synopsis: beautifully illustrated queer historical cozy fantasy, as a young Puerto Rican immigrant goes through a journey of love and self-discovery after capturing a merman for a Coney Island sideshow act in turn-of-the 20th century New York.

Read for:
- found family
- historical setting
- mer-man
- queers in all shapes
- inter-species love
- sideshow personalities

My thoughts:
The illustrations throughout this novel are gorgeous and capture the feelings and depths of characters in a way that surpasses words. I loved the found family that Benigno finds with the sideshow characters. This novel made me tear up in places, made me miss the language (there’s a bunch of Spanish and Russian mixed into the book) - also shout out to Venessa for including a glossary at the back of the book. I pre-ordered the book ages ago from my local indie because I knew that this was going to be amazing.

Highly recommend for those who love queer historical romances, also check out Venessa’s other artwork, because their artwork is absolutely fabulous. They are one of my favorite artists, and this book combines their gorgeous artwork and an amazing story.
Oh and if you are planning on doing Mer May, this is an excellent book for that!

ARC Review: When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley
Pub Date: April 29

Thank you to Hambright PR and Kensington Publishing for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh what a wonderful and heart clenching story!! Full of found family, sweet and forbidden romance, and a historical NYC setting - it worked super well for me!

In 1920's New York City, Beningo "Benny" Caldera is tasked with building a tank for a show full of ...eclectic performers. He doesn't know what the tank is for but soon discovers it's purpose - to hold a merman who is captured by the showrunner out of the ocean and who will now be on display during the show. Benny finds himself spending time with the merman "Rio" and discovers that not only can Rio talk to him, but he certainly has a lot to say. Benny wants to help Rio escape but he has made friends with the other performers and knows that this merman display is going to save the show. Benny has to grapple with his moral compass in terms of Rio's imprisonment and not wanting to lose the only family he has.

Listen the vibes here are just immaculate - it's slower paced but really allows you to sink into the book - I really did my best to savor it and become immersed in the story. I loved the found family and all of the side characters and of course Rio's lyrical words and worldview were really sweeping and beautiful. While the plot may be a bit on the slower side in the beginning especially, things really do pick up towards the end and I couldn't put the book down.

And yes, this is a romance between a human and a merman - it's a super romantic relationship and really just tugs at the heartstrings. Both Rio and Benny just really want to be understood and accepted and they find that with each other. And rest assured - though I won't spoil how - there is a satisfying HEA for both characters.

I will note that this book has illustrations done by the author and they don't all translate super well on my kindle - this is one I would recommend picking up as a physical copy to fully appreciate the beautiful artwork which really adds to the book.

This book had a compelling premise and stunning illustrations but struggled with execution, making it difficult to stay emotionally connected.

Key Points:

**Writing Style** Flowery and occasionally beautiful, but often hollow with unnatural dialogue and inconsistent narration.

**Character Development** Benny and Rio’s connection felt rushed and unearned, making it hard to invest emotionally.

**Pacing and Flow** Slow-moving story with genre confusion (fantasy, romance, romantasy) and disrupted reading flow due to untranslated Spanish.

Highlights:

**Artwork** Gorgeous illustrations were a true standout, adding beauty and texture to the story.

**Setting and Concept** A unique backdrop and intriguing premise that initially pulled me in.

**Cultural Elements** The inclusion of Spanish gave authenticity to Benny’s character, despite creating some reading hurdles.

Final Take:
Despite its strong visuals and creative concept, the story lacked emotional depth, strong character arcs, and smooth pacing. I believe the author has real talent, and with tighter editing, future works could shine brighter.

• This was essentially The Greatest Showman with mermaids. We have a cast of misfits that come together to form the sweetest found family, we have forbidden romance, and an over-eager show runner (who in this case is an evil scumbag)
• Benny, the protagonist, is so sweet and loveable. Theough his POV, we learn about his past and the struggles he's faced. We also see how he slowly gains the courage to do what is right through his found family and through his budding relationship with Río.
• Río is a fascinating character. We get snippets from his POV, and it's very otherworldly. I think the author did a great job at capturing the essence and mystifying qualities of a nearly immortal sea creature.
• There was SO MUCH YEARNING!! And practically no spice. If you've followed me for a while, you know I'm picky about spice so I was happy!
• The main conflict, figuring out how to get Río back into the ocean while a mad circus man is determined to keep him, led to a fast-paced plot that set the stage nicely for the romance to form.
• The author also touched on heavier topics such as racism and homophobia in the early 1900's in America. This was done in a way that fit into the overall plot and romance while opening my eyes to the hate that people face even to this day.
• Venessa's writing style was lovely. They gave each character a distinct voice and no character felt as though they were there only to move the plot forward. Ultimately, the ending of the story left a bit too much vagueness for my taste, but this was a great romantic fantasy that I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me an eARC of When the Tides Held the Moon to review.

When the Tides Held the Moon follows Benigno (Benny) Caldera, a Puerto Rican man who goes to New York seeking better opportunities. When there he is involved with a mission to kidnap a merman for a sideshow and ends up being commissioned to improve the sideshow's aesthetics, he finds himself bonding with the sideshow's crew and with the merman.

At first I was a little concerned that the writing style wasn't going to be for me, but once I focused on it, it actually read so quickly and easily, so I have no clue now why I was worried. The style is very beautiful and there were some quotes that had me rereading them over and over.

Benny and Rio (the merman) were so wonderful to read about; their romance felt believable and so sweet. Benny had been hiding so many parts of himself to try and fit in amongst society and therefore had smothered parts of himself, and seeing Rio help him to unpack all of that was just so lovely.

The found family elements of this were wonderful too; the sideshow's crew being one happy (almost) family was lovely to read about, and seeing how much they all cared for each other despite their arguments was so heartwarming. I also love how other kinds of family influenced the story; Benny's holding on to his Titi Luz and remembering her role in his life was wonderful, and Rio's chapters speaking to his mother were so sad and beautiful. Family is just explored so well in this!

The drawings in this were done by the author themselves and they were so so beautiful. They really immersed me into the story and I loved it when they'd pop up.

I think the only thing that could have been done better was the pacing; while I read this in a day, there were some parts that dragged, and then the ending was quite fast, so maybe the pacing could have been worked on a little.

Overall this is a beautiful story about identity, freedom, love and family that ends on such a nice note. I do wish we could have more from these characters, but the story is wrapped up nicely as it is!

This Is one of most beautiful books I’ve read this year. The writing was atmospheric and magical.
I loved the timeline of the turn of the century between a Puerto Rican immigrant and a Merman. This had absolutely everything I could ever want in a story. The romance, the devastation heartache, the love just absolutely everything. Brilliant! .

“The moon and ocean are lovers. Companions in the night.”

What a beautifully written debut. The atmosphere was immersive highly aesthetic. Great representation for the LGBTQIA community. Recommend!