*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own *

I really loved this book!
Even though it took me a while to finish it, it wasn’t because the story was bad or because I had a bad reading experience — I just didn’t have much time. But every time I picked it up, I would fly through the pages so quickly!
The short chapters made it such a smooth and enjoyable read.
I absolutely adored the story and loved following the characters as they fell in love.
It had such a mystical vibe that I really enjoyed.
I also loved the atmosphere, it was incredible, it honestly felt like I was inside the book.
the beautiful illustrations helped a lot with that too; they made me feel even more immersed and connected to the story.
I fell in love with the characters, with the setting — honestly, I loved everything about this book.
The ending felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more.
I highly recommend it!
I’m only not giving it five stars because I feel like there were a few parts the author could have explored more, and others she rushed a bit too much for my taste.
But overall, I truly loved it and recommend this story so, so, so much!

After Benny ends up a part of Morgan's Menagerie, he quickly takes to making Rio his responsibility while trying to stay under Morgan's radar. The dynamic between Benny and Rio was interesting to read, of course Rio was hesitant at first - Benny built his cage and participated in his kidnapping, not to mention his mother... The trust that they built and the relationship that formed only made Benny more confused - to release and free Rio and lose him forever to the open water or keep him captive so that they could be together, even in the minimal way they could be?? The rest of the menagerie had their moments to shine, too, a true found family that will choose each other time and time again.

The almost lyrical writing made the lore of the mermaids more dreamy and the pull between Benny and Rio more romantic, especially how beautifully written the short Rio POVs were. There was a enough foreshadowing to hint at a big turn at the ending, I only wish we had even the shortest epilogue or a longer "ending" to have a little more time of understanding

I'm so thankful to have received a finished physical copy as the 27 illustrations and the full-color endpapers are STUNNING and really bring this story to life! This one is out next week, April 29, and you're going to want to read it!

A fabulous romantasy merman tale. I absolutely adored this book. The characters were well developed, the romance was so swoony, and I loved the plot. Great story and hope it continues with more books.

I read my first mer-romance! When the Tides Held the Moon is a gentle romance set in early Twentieth Century NYC. It's mainly written from the perspective of Benigno "Benny" Caldera, newly arrived in the city from Puerto Rico, with short interludes from his merman love interest.

Benny is a blacksmith, and he's hired to build a movable tank. He only sees the designs, so he's not sure what it's for. When it's finished, he loses his job at the foundry only to be hired to help catch the creature to live in the tank ... who happens to be a (gorgeous) merman, captured to be the main attraction in Coney Island's Luna Park "freak show." The other members of the show are immigrants and outcasts who form their own family. As Benny integrates the group while simultaneously falling for Rio (his name for the merman), he knows that in the end, he'll end up betraying one of them. If he helps Rio escape, that's the end of the new act. But if he helps keep Rio imprisoned, they can never truly love each other.

I loved the sense of place in the book. This era in NYC isn't one I usually read in historical romance, and I've definitely never read a book set on Coney Island (although I have read a few set among circus performers!). I especially loved the conflict here, as Benny is growing in many ways: he has to, in some sense, make a choice that will hurt him as much as it hurts his new companions.

I also want to point out that this book is ILLUSTRATED. I highly recommend getting a physical copy if you have the means and space: the illustrations are in the digital version, but there's something really special about seeing them on paper. Finally, for all you horndogs (lovingly said - I also am a horndog!), note that while this isn't exactly closed door, mersex isn't super spicy (we're not talking monster romance!).

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

Absolutely loved & devoured this read in one sitting. If you're into historical fiction with a fantasy twist; absolutely pick this up.

The "twist" was more of a twitch, however it was not disappointing at all to be right on this hunch!

Characters were well-rounded, setting lovely.

Thank you Venessa Vida Kelley and Kensington Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I so very appreciate getting an ARC of this. It sounded like everything I would love and read, but unfortunately I'm having to DNF at 17%. I'm hoping this is just a case of right book, but wrong time. My biggest complaint is that it's very slow start. I'm 74 pages in and not much is happening and I'm struggling to pick it up and keep reading. A second reason is that I have a feeling the artwork is a HUGE part of this story, and the formatting is just not right on my kindle and hard to see if it shows up at all which is a bummer. I'm hoping this is a book I can get physically and enjoy much more that way.

This book was incredibly slow which is kind of crazy considering all of the relationship building it just skipped over. I wish I had known this was a pull to publish fanfic, I would not have requested it if I’d known. The development of a ship in a fic cannot be replicated in a standard story, there’s vital context that’s missing. It just doesn’t work :/

The performers felt like they should have been more central but they almost always faded to the background as a flurry of names. It felt very odd. Especially some of the more social nuances? It all felt pretty vague and handwavey.

Also the chapters from Rio’s point of view were WEIRD. They were so overwritten but he didn’t talk like that? So where was that coming from?

A cute-ish story that needed a little more development and tightening up on the story line.

Benigno (a/k/a Benny) is a young Puerto Rican man working at an ironworks in NYC in 1911, without friends or family. He gets tasked to build a large tank for a merman at Morgan’s Menagerie of Human Oddities on Coney Island. Benny starts working at the sideshow and finds himself a family among the crew/performers. He also finds a deep connection with Río, the merman, who has lost everything and is being held captive for entertainment.

Truly, just a beautiful, stunning book. The vibes? Immaculate. The author does a great job of setting a scene that's vibrant and full of life, filled with characters so interesting they could each easily have their own book. Benigno and Río are so pure and their love is so sweet and romantic.
"From the moment I first saw you, I knew you were a miracle."

The menagerie is a lovely found family. Altogether, I loved every bit of this story. And then there are the illustrations! Gorgeous! What a great debut novel from Venessa Vida Kelley.

When the Tides Held the Moon tells the story of Puerto Rican guy Benigno 'Benny' Caldera. An ironworker tasked with building a giant water tank for Sam Morgan of Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities. But this project leads to more than he has bargained for when Sam wants him to assist in the kidnapping of a mythical being.

“I’m Benny, by the way. That’s short for Benigno.”
“Benigno,” he repeated. “Your name means ‘kind.’”
” I grinned. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s right.”
An eyebrow— the one with the gash carved into it— arched at me. “We shall see.”

This novel is first and foremost a love story with a backdrop of fantasy and some historical notes. It features gorgeous illustrations by Kelley herself. They have a real talent for capturing emotion in these tableaus.

“We got a credo in our line of work,” Lulu explained. “It goes: With it, for it, never against it.”
“It’ is the sideshow ,” Matthias replied. “But it’s also the sideshow life. Being ‘with it, for it, and never against it’ means being tied to this here family. Devoted to it. Ready to die to protect it.”

Reading When the Tides Held the Moon I had some mixed feelings. There was a lot about this that I enjoyed, but there were also parts that dampened my excitement in the end. Let me start with some things I loved. One of the big themes in this novel is the found family aspect, and it's very well done. All the side characters have distinct personalities, and the way they care for one another, including Benny fills my heart with joy. The main romance builds up slowly and is very sweet. Kelley manages to weave lyrical, eloquent sentences to capture their love.

“Young as I am, and sparse as we are, the souls that have drawn my affection have been few indeed, but if my heart sought the love of another merman , we would not be hindered by senseless rules meant to separate us for being the same sex. A host of sea creatures would cease to exist under such constraints.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Honestly, Benigno, I despair for your race!”

However the pacing of this novel didn't quite work for me. There was hardly any intrigue that made me want to keep reading for the first half of the story. Major storybeats were quite predictable and the villains stereotypical. There was very little in this that surprised me. Though all this does contribute to a more lower stakes, cozy atmosphere.

“You have been strong against life’s many storms,” she whispered in Spanish, “but I worry for the part of you that has hardened under all that strength. That accepts pain and injustice as your birthright.”

What stood out for me in this story is how it does a wonderful job at capturing various marginalized identities. There are several characters with disabilities including our main character, who is also of Puerto Rican descent living in New York. Kelley deals with these themes in a careful and respectful manner. As someone who is disabled themself, I find representation like this invaluable and am always so glad to see it included, especially well executed.

“It is the simple truth of every creature with a soul. You are not your body, Benigno.”

When the Tides Held the Moon could be your next favourite read if you enjoy cozy fantasy with added social commentary, found family and queer love. If you enjoyed The House in the Cerulean Sea or Bookshops and Bonedust you will probably enjoy this novel as well.

“I cannot take your burdens,” he went on. “But if you let me, I can bear them with you for a while.”

Oh gosh, I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with this book, but I did! It was such a beautifully written book.

1910s, New York - Benny, a Puerto Rican blacksmith, is “stuck” in his life. He came to New York in the dying wish of his Tití Luz, hoping to get a better life, but ended up working in a dingy Brooklyn foundry. He ends up being tasked to build a huge glass tank and is indirectly roped into a scheme to capture a merman. The scheme succeeds, and the merman is meant to be the latest attraction of Luna Park’s Menagerie of Oddities exhibition. During the capture process, Benny feels beholden to save the merman and ends up joining the motley crew at Luna Park.

Benny is such a sweet character, I want to wrap him in wool and give him a hug for everything that he went through. The bond he slowly develops with Río is beautiful, and it is no surprise that they bonded, given that they are trapped in their ways. The comfort they provide to each other is so sweet, and the connection that builds together is raw and real! The spice level in this book is very minimal (kissing/touches) given that the author chooses to focus more on the relationship and emotions. The yearning in this book is heartfelt, and such aching moments leave you wanting more.

|”Can you imagine it? A liquid universe, infinite in its mysteries, and still it holds you as though you are its most precious star. A place where, no matter which sea realm surrounds you, you are always home”|

This book also touches on the found family trope with Benny’s relationship with the rest of the Menagerie members. The differences each of them brings yet the code they follow and the means they will go through for the family are so sweet and full of heart. I also love the diversity in their uniqueness and additional languages (Hindi) featured in this book.

|”Ain’t no being free on the outside unless you’re free on the inside”|

This book also hits themes like racism, power and corruption, and freedom for a debut! I also love the added illustrations the author created for the book; they were so beautiful and would capture the scenes of the book, bringing the feelsssss!

|”Your emotions are not madness. Nor are you broken. Everyone else - the cowards who taught you that keeping your heart safe meant caging it - they are broken.”|

My only critique is that I wish there were a bit more of an epilogue to tie up some loose ends <spoiler>such as Benny's actual circumstances</spoiler>...and if the language translations can be on footnotes on the end of every chapter or the same page as opposed to it being in the back like a glossary because I didn't even know it existed!

Thank you Hambright PR for the invite to review this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This story was absolutely beautiful. I loved every single second of it. Oh what a marvel a story can be to make you feel safe and protected and hopeful. It felt so good for my soul to read it. It did honestly seem like I was listening to my mother narrating me a bedtime story. And I was there, eager to hear her every word and if and how the main characters would have found the happiness they deserved. Benny and Rio’s story was carved from seashells of wonder where finding a pearl is the most magnificent challenge known on earth. The feelings they experienced and the companionship they built is enviable and something to aspire to in life. And the found family of a circus of people who are simply looking for a home made me want to read From Now On from the Greatest Showman musical. I was so overwhelmed with this wave of emotions that I simply couldn’t stop reading and I finished this book in one sitting. I’m so happy now. And I’m so grateful that I had the chance to read it !!

This book checks so many boxes, it’s hard to categorize. It’s a cozy historical fantasy and a queer romance, but it’s also a historical romp through 1910s Coney Island featuring one of the loveliest “found family” stories I’ve ever read. This book was taut with suspense and utterly charming and while it did read a little overly long for what it was doing, the ending was perfectly satisfying. I think this book will resonate with readers who loved Legends and Lattes as well as The House in the Cerulean Sea.

This is the kind of story that draws you into its world and doesn't let you go until the very end. The prose is rich and immersive, and the love story at the heart of the book is haunting and well developed. The found family trope gets me every time, and I teared up as the protagonist Benny found his place and voice in the world alongside the amusement park troupe. This book definitely lives up to the hype of being The Greatest Showman meets The Shape of Water - I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"When the Tides Held the Moon" is one of the best books I've read in quite a while. The writing is just fantastic, the illustrations are gorgeous, and the characters felt so real I found myself feeling like I was missing my friends after I finished reading. This book is classified as fantasy but it would also be very enjoyable to people who don't read much fantasy as it's primarily about the people in the circus, it just so happens one of them is a merman. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes circuses, queer fantasy, or historical Brooklyn.

Gentle and romantic story of Benny a young Puerto Rican blacksmith and Rio a captive merman. Fantastical, yes and also emotional enough you need to just keep reading. When Benny volunteers to build a tank for an unscrupulous sideshow manager he finally finds a home and the relationships he’s longed for. “Morgans Menagerie of Human Oddities “ has a cast of engaging characters who take Benny to heart. Torn between them and his promise to free the merman Benny has a difficult decision to make. Found family, self worth, and freeing yourself from the shackles you have made are all consistent themes here. But the heart of this story is Benny and Rio, their past, present and future. A big thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this novel.

I'm in love with this book. The way this is written is so beautiful and the blending of all the languages when appropriate was exquisite. The pacing was fantastic, the worldbuilding great, the characters I just want to hug and sit around table eating a meal with. I loved everything. Literally no notes. I gonna make like Ariel and "want moooooooooooooore".

Seriously this is my new favorite book.

New York, 1911. Benny Caldera is working at an ironworks and has been tasked with building a metal tank for an eccentric Coney Island theme park sideshow proprietor. After losing his job at the ironworks Benny finds himself helping capture the cage’s mysterious ‘exhibit’: a merman.

I have loved Vanessa’s artwork for years, and it came as no surprise to me that their words are just as beautiful as their drawings. I knew right from the beginning that this one would be special.

This book was absolutely stunning, just a delight from start to finish. The plot was well-executed, the slow-burn romance was sweet and swoony, and the prose was just gorgeous, lyrical and poetic.

The characters were the absolute stars of the show (literally). I fell completely in love with Benny and Rio, and the entire supporting cast from the ‘menagerie of human oddities’ (although I am a sucker for a found family vibe).

Overall, so much fun, and the last fifty or so pages had me right on the edge of my seat. I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy of this one, for the beautiful pictures, and so I can read it again slower!

Thank you so much to Kensington Publishing/Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This was gorgeous, beautiful, show-stopping. I loved the characters, even the frustrating ones. The love-Story was cute as all hell and the illustrations beautiful! definite recommend!

This historical fantasy about a Puerto Rican blacksmith and a merman trapped in a tank on Coney Island is going to be one of this summer’s best love stories. This magical tale is set in NYC at the turn of the 20th century. The Coney Island setting is rich, lush, and atmospheric. There are two equally beautiful stories told in this book: a tender queer romance, and a heartwarming tale of found-family. I was captivated by both.

The love story was everything I needed. It was so beautiful and tender. There was pain, yes, but also healing and self discovery. I never expected a merman romance to feel so real. I loved seeing two individuals be so good to each other.

I adored the found family of sideshow performers. Each character was written with nuance and care. No one-dimensional caricatures here. You can tell how much research went in to creating this diverse cast. I was cheering for them all.

The threads of these two stories weave together in such a compelling way. Queer characters, Black and Brown characters, and immigrants all coming together to stand up to a cruel con man? Yes please! This is exactly what I needed right now.

There are so many things I loved about this book! The richly intervowen Puerto Rican Spanish was a joy to read. The language really breathes through the pages and that's beautifully done.

(There's a glossary at the end of the book just in case you didn't catch everything.)

There's a lot of (extremely well aimed) criticism for the American Dream and how it affects immigrants (I believe the book takes place before PR became a US territory so Benigno would be an immigrant), especially if they're not white.
[Disclaimer: I'm white so I can't begin to understand the reality POC live in. That being said, I've seen enough acts of casual racism to make my blood boil.]

Río and Benny's romance is sweet and tender, but also fun. They're dreamy and have all the chemistry. I loved that about the book.

With all that, I do want to bring up a few points that have made it a less than perfect book for me. While the romance has a dreamy quality that is very much my cup of tea, I felt that the rest of the characters came off oversaturated, leaning too much into their stereotypes. The Italian Mafia boss and his goons seemed just a little too Godfather-like, the roadside performers just a little too quirky, Benny's ex-colleagues just a little too meatheady. I'm not a fan of the representation of body types and disabilities as sideshow attractions, if I'm being honest. I don't have anything against them being performers but it felt like the book was trying too hard, having them all dialed up to eleven in a way that broke me out of the immersion.

With all that, I feel that the pros outweigh the cons and I'd still recommend this book for the things it does well.