As someone who's followed the author's art for a while now, this quickly became one of my most anticipated reads of this year. And boy, it did not disappoint. I'm always a sucker for found family, and the one we get in this book, ugh I love every single one of them. Rio, my beloved, was probably my favorite character out of the lot and the way his POV was written, I loved it. The artwork only added to the story, and helped with picturing out certain scenes, it was a nice addition to see.

I can't wait to see what else Venessa comes up with, every book will be an auto-buy after this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Erewhon Books for the e-arc!

Finished within less than 10 hours! Which should be enough to tell you that this book was a HUGE page turner! >_<

By the end of this book, i was wrecked and mended in ways that i could never believed a book will ever done to me. This changed the whole trajectory of my life and changed me into a different person. I once thought that romantasy book could never healed me but Vanessa is such a genius writer.

Reading this book had me gone through different kind of emotions, there is just something about how Vanessa deliver the story with raw and heartfelt writing, almost felt like this whole book was a broken heart that we could rip apart and see what were the reasons behind all of the struggles it bears.

Oh, and let me tell you about how well written each characters is. Our mc, Benigno, was not perfect, in fact he has a lot of ‘flaws’, he’s been telling himself that he doesn’t deserves better things than he had already achieved.
He’s broken, but that’s what makes him beautiful. That’s what, our merman, Rio had been telling him. Rio was so kind, so understanding, and his love for Benigno is so pure i couldn’t help but to bawl my eyes out of how beautiful their love is.

If you’re looking for merman fantasy with family found, heart-wrenching and emotional romance, you definitely should check this book out.

2 1/2 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, many people know this was a Snowbaz fanfic but I read that at the time and if that’s the only thing putting you off reading this then I can confirm it does not read like Snowbaz fic to me.

That being said, I just don't think the writing style is my cup of tea. I’m not a big fan of heavy repetitive metaphor & simile usage, which the first half of this book is made up of. I also don’t think it works here with the 1st person POV—Benny's thoughts are very purple prose but his speech does not match this. It makes both feel inconsistent and it kept pulling me out of the story.

Rio’s initial trusting of Benny did not feel earned to me either, and it happened very quickly after Benny literally <spoiler>used his own bare hands to put Rio in the tank himself.</spoiler> I would have liked to have seen more building of trust from Benny before they became (even fledgling) friends. A lot of beginning filler could have been sacrificed for more time to develop this, I think, given their romance is such a big focus.

I also think the side characters could do with another pass through from sensitivity readers. Often they feel stereotypical. I understand why this would be so on-stage, but I’m talking about out-of-persona here.

The second half of the book almost redeemed it, but I had already kind of become disillusioned with it by the time we got to where the romance started to feel earned and the plot/action became interesting.

I appreciate everyone saying the writing is pretty and there is a lot of that, in the first half of the book especially, so if you enjoy purple prose you’ll be set! Unfortunately, for me, the pretty words weren't enough for me to enjoy it outside of my other issues with the book.

Venessa Vida Kelley’s “When the Tides Held the Moon” is a stunning novel that swept me away with its breathtaking prose, unforgettable characters, and deeply moving exploration of love, identity, and belonging. Set in the early 20th century, the story follows Benny Caldera, a Puerto Rican blacksmith whose talent earns him a place among an eccentric found family of sideshow performers at Coney Island’s Luna Park. But nothing could prepare him for Río, the living, breathing merman trapped inside the iron tank Benny built—a being as mesmerizing as he is otherworldly. Their connection is immediate and undeniable, setting Benny on a journey of self-discovery and love that feels as magical as a fairytale and as heartbreaking as real life.

Benny’s story is one of resilience, navigating the challenges of being a brown Puerto Rican man in 1910s New York while also coming to terms with his queer identity. His tenderness, sensitivity, and quiet strength made him such an easy character to love, and experiencing his world through his eyes—his first time away from home, the racism he endures, and the joy of finding community—was both beautiful and cathartic. Kelley’s attention to Puerto Rican culture is nothing short of outstanding, from the inclusion of the “cuatro” (Puerto Rico’s national instrument) to the accurate Puerto Rican slang and phrases that felt like a love letter to our heritage. Every detail warmed my heart, and I found myself tearing up more than once at the sheer authenticity of it all. And then there’s Río—mystical, hypnotic, and full of wisdom—who is the perfect counterpart to Benny, their love unfolding in a way that is tender, poetic, and unforgettable.

This book gave me “The Shape of Water” vibes with the heart of “The Greatest Showman” and even a touch of “Free Willy”. It’s a story of love, freedom, and the courage it takes to do what’s right, even when it means risking everything. The found family aspect was just as strong as the romance, with Benny’s sideshow companions bringing so much warmth and richness to the narrative. The gorgeous illustrations scattered throughout only enhanced the experience, making the world feel even more vivid. Finding queer books with authentic Puerto Rican representation is rare, and “When the Tides Held the Moon” is an absolute treasure. I loved every second of it, and I know this story will stay with me for a long, long time.

A Puerto Rican blacksmith falls in love with a merman in 1910s New York. Takes place as part of a sideshow at Coney Island during the off season. All the performers form a found family that sometimes felt like it had too many characters to keep track of. The plot felt a little overly complex at the end for what needed to happen as the end result. The illustrations were beautiful. Surprisingly heartfelt read that I would absolutely recommend.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

disappointed i couldn't finish this one, but it just didn't grab me? i think i was just the wrong reader or at the wrong time. incredibly voicy, and i'm sure it would be majorly compelling if i could get past the first 10% or so. also i think i am just not really into reading a guy slowly realising that trapping a mermaid is not a good thing to do? unfortunate really, but maybe someday i will come back to it and love it! a girl can dream.

I usually spend several hours editing and polishing my GR reviews, but I'm going to go straight from the heart on this one because it's so freaking good and I want everyone to put it on their TBR shelves.

Like the best fairy tale adaptations, the plot is familiar, but the appeal lies in its lyrical writing, strong sense of time and place, and memorable characters. MC Benigno "Benny" Caldera starts the story alone, an asthmatic Puerto Rican without family or friends who barely gets by on his Brooklyn dockside blacksmith wages. By the exciting climax, he has been befriended by the sideshow's "oddities," fallen passionately in love, and evolved into a genuine hero who organizes a daring rescue of his beloved. The merman, dubbed by Benny as "Rio," is noble and beautiful, furious about his captivity but quickly able to discern Benny's pure soul. There's not a lot of nuance to their relationship, but when the two of them sing Spanish love songs to each other my heart grew three sizes. Although I knew there was a happy ending, my anxiety level spiked as the moustache-twirling villain tried to permanently separate them, then settled back down to appreciate the word-perfect finale.

At a time when we need it the most, this book celebrates those who are labeled as "other," whether they are a queer immigrant, a land-stranded merman, a Russian giant, or an Indian little person. One of the female carnival performers is put through more trauma than a silent movie heroine, but she too emerges on top.

Kelley's enchanting writing is accompanied by beautiful illustrations that emphasize the early 20th century feel of the story. A number of the drawings were not completed in time to be included in my ARC copy, but you can be sure I will seek out a published version to get the full benefit.

When the Tides Held the Moon broke my months-long fiction dry spell, and I know it will go on my comfort re-read shelf (except for the nerve-wracking denouement). If you are looking for a cheesy but sincerely romantic novel that feels both period accurate and timeless, grab it as soon as you can.

- very queer fairytale
- philosophical merman x human blacksmith
- puerto rican & desi rep
- historical fantasy (1910s)
- illustrated
- found family
- disabled side character
- circus/menagerie

What a delightful read?? "When the Tides Held the Moon" had me gripping the edge of my seat, with prose so elegant you feel like you are swimming in the ocean and breathing underwater, and illustrations oh so ethereal that you can just feel the love between Benny and Rio emanating from the pages. This book is an ode to love, to cultures, to found families and to discovering yourself -- it is a siren's song about doing the right thing in a world where you don't feel like you could ever belong. I am off to grab a physical copy because I need to hold this book in my hands, read it over and over again and display it to everyone who has the misfortune of glancing at my bookshelf while I talk their ears off about how plunging into this deep tome and letting myself being carried away by its waves saved my soul.

A must-read for lovers of all things fantasy, romance, and oceanic.

-----

HOLY TIDES AND MOONS THIS WAS A GENIUS LITERARY MASTERPIECE? MORE BREATHTAKING THAN THE OCEAN ITSELF AND ALSO I'VE NEVER EVER SEEN SUCH WELL RESEARCHED REPRESENTATION AND I'M JUST??? THOSE ILLUSTRATIONS???? I NEED TO PURCHASE A PHYSICAL COPY ASAP, VENESSA, YOUR GENIUS IS ASTOUNDING

I'M STILL RECOVERING

When the Tides Held the Moon follows the story of a Puerto Rican immigrant, Benny, who travels to New York after the death of Titi Luz, his adopted caretaker. He is a talented blacksmith tasked with creating a stunning glass and iron tank for the slimy owner of an oddity sideshow. When his boss, Mr McCoy, takes the credit for his hard work, Benny storms back into work and soon finds himself without a job. Curious about the tank, Benny finds the sideshow by the water and finds himself with a new task: catch a mythical merman.

Benny is hired to give Luna Park, home of the oddity sideshow, a facelift and soon comes to know the merman, Rio. What starts as a small act of kindness turns into a close friendship. Once Benny learns to accept the parts of himself he has long denied, their friendship deepens into love. At this point, Benny realises that he will do whatever it takes to set Rio free, even if it means saying goodbye to the merman he loves forever.

The overall vibe of this book is immaculate. It's set in 1920's New York in a circus and I felt I was there the whole time. Throughout the book, there were illustrations of key moments and they further added to the overall mood.

The overall theme of the book was belonging and finding a home. Benny did this twice. First when he met the performers who mostly welcomed him with open arms and became his family. Second when his relationship with Rio escalated. I could sense what the ending would be about 50% of the way into the book and I'm so happy that it ended the way I hoped.

The book loses half a star because Benny took so gosh dang long to take action. For most of the second half of the book I kept thinking to myself "why won't he just find a tub on wheels and take him back to the ocean?!" but I can also understand how he wanted to keep the show running so the performers could make a living.

I also wanted it to be about 200 pages longer to build the romance a bit more. Regardless, this was an excellent book. I felt an attachment to the characters and I was invested in all their stories. I liked how Sonia's 'arrangement' was tastefully covered and not exploited for shock value. The epilogue was the cherry on top. I had wondered if we would hear more from Matthias.

Overall, I highly recommend bumping this book to the top of your TBR!


*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me early access to this book. All opinions are honest and my own*

This was really beautiful. I just loved all these characters and their relationships so much. And the art!! I definitely can't wait to see how it's all put together in the finished edition.

First off! The art for the cover of this novel is absolutely stunning. I know they say "Don't judge a book by the cover", but I really hoped that this one would live up to the beautiful artwork. It definitely did. I was engrossed into this story from the first chapter. I am a huge advocate for queer voices and their fiction stories and this one was one of the better I have read in 2025. I could not reccomend it enough. There is the perfect balance of plot, romance, and it is just beautifully done.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a very sweet surprise. I loved the illustrations in this book, and the love story kept me captivated. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives as well. I would recommend this to any Romantasy reader who is draw to this book by its cover. They won’t be disappointed!

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯.”

More merfolk, more merfolk, more merfolk!! (Or fish people in general) This story just goes to show how much I want more fish folk stories in my life! We were all in love with Ariel as children, why has that not transgressed into more fantasy stories?

When the Tides Held the Moon is set in 1900s Coney Island where a Puerto Rican man, Benny, is hired to build a metal tank. Surprisingly ends up becoming cage to a merman from the deep.

This is a very beautifully written story. I really love the language the author uses—it really draws you in. It flows and ebbs like the tides themselves. It’s very poetic and prosey, just the way I love my books! Also there’s ART!! All books need art. Kids books, adult books, YA books. All of it. It just enhances everything about the story.

This is definitely a slower paced story, but I loved getting to know our main characters through the slower pace. Sharing a kinship for music and learning to accept parts of themselves they are afraid to show.

There’s also good development for side characters which is always a huge win for me! I love when side characters feel like real characters and not just tag alongs to the MC’s story.

A beautifully written, culturally diverse, kind of magical book. Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an early earc!

Read for:
LQBTQ+ Rep
Culturally diverse rep
Mermaids obv
Fairgrounds
Found family

Absolutely stunning, I had been waiting for this for such a long time and it was absolutely worth it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for sharing this ARC!

When the Tides Held the Moon is an atmospheric story with an intriguing premise, but I found myself struggling to connect with it. I absolutely loved the setting - it felt very original for this type of book. However, the pacing is incredibly slow and I found that more often than not I didn't have any desire to keep reading. The illustrations and artwork are absolutely stunning, and I think this book will resonate with many readers, but unfortunately it did not for me.

This book is absolutely brilliant. The language is gorgeous. Illustrations are beautiful. The storyline and the heart in it is simply amazing. I couldn’t put this one down.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4.75/5

When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautifully written story, with a lovely romance and an amazing cast of characters. Though I found the writing style and the initial slow pacing difficult to get into, by 10% into the story, I was hooked. The prose was beautiful and really fit the setting and tone of the story. Each character had their own unique personality and backstory, and I loved the found family dynamic. The ending was left partially open-ended and mysterious, but there were enough hints left throughout for me to make a guess as to what exactly happened.

My favourite part of this book was certainly the romance. It was truly beautiful and tender with an amazing slowburn that led to a satisfying conclusion. Overall, When the Tides Held the Moon is certainly one of my favourite reads this year and I can't wait to buy a physical copy.

This book took me by surprise. But I very much enjoyed it!

We meet Benny, a metal worker from Puerto Rico, living in New York. He builds a big glass tank under the guise of a promotion but then gets taken advantage of and is sent away!

Turns out the big glass tank is to capture a merman for a sideshow. He takes the chance to go and find out what the sideshow is about and from then the real story begins.

If I were the merman I certainly would have been angrier than Rio was but alls well that ends well! I also enjoyed the side characters, the found family was a nice little extra.

I loved the ending, I'm so glad everyone got a conclusion and I wasn't left to wonder about anyone!

I would defo read again!

First off thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the earc. This book will probably be well received but I have to say I struggled so hard to connect with Benny. I had to stop every paragraph to look up whatever spanish colloquialism was being used and so I did not actually get very far into this out of pure frustration. There is apparently a glossary in the back which I discovered afterwards. This will be fine for physical copies but it is frustrating to do on kindle. I did enjoy the illustrations. I'm not familiar with the Simon Snow series and so had no frame of reference for this fanfic turned novel translation. Ill may try to give it a go in physical form but for now its a DNF.

A young blacksmith, Benigno, from Puerto Rico caught himself in a "fishy" showbiz's affairs in New York City. He was unintentionally helped Sam Morgan—the owner of this showbiz company—to capture a Merman to keep their business running. But little did he know, it would change his life forever. Torn between saving the Merman's life or his new family's future, Benny must make the right decision.
This is a beautiful tale of found family & love. I was sobbing reading the last 25% of the book. I love the merman (Río), I definitely root for him. The romance between Benigno and Río is beautiful, it shows us that we must fight for the ones we love. I thought it's supposed to be a slowburn romance, but the pacing seems to be a little bit rushed between them. I feel like Río just suddenly trusted Benny just because Benny showed him kindness?
The first 20% of the book was slow, very slow paced it frustrated me. But the last 30% was action-packed, fast paced, everything happened at once. A very interesting read as a debut novel.
The ending... A chef kiss. Heartwarming, and it made me cry again. Oh, and the illustration!!! Very captiviting! I love it. 4.25 stars for this book.