Such a beautiful story set in a carnival in 1910 NYC. The love story is so delicate, so lovely, between a young Puerto Rican man who doesn't feel accepted anywhere and a merman who was forced out of the ocean.
The Shape of Water vibes but make it gay with a dash of Big Fish.
I loved the found family, the beautiful writing, the gorgeous art in the pages.
I'm very emotional after reading this book (which is a good sign) It will be in my heart for long 💙

Thank you to Kensington Publishing for an early access copy, I was so interested in this book by the cover and description. I was not disappointed, I will admit did I struggle with the Spanish aspects and the words in spanish. Absolutely but that is not a knock against this book, thats more against my poor ability to learn languages. I loved the way this book was written regardless, the author phenomenally described New York City in a way that I could totally picture it during that time. I could picture the house that the company worked in, I could imagine the tank that Rio lived in. The way the other characters in this company are described you just can’t help but picture this rag tag team. I was so enthralled by the story and the budding romance between Buddy and Rio. I found myself really rooting for Sonia/Mary and Mathias and the others in the company. Except Sam but honestly he was written so well and it really was one of those things where you find yourself kind of okay with him at first and then gradually as the pieces fall into place and you start to get to know him you too begin to dislike him. The story was overall well done and the world was enchanting and a delight to read about. It meshed so well with the NYC backdrop.

I did receive an ARC for this book for a review.

Wow was a beautiful story! This was a really fun read that I would recommend to a lot of people. Especially if you’re in a reading slump and need a pick me up I think this is a lovely book. My only critiques are minor: there is a glossary in the book I did not realize this until the end when I finished and scrolled through it but there are some Spanish phrases that I didn’t know and just trucked through when I read but the author does define them in the glossary. I don’t think the story is anything crazy but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to read.

Definitely recommend and would love to read more of this authors work!

I received a free e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had a bit of a slow start so I ended up putting off finishing it for a while. However, after the first few chapters (which at least appeared to be long on the kindle) it picked up and I ended speeding through it in a little over a day.

Honestly it was predictable in some cases, but it was still very good. The characters had a nice found family going that made the book feel homey at times. The art also helped with picturing how they looked, and I wish more adult books had illustrations like that.

It should also be noted that there are historically accurate slurs, racism, and homophobia in the book. Most of it is not constant, but it is still present in this book. I'd say there's more racism against the main character than anything else, as that is the first thing most of the other characters see about him.

That being said, I think this is exactly the gay mermaid book needed. I remember when the author was doing fanart of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell for a fanfic (I might be wrong but I believe that became this book) and this book would be perfect for fans of Carry On. If anything When the Tides Held the Moon might even be better.

This ended up being an absolutely lovely, sweet tale of found family, and falling in love with a merman while you're a human man from the Puerto Rican diaspora, and ends up turning into a fun and wacky heist to get the merman back to the sea at a certain point. There are also some absolutely gorgeous illustrations in this. Absolutely worth your time and then some this spring.

Such a beautiful book! The author wrote such an amazing story about family and finding your home, while also staying true to yourself. I loved the setting, as it's not a historical era I've read that many books in. All of the characters were fleshed out with amazing diversity, and I loved reading the developing relationship between the two main characters. The writing was lyrical, and the dual POVs added more to the story. I also loved the illustrations throughout the book as it just added to the already beautiful writing. Tears were shed while reading this book! A really great debut novel and I will definitely read more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for an eArc in exchange for my honest review!

What a fantastic storyline. I’ll admit that the setting of this novel is typically not my cup of tea, but, this novel may have convinced me otherwise. The characters had depth and diversity, the plot was enticing, the main love interest was beautifully written, and the main villain made me want to throw the book at the wall. It was awesome. The only hesitation I had was that I felt the beginning was a bit slow, but once the story picked up I could not put it down. Go read this one ASAP!

A delightful story about finding finding family, home, and where you belong while remembering where you came from.

The slow tension was absolutely delicious. I actually kept putting the book down to savor it and think about what I just read.

Short bits of dialogue and narration are in Spanish and it's fairly easy from context to guess their translation/purpose (from the perspective of someone who knows comically little spanish). But there is a handy translation guide in the back! ...Which I discovered upon finishing, and will dutifully make use of in my re-read!

Absolutely adored the assemble of performers and the diverse cast! And the queer rep!

MM romances that feature women with fleshed out personalities, wants, challenges, and contribute to the plot have a special place in my heart.

What a beautiful book. Set in an era and location we don’t see often in romance or fantasy - an era and location rich with opportunities for world building and creative antics. And a merman as one of our romantic leads? Delightfully unique and charming. There’s lush magic, social justice, a rag tag bunch of carnies, and an evil capitalist villain, which, touché. Beneath the magic and wonder, this is a story about found family, about learning to trust, to be who you are, and to let someone love you for all of your complicated failings. A complete delight.

The cover had me hooked! I'm not familiar with the author, but the title, description and again, the COVER! So pretty.

- historical fantasy (20th century urban fantasy)
- romance
- queer mmcs
- found family
- lyrical writing
- great world building
- merman <3
- merman trapped by a circus crew, forms friendship with the man who constructs the tank that entraps him
- emotional, tragic, heartwrenching
- amazing illustrations and art within the story

Uh-mazing!

Now, I'm usually not a historical romance reader, or any historical story reader, but I was pulled in by the concept (and the cover!) so even though it took me a bit to get started, once I did, I was swept up in the lyrical writing, and emotions of the characters. That feeling of being trapped, in more ways then one, was so well expressed.

x

it’s really hard for me to write this… Because there’s so many fantastic things about this book and the reason i ultimately DNF’d it is absolutely a “me issue”…. though I would prefer to say I paused this… Because I really wanna pick it up again eventually.

The cover and the artwork throughout this whole book are absolutely stunning! And it’s what Venessa is known for!
The story was so intriguing and I wanted to keep reading but my personal issue is the period appropriate writing… Which is probably something other people love about this book! But I was not at a point where my brain could process it and I could feel it drag me down… So I ultimately had to pause reading it for now…

Which in no way means that this was badly written or is a bad book… I really do want to pick it up again eventually!

Can we just hold space for the beautiful cover!!
This book is a truly beautiful queer book about love, family and identity and a perfect book to just lose yourself in especially if you’re looking for your next book that shoots you into a rollercoaster of emotions!!

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

This book made me sob in all the best ways. A pairing and backdrop that I would have never imagined. A scrappy Puerto Rican immigrant who unknowingly built a cage for an enchanting and determined merman in NYC 1910s. Not to mention and amazing array of side character who form this Puerto Rican's new found family?

As a queer Puerto Rican, I wish I could have handed this book to me ten years ago. The want to escape to NYC for the American dream is still something that holds very true, 100 years after this book is set. And the fact this was a queer love story but everyone who mattered did not negatively react upon finding out that our main character prefers men, warmed my heart. They welcomed him, all aspects, with open arms.

And we do have a villain in this story, the head of the circus performers who captured the merman. However, I think the author did a good job and not just telling us he's a bad man, but showing us as the story developed until I was sneering any time this man appeared on stage. You really begin rooting for this couple and feel just as helpless and just as much heartbreak as they do at times.

I also loved the ending that all the characters had. If you love a queer love story as much as I do, Puerto Rican representation, and mermen - this one is definitely for you.

This book had such a poetic feel to it. It truly swept me away - pun intended! - on a romantic, lush ride.

3.5 stars rounded up! As a fan of Venessa’s art for years, I was SO delighted to get the chance to read their debut novel.

This books was lovely. Very well written, incredible illustrations (I wonder if these are temp art pieces or if the final release will look different? regardless SO stunning).

Pacing could use some work, the first half was pretty slow. And I often had to pretend I didn’t see a perfectly good solution to every one of Benny and Río’s problems lol but they were very cute and the ending was 🙏❤️ so cute

very excited to read what comes next from Venessa! ty Netgalley etc for the ARC!

I recently read an e-ARC of When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley. (Thank you to NetGalley!) It was an amazing read! There were a bunch of things I liked about the book:

- Beautiful illustrations
- A lot of great disability representation
- Found family
- Enemies to lovers
- GAY! MERMAIDS!!!!!

I really liked the main POV character, Benigno Caldera, and having some snippets from the point of view of the Merman, Rio, gave the book a fuller feel than a normal single POV romance. I also loved how the relationship between Benigno and Rio developed.

rating: 5/5

I want to preface this review quickly with a personal note. I got an ARC of this book (thank you Venessa and NetGalley) in mid-October, right in the midst of a busy Jewish holiday season. I started reading it, but didn’t really have the capacity to really focus in on the book. By early November, I was ready to jump in, when I got the news that my godmother had been taken off dialysis and was dying. What followed was a series of trips back and forth to Las Vegas (where I’m from and where my godmother lived) and NYC (where I live) as I spent my godmother’s final days with her, said goodbye, attended her funeral and then spent Thanksgiving with my family. It was an emotionally and physically (and financially) draining month.

Basically, I was wrecked when December rolled around. And then I picked up this book. This beautiful masterpiece of art. This incredible healing story of love and family. It was just what I needed. I was transported.

This book is so gorgeous. The prose is exquisite. The artwork is stunning (Venessa is truly an artist…she creates moments and magic with every brush of her pen). It was like sinking into the ocean (which is one of my favourite places in the world) and letting the waves crash over you. It is well-researched as well, and I felt like the early 1900s Coney Island came alive. The historical detail was fantastic. I spend a lot of time on Coney Island, and experiencing it through this book was pure magic.

A brief synopsis: Benigno (Benny) Caldera is an ironworker transplant from Puerto Rico keeping his head down and just trying to survive, despite bad lungs, when he builds an iron cage. That kicks off his journey to Coney Island, where he meets the “exhibits” in Morgan’s Menagerie of Oddities and finds himself with a family. This is after inadvertently helping trap a merman, Rio, who he slowly gets to know throughout the book. Their slow-burn friendship to love was everything. There’s a delightful cast of characters, a nefarious villain, gangsters, and of course, Coney Island. Everything felt so real and so urgent and just so magical.

I was really sad, and this book brought me so much comfort and love and joy. I love a love story, but even more, I love a story so full of love. Benny and his found family were more heartfelt than most anything I've held in a long time.

I cannot wait to hold a physical copy of this book in my hands. I can’t wait to listen to the audiobook. I can’t wait to read it again and savor the words…and let it heal me again and again. It was crafted with such care and I want every iteration in my life.

Bonus: Some of my favourite scenes (no spoilers) - When Benny goes on his first ride…I remember that feeling; Benny comforting Lulu (and really all of his little private moments with his new family - he was the glue holding them together when they didn’t even realise they were falling apart); “Let us take a turn together.” (my historical romance readers get this one…).

When The Tides Held The Moon Vanessa Vida Kelley
☀️☀️☀️⛅

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC copy!

This queer historical romance paints a vivid picture of 1910's New York City woven in with lovely fantasy folklore concepts to form a predictable but enjoyable read.

Firstly, I must acknowledge the gorgeous illustrations dotted throughout this book. My first introduction to Kelley was as an illustrator so I'm thrilled that she's incorporated so many into her debut. They really helped me to visualise the characters during key scenes.

The writing is good overall, and I appreciate the presence of so much untranslated Spanish (translating it in real time spoils the vibe), but some of the period appropriate language did come to feel repetitive and gimmicky by the end.

The found family aspect was probably my favourite part of the story, with the romance being sweet but rushed. The twist at the end was entirely predictable - a bit too predictable for my liking - but I didn't dislike it. The structure of the epilogue was a great choice.

Overall I thought this was a good debut with very solid vision and execution. I can't say I was captivated but I did enjoy myself and would recommend this to someone wanting a more realistic style fantasy romance.

"How would it feel to wake up to the ocean of his eyes? To measure his perfect dimensions against my imperfect ones, breathe in the turquoise sea of his skin, and feel like home had come to find me instead of the other way around?"

"I'd gotten so used to being treated like I couldn't feel pain; I was a machine meant to labor until the gears failed and I became just another punchline to a white man's joke. But I was one of Río's seashells in his hands--treasured, precious, apt to shatter if pressed too hard."

When The Tides Held The Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley is a spellbinding masterpiece that seamlessly weaves historical fantasy, queer romance, and the vivid charm of early 20th-century New York City into an unforgettable tale. With lush, intricate illustrations complementing its buoyant prose, this book is as much a visual feast as it is an emotional journey.

At its heart is Benigno "Benny" Caldera, a Boricua blacksmith whose artistry is as striking as his struggles to find belonging in a city that often marginalizes him. Benny’s ironwork for Luna Park becomes the anchor for a narrative that dances between gritty realism and ethereal fantasy, centering on Río, a mesmerizing merman who is as complex as he is mythical. Their bond, born of necessity but blossoming into a profound and forbidden love, feels both tender and electric—a poignant exploration of identity, freedom, and the cost of love.

Kelley captures the vibrancy and contradictions of 1910s New York with astounding detail, infusing the novel with a lived-in sense of place. The sideshow performers who welcome Benny into their family are just as vividly drawn as the central romance, creating a tapestry of found family that feels warm and authentic. Yet, the story doesn’t shy away from tackling heavier themes—captivity, exploitation, and the courage it takes to fight for liberation, both personal and collective.

The stakes are high, and Benny’s inner conflict is palpable as he must choose between loyalty to his newfound community and his love for Río. The result is a story as turbulent as the tides themselves, delivering an emotional punch that lingers long after the final page.

Kelley’s signature illustrations elevate the reading experience to something truly extraordinary. From the striking chapter headers to the detailed depictions of key moments in the story, the artwork adds depth and dimension, immersing the reader further into Benny and Río’s world. The use of aqua blue and black inks creates an enchanting visual aesthetic, perfectly echoing the story’s maritime themes.

Fans of TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea will appreciate Kelley's unique blend of whimsy and poignancy, but make no mistake—this novel stands wholly on its own as a luminous tale of resilience, love, and the power of liberation.

When The Tides Held The Moon is a triumph, destined to be a cherished favorite among readers of queer fantasy and romance. Kelley has crafted a breathtaking ode to finding your voice, your family, and the courage to be free—no matter the cost.

Thank you to NetGalley, Venessa Vida Kelley, and Erewhon Books for the eARC of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is what you get if you combined the Shape of Water with the Greatest Showman. It’s an unexpected romance with a side of found family. It approaches a conversation about ethics and morality in the face of evil and wrongdoing. It talks about learning to accept and appreciate that which is different. All in all I enjoyed this read, but it did feel slow at parts. The artwork throughout the book was beautiful.