this was my first book of the year and it was absolutely phenomenal. it took me a moment to get going with this book but i am so glad i didnt dnf it prematurely. i am obsessed with it, have recommended it to at least 5 people already who are all dying to buy it when it comes out in april.

4 stars!

This was a really great blend of romance, historical, and fantasy and it was so heartwarming I spent half the book smiling!

I've been following the author for ages for their art so when I heard they were writing a book and it was going to be a mermaid romance I was so ready for it. What I didn't expect was the depth of historical research that clearly went into this and I thought the setting was very well done. Admittedly, my favorite parts were the domestic found family type moments between the members of the menagerie. There's just something about a group of lovable misfits that gets me. The romance was also very sweet and the scenes between Rio and Benny of them just bonding were super well done. I think the plot felt a little rougher towards the climax of the book and there were definitely some parts that dragged a bit but as a whole I really enjoyed it.

This is a great start for Venessa Vida Kelley! Can't wait to see what her next project looking like.

Thank you to Venessa Vida Kelley and Erewhon Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

This book deserves so much more hype!

If you have heard the soundtrack for The Warriors by Lin Manuel this book very much gives " A light or something" and I adored every second of it. The story is unique and engaging, kept me glued to the page and I fell in love with the characters. There are no tricks or gimmicks here, just beautiful writing and a wonderful story. Could not believe this was a debut author, Venessa did their thing!!

Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I, unfortunately, did not love this. The concept seemed so cool and the cover was stellar. In fact, the reason this book gets two stars instead of one is because the art within is gorgeous. I was always excited to come across a new picture.

And while the setting and worldbuilding was intriguing, the writing itself was...strange. I had a very difficult time following the dialogue and writing. It did not feel well edited or particularly clear. Because of this ongoing challenge, I struggled to connect to any character. Reading the words felt like too much of a chore.

Clearly I'm in the minority and many other readers love this. I'm sure if the writing works for you, you will be able to be swept away in this book.

VENESSA VIDA KELLEY’s When the Tides Held the Moon has been one of my most anticipated novel releases for literal years, and finally having its words and story run through my head is truly otherworldly. This story follows BENIGNO “Benny” Caldera, a BORICUA blacksmith who immigrated to 1910s New York City, as he creates and builds a superior tank that unbeknownst to him and many others will confine a live merman to exhibit as a sideshow attraction at Coney Island’s Luna Park. With the park gearing up and readying for its seasonal opening, Benny develops bonds with the people of Morgan’s Menagerie of Oddities while his attachment with the merman Río grows closer and closer to the heart.

Capitalization is needed to write this book review because THIS BOOK MATTERS. I spent nearly half my time reading this book crying my eyes out because it is SO INCREDIBLE to see a QUEER, PUERTO RICAN IMMIGRANT be the MAIN PROTAGONIST in a story. Yo soy puertorriqueña, and to see Benny represent me, my grandparents, my ancestors, represent a staple in the history of my (our) people, it is truly momentous. The blend of English and Spanish throughout the entirety of the novel will be hard to read for some but it is realistic, and it is TRUE! This is the voice of a blue-collar, Puerto Rican immigrant making his way as the first wave of NUYORICANS that will make a stake for themselves in New York. SPANISH is a language that is so beautiful and sometimes has words, phrases, and ideas that cannot be done equal justice translated into the English language. THIS IS WHAT IS TRUE. THIS IS WHAT IS REAL. The glossary at the back of the novel with all the translated phrases in any non-English language throughout the book will be your guide. It isn’t just Spanish; there’s Russian, Irish, Hindi/Punjabi, Italian, German, etc. There is a wide array of characters that have origins all over and you’ll love them.! They may not be like you but they’re humans with origins, feelings, and little quips that are admirable and lovely as they are.

The novel took me some time to get through but once the flow was founded and a reader finds themselves in the mix of the characters and discover who they are and WHERE THEY COME FROM, it’s a beautiful story that is intricately woven together to bring connections. This novel is rich with important history to Coney Island and New York, along with Puerto Rico and the period of the early 1900s. Some scenes and characters in the book are blessed with the artistic work of Venessa Vida Kelley and they are glorious to see. Seeing the character and scene designs detailed enhances the reading experience in such a marvelous way. I wish to take some of them and expand them to mega-size to hang on my walls. They are truly breathtaking and another reason this book is so special!

This book is so special to me and I can’t believe it’s here! THIS BOOK IS IMPORTANT and I cannot express in more words how incredible it is to have another book with great PR representation out in the world!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC of Venessa Vida Kelley's When the Tides Held the Moon. This review is my candid honest opinion.

I loved this book so much. It was the very last book I read of 2024 and oh man, what a way to round out the year! I'll start by saying this book has one of my favourite supporting casts I have seen in a while. Everyone felt so dynamic and complex, and they were so very easy to fall in love with. Their dynamics and their banter are amazing.

I loved the main character and the love interests relationship, especially how it builds up through-out the book. It was genuinely so so wholesome and I could not put this book down, the prose was so beautiful. My only problem was that I didn't realise there was a glossary of Spanish words at the back so I was guessing the whole way through, but that's entirely on me lol.

I ADORED this book. I don't know if I will say anything other reviewers haven't yet, but I'll summarize my thoughts.

Writing:
Going in, I wasn't expecting the writing to be amazing. This is not a reflection of the author or anything, it's just that when I read fantasy or romance and the like I don't need amazing writing to enjoy the book. It's just not a priority for me. However, I really enjoyed the style of this book. It really surprised me that Kelley is a debut author. The pacing was excellent, dialogue natural, figurative language used effectively, and characters and places described vividly. Even the action at the end was done well. My absolute favorite thing though was the characterization in the writing. Benny and Rio had such distinct voices in their chapters in a way that really added to their characters.

Plot:
I could not put this book down! The pacing was so good, and Kelley did a great job of balancing excitement, humor, romance, action, etc. I thought the book was the perfect length and not one scene felt unnecessary. The romance was built perfectly and did not feel rushed.

Characters:
Found family is one of my absolute favorite things ever and this book did not disappoint. I adored the troupe and every single character (not counting morgan. all my homies hate moran,). I honestly would read a book from every performer's perspective especially Eli. I need an Eli book, PLEASE.
Speaking of Eli, this book did such a good job of handling the more sensitive themes. Racism, gender identity, and internalized homophobia were handled with such care and remarkably didn't feel like a stretch for the time period. The scene with Emmet near the end made me tear up a little.
The main characters, Benny and Rio were amazing. I loved both of them and I just wanted to give Benny such a big hug.

Conclusion:
100% recommend. Kelley DELIVERED with this book. If you love found family, queer romance, historical fiction, fantasy this is your next read. I cannot wait for this book to blow up when it gets published and for Kelley to get all the love they deserve.

PS. THE ART BLEW ME AWAY. How is it fair for one person to be that talented. I only realized that the author was also the artist when I finished the book. Despite it literally being 2 am, I looked up their website and was shocked to see I already know some of the art. And if you have read any popular queer romance (Carry on, RWARB, hearstopper) you might have too. Definitely check out their website and etsy!!!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC; I’m a massive fan of Venessa’s work and am delighted to share my honest review.

I fell in love with an earlier iteration of this story, saved and stared lovingly at earlier images; and I was curious to see how Venessa had taken this tale and moulded it into something new, and I was blown away with how they managed to take a beloved story and turn it into to something genuinely unique, whilst maintaining the familiar comfort of its ancestor.

When the Tides Held the Moon is lyrically and visually beautiful. The characters are diverse, well-crafted, three dimensional. They hold their own as unique, loveable people that I would love to meet and know in real life. Except Sam, he can go fuck himself. Actually, Sam can stay, because if it wasn’t for him, Benny and Rio wouldn’t have met.

I love Benny and Rio’s individual and relationship arcs, love the way that Rio comes out of his shell and lets the layers of his personality, his life and his secrets unfold under Benny’s gentle presence. Love the way that Benny learns to breathe again, and learns to live his truth, with Rio by his side.

I stayed up til just after midnight, burning through the last 20% of this, not wanting it to end, but also needing to know that all would be okay in the end. Spoiler: it was so much more than okay in the end.

Hot tip - theres a glossary/translation list at the end of the book that I didn’t know was there. I just embraced the bits of language I didn’t understand in the spirit of an immigrant in a new place, who also doesn’t understand all of the nuance of local language and millieu, and rolled with vibes instead.

4.5*

gosh was this one absolutely amazing. i loved the romance, i loved the characters, all of them (well, mostly), and i loved the lyrical writing. the illustrations were nice too. 5 stars. tysm for the arc, netgalley and erewhon.

DNF at 20%

I was looking forward to read this book, firstly because the beautiful cover caught my attention and then when I read the synopsis of this queer mermaid story I couldn't wait to read it. But unfortunately it just wasn't for me, the characters felt two dimensional to me so I wasn't as invested in the story as I wish I was, and there was some unnecessary info dumping.

thank you to net galley for the arc

I think this book was good and I loved our two main characters. I think pacing was an issue in this novel though and I found myself bored around the 50 and 60% mark. Aside from that, it was a very refreshing and unique premise especially as a New Yorker.

This was so well done and just beautifully written! I thoroughly enjoyed all the diverse characters and personalities that were portrayed. I also thought the art was beautiful and it was fun to see the characters in action and not just in my imagination. Benny felt dynamic and real and multifaceted, which made following his journey even more interesting. I also enjoyed getting to learn some Spanish while I read!

This was an absolute delight. I found myself reading slowly to just take it in and make it last. The story reels you in so beautifully. I loved it.

ARC Review

I’ve been following Venessa since 2020 where I fell in love with her fanart and I feel so fortunate that I was able to receive an ARC of her debut novel!

This was just downright lovely. Such a beautifully written, intricate, and unique love story between Benny and RÍo. When the Tides Held the Moon is full of diverse characters, disability rep, LGBTQIA+ rep, and Puerto Rican culture.

I just absolutely loved this!

It's only the 3rd of January, and this is an ARC, but this may be my favorite book of 2025. Kelley does such a great job bringing 1910s New York to life from the perspective of a Puerto Rican immigrant, Benny. The hopes he held to restart his life only to forge his heart behind a wall by the heat and racism he experienced with his smithy job and existing in NY. It takes stealing a merman from the ocean with Sam Morgan and his Menagerie of Oddities for Benny to realize there's more to him than he's ever given himself credit. Rio, our precious merman, shows Benny he's worthy of love, not just from others, but from himself as well. This was so well written and each character fleshed out with their motivations, and they take you through the wringer of emotions. I loved this book so much, and I'm grateful for Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC. I will 100% be purchasing this when it's released.

This book was so good that I had to refrain myself from reading more of it halfway through just so I can purchase the book for myself once it's out and enjoy the rest of it while supporting the author (it's taking everything in me not to read the rest of it).

If you read or whatched the shape of water you are going to get really similar vibes from this book. Even the older time period will give you nostalgia. There is some really good Puerto Rican representation from the time period throughout this book involving hurricanes and lots of cultural significance sprinkled all through the book. The merman in this book you will come to grow into your heart and the soft journey these boys make in connecting to each other was a very enjoyable one to read. There is also a nice found family in this between the main character and the people in the sort of "freak show" circus he becomes a part of. You can just really feel the time period in this one, I honestly had to look up a lot of unfamiliar words but not so much it ripped me out of the story. But trust me if you love mermen or the shape of water you will love this book.

MLM historical, romantic fantasy!
1910s new york gothic fairy tale
Benny an orphaned blacksmith, does ironwork around the city for cash to feed and pay his family death
He builds a mysterious water tank for a Side Show Luna Park Owner and is invited to work with them at a better pay
Benny realizes hes building tank and cages for the captives of the side show
The captive of the tank is Rio the merman, a traveling philosopher and future main attraction of Luna Park
benny is part of rios capture and the ultimate death of rios mother but cant help but fall inlove with the merman he helped capture
heart wrenchingly beautiful! i cried at the preformance scenes and have the poems memorized! so sad and beautiful

This book did a number on me. It’s everything I could have ever wanted. I laughed, I cried, I fawned. Thank you so much for allowing me to read an ARC of this book, I can’t wait to buy a physical copy.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a historical fantasy set in 1910s New York City that captures themes like romance, found family, and discovering your identity. The descriptions are lush and detailed, and the setting is perfect. The cover is gorgeous, and I'm sure will be stunning in person. I love the font choice and the color schemes chosen, which I think really bring out the time period the story takes place in. Benny, our main character, is a Puerto Rican immigrant and blacksmith who is drawn into a new career as a carney, where he is tasked with taking care of a merman called Rio. Their bond strengthens in ways I didn't expect, but I was extremely intrigued. I really appreciated the ideas of finding love even when it's not easy, of learning to love despite differences and struggle, and the diverse and unique relationship dynamic. As a history lover, I truly enjoyed all the little references to historical events in New York City that really grounded the story. I flew through the beginning but the end felt a little out of pace for me. Despite that, I had a great time the whole way through. I hope that Kelley is able to continue developing her talent for historical fiction and thoughtful, deep romance. I am looking forward to purchasing a copy of this one for my own collection and recommending it to friends. Thank you so much!

Thank you so much to the author, Venessa Vida Kelley, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read When the Tides Held the Moon. I will share my review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble upon release.