5 ⭐️s
First of all thank you to NetGallery and Kensington Publishing for allowing me the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll be honest I’m still processing the ending but I can say that this was a wonderful story and I really hope it blows up because this deserves all the love. I’ve never read a book by Venessa before but I’m now a sincere fan of their work. It was beautiful, I just can’t put it into words truly. Benny and Río had a lovely relationship and this is the slow burn we all need. The representation in this was honestly refreshing to see and I love the found family relationship. Every character was in depth and felt real, I loved how Venessa added ethic backgrounds and truly just nailed it. I’d highly recommend this story if you’re looking for a slow burn romance, found family and a queer representation in a book. I just really can’t say more than I love these characters and they felt real and were well-developed even for side characters, and the ending was lovely. I’m just happy I got to experience Benny and Río. 🥹

Thank you so much god netgalley for approving me for this arc. The illustrations in the book were absolutely gorgeous and that’s why the book gets two stars. However unfortunately the book wasn’t for me and I had to DNF it. I couldn’t get into the writing style or the pacing of the book and I found it hard to connect to the characters. Another thing I didn’t like was the setting and the world, it was so urban and dark and that’s not a vibe I tend to lean towards and pick up. I mentioned that this book wasn’t for me but I’d definitely recommend to readers who prefer this backdrop, era and writing.

What a wonderful, whimsical book.

Reading it on my phone, I will say I missed the fact that there were translations in the back. That is more of a me issue than a book issue. I just didn't read the table of contents. It's very nice the author provided them. It was easy to use context but I would have used the translation pages if I knew they were there. I loved that Benny's native language of Spanish was incorporated so much. It really reminded you of his hardship and journey from Puerto Rico to New York.

I also enjoyed the addition of pictures. The descriptions did well enough to picture them myself but to then see some of the scenes was a treat.

Fantastic story, lovable (and unlovable) characters, found family, and discovering to love oneself. This book has it all, wrapped in a 1900s Coney Island New York scene.

Highly recommend!

When the Tides held the Moon was a magical historian fantasy set in the 1911s New York. Not only was the story lovely but the book was filled with stunning artwork. I really enjoyed this book and the only thing I wish was different was that I wanted more of the Rio and Benny's love story. It felt like there was so much happening around it that it kind of got second place at times. The book tackled the subjects of being an immigrant in a not so friendly environment and being a part of the queer community in a way that felt natural and not over the top. Overall a really magical book and I can't wait to get a physical copy for my collection.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Let me start by saying the cover of this book is a stunning piece of art, it and the description are what really drew me into the story. I’ve noticed a trend in siren/Mer books and was eager to dive in! While I did enjoy Benny and Rio’s dynamic when they were alone I felt like their storyline was a bit beside the plot going on otherwise. It felt like their moments together were the biggest focus of the author and it read a lot like fanfic in the way that they had a deep poetic connection, which mind you I did enjoy, but it felt like two stories happening side by side instead of one cohesive plot. After some research I did find the self pubbed version on Fable that was originally Rainbow Rowell fanfic, so I’m not surprised my read was not far off. This is not to say fanfic is bad, but I expected a bit more structure to the plot and editing from a traditionally published novel. The writing style unfortunately was also not for me, there was a lot of explaining every move and thought and expression that made me feel a bit bored because I wasn’t seeing the scenes in my mind because every detail was explained; a lot of repetitive descriptions that I think were intended to emphasize the importance of certain moments that instead made me say “I get it!”. I also didn’t love the inclusion of Rio’s chapters, the contrast in writing style between Benny’s simplicity (gonna, gotta, etc.) and Rio’s prose was very shocking given how I already felt a little removed from the plot and it only intensified my eagerness to learn the characters were falling in love from their yearning instead of reading them each say “I think I love him”. I did really enjoy the atmosphere and world building and the twist at the end, for their romantic story and less the plot, as well as all of the drawings throughout. It was nice surprise to see them. Unfortunately, it seems I’m an outlier in that this one fell flat for me overall. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

I have been really struggling with how to review this book since I finished it last month. This was such a highly anticipated read for me, and when I finished it I felt really conflicted overall.

The story itself is written beautifully with imagery that is very distinct and well painted. The artwork is stunning. The romance I loved. It’s a slow burn, and while it takes us a moment to get there, Rio and Benny were really wonderful to read.

However, I was disappointed by aspects of the book that I have yet to see anyone review, and while I debated publicly reviewing since I seem to be the only one who noticed this, I felt in the end it was important for me to voice it anyway.

As a fat person, it is exceedingly difficult to find really good fat rep. Even in books that have the best intentions, rep can fall into harmful stereotypes really quickly (which I know this is also true of racial rep and queer rep by folks who don’t have those exact identities).

In the first chapter, there is an antagonistic side character (a guard) whom Benny describes as “wobbly-jowled”. It immediately took me out of the story because I really dislike when we paint unlikeable characters’ physical appearance in a negative way. In this instance, focusing in on the jowls felt pointed and unnecessary. And while it’s not immediately indicative that he’s a fat character, Benny describes himself as thin later down the page, which, even if unintentionally, insinuates the wobby-jowled character is the opposite.

This was then made worse by Benny nicknaming the character by their “saggy jowls”, which really put me off. It also, to me, perpetuates the narrative of the fat lazy cop that we have to work to dismantle. Police and soldiers are negative characters, yes, but painting them as fat and lazy as media often likes to do, just harms fat people more than it does authority.

Later in the book we do have a positive secondary character who is fat, but I felt let down here too. She is the fat lady in the act, and at one point she is trying to change her act and turn herself into the bearded lady which makes her cry because she’ll be “ugly”. As a fat person with PCOS this was disappointing to read. She is also in need of mobility aids in the book. And while there are many fat people who are also disabled and rep for them is still important, when the author is thin and this is their only fat rep, it leans too far into fat stereotypes for my liking.

I really wanted to love this book. And while the romance overall was beautiful and there was so much I did like about it, I was just too disappointed by the fat rep to really enjoy it fully. I just don’t think it’s the positive rep we need and I’m honesty pretty uncomfortable with it being marketed as such.

Anyway, I’m fairly prepared to be alone in this, but it felt important for me to voice. It is very hard to do rep outside of our own identities and experiences justice, and we’re not always going to get it right.

Thank you Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I’ve been a huge fan of Venessa Vida Kelley’s art for a while now so I was so excited to finally read her writing! And what a book! Benny, a queer lower class Puerto Rican, is hired to build a class cage, not realizing that it’s to hold a captured merman. The cage is part of a carnival full of performers who don’t fit in anywhere else. Benny connects with them and Rio, who is in the cage. As their bond grows Benny will be caught between helping Rio get free and risk this new family he’s found. What will he choose? An outstanding story that will have you in the feels! Full of charm and vulnerability and love! It kept me turning the pages! And of course the artwork is so beautiful and helps bring Benny and Rio’s story to life! Highly recommend checking this one out!

When the Tides Held the Moon is honestly one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. The cover caught my eye right away, and I just knew I was going to love it—and wow…. No words can truely explain... you just need to see/read it for yourself.

The story is set in 1911 and follows Benny, a Puerto Rican blacksmith who gets hired to build this giant glass cage, he doesn’t realise it’s for a merman who was captured to be a Coney Island attraction. What starts as a wild job turns into this deeply emotional story about love, identity, and finding family in the most unexpected places.

I fell hard for Benny and Rio. Their conversations about what it means to be human, about freedom and love, completely wrecked me. Rio is such a beautiful character—he calls family “Harmony,” and the way he speaks is so poetic it gave me chills. For me…. Watching Benny slowly open up, fall for Rio, and start to accept himself was so heartfelt and raw. Their love felt so real and vulnerable, especially in a time when being true to yourself was dangerous.

The found family aspect was just as powerful. Benny connects with this amazing group of misfits at Luna Park, all immigrants like him, and seeing him find his place among them was so uplifting.

The writing is stunning—emotional and full of heart—and the illustrations? No words… they’re devine. They add such a magical touch. I will say, there’s some Spanish sprinkled throughout, and while I don’t speak it, I could still follow along (and even learned a few things). It made Benny feel even more real.

This isn’t a super steamy romance or anything like that—it’s about love in its purest form, about finding acceptance and courage when the world doesn’t want you to.

…you’ve gotta pick this one up. It’s emotional, beautiful, and absolutely unforgettable. Big thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for letting me read this gem early!

Incredible! I love mermaid romances and this is beautiful! The ending for this was absolutely insane, I was reading on the edge of my seat, unable to stop.
The romance in this book was so heartfelt, I felt their love for each other and how much they cared. Benny and Río really grow on you while reading.

Summary:
Benny, a Puerto Rican immigrant blacksmith in New York, is approached by his boss with a special assignment: build a tank on wheels. Upon it's completion, Benny meets Sam Morgan and the Menagerie: a group of carnival performers who don't fit in anywhere else. Sam, an ambitious business man, asks Benny to help him capture the star of his upcoming exhibit, and the future inhabitant of the tank: a merman. Of course, no one, lest of all Benny, could predict what happens once Benny and the merman, Rio, get to know each other....

Review:
Wow wow wow! This book is for the dreamers - those who feel like they're a little out of step with the rest of the world, but want something from it for themselves anyways. I loved Rio in particular: his emotions and his hopes and dreams really spoke to me. This book did not feel like 500+ pages, in a good way. It was easy to eat up pages as I fell into the story. I will definitely be buying a copy of this once it is officially released to the public!

I loved the story and the artworks! The story was a bit slow in the beginning, and the writing was something I needed to get used to, but I was invested through the very end. Both MCs are mature and intelligent, which makes their love story so much more compelling and exciting. Their connection was built gradually from mutual understanding and appreciation, and I love that. The struggle Benny faced in early 1900s as an immigrant, a "queer" person, and a lower class in social status was also convincing and not overdone at all. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing Corp., and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book!

I put off starting this, and I wish I hadn't. It was beautifully written and an interesting story. I like Benny, but even though I doubt I'll forget any of the characters, I didn't have a particular favorite. The setting felt realistic, though 1910s- ish New York is not my usual perverted setting so not sure on that. But the setting was depicted well and seemed believable.

The art was a lovely addition. And the character description fit the imagine I formed before I saw them (But not for Morgan. He was referred to avocado man, so I pictured both the color and shape of an avocado.)

And though each character was decently unique name-wise - in the beginning they were not. There was like a McCoy, Martin, Mattias, Morgan, and possibly one other M name used. I struggled and had to flip back to check who was who. For goodness sake authors, please don't do that!

I do wish there was more explaining in the end. It left a fair amount open to the imagination. I don't know if explaining those things at the end would have made it better or not. Part of me is fine that it wasn't explained, the the other part is annoyed that I have to fill in the blanks myself.

the writing is gorgeous along with the illustrations ( which was a surprise) . The aesthetic and setting of the book was beautiful instantly transporting me into the world as soon as i started reading, the romance was beautifully written and the found family was heartwarming,
i will be looking forward to reading more books by the author in the future.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a captivating historical fantasy that blends epic romance with queer identity in early 20th-century New York City. Benny, a blacksmith from Puerto Rico, is invited to join a Coney Island sideshow after creating a stunning ironwork tank for an exhibit. He soon discovers that the exhibit holds a merman, Río, whom Benny befriends and falls deeply in love with. Their growing bond forces Benny to confront the moral dilemma of freeing Río, risking everything - including his newfound family. With lush illustrations and heartfelt prose, this tale of love, freedom, and sacrifice is both magical and poignant.

This was a beautiful novel about how to exist in a society that does not want you, and what life looks like once you find your sense of belonging. I loved the dynamic between each of the menagerie characters—each was so vivid and fleshed out. Enter Benigno, who even amongst human oddities, complicates the narrative. This novel explored so many layers of identity and self, racism and xenophobia, water and sexuality—it all came together with such astounding prose, I could not get enough of it.

In my mind, every little kid imagines themselves as a mermaid at least one time in their life. And with stories like The Little Mermaid in the forefront of pop culture, the myth of the sea creature with half the body of a human and half of a fish has only grown in infamy. I know that I pick up any book that I think will give me a sliver of the magic I felt while imagining myself speeding through the water with my fish friends.

When the Tides Held the Moon is set on Coney Island, New York City in the 1910’s, where a metal-working Puerto Rican immigrant named Benny finds himself creating a giant tank for a seemingly wealthy client, unknowing of what it’s set to hold. His only instructions are to make it indestructible, which he does. So durable that no one could break in… or out.

The circus sideshow doesn’t have an act to be put into the tank yet. But with the help of a man who has spent his life searching for a creature he saw a glimpse of as a child, they are planning to find themselves a mermaid! And what they end up finding is a surly merman who refuses to sing. Well, for anyone but Benny, who nicknames him Río.

I’m so impressed that this is Venessa Vida Kelley’s debut novel and I can’t express how absolutely perfect it is. My favorite trope in queer romance is found family, because the biggest thing LGBTQIA+ people are good at is finding family in the most unlikely of places. Benny finds a community in the people of the circus. He finds friends who would do anything to help him, even though he’s gay in a time when you would never be able to admit that to anyone without ridicule.

My favorite part of this book is that the author is also an artist, so not only did she write the book, create the cover art, but she also has art throughout the book. So when a romantic scene pops up of Benny and Río holding eachother underwater, you’ll have a gorgeous corresponding artwork to be all googly eyed over (like me).

There is also a word glossary at the back, so for those of us who don’t speak Spanish (and are too lazy to google it), you have the meanings in the back. (Venessa, you are iconic for that!!!!)

If you are a fan of The Greatest Showman, Splash, The Little Mermaid, TJ Klune’s Found Families or all of the above, then you NEED this book in your life! Even if you aren’t, you really need to read this! I won’t be able to stop talking about it, so add it to your TBR!!!

This was such a beautiful book 🥹 It has found family and an impossible love - what more could you want!

Benigno is a blacksmith and designs a huge tank, commissioned by a showman for his new exhibit. Which turns out to be a merman. Benigno is tasked with looking after the tank and the merman - Rio - and both experience a pull towards each other.

I loved how Rio was described, the relationship between them both, all the cast members of the sideshow, and how Benigno learned to accept all of himself. I was drawn in from the beginning, and the plot kept me interested all the way through. The ending was a little bit short on details and left me with a few questions about what just happened though! Regardless, I loved it all!

Found family, grumpy merman, 😭😭, it has pictures! (lovely artwork), 🥰🥰

I'm recommending this book to everyone I know. It's such a loving story, beautifully written. New insta-buy author for me

The sweetness of E.L. Massey’s Like Real People Do meets Shaun David Hutchinson’s historical setting of Before We Disappear. Add beautiful prose and fantastic illustrations, and Vanessa Vida Kelly presents you When the Tide Held the Moon.

Told from Benigno’s perspective (I refuse to call him Benny), interspersed with amazing illustrations and Rio’s voice, this book is a remarkable debut. Benigno and Rio both were such beautiful persons: Benigno, the young Puertorican blacksmith, so gentle and caring, and Rio, the merman who kept his distance from people at first because they killed his mother and held him captive in the glass container that Benigno had made until Benigno gained his trust and something beautiful grew between the two of them.

Oh, and I simply love Matthias!

I already loved Venessa Vida Kelly’s illustrations, and now I want to read more of her writing. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next! Because of those illustrations, I recommend buying a physical copy of this book!

The biggest let down of this book is that the illustrations in the ARC copy didn't always render properly, but the ones that do are stunning. I know the physical copy is going to be one of the most beautiful non-special edition out there. I may have to buy it even though this wasn't a new favorite, even though I did enjoy it

That aside, the pacing was a little slow for my taste at the start. It took about half the book for me to feel connected to the characters. And that's my main complaint for this book, the pacing. When I did start to get to know the characters more, I loved all of them. Even the antagonist, he was a good character to hate, and someone that in a lot of ways reminded me of people I've met in my life.

The romance in this book was really well done. It's slow burn in a sense, and a little bit hate to love. I thought how they connected to each other was done in a very organic way, and it didn't feel forced. It was sweet, and I liked seeing Benny accept himself.

This is a beautiful story of self acceptance and self discovery.