I really loved the atmosphere of Vampires At Sea, the tension between our unreliable narrator and every other character really kept me reading. I loved the complexity of the main character, but felt like a couple other characters could have had more depth to them.

Thank you NetGalley and Creature Publishing for sending this book for review consideration.

Rebekah and Hugh, two vampires, join a queer cruise and cross paths with Heaven, a non-binary being who threatens to unravel their relationship. While the book had its standout moments, the tone and pacing didn’t resonate with me.

This novella was a fun and silly. The writing was fantastic, and the description of the way energy vampires operated in this world was enthralling. I must say I had very few expectations going into this, but I ended up enjoying it !

Sexy vampires on a queer cruise in a love triangle turned sour. What’s not to love? I finished this in one sitting and absolutely devoured it. This one was a bit of ”The White Lotus” meets “What We Do In The Shadows”. In other words I’m obsessed.

This novella was a fun, silly, surprisingly deep look into a vacation gone terribly wrong. The writing was fantastic, and the description of the way energy vampires operated in this world was enthralling. I had so few expectations going into this but I ended up enjoying it immensely!

Vampires at Sea by Lindsay Merbaum had an intriguing premise that initially hooked me—vampires on a mysterious sea voyage? Yes, please! The setting itself is atmospheric and full of potential, offering a mix of gothic vibes and supernatural intrigue. The concept of vampires navigating life at sea, with all the isolation and danger that comes with it, really piqued my interest.

However, the execution didn’t quite live up to my expectations. While the world-building had great potential, I felt like the author didn’t fully explore or develop the setting to its fullest extent. The pacing also dragged in certain places, and at times, the plot felt more like it was meandering than building towards anything substantial. The characters, too, didn’t feel as fully fleshed out as I had hoped, and I found it hard to connect with them on a deeper level.

I’m giving Vampires at Sea 3 out of 5 stars. It’s not a bad read by any means—it’s just that the concept was so promising, and I wanted more depth and sharper tension. If you enjoy supernatural tales with a bit of mystery, it’s worth checking out, but don’t go in expecting a fully realized world or characters to truly sink your teeth into.

Two vampires go on a queer Black Sea cruise in an attempt to smooth over relationship trouble caused by one's ex-lover, but instead they get more of the same.

This was a fun novella with a sexy protagonist who has little to no regard for the people around her (in the best way possible). The characters are queer, non-monogamous, and gender non-conforming and the tone of the story is irreverent and funny. It's 80-some pages of gay vampire debauchery and I really hope Merbaum has more like it.

This book was an odd one for sure, but not one that I disliked. It was not an overly long piece, just a novella. I was definitely intrigued by the blurb, so I requested it through NetGalley. I have no regrets reading it, but it was not my favorite.

Wow! I didn't know what I was getting into with this one, but I'm so glad I read it. At 84 pages, this was easy to read in one go, but I suspect I might have finished it in a single session even if it was twice as long. The writing was exquisite and the plot felt fresh, which isn't easy for a vampire story. The whole thing takes place on a sex cruise, and while there's plenty of graphic sex scenes, the tone keeps it away from erotica territory. I'd say it's more a meditation on love and jealousy, and a funny one, at that.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for the chance to read this title in advance of its publication!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the title ‘Vampires at Sea,’ but now, I would absolutely read more about Rebekah and her husband Hugo. This novella was a blend of modern vampire aesthetic meets ‘The White Lotus’ and I was enraptured through the whole story. Much like Rebekah, I would also begin to go a little stir crazy on a boat full of people, especially once I learned one is a shapeshifter and a bit power hungry. If drama on the high sea mixed with feral vampires interests you, then you’ll absolutely want to take a bite out of this one. (Yeah, I know…vampire pun. How original?!)

Thanks to NetGalley and Creature Publishing for this eARC. ‘Vampires At Sea’ is out October 7, 2025 and is currently available for pre-order.

Vampires at Sea is the unique sexy vampire novel I've been DYING for. Full of hilarious sex and emotional tenderness, Merbaum gives us the stunning Rebekah and her eternal partner Hugh on a cruise through Eastern European seas in the midst of a war-torn world. Rebekah and Hugh meet nonbinary influencer Heaven, who threatens their partnership with their increasing interest in Hugh, which flares Rebekah's red flags and serious jealousy.

This was fun, inventive and hot. Rebekah is a force to be reckoned with and I would read a hundred novels about her exploits. There's a lot of character growth and unique world building. Considering we're in the midst of a vampire renaissance - Interview the Vampire, Nosferatu, What We Do In the Shadows, etc. - I definitely see an audience for this at my library and will be recommending it for purchase.

Plus that cover. Just gorgeous!

This is a strange one. Two vampires, emotionally dependent on one another, bound together through time, go on a queer cruise on the Black Sea. It has a lot of things that should set me up for success in the write-up. I like vampires. I like queer vampires. I like books that take place on boats. I haven't read a queer cruise book, but it sounds like fun and a magical non-binary social media influencer sounds like they could be amazing. However, ultimately I was pretty bored.

I will try not to review the book I wish this were.

There were so many worthwhile ingredients, but they never came together to make something delicious. Merbaum's prose sometimes sparkles but can be strained and tortured on occasion. None of the principal characters are likable--which could have been fine, as they are not likable archetypes, but I would have preferred sympathizing at all with any of them. The mystery and cruelty of Heaven (such as that they are taking over people and shoving them off the side of the ship) is an idle curiosity. It read as though it were the third book in a series and I should have something invested in Rebekah and Hugo. I did not. I kept waiting for the war to matter, and it never did. I hope, but I do not know if the eroticism was meant as comedy. I took it as such; it was not sexy ever. If one is writing a sex vampire, shouldn't one assume the reader wants the sex described in more detail than "It was so good that everyone fainted. I am so full"? The rules and reality of the world were inconsistent. The book implies an expansive world worth exploring, but it ended up confined even for a cruise ship, which existed only as a series of set pieces and not a cohesive whole. What was the point of Misha, the other vampire? Scenes I would have loved explored were brushed over with quick descriptions so that we could get to tedious ones, which Merbaum writes to bits. There are too many things she introduces and leaves without resolution.

It was brief, which might ordinarily be an asset. Given the premise and her talent, I would have loved another fifty pages to let the reader feel the world rather than Rebekah telling us things and wandering away. I don't want a "hilarious and satisfying snack!" Give me the meal.

Vampires at Sea had a lot of promise. Queer vampires on a cruise ship? Yes please! I was sold for a humorous high seas adventure, but what I received was a completely different story. Hugh and Rebekah are a pair of lackluster main characters, neither of whom I felt I wanted to learn more about. I enjoyed how Heaven was written, however their story was even more confusing and less compelling than the main two. Perhaps some readers will find this story comedic, I simply found it tragic with nowhere to go.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

What a fascinating little book. Honestly, it started slow for me, and I wasn't sure that I was going to enjoy it... but by the end I was entirely engrossed! Really enjoyed the take on vampires and on mythical creatures, and the queer cruise setting was a rich and camp-y backdrop for the twisting relationships. For such a short book, this sure gave me a lot to chew on.

Overall, the book was really great in terms of representation and creating quick glimpses of personalities throughout the entire thing. It was never really clear what the plot was, but it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed on my own..

Unfortunately I was not a huge fan of this novella. I feel for me the plot was a tad too all over the place despite it following the same characters however this may be a me issue more than an author one! Due to this I will not be leaving any reviews on my TikTok as I don’t wish it do be harmful towards the author at all

This promised to be a dark, seductive horror comedy about poly emotional vampires spicing up immortality with a wild cruise… what’s not to love?!

That said it didn’t quite connect for me, I really wanted to love it, and so many parts I genuinely really did enjoy, I found Rebekah likeable if a little flat at times.

Recommend for anyone who enjoys a monster romance, lots of smut and a shorter story… I actually think I would have liked it more as a full novel with more time to delve into the world!

This book is a perfect dosage of fun, murder, and thrill. The characters are all flawed but interesting and Merbaum has provided so much depth within a short amount of pages. Rebekah
The vampires in this novel feel new and fresh, despite being alive for hundreds of years. I'm not sure if its explicitly laid out, but they seem to be emotion vampires that feed off more than just blood. I found this incredibly interesting and fun. Hugh, the husband vampire seems to enjoy deep sorrow and painful emotions, while Rebakah feeds for lust and desire! SO cool!

Heaven, the non-binary character turning out to be a shape-shifter was a great edition and super sexy!

Loved it!

This Review is based on an ARC.

If Anne Rice wrote gay stories she would write this. This was right up there with the greats in the adult vampire sphere. I devoured this story and was not disappointed. I loved the emotional vampires on a gay cruise how funny. Defintely a great read.

A short novel in which Rebekah, our narrator, details an interesting cruise and experiencing a different status with her companion for a span of time that is unspecified but is fucking long. It is a time for character growth and development, but I didn’t feel that aspect all that much. It felt mostly that Rebekah was who she was and experienced a short, mild period of discomfort and then emerged even more confident in who she was. I liked the ending, I just didn’t experience the journey there in the way I think was intended.

Recommended for the monster readers. You know who you are, ya filthy animals!