This book was hands down absolutely amazing! I loved every single second of it. The bits of history mixed with a fantasy and add in the romance. I was sold within the first chapter. I loved our FMC and really enjoyed the switch up of power dynamic with our MMC being the one who was a captive. I would 100 percent recommend this book. I can not wait for book 2! I am so stinking excited!

The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh was my first ARC experience, and I am grateful to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to immerse myself in this story.

What I found most compelling was the novel’s ensemble of fierce female pirates, each of whom is also a witch with her own unique magic. This combination of seafaring adventure and sorcery created a dynamic cast whose strength and individuality carried the narrative forward. I also appreciated the way the world felt tethered to a more magical version of our own, familiar enough to be immersive, yet enchanted enough to spark the imagination. This grounding made the settings and scenarios vividly believable.

The romance between Alys and Ben was another highlight. Their connection unfolded with a sincerity that made the slow burn worth every page. Their banter, Ben’s yearning for Alys, and the layered blend of physical, emotional, and even metaphysical intimacy gave their relationship a rare depth that felt authentic and deeply human.

Leigh’s prose deserves equal recognition. Her writing evokes the period with elegance.

If I had one critique, it would be the pacing. Some sections, particularly in the first half, felt drawn out. However, once the story reached a little over its midpoint, the narrative accelerated into a thrilling sequence of action that carried all the way to a satisfying and tantalizing conclusion. By the final page, I was left eager to discover where Leigh will take Alys, The Sea Witch crew, and Ben next.

Overall, The Sea Witch is a captivating blend of magic, romance, and adventure, and a promising beginning to what I hope will be an exciting saga.

This book never really captivated me and pulled me in. I wanted to enjoy it much more than I actually did.

The concept of the sea witch—and especially the idea of pirate witches—was very enticing. I also really appreciated the strong feminist theme throughout, with resilient young women who begin their journey as teenagers. There’s a lot to enjoy here.

That said, the story itself felt like a slow burn, both in the adventure and the romance, and I found myself rolling my eyes at times—it leaned into some very typical beats. However, the twist ending was anything but typical romance, which I thought was clever and helped redeem the book for me. Up until the last chapter, I was convinced this must be the start of a series, but as far as I can tell, it’s a standalone. That came as a bit of a surprise.

There is also some spice (a few explicit scenes), so consider that a content note. Overall, I’d say this book was okay—not overly impressive, but possibly worth picking up if you’re in the mood for a slightly spicy romance with witches, pirates, and an unexpected ending.

3.5 stars This had such an intriguing plot. It definitely delivered on world building. I loved the darker, magical retelling aspect and the way the ocean setting felt alive and dangerous. It really added a moody vibe that worked for the story.

I really wanted to love this one more but I had a hard time fully connecting with the characters. There were moments where the romance felt a little flat, and I wanted more spark between them to really pull me in. The pacing also dragged here and there which made it harder to stay completely hooked. I still enjoyed the overall arc and the creativity behind the world. If you’re looking for a fantasy romance that leans more on descriptive writing and slower build than high tension, this could definitely be a good fit. For me, it was a good but not great read.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I enjoyed the pacing and world building in this story.

If you like the following, you'll enjoy this story:
-Pirate Romantasy
-Historical Romance
-Tension
-Enemies-to-lovers
-Witches & pirates
-Slow Burn
-Forced Proximity

The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh is a sultry, magical retelling that takes the Little Mermaid we know and flips it into a sizzling, feminist romance. With ocean-deep intrigue, scorching chemistry, and a heroine who refuses to be silenced, this book is as bold as it is enchanting

First, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC that I am finishing late. I’m a new mother, sue me.

Now, for the review. This was a 3.5 for me. I am an Eva Leigh devotee. Her historicals are among my favorite. And this is a historical, but it is also a pirate fantasy. And that is something I haven’t read before. I was excited to dive in. But it started a touch slow for me, and it dragged in places.

I think Ben is a more compelling character, development wise, than Alys. I think he grows more. That said, she really had to overcome some rightfully earned misandry to let him in. I found their romance, the slow-ish burn, compelling. It definitely wasn’t instalove, but it was also not an agonizing wait for them to get together, and there was an instant attraction.

There were a lot of side characters who did not get fully fleshed out. I feel like that was a missed opportunity. The plot was really winding, and I think some of it could have been left out. The scavenger hunt of it all just didn’t pull me. But the conflicts that came out of it did. The big reveals were BIG, and you get the sense throughout that everything is a lot more than it seems with Ben’s lore and goings on. Alys’s lore is pretty cut and dry.

Overall, happy to have read this. It is not my fave Eva Leigh joint, but it wasn’t bad by any means. Just a little outside my comfort zone, and a bit more tedious in the plot than it needed to be. But, I will be seated for the sequel. Leaving it on a cliffhanger was NOT what I expected, but she got me. I’m in. I will be back.

When Benjamin Priestly, a British sailing master, finds himself held captive aboard The Sea Witch, all female pirate ship, he can’t help but give in to the strong pull of captain Alys Tanner. The pair must work together to rid the high seas of powerful magic; ensuring the safety and freedom of those who encounter the creatures lurking below. With a magical scavenger hunt, action packed quests, and twists along the way, Alys and Ben uncover more about themselves than just the mission at hand.

Alys Tanner, and her all female crew, fled Puritanical Massachusetts on the Sea Witch in search of freedom; the women of this crew happen to be witches during a dark and dangerous time. As a resident of New England, I loved the historical ties to Salem, Massachusetts. Although this novel is a work of fiction, I really enjoyed the nod to women crushing stereotypes, demanding equal rights, and being downright badass, fierce leaders.

Without giving anything away, I’ll say that I was relieved going into this already knowing it’s the first book of the Salt & Sorcery duology; it made reading the final pages a little easier to stomach!! If you’re into descriptive magical fantasy, enemies to lovers, and fierce FMC’s, The Sea Witch needs to be added to your TBR!

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Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Eva Leigh for the opportunity to read and honestly review The Sea Witch. I’m so grateful to have had access to the eARC and a -beautiful- physical copy!
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I loved this book. It was a fantastic read with good pacing and well distributed action. I loved learning about the magic system that Eva Leigh designed and how it was so closely tied with the world building. I also appreciated how there was room for growth of knowledge in future books. I had only one small issue with the writing style, there was no clear break for perspective shifts. There were times we would jump from the FMC pov to the MMC pov for a single paragraph without any indication of the switch besides contextual clues. The pov shifts had a positive affect on the story as they allowed for seeing the actions from both perspectives and belief systems, I only wish there was some clear marking to show who’s thoughts we were reading.
**Spoilers to follow**
It was very interesting to see how the shifts were more common at the beginning when the characters were at odds with one another, but as they grew closers and their beliefs shifted to more closely align we stayed in one pov for entire scenes. Towards the end there was really only the change when the characters became separated and we had a shift with each chapter until they were reunited. The ending cliffhanger of what happened to Ben was really well done and left me wanting more. I am eager to know how Alys is going to bring Ben back and save his soul from within the monster. I really enjoy how looking back at details from the story, so many instances point to Ben’s markings symbolizing a special spell lying dormant inside of him. Even his flashback could be interpreted as his first transformation, but he didn’t understand what was happening and his brain interpreted it as a creature attack.
I loved the pacing of the story and how the world building was fit into the major plot lines throughout the book. I was hooked by the story from the very first chapter. Seeing the world expand as readers traveled to new islands and met additional characters kept me engaged and pulled back into the story.
It was a fun experience watching Ben learn the truth about the pirate community and how wrong he was about their morals. He showed character growth throughout the book as he accepted who he truly was and accepted the truth of the hypocrisy and malice of the Royal Navy.
This book is a great read and has left me wanting so much more of Captain Alys Turner and her crew aboard the Sea Witch.

BK-R
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Adult
POV: 3rd Person, 2 POV’s
🎧: 3/5 - Single Narration - voice feels too mature for a 22 year old woman.
📕Cover: 4/5 - good but feels plain.

Thank you To Net Galley and Harper Collins for this ARC and ALC!

A witch from the colonies becomes a pirate captain where she is less persecuted in the Caribbean.

This was an interesting one. It was marketed as erotica. This title is what I would consider a historical romance. But was a good time. I did enjoy it and would recommend it out to people who are looking for a pirate book.

Worth the read if you are looking for a summer pirate read with tension and a couple on page scenes.

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Spicy Chapters: 19, 28, 30

This was a super fun twist on pirates! An all female crew led my essentially a female Jack Sparrow, this was sassy, hilarious, and full of heart.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for the copy of this book.
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Read if you like: enemies to lovers, witches and pirates
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Alys and a group of women flee a colonial town after being condemned as witches, and they decide to take up an all women pirate crew in the Caribbean. When the British Navy attacks the group of pirates, Ben chases after Alys and ends up getting captured by the Sea Witch.
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This was a fun pirates/witches historical romance that was fast paced and I liked the romance between Alys and Ben. I also loved the conversation around how the women chose to become pirates because they did not have any other choices for themselves, and even though piracy isn't great, it is their choice and having that choice is important. Overall, an interesting story and I am curious to see what happens next!

Lady pirates sailing the Caribbean? Yes, please. Lady pirates who are also witches? Oh, heck yes!

This book was everything I didn't know I needed: lady witch pirates, high-seas adventure, magical realism, forced proximity, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance, and twists I never saw coming. The characters drew me in from the get-go, immersing me in their cut-throat world of piracy. If that wasn't enough, Leigh also added in witches, mages, and super-powered sea creatures bound to England's naval ships and bent on destruction. Fantastical? Yes. And yet, Leigh makes it all seem plausible and real. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough while at the same time wanting to slow down and absorb every minute detail. I read the entire book in one day, staying awake way past my bedtime and relishing every impeccably presented detail.

The characters were multi-layered, nuanced, and fully developed. I loved the evolution of Alys and Ben, both individually and as an eventual couple. But I also enjoyed the relationships among the all-women crew on Alys's ship. While not the lead couple, they are intrinsically important to the overall story and I appreciated the time and care devoted to their individual characters and stories. I'm hopeful that we will continue to learn more about them as the series continues.

The relationship between Alys and Ben was not easy, as one would expect between a pirate witch captain and her upright British naval navigator captive. I loved that she held the power but also appreciated the eventual ebb and flow of that dynamic as their characters and relationship grew. Their interactions felt authentic and their slowly changing opinions, organic. I was fully immersed in their quest, in their relationship, in their chaotic world. I was pulling so hard for their improbable happy ending. And, yes, I actually gasped when I reached the end of the book. Cliffhanger!

I don't know when book two of this trilogy is scheduled to be released but what I do know is that I'll be hitting that preorder button the second it becomes available. I am fully involved in these characters now and I cannot wait to discover what Eva Leigh has planned for the next phase of their journey. In the meantime, I'll be rereading The Sea Witch, probably more than once. It's just that immersive. It's just that good.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley
Fair and unbiased opinons

As someone new to romantasy but forever a history nerd (I wrote multiple university articles on the Salem Witch Trials!), The Sea Witch completely hooked me. Honestly, if my research papers had involved pirate ships and magical sea monsters, I would’ve had a much different college experience.

Eva Leigh takes liberties with those infamous trials—pirates, sea monsters, and a whole lot of magic—but they’re the kind of liberties I can happily get on board with. The story follows Alys Tanner, a condemned witch who escapes Puritan New England and takes to the seas as captain of The Sea Witch—an all-female pirate crew brimming with power and rage. Enter Ben Priestley, a buttoned-up British naval officer whose capture sets the stage for a delicious enemies-to-lovers slow burn (forced proximity on a pirate ship, anyone?).

Their dynamic worked so well for me—Alys is the strong, sexually experienced one leading the charge, while Ben grows and transforms in ways that make him a surprisingly swoony hero. The romance builds alongside sea battles, magical creatures, and themes of rebellion, creating a swashbuckling adventure that feels equal parts empowering and fun. On my spice scale, this one lands at about a 1.5, maybe pushing to 2🌶️—enough heat to make things interesting, but not the kind of scenes that will scorch your Kindle.

Leigh’s prose is vivid, fast-paced once the story finds its footing, and layered with a sense of historical grounding that appealed to my inner history buff while still keeping me firmly in a fantastical world. And yes, it ends on a cliffhanger. The kind that makes you want to throw your book across the room and then immediately go pre-order book two. (Plus, maybe I’ll be able to up that spice factor with the next book. I can see it building, and I think it’s going to be awesome… 😏)

For a newbie to both the author and the genre, this was the perfect blend of familiar history and magical adventure—and it proved you don’t need to be a romantasy expert to climb aboard and have a swashbuckling good time. Bring on book two! (Sooner than later, pretty please, Mrs. Leigh!)

Also, note to self: track down all her Regency romances immediately, because if she can make witchy pirates this compelling, I can only imagine what she’s done with dukes and debutantes.

Story: 4.25⭐
Spice: 2🌶️

Genre:
🖤 Historical Romantasy

Tropes:
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Forced Proximity (pirate ship edition!)
🖤 Captive Hero/Pirate Witch Captain
🖤 Buttoned-up Navy Hero vs. Rebellious Witch Heroine
🖤 Found Family (all-female pirate crew)
🖤 Magic + Sea Monsters
🖤 Feminine Rage/Rebellion Energy
🖤 Cliffhanger Ending

Many thanks to NetGalley, Canary Street Press, and Eva Leigh for the chance to climb aboard The Sea Witch early—this review is all mine, pirate puns and all. 🏴‍☠️

For some reason I could not get into this book. The writing style was good but the storyline never really caught me. I did DNF this 50% through. I think it has a lot of potential but ultimately just fell flat for me. I wish I could have been more into it because I loved the start and the concept.

I had such a good time reading The Sea Witch! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
The Sea Witch is a fantasy romance story featuring pirates and witches that I recommend to anyone who loved the Pirates of the Caribbean movies or ever had a special interest in the Salem Witch Trials. The author does an excellent job of making the story feel grounded in historical events while still giving the fantastical elements room to do their job. The story takes off immediately and does not stop! My only disappointment was getting to the end and realizing there would be another book and that it would not be available immediately.
Alys and Ben are very strong characters on their own merits and both are explored during their search for the failsafe. Knowing each of their fears and faults makes it so much more rewarding to see them work together and grow. I also really loved all the different women on Alys’s crew and the little bits of their stories that we get in this first book. I will definitely read the second one and other books by the author!

I feel like this book is going to be loved by many readers who are into romantasy books who also love pirates and magic. This was a fun read for sure and ill recommend to the right audience

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

First of all, pirate stories are usually not in my wheelhouse, but I was hard pressed to skip over this once I read the synopsis. A witch, fleeing an oppressive region to commandeer a ship full of nothing but women and other witches!!! Sign me up. I didn't know that I needed a story about a female Captain Jack Sparrow, but boy was I wrong. Alys was just what I would picture: tough as nails, smart, witty, crew-first minded, and resourceful.

And then we have Ben, who reminded me of Will Turner: filling a role in the navy, falling for and doing anything to protect his woman, and exhibiting all the determination and strength needed to accomplish his goals. I really enjoyed his character development, and appreciated his internal struggles during his adventures onboard The Sea Witch.

I was not prepared for the cliffhanger at the end, and my heart broke a little at it. I cannot wait for book 2, and will definitely be continuing with Alys and Ben's story.

I really enjoyed this book. A female pirate crew, yes please! I love the magic, witches, high seas, and the romance. Some of the pacing was off and at times I felt a little lost but it was only brief. The vibes of this book were immaculate! It has all of the elements I love! It was such a fun time. Thank you NetGalley for this arc!