Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read and personally not for me. I found it difficult to follow along and was ill prepared for writing style. This was extremely "pirate" in every single way. It was an interesting take on historical fiction and reminded me so so much of Pirates of the Caribbean.

I wanted to love this, I loved the premise and the plot had everything I want in life. I just simply cannot get behind historical fiction.

The Sea Witch feels like a genderbent Pirates of the Caribbean - with witches and magic. I loved the women empowerment, love reading about badass heroines taking down bad guys, and the loved the adventure. I think the magic itself left me wishing there was more to it, feeling a little glossed over. The witches have magic, and they can do cool things with it, but I wanted more information on the magic system as a whole, I guess. The idea of Alys and Ben and how their love story develops is right up my alley, but I didn't LOVE them and feel connected to them like I was expecting to. The ending has me in the depths of despair over here. What a freaking cliffhanger. OOF. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

This starts off with a bang (not literally) and maintains a strong energy and plot throughout. There is a lot to this book: action, adventure, magic, spice and it all worked for me and felt balanced. This type of fantasy is right up my alley, its imaginative but grounded. I loved the way that Ben and Alys's relationship unfolded, it was somewhat slow but made sense in the context of the plot. Be warned there is a cliffhanger!!! I'm eagerly awaiting the next book. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC!

The Sea Witch is an adventurous tale of women pirates who also happen to be witches. These strong women fight for their independence while holding their own against the British Navy and the other pirates of the Caribbean who resent their power. And, there is a great opposites attract romance too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Alys Tanner is proud that she escaped her stifling Massachusetts town with her life, and now sails the Caribbean Sea with her fellow witches. British naval officer Benjamin Priestly pursues Alys after he spots her at a pirate’s wake. Now captive aboard The Sea Witch, Ben works together with Alys to solve a dead pirate’s riddles while evading the Navy and magical sea monsters too. And what about that inescapable mutual attraction and magical connection between these two?

I had a great time reading this book. Alys and Ben have a connection as well as attraction between them. And there are tons of cinematic swashbuckling adventures; it’s easy to picture them coming to life across a movie screen. I also love that these women are allowed to be strong and angry, and rightfully so.

But, why oh why must every romantasy story end on a cliffhanger? Yes it’s exciting, yes it makes me want to read the next book. But as a romance reader who loves an HEA, it makes me want to not read any series until all the books are released, which means missing out on some great books in the meantime.

The strength and fury of women, along with a sense of adventure, is what makes this story. The Sea Witch is exciting and maddening, yet empowering too. If the current state of things makes you want to scream into the void, read this romantic adventure and see what amazing things can happen when women work together.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am not enjoying this, and so I am going to put it down. I'm sorry -- I got about 18% of the way through the book and just was not interested. The world building isn't enough to grab me, especially when I can't even remember anyone's names. Thank you for the opportunity.

**3.5 Stars Rounded Up**

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this fantasy romance! If Pirates of the Caribbean's Elizabeth Swan captained a boat of witches full of girl power, and Will Turner was a British navy man turned hostage turned lover, you'd get The Sea Witch!

Let me give a quick rundown of what you'll find:
~Third person dual POV
~Enemies to allies to lovers
~Witches! Sea monsters! Magic!
~Feminine rage-down with the patriarchy!
~Bedroom lessons for him (she definitely takes the lead!)
~Spicy scenes (3 chili peppers) full of consent, permissions and enthusiastic "yes's"!
~Beautiful female friendships and girls empowering girls

One of the things I loved best about the Sea Witch was how unique the magic system was. Our witches are based in elemental magic, calling upon different aspects of nature (the winds, the seas) or animals (the cunning of a rat or the bees' ability to search and find) to cast their spells. The romance was positively divine. The worldbuilding was lovely, the beautiful colors and sounds of the Caribbean taking shape, and the side cast of characters were entertaining and well fleshed out.

I was entranced at the slow burn development of their camaraderie, reluctant alliance, and eventual romance. Ben's patience, honesty, ability to change his mind when presented with new information, and absolute refusal to do anything to clip Alys's wings earned him a well deserved spot in her worn out heart. Be warned though, this story does end on a cliffhanger and I eagerly anticipate the next book!

OK, for all of those positives, why am I standing at a 3.5 stars? I had a few quibbles over the writing style--the dialogue could be clunky (especially early on) and the narrative had a fair number of "show vs tell" issues. I think that addressing some of these would have helped the history and context become a bit more fleshed out and brought more emotional depth to the story, as I wouldn't have had to accept so many things on face value.

Favorite Quote:
"I've learned they'll always find a way to come for witches, no matter how much we subdue and refuse to acknowledge our power. It just takes a look, a whispered word, a grudge against a woman who rejects a man's advances, or the insistence that we bow our heads to any man-and then we're swaying at the end of a rope like so much dried fish."

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

Sometimes you just need to be kidnapped by crew of magical lady pirates; unfortunately that won't be happening for me any time soon so I did the next best thing and read a book about it! Eva Leigh is one of my go-to historical romance authors, so when she announced a pirate romantasy book I was ready. From start to finish, this action packed book was entertaining and full of all the steamy tension I've come to love from Eva Leigh. Alys and Ben are truly enemies, a magic pirate and a British naval navigator walk into a bar... you'll have to read the book to find out what happens next.

I had a blast reading this and nearly through my kindle at the wall when I finished (I mean come on!!! I need book 2 now!!!). Like any good pirate book, The Sea Witch is full of high stakes adventures and sea shanties. Alys and crew are racing to discover the magical key to free mythical sea creatures from the British navy's clutches and end their brutal reign of the seas. Of course, that means Alys and Ben must work together and deal with any arising feelings along the way. It was downright delightful to see these two overcome their differences and reluctantly fall for each other.

I can't wait to see what the crew gets up to in book two and how they'll solve the newest disaster that awaits them. The Sea Witch might be my favorite crew of pirates ever as it's full of so much representation!

The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh is an adventure in female empowerment, destroying corruption, and things not always being as they seem.

Captain Alys Tanner is a witch who fled her small Massachusetts village for the high seas after being persecuted for her magic. She captains The Sea Witch, an all female pirate ship in the Caribbean. When the British Navy starts using creatures of lore to take down pirate ships, Alys sets on a mission to bring them down. Sailing Master Ben Priestly set out to follow Alys, but inadvertently gets captured by she and her crew instead.

The dynamic between Ben and Alys is immediately tense and there certainly is underlying attraction there. Together they seek out the answers to the riddles and as they unravel the threads it's obvious that things are not as they seem.

This was a entertaining pirate romantasy with historical romance vibes. Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced review copy.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Despite my disappointment at Eva Leigh being one of the authors pivoting away from historical romance, I was excited about The Sea Witch. And upon reading it, I really enjoyed it, especially as while this style is new for the Eva Leigh pen name, it does feel somewhat reminiscent of her older work as Zoe Archer.
I loved the setting, evoking Pirates of the Caribbean with magic. But it’s also deeper than that, with it intersecting with Puritanism in New England and their persecution of witches.
Alys is a fun protagonist and easy to root for as she and her crew take to the high seas and defy every social norm for women. However, there’s still room for growth, as she still has things to figure out about herself and what she wants along the way.
As a member of the Royal Navy, Ben is sympathetic to the oppressors at first, but the narrative walks a delicate line of navigating the romance. Alys is the one with the upper hand, taking him prisoner. The narrative is compelling, with a compelling push-and-pull of her keeping him alive in order to get valuable information to further her cause, while his worldview around femininity evolves due to his encounters with the witches. While the latter doesn’t always gel for me, as I don’t feel it’s women’s responsibility to educate men and make them more worldly, this evolution was handled fairly delicately.
And the slow-burn romantic development paid off as well, with that foundation. Ben is, as you’d expect, more buttoned-up, and unravels through falling for Alys, who is fiery and much more sexually experienced. In this regard, I really liked seeing how this shook things up, especially as a contrast to the dynamic in a lot of other romantasy titles.
Plot-wise, it’s definitely a slow-burn beyond the romance. It takes a bit to get going, however, it’s fairly high-action once you get to the “meat” of the story. And in addition to the romance, there’s a treasure hunt plot, which kept things pretty interesting throughout.
I had a lot of fun with this one, and would recommend it to readers who want a well-crafted pirate romantasy.

Thank you NetGalley and HTP for this free ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Set in a world where women are forbidden from using magic but men are applauded and trained, The Sea Witch is a unique take on freedom in a world meant to lock you up. The sea is their last refuge and being a Pirate is the only way to guarantee that they have control over their magic and their lives. This pirate filled romantasy covers hard topics in bodily autonomy, the enslavement of creatures and revenge for a murder.

Alys, our FMC, is the captain of the all female crew. She runs her ship differently than others in that every woman aboard has a say not only in their own lives but in the lives of the crew as a whole. Mutiny is a word these women do not understand as they love and respect Alys in all ways. After only a year of escaping her old life and the dangers that hunted her, she has more control of her magic but still has a long way to go. I loved watching her character growth, especially when it comes to her magic. She doesn't suddenly have everything figured out. She struggles and adapts, having many moments of pushing herself too far and having to adjust to non-magical means. She is powerful, but not overpowered and it makes me love her that much more.

Ben, our MMC, is a member of the Royal Navy who hates everything that pirates stand for. He is trying to discover the identity of the pirate rumored to have a hand in his fathers death. After a chance encounter with Alys, he finds himself aboard her ship and taken prisoner. He has information that she needs, information to find an object to stop the enslavement of sea-creatures. A pirate story wouldn't be complete without a treasure hunt. He is prim and proper and finds himself at odds with the women on board who go against traditional feminine values he was raised around.

The chemistry between Alys and Ben is just ... everything. It's a slow burn filled with tension, spice and a dynamic that keeps Alys firmly on top. She is the stronger of the two, even with those more intimate moments, and having her be the more experienced partner was a nice change.


I really enjoyed this story and can not wait for book two, especially after the cliffhanger!

I need all the pirate books and this one did not disappoint!! This is exactly how you write feminine rage and keep it respectful. All of the anger and hatred towards men who think women should be quiet and obedient was felt in the characters of the women who run the Sea Witch. However, it was a romance and showed that there are men who believe in equality. The two main characters are enemies to lovers which is one of my favorite tropes and it was done so well in this book. Also the plot was well thought out and the last half of the book was un-put-downable! ( I know that's no a real word but I don't know how else to explain it) I devoured this book.

Thank you so much for this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review! I absolutely loved that Alys was the captain of an all female crew which was just so so cool! I loved the treasure hunt and the characters!

The Sea Witch was sultry, atmospheric, and utterly enchanting. The tension? Immaculate. The writing? Lush. And the romance? Deliciously dark and deeply satisfying. Eva Leigh understood the assignment—I was hooked.

✨ Female empowerment
✨ Slow burn
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Forced proximity

Who doesn’t love a good pirate book? Add in girl power vibes with female rage and mix in some romance and you have The Sea Witch

There were so many great things about this book to love. Alys and her crew have to navigate a world where their very existence is a death sentence but they didn’t let it stop them, in fact it fueled and motivated them. Not only did they make their own rules they created their own safe place. Man or bear?? They chose the bear or more accurately the leviathan 🤭

This is definitely a slow burn but I enjoyed seeing the gradual shift and was happy when the enemies started lovering 💕. Also, Alys taking the reins sexually and teaching Ben how to be a lover was a pleasant change from what we usually see in books

I think some parts were a little slow and drawn out but I still enjoyed the story

This does end with a cliffhanger so be prepared for that final scene 😬. If Pirates of the Caribbean with a twist sounds like a good read then add this to your tbr

Note to publisher: I will make a release day post on IG on August 26th with a mini review

Finally, a true pirate romance, magic, AND a strong plot! Wins all around. The Sea Witch has it all, its plot driven with character development. The story follows an exciting race across the Caribbean in a bit of scavenger hunt to find a magical “cure” while the British Navy is hot on their heels. There’s plenty of magic, creatures, and secrets! Additionally, the character development makes the romance sweet and realistic. The timeline of the story felt rushed and there were a lot of plot points to cover. However, the ending is quite the cliff hanger and sets up the story for a sequel that will explore the unfinished parts of the story. Overall, this was an incredibly fun read!

3.5

I really enjoyed this story! The FMC (and crew) come from a place that hunt females that wield magic. A band of female misfits come from nothing and make something of themselves as an all female crew of magical witchy pirates. Throw in an enemies to lovers / forbidden romance with a (British) Navy Man and you've got the gist of this book.

Excellent writing, slow burn, great flow. The story takes awhile to take off but gets better as you go.

A swashbuckling good time! I don't read a lot of romantasy but when I saw Eva Leigh was writing one, I knew I had to pick it up.

This has female pirates, magic, action and lots of female empowerment. Plus the romance is between a female witch pirate and a member of the navy so you know it's going to be forbidden love deliciousness.

I loved the pirate crew and thought the magic system was really cool.

The romance was forbidden love and full of chemistry that will make you blush.

This was exciting from start to finish. I didn't want to put it down. Highly recommend!!

This is the perfect summer read. Pirates. Caribbean Islands. Adventure. Magic. Lots of feminine rage. And a beautiful slow burn romance.

The start is a bit slow as we build the world and are given the context behind how Alys becomes the captain of an all-female pirate crew headed for the Caribbean. Fast forward a year, the sea witch has built a name for itself. An all-female crew is unheard of then you consider the majority of them are witches. Alys is attending a wake for a fellow pirate who left letters to be read and in those letters a number of bombs are dropped including. One of these revelations is about a fail-safe to release the sea monsters being controlled by the Royal Navy, thus Alys’ mission is to find this fail-safe. The wake is interrupted but none other than the royal navy, everyone flees, Alys is followed by Ben, a royal sailing master. Once upon her ship, Ben is officially a captive and will either be helpful or left. And our adventure really takes off from there.

These women are truly bada** in every sense. They each have a story and reason for being aboard the Sea Witch. They have found their strength and their power along with their freedom. The captor captive slow burn romance was so good. Watching Bens journey from this tailored navy man who played by the rules and trusted the law to a man who realizes he’s been on the wrong side the entire time. Realizing the true monsters he’s help protect up until this point.

Overall, this story is an action packed adventure full of magic, bada** women and a beautiful slow burn. And with that ending ….. I need more.

In a world where women are hunted for their magic, the open sea becomes the only place to be truly free—and The Sea Witch takes that premise and sails with it. This swashbuckling romantasy throws you onto a ship crewed by witches and captained by Alys, a powerful woman who takes no orders and no prisoners. Except Ben. A naval officer with something to prove and everything to unlearn.

Their slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc simmers with power shifts, restrained tension, and real vulnerability. Alys stays in control throughout, even in the intimate moments, and the book never forgets whose story it is. Feminine rage and rebellion ripple through every scene. You can practically feel the salt and fire in the air.

Between dreamwalks, sea monsters, and a high-stakes treasure hunt, this story never lets the magic drown the message. It’s smart, searing, and cinematic, with a cliffhanger that makes you want to board the next ship immediately. Thank you to Canary Street Press and HTP Books for the gifted ARC.

In a world where women are forbidden from using magic, the only place to truly be free is on the open sea and The Sea Witch takes full advantage of that premise. This swashbuckling romantasy throws you onto a pirate ship crewed entirely by witches, led by the fierce and powerful Alys. She’s the captain, the witch, and completely in control especially when she takes Ben, an enemy Navy sailor, prisoner.

The dynamic between them is everything. This is a slow burn enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of tension, spice, and power shifts that stay firmly in Alys’s favor. I loved how she’s the strong one throughout, even in the intimate moments. The story also weaves in strong themes of feminine rage and rebellion, with a clear “burn it all down” energy that totally worked for me.

Of course, no pirate tale is complete without a treasure hunt, and this one delivers set against the lush backdrop of the Caribbean, with sparkling waters, island sunsets, and just the right amount of danger. It’s a wild, magical, and empowering adventure, perfect for summer reading. Thanks to Canary Street Press and HTP books for the gifted ARC.