This was such an interesting gender reverse take on The Little Mermaid. All the Dutch folklore was fascinating. The world was so fun to explore with Clara. The audiobook was so good. Thank you so much NetGalley for the ARC.

A reimagined, darker Little Mermaid retelling with folklore woven into a 1600’s Dutch backdrop.

When humans encroach on the sea, a bargain is struck to make up for the damage done. When the humans do not hold up their end of the bargain, the prince of the sea is sent to collect. Young Clara is about to be married off to a “proper match.” Growing up under the harsh scrutiny of her parents, a fear of the water, Clara yearns for more. When a young man suddenly appears from the waterway, Clara sees another, more exciting path for her life. A deadly power struggle is afoot. Can a sheltered, inquisitive girl and a sea prince on a mission mend the treaty, or is the flood coming?

A Magic Deep and Drowning has an enjoyable, rich, magical background layered in folklore. I found myself more intrigued by the lore the deeper the story went. I did, however, struggle to get into the book. While I found the story itself really good, I just did not connect to our main characters, particularly Clara.

A #FabulousFantasy selection for you with 𝑨 𝑴𝑨𝑮𝑰𝑪 𝑫𝑬𝑬𝑷 & 𝑫𝑹𝑶𝑾𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝒃𝒚 𝑯𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒐𝒙, read by Lauren Ezzo. A big thanks to @htpbooks @htp_hive @htpbooks_audio and @netgalley for access to this title that published June 24th!

This is at its base a Little Mermaid retelling, but it does capture so much more.

I was instantly captured by the 1600's Dutch atmosphere. It felt so perfect for this story and as the author's note shares, there is more folklore included and weaved beautifully within. I was hoping for a bit of a darker tale than the versions on film, and I am happy to have it here, but rest assured it is not as hopeless as the original!

This story follows Clara who is a good girl and seemingly happy with her lot until one day she meets an intriguing fellow who stirs in her something new. He isn't what she thinks, however and his secrets and plans pit Clara in the middle of a long standing struggle for power.

I loved the layers of mystery, fantasy, and a thinly veiled look at climate & colonization. The issues of revenge and generational wrongs are not avoided and I felt they lent itself so well in this tale. This was a great layering of story of which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The audio added much as I perused the pages. I only now wish I had a physical copy, as it is a beautiful book and I would love to share it.

I am escaping to stories a lot lately and what I am consistently encouraged by are the tales of courage and standing up for deeper rights beyond what is just in front of us. I am not hopeless, and stories like this are a balm. And entertaining!

I had no clue what this was about when I started it. Thank you NetGalley, Hester Fox & Harlequin for the listen! Lauren Ezzo did a wonderful job narrating, & bringing the story to life. It’s a loose re-telling of The Little Mermaid story. Clara goes through adventures finding a secret love, an unknown world , & forgiveness, Who is he?! :) A secret curse changed her life.

When a bargain between the land and the sea comes to a head, lives must be given. Clara, a wealthy merchant's daughter, is forced into an arranged marriage, but her heart lies elsewhere.
Morance is the prince of the sea, but when he is given an order to gather the last life owed to the treaty, he finds himself in a predicament of the heart.
Will the bargain be fulfilled?

The first half of this book was interesting. We got little mermaid vibes, and I really liked Morance/Lawrence, whatever his name is. But the insta-love kind of threw me for a bit. The second half of the book was rough. Around the 80% mark, I found myself wanting the book to just be over. It was hard listening to the audiobook when the narrator would jump POVs because it wasn't clear whose pov you were in, and if you didn't catch it, you were lost.

I do think fans of CJ Redwine's Rise of the Vicious Princess will enjoy this book; however, for me, it was barely a 3-star read.

A Magic Deep and Drowning by Hester Fox has a fascinating premise. I love the idea of a gender swapped retelling of The Little Mermaid. But the execution fell flat. I started and restarted this one repeatedly, but I had to DNF at 43%. The characters were flat, the relationships were forced, and the story just wasn't well executed. Major plot points happened and I wasn't invested enough to care, no matter how much I wanted to be.

Thank you to NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a reverse reimagining of The Little Mermaid, more like the original tale providing a darker take. It is a fantastical historical romance set in 1620s Netherlands where Clara and Mauritz meet, though Clara is betrothed to another and fall in love, which cascades into a series of conflict between humans and merfolk. The setting portrayed places you there with the characters, especially in the water realm.

The characters were good with Clara being a strong fmc, and though "insta-lovey," the love formed between Maurits and Clara is believable and sweet. The pacing was also good at a steady rate that keeps you engaged. It was an entertaining read, and I definitely suggest giving it a try.

5 🌟 A True Fantasy Gem! This is a beautifully written retelling of The Little Mermaid, blended with rich elements of folklore. The story begins with young Clara, who is about to marry a whaler, when she meets Maurits—a man who instantly falls in love with her (which, admittedly, was one of the few things that slightly annoyed me). Clara was such a compelling character, strong-willed and determined from the very start, and I absolutely loved her journey. She and Maurits go through so much to prove their love, and their story feels both heartfelt and magical. If you're a fan of Ava Reid, Amal El-Mohtar, or Where the Dark Stands Still, you'll find a similar tone and lyrical writing style here. The romance felt innocent and tender, and while the book is told in third person with two POVs (not usually my favorite style), Hester Fox pulled it off beautifully. A huge thank you to @NetGalley for the audiobook version—it was phenomenal! Though it has just one narrator, they brought the story to life in the best way. Seriously, pick this one up. You won’t regret it!

I wanted so badly to love this book. I love a good magical romance. For some reason, this just didn't do it for me.. People I know and who usually love the books I love gave it five stars and I as so excited to read it. The narrator was great, I had no issue with the structure or flow. It was well written. But I just wasn't getting the feels. I think it was just me,

A reimagining of the little mermaid. Set around Amsterdam in 1650 we are brought into a world where the land and sea folk have made a bargain to live in harmony. Humans however have not kept up their end of the bargain, overfishing and becoming prosperous at the detriment of the sea. Their reckoning has come.

Clara Van Wieren is 20 years old and her parents have matched her with an older wealthy gentleman. She knows her duty and cannot wait to leave her parents stick cold house but meets Mauritis, a sea dweller who is obsessed with the land and people who occupy it. She quickly learns there is more to the world than her little sheltered life and soon she will be thrust in the middle of it all.

I really enjoyed this one. The setting was atmospheric and the characters well developed. I did find it dragged at times but then it picked up and I couldn’t stop listening. If you enjoy magical elements then this would be a fun read for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review

I had high hopes for this book and it exceeded them all. A Magic Deep and Drowning is breathtakingly beautiful, an examination of our relationship with and responsibility to nature. I listened to it in one sitting. Lauren Ezzo's narration is wonderful—at first I struggled a bit with how she voiced male characters but as I kept listening, that stopped bothering me. I absolutely adored this book.

This is a fun twist on the little mermaid story. It was very engaging: I really enjoyed the narrator. I would have liked a bit more magical world building. It was a little difficult to figure out who could do what. This was a nice easy read with a main character that it was easy to root for.

Honestly, I didn’t finish this book. I got up to 76% and didn’t feel invested at all. The book is so long with very little actually happening, and the FMC is just a damsel in distress the entire time. Things were happening TO her, and she wasn’t taking any action at all, making it a boring story to continue.

I give this two stars though because the writing was fine, and I enjoyed the narrator, but the overall plot and pacing of the book was lacking.

There was some strong language.
Up to the 76% mark there was only some kissing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my audio copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 rounded to 4

Hester Fox’s portrayal of the Golden Age Dutch setting was outstanding. Her descriptive writing style transported me into the 17th century, making me feel as though I were a part of the story.

The story followed the typical YA tropes, including insta love, a naive damsel in distress female protagonist, a smitten hero male protagonist, and a subtle love triangle.

While it was expected that the story would revolve around insta love from the beginning, Clara and Maurtis’ relationship lacked depth. They were often separated or “close but afar,” (iykyk) preventing their growth and development together.

I found Maurtis endearing, but Clara was not my cup of tea. I initially gave her character grace due to her abusive and sheltered upbringing.

*Side note:* This book did not include TW/CW page warnings, which didn’t bother me since I generally don’t have triggers. However, other readers might be triggered by certain content in the book. HOWEVER, I found it jarring how the author casually depicted Clara repeatedly getting hit by her mother. While it was likely the norm during that time, it was too nonchalant for me.
*end side note*

I had hoped that Clara would grow and evolve after her “freedom,” but she continued to find herself in situations that required her to be rescued repeatedly. This became tiresome and frustrating, especially considering her age of twenty-one.

The story then took a heartbreaking turn and incorporated obvious political statements. While political commentary doesn’t bother me, when it becomes the primary focus of the narrative, it loses its impact.

Overall, I enjoyed the setting, lyrical writing style, and the gender-swapped Little Mermaid retelling. However, the plot’s loss and lack of character development significantly hindered my enjoyment of the story.

I was not a fan of Lauren Ezzo’s narration. This was her first audiobook I’ve listened to. I enjoyed her voice for the female characters. However, I was immediately turned off by her performance for the male characters. I ended up stopping listening and reading the rest of the book on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC Copy!

This is a gender bent little mermaid retelling, but it is also so much more. I really enjoyed the atmospheric writing that really made me feel like it was immersed in the world and feeling the emotions wrong along with the characters. It was really interesting to learn about the early Dutch Republic, which is not something that I have ever come across before in a book. The romance was full of yearning and beauty and made me root for the characters through all the ups and downs they experience throughout story.

hearing this book while reading the text was hands down the best experience. I loved this book and to hear it brought it to a whole new level. the voice actors made the story. i definitely feel like i need to go back and listen to the first book just to get that awe feeling all over again. this was really great reading and acting on their part!

This was an interesting genderbent retelling of the little mermaid. There were parts I absolutely adored like Maurits and his whole backstory. I really wish he had been the main focus instead. Clara was nice enough, but I found her character and growth to be somewhat lacking.

A great beach read or a wonderful audio book to listen to as the narrator was really talented and gave every character a distinct voice.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio, for the ALC in exchange for my honest feedback.

3.25/5

I love Hester Fox’s books. This one was not what I expected. I am more of a witch and ghost reader. So reading about merpeople was definitely a change from the norm. But…I enjoyed this tale.

The Dutch Republic, 1650. One fine spring day in Friesland, twenty-year-old Clara van Wieren is faced with an ill omen: a whale, beached and rotting in the noonday sun. But Clara doesn’t believe in magic and superstition, and this portent is quickly dismissed when a proposal from a wealthy merchant arrives, promising Clara the freedom she seeks from her mother’s overbearing rule.

I loved the setting….1650 Dutch republic! This added so much to this novel. It really helped make the merpeople and their world fit. Like I said, this is not my genre but this story is masterfully written with love, family drama, magic and history all rolled into one. And goodness, the mystical creatures add so much to the story with their creativity!

The narrator, Lauren Ezzo, nailed all these voices. And let me tell you, there are quite a few, especially with the mystical creatures. Did I say she nailed it…she nailed it!

Need a story that has a little bit of everything…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for allowing me to listen to this in advance for an honest review.

A Magic Deep and Drowning is a Little Mermaid gender swap re-telling. I found the story to be really well written and I did find the narrator , Lauren Ezzo to be very talented. Clara van Wieren comes across a beached whale one day on a trip to town. While many people in town are just thinking of the riches they can make off of it's corpse Clara feels a deep sympathy for the poor creature. On the same day her parents inform her that she is to be married to a very wealthy man. She also meets a sweet, funny man. This man she falls in love with at first glance. When the truth comes out Clara must decide if she will be willing to give up on everything to be with the man of her dreams.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to listen to this ARC!

This Classic story reimagined is just as good to listen to, as it is to read. The Narrators tone matched the vibe of the story and it was not difficult to immerse myself.

This Little Mermaid retelling with a Dutch folklore twist was so intriguing and magical. The folklore elements added to the mystery and whimsy, but the classic Little Mermaid Elements allowed the audience to Identify characters and expect certain traits. I loved the fact that the roles didn’t follow the original story and the time on land added more depth to the story. The addition of the various water creatures was perfect and exactly what I would envision.