Firstly, thank you to Initium and Mel Parrish for allowing me to read this story!

I thought the premise of the story was enchanting.
The writing style for me was a little dry. It wasn't bad by any means, but I think I prefer stories with a little more show than tell. The sentences were a bit more straightforward and dry, rather than using descriptive imagery and metaphor. Again, not to say that's bad, it just depends on your preference for reading style! But from that standpoint, I think it could have used a little more space to flesh those moments out.
Major conflicts felt too easily resolved, I think this book could have benefitted from a little more space for description and fleshing out the storylines.
With so many little stories different characters and fantastical beings, I think this would have been better as a physical read for me, rather than an audiobook to help follow along better.

I was pleasantly surprised when reading this story. I initially thought it was a cross of the little mermaid and rapunzel. As I read on it took on a life of its own. The Main characters are easy to get attached to. Master Abraxos suddenly has a small baby dropped in his lap, his assistant/ old friend ( who has secrets of his own) lovingly raise the baby into an amazing young woman. There are merflk, magic, curses and strange twists and turns. I can't wait to read the second book.

Tucked Away is a whimsical and emotionally resonant fantasy that invites readers into the mysterious Asulon Mansion, where isolation and grief meet unexpected transformation. Master Abrax, a reclusive and tormented figure, finds his world irrevocably altered by an uninvited visitor bearing a life-changing gift. What follows is a journey of redemption, discovery, and the entwining of worlds both magical and deeply human.

I found myself wishing for more clarity around the various species and magical elements introduced (Tara, Solon, Artur, Volos) but this ambiguity may be intentional, leaving room for interpretation or the rest of the books. Overall, Tucked Away is a promising start to the Lives Entwined in Kind series. It blends melancholy with magic, offering a fresh take on familiar fantasy motifs. Parrish’s unique voice and imaginative world-building make this a compelling read for fans of introspective fantasy with a touch of whimsy.

I knew I was going to be introduced to a new fantasy author, but beyond the basic somewhat vague synopsis, I had no idea what I would be listening to. It turned out to be a very enjoyable - although SHORT listen.

‘Tucked Away’ is basically a prologue with a dash of prequel in my opinion. It’s setting us up for the real story which is soon to follow. In fact book 2, ‘Emerge’ is already out, and readily available.

‘Tucked Away’ is a rather delightful whimsical and emotionally rich YA fantasy tale, but with somewhat slower pacing than I am used to. Old secrets lay covered in dust and laden with curses just waiting to be discovered, much as the hidden family members do. There are Mer people, Trolls, magic, and as I’ve mentioned, curses.

A great deal is also left to the imagination, which is fine as I like to give mine the exercise. There is some great character and world building going on, however, so many of the characters have such similar names that it can get a trifle confusing now and again.. There’s also numerous backgrounds and places. I honestly found myself hitting the back button, or just dancing back a chapter or two to clarify things in my mind. If not for this, I would have given it more than a 3/5.

Abraxos, the Master of Asulon Mansion, is the central character around whom all the darkness and the whimsy dance. He began as a surly figure, rather reclusive and definitely not what one would call friendly. That all changes the night an old lady arrives on the doorstep with a wee bundle in her arms. Delivering it to the Master before getting a night’s sleep and returning from whence she came.

Poor Abraxos’ life suddenly takes a drastic change, for what his servant and seemingly only friend would call for the better. It will most certainly never be the same again.

Mel Parrish’s writing is solid and creative, quite enjoyable for the most part. With Tom Fairfoot narrating, it’s a rather cozy fantasy that I look forward to completing with book 2! Thanks NetGalley for this delightful, although occasionally confusing listen!


#NetGalley

#Mel Parrish

#Tom Fairfoot

#Lives Entwined in Kind

#YA Fantasy

Unfortunately, this story didn't grip me like I thought it would. I was gifted with an audio book from netgalley, but I feel like maybe i may have found the ebook easier to get through. The narrator himself did an amazing job, but there are so many characters and so many different types of being that, at times, it was hard to distinguish who was currently speaking.

I found it hard to finish for this reason, and I feel bad to say I don't really remember too much detail. I'm sorry for the lack of information in this review i truly am, I know that feedback like this not only helps readers but also the authors and my lack of focus while listening to this one isn't helpful at all. Books aren't for everyone, though, and this one just wasn't for me. That's not to say you won't like it, so please check out a few of the other reviews for a better insight, I would hate for you to miss out just because I couldn't get into the story.

***Thank you to netgalley and Initium books for the ARC. My apologies for the lack of helpful information, I just couldn't get into this one. The above review is my honest opinion and has not been influenced in any way.

I received an audio ARC of Tucked Away via NetGalley, and overall it was a gentle, heartfelt listen. The story follows Master Abrax, a solitary man whose life shifts when he unexpectedly becomes caretaker to his orphaned niece. The emotional journey centered on grief, forgiveness, and the slow formation of found family felt sincere and quietly moving. The narrator’s calm, soothing performance added depth to the story, giving it a warm, fairy-tale quality that made the world feel intimate and tender.

That said, the pacing was uneven, with much of the book serving as setup rather than a complete, satisfying arc. At times the abundance of names and magical creatures became confusing, and I often wished for more clarity and forward momentum. While Tucked Away offers emotional richness and lays a strong foundation for what could be an engaging series, it leans heavily on world-building and tone, leaving this installment feeling more like a prologue than a fully realised story.

An incredibly short read. Fine for what it was, but stretching it out more really would have given the story room to breathe.

Mel Parrish did a nice job of introducing and moving the story while simultaneously world building. There are many questions to be answered and the reader must understand that this a gradual story where information is revealed over time. If you like all the answers right away or your story tied in a bow, this book isn't for you.

One night, the recluse and frightening Master Abrax’s life changes when an unknown woman begins a tale that will entwine his life with many others.

This is the author's debut book, involving found families. It has several quirky, diverse characters. The author gives good descriptions of who these people are and how they are feeling. I gave this book 4.5 stars and would love to continue this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free copy of this audiobook, also thanks to the author, Mel Parrish, I enjoyed listening to your tale.

A Heartwarming Tale of Accidental Parenting and Inconveniently Timed Magic

Nothing says "life-changing moment" like a surprise baby delivery at your front door—especially when you're the kind of grump who considers small talk a form of torture. Meet Abrax, a man so committed to his hermit lifestyle that he's probably never met a family gathering he couldn't avoid. Then boom: instant uncle duties, complete with a magically gifted niece and enough family baggage to fill a U-Haul.

What follows is part childcare manual, part grief counseling session, and part "wait, did that merperson just give parenting advice?" It's like someone took a Hallmark movie, dunked it in fairy tale logic, and decided that what it really needed was more emotional processing.
Parrish has crafted something genuinely warm here—the kind of book that sneaks up on you with feelings while you're busy trying to keep track of whether that character was named Theron or Therion or possibly just Steve. (Seriously, I needed a spreadsheet for some of these names. Fantasy authors: a little variety in your consonant-to-vowel ratios wouldn't kill you.)

The magical elements feel delightfully lived-in rather than flashy. This isn't Harry Potter's "look at my sparkly magic system"—it's more like "oh, by the way, your family tree includes some scales and gills, deal with it." The creatures could use a bit more description though; I'm still not entirely sure what a few of them actually looked like, but honestly, that might have been me reading past my bedtime.

Where this book truly shines is in its unflinching look at grief and the messy business of healing. Abrax's journey from "professional avoider of human connection" to "reluctant but devoted caretaker" feels earned rather than rushed. The found family elements hit all the right notes without veering into saccharine territory.

Fair warning: keep tissues handy for the final act. Parrish knows exactly when to deploy the emotional gut punches, and they're devastatingly effective. You'll go from chuckling at Abrax's parenting mishaps to ugly-crying about forgiveness and redemption faster than you can say "character development."

Perfect for: cozy reading nights, people who like their fantasy grounded in real emotions, anyone who's ever had to suddenly become responsible for a tiny human, readers who don't mind consulting a character name glossary

Minor deductions for: the occasional name confusion and some underexplained magical creatures that left me squinting at the page

This is a book about Master Abrax who lives in a mansion and is a reclusive person. Master Abrax ends up leaving the mansion and you go on a found family journey from there with them. I had the privilege of listening to the audiobook narrated by Tom Fairfoot from NetGalley. I loved the narration of this book and with a 6 hour and 8 minute run time, it just flies by because the narrator brings the story to life. This book is a New Adult, Sci-fi Fantasy and YA book based upon it's content. It is the first in a series by Mel Parrish with book 2 already released. This series is perfect for you if you are looking for a found family story along with a magical atmosphere. I loved this book and will be continuing the series.

The magic system and the characters in the book intrigued me a lot, and I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series. There were so many characters that I feel like I only know them on a superficial level.

4/5 ⭐️ and 0 🌶

*I received a free audio copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.*

I really enjoyed this book! The narrator (Tom Fairfoot) did a great job voicing the differnet characters! His "feminine" voice didn't get on my nerves how some other male narrators have. The story was well written. Definitely feels like it was trying to give you all the info about the characters and world building, but flows nicely.

I recommend this story to anyone who likes young adult fantasy, world building, found family, mythical creatures, a family curse, and healing from the loss of loved ones.

- YA Fantasy
- World Building
- Found Family
- Mythical Creatures
- Magic
- Dark Enemies
- Multiple POVs
- Grief
- Healing
- Part of series (Book 1 of the "Lives - Entwined in Kind")
- Book 2 is called "Emerge" and is out now.
- Book 3 is called "Cataclysm" and will be out Fall of 2025
- Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback, hardback, ebook, and audiobook.

This is not the typical type of read for me, but I enjoyed this audiobook. I listened to it at night almost as a bedtime story. Listened to in this way, the pacing of the book was perfect, while the narration was calming and extremely well done. The length is a little on the shorter side, but that didn’t really matter as I broke the book into chunks each night to listen to. The author created a vivid world to explore with interesting characters.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. The writing flows well, but it is slow paced. The characters are well written and the characters do change over time. However I'm not really sure what the story was about and I had difficulty following along with the two storylines. The narrator was enjoyable to listen to and added a lot to the setting of the book.

This book was such a welcome surprise! Initially I thought it would probably be a solid 3 ⭐️, but now I can honestly say it's a solid 4 ⭐️ and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2!!

I would describe this book as a cosy , heartwarming, adventure fantasy, aimed towards teen/young adult readers - but as an older reader, I still found it intreguing and whimsical! The theme of found family throughout this book is everything! 🥰

I found all of the characters lovable in their own right and genuinely want to find out what happens to them all!

As for the audiobook in general; the Narrator was brilliant! They compliment the story so well, really bringing each character to life!

Thank you Net Galley, the Publisher and the Author Mel Parrish for the arc copy in exchange for a review.

(Review posted on Goodreads through the app).

I really was engrossed in this book and so sad that it wasn't finished, I'm on my way to see if the next book is out because a lot of things were left untold. I liked the characters and the back story to each group of people, I did tear up at one point in the book but it was happy tears.

The narrator of this novel was excellent - I enjoyed the tone of his voice and the slight accents that indicating who was talking without being silly, I am someone who can be put off audiobooks by the narrator and would definitely be happy to hear this narrator again.

The novel was not what I expected. It created an interesting world which has potential but there seemed large sections were nothing was really happening. I think it’s a trilogy so perhaps it’s a slow burn and I am happy with that- sometimes building a world gradually and smoothly is more important than lots of action and co located explanations of a fictional universe but the jury is still out on that one.

Unfortunately I had a hard time following the different POVs. It wasn't clear enough and the third person made it even harder.
This book is probably better if you read instead of listen.

3.5 – I round up.
This made my heart feel good. I was slightly confused initially; a bit lost on the characters and who was related to who (hence the 3.5), but did end up catching on. Fantasy isn’t normally a favorite of mine, but it’s slowly growing on me.
A cozy fantasy read. I think it hit on grief, and heartache. However, I loved that this beautiful innocent baby really softened the cranky grump of our story. The narrator was listed as Tom Fairfoot. I very much enjoyed this narrator. He had a smooth and easy voice. Great for this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the read!