Vampires, scientists and pirates sound more like the beginning of a bad joke, not a slow-burn paranormal romance.

Fangs & Fathoms is book one of four in A.V. Wilcott’s new series.

This adventure follows Dr. Isla Hart, a scientist who wants nothing more than to discover the truth behind her father’s disappearance, his theories and to hopefully earn a place in the scientific world.

However, fate has different plans for Dr. Hart as she finds herself trapped on The Nocturne, a submarine that is more than meets the eye with a crew of vampires and secrets, and her life hanging in the balance.

Sebastian Moreau is the right hand on The Nocturne and a dark, twisted vampire who thinks the key to his desires and power is just Dr. Hart’s research.

Torn between scientific and magical possibilities, Dr. Hart must decide if ignoring the facts to save her scientific belief is worth the sacrifice of ignoring the truth and what her heart desires most.

This book was described as witty, perfect for fans of slow-burn paranormal romance, oceanic gothic adventure and seductive danger with closed-door, low-spice and a slow burn intensity.

That is not exactly how I would describe this book. It is witty at times, and the paranormal, oceanic gothic adventure is all accurate, but it left more to be desired. The author spent about 90% of the book describing scenes and situations rather than letting the characters actually talk and grow.

It was confusing to me because I could tell Dr. Hart and Sebastion were “falling for each other,” but they were really only together three times in the entire book. If that is what they meant by a slow burn, that is by far the slowest burn I have ever encountered in a book.

The romance is left up to your own imagination. A kiss here and there, and small glances to each other. You read about a feeling stirring deep within them, but it is a feeling that shouldn’t be felt because he is a monster, and she still can’t wrap her head around the possibility that vampires are scientifically real.

Then there is what I could only describe as a weird non-make out cuddle session toward the ending of the book that was supposed to represent them finally admitting their feelings and “sealing the deal,” but the romance got lost in the writing.

It felt like the author wanted to make it a little spicy but came off more like two teenagers not knowing what they were doing.

While I love the thought of a scientist trying to discover some deep-rooted magical creature in the trenches of the ocean, the lack of imagination and the number of times the word scientific mind and substance was used drove me mad.

I really wanted to love this book more than I did, because I love vampires, pirates, deep-sea adventures and romance, but the lack of character connection and over-detailed scenes made this a two-star read for me and the spice level is extra mild.

I will continue the adventure into the trenches to see where the characters take us in the next installment Blood and Brine, releasing Sept. 26

A.V. Wilcott is releasing the rest of the series this year as well. Book three Frost & Fae will be released Nov. 26 and book four, Mist & Morrow will be released Dec. 19.

You can find the Fangs & Fathoms series on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book. I give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars. The dialogue between the characters was easily my favorite part of Fangs and Fathoms. It was so witty and kept me interested even when the plot was a bit slow and confusing.
The “connection” between the MMC and FMC felt a bit forced at the beginning, not like insta-love, but definitely similar to it.
And maybe it went over my head, but the science didn’t feel believable to me. Isla asked so many questions and I sometimes felt like she didn’t get to the bottom of them before just moving on. It made for confusing parts of the plot that I just had to move on from instead of trying to figure out along with her.
Overall, a super unique story, and I really liked Sebastian. He definitely gave off the typical broody vampire male lead, but I ate it up.

A scientist finds herself trapped under the sea with a sexy vampire! I found the premise very intriguing, but ultimately only read 15% of the book.

I would definitely suggest that others consider this book, particularly if you’re interested in a darker paranormal story with unique settings and characters. For example, I love seeing a woman in STEM be the center of a book! And, I did enjoy the undersea setting - quite the opposite of the typical mountain side fae castle but no worries, there’s still a ballroom and a library!

I decided not to continue the book because I realized the romance story wasn’t to my taste and I didn’t feel as hooked by the side plot of their research. You may still enjoy the romance if you like when MCs feel a deep attraction from the start, especially if you enjoy when that attraction happens in spite of lots of reasons for it not to (pirate attacks! kidnappings! lots of sexy scary vampires and a spooky ship/submarine).

Thank you to A.V. Wilcott for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

One of the most unique plotlines I have read this year, for sure.... deep sea scientific expedition, with pirates and sea-dwelling vampires, sea creatures, inanimate objects that are actually living creatures! It's not written in a confusing way, but it is confusing to explain because there are a lot of different themes.

I'm not a big fan of 3rd person writing. And, this one jumps around a bit, making it hard to distinguish who "she" or "he" is at times. The instant love type of thing also isn't the greatest.

Overall, it was a really good book that could use just a small bit of polishing up. Descriptions are very in-depth and very easy to visualize everything in this very different environment. I look forward to trying out the 2nd book once it's released.

Imagine you're in the open ocean being invaded by pirates and then suddenly you think you are saved when another ship arrives and starts "taking care of" the pirates.... Only to then be kidnapped by your saviors... Well that's what happened to Dr. Isla Hart.

The moment Isla sees Sebastian on her ship, there's a connection and she thinks he's there to save her. Which he does but only to then take her since she's been researching the area him and his crew are looking for something. And plot twist, Sebastian is a vampire which is part of the magic world that Isla doesn't fully believe.

I was hooked on this book right away. I definitely have never read a book with a vampire crew on a submarine. And I loved Sebastian the moment he showed up. Must read and I can't wait to read the sequel.

This had such a unique and original plot, vampires and the sea are not something I would have thought would go together but they worked well. The author had such a beautiful detailed way of writing too it’s like your right there in the action. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

The POV shifts between Sebastian and Isla mid-scene, which leads to odd moments like this: “[...]the pale woman — Evangeline — appeared in the doorway.” Why would Sebastian think of Evangeline as “the pale woman” when he knows who she is, and is just as pale as she is? It’s choppy, and stands out in a bad way. There are also so many similes; one page there were six. And that’s just one page. It’s not that similes are bad, but when one page has half a dozen and the chapter nearly thirty, it begins to get a bit ridiculous.

Add to that constant repetition, and it makes me feel like the book doesn’t trust that I, the reader, will understand the complex thoughts like: Sebastian is studying Isla, who he studies like something to be studied as he studies Isla. Or, hey, this guy — this vampire guy? — is a vampire, and Isla knows he’s a vampire because he’s a predator who treats her like prey because vampires treat people like prey and he’s a vampire, this guy vampire.

For me, the writing got in the way of the story — which was vampires in a submarine hunting monsters in the depths of the ocean. I found the romance to be very overwritten, with even more similes and repetition and I ended up uninterested and underwhelmed. Isla is a blank puppet for readers to insert themselves into, the science is hinted at but never really revealed, and Sebastian is a vampire. However, the world building is interesting — and I am curious to see if the author, in future books, manages to be a little more confident in their writing.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

A story that builds. I was uncertain whether I liked the book initially but gradually it grew on me. Enough for me to want to continue with the next book in the series when it is published. I now really want to know what happened to the lost civilisation; how they preserved anything at all; and what will happen in the future to our heroine and her vampire.
Lots of mysteries in this story even down to what does the vampire ship feed on and how? How was it made - grown? From what? How is it powered? How is it steered? And so it goes on, and that's just the ship. A great imagination from the storytellerwith this ship.
Looking forward to the sequel.

All in all i did enjoy this book. It was very wordy which sometimes u love but i felt like maybe i was just not in the beat head space for this to love it as much as i would another time. It did feel like it jumped around sometimes to the point i couldn't always follow along like i missed a whole page or something. But it isa pretty cool story and not one i have read before which is such a nice change.

An immense gothic submarine, a mystery lurking in the depths of the ocean, and a beautiful, intense, aristocratic pirate vampire. What's not to love?

This was almost a five star read for me, but it left me very slightly unsatisfied, so I took a star off, but I'd call it a strong 4 star read.

Firstly, what I liked, and there was a lot to like!! The setting was amazing, the Nocturne sounds incredible, a lush, gothic castle, but in submarine form.

The pressure of the ocean and the confines of the setting really came through. The endlessness of the deep ocean and the horror of what could be lurking, just unseen. Very atmospheric.

I think this would make an excellent film. The visuals are so rich.

I liked the two main characters a lot. Isla was curious and courageous. Sebastian, elegant and conflicted. I would have liked to know a little more about Sebastian, his character could have been fleshed out a little more.

The plot was interesting and kept me reading. The story kept a good pace throughout.

I really wanted to give this five stars, but the reason I couldn't was because I felt like the two main characters, and the romance between them could have been developed a bit more. I feel like they missed a step between initial attraction, and being completely in love. I think what was there was good, but it skipped a step. It's not a deal breaker, but I so wish there was a little more there because I think this could have been one of my favourite books. It was so close. The concept is amazing. Vampire submarine pirates, it's so worth a read just for this!

I didn't mind the poetic language, I found it suited the tone of the book. Though I was somewhat annoyed by the repetition of some phrases and concepts. It wasn't frequent enough to become a real problem, but it pulled me out of the story a bit when I noticed it.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book, and I'll be looking out for the next one! :)

🧛‍♂️⚓ Vampires, pirates, a supernatural submarine, and an ancient artifact—this book is unlike anything I’ve ever read! ⚓🧛‍♂️

This book is truly unique.

It follows Dr. Isla Hart, a scientist on a deep-sea expedition to prove her father’s wild theories. But when her ship is attacked by pirates, salvation comes from an unexpected source: another ship… crewed entirely by vampires. Recognizing her knowledge and skills, the vampires kidnap Isla and force her to help them search for an ancient artifact hidden in the depths.

I’ve honestly never read a story that mixes science and magic in this way. It blends paranormal elements with metaphysics, and at times the magic feels almost psychological, which raised goosebumps more than once. At first, I was a little confused by how the two concepts intertwined, but the strangeness also kept me intrigued.

The plot is slow and evenly paced, which builds suspense. It keeps you on edge, never quite sure what’s going to happen next. Because it was unpredictable, I couldn’t stop reading—I was too invested to put it down.

The relationship between Isla and Sebastian is also a slow build. It isn’t insta-love, but there’s definitely an immediate intensity on his side (he is a vampire, after all). I did find myself slightly frustrated with Isla—while the narrative insists she’s “different” from other scientists, her constant denial of the paranormal and magical things happening around her made her reactions harder to believe. She was curious, yes, but her stubbornness sometimes pulled me out of the story.

That said, I still enjoyed this book for its originality and atmosphere. It was eerie, immersive, and left me curious about what’s to come.

Spice: ❌ None
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Tropes:
⚓ Supernatural, gothic, somewhat sentient submarine
🧛 Vampires
💘 Vampire × Human
📜 Ancient artifact quest
🐙 Ancient sea monster
🤝 Forced proximity
🌑 Brooding MMC
🔥 Slow burn

Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial, and A.V. Wilcott for this ARC! 💜

Vampires, humans, and mystical deep sea creatures.

This book was definitely unique! I enjoyed the world. It was eerie, dark, and we got to explore and uncover the mysteries of the dark depths of the ocean. The overall plot was interesting and there were several suspenseful moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed the creatures in this story and the technology in this world.

I did find the writing style a bit distracting at times and it would pull me out of the story. The book is written in 3rd person but sometimes when switching between characters mid paragraph I would get confused who “he” or “she” was. Especially if there were several characters in a scene, I would get confused whose emotions were described on the page. But this definitely might be a me problem as I don’t typically read books in this writing style and prefer first person POVs.

I was disappointed in the progression of the romance. I didn’t mind the instant attraction between the main characters and I actually enjoyed the tension in the beginning. But I felt like the romance never developed or grew, they just kinda got together in the end?

Also, does Sebastian breathe or not? Asking for a friend.

Overall, I did enjoy the story. It was unique and suspenseful.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fangs and Fathoms is an addictive mix of deep-sea adventure, gothic tension, and slow-burn paranormal romance that pulled me under from page one. A.V. Wilcott blends science, myth, and danger into a story that feels both claustrophobic and vast—set on a luxury submarine where secrets are currency and trust is nearly impossible.

Isla is a compelling heroine—grounded in science but suddenly immersed in a world of vampires, curses, and oceanic horrors. Her dynamic with Sebastian crackles with tension: elegant, dangerous, and utterly unreadable, he’s both savior and captor, and their relationship walks that razor’s edge of mistrust and attraction. Add in the lurking terror of the deep and the mystery of Isla’s own past, and the stakes feel as high as the pressure in the trench itself.

This isn’t a high-spice romance, but the slow-burn intensity delivers, building a delicious push and pull against the eerie backdrop of the open ocean. Sometimes the pacing dipped a little with scientific detail, but the atmosphere and worldbuilding kept me hooked.

For fans of gothic romance with a modern, oceanic twist—think Dracula meets 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea—this is a dark, dangerous, and beautifully written start to a new series. I’ll definitely be diving into book two.

Dr Isla Hart has become trapped aboard the Nocturne, who is crewed by Vampires, whilst on a scientific expedition. However something more dangerous than vampires is stirring in the deep.
I have a bit of mixed feelings about this. I am definitely not a fan of 'insta' attraction and the main characters had no build up to this. Also it annoyed me that Isla kept banning on that she was a scientist.. It felt that the character driven story dominated at the expense of the world building and plot so overall it left me with less than favourable read.

Thank you to the Publisher and Author for sending me this ARC via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I am sad to say this, but I could not get into this book. I was intrigued by the description, but I felt that there was not enough details with the plot and too much insta-love for me. I do think this would be a good read for someone who likes more romance > storyline.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I picked this one up, but I’m so glad I did. This is high-stakes sci-fi crossed with a supernatural thriller - a story that feels almost claustrophobic at times, exactly like being on a submarine, albeit a high-tech, living, breathing, vampire-controlled one.

The plot focus leans more toward adventure and exploration than romance, but when the romance appears, it might be low on spice but it’s tension-filled and comes with plenty of brooding from the main vampire love interest. The supernatural danger meshes perfectly with the crushing, unknowable depths of the ocean. And when moments of intimacy rise to the surface, they carry real emotional weight, like in this striking line:

“His lips met hers with a touch that was more plea than possession, more worship than need. He kissed her like he was trying to remember who he was. Like her mouth might be the key to finding his way back.”

A dark, immersive read for anyone who craves atmosphere, mystery, and the pull of the deep.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this eARC.

This story was unique and interesting. I've not read anything quite like it before, so that was awesome. The story was action packed with lots of mystery. I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. I will say, I did find it odd that the FMC was so quick to believe the crew were vampires, when that was something she knew was impossible. She came to that conclusion herself rather quickly and just went with it. But otherwise, this is a solid story and I'll be sure to read book 2.

This was just what I needed. I loved the premise, the build up and how it all fit together. Nothing felt out of place, and the main characters made me really emotional. I loved this book so much, and I hope to read more from this author in the future. This was one of the best books I have read this year. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the newfound fear of the sea (in a good way).

I enjoyed this. I was hooked from the first chapter and was invested for the rest of the book.

I love an ocean setting in media, and vampires on a gothic almost sentient submarine exploring the deep ocean and fighting mythological sea monsters is right up my street. I really enjoyed the setting and how the author managed to capture the eeriness of the deep ocean perfectly.

I liked the writing style and the characters. I think that vampire media has a habit of falling into being quite campy, and as much as I love something unserious, I love when vampires are treated as serious and scary. I did find a few spelling mistakes and grammatical errors throughout the book, but honestly that ruined nothing for me and I still enjoyed reading it, although the word “cataloging” was used so often it stopped looking like a real word.

I think my main issue with the book was it being marketed as slow burn. While overall I had no issues with the romance and appreciated it being low spice and closed door, it was not slow burn. On page 10, our fmc stated that she found the mmc attractive. At around 50 pages, he admits to wanting her and at page 110, they had their first kiss. Again, I had no issue with the romance, but I don’t think books under 300 where the romance is a large part of the plot can marketed as slow burn.

“Because sometimes, the dark sees you back. And it remembers.”

Dr. Isla Hart isn’t a fool; she knows how the world sees her: disgraced, incompetent, perhaps even a little crazy. Following a disaster at the Mariana Trench which left her the sole survivor of a scientific voyage, Dr. Hart embarks on yet another journey to the same exact place. She’s hunting for something that’s impossible - something hidden in the deep. Instead of finding it, however, vampires find her first.

This story follows what can be arguably described as an obsessed scientist and vampire pirates. I call them vampire pirates since their ship, the Nocturne, can quite literally fully submerge under the ocean to depth unimaginable and they sail the seas in mystery.

To start off, I liked how curious and brave the main character Isla is. She’s always on the hunt for answers and even when she logically knows she should be afraid, she doesn’t let that stop her from standing up for herself. Unfortunately, while I do think she is brave and bold with her tongue, there is quite a lack of action on her end. It feels like everything is just happening to her and she’s two dimensional in responding to it. I also didn’t love how her having a scientific mind was brought up almost every time she had a thought. Like yes, we know she has a scientific mind, that’s why she’s in the mess in the first place! I did like Sebastian, the main love interest, who’s a charming, mysterious vampire who needs Isla to help him find what’s in the deep. Their tension throughout this book is unmistakable. I wouldn’t classify this as a slow burn, however, like it is marketed. It is very much insta-love in my opinion. They are immediately drawn to each other within the first 5 chapters and feel an unworldly connection.

“Most people run from their nightmares. You chase yours.”

I really like the mystery aspects, the somewhat new magical anomalies in the world, and the overall darker vibes of the book. Without spoiling anything, I love the themes of blood throughout the book. It definitely gave me a spooky vibe.

This book is more focused on the character relationships instead of the actual plot or world building. There is a lot of poetic language used for the descriptions that help enhance it, but don’t do much to actually give an idea of what the author is trying to explain. For example, “Unlike Sebastian’s calculating menace or Evangeline’s frostbitten cruelty, this one radiated chaos barely bottled. Wildness masquerading as charm, danger with its feet up.” To clarify, I don’t think there is anything wrong with this or that it is a negative thing. It’s not my personal preference for books (I would prefer more substantive world building and direct descriptions) but I do think the language is quite beautiful.

Something I noticed is that the book can be a little repetitive. Within the first 4 chapters Caspian makes a joke about the ship not being hungry because it just ate and the author proceeds to bring it up 4 more times in the next chapter or so. Just repeatedly mentioning how specifically Caspian said the ship wasn’t hungry. The trend is followed through on different topics throughout the whole book. They are definitely repeated for a reason (emphasis, clues, etc.) but it felt overwhelming at times.

Overall, I think this is a great book but it wasn’t exactly tuned to my tastes. The overly flowy language, lack of world building and in depth characterization, and repetitive phrasing knocked the rating down for me a bit. That being said, I do strongly encourage you to pick this book up and try it. I can see how it would be amazing to someone who likes more character focused tense mysteries and poetic descriptions.