I didn’t know I needed a pirate book in my life, but this taught me otherwise. I enjoyed this first book more than the others by the author by far. Fable has been left by her father to fend for herself and finally earns enough to pay her way to get off the island. She has so much to prove, until she realizes that the one person she wants to prove herself to will never be concerned with her. So she determines she has nothing to prove to anyone but herself. And oh how the story unfolds. I just can’t wait for the next book. Namesake, here I come.

Another great story from Adrienne Young! Loved the world building, character development, strong heroine, and adventure of this! Excited for the sequel.

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

*Thank you to the publisher for this eARC. My views and opinions are my own*

I am ashamed to say this… but Fable was an ARC review from last summer. What is even sadder is that I love this author so why did I wait so long?

It’s called mood reading. Which doesn’t mix well with arcs.

Not going to lie. At first, this book was slowwwww for me. I actually did read a few chapters last year and just couldn’t get into it. Fast forward to this summer and I finally have it another go.

It still was a bit meh for me until about halfway through. After that point, I really didn’t want to stop reading. The characters abs story got my attention.

Fable is a strong MC that we get to see grow into her own with the help of some pirates. Honestly, I love the crew of The Marigold. Willa could be the best of friends. And don’t even get me started with West. SWOON. Blonde broken boy with green eyes and I’m going to fall head over heels.

I think there was a great balance between world-building and character development. Sometimes too much detail can be a bore. I understand why the first of the book was sort of slow. So if you also feel this way just keep pressing through. Unless you don’t.

I do think I will end up loving the second book more even though in the end I rated this one so high.

A fun seafaring adventure story for anyone yearning for life on the high seas! Young has an excellent writing style that breathes life into this world of pirates and port cities teeming with riches. I appreciated the way the characters in this book actually had to be more than a little ruthless to survive, although I didn't quite connect with them as much as I would've liked. I enjoyed the fraught relationship that Fable has with Saint, in particular, although I'm not very compelled by her romance with West.

That being said, this story ends on quite the cliffhanger. I do look forward to reading book 2.

Loved it, this is my 3rd book by Adrienne Young and as always her novels are so good. The writing is spectacular and her female characters are so well written especially for the genre.

I absolutely love Adrienne Young’s work! This story was amazing! The book was hard to put down. Loved the world building and the character development. Badass heroine for sure, the pace of the story was written perfectly. I am so excited for future titles by her!

Young’s books are just not for me! I’m not a fan of the writing style but I can also acknowledge that I’m not the target audience.

“He looked at me with a hundred stories lit behind his eyes.”

Summary
Fable has done what she can to survive after being abandoned by her famous trader father on the ruthless island of thieves, Jeval. She is determined to find her way back to him to claim what's hers. She enlists the reluctant help of the crew of the Marigold, a trading outfit that stops by Jeval on occasion. From there she becomes entangled back into the world of ruthless traders and the unpredictable sea.


Review
This was such a gripping, fast-paced beautiful novel. This story was everything I wanted out of a pirate book. Young balances a fast paced, sea-faring adventure perfectly with the emotions of the characters.

I fell in love with Fable and the crew of the Marigold. The seas are a precarious place, but this crew really gives such strong found family vibes and I am here for it. I loved how cut throat and ruthless every one is in this world, and it adds so much tension to the story line. Even though Fable is the one narrating, there were a few times I was seriously worried she wasn't going to make it. This was such a strong adventure novel and I had a great time being along for the ride.

I've read Young's previous two works and one thing that is definitely her strength is family dynamics! I've always loved the way that she has portrayed the complicated relationships that can occur between family members. Her descriptions of the way Fable feels about her mother and father were definitely pulled at the heart strings. Not only that, but the way the relationship between West and Fable bloomed was absolutely beautiful. The build up to that particular underwater scene at the end was worth every second of pining. I really feel like she was able to build up their relationship in such a subtle yet rewarding way.

If you are in the mood for a sea-faring adventure, definitely pick this one up!!! Literally I have been in such a pirate mood and this absolutely checked that box. It's been awesome following Young's work since Sky in the Deep and I can't wait to see what she does next!

Enjoyable sea voyage romp, with a fun cast of characters. I'm invested in the relationships between the characters both as a found family and the romantic pairings. Excited to see more from the sequel.

Shortly after I was approved for this book I got in in a bookish subscription box. I absolutely loved this book, the characters were written so well and I loved the storytelling. I was really sad when I realised I only had a few chapters left, but I knew there was a sequel coming very soon, so I wasn't too worried.

This was such a fun story! This is the first book in a fantasy series set at sea. If you love pirates or sea settings this is definitely the book for you!
I loved the characters and the world building. I feel like the author did both of these aspects very well. I will definitely be reading the next book.

This was a phenomenal read and I’m so grateful to be able to read it early. I can’t wait to read more by this author!!

I loved the world building and strong female lead. It was beautifully written, I can't wait to handsell this title and read the sequel!

I knew before even reading Fable that this book would be a favorite. Mainly for the simple fact that I am already a huge fan of Adrienne Young, but also because I am a sucker for books like this one.

Fable is the daughter of a very successful trader in the Narrows who was abandoned on a legendary island by her father the day after watching her mother drown. All she has known is life at sea, and all she wants is to leave the island and find her father. After four years, she ends up getting off the island thanks to West. The journey they embark on is full of adventure and romance.

I absolutely love the world building and the character development throughout this book. I couldn't read this book fast enough as I dived head first into this story and did not put it down until I was finished with it. I can not wait to read Namesake and see what happens next for Fable and West and their crew.

I loved this first book in Adrienne Young’s new duology. She thrusts you into the story with a shove, but the incredible world building and character voice pull you through page after page.

Fable’s arc from abandoned girl to independent woman is sensational and I loved her journey. The plot was steady amd I enjoyed the final twist! Can’t wait to read Book 2!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review

I always love a good found family story, and this one was no different. The main thing that could sell a book for me are the characters, and each character in this book was amazing. I loved reading about the crew of the ship Fable joins so much and I loved their dynamics. Definitely a recommendation if you love found family stories and your favourite movie is Pirates of the Caribbean.

Fable was an adventurous story set out at sea with a smart, capable heroine and a group of pirates with a leader that she may or may not end up falling for.

Fable was a fun read! I really liked how atmospheric the writing and the settings were. I felt like that really was at sea with these characters, delving below the water for hidden treasures.

I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something relatively simple but still full of some action and romantic tension!

3/5 ⭐️

TW: death of a parent, blood, violence, death, drowning.

First, let's talk about the cover art ... it's fantastic! Bravo to the artist. This book has it all - a great storyline, well-written characters that leave the reader cheering for them and wishing that the book didn't have to end .... but excited for the sequel.

"Welcome to a world made dangerous by the sea and by those who wish to profit from it. Where a young girl must find her place and her family while trying to survive in a world built for men. Fable takes you on a spectacular journey filled with romance, intrigue, and adventure."

(NETGALLEY BOOK – I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY ADVANCED READER COPY OF THIS BOOK THROUGH NETGALLEY. OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS REVIEW ARE COMPLETELY MY OWN.)

I loved this book! The setting was so vivid and imaginative and really connected me to the story! The characters were also great. They were really relatable and interesting to follow. I can't wait to start the next book!

A wonderful adventure for readers of all ages! If Captain Hook had a daughter with Ariel, Fable would be who I imagined. An exciting tale on the sea, with twists of mystery that will have you turning the page as fast as you can read. I was immediately drawn in and couldn't be pulled away until I finished and I'll be doing a re-read before the next one!