This is a fun sapphic fantasy romance adventure that you will breeze through! Lizzie became a favorite for me in Hunt on Dark Waters and I was so excited to read her book. She's a morally grey, gorgeous, badass vampire who has a reputation for being ruthless -- and it's not embellished. Her love interest, Maeve, is a gorgeous selkie who is soft where Lizzie is hard but she's no pushover and can be just as strong as Lizzie for the ones she loves. We see a little bit of Evelyn, Bowen and Nox in this book so if you loved them in the last one you'll at least get a look at how things are going for them post Hunt on Dark Waters -- though I do wish we had more of them (:

There's a lot to love about this book: the MCs, the adventure, the passion, the drama, the amount of life & death situations! There's definitely some spice but only a few scenes and I really liked the tender moments/vulnerability we get to see from ice queen Lizzie. The rebellion continues to be a main plot point and is talked about throughout the book while Maeve and Lizzie are on their journey to recover Maeve's selkie skin and Lizzie's family jewels. I didn't care much for any of the new side characters, they're more of a means to an end with the story focusing on our two FMCs. The pace is a little slower than the first book but it's a quick read and kept me engaged until the end. I imagine there will be more books in this series based on the ending and I look forward to reading whatever comes next!

Read if you like:
⚓️Only nice to her
⚓️Grumpy x sunshine
⚓️Dangerous creatures
⚓️Daring rescues
⚓️Touch her and die
⚓️Forced proximity
⚓️Vampire x Selkie
⚓️One morally grey FMC
⚓️Gender inclusive + LGBTQIA+
⚓️A touch of spice

This is book two in the Crimson Sails series but if you read Katee's Court of the Vampire Queen then Lizzie was already familiar to you and you'll know who some of the characters she refers to are! You can read this book as a standalone but it's more fun if you read the first book too.

I received an advanced digital copy from Berkley via NetGalley which I have voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✨ Review ✨ Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert

Thanks to Berkley and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

This is book #2 in the Crimson Sails series and picks up with Lizzie, Evelyn's vampire girlfriend from back on earth. Lizzie quickly pairs up with a selkie named Maeve, who has lost her pelt and Lizzie and Maeve set off to find Maeve's pelt and Lizzie's family heirlooms. The chemistry between the two sizzles from the beginning and throughout the story we come to see how they bring out new depths in each other (pun intended).

Maeve and Lizzie's journeys cross oceans on boats big and small to several islands in Threshold, and I loved the light adventure of sailing, ships, and exploration that joined the romance here. Like the first book in the series, there's more plot than typical in many of Robert's books, and it made for a fun summer read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.25)
Genre: fantasy f/f romance
Setting: Threshold (fantasy world) on ships and islands
Pub Date: May 14 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ pirates & vampires & selkies
⭕️ adventures/exploration + romance
⭕️ sea creatures

I absolutely loved this! Katee always does a fantastic job of bringing her characters to life on the page. The story flows so well from the previous book in the series too. I would no doubt recommend this to people!

I read the first one in preparation for this one and didn't love it, and I just couldn't get into this one.

Thank you to netgalley and penguin random publishing for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

As usual with Katee Robert books I LOVED it. I devoured the first on audible and then dove into blood on the tide. I was so glad to get to know Lizzie better, I still have questions but I'm betting I'll get my answers in time.
I was rooting for Maeve and Lizzie the whole time, their growth together and individually was phenomenal. I'm dying to get to the war between the rebellion and the council, im hoping to see more Bowen, Nox, and Evelyn in the next book!
I'm always impressed with Katees writing and her ability to make me lost in the story.

I didn't love this one quite as much as Hunt on Dark waters but it was fun to get Vampire Lizzie's story and see her fall for a Selkie in this fast-paced romantasy sequel! I listened to this on audio and really wasn't a huge fan of the narrators which also may have affected how I felt overall about this one. Steamy AF with lots of action and recommended for Sarah J. Maas or Adrianne Young fans. I do love this whole world and hope we get more Threshold universe. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Katee is one of my auto buy authors and I love this pirate, sea, mythical/paranormal creature series she's doing right now.
Loved the vampire that was scared of the ocean but was on a pirate ship. The selkie searching for her pelt. The tension and attraction.
Didn't know how much I needed a sapphic vampire and selkie romance. This was full of adventure and intrigue. And always love her steamy scenes.

I didn't find the main characters engaging.
Lizzie's unceasing quest for the family heirloom jewels just doesn't make sense - the family is already filthy rich and powerful, why do they care so much about jewelry? They aren't described as being magical.
Lizzie and Maeve are subject to the insta-lust and are soooo drawn to one another purely due to appearance and vibes.
Also, by the 25% mark, nothing of note had really happened and I wasn't going to further subject myself to a book I wasn't enjoying. DNF at 25%.

I absolutely loved reading this book! I love her writing so much, and these worlds that spans 3 series right now, and of course, amazing romance and representation, this book was guaranteed to be one that I enjoyed. Which I absolutely did!

And can I just say, that the cover is stunning. The reds and the pinks as water, with the gold foiling, it's so pretty, and I can't wait to have it physically, because the way the first book popped when I got it, this one is going to be even more so! I can't wait!

We first met Lizzie in Queen, the 3rd part in Court of the Vampire Queen, which was pretty interesting, because she's Wolf's sister, and their family dynamics are strained, to say the least. So watching her fall in love with Maeve, that was so delightful! And they both deserved that happiness after what their lives had been like before they met each other, espcailly the specific circumstances that brough them to working with one another.

I'm so excited to see how this series is going to end, since I heard this was a trilogy, the next and final book has to wrap up the rebellion, hopefully for the better, since the council and the Cŵn Annwn are just awful. And I'm wondering if we've been introduced to the leads of that book, or met one, and told the name of the other...

This was a fantastic read, and I can't wait for the final book!

“ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴋɪʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴꜱ ᴋᴇᴇᴘɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ.” 🩷

Kateeeeeeeeeee!!!!! This book was 🔥🔥🔥

It was spicy! It was murdery! It was full of angst and wanting! So you know, everything I want in a book 😂

Lizzie was exactly what I was hoping for, she was a murderous bitch with a heart. As always grumpyxsunshine is my favorite and this was a perfect sapphic representation of the trope. Maeve was so sweet but I have to say that I really loved the backbone she had. Lizzie couldn’t be with someone who wasn’t also a predator but it was so 🥰 to watch her struggle with wanting to protect Maeve and also knowing Maeve can protect herself.

There is also what appears to be a series subplot that is helping drive these stories and I’m enjoying it. It feels authentic for how Threshold has been described and I like that it means some of the characters from past books will likely show up. I love a good cameo!

This series is super enjoyable! It’s spicy pirates and the representation is amazing! Highly recommend this one for lovers of grumpyxsunshine, touch her and die, and paranormal romance!

It was so fun to dive back into the fantasy water world of mythical creatures and pirates in this second book in the Crimson Sails series, which can be read as a stand-alone.

Blood on the Tide is a sapphic romantasy story between Lizzie, a morally grey vampire who we were introduced to in the first book, Hunt on Dark Waters, and a beautiful selkie with a big heart that she helps save, named Maeve. While Lizzie continues her search at sea for missing family heirlooms, Maeve is on the hunt to find her stolen pelt, which aids in her powers.

Bonded on their journey, this grumpy x sunshine friendship turns into more with just one orgasmic bite from Lizzie, making it hard to resist one another, and I loved their spice! With Lizzie being such a hard character to like in the last book, I love a redemption story.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-fantasy romance
-mythical creatures
-sapphic romance
-non-binary rep
-opposites attract
-forced proximity

🎧I paired the book with the audiobook format and really enjoyed the dual narration which was performed by Alix Dale and K.C. Sheridan. The accents really pulled me into the story even more.

*many thanks to Berkley Romance and PRH audio for the gifted copy for review.

I was drawn into an enthralling world where Lizzie, a formidable bloodline vampire, teams up with Maeve, a selkie, to retrieve stolen treasures and a lost skin. Their quest leads them through dangerous waters, especially with the fearsome Cŵn Annwn in pursuit. The unlikely alliance between the vampire and the selkie evolves beautifully into a complex relationship, rich with tension and attraction. The story masterfully blends elements of fantasy and romance, making each page a thrilling ride. I particularly enjoyed the deep character development and the vividly depicted magical elements, creating a truly immersive experience. This book is a fantastic addition to any fantasy lover's collection.

Its a Katee Robert book. Its going to be fun and flirty. The spice is just an added bonus.
Such a fast read. The characters are loveable. The insta love was expected but maybe too instant. Overall I really enjoyed it. Can't wait for more pirates.

3.5⭐️ rounded-up.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Disclaimer: going in, I didn't know this was a sequel, but after reading reviews where other reviewers mentioned that it can be read as a standalone, that is what I did. I think the worldbuilding and character backgrounds from the first book would've given me more context, but this has not altered my review.

This sapphic read follows a sweet selkie named Maeve and a broody vampire (Lizzie) as they join together to search for Maeve's lost pelt and Lizzie's family heirlooms. What they don't expect is to grow in their undeniable attraction to one another.

I love how the author used inspiration from folklore (like the Selkie Wife) for this story. The journey was interesting, but I felt like some of the problems and conflicts that our characters faced were solved a little too easily. Maeve and Lizzie are both a little frustrating at times, too, but I love how they grew in their understanding of one another. I also loved the nautical pirate aspect of this romantasy story.

BK-17/R
2 Chili Pepper
LGBTQIA+ Sapphic FF
New Adult

I kept waiting for more. The character development was off for me. Stuck in the thoughts of the characters and very little action in all areas. This felt like a safe book for Katee Robert. Possibly trying to appeal to a younger demographic? This was a miss for me. Will not be continuing this series.

I always enjoy reading Katee Robert's books because I know they're going to be a fun time. I think of them as candy, something fun and sweet, but not necessarily going to be super in depth, which is totally fine. Katee always has some fun plot, a heavy dose of spice, and is wrapped up in a wonderfully inclusive world.

This book follows Hunt on Dark Waters and features the ex of the FMC from book one. I enjoyed this book well enough, but am realizing the pirate trope isn't my favorite. I've liked the settings of her other books more, which is reflected in my rating, but I think for people who are pirate fans, they'd probably rate higher!

The characters were fun and enjoyable as a couple, but I did have a little difficulty in connecting with them, which was due to format I read it in. I ended up doing this one on audio as my arcs have gotten away from me, and ended up having some *feelings* about the narrators. It was dual POV, so each woman had their own narrator, but with Lizzies character, I found I really didn't like her voice but I liked the Maeve narrator voice when she would do Lizzies voice in Maeve's POV. I think the narrators should have been flipped for characters as the Maeve narrator captured Lizzies personality better, I think.

Overall a quick spicy read. Not my favorite, but worth it if you like Katee's books and pirate fantasies!

This book was honestly pretty rough for me to get into. It took me like 5 days to read it when normally something like this should have taken me a day or two, but I was just b o r e d. It consisted of a lot of inner monologue which dragged the flow of the story down. There was also a lack of chemistry, but I did like the characters a lot on their own. Good queer rep too and an interesting setting, but overall didn’t work great for me. Although I’ll still keep reading the books in this series if the next one is a little better! 3.5 rounded down.

🌈Queer rep: main FF couple, bi/pan female main character, lesbian main character. Secondary pan/bi characters in an MF relationship. Multiple differently-gendered secondary characters (using they/them, and ze/zem pronouns). Brief mention of an FMMM polycule from another book.

I wanted to love this new sapphic romance SO BADLY. Lizzie intrigued me so much in book 1, and I was curious how katee was going to spin the sorta villain to fmc, but I just don’t think sea-faring novels are it for me. I need to stop trying 😭

Katee Robert never misses! The sequel to Hunt on Dark Waters, is a sapphic story involving a vampire and a selkie who have to work together. I loved both of the characters equally anf the romance and spice was perfect! I truly believe Katee Roberts kills this genre and look forward to all her books!

Once again, Katee delivers a fun and swoon-worthy romp on the high seas, this time featuring a selkie and a vampire! After the harrowing adventures in Hunt on Dark Waters, Blood on the Tide follows Lizzie, a vampire stuck in the wrong realm, and Maeve, a kind and determined selkie, as they team up in search of items stolen from both of them. Lizzie and Maeve must learn to work with each other to survive on the high seas and figure out how to get back what was once theirs, while also possibly realizing they may have great chemistry along the rocky way.
We (me) love a sapphic fantasy romance with strong female characters who bring out the best in each other! Additionally, this book serves as a reminder that we are not entirely who our parents and environments have shaped us into and that everyone deserves to love and be loved. While not novel concepts, Katee always does a fabulous job of depicting the complexities of trauma and societal expectations in relationships in a very relatable way. Overall, this is the perfect read for anyone who loves the world of pirates, vampires, monster lore, and/or sapphic romances. I’m excited to see where the series goes from here!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly review this amazing arc.