I really enjoy reading Katee Robert's books, but I think that the pirate life just isn't for me. Of course I can appreciate the grumpy v. sunshine trope, and I loved seeing the formidable Lizzie fall in love (a bit unwillingly), but overall, I think this series isn't the one for me.

I can't wait to read what Robert comes out with next!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Dnf at 22%

The first book was already kind of boring to me, and I had hoped this would be better, but unfortunately it wasn't.

!!𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 & 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!!

Review posted to StoryGraph and Goodreads as of4/30/24. Review will be posted to Amazon on release date.

After going to Threshold to chase down her ex that stole family treasures, Lizzie now finds herself trapped on the same boat with her ex and her ex’s new boyfriend and no closer to her family jewels. When the crew of the boat goes to save a captured selkie, Maeve, Lizzie gets her opportunity to get back on the hunt. Maeve’s pelt has been stolen and she needs Lizzie’s assistance to recover it. When tension rises will these two be able to remain treasure hunting partners?
Hahaha! Finally our girl Lizzie gets got. Our icy bloodline vampire finds herself falling for sweet Maeve and it is just delightful. I loved the path their relationship takes and seeing these two find true partners. It’s so refreshing to see a “touch her and die” coming from Lizzie. It was another fun adventure out at sea. I can’t wait to see what the next story holds as the rebellion continues to rise.

The second novel in the Crimson Sails series, Blood on the Tide, stars Lizzie the murderous vampire, and a selkie names Maeve. Lizzie came to Threshold to get her stolen heirlooms back but they sailed away with The Crimson Hag. Maeve is trying to get her pelt back, and she and Lizzie team up to go on their own adventure. Along the way, they fall for each other.
I just wasn't that into this book. I loved Hunt on Dark Waters but this one didn't do it for me, I feel like Lizzie was too murderous to change as a person that quickly and Maeve was too nice. Also, selkie powers, kinda meh. She turns into a giant leopard seal. Huh. The ending also felt a bit rushed.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this e-arc.*

Katee Robert’s Blood on the Tide, second book in the Crimson Sails series, is perfect for those looking for sapphic romance and high seas adventure, complete with a bit of fantasy elements and positive plus size representation. I was admittedly amused when the author promoted the book as something she thought of with the idea that “Pirates of the Caribbean needed more murderous women”, but she totally delivered on that premise.

Lizzie and Maeve are both missing things near and dear to them. Lizzie, a bloodline vampire with murderous tendencies who loves getting into fights, is desperate to find the family heirlooms that were stolen from her by an ex. Maeve is a selkie working for the rebellion who lost a part of herself after her ex made off with her skin (taking with it her ability to shift). Since they both have similar goals, they agree to team up until they get what they want. However, forced proximity and all the time they spend together on the hunt leave them more entangled with each other than either had planned…

For those who may be curious, the romance in this book is a little tamer than some of Katee Robert’s other novels. While I wouldn’t use the word vanilla (since there is still explicit on page sex), it’s definitely a far cry from the BDSM clubs that appear in her other series (see Dark Olympus and Wicked Villains). Maeve and Lizzie’s romance is an empowering sapphic love story - both of them are women on a mission, and while they were definitely not looking for love after being hurt so deeply by their exes, they fall into it. The plus sized representation in Maeve’s character is amazing - I wasn’t expecting it to be connected to her selkie side as well but it was really well done.

One nice thing about all of Katee Robert’s books is that I always find myself learning new things. Sometimes, it’s about different kinks and practices (i.e. those heavily found in the Wicked Villains series), other times it's about different mythological references. In this book, I got to learn about what a morality chain is (i.e., Maeve’s ability to temper Lizzie’s bloodlust and murderous tendencies), how selkie powers work, and a little bit about sailing. This, along with the larger storyline and the action helped to balance the various sex scenes and romance, ultimately blending together into a well written and engaging book.

Blood on the Tide was another entertaining read from Katee Robert. While it wasn’t my favorite book of hers, I still found myself invested because of the characters, the romance and the worldbuilding. Given that this is yet another book that connects to her other series (Court of the Vampire Queen has a major link), I am absolutely astounded at how she keeps all the connections straight. At the time of writing this review, I don’t think the next book has been announced but I’m looking forward to more installments in this series.

CONTENT WARNINGS (courtesy of the author): murder, blood, explicit sex, violence

Oh my, wow, and whoa - Blood on the Tide was so much more than I was expecting and, to be fair, I went into my first Katee Robert read with high hopes. Not only was this a wonderful romance, chock full of sexual tension, but it's also a fabulous fantasy, complete with magic, monsters, politics, intrigue, and rebellion.

Lizzie was such a fun, bad-ass character, full of snark and attitude - an anti-heroine of the sharpest, bloodiest caliber. She's powerful, single-minded, and fiercely protective, not immoral but an immortal woman with her own distinct sense of morality. Despite her age and her powers, she has her vulnerabilities, not the least of which is her fear of water - a definite challenge when you're sailing with pirates. Maeve is the kind of character who would likely be relegated to the supporting cast in another story, a sweet young selkie who initially seems too innocent for the rebellion in which she's enmeshed, but proves herself to be far more clever and worldly than she first appears.

The tension between the two smolders on every page, even as they're denying their feelings and pissing each other off. It's a convenient clash of quests that forces them into close proximity, with one chasing a family treasure and the other a personal one, and an orgasmic act of feeding that opens the first mutual crack in their independence.

There's a darkness to the fantasy here, a story of colonization and rebellion, but there's also a strong sense of joyous hope. There's never any doubt that Lizzie and Maeve will see it through to the end, but what I loved most was that even though all the high stakes of epic fantasy are here, it's the personal stakes of love and romance that fuel the story. Maeve remains determined to do the right thing for her people (and her world), and Lizzie . . . well, she may not believe in the cause, but she believes in her selkie, and that's enough.

I love this series so much. Give me pirates, adventure, magic, monsters, and romance all day every day. Now I just have to wait patiently for book 3. Sad pouty face.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

OH how delicious. This sequel in the Crimson Sails series is even better than the first. It irons out the world a bit more AND the romance & stakes feel kicked up a few notches. I'm quite excited to see how the rest of the series plays out.

I'm a sucker (lol) for orgasmic vampire bites and unabashed queer love & sex. The romance absolutely feels more organic and slower than the first book and it works. It's awesome to sea (lol) Katee Roberts settling into Threshold better than our murderous Lizzie. (:

Katee Katee Katee you are SO fun!! I can’t handle how many amazing fun steamy characters she builds! Like what a brain. This sea adventure story continues from first is fire. It took a bit to build up, but I appreciate getting some back story again cuz it had been awhile since I read the first, but then I was like okkkkk this will live rent free. I need a nox story honestly also! And more sapphic stories from Katee as a whole ! I wanna be bewitched by a vampire and sail around on adventures. I love how she creates all these worlds.

3.5 rounded up!

usually i eat up all of KR books, but unfortunately this one was just fine to me. i didn’t find myself as invested in lizzie and maeve as i have previous KR couples. i found myself comparing it to book one too much in the sense that that one had a full cast and crazy things happening left and right and it didnt have the same appeal in this book.

the cover is stunning & im still very excited to see where this series goes!!

A continuation of another great series by Katee Robert. I am endlessly impressed that there doesn't seem to be a genre that she can't tackle and give a beautiful story, and that despite having written so many stories each character, couple, plot, and location are completely unique and full of the heart that I've come to expect.

Sapphic pirates? I mean what more needed to be said. Lizzie and Maeve are my new favorites for this series, and I think this story was more nuanced than the first one with Bowen and Evelyn, maybe because there was less establishing and more action and personal growth focus? I don't know but I do know that it was a great read. I appreciated seeing depth and growth from Lizzie without having her lose her morally grey edge.

I felt at time the pacing was a bit off, rushing then too calm, and I don;t love this series as much as some of Roberts' other series but those are more of a personal preference than a real critique. I still look forward to reading the rest of this series and seeing what will happen next with the overarching storylines.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Berkley Publishing for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Multiple POV, pirates, LGBTQ representation

This was good and definitely different than anything I have ever read. It didn't stick with me as much as the first book did. I will continue to read the series. I just thought I would love this more. I found the characters to be very unlikable and too immature. I did like the book, in general.

Blood on the Tide is a great sequel to Hunt on Dark Waters, and quite honestly, I liked it way more than the first one! Lizzie is cruel and wicked and ruthless, and she really needed to be toned down by someone soft but mentally sharp and able to stand up to her. And Maeve is perfect for that role.

I really enjoyed the relationship building for Lizzie and Maeve - we got to see them develop individually and also together. I love a good reluctant dark and broody character who is pulled out of her shell via a give and take question-for-a-question banter with the soft fmc.

A sapphic romance is always refreshing and this one did not disappoint! And adding in an orgasmic vampire bite, pirates, selkies, and other mystical creatures? Super interesting.

I enjoyed their relationship progression a lot more than the one in the first book, with Evelyn and Bowen... Something about it felt more genuine and natural - it seemed like it was the perfect match and the progression was done really nicely. I was totally invested in them, and melted every time Maeve stood up to Lizzie and made her take down her walls... so good!

There were high stakes, murder, lust, love, personal growth, and so much more. I am interested in seeing what happens next, and will definitely go back and read Katee Roberts other series about the bloodline vampires to get a deeper level of understanding in Lizzie's background.

Overall, I enjoyed Blood on the Tide by Katee Robert, and can't wait to both read the next one and dive into the other connected series!

This was honestly only my second sapphic romance, and I really enjoyed it! Some of the tropes in this that I loved are:
- grumpy x sunshine
- touch her and die
- pirates and sirens
- morally gray fmc
I didn’t read the first book, and I’m sure that reading that would have helped a bit, but I truly didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything without having read it (but I probably will still go back and read it haha)! It was spicy without being overwhelming, and it was more character/plot driven than spice driven which I appreciate! I really liked both fmcs, but Lizzie has my heart <33
Thank you to Katee, Berkeley, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Definitely here for a sapphic vampire story from Katee. You don't really need to read the previous book to understand what's going on in this one but it does help give some background/world information. However this book felt like it had some pacing issues where bits felt rushed and others dragged. Otherwise it was what you'd expect from Katee.

📖 Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails book 1)
- by Katee Robert

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

💭 My Thoughts

Hunt on Dark Waters is a paranormal romance with pirates, vampires, and sexy witches. Evelyn is a witch from the human realm who steals from her vampire girlfriend Lizzie and flees through a portal to another realm. Bowen is a monster hunting pirate from Threshold who finds Evelyn in the middle of the sea, fresh out of the portal. Unfortunately his charity doesn’t come without a price, join the Cŵn Annwn or be throw back into the sea.

Let’s talk about what I liked first. I absolutely loved Evelyn’s snarky, chaotic, and sexy character. I loved Captain Bowen, the honorable hopeless romantic pirate. Their relationship was what kept me going when I struggled with the plot of this story. I loved the LGBTQ representation and how easily it flowed into the story.

The story overall was intriguing, but I struggled with the pacing. At times it was fast paced and I was really into the story, but other times it dragged and I found myself wondering when it would end. I was given the ARC for Blood on the Tide, book 2 in the series, by NetGallery. I’m excited to start the next book in the series and hopeful that the pacing will be better.

If you enjoy:
🏴‍☠️ Pirates, Witches, and Vampires. Oh my!
🌊Insta love
🏴‍☠️ Golden retriever MMC
🌊 Paranormal Spicy romance
🏴‍☠️ LGBTQ representation
🌊 Curvy Witch Heroine
… then this is for you!

This one was kind of weird since we've only seen Lizzie as a villain and now she is supposed to be the one we root for? That was really weird to read and the romance in this one felt forced. I felt like this book was like its fine but not like worth it. I guess if you really want to know what is going on in this world to try it out. But seriously I just felt like it was a let down.

A perfect follow up to the author’s previous title in the series. Will definitely be handselling/recommending this series specifically over her other titles.

Ice queen vampire who’s gorgeous meets soft, wholesome selkie who makes the big bad vampire feel safe and loved. 🥹

✔️ Ice Queen
✔️ Grumpy x sunshine
✔️ Touch her and die
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ She’s mine x2
✔️ Badass heroine x2 😍
✔️ Orgasmic vampire bites

Spice was minimal - this is mostly plot. I got the feeling that the author may be slightly unfamiliar with steamy sapphic scenes as the other books I’ve read from them have been much, much spicier. I’m hoping that they continue writing sapphic novels though!

I don’t think reading the first is a requirement before reading this, but probably helpful for some context.

I LOVE Lizzie, but I have a thing for morally grey women. 😮‍💨 I’ll flesh out the review and then add more once I’m able to read the published copy! Things seemed a bit rushed in certain spots - the ending especially felt rushed, so I’m excited to see what changes there may be in the final copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing group for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review. ❤️

Lizzie is still searching for the family jewels that Evelyn stole and lost, and Maeve's selkie pelt has been stolen - it only makes sense for them to team up to find what they're looking for. Lizzie is calm, cool, and murderous at all times, but something about Maeve makes her soften just the slightest bit. Maeve is a bit of the opposite - she's easy to talk to (which helps in her part of the rebellion getting/passing on information). The unlikely duo sets out to find their lost stuff, but attraction starts to develop. Lizzie doesn't plan to stay in Threshold and believe she needs to go home to her mother to keep training as her heir. But there's a tentative peace between the various vampire families currently, and time moves differently in Threshold, so people probably think Lizzie is dead anyway...Lizzie isn't usually the staying type, but Maeve is challenging a lot of things in Lizzie's life.

Another high-seas adventure/romance from Katee Robert. Lizzie and Maeve make a delightful opposites-attract couple. It's fun to see Lizzie soften a little bit and it's nice, knowing a little about her background and how her mom treats her, to see her free of the pressures of her family. I'm super intrigued about her brother, Wolf. I think Siobhan is going to be the focus of the next story, but I'd love to see more from the vampire world. Blood on the Tide was a great queer romance, and the setting is unique and fun - I will definitely be recommending this during Readers' Advisory.