The world building here is just SO GOOD. Very creative with interesting magic systems and magnificent imagery. The love story is pretty slow burn, but enjoyable all the same even when the MC is being hugely infuriating.

The one thing I felt was quite frustrating about this book was the ending, it felt like it was setting up for a series and then just really suddenly wrapped everything up so I didn’t feel particularly satisfied.

A beautiful story set in a beautiful world. I loved the characters and the romance, and I completely loved that it was sapphic. The imagery was amazing, I felt like I was in the story and could picture the setting perfectly. Something out of a fairytale. However, I would have liked for the book to be longer, or even a duology, to see more of the politics of the world and the romance develop more.
I would totally recommend to read this book and I can’t wait for it to come out so I can get my hands on a physical copy.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the digital ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 rounded to 4

I struggled with this one, but I think part of it was going in with certain expectations which weren't necessarily met. So it's probably more a me problem.

My main issue was that I really didn't warm to the MC Lorelei. I know she is meant to be stubborn, difficult, gruff because it's what is expected of her, and its also a shield against society's expectations and preconceptions. But I really couldn't get on with her, and being stuck with mainly her POV and take on things meant you spend a lot of time with an unlikeable character. I preferred her love interest Sylvia and really think I would have enjoyed the book more from her POV!

Overall the vibes are very good. There's this dark academia aspect, gothic folklore themes and plenty of in-depth world building and lore. It really is an immersive experience, you're thrust straight into it and the author does a pretty good job of explaining things in a contextual way instead of too much 'telling' that feels shoehorned in. It did feel like a bit of an overload of information at times though, with characters giving long monologues or suddenly slipping into telling a folktale.

The romance was certainly believable for me - I'm a huge fan of academic rivals to lovers, and also love the whole "Person A believes themselves to be unloveable and also finds person B insufferable yet secretly admires them and doesn't want to admit it. Person B is very obviously enamoured with person A all along." thing - which seems really specific but I am telling you that I've read this exact trope multiple times and lap it up each time too. It was probably my favourite aspect of the book.

If you're going into this expecting a sapphic Emily Wilde, it's not. I feel like it lacks some of the fluffy charm Emily Wilde had, and is an entirely different beast. The only things they have in common are the academia aspect and the folklore. Let go of any expectations and go in to it freely, you'll probably enjoy it much more.

I was completely biased and asked for this book because I requested this book due to its sapphic gothic academic rivalry murder mystery plot, which I was biased towards and I am happy to say it did not dissapoint.

Lorelei Kaskel, a quick-tempered and witty folklorist, joins six eccentric nobles on an expedition to find a fabled spring that promises untold power, which the king wants to secure his reign in the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Determined to prove herself and achieve her dream of becoming a naturalist, Lorelei faces a harrowing start when her beloved mentor is murdered aboard their ship. With the suspects being her five remaining expedition mates, the only person Lorelei knows is innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again and a coup begins. As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together, uncovering their professor's secrets and resisting their growing feelings for each other, they encounter dangers like forests that rearrange at night, rivers with slumbering dragons, and shapeshifting beasts, making Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing and if the kingdom is worth saving.

This is the kind of book that grabs you from the beginning and you can't stop reading because you need to find out who is behind this mystery.

All I can say is, do not start this book late at night on a regular weekday, because you won't be able to put it down and will consider calling in sick just to keep reading.

Thank you Daphne Press and Allison Saft for sending this book my way in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the author, Daphne Press, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“In this enchanting sapphic fantasy romance by the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic, sharp-tongued folklorist Lorelei Kaskel must team up with her academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff, to solve their mentor's murder.”

I was immediately captivated by the premise of this book, but unfortunately, I ended up DNFing it at about 40%.

I struggled from the beginning with the pacing, and honestly, I couldn’t care less about the plot or the characters.

There is a lot of info dumping throughout the chapters, which I can usually overlook, but here it felt particularly forced. In the second chapter, we are introduced to all five characters we'll see in the story and given a brief backstory for each of them. How am I supposed to remember who’s who?

I also didn’t like how the author inserted the folk tales between scenes. The tales were interesting in themselves, but they felt forced into the narrative.

Another point I didn’t like was the characters’ behavior. They are around 25 years old, so why are they acting like teenagers? Every single one of their actions and dialogues felt really immature, and I just couldn’t picture them as adults while reading. They also felt one-dimensional, and I couldn’t feel any kind of connection between them, even though they’re supposed to have grown up as close as siblings.

I was really looking forward to this book, but in the end, it wasn’t for me!

The review will be posted on Goodreads during publication month.

Sapphic, academic rivals to lovers, folklore, whimsical fantasy world, who-dun-it, political intrigue, epic quest... YES PLEASE.

I absolutely adored this. This was my first Allison Saft book and I'm now even more convinced to read her other works.

I felt utterly immersed and transported to Brunnestaad, the world-building was easy enough to follow along with but deep enough to feel tangible. The folklore littered throughout and whimsical fantasy elements were captivating, and really helped shape the narrative and plot.

This book also touched on some heavier topics such as survivors guilt and antisemitism.

Lorelai and Sylvia are the perfect grumpy x sunshine and I was so invested in their romance, but also pleased that it wasn't the entire focus.

Also, can we take a moment to appreciate the phenomenal art that is the cover of this book?

Highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

3.75 rounded up to 4. Overall, I really enjoyed 'A Dark and Drowning Tide'. The dark, wild atmosphere really reminded me of something like 'A Study in Drowning' which I loved.

The elements of the plot that discussed oppression, colonisation and war were nuanced and sophisticated. The characters who are from colonised kingdoms all have their own feelings about loyalty and patriotism that are complicated by their childhood friendships with the king. Taking this into account, I didn't really love the ending in that I felt like it just further justified the colonisation by framing it as 'for greater good'. Otherwise, I really loved the world building and politics. It's definitely for the girlies that love their fae fantasy.

Longing glances, forbidden love, and pining from across the room - the ingredients for the perfect slow burn, sapphic romance. The relationship between Sylvia and Lorelai was a real highlight of the book. As previously mentioned, the side characters themselves were interesting but their romances didn't do much for me.

Twisty, dark, otherworldly and intensely magical, I would highly recommend 'A Dark and Drowning Tide'.

Saft captivated me from beginning to end, she is a master storyteller and I think this might just be my favourite of all her books to date!!

“Back in the days when wishes still held power..”

Sapphic Romantasy
Academic rivals to lovers
Grumpy X Sunshine
German inspired folklore
Water Magic

The story follows Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of the source of all magic. When Lorelei’s beloved mentor is murdered aboard their ship, Lorelei and her optimistic, infuriatingly beautiful academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff must work together to solve the mystery before the murderer strikes again.

Lorelei is grumpy, witty and self-critical, she is an outsider subjected to near constant discrimination. Lorelei carries the guilt of her past and distances herself from her family, deep down she just wants freedom for herself and her people. Sylvia is optimistic, brave and caring, she sees Lorelei for who she truly is and forgives her when others probably wouldn't. She befriends the creatures of this world and her character was like a warm comforting hug. Their love story unfolded beautifully and although it wasn't easy, in the end, they were exactly what each other needed.

The characters were well developed, they each had depth and although not all were likeable they were understandable. The dynamic between them was messy and loveable. The writing is gothic and poetic, extremely easy to read. The plot was interesting and full of folklore, which was one of my favourite elements. The murder mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing. The longing felt between characters had my heart aching. The world building was descriptive and imaginative. There is water magic, forests that rearrange themselves, creatures who will lead you astray just for the fun of it, nixies and plenty of danger.

Honestly, I didn't want this story to end, it's an easy 5 star read for me. Allison Saft is now on my automatic read author list, I cannot wait to dive into more of her work.

Thank you to the author, Daphne Press and Netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is one of my favourite LGBTQ fantasy books to date, once I'd started reading I had trouble putting it down and it was constantly on my mind.

I love fantasy worlds and this one was beautifully crafted, I got the sense that I was experiencing the events with them and had a perfectly clear picture in my minds eye throughout the book, thanks to the amazing writing.

I loved watching the relationship between Sylvia and Lorelei change, the slow burn was killing me in the start but it was definitely worth it, the last few pages I have reread more times than I care to recall.

I loved the characters, I didn't like all of them, but I understood them well enough and each one had their own unique traits.

I'll definitely be looking for more works from this author, thank you for the opportunity to read this amazing book!

This blew my MIND. It was so clever, seductive, mysterious and had this slowburn feeling that something dark was always around the corner....

I loved the author's writing style so much, I felt so immersed in the mythology and characters on the expedition.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is one of the best books I’ve read this year. A Dark and Drowning Tide perfectly encapsulates the fantastical murder mystery with a beautifully written sapphic romance.

From start to finish this story had me in its claws, I didn’t want it to end. The writing was so elegantly written with prose without being overly dramatic and hard to understand. The pacing was the perfect balance, the plot progression with the character building left me content and only wanting and wishing the story would never end.

The character we meet all felt flushed out enough for me to appreciate each of them individually and as a group, their motives and reasoning felt honest to each character, which I appreciated in the over all story.

The murder mystery was so tantalising, I loved that it was the fore front to the over arching plot but didn’t completely overtake the small details that really made this story as beautiful as it is.

The romance between Lorelei and Sylvia was so beautiful to me, an academic rival, enemies to lovers story that felt so realistic. The chemistry was perfect and I was rooting for them from the start despite their connection and feelings not coming into play until later in the story.

Lorelei was such a complex character yet easy to understand, losing her mentor and taking leadership of the crew whilst trying to find the truth and also battling with her own demons made her story so captivating. As much as she was dislikable, I loved her.

A Dark and Drowning Tide will be a story that sticks with me for a long while and definitely a new favourite read.

Thanks to the Author, Publisher-Daphne Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

❀❀❀❀❀ 4,75 out of 5 flowers!
"𝑇𝘩𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒." 𝑆𝑦𝑙𝑣𝑖𝑎 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝘩𝑒𝑟 𝑗𝑎𝑤, 𝑎 𝑓𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝘩𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑖𝑝𝑠. "𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝘩𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝘩𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑏𝑟𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑙, 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠𝑡. 𝑆𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠. 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑖..."

I have to admit, I couldn't believe it when I got the arc for this book, and now I'm so excited to share my feelings here. Oh my goodness, how I love A Dark and Drowning Tide! Reading A Dark and Drowning Tide felt like being pulled into a fairytale all of its own. From the moment I opened the book, I felt entranced by the beautiful writing style, the characters, the atmosphere, the story... It felt like being lured by the song of the nixie into a dark pool of water, not being able to resist the lure, being drowned in words, and then when coming out of it on the other side of the water, coming out of it way differently than before having been lured into it: enchanted in the best way possible. A Dark and Drowning Tide weaves sapphic romance, lore, mystery, and dark fairy- and folk tales into each other, blending that beautifully with vulnerable topics being explored.

We follow Lorelei Kaskel, a sharp-tongued determined folklorist, who is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. But when she has boarded the ship and finds out that her mentor - who is also the expedition's leader - has been murdered, Lorelei must work together with her academic rival Sylvia Von Wolff, to solve who the murderer could be, all while dealing with political and emotional struggles of her own. And the dangers lurking around the places that are to be explored, and the dangers of court at home. And while being looked down upon by her peers. While tension keeps building, and feelings of romance begin blossoming, Lorelai has to decide who is to be trusted, and which risks are worth to be taken.

''𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑙.''

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡.•

When I first stepped into the thick mist, I felt the atmosphere hugging around me. A Dark and Drowning Tide is so atmospherically written. It feels mystic, dark, enchanting, mysterious, and oh-so-beautiful. The prose-like tender, yet deep and emotional writing style let my heart ache and feel wonder. Allison Saft's writing style is so so beautiful, and gorgeous!! I completely fell in love with it and I feel the beauty of it all in my heart even now after having read the book. It's truly something precious. I sometimes completely forgot to annotate because I was so in awe, but when the romance started blooming, I kept on marking quotes, and telling and showing them to my boyfriend, and I am going to cherish them in my heart. Allion Saft explores folk - and fairytales and their prejudice of them, and different topics, in such a sharp, compelling, brave, elegant, and beautiful way. I adored it. I do have to admit that I sometimes lost a bit of interest and concentration when reading the folk- and fairytales, but that was because I was so invested in the actual story of the book, that I just wanted to keep reading more about that. Nevertheless, the tales added depth and uniqueness to the book which I admired. The plot and story itself were so very interesting and enthralling. It drew me in. It has a murder mystery element, and I didn't see the reveal and ending coming at all. I thought I was so sure of who it wouldn't be, and who could be, and It turned out that I had it completely wrong. I enjoyed seeing the story unfold slowly and getting to know the reasons behind the murder. In the end, it all began to make sense. It was so perfectly done. I also was very invested in the worldbuilding and magical aspects and that with an academic expedition leading us and the characters to different places each with its dangers and creatures.

When I stepped further into the mist and heard the nixie's song when I couldn't resist it, walked slowly into the water, took in a deep breath and amount of air, and went all in the water and let myself be led by the magic of it all, I was entirely captivated by the story and the characters. They turned out to be deep-layered ones. The one is more likeable than the other, but no less interesting. All were different in their way with their motivations and personalities, which created some tension. For me, they each grabbed my attention, each had their allure. We see Lorelai struggling with anti-semitism, being looked down upon, and being hated, the pain and fear of it all. The pain of having lost loved ones as well. Sylvia, having been let grown up by her mother as the idea of who she could be, instead of who she truly is. The loneliness that comes with that. But then, when having been lured into the deepest parts of the water, we get to the romance part. And oh my goodness, Lorelai and Sylvia gripped me by my heart. I loved the romance so so much!! And the slow-burn!

''𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢?''

''𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑆𝑦𝑙𝑣𝑖𝑎 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦, 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟, 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠. 𝐼𝑡 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑟, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠. 𝑆ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛'𝑡 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝.''

From seeing each other as rivals to lingering glances, standing a bit too close (but not too close for the reader though of course) in front of each other, brushing and braiding one of the love interest's hair, holding hands, gentle touches, how they talked to each other, looked at each other, let each other feel, the longing, pining, angst, denying, aching, and then finally kissing and loving, ah It was all so so good!

''𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑖 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑘 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒.

''𝑁𝑜𝑤, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑛𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑝 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒𝑟.''

I feel like, even though Lorelai and Sylvia differ so much from each other, they complement each other so well. They truly have my heart. And oh my goodness, that ending was so funny, adorable, and cute, so them. Lorelai could be so oblivious at times, and I loved how Sylvia loved her even more for that. Lorelai was honest and savage, and witty and sarcastic at times, she often made me laugh. She is such a strong character. With everything that she has been through, and was still going through, she was still selfless, determined and courageous, even through her insecurities. I liked her a lot. Sylvia was kind, enthusiastic, reckless, often snappy, and intelligent, and I admired how Sylvia was always so in touch with her emotions. There was so much strength in her vulnerability. She was kind and brave and loving and I found her enthusiasm so charming and adorable. There were many heartfelt, emotional deep scenes, as well as cute ones. Although I loved it all, I do however feel that sometimes I as a reader didn't fully get to feel the emotions the characters were feeling. That they got told and shown, but not...felt. I did connect with them, but not very deeply. But that's personally. I appreciated that even though the romance was such a good part of the book, It wasn't the main focus. I feel like it all just was very well balanced out; romance, yes, but also fantasy aspects, worldbuilding, emotional depth, glimpses of other characters, and topics being explored. If there wouldn't be romance in this book, I still would have found it a very good one. I think the strength of this book isn't the romance, it's everything I just said combined.

And then, when I reached the surface of the water I was left breathless and in awe by all that I had read. I think you'd like this book if you think you'd like a captivating sapphic romantic fantasy filled with folklore and a dark fairytale feeling, beautiful prose, witty banter, deep layered characters, important and emotional topics, slow-burning tension, and an undertone of mystery. To me, this book felt like a dream coming alive. And I absolutely LOVED and still LOVE it all so much. I am truly mesmerized by this precious treasure of a book. A book I will cherish in my heart, think about often, the feeling of it long lingering around me, and which I hope will reach other readers' hearts as well, and which I would love to re-read one day. Honestly, I will read any book by Allison Saft now I have read this one! :)

''𝐼 𝑎𝑚 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠.''

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author, for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review. ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

ps. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT SYLVIA WROTE IN THE LETTERS TO LORELAI. AND, POETRY?? WHAT IF WE WILL NEVER KNOW? *internally screaming*

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and the premise was so promising - but it just fell flat for me. I could not connect with the characters at all and I struggled to want to pick up the book. There was a lot of information dumping in the beginning and I lost my interest.

This being said - it was beautifully written hence the 2⭐️ and I know this story will find its target audience, I just am not one of them.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an e-ARC of this book to review.

As an ardent connoisseur of dark fairy tales and folklore, diving into the pages of "A Dark and Drowning Tide" by Allison Saft felt like stumbling upon a hidden treasure trove. This book is like a rollercoaster ride through a haunted forest, full of heart-wrenching struggles and enchanting moments that grab you and refuse to let go. From the get-go, I was hooked, unable to tear myself away.

Each character within these pages possesses a magnetic allure, , but none so much as the central duo, Lorelei and Sylvia. Their odyssey through the intricate web of this tale held me captive, each twist and turn of their journey unfolding before me like a vivid dream. Witnessing their evolution in motivation and interaction, both with the world around them and with each other, was a truly mesmerizing experience. And as their romantic entanglement slowly unfurled, I found myself positively exhilarated, swept up in the tide of their burgeoning love.

At its core, "A Dark and Drowning Tide" isn't just a book. It's like a love letter to the profound power of storytelling itself. Within its pages, we find echoes of our own desires and fears, woven into the fabric of fantastical dreams and haunting narratives. It reminds us of the magic that resides within the written word, and the transformative journey that awaits those who dare to venture into its depths.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide. I’d like to start off by saying ADaDT was recommended to me by my roommate and added to my TBR back in January. I was so excited to read about sapphic academic rivals in a rich fantasy world and, goodness, Saft did not disappoint!

All of the characters have a real, tangible feel to them that makes me truly love them—and truly hate others (ahem, Johann). They are multifaceted and are each handling the structure of Brunnestaad’s political and academic climate in their own unique ways. I, especially, adore our main girls Lorelei and Sylvia! Lorelei has so much depth in her longing for more out of the hand she’s been dealt in life, but also her longing for more of herself. Sylvia is so beautifully aloof and passionate; I thoroughly enjoyed her kindness not just to other people but also to the many creatures that feature in this world.

Saft’s interweaving of rich storytelling with Lorelei’s folklorist specialisation makes for a fairytale-esque story that draws the reader in as effectively as a Nixie’s song. Each folktale was clearly an allegory for something Lorelei was experiencing and added depth that simply telling the reader could not. This is the first time I’ve seen this technique used as a writing device and I loved it!

Usually, I am the kind of reader who can’t enjoy who-done-it’s because I’ve already guessed who the assailant is and the mystery is broken. ADaDT had me completely duped. I genuinely believed Lorelei’s theories and accusations and was just as confused as she was when they proved false. Saft has a talent for immersing the readers so wholly in her story, that every twist and turn is truly shocking.

My favourite thing has to be the unique magic system, using water and aether to fuel magic across the realm. And the magical creatures are so interesting and individual!

The only “negative” so to speak was the density of information in the first half of the book. In trying to introduce us to the magic, society, and history of Brunnestaad quickly so that we could get to the meat of the story, the first 100 pages do feel a touch overwhelming with information. I feel any sequels or parallel stories won’t have this issue as we’ll already be across the semantics from book one.

''Where is your sense of wonder? Sometimes I think you would sooner let a cyanometer tell you what color the sky is, rather than simply looking up.''

I realize I'm in the minority here, as many readers have loved this book, but it just didn't resonate with me as much as I hoped it would. In theory, “A Dark and Drowning Tide” by the blurb alone is my gem but the more I read this story the more I wanted to scream. However, what perplexed me is that I finished the entire book despite not liking a single character. I couldn't bring myself to care about any of them. In fact, I should gift Lorelei an extra signet ring as a congratulations, because she is the first main character I've disliked after just a few sentences. Some minuses first so I can finish with something positive afterwards. The slow-burn romance gave me no emotions. Characters were either dull or irritating. What is even communication? We don't know her. On the positive side, I appreciated the themes of academic rivalry, the murder-mystery aspect, and the intriguing lore surrounding myths, creatures, and legends. But, alas, when everything was put together—plot and characters—it just didn't work for me. I know this story will find it's target audience, but again, I'm sadly not one of them.

Thank you NetGalley and Daphne Press for providing for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I'm going to be honest and say I hated the characters. I couldn't care less about either of them. And unfortunately this made it incredibly hard to keep reading this book. So I had to throw in the towel.

“A Dark and Drowning Tide” is an intelligently enigmatic academic rivals to lovers romance with a gothic atmosphere. Lorelei and Sylvia’s tense relationship is pushed to its limits when their mentor turns up dead during the voyage of their expedition, and the two are stranded and have to find her killer all the while navigating their ever-growing feelings for each other amongst a crew of untrustworthy scholars and soldiers.

The book was so beautifully written and unique— it reminded me of Emily Wilde a bit but much more gothic and decadent. It felt dark and intense from the get go, and I was immediately drawn in by the setting and the tumultuous relationship between our heroines Sylvia and Lorelei. They were captivating and complex, they were so exciting to read about and it was just heightened by the backdrop of the story. It’s my first Allison Saft book but it definitely won’t be my last!

For fans of “An Education in Malice” by ST Gibson.