Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods is a beautifully dark and enchanting twist on classic fairy tales. With a mix of mermaid lore and courtly intrigue, the story pulls you into a world of love, power, and betrayal. The characters are layered, the stakes feel real, and there are plenty of twists to keep things interesting. If you love historical fantasy with a touch of magic and danger, this one’s definitely worth the read!

I must say I am a fan of Kell Woods and this book did not disappoint me. I have read a book recently that had mermaids in it which I didn't enjoy that much but this one. Well I was a bit mesmerised by it as it had so much going on and such a wonderful story to it.

It is historical, it is fantasy and folklore and it is thrilling and exciting as you never knew what was going to happen next. It had all the elements I would expect from a good book and more.

I love the main character, Luce, as she has so many layers to her. Her family and her backstory is intriguing and the way of life in times so far gone by is just amazing to me. This is such a well written book, love the historical aspect, the settings of mainly France but also a bit of England as well as the battles between the two countries. This is a book I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Every author and their dog (or cat) seems to be writing a mythological, folklore or fairytale retelling these days. Which, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE that for us. Stories are meant to evolve, to be reimagined through different lenses, to find new ways to enchant us. But the best retellings don’t just lean on nostalgia, they reinvent, surprise and pioneer. My favourites off the top of my head are Leigh Bardugo’s The Language of Thorns, Naomi Novik’s Spinning Silver or Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes.

And that’s exactly what Kell Woods has done with Upon a Starlit Tide. I didn’t know I needed a Cinderella and The Little Mermaid historical fantasy hybrid but here we are and it was genius.

She doesn’t just remix those two iconic tales. She unravelled them, threw in a pinch of Bluebeard and a good helping of Breton folklore and stitched them back together in a historical fantasy with something far darker, stranger, emotional and haunting. Plus, when I thought I knew where she was going in the story, she subverted cliches and surprised me, many different times.

Moreover, I have to hand it to Woods for walking that fine line between historical fiction authenticity, immersive fantasy and romance (there is a love triangle and that is all I can say without getting into spoiler territory). She walks that genre blend tightrope effortlessly, never overcompensating in one area or letting another fall flat.

From La Manche (The English Channel) to the malouinière descriptions as well as Saint-Malo itself, the setting feels like it’s less of a backdrop and more of a lead character. Add in Breton superstition and folklore and magic and you’ve got a world that feels real, yet imbued with the eldritch. I also thought the romance was sweet and swoony, but not in a cloying, saccharine way.

While I won’t go into plot or story, trust me—go into this one blindfolded—what I particularly appreciated was the richness to the family dynamics in the characters, particularly in Ariel-coded FMC’s Luce’s relationship with her sisters. I almost caught a whiff of the dreaded ✨not like other girls✨ trope, but Woods sidesteps it beautifully by layering the female relationships with nuance.

For example, her sisters, at first glance, slot neatly into the “wicked stepsister” mold, but Woods does something far more interesting: she makes them human, shaped by their father’s blatant favouritism, by the rigid social order that measures a woman’s worth in marriage prospects and made them complex, layered individuals who genuinely love and care for Luce and vice versa.

Finally, I have to shout out Woods’ growth as an author. Having read After the Forest, I’m blown away by her evolution and this book proves that she’s not just a one-hit wonder. She’s here to stay, and I can’t wait to see where she takes us next. Highly recommend this one for anyone who ever loved The Little Mermaid and Cinderella, and loves a dark retelling... I was awestruck!

My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Publishers Australia for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The sea gives life but it also takes it away

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758; To Luce Leon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy shipowner, the high walls of Saint-Malo are more of a hinderance than the safe haven she has been taught to believe in.

While her sisters are busy trying to secure advantageous marriages, Luce spends her mornings and evening at sea, secretly being taught to sail and learning the mysteries of the ocean.

One morning following a storm, Luce rescues a drowning man from the sea. Immediately drawn in by his charm, Luce is plunged into a whole new world of magic, seduction and brutality. Secrets that have been lost to the sea begin to rice to the surface and Luce is left to find out how far she will go to find out who she really is.

This is one of those books that I just didn’t want to end! Brilliant from the beginning, Luce’s adventures give the ocean a magical feeling and as we are brought along for the journey we learn the mysteries and secrets hidden within the waves.

I loved that this was a combination of two different fairy tales and while this story is loosely based on Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, they provide a great base for what to expect while reading.

Historical fantasy but steeped in the lore we know and love from childhood fairytales. Upon a Starlit Tide was enchanting and full of whimsy from beginning to end.

We follow Luce on a journey of love, betrayal and discovering the harsh truth of her past, she's sweet, but sharp witted, knows what she wants from life and refuses to accept anything else.
The story is a dark retelling of the little mermaid and cinderella but morphs into a captivating tale of it's own that I couldn't put down.

This book is an absolute must read for anyone that called their friends up to play mermaids as children!

This book was immaculate. The writing is both beautiful and immersive, the world building is phenomenal, and the characters are three-dimensional and well-constructed. This book brought me so much joy. The blend of fairy tale, historical fiction and fae mythology is everything!

The story itself is a story of strength, betrayal, longing, loss, hope and love. The characters grow on the page and to me, all the characters ended up being so much more then when they started.

I am leaving this book with zero criticisms. It was everything I was hoping for and more. I will be re-reading this in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you to HarperCollins Australia and NetGalley for the ARC

A dark and enchanting fairy tale-inspired historical fantasy combining elements of "The Little Mermaid" and "Cinderella" into a wholly original tale of love, power, and betrayal.


i really like the art on the cover ( its the reason i requested this book )

i enjoyed this book a lot and look forward to getting a special edition of it to add to my trophies :)

" i found everything , except you "

Like waves drawing you into the dark depths, Upon a Starlit Tide is an enchanting tale of romance, secrets and transformation against a sea-faring backdrop. Kell Woods blends lyrical prose with a lush immersive 18th century France sparkling with fae magic to deliver a feminist twist on Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. More than just a heartfelt romance it's an exploration of self discovery, power, and dark secrets, full of adventurous spirit.

Woods's prose is pure poetry, bringing to life windswept coasts, masquerades, ships and shimmering seas. It's a world that's dazzling and magical, with the sea becoming a living breathing part of the story ready to sweep you away in search of adventure and freedom.

Which is exactly what Lucinde Leon longs for, to escape the strictures of respectable life, join a ship crew and experience the world. Luce is a kindhearted and spirited lead and its impossible not to get caught up in her hopes, dreams and loves. Her two love interests, the dark, charming stranger she rescues from the sea and Samuel, her British smuggler friend who has been teaching her to sail, are both alluring in their own ways. The romance is electric as Luce is torn between her desire for them and the future they can offer.

But this isn't the story of Prince Charming sweeping in to save the day. Told through a bold feminist lens, Woods tells Luce's story through her relationships with her family, local fae and love for her land and the sea with a twist I genuinely did not see coming. Every good fairy tale has a lesson and Upon a Starlit Tide is about self discovery, the price of dishonesty, and finding our own power. Like the tide itself, it pulls you in and leaves its mark — bold, breathtaking, and utterly unforgettable.

Unfortunately I wasn't actually able to read this as the PDF sent to my Kindle didn't allow me to adjust the font size and it was far too small for my eyes, nor did the text even take up the whole screen on my Kindle.

I am looking forward to reading this one and expect good things, especially given its ratings so far, so I will read once it's published.

Wow. Anyone who just describes this book as a fairytale retelling is selling this book short - I loved how effectively the author interweaved the history of Saint-Malo with the fantastical elements at play, and the conflicting character motivations and actions served to propel the action at every turn. I cannot believe how some of the plot threads wrapped up. Would happily read again and again.

A simply glorious addition to the world of fairy-tale re-imaginings.

Did I think that mashing Cinderella and The Little Mermaid with a dash of Bluebeard (and a lesser known Breton tale) would work? I had doubts, but I did love Woods' first novel so I decided to have faith. And it was amply rewarded.

Set in Saint-Malo in 1758, it seemed at first like this is going to be a largely real-world story... until it becomes clear that the Fae exist, although they have appeared less often to mortals in the last generation or two. And Saint-Malo, a coastal town thriving on the revenue of its sailors - both through legit trade and through privateering - is protected by storm-stone, which is also magical in some way.

The focus is Luce, youngest (and adopted) of three daughters of one of Saint-Malo's chief and richest seamen. Her damaged feet only slightly hamper her determination to get out of the house when everyone else is asleep, to go beachcombing and even sailing with a pair of English smugglers she has befriended. And one day, she rescues a young man from drowning... you can already see some of the fairy-tale shapes here. Woods does a brilliant job of using familiar beats and combining them into an intriguing, captivating, and highly readable story.

I enjoyed Luce, and the stories of her sisters; I was generally delighted by the world (with the usual caveat that it's not aiming to be an utterly realistic and historical warts n all story, plus it's about a super wealthy family); I liked the way the Fae are imagined and presented.

I can't wait to see what Woods does next.

It’s a salt soaked historical fantasy fairytale remake filled with furious fae folk, punishing privateers and defiant daughters.
Read if you like bloody fairytales, sea-swept secrets and feisty mermaids.

Only criticism would be that I could have done with less info about the shipping business. Friends to lovers also isn’t my thing

Would read anything she writes

Also pdf was glitchy and you cannot adjust text size which made it hard to read

Kell Woods' sophomore book was everything I loved in her debut and more. A sprinkle of fairy tales retold and a hint of history alongside the strong heroine Luce makes this book irresistible to any reader. True love conquers all.

*4.5 stars*

*Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Australia for providing a digital copy to review*

Historical fiction meets fantasy with hints of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. If you’re thinking this sounds like an amazing book you would be right.

I loved everything about this book. The setting, Saint-Malo, is a real place and it’s beautiful (I looked at some pictures). I love how historical events, such as the attack from the British, were present but were interwoven with fantasy elements.

Luce, our FMC, is amazing. She has gone through a lot in her life and it never stops coming at her in this book. This story is about her self-discovery, finding out where she came from, and figuring out what she wants for her life. There is some romance, Luce has not one but two suitors who are very different from one another. One, which her family would approve of, and the other… not so much.

The other relationships I love in this book are between Luce and her sisters, especially Charlotte. Their relationship really struck a chord with me, from being cold and making nasty quips to being loving and accepting of one another. It just felt like a true sister dynamic.

I loved this story so much. It was so immersive and just spoke to the part of me who (still) always wanted to be a mermaid. I was obsessed with The Little Mermaid as a child so this was just perfect.

Imagine if The Little Mermaid and Cinderella got a dark, enchanting makeover filled with faerie magic and betrayal. In the stormy port town of Saint-Malo, Lucinde is far from your typical society girl. While her sisters chase suitors, Luce is out sailing with her smuggler bestie Samuel. But everything changes when she rescues a mysterious man from the sea, pulling her into a world of glittering balls, dangerous secrets, and powers she never knew she had.

Kell Woods’s writing is an absolute dream, painting such a vivid and magical world that you’ll feel like you’re floating through it. The villains are complex, the heroes misunderstood, and trust is as slippery as sea glass. Every word feels carefully chosen, creating a lush, lyrical experience that’s pure magic. Sure, I had to look up a word or two, but that only added to the charm. This is the kind of book you’ll wish you could experience for the first time all over again.

I loved this story, a mix of historical fiction and fantasy mixed in with a Cinderella and Little Mermaid reimagining. It was a beautiful story and kept me engaged the entire time I was reading it.

This was a wonderfully vivid story.

Loved the prose, the story as a whole felt unique and I particularly loved the setting. I sympathised for Luce our FMC. She felt very relatable and ordinary in an otherwise extraordinary world.

I loved the parts of the story inspired by cinderella and the little mermaid as well. It was so nostalgic to read about having grown up with those stories.

Thank you to harper collins and netgalley for giving me an arc copy of this book to read.

'Tears and salt. Sorrow and sea. There is magic in such meetings'.

Of course, Lucinde had never truly felt a part of the Leon family. Whether it was because she was adopted, or her ghastly, gnarled feet, or perhaps her unyielding longing to be near the sea, it's clear her mother and sisters think of her as a hopeless cause. Only her friend Samuel seems to understand her yearning. However, when she happens upon a sailor, unconsciously clinging to the remnants of shipwreck, her decision to save him not only alters the course of her life but that of her family. In 18 century, Saint-Malo, where fae folk live among humans and the very walls of the city are enchanted, nothing is ordinary and being rich isn't necessarily about being wealthy.

Told in three parts, Upon a Starlit Tide, will slowly wind its spell around you. With notes of Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Bluebeard and Breton folklore, a complex story evolves, taking you through a maze of tales. While the first part sets the scene, the story really takes off in the second and third. I don't read much fantasy but I adored this blend of historical fantasy: realistic enough to believe but magical enough to be spellbound.

If you love fairytales, if you're captivated by the romance of the sea and believe in true love and destiny, then pick up and read this book.

'What kind of magic? The kind that comes when the moon is full and rising fast, painting a path of silver across the water'.

Lucinde Leon is the youngest daughter of a wealthy French shipowner in 18th century Saint Malo. Luce feels a connection to the ocean and often looks for a chance to escape to the beach and spend time with her friends Samuel and Bones, English smugglers who live in Saint Malo. Luce comes across a man in the ocean one day and saves him, which takes her on a journey, seeing all that society offers, while discovering her own power. This is a historical fantasy, with world building effortlessly woven into the text. The real world setting with the addition of the different types of fae is charming and makes you wonder if you really might find a rose lutine in your garden.
Luce is a young woman wanting to please her family but also wanting freedom, and her struggle to choose between two pathways is genuine, I loved her friendship with Samuel and Bones, and I felt the same butterflies she did when she thought that her relationship with Samuel might become something more. The man she saves, Morgan, is charming and wealthy and Luce is swept off her feet by his interest in her. She is increasingly pulled in two directions as she tries to decide what the right choice is. I could feel the struggle she felt with her sisters, wanting a strong relationship with them and feeling out of place.
The plot was well paced and the author has a way of describing things so poetically without the writing feeling over the top.
I am very interested in reading more of Kell's stories, I loved the callbacks to Cinderella, the Little Mermaid, and even the Bluebeard references, but this story is definitely its own and has its own charms and merits.

Thank you so much to Harper Voyager Aus and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited for this book and I’m so glad it didn’t disappoint.

Kell Woods writes so beautifully, I was instantly captivated, drawn in by her prose, the setting, the main character Luce, and all it promised.

This book has a slow start, which I didn’t mind. I enjoyed getting to know Luce and the people around her, slowly settling in to the rhythm of this story, working out which direction certain things would go.

Things pick up suddenly in the second half, and there is so much happening, so much uncovered, and I was taken on an incredibly emotional journey. I could not put this one down in its second half. I had to keep reminding myself to slow down and take it in rather than race ahead, enthralled.

I ADORED the romance. I don’t want to say too much for fear of ruining some moments, but all I can say is these two captured my heart and I genuinely cried during the epilogue. The love interest is just such a beautiful, wonderful character. Top tier book boyfriend.

This story is a combination of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella, borrowing from both tales as well as countless bits of folklore, fairytales and history to create a luscious, rich historical fantasy. I loved the way Woods wove parts of familiar tales into this one while making it her own.

I really recommend this one to fans of historical fantasy with emphasis on the historical. This book is wonderful and fantastical and there’s all kinds of fae creatures and magic at play, but it has more of a historical/literary vibe in its structure and prose.