When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautifully atmospheric novel that sweeps readers into 1910s New York, where circus performers and mythical sea creatures collide. The inclusion of illustrations throughout adds an extra touch of magic, bringing key moments vividly to life.

The story follows Benigno, a queer Puerto Rican immigrant struggling to survive in a world that offers him little kindness. When he becomes involved in a plan to capture a mermaid, he instead encounters a merman, Río, who is put on display in a tank of Benigno’s own design. What begins as exploitation transforms into an unexpected connection, blurring the line between friendship and something more.

Beneath the fantastical elements, this is ultimately a tale about belonging and home. The circus troupe creates a family built on acceptance and loyalty, showing that love and community can flourish even in the most unconventional places.

Benigno’s hesitance to act was at times frustrating, yet his tenderness and quiet resilience made him a character I grew to deeply care for. Once the story gained momentum, I was fully immersed and found it hard to put down.

This is a heartfelt, imaginative book perfect for readers who enjoy found family, queer romance, and magical storytelling.

Although the synopsis caught my attention, I think this was not the book for me. It is pretty well written and the characters and their stories are profound and well developed. I really couldn't see many faults within the book, but I couldn't get hooked into it.

I actually devoured this book so fast. I loved the characters, the found family, and the tenderness in the romance of this story. The development of first friendship and then the romance between the two MMCs was so tender, and I loved the way all the characters shared a bit about themselves over time as a way to demonstrate their care for one another. At times, I did find myself wishing for a bit more action, because I felt like the audience is kept in suspense for a very long time before big action happens, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. 4⭐️

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

With it, for it, never against it.


Benigno “Benny” Caldera is our mc and I love him. when the steel works company he's employed at gets a weird (and expensive) commission to build a watertight tank, Benny helps make it happen. he's good with his hands and great at putting bizarre things together, so by the end of the job they've got a functional water tank. when his boss takes credit for the build and another coworker tricks him into badly burning his hand, Benny gets officially fired. out of work and out of luck, he circles back to the original commissioner in hopes of landing another job, and gets sucked into the wilding schemes of the local clown show.

Benny's descent into the madness of the circus crowd is genuinely funny. long before he understands that he's in this for life now, he's already involved with helping the group catch a mermaid. as much as he thinks this is a hilarious waste of time, he needs the money, and surprise! they do actually catch a merman. (the ringleader shoots and kills a mermaid who erupts from the water in an attempt to save the other, and this kicks off the whole rest of the story.) to the surprise of no one, Benny inevitably ends up falling in love with the merman (Río) over the course of trying to take care of him, and quickly realizes that there's really no other option but to release him back to the sea. (They say if you love something, let it go / If it comes back it's yours, and that's how you know / It's for keeps, yeah, it's for sure)

anyway the cast of this book!??! elite. however Kelley managed to do it, all of the side characters are really well fleshed-out and just top-notch people. the quote I included at the beginning of this review is the go-to line for the circus family and it's just such a lovely catchphrase. I didn't love the ending but I didn't hate it, so I'm still giving the overall book a five star rating lol.


🌈 queer rep: demisexual achillean mc, queer/achillean love interest, side queer characters (genderfluid, achillean couple, etc)
thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc ✨

Thank you to Kensington Publishing | Erewhon Books for the ARC!

Main, I am angry it took me this long to read those because OMG? I loved the mythology woven into the story, the historical setting the author chose, and the general setting overall. A carnival made up of marginalized people yearning for family learning to work together? Perfect. A poor boy who doesn't really belong anywhere? Yes. A love story between a boy and a merman? GIVE ME MORE

Seriously, no review I write can give this book justice, you just gotta read it.

This was such a cute book. I was entranced from the moment it started. Set in the 1910s it had that old timey charm and I loved the found family and self discover aspects.

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have received an advanced copy of When the Tides Held the Moon from the author and Hambright PR! 🫶

Imagine if you mixed The Greatest Showman and The Shape of Water that is When the Tides Held the Moon summed up to a tee! 🥹💕 The writing style truly is so poetic and I was able to envision myself being in that world because of all the beautiful descriptions! 🫶

The world building is incredible and all of the characters that Venessa Vida Kelley have created have such depth and complexity that I couldn't help but love them all so much. The found family aspect is one of my favorite parts of the book. I also loved getting to learn more about Puerto Rico slang since it is used at some points in the book. I am truly excited to read future books that this author writes! 🫶

If you love found family, beautiful world building, complex characters, and a book that you will remember forever then this is the book for you! 🫶

A wonderful story about a merman and uh, something. I enjoyed the setting and the illustrations a lot - it was a very atmospheric book. I wish the ending was a bit more robust but I suppose this is more about the journey and the family we found along the way!

A beautiful love story

Benny may be an orphaned Boricua blacksmith, the ironwork tank he created for the playground Luna park is admired by all. And it earns him the invitation to join the crew of performers, if they manage to catch a merman from the sea to put in the tank. But as soon as Benny sees the creature, he realizes he's much more than an exhibition. He has a heart and a soul, and is a kindred spirit more beautiful and human than anyone he's ever met. As they become friends, Benny has only one goal in mind: save him from this life of imprisonment, even if he has to damn himself in the process.

This book made me feel a lot of things. It was really beautiful and soft, with a story that truly transported me. The characters were well fleshed out and really touching and relatable. I liked how Benny grew out of what he was taught throughout the story. The social issues regarding the socio-economic situation was really well dealt with and felt as realistic as it was hopeful, which warmed my heart. As for the romance, it was absolutely breathtaking. The love was everything and I was suffering and praying along with them both throughout the story. With just a dash of fantasy and magic to make the whole thing a bit more enchanting and a writing style that was immensely poetic and personal, truly immersive. All in all, a very unique and beautiful book that stays in the mind after closing it.

I recommend if you want an interesting, beautiful and immersive love story.

“Benigno, surely you know. You are my heartsong.”

4.5 ⭐️

thank you netgalley for the earc

got an arc, life happened, then actually got a copy and now we're here!
I really enjoyed this book! Such an interesting and well written book!

First of all this book is so so pretty and curated! But I didn't have doubts about it! I've been a fan of Venessa since her simon snow fanarts so I knew what she was capable of and owning something of her art that i can now always look at is so special.

This is definitely one of the most researched book I've ever read. I loved the cure for the details, how it tries to be really historically accurate. But most of all i loved the language research. English is not my first language, i speak italian, so it was really interesting to me how Benny speech was portrayed. It's so true that we just randomly add our first language words even when trying to think in the second language. I also loved the care in adding words from the first languages of the secondary characters (the italian was perfect btw, i usually find mistakes in other books but this wasn't the case so i really appreciated it ). But also i loved getting to learn old english words that i'm not used to hear/read .

The story itself is pretty linear but it was written with a purpose and with the desire to portrait Puerto Ricans history and 1910 america. Really interesting to read for a non american.

Last but not least Benny's demisexuality was so clearly depicted despite the impossibility of using 2025 words. I loved it ! It's always good to have new acespec characters <3

It’s clear the author cared deeply about the story they wanted to tell. The characters are well written and flushed out in a way that makes the story feel more alive. While not my usual cup of tea I found my self pleasantly surprised by the amount of depth put into the story.

a highly anticipated release that was everything i wanted!!! i’ve adored vanessa vida kelly’s art for years now, and seeing they were releasing an illustrated novel felt like a dream—not unlike how reading this book felt! kelly transports the reader to the early 20th century world of new york and the (affectionate) weirdos who call it home. benny and río’s romance is beautiful and sweeping, but i also adored the cast of misfits that all made a family with one another. a beautiful triumph and i hope to see more by kelly in the future!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

3.5 stars

The writing & prose was beautiful, but it just didn't connect overall for me. I think the comparison of greatest showman meets shape of water is bang on.

I loved Benny & Rio as a couple, and I felt their love. I just felt this took longer for me to read than it should have and it wasnt the book/story it was likely a me thing; as in right book, wrong time.

Also, the incorporated pictures was a beautiful touch.

This was excellent! I loved the setting, the feeling of history come to life, Benito and Río's love story, and each of the members of the circus. The ending was spectacular and I can't imagine a better closure for this story.

rep: Puerto Rican demisexual gay MC, queer merman love interest, queer side characters, Black side character, side characters with dwarfism

spice: none

tw: attempted murder, discussion of forced prostitution, murder, kidnapping, entrapment

When the Tides Held the Moon is a charming historical fantasy that beautifully blends a unique setting with a captivating romance. Set in 1910s Coney Island, the story follows Benigno, a recent immigrant from Puerto Rico, who finds himself entangled with a sideshow and its newest, most unusual attraction: a captured merman named Río.

The novel's greatest strength is the sweet, heartfelt romance that develops between Benigno and Río. Their relationship, which begins as a secret friendship born of convenience and empathy, is a tender exploration of trust and connection. Readers will find themselves deeply invested in their journey as they navigate a hostile world and discover a kindred spirit in each other.

Another standout feature is the inclusion of stunning illustrations, which add a magical layer to the storytelling and perfectly capture the whimsy of the setting. The book also shines in its portrayal of a found family, as Benigno bonds with the other performers in the sideshow. These characters, each with their own history and heart, provide a sense of belonging that resonates throughout the narrative.

While the story’s pacing can be slow at times, particularly in the beginning, the final act delivers a thrilling and emotional climax. The book is a perfect read for fans of historical fiction, fantasy, and magical realism who appreciate a character-driven romance and a story filled with yearning, love, and the fight for freedom.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I hardly have words to describe this book. What a magical and fantastical journey! I immediately fell in love with the world and the characters. The found family trope is one that always draws me in and this was no exception. Seeing all these characters come together to support each other was truly heartwarming.

Benji and Rio´s love story was fantastic. The writing was beautiful and really showed their immediate connection. There were moments where I had tears in my eyes and got extremely emotional.

There should definitely be more illustrated books in the future. It was such a delightful surprise every time I turned a page and saw a new illustration. They really brought the story to life!
In the future, I will read everything that Venessa Kelley writes.

While the art is gorgeous and I enjoy the concept, I don’t like light fat phobia in books as someone who is a larger person. For that reason, I do not recommend this book.

Sweet and relentlessly affirming. Surprisingly rich in period detail. Heartwarming, though a bit formulaic. Spice-rich flavorful home-made meal of a novel.

i liked the second half of this book a lot better than the first, so it's left a favorable impression, even though it's not quite my cup of tea. but it took me a little while to get to that point, and there were some moments in the middle where i put it down for a while.

the premise is charming, with lots of elements i particularly enjoyed: Benigno, recently arrived in 1910s Brooklyn from Puerto Rico, gets a job with a Coney Island sideshow after being roped into capturing a merman as the new attraction ("attraction" in more than one sense—this is a supernatural romance story). the setting was fun, and the found family of the sideshow performers was delightful in concept but a bit clunky and unsubtle in execution, especially early on. this is the sort of book where i truly appreciate the spectrum of representation offered, but i wish it felt less spoon-fed and more organic. only Benigno is really offered much opportunity for character growth; even Río, the merman, feels surprisingly static.

their romance is very sweet, though, once it gets off the ground (off the sand??), and the ramped-up tension in the last quarter of the book made it a much more compelling read as the abusive showrunner Morgan and his mob connections clash with Benigno's feelings and Río's need to escape his aquarium cage. i enjoyed the thrills of the ending, in spite of some elements that felt both predictable and lacking in foreshadowing.

overall, i think the romantic elements are much stronger than all the other parts, which is not my cup of tea but might be yours! oh, but also, IT'S ILLUSTRATED! the art is really beautiful, and definitely added to my enjoyment.

Reading the kindle version of this was not great. There are illustrations you don’t get to see, and that made me sad. I need a physical copy. I ended up putting it aside for now, but intend to return once I have a physical copy. I felt like the main character was mostly just obsessed with his aunt and was unable to get attached to the side characters because there were too many all at once. Will update this review if/when I come back.

Update: I finished via audiobook! It really picked up in the second half and I enjoyed the ending a lot. I did feel like there were some characters that weren’t fleshed out as much as I liked, and the romance happened too quickly for me to fully believe. But it was really sweet and the audio was really well done! Need to track down the physical for the illustrations now.