I can’t give this book even a fraction of a star less! What a masterpiece! Incredible! The world the author has created is nothing short of amazing. This book read like a classic even before it’s released. This was a true love story the likes of which I haven’t read about in a long while. I adore Rio and Benny together.

If I could make this even better, I would learn spanish because I found myself constantly pulled out of the story to check translations. That’s more of a me issue than book issue though. The Spanish was a beautiful addition to the story.

Also the illustrations??? Oh my, what a wonderful treat! They were gorgeous and truly helped me visualise the characters and the story.

3.5/3.75 stars

A very compelling story with a nice found family and adventure dynamic in addition to the beautiful romance. If you think the cover is beautiful, you'll be thrilled to know there are illustrations within the book which definitely added to the reading experience. I also thought the POV switches between Benigno and Río were well done and I liked the differing writing styles for them. I also really liked the growth both of them had as characters, especially Benigno.

I wish the romance had been a bit more of a slow burn and that we'd gotten to see more and Benigno and Río in the epilogue, but the parts of them together before that were very sweet. Also I feel like the constant random Spanish words made this a bit difficult to read. I haven't taken Spanish in three years and with my (admittedly very basic) level of knowledge I was constantly checking the glossary or having to translate the many words that weren't in the glossary.

a beautiful book about finding love and family the moment you least expect it. this WILL make you cry so be prepared

This book is amazing. Beautiful and poignant and heart-wrenching and interesting. There’s so much to it. It’s full of mystery and history and languages and cultures and poetry and magic. It’s all just gorgeous. A feast for the brain and the eyes and the heart.

And, as promised, a full review:

“With it. For it. Never against it.” This is the motto of a found family. 🎪

I have a long history with this novel (it was originally a SnowBaz fan fic, which I devoured a few years ago) and, full disclosure, the author is a friend. That said, WTTHTM is not your average fantasy monster fic. It’s not spicy - although there are gorgeous, swoony love scenes - but the characters are amazingly written, the story is compelling, and the illustrations (look at that cover!) are so lovely. They’ll look so much better in the actual book, which I’ll review again when it comes out, right around MerMay 2025; I’ll also review the audiobook when it drops. 🎨

However, let me say here that the writing is poetic, and, thus, this is also not your typical queer love story. It’s lyrical, philosophical, political, historical, magical - and multi-lingual (and Venessa includes a very helpful glossary), giving you that sense that something special is going on even though you don’t fully understand it. But in a good way, you know? I’m all for a book that asks native English readers to work hard to understand another language - or three. After all, we do it to others all the time in the U.S. 🇵🇷🎡🇺🇸

You can see the plot summary in the second slide. The story builds slowly, AND it is beautiful, compelling, heartbreaking, seat-of-your-pants thrilling, poignant, funny, and even a little scary. The love story is one for the ages, and the side characters are amazing. I love the MCs with all my heart, AND the circus-act found family members are so lovely and memorable. Indeed, Benigno’s found family is noticeable from when they first meet and start the work of capturing Río, the derringer notwithstanding. 🏠🤹‍♀️

From a personal perspective, I must here admit to being a bit merpeople-obsessed, so I would also like to share some pop culture references that I couldn’t ignore. I’m not sure if they were intentional, but here are a few thoughts I had while reading. 🧜🏽🧜🏼‍♂️

Río’s tank makes me think of the movie SPLASH, except the evil in that story is the U.S. government, which feels eerily like past is prologue … because, of course it is, but half the population doesn’t seem to know that. 🎏

Puerto Rican immigrant Benigno’s backstory puts me in mind of HAMILTON and his literal and figurative hurricanes. Also, funny coincidence, Lin-Manuel Miranda is famously enamored with THE LITTLE MERMAID. 🧜🏼‍♀️

And there is a little reference to the Peter Pan mermaids, and to Benigno being a lost boy, too, and I can’t help thinking of mermaids watching ships in all of these stories. 🛳️

Finally, having just seen the movie WICKED PART 1, I have to say that the evil sideshow manager, Morgan, reminds me of the Wizard of Oz in his green suits. 🗽

ANYWAY, thanks for reading the first of my three WTTHTM reviews, and, yes, please read this gem of a book!!! This is not your typical queer smut (hey, which I also like - attention: this is a no-shame zone). No, this book is literary & evocative & thought-provoking & beautiful. And it’s masterful world-building; take it from just three of many amazing world builders, Lex Croucher & TJ Klune & Freya Marske, all of whom have written glowing blurbs. ♥️

This is a story about outcasts finding family with each other, about all the prisons that humans trap themselves into (from capitalism to homophobia cutting through racism), and also, a touching love story between two lost souls.

You have read this story a million times, and also you have never read it like this.

The characters are memorable and the setting (amusement park from ages past) is so novel and interesting. They all tie so well with the theme - when it comes to 'monster' romance, us the queers and the weirdos and all the 'others' are the monsters, or so tells us proper society, so to hell with fitting in and being proper, let us find our own kind of love.

4.6

What a great story! I loved it especially for the peep into carnival/freak show life of last century USA, the bits about it were so interesting and vivid! In fact, it was all very vivid, in this novel, the world clear and present, very much alive, i really enjoyed that. Also enjoyed the cast of characters and their oddities, their quirks and peculiarities and the way it sometimes reminded me those Charlie Chaplin early movies. The diverse rep was really good, and the way the author explored 'difference', being foreign, an outcast, misunderstood and impossible to grasp was done superbly through all those characters, but especially Benigno and Río. The twist at the end came as validation to me, for I'd sort of figured it out right from the start, and although it felt just a tad too rushed, it was also quite satisfying. The romance angle was delightful, but to me, it was actually the least important bit in this novel - rather the found family angle and the sense of belonging were far louder in my head, throughout the reading, as well as the bonds that are formed through kindness between people in moments of adversity. Well worth reading for all this.

That was simply incredible. What a beautifully written story that just tore my heart apart.

The story is set in Coney Island in the early 1900’s, but with a touch of magic. This was such a ✨vibe✨ and I was so here for it. Added to that was some excellent found family, a sweet romance between a Puerto Rican boy and a merman, AND lovely illustrations throughout the book!

I loved it.

This is an absolutely STUNNING book. The poetic storytelling, the illustrations, the found family. It all hit me right in my feelings.
Kelley represents the intricacies of Benigno's story with excellent detail and precision. I am in love with the clear narrative differences between Rio and Benigno, and how we got those small glimpses into Rio's mindset. I especially admire Kelley's attention to Rio's slow-to-trust attitude with Benigno.
And let me just gush about Benigno and Rio for a second. The trust that slowly builds between Benigno and Rio over the course of the book makes me feel so warm. Through memories, experiences, true names and language-songs, Benigno and Rio share the most intimate parts of themselves to the other and they receive each other with gratitude and love.
If you needed another reason to read this book, let it be the GORGEOUS illustrations. With each illustration I was surprised and gob-smacked. Not only were they beautiful, but they also added so much to each scene. (Not to mention these are the author's own illustrations!!)
I was essentially tumbling through the last half of the book, I couldn't put the book down!

As an absolute fanatic of mermaids, mermen, sirens, and the like, I couldn’t resist this queer romance. What pleasantly surprised me was how layered When the Tides Held the Moon turned out to be.

A central theme is the concept of home—a place defined not by origin or appearance but by acceptance and community. Particularly moving is the portrayal of Benny and Río’s slowly blossoming relationship, which is marked by tenderness, uncertainty, and hope. The author masterfully captures the emerging love between the two in a way that feels both gentle and realistic, making it deeply impactful.

The illustrations accompanying key scenes add another dimension to the narrative, making reading this book a truly aesthetic experience. The lyrical prose and vivid descriptions bring the world of Coney Island to life. However, I am somewhat conflicted about the frequent use of untranslated Spanish words. On one hand, it disrupts the reading flow; on the other, it underscores the language barriers faced by immigrants like the protagonist, especially at the start of their journey.

The pacing of the story occasionally feels sluggish, while other parts—particularly the ending—seem rushed. Some plot elements feel familiar, which detracts slightly from the story’s originality. Additionally, certain social commentary aspects, such as the mention of "human zoos," remain superficial and could have been explored in greater depth.

Despite these flaws, When the Tides Held the Moon is a poignant debut that will especially appeal to fans of queer love stories, found families, and mythical tales. It’s a story about courage, belonging, and the ability to accept oneself—beautifully illustrated and written with a tenderness that lingers.

Overall, it’s a heartfelt and poetic blend, where the emotional depth and visual appeal outweigh its minor shortcomings. Perfect for anyone looking to be transported to another time and a touch of magic.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC.

4.25 stars
When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautiful story of love and wonder. It is a tale of a Puerto Rican man falling for an enslaved merman. It's a novel where outsiders explore their roots, identity and what community really means.

The story follows Benigno Caldera, a young man that emigrated his homeland for a better future living in New York City, yet finds himself working as a blacksmith around other foreigners in precarious conditions and barely making a living. Benny feels alone. He's surrounded by people who mock him, struggling with the heat and smoke that affect his already delicate lungs. One day, a job designing a tank is tasked to him and his fate is sealed. This tank will house the newest wonder in Coney Island's Luna Park. Along the way, Benny will not only meet the strange yet wonderful people that form the company of "Morgan's Menagerie of Human Oddities", he'll meet a fantastical creature. A wonder of the sea. A merman. And in him, he'll see his own struggles reflected.

The writing is beautiful. It's poetic and so introspective. Though most of the book is written in Benigno's pov, in-between some chapters we get Río's perspective too. How Venessa writes the merman's plight is so distinct. Usually, Río's inner monologues are always directed to his mother. His words are gorgeous and poetic, but they also hurt to read.
Throughout the book there are a few illustrations that make the story even more special. The artwork is stunning, I can't wait to see the final pieces, yet they already capture the love between Benny and Río. The illustrations also paint the beautiful scene of the Menagerie, Coney Island and 1910's New York City.

Though this is a love story, there's so much focus in Benigno's struggle as an immigrant and his own shame about being gay. His otherness is a weight on his shoulders, but the love he feels for his country, and his journey of self-acceptance are beautifully depicted in these pages. There's so much love for Puerto Rico, it is obvious how much affection and care there was while building this story.

As someone who has follow Venessa for a while and is familiar with the beginning of When The Tides Held The Moon, I am so happy I got to read this arc. I can't wait until the physical book is published and I hope they keep writing historical fantasy.

A metal worker from Puerto Rico builds a big ol’ fish tank for a sideshow’s merman in this, a book that made me cry several times. The merman is grumpy (which is understandable, as he’s been fish-napped) and the metal worker is constantly facing ethical conundrums except not really because his moral compass is pretty true. The band of misfits on Coney Island is as accurate a depiction of found family as I’ve ever read, certainly, and they made me cry too so sure, just call it a sob fest I’m a big crying baby for the merman book and you will be too because it’s VERY GOOD. Then the metal worker and the merman fall in love and I was extremely concerned about how they were going to make it work, given the difference in backgrounds and oxygen processing, but have some faith.

I requested this arc, naturally, because the cover is insanely beautiful, and we all know I love a good merman romance. BUT... I didn't expect that I was going to get a story that was even more beautiful than it's stunning cover. This was so unexpectedly heartwarming and heartbreaking and thought provoking. It's about finding your identity, being brave enough to live out loud even when the consequences can be deadly, learning to ask for help and rely on your friends, knowing that friends are the family we choose, and finding love in unexpected places and with unexpected people. I want a love that spans culture and species and language and space like Rio and Benigno.

You make me feel like I'm kissing the tides.
You make me feel like I am holding the moon.

I'm going to say 4.5 stars, because it was a tiny bit of a slow start for me. And if you don't speak Spanish, read on your kindle so you can get translations. I loved the fluidity of English and Spanish. Also I am starting a petition to have more books published with artwork throughout the story. Absolutely stunning.

What a joyous read this was, it was fast-paced and immersive making it easy to read in a few sittings. I really love low-fantasy books, so mix in historical fiction and I am SOLD! I enjoyed the found-family trope, all of the side characters had depth, warmth and humour, and backstories of their own, so they provided a well rounded look at Coney Island’s inhabitants and fleshed out the story beautifully.
Obviously the main storyline was the romance between the merman Rio and Benigno, and it was lovely, they were so pure and soft, and truly a joy to root for.

I loved that whilst being a fun, fantasy book it had deeper political/social themes running through, I especially loved the importance of identity and representation throughout this book, being a queer love story which focused heavily on Benigno’s cultural identity - especially in a city and age that shunned him for these qualities - was powerful and really important representation. It’s also filled with beautiful illustrations by the author which adds another lovely layer to this read..

Loved this a lot. I didn’t what I was expecting but it was a nice surprise. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc.

This was a great and run read. The story was well paced and the characters were unique and different from one another in a way that kept them interesting while also giving them space to work well with one another. I think Kelley created a well rounded story and I had fun reading it. I also think the cover design is gorgeous and helped me to visual the characters in the way the author intended

"When the Tides Held the Moon" was a beautiful book that truly warmed my heart with every page turned. Benigno's involvement in capturing a merman left me intrigued about their journey, and I ended up falling in love with all the characters. This story made me laugh and cry, leaving me completely satisfied. Kelley crafted this tale exceptionally well, making it one of my top reads this year. I'm grateful to NetGalley for the ARC; this book will always hold a special place in my heart 🩵.

When the Tides Held the Moon is a captivating tale filled with the purest kind of love, genuine friendship, and teamwork. It successfully enchants readers with its beautiful, soulful illustrations. This incredible story of love between different worlds is truly worth purchasing in a physical format.

I was very surprised and intrigued by the story, and the cast of characters is fantastic. I also greatly appreciated this take on mermaid lore!

If you like found family, this is for you.

The plot was too slow for me - I feel like some things could have been sped up.

❤️lgbtqia+
❤️mermaids
❤️M/M
❤️romance
❤️historical fantasy
❤️found family

‘The softest hearts wear the thickest armour. I have seen enough of your heart to know it exists.’
‘Your emotions are not madness. Nor are you broken. Everyone else- who taught you that keeping your heart safe meant caging it- they are broken.’

The ending of this was literally insane.

The Characters
I loved the characters in this book, how each of them had such different motivations. I love that the author is able to make me love and understand their actions early on, so I could understand why they chose to do stuff.
The Plot
The plot for this was insane! A mermaid romance? Sign me up! The ending for this was absolutely insane, I was reading on the edge of my seat, unable to stop. I literally loved that ending, and the story overall
The Romance
The romance in this book was incredible, I felt their love for each other and how much they cared. It felt so realistic (or as realistic a fantasy book about mermaids could be) and I literally couldn’t put the book down.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this amazing opportunity to review this wonderful book, I really enjoyed it! All opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Venessa's art for years, so I was so excited to read their debut novel.
I was not disappointed!

Benigno "Benny" Is an orphaned Puerto Rican blacksmith trying to make it in 1910s NYC. After designing a mysterious large tank for a man in charge of a Coney Island playground called Luna Park, Benny finds himself now working for this man and a group of eccentric performers all while hiding a secret of his own. The crew soon discovers they are meant to capture a merman for their show.

The author does a wonderful job of setting the scene and the feel of 1910 NY. There is a wonderful, diverse cast of characters. They are fleshed out with their own stories without taking over the main tale.

The true beauty of this story is not only seeing Benny come to terms with his own queerness, but he and "Rio's" slow burn from enemies to two beings who cannot live without each other.

The stakes are high and the who crew soon discovers that mer folk were not meant to be caged. The story was loving, exciting and tender. I couldn't put it down and the ending had me on the edge of my seat!

The bonus artwork was gorgeous. I loved this story, cheers to Venessa for a wonderful debut!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.