I enjoyed Kell Woods’ debut novel After the Forest immensely. Woods’ ability to describe lush beauty in the worlds she creates is unmatched. I do consider it to be more of an adult novel (despite having a young adult female main character and being marketed as young adult) because the themes are mature and there are some open door bedroom scenes.

Upon a Starlit Tide hit the same notes for me - dark themes (disability cruelness, abuse, colonialism, violence, torture) and too much open door spice for this to be a young adult novel. And while I could simply consider this adult as I did with After the Forest…I just couldn’t get past the pacing lags in Upon a Starlit Tide. I also probably overlooked the use of swear words in After the Forest that just felt so jarring in Upon a Starlit Tide.

{more details here: https://www.wilsonhillworks.com/reviews/uponastarlittide}

If you’re interested in a Little Mermaid and Cinderella mash up set in a vibrantly described fantasy world of true historical relevance, and you are looking for a bit of heat between two characters, then definitely give this a go.

This is probably 3.5 stars for my but I've rounded down to three here.

Thank you to Kell Woods, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the Advanced ALC.

This was such a fantastic read! The synopsis sounded really intriguing, and once I started reading, I couldn't stop, I was interested in these characters, and I had to know what was going to happen next! Watching as Luce works to get what she wants, while political tensions are rising, I loved it!

The fact that it's a mix of The Little Mermaid, as well as CInderella, was such an interesting mix in the story, and I really enjoyed seeing it all play out, and whether it was going to lean into the Disney side of the tales, or the Brothers Grimm.

Luce isn't mistreated, per se, but she is her adoptive father's favourite, at the expense of his daughters by blood. Which isn't the best parenting decision a person can do. But when she rescues Morgan, it results in a series of events, that I had to keep reading to see how things would unfold! And boy, were there some reveals, and some pretty epic twists!

Once answers started coming in, about the fae and what had been done, yeah, I wanted to know what was going to happen because of that. So I found the end really satisfying, thought that bit with her love, that hurt, but that epilogue healed that hurt!

Loved reading this book and I would love to read more by Kell Woods!

ALC Review: Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods
Pub Date: February 18th
Narrator: Esther Wane

Thank you to @macmillanaudio for the ALC. All thoughts are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily #macaudio2025

Upon a Starlit Tide is a historical fantasy inspired by Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. This is going to be an all vibes no thoughts kind of review honestly. But I did really like the vibes! I liked the French setting and history regarding the conflicts between them and the English as well as the fantasy world building. There were parts of the plot that surprised me towards the end and there were parts that were a bit predictable.

The book was just a bit too long for me and some of the fairy tale elements somewhat heavy handed. This book isn't YA but feels like it is for a lot of the book.

I enjoyed the narration by Esther Wane who I don't believe I've listened to before. Her voices for characters felt distinct but not overdone.

6/5 stars no notes-an enchantingly perfect book i will be yapping about to anyone willing to listen. I recommend going into this blind-it combines elements of Cinderella and the little mermaid, but trust that this story is entirely its own. Lucinde is a captivating heroine-her journey felt so well earned and there were so many twists i didn’t see coming. Just a masterfully written historical fantasy!!

I really wanted to love this book. The world-building is absolutely stunning, with rich detail and an immersive setting that pulled me in right away. But unfortunately, the main character and the romance fell completely flat, which made it hard to stay invested.

The protagonist had no real personality, and her choices felt more like plot devices than natural reactions. There were so many missed opportunities — great ideas that never fully developed because the story was stuck following a character who didn’t feel real. The romance, which should have been a strong emotional thread, lacked chemistry and depth.

It’s frustrating because there was so much potential here. If the character work had been as strong as the world-building, this could have been an incredible read. Instead, it just felt hollow. In short: Beautiful setting, disappointing execution.

Upon a Starlit Tide had me a choke hold the whole 10+ hours of this audio production by MacMillan Audio.

I absolutely loved this Cinderella and Little Mermaid retelling mashup set in the 18th century of France. The story follows Luc, who is an adopted daughter of a very wealthy merchant family dealing with a special magical rock which is a primary building material for the cove. This story includes faerie folktales and merfolk in a very fresh and delightful way. I really enjoyed the sister dynamics- how fickle and caring they were at times. It was refreshing to not see the "evil sisters" trope but rather a really flexible and deep level of complexity admidst jelousy, etc.. I really enjoyed the historical aspects of this story, from the war between England and France and also especially the GOWN details for all the sisters. Please give me fan art asap artists! I need to see THE dress (if you know, you know).

I felt like the villain was so good too!

I adored many of the side characters and really enjoyed the twists (even if somewhat predictable). I definitely need to read more of Kell Woods!

This was a very delightful fun read- with a dash of sizzle, daring, and danger.

Content: Some detailed kissing, semi-open door, and some swear words from some savory smugglers

Upon a Starlit Tide is a beautifully crafted fairy tale of a book, a perfect merging of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella, yet so much more. It immerses you in 1758 France, off the coast of Bretagne (Brittany) - where noblemen and sea pirates plunder the sea.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys alternate histories that are filled with magic, mermaids, princesses, sisters, and Cinderella stories. This was definitely a five star for me! Esther Wane's narration was fabulous and really drew me into the story.

Upon a Starlit Tide is a not quite straightforward fairy tale retelling but clearly draws from Cinderella, Little Mermaid and other stories mixed in a historical 1758 Brittany during ongoing war with England. Woods does a good job of weaving together new and familiar elements in a manner that gives glimpses as to where the story is going at times while telling a story that is its own. Esther Wane’s narration is well paired with the historical fiction setting and cast of characters for the novel as well as the more fantastical and action elements of the story as they arise. This is a novel that will shorely appeal to anyone that enjoys fairytale retellings or this era of historical fiction; but will likely find fans beyond those groups

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing an audio review copy of Upon a Starlit Tide. Full review is available in episode #297 of Narrated podcast: https://narratedpodcast.com/episodes/297

Author Kell Woods melds two fairy tales, "Cinderella" and "The Little Mermaid", together into a captivating story about a young woman who discovers who she is amidst an impending invasion.

Set in 1758 on Saint-Malo in Brittany, we meet Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy merchant and shipowner. Luce longs for the sea and feels that the ocean is calling constantly to her. Luce has secretly befriended a British smuggler, Samuel, so she can learn to sail, and get out on the water whenever possible.

Luce was found years earlier by her adopted father, alone after her parents died of illness. Feeling pity for the baby, he brought her home and raised her as one of his own, frequently displaying a favouritism for her because of her interest in ships, and his work. Her stepmother Gratienne, from a noble family, has educated the girls to become good wives. Luce's two older sisters Charlotte and Veronique are eager to secure wealthy and influential husbands in Brittany Society, but instead of just making them evil stepsisters to Luce, Woods creates a more nuanced and complicated relationship amongst the three stepsisters: though jealous of their father's favouritism, they also realize that Luce has no interest in the balls and the wealth, and do support her occasional interest in attending balls and wearing pretty things, and Luce genuinely loves and cares for them all.

Kell Woods also weaves a variety of tales and superstitions about the fae into the daily life on Saint-Malo, which is later revealed to have had a population of fae on this island in the English Channel, or La Manche, as the French called it.

The story kicks off when Luce rescues a handsome young man from a shipwrecked ship. She later learns that Morgan is from an extremely wealthy family based in Brittany. Morgan is fascinated with her, while Samuel feels only disgust for a man who likely lied about his failed leadership of the downed vessel, and because Samuel does not trust any wealthy person.

When a chance for a ball comes up, and Luce is unable to attend despite her interest, she receives help from a fae, and gets a chance to dance, something she normally cannot do because of her deformed feet.

Luce proves to be an interesting protagonist; she's interested in travdlling around the world aboard a ship so she can explore, and has a nice streak of independence in her. Also, though she is not interested in the typical things the coddled young gentlewomen of the time were, she's still supportive of her sisters' and their aims and desires. Even her mother Gratienne, though frustrated by Luce's lack of conventional interests, does not forbid her visiting the shipyards with her father.

Luce begins her trek to real independence once she meets an old woman/otherworldly being, who helps her get to a ball, where she gets a chance to dance, something she normally cannot do because of her deformed feet.

When Luce is shocked by a new ability, she and Samuel travel in secret to speak to a witch in England, who lays some more shocking information on her. They also discover the English will be arriving in Saint-Malo soon, and the two must figure out what they can do to protect those they care for on Saint-Malo.

I loved how integral the folklore was to this story's action, as well as how interesting the supernatural beings in the story were.

There was a dreaded love triangle, but Kell Woods did not waste a lot of time with Luce waffling between her two love interests. Woods quickly has Luce realize that there's really no competition once she understands whom she really cares for. The romance is lovely, with mutual respect always at the heart of Luce and her love interest's interactions.

The family dynamics are in many ways the highlight of the story. The family bonds are strong with the Leons, and Luce's bonds with her sisters only grow stronger, something I particularly liked about this book.

And there's politics, with the English intent on invading, along with family revelations, disappointments, and love, and complicated characters doing things for complicated reasons. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I listened to this, and voice actor Esther Wane does an admirable job bringing Luce and everyone surrounding her to life. Luce's love for adventure and growing confidence in her feelings and abilities shine through in Wane's narration.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Macmillan Audio for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this story. I loved how she weaved in and remade classic fairy tales. Original, creative, and fully-realized. Recommended.

Gorgeous setting and magic system, and I absolutely adored the characters! The romance was fire too — what a beautiful story. 5 stars. I like that this was inspired by famous fairytales, it shows, and it was done SO well!!

Upon a Starlit Tide—what a title, right? It’s got that dreamy, fairytale feel, and the story definitely leans into that. There’s magic, there’s sisterhood, there’s a little rebellion, and, of course, the ocean. And let me tell you, the writing? It’s gorgeous. The kind that makes you stop and reread a sentence just because it sounds that good.

But here’s the thing—I wanted to love this book, I really did. And while I liked parts of it, I never fully clicked in. The stakes just weren’t quite high enough to really pull me under. Luce is supposed to be struggling, but her life, even with its hardships, is pretty cushy. She’s got freedom, she’s got wealth, and while there are obstacles, they don’t seem to hold her back for long. I wanted to feel her struggle more, to really believe she was caught between worlds, but too often, things worked out just a little too easily. And when big emotional moments hit, they didn’t always land with the impact I was hoping for.

The characters, too, felt just a bit too safe. Even when bad things happened, there was always a quick fix, always a way out. And while that’s not necessarily a bad thing—hey, we all love a happy ending—it meant that the tension, the real weight of the story, didn’t always hit as hard as it could have.

That said, there’s so much to love here. The world is fresh, the twists on classic fairytales are fun, and the writing? Seriously, it’s stunning. I’d absolutely pick up another book by this author, no hesitation. While this one didn’t fully pull me in, I know plenty of readers will fall head over heels for it. If you love mermaids, fairytales, and beautifully written prose, this one’s worth a read.

This is a fantastic novel. It’s a masterful blending of genres that is nostalgic but reinvents Cinderella and The Little Mermaid at the same time. The prose is beautiful, and it is truly just a gorgeous book.

I really enjoyed the retelling elements inspired by Cinderella and the little mermaid. It made for a fun tale. However, I was extremely annoyed with the audio. I get our FMC is an adolescent but did the voice have to be so high pitched and grating on your ears??? I cringed everytime I had to play this. So I wouldn’t recommend the audio.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and @torbooks for the digital ARC & ALC. ♡

*ೃ༄*ੈ✩‧₊˚ The magic of regency-era ballrooms comes to life in this Cinderella reimagining about a girl who is called to the sea.

I ate this one up. In 1700s France and England are on the brink of war, but for now the men of Saint-Malo are content, fat and happy.

French trading ships have brought wealth and prosperity to their shores through the greed of men. There’s a brief mention of slave-trading ships, which sail for the Indies and return loaded with spices, rum and other wares.

I loved how this flips the traditional Cinderella script on its head, where the villains get their own depth of character arcs and the fairy godmother takes the shape of a hag-like tusked fae creature bound to the tides.

Lucinde, our main character, is a girl who longs for adventure, to sail beneath the starry skies.

⚓ Highly recommended for fans of atmospheric fantasy and seafaring with a swoony love story (one or two steamy scenes), and some graphic violence.

🎧 I loved the voice of Lucinde in this audiobook narrated by Esther Wane. The MMC sounded like a gruff pirate 😅🏴‍☠️

Being a Cinderella super fan, I’m always interested in Cinderella retellings but this novel is so much more!

With elements of The Little Mermaid as well, this story is an original tale of a beautiful young lady who is the youngest daughter of a shipping magnate in coastal France during the mid-1700’s.

Included in this story is disability representation, the Fae, a lovely seaside setting with political intrigue, betrayal, and an intriguing triangle which is nicely resolved with a satisfying ending.

I highly enjoyed this standalone story with its magical elements set alongside a historically rich setting with beautiful prose.

The audiobook, narrated by Esther Wane, is excellent except that sometimes her male voices sound very similar lending to some confusion but very enjoyable nonetheless and I’m very thankful to Macmillan Audio for my review copy.

I’m very excited to receive a hardcover copy from one of my subscription book boxes so that I can consume this lovely story in a visual format. This was my first book by Kell Woods but I now look forward to reading her “After The Forest” and any future novels she may write.

Wow. What an incredibly beautiful story. The characters are complex and relatable, and the writing itself is absolutely stunning. I loved the relationships between Luce and her family and how realistically complicated those relationships can be. While I did guess one twist, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book surprised me multiple times.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing and ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic story. Kell Woods must be a sea maid herself to have created such a tale. I don't love a character who gives and gives and gives, and Luce is mostly that, trying to give everyone around her the benefit of the doubt. But as her story goes on she gets stronger and stronger and finds herself in the end (I don't consider this a spoiler). The Bretagne setting is so magical for me (one can't have enough books set in France) and the unique weaving of this story make this a five-star book for me. After finishing the audiobook I immediately sent it to a friend because I think she would love it. If you like France and/or fairy tales I think you would too. I think the audiobook narrator did a fantastic job.

This book is a wonderful retake on traditional fairy tales. Much in the same theme as The Lunar Chronicles. Familiar plot points, but a new story. I really enjoyed this one, I was worried when it began that it was going to be filled with Tropes: "secret, special main character", "love triangle" etc, and while there were some aspects of them, it was done well. The narrator of this audiobook had the perfect voice for getting the feel of a fairy tale, while pronouncing the many French words well. The variety of voices she was able to bring really brought the story to life. Definitely one to check out if you're a fan of the re-worked fairy tale genre. I listened to this audiobook through NetGalley.

A fascinating mashup of many well-known fairytales, yet uniquely its own story. I struggled to get into this one at first but truly appreciated the well-respected details of historical fashions and their place in aristocratic society. Once we passed the 1/3 point, I started to really enjoy the story and guess what and what would not carry over from the obvious inspiration. I always enjoy different representations of fae since we are overstimulated with all the sexy, broody shadow daddy alongside soft and lithe angels that walk the earth among us. While there is nothing wrong with either, I enjoyed the fae in this story like the breath of fresh air they are. If you enjoy historical low fantasy, this is a must-read for you and really any fantasy fan that grew up on fairy tales.

Esther Wane truly immersed me all the way back to 1758 in Saint-Malo, Brittany. Her voices, accents and command of language were just as great as the story itself. I don't know if I would have enjoyed the book as much if I had read it instead of listening to the audiobook. Even if you have read the book and loved it, I cannot recommend the audiobook version enough!

🌊Feminine rage
✨Love triangle
🌊From different worlds
✨Hidden power heroine

Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ALC. All opinions are my own.