Upon a Starlit Tide is a story with hints of Little Mermaid + Cinderella woven into Kell Woods's original tale of Luce, the youngest daughter of the Leon family, renowned in her French town for being the wealthiest ship-owners. We have riffs of familiar fairytale elements with elder sisters and mother being obsessed with preening and procuring the most extravagant dresses for an upcoming ball thrown by the family of an eligible bachelor while the youngest Luce is "not like the other girls," is disabled and muses longingly about a life on the sea.
I enjoyed the author's prose, as her diction aptly matches the fairytale vibe a la 1700s France that you would imagine, without being too overly stuffy and overwrought. However, I think where Woods could improve on is the plot itself upon which her pretty words can be strung. Two-faced friends changing from affable and wonderful to be around to very starkly suddenly rakish, full-of-hubris villains felt a bit exaggerated. And the other parts of her story that did add a bit interest, weren't executed in a way that completely cinched trapping my attention:
• Luce's search for her kith and their powers came about rather conveniently
• I didn't find myself particularly rooting for any of the potential romances really. I did feel a general sense of "I just want Luce to be happy" but not the type of shipping I felt towards other book couples.
• After the ball, lots of action started to amp up, however the ultimate goal/reason/motivation behind all felt frenetic rather than cohesive and satisfying
I think a better example of romantasy with grim fairytale vibes would be One Dark Window or, if you're looking more in the realm of historical fiction with fantastical magic, then maybe The Pomegranate Gate by Kaplan or The Familiar by Bardugo are better bets for more maturely developed plots.
Overall, though, I did find Upon a Starlit Tide an enjoyable read, just rather forgettable. I'm sure once Woods gets more books under her belt, she'll probably create something I'd love in the future.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kell Woods’ Upon a Starlit Tide is a mesmerizing blend of romance, adventure, and magic, set against the windswept shores of 18th-century France. With lush prose and an irresistible seafaring backdrop, Woods crafts a story that feels both timeless and fresh, weaving together elements of Cinderella and The Little Mermaid with a bit of a twist.

Luce is a heroine full of heart and determination, desperate to break free from the life society has planned for her. Her world is shaped by the sea, smuggling routes, and the whispers of the fae, but it’s her own choices that ultimately define her path.

Woods’ writing is as enchanting as the story itself, painting vivid scenes of masquerades, ship decks, and moonlit tides. The audiobook narration was very well done, and I had the best couple of days listening while on my commute!

If I had to nitpick, the ending stretched on a bit longer than I felt it needed to—if tightened, it could have been perfect for me!

Even so, Upon a Starlit Tide is a fun time, and for anyone who loves fairy tales with a twist, this is one to pick up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

I am not going to review this book on Goodreads because I do not want to discourage anyone from checking this book out because it just ended up being so much not my thing. This is definitely going to be for fans of Bridgerton and historical fiction with fantasy elements. I could not get on with the lyrical writing style but I can see it being very popular with others. I also HATE the cover art but now knowing it's historical fiction, it makes sense. All in all, not for me but at no fault of the book's.

In a fun, atmospheric retelling of The Little Mermaid, Upon a Starlit Tide tells the story of Luce, who feels stuck in her small coastal village. She saves the life of an important businessman in town and now finds herself off on a course of events that Luce couldn't have imagined in her wildest dreams.

Equal parts exciting and tender, Upon a Starlit Tide is a great piece of historical fantasy. Immersive and beautifully written, the audio version makes the story jump off the page. I really enjoyed the narration and would highly recommend that version.

I love that Kell Woods incorporated familiar elements of Cinderella and the Little Mermaid while also crafting a totally unique story. This wasn’t so much of a retelling as a reimagining. I liked not being sure what I was rooting for in the beginning, though I was very committed to specific outcomes by the end. Woods did a good job showing how cruel favoritism disguised as “doting parenting” causes harm to sibling relationships, I’m happy that this story didn’t frame the step sisters (or step mother) as irredeemable caricatures. Instead the are flawed people who sometimes cause harm, but still hold a lot of love for Lucinde. I enjoyed reading this one and thought the ending was satisfying.

I'll admit, I was drawn to this book because of this beautiful cover. Then, when I heard that it was a remix/retelling of Cinderella and the Little Mermaid, I was intrigued to give it a try. I'm happy to say, I was not disappointed.

This story is a historical dark fairy tale (as all best fairy tales are). It does take some of the best pieces of Cinderella and The Little Mermaid and weaves them together to create something unique and refreshing (yet still feels familiar). The story follows young Luce in France during the late 1700s. She's grown up along the shores and wants nothing more than you escape from the traditional roles of women and sail the open seas in search of adventure. One day, after a violent storm that destroys a passing ship, she rescues a man and that sets off a chain of events that leads to love, secrets, betrayals, magic, and fae.

I thought this book was beautifully written. The prose was lyrical and poetic, and the historical setting with touches of magic sprinkled throughout was woven together nicely. However, it's a very slow-paced book so I am not sure that everyone will appreciate the story, but I enjoyed how it slowly opens up and reveals itself. Lastly, I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator was fantastic. She brought the story and the setting to life (and honestly, I think I may have enjoyed this book more because of the audio rather than reading it from the page). Overall, I am not sure if this book is for everyone, but if it does sound interesting to you then I would recommend it.

Thank you to @Netgalley and @MacmillanAudio for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really, really lovely. I love a good fairytale retelling, and this hit the spot exactly. It had fanciful vibes while still feeling grounded and real. I loved our main character, Luce, and I really enjoyed all love interests.

I predicted enough of the book that it felt well grounded, and I was also surprised at the right times.

Thank you NetGalley for this audio arc.

This gifted audio arc from @macmillan.audio was amazing!!

@esthermwane is possibly one of the best audiobook narrators I have ever listened to. She is also just the perfect match for @kellinthewoods writing style. She has such a soft and soothing voice that really just entrances you into the types of stories that Kell writes. Her slight accent was perfect for the 1920s themed story of  "Upon A Starlight Tide"

If I were to sum up Upon a starlet tide in one sentence it would be the perfect mixture of Ariel, Cinderella, and Gothic selkies in a 1920s era. The character development of Luce is one of the best I've ever read. Luce was adopted by her father who found her in the ocean after a shipwreck. He took her home to his other two daughters and wife and raised her as his own. When Luce falls in love with a man of the sea, she discovers treachery, backstabbing, the true meaning of love, and the true meaning of herself. She discovers that she has invested her love in all the wrong places and in order to make it right she must give up a part of herself she didn't even know existed. 

I am forever a Kell Woods and Esther Wane fan. Their writing and narration speak directly to my soul. 

Be sure to check out Upon a starlit tide on February 18th! 

A huge thank you to @macmillan.audio for the outstanding audio arc!

#uponastarlittide #netgalley #macmillan #hygge

The writing and setting were beautiful
And the narrator was superb
But there was a smidge of "not like other girls" and there's a love triangle, so the mid rating is just me
The book is beautiful if you don't roll your eyes like I do

This book is an amazing mashup of historical fiction with touches of magical realism and aspects of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella!

I really enjoyed the story of Lucinde and her struggles to find her place in her family and in the world! Her evolution of finding out about her true past and relationship with the water was so well written that I wanted more!

This book was really well written but did feel like it got a little long towards the end and the story dragged just a little.

I listened to the audiobook and I really was not overly pleased with the narration. While I enjoyed Esther Wane's female character narration her attempts at the male characters was lack luster. The book really would have benefited from duet narration.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

while you should know that upon a starlit tide is a mash-up retelling of the little mermaid and cinderella, it is very loosely based on those fairytales, creating a whole new and uniquely beautiful story. i find that i enjoy retellings more, and they linger longer with me, when they are able to take inspiration from the original myth/fairytale and create an entirely new story. kell woods has done exactly that.

this was not just a love story, but one most importantly of freedom and choices, which brought me to tears.

the narrator did an absolutely beautiful job!

this was my first book by kell woods, and i will certainly
be reading her other works.

Upon a Starlit Tide is a captivating tale that sweeps readers away on an emotional journey filled with deception, betrayal, and the complexities of love. This Cinderella, Little Mermaid story transports you to a world where the beauty of the sea mirrors the stormy, unpredictable nature of the characters’ relationships.

Set against the rugged beauty of Saint-Malo in 1758, historical fantasy weaves elements of The Little Mermaid & Cinderella into an original tale of love, power, and betrayal. The story follows Lucinde “Luce” Leon, a woman caught between the expectations of high society she was adopted into and her deep yearning for the ocean. While her sisters strive for marriages beneficial to the family, Luce finds solace in sailing, secretly taught by her best friend, Samuel, an English smuggler who truly understands her connection to the sea. But everything changes when she rescues a drowning man, pulling her into a world of faerie magic, dangerous seduction, and long-buried secrets.

To me, one of the books greatest strengths is the characters. At first, Luce’s sisters seem like the typical jealous, scheming figures (reminiscent of the evil step sisters). However, as the story unfolds, their complexities are revealed, making their eventual evolution feel both natural and satisfying—Charlotte and Luce’s relationship in particular made me so happy. Luce herself is a beautifully layered FMC, torn between duty, desire, and self-discovery. Her struggle with the pressures of being her father’s favorite, while yearning for freedom on the ocean, adds depth to her journey.

The fantasy elements are seamlessly woven into the historical setting, making the magic feel organic rather than forced. The worldbuilding is immersive. The final betrayal broke my heart—it was foreshadowed just enough to be plausible but still left me reeling and rethinking the whole book.

Overall, this book is a beautifully written blend of historical fiction and literal fairytale magic, with complex characters finding their way through a world of expectations. The storytelling is rich, the emotions are raw, and the twists are unforgettable. I wish we would’ve gotten some closure on the sisters and their father… but I am happy with how it ended!!

If you enjoy audiobooks, I highly recommend this one. Esther Wane’s narration brings the characters to life, she captures the emotion, tension, and magic of the story in a way that makes the blend of fantasy and historical fiction feel even more seamless. Her performance adds a layer of depth to Luce’s journey, making every twist & revelation hit even harder.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for the ARC!

Rating: 4.75/5

*Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for copy of audiobook for review*

TLDR: 3.5. There are moments I really like, but for the most part this is just ok for me.


Wanted to start by saying audiobook may not be the way to go for this one. The narrator's male voices sound like old men (including a love interest).This being said I continued on and finished it.

The most enjoyable part for me was the combination of both Cinderella and The Little Mermaid that was woven in seamlessly. There was also good atmosphere. I could vividly see the setting.

The characters felt very basic. Ones that you would see in any young adult novel. This definitely aligns with New Adult instead of Adult. We have a very naive main character due to being a lady in a time that women with money were not allowed to do most things. This has her making mistakes like a fifteen year old which of course can be forgiven. The problem is that the story feels is so simple and for those who have read or watched the originals fairy tales it can become boring.
This is not helped by a romance I am not rooting for.

The story does make up for the characters. I was always intrigued to continue on and never considered not finishing. I'm glad I did continue because I really enjoyed a twist that was revealed towards the end.

Dark fantasy retelling of Little mermaid meets Cinderella!

To be honest I didn't know if I would love this book or not. It started out slow but as the story got going I was enthralled! The character descriptions and world building was perfect and necessary to set the scene for this dark fairytale-I could imagine everything.

Lucinde is a beautiful girl who is basically kept locked away within the confines of her estate due to her feet being deformed and painful or so she thinks. She longs to be free and at sea with her father or her best friend, Samuel who is a smuggler. She sneaks out regularly to the sea and a cove that only she, Samuel and Bones are aware of. One morning she was walking along the sea shore and spotted a man drowning after a shipwreck. She saved his life which sets in motion Luce's journey to finding out who she is and finding out a dark secret. But taking from the sea is bad luck, the sea demands balance and retribution.

This tale is heartbreaking and the betrayal blindsided me and had me in tears. I absolutely loved it and would recommend it to any and everyone.

Thank you NetGalley and Kell Woods for this audiobook arc in return for my honest review.

Cinderella + Little Mermaid + Pirates of the Caribbean with a sprinkle of Pride & Prejudice. Phenomenal. Absolutely stunning. I loved this book so much I really don't have words. I cannot recommend it enough.

I feel like I was never in the right mood when listening to this audiobook. I loved the fairytale elements! How can you not?! There were definitely elements of Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. Historical reads can be hard for me sometimes. I do think the narrator did a wonderful job!I also love how cool the cover is!

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Kell for the ALC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: February 18th 2025

Unique combination of two popular fairy tales. The Narrator for the audio sucks you in from the first word and does a wonderful job creating the atmosphere the book wants. She was absolutely amazing. The combination of Cinderella and the Little Mermaid was a something I never realized I wanted. This is one the best mermaid books I've read. The chatacters are wonderfully made, interact in a way that makes you want to know them more, and the romance was tense and well built. After reading her other book I wasn't prepared for the strong romance aspect of the book but it was so slow and built and the narrator did a wonderful job creating the angst and tension that I finished this book in a day. Absolutely amazing so happy I listened to it versus reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the book early!

*Full review to be posted closer to publication!*

I really enjoyed Kell Woods' previous release, After the Woods, so I was eager to see she had in store for this new retelling. Upon a Starlit Tide draws from both Cinderella and The Little Mermaid in order to create a brand new fairy tale style story. I loved exploring this new story and getting to know our protagonist, Lucinde, and following how she navigates the many different events of this story. I thought it was really clever to see where and how Woods incorporated Cinderella elements into her relationship dynamics with her family, as well as the many points here and there that gave strong nods to The Little Mermaid as well. I loved seeing how everything worked together and ended up creating a dramatic and highly entertaining story. There is some romance in this one, so if you're looking for that then you will be pleased by what Woods has crafted in this story, and I found the romance to be well-written and it fit well with the story. I also want to note that I read the audiobook version of Upon a Starlit Tide and I thought it was incredibly well done; the narrator matched the emotions of the story perfectly. Kell Woods has once again delivered a wonderful story and I can't wait to read more from Woods!

This book unfortunately fell a little short for me. I wish the Cinderella and The Little Mermaid elements blended into one story better but instead they just felt like two separate stories. I didn't love Luce, she was fine but definitely not a character I just have to keep reading about.