Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758. To Lucinde Léon, the youngest daughter of a wealthy French shipowner, the high walls of Saint-Malo are more hindrance than haven.

While her sisters are busy trying to secure advantageous marriages, Luce spends her days secretly being taught to sail by Samuel, her best friend—and an English smuggler. Only he understands how the waves call to her. Then one stormy morning, Luce rescues a drowning man from the sea.

Immediately drawn in by the stranger’s charm, Luce is plunged into a world of glittering balls and faerie magic, seduction and brutality. Secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface, but as Luce wrestles with warring desires, she finds that her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a seamaid’s tail.

Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods is a lush and beautiful combination of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. It combines vivid description and a compelling character in Luce to draw you into a gorgeous fantasy world where magic and wonder are fading but aren’t quite gone yet. 

I love how the story draws on elements of fairytales to create a story of love and murder, where Luce is plunged into a world full of secrets. I love the way Luce vies with her desires and eventually embraces her rich power to break free of the constraints others would force her into. This is the ultimate story of a woman escaping the rigid rules of society and forging her own path. 

If you like lush and beautiful fantasy with vivid description, emotional romance, and seductive secrets, this is the novel for you. It is glorious, powerful and compelling as it explores love and power. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 tails. 

MacMillan Publishing

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