This story revolves around Margrete Wood, and her connection to Azantian, an island known to be mythical. I love the development of Margrete's character while she is in the island, as well as her feelings with Bash, the Azantian King. Its a bit dragging in the middle, but once you're past that, heck, next pages are very eventful! After reading this, I went back to The Exile chapter, just to double check who's point of view is that.. There are lots of question on my mind after the Epilogue, that I really want to get my hand on the next book!

THIS BOOK. OMG.
I requested it because I was very curios about it, but my expectations were at a basic level.
BUT GUYS. This book is unexpected surprisingly amazing! Especially for being a debut book

A mix of Sarah J.Mass and Armentrout books. I found similarities with "From Blood and Ash" (in all points, even the hottest ones😏)

I loved the writing style and the characters: OMG. Bash 😭🔥
A romance with my favourite tropes: enemies to lovers, semi-forbidden love and KNIFE TO THROATH SCENE!!!! How could I not like it!

I'm curios about Margret's powers and how the story will continue
4 stars well deserved!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have a hard time rating this book because the writing was very technically and professionally well-done, but I never got fully immersed in the story. I think my main issue is that I found the character and relationship development to be underdeveloped.

As an admitted die-hard fan of slow-burn, the relationship developed much too fast for me. I just didn’t see WHY the love interest fell for her or put so much of their trust in her, so fast. The heroine felt just a bit too perfect, but also would make some very ill-thought out decisions. I think it would’ve been more compelling perhaps if there was more internal character development that happened. Since the heroine almost came across as too perfect (with everyone loving her right off the bat), it didn’t leave a lot of room for character development. I think the dialogue also felt a bit contrived which made it harder to see the character interactions as authentic.

I think the cover is beautiful and the story is intriguing, I just would’ve loved to see more character depth!

I really enjoyed reading The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea, it has a wonderful blend of fantasy and mythology and the cover art is gorgeous. It's a well written and excellent debut.

*****5 Stars!

“𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯...𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘴.”

First I would like to thank Owl City Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book! I am honored to have been given the chance to read it and give an honest review!

The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an adventurous tale that follows a young woman named Margrete Wood, crushed beneath the thumb of a controlling and power-hungry father. She craves an escape from her father’s control and a chance at her own freedom, desperate for the sweet taste of freedom Margrete turns to the Gods for help. It was a prayer she had not expected to be answered. Receiving word from her father of her engagement to a young wealthy Count Casbian, Margrete is forced to the altar against her desires.

Then enters Bash, a rogue pirate and King to a mysterious island that should only belong in myths. With plans to use Margrete to reclaim a powerful relic stolen from his people, Bash kidnaps her on the day of her nuptials and brings her to his home, Azantian. Little did they both expect to be drawn to one another despite their better judgement, thus leading to a forbidden romance that could destroy them all.

As the lines between them blur, Margrete must make a choice between a passionate love, and saving the realm from the dangerous magic awakening inside of her soul.

This book was an absolute delight to read and filled my craving of an engaging and adventurous pirate fantasy! I found myself easily hooked to Margrete and Bash’s tale, sitting on the edge of my seat eager to see what would happen next. One thing that I really enjoyed about this book was the world building--the island of Azantain was so easy to imagine as were the sights and the smell of the sea as well as the culture of the people who resided there. I would absolutely love to hear more of the lore behind this rich world.

I also found each and every character to be very easy to love and become invested in; I can’t wait to get to know them even more in the next book! I found the chemistry between Margrete and Bash to be very well written, I absolutely loved the slow burn romance that blossomed between them since the moment they met. That is an aspect I really enjoyed and drew me further into this beautiful tale. I couldn’t wait to see where our two heroes found themselves at the end of the book!

This was a book I enjoyed immensely and would highly recommend! As someone who is obsessed with all things pirates, I was very pleased with this book and will happily add it to my list of favorite books I’ve read this year! I am so looking forward to continuing with this series, I can’t wait to see where the characters find themselves next!

4.75⭐
R for some sexy time but the main heat in this book is the yearning glances and tension!

Um, hi. Do you like a feisty heroine who's mad about being kidnapped, a broody male love interest, interference from the gods and an island that shouldn't exist? Enjoy ACOTAR, Cinda Williams Chima, Furyborn or Tamora Pierce? Cool, then you should probably just stop reading this review and go get this book because I think you'll love it. 🙂

This book took everything I want in a fantasy romance novel and it delivered and then delivered some more! First, Margrete gets kidnapped on her wedding day before she says "I do" and finds herself imprisoned on an island that shouldn't exist, but then she finds she absolutely can't stand the pirate king who kidnapped her... And also can't stop thinking about him when not trying to figure out how to stop a malicious sea gods' creations from destroying the world.

Need I say more?!? The tension and yearning between Bash and Margrete was so perfect and they were 🔥 together. The island of Azantian sounded incredible. And the backstory of the sea gods and how Margrete tied into the whole plot was so well designed--there was always something that left me guessing about what would happen next. Also some key characters were LGBTQIA+ which is just something normal I want to see in all fantasy books. My only small issue was that sometimes the books pacing and transitions were a little off.

Overall this is a phenomenal debut, from a local author no less! I think if you're looking a book that's not on Booktok but is similar to other books promoted on Booktok, this a great find. I cannot wait for book two and to see what's next for Margrete and Bash!!

The girl who belonged to the sea is about Margrette, a girl who will always put aside her own needs to protect her younger sister that she adores, including marrying a man she doesn't know. A daring pirate kidnaps her on her wedding day and takes to her to a mythical island laced with secrets.

This is the first in a series. Lovers of From blood and ash will really enjoy this story. I'm a real sucker for that enemies to lovers story line and Bash and Margrette are fantastic characters. The plot had lots of twists and turns, though I felt some areas were not as well developed as they could have been. The world building is fantastic. A great debut and a wonderful start to this trilogy that I look forward to seeing how it develops.

Thank you so much to netgalley and City Owl press for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC in return for an honest review.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley for my review.

Sadly, DNF. It's just not my cup of tea. Probably readers of romances would enjoy this, but I don't like the whole trope of women needing to be rescued by dashing piratey men. I read the first few chapters, but this style of writing just isn't for me.

4.5 stars Wow oh wow, i really enjoyed The girl who belonged to the sea by Kathrine Quinn. Most reviewers compared It to Pirates of the Caribbean but the only similarity is being kidnapped by pirates. Margrete has a connection the the sea and is fond of listening to its whispers and salt air. Her father an evil man, arranges her marriage to a count and on that day she is kidnapped by pirates, specifically their Captain Bash

Bash takes Margrete to his enchanted lands and holds her ransom. There Margrete learns why the sea calls to her. This story is epic and Quinn writes an epic world, with monsters, Gods and evil people.
I was given an ARC from City Owl press and net Galley for my honest review

Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title before publishing. I am SO excited to have been able to read this wonderful debut!

Margrete is the daughter of the powerful Captain Wood, and she knows first hand just how brutal and cruel her father can be. Growing up on an island surrounded by his fleet and indicators of his power has always reminded Margrete of just how little freedom she and her younger sister, Birdie, have. Until the day of her arranged marriage, when she is kidnapped by a handsome rogue pirate and his crew and taken to a mystical land she thought of only as a fairytale. Here, she learns that she has a much larger part to play, and that the gods of her realm are much closer to home than the previously thought.

I was SO impressed by this debut. The story was completely gripping, the romance swoon worthy, the adventure well developed and fast paced. I was truly fascinated and captivated by the world building here as well, and the way the imagery is so beautifully and artfully captured by the author.

Margrete is a heroine you love to love. She is strong and independent, but has her faults and limitations. You find yourself rooting for her immediately. When Margrete meets her rogue pirate, Bash, their chemistry is palpable and electric. The plot is incredibly well paced and entirely unpredictable, and I will ABSOLUTELY be counting down the days until the sequel releases.

My one qualm, and the reason I’ve knocked off half a star, is purely in the pacing of Margrete and Bash’s relationship. It’s not *exactly* Insta-love, I’m that it isn’t quite instant and it isn’t quite love. But these two fall for each other VERY fast. The bulk of their relationship building takes place during the better part of a week and a half, and that was a really difficult thing for me to divorce from. I couldn’t separate from questions like “she was just holding a knife to his throat and now she’s getting drunk with him and having an inner monologue about how she wants him?” “I get that she is beautiful, but she’s also the enemies daughter???” “Are you really pledging your SWORD to this woman after a week and a half?”
Don’t get me wrong, everything about the romantic development would be entirely believable if it were only happening over a greater period of time. I think this could be easily fixed if it were just mentioned that more time was passing offscreen, perhaps a month or so rather than a week. The book would not need to be longer, and further development scenes would not be necessary. It’s a small detail at face value, but one that colors my entire experience of the book going forward.

All this said, I am giving this a solid 4.5 stars. This adventure kept me totally gripped and enchanted. The characters and lovable and interesting, the world is charming and captivating. I can see this becoming an incredibly, incredibly popular series, and I hope to add to this as I will absolutely be recommending this to others. Namely if you are a fan of A Court of Thorns and Roses, From Blood and Ash, The Daughter of the Pirate King (and other Pirate stories), you will LOVE this. It truly is all of these things rolled into one with a dash of its own unique twist.

Enemies to lovers trope is a classic favorite but sometimes hard to pull off. However, this was executed this perfectly!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t put the book down because I was so emotional invested in the main leads relationship. I loved the MC and her ability to not turn into a mute and cower. She spoke up and her feisty attitude made things with Bash so much more fun. The plot was different and refreshing and the author was able to incorporate both romance and fantasy perfectly without one overshadowing the other. The ending though? Can’t say I was expecting that and considering this isn’t a standalone, I’m exciting to see how the story continues. Can’t wait to read more from this author.
I requested this book to review based on the synopsis and I’m so glad I was approved because this is a must read.

I really enjoyed The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea. It’s such an immersive read, and I love the world that Katherine Quinn created. The story has tons of action, adventure, and romance, and the characters are fantastic! I especially like the main characters, Margrete and Bash, as well as Bash’s closest friends.

Margrete’s development and growth over the course of the story are immense. A young woman who has been abused by her father for years, Margrete never expects to find her freedom when kidnapped by a gang of pirates, but that is exactly what happens. Margret had such a terrible life, a life of abuse, pain, and suffering, and she is terribly scarred from her experiences. However, away from the toxicity and evil that is her father, Margrete begins to find herself. She gains strength, surety, and a sense of belonging on her journey, and it is fantastic. Margrete, like Bash, is very selfless, but to see her stand up for herself and to take charge is awesome.

The story is told primarily from Margrete’s point of view, though there are chapters told from Bash’s perspective too. I feel like you really get to understand both characters well with the dual perspectives. Margrete (and the reader) initially sees Bash as a villainous pirate who has kidnapped her for his own nefarious purposes. However, it’s clear fairly early on that he’s much more than that. Bash is so self-sacrificing, and all of his decisions are for the betterment of his people regardless of his needs and desires. He puts a lot of pressure on himself and is desperate to save his kingdom. He deals with a lot of conflicting feelings, and having his perspective humanizes him and shows his thoughts, feelings, motives, and vulnerabilities. It also reveals his feelings about Margrete.

Of course, my favorite part of the book is the romance. It is epically swoon-tastic, and I loved every chemistry-laden minute of it! I love a good enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, and the relationship between Margrete and Bash is everything! Their love is described as “a molding of two souls that called out for the other,” and I think that’s the most beautiful and perfect description of Margrete and Bash.

Bash and Margrete have such strong and deep feelings for each other, but there is so much standing in their way. Kidnappings, revenge, her father, vengeful gods, and monsters threaten them at every turn, and they are supposed to be each other’s enemies. Their relationship is angst-filled, a constant push and pull, “will they or won’t they” dynamic, and I love their banter, sexual tension, and chemistry.

I also love the family that Margrete finds in Bash and his closest friends. They are so fun and witty together, and they add interesting dynamics to the story. Margrete has never really known unconditional love and acceptance except with her young sister, and Bash and his friends change that. Margrete becomes more confident and strong, and she sees her own worth more than she ever did before because of this found family. These friends have a lot of respect for each other, and they are extremely loyal. I like that they take Margrete under their wing and show her what it means to belong.

This is a wonderful debut novel from Katherine Quinn. The world-building is layered, unique, and fascinating, and I love the lore and mythology introduced. The imagery and symbolism are also strong, as is the character development. A well-paced and captivating read with mystery, action, and a swoon-tastic romance, The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea will appeal to readers of romantic fantasy. Thanks so much to the author, NetGalley, and City Owl Press for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

"Instantly he thought of her - the woman aboard his ship, the daughter of his greatest enemy. She certainly wasn't what he expected. Not that he'd spent all that much time thinking about her in the first place. Now, he couldn't stop."

Groan.

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

There's not really anything wrong with this book, hence the three-star review. The writing is professional, the pacing was consistent, and the plot made sense. If I read this when I was, I don't know, 17 and still new to the fantasy genre I probably would've loved it. Unfortunately, I read it as a 31-year-old who consumes a lot of fantasy and a decent amount of romance, and I just found this boring. I didn't feel any chemistry between Bash and Margrete so the romance didn't work for me, and the rest of the plot and worldbuilding wasn't strong enough to save it.

There are definitely readers who will love this book, and I won't hesitate to recommend it to those readers. For myself though, I'm just looking for a bit more.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC! This book came as a complete surprise. It was hands down one of my favorite fantasy romances this year. I loved Margrete and her sure-fire attitude. She achieved such character growth by the end of the book. Bash took a while for me to like (mostly because I can’t stand his name). Overall, this enemies to lovers romance was incredibly difficult to put down.

The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea introduces us to Margrete, eldest daughter of the abusive and powerful Captain Wood. Eager to escape her father’s clutches with her younger sister, Birdie, Margrete sends out a prayer to the sea for help. Enter Captain Bash, King of Azantian, the faraway land that Margrete had thought only existed in story books. On the day of Margrete’s arranged wedding, Bash captures the bride in the hopes of ransoming her for something that Captain Wood stole many years ago. As Margrete unravels the mysteries of the past and attempts to pave her own fate, she discovers everything, including her own identity, is not quite what she thought it to be.
Full disclosure: I was not expecting much of this book, but once I got into it I couldn’t put it down! I found the first few chapters to be confusing. Too much detail was given in some areas and not enough in others, but do not let that deter you. As soon as the action started to build, I was as captivated by Azantian and its characters as Margrete was. This book promises “high-seas adventures, swashbuckling heroes, and forbidden, steam romance,” and my goodness does it deliver. While this book doesn’t leave on a cliffhanger, there are plenty of threads left for Quinn to explore in the subsequent pieces of the trilogy (which I am now eagerly waiting to get my hands on).
Many thanks to NetGalley and City Owl Press for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this story, but while the premise is compelling, I was never completely as swept away as I was by its gorgeous cover (I think it comes down to the structure). Ultimately, I am unconvinced that the forbidden romance really could have destroyed everyone and everything because it never felt like things got so bad that our lovers would actually have to make the difficult choice to separate; it always felt like even in somewhat crushing moments that everything would work out. Therefore, I was never really worried for either of them. Additionally, while the enemies-to-lovers trope is well-executed, I found some of the conversations between our main characters to drag on a bit too much in terms of mushiness. Also, I would have loved for the male love interest to have picked a less generic nickname for our protagonist.

That being said, there is still a lot of good to say about THE GIRL WHO BELONGED TO THE SEA. The pacing was fine. Margrete is a super sympathetic heroine with realistic motivations. Overall, she felt very three-dimensional. Bash was less so to me, but still a love interest you could root for. They have an excellent meet-cute--and the flirting via books was adorable. Additionally, the worldbuilding is stunning. The Azantians have the coolest tattoos ever. Their island is magical and wonderful. I felt myself waiting for scenes where Margrete would be taken out and about so I could experience more of the island.

Overall, not a favorite, but still a good, entertaining read.

From the moment I picked up the book, I was ensnared and had a difficult time putting it down! The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is an amazing fantasy story involving gods, magic, a mythical island, a pirate King, and more!! The main character Margrete is raised in an abusive home with a total jerk for a father. Her father plans to wed her to a Count for a unknown advantage. During the wedding ceremony, a group of pirates arrive and kidnap Margrete away. Margrete is taken away by a handsome pirate and quickly learns that everything she thought was a myth or a legend is REAL. This book is definitely some enemies to lovers trope and knife to the throat trope. Thank you to Net Galley for an eARC of this book. I cannot wait to read the rest of this trilogy!

"The gods are cruel and seldom kind. And fate? Fate laughs at us all." Margrete knows cruelty well. Her father has made it a sadistic game to see how far he can push her before she breaks. On the day she's coerced into marrying one of his allies, pirates kidnap her for leverage. Unfortunately for them, she does not go quietly. This is where the adventure begins in Katherine Quinn's The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea. On Margrete's journey to the supposedly mythical island of Azantian, she fights to become the master of her fate, and she won't go back to letting anyone control her. Not even the charming, handsome pirate king.

Speaking of his royal highness... Do you like a knife to the throat scene? Who are we kidding? Of course, you do. Do you like snarky banter? Derogatory nicknames that turn into terms of endearment? Men with tattoos? Men with tattoos and filthy, wicked tongues? Was Jack Sparrow your sexual awakening, but you'd like a version of him that doesn't guarantee an infection? (Okay, maybe that one is just me.) If any of this applies to you, it's reason enough alone to pick up this novel.

On top of that, the storyline, world-building, and magic system are all well thought out and combined beautifully. I won't say too much about them because we don't do spoilers here. But as it's the first in The Azantian Trilogy, I'll say this. While Quinn is kind enough not to leave you hanging off the proverbial cliff, the complexity of it all will give you enough questions and theories to be impatiently waiting to see what Margrete does next.

One thing that you may not love is the moments that come across as a little too trope-y/cheesy. The love confessions are so soft and sappy they may feel out of character for people as headstrong and guarded as they are.

With all this said, I still rate it four out of five stars. The romance is steamy, the adventure is thrilling, and watching a young, sheltered woman grow into someone fighting for her freedom will leave you feeling empowered.

Due to the explicit adult content, The Girl Who Belonged to the Sea is for an audience of 18+ only. If you enjoyed The Empirium Trilogy by Claire Legrand or Jennifer L. Armentrout's From Blood and Ash, I highly recommend this one next.

*Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for my free advanced e-copy, this review is honest and separate from their generosity*

A fragrant story akin to a mix of The Bridge Kingdom and From Blood And Ash.

A god-pirate, a stolen bride, and an island from myth.

I had a really, really fun time reading this, and surprised myself at how fast I'm beginning to fall for warrior-pirate archetypes! For a book over 400 pages I sped through it, and found myself seriously rooting for our heroine Margarete quicker than one might expect.

What has also been made clear is that magical pirates might just be the new faerie prince ...

Actual rating 4.5/5

A dynamic beginning to the series.

The Girl Who Belonged To The Sea intrigued me when I read the blurb, but the story pulled me in almost immediately. An evil sea captain? A feisty protagonist with a big heart? An unwanted wedding interrupted by a handsome pirate? I needed no more to devour this book.

When Margrette is taken by a pirate on her wedding day, she doesn't expect to find strength, love, and a home on the mythical island she's taken to, yet she does. Her tale is full of adventure, emotion, and a deep need to find the independence she was denied her entire life. I really don't want to give too much away so I'll end this review here. If the blurb intrigued you even a little, don't hesitate to pick it up!