The premise of this book is SO good. And it delivered for me - that's not my Imogen bias speaking either.

The beginning of the book puts us in a very Elizabeth Swan is about to get married to someone she doesn't want to. But there is added danger - this time Imogen is exactly what the Captain hunts: a Siren. Seeking help from a foreign King whose lands still worship Sirens instead of hunting them, they forge a bond and flee (though he does so begrudgingly).

I love a story with a soft spot for the "monster" and this really appeased that itch for me. I've seen other reviewers mentioning how Odyssey coded this is and I could not agree more. Imogen is Penelope to Theo's Odysseus if she was a Siren. If you love a lush language kind of book this is that.

The magic and Gods system in this book is so gripping! The antagonists are so hateable and you can tell the threat is very real. Introducing more in the court was the only part I didn't like - because what do you mean Theo is going to marry her after hearing they worship Eusia?! WHAT AND WHY?! The same reason they all hate Seraf and yet they want to marry into the Empress' fucked family?! 😭😭

Imogen and Theo are great main characters because they are fallable to mistakes. From the get go. I LIVED for it! And if you don't want an easy romance for your main characters - these poor sweethearts are going to continue going through it!

I'm super excited to see how Imogen solves that crazy ending in book 2!! 🐚🌊🪸🪷🧜🏻‍♀️

4.5 rounded up!

It’s a quintessential high fantasy with (barely) knife-cuttable levels of tension between our characters, great world building and increasing stakes, siren lore and commentaries on what is truly monstrous, literal buckets of tension and an enjoyably multi-threaded generational plot. Did I also mention the TENSION.

In The Veins of the Drowning is giving high fantasy drama with historical romance YEARNING a la “you have bewitched me body and soul”. I fear there are many clenched fists by the side of the brooding, emotionally constipated male lead who’s held captive by honour and duty but entirely unbound by One Woman. And What a Woman is Imogen Nel. I’ve said it before I’ll say it again I love Pathetic Men. Give me 15 of these!

I came for sirens and I stayed for scrumptious prose and “if you are to ruin me then let it be completely… Because a life without you is not what I want to know.” KILL ME IT WOULD ACHE LESS

I need the next one stat!

If you listen closely, you can hear the distant sound of Rachel Gillig cackling and whispering “told you so.”

If you’ve ever wanted your siren stories rewritten by someone with a soft spot for the “monsters,” you’ll adore this one. In the Veins of the Drowning is a gothic fairytale of siren lore, toxic family dynamics, salty secrets, angst and… zombie sirens? Plus yearning so agonising it’s almost psychological torture with a side of heart-eyes.

Look, I’m not saying it’s my favourite romantasy of the year, but I am saying it might just be a three-way tie between this, Terror at the Gates and Broken Souls & Bones. 2025 has been delivering.

Firstly, there are so many of my favourite tropes in here, for example, forced proximity, forbidden love, one horse (the execution had me squealing), and a surprise trope twist reveal that was perfection. It’s like Cassidy wrote this book just for me and for you too, if you love those tropes.

But what really blew me away was how the author put her own unique spin on them.

Stylistically, it’s lush, haunting and atmospheric with some mild horror elements. If you’re someone who gets high on vibes, this will feed you. It’s easy to see why Rachel Gillig endorsed it, the moody aesthetic is reminiscent of One Dark Window, along with its allegories about who the real monster is, with mythological siren lore from Greek mythology/The Odyssey woven in, the kind with talons and feathers. There’s even a touch of Mr. Darcy in the characterisation, brooding and all.

Furthermore, if you squint (or maybe it’s just my perception), there’s a ghost of The Little Mermaid lurking beneath the surface. Not the Disney sparkle version, but the much stranger, darker Hans Christian Andersen one. Still, even with those glimmers, this book isn't trying to be anything else. It's 100% its own thing and Cassidy understood the assignment.

I won't be surprised if people go feral for Imogen & Theo. The pining is off the Richter scale, complete with awkward, flustered moments between them and I think those were my favourite scenes of all.

Additionally, spice levels are perfect--Not gratuitous but high reward.

I can’t believe this is a debut. If this is how she starts, I’m cancelling all my plans and binge-reading everything Kalie writes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley & Orion Publishing Group | Gollancz for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you, Kalie Cassidy, for filling a void I didn't even realize needed filled - where have books about *sirens* been my entire life?! I really enjoyed this tale of darkness, love, and magic. The world-building is strong here - despite living in a landlocked city, I could smell the salty brine of the sea on every page. It's filled with lovely dark atmosphere, brooding and yearning, and wonderfully grey characters. A great fresh read for fans of gothic fantasy, brooding morally grey love interests, and feminine rage.

Thank you so much to Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Did I read this cover to cover non stop? Yes, yes I did.

Give me dark magic, Sirens, forbidden romance and prophecies any time if its written like this.

Awestruck at how much I needed to see this book through to the end, only now in desperate need of book two!

I loved Imogen. From down trodden and hiding her light, to fierce Siren with vengeance and the need to save kingdoms in her heart.

Here bond with Theo broke me repeatedly throughout.

Just like the ending! I so want a HEA for these two.

A beautifully atmospheric, captivating romantasy.

In the Veins of the Drowning was such a phenomenal debut by Kalie Cassidy. This gothic romantasy is the perfect blend of eerie, suspenseful, and full of jam packed tension. I absolutely couldn’t put this book down. I loved our FMC Imogen who spent years hiding who she truly is and our meet cute with our broody MMC, Theodore will have you kicking your feet in no time. This book was hands down one of my favorite reads so far this year.

Thank you so much to Orion Publishing Group and Netgalley for the early eARC of this fantastic book. I can’t wait for what is to come for Kalie.

An immediate favourite of the year! What a debut! I requested this on the recommendation of a friend who had already read an ARC and I was not disappointed. This was so much fun and full of just the right amount of angst, romance and pining! Also, shout out to the author for the Siren lore and not hiding away from all the gritty details!

This is for readers who love:
- Fictional men who YEARN
- He falls first
- Forbidden love
- Sort of marriage of convenience / forced marriage(?)

A perfect combination of siren lore, forbidden love and political intrigue.
We follow Imogen Nel, a siren forced to suppress everything she is. Raised in a court that despises her very nature, Imogen’s life is a quiet act of survival until a political engagement and a blood bond gone wrong.
Imogen is angry, deeply traumatized, but unapologetically sharp-edged. Watching her go from a cowering ward to commanding power is both powerful and unsettling. Theo is the very embodiment of duty; stiff, formal, and emotionally restrained until Imogen forces him to confront not just his kingdom’s politics, but his own heart. The relationship between Imogen and Theo is so wonderfully complex, it’s a bloody, fragile alliance forged under duress and deepening in trust and unspoken grief. But Theo? The man can yearn! I couldn’t have been Imogen, it would’ve been a wrap very early on and there’d be no story 🤣
The marriage‑of‑convenience trope here is twisted by magic as their bond is both a lifeline and a prison. Their joint path forces them to cross swords with undead horrors and unravel magical secrets. Each revelation rushes them toward a final confrontation where Imogen must accept the possibility that becoming monstrous could be the only way to save everything.
Kalie’s worldbuilding is vivid and visceral filled with imagery of coastal ruins, haunted waters, and you can practically taste the salt in the air. Magic in this world is biological and brutal, tied to blood, and to identity. The pacing was perfect, you are thrown headfirst into the action and it hardly ever lets up. The stakes constantly escalate right up to the final page where you are left with an unsettling cliffhanger.
In the Veins of Drowning is a gripping tale about how power corrupts, how trauma scars, and how love can bloom in the ruin.
This is a stunning debut!

“Far below, in the water, she waits. I wake and she fades. I sleep and she surges….she is want, and I know her well.”

Oh, we are not worthy. In the Veins of the Drowning is a stunning debut and the first book in a duology. It’s such a rich, dark, gothic romantic combination of siren lore and mythos with forbidden love and malicious court machinations. I’m besotted.

Imogen Nel was orphaned young and raised by a cruel and powerful king, and she is soon to be married off to his captain of the guard. In a kingdom that hunts and kills Sirens, her future husband leads the slaughter. But Imogen has a secret. She is a Siren. Keeping away from the sea, her wings, talons and powers have been successfully hidden - until a visiting King on a diplomatic mission sees right through her. Her secret is soon revealed and she will need the visiting King’s help to survive. Can they trust each other? Or are they each other’s ruination in waiting?

Clearing some room on my Rachel Gillig, Hannah Whitten, Danielle L Jensen section of my bookshelf stat!

A huge thank you to Orion Publishing Group,
Kalie Cassidy, and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. In the Veins of the Drowning comes out Tuesday, July 15th.

3.5 (rounded UP!)

Let me start with this: That ending….absolutely how dare you.

In the Veins of the Drowning revolves around Imogen, a young ward to King Nemea in a kingdom where sirens are seen as monsters that need be destroyed...oh, and she just happens to be a siren in hiding, far from the sea and out of her depth in a whole other way - especially when King Theodore gets thrown into the mix.

This book was such a fun read, the chemistry between Imogen and Theo was PERFECT - the PINING, THE ANGSTTTTT!!! I ate it all up.

The book itself is first and foremost a romantasy, however the mystery around Imogen's identity and her journey to escape King Nemeas clutches is compelling and keeps you reading!

PROS (aka all da tropes)
- MMC falls first
- mutual pining
- forbidden romance
- marriage of almost convenience lmao
- blood bonds
- slow burn
- spicy goodness

CONS!
- insta love
- WAY more world building needed

Overall, very fun and can see lots enjoying it! Will certainly be picking up the next one when it comes out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Kalie Cassidy’s debut In the Veins of the Drowning is a lush, gothic romantasy that sinks its claws in from the first page. Imogen Nel is a siren in hiding, with too much power and too little control, wrapped in a cloak of secrets. Watching her struggle with her own monstrousness while daring to crave love and freedom was deeply moving. And Theo? He’s a king cloaked in ambition and vulnerability, and his slow-burn unraveling for Imogen had me sighing in the best way.

Cassidy’s prose is lyrical and immersive, with siren lore that feels both mythic and fresh (wings instead of tails? Yes, please). The pacing is tight, the worldbuilding rich. This story is tense, tender, and rich with atmosphere. There’s quiet rage simmering under every page, but also hope.

Perfect for fans of gothic romantasy who want their magic dark, their heroines dangerous, and their enemies-to-lovers served with slow tension and sharp teeth.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A thrilling start to a sweeping romantasy series, In The Veins of the Drowning gives sirens a new gothic makeover, blending the familiar myths with new magic, elements of body-horror and otherworldly darkness. The world Cassidy has created is rich and well imagined, with an intriguing magical system I can't wait to explore further. While the romance moved a bit too fast for my liking, I'm still interested to see how that progresses in the next book.

All in all, a solid start!

The book I didn’t know I wanted but desperately needed.

The tension. The yearning. The angst.
It’s all in here and I’m so here for it!

They’re from enemy kingdoms.
She’s a Siren in hiding and the king’s ward. He’s the enemy king.
She’s due to marry the Captain. He’s wanting her.
She needs to escape. He needs her to protect his kingdom.
They perform and blood bond, escape and declare War.


I’m in love with everything in this book, Imogen and Agatha’s friendship, even Theodore’s and Lachlan’s are really sweet, they just want to protect each other from everything. I love how there’s some history as well with the sirens and their lures for sailors. There’s mystery as well, you don’t know who’s the real villain in the story and I can’t wait for the following books in this series!!

Thank you to Orion publishing and Netgalley for the earc in exchange of an honest review.

Hidden Identity
Sirens, God's and Magic
Blood bonds
Yeeearning

Do not sleep on this book!
I really enjoyed this fantasy romance, the pacing was great, the side characters felt realistic and there wasn't too much lore and world building at the start.

I love the sirens and their magic, I hope we learn more about the other gods and the magic of the mages in the next book.

The yearning and forbidden romance was top tier and I ate it up!

A gothic fantasy romance brimming with siren lore, thrilling surprises and a unique adventure for those of us who feel the pull of the ocean tides. An atmospheric and evocative read about a bond forged between a brooding king and a maiden of the waters. This siren song will draw you in and pull you under.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 | 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐳 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐲

This story mixes dark themes of blood magic, sacrificial magic, legacies of gods and trauma with the themes of enemies to lovers romance, marriage bonds and destiny.
There are very few if any laugh out loud, kick your feet giggle moments. It’s quite a serious read.
A siren grows up a prisoner in a court, grows up in fear of the King her whole life. She is betrothed to a captain but if he finds out she’s a siren he would detest her. To escape she tries to force a blood bond on a visiting king but he figures out what she’s doing and stops her.
The story starts off strong, the world building is excellent, the histories and the monarchies and legends of the world are explored beautifully. The magic system is unique in that it is passed through the ancestors of the gods but there is also ‘spells’ which demand a heavy price.
I think the story struggles with its pace a little bit, we spend so long in the castle and the ship in the first third of the book and then get rushed into the new kingdom. The mmc seems to have a personality transplant half way through and is like a different person which is discussed as unusual in the story but was still a bit jarring to read.
The side characters are genuinely supportive of the story and not there for comedic value.
Spice is there in the book but not overly prevalent.
I can’t decide if I’m a bit depressed now I’ve finished it.
I’ve never read a sirens book before and it was not what I expected.
3 stars because it was a good read, the last third in particular when things start coming into place was great. But I don’t really like the fmc.

2.75 ⭐ While this had potential and some interesting elements which meant I continued to read it, overall it unfortunately didn't hit the mark for me. I found that the worldbuilding wasn't significant enough that, as a reader, I felt familiar and well situated in the world - it meant at times there were things that didn't feel clear or I was unsure about, leading them to feel like plot holes (although I'm unsure if they were plot holes or just that I didn't have the understanding of the world and it's history to make sense of it - the main ones for me were to do with the ages of characters vs the timeline of events discussed in the books). I found a lot of the twists and reveals were obvious to me which made reading quite anti-climactic at times and, while I liked Imogen and Theo's romance for the most part, Imogen was immature at times, a character more suited to a YA novel than an adult ( which is how this is categorised)

Thank you to Netgalley & Gollancz for the e-arc. This is my honest review.

This was such an amazing read.

This is an incredible debut novel, so atmospheric, I felt fully immersed in the story and could picture everything vividly. I loved the magic, the sirens, the blood bonds and the side characters.

The longing and angst between Theodore and Imogen was so good, you really feel the tension between them. The twists that came were unexpected for me .

I need to know what happens next! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this ARC

#netgalley #intheveinsofthedrowning
#KalieCassidy

4.5⭐️ 🧜‍♀️

What a visually stunning read this is! A must for romantasy fans, with a moody nautical setting and a sprinkle of enemies to lovers in there. This story is filled with tales of hateful kings, good-hearted rulers and routed in beautiful siren mythology.

This first in the series, this book did an excellent job of building with world, introducing our FMC and MMC, as well as getting us invested in this story. I’m already looking forward to the next one!

The siren mythology and characters feels like a fresher take on any fantasy that I have personally read in a while and this has really drawn me in! The spice is *chef’s kiss*, the characters are a little older which I think adds some maturity to the story and the ‘romance’ doesn’t take too much of a centre stage.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for allowing me to read this arc!

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This will be a good book for Romantasy fans. It’s got magic, fantasy, romance, recognisable tropes. This focuses around sirens who are being hunted by a villainous king. We have islands on the brink of war with each other and a woman who will be a catalyst.

I liked that the protagonists were a little older (mid to late twenties). This made the positions of the characters far more believable and felt like a smart choice by the author. The life experience that the characters had accumulated definitely benefited the story.

My favourite thing about this book was the nautical setting. I loved the integrations of the sea, ships, salt water. It led to a great, moody atmosphere. The siren mythology was great too and I liked how this was unveiled as we went through the book.

The romance was one you can root for but they angst around it did get a little repetitive.