✨Arc Review✨

Thank you to the author J. Strelou And netgallery for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A haunting, deeply emotional journey into love, loss, and ancient magic

Sea of Evil and Desire isn’t just a story — it’s an experience that grabs hold of your heart and refuses to let go. From the very first page, J Strelou’s evocative writing swept me into the misty, windswept shores of Scotland’s Isle of Islay, a place alive with legends, curses, and the restless whispers of the sea.

Morgana Scott’s story is one of profound loss and fierce resilience. Her unique gift—the ability to sense the emotions of those around her—makes her journey deeply personal and painfully raw. When she arrives at Ruadán’s Port following her grandmother’s death, the weight of grief is almost tangible. But amid the shadows of superstition and the echoes of ancient magic, she finds herself drawn into a world far more dangerous—and beautiful—than she ever imagined.

The romance between Morgana and Finn is electric, layered with mystery and yearning. Finn, with his dark, unreadable presence, is the kind of character who both protects and haunts. Their connection feels inevitable, a love that is both a sanctuary and a storm. You feel every stolen glance, every moment of vulnerability, every quiet ache.

But this is more than a love story. It’s about fate and choice, about the legacies we inherit and the courage it takes to face them. The looming prophecy, the simmering feud beneath the waves, and the ancient curse that threatens everything all come together in a narrative that is as heartbreaking as it is hopeful.

J Strelou’s mastery of atmosphere is remarkable. The sensory details—the salt air, the crashing waves, the eerie quiet before a storm—create a world that is hauntingly alive. The themes of grief, identity, and belonging resonate deeply, making the fantasy feel achingly real.

Sea of Evil and Desire is a rare gem that balances mythic grandeur with intimate emotion. It’s a story about finding light in the darkest depths, about love that defies time and tides. For anyone who cherishes fantasy that moves the soul as much as it thrills the imagination, this book is an unforgettable journey worth taking.

ARC Review
Sea of Evil and Desire by @j.strelou

Tropes:
• small town setting 🏘️
• slow burn 🔥
• dark fantasy romance ❤️‍🔥
• ‘who did this to you’ mmc
• gods, lore, prophecy 😱

Triggers:
• death 💀
• explicit sexual scenes 🫦
• physical violence and SA
• references to torture

If you’re into atmospheric fantasy with a touch of romance and a dose of the sea’s mystery, Sea of Evil and Desire might just be your next read. It is a hauntingly lyrical tale that fuses dark fantasy with romance, set against a backdrop of ‘Scottish’ coastlines and ancient secrets.

The world-building is intriguing, especially the mythos surrounding the sea and merfolk, but some threads feel like they’re being saved for future installments in the series. While this leaves room for excitement, it also creates a slight feeling of incompletion by the final chapter.

Morgana Scott, the fmc, has a unique ability to sense people’s feelings, which adds an intriguing layer to the story. However, at times, her character felt a bit immature, and her reactions didn’t always resonate with me. The romance, while central to the plot, felt a tad forced at moments, lacking the depth and chemistry I was hoping for- although I really loved Finn’s PoV.

That said, the plot is engaging, and the pacing keeps things moving, though there were instances where I found myself a bit confused.

Overall, This book is best suited for readers who enjoy atmospheric slow-burn fantasy with a strong emotional undercurrent. It’s imperfect but memorable—a promising start to a saga that clearly has depths left to explore. I will read the next in the series when it is released!

Sea of Evil and Desire is an atmospheric romantasy that's perfect for fans of dark mermaid mythology, prophecies, and intimate romance woven with twists and turns along the way. It's a tantalizing slow‑build passion with poetic world‑building. If you can forgive some pacing missteps and the YA‑tone dialogue, the emotional payoff—and promise of Book 2—is absolutely worth the journey.

Solid fantasy! Nothing ground-breaking but an entertaining novel nonetheless. The world building was intriguing and the romance was satisfactory though I could have used more build-up.

Sea of Evil and Desire is dark, decadent, and just the right amount of unhinged. The tension crackles, the writing is gorgeously atmospheric, and the siren vibes? Chef’s kiss. Twisty, seductive, and impossible to put down—I was hooked.

Sometimes it can take a little while before a story grabs you. Other times, it seizes your attention on the first page and holds it till the end. This is one of those stories. Once I started reading, I only stopped to double check that this is, in fact, her debut novel - because it certainly didn’t feel like it.

Ms Strělou doesn’t write scenes, she creates atmosphere will a skill that transports you to the location. This is a slow-burn enemies to lovers. The door is open, but the hinges are well oiled and you can close it easily. This book combines several fantasy/paranormal traditions and adds some unique elements to create a vast new world ready for exploration.

You’ll find a mad king, a bubbly new bestie, some real creeps, secret identities, an abandoned Ferris wheel and a whole lot of Scottish Highland tradition. You only have two days to wait until this book is out. Use it to console the rest of your TBR about being bumped down a spot.

I’m so jealous of people who get to read this book $ experience it for the first time! This was another one sitting wonder I just could NOT put down

This book follows Morgan’s as she embarks on a journey to learn a hidden part of her identity, to solve an ancient curse.

I really enjoyed how we were just as confused with Morgana as she uncovered her powers and who she really is - I think it was cool to be on the same page. I also liked the general concept, it was easy to follow along with the fantasy system as things were explained as they were introduced.

Personally I wasn’t a fan of Finn’s feelings and his POV chapters, it came across that he only liked Morgana because she wasn’t attracted to his Mer charm, it gave “you’re not like other girls so I like you”, and it wasn’t doing it for me, I feel that as a result his POV chapters didn’t add any value to me. They also got together really fast and they never really knew each other. All these things considered it made it hard for me to ship them because I don’t know if he really liked her for her or just because she’s different. Overall the last 30% was quite good and I got excited because I thought we were going somewhere and the book ended and I feel like we didn’t get a proper conclusion or anything resolved. I also wish we got to learn more about the other characters than just Morgana and Finn, for example at the end I was quite confused of the king’s motives because we didn’t know enough of him to understand why he would kill her. I understand it’s likely because there is a second book that will solve the problem, but I feel the ending left me feeling incomplete and not excited to read the next book.

I do want to preface by saying thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this ARC, and while I didn’t personally enjoy it everyone has different tastes, it doesn’t mean that it’s bad just that it’s not for me.

I loved this book! I could not put it down the characters were so cute! This was my first mermaid book ever and i will definitely be reading more. I can't wait for the next one to come out! Definitely Would recommend for anyone who likes sirens or mer-people.

Gripping from the first page, this thriller delivers a fast-paced ride packed with suspense, twists, and tension that never lets up

I would definitely recommend for readers who are fans of Mer-people, sirens, selkies, and under water type romances - I liked the premise of the book, and while I had a great time reading it - it didn't blow me away. I wanted to see more world building and definitely wish the FMC/MMC read older than they come across, but I will definitely read the next book in the series.

This book was entirely unexpected for me. I had read the synopsis but still felt I was on a whirlwind of a journey with Morgana as she exited her sheltered life and realized there is more to life beyond the states. If you’ve been around awhile y’all know we love some books about the sea, and this did not disappoint. In the realm of ocean-vibe books, it was still so unique and a new story to me. Can’t wait for book 2

I’m giving *Sea of Evil and Desire* a 3.5-star rating—it’s a lush, moody romantasy with an alluring atmosphere and strong emotional undercurrents, even if it didn’t fully stick the landing for me. The story follows a morally gray heroine navigating a dangerous coastal world filled with dark magic, ancient curses, and forbidden attraction. The setting is gorgeously eerie—salt-soaked, windswept, and filled with a sense of creeping dread—and it adds a lot to the tone of the book. The romance is dark and slow-burning, with plenty of tension and emotional complexity between the main characters. I really appreciated the internal struggles and morally murky choices the protagonist faces, and there were some moments that hit hard emotionally. That said, the pacing felt inconsistent—some parts moved too quickly while others dragged—and a few plot points didn’t feel fully developed, leaving me with lingering questions. Still, the writing was immersive, the themes were compelling, and the emotional payoff near the end was satisfying enough to make the journey worthwhile. If you’re into atmospheric fantasy with complex characters and dark romantic undertones, this one is worth checking out—even if it’s not perfect.

3,5 ⭐

it was my first fantasy book about mermaids, and i enjoyed it a lot!
keyword: mermaids. i used to love everything related to mermaids when i was a kid. even as an adult, i've rewatched H2O: just add water - and i'll definitely do it again. that's honestly the main reason i picked this up. i'm glad i did, because i found it really good!

not gonna lie, at first i had some troubles getting into the story because the pacing was pretty slow throughout the book. it didn't really start to get interesting until about the second half. for some readers, that might feel like a long wait before the story finally picks up, but personally, it didn't bother me that much because certain elements made up for it.
i loved the mythological details and the way they were blended into the story.
i was totally captivated by the world-building, especially the intriguing underwater world of the mer and the drowned. the elements that stood out for me the most were probably the distinctive culture and politics.
also, the setting on a scottish island was really atmospheric.

as for the characters - morgana's ability to feel others' emotions was quite intriguing, and finn was really mysterious and i was curious about him. nevertheless, both of them felt really immature despite being in their twenties. at times it felt kinda YA. still, i'd love to see how their relationship develops in the next book.

the story constantly made me eager to uncover the long-buried secrets. it also ends with a fun cliffhanger that has me excited and impatient for the sequel, which is expected to be released in december 👀

highly recommended for readers who like forbidden love trope, political intrigues and an underwater setting!


*thanks to NetGalley and J. Střelou for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

🪸 Sea of Evil and Desire was a beautifully captivating gothic romantic fantasy. As a Pisces girlie, you had me at all things underwater - there are Siren, Selkies & Mer to name a few! 🧜‍♀️ 👀 🏴‍☠️

I loved the way this plot kept you guessing and found right up until the end that I couldn’t pick what was going to happen. This book had incredible world building - absolutely LOVED the focus on the underwater realm and different kingdoms (again - living out my Pisces girlie dreams!!) 🫧 It has made me want to read up on the folklore of small seaside towns and old sailors tales (with a good glass of rum of course) 🥃 ✨⛵️

Themes include;
🧜‍♀️Forbidden love
🧜‍♀️Mer, Sirens, Selkies, Drowned & gods
🧜‍♀️Discovering powers
🧜‍♀️Political intrigue & underwater kingdoms
🧜‍♀️Seaside setting
🧜‍♀️Tragic curse
🧜‍♀️Quest-like themes
🧜‍♀️Aquatic mythology

Thank you so so much to J. Strelou for the beautiful bookmail & all the gorgeous treasures - an ocean lovers absolute dream!!! 🥹🫶🏻🐬 so looking forward to following along Morgana & Finn’s quest in book 2 eeeeee 👀

Lately, I’ve been on a mermaid kick, and this story fit that mood perfectly. Inspired by Norse and Celtic mythology, it blends the mystery of selkies and merfolk with a touch of small-town charm and sweeping underwater adventure.
We follow Morgana, who returns to a quiet coastal town to support her grandfather after her grandmother’s sudden passing. She doesn’t know much about her family’s past—only that her mother refuses to go back. Then she meets Finn, a mysterious, magnetic stranger that can’t stay away and can’t get out of her mind.
What begins as a small town, emotional story slowly unfurls into a richly imagined world beneath the waves. I loved the magic system, the lore, and the variety of sea-dwelling species. The connection between the FMC and MMC is full of yearning and beautifully forbidden.
If you’re drawn to stories with ancient curses, prophecies, forbidden love, and deep mythology, this one’s for you. The underwater world the author crafted is vivid and imaginative—it’s not a quick read, but it’s worth the dive. I’m already looking forward to book two!

I know l'm a little late with the review but l'd like to thank Netgalley and J. Strelou for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3 stars
what I liked:
- I liked the overall plot of the book and the concept of the drowned really intrigued me. It was unlike anything l've ever read before and what ultimately kept me reading the whole time.
- I really liked how the story involved different myths and legends and utilized them to drive the story along.
What wasn't my favorite:
- the two main characters relationship felt a little superficial at times and I wish there was more behind their relationship other than the fact that they "want" each other. However they did have a few moments/lines that I enjoyed especially towards the end
- the characters were all meant to be adults but read as 17 year olds. the mmc was supposed to be 20 years old and the mmmc was supposed to be 28 but most of the time they felt way younger with they way they spoke to each other and the side characters so it threw me off majorly.
Overall I did have fun with this despite having to overlook a few things and that was all due to the fun plot.

This was a DNF to me. I got about 40% in and just couldn’t get into it. The author was taking too much time into world building details and not on the story.

An adventurous Romantasy from land to sea where our FMC, Morgan’s, learns that her own being is more than it seems when she is called to the ocean. Eventually we meet Finn, the MMC and a slow burn romance ensues. The author does a great job at world building, allowing the reader to truly picture the landscapes and scenes throughout the book.
I did rate the book a 3.75 star rating (rounded to 4) because there were bits of the story that lagged and I lost attention to what was going on. Yes the story is well written but bits were a tad slow for me. Also the romance aspect of the story did feel like it needed a bit more to “flesh it out” for lack of a better phrase.
I did overall enjoy the story and would read the next one.

This was something different and adventurous. It's a dark Romantasy in a world of lore, myth and sea creatures.
Morgana thinks she's human until her dreams turn dark, she sees impossible things and the ocean lures her away.
Finn, the mysterious new stranger is also full of secrets, but is drawn to Morgana.
It's an intriguing story with magical worldbuilding and lots of mystery that ends on a cliffhanger.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.