I really enjoyed this book. I love fantasy that crosses over with a contemporary setting and also have a love of Scotland so this was a perfect setting. It explores Celtic mythology and ocean creatures from folklore including Mer, Selkies and Sirens. This type of ocean fantasy was a new sub-genre to me but a refreshing change from Fae and dragons.
The main characters are interesting and complex both with history to unpack and the dual POV helps explore their lives. By the end I did question whether their relationship was going to span the books or how it will develop as Finn is hard to read.

The writing is beautiful and all of the different sea creatures we encounter are described well. The prose also beautifully depicts the ocean setting and you really can imagine being underwater with the characters. Sometimes I got a bit lost in the fight scenes and had to reread to understand them better but that could just be me adjusting to the unique magic and ways of fighting too.

The book ended with less of a cliffhanger than other typical fantasy series but instead wove in threads that will build into an epic ocean quest in the second book Sea of Pleasure and Pain with a possible release late 2025.

Thank you to J Petrilou and Netgalley for allowing me to read this epic ocean fantasy which is now available. I look forward to diving in to Morgana and Finns next adventure soon.

ARC provided via NetGalley


Sea of Evil and Desire had all the right ingredients for a standout romantasy—an immersive underwater world, mysterious characters, and a moody tone—but unfortunately, the final product just didn’t land for me.

Let’s start with what worked:
The setting was by far the strongest part of the book. The underwater world felt fresh and visually vivid, and it’s clear the author put thought into building something unique. It had the potential to be a lush, atmospheric story perfect for a moody autumn read.

I also enjoyed a few of the side characters, and there were scattered moments of beautiful prose that hinted at what this book could have been.

But beyond that, I struggled.
The pacing was inconsistent—slow in the wrong places, rushed in others—and it made it hard for me to stay engaged. There were long stretches where nothing meaningful happened, and when key moments did arrive, they lacked emotional weight.

The main character was difficult to connect with. Though she's written as an adult, her thoughts and actions often came across as overly naive and immature. I found myself getting frustrated with her decisions, especially given the dangerous world she was navigating. I love flawed heroines, but I need to understand them—and here, I just couldn’t.

As for the romance: it never quite clicked for me. There were hints of tension and a few nice lines, but most of the connection relied on physical attraction without enough substance or slow burn to back it up. I wanted depth, emotional development, chemistry. What I got felt surface-level and rushed.

In the end, this book had a great concept and atmosphere, but I personally needed more depth, consistency, and emotional connection to truly enjoy it.

This book started off with a very intriguing preface, and I will admit that despite its unpolished writing style, I was engaged for about half of the book.
The things I liked? The main character was interesting, and had an interesting ‘skill’ that caused her some grief as it was not kindly explained away in the rationale world. The idea of a Mer-kingdom and Selkirk shifters was new to me and sounded very interesting. It has a lot of potential to really be unique and exciting.
However…
The writing wasn’t quite mature enough. It seemed to be more fumbled running thoughts than a coherent plot. There were elements that were introduced as important (like her skill of reading emotion) that then seemed to fall off the radar like they no longer mattered. The characters were not consistent at all and had no solid foundation. It seemed their mannerisms, morals, etc changed on a whim with very shallow if any explanations. The entire plot scattered after half way through the book and it felt like the author was trying to drag the story across glass shards kicking and screaming. The narrative felt too forced and not natural which made it difficult to get through the last half.

What can I say… this book completely and utterly devoured me. The setting was truly magical with all of the under-sea creatures one could ask for. I loved the romance but also that it didn’t overtake the story, it only added to it.

The 1st book hasn’t even been released and I’m already hanging out for the next

The underwater world in this book was so intriguing and beautiful! I felt like the underwater kingdom politics were so unique and I lived for the layers of betrayal throughout the underwater kingdom. I enjoyed the back and forth between the different territories as well as between land and sea in general because I constantly was wanting to see more of the world in the book. I am always a fiend for underwater books and this one did not disappoint!!

Goodness me, this was such a good book. Highly entertaining. Would definitely recommend to others, that's for sure!

This is an absolutely a must read; I was hooked from the very beginning!

If you like:

Dual POV
Slow-burn romance
Prophecy
Sea Folklore
Cliff-Hanger Ending
This book is for you!!

More on the book:
Morgana finds herself in Ruadán’s Port, Scotland after the passing of her grandmother. Strange things begin to happen, drawing her to the sea where she discovers there is something dark and mysterious at play. Morgana meets a mysterious man named Finn, who draws her in, Follow Morgana as she discovers the truth behind the family secrets and why she drawn to this mysterious man.

The lore is amazing, and the cliff hanger is chef’s kiss! I cannot wait to read the next book!

* I received a free e-copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. *

Thank you to NetGalley and J. Strelou for the ARC copy,
When I saw Selkies, and Scotland and the coast I knew I wanted to read this!

This novel will appeal to readers of Dark romantic fantasy, lovers of the sea and those who like a very slow burn romance.
The novel follows Morgana, a midwestern teen who moves to Scotland to be near her Grandfather after her Grandmother has passed. Almost immediately after she arrives she meets the mysterious stranger Finn who seems like he might be a bit of a "bad boy" SO of course the combo of bad boy and good girl is immediately familiar and hard to resist.
As Morgana explores her new home, she becomes more and more aware that she "isn't like the other girls" and her true nature is eventually revealed to her, as she tries to figure out her place in the world and her relationship with Finn, many other pieces fall into place.
I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the underwater world that the author built.
It did end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but there;s another book coming.

Firstly I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to the NetGalley for giving me an ARC copy of this book. I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read and review this!

✨ About Sea of Evil and Desire ✨

Morgana Scott, a young woman who can sense emotions, is sent to the mysterious coastal town of Ruádán’s Port in Scotland after her grandmother’s death. There, she discovers a world haunted by ancient tales of Mer, Selkies, and ghosts. She becomes entangled with Finn, a dark and enigmatic stranger, while an ancient prophecy tied to a long-standing underwater feud between the Mer and the Drowned threatens to upend everything she knows. As the Samhain festival nears, Morgana must confront secrets, passion, and destiny beneath the waves.

✨ My Review ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a big fan of all things mythical creatures I absolutely devoured this book. Mer people, gods, ghosts, drowned? You had me at yes please.

The main storyline was fantastic and kept me glued to the pages. There was so much action and adventure right from the beginning, so much intense world building that really set the tone for the story, and kept me intrigued and needing more the entire way through.

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t enjoy the romance between Morgana and Finn, purely because i didn’t connect with Finn and his characteristics left me confused about the romance and his intentions. Is he trustworthy? Is he not? I was left with more questions than answers by the end which I honestly believe to be the intent of their story and im excited to see where this takes us!

Julia’s writing is absolutely stunning and you can tell she is a poet. The world building and descriptive language used made this a book of poetry in its own right and Julia you should be SO proud of this piece of work.

I am sat sitting waiting in anticipation for the next one (please hurry 😭😭).

A fabulous blend of mythology and contemporary. I'm definitely a big fan of this author and how she writes! Hope to see more soon

Thank you Netgalley and J Strelou for the opportunity to read this book

Mermaids, danger, and slow-burn tension? Yes, please. Morgana’s thrown into a world full of secrets and power plays, and I was hooked. Finn’s still a mystery, but the pull is real. The vibe is dark, magical, and just the right kind of eerie. Solid start with a lot of promise.

Thank you to NetGalley and J. Strelou for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. J. Strelou, thank you also for the beautiful paperback and merch — it was genuinely appreciated!

I'm still gathering my thoughts on <b>Sea of Evil & Desire</b>. Initially, I found it a bit difficult to get into — I was confused about what was happening and why the FMC was dealing with such a somber event instead of her mother. But as the story slowly (but surely) unraveled, things began to make sense.

The pacing was slow, but I actually appreciated that. It didn’t immediately throw us into a "guess the lore" kind of chaos. And when the lore <i>did</i> start to come together, it was done so well — the epilogue left me absolutely gobsmacked. I did <b>not</b> see that coming!

The characters were intriguing and gave me definite ACOTAR vibes — in a good way. I want to know more about them: Pisceon, the Grandfather, and especially the underwater world characters — the mermaids, princes and princesses, kings and queens, the sirens, the kingdoms of Krumus and Oceanos. I’m really hoping for spin-offs that dive into all their stories.

Finn (our merman MMC) and Morgana (possibly a Selkie?) had great chemistry and tension. The spice fizzled a bit, but I have a strong feeling Book Two is going to deliver some seriously pent-up angst — and I am absolutely here for it.

<b>Overall, I enjoyed the story, the lore, and the pacing. I'm giving it 3.5 stars.</b>

Thank you to Netgalley and J. Strelou for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 2.5/5

This book just wasn't for me. This was my first fantasy that included mermen and mermaids and I am wondering if maybe I'm just not that taken by the concept. I did enjoy the setting and the mythology element, and I felt like the plot had potential with these elements. I felt that the world-building was strong and the writing was descriptive and painted a clear picture in my mind, but the other things that didn't work for me really took away from the things that worked well.

Unfortunately, I did not believe the romance, it just didn't click for me, it felt a bit too instantaneous and forced. I liked both our FMC and MMC individually, and there were definitely moments (especially Finn's one-liners) that had me grinning like a fool and kicking my legs in excitement and anticipation between them, but overall it just didn't resonate with me. Even with the one-liners, I felt they often came at moments where it got intensely romantic/serious without a build up. As someone who absolutely eats up tension between love interests, this just didn't appeal to me.

Without giving spoilers, our FMC is a type of shifter that I just couldn't get past in terms of icky-ness, and the descriptions tended to continue to repeat these a bit too much for me. I am a vibes reader and can definitely overlook elements of a book that don't work/resonate with me if the vibes are on point, but the continual description of the shifting meant I was continually reminded.

Taking the above into account I will say, the writing was both beautifully crafted and compelling. The author’s style is definitely captivating, just the style of romance wasn't fleshed out and developed enough for me.

Love destroys us in the most devastatingly beautiful way...and I would destroy myself a thousand times for you.

Wow! I love this book! I've never read a mermaid fantasy book before and this was perfect! The underwater world building was so well done that I felt like I was there! I love the Scottish folklore and Greek mythology! So fun! This did end on a cliffhanger :( I'm so excited and can't wait to read the second book!

Thank you to NetGalley and J. Strelou for the opportunity to read this ARC!

This book was overall good, but i was really hoping for that good meirmen yerning and sexy meir energy.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Sea of Evil and Desire.

This book had all the right ingredients for a compelling romantasy—an atmospheric Scottish setting, rich sea mythology, and the allure of selkies and mer lore. The premise was enchanting, and the coastal backdrop added a haunting, folkloric charm that immediately pulled me in.

The strongest aspect of the book was, without a doubt, the world building. The Scottish lore was immersive and beautifully woven into the setting, creating a vivid and intriguing sense of place. I found myself captivated by the mythological elements, which brought a unique depth to the story.

However, the romance didn’t quite land for me. The emotional connection between the characters felt rushed and underdeveloped, making it difficult to fully invest in their journey. The main character’s voice occasionally felt inconsistent, and some of her choices didn’t align with the depth the story seemed to be aiming for. Additionally, the romantic and spicy scenes lacked the buildup and chemistry needed to feel truly earned.

Thank you to J. Střelou and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 1 star, DNF @20%.
Genre(s): new adult fantasy romance.

Overall impression: I was mistakenly under the impression that this was an adult dark fantasy romance novel with folklore elements. Instead, the characters spoke, thought and acted more like teenagers than adults and I found the plot to be extremely unbelievable and disjointed. There were so many awkward scenes that I just had to put the book down and couldn't push myself to finish it. It felt more like a coming-of-age story than anything else, which is a trope I no longer enjoy reading or relate to.

This mythic urban fantasy grips you a tide fierce, relentless, and achingly beautiful. With world-building steeped in saltwater, Celtic lore,and secrets that whisper beneath the waves. Ruadán's Port is more than a backdrop, it's a haunting, living force tied to gods, curses, and the kind of grief that lingers like mist.

Morgana, our heroine, forged from trauma and storm. Her journey a reckoning of unraveling grief, tearing down emotional walls, and charging headfirst into fate. And the MMC? That unreadable, sea bound stranger? Pure, magnetic torment.

Tension thrums through every page emotional, magical, romantic. Villains you love to hate. Prophecies that burn. Spicy scenes laced with water magic that boil rather than soothe. And at the core, a love story woven into destiny, one that dares you to feel everything.

As for the ending... let's just say you will be left with some questions that will have you counting the minutes down until you can have them answered in book 2 of The Deep Saga.

Please note my Amazon review has been posted, but is still pending.

An additional promo post will be added to my Instagram in about a month.

4.5 ⭐
This was a great dark romantasy read! With a compelling story and beautiful poetry weaved within it! I was captivated by the alluring and dangerous world and the revelation of an ominous prophecy. Not to mention the broody and mysterious Finn and the steamy tension between him and Morgana. Their story was so addicting I was ferociously reading to see what would happen. The intricate lore of the gods and origins of the curse were hauntingly enchanting. I felt like a sleuth trying to piece together Morgana's mysterious heritage as the story was unfolding.
I absolutely can not wait to see what unfolds next in their addicting story!!
Thanks so much, NetGalley and the author, for the eARC!

Thank you to net galley and Julia Strelou for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book had wonderful world building. I found the setting interesting and unique. I think the storyline had a lot of potential. I enjoyed the underwater world, the lore, and the mythological characters. I liked the Scottish sea side village setting. I also thought the descriptions of the setting were well done.

The pacing was a little off for me. The first few scenes seemed a little rushed but other parts felt slow. Some of the dialogue felt stilted to me and not always natural. I wished the there was some more character development of the main characters.