4.5 ⭐️

I originally had reviewed this through another arc website. But when I saw it as a ‘read now’ on NetGalley I knew I had to grab it and my write my review so others can pick it up. 🫶🏽🥹 This is an incredible story and I really recommend you add it to your never ending TBR. ❤️✨

Summary:

Vampires. Secrets. Science. Submarines. When Dr. Isla Hart embarks on a deep-sea expedition to prove her late father’s controversial theories, she doesn’t expect to end up captured aboard a vampire-crewed submarine. Especially not with Sebastian… elegant, undead, and infuriatingly intrigued by—not only her research—but Isla herself. Discoveries awaken something ancient and dangerous in the trench below, the line between myth and science blurs. As the ocean begins to rewrite her past and her future, Isla must navigate desire, deception, and a deadly power that may not let her surface at all… 🤯

Perfect for fans of oceanic gothic vibes, poetic prose, and slow-burn romance wrapped in supernatural danger.

⸻

Tropes & Vibes:

🌊 supernatural submarine
🧛‍♂️ brooding vampire love interest
🔬 science vs. magic
📖 found journals and cryptic research
💫 slow-burn romance
🔐 closed-door tension
🌌 ancient sea monsters
😱 trapped together
💔 past trauma & secrets
🎭 morally gray love interest
🕯️ gothic atmosphere
🧩 puzzle-like magic system
🪞 identity unraveling
⛓️ captivity meets curiosity
🔥 low spice, high tension

⸻

My thoughts:

A.V. Wilcott’s writing is absolutely STUNNING—captivating, poetic, and immersive. From the very first chapter, I was completely pulled in.

Dr. Isla Hart is such a compelling protagonist. Her sharp scientific mind and determination to understand the unexplainable made her journey fascinating to follow. Watching her try to reason through a world of vampires and ancient oceanic power? So good. 🙌🏽

And then there’s Sebastian. Complex, dark, mysterious… and somehow magnetic. The dynamic between him and Isla simmers with tension, curiosity, and something deeper that’s still unfolding.

I also really loved the magic system, especially the mysterious symbols and Inky (who I’m slightly obsessed with). The way the ocean plays such an active, mystical role in the story was beautifully done.

I cannot wait for book two!

Some of my favorite lines:👇🏽

Isla looked from Sebastian's sardonic smile to Evangeline's icy disdain and concluded that she was caught between two predators playing very different games. And she still didn't know the rules.

"You think being saved is the same as being alive,"

“But it feels like forgetting. Like breathing through water.”

A beautiful cage was still a cage.

“How long will you be able to stay away? How long before the scientist gives way to the believer? Before you stop studying the monster… and start becoming one.”

The door closed behind him with a soft click that somehow felt more threatening than a slam.

And the further she descended into their world, the less useful science became. Its language frayed. Its equations blurred in the dark.

They weren’t predators closing in. They were apex hunters crossing into territory claimed by something older, deeper, and just as deadly. And for once, they weren’t certain they ranked higher.

His lips met hers with a touch that was more plea than possession, more worship than need. He kissed her like he was trying to remember who he was. Like her mouth might be the key to finding his way back.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC!

I need the next one please. This book was a swift read that didn't quite satisfy me. I really liked the ocean themed storyline and all of the creatures that appeared.

Fangs and Fathoms is a slow-burn paranormal romance set aboard a luxury vampire-crewed submarine. Dr. Isla Hart’s deep-sea expedition turns into a seductive, eerie trap as ancient powers stir in the trench and her research uncovers more than she bargained for. A dark, immersive read that pulls you under and doesn’t let go.

4.75 stars

I liked this book! I did not think I would because I am not overly a romance reader but I was hooked right from the first chapter and was just as excited to read this as I would be a history book. Highly recommend.

A.V. Wilcott does a fantastic job in writing fantasy book, I really enjoyed the way the characters and world were presented and developed. It was everything that I wanted in a opening chapter in the Fangs and Fathoms Adventures series and was glad it was everything that I was looking for and am excited for more in this world. It uses the vampires and sea creatures perfectly and had that feel that I was looking for and was glad it was so well done.

3.5 Stars/ A Darkly Fascinating Deep-Sea Fantasy

This story offers a unique mix of fantasy and maritime mystery that feels refreshingly different. It's not quite a slow burn (more of a steady, medium-paced unraveling) where each chapter brings new discoveries about the strange ship, its crew, and the powerful creatures dwelling in the ocean's depths.

The tone leans toward wonder and intrigue rather than pure darkness, with a sense of exploration driving the plot. The worldbuilding is imaginative and layered, and I enjoyed the blend of the scientific curiosity of the main character with the mythic, otherworldly nature of her surroundings.

While it didn't fully sweep me away, it held my attention and left me curious to see what the rest of the series has in store. Fans of unusual, ocean-centered fantasy will likely find plenty to enjoy here.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was really not for me and the only reason I didn't DNF is because it was under 300 pages. I don't love overly descriptive language, and that's pretty much all this book was. There were entire paragraphs with no substance, and the descriptions started to get very distracting. How does light sigh like something ancient? What does it mean that it turned into something older than blood? I really just didn't get the writing style at all, and it got to the point that I started counting every time I read a repeated descriptive phrase.

Isla, our FMC, is not an active participant in this story; everything in the book happens to her. Isla really only makes 1 decision in the entire book, which happens in the last chapter. I pretty much only read books with strong FMCs, so again, this book was not meant for me.

This read like the author is not super familiar with science or was not comfortable using scientific terms. I specifically requested this ARC because I was excited for a FMC in STEM, but we don't actually know what she does. I assume she was supposed to be an oceanographer since the term physics was used so often, but all we know is that she looks at sonar maps and currents. The whole beginning conflict was that they were after her "data," but we never actually learned what that is, just anomalies in maps.

The plot was really interesting, and the monster seemed cool, but the majority of the focus was on romance, not plot. I would still recommend the book to people who like a damsel in distress and flowery language, I am just not that person.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the free eARC.

The description of the book said it’s a slow-burn. However, by page 20, the attraction and seduction has already started between the two main characters. Upon their first meeting, Isla starts thinking about how attractive Sebastian is. This is the opposite of slow-burn. I want yearning. I want development. If it starts off this quickly, it really deteriorates the interest of the developing romance.

Premise of the story is cool though.

Also, the fmc, Isla, knew just by looking at the creatures that they were vampires. But … I don’t have context for that? Isla said they were mythical creatures and then suddenly we know they're vampires. These revelations happened without any discovery or curiosity and it left me wildly confused and disinterested as the reader.