Mermaids and humans. Two different worlds that don’t expect to collide, intertwine with force and, in the most unexpected ways, love. Beneath Cruel Fathoms is the story of Isaura and Leonel and the forbidden love that sparks between them.
Being a fan of mermaids, it is difficult to discover good mermaid novels that capture my attention. But, when I found Beneath Cruel Fathoms and read the synopsis, I was immediately hooked.
Leonel, the guardian of the Fathoms has felt alone for so long and one day, he breaks the rules and saves Isaura from drowning due to a shipwreck.
Book: Beneath Cruel Fathoms by Anela Deen
Series: The Bitter Sea Trilogy #1
Publication Date: May 2019
(Thank you BookSirens for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review)
While this book has already been out I did receive it early so thank you again BookSirens!
Tags: Fantasy, romance, adult, mermaids
Links: Goodreads | Ebook | Paperback | Hardback | Audio
Read: November 26, 2020 to December 1, 2020
After a violent storm destroys her ship, Isaura Johansdottir knows better than to hope she’ll be rescued from Eisland’s vast Failock Sea. Adrift and alone, her plans to start over lost, it’s a tragic conclusion after the disastrous end of her marriage—until she’s saved by Leonel, one of the merfolk, a creature long believed extinct. In repayment for her life, Leonel enlists her help to investigate the Failock’s mysterious and deadly plague of squalls. But when Isaura discovers Eisland’s ruthless new Lord commands the storms, her life will be in more danger on land than it ever was at sea.
As guardian of the Fathoms, Leonel must find the cause of unnatural storms ravaging the tidal currents and destroying the sea life. There are rumors of dark magic stirring in the Orom Abyss, the resting place of old, vanquished gods who tried to submerge the land millennia ago. Yet without proof, no one in King Ægir’s court will listen to him. And if it’s discovered he broke the Blue Laws to save a shipwrecked landweller, he might not survive the consequences.
As storms spread, Leonel and Isaura uncover secrets as forbidden as the bond that grows between them. Betrayal lurks in the restless sea, and when ancient powers lay siege to Eisland’s coast, the truth may be drowned along with everything else.
Spoiler Free Review
Mermaids and humans. Two different worlds that don’t expect to collide, intertwine with force and, in the most unexpected ways, love. Beneath Cruel Fathoms is the story of Isaura and Leonel and the forbidden love that sparks between them.
Being a fan of mermaids, it is difficult to discover good mermaid novels that capture my attention. But, when I found Beneath Cruel Fathoms and read the synopsis, I was immediately hooked.
Leonel, the guardian of the Fathoms has felt alone for so long and one day, he breaks the rules and saves Isaura from drowning due to a shipwreck. The way they came together was so slow and gentle and even though Leonel was a mermaid, they still chose to help each other throughout the book. They were a truly fantastic team.
Isaura has returned home the Eisland after the separation from her ex-husband after some shocking news. The shipwreck has left her stranded and in a difficult situation, but Leonel breaks the law to save this landweller from death. Now he enlists her to help him investigate, with her watchful eye and her sharp skills, she brings him more abilities that he is expecting.
Isaura and Leonel had amazing chemistry throughout this book and even though they came from two completely different worlds, they worked together to get behind the problem that is affecting both their worlds. It was amazing and funny to see Isaura help Leonel adjust to human technology, language, and habits but together, they were absolutely beautiful with their wit and determination to figure out the problem.
What made this better is that throughout this whole book, their connection continued to grow. It was not a fast romance or a slow romance but the love that sparked overtime and grew to be something so amazing. I also enjoyed the forbidden romance aspect to it. Mermaids were always a myth to humans and human interaction was against the law to mermaids, yet Leonel and Isaura found a way to work together to save Eisland and the mermaid world.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I’m glad I chose to discover Beneath Cruel Fathoms. I’m excited to continue reading the books in the series!
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I hope you guys have a great day, please like and comment down below if you enjoyed this book as well or if you plan on reading it!
Loves,
Veronica Chen