Thank you for an arc of this book!

2.5/3 🌟

This was my first Katee Roberts book and honestly I feel a little disappointed. It was okay and kept me interested throughout the book, but i just don’t feel like it’s anything that went deeper or one that I will remember past this.

The characters were okay, although Bowen was very bland and I just feel like wasn’t very different from other hero types. I did actually like Lizzie by the end and her turn actually interested me to keep reading until the end.

I’m not sure if I’ll continue with the series, but yeah an okay book overall.

i love katee robert as much as the next reader but their non-erotica books have so far just not been for me. the storytelling pace was bit off, where i felt things moving simultaneously too fast and too slow. i'll just have to be a bit more selecting with my katee books from now on sigh

If you like pirates and spice and a hint of rebellion, this is a great romance read. Tons of fun, lovable characters, and plenty of heat!

My first portal fantasy! The world-building was fantastic, and the story was gripping. So much TENSION! At this point, if Katee Robert writes it, I’ll read it. I’m excited for more from this series.

This was a pretty solid easy fantasy read with portal magic that blends urban paranormal fantasy in nicely with the typical style of fantasy worlds and writing. I loved the different realms and the magic types and how there were typical mythological beasts as well as the more well-known vampires and witches.

I love Robert’s Dark Olympus series so was really looking forward to getting into her new series, for some reason though it just hasn’t grabbed me as much. I’m not sure if it’s the brand new characters, rather than ones from mythology that start with some awareness regarding their behaviour but I just didn’t find this one caught my attention as much. I found the main characters both quite irritating and the insta-love between them I found grating. Don’t think I’ll find out what the crew of the Crimson Hag are doing in the next book but I’ll be looking out for more Katee Robert releases in future outside of this world!

I enjoyed this a lot, not sure if it will be something super memorable or if I will continue but it was a really fun read

Katee Robert does it again. I don’t think I’ve ever found one of her books that I didn’t enjoy. Less spicy than some of her other books but still with all of the deep enjoyable characters I’ve come to expect and love

I really wanted to enjoy this one as the premise sounds great but I could not get into this one and I ended up just dnf-ing it.

This is the first Katee Robert book that I've tried but I think I might just try another one of her series.

I'm a huge Katee Robert fan but unfortunately this one didn't land with me. I didn't enjoy the characters or how quickly we were thrust into the romance, and I thought the premise was let down by the world-building. A little disappointing, but won't stop me from reading more by this author. If you want some great Katee Robert books, check out her Wicked Villians and Deal with a Demon books - love all of these.

I started this book on November 6th 2023. Today’s date is 24th March 2024 and today is the day that I firmly DNF this book at 35%. I tried reading this book for 5 months but I really struggled to pick it back up.

I have read a few of Katee’s books which was why I applied for this ARC and was so excited when I got accepted. Katee, pirates, and spice? Oh my – the perfect combo. I loved the idea of this book, it ticked all my boxes. But unfortunately the execution was not on par with my other reads of Katee’s books.

The FMC was insufferable. Her choices, the way she acted around people and her surroundings – it was hard to read. Pair that with the insta love between her and Bowen, even though she acted awfully towards him (not in a good way that I usually love) – it wasn’t anywhere near believable that Bowen would even tolerate her, never mind love her instantly.

Everything was just questionable for me, and not in a way that makes you want to read on.

Thank you to Random House UK Cornerstone, Del Rey, Netgalley, and Katee for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First book from Katee and I really enjoyed it. The world building was fantastic and I really felt captivated by the writing and the adventure of the story. The romance felt a bit fast for me but overall I thought it was an enjoyable read, with brilliant world building.

I really enjoyed this first book in Katee Roberts new series! It has witches, vampires, pirates and more! The plot was interesting and and full of action from the start. I thought Evie and Bowen had amazing chemistry although their relationship does happen quite quick. The world building and magic in this world were so intriguing and well done. I can’t wait to read the next book!

Sorry for the late review! I thought I had wrote in on Netgalley already, but apparently I had only wrote it on goodreads!

Hunt on Dark Waters
Crimson Sails Book 1
Author: Katee Robert
Random House UK
Release date: 7th Nov 2023

Evelyn is angry when she finds out her girlfriend Lizzie – or rather, her ex - is going to let her mother murder her. So what’s a witch to do, but steel her vampire girlfriend’s jewellery and go on the lam?
Which is why she jumps through a portal with no idea of the end destination.
Unfortunately for Evelyn it lands in Threshold; a realm linked by portals and policed by the Cŵn Annwn, the Wild Hunt – on the sea. Orders for hunts come from The Council.
Evelyn lands in the middle of the water and the ship that scoops her out is the Crimson Hag. Bowen, the captain, uses his telekinetic power to save her. Then hold her captive when she’s told she has to join the hunt or die.
Her attempts at fight or flight go nowhere.
Evelyn is also angry at the vague mission statement about killing “monsters” plus the entrapment of anyone who falls through portals, into their service. And she’s not the only unhappy one amongst this crew she is forced to join.

“Swashbuckling, thieving, and looking good while doing it? It’s like it was made for me.”
Evelyn
Whilst Bowen is easy on the eyes, and seems decent for a captain, he won’t budge on their rules, despite ending up a slave to the Cŵn Annwn, at age thirteen himself. He remembers nothing before that, only his rescue by previous captain Ezra, who raised him and trained him.
Now though, his captainship is at risk.
Miles – a lizard like creature – is quartermaster and the head of a brewing rebellion, to take over from Bowen. Bowen’s only support is Dia, an older woman who seems to have a soft spot for him and new crew member Evelyn.
Throughout all of this, the chemistry sizzles between Bowen and Evelyn, and though she’s desperate to return to her own world, and is scared of Lizzie catching up with her, the pair have plenty of time to get steamy along with the ongoing story arcs.
Bargainer Demons and the Shadow Market are referenced in the novel, which fans of Robert will recognise from another of her series.
This is a full on, modern day Sapphic/Bisexual tale of pirates, vampires, witches, sea monsters, danger and romance. There are more than a few LGBTQIA+ characters in the book too, which is wonderful.
Kit is non binary or gender fluid, as is Lucky. But one of the best queer characters is Nox, sexy and they know it, quirky and sort of honourable – at least in terms of the old adage ‘honour amongst thieves’. They however, work on another ship, The Audacity.
This has the quirky found family and diversity of One Piece, the irreverence and swashbuckling of Pirates of the Caribbean and the romance and heat that Katee Robert is infamous for.
I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book, which focuses on Lizzie.

Loved the premise of this book, took me a while to get into but it was an enjoyable read. Don't think I'll read more in the series but will be checking out more from the author

I liked this way more than I thought I would. I fell in love with these characters, particularly Evelyn. A plus size witchy thief with a heart of gold? I’m sold.
I can’t wait to see what happens, I’m already thirsty for Lizzy‘s book. Also, the casual neo pronouns is truly chefs kiss!

I’ve read a few Katee Robert books now and generally enjoy her writing style. This wasn’t my favourite as I struggled with the world building and got a bit confused by the setting and the fantasy world. I thought the concept was interesting but the pacing at times felt a bit off.
I liked the characters a lot and was invested in both of them and their storylines. I loved the concept of Evie’s magic being linked to her tattoos as spells, this was a cool idea. I also really appreciated the diversity in this book and the range of representation was very positive to see.
Thanks to Netgalley and random house UK for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Hunt on Dark Waters is the first book in a new fantasy trilogy. It was my first Katee Robert book and it was exactly what I wanted from this sort of book; fun, romance and there's even a dragon!
Evelyn is running from her rather angry vampire ex and falls through a portal into a new world. She meets the rather stoic Bowen who rescues her but forces her to join his crew of the Cwn Anwnn. As a Welsh woman I love fantasy books that feature Welsh mythology. I liked the characters and found Bowen to be very different and refreshing as the MMC. It was nice to see the awkward guy with morals who just wants to do the right thing as opposed to the snarky, mean and moody MMC's that feature in so many fantasy Romance books these days. The cast of characters were really diverse too.
This is a solid 3.5 stars for me as something was missing from this first novel- in places the pacing seemed a bit off- but I'm hoping the series picks up as it was a great easy palette cleaner and I did enjoy the characters and the plot. There were parts of the novel that had me giggling and I tore through it.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.

I'm always a big fan of Katee Robert's books and this was no different. Loved the romance and the exciting encounters. Great start to a new fantasy series and can't wait to read the next book.

So the premise to Hunt on Dark Waters is fabulous. A sticky-fingered witch who falls through a portal into a realm of pirates... yes please! The witch has stolen something from her vampire ex-girlfriend and then goes on to encounter magical creatures of land and sea with a tall-dark-and-handsome pirate captain... even more yes please! I hadn't read a Katee Robert book before, so I didn't know what to expect but was very intrigued.

The plot, as I mentioned was great, I enjoyed the adventure and I liked the worldbuilding. It wasn't that detailed, but it was enough to root the story in place. The MC was... annoying. Sorry. I did not like her. And the MMC was a bit flat in comparison to her.

My biggest issue with this book was the romance. Yes, it was spicy and fun, but the initial attraction and romance was way too fast and unrealistic. There was no build-up to it, it almost felt a bit random and vague as to how and when exactly it happened. I also had a bit of trouble with the pacing being quite uneven.

2.5 rounded up to 3. I can definitely see that this book will be a hit with certain readers, I sadly was not one of them.
Thank you the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.