It's Katie! She can do no wrong.

This feels slightly less steamy than usual for a Katee Roberts book but maybe slightly heavier on the plot. This is still hugely readable so I'd say that's no bad thing.

This was fun!

I was captivated by this realm right from the start. The narrative becomes increasingly intriguing as Evelyn traverses a portal. I eagerly anticipated the burgeoning enemies-to-lovers dynamic aboard a ship, particularly between Evelyn and the captain. Their undeniable attraction had me cheering for them to succumb to their desires. The narrative was imbued with spice, tinged with a hint of danger, as secrets began to unravel.

Pirates - check - witches - check - chemistry - ohh yes! This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. Join the pirates or die - we all know which most of us would choose.....

Look, it's pretty easy to convince me to read anything with pirates. Was I a little obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean in my younger years? Maybe😂 I was looking for something with similar vibes, and I had hoped this book would be it. ⁠
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Alas, I was disappointed. While the worldbuilding is fantastic, and the premise is fantastic, the characters just fell flat for me. There were not enough pirate vibes, and honestly, I was a little bored by the main characters. ⁠
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I like a morally grey character, and while our female mc made questionable choices, the male mc was just too straight-laced for me (I know that's a horrible complaint to make, but I want red flags when it comes to fictional men). ⁠
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Did I want a darker story? Yes. Is it my fault for expecting it from this book? Maybe. ⁠
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I will mention again that the worldbuilding is really good, and we met some other characters whose books I would read. So while it wasn't a win for me, I encourage you to pick it up.

1.5 Stars
Hunt on Dark Waters, Katee Roberts latest new release on first book in a new series, is a fantasy romance with a widely inclusive cast of characters.
Evelyn, the main character in the first book, is a witch. After stealing some of her ex’s jewels she steps through a portal into a different dimension full of pirates and a decision is placed on her shoulders: join their crew or die. As a way of buying more time she reluctantly joins them. Bowen is the male main character and captain of the ship.
I really struggled with this book. I didn’t like the main characters. Evelyn’s P.O.V was like pulling teeth. She was whiny and immature, and I just couldn’t enjoy her view at all. Bowen was in love straight away. It took away any tension, build up etc. Sometimes insta-love is awesome to read. The will they/won’t they scenario or the two characters toeing the line of friends/lovers. But this wasn’t like that. The pacing and flow felt very haphazard as well.
I’m disappointed I didn’t like this as much as I originally thought I would but seeing so many other readers/reviewers love this is great.
Thank you for the eARC

I just finished diving into "Hunt On Dark Waters" by Katee Robert, and let me tell you, it's a wild ride across the high seas of fantasy and romance. If you're into magic-infused escapades with a side of sizzle, this book should be on your radar.

Evelyn, our lead, is a witch who's as unpredictable as a storm at sea, with a knack for trouble that lands her straight into the arms of Bowen, the captain with telekinetic prowess. Their encounter? Nothing short of electric. As they navigate the treacherous waters of the Threshold, the sea that connects realms, you can't help but be drawn into their chaotic yet steamy dynamic.

What really struck me was the pace of the story—it's like being on a ship caught in a tailwind, fast and exhilarating. And the romance? It's there, threading through the narrative with a heat that simmers rather than overwhelms. This isn't your average damsel-in-distress meets brooding hero tale; it's a partnership of equals, with banter that's as sharp as a cutlass.

Katee Robert has a knack for creating these immersive worlds that are just a joy to explore. The magical elements are as vivid as they are intriguing, making the setting itself a character to revel in. And if you thought "Neon Gods" was a hit, wait till you set sail with this one.

In short, "Hunt On Dark Waters" is a fantasy frolic that's perfect for those late-night reading sessions. It's got just the right mix of adventure, magic, and romance to keep you glued to the pages. So, if you're in the mood for a story that's equal parts thrilling and enchanting, grab your copy.

Well, you had me at pirate. It's common knowledge among those who know me that I'm a sucker for pirates and that's 100% what drew me to this book in the first place. And I was not disappointed.
I must say there was very little pirate-y stuff as it's more about the main characters and their instalust than anything else, which, again, not a disappointment at all. So if you think you're gonna read the next Sandokan or something like that, just forget it. It's downright a high seas romance, and sometimes, that's really all you need hehe.
Not to say I didn't like the characters, because I freaking did. Evelyn is such a spitfire who to be honest I think suffers from personality disorder, since she's ready to flee one moment and then wants to become a paladin herself. Not of that the two can't coexist, at times it was just a whiplash. But I love how sassy yet caring she is, and yes, the fact that she's a plus size heroine plays a great part in it.
Bowen is honestly... Well, he's Liam Jones, and suffice to say, I will always love Liam (yes, it is an Once Upon A Time reference, of course it is). As with Evie, I really wanted more introspection, more of his thoughts, especially given his change of heart. Let's say I do love myself a self loathing male lead and one who struggles and suffers. Might be the (light) whumper in me.
In any case, I really, really liked this book, even if it was a bit too fast (and maybe even because of it, after all). The magical system tied to the tattoos and the blood was so good and would have liked more lore on it, I'm a sucker for good magical systems, eugh.
So, if you're looking for a good, instalust novel with a splash of pirates and a sprinkle of smut, this book ticks all the boxes. Have fun ;)

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

I have mixed feelings about this. It was a good read but I found it be lacking in something . . . But I can’t say what.

It’s not one of my favourite books by Katee, and I just found it to be a little rushed. However, I will be picking up book two. I want more of the characters. They’re really likeable.

The synopsis sounded promising but I don’t think I’ll continue this series, especially since the romance fell quite flat

Hunt on Dark Waters was my first Katee Robert book and I already cannot wait for its sequel Blood on the Tide to come out next year. This book was a wild ride, full of adventure on the high seas, monsters, magic and sizzling chemistry. 4.5 ⭐️

Hunt on Dark Waters finds witch Evelyn falling through a portal into another realm, where she is fished out the waters by a fierce group of seafarers. She’s given the choice join - them or die. At the helm of the ship Evelyn now finds herself on is Bowen, a captain bound by honour and his vows to protect Threshold and fight any monsters who threaten it. The longer Evelyn and Bowen spend in each other’s presence the greater the tension sizzles between them, but so too do the dangers they face.

I really enjoyed this one, it was a fun and easy read. It’s short chapters, with duel POVs keep you hooked into the story, and with its high stakes action and adventure it makes it nearly impossible to put down. I loved the world building in this, with Threshold acting as the world between realms, where each island reflected the different realms. The monsters and magic was all very cool as well, with many reflecting different myths and legends. Also this book has pirates, which I’m loving at the moment!

Evelyn and Bowen’s relationship is very much insta-love which I know isn’t everyone’s vibe but I’m ok with it. They had great chemistry and I enjoyed how they played off against each other. They’re both forced to deal with some pretty big things throughout the book but come to make a formidable team. As seems to be a hallmark of Robert’s writing this book is very spicy throughout.

Overall this was a fun read and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next and to finding out more about Lizzy, Evelyn’s vampire ex.

This book was an easy read. The magic and paranormal aspects were enjoyable to read. Who doesn’t love to read that stuff? The romance choices are questionable and felt forced/undeveloped.
If you enjoy insta-love, quick attraction then you’d enjoy this book but not for me

I really enjoyed Robert’s Wicked Villains series and while I have yet to read the Dark Olympus one I was excited to read Hunt on Dark Waters that has witches, vampires, mermaids and more. The premises was good and I loved the crew of seafarers and the idea that they patrol through the magical sea between realms to keep the worlds safe. I found Evelyn an interesting main female character and Bowen was a good male counter part to her.

There were a few things that just nudged this down to four stars for me. The first was the insta-love. I know lust is a thing and accept that but I found the love aspect just a bit too much for me. That said Wicked Villains was one of my first forays into romance genres so it may be trope that is common. The other thing I found a little off putting was the pacing. It seemed to go from fast to slow, to fast, to slow and it was just made it a tad hard to settle in.

That said I did enjoy the story in all, the world is interesting and I loved the cast of characters on the crew. I will definitely follow the series since I think sometimes the pacing can be a tad temperamental in a first novel in a series. I also want to know more about the characters as well, particularly Bowen. If you are a fan of fantasy romance this one will be on you will enjoy.

I was so excited to read this book. Sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. I didn't like the main character Evelyn and struggled to get into the story.

Hunt on Dark Waters is the first book in a new fantasy romance series by Katee Robert, and it promises to have it all: a light-fingered witch, a murderous ex-girlfriend vampire, portal travel to other realms, seafaring monster hunters and a hunky telekinetic captain.

I loved the premise of Evelyn, our FMC and thieving witch, trapped in another dimension, where she is coerced into joining a ship crew. The Crimson Hag, which is part of the Cŵn Annwn, polices the the seas of Threshold and keeps the portals to other worlds safe. Bowen, the captain of the Hag and our MMC, is a stickler for rules and sees himself firmly as one of the good guys who is enforcing the laws of the realm. When Bowen and his crew fish Evelyn out of the sea, she has to make a non-choice on the spot: join the Crimson Hag for life, or be thrown back into the sea, facing certain death. Evelyn takes a vow and joins up, but is planning to desert at the first opportunity. This would result in a hunt being called, and she would find herself pursued to the death by all crews of the Cŵn Annwn. But Evelyn is already being hunted - her ex-girlfriend the vampire Lizzie is tracking her across realms, intent on recovering her family heirlooms and taking her revenge...

For me, the first book in the Crimson Sails series delivered on world-building: I enjoyed the mythological monsters and the queer-normative world. As for the main characters and the romance, it was a bit too much insta-love for my taste. Bowen, who had potential at the outset, was a bit too willing to abandon his lifelong ideals at a simple comment from Evelyn. Also, an upstanding guy, but he never questions the ideals he's been given? And a leader who's just waiting for his crew to vote him out, not taking any action? He turned out to be a bit too much of a wet blanket, albeit a handsome one. The ending felt abrupt - it isn't a cliffhanger, but I felt that it left me hanging and that there could have been a neater finish. However, I will probably continue with this series, particularly as Lizzie was an interesting side-character, and from what I gather, she will play a central role in the second book.

Thank you to Del Rey, UK and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. The review copy contained grammatical and spelling errors on a much larger scale than I'm used to seeing in review copies (hence me commenting on it in the review), but I assume that the book will have undergone some rigorous proofreading before publication.

I really struggled with this, and I found that really surprising as normally I devour any Katee Robert book. I think I found Evelyn really difficult as a lead and that may have been why, the world building was very good!

Pirates, witches, vampires, mermaids and other fantastical creatures come together in the first in a series, Hunt on Dark Waters.

Our FMC, Evelyn, is a witch who is currently in a situationship with a vampire. But that all changes when her lover coldly tells her to leave her house before her mother showed up - who would more than likely kill Evelyn. Annoyed and angry, Evelyn steals some jewellery and escapes through a secret portal hidden away.

But this portal leads her to another realm - The Threshold - and onto the boat of Captain Bowen. Once there, Evelyn has to take a vow to serve this realm, or die. We follow Evelyn and Bowen as they fight their feelings for each other, while trying to stay alive.

'The laws are the laws. I can't bend them without risking myself and my crew. Not even for a cute, mouthy little witch'.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
I loved the world building of this, it felt so magical stepping into another world with all sorts of fantastical creatures. However, the insta-love was a bit of a downside for me, but that is personal preference. I felt there wasn't much of a build up to their romance or chemistry, however the spicy scenes were great, and very creative!

Overall, it was a really fast paced story and the writing style definitely held my attention - just the insta-love wasn't for me, but Bowen was a very cute, golden retriever MMC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for this copy. This review is voluntary.

The insta-love in this was fierce! It was generally as a whole book very rushed, very surface level and as such I just didn't care about any of the characters or plot. It should have been very interesting, but I just didn't find it well written enough to work.

Having read some of Katee Robert's other books I was looking forward to reading this. The story was fun, Evelyn and Bowen have chemistry (although it was a bit too insta love and lacked some tension) but I felt it needed more world building. Overall I enjoyed this and look forward to reading the next in the series.

DNF at 5% into the book. I honestly could not read this. Maybe I got a poor copy, but the grammar is horrendous. The chapters are laid out very strangely, and the book just does not flow at all. Reading it was like pulling teeth.

I already don't like the main character, Evelyn, at all. I want to give this book a chance, but I can not get around how poorly put together this is.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as Katee Robert's Dark Olympus series.
Plot was good and well-paced. World build was lacking in some areas but overall quite easy to follow.
I didn't find the characters very likeable. Both MMC and FMC came across as a little whiney at times.
I found the ending quite disappointing. Knowing that this was part of a duology, I was expecting some sort of cliffhanger at the end. Quite lacklustre.
I gave this 3 stars and I'm not particularly excited to continue with the next book.