It was Romeo and Juliet but even more complicated. The story moved way to quickly that you didn't get character development and the conversations were super forced. There was too many conversations that you lost track of who was talking and about what. It just felt thrown together.

a big meh on my side. I enjoyed the vibes a lot, I'm a huge sucker for small town romances but there was 0, absolutely ZERO emotions between our two main characters. No chemistry, no nothing which sucks considering this book is a romance novel. the Romeo and Juliet-esque vibes didn't save it for me since I never saw R&J as a true romance story + it had a happy ending, if you're doing a retelling of their story, stick to it until the end. Yeah, a 2 stars again.

I was on a nautical kick there for awhile last year and so I was on break from sea based storylines. However, Williams' tale of opposing families in the crabbing industry swept me into a romance riptide I didn't want to swim out of. Please ignore the R+J reference in the description as this story was so much more. Highly recommend.

Thank you to Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

The Only Fish in the Sea is a modern day “Romeo and Juliet” romance which involves two families who have fought with each other for over three generations. They both run competing crab companies off the coast of Oregon, and one company is much more successful than the other.

The two main characters are Remy Miller and Julia Clayman. Remy has been waiting for a long time for her father to finally give her a boat to run on her own. However, when the opportunity arrives, her father hires a man from outside the family to run the new boat. This angers Remy and frustrates her to no end.

Julia Clayman is the VP in her father’s crabbing business. When he becomes ill, she has to take over while he recovers. When a new boat arrives, she needs a captain and offers the job to Remy even though Remy is from the “competing” family. The new employment arrangement is very successful.

Of course, there is a major attraction between the two main characters. The story twists and turns with how the two women try to handle the ups and downs of the business, their ever-increasing feelings for each other, and the effects of said relationship on their families.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. They were well developed and interesting. The pace was average, but it did pick up when the author introduced the element of danger inherent in the crabbing industry. This is one of the better “Romeo and Juliet” romances I have read over the years. If you like butch/femme books, this would certainly be of interest to you.

I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Williams’ writings.

I received this ARC from Bold Strokes Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars
This story started where most stories end. Meaning the romance starts right away. So instead of the slow burn, we actually get to enjoy the relationship throughout the story.
It's a fun romance with a little scary action and a little predictable mystery.
It's about 2 competing family owned fisheries with a family feud. Each family has a daughter. One a skilled sailor, the other a smart boss. These are the leading lady's of the romance. How they work out their relationship with their family and their possible long distance relationship is basically the story.
The 2 mains are cute and the dialog is sweet and funny. The close friends of both characters are very loyal. And of course there is a villain.
I would have liked a little more time and detail on the boat and I didn't feel the epilogue was necessary.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I liked it.
I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about this book. I really enjoyed the unique setting and the drama of the storm really came through in the writing. I also liked both MC and their best friends so I’m more sure exactly what it was that fell flat for me. I think the way the characters talked was sometimes a bit off, in terms of language used, but other than that I did enjoy the book

Whenever we start a new romance we generally know the two main women will eventually come to their senses and realize they were meant to be together.
What makes a story good is the path taken to bring them together and some are really great plots. Such is this one.
There are a few dud’s, like the blurb has one major flaw. It’s not ‘Emily Clayman’, it’s Julia. Both women have lived their lives fishing, it’s in their blood. Always rivals until Remy Miller’s father gave the captain's position to someone other than her. She's been fishing for crabs, well forever.
Julia wasn’t on the boats her father owned but she was involved working in the office taking care of the business her family has owned for years. Now at the start of the crab season she needed a captain to run the boat. When she hears Remy didn’t get the job on her own fathers boats, she figures why not go to the rival company and hires Remy Miller. Going against her father.
Ms Williams has done a really good job bringing the story to life. Great, very likable main characters along with a strong supporting cast. Very, very enjoyable book.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

I really enjoyed The Only Fish in the Sea and look forward to additional works from Angie Williams. The main characters are well written and have great chemistry. It has a good amount of angst, but nothing too intense. Somewhat of a Romeo and Juliet vibe with the feuding families, but without the tragic ending. Recommend if the enjoy butch/femme pairings.

The Only Fish in the Sea dives deep into the tumultuous waters of love, family, and dreams. Set against the backdrop of Oregon's coastline and the age-old tradition of crab fishing, this book delivers an unexpected and delightful romance.

Remy, a young woman with a deep-rooted love for crab fishing, is faced with the challenge of proving herself as a captain in a male-dominated industry. Her dreams take an unforeseen turn when Julia, the captivating daughter of a rival crabbing family, offers her an opportunity that could heal old wounds or deepen the rift between their families. The underlying tension between the families creates a palpable tension, reminiscent of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, but the story takes a different route.

As I delved into the pages, I admit I wasn't sure what to expect from this story, given the comparison to the iconic tragic romance. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that 'The Only Fish in the Sea' evolved into a heartwarming love story. The growing connection between Remy and Julia is beautifully portrayed, as their shared moments kindle a spark that goes beyond rivalry.

What truly sets this book apart is the unexpected twist at the end. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, the author skillfully delivers a surprise that adds depth and originality to the narrative. This twist resonated with me and elevated the overall reading experience.

Angie Williams has crafted a tale that goes beyond romantic clichés. The exploration of family dynamics, personal aspirations, and the tug of tradition is skillfully interwoven with a tender love story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and appreciated its ability to subvert expectations while still delivering a satisfying and heartwarming conclusion. If you're seeking a captivating romance that defies convention, this book is sure to reel you in."

This was a good story. I liked the relationship between Remy and Julia, but the parents of both were a little bit out there. I felt that the plotline for these characters wasn't really needed to make this a good book to read, it did make for a bit of angst and drama. Remy I felt was a well rounded character and Julia was as well. I wish the author would have spent more time on the relationship between the main characters and their friends, that would have been more interesting. But, all in all this was a good story. I would recommend this book to my friends and family and I look forward to what's next from this author.

I was very skeptical about this book. However, it turned out to be a great read. The main characters had great chemistry and the book was well written. 4 stars

I received this ARC from the publisher Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley.

This was a solid, good read. The characters and plot were interesting, though I could’ve used a bit more of the rivals part than the immediate lovers that happened. I also wanted a little more on the backgrounds of the characters and the feud, but this is still a solid read nonetheless!

Remy and Julia had known each other since high school. Their families were feuding as they were both crab fishermen from Oregon. The characters were well written as Remy was a Butch boat Capitan and Julia a feme from a rich crabbing family. The plot revolved around their relationship and the effect on their families. There was drama, love and forgiveness which made the book a good read. I recommend this book to romance readers.

The Only Fish in the Sea has a vaguely Romeo and Juliet inspired set up of rival crab fishing families off the coast of Oregon. Julia steps in to cover for her dad as boss on the Clayman crab fishing boat and Remy works as a fisherman for the rival company. It’s an instant-love story that didn’t quite work for me. Their history was trivial at best and over-relied on to create a story, the rival family drama was tough to be invested in when it felt shallow lumbersome. On an individual preference level, I found the dialogue difficult to read. I don’t buy it when siblings often call each other “baby sister”, “brother”, “sis” multiple times within a conversation or at all, and lots of the “sexy nicknames” read as cringe to me. There were little details about having kids in the future and “not being ready” to “stay in an apron all day like Remy’s little woman” that felt out of place to me. Julia as a character struggled to hold her own as the tension between her live in Portland and her history and potential future in Elder’s Bay felt burned down quickly by how instantaneous her connection to Remy was. The book focuses on the drama between their families over everything else. The romance was secondhand and simple — their problems were never really problems and their chemistry was caged in by how easy their relationship was instead of any emotion. The details of crabbing and a career out in sea were informative, but end up becoming repetitive with how the explanations became problems to solve later on. Overall, the book has a distinctive set up and nearly a charm to it, but the lack of believable chemistry between the leads and clunky dialogue made it difficult to enjoy.

This is a story about Remy Miller who is a Dungeness crab fisherman. She works out of a small town on the Oregon coast with her family that has fished here for generations. Julia Clayman is the daughter of a rival fishing family in the same small town. Julia works in Portland for the family managing sales and marketing.

I liked the setting and the side characters and the plot of this book I didn’t like the character development and felt little for either mc. Their relationship was instant without any emotion and was not believable to me.

I finished it since it was an arc book. I read William’s first book and enjoyed it but this one was not for me. Please read other reviews. Also there are several character name typos in the blurb and in the story that need fixing.

ARC received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

I was provided an ARC by NetGalley and the publisher.

This book was tough to read for me. I almost placed the book on my DNF list. I noticed a few parts in the book where keeping track of who was talking, who was involved in the conversation, and who the pronouns were referring to was confusing. It was a very difficult read for me. The conversations between the characters also felt as if they lacked depth. The fact that they spent the entire book not knowing why their families hated each other seemed unrealistic to me. I wanted more in-depth conversations about their relationships, families, future, and those difficult conversations.

The Only Fish in the Sea is to be fair, a pretty decent romance. I agree with other reviewers, it is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story, it has been done before BUT by far this is the best version I've read up to date.
The two main characters have sparks flying, there are very suited to one another and both are very likeable. Like many other stories, you always get that character we love to hate, you'll find this in the story too.

I did enjoy The only fish in the Sea, it's a very enjoyable, easy read.

I've given it a 3.7 out of 5.

Book Review

The Only Fish in the Sea

By Angie Willams

Pub Date: August 14, 2023



Thank you to @netgalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc. for the advance copy of The Only Fish in the Sea in exchange for an honest review.

Remy Miller has been in the family business as a crab fisherman and is just waiting for her dad to make her captain. Her brothers have both been named captains; it’s her turn now. She lives for the sea and is confident in her crew. But things get complicated when Julia from the rival crabbing family offers her a position as captain. This would crush her dad. Julia and Remy begin to spend more time together, meeting the crew that Remy would bring with her if she were to accept the job. The more time Remy and Julia spend together, they know they want to have more than a work relationship. Does Remy go with her heart and accept her dream job that her dream girl is offering, or does she continue to work with her family learn to be happy with just being a crew member?

This book was good from the start. No slow or unnecessary parts. The fishing, boating, crab talk was not overwhelming to someone who does not know anything about those things. I enjoyed the story line. Kinda reminded me of Mystic Pizza only because of the small coastal town vibe. You will be rooting for Remy and Julia to let go of their family rivalry and go with their heart.

Read if you like:

· Love at first sight

· Family drama

· Small town

· Coastal vibes

· LGBTQIAP+, romance

· Mild spice

This book just wasn’t for me, I had a really hard time getting into it and after trying to pick it up a few times of the course of a month I had to NFD it.

I wish I had better feedback to share but I just found the characters hard to connect with. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m from
OR and had high hopes going in and it wasn’t captivating enough or if I just wasn’t a good match for this writing style.

5 stars

To my surprise, I was actually impressed. I read 2 books from this author, and my expectations weren’t high starting this one. I’m glad I was wrong.

Very well written. Wonderful character work. I know it’s a personal preference kind of thing, but not a lot of writers know how to write a believable butch character. A lot of time it’s basically a feminine woman with short hair and a flannel shirt. Thankfully, it’s not the case here. I loved the balance between the romance, the relationship, family, and work. It felt well-rounded, like I was actually reading about someone’s life. Not the flat one sided relationship focused storyline. A little too perfect at times, but overall, there wasn’t something to put me off. There was enough detail and description to help me picture the scene or situation, but not too much to turn into a boring listicle. The supporting characters, or better said the friend dynamics were somewhat less believable for their perfection. Some word choices bothered me, but it wasn’t enough to lower the rate. The sex scenes I didn’t like. They suited the characters and the story though.

I know I listed quite a few things I didn’t like, but I still give the book 5 stars. It’s an emotional thing, and I was enjoying the story despite all the things that bothered me.

It was a nice read, and I recommend the book. It’s not some outstanding work you’re going to be returning to every couple of months, but it’s an entertaining read.

I love seeing growth in the author. It’s great when a person really cares about their craft. I’m going to look forward to new books.