This is sapphic fantasy romance and the second in a series, although you could probably read it as a standalone.

The first of our two female main characters is a vampire who just wants to find her missing family heirloom jewels and retuen to her own world. The second of our two female main characters is a selkie whose skin has been stolen - so they're both looking for something.

They team up and it's supposed to be strictly business between them, because they both have lives they want to return to in literally different worlds, but of course, things are soon developing between them.

This was good, it takes one of the minor side characters from the first book and gives her the main character role in this romance. There are also of course elements of the wider plot, the rebellion that's happening in this world which they don't necessarily want to get involved in but it kind of becomes inevitable.

So despite our vampire main character just wanting to be selfish and get what she needs and go, things don't quite work out that way and her motivations change.

Looking forward to seeing where this series is going

This one wasn’t for me sadly, I just really didn’t like the characters.
I won’t be reviewing on other platforms but thank you for the ARC copy.

Katee Robert’s Blood on the Tide brings the heat with an action-packed, spicy romance that mixes suspense with plenty of chemistry. Set against a backdrop of intrigue and danger, the story’s magnetic leads have explosive chemistry that jumps off the page, keeping you hooked from start to finish.

While it’s fast-paced and intense, Robert balances the steam with an engaging plot and sharp dialogue. Four stars for a thrilling, seductive read that’s perfect for fans of romance with an edge!

Second in the series and lots to love! Pirates, sea, spice, a strong female main character and a great plot!

Morally grey female lead, sapphic romance, and adventures on the high seas with pirates and sirens what’s not to love.

I read the first in this series and loved it and was looking forward to revisiting old characters and meeting some new.

I did prefer the first to this book but still enjoyed this.

Great characters, entertaining story and writing that kept you reading would recommend

I enjoyed this much more than the first installment of the series.
We met Lizzie in book one, a vampire on a mission to retreive some stolen family herilooms but ends up on a side mission, if you will, with a selkie called Meave, I enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine dynamic of the two main characters and the world building wasn't too complex to keep up with. The plot, like the first book, was lacking slightly and the book felt a bit slow at times but it was easy to read and I was still intrigued to find out what was going on. Looking forward to reading the third installment.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for review. I recently read the first book in this series, so I was glad to continue relatively quickly.

As this is the second in a series, I won’t say too much about the plot, but we do meet one of the main characters, Lizzie, in book one. I was already intrigued by her then, and I really like her character.

This series is set in a world that exists as an in-between space between other worlds like our own, accessible through portals. There are plenty of magic creatures, and the sapphic romance in this book is between a vampire, Lizzie, and a selkie, Maeve.

I enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters as it was very much grumpy/sunshine. I would have liked to have spent even more time with them, so if the book was a bit longer, we could have had some more relationship development.

The plot consists of them both searching for things stolen from them, and this keeps everything moving along, although the end seems to set up a wider plot in the series. I was hooked enough to keep reading, although I was more interested in the characters than the plot.

This is a very interesting world, so I really just want some more explanation. We did get some details about vampires and selkies, but it would be great to have some even more detailed world building in this case.

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than the first, mostly because I connected with the characters more and I’m always a sucker for a sapphic relationship. However, it was just an okay read for me, and nothing special. I probably will continue with the series, but it is of a lower priority compared to Katee Robert’s other series.

Firstly, thank you for allowing me to read this early, apologies for the delay in giving my feedback.
I have really enjoyed this series by Katee Roberts, and was looking forward to this one, however, although I enjoyed it overall, I found the pacing very hit and miss - particularly in the 'spicy' scenes - some seemed to drag on while others it was a blink and miss it feeling.
However, I really enjoyed how the book fits into the already established world giving the story a much better foundation and sense of place.

Blood on the Tide" is a captivating blend of fantasy and romance that kept me thoroughly engaged.

One of my favorite aspects was the political intrigue and the ethereal world-building. The rebellion storyline was fascinating, and I loved how Katee Roberts ties this book into a multiverse with her other books and characters. The portal world-building, with its creatures, islands, and powers, is incredibly cool. I'm eagerly anticipating the next installment to see where this journey goes.

The characters are compelling and developed. For our two FMCs we have Lizzie, a cold-hearted vampire with mummy issues and an orgasmic bite, who is trying to get over her ex while hunting down her family's jewels. Then there is Maeve, a kind and genuine selkie who has been betrayed, and on a quest to find her seal skin again. Cue their need to work together and pair it with their angst and tension that you could cut with a knife and you have a chemistry that is palpable, creating a developinhg relationship that is engaging.

I particularly appreciated that no one was the constant "damsel in distress." The characters both had their strengths and vulnerabilities, making their interactions more dynamic, plausible, and rounded. The banter had me smiling at times, while the awkwardness had me shouting at the page at others—all in a good way.

The secondary characters also added depth to the story. I'm especially intrigued by Nox, a charming and enigmatic character with lots of potential. I'd love to see more of Nox in future books as well as the leader of the rebellion!

The spicy scenes were well done, although there weren't as many as in some of Katee's other books. The pacing had its ups and downs—sometimes moving too quickly, while at other times lingering longer than necessary.

The balance between action, romance, and political intrigue was well-handled, making for a well-rounded and immersive read. There were also plot twists and surprises that kept me on the edge of my seat.

If you're a die-hard fan of Katee Roberts, looking to explore her longer, more plot-driven books or love your sapphic romances with unique world building then "Blood on the Tide" is a must-read. It features plenty of banter, an engaging plot, and richly detailed characters.

I read the first in this series last Christmas, I really enjoyed that it was a quick and fun read.

This was exactly the same, the world building is not complex, there is a good character development and the story is fun. The plot is easy to follow and i would really recommend for anyone who is looking for a nice quick and fun fantasy.

The plot for this book was a bit lacking.
It had all the making of a fun and exciting read but it just wasn’t for me.

I found it hard to connect to any of the characters. And I found myself having to start and stop quite a few times.

I understood the concept of this one but it just didn’t hold the standard of the first book of the series.

Blood on the Tide is a fun, sexy romp on the high seas, but unfortunately the plot was lacking for me. It only seemed to really get going in the final part of the book, and then ended without any resolution. I do think this would be more to your taste if you had read all of Katee Robert's other books for the needed context, which I have not done.
Still, it is a easy going book and I enjoyed it for the most part.

3 stars

Blood on the Tide is the second instalment of the Crimson Sails series by Katee Robert. This story follows a violent vampire and a determined and caring selkie who make an alliance to retrieve what has been stolen from them. This is very much a story that focuses on the romance of the characters, with a bit of plot in the background. While I really enjoyed Lizzie (Vampire everyone is terrified of) and her antics and the sweet moments between her and Maeve, I wish there was just a bit more of the plot. It felt things were easily resolved and quickly dealt with. I wanted to know more, I wanted more revenge, I just wanted more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A sapphic fantasy romance, that hits the right spots in a readers need to find the perfect fantasy!
Vampires and pirates: honestly what more can I say?
Katee Robert’s writing is second to none, and I absolutely enjoyed it all.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series so was really looking forward to this one. You really can't beat a well written, pirate rebellion tale with great romance on the side! Unfortunately I just didn't enjoy this book as much. The first half particularly I found very slow and it lacked the authors usual fun and brilliant character writing. The second half definitely picked up, and I do love Lizzie as a character!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book

THIS REVIEW WILL MOST LIKELY BE EDITED ONCE MY EMOTIONS CALM DOWN

‘Blood on the tide’ can be described in many ways but let me start with: LET’S GO LESBIANS!!!! Well, not exactly but you catch my drift.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book and the way it focused on relationship between Lizzie the murderous vampire and Meave the bad-ass selkie, while still dropping some crumbs here and there about the revolution Meave was so eager to be a part of. I wouldn’t say the world building has been developed as much as I expected it to but I am happy with what I got.

I loved the way Katee Robert used these two playing the game of questions during one of their sails at the start of the book as a way of giving the readers some exposition about the characters. I feel like this moment specifically made it so much easier to connect with these two amazing women and understand them better and because of that, to cheer on them and their progressing relationship. I actually prefer the way their relationship is written to the one of the characters from the previous book. I think both Meave and Lizzie were interesting on their own and them as a couple was just a nice creamy topping on a cake, while the other two characters from the previous book whose names I completely forgot were pretty meh both as a couple and on their own. I think that’s the reason why I could not connect with the whole idea of the revolution in ‘Hunt on dark waters’- the characters were not interesting enough as to make me emotionally invested in their struggles. Meave and Lizzie are both such intriguing and complex characters with so much potential for development and such big backstories, I genuinely cannot wait to see where their stories go from this point on.

I found ‘Blood on the tide’ really entertaining and fun, even the spicy scenes were not just corn on pages because I could see this beautiful emotional connection between these two women! This book is largely dominated and carried by the relationship between Meave and Lizzie and this is what makes it so good! I can’t wait to read the next instalment in the ‘Crimson Sails’ series.

✨ Netgalley Review ✨

4 Stars
🌟🌟🌟🌟
Potential minor spoilers ahead for this series & Katee’s other books (also, warning that I’m sick while writing this and so mightn’t make as much sense as usual 😭) ❤️

Thank you to Random House UK and Katee Robert ✨
So, Blood on the Tide… where to begin.
I love the familial ties Lizzie brings that make referencing Court of the Vampire Queen possible, that book lives rent free in my brain and Lizzie’s thoughts about Wolf, Mina & the others matters a surprising amount to me.
I love the dynamic between Lizzie & Maeve, they’re a great grumpy sunshine duo, lots of love and good energy between them.
I enjoy the plot in this world, too and how it likely connects to all the other worlds they’ve put together.
The only thing missing, was that I really wanted more glimpses into how Lizzie REALLY felt about Evelyn. Evelyn was obviously absent from a lot of this book, but Lizzie realising her feelings felt like it should’ve had MORE, more time, more pages. I wanted to see Lizzie really battle with her emotional epiphanies about love on page.
Otherwise, I found this another fun romp through Threshold, with enough heat and plot to keep both parts of my brain humming along. I always have fun with Katee’s work, they rarely miss and I can’t wait to continue this series.

I enjoyed the first, and now this second book in the series. I love the world building, it's not too complicated, and the characters are likeable. What I'm missing is a fast moving plot. The books drag a bit, but it does keep me coming back for more. I'm curious enough to keep going with this series. 3.5 stars

I am absolutely hooked on this series and am gagging for the next book! I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the Crimson Sails series but this one has my heart.

It was great to find out more about Lizzie and get to know her more, especially after only really getting a surface look at her in Hunt on Dark Waters. Her complex character is interesting and it was great to see the growth that she goes through throughout this book.

I also loved that more legends were brought to life during this story, helping to expand an already vibrant and interesting story. Learning more about selkies, kelpies and other fantastical creatures without a lot of info dumping is a lot of fun.

The pacing of the book is great, it moves quickly without you feeling like you're missing out on detail. You get to know a lot about the characters and their development seems natural while still keeping the pace up.

Of course, the romance aspect was fairly predictable, especially after reading the first book, and I'm expecting the rest of the series to follow a similar style. However, this doesn't make it any less enjoyable - especially as you're left rooting for most of the characters you meet.

This is a quick, fun, entertaining read with some great sapphic spice. More queer pirate fantasies please!