Upon a Starlit Tide (2025) is a mesmerizing historical fantasy/dark fairy tale. In 1700s coastal France the protagonist, Luce, rescues a handsome sailor from certain death in the fickle sea. Confusingly she feels drawn to both him and to her loyal friend Samuel, an English smuggler. But matters of the heart must wait as troubles arise – the fae, and their magic, are disappearing, the English are poised to attack, old lies and deceit are surfacing, and Luce is discovering secrets hidden in the depths of the sea.
I loved the dark, adventurous undertone, the nods to the old fairy tales Cinderella and The Little Mermaid and the lush, lyrical writing of Kell Woods.