Peasreads: Between a Girl and the Seafoam by Samantha Traunfeld

 

Happy Publishing day to  Samantha Traunfeld

Between a Girl and the Seafoam (Lore of the High Kingdom Book 1)

Genre: Romantic Fantasy (Mermaid / Undersea Fantasy)

 

A sacrificial bride. An undersea king. A love worth drowning for. 🌊

Between a Girl and the Seafoam is a fantasy novella about Aoife. A girl who's fate has been chosen for her since she was young. She is to be wed to an undersea king named Delwyn. She can't stand her village or the villagers. She also doesn't want to get married. Delwyn however can't wait to meet his bride. He's definitely got some golden retriever energy. As they navigate court life. Aoife separating herself from her new husband and his subjects as much as possible. Delwyn running a kingdom that's on the brink of war and trying to win his new wife over, they will have to work together to save everyone. 

All in a good short read, I read it in one day. 

TROPES

🔱 arranged marriage

🔱 hate to love

🔱 grumpy/sunshine

🔱 opposites attract

🔱 forced proximity

CONTENT WARNINGS‼️

Dubious Consent 

Fictional Violence

Mentions of Neglect and Emotional Abuse

Menstruation

Mentions of Self-Harm

Description

A sacrificial bride. A desperate king. Centuries of magic decaying all around them.

Aoife’s fate had been sealed since she was a child, chosen to be the sacrificial bride of the undersea king. As part of a long existing treaty between her people and his, the surface must offer the ocean a bride once every generation, and her groom has come to collect. Content as her village may be to see her gone, Aoife has done nothing but dread the day she would marry, her fate resigned to the murky depths.

Delwyn has waited ages to meet his surface bride. To have the chance to fulfill his role as king as so many generations of his family had before him. But his bride isn’t exactly what he thought she’d be, and winning her over may be a harder task than any he’s faced before.

To make matters worse, the treaty that protected them from the vicious creatures of the shadowed undersea is unraveling, and Aoife and Delwyn are both of their people’s only chance to set things right. If they fail, the world around them may descend back into the darkness.

#arrangedmarriage  #samanthatraunfeld #romanticfantasy #mermaid

@sam.traunfeld @jessbeyondthepages @jbtpauthorservices

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Thank you, @jessbeyondthepages @jbtpauthorservices for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- This Immortal Heart A Novel of Aphrodite by Jennifer Saint

This Immortal Heart
A Novel of Aphrodite by Jennifer Saint
Pub Date Jun 09 2026 

This Immortal Heart is a book about Aphrodite and Ares. Told through Aphrodite's POV. I like Jennifer Saint's writing and have enjoyed a few of her books. I've never been academic about how I write reviews. If I enjoyed the book, it was entertaining, it flowed well, the characters weren't annoying, and I finished it without wanting to put it down; that's a win for me. This book is a 4-5 star read. I love mythology and retellings. Did I LOVE Aphrodite? Not really. She was her, and her nature made her behave and think in certain ways. I liked that her character made sense. She's the goddess of love. She's strong and loves her followers. This is a story about her, Ares, her followers, Hephestus, and the politics of the Olympian Gods. Zeus is, of course, the universal A-hole.  There really is no way to spin that one to make him any different. Ares and Hephestus, I really liked. They were true to their nature. They both had a past that shaped them and put them on different paths. Which I suspect is all of us. 
Reading as Aphrodite weaved through life and the politics of Olympian court life while staying true to her core was interesting. The story flowed well. It is not a long read. Well paced. 

Description

The epic, captivating tale of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who must reconcile her mind and heart when she is drawn against all odds to Ares, the god of war, from the internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera.

The stunning first edition hardcover of This Immortal Heart features gorgeous endpapers and a stamped case!

From the moment Aphrodite emerges fully formed from the sea, she is devastatingly beautiful and imbued with ancient power. Driven by passion yet strategic in how she moves through the halls of Olympus and the earthly realm alike, the free-willed goddess wields unparalleled influence over every living being.

When fate brings her face-to-face with Ares, she bristles at this surly, hot-tempered warrior who’s seemingly her opposite: disliked by everyone and devoted to stirring up conflict. Yet these gods are no more immune to the dizzying highs and lows of love and loss than anyone else, and soon, they are irresistibly drawn to one another.

As their love affair spans mortal lifetimes, Aphrodite begins to question the gods’ games and her role in them. But there’s only so much room for fire and passion in Zeus’s kingdom. Before long, she must test her devotion to her own divine purpose—and to a love that can only lead to ruin.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine | Ballantine Books, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

 

Tesia Tsai has woven a story so beautifully that I read it in two days. A story about duty, honor, love, letting go, and holding on. Fighting for what you love and knowing when to let go is best. Siying is a priestess who is tasked with guiding the deceased to their resting places. She lives in a kingdom that is in the midst of war. She takes on a job to bring a soldier to his home across the border. The soldier turns out to be the missing crown prince. When she reanimates him, he comes to life. Though not completely, she soon finds out that he needs qi to actually stay alive. They set off on a journey to bring him home, gathering purified qi along the way.

I do hope @illumicrate it @fairyloot will do a special edition of this one I can't wait to have a copy on my bookshelves.

Description

A sweeping debut inspired by the Chinese folk practice of necromancy, Deathly Fates is perfect for fans of Descendant of the Crane, The Bone Shard Daughter, and A Magic Steeped in Poison.

As a priestess paid to guide the deceased home, Kang Siying has never feared death. But when her beloved father collapses, Siying realizes that even she is not free from the cruel grasp of mortality. Desperate to provide her father with the medical aid he needs, Siying accepts a dangerous job that promises a generous commission, and travels to a hostile state to retrieve the corpse of a missing prince.

But the moment Siying places her reanimation talisman on the dead prince's head, rather than make the corpse obedient to Siying's commands, the talisman brings the prince back to life. Worse, he won't stay alive for long—not unless he absorbs enough qi, or life force, to keep his soul anchored to his body.

In return for a reward worth twice her original commission, Siying agrees to aid the frustratingly handsome prince in finding and purifying evil spirits for their qi. But as they journey across the countryside, encountering vengeful ghosts and enemy spies alike, they gradually uncover dark secrets about the prince's death—secrets that could endanger both Siying's father and their entire kingdom.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads-The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst

 AGHHHHH What in the magical, cozy cottage core, Doctor Who, Howl's Moving Castle with Sarah Beth Durst's personal magic is the perfection of The Faraway Inn!? This book has amazing magic. Great characters. A cool story that I didn't want to stop reading about. I didn't want to put it down. Magical realms that I wanted to learn more about. I was a bit concerned it might be too young for me. MC being 16 . I thought I picked a book that would be too young, and while Calisa was young she was a great character. I enjoyed the story through her eyes and her 16-year-old heart. She was resourceful, brave, and smart. 

Loved this one!

Description

After a devastating heartbreak, a teen girl decides to spend her summer helping her eccentric great aunt manage her quaint Vermont inn—but the fixer-upper is hiding a magical secret—in this cozy and irresistable new YA fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop.

This stunning first edition of The Faraway Inn will feature special designed edges!

When sixteen-year-old Calisa arrives at her great-aunt’s B&B in rural Vermont for the summer, she’s shocked to find a rundown inn rather than the cozy bed-and-breakfast she was expecting. Grumpy and eccentric, Auntie Zee is determined to keep anyone from messing with her beloved inn . . . even though she clearly needs the help.

To convince her great-aunt to keep her around, Calisa sets to work fixing up the inn, enlisting extra help from the groundskeeper’s (handsome) son. But the longer she stays, the surer she is that there’s something strange about the B&B—and its guests. Something almost . . . otherworldly.

The inn is hiding a magical secret—but secrets are like doors. Once Calisa opens this one, she won’t be able to go back . . .

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I received this book from NetGalley

Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press.  I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Peasreads- The Trident and the Pearl by Sarah K. L. Wilson

  The Trident and the Pearl

by Sarah K. L. Wilson

Pub Date Feb 24 2026 

So magical. This is high fantasy that drew me right in. SO much so that by mid-book I thought, this better end well. It also better not be the start of a series. Side note- I do not like starting series that do not have an ending. For the most part, I will avoid any ARC or e-galley that is the start of a series, duology, or trilogy. It just makes me have to wait that much longer for the conclusion. There are some authors that I will read regardless, though. That being said. I looked this book up, and it is the first of a trilogy. It doesn't matter now because I am sucked in and 100 percent invested. How could I not be with an opening like this?

 "​I was born into the embrace of the sea on a moonless night in the month of the Ragged Tides. My mother did not bleed out her life into the sea with my arrival, nor was my father visited by a terrible curse."

Queen Coralys is faithful to her people above all. She is willing to trade her life for them when a storm ravages her nation. That is exactly what the gods ask of her when she strikes a bargain with them. The storm recedes, not before taking her husband. As payment, the Queen must marry the first man who sets foot back on the island. She must take him as her husband and take his station as well. The gods love their games. Coralys marries a fisherman with nothing but an empty dinghy. No supplies and no idea where he's taking her. She does not care. She goes willingly with only one thing on her mind. Revenge against the gods who have taken so much from her. She soon begins to suspect that her new husband is the very god she wants to destroy. She must find out and complete her mission. Her new husband has other plans. He is wounded, and his kingdom is threatened. He is certain that she can help him restore his kingdom and his people. Can they learn to trust each other?

I loved this book. FIVE stars. Was Coralys gullible? Yes. Did she make bad decisions? Yes. Was it still amazing? Also yes. Will I be waiting for the next book? Absolutely. 

You can read the first chapter here on Sarah's website.

A desperate queen makes a deal with the gods to save her land in this spellbinding romantasy debut from Sarah K. L. Wilson.

"Perfect for readers who love slow-burn romance steeped in lush fantasy!" ―Danielle L. Jensen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Fate Inked in Blood

Queen Coralys rules the Kingdom of the Five Isles, but when disaster strikes, killing her husband and destroying half her nation, she pleads with the gods for salvation. And they do save her, turning back the terrible winds and tide and snatching her islands from the brink of destruction.

But the gods have a wicked sense of justice and they demand an exchange for their help: Coralys must marry the first man to set foot on her pier. Coralys expects the fleet of a neighboring country to come to rescue her people, led by its prince, a loyal ally. What she gets instead is a fisherman so sunburnt and stinking that her court can barely keep their breakfast down.

Coralys marries the fisherman just as she promised the gods, and sets out with him in his unkempt dinghy, with nothing but hopes of revenge against the gods to keep her from despair. But what she does not know is that the fisherman is actually the god of the sea. And he stepped on her dock for a reason.

His own kingdom besieged, his body terribly wounded, and his place as a god threatened, the fisherman has plans to turn the tides set against him and finally offer a place of refuge for his people. But working the magic he needs will require the help of the one woman bent on his destruction.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit Books | Orbit, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads-The Baby Dragon Bookshop by A. T. Qureshi

 

I purchased the first two books in the series so I could read them before reading The Baby Dragon Bookshop. I almost DNF'd this book. I DNF'd the second. My review for the first book is below. This book is about Emmy a dragon rider, and Luke, her enemy. He happens to ride a Chimera. The reason Luke is her enemy is because (SPOILER ALERT) he dated her sister for a week. Luke decided that he didn't like Emmy's sister and told her so.  He didn't cheat on her, he didn't abuse her, he didn't lie to her. He simply didn't like her after one week of dating. Emmy finds out and gets Luke to like her. Sleeps with him. Then dumps him. I'm sorry, but YTA here, not Luke. For years, Emmy has been rude to Luke every time she sees him. Somehow Luke still likes her. Her sister is happily married and has moved on. Not Emmy because she's the oldest sister, and she takes care of everyone. Like what?

(SPOILER ALERT) Another thing that happened in the book that boggled my mind. There is a character named Flint who runs illegal dragon racing. Flint is known to have spiked a drink of a girl who is like Luke's younger sister. Emmy doesn't know Flint's history. Flint strikes up a conversation with Emmy and gives her a hot chocolate. Not spiked. Luke sees and comes in seething. Rightfully so. However, he's too mad to tell her why he doesn't want her speaking to Flint. They stay mad at each other. So. There's a predator, you know about him. You see him talking to a woman, and he's giving her a drink in an open container. WHY didn't he just TELL her that? "Yes Emmy, I am angry but you should know that Flint is a predator." Seems like the decent thing to do no? What's worse is that later on in the book Emmy finds her young 18-year-old cousin talking to Flint. Emmy doesn't tell her cousin. WHY!? Flint is a bad person. Other than "he deals with dragon racing," which is illegal. She doesn't tell her teen cousin. Her female teen cousin. I get that the dragons might smell something off with the drinks and protect their riders, but why was this glossed over. It seems ick. Things like this left a bad taste in my mouth. 

Like the first story a lot of what happens is juvenile to me. If it weren't for the spice, which was awkwardly written. It could have been for teens. 

Emmy is the oldest adult child in an Asian family. I get it. So am I. She does take care of everyone. She doesn't mind it. She does get too much on her plate. It is sweet that Luke sees that and wants to take care of her. They are supposed to be strong, smart business owners. The story idea is also a great idea. It just wasn't executed well. But that's just my opinion; many people love this series. I don't plan on reading any more by this author. 

This book, along with the previous ones, has a system similar to a caste system. Those who ride dragons and are a part of the four main families. No one else can ride dragons. The people who have Chimera live on a different side of town. Dragons and Chimera don't get along. 

Will romance be the plot twist?

Emmy has an enemy, and his name is Luke. The good news? She rarely sees him. The bad news? When she does, she (and her pet dragons) are reminded just how handsome he is.

Besides, Emmy is too busy focusing on her dragon-fuelled business to have time for love. But when both she and Luke approach the same local investor for funding, she’s suddenly unable to avoid him. The kookie investor insists they must compete for the cash by working at the local failing baby dragon bookshop to prove their magical business knowledge.

Determined to win the funding, Emmy dives into the task. But making a very flammable bookshop fit for baby dragons is no small feat, and it seems these rivals may need to join forces. Could Luke and Emmy’s fiery animosity spark something more between them?

Tropes:

Enemies-to-lovers 🌞

Bookshop

 romance 📚Small town 🍂

Book 1 review

I read this so that I could read an e-galley of the third one. 

I love cozy romantasy and this had so much potential. However, there were numerous plot holes. There were problems that the author set up to be hurdles in the story.  Only for them to magically turned out to be non-issues. It felt like the author had an idea for a problem or hurdle in the relationship, but didn't know how to solve them, so they magically turned into non-issues.  For instance, FMC mother died dragon racing. They are not a Drakkon family, so that was a no-no. MMC didn't want FMC to know this because his family of dragon riders are supporters of the races, even though they are illegal and bad?  Later MMC tells FMC and that's it. Nothing. Oh okay. Mom made a mistake. MMC has been lamenting over the fact that he doesn't want to get attached to his dragon.  MMC doesn't believe in dragon racing, even if it's important to his family. He finally tells his parents, and it was so important to their family that they disowned him. Just kidding, they didn't. All the parents said was "no big deal". 

There is also a section where the two MC pretend to be married because there is this big secret ceremony that only dragon riders can go to, and FMC is not a dragon rider. They go, pretend to be married. The lady performing the ceremony is supposed to be an upholder of tradition and a hard ass about it. Of course, it turns out that it's a non-issue. The woman knows that the MMC and FMC are not married, but it's easily explained away. 

It could have been a teen book were it not for the spice, which was poorly written. I don't normally read spicy books, but even I know this wasn't good.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Avon Books UK | Avon. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: The Enchanted Greenhouse- Sarah Beth Durst

 

I was enchanted by Sarah Beth Durst's world and writing from The Spellshop. The Enchanted Greenhouse is a standalone book that takes place in the same world. It tells the story of a librarian, named Terlu Perna. Terlu uses a spell to create a friend, a certain sentient spider plant named Caz from the first book. The spell is harmless but there is a problem. All magic is forbidden unless you're a sorcerer. The punishment was both swift and harsh as Terlu is transformed into a statue. The story picks up after a brief history of that incident to when Terlu awakens from her punishment in a strange place she's never been. There she meets the caretaker of enchanted greenhouses. He's the only person on the island and he doesn't really have any answers. Just questions of his own to a pretty big problem. The Enchanted Greenhouses are failing. One by one. He needs a sorcerer, but Terlu isn't one. Is there a way she can still help though? She is willing to take the risks as she and her new friends tackle the problem. 

I fell in love with The Enchanted Greenhouse and all its amazing rooms. I want to go back to this world. I hope we all get the chance to. This is the kind of cozy Cottagecore we all need for 2025.

From the publisher:

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

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I received this book from NetGalley and Macmillan/Bramble publishers. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: The Spellshop

 My thoughts: 

The Spellshop is such an enchanting, funny, entertaining read. I loved it! It is categorized as romantasy but it's so much more. I didn't feel like romance was the main theme. Which was refreshing.

This story is about loss, belonging, found family, love, friendship, and the power of community. Set in a world where magic is outlawed to everyone but the sorcerers appointed by the empower. There is a revolution to take back knowledge. MC Keila a librarian and keeper of Spellbooks flees the capitol city as revolutionaries burn the library down with as many books as she can save. Afraid of what might happen if she's found with the books Keila hides them in her childhood cottage. Her plan is to hold on to them until she can return to the city. In the meantime, she plans to keep her head down and speak to as few people as possible. Her hometown however is not as she remembered it. It is run down, the weather is completely unpredictable and dangerous due to magic being misused in the capital. Keila wants to help the town, but in doing so she may risk the discovery of the books.