Pirates? Check. Princesses? Check. Magical powers? Check. Slow-burn sapphic romance? CHECK.


This book was a surprise in the absolute best way. Shawna Barnett has created such a vivid world full of lovable characters (including some that you love to hate). She keeps your attention from the first page right to the last, and it was such a joy each time I sat down to read some.

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The main character is Captain Liana Foley, a pirate with a mysterious backstory who gets roped into helping Princess Rhian, a shy young woman who secretly has magical powers. The whole cast was compelling, from Ameen the quarter-master, to Squiddy, the orphan-turned-sailor. Without going into overwhelming detail and backstory we got such a strong sense of the camaraderie between the characters and the strong bonds of friendship.

A shout-out as well to Barnett’s world-building, which was effortlessly done and, again, without needing huge bouts of exposition, we were drawn into the historical and political landscape of the world she’d created.

It was also really nice to read a story about two bisexual women, set in the past, who are both in relationships with men and (most importantly!) DIDN’T cheat on their partners with each other! It’s astounding how many stories have a cheating-bisexual storyline, but not this one! Huzzah!

It’s very rare that I get to the end of a book and am itching to read the next one, but this one is up there! I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Liana, Rhian, and the rest of the crew in the future, and to find out where Barnett is taking them!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free copy for review. All thoughts are my own.