These Dark Waters

by Kelsey Tremaine

Wrennley Newbury is the adopted daughter of Duke Lionel Newbury of Sulesia. She’s always been given everything she wants, but on her twenty-fourth birthday, the duke tells her he’s arranged a marriage for her. On the day of the wedding, she runs from the church and ends up aboard The Altean, the ship captained by the immortal Eleanor Crowley. Wren is given the opportunity to join the crew and she readily accepts. Her new friends are everything she never knew she needed.
Then she meets Aris, a banished prince with the magics to visit her dreams. He tempts her with something her new friends could never give her—power. He weaves a story of them retaking his throne and her becoming queen.
Now Wren has a choice to make. Aris, who reminds her of her late best friend Jakob, or her new friends, who have become the family she’s always wanted. Can she fight her way out of these dark waters, or will she find herself drowning?

448 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

Kelsey Tremaine was born and raised in a rural Northern Nevada town where she spent most of her time creating worlds to escape the cornfields and dairy cows. When she isn’t daydreaming about her next book, she can be found at the bookstore or watching the same three shows.

With her writing, she hopes to reach readers through her stories of friendship, grief, love, and hope.

Reviews

[F.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up

“And while the lost people would be mourned, it would be the living that grieved.”

Kelsey built a vivid piratey world that I fell right into. Her characters find their adventures on the sea with selkies, sirens, and dream walkers. This story is about a journey of losing oneself. The found family themes were very strong and I loved the sapphic and ACE rep. There’s a cute kitty companion and all the food descriptions made me hungry. I enjoyed the selkie and siren side quest the best. I can’t wait to read book 2!

Favorite Character: Aris & Penelope

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent probably about 80% of the book thinking I was reading a cozy, found family, fantasy. That’s how the book started out and we spend most of our time with all these colorful and kind, caring characters in the new home Wren makes on a pirate ship with its immortal captain.

The other 20% of the time was very different and more intriguing. There was an interesting non-romantic relationship that I was unfamiliar with in books. It was toxic and full of obvious sounding lies that the main character, Wren, didn’t seem to be picking up on. She wasn’t the narrator but it felt like she was somehow still the unreliable narrator so I had beef with her for a lot of the time. She ditched her new found family to be with this guy, Aris, a banished prince and captain of an enemy ship. She wasn’t blinded by love or lust so I don’t know what motivated her to be by his side other than her childhood best friend’s spirit being within him.

I tried to give him a chance but I grew to really dislike Aris and the way he treated Wren when she asked him questions he didn’t want to be asked and then lied to her during the biggest twist of the book. I know he taught her how to use her light powers to make blades but then she never gets the opportunity to use them against him which I would’ve liked to see.

I did not see the ending coming. We spent a lot of the book dilly dallying along but the last part of the book came out of nowhere and I was down for it. After spending a majority of the time with friends laughing and eating together and moseying, the end was a shot of espresso that woke me up. It was the darkness in the water the title had been promising. Sad we only get a taste of it right at the end but I’m excited to see what comes next!

[Brianna Baragar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so intrigued by Wren, the boat, the crew, the dreams, the whole premise! I really appreciated the originality and I definitely had no idea what was going to happen all the way through the end which doesn’t happen often for me!

Huge spoilers in this next paragraph!!!
I was turning pages quickly up until Wren becomes obsessed with power. Leaving her amazing friends for a man who’s a known criminal/murderer in the middle of the night without letting them know she was leaving or contacting them at all!?! I know the siren on board made her desire to see Aris stronger AND because of Jakob’s soul but she still stayed with him even after he murdered people in front of her, tied her up with barley any food/water for a week AND wanted to get back home so he could murder his parents to take the throne?? LIKE GIRL COMMON. I think I just assumed Wren’s moral compass would be a little better than that so I spent the last part of the book being mad at her for being a big dummy. Regardless, her terrible judge of character did make for an interesting plot!

It was a fun ride!! Can’t wait for the next one to know what the heck is going to happen! Thank you Kelsey!

[Megan Atkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story! I feel like this should be its own genre: cozy privateering adventure story. I became attached to the characters, especially Ophelia. Without spoiling anything, I had a shock about 70-80% of the way through the plot and didn’t see that coming!

[Mklmao · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read with a huge unexpected twist towards the end. My heart is shattered and I'm ready for more