Sacrificed to the Sea

by Cari Silverwood

A Dark Tale of Vengeance

Wolfgang's lover has been dragged into the sea by something that should not exist.

Stalking the beaches with night-vision goggles yields the answer to the mystery - a mermaid. He traps her and plans to dissect and kill her.

Conflicted by unexpected morals, he releases her into his pool then leans on the glass to watch her swim. The undulations of her naked body fascinate him. When he takes her in his arms and she shifts to human form, revenge slips away...

Raffaela is the captive of a man who evokes a passion she thought lost to loneliness centuries ago. Can this truly be love? Yet nothing is what it seems to be.

Wolfgang is not an innocent. He has done bad things.
Many. Bad. Things.

When the Ravening calls and her craving to kill returns, which of them will prove to be the real monster?

Genres: Dark, Paranormal, Dark Romance, Fantasy, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Paranormal Romance

126 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2020

About the author

Cari Silverwood lives in Australia and is a New York Times bestselling writer of kinky darkness or sometimes dark kinkiness, depending on her moods and the amount of time she's spent staring into the night.

Check out this page to avoid falling into the wrong dark and shocking book, because she really does write some weird stories: www.carisilverwood.net/my-books-liste...

Sign up to get sales and new releases plus various odd stuff she puts into it (and a free welcome book) at www.carisilverwood.net/

You can reach Cari at carisilverwood1@gmail.com
or
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cari.silverwood

Reviews

[juli✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

✰ 2.5 Stars ✰

“I am known as Wolfgang. It’s German, though my parents are not from there and neither am I.”


I have to ask. . .WHY then? Why was his name Wolfgang if he's not even German 😭✨

-ˏˋ My Overall Thoughts ˊˎ-


Hmmm. . .well, this is awkward. My reading of Sacrificed to the Sea was. . .very unexpected. What I expected was a sexy erotic mermaid/siren - gah, i love mermaids - romance. What I got. . .was um, well, not that. I mean the book certainly had a mermaid protagonist, but it definitely wasn't sexy (in my opinion). See reading SACRIFICED TO THE SEA reminded me of why I typically tend to steer clear of "straightforward erotic fiction". That reason? How seriously the genre takes itself. It is an inevitable truth that the more seriously an erotic novel about sirens + BDSM takes itself, the more hilarity I will find within its pages. I SEE what Cari Silverwood was going for, and I 100%, no BS, applaud it. We need more siren-torture-erotic-romances, seriously, we do. As I have stated before, I sincerely believe that mermaid romances are criminally underrated. And honestly? This book didn't totally fail for me. The very beginning of SACRIFICED TO THE SEA had me hooked. I was invested in Raffaela's conflict / personal story, and the themes introduced (grappling with survival / humanity) grabbed my attention.


BUT THEN, Wolfgang, our hero(?) was introduced 😭✨🤣

The minute I found out my mans name was Wolfgang - even though he's not German - I knew, I just knew I wasn't going to be able to take this book seriously. I'm not sure why I find his name origin story hilarious, but I do. I'm not sure why that flipped the switch in my brain (the one reads a book as comedy/drama), but it did. After that truly hilarious name reveal I was poised to take this book. . . not very seriously. Which is. . .not great, because this book was very clearly meant to be a "super-serious-erotic-mermaid-romance". I'm so sorry guys, I really am! I tried. I swear I tried. I really did. But there was just something about Wolfgang 🤣✨ that I couldn't take seriously.


-ˏˋ Reasons why Wolfgang SUCKED at Revenge ˊˎ-


✧ BOOBS, the ultimate distraction ✧

So, a little backstory real quick. Raffaela is a siren who has to kill men in order to survive. One day she ends up taking and killing. . . Micah, no Merlin, wait maybe Marcus, or was it Merrick. . .idk some guy with an M name. Anywho, she's super bummed about that, Wolfgang, Monty's(?) husband/partner/boyfriend is super pissed about that, and I'm sure Matt - the recently deceased - is also super bummed about the whole situation. Thus when our main dude Wolfgang stumbles(?) upon Raffaela he decides, "hey, i'm gonna torture her because i'm really upset that she murderd my man.", which, understandable reaction. I was actually hella on board for the torture - i'm weird like that - and I had faith that Wolfy could at least torture her for more than a chapter, but alas. . .BOOBS.

Spit on them? Scream? Knife them anyway? He was staring at her bobbing tits where they showed above the pool surface, with the stirred water sloshing over them. Fuck them hard, without remorse? Get vengeance on them some other way?

That's right my friends he thought his brain was in charge, but really, it was his dick 🍆✨ making commands the whole time. He barely attempts to torture her before he immediately switches to BDSM mode -

“There will be a price to pay.”
“What price?” Dread tingled through her. He didn’t mean to cut her up?
“Pleasure in exchange for freedom.”

Honestly I felt kinda pissed on Maxwell's (?) behalf. Like what, a half a day is all his love meant to you? THAT'S IT. Ummm, I'm sorry, but if my hypothetical bf/husband/lover kidnapped the dude (or woman) who murdered me I would at least expect two weeks of torture (at the bare minimum) in my beloved memory. After that, well, get your freak on love 😉✨. Wolfgang made it a full day. a DAY. twenty-four hours. 1440 minutes. THAT'S IT.

✧ Pleasure IS Torture (for which MC, i'm not sure) ✧ So once good old Wolfe decides he wants to get his freak on he goes balls to the motherfucking wall. He gets so excited to try out all of his "toys" on Raffaela. Which before I continue can I just say, I see you Raffaela, and I respect the hell out of you. Girl played the long-con. Seriously, she acted all "scared" and "upset" about being "tortured", but in reality she was out here loving what was going down.

With his foot, he casually flipped her onto her back and stood on the chain beside her neck, as if victorious. Triumphant. She let him think it was so because she found she liked playing the victim with him.

So good on you Raffaela, you played the Wolfman like a fiddle, and I wholeheartedly approve! Anyway back too Wolfgang. His brilliant mind decides that he's gonna have his sexy way with her, because, horny. But my man is so incompetent he even messes that up. That's right, he messes up sex. Not only does he fail to actually torture her - i don't count the sex as torture because Raffaela was getting off on that shit - but he fails at keeping her prisoner. The reason being - well he can't do anything but fuck Raffaela.

“Release me, please. I will come back to you.”
“I can’t! You’re right. I am addicted to you. This is all so wrong.” His voice dropped in tone, became a ragged whisper. “How can I keep you when I’m fucking myself to death?” He laughed. “Stupid."

Why is he such a failure?

Honestly I found freaking hilarious how much of a failure he was. He was just. so. bad. at. torture. If I were Miles(?) I would've been rolling over in my grave. Avenge my ass, puh-lese. BE BETTER WOLFGANG. Be better.


-ˏˋ Another Swing, Another Miss ˊˎ-


✧ Sexy Times Were. . .ALLEGEDLY Sexy ✧ I'm not sure if it's because I had a headache the day I decided to read SACRIFICED TO THE SEA , I'm not sure if I was just not in the mood, but whatever the reason, I found the sex scenes -


H - I - L - A - R - I - O - U - S ✨


Again that's not the way most people interpreted them, and I know for a fact that's not how they were supposed to be interpreted. I just - I don't know, I found them so freaking funny. Vacuum analogies were made, penis's were shunted into orifices, and probing was going down. Again I don't know if it was my mindset, mood, or because it was a Tuesday, but I couldn't take them seriously. Oh yeah, and then this happened -

They had also found new fetishes. How rich was Wolfgang? The right-hand wall, which she’d not at first noticed, was hung with whips and black leather masks, black-and-red harnesses, and other things she was certain were not meant for horses.

. . .hmm. . .

Ah, okay so, this book accidentally hit my "no-thank-let-us-not" trigger. That's right people you found my limit, it's pony play. I just *full body shudders* I can't. And can you believe that this is not the only time I've had a pony play scene sprung on me? why does this keep happening to me. It is so incredibly bizarre because torture? no problem. Kidnapping? bring it on. Murder, cheating, insta-love, and whatever the fuck was going on in Poison ? my mind is ready. But pony play? HARD NO. I don't know if it's the masks - i think it's the masks - or if it's the act of pretending to be a horse, or what. All's I know is I can't do it, and this book tried to serve it to me. I have no judgment towards people who like to read it (and it was honestly very tame in this book) or participate, but this girl? Yeahhhhhhh, I'm gonna say, p a s s please.

-ˏˋ What Actually WORKED For Me ˊˎ-


✧ The Ending ✧ You know what's very ironic? The whole reason I didn't want to read this book was because of the end scene.

🚨 S P O I L E R S - A H E A D 🚨

I had read in another review for SACRIFICED TO THE SEA that there's a surprise MMF pairing at the end. While I'm not staunchly opposed to MFM - or any manner of combinations - it just gives me second hand drama. I can barely deal with the emotions of two characters let alone adding in three or four. Due to that, I was wary. However, it turns out that was actually the best part of the book. Was it out of nowhere? YES. Was it unnecessary? Also yes. Did I find it a little bit funny? You guys already know the answer to that. But was it romantic as fuck? YES, yes it was.

“Your Merrick survived also. This is how I knew what to do to make you one of us. The more prolonged and intense the lovemaking, the greater the love, the surer the result. We two are now three.”

Even though I gave basically zero shits about these characters, I was still really happy that they were so happy. Also, I personally thought that Merrick (that's his name!) and Raffealla had WAY more chemistry in their brief one page interaction vs. all of the interactions between Wolfgang and Raffaela combined. So you know what? I'm glad that the three of them can live together murdering people, and having what is probably going to be hot underwater sex. May they live long and fulfilling lives together.

-ˏˋ My Concluding Thoughts ˊˎ-


It's funny, I started this review having not much to say, but then I ended up having so much to say. Thus I've come to the conclusion that SACRIFICED TO THE SEA is not a bad book. If anything it's probably a great book, especially if these reviews are anything to go by (exhibit a and exhibit b). My entire review (and thought process) is a ginormous case of "it's not you, it's me". What's even funnier is that I actually had a really great time reading and crafting this review. Seriously, that's why I gave this book 2.5 stars. It wasn't a slog to get through, I was highly entertained, and like I said, I actually really enjoyed the ending. Ultimately, I can't not recommend SACRIFICED TO THE SEA . I know that most people who pick it up will really enjoy it (just probably not in the same way I did). So go forth my friends, go forth and read about sexy mermaids getting their freak on.

“Sometimes…” Wolfgang lifted her hand and pretended to count her fingers, pressing each one upward, stroking them. “I think you may be more human than I am.”

[Lana Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars

What a wild tale of kink, depravity, and sensuality.

This story is way darker than my other recent reads, yet the author made me accept the worst parts in all their twisted glory. I must admit, the middle was so dark, I skipped to the last chapter to see if they would really have a happy end... And yaay, they did.

Beautiful writing and well developed characters - and I sooo loved the ending!!

It was my first book by the author and I'm definitely reading more.

PS. I can imagine some moments will not be for everyone, really get in on your own risk.

[Birjis · Rating 5 out of 5]

'It feasted on her, plucked at her, thrust into her. It gave her life. A new, if transformed, life.'

Raffaela was an ex-whore who lived hundred of years in the sea. Given a new life and developed into a new creature, a mermaid/siren she learns to live in this new world often times feeling guilty for she has to kill humans to thrive. One day she takes on a man to the sea which has resulted her to a devious game play for she was trapped.

“Time to fuck a girl. Where will I start? In the ass? Hmmm?”
She glared up at him.
He tsked. “You killed someone I love. What did you expect? I get to mess with you, as well as give you legs. How long do you think we can keep this up for?”

Wolfgang is a sea scientist/researcher who lost his lover to the sea knowing absolutely what took him. Waiting patiently to entrap the creature he finally manages to capture her and punish her for what her kind did (he was not sure Raffaela was his lovers killer except her kind was the killer). The lines begins to blur when he wanted to fuck her. But he is not about to give her up, he is obsessed and attracted to her.

'Pursuer and victim, but who was which?'

Raffaela feels guilty for killing Wolfgang's lover and he wants to take revenge on her. She doesn't want to kill him when the urge for nutrition calls and his revenge blurs when he can't resist her.

This book is short but there are lots of happenings in it. It's a dark story and has a menage at the end. It has flogging, spanking and lots of sex. The author has some unusual way of writing erotica starting from reading upside down kisses while H covered h's breasts with his hands and played with them. I love this fantasy build romance in real world and the HEA. I highly recommend this book, it's a must read!

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me. 😂

[Melanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS!

DARK and twisty . . . good stuff!

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn this was a hot one it had all sorts of sensual siren shenanigans and darkly depraved deeds steaming up the pages.
And though this was set in a contemporary setting it had such an ageless mythical vine to the whole thing.

This is essentially a dark mermaid story with siren Raffaela entrapped and made to pay for her past sins by Wolfgang a human seeking vengeance for the death of his former companion.

It’s well written and engaging and managed to wrap me up captivating me with all it had going on.
There’s definitely some twists here and this is not a story of hero’s rather of monsters.

This one certainly ramped up the temperature
and brought the heat and this was such a different and intriguing fabulously written read.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Sacrificed to the sea.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Louise H's Book Thoughts · Rating 5 out of 5]

As delightfully dark and depraved as Mesmer.

I only have one dissatisfaction with this book and it's that Ms Silverwood didn't make it over 500 pages! I adored Raffaela, Wolfgang and all the things siren, kinky and dark, so much so I would happily have stayed in this world. What you will get, by reading Sacrificed to the Sea is a wonderful story. One that is sprinkled with kink and covered in darkness to provide a rich and tasty tale of immorality and perversion.


Given that the story contains a siren/mermaid, it had a very "real world" feel to it, which added in to the darkness of the story. In fact this felt very similar too, whilst being absolutely nothing like, Mesmer . To me it was fresh, different, captivating and amazing. It had emotions aplenty, an intriguing plot and was so hot you could fry eggs on it. I found myself sinking (pun intended) into the pages of this book from the very first paragraph, swept overboard by a ravening storm of epic proportions.


Whilst it didn't have the humour that has been prevalent in recent work by the author, (nor required it) this was full of irony. It also carried quite an emotional impact, yanking at my heartstrings more than once. Raffaela's loneliness and Wolfgang's sense of loss both had me blinking back tears. The pain of having to sacrifice everything to get their heart's desire, of doing that and still not being able to achieve their dreams.... oh boy did that stab me in the heart.

An eternity seemed to have passed since she’d truly conversed with a man. Loneliness had whittled away at her soul.

Some of you may (snigger) be shocked by a certain scene between Raffaela, Wolfgang and a firearm... it certainly takes kinky improvisation to a whole new level. It also epitomised the wild and feral connection this pair shared. And just how damn dirty the sex is! Not that one would expect anything different from Ms Silverwood , the crazy, filthy smut is why we're here after all. Well that and those very unexpected plot twists that she throws in, that make you go "oh" that part was foreshadowing and smack your head.

“Tell me,” she said to distract herself. “What did you do that was so wrong?”
“I cannot say. I will not. But it was terrible. I lost sight of my humanity. Not sure I ever had any.”
She shook her head in disbelief.
“Sometimes…” Wolfgang lifted her hand and pretended to count her fingers, pressing each one upward, stroking them. “I think you may be more human than I am.”

Falling in that grey area of whether it is a long novella or a short novel, this is a fairly quick read but one that will stay with you way past reading the last lines. Whether out of shock or amazement depends on your tolerances but I certainly loved every single word of it.


This quote - there were tears!

He blew a last kiss into the wind. “Find the edge of the world for me, find dragons and whales. Pet the seals in Antarctica. Swaying palms, coral reefs. Everything I cannot see.”
His imagination went elsewhere for a while as he stood there, pants soaked, waves shushing against him.
This was the hardest thing he had ever done, and that was saying something. Such suffering and pain he had, once upon a time, seen and caused, and yet this was the hardest ever.

[Cari Silverwood]

This ebook will be unpublished soon and republished under a new cover and titled Sacrificed. This is due to huge problems with the irrelevant categories Amazon placed the book into. This still has not been corrected. After being in Math nonfiction, it is now in Religious and Spiritual categories.

[Cécile Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we all know by now,Cari Silverwood has a talent. A way with words that tests your boundaries. Pulling you in from the first word,not letting go until the last......luring you in with a fantasy that’s unique. Putting a spell on you. Almost like a siren....And i am unable to resist each and every time she calls.
Lucky for me,she is also very generous and sends me an ARC to give into that craving i feel with each new story. Writing an honest review in exchange is easy.

Raffaela was a whore on a ship in the 19th century. And she was the one the crew decided to sacrifice in the hope the storm they were in would end. Throwing her overboard,bound and gagged. She was taken by a creature,and somehow changed into something else. A creature of the sea. A siren. One that needed to take the lives of men to survive the Ravening that consumed her at regular times. It was a lonely life,but she’d always been lonely. In the times she is able to walk on land,she studies humans. Feeling a need to see what their lives are like. But she’s never able to connect.

Until she hears the hearty laughter of a man called Merrick when she needs to “feed”. Having him in her embrace,she feels more for the first time and tries to keep him alive,only to fail....That man makes her think,really think about the life she has. And she’s had enough,no more feeding the Ravening.

But then she meets Wolfgang....After talking with him,she keeps coming back. Something about him pulls at her. He listens to her,and that’s a first. When he gives her hope,telling her to come to his house when she can walk,because maybe he can help her stay on land,she decides to try. Because he seems honest and kind.

What happens though,is something entirely different,and she finds herself trapped. Because Wolfgang is going to study this siren. By dissecting her. Bit by bit,piece by piece. But seeing her hanging with a hook in her tail,bleeding and in pain makes him realise he can’t do it. He decides on another way to do this,one that he knows he can enjoy,but that will push her boundaries.....The results are different than either of them could have imagined.

When the Ravening nears again,what will happen? What is the right thing to do? And can they live with that choice? This was a story of two different worlds coming together. A dark story,showing what one will do to survive. And a story filled with a dark passion that had me in need of a cold shower. A story with a couple of surprises....

A story i wished was longer,because i didn’t want it to end!

[Yolanda Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is EVERYTHING.




Cari Silverwood is a master world-builder.

In Sacrificed to the Sea, you are led into the world of mermaids and monsters, but this isn't your ordinary mermaid tale. Raffaela has been changed into something that lore tells us should be beautiful and kind, but in reality, is a curse in its own right. Once hated by a man because she took away someone meaningful to him, she becomes a predator and does what she has to in order to survive.

But eventually, the call of the siren because too much for even the starkest of enemies.

An excerpt that I loved and reread because of how beautiful I found it to be:

He blew a kiss into the wind. "Find the edge of the world for me, find dragons and whales, pet the seals in Antarctica. Swaying palm trees, coral reefs. Everything I cannot see."

This is definitely one of my top reads this year and I hope that Cari goes back into this world and gives us more!

[ᗩᑎᗪᖇᗴᗯ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pursuer and victim, but who was which?

(Cari Silverwood + dubious morality) x A Mermaid? You do the math!

This is a delightful read and well timed for Halloween. Rafaella and Wolfgang are monsters who make a cute (and gorgeous) couple. The kink is strong, the mood is dark and the steam is off the charts. If this sounds like your jam then do yourself the proverbial favour and check it out.

Very recommended.

[JD (on semi-hiatus)]

Dear Reviewers,

Please learn to use the spoiler function so that you don't reveal the entire plot -- including the ending.

Sincerely,

A Reader Who Does Use the Spoiler Function So That They Don't Spoil Someone Else's Reading Pleasure

[Leigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sacrificed to the Sea was not for me, although I did say I wouldn't read this author again the reviews and the description changed my mind. Unfortunately I just don't connect to this authors writing or characters. Basically this story is about a whore who is thrown into the sea and turned into a mermaid. She spends hundreds of years luring men into the sea where she has sex with them and kills them. Until one day her feelings change but she already killed the man. Turns out his lover captures her and instead of vengeance they spend days and days having sex. Nothing but sex. Then there is a twist, the man and his lover are actually serial killers having sex torturing woman and burying their bodies just so romantic NOT. I also don't like a surprise menage, this book turned out to be MMF. While I'm not against it, I just don't read it and would have liked to know ahead of time.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a marine scientist (Wolfgang) and you catch a mermaid (Raffaela), what do you do? Sacrificed to the Sea was definitely a study in depravity, but also one of survival; physical, mental and emotional survival. This story embodies a classic thesis question that humans have probably been asking since the days when wearing animal skins and bone necklaces were fashionable. Where is the line between human and monster? What must happen for a person to pass beyond the pale, to step away from their humanity and take on the mantle of monsterhood? Going further, could the same acts that might cause the loss of one’s humanity be judged differently in different circumstances? Absolutely. If you decide to arbitrarily kill the guy next door, without justifying provocation, it’s murder. If a soldier kills an enemy combatant, it’s valorous and patriotic. I read to entertain myself but, for some reason, as I read, I’m usually compelled to search for meaning. So, I found myself asking…in the end, did Wolfgang’s decisions redeem him? In forsaking all, was he actually reclaiming his humanity—or rejecting it? I very much enjoyed this aspect of the story. And, by the ending, I think I understood what Wolfgang sought and found.

This book was not nearly as dark as I had expected it would be. For that matter, it was not nearly as revelatory as I’ve come to expect from this author, as is often seen in some of her other stories. Sacrificed to the Sea chronicles the action of what happened to these characters without delving very deeply into their psyches. Yes, Wolfgang has some worries about what he is doing to Raffaela, but those seem to pass pretty quickly and are forgotten for a while. Raffaela worries about the things she does, but she is forced to do them for her survival. It bothers her but causes no neuroses; there is no wringing of hands, no obsessive flipping of fins. There were very few high peaks of anxiety, and no bottomless valleys of despair to tumble into. The intimate scenes were hot, but they did not embrace as much kinkiness as I’d expected. The whole story, while interesting, is pretty even-keel.

There were a couple of surprising twists near the end. I admit I did not see them coming, so I was pleasantly caught unawares. I believe the very last twist did enhance the ending quite nicely, but not much of an explanation was given as to how it came about. I think that where the characters ended up was the very best finale they could have been given. It was a HEA. I enjoyed this book, but just not quite as much as I’ve enjoyed other stories by this author. However, I do very much look forward to her next book! I would say this tale gets 4 stars. I received an ARC copy of this book and am providing my honest, unbiased opinion here.

[Sierra Clothier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was charmed by this story, much like a siren charms its' prey. This delightfully dark, whimsical tale reminded me so much of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, and I suspect that's on propose. Author Silverwood has crafted a story that hints at mystery, mayhem and sexual fluidity that makes it a must read for Greek mythology enthusiasts. Because after all, the siren first came from Greek manuscripts, and got mixed up with the term "mermaid" as history grew older.

What's the difference? Sirens were believed to be half man, half bird, who sing to mariners to lure them to their death. Sirens were not known as swimmers. Mermaids were believed to be half man, half fish with no malice in their actions but were known as swimmers. Over time, the terms became intermixed, with even Shakespeare noting it his "Midsummer Night's Dream":

“I sat upon a promontory, and heard a mermaid, on a dolphin’s back, uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath, that the rude sea grew civil at her song; and certain stars shot madly from their spheres, to hear the sea-maid’s music.”

Silverwood may or may not have been influenced by Shakespeare, but it is safe to assume she's a detailed writer. Its amazing the way she details a room or an emotion with educated prose and imagination.

"She wept as she saw the dullness come over his beautiful eyes. She cried tears of silver that floated away as she released him to the depths. The ocean swallowed him and he drifted lower beneath her feet."

"She moved like a piece of wet silk through the water. Trails of the sea bubbled by in flickers that clung to her body, shreds of gemlike luminescence. Glimpses of breast and the swirling fan of dark red hair on her naked back. The undulations of her body made a liquified burlesque. Startling. Sensual. A personification of lust."

"Since he’d lowered a cover over the outside of the pool glass, Raffaela could no longer see the beach, the sand, or the waves, though she could hear the muted roar, smell the salt, hear the calls of the sea birds. Reflections of sunlight rippled through the white canvas cover and onto the sand beneath her feet. Plants familiar to her swayed below, green and healthy, a replica of life in the shallower parts of the sea. Rocks, sand, plants, and the hum of some machine that pushed clean water from holes in the walls."

The sex scenes vibrate with feminist energy and thrill with uniqueness. While I was reading the book, I felt like there was more to the story than the obvious. Silverwood has always been known as an author who takes the road less traveled, and doesn't disappoint here. There are surprises that you won't see coming. Ultimately, the story rocks the mermaid/siren myths by injecting some much needed emotional depth and killer vibes.

[Maria (Ri) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I don't know how many times I have to say it, but there truly is no one that matches the world building the way that this author does. Some come close, some do it exceptionally for their writing style, but she takes it to a completely different level. One would think that a mermaid/siren book would be a little cheesy or would wonder how it all works. However, in this case, it is not even remotely cheesy nor does one have to wonder how everything "works" because this author has worked her typical magic.

This book is compelling, it is a little sad at times, but, moreover, it is a story that sinks it's teeth in and kept me mesmerized wanting to understand how everything worked. Raffaela is a definite strong character. From the first pages, I felt her plight and later her own guilt in the things that she had done. I enjoyed watching her come to trust and rely on Wolfgang in her own way. Wolfgang was a toss-up for me at first but as the story progressed, I connected with him. His intentions became good, or rather, as good as they can be for a man like him.

How this author managed to tie in BDSM (extreme BDSM at that) without making this too out there and combine in a world that seemed real, I will never know. There are some trademark elements that shone through that this author is known for but what really stood out was the twist at the end. I didn't see that coming. As much as I liked the ending, I did feel like I wanted it fleshed out a tad more, however, that could just be me never wanting her stories to end too.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Danger lurks and tantalizes

“She fell – still trying to free herself, as if she could swim to safety, as if the ropes were not knotted tight and cutting her skin, as if she were not already condemned.
No one lives without hope.
She tried to free herself and failed.”

The atmosphere, romantic and eerie.
The characters, beautiful and terrifying.
The story, erotically distressing.
Following the author’s siren song, I basked in the wanton madness and consumed the violent, carnal words.
They pulled me in and under, and gladly I followed into the deep.

[Kay ❣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mermaid who:

gets off on drowning dudes on boats,
gets off while drowning dudes on boats,
gets off then drowns dudes on boats


also this is one of those "dark" "bdsm" books so read at your own risk

[Gaynor Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secrets of the deep!!

It was a dark and stormy night......and so much more!!!!!!
Wow from the first page to the last this twisted, dark, seductive, imaginative "tale" will hook you!!!
A story of desire, lust, revenge, fantasy, twists and turns that will give you a range of emotions, keep you on your toes and an ending that will take you by surprise!!
Wolfgang and Raffaela are amazing characters that are layered and addictive!

[April McCauley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved mermaids and now I know how to become one 😉 This book is about Raffaella who got free passage on a ship by lying on her back for the sailors Many of the sailors were superstitious and believe that bringing a woman on board was bad luck. Everything seemed fine until the men dragged her out of bed due to the nasty weather. They grabbed Raffaella tied her wrists and ankles and threw her overboard. Hoping that sacrificing her would calm the raging tides. She should have died but something in the deep saved her that changed her, for she was no longer a human but a mermaid. A siren of the sea who now lived on creatures in the ocean for she grew very sharp teeth. Until she was overwhelmed with a need to feed on human men which she called the Ravening. She would lure the men overboard by her beauty and her singing. When they jumped in to come to her, she dragged them deep into the water with erotic rapture then death. Centuries later she meets Wolfgang whom she finds nonthreatening. He slowly lures her out of the water to his home on the one day she is like a human and can walk right out of the ocean. Wolfgang has no intention of being good, he has planned the capture of this mermaid. He believes she killed his lover, and she is going to pay with her life. This book was so steamy with elements of BDSM. I loved it and know the reader who enjoys deep dark romances will love it too!

[Patty Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous fairytale of sorts. Such twisted characters and twisted love, but it worked. I wish there was more backstory on how mermaids were created in detail, but what an interesting premise. I think Wolfgang and Rafaela saved each other and I'm happy for the big HEA at the end.

[Badh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly cannot give this enough stars. Like 5 just isn't enough for this and for how it made me feel. Cari Silverwood has often written things that have left me on the edge of my seat and wondering WTF I just read, but never one that did to this extent. I sat and just stared at my Kindle for several minutes after reading the last words and tried to process what it was I had just read. Yeah, it was that...
I don't have words.

I don't know if I hate or love Wolfgang. It's the same with Raffela. They are both fascinating characters and I think that we really only scratch the surface of them. I feel like there is so much more to them, and I love that so much.

[Nerine Dorman]

Disclaimer: Can't rate 'cos I edited, but hot damn, I hope Cari writes more in this setting. Her sirens are alluring and pretty dark.

[Terri Trawets · Rating 5 out of 5]

A woman is thrown into the ocean, by seamen determined to sacrifice her life to save themselves and their ship from the curse of a woman aboard. The ship and all the men aboard perish! But, Raffaela unaware of a transformation, morphs into a mermaid or perhaps a siren. After many centuries and numerous adventures, each reader can decide for themselves where to classify Raffaela.

Two of the men we get to meet are scandalous cohorts, Merrick and Wolfgang. . Between the two of them, I strongly felt undeniable desires, scientific curiosity, seductive craving, sadistic urges, joyful exploration and sometimes delightful merriment.

Once Raffaela is captured by Wolfgang, does his original urges, desires and feelings change and grow? Why? Was it due to a siren’s lure? Did her emotions vary and grow? Read this fascinating story and see for yourself what eventually occurs.

[Bridget R99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

Cari Silverwood never fails to impress or surprise!

A dark magnificent tale of a women who is a siren or maybe a mermaid. Delicious, and filled with the right amount of kinky vengeance and love to satisfy my reading desires.

Highly recommended!

[Leah K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this!

I like the different take on this fairy tale. It was unique and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I have read other books by Cari Silverwood and she is just a really great author.

[Mom2three · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a mermaid romance unlike anything you have ever read before. That's one of my favorite things about Ms. Silverwood's writing. She takes an idea, twists it all up, and delivers deliciously dark tales that take your breath away. When she started bouncing this idea around, I knew it was going to be incredible, but even knowing that I was blown away. The story took every preconception I've ever had about mer-people and tossed them out the window. It is full of plot twists and darkness, and I giggled like a madwoman more than once. I loved how dark it got. I loved the evilness, danger, psycho characters, and sexiness. It's not a very long read, but it's packed full of forbidden pleasures and I highly recommend it!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn...I was not expecting the twist and turns in this book. It got me all confused on who to root for and who to feel sorry for. Definitely not what I had in mind when Cari Silverwood shared snippets of what she was working on next. A real hot and twisted take on one of folklore's legendary creatures. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. That ending though, was definitely not expecting that at all and a wonderful surprised it was! For fans of Cari Silverwood, this is a book you can't miss out on!

[Tequila · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a cute retelling of The Little Mermaid, this is not it. This is a wonderfully delicious tale of the deep sea that only Cari Silverwood could tell.

I love all her work, and all her work is pretty unique but this is something amazingly fresh and different about Sacrificed to the Sea. It has such a different take than her other works. I love Raffella and Wolfgang. I can't say too much more without giving away spoilers or having Amazon reject my review.

[Tricia Coker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once more Cari delves into monsters and fantasy, but this time our heroine is the monster. Rafaella has become a mermaid, or siren, through the cruel deeds of men. Her survival is linked to the deaths of men, and eventually this need to kill overwhelms the human heart she's valiantly tried to keep beating inside her. Her final plans are interrupted by Wolfgang, and the story takes off. Mermaids have always held a sort of fantasy for me, but Cari has woven a dark, erotic story around them I absolutely love. The fact we even get a HEA from this tale is perfect. If you enjoy monsters and mythology in your dark romance, then this is one to definitely read!