Sea Lord

Children of the Sea #3

by Virginia Kantra

He was born of the sea...

Selkie prince Conn ap Llyr denies his deeply sensual nature to rule over the immortal Children of the Sea. But when the Children of Fire threaten the Selkies' Sanctuary, Conn must obey his haunting visions-and seek a woman thousands of miles away...

She was born on land...

Schoolteacher Lucy Hunter knows nothing about her Selkie heritage or the prophecy that drives Conn to find her. She is content with her life on the quiet Maine island of World's End. That is, until a proud, compelling stranger appears to challenge her assumptions and awaken her desires...

Their love will tear them between two worlds...

To combat Fire, Conn needs Lucy's magic-even if this means stealing her away to Sanctuary. As the demon threat grows, so does their passion, overcoming Lucy's fears and Conn's guarded heart. But soon they face a devastating choice. Will their love be enough to save them? Or will their destinies tear them apart?

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy, Shapeshifters, Mermaids, Adult

286 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra is the author of thirty books of women's fiction, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense.

Kindred spirits and Anne of Green Gables fans, look for Anne of a Different Island , coming January 20, 2026.

Her latest release, The Fairytale Life of Dorothy Gale , a contemporary reimagining inspired by Dorothy's adventures in Oz, follows Kansas graduate student Dee Gale as she flees personal heartbreak and public humiliation to enroll in the writing program at Trinity College Dublin (the Emerald Isle!).

Meg and Jo , a contemporary novel inspired by the classic story Little Women, received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist and was a People Magazine pick.

Beth and Amy (May 25, 2021) "continues her delightful 21st-century retelling of Little Women...Kantra’s compulsively readable update will attract a whole new group of readers, as well as satisfy Alcott devotees."—Publishers Weekly

Her stories have earned numerous awards including two Romance Writers of America's RITA (R) Awards, ten RITA nominations, and two National Readers' Choice Awards.

Carolina Dreaming, the fifth book in her Dare Island series , won the 2017 RITA (R) Award for Best Contemporary Romance - Midlength and was named one of BookPage's Top Ten Romance Novels of 2016. Her work includes the popular Children of the Sea series and, in e-book format, The MacNeills stories.
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Reviews

[SheLove2Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now THIS is what I'm talking about!! Long review so sit back and get comfortable.

Fantastic ending to the Sea Trilogy. This is Lucy's story. Lucy is the younger sister of Caleb and Dylan. She was just a baby when her mother and Dylan left for the sea and has always been the quiet one, the one everyone overlooks and tries to shuffle out of the room when something big is going down. She once tried to run away but the pull of the Sea was too much for her and she returned home to her alcoholic father and somewhat aloof older brother Caleb. (Caleb's book was book 1 and there are reasons why he isn't the loving older brother you would think he would be)

Lucy knows nothing of her Selkie heritage and is "content" with her life (at least in outward appearance) as a teacher, sister and caretaker to her alcoholic father. That is until Conn appears.

Conn ap Llyr is the prince of the Selkies. Initially he came to Worlds End (the name of the town Lucy lives in) to check up on Dylan and find out why he hasn't returned to the Sea. While there he has a vision of Lucy and then comes face to face with her. He feels some kind of connection but isn't sure what is going on, only knowing that she is the daughter of Atargatis (Lucy's selkie mother) and Dylan's sister. There's a very interesting stare down between big brother Caleb and Conn when Lucy brings Conn back to the homestead to meet up with Dylan! Gotta love that Caleb!

Once again, Lucy is shuffled out of the way and basically asked to leave so that the Selkie crew can all talk about why Conn is there. Conn feels a kind of remorse about that but is unsure why. As he is leaving, he spies Lucy listening in the stairwell and tells her to contact him if she finds out anything. Lucy still has no clue what he's talking about at this point but agrees to. Lucy confronts her brothers about what is going on and they once again tell her its none of her business, in a lame attempt to protect her.

Meanwhile Conn has come to the conclusion that Lucy (or at least he believes she is) is the daughter of the prophecy of the Selkies - the one who will turn the tide against the Fire people they have been at war with, and the one who will save their people. This is confirmed when Conn kidnaps Lucy and takes her back to Sanctuary, the Selkie stronghold. Lucy doesn't want to be there but her background as a teacher and her hidden heritage compel her to learn about what she can and can't do as a half-selkie. While there she and Conn go from a grudging existance with each other to a very loving, HOT relationship. For the first time ever Conn is in love, something Selkie's have always shied away from - commitment.

Lucy loves Conn but doesn't know that Conn loves her in return. All she's ever wanted was to be loved and needed for HERSELF. Not as a caretaker to her father, or a beloved teacher or little sister, or even as the prophesied savior of the Selkies. She has issues with that which I think stem from her mother leaving her at such a young age (only 2). And Conn himself needed to be loved and also needed to be someone's savior, other than to his people. His solitary existance as ruler of his people had caused him to put himself last in all things. Giving of himself and giving TO Lucy was a joy to watch. And the HEA was in a word - perfect.

Its rare for me to find a book where I love the hero, the heroine AND the storyline but this is definitely one of those books. My only regret is that the two previous books weren't even half as good as this one, but reading them is mandatory in order to know what is going on in this incredible story.

[Sophie Renwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very anxiously awaiting this book, and it did not disappoint. Conn is everything I want in a hero, assertive, alpha, sexy and fun to get to know. This book was by far the sexiest, and I loved it. Loved Lucy and Conn together.

I could re-read this one, where the other two I probably wouldn't bother. Conn and Sea Lord definitely satisified the inner hussy!!!!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Books & Bottles.
Actual rating: 3.5 / 5



When Kassandra and I set out to find the most ridiculous romance novels we could find in my new favourite second-hand book store, I thought I hit the goldmine. I mean a Selkie romance?  "Yes, this will be pure gold" was the thought that came to mind. I had no idea this existed outside the fanfics I used to read on Mibba eons ago. Alas, I had blissfully forgotten that merfolk romance/anything are my thing and Sea Lord has reminded me how much I really love fantasy. And the ocean. And shifters.. So yes, Sea Lord was gold and I really enjoyed it (whoops).

Conn ap Llyr is the Sea Prince of the Selkies - the water elementals that can slip in and out of their seal form who are slowly losing their power with time and pollution. As the Fire Elementals continue to wage war against the humanity polluting the earth, a prophecy is told of a daughter of ancient Selkie blood that could save them from destruction and restore the balance of power for the Water Elementals. Conn believes the plain, ordinary brunette human he keeps seeing in his dreams is the key - that by joining their lines, a daughter from her would save his people and their future.

With seduction being one of the last pieces of magic the Selkies have left, he romances schoolteacher Lucy off her knees of the school garden and into his salty embrace. Torn between the life she painstakingly fought to mould herself into and her vastly swelling passions for her slippery captor, she struggles to tame her emotions and to find her way to a home she's not sure is above or under the ocean.

I'm the biggest sucker for ridiculously over powered characters, "The Chosen One" archetypes, or weird super powers, and I like snarky characters and dogs and elemental aspects - all of this is artfully woven together in Sea Lord. You can ease your weary mind because there is no seal sex. I repeat - no seal sex. (I don't know if that makes me weird for not wanting to read that kind of smut but I don't care, it really had me worried and I don't think I'd have made it through because you really need to draw the line somewhere with these romance books). I should warn you though that the romance of the characters is kind of stockholm-syndrome-ish with the whole kidnapping thing.. I had no qualms with it because I, too, dream of being whisked away on an adventure like Lucy (though not necessarily into the bed of a Seal-Man), and I'm sure there's quite a few out there who would dig this book so hard (*ahem* anyone who likes reading the cold, hard love interest that ends up melting into a snuggling puppy at the end - you'll love this).



Kanta's writing was fluid and easy to read with a fast-paced edge that really turns the tides. The first half was mostly character development, the plot was slow to build up, the multiple character perspectives was easily recognized and understood, and the climax didn't hit until the last few pages but I held on to the end and it really does wrap up beautifully. There is a very nice balance between the story and the romance that may lead me to read this book twice!

This is such a quick and slippery read that I'm going to recommend it if you've a few hours to spare and want some cute romance and cute one liners. Plus, for me to admit that I really enjoyed this and will be keeping it on my self (maybe even buy the rest of the series?!) is kind of a game changer. "Katelynn liked a romance novel?! *dies of shock*" is accurate.

"I cannot be the first man to seek your company."
She smiled crookedly.  "Yeah, I have to beat them off with a stick."
He stared.  He could not have heard her correctly.  "I beg your pardon?
Pink suffused her lean face.  "I meant...  It's been a while."
Could he turn that to his advantage?  Did human females want sex, miss sex, as selkies did?
"How long is a while?"
She blinked.  "Boy, you take this getting-to-know-you shit seriously, don't you?"

P.E.T.A friendly - no seals were harmed for the use of pelts in this book.

[Blodeuedd Finland]

The first thing he thinks when he sees her is that she is ugly, tall like a man, and whatever. That is supposed to make me like you? Asshole. He also thinks that if he must then he can do her, but does not want to. Asshole.

I tried to go on but Dnf

[Alp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came nowhere close to my expectations. The first half of the story was quite boring, but I ended up liking the last chapter. So, I gave it 3 stars anyway.

[Vanessa theJeepDiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not too impressed with this Children of the Sea book. The Daughter of Atargatis Prophecy fell flat. At the end of the book you are left with numerous questions about whom and what survived the big climatic disaster end. There was a great deal of loss. I would have thought/expected that since the prince had found the one that the prophecy speaks of changing the power balance that there would have been some form of triumph. I did not get that feeling.

Conn and Lucy had a very flat relationship. They had great sex. Sexually they were very compatible. It was their relationship as a couple that left me wanting more for them. It was all about taking one for the team and sacrificing their individual wants. They seemed too convenient together. I will not be reading any more books from this series.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prince Conn of the selkies has a vision that won't go away, but it's of a plain human girl. Said girl is Lucy, Caleb and Dylan's sister. The vision is so strong he goes to her, sexes her up, kidnaps her to his home, and tries to teach her to harness her powers. We find out she is a selkie after all, but refused the change-no one's ever done that before. Also turns out Lucy is the fulfillment of a prophecy. And she kicks some major butt by the end. She saves the mainland from a huge demon-inspired tidal wave, but the backlash destroys Conn's home. But Lucy wants to help rebuild. This was good, and I liked Conn alot, but I'm not sure where they'll go from here. There's another book coming out in July I think, and I'm really curious to see how Virginia Kantra deals with the demons and the selkies truly at war now, rebuilding the selkie kingdom and protecting the new selkie babies from Maggie and Reggie (and I'm sure Lucy soon, too).

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selkies live in the sea and are able to exchange seal forms for human forms. Lucy Hunter, a schoolteacher in Maine, knows nothing about her heritage until she’s abducted by Prince Conn who says she’s needed for the survival of his people. She’s the legendary savior of his species. Naturally, she falls in love with him but yearns to return to her family onshore. He keeps her hidden away in the Selkie’s Sanctuary where their demon enemies can’t reach them. Can she develop her own powers in time to stave off an impending attack? If you’re fond of the enemies-to-lovers trope and shapeshifting heroes, you’ll like this story.

[Romance Novel TV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by PJ Ausdenmore
Publisher: Penguin
5 stars

In Sea Witch (Children of the Sea, Book 1 – Caleb Hunter’s story), Kantra built a fascinating paranormal world where the mortal children of the earth (humans), immortal children of the sea (selkies) and immortal children of the fire (demons) maintain a precarious balance. That balance was threatened when the demons began murdering humans on World’s End, a small island off the coast of Maine. In Sea Fever (Children of the Sea, Book 2 – Dylan Hunter’s story), we learned of a prophecy that says a daughter of Atargatis (the selkie mother of the Hunter siblings) will permanently change that balance of power, a prophecy the demons from Hell will do anything to keep from being fulfilled. In Kantra’s new release, Sea Lord (Children of the Sea, Book 3 – Lucy’s story), the demons strike at the heart of both selkies and humans in a bid for supremacy through the annihilation of their enemies, putting the selkie island of Sanctuary, the human island of World’s End, and the lives of the people on both, at risk.

Lucy Hunter has always lived her life on the outside looking in. The youngest of the Hunter siblings, she was still an infant when their mother abandoned them, taking Lucy’s oldest brother, Dylan with her. When she was nine, her brother, Caleb went away to college leaving Lucy behind to take care of the meals, the house and their drunken father. With that kind of childhood it’s not surprising that over the years Lucy has mastered the ability to withdraw into herself to the extent that even her own family rarely notices her. She leads a quiet life on World’s End, teaching school and caring for her father. No one, not even Lucy herself has any idea of the cauldron of confusion, anger and fear that bubbles just below her surface or of the well of power, just waiting to be tapped.

Handsome, arrogant and with a sense of entitlement as natural as breathing, when selkie prince, Conn ap Llyr needs something he simply takes it. It’s the selkie way. They don’t share the human need to own material goods. The sensual creatures live in the moment and aren’t encumbered by the messy emotional attachments that plague humans, which is why they generally only mate with their own kind. But the selkie numbers are dwindling, with no full-selkie children having been born for the past hundred years. When his magic shows him a vision of Lucy he understands that she is the one who has been chosen to save his people by bearing his children. It doesn’t matter that she’s human, that he isn’t attracted to her or that she may not be on board with the idea. In his mind, it’s a simple matter of traveling to World’s End, enthralling her with his sexual allure then bringing her back to Sanctuary to re-populate his island. But simple becomes complicated the first time they touch and from that moment on their lives are irrevocably changed.

This series continues to get better and better with each book written. With lush writing,

Conn stood at the meeting of sea, stone and sky, a lonely figure sculpted in taut, clean lines of marble and moonlight. Naked. His shoulders gleamed. His muscles were fluid as the waves, his hair as black as night, as he gazed out to sea. Something in his posture, some shadow on his face, pierced her heart. She closed her eyes, but she could still see him burning at the water’s edge, weary, proud, and alone.

vivid descriptions,

The sun slipped in the bronze sky, staining the pewter water to gold and veining the clouds with fire.

and smoldering sensuality,

Lightning shattered the shadows as she gathered the storm, owned it, rode it. Rode him. Power pulsed inside and out. She shuddered. He groaned. He felt the crackle and surge as she closed around him, rising and falling like the sea.

Kantra skillfully invites the reader into the heart of the selkie sanctuary and into the hearts and minds of her characters. Taken from her home, Lucy is forced to look deep inside herself, confronting her fears, the tightly held secrets of her family and, when her magic begins to appear, the knowledge that she may be more like her mother than anyone could have ever guessed. Conn also is forced to question the beliefs he has held for thousands of years as he finds himself being drawn ever closer to Lucy until he reaches the point where he cannot imagine his world without her. The two have much to teach one another and although their physical chemistry is immediate and incendiary I was pleased that the author had the patience to move their relationship forward slowly, letting their emotions evolve naturally and not trying to rush them along. But, just as happiness is finally within their grasp, the demons strike with deadly precision, forcing both of them to make heart-wrenching decisions with potentially catastrophic ramifications.

Will Lucy and Conn get their happy-ever-after? Will Lucy’s family finally learn to value and trust her as she deserves? Will she be the one to forever alter the balance of power or will that responsibility fall to a future generation? Who will survive the demon attack? More importantly, who will not? Take an unforgettable journey to the selkie island of Sanctuary in Sea Lord, where all the answers await.

I strongly recommend reading this series in order – Sea Witch, Sea Fever, Sea Lord.

[Knight Of · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was endearing. The descriptions of the sea and Lucy's vulnerability were lovely. I can tell the author was invested in the worldbuilding.

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems the heroine is always standing outside the fire. She's loved by her family but it seems like she is never involved or welcomed into their little world. They keep secrets from her hush up conversations when she walks in the room. It hurts her feelings but she's used to being an outsider. When her mother left, her father turned to drink and it was the heroines 'responsibility' to care for him. She tries to suppress the resentment that her life has been so controlled by others but inside, she secretly longs for more. Yet, when the hero makes an appearance, she realizes that her tiny little world is a great comfort in the face of such a powerful an worldly creature as her.

The hero has had visions of this woman and he knows that she is the one...the one to sire his children and continue the line of the Children of the sea- a breed that is quickly fading. She is not beautiful or enchanting in anyway and she's obviously shy and reserved, always quick to turn her gaze away or seek an escape from his presence. But regardless of her feelings, she is the one and he is determined to have her. Seducing her is pretty easy as she desires him as much as he wants her and after the bond is sealed, he kidnaps her and steals her away to Sanctuary. Suddenly, the heroine finds herself very much in the loop of the mythology of Selkie.

The hero, the prince of the children of the sea had stolen her away to Scotland to be his breeding mare in point of fact. She pleads with him to send her home but he refuses. His people need her, he needs her. But she wants to be loved, not just needed. She wants someone to see the true her and love her unconditionally - something that's been missing from her secluded life.

As time passes on this island surrounded by Selkie children who welcome her and adults who scorn the fact that their prince has chosen a human, she begins to see her purpose there. She, now discovering her powers inherited by her selkie mother, has found a place where she can made useful and needed and the hero becomes a very special person to her. But their world is threatened by the demons who seek to prevent the prophecy of the Selkie resurrection and the heroines life is in danger.

Though what's worse is hat her family is now threatened and vulnerable as they chose to remain in America. She begs the hero to help them, to send his soldiers to protect them but he refuses. His resources are needed on Sanctuary to preserve their way of life and ancient traditions. Heartbroken but determined, she escapes and returns to her family to make a stand. But when the fight comes, the hero must make a choice, the love of his life or a pile of stones.

I think the key to loving this book as much as I did is to acknowledge this was a Fairytale-NOT reality. This is not a scenario that will ever happen in real life and in a way that's what makes it special. I adore fairytales and I loved this book. The heroine- small, insecure, sheltered- is kidnapped by the hero when he receives visions that she is his destined woman. The hero is not an emotional man and in fact could appear rather merciless and heartless at the beginning because he was so focused on showing no mercy. Determined to uphold the selkie way of life, he disregarded the heroines opinion. However, he did show many subtle ways of his growing affection. Letting her keep possession of his firs being the most symbolic gesture. He was not a back guy and the heroine was not mistreated, but he did kidnap her for the purpose of baring his children. But regardless of the feminist opinions out their that would have scorned the idea of the heroine surrendering to such a man, I will tell you that she was truly a powerful figure in this new world. She was the chosen one, the woman who can save the Children of the sea from extinction. She won the heart of the powerful Prince of the selkie and in the end, he chose her over the ancient way of life. I loved this book. I was so enchanted by this story and highly recommend it to anyone wanting a modern fairytale full of mythology and a passionate love.

[Julie (jjmachshev) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Sea Lord" is the conclusion to Virginia Kantra's 'Children of the Sea' trilogy about selkies. The final book is about Conn, the Prince of the Selkies and Lucy, the last of the children of the famous Selkie witch Atargatis.

Lucy learned to hide her feelings at a young age. After her mother left her family taking only her eldest son, her father became an alcoholic and the care of both her father and the family home fell to Lucy. Her one effort to escape the island by attending school on the mainland confirmed her fears--she can't be more than twenty miles from the ocean she fears without becoming ill. So she has resigned herself to a lonely life as a schoolteacher and beloved aunt to her brothers' children.

Conn doesn't think much of humans, they are, after all, the last and least of the gods creations. So when he keeps seeing a vision of the human Lucy, he can't figure out why. What he does get, though, is that she will be in some way important to the fate of the sea children. That means she'll need to come to his home...whether she wants to or not!

I had high hopes for the finale of this series, but several things kept me from enjoying "Sea Lord" as much as I'd hoped. Conn's attitude towards humans was one and even though he gradually changed his outlook during the unfolding of the story, he didn't do much to try and help her standing among his 'people'. That really, really bugged me and left me wondering how much he truly cared. Even at the end when he was faced with a very difficult choice, I still had a few doubts in the back of my mind regarding his reasons. All this had me questioning the relationship of the main characters. Lucy with her self-worth issues, and Conn with his arrogance issues--a match NOT made in heaven! And the whole alcoholic-father bit just seemed to clear up by magic, not particularly realistic or helpful considering what a real problem this is in today's world.

I was also a bit underwhelmed with the fire demons. They weren't very well developed either as an entity or individuals. The ending struck me as a bit over-the-top since the powers used were so much stronger than everything else up til then.

On the plus side, I enjoyed reading about characters from the previous books that made an appearance in "Sea Lord". Also, the sexual tension between the main characters was well done, although they did jump right into it! I'm not sorry I read this trilogy. None of the books is overly long and each can be read as a standalone. If you enjoy romances that star some seriously dysfunctional families...Virginia Kantra's latest may be just your cup of tea.

[kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book and were I not doing it for a reading challenge would have tossed it away.
Neither Conn nor Lucy were interesting characters. There is no backstory to explain their behaviors and I really don't like a character who uses sex as a weapon. That's just inexcusable in my book.
She's a school teacher of young children, lives on a small island where everyone knows each other and yet, she allows him to undress her and 'have her' in the middle of her student's garden in broad daylight. Isn't the garden near the school? Yes, I know he used his selkie powers on her, etc, but she has spent her whole life controlling herself as we come to learn but this she does? Nonsense.
If I had to read one more time that her heart pattered or her womb clenched, I would have thrown the book across the room.
There isn't any relationship that grows between them except between the sheets. We aren't given any long discussions, if they happened, they happened off the pages. Their dialogue consists of "I want to go home" and "No, you must stay here to make babies." Then both of them replaying conversations that we've already read over and over in their minds. Lucy says she wants to be loved and accepted for who and what she is which is interpretted as "jump my bones as often and in as many ways as possible". Really? This is the growth and love in a relationship.
The last few chapters were okay and made up for some of the rest of the book but not enough for me to say I liked it. The selkie lore was somewhat interesting, at least which is why I gave this book two stars instead of one.
I would not recommend this book.

[Raven Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea Lord jumps back to the quality of Kantra’s first book in this series, Sea Witch. Writing quality is spot on with a fast and interesting plot. The characters in this one are engaging and fun. I particularly liked her hero here and the ending had an interesting twist. It’s a lot better than Sea Fever, in my opinion.

She handled the intricacies of selkie life very well without resorting to the dread over-descriptions or explaining to the point of nausea. Very well done!

Very glad I didn’t let a ‘meh’ and ‘bleh’ second book deter me from this one!

There are other books in this series: Immortal Sea and Forgotten Sea. If you enjoyed the first three the rest might be interesting to read as well.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kind of just expecting it to be a fun, trashy, romance novel, but this actually had quite a bit of a plot. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I would recommend reading the other two books in the series first, though. These books really need to be read in order to fully understand what is going on in the story.
P.S. I have to thank New User for filling me in on what happened in the first book, since my library didn't carry it!

[~Megan~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm....conflicted on this one. I loved it all the way until the end, when Lucy did something I'm not sure I can forgive her for. I don't know how Conn did, or how he can trust her in the future not to do the same, but I was happy they ended up together. I was a little upset at the characters from the past books, and their treatment of their sister as well. I'm not sure why she made the choice she made considering how they treated her.

[Tania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sea Lord is the 3rd in the Children of the Sea trilogy, but it's the first one I read. I won this book in an author giveaway at a reading conference several years ago. It was ok - I felt like I followed along with the backstory just fine even without reading what came before; sufficient detail was provided to sketch out an outline of the past. The mythical parts were interesting, but I felt the romance aspect was flat and not nearly as exciting as the author wanted it to be. The characters were predictable in their actions, though I liked them just fine. Sorry if this review feels like the book left me feeling - meh. Good enough for 3 stars, but nothing more.

Sea Lord Conn arrives on an island looking for the girl he had a vision of from his Sanctuary. Lucy is struggling through life, living day by day, until Conn arrives. Their magnetic attraction is (supposed to be) undeniable, and soon he sweeps her away from everything she's known. Though she's able to discover her true self at Sanctuary, she longs to see her family again. She must eventually choose between Conn and her family. Her choices, though, don't feel quite right, they don't match all the inner turmoil she faces up to that point.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, like the others, are filled with a little bit of magic, some disasters which take much effort to overcome, and the discovery of emotions you never thought you’d feel. Can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

[Kalessin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wat een verschrikkelijke strijd om door dit boek te komen. Alle karakters doen vreselijk domme dingen, worden gelukkig hopeloos verliefd en kunnen samen eeuwig regeren. Ik ben altijd volledig voor de MMC en FMC’s maar wat een verschrikkelijke natte pannenkoeken waren dit zeg.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is my favorite so far!

[Margaret Yelton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read.

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I really wanted Lucy to be loved, needed, and happy. The ending felt unfinished...

[Mars Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book!!

[Country Goose · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is by far one of the worst books I have ever read. I bought it used along with a box full of other books, and the first two of the trilogy were not among them, so I picked this one up and read it without reading the previous books. I learned well enough what happened, and I have no intention of reading the first two.

There are several reasons why I despise this book. First, there are so many holes it should be called Lord of Swiss Cheese. Second, Every time there is a "confrontation" there is sex. Third, characters are so unlikable, I want to beat them over the head with a stick. All of them, Dylan, Lucy, Conn, Caleb... All. Of. Them.... Fourth, nothing is explained well, AT ALL. Fifth (and last), with all the sex and cursing, I thought I was reading a rebelous, nerdy, horny teenager's fiction.

Now, let's start off with the holes. WTH was Virginia doing in her planning? Let's make Dylan about 30, and Iestyn was admittedly over 50 but looked 16. They aren't supposed to age on Sanctuary, but Dylan did. Why? They were both brought to Sanctuary at the age of 12, and Dylan was only gone long enough to knock-up a mayor's daughter.

In the beginning, when Conn first sees Lucy, he comments several times she has the body like a man, but later he calls her fragile, so she's not thought of as this lanky giant, but more of an average model. Then he says she's not beautiful, but she's nice.... She also refers to herself as the Beauty in the Beast's castle, but she has a low self-esteem. Well, which is it? Is she an ugly duckling that's completely useless other than being a broodmare, or is she the beautiful hero? The other holes were combined with poor writing and unlikable characters, so let's move on, shall we?

The sex. Don't get me wrong, i like sex as much as the next woman, but I have a rule of thumb. If there is sex before the 100 page mark, it's going to be a poorly written, trash novel because the author just couldn't wait for the character relationship to develop. Essentially, you get poorly written porn. There are always exceptions to this rule, but this is not one of those exceptions.

The characters were so horrible! You have a drunk father from a broken home. Bart is either racked with guilt or grief of the loss of his wife. Well, which is it? It never really reveals anything about the relationship between Bart and Artagatis. When he has to take care of a doll, he suddenly wakes back up from his drunken stupor and starts being a father... Yeah, okay... Conn uses sex as a weapon (again stating it is a horribly written trash novel), and he doesn't want pity, but in reality he pities himself because his father left him. Lucy is just an idiot that can't figure out what she wants. She wants to go back to World's End and take care of her father, she hates not being loved or included in anything, she feels sorry for herself in most of the book, and has sudden flares of anger. The list just goes on.

What is really explained other than the Selkies are dying out? If the selkies are an intelligent, immortal species, how does Artagatis die from a fishing net? I was honestly waiting on some one to admit it was a demon-cursed net to keep her from birthing any more children that could fulfill the prophecy. Does Bart REALLY know where his love came from? He makes a comment of her being his mermaid, but she could have just "popped out of no where without memory" like Margred did. Why did the brothers really keep Lucy out of the loop? They say it was to protect her and what not, but knowledge doesn't really save any one from death if they are associated with a group. Mobs killed families of their enemies all the time, even though they were completely innocent. No, they weren't sought after by a mob, but the principle is the same.

For the last portion of the rant, this entire book seems to be written by a horny dungeons-and-dragons-playing nerd that wants to feel cool by dropping a bunch of f-bombs wherever she starts feeling horny. The story is inconsistent and revolves around sex. I suppose if you are like this, it would work for you too, but it does nothing for me. For the story to be written this horny, she must be writing out her fantasy, masterbating to releive herself, and continue writing in a drawn out, not well thought out plot just to trudge until she gets horny again. I had enough. I will not read another thing from this author.

To summarize the entire rant, this is so poorly written, I wouldn't give it the upscale rating of mediocre. This should never have been published.

[Syahira · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sea Lord is the third book of the Children of the Sea series about Selkies. Because I thought the blurb on this book is much less predictable than the subsequent books and that the whole series can be read without depending on a linear reading, I decided to pick up the book because of the enticing plot it offered. But I was very disappointed by the middle of the book to the final climax.

The book told a beginning of how the world started with the sea creatures and the fire creatures. The Selkie Lord named Conn needed a female companionship but his attention was drifted to one of his ex-Selkie's human sister where he developed an attraction to her that he offered her a way to be away from everyone.

When Lucy first saw Conn, she felt flames that enveloped her body that she succumbed to his seductive ways that she was spirited away to a far off island across the Atlantic waters where she lived in his castle while they romance with one another. But Lucy only noticed that he never revealed her to anyone nor correct her status with him that every selkie in the island known her as a kept woman, to be used and thrown away. But unbeknownst by her, a dark forces threatened the safety of the island and began to rupture the relationship that blossomed between the Selkie prince and her.

If only what I narrated about the novel actually delivers, the book would have suck less than the process of reading that took me to finish it.

Lucy is a neglected child in her family. Having a drunkard father who seemed to depend everything on her and brothers who seem to have been neglecting her and refuse to include her into conversation does seem to make her developed into the most insecure adult woman on the island who seemed to attract the dashing selkie prince without doing anything except being mute and suspicious all the time. Despite being hinted that she was capable of things like persuasion and other magical stuff that she seemed to be unconscious about using, as a character, she is very dull and unimaginative and pretty clueless the whole time.
The first sex scene is kind of like a rape and kidnapping. Some others had point out in books like the Dark Angel about certain things that is a psudo-rape sex scene but in this book, is the same level as Ombak Rindu and Nora Elena did with their male protagonist. I am quite disturbed by how Lucy was quite okay about her being used by Conn.

While I was mulling about that, then come the children of fire and prophecy plot and the not-so secret about Lucy's heritage. Its just poorly executed and although I like the idea of a powerful woman, but it just get ridiculous when Lucy finally found out about her inner self thing and then Conn have this revelation when he loses her and something.

It just bugs me so much that by the end of the book and later I was still bothered about the way her family treats her including Conn. Again.

I just ditched the idea of trying to read the series. Its just poorly constructed and unlike the cover, Conn isn't so sexy after all when he goes all out grovelling at Lucy's feet. Why?

I enjoyed stories like Ondine. But this is just too common and the plot is just too ridiculous for me and frankly, boring.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series of books with its introduction to selkies as the paranormals and the unique world building that accompanies it. This was the third book in the series and it was good though I confess that I preferred book two.

Each book highlights the stories of three adult siblings who have a human father and had a magic wielding selkie mother. The first book is about the human son, Cal. The second book tells the selkie son, Dylan's tale. And this third book gives Lucy their quiet sister's story.

Lucy was thought to be human, but that does not stop the Selkie Prince, Conn, from seeing her as the fulfillment of a prophecy and thus a personage of interest. Lucy has spent much of her life hiding in plain sight and taking care of her father- always putting everyone else's needs before her own. Even her family speak in her presence about her as if she weren't there. Lucy yearns to be really seen, to be useful and to be loved.

Conn really 'sees' Lucy, but that does not stop him from doing his duty by his people. The selkie are dying off because their magic grows weaker and there are no more young. Conn is given a vision of Lucy and is convinced that she is the key to his people's survival.

After coercing Lucy through his selkie seductive magic, Conn takes her back to the Selkie isle of Sanctuary. He is firm that he is doing right by his people by bringing her there, but it is not long before he begins to have feelings and yearnings for Lucy that tell him that he has done right by himself too. What is this? Selkies do not have feelings or so he tries to convince himself.

Even while Conn attempts to get Lucy's cooperation (and more even though he doesn't voice his feelings), the demon lord, Gau, seeks to gain or destroy Lucy's power and annihilate Sanctuary.

The plot is mostly the passionate affair between Conn and Lucy that grows from physical need and attraction to something much more. But there is the secondary lines of her family back on World's End and the trouble with the fire elementals (demons). I truly enjoyed the story, but the grand finale did not ring quite right with me. I don't want to spoil it for anyone and get too specific about what I mean. It was not bad per se; it was just not what I was looking for after the build up around the prophecy and Lucy.

The feel of this story and its characters are somewhat different from the usual paranormal romance characters. I like how the selkies are portrayed. Conn may seem cold-hearted or less passionate because he doesn't go all soft and, well- human for Lucy. He even feels humans are inferior much of the time. But this is exactly what makes it satisfying when he grows and learns. Lucy was a strong character and I liked how she handled things- no whining or angst even though her life has definitely given her reason to be that way. It was great to keep seeing the characters from the first two books return and even have an on-going storyline.

This is a good paranormal romance series so far and I recommend it to those who are open to a different style of paranormal world featuring fae selkie (seal) shifters.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conn ap Llyr is a Selkie prince determined to save his people from extinction. He’s proud, arrogant and won’t let anything stand in his way, even if it means kidnapping the human female he keeps seeing in his visions.

Lucy Hunter is a teacher living on a small island, where she looks after her alcoholic father. A brief moment of passion changes her life forever, when she’s kidnapped and told that she has Selkie bloodlines and may be the answer to a prophecy that could save the Selkie race.

Conn is torn between doing the right thing for his people and the feelings he begins developing for Lucy. He thinks she may hold the key to saving his race, but holding her against her will isn’t working to bring her to his way of thinking. Lucy thinks she wants nothing more than to return home, but as she learns more about Conn, whom she’s finding irresistible, she starts thinking that perhaps she should give Selkie life a try.

Just as Lucy is learning to embrace her heritage she is forced to decide between her new life with Conn and her old ties with her family. Conn is struggling to balance his responsibility to his people with opening his heart to Lucy and being there when she needs him most.

I was enchanted with this story right from the beginning and was drawn into the world of the Selkies. The characters are well written, with a strong hero and heroine that have flaws they need to overcome. Ms. Kantra has a way of writing that made me really feel the emotions and struggles of Lucy and Conn as they learn to trust each other. The hot chemistry between them didn’t hurt either!

The action keeps moving in this book which makes it a really fun read. There’s the tension between Lucy and Conn running throughout the story. Then there is also the story lines with some of the secondary characters that add some conflict to the story. Plus there is the buildup with the demons that want to destroy Conn and the Selkies. Ms. Kantra really knows how to keep the reader drawn into the story!

The story flows and draws us into the characters lives; however, I did feel that the ending was rushed. After the buildup of the how bad the demons are and the prophecy of Lucy “restoring the balance of power”, I was expecting a little more than the easy way the conflict is resolved. Overall, it’s a good read and the Selkies are a nice change of pace from the typical paranormal fare.

This is the third book in the Children of the Sea series. I read this book first, and while not necessary I would recommend readign them in order to get the back story of each of the characters.

[Haley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't even finished this book but I am close enough to the end to realize that my issues with the novel will not be resolved. First, I haven't read the previous books in the series and almost immediately felt that those books would be better than this, which is sad, because as the leader and lead up novel you would expect that you would be more into reading this novel about Conn and Lucy. That is the very reason that when I ordered the book I picked it over the others in the series.
Almost immediately Conn comes off as very unlikable, and not the tortured hero that has some dark notes that the woman in his life will help heal and redeem him and his behavior. Yeah, that wasn't the case. He starts his relationship with Lucy by thinking about how utterly boring and not worth his time she is-- if she wasn't part of the prophecy, by which his relationship with her was forced. He does eventually see her differently and the line between the before and after is almost non-exist, which isn't a problem, because sometimes mutual attraction and respect can come on gradually. This was more or less just a matter of I need to feel this way so I will-- at least it came off that way to me...mostly by the fact that they literally spend little to no time getting to know each other for any of the mutual respect to grow...I am generous...it doesn't happen at all. The novel itself is very short compared to other romance novels, by at least 100 pages, and perhaps using those pages would have been a good way to actually develop a relationship between the core pair. Not to mention the fact that this novel takes place literally over the course of less than a week.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, and overall I've enjoyed the series. However - this actually felt like the first book in a series than the third. I can't say I actually cared what happened to the family left behind and considering that I've just read two decent books on their stories I should care.

Perhaps that was because **major spoilers ahead**

of the way the family treated her. Oh I could excuse them not telling her that she was part selkie that could be put down to over protectiveness. I could even excuse the clumsy way they excluded her. However if I accept that as the reason then it makes the way NO ONE noticed that she was gone even worse. I mean, she was replaced by a corn doll that was different enough to make her drunk father take notice. Even their behaviour when she returned to the island to save their as**s wasn't good. She's just saved everyone, lost the love of her life and is devestated and Caleb says that you always feel empty even when you win???????? When you win????

It still gets four stars even though I was annoyed with some of the characters though. Mainly because of the way the relationship unfolded between the two central characters. Neither changed who they were fundamentally but did grow in the relationship and their ability to communicate and share with the other.

Okay - I may have given it an extra star for the scene where Conn sends his dog on the boat. Made the whole book worthwhile.

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the second one is still my favorite but Conn is nearly as delicious as Dylan. Also we get and interesting twist on Caleb and Dylan's sister, Lucy, - which I suspected all along.

We meet Conn (more than before), the Prince of the Sea (selkies), and we discover that he fears the sea almost as much as Lucy but for different reasons. Conn's major concern is the survival of his people. He has little regard for what is expected of a person. And yet he does have a heart. The only problem is it becomes more obvious that he has "human" emotions when Lucy comes into his life and everything he's tried to deny kind of smacks him in the face.

As for Lucy, she's been on the outside of her family looking in for her entire life, and it only seems to be getting worse until she wake up in Conn's bed. Everything becomes clear as she realizes her family knows about selkies and one of her brothers is one! The thing Lucy wants more than anything is to be accepted and she's hoping Conn will give that to her.

Both Conn and Lucy are interesting characters. Lucy is a little weak at times but who isn't, really? I do believe Lucy is a strong character though not as strong as Regina or Maggie. She's different and I think will grow with the series. As for Conn, he's very strong to the point of being a problem. We get to see him soften a bit and I think in time we'll see Lucy's influence of him.

Still a good series.