Blood on the Tide

Bestseller Robert returns to the magic-tinged world of Hunt on Dark Waters for another sizzling tale of swashbuckling adventure. Vampire Lizzie followed her ex-girlfriend Evelyn through a magical portal into the otherworldly oceanic realm of Threshold, where she’s been roped into Evelyn’s new pirate crew on the Audacity, reluctantly joining their brewing rebellion against the Cŵn Annwn, the corrupt organization of monster-hunting peacekeepers who rule Threshold. In reality, Lizzie just wants to find her stolen family jewels and go home. After the ship rescues selkie Maeve, a curvaceous rebellion spy whose seal skin was stolen, Lizzie sees a potential ally. The two set out on their own, determined to do whatever it takes, from killing monsters to stealing ships, to retrieve their property. In the process, they yield to their surprising chemistry, allowing their partnership to take a distinctly erotic turn. (It helps that Lizzie’s vampire bites prove literally orgasmic.) Even as romance blossoms, however, they can see their inevitable separation on the horizon: Maeve is committed to the rebellion and Lizzie is not. Robert makes it easy to dive into this installment as a standalone, but the tight focus on the romantic pairing leaves little room for worldbuilding or progression of the larger series plot. Still, the heroines’ sexy seafaring antics will be more than enough to please Robert’s fans. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary. (May)