Daughter of Tides

The blistering third entry in Rocha’s Bound to Fire and Steel romantasy series picks up right where Queen of Dreams left off, with a major battle having shaken up the status quo. Naia, a newly awakened sea goddess, seems almost destined to fall in love with the Kraken, Einar, when she joins him on a diplomatic mission to the ice kingdom of Akeisa. Somewhat less expected are the feelings evoked in both Naia and Einar by the third member of their party: Aleksi, the god of love, who was weakened by the recent battle but outwardly remains as entrancing as ever. As this trio navigate political tensions and becoming a throuple, Rocha delivers possibly even more steamy, magic-infused god-on-god lovemaking than in the first two books. The broader plot, however, feels bumpier, with erratic moments of conflict that are easily resolved and many loose threads left dangling for future installments. It doesn’t quite work as a standalone, but series fans will be gratified by the intrigue and spice. (May)