The Bright and Breaking Sea

Neill's new fantasy was an entertaining adventure. Kit Brightling was a foundling raised by an independent woman who had high expectations for her adopted daughters. Kit has become a Captain in the Queen's Own ostensibly working as a courier but actually as an agent of the Queen.

The Queen calls her in to rescue a captured spy from an impregnable prison. The only problem is that the Queen wants her to work with a member of the Beau Monde, a Viscount named Rian Grant. They do not immediately hit it off.

Grant feels that he has done his service to the Queen in the battles on the Continent. Now he wants to spend time on his estate since it was run down during the war and needs his attention to get it out of debt. But rescuing the spy only show more begins the adventure because he gives them information leading to a traitor within the government of the Queen.

This story takes place in 1815 or so in a world similar to that of the Napoleonic era except that in this world there is magic. Kit is aligned to the sea which is an advantage for a sea captain. However, the former emperor Gerard has been exiled to an isolated island but his supporters have plans to free him which involves lots of magic.

I liked the relationship that grew between Kit and Grant and that it wasn't an "instant love" sort of relationship. I liked Kit's relationship with her crew. The whole setting was excellently done. I loved the details about sailing ships. I also loved that in this world there seemed to be a lot of equality between the sexes and a multi-ethnic society. Of course, there were also the old fuddy-duddies of the Beau Monde who didn't want women in positions of power and certainly not foundlings. There was also a prejudice among the Beau Monde regarding magic and its use.

I can't wait for more of Kit Brightling's adventures. show less

Neill's new fantasy was an entertaining adventure. Kit Brightling was a foundling raised by an independent woman who had high expectations for her adopted daughters. Kit has become a Captain in the Queen's Own ostensibly working as a courier but actually as an agent of the Queen.

The Queen calls her in to rescue a captured spy from an impregnable prison. The only problem is that the Queen wants her to work with a member of the Beau Monde, a Viscount named Rian Grant. They do not immediately hit it off.

Grant feels that he has done his service to the Queen in the battles on the Continent. Now he wants to spend time on his estate since it was run down during the war and needs his attention to get it out of debt. But rescuing the spy only show more begins the adventure because he gives them information leading to a traitor within the government of the Queen.

This story takes place in 1815 or so in a world similar to that of the Napoleonic era except that in this world there is magic. Kit is aligned to the sea which is an advantage for a sea captain. However, the former emperor Gerard has been exiled to an isolated island but his supporters have plans to free him which involves lots of magic.

I liked the relationship that grew between Kit and Grant and that it wasn't an "instant love" sort of relationship. I liked Kit's relationship with her crew. The whole setting was excellently done. I loved the details about sailing ships. I also loved that in this world there seemed to be a lot of equality between the sexes and a multi-ethnic society. Of course, there were also the old fuddy-duddies of the Beau Monde who didn't want women in positions of power and certainly not foundlings. There was also a prejudice among the Beau Monde regarding magic and its use.

I can't wait for more of Kit Brightling's adventures. show less

Neill's new fantasy was an entertaining adventure. Kit Brightling was a foundling raised by an independent woman who had high expectations for her adopted daughters. Kit has become a Captain in the Queen's Own ostensibly working as a courier but actually as an agent of the Queen.

The Queen calls her in to rescue a captured spy from an impregnable prison. The only problem is that the Queen wants her to work with a member of the Beau Monde, a Viscount named Rian Grant. They do not immediately hit it off.

Grant feels that he has done his service to the Queen in the battles on the Continent. Now he wants to spend time on his estate since it was run down during the war and needs his attention to get it out of debt. But rescuing the spy only show more begins the adventure because he gives them information leading to a traitor within the government of the Queen.

This story takes place in 1815 or so in a world similar to that of the Napoleonic era except that in this world there is magic. Kit is aligned to the sea which is an advantage for a sea captain. However, the former emperor Gerard has been exiled to an isolated island but his supporters have plans to free him which involves lots of magic.

I liked the relationship that grew between Kit and Grant and that it wasn't an "instant love" sort of relationship. I liked Kit's relationship with her crew. The whole setting was excellently done. I loved the details about sailing ships. I also loved that in this world there seemed to be a lot of equality between the sexes and a multi-ethnic society. Of course, there were also the old fuddy-duddies of the Beau Monde who didn't want women in positions of power and certainly not foundlings. There was also a prejudice among the Beau Monde regarding magic and its use.

I can't wait for more of Kit Brightling's adventures. show less

The overthrown King of Gallia is seeking to return to power and manipulating magic to do so, so it’s up to Captain Kit Brightling of the Queen’s Own and Colonel Rian Grant to stop him.

I never thought a fantasy focused on the seas could be as interesting as riding a horse across a continent until I read RJ Barker’s The Bone Ships last year. Since then, I haven’t seen too many, so I was quick to request it when I saw it on Netgalley. As someone who easily gets seasick, this is really the only way I can enjoy a sea adventure, so I was so excited to be approved. It wasn’t quite what I expected, but I thought it was a pleasant surprise.

The Plot: A Fun Fantasy Full of Adventure
The Bright and Breaking Sea is a fantastical retelling show more of Napoleon’s escape from Elba. It pits England against France, with a Guild thrown in for good measure.

Captain Kit Brightling, a young woman in the Queen’s Own who is also Aligned to the sea, is more than a mere courier, but her role is closely guarded by the Crown. Because of her unique abilities and the true nature of her job for the Queen, she’s perfectly suited for extracting a captured spy, but she must do so alongside a member of the Beau Monde. Colonel Rian Grant was present when the King of Gallia was defeated, and it wasn’t a pretty battle. But he’ll do anything for the man who literally saved his life, even if it means sailing with a woman he doesn’t think much of right into pirate territory. It’s just the start of their partnership, and the Queen’s never ending missions to protect the world from the King of Gallia’s return.

A fluffy fantasy. A delightful fluffy fantasy. I expected The Bright and Breaking Sea to be more along the lines of the complex and complicated fantasies I’ve been reading lately with overladen story lines and almost too much going on, while also full of crusty old sailors. Instead, this novel presented a fairly straightforward and more simplistic story with some slight complexities thrown in for good measure. It turned out to be a lovely break, but by no means didn’t deliver on the story. It was fun and chock full of adventure. There was a good dose of intrigue and a streak of romance. It was a wonderful story of two very different people learning to work together and truly become partners.

The most fascinating thing was that this book reminded me of the sea adventure I enjoyed in RJ Barker’s The Bone Ships and also made me think of Jane Austen’s novels. Since I adore both, I found that this story completely worked for me. There was so much adventure, one thing after another, that I did sometimes wonder where it was going and how it was tied together, but the partnership between Kit and Grant was fascinating and I loved how it oscillated between the adventure and the elements more likely to be found in a Regency novel.

The Characters: Perfectly Tailored to the Story
The Bright and Breaking Sea follows the adventures of Kit Brightling and Rian Grant. Initially unwelcoming to each other, they each brought something to every one of their adventures, and made the novel that much more fun.

I really liked Kit. She’s a tomboy with an appreciation for the finer things in life, who enjoys a good trashy novel while not hesitating to throw a knife at an enemy. I wanted her to be a fierce sea captain, someone with a sharp temper who strode around the deck barking orders, but she surprised me by being remarkably practical and feminine with a fierce loyalty to the sea, the crown, and her crew. I adored her and just how smart she was and how well it worked for the story being told.

Rian Grant felt like a storm cloud held at bay next to her. He’s appropriately dark and brooding, bristling under the idea of sharing command with a mere female courier. But he’s a good man with an unshakable loyalty to those he owes it to, which drives him in everything he does. While I wish he and Kit had been at each other’s throats a little more and a little longer, watching them try so hard to deal coldly with each other and asserting control over the situation, I did like that both of them are a bit softer around the edges, that they proved to be an insanely perfect pair.

The Setting: On Sea and On Land
As an historical fantasy, The Bright and Breaking Sea is set during the time of Napoleon, a fictional one, mostly on the seas between Britain and France. Though, of course, they’re fictional versions of Britain and France. As a big fan of novels like War and Peace, Les Miserables, The Count of Monte Cristo, and Jane Austen’s novels, it felt both comforting and different. I loved how it was so familiar, but also had touches unique to fantasy and to the novel.

Like the pirates. I’ve read mentions of pirates during that time period, but the pirates in The Bright and Breaking Sea were so much more interesting, and I loved getting a look into their stronghold. Then there was the home for foundling girls that sounded like a lovely and fun place to grow up in. Run by a forward thinking woman with strong ties to the Crown, she let the girls she raised find their own feet and their own interests, making for a lively home.

And then there’s the sea and Kit’s ship. As some who easily gets seasick, this is the best way for me to enjoy a seafaring adventure. I have no real, clear idea of what ships actually look like, but I enjoyed imagining being on the deck and seeing only sea for miles and miles. I wish there had been more sea in this book, but it ended up being a lovely split between land and sea.

The whole world felt like it sprung from reality and then was given a twist of magic. It was familiar, so the author didn’t have to go into large digressions to world build. But it was also different with it’s own flavor in such a way that I can’t wait to return and get to know it better.

Overall: Surprisingly Fun
Initially, I was disappointed The Bright and Breaking Sea wasn’t more along the lines of the fantasy I’ve read all year. As I kept reading, though, I couldn’t help feeling delighted. It was very different from what I expected, but in a good way. It managed to blend two things I love to present an extraordinarily fun fantasy that somehow absolutely worked. It turned out to be an easy read, though I did wonder at first where the story was going. But the groundwork has been laid and now I find myself eager to find out what happens next.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own. show less

Ah man did I enjoy this book. I read the Chicagoland Vampires series about a couple of years ago, and I remember liking them, but being a little disappointed in the main character. I'm not really into the "I didn't even know swimming is a thing last week, but here I am, all of a sudden, tossed in the deep end. With sharks. With lasers. And somehow I'm ok? But mostly because I've endeared myself to badass lifeguards keeping my head afloat while I learn how to swim." Like, I get the appeal: it's relatable, it's a way to introduce the readers to a new world without straight-up info dumps. I get it. It's definitely for others, but it's not for me. I want to read about the badass lifeguards. Kit is a badass lifeguard and I love her.



And show more thank Poseidon, or whatever the sea god is called in this book, at no point in this book is she TSTL. She makes rational decisions. Her conflicts make sense, feel real, and are in no way caused by her making mistakes you can see coming chapters away. I'm a simple girl: sometimes, I want to read about women who are good at life.


like, Beyonce good

The writing is lovely. The way Kit talks about the sea is beautiful. You can feel the connection she has to it, how mesmerizing the power is, how she can almost get lost in it. Gorgeous.

The banter is fun and quick. No one takes themselves too seriously, though if you like competency porn, the main and secondary characters will still give you plenty of it. I was even able to keep up with all the nautical terms, even though, like most topics that make up Forbidden Dad Knowledge, my brain refuses to retain the information.


pictured: a Dad about to yell at me because I keep saying "left" instead of "port"

The relationship is taking a slow burn arc, so if that's not your jam, maybe wait until more books are out. But also, don't. I normally like to wait too, but this book was so well written, fun, and all around enjoyable, that it held up on its own without needing to rest on an overarching story making it all worth it.

And can we pour one out in appreciation for The Thing Keeping Them Apart being a real problem that is also no one's fault? Like, of course it's a problem that Kit's job is staying busy doing hot girl shit in the middle of the ocean and Grant's a viscount who has to stay on land with his estate. That IS a problem! A real one! Is it a lot to kiss a dude once and then be like, I CAN'T MARRY YOU!? Maybe. But, why start going down a road you already know goes somewhere you don't want to go?

And he respects her thoughts??? He doesn't ignore all that and pester her to change her mind? Because it IS a problem that doesn't just go away because a man doesn't like it. UGH YES MORE.


Part of a complete and healthy breakfast for every good MC

Anyways, loved this book, can't wait for the next one, might go back and read more of Chloe Neill's backlog. show less

Chloe Neill remains one of my favorite authors and I will read basically anything she writes. So I'm happy to report that The Bright and Breaking Sea did not disappoint one bit.

Kit and Rian are starting the slowest of slow burns that I have ever seen. They have an immediate chemistry, but neither of them is willing to trust the other enough to really get too close. I enjoyed watching them become more at ease and begin to form a relationship based on trust. There is no insta-love here, folks.

The world building is well done and I do believe it's Chloe's first fully "fantasy world." The other series she has written have been based in alternate US cities, such as Chicago or New Orleans. But this new fantasy world has a 18th or 19th century show more feel, with some elements of progression, such as women being able to captain and crew the ships. I really enjoyed getting this glimpse into a completely new reality and can't wait to see where she takes it in future books.

I highly recommend this book to fans of pirate-type fantasy and slow burn romance. Fans of Chloe's previous works will not be disappointed. show less

Foundling Kit Brightling has worked hard to earn her spot as Captain on a ship in the Queen’s Crown Command fleet. It helps that she loves the sea and is also Aligned to it—someone who has a magical bond with one of the elements.

When the queen sends Kit on a mission to rescue a spy whose cover has been compromised, she jumps at the opportunity to help queen and country. Even when those orders include tagalong Viscount, and veteran of the Continental War, Rian Grant.

Kit doesn’t know Rian or his motivations, but she does know others of the Beau Monde—New London high society—and she’s not about to let him take control of the mission. But, as they both learn, titles can be deceiving, and what they discover will have them both show more setting aside their preconceived notions and working together as the fate of mankind hangs in the balance.

I like the different direction Chloe Neill is taking with a high-seas adventure that is firmly seated in the historical fantasy category, which is a departure from her various urban fantasy series.

The Bright and Breaking Sea works so well as a setup to the new series and it was one that almost went by too quickly. I wanted to savor the time in this first book, but Chloe Neill pretty much sets things off running right out of the gate as Kit and Rian search for a traitor and try to thwart potential war on the horizon.

Honestly, I would have loved more time fleshing out characters and setting. In particular, the magic system was one such area where I could have used a bit more background on how it works, its limitations and advantages. I think it would have been especially helpful seeing as how one of the main conflict—and one I assume will be overarching—stems from magic use. But there’s enough so far that I at least have a rudimentary understanding of what’s good and what’s bad. I have no doubt Chloe Neill will continue to build upon this beginning and familiarity will come with more reading. I guess I can’t fault her for not putting all her eggs in one basket.

Probably my favorite aspect of the story was the fact that Chloe Neill puts Kit and Rian on pretty equal ground when it comes to working together on this mission. Despite Kit being Aligned, their skills and capabilities are on pretty level, but it’s their varying experiences—Rian being part—although an almost outside part—of the Beau Monde, Kit being a foundling, etc. that really brings that something extra to their interactions.

Which of course leads into the lovely opposites-attract slow-burn (hopefully) romance we have going on. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a series that develops a relationship over a number of books, and as we should all know by now, Chloe Neill is a pro at this. One of the things I look forward to most is how things continue to develop between Rian and Kit.

If you’re a fan already of Chloe Neill, you’ll be delighted to have a new world from her. It’s a great departure from what we’re used to but still full of all the things we know we can count on from Chloe Neill. show less