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Break Wide the Sea
by Sara Holland
Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?
A lush, atmospheric nautical fantasy with genuine ethical tension around the whaling of magical creatures. Annie is a curse-breaker who becomes the very thing her family hunts, and the world-building around finfolk mythology is genuinely compelling. The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension with Silas will have you turning pages.
Synopsis
In the treacherous waters surrounding Kirkrell, sailors hunting magic whales live in fear of the finfolk—bloodthirsty sea fae who sink ships and curse bloodlines. Nineteen-year-old Annie, as heir to the city's preeminent whaling company is determined to carry on her parents' lifework. But she keeps a secret from everyone: she's cursed to transform into a monster, with scales spreading up her arms and claws growing from her fingertips. Her fiancé, August, offers comfort, but their love falls apart when Annie discovers his plan to take over the company. Desperate, Annie makes a deal with Silas Price, a young captain rumored to be half finfolk. He claims he knows how to break the curse—but only if Annie promises to stop the practice of whaling forever. As Annie, August, and Silas sail north, Annie—wrestling with her family's legacy, the threat of the finfolk, and August's ambitions—is increasingly forced to put her trust in Silas. Yet Silas has secrets of his own, and they might be the most dangerous of all.
At a Glance
3.81 ★ GoodreadsTop TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.
Book Details
Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.
3.81 ★
Page CountHow long the commitment is.
324 pages
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.
2025
Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?
Young Adult
PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.
M/F
POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).
Third Person
Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.
Slow Burn
CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.
spoiler
AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.
Yes
FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.
Standard
NarratorThe voice in your ears.
Eileen Stevens
TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.
Mood & Vibe
MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.
FMC: reluctant chosen one sign in to unlock
historical sign in to unlock
the angst delivered sign in to unlock
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