Kiss of the Selkie by Tessonja Odette is another book from her Entangled with Fae series. The story follows Maisie, a selkie who hides on land as a thief to escape a ruthless sea queen. After she saves a human, Dorian, from drowning, she is sentenced by fae law to hunt him down and kill him—specifically with a lethal, poisonous kiss.
Tessonja Odette has become one of my favourite authors recently. I swear her work is amazing, and her writing is genuinely beautiful. Kiss of the Selkie is once again very well written and an amazing book. It’s been a while since I read this, so I’ve forgotten some details, but I do remember that I really enjoyed reading it. I finished it in about a week. I read this book last year, and I’m currently still reading the last book in the series. I had lost the ebook on my Kindle, so I recently purchased a physical copy, and since shipping takes time in India, I’m reading other books in the meantime. But coming back to Kiss of the Selkie.
This is a Little Mermaid retelling. The story follows Maisie, a selkie who carries a deadly curse: whoever she kisses dies. Dorian, the male lead, is a human seeking citizenship. Maisie saves Dorian from drowning, and as part of his attempt to secure citizenship, Dorian is required to find a wife. This leads to a bridal competition in the story.
When Maisie breaks fae law by saving him, she is sentenced to kill Dorian. To do so, she must participate in the competition, win his heart, and kill him with her kiss by the end—otherwise, she will die herself. This is the basic premise of the book. It’s a slow-burn romance with a little spice toward the end, and it’s a very beautiful story. I absolutely loved it, and I honestly have nothing negative to say about this book.
So, here are the things that I really liked/loved about this book:
- The writing and the characters stand out a lot. Even though it’s a Little Mermaid retelling, Maisie’s selkie form is not a mermaid but a seal, which is a very different and refreshing take compared to what you usually expect from folklore retellings. This is one of the major strong points of the book.
- The slow-burn romance is written really well. You feel annoyed at Dorian at times, yet you still want them to be together. The chemistry between the main characters is strong, and the emotional tension works beautifully. The characters are well written, and the pacing felt perfect for me. Nothing felt rushed or dragged.
- The world-building is also very vivid and visually immersive. While reading, you truly feel like you’re there with the characters—whether it’s the palace-like setting where the bridal competition takes place, or the ocean scenes or when she steps into a realm where time is paused. Everything is written and curated beautifully.
Overall, this book was a great read. There were moments when I was completely immersed in the story. I felt for the characters, felt the betrayal, and desperately wanted them to be together. I wanted them to fall in love and finally learn the truth. The ending was also amazing, really satisfying. Tessonja Odette always adds a twist when integrating villains from classic retellings, and this book was no exception. You’ll have to read it to find out.
Overall, I loved this book.
Spice Level: Mild
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