Venessa Vida Kelley

The Shape of Water meets The Greatest Showman in this beautifully illustrated queer historical cozy fantasy, as a young Puerto Rican immigrant goes through a journey of love and self-discovery after capturing a merman for a Coney Island sideshow act in turn-of-the 20th century New York. "A lushly illustrated historical romance . . . This book is a charming fable -- an elemental dance of fire and water." ―THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist BookRiot Best Books of the Year Amazon Best Romantasy of the Year Reader's Digest Top 10 of the Year When Benigno "Benny" Caldera creates an exquisite ironwork tank for famed Coney Island playground Luna Park, he's offered a wondrous opportunity: a job backstage with the show's eclectic cast. Benny knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith like him doesn't get many chances in 1910s New York City. Little does Benny expect, however, to share in the Menagerie's most shocking secret: the tank will cage their newest exhibit, a live merman stolen from the East River. More than a mythic marvel, Benny soon comes to know the merman R o as a kindred spirit, wise and more compassionate than any human he's ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny's heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of R o's captivity--and his own. Releasing R o could mean losing his found family, his new home, and his soulmate forever. Yet Benny's courageous choice may just reveal a love strong enough to free them both.

With lush illustrations and buoyant prose, Venessa Vida Kelley blends historical fantasy with epic romance at the turn of the 20th century in this unforgettable New York fairytale of queer identity and found family. "Venessa gives life to the most unexpected things. I have a strong, strong feeling that this is the start of something special." --TJ KLUNE, New York Times Bestselling author of The House in the Cerulean Sea Benigno "Benny" Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can't call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds everyone, especially the eccentric side-show proprietor who commissioned it. Benny's work earns him an invitation to join the show's eclectic crew of performers--his first welcome in the city--and share in their astonishing secret: the tank Benny built is a cage for their newest exhibit, a living, breathing, in-the-flesh merman stolen from the banks of the East River under a gleaming full moon. The merman is more than a mythic marvel, though. Benny comes to know R o as a clever philosopher, an observant traveler, and a kindred spirit more beautiful and compassionate than any human he's ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny's heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of R o's captivity--and his own. A cage is no place for a merman to survive. Though releasing R o means betraying his new family, bankrupting their home, and losing his soulmate forever, Benny must look within for the courage to do what's right, and find a love strong enough to free them both. "When the Tides Held the Moon is a beautifully illustrated novel with artwork throughout by Venessa Vida Kelley, known for her stunning romance and fantasy art. This novel includes two different full-color endpapers for front and back, fully-designed chapter headers, and 27 pieces of detailed illustrations throughout, using beautiful two-color, aqua blue and black inks.