When the Tides Held the Moon

When the Tides Held the Moon by Venessa Vida Kelley is a magical queer fairytale set in 1910s Coney Island, where love, freedom, and identity ripple just beneath the surface.

Benigno “Benny” Caldera is a Boricua blacksmith living in New York City, caught between hard labor and unspoken dreams of becoming an artist. When he crafts a stunning iron tank for Luna Park’s sideshow, his life takes an unexpected turn. The show’s flamboyant proprietor offers Benny a place among his performers—and reveals the tank’s true purpose: to hold a live merman taken from the East River.

The merman, named Río, is unlike anything Benny has ever known. Gentle, wise, and fiercely soulful, Río opens Benny’s eyes to a deeper kind of connection—one that transcends species and defies the cruel circumstances that brought them together. What starts as cautious companionship slowly transforms into a tender and forbidden love.

But loving Río means facing impossible choices. If Benny sets him free, he risks losing his new community, his livelihood, and the man who has become his heart’s anchor. If he does nothing, he must live with the pain of keeping the one he loves in a gilded cage.

Venessa Vida Kelley’s lyrical prose and rich illustrations breathe life into this deeply emotional tale of love, identity, and self-liberation. When the Tides Held the Moon is a powerful story of courage and choosing love—even when the world says it’s impossible.

When the Tides Held the Moon EPUB, PDF, and MOBI formats are available for Kindle, iPad, Kobo, Android, and more. Get your copy from trusted sellers like Amazon, Apple Books, and Google Play Books. You’ll also find it featured on eBooks Galaxy, where fairytales and freedom intertwine.

Love historical queer romance? Don’t miss The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue or Under the Whispering Door.