Drown the Sea

Dying Gods, Book One

By: Elisha Kemp

Narrated by: Macie Miller, Marcus Rayne

Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Adrienne had everything. The friends, the clothes, the college acceptance letter, not to mention a healthy social calendar. Then, one stupid mistake has her packing her bags to spend the summer with her estranged mom in Santorini.

Adrienne is determined to make the best out of her forced holiday, until the date from hell results in her getting attacked, nearly drowning, then rescued by a bunch of seafaring cosplayers. Because what else could explain the Bronze Age-era boat full of shirtless, loincloth-wearing men?

Now, if only there was a way to explain the complete lack of technology, the insurmountable language barrier, or the fact that everyone is staring at her like she’s from another planet....

Drown the Sea is the first audiobook in the Dying Gods series. It is a slow burn historical time-travel reverse harem romance suitable for listeners 18 plus.

©2022 Elisha Kemp (P)2022 Elisha Kemp

Time Travel Done Right

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. Elisha Kemp is a master storyteller weaving a complex plot and vivid characters into a well-researched world. I felt the author knew her material and has done her homework throughly. This was evident throughout the book and she was able to hold my attention for the whole duration of the novel.

The narrators brought the world to life and their nuanced switches between the different characters helped me to keep track of who was speaking. They expressed emotion well without being overly dramatic. It was an easy listen.

The FMC, Adrienne, is one of my favorite female characters and I felt the way she handled being thrown into the Bronze Age was commendable and so endearing.

I enjoyed being slowly introduced to the people who will come to play a stronger role in her life throughout the series. Each character has their own background and complexities and watching how their fates are being woven together is a testament to Kemp’s storytelling abilities.

I look forward to continuing this series and following the author’s career, she has now become a one-click author for me.

Read/listen to this book if you love history, romance and intrigue. I fully recommend it.

This blew me away!

i am usually not someone who dives head first into a historical story but the time traveling aspect of this booked me from the start. I'm moving onto book 2 now!

Mythology, Historical, Fantasy Romance

I received this copy free. This is my honest review.

I did a dual read with this in KU and Audible formats and I’m so glad I did. The ebook included a note from Elisha on the research and aspect of this book and that alone was phenomenal! The amount of time and attention she spent on creating this series is incredible. The narrators were great and I loved listening to them tell the story. I am fairly new to doing audiobooks but I had no trouble soaking up every minute of it!

The story is easy to follow, flows beautifully, and the world building is not overpowering. Drown the Sea brings in history with the blending of urban fantasy and early Greek mythology in a new way. I was drawn to the characters immediately. There are multiple relationships we get to follow through this book: Kit and his family, Kit and Adrienne, Adrienne and Brita (Kit’s sister), Jadi and Asterion, Jadi and Adrienne, and more. This book sets up the beginnings of a why choose/polyamorous trope with little teasers of what’s to come.

And the spice in this book for MM is some of the hottest I’ve read so far! Jadi and Asterion are 🔥! Marcus reading that scene was thigh-clenching 🫠and I can’t wait for more of them in Book 2. I love Kit and am excited to see more of his and Adrienne’s budding relationship, although not knowing where it’s going to go after the events of this one. I like the tension and buildup for what’s to come, specifically with Jadi and Kit and how they work through their issues as “enemies”, so to speak.

I definitely am fully invested in this series and am devouring it! Great job Elisha!

Wow.

I typically struggle with historical romances but this was a great one to listen to. Marcie and Marcus are fantastic Narrators that articulate well enough you can enjoy this story at a faster speed without losing the words. The emotion in this book was well done. The story is top-notch. I would highly recommend this audiobook

Macie Miller and Marcus Rayne are the perfect narrators for this amazing meticulously researched Bronze Age time travel

Macie Miller and Marcus Rayne are perfect narrators for this amazing Bronze Age time travel meticulously researched adventure story. Macie oMiller fully embodies California girl Adrienne who will soon find herself in another world. Macie Miller then portrays Britomartis a more mature matriarchal personage. Marcus Rayne’s voice portrays Bronze Age sea faring men who live by different rules and have different skills

Looking forward to book 2

After a bad date, 18-year-old Adrienne falls into the ocean and finds herself back in time in ancient Greece. As she tries to figure out what happened and how to get back home, she slowly becomes more comfortable with her surroundings by learning the language, how to shoot a bow and arrow, and catching the eye of several suitors. Adrienne is given an opportunity to find The Oracle and possibly a way back to the 21st century. But does she really want to leave?

I really enjoyed the Greek history and mythology in this book. The main character using the terms "racist" and "bigot" really took me out of the moment, but the rest of the story flowed pretty well. Only one really spicy scene; I'm hoping for more in the next book!

Why Choose Time Travel Romance!

"Everyone knows men can't own women. . .since women are the makers of men."

Adrienne was on her path to nationals with her dance team, getting into college, and becoming an adult when things went very wrong in a short amount of time. After a series of events that lead to Adrienne having to jump into the sea, she doesn't think anything else could possibly get worse. Only it does when she surfaces and finds herself no longer in the modern age.

Somehow Adrienne has been thrown back in time into the Minoan Bronze Age! 1600 BCE with no antibiotics, caffeine or processed foods! To top everything off the people seem to believe she is the child of one of their goddesses. Adrienne has to quickly learn and navigate through her new time period so she can possibly get help to return to her own time. Is there even a way for her to time travel forward? How did she accomplish this jump in the first place?!

"I am going to die. Because this isn't some Disney movie, and I sure as s*** am not some warrior princess." - Adrienne

I was able to ARC read this book before it was released and fell in love with this series. The writing style, the authenticity of it all, the ability to fully submerge into the story, and so much more! Elisha Kemp really put in a lot of time and effort into this book to help keep you fully immersed in the time period. Historical accuracies but with artistic flares and creative licenses. The author even includes a little note about history at the beginning of the book!

When I got the audiobook, I was so excited to hear the characters I fell in love with brought to life! Macie Miller really caught on to the personality of Adrienne and helped to bring her voice to life. Adrienne's a bit spoiled and a little snobby not fully understanding things or life in general. I mean she just turned eighteen and hasn't been out on her own yet!

Getting thrown into the Bronze Age, surrounded by people and things she doesn't know helps to start her coming of age arc. What really solidified my love for this book was the fact that Adrienne didn't just instantly know everything or was suddenly perfect with weapons. She had to LEARN how to do it all, right down to learning the language. Macie really helped to capture Adrienne's hesitancy and stubbornness.

I forgot about Kitanetos (Kit) and his very inflated ego until I heard Marcus Rayne bring the deep voice to life. Because of course Kit would have the deep, masculine voice! I laughed out loud when I heard Kit's first chapter being read because he truly believes he's the gifted one. . . Kit believes Adrienne is a gift from the goddess and she's meant for him.

I loved the dynamics amongst the cast and just how Adrienne's assumed to be the spawn of a goddess. And within this time no one wished to anger the gods or goddesses. Adrienne's trying to not get too attached to things because she knows she will be going home soon, hopefully. But it's hard not to be drawn to the man who rescued her and another mysterious man that's so kind and sweet to her. Is she allowed to like more than one man?

My favorite character is Jadikira (Jadi), he's so sweet and sees something in Adrienne. Wanting nothing more than to comfort her and protect her. I'm so happy that Marcus saw the playfulness with Jadi's character and helped bring the voice to life with the humor. Jadi helps to keep things light and balances out some of the other MCs, even the voice of reason when the situation calls for it.

Just both narrators did a fantastic job switching from the multiple POVs and capturing the essence of the cast! I am very much looking forward to the next audiobook installment because I need more! This book does end on a cliffhanger that will have you wanting to jump into the next book. "Burn the Stars" is out already so you don't have to wait, but like this one it does end on a cliffhanger and the third book is set to release in April of this year! (2023)

Language is present in the book, there is some violence and bloodshed, anxiety and feelings of grief and homesickness. There are frustrations on both sides of the language barrier and humor that goes along with it as well. We do have a brief scene of attempted SA because of a man not taking no for an answer, but it's stopped! I really loved the contrast of the modern mentality and the Bronze Age mentality when it came to women.

This read is a slow burn! You will get frustrated by the teases and hints to things. I really enjoy why choose books, like this one, that the men or women (depending on the book) have different burn rates. Adrienne's still trying to figure out this life and what is acceptable in this society. We do get MM action between two of the other MCs in the read, and it was very good!

I could go ON about this book and series in general, but I don't want to give too much away! Do enjoy this time travel why choose romance set in the Minoan Bronze Age! Don't forget to give the author some stars!

Maybe if I fill a bath with some sea salt I could time travel back. . ?

Brought to life

As someone who isn't a big audio book listener, I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to Drown the Sea. Having already read the book it was nice to see it brought to life through the narrators. The way they captured the characters and the emotions was so well done.

-Slow burn
-RH
-Time Travel
-Historical
-Check triggers

The problem I have with historical books is that I end up having to stop and google and learn more about it. Which is exactly what took place as I dove into Drown the Sea. This book had me devouring the pages along with the internet to learn more about Minoan civilization. Though a fictional story it was well written in staying true to the time period. (At least from what I googled)

As you jump into the pages you will be thrust into the story line of Adrienne a 17 year old rich girl from California who gets in trouble and sent of to her mother's on the island of Santorini. Do to some not so great choices finds herself time traveling back hundreds of years to the Minoan times.

You will be taken on a slow burn journey as you watch her navigate this new place, filled with goddesses and gods. The words will paint pictures as if you are watching the story unfold on a movie screen.

"I'm going to die. Because this isn't some Disney movie, and I sure as shit am not some warrior princess."

Excellent time travel story

This is the story of a modern girl who gets swept back in time, to the ancient Minoans (over 3000 years ago). She is thought to be a goddess by the Minoan people, whose daily life revolves around their Gods and Goddesses.

This story is a ‘why choose’ RH story, which does involve MM.

Overall, I love this series so much that I read all three books and now am going back to listen to them.

I enjoyed the audiobook as there were a few things I wasn’t sure how to pronounce. Narrators we’re both new to me and both have incredible voices. My only complaint is that the narrators have the same “voice” throughout the entire book, so you have to pay close attention to who is speaking. I wish they would have had (even slightly) different voices for the different characters.