Savage Seas Series by Rebecca F. Kenney

For fans of Laini Taylor, Susan Ee, and Stephanie Garber. Angel romance, forbidden romance, bodyguard romance, sunshine and grump, mild to moderate steamy scenes.Newly graduated from the Training Tower, Idra expects to be assigned to perimeter watch or a city guard position. Instead, she's given the dubious post of bodyguard to Galen, a human inventor indentured to one of the Sky-born lords... moreFor fans of Laini Taylor, Susan Ee, and Stephanie Garber. Angel romance, forbidden romance, bodyguard romance, sunshine and grump, mild to moderate steamy scenes.Newly graduated from the Training Tower, Idra expects to be assigned to perimeter watch or a city guard position. Instead, she's given the dubious post of bodyguard to Galen, a human inventor indentured to one of the Sky-born lords. Galen is as irritable as he is brilliant, and he's working on a secret project, something that could correct the power imbalance between the Sky-born and the humans.As Idra spends time with Galen, her sympathy for the oppressed humans deepens, and she uncovers a terrible secret—one that the charismatic Sky-born ruler would kill to protect. Defending Galen from talent poachers and spies is dangerous enough; falling in love with him is forbidden. And helping him overthrow Sky-born supremacy could mean death for them both.(New Adult, standalone novel in the Savage Seas universe)(TW: social injustice, discrimination, violence) less

Mai sets sail with her cousin Kestra and Captain Flay on the Wind's Favor, but her excitement about seeing new lands is tinged with sadness. When the Wind's Favor makes port at the town governed by Flay's cruel father, Flay is forced to enter a competition against the other captains in his father's fleet. The contest is a savage battle that pits captured sea monsters against various races, including winged Sky-Born prisoners... moreMai sets sail with her cousin Kestra and Captain Flay on the Wind's Favor, but her excitement about seeing new lands is tinged with sadness. When the Wind's Favor makes port at the town governed by Flay's cruel father, Flay is forced to enter a competition against the other captains in his father's fleet. The contest is a savage battle that pits captured sea monsters against various races, including winged Sky-Born prisoners. If Flay does not score a top place in the contest, he will lose his ship and be forced to crew aboard one of his father's slaving vessels.When an old friend returns, Mai realizes her joy at his reappearance is tied to other emotions--things she has never felt for anyone before. But the ongoing competition puts Rake in danger, and risks Mai's goal of learning more about the mermaids' transformative technology.Trigger Warnings: Slavery of fantasy characters and creatures, sexual threat, cannibalism (mermaids eating humans), violence, abuse, PTSD less

(This is the Extended Edition, with full intimate scenes between the characters. For the fade-to-black, closed-door version, try the regular edition of "The Demons in the Deep.")Mai sets sail with her cousin Kestra and Captain Flay on the Wind's Favor, but her excitement about seeing new lands is tinged with sadness. When the Wind's Favor makes port at the town governed by Flay's cruel father, Flay is forced to enter a competition against the other captains in his father's fleet... more(This is the Extended Edition, with full intimate scenes between the characters. For the fade-to-black, closed-door version, try the regular edition of "The Demons in the Deep.")Mai sets sail with her cousin Kestra and Captain Flay on the Wind's Favor, but her excitement about seeing new lands is tinged with sadness. When the Wind's Favor makes port at the town governed by Flay's cruel father, Flay is forced to enter a competition against the other captains in his father's fleet. If Flay does not score a top place in the contest, he will lose his ship and be forced to crew aboard one of his father's slaving vessels.When an old friend returns, Mai realizes her joy at his reappearance is tied to other emotions--things she has never felt for anyone before. But the ongoing competition puts Rake in danger, and risks Mai's goal of learning more about the mermaids' transformative technology.TW: Slavery of fantasy characters and creatures, sexual threat, mermaids eating humans, violence, abuse, PTSD less