Bind Me Tighter Still, Lara Ehrlich
Bind Me Tighter Still, Lara Ehrlich
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Bind Me Tighter Still
A Novel

Author: Lara Ehrlich

Narrator: Amy Gorelow

Unabridged: 5 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/30/2025

Categories: Fiction, Fantasy, Feminist


Synopsis

The youngest siren sister, Ceto is weary of an existence driven by hunger, no better than a fish. She trades her tail for legs, marries the first man she meets, and bears a daughter—only to find domesticity as suffocating as the sea. Craving more, Ceto flees with her daughter Naia back to the ocean, where she reinvents herself as the star of a mermaid burlesque, performing in a lavish tank carved into the limestone cliffs above the waves.

At Sirenland, Ceto's sensual performances and the erotic allure of her trained sirens transform the seaside attraction into a national sensation—a glittering empire where spectacle, desire, and female power reign. But as Naia comes of age and begins to question her mother's vision, the boundary between empowerment and exploitation grows dangerously thin. When a shocking death rocks Sirenland, Ceto's rule is threatened, and mother and daughter must reckon with the cost of performance on their already tenuous bond.

Bind Me Tighter Still is a lush, provocative exploration of power, sex, sacrifice, and motherhood—a celebration of female strength in a world determined to tame it.

About Lara Ehrlich

Lara Ehrlich is the author of the short-story collection Animal Wife, which won the Red Hen Fiction Award. Her writing has appeared in StoryQuarterly, Hunger Mountain, The Massachusetts Review, and The Columbia Review, among others, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. A graduate of the University of Chicago and Boston University, she lives with her husband and daughter in Boston. For more information, visit laraehrlich.com.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lori on June 12, 2025

I had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to them. Sirens? A boardwalk attraction? The premise had so much potential. I wasn't expecting extreme body horror or super gory violence—Red Hen Press doesn’t lean that way—but I was hoping for something more than what this b......more

Goodreads review by Brigid on September 06, 2025

This was a beautiful tale of the relationship between a mother and daughter and the issues many women face today. Written very poetically, this modern day fairytale about mermaids showed the sacrifices of motherhood and the power of female sexuality. Thank you to NetGalley and Red Hen Press for the......more

Goodreads review by Jennifer on July 28, 2025

Thank you net galley for being an early release reader. The story of veto finding her humanity and understanding the love for her daughter was riveting. This world of sure land calls you in. If you are looking for something out of the box this is your book.......more

Goodreads review by Nicole on July 25, 2025

I was given an advanced copy for an honest review! I was rather disappointed in this book, the premise and the book cover was right up my alley! I was very excited to dive into this book! However it was very boring, long and very hard to get into. I feel like the author spent a decent amount of deve......more

Goodreads review by Ruth on June 27, 2025

Bind Me Tighter Still by Lara Ehrlich is a captivating novel that explores the complex bond between mother and daughter — the words left unspoken and the emotions that go unshared. Naia is raised by her aunts and her mother, Ceto, the queen of the sirens. But Ceto's hunger for more than just fish, c......more