Monday, June 8, 2015

Summer of Chasing Mermaids, by Sarah Ockler

I'm going to go ahead and say it: I heart anything to do with mermaids. I've been a mermaid girl ever since I was a kid and first watched The Little Mermaid (not the Disney version), so you can imagine how thrilled I was when I learned one of my favorite YA authors was coming out with a mermaid book!

Elyse and her twin sister, singing sensations in their homeland of Tobago, were poised to become world famous musicians. Then a boating accident robs Elyse of her beautiful singing voice (she can't even speak), dashing the girls' hopes and dreams in a matter of moments. Hurt and ashamed, Elyse leaves Tobago to go stay with her aunt in Atargis Cove Oregon, a small coastal town that's cold even in the middle of summer. Before she realizes it, Elyse has become deeply involved with a campaign to prevent commercial developers from taking over the Cove and ruining everything that makes it a special place--including her aunt's beloved shop. This means she also becomes involved with the notorious Christian Kane, the Cove's "bad boy"/"player". As her feelings for Christian grow along with her interest in the local politics, Elyse re-discovers her lost "voice" and finds new meaning and purpose in a life she was beginning to believe was empty.

Sarah Ockler's Summer of Chasing Mermaids was a treat to read and everything I hoped it would be. Mermaid mythology and subtle hints of The Little Mermaid add atmosphere to this otherwise breezy romance. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and watching them grow throughout the story, particularly witnessing the romance that develops between Elyse and Christian. Everything about this one was well done!

The Verdict:
A gorgeous story! Read this one! --AJB

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