The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

Here's the blurb from Goodreads

The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d'Abreau was destined for stardom - until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can't sing. She can't even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend's invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse's home in the Caribbean isn't: an ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry - except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy - insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He's also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn't treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother, Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove's high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn't the only thing making waves, though - swept up in Christian's seductive tide and entranced by the Cove's charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn't what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who's best known for breaking them...


Having a character who is newly disabled is an interesting twist, and one I came to like reading this book. Elyse comes to Atargatis Cove after losing her voice in an accident, and has to get used to a new life without singing: which means her dreams of being a singer are dead, and it naturally breaks her heart. Even worse, is being treated like you're made of crystal, with no one daring to say anything to you in fear the wrong thing. Having to overcome those things is kind of what makes me label Elyse as a strong woman, which is a nice change from only hearing that about kickass females who can battle. 

I love the way Christian gets to fall in love with Elyse without her voice, and how their romance isn't "I love you in spite of your muteness" and more like "I love you for who you are as a person, I don't care that you can speak". That is a great point to romance in my books. 

I also love Sebastian and his love for everything mermaids, and how that is, in a way, forcing people out of the manly vs girly binary people are fast to fall against. Sebastian is a cinnamon roll who must be protected at all costs, and both Christian and Elyse are fast to jump in his protection when heteronormativity threatens to bring him down.

With a brown, disabled main character who learns to love both others and herself, a love interest that is in no way ableist and the cutest little brother ever, my only complaint is that it can be a bit slow at times. Still an amazing book. 

Kidnapped by the Pirate by Keira Andrews

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Nathaniel Bainbridge is used to hiding, whether it’s concealing his struggles with reading or his forbidden desire for men. Under the thumb of his controlling father, the governor of Primrose Isle, he’s sailing to the fledging colony, where he’ll surrender to a respectable marriage for his family’s financial gain. Then pirates strike and he’s kidnapped for ransom by the Sea Hawk, a legendary villain of the New World.

Bitter and jaded, Hawk harbors futile dreams of leaving the sea for a quiet life, but men like him don’t deserve peace. He has a score to settle with Nathaniel’s father—the very man whose treachery forced him into piracy—and he’s sure Nathaniel is just as contemptible.

Yet as days pass in close quarters, Nathaniel’s feisty spirit and alluring innocence beguile and bewitch. Although Hawk knows he must keep his distance, the desire to teach Nathaniel the pleasure men can share grows uncontrollable. It’s not as though Hawk would ever feel anything for him besides lust…

Nathaniel realizes the fearsome Sea Hawk’s reputation is largely invented, and he sees the lonely man beneath the myth, willingly surrendering to his captor body and soul. As a pirate’s prisoner, he is finally free to be his true self. The crew has been promised the ransom Nathaniel will bring, yet as danger mounts and the time nears to give him up, Hawk’s biggest battle could be with his own heart.

I won this book in a contest, and I'm so happy about that. A fighter for the title of  "favorite queer pirate romance", this book has two very complex characters who meet for revenge and whose love is doomed because of fate and family... or is it? The fight for love between Nathaniel and Hawk is fierce, both against themselves and against the world. It was a bit too steamy for my liking at times, but the plot was too exciting to put it down for long. 

Definitely a worthy read. I thank my luck for working in my favor for once, as contests haven't worked out well for me during my life. 

Earl of Wainthorpe (Wicked Earls' Club) by Collette Cameron

Here's the blurb

He didn't gamble on losing his heart when he won her at the gaming tables.

Pierce, the Earl of Wainthorpe has finally thwarted his worst enemy. Except he can't revel in his victory after winning his foe's ward in a winner-takes-all wager. If Pierce refuses to assume Bianca Salisbury's guardianship, the fiery-haired beauty with a matching temper may very well find herself sold to the highest bidder.

The shameful secret she guards makes it impossible to love a rogue.

Desperate to escape her blackguard cousin, Bianca Salisbury ventures to London to find a husband or employment. Instead, she's bartered to a notorious rakehell. She either risks being compromised and accepts The Earl of Wainthorpe's protection, or flees him and her guardian. But without money and a place to go, she fears she'll face the same tragic fate as her mother.

The wicked Earl's Club is a series written by multiple authors, one book per author, that tells the story of a reforming rake falling in love. This is the book by Collette Cameron, that tells the story of Pierce and Bianca. 

This book is absolutely lovely! Both Pierce and Bianca are well rounded characters, with their own demons to explain their actions. With plenty of funny and cute moments, this book is a wonderful way to spend the time. 

My only complaint could be that it was a mite too fast for my taste, but that isn't a real deterrent to me recommending it. All in all, I am yet to read a book by Collette Cameron I do not like. 

Let There Be Love (Sled Dog #1) by Melissa Storm

Here's the blurb

Lauren Dalton’s world shattered the day her father died. Now she’s willing to move four-thousand miles away from the only home she’s ever known in hopes of discovering the truth about his hidden past.

Shane Ramsey’s reputation says all anyone needs to know. He’s an amazing racer, but a terrible person. When an injury leaves him unable to work his dogs, he must swallow his pride and accept help for the sake of his team.Will Shane open his home and his heart to the young woman who already shares his greatest love? Will Lauren find her place—and the truth about her family’s past—in helping the cantankerous Shane? 

This book was really nice. I came to it with a chip on my shoulder because I bought it, and about two or three weeks later the author started giving it away for free, and that annoyance  had me putting off this book until I felt guilty about it. 

Lauren and Shane are both wonderfully complex characters, with complicated back stories and deep feelings about what they care for. Although Shane could have used more softening up in the pages (most of his change was kind of in a timeskip), as I think his personality change was way too abrupt, and the jump from friends to lovers even more so. 

However, I was a most bothered by Lauren's relationship with Barbara. I understand the reason for her reaction (choosing to forgive for herself), but I find the "always forgive bad parents who seek redemption" trope to be sad, especially when being forgiving can come to great emotional cost to a child, and could allow the parent to cause more harm. I think her character was set to be absolutely pitiful in a way that would allow for Lauren's forgiveness to be acceptable. And Barbara's actions were horribly selfish, in every single point. Even if Lauren could forgive her, she's a character I came to hate in a chapter or less.

Although I had a bit of a lengthy complaint, that doesn't mean I didn't find the book to be enjoyable, it means I am done with abusive parents being forgiven by virtue of belonging to the genetic code of the child. Shoutout to Edward Dalton, a deserving, wonderful literary dad.

An Angel for Emily by Jude Deveraux

Here's the summary from Goodreads

Emily Jane Todd has just found her guardian angel. Actually, the small-town librarian had just been stood up by her fiancé when she ran into the errant angel with her car. And while he appears to be unscathed, "Michael" continues to insist that his pedigree is quite legitimate. Emily just hopes his brain hasn't been scrambled in the accident; besides, she's not inclined to believe that an angel could be so dangerously sexy. 
Yet Michael quickly reveals the most astounding things about her, and makes her laugh in a way she never has before. What's more, he declares that he's been sent to save her. At this point, the only rescue Emily has in mind is her upcoming marriage, and she's ready to bid her most attractive angel good-bye. But when he lets slip that he also looks at souls -- and hers is a rare beauty -- Emily's ready to risk heaven in his arms. Their journey will break every angelic and earthly rule before it yields her one wish: a love divine.

It wasn't bad. Emily was a kind, nice, girl next door kind of character, who suddenly comes by an angel called Michael (who isn't archangel Michael) who want to protect her from a mysterious evil. Michael was kind of exasperating at times, and it was so focused on the relationship between Emily and Michael and Emil and Donald that you could almost forget there was an evil they were supposed to be looking for. 

It was overall enjoyable, but I had higher expectations.