The Summer of Chasing Mermaids

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids
Author(s)
Publisher
Age Range
14+
Release Date
June 02, 2015
ISBN
1481401270
Buy This Book
      

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 . . .

Editor reviews

2 reviews
Beautiful! Mermaid Lore!
Overall rating
 
5.0
Plot
 
N/A
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
You know that book.

The one you want to soak up, but savor at the same time. The one that you could finish in hours, but you stretch it out over a few days. Memorizing quotes and making note of the moments that made you smile.

This is one of those books.

There is something about a Sarah Ockler book that takes me back to the first time I ever read one of her novels. Takes me back to sitting out by the pool on a hot summer day, book in my lap, sun on my face. Twenty Boy Summer was the book that sealed the deal for me on summer-fling books. Sweet and sad and beautiful.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a gorgeously charming book. I wanted to live in it.

Elyse d’Abreau is a transplant from Tobago.
She can’t speak.
She belongs to the ocean.
She can’t resist a sweet little boy on a mermaid mission and his hot, older, sailor brother.
And she doesn’t know who the great Tami Taylor is! (Ya’ll. This cracked me up! WWTTD?)!

I loved every single character this book contains. From Lemon and her coven to Vanessa and her momma. And especially Sebastian. I LOVED THEM. I want to be in Atargatis Cove immediately.

The relation to The Little Mermaid was evident and I geeked out multiple times. It’s beautifully intertwined within the pages. Little clues and easter eggs.

As always, Sarah Ockler’s writing gets me. I fall in step with it. I get caught up in the waves and tides (especially with all the ocean business in this one). It reminds me of a Sarah Dessen book, but more mature. More diverse.

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids is a stunning book about dealing with the hand life dealt you and finding your voice. The voice that you change the world with (or just a moment).

A voice, no matter how small, can make all the difference.

The perfect summer book. Equal parts romance and mermaid lore.
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 1 0

User reviews

1 review
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
5.0(1)
Characters
 
5.0(1)
Writing Style
 
4.0(1)
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A(0)
Already have an account? or Create an account
Absolutely loved it
Overall rating
 
4.7
Plot
 
N/A
Characters
 
N/A
Writing Style
 
N/A
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Elyse d’Abreau was on her way to becoming a star with her twin sister, a singing duo, when a tragic accident stole her voice. With too many memories around her island home, Elyse flees to Atargatis Cove to stay with a family friend. All she wants is quiet, to move on, to forget, and she can do that in the small town where everyone is too polite to ask questions. Except one. Playboy Christian Kane is arrogant but girls still flock to him. And Elyse can see why. He is charming and has no problem showing affection for his little brother Sebastian. When Christian needs a first mate for the Pirate Regatta, Elyse is willing to brave her fears of the water to help. But facing her fears means facing her past and all that she’s lost.

I flew through this book. I picked it up, thinking I’d read a few chapters before bed and finish it the next day. Middle of the night later and I’m turning the last page of the book. There were no more words to read. And I had no idea how that happened. It was a really cute story and made for a great summer time read.

Elyse had already been through a lot when the story started. Her whole arc was about accepting what had happened, forgiving, overcoming, and opening herself up. She was trying at the beginning but it was never going to work until she was ready. Even as she struggled with what had happened to her, she had a quiet strength and showed compassion for the people of the cove. She came to care about them and about the town.

I really liked the chemistry between Elyse and Christian. It was playful and fun and it made me smile. They were helping each other in so many ways, just by being together. There were so many colourful characters in this book, unforgettable characters. Christian’s brother Sebastian was a precious highlight, the friendship between Elyse, Kirby, and Vanessa, and Christian and Noah, and all five, was so great and fun, and felt realistic since it wasn’t all happy times between them.

I absolutely loved the small coastal town feel. It was a very familiar feeling, living by the coast myself. There was also a lot of island influence, which I loved. There were mentions of the music, the food, the people, the atmosphere, the culture, the language. I loved it all.

It was definitely an enjoyable read. A loose, contemporary retelling of The Little Mermaid and it was fun to see the references. It wasn’t just a fluffy summer read either. The book said a lot of using your voice, silencing voices, and I highly recommend reading the author’s acknowledgments in this one. Definitely worth it.
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 0 0