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Siren's Surrender (Dark Tides #2)

by Devyn Quinn (Goodreads Author)

3.59 of 5 stars 3.59 · rating details · 86 ratings · 21 reviews

Never embracing her mermaid heritage, Gwen Lonike lives in the human world as the owner of a Maine B&B. But when the gateway to a lost mermaid kingdom is opened, freeing its dangerous queen, Gwen can no longer hide, nor keep her secret from covert agent Blake Whittaker, who's assigned to trail a strange thread of paranormal activity.

How long can Gwen and her sisters r...more

Paperback, 376 pages

Published February 1st 2011 by Signet (first published December 10th 2010)

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Mermaid Romances

53rd out of 63 books — 52 voters

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen

Sea Creatures

221st out of 312 books — 496 voters

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Dec 29, 2011 Lynda Tatad rated it 4 of 5 stars

The 2nd book in the Dark Tides series picks up a few months after the events from Siren's Call.

********possible plot spoilers ********

do not read this, if you have not read the 1st book, yet!

Gwen Lonike is the middle daughter of the 3 Lonike sisters, and she refuses to embrace her Mer heritage. She lives as a human, running a motel on the mainland coast near Mer Island where eldest Sister Tessa lives with her new husband Kenneth. Tessa had opened up a portal to the lost mermaid kingdom and...more

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Jun 13, 2011 Samantha Fraenkel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, family, romance, sci-fi-fantasy

This was the first novel I have read by Devyn Quinn and while I didn't love it, I definitely liked elements of it. For starters, this is the second book in her Dark Tides series and I had not read the first novel when I read 'Siren's Surrender'. I was able to pick up the general story line from the first novel throughout my reading. After finishing the novel, I'm wondering if I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the first novel first. For example, the relationship between the three sisters...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Samantha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, paranormal

Devyn Quinn creates an intriguing and imaginative twist to her new paranormal series. The latest installation of her Dark Tides series will suck readers deep into her mythological world.

Gwen Lonike has always hated being a Mermaid. Spending her whole life denying her heritage, she is upset when she is forced to come out and help defeat the evil mermaid queen that her sister accidentally released (Siren’s Call). To make matters worst, Blake Whittaker, an FBI agent working in a special unit, shows...more Devyn Quinn creates an intriguing and imaginative twist to her new paranormal series. The latest installation of her Dark Tides series will suck readers deep into her mythological world.

Gwen Lonike has always hated being a Mermaid. Spending her whole life denying her heritage, she is upset when she is forced to come out and help defeat the evil mermaid queen that her sister accidentally released (Siren’s Call). To make matters worst, Blake Whittaker, an FBI agent working in a special unit, shows up to investigate paranormal activities that were reported in their region.

Blake is from Port Rock, Maine and is far from happy to return home. His hometown stirs up a lot of painful memories. It is rather ironic that Gwen’s love interest is a man who is afraid of the water. Blake’s mother was an alcoholic who had abused him with some very painful and disturbing tactics, so his fear is warranted. It is almost fitting that Gwen and Blake are paired up because she does deny her Mer side for the most part.

The book starts off interesting enough. We learn that Jake and the sea queen are ready to take over the sea and the land. They still need Tessa to go through the Seagate and they plan a full attack to abduct her. The government becomes involve and deem the mermaids as dangerous creatures. Gwen and her sister are detained by the government and Blake is used by his superiors to try to convince Gwen to share some of the Mer’s secrets.

This is where the story goes down hill. The bulk of the book is focused on the government trying to figure out who the Mer is and what type of powers they possessed. After a chapter or two of the constant questions and redundant dialogue, I wanted some more action. What I have noticed in this series is that sometimes the romance is lost in the story. There are so many details in the story that the author almost forget about the main characters. The world building and back story is very important but the need for the romance still need to remain forefront in the novel. Eventually she re-focuses more on Gwen and Blake at the government compound but by then, the book is almost over and I almost lost interest.

Overall, I am recommending this story to the fans of the first book and paranormal lovers. I would still pick up the next book in the series because I’m curious to know how they will finally defeat the mermaid queen.
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Jan 26, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 3 of 5 stars

Siren’s Surrender by Devyn Quinn
Paranormal Romance -Feb. 1st, 2011
3 ½ stars

This is the 2nd installment of Devyn Quinn's Dark Tides, a mermaid series in which danger lurks for the Lonike sisters.

This book focuses on the middle sister, Gwen. Gwen, unlike her other sisters, has tried to deny her mermaid heritage. She wants to be more human but this denial of her true self brings consequences. Gwen’s troubles being when her hotel in Port Rock is visited by a mysterious government agent named Blake...more Siren’s Surrender by Devyn Quinn
Paranormal Romance -Feb. 1st, 2011
3 ½ stars

This is the 2nd installment of Devyn Quinn's Dark Tides, a mermaid series in which danger lurks for the Lonike sisters.

This book focuses on the middle sister, Gwen. Gwen, unlike her other sisters, has tried to deny her mermaid heritage. She wants to be more human but this denial of her true self brings consequences. Gwen’s troubles being when her hotel in Port Rock is visited by a mysterious government agent named Blake Whittaker.

Blake’s character reminded me of the X-Files because he investigates so-called paranormal events and explains them rationally. But Blake has a past in Port Rock: he is tired and doesn't want to return to his home town where his life was a misery. The painful memories soon make him question why he agreed to this assignment. When he meets the owner of the hotel where he is staying, he soon discovers that Gwen is related to the people who inhabit the area where unusual disturbances have occurred. Gwen offers to take him to meet them (So she can control what he sees). But as soon as he arrives, strange people attack, and he is forced to believe that the paranormal may be real. But who are these violent and strange people and what do they want? Blake must find the answers before it is too late.

This is an imaginative story. I liked the idea of an X-files type agent. My main difficulty with the book is that the plot wanders and has some gaping holes. For example, I wish Blake’s past had been explained more since it is not really resolved. I even wondered why the author brought it up since it never came into the story except for the very beginning. I kept thinking he would meet someone from his past, which would add more mystery to the story.

This book also involves a treasure hunt and the characters seemed to drift off a bit then. Because of this, the characters seemed a little bland except for the youngest sister, who is distracting. I was frustrated by the youngest sister because she keeps leaking information about her family’s mermaid heritage and even tells family secrets. Since she is so open, I kept wondering how her family had maintained their identities secret for so long. This story has a lot of potential. I really enjoyed the beginning when Blake comes to investigate, but once the mayhem begins, the story feels erratic.

This book is wildly original and creative but the plot is so chaotic that it is difficult to follow. Eventually, the plot makes it hard to become seriously involved in the main characters. I have read the authors book before and enjoyed them but perhaps this series has too many ideas that do not mesh well together.

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

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Mar 30, 2011 Wendy Mitchell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-read-series

This is the second book in this series, but I had no difficulty catching up on the story, characters and previous story. The Lonicke sisters, Tessa, Gwen and Addison have were born and raised in Rock Point, Maine. They are also Mer, an entirely female race of, well obviously, mermaids. Gwen is the middle sister, and has submerged her Mer tendencies beneath years of denial, as she tries to convince herself she is completely human. Blake is an FBI agent within in the science division, who has bee...more

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Feb 12, 2011 Catherine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads-arcs-won-a-copy, fiction-vixen-reviews, bad-childhood, contemporary, crime-police-mystery-private-invest, fantasy-paranormal-sci-fi, magic-mystical-ability, prisoner-slave-kidnapped, ptsd, read-2011, romance, selkie-merpeople, series

This is book two in the Dark Tides series. I didn’t read book one but I never felt lost without it. I think the author did a good job of making this book stand on its own. So, if you’re interested in jumping right in I don’t think you should have any issues.

It was hard for me to get into the book at first because I wasn’t caught up enough to be distracted from the author’s writing style. This is not a unique style, I’ve seen it before in other books, but it’s just not for me. I could never forge...more This is book two in the Dark Tides series. I didn’t read book one but I never felt lost without it. I think the author did a good job of making this book stand on its own. So, if you’re interested in jumping right in I don’t think you should have any issues.

It was hard for me to get into the book at first because I wasn’t caught up enough to be distracted from the author’s writing style. This is not a unique style, I’ve seen it before in other books, but it’s just not for me. I could never forget that the author was telling me this story. She inserted her author voice in heavily throughout the story. Characters would have clunky chunks of explanation paired to a comment or actions that didn’t feel natural for an inner voice. Also, a lot of things were told instead of shown, and the characters did not have unique voices to help you fall into their pov’s.

I also felt that some things were a little too heavy-handed in addition to the author’s voice in the narrative. On page two--Page Two!!!--I was hit over the head with some very heavy hints about the hero’s past mother issues. I just didn’t like that. I would like some time to get to know the characters and actually start to care about them before I have to hear about their issues. Then later in the book he decides to open up and dump what would seem to me to be very private memories of his past with barely any provocation. It just seemed like an odd time and place for a heart to heart.

I found the storyline really interesting, but it didn’t lend itself very well to a Romance. There was barely any time spent on face time in the relationship because they were under lockdown for most of the book and they were on opposites sides to boot. Most of the time was spent on their captivity and the various ways they had lost their rights. I liked that the author didn’t shy away from this, but I felt it would have been a little bit better if the book had been a little darker or more intense. It was just a little too light to handle the subject well.

I also liked that the author had the hero, Blake, stay true to his job. He didn’t give up his career willy-nilly for Gwen or her family even though he had doubts about the rightness of the government’s actions. But…once again, that doesn’t lend itself very well to a Romance. It’s hard to get into a hero when he’s aligned with a group that is holding the heroine and her family prisoner and shows no sign of changing his loyalties. I may still like his narrative, but it doesn’t make him date material.

So, I liked the storyline idea, but I didn’t like it as a Romance. The actual romance was a background feature in the story and that’s not what I’m drawn to in books like this. I want to see the main characters fall in love and grow as a couple. That didn’t happen here. Honestly, I think Gwen and Blake spent under five days in each other’s company. More time than that elapsed in the story, but they weren’t hanging out together for most of it.

Because of the weakness in the romance I’m glad the author ended the book with the characters getting together but not exchanging I Love You’s. I couldn’t have swallowed it if they did. I have to admit that they did have a few inner thoughts about love before that, but I was able to ignore it while I was reading.

I don’t think I’ll rush out to buy the next book in this series, but I definitely don’t regret my time reading this one. The author has some very interesting ideas that I liked exploring.

Favorite Quote:

"Don't settle for ordinary," he told her. "There's already too damn much of that going around. Be what you really are, Gwen. Be extraordinary. Hiding who you are, what you really are, is no way to go through life."

Gwen's gaze locked with his. Her compelling green eyes glimmered with the rise of tears. "Will anyone accept what I really am?" she asked softly.

Review originally posted on Fiction Vixen.(less)

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Mar 14, 2011 Cassiel Knight rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who like stories that don't rely on sex as means for characters to fall in love.

I enjoyed this one more than I anticipated. I love mermaid stories and while the romance was fairly lackluster, I loved that I could see a romance building versus the common theme of books right now is to hop them into bed immediately or the soul/fated/destiny-mated stories. This book relied on the story - not sex and I loved that.

Oh, I didn't read the first one and only felt like I might have missed a tiny bit but not enough to ruin my enjoyment of this story. I have no plans to go back simply...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Bonnie at A Backwards Story added it

Shelves: mermaids, 2011

I picked up Devyn Quinn's DARK TIDES trilogy to read in May when it was hard for me to concentrate on books with deeper plots. Someone who knew I liked mermaids gave me the books as a gift, not realizing that I'm not a big romance novel reader. When I was talking about how I was looking for a book that didn't make me think but took my mind off life, a co-worker jokingly recommended FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. While I didn't take him up on the advice, I did remember that I had a mermaid romance series...more I picked up Devyn Quinn's DARK TIDES trilogy to read in May when it was hard for me to concentrate on books with deeper plots. Someone who knew I liked mermaids gave me the books as a gift, not realizing that I'm not a big romance novel reader. When I was talking about how I was looking for a book that didn't make me think but took my mind off life, a co-worker jokingly recommended FIFTY SHADES OF GREY. While I didn't take him up on the advice, I did remember that I had a mermaid romance series sitting unread and decided to pull the books out once and for all. While the books are traditional romance novels, there's also an overarching fantasy plot revolving around mermaids that kept my interest.

Each of the books in the trilogy centers around one of the Lonike sisters, all of which are mermaids living among us as humans. As half-mer-babies are born, if they aren't given a soul-stone, they'll never be able to tap into their mer-powers and transform later in life. The Lonike sisters are among the last of the mermaids, and they all accept--or reject--their heritage in different ways. In the first novel, SIREN'S CALL, Tessa makes the discovery of a lifetime when she finds a wormhole that's been sealed off for centuries, one full of mermaids who have been banished from the human world. These mermaids are dangerous and with a path between the two worlds once again open, may spell the end for humanity.

I enjoyed the way Quinn developed mermaid lore in new and unexpected ways. The vicious mermaids live in a gritty world on the cusp of destruction and are desperate to escape, yet they view humans as inferior beings. At times, their methods were extreme, but these same scenes also enforced the image of a savage being that's not fully human, and let's face it: Mermaids aren't fully human. The deep sea can be a wild, unruly place, and it makes sense that mermaids are more animalistic, especially when their blood hasn't been as diluted with human blood over the centuries. I really liked the inclusion of a new species of sea-being in the third book (I won't spoil what here) and wish that element had evolved further and not been left for the very end.

There's enough lore and magical elements to create a fantasy world that maintains a reader's interest even if romance novels aren't a top genre of choice.(less)

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Nov 25, 2011 Garrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mermaids-sirens-selkies, paranormal-romance, books-i-own

Siren's Surrender is the second installment of the Dark Tides mermaid trilogy by Devyn Quinn. This one is quite different from the first novel, due to the fact that humans discover the existence of the Mer, and the mermaid sisters must deal with the realization that their lives may not belong to them anymore.
Unlike the first book, this one did not have as much mermaid action as the first. There were only two scenes, both brief, of the girls in their mer forms. This book focused more on the disco...more

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Feb 25, 2013 Shanna_redwind rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, read-the-alphabet

This was an alright book. I enjoyed it, but I found the characters a bit bland. Yeah, it's probably how I would have acted if I'd been taken in by the FBI, but I expect the characters in a book to have a bit more spunk, and not just kind of shrug and accept what's happening.

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Jun 09, 2011 Blakely rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It took me a few pages to get into the story but things sped up. Once I got in the story it went quickly. I have not read the first one which would have been helpful but this one is a stand alone story too.

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May 08, 2011 Fiona rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: addictive, witch-s-wizard-s-vampire-s-n-such

LOVED THIS BOOK WOULD SERIOUSLY ADVISE ANYONE & EVERYONE TO READ THIS AS IT IS REALLY WELL WRITTEN & HAS A GREAT PLOT. IF YOU LIKE MYSTICAL BASED FICTION THEN YOU WILL LOVE THIS.

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Apr 06, 2011 Cheryl Karkoff rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Of course, I read second book before the first. I liked it different. I haven't ever read a book about mermaids.Definately have to read the next one.

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Jan 18, 2013 Stevie Carroll rated it 2 of 5 stars

One of the books I won the Christmas before last, and while I'm not a huge fan of shapeshifters in general, I do have a lot of affection for mermaid stories. Sadly this managed to incorporate a lot of the tropes of shifter stories that I don't get on with. People who like that sort of thing may well love this series.

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Feb 08, 2011 Darynda Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

MAGICAL!!!

I loved this book. You can read what it's about in the editorial section. I want to tell you about Devyn Quinn's writing. I love it. She has this way of lulling you into a blissful complacency, and just when you least expect it, her hero will say something or do something that has your heart in your throat it is so sexy and so unexpected. This story is sensual and desperate and surreal. I loved it. Loved the magic. Loved the main characters. And then there's that gorgeous cover! Just...more

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May 06, 2011 Ju rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I can't wait for the next one in the series. It was a great read.

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Mar 05, 2012 heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

itsawesome!

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Jan 08, 2011 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) marked it as to-read

1st of Feb

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May 23, 2011 Tracie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Received this as part of the Goodreads giveaway. Not my genre of choice but it was definitely a break from my usual historical fiction. I love mermaids and enjoyed the story, although the paranormal aspect threw me for a loop!!

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Apr 19, 2011 Serena marked it as to-read

February 1st 2011

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Apr 01, 2011 Ronda Tutt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantacy, erotic, paranormal-romance

review coming soon

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About Devyn Quinn

Devyn Quinn lives in the scenic Southwest, though she has called several other states home. She is a huge fan of dark gothic music & shoot-’em-up action movies. But reading is her first love and Devyn spends too much time with history books, as well as feeding her addiction for celebrity biographies. She especially enjoys reading books on Hollywood before the 1960′s and is crazy about Marilyn...more

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Siren's Surrender (Dark Tides #2)

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