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The Falling in Deep Collection
An Officer and a Mermaid
When a slave uprising threatens the life of Syreena, the daughter of an eighteenth century plantation owner, a servant uses voodoo to transform her into a mermaid. The spell will be only broken when she returns to the beach where it was cast. After three hundred years of swimming, she’s ready to trade fins for legs. The only problem is she can’t find her way home.
Dylan, a twenty-first century Coast Guard Officer, has sworn off love for the sea. When a wave throws him overboard, Syreena uses her amulet to ward off the sharks and save his life.
With Syreena and Dylan stranded on a remote cay in the Caribbean, Dylan has the know-how to build a raft and navigate but his near-drowning has made him terrified of the water. Syrenna will use every charm she has to convince Dylan to take her home.
Even if it means falling in love. . .
An Officer and a Mermaid is part of the Falling In Deep Collection. From mermaids to sirens, Miami to Athens, dark paranormal romance to contemporary stories with steam, the fifteen award-winning and best-selling authors of the “Falling in Deep Collection” are bringing you mermaid tales like you've never seen before.
Dylan, a twenty-first century Coast Guard Officer, has sworn off love for the sea. When a wave throws him overboard, Syreena uses her amulet to ward off the sharks and save his life.
With Syreena and Dylan stranded on a remote cay in the Caribbean, Dylan has the know-how to build a raft and navigate but his near-drowning has made him terrified of the water. Syrenna will use every charm she has to convince Dylan to take her home.
Even if it means falling in love. . .
An Officer and a Mermaid is part of the Falling In Deep Collection. From mermaids to sirens, Miami to Athens, dark paranormal romance to contemporary stories with steam, the fifteen award-winning and best-selling authors of the “Falling in Deep Collection” are bringing you mermaid tales like you've never seen before.
136 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2015
7 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 24, 2015
When a slave uprising threatens the life of Syreena, the daughter of an eighteenth century plantation owner, a servant uses voodoo to transform her into a mermaid. The spell will be only broken when she returns to the beach where it was cast. After three hundred years of swimming, she’s ready to trade fins for legs. The only problem is she can’t find her way home.
Dylan, a twenty-first century Coast Guard Officer, has sworn off love for the sea. When a wave throws him overboard, Syreena uses her amulet to ward off the sharks and save his life.
With Syreena and Dylan stranded on a remote cay in the Caribbean, Dylan has the know-how to build a raft and navigate but his near-drowning has made him terrified of the water. Syrenna will use every charm she has to convince Dylan to take her home.
Even if it means falling in love. . .
An Officer and a Mermaid is part of the Falling In Deep Collection. From mermaids to sirens, Miami to Athens, dark paranormal romance to contemporary stories with steam, the fifteen award-winning and best-selling authors of the “Falling in Deep Collection” are bringing you mermaid tales like you've never seen before.
Rating: 3/5 Stars (more like 3.5, actually)
Quick Reasons: mermaids!; a romance story with a plot; awesome folklore/mythology; quick, enchanting, heart-warming read; I wish there was more to it
I received this short mermaid romance novella in a recent Lit-Cube package and, at the time, remember looking at it with a quirked brow and a bit of amused derisement. The title, a clever play on “An Officer and A Gentleman” (perhaps? I don't know for certain that that's the case) had me giggling, expecting some quirky romance mostly featuring “falling in love” and “finding yourself” (among, possibly, other romance genre expectations)
I was VERY wrong, going in—because this is a pretty cute read overall! Syreena as a character is intriguing and endearing; it's made clear early on that she neither wished for this change in life OR knows how to go about getting back to “herself.” The backstory for her character is heart-wrenching, the plot action-driven and concise. This reads so smoothly, you won't realize what's happening until you've flipped to the last page and are desperate for more!
I LOVE the use of folklore, mythology, and oral narratives throughout this; I'd never heard of Mami Wata before, but now I'm curious to do some research and find out more about her—she seems like an intriguing, complex being, and might be fun to learn about. Blaire Edens obviously did her own research before starting this project; she's woven these tales, along with other historically accurate facts/knowledge, into an entertaining romance tale like you've never read before! The fact that it includes a mermaid is just the icing on the cake, in my opinion.
The writin is gorgeous; the descriptions and imagery used throughout really make the scenery, the finer details, the characters all pop to life while you're reading. You can almost SMELL the ocean, FEEL the sand beneath your feet, SEE the sun shimmering off Syreena's tail (when she HAS one, that is). There are elements of other stories woven throughout—mentions of Disney movies like Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid, which have helped to spark inspiration and make this read even more enjoyable.
The relationship between Dylan and Syreena is questionable at times, BUT when you consider they're stuck on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean with no one else to cling to...and the fact that Dylan is the first person in over 200 years to even SEE Syreena—well, it's easy to forgive the use of “love at first sight.” After all, Syreena's desperate to be human again, and was willing to make it happen no matter who she found first.
There were, admittedly, some parts of this that I wasn't so happy with. The biggest is the ending: once Syreena and Dylan are off the island and back on Saint Domingue (otherwise known as Haiti), the story comes to a very rapid and rather unsatisfying conclusion. We don't get to see Syreena break the spell; Dylan decides rather quickly (after trying to shove Syreena out of his life/force himself NOT to “love” her) that he made a pretty big mistake. Like most romance novels, the ending feels a bit flighty and forced—I wasn't convinced, at all. I wish that Blaire Edens had taken more time to develop the relationship, to give us more of the characters, and to follow this story out because the ending, to me, came off as more “convenience” than “happily ever after.” I'm not convinced Dylan, as a character, would make this decision so suddenly. I'm not so sure Syreena, described as she is throughout the story, would LET him make this decision so lightly. The sudden ending just didn't work for me.
Overall, though, this is a light, fun, summery read! I really enjoyed stepping out of my reading “comfort” zone and giving this book a try!
Dylan, a twenty-first century Coast Guard Officer, has sworn off love for the sea. When a wave throws him overboard, Syreena uses her amulet to ward off the sharks and save his life.
With Syreena and Dylan stranded on a remote cay in the Caribbean, Dylan has the know-how to build a raft and navigate but his near-drowning has made him terrified of the water. Syrenna will use every charm she has to convince Dylan to take her home.
Even if it means falling in love. . .
An Officer and a Mermaid is part of the Falling In Deep Collection. From mermaids to sirens, Miami to Athens, dark paranormal romance to contemporary stories with steam, the fifteen award-winning and best-selling authors of the “Falling in Deep Collection” are bringing you mermaid tales like you've never seen before.
Rating: 3/5 Stars (more like 3.5, actually)
Quick Reasons: mermaids!; a romance story with a plot; awesome folklore/mythology; quick, enchanting, heart-warming read; I wish there was more to it
I received this short mermaid romance novella in a recent Lit-Cube package and, at the time, remember looking at it with a quirked brow and a bit of amused derisement. The title, a clever play on “An Officer and A Gentleman” (perhaps? I don't know for certain that that's the case) had me giggling, expecting some quirky romance mostly featuring “falling in love” and “finding yourself” (among, possibly, other romance genre expectations)
I was VERY wrong, going in—because this is a pretty cute read overall! Syreena as a character is intriguing and endearing; it's made clear early on that she neither wished for this change in life OR knows how to go about getting back to “herself.” The backstory for her character is heart-wrenching, the plot action-driven and concise. This reads so smoothly, you won't realize what's happening until you've flipped to the last page and are desperate for more!
I LOVE the use of folklore, mythology, and oral narratives throughout this; I'd never heard of Mami Wata before, but now I'm curious to do some research and find out more about her—she seems like an intriguing, complex being, and might be fun to learn about. Blaire Edens obviously did her own research before starting this project; she's woven these tales, along with other historically accurate facts/knowledge, into an entertaining romance tale like you've never read before! The fact that it includes a mermaid is just the icing on the cake, in my opinion.
The writin is gorgeous; the descriptions and imagery used throughout really make the scenery, the finer details, the characters all pop to life while you're reading. You can almost SMELL the ocean, FEEL the sand beneath your feet, SEE the sun shimmering off Syreena's tail (when she HAS one, that is). There are elements of other stories woven throughout—mentions of Disney movies like Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid, which have helped to spark inspiration and make this read even more enjoyable.
The relationship between Dylan and Syreena is questionable at times, BUT when you consider they're stuck on a deserted island in the middle of the ocean with no one else to cling to...and the fact that Dylan is the first person in over 200 years to even SEE Syreena—well, it's easy to forgive the use of “love at first sight.” After all, Syreena's desperate to be human again, and was willing to make it happen no matter who she found first.
There were, admittedly, some parts of this that I wasn't so happy with. The biggest is the ending: once Syreena and Dylan are off the island and back on Saint Domingue (otherwise known as Haiti), the story comes to a very rapid and rather unsatisfying conclusion. We don't get to see Syreena break the spell; Dylan decides rather quickly (after trying to shove Syreena out of his life/force himself NOT to “love” her) that he made a pretty big mistake. Like most romance novels, the ending feels a bit flighty and forced—I wasn't convinced, at all. I wish that Blaire Edens had taken more time to develop the relationship, to give us more of the characters, and to follow this story out because the ending, to me, came off as more “convenience” than “happily ever after.” I'm not convinced Dylan, as a character, would make this decision so suddenly. I'm not so sure Syreena, described as she is throughout the story, would LET him make this decision so lightly. The sudden ending just didn't work for me.
Overall, though, this is a light, fun, summery read! I really enjoyed stepping out of my reading “comfort” zone and giving this book a try!
December 5, 2015
Like many of the reviewers here on GoodReads, I received this book as part of my Lit-Cube July subscription box, which was mermaid themed. However, unlike many of the reviewers here on GoodReads, I did not like this novella.
It's a short book, being only 131 pages, so I expected there to be very little depth to the story and characters. But the whole thing was just so very flat. I could not become invested in either character or their struggles. There was almost more information given to their having sex than there was in their getting off the island.
And, speaking of sex, really? Was it necessary to talk that much about Dylan's member? I mean, the man nearly dies, drowning while having deep cuts on his leg and head. Syreena saves him, revives him, he pukes up buckets of saltwater and then passes out. When he wakes up and see her, his first thought is how hard her body makes him? Whatever. When you nearly die, I'm pretty sure at least an hour passes before you think about having sex. And his member was a common theme throughout the book. Is that all men are about? I realize now that this is supposed to be a slightly trashy romance novella, but come on.
This is why I don't read trashy romance novels. I am not the right demographic.
It's a short book, being only 131 pages, so I expected there to be very little depth to the story and characters. But the whole thing was just so very flat. I could not become invested in either character or their struggles. There was almost more information given to their having sex than there was in their getting off the island.
And, speaking of sex, really? Was it necessary to talk that much about Dylan's member? I mean, the man nearly dies, drowning while having deep cuts on his leg and head. Syreena saves him, revives him, he pukes up buckets of saltwater and then passes out. When he wakes up and see her, his first thought is how hard her body makes him? Whatever. When you nearly die, I'm pretty sure at least an hour passes before you think about having sex. And his member was a common theme throughout the book. Is that all men are about? I realize now that this is supposed to be a slightly trashy romance novella, but come on.
This is why I don't read trashy romance novels. I am not the right demographic.
July 22, 2015
This is a great summer novella that blends past and present. I really enjoyed Syreena's backstory and thought the historical elements were handled nicely, without being overwhelming. With a good mix of romance and cute humor, Dylan and Syreena's connection was fun to read. It's perfect for a day at the beach!
August 25, 2015
I got this book in a Lit-cube and wasn't sure I'd be into it. It kept me more interested than I thought I would be. I like a book with a little sex appeal that isn't too intense. The ending could have been a little better and there were a few errors in the book. Over all I just enjoyed. It was short and sweet.
August 17, 2015
Great summer read
Loved the story, characters, and the way they all were woven together in a fantasy but realistic tale. Couldn't put it down, glad it was a novella, shorter.
Loved the story, characters, and the way they all were woven together in a fantasy but realistic tale. Couldn't put it down, glad it was a novella, shorter.
February 16, 2017
3 Stars
Unique. Fun. Flawed.
I was so intrigued in the beginning. The mix of voodoo, mermaids, and a curse was incredibly unique. However, as the story unraveled, it began to feel rushed. The ending...well, it just ended.
Unique. Fun. Flawed.
I was so intrigued in the beginning. The mix of voodoo, mermaids, and a curse was incredibly unique. However, as the story unraveled, it began to feel rushed. The ending...well, it just ended.
July 22, 2015
This was a fun, sweet beach read that is, at times, laugh out loud funny. Well-thought out, and I connected with the characters, particularly the mermaid, Syreena. Also, I was surprised by the amount of research that was interwoven into the story. Edens adds an appendix at the back that shows just how well-thought out it is - from Haitian history to voodoo magic, I never went, "Huh, that doesn't make sense.". Great world building and a hot romance.
Also, it's the perfect length for a quick read, and it never felt too rushed or too slow. Like a mermaid Goldilocks, it was just right.
Five stars for pure, unadulterated fun.
Also, it's the perfect length for a quick read, and it never felt too rushed or too slow. Like a mermaid Goldilocks, it was just right.
Five stars for pure, unadulterated fun.
June 16, 2017
Available on Kindle Unlimited.
In the past month, I have read multiple mermaid books and this one really stood out. Instead of being saved, Syreena was the one doing the saving for a change and she wasn't really the damsel in distress. She saved a man from sharks and took care of him by tending to his wounds and feeding him, showing how kickass a woman can be even in a domestic role.
Something that I really loved was Mami Watta was incorporated into the story. The backstory was perfect and Blaire pulled it off flawlessly. The whole story flowed effortlessly.
The thing that kept this from being a great story would be Syreena's dependence on finding a man. I understand that she needs to find a man to be released from her curse, but there is more to life than just a man and I am not sure how I feel about that message.
Plus there was some insta-love present between the characters, which drove me nuts.
But it was fun and quirky to read, a perfect story to read during the summer.
In the past month, I have read multiple mermaid books and this one really stood out. Instead of being saved, Syreena was the one doing the saving for a change and she wasn't really the damsel in distress. She saved a man from sharks and took care of him by tending to his wounds and feeding him, showing how kickass a woman can be even in a domestic role.
Something that I really loved was Mami Watta was incorporated into the story. The backstory was perfect and Blaire pulled it off flawlessly. The whole story flowed effortlessly.
The thing that kept this from being a great story would be Syreena's dependence on finding a man. I understand that she needs to find a man to be released from her curse, but there is more to life than just a man and I am not sure how I feel about that message.
Plus there was some insta-love present between the characters, which drove me nuts.
But it was fun and quirky to read, a perfect story to read during the summer.
January 28, 2018
The uniqueness of the story can’t compensate for the poor writing. The voodoo, change to a mermaid, live for 200+ years waiting for the perfect love to break the voodoo spell, was a brilliant idea. But the story itself didn't flow well, & the plot was full of holes that detracted from the story (every time it’s mentioned about her change from tail to legs, the time frame changes, at first it’s once a week for a few hours in her legs, then it’s daily for a few hours, then I think it’s till she gets hungry or something?). The characters were flat, not very likable or memorable. There were points in the story that held my interest, then there were other places that seemed tedious & never ending. The story left too many gaps leaving me wonder what the heck? The ending was very abrupt, I expected another chapter or an epilogue, but nope, didn’t happen. Also, for a published book, it was full of editing/proof reading problems. I would have been mad had I paid money for this, luckily it was free at the time I grabbed it on Amazon.
July 29, 2024
Syreena the daughter of an 18th century plantation owner is turned into a mermaid by a servant using voodoo. She remains a mermaid forever until the spell is broken. Dylan a 21st century Coast Guard Officer who was tossed overboard into the ocean by a wave and is saved by Syreena using her amulet. Syreena and Dylan are stranded on a deserted island in the Caribbean. Syreena and Dylan fall in love while Dylan builds a raft to take them back home. I really enjoyed this remarkable time travel romance novel.
July 12, 2024
This has been languishing on my TBR shelf for a long time (9 years 😮), but needing something to fulfill the “takes place on the ocean or on a ship” square of my summer bingo pushed me through it. I wish it had been a little better edited and a bit more flushed out. It had interesting bones but not quite there in the execution.
February 11, 2025
Good story
Good story mixed with romance and history. Enjoyed the characters and a very quick read. I wanted a little bit more at the end, but that's where my imagination must kick in. 😀
Good story mixed with romance and history. Enjoyed the characters and a very quick read. I wanted a little bit more at the end, but that's where my imagination must kick in. 😀
September 28, 2017
A good, quick fish tale
Well written, good plot and storyline, flows well, keeps reader turning pages, characters well developed, and I will recommend to friends!
Well written, good plot and storyline, flows well, keeps reader turning pages, characters well developed, and I will recommend to friends!
November 21, 2017
There's a ton of typos and mistakes in this book. Not only does this detract from the plot, but it was very rushed.
September 21, 2015
What did I think of this book? It was very blah. It was also very short. Dylan falls off a ship, Syreena finds him and saves his life. (I have to admit that it is nice to read about a woman saving the man for a change.) They spend weeks on a deserted island... excuse me... CAY... they bang and fall in love. But oh no! The angst! Dylan can't love Syreena because of his career and daughter (whom he doesn't seem the least bit concerned about getting back to) and blah, blah, blah. But in the end... SURPRISE! He does love her after all! Only it's not a surprise. Not even a little.
Overall this book didn't elicit emotion from me other than mild boredom. The sexy parts weren't that sexy. The lovey parts weren't that lovey. The angsty parts weren't that angsty. Maybe it is because everything was so rushed. Syreena is over two hundred years old. Yet, it didn't really feel like she was that old. She has been alone for so long, and that would cause some psychological issues. Yet she meets this random guy and is immediately, "Oh he's my ticket back to reality!" And she seduces him and sleeps with him all without thought. That just didn't strike me as even remotely believable for someone who has had zero human contact in over two hundred years. But I guess maybe if she was THAT desperate to be human again...
Maybe if the story hadn't been so rushed, and character development had been incorporated, then this would have been a better read. But as it stands now... it will go into my "read it and forget it" pile.
Also, the editing is terrible to nonexistent. There is an entire paragraph that is repeated, missing words, wrong words, etc. Not something I want to see in a published work that I paid for.
If for whatever reason you were thinking of purchasing this book outside of a LitCube subscription, save your money for something else.
Overall this book didn't elicit emotion from me other than mild boredom. The sexy parts weren't that sexy. The lovey parts weren't that lovey. The angsty parts weren't that angsty. Maybe it is because everything was so rushed. Syreena is over two hundred years old. Yet, it didn't really feel like she was that old. She has been alone for so long, and that would cause some psychological issues. Yet she meets this random guy and is immediately, "Oh he's my ticket back to reality!" And she seduces him and sleeps with him all without thought. That just didn't strike me as even remotely believable for someone who has had zero human contact in over two hundred years. But I guess maybe if she was THAT desperate to be human again...
Maybe if the story hadn't been so rushed, and character development had been incorporated, then this would have been a better read. But as it stands now... it will go into my "read it and forget it" pile.
Also, the editing is terrible to nonexistent. There is an entire paragraph that is repeated, missing words, wrong words, etc. Not something I want to see in a published work that I paid for.
If for whatever reason you were thinking of purchasing this book outside of a LitCube subscription, save your money for something else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2015
I got this book in a book box. It was a cute story. I enjoyed the fact that she started off as a human and became a mermaid. I feel so much more could have been done with the story.
When Dylan was making the raft I feel like we could have gotten a little more details on everything. Was there shelter on it? How big was it? How big was the metal piece?
It was cute but short. As I was reading it I saw a lot of mistakes with pronouns and sentence structure and it threw me out of the story. There was also a paragraph towards the end of the book that was repeated one after the other. It was one of those things that I would figure an editor or publisher would have noticed.
Overall decent story just wish there was more development to it.
When Dylan was making the raft I feel like we could have gotten a little more details on everything. Was there shelter on it? How big was it? How big was the metal piece?
It was cute but short. As I was reading it I saw a lot of mistakes with pronouns and sentence structure and it threw me out of the story. There was also a paragraph towards the end of the book that was repeated one after the other. It was one of those things that I would figure an editor or publisher would have noticed.
Overall decent story just wish there was more development to it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2015
I received this book in my July LitCube and when I saw the cover I rolled my eyes lol. I thought it would be super cheesy. Plus I don't always reach for adult novels when I can read YA. But the premise sounded really cool and I figured it's short so it will be an easy read. I did enjoy the story overall. I wish it was longer and that we would have got more background on the characters. I would have given it more stars but the spelling, grammar and repeat sentences were too much to ignore. I expect a finished book to not have as many of these issues as this book did. I don't think anyone beta read this for the author or edited it unfortunately.
July 29, 2015
I received this book with my July Lit-Cube.
Again, it was not something I probably would have picked up if it hadn't been in the box, but it may have caught my eye in the right circumstance. The story was okay, but the cover models don't look much like described, while that isn't a big deal, it was something I noticed. Something else I noticed: The amount of typos, missing words, duplicate paragraphs, was astounding.
All that aside, if you're into mermaids and romance novels, I'd recommend this book over some others.
Again, it was not something I probably would have picked up if it hadn't been in the box, but it may have caught my eye in the right circumstance. The story was okay, but the cover models don't look much like described, while that isn't a big deal, it was something I noticed. Something else I noticed: The amount of typos, missing words, duplicate paragraphs, was astounding.
All that aside, if you're into mermaids and romance novels, I'd recommend this book over some others.
May 25, 2016
I really wanted to give this 2.5 stars. It's a really interesting storyline, & I enjoyed the historical & mythical bits. The writing was somewhat simplistic, which isn't terrible but the characters definitely could have had more depth. Definitely felt as though the writer is fairly early in her career, but a solid beginning effort. A fun & easy beach read.
*I received this as part of the LitCube subscription box July 2015*
*I received this as part of the LitCube subscription box July 2015*
August 29, 2016
The myth and the reality
The dream of a beautiful mermaid that rescues a sailor has origins far In the past. This story has Voodoo mixed into the French Revolution and a time span over 240 years, a twist on the usual story. A Coast Guard career officer meets a French mermaid, changing both of them. He can't go into the water and she has lost her fins. A cute story about an age-old theme.
The dream of a beautiful mermaid that rescues a sailor has origins far In the past. This story has Voodoo mixed into the French Revolution and a time span over 240 years, a twist on the usual story. A Coast Guard career officer meets a French mermaid, changing both of them. He can't go into the water and she has lost her fins. A cute story about an age-old theme.
June 29, 2015
I definitely like the concept of this mermaid story. It went from historical to present day. And instead of her starting out as a mermaid, she was transformed into one. This was a good read, but I would love to see more like this with more depth and description and travel a bit farther. I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 9, 2015
Quick and Easy Read
I loved the idea of the story and it was certainly quick paced. However, the characters seemed a little shallow to me or perhaps not completely fleshed out. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
I loved the idea of the story and it was certainly quick paced. However, the characters seemed a little shallow to me or perhaps not completely fleshed out. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.
June 26, 2016
Ok
I would give this book five stars if it didn't have so much romance. I thought it was gonna be not as mushy as it was.... I really liked this book though. I wish syreena could have stayed a mermaids..:( good book . I got for free and I really liked it
I would give this book five stars if it didn't have so much romance. I thought it was gonna be not as mushy as it was.... I really liked this book though. I wish syreena could have stayed a mermaids..:( good book . I got for free and I really liked it
August 5, 2015
cute novella that came with my July Lit-Cube box
August 8, 2015
recieved this book in my july lit cube. this was a fun cute read. i imagine how it could have turned out if it was a full length novel .
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews