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The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate
Mermen... pirates... lashings of salty m/m romance and a twisty, turny adventure! Give it a go, and feel the love!
"Raef, a lonely merman, spends his days watching the dashing Lord Haverford from afar and dreaming of love. When Haverford is robbed by a pirate, Raef vows to reclaim the stolen goods, hoping his victory will buy him the happiness he yearns for with Haverford. But Jon Kemp does not match what Raef knows about pirates, and the simple quest Raef anticipated turns out to be an epic journey. For while Jon might be a nobler man than Raef believed, he's still a pirate. Love and loyalty are not on Jon's agenda, and he certainly has no plans to love someone not entirely human..."
"Raef, a lonely merman, spends his days watching the dashing Lord Haverford from afar and dreaming of love. When Haverford is robbed by a pirate, Raef vows to reclaim the stolen goods, hoping his victory will buy him the happiness he yearns for with Haverford. But Jon Kemp does not match what Raef knows about pirates, and the simple quest Raef anticipated turns out to be an epic journey. For while Jon might be a nobler man than Raef believed, he's still a pirate. Love and loyalty are not on Jon's agenda, and he certainly has no plans to love someone not entirely human..."
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 29, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
September 15, 2014
3.5 stars
Oh, my little flowers, I hate to break it to you but there is no kinky tailfin sex in this novel. I repeat – no kinky tailfin sex. For that matter there’s no kinky pirate sex either, not that I know what that involves. A peg leg? Hm. Anyway, I didn’t get this for kinky sex, but for the pretty cover. It worked out well for me – The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate is as sweet a fairy tale as the cover promises.
Our story begins with young merboy Raef learning about true love at his mother’s, um, tailfin. Years later Raef runs away from his restrictive mertribe, only to find the man who may be his truelove in the handsome Lord Haverford. He also meets Jon Kemp, a thieving Barbarian Pirate. Neither man is what he assumes them to be.
I was a bit impatient with Raef’s naivety – any reader could see that Lord Haverford is a douche & Jon Kemp is a sexy Robin Hood figure. Eventually Raef recognizes his error and from there I loved the romance between Raef & Jon. Raef longs to experience Jon’s “flesh sword” (heh) and Jon wants Raef but, like many a traditional hero, he’s a bit of a commitmentphobe. Oh Jon, you silly pirate, don’t you know you’re in a romance novel? 
Is that a flesh sword in your hand or are you just happy to see me?
I have a few tiny niggles about the book though. The language is a tad too flowery. For instance:
Raef wished it could go on forever, but his peak rushed upon him, an unstoppable high tide that smashed him into a scattering spray of bliss.
Uh huh. I had another small issue with the subplot. There’s a question of who has the right to inherit property – a man or a woman. Historically speaking the answer would be neither – the man can’t for spoilery reasons and until 1870 British women weren’t allowed. However, I tried to ignore this as the book is not an historical novel – it’s a book about a merman and therefore a fantasy.
Those problems aside, I really enjoyed The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate and I’ll be moving a book I already own by Kay Berrisford, Lord of the Forest, further up my to-read list.
**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Want to read
August 11, 2015*flails*
I LOVE PIRATES!
*squeaks*
I LOVE MERMAIDS!
TOGETHER!!!!!!!! IN THE SAME STORY?!!!
I LOVE PIRATES!
*squeaks*
I LOVE MERMAIDS!
TOGETHER!!!!!!!! IN THE SAME STORY?!!!
Read
June 13, 2023Lo siento. No ha sido el momento ideal para leer la novela, me ha parecido tierna, sí, pero creo que si hago una reseña en este momento no le haría justicia. Volveré a leer más de la autora, pero cuando encuentre el momento ideal.
September 21, 2019
Mark B. Knight absolutely delivered on the narration here. So well animated and voiced...made the whole experience better.
April 15, 2020
3.5 Stars
Review:
This was a cute book! It had likeable, kind-hearted characters (don't let the title fool you), a sweet romance, and a fairly simple but good story. Also a merman and a pirate---two of my favorite things to read about! There wasn't exactly much pirating, but still. I will say though that I couldn't stand the audiobook narration by Mark B. Knight and gave up, switching to text-to-speech instead. The narrator kinda reminded me of Jim Dale, whose narration I also can't stand. He also took a lot of weird pauses in the middle of sentences, and the voice he did for the main character sounded like a bad imitation of a child. So, to summarize, not a fan of the audio, but I did enjoy the story.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
Review:
This was a cute book! It had likeable, kind-hearted characters (don't let the title fool you), a sweet romance, and a fairly simple but good story. Also a merman and a pirate---two of my favorite things to read about! There wasn't exactly much pirating, but still. I will say though that I couldn't stand the audiobook narration by Mark B. Knight and gave up, switching to text-to-speech instead. The narrator kinda reminded me of Jim Dale, whose narration I also can't stand. He also took a lot of weird pauses in the middle of sentences, and the voice he did for the main character sounded like a bad imitation of a child. So, to summarize, not a fan of the audio, but I did enjoy the story.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 19, 2014
I just finish this book and I'm sort of speechless, so, dear reader of this review, sorry if I babble
A slow adventure, or a heartbreaking romance? Which is the better description of this book?
Simple... Both.
Raef and the barbarian Pirate, Jon Kemp. What can a simple merman, outcast, a loner as Raef can find searching for the love of his life?
Growing up as a romantic merman Raef believe he will fall in love, find his prince between humans... Because he has never found in his submerged city.
It's an adventurous story, but not a fast passed book. And I loved it! The perfect combination between adventure and romance! I always adored adventure in a fantasy book, but I also treasure a believable romance... So, YEAH! It was perfect for me!
So, Raef... As a merman what I was hoping to read?
I knew it would be all from his perspective, so I was hoping to read about his tail (check... There was clear description), his breath under or above the water (check, it was in the book), his people (check), his dreams about humans and cities above the land (check... Again had what I ask for)... Everything I wanted, I had!. I will not lie, I WANT a merman story with A LOT OF details about his life and I'm very satisfied with what I had reading this book.
And now... Do I want more...
The heartbreaking end finish the story. Don't fear a cliffhanger... There isn't. The story ended BUT I WANT MORE!
Many times I finish a book with a smile, and a long sigh. This time no... I let out a long audible and happy breath, true, but I can't stop thinking about it... The adventures.... Of Raef, the merman and Jon, the barbarian pirate.... And yeah, one book wasn't enough!!!!!
5 stars
A slow adventure, or a heartbreaking romance? Which is the better description of this book?
Simple... Both.
Raef and the barbarian Pirate, Jon Kemp. What can a simple merman, outcast, a loner as Raef can find searching for the love of his life?
Growing up as a romantic merman Raef believe he will fall in love, find his prince between humans... Because he has never found in his submerged city.
It's an adventurous story, but not a fast passed book. And I loved it! The perfect combination between adventure and romance! I always adored adventure in a fantasy book, but I also treasure a believable romance... So, YEAH! It was perfect for me!
So, Raef... As a merman what I was hoping to read?
I knew it would be all from his perspective, so I was hoping to read about his tail (check... There was clear description), his breath under or above the water (check, it was in the book), his people (check), his dreams about humans and cities above the land (check... Again had what I ask for)... Everything I wanted, I had!. I will not lie, I WANT a merman story with A LOT OF details about his life and I'm very satisfied with what I had reading this book.
And now... Do I want more...
The heartbreaking end finish the story. Don't fear a cliffhanger... There isn't. The story ended BUT I WANT MORE!
Many times I finish a book with a smile, and a long sigh. This time no... I let out a long audible and happy breath, true, but I can't stop thinking about it... The adventures.... Of Raef, the merman and Jon, the barbarian pirate.... And yeah, one book wasn't enough!!!!!
5 stars
December 11, 2016
This was sweet, entertaining and I loved it.
A merman who longs for true love
and a pirate who believes in anything but.
with some sick-psychotic characters in there.
their journey/adventure was very entertaining with humor, angst and anticipation.
This was my first merman story so I didn't know what to expect but the story was very captivating.
A merman who longs for true love
and a pirate who believes in anything but.
with some sick-psychotic characters in there.
their journey/adventure was very entertaining with humor, angst and anticipation.
This was my first merman story so I didn't know what to expect but the story was very captivating.
December 15, 2016
Fun adventure! The ending gave off the "i need to finish it soon" vibes, but overall a great read :)
4.25 stars.
4.25 stars.
July 3, 2025
"Once his choice was made, he realized it'd been no choice at all."
This is an interesting story! It has a nice plot, great characters and a happy ending!
Nonetheless, there are some things that I would change.
For starters, this book was filled with sexual innuendo up 'til the last page, something I'm not keen on. Moreover, the side characters, although interesting, felt a bit underdeveloped, as did the whole plot, to be honest; the ideas were there, but I think they could've been developed further. Additionally, there were bits of the dialogue that I felt were too awkward, especially when Kemp would refer to Raef as "little merman".
All in all, it was still a good read, therefore I can recommend this book, but brace yourselves for a lot of yearning (and spice).
This is an interesting story! It has a nice plot, great characters and a happy ending!
Nonetheless, there are some things that I would change.
For starters, this book was filled with sexual innuendo up 'til the last page, something I'm not keen on. Moreover, the side characters, although interesting, felt a bit underdeveloped, as did the whole plot, to be honest; the ideas were there, but I think they could've been developed further. Additionally, there were bits of the dialogue that I felt were too awkward, especially when Kemp would refer to Raef as "little merman".
All in all, it was still a good read, therefore I can recommend this book, but brace yourselves for a lot of yearning (and spice).
July 13, 2015
3.5 stars I waffled on the rating for this. There were parts that I loved and would give 4 stars too, mainly any scene with Raef and John Kemp together. But there were also scenes I skimmed through, mostly Raef's lengthy inner monologue or waxing poetic. There was one section of several pages that was backstory that I actually skipped entirely. I meant to come back to it, but then they seemed to summarize it in one page so I didn't bother
But I really liked the main premise of the story. I liked Raef in a lot of ways, and of course I loved (translation: am hot for) The Dread Pirate John Kemp. And although I appreciate the need for the outside story to propel things, I would have been completely content to just have it be character driven with Raef and Kemp figuring out their mer-pirate relationship.
One random niggle, I like my books to be clear on what they are. I was thinking of this as a historical with fantasy elements, then there was one random automaton. Huh? So, is this steampunk? There were no other steampunk elements. And then the automaton didn't even play a major role, so why include it at all?
Overall, a fun and out-of-the-norm adventure that could have used a tad more focus... and a second sex scene. :)
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
But I really liked the main premise of the story. I liked Raef in a lot of ways, and of course I loved (translation: am hot for) The Dread Pirate John Kemp. And although I appreciate the need for the outside story to propel things, I would have been completely content to just have it be character driven with Raef and Kemp figuring out their mer-pirate relationship.
One random niggle, I like my books to be clear on what they are. I was thinking of this as a historical with fantasy elements, then there was one random automaton. Huh? So, is this steampunk? There were no other steampunk elements. And then the automaton didn't even play a major role, so why include it at all?
Overall, a fun and out-of-the-norm adventure that could have used a tad more focus... and a second sex scene. :)
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
May 24, 2015
★★★☆☆
Raef is a naive merman who knows from an early age he wants his prince, not princess, however his tribe doesn't look on that kindly so Raef leaves to find his man. He finds Jon Kemp, a pirate seemingly like Robin Hood, and goes on an adventure to right a wrong and finds love and forever after on the high seas.
A sweet fairy tale.
Raef is a naive merman who knows from an early age he wants his prince, not princess, however his tribe doesn't look on that kindly so Raef leaves to find his man. He finds Jon Kemp, a pirate seemingly like Robin Hood, and goes on an adventure to right a wrong and finds love and forever after on the high seas.
A sweet fairy tale.
July 26, 2014
Kay Berrisford’s The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate might sound like a classic bodice ripper, but it isn’t. It is, by turns, whimsical, dramatic, and even thought-provoking—a blend of fairy tale, high sea adventure, and cautionary tale. All right, yes, it does have a touch of the bodice ripper, but it’s a very light and self-aware one. I can imagine Berrisford giving us a wink and a nudge whenever scenes arise that would normally precede a breathless ravishing (good and bad) and then breezily turning us down a different path from what’s expected. Only slightly different, though, because despite the engaging effervescence of the story, complications tend to hew to familiar tropes, and a number of plot turns and revelations are somewhat contrived.
There are secrets and misunderstandings as well as a good deal of inner struggles in Raef, whose point of view guides us through the novel. He’s the classic innocent about to have his world turned upside-down, his idealized views suffering a bit of a battering. It’s for this reason those misunderstandings and secrets are able to work despite their being an overused romantic complication. It’s also for this reason we get to enjoy – and empathize with – painful lessons he learns about human nature, physical beauty, love, and willful ignorance. Despite his naïveté, Raef’s no dummy, and when he’s burned, he knows to back away from the fire again and again and again. And though he still suffers from an occasional error in judgment, he’s quick to realize it and is always proactive in turning things around. The wide-eyed innocent is no nebbish who needs constant rescuing; if he still falls short in getting himself out of a sticky situation, he at least meets Kemp halfway.
The setting is nicely detailed, though the mer world could’ve used a bit of development, considering how alien its residents are to the human world. There’s a great deal of beauty to revel in, given Raef’s description both as a merman and a human, as well as a rich and varied culture with the bazaars and the elders and their grim traditions. As it stands, we’re left defaulting to images from popular culture (see: The Little Mermaid, complete with King Triton’s heavy-handed treatment of Ariel). The human world as well as the Alice O’Shanty, in contrast, are nicely detailed without weighing scenes down with too much atmosphere and trivialities.
I suppose the only niggle I have involves the minor characters. There’s a painful lesson on love at first sight, and when Raef finally discovers the complexity of human nature, the minor characters involved turn one-dimensional. The beautiful villain, up close, is actually ugly or has ugly details in his features Raef couldn’t see from a distance. Moreover, the villain is evil through and through, his mother just as twisted, and everyone under his thumb and working for him (save for Stephen) is physically ugly and equally as bad as their master. The good guys are very good or at least pure in heart and are honorable, and they’re either physically beautiful or scarred but still good-looking if Raef were to stand still and look. Ali, Henna, and Galyna are at least peripheral characters, and they’re appropriately painted with less detailed brushstrokes. That said, I still regret the lack of attention given the mer world, considering the maturation process Raef goes through by being subjected to the human world. It would’ve provided us with an excellent mirror held up to the wild unpredictability of mortals, especially when we consider the heartbreaking ambivalence Ali feels toward his lot, and Henna’s own rebellious stand against her father.
This was an enjoyable read overall. Despite what I felt are its shortcomings, I really had fun with it, and I highly recommend an evening immersed in this book, with a cup of hot tea and some macaroons. I’ve never read a novel cover-to-cover in one sitting before; I happily did it with this.
There are secrets and misunderstandings as well as a good deal of inner struggles in Raef, whose point of view guides us through the novel. He’s the classic innocent about to have his world turned upside-down, his idealized views suffering a bit of a battering. It’s for this reason those misunderstandings and secrets are able to work despite their being an overused romantic complication. It’s also for this reason we get to enjoy – and empathize with – painful lessons he learns about human nature, physical beauty, love, and willful ignorance. Despite his naïveté, Raef’s no dummy, and when he’s burned, he knows to back away from the fire again and again and again. And though he still suffers from an occasional error in judgment, he’s quick to realize it and is always proactive in turning things around. The wide-eyed innocent is no nebbish who needs constant rescuing; if he still falls short in getting himself out of a sticky situation, he at least meets Kemp halfway.
The setting is nicely detailed, though the mer world could’ve used a bit of development, considering how alien its residents are to the human world. There’s a great deal of beauty to revel in, given Raef’s description both as a merman and a human, as well as a rich and varied culture with the bazaars and the elders and their grim traditions. As it stands, we’re left defaulting to images from popular culture (see: The Little Mermaid, complete with King Triton’s heavy-handed treatment of Ariel). The human world as well as the Alice O’Shanty, in contrast, are nicely detailed without weighing scenes down with too much atmosphere and trivialities.
I suppose the only niggle I have involves the minor characters. There’s a painful lesson on love at first sight, and when Raef finally discovers the complexity of human nature, the minor characters involved turn one-dimensional. The beautiful villain, up close, is actually ugly or has ugly details in his features Raef couldn’t see from a distance. Moreover, the villain is evil through and through, his mother just as twisted, and everyone under his thumb and working for him (save for Stephen) is physically ugly and equally as bad as their master. The good guys are very good or at least pure in heart and are honorable, and they’re either physically beautiful or scarred but still good-looking if Raef were to stand still and look. Ali, Henna, and Galyna are at least peripheral characters, and they’re appropriately painted with less detailed brushstrokes. That said, I still regret the lack of attention given the mer world, considering the maturation process Raef goes through by being subjected to the human world. It would’ve provided us with an excellent mirror held up to the wild unpredictability of mortals, especially when we consider the heartbreaking ambivalence Ali feels toward his lot, and Henna’s own rebellious stand against her father.
This was an enjoyable read overall. Despite what I felt are its shortcomings, I really had fun with it, and I highly recommend an evening immersed in this book, with a cup of hot tea and some macaroons. I’ve never read a novel cover-to-cover in one sitting before; I happily did it with this.
August 5, 2014
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy
THE MERMAN AND THE BARBARIAN PIRATE was one of those books that captured me with the beautiful cover and failed to live up to the expectation it set. Though intriguing, THE MERMAN AND THE BARBARIAN PIRATE felt shallow and lacking in development.
The main character, Raef, narrated the story and that was part of my complaint. His voice felt so young and naive – partly, I understand, because he was encountering humans for the first time, but he still seemed to lack any kind of common sense at times. His never-ending narration was cloying and there was the definite tendency to tell, not show, which was frustrating.
The storyline itself was fun, and action packed, but not much could make up for the negative feelings I had toward Raef, even the pirate falling in love plotline, which is one of my favorites. It was at least never dull, as Raef was always getting into some sort of trouble, and seeing how he extricated helped me keep reading.
THE MERMEN AND THE BARBARIAN PIRATE may appeal to some readers, but others may find that the action and interesting world Berrisford created can’t make up for an irritating main character. This is one I would definitely recommend reading an excerpt before buying.
Sexual content: Sex scenes, references to rape
THE MERMAN AND THE BARBARIAN PIRATE was one of those books that captured me with the beautiful cover and failed to live up to the expectation it set. Though intriguing, THE MERMAN AND THE BARBARIAN PIRATE felt shallow and lacking in development.
The main character, Raef, narrated the story and that was part of my complaint. His voice felt so young and naive – partly, I understand, because he was encountering humans for the first time, but he still seemed to lack any kind of common sense at times. His never-ending narration was cloying and there was the definite tendency to tell, not show, which was frustrating.
The storyline itself was fun, and action packed, but not much could make up for the negative feelings I had toward Raef, even the pirate falling in love plotline, which is one of my favorites. It was at least never dull, as Raef was always getting into some sort of trouble, and seeing how he extricated helped me keep reading.
THE MERMEN AND THE BARBARIAN PIRATE may appeal to some readers, but others may find that the action and interesting world Berrisford created can’t make up for an irritating main character. This is one I would definitely recommend reading an excerpt before buying.
Sexual content: Sex scenes, references to rape
June 20, 2014
First, I love the cover. Gorgeous art.
I've read some mermaid/merman romances before, but in each the couple was heterosexual, so it was nice to see the same treatment done between two men. I was drawn to this story because of the merman falls for pirate aspect. The book read a lot like Robin Hood at parts, what with Jon stealing from the rich to give to the poor or wronged. I liked that. It was an interesting twist to the story.
I also like Raef. He doesn't fall in love with Jon right away. No, half the book is him fighting his attraction and trying to stay loyal to Lord Haverford. He denies it and refuses to believe his feelings.
There was one scene, though, that struck me as ridiculous and I had to laugh and kind of cringed my way through it, and that was the love scene. I just felt like, what the hell are they doing? They really should be focused on other things right now. I kept waiting for them to get caught.
Other than that, the book really was good. I also liked the touch with the automaton. I was not expecting that at all, though it did feel as if it wasn't full developed. It's mentioned once, it's plotted to be used another time, and then that doesn't fall through. I mean, it does make sense why it wasn't used, but considering how steampunk-y that felt, I thought it would have made a bigger appearance, even if the rest of the book did not read as steampunk.
I've read some mermaid/merman romances before, but in each the couple was heterosexual, so it was nice to see the same treatment done between two men. I was drawn to this story because of the merman falls for pirate aspect. The book read a lot like Robin Hood at parts, what with Jon stealing from the rich to give to the poor or wronged. I liked that. It was an interesting twist to the story.
I also like Raef. He doesn't fall in love with Jon right away. No, half the book is him fighting his attraction and trying to stay loyal to Lord Haverford. He denies it and refuses to believe his feelings.
There was one scene, though, that struck me as ridiculous and I had to laugh and kind of cringed my way through it, and that was the love scene. I just felt like, what the hell are they doing? They really should be focused on other things right now. I kept waiting for them to get caught.
Other than that, the book really was good. I also liked the touch with the automaton. I was not expecting that at all, though it did feel as if it wasn't full developed. It's mentioned once, it's plotted to be used another time, and then that doesn't fall through. I mean, it does make sense why it wasn't used, but considering how steampunk-y that felt, I thought it would have made a bigger appearance, even if the rest of the book did not read as steampunk.
July 5, 2014
This proved to be a quick, fun read. The protagonist, merman Raef, seemed a likeable if ridiculously naive fellow, with at eye for handsome nobleman. It was quite bittersweet watching his innocence get him into trouble - at times I wanted to slap him - but fun to watch him learn and, eventually, fall in love. It did feel a little sappy at times, and things worked out all very neat and tidily, but it was an enjoyable, rollicking tale.
May 16, 2023
This story was so SO incredibly sweet!
Some good points from my point of view:
- the pacing: from the first page to the last, I really enjoyed that reading. The pacing was so enjoyable (save the end that was maybe a bit rushed): nothing felt overlooked or dragged for too long, and I really liked how the author didn't try to drown us in too many plot lines and really kept the focus on a few elements.
- the characters: Raef was such a sweetheart, and I loved how his innocence was shown, without turning him into an annoying main character (which imo happens in a lot of works, no matter if we're talking about books or movies/tv shows, where they kind of mix naivety with "stupidity"). And Jon Kemp! Omg, thank you for making a romantic interest so respectful!
- the setting: idk if it's because I'm highly expecting The Little Mermaid that is about the come out, but damn did I want to read a story about a pirate with his merman.
- the writing: this is the type of writing that I personally prefer, one that doesn't waste too much time trying to put beautiful words at every corner of sentences but that somehow manages to draw vivid pictures in your mind by giving enough to your imagination! Also, idk if that is influenced by the fact that english isn't my first language, but I liked being in the same situation as Raef, by not understanding what Jon was saying sometimes haha.
The mer people and maybe some of the secondary characters would have deserved more development, but considering the length of the work, this is something I am willing to overlook.
Overall, I really recommend this book if you're looking for a fun, sweet and moderately steamy romance, with a touch of fantasy and adventures in the beautiful seas!
Some good points from my point of view:
- the pacing: from the first page to the last, I really enjoyed that reading. The pacing was so enjoyable (save the end that was maybe a bit rushed): nothing felt overlooked or dragged for too long, and I really liked how the author didn't try to drown us in too many plot lines and really kept the focus on a few elements.
- the characters: Raef was such a sweetheart, and I loved how his innocence was shown, without turning him into an annoying main character (which imo happens in a lot of works, no matter if we're talking about books or movies/tv shows, where they kind of mix naivety with "stupidity"). And Jon Kemp! Omg, thank you for making a romantic interest so respectful!
- the setting: idk if it's because I'm highly expecting The Little Mermaid that is about the come out, but damn did I want to read a story about a pirate with his merman.
- the writing: this is the type of writing that I personally prefer, one that doesn't waste too much time trying to put beautiful words at every corner of sentences but that somehow manages to draw vivid pictures in your mind by giving enough to your imagination! Also, idk if that is influenced by the fact that english isn't my first language, but I liked being in the same situation as Raef, by not understanding what Jon was saying sometimes haha.
The mer people and maybe some of the secondary characters would have deserved more development, but considering the length of the work, this is something I am willing to overlook.
Overall, I really recommend this book if you're looking for a fun, sweet and moderately steamy romance, with a touch of fantasy and adventures in the beautiful seas!
March 12, 2017
3,5 stars
The little mermaid gay with pirates and a happy end. Ok not quite, the story is decent the instant attraction was somewhat annoying. I was excieted to read this book and had high hopes of a good fantasy story, the potential was there and sadly just the potential.
The little mermaid gay with pirates and a happy end. Ok not quite, the story is decent the instant attraction was somewhat annoying. I was excieted to read this book and had high hopes of a good fantasy story, the potential was there and sadly just the potential.
January 14, 2022
2,75/5
August 10, 2017
Kay Berrisford is one of my favourite authors, and I'm not sure how I missed this one - I'm just glad I found it! The story is adorable and exciting, and I loved all the characters.
September 5, 2014
This review can be found at The Blogger Girls.
When the elders of his mertribe tell Raef he must marry and foster babies, Raef vows it won’t happen and instead, leaves his tribe to find the love he’s always wanted, which leads him to the shores of Lord Haverford’s home. Watching Haverford for a summer, Raef fancies himself in love with the dashing lord but cautious in approaching the lord for fear of rejection. When pirates steal a precious ring from Haverford, Raef believes it’s the perfect opportunity to attract Haverford’s attention. All Raef has to do is steal the ring back. Unfortunately, that proves easier said than done when Raef’s caught in the act and held aboard the pirates’ ship. But while he’s there, Raef’s feelings of love and loyalty start to waver when the captain of the ship, Jon Kemp, shows Raef more kindness than pirates should. And when Raef learns why Jon stole the ring and who Haverford really is, it confuses Raef’s intentions even more. When Jon gives him the opportunity to help, will that lead Raef to a love that’s real or a future heartbreak?
Oh, how I adored this story! And I will freely admit that my little summary does not do the book justice AT ALL. You may be thinking that the book is more about Haverford than Jon but, no, that’s not the case. In fact, this is a love story through and through with Raef and Jon circling around the very real connection between them. Raef goes through a lot to come to terms with what he believes love is and he’s so stuck on having a prince of his own that he won’t even think of Jon as anything but the barbarian pirate who stole from HIS lord. Thankfully, Raef realizes that not everything he learned as a kid was true and that growing up to believe all kluggites (what the merpeople call pirates) are evil is very inaccurate. Jon is the opposite and doesn’t believe in love at all. He’ll never marry and he’ll never have a long-term lover. After all, Jon’s a pirate who doesn’t keep his treasure. Who’s to say he won’t get bored of Raef soon enough and toss him aside for another? (He doesn’t THANK GOD!)
I loved the constant struggle Raef had on believing and helping Jon. It was interesting to see how Raef would vow not to feel anything for Jon but then get jealous or angry over the thought of someone else having Jon. I just absolutely adored Raef because, as a merman, he’s very innocent and naive when it comes to humans. There was a huge language barrier between Raef and the humans so he didn’t understand half of what was being said even if they were speaking English! I found that so funny and cute because he would take phrases or words literally. At the same time, I loved Jon because he wasn’t the classic pirate. Sure, he was once that barbarian pirate but now he’s more of a Robin Hood pirate – taking from the rich to give to the poor. He’s rich enough himself that now he helps the lower class whenever he can. Like in this book where he’s trying to help a woman claim her birth right from the slimy Lord Haverford.
Overall, this was a book filled with rich detail, suspenseful adventures and a slow burn love story. The connection between Raef and Jon is intense and sweet and I loved that they had such feelings for each other but were afraid to accept those emotions. It was a sweet moment when they finally embraced what was right in front of them. At the same time, the piratical adventures they go on were blazes of fun, with amusing moments tossed in here and there. I loved the world that was created and how the mertribe still played a role in the end. I hope one day the author will consider revisiting this world because I’d love to see more of Jon and Raef and all of the Alice O’Shanty pirates one day soon.
When the elders of his mertribe tell Raef he must marry and foster babies, Raef vows it won’t happen and instead, leaves his tribe to find the love he’s always wanted, which leads him to the shores of Lord Haverford’s home. Watching Haverford for a summer, Raef fancies himself in love with the dashing lord but cautious in approaching the lord for fear of rejection. When pirates steal a precious ring from Haverford, Raef believes it’s the perfect opportunity to attract Haverford’s attention. All Raef has to do is steal the ring back. Unfortunately, that proves easier said than done when Raef’s caught in the act and held aboard the pirates’ ship. But while he’s there, Raef’s feelings of love and loyalty start to waver when the captain of the ship, Jon Kemp, shows Raef more kindness than pirates should. And when Raef learns why Jon stole the ring and who Haverford really is, it confuses Raef’s intentions even more. When Jon gives him the opportunity to help, will that lead Raef to a love that’s real or a future heartbreak?
Oh, how I adored this story! And I will freely admit that my little summary does not do the book justice AT ALL. You may be thinking that the book is more about Haverford than Jon but, no, that’s not the case. In fact, this is a love story through and through with Raef and Jon circling around the very real connection between them. Raef goes through a lot to come to terms with what he believes love is and he’s so stuck on having a prince of his own that he won’t even think of Jon as anything but the barbarian pirate who stole from HIS lord. Thankfully, Raef realizes that not everything he learned as a kid was true and that growing up to believe all kluggites (what the merpeople call pirates) are evil is very inaccurate. Jon is the opposite and doesn’t believe in love at all. He’ll never marry and he’ll never have a long-term lover. After all, Jon’s a pirate who doesn’t keep his treasure. Who’s to say he won’t get bored of Raef soon enough and toss him aside for another? (He doesn’t THANK GOD!)
I loved the constant struggle Raef had on believing and helping Jon. It was interesting to see how Raef would vow not to feel anything for Jon but then get jealous or angry over the thought of someone else having Jon. I just absolutely adored Raef because, as a merman, he’s very innocent and naive when it comes to humans. There was a huge language barrier between Raef and the humans so he didn’t understand half of what was being said even if they were speaking English! I found that so funny and cute because he would take phrases or words literally. At the same time, I loved Jon because he wasn’t the classic pirate. Sure, he was once that barbarian pirate but now he’s more of a Robin Hood pirate – taking from the rich to give to the poor. He’s rich enough himself that now he helps the lower class whenever he can. Like in this book where he’s trying to help a woman claim her birth right from the slimy Lord Haverford.
Overall, this was a book filled with rich detail, suspenseful adventures and a slow burn love story. The connection between Raef and Jon is intense and sweet and I loved that they had such feelings for each other but were afraid to accept those emotions. It was a sweet moment when they finally embraced what was right in front of them. At the same time, the piratical adventures they go on were blazes of fun, with amusing moments tossed in here and there. I loved the world that was created and how the mertribe still played a role in the end. I hope one day the author will consider revisiting this world because I’d love to see more of Jon and Raef and all of the Alice O’Shanty pirates one day soon.
September 16, 2014
Review orignally posted at The Romnace Reviews: http://glbt.theromancereviews.com/vie...
An enchanting tale with two endearing leads and a romance that will melt your heart.
While his mother was still alive, child merman Raef listened enraptured to her many tales of mermaids and mermen falling for human princesses, and most of the tales seem to involve daring rescues from pirates. He wants to find his human prince, his one true love, too. His mother is surprised that he seems to want a prince rather than a princess, but she does not censure him for it, instead only insists that he be happy.
Years later, with his mother dead, the new leader of the mer tribe is a grizzled warrior called Galyna, who doesn't think the merfolk should have any dealings with humans at all and forbids them from going to the surface to seek them out. This is torture for romantic Raef. How is he going to find his true love human prince if he can't even get to the surface?
Raef sneaks off without permission and sees handsome Lord Haverford on the beach and is instantly smitten. Is he his true love? Once back with the tribe, though, things go from bad to worse. Everyone knows Raef has been sneaking off to see humans and Galyna insists that Raef stop all this nonsense and get married to a nice mermaid and settle down; he's arranged for Raef to marry his ward. Raef leaves the tribe, knowing he will never be happy in an arranged marriage.
When Lord Haverford is robbed by the dreaded pirate, Jon Kemp, Raef vows to recover his love's stolen property, even though he hasn't even met Haverford yet. And as Raef follows the pirate, even becoming his prisoner for a while, he comes to the conclusion that not everything he hears is the truth. But how will he know which is which?
The story is part romance, part adventure tale and both worked really well here. I think the reader will guess fairly early on that Raef's true love isn't Lord Haverford, but Raef takes a long time to realise it. The world building is good, with enough detail about the merfolk society and their sunken city to whet your appetite but still leave you wanting a bit more.
Jon Kemp is an intriguing character, and I think it worked brilliantly that we only got to see him from Raef's point of view, and those people Raef interacted with who knew Jon. It made him seem that bit more mysterious and alluring, as it did for Raef. You were almost falling in love with Jon along with Raef. There were a couple of love scenes near the end, before that it was a lot of yearning from afar, particularly from Raef as he was saving himself for his one true love. You wanted to scream at him that his one true love was there in front of him, not the romantic ideal he had in his head.
There's a bit of mystery and adventure with a missing will, and despite knowing this was a romance, there were a few scenes in the book where my heart was in my throat as I wondered if things were going to go right for our two heroes. The suspense near the end had me shaking and I really was unsure whether or not we would get a happy ending.
It was a romantic, sweet adventure with two characters you come to care deeply about and of course a villain you'll love to hate. I adored it.
An enchanting tale with two endearing leads and a romance that will melt your heart.
While his mother was still alive, child merman Raef listened enraptured to her many tales of mermaids and mermen falling for human princesses, and most of the tales seem to involve daring rescues from pirates. He wants to find his human prince, his one true love, too. His mother is surprised that he seems to want a prince rather than a princess, but she does not censure him for it, instead only insists that he be happy.
Years later, with his mother dead, the new leader of the mer tribe is a grizzled warrior called Galyna, who doesn't think the merfolk should have any dealings with humans at all and forbids them from going to the surface to seek them out. This is torture for romantic Raef. How is he going to find his true love human prince if he can't even get to the surface?
Raef sneaks off without permission and sees handsome Lord Haverford on the beach and is instantly smitten. Is he his true love? Once back with the tribe, though, things go from bad to worse. Everyone knows Raef has been sneaking off to see humans and Galyna insists that Raef stop all this nonsense and get married to a nice mermaid and settle down; he's arranged for Raef to marry his ward. Raef leaves the tribe, knowing he will never be happy in an arranged marriage.
When Lord Haverford is robbed by the dreaded pirate, Jon Kemp, Raef vows to recover his love's stolen property, even though he hasn't even met Haverford yet. And as Raef follows the pirate, even becoming his prisoner for a while, he comes to the conclusion that not everything he hears is the truth. But how will he know which is which?
The story is part romance, part adventure tale and both worked really well here. I think the reader will guess fairly early on that Raef's true love isn't Lord Haverford, but Raef takes a long time to realise it. The world building is good, with enough detail about the merfolk society and their sunken city to whet your appetite but still leave you wanting a bit more.
Jon Kemp is an intriguing character, and I think it worked brilliantly that we only got to see him from Raef's point of view, and those people Raef interacted with who knew Jon. It made him seem that bit more mysterious and alluring, as it did for Raef. You were almost falling in love with Jon along with Raef. There were a couple of love scenes near the end, before that it was a lot of yearning from afar, particularly from Raef as he was saving himself for his one true love. You wanted to scream at him that his one true love was there in front of him, not the romantic ideal he had in his head.
There's a bit of mystery and adventure with a missing will, and despite knowing this was a romance, there were a few scenes in the book where my heart was in my throat as I wondered if things were going to go right for our two heroes. The suspense near the end had me shaking and I really was unsure whether or not we would get a happy ending.
It was a romantic, sweet adventure with two characters you come to care deeply about and of course a villain you'll love to hate. I adored it.
May 23, 2016
3.5 stars
Sebenarnya ceritanya bagus juga, tapi yg bikin aku bertanya-tanya, sebenarnya ini komedi bukan sih? lol. Gaya bahasanya tuh kelewat berbunga-bunga sampai aku tak kuasa menahan geli dan tergelak-gelak di beberapa situasi yg harusnya serius. *Banyak reader yg bilang gitu, bukan cuma aku yg merasa gitu, lol* Walaupun memang ada juga beberapa adegan yg sepertinya sengaja utk memancing tawa. Seperti adegan Raef yg menemukan peta di area selangkangan robot Haverford, lol. Seberapa narsisnya si Haverford ini sampe bisa bikin robot yg 100% mirip dirinya dalam ukuran asli dan menyimpan barang berharga di selangkangan robot cuma karena itu tempat teraman dari tangan-tangan jahil? Lol. Dan juga adegan Raef dan Kemp si bajak laut yg sempat-sempatnya bermesraan di tempat seperti itu dan di waktu seperti itu, lol. TPO oiii. Aku ga bisa nahan ketawa sekaligus berdebar-debar apakah mereka bakal diinterupsi orang atau tidak pas lagi "itu", LOL. Terakhir adegan si nenek genit yg tampaknya ga punya buku porno dan meminta orang berciuman panas di depannya, WTH bgt, LOL. Sepertinya author kehabisan ide bgt gimana caranya supaya Kemp bisa menyadari perasaan cintanya pada Raef dan yg menjurus ke adegan ML.
Yg kusuka dari kisah ini adalah ceritanya berbeda dari dongeng mermaid umumnya karena di sini si "pangeran" biarpun berwajah rupawan tapi berhati bengis, dan si duyung berakhir dengan bajak laut yg berhati baik tapi anti komitmen (awalnya), lol. Raef ini termasuk merman super naif yg termakan mentah-mentah dongeng indah yg dicekoki ibunya saat masih kecil. Raef mengira paras indah = hati indah. Maka ketika Raef si naif keluar dari "dunia kecilnya" dan menjelajah daratan, ia kaget bukan kepalang saat menyadari apa yg dipercayainya itu begitu terbolak-balik di dunia nyata. Bajak laut yg diyakininya jahat ternyata baik. Dan pangeran yg diyakininya baik ternyata jahat. Untungnya Raef berkaca dari pengalamannya, ia jadi lebih berhati-hati sebelum membabi buta mempercayai seseorang berdasarkan asumsi liar belaka.
Karena POV cuma Raef saja, maka aku agak kesulitan percaya kalo Kemp yg anti komitmen ini beneran cinta sama Raef. Pergolakan batin si bajak laut ini tdk begitu terasa, cuma tanda-tanda kecil, padahal lebih bagus kalau kita bisa ngintip kepalanya. Dan pengakuan cintanya pada Raef terasa gombal bahasanya....well, inilah ruginya pake bahasa kelewat bunga-bunga...
Tapi untuk ukuran cerita petualangan melawan orang jahat, kisahnya bagus juga.
Mengecualikan versi Disney, sebenarnya tak banyak novel mermaid/merman yg kubaca. Yg paling berkesan adalah seri YA mermaid berjudul Ingo yg sudah diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia beberapa tahun lalu. Ceritanya lumayan lah...buku-bukunya pun sudah kusumbangkan karena aku ga berminat baca ulang remaja-remaja galau.
Sebenarnya ceritanya bagus juga, tapi yg bikin aku bertanya-tanya, sebenarnya ini komedi bukan sih? lol. Gaya bahasanya tuh kelewat berbunga-bunga sampai aku tak kuasa menahan geli dan tergelak-gelak di beberapa situasi yg harusnya serius. *Banyak reader yg bilang gitu, bukan cuma aku yg merasa gitu, lol* Walaupun memang ada juga beberapa adegan yg sepertinya sengaja utk memancing tawa. Seperti adegan Raef yg menemukan peta di area selangkangan robot Haverford, lol. Seberapa narsisnya si Haverford ini sampe bisa bikin robot yg 100% mirip dirinya dalam ukuran asli dan menyimpan barang berharga di selangkangan robot cuma karena itu tempat teraman dari tangan-tangan jahil? Lol. Dan juga adegan Raef dan Kemp si bajak laut yg sempat-sempatnya bermesraan di tempat seperti itu dan di waktu seperti itu, lol. TPO oiii. Aku ga bisa nahan ketawa sekaligus berdebar-debar apakah mereka bakal diinterupsi orang atau tidak pas lagi "itu", LOL. Terakhir adegan si nenek genit yg tampaknya ga punya buku porno dan meminta orang berciuman panas di depannya, WTH bgt, LOL. Sepertinya author kehabisan ide bgt gimana caranya supaya Kemp bisa menyadari perasaan cintanya pada Raef dan yg menjurus ke adegan ML.
Yg kusuka dari kisah ini adalah ceritanya berbeda dari dongeng mermaid umumnya karena di sini si "pangeran" biarpun berwajah rupawan tapi berhati bengis, dan si duyung berakhir dengan bajak laut yg berhati baik tapi anti komitmen (awalnya), lol. Raef ini termasuk merman super naif yg termakan mentah-mentah dongeng indah yg dicekoki ibunya saat masih kecil. Raef mengira paras indah = hati indah. Maka ketika Raef si naif keluar dari "dunia kecilnya" dan menjelajah daratan, ia kaget bukan kepalang saat menyadari apa yg dipercayainya itu begitu terbolak-balik di dunia nyata. Bajak laut yg diyakininya jahat ternyata baik. Dan pangeran yg diyakininya baik ternyata jahat. Untungnya Raef berkaca dari pengalamannya, ia jadi lebih berhati-hati sebelum membabi buta mempercayai seseorang berdasarkan asumsi liar belaka.
Karena POV cuma Raef saja, maka aku agak kesulitan percaya kalo Kemp yg anti komitmen ini beneran cinta sama Raef. Pergolakan batin si bajak laut ini tdk begitu terasa, cuma tanda-tanda kecil, padahal lebih bagus kalau kita bisa ngintip kepalanya. Dan pengakuan cintanya pada Raef terasa gombal bahasanya....well, inilah ruginya pake bahasa kelewat bunga-bunga...
Tapi untuk ukuran cerita petualangan melawan orang jahat, kisahnya bagus juga.
Mengecualikan versi Disney, sebenarnya tak banyak novel mermaid/merman yg kubaca. Yg paling berkesan adalah seri YA mermaid berjudul Ingo yg sudah diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia beberapa tahun lalu. Ceritanya lumayan lah...buku-bukunya pun sudah kusumbangkan karena aku ga berminat baca ulang remaja-remaja galau.
September 8, 2014
I went into this one with trepidation because I couldn't get into this other book by the same author.
Weird thing:
I dunno, the writing's not quite sophisticated enough for me. The characterization is a bit obvious, and Raef frankly is TSTL, which I get is the point, but the way he's written makes him seem more idiotic than charmingly naive.
Still, it's not bad if I metaphorically squint my eyes at it.
Also, wow, apparently merpeople speak and read English instead of some form of Mermish.
Eh. Sure, the story's not quite as refined as it could be, but it still has a certain charm about it. Still, it's awkward because author tries to write in the voice of Raef, but doesn't seem to quite grasp the character, so some of the narration comes off rather forced.
Still, once I get used to it and mentally lower standards a bit, it's enjoyable and Raef is sufficiently adorably dweeby that I still enjoy myself.
Kemp is apparently TSTL, too, unless mermaids have some sort of truth serum effect on people.
Meh. Whatever. I still liked the story, in the end, though I think I thought the ending was a bit hokey. It's a cute little bit of unsophisticated fancy that, while slightly ridiculous and certainly not without problems, also isn't without its own sort of charm.
Weird thing:
I dunno, the writing's not quite sophisticated enough for me. The characterization is a bit obvious, and Raef frankly is TSTL, which I get is the point, but the way he's written makes him seem more idiotic than charmingly naive.
Still, it's not bad if I metaphorically squint my eyes at it.
Also, wow, apparently merpeople speak and read English instead of some form of Mermish.
Eh. Sure, the story's not quite as refined as it could be, but it still has a certain charm about it. Still, it's awkward because author tries to write in the voice of Raef, but doesn't seem to quite grasp the character, so some of the narration comes off rather forced.
Still, once I get used to it and mentally lower standards a bit, it's enjoyable and Raef is sufficiently adorably dweeby that I still enjoy myself.
Kemp is apparently TSTL, too, unless mermaids have some sort of truth serum effect on people.
Meh. Whatever. I still liked the story, in the end, though I think I thought the ending was a bit hokey. It's a cute little bit of unsophisticated fancy that, while slightly ridiculous and certainly not without problems, also isn't without its own sort of charm.
November 22, 2014
A few years back I read all this interesting revisionist history about pirates.The resources that I encountered which portrayed pirates as democratic revolutionaries piqued my interest in The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate by Kay Berrisford. Some quick research on this author uncovered a previous novel about Robin Hood called Lord of the Forest which I will definitely need to read in the near future. This prior history led me to suspect that Berrisford and I have a similar perspective on certain types of outlaws as avatars of justice. This is why I downloaded an ARC of The Merman and the Barbarian Pirate for review from Net Galley.
The Merman ironically has conventional human ideas about evil pirates which he needs to overcome in order to keep the appointment with his M/M destiny. I enjoyed the journey. This was a fun airplane read.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
The Merman ironically has conventional human ideas about evil pirates which he needs to overcome in order to keep the appointment with his M/M destiny. I enjoyed the journey. This was a fun airplane read.
For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...
March 3, 2016
First off - LOVE THE COVER!
Secondly, I thought this was one of the better m/m merman romance stories I have read in quite some time. I'd give the book 3.5 stars, but I rounded up because I really do love the cover. I also really loved Jon Kemp, and I did love all the scenes where he and Raef were together. Some of the other things I could have done without, like the story felt like it got sidetracked a couple of times and I wound up skimming a few sections, but this was a sweet story and I enjoyed it.
Secondly, I thought this was one of the better m/m merman romance stories I have read in quite some time. I'd give the book 3.5 stars, but I rounded up because I really do love the cover. I also really loved Jon Kemp, and I did love all the scenes where he and Raef were together. Some of the other things I could have done without, like the story felt like it got sidetracked a couple of times and I wound up skimming a few sections, but this was a sweet story and I enjoyed it.
March 3, 2015
I wish I could give this book 4 1/2 stars - it was so close to being perfect! What a fantastically charming story. I'm a sucker for sweet, naive protagonists and their roguish love interests. The relationship between them started out rocky but turned around in a very satisfying way.
My only quibble (I always have one) is that the narrative tension drained a little for me in the last half, when a certain secret was revealed prematurely. But otherwise, it was such a delightful read!
My only quibble (I always have one) is that the narrative tension drained a little for me in the last half, when a certain secret was revealed prematurely. But otherwise, it was such a delightful read!
Want to read
August 26, 2014Love this cover.
November 23, 2014
Cute..
December 29, 2022
Started out really sappy, but (the plot) got better. Still, really sappy diction though
August 25, 2015
Wow. What a great and interesting story.
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