The Siren Saves the Billionaire

Nocturne Falls #13

by Kristen Painter

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town that celebrates Halloween 365 days a year.

The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better.

Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs, fur, and all.

Custom-aquarium specialist, Undrea Seeley, is supernaturally good at creating made-to-order fish tanks for her customers. Probably because she loves what she does. And because she’s a mermaid. She also loves living in a town where she can be herself. Well, the version of herself everyone thinks she is. But then, who isn’t harboring a secret, right?

Tech billionaire Ethan Edmonds is an open book. Hard not to be when the media follows your every move, something they’ve done pretty much since he made his first million at seventeen by selling an app he’d created. Now he’s sold his biggest company for an even greater profit and he’s ready to disappear a little. At least enough to focus on a project that has nothing to do with money and everything to do with helping people.

But when his self-appointed fiancée decides he needs a majestic centerpiece aquarium in their new home, she has no idea things are about to spring a leak. Ethan has never met a woman like Undrea and is instantly captivated by her free spirit and fun-loving ways.

Undrea understands his attraction to her, however. It’s driven by magic she can’t control, but she’s still determined not to harpoon his relationship, despite her growing feelings for him. Then she realizes there’s something fishy going on and it seems Undrea’s not the only one hiding her true identity.

Saving Ethan from the dark forces out to get him could mean revealing the truth she’s been trying to hide. But will that secret sink them both or will she sacrifice herself to protect the man she fallen in love with?

Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Audiobook, Shapeshifters, Mystery

358 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2021

About the author

Kristen Painter likes to balance her obsessions with shoes and cats by making the lives of her characters miserable and surprising her readers with interesting twists. She currently writes award-winning paranormal romance, paranormal women's fiction, and cozy mysteries. The former college English teacher can often be found on twitter @Kristen_Painter, Facebook at www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor where she loves to interact with readers and her blog: http://kristenpainter.com/blog/.

Reviews

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Siren Saves the Billionaire by Kristen Painter
A Nocture Falls romance, #13. Paranormal. Can be read as a stand-alone but better as part of the series. A town that celebrates Halloween every day of the year so that the paranormals can live openly.
Undrea owns the local fish aquarium company and is asked to quote a system at the house of the newest homeowner in Nocturne Falls. She’s already met the intriguing man when he gave her CPR, or a kiss, when he finds her sleeping in the lake. The witch he lives with isn’t so happy with Undrea and Ethan when she notices the attraction between the two. Nope, the witch isn’t letting Ethan, the billionaire get away from her clutches quite so easily. Watch out mermaid, the witch has magic.

A fun return to Nocturne Falls including the regular restaurants, the entertaining gargoyle, the Sheriff and many of the witches we’ve met in the previous stories. The powerful resident witches help Undrea free Ethan from the nasty.

I was a little impatient with Undrea. She’s a mermaid, yes, but something else she keeps hidden. The hiding gets a little repetitive. The whole town is full of supernaturals and I’m not sure why she thinks its worse than anyone else or that she wouldn’t be welcome. The town has everything for vampires to witches, werewolves and a Reaper. Plus - her hidden self is in the title!

Overall a delightful romp with a touch of suspense as they fight the witch and enjoy their new romance.

“The sky here was like something out of a sci-fi movie.” A little tongue-in-cheek that tickled me. Oh how I would love to visit this town if only as a tourist.

[Melindam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,3333 stars

Kristen Painter is my trusted author when I need a fix of fluffy, clean paranormal romance with quirky, small-town setting.

There's unavoidable insta-love/lust to her stories, but the fact that there is some kind of plot besides the romances helps. And I love the Halloween-town-feel.

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The thing about Kristen Painter novels is that I either moderately enjoy them or I DNF. It is a comfortable arrangement. THIS BOOK, THOUGH...
Left me too annoyed to DNF.
Once I passed annoyed I was just confused. There is SO MUCH going on here. It is the regular cast and crew of witches, werewolves, and shifters PLUS a mermaid (who eats anchovies with every meal?) PLUS an evil fiancé who does yoga and only eats salad (the nerve) PLUS a billionaire-tech-genius PLUS his single mom PLUS a bunch of other stuff that would be spoilers to mention.
Once I got passed how annoyed I was with the billionaire (sure, his dooshyness gets explained but man does he hate on his girlfriend for liking salads) I just started rooting for his death. Which doesn't really help in the whole romance department.
The climax was also weirdly underwhelming.
I don't know if this one just hit me particularly wrong or if all of them are secretly this annoying and I didn't notice but I can't say I'd recommend this one.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific addition to this wonderful series. Nocturne Falls is one of my favorite fictional towns and each book feels like meeting with new and old friends. This is a captivating story with intriguing characters and a little mystery to solve. This can easily be read as a stand-alone but enjoyed so much more having read the series in order. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Siren Saves the Billionaire is book 13 in the Nocturne Falls series. This book is about Mermaid and Siren, Undrea, and newcomer to the series, tech billionaire and human, Ethan.

This is one of my favorite series. It is a series that will be a regular re-read / re-listen for me. It is a little like returning home whenever I read these books. This particular book isn’t my favorite but it was entertaining nonetheless.

I finished The Werewolf Dates the Deputy a week ago and didn’t get a chance to review it right away, so it is no longer fresh enough in my mind to leave a detailed review. I can say that I enjoyed this book, but it isn’t one of my favorites from the series. I felt that there were some unanswered questions and things that didn’t really fit with how the story was going. There were a few things that seemed disjointed but mostly, it seemed weird to me that Ethan learned about mermaids, witches, weres, vamps, gargoyles, etc., and didn’t bat an eye. He had no idea they existed and didn’t bat an eye when he found out. I would have expected him to need a second to process. He, of course, is predisposed to belief due to a gifted family member, but it was too easy. Also, the big resolution of neutralizing the threat wrapped up way to easily. I wish there would have been more explanation give the ease of process. I am being vague because I don’t want to give away any details.

The narration was excellent. It is the same narrator for the entire series. He does a great job.

I highly recommend this series. Even though, technically, you could probably read all these books as standalone, I think it will be so much more rewarding to start at the beginning and read them in order. There is a spin off series, Jayne Frost, that is also amazing and those overlap with this series, so I recommend reading those concurrently.

As for me, now I will be trying to be as patient as possible as I await book 14! I have some ideas for who it might be about but only time...and the author...will tell.

[Lisa Malmquist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun series set in Nocturne Falls, where the supernaturals outnumber the normal people.
This time there is a mermaid who falls in love with a billionaire.
He is being enchanted by an evil being.
Undrea Seeley is a mermaid and builds aquariums for people as her business. ( sounds like the TV show, Tanked, fun idea!)
Anyway, Ethan Edmond's, tech billionaire, has a fiance that is not what she seems and Ethan is in trouble.
Undrea calls upon her friends who are witches to try and help Edmond before it's too late.
Magic, magical beings, lots of interesting plot twists. A very creative series!

[Eden · Rating 3 out of 5]

2021 bk 69: I was a little disappointed in this one - much of the linchpin was given away by the title. I love Painter's storytelling but this one felt rushed and not as complete as others - a problem brought on by her fan's pushing her to publish something in the Nocturne Falls Universe when maybe she wasn't quite ready. I hope she will take her time on the next or perhaps take a break and bring us more in her other universes.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my go-to series when I need something lighthearted with a dose of paranormal. It wasn’t my favorite book in the series, but I liked visiting some of the older characters, mostly the witches. I liked Undrea’s personality, but I didn’t love Ethan or the way he handles his relationship with Undrea or his ex. My favorite was Ethan’s cat Bowie.

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the latest Nocturne Falls book, Undrea Seeley, the mermaid aquarium installer (who has been a supporting character in other books) finally finds a love of her own when she meets billionaire computer genius Ethan Edmonds. Unfortunately, his girlfriend isn't taking the break-up well, and casts a spell on him that Undrea (and the witches of Nocturne Falls) have to break.

Kristin Painter really makes the Nocturne Falls world immersive -- in this book, things like Undrea's use of "uprights" for non-merfolk is a good example. The characters are great a compelling, and she's created another awesome cat character -- Bowie, Ethan's sweater-wearing hairless cat. Ethan and Undrea have great chemistry, and I love the inclusion of other characters from previous books. I can't wait for the next book in the Nocturne Falls series. After all, Undrea's BFF and her assistant need to find true love too, right?

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thirteenth in the Nocturne Falls magical realism fantasy series set in Georgia in a town where you can be yourself. Fangs, fur, and all. The couple focus is on Undrea Seely and Ethan Edmonds.

My Take
I do enjoy Painter’s premise for her series: a town where a supernatural character can be themselves. They can even work for the town as themselves with the tourists thinking the “character” is in costume.

I really like Undrea’s business of setting up and maintaining her aquariums. ’Cause I’d be a total loss in taking care of it. There’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at creating aquariums, the pitfalls and concerns.

Ooh, Undrea has a “weakness”. Well, it’s her species’ weakness, really. A voluntary kiss means she must fall in love. Then there’s the peril of her deep dark secret!

Ethan has a conundrum, torn between needing that connection to the world and yet without that busy world’s hurly burly. Then there are his blackout episodes! I do like his charitable interests, wanting to help third world countries as well as people at home.

That description of Bowie knowing “just what level of cute is necessary for forgiveness” cracked me up. He sounds like my Brodie.

I do like Ethan’s preference in women *eyebrow waggle*. He likes a woman who has some meat on her bones! One who is content in her own skin. His mom certainly knows Ethan.

It’s a third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Undrea’s and Ethan’s perspectives, so everything we know is what they think, feel, and experience. I do love how Painter used this to describe that Nina. Ick. Her idea of food is so depressing! She is so incredibly pushy and also hiding one heck of a secret.

There's plenty of action in this from saving a drowning victim to navigating the emotional shores of love with evil lurking everywhere.

Per usual, Painter’s prose is a fun combination of homey and supernatural, definitely cozy! Her characters are so supportive of each other. Looking out for each other. Exactly what you’d want in your neighborhood!

The Story
Wouldn’t ya know? Those danged doctors told Ethan that exercise could “probably” help with his episodes. And it’s this habit that “saves” Undrea’s life.

One that also sparks Ethan’s attraction to Undrea, despite his engagement to Nina.

The Characters
Undrea Seeley, a mermaid, is a custom-aquarium specialist who owns Tanks A Lot. Poseidon is her beta fish. Aaron Rigby, a former Navy SEAL and a leviathan shifter, does serious tank builds for her. Whitney is an organizer who loves fish and handles the social media. Curtis. The Parkers are a current client. Suppliers include Bright Ocean Breeders and Blue Marble.

Ethan Edmonds is a tech billionaire who’s having blackout episodes. The latest company he sold was Blnk. Bowie is his Sphynx cat with quite the wardrobe. Nina Hascoe is Ethan’s self-appointed fiancée with a fear of water. Elizabeth Willet Hascoe, Nina’s mother, is a witch from an old line of witches.

Cathy and Jimmy Edmonds had been his parents. Sarah Jane is Cathy’s neighbor with a love for baked goods who comes over to visit and cook. Molly is Cathy’s territorial black Lab. Her neighbor, Mr Murphy who is the HOA president, has a roaming cat.

Nocturne Falls, Georgia, is . . .
. . . owned by the Ellinghams, a vampire family. Eleanora Ellingham is the family matriarch with three married sons. The oldest, Sebastian, is married to Tessa ( The Vampire's Fake Fiancée , 5). Hugh is the middle son who’s married to Delaney of Delaney’s Delectables ( The Vampire's Mail Order Bride , 1) — a candy store that makes me drool! Captain Underpants is Delaney’s Maine Coon cat. Alice Bishop is the family witch who helps the town hide in plain sight.

Bridget Merrow, a werewolf, owns Howler’s Bar and Grill where Billy is a server. Ivy Merrow is Bridget’s sister-in-law — married to Hank Merrow, the town sheriff ( The Werewolf Meets His Match , 2); Titus is their brother and the fire chief who’s married to Jenna ( The Werewolf Dates the Deputy , 12). Birdie Caruthers, a werewolf, is Hank’s aunt and the police dispatcher. Mattie Sharpe, a Celtic witch and gardener who’s Undrea’s best friend, keeps bees and makes mead. Blueberry is Mattie’s imp. Greyson, a vampire, is with Kora ( The Vampire's Priceless Treasure , 11), the daughter of a reaper, Lucien, who’s married to Imari Zephara, a genie ( The Reaper Rescues the Genie , 9). Lucien owns Insomnia, a supernatural nightclub.

Pandora, a real estate agent, and Marigold Williams (she owns the florist shop), conventional witches and sisters, are married to Professor Cole Van Zant, a raven familiar ( The Professor Woos the Witch , 4), and Wyatt West ( The Detective Wins the Witch , 10), respectively. Their mother, Corette Williams, owns the bridal shop and is the secretary for the Nocturne Falls coven. She’s married to Stanhill, Hugh Ellingham’s rook ("The Witch's Halloween Hero", 4.5). Willa Iscove, a fae stone and metal worker, is married to Nick, a gargoyle ( The Gargoyle Gets His Girl , 3). Roxy St James, a writer of popular paranormal romances, can now shift into a panther and is married to Alex Cruz ( The Shifter Romances the Writer , 6). Tessa and Jenna Blythe are Valkyrie sisters.

Caroline Linzer is a feline shifter. Van is a dragon shifter married to Monalisa, a Will-o’-the-Wisp ( The Dragon Finds Forever , 7).

Cindy Morgan had been a romantic interest of Ethan’s back in high school. Trevor is a buddy of Ethan’s from their college days at MIT. A rare witch is one with very little magic.

The Cover and Title
The cover is primarily turquoises and reds with a distant landscape between a dawn sky and a pool of water, fish swimming about the red-haired mermaid bobbing in the water. Ethan in a red T, jeans, and eyeglasses is sitting on a rock against some tall trees, holding a red rose. Sparkling stars are scattered overall. Just above Undrea's head is the series sign, an orange jack-o-lantern atop a two-headed arrow atop a wooden sign with the series info in yellow. At the very top is the title spread over three lines in white with a black outline. At the bottom is an info blurb and the author's name, both in a black-outlined white.

The title is too accurate, for while the billionaire thinks he saved the siren, actually, The Siren Saves the Billionaire.

[Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting: Nocturne Falls, GA Contemporary
Genre: paranormal rom-com
Another entry in Painter’s No turne Falls Universe, this one by the creator. Undrea Seeley is a mermaid. Sort of. Really, she’s more of a mermaid+, but she’s keeping her true nature a secret because she is afraid she will be evicted by the founding family and owners of the town. She just wants to stay under the radar and build and care for custom aquariums. Ethan Edmonds is a billionaire who, other than working on his current invention, is basically a go-along-to-get-along kind of guy. So when his girlfriend decided he needed to move to Nocturne Falls, he just went along with it. His girlfriend is frustrated that he will go along with anything — except for popping the question and actually having the wedding. When the girlfriend contracts, in Ethan’s name of course, for Undrea to build a centerpiece aquarium, she is surprised when he takes an interest. And interest in fish turns into mutual interest between Ethan and Undrea. But when he decides to breakup with the girlfriend, something fishy starts happening.
This is a well written addition to Painter’s series. It is funny, romantic, and suspenseful. The characters are well-developed and the premise is original. The plot is fairly tight and the language - grammar, usage, description, dialogue - are effective. In other words, perfectly Painter.
I have the audiobook but there is not, at this time, an audio edition to choose. Ergo, I chose Kindle. Anyway, I’ll give the rundown on narration.
I really wish the publishers of this series would use a different narrator. The majority of the story is from Undrea’s point of view, and B. J. Harrison doesn’t do females as well as some women narrators do males. At the least, it would be nice to have dual performers.
But overall, this is an enjoyable book.

[Emily Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series and Kristen Painter's "Shadowvale" series are my comfort reads. They're kitschy and Halloweeny and sweet. I read them when nothing else is working for me or I need a palette reset.
I will say that this isn't my favorite of the novels in the "Nocturne Falls" series. This felt like it was trying to be a modern Little Mermaid retelling, with the tech billionaire instead of a prince.

While overall I thought the romance was cute and fluffy, it didn't have a ton of substance. It boils down to magically enhanced "love-at-first-sight" and an evil ex. I was excited to read about Undrea's love story after meeting her in a couple of the previous books, but I was a little disappointed in this.

I didn't love that our love interest Ethan is already in a very much committed relationship and that he actively pursues Undrea while still in that relationship. Honesty and communication were much needed there. If he wasn't happy in his relationship, he needed to break it off before falling into an emotional cheating situation. He sits there across from Nina and hates on her for her eating habits that she's had the entire two years they've been together. And what followed was an almost cringe-worthy conversation about how he wants her to know she doesn't have to stay thin just for him. His flirting with Undrea is explained away as magic, but the man did string along his girlfriend for two years, knowing that she was pushing to get married. Also, didn't love that when Nina asked if it was because of Undrea that he wanted to break up, he said no, and then promptly moved in with Undrea... I get that the whole point was that Nina was using Ethan and draining him dry, but cheating is not my bag.

[Emily (crushes.onmy.bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series! I want to move to Nocturne Falls!

There was a big sale on audible so I skipped ahead to this one for $5. This isn’t a series where you have to read every book prior. You can read it as a stand alone.

I love learning about new supernatural creatures. Kristen Painter must do a lot of research. Respect

Ethan and Undrea were pretty cute. They had a lot of chemistry. It was definitely love (or like) at first sight.

Nina was the WORST. I wish we didn’t spend too much time dealing with her, but we did need the drama.

What book from Nocturne Falls should I read next?

4/5

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to say the book is around a 3.5-4 star book. It’s a very fluffy and comforting book where you know the characters are in love with each other and achieve the happy ending at the end. I really enjoyed the start of the book where there was suspense of Undrea meeting the Tech Billionare, Ethan, but as the story progressed it became predictable and honestly a little confusing. The story makes assumptions in terms of the secret behind Undrea and what she is hiding. I would recommend for a fun and easy read but not the best book I have read.

[Melanie's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Followers of my reviews will know that the Nocturne Falls series holds a special place in my heart, yes even the books with the damn werewolves, not that this one features a werewolf but I am just throwing that out there!

This 13th installment takes us into the life of Undrea Seeley! We first met Undrea way back when Roxy moved to town and until now we haven't known much about her other than her obvious fish connection. That all changes with this book!

I am constantly in awe of the new creative ways Kristen Painter comes up with to bring people together, and give us a little mystery to solve too. Even 13 books in she manages to keep me on my toes, and I have to confess - I did NOT solve this one before the characters did! A fun paranormal read but I will confess - Bowie really stole the show for me. You'll see what I mean when you read it!

As I have said before - Although new fans could probably jump right in with this story as they are all complete in their own rights (no cliffhangers), I am more convinced than ever at this point that by doing so you are missing out on many little things if you don't start reading them from the beginning. There are SO MANY layers to the characters and inside jokes that just don't work if you don't know the world. Hey as book 1 is currently free - seriously what do you have to lose?

An Easy 5 stars from me and definitely Melanie's Muses Approved!

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've loved this series so far, but I absolutely hated this book. Undrea is basically a homewrecker, and Ethan is just a heartless cheater. I get that it turned out Nina was evil (although even that wasn't her fault - plus she was doing it to save her family), but he didn't know that. He said over and over again how she was great, but they just weren't great together. Poor Nina helps him move to this great town that she's researched and fallen in love with. Then he gets there, meets someone else, and two days later, he's kicking Nina out and moving in with Undrea. I mean, WTF just happened? Then Nina goes to Undrea's house and tells her to stay away from her man, and Undrea's all "She doesn't know who she's dealing with." Uh, yeah, she knows you're a homewrecker. But sure, go ahead and prove it by asking the guy you just met to move in with you.

There was nothing I liked about this book. Not even a little. Even the editing was subpar. Lots of words left out of sentences. It just wasn't up to the same level as the rest of the series.

[Lyrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to know a new type of supernatural in this book (mermaid/siren). The Nocturne Falls books never disappoint and have often helped me get out of a reading slump.

[Caprice Hokstad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid 4.5
It loses half a star for blurring the line between fantasy witches (think Harry Potter) and Wiccan witches. But if you can remember that the setting is a kind of Halloweentown populated with werewolves, vampires, and gargoyles, then this is such a fun fantasy romp. Sweet, CLEAN and slow burn romance. Engaging plot where magic isn't just an easy fix for every problem, and it can in fact, BE a problem.

I really loved the protag. Of course, having a mermaid as the MC is the whole reason I picked up this book. But I liked how they showed her finding ways to fit in and enjoy living on land. She has an aquarium business. There are fish everywhere she goes. All the restaurants in town know she likes a side of anchovies or sardines with her pizza and burgers. And YES, she likes to EAT, all kinds of foods, in addition to the seafood. It's the villain who is the annoying "just salad for me, thanks" person. I love that. The male love interest is, of course, handsome and insanely rich. But he's also smart and doesn't waver when he finally figures out his girlfriend is toxic. He doesn't put off dumping her for weeks just because it's not a fun conversation. Plus, he has an adorable sphinx cat that he dresses in sweaters and the cat is an important part of the plot, not just a disposable part of the background.

My only complaint is that the rest of the series is not so interesting. I'd be totally down for a story about Aaron, the engineer/water dragon dude, or Undrea's parents coming to town, but I'm not that interested in vampires and werewolves. I might read a cozy mystery starring the bee lady witch, Mattie, and her imp-fairy, Blueberry, who's obsessed with cookies. But I didn't see one of those offered.

Still, even as a one-off, this was refreshing and delightful.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: Nocturne Falls #13
Rating: 4 stars - It was really good

“I have been under your spell since the moment I met you, and that had nothing to do with magic.”

Custom-aquarium specialist, Undrea Seeley, is a pro at creating made-to-order fish tanks for her customers. Being a mermaid really helps with the job. When tech billionaire Ethan Edmonds requests a custom tank everything changes. She finds herself attracted and wanting more, but Ethan isn’t a single man and there's more to his girlfriend than anyone expects.

I was a little bit leery about this book when I realized Ethan was in a relationship when he met Undrea, but I actually really enjoyed this story. Ethan and his girlfriend Nina don’t have a romantic relationship and Ethan realizes after meeting Undrea that he is tired of the lack of intimacy. Unfortunately, Nina isn’t human and refuses to let Ethan go. I quite enjoyed the fight to get Ethan freed from his ex. It was fascinating and I loved that Nina is a new supernatural to the world.

Undrea is a character that I have wanted to know more about since she was introduced. I really liked her. She was a hard worker, loved her job, and wasn’t afraid to stand up for what she wanted. Undrea and Ethan’s had an instant love relationship but because of the circumstances their relationship isn’t rushed. They do get to know each other, which I prefer in an instant love story.

Overall, this was a wonderful addition to the series. I can’t wait to read the next one. I can always count on Kristen Painter to write an enjoyable story that I know I will reread in the future.

You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undrea the mermaid meets her match in billionaire Ethan and BOY do they have a lot of things they have to work through before they can do their happily ever after thing.

First off, Ethan has a live-in girlfriend/fiancée. Which isn't entirely accurate since Ethan hasn't actually popped the question to Nina, but she's just sort of plowed ahead with the idea of them getting married and now she's telling people she's his fiancée. Yeah, there's more than just the surface issues going on in that relationship, too. Nina is...interesting.

Second thing? Ethan is human and doesn't know about supernaturals. Finding Undrea floating face down in the lake rattles him a little. As a mermaid, she's fine, but, you know, face down in a lake. As the secrets about NF start slipping out, he has to adjust to possibly having a mermaid as a girlfriend.

Third? DARK FORCES ARE AFOOT! Plus, Undrea's mermaid magic is working on Ethan. This is a tiny bit problematic since mermaid magic is a little hypnotic. And it makes people fall in love if they kiss. Heh. Those dark forces are problematic, too. Just to be clear.

A little kissing, a little danger, more than a few supernatural happenings, and a whole lot of steam. *thumbs up*

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Tom Intiso · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is SERIOUSLY entertaining!

It is so much fun to watch the evolution of Kristen Painter’s stories and writing style. I got sidetracked into other reading after I finished book 5 in the series, and lo and behold, by the time I got back here, 5 books had become 14.

There much to be said for reading this many books in a series consecutively. One gains a very different perspective on the author and his/her vision. It will be interesting to see if the patterns continue in the next book. Kristen has been adding more and more “tension” into the stories, dragging the reader to the edge of their seat and then holding g is there for an interminable period of time.

At the same time her stories remain almost unbearably sweet and cute. I say, “almost,” because she knows exactly what she’s doing and how much is “too much,” and, to date, she has not crossed that line. So I am absolutely certain, without a doubt, that you will ENJOY!

This leaves only one burning question: does Bowie love chicken party?

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. I just couldn’t wait for this one when I found out it was about a mermaid. We didn’t know much about Undrea except that she had a business of installing aquariums and taking care of them for people. We finally got her story. The little secret she was keeping about her kind was killing me all throughout. But I never can stand it and always peek at the ending in books lol. This time I was good and waited. I just can’t get over how creative Kristen Painter is with coming up with this stuff. I loved Ethan and Undrea. And I didn’t guess the mystery of this one. This book was out of this world good.

If you haven’t read this series, you can dive in with this one, no pun intended lol. The good thing about Kristen’s books is that none of them have cliffhangers. But there’s little things about each couple and the town that will catch your eye when it is talked about. The first one is free so take a chance,

[Susan Quinland · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pleasure to visit Nocturne Falls again... and to hear Undrea's story. I loved the details about her fish tank business. Having had both salt and salt water tanks many years ago, it was great to read about their construction and how certain fish get along; it showed a fine amount of research and knowledge. The reason I did not give 5 stars was that the pacing felt a little off throughout. Many sections felt rushed, especially toward the end. There was a terrific build up, and then, poof, the climax was over and we're in the wrap up.
The story pulled me along enough to where I read it on and off over 24 hours, although not in a single sitting. A few minor quibbles with believability (I know, I am arguing believability in a book about a mermaid), but all in all it was an enjoyable read.

[Alexandria Trusov · Rating 2 out of 5]

The love interest (Ethan) is a gaslighting ass with a cheater vibe from the way he handles his fiancée noticing his interest in another woman. Also, what is with all Undrea’s girlfriend encouraging her to see him without his fiancée? Ick.

Undrea’s heritage is never properly explained. (Even when her BFF weirdly calls her sea-living parents on a cellphone.) And there is this odd half chapter from the “bad guy” (fiancee) POV. It’s a bit off putting.

And there had been a chronology issue with calling a character who got married 4 books back single. (Not unless we time travelled and 2 sentence in the same paragraph proves it). Series require extra continuity editing.

But overall I loved several of the other individual books from the series. My favorite thing is how personalized to the characters their monologues are.

This is my least favorite for a lot of reasons.

[Becka Ramaglia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking forward to the mermaid's tail and learning more about Undrea after we met her when she set up Roxy St James' tank. Bowie the cat is super cool and super important in this story. Sos Roxy is supposed to set up Ethan's fiancé's tank. Who knew that his kiss would inhibit the media starved attention succubus from keeping a hold on her food. This book had some weird things going on in it. Like him deciding to move in with Roxy immediately, as well as the way they had to sever him from his cra-cra fiancé/succubus. That whole plot line was very extreme. As usual the town comes to the rescue and Alice makes her appearance as does several other witches (when did the rook and Corette get married?) What made this a 4 for me was the way they defeated her... she just poofed! Seriously... but overall I did like the story.

[Dana Linde · Rating 3 out of 5]

As far as the Nocturne Falls books go, this fits the formula, but when contrasting it with others from the series, it is lacking. The action spans only about two days, and the relationship-even if some magic is involved- is hard to believe. This time the main character is a mermaid- a siren to be exact. She saves the self-made billionaire who realizes his two-year relationship is not what he wants when he meets Undrea. Unfortunately, the woman he has been dating has reasons to stay with her man. Add in some blackout episodes, aquariums and a lot of eating and you get a two-day event that supposedly supports love at first sight. Along the way, you can also see the author setting things up for the next book. Cute read but lacking substance.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the thirteenth book in the Nocturne Falls series written by Kristen Painter. Nocturne Falls is a town that celebrates Halloween every day of the year and also a place that paranormal’s can live and not have to hide what they really are. Undrea Seeley is a mermaid and sells custom made fish tanks. Ehtan Edmonds is a tech billionaire and his self appointed fiancee decides he needs an aquarium for their home. When Ethan meets Undrea he is captivated by her. She understands his attraction to her. She soon realizes everyone is not who they seem and she is determined to save Ethan. I really enjoyed their story and can’t wait for the next book in this series.

[Minga Dotson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siren mermaid vs. succubus, not exactly a fight, but definitely a rumble over a good man.

Tanks a Lots owner, Undrea, is a siren, a type of mermaid, but no one knows, until new resident Ethan finds her asleep in the lake and thinks she's drowning or drowned and does CPR on her. But his "kiss" magically makes her love him, and maybe vise versa, so she's worried, but he's interested in a woman like he's never met before. But his current "girlfriend" is a real witch, and not the magical kind, a succubus is what she is, and she's not willing to give up her cushy home and free meals just yet. So who will end up with rich, sweet, smart Ethan? Read and find out!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been too long since I visited Nocturne Falls! I love this little town, where it’s Halloween everyday!

Everyone knows Undrea Seeley is a mermaid, but she’s so much more. She’s a siren, which places her in a unique situation when a human tech billionaire goes for a run around the lake and finds her, in her human guise, floating face down in the lake. When Ethan attempts CPR on the sleeping mermaid, he sets in motion ancient magics that Undrea fears will get her run out of town by the vampire family that overseas the town. I invite you to read this wonderful story to learn of all the mischief and mayhem that ensues! 4.5 of 5 stars.

[Lisa Guertin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another fun romp through Nocturne Falls. We see a few of the old crew and meet some new friends on the way. Undrea has a thriving business that she loves and a huge secret that she fears will get her kicked out of town. Ethan made his fortune developing software and apps. His current girlfriend convinced him to move to Nocturne Falls, but something just isn’t right. It will take Undrea and her friends along with a hairless cat named Bowie to save the day.

I always look forward to a new NF book and this one did not disappoint me. It was funny, a bit scary and full of romance.