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Fairy Tales Reimagined #5
Above the Sea
The little mermaid is engaged to the Prince… but she's in love with Captain Hook.
When Lexa’s father, Poseidon, is taken by a powerful enemy, the only way to get him back is for the Princess of the Sea to accept a marriage alliance with the Prince of the Shores.
But her heart already belongs to Captain Hook, a broody pirate she saved from a shipwreck and nursed back to health at her island.
She longs to see him again.
What she doesn’t expect, however, is to find Hook at the castle ball, standing alongside the Prince.
Will Lexa follow through with the marriage alliance to save her father?
Or will she fight for her happy ending?
Above the Sea is the thrilling fifth installment of the Fairy Tales Reimagined series.
When Lexa’s father, Poseidon, is taken by a powerful enemy, the only way to get him back is for the Princess of the Sea to accept a marriage alliance with the Prince of the Shores.
But her heart already belongs to Captain Hook, a broody pirate she saved from a shipwreck and nursed back to health at her island.
She longs to see him again.
What she doesn’t expect, however, is to find Hook at the castle ball, standing alongside the Prince.
Will Lexa follow through with the marriage alliance to save her father?
Or will she fight for her happy ending?
Above the Sea is the thrilling fifth installment of the Fairy Tales Reimagined series.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2022
340 people are currently reading
8906 people want to read
About the author
Laura Burton
75 books734 followersLaura writes sweet romance and fantasy with steamy kisses, thrilling suspense, and mystery.
A self-confessed Potterhead and Once Upon a Time fan.
Laura marries her love of 1990's romcoms with her obsession with Pretty Little Liars and writes fast-paced books written especially for readers who need an escape.
Laura Burton is a British author who lives in Wiltshire, England with her three wild sons, alpha-male husband, and positively loopy Poochon.
A self-confessed Potterhead and Once Upon a Time fan.
Laura marries her love of 1990's romcoms with her obsession with Pretty Little Liars and writes fast-paced books written especially for readers who need an escape.
Laura Burton is a British author who lives in Wiltshire, England with her three wild sons, alpha-male husband, and positively loopy Poochon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
May 31, 2022
This was hit and miss for me. I wasn't keen on the writing but there was a lot of interesting things going on. Sometimes it's felt like too much was going on.
Even so, we completely skipped over Lexa and Ryke's initial romance! We jumped into the story and they were already in love which made me sad.
I'm also disappointed in how much it relies on the reader having read the other books in the series. I understand that they are all set in the same universe but if each book focuses on a different set or characters, they should still be able to be read on their own, in my opinion, of course.
Even so, we completely skipped over Lexa and Ryke's initial romance! We jumped into the story and they were already in love which made me sad.
I'm also disappointed in how much it relies on the reader having read the other books in the series. I understand that they are all set in the same universe but if each book focuses on a different set or characters, they should still be able to be read on their own, in my opinion, of course.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2025
2.5⭐️
I was very excited to read a little mermaid retelling with Hook! The premise held a lot of promise. I was even more excited when Neverland and Peter Pan were thrown into the story, but overall I feel like the writing/voice of this story needed some work or wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect to the story and found myself having to backtrack and reread parts due to word choices to make sure I understood what was happening (sometimes I still wasn’t sure).
Example that irked me the most: when Tristan went from just being mind controlled like everyone else to being called an “imposter” it confused who he actually was. As in, was he just being controlled or was he actually the villain in disguise and was it that way from the beginning since he wasn’t acting the way Wendy had described him to Lexa? And if that’s the case, why did it take Ryke so long to figure it out when he figured it out so quickly on the ship? This was my biggest moment of writing confusion.
This is an interconnected standalone but it’s not quite so stand alone. I have not read any of the other books in the series but I get the sense that parts of Lexa and Hook’s storyline happened prior to this book and so it feels like I missed some formative moments. Also the parts about Lexa’s family line seem important but not crucial to this plot line.
Overall I did not feel connected to the characters, there were a lot of writing plot holes and convenient write overs (example: thanks for the lightning, you freed us all…what??) and though I enjoyed the mash up of two of my favorite fairytales and I liked the ideas this story brought to the table, I would have enjoyed a better execution of it.
Story summary:
Lexa’s father is taken prisoner by pirates and she will do anything to get him back to his throne in Atlantis. She makes a bargain with the sea witch to get permanent legs and goes to shore to sign a treaty with the King of the Shore signing her life away to his son Tristan so that they will help her find her father. Unfortunately for Tristan, she is already in love with his cousin, Ryke “Hook”, a pirate. Ryke is conscripted to help the royal family find her father so now Lexa is faced with her true love and the promises she’s made to save her kingdom.
I was very excited to read a little mermaid retelling with Hook! The premise held a lot of promise. I was even more excited when Neverland and Peter Pan were thrown into the story, but overall I feel like the writing/voice of this story needed some work or wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect to the story and found myself having to backtrack and reread parts due to word choices to make sure I understood what was happening (sometimes I still wasn’t sure).
Example that irked me the most: when Tristan went from just being mind controlled like everyone else to being called an “imposter” it confused who he actually was. As in, was he just being controlled or was he actually the villain in disguise and was it that way from the beginning since he wasn’t acting the way Wendy had described him to Lexa? And if that’s the case, why did it take Ryke so long to figure it out when he figured it out so quickly on the ship? This was my biggest moment of writing confusion.
This is an interconnected standalone but it’s not quite so stand alone. I have not read any of the other books in the series but I get the sense that parts of Lexa and Hook’s storyline happened prior to this book and so it feels like I missed some formative moments. Also the parts about Lexa’s family line seem important but not crucial to this plot line.
Overall I did not feel connected to the characters, there were a lot of writing plot holes and convenient write overs (example: thanks for the lightning, you freed us all…what??) and though I enjoyed the mash up of two of my favorite fairytales and I liked the ideas this story brought to the table, I would have enjoyed a better execution of it.
Story summary:
Lexa’s father is taken prisoner by pirates and she will do anything to get him back to his throne in Atlantis. She makes a bargain with the sea witch to get permanent legs and goes to shore to sign a treaty with the King of the Shore signing her life away to his son Tristan so that they will help her find her father. Unfortunately for Tristan, she is already in love with his cousin, Ryke “Hook”, a pirate. Ryke is conscripted to help the royal family find her father so now Lexa is faced with her true love and the promises she’s made to save her kingdom.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2022
I so love this series! Partly because the fond is big and therefore it becomes a quick and easy read, but mostly because I love how the authors blend all the different fairytales. It felt a little like one of the main story arcs had ended in the previous book and I was therefore quite curious where this story would take us. However, it therefore also took me quite some time before I finally got myself this book. Last week I had some book money left and felt like reading this one. So bought it and read it!
It's quite clear that a new story arc is starting with this book. Although there are mentions of the previous books, and therefore spoilers, I think it would be possible to start your series with this book. You will miss a little background information on our pirate and our mermaid though, since they already appear in the very first book in the series. The moment I started recognizing names though I got more and more excited!
I think mixing the little mermaid with the world of Neverland is quite brilliant. I have to admit that therefore it also feels that the story isn't just about our mermaid and her pirate, but it's a wonderful fit. And it also adds some original elements and twists to both well known stories. I don't want to give too much away, because it's way too much fun to discover what has truly been going on and who has been behind it all the time, but you're not gonna be disappointed!
Just like you're not gonna be disappointed with the set up for the next story in the series: Cinderella. I know that spending an entire paragraph on a story that is yet being written and not yet released is a little much, but I've rarely been this excited about a plot-twist in the finale of the book! Once more, I don't want to give too much away, but it seems that Cinderella is once more gonna be a blend of two amazing tales and I can't wait to get my hands on it and read it.
It's quite clear that a new story arc is starting with this book. Although there are mentions of the previous books, and therefore spoilers, I think it would be possible to start your series with this book. You will miss a little background information on our pirate and our mermaid though, since they already appear in the very first book in the series. The moment I started recognizing names though I got more and more excited!
I think mixing the little mermaid with the world of Neverland is quite brilliant. I have to admit that therefore it also feels that the story isn't just about our mermaid and her pirate, but it's a wonderful fit. And it also adds some original elements and twists to both well known stories. I don't want to give too much away, because it's way too much fun to discover what has truly been going on and who has been behind it all the time, but you're not gonna be disappointed!
Just like you're not gonna be disappointed with the set up for the next story in the series: Cinderella. I know that spending an entire paragraph on a story that is yet being written and not yet released is a little much, but I've rarely been this excited about a plot-twist in the finale of the book! Once more, I don't want to give too much away, but it seems that Cinderella is once more gonna be a blend of two amazing tales and I can't wait to get my hands on it and read it.
February 5, 2023
❝Love is more powerful than death, my love, and I will die a thousand deaths to save you❞
Una historia entretenida. Una combinación entre la Sirenita y Peter Pan.
Una historia entretenida. Una combinación entre la Sirenita y Peter Pan.
June 14, 2022
This is book 5 in the Fairy Tales Reimagined series. This one is a retelling of The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan. I loved how the characters from Peter Pan were woven into one of my favorite classic tales, The Little Mermaid!
I loved how the well known elements from both of these classic stories were present, yet were given a new spin with exciting twists. The authors did a great job of meshing theses fairy tales together into one fabulous adventure.
You definitely can jump right in to this series without having read any of the books that come before it. I recently read book 1 and then went straight to this one without any difficulty or confusion.
What I liked:
🔹The chemistry between Lexa and Captain Hook
🔹The action that was experienced throughout this adventure
🔹The ending and how the story was set up for the next book
I loved how the well known elements from both of these classic stories were present, yet were given a new spin with exciting twists. The authors did a great job of meshing theses fairy tales together into one fabulous adventure.
You definitely can jump right in to this series without having read any of the books that come before it. I recently read book 1 and then went straight to this one without any difficulty or confusion.
What I liked:
🔹The chemistry between Lexa and Captain Hook
🔹The action that was experienced throughout this adventure
🔹The ending and how the story was set up for the next book
October 4, 2023
DNF and I really did try
May 22, 2024
omg this was the cutest book club book ever! I’ll keep this review short but if you love fairytale retelling I really suggest this series, it has a bit of explicit verbiage and love tension (kind of bridgeton vibes) 🫣but the way I eat it up!
I definitely recommend 🥹
Also hello.. little mermaid retelling by her being in love with captain hook? Um SOLD
P.S you can read this series as standalone, but after reading this one and book 6 I definitely suggest to read them in order
I definitely recommend 🥹
Also hello.. little mermaid retelling by her being in love with captain hook? Um SOLD
P.S you can read this series as standalone, but after reading this one and book 6 I definitely suggest to read them in order
March 18, 2022
I’ve always been fascinated with mermaids, growing up a Disney baby and singing as if I were Ariel. So this book, as a reimagined The Little Mermaid, was incredibly interesting to read.
I adored the chemistry and fierceness of their love for each other. I love that the tone was set from the start and nothing was stopping them from finding and keeping each other.
Twists and turns at every chapter kept me on my toes and I read the book in a day! I couldn’t stop, wanting to find out how it would all unfold. It was still fairly close to the story I grew up with. But it had an edge to it that made it a very fun and exciting read!
5 stars 💜
I adored the chemistry and fierceness of their love for each other. I love that the tone was set from the start and nothing was stopping them from finding and keeping each other.
Twists and turns at every chapter kept me on my toes and I read the book in a day! I couldn’t stop, wanting to find out how it would all unfold. It was still fairly close to the story I grew up with. But it had an edge to it that made it a very fun and exciting read!
5 stars 💜
January 23, 2023
The writing could have been so much better. I expected more from “Bestselling Authors.” There were so many plot holes and there was no character development or relationship arcs. The love story is rushed and and we don’t get to follow the relationship as they fall in love. They’re already in love from the first chapter so I was left bored and without context or details. Also, what the hell was that Wendy and Pan plotline?? They threw that in there to make the story more interesting but it just created confusion and a massive plot hole in the story. Nothing was ever explained about how exactly they knew each other or why/how they fell in love. And what happened to Tinkerbell? Her plot within the story was never quite explained either and then she disappeared at the end. There was way too much going on in this book to keep up and there was a massive lack of storytelling. I feel like a middle schooler wrote this story, which sucks because the idea is great and has so much potential to be a great story.
June 5, 2023
A Little Mermaid retelling that is clean and blends with Hook and Peter Pan. This was a super slow read for me and I got a bit bored with it because the plot went a bit too fast for me to invest into the story and it’s characters. I did enjoy the blending of fairytales but also read this as a stand-alone (this is book 5 of the series) and felt that maybe I should have read the others first. And the romance was a tad cringey for me 🙈 mainly because it was too much of an insta-love and I think that’s because I didn’t read the previous book. I feel like if the story had started out with Lexa saving Ryke and them being alone together on that island recovering and we got to see that then I would have really enjoyed the story more. But then again this could have all happened in the previous book lol…
August 27, 2024
2 Stars
I have been looking for a great Little Mermaid retelling but unfortunately this one was not it. Even the inclusion of Hook and Pan wasn’t that fresh (I wrote my own mash up of these two stories years ago) since mermaids have always been part of the story.
Firstly, I thought this was an interconnected standalone but it wasn’t and that’s on me. Half the story seems to have been in earlier books in the series so this book was very incomplete and subsequently lacklustre and underwhelming.
It was also written very bizarrely. The language and style seemed like it was for a much younger target audience than I am, but at the same time it included some adult content that didn’t fit.
Overall the story wasn’t very cohesive, well written or particularly interesting. I’m not interested in checking out the rest of the series but I’ll keep looking for new fairytale retellings.
I have been looking for a great Little Mermaid retelling but unfortunately this one was not it. Even the inclusion of Hook and Pan wasn’t that fresh (I wrote my own mash up of these two stories years ago) since mermaids have always been part of the story.
Firstly, I thought this was an interconnected standalone but it wasn’t and that’s on me. Half the story seems to have been in earlier books in the series so this book was very incomplete and subsequently lacklustre and underwhelming.
It was also written very bizarrely. The language and style seemed like it was for a much younger target audience than I am, but at the same time it included some adult content that didn’t fit.
Overall the story wasn’t very cohesive, well written or particularly interesting. I’m not interested in checking out the rest of the series but I’ll keep looking for new fairytale retellings.
July 4, 2024
I didn't really like this book. It was very short and everything happened very quickly, i felt zero connection to any of the characters there was no build up to the relationship etc. This all made me enjoy it less then other fantasy romance books i've read. I didn't even finished it. The ending just wasn't it for me so i just quit it before the last 60 pages,i'm sorry.
May 31, 2022
I did enjoy it as well but truth be told, being a huge fan of the little mermaid and Ursula I did have higher expectations . The little mermaid and peter pan mashed up to have Above the Sea which was a pretty fun twist. It was a quick easy read and quiet gripping at some points. The only I disapproved of was that It could almost be a stand alone, barely related to the previous books with the very rare mention of any other characters and no connection to any of the other storylines in the past books.
I am excited about the next installment which is yet to be published in march next year.
I am excited about the next installment which is yet to be published in march next year.
August 15, 2025
aaaah this was so cute!! loved it! 🙏🏻
November 5, 2025
Another great book in the series. I love the different spins on the stories with familiar characters. You never know quite how the story is going to go, and it’s a fun journey. Very fun read.
March 16, 2025
Pretty good. Some of the dialogue was really strange, but good story.
December 4, 2024
2.5 It was okay...
April 20, 2022
I LOVE Disney retellings/fractured fairytales. This one missed the mark for me. The idea drew me in - The Little Mermaid is set to marry the Prince, but is in love with Captain Hook. Cool idea! However, the details were very hectic. I even tried flipping through some to see if it got any better - it didn't from what I could tell. After being spoiled with the pristine writing style of Emily McIntire's Never After Series, I simply couldn't get into this. Maybe someone else will LOVE it - just wasn't for me.
I really wanted to like this one... It just missed the mark. I am not about bashing authors so I won't say a bunch of negative things. I simply couldn't get into it. The details like I mentioned were too hectic/chaotic for me (this is usually not something I struggle with as I love complex stories - for reference). If you give this a go yourself - you may love it, or you may feel the same as I do. If you are into disney retellings/fractured fairytales - check out the Never After Series by Emily McIntire! Those books, along with this one are available on KU.
I really wanted to like this one... It just missed the mark. I am not about bashing authors so I won't say a bunch of negative things. I simply couldn't get into it. The details like I mentioned were too hectic/chaotic for me (this is usually not something I struggle with as I love complex stories - for reference). If you give this a go yourself - you may love it, or you may feel the same as I do. If you are into disney retellings/fractured fairytales - check out the Never After Series by Emily McIntire! Those books, along with this one are available on KU.
December 13, 2023
I haven’t read the other books in this series. I thought that you could read them as standalones or at least not having to know what happened in the previous books. I usually like fairy tale retellings but this one read like a first attempt at writing fanfiction. Although, I have read better fanfics than this novel.
I am disappointed because the book does have a ton of interesting ideas with the Little Mermaid falling in love with Captain Hook instead of the Prince.
The problem is that the story starts off with the Little Mermaid and Captain Hook already in love as opposed to allowing the readers to be introduced to the characters first and slowly building a relationship. At least, the author could have created a story that showed us how they met instead of info dumping this information in the first chapter. Also, the characters didn’t feel fleshed out. They felt like standard copies of the Little Mermaid and Captain Hook. I was a big fan of Once Upon a Time and read multiple fanfics that gave life to the classic characters that we have known and loved.
Maybe I am too old for a YA book like this, but I have read MG and YA books that were still enjoyable. Idk. I want to give this author another shot but maybe I am not the target demographic.
I am disappointed because the book does have a ton of interesting ideas with the Little Mermaid falling in love with Captain Hook instead of the Prince.
The problem is that the story starts off with the Little Mermaid and Captain Hook already in love as opposed to allowing the readers to be introduced to the characters first and slowly building a relationship. At least, the author could have created a story that showed us how they met instead of info dumping this information in the first chapter. Also, the characters didn’t feel fleshed out. They felt like standard copies of the Little Mermaid and Captain Hook. I was a big fan of Once Upon a Time and read multiple fanfics that gave life to the classic characters that we have known and loved.
Maybe I am too old for a YA book like this, but I have read MG and YA books that were still enjoyable. Idk. I want to give this author another shot but maybe I am not the target demographic.
Read
December 2, 2022It's written in a style better suited to a fourth grade reading level/younger end MG, however the romantic content would primarily go towards teenagers...It's a baffling rehash of Once Upon A Time in it's style, with minimal world building. All the characters talk like they're a modern day nineteen year old, unless they're quoting Disney movies.
Be aware that this is directly based on Disney properties, not the original stories. It absolutely reads more like an MG Disney-commissioned MG novel than the YA/NA dark fantasy that it was marketed as.
Be aware that this is directly based on Disney properties, not the original stories. It absolutely reads more like an MG Disney-commissioned MG novel than the YA/NA dark fantasy that it was marketed as.
April 21, 2022
I really wanted to like this book, I truly did. I’m a sucker for a fairy tale retelling but this one just missed the mark for me. I liked the idea of mixing the Little Mermaid with Peter Pan but it just felt like something was missing. I’m not sure if it was the name changes (and there were a LOT) or if it was the abrupt shift from action to filling the page with mundane details. It’s nothing personal it just wasn’t for me.
November 22, 2022
I liked the idea of the book, but the development not so much. I know it’s a retelling, and it has interesting characters, but it also felt lazy. There is nothing that makes this book stand out above all the other retelling of The Little Mermaid. Reading this I got the same feeling I get when I see filler episodes in tv shows. I’ll watch them, yet they leave me feeling like I wasted my time.
April 18, 2022
I really liked the idea of a retelling of the little mermaid mixed with Peter Pan. I love how the stories are somehow connected but you don't need to read all the books to understand the story. Its not very complex and it was very predictable but lovely ending.
July 17, 2025
This is long because I strongly disliked it and I have a lot to say.
The only reason I finished Above the Sea was for our book club at work. I had hopes going in, but unfortunately, the execution really didn’t work for me.
This is the fifth book in a series, and while it’s marketed as a standalone, I strongly disagree with that. From the start, I felt like I had missed a bunch of context. There are clearly plot points and character relationships that were established in earlier books, especially the romance between Lexa and Ryke. We’re dropped into the middle of their story without ever seeing how they fell for each other, and without that buildup, it’s hard to feel any connection to them. The book just assumes you’re already invested, but if you’re coming in fresh, it’s confusing and emotionally flat. I think to really enjoy this, you’d have to read the previous books.
The plot felt both chaotic and hollow. Things happen but none of it carries any real weight. Conflicts are introduced and then resolved in a matter of pages. The stakes never feel real because every obstacle is quickly brushed aside. A random moment after Poseidon is rescued really through me off. He’s like “btw Lexa don’t sing this one specific song” and it’s just like ??????ok. Then Lexa of course sings it at the end in a dramatic moment where she’s supposed to trade a life for a life. But in the epilogue, we find out the price isn’t hers to pay, so there’s no lasting consequence. It felt like the book kept trying to be dramatic or emotional, but didn’t do the work to make those moments matter.
I also guessed the twist about the ultimate “bad guy” from the beginning, so even that reveal didn’t land for me. And then there’s the whole subplot with Tinkerbell—which was just… bizarre. She’s introduced as a potential villain, then suddenly she’s not, and then she just disappears. There’s no real explanation or closure. Same with Peter Pan and Wendy, they know each other enough for Wendy to be able to pull him out of a trance, but we never find out how they know each other. Unless, again, that happened in a previous book. From a story-building perspective, it felt like a lot of loose threads that went nowhere.
The writing itself didn’t help. It felt like it was aimed at a younger audience, but then there were a few more mature scenes thrown in that felt out of place. Dialogue was clunky at times, especially in scenes where characters just kept repeating each other’s names awkwardly (“Ryke,” “Lexa,” “Ryke”) over and over. Who talks like that? And because it’s written in third person, we never really get deep into any character’s head. There’s very little internal perspective, so everything stays surface-level. One moment that stuck out to me was when Ryke watches Lexa staring out at the ocean and thinks something along the lines of “it’s like the ocean calms her,” and I just remember thinking… yeah, she’s a mermaid. Of course the ocean calms her.
Overall, this book just wasn’t for me. It felt disconnected and poorly structured, with characters I couldn’t invest in and a story that lacked impact. If you’ve read the rest of the series, maybe it makes more sense, but if you’re coming in as a new reader, I don’t think this works at all as a standalone. And honestly, based on how much I disliked this one, I probably won’t be picking up the others.
The only reason I finished Above the Sea was for our book club at work. I had hopes going in, but unfortunately, the execution really didn’t work for me.
This is the fifth book in a series, and while it’s marketed as a standalone, I strongly disagree with that. From the start, I felt like I had missed a bunch of context. There are clearly plot points and character relationships that were established in earlier books, especially the romance between Lexa and Ryke. We’re dropped into the middle of their story without ever seeing how they fell for each other, and without that buildup, it’s hard to feel any connection to them. The book just assumes you’re already invested, but if you’re coming in fresh, it’s confusing and emotionally flat. I think to really enjoy this, you’d have to read the previous books.
The plot felt both chaotic and hollow. Things happen but none of it carries any real weight. Conflicts are introduced and then resolved in a matter of pages. The stakes never feel real because every obstacle is quickly brushed aside. A random moment after Poseidon is rescued really through me off. He’s like “btw Lexa don’t sing this one specific song” and it’s just like ??????ok. Then Lexa of course sings it at the end in a dramatic moment where she’s supposed to trade a life for a life. But in the epilogue, we find out the price isn’t hers to pay, so there’s no lasting consequence. It felt like the book kept trying to be dramatic or emotional, but didn’t do the work to make those moments matter.
I also guessed the twist about the ultimate “bad guy” from the beginning, so even that reveal didn’t land for me. And then there’s the whole subplot with Tinkerbell—which was just… bizarre. She’s introduced as a potential villain, then suddenly she’s not, and then she just disappears. There’s no real explanation or closure. Same with Peter Pan and Wendy, they know each other enough for Wendy to be able to pull him out of a trance, but we never find out how they know each other. Unless, again, that happened in a previous book. From a story-building perspective, it felt like a lot of loose threads that went nowhere.
The writing itself didn’t help. It felt like it was aimed at a younger audience, but then there were a few more mature scenes thrown in that felt out of place. Dialogue was clunky at times, especially in scenes where characters just kept repeating each other’s names awkwardly (“Ryke,” “Lexa,” “Ryke”) over and over. Who talks like that? And because it’s written in third person, we never really get deep into any character’s head. There’s very little internal perspective, so everything stays surface-level. One moment that stuck out to me was when Ryke watches Lexa staring out at the ocean and thinks something along the lines of “it’s like the ocean calms her,” and I just remember thinking… yeah, she’s a mermaid. Of course the ocean calms her.
Overall, this book just wasn’t for me. It felt disconnected and poorly structured, with characters I couldn’t invest in and a story that lacked impact. If you’ve read the rest of the series, maybe it makes more sense, but if you’re coming in as a new reader, I don’t think this works at all as a standalone. And honestly, based on how much I disliked this one, I probably won’t be picking up the others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2025
My rating with partial stars would be 2.75.
This book was Pretty Alright, which is good because I read it over a quick vacation expecting a trashy read. (It was just there on a shelf at the rental, and I couldn't resist.) It was very easy to get through, and some parts pleasantly surprised me, but overall it's nothing that'll leave a lasting impact.
I found the writing style to be a little confusing at times. It definitely wasn't too dense or anything—overall, I found the prose to be pretty serviceable—but there were some choices that made me pause and reread, which impacted the flow. Some examples as I wrote them down:
- On the first page, it says that Lexa has brown hair, but then on page 20, Ryke calls it black. Does he just not know it's brown because it's wet?
- This bit on page 3: "According to Bob, the up-tight lobster who also happened to be her father's most trusted advisor, Snow saved him recently from a boiling pot. He was saved from certain death and almost made into dinner." I'm confused; was he saved and then almost cooked and then saved again? Or does it mean, "He was saved from the certain death of being made into dinner"?
- I encountered an issue repeatedly in which a sentence that should go, for example, "He dove into the water, his hair waving in the gentle current," is written as "He dove into the water, his hair waved in the gentle current."
- I appreciate the Deaf representation, but it would help it out a lot if the sign language were in quotes instead of italics.
- "The sound was so earsplitting he was sure his eardrums were going to burst" feels redundant. Earsplitting already implies potential damage, right?
There were also some mistakes or general inconsistencies that were unrelated to style that I still caught.
- How does Lexa move like a gazelle through the jungle if she's not used to having legs full-time?
- On page 182, they briefly forget that Lexa is temporarily mute, because she whispers to herself.
- I'm unclear on how the lightning released the wild boys? It could've struck near the cages I guess, but this wasn't explained in enough clarity in my opinion.
Mistakes and confusion aside, there were things to enjoy about this story. I was happy to find Deaf representation in here! Wendy is holding up that "diverse characters" rating on both shoulders. Although I laughed when Ryke was described as having flowing black hair and blue eyes, because this had me convinced I was in for some typical romantasy fare, I was pleasantly surprised that the sexual tension was allowed to build without immediate release as is so often the case. Heck, I don't mind a sex scene, but I appreciate the restraint of not having one at all and letting the readers conclude what happens after the wedding.
I've been under enough stress lately that I'll probably read the other entries in this series for some goofy fun. That will be an exercise in building dread for sure, because I'm icked out by the way size difference is portrayed in modern romance, and based on this book's final chapter, that's exactly what Heart of Glass has in store! Oh boy! Yippee!!
This book was Pretty Alright, which is good because I read it over a quick vacation expecting a trashy read. (It was just there on a shelf at the rental, and I couldn't resist.) It was very easy to get through, and some parts pleasantly surprised me, but overall it's nothing that'll leave a lasting impact.
I found the writing style to be a little confusing at times. It definitely wasn't too dense or anything—overall, I found the prose to be pretty serviceable—but there were some choices that made me pause and reread, which impacted the flow. Some examples as I wrote them down:
- On the first page, it says that Lexa has brown hair, but then on page 20, Ryke calls it black. Does he just not know it's brown because it's wet?
- This bit on page 3: "According to Bob, the up-tight lobster who also happened to be her father's most trusted advisor, Snow saved him recently from a boiling pot. He was saved from certain death and almost made into dinner." I'm confused; was he saved and then almost cooked and then saved again? Or does it mean, "He was saved from the certain death of being made into dinner"?
- I encountered an issue repeatedly in which a sentence that should go, for example, "He dove into the water, his hair waving in the gentle current," is written as "He dove into the water, his hair waved in the gentle current."
- I appreciate the Deaf representation, but it would help it out a lot if the sign language were in quotes instead of italics.
- "The sound was so earsplitting he was sure his eardrums were going to burst" feels redundant. Earsplitting already implies potential damage, right?
There were also some mistakes or general inconsistencies that were unrelated to style that I still caught.
- How does Lexa move like a gazelle through the jungle if she's not used to having legs full-time?
- On page 182, they briefly forget that Lexa is temporarily mute, because she whispers to herself.
- I'm unclear on how the lightning released the wild boys? It could've struck near the cages I guess, but this wasn't explained in enough clarity in my opinion.
Mistakes and confusion aside, there were things to enjoy about this story. I was happy to find Deaf representation in here! Wendy is holding up that "diverse characters" rating on both shoulders. Although I laughed when Ryke was described as having flowing black hair and blue eyes, because this had me convinced I was in for some typical romantasy fare, I was pleasantly surprised that the sexual tension was allowed to build without immediate release as is so often the case. Heck, I don't mind a sex scene, but I appreciate the restraint of not having one at all and letting the readers conclude what happens after the wedding.
I've been under enough stress lately that I'll probably read the other entries in this series for some goofy fun. That will be an exercise in building dread for sure, because I'm icked out by the way size difference is portrayed in modern romance, and based on this book's final chapter, that's exactly what Heart of Glass has in store! Oh boy! Yippee!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2022
Right when I start “Above the Sea, a little mermaid retelling, it’s obvious that it’s not the first in the series but I’m hoping I can get away with it and continue. I think I found out a few spoilers from the first book but oh well. The writing feels Indie-esque with a lot of telling instead of showing and with vocabulary meant for age 12-16. The talking to animals is cute but the innocence of it makes the novel feel more YA than expected. I’m hoping it’s a satisfactory comp for my work in progress, a gender reversal: a merman which sees a red haired beauty dancing upon a ship during an incoming storm. This one is written in third person past tense tho which is different than my first person present tense. A similarity we have in common though is two points of view from Lexa and Ryke who would parallel my Eribelle and Axton.
I wish I knew who Jack & Aria were in this story since I skipped the first book. In chapter two the writing is a bit ‘on the nose’ so I’ll probably fall in love with the plot and not the prose.
There’s some inconsistencies. For example, in the first chapter her hair is brown but in the second and third Alexa’s hair is black.
I’m having a hard believing how much she cares that her father is missing when she was cursing his existence minutes ago.
Oooh who is Neri?
So I like that there’s more at stake in this story than the original little mermaid.
It’s a bit coincidental that Lily’s uncle is exactly who Lexa needs to find.
The plot is very fast paced and I don’t feel as if there’s time to settle in a scene or into the characters. Their dialogue is saying exactly what they think instead of making me work and read in between the lines for deeper layers.
So the almost sex scene kid of felt like stage direction movements without passion. I’m wanting to feel more emotion.
Oooh the unexpected twist in chapter 10! What will Lexa do?
Ok well… once they drink from the waterfall of youth the entire vibe of the story changed. It’s cool to merge two stories and lands together like this but I feel like they lost their progression and focus. Their personalities also seemed to have shifted once in Neverland. The Peter Pan parts seems forced instead of natural and the storyline feels rushed.
The villains keep switching and it’s been jumping around too fast.
I’m overall satisfied with the ending and the epilogue gives us a mini hook to read Ella’s tale. I won’t be purchasing the other novels in this series but as glad I checked out this one.
I wish I knew who Jack & Aria were in this story since I skipped the first book. In chapter two the writing is a bit ‘on the nose’ so I’ll probably fall in love with the plot and not the prose.
There’s some inconsistencies. For example, in the first chapter her hair is brown but in the second and third Alexa’s hair is black.
I’m having a hard believing how much she cares that her father is missing when she was cursing his existence minutes ago.
Oooh who is Neri?
So I like that there’s more at stake in this story than the original little mermaid.
It’s a bit coincidental that Lily’s uncle is exactly who Lexa needs to find.
The plot is very fast paced and I don’t feel as if there’s time to settle in a scene or into the characters. Their dialogue is saying exactly what they think instead of making me work and read in between the lines for deeper layers.
So the almost sex scene kid of felt like stage direction movements without passion. I’m wanting to feel more emotion.
Oooh the unexpected twist in chapter 10! What will Lexa do?
Ok well… once they drink from the waterfall of youth the entire vibe of the story changed. It’s cool to merge two stories and lands together like this but I feel like they lost their progression and focus. Their personalities also seemed to have shifted once in Neverland. The Peter Pan parts seems forced instead of natural and the storyline feels rushed.
The villains keep switching and it’s been jumping around too fast.
I’m overall satisfied with the ending and the epilogue gives us a mini hook to read Ella’s tale. I won’t be purchasing the other novels in this series but as glad I checked out this one.
November 20, 2022
Such a sweet and odd retelling of The Little Mermaid! I absolutely love all of Laura Burton and Jessie Cal's books, but this one has been my favorite so far. This is book 5 in the series, and while they each can be read as standalone, I definitely recommend reading the previous books as they all tie in to one another. This story is the Little Mermaid meets Peter Pan! Two of my favorite fairy tales! Lexa, Princess of Atlantis, has fallen in love with a mortal human, a pirate at that, which is forbidden. What is she to do? Her father once loved a human, so why wasn't she allowed to? After tending to Ryke, the injured pirate she fell in love with, Lexa receives unsettling news that her father, Poseidon has been captured by pirates. Lexa must do everything in her power to get her father back. Not just for her own comfort, but also because Atlantis needs their King. She makes a good bit of questionable decisions, but ultimately she felt they were necessary in order to get her father back. What she wasn't expecting, was to find the pirate she fell in love with. With his help, and the help of a handmaiden named Wendy, they set sail to Neverland to rescue her father and hopefully put an end to the mermaid auctions. There are lots of twists and turns that make Lexa and Ryke make tough on the spot decisions. One wrong move and everyone could end up dead, as well it could cause the end of Atlantis. What are they willing to risk to get Poseidon back? What will they also have to sacrifice in order for them to be able to be together and love one another?
December 17, 2024
10/10 ⭐️
After Poseidon is taken by pirates, the Princess of the Seas, Lexa (although in love with a Pirate Captain, Ryke), is forced to make a marriage alliance with the Prince of Shores to get the help she needs in order to return her father to his throne.
Being the prince's cousin, Ryke is tasked with the mission to help Lexa save her father, so they fight and learn together in order to rescue Poseidon, knowing that after power is restored, Lexa will marry the prince and not the pirate.
This is a very cute, very light take on the Little Mermaid Story, although it is not a copy. It is able to keep the original foundation of the tale, keeping the sense of familiarity with the story and the plot.
I loved how Peter Pan is portrayed, because, let's be honest...even in the original story, he is a very shady character.
The love story between Ryke and Lexa is a medium-burn, and it indeed makes a lot of sense. Intertwining the plots of both tales, and the references to Snow White and Ella really set the motto for a whole universe of fairy tale retellings.
Definitely recommend, as I am a sucker for crossovers.
After Poseidon is taken by pirates, the Princess of the Seas, Lexa (although in love with a Pirate Captain, Ryke), is forced to make a marriage alliance with the Prince of Shores to get the help she needs in order to return her father to his throne.
Being the prince's cousin, Ryke is tasked with the mission to help Lexa save her father, so they fight and learn together in order to rescue Poseidon, knowing that after power is restored, Lexa will marry the prince and not the pirate.
This is a very cute, very light take on the Little Mermaid Story, although it is not a copy. It is able to keep the original foundation of the tale, keeping the sense of familiarity with the story and the plot.
I loved how Peter Pan is portrayed, because, let's be honest...even in the original story, he is a very shady character.
The love story between Ryke and Lexa is a medium-burn, and it indeed makes a lot of sense. Intertwining the plots of both tales, and the references to Snow White and Ella really set the motto for a whole universe of fairy tale retellings.
Definitely recommend, as I am a sucker for crossovers.
November 14, 2025
3 stars —— i went into this fully thinking it was a ya read. like super light, super quick, perfect as a palette cleanser. and honestly, for the first half, that’s exactly what it felt like ; ya-coded writing, easy to breeze through, nothing that forces you to think too hard. i was just vibing.
then suddenly the book went, “surprise!” and threw in some spicy scenes. they’re not super explicit or anything, but enough to make me blink twice because i genuinely thought this was going to stay firmly in ya territory. the funny part is, even with the spice, the writing still feels very ya. which makes the whole reading experience kinda unserious.
if i had to recommend this with just a yes, no or maybe, it’s definitely a maybe. yes if you’re looking for something short, something you can finish in a day, and something you don’t want to take seriously at all. but no if you want strong writing, depth, or anything polished. because this book… yeah, it’s not that.
still, it did exactly what i needed it to do. cleanse the palette, reset my brain, and weirdly make me want to rewatch peter pan and descendants. for that alone, i can’t be mad at it.
then suddenly the book went, “surprise!” and threw in some spicy scenes. they’re not super explicit or anything, but enough to make me blink twice because i genuinely thought this was going to stay firmly in ya territory. the funny part is, even with the spice, the writing still feels very ya. which makes the whole reading experience kinda unserious.
if i had to recommend this with just a yes, no or maybe, it’s definitely a maybe. yes if you’re looking for something short, something you can finish in a day, and something you don’t want to take seriously at all. but no if you want strong writing, depth, or anything polished. because this book… yeah, it’s not that.
still, it did exactly what i needed it to do. cleanse the palette, reset my brain, and weirdly make me want to rewatch peter pan and descendants. for that alone, i can’t be mad at it.
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