Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he’s heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma’s gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom…

Told from both Emma and Galen’s points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance.

I picked up this book because I thought my 13-year-old niece would like it: she’s a fan of mermaids and fantasy books. Before I give it to her, however, I wanted to make sure it’s appropriate.

This is a fun twist on traditional mermaid stories by combining various sea stories into a new version of the Poseidon and Triton myths. I really enjoyed it — lots of mystery, some special abilities, and quite a bit of romance. I do wish, for a young adult novel, there was less emphasis on physical looks (there’s quite a bit of discussion about Galen’s hot body). The characters are older though (18 and 20) so I don’t feel like it’s too much. (Though it might be a bit much for young adults not yet interested in the opposite sex.) The first person POV was a bit tough to read, but not terrible.

Overall, a good read. It captured my attention and held it. I’ll have to get the next book so I can see how the story continues.

Rated PG/PG-13 (depending on your bend): lots of discussion about mating (it’s a natural conversation for the mermaids) and some kissing, but nothing overly descriptive. (Get your copy here.)