Heather’s Bookshelf: The Mermaid Riot
Author: Joy E. Held
Released: 03/03/24
Genre: Historical Fantasy
“The mermaid’s eyes opened lethargically. Seeing Tobi, she turned her head a little in his direction and whimpered. It took great effort, but the mermaid raised a small, thin arm out of the water and reached for him.”
“The Mermaid Riot” takes place in 1876 South Carolina and begins with Dr. Trask pulling a body from one of his fishing nets. Tobi Doyle, a young man with a mysterious connection to storms, witnesses the apothecary pull something from his boat and feels compelled to investigate.
Serena was Tobi’s childhood neighbor, friend, and first love. They were inseparable until an accident at the Robinson Phosphate Mine Company (owned by Serena’s father) results in the death of Tobi’s father. The two are separated by their parents and haven’t been able to interact in a year. But when Tobi witnesses Dr. Trask, all that is about to change.
Mari-Morgan is a mermaid- a daughter in the royal family and betrothed to form an alliance with another powerful regime. Mari-Morgan wants nothing to do with the arrangement and yearns for the human prince she can make her own. Her plans go awry when she ends up in Dr. Trask’s net and survival becomes a priority until Tobi Doyle walks into her life.
Tobi calls on help from Serena and the two are soon reunited in their fight to help the captured mermaid. Will they be able to save Mari-Morgan? And will Tobi be able to resist her charms?
Trigger Warning: discussion of drowning,
Overall, I enjoyed this tale. The story is told through multiple and changing POVs including Trask, Tobi, Serena, and the Mer-people. Each of the main characters has their own distinct voice, motives, and goals. The interaction between Tobi and Serena as well as their love for each other is evident and absolutely adorable. They have a Romeo and Juliet quality that shine through. Dr. Trask is a low-key antagonist. On the surface he’s a businessman trying to bring an act to the local circus, but in reality he is a callous and uncaring man all consumed by money and fame and unconcerned with who or what he may be hurting. The pacing was a little off for me. The beginning was well done, moving along while providing background information and little details through the changing POVs. However, the middle third seemed to drag on a bit while waiting for something to happen with Mari-Morgan. The ending brings everything back together though with the pacing and wrapping everything up. There were a couple of times I thought the author was hinting at a secret related to Serena or Tobi and while there was a reveal, it was not at all what I thought it would be. I enjoyed the overall tone of this tale, though I would have loved to see more mythology. I think a sequel would be divine (read the author interview to learn more about how this tale relates to events that happened in the past).
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A historical fantasy with two adorable leads and a romance that highlights the pages. Some pacing issues and underdeveloped ideas hinder an otherwise interesting story.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Joy E. Held
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Find it for purchase here
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