REVIEW: The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler

The Summer of Chasing Mermaids by Sarah Ockler 

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Synopsis: The youngest of six talented sisters, Elyse d’Abreau was destined for stardom – until a boating accident took everything from her. Now, the most beautiful singer in Tobago can’t sing. She can’t even speak.

Seeking quiet solitude, Elyse accepts a friend’s invitation to Atargatis Cove. Named for the mythical first mermaid, the Oregon seaside town is everything Elyse’s home in the Caribbean isn’t: an ocean too cold for swimming, parties too tame for singing, and people too polite to pry – except for one.

Christian Kane is a notorious playboy – insolent, arrogant, and completely charming. He’s also the only person in Atargatis Cove who doesn’t treat Elyse like a glass statue. He challenges her to express herself, and he admires the way she treats his younger brother, Sebastian, who believes Elyse is the legendary mermaid come to life.

When Christian needs a first mate for the Cove’s high-stakes Pirate Regatta, Elyse reluctantly stows her fear of the sea and climbs aboard. The ocean isn’t the only thing making waves, though – swept up in Christian’s seductive tide and entranced by the Cove’s charms, Elyse begins to wonder if a life of solitude isn’t what she needs. But changing course again means facing her past. It means finding her inner voice. And scariest of all, it means opening her heart to a boy who’s best known for breaking them…

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Retelling

Review: Diversity! Sex positivity! Disability! Interracial relationships! Mysticism and mermaids! What doesn’t this book have? This cover caught my eye in Barnes & Noble one day (which is usually the case) and I was surprised to see that it seemed to have more depth than your average mermaid-themed YA romance. I was nervous to get my hopes high, but this read far exceeded my expectations!

After a tragic accident on her native island of Tobago that left her mute and scarred, Elyse d’Abreau has opted to stay with her aunt in the Oregon seaside town of Atargatis Cove. Though she meets friends and does not want to return to Tobago, Elyse cannot find comfort in her new life no matter how hard she tries. But when the town ladies man, Christian Kane, comes back to town for the summer, Elyse finds herself joining him on a seemingly impossible mission to restore an old boat and win a race that could cost them the entirety of Atargatis Cove. Will Elyse open herself back up to life, or will her scars–both literal and mental–create an impossible barrier?

I know, I know. It’s winter, why am I still reading summer YA romances? I honestly have no answer for you. But I can tell you that this book is the perfect cure for the winter weather and will leave you warm and fuzzy and forgetting about the cold.

I find that this genre can either beautifully address serious issues or it can be dangerously passive. This is quite possibly the most direct and authentically honest diverse romance I’ve read in a while. While not being an own-voice novel, Ockler obviously did her research and saturated this book with culture and dedication to Elyse’s background. Elyse could have very easily been a white girl, but Ockler chose to write her as a character of color, thereby giving the book far more depth and unexpected development. I admire her dedication to giving minorities a voice, especially because the islands of Trinidad and Tobago are not often featured in books in this genre.

Though this book was a bit of the stereotypical romance with a bad boy redemption arc and a mysterious tragedy that drives the development of the main character and the plot, this book was still very enjoyable. Elyse, however, is a refreshing and new main character whose story I grew very attached to. Her heritage is very much a part of who she is, which makes her stand out from the small town Oregon natives. She brings a new life to this genre and I hope to see more characters like her breaking the mold in the future.

If you’re looking for a sweet and sentimental read that will leave your heart full, yet wanting more, this is definitely the right choice. This was my first Sarah Ockler book and I can’t wait to keep reading her work and seeing how she brings more unique voices like Elyse’s to the genre!

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