This story didn't worked for me.

In my opinion it's built with no care and many details appear without any explanation, clearly deus ex machina products. I found especially annoying the absolute lack of connection between both parts: any clue, no plausible reason during Part One for the introduction of Oscar and John.

Without being a big fan, I'm able to enjoy a fantasy read as long as it have internal consistency. This is not the case.

However, I appreciate its good writing and the Samsa vibe from David, hence my two stars rating. ( )

My first read of the 2015 Love is an Open Road Event.



Very entertaining and unexpected interpretation of the prompt, but I enjoyed it.

David was a happy child. He knew what he wanted and who he wanted to be with, that being Gul a merman he rescued. But parents and society told him differently, that he was ill, there was no such thing as mermen, eventually they told him he was crazy. He suffered for years, long into adulthood trying to become what society wanted him to be, but he was never happy. In the end denying who he was and who he wanted was what drove him mad. But it was a madness fueled by his own fear and society. Once he faced his desires, and who he wanted, and stopped being afraid of what he'd give up (a world that didn't like him anyway) to be with Gul, the merman he truly loved, that's when everything clicked into place for David, he was no longer crazy and he was able to recapture his wonderment and joy.

Along the way David ended up helping a second love pair in the story, Oscar and Jake/John. They had a few secrets of their own they needed to talk over.

The moral of this fairytale, in order to be happy, be your true self even if you don't fit in and you'll find joy. And along the way, you could find the someone who loves and accepts the real you, just the way you are.



Thanks Al and Claire for the wonderful story and thanks to Laura for the wonderful prompt! I also can't forget Noah Homes for the awesome cover :)

I give this highly entertaining HEA read 4 Merman Stars





( )

This books is very confusing to me.

I don't know why the story needed Osar and Jake/John, because all happened in its due course and David was ready when he was ready and didn't need much help with it (except for the boys dragging him into the waves).

David was 6 when he first met Gul. That makes him 36 at the time of the second part of the story. Am I wrong? Did I miss something? No? Yes? If I am right, then why is he "middle-aged"? O.o

The language in the first part was off. I don't know if it's me, but it seemed a bit out of focus. How do you "eat tea"? And later, just when I thought David was too far into the ocean because (not exact quote) "can't breath. waves closing above his head", the author would inform me that David was in the water up to his knees... waist... chest... and so I kept going back in forth, afraid that something was amiss.

The sand-eating-and-counting part was plain trippy. I was getting worried for everyone involved, imaginary or not.

There is more: what Kira said.

So how did I get to 4 stars (which is mostly for the first part)? I have no frigging clue. It's a mystery, yet here I am: final score - 4 stars. ( )