I'm generally not really a fan of romance novels, but I did enjoy this novel - mainly because it's not just a romance novel, but combines elements of historical novels, fantasy and adventure.

A young French woman with a special gift needs to find a way to help her family survive in the famine that wrecks France prior to the French revolution. She is almost at her wits end on how to steer her family through these turbulent times when she receives unexpected help from the people of Aelynn, who have special gifts just like she does.

I very much enjoyed the journey of discovery Mariel makes, finding out about her own powers, and where these powers come from. The mystical island of Aelynn and the handsome and strong Trystan draw her in, but she cannot forsake her responsibilities in France. She is worked out very well as a character and I really felt for her and commiserated with her struggles. The backdrop of the French pre-revolutionary age, with it's political and military unrest and famine gives the story a very nice setting.
I also enjoyed the 'adventure' part, where Trystan and Mariel need to travel trough France to get back a sacred object from the island of Aelynn. Their struggles to reach their goal in a turbulent time are interesting and keep you reading.
One thing I disliked was the fact that it is, at times, derogatory to women. I understand that it was set in a time when people didn't think very highly of women, but still... Initially Mariel comes across as a strong and independent woman, but she soon gets to the point where she turns into an empty headed little girl needing and wanting protection from a man. I would have liked it better if Mariel would have remained strong and independent - because yes, it is possible for a woman to be clever and strong, even if she is in love...
Also, for me, the 'romance' part could have been toned down a little - and the fact that Trystan and Mariel fight first and then grow to love each other is a bit too much of the stereotypical romance - but like I said, I'm just not a big fan of romance. I think for anybody who likes romance novels this would be a great read. ( )

In 1789, Mariel, her family on the point of starvation in France, meets Trystan, the Enforcer of Aelynn, a magical hidden island. Because of his destiny to lead, he plans to take the dispassionate Lissandra, the Oracle's daughter, as his wife. She sees him sailing away, and thinks he is the savior her mother prophesied, so she follows him in her magical form of a mermaid. Trystan realizes she mush be a Crossbreed, and that she is his destined mate. She escapes the island, and somewhat accidentally takes with her a sacred chalice. Trystan pursues the chalice, but Mariel sold it quickly to buy food for her pregnant sister. During their convoluted adventures, they fall in love, but Trystan still believes Mariel can only be his amacara, the mother of his children, but not his official wife. Trystan has a showdown with Murdoch, who was exiled from Aelynn after killing the Oracle's husband in what he claimed was an accident.

Interesting enough to read, as I usually like a bit of fantasy combined with history, but I have a hard time following the rules of the fantasy world, or at the least it doesn't appeal to me, as it is based on a made-up pantheon and weird rules of marriage and a religious-sexual union on an altar. ( )

punky Mariel, a rather uncommon commoner who can swim underwater like a mermaid, follows his ship to its destination: the secret, magically guarded isle of Aelynn. Despite mutual attraction, the golden man—actually Tristan l'Enforcer, Aelynn's loyal guardian—refuses to help Mariel or her town—so Mariel helps herself, escaping with an old chalice that she sells to buy wheat for her village. Little does she realize that the relic is Aelynn's most powerful sacred artifact, the Chalice of Plenty—and soon Tristan shows up to recover it. ( )

På en strand i Frankrike står en kvinna och tittar efter en blond man som står bredbent med fladdrande skjorta på ett fartyg som försvinner iväg. Om du tycker det låter mer som en harlekinroman än en fantasybok har du inte helt fel. Visserligen visar det sig senare att hon är en sjöjungfru och anledningen att hon spanar är att hennes mor förutspått att en gyllene gud ska hjälpa dom ur deras problem. Det visar sig senare att han kommer från en mystisk ö och har magiska krafter. I något som mest verkar vara ett sätt att slippa förklara hur de två huvudpersonerna dras till varandra förklaras det vara orsaken av ett magiskt band som gör att de blir kära i varandra. Och eftersom det är tantsnusk blir det naturligtvis även en hel del som händer nedanför midjan.
Om du skulle vilja ha en ganska fånig romantikroman med lite fantasy på toppen kan du gilla den men annars bör den undvikas. ( )

This is a most enjoyable read. Around the time of the French revolution in Breton France, a young woman who has a special ability (mermaid's affinity for the sea and the capability to prove it) encounter a man who was forecast by her mother to be the savior of their town. The problem is he hails from a secret mystical island that regular humans cannot enter. It's located not to far from the coast of Breton. The rest of the novel it their tortured love story with tons of misunderstandings and miscommunication. They have more trouble trying to work out their complicated relationship than we, the readers, do. There is more to the tale in future volumes, I will be sure to check them out. My thanks to LibraryThing for a complimentary copy of this work. ( )