"Labels everywhere and they all seem to be wrapped around genitals."

Firstly, yay for enby merfolk! DeFINitely one of the things that drew me in. I'm a little older than the target market for this, so please keep this in mind for my review.

Crest (ugh Ross) is forced to go ashore for a moon cycle so that they can become an elder merperson. They expect to hate every minute - humans are terrible after all. But they don't count on meeting Sean, a lifeguard, who shows them that humans can be good. They agree to help Sean get his boyfriend back as their selfless act so that they can return home at the end of the month, but as the fake dating trope goes, they end up falling in love. Crest then has to decide if they want to go back to the home they have always loved, or if they should stay on land with Sean, never to return to the mer world.

I have to agree with Crest. People are terrible. I know that drama is pretty typical of YA books (and this book is very YA - I don't mean that as a good thing or a bad thing but as a simple fact) but oh man, the characters were incredibly annoying. Is it accurate for their ages? Yeah, probably, but that doesn't change the fact that I ended up hating pretty much all of them. I did kind of like Crest (or at least disliked them less) but they too weren't the greatest. (sidenote: I liked the way they referred to people and didn't gender everything!)

That being said, this was a fun and easy read. Between being annoyed at everyone and the dragging middle I had a good time reading this. I think queer teens will enjoy this one! Just be prepared to be annoyed at everyone. And hey, queerphobes aren't really a thing in this book so if you are looking to escape that this would be a good choice. ( )

If you’re looking for a fun fish out of water tale, look no further! With engaging characters, multiple POVs, and a fake dating scheme that inevitably leads to complications – this is a highly entertaining and poignant summer romance that is sure to put a smile on your face whilst making your heart glow. It also has some beautifully done discussions regarding gender and helps to normalize non-binary representation. ( )

Charming teen gay romance with merfolk, like "Splash" meets "Heartstoppers." ( )

audiosync free title 2023, teen rom-com fiction (10h15m, performed by two nonbinary narrators)

boy meets masculine-presenting nonbinary mer-person - Sean and Crest/Ross are adorable and also pretty hilarious. The narrators are skilled at differentiating the voices and contribute a great deal to this fun summer read. ( )

FROM SYNC: André Santana and Neo Cihi narrate this dual-perspective queer fantasy romance. Crest is a “mer” who is heading off on their month-long journey. The purpose is to experience life as a human before deciding whether to remain on land or return to the sea to begin adulthood as a mer. When they arrive on land, in a human body with a new human name, Crest meets a human lifeguard named Sean. Cihi voices Crest with an overly dramatic, slightly whiny attitude that fits their personality and provides contrast to Santana's calmer, deeper-toned portrayal of Sean. As the relationship between Sean and Crest grows, the nonbinary mer’s plan to get through their month on land as quickly as possible begins to change, and both Crest and Sean must decide what their futures hold.